New South Wales Fishing Monthly February 2020 by Fishing Monthly

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Boating & Kayaking

Exploring Wallace Lake Catching barra from the yak • Boat ramp knowledge •

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Features •

Hastings River hotspots • Which line is best?

Tried & Tested

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February 2020, Vol. 25 No. 7

Contents

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OUR OUR COVER COVER Andy Wilson landed 97cm of prime North Coast flathead on a runout tide using a Westin HypoTeez swimbait. A James Thurley image. TO SUBSCRIBE SEE PAGE 31 FIND THE ZMAN LOGO COMPETITION PAGE 29 New South Wales Fishing Monthly magazine goes on sale the first week of each month (latest sale date 7th of the month).

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event of the Costa BREAM Series was scheduled to be held at Mallacoota in early February; ABT anglers from all over Australia love this East Gippsland venue. ABT is aware that it’s important to start spending money back in Gippsland as soon as possible, and so have moved the event to Gippsland Lakes. The second round will now be a Mallacoota Fundraiser, and it will be great to be able to put some cash back into that tight-knit community. Remember that ABT events are for everyone. In both the BREAM and the BASS events, you don’t even need a boat because you are paired with anglers who own boats. It’s a great way to steepen your learning curve and add that extra dimension to your fishing.

they are confined to a small area, but the last thing they need is to be caught, even if you plan to release them. Instead, go elsewhere and find yourself an unstressed fish to catch. It’s a better challenge as an angler and better for the stocks for when the pendulum swings the other way. TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE In this issue you can check out the 2020 ABT Tournament Angler Guide, which is stitched into every Fishing Monthly magazine nationwide in February. Even if you’re not directly interested or involved in tournament fishing, you should know that plenty of the techniques and lures that you use today have had their origins in the bream, bass and barramundi events. Ironically, the second

An anglers, this is what you can do to help this year – visit these communities when they’re ready to take you, and spend money at the local businesses. Remember that a lot of these places were emptied out during the peak holiday season, which they rely on for most of their revenue. ARE FISH KILLS NEXT? At the time of print, we’re starting to see fish kills in areas where the ash is washing into rivers. I think that sadly, we will see more of this as we get rain. It’s a double edged sword, isn’t it… we need the rain, but we know that it will cause damage to the already fragile and drought-stricken rivers when it comes. The best you can do as an angler? Leave the stressed fish alone. Sometimes they are pretty easy to catch when

It has been a testing month for Australia. Some of our favourite fishing areas and holiday destinations have been under attack from one of the worst bushfire seasons many of us have lived through. In the recreational fishing community, we all know people who have been affected. Some of my mates are regulars at Mallacoota every year and they were faced with a terrifying decision – pack up the family and drive through severe fire areas to get home, or stay with the family and ride out the event. Scary when you have young kids. Fortunately, they all made it home and are planning their next trips because they’re aware of how vital tourism is to most of these communities.

FEBRUARY 2020

From the Editor’s Desk...

AUST

REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 14 Cooking 88 Dam Levels 97 Fun Page 77 Fly Fishing 96 Tech Tricks 86 Tide Times 109 Trade Directory 110 Tournament News 106 What’s New Fishing 100 What’s New Boating 115 SPECIAL FEATURES Hastings River hotspots 8 Which line to use? 42 PARTNER CONTENT Black Magic Masterclass 12 DPI Recreational Fishing News 99 100 years of Alvey reels 104

TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE

PRO

BYRON COAST The Tweed 28 Ballina 30 Yamba 32 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour 34 South West Rocks 36 MACQUARIE COAST The Hastings 38 Forster 39 Harrington-Taree 41 HUNTER COAST Swansea 78 Port Stephens 79 Erina 80 SYDNEY Sydney 16 Sydney South 18 Botany Bay 20 The Hawkesbury 22 Sydney Rock and Beach 24 Sydney North 25 Pittwater 26 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 82 Nowra 83 BATEMANS COAST Batemans Bay 60 Merimbula 62 Narooma 63 EDEN COAST Bermagui 84 Mallacoota 84 Tathra 85 FRESHWATER Lithgow-Oberon 90 Batlow 91 Hunter Valley 92 Canberra 93 Wagga Wagga 94 New England 95 Robinvale 97 Albury-Wodonga 98 Yarrawonga 98 BOATING AND KAYAK 111

ING TRADE

Hastings River – a recreational fishing heaven THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

The Port Macquarie region is known for a bunch of great fisheries, and the Hastings River is one of

at Blackmans Point. The Hastings River became a recreational haven around 2000 and is one of the 24 Recreational Fishing Only rivers, lakes and creeks in NSW. The declaration of the haven has had an extremely positive effect on

Hastings will thrive for a long time to come. PORT MACQUARIE The Port Macquarie township had a population of around 48,000. Port is located 400km from Sydney to the south and 510km from Brisbane to the north. Port

The nighttime mulloway action around the highway bridge can be worth the effort. This one was caught on a diving hardbody by Andrew Death. them, providing endless angling opportunities for all sorts of anglers. HASTINGS HISTORY The Hastings river on the mid north coast of NSW at Port Macquarie has been inhabited by the Birpai Aboriginal people for thousands of years and they know the river as the ‘Doongang’. It rises in the Great Dividing Range, southwest of Kemps pinnacle and is surrounded by the Oxley Wild Rivers National park and Werrikimbe National park. It is joined by seven tributaries including the Tobins, Forbes, Ellenborough, Pappinbarra and Thone rivers. The river reaches the mouth at Port Macquarie flowing out into the Tasman sea of the South Pacific Ocean. The river descends 1040m over its 180km course. The Maria and Wilson rivers join the Hastings

both the fishery and the local Port Macquarie tourism trade. Bait species such as herring, whitebait and prawns are plentiful, and juvenile fish thrive under these conditions. Recreational havens are a winner for sustainable fishing, and with sensible bag limits and monitoring, the

Macquarie has an outstanding range of accommodation and restaurants for all tastes and desires, as well as all the shopping outlets and fast food places other areas have. Port has something for everyone if you love the outdoors, be it beaches, rivers, bushwalks – we have you covered! If

The rock walls are places Gavin Saxon (left) and Eathan Watts (right) like to chase big silvers after dark.

you just want to relax then we have great eateries and coffee shops, with most overlooking some beautiful coastal and river scenery. In this article I would like to help you get an understanding of some of the river’s better fishing spots from the entrance up to Rawdon islands. We can look at the main fish species and how to go about targeting them. Obviously, having water transport like a boat, yak or canoe is going to help with moving upriver, but the river’s breakwalls, jetties, canals and sand flats can offer up some great land based action. LAND-BASED In the centre of Port Macquarie is the South Wall and town wharf, and for the land-based angler these areas are popular and very productive places to fish. The wall itself offers mulloway, bream, flathead and the extremely popular luderick, while the town jetty provides a very comfortable spot to wet a line for the above species, and also garfish and squid, when they are on. Anglers can also go across to the north wall via the Settlement Point Ferry and catch the same species, but with the added advantage of being able to fish the North Beach side for tailor and salmon. Mulloway can be caught from these walls all year round using lures or live bait. If you cannot catch live bait such as mullet, tailor or squid, then the freshest of dead baits is a good choice. Usually though, if I have no livies I prefer using lures such as large plastics and hardbodies. I like using heavier gear and a 10ft rod capable of handling 50lb braid and 60-80lb leader, which is the norm here. Even with 50lb braid and 60-80lb leader, there will be some tense moments when you hook up and then try to land one of the bigger mulloway these waters are renowned for! Shore-based anglers chasing a more relaxed style of angling could target the plentiful bream along the

Big flathead periodically show up around the rock walls, and Pelican Island’s flats are also home to some great fish like this one Mandy caught. walls. Winter is ideal, as the bream move out to spawn. Most fresh baits will get you onto a few, but if you go to the extra effort of pumping some nippers then most evenings and early mornings will see

the town jetty and Settlement Point Road, as these are both areas where you can still get your share of fish. Another option is the North Shore, and there are a few fishing spots along the

These flathead were caught using soft plastics around the shallow weed beds of Big Bay. you into some bream action. Both luderick and flathead are partial to a nipper as well, so a mixed bag is on the cards. Luderick anglers tend to gather around the bend in the wall near the local police station area and at times this can be a little crowded. When the fish are on the bite and you want to get away from the crowd, try

coal wall. Just note that at times these spots are blocked to drive in, so you may need to walk or drive out to the North Wall, where again you can chase luderick with easy access. The canal systems of Port Macquarie provide good opportunities to take on some great sport fish, and it is very popular with land-based lure

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Bridge pylons often mean mulloway and bream in the Hastings.

fishers. Giant and bigeye trevally, bream, flathead and the occasional mulloway are all possible, with the possibility of a mangrove jack as well. The best lures for the trevally are topwaters or soft plastics worked with a faster retrieve, and walking the causeways and looking for the

mind that people do live in the area and own private jetties, so be respectful and there should be no problems. The same attitude should be taken when boating in the canals. It has a 4-knot speed limit and being respectful of moored boats and jetties when casting lures in and around them is important.

past the Panthers Club. This area is mostly shallow and has good weed beds plus nipper activity, and is a prime spring to autumn spot for chasing whiting, bream and flathead. It is a very good kayaking area, and by casting surface lures in here you can have a ball.

Left: Casting lightly-weighted plastics to the edges of the coal wall can put you onto bream like this. Right: Mud crabs are reasonably easy to catch, just be sure to follow rules and regulations.

Do not discount the deeper sections behind Rawdon Island. Mulloway can be caught in them, as Daniel Marsh found out. mullet schools usually will indicate where the fish are located. Bream will be around the jetties and the oysterencrusted edges, and soft plastics or hardbodied lures are exceptionally effective for fishing this structure. There is plenty of access along the walkways of the canal system, but please keep in

THE BACK CHANNEL The area from Westport Park boat ramp running up between Pelican Island and the marina, canal area and re-joining the main river at Settlement Point near the boatshed is a very fishy area. You can access it by walking down the track near the first canal bridge

Lures such as stickbaits, small poppers and prawn imitations work a treat on the whiting and bream. If you’re targeting that trophy flathead, covering the water in this channel with big surface lures or plastics will put you in the game. Boating is OK in here, but watch the tides, as in sections

it is extremely shallow. It’s difficult to get out of channel at the boatshed end as it silts up, so check first before making the trip in there, however kayaks are fine. The BBQ area near the boatshed is a great place to take the little ones, as it has all amenities and car parking. You will see a sand bank at this end of Pelican Island, and this is a good place to send out a bait for flathead, bream or whiting. BOATING There are a few boat ramps in Port Macquarie. The main ramp is Westport Park, and you also have Machinerny park boat ramp on River Park Rd. There is a ramp in the carpark near where the

offshore fishing charter and whale watching boats moor, plus one near the sea rescue and Westport clubs. Both are OK for yaks or small boats, but steer clear of these as tides do affect them. Boats also launch at the old ferry ramps on Fernbank Creek Road which is quite useable it is opposite Blackmans Point and is handy to head up the Maria River arm, however parking can be a problem. As well as summer’s northeasterly winds there is no jetty on these ramps, and in the wind it is probably a two-person job launching and retrieving so as always use suitable ramp for the conditions and size of your boat.

MOUTH TO MARIA ARM Seriously, the front section of the Hastings is incredible, with abundant fishing options, structure and techniques available to catch your favourite species. I have mentioned the break walls, and as we move around the main walls you can fish the coal wall, which runs up the north shore. This wall is a great spot to cast soft plastics or vibes for bream and in wintertime it can be exceptional. Expect flathead as well, and if you’re using plastics in winter bring plenty, as leatherjackets can be a problem. Because of this I tend to use soft or metal vibes if the toothy brigade are out. To page 10

FEBRUARY 2020

From page 9

Some very good mulloway get captured along here as well at night time, and live baiting is a very popular way to connect to one of these beautiful fish. Once we travel past the ferry (this is a 4-knot zone and you must not pass in front of the ferry when it’s crossing) you have Settlement Point Road on the southern side, and opposite is Limeburners Creek and Big Bay. Both of these latter locations are heavily worked by the local oyster industry and if you’re fishing in these areas, be aware of the no wake zone and also respect the leases. Both these spots are popular for bream fishers, and they also offer big flathead and the occasional mulloway. Further up Limeburners you can find some very good flats to cast poppers for whiting and there is a deep section near Tom Dicks Hole, which is good for luderick and again the occasional mulloway. Mostly though these areas are exceptional bream waters, and all lure methods can produce, with soft plastics and hardbodies being firm local favourites. The wall along Settlement Point Road to the canal mouth is a popular land-based spot, so boat fishing casting lures into the bank can be problematic at times, but if you get the

chance bream, flatties and some very good mulloway are caught right along this section. In winter, the mullet schools move along this wall as they head out to sea and it is prime for mulloway. The shallow banks opposite Machinery Park

around the moored boats and jetties. Lightly-weighted plastics such as camo Gulp Crabbys are great, and on the hardbody side of things, shallow running minnows, Cranka Crabs and various surface lures regularly produce results. Show respect to

The edge bite from the Whalebone Wharf all the way up to nearly Dennis Bridge can fill a session, and if you are after a feed of flathead this is a good area, as it has plenty of weed beds and varies in depth from 0.5-2m. I use mainly soft plastics

A great example of the quality whiting that can be caught around Pelican Island. can produce some very good flathead, and it’s also a good place to put a few crab nets for blue swimmers. It’s usually best to fish here at high tide, as you can cast around the weedy margins. At this stage I will mention that the canals are both no wake zones, and the speed limit is 4 knots. The fishing in both canals can be exceptional, with bream

owners and their property and try to keep the noise down in the early hours of the morning, as not everyone will care about your stonker bream! Fishing along Hibbard Drive to the second ferry is productive. Casting up tight to the pylons and oysterencrusted rocks can be fun, but the tide does run fast through this area, so be on your game.

along this section. If you’re a crabber, it is also good for blue swimmers along here. BLACKMANS POINT TO HIGHWAY BRIDGES Blackmans Point at the mouth of the Maria River arm has the best nipper pumping spot in the Hastings, as you can pull up on the bank or drive around to the point and it is quite easy to pump enough

bait for your fishing session. Casting the nippers straight back out in this area, you will encounter bream, whiting and flathead. The shallows in this section do produce some great summer action. Heading further upriver we get to Riverlodge Caravan Park, and on the north side up to Dennis Bridge we have some very good mulloway water. The depth of the channel is approximately 7m and by casting big plastics or using soft vibes you are in the game. Nighttime live baiting this area is also a very productive way of getting a mulloway. The bream fishing can be also very good around the bridge pylons and by using soft vibes, especially in the winter, bream and mulloway can be caught together. RAWDON ISLANDS There are two Rawdon Islands on the Hastings, one is Big Rawdon and one is Little Rawdon, and around and between these islands offers some excellent crabbing, structure fishing and some deeper holes that are home to our mighty mulloway. Firstly, mud crabs are a feature and putting your traps in with fresh bait such as fresh fish frames will be hard for them to resist. There are plenty of mangrove areas where you can set your gear, just make sure it is appropriately marked as per

Fisheries regulations. Summer is one of the best times to be fishing behind Rawdon, as you can avoid the prevailing northeasterly winds, but just remember that if you travelled from down the front the trip home may be nasty. Behind the islands there are bays, creeks and flats, so fishing options are endless. Cicadas, when they turn up, create some insane bream surface fishing action and the tree lines are the place to cast your imitation. Flathead can be found right around the edges and some very nice fish get caught here every year as you move upstream around the islands. You will find a few deeper holes and I can honestly say mulloway can be found in any of these holes, and if you’re chasing the ghosts of the river, it pays to work with the tides through the system of holes. It may even be worth spending a few hours with your sounder marking areas you want to fish and looking for bait. It’s then a matter going through with soft vibes or bigger plastics such as paddle-tails or bigger curl-tail grubs, and I prefer 3/8oz jigheads on a hook size suitable to your plastic. Enjoy the Hastings River and fish responsibly, being courteous to other water users, and mostly have fun! That’s what it’s all about.

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Chasing the dream: fishing off the beach Ocean beaches are a great place to catch a range of species, from bread and butter stuff like bream, whiting and tailor through to larger predators like mulloway and sharks. Most of the time these areas are not only productive fishing areas but also easily accessible by foot or 4WD, making them ideal locations for anglers of all skill levels from kids to hardcore mulloway anglers. Regardless of what species you want to target from the beach, it’s important to get the fundamentals right, as without them you will struggle. Some beaches are dozens of kilometres long and only a small percentage of that will be typical fish holding country. Shallow areas that are constantly bombarded by waves should be avoided. Instead, look to fish the deeper gutters

as they usually disappear once the low light period is over. LARGER PREDATORS Mulloway are without doubt the holy grail for beach fishers and while they can be caught a variety of different ways, the most effective method is fishing after the sun goes down with large baits. In order to cast out larger baits, you need a stiffer rod around 10-12’ matched to a 10,00020,000 sized reel spooled with 10-15kg mono line. My preference again is the Black Magic Velocity Surf Line, as it casts great and provides

Black Magic has you covered when it comes to beach fishing.

A promising looking gutter. and troughs. These can be easily identified by places where waves don’t break and darker coloured water. Gutters will often funnel back out to sea while some troughs can run horizontal behind, in front or between sand bars. Fish are attracted to these places, as food sources like pipis, worms and crabs are pounded out of from adjacent banks and washed into them. On top of this, the deeper water also offers a bit of protection and rest zone for large schools of fish especially during annual mullet, luderick and bream migrations. Once you’ve narrowed down where to focus your efforts, it’s time to fish the area in the right manner for the desired species. There are three ways to fish from the ocean beaches 12

FEBRUARY 2020

once the sun goes down. The easiest way to rig a mulloway bait is to use a three way swivel with a star sinker attached to the bottom swivel eye and a 60-80cm length of 40-60 Black Magic fluorocarbon leader coming off the side swivel eye. Hook size will depend on your bait size and can be anywhere from 6/0-10/0. I always snell two hooks together when targeting beach mulloway and the best hooks I’ve ever used for them are the Black Magic C Point range. With

– one for your bread and butter species like bream and whiting, another for smaller pelagics like tailor and salmon, and then the third for larger predators like sharks and the mighty mulloway. BREAD AND BUTTER FISHING This is the simplest way to fish the beaches, but it’s extremely effective when done right. Use a 10-12’ rod with a light soft tip paired with a 40006000 size spin reel spooled with 6kg mono, preferably something like Black Magic Velocity Surf Line, as it’s made specifically for this type of fishing. Mono line is far better suited than braid when fishing the beaches, as the swell and turbulence will often throw the braid over itself and make some epic knots and birds’ nests. The rig is very simple and Black Magic makes it

even simpler, with the perfect pre-made rig ready to go in the Sandy Snatcher. It is a twin long shank rig, which is the ideal hook to use from the beach. Bait these up with live beachworms or pipis and you can’t go wrong. This is an effective way to catch things like bream and

whiting but you can also score loads of welcome by-catch species with dart, salmon, flathead and even mulloway often taking a Sandy Snatcher Rig. The best time to fish these areas is around the high tide, especially when you can get one that corresponds with dawn and dusk periods. Smaller pelagics like tailor and salmon also frequent the surf zone, making them a popular target for recreational anglers. The best rods to target tailor on ocean beaches are between 8-10’, with a 40006000 sized reel spooled with 20lb Black Magic Rainbow Braid to a 30lb 80cm length of fluorocarbon leader. Braid is the preferred option in this instance as you are constantly casting and retrieving, which eliminates the problems braid can give to anchored baits in the surf. The best thing to use is a whole pilchard, garfish or a metal lure around 20-40g. Early morning and late afternoon are prime times for both fish, especially for tailor,

The Sandy Snatchers are lethal on bread and butter species. unmatched knot strength. The favoured mulloway baits are whole squid or even better if you can source it, some live yellow-tail, mullet, whiting or tailor. Many anglers will get to the beach well before dark in order to catch a live whiting or tailor to put out

The ultimate prize for every beach angler: the mighty mulloway.

these hooks, you will rarely miss a hook-up. CASTING FURTHER Occasionally you’ll come across good-looking mulloway territory by way of a trough or gutter that’s just out of casting range and this is where Black Magic Longreach Rig comes into its own. It’s great for smaller live baits such as small yellow-tail or dead baits like whole squid. It comes pre-rigged with a KL5/0 and 3/0 hook attached to a plastic clip at the bottom of the rig near the sinker. This makes it super aerodynamic, allowing for much further casts than traditional rigs. It also has a small, inbuilt float that lifts your bait up to waft around rather than letting it sit on the bottom and be picked apart by crabs and rays.

Get moving and stay mobile! NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

C’mon, don’t sit and wait for the fish to find you! Get out there, be active and hunt down your prey instead. It’s much more fun — and more effective.

but there are many ways that land-based and bank-bound fishers can improve their mobility to cover a lot more water and often increase their catch rates too. The biggest trick in mastering mobility lies in not burdening yourself with too much tackle and related paraphernalia. There’s a lot to

Fly fishing wading boots are perfect for their intended purpose, but not always ideal for longer hikes. The author’s new Simms Flyweights (right) are the best he’s found so far for extended trekking. also strap a spare multi-piece rod to the side of a backpack if needed. The other important thing I always include in my pack these days is a simple first-aid kit, including a compression bandage to

an important role, too. The obligatory Aussie summer ‘uniform’ of T-shirt, shorts and thongs might feel nice and casual around the house or by the beach at this time of year in many parts of the

Hooked up to a rampaging rainbow trout in the teeth of a Tasmanian gale. Staying mobile can dramatically improve your fishing results.

Believe it or not, this was the author’s total collection of terminal tackle for a three-day coastal hike on the far South Coast of NSW! When you’re covering well in excess of 30km on foot, every gram counts. In my opinion, there’s a lot to be said for mobility when fishing. Those happy holiday danglers with their heavy folding chairs, full drink coolers and a couple of rods propped up on forked sticks at the water’s edge might be doing it in comfort and style, but they’ll almost always end up being comprehensively out-fished by an active, alert angler who’s on the move and willing to take the game to the fish, instead of waiting for the fish to come to them. Boat and kayak anglers are obviously mobile by definition,

be said for a single, versatile rod-and-reel outfit, a small tackle box holding only what you’re likely to need, some leader material, a water bottle, a knife, pair of scissors and a set of long-nosed pliers, perhaps in pouches on your belt. For more extended forays, you can take things a step further with a lightweight backpack or a decent bum bag. This allows you to pack a warm or waterproof jacket, a few energy snacks, sunscreen, more drinking water and maybe a camera and some extra terminal tackle. You can

Fishing vests are great, but rationalise what you pack into those multiple pockets. It’s easy to overdo it and overload yourself.

are all arguments against this omnipresent ocker ensemble. When you blow a thong an hour’s hike from the car across rough country, you’ll quickly come to realise that you’ve made a very poor wardrobe choice. Footwear selection is largely dictated by terrain and fishing style. Lightweight sandshoes or even open sandals will suffice in some scenarios, while others call for decent hiking boots. If you intend to go wading, there are specialist types of footwear. Attitude and philosophy are even more important than exact gear selection when it comes to achieving fishing mobility. Being willing to stay active, keep moving and hunt your prey will make you a much better angler,

deal with snakebite. In really remote areas, consider adding a personal EPIRB or emergency locator beacon. How you dress and what you wear on your feet plays

The author lands a lovely rainbow trout. His sling pack holds all his flies, leader material and other tackle, as well as drinking water, a camera, snacks, extra clothing and a basic first aid kit.

There’s a track winding back… to a great fishing spot! 14

FEBRUARY 2020

country, but it’s not the ideal get-up for safely racking up some kilometres along a remote riverbank, lake shore

or rocky shoreline. Sunburn, scratches from vegetation, insect stings and the everpresent threat of snakebite

not to mention keep you fitter and healthier! Make the commitment to be more mobile this year.

Nagambie even better in 2020! Looking to boost the quality of bank and kayak fishing options, 22.5km of waterways has been added to the tournament area for fishos to catch the winning $80,000 cod. Starting once again at 2km south of the Hughes Creek junction at Seymour, the tournament fishing zone will extend well beyond the 2019 boundary of the Goulburn Weir, to just beyond the Murchison Recreation Reserve. Over the past 12 months anglers have been catching cod to 120cm in the new extension area, making Murchison the new hot spot for 2020!

STOCKING Nagambie is the home of 100,000 new Murray cod fingerlings, thanks to VFA’s recent stocking efforts. GoFish Nagambie ambassadors Karen Rees and Dan Hawkins joined good mates from Trelly’s and WIRF Leaders to assist 1.25g fingerlings being released into the Goulburn.

VFA CEO Travis Dowling said that stocking of native fish like golden perch and Murray cod into the Goulburn River and Lake Nagambie had transformed the fishery, providing freshwater fishers with a wonderful destination not far from Melbourne. This area really is the ultimate angler’s paradise.

PRIZE POOL $500,000 will go off at GoFish Nagambie in 2020, with more kids’ prizes, more women’s prizes and more random prizes. First there’s the $80,000 Murray cod, then there’s cash for the top 10 biggest Murray cod and golden perch, cash prizes for the top five biggest carp, and much more. All up, there are over 700 prizes to be won! And we’ll keep revealing more in the lead up to the comp. GoFish Nagambie is bringing back everyone’s favourites, including Jayco’s Cod O’Clock, Carp O’Clock and, thanks to Lowrance, a daily Donut Prize.

New in 2020 is the Golden Hour competition for golden perch; the ‘Reddy, Steady, Go’ (redfin) junior comp, plus the all new Grand Slam, which awards the best of the anglers who have caught a fish of every species. And the daily lucky door prizes have doubled from 100 per day to 200 per day, totalling 600 prizes! This is the biggest and best comp you’ll see all year, and anyone could catch the winning fish. Entries start at $50 for kids and are capped at $160 for adults. For more info head to www.gofishnagambie.com.au

Kingfish chaos all around SYDNEY

Paul O’Hagan

Kingfish inside the harbour and around the headlands continue to be the number one target for most anglers, with fish being taken on all manner of methods.

There have been some very good flathead taken while drifting along some of the sandy areas, and for those fishing into the evening good numbers of mulloway have also been taken. Along our rock ledges there have been a lot of anglers picking up salmon and

and my belief is that whoever was responsible for stocking Narrabeen has stocked Dee Why instead, and Narrabeen has missed out. Although there is no big movement of prawns at Narrabeen the fishing is still going well, with some nice bream and whiting being taken

Manly (midway along the beach) is fishing well, with some nice flathead and bream turning up in anglers’ catches, and in the evening fish baits have produced bronze whaler and dusky sharks. Manly Dam has fished well, with good-sized bass being taken on cicada imitation lures and small divers, and for those who want to relax, a bit of bread and sweet corn fished under a float will see some redfin and carp coming on the bite. Fishing from our reefs has been consistent, with good snapper and plenty of rat kingfish on light gear among the schools of salmon. Soft plastics are working better than bait at the moment. Further out towards the 12 Mile, fishing with metal jigs is the way to go if you want to pick up some of the bigger kingfish. Out towards the shelf and Browns Mountain, there is still good feeds to be taken with electric reels. Mahimahi have started to show up further out in the warm current that is pushing

Cam Miller did well to wrestle this king aboard. down the coast, but with weather conditions not being great, there has been very few boats making the trip out to check out the FADs. Striped marlin have been spotted and hooked, but there have been a lot of very frustrated anglers as they try to stay in touch with these acrobatic game fish.

So far there have been no reports that the smaller black marlin have showed up off Sydney yet, but with everything looking good and the ocean full of slimy mackerel, it shouldn’t be long before the first few reports come in. As always, stay safe and enjoy the fishing.

Nicholas Smyth poses with a stonking flatty taken walking the shallow flats. A lot of the traditional methods like trolling live baits on downriggers are probably the most popular way to pick up a fish, but there have been several reports of anglers picking up fish while trolling small tuna skirts and shallow divers, as well as casting large stickbaits. It seems that there are no rules at the moment and the fish are accepting anything that is in the water when they are feeding. Bonito, salmon and tailor are still in good numbers up and down the harbour and are being taken on small metal lures.

kingfish using live yellowtail, with south Curl Curl and Palm Beach being the pick at the moment. Last month I had reported that the department of Fisheries had recently stocked Narrabeen Lagoon, and the prawns should be ready for taking by the holidays, but rather than having a good run of prawns it is very quiet and there are not many people out catching them. Dee Why is not very well known for large quantities of large prawns, but this year there have been reports that up to one hundred anglers have been counted catching large quantities of good prawns,

on the flats in front of the caravan park, and flathead being picked up on plastics by some of the kayakers. Fishing on the beaches is improving day by day as the warm water filters through, and there have been plenty of good reports of whiting being taken on Narrabeen on the rising tide, with fresh worms working best. Palm Beach is fishing well on the south side near the rocks, with salmon and good bream being taken early in the morning. Curl Curl is producing tailor in the evening on pilchards, along with some large salmon.

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Stay safe on the rocks while you catch a feed SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

As of 29 November 2019, life jackets are mandatory for all people engaging in rock fishing in Sutherland Shire. There will be a grace period until 1 July to allow enthusiasts to familiarise themselves with the new

rule. However, after that there’s a $100 on-thespot fine for those who ignore the law. Sutherland Shire was one of five more coastal councils who decided to opt-in to mandatory life jackets for rock fishers after a successful trial in the Randwick council area. Under the Rock Fishing Safety Act, enforcement is the responsibility of

councils, police, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (Fisheries) and National Parks and Wildlife Service. WHAT’S BITING I have had a few reports of trevally, bream and the odd kingfish and tailor coming in off the northeast side of Jibbon Point on pilly tails and peeled royal red prawns. Further north at

Try using small, lightly-weighted soft plastics for whiting in the shallows where there is a mixture of sand and weed beds.

Justin Favotto and his dad have been getting a few luderick on the run-out tide while using green weed gathered off the rocks.

Boat Harbour, Jake from Penshurst reports that he has been berleying up drummer, trevally and bream off the rocks where the beach meets the rocks. The rocks on the northern side of the creek at Wattamolla are worth a shot for salmon, tailor, bream and trevally, with peeled prawns, squid and pilly tails working the best. Garie Point has luderick, drummer, bream and trevally.

It does tend to get a bit crowded here at times on the weekend, and is best fished during the week if you can manage a day off. Don’t forget to take along a few 50-70g metals for when the tailor and salmon are out, or you can use a whole pilly or garfish on a set of ganged hooks. Garie, South Era and Stanwell Park beaches are worth a shot for bream, whiting and dart on a rising tide. The best baits by far are

either beach or tube worms, followed by pink nippers and half pillies. If it’s rough on the main part of the beach you can try fishing either end against the rocks. Early morning anglers who have been targeting whiting off the beach from Wanda to Greenhills have also been getting smashed by larger salmon. If you keep a couple of fillets and come back and start fishing as the sun is setting and into the

Where do my fishing licence fees go? Funds raised from the NSW recreational fishing licence are placed into special trusts, and spent on projects to improve recreational fishing. Committees of anglers provide recommendations on expenditure from the trusts: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

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www.dpi.nsw.gov.au 18

FEBRUARY 2020

night, you might pick up a mulloway or two. Sharks and rays can be a pest at times, but they sure give you a workout as they pull line off your reel. Luderick are still being caught throughout the Port Hacking River. If you are fishing close to the entrance don’t forget to also try green cabbage as well as weed.

plastic pilchard bags, but heap of discarded braided line. Kingfish, tailor and salmon have been taking whole pilchards and garfish on a rising tide, and while you are waiting for a bite you can try for the leatherjackets that are in close to the nets. Gunnamatta and Gymea Bay baths are worth a shot

moving around in the Port Hacking on the flats at Maianbar, Bonnie Vale, South West Arm and North West Arm. Small poppers and stickbaits worked across the surface will get you a few hook-ups. Blue swimmer crabs have been stealing many a bait in the Port. If you come

Not a bad feed of bream and trevally caught on peeled prawns. Image courtesy of @kingtidefishing. Lilly Pilly Baths on a run-out tide is worth a shot for them. Talking about Lilly Pilly Baths, if you go fishing there please clean up your mess as there is a bin about 20m away. The last time I was down there someone had left not only

for squid, bream, trevally and dusky flathead. Make sure that you throw out a few balls of berley to attract the fish. The odd kingfish and tailor have also been busting up the bait here. Whiting have been

across a few and they are getting stuck into your bait, try slowly pulling in your line and slowly bring the net in around the back and catch them. Remember you are not allowed to set any type of crab trap or pot in the Port

Hacking River – you can only catch them on a line. Over the last couple of months a few bass and mullet have been caught by anglers who have been fishing the saltwater side of Audley Weir. The bass have been taking surface poppers and walkers just before sunset and well into the night. The mullet can be caught on dough or bread fished under a very small bobby cork. If you are looking for somewhere to take the kids for a fish during the day, Audley (saltwater side) is a great place to take them as you have a number of places to fish from the shore and when they get bored you can either have a BBQ or kick a ball around in the park. Remember there is a park fee that applies. Even though the squid may be hard to get at times, I would persevere and have a few different colours and sizes in your squid jigs, as squid are the best bait when it comes to getting the kingfish to bite. Places to try to get a few squid from the shore would be any of the baths, boat ramps and rock shoreline found here. Don’t forget if you have been getting a few fish, send them to gbrown1@ iprimus.com.au with a short description and I will add them to my report.

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A range of species on offer BOTANY BAY

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

There will be so much going on in the Botany Bay area this month that you’ll have to make some tough decisions on what you are going to target and where you are going to go.

with either whole yellowtail, squid or pilchards. Strips of mullet, yellowtail and salted slimy mackerel will work as well. The rocks on both the northern and southern sides of Maroubra, Bondi and Turramurra beaches will be worth a shot for bream, trevally, luderick and drummer. Peeled prawns and

slimy mackerel strips and mullet strips would be my first choices as bait for them. When drifting for flatties I use a paternoster rig with one hook on the bottom, then my sinker and then a hook on the top just before the swivel. I fish with two rods at a time – one is in the rod holder, and the other one is in my hand waiting for the bites.

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It’s great to see anglers wearing their lifejackets when fishing off the rocks. These guys were berleying up trevally, bream and the odd kingfish. The beaches from Bondi through to Little Beach on the north side of the entrance to Botany Bay will have bream, whiting and dart biting throughout the day. At night you could try for mulloway

bread for bait with plenty of bread for berley will help them get on the chew. Offshore the sand and tiger flathead are worth a shot in the 30-50m depth range. Half pillies, squid,

have been producing kingfish and mahimahi for both boating anglers and skin divers. The only problem will be getting there early as it will get very crowded at times. Mid-week is less crowded if you can get a day off work. I couldn’t count how many trevally I have caught in the bay on peeled prawns over the years. It would have to be in the hundreds. I find that if I don’t get any bites within 30 minutes I will pull the anchor up and move. As an example, I may be fishing at the end of Mono wall and not get anything, only to move about 50-60m further in, re-anchor and find them. The keys to success are to have a small and consistent berley trail going and to fish as light as possible. Other places to try in the bay are off the end of the first and third runway, The Drums, The Sticks, wide off Towra Point, the oil wharf, Sutherland Point, the Fisheries

The author went out for a quick session on luderick off the rocks at Kurnell. Even though they weren’t big, there were plenty of them. lures, soft plastics and blades are the go. You will need to mix it up to find out what is working on the day. Further upstream in the Georges and Woronora rivers you could try for bream, whiting, flounder and dusky flathead at the base of the Captain Cook to Milperra Bridges. Anchor upcurrent, lay out a berley trail and fish with both a small ball sinker that

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Carl was chucking lures in and around the boats in Woolooware Bay and was surprised when this kingy powered off.

marks in Yarra Bay, off the end of the Cooks River break wall, the groynes at Kurnell and off the southeast side of Bare Island. You can also get bream, tailor and kingfish at the above spots. Bream, trevally and dusky flathead can be lured up on the flats at Towra, off Silver Beach, Dolls Point and in Woolooware Bay. Hardbodied

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runs down onto the bait and a running sinker down onto the swivel with a rod length of leader. I prefer to use 1-1/0 Owner circle hooks. There are a few bass and estuary perch up the back of the Woronora River and downstream of the Liverpool weir. I have had a few reports of bass being caught from anglers fishing out of kayaks

on the freshwater side of the Liverpool weir on surface lures and soft plastics. Mullet and luderick have been schooling up from Bonnet Bay and just up past the walk across bridge at Prince Edward Park in the Woronora River. They are worth a shot on a falling tide with pudding baits for the mullet and green weed for the luderick, and don’t be too surprised if you catch a bream or two. FINED FOR NOT WEARING A PFD I have found out that life jackets are now mandatory for all people engaging in rock fishing in Sutherland Shire. The new legislation, which covers rock fishers and those accompanying them, came into effect on Friday, 29 November. This infringement is punishable by a $100 on-thespot fine for those who ignore the law, but this won’t be issued until 1 July, 2020. The grace period is designed to allow rock fishing enthusiasts to familiarise themselves with the new rule. Sutherland Shire was one of five more coastal councils who decided to opt-in to mandatory life jackets for rock fishers after a successful trial in the Randwick council area. Under the Rock Fishing Safety Act, enforcement is the responsibility of councils, police, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (Fisheries) and National Parks and Wildlife Service. Don’t forget to keep sending in those photos and reports to gbrown1@ iprimus.com.au.

It’s a perfect time to fish more peaceful waters THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

It was an unusually quiet holiday period, no doubt due to the ongoing bush fires throughout the state,

but the fishing was good for those who got a chance to get away and explore the diverse fishing the Hawkesbury has to offer. Flathead have been quite abundant throughout the main river and its tributaries this season for those using

especially at night with surface lures. There are quite a number of locations that are accessible by land, but the best method is to drift in a boat, canoe or kayak and cast over the weed beds and adjacent open water. Back down in the brackish reaches around Wisemans Ferry to Bar Point, mulloway, flathead and the odd bream have

those small surface poppers and stickbaits out. Long casts and a lot of stealth is required when pursuing whiting and bream around the shallows. I often find it better to get out and walk, as it is less imposing to the fish and the catch rates generally increase. Speaking of surface feeding antics, the pelagic species have kicked into

Mother and daughter Glenda and Chrissy with a nice double hook-up of kingfish caught using squid baits in Pittwater.

Flathead are being caught drifting with 3” soft plastic lures and baits of prawn and whitebait.

lures and baits. They are best found by using your sounder to find a sharp drop-off then positioning the boat to either cast lures or drop baits back over the edge. Prawns are doing the damage for the bait anglers while pumpkinseed, motor oil, watermelon and gold stickbaits, minnows and grubs have been standouts for soft plastic anglers.

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Big bream can be found hunting the margins and on the flats. Unweighted baits, surface poppers or shallow divers are dynamite on the flats on a high tide. featured in captures. The mulloway are mostly small (under 70cm) but they are in good numbers and the bigger school mulloway (over 70cm) shouldn’t be too far off coming back upstream as autumn approaches.

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Bream have been a bit slow, as they have spread right up the tributaries. Anglers can expect to find them at the very top range of the saltwater in the smaller creeks and rivers that flow into the Hawkesbury. Using Google Maps and small watercraft like a canoe or kayak can get you onto some real sweetwater where you can expect to encounter bream, flathead, EPs and the odd bass in the same water! The added bonus is that it’s generally little fished and more shaded from the overhead tree canopy, so it’s far more enjoyable on those warmer days. Small surface lures, soft plastics and shallow running crankbaits are the lures of choice here. Slowly drifting along casting into all the

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Mud crabs (pictured) and blue swimmer crabs will be active this month. likely shady pockets and snags that are often only in a metre or two of water is as good as it gets in my books! The bass have been a bit slow around the terraces, with a lot of smaller fish beating the bigger ones to the lures. Despite this there are still good fish to be had,

Berowra has been fishing well, with a couple of recent charters getting a stack of flathead and the odd bream using small wriggler soft plastics and 3.5g blades around the artificial structure and dropoffs. The flats will be firing right now, so it’s time to get

gear, with small frigates and mac tuna darting about the harbours and bays and the kingfish on the headlands and patrolling Pittwater and Cowan. Flat lining and downrigging have been successful for kingfish over the last month and should continue as long as the warm water hangs in close. It pays to have a small 2-4kg outfit rigged and ready with a 7-10g metal slug or soft plastic stickbait for those mini tuna that can pop up for 10 seconds then disappear in an instant. They make great live baits for XOS fish or fantastic fillet baits for a big mulloway, shark or kingfish. Bonito and tailor have been up to their usual bait stealing while downrigging and trolling for the kings, and a spread of fast-running hardbodies or small skirts will get you amongst the action when trolled close in to the washes. Blue swimmer and mud crabs have been good this summer, with the mud crabs thinning out due to rec and commercial effort over the festive period. Those pushing up the smaller feeder creeks should find better quality and more plentiful crabs. Fresh fish frames like mullet and flathead are the best bait.

When to stay and when to move SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

Now that we’re into the last month of summer, all the popular summer species have been around long enough to have seen plenty of lures and baits. Some

doing more than several kays on the rocks with a heavy backpack. The specific spot had been producing snapper on previous visits, but on this day it was quiet. The water temp was right (21-22°C), the swell was producing enough white water to send the berley out to get fish concentrated in the area, the

away and noted the water was only 10-15% clearer, but that may have been what made the difference. Three nice snapper to 34cm were caught, as well as a trevally and a bream. One of the clients on that trip contacted me later while he was on a trip by himself. He fished in a similar way

Noah and his dad Daniel Dekell fished for squid off the ocean rocks using Daiwa Emeraldas Nude squid jigs. Look for kelp and ribbon weed areas with a water depth of at least 2m. The low light period is best, make sure you have all of the safety gear and aim to fish in really flat conditions. finer details may be needed in certain circumstances to give you the edge over the educated fish. In this month’s report I will throw in some tips to help you catch your target species, and I’ll also cover some productive locations on the northern suburbs. OCEAN ROCKS I was guiding clients recently off the rocks, and things were a little quiet on the snapper front on this particular outing. I had been guiding non-stop for days, and was somewhat tired after

tide was right for the location (a run-in tide approx. one hour before high tide after sunset), I had the right gear, the right bait and berley and I felt that the techniques I was teaching were right as well. I didn’t know why there weren’t any fish. I told the two clients it was time for a new location, and in this case on the same headland. I noted the water clarity was around 60-70% max at the spot we fished, with some sediment run-off from the cliff 30m away. I moved another 150m further

When Niall Corolan saw his very first mulloway slide up the sand it was jaw dropping for him! At just legal size it’s not a whopper, but a beach jew is a beach jew. If you want to experience fishing in solitude in Sydney, beach fishing in the evenings might just be it. 24

FEBRUARY 2020

to what I had shown him, and encountered a similar scenario. He moved to another spot on the same headland and it produced a nice snapper and salmon for him. Happy days! In the past he would never have moved from his spot, not understanding why he should. Remember I mentioned that I was tired? Well, a lot of anglers are often a bit tired from finishing a hard day’s work, or from fishing for a few hours in the humidity, or they’re simply too lazy to move. Be keen and be adventurous. Success could be only minutes away if you put in the effort! Of course, you’re not guaranteed to catch your target species just because you move to find ‘greener pastures’, so you should always fish your initial location thoroughly before you move away. SNAPPER AND KINGS Snapper are caught by both distance casters and wash fishos. Some spots have a good strong wash working, which suits a wash fish. If the rock bottom is not too undulated or drops off into sand/gravel from your rock ledge to 50-100m out, you have the luxury of doing both. Bluefish in the suburb of Manly is good for this – you can wash fish in the deep water or distance cast. The eastern front is around 250m long so there are several options.

North Whale Rocks is also a good spot. It’s like a smaller version of Blue Fish, but the reef to sand edge is only around 40-60m off the deep ledge on the front. It does get a little bit more restricted there as it floods on the high tide and swell above 1m. At these locations you may encounter the occasional kingfish, and some of them are pretty huge and brutal, even on heavy gear. I have seen my clients hook stupidly big slabs of kings. Unfortunately most anglers get hammered, but occasionally a 15-20kg fish is landed by the advanced and fortunate angler. Otherwise you can get fish to 80cm on salted sea gars, fresh sea gars, live yellowtail or live slimy mackerel suspended 3-8m deep under a float. Hardbody stickbaits, softy plastics, poppers work as well, but be prepared to put in a lot of casts. ROCK BLACKFISH Hardly anyone fishes for rock blackfish in summer, but they are still available, with fish to 45cm being landed. White sliced bread is good bait for rock blackfish, and it’s also great berley.

Rohit Khanna usually fishes for pelagics off the rocks, but had a change of pace on this outing with some nice whiting. Live beachworms were the go on this outing, but you can also get good results by pumping pink nippers or shuffling in the sand for pipis. that is where we fished the following day. There was another beach that had been producing on previous outings that had a great beach formation, but unfortunately it had quite a lot of kelp. At times like these, it’s best to move; don’t hang around just because you did well on a previous outing.

Tom Ledgerwood with two nice pigs. At this time of the year most rock fishers target kings, pelagics, bream and snapper, but I recommend trying for a rock blackfish. Unlike what most rock fishers believe, pigs are a viable target during the hot months. Peeled and unpeeled banana and endeavour prawns are working well too, and the best size is 20-30 prawns to the pound (0.5kg). While you are targeting rock blackfish you may also catch bream and luderick, or even the odd snapper or king. THE OCEAN BEACH I often have people ask me, “aren’t you sick of fishing?” The short answer is no! I am obliged as a guide to go out and investigate, probe and find out whether a specific species is biting, but it’s not a chore to me, it’s something I enjoy. On a recent scouting trip I found the whiting at Dee Why Beach, and

With this in mind we avoided the kelp and went to Dee Why Beach, which is a reliable beach for whiting. We ended up catching bream and whiting, and it was worth putting in the effort. At the southern section from the Dee Why surf club to the southern rock/sand corner you can get out of the SSW wind to a large extent, and fish up to a 1.5-2m south swell as it is facing to the northeast. And on the opposite side of the beach you can escape to a large extent the NNE wind and swell, and have similar results on the whiting there. It is in your best interests to not put yourself in a

situation that will be really off-putting to you. Here’s an example. As a general rule, for the open beaches up and down the coast you should avoid fishing above a 1.5m swell unless you are fishing the lee sections of the beach. It’s good to fish the lee sections when the swell is above 1.5m and you need to avoid the higher energy wave impact zones. The lee sections are generally in the last couple of hundred metres of the beach at the southern section, northeast face in an above-moderate southerly swell direction, and the opposite side of the beach in an above-moderate northeast swell direction. Mid and north Narrabeen and Avalon beaches are also producing, with a few bream and tailor thrown in as well. Anglers are picking up a few mulloway around 85-90cm, with the odd undersized fish in the mid-60s size. Good baits include squid strips, big live beach worms, and live baits like mullet and yellowtail. You can also get good results on big whiting (27-30cm), large whole squid or a chopper tailor above 30cm butterflied or live. Take into account that smaller mulloway are greedy and can fumble with big baits, not scoffing them down because they are too big. For this reason I often use a medium size bait that a 70cm+ fish can swallow but a big fish may still be interested in. February is a great month for an evening fish. If you want to try it. Bring some dinner and enjoy that low light period an hour before dark. Then you can get into several hours of mulloway, bream, whiting and tailor fishing. It’s a great way to spend a balmy February evening.

Marlin and mahimahi SYDNEY NORTH

Jay Kim

The fishing offshore has been very productive in recent weeks, especially for the guys trolling for pelagics. Skirted lures are the go if you’re after a black or striped marlin at this time of year. Keep an eye out for bait, temperature change and slack current. There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter a mahimahi (dolphinfish) are while you’re

trolling for marlin, with some of the biggest dollies being caught this way. You can also find mahimahi at the FADs, feeding on sauries and slimy mackerel. The best way to catch them is with a lightly weighted or unweighted bait or livey. Try to get there early to avoid the crowds. Moving to the estuary, it’s a great time to target flathead because they always bite best in summer. If you want to teach someone how to catch them, the warmer months will give them the

best chance of success. These ambush predators love bait balls, so if you’re catching kings and salmon off a bait ball there may well be flatties underneath. When it comes to lures, flatties always love soft plastics and we’re also getting good results on the 85mm, 14g Samaki Vibelicious. If you’re after a kingfish this month, the best baits are fresh squid and cut pilchards, or you can use long, white soft plastics such as 5-7” Berkley Gulp Jerkshads. A well hooked striped marlin on a lure rigged by Fishing Station. A well-rigged lure is crucial, as marlin can be messy eaters.

A beautiful mahimahi caught by team member James Huon while fishing for marlin.

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Anglers fishing off the rocks are still getting a heap of salmon, bonito, and kingfish. A lot of the kings are small but they are still really good fun if you fish light. I’d go as light as 20-30lb on the stones; it lets you have fun with the salmon while still being able to stand up to the better than usual rat king. Beach fishers have been reporting some nice mulloway. The best way to target them is in the evening or at night on an incoming tide. A really fresh bait is key, such as fresh squid, a live yakka or fresh cut strip bait. You can also expect

to encounter a shark or two, which is always fun. This time of year is great for chasing whiting with surface lures. The favourite go-to spot is inside the lake, but the fishing can be tough there if the lake is closed off due to lack of current. There are plenty of good spots in Pittwater though, such as Careel Bay. Fishing a Bassday Sugapen in 70mm is best, and you should fish it light and fast, because the whiting don’t like too many pauses. Add an assist hook to your Sugapen to maximise your

hook-up rates, and you’re set for some great topwater sessions. • For all the latest info on what’s biting and where, drop in and chat to the 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 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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The local fishing is fabulous in February PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

It’s amazing how quickly time passes. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was battling the cold conditions and poor fishing, and yet here we

I will be sad once it’s over again for another year. Luckily we still have a few months to enjoy these conditions and hopefully the fishing will stay as good as it has been in previous months. Over the next month we should still see plenty of kingfish being caught along Pittwater and Broken Bay,

Even the just legal kings are fat this year, and boy do they know how to fight! are with one month to go before the end of summer. I can’t get enough of the warm windless mornings, clear blue water and fish feeding freely on the surface. Those are the mornings that I live for and

as well as monster flathead, decent bream, tailor and everyone’s favourite, the mighty mulloway. Squid at the moment seem to be a necessity when targeting kingfish along Pittwater. Once again

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downrigging is proving to be a lot better than anchoring, as covering ground seems to be the best way to provide a decent feed for the family. Of course, one of the great things about catching squid for bait is if you do not find your intended target, you can take home the cephalopods and enjoy a nice meal of calamari rings. Most areas along Pittwater that have weed beds should see a few being caught. The better jigs at the moment seem to be anything with orange or pink, but just have a couple of natural blue colours and browns close by in case you are finding it hard on the day. The better areas at the moment seem to be at the mouth of the river, with the Mackerel, Currawong and Palm beaches and West Head being great areas to target them. Once you have gathered enough squid, head along western foreshore or amongst the moorings near Clareville Beach and start downrigging. Watch your sounder intently for bait balls mid-water, as there will be kingfish close by. If you are an early starter, you can always try downrigging along Barrenjoey and West heads. Both these areas can see fish being caught on yellowtail or defrosted frozen squid, and both these areas tend to work a lot better first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon rather than middle of the day. While downrigging, if you are lucky enough to have others joining you, get them to cast metal lures and soft plastics out the sides of the vessel as you go. This will not only see fish being caught on lures but also those kingfish that chase lures back to the boat will be presented with a lovely live bait to eat. Another area to try is around Scotland Island, and once again try towards the edge of the moorings while watching your sounder. Catching flathead at the moment is pretty easy out in Broken Bay when drifting

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For those of you who are early risers, there are also some nice snapper being caught along our coastline in depths of 60m or less. If you manage to get out before the sun rises, try in the shallows around 30m and set out a berley trail for best results. As the sun rises higher in the sky, it may be necessary to move out to some of the deeper water spots. When targeting snapper in the deeper waters, you should have maps to find areas that have reef and gravel or where reef meets sand and look for baitfish hugging the bottom. Once again, fresh yellowtail or fish fillets can be used, but & E POWERFUL quite often the humble pilly will be enough to see a fewtorqu • Superior reds coming over the side. The 50m grounds over the • Lightest weigh sand are producing good feeds of blue-spot and once • flathead Quicker accele again these fish can be caught drifting either using baits or • Unprecedente soft plastics. So as you can see, we have got a lot of good fishing MORE INTUITIV to look forward to over the coming months but some planning may be needed. • Smoothest, qu We are selling our boat and fishing license andrpm • Maintain anyone that is in the market for a well-maintained vessel and wants to join a charter For new boat pa industry should give me a call. I ask that only serious buyers contact me. I hope this article sees you excited and grabbing a handful of lures or an icebox full of bait and heading down to Pittwater to enjoy our wonderful part of the coast! • Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www.estuaryfishingcharters. com.au.

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Brad nailed this big flathead in 5m of water using pilchards. between Patonga and Lion Island. Using paternoster rigs and pilchards for bait while drifting along is about the easiest fishing you can do, and is very successful as well. Other areas along Pittwater to try are the large drop-off that runs from Palm Beach to Mackerel Beach and the run-out tide will see more fish being caught. For those of you who like using soft plastics, try the shallow grounds near the weed beds between Palm and Mackerel beaches, as this area sees many fish being caught. Just remember that flathead will bury themselves in the sand head first into the current. Armed with this information you can now cast and retrieve your lures in front of flathead instead of drifting and trying to catch their attention from behind. Make sure that when you are drifting for flathead in shallow water you are quiet and cast ahead of where you’re travelling, as shadows will quite often spook the fish. On the high tide, there are many places to try for mulloway along Broken Bay and the mouth of The Hawkesbury. Some of the better areas are Flint and Steel, Walkers Point, Juno Point and the middle ground between Eleanor Bluffs and Juno Point. If you are new to fishing these areas they are not hard to identify, just look for the parking lot of boats on the water in each of the areas. When targeting mulloway it’s important to have fresh bait, which can be fresh yellowtail, tailor fillets when a legal tailor has been caught, or squid and especially squid heads.

If you are fishing Flint and Steel, it can be a great idea to also use a weighted berley bucket and deliver fine particle berley along the bottom when the tide is running fast and as the tide slows, lift the berley bucket higher in the water column. In this area, remember to fish the edge of the reef, not the hard ground, and you will be rewarded with more fish, less snags and you should be able to retrieve your anchor without any issues. When anchoring, remember to be fish back toward structure, not away from structure.

Ben with another Pittwater croc caught on light tackle.

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Summer species going crazy THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

What a great summer it has been! Tweed anglers have been having a field day on the summer pelagic species. Mahimahi, black and blue marlin, wahoo and yellowfin tuna have been in great numbers and are dominating offshore catches. Try to find that 26°C water and you will find them. There are lots of kingfish around at the moment, and some really large models have been taken on livies in recent weeks.

30-80g metals around the FAD and floating debris works well too. If you find a pack of mahimahi and they still won’t hit a lure, try floating out an unweighted half pilly or live bait. There are still some big yellowfin tuna around out wider, and trolling skirts has been working best. The yellowfin still seem to be in 400-1000m of water, and you can find them by finding the birds. The bigger kingies have moved in. If you’re specifically after the bigger models you can catch them on live baits, or you can use metals, jigs or plastics for

Andrew Strong and James Walks with a solid Tweed blue boatside. Mangrove jack are on fire at this time of year. The warm water and the impulse to spawn makes them hungry, and if they aren’t spawning they are feeding and building up fat reserves. Whiting have been caught in good numbers over the last month, and anglers drifting skinny sand banks on a run-in tide have been cleaning up. The freshwater boofing bass are out and about this month, and it’s a lot of fun catching them on topwater insect imitations. OFFSHORE I know I said it last year, but it’s been an amazing summer pelagic season! The Tweed has yet again seen a great run of billfish, and skirts and skip baits have both been catching good fish. However, live baits have been catching far more. I recommend that you always have a good supply of yakkas or slimies on board, as this will ensure you score the billfish you’re after. Some absolute cracker mahimahi have been caught over the month, with the 24s, 36s and 50s all producing some great fish. If you can’t troll one up, head to the FADs or try to find a buoy, floating debris or working birds. However, if you troll cup-faced 6-9” skirts in pink, purple/black or lumo along these reefs, you’re likely to connect to one of these gold bars of goodness. Casting 28

FEBRUARY 2020

the smaller kingies. Just find them on your sounder and get your lures and baits down. A few Spanish mackerel have been encountered around the close reefs. Trolling baits is still your best bet for a Spaniard, and good options include slimies, yakkas, bonnies, mac tuna or even pike. If you’re lucky you may also pick up the odd Spaniard on a stickbait or

pillies, unweighted pillies, metals and hardbodies for a Tweed spotty. There are still some very nice pan-sized reefies out there. Bottom bashing and micro jigs are producing pan-sized snapper, pearlies and the odd tuskfish and spangled emperor. ESTUARY Mangrove jacks are one of the dirtiest and hardest fighting fish in our waters, and they mean business this month. They are pretty much hungry all the time at the moment, and will feed right up until the moment they spawn. They will spawn around the full and new moons, and in the weeks after the full moon they will be even more hungry than usual. Live baits and strip baits are working best at night on the run-in tide, and are getting all the larger models. Having said that, heaps of jacks are being taken on various artificials, including 3-5” paddle-tail soft plastics, 60-120mm deep diving hardbodies, soft vibes, swimbaits and surface lures. Stand-outs include the MMD Splash Prawn, Lucky Craft G-Splash, Chasebaits Drunken Mullet, Bassday Sugapen, Jackall Squirrel, Lucky Craft Pointer, Lively Lures Mad Mullet and the trusty old gold Bomber. Using your side scan and down scan to help you pinpoint the fish helps a lot, and will save you hours of casting. Failing that, the best way to catch a jack is to find its home, which is usually structure that has a good current flowing past. The jacks like to sit behind the rock out of current, conserving energy, and feed on the steady supply of food that comes along. Depth

Brad King seeing red with the help of a swimbait. trolled hardbodied lure. The occasional spotty mackerel is showing up in catches. Try pressure points in the reef such as Point, the yellow marker, Cook Island, the back side of Fidos, Kingy Reef and Hastings Point bommie with floating

doesn’t really matter; you can get them anywhere from 1ft-40ft of water. As long as the structure is there and the food is in good supply, the jacks will sit there. Finding a bite time is an other thing, as bait fishos know all too well. You could

sit there for four hours for one run, while at other times you will get a consistent bite all night. The whiting are prowling the yabby-laden banks on the making tides, and those anglers who are fishing yabbies and worms while drifting these banks are catching a great feed. A bait drifting along the bottom really gets the whiting intrigued. As they watch it move away from them, they think it’s escaping and they instinctively pounce on it. Some really good elbow slappers have also been caught off the top lately. A small popper or stickbait and a high rod and a fast retrieve is all you need to have packs of whiting fighting over your lures. It’s very addictive and a lot of fun. The bull sharks are hungry this month, and the mothers are pushing up the

Damian McKay with some gold bars of goodness. is fish heaven, with good numbers of bass smacking lures off the top at dusk and dawn. Google Maps is your friend; just remember

James Throsby was happy with this thumper of a GT. river and creeks to drop their live young. These young are about 30cm, and most have used their egg sacks and are already voracious predators. The mums are especially hungry after birth, having used up all their fat reserves. Large pieces of eel, whole fish like mullet, tuna, bony bream and even stingrays are the best baits to use. Please remember that all sharks over 1.5m are protected and must be released unharmed. There are lots of crabs out and about after the recent rains, so get those pots up in the back creek for the best muddies. BEACHES The beaches have been fishing well for bread and butter species such as dart, whiting, bream, flathead and trevally. Fishing small baits like half pillies, pilly fillets, small strip baits, pipis, worms and whitebait in those deeper filling gutters has been producing great mixed bags. You can still pick up the odd tailor at night in those gutters soaking a ganged pilly. FRESHWATER The bass are out in force, sucking down all the morning and afternoon insects. The northern river back creek

that some places are private property and you’ll need to get permission to fish those areas. If you can tap some of these spots you will find un-fished grounds. Once the sun is up, switch to jig spins for best results.

NEXT MONTH The summer pelagics will continue to dominate the fishing offshore, and live baits will play a crucial role as the season goes on. Mackerel will continue their push south with the warm water, capitalising on any bait schools that get in their way. Storms will play a big role in what happens in the rivers this month, dictating what bites where. Big rain events cause the bait to get flushed out of the back creeks and drains, being pushed downriver, which changes the home ranges of mangrove jack. They will follow the bait, so you should follow it too and you’ll find the fish. With the storms whiting will look for the deeper holes to sit in the saltwater below the fresh. This is when mulloway, flathead and trevally will pounce, feeding up on the schooled whiting. The storms also fire up the muddies, and they will be on the move next month. Look to river junctions for the best results.

Jay Calbiano with a nice flathead caught while fishing for jacks.

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How good is Christmas and summer holidays! But… now they’re all over and everyone is back at work or school again. This time of year, we do still see numbers of families lining the river, with kids hoping to catch something and it is great to see. Getting kids into fishing is something that is easy to do if you use fresh bait, the right equipment and you don’t make them stick out in the sun for too long. In the main river try Mobbs Bay, or the weed flats past the ferry with the little ones. Your local tackle shops are a great source of advice on good locations and what are the best and freshest baits to use. We’re lucky we have two really good local shops that are both a fountain of knowledge when it comes to bait fishing in the lower stretches of the river. If you’re after throwing

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on a tough day can get the lure far enough away from the wary whiting. Plus, you can get some really cool flathead surface strikes on these things over the flats. The 95mm isn’t too big,

Dean Overhall with a cracker snapper caught on a close-in mark just off Ballina. despite what some people might think. I’ve caught some of my biggest whiting on the 95mm models. The freshwater reaches of the river have produced some great Aussie bass fishing of late, with the water quality in the upper

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FEBRUARY 2020

on the flats around Pimlico Island, along with plenty of bream and flathead. The Bassday Sugapen 70 and 95 are still producing great numbers. The larger ones will often help you cast just that little bit further, which

and skirted jigs have worked really well. I’ve been adding 4” soft plastic trailers. The beaches of South Ballina are holding good numbers of dart and

Richmond rivers being very conducive to fishing. Cicada imitations have been working really well and accounting for some great numbers of quality fish. During the brighter sunlight hours, spinnerbaits

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, as it only takes a small mistake to spoil the fun for everyone. The offshore grounds have been producing some quality fish when the weather has permitted. The area around the 32s is holding snapper of average size and you can pretty much guarantee a good feed of fish at this size. The FADs are holding mahimahi, with the bigger models coming from the 48s when the tide is really moving. The mackerel and marlin have been a bit quiet since Christmas. There have been some big flatties caught in the town stretch of the river lately. The holes from the waterslide up to the RSL seem to be your best bet. Live bait produces the best numbers, but a rigged soft plastic can definitely bring the big mummas out to play. Crabs have been around in good numbers, especially the blue swimmers. Remember to 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, fish size 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 if you’re caught without one! Until next issue, tight lines!

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One of the best months for fishing in Yamba YAMBA

Dave Gaden

After enjoying a summer break of fishing and laying around on the beach, February is the time for most anglers to go back to work or school. For guys like me who make their living in the tourism industry, it’s the opposite – a time to unwind a little after a busy season of fishing charters. That being said, February is one of the best months for fishing in my part of the world,

easy target for even the most inexperienced angler this month, with almost every bit of reef north and south of the Clarence bar holding enough fish to keep you busy. 6” pink squid trolled behind the boat will find its way into the very toothy mouth of one of these critters. Try to set the skirts about 25 seconds behind the boat and troll at around 9 knots, looking for working birds, showering baitfish or bait shoals on your sounder close to the surface. If you are targeting larger Spanish mackerel, a rigged

perch, snapper and pigfish, there will be no shortage of fish out there. However, the current is a big concern. It can get up to well over 4 knots at times, making it almost impossible to get a bait to the bottom, even when you’re using 1kg of

the fish are holding early, making the spot to anchor a little easier when it’s windy. Over the summer months we spend a fair few of our days on charter fishing the northern reef from Black Rock to South Evans Reef. There are a couple of reasons

Jess was happy with this beautiful tuskfish. catches for a morning of trolling. For those travelling wide offshore to the 50-fathom line, this month can be a bit

of a worry. True, anything that floats out here will hold good mahimahi and they will be easy to catch, and if you’re fishing the bottom for pearl

Max (13yo) on his first deep sea trip with a monster snapper he will never forget.

Turbo from Glen Innes with one of the quality mulloway you will find on the northern grounds this month. so much so that it’s a shame the holidays can’t be changed to February and March. Warmer waters offshore will have the mackerel running red-hot this month. Both spotted and Spanish mackerel will be a fairly

live bait trolled at dead idle around the bait shoals will bring them unstuck. When the water is hot and alive with bait, you can catch just about anything. Cobia, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and mahimahi are all common

Col Morris (87yo) from Yamba showing the rest of the boat how to catch snapper.

lead. It’s a gamble; it can be very rewarding when it pays off, and horrible when you’ve travelled all that way and can see fish but can’t catch them. The closer reef to the south of Yamba from Angourie to Sandon will be an easier fish and will have nice plate-size snapper and a few larger pearl perch and mulloway this month. If conditions allow, drift over the grounds as much as you can and anchor when the northeasterly picks up. By drifting you will find the areas

for this. Firstly, the trag up here are in great numbers and of a good size (around 50-60cm) with the odd big snapper and mulloway hanging around the shoals. It’s a really nice reef up there and it’s easy to find the fish. Secondly, we tend to go north a fair bit because of the wind. Most afternoons, the wind will pick up from the northeast and blow pretty hard by 2pm. This is a tailwind for us heading home to Yamba, and it’s a safe and easy drive.

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FEBRUARY 2020

ESTUARY FISHING In the estuary, this month is the time to try to catch that big mangrove jack you’ve always wanted. Just remember that these fish are hard work; I reckon you would land one in five that you hook if you’re lucky. The Clarence has plenty of jacks in it, but being such a big system they are spread

a little thin sometimes. The gantry wall behind the trawler fleet on Yamba side is a great place to start, and if you get the right size live bait you’ll maximise your chances. You should use heavier than normal tackle to stop the beasts taking you around one of the pylons or under the boats. You will hook some extreme fish here and land

are to get drought-breaking rain, this is the month we’re most likely to get it. Although a big fresh or even a flood causes a few problems, our river could really do with it. Either way, the flathead will be in the lower reaches of the river. The entrance to Lake Wooloweyah, between Turkey Island and the Serpentine Channel and the back channel behind Goodwood Island at the entrance to the Esk River are all worth a shot. As always, if you are heading this call into wn B raway, ba P l ad es” “Yamym shop at Yamba Marina Mark with a tasty pearl perch. The close reef off Red and we’ll let you know what’s Cliff will be the spot for these fish in February. happening and where.

very few, but it’s still the sport of kings! Other spots to try include under both Oyster Channel and Romiaka bridges. You have a better chance of landing a fish here, but the average size is smaller than the ones in the harbour. Flathead will be in good numbers if we get the expected February rain. If we

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James caught this PB snapper on a float line. You should always have a float line out!

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FEBRUARY 2020

The best kind of by-catch COFFS HARBOUR

Dayne Taylor

February is a great time to be out and about your favourite inshore reefs and islands on the Coffs Coast. The Spanish and spotted mackerel are beginning to become more plentiful, and their numbers will continue

to increase. Some nice snapper are also being taken by anglers targeting pelagics. A live slimy mackerel, pike, or yakka floated out behind the boat on a drift while casting around soft plastics is a great way to pick up both a mackerel and snapper this time of year. The XOS snapper don’t mind coming

up and chewing on a live bait either! Reports of Spanish mackerel taking topwater stickbaits have begun to do the rounds. Standouts include the Maria Loaded, Zerek Zappelin and the plethora of hand-crafted timber stickbaits on the market. You will, however, need a rod capable of tossing such a lure, as

well as a reel with a bit of line capacity to handle the chaos to follow when you hook a flying torpedo. Make plenty of casts in areas with large concentrations of bait sitting higher in the water column and you’ll maximise your chances of hooking a Spanish. You should run a foot or two of multi-strand wire before your lure to ensure that you get that nice shiny stickbait back. Out a little wider and deeper there are plenty of teraglin, pearl perch and snapper around the 40-60m mark. Fresh dead baits rigged on a paternoster rig work best, although a heavy jighead and a curly-tail soft plastic is also effective. While you’re out wider, be sure to check out the FAD or fish trap floats for mahimahi (dolphinfish). You can catch them on small stickbaits, soft plastics and livies.

Big flathead will still take small topwater offerings this month. This fish was caught on a Bassday Sugapen. ESTUARY AND BEACH FISHING In the estuaries and on the beaches, whiting are plentiful in the gutters and throughout the sand flats

on the lower reaches of the rivers. You can’t beat a well-presented, unweighted pink nipper yabby or fresh beachworm drifted along the flats on a red no. 1

Matthew McEwan with a nice snapper taken while searching for a mackerel.

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long shank hook, such as the Gamakatsu Worm Hook. You will pick up a heap of welcome by-catch such as flathead and bream while doing this. Topwater lures such as Bent Minnows, Sugapens and small poppers are great

Flathead are still a popular target for anglers, both for sport and for the table. The people putting in the time and effort throwing larger lures in shallow water are still reaping the rewards with trophy fish well up into the high 90s. There are some

The mud crabs, however, are still in the top half of the rivers, and they are easiest to catch in pots left to soak overnight at intersections or around small drains and feeder creeks. A collection of filleted fish frames or a mullet or bonito cut in half makes for great bait,

The kind of snapper Coffs Harbour is famous for! choices to try to tempt a few fish, no matter what your skill level is. Long casts across the flats and a quick, steady retrieve will entice aggressive bites from whiting, while a similar retrieve with a 10-15 second pause thrown in will bring flathead and bream up for a look.

great tutorials getting around online if you want to delve into the world of trophy flathead fishing, and you can also ask tackle store staff. CRABS On the crab scene, blue swimmers have been popular in the lower reaches of the estuaries, some traps have accounted for over 10 in each.

and you can have hours of fun collecting a tasty feed. MANGROVE JACK The February heat definitely fires up the mangrove jack population. Some quality fish have been caught in recent weeks, and now is the perfect time to try your luck if you were left fishless earlier on in summer.

BASS Upstream, bass are going bananas. Topwater cicada and prawn imitations are a staple for bass anglers, and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hard for any bass to refuse when presented up in the shade of an overhanging tree. As the day progresses, you should shift your focus a little deeper and try the likes of a paddle-tail soft plastic or spinnerbait/chatterbait. Some summer storms have provided much needed freshwater flushes in areas, but we still really need some consistent rainfall to flush through the systems and bring some life to the rivers. The trout population up on the hills in the shallow streams will be feeling the pinch of this heat and lack of cool running water, as are all the eastern flowing systems down on the coast. If you have a picture you would like featured in the Coffs Coast section of the NSW Fishing Monthly Magazine, then I would like to hear from you. Send them through to my email address dayne@urungasportfishing. com.au with a brief description and you could be making a cameo appearance next issue! Until next month, cast like there is no tomorrow and retrieve like you have all the time in the world.

While fishing in Wooli, Kathy Shannon caught this trevally on a yabby.

FEBRUARY 2020

Rocks delivering the goods SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Paul Martin

With the summer season in full swing, South West Rocks has been delivering the goods, with plenty of fish being landed. OFFSHORE Off the northern reefs around Grassy Head, snapper and pearl perch are in good numbers, with some Venus tuskfish, pigfish and other assorted reef fish out of the same location. Spotted mackerel are around taking live slimies, pilchards and garfish on ganged hooks. If you are

finding the spotties finicky, a single solid hook with cut pillies thrown into a berley trail should do the trick, but keep your wire poundage to a minimum, around 18-27lb. Guys chasing pelagics are heading further north to Nambucca, with reports of bigger Spanish offshore. There has been the odd samsonfish around Scotts Head, but make sure your gear is in good shape, because they go hard. Out on the wider grounds, good numbers of mahimahi are around the FAD. Dropping a line down past the 100m mark should

get you in cod territory, with some nice fish pulled up over the last few weeks. Off the gaol there has been the odd small black marlin in close starting around the 40kg mark up to around 85kg. This is the time last year where we were starting to see the one of best runs of wahoo here at the Rocks we have seen in years, so let’s hope

Fisheries are right on it at this time of year. Fish Rock has heaps of kingfish, but with lots of rats around it makes it hard to get through to the big units and it can get a little frustrating. Live bait is in good supply around the bait grounds. THE RIVER We have had a sensational summer flathead season and this month is

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Jayden Allen with his PB flathead, which went 98cm and was released.

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Beau Wiegold from Tamworth with an 83cm mulloway caught off the Macleay River breakwall. it’s another cracker season. The lighthouse grounds are producing a few snapper and morwong, with good numbers of sand flathead on the gravel. Don’t forget to drop a net for spanner crabs, but watch your bag and size limits, as

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no exception. Many locals are chasing the big lizards and releasing these majestic creatures to breed again. Live baits are irresistible to these fish, but plastics, hardbodies and surface lures will get the flathead excited as well. Upriver, whiting are in numbers around the flats and shallows of Jerseyville. Wading in the shallow water throwing poppers, surface lures and shallow divers is a fun and visual way to get a hook-up on these tasty critters. Through The Cut to Clybucca and Stuarts Point, flathead and whiting are in good numbers, with most anglers fishing the tide change for best results. Along the breakwalls bream are on the bite, but a night session will get you better fish. The river is holding some nice mulloway at the moment. They’re not monsters, but there are plenty around the 6-10kg mark being caught, mainly at night. Don’t forget the large toothy critters that visit our river system through summer, with a number of bull sharks already sighted and caught in the Macleay.

THE BEACHES Bream, whiting and dart are on Smoky Beach, with a few flathead around the edges of the gutters. Gap Beach is also fishing well for some cracker whiting, which have been taking live worms and pipis. Back Beach is a hit and miss spot, sometimes producing good flathead that sit in the gutters near the entrance to the Back Creek. But sometimes the fishing is slow. Main Beach has been fishing well, and a late

afternoon session around or off the boulders should bag you some nice bream. OFF THE LEDGES Fishing off the rocks has seen some nice kingfish come in, and although not big units, they are quality fish. Yellowfin tuna have been about around South West Rocks, with one or two cobia caught off Hat Head. There are good numbers of bream and tarwhine being caught, and we are still seeing the odd tailor off the lighthouse.

Sophie caught this quality flatty in Lake Macquarie, and at 86cm it was 3cm bigger than her Dad’s PB! It took a 100mm Samaki Vibelicious in whitebait.

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Topwater fun in February THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

The weather can be hot this month, but so can the fishing in the Port Macquarie region! While we still have a fair amount of visitors holidaying in the area, the water traffic on the rivers does ease a bit this month, at least through the week! February on the Hastings is prime surface fishing time and lure anglers can be confident of catching whiting, bream, flathead, and further upriver, bass. I know a lot of anglers know the technique for targeting whiting on topwater but for the beginners I will run through some lures, retrieves and locations, because this style of fishing can be done from the bank or a boat. Firstly, your lure must be a popper, stickbait or

Guye caught this whiting on a Sugapen around Blackmans Point. prawn style lure, meaning they need to spit water and cause a commotion similar to a prawn moving across the flats. This is not the time for a cicada imitation. Secondly, a surface lure with a little weight that casts

well is preferred, because you want long casts where possible, as whiting can follow a fair way before

get the hang of, but what you are trying to achieve is a continual splashy movement across the top. It’s mostly quick, but not flat out, and you don’t want to be shaking your wrist so hard that the lure keeps flying out of the water. Keep it on the surface splashing and keep it going even when the fish strikes and misses, as a lot of times they will have a few goes at the lure before connecting. Many lures work on whiting, but Sugapens, MMD Splash Prawns and any clear poppers are some of my favourites. Landbased anglers can wade around Pelican Island or go in between canal bridges and fish the shallow back channel. By-catch can be big flathead, bream, trevally and tailor. Also note that if you are getting follows and

This 91cm flatty took a big topwater lure in very shallow water. movement can trigger the bream to hit. Chasing whiting from the boat has some

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Mulloway are still around upriver, and Mandy got this mid-80s fish on a Samaki vibe. hitting your lure. A lighter lure can still catch fish, but aerodynamics is important. Windy days and light lures means tangles and hooks getting caught on your leader. Always use the breeze to your advantage on the flats and try to cast with it over your shoulder. Having a longer cast will mean more fish catching opportunities. The retrieve for whiting can be a bit ‘wristy’ and may take a few casts to

no hook-ups, try stopping your lure, as sometimes bream will chase but not take, and an abrupt halt in

advantages, as moving from flat to flat can see you get a lot of action. Locations inside Limeburners Creek

up near the bridge and past it can be excellent at this time of year. Blackmans Point and all the flats going into the Maria River are productive areas and also have plenty of room, even if there are a few boats on the water. Our other surface targets like bream and bass both eat prawns, but their feeding technique is a little different. Casting your lure and working it with a slow walk-the-dog style retrieve and some pauses is the go on the flats. A lot of the time they slam your lure on the pause. The other food source for these fish is the cicada, and if they are around and falling from the overhanging trees, then all you have to do is cast accurately as close to structure as possible and use small movement to get your cicada imitation working. I usually pause every so often, and when one hits, you will know about it!

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FEBRUARY 2020

Elliot with a cracking bream that ate a prawn imitation intended for whiting.

Welcome respite after the busy holiday period FORSTER

Luke Austin

The Forster/Tuncurry region is breathing a sigh of relief and enjoying some respite after what has once again been a bustling summer school holiday period. February is an amazing time of the year to throw a line in on the Mid-Coast of NSW, as the options are endless and there is loads

very good (as they have been for months) throughout Wallis Lake, and now that most have spawned they are all hungry and looking for an easy meal. There are no ‘secret spots’ at this time of the year, simply choose a likely looking drop-off, oyster lease or weed edge between Regatta Island and the mouth of the system and wait for the last half of the run-out tide. You can explore these areas with soft plastics, soft vibes or hardbodies.

There have been some cracking pearlies getting about lately. of anticipation in the air as the first of the nice warm currents start to lick our coastline. Hopefully these currents will deliver all sorts of piscatorial goodies! Our estuary systems have been insanely busy over the past month, but with less boat (and jet ski) traffic and fishing pressure, this month is a firm favourite with a lot of anglers. Flathead remain

If after 10 casts you don’t run into any fish, just move along to the next spot, and within half an hour you should have found the fish, and don’t be surprised if it turns into a fish a cast once you find the school. The other option is to change your focus to fishing the top of the flats and weed beds with large surface or sub-surface lures. This

style of fishing has totally changed the way we think about flathead and is just about the most exciting thing you can do in the estuary! The shallow sand flats have been a hive of activity of late, and with offshore water temperatures slowly increasing they should only get better as the month ticks along. Big whiting have been hammering surface lures up around Wallis Island and Lanis. For the bait fishers, try fishing the flats down around the bridge with beachworms or yabbies, as there should be some particularly good fish hanging about down there. The warmer months are often overlooked as being good for chasing bream, and the reason for this is that firstly, most of the bream are now well and truly out of the bottom section of the estuary, and secondly, there are the ‘summer species’ (flathead and whiting) to focus on instead. However, heading up into one of the rivers that feed into the main basin, or down to one of the weed beds or rock bars that litter the southern section of the lake, can be amazing fun. Bream are schooled up in these areas in huge numbers and they are eager to smash just about any lure thrown in their direction. Their drive to feed is due to a few things; the nice shallow water is super warm, there is loads of bait about and the fish are starting to think about putting on a bit of condition as they get ready to spawn in a couple of months’ time. We often see a nice run of tailor along our coastline this month, and already there have been some promising reports coming through, with the beaches and headlands to the south of town producing plenty of fish around the 45cm mark. There have been some

very nice currents pushing south out a bit wider, and our inshore water temperature is definitely warm enough now for the land-based game enthusiasts to dust off their gear and head to the local ledges in search of some silver speedsters or cobia. While the tuna and mackerel can be fairly light on for most of February, those who put in the time will find fish. If nothing else the mac tuna and small kingfish should keep you busy! Heading offshore this month is always fun, because you just don’t know what might turn up. There is absolutely everything on offer at the moment, from marlin and mahimahi to snapper and pearl perch! Pearlies have been really good lately on the deeper inshore patches of reef that sit in 55-80m, and the better quality fish seem to be coming from down south where there have been plenty of fish up over 3kg. Heading north and fishing the shallow stuff (10-35m) has been absolutely dynamite

for snapper for those using either soft plastics, soft vibes or lightly-weighted baits. The FAD has been fairly consistent of late, with plenty of legal mahimahi holding on it as well as the odd bigger model. To tempt the better fish, you definitely need to

of year, with a few marlin spotted and multiple biteoffs reported already! • Luke is the owner of Great Lakes Tackle, your local bait and tackle store. We only sell the best brands and offer sound, friendly advice on where you can go to land your

Solid sand whiting are definitely on the cards this month. get out there nice and early with some live baits, and often putting a bait down on a downrigger will be the undoing of that 10kg+ fish. And you never know what you might find at this time

next trophy fish while visiting the wonderful Great Lakes region! We’re open 7 days in the main street of Tuncurry. Call (02) 6554 9541 or find us on Facebook to see what we have been up to!

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As the Christmas holidaymakers disperse to their various habitats, Harrington experiences a horde of older visitors who move to Harrington once all the Christmas visitors have left. The Manning, at present, is very salty right up to Wingham, as there is no freshwater coming down from upriver. The freshwater part of the Manning is only a string of holes with no run of water between them. While a few millimetres has fallen on the coastal strip, the upriver parts of the Manning are bone dry and require a good soaking of rain over several days to put things right. Despite the lack of rain, the Manning continues to fish well for all species. Bream and luderick can be found in all parts of the river. The bream are biting on yabbies and mullet strips, while the luderick are taking green weed during the day and yabb ies at night. Flathead are most numerous in the lower part of the estuary, with plenty of big fish (90cm+) being caught and released. Mulloway to 10kg have been caught from the river wall on hardbodied lures early in the morning and late in the evening. The kingfish that were patrolling the wall morning and night have relocated for now. Whiting have started to show up and are being caught on surface poppers spun over the sand flats in the lower parts of the river. The beaches and rocks have been hard to fish at times due to rough weather and weed accumulating on

the beaches. If a clean part of the beach can be found then tailor and bream can be bagged. A few whiting have been taken on the shallow flats on beach worms and yabbies. Crowdy Boat Harbour has had schools of kingfish and silver drummer present for a couple of weeks. The

By the end of the second week of February the big tailor start to turn up. These fish may be 7kg or more, but the average fish is 3-5kg. They are fairly well educated and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t turn up with the smaller fish of around a kilo or so. They are best fished a couple of hours after the high tide at night with bonito or

Wyatt North and Craig Stockton had a successful trip jigging for kingfish wide of Old Bar. Image courtesy of Harrington Bait & Tackle. kings are up around 20kg and the silvers up to 4kg. So far no one has been able to land a king; broken line and straightened hooks tell the story. Outside fishing has mainly been restricted to the reasonably close-in waters due to the rougher seas out wide. Plenty of snapper to 3kg have been taken from around the close-in reefs by fishing floaters and berleying with fish pieces and bread. Those who have been fishing on the drift have been scoring more flathead than snapper.

tailor slabs. Of course wire is needed, as these big fish can inhale 25cm of bait and line. Nylon does not stand a chance with their sharp teeth. There are many other species to chase. Only the dedicated angler would spend the time and discomfort of fishing for a few hours after midnight. There are bream and tailor to chase on the beach, and flathead, bream, luderick, mulloway and whiting to catch in the river. It is still pretty hot in February, so remember the sunscreen and a hat!

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Which line to use, braid or monofilament? WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

There has always been a conundrum about fishing line: what to use and when. Choosing the right fishing line is about as important as choosing the right bait or lure for the fish you’re targeting. Sure, if you’re an occasional angler you can put anything on your reel, but if your fishing session only happens once in a blue moon, then you’d want to be making your choice on reliability so you don’t have your line fail when you hook into a solid fish. There are many factors that come into play when choosing your mainline, such as price, strength and line type. Today, braid and monofilament fishing line options are endless, but with so much variety, which one do you choose?

When fishing with light tackle, it makes all the difference being able to feel every bump and movement of the lure to manipulate how it swims and encourage the fish to bite. BRAID I’ve been working in the fishing industry for the past two decades and looking

some manufacturers. Braids are made all over the world, with Taiwan, China, India, Germany, USA and Japan being the main producers. Undoubtedly, Japan produces the world’s leading PE braid with YGK and Toray being the most well-known, but they aren’t cheap. Then in the USA, Honeywell would be one of the next largest producers, with their braids falling under the Spectra or Dyneema name. The difference between Dyneema and PE occurs during the manufacturing process. Dyneema and PE braids are made from ultra high molecular weight polyester fibre, but what makes them different is the size of the microfibres that make up the strands. Spectra braids tend to be made from a thicker

to Dyneema, however, the term PE is the rating given to the line to ensure a consistent measurement of breaking strain and diameter. In saying that, the measurement can be skewed depending on the brand of PE braid. While both have pros and cons, you do need to decide when purchasing your braid what situations it will be used in. For instance, a Spectra braid is best suited to situations when targeting Murray cod, yellowbelly, barramundi, mangrove jack and the like, where you’re casting into thick timber or snags, and abrasion resistance is required. PE on the other hand, being a finer diameter braid, is better suited to situations for casting distance or in open water where structure

back to the day I started, by golly braid has changed! I still remember back when I started, braid was limited

Working steep banks with spinnerbaits for yellowbelly demands the use of braid. This is so you can feel what the lure is doing and can work it in and around timber without getting snagged.

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to Spiderwire and Fireline before a few others filtered through into tackle stores. Braid might be a new thing to some anglers, but it has in fact been around in some form since the 1950s. Originally, it was made from nylon and cotton and today has been revolutionised with the introduction of PE or polyethylene fibre. The main reason braided fishing line was developed was due to monofilament line being too stretchy. A team of scientists used a nylon line to create a stronger, less stretchy and thinner fishing line that we know as braid today. Available in many forms, it is PE braids that are leading the way in braid development, mainly because the polyethylene fibre used is able to be made thinner and stronger due to technology advances.

Braid is made from a series of fibres woven together to form one single strand, and the more common braids tend to be available in a four or eightstrand braid. Four-strand braids are cheaper than eight-strand braids. We are also now seeing the introduction of 6 and 12-strand braids from

microfibre and are usually blended with a gel during the manufacturing process to create a more robust and abrasive-resistant braid. PE braids tend to be thinner and less abrasive resistant, which you’ll notice should they fray or become hairy with use. PE braids are made using a similar process

won’t cause damage to the braid. In these situations, it may be casting for calamari, flathead, mulloway, bream, snapper or gummy shark. But then again, many anglers targeting kingfish use PE braids when jigging around structure, and this is because of the diameter of the braid preventing the current from having any

Big, heavy swimbaits can be tossed about like a rag doll when eaten by a big cod. With no stretch in the braid, the hooks can tear out. Running fluorocarbon as a mainline can be beneficial in this situation.

s e

When you hook a kingfish using braid, you can really up the pressure and stop them before they bust you off. influence over the vertical fall of the jig. Aside from abrasion resistance, braid also has zero stretch. This means that should an end of the braid be tied directly to a hook or other piece of terminal tackle, there is no give or buffer to absorb the impact. This can cause the hook to tear or pull out of the fish. To prevent this, anglers can join a length of ‘leader’ or ‘trace’ material to the end of the braid via a PR, FG, Slim Beauty or Double Uni knot. This length of leader will be the shock absorber preventing the hook from tearing out during a battle. Another fact about braid to know is that it

floats and is susceptible to wind. This means that if you’re using light weight lures or unweighted baits in conditions when it is

windy, you could miss the bite due to the excess line waving around in the air. On average, braid is about 1/3 of the diameter

of monofilament fishing line (for the same breaking strain) making its bite detection extraordinary. However, if the lure or bait

Braid does not stretch, so you have to use a length of leader as the shock absorber.

Drop in to see your local

is light in weight coupled with wind, it can be difficult to see the moment a fish takes the offering and you could miss it. In calm conditions, if a lure or bait is taken the rod will instantly load, indicating that a fish has taken the offering. This is particularly helpful when bait fishing for gummy shark and snapper in tidal areas such as Western Port or Southern Port Phillip Bay, as well as lure fishing for flathead, bream, trevally and trout. MONOFILAMENT With all the pros of braid, it almost seems as if monofilament is obsolete, but this is far from the truth. Monofilament has been around from what

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seems like the dawn of time. Monofilament was first produced back in 1939 by the DuPont company following the invention of nylon, the first synthetic fibre of its time. To this day, monofilament is still one of the most widely used fishing lines for many reasons. While it might not be as thin or responsive as braid, monofilament still does have its place in the market. Monofilament, or mono as it is also known, gets its name from being a single strand of line. Monofilament lines are produced by using a mixture of polymers that are heated and then extruded through tiny holes To page 44

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From page 43

to form single strands of line. The type of chemicals used in the mixture controls the qualities of the line, such as strength and abrasion resistance, among other factors that are all determined by the mixture of polymers. Unlike braid and its multiple strands, monofilament does lend itself to damage and breaking, not that this should deter you from buying it, but it does require some care if the user wants it to last. In saying that, regardless of whether you’re using mono or braid, you should inspect your line for irregularities and injuries. Despite being a single strand of line, monofilament has many advantages over braid. Monofilament offers stretch in the line, which provides the buffer when fighting fish. This aids in preventing sudden impact put directly onto the hook

which might be a good option for some. FLUOROCARBON To go one step further than monofilament, fluorocarbon was developed

Monofilament is best when trolling, fishing with live baits and cubing for game fish. for snapper. Due to the density of the line, it isn’t affected by the wind as much as braid, so it pulls tight with the weight of the bait, allowing for easy bite detection.

Most game fish have a soft mouth and if using braid, hooks can easily tear out, especially if the fight goes for a long period. While this is not just limited to game fish, as gummy shark, trout, Murray cod, redfin, salmon, kingfish and every other fish can be caught using mono.

This tends to occur because those anglers who only fish a few times of year might spool their reels with mono and with the rod/reel being put in the garage, over time the line deteriorates. For those who only fish a few times a year, monofilament is very cost effective, but you could

Whiting can be very finicky at times and if you are using monofilament, you can miss the bite. Braid is best for whiting due to its sensitivity.

Tuna have soft mouths and hooks can tear out if there is no stretch in the line. while fighting a fish, and prevents the hook from tearing out. However, should the fish engulf the hook, it could possibly bite on the line causing it to break. In these instances, a stronger leader line is used as a ‘bite leader’. Mono is also denser than braid, sometimes allowing it to sink, where many braids do not. This is an advantage for those fishing unweighted or almost unweighted baits

light in water, making it nearly invisible to fish. However, the materials it is made from have a much higher abrasion resistance than monofilament fishing

Nearly all anglers targeting game fish such as mako shark, tuna, broadbill and marlin use monofilament line. Although some anglers will spool their reels with Dacron (another type of braid), they will have a minimum of around 200m of monofilament top shot. A buffer like this is required to land such great fish because of the sheer power from them during battle.

Although you might be able to ‘lock’ up on snapper using monofilament, you don’t have to in areas that have a forgiving bottom.

lines. For this reason many tournament bream, light tackle anglers and those fishing for Murray cod, spool their reels only with fluorocarbon. The only cons with fluorocarbon are that it is much stiffer than conventional nylon (mono) fishing line, making strengths above 15lb harder to cast a long distance, and the price. Due to the manufacturing process, fluorocarbon can be expensive. Fluorocarbon as a mainline isn’t for everyone, but if you are one of those anglers who targets specific species then it could be the line for you.

As well as being damaged more easily, monofilament is also susceptible to UV light damage over short periods. This makes the line brittle and weak, which can cause it to break more easily.

Braid is particularly good for lure fishing, allowing the angler to manipulate how the lure swims and twitches by having direct contact with it.

Braid floats, and with little current to pull the line tight in northern Port Phillip, you need to use monofilament. Mono sinks slowly and allows the angler direct contact with the bait. 44

FEBRUARY 2020

risk losing a fish, which is why it is recommended to re-spool your reel with new line before your next trip. Monofilament can be purchased for as little a $7 and sometimes cheaper,

by blending fluorine, chlorine and carbon along with synthetics made from hydrocarbons. In layman’s terms, fluorocarbon was originally made as a leader material because it absorbs

So, at the end of the day, line choice is not as simple as you may have thought. Making the right choice is vital and will help ensure you land most of the fish you hook.

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This is where we all want to be – holding up the perennial trophy at the end of the season and enjoying the accolades being an ABT winner offers. The new boat is nice, too. 4

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you for that. It helps the industry grow, our sport grow and it helps you raise the bar as anglers. Increasingly, we are able to reach more and more people with what we do. Fifteen years ago, it was magazines and the AFC TV show that promoted growth in our sport. Nowadays we still use the magazine network (after all, you’re reading this in one) of Fishing Monthly Magazines, and a variety of other channels to get out our other content. Last year, ABT produced videos reached 549,000 people through our digital platforms. That number rises every year. All of it has a hub on the ABT website (www.abt. org.au). Each event, the front page story for that event has links to the preview stories, results, image galleries, videos and everything else we publish - wherever we publish it. So you don’t need to trawl through a site, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get what you need. Just visit the site and it’ll all be there for you. On that note, it’s worth mentioning that we will be transitioning our platform for our live weigh-ins from the Facebook platform to our YouTube channel in 2020. It may take a while to train our viewers to look for it there, but remember, it’ll also be embedded in ABT’s page for that event. If in doubt, go to www.abt.org.au. If you’re a YouTube

Main: You’ll see this van kicking around the ABT circuit again this year, sometimes with a stage trailer on the back and sometimes with the Fishing Monthly boat. Say g’day if you see us on the road! Above: The ABT website is the hub of all ABT information and media streams. You’ll find the 2020 weigh-ins embedded here from this year forwards. subscriber, the channel to follow is ‘ABT Tournaments’. Make sure you subscribe and hit the little bell – that way you’ll be notified when we go live from each weigh-in – just like Facebook occasionally does for you now. And like we see every year, you can watch it from your phone, from your computer at work or streamed to your 70” telly at home! We have a new boat sponsor this year – Bluefin Boats is back. Bass Cat is still a minor ABT sponsor (through Manning River Marine) but the declining Aussie dollar has put the brakes on a Bass Cat for a major prize for the moment. We’ve given away plenty of Bluefin boats in the past, some at BASS Electric Conventions and some at the ABT Grand Finals. Graham Franklin and Neil Kelly won a pigeon pair at the Lake

Macquarie BREAM Final in 2017 and Jeremy O’Connell won one at a BASS Electric Convention at Hinze that I saw on the water at the Australian Open this year. Brad and his team from Bluefin Boats have been long time supporters of ABT. This year, we have a prize boat for the boater winners of both the BREAM and the BASS Grand Finals AND for the winner of the BASS Electric Grand Finals. That’s three Bluefin boats that’ll go to new owners at the conclusion of the tournament season. A BassPro 498 in the BASS, a Bass Pro 463 in the BREAM and a decked out P-Series in the BASS Electric. And if you think that we’re just giving away tinnies, think again. Bluefin’s new Alloycraft Bass Pro

models have the looks, the storage and the affordability to be a serious contender for boater bucks when it comes to getting on the water. Check out their rigs on www. bluefinboats.com.au. ABT also gets great support from outboard motor suppliers. After all, at our first BASS series in 1999, the average horsepower on a tournament boat was under 30hp. Nowadays, most fields average between 150 and 200hp and we are definitely spending more money on our boats than ever before. Mercury in the BREAM and Evinrude in the BASS offer owner bonus programs to reward ABT anglers who perform well and support their product. We also have some out-of-industry sponsors who help the machine roll. Neil Carstairs from Mortgage

Corp immediately saw the value of live broadcasting and has been helping us do it ever since. Without Neil’s help you’d still be wondering what’s going on at weigh-ins and on the water. Instead, we can stream it to you – LIVE! What you mightn’t know is that Neil can also help you with your fishing. He’s a specialist at re-financing your mortgages in your favour. The way it works is that the less you have to pay the banks, the more you can spend on boats and doing what you love. Seriously, give him a call if you think that you’re a slave to your bank and see what he can do about it for you. It won’t cost you a cent to ask and he has helped more of your fellow anglers than you’d think. And lastly, of course, there’s the broad range of tackle sponsors that keep ABT ticking. We’ve always had a theory that a lot of companies kicking the can a little bit is the healthiest thing for our sport. A GFC, dozens of natural disasters, a massive change in the media landscape and a generational change in the anglers and we are still going strong thanks to their support. They provide the product for the prize packs and some coin to pay our

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After 20 years, there’s plenty of history being created. Aaron Sharp named the Queensland Open trophy ‘Geoff’. After all, he’s been looking after it for a lot of its life. hard working ABT staff. New sponsors on board this year include VMC hooks, Megabass and we see the return of Atomic, BKK Humminbird and ProLure. We have a new ABT Tournament Director starting this year, so we hope that you’ll make him welcome.

Want to know who it is? You’ll find out at the BREAM Queensland Open when he starts his role. Nicholle Smith has become the backbone of ABT sponsorship and media and Kym Rowbotham the hub of all entries at the ABT head office in Shailer Park

in Queensland. Plenty of you met them during the year and at the Grand Final dinner on the Gold Coast. Keep playing nice with these ladies and they’ll make your tournament smooth and enjoyable. And finally, there’s you guys. Thank you for your business and your

membership of ABT. Your membership fees help to keep the wheels turning back at the office and it is appreciated. We’ve had excellent uptake of the digital subscription tokens that we send out each month with the ABT member email newsletter. Instead of a single,

posted copy of the magazine for your state, we now offer you all four of the Fishing Monthly magazines in a digital form for you to read at your leisure. Going to a tournament interstate? No worries – read up about the areas before you go. That’s where it’s powerful. Not getting your ABT member newsletter? Call the office and make sure that we have your correct email address. Also, check your Junk Mail folder, sometimes your mail server doesn’t know the difference between quality email content and that letter from the Nigerian millionaire that wants to give you all the cash. Prefer a printed copy? Call the office and Kym will swap you across to a print version for your state. Call (07) 3387 0888. There are several event changes in 2020, you can read about them in the pages of the 2020 Tournament Angler Guide. We’ve added a BARRA event in Tinaroo, added an event to the Costa BREAM Series, changed the Samaki BREAM Queensland Open to a multi-venue, weekend event and we’re leaving the BASS Pro tour exactly as it is! See you on the water in 2020.

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Samaki Queensland Open changes for 2020 The Samaki Queensland Open has had an interesting history. It’s an event that has had many names over the years. It was an Invitational at the old Brisbane Tinnie and Tackle Show and it’s been both a teams and singles event at the Cleveland Boating, Caravan and Outdoor Expo for a number of years. And now 2020 sees the format become more mobile and locked into a two-day, weekend footprint. The Daiwa BREAM Australian Open uses multiple venues to test anglers across the tournament days. Brisbane’s waterways have the same potential, so from 2020, the Samaki Queensland Open will feature two

There’s a great mood involved in a Queensland Open event. Anglers fishing a wide arena tend to look after each other and share some great days on the water.

How’s this for a mean assortment of breamers? We expect fields to increase in 2020 with a reduction in days to two-days and a weekend footprint. Payouts are based on 100% of entry fees paid back plus added prizes.

SAMAKI QUEENSLAND OPEN Event: Samaki BREAM Queensland Open Dates: 22-23 February 2020. Venue: Gold Coast (1-day), Moreton Bay (1-day). Venue order will be weather dependent. Entry Fee: $550, 100% payback. Coverage: Full ABT Live weigh-ins plus Garmin highlights cameras. Format: Boater-only with paired observers is available.

days on two different sections of Brisbane and surrounding waterways. And with the massive arena divided, anglers will need to formulate different plans if they’re able to take the trophy off encumbent Queensland Open Champion, Jamie McKeown.

The arena will be divided at the Powerlines at the mouth of the Logan River. ABT Director, Steve Morgan said, “The split of the Sydney arenas has had nothing but positive feedback in the Australian Open, so we’re looking To page 8

McKeown displays the bait that caught him the winning fish in the 2019 Queensland Open – the Tiemco Lonesome Sweeper.

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forward to rolling out that theory in the Queensland version. “We’re also aligning the event with a weekend footprint to see if we can encourage more Queenslanders to come and test themselves in this boater-only, Open format. “Naturally, we’ll also have spots available for observers, so that if you want to spend a day aboard with some of Queensland’s best breamers, you just

Tournament Angler Guide need to let us know and we can allocate you with the leading anglers. It’s a great way to accelerate your learning curve.” McKeown, who is currently looking after both the BREAM Australian Open and the Samaki BREAM Queensland Open trophies, added, “It’s such a big arena and you’ll need to have a variety of spots and plans if you want to take the title in 2020. “And you don’t need to be a local to do well.

We’re unsure how often this will happen. Jamie McKeown won the 2019 Daiwa Australian Open and the 2019 NuLook Floors Queensland Open in the same year. Amazing effort!

Dave Mackenzie (commonly known as TNB: Tristo’s Non Boater) chanced his arm alone at the 2019 Open and finished just out of the money. His name is on the perpetual trophy plenty of times.

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abt.org.au Last year South Australian, Wally Fahey, fell one legal fish short of a win by focusing on a simple, canal fishing pattern and sticking to it for the whole event. Get in the groove and anyone can take home the win,” he continued. The other change for the Queensland Open this year is the time of year. Originally held at any time between March and September, the last few years have seen it run in spring. The move to late summer will mix it up again,

with bream in a different phase of their yearly cycles. Are you keen? You just need an ABT capable boat (3.7m or greater with 20hp or greater) and a 60L recirculating livewell. Fill out the entry forms when they become available and you’re in.

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Moreton Bay rat Denis Metzdorf is always up there at a Moreton Bay event. His success in the Queensland Opens, Australian Opens and Grand Finals has elevated him into the top 5 ranked BREAM anglers at the end of 2019. The Queensland Open gets you plenty of rankings points.

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Barra events expand in 2020 Arguably, the ABT BARRA tour is the best fun you can have fishing. Socialising by day and catching barra by night, the 50-odd anglers who make the trip each year sample the best that the Mackay and surrounds can offer when it comes to catching big, impoundment barra. In 2019, there was plenty going on in BARRA events. We added the Venom Rods BARRA Australian Open at a resurgent Lake Awoonga to take advantage of this fishery, which is coming back strong. A 100% payback and some great prizes from Venom will

Mick Detenon broke through for his first BARRA event win at Faust in 2019. Let’s hope he can continue the momentum in one of the six 2020 BARRA events.

Who could forget the 137cm Kinchant Dam beast that graced the deck of John Campbell’s boat in 2019? At a tad under 50kg, the 2020 events will still reward big fish with their estimated weight, but the AOY points will reward numbers of barra a little more. This fish set social media alight!

ensure that this event grows from year to year. In 2020, this event will be held on the lead up to the early October full moon, a few weeks later than the 2019 event. According to Awoonga guide, Justin Nye, this is the best time of the year to catch these fish. It’s a three-day event with the final night landing right before the full moon. And, for the first time in over a decade, ABT BARRA is headed back to Tinaroo Dam. A lake famous

What would a BARRA Tour be without a Colin Brett? This man is dangerous with a barra rod or a beer in hand. for world record barra, it’s a fishery on the rise and according to locals, it’ll fish great on the early November full moon when the event is scheduled. There are two full moons in November. The one at the end of the month is

traditionally when the Zerek BARRA Tour is held, and 2020 will mimic the popular rotation of lakes in a weeklong, four-event series that will end up crowning the 2020 BARRA Team of the Year. There’s a calendar hereby for you to lock in the dates,

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but there’s also a full BARRA Tournament Angler Guide published later in the year, so keep an eye out for that in the Fishing Monthly publications. BARRA TEAM OF THE YEAR There was a lot of discussion on the 2019 BARRA Tour about trying to reward the teams who catch a limit of fish. With the length/ weight curve used to run the

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abt.org.au events, a big barra can beat a whole limit of little fish. ABT won’t be changing the app-based system that converts verified lengths into weights of fish in 2020, but we will be modifying the points system that we use to decide the Angler of the Year to reflect the numbers of fish caught. Teams have always received 100 points for an event win and one less point

for each place down the list they finish. In 2020 there will be a bonus point awarded for each barra caught in the session (up to a limit of 5 fish). Therefore, you can now technically get up to 105 AOY points in a one day event, and each fish caught matters in the AOY race. So we now have a Team of the Year trophy that’s skewed to reward consistency, and an event system that’s designed

Jimmy Reid’s now retired from running tournaments and weighing fish, but you may well see him around with a rod in the hand in 2020 events. to reward big fish. Finally, the 2020 Team of the Year will count your top 5/6 events, allowing you to drop or miss a round. Canny anglers will also realise that a three-day event will offer plenty of opportunities

for bonus points (up to 15 bonus points available in a three-day event) where a single day event will only offer potential for an extra five points. That makes the Australian Open look

appealing, doesn’t it! Want to get on board? Lock in the dates, stock up on your Zereks and organise your time off. We’d love to have you there for any or all of the BARRA events in 2020.

2020 BARRA EVENTS Date Event Sep 29 - Oct 1 R1: Venom Rods BARRA Australian Open Oct 30-31 R2: Edge Rods Tinaroo 2-Day Nov 26 R3: Wilsons Lake Kinchant Event Nov 27 R4: Teemburra Dam Evening Event Nov 29 R5: Faust All-nighter Dec 1-2 R6: Faust 2-Day

Dylan Brier-Mills is stoked that the Zerek Barra Series is coming to Tinaroo in Spring 2020. He’s a gun on the lake and reckons that fishing will be ‘grouse’.

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Humminbird BASS Electric Open to boom in 2020 ABT

Joey Urquhart

With the new year upon us and the regular BASS electric season about to get underway, let’s fast forward to the end of the season to the pinnacle of the calendar, the BASS Electric Australian Open. 2019 saw the inaugural Valleyhill BASS Electric Open take place at Wyaralong Dam in Southeast Queensland, and following

its initial success, it’s back in 2020 with a new naming sponsor: Humminbird. It promises to be bigger and

Day 1 Highlights

better while offering 100% pay back in cash plus prizes to all bass anglers wanting to get their hands on the trophy. Most people won’t have heard of Wyaralong Dam as it only finished construction in 2011. Only weeks after construction, however, the large catchment area received massive rainfall which filled the dam in a matter of weeks. Located about 15 minutes’ drive west of Beaudesert and only a 1-hour drive from Brisbane and northern NSW, it’s perfect for day trips.

This puts a new meaning to catching them in the trees. Blades fished right amongst the timber yielded results in 2019.

Two typical size Wyaralong bass. That’s right – this is the average size when you fish reaction baits in the right places. These fish came from heavy timber.

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Wyaralong is an up and coming lake that is jam-packed with plenty of big bass and huge numbers of small bass – but rest assured that the by-catch of carp and tilapia will keep you busy. The dam offers great access for all types of boats, whether it’s a 3m tinny or a 20ft bass boat, with great car park facilities to accommodate all trailers. You can leave your petrol motors attached, you just

can’t use them. BRINGING IN THE BASS Wyaralong is really a bass fisher’s dream, offering everything from rocky banks, sunken timber and lily pads to reed-lined foreshore. There’s something for every angler to target, no matter what your favourite technique is. 2019 saw the bar being raised yet again in the BASS Electric Australian Open held there. Wyaralong turned

it on with nine 6kg+, 5-bass limits, with the largest for the tournament coming in at just over 8kg. The Big Bass prize was fiercely contested, and the eventual winner tipped the scales at 2.03kg. It is really one of those lakes where you can catch them on anything, although there were some stand-out lures from the 2019 Open. Day one leader Charles West chose to target sunken timber using his lipless

cranks to great effect, and I also opted for the same technique, which helped to put me in the top three going into the last day. Talking to anglers after the tournament showed that more then half the field opted for this same technique, while eventual

Day 2 Highlights

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There are plenty of these in Wyaralong – big timber standing in open water. The bass love these areas.

Adrian Wilson weighed a cracking bag on Day 2 of the 2019 BASS Electric Australian Open with quality fish like this.

Want to be treated like a BASS Pro angler? The BASS Electric Australian Open has the same payout percentage and coverage as the BASS Australian Open on Glenbawn. Boom.

winner Jake Schwerin fished the same structure throwing a spinnerbait, keeping it in contact with the timber at all times. The trusty old blade played a big part in filling people’s limits, although the average fish size on blades was a lot smaller than those caught on reaction baits. You can see lots of the angler highlights in the videos captured at the event – just scan the QR codes hereby or search on ABT’s YouTube channel (ABT Tournaments). WHAT’S IN STORE IN 2020 Jumping forward to this year’s event, I think we will see a lot more of this lake

unlocked as anglers search and find that something a little different. In saying that, I think if you were going to fish this event you would be silly not to have a lipless crank tied, and searching different ground from the community spots could prove crucial. Rain could also play a big part in this event. Having large amounts of rain that cool the water down could see the edges fire with jerkbaits, but that’s totally weather dependent. Another way to bring in a large limit I feel could be the very popular skirted jig. It’s a technique that hasn’t been fished there a lot and To page 16

Dean Thompson’s old man was the inaugural BASS Pro Angler of the Year in 1999. The young bloke can catch them pretty well, too.

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abt.org.au dam permits you to leave your petrol motor on the boat, there’s no excuses not to come. For more information on this event or any of the BASS electric events jump onto www.abt.org.au and follow the links to the entry forms and rule sheets. As a wrap, I personally love this dam and if you love catching XOS bass on a number of different techniques you will be mad if you miss this one. Will we see that elusive 10kg limit come in or even a 3kg bass? I know one thing for sure and that’s there’s every possibility of both happening. Hope to see you there.

From page 15

if done on the right structure at the right time could be the winning combination. Be assured though that anything could produce a big bag as it’s really undocumented and there’s a lot more to learn about this lake. The Open format allows anglers to fish for a 5-fish limit while not having the pressure of someone else in the boat. You also have the chance to take home some big prize money and at only $250 per angler entry, its great odds. This event is open to all boats, providing they are only run by electric power and given that Wyaralong

There’s a lot of great looking country in Wyaralong. Bring your own favourite baits and techniques to dissect it for yourself.

Adrian Wilson spends a lot of time at Wyaralong. “The secret is out,” he said after the 2019 Open.

A small electric-powered boat or a big bass boat are both fishable in Wyaralong. You can leave your petrol motor on while fishing the event.

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Braid v fluoro: what’s the best for your fishing? ABT

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s been interesting watching the trends of fishing line in this country. When I started working in the tackle industry in the 1980s, everyone used nylon monofilament line. Working at Mossops and The Tackle Warehouse in Brisbane, you’d sell spools of mono to customers. ANSA (Australian National Sportfishing Association) and GFAA (Game Fishing Association of Australia) guys demanded pre-tested monofilament nylon line to claim their lineclass records, because if your line broke over the designated class, your claim would be refused. Heavy tackle game fishers and fly anglers used non-stretch braided Dacron lines for their specific applications (mainline for marlin guys and backing for fly fishers). Dacron, however, wasn’t thin for its breaking strength and wasn’t eminently castable like modern braids are. The birth of ABT BREAM and BASS events 18

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and the broad uptake of soft plastic baits went hand-inhand with the acceptance of braided and fused lines made of fibres such as Dyneema and Spectra. These fibres were super strong for their diameter and eminently castable off spin and baitcast reels.

Aussies, as soft plastic newbies, needed to ‘feel’ the bites to keep their confidence up, and products like Berkley Fireline – a cheap, no-stretch line where the fibres are fused together rather than woven into a braided form – took over the market. Tipped with a fluorocarbon leader, anglers

had the feel of braid and the confidence with 5-8ft of low visibility leader connecting their lure to the highly visible main line. Switched-on anglers in general, and bream anglers in particular, became partial to the suppleness and durability of very fine, expensive,

Main: We all have our favourite lines, but how much thought have you put into choosing the right combination for your presentations? Above: Generally, if you want to set hooks and bully fish, use braid and leader. If you use a lure that you don’t impart action to, why not use straight through fluorocarbon?

woven braids that cast amazingly well compared to the fused offerings. Subsequently, breamers worked out that there was a middle ground between the zero-stretch braid and the very stretchy nylon monofilament. Fluorocarbon line fell right in the middle of the elasticity of these two products. It had more ‘feel’ them nylon and more ‘give’ than braid. And, you could use a whole spool of it at once and fish this fluorocarbon ‘straight through’ to the lure. I make no secret of the fact that I use braided lines only when and where they are needed. To me, there are only a few situations where braid is the best, and they are usually scenarios where you need to combine good castability with either a heavy leader and/or some hook setting power. These situations include: • Fishing topwater baits (where the braid floats and you set the hooks after the fish eats the lure on a slack line); • Oyster rack fishing (where you need to take charge and skip the fish over racks with no stretch); • Sight fishing with weightless plastics (especially where the

fish eats the offering on a slack line); • Using jigheads with bigger baits in deeper water; and • Any combination of the above. Everything else on my boat gets fished on straight through fluorocarbon. I’m also a believer that if you use moving baits, the fish can be spooked by the ‘line shadow’, and a solid braided line is more visible in the water than a fluorocarbon line. I know this by years of fishing with non-boaters in ABT events. Dozens of times I’ve fished side-by-side with some excellent co-anglers in clear water, with both of us using the same crankbaits. It’s incredibly rare for the angler using braded line to out-fish the angler using mono. It’s that simple. Within the fluorocarbon classes, you have to fish as light as possible while still retaining the best chance of landing the fish. In open, super-clear water, I have no problems using 2lb fluorocarbon straight through, even in Tassie where the bream weigh on average the same weight as the line’s breaking strain. By doing this, I hook many more To page 20

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From page 18

fish and still land nearly all of them. When the water is dirtier or the structure I’m fishing is more rugged, I’ll up the line class to 3lb or 4lb when I think I’ll still hook plenty of bream. If I’m fishing a bridge pylon in dirty water or the same water over rocky reef, 5lb or 6lb fluorocarbon is the natural choice – I don’t have to make long casts in those conditions, the fish aren’t put off by the diameter, and the pulling power is sometimes a blessing. There’s a fine balance, though, between having the pulling power and actually using it. Sure, fluorocarbon stretches, but it’s still possible to tear the hooks out of a bream’s mouth with stretchy line. When I used to fish crankbaits on braid,

Straight-through fluorocarbon should be right in the zone for crankbait anglers, especially for yellowfin bream where a straight retrieve often works well.

I’d lose heaps of bream with pulled hooks. It didn’t matter how soft my rods were, there was still a percentage of fish that wouldn’t stay connected, no matter how skilful I thought I was. The answer is to fish all line classes as if the bream is only just hooked. Treat your extra diameter (and breaking strength) in your fluoro as simply more abrasion resistance. Just because you’re fishing 6lb doesn’t mean that you have to have a heavy drag. The bonus with doing this is that if the fish does make it home into some structure, it will be much harder for the fish to break a line under less pressure. Any line, at breaking point, will part instantly when it touches a sharp, underwater object. The same line at only To page 22

abt.org.au

Fishing unweighted plastics, you need to set those hooks hard, which means the braid and leader combo is the natural choice.

SPOOLING FLUOROCARBON

SPOOLING BRAID

I’ve read plenty over the years on the best ways to spool line. Spooling light fluorocarbon onto a small spinning reel is the easiest process ever. 1. Thread the line down the guides and tie it onto your reel. 2. Stick a pen through the middle of your spool. 3. Wind the line onto the reel with a small amount of pressure. There’s none of this having the line come off this side or that side of the spool to counteract the twists. That’s all rubbish. The line is untwisted when it’s sitting on the spool you buy it on. It twists slightly as the line is spooled onto the reel. As you cast, these twists are removed. Don’t make it any more complicated than that. The main danger in spooling up fluorocarbon is to not overheat the line. Heat kills fluoro very quickly, and you can create too much heat if you’re trying to wind the line on under too much pressure. Add the pressure with your bare fingers, and if it gets too hot for your fingers, it’s too hot for the line.

You spool braided line in exactly the same way that you spool fluorocarbon, apart from the pressure. A little bit of heat doesn’t damage the braid the way it can destroy fluoro, and braid spooled under too little tension can cut into itself and create problems. Use a piece of rag to add enough pressure to keep the braid tight as you’re winding it on. If you’re using a shallow spool that doesn’t need backing, use some sticky tape to help anchor the braid to the spool. If you don’t do this, the whole spool of line can slip on the spool. A deeper spool that needs backing can be backed with cheap nylon monofilament line. The braid will never slip on mono backing. Just make sure that the knot between the backing and the main line is good. You never know when you’ll need the connection to remain fast.

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20% of its maximum tension will be very forgiving. This leads me into my ‘softly-softly’ approach. FIGHTING A BREAM SOFTLY If a bream swims around structure when you’re fighting it, the worst thing you can do is to pull as hard as you can. This will invariably break your line. In contrast, I have landed hundreds of bream from sticky situations by

Tournament Angler Guide easing the drag back to nearly nothing and slowwinding the fish back out the way it came. Let me explain. When a bream is hooked, it will, naturally, swim away from the perceived danger. When the pressure is relieved, the bream will often stop and then focus on the lure in its mouth. At this time, gentle pressure will often result in you being able to ‘lead’ the fish back along the lay of the line. If it is swum around a

abt.org.au

couple of pylons, then very often, it will let itself be led back the way it came. It’s pretty important to do all of this work with the reel and not to move the rod much. If you try to ‘pump and wind’ the fish, the pressure is uneven and each time you drop the rod tip, the bream has a chance of turning its head around and changing direction. You don’t want it to change direction. You want it to keep swimming the way you’re

Left: It’s a dead-set walk in the park to re-rig your fluorocarbon rods. Cut the line, tie a knot and you’re done. Right: When it comes to connecting your braid to a leader, modern knots like the FG are vastly superior to the Albright connectors we all tied when ABT started.

The shadow of the line spooking fish may be a foreign concept to some, yet braid throws a much bigger shadow than light fluorocarbon does. Food for thought.

winding it. Whenever I extract a bream like this, I make sure that I don’t do the drag back up when it’s clear. The line may be damaged and break at a fraction of its advertised strength. The fish will eventually see you – or the boat – and try to swim away again. There’s no better example of why you should do this than the 1.47kg yellowfin bream I landed on the second day of a

BREAM Australian Open on Sydney Harbour. I was fishing a flat in around 3ft of water with two, large rocky outcrops on it with an SX40 and 3lb fluorocarbon straight through. The lure bounced over a rock pile and got clobbered by the bream, which then bolted up the gap between the two rocks and buried itself in a crack. Instinctively, I loosened the drag, put the electric motor on 100% and headed straight for the rock. The

armature of the motor hitting the rock at around two knots spooked the fish, which then took off over the flats. Drifting with the current and after nearly 10 minutes of back and forth with the light drag, the bream succumbed to the net. When I removed the hooks and tested the line, it broke at around 250g of pressure. Keeping the drag backed off with the damaged line make a kilogram difference to my final bag.

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Joseph Urquhart

Nathan Swanson

Adrian Wilson

2019 BASS ELECTRIC RANKINGS Ranking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 17 19 19 19

First Name Joseph Nathan Adrian Charles Aaron Jesper Matthew Pete Tom Mark Scott Dale Jake Paul Glen Nick Alan Steve Chelsey Drew Liam

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Charles West

Aaron Kemp

2019 BASS ELECTRIC AOY

Surname

Points

Urquhart Swanson Wilson West Kemp Noisen Flynn Bostock Reynolds Palazzi Bryant Lucas Schwerin McHugh Swanson Nutley Britcliffe McLean Lennon Sharpe Dutton

229 203 200 192 170 168 146 139 130 129 129 119 102 99 93 90 88 88 85 85 85

Rank

First Name

Surname

Points

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 15 17 18 19 20 20

Joey Mark Adrian Dale Tom Nathan Alan Glenn Charles Jake Liam Aaron Peter Mattew Matt Stephen Jesper Luke Drew Mark Wade

Urquhart Palazzi Wilson Lucas Reynolds Swanson Britcliffe Swanson West Schwerin Dutton Kemp Bostock Flynn Williams McLean Noisen Albone Sharp Mckay Walker

298 292 290 289 287 284 283 282 280 278 277 276 274 270 265 265 261 260 257 247 247

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ABT BREAM and BASS rankings by the numbers 2020 marks ABT’s 21st year, and over that time a total of 659 boaters and 903 non-boaters have competed in 180 BREAM events since rankings calculations started. Many Australian anglers dream of winning an ABT event, however Anglers not only seek to win events during the year but compete for Angler of the Year (AOY). AOY rewards the angler who is the most consistently highly-placed angler throughout the BREAM rounds, with points per round allocated according to placing. Tristan Taylor (Boater) and Stuart Walker

only 102 boaters can claim to have won an ABT bream tournament. This of course means there are anglers who have won multiple ABT BREAM events. 31 of these winners have won more than once, making them our superstars of the sport. (Non-Boater) took out this prestigious title in 2019. ABT also tracks the form of anglers through rankings. Rankings use the best five scores in the last 12 months added to the best five scores in the preceding 12 months (12-24 months ago). The top five ranked anglers coming into 2020 are:

TOP FIVE RANKED BREAM ANGLERS 1 2 3 4 5

BOATER Steve Morgan, QLD Jamie McKeown, QLD Mark Crompton, NSW Denis Metzdorf, QLD Charlie Saykao, QLD

1 2 3 4 5

NON-BOATER Stuart Walker, NSW Mike Hodges, VIC Craig Johnson, NSW Tanya Konsul, ACT Neil Kelly, NSW

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ABT BREAM MULTIPLE EVENT WINNERS Steve Morgan Chris Wright Warren Carter Kris Hickson Russell Babekuhl Tim Morgan Darren Borg Szarn Tink Brad Hodges Tristan Taylor Cameron Whittam Andrew Howard Chris Metcalfe Scott Towner Mark Crompton Dror Pietsch Jamie McKeown Mark Mangold Steve Steer Ross Canizzaro Ben Godfrey Ian Seeto Jarrod Healey Jay Morgan Michael Metcalfe Nigel Webster Patrick Sullivan Scott Butler Spiro Spiropolous Steve Starling Graham Franklin

11 9 9 8 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

ABT BASS in 2019 saw a massive increase in numbers, which we assume is due to the collapse of BASS Nation. As such, competition for the AOY and Rankings placings was tighter than

weighed at the BASS Grand Final in 2019 at Lake St Clair. After a cracking year, where he won the BASS Boater AOY and the Rapala BASS Australian Open, Graham

TOP FIVE RANKED BASS ANGLERS BOATER 1 Graham Ford 2 Kris Hickson 3 Keeghan Painter 4 Stephen Kanowski 5 Jonothan Bale in recent years. In fact, Grand Final spots were at a premium. We think that it will be a long time before an entire Grand Final field logs a perfect score, like the 300/300

1 2 3 4 5

Jason Martin ended the year at the best ranked angler in the back of the boat, and 2019 BASS Non-Boater AOY Paul Mazaroli landed just out of the top five after a stellar year. NON-BOATER Jason Martin Nick Price John Francis Mitchell Petty Trent Blake

Ford topped both lists, displacing fellow NSW angler Kris Hickson who spent a lot of his year deciding which country he was going to fish in next. After his Grand Final win,

It’s great to see that ABT is rewarding the increased participation in BASS with a prize boat again in 2020. The numbers back this decision up.

Anglers of the year (AOY) The other game in town, of course, is the Angler of the Year. These coveted trophies reward the angler who does the best in the season that year. Angler of the Year

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Tournament Angler Guide

Steve Morgan

Jamie McKeown

Mark Crompton

2019 BREAM BOATER RANK

abt.org.au

Denis Metzdorf

Charlie Saykao

2019 BREAM AOY BOATER Current

First Name

Surname

Points

383

Tristan

Taylor

494

370

Steve

Morgan

481

Charlie

Saykao

480

Ranking

First Name

Surname

Points

Steve

Morgan

Jamie

McKeown

Mark

Crompton

353

Denis

Metzdorf

316

Mark

Crompton

470

Alan

Lister

457

Charlie

Saykao

281

Alan

Lister

279

Wally

Fahey

435

Scott

Wilson

430

Kris

Hickson

276

Wally

Fahey

269

Jamie

McKeown

419

Allan

Murray

411

Cameron

Whittam

237

Tristan

Taylor

232

Chris

Head

345

Jason

Mayberry

341

Christian

Wardini

218

William

Carruthers

218

Stephen

Duff

318

Mark

Saric

314

Brad

Hodges

209

Jason

Mayberry

204

Christian

Wardini

268

Denis

Metzdorf

263

Scott

Wilson

203

Todd

Riches

195

Kim

McIntyre

257

Steven

Pryke

251

Ross

Cannizzaro

193

Allan

Murray

178

Craig

Templar

246

Scott

Towner

231

Zac

O’Sullivan

224

Grant

Kime

172

Mario

Vukic

168

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Tanya Konsul

Neil Kelly

2019 BREAM AOY NON-BOATER

2019 BREAM NON-BOATER RANK Ranking

First Name

Surname

Points

Stuart

Walker

391

Mike

Hodges

Craig

Johnson

Tanya

Neil

6 7

Current

First Name

Surname

Points

Stuart

Walker

496

268

Travis

Ryan

470

247

Richard

Wootten

465

Konsul

238

Neil

Kelly

465

Kelly

234

Bernard

Kong

457

Colin

Wilson

224

Dallas

Blatchford

456

Michael

Thompson

212

Tanya

Konsul

450

Glen

Sturrock

210

Darren

Murphy

448

Bernard

Kong

207

Justin

Reeves

440

Dallas

Blatchford

205

Glen

Sturrock

437

Rodney

O’Sullivan

187

Craig

Johnson

423

Brendan

McNamara

185

Colin

Wilson

406

Shaun

Egan

181

Rodney

O’Sullivan

369

Richard

Wootten

169

Michael

Hodges

350

Peter

Breukel

152

Shaun

Egan

348

Nick

Penprase

140

Andrew

Williams

345

Travis

Ryan

140

Daniel

McNeice

333

Daniel

McNeice

140

Jordan

Armstrong

278

Jordan

Armstrong

130

Ahmad

Mahfoud

263

Grant

Oliver

128

Shannon

Hush

255

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Tournament Angler Guide

Graham Ford

Kristoffer Hickson

Keeghan Painter

abt.org.au

Stephen Kanowski

2019 BASS BOATER RANK

Jonathan Bale

2019 BASS AOY BOATER Current

First Name

Surname

Points

Graham

Ford

383

Keeghan

Painter

379

235

Matthew

Langford

368

217

Jonathan

Bale

359

Bale

216

Jake

Schwerin

359

Lennox

208

Robert

Tilley

353

Matt

Johnson

203

Nick

Anderson

345

Tom

Slater

195

Luke

Draper

343

Glenn

Hayter

188

Kristoffer

Hickson

332

Mike

Nelson

167

Steve

Chang

328

Greg

Beattie

166

Mark

Parriott

327

Luke

Draper

163

Dane

Pryce

326

Dane

Pryce

163

Adrian

Melchior

324

Robert

Tilley

160

Philip

Nix

323

Phillip

Nix

159

Gregory

Burke

323

Simon

Marchant

157

Greg

Mitchell

321

Wally

Fahey

156

Tony

Thorley

318

Peter

Phelps

153

David

Browning

316

19 20

Jake Paul

Schwerin Aldous

149 148

Wally

Fahey

315

Brett

Hyde

313

Current Rank

First Name

Surname

Points

Graham

Ford

331

Kristoffer

Hickson

300

Keeghan

Painter

Stephen

Kanowski

Johnathan

Mark

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Jason Martin

Nick Price

John Francis

Mitchell Petty

Trent Blake

2019 BASS AOY NON-BOATER

2019 BASS NON-BOATER RANK Current Rank

First Name

Surname

Points

Current

First Name

Surname

Points

Jason

Martin

239

Paul

Mazaroli

376

Nick

Price

192

Mick

Eastment

367

John

Francis

188

Tim

Steenhuis

362

Mitchell

Petty

186

Barry

Reynolds

357

Trent

Blake

184

Leaon

Walker

352

Paul

Mazaroli

183

Allan

Price

347

Bill

Rose

181

Shaun

Beekman

339

Leaon

Walker

180

Trent

Blake

337

Tim

Steenhuis

179

James

Browning

333

Tom

Deer

176

Brad

Wickson

333

Dylan

Byron

174

Ian

Wratten

327

Mitchell

Rose

163

Mitchell

Petty

325

James

Browning

156

Shannon

Hush

324

James

Hickson

152

Blair

Shapland

316

Angus

Meyndershagen

148

Jason

Martin

314

Mark

Caneris

131

Blake

Chivas

311

Mathew

Flynn

128

Rodney

Thorpe

310

Warren

Howe

122

James

Hickson

309

Mick

Eastment

116

Angus

Meyndershagen

304

Anthony

Melchior

106

Malcolm

Draper

304

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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 2020

Phone (day):

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Complete the Find the Word and go in the draw to win a Fishing Monthly Prize Pack containing a limited edition neck scarf and a Fishing Monthly environmentally-friendly tote bag.

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FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Joshua Thompson, 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 Manouras of Fisher, who won an Alvey prize pack valued at over $300. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

of Glendenning, J Smith of Kelso, D Burgess of Elermore Vale, I Donaldson of Cessnock, B Mannering of Blue Haven, B Gardner of Hughes , J Wilson of Boronia , M Markham of Hunterview, M Jones of Narellan, D Turner of Kincumber, K Hester of Beverley Hills, P Valker of Bendigo, G Swan of Davistown, G Tasker of Belfield, L Cupitt of Goulburn, D Collister of

Hillvue, Z Mosessen of Wanniassa, B Ecowomos of Rhodes, S Matthews of Edgeworth, M Kojic of South Penrith, J Szabo of Penrith, D Sullivan of Aberdeen, E Buckley of Lake Albert, D Reeves of Windsor, K Thompson of Ermington, M Baker of Gorokan, M Claydon of Karuah, J Paul of Inverell. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE ZMAN LOGO

GUESS THE FISH?

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Giant Gruoper

The answers to Find the ZMan Logo for December were: 8, 13, 16, 18, 23, 29, 33, 36, 41, 44, 53, 56, 75, 90, 102. – NSWFM The Find the ZMan Logo prize winners for December were: G Hall of Grenfell, A Hepper of Iluka, S Chapple of Nambucca Heads, D Martin of Nowra, G Hayes of San Remo, J Cook of Stuarts Point, J Cross of Mondrook, G Dalley of Thornton, C Roberts of North Ryde, R Kincade of Forster, F Seal of Junee, T Polley of Tinonee, R Chown

Answer: FEBRUARY 2020

As the traffic drops off, the fishing picks up With holidaymakers now moved on, we can get back to some normality here on Lake Macquarie. The drop off in boat traffic is huge and the benefits can’t be underestimated. The fishing jumps to a whole new level now and the blood pressure can also settle back down again around the boat ramps. It has been great to see so many crabs about the lake this season. The majority have been blue swimmer crabs, but it is also great to see a number of quality mud crabs about that are about, as they make a fantastic meal for anglers. I’ve probably said it before, but unlike some I’m not a fan of stinky old baits in the crab pots. I find that as with

SWANSEA

Jason Scerri coloratolures@hotmail.com

As we work our way t h ro u g h another Australian summer I’d firstly like to say a very big thank you to the fire fighters who have been risking everything this summer to protect us. As I sit here writing this report running through how good the fishing has been, my thoughts drifted off to those fire fighters who have also been thinking they wish they were somewhere else. We certainly do appreciate all they do and hope they too can enjoy a good fish over the summer period.

all forms of bait fishing, the crabs too prefer quality, fresh bait. Mulloway have been the main talking point for locals over the past few months, with some very good

Jacob with a great example of the quality bream that Lake Mac regularly produces, even for those anglers who are shore-based.

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willing to bet we’ll also see the sizes continue to grow if anglers manage the fishery sensibly. As for the best methods at the moment, I really suggest putting the effort in to securing a good

supply of live squid. These are about in reasonable numbers and generally it doesn’t take too long to secure enough for a good mulloway session. I like to have two livies out at a time, with one set closer to the bottom with a weight while the other I usually leave just swimming freely. Both will always be rigged on a two-hook rig. For those of us who prefer chasing these mulloway on lures, I like to use soft plastics around the 4-5” range, and although I have most of my success on white or silver coloured plastics, I will mix it up at times if I’m struggling to score a hit. I often get asked where I look to fish when I’m heading out for a mulloway session. Mulloway aren’t restricted to a select few locations.. The one bit of advice I will give is to look at areas that seem to have a good flow of bait through them and have a reasonable depth. Personally I like spots in about 8-10m of water. I’m not saying you will never catch one in shallower water, but for more consistent results look for water in this depth range. As with most summers nowadays we get a good run of kingfish moving about the lake. These kings can be caught anywhere from Swansea Bridge through to the lake itself and around the many channel markers throughout the system. Live baits are a great option, particularly for those working the Swansea bridge area, but topwater stickbaits and popper style lures are also a great option, as too are large soft plastics

around 6-7” in length. There is a great number of rat kings about that are just undersized, but they are still a load of fun on light gear and don’t worry, there are also some real kings on offer that are equally ready to bust your gear and hurt your feelings. Bream are also on the chew and there have been some stonkers about this past month. Ideally if you can time your trip with a nice southerly change, trust me you are going to be in for a treat of a session. By far my favourite method is working shallow diving hardbody lures around the various shallow water locations in the lake. There is just something very special and hard to beat about catching solid bream in 2-3ft of water. They put on a great show of strength and really make you work for them to ensure that you not only secure a good hook-up but you also manage to keep those hooks in place, as we all know the fish is not yours until it’s in the net. For anglers who like to get outside a little and play around the rock ledges and washes, this is a great time of year for you to be out

For those of us who like to stretch ourselves a little further, the next two months are generally two of the best we get. Warm, rich blue waters are flowing down the continental shelf and with it is loads of bait, and with them come good numbers of game fish for our East Coast game fishers. Marlin are the prime target for most crews at the moment out wide. There’s also a good number of solid mahimahi thrown in the mix, which most crews are happy to take, as there are not many better eating fish in the sea. It is a great time of year to be out there pulling a spread of skirted game lures. Throw a couple of larger offerings in close to your boat’s transom then run some smaller options off the riggers and out deeper in the shotgun position. The one thing I will say is mix up your colours. As a lure maker it still amazes me to find customers wanting an exact colour option, as they have seen other anglers getting results on that particular colour. Sure there are some colour options that are

The wand wizard Mick Pavlic took this Lake Mac king on fly. there. Trolling a range of small skirted lures and deep diving lures along the rocky outcrops is a great way to produce a few fish, with kingfish and bonito making up the bulk of the catches. Pinks and greens are prime colours for this style of fishing and it’s a great way to cover good ground and keep those on board well entertained.

seen as more productive marlin colours, but keep it in perspective and think of the ratio of boats running that colour lure to get those results. Mix it up, use your imagination, and give things a try. That is the best way to learn, and hey, it won’t be the last time a crew stumbles across a new favourite colour by trying a few other options!

Enjoy the rest of summer in peace and quiet a sinking stickbait around 30-40g or metal lure will also have good success. ROCKS There’s not a great deal happening from the rocks, but most of the headlands and points that stick out will be producing quality tailor and bonito for anglers spinning with lures. There are also a few squid to be caught in the protected bays from Fingal to Rocky Point. OFFSHORE Loads of trag have been reported from the reefs, with charter boats bagging out on most trips around the

PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

It’s a great time of year to be fishing in Port Stephens, with plenty of fish around, along with the waterways being much quieter now the summer holidays have finished. In the estuary there are still loads of dusky flathead around, with most fish down the bottom end of the bay now between Soldiers Point and Shoal Bay. Lures like plastics and hardbodies are without a doubt the best way to target flatties. Fish them in the shallows on the high tide, especially late in the afternoon and early morning. Whiting are also still thick, with Jimmys Beach, Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay and Corlette all prime areas to get stuck into a few. Live worms or nippers fished with light leader around 4lb and a long shank hook is a surefire way of catching them. Bream continue to whack surface lures around the structure from

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however it needs to be over 258kg. While certainly getting up there, it’s definitely still a very realistic target from these waters! The FAD is holding plenty of mahimahi that will take a wide range of things from trolled small skirted and diving lures to cast metals, as well as live and cut baits. Snapper have been good, especially around Broughton Island through to Seal Rocks, with both morning and afternoon sessions producing results with plastics or bait.

ens estuary the beautiful Port Steph can be ter fishing charter that system with a calm wa g to hin fis eds from family bait designed to suit your ne rs. gle an g hin hardcore lure and fly fis

Flathead have been thick down in the bottom end of the bay. Mulloway from the Nelson Bay and Anchorage rock walls are a good

Blue swimmer crabs can be taken fairly easily in most of the main channels. Pindimar through to the back of Soldiers Point, with hot afternoons the best time to try.

21 and Vee reefs. Inshore black marlin will also be worth a crack in these same areas, with slow trolled live baits around the bait schools the best way to get connected to one. Still on the marlin and the shelf bite has been consistent, with multiple bites a day the average. So far it’s been a mix of stripes and blues with the odd black. The NSW Inter Club and Billfish Shootout competitions are approaching. This year’s prize for the blue biggest marlin in the Shootout is a whopping $200,000,

proposition for anglers prepared to put in the hours at night with live baits or fresh dead squid.

Tailor and a few bonito schools are spread through the middle of the bay. Keep an eye out for birds working and fish feeding on small whitebait and frogmouth pilchard schools. Smaller metals around 10-20g will work best for these little pelagics. Crabs have been in good numbers around Karuah River and Tilligery Creek, with good blue swimmers from the main channels and nice muddies up the feeder creeks. BEACHES There are still plenty of whiting on the beaches as well as the odd dart and big bream. Live worms, as always, are the best way to catch them, especially with a two hook rig. Box Beach and Fingal Spit have been producing plenty of tailor to 1kg during dawn and dusk periods, with whole garfish or pilchards rigged on gang hooks working best. Alternatively,

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Warm currents are bringing pelagic delights ERINA

Aaron Donaldson

Brisbane Waters has certainly had a serious amount of attention over the break, but it continues to fish well.

fishers use soft plastics with 1/8-1/4oz jigheads dependant on water depth, and lures in the 3-4” size seem to fish best. Baitfish and shad shapes are popular, but don’t forget your prawn imitations, especially around the dark or the no moon period as this is

be Ettalong, Hardys Bay and Paddys Channel. BREAM Bream should really be hitting their most active time of the year, where they are constantly on the look out for a skipping prawn. Obviously surface lures are the go-to for

Matt Zhara with a nice striped marlin he caught solo from his Polycraft recently. Brisbane Waters has been producing a few school mulloway lately. FLATHEAD Flathead have been the mainstay over summer and there has certainly been no shortageof them. Most local

when the prawns will run. It’s best to fish shallower early and work your way into deeper water as the day goes on. Good areas to start would

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Left: Whiting are active this month and willing to chase down topwater lures. Right: A nice estuary perch on fly for the author. on smaller metals around 20g, and some anglers do really well using 5” white plastics ripped through the schools at high speed. The bream and blackfish will really fire along the

rocks in the next few weeks as well, so it’s not all about the pelagics. OFFSHORE Gamefishing has sprung to life with a small run of striped marlin and a couple

of blue marlin reported. Local boats were quick to capitalise, and gun local fisho Matt Zhara tagged a couple of really nice fish while fishing solo out of his Polycraft, which was a great effort!

FISHING NEWS

New oyster reefs Port Stephens is a hive of activity with construction of the first large scale oyster reef restoration project in NSW. NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) Fisheries Manager, Kirk Dahle, said the project

onto reef restoration sites in Port Stephens,” he said. “The oyster shell has been collected from the local oyster farms located around Port Stephens, and will be used to provide a base for oyster settlement on the new oyster reefs.

Oyster reefs provide food and shelter for marine life, filter the water and provide protection from erosion. Image courtesy of NSW Marine Estate. would deliver a wide range of benefits to the health of the estuary and the marine life within the marine park. “Construction crews are placing more than 3000 tonnes of rock and over 150 cubic metres of recycled oyster shell

“Oyster reefs provide a wide range of benefits including water filtration, shoreline protection and the provision of food, shelter and protection for a range of marine creatures, including recreational and commercial fish species.”

Oyster reefs once covered vast areas in NSW estuaries but the majority of these natural reefs were lost due to historical overharvesting or removal of oysters and their habitat, dredging for navigation, water pollution and disease. “Restoring oyster reefs is a fantastic way to improve the health of the estuary and marine park because oysters are natural water filters. The reefs will also create additional natural habitat for fish, crabs and other species to use,” Mr Dahle said. “The oyster reef restoration works will be highly visible over the construction period, so if you are out and about on the water near the entrance to the Myall River or the Karuah River you are likely to see works taking place. “We have worked closely with other State agencies to ensure these reefs are safe for the boating public and are constructed in line with all necessary approvals. Please give work barges and crews a wide berth, and follow all advisory signage in these areas.” The new Port Stephens oyster reefs will be showcased at the International Conference on Shellfish Restoration in Nelson Bay in March 2020. The NSW DPI Oyster Reef Restoration project is a key management action under the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy. – NSW DPI

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Now’s a great time to crack that first marlin ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

If you ever had the dream of hooking and catching a marlin, now is the time to get out there and have a go. It is much easier than it is all made out to be and you

the reefs holding plenty of bait – plus the water out there now is better than 23°C. To start, you need a reel with a half decent smooth drag and 300m+ of 24kg line. It doesn’t need to have a lever drag, a good old star drag will do on a rod of your choice. You’ll also need 2m or so of 150lb leader and a decent

Black marlin will be about over the inshore reefs this month. Fish this size are great for first time marlin chasers and are pretty easy to handle. don’t need a million dollars worth of flashy gear either, but some quality tackle does make it easier. As soon as the water hits 23°C or warmer, that is the time to start looking. Even if the water temperature drops, after rolling through they will still be there hanging around

hook. Now we just want to catch your first and this will do the job on most inshore blacks, which will be the predominant species encountered. The next requirement is a live slimy mackerel, and these can be caught on most of the reefs you will fish because that is what the marlin are there

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for. You can pick up a few in close before you head out. Bait jigs work on the deeper reefs, while drifting over the shallow reefs close to shore with a bit of berley trailing out before sun up will bring a few up to grab a small bit of bait on a small hook. Some of the bigger slimies will be better than 0.5kg in weight, so a decent container with plenty of water pumping through it will be needed to keep them kicking. Sometimes the slimies will not be around, but the everreliable yellowtail almost certainly will be, and they are a good second bait. If you have come this far and you have your bait and are on one of the reefs like Bandit or Wollongong, it is now just a matter of hooking your live bait through the nose between the top lip and the eye. We won’t get into bridle rigs, as that is another chapter. Just let out 40-50m of line, put the motor into gear and slowly work your way back and forward across the reef system. You can leave the reel in freespool, with just the ratchet on or with just a small amount of drag. If you have outriggers by all means use them. The bite may come within minutes or it may take some time, but when it happens it is not all fireworks, as most of the time they just pick the bait up and slowly move off. Don’t get too excited just yet, let the marlin take it for a bit then slowly put on the drag and wind with the rod pointing in the direction of the fish. Don’t lift the rod yet until you can’t wind anymore and things come up tight, then

There’s no need for all the fancy reversing rubbish, remember this is your first fish and after a few captures you may feel the need, but the last thing you want is a wild green fish beside the boat for your first time. Some fish will jump and charge about the place like mad things while others will just skulk down deep, and the latter are the hard ones. Finally, after a time that could vary between half an hour and several hours, the fish will tire enough to get it boat side. It is your choice to take it or

mahimahi about the FADs or any floating objects, and if the current is pushing they could be even closer. Wahoo will be about when the water gets really warm, and even a stray sailfish may show itself. Then throw in some small to medium yellowfin tuna and even a spearfish or two to round things out! While most will be chasing blacks, the big blues will be around wide of the shelf with a few stripes mixed in, so a grand slam on billies this time of the year is a real possibility.

There are some nice mulloway mixed among the schoolies this month. release it, but marlin steaks are pretty good tucker and no one begrudges you on your first. Just remember if you are going to grab it by the bill, wear gloves or be prepared to lose all the skin on your hands. Most of the fish you will encounter will be black marlin between 50-90kg so they are quite manageable in small boats, but remember they are still very powerful creatures and can cause you

There are plenty of kingfish in all the usual spots, with live mackerel or squid slow trolled on the downrigger scoring most, but some days they are smashing baits on the top as well. Be prepared for the northern visitors like cobia to be in the mix. If you get bitten off it may not be a shark, so a small length of wire may pick up a spotted or narrow barred Spanish mackerel if the water is warm

Mahimahi will be around the FADs and any floating object over the coming weeks, and they are suckers for a fly. Sometimes they are too easy, and will follow it in the air and smash it as it hits the water. you can lift and set the hook if it already isn’t set from the weight of the fish. This is generally when the fireworks start and line peels of the reel pretty quickly, but don’t panic, just follow the fish and keep the pressure on the line and it will eventually stop. When this happens you need to get as much line back as possible before it happens again.

that is the quality flathead over all the local sand patches. The reefs have had a few visitors in the form of pearl perch, samsonfish, amberjack, teraglin and emperor mixing it with the mowies and the snapper, so some quality bags are coming in. Off the rocks there are plenty of bonito, salmon, frigate mackerel, trevally and smaller kingfish and mackerel tuna grabbing lures. Those feeding out live baits should pick up some better kingfish early in the morning and late in the evening, with the

some damage. A tail rope is handy if you are keeping it, as even after the gaff is used it is not caught until the tail rope is on and secure. You might get lucky and hook a striped marlin, and they are even easier. Doesn’t sound that difficult, does it? By-catch when chasing marlin this month will be excellent, with plenty of

and the currents push down hard along the coast. Bonito are about stealing live baits and good old salmon are still around too. Snapper of all sizes are over the reefs, with the bigger fish holding in 30-60m of water. Big plastics are scoring these but only if the current is not ripping down too fast. The drifters are only interested in one thing and

chance of a marlin anytime of the day on the deeper ledges. Later this month there is a chance of a longtail or two tracking down our way looking for a live slimy, yellowtail or garfish. There are some nice bream and salmon in the washes taking pilchard pieces. The beaches are firing on all cylinders, with whiting everywhere, so just add beachworms and you will get a feed. Throw in a few dart, bream and the odd salmon and you can have an excellent bag. Fish baits and plastics are scoring plenty of nice flathead, particularly around where the creeks run into the surf. Even if we haven’t had any rain and they are not running out, they seem to gather best in these areas – they seem to know. Larger fish baits fished in the evenings have been picking up a few nice school mulloway and some big tailor, with the odd better fish to 20kg being caught as well, usually by the diehards who put in some pretty solid hours on the beach to get them. The estuaries are charging along as well, with flathead everywhere. Just add live poddy mullet or your choice of plastics and you will get a feed. Again, this year there are some quality fish to 70cm in the lake and Minnamurra and plenty of fish between 40-50cm. There are some good whiting over the flats and shallower sandy areas and To page 83

Fun sportfishing sessions ahead in the bay NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

It’s been a tough couple of months down this way for us south coastians, as it has been for many other regions of our great country. The

a massive shout-out to all who have contributed to try to control and fight these devastating blazes, you are all true heroes. All this being said, fishing is what we are here for today so let’s get amongst the action and try to clear out minds of the terrible days of past.

find these fun-size fish are on the northern sides of Bowen Island, underneath the Point Perpendicular lighthouse, Longnose Bommie and sometimes even Plantation Point, which is well inside the bay. Throwing small metal lures or soft plastics at the large schools is likely to result

Bobby Russo looking pretty happy with this nice Basin snapper.

Nic Martyn with a fun little summer king taken in the bay. worst bushfire season to grip Australia in recorded history has left so much destruction and sadness, but we are Australian and we will be OK. I have to give

JERVIS BAY Carrying on from last month’s report, the rat kings that inhabit the bay at this time of the year are out in force. Popular locations to

in an almost instant hook-up, and these fish are a whole lot of fun when you’re using the right tackle. If you are after a feed more than fun, there are plenty of sand flathead and a few small gummy sharks around the mouth of the bay. The flathead around the beaches have been a little quiet, with

also. Make sure you get out early to beat that strong northeaster we get this time of the year. Lure colours vary on the day, but I have been told lumo and evil are hard to go past at present in the smaller profile lures. BASIN St Georges Basin still seems to be recovering from the Christmas holiday onslaught from holidaymakers. The bream are there but they’re a little gun-shy. Fortunately, the snapper in there really haven’t

those larger prawns on offer in the Basin at the moment, hiding in the weed beds. It’s been a great year for the prawns in the Basin, with good numbers and very good sizes. There is still enough time to have a few more cracks at them before the water begins to cool come autumn, so get yourself a prawning light and get amongst them. I like the yellow Perfect Image LED underwater lights, as they’re good quality without being too expensive. SHOALHAVEN/ CROOKHAVEN The Shoalhaven/ Crookhaven system is fishing

pretty well for mulloway and bream, with lure fishers having a lot of fun. Samaki Vibelicious lures and 110mm Squidgy Prawns have been accounting for plenty of mulloway in recent weeks. The bream have been falling victim to an array of small wriggler-style plastics bounced down rock walls or fished off the weed bed edges, from Nowra bridge through to the start of the Canal where the ferry goes across. That’s it for this month. As good as summer is, I’m sure we’ll all be happy to see the end of this long, hot one. Catch you all next month.

A nice size prawn from the Basin. Prawns of this size have been pretty common this season.

Ron Martyn caught this small gummy from around the mouth of Jervis Bay. From page 82

they have now fattened up, with some very goodsized fish among them. Bream are in the usual spots, with live prawns fished at night on light line and a very small split shot just to get them down getting some impressive fish. There’s been a few bust offs as well – you can’t win them all, but you won’t win any if you use heavier line, as they simply won’t bite.

Blue swimmer crabs are all over the lake, just be careful of all the floats when travelling, it is like a mine field out there! The dark should produce a few prawns in the shallows for bait and a feed if they run and there’s more in the system. Now let’s look at the contentious issue in the lake again this summer, which is the over harvesting of cockles. It is getting to the point where so little is being done to police it that the locals are just fed up

plenty of shovelnose rays taking baits intended for flathead. They are still good fun for the kids though. MARLIN Stripes and blacks are showing up out on the shelf, and anglers have been catching them by trolling lures and skipping or drifting live baits. I’ve heard of the odd marlin coming into the bay and a few at The Banks

stopped bitting all season, and some good specimens are coming out of the area. Mulloway are also on the move in the Basin, patrolling the edges in some quite shallow water – 4-5ft deep, in fact. When you hook them in this shallow water, it really is a scream because they make a drag-burning beeline straight for the deeper water. I guess they are looking for some of

and vigilantes taking matters into their own hands is now a real possibility. The locals are frustrated with groups coming to the lake and pillaging large amounts of cockles virtually every day and heading off with them. Some are leaving with huge amounts, while others are taking their legal quantity and then sneaking them to a storage vehicle parked some distance away and returning time and time again. This has been happening for several seasons now, and

as we all know the cockles are getting fewer. Nobody has a problem with anyone taking a few, but the cockle population in the lake can’t handle the pressure of this much harvesting. Cockles are a very important part of the lakes ecosystem, as their constant filtering of the water as they feed keeps the water clean, and goodness knows the lake needs a lot of cockles. So when the cockles are pushed to a level where they

Lucas Martyn with a Jervis Bay shovelnose ray. They have been a common bycatch when fishing for flathead. are not performing the task of cleaning the lake, it has a detrimental impact on all the other creatures living in the system. There is a simple solution, and that is to ban the harvesting of cockles in the lake. They are not an essential item for anyone, be it for business or cultural reasons, it has only been in recent years they have even been targeted at all by a small minority and they are doing immense damage by taking so many.

A total ban will only affect those few who are taking them and the sad thing is most are doing the wrong thing anyway and that is what is riling people. A few signs erected around the lake are having no effect, so a total ban, just for the protection of this stressed resource, is the only way to go. It needs to be done now, not when it is too late, but unfortunately that is more often the way with our bureaucrats. FEBRUARY 2020

Offshore offerings open lots of opportunities MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

Over the holidays, the Eden Mallacoota area was abuzz with visitors and the offshore fishing has been excellent. Sand and tiger flathead have been really on the bite, with fish of good size caught

out of Eden right through to west of Mallacoota. The key is to keep moving until a patch of fish can be found. Plenty of gummy sharks have been caught and the fish are spread out with anglers catching them from a number of locations. Schools of undersized kingfish have been around but once you find the bigger fish, you can catch kingies to around

This 62cm tailor grabbed a soft plastic.

90cm live baiting, jigging and trolling. If you use the Bastion Point boat ramp it’s best to try and avoid the low tide period, as the entrance to the harbour is very shallow. Fishing in all the local estuaries has fired up and dusky flathead have come on the bite. The lake at Mallacoota has been fishing exceptionally well with plenty of fish caught over the size limit of 55cm and plenty in the 80-85cm bracket. Fish are feeding on the many prawns in the system, so any lure resembling a prawn is a good choice. When fishing for a feed, anglers have had no problem catching a bag limit of smaller eating size fish. Big tailor have also been caught, with fish to 70cm not uncommon. Plenty of these fish earn their freedom as they bite through the leader and swim off with your lure in their mouth. The upstream areas are the best areas to fish if targeting bream. Salmon are in the lake and won’t be leaving, as the lake is closed. Unfortunately, the lake has

Young Jarrod was happy with an 83cm flathead caught in Harrisons Channel. been opened prematurely the last two times, with the last time opened purposefully just to let water out, dragging sand with it and now the entrance area is choked with sand. The future is not

looking promising – gone are the days when boats headed out to sea, crossing the bar. Rain is needed for the bass fishing to fire up, as all the local creeks and rivers have stopped flowing.

• This report was supplied prior to the devastating bush fires that engulfed the area. Our thoughts and best wishes are with those who have been affected and hope for a speedy recovery of the area.

Berley is the secret for summer success BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

No matter what areas you may be fishing, whether it is offshore, along the beaches, from the rocky shoreline through to the estuaries, there is no doubt that if you try using berley it will increase your catch rate and may even produce some species often not encountered just by using bait or lures. Estuary fishing couldn’t be better with warm water throughout the systems making for good fishing. On the tidal flats, using squirt worms or nippers with the rising tide will produce whiting, bream, blackfish and a host of other species. Small lures and flies will work too and if you haven’t got a boat, the weather should be warm enough to wade as the tide recesses. The places fishing the best in the Bermagui River have been around any form of structure, regardless of tide. These areas give fish cover and a safety zone and may come in the form of weed beds, rock and oyster bars, drop-offs or artificial structure like bridge pylons and boat jetties. You don’t have to be throwing baits and lures right into the structured areas. Try holding out from these areas and bring the fish to you with berley so they can be fought 84

FEBRUARY 2020

Mac tuna often visit in the warmer months and are partial to a high-speed lure. out in clear water to reduce the chance of break-offs. It’s surprising how far fish (especially bream) will travel from their safety zone when enticed by a scent. Offshore game fishing will be at its best with large numbers of marlin, tuna, sharks, and mahimahi patrolling the vast baitfish schools that come with the warm summer water. The edge of the Continental Shelf, Twelve, Six and even the Four Mile reefs will all hold their share of baitfish and with them will be the predators. For marlin, every season is different, as tides, moon phases and current dictate where the fish will be holding. A well-set lure pattern trolled behind boats will produce not

only marlin but other species as well. If water temperatures are up, start trolling close to shore and work your way out to find where the fish are holding. Once they’re found, work the areas over, either staying on lures or using baits. Sharks are best targeted with berley and for best results, use plenty of tuna in it. Out over the shelf will be better with makos, blues, hammerheads and tigers all in the warm water. Berleying the Twelve Mile will also produce sharks with the added bonus of being able to bottom fish. The step out from Tilba back towards Bermagui has good numbers of sand flathead, red gurnard and the odd gummy shark frequenting there. Closer to

shore out from Camel Rock, plenty of small to mid-range sand flathead are being caught. South of Bermagui, the reefs through to Goalen Head and as far out as the Twelve Mile have been producing large amounts of quality bottom dwellers. Snapper, mowies, tiger flathead, kingies and a host of others can all be encountered in increasing numbers. With warm water pushing right into the shoreline, beach and rock anglers have a great chance for some good pelagic action. The deeper rock platforms around Bermagui Headland, Mystery Bay to the north and Bunga to the south have been seeing a host of

different surface feeding fish come within range of land-based anglers. Those wishing to target species such as kingfish, tuna, sharks, the occasional marlin and to the lesser scale salmon and bonito from the rocks may do so using a variety of techniques. Lure fishing has gained popularity again with the introduction of large plastics to the scene. High-speed retrieves with large metal lures have not been forgotten and have been producing a variety of different speedsters. However, live baiting is still the favoured way of producing large fish from the rocks.

There are some cracking bream over the shallow flats in the Bermagui River.

Back to the wharf TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Now the holiday season has ended, the pressure has eased on the local wharf and it is a good time to look for a variety of species that are either passing or calling this area home.

pelagic species visiting with the warmer water, and for those wishing to drift a live bait out under a float or casting larger lures, you find yourself attached to some heavy speedsters like kingfish and bonito, or the occasional shark like whalers or hammerheads! If the water is really warm, it is very likely you could tangle

target these larger species! If you have a live bait out, don’t be surprised if you find yourself attached to one of the small black marlin that have filtered down the East Coast this season either! Out at sea it’s on for all! Those wishing to bottom or reef fish are having a ball with a variety of species close to Tathra and further afield. For the smaller boaters, just out from Kianinny in and around 30-40m there are plenty of flathead of both species, so it’s relatively easy to acquire a bag. Mixing with them are some lovely red gurnard and the occasional gummy or small whaler shark. These fish are up and down the coast, so you will find them further afield if you go to areas like Goalen Head. In this area you’re also likely to tangle with some of the many reef species holding in the area, like kingfish, snapper, morwong, perches, and even the succulent pigfish. Last but not least, with such warm water those who like to chase gamefish should be out and around or beyond the continental shelf. Out here striped marlin, which are also accompanied with black and blue marlin, are feeding on the many baitfish schools that are attracted by the upwelling. This has brought the marlin along the coast, and anglers in the know who venture out to where these fish are gathering may experience some very exceptional heavy tackle game fishing! In the Bega River, especially up in towards the brackish water, early mornings or late afternoons may produce some interesting bass fishing. Anywhere you find some deeper water and adjacent snags, especially with some overhanging

Flathead are abundant in the rivers and lakes in the Tathra area. The home base species are more likely to be fish like silver trevally, mackerel, luderick, and of course those succulent garfish, all of which can be taken on relatively light gear. There are also larger

with a northern bluefin tuna. Those species just mentioned will more often than not patrol the area around the wharf and the nearby rock platforms, allowing land-based anglers even more opportunity to

Trevally are a popular sportfish around Tathra, particularly from the wharf. she-oaks, is likely to have bass holding. They wait in anticipation for for any insects (especially cicadas) that may unexpectedly fall from the trees. Small topwater lures or flies will often be all that is required to enjoy some spectacular surface action. Other species you are likely to encounter within the Bega River or surrounding lakes are the usuals like

bream (both black or yellowfin), luderick, dusky flathead, mullet, trevally and garfish. Moving on to the beaches, there is action aplenty in the form of passing schools of Australian salmon. Most beaches within the area are attracting these fish, and all that is required to tangle with one is a wellpresented pilchard or strip bait. If you’re into lure

fishing try walking the beach with some light spin gear and a handful of hard metal lures using long raking casts and fast retrieves. Other species you may wish to pursue are bream, whiting and mullet, which are particularly partial to a fresh beachworm. At night a larger strip bait or fresh mullet may produce some exceptional gummy sharks and the occasional mulloway.

There are plenty of bass in the Bega River only too willing to attack a lure.

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FEBRUARY 2020

Tech Tricks

How to decommission your expired EPIRB BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

For anglers venturing more than 2nm from shore in open waters, carrying a 406mhz digital EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) is not only sensible, it’s the law. Even for those fishing smooth or partially smooth waters, an EPIRB is advisable as it could save your life in an emergency. For those not familiar with this piece of safety equipment,

an EPIRB is a small electronic device that, when activated, will assist search groups to pinpoint your position so they can rescue you. If your craft was to overturn, get damaged and begin sinking, or even if you have an injured person or a person suffering a medical condition aboard, being able to be found promptly could avoid disaster and save lives. EPIRBs come in several forms and brands. The best one to get is an EPIRB with GPS as this is much more accurate and will put rescuers within 100m of your position.

EPIRBs without GPS will not give such an accurate signal and will only put rescuers in the general area. All EPIRBs must be registered to the vessels on which they are to be used. The details kept will include the name of the vessel’s owner, emergency contact details (phone and email), the beacon Hex ID/UIN, beacon serial number, model and manufacturer. In most cases, registering a beacon is required by law. It is a simple task on the website (https://beacons. amsa.gov.au/registration/) and

is free. Details of the vessel are also kept in relation to craft type, colour or other distinguishing features to assist rescuers in finding you promptly. EPIRBs must be re-registered every two years with AMSA. This ensures details are kept accurately, especially if someone has bought a different boat and previously forgotten to change details. Beacons generally have a 10-year battery life and the entire beacon will need replacing after the battery expires. With EPIRBs costing

around $250-350, this is cheap insurance at a yearly rate. Once your beacon’s battery life has expired, you need to dispose of the beacon. Do not discard it in a bin at the boat ramp or anywhere else as I have seen some people do. If the beacon goes off, rescue groups will be wasting time and money looking for the beacon. I had a faulty beacon go off at my house some years back and was called immediately by the rescue group. I told them it was a false alarm but still had to get to the beacon and turn it

off within 30 minutes or they were going to bash down the door to locate it. I left work and got there in time but it was awesome to see such a prompt response. Expired beacons must be disposed of correctly. Some battery shops will take the EPIRB, then remove the battery and dispose of it for you (generally a fee is charged for this service). However, this is easy to do yourself. Following is a basic instruction on how to decommission your EPIRB to make it safe and inoperable.

This GME Accusat 406MHz EPIRB is one of the more commonly owned models available for boat owners. While other brands are out there, this model offers good value and reliability. The decommissioning of most EPIRBs will be similar to this regardless. The only tools required are a Phillips head screwdriver and a pair of cutters or snips.

Details on the other side of the beacon will be permanently printed on. This will advise of the date when you need to replace the beacon with a new one. Once the expiry date is reached, it should then be decommissioned.

When you separate the top and bottom, you will see there is a wire still connecting the two together. This connects the working parts with the power source. 86

FEBRUARY 2020

It is advisable to confirm with AMSA that you are decommissioning your beacon and removing it from use, especially if you are not replacing it for some reason (such as you no longer own a boat). If you are selling it with a boat, you should notify them and remove your details from the beacon. This sticker is provided by AMSA each time you re-register your beacon and they will contact you to remind you to re-register it every two-years. It must be affixed to the beacon.

The top and bottom half of your EPIRB will be held together with four screws. These must be removed to separate the two sections.

Pinch the clasp together and pull up to remove the wires from the panel in the top section.

Tech Tricks

If you look inside the base section, you will be able to see the battery inside. Use the screwdriver to remove the two screws holding it in.

With the wire detached, the EPIRB is now inoperable and safe. The two sections can now be separated totally.

Peel the rubber casing off one end to expose the wire connecting them.

Pull the entire battery out of the base. Generally, it will be two batteries held together with a casing of some kind.

Cut the wire connecting the two batteries to avoid a short. Remove the batteries entirely from the rigid casing and separate.

You can take the rope off the EPIRB casing and retain the stainless steel screws to re-use if you wish. The batteries are best disposed of at a battery recycling depot. These 3v lithium batteries are about the same size as a standard D-Cell and can be disposed of at any ALDI stores or battery shops that have a disposal method in place. The casing can just go in with the regular trash, or you could use it as a practice device in case you need to activate an EPIRB in the future. FEBRUARY 2020

Cooking

Spice up your summer with smoked trout dip BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Dips are one of the most versatile snack foods, whether you are having a party or just an attack of the nibblies. Savoury crackers, bagel chips, vegetable straws (carrot, celery),

melba toast and corn chips are all good choices to act as carriers for the dip from bowl to mouth. HANDY HINTS Any type of hot-smoked fish could be used in this recipe. Smoked mullet or smoked tailor are two options that spring to mind. You can also substitute natural

yoghurt for the mayonnaise. There are various options for sprinkling over the top of the completed dip – chopped capers, fish roe, finely chopped cornichons, additional finely chopped chives or dried chilli flakes. You could even use a combination of two or three of these options.

Ingredients

• 200g smoked trout fillets

• 1 clove garlic, finely grated

• 3tbsp chives, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise

• 1tsp fresh dill, finely chopped

• 200g cream cheese, softened

• 1tbsp horseradish sauce

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• Pinch dried chilli flakes

Fish roe for the topping (optional)

Flake the smoked trout flesh into pieces, discarding the bones.

Place the chives, dill, horseradish, chilli flakes, garlic, mayo and cream cheese into a large bowl. Use the back of a wooden spoon to combine until the mixture is smooth.

Stir the lemon juice through the cream cheese mixture.

Add the smoked trout flesh and fold into the mixture.

When combined, spoon the mixture into a serving bowl.

Spoon or sprinkle the top of the smoked trout dip with your choice of toppings.

In this recipe I have used fish roe as the dip topping.

Serve the smoked trout dip with a variety of crackers, toasted breads and chips.

FEBRUARY 2020

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The night watchmen LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

This report was written before bushfires swept through the Lithgow region. Our thoughts are with all of those who suffered losses during

this time, and our thanks go out to the firefighters who worked tirelessly to bring the fire under control. After dark activities of a fishy kind should be high on your agenda this month. Trout or natives? It matters little! The cloak of darkness encourages fish

The author nicknamed her ‘Dimples’, and she was possibly his biggest to date. She grabbed a 6” Castaic BD Shad.

into shallower water to feed. With trout it’s usually linked to mudeye (dragonfly nymphs) hatches around weed beds, and this goes for some of our Aussie natives as well. The next bass in Lake Lyell that eats a fly after dark that was tied and intended for trout certainly won’t be the last! In fact, I know a few well-credentialed local fly fishers who have been well and truly converted. You’ll certainly know when you’ve hooked one…. Golden and silver perch in Windamere Dam like nothing better than feeding up on mudeyes after dark, intercepting them as they make their way towards timber or bank to hatch. The take is very subtle and most of it I suspect happens under the water. The hint of a swirl is usually all you see or hear on a moonlight night. SURFACE ACTION You would be nuts not to have a surface lure packed for Lake Lyell bass after dark. Be warned though, it can be very hit and miss – quite literally! They miss way more than they connect, but it’s crazy fun. Don’t be afraid to let the surface lure pause way longer than you

Swim jigs will be a great way of targeting active bass when water temperatures are a little higher, especially around healthy weed. The head design allows the jig to slip through quite nicely. can dare, as I’ve lost count of the amount that have hit on the pause while I’ve been stuffing about re-positioning the boat. Sometimes a long pause is the only way they will eat the lure. Twitching the surface lure on the spot is another good tip. A good switch up once the sun gets up is a skirted jig. My experience is limited with bass on skirted jigs, but they definitely seem to like the jig moving a little faster than golden perch. Bottom contact can still be very important for bass, especially early in the spring

season when the yabbies are just emerging from their holes. Keep in mind that as the weather warms into the back end of summer, the addition of some swim jigs in the lure arsenal may not be a bad idea. Swim jigs, as the name implies, are best when fished up off the bottom. The skirt tends to be on the sparse side with little or no weed guard. The head is designed to slip nicely through fresh green weed. This style of jig has definitely got more in common with baitfish

than yabbies, so keep this in mind when casting one. BIG YELLOWBELLY I’ve been astounded by the aggressive response from oversized golden perch to some of the swimbaits I’ve been casting for cod. I’m not sure if it’s a post spawn thing that may not last or a regular deal. Either way, it’s pretty good by-catch. One fish (not measured or weighed) may have been my biggest to date. I would conservatively put her at 65cm and maybe 8-10kg – an absolute tank. I nicknamed her ‘Dimples’. To page 91

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FEBRUARY 2020

Helping Batlow to bounce back BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

This report was written before the bushfires devastated Batlow. At least 20 properties were destroyed, and one man tragically lost his life while helping a friend defend his property. In the aftermath of bushfires, regional towns like Batlow need visitors to come to support local businesses, helping the community to recover. The next time you get a spare weekend, please come and fish the area and visit a store or two in town. Blowering Dam is always a popular spot over the summer months, with many anglers and families taking advantage of the free form camping that the lake has to offer. Dealing with the very warm weather and the nonstop boat activity has been quite difficult at times, but those anglers who persisted were rewarded with some very good catches. As is usually the case, the main species being caught at the moment is redfin, but there have also been plenty of natives caught of late as well. Some of the natives being caught have been of very good size, with plenty of golden perch up around

50-65cm and bigger caught so far this season. There have been quite a few big Murray cod well over the magic metre mark being landed, with several of these being over 120cm. The majority of the Murray cod that have been landed in the last couple of weeks have mostly been caught by trollers at night, but there have been

Hit the standing timber for your best chance of boating a few big golden perch at Blowering Dam this month. enough big fish caught during the daylight hours to warrant getting a rod in the water no matter how hot it is or what time of day it is. GOLDEN PERCH Most of the golden perch at Blowering Dam at this time of the year will be holding in fairly deep water, which can

Love them or hate them – when carp get to this size, they are great fun to catch. Blowering Dam now has no shortage of these invasive fish. From page 90

There is no way the 6 and 8” baits they have been eating would ever go down the hatch. One fish hit me twice on the one retrieve, then followed up on the very next cast! Cod will generally be sitting deeper this month, especially during the day. Wyangala, Burrendong and Windamere are good options, and deep trolling plays the percentages very much in your favour. Casting is an option in low light, or if you see a good fish on the sounder holding tight to cover. Sneak back an hour or so later and see if you can rattle its cage a little…

make targeting them fairly difficult at times. When there is a lot of boat activity to add to the stresses of high water temperatures and dropping water levels, a lot of the golden perch seek out cool, deep water that has structure of some description. The yella’s favourite structure during the warmer months seems to be standing timber,

SUMMER REDFIN What’s not to like about a feed from a summer session on the redfin? They can be quite plentiful, aggressive and can bite right through

as this provides shade throughout the entire day. These tree-hugging golden perch can be targeted jigging with either bait or lures. Bait anglers using yabbies have been clued onto this for years, and are normally the only ones consistently catching golden perch during the hottest months of the year. However, this trend is changing as more and more lure fishers are discovering that these shade-hugging golden perch will also hit a well-presented lure. Slow rolling soft plastics up the sides of standing timber that is adjacent to a drop-off and/or is in 5-15m of water is the go. It will put you in with just as big a chance of landing a bunch of golden perch as if you were fishing with bait. There are a number of plastic brands on the market that will do the job, but no matter which brand you use it is hard to beat 2-4” curl tail plastics. Black is by far the best colour for this type the day, especially in deeper water. Night sessions are less productive; in fact I don’t think I have ever caught one after dark. That little window just as the sun sets is a time

Redfin can be such a pest at times but are hard not to like, especially on the plate. Bigger spinnerbaits can be the undoing of larger fish, especially when worked erratically around weed beds.

of fishing, but occasionally you will find that watermelon or pumpkinseed will perform best on the day. Slow rolling spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits rigged with swinging assist hooks in the same areas is also worth a shot, especially if the water you are fishing happens to be dirty and discoloured. If repeat casting isn’t your thing, trolling the rocky and weedy banks early and late in the day with small to medium sized lures can get you some golden perch action during the warmer months. MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER The Murrumbidgee River from Narrandera all the way up to Burrinjuck Dam has fished sensationally so far this season. One lucky pair of anglers even managed four 1m+ Murray cod in a session, which is exceptional fishing in anyone’s books. There has been a steady, mid to high flow in the river most of the season, which has kept the natives very happy. They have been willing to hit most things cast in their direction. The usual baits like bardi grubs, shrimp, worms, yabbies and cheese have been working

The Murrumbidgee River from Narrandera all the way up to Burrinjuck Dam has fished exceptionally well for both bait and lure fishos so far this season. all season, but the gun bait for Murray cod is currently chicken of some description. It is hard to beat chunks of chicken fillet, but chicken sausages, chicken rissoles, chicken nuggets or anything else that has chicken in it will give you a good chance of hooking a few Murray cod. On top of the great bait fishing we’ve experienced so far, there has been some sensational lure fishing action

as well. The lure fishos have been catching natives on pretty much everything including hardbodies, lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, Angel baits, chatterbaits, surface lures, soft plastics, glidebaits and swimbaits. With so many opportunities on offer, it’s time to get out your favourite Murray cod lures and get amongst the awesome river fishing we are experiencing this season.

Pat Clark with one of four 1m+ Murray cod that he and Craig Fitzgerald caught in a single outing down the Murrumbidgee River. when the bigger ones go for broke, however. It’s like they know it’s going to be a long night tucked away out of harm’s way and they need to get the feed bag on. Erratic retrieves with lipless soft vibes seems to really get them chewing, especially on the outer edges of the schools of smaller fish. Another option is spinnerbaits cast to weed bed edges and timber. I like to employ fast retrieves after a helicopter drop, but it pays to mix it up. You might just be surprised at the size of some of these critters, which is well over 40cm in some cases. Hope to see you on the water soon. Until then, tight lines!

The general idea is bigger and deeper when it comes to cod this month. Slow trolled heavy spinnerbaits are very much underused in the local cod dams. FEBRUARY 2020

Fish and anglers need more rain in the dams HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

What a drastic couple of years we have had of deepening drought. Top this off with raging bush fires and poor air quality, and things are looking pretty grim for Australia at the end of this summer period. While I have seen the local lakes lower than they are right now, conditions certainly feel like they are getting to their most desperate. DAMS IN DROUGHT Growing up in the upper Hunter Valley, I’ve spent a lot of time on the impoundments. I’ve seen them at their best and their worst. These artificial lakes are one of the earliest places to gauge the effects of the weather. There is no hiding the effects of low rainfall here. Receding water revealing dusty dry edges, boat ramps out of the water, a lack of weed growth, absence of bait and fish in poor condition are all effects of dropping lake levels. We are certainly a lot luckier than other areas of the state, but there is still no sugar coating it – we need rain!

Henry Smith caught this Glenbawn bass on dusk fishing a topwater presentation. The local impoundments will be all fishing very similar to last month. These consistently hot days of 40°C drives the fish into the deep to escape the heat. Cooler, oxygen-rich water is where the majority of the fish will be sitting in February. There will always be a few edge fish to be caught in the right conditions. Topwater is one of the main producers over

the summer months for bass. The low light changes are prime time for fooling these cunning fish. You can be fishing an area and feel like there is not a fish within a kilometre of you, then like a switch, the light conditions become just right and fish rise up, swirling around everywhere. These fish can be hard to tempt sometimes and will

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FEBRUARY 2020

require some experimenting. Mixing up retrieves and duration of pauses is the best way to work out what they want. Starting out by shaking a lure on the spot with long pauses is a good way to mimic an insect that has just fallen into the water and is attempting to take off. Next, small movements of a couple of feet with a pause will get your lure covering some water, drawing them in and then hopefully getting them to commit on the pause. Lastly, working a lure quickly across the top can tempt a reaction strike. I’m not really sure what it is, but working the lure this way can bring on a ferocious strike in an attempt to kill whatever is making the commotion. There is no guaranteed topwater lure that catches them every time, so keep this in mind when attempting to catch some surface bass. Once that sun is high up in the summer sky, moving out into deeper water is really the only way to consistently keep catching fish. Given the levels are getting down, I feel there would be a lot of fish being forced to congregate towards the front of the lakes, given that they prefer deeper water this time of year and there’s a lack of depth towards the back. There are lots of deep water techniques that work, but the hardest part is presenting them to fish that are sitting in such deep water. Most fish this time of year will sit in 40-60ft. Light line and spin rods are best for cutting through the water easily and maintaining some control and feel when fishing so deep. A decent sounder is important for fishing deep this summer. How the fish position in the water column should help you assess what style of lure they will eat. A deep vertically presented grub plastic on a 1/4oz

head is a slayer on NSW impoundments over the hotter months. Dropping these straight down to fish on the sounder and slow rolling them back through them catches both bass and golden perch when they are close to the bottom or sitting tight to standing timber. Hopping blades, soft vibes and tail spinners catches fish as well when they are sitting close on the bottom. Casting a heavy jighead rigged plastic is another way of covering water and targeting suspended fish. A 1/2oz jighead with a paddletail soft plastic or grub slow rolled or burnt through these fish will work. Dragging a heavy skirted football jig and trailer is another popular technique for targeting fish tight to cover over summer. As water restrictions come into place, people are asked to think carefully about the way they use water. For those fishing the

old. It’s important to look after this stock the best we can, as it may take years to bounce back after this drought. RIVERS I expect all the river bass population to be pushed back up as far as they can possibly reach in February. All the smaller holes that water is still flowing into will have fish. Surface lures are one of the best ways to target these fish. The heat of summer will have the insect life in full swing by now. These fish will seize any opportunity to feed, and a surface offering will be hard for them to resist. As the sun gets up, sub-surface offerings like a spinnerbait, chatterbait or crankbait will get eaten if fished tight to cover like timber and rock. Slowing down and dragging a skirted jig into deep holes and laydowns works when the fish don’t want to move out wider from cover.

Tommy Cox with his first bass on surface. This was one of about 20 caught for the day. impoundments, I ask them to do the same about the fish. These fish are stocked into these lakes. They are already in strung out shape, and a lack of bait has them not as healthy as they could be. Any fish caught deep will suffer some form of the effects of barotrauma. For those who don’t know how to vent a fish or don’t have a release aid, please limit the time you keep the fish out of the water. Laying them on a hot deck or handling them roughly could be detrimental for their health. We lost all the larger fish back in the 2007 drought, and these fish were all in the 45cm+ range and probably over 10 years

During summer, the invasive European carp will be at their most active. These fish make great fun for the kids and can seriously pull some string on light line. A small ball sinker and small hook on a 20-30cm trace is all that’s needed. Corn kernels, bread, and even worms all work really well as bait on carp. Throwing out some berley of breadcrumbs, cream corn and chickpeas will bring in the carp from a distance if you find no carp in the area. Those wanting a little more of a challenge, fly fishing for carp is a fun way to spend the middle of the day when the native fish are typically a lot quieter.

Great action on natives despite the drought CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

Unfortunately, Canberra received very little rain through January, so the water levels in the majority of our waterways continued to drop. It was particularly tough to see the ‘Bidgee stop flowing in a number of areas, with some of the

and larger snags, which had only been available to boat anglers, are now within casting range. With the water levels set to drop even further over February as the drought crisis continues, more and more opportunities for land-based anglers will open up, so go for a quick walk along Googong this month and enjoy some great sight casting for natives.

lately, with plenty of anglers running up enormous numbers of redfin whether fishing from the bank or from a vessel. The fish are hanging around the old pontoons that line areas like Yarralumla Bay and can be coaxed into a taking a soft plastic when bounced along the bottom or slow rolled parallel to the pontoon. There have also been a few nice cod caught

Nick Moss caught this lovely river cod fishing a topwater lure.

Googong continues to fire and it’s well worth a walk along the bank for some yellas. best and most productive pools from previous years reduced to a puddle. Although some anglers have struggled to land a fish under the conditions, others used the low water levels as an opportunity to explore previously inaccessible snags. Googong Dam is

LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin is fishing really well for small to medium-sized golden perch. These fish can be found in small schools sitting beyond the rowing lanes towards the Governor General’s residence and can be caught using deep jigging

by anglers using large soft plastics and spinnerbaits and casting along the sunken willows that line the bike path near Scrivener Dam. Lake Tuggeranong continues to produce both good-sized cod and solid yellowbelly. A few anglers figured out the lake in early

fishing with small poppers, as the redfin are cruising around the top of the water column and will hit a surface offering with abandon. The area under the bridge is always worth a look at dawn or dusk, with large golden perch a distinct possibility if slow rolling a beetle spin along the bottom. MURRUMBIDGEE The Murrumbidgee River is producing some good fish despite the low water level. I spent a lot of time fishing the river through December and January and landed fish using surface lures, swimbaits and spinnerbaits. My largest fish of the season was a 93cm specimen that hit a Dragonsaurus right on first light and came from a shallow bank near fast water. Speaking of fast water, this is the first season in many years that I haven’t landed a cod in fast water, with the fish preferring to hunt either along the flats or stay close to crevices and other snags. This could have something to do with the water level – I’m not sure – but it does mean that the cod are easier to find. That said, there have been very few large cod caught and only a handful of metre-plus fish have come from the ‘Bidgee since open. If looking for a bigger fish, hit the river at dawn or dusk and try louder, larger lures.

SURROUNDS Googong remains the pick of the local fisheries and as mentioned in my introduction, the falling water level has actually improved the fishing for

spins fished around the isolated rocks and weed beds that line the back of the dam. The redfin fishing has been excellent of late, with plenty of 30cm+ fish landed

The author’s new PB on surface! This fish hit the lure right on first light. many land-based anglers. A number of large cod have been caught recently, with the majority being fooled by large plastics rolled parallel to the bank. The great golden perch fishing continues, with the fish responding well to the vibes, blades and beetle

by anglers fishing drop-offs with vibes in natural colours. There are plenty of cod hanging around the redfin, so switch to a big spinnerbait (after a few reddies come to net) and slow roll the lure along the bottom if you want to convert some of these fish.

Sam Hancox with a plastic crunching goodoo from the ‘Bidgee. the best example of a local waterway that is dropping quickly and therefore providing land-based anglers with new areas to cast a line that were not able to be fished even a few weeks ago. I have fished the dam constantly since November last year and have landed a lot of golden perch simply because the rocky drop-offs

tactics like slow lifting a blade near the school. Blades are a great choice of lure if targeting the yellas holding deep, but it is also worth taking a heavier outfit and jigging a bigger vibe near the school, as large cod tend to tail the yellas during this time of year. The redfin fishing has been absolutely outstanding

December and caught some great cod. The trick is to downsize the lure and target the reed-lined points opposite the college. These areas have produced cod to 80cm and some large golden perch. The redfin have also been biting in big numbers along the willows that lead up to the skate park. This area is deep but is worth

There were a lot of small cod caught throughout January, which shows promising signs for the future. FEBRUARY 2020

Find the cold water for Tumut trout catches cast up tight against the logs, and hardbodies rolled along the length of the log. If you prefer to use bait, take a shrimp trap with you as they are easy to catch and are the perfect bait. Make sure you buy some aniseed soap, as it is another easy option that

WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

February will see a continuation of January’s hot summer weather and active fish to match. The main rule to remember at this time of year is that the native species will feed in the coolest part of the day, so fishing late and early is critical. TUMUT RIVER The Tumut is one of my favourite places to fish over the summer and it will continue to fish well through until March. With the cold water coming from the bottom of Blowering Dam, the river will always remain at a cool temperature for the fish. This means even after

Thumbs up for this cod that took a slow rolled Balista Dyno 90 in against a big snag pile. reject your lures, as they are mainly keyed into feeding on insects like willow grubs and hoppers. Sight casting to cruising fish in the still edges with hopper imitations is my favourite summer fishing style. During the middle

making it easier for you to stalk them. If you do try this style of fishing, running a 6lb tippet and trying to place the fly in front of the fish about a foot and off to either side is key. Bow and arrow casts are the go-to,

A beautiful Tumut River backwater brown trout that smashed a hopper under some willow trees.

Hoppers are the best fly imitation in the summer months for the Tumut River. consecutive 40°C+ days, the fish will still actively feed. These hot days are perfect for fishing as it increases the insect activity (especially grasshoppers) and therefore increases fish activity. Early and late in the day are still the best times to fish. As the river is running high, you don’t want to be fishing out in the fast water when you are

spinning. The top areas to fish are the shallow inside corners, as the fish will sit in these spots to rest out of the current. Walk your way upstream casting small hardbody lures, spinners and small paddletail soft plastics. The other areas worth casting are in the backwaters and under willow trees. You may find these fish in the backwaters

Harry Taylor caught this cod on the river with his Pop. of the day when the sun is high is the best time to use this technique as the fish stand out easily,

Casting spinnerbaits late in the afternoon is the perfect technique for cod along the Murrumbidgee River. 94

FEBRUARY 2020

any structure in the shade. The cooler the area, the more chance you’ll have of hooking onto a fish. BLOWERING DAM Fishing at night is the go-to method this time of year with so much water sport activity during the

so make sure you practise this technique. MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER AND OLD MAN CREEK The river and creek are well worth a fish whether you’re using bait or lures. With the hot temperatures, the fish will be active and in need of a feed but the bite windows will be very short. The first two hours in the morning and the last two hours before sunset are the best times. Bait fishing overnight when camping as well as surface fishing will also work well. The river will fish well all around Wagga and way out west towards Hay. The river is not as high this year as it has been in previous years, which means the water temperature will get hot. However, fish will still feed in those key periods. I love using spinnerbaits

day. If you’re targeting big fish, you can cast big soft plastics, spinnerbaits and hardbodied swimbaits, or troll deep diving lures. 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 towards the dam wall end of the lake. Bait fishing while sitting around at camp during the day and night is always worth a crack with big yabbies. The bigger the yabbies, the better! There are still plenty of options to fish in and around the heat. If you’re keen on catching a few cod with the

Adam Smith from FTL Lures caught this little summer trout. works well. Put two or even three pieces on the hook to make it a big meal for the fish. Other good baits are yabbies, bardi grubs, wood grubs, worms or even cheese. When choosing the best place to fish, try to find

family, head to the river and tie up under a tree to bait fish; if you’re chasing that giant cod, Blowering is your place; or if you want to sight fish for trout, make for the Tumut River!

The fishing is still great in the Tablelands NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

Despite very little rain and the massive bushfires that have affected most of NSW and the rest of the country over the past couple of months, the fishing across the New England Tablelands has still been pretty productive, and February shouldn’t be any different. There have been a couple of scattered showers of late that have seemed to green up the country a bit around the Tablelands, but there still hasn’t been enough rain to replenish the local impoundments or even the rivers surrounding them. However, the eastern side of the dividing range got a bit of a downpour, and as much as that sounds like a good thing at this time of year, it couldn’t have come at a worse of time. The big fires there had left a lot of debris and ash, and the rain flushed all this into the river systems. Fingers crossed this doesn’t lead to a big fish kill like the one back in the ‘60s, as the ashes are known to suck the oxygen out of the water.

RIVERS Both the Beardy and Severn rivers are really low, and finding holes with good fishable water is starting to become a little harder, especially with all the fires around. There have been many property

enter without being trapped along the river. With all the thick weeds building up from the hot summer days, fishing weedless lures has been very effective, with frogs being the go-to choice. Low light hours have been producing

This massive wild river cod was taken from one of the deeper holes using a Megabass Big-M 4.0 crankbait. owners now closing access to properties for the safety of the anglers, so if you are travelling, make sure to contact the owner first to check that it is still safe to

some of the better fish, as the heat of the day usually sees the fish retreat to the depths and sulk in these harsher conditions. They still can be targeted during the middle

of the day by fishing the deeper holes, shadow lines and under the thick weed. COPETON It’s pretty crazy to think that this time two seasons ago Copeton was sitting up around the 42% mark, to 16% last year and now it is even lower. It’s scary to think what could happen if there isn’t any sufficient rainfalls in the next couple of months. It has been much the same in the rest of the country, and even though it sounds like it is really low and suffering, there is still a fair bit of water between fish, but luckily the cod and yellowbelly have been playing the game. The locals and the those travelling up for the holiday season have all been having their fair share of fun and have been getting amongst the fish and watersports. If you are after a trophy Murray cod, than fishing the low-light hours and avoiding the boat activity is your best chance at catching one. There have also been some quality fish being caught off the bank as well, including many over the metre mark. The golden perch can also be actively targeted all throughout the day as well, whether you are trolling lipless crankbaits,

hopping plastics or soaking baits against trees, there is plenty of fun to be had. PINDARI Pindari Dam has been much the same, with water

Pindari of old, but there is still a lot of fish out there and if your lure or bait is in the water than it is only a matter of time before you get a bite from one of the

Peter Clatworthy with a cracker river cod that ate a topwater frog worked over weed. levels rapidly receding over past seasons. After being a massive 92% only two seasons ago, with the dam now under 5% it is proving how harsh this drought really has been. There have not been many reports of anglers having trips with great numbers of fish like the

many species that call the dam home. Eel-tailed catfish, golden perch, Murray cod, silver perch and carp are all abundant in this waterway, and are all are happy to eat a lure at any time. Good luck to all getting out on the water this month, and tight lines!

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* Photo courtesy of GCBC FEBRUARY 2020

The flies of summer CANBERRA

Richard Barnsley

Summer always brings its own mood to Australian waters, and often creates some of our most difficult conditions. In the highlands, hopper hatches stir the resident trout, but the bright, clear days make the fish spooky.

is a constant concern. Despite the negatives, however, it is a terrific time to get out and throw some flies. I’ll give you a lowdown on two of my favourite patterns for this time of year. JACK’S FOXTAIL Jack’s Foxtail is a wonderful dry fly attractor. Many years ago, I ran a cattle property high in

waters and Noela would paint bush scenes that surrounded the cabin, which they christened ‘Possum Lodge’. Often I’d see Jack heading out along the Point Lookout Road early in the morning, heading for one of his favourite secret streams. One afternoon he saw me working in the cattle yards and drove in for a

Clouser Pig Boat fly.

Jack’s Foxtail fly. Down on the sand flats the bream and flathead are active, but an oversupply of holiday anglers means fishing spots are hard pressed. In the cod gorges, the cicadas are screaming and the cod are eager. Unfortunately, it is intensely hot when you’re hiking the backcountry, and wildfire

the New England ranges near Ebor. We developed a couple of old timber cottages that were once accommodation for timber workers at the Styx River mill. Jack Eggins and wife Noela used to come up from the coast regularly. Jack used to fish the local

chat. The subject of trout came up, and when he’d finished showing two lovely rainbows wrapped in wet newspaper he offered me a couple of his favourite flies – Jack’s Foxtails. The Foxtail, as the name suggests, is tied from the tail hair of the fox. Cut a clump of tail hair about

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FEBRUARY 2020

the thickness of a pencil and comb/pluck out the under fur. Trim to roughly twice the hook length and bind down with the tips extending back over the hook bend. Tie a small set of mono eyes in place and then fold the fox fur forward and bind in at the rear of the mono eyes. Make sure that you leave a decent ‘hump’ of fur because this aids floatation. Now split the forward tips and x-wrap to produce wings such as you’d find on a spent spinner. This fly is well suited to those leisurely spring creeks and slow, shaded runs common in the mountains. A perfect choice of an evening, it imitates terrestrial moths and is also often picked out during a hatch. It is not my pattern of choice on rough, tumbling waters but it’s well suited to serene conditions. You can dress it up a little by overwrapping the shank binding with peacock herl, which gives a little sparkle to the fly. Alternatively you can let a couple pieces of crystal flash extend beyond the bend of the hook to provide a light, shimmer husk. CLOUSER PIG BOAT FLY In the high country waters, away from the cold, summer is a terrific time to chase the bass and cod over rivers draining the Great Divide. Although popper action can be superb, I mostly fish such places with wet patterns until late

afternoon/evening. My go-to imitation is a cross between Bob Clouser’s Minnow and the Calcasieu Pig Boat. The pattern combines the best attributes of both flies. It rides hook point up, sinks readily and provides heaps of movement with the rubber skirt. Clouser ’s Minnow is widely known but the Pig Boat is a little more reclusive. The original was an invention of Tom Nixon, a Louisiana angler who lived close to the Calcasieu River. The main attribute is the use of the rubber skirt – a first for flies back then. We all know what rubber skirts and spinnerbaits did for bass and cod fishing across Australia. My interpretation of the two great patterns is to tie a suede cut or rubber leg tail on a hook size suitable for your quarry. I’m a fan of wide gape hooks such as grubbers, particularly for cod. They sink deep into the corner of the mouth, and the bulky rubber skirt seldom produces false strikes. To start with, x-wrap a suitable set of dumbbell eyes, giving consideration to the sink weight required. I’m a big fan of slow sinking patterns for cod and bass. Generally, we aren’t fishing fast water, so there is plenty of time for your offering to sink. Slow sinking offerings give you time to twitch and flip during their descent, which is an excellent technique when the fish are tight against the cover. Now lay down a body

of deer hair or similar synthetic. This should extend to just short of your tail material. Slip on a rubber skirt or build up single strands to complete a collar. When starting out, use a little less material here than you think. Overdressed skirts tend not to work best at slow strips, which is usually the preferred retrieve. If you’re targeting fish in really rough structure, I recommend adding a mono weed guard. However, for most situations the up-riding hook is sufficiently snag resistant. The colour comes down to what has previously worked in your local waters, but I’m a big fan of white as well as black/lime green. Down on the sand flats you should have great fun with a lightly dressed variation of white tail/body and red rubber skirt. Hop them up and off the sand bottom along moderate drop-offs for flathead. Another tactic which is less popular but very successful is to drift down any coastal river in your tinny with the fly in contact with the bottom. Do several short strips up off the bottom, and then allow the fly to sink again. Tie up either of these patterns and I’m sure you’ll enjoy fishing them. Unfortunately this summer is seeing widespread bushfires and extensive destruction across the country. If you’re lucky enough to get some time on the water this summer, give a thought for those other fishos who are busy battling flames.

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Murray cod surfacing ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

As the boats rolled into town for the opening of the Murray cod season, so too did cold, wet and windy conditions. Catching a Murray cod on a dropping barometer is always a tough gig as they generally refuse

from Swan Hill on a daily basis from both bank and boat on lure and bait. Local anglers are starting to see the true worth and effective nature that surface lures have when it comes to tempting and catching large Murray cod. No doubt we will see and hear plenty more about this over the coming season as more and more fishos give it a try.

and all they needed was a little luck. It’s worth mentioning that with the Murray cod slot limit now in place, all these larger fish reported caught over the cod opening were returned to the river. It’s great that anglers are provided the opportunity to catch a big Murray cod over again and into the future. I have always thought of these iconic fish

Brett Evans trolled a solid model from the Murray River near Mildura on a Koolabung Codzilla lure.

Clinton Hann scored a ripper Murray cod on a Bassman Aussie Crawler surface lure. to feed when the pressure is down. In saying that, plenty of keen anglers braved the rain and a few were rewarded with some good size Murray cod. Swan Hill fished well considering the inclement weather with several large Murray cod up to and over the metre mark landed. The best bites were in the Murray River near Brooks Lane where cod were striking surface lures in the low light conditions. Murray cod reports continue to roll in

Downstream along the Murray River to Wood Wood, several Murray cod to a metre have been landed since the start of the season. Chicken, cheese and yabbies have all been on the menu. In the Murray River at Mildura, Kym Sykes said several good size Murray cod to 114cm were caught on lures. The biggest fish was landed on a fluoro StumpJumper on the troll. It was hard work in unfavourable conditions but anglers were keen to land their first cod for the season

as too special to be caught just once. The Murray River around Mildura has continued to be a good spot with several metre-plus cod caught on trolled lures. Neds Corner at Lock 9 has been producing big models on trolled lures, spinnerbaits and surface lures. So far it has been a great start to the Murray cod season around Swan Hill and Mildura. I expect to see and hear of plenty more large Murray cod landed before next month’s report!

Circle hooks have been working well for bait anglers targeting Murray cod. Most fish are hooked cleanly in the corner of the mouth for an easy release.

Nev Plant caught this Murray cod from the Murray River at Swan Hill on chicken.

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

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

Dam Nov Dec Jan Blowering 54 45 39 Brogo 56 36 12 Burrendong 4 3 2 Burrinjuck 33 33 31 Carcoar 18 16 13 Chaffey 17 15 13 Clarrie Hall 84 76 69 Copeton 7 7 6 Dartmouth 54 52 50 Eucumbene 30 30 30 Glenbawn 44 42 40 Glenlyon 3 3 3

Dam Nov Dec Jan Glennies Creek 46 43 38 Hume 37 32 22 Jindabyne 82 82 77 Keepit 1 1 1 Lostock 71 60 47 Oberon 32 31 28 Pindari 5 4 4 Split Rock 1 1 1 Tantangara 17 11 8 Toonumbar 39 28 18 Windamere 30 29 27 Wyangala 17 15 11

(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.) FEBRUARY 2020

Mulwala should be called Murray cod capital YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

The smoke has cleared from the bushfires and now it’s time to hit the lake and get into some serious cod fishing. We’re now entering prime time to be on, in and around Lake Mulwala, the home of Murray cod. As always, cod will be on offer all throughout the lake and there is no right or wrong technique. The main virtue I try to instil in those fishing Mulwala is persistence. Sure, your average Joe can land an unlucky fish that makes him look like a legend while your gun angler goes without, but over time the numbers will even themselves out. For those getting out onto the lake, the best thing you can do is avoid the pesky speedboats and water lice (jet skis) and hit the timber. The most productive big fish methods of late have

been casting either surface lures or larger swimbaits in the 1.5-3m mark around a bit of weed. If you want to try surface fishing, here are a few pointers. Identify the areas you plan to fish during daylight hours so you have a rough lay of the land come dark time. Have everything prepared and working for when you do catch the elusive Murray cod. Headlamps, torches, net, lip grips, measuring mats and cameras are all implements that should be at hand. Finally, know how you are going to get home in the dark without causing any undue dangers to yourself or others who are out and about. For kids looking to snag a cod, the best bet is to head down below the weir with some cheese, chicken or worms for a bit of fun. Traditionally the cod downstream are not as big as those caught in the lake but you get them in greater numbers. A size 2/0 hook, size 2 bean sinker and

line in the 15-25lb range will see you ready to do battle. Keep it simple with a running sinker right down to the hook – cod don’t tend to be that picky. The holidays were hectic, with metre-plus fish reported on a daily basis. The best reported were a couple around the 122cm mark. I did have the privilege of seeing Canadian friend Terry Quealy being towed around by a Cod of at least this size until it eventually busted him off and took his lure. This was Terry’s first ever encounter with a Murray cod and one he will never forget! Luckily enough, he managed a 65cm 15 minutes later to tick the species off his list. Another who deserves a special mention is young Melbourne boy, 8yo Will Radman. Will is a capable young angler and decided to have a cast of his dad’s monster swimbait rod with a Jackall Gigantarel attached. Low and behold, on his third cast Will was slammed by a

Will Radman scored a new PB Murray cod measuring 90cm! great 90cm cod that he landed by himself. The competition season is upon us with a few events coming up over the next couple of months.

The first is the everpopular Humminbird Dash 4 Cash on 15-16 February, followed by the His & Hers Partners Classic on 29 February and finally the Cod

Nationals will round out the competition season. The four days of tournament fishing for dedicated green fish anglers will be held from 12-15 March.

A different perspective on chasing green fish ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

February has come around quickly and the summer days are still hot, temperature and

you approach it correctly and continue to persist throughout the heat and long days. Figuring out where fish sit during the heat of the day and why they do so is a key factor that can drastically

There should still be good numbers of cod in February. fishing wise. As I’ve previously mentioned in past articles, warmer months typically bring good numbers of cod across many water systems. Fishing during the heat of the day can be physically tough on you, but your efforts will bring you results if 98

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improve your chances of persuading a fish to eat or strike out of aggression. It seems that shaded pockets of water hold the fish most of the time, particularly in the flowing water systems. This would be no surprise to cod fishers, as cod love areas with shaded protection.

Fish can come out of ridiculously shallow shaded pockets of water at times and I think a lot of viable water is mistakenly dismissed because it appears to be too shallow. Textbook deeper pools of water with heavy, built-up structure may be their ideal habitat, but I’ve found that sometimes they really don’t need much to sit on. I don’t usually get big fish, but I have pulled off smaller ones from small, shallow rock edges or tiny twigs built up in areas that are shallow, and a lot of strikes have been quite committed to eating the lure. Many of these areas are often where current leads into, which can also be a major factor as to why fish are sitting there. They can be easy ambush spots for when food floats or sinks past the fish’s nose. It also seems that smaller fish can be pushed right out of the more textbook snags if bigger, more aggressive fish are in these holes, as Murray cod are very aggressive when it comes to their shelter. You definitely can pick up bigger fish shallow spots, but the trend of smaller fish in shallower areas is something I have picked up on in recent summers. Night fishing is certainly worth doing during this time of year. At night, fish of all sizes tend to move around sourcing and tracking down food, which means often they will move in and feed on creatures that

During the day, diving lures are good to probe the depths where bigger fish can be holding. lurk in shallow water. With this, the surface fishing opportunities really open up and these fish are not afraid to wham creatures scuffing around on top of the water. Often, the night bite can really be effective on not only numbers of fish but bigger ones too. At the end of the day, these cod must eat and they are an aggressive striking fish. Finding active fish to eat your lure can be a challenge at times but persistence will absolutely help you achieve your fishing goals. The adventure to finding these fish is as good as catching them. Keep at it and tight lines!

It’s surprising what fish can come out of shallower water if you persist.

Recreational Fishing Update Spawning Success For Rescued Native Fish

Native fish rescued by DPI Fisheries from the droughtstricken Darling River have spawned and their progeny has been released into impoundments as part of the NSW Government’s ongoing stocking of native fish. Late last year, DPI released about 80,000 Murray cod and 60,000 golden perch into the Burrinjuck dam. The parents of these fish were rescued from the Darling River near Menindee last February and were relocated to the Department’s hatchery at the Narrandera Fisheries Centre for safe-keeping and to become part of the Native Fish Stocking program. The fish settled well and have thrived in their new environment. The 10 pairs of rescued Murray cod produced 11 spawnings between late September and midOctober 2019 with an estimated 200,000 eggs collected. These were incubated in the hatchery and hatched before going into larval rearing ponds. The fish were harvested at 35mm in length and have been stocked in Burrinjuck and other suitable dams in southern NSW. This work is part of the ongoing stocking of native fish by the NSW Government across the state. Native fish stocking is another example of your fishing fees at work!

Aerators Now Off Limits

Artificial aeration devices keeping iconic native fish species such as Murray cod alive in drought-stricken inland rivers are now off limits to fishing. Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall announced a fishing ban within 100m upstream and downstream of aerators in the Lower Darling, Lower Macquarie and Peel rivers. These aerators were installed by the Government and other organisations to help keep thousands of distressed native fish alive, not to make it easier for people to catch them, Mr Marshall said. “I’m sending a strong message on behalf of the community that this sort of behaviour is not on. These fish are vulnerable and we’re trying to keep them alive.” Anyone fishing within the closed area risks a $500 on-the-spot fine. Some people might not know that fishing around these devices can cause distress to native fish seeking refuge. An education campaign, including signage, has been rolled out to inform people about the changes. The aerators have been installed as part of the NSW Government’s $10 million Native Fish Rescue Strategy.

Flattie Stocking Trial In Lake Macquarie! More than 1000 juvenile dusky flathead have been stocked into Lake Macquarie as part of a research project to enhance populations of this highly popular sportfish. DPI’s Port Stephens Fisheries Institute has been working on breeding technology for duskies over the past year. These sort of pilot-scale releases, where relatively small numbers of fish are released and studied intensively, allow DPI to test and refine stocking strategies. This work will hopefully enable large scale stocking of dusky flathead in key estuaries along the NSW coast. About 1200 fish averaging 15cm were released into Lake Macquarie. A visible fluorescent tag on the underside of their jaws allows DPI researchers to identify these as stocked fish. As part of the research work, DPI will monitor released fish to see how quickly they adapt to the natural environment, how fast they grow, in which habitats they spend time, and if they behave like wild fish. A further 30 fish with acoustic tags will also be released around the artificial reef near Galgabba Point early this year. Using an array of acoustic receivers in this area of the lake, we can track fine scale movements made by these fish. The juvenile flathead released via the stocking event should grow rapidly over the summer of 2019/2020 and reach the legal size limit of 36cm by spring/summer of 2020/21. For more info, or to report the recapture of a tagged fish, please contact fisheries.enhancement@ dpi.nsw.gov.au.

RAP Program Wants Your Fish Frames!

DPI’s Research Angler Program (RAP) wants your fish frames for research! The eight eligible RAP species include mulloway, kingfish, snapper, dusky flathead, tailor, black bream Spanish mackerel and spotted mackerel. You don’t need to catch a trophy-sized specimen - the frame from any legal sized fish from the above list will provide our researchers with valuable data. As well as playing a key role in a cool fisheries research program, you receive an entry into our monthly draw for a $50 voucher for each frame donated. If you’re interested in learning more about the RAP, as well finding out where your local fish frame donation points are, do a Google search for the NSW DPI Research Angler program. The RAP is another great example of your license fees at work!

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

New Fishing Access In Batemans Marine Park

Increased recreational fishing access has been provided in five sanctuary zones in the Batemans Marine Park, the NSW Government has announced. The following changes now apply in these zones: Brou Lake South sanctuary zone: Catch and release recreational fishing is now allowed. Montague Island South and East sanctuary zone: Recreational fishing is now allowed including line fishing, spearfishing and recreational diving for abalone, lobsters and other invertebrates. Line fishing will be restricted to protect Greynurse Sharks between 1 November and 30 April each year as follows: • No fishing with bait. • No fishing at anchor. • No fishing with a wire trace. • No nets (landing nets allowed). Clarks Bay – Freshwater Bay and Forsters Bay sanctuary zones: Recreational fishing activities are now allowed, including line fishing and spearfishing. This will not include the use of nets and traps other than a hand-held dip/scoop net or a landing net. Nangudga Lake sanctuary zone: Recreational line fishing and prawning using a hand-held dip/scoop net is now allowed. All other fisheries rules and regulations continue to apply. A broader review of the Batemans Marine Park is ongoing and will provide Government with key information about management of the Park going forward.

WHAT’S NEW FISHING SFT TAKUMI

SFT is a new tackle brand to hit Australian shores, and the range includes some serious lures for serious offshore anglers. Anyone who keeps an ear to the ground would have already heard of the SFT Takumi lure last tuna season in South Australia. The Takumi has been the must-have lure to use, with countless fish caught on it. The Takumi comes in three sizes, 75mm, 95mm and 125mm. It can be trolled or cast, and being a weighted lure it tracks straight and quite fast, allowing it to be trolled at speeds up to 15 knots. Boasting fully wired though construction and Owner trebles straight out the pack, the Takumi also runs well with inline singles for catch and release anglers. The SFT range also includes lures to suit salmon, kingfish, GTs, mulloway, barramundi, snapper and more. You can check out the range and stockist locations at the SWL Distributions website. You can also follow SFT Australia on Facebook and Instagram. www.swldistributions.com.au

DAIWA LEGALIS RODS

The new Daiwa Legalis series is light in the hand yet heavy in quality. Featuring advanced design and excellent value for money, this rod series performs well above its price point. The Legalis’ Braiding X graphite blank, with its robust and rugged construction, boasts superior lightness, sensitivity and responsiveness. The Legalis’ impressive blank is matched by its equally impressive hardware, with stainless steel O ring guides, Daiwa Surround Hold reel seats and a combination of cork and EVA grips providing comfort, control and stylish design and looks. With a range that includes 16 models (10 spin and six baitcaster), the Legalis series has tapers and designs to suit a variety of angling types, from ultra-light estuary to heavy-duty freshwater and inshore. If you’re in the market for a good quality budget baitcaster, check out the range at your favourite tackle store. www.daiwafishing.com.au

NEW ZMAN COLOURS

There have been some exciting new ZMan colour additions, including purple death, the Wright stuff and hot craw. Purple death is making a name for itself in both the fresh and salt, thanks to its UVreactive green belly, translucent purple back and micro glitter that adds a natural scale flash. It is available in both the 3” MinnowZ and 4” DieZel MinnowZ. The Wright stuff colour is named after US angler Jesse ‘Redfish’ Wright, who helped design it. This natural translucent brown colour contains a mix of black, gold and copper fleck, making it dynamite in dirty and tannin-stained water, along with targeting species that reside around muddy and weedy environments. Available in the 3” MinnowZ and 4” DieZel MinnowZ, these two new colours will be on the menu for flathead, barra, jacks, mulloway, bass and more. The hot craw colour has a dark back over a bright red, with a black and gold glitter. Hot Craw is an excellent reaction colour, and it stands out from the natural colour range offered in these models. It’s available in both the 2.5” TRD CrawZ and 2.75” TRD BugZ. The 2.5” TRD CrawZ, 2.75” TRD BugZ and 3” MinnowZ have six per pack, while the

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PRODUCT GUIDE 4” DieZel MinnowZ has five per pack. Price: SRP $11.95 www.z-man.com.au

TICA BRUTE WOLF REEL

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TiCA has released a new large sized spinning reel for the budget conscious angler, and it’s jam-packed with quality features at an affordable price. The TiCA Brute Wolf features a high tensile strength slim body frame that helps to keep weight down. Other features include a forged aluminium spool, computer-balanced rotor, multi anti-reverse, TiCA’s IOS Intelligent Oscillating System, and four TiCA rust-resistant bearings. The Brute Wolf also offers a robust 10kg of drag pressure, and comes with an extra large, round EVA power handle for extreme cranking power. The Brute Wolf will retrieve 90cm of line per handle turn on its 4.4:1 ratio, and will hold 320m of 20lb line. All in all, it’s the perfect entry level reel for the angler wanting a large line capacity while fishing the rocks or surf. Price: SRP $70 www.jurofishing.com

TASSIE DEVIL BLADES 5 AND SPOONS The new Tasmanian Devil Blade features a uniquely designed spinner blade which has been created to match the famous Tasmanian Devil lure. The blade provides a distinct, enticing action as it spins through the water. The Devil Blade range features custom Tasmanian Devil paint designs that have been created specifically for freshwater species. Devil Blades are available in two sizes, 3.8g and 5.4g, and each lure is equipped with quality terminal tackle and VMC treble hooks. Another new release is the Devil Spoon, which has the dual attraction of vibration and flash. As the spoon travels through the water it flutters from side to side and emits a vibration that attracts fish, even in cloudy water. The polished underside of the Devil Spoon produces a flash attraction which is particularly effective in clear, running water, and it’s a proven trigger for predatory species. It’s available now in 7.5g and 12.5g sizes. www.jmgillies.com.au

BIWAA BALTIK 7” PADDLE TAIL

The Baltik Swimbait 7” is one of the newest members of BIWAA’s soft swimbait line-up, and has been designed by one of BIWAA’s most innovative pro staffers, Kevin Hernandez. The Baltik Swimbait 7” looks as good as it performs, and is great for a wide variety of presentations. It can be fished with great effect at any speed. This big 7” paddle tail is what you need if you are targeting barramundi, mulloway or cod. You can rig it with weighted or unweighted weedless hooks, or use a jighead with a 7/0 hook. Other features include: durable and long lasting plastic formulation; 3D eyes; photorealistic paint designs; and 3D scales to create an ultra lifelike appearance. The BIWAA Baltik Swimbait 7” is available in six colours (08 – herring, 19 – aurora gold, 22 – hitch, 008 – pearl white, 303 – pro blue, 305 – lavender) and comes in packs of two. You can view the full colour range on the EJ Todd website. www.ejtodd.com.au

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SAMAKI MANGROVE JACK

The Manic Jack shirt takes red dogs to a new level! Aggressive by nature, this powerhouse of a species pounces at speed, attacking the Samaki Redic lure – and lurking in the background is the school of pups waiting for an opportunity to join in on the feast. The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, shielding you from the harsh sun with UPF50+ protection. The soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body, and 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. These shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes, ranging from size 2 through to a 5XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. You can find more information and stockists on the Samaki website. You can also see the latest releases, catch photos and special promotions on Facebook and Instagram. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), SRP $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

RAPALA X-RAP MAG CAST

Built heavy and aerodynamic for extreme casting distances, the new Rapala X-Rap Magnum Cast delivers even in the most demanding saltwater fishing conditions. Heavy-duty construction ensures that the X-Rap Magnum Cast stands up to the strongest of saltwater beasts. Featuring a perfectly balanced swimming action for fast retrieves, it will run straight even with the fastest cast-and-burn presentations. Its fluttering action on the drop also adds lifelike flash. Other features include: full wire through construction, extreme casting performance, perfect balance, new generation high definition colours, 3D holographic eyes, and durable in-line VMC single hooks. For more information head to the Rapala website, or look them up on Facebook (www.facebook. com/rapala.australia) or Instagram (@ rapalaaustralia). www.rapala.com.au

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SAMAKI TEFLON KNIVES

Following an extensive design process, Samaki have produced a knife to suit all anglers. This knife fits comfortably in your hand, is built strong with a German stainless steel blade, and is rust resistant with a Teflon coating. The ultra-sharp German stainless steel blade is of the finest quality, with excellent durability and longevity, and a Teflon coating for rust resistance. The handle has been carefully shaped and moulded to suit a variety of anglers’ hands, fitting comfortably and allowing you to apply pressure when necessary. The two-toned Samaki design allows for a good grip and protection of your hand. Our sheaths are custom designed from the ground up, and have a sharpener at the tip for that quick touch up, a scoop for innards removal, rear belt clip for fast access and screw holes for attachment to your bait board or chopping board. This sheath has it all! With two lengths of 6.5” and 7.5”, Samaki offers a fine boning blade, two all-rounder fillet knives, and a super flex fillet. For more information and stockists, check

out the Samaki website. You can also join them on Instagram and Facebook for updates and catch photos. www.samaki.com.au

ZEREK ICE GIGOLO

The Ice Gigolo is a classic ice jig that is 40mm long and available in six colours. Weighing an easy-to-use 10g, the Ice Gigolo is ideal for targeting suspended Australian bass, redfin and trout in our many lakes and reservoirs. Work it with a subtle hop or with light taps on the rod butt to shake the Gigolo in the fish’s face to ensure solid strikes. With a specifically placed tow point that allows the Ice Gigolo to dart from side to side easily, this lure is fantastic for shut down and hard-totempt fish. Equipped with two strong single hooks on the ends and a belly treble underneath, hookup rates compare very well with all other ice jigs on the market. Clever anglers adjust this lure’s capabilities by removing the belly treble and placing a sinker on the hanger to give the lure greater depth capabilities without the loss of action. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

LIVETARGET SLOW ROLL SHINER

The award-winning LiveTarget Slow Roll Shiner features Injected Core Technology (ICT) which produces a lifelike ultra-realistic metallic core with lifelike eyes and scale patterns produces large amounts of flash and providing perfect balance, while the outer Exo-Skin generates a hard-thumping paddle tail action. The result is a perfect looking, shimmering baitfish profile inside a larger, clear paddle-tail soft plastic. Unlike other soft plastics, the Slow Roll Shiner’s thumping tail creates a whole body rolling action. This subtle and enticing roll is irresistible to a range of species, including bream, bass, flathead and barra. It can be rigged weedless for fishing in snaggy country, and it’s also very effective when rigged on a traditional jighead and retrieved along the bottom. LiveTarget Slow Roll Shiners are currently available in six colours and three sizes. The 3” and 4” models come in a pack of four, and the 5” version comes in a pack of three. LiveTarget lures are distributed by EJ Todd, and you can check out the full range on their website. www.ejtodd.com.au

DAIWA X TIDE COLLAB

It’s time to dress to impress with the Daiwa X Tide Collab range. Featuring a more generous sizing than previous collabs, the range ticks the boxes in both looks and comfort and welcomes some new stylings to the popular Daiwa X Tide Collab line-up. Featuring six pieces in the range, including two short sleeve T-shirt designs (Barramundi and Locked Up designs), Lake design long sleeve tee, and two-toned (black and camo) Nature Boardshorts, the new collab series is Daiwa streetwear with that classic Tide flavour. On the water the new Nature Jersey and Facemask will have you protected from the elements with their SPF 50+ rating, and the contemporary style will stand out in a crowd on the beach, boat or headland. Look good and stay protected this summer with the Daiwa X Tide Collab summer series. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

PRODUCT GUIDE

JIG STAR SHIMANO BLUE STARWALKER LURES 13 ROMANCE Jig Star evolved after its founder and acclaimed jigging expert Chris Wong in New Zealand had spent many years jigging with some of the world’s most renowned big fish anglers from Japan, USA, Southeast Asia, South Africa and New Zealand. Hundreds of hours were spent testing products. One of his latest releases is the Starwalker, an inexpensive but productive topwater stickbait that has proven highly effective on yellowtail kingfish, tuna and giant trevally. Starwalker lures cast like bullets, are perfectly weight balanced, and don’t tumble during casting. These lures feature a hi-tech laser etched holographic finish, and come in eight vibrant natural baitfish finishes. Starwalker lures are 18cm long and are available in both floating (100g) and sinking (130g) models. Each lure features a wire through body construction for added strength, and stainless steel tow points. These lures come un-rigged to allow the angler to determine their chosen configuration. Jig Star recommends using 8/0-9/0 inline hooks, such as Jig Star In-Line Hooks, to ensure a perfect swimming action. To find out more about the Jig Star range visit the Juro Oz Pro Tackle website. www.jurofishing.com

SHIMANO BRENIOUS 14 JIGS The Brenious NT (bottom style) jigs are an exciting new way to fish soft plastics, introduced to Australia direct from the Japanese domestic market. This innovative snag resistant jig is designed for bottom style fishing and can be hopped, slow rolled, jigged and dead sticked and consistently accounts for fish in a diverse range of environments. This finesse jig can be used with a variety of plastic styles in the Squidgy Bio family and has proven deadly on a range of Australian species ranging from bream, flathead, snapper, trevally, bass, and yellowbelly. The Brenious NT jigs are available in three weights (5g, 7g and 10g) and four colours (flash purple, flash green, flash pink and suika red). Price: SRP $8.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

PRO LURE FISHTAIL

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Designed by Shimano Japan, the new Blue Romance series incorporates the most popular actions from the Australian TK3G series and unique Shimano rod components. Featuring Shimano’s High Power X graphite blanks, which features 0 and 90° wrapped graphite sheets and spiralled Infinity Tape prevents the rod twisting during the cast and the fight. A CI4+ reel seat provides weight reduction advantages, EVA grips for functionality and comfort, and Fuji’s classic K aeries Alconite guides throughout. There’s a choice of spin rods in one and two-piece in a range of line weights, from ultra-light up to heavy-duty. Baitcaster users are well covered also, with a single piece 5’8” and a 6’0” option featuring the same componentry, but with trigger grip reel seats. www.shimanofish.com.au

PLATYPUS STEALTH 17 FC LEADER Manufactured in Japan to exacting specifications, Platypus Stealth FC is an advanced fluorocarbon leader that offers cutting-edge technology and excellent value for money. With over 120 years of line development and manufacturing in Australia, Platypus has comprehensively tested its fluorocarbon leaders to deliver a world-class product. This leader has extreme abrasion and impact resistance, excellent knot strength and a refractive index close to that of water, making it virtually invisible underwater. Stealth FC also has a quicker sink rate than mono, making it ideal for maintaining contact with baits and lures when sinking, while not absorbing water and in turn maintaining its strength throughout extended fishing sessions. An elastic line tamer comes with each spool, protecting and controlling the leader on the spool, while allowing easy dispensing via the eyelet on the line tamer. This avoids the spaghetti mess of leaders without keepers, and the difficulty of locating the end of the leader in hank style, clamshell spools. Platypus Stealth FC is available in breaking strains from 2lb-50lb, and spool lengths from 50-100m. Price: SRP $18.95 - $22.95 www.fishplatypus.com.au

RAPALA 15 RIP STOP

Over the past 12 months Pro Lure have been working on some modifications to the popular Fishtail soft bait. In order to increase the versatility and make the lure easier to rig, several changes have been made. A shallow split belly has been added to aid weedless rigging with worm hooks, and the dorsal fin has been removed, replaced with a shallow groove along the back, making it easier to rig straight and align jigheads, as well as having a protecting channel for weedless worm hook points to sit snugly. The final change is a slight narrowing up front so that standard jigheads will sit cleaner. The addition of a white albino colour to the range and more rigging options will provide more possibilities for the Fishtail. The Pro Lure Fishtail is available in three sizes, 80mm, 105mm, and 130mm. Trade enquiries can be directed to sales@ prolureaustralia.com.au. www.prolureaustralia.com.au

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The new Rapala Rip Stop is described as ‘fast ripping – hard stopping’. Its unique boot tail design acts as a break when paused, and when the lure stops it perfectly suspends, triggering the bite. The one-of-a-kind tail design generates a fast-ripping and flashing swimbait action. The unique body style lessens forward travel after each twitch, delivering an action that is unlike anything the fish have ever seen. Built with a secondary lip towards the rear of the bait, the Rapala RipStop Jerkbait stops on a dime, and produces a subtle shimmy before coming to a rest, then ever-so-slightly lifts its heard with a super-slow rise. You can fish it for a range of species using a variety of techniques, and cast it far with little effort. This suspending lure is available in two sizes, 9cm (7g, 0.9-1.2m running depth) and 12cm (14g, 1.3-1.6m). There is also a Deep version, which is 12cm long and dives to 1.22.4m. www.rapala.com.au

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Mangrove Outdoors M-Series Coolers – built tough, excellent cooling The 2020 cooler market isn’t quite as crowded as the sublimated fishing shirts scene, but the number of offerings – both good and bad – has certainly grown significantly in the last few years. When Mangrove Outdoors launched mid-way through last year, this Aussie small business set out to break the mould and offer features you won’t find in most other coolers at a price that’s not going to cost you a second mortgage. While there are big plans in place to expand the Mangrove Outdoors range, their first offering is fairly simple: three different sized coolers (20L, 45L and 70L) in three colours (Uluru Red, Daintree Camo and Thredbo White). Accompanying the coolers is a small range of accessories and apparel. Each is well made and features only subtle labelling.

The rubber latches keep a great seal but are easy enough to open that my 9yo daughter, Asha can easily open them.

20L CONSTRUCTION Rotomolded in the same fashion as your kayak might be, the walls of the coolers are made from BPA-free, UV-stabilised material and are smooth and easy clean after a trip. In between those walls is plenty of high-density poly foam insulation to keep your essentials cooler for longer. From the first time you pick them up you can feel they are built to last, and every cooler has its own unique pattern. FEATURES It’s clear that plenty of thought and research has been put into configuring each of the current sizes. All come with strong XL-sized hinges which don’t protrude from the main body, have comfortable non-slip handles, and oversized rubber latches that keep a tight seal but are easy enough to use that my 9yo daughter can open them. Perhaps my favourite feature though is the marine-grade, slip-resistant pad with a pair of cut-outs that fit your stubby perfectly. It also provides extra insulation and makes it comfy to sit on. The 45L and 70L models come standard with a dry goods basket, drink holder and an acrylic cutting board which also doubles as a divider. This is very handy for keeping your catch separate from your other food and drinks if you decide to keep a couple for the table. All models feature lockable lids and tiedown loops so you can leave them in the boat or ute tray without having to worry some scumbag will help themselves to your precious cargo. On the Mangrove Outdoors website there’s a handy guide of just what you’ll fit inside your new icebox, measured by beers + bags of ice. From my own ‘research’ they are accurate, and are as follows:

• 20L: 12 beers + one bag of ice • 45L: 30 beers + three bags of ice • 70L: 60 beers + four bags of ice When you add the storage basket to the larger two models you can also keep those other fishing trip essentials fresh and cool, – i.e. a couple of servo pies, a box of Pizza Shapes and two king-sized Chunky Kit-Kats. PERFORMANCE So far so good, but what happens when the sun starts to sizzle and you need to keep the T-bones and marlin cans cold? This is was the most impressive part for me. The M-Series coolers exceeded all my expectations when it came to

Plain old servo party ice was lasting up to three full days in the smaller two coolers, and when I went on a camping trip and took the big rig, I used the supplied info sheet and combined block ice I froze myself with 4L ice-cream containers. I was able to get five days of stable, dependable cooling before heading home for a much-needed shower! This is with all with very little maintenance from myself as far as opening the bung to drain the excess water. If I was more attentive it would have extended the life of the ice even further, but for the purpose of this review I wanted to just let it do its thing and report back on what you guys can expect as a basemark for performance.

OVERALL To say I’m impressed by the Mangrove Outdoors M-Series would be the understatement of the year. My family spends a lot of time in the outdoors, and being able to keep food fresh and drinks icy-cold away from home makes our lives so much better. For my kids to be able to easily grab themselves a drink or snack without me having to get up again might just be my favourite feature. With prices ranging from $229-$449 with free shipping available to most areas, Mangrove Outdoors are making it easy for Aussie fishos and families to have a premium quality cooler without the price tag you might see from overseas owned companies. If you’re tired of poor performance and durability from your current ice-box, jump onto www.mangroveoutdoors.com.au and order one for yourself. - RUPE

45L internal temperatures and how long the ice lasted in the red-hot Queensland summer. I’ve had all three out and about with me camping, at Christmas BBQs and running around the Gold Coast broadwater islands on a sweltering New Years Day. Each time they stood up to the heat and to my kids constantly opening them, despite growing levels of threats from myself!

70L

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2020

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An enduring icon: 100 years of Alvey reels to turn silky oak wood into the back and spool of the first 3” and 4” reels. The back support, line guide and ratchet parts were

BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

Alvey Reels Australia. This name is synonymous with beach fishing and the Australian fishing scene in general. January 26, 2020 marked the 100th anniversary of Alvey reels, but the brand so near and dear to many of us nearly didn’t get to the ‘ton’ to salute the crowd. In fact, the company has suffered three major setbacks over the past century, but it was the most recent setback that looked to be the end for sure! On July 20 2017, Bruce Alvey shocked and saddened the fishing Community and the

was even more robust. Charles’s work was so good that anglers called the Alvey ‘the reel you cannot wear out’.

The original Alvey factory at St Lucia, Brisbane. It was badly damaged by the 1974 floods. news. In April 2018, Bruce announced the business would be staying open after teaming up with Con Athans, a semi-retired branding and sales expert. Alvey Reels Australia became backed by a new company, with Bruce and Glenn Alvey and Mr Athans the new co-owners from July 2018. HISTORY Bruce and Glenn’s great grandfather, Charles Alvey, founded the business in 1920, manufacturing reels in a tin shed next to the family home in St Lucia,

One of Alvey collector Keith Beck’s original Bakelite tackle boxes. made from gun metal, which was in such demand during World War II that the production of reels was

By the 1930s, silky oak and camphor laurel timbers were used to make the spools. A brass plate

A selection of new Alvey reels and accessories. general public by declaring on Facebook: “To our wonderful customers over many, many years. It is with great sadness I have to announce that Alvey Reels Australia will be closing down.” The community was

devastated. The only glimmer of light in Bruce’s speech was that the closure would not be immediate with Bruce adding, “We still have substantial stocks to be distributed to retailers and we will support warranties and spare parts

for as long as we can”. Bruce’s post went viral, and new and old Alvey fans bought up with unprecedented demand. The closure was delayed three times until the company finally announced some exciting

One of the early model Alvey cedar reels.

Lightweight Stealth 65 reels ready for dispatch to tackle shops. 104

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Brisbane. Few people would know that side cast reels were popular at the time when Charles, who had been doing reel repairs in the city, decided he could make a better, more robust one. Charles started out making about 20 reels a week on a treadle lathe (a foot powered tool for turning wood) in the early 1920s. He used the lathe

halted, and the factory and materials used for the war effort for six years. After some refinements from the commonly used wedge lock and gem spring turning mechanisms, which were prone to wear, Charles and later his son Ken (who joined in 1925) changed the design to a baselock spring. He also later adopted and purchased the Ferguson patent, which

was screwed to a number of models including the 5” reel, while in 1936, Bakelite (an early type of plastic) was used for the first time on the smaller 3” and 4” models. After the factory was closed for six years during the war, camphor laurel was used temporarily, until it was replaced by the finer grained cedar reels. In 1946, Jack, the son

of Ken, joined the growing business. Jack was also a keen fisherman and champion distance caster, and this helped reinforce a strong bond with the angling community and kept the brand in touch with anglers’ needs. The early 1970s was a period of change, with Ken passing away and Bruce joining the business with his father Jack. In 1974, the Brisbane floods caused major damage to the factory and set it back considerably. It took eight

the 21st century, things started to get a lot tougher. Alvey was competing with cheap imported reels and internet sales, along with high rent and electricity prices, and a move away from traditional forms of fishing such as beach and bait fishing to lure fishing. This culminated in the sad announcement by Bruce Alvey in 2017. Fortunately though, customers decided the brand was too good to lose. This meant the company survived long enough,

100-year celebrations throughout 2020. Some things won’t change though. “Some people said we made too good a product that never wore out or broke down,” Bruce said, “but this was our reputation and this will never change.” WHAT’S NEW The most exciting recent addition to the traditional side cast range is the Stealth 65. It is 300g lighter than other 6.5” models, and for people like me with back problems, it

A selection of collector Keith Beck’s huge collection of Alvey reels. woven Carbontex drag washers – the hardest, smoothest and most reliable drag washers available. This means you can pretty much lock the drag up without it grabbing. Having this incredibly smooth drag could be the difference between landing or losing that mulloway or mackerel of a lifetime. A new

version of the saltwater fly reel using these special components is also on the horizon. The biggest shock to the Alvey range over the past 12 months though is the addition of the new Orbiter spinning reel range. As an Alvey ambassador I was honoured to be one of the first anglers to test these

can see all the specs at www.alvey.com.au. There are currently four sizes available, and hopefully a smaller 1000 size reel will be added in future. A special treat for Alvey collectors in 2020 is the release of a limited edition wooden 65 reel for the 100th year celebration, made from Australian red

The author’s new Alvey Orbitor 65 with a flathead caught trolling. weeks to clean up the machinery and parts, and ultimately led to a move to higher ground in 1978 to the current location at Carole Park. The clean-up effort was supported by local fishing clubs who had come to love the brand. Following this upheaval, the 1970s saw manufacturing increase to 40,000-50,000 reels a year. Also, due to the damage to the wood from the floods, timber reels were replaced by fibreglass and Bakelite. In 1987, injection moulding machines were introduced to make lighter spools with a smoother finish. A range of accessories were also manufactured onsite, including hand casters, tackle boxes and bait traps. In 1988, Glenn, Jack’s youngest son, joined the company. Then during the 1990s, the first graphite back/fibreglass reels were made, with larger models following shortly after including the 6” and 6.5” models. Following that, the Easy Cast system was introduced, and in the early 2000s lighter vented model reels were released. Then in 2008 the Turbo cast system was introduced, allowing even longer casts. A few other special edition reels followed, but into the second decade of

with the resilience of the Bruce and Glenn Alvey, until a white knight in the form of Con Athans came along to form a joint company venture. Con has a number of new ideas and has been pushing the brand into new markets, including overseas. 100 YEARS AND BEYOND The future is looking bright. Alvey Reels Australia have been restructuring their range of products and adding new models and colours. The team also plan on

makes those long sessions on the beach easier on the back. The Stealth’s light weight is due to the fact it is made from titanium, along with the strongest and lightest engineering grade carbon-reinforced plastic on the market. This reel looks and feels amazing. The Stealth has a moulded carbon fibre backplate, spool and drag reel, and all the accessory parts (e.g. springs) are nickel plated in black, which looks great. These reels also have lightweight

New and older model Alvey reels secured on Alvey Roof Rack Rod Carrier.

Having your nickname engraved on your reel is now an option for your much-loved Alvey.

reels after they had been pulled apart by the Alvey mechanics to ensure they met quality specifications. My instructions were simply “to give them hell” and report how they performed. I have been using these reels for five months and they are very sturdy and very smooth. At first reaction I wasn’t sure how I’d like the big knob on the handle, but I soon found this makes retrieval and handling a big fish a dream. Slippery fingertips from fish scents or slime on those tiny little knobs on many other reels can cause slippage, but not with these handles. They are great quality for the price, and you

cedar. Alvey collectors will snap them up! A must-have for the beach angler this year will be the Australian flag on the graphite back of the 6” models. You’ll have to get in quick though, as numbers are limited. In addition to the new reels, anglers should keep an eye out on the Alvey website for 100-year clothing and patches. There is also the option to have your name, nickname or a special message inscribed on your new or existing reels. I hope you have enjoyed this look at the past and future plans for Alvey, and let’s hope it can celebrate another 100 years! FEBRUARY 2020

105

2020 East Coast Bream Series Ladies and gentleman, tie your leaders! The East Coast Bream Series is back from March, 2020. After two very successful and enjoyable tournament seasons in 2018 and 2019, the guys at the Western Sydney Bream & Bass angling club are excited

to announce that the series is on again, and kicks off on 8 March on Sydney Harbour. To date, winners have taken home over $50,000 in cash and sponsors’ prize packs, and that number is set to keep climbing with five more action-packed qualifying rounds this year.

The series will follow the same format as last year, with a team of two anglers plus a third substitute angler all nominated before the first round. Each team will be chasing a limit of five bream. The rounds are spread throughout the year to give competitors a mix of

registering or paying on the day, the entry fee is $170 (the starting position will not be allocated until payment is received). Entry to the Grand Final is $200. To be eligible to fish this event you must have a current NSW fishing licence, the boat must be registered

www.fishin.com.au

There is no pressure for any team to fish all five rounds. You are welcome to fish any event that you want and be eligible for the prizes on offer for that event. All the details of the rounds, dates and locations can be found at the Western Sydney Bream & Bass website

TOURNAMENT TACKLE STORE

ZX BLADES ZMAN GRUBZ CRANKA CRABS

JACKALL CHUBBY

BENT MINNOWS

FREE EXPRESS SHIPPING

0425 230 964 – info@fishin.com.au SHOP 18, 29 KIORA RD MIRANDA NSW 2228

different conditions and locations across some of the best bream locations in NSW. The top 30 teams with the highest point scores of the five rounds will be invited to fish in the grand final. The point score system this year will be 200 points for first place, 199 for second, right down to the last weight. Any team without fish will score 100 points. The cost for each round is $150 if the entry is prepaid. If the competitor is

WIN

5 DAYS FISHING WITH THESE LEGENDS

and be fully compliant with maritime requirements. The boat must also have a live well that can sustain five live bream for the duration of the event. All fish must be able to swim away when released; dead fish won’t be weighed. This event does not offer weight penalties for infringements. If you fail to follow the rules or instructions given on the day, your catch will be disqualified and you will receive 0 points.

A Makocraft 3.06 Tracker Topper with a Mercury 9.9hp 4 stroke from Nitro Marine and Mercury.

2x people for 5 days for a great day with each angler including $5k fishing gear to use and take home with you along with a pair of the latest Costa sunnies.

9 inch Lowrance sounder and $1000 tackle from Doug Burt’s Tackle World, Gold Coast.

*Prize is transferrable.

$100 PER TICKET – ONLY 1000 AVAILABLE Visit website to purchase

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Greg Lamprecht

Nick Whyte

Jamie McKeown

Doug Burt

Mick Horn

fishingforfiries.com.au 106

at www.wsbb.com.au, or you can look up the East Coast Bream Series on Facebook. Entries are currently open for Round 1, so get yourself a team together and join Western Sydney Bream & Bass for a great day on the water! – Western Sydney Bream & Bass

FEBRUARY 2020

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2020

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

4-5 Feb

ABT BREAM Round 1 Gippsland Lakes

abt.org.au

8-9 Feb

ABT BREAM Round 2 Gippsland Lakes

abt.org.au

22-23 Feb

ABT BREAM Queensland Open Moreton Bay

abt.org.au

29 Feb-1 Mar

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 12 Round 1 Bemm River

hobiefishing.com.au

1 Mar

ABT BASS Electric Round 1 Richmond River

abt.org.au

7-8 Mar

ABT BREAM Round 3 Derwent River

abt.org.au

8 Mar

East Coast Bream Series Round 1 Sydney Harbour

wsbb.com.au 0403 085 696

11-12 Mar

ABT BREAM Round 4 St Helens

abt.org.au

21-22 Mar

ABT BASS Pro Round 1 St Clair

abt.org.au

28-29 Mar

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 12 Round 2 Georges River

hobiefishing.com.au

4-5 Apr

ABT BREAM Round 5 Mandurah

abt.org.au

5 Apr

ABT BASS Electric Round 2 Coldstream River

abt.org.au

18-19 Apr

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 12 Round 3 Mallacoota

hobiefishing.com.au

19 Apr

East Coast Bream Series Round 2 St Georges Basin

wsbb.com.au 0403 085 696

25-26 Apr

ABT BASS Pro Round 2 Clarence River

abt.org.au

29 Apr-1 May

ABT BREAM Australian Open Sydney

abt.org.au

2-3 May

ABT BASS Electric Round 3 Lostock Dam

abt.org.au

2-3 May

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 12 Round 4 Blackwood River

hobiefishing.com.au

16-17 May

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 12 Round 5 Woy Woy

hobiefishing.com.au

17 May

East Coast Bream Series Round 3 Botany Bay

wsbb.com.au 0403 085 696

23-24 May

ABT BASS Pro Round 3 Glenbawn Dam

abt.org.au

30-31 May

ABT BREAM Round 6 Forster

abt.org.au

6-7 Jun

Lions Greenback Fishing Competition Pottsville Beach

lionsgreenback.com

7 Jun

ABT BASS Electric Round 4 Moogerah Dam

abt.org.au

20-21 Jun

ABT BASS Pro Round 4 Cania Dam

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. FEBRUARY 2020

107

Future of citizen science in rec fishing SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

The National Recreational Fishing Conference was held just before Christmas, and this time around the topic of choice was citizen science. I was a little surprised at Infofish not being asked to attend, but to be fair, we had three separate groups presenting that were using our data and technology. I have always preferred long form mediums, like Fishing Monthly, as 20 minute presentations are good to give an overview but I prefer to get into the meat of the topic. This is now the my sixth year of articles in Fishing Monthly writing on a wide variety of subjects, and for the first couple of years, I was writing on nothing but citizen science topics, so it’s a good time to reflect on where we were then, where we are now, and where we need to go. It’s fair to say that in that time, the number of uses we have found for fishing data has grown significantly. First question that I had to ask was, is there a future for citizen science data? Over time we have seen challenges in terms of club participation and volunteers dropping off. However, I believe that citizen science does have a future, but only a limited one if the traditional approaches are followed. CITIZEN SCIENCE? The term citizen science is a very limiting term when it comes to recreational fishing, because it ‘presumes’ that the reason someone is involved is for the science, and that the only useful output of the activity is ‘a scientific outcome’. The reality is that people get involved with data collection for a whole lot of reasons, citizen science focused groups are by far one of the smallest groups in the fishing community. Even then, the number of large contributors is even smaller. Our database has had 30,519 fishers either tag or report a fish recapture through various tagging programs, which is a serious number of fishers totalling 894,876 fish. The top 100 fishers have contributed 379,715 or 42% of the records. The top 150 have contributed 438,686 or 49%. So over 30 years, just 150 fishers have contributed half of the data recorded. Most citizen science programs can more accurately be described as communitybased monitoring that produce a dataset that can be used for science. We recently provided nearly 300,000 barramundi tagging records that will be used by a range of scientific projects and is by far the richest dataset 108

FEBRUARY 2020

available. Nobody set out to tag 300,000 barramundi and the reality is if this was an official fully funded government program without volunteers, then the cost of data collection would have been astronomical. That dataset has been used for dozens of projects and reports over the years so instead of a single use, single purpose data collection exercise that ends in a paper, you have a dataset that has benefitted the wider community in many ways. Community-collected data has enormous value. WHY DON’T MORE SCIENTISTS USE CITIZEN SCIENCE DATA? I know better than most the brick wall that fisheries management can be when it comes to citizen science. None the less, over time the barriers to using communitycollected data are breaking down, not least because commercial catch data does not provide universal coverage, leaving them poorly placed to address a growing number of community concerns. SHOULD THEY USE THE DATA? It depends. Scientific processes are not renowned for their transparency. There is a degree of transparency within the review process, but tends to be a black box to the wider community. Further, in my experience scientists don’t trust ordinary people to collect data correctly and often lack the skills in communication to deal with public scrutiny. If the data is contributing to important science that is independent of any management decisions, I am more open to giving the black box approach a pass. If the data is really just being used by scientists as a part of a management exercise, a lack of transparency should be treated with scorn. Why should fishers contribute to something that will impact them, if it’s all going to be worked out behind closed doors? The answer is they shouldn’t. SCALE IS THE PROBLEM The two largest programs we have – Suntag and the NSW Game Fish Tagging programs have an ongoing base of fisher but are just two pieces of a much larger puzzle. They have depth in terms of time sequences, both dating back more than 30 years, but the geographic coverage is still limited. Tagging is also not a universal activity and there are varied regulations that manage the tagging process. Here in lies the problem in citizen science data, it’s only as good as its availability. We can’t answer any questions in the areas where we don’t have data, and in general the number of questions that can be answered without comparative data from other areas is equally limited. As excited as people are at the possibilities that come

with cheap community collected data, I generally recommend a cold shower unless you are willing to put the priority on how you get the data in the first place. THE SCALABILITY PROBLEM AND PASSIVE DATA COLLECTION It’s not too difficult to get a program of volunteer collected data happening, growing it and keeping it going is another matter altogether. Most people don’t consider social media to be a ‘citizen science’ program but in fact YouTube, Google search, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter combined are the largest ‘citizen science’ program in the world. These datasets are used to train large-scale artificial intelligence algorithms that do everything from guide advertising to manage behaviour. This model proved so successful that it’s become the go-to model within the fitness industry, empowering individuals to collect data on themselves as they go about their business, day and night, awake or asleep. Passive data is what made the gig economy possible, from Airbnb to UBER. Sure, these services connect people at the core but without the learning algorithms, the efficiency of those services would be as poor as the traditional services they replaced. Without learning the smaller habits of customers, the efficiency of routes and so on they would be just another Trading Post. I have not used a taxi unless needed because this is the passive data collection model, that is instead of ‘intentionally’ setting out to collect data for the purpose of research, the data is collected as a normal part of daily activity, it’s utility decided once the data becomes available. Passive data spawned the movement away from statistics to data science, where robust survey design was replaced by a more discovery driven approach. PUT FISHERS BEFORE DATA I don’t believe that a top down ‘build and they will come approach’ will work and I have 30 years of evidence across dozens of programs in the country to attest to that. When I built Track My Fish, we built it a different purpose to what we do today, specifically to market to citizen science. I binned that version, partly because there just isn’t the market to sustain citizen science apps without a lot of government funding, a big marketing budget and a lot of patience. Even then governments have their own agendas and that tends to be a turn off for a lot of people. The bigger reason I binned it though was the realisation from the early users that none of the fishers wanted an app for citizen science. We had invested in the app, so I wanted to do something

with that base that would make the effort worthwhile. There had always been a phase two planned, looking specifically at fishing tournaments, where I saw a number of issues for event managers that could be simplified with technology. At that point we shelved the citizen science goals and went to work building the tournament management platform. That platform has delivered 35,000 catches in 18 months across all states and New Zealand. That kind of growth would never have been achieved through the previous version. Throughout that time, we have always worked with fishers and any way we can improve on what we are doing to help them out – we will do it. We haven’t focused on citizen science at all with that data, but we have over that period added value to the dataset by checking nearly 20,000 photos for markers that indicate fish health. We have also been able to record the presence of species in areas that are normally considered outside their range. There are bigger things we can do with that dataset, but I believe in being driven by the community on such matters, so if there are questions we can help with I am up for it. Building a network that is useful to fishers takes priority for me. So long as it’s method of collecting data is consistent, it will be useful to answering questions. Once you have datasets, you can have a conversation on what to do with them but you need to put being useful to fishers first. SIZE DOESN’T MATTER (WELL ACTUALLY IT DOES) Imagination is a limit and most fishers imaging what they catch by rod and reel is the most important thing. Rarely do people think much about what they catch in their castnet except for bait or a meal of prawns. I would be unsurprised to discover that along the way there are a bunch of significant by-catches that go unnoticed or tossed away. Over the past 20 years, we started recording the details of catches via castnets, refining the methodology to the point where we have had scientific papers produced. Castnets target a surprising range of species at a point in their lifecycle where knowing what’s there is important – the babies. Rockhampton has had four poor years of barramundi recruitment in a row, which means there are pretty much only mature adult fish in the system. That makes for good results for fishers, but results that are degrading over time, as the rate of replenishment is lower than the rate of mortality. The case for top up stocking as a longer term strategy is growing with every year, especially as the Fitzroy River is now a

serious tourist fisher destination. Castnet surveys are cheap and easy to perform and they provide a wealth of data on what is going on in the fishery. We have completed more than 1000 of them and they have provided some of our best real science. My point is that the definition of useful data need to be expanded beyond the rod and reel. Sometimes the most effective measure you can have is to know when recruitment is high or low so you aren’t guessing what the next years fishing will be like. CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE BIGGEST GAME IN TOWN Climate change has been a big topic over the summer as our country burns, bringing out the forces for and against. Up front, I am particularly concerned which camp you fall in. The processes behind climate change are down to physics, not a subjective, wishy washy science but forces that are hard baked into the universe. Climate change is a slow but relentless process, the extremes will get worse with long enough periods of respite to forget what the fuss was all about, which is what makes it so dangerous to ignore. That said, I am as opposed to those who feel a religious fervour on dealing with climate change, as I am those who deny it. We need to respond to what is happening, but reacting in fear is as dangerous as doing nothing at all. In all the publicity, there have been many animals affected and the rounds of media focused on koalas and birds have gotten a look in as well. Gone in the ten second attention span of the news cycle has been the stories on fish. A quick look around the country sees few of the impoundments flush with water, many down to alarming levels. Many of these impoundments were stocked in the good times, for example the SIPS formula in Queensland is based on surface area. While many of our species have evolved in what is a boom bust environment, that was done at a time when mobility was possible at least at the points prior to the dry times. Impoundments by definition are designed to stop the movement of species. With intense temperatures and lower water levels, might this not affect the fish? We did a Biosonics fish survey in 40°C heat in Rockhampton before Christmas, it was so hot that all our equipment failed and our Biosonics unit had its GPS interface burn out permanently. Water temperatures were in the 30s. When we looked at the results of the survey, the fish were all concentrated in the channels of deep water. That probably shouldn’t be a surprise but it suggests to me that fish do suffer from heat stress. I wonder if we shouldn’t

be planning around cycles, and the habitat available when the water levels fall because this time will come again and all available evidence, each time it will be worse. At a competition on the Sunshine Coast in September, the number of pikey bream recorded was surprisingly high. The long-term fish tagging records certainly show that the ranges of fish are changing, whether that change is opportunistic, or a trend is not yet clear. These are the sorts of problems that long-term citizen science data is perfect for, to compare results in good and bad times, year on year. Fish are creatures of biology, but that doesn’t mean that physics won’t kick them hard, creating winners and losers. Put tilapia on the list of winners by the way. Climate change will have a huge say on the state of our fishery into the future. As a fishing community, leaving our homework to the last minute in terms of collecting data, will leave us with precious few options in terms of responding to what in the next 20 years will be a climatically changing world. Accepting ignorance is just another way of saying you are willing to accept the chips; however they fall. Nobody will whinge when things go wrong, I am sure. SETTING IN FOR THE LONG TERM The direction of citizen science was the core topic of the national conference, which means it was late to the party, however this is a monumental step forward. It’s vital that a direction is set for citizen science into the future. There is no one group that can deliver a large scale, longterm citizen science dataset. There are a range of data networks that will spring up and I have already advocated (unsuccessfully) that providing a mechanism for those networks to contribute to a larger citizen science dataset is the only way you are going to get the coverage needed. Some of those networks originate outside of Australia, what motivation do they have to open up their datasets without having a process to protect their IP and revenue streams? I hope that at some point a solution will be found.Until the focus of the direction of citizen science moves to solving the scaling problem, the application of citizen collected data will frustratingly limited and fragmented at a time where the fishery faces real challenges that are bigger than just being about who should have access to the fish. The scalability problem is the only problem I am focused on right now. Overcome that, and the possibilities to do science that will help fish and fisher alike become real

2020 2020 Local Time

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY (FORT LAT DENISON) – LONG NEW151° SOUTH WALES 33° 51’ S 14’ E

Time

1 1 0119 0648 WE 1307

WE 1307 1955

2 2

0207 0741 TH TH 1352 2039

3 3

0300 0842 FR FR 1445 2128

4 4

0356 0951 SA SA 1547 2217

5 5

0450 1103 SU SU 1654 2306

6 6

0541 1209 MO MO 1756 2353

7 7

0628 1304 TU TU 1851

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 0119 1.27 0648 0.70 1307 1.54 1955 0.52 0207 1.27 0741 0.74 1352 1.45 2039 0.55 0300 1.30 0842 0.77 1445 1.37 2128 0.57 0356 1.34 0951 0.77 1547 1.30 2217 0.58 0450 1.41 1103 0.74 1654 1.26 2306 0.58 0541 1.49 1209 0.67 1756 1.26 2353 0.56 0628 1.58 1304 0.58 1851 1.28

1.27 0.70 1.54 TH 0.52

Time

16 16 0129 0716 TH 1331 1.27 0.74 1.45 FR 0.55

1331 2007

17 17 1.30 0.77 1.37 SA 0.57

0226 0821 FR 1430 2100

18 18 1.34 0.77 1.30 SU 0.58

0327 0934 SA 1535 2155

19 19 1.41 0.74 1.26 MO 0.58

0430 1053 SU 1647 2252

20 20

0530 1209 MO 1800 2348

1.49 0.67 0628 1.26 1315 TU TU 1903 0.56

21 21

m 0129 1.46 0716 0.52 1331 1.70 2007 0.35 0226 1.48 0821 0.56 1430 1.56 2100 0.41 0327 1.51 0934 0.59 1535 1.43 2155 0.47 0430 1.56 1053 0.59 1647 1.33 2252 0.51 0530 1.63 1209 0.54 1800 1.29 2348 0.53 0628 1.69 1315 0.47 1903 1.28

1.58 0043 0.53 0.58 0043 0721 1.75 1.28 0721 WE 1409 0.41 WE 1409 1959 1959 1.30 0.54 0132 0.52 1.68 0132 0809 1.80 0.48 0809 TH 1454 0.36 TH 1454 2045 1.31 2045 1.32 0218 0.51 0.51 1.78 0218 0853 1.82 0.38 0853 FR 1535 0.34 FR 1535 2128 1.34 2128 1.34 0.47 0300 0.51 1.87 0300 0933 1.82 0.30 0933 SA 1613 0.33 SA 1613 2207 1.38 2207 1.36 0.44 0340 0.51 1.94 0340 1011 1.80 0.24 1011 SU 1647 0.35 SU 1647 2244 1.41 2244 1.36 0418 0.42 0.52 1.98 0418 1046 1.76 0.20 1046 MO 1721 0.38 MO 1721 2320 1.43 2320 1.36 0456 0.42 0.54 1.98 0456 1121 1.70 0.20 1121 TU 1754 0.41 TU 1754 2356 1.44 2356 1.36 0535 0.43 0.58 1.93 0535 1156 1.63 0.23 1156 WE 1827 WE 1827 0.45

22 22

0038 0.54 23 8 8 0712 1.68 23 1353 0.48

0038 0712 WE WE 1353 1941

9 9 0122 0755 TH 1438

TH 1438 2029

10 10 0206 0840 FR 1522 FR 1522 2115

11 11 0252 0925 SA 1606 SA 1606 2203

12 12 0340 1011 SU 1652 SU 1652 2252

13 13 0430 1059 MO 1739 MO 1739 2342

14 14 0522 1147 TU 1827 TU 1827

0.48 1941 1.31 0122 0.51 0755 1.78 1438 0.38 2029 1.34 0206 0.47 0840 1.87 1522 0.30 2115 1.38 0252 0.44 0925 1.94 1606 0.24 2203 1.41 0340 0.42 1011 1.98 1652 0.20 2252 1.43 0430 0.42 1059 1.98 1739 0.20 2342 1.44 0522 0.43 1147 1.93 1827 0.23

24 24 25 25 26 26

27 27 28 28 29 29

1.46 0.52 1.70 SA 0.35

Time

1 1 0202 0758 SA 1357

1.48 0.56 1.56 SU 0.41

1357 2023

2 2

1.51 0.59 1.43 MO 0.47

0255 0901 SU 1454 2113

3 3

1.56 0.59 1.33 TU 0.51

0352 1015 MO 1603 2209

4 4

1.63 0.54 1.29 WE 0.53

0451 1130 TU 1718 2309

5 5 0548 1235 WE 1825

31 31

1.36 0.71 1.35 SU 0.59

Time

16 16 0256 0924 SU 1519 1.38 0.74 1.26 MO 0.63

1519 2121

17 17 1.41 0.74 1.20 TU 0.65

0401 1045 MO 1638 2225

18 18 1.47 0.68 1.19 WE 0.64

0509 1202 TU 1756 2330

19 19 1.55 0.59 1.22 TH

0612 1306 WE 1900

6 6 7 7

8 8

9 9

10 10

11 11 12 12 13 13

14 14

m 0256 1.58 0924 0.57 1519 1.31 2121 0.58 0401 1.58 1045 0.58 1638 1.22 2225 0.64 0509 1.60 1202 0.56 1756 1.20 2330 0.65 0612 1.63 1306 0.50 1900 1.24

0031 0.62 20 20 0707 1.67 1356 0.45 0031 0707 TH 1356 1950

1.69 0005 0.60 0.60 1.66 0123 0.47 0005 0641 1.66 0.48 0755 1.28 0641 FR TH 1329 0.48 1.28 FR 1436 TH 1329 1921 1921 1.28 2031 0059 0.54 0.53 0.54 1.78 0208 1.75 0059 0731 1.78 0.36 0836 0.41 0731 FR 1416 SA 0.36 1.35 SA 1512 FR 1416 2011 1.30 2108 2011 1.35 0.52 0148 0.46 0.46 1.89 0247 1.80 0148 0819 1.89 0.26 0914 0.36 0819 SU SA 1501 0.26 1.43 SA 1501 2059 SU 1545 1.32 2059 1.43 2142 0.51 0238 0.39 0.39 1.97 0324 1.82 0238 0908 1.97 0.18 0948 0.34 0908 SU 1546 MO 0.18 1.49 SU 1546 2145 MO 1615 1.34 2145 1.49 2215 0.51 0328 0.34 0.34 2.02 0400 1.82 0328 0956 2.02 0.14 1021 0.33 0956 MO 1631 TU 0.14 1.55 MO 1631 2232 TU 1645 1.36 2232 1.55 2247 0419 0.31 0.51 0.31 2.00 0435 1.80 0419 1044 2.00 0.15 1054 0.35 1044 TU 1715 WE 0.15 1.58 TU 1715 2321 WE 1715 1.36 2321 1.58 2320 0.52 0512 0.32 0.32 1.92 0513 1.76 0512 1132 1.92 0.20 1127 0.38 1132 WE 1800 TH WE 1800 0.20 TH 1744 1.36 2354 0.54 0010 1.60 1.60 0.36 0553 1.70 0010 0607 0.36 1.79 1202 0.41 0607 TH 1223 FR 1.79 0.28 TH 1223 1846 FR 1815 1.36 1846 0.28 0101 1.60 0.58 1.60 0.43 0031 1.63 0101 0706 0.43 1.63 0636 0.45 0706 FR 1315 SA 1.63 0.39 FR 1315 1933 SA 1240 1933 0.39 1848 1.36 0157 1.59 1.59 0.51 0.62 0157 0811 1.54 0811 1413 SA 0.51 1.45 1.45 0.49 SA 1413 2024 0.50 2024 0.49 1.36 0.67 1.44 0.54

0034 0033 1.45 1.45 0.47 0034 1.36 30 15 0616 0617 15 0033 30 15 15 0616 0617 0.47 1231 1238 1.83 TH 0.62 WE 1238 1.83 1231 1.54 1.54 1.83 0.28 TH 1231 1901 WE 1238 1916 1901 0.50 1916 0.28 0115 0115 0703 1.36 0703 1311 FR 0.67 1.44 FR 1311 1940 1940 0.54

m 0202 1.36 0758 0.71 1357 1.35 2023 0.59 0255 1.38 0901 0.74 1454 1.26 2113 0.63 0352 1.41 1015 0.74 1603 1.20 2209 0.65 0451 1.47 1130 0.68 1718 1.19 2309 0.64 0548 1.55 1235 0.59 1825 1.22

21 21

22 22 23 23

24 24

25 25 26 26 27 27

28 28

1.58 0.57 1.31 SU 0.58

Time

1 1 0113 0726 SU 1323

1.58 0.58 1.22 MO 0.64

1323 1927

2 2

1.60 0.56 1.20 TU 0.65

0200 0824 MO 1416 2015

3 3

1.63 0.50 1.24 WE

0257 0935 TU 1526 2116

4 4

0.62 1.67 0.45 0.45 1.29 TH 1950 1.29 0123 0.58 0.58 1.71 0755 1.71 0.41 1436 0.41 1.34 FR 2031 1.34 0208 0.54 0.54 1.73 0836 1.73 0.38 1512 0.38 1.39 SA 2108 1.39 0247 0.51 0.51 1.74 0914 1.74 0.37 1545 0.37 1.42 SU 2142 1.42 0324 0.49 0.49 1.73 0948 1.73 0.38 1615 0.38 1.44 MO 2215 1.44 0400 0.49 0.49 1.70 1021 1.70 0.39 1645 0.39 1.46 TU 2247 1.46 0435 0.50 0.50 1.65 1054 1.65 0.42 1715 0.42 1.47 WE 2320 1.47 0513 0.52 0.52 1.59 1127 1.59 0.46 1744 0.46 1.48 TH 2354 1.48 0553 0.56 0.56 1.51 1202 1.51 0.51 1815 0.51 FR

0401 1054 WE 1649 2230

5 5

0510 1203 TH 1803 2339

6 6

0612 1300 FR 1901

m 0113 1.47 0726 0.65 1323 1.32 1927 0.63 0200 1.45 0824 0.69 1416 1.23 2015 0.69 0257 1.45 0935 0.70 1526 1.17 2116 0.72 0401 1.48 1054 0.66 1649 1.17 2230 0.72 0510 1.55 1203 0.57 1803 1.22 2339 0.66 0612 1.66 1300 0.45 1901 1.32

1.47 0.65 1.32 MO 0.63

Time

16 16 0225 0915 MO 1510 1.45 0.69 1.23 TU 0.69

1510 2049

17 17 1.45 0.70 1.17 WE 0.72

0332 1031 TU 1631 2200

18 18 1.48 0.66 1.17 TH 0.72

0444 1144 WE 1748 2315

19 19 0551 1243 TH 1846

8 8 0133 0758 SU 1436 1436 2038

9 9 0225 0847 MO 1520 1520 2124

10 10 0316 0937 TU 1603 1603 2210

11 11 0408 1026 WE 1647 1647 2257

12 12 0501 1116 TH 1730 1730 2345

13 13 0558 1207 FR 1815 1815

0.33 1951 1.43 0133 0.45 0758 1.90 1436 0.23 2038 1.53 0225 0.35 0847 1.97 1520 0.16 2124 1.63 0316 0.28 0937 1.99 1603 0.14 2210 1.71 0408 0.25 1026 1.95 1647 0.17 2257 1.76 0501 0.26 1116 1.84 1730 0.25 2345 1.77 0558 0.31 1207 1.69 1815 0.36

15 15

Time

1 1 0215 0909 WE 1506

1.59 0.58 1.19 TH 0.75

1506 2040

2 2

1.57 0.57 1.21 FR 0.75

0322 1023 TH 1628 2200

3 3

1.58 0.54 1.27 SA

0435 1130 FR 1740 2315

4 4

0543 1228 SA 1837

m 0215 1.54 0909 0.66 1506 1.19 2040 0.78 0322 1.54 1023 0.62 1628 1.21 2200 0.77 0435 1.59 1130 0.54 1740 1.29 2315 0.70 0543 1.69 1228 0.43 1837 1.41

1.54 0.66 1.19 TH 0.78

Time

16 16 0310 1009 TH 1622 1.54 0.62 1.21 FR 0.77

1622 2148

17 17 1.59 0.54 1.29 SA 0.70

0416 1102 FR 1715 2253

18 18 1.69 0.43 1.41 SU

0512 1146 SA 1759 2346

19 19 0557 1223 SU 1835

m 0310 1.55 1009 0.60 1622 1.26 2148 0.82 0416 1.54 1102 0.59 1715 1.32 2253 0.77 0512 1.55 1146 0.56 1759 1.40 2346 0.71 0557 1.56 1223 0.53 1835 1.48

0030 0019 0.58 0.64 0.58 1.79 0030 5 20 0637 0541 5 1217 1.79 20 1.58 0.33 0637 MO 1257 0.33 1257 0.50

1.66 0.45 0110 1.32 0731 SA SA 1406 2008 0.56 1.78 0153 0.33 0811 SU SU 1439 1.43 2042 0.45 1.90 0231 0.23 0846 MO MO 1509 1.53 2114 0.35 1.97 0306 0.16 0920 TU TU 1538 1.63 2144 0.28 1.99 0342 0.14 0953 WE WE 1606 1.71 2215 0.25 1.95 0417 0.17 1027 TH TH 1634 1.76 2246 0.26 1.84 0454 0.25 1101 FR FR 1702 1.77 2319 0.31 1.69 0533 0.36 1138 SA SA 1733 2354 1.75 0.38 0616 1.52 1217 SU SU 1806 0.48

6 6 0016 0634 MO 1304

0018 0645 FR 1329 1930

21 21

23 23 24 24

25 25

26 26

27 27 28 28

0031 1.48 0034 1.48 0.60 0034 1.75 14 29 0657 29 29 0636 14 0.60 1.41 0657 0.38 29 1240 SA 1300 1.41 1300 1.52 1.41 0.57 1.52 SA 1300 1900 1848 0.57 1900 0.48 0127 0127 0801 1.71 0801 1400 SU 0.47 1.36 SU 1400 1949 1949 0.60

m 1.65 0.54 1.24 WE 0.70

0018 0.70 20 20 0645 1.61 1329 0.50 1.55 0.57 1.22 FR 0.66

0039 0.56 22 7 7 0707 1.78 22 1350 0.33 0039 0707 SA 1350 1951

m 0225 1.65 0915 0.54 1510 1.24 2049 0.70 0332 1.59 1031 0.58 1631 1.19 2200 0.75 0444 1.57 1144 0.57 1748 1.21 2315 0.75 0551 1.58 1243 0.54 1846 1.27

Local Time APRIL APRIL Time Time m

0.70 1.61 0.50 0.50 1.34 SU 1930 1.34 0110 0.64 0.64 1.63 0731 1.63 0.47 1406 0.47 1.41 MO 2008 1.41 0153 0.58 0.58 1.66 0811 1.66 0.44 1439 0.44 1.47 TU 2042 1.47 0231 0.54 0.54 1.66 0846 1.66 0.43 1509 0.43 1.51 WE 2114 1.51 0306 0.50 0.50 1.66 0920 1.66 0.42 1538 0.42 1.56 TH 2144 1.56 0342 0.49 0.49 1.63 0953 1.63 0.44 1606 0.44 1.59 FR 2215 1.59 0417 0.48 0.48 1.59 1027 1.59 0.46 1634 0.46 1.61 SA 2246 1.61 0454 0.50 0.50 1.53 1101 1.53 0.51 1702 0.51 1.62 SU 2319 1.62 0533 0.52 0.52 1.45 1138 1.45 0.56 1733 0.56 1.62 MO 2354 1.62 0616 0.56 0.56 1.37 1217 1.37 0.62 1806 0.62 TU

0019 0541 SU 1217 1827

1304 1914

7 7 0111 0725 TU 1348 1348 2000

8 8 0203 0816 WE 1431 1431 2045

9 9 0257 0907 TH 1515 1515 2132

10 10 0352 1000 FR 1559 1559 2219

11 11 0448 1053 SA 1643 1643 2308

12 12 0547 1148 SU 1729 1729

31 31

MO 1257 1.54 1909 0.46 1.87 0110 0.25 0714 TU TU 1327 1.67 1941 0.35 1.91 0146 0.21 0749 WE WE 1356 1.79 2012 0.27 1.89 0222 0.22 0824 TH TH 1425 1.87 2043 0.24 1.82 0300 0.27 0900 FR FR 1454 1.92 2115 0.25 1.70 0338 0.36 0938 SA SA 1526 1.92 2149 0.30 1.56 0418 0.47 1017 SU SU 1559 1.87 2226 0.38 1.42 0501 0.60 1100 MO MO 1636 2306 1.80 0.47 0550 1.31 1149 TU TU 1719 0.71 2353 1.70 0.54 0646 1.23 1246 WE WE 1813 0.79

21 21

22 22 23 23 24 24

25 25

26 26

27 27

0000 1.80 13 28 0650 13 0000 0650 0.47 28 MO 1248 1248 1.31

1248 1819 1.31 1819 0.71 0056 0056 0758 1.70 0758 0.54 TU 1357 1357 1920 1.23 1920 0.79 1.59 0200 1.61 0.61 0200 0906 1.29 0906 1513 WE 0.59 1.22 WE 1513 2033 0.69 2033 0.83 1.56 0.65 1.23 0.75

14 14

1.71 0033 1.59 30 0.47 0033 0704 30 15 15 1.36 0704 1302 MO 0.61 1302 1.29 1.29 MO 1302 1845 0.60 1845 0.69 0119 0119 0800 1.56 0800 1357 TU 0.65 1.23 TU 1357 1933 1933 0.75

0.33 1827 1.54 0016 0.46 0634 1.87 1304 0.25 1914 1.67 0111 0.35 0725 1.91 1348 0.21 2000 1.79 0203 0.27 0816 1.89 1431 0.22 2045 1.87 0257 0.24 0907 1.82 1515 0.27 2132 1.92 0352 0.25 1000 1.70 1559 0.36 2219 1.92 0448 0.30 1053 1.56 1643 0.47 2308 1.87 0547 0.38 1148 1.42 1729 0.60

29 29

m 1.55 0.60 1.26 0.82 1.54 0.59 1.32 0.77 1.55 0.56 1.40 0.71 1.56 0.53 1.48

0.64 1.58 0.50 0.50 1.55 1909 1.55 0110 0.59 0.59 1.58 0714 1.58 0.49 1327 0.49 1.61 1941 1.61 0146 0.54 0.54 1.57 0749 1.57 0.49 1356 0.49 1.67 2012 1.67 0222 0.51 0.51 1.55 0824 1.55 0.50 1425 0.50 1.71 2043 1.71 0300 0.49 0.49 1.51 0900 1.51 0.53 1454 0.53 1.74 2115 1.74 0338 0.49 0.49 1.46 0938 1.46 0.57 1526 0.57 1.76 2149 1.76 0418 0.51 0.51 1.41 1017 1.41 0.62 1559 0.62 1.74 2226 1.74 0501 0.54 0.54 1.35 1100 1.35 0.67 1636 0.67 1.72 2306 1.72 0550 0.57 0.57 1.29 1149 1.29 0.73 1719 0.73 1.68 2353 1.68 0646 0.60 0.60 1.26 1246 1.26 0.78 1813 0.78

0048 1.64 0.60 1.25 1.25 0.80 TH 1354 1920 0.83 1920 0.80 1.61

1.64 30 0750 0.59 0048 30 1354 1.22 0750 TH 0.60 1354 1.25

 Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, 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 Symbols standard time (UTC time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Moon Phase New+10:00) Moon or daylight savings First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter Tide predictions for Sydney (Fort Denison) have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions. FEBRUARY 2020

109

Trades & Services Directory ba Prawn Blade s” “Yam

SYDNEY

FISHING GUIDES

CLARENCE

Penrith Marine (02) 4731 6250

PORT STEPHENS

Cohoe Marine Products (Sydney) (02) 9519 3575

Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters 0434 370 687

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Blakes Marine (02) 4577 6699

Castaway Estuary Charters 0427 239 650

“IN THE MAIN STREET”

02 6646 1514

Watersports Marine (02) 9676 1400

EDEN COAST Captain Kev’s Wilderness Fishing Tours (02) 4474 3345 or 0424 625 160

REEL TIME FISHING CHARTERS

Tweed Coast Marine (07) 5524 8877

Drop in to see Mick & Kelly

COFFS COAST

MACQUARIE COAST Graham Barclay Marine (02) 6554 5866 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333

Compleat Angler Kempsey (02) 6562 5307 MOTackle & Outdoors (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Rocks Marine Bait & Tackle South West Rocks (02) 6566 6726

KAYAK DEALERS

Phone Dave today: www.fishingyamba.com.au 0428 231 962 OPEN 7 DAYS

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• Stocking all Major Brands • Experienced Local Knowledge • Tournament Bream Gear in Stock • Snorkelling gear in stock

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Ballina Marineland (02) 6686 2669

• 6am to 2pm $150pp • 3 boats – holds up to 30+ people • All fishing gear and bait is supplied • No fishing licence req. • Pickup from Yamba Marina or Iluka ferry wharf

•

“The Home of Leavey Lures”

TR Marine World (02) 4577 3522

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

Shop 3, 8 Yamba St, Yamba

Marina Bayside (02) 9524 0044 Shannons Outboards (02) 9482 2638

CHARTER BOATS

YAMBA BAIT & TACKLE “Yamba’s Leading Tackle Shop”

MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

YAMBA’S LARGEST TACKLE STORE • Chandlery • Boat Sales • Ice & Gas • Bait & Tackle • Trailers Sales & Parts • Charter Bookings Ph: 6646 1994 or 0428 231 962 Email: dave@gaden.com.au Now Agents For

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Minn Repairs & Servicing Call Troy 0412 605 080 – W: minnrepairs.com minnrepairsservicing E: minnrepairs@gmail.com

The Life Aquatic - Mona Vale – (02) 9979 1590 Australian Bass Angler - Penrith – (02) 4721 0455 Hunts Marine - Yallah – (02) 4284 0444 Bunyips Great Outdoors - Lismore – (02) 6622 1137 Maclean Outdoors - MacLean – (02) 6645 1120 Wetspot Watersports -Fyshwick – (02) 6239 1323 Graham Barclay Marine – Forster – (02) 6554 5866 Hunter Water Sports - Belmont – (02) 4947 7899 Totally Immersed Watersports - Nowra (02) 4421 5936 Hunts Marine - Batemans Bay – (02) 4472 2612 Compleat Angler – Merimbula – (02) 6495 3985

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SATELLITE TV INSTALLED Phone: 0427 125 727 I Fax: (07) 4972 1759 michael@mikat.com.au

www.mikat.com.au MARINE MECHANICS COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour Marine (02) 6652 4722 North Coast Boating Centre (02) 6655 7700 Jetty Boating (02) 6651 4002 Thwaites Marine (02) 6651 7810

CHECK IT OUT ONLINE ORDERS

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For all your accommodation needs, house, units & townhouses for every budget. Contact the friendly team at Crescent Head Real Estate for your free holiday brochure.

TOURNAMENT TACKLE STORE

ZX BLADES

www.crescentheadholidayrentals.com.au

ZMAN GRUBZ

Email: holiday@crescentheadrealestate.com.au 6 MAIN ST, CRESCENT HEAD NSW 2440

CRANKA CRABS

Phone: 02 6566 0500

ILLAWARRA COAST Riviera Caravan Park, St George’s Basin (02) 4441 2112

BAIT & TACKLE FRESHWATER

BENT MINNOWS

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FREE EXPRESS SHIPPING

Aberdeen Fishing & Outdoors (02) 6543 7111 Loomzys Fish and Fix (Forbes) (02) 6851 1425

MACQUARIE COAST Ned Kelly Bait n Tackle Port Macquarie (02) 6583 8318 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333

0425 230 964 – info@fishin.com.au SHOP 18, 29 KIORA RD MIRANDA NSW 2228

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au 110

FEBRUARY 2020

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat

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Inside story...

At Anglapro they share their customers’ passion for both fishing and boating. The hulls are built by a team that draw from this passion to provide anglers with a true fishing weapon. From estuary fishing boats to offshore angling machines, Anglapro have boats to suit almost every type of angler.

Made for...

Anglapro build tough boats for Australian conditions, and this is something they pride themselves on. The end result is a safe and great riding craft for anglers with a sense of adventure.

This month...

Steve Morgan takes a look at the Anglapro Core CSR444 Pro with Suzuki 50hp 4-stroke. Check it out on page 118!

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112 Boat ramp knowledge Wayne Kampe shares some tips for when you’re launching or retrieving the boat at the ramp.

114 Topwater breamin’ at Wallace

Byron Hill shines a spotlight on this great fishery, which is perfect for any avid kayak angler!

116 Yak barra challenge Barramundi fishing from the kayak is a real challenge, and Justin Willmer has a crack at Australia’s premier sportfish under pedal power!

FEBRUARY 2020

111

Boat ramp smiles for miles BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

A boating lifestyle is a great lifestyle. Whether it’s fishing, touring or just ‘taking her for a run’ to ensure that all systems are working, the chance to get on the water in a small boat and start an engine is one of life’s pleasures. NO NANNY STATE One of the main attractions with boating is of course, the freedom. The Nanny State stops at the ramp and the rules and regulations are quite limited when compared with driving a car. Navigation rules simply come down to common sense: who wants to run aground? If everything goes well, you get to the ramp and then give a small amount of attention to straps, maybe lift the engine a bit higher, and back down the ramp so the boat can be pushed, slid, lowered by winch or driven off the trailer. Retrieving the boat isn’t always as easy as launching. Things can change, and I’ll discuss this later. And occasionally things aren’t ideal for the launch either.

the crowds on a weekend morning you often have to launch at 3:30-3:45am. With a lot of boats ready to go at just a few

and the shackle connecting the safety chain and boat has been greased recently so it won’t need tools to free it.

the car driver, if possible. Dropping a trailer off the end of a ramp into deep water and current in the pre-dawn gloom is no way

Borumba Dam’s ramp shares a trait with several other freshwater ramps in that slime adorns nasty rocks on the sides.

Adverse conditions can occur when retrieving the boat. This ramp was child’s play when launching at daylight, but not so much fun when this photo was taken. minutes’ notice around the same time of day, things can become a bit hectic. Manners have been left at home, and there can often be tension between ramp users. This is not how things should be and it’s certainly not an enjoyable way to start a day on the water. Try to keep things in perspective and on an even keel. While there might be

ramp, you should shift it so that other boaters can also launch – and this is where things can get tricky. Some ramps cater for this, or at least have a pontoon close by, while other ramps are cramped and tend to make things hard. If there’s nowhere for you to move your boat out of the way,

inconsiderate so-and-so is backing down on her. It’s just not on. RAMP HAZARDS Fortunately, most marine ramps have stand-by areas at their ends or sides which can usually be reached without getting wet above the knees. However, freshwater

KEEP THAT RAMP FRIENDLY For skippers who are new to boating, there are a few pitfalls to consider before putting the trailer wheels in the water. It’s a good idea to have a look at your selected ramp prior to a first launch, to check out its size and slope. And if the ramp is a makeshift job, as we have on some

A welcome sight: a boat ramp with plenty of slope, ready and waiting for the boat. Just be aware that things may have changed a lot by the time you return. to start the day. Also, if the ramp has a shallow gradient and/or the tide is low, it might be necessary to physically push the boat off to get it into the drink. Once your boat is off the trailer on a narrow

don’t stress – everyone else just has to sit and wait for a short while until your crew are ready to go. It’s not a good look to see a mum with kids in the boat try to move a fair lump of a craft (while dad is parking the car) because some

Makeshift ramps can be tricky. Check to see what depth, slope and mud awaits the boat. EARLY STARTS THE NORM Frustratingly, what was so easy a decade ago now tends to be harder, thanks to an increase in boater numbers. As boating has gained more and more popularity, boat ramps don’t seem to have increased in number or size to keep up with this growth. Launching can be tricky, especially in areas of dense population. At this time of year, if you want to beat 112

FEBRUARY 2020

a bit of a delay in launching it’s not hard to stay out a few minutes longer to make it up. For skippers who are accustomed to launching under pressure from other boaters waiting their turn, things seldom go pear shaped. These skippers have a mental checklist to make sure that routine tasks are performed before backing down the ramp. The tie-down straps are off, bungs are in, engine is up,

of our unofficial launching areas these days, it will pay to see what your wheels will be going down into. There may be weed or mud, and/or it might be much too shallow. A ramp’s slope and size dictates how far the trailer may need to go in the water for you to get the boat off. For this reason, you might want to have someone accompany the trailer down the ramp and into the water to provide feedback to

Life is a bit easier when the ramp has a pontoon beside it.

ramps can be very difficult, due to a lack of room or localised hazards. A couple of examples of tricky ramps would be Borumba Dam and Peter Faust’s ramps. Both are very busy on a weekend or Friday afternoon, especially Faust if there’s an upcoming tide change (this is considered to be a hot barra bite time). Both ramps have nasty slimy rocks beside them, accompanied by a generous coating of slime in the area where the boat leaves the trailer. This situation can make things… interesting. For example, if you’re at Peter Faust and a strong southerly is piping through the surrounding hills, it’s very difficult to hold your boat steady at the end of the ramp. For this reason it’s wise to have a rope handy to let the boat out a tad while the car is being parked. My advice is that if you’re launching in fresh

water in new territory, especially in the dark, avoid moving quickly around the boat. If you do, you may well end up with a wet backside. RETRIEVAL ISSUES Now that we’ve covered launching the boat, let’s have look at retrieving it. In the sea, retrieval isn’t always as carefree as the launch, because tide height may have changed a lot, and there’s possibly

a fair line up at the ramp, all waiting to get out of the water. On top of this, your team may be tired and irritable thanks to that sparrow chirp start, or just plain cranky because the fishing was poor. Been there, done that! Crosswinds can also raise their ugly heads on a tidal change to make things hard, which can see the long-suffering partner holding the boat in enough water to get it onto the

trailer while the car is being reversed down. This is a time for patience and good humour. And if things are going pear-shaped for someone else, go and help them if you can. Help is much more effective and appreciated than abuse. The last thing that should occur is for another boat to be trying to reverse down while a boat is trying to come out. This situation is very frustrating if you’re

A busy bayside ramp on a Saturday morning. This photo was taken at 6am.

A busy ramp, yet the team with the catamaran had the rig off the trailer, in the water and out of the way in only a couple of minutes.

flying solo and have to leave the boat at the ramp while you’re getting your car and trailer. At Borumba Dam one busy afternoon I saw a solo boat owner in his car, lined up, and ready to reverse down. He was faced with letting four other teams launch or retrieve their boats before he was able to complete backing down the ramp to get his tinny out. Pretty frustrating! Boating isn’t always easy, but we should all do our utmost to make

it what it should be: an enjoyable escape from the day-to-day grind. FUN TIMES AT FAUST On the topic of fun I’ll share an interesting incident which occurred at Peter Faust’s ramp. With fishing over for the morning I was holding the Galey at the end of the ramp while my wife Denise went up to get the car and trailer. Low and behold, down backs a ute and jet ski straight onto me. The driver, not acknowledging my presence, almost

pushed me right off the ramp as he braked to slide the ski off its trailer. No sooner had I dodged this missile than I spotted a big brown snake next to me in the water, which had been rudely tipped out of a nice, warm spot in the jet ski. Not good! I hastily pushed the boat out and scrambled aboard in one movement. The snake must have thought I’d take it for a spin because the cheeky devil tried to get over the transom! The E-Tec was in gear the second it fired.

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www.tacklejunkie.fish FEBRUARY 2020

113

Get into the surface bite at Wallace Lake CENTRAL COAST

Byron Hill

It’s summer time and the surface bite is on! Wallace Lake can be special when it comes to catching fish on a surface bite in summer.

will be handy tools, and most are pretty accurate. When it comes to Wallace Lake, if you imagine fish may be hanging out or feeding at a particular location, they probably are. LAUNCH AREAS There’s an abundance of launch spots throughout

overnight accommodation. If you need to ‘convince’ family members that you need the vehicle for the day or want them out of the house, the Palms Markets are on the last Sunday of every month. It’s always handy to have options to

Wallace Lake has giant flats and plenty of space for fishing with friends. The lake’s sheer size means that a lot of fish use it to feed and breed, so if one spot is not producing you can guarantee there will be another that’s firing. You are also not limited to boat ramps, and kayakers can very much choose their own adventure with the type of fishing it has to offer. Wallace Lake has a variety of fish species, some of which will hopefully like your lure! WALLACE LAKE Wallace Lake is a giant arena and you will need a spare week to cover it in a kayak. There are multiple channels, drop-offs and flats of all varieties. As a kayaker, you will need to get smart and pre-plan your fishing trip. First, decide on what you want to catch, then work out how you want to catch it, where you will be able to find the fish and where you will need to launch. There are multiple online image galleries that

the fishery. From south to north you have launch sites at the very bottom of Wallace Lake, some at the midpoint of the lake and multiple ones near the Forster-Tuncurry townships. Wherever you decide to fish, there are options to launch on both the east and west sides. Your decision should depend on the area you want to fish. Because Wallace Lake is quite large, you want to minimise your travel time and maximise your fishing time. On the most southern edge, you have the Pacific Palms launch area. If you’re travelling from the south, take the Lakes Way exit and head north; it’s a 35-minute drive from the highway. There is plenty of parking, a boat ramp and lots of room to launch the kayak. There are plenty of amenities in the area, and it’s great for a post-session feed or

Wallace Lake launch areas. 114

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keep others occupied while you fish. As you travel northward, there are plenty of little off tracks to park your vehicle

out that this waterway has a lot to offer. Wallace Lake is known for holding schools of bream that feed on critters in the weed, whiting that chase prawns and worms, and flathead near the dropoffs waiting for a lunch to swim by. The lake will hold different species throughout the year as fish move in and out of spawn. In terms of surface fishing, it naturally produces the best bream and whiting in summer. We are talking bread-and-butter species mainly, with luderick and leatherjacket available against structure. WHAT TO USE It’s hard to go past a floating stickbait with a walk-the-dog action in Wallace Lake. However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to that classic minnow shape, as bent minnowstyle lures have been very successful over the last few years, and in surprising colours. Something with a cup face will also give you that popping action whiting tend to love.

James Kilpatrick holding a bream caught above a weed flat with a walk-the-dog lure. and there are definitely pike hanging out in the lake. If you find your lures are being hit and missed or the lures are being sucked at, you may want to consider swapping out a treble for an assist hook. Whether you attach it to the tail or the mid point will depend on how the lure sits in the water. Assist hooks can be a great tool to improve your hook-up rates.

A little offshoot launch spot. and launch. They are scattered throughout, and a quick Google search will help you find them. The Great Lakes Sailing Club, Green Point, Coomba Aquatic Club and tracks off Coomba Road near Little Point Flat are some of my favourites. The good thing about these offshoots is that they can put you smack-bang right on top of a number of well-known fishing areas. You can just launch, see if the fish are biting, and if they’re not you can just re-launch somewhere else if you so desire. The downside is that they tend to be amenity poor and some require a little consideration if towing a trailer. That being said, if you take your own lunch and don’t mind not having a boat ramp, it’s hard to drive past these spots. SPECIES You don’t need to do a lot of research to work

Distance is your friend when working surface lures. Throw the lures on a long rod to gain the greatest length of retrieve and consider a heavier leader for those expensive lures. Fish with sharp teeth, like pike, tend to like expensive lures,

TECHNIQUE Whether you are fishing a flat that’s covered in a sea of weed or a sand flat that has a nice amount of flow, it will often pay dividends to cast past the area you are targeting and bring the lure back to it. The retrieve

Awesome surface lure weather!

that works on the day will depend on factors like whether the fish are feeding, their aggressiveness, cloud cover, wind and whether the prawns are moving through. If you see a prawn skipping along the top, take note of its tempo if you can, and then try to match it. One well known technique is to work the lure rapidly to create commotion and then, once you know any fish in the area would have noticed it, slow down and pause the retrieve. If you don’t get a bite, repeat the rapid action and start again. Sometimes you need to pause the lure for longer periods to get results, while on other days that same pause will bore the fish. The thing that always remains constant is your attention to the lure. You need to watch the lure and look for boils and movements around it to see if it is being followed. From that point on, it’s up to your skill to make it happen. Blips, bloops, pauses and assist hooks may help, but it is a great reward to know it’s what you did that made that fish bite. A summer day with overcast cloud and 5-10 knots of wind is guaranteed to be a special ‘surface day’ at Wallace Lake. Once you’re on the water, target the different features in the waterway and with some long casts, you will soon be onto fish.

WHAT’S NEW BOATING POWERWINCH 912 TRAILER WINCH

The affordable Powerwinch 912 electric trailer winch is designed for power-in and free-wheeling out. Features include an efficient gear train system for smoother pulling action and less amperage draw, a level wind system that prevents snarls and cable wear, aircraft-quality cable fitted with safety hooks, and a super-tough, ABS weatherresistant housing. This winch suits boats from 7-9m L.O.A. The maximum single line pulling capacity is 1587kg, the maximum double line pulling capacity is 2721kg, and the maximum approx. boat weight is 4535kg. The Powerwinch 912 is supplied with a simple-to-install wiring harness that can be hooked up to any 12V auto or truck battery in minutes. www.powerwinch.com

RAILBLAZA RODSTOW

The RodStow rod holder system is a vertical fishing rod storage rack and caddy for boats. RodStow rod racks will hold your rods above deck, safely and securely, until you’re ready to fish. These rod holders have a removable gimbal pin that you can leave in to support the rod and stop rotation, or remove to let the rod pass through. RodStow is a modular system, so if you buy more you can add them together to make longer rod racks. If you buy a Double or Triple kit you can easily join the components together with the provided stainless steel fasteners, and install it in minutes. The attached storage caddy holds lures, leader and other tackle, and it’s even big enough to hold a small tackle box. The Double kit has one caddy, and the Triple kit has two. Offset mounting is possible, preventing large reels from hitting each other. The vertical RodStow rod rack is suitable for most rods and reels, including spinning, baitcast and game reels, and any length of rod. It’s made from UV Stabilised, fibreglass reinforced engineering polymers, and comes in black or white. Price: SRP $49.99 (Double model with caddy) www.railblaza.com

FUSION MS-RA210 STEREO

Fusion has launched the successor to the highly popular MS-RA205: the MSRA210. Packed with Fusion Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology, it delivers an exceptional audio experience in a compact form. The MS-RA210 features a 2.7” optically bonded colour LCD display, built-in Class-D amplifier, Multi-Zone technology in two zones, and Fusion-Link integration. The brilliant, fullcolour LCD display offers colourful album art with information such as the artist, album and track title. Meeting both IPX6 and IPX7 international standards for water resistance from the front panel, the MS-RA210 is built to last in the harsh marine environment. Fusion’s DSP technology delivers premium audio to all speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers. Every step of the audio chain is optimised to deliver a technically superior listening experience, without the need for boat owners to have a technical understanding. Setting up DSP profiles is simple with the free Fusion-Link app. With just a few clicks, you can set up the preconfigured DSP profile to play high-quality audio, customised for your ears and the environment. Precisely calculated loudness curves are optimized to ensure quality audio delivered at every volume level. www.fusionentertainment.com

VESPER CORTEX

PRODUCT GUIDE

The Cortex from Vesper Marine is the world’s first radio with wireless touchscreen handsets, built-in Class B SOTDMA smartAIS transponder and remote vessel monitoring. Cortex alerts boaters of collision risks, providing information about the potential threat and making it easy to communicate with them. The touchscreen handset makes typically complicated functions easy to use. For example, touching a vessel onscreen and pressing ‘call’ makes a direct DSC call. Cortex continuously shows crossing situations, navigation light sectors and even allows trial manoeuvres while a boater talks on the VHF radio. A 10W speaker output enables louder audio and alerting even while handsets are turned off. Cortex includes dual-watch, favourite channels and onehanded operation. Pressing the man overboard button activates a track back mode on all handsets and marks the waypoint on NMEA 2000 connected MFDs. Cortex combines data such as wind speed, GPS and AIS to prioritise alerts, such as potential collision or anchor drag or MOB. For the full list of features visit the Vesper website. www.vespermarine.com

STAR BRITE HULL CLEANER

Star brite Hull Cleaner gel formula sticks where it’s applied, to maximise cling time and cleaning power. This product completely covers stains to penetrate and dissolve them. It’s specifically formulated to remove the toughest stains, including rust, dried fish blood and leaf stains. It works on all fiberglass and painted surfaces and is ideal for vertical surfaces. This product does not contain harmful acids, and it’s safe and easy to use. You just spray it onto the surface being cleaned (rubber gloves are recommended), let it remain on the surface until the stain disappears, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water. Stubborn stains or spots may require a repeated application with longer soak time and gentle scrubbing. Price: SRP $35 www.starbrite.com

YELLOWFIN PLATE CC

All models in Yellowfin’s updated Centre Console series come standard with Yellowfin Plate’s Spartan Console. This rugged, wide console has plenty of room for electronics and grab rails. For additional cover, a Dolphin Pro T-Top can be installed. The biggest of Yellowfin Centre Consoles (7000 and 7600) can be optioned up to the Mega Console. This aluminium folding console is 220cm high with six rod holders, space for a 16” sounder and room for a radio or other accessories in the top. Standard fishing include 6-side deck rod holders, a live bait tank and self-draining deck. The Platinum Pack includes a bow mount plate, removable bait board, deck wash and more. To get up to the 520mm high raised casting platform, there are steps on either side of the boat with a space in the middle so you can fish at sea level or raised up. Inside the casting platform is a large hatch that can fit a big icebox. he strike chair in the Centre Console is wide enough for two passengers and can quickly be reversed with two release pins. Yellowfin Plate owners can be driving one minute and fishing the next, and the Offshore HD Hull will keep drivers stable and dry. www.yellowfinplateboats.com.au

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

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FEBRUARY 2020

115

A friend’s first barra adventure BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

I recently passed a kayak that had served me well onto a mate, Sean, for him to patch up, fit out to suit him and join me on some kayak fishing adventures. He christened it on the

tip toward the nose of the kayak and enjoy the ride. The bulk of the fish being caught seemed to be the last batch of fish stocked, ranging in size from around 30-40cm, however there were a few 60-90cm models turning up in amongst them. Part of me was hoping that we could catch a couple of smaller ones to get our eye

which wasn’t a bad thing. There was some great structure and we fished a variety of paddle-tail plastics and surface lures that would have had us in the game… if the fish wanted to bite. A couple of small taps, most likely from bass, a few swirls behind lures and a couple of half-hearted boofs at the lure and the sun was on its

for the three of us, which was fine as he had room in the rear well and plenty of options. Spin rods around 3-6kg and 5-12kg were in our arsenal, with 40 size spinning reels, 20lb braided line and 40lb fluorocarbon leader. We were greeted with a beautiful misty and glassy morning on the lake, encouraging us all to start with topwater presentations. It wasn’t long before we heard a ‘fish on’ call from Sean, who was working a Bagley Rattlin’ Finger Mullet, a walk the dog style lure, out from a lily edge when it was eaten from the surface. We paddled in ready for a photo and a high five for his first barra, only to find a solid bass in the net. We were only disappointed for a second as it was a solid bass, plus it had come off the surface. Paul was giving us a few tips about working the points and small standalone clusters of lilies, pointing the rod tip toward the nose of the kayak when fighting a

It wasn’t the target species but it’s hard to argue with a solid topwater bass. me – I paddled over for a heads up on what they were eating. It’s always a good idea when you’re fishing with other paddlers to throw a few different presentations around until you find what is working on the day. There was no doubt that Paul had cracked the pattern and I was pretty keen to get in on the action.

larger presentation. You can’t argue with success though and after changing over to the larger presentation, my first cast resulted in a nice bass and the second cast, a small barra. The reason for my smaller presentation was to hedge my bets between a bass and barra, yet here I was with a 5” plastic and landing both species. We figured

The first session had some promising water in the afternoon but the day ended fishless. flats, landing a nice bream and we had a fun session on the water. When another mate mentioned that he’d been getting into a few impoundment barramundi from the kayak, I invited Sean and we got planning! Over the next couple of weeks, there were messages flying back and forward

in, however when it comes to impoundment barramundi at times the bite can be completely shut down due to temperature, weather and other variables. I didn’t want us to get ahead of ourselves – after all, the aim of the trip was to get Sean his first barra. We loaded the gear, headed on our journey and

way down; our afternoon session done. Although we hadn’t hooked or landed a fish for the session, the interest in the lures gave us hope for the morning session, where the sun would be shining and the temperature warmer before the winds were forecast to blow up again. We set up

The group headed out for the afternoon session in windy conditions. fish, and using the paddle to steer or slow yourself down, when his plastic was inhaled and he set the hook. A small barramundi leapt from the water a couple of times before Paul landed and released it. A short time later he was onto another one, followed by a third that was a better class of fish, around 60cm in length. That was enough for

It turned out that Paul had been fishing a ZMan 5” DieZel MinnowZ, rigged on a TT Lures 3/8oz 6/0 SnakelockZ weedless jighead. I was not even in the game with my 3” paddletail and 1/4oz 3/0 jighead. Paul was fishing larger presentations faster and getting their attention. It was amazing that even the 30cm barra were inhaling this

they must have been feeding on larger baitfish. We continued our paddle, casting lures, chatting and exploring small inlets, while focusing on the lily edges, points and small standalone clusters of lilies. The breeze had started to pick up a bit as we paddled around a corner and out of the wind a little, knowing that we would be paddling back into the

Paul scored the first barra of the day – and the second and third! at all hours between the three of us. Vehicles, kayaks, camping, permits, kayak gear, fishing tackle and more were discussed and sorted as the plan took shape. Sean hadn’t done a lot of fishing from the kayak and hadn’t caught a barramundi before, so there were some nervous discussions about kayak fit out and control, along with fighting and landing the fish. My advice to him was if you hook up, point the rod 116

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met Paul on time at our rendezvous point, heading straight to our afternoon launch spot. The afternoon was cool and the wind was blowing, but we were hopeful of catching one in the afternoon to take the heat off our morning session the next day. We only had the two sessions so we wanted to make the most of them. The afternoon session focused around standing timber and we all managed plenty of casting practice,

a quick camp, had a feed and a couple of coldies before rigging a few rods for the morning and calling it a night. In the kayak Sean and I each carried a couple of rods rigged with different lures, along with a landing net, pliers, snips and a bag of lures and leaders. I had a dry bag with a couple of small tackle trays and a handful of plastics, while Sean had a little more trouble trimming his kit and had enough gear

Even the smaller barra were nailing the ZMan 5” DieZel MinnowZ.

breeze on our last leg of the homeward paddle. Another couple of barra for Paul and another for myself and with the time ticking and Sean yet to get his barra, we were both

standing timber and lilies, then after a couple of seconds to sink down and on the second turn of the handle, a solid barramundi struck as my soft plastic was

A barramundi safely on board after comfort lifting. sending barra vibes his way. The next section that we approached had it all – standing timber, laydowns, lilies and it looked fishy. I moved out to fish the outside edge of the structure, leaving

inhaled and the hook found its mark. The fish stayed deep and hit the afterburners. I whipped the rod tip around to the front of the kayak so that I wouldn’t be at risk of tipping, and buckled up for

This brought the barra to the surface, where it finally did a couple of jumps, revealing its size and the fact that it was securely pinned in the jaw hinge, as is often the case when fishing weedless plastics. Sean was there for the entire fight, snapped a few photos and we both enjoyed the close encounter and quick release of this healthy 85cm+ barra. I had fought the fish into open water, allowed it to tire and then attached the lip grips, comfort lifting it on board for a few snaps and then swimming it for a healthy release. It’s important to remember that when the lip grips are on you need to clear the deck and secure items so that nothing is knocked into the water should the fish play up once on board. Consider the weight of the fish so that you can remain stable when lifting it aboard, while also remembering that each fish species has its own challenges, including the barramundi’s spikes and gill rakers.

The author’s barra finally revealed itself while being led away from the lilies. way back toward the cars, focusing on a corner that had the wind blowing onto a lily filled point. Sean went with a gut feeling and peeled off on his own to work the

and I were yelling for him to get it in the net. Sean was all smiles and Paul and I were doing all the stressing! The net slid under the fish and we all cheered. It wasn’t a big

at the cars we loaded our gear, relived the hits and misses, congratulated Sean again on his first barra and wrapped up with a quick chat and the plan to get together

Making memories as Paul captures some photographic evidence. Sean was pumped to have a crack at his first barramundi. the bulk of the area to Sean, while Paul had cleared out, leaving it for us and heading up to investigate further. I really wanted to be there when Sean hooked his first barra, to get a few photos and assist with landing it if he needed a hand… however, I should have known what would happen next. I cast to a cluster of

the journey. The fishing gods were on my side and the barra swam straight out away from the structure, avoided a couple more trees and towed me straight down the original main creek bed. After 20m or so it began to veer toward the lilies, so I dug the paddle in to steer to the right, away from the lilies and put a bit more hurt on with the rod.

Paul scored another fish, I jumped one off and had another attempt to eat the lure as I lifted it from the water, while Sean fished hard. Sean always fishes hard and I have been in this situation before where you are working your butt off to catch a new species while the anglers around you are hooking up. We fished our

Success! Sean with his first barramundi on the board.

opposite bank that was heavy with lilies. Fish on! The call came from Sean who had cast his 5” paddle-tail into the lilies, where a barra had sensed the movement and inhaled it. Sean managed to wrestle it out of the lilies and the pocket rocket was leaping all over the place while Paul

fish, but it was Sean’s first barramundi and every first of a species and PB should be celebrated. We had the fairy tale ending to our trip and ticked the one big box we had set ourselves for this adventure. It was time to put our head down and battle the breeze for the paddle home. Back

again in the future. This trip was about the fishing, however it was also about so much more, including the mateship, the adventure, the journey, the planning, the memories we made and the stories we have to tell around the next campfire. It’s time to start planning your next adventure!

Paddling in a glassy, misty morning on the water. FEBRUARY 2020

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Anglapro Core CSR444 with Suzuki 50hp 4-stroke - SC

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Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Sometimes it seems overwhelming to make the step from your first boat to a bigger, more comfortable boat that expands your range, safety and fishing options. There are literally dozens of options in this class of aluminium boat in Australia. Considering that a really basic tinny will cost you around $10,000, the guys at North Coast Boating Centre in Coffs Harbour have set up this Anglapro Core 444CSR for on-water testing. And it’s come in, as tested and drive away, from under $20,000. So what do you get for double your money? Basically, you get a painted, carpeted, more stable and capable boat with boarding steps, storage and the potential to trick it up into a real fishing machine. Let’s look at the details. The 4.5m hull has a 2.11m beam, which makes this rig very wide for its length. It means that you’ll find stability to be no problems compared with a 3.7m v-nosed tinny. The Core 444CSR has PERFORMANCE RPM.... SPEED.km/h 1000 ....................... 3 2000 ....................... 5 3000 ....................... 8 4000 ..................... 24 5000 ..................... 36 6000 ..................... 52 118

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Main: Open tinnies with smooth sides are increasingly popular on the water. The Anglapro Core CSR444 paired with the Suzuki 50hp tiller is a great rig for under $20,000. It’s at home on open water on calm days, and it can sneak up a shallow estuary with ease. Above: Headed out from Coffs Harbour, the Anglapro was noticeably light in the bow. This can easily happen on a boat test where there’s no electric motor, batteries or fishing tackle onboard. 3mm bottom sheet and 3mm side sheets with plenty of internal ribs to support the smooth plate gunwales. Traditionally, strength used to be added with clinkered sides, but more and more aluminium boats feature the smooth sided finish nowadays. Before painting, this rig has the floor frames welded in, an optional bow-mounted electric motor bracket and the rear boarding step and rails attached, as well as a couple of internal side pockets. After being sprayed (this one was white), the carpeted floors are fitted.

Finally, the team from NCBC drop it on a single axle, Australian made trailer (which you can pull around with virtually any car on the road today) and bolt on the 50hp tiller steer Suzuki outboard, which is fuelled by the remote fuel tank that’s kept out of sight under the rear hatch. Registered and out the door, that’s $20,000. You’ll need to add your own fish finders and electric motor. From a fishing point of view, this is an inshore boat that you can take outside on calm days. We took it for a spin off Coffs Harbour

on a calm day with a few lumps left over from some wind elsewhere. You can watch it in action in the video version of this boat test on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel (or by scanning the QR code on this page on your smartphone). Although there was no fuel metering equipment fitted on the boat, we did get a feel for it in a cruise up along the coast. At wide open throttle (WOT) we hit a top speed of just over 50km/h at 6,000rpm. The optimum cruising speed was between 4,000 and 5,000rpm, and we infer well over 50km of range from the remote tank. These boats need a little weight up front to balance the ride and help the rig out of the hole. With all of the weight (battery, fuel, motor and two people) down the back, it took a little effort to get this boat up on the plane, but once you add an electric

SPECIFICATIONS Length................. 4.5m Beam................. 2.11m Depth .................. 1.1m Bottom ................ 3mm Sides ................... 3mm Capacity ..... 4 persons Hull.weight (basic) ................ 250kg motor and some of your gear, it will level out nicely. I would also add a couple of seat bases a little further forward. These can help you balance the load, and they also hold the seats when you’re anchored up and drowning some baits. For more information, a test drive or just to talk about fishing around Coffs, reach out to Dayne and the team at North Coast Boating Centre. You can also find out more on their website at www.northcoast boatingcentre.com.

At rest, the Core is stable and roomy. There’s plenty of room for you and a couple of mates to wet a line.

Using a Suzuki with a 20” shaft, there’s a fair difference between the top of the transom and the outboard mounts. Inflow is caught and channeled away by a channeled engine well.

The step and grab rail is standard on this Core model.

The electric motor mount is optional but virtually a necessity on a boat of this size.

The cranking battery sits inside this rear, starboard side hatch.

There are a couple of rear seat mounts, however a port mount a little further forward would allow for a variety of configurations.

Check out this for a mountain of deck space. The semi-raised front deck is a great compromise for a boat that may spend equal times in calm and open waters.

Like all boats with casting decks, the Anglapro gains plenty of underfloor storage space.

The Core comes with a built in anchor well, allowing anchoring as well as electric motor options.

You’ll see plenty of ribs in the smooth sided design.

There are two long side pockets that will hold all of your gear that needs to be readily accessed.

The Core runs a remote, 25L fuel tank. It’s tucked neatly away under the starboard rear hatch.

The step up onto the front deck isn’t too high and gives you the height you need to see into the water. FEBRUARY 2020

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World Class Engines, World Class Support.

All recreational Mercury Outboard models from the 2.5 to 400hp range now come with 6 years of warranty coverage. A comprehensive warranty thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supported by the strength and service expertise of one of the largest dealer networks in the country. Simply have your engine serviced at an Authorised Service Centre at the recommended servicing intervals and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re covered by an additional 3-year factory backed warranty on top of the first 3 years. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a full 6 years of non-declining warranty coverage. *Terms and conditions apply for full warranty information visit mercurymarine.com.au.

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