New South Wales Fishing Monthly - January 2015 by Fishing Monthly

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: MORE FISHING!

Tried and Tested

Stacer’s 679 Hard Top/Evinrude • Barcrusher 780HTP/Suzuki • Viking ProFish GT • Omoto Severo 5000H •

Features

St Georges Basin location guide • Species guide: Bonito • Sun protection gear •

NEW

Find the VMC logo SEE INSIDE! COMP

How-To

Rig weedless soft plastics better • Select the right sounder • Prepare slimy mackerel •

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This impressive squid was landed by John Taylforth of Fergo’s Tackle World on a Black Magic Squid Snatcher® ‘yakka’.

A Black Magic Squid Snatcher® ‘pilchard’ was used by Lachie Howe to catch this great squid while fishing at Low Head, Tasmania.

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Black Magic’s “super lumo” series jigs are fantastic when you are fishing in murkier water or at night. We recommend you “supercharge” them with a Black Magic UV torch. Brett Johnstone caught this nice squid jigging with a Black Magic Squid Snatcher® 3.0 ‘copper camo’ at Low Head, Tasmania. Brett went on to say “Just wanted to say a massive thanks! I have recently been testing some of you squid jigs against various other brands and have found that time and time again, when I use my Black Magic Squid Snatchers® they out perform them... Most of all, keep doing what your doing, you guys make the best stuff on the market!!!”

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A Black Magic Jellybean ‘dark smelt’ was used by Peter Watson from Highland Dun Guiding to catch this brown trout.

Rod Shepherd landed this chinook salmon on a Black Magic BMax ‘bully’ lure while fishing on Lake Elingamite.

Black Magic 30lb Tough Fluorocarbon leader and a Black Magic KL 6/0 hook were used by Bernie Zraika to catch these impressive snapper fishing off Bellambi.

Don Dean used Black Magic 6lb Fluorocarbon tippet to catch this 57cm flathead in Botany Bay.

Peter Sealey was fishing from the shore in Sydney Harbour when he caught and released this kingfish on Black Magic 60lb Tough Fluorocarbon Leader.

This 13kg yellowfin tuna was landed by Mat Flynn on a Black Magic KS 4/0 hook fishing at Nambucca Heads.

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Adam Epi caught this mahi mahi using Black Magic 80lb Tough Trace and the Black Magic Equalizer gimbal and harness while fishing at Coffs Harbour.

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January 2015, Vol. 20 No. 5

Contents BYRON COAST The Tweed 30 Ballina 32 The Clarence 34 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour Coffs Game South West Rocks

36 38 40

MACQUARIE COAST Forster 44 Port Macquarie 45 Harrington 47 Port Stephens 48 HUNTER COAST Hunter Coast 49 Swansea 50 Central Coast 52 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 12 Pittwater 14 Sydney North 16 Sydney Rocks and Beach 18 Sydney Harbour 20 Sydney South 22 Botany Bay 24 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 54 Nowra 55

From the Editor’s Desk... Don’t you love Summer? Usually the Aussies are smashing some poor touring team in the cricket, the cicadas are buzzing, cold beer tastes better than it ever did and we actually have a few days to enjoy our fishing! And t h e r e ’s options a-plenty. Nearly everything that lives in freshwater wants to smash a topwater lure for breakfast and dinner and daylight savings time means that we have the time to get amongst it. In the saltwater, estuary fish are spread out and hungry for prawns and other baitfish. Flathead are easy to come by, whiting can’t decide whether they want to eat poppers or worms and bream turn into serious insectivores. The baitfish, of course, are terrified to leave the estuary because of the

schools of pelagics surfing the EAC down the coast. Bring on the mackerel, dollies, wahoo and billfish. So if you can’t get out and amongst it in January, it’s time to sell the boat and buy a really flash lawn mower. ARE YOU A TACKLE JUNKIE? It’s been a few months now since we launched our www.tacklejunkie.fish website and it’s steaming along very nicely. Basically, all of the new products and reviews that you see in the magazine are accessible as we get them via this website. So now, you can hear about all the new products that come out at the same time that we do. And if you want to be notified of the stories as they come up, “Like” the tacklejunkie.fish Facebook page for daily updates. Of course, we’re all Tackle Junkies at

heart. That’s why we’re reading NSWFM! END OF SEASON There’s plenty of Tournament content in this magazine. Grand Final events were happening all over the place and NSWFM has detailed reports from all of the event with all of the winners’ tackle and techniques. What other magazine takes the effort to chase down all of the hot techniques for you to catch more fish on in the 2015 season? And just to let the cat out of the bag, the 2015 ABT Tournament Angler Guide will be stitched into the next issue of NSW Fishing Monthly (February 2015). TOO MANY LOGOS! Thanks to all of the readers who contacted us to let us know that there was one too many VMC logos in the December issue of the magazine. Lucky for us, it

was one too many and not one too few. We’ve done that once before and took the calls from all of the readers who couldn’t find the final logo! There’s still months and months to go with the current VMC competition. Get searching! ISUBSCRIBED FOR CHRISTMAS Thanks to the army of new subscribers we picked up over the pre-Christmas period – especially those who took advantage of our listing on iSubscribe to do the whole sign-up process on-line. Remember that all current subscribers are in the draw for the monthly subscriber prizes. This month it’s some sunglasses from Tonic and we already have a list as long as your arm of prizes that we’ll be distributing to subscribers throughout the year.

BATEMANS COAST Batemans Bay 61 Narooma 62 Bermagui 63 EDEN COAST Merimbula 64 Tathra 65 Eden 67 Mallacoota 67

Managing Editor: Stephen Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas

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FIND THE VCM LOGO COMPETITION PAGE 60 New South Wales Fishing Monthly magazine goes on sale the last week of each preceding month (latest sale date 31st of the month).

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This Murray cod ate a Duo Realis Crank 65.

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SPECIAL FEATURES Bonito Species Guide Sun Protection Feature St Georges Basin Feature

REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 53 Boating 96 Dam Levels 79 Fun Page 98 Tides 105 Trade Directory 102 Tournaments 87 What’s New Fishing 68 What’s New Boating 99

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B is for bonito: Your summertime species guide CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

Of the three known bonito species to inhabit our waters, two are of interest to anglers along coastal New South Wales: the Australian bonito and Watson’s leaping bonito. Both species should be out and about over the coming months and are fantastic sportfish as well as top-notch bait and table species. The more common Australian bonito roams the waters from the Tweed coast right down to the Victorian border. They tend to venture within shore-based casting range towards the end of summer, and then stick around for a few months. The best sizes and numbers are generally found between Forster and Wollongong, with swarms of smaller ‘jellybean’ bonito often prolific off the mid north coast. Aussie bonito grow up to 10kg in weight, but a specimen of 2-3kg would be considered big by most anglers. The smaller Watson’s leaping bonito

This tidy bonito fell to a chrome metal lure cast from the rocks at first light. A high-speed retrieve is a key factor when it comes to spinning for bonnies.

Trolling is a good way of finding bonito. This fish took a bibless minnow trolled over shallow reef behind a beach.

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grow to 2kg or slightly more, although most are around 1kg or less. Both species may be encountered together, with the Watson’s tending to be more common north of Port Stephens. Leaping bonito are mostly caught by anglers targeting Australian bonito or other small pelagic fish. However, in places like Trial Bay at South West Rocks they may be specifically targeted by casting small metal lures during April and May. Another similar fish, the frigate mackerel, is also common here, showing up around the same time of year as well. In general though, it’s the Aussie bonnie that grabs most of the attention, so here we’ll run through the gear required to catch them, along with a few techniques and tips. Simply downsize lures and tackle and you’ll be more in the running to hook Watson’s bonito or frigate mackerel. TACKLING UP Gear for chasing bonito from the rocks is

Top: Overheads or spin reels work well when it comes to bonito. Here we see a high-speed overhead set with a lure trolled behind the boat. The same reel can also be put to use for casting. Bottom: Most of the time it’s best to start with a chrome metal lure when spinning the rocks. Second choice is a white metal, as shown here.

a bit different to what works best from a boat, but one common factor is the reel, which needs to be robust, reliable and fast. Overheads or spin reels work well, but most anglers find high-speed spin reels easier to use. Due to the demanding nature of this style of fishing, any weak points in a reel will soon become evident. Loose or wobbly handle assemblies are one of the first symptoms, followed by grinding gears or a broken anti-reverse system. So if you’re going

These bonito fell to a simple pink Christmas tree trolled past an inshore island. Although many anglers use them as bait, this lot was kept for the table.

Introducing

to be chasing bonito a lot, buy the best you can afford and go for a reputable brand name so any defects or warranty claims can be taken care of. Bonito, as do many pelagic speedsters, really go for lures travelling through the water at a fast pace. This is where the reel’s gear ratio comes in. Larger reels naturally retrieve more line than smaller reels, but as a starting point look at a ratio of at least 5.7:1. An ideal length rod for rock fishing is about

slope on an angle to the water. Of course, boat rods for bonito can be much shorter again. Modern, fine diameter braid or PE line is great for gaining extra casting distance and helps set the hooks on the strike. However, it’s vital to incorporate a longer leader to absorb shocks from casting and fighting fish. Without a leader, or if using one that’s too short, plenty of fish will quickly shake the hooks. Nylon or fluorocarbon mono can be used for the leader, although I would strongly recommend old-fashioned nylon, as it tends to have better stretch and knot strength for this

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The smaller Watson’s leaping bonito has distinctly different markings and is a more colourful fish than the Australian bonito.

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bonito, it’s easy to assume they’re quite an easy fish to catch, and a much simpler lure fishing target then bream or whiting for example. For the most part that’s reasonably true. However, after many years of chasing bonnies, I can assure readers that they can be just as tricky and frustrating as any other species. On a good day bonito will eagerly smash lures (as long as the lure is a suitable type), cast amongst the fish and retrieved with some pace. The problem is though, bonito aren’t always like this and

than not strikes will come as the lure is travelling up from the depths. Of course, changing over to an entirely different type of lure is another idea. Nine times out of ten a simple chrome metal lure is best when casting, but a white metal, diving hardbody or even a slinky soft plastic may turn the tables in the angler’s favour. From personal experience, the main thing to try before anything else is to experiment with the retrieve. Speed is the first aspect to address, as it’s possible the lure simply isn’t going fast enough for

lighter tackle. Even with heavier gear the bigger bonnies can be stubborn opponents. Their fighting qualities and the general style of high-speed lure fishing approach is what I like most about them. Many keen anglers like to stock up on some bonito fillets to be used as snapper, bream or jewfish bait. They really do make excellent bait and I like to cube the fillets into bite size pieces and salt them down for bream fishing. A lot of people may not realise just how good they go at dinnertime. In fact, I would actually rate

A good selection of very reliable bonito lures. White and chrome always go well, but a splash of pink, green or chartreuse can be beneficial. type of lure fishing. Depending on the rod, reel and location to be fished, a 5-10kg main line and a 7-12kg leader should be about right. Go a touch lighter or heavier to suit your own requirements. Chrome metals like the 40g Surecatch Knight or Halco Twisty are very reliable for bonnies, as are similar metal lures. White is also an excellent choice when it comes to lure colour, and a splash

of bright pink, green or chartreuse will help score more bites at times. Bonito respond very well to trolling lures over reef or adjacent to headlands, islands and bommies. One of the very best types to troll is a simple white feather/leadhead lure, but a large white fly is another great option. Some good hardbody lures for trolling include the Maria Duplex, Lively Lures’ Mack Baits and Rapala X-Raps.

Try trolling at around 8-10 knots or slightly faster if the lures aren’t popping out of the water too much. Once a patch of fish is found, it may be better to pull up and try casting in the vicinity. Sometimes though, the bonnies will only respond to a trolled lure, which is possibly due to the boat’s noise or wake attracting them. AN EASY FISH? When we think of aggressive pelagics like

Three common small pelagics sometimes found feeding alongside each other. From left to right; striped tuna, mac tuna and bonito.

www.duolures.com.au 10

JANUARY 2015

they’ll be seen following lures without actually taking a swipe. There are a few tricks to help score fish when they’re in such a pedantic mood. Firstly, downsizing lures is a good step. Sometimes this translates to less casting distance or the lure may not sink as quickly as you’d like, but most fish, including bonito, are less hesitant about hitting a smaller lure. Secondly, be sure to allow the lure enough time to sink down, rather than commencing the retrieve too soon. Sometimes bonnies will get all fired up about a lure skipping across the surface, but more often

them. If you’re confident the lure is travelling at warp speed and your arm will explode if you try and crank any faster, the next step is to incorporate a few sudden stops or pauses during the retrieve. Bonito really love this and many hits come the instant a lure stops. Apart from that, there is the odd day when a much slower retrieve will work. Still though, a few fast rips and jigging movements with the rod always help the cause. ON THE TABLE Bonito are sought after as a top sporting fish that will keep the angler entertained when using

them higher than kingfish. The key is to look after the catch so the flesh cooks up nicely. Firstly, be sure to take care of the fish as soon as it’s landed. This means quickly dispatching it, bleeding it and them keeping it in a cool place, preferably on ice, until it’s time to head home. The fillets can be cut into cocktails, battered and deep-fried, chucked on the barbecue, or if you’re keen, try smoking them. Yes, they have a stronger fishy flavour, rather than being mild like whiting, but they’re quite a tasty fish. So give them a go if you’re yet to try eating bonito.

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Happiness on the Hawkesbury THE HAWKSBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

I trust you all had a great Christmas and New Year, filled with plenty of fishy tales. We experienced some amazing fishing leading up to Christmas and this should continue, with some normality being restored to our waterways as the month closes out. The flats have been firing for bream, flathead and whiting on small poppers and stickbaits cast well ahead of the drift, or by wading. Getting the optimal conditions is key to tempting these flats’ feeders, with overcast or windy days — or a combination of the two — producing better numbers and size.

There is an abundance of flats throughout the Hawkesbury system, with some of the better ones located in Cowan, Pittwater and Berowra. A quick look on Google Earth will reveal their locations and formations for future endeavours. Another species that loves to smack surface lures is the Aussie bass. They are having a ball in the sweetwater streams and creeks, feasting on any hapless insect that enters their domain. Small poppers, fizzers and paddlers are dynamite when accurately cast to deep shady pockets beneath the overhanging canopy. The lures are often met as they contact the surface, so be on your guard and ready to engage the reel to set the hooks.

If they aren’t responding to surface presentations, a small jig spinner and soft plastic combination is deadly, relatively snag-resistant, plus cost effective. Floating crankbaits are still a versatile lure in the skinny stuff and give the angler two presentations. The first is directly after the

better quality specimens and some exciting surface strikes. Broken Bay will be coughing up some of its own surface action, with frigate mackerel, tailor, salmon, bonito and kingfish all viable options. Looking for diving birds is essential to locating surface feeders in open water. Approach them

Mark Corbin nailed this cracker flathead as jewfish bycatch on a recent charter.

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lure has landed; you let it settle, then twitch it subtly to make small rings and imitate an insect. Secondly, failing to raise any interest, crank and twitch your lure down to its running depth for another chance to tempt a sulking structureholding fish. The main river still contains numbers of fish, but it seems the high water temperatures make them a little lethargic through the middle of the day. Focus your efforts at dawn, dusk and into the night for the

from up-wind or up-current and kill the engine to keep these often spooky fish on the bite while you drift into them, hopefully hooking a summer speedster or two before motoring around wide and repeating the process. Kingfish have been

biting well, with plenty of rats (sub 65cm) getting to the baits and lures, with their bigger brethren following their hooked mate up. If you’re prepared, you can capitalise by dropping a bait, lure or fly to the larger model and hopefully get a second hookup. There are some good fish amongst the rats, so running stout gear is essential around any structure. Live yakkas and squid seem to produce quite reliably for me, with leader sizes varying between 30-80lb given the location and size of the fish likely to be encountered. Lion Island, West Head, Pittwater, Cowan and Barrenjoey all hold kingfish at times, with several location changes necessary to find the fish on the day. Having a soft

plastic or popper rigged on a spin outfit ready for casting is a handy asset when surface fish are located during your travels. Flathead are a great backup if the conditions near the coast are bleak. They are spread all the way to Windsor at present and occupying every creek and river along its course through to the upper tidal influence. Soft plastics, vibes and bibless minnows are flattie magnets and get you in the zone on the bottom. Hopping and slow rolling the lure off dropoffs and over sandbars is a fun and easy way to secure a tasty feed of fillets. I hope this helps you get out there and enjoy the last of the holidays before the daily grind comes around all too soon.

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Kingfish are lurking inshore, patrolling the bays and headlands and taking live baits and lures.

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River or ocean: We’re loving the kingfish PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

Last month proved to be a great time to go fishing, both along the coast and in the rivers. Pittwater really turned on

a show for a solid week, with kingfish slurping small baitfish off the surface, yet refusing most lures and soft plastics thrown at them. If you were lucky enough to find a squid or two, odds are you hooked some kings as well. This month though, the kings are a little more

difficult to find — unless you head out into Broken Bay. Schools have been seen on the surface early in still conditions, but

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versions along the headlands and, on the smaller tides and change of the run-in, Flint and Steel. Other areas to try are Barrenjoey Headland, Whale Beach Headland, Newport Reef, Long Reef, and West and East reefs. The bigger models are smashing slimy mackerel fished on downriggers along Broken Bay and the coast, but squid are still preferred back inside Pittwater. These have been difficult to catch over the last couple of months, but the good news is that they are bigger now and willing to attack jigs. The best colour has been orange with pink, and the pilchard hardbody jigs are not bad either. Areas to try are Careel Bay, The Basin, Mackerel Beach, West Head and the fringes along Barrenjoey. For people that love to catch flathead, bream and jewfish, now is the time to hit the water. Bream are in the shallows of the creeks and bays along Pittwater, and with all the bugs and cicadas flying about, surface poppers are working a treat. McCarrs Creek is a great little area on a quiet day, but you really have to start early and hit the shallow weed areas before the sun gets too high. If you prefer bait, try using bread berley and bread cubes. If you can keep the seagulls away, there will be some great fish plucking bits off the surface. The berley is also attracting mullet, and in turn some flathead are showing up. If targeting flathead, you could do worse than cast soft plastics or lures at the weed fringes and over the sand and mudflats on a dropping tide. There are also the points along Pittwater as well. Longnose Point, Portuguese Beach,

around and cast a lure ahead of where you are travelling at Towlers Bay shallows, The Hill, Stokes Point, Sand Point and the dropoff in the middle of the river between Stokes Point and Soldiers Point. All can produce decent flathead as well as other species.

fillets and dead baits are checked often, as there will be small fish about trying to strip and shred anything that can’t escape. Offshore on the reefs, the fishing has been a little sporadic due to the winds and tides not co-operating with each other. We have had a couple of surprise captures in 40m of water at Boultons Reef in the form of small pearl perch though. I will be hitting the ‘pearly’ grounds over the next month and hopefully put our customers onto a few. Other species that seem to be about are pan-sized snapper to 40cm, tiger flathead, marbled flathead, trevally, the odd morwong, samsonfish and kingfish, and blue spot flathead over the sand. The shallower water has been better than the deeper water due to the strong north/ south current. If you are lucky enough to strike a day when the current has backed off, try Broken Bay Trap Grounds, The Ordinance Grounds and the reefs off the Central Coast in 80-100m of water. The shallower reef areas to try are Boultons, The Container, Newport Reef, Mona Vale Wreck, the wrecks off Narrabeen, as well as Long Reef. The best depth of water seems to be 30-40m, but don’t be afraid

This kingfish couldn’t resist the inky charm of a small live squid. Mulloway are starting to come from the usual haunts at Broken Bay, with areas to try being Walkers Point, Flint and Steel, Juno Point, Box Head, Lion Island Reef and Elanoras Bluff. These are best fished the hour either side of a tide change. The better baits will be big squid heads, live yellowtail, slimy mackerel, tailor, mullet, or a big slab of tuna. Make sure that the

to try shallower, as the warm water right along our part of the coast is bringing in some decent fish. I hope this report sees you excited and eager to get out on the water to enjoy our wonderful part of the world. • 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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Kings, kings and more kings! SYDNEY NORTH

Darren Thomas

Happy New Year my fellow fishos and may 2015 be your most prosperous when it comes to catching big fish! December was pumped full of awesome species and captures, and January will be no different. Sydney is in the midst of one of the maddest kingfish seasons on record, with some of the fish landed being in the extra large category and plenty on surface lures too. Locations like Mugs Reef, Long Reef and The 12 Mile have been heavily populated with many an angler, using every trick in the book to stay attached to the larger model hoodlums that seem to earn their freedom more often than not. Hooked & Hunted’s Joe Emmerton caught a great king topwatering off Dee Why in 45m. The fish measured 132cm and was landed on a Stella 14,000 spooled with PE6 string after it ate a Carpenter Bluefish custom stickbait. Now the reason why the boys stopped for a cast was the amount of flying fish in the area, and owrance Sounder this isn’t the first report about what seems like r from Berkley andschools (or

should that be flocks?) of this species. For the past 2 months I have observed it myself, where an abundance of flying fish are holding over a particular patch of water. The presumption here is that the kings are shadowing and eating these fellas. While we’re talking kingfish and various methods, I can’t believe how quickly anglers have accepted micro jigging. It has taken off at twice the speed soft plastics did, and is continuing to grow every day as people realise that it’s not a hard style to manage. The only difficult part is finding the fish. It seems every month we’re

having to dedicate more space to this exciting style of fishing, with some terrific fish (including marlin), now falling to the charisma of the smallest of jigs. The bluewater scene has been picking up, with some good water heading down the coast. As the marlin reports become more prolific, so too are the shark captures, with many a blue or mako being sighted, offered a bait, and voila… shark on. Shark anglers are a special breed of bloke and the experience of putting a good size noah on the deck is a buzz, but certainly not for the faint-hearted. So get your GoPros out and give ’em a

Dave Rothwell with a top Sydney kingfish taken on a glamour day.

feed, but unless you’re going to eat it, there’s no real need to have one in the cockpit smashing up the joint. Some late season salmon have invaded Sydney Harbour and are proving the mainstay of many fishing trips. Due to boat traffic, this species is always shy after the weekends, but are still accepting different offerings, as opposed to their normal fussiness of only wanting very small soft plastics and glassy flies. Salmon can be located by sighting the birds picking up leftover scraps from amongst the feeding schools. It is advisable to get in front of the melee, cut the motor so as not to spook them, let your best cast go and hang on. Please note though, that driving over the schools will not put you in the middle of them! They will dive and resurface 100m away. There are kings below the salmon and often sitting on the fringes too, so offering up a large live bait on heavy gear, be it downrigged or free swimming, is a fair tactic for hustling up a metrey. If you’re planning a serious big fish trip, then live bait, particularly squid, is the

Nick Kummer with a lean, mean kingfish machine he caught off the rocks — another stickbait capture. key. Be sure to take time to track some of these down, because at the moment they are proving to be terribly inconsistent; here one day and gone the next. Try new spots and maybe even do a bait collection session the day or night before. Ensuring half a dozen squid are in the live bait tank is insurance for a kingfish confrontation.

Fishing the stones along the northern beaches has also been on fire, with some gun catches of late. One that springs to mind is a 19kg kingfish caught by Nick Kummer while stickbaiting the surface with 80lb braid. Nick dropped a 12kg fish at his feet and then hooked the bigger fish straight after; now that’s why we go fishing!

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It’s a kingfish summer SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com

Kingfish catches offshore and along the inshore reefs have been nothing short of spectacular, although it’s a different situation for the rock angler. Some large kings to 20kg have been caught and discussed on social media, while some haven’t.

is an awesome bait for fish of all sizes. Generally they are ganged up with a red and white or blue and white squid slid over the beak to add colour and additional attraction. North Whale Headland is producing a few. Get there early because there’s only a small section you can fish when there is a bit of a swell running. I have seen up to 15 anglers on a length of ledge only 10m long, so have a

Ryan Hayes was thrilled when he landed this 17.2kg jewfish about 20 minutes before dark. I have seen some great fish off the rocks, although not in large quantities. January is a good time to catch them land-based though. Some of my largest — in the md 20kg range — have been caught this month. It’s important to understand that if you want a big king you really have to fish larger live baits like squid, medium to large mullet, pike, and, when they’re available, tuna species like bonito and frigates. Large poppers, minnows and stickbaits also account for a lot of large kings around Sydney, while a large sea gar QUALITY FISHING

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plan B or C up your sleeve if it’s crowded. South Whale at the Inner Ovens is also worth the trip in. It’s about a 25 minute walk, but can be worth the effort with fewer anglers and more area to fish. Live bait can be caught at both locations. Snapper continue to be the main targets for a lot of rock anglers. Fish to 2.2kg are being taken either distance casting or fishing the whitewater zone in closer. A method that works well on snapper is fishing a torpedo float like you would use for rock blackfish, or a small foam float, and suspend a

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JANUARY 2015

bait 2-3m underneath. They will often rise to a bait well off the bottom, especially the larger fish. Samsonfish are continuing to be caught from Narrabeen Point, Long Reef and the Dee Why rocks. Peeled Endeavour Prawns are a great bait for Samsons and a variety of other fish. Use them in the washes, and snapper and pigs can be part of the creel on the same outing at the same spot. Even kings will fall to a peeled prawn at times, as well as groper. Use pilchards and you will miss out on some other species. Rock blackfish and luderick continue to be caught in reasonable to good numbers. Most rock platforms from North Head to Barrenjoey are producing. It never ceases to amaze me when you have someone fly fishing with weed flies that the numbers of fish caught that way can be better than using the real deal! Little Bluey, South and North Curl Curl, Long Reef, gutters near Little Narrabeen Beach, Warriewood and Mona Vale Pool have produced the best lately. The pigs are in mixed quantities. Unlike luderick, pigs require the correct times, being the lower light periods and the high tide as a rule of thumb. Large peeled prawns, white sliced bread and cabbage weed suspended under a float usually works in the same locations as the luderick are found. Rock blackfish that are approximately 3-3.5kg can be potentially 40-50 years old. The flesh of a large pig is normally tough, so it’s better to take home that 600g-2.5kg fish and release the larger ones. A success story like this are dusky flathead over 70cm, which have most likely been caught time and time again. More importantly, they have the capacity to hold far more eggs than a smaller specimen. It’s common knowledge to release a big breeding female and this should apply for the majority of any mature species. Fish caught off our ocean beaches are as clean a fish as you will ever eat. Tailor are often overlooked as far as culinary options are concerned, but I love a grilled, fried or even steamed tailor, especially fish around a kilo. Narrabeen, Mona Vale and Bungan have been the producers lately. That first slither of dawn and just before dark are the prime times, with a run-in tide generally best. A set of three gangs is the traditional method and can also keep them berleyed up if you speed fish. A few pillie cubes thrown into the

David Masters has caught great fish of all varieties all around the country, but this was his first king from the stones. surf zone every couple of minutes will maintain their enthusiasm. A few bream of reasonable size can be caught on the gangs, as well as a flathead or two. I enjoy this type of fishing, as it’s great for a mixed bag. If there is a good tide that same evening and you have the mulloway gear with an aerator/bucket to keep some legal chopper tailor alive, then they make a cracker of a big mulloway/shark bait. For sharks I recommend a length of 100-200kg wire, but if mulloway fishing 80lb nylon will suffice. A large fillet or a butterflied tailor are some alternative uses for this versatile bait. Some great mulloway to 19kg have been landed lately, and a client caught one just before dusk of 17.2kg, his first! That was on a live yellowtail at mid Palm Beach. I have had clients send me photos of fish to 13kg just before writing this column. Mulloway off the beach are nearly always caught during the evenings after dark. The whiting are about. They’re not as thick as the previous season, but the peak is yet to come. Manly Beach has excellent fish to 43cm, with some bream and flathead. This is a great spot, even though it is the most crowded beach on the north side. Curl Curl, Dee Why’s north and south sections, Collaroy, Warriewood, Mona Vale and Palm Beach are top fishing beaches. A species that is not normally targeted off the beach is snapper. Collaroy has pan-sized fish to 1kg. I have caught them up to 3kg over the years, and saw a 6kg fish landed there on a ganged pillie when the tailor were going nuts years ago. The Long Reef end of Dee Why produces snapper from time to time. A really long cast is required though, about 100m.

If you live within 30km of the ocean, it is worthwhile considering a weekday fish. You have less in the way of crowds, more good tide options, and within 3-4 hours you can get a minimum of 2 hours fishing in with a nice feed to show for it. No boat to clean, less fuss, and very entertaining. Take your gear

to work and go straight after knocking off, subject to sea/ weather conditions of course. • For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www.bellissimocharters. com, email alex@ bellissimocharters.com or call Alex Bellissimo on 0408 283 616.

Top: Italian chefs Salvatore Natalone and Carmelo De Velli had a great session on the rocks, with the largest pig at 59cm and 4.1kg released, while smaller fish to 2kg were kept for the plate. Bottom: Samuel Brent caught his first beach worms by hand and then converted them into this fine bag of fish in front of the Manly Corso.

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Keeping kings out of trouble SYDNEY HARBOUR

Craig McGill craig@fishabouttours.com.au

Every season the average size of Sydney kingfish seems to creep up a kilo or so, to the point where a 1m fish could now be described as common. I can remember not that long ago when you were lucky to see a fish this size once a season. Now you can expect one every week. But with this current upward trend, how big can we expect kingfish to ultimately get to in our region? Officially, they can grow to 70kg, but even at Meccas like Lord Howe and New Zealand, this is extremely rare. We know that there are geographic variations on size

for many species, but does this apply to large, mobile fish like kings? I did a quick search through online records (ANSA, IGFA and Sydney GFC). Unfortunately, some of the records were vague about location, stating only Australia or NSW at best. The Sydney GFC data didn’t list location at all, but veteran member Graham ‘Grimace’ Donaldson assures me that it is fair to assume that the bulk of their fish would have been caught in or near Sydney. In their records, 30kg seems to be a common upper limit. In fact, 30kg seemed to be a common figure in all the records I searched. I did find a reference to a 50kg fish from The Peak and a 1.5m 40-45kg fish from the Jervis

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Bay rocks, but overall 30 seemed to be the magic mark. Donaldson assures me that even in the old days Sydney kings never grew as big as Lord Howe or Kiwi kings, but I guess only time will tell. He did point out, however, that kings were rarely specifically targeted in the old days (pre 1960s). Mind you, either way, no one is going to be complaining about a 30 kegger — especially one caught within sight of the Opera House! Actually landing one of these suckers around the heavy structure where they are often found is another matter though, and to some degree is linked more to technique than tackle upgrade. Going up in line class creates a number of problems, including difficulties in delivering baits or lures, and a decrease in interest from the fish due to the obvious distraction of heavy traces. Heavy gel spun lines are a poor defence around barnacle-encrusted structure, despite allowing a better presentation than mono of the same class. Furthermore, heavy line and equivalent drag settings are inherently detrimental to the technique that best suits landing big kings.

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Working on the theory that the harder you pull the harder the kings pull, I’ve found it best to go fairly lightly until the fish is clear of cover. Some fish charge straight into trouble regardless of what you do, and I don’t think much can be done about it. In general though, I’ve found that gently leading fish away from cover is a lot more productive than going hammer and tongs. A good skipper is a great asset in rough country. Quite often, for reasons unknown, big kings will run straight away from cover. This is great if it happens, but you have to know how to handle it. The natural instinct is to chase the fish out, but this can prompt it to swim against the direction of the pull and back towards home. I’d suggest staying close to cover and let the fish tire for a while before chasing him. I’ve never had a king swim back towards the boat like tuna do, so keeping near cover will ensure the fish will not swim back to it. Once you are confident that it’s either too tired or too far from home to get back, then move the boat quickly towards it. From here on in, keep the boat directly above the fish. The greater the angle the line is from the boat, the more chance the fish has of clipping it across the top of bottom structure. Furthermore, being directly above the fish means that it will have to take drag to make any ground downwards toward bottom structure — thereby expending more energy. Low line angles

Salmon have been frustrating, albeit abundant this season. As the bait grows, they should become easier to tempt. until you feel you are a safe distance away and then go hard. Before you get stuck in though, place the boat between the fish and home in an effort to encourage it to swim away from the boat and therefore out from cover. All this is much easier if you are drifting, but it can be achieved at anchor if your crew acts quickly Once the fish is close to the boat, back the drag off a touch to compensate for the reduced stretch of a shorter line. Presenting a bait in such a way that it draws the fish away from any structure has obvious benefits. This is done by casting so the bait lands very close and letting it sink,

they have been exceptionally hard to catch. They are tough at the best of times, but this year even moreso, to the point that even fly fishos with their minute offerings have been struggling. The first sign that you are in for a struggle is when you find a huge bubbling surface school and notice that there are very few or even no seagulls overhead. There’s not much on offer for the gulls when the baitfish are so small, so they are relatively scarce compared to when the prey is larger. Tiny prey usually gets inhaled whole, in a process that leaves few scraps behind for the birds. When the food fish are larger, let’s say for example 75mm pilchards, then there

Marc and Barb with a lovely Sydney metrey. Are bigger fish likely to be on the cards in coming years? created by the fish being away from the boat means that it needs only to swim sideways to make ground, without having to take line. In a situation where you have led the fish gently away from the danger zone, wait

on a tight line, back towards the boat. This encourages the king to race out after the bait and into the open. HARBOUR SALMON PROVING TOUGH While the salmon have been in abundance this season,

is more chance of there being crippled bait and chopped up pieces on the surface. This provides a worthwhile feed for the gulls. So it’s fair to assume that that the prey is tiny if you find a school of surface feeding

fish with relatively few gulls on top. If, on the other hand, the school is supported by plagues of gulls, then chances are that the bait is of a decent size. I’ve also found that predatory fish feed very tightly on small prey and loosely on large prey, so if you pull up to a school of loosely feeding fish

be dramatically shorter — maybe as little as 20 minutes. That’s pretty obvious when you think about it; it’s going to take a lot longer to fill up on 50 tiny whitebait than it is on 3 big pilchards. If they are feeding on large food, they will be easy to catch, and if they are feeding on tiny prey then they are going to be tough.

individual fish and hunting them down, but randomly charging around the bait cloud, gulping water and hoping that a couple of baitfish go in with each gulp. It’s hard work for the salmon as it takes them up to 3 hours to get a bellyful of this pathetically small food. Fly fishermen have successfully matched the

Massive kings are becoming more common every year. Fresh squid is the key to getting yourself hooked up to one in the harbour. with plagues of birds, then you will be fairly safe in tying on a 50-75mm lure. Furthermore, when they are chasing tiny prey they will feed for hours, but if the prey is big the feed session will

The bait at the moment is tiny. You can’t match it with a lure and it wouldn’t make any difference even if you could. When salmon are feeding on tiny stuff, they are not targeting an

hatch and have the means to deliver it, but it’s often proved no more successful than spinning with larger lures. I’m thoroughly convinced now, that matching the hatch is not always the key. The

point I am trying to make is that when they are feeding on tiny bait they are not chasing them individually, so it is unlikely that they will specifically chase down your lure or fly, even if it is the right size. When they are feeding on bigger bait, they are singling out an individual fish and chasing it down. The odds of them doing the same to your lure are therefore good. It’s the modus operandi of their feeding technique that is the problem, not the angler’s ability to match the bait size. It’s frustrating to say the least! When they are feeding on big prey, tie on a big chrome lure (50-100mm) and the strike rate will be high. When they are feeding on small prey, tie on a small chrome lure (30-50mm), but the strike rate will be low. Sooner or later, some dumb salmon usually gives in and eats it. It might be on your 10th cast, but more than likely it will be on your 100th. The good news is that the bait will have grown substantially by the time you read this in January, to the point where small chrome lures will fit the bill nicely. • If you are interested in doing a guided fishing trip on Sydney harbour with Craig McGill please call 0412 918 127 or email craig@fishabout.com.au.

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Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

As I sit down to put together my report for the month, I have just come back from an eventful morning’s fishing on Botany Bay. Three of us went out to chase a feed of silver trevally and bream using peeled prawns. We tried Trevally Alley, Yarra Bay Artificial Reef, Sutherland Point, Watts Reef, and then finally the drums in the middle of the bay. Not a lot was happening, although we had managed to get a couple of legal sized trevs, six undersized, and some slimy mackerel. What did happen was we were paid a visit by Brett Prentice (Coordinator) from the NSW Marine Area Command Botany Bay Water Police Water Patrol, and Shane Davey (Boating Safety Officer) from NSW Transport and Marine Services. Shane asked how the morning was going, who was the skipper, and did he have a boating and fishing licence? “Yes, I’m the skipper,” I replied, and showed him both my licences. They were also doing a combination safety, fish size and bag limit check. Shane asked if I had the following; anchor with a rope (yes), bailing bucket or bilge pump (yes), fire extinguisher (yes), paddle (yes), green safety label (yes), air horn, whistle or bell (yes), waterproof floating torch (yes), and a

Type 1 life jacket for each person on board (yes). I took each item out and showed Shane. Everything was going well until I couldn’t find the third life jacket! Not only did I feel really stupid, but I was embarrassed as well. Believe me, I looked in every nook and cranny on the boat and couldn’t find the third jacket. I knew I had one, but do you think I could find it? Due to the fact that I couldn’t produce it, I received a $100 on-the-spot fine. So here’s a person who just about lives on the water and advises other boating anglers to make sure they are doing the right thing, receiving a $100 penalty for not having one of the safety items that we are supposed to have on

our boats. Thanks goodness I had everything else, because if I didn’t have 2 of the items it would have been $250. The policy is that if you don’t have a life jacket for each person on board, you

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“Take him in for questioning, Sarge!” It was smiles all round, even though I got fined. Next time I will double-check my safety gear.

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not only cop the fine, but you also receive a free life jacket so at least you can keep on fishing. Shane also gave me a whistle without a pea in it, as they find they work much better when wet. All I can say is that I was completely at fault, as it’s the skipper’s responsibility to make sure everything is in place. So the next time you are going out in your boat, double check that you have all the necessary safety gear. Otherwise you may meet up with Shane and Brett and receive your ‘free’ $100 life jacket. Both Brett and Shane suggested that due to the fact that I could carry 4 on board that I get another jacket just in case. I jokingly said to them that they could give me

another life jacket (without the fine, of course) so that I had 4, and to my amazement Brett convinced Shane to give me another! All jokes aside, it makes their jobs a lot easier if you comply with the rules, and one day it may save your life or one of your passengers. So thanks to Shane and Brett for helping to keep our waterways safe. They do a great job. NOW BACK TO THE FISHING Hopefully you had a great Christmas and Santa brought lots of presents of the fishing kind, which you’ve been trying out. The later part of December and the early part of January should see a big increase in the numbers of kingfish, flathead, whiting, and yellowfin bream schooling up at the usual places. What will also happen during January is the amount of boat traffic on the water will rise. Those favourite land-based spots you have had to yourself during the cooler months will become more popular. I would suggest that you keep cool and don’t lose your patience with other anglers. Places that would be worth a shot in Botany Bay for bream, whiting and flathead are the end of the third runway, Trevally Alley, the artificial reef balls in Yarra Bay, Sutherland Point, the outside of the mooring

cans in the middle of the bay, the oil wharf (100m off), The Sticks, Towra Point Wide and the stretch of weed beds from Brighton to Dolls Point. Suggested baits are pink nippers, bloodworms, peeled prawns, strips of fresh squid, and strips or either mullet or slimy mackerel. I would also

Alfords Point bridges. Live bait like squid, yellowtail or poddy mullet are the go. If you are into lures, blades and large soft plastics are excellent. Just remember to wind them as slow as possible to give the mulloway time to suck them in. The Woronora River will be producing whiting and flathead on the run-out tide from the shore and out of a boat. I would suggest running a sinker down onto a swivel, with a leader no shorter than 1m in length. I use 2.1m rods when bait fishing for bream, whiting and flathead, and my leader starts off at 1.5m, but once it goes below 1m I tie on a new one. A number of the sand and mud flats in the Woronora River will be worth working with walk-the-dog style lures and poppers for bream,

amongst a few. Surface lures are worth a shot over the sand flats and weed beds in the early part of the morning, or just before the sun sets. The flats also fish very well when the wind is causing a bit of chop on the water. One thing I noticed more during 2014 is the amount of crap that gets left behind at all the land-based spots I have been fishing. Places like the northern side of Tom Uglys Bridge, the north and south rock walls at the entrance to the Cooks River, Bare Island at La Perouse, the north and southern side of the Captain Cook Bridge, the floating pontoon on the northern side of the Captain Cook Bridge (and there are bins placed here), Bald Face Point, Como Bridge and the Georges River State National Park near Picnic Point are a mess.

I took Frank out on Port Hacking to show him a couple of things. The smile tells it all. recommend a berley trail of chicken pellets and squashed up old pilchards. Also try for kingfish with live squid, slimy mackerel, or yellowtail at these same locations. You could try either anchoring or deep trolling these baits. Mulloway will be on the chew at the Captain Cook, Tom Uglys, Como and

whiting and flathead. Try the last couple of hours of the rising tide and about 3-4 hours of the falling tide. Port Hacking is going to fire on the whiting, flathead, bream and kingfish front. I would suggest taking the time to pump 100 nippers, or catch live squid for the kingfish, and you will be in with a great chance of getting

It doesn’t take much to pick up your rubbish and take it back out with you, because if you don’t it will spoil it for everyone else. Some of the places I used to fish in Sydney Harbour are now no fishing zones due to anglers leaving fish guts, fish heads, dead fish, fishing line with hooks still attached, drink bottle and plastic bags behind.

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Towra, Towra, Towra! BOTANY BAY

Gabe Quercigrosse gabeandgabe@bigpond.com

Towra is a vast expanse of coastline that stretches from the northern tip of Woolooware Bay to the westernmost point of Silver Beach, which is also known as Bonna Point. The reason why this area has been chosen and highlighted is because during the past 40 years or so I have found this time of year to be the provider of excellent catches of

most estuarine species. Towra Point and its surrounding waters are looked upon as the nursery of Botany Bay, as it is also graced with an abundance of ribbon weed beds, probably the last reasonable stands of mangroves, and a number of well-defined deeper sections. I’ve listed below a number of possies that have produced well for most species: Towra Deep: 150m south of the red channel marker, right out in the middle of the entrance to

the Georges River. This area is mussel beds and can be fished both tides by day. Towra Wide: In line with Towra Deep and directly behind the red channel markers, 300m wide of Towra Point itself. It’s best on the last 3 hours of the runout tide by day. The Patches: About 400m out in 4-5m of water. Patches of sand and weed dot the area where the eastern side of Towra Beach meets the mangroves. Elephants Trunk: Best at night and mostly fished from shallow draft boats. Accessible from half tide up, approximately 600m south of the Towra Point boat moorings. Pelican Point: A great dropoff, which can be productive for school mulloway. A deep hole 60m out from some old oyster leases produces all species. The Leases: When bad weather blows up, this is an area in the lee of Towra that still produces fish. The remnants of old

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This lure caught-trevally was picked up at Port Hacking. oysters leases still harbour numerous big bream and flathead. If fishing this area, I would suggest heavier tackle, as the terrain is very rough. It is best to fish the big falling tides with bloodworms early morning or evening. Although not many fishos bother, prawning can be a rewarding experience. The prawns are mostly kings and this is the time of year to go after them. A good spot to use a drag net if you have access to a small boat is Towra Beach itself on a making tide. This area has clean white sand and is free from snags that often foul up the net. Other areas to try include Douglas Flats between St George Sailing Club and Moylan’s Hotel, Woolooware Bay on the eastern shore, Kogarah Bay at the northern end, The Flats opposite St

George Motor Boat Club, Carrs Park open baths, and in the upper reaches, Cattle Duffers Flats and Burrawang in the Georges River State Recreation Area. By far the best possie is Coolum Beach, opposite Fitzpatrick Park at Picnic Point. Best times for prawning are two nights prior to the new moon and the three days following, the outgoing tide being the most successful. On other occasions, during a fresh can also be productive.

around the 20° mark, which has created stability in the feeding patterns. The lower reaches have been swarming with schools of tailor and salmon, with Halco slices and 7cm Rapala Magnums in the Blue Mackerel pattern doing the damage. Between Bare Island to Cape Banks along the Port Botany container wall, and on the south side of the bay between Tabbigai and Inscription Point, have been the pick of the spots. Just follow the feeding birds; this is usually a good guideline.

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Another nice snapper caught off Bellambi. AROUND THE BAY Fishing in the bay has improved, as is expected for the time of year. The water temperature is steady at

Dusky flathead have been boated in Yarra Bay, the airport to Towra drift, and from the Kurnell Oil Wharf to the entrance to

Quibray Bay. Hawkesbury prawns and large whitebait are the best enticers. Class bream to 40cm have been found in shallow sand and weed corridors, The Patches off Towra, The Groynes at Silver Beach and Monterey, the area in front of the San Souci Sailing Club, and the entrance to the Woronora River. Whiting catches are down a shade, no doubt about it, and the lack of bloodworms is a contributing factor. Those in the know have been catching good fish at night from the Caravan Head Channels, the cockle beds at Conners Point, the small beach at La Perouse, and land based at the end of Forest Road in Lugarno. Mulloway have been steady, biting mainly at the bridges in the system during the full moon period, however, the odd larger specimen to 20kg has been landed in the deeper holes upstream of Alfords Point Bridge at night on live poddy mullet. The lack of live bait is of major concern; I’ve received many phone calls asking where livies can be found. The usual spots like the Cooks River breakwall, the tugs area near the cove, Bumborah Point and Watts Reef have failed, but

I’m told that the artificial reefs in Yarra Bay have an ample supply. Don’t forget to berley heavily if you want results. WHAT’S COMING UP January is one of the better months of the calendar and you should have no trouble getting a feed from the following

spots if fished correctly. In the Georges River, try Kangaroo Point 100 metres out from the pine tree during the early morning on a making tide. This spot produces mulloway, bream and flathead, on nippers and strips of fresh squid. Connels Point is easily identified by its

large sloping rock; I like fishing here during the outgoing tide at first light for big whiting using live bloodworms. Caravan Head Channel is a good option, but leave it for during the week, as weekend traffic can be a nuisance. Move wider into the channel with the tide

There’s plenty of bream around the Harbour at the moment.

movement. The northern end of Como Bridge has been a long favourite of mine for school mulloway. I have caught fish to 7kg on the bottom of the tide on squid strips. Gungah Point can be rewarding during the runout tide, but a bit slow if chasing school-sized fish — patience will be rewarded though. Jewfish Point can be a dynamite possie during the runout tide. The bottom is a mussel bed and gear losses can be expected. Fish with a long trace to suit the run and use live poddy mullet or yellowtail. In the bay, I expect Molineaux Point to come good for kings. Number 156 or 157 on the wall are the marks I use and fresh Hawkesbury squid for bait is superb. The Cans out in the middle will also produce kings, but not as big as Shaky on the northern peninsula — specimens to 20kg can be caught downrigging live squid close to the cliff faces. You’ll also find kingfish in unexpected places, such as between the old trawlers moored above the Cooks River and Princes Highway bridges, the yellow markers that indicate exclusions zones near the runways, and the red channel marker wide off Ramsgate.

Bream will be found on the gravel bottom in 5-6m of water, with Barton Street Reef, Eric’s Reef in the middle of the bay, Watts Reef and The Sticks likely providers. Stud whiting will be available 300m north of the boat ramp at Kurnell, along the Silver Beach stretch at Kurnell, Taylor Bar bunker, Primrose House and the cockle bed of Lecombe in front of the Novotel. I expect duskies to be on the chew wide of the two runways, the deep water between The Cans and the Kurnell Oil Wharf, the drift between Watts Reef and Sutherland Point, and the drift between the yellow bunker off Ramsgate and Quibray Bay. All in all, I’m very excited about the fishing prospects and expect excellent reports to be channelled through to you next edition. For all your fishing needs, as well as the latest info on what’s biting, drop into Gabe’s Boating and Fishing at Narellan (4/1A Somerset Ave), or Silvania (268/264-276 Princes Hwy). You can also call them on (02) 4647 8755 or (02) 9522 5100 respectively, or visit the website at www. gbaf.com.au.

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HATS Traditionally, a broad-brimmed hat was the only way to keep you out of the sun, but modern anglers are combining caps and neck socks to achieve the same results. The bread brimmed hat is cooler to wear, but the neck sock stops your hap flying off at high speed. Which option is better for you?

SUNGLASSES Undoubtedly, your eyes are your most important organ to protect. When you’re fishing and boating, you’re subject to direct sunlight as well as light reflected off the water. Your sunglasses work in one of the worst environments – saltwater mixed with sunscreens and insect repellents. If your sunnies protect you from the glare and survive the punishment, then you’re good to go.

GLOVES Anglers often shun wearing gloves. Some think they reduce feel while

others say that hooks get caught in the fabric too easily. Whatever your excuse, there’s no better way to keep the back of your hands in good condition than covering them up. And sun gloves do this just fine.

PANTS Although we all like reppin’ the shortest pair of rugby shorts in the cupboard, there’s no substitute for length when it comes to protection. There’s a variety of long-legged, quick-drying pants around to keep your pins looking mint well into your later years. You should wear them.

NECK SOCK This practical bit of sun protection gear is as trendy today as the scarf was when Harro was shearing sheep. Clever users make sure that the shirt collar is tucked in and the buttons are done up – unlike our intrepid model above, who’s busily working on a red, lower neck triangle. These things will also keep your cap on in a gale.

SHIRT We all know by now that the best protection for your arms from the sun is a long sleeved shirt, but did you know that not all shirt fabrics are the same? Read on to make sure that your sun protection shirts are what they say they are.

SUNSCREEN This is the stuff that you smear on to any of the bits that the rest of your outfit misses. If you’re doing it right, you shouldn’t be using much. Make sure you put it on at home before you go out on the water – it takes a while to soak in properly. Another tip is to apply it with the back of your hands so that you don’t transfer as much smell to your rods, lines and baits.

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The intricate patterns and colours of our native freshwater cod make for a stunning combination. We have captured this pattern in our new Bigfish “Cod Skin” shirt. This skin pattern combined with the underwater logs and reeds makes for a remarkable shirt to wear whilst chasing cod this summer. Cod, also known as “Greenfish”, are an ambush predator and often emerge from deep in cover to engulf hapless prey. This shirt is designed to replicate the instinctive cod behaviour materialising out of the depths to inhale a spinnerbait. The overall colours and camouflage patterns of the Cod, make two great shirts to keep you cool and protected from the sun whilst chasing our greenfish from the shore, boat or hidden rock pool. They mightn’t catch you more fish, but you’ll definitely look the part! – Bigfish.

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Ideal for the middle of Summer, its hard to go past Sun2Sea UV Protections range of wet-n-dry shirts. They’re a must for all the boaties, fisherman and campers. Sun2Sea UV protection are again keeping us protected from the sun and out on the water longer with their range of Australian made, fishing and boating shirts. For 8 years running now, Sun2Sea UV protections’ range of 50+ UPF Wet-n-Dry Sun Protection Boating, Fishing and Leisure Products have been awarded the ARPANSA (Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Assoc) 50+ UPF certification the highest UPF available. They are they only Australian made and manufactured clothing to achieve the 50+ UPF certification. “Every colour and roll of our fabric is tested for UPF before manufacture through ARPANSA, that way the customer can be assured the highest sun protection available. In individual testing some of our colours go up to 100UPF, but still maintain the same aeration and coolness our shirts are known for especially in the tropics,” Sun2Sea’s Robbie Wells said. “It’s easy to imitate but hard to innovate, so

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Unbreakable Sunglasses

When it comes to fully protecting your eyes this summer it’s hard to go past a pair of Gloryfy sunglasses. These glasses hit the fishing market by storm this year by taking out the runner up prize for the most innovative product at the 2014 AFTA Awards. Gloryfy sunglasses are based on maximum protection for the eyes, highest functionality and minimised risk of injuries. This is all possible because of the intelligent materials and innovative technologies from this Austrian eyewear company. The patented technology used to make the frames and lenses (G-flex and I-Flex) make the lenses and frames extremely flexible and always return to their original shape. Check out the YouTube clip showing how strong and unbreakable this product is by scanning the QR code hereby. Gloryfy lenses have the highest quality ratings and come in polarised and non-polarised versions. Prescription lenses are also available. If you have problems with breaking sunglasses, then these are the ones for you! Price: RRP $250 to $279. www.gloryfy.com

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A great time for an adventure THE TWEED

David Solano

Happy New Year, it’s that festive time so first up I’m going to mention some of the great family fishing spots around the Tweed. A couple of weeks ago, I hired a paddle board down at Kingscliff Creek and what a beautiful spot it is with plenty of places to fish from along with shaded tables and if you’d prefer the beach, it’s only 5 minutes walk away. Lately I’ve been targeting whiting with lures and live worms and have been having limited success in the Tweed River next to the Rowing

Club, but as I paddled away staring into the water with my polarised Spotters sunnies, I noticed a lot of elbow-sized whiting hanging around the weed beds and there were heaps of them, I almost felt like I could get out and walk on water as they were that thick. A mate with our group had brought along his fishing rod with some chicken for bait. The fish didn’t like the chicken, in fact they took off, it got me thinking if they’d take lures. Early next morning I gave it a go, I did take a couple of live worms as well. The sun hadn’t come up so it was a perfect time to skip a lure across the surface. I got a little

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Surprise! The author took this bass all the way up at Fingal! bit of interest, but no strikes. Worms? They smashed them. Lesson learnt, take the lures for sure, but grab some lives worms to guarantee a feed. Hastings Point, Brunswick Heads and Potsville all make for family friendly fishing and picnic spots and if you are up for an adventure, all these rivers make for exciting kayak exploring. A little trip I did a while ago involved launching from the Brunswick Heads boat ramp then heading up river and eventually arriving at the back of the Mullumbimby Football Club. It was a great trip with many flathead caught on the way.

A secret little spot of mine, which is not too well known, is the two little tributaries that are in the valley between Bilambil Heights and Terranora. To get there you have to cross Terranora flats, which on a low tide is

Sue with a nice flatty caught in Terranora flats.

This estuary cod put up a good fight and was released after being photographed. almost impossible, so head up on the high tide so you can get a couple of hours in. Deep diving hardbodies in a red colour have been enticing the jacks out of the snags in there, but you’d better have quick reflexes, as they are bloody quick! WHAT’S BITING? A lot has been biting as the river is full of little prawns and the odd jellyfish, but the prawns should make the bite happen. Bream, tailor and small yellowtail kingfish are being caught off both rock walls and around Jack Evans Boat Harbour. Fingal boat ramp and down to Tumbulgum Bridge are two of the hot spots for chasing GTs at night. It’s turning into a fantastic Jack season with some cracker fish being taken off the structure down at the Condon sugar mill and the little bridge just near it. Tumbulgum and Boyds Bay Bridge are also worth a try. I would say Murwillumbah Bridge, but I can’t seem to get anything but bass so if you want to try for bass try all the creeks 30

JANUARY 2015

The author with lizard caught near the hospital at the cotton trees. and little rivers in the area. I do a lot of creek walking and have noticed a lot more snake

action so keep your eyes open when walking the banks for Aussie bass.

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Tristan Sloan tris.sloan@gmail.com

I’m hoping everyone reading this has had an enjoyable and relaxing holiday, with the added bonus of some well-deserved time off spent fishing! As predicted in last month’s column, the warm

a more effective and cheaper option than lures, especially around the oyster-covered rock walls and bridge pylons. Mind you, I have had some success sneaking up North and Emigrant creeks lately, throwing lures into any drowned timber and bankside cover that I can find. The timber seems to be slightly more forgiving than the rock walls and I while

of exploratory casts, that throw into the deepest part of the snag will often get crunched as soon as I start my retrieve. From then on it’s simply a brutal tug-a-war to decide who wins. There is no finesse in this style of fishing and the drag-’em-out fights and monumental clean-ups is what makes it so addictive. I use an almost totally screwed up drag, a 6-8kg rod

Gus Nowell with a snag-dwelling Richmond River GT. They’re good fun in close quarters.

Patrick Sloan with a thumper kingfish jigged up off Ballina. water really fired up many of the Richmond River’s fish species, with mangrove jacks, giant trevally and some big estuary cod featuring in catches. This time of year is great to target these more tropical types, although they do require a different approach to your average line dangler looking to score a feed of whiting or flathead. Fishing prime times and tides early in the morning (the crack of dawn), or late at night will dramatically improve your chances, as they seem to react badly to excessive boat traffic. Live bait is generally the go, as it is

I can’t seem to extract a decent jack, despite some monumental bustoffs I have managed to catch several thumping cod and quite a few good-sized trevally. The best lures so far for have been soft plastics such as the TT Lures’ Snake Head, or the new Prawnstar. Both are remarkably snag resistant, allowing them to be cast right into heavy cover. I start by working the outside of the snag with a couple of casts, before working up enough courage to pitch one right into the danger zone. Providing I don’t get snagged on the first couple

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with 20lb braid and 40-50lb fluorocarbon leader. Knots must be perfect, as they will definitely be put to the test. A 12-turn Bimini with a Bristol Knot connects the braid to the leader. These can be tied quite quickly and give almost 100% knot strength, while a drop of Loons Knot Sense is used on every connection to ensure there are no weaknesses for a fish to exploit. If just looking for a feed of fish, the Richmond River has been crawling with plenty of tasty whiting and flathead. While I haven’t seen a decent bream in a while, I’m not really complaining as nothing beats a feed of the first two species. I prefer to fish the first couple of hours of the outgoing tide as they congregate around the dropoffs and channels. Most people don’t think of whiting as voracious predators, but they can be very aggressive at this time of year when the prawns are running. An excellent way to fish for them is to use poppers or small stickbaits on the runout tide, working them quite forcefully and quickly. A bit of wind chop on the water always seems to help, and if you see a whiting following the popper, don’t stop moving it; in fact, try to speed it up a little. This method will often produce big flathead in shallow water, so it pays to use a fairly heavy monofilament leader of about 6kg. Don’t worry about the thickness scaring fish off, it

won’t. In fact, a thick, stiff leader helps add movement to the popper. Good choices include those produced by Atomic and Rebel, while in stickbaits I have had success with the Berkley Scumdog. Clear and natural colours seem to work best. The estuary beaches have been providing some good catches of whiting, dart and bream for those using fresh worms or nippers. The trick is to get up early and fish the shallow gutters as the tide rises. A bit of white water provides cover for the fish to feed under, as they become wary as the suns climbs into the sky. Crowds of people don’t help either. Having your feet in the sand as the sun rises and hauling in a feed of tasty

A typical rig involves a small ball sinker running down to a swivel, 30cm of 8lb fluorocarbon leader, and a size 6-4 longshank hook with a bit of red tubing above it for attraction. For the offshore fishos, by the time you read this there should be some mackerel making their presence felt on the close reefs. Traditionally we don’t see any Spanish until well after Christmas, however, by now the warm water should be lapping right next to the coast, bringing with it the all-important bait schools of slimy mackerel, chopper tailor and bonito. The presence of these baitfish is very important and even if the water is green and a bit on the cold side below 22°, there will be mackerel about.

The live bait is then slow trolled around the bait schools at a slow walking pace, while another angler throws metal lures from up the front of the boat, trying to spin up another livie. It’s normally only a matter of minutes before it is eaten, and the high-speed spin man often catches mackerel too. For those who don’t like the line burning runs of a big Spanish mackerel, there have been plenty of kingfish, pearl perch and snapper out wider on the 42 and 48 fathoms reefs, though the current can be racing some days. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t turn tail and head for home. Instead, put out a spread of lures and troll around the reef structure

A nice estuary cod caught on a Prawnstar lure. whiting is a very relaxing way to start the day. A light outfit will get the most out of these tasty scrappers and I commonly use a 9’ 3-6kg stick with a small 2000-sized spin reel. Filled with 6lb braid, this outfit will throw a light ball sinker a long way out, though big casts are rarely needed as the fish are often feeding just behind the shore break.

The best method I have found is to be on your chosen grounds as early as possible, ideally just as the sun is rising. I then put out some small lures to troll up a tailor or bonito. Once an ideal live bait is secured, it is then rigged on a 15cm trace of 44lb single strand wire, a 5/0 octopus hook in the nose, and a 3/0 stinger treble in the tail.

and current lines, as there are plenty of desirable game species in the blue water out wide now. A poor day’s bottom fishing can easily be spiced up by a few wahoo, mahimahi or even a small black marlin. I love this time of year as there is such a huge variety of fish to chase, so get out there and put a bend in your favourite rod.

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A little rain adds to the fishing options Ben Pilch bjpcdh@gmail.com

Come January, our run of pelagics is in full swing. With a lack of rain leaving

nice clean water for the annual arrival of the spotted mackerel, the usual spotty grounds like Shark Bay and Angourie should see a fair few fish over the coming months. The good old Clarence

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favourite, a 6” pink squid, will be getting a lot of use, but if running around trolling seems like a bit too much work, there is always the bait option. First, set up a good berley trail with pillies and tuna oil. Once you have that sorted, rig some ganged pillies under floats, let them drift out varying distances from the boat, put the ratchet on and sit the rod in a holder. All you have to do now is keep a steady trail going and wait for the action to begin. In the river, we are seeing large breeding flathead moving down to the mouth. As stated in last month’s column, don’t forget that while they are a fun sportfish, these are also our female breeders and deserve to be released to keep the population healthy for years to come. If it remains dry, good eating size flathead might be a bit more spread out along the river. Any of the favourite flattie spots from the mouth to Maclean will be worth hitting, with North Arm, Oyster Channel, Browns Rocks, Harwood and the Back Channel holding quality fish from legal size up to 50cm or so. Soft plastics and blades are the way to go if chasing up a feed; just hop them along the bottom over sandy dropoffs adjacent to weed beds, or near structure like rock bars, jetty and bridge pylons. This season has been just as good as the last on the crab front, with both blue swimmers and muddies plentiful. Again, the usual spots like the North and South Arms and the Broadwater are producing good numbers of crabs, but you do have to watch out for people who like to check your pots as well as their own. To try and keep the crab thieving down, stay nearby and have a fish so you can keep an eye out. The mighty Clarence and all her tributaries have been firing on the bass front of late. I must say I’ve really been enjoying the bass fishing recently, and find myself

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The author with a Croaker-crunching upper Clarence bass. shooting up the river whenever a spare moment pops up. With the surface action being so hot, the standout lure has been the Croaker Surface Paddler, and it’s the first lure I’m tying on as soon as there’s a whisper of a bass trip. It has been a gun in those prime surface bite times of late afternoon and early mornings, but during the day Beetle Spins rolled through the snags are still the best producers. It pays to up the gear weight a little when working so close to snags, as it saves on losing lures if you get bricked.

With cod season opening last month, the top of the Clarence has been fishing well, with the maker of

Croaker Lures, Steve Patti, showing the quality of fish on offer if you’re willing to put the work in.

The author’s favourite surface bass lure, the Croaker Paddler.

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Fishing Fill-its

The NSW Angler Research Program rolls on! Now into its second year, the New South Wales Research Angler Program (NSW RAP) is revolutionising the way information used to assess the stocks of recreationallyimportant fish species is

otolith (also known as ear bones or jewels) from their catches to research, fishers involved in the NSW RAP are playing a vital role in filling important knowledge gaps that exist in our understanding of

to assess the health of fish stocks and manage them accordingly. Generously funded by the Recreational Fishing Trust, the NSW RAP commenced in September 2013 with fishers

encouraged to donate frames from one of NSW’s most iconic sportfish, the mighty mulloway. Mulloway were identified as the standout species to commence the program with, due to their enormous

popularity with rec’ fishers and ongoing concerns for the health of the stock.

Despite operating for just over a year, the program To page 36

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A mulloway’s otoliths can reveal much about its life history. collected. Through this innovative program, passionate recreational anglers and spearfishers have a vehicle to channel their enthusiasm into contributing to the longterm sustainability of their sport. Simply by donating the frame, head or a single

the biology of some of the state’s key recreational fish species. From each frame, researchers get information on the length of the fish, and by analysing the otoliths can estimate its age. These two simple pieces of biological data provide us with much of the information we need

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16/01/2014 1:13 pm

It’s holiday time, but the fish are at work COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley worleybirdfilms@hotmail.com

If you’re hoping for some tips on how to get away from the crowds this

month, then you’re in, and out, of luck. This issue I’ll be mostly talking about what’s biting and where, as there is a lot of action to direct you to. If you refer back to last month’s issue though, you’ll find a

whole host of options that may help you escape the mob during this busy time of year on the Coffs Coast. All around the Coffs region, the fishing action has been quite hot, and it should continue like this throughout January. The bass have been very active on surface lures, but remained stubbornly further downstream than normal. Whether they know it’s going to be a dry summer and are avoiding being potentially stranded in the skinny upper tributaries, or they’re simply staying where the food is, there have been bass caught from upper tidal reaches and lower portions of most local river systems. Higher flows from any rain may encourage them to head up, but for the last month it has been the lower portions of freshwater sections that have produced the most fish. From page 35

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has been embraced by mulloway fans in NSW, with over 250 dedicated anglers and spearos donating more than 450 frames to research. There have been some seriously big fish amongst them, including a staggering 40 larger than 130cm, all the way up to an enormous 164cm specimen from northern Sydney. Prior to the commencement of the NSW RAP, Fisheries NSW had collected data from just 9 mulloway estimated to be older than 15 years, with an oldest recorded individual of just 24. Donations in the past year have more than tripled this figure to 31 individuals older than 15, with an oldest recorded mulloway of 34 years. Not surprisingly, this information has already dramatically improved our overall understanding of the stock in NSW. Frames can be donated via a network of 27 tackle shop dropoff points established between Tweed Heads and Bermagui. For full details of participating

Dale Johnson got some quality bycatch on his way to 3rd place in the inaugural Urunga Estuary Sport Fishing Flathead Tournament. Due to the dry conditions, the brackish water has pushed a long way up

most river systems. This means that mangrove jack, trevally, flathead and bream

by a label containing some capture details: who caught the fish (name and contact details — phone number, postal or email address) so we can provide research feedback and enter you into the monthly prize draw, and when and where the fish was caught — a rough geographic location and whether it was from an estuary, from the shore (rocks, beach or breakwall) or offshore. For every mulloway frame donated to the program, we will send the donor a Research Feedback Certificate detailing the biological information collected from the fish they caught. Every frame donated also entitles the fisher to be entered into a monthly prize draw to win a $50 tackle shop gift voucher or a mullowayready lure pack worth $50. R e c e n t l y, the NSW RAP has been expanded to include a tagging component (in collaboration with ANSA NSW) to provide information on movements, growth, post-release survival and tag retention;

and a Keen Angler Diary component aimed at improving estimates of the recreational mulloway catch (including released fish). Almost 250

Estimated age (years) 24 20 21 34 26

tackle retailers, please visit: www.dpi.nsw.gov. au/fisheries/recreational/ researchangler/dropoff-locations Frames can be donated fresh or frozen, but in order to maximise their usefulness to research, they must be accompanied 36

JANUARY 2015

mulloway (up to 144cm total length) have been tagged and more than 70 avid mulloway anglers have been recruited to keep a Keen Angler Diary.

A small mulloway frame, all bagged up and ready to be collected by researchers.

TOP FIVE LARGEST FISH AND AGES Total length (cm) 164 160 159 156 154

can be caught all the way up to normally freshwater reaches. There’s plenty of

Location Sydney Hawkesbury River Hawkesbury River Shoalhaven River Newcastle

Season Spring 2013 Autumn 2014 Spring 2013 Spring 2013 Summer 2013-14

For further information, please visit: w w w. d p i . n s w. g o v. a u / fisheries/recreational/ researchangler or contact the program coordinator at research.angler@dpi. nsw.gov.au

TOP FIVE OLDEST FISH AND LENGTHS Estimated age (years) 34 26 26 24 23 23 22

Total length (cm) 156 154 144 164 137 140 153

Location Shoalhaven River Newcastle Port Macquarie Sydney Newcastle Yamba Forster

Season Spring 2013 Summer 2013-14 Autumn 2014 Spring 2013 Autumn 2014 Autumn 2014 Autumn 2014

whitebait and mullet for food throughout, so any lures imitating these baitfish will work well. Surface lures are successful amongst the snags on trevally and jacks, with soft plastics and hardbodies best on flathead. We’re in

the middle of flathead season, so there are some very big girls around, but sometimes it’s a little hard to get past the smaller males. If you’re getting a number of undersize to 40cm flathead in an area, keep persevering, as

Brett Calnan with the winning flathead of 87cm in the inaugural Urunga Estuary STA15856HP-FM_Layout 1 20/10/14 1:52 PM Page 1 Sport Fishing Flathead Tournament.

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those males will inevitably be hanging around a larger female. The bream, too, have been keen on a surface strike, with any small topwater lure doing well when worked slowly with long pauses around structure like mangroves, oyster racks and snags. The opposite technique will work for whiting on almost any sandbank. A fast retrieved popper around the yabby beds on an incoming tide is a great way to get hold of the many 40cm+ models that are about. The headlands and beaches have experienced plenty of action over the last month. Good numbers of school mulloway and some larger models have been captured off most local headlands. Soft plastics and large hardbody lures are the best way to hunt around for active fish. Large slab baits, squid and live baits are the approach for tempting bigger mulloway in the beach gutters. The headlands are hosting schools of rat kings, with the odd larger fish venturing in from the islands and deeper reefs to annihilate an unsuspecting angler’s rig. Offshore, these kings have been active in all their normal areas. The islands, inshore reefs and deep reefs have been producing large numbers of rats, but with

some very good 80cm-1m+ fish. Stickbaits, soft plastics and jigs have worked well, depending on where you find the fish on the sounder. Live baits will also work when

perch, mulloway, kingfish and more will also be on the cards with this technique. Further offshore, there have been numbers of mahimahi not only around the FAD and

Every summer the talk is always about ‘the mackerel’. Are they here yet? When are they coming? After such a long season last year, it feels like they only just left,

Matt ‘Kid Wirrah’ McEwan with a ripper king of 1.2m plus, that he stickbaited up at South Solitary. Mum’s not going to be happy about that shirt though! fished around the edges or under the bait schools. Snapper continue to fire both inshore and out wide. Soft plastics and slow jigging is a great way to cover ground, but with fish spread out a little more, anchoring and setting a berley trail can be the best way of guaranteeing a feed. Pearl

fish traps, but even venturing into the lighthouse and inner reefs at times. Some yellowfin tuna have been reported on the inshore grounds over the last month too. As the water swaps back and forth from cold and green to warm and blue, we will see these species move away and towards the coast as conditions allow.

but this month should see the first of the razor gang arrive. There ought to be a run of small black marlin working down the coast with them too. Almost all the local and visiting species will be firing this month, so as things heat up I hope you can get in on the action.

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JANUARY 2015

Tough offshore, but there’s hope on the horizon COFFS GAME

Glen Booth

My enthusiasm for the upcoming marlin season has been tempered somewhat since the last column by the endless days of black nor’ easters, roaring current, no current, current flowing uphill, dirty water, and quite simply a serious lack of marlin of any type loitering in Coffs’ waters. If they’re not here you can’t catch ’em — simple as that — but some favourable sea conditions would certainly help to prove it one way or another.

Pheel The Bite’s tournament winning striped checks out the GoPro before swimming off.

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The Coffs Harbour Game Fishing Club’s Hot Currents Tournament proved tough going both fish and weatherwise for the 20 boats that entered, with only three striped marlin tagged. Some crews saw multiple marlin over the four days, but they were pretty doughy and hard to interest in lures, while those that would bite proved quite adept at unhooking themselves. The sharkers did somewhat better though, with 2 makos over 200 kilos weighed, and another five of mixed species tagged. After a promising early spring, yellowfin were strangely absent, and the mahimahi were rather shut-down after being at their colourful best just weeks before. Solitary Islands Game Fishing Club members Tim McQuade and Shannon and Zac Danby aboard Pheel The Bite led from 8.00am on day 1, with a striped marlin, a collection of mahimahi, and some nice kings from South Solitary. They fished to a plan and ended up winning a heap of categories: champion boat tag and release, most other game fish tagged, most marlin tagged, and champion male and champion junior tag and release anglers. That’s not a bad effort from the smallest boat in the event! Champion boat capture was Critakill with a top mako of 237.2kg on 15 to Ian Alexander. On a more positive note, there are increasing reports of small blacks inshore and blues wide of the shelf drifting down from behind the banana curtain. Boats returning home to southern ports after the Cairns heavy tackle season have all enjoyed great blue marlin fishing in the Lady Musgrave/Fraser Island region, without really putting a lot of time in. Now that’s still a fair distance away from Coffs, but everyone’s quietly confident that we should see some of the same action when the currents sort themselves out. A couple of vague accounts of small blacks seen

around local inshore grounds suggests these could be the vanguard and that healthier numbers aren’t so far away. Here’s hoping! A LIFELINE FOR THE SLIPWAY? Local on-water boat owners and commercial fishermen in Coffs Harbour might have been thrown a lifeline by Kevin Humphries MP, Minister for Natural Resources, Lands and Water. The minister visited the port before Christmas to try and resolve a situation where

Ian Alexander’s fit looking mako from the Hot Currents Tournament. the on-water community was basically being held to ransom by his department and the EPA over the closure and

Zac Danby with a king from South Solitary that helped secure him the champion junior trophy at the Hot Currents Tournament.

remediation of the harbour slipway site. The slip, which has sat empty for four months, will be made available in the interim so that boats can be slipped and necessary maintenance carried out while a new facility is built. Testing and remediation of the site, which is contaminated with various chemicals, most notable of which is Tributyl tin — a super effective, albeit hazardous anti-foul used widely up until the 1980s — has to be dealt with before anything new is built. Of course, how long all this will take is anyone’s guess, although the press release does state in black and white that the slip will be “upgraded and fully operational next year”. Given that there has been no physical work done since the operation closed its doors at the end of July, holding your breath may prove hazardous to your health.

The victorious Pheel The Bite team with their loot. No, they didn’t win the couch.

Fishing Friendly Accommodation Guide

Stuarts Point: The perfect fishing getaway Nestled on the banks of the magnificent Macleay River at Stuarts Point, between vast golden beaches, forest and rich pastures of the Macleay Valley, Stuarts Point Holiday Park is a secluded and serene riverside hideaway. Like all of the Macleay Valley

a boat ramp for launching and ample mooring for small boats, and there are fish cleaning tables and a camp kitchen to cook your catch. A boat wash bay is located near the main amenities block There is a wide range of choice for every angler with prime beach, river and blue

paperbarks, banksias and eucalyptus, or you can follow the beach around to Grassy Head Beach.

Coastal Holiday Parks, Stuarts Point Holiday Park offers clean, well-equipped facilities for the whole family, including a playground for the kids. The river is a great place to enjoy your canoe or paddle board and there are tennis courts available if you wish to indulge in a friendly game. Half-way between Sydney and Brisbane, the park offers

water fishing spots. If you wish to collect your own bait, yabbies (nippers) pipis and sandworms are abundant. For the everyday family fisher there is no shortage of bream, whiting, flathead, blackfish, mullet and mud crabs in the river. For the offshore angler there are rich grounds close by for snapper, mulloway, teraglin, mackerel, pearl perch, kingfish and

billfish. Charters are available at nearby South West Rocks. Stroll across the river footbridge, along the shady walking track through sand dunes to the beach and collect shells or swim,

surf or doing a bit of beach fishing for bream, tailor, salmon and jewfish. You can amble along the riverbank through peaceful, unspoilt native bushland until you reach Grassy Head through mangroves,

Take a short drive to The Pines picnic area Macksville, view the beautiful Macleay Valley from Yarrahapinni Lookout or travel by boat from the holiday park to the Riverside Tavern at South West Rocks or the pub at Smithtown for a relaxing meal and a beverage. The Stuarts Point Holiday Park is also only a short stroll to village shops, takeaways, the local tavern and the Workers Club and only 35km from Kempsey CBD or 25km from Macksville CBD. Stuarts Point Holiday Park also has pet-friendly accommodation (not in cabins, off peak seasons only. Conditions apply; contact the office before bringing your pet).

Accept the crowds and patience will be rewarded SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

The festive season is in full swing right now and we are moving into a great fishing period in the Macleay Valley. Although things can be

quite hectic and crowded at times, it is well worth persevering, and by putting in the effort you will be rewarded. Big mahimahi have been the first pelagic species to come through, with the DPI FAD firing at times. Being first on the scene of a morning

dramatically increases your chances at a big fish. Kingfish numbers have been good for a couple of months now. There have been some quality fish taken from the headlands and the usual haunts like Fish Rock, Black Rock and Green Island, as well as along the face of gaol

Love them or hate them, forktail catfish are lurking around the Macleay.

Tim Meehan with a quality bass taken from one of his secret locations.

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wall. Downrigging slimy mackerel along the aforementioned wall has proven deadly of late. A late run of snapper this year has kept the bottom fishing interesting. Unfortunately, the current has been racing, making the deeper reefs a bit harder to fish. Bottomship jigging has been a popular approach of late. Hopefully as you are reading this,

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mackerel will be starting to make their presence felt. Both spotted and Spanish become one of our main target species from now until about May, and if it’s anything like last year we are in for some fun and plenty of quality table fish. January is also an awesome month for juvenile black marlin, and reports from up north are pointing towards a reasonable run through our section of the coast. Most fish will be live-baited with slimies, but skirts and trolled hardbodies can be just as effective. Beach fishing is warming up, with a good amount of whiting in the gutters. Along Smoky Beach, school mulloway have been rampant, especially if fishing until after dark. The odd tailor and plenty of bream are coming in for those anglers fishing into the night. Worms and pippies have been readily available from most beaches, so there is no excuse for not having fresh bait. Good amounts of blue spot flathead are being

caught on 5” soft plastics thrown into the low tide gutters during the day. A 7’ 2-5kg spin outfit makes this form of fishing very enjoyable and keeps you mobile, so you can move from gutter to gutter without having to lug a lot of gear along. Mud and blue swimmer crabs have been available throughout the main river, Clybucca Creek, as well as the various tributaries in the area. Flathead are absolutely everywhere, and are responding to just about everything thrown at them. The bigger fish seem to be holding along the rock walls, hanging in tight against the boulders waiting in ambush. School mulloway have been as prevalent as ever, with the average size around the 5-6kg mark, making them well and truly legal if after a feed. The river is teeming with live bait, with tonnes of herring and small pike present. If you can get a tank full of them and set yourself up in an area holding bait, a big flathead or school

mulloway is not far away. Big forktail catfish are prowling around the first couple of kilometres of river. These fish have been fooling a lot of people into thinking they have hooked a decent sized mulloway, only to reveal their whiskery faces boatside, much to the dismay of the angler. Love them or hate them, they are fun on light gear. The sand flats and weed bed edges up Clybucca Creek are fishing well for whiting on the surface, and there are plenty of flathead being taken from these shallow areas too. Bass numbers are relatively good and the quality is improving. On some occasions it takes a fair bit of searching to locate the better fish, but I can assure you they are there. Rock fishermen are catching their fair share of kingfish, most falling to stickbaits, poppers and larger metals. Groper have also been around in good numbers, with crabs being the preferred bait.

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“We’ve inspected plenty of these I-beam trailers and they’re right at home in saltwater.” Phelan agrees. “The only galvanised steel parts in these trailers are the uprights that are bolted on and in the towing assembly, and both of those can be replaced if

I-beam being bent with precision before, but it sure was cool to see the backbone of the trailer taking shape in mere seconds. You can see clips of it in the accompanying video (scan the QR code hereby). Following the assembly line down the shed, it was easy to see why these trailers are popular. They use quality

The finished product looks great and is functional and saltwater friendly.

The I-beam and cross members are all aluminium. boat/trailer or boat/motor/ trailer package. Sam Phelan and his trailer team have addressed this issue, though, and the trailer manufacturing line at their Coomera factory now yields between 30 and 35 trailers per day. It’s an impressive set-up, and spearheaded by the hero product, which is the aluminium framed I-beam trailers. Traditionally, Aussies have been fed a diet of galvanised, stainless-steel trailers for our boats. And these have served us just fine for decades. Trouble is, though, especially with a frame made of box-section steel, there was always somewhere for the saltwater to pool. “The advantages of the aluminium trailers is that the box section is fully open and there’s nowhere for water to pool in the design,” says Quintrex R&D man, Stuart Morgan.

Having a dedicated boatlift at the end of the process to aid in precisely setting up each trailer for the boat it carries makes life easy for both the dealer and the end user. The bottom line is that now you have an excellent option for your Quintrex boat

Quintrex trailers are available from your local Quintrex dealer. And did you like the sound of a factory tour? The public are welcome to the free, factory tours. See www. quintrex.com.au for information on both. – Steve Morgan

Scan to see the full interview with Sam Phelan from Quintrex.

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was for some guys in WA chasing big macks. We did up a 3m trace with 1m of 200lb

nylon-coated stainless wire for their bait to go on, and on the top of that they had a 8”

long pink skirt with a single J hook for running onto a 100lb swivel. They loved it and sent us some great pics.” Many of the quality components Shauclay uses are also available for separate sale, such as the Japanese made, non-twist leader material and hooks. The hooks range from 8/0 live bait hooks up to a 20/0 316-grade forged stainless steel circle hooks. To check out some of Clayton’s handiwork, look up Shauclay Fishing Traces on Facebook. If you want to ask a question or place an order, shoot him an email at shauclayfishingtraces@ hotmail.com or phone 0431 770 929. A new website will be coming online next year as Shauclay settles into new and bigger premises, and we’ll keep you posted. – FMG JANUARY 2015

Early birds catch the fish FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

It’s funny how you can look back on each year and nominate a species that was

Step and expanses of weed flats. If you specifically want mud crabs, set your traps in the river areas of the system, but don’t be surprised if you get a mix of blue swimmers in with them. We do need more rain

pylons and the holes the tidal flow scours out. There have been a lot of legal and undersized flathead along the edges of the channels and drains around the ends of the islands. It’s just a matter of casting baits

If you can find deep pools in the rivers, you’ll find quality bass. There is a lot of canoe or ’yak dragging in between though.

A Berkley Scum Dog bass taken in the early hours of the morning. It’s the best time to target surface fish, as they become more active as the night drains the heat from the water. the highlight. In 2004, the cobia were so thick they were being caught from the breakwall and rocks with regular certainty. In 2012, catching pigs from the stones was a day-andnight, as-many-as-youwanted affair. Last year it was the cicada/bream surface bite, and I think 2015 might be the year of the blue swimmer crab. It’s an early call, but I’m already sick of eating them! The changes to the NSW DPI Fisheries regulations that has allowed licensed anglers to legally set 2 crab traps and 4 witches hats or hoop nets is the best news for those that love the sweet meat of crabs with a coldie of a summer’s afternoon. The blue swimmers have been thick and the occasional mud crab is possible from the lake, especially in the area of The

than we have had, as this will help flush some of the swimmers currently holed up in the rivers back down to the lake area. Most of the crabs I’ve been getting are males and there is enough that I can discriminate and release all the females — berried or not. The trumpeter whiting have copped another hiding this season, but the good news is there are still plenty of big sand whiting getting around. Live beach worms are best, followed by yabbies on a number 1 hook and a light running ball sinker rig. The best time for the whiting is on the run-out tide, in the early morning, before the boat traffic starts. If you’re lucky enough to hit a slack tide early morning, or in the dark for that matter, the bridge will fish well. Whiting often congregate around the

or lures to the shallows and bouncing them back to the boat to get the results. Where there is current along the channel dropoffs, it is simply a matter of casting up current and drifting a bait or lure back with the flow. If you want to escape the crowds, move further up into the lake or tributaries where you’ll find a lot more small fish, but it’s possible to scratch out a feed. Prawning has been quite good on the dark and while the numbers are not what they were last season, the size of some of the prawns is fair compensation. The pre-Christmas dark saw a lot of anglers trying for a cheap seafood platter, and from all accounts it went well for most. Just a hint; you’ll catch more blue swimmers if you set your traps during the new moon period,

because the crabs are far more active during this time. Remember, too, you can’t set any crab traps or nets in the boundary of Hell’s Gate to the Tuncurry ramp, and from the eastern end of Godwin Island and Barclay’s Oysters. This is due to high traffic and tidal flow. Offshore has produced differing reports, with some boats fishing the FAD catching some metre-plus mahimahi, and sand flathead helping to fill out the bags of others. There are some big

kings lurking, and they have even been encountered from the breakwall. There has also been big mulloway of2030kg taken from the wall on 9” paddle tail plastics over the last 2 months, so there must be some good feed in the area. It’s encouraging to see big fish landed, and even a few released. Forget trying to drift fish the breakwall from a boat this month. And with the numbers of visitors (and locals) littered along the wall, it can be difficult to even

find a suitable rock to fish from. Bream, blackfish and small choppers make up the general catch, with the odd flathead and leatherjacket if you’re lucky. It’s not often that I hope for rain, lots of rain, but the freshwater scene is a little dire. The fresh sections of the river have dropped to the lowest I’ve seen in 14 years. When the Manning is at a trickle over 100m of gravel bed, it is desperate. It restricts fish movement and the water warms to dangerous levels in some pools, to the degree that you can find semi-cooked shrimp close to the bank. The deeper pools will hold the fish, and by fishing deep in the middle of the river you’ll find them as they look for cooler water. For my money, I’ll be concentrating on blue swimmers and surface bream this month, and maybe adding a few flattie fillets. Set the traps, go for a fish, and pick them up on the way home — it’s too easy to scratch a feed in January.

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Top: The underside of a male blue swimmer (top) and a female (bottom) shows the narrow tail flap of the male, and wide tail of the female that she uses to cradle her eggs when in berry. Bottom: The correct way to measure crabs in NSW — front to back of carapace. This one’s coming home for a warm bath.

Summer holiday fishing feast! THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

Hopefully Santa got you that much needed fishing gift you were after, and with the holiday season in full swing there’s no better time to get out and use it. There are plenty of fishing options in the Port Macquarie area, but first here are some things to consider.

BEATING THE WIND We all know living on the coast in summer means nor’ easters, and they usually get into full swing from around 11.00am. While these make for pleasant afternoons on the balcony of your accommodation, it can wreak havoc with fishermen and especially the offshore crew. If you are new to the area, remember the Hasting River has a bar that can be treacherous on a runout tide, especially with

Top: The tale of the tape. So metre flathead are a possibility. Middle: Young Dane Corbin looks more than happy about the great run of blue swimmers in the Hastings River at present. Bottom: James Jackson with his PB bass of 50cm, taken on a spinnerbait. WAKING UP EARLY Set the alarm and actually get up and go while everyone else is still snoring. It’s very important at this time of year, as you can be on the water at daybreak, beat the boat traffic, and be home enjoying a late breakfast before the holiday crowd gets into gear. This can make a huge difference to results and your enjoyment, plus you then get to do all those holiday things with the family.

a nor’ east wind blowing, so check the tides before heading out. BAIT FISHING IN PORT The fishing in Port Macquarie is as good and as varied as you like at this time of year, so why not enjoy the tasty blue swimmer crabs that are sensational at present (and have been for most of this past year for that matter). For bait, using the frames of fish you caught yesterday seems to work okay; otherwise a few mullet from the local tackle store will suffice.

Places to drop them would be the southern banks from Hibbard Ferry upstream. The mouth of the Maria River near Blackmans Point is a great spot if you want to pump some nippers with the intention of getting some whiting while the traps are soaking. Remember to keep to the fishing regulations and also keep your eyes on the traps so only you get to enjoy your crabs. If you fancy some prawning fun, then south of Port we have Lake Cathie, and in January the prawns should be of a great size. If scooping with a dip net, then the eastern side of bridge should produce a feed, but if dragging a prawn net, the boat ramp and the Perch Hole are two spots worthy of attention. It would be remiss of me not to mention local prawn net maker Jason, at Ned Kelly’s Bait and Tackle. To say I’m very happy with the net I had made is an understatement. Bringing in 6kg on its first drag, I was home and eating them before 9.00pm! For all things scaley, we have some absolutely great fishing at this time of year, but again consider getting up early and beating the crowd, as being the first to throw into a snag for a bass or bream is going to increase your chances tenfold. Similarly, getting a couple of quiet hours down the front on the sand flats of Pelican Island could be the difference between a bag of whiting, flatties and bream, because once the jet skis start it is time to leave. If you like a feed of flathead, a soft plastic lure is going to put you amongst a few. If casting from a boat, there are plenty of options as most of the Hastings River’s banks hold a certain amount of flatties. If fishing from the shore, wading Pelican Island or a short passenger trip on the Settlement Point Ferry to the north side and fishing the banks there should produce a feed. For the bait fishos, a neat strip bait on tiny ganged hooks will produce while drifting. Places to try are the banks near Pelican Island, the southern banks up from Hibbard Ferry, and don’t forget the northern banks in front of Limeburners Creek and Big Bay. You can drift from there all the way up to the ferry. Mix it up with a strip bait and maybe some live pink nippers and you’ll get yourself a good bag. LURE FISHING OPTIONS As mentioned, flatties are in abundance, but the

other fish to target this month will be bream, bass and whiting. All respond to hard-bodied lures, and using surface lures is great fun and makes the fishing very visual. Try your luck around broken sand and weed bottoms for whiting and bream with small poppers or a walk-the-dog style lures. The bassing at Wilson River or further up the Maria is now in full swing, so if you can hear the cicadas, grab a fizzer, walker or popper and hit the snags. Bream are also an option. If the fish aren’t responding to your efforts, try a shallow running diver, as these can often be the trigger. THE BEACHES Surf fishing can be great in January, with beachworms being the favoured bait. Try the northern end of Lighthouse Beach of an evening on a rising tide, as you can get whiting, bream and school mulloway here on a pretty regular basis. Another spot worth looking at is North Beach, as you’re always a chance of a mulloway there on worms, but whiting and bream will more than likely figure in your catch. OFFSHORE Go early to beat the nor’ easter and there’s some great fishing to be had. Snapper, pearlies and kingfish will hopefully make an appearance wide of Plomer to the north of Port, and the ever-popular southern grounds from the lighthouse to Cathie will be worth a look. These grounds are very good and give up some very nice reds each year. Try water depths from 20-60m and you could encounter that snapper of a lifetime. For the guys that like to get a feed of sand flathead, try the grounds from the north wall up to Plomer Bay; this usually makes for an easy feed. In finishing my first report, I would like to

Dave Wells spends a lot of time kayaking the Hastings. This is not his first metre flattie either! say it’s great to be on board such an informative magazine. Guys and girls, if you catch a fish and would like to share it with the world, then get in touch via email, as I love to see fish caught in

our local area. I will try to disseminate some more information on how we catch these great fish in the coming months, so enjoy the rest of the holiday season and stay safe on the water.

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2015 will be the year of the Manning flathead HARRINGTON-TAREE

Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au

There is no doubt that this flathead season is going to be the best for many years. There are a few reasons why this will be the case. Possibly the most important is the number of just undersized fish in the system last year. These fish are now legal and are populating the lower and middle reaches of the river. We have also experienced a long period of little rainfall and when rain did fall, it soaked in and didn’t create any flow in the freshwater part of the river. This allowed the water below the falls to become saltier than normal,

to hunt. Already there are some reasonably large fish appearing in the lower reaches, but by January they will be well and truly ensconced in the lower part of the estuary, ready to spawn and start millions of baby flathead on their lifetime journey. ESTUARY At present, the river at Harrington has plenty of small, legal flathead hanging about the rock walls, as well as along the edges of weedbeds further upstream. They are taking mullet strips, yabbies, prawns and whitebait, as well as soft plastics and hardbodies. The bream have moved upstream and while there are still some nice fish being taken along the wall, better bags are

sand flats at night on worms and yabby baits. These have become more numerous since Christmas. Mulloway have been scarce, except for small fish around 20cm in length. BEACH AND ROCK It has been hard work for the beach angler over the past month. The tailor have failed to turn up and we must now wait until the Christmas choppers arrive. Salmon are present in great numbers and it is no trouble to land 4-5 of these great scrappers a trip. They are a tough fish and most survive being returned to the water to fight again. A few travelling bream have holed up in a gutter on the southern end of Crowdy Beach, biting on worms, mullet strips and pippies. Small whaler sharks

Head and Diamond Head are also worth a try in summer for big blue groper and drummer on crabs and cunjevoi baits. OFFSHORE Offshore anglers have been enjoying great fishing over the past few weeks. Snapper have been on the tooth on the northern grounds,

with some big fish being boated. Trag have also been on the chew from the same spots. Out wide, bar cod and mahimahi have been caught, the latter up around the 10kg mark. The FAD has been reinstalled, so these colourful fish should gather around it in the next few weeks.

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Now that’s a snapper — all 13.51kg of it, caught by Paul Harvey. and hence the fish moved further upstream. While these conditions remain in force, we can expect plenty of baitfish to move up-river and, consequently, provide food for the flathead

being caught much further up-river. Luderick are eating weed baits during the day and are more plentiful upstream than at the mouth of the estuary. Some nice whiting have been caught on the

to a couple of metres in length have appeared on the beaches, and when they arrive it is better to try another spot unless you have plenty of rigs to spare. The rocks at Crowdy

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Spoilt for choices in the Port this month PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

The fishing at Port Stephens is always good, but now is the time of year when things really start heating up. Over the past month there’s been plenty of action, from monster flatties in the estuary to some cracking big reds and kings outside. And the good

news is that it’s only going to get better as we step into the marlin season as well. Inside the estuary, the flathead fishing has been exceptional. Not just numbers either, but some real thumpers amongst them. I managed to wrestle a 97cm model out of the shallows on a plastic, and have heard of several other fish in the 90s being caught. The majority of the action

has been in the back half of the bay from Soldiers Point to the lower ends of the Tilligery and Karuah river systems. You can expect these fish to spread out a bit from now on, with many pushing down the bay to haunt the shallows anywhere from Corlette through to Jimmys Beach. Whiting have taken up residency along the Shoal Bay and Nelson Bay

Quality whiting are suckers for surface lures at this time of year.

The author with an extremely fat 97cm Port Stephens lizard.

This month has seen plenty of big kings caught both outside and inside the estuary.

beaches, and can be easily caught on the high tide. Live worms are the best bait. With the water now well over 20° inside the bay, surface lures fished over the flats are also a very productive way to get a feed of them — and great fun too! Likewise, bream are smacking lures on the top, with local champs Chris Curtis and Peter Clark cleaning up by throwing poppers over any bit of structure between Soldiers Point and Garden Island. Kingfish, from rats to 20kg hoodlums, have been patrolling the Nelson Bay and Anchorage rock walls. Live squid will be your best chance at connecting to one. Stickbaits and poppers are also effective, especially on first light if combined with a tide change. Tristan Rodriguez has had plenty of success on the kings this month, landing several using live baits and lures. On the beaches, the whiting have been thick, particularly along Stockton, Fingal and One Mile. Live

worms fished on the high tide are again the keys to successful whiting fishing. There have been good reports of school mulloway after dark along Stockton too. One angler I know caught 30 of them to 7.5kg in one session, with almost all being released. Outside, the water has been up and down, chopping and changing between cold, dirty and green, to blue, clear and 20°-plus. This has made the fishing somewhat hit and miss, but from now on that water temperature should become more stable. The FAD has been producing plenty of mahimahi, with the odd 10kg model amongst them. Often, those bigger ones will be hanging a bit deeper, so it can pay to drop a live bait down about 30m for a look. Marlin have been a tad quiet, however, it’s only early and I’m pretty confident they will be starting to fire by the time you read this. Snapper have been consistently good up

around Edith Breakers, but just remember it’s a plastic area only. The shallows around Broughton Island are fishing well for reds, but you need to fish it correctly to have success. There’s no point rocking up in the middle of the day and drifting in 10-20m of water with a paternoster rig and a dirty big sinker. If you want to catch snapper in these parts, there are two ways to do it. Either anchor up and float unweighted baits down a berley trail, or drift, casting lightly weighted 5-7” plastics ahead of the boat. For both methods one thing is critical, and that’s to fish either first light or late afternoon. Some big kings have also been lurking around the shallows of Broughton, terrorising schools of slimy mackerel, garfish and yellowtail. A proven method to hook up to one of these bruisers is to slowtroll a live bait on minimum 24kg gear around the bait schools.

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Inshore and offshore, a great mix of species HUNTER COAST

Gary Earl earlybird13@optusnet.com.au

A new year and I’m guessing with Christmas just gone a lot of you will be keen to get out and try all the new fishing gear Santa left under the tree. Given the conditions we have been experiencing lately, it should be a great time to fish and the next 3 months will produce some of the hottest fishing of the year. The Hunter River has come to life with good catches of flathead, bream, school mulloway, and bass upstream. This is due to the prawns that have come down from the upper reaches. Making them the bait of choice is a great idea, or using soft and hard plastic imitation lures is a good second bet. I stopped off to check the salinity around the Hexham and Raymond Terrace area not long back, and was surprised to see it had risen from near fresh to very salty. With a strip of mullet fished right on sunset as the tide changed, I was hoping for a jewfish or some nice bream. I wasn’t disappointed and got a nice plate-sized bream that

was keen on the fresh bait. I caught it right at the junction of the two rivers that meet at Raymond Terrace, the Williams and the Hunter. A fair few boats were around the area and I saw some others that had big bream also. Most were taken on boats anchored along the body of water in the middle of where the flow from both rivers actually meets. A good hole and dropoff has formed here and it’s pretty well known for sharks, mulloway, and huge eels at times. Bream, the odd tailor, as well as bass all visit this area during summer, so

if you’re up that way it’s a good starting point for fishing the river. Another area that is well worth a look if you’re in a boat is the rocky shoreline along the Hexham edge, just north of the two bridges. As the tide comes in, it pushes you along, allowing lures to be cast close into the rocks. You never know what you may hook along here, although big flathead are the main target. Downstream in Newcastle Harbour proper, the warm water is pouring in, with good numbers of

Whiting, both sand and trumpeter, have moved over the shallows in the Hunter River. Try drifting with peeled prawns or worms.

big whiting feeding over the sand and weed spots up to the Kooragang Island intersection of the north and south sections of the river. This is also a hotspot for big flathead through January and February; the deep sandy bottom drops down to over 100’ in places and the big fish sit right on the edge. Hookups on sharks and stingrays can be annoying, but large mulloway love this sort of terrain as well, so a live bait sitting on the edge of the shipping channel will always get taken by some large predator. Heavy gear is a must though. The beaches are firing, with big sand whiting in the gutters along Stockton and Redhead beaches. The latter is a bit of a problem if you’re four-wheel-driving in though, as they are running the pipe from the Swansea Channel dredge behind the Belmont Golf Course. This is leaving the beach a deep, sandy, muddy mess and hard to drive over. Avoid this area if you can, and come onto the beach to the north or south of it. The whiting are taking worms, pipis, and peeled prawns, and as darkness falls the bream should come into play in the holes. Don’t be surprised if

you get a few sand flathead on the rising tide — they have been taken of a morning and evening.

of longtail tuna or kingfish. A balloon floated out with a livie dancing underneath is the best method, but it

The rocks are fishing well. Areas such as this kelp-covered bottom hold big squid over summer on calm days. Try jigs in pinks and greens, and use Razorbacks if you have them for better holding power when a big inker comes along. I can’t go past fresh pipis or worms for beach baits, although I must admit I am not the best at catching them. I always end up with a handful of worm heads, and get frustrated at seeing other anglers get 2’ long specimens — God it does my head in! Off the rocks I have seen crews live baiting in the hope

requires a lot of patience. In the meantime, bream usually cruise the washes, as do big tailor, and bonito are about in plague proportions. Pick a good day and you should be in with a shot either spinning chromies or using live bait. Don’t forget to pack a squid jig and all bases are covered. To page 50

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You’ve just got to love summer SWANSEA

Jason Scerri jayro@hotmail.com.au

Well a very happy New Year to all our readers and I hope it has been an enjoyable and safe Christmas so far. The hotter the weather gets, the hotter the fishing gets, and I’m not hearing any complaints that’s for sure. From the nearby freshwater dams to the offshore grounds and everywhere else in between, it has really turned on of late in the Lake Macquarie area. With Christmas behind us for another year, we can now start to look at the season ahead and dream about what it may have in store for us. The daytime temperature is right up there, with local temps reaching into the low 40s and the water also very warm. The waterways are still a little too crowded for my liking, but that’s just one of those things at this time of year that we need to deal with. Some patience and a few deep breaths (quite a few on some

days!) will see you get through the thick of it, and before we know it the kids will be back at school and our waterways will see a lot less pressure than over the past month. That’s when things will really kick up a gear or two. Whether it’s bread and butter species like your bream and flathead or more glamorous targets such as offshore kingfish and mahimahi, they are all on offer and in good numbers too, so here’s to a good 2015 with plenty of fish for all. Lake Macquarie is fishing well at present. For those after a feed of fresh fillets, there are great numbers of flathead around and many in the good eating size range of 45-55cm. If you’re lucky enough to get into a few larger ones, enjoy the fight and release them healthy for another day so we’ll have great flathead catches for years to come. The lizards have moved into the shallows and we have been scoring double digit catches in 2-hour sessions in less than 1m of water at times. There are plenty of bays

around the lake and most have shallow flats or weed beds that are offering great fishing. Shallow diving hardbodies are working very well, with the more natural colours getting the better results. Bait fishermen working around the same bays are also getting good numbers of fish, and the humble prawn is currently an effective bait for flathead. Pilchard cubes are also working really well. Fishing Point, Wangi and Coal Point all have good fish on offer. For those that are not aware, we also have a fantastic kingfish fishery here in Lake Macquarie, and every summer sees kingfish schools move into the lake. Fishing dead baits will result in a few fish, but for those who are serious about getting a good quality Lake Mac king, then you really cannot beat live squid.

to visit those favourite shallow water spots. Some great fish are about, with many hitting the magic 40cm mark. Hardbody shallow divers and topwaters are all producing and there are loads of options to choose from. Pop into your tackle shop and discuss what’s working and what’s not. Again, natural colours are working best, with clears and browns doing the damage. Offshore from Swansea is ramping up now that the water temperature is on the rise and bait activity has increased. Everything from kingfish and mahimahi through to marlin are on the cards at present. The local game fishos are hoping for a great run of inshore marlin again this year. Sometimes we get them and sometimes we don’t. Here’s hoping we do, and if so pulling small skirted lures around until you locate bait

Joel Edwards with another Lake Macquarie mulloway successfully tagged and released.

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Jonathan Poole with one of many nice bream he has managed lately, working IMA Tetra hardbodies over shallow flats.

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The good news is there are plenty on offer, so securing a day’s live baits is not hard to do. Soaking a live squid around one of the many marker buoys is the key, and then the waiting game begins. Reasonable tackle is needed, but don’t go overboard and get the most out of the sport they offer. For lure anglers like myself who love to hit the bream on artificials during summer, then it’s prime time From page 49

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Offshore is where the real action is taking place. Marlin, mahimahi, kingfish, bonito, mac tuna, as well as tailor are out there just waiting for a trolled lure, live or dead bait to come past them. The FAD is usually a good place to try, as is the weather buoy off Newcastle and the North Reef buoy. Shiny silver, pink and blue skirted lures are my favourite colours to run around these areas. The deep reefs have been fishing well, with morwong and nannygai still being

the inshore reefs in shallower waters. A new technique that is working very well is the use of micro jigs. Micro jigs are basically metal jigs in that 20-40g range that are ideal for these inshore fish. Different colours are working on different days, so be sure to have a few options on board. Alternatively, soft plastics and live yakkas are accounting for plenty of good fish to 1m, with most in the 60-80cm range. Rock and fishing has also been picking up nicely. Some great kings have been landed off the local stones of late, which is always nice to see. There are also good numbers of bonito at times and numbers will only continue to increase as summer really kicks into gear. Live bait is producing the bigger ones, but those after numbers and some great fun are throwing metal lures around. A variety of colours are working; some days it may be gold or green, on others pink or blue. Keep casting until you find what is working and stick with it. Finally, the beaches have some great fish on offer, with solid mulloway coming in. Large California squid have been first choice for many locals of late, and great fish to 10kg have been landed fairly consistently.

schools is a great way to kick things off. Once you locate the bait, then jig up a couple of slimies and slow troll them, and if all goes well you will soon have a feisty little black marlin ready for the tag pole. From now on for the next few months, we will see good numbers of mahimahi around the fisheries FAD. If anglers play it smart and are share the FAD with each other, there is no reason why we all can’t get a turn at bagging

some great fish to 1m. Soft plastics are an effective way of pulling fish, and cubed baits such as pilchards are also very effective. Mahimahi are a great sportfish, but also go very well fresh on the dinner plate, so treat your catch with respect, put it straight into an ice slurry, and there will be a very good reward at the end of the day for you. Kingfish are also around in great numbers and have now moved onto many of

taken, along with a lot of plate size snapper, I haven’t heard of any big knobbies moving in close yet, but they can turn up at any time. Teraglin and mulloway are feeding over the reefs at night also. All in all, I can see a great few months ahead of us, as the water temperatures are lifting quickly. It went from 19 to over 20° in a small period of time and the current is streaming past, bringing multitudes of baitfish ,which is dragging the bigger fish with them.

A nice plate-sized bream taken on a strip of mullet from the Raymond Terrace region where the Williams and Hunter rivers meet. Salinity levels are high and a lot of fish are pushing up-river to feed on prawns.

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Hot weather matches the fishing CENTRAL COAST

Glenn Ellis-Helmers

I’m sure most would agree that this is a great time to be on or near the water, preferably casting a line. Some days may be roasting hot and there’s a lot of people around the more

popular fishing spots, but as a whole January is a good month for all manner of species. Fingers crossed the new public boat ramp at Norah Head will be open or very close to being ready this month. If not, then other offshore launching spots like Terrigal are going to be

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crowded, so keep this in mind when planning an outing. Remember to be courteous at ramps during this time of year, as many boats will be heading out or coming back around the same time, especially first thing in the morning. The water has warmed a lot over the past month and a few fish are about also. Marlin have been hooked out wide, with an occasional big mahimahi or tuna. Smaller mahimahi have been caught not too far out, with those ever-present moored ships acting like FADs. Kingfish and bonito are showing up more regularly, so it all sounds exciting on the offshore front. Beach fishing is a classic summer activity for many people, and even those who rarely go fishing are quite likely to venture down to the beach and have a go this month. The mornings are often best, before the sea breeze kicks in and

it won’t be hard to rake up a decent feed of fresh whiting fillets. Yum! Some nice whiting have been around our estuaries lately and they will still be on the prowl this month. Most are small or around legal size, but the Central Coast waterways have quite a few bigger models. Those 40cm jobs are pretty common at the bottom end of Lake Macquarie and over the tidal flats around Brisbane Water. These bigger fish really like surface pencils such as the Bassday SugaPen or Lucky Craft Sammy. They don’t seem to mind small blades or vibes either. Bream have been going pretty well too. Like the whiting, they will be smashing topwaters again this month, especially around the new moon phase when the prawns are running. A few good bream have been caught on Gulps as well lately, but if there’s one lure they will take

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It’s a very good time to try soft plastics for flathead right now. This solid fish grabbed a camo Berkley Gulp and was kept for the table. builds during the day. Most species including whiting, tailor, salmon, flathead and mulloway could show up, but the more common ones this month would be whiting and tailor. The good thing about beach whiting fishing is you don’t need a really long rod and a big reel to fish for them. Even a short rod used for flicking lures at bream in the lakes will do the job. Try baits like bloodworms or pipis and

www.cchp.com.au 52

JANUARY 2015

when they’re not hitting any others, it’s a Gulp. One way to beat the heat, the crowds, and catch some nice bream, is to leave the lures at home and use good quality bait like live prawns or fresh mullet fillets. Some real beasts are caught at night, but if you don’t hook one of those, then at least the chance of catching a few reasonably big ones is

still very good. The Entrance channel is a popular and productive place to soak a bait for bream, but there are plenty of other reliable spots around Brisbane Water or the lakes, especially if there’s a bridge or rocky point present. Flathead have been active lately and the same should continue through the month. Some excellent places to try with soft plastics, hardbodies

or natural baits are Ettalong, Woy Woy and The Entrance. Realistically, anywhere with some sand and weed should be home to a lizard or two. People may not realise that there are even some carp fishing options on the Central Coast. The muddy freshwater reaches of certain creeks, as well as a number of man-made dams and ponds are home to carp, some of which are surprisingly big. If you want to try something different, take a look at Google Earth or the local street directory and try bread as bait on a small hook. If they are present, it won’t take long for one to find your bait. Of course rock fishing is also starting to look better as warmer currents push down the coast. Places like Terrigal, Norah Head and South Avoca will probably be quite crowded, especially if seas are calm and word gets around that the fish are biting, but there’s an excellent chance of finding fish like kings, tailor or bonito.

We’ve got fantastic beaches along the Central Coast, and the good news is that they are all well worth fishing. Look for something like this, which is deeper water close to shore and quite a bit of wave action.

Beating the holiday blues NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Everyone loves the summer holidays, but if you’re a keen angler, this can be a rather trying time of year! Starlo offers some very timely tips to help beat the crowds and catch a few fish.

ski boats and a flotilla of other craft from tiny kayaks to floating gin palaces will all fill our estuaries, bays, lakes and rivers over the coming weeks, transforming even normally placid and largely deserted backwaters into busy, bustling hives of frantic activity. Long queues will form at launching ramps and tempers may fray as those

those incessant summer sea breezes), late in the evening, or even at night. Remember, the days are extra long right now, so save the middle parts of them for family activities or watching the cricket, and do your fishing before or after. 2. Consider giving the lures a rest. Instead use the best and freshest bait you can lay your hands on. Typically, this

can possibly get away with will pay huge dividends in terms of extra bites and more fish hooked… Fish smarter, not harder! 5. Finally, be extra cautious around the water. There are lots of very occasional boaters out there now and accidents will happen. Make sure they don’t impact on you! It should also go without saying that this is the most critical time of year when it comes to avoiding skin damage from our harsh sun. Make sure you slip, slop and slap! Until next time, I wish you all safe, productive summer fishing and a happy, healthy New Year. Tight Lines!

Taking the time to collect your own bait then using it alive or at least fresh can make a world of difference to your results at this time of year.

The summer holiday crowds can make it harder to find and catch fish, especially at popular locations. It’s time to fish smarter, not harder! “Summer time and the livin’ is easy, fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high.” So goes the delightful old Ella Fitzgerald jazz number. And it’s true. Summer is a wonderful time of year, and we all look forward with eager enthusiasm to our annual holidays. Somewhere between Christmas Eve and Australia Day, most Aussies will take a chunk of time off work to spend with their families, kick back and — in many instances — wet a line in the hope of catching some of those jumpin’ fish Ella sung so lyrically about! Unfortunately, the reality of this situation also means that our more popular waterways will be placed under immense peoplepressure as hordes of holidaymakers escape the summer heat for some welcome aquatic relief. Laughing kids, splashing dogs, noisy

once-a-year boaties struggle with the basics of fitting bungs, undoing tie-downs and coaxing neglected outboards into spluttering, coughing life. It can be a trying time… Not surprisingly, fish often tend to hunker down or make themselves scarce when this annual migration run of excited humanity hits the coastline and inland waterways. Catching a feed can become nigh on impossible at the height of the summer time insanity… They don’t call it this the silly season for nothing! Fortunately, there are some tricks for avoiding the worst excesses of the ‘human hatch’ and still being able to hook the odd good fish. Here are my five favourites: 1. Avoid the busiest hours of the day. Try to do the bulk of your January fishing very early in the morning (also a good way to beat

means catching or gathering it yourself. Beach, blood, sand and squirt worms, pink nippers (Bass yabbies), pipis and cunjevoi (sea squirt) flesh are all good, but my absolute favourite offering at this time of year is a live prawn lightly skewered by the tail on a small, sharp hook… Deadly! 3. Go the extra kilometre. Travel upstream a few more bends, or walk another couple of hundred metres along the beach or around the headland to get away from the worst of the holiday crowds. People tend to be rather lazy these days, and making a small extra investment of effort and time can really pay off handsomely. 4. Use even more finesse in your fishing than usual. More than at any other time of the year, the use of minimal sinker weight (or no sinker at all) and the lightest, finest lines and leaders you

Top: A tub of lively pink nippers, Bass yabbies or ‘one-armed bandits’, ready to be converted into a meal of succulent fresh fish! Bottom: Our estuaries are especially busy places in January!

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Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

Okay, it’s time to get serious. Yes, we had the now annual bluefin run in winter for a week or so, then a few yellowfin showed up for a short time a month or so later, but since then it has been pretty lean pickings game fish-wise in this neck of the woods. The bluefin and yellowfin action was way beyond the capabilities of most trailer boats anyway, but now it’s a new year and with it comes the big push of warm water we look forward to. With that push the marlin,

the currents push in close so everyone can have a crack at these sensational sporting fish. The current and the bait that comes with it really gets the kingfish going too, and the harder it runs the better they like it. The various islands, Bellambi, Bass Point and Rangoon are prime spots in close, with Wollongong Reef and Bandit a bit further out producing the goods. Live baits are the way to go in shallow, and livies and knife jigs work on the deeper reefs. For the biggest fish, live frigate mackerel just can’t be beaten, and they should appear any time now. They can be hard to catch though, as they only take very small flies and lures, but the time taken to

Small marlin are notorious for their wild aerobatics, with this one almost coming into the boat during one of its leaping frenzies. mahimahi, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, mac tuna and a host of others could arrive on any given day. It just gets better as the weeks progress; the temperature rises further and

secure a live frigate almost always pays off with a big fish eating it. Further out, the FADs have already had a few mahimahi show up, with some bigger

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fish too, but they are not yet consistent. Over the coming weeks that will all change, as they take up residence around the buoys in numbers as the water gets hotter and the current stronger. Mahimahi to larger predators are just bait, so there will be a few marlin lurking around the FADs as well, picking off a feed as needed. Large live baits score the biggest mahimahi, but also attract the attention of any marlin in the area, so don’t be surprised if that next jumper has a bill on it. Later in the month is generally better for marlin, with the Australia Day weekend signalling the main run. With the little blacks caught in November up around Hervey Bay, all bodes well for a good season this year. For best results, Bandit, Wollongong Reef and the south eastern grounds off Shellharbour are the prime spots when huge schools of slimy mackerel gather and start milling about on the surface. This is fast food for marlin and they gather in numbers for an easy feast. Further out, Trap Reef always holds good fish, with more striped marlin encountered in the deeper water. Wider than this is a lottery, and where you find the bait you will find the fish. The bait may just be a small school of striped tuna feeding on the surface, but this situation is always worth a slow troll with a live mackerel or one of the tuna if you can catch one. Small yellowfin tuna will be about as well, so don’t be surprised when that Christmas Tree or small plastic skirt meant for a stripie gets hit and runs a bit harder and longer, as fish to 30kg are not uncommon at this time of the year. Later in the month when the warm water turns to hot, we could see anything from wahoo to cobia, so expect the unexpected. Closer to shore, often right in on the headlands and the backs of the beaches, the salmon, frigate mackerel, mac tuna, bonito, trevally, small kings and tailor will be boiling on the surface, chewing into the tonnes of bait as it comes down the coast. Casting small lures into this mess is fun and rewarding, and can often turn up a few nice kings as well as good-sized snapper that move with the schools in the shallower water. A large plastic cast into the melee and worked deep could do the trick, but most of the time it will be salmon as they work top to bottom. Some nice snapper have been picked up drifting the deeper reefs with both bait and plastics in 40m or more of water, but the current has been a bit heavy so larger jigheads will be required.

Over the sand, the flathead have really kicked into gear along the coast, with some very nice fish better than 50cm coming in of late — and lots of them. Throw in some good mowies, piggies, Samsonfish, kings and all the other assorted bottom dwellers and there is plenty about for the drifter. The rocks really hit their straps this month as the pelagics come out to play. We could see a few more guys on the local deep ledges trying for marlin or big kings, as the Jervis Bay peninsula has had its access to the prime LBG ledges severely restricted this year. It was only a matter of time as filthy grubs left everything from rubbish to human waste on the ledges, turning them into a septic cesspit. Not all of the anglers were responsible for this of course, but from my observations most that camped out on the ledges held little regard for the environment. So with that in mind it could get a bit more crowded, but with a few more baits in the water we might just see some better than average fish taken locally. We know they are here, just not targeted as much as further south. Live yellowtail and mackerel will score kings, salmon, bonito, mac tuna and marlin. While you are waiting for that run, you can toss lures about for most of those species, and add frigates and trevally. Live frigates make great big king and marlin baits, or berley the washes for bream, trevally, the odd snapper and a few nice drummer. On the beaches it is more of the same with all species on offer right along the coast. Whiting are now in the gutters, with fresh beachworms really the only way for a good catch. Salmon like worms too, as do bream, dart and flathead. Big plastics fished in the deeper gutters late in the evening are accounting for a few smaller mulloway

Lots of little tropical yellowfin mingle with the striped tuna at this time of year, making trolling for them a bit of a lottery. mornings in summer, so pick the largest you can find just on dark to maximise your chance of that big fish. If you don’t want to work that hard, there are still heaps of salmon, tailor, flathead and bream ready to grab a pilchard in gutters on most beaches. One thing for visitors to take into consideration on the beaches over summer is that quite a few are dog off-leash areas and most of these are the better fishing spots. Some of the owners are responsible, but the majority are not, allowing their wonderful hounds to piddle all over your gear, steal your bait, drag your bags, buckets and packs over the beach, and jump all over you when you are fishing or cutting bait. I even had one grab my rod and drag it and the reel through the sand, yet the owner wondered why I became abusive. Being bailed up by a bull mastiff is not a pleasant experience either. It doesn’t matter what

out of your hand from behind when baiting up. I avoid these beaches unless it is really blowing or raining; this seems to keep them a bit quiet on these occasions. In the estuaries, it doesn’t get much better, with the prawns in full swing, plenty of blue swimmer crabs, and flathead and bream lining up to grab live prawns and plastics throughout the lake and Minnamurra. Around the bridges is where the bream have been, with the flatties just about everywhere. Throw in a few salmon around the entrances to both waterways, and try for school mulloway around the bridge pylons and the breakwalls at the entrance to the lake on live baits and plastics. On the shallow flats, the whiting are taking nippers and worms, and on quiet days poppers can make it interesting. Don’t forget the Wollongong Sportfishing Club’s annual Lake Illawarra

The warm water brings in sharks as well as more desirable pelagics. This hammerhead chased the bait right up to the boat and then didn’t want to leave. and some big flathead, while one of those fresh whiting frames (including the head) fished later in the evening will bring undone any larger mulloway that are about. The biggest tides are always in the

time you are there, be it early morning or late in the evening, they will be present, so be warned. Keep all baited hooks well covered and out of the way, as the dogs will sniff them out and even snatch them

Family Flathead Classic in January either; there are loads of great prizes for all the family. So it’s all systems go for the next few months. Good luck!

Good rainfall fires the Shoalhaven region up NOWRA

Wes Murphy wesmurphy@bigpond.com

A happy New Year to all our readers and I hope you’re off to a bumper start, landing plenty of fish with a few PBs thrown in! After the huge dump of rain at the start of December, the Shoalhaven River has livened up. Good patches of prawns have really turned the flathead on, with fishing from either bank by wading out to the edge of the sand flats or drifting east of the Nowra Bridge bringing the greatest success. Bream have arrived in good numbers and are happy to take almost any kind of surface lure. Early mornings and late afternoons are best, as the massive amount of ski and wakeboard boats about during the day tends to shut them down. This also goes for the bass. Both species are

It’s fresh squid for the bait guys and Shad’s Jew Candy lures for those who want to cast all day. Monster flathead are definitely on the chew in St

shallow diving lures to throw around the flats. Some of the best bream will be caught at this time of year and they’re great fun on 2-3lb fluorocarbon fished straight through.

The marlin have moved in for the summer and the land based game fishos have dedicated any spare time, plus some sick leave, to try and land the big one. If you

fish of a lifetime. They would certainly appreciate not having their marlin or tuna cut off during the fight. If you’re after a feed of offshore flathead, head through the Crookhaven mouth and

take a left. Line yourself up with the surf club and start a drift using a paternoster rig baited with salted whitebait or prawns. This should see a few lizards hitting the deck in no time.

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The new Mrs Ali Osterloh with an awesome poppercaught giant trevally from her honeymoon. head out to The Tubes you’ll see people camped out day and night, and if you’re lucky maybe find some space to wet a line. To any boaties fishing around this area, just be aware of the guys on the stones who might be hooked up to that

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Mrs Ash McGoldrick with a Murray cod caught out at Lake Mulwala. liking the Megabass Siglett and Tiemco Magnums at the moment. Mulloway are still around in their usual haunts like the canal and The Pole at Greenwell Point, with both bait and lures working well.

Georges Basin. Head east and work the big dropoffs with large paddle tail soft plastics on 1/4oz jigheads for best results. You may also get to wrestle with the elusive Basin mulloway! Take some lighter gear and

Around the Jervis Bay cliffs are hordes of rat kingfish, coming up in quarter acre clouds at times. While you’re on your way out there, drag some skirted lures around to pick up the bonito that are available right now.

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A guide to St Georges Basin and Sussex Inlet SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

The towns on the fringes of the broad St Georges Basin waterway make an ideal base for anyone who enjoys boating and fishing. They also offer easy access to the sheltered waters and beaches of Jervis Bay, which includes Hyams Beach, Green Patch and Murrays Beach, and the ocean beaches to the south. This peaceful spot is perfect for the whole family to enjoy sailing, swimming, water-skiing, kayaking and snorkelling. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss Booderee National Park Botanic Gardens, which is a short drive from Sanctuary Point and well worth a visit. The

Since the removal of commercial fishing in the Basin, the bream have come back in leaps and bounds.

The author caught these bream while working blades in the deep and poppers over the shallows. during a southerly blow. Not only can you fish out of a boat, but there are plenty of spots to fish from the shore too. If you drive down to the boat ramp at the northern end of the bay,

you can fish here at all times of the day, although better results will come in the early morning and late afternoon. During the warmer months of the year, the surface action from

bream, flathead and whiting can be mind blowing. The depth varies and there are a number of dropoffs, cockle and weed beds. The 3 boat ramps that are situated there give easy

A glorious sunset from the back of Island View.

This whiting engulfed a Strike Pro Blade. Major surgery was required to remove it. 56

JANUARY 2015

scenic 40-minute Basin Walk follows the shoreline from Palm Beach Reserve to Paradise Beach Reserve. Conjola National Park has forests surrounding beautiful lakes and estuaries, and large areas of woodland and heath that become a mass of wildflowers in spring. The park is ideal for walking, bird watching, swimming, fishing and canoeing. Much of the town of Sussex Inlet is built around a system of tidal canals, offering water panoramas and easy access for boating enthusiasts. Each of these is a scenic sensation, and the proximity of these varied seascapes gives residents and visitors to Sussex Inlet a great range of leisure options. 1. EROWAL BAY Erowal Bay is best fished when the wind is coming from the north, as it can get very rough

Our stay at Walmer Weekender was great, and we were joined by 5 kayakers.

This poor whiting had its tail removed by a very large tailor just at the boat.

access to many a great spot. If the breeze is coming from the north, you could try drifting, starting from the shallows in the north and going right through the bay. Weighted soft plastics and blades are the go if lure fishing, but if you are a bait angler, try using pink

nippers, half pilchards and strips of tuna and mullet. 2. THE DROPOFF This whole stretch of shoreline along the south eastern side can be trolled for tailor and salmon on the edge of the dropoff, or you could work baits, soft plastics and blades from

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After a morning on the water chasing a few bream with hardbodies, Gary couldn’t get the smile off his face.

the edge of the weed beds to around 5m in depth. Flathead, flounder, bream, whiting, tailor, tarwhine, snapper and the odd mulloway can be caught while fishing this area. 3. THE ARTIFICIAL REEFS The artificial reefs here have been constructed using Reef Balls, and are randomly placed. This area

Wreck Bay South Pacific Ocean

ST Georges Basin produces yellowtail, mullet, bream, whiting, flounder, snapper, tarwhine, tailor and mulloway. For more information on the GPS position of the reefs, go to http://www.dpi.nsw.gov. au/fisheries/recreational/ saltwater/artificial-reefs/ st-georges-basin 4. SANCTUARY POINT This shallow, small bay is another place worth

fishing when the wind is from the north. Try working the shoreline with hidden weight soft plastics and hardbodies. As you get to deeper water, try working blades across the bottom. This is also a great place for the shore-based angler who doesn’t mind wading out to the edge of deeper water. Pink nippers can be found here as well.

5. THE ISLANDS The water depth around both islands is very shallow, but at times will hold good concentrations of bream, flathead, whiting, mullet and garfish. This area usually fires during the warmer months of year on surface lures and lightly weighted soft plastics. Whether you are bait fishing or chucking a few

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year. There are a couple of shallow creeks worth a look when the tide is at its highest. Bream, flathead, flounder, whiting, snapper, mulloway, mullet

of Sussex Inlet to around 8-9m. It is a very popular spot on the run-in tide for both lure and bait anglers. If you are going to anchor up here and bait fish, I

berley mixture I usually use bread, chopped up old prawns and pilchards. FAIRWAY CRESCENT You can gain access to the shore here to target

A combination of deepwater blading and surface poppering led to the undoing of these fish. CHARTER OPERATIONS Greg Reid – Bay & Basin Sports Fishing www.bayandbasinsportsfishing.com.au/ soft plastics or blades, this is one of the most productive spots in the Basin. I have found that the slower you work the recommended lures, the better the results. 6. BASIN VIEW A great boat ramp here gets you easy access to Wandandian Creek, Tullarwalla Lagoon, and

the rest of The Basin. You can also shore fish from this area, and the ramp has a small jetty beside it. It’s a great place to trap a few poddy mullet for live bait. 7. COCKLE BEDS The entrance to this small bay has a number of cockle beds, broken rubble, weed beds and sand flats. Work the shoreline and

middle sections for bream, flathead, whiting, trevally, tailor, mullet and flounder. 8. SWAN BAY There are so many places to fish in this bay. There are a number of cockle beds and broken reefs in deep water, weed beds, oyster beds, and sandy patches close to shore, and sometimes it is hard to make up your mind which one to start on! It’s a great spot to work surface lures during the warmer months of the

This huge croc put the bite on Gary. and garfish frequent this bay at times. 9. THE INLET The water drops off here from the main channel

would strongly advise the use of a steady stream of berley. This will bring in and keep the fish at the back of your boat. For a

luderick, mullet and garfish, which school up during the cooler months of the year. It seems to work best on either tide.

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The top bait for luderick is local weed, but this can be very hard to get, so I would suggest you harvest weed or cabbage somewhere else and bring it with you. Remember to use berley to increase your chances.

boats that are positioned along the edges of the canals. I have found that the first couple of hours of the run-out tide produces the larger fish. If you drive around here in a car, you will spot a few

ACCOMMODATION Huskisson Beach Tourist Park Phone: 1300 733 027 www.holidayhaven.com/huskissonbeach-tourist-resort.html Huskisson White Sands Tourist Park Phone: 1300 733 028 www.holidayhaven.com/huskisson-white-sands.html Swan Lake Tourist Village (Sussex Inlet) Phone: 1300 555 517 www.holidayhaven.com/swan-lake-tourist-village.html Riviera Caravan Park Phone: 02 4441 2112 www.rivieracaravanpark.com.au 10. SUSSEX INLET CANALS This area can be a bit tricky to fish, as sometimes it fires and sometimes it doesn’t. Try working the pontoons, wharves and

places that you can fish from the shore. Remember to fish as light as possible and don’t forget to take some berley with you. THE RSL CLUB This is a great spot to

take the kids for a shorebased fish for bream, flathead, whiting, mullet, garfish and luderick. Best results come from using using pink nippers, live bloodworms, and strips of mullet or tuna. LAND-BASED The water depth varies at this spot, and is best fished during the latter part of the day. Try using a ball sinker down onto a swivel and a leader of about 1m in length. Beach and bloodworms, pink nippers and poddy mullet are the go for bream, flathead and whiting. THE POINT As this is a fairly flat, rocky headland, you will need to take extreme care when fishing off here, as it is exposed to the ocean swells. Bream, drummer, luderick, tailor, salmon, trevally and bonito are targets. BHERWERRE TO CAVES BEACH Bherwerre Beach is

A day on the water with Greg Reid from Bay & Basin Sports Fishing is well worth it. He knows the place like the back of his hand. the longest, highest energy beach on the south coast. The 7km long stretch of sand occupies much of Wreck Bay, a 9km-wide south-facing bay with St Georges Head to the east. The beach is bordered by a 30m high rocky headland in the north and the mouth of Sussex Inlet to the south. The beach can be

reached on foot via a 400m long track from the Caves Beach camping area, and in the south off a gravel road that leads to the small camps at Christian Minde and Lumeah. There seems to be a permanent rip against the northern rocks, where you can target salmon, bream, whiting and the

occasionally luderick and drummer. At the southern end the shifting tidal shoals and channels of Sussex Inlet create additional variations in the surf, and once again you can target salmon, bream, whiting and flathead. Just inside the river’s entrance is a good spot for luderick from autumn to winter.

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Batemans area on song for summer fishing BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

Marlin, mahimahi, mulloway, whiting, flathead and tailor are the headline acts this summer. With Christmas behind us and family commitments having been met, maybe we are off the chain and now free to do some serious fishing! Offshore is looking hot. Water temperatures are climbing, the marlin are out there rounding up bait, and this

deep is another way around them. We have downriggers at a great price in stock here at the Compleat Angler Batemans Bay. These attach to a stainless steel fitting that slots into a rod holder if you don’t want to or can’t fit a downrigger base to your boat. If you get bored drifting or slow trolling, you can always get some skip baits ready if you haven’t done so already — or pull the livies in and drive around with teasers ready for switching. If you want to be a bit more relaxed

Jem Abbot’s PB snapper off the stones weighed 4.6kg. is how to find them; find the bait and the predators are never too far away. The more bait, the better your chances are. Quite often you can approach the Continental Shelf and find a massive amount of bait straight up, but not have any enquiries on lures or livies. The day is young, so you drive off to the north or south after checking the wind direction, only to find that the grass isn’t greener on the other side. You see nothing as promising as where you started, so after wasting your paycheck on fuel you return to where the bait is, only to find a dozen marlin feeding and have probably been there the whole time. I don’t know of any occasion where it was a bad idea to stay with the bait, especially a large amount — volumes where you call everyone aboard over to look at the sounder and you all say, “There has got to be fish here!” That’s probably because there is — or they’re not far away. So if this happens I suggest sticking around and filling the live bait tank. Slow down, relax, and take your time with preparing some livies. Put one out the back on the surface and you can run another down deeper by attaching a breakaway sinker to the snap swivel with an elastic band. This way you are covering 2 depths, and if seals are present, then running a bait

and take a gamble, then try lures with hooks. Driving out a bit wider looking for a blue marlin can yield results, but I would stay within the vicinity of the bait if it is still present and looks promising. Going away a little and coming back to it breaks up the monotony. There are plenty of options and ways to catch a marlin, and sometimes it’s the tide change that makes it all happen. By February the

holding these guys throughout the summer months. We have had a few encounters with kingfish so far, and it’s looking like an improvement on last year, but that isn’t hard to beat. Eden has seen a few, Montague has had a lot of rats, Batemans Bay a few average ones here and there, Ulladulla also, with some average schools, and Jervis Bay has been the place for your better numbers as usual. Fingers crossed we get some big schools holding at our south coast haunts over the coming months. On the reef fishing side of things, spring snapper were out wide in big schools, but fishos who persisted in close with lures found some nice fish every now and then. As usual for that time of the year though, the bigger schools were out in 60m and deeper. Throughout summer you would fish the same way; lures and plastics in close, and work your way offshore during the day. Fishing gets tough on the reef through the summer months though, so prepare for a number of scenarios and move around. I have a shark rig ready to go on a heavy outfit, a 7-8’ rod with a 60g lure to tempt a king or mahimahi, and a jigging outfit. So if a shark comes along or some kingies bust up, I’m ready to go and am making the most of any opportunity that may arise. Plenty of times you’ll be standing there with the wrong equipment in your hands and can only watch open-mouthed as a kingfish pack pops up out of nowhere and decimates a bait school. So be prepared to move around in the summer months and make the most out of your reef fishing. On the beaches, whiting started big and there were plenty throughout spring. I expect this to continue during

with mulloway leading the charge into the warmer months. Paul Walker and Layton Brant caught 5 in a single night on squid, Daniel Dowley has been getting amongst it as well, and Jem ‘The Whisperer’ Abbot had great success on the same bait. John Hilyear is the man to beat though, with one of his many during the season weighing in at 30kg, caught on a live mullet. As the estuary is busy during the day with all kinds of craft, mulloway are more of a night target, but during the daylight hours the flathead have been big and numerous. Many fishos are still not familiar with flathead sizes and their potential as breeders, as we get a lot of reports of people keeping 70cm plus fish. This is your choice if you need to feed a family, but if more people knew they were the breeders and started releasing them, this would benefit us all. They don’t taste so good at that size either, so it’s best to keep the 36-50cm ones, but it is encouraging to see so many big girls in the estuary. Tailor have been big this season and there have been plenty around. They’re good fun — until they take your favourite lure! Bream are about, but have probably been

Jem again, with proof that there are also some good squid around. the most elusive species in the Clyde. Bass upstream, trevally, garfish, blackfish and estuary perch have all been on script — it’s just a matter of finding your part in this picture, so get out there and make it happen! For more up-to-the-minute

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

Nicholas Wain with a big snapper! season will be in full swing and then we can talk about switching a marlin and the new gear designed for it. It’s looking like another good season on the mahimahi, with some nice ones being caught to date. You can just about count on the FAD to be

summer. Durras and Broulee beaches have plenty of beach worms, which are the ideal bait for what are the number 1 table fish in a lot of people’s eyes. There have been some catches of whiting in the estuaries also. Speaking of, the estuaries are definitely doing their thing, JANUARY 2015

Wagonga on fire with huge lizards biting NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Wagonga Inlet is fishing like its former glory days, with this month the best l have seen it in many a year. I know that’s a big statement, especially when you fish it as regularly as l do, but truly, it’s red hot at present. It really doesn’t matter what species you want to target, you will catch them with the right methods at the right times, and lure and bait fishos are getting plenty. A lot of anglers fish Wagonga to target its trophy flathead, and rightly so because it has plenty of crocs on offer. Every year some horses are caught, and this year was no exception. Over the last week our best flattie measured a whopping 97cm, estimated at 7kg in weight, and was in super condition. Stuie Piggott caught the beast on a big Squidgy Fish; it was photographed, then released to fight another day. The next day he backed up with fish of 68, 75 and 77cm plus 30 other legal

flatties, so the place is fishing well. I know of other anglers getting amongst the crocs also, so if a big flattie

the only thing chewing; mulloway are in excellent numbers with local fishing nut Jonno Dudley getting

Solid dusky flathead like this 70cm model will be quite common over coming weeks, especially in Narooma’s Wagonga Inlet. is for you, get out there and get amongst it. Jumbo flatties aren’t

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anglers are getting their share too. Visiting fisho Mitch Blomquist landed his first on plastic on a recent

guide, which measured 80cm — a nice fish with a few others missed also. A few of the local young guns got stuck into the mulloway, with one session reaping 3 up to 80cm on plastics and soft vibes. The key to good results is to fish the bait schools that are plentiful at present, with whitebait, pilchards and glassies the predominant species. Throw in a few

skirted lures and bibbed minnows getting amongst them. There’s been reports of a few larger models encountered too, with one fella l was talking to saying he had a double hookup on 60kg plus fish, only to lose both near the boat, which was unfortunate. A few albacore are mixed in with the yellowfin, averaging 8kg or so. These schoolsized fish will be around for the next several months; it’s just a matter of locating them and concentrating your efforts around there. Even though lighter tackle up to 15kg is sufficient for this size fish, I would still be using 24kg as you never know when Mr Big will come along. January will also see an increase in marlin captures, with switched on game crews getting amongst them. Trolling lures and switch baiting are the best methods, with stripes and blacks the most prolific. If fishing wider, blue marlin are on the cards, with every January producing a few hard luck stories. These brutes are generally targeted in very deep water on larger sized lures, so good luck if you connect with one. With the warm water north of us at present, don’t be surprised to see mahimahi, spearfish, or even the odd wahoo. The inshore reefs will continue to fish well, with snapper, morwong, smaller kingfish and flathead available. Reefs like Brou, Potato, Tuross, and the

will give you all the fresh bait you need. Out at Montague Island the kingfish have been patchy, with some days great and others poor. When it has fired, jigs have worked particularly well, with the northern end and Fowl House Reef producing. Fish to 8kg can be expected, though the majority will be 3-4kg. The beach action has been steady without being red hot, though a lot depends on how much swell there is. Bream and whiting have been around, but hard to entice to bite in the calmer conditions. Anglers who have downsized their tackle have had best success, with live worms, pipis, and fresh peeled prawns the best baits. Fishing the rocky corners of beaches on a rising tide close to dark has been the key to good bags. Narooma main beach, Tilba, and Fullers beaches are the best bet at present. The rock fishing bandwagon looks set to continue on its merry way as luderick and drummer remain on the chew. Last month they were a bit quiet, but recent weeks have been good. Fresh cabbage and prawns are the better baits, with the south wall near Australia Rock a good place to start. The surface pelagic action should only get better as we head further into summer, with kingfish, striped tuna and frigate mackerel all possible. Fishing early in the morning with chrome slices should

Bream love surface lures and now is the time to use them. tailor smacking the schools and you have all the ingredients for a solid mulloway session. Outside, smaller yellowfin tuna to 40kg have been patrolling the shelf line, with anglers trolling

gravel patch off Dalmeny should produce. Use fresh bait where possible; that shouldn’t be too hard to find as the striped tuna schools have been thick in close, so trolling a couple of small Christmas trees

produce a fish or two. Using ganged pilchards with a size 1 ball sinker on top will also work, especially if a decent wash zone is present. Try Dalmeny Headland, Mystery Bay, or the golf course rocks for the pelagics.

Summer species for everyone Esprit BERMAGUI SOUTH COAST NSW BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

It’s just that time of year; the holidays are on, the weather is warm, and wherever you want to try there is a fish waiting. January is just too easy. You don’t really need a boat, as estuaries in particular are very accessible from the shore. One of my

with that odd good flathead thrown in. Bait fishing with nippers or worms is a sure way of filling a bag, and some very nice fish will be taken this way. If you get out early before the wind gets up, polaroiding the flats can be spectacular. Identify your quarry and cast ahead of it and a little beyond its line of travel, allowing for the angle of sight. As the fish comes within range of

mullet in the shallows towards the entrance, and following them are some nice duskies. There are plenty in the lake around the edge of the weed beds. Luderick are in good numbers and responding well to weed baits around the rock walls, the bridge, and in the harbour. An added bonus, especially for parents, is the harbour fishing, where the kids are having a ball with trevally, yellowtail and small tailor. It’s a great area for them to learn. Offshore for the boaties, reef fishing is very good, with most species available. Great catches of flathead are common, with anglers bagging out regularly. Tigers are being caught in the deeper water out from the Four, Six and Twelve Mile reefs. Sand flathead are available from The Step up off Tilba, with Cuttagee and Murrah areas also producing their share. Goalen Head is holding good numbers of morwong, plus other reef dwellers and the odd kingfish. With the kingies in mind, there are nice schools around Montague, although varying in size. These fish are being taken in varying ways, from jigging and live baiting through to trolling and downrigging. Don’t expect to catch them every day, but when they’re on the chew it’s very exciting. The game fishing scene is heating up as well, and it’s looking like a very good marlin season. Already some nice fish have been encountered and as history shows, many a big blue marlin has been caught in January. Lure fishing is probably at its best presently, and using this method will allow you to cover more water and find where the fish are. If you find concentrations of marlin, this could be the time to start live or switch baiting to maximise your chances. The beauty of running lures at this time of year though, is the variety of other species that try to eat them. Various tuna species will definitely be around, along with mahimahi, kingies, and don’t be surprised to see a mako shark eat a lure. It happens regularly here. Speaking of sharks, those who wish to run berley trails will certainly attract them, if not some tuna as well. Salmon are in abundance on most beaches and you really don’t have to try hard to have a lot of fun. Mixed in are some very good tailor, bream, mullet and whiting. With the warm weather, get out

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your bait or lure, twitch it and then allow it to sit. Just remember, not every fish will respond, in fact you will probably spook most, but it’s the ones you don’t spook that provide all the fun. Good tailor are in Wallaga Lake chasing

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JANUARY 2015

It’s all good news from the Merimbula region MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The local reefs around the Merimbula area have been going great guns of late, and I expect this action to continue for the next few months. The majority have produced the goods on most days, but moving around and locating the fish on the sounder has certainly improved catch rates for switched on anglers. Snapper numbers have been pleasing, with the average around the 1kg mark. Not huge, true, but what they lack in size they certainly make up for in numbers. A lot of these schooling fish have been on the edge of the reef where the hard ground meets the gravel. You can usually pick the difference up on the sounder pretty easily, and then either drift over the area or anchor and drift lightly weighted baits down a berley trail. Better baits to use are fresh squid, whole pilchards, or striped tuna strips, with fishos using soft plastics getting into them too. Having a few live baits in the tank can pay dividends, as kingfish and bonito are real possibilities at this time of year.

Hot spots to try are Long, Turingal and Horseshoe reefs, and Lennards Island south of Pambula. Other species like morwong, pigfish, flathead and gummy sharks can be expected, especially when drifting. Out wider, the pelagic action will be in full swing. A number of good yellowfin to 40kg have been captured already this season, with sporadic catches of albacore. The water is hovering around 20°, with striped tuna numbers on the increase. This all looks promising for an early showing

of striped marlin. Let’s hope these fine sportfish make it this far down the coast, as last season the marlin action was ordinary at best. Trolling skirted lures from the 70f line eastwards is the go this early in the season. Look for water temperature changes, tide lines, bait schools and birds. Concentrate your efforts around these for best results. Closer to shore, the estuaries are also firing. Both Merimbula and Pambula lakes are the places to fish, with all estuarine species available. Flathead are the main species

Dan with a cracking 48cm estuary perch prior to release.

targeted, with fish to 95cm on the cards. Anglers using a variety of different methods will catch fish, but the soft plastics’ brigade should do well this month. The flatties will be more active as the water warms, so concentrate your efforts around the weed-fringed edges, which are abundant in both estuary systems. In the channels, bream, blackfish and trevally are the main targets, with fresh or live prawns, yabbies and striped tuna cubes the gun baits. If fishing from land, wading the sand flats just west of the fisheries office near the bridge on Merimbula Lake is a great place to stalk whiting. Using lightly weighted baits like nippers or squirt worms on a rising tide should put some tasty fillets in the pan. You’re a good chance at a flattie and bream also, so it’s definitely worth a look. The local beaches have been a little quiet of late, but with the increased water temperatures bream and whiting are likely to be be chewing. Most beaches with a gutter close to shore should produce a fish or two. Pipis, beach worms or fresh prawns would be the preferred baits; just fish these on the incoming tide for best results.

A ripper. The sort of black bream any angler would be happy with. A light running sinker rig is all that’s required, with just enough weight to get the bait to the bottom. A lot of anglers fish too heavy when targeting bread and butter species. Long casts are generally not needed and the fish are usually just past the shore dump. A little berley here will also help, with crushed pipi shells being a favourite of mine. Better beaches to try are Haycock, Tura and North Tura. This month should see some great action from the stones. Anglers fishing for surface speedsters like salmon, tailor, small kingfish, striped tuna, bonito and frigate mackerel are in for some fun.

Using chromed lures with high geared reels will account for a lot of these, especially the tuna species. Lures from as small as 15g work, but a lot will depend on what bait species the pelagics are after. After catching a fish, it’s a good idea to take the time and investigate its stomach contents. You can then identify the size of baitfish and adjust lure size accordingly. I know it’s a bit more work and time consuming, but it could just be the difference between a nice session and a memorable one. Places like Tura Head, Long Head and the main wharf inside Merimbula Bay are worth a look.

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JANUARY 2015

So much on offer at Tathra TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

With so much to see and do, Tathra is a wonderful place to spend the summer holidays, but fish are on the top of the list. For people visiting the area, boats are not a must, although they can be useful for gaining access offshore and further afield in the

and bottom fishing is in this area, and it is famous for its flathead grounds. None are fishing better than the Bournda area for large tigers at present. In and around 50-70m of water is the optimum depth, with some nice gummy sharks taken there as well. Northwards out from Nelsons and Wapengo, sand flathead and gurnard are about in good numbers, with anglers bagging out regularly. Snapper and

the grounds to the north also firing. Depths will vary, but use a sounder to find small rises or pinnacles along the reefs. Out to sea, game fish are making an appearance following schools of slimy mackerel and other baitfish. Marlin are showing, and along with them are tuna. Tuna species that are being taken range from the smaller stripies through to albacore and yellowfin, with trolling

Drifting the river flicking lures about for any number of species is a great way of spending a summer’s day. Bega River. Boaties heading to sea will soon learn just how good the offshore reef

morwong are getting caught on the reefs out from White Rock and further south, with

proving the best for the pelagics at present. The estuary fishing is

excellent, with a wide variety of species on the chew. Bream are providing plenty of action throughout the Bega River, with fish caught on both lures and baits. Look for gravelly areas around weed beds in the shallows. It is proving to be a very good season for chasing dusky flathead in both the lakes and river. Wading the shallows is particularly interesting, providing very good visual action around weed beds and dropoffs, which are the better areas. Don’t just use lures, as baits such as nippers, worms and fresh prawns will also work very well, not only for the flatties but a host of other species. Speaking of prawns, while you are in the area, definitely have a look around the entrance of the Bega River of a night on the dark of the moon for a kilo or two of these tasty morsels. Back to the fishing, luderick are being taken along the rock walls near the bridge, as well as around the pylons. Tailor are patrolling these areas too, and can be taken trolling or casting small metal lures from the shore. Mulloway are definitely worth a look on warm summer’s nights around the

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Prettily marked gurnard are figuring in the catches of offshore drifters at present. deeper areas near the bridge. Use fresh tailor strips, live mullet or squid, and they sometimes turn up as a welcome bonus while casting soft plastics. Fishing the beach adjacent to the mouth of the Bega River is seeing some good whiting action, with fish being caught on beach worms. Mixed in are a lot of bream and large sand mullet, which are always welcome bycatch. Salmon and tailor will be taken in the deeper gutters towards the evening and early mornings. What holiday in the Tathra region would be complete without a visit to the wharf out from the main point? Kids and adults alike

are having a carnival here at present, with a wide variety of species visiting this imposing structure. Large schools of slimy mackerel are making up the bulk of the catches. They come through in waves at times, and it is nothing to see almost everyone on the wharf hooked up at once. Other species encountered regularly are small yellowtail, trevally, salmon, tailor of a night, flathead off the bottom, luderick and drummer nearer the rocks, with schools of garfish up on the surface. Be prepared as larger predators will buzz this area looking for an easy meal of careless mackerel or yellowtail, so maybe some heavier tackle should be on standby.

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Bream back in summertime with more boats out there trying their luck, you should see a few more caught once the warm water arrives. It’s worth getting out there and having a go. There are plenty of local beaches to fish from so you should be able to find a few with no one around. Salmon and tailor have been caught, but sand whiting and yellowfin bream will be more common in the coming months. The entrance to the lake is a great spot to fish for these species. The dusky flathead in the lake have really fired up with plenty of fish caught throughout the system. These fish really cop a hammering so remember stick to the rules and don’t keep more than you need, and let the big ones go. When chasing this species IN

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with lures it is important to keep changing lures as you can find that magic lure whi ch will change your whole day’s fishing. The sand islands around the entrance area are a great place to fish for sand whiting with nippers and worms a good choice of bait; dusky flathead are also caught in the same area. Goodwin Sands is another great spot to fish

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Bream fishing has been great over the last few months.

PE R RY

EDEN The summer months really sees the town come to life with visitors to the area getting out amongst the National Parks and beaches that surround the town. You can head north towards the Pinnacles or south towards Green Cape, both offer beaches and rocky headlands with great fishing away from the crowds. There are great places for anglers to wet a line, along with out of the way places for the serious fisho. Over the past month, the fishing has really fired up with the summer months offering more variety with the warmer water bringing everything to life. The local estuaries have been fishing well with dusky flathead on the go. Lure fishing has been good with a variety of soft plastics working well. Flathead can come on the bite at any time so the key is to be in the right place at the right time. Bream fishing has been good with the oyster leases and rocky edges fishing well. The best fishing has been at the top of the tide, and if this

have your licence and you are aware of the bag limits. With great launching facilities at Quarantine Bay, boats heading offshore have been getting good results on the local reefs with snapper, morwong, leatherjackets tiger and sand flathead, and kingfish. This should only improve in the coming months. MALLACOOTA With summer here the town is a buzz with visitors to the area enjoying the summer weather and the fishing with offshore, beach, and estuary fishing all available. It’s easy to see why most visitors to the area are here to wet a line! The new offshore boat ramp is completed so launching your boat has become a lot easier, but care needs to be taken. An early start is important as the wind is normally up by midday. Boats heading offshore have been catching a few sand flathead and gummy sharks with good fish caught out around Gabo Island. Last January fishing was good for kingfish. The fish passed by with big schools of bait so it’s fingers-crossed the same happens again this season. Marlin have been caught offshore at Mallacoota and,

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coincides with dawn or dusk all the better. Sand whiting catches should improve as the water warms with more fish turning up with the heat. You can achieve great results for this species at night with fresh bait (worms, nippers, prawns) the key to success. Working the right stage of the tide for your fishing spot will also improve your results. Fish the same area you can expect to catch dusky flathead and yellowfin bream with the fresh baits. The summer months see plenty of mulloway caught on the far south coast with most of the fish caught at night on fresh and live baits, however more fish are caught through the day with those tossing bigger soft plastic lures often coming up trumps. Some big blackfish have also been caught with green weed fished under a float the key to success. Salmon are still on all the local beaches along with tailor, bream and whiting. Once again, fresh baits are the key to success. Bream are often caught where the sand meets the rock with a rising tide the go. The holiday months often see the Fisheries Inspectors out and about so make sure you

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Kevin Gleed

EDEN/MALLACOOTA

with plenty of bream caught of an early morning or later on into the evening. Black bream and yellowfin bream have been caught in the Top and Bottom lakes these fish are always on the move so you have to stay on the move to find them. Fingers-crossed for a good season on the mulloway. Last season was excellent with plenty of fish caught on both lures and bait.

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Breamer Vibe The Best blade goes Clear

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Grasspopper Original life-like lure

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Original life-like lure

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Hypo Teez Ultra Realistic Action at Affordable Price

Maggot The fin-tailed Grub

JML ANG lERS ALLIANCE www.jml.net.au JANUARY 2015

What’s New FISHING

ECOODA MINI CRANK

If you’re a dedicated lure angler, you can’t pass up the Ecooda Mini Crank. This lure is nailing some of the fattest, thickest, meanest species in the water. Not only are the colours insane, the zipping and darting action will pull the most elusive fish out of the shadows. Ecooda Mini Crank has been created in two models. Mini Crank S dives from 1-3ft whilst Mini Crank M dives 3-6ft, each with a length of only 38mm, a weight of 4g and are built tough! The Ecooda Mini Crank has turned into the favourite go to lure, with sponsored anglers using it as their first option whilst fishing the Hobie Tournaments, you should keep one tucked into your tackle box. Don’t miss out on the new release of Mini Cranks. From the hot bite with Brown Prawn, Green Prawn, Whitebait and Ghostbait to the most chased after colours, Pearl Shrimp, Olive Shrimp, Pink Shrimp and Red Shiraz. Price: RRP from $12.99 www.ecooda.com.au

OCEA FLUORO LEADER

Fluorocarbon leader material like Shimano’s new EX Fluoro Ocea Leader provides a number of advantages to discerning anglers dealing with wary fish under difficult fishing conditions. It’s thinner than equivalent breaking strain nylon, highly abrasion resistant, doesn’t absorb water so it sinks faster, is clear in colour and, with its refractive index being pretty close to that of water, is therefore less visible to fish. Ocea Leader structure is quite different too, in that it has a soft fluoro core for knot strength, a hard outer shell for abrasion resistance, and then a fluorine coating over this to provide a smooth surface finish. It comes in 50m dispenser spools with a line retainer in 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100lb breaking strains — perfect for everything from estuary bream up to live baiting for small black marlin and cubing for yellowfin tuna. Price: N/A www.shimanofish.com.au

5 IN ONE FOR BBQ FUN

Man-Law’s 5 in One Multi-Functional BBQ Grill Topper allows you to grill, roast or smoke like a pro, all in the convenience of one unit. The 5 in One is perfect for both the BBQ novice and the seasoned veteran and turns any grill into a clean work surface. It’s also very easy to assemble. Whether it’s the countless cylinders to roast your jalapeños, the grilling rack for homemade kebobs, or the smoking tray to infuse your meat, the 5 in One has it all. Perfect for cooking any type of meat, the Grill Topper can be used for anything from making beer can chicken to smoking a fillet of the finest Atlantic salmon. And of course, the option to char grill over an open flame is one not to be overlooked. The 5 in One is made of stainless steel, making the cleaning process a breeze, and when you’re finished it packs away neatly. Price: RRP: $110 www.manlaw-bbq.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

TURBO LITE 450 CABIN TENT

The Turbo Lite 450 is a spacious 11-person tent with a ‘rapid pitch frame’, which means it can be erected in minutes. The inside cabin measures 4.5mx3m but can be sectioned off into two smaller rooms thanks to dividers. With the dividers in use and two separate front doors, the Turbo Lite effectively transforms into two tents. Large gusseted windows help keep the temperature inside the cabin in check, while added roof vents maintain consistent airflow. For even more space there is the Extenda Awning available as an optional accessory. This huge front awning has a 4.5m wide front, providing plenty of covered space. The Extenda Awning can also be enclosed with an optional front panel and versatile Deluxe Side Panels with gusseted windows that can be rolled up in fine weather, guyed out for ventilation in rainy weather or zipped closed. There’s also an additional bug-proof awning screen room. Price: approx. $1600 ($349 for optional awning) www.blackwolf.com.au

WASABI FILLET KNIFE

Black Magic has added two fillet knives to their Wasabi range, and both new models provide an excellent combination of quality and value. The blades are crafted in premium grade German stainless steel, giving excellent strength and flexibility with an easily sharpened cutting edge. The ergonomically designed handle is non-slip and easy to hold. Wasabi fillet knives are available in either 15cm or 20cm blades and come complete with a clip-on protective sheath. Keep an eye out for them at your favourite tackle store. Price: RRP $19.95 www.blackmagictackle.com

DAIWA LEGALIS

Proving that gold medal performance doesn’t have to cost the world the Legalis spin reel combines advanced design, with value and reliability to offer anglers a reel that is outstanding in a multitude of ways. Loaded with many of Daiwa’s latest designs and features including Digigear and Air Rotor the Legalis performs as good as it looks, and its priced as well as performs to be one of the standout reels in the Daiwa range. Draped in black and gold the Legalis’ impressive design and performance begins with Daiwa’s legendary Digigear gear technology. Its top features also include ABS spool, Air Rotor and Twist Buster II. Blending good looks with class and price, and unleashing latest technology at a truly affordable price the new Legalis is your gold medal to spin reel excellence and unmatched Daiwa performance. Price: n/a www.daiwafishing.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

ATOMIC HARDZ SHINER 100

MAKO G3H9 LENS

The Shiner range of lures in 45, 60, 75 and 85mm lengths has been well received since it launched several months ago with anglers chasing everything from bass through to barra finding a home for them in their tackle boxes. For anglers looking for a larger profile, we have now introduced a 100mm version in both mid and deep diving depths. The mid will dive to 2m while the deep will dive down to 3m. This tough lure casts well and will be perfect for barra and mulloway. It’s been designed to be used quite simply with a cast and retrieve action. Both models feature an extremely loud knocking rattle, which will attract fish in the muddiest of water. They are available in the standard Atomic colour palette and the newly introduced Blood Red colour. All Atomic lures have been made specifically to be easy to use so you catch more fish and spend less time working out how to use the lure. Price: RRP $17.95 www.atomiclures.com.au

The revolutionary Water Wolf HD video camera is now available in Australia at BCF! Unlike many of the underwater HD cameras on the market, the Water Wolf HD has been specifically designed for fishing; allowing anglers to easily capture the moment when a predatory fish attacks a bait or lure. Designed and engineered in Denmark, the Water Wolf HD is waterproof to 100m and has the capacity to capture 4 hours recording time with the inbuilt, rechargeable li-ion battery. Also featuring an inbuilt microphone, the Water Wolf HD records 720p HD video with its 120 x 90° wide-angle lens captured on a micro SD card (not included). Each Water Wolf HD camera comes with a protective pouch, EVA float, brass weight kit and USB and a detailed instruction manual. A mount kit is also available (sold separately) and is perfect for those looking to capture all the action above the water! Price: RRP $199 (Water Wolf HD Camera), $69.99 (Water Wold HD Mount Kit) www.facebook.com/waterwolfhd

JIGGING LEADER POWERGAME

Mako has just introduced the new G3H9 copper base, silver mirror decentred crown glass lens. Available only in the Blade, our highest selling frame, this new lens features a specially formulated copper lens base with a silver flash mirror making it perfectly suited to all outdoor activities such as bushwalking, kayaking and fishing. Anglers in particular will find the lens combination perfectly suited to sight fishing due to the high contrast capabilities of the copper base formulation. Copper has traditionally been the benchmark for the majority of sight fishing lenses due to its ability to highlight the differences in colour between objects and their background, making them appear more clearly to the wearer in a wide range of light conditions. General wearers will also benefit from the unbelievable clarity with the lens able to effectively reduce brightness to a comfortable level without making everything so dark that it’s impossible to pick up any detail, perfect for driving too. Price: RRP $289.95 www.makoeyewear.com.au

The new Jigging Leader Powergame from Toray is a new age fluorocarbon leader material that possesses a lot of stretch, which gives you excellent impact stretch when jigging. This ultra hard Jigging Leader material is extremely abrasion resistant and can be fished around heavy structure with confidence. Because it is designed for jigging, it can stand up to even some of the dirtiest fighters of the deep. The Jigging Leader Powergame is a perfect match for the Jigging PE Braid also from Toray and will provide the invisibility that you need on the end of your jigging rig. The Jigging Leader Powergame is a perfect all round fluorocarbon leader for a host of different situations you might come across in your day to day fishing. It is available from all good tackle outlets in 30m lengths and breaking strains of 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 and 60lb. Price: RRP $29.95 www.fish-tecsolutions.com

HYBRID SHRIMP

Based on the overwhelming positive response to the Rigged Shrimp released in 2014, the new Hybrid Shrimp is a natural compliment to the Shrimp family. This bait earned its name by merging a hard-lure with soft-lure attributes built into a single design. The Hybrid Shrimp generates additional swimming action through the soft legs that wiggle and vibrate on the retrieve. Ideally used with a super slow retrieve and horizontal drop pattern, this bait will become a go-to lure for all in-shore species. A custom belly hook features a unique dual-prong shank that is designed to minimise snags on grass and shellbeds. Each Shrimp is packaged individually and comes in 2 sizes: 3.5” (90mm, 3/8oz) and the 4” (100mm, 1/2oz). This is an ideal slow sinking lure. Price: too new www.ejtodd.com.au

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TT’S ARROW MICRO JIGS

The design of the TT Lures Arrow Jig is based on an arrow squid, complete with a quality silicone skirt for added realism and movement. Balanced for casting and designed for vertical jigging, the Arrow Jig is a versatile presentation. Its skirt creates a seductive horizontal sink and triggers strikes on the drop, coming to life on a slow lift and adding to the profile size, without the additional weight of a larger jig, when retrieved aggressively or at speed. The quality components and hand painted finish, realistic 3D eye, silicone skirt and chemically sharpened, heavyduty Mustad hooks stand the Arrow Jig apart from others and it is dynamite on a wide range of inshore and offshore reefies, tuna, trevally, kingfish, snapper, jewfish, fingermark, cobia, amberjack, samsonfish and more. It’s available in 40g and 60g weights in 5 colours. Price: SRP $15.95 (40g) / $17.95 (60g) www.ttlures.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

PRINCETON TEC BYTE LIGHT

Princeton Tec’s high powered headtorch, the Byte, is compact enough to go anywhere at anytime. It’s the musthave product for those summer night fishing sessions. The Byte can pack a powerful punch thanks to a white Maxbright 70 lumen LED that will light up your path for up to 96 hours. The softer side of Byte comes in the form of a red Ultrabright LED to ensure your night vision will never be compromised. This neat little gadget is IPX4 water resistant and will fit into any tackle box. It’s the perfect answer for when you need a bit of extra light on the boat. This clever range is equipped with a battery lockout, asymmetrical single arm bracket, easily accessible battery door enclosure, and large push button switch, all at a mere 64g. With 2 AAA alkaline batteries included, the Princeton Tec Byte range is available in black, red or white. Price: RRP $34.95 www.outdooragencies.com.au

STORM SO-RUN

The Storm So-Run Heavy Minnow is a weighted casting lure designed to give you the extra distance you require when targeting fish busting bait on the surface or just prospecting by making long casts and covering water. Featuring a heavy-duty internal wire construction and VMC treble hooks, the Storm So-Run Heavy Minnow is equipped for battle right out of the pack and won’t let you down with poor quality terminal tackle. The extra weight will allow the angler to cast it out to a school of busting fish, let it sink and flutter through the school or spin it back fast in order to trigger a vicious reaction bite. Finished in a range of holographic baitfish inspired patterns. The Storm SoRun Heavy Minnow is available now in 9 and 11cm lengths and comes in weights of 28 and 42g respectively. Price: from RRP $21.95 www.rapala.com.au

MUSTAD HD MEGA-BAIT

If you fish big soft plastics and need a big weedless hook, then the Mustad HD Mega-Bait Hook in size 12/0 might be just the thing to make those bigger soft plastics weedless. Made with Mustad’s uncompromising quality, this UltraPoint hook is slimmer and chemically sharpened to provide the best penetration of any worm hook this size on the market. This hook will find its way into even the boniest of jaws. Nor-tempered for brute strength, the HD Mega-Bait is a no compromise hook that will allow you to fish to the limits of your tackle and put the breaks on big adversaries without bend-outs. Coming in packs of three, these extremely sharp, wide-gape worm hooks open the door for anglers wanting to target bigger fish in snaggy environments. Dont miss out on grabbing a pack for summer. Price: RRP $14.95 www.wilsonfishing.com

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

TONIC YOURANIUM

Tonic Polarised Eyewear, the new leader in high quality fishing sunglasses, is proud to announce the release of the new YouRanium style. Developed with Brendan Wing of YouFishTV and named by the YouFishTV fan base, the YouRanium features a custom-designed adjustable nose bridge that is fully integrated into the frame. While the frame is a standard fit, the adjustable nose bridge can be used to suit people with broken, low or wide nose bridges. The curvature at the front of the YouRanium has been designed to follow the brow to reduce light coming in from the top. The arms have been designed with extended temples to follow and snugly fit the wearer’s head. The YouRanium guarantees a comfortable and stylish look. Tonic’s scratch resistant glass lenses are just 1.8 mm thick, making them 30% lighter than regular glass and feature boutique polarising filter systems and anti-reflective coatings. Tonic Polarised Eyewear comes in eight wraparound styles and a variety of lens types to suit different situations. Price: RRP $259 www.toniceyewear.com.au

ECHELON SPIN COMBO

Anglers looking for reliability and value have always trusted the Pflueger Echelon. Now available in 4 light/ medium spin combos, the Echelon combines a 6+1 bearings, graphite body reel with multi-disc drag system and graphite rod with split grip cork handle. It’s precise and easy to use in any conditions. Finished in classic Echelon red, the new Echelon spin combos are ideal for light and light medium fishing, both lure and bait. There are 4 models in the current range: ECHSP662L - 30 (1.95m/6’6”, 2 piece, 2-4kg, Light, 30 SZ); ECHSP662M - 35 (1.95m/6’6” 2 piece, 3-6kg, Medium, 35 SZ); ECHSP702L - 35 (2.10m/7’0’’ 2 piece, 2-4kg, Light, 35 SZ); ECHSP702M - 40 (2.10m/7’0’’ 2 piece, 3-6kg, Medium, 40 SZ). Price: RRP $139.95 www.pflueger.com.au

DIAMOND FC LEADER

With the all new Samaki Diamond FC you wont have to worry about your leader laying on the surface for every predator to see as it swims by, your leader rubbing past submerged structure and snapping or feeling it stretch under pressure from your catch as it gets longer. Diamond FC has a high refractive index, meaning it’s practically invisible to predators, whether it’s saltwater or freshwater. The versatility of Diamond FC will amaze you, not only is it perfect for river fishing for trout or dam fishing for bass or barra but it also diversifies to inshore reef fishing for snapper and many other species. With extreme knot strength and excellent abrasion resistance Diamond FC will deliver maximum performance. Diamond FC ensures maximum performance and is available in 4lb, 6lb, 8lb, 10lb, 14lb, 16lb, 20lb and 30lb with spool sizes of 100m and 70m. Price: RRP $24.99 www.samaki.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

TESTED: Omoto Severo 5000H – Very dependable If you are a big game fisher who loves heavy drags and going head-to-head with big fish, then don’t stop reading because the Omoto Severo is one fishing reel that will truly appeal to your fishing desires. This is one serious piece of fishing gear, and when I say serious, I’m talking about 15kg+ of multi-disc carbon fibre drag, which is strong enough to put the hurt on any fish. Picking up the Omoto Reel for the first time, I instantly realised this was no ordinary spin reel. The sheer weight and build of the reel screamed power and strength and most importantly sustainability. Let’s face it, there are plenty of low to mid priced spin reels out there on the market that can pull similar amounts of drag but when put through constant heavy strain not only do integral components begin to fail but drags begin to get very mushy and sticky. When fighting big fish, this is the last thing you want as a smooth consistent drag not only lends itself to less bust offs and pulled hooks but also a much more pleasurable fight for the fisher connected to the other end. If you have ever found yourself two days into an extended fishing trip where everything is 20kg+ and pulls like a freight train then you will understand what I am talking about. It’s under these conditions when reels like the Omoto Severo 5000H show not only their superiority, but sustainability, especially when you are catching big fish after big fish without any relief. Before I get knee deep into the specifics of the Severo, I’ll first give you an idea of the type of fishing conditions it has been tested under. Firstly, upon arrival some 3 months ago the Severo matched to the Omoto GT jig 550 has been thrown into the deep end both

For Spanish this size, it’s definitely a case of bringing a bazooka to a gunfight. However, you could catch them all day on this reel and it would barely raise a sweat. This reel is built for longevity and dependability. trolling and jigging for thug species such as big GT and Spanish mackerel off my home waters of Bowen. My first encounter with the reel was a hot jigging session for big Spanish mackerel under the lights of the Abbott Point coal-loading Jetty. Pre setting the drag to 13kg (about my maximum before I get pulled out of the boat), I had intentionally gone for the ‘locked drags, hang on’ approach to really test whether the reel performed just as powerfully as it looked and most importantly, how smooth it was under heavy drag pressures.

The first fish was only a 15kg puppy and barely even tested the reel’s limits, however the next string of fish went 24, 25, 28 and 31kg respectively, which began to see the reel really begin to work with some solid runs and drag burning action. Under this heavy load, I was impressed with the smoothness of the drag, especially the lack of stickiness under heavy strain. There were no signs of mushiness in the drag and the reel felt as smooth as the first drop of the day. Since this initial trip, the Omoto Severo has landed over 30 Spanish mackerel within a period of two months with no sign of any of the above issues of component failure and the drag integrity is still like new, even though it has been fished to its limits. Let’s face it though, Spanish mackerel are not the most powerful fish out there and if there is a fish out there that’ll put a reel and its drag to its limits, it’s giant trevally. There is little in the sea that can destroy a reel like a big session on serious giant trevally (GT) and it’s for this reason that it can be an expensive sport. This would be the true test of the Omoto Severo and to be frank, it has to this day been able to stand up to and withstand the punishment these car door-sized brutes have thrown at it. Whilst the power of the reel is impressive when battling GTs, it is more about the reels ability to withstand an absolute punishment fish after fish without any sign of loss of drag or component integrity. Where other mid priced reels have failed or fallen, the Severo has remained strong and in my opinion is one of those reels that not only has the ability to stand up to big fish but do it season after season. To understand the Severo 5000H’s strength and endurance, you only have to look at its construction. The reel is constructed from a whole piece 6061 – T6 marine grade aluminium and also utilises a corrosion resistant coating process. The Severo also comes standard with an oversized super strong power handle and knob, which is often an additional extra most serious big spinner fishers buy separately. There is little chance of this handle breaking and if you think breaking handles is an unimaginable possibility, then think again! Big fish and big drags can do serious damage at times. Whilst the outer skin is tough as nails, the inside includes stainless steel gears, stainless steel spool shaft and 14+1 stainless steel bearings. The 5000H also has an impressive high-speed 6.1:1 retrieve and when combined with spool size, this reel can return your jig at serious speeds. Like other more notable higher priced big fish spin reels the Omoto Severo has a floating shaft which translates basically into the fact that when this reel is loaded up to a big fish, there is no friction between the shaft and pinion, which means virtually no wear or resistance. This is the downfall of many a spin reel when fished against big fish with big drags as often the shaft and pinion are connected and when the reel is fully loaded significant wear takes place. Both the inside and outside are super tough, but it’s the drag construction which is really worth a mention. As mentioned before, the Omoto Severo utilises multidisc carbon fibre drag components, which would be expected from a big fish spinner, however it’s the way this system

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applies an even tension across the spool that makes it so effective. Whilst often hard to notice on most reels, when you are hooked up to a big fish under heavy drag, it is considerably noticeable and one of the reasons why it is so smooth.

I have to be honest, I was really surprised at the performance of this reel and it is definitely a workhorse that can withstand plenty of punishment and big fish. When first reading about it online it was described as one of those reels you would find on

Top: The Omoto Severo 5000H. Take note of the super tough whole piece CNC machine cut 6061 T6 aluminium body and the insides are even tougher. This reel is a true big fish workhorse. Left: When pushed to its limits on multiple captures big GT like this one, the Severo 5000H has offered a consistent smooth drag and little heat build up even under maximum load. Right: The T bar Portable Fishing Gimble is an awesome addition to the Omoto Combo and allows you to get heaps of leverage on the fish. It also fits snugly on the end of your rod and doesn’t require being belted in. It’s definitely one of my favourite pieces of jigging gear. One other unique feature worth mentioning is the pre set knob situated above the standard drag setting knob. This allows you to remove the spool without having to reset you drag, so if you need to do a quick change over of spools because a big GT has just stripped 150 yards off you and buried you in the reef you can do so without having to take the time to reset your drag again to your desired levels. If I were to point out a negative of this reel, then it would have to be its weight. The Severo 5000H comes in at around 900g, which makes it a pretty heavy reel and for a small bloke like myself it can be hard to jig with, however I guess to make it so strong something must be compromised.

a charter boat which has been used and abused for years and still operates like the day it came out of the box. Retailing around $780, it’s not a cheap reel but it’s not a cheaply made reel either, and when you look at its capability compared to others on the market it’s pretty good value for money and also comes with a 5-year Australian warranty through JRoc Tackle. Whilst I have tested it thoroughly on northern species, it would be perfect for those in the south chasing big kingfish, amberjack and tuna. Put simply, if you are a fisher who demands big drags to land big fish time and time again and want a reel that is straight forward and dependable, then make sure you check it out! – Dan Kaggelis

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Preventing the spread of WATER WEEDS Can’t see the fish through the weeds? Don’t let your favourite spot get like this.

Help prevent the spread of water weeds! WHAT ARE WATER WEEDS? Water weeds are invasive plants that pose a threat to the economic, environmental and recreational value of our waterbodies.

HOW DO THEY AFFECT ME? Water weeds can form large floating mats, dense submerged thickets or extensive stands along the bank. They create poor water quality conditions affecting the diversity and abundance of fish and other aquatic life. Heavy infestations restrict watercraft navigation, prevent access to fishing spots, foul fishing gear and make it difficult to land fish. Water weeds can be spread by fishers and boaters. Propellers and anchors can cut plants into fragments and spread them within and between waterbodies. Fragments can spread from an infested waterbody to a weed-free waterbody by attaching to watercraft, trailers and fishing equipment. Some weeds can survive considerable time out of water and a single plant fragment can start a new infestation. WHICH WEEDS ARE CONSIDERED A PROBLEM? Weeds such as alligator weed, salvinia, water hyacinth, water lettuce and

cabomba can have serious impacts on the health of water systems, as well as restrict access for recreation (e.g. boating and fishing). Recent outbreaks of water hyacinth on the Dumaresq river near Tenterfield and alligator weed on the Namoi and Peel rivers near Gunnedah and Tamworth raise serious concerns about the invasion of water weeds in the Murry/Darling river system. HOW CAN I HELP? WHAT SHOULD I DO? You can help reduce the spread of water weeds and prevent new outbreaks by:

SALVINIA (Salvinia molesta): a floating water weed.

WATER LETTUCE (Pistia stratiotes): a floating water weed.

WATER HYACINTH (Eichhornia crassipes): a floating water weed.

CABOMBA (Cabomba caroliniana): a submerged water weed.

ALLIGATOR WEED (Alternanthera philoxeroides): an emergent water weed that can also grow on land.

• Inspecting and removing any plants from watercraft, trailers and all equipment before leaving a site or launching at a new site. • Learning to recognise water weeds. Be on the lookout for new or unusual water plants. • Avoiding weed-infested waterbodies and stopping the engine in infested areas. • Reporting suspicious infestations using the contact information at the bottom of this page.

Inspecting and removing water plants from watercraft, trailers and gear can help reduce the spread of water weeds.

Report to your local council weed officer or NSW DPI on 1800 680 244 or email weeds@dpi.nsw.gov.au Further information on water weeds can be found at ww.dpi.nsw.gov.au/weeds

Summer rain breathes life into the fishing TAMWORTH

Adam Mears adam.mears@hotmail.com

After December’s fresh drop of rain, this month is shaping up to be a corker. Active fish will be gorging themselves on the abundant bugs and small animals that stray too close to their lairs. I expect surface lures to reign supreme, with options like the Balista

Hunchback a great choice. Tamworth local Bailey Skewes recently landed a metre-plus model on one of these lures and I suspect it’s just the first of many. The trout streams north of Tamworth will also be on the mend. I’m not holding my breath for any trophy models, but a smattering of smaller fish should keep you entertained on light gear. Small minnows and lightly weighted soft plastics will be hard to beat,

or unweighted worms and shrimp for bait soakers. Golden perch have been consistent, with most outings producing a few of these hard fighting natives. They have wised up over previous seasons, so mix it up a bit. We have had a lot of success on silent lures and weedless frogs, so don’t be afraid to try something different. LAKE KEEPIT A small rise in the dam has many people enthusiastic, and I’m on the bandwagon

Working the edges for goldens is a gun technique on Lake Keepit, even at high noon.

too. Fishing the edges with the usual techniques should prove fruitful. My money this month is on night casting. Working the edges of the dam with spinnerbaits and chatterbaits will see some big fish caught, and great memories for those willing to put in the hours. Full Moon Spinnerbaits are a new, locally made spinnerbait, and from all reports will be a serious tool for any angler looking to target our greenfish. Not only are they effective, they can be custom-ordered to suit your needs in store at Tamworth Fishing Tackle. Bait fishing the dam at its current water level is a little more restricted. A good sounder makes things easier, with many choosing to fish the old riverbed in order to find some depth. Baits of shrimp, small yabbies and scrubworms will do well, but the fishes’ preferences change daily. CHAFFEY DAM From all accounts the carp in the dam are still in plague proportions, taking baits of shrimp, worms, crushed yabby tails, bread, corn and dough mix recipes. Although an introduced species and a total pest, they fight well above their weight

The author with a nice little cod taken on a lipless vibe. and are quite a handful on light line. There have been a few golden and silver perch reported, but have been patchy to say the least. Small vibes fished around the western foreshore will find the majority of the goldens. Limited visual structure can make choosing a likely looking area more difficult, but look for points and weed beds that extend out from the bank into deeper water and you might strike it lucky PEEL/NAMOI With the recent fresh came some great topwater action. Murray cod of all sizes came out to play and anglers have been having a ball. The

action should continue this month, and the surface will be where it’s at! Of course target times of dawn and dusk are key periods. For those wetting a line with a few baits out, live shrimp and wood grubs will see those rods bent and reels screaming. Just remember that you are only permitted 2 lines per person in NSW, so check your fishing guide if you are unsure of the rules and regulations. Also, new size limits for Murray cod are now in play, with a 55cm minimum and a maximum of 75cm. All fish larger than 75 must be returned to the river or dam unharmed.

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Rain still needed, but the fishing remains good MAITLAND

Dave McLean djfmclean@bigpond.com

The days are becoming quite hot and long, so plan to get out on the water early, have a break in the

will be fishing okay, but they really need some decent rainfall upstream to provide a good flush out. The bass will take crankbaits and spinnerbaits in bright patterns, along with 50mm lipless cranks. I find the better fishing results

on the market, but in recent times I have found the Bisen from Smith Lures and the Jackall Frogs are dynamite in around cover. If fishing along the rivers, target the cover adjacent to native trees rather than the willows, as these are better food sources for the bass. There are plenty of mullet in the river, which are good fun for the kids to target. All you need for bait is fresh bread, or make up some dough and add a little a vanilla essence. The Williams River has plenty of bass down around Clarencetown this month, but there are always a lot of ski boats to watch out for out on the water. Up at the Barringtons rain is desperately needed

This 43cm fork length bass came from the river.

Ethan Martin spinnerbaited this bass from a steep bank in Glenbawn. middle of the day, and then fish until sunset when the fish tend to bite quite well. All the river systems down my part of the valley

come from surface lures in the low light periods of the day, and it also gives the best adrenalin rush. There are heaps of surface lures

Here’s Anthony Shaw’s 50cm Glenbawn bass.

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to get the streams up and flowing again, and the fish on the move. LAKE ST CLAIR Lake St Clair is just holding its own, as it too needs rain to get the water quality up and the fish on the bite. There is some short weed around the banks, but with the warmer weather it is starting to die off. St Clair now lends itself to all forms of fishing, with surface lures early and late in the day, crankbaits and spinnerbaits later, and good trolling and bait fishing as required. As the day progresses, the fish will move back from the edges into 4-8m around the old river channels and steep banks, trying to get away from the bright sunlight. This is when deeper lures or heavier spinnerbaits are required, and so Jackall TN60s and 1/2oz spinnerbaits come into their own. Some good areas to try are up in the bays in the Carrowbrook, and then

move out into the deeper river channels that run along Loder, Perkins and Walaroo points.

Fishing around trees in 6-8m and off the banks using worms should get you a feed of catties and the odd golden. Back in 2006, I remember a discussion with Singleton Council about a plan to update the park, and in 2014 here they are talking about it again, so it will be interesting to see if it comes to fruition this time. In early December, along with the DPI boys from Taylors Beach Hatchery we did a stocking of bass fingerlings into St Clair and Glenbawn, which should bear fruit in years to come. GLENBAWN Lake Glenbawn is usually a bit tough this month and there will be a lot of boats on the water. It is a good idea to get out early before it gets too hot, and it is also quite common for the wind to be up as well. The dam is slowly dropping, but there are still some banks worth fishing, especially in low light periods as they have a good covering of timber. Again,

range of SK Pops and Frogs in dark patterns, and Megabass with the Siglett. If using spinnerbaits, I tend to favour the Bassman 1/2oz with willow blades, as it will go quite deep and hold there on the retrieve. I like to pause for a few seconds to let it settle back deeper, even onto the bottom at times. My favourite lipless are from Jackall, both the TN 50 and 60. They have recently reintroduced some of their early patterns, which were very productive. The thermocline is down around the 5-8m this month, so if trolling or sounding out areas, concentrate around this depth. If you come across bass holding in the tops of trees, target them with ice-jigs or vertically fished plastics. Bait fishing is the norm for a lot of people on holidays, with good results coming by way of fishing from the shore around the park using worms and yabbies, and out around the dam amongst the big timber in the 10m areas.

Here’s some Lake StClair bass holding close to the bottom. Up the Fallbrook, the areas near Point Andrews and Richards Point are worth trying, as they are also adjacent to the river channel.

start out with the surface lures and then move deeper with spinnerbaits and lipless cranks. Two good surface lures are from the Jackall

Trollers should try up around Yellow Buoy bay and Boat Harbour with lures that run down around 6-8m. Purple is a good colour.

Hi. My name’s Glen, and I’m a codaholic! LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

It’s hard not to get all caught up with the mighty Murray cod, as they have so many attributes that flick switches for anglers. For me, aggression and attitude are high on the list; seeing a big one follow and miss a lure at your feet, fins all erect, turning this way and that, looking, searching, like a junkyard dog that’s just ripped the backside out of an intruder’s trousers. Chasing cod in January is best done during low light periods. Early morning, late afternoon and into the night, they are more likely to move away from cover to attack a well-worked lure. When conditions are really good, they may even move right away from cover and actively hunt for food. These times can be gold. Surface lures are a great option for covering open water under these conditions. Fish will move quite a distance to seek out and investigate the noise and disturbance, and I am sure that the competitive

nature of cod in a riverine environment can lift the aggression levels quite a lot. During periods of more intense light, casting accuracy and presentation are a lot more critical; pinpoint in fact. In the rivers and creeks, pitching spinnerbaits, skirted jigs and big plastics to heavily shaded cover can work a treat. It’s real lock ’em down, drag ’em out stuff, and to use the junkyard dog analogy again, it’s like dragging those torn trousers past his kennel super-fast on a piece of rope. Cod in an impoundment share all the same mannerisms, it’s just that the environment is different. There’s more water for starters, deeper water, and a bigger spread on the fish. You need to adjust to suit, so intelligent trolling can be very effective. Use your sounder. Let me say that again, use your sounder. Get to know it, experiment with it, become comfortable with it, and your confidence will grow. A good sounder and the nous to interpret what it is showing will increase your capture rates tenfold. It’s the most important piece of non-fishing equipment in

your boat — period. Sometimes trolling over a piece of good structure can put cod off, especially on heavily fished waters. Come back a few hours later, pull up well short, drift in on the breeze, keep any movement inside the boat to a minimum, have your casting lures ready to go, and work it over with long casts. This extra effort can make all the difference, believe me. NIGHT MOVES FOR TROUT For anglers at Thompsons Creek Dam, the soft sound of a trout sipping off the top in the black of night is something to behold. “About 25m to the left,” you think. Pick up, make the cast, strip, strip — bang, you’re on! Next thing you’re trying to manage those loose loops ripping through your fingers while a kilo or so of muscle goes ballistic in the inky blackness. Dragonfly larvae (mudeyes) will be number one on the trout hit list, although beetles will be a close second. A fly imitating either one of these, or a tandem fly setup with both, is pretty hard to beat. Daytime anglers need to

work deep, cold water for best results, casting and slow rolling plastics, while spoons and Tassie devils are another option worth

Ben Chifley and Burrendong can be quite busy at this time of year. Despite the holiday traffic, it doesn’t seem to worry the redfin population

catching fish, well that’s all that matters. Very early morning is the go, before the rabble get up and going. Find your schools and work them over. It’s great for the kids, with plenty of action to keep them interested. Most fish will be small, with a few better specimens thrown in. Fast, vicious jigging with a thump back to the bottom is the key at this time of year. A real bonus with redfin is how good they are on the plate; the bigger ones fillet well and are absolutely delicious when lightly seared on a hotplate with some butter and lemon juice — yum. Not quite held in quiet the same regard, especially when it comes to table quality, carp are another introduced species that anglers are targeting more and more. They offer quite a bit in performance, are abundant, can be sight-cast in clear water, take flies and lures readily, so why not take full advantage of the resource. Just remember to dispatch the fish humanely and throw them well away from the water. Hope to see you on the water soon; until then, tight lines.

Josh Hutchison of the Aussie Fly Fisher has announced a great initiative, naming a couple of young up-and-coming anglers as apprentices. Some tackle companies have come on board to help out, and Dean McMahon was lucky enough to be asked. Let’s just say he has taken to fly fishing in a big way, with some great captures in a very short time. trying. Don’t be afraid to rip the spoons up, letting them flutter on the drop. REDFIN SUMMER ACTION Impoundments such as

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Delightful donation by perch comp winner CANBERRA

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It’s always a pleasure to report an unselfish action by an angler. Recently, local Canberra promoter Adam Samios organised a fishing competition on Lake Burley Griffin called Pride of the Perch, with a $1000 first prize for the largest golden perch caught. It was a beaut little tournament, hard fought by over 50 of the best anglers in Canberra. The winning fish was 43cm in length and was caught by a chap called Matt Benton. So what did he do with the money? Donated it immediately to the Canberra Region Fishing Alliance for future stocking of Canberra’s urban lakes with native fish. That was a tremendous gesture; well appreciated by his fellow anglers, and a great indicator of the faith anglers have in the value of native fish stocking programs. RAINBOWS RETURNING Fishing has improved dramatically in Jindabyne and Eucumbene in recent weeks. Lots of big browns have been caught on trolled lures and fly, but the best news has been the return of the rainbows. As we have reported previously, something went wrong with

Carp provide plenty of competition for bait anglers chasing native fish in Canberra’s urban lakes and Burrinjuck Reservoir.

The 2011 and 2012 rainbow trout stockings appear to have been failures, but fish from the 2013 stockings look to be growing well.

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rainbow stockings in 2011 and 2012, but the 2013 stocking looks to have been eminently successful. Lots of fish, now mostly in the 25-30cm range, have shown in both lakes and have been taken on small trolled and cast lures and on fly. On most days they can be seen feeding at or near the surface, taking midges and caddis, and even trying to swallow large Bogong moths. This is a pleasurable scene; one that we have not seen for a long time and the fish should quickly grow to a large size. DIPLOMATS FISHING SUCCESSFUL The 26th Annual Diplomatic Fishing Tournament fished at Lake Eucumbene was a great success. More than 100 people from 13 embassies and missions in Canberra, together with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, took part and they caught a lot of big fish. The heaviest 76 fish weighed in averaged 957g, which was very pleasing. Most were caught trolling with Tasmanian Devils, Kwikfish and small minnow patterns, but some nice browns were landed on fly, especially Pheasant Tail Brown Nymphs and size 18 Midge Balls. Unfortunately, heavy algal growth restricted shore-based bait

fishing. The winning team was the Polish Embassy, for the second year running, followed by DFAT, and then the US Embassy. DROUGHT TIGHTENING Many of the regional trout streams are now drought-affected, running low and gin clear. Fly fishers have resorted to long leaders and small flies, with an ultra-cautious approach, to catch a fish, but it has been hard going. Nymphs have been most effective, but small dries have provided some fun as the weather warms and insects become more active COD OPENING SUCCESSFUL The Murray cod season got off to a good start, with some nice fish at Burrinjuck and Wyangala. Lure fishers did well with a mix of deep divers, especially Smak Golden Child and Burrinjuck Specials, spinnerbaits, particularly Noxious and Jackpot, and surface walkers including the Halco Night Walker and Taylor Made Cod Walloper and Surface Breaker. Anglers seem happy with the new slot limits of 55 and 75cm but as previously, most fish, irrespective of size, would have been returned immediately after capture. GOLDENS MOVING Golden perch at Burrinjuck have now spread widely from the Main Basin, with good numbers reported from Good Hope

well up the Murrumbidgee Arm, above Wade Island in the Goodradigbee Arm, and up to Devils Pass in the Yass River Arm. Bait fishers have done well from the shore with shrimps, yabbies and scrub worms, or bobbing flooded trees. Saltwater prawns have also accounted for some good fish. Many of the goldens are feeding in the shallows during the day, but competition from carp is fierce. Soft plastics bobbed up and down on

flooded trees have also been effective, especially with black and other dark coloured 5cm grubs. REDFIN SCHOOLING Redfin finally seem to have come to life, with plenty of active schools reported in Canberra’s urban lakes and Googong and Burrinjuck dams. In Googong and Burrinjuck in particular, the fish are feeding actively on small baitfish at and near the surface, and respond quickly to small lures, bait and fly. Most of the fish are small, but some are large enough to eat. BASS ACTIVE Anglers chasing bass in the lower reaches of the Shoalhaven River have reported a strange situation whereby they are catching bass, flathead, bream and carp, all in the same section of brackish water! The fish seem to be cohabiting peacefully, but anglers have expressed concern that the carp may be acclimatising to increasingly brackish water where they had not been seen previously. An adult bass caught recently in Lake Burley Griffin caused a stir, predictably. The fish looked to be in good health and, unexpectedly, had survived Canberra’s cold winter. It was thought to have been illegally stocked by someone, but raises the question of whether it should be considered for stocking as another recreational species in the lake. They couldn’t breed there, so there would be no problem of population management. A good thought for local anglers to consider.

Browns are still the mainstay of the Eucumbene and Jindabyne fisheries, with good numbers of fish in the 1-2kg range on lure and fly.

Big reddies elusive, but everything else on song BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

While thinking about this report, with so many fishing options to choose from at this time of year I struggled to work out just where to start. The trout fishing is certainly in full swing, with

Redfin chasers at both dams have been hooking into many more by-catch natives then ever before, which is sensational news. If targeting big redfin this month, stick to the deeper water (20-50’) and don’t expect to catch cricket scores of big fish like the cooler months. The redfin spread out at this time of year and the

the day, but for your absolute best chances of hooking into a big, hard-fighting native, I strongly suggest fishing the last couple of hours of light in the late afternoon — and if you’re up for it right into the night. Trolling small to medium sized hardbodies or lipless crankbaits for the golden perch, and large hardbodies

a juicy worm, grub, or piece of Powerbait. So if you’re not up for tough fly fishing, I suggest taking along a spin

working the hard-to-reach very top sections where few anglers go. So next time you are struggling to find the trout

the other lakes in the area, but the fishing in general is superb, with trophy-sized trout, redfin and golden

The native fishing at both Blowering and Burrinjuck dams has been great all spring and early summer, with plenty of quality fish around — like this one landed on an Angel Bait by the author’s better half.

A 92cm Jounama Dam Murray cod caught last year by the author. Fish of this size and possibly bigger are now present, so on top of trophy-sized trout, redfin, and golden perch, we can now add Murray cod to that list. warm weather encouraging plenty of insect life, and the water has reached the temperature the natives prefer and are firing on all cylinders. We don’t get many months of the year like this, so make the most of the good fishing we are experiencing right now. BLOWERING AND BURRINJUCK DAMS It’s encouraging to announce that the native fishing at most lakes, but Blowering and Burrinjuck in particular, has been sensational. Almost all anglers are being rewarded.

large schools so easily found in winter are now few and far between. Smaller redfin and the occasional large one can be found in good numbers around the edges of the lakes, and will be much easier to find than the bigger fish hiding out deep. Casting small lures into and around any submerged trees should see you hooking plenty this month. NATIVES The native fishing at both lakes can be very rewarding during January. Golden perch and Murray cod can be caught during the middle of

A plump, average-sized rainbow caught at Jounama Dam on a brightly coloured Slap Walker. Jounama has fished well lately, and is a great place to try on a hot summer’s day. If the trout aren’t biting, there is a good chance that the redfin will, or maybe even one of the big natives.

for the Murray cod should see a decent bend in your rod at some stage, but casting with spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, chatter baits and Angel Baits around the shallows just on dark is great fun and can be very rewarding. Once you catch a fish, pay attention to what depth you were fishing, how you retrieved the lure, and what sort of area the fish was pulled from. After you work this out, it’s simply a matter of finding similar spots and using the same lure, with the same retrieve, and at a similar depth to what you caught the last fish at. Noting these details will see you hooking and landing several fish rather then just one. TROUT STREAMS The trout streams in the greater Batlow/Tumut area have fished quite well so far, and now the big crowds have died down it’s the best time to get a stretch of creek to yourself. I choose to fly fish when fishing the creeks and streams, even if they are running high and dirty. I like the challenge, and the tougher the better in my opinion, as it’s so much more rewarding when you succeed. In saying this, if you come to your favourite creek for a day’s fishing and it is running fast and muddy, you’ll get better results by working large, flashy spinners or by drifting

There are still good numbers of trout in our streams, and the further you hike into the wilderness the better the fishing gets. Beautifully marked brook trout like this could be the reward. rod when venturing out to your chosen waterway. Some anglers have reported few trout about in some of the streams I have encountered good numbers of fish in. It’s interesting to note that they have been fishing the main access points of the creeks, whereas I have been

or good numbers of them, it might pay to put your hiking boots on and get up into that lightly-fished water. It makes for a big day out, but the rewards are certainly worth the effort. JOUNAMA DAM This lake doesn’t get the recognition of some of

perch all real possibilities. There is also some good sized Murray cod in the lake and readers would have seen in one of my reports last year that I landed a massive 92cm fish, proving that there are some of at least this size available. I recently heard an account from the Jounama Classic, where one angler hooked a Murray cod that was guesstimated at well over 1m in length. There were a couple of other boats nearby while he fought the fish, and he apparently got it to the surface a couple of times before it eventually broke his line and disappeared into the depths. So it seems that as well as having trophy-sized everything else, we may be able to add trophy-sized cod to the list. If you’ve never fished there before and/ or you’d like to avoid the summer crowds, I’d suggest making a visit — you may be very surprised at how good this place is.

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Trout turn it on for hot summertime action JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

Happy New Year from all of us at Steve Williamson’s Tackle Shop and Fishing Adventures. Another year and with all the water about we are currently experiencing some of the best trout fishing for many years. The lake is once again looking spectacular, with a high water level and recent rain topping up the streams. Water temperatures on Lake Jindabyne are a little lower than in previous years and just right to keep the trout on the bite. The Snowy Mountains is a little bit of a hidden secret for holiday-makers. Most anglers head for the coast, but did you know that the mountains are far less busier than the coast and has fantastic lake, river and stream fishing, as well as heaps of things to do for the kids without the coastal crowds. There are all the water sports like sailing and water skiing but it’s the fantastic bush walking and mountain bike riding that a lot of people do not know about. Anyhow it’s not too late to think about heading to the mountains for your next holiday experience. On the trout fishing front we have had a fantastic summer so far with the river fishing the best in years due to all of that snow that has been melting off the mountains and yes if you want to see snow

there is still some patches on the top peaks for the kids to see and play in. January is ‘hopper season’ for fly anglers and there are various grasshopper patterns available. Have a look around and see what the size and colour the real ones are and find a fly to match. In the early stages of hopper development we like to use smaller patterns and even flies like a yellow Humpy will imitate the local hoppers, but as the hopper develops wings then the Snowy Mountains Hopper pattern or a larger yellow Stimulator are a couple of flies you should have in your box. Also keep your eye open for evening hatches of other insects, such as the mayfly. I love the dry fly fishing at this time of year. If you are a lake fly angler, nights are the best time to fish the lake and bigger dark or black flies like a Woolley Bugger or other dark streamer patterns are good flies to try. Craig’s Nighttime is also another Snowy Mountains favourite, not to forget my own Snowy Mountains Gold Fish where fishing the bays and the inlets will be best places to get results. If you haven’t fly fished before and want to give it a go call into my shop and book into a lesson and you will soon realise that fly fishing isn’t as hard as it’s made out to be. If you just want to do something like dangle a worm, well that’s all too easy. Bait fishing in summer is mudeye time. The mudeye is the

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nymph of the dragonfly, and anglers use them as live bait, hooking them through the wing case to allow them to swim around beneath a float. Early and late in the day is the best times and again fish the bays and move to deeper water as the day brightens up. The cooler weather this year has made it hard to find mudeyes, so if that is the case you can’t go past a local scrub worm fished off the bottom. Scrub worms are going to catch that big brown trout that you have always wanted to catch and they are best fished unweighted, yes a big worm cast out without a sinker. The shallow bays are the best night fishing locations, however look out for the snags. If you want to bait fish in the middle of the day, then you are best to look at bottom fishing using either a scrub worm, bardi grub or one of the artificial baits. The secret at the moment to catching trout on bait, is to also grease up the line to stop the drag on the water and to stop it floating to the bottom into the weed and getting caught up. You need a trout to run with the bait without feeling any resistance and greasing the line will help catch more fish and always fish with the reel bail arm open so the fish can run with the line. The best line grease is silicon Muslin as it will not harm the line. If sitting around waiting for a bite is not for you then try lure spinning, which can either be done in the lake or the rivers. Lake spin anglers will also do best in the first hour or so of light, and again I like to spin with lures the same as the boat trollers but in smaller versions. Blades do work on trout as well, and gold colours are best. I rather like the Jaz Lure blades in gold like the little goldfish we have in the lake. Other lures that have been proving themselves very effective on the trout are the Bullet lures with some excellent colours in the range that also look a lot like the goldfish as well as the little trout fingerlings that have recently been released into the lake from the Gaden trout hatchery. By mid-morning you will have to be lucky to catch a fish on the lake in summer and you may be best heading to the Alpine rivers for a spin in the creeks where the trout may be a little more active. River spinning is much better than last year because the water levels are a little higher and there have been some good trout caught if you are prepared to walk a little further away from the holiday crowds but find some deep pools or some deeper running water where the fish may lay under cover. Small minnow style lures

like CD Rapalas work very well and the old favourite green and gold Celtas or Gillies Spinners like the Feathertails. I also love the Vibrax spinners and there are some glow in the dark colours in this range that are great for fishing in the late evening. Change lures often and never work one area of water over any more than a

sky. On the overcast days the holographic and number 48 brown bomber or other darker lures will be best. Other lures I would recommend over the coming month for trolling would be Rapala Scatter Rap, Dorago minnows in goldfish-like colours, Balista LED for deep trolling, StumpJumpers

insects that the trout love to eat. Later in the morning, the best fishing will be deep using either lead core lines, paravanes, trolling sinkers etc, but the best way to achieve results is to use a downrigger so you know exactly what level you are fishing. At the moment the depth continues to vary from 35ft early in the day

Mark Allan with a decent Jindabyne rainbow caught trolling a frog pattern Tasmanian Devil lure. half a dozen casts. If you have a boat why not try trolling for trout? When trolling from a boat in January, we start the day off by surface trolling lures like Rapala minnows which are very good for the bigger brown trout, you can also troll these off lead core lines to get them a little deeper. Surface trolling Tasmanian Devils in green colours like the number 111 Willy’s Special are well worth trying and my special red nosed yellow wing is also great when the sun starts to get higher in the

in greens and golds, Gillies Natural Vibes that will always attract a trout when they are lazy and you can even try trolling a soft plastic like a Strike Tiger nymph behind flashers. Best areas to fish have been Hayshed, Hatchery and Rushes Bay and the South Arm but if you are smart you should look for the wind lanes early in the day and you will often locate these by looking for the ducks and gulls (lake gulls, not bloody sea gulls) because these birds are often also feeding on the surface

to 45ft later in the morning. If down in the mountains this month, drop in and say hi at my shop, at Snowline Service Centre, where you will find me next to the Shell Servo. I will have the latest fishing information available and you can also book a tour with me while you are there. Please give my shop a call on 02 6456 1551 or e-mail me sales@swtroutfishing.com.au and don’t forget to have a look at my web site www. swtroutfishing.com.au. Until next month, hope you catch the big one.

A couple more Carl Jocumsens in the making!

Fixing green fish fever ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

With three months of green fish fever all but done, it’s time to immerse ourselves in all things cod fishing. The season is on and the chance to get tackle stretched and torn is but one short cast away. During the closure, the Murray and many of its adjoining rivers ran high and dirty, pushed to the point by environmental flows. While I was keen that the river might settle before the opening, it seems these flows will continue over the coming month.

While they are not ideal for lure fishing, there is still opportunity if you do the hard yards. Bright rattling lures or large flashing spinnerbaits will still prompt a strike if landed on a cod’s nose. The dirty water does little to deter bait anglers, as clarity matters not when a hungry cod is swimming up a current-driven scent trail sniffing out a bait. Large bardi grubs and yabbies work well early season, as the fish are still feeding up after the arduous job of breeding. Scrub worms too, will tempt a bite, as can a hookful of river shrimp. These transparent crustaceans are

about in plague proportion along the Murray, so fresh bait is close at hand. It was refreshing to hear of several big cod caught in the Wakool River near Kyalite before the opening. The largest fish, said to be at least 100lb, was caught on bait at a combined angling club competition. There were 2 other metre-plus fish landed at this meet and all were returned to the river in good health. To my knowledge these are the first large cod landed in this area since the black water of several years ago. It’s good news for the Wakool, as it’s a great fishing destination that can, once again, raise the hopes of all

Mulwala cod clues YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Maccullochella peelii, greenfish, goodoo, ponde or even Murray cod — names that excite freshwater fishos more at this time of year than Santa Claus! This is the hardest report of the year to write as deadlines require submission only days before season opening, but by the time it hits the stands we are a few weeks into the season. December 1 was cod opening and with it a mass influx of anglers looking for some action on the end of a rod are sure to have descended on

while the bait fishos will be rewarded with numbers. For the trollers, 70-120mm lures are always a great choice, while spinnerbaits should not be discounted as they have produced many fish on the troll in the past couple of years. Those that prefer to cast tend to use spinnerbaits and crankbaits, but a look at casting some timber hardbodies should not be discounted. Something that gets down in the cod’s face pretty quick might be the answer. Cod have seen many spinnerbaits over the past 15 years and it might be a case of what’s old is new again, with a return to old style timber lures. The bait crew should be looking towards bardi grubs,

Cooper Bennett with a nice cod he caught off the surface on a Lures by Moose popper. the home of the Murray cod, Lake Mulwala. All fishing methods will see you in with a great chance of action. Lure fishing tends to turn up bigger cod,

yabbies and the ever-popular scrub worm. So what is going to work best? As you can see, I have given just about everything in the tackle bag and bait box a mention.

Hang in there, persist and the rewards will come. Another craze that is the most fun by a country mile is surface fishing. The anticipation of a massive surface hit can’t be beat on a dead calm summer’s evening. Whether it be paddlers, poppers or buzz baits, give it a crack and you will be hooked in no time. One important piece of advice when it comes to surface fishing though — do it slow. Anglers must be aware that in the off-season a new set of rules has been implemented by both NSW and Victorian fisheries managers that governs a slot size and bag limits for cod. In NSW waters it is now only legal to take Murray cod that measure between 55-75cm inclusive, with a daily bag limit of 2 and a total possession limit of 4. Victorian bag limits vary slightly, so get yourself up to speed if fishing those waters. With the reduction in minimum size limits, I can see most will be able to achieve their daily limits fairly easily. Personally, I’m not a fan of the size reduction and urge those who are looking for a feed not to be greedy. Think of the future and limit your catch, don’t catch your limit. Fishing below the weir early in the season generally produces plenty of undersize cod, the protected trout cod, and the always-fun silver perch. Throw in numerous carp and good numbers of yellas, and the Murray is more often than not a better option for the family if they are looking to put the kids onto a fish for a bit of fun. I welcome all anglers visiting Yarrawonga/Mulwala over the summer period to pop in and say hello at Lake Mulwala Fish, Camp & Ski (opposite the Mulwala post office). I’m sure we can put you onto a fish or two and make your visit to the region a rewarding and memorable one.

Rod Mackenzie with a hefty Murray cod that smacked a Carls Compact spinnerbait made by Bassman who visit its waters to chance that giant catch. Along the Murray River, Robinvale and Euston fished well into the lead up of the cod opening, and should continue to produce fish over the coming month. While most fish were caught on bait, some anglers had small golden perch lures crumpled and ripped to bits. These were either destroyed by Jurassic goldens or overzealous cod; my money is on the latter. Wemen and Hattah are other Murray-based locations that fished well and will continue to produce now the season is open. Pay particular attention to the numerous rock bars dotted along this section of river, as they always hold cod. The Darling River fished well towards the end of last season, and should continue to provide good action for anglers using either bait or lures in the holes. There is little to no flow, so it will be interesting to see what happens when the water starts to warm. I remember all too well the last massive

Gareth Lynch with a nice Darling River cod that ate a large Bassman DT spinnerbait. fish kill along the Darling, and it seems that things are heading down that same path. Let’s hope not. While it’s all things cod at the moment, there are still good numbers of golden perch to be caught if you’re so inclined. Anglers bobbing shrimp around the snags are doing well at most locations. Few perch have been caught on lures, but once again this

is mainly to do with poor water clarity. I look forward to the next month of fishing where heavy drags, beefed up lures and the chance to get the bejeesus frightened out of you is what the cod season is all about. I hope everyone has had an excellent cod opening and an even better Christmas and New Year.

DAM LEVELS

Dam

% Full

Dam

% Full

Blowering............................. 40

Glennies Creek....................... 81

Brogo................................ 100

Grahamstown......................... 77

Burrendong........................... 19

Hume.................................. 64

Burrinjuck............................. 71

Jindabyne............................. 69

Carcoar................................ 26

Keepit.................................. 10

Chaffey................................ 33

Lostock................................ 64

Clarrie Hall........................... 92

Pindari................................. 12

Copeton............................... 25

Split Rock............................. 16

Dartmouth............................. 86

Tantangara............................ 15

Eucumbene........................... 51

Toonumbar............................ 88

Glenbawn............................. 85

Windamere........................... 46

Glenlyon............................... 26

Wyangala............................. 48

(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.) JANUARY 2015

Conditions point to a good summer of fishing MILDURA

John Menhennett goobyfish@hotmail.com

River levels have dropped and continue to fall back into the banks. Flows have subsided after a flush just before Christmas, and water clarity is good enough to catch some nice fish in. It’s gearing up to be a fantastic summer of fishing around Mildura, particularly if targeting the iconic Murray cod in the mighty Murray. Some very nice yellowbelly are being caught around here during these warm conditions, especially at Merbein. The fish have mostly been taken on lures, but bait fishos are enjoying

bobbing shrimps and small yabbies. Downsized lures intended for yellas are working well around snags and clay banks, but recently they have been caught on larger lures as bycatch when targeting their much larger and more aggressive neighbours, the Murray cod. Most have been coming in at the usual 40-48cm range, typical of summer yellowbelly. The best smaller lure for specifically targeting them has been the 90mm Koolabung Codbait and the LED-equipped Balista Dyno hardbodies. Large catfish are also being caught on bait around Fort Courage, and as far upstream as Euston. Reports from local anglers indicate that this

species is still around in good numbers. Murray cod have been on the chew also, with numerous larger models caught on trolled lures in multiple locations around Mildura. This season should be a ripper due to the appropriate water levels and clarity. Try trolling big lures like the 150mm AC Invader, Muldoon lures, and Koolabung Codzillas in various sizes. One lure that has dominated the cod season thus far is the 120mm Codzilla. Running a combination of 50lb braid and 50-60lb leader seems to be the best result for targeting big fish. Lighter gear might see you land the big one, but with so much cover like snags and rocks to contend

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with, the chances of line breakage, probably with a nice fish on the end, are high. No angler wants that. Up-sizing the trebles is also a good idea, because you don’t want to be left wondering what might have been. Releasing Murray cod is a good habit to get into, so it’s important to have all the right landing gear available to make the release as smooth and as trouble-free as possible. A large net, lip grips, pliers for hook removal and gloves are just some of the important equipment anglers should possess. Summer is a great time to fish for our special native species, but if you are heading out it is vitally important to carry the safety and first aid equipment appropriate for your crew and the size of boat. Maritime are going to be out in force over the summer break, and please make sure you understand the new cod slot limits for Victoria and NSW.

Antonio Liparota from Euston with a nice catfish caught in the Murray River. This iconic species is still around in good numbers.

Slot limits well received ECHUCA / MOAMA

Ian Page

With January upon us, we have seen a great start to the current cod season and our new slot limits in place at 55-75cm. Most anglers I have had the opportunity to speak to are pleased with the regulations and agree that it will help maintain our fish stocks for the future. There have been some great cod caught right along the Murray from Deniliquin to Torrumbarry, although areas with less speedboat traffic makes angling a little easier and more enjoyable. This is the time of year when large cod lures come into their own, trolled slowly over a length of river using a depth sounder to identify either fish or habitat that is likely to house our targets. There are many great lures out in the marketplace. Some of my favourites include Oar-Gee 25, Custom Crafted, JD Lures, and the good old StumpJumpers, but there are plenty of others that will also give results. The most asked question is regarding colour, and it’s also the hardest to answer. The rule in my boat is one light and one dark, as the variables are numerous. If one starts to work on a day, it tends to be the trend for that session. I think where most anglers fail though, is not working an area hard enough — that means more than a few sweeps over the part of river you choose to fish them on.

For anglers who choose bait, I like a running sinker rig with just enough weight to hold bottom and a 3/0 or 4/0 hook. Best baits include live shrimp, scrubworms, yabbies and bardi grubs. This

the Campaspe on both lures and small yabbies. Using light gear, they are always great sport. So with Daylight Savings and lovely weather, there are no excuses not

A 91cm cod taken above Echuca on a trolled OarGee lure, before being released by Ben Starkey. rig will work equally well for yellowbelly, as any of those baits are high on the food chain. Kow Swamp is continuing to produce some good yellows on both bait and lures, with the Jackalls accounting for many fish. Some good catches of redfin are coming in from the irrigation channels and

to dangle a line over the next few weeks and catch yourself a fish from our local waterways. • For the latest fishing and boating information in the Echuca/Moama region, drop into Boats and More’s Echuca store at 76 Northern Hwy or give them a call on (03) 5482 1992.

Racks and yaks BRISBANE

Justin Willmer

With most of our kayak fishing taking place within an hour or so of home we have always transported our kayaks using soft racks or simply loaded them into the tray of the ute. However, with a couple of long-range adventures on the cards, the time had come to look

including two for securing the hull of the kayak to the racks, one for each ‘J’ rack, along with a strap for securing the nose and tail of the kayak to the vehicle. I am a little old fashioned when it comes to tying down the kayaks, preferring ropes rather than straps. Ropes allow for the security of good knots and a feel for the amount of tension you’re applying. If your knots aren’t great though, straps are a good option. It’s

Sheri with a chunk of sooty on a Z-Man 2.5” GrubZ and TT Jig Spinner. into a more permanent and sturdy option. The decision was made to take our little Rav4, rather than the crusty old beach truck, as it gave us the luxury of a comfortable ride, air conditioning and the ability to lock all of our gear inside the vehicle when unattended. The downside of the smaller vehicle is that narrower roof racks wouldn’t allow my sit inside and Sheri, my wife’s sit on top to lay side-by-side. The solution was laying my kayak flat on the racks, and attaching a set of ‘J’ racks for Sheri’s narrower, more aerodynamic yak to be mounted upright on its side. There are several quality roof rack brands available and we settled on a set of Whispbars from Prorack, due to their aerodynamic design, that ensures they create less noise and vibration, as well as their reputation and positive reviews. Racks, mounting kit to suit the vehicle, ‘J’ racks and basic tools and I was ready to go. Opening the box I thought ‘what have I got myself into’, but on closer inspection the instructions were pretty good and within an hour, and with minimal cursing, the racks were on. The Prorack ‘J’ racks are designed so that they can be attached and detached in a few minutes, allowing them to be quickly removed when not in use. The downside is that they can also be easily removed when left unattended on your vehicle. For this reason we remove them after unloading the kayaks and store them inside the vehicle when we’re out on the water. These ‘J’ Racks also come with a set of straps for securing your kayak;

roof racks to your vehicle, don’t delay. THE FISHING Our journey took us in search of a new species, sooty grunter. We did our research and went armed with spinnerbaits, jig spinners, soft plastics and chatter baits. Sooties, as they are affectionately known, are a perfect target for kayak anglers, inhabiting impoundments, creeks and rivers from around the Mary River near Maryborough through to northern Queensland. They love lures, pull hard, photograph well and take some stopping when they decide to head for the snags they call home. Casting deep into snag piles and positioning the kayak to cast into the ‘V’ created by intersecting laydown timber soon saw us cheering as rods bent and drags screamed. It wasn’t long before I had landed my first sooty, quickly followed by a few more and I was impressed with their power and the speed of their initial run for structure. Sheri put a perfect cast into a snag

TIPS FOR TRANSPORTING YOUR KAYAKS • If your vehicle is too short to attach a nose and tail rope to the front and rear of the vehicle (like our Rav4), attach a rope from the nose and tail back to the racks to stop the kayak from shifting forward or backward. • If your kayak protrudes beyond the rear of the vehicle attach a bright coloured cloth, or pick up a kayak flag from your local kayak retailer. • Take your time tying down the yaks. An extra 15 minutes at the start could save you a lot of time and heartbreak further down the road. • If it doesn’t look and feel right, retie or add another strap or rope. This will give you peace of mind when travelling. • Stop early in your trip to check and tighten the ‘J’ racks, as well as any ropes or straps once the kayaks have settled. • Take advantage of fuel, food and toilet stops to again check the ropes and straps.

The ‘J’ racks allow two yaks to be carried comfortably on a smaller vehicle.

attached for added flash and vibration. The most effective retrieve was a cast as close as possible to structure, followed by a medium speed retrieve, with the occasional pause to allow the lure to bump the timber; a knock on wood to let the fish know it was there. We also landed a 65cm saratoga on the same set up, along with a similar sized toga and a few sooties on a 1/4oz chatter bait in green pumpkin colour. If you’ve been thinking about a long range adventure or targeting a new species for a while, it’s time to lock it into the calendar, do some research, fit the racks, sort the fishing gear and load the yaks… there’s plenty of roads and even more waterways just waiting to be explored. See you on the water…

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Sooties are a perfect target for kayak anglers, as they inhabit impoundments, creeks and rivers. a good idea to do a test run or two for the new racks, with a couple of short range adventures first. We travelled plenty of kilometres, checked our load regularly, tightened or retied a few times and returned home without incident. The roof racks and ‘J’ racks made life easy and in hindsight it would have been great to have these fitted years ago. If you’re thinking about adding some

pile and within a few turns of the handle was squealing as she was dragged rapidly toward the structure. Some fancy rod work and I slid her first sooty into the net, a solid fish of around 40cm. We landed a couple dozen sooty grunter for the two sessions, including a few solid 40cm fish, with the standout lure being a 2 1/2” curl tail plastic, rigged on a 1/4oz 1/0 jighead, with a jig spinner

enquiries: (p) (03) 5722 4800 (e) joe@lockindustries.com.au JANUARY 2015

Profish GT kayak offers more FMG

Greg Livingstone

Viking Kayaks Australia have just released three new models to their fishing kayak range, Viking Profish Reload, Viking Profish 400 and the Profish GT. I was lucky enough to have the Profish GT for a month, which allowed me to really put this fishing kayak through its paces in both salt and freshwater.

save paddling against the fast flowing water. I have a Nissan Patrol that sits 3” higher than standard, so most kayaks and canoes aren’t the easiest things to get on top of its racks. The GT weighs 24kg, which is not much lighter than most kayaks I’ve been in, but having a large handle moulded in the centre of the hull spreads the weight easily and I was able to put the kayak on and off the roof rack by myself.

SPECIFICATIONS The Profish GT is a single person kayak, 3.6m in length and weighs in at about 24kg. The hull at its widest point is 82cm, which makes it very stable at rest and while paddling around. It has a payload of up to 175kg, so loading it up with camping gear and extra gear for extended adventures is not an issue. The kayak as tested came with a couple of factory upgrade options such as the Chili Pod, Anchor system, Depth sounder and Extra rod holders and there are so many other upgrades in store for you to choose from. Standard features include: • Propelz Speed fibreglass paddle • Deluxe Fisherman Seat • Removable Tackle Pod • 1 hatch with bucket • Footrests, 4 rod holders • Side carry handles (moulded in) • Paddle park • Fish stringer park • Inserts for accessories • Large oval hatch fitted on foredeck My first trip was an afternoon paddle in the freshwater reaches of the Brisbane River. I had a couple of mates join me and we had a drop-off point and took another vehicle about 3km downstream for the return trip to where we launched, to

SETUP The Profish GT is a single roto moulded kayak designed for fishing. My first impressions were that this was built and designed by a serious kayak angler. The standard features and ease of use has everything a

Storage is not a problem on the GT. In the front of the hull there is a large hatch that is perfect for storing larger gear. fisher would need for day on the water. The GT comes standard with a new concept called the Tackle Pod™. This is a smart little storage compartment designed to protect your gear while giving you easy access. It sits right in front of the seating position and is completely removable. The Pod clips in at the front of a recess in the hull and is then locked in by a pin in the rear of the box. The best part about the Pod is that it has an inbuilt transducer compartment that fills the recess in the kayak’s hull that seals and prevents water from entering the top of the kayak. The transducer sits just up inside of the bottom of the hull so running across rocks and logs won’t see it being ripped off or damaged. The Pod is a great feature for anglers. I was able to pre pack all my gear the night

Viking’s Profish GT is a kayak designed for anglers. before and load quickly into the kayak when ready to launch. While on the water I usually have a bag behind me for all my tackle and it works fine, but the Pod sitting directly in front of me adds an extra dimension of ease and simplicity.

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On the top of the Pod sits a Lowrance Elite 3x – having a sounder on a fishing kayak is a must. It gives you an understanding of what depth you are fishing and if there are any concentrated bait that can turn an average day into a trip of a lifetime. There is a small sealed deep cycle battery that straps inside and has a small recessed area that keeps it away and secure; it’s not the biggest or the most expensive sounder but perfect for the job. In front of the pod sits 2 Rail Blazer rod holders, these are setup perfectly for trolling as they are in direct sight.

from a sore back so I really appreciate support on the water (I’m getting old…). The Profish GT comes standard with a deluxe fisher’s seat and after fishing for 5 hours my lower back was fine, although my backside was quite sore and numb (but recovered quickly). I would probably look at some upgrade to the base of the seat in the form of an inflatable cushion to make longer trips more comfortable. Foot rests play a big part in comfort levels as they help to keep you sitting up straight and help considerably when

Caninghi

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The Profish GT comes standard with a deluxe fisher’s seat.

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The optional insulated Chill Pod™ will keep ice and fish cold for hours. They are also very handy to use while re-rigging or landing fish. SEATING Comfort is a major priority for me; I suffer

navigating down fast flowing water. The Profish GT has adjustable footrests fitted standard, so whether you are short or tall you will find it comfortable and supportive.

STORAGE When choosing a kayak, storage options should be taken seriously. It is essential to be able to store your gear in a dry and safe place. The Profish GT has plenty of large dry storage, which is ideal for extended fishing trip. In the front of the hull there is a large hatch that is perfect for storing larger gear, like tents, tarps, clothes, etc. Moving back from the front sits the Tackle Pod™ and just behind is a small sealed hatch that is ideal for wallet, phone and keys. The rear of the kayak has another new product known as the Chill Pod™ that fits neatly into the rear of the hull. The forward facing lid gives easy access for left or right-handed people. The low profile shape creates little windage and a screw type bung fitted into the base makes draining easy. The Chill Pod™ will keep ice and fish cold for hours, as it is insulated, meaning your fish will stay in perfect condition even on hot days. I used this to house my camera box and a couple of frozen bottles of water. It’s great for fish but again a simple handy storage solution within easy reach of the seating position. At the end of your day’s fishing, simply lift the Chill Pod™ out of your kayak and into your vehicle – very clean and tidy! Both Pods make setting up and packing up very simple.

It comes standard with the new Tackle Pod™ – a smart storage compartment designed to protect your gear while giving you easy access and is completely removable. PERFORMANCE The Profish GT is 3.6m long, which is a perfect size for fishing rivers, dams and canal systems, and if you are a keen and strong paddler heading offshore would not be a problem. My take on kayaks is pretty simple, as I am a boat owner, wherever I can’t take my boat a kayak is ideal, and the Profish GT ticks all my boxes in regards to weight length and ease of transportation. The hull has plenty of bow lift, turned down edges and is quite broad.

We headed into a strong northerly wind in the canals and I stayed very dry, even when boats thought it was funny to go past me at about 12 knots in a 6 knot zone! The Profish tracks very true and is a fairly quick kayak. Even in wind, the yak stayed on track, but a couple of the bass did pull me around and had me back peddling out of the tangled trees! There were a couple of great fishing-friendly features that I really liked. The paddle straps on the

Adjustable footrests are fitted standard to give optimum comfortable and supportive.

The Profish GT is a perfect size for fishing rivers, dams and canal systems.

side of the hull is great when landing fish or when launching and retrieving. On the starboard side of the kayak is an anchoring rope system that is a must when fishing flowing water; this is quite a simple rig, it consists of a stainless steel pulley front and rear and a clip to attach your anchor in the middle. I am 100% sure this will help improve your catch rate as you can spend

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more time working areas of interest while not having to worry about trying to keep the kayak in position with the paddle. Having rod holders is a pretty important subject for any kayak angler. I use high-end gear so keeping these out of the water is a no brainer. The Profish that I tested not only had the 2 Rail Blazers on the Pod, it was also fitted with 4

flush mounted rod holders, 2 beside the seat and 2 just behind, again all within easy reach from the seat. The new Profish GT comes in an array of different colours, to check out these new fishing machines simply visit your local Viking dealer by jumping on their website at www.vikingkayaks.com.au or give Jason and the crew a call on 1800 004 240.

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Cooking

Slimy mackerel: How to fillet and cook the bait BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Called slimy mackerel in Australia, they are found all over the world. In Australia they are considered arguably the best baitfish available for many target species, but are seldom thought as table fare. However, in many places they are revered as an eating fish, particularly in colder waters. The secret to cooking mackerel is to remove two boneless and skinless strips of flesh from each fillet. One strip from above the bloodline, the other strip from below the bloodline.

Getting prepared: two slimy mackerel fillets and a slimy mackerel alongside for comparison.

Next remove the rib bones from the belly half of the fillet.

To remove the bones, make an incision down to (but not through) the skin above the pin bones and bloodline (which run the full length of the fillet). The line of pin bones that run the full length down the middle of the fillet will remain attached to the skin. Then turn the knife outwards and cut the flesh away from the centre and remove the strip of fish flesh from the dorsal part of the fillet.

Now skin the bottom half of the fillet. Using a blade longer than the fillet you can skin in the opposite direction to normal. Make a cut into the flesh below the pin bones and then cut the flesh strip away from the remaining skin and pin bones, ensuring that you have no bones in the strip that is intended for the table. The remainder should now be the skin with a row of pin bones still attached.

This recipe is a concept rather than a rigid amount of ingredients. The seasoned flour consists of plain flour mixed with a generous amount of salt and pepper. The mackerel fillets are coated in this mixture and then sautéed in a little

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Two mackerel strips (one from the upper section of the fillet and the other from the lower section of the fillet) on the right ready for cooking. Note that the rib ‘flaps’ make good bream baits and the flesh and skin left overs make good berley.

JANUARY 2015

butter until almost cooked through. Don’t overcook as the mackerel as it will continue to cook in the pan when removed from the heat. I remove the fillets from the pan and add chopped herbs to the butter in the pan. This herb buttery

mixture is then spooned over the cooked mackerel. I have used chives in the photo for this recipe, but you can add almost any herb of your choice. The robust oily flavours of the mackerel will team with most herbs; my favourites are thyme, coriander or chives.

To serve, place the mackerel fillets on a plate and spoon the herb butter sauce over the fillets. A squeeze of lemon lifts the tastes in the dish.

Tech Tricks

Rigging weedless plastics: how to do it better BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

When fishing soft plastics through heavy structure, anglers have adopted numerous methods to ensure they have a reliable rig to hook their quarry while still being able to work their offering productively through weed beds, mangrove snags, rock walls and other cover. There are varied ways to rig your weedless offerings. Over the years many anglers have developed or adopted their own version of the basic weedless rig that they are confident with for the species they target. In this article, I

will demonstrate a few of the weedless rigging options for shads and other plastics, which may prove useful for your applications. I have used weedless rigging for some of my plastics for over a decade now but had never been confident with my rig until a few years ago. I suppose the array of plastics available in the early years was fairly limited, and many, especially the shads, had solid bodies. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t comfortable with the hook up rate when rigging these on worm hooks as the fish had to hit the plastic exceptionally hard for the bend of the hook to push through the plastic far enough to provide enough open gape for a solid purchase. And this all had to

Pass the hook point through the centre of the nose and protrude it out just under the chin of the plastic. Slide the plastic along the shank until it sits on the kink in the shank just behind the eye.

happen in a split second with most species as they would eject the plastic as fast as they had engulfed it. Additionally, many of the worm hooks available were only of a light wire construction and not suitable for most of our tough Aussie sportfish. Over the last decade, there has been an enormous array of quality plastics and worm hooks entering the country. Many of these have slits in the belly or hollow bellies and additional recesses in the back, which has made them softer and more suitable for rigging with worm hooks. When using these plastics, the initial hit of the fish is easily sufficient to push the hook point proud of the body to promote a positive hook set.

Flip the plastic around so it is sitting as shown on the hook. By laying the hook bend next to the body you will be able to work out at what point it needs to penetrate through the back of the plastic in the next step.

Although this plastic was presented well on the hook, a gentle pull on the tail of the plastic will have the head sliding back down the shank and the plastic will bunch up as shown.

This is especially important for anglers targeting impoundment and saltwater barra, which have a hit and spit habit. The hook point needs to be prominent and driven home in a split second before the fish has ejected the plastic. Berkley Hollow Bellies, Castaic Jerky-J, Squidgy Slick Rigs and a host of other early offerings were soft enough to be fished with worm hooks. In recent times there has been a number of shads from Z-man, Keitech, Jackall Brothers, Fish Arrow and others which will work well with worm hooks and weedless rigging. I have used most of these, finding certain ones better for some species and

To avoid this, there are a couple of additions that can be made to the rig. The first utilises Bait Buttons (also distributed by Tackle Tactics), which are small rubber disks in a handy dispenser. Go back to Step 2 of the rigging to put these on. Put the hook point in the slot and push downwards so the point penetrates the disk. A small rubber lumo bead or similar rubber or plastic disk could also be used.

situations than others, yet all are great products. One of the problems with worm hooks has always been keeping the plastic rigged straight on the hook. With repetitive casting and short or tentative strikes, the plastic has a tendency to pull down on the hook, making it curved, which results in it spinning throughout the rest of the retrieve. This is especially frustrating as you never get that second hit and can even spook fish, therefore a future cast is ignored. Keeping plastics straight on the hook, even with a quite aggressive tail strike will greatly increase your chances of getting a more aggressive second strike and subsequent solid hook up.

Part the slit in the belly and pass the hook point through the back at the desired point. The plastic should be straight on the hook and the hook should penetrate the plastic centrally through the body. Sometimes when working over very heavy structure, anglers will push the hook point lightly into the plastic again as shown.

Slide this along the hook shank until it is hard up against the chin of the plastic as shown. Then continue with Step 3 of the rigging. This will help to hold the plastic in place but a savage tail strike may still pull it backwards on the shank. For barra fishing some years ago (before Bait Buttons were readily available) I began using a different method.

Once the plastic is fully rigged on the hook, get some thin tie wire about 5cm long. I initially pulled the wire out of some plastic bag twist-ties but have also used florist wire for this. Pass the wire through the eye of the hook (not the eyelet on the lead head) and then secure by wrapping it back around itself a few times.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initially look at rigging a shad style plastic with a worm hook and then two different methods to keep it straight on the hook. We will use one of the popular TT Snakehead Rigs for this demonstration, however the rigging will be the same for most good worm hooks whether they are weighted or not. Although it may not look pretty, this rigging method offers exceptional durability and means that you will get the best out of your plastics whilst being able to fish them deep in heavy structure, which is often where some of the better quality fish will reside. From here it is up to you to extract them. Good luck with that!

Pass the wire past the chin of the plastic and then wrap around the hook shank a few times as shown. It is extremely difficult to pull the plastic back along the hook shank and the plastic actually has to totally be torn off the hook to remove it. Z-man plastics offer an exceptionally tough rig when used like this. However it is still easy to change plastics by untwisting the wire, putting on a new offering and then retwisting the wire around the shank. JANUARY 2015

2014 Yamaha Cod Classic BRISBANE

Stephen Booth

Australia’s richest freshwater fishing tournament and most eagerly awaited social event on the fishing calendar, the 2014 Yamaha Cod Classic and Wilson Fishing Junior Cod Classic was held from December 5-7 at the home of Murray cod fishing, the stunning Lake Mulwala. Yarrawonga and Mulwala literally come alive with 2500+ anglers and 1400 boats hitting the area to compete for the $150,000 worth of prizes on offer at the event. Entering its 15th year, the Cod Classic continues to offer an amazing prize pool totalling in excess of $150,000 including 7 Quintrex/Yamaha boating packages plus the first ever vehicle package with the lucky winner having the choice of either a Ford XR6 or Ford Ranger Ute for catching ‘Henry’, a specially tagged Murray cod. Unfortunately Henry was not captured during the event, but all the boat packages were given away. During the event all the usual features were run including Flathead Fred, ‘Cod Talk’ with Rod McKenzie and Gus Storer, the Australian casting competitions and the Fishing & Outdoors Expo where visitors could talk to and buy the best Murray cod fishing gear and lures and play with all of the accessories that make this style of fishing so much fun. FRIDAY NIGHT Friday night is traditionally a big night when all the competitors need to register for the event and receive their goodies bags. All Junior anglers receive a great bag this year with lures donated by Wilson Fishing in every Junior bag. Dinner consisted of roast beef rolls and while everyone dug into their meals, the excitement was building as anglers talked up what they were going to do the following morning. Rod McKenzie and Gus Storer held their Cod Talk, an informal chat about all things cod and the crowd simply loves these lessons from the masters.

The first random boat prize was drawn for early entrants and the giveaways had started: The Yamaha Cod Classic was on. DAY ONE Saturday morning arrived with brilliant sunshine and

for cover from around 1pm onwards. Heavy rain, massive amounts of lightning and even some hail belted the top of Lake Mulwala before moving down to Wangaratta and then swinging back north to collect the bottom

Saturday night drew in the crowds to see the large bounty of prizes given away. Photo courtesy of Jarrod Day.

The magnificent Ford Ranger Ute on display for the lucky angler who can catch ‘Henry’. Photo courtesy of Jarrod Day. light winds encouraging even the laziest of anglers to get on the water. With over 1,000 boats buzzing around Lake Mulwala and the Murray River below Yarrawonga Weir, there were few places that didn’t see a lure or a bait on Saturday morning and the results showed with plenty of fish being caught. The highlight of the morning session was a sensational 104cm cod taken Rick Hughes, a cod that certainly had the potential to be the biggest for the competition. The Yamaha Cod Classic is a catch and release event for all native fish and the organisers set up weigh in stations around the lake and down the river. These are staffed by volunteers who measure and make sure the fish are released in good health before issuing the lucky angler a receipt of their catch. Unlike previous years, the change in fishing regulations meant that fish over 75cm had to be released so a photograph with the competitors card on a measuring mat was required for verification of larger fish. This meant that all oversized fish were released on site and were given the best chance of a successful release. The afternoon of day one saw a massive storm build up over Bundalong and this sent competitors running

of the lake and the river. Needless to say, not too many fish were weighed in the afternoon, although some braved the elements and kept fishing hard. Saturday night saw the drawing of the Wilson Fishing Junior Boat Prize and a stunned Reece Jones was drawn out of the barrel by Wilson Fishing’s Anthony Pavlou. With the draw over, most people took the chance to have an early night as the rain had set in.

Rod McKenzie releasing ‘Henry’ after being tagged. Photo courtesy of Jarrod Day.

Shane Banks with a 61cm Murray cod caught up in the Bundalong area.

DAY TWO Sunday dawned bright and sunny, again with little wind and those competitors who had missed the chance to fish Saturday afternoon were racing to their best spots for the short session. The fishing was a little tougher on the Sunday with water temperatures dropping and the waters all dirtying up a bit, but anglers persisted and fish were caught, albeit at a much slower rate than on Saturday morning.

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Rhys Jones was stoked to take away the Wilson Junior Random Draw Boat package.

Luckily for Rick Hughes, no cod larger than 104cm were caught and that meant he became the Champion Angler for the largest cod of the event, writing his name into the record books for posterity. The overall junior champion was Jackson Wheeler with 3 fish totalling 187cm (total length). The final presentation was as smooth and flawless as we’ve come to expect at the Yamaha Cod Classic with all the boat packages given away to anglers who were mostly too excited for words. Over 300 random draw prizes were also given away over the event making this a truly remarkable fishing competition. Thanks must go to the Mulwala Football and Netball Club for the hours of work that go into making this the biggest and richest inland fishing competition in Australia. It is a pleasure to attend whether you are a sponsor, a competitor or simply a visitor. Check out the full results by logging onto www.codclassic.com.au. – Additional information and photos provided by Jarrod Day

Everyone wins at the Hawkesbury Fishing Classic The Hawkesbury Classic is the largest dedicated estuary fishing competition in Australia, with over 600 anglers and more than 1500 people attending the massive weigh-in day. Pitt Town Fishing Club, along with major sponsor Blakes Marine at Mulgrave, are hoping to have raised well over $25,000 for their charity beneficiaries, Pink Finns and Windsor Park Public School, a

special education unit for underprivileged kids. The fishing commenced on the Friday evening of Nov 14 at 6.00pm and people had to register at the weigh-in at Pitt Town Sporting Club from 12.002.00pm on Nov 16. As in the past, every angler that registers on the Sunday goes into the draw to win a lucky door prize. This year it was a beautiful Stacer 399 Proline matched

to a 30hp Suzuki outboard motor and trailer package, fully registered, decked out with safety gear, and donated by Blakes Marine. The lucky winner was Luke Attard, and all he had to do was enter and register on the day to win! Another boat, motor and trailer package valued at over $6,000 was also up for grabs, which was won by Jodie Toomsalu. The day had a carnival-

Fish playing hard at GTS The GTS series kicked off at Taree for the 2015 season. 30 teams enjoyed the beautiful weather, however, the bream were playing hard to get with

of the tournament. They fished surface lures around the entrance to Scott’s Creek. They continued this pattern for another 3 hours with only smaller fish

different spots throughout the Manning River to get them into 3rd position. They started in the higher reaches of the system early in the day, fishing gravel

Team Carpet Court/Cranka Lures took home the top prize on the day. RESULTS Place/Team...................................Anglers............................................Fish... Weight 1 Carpet Court/Cranka Lures........Mike Nelson/Grant Manusu............5/5...... 2.31kg 2 Quantum/Gary Howard Rods....Neil Chegwidden/Ross Lamotte.....5/5...... 1.96kg 3 Gamakatsu/Samurai2.................Wayne Bale/Jeff Brundson.............5/5...... 1.94kg 4 Kiwi/TT Lures..............................David Trinder/John Doe..................5/5...... 1.83kg 5 Restaurant 26.............................Chris Deland/Dean Hammond........5/5...... 1.83kg a tough bite and a lot of small bags weighed in. Congratulation goes out to first placed Team Carpet Court/Cranka Lures, who walked home with $870 worth of cash and two Samurai Inflict rods valued at $260 each. Mike Nelson and Grant Manusu headed upstream and stayed there for the duration of the event, weighing in a 2.31kg bag. This was the only bag over 2kg for the day. “We fished gravel beds with Z-man Grubs and Bassday Sugapens and continued uprading all day. All in all it we had a great time on the water,” Moose said. Second place getters Neil Chegwidden and Ross Lamotte (Team Quantum/Gary Howard Rods) had their bag of 5 bream in the first hour

being found. Still chasing upgrades they headed to an isolated reef and pulled a 31cm fish. This kicker fish put them into the prize money taking home $475 cash and a Mako Eyewear prize pack. Team Gamakatsu/ Samurai (Wayne Bale and Jeff Brundson) successfully ‘run and gun’ fished all day. They took advantage of 12

beds much like Team Carpet Court/Cranka Lures. “The lure of choice today was the Atomic Deep Crank 38 in muddy prawn and the new colour Tristo’s eagle, which has been working a treat as of late,” said Neil. For more information on the Gamakatsu Teams Series, visit www. fishingcomps.com.au

As you can see, some fine mulloway and other species were landed during the tournament, with the best weighing 13kg. like atmosphere, with jumping castles, ice creams, hot food, cold drinks, and lots of bargains at the auction, which is always a great part of the event. Our special guest auctioneer, Gary Cotter from Hawkesbury Radio, made the auction a real blast and raised a record amount. This year Daniel Pipitone was crowned King of the Hawkesbury River with his mulloway of 13kg. The other real winners were the two charity beneficiaries that will receive muchneeded funds to help them financially over the next 12 months. Massive thanks must go to the Pitt Town Fishing Club Hawkesbury Classic Committee, as it takes months and months of planning and countless

HAWKESBURY FISHING CLASSIC WINNERS Heaviest Fish 1 Daniel Pipitone................... 13kg.................Jewfish 2 James Tasovac.................... 10.2kg..............Jewfish 3 Ben Mosman...................... 8kg...................Jewfish Heaviest Species Bream.................................... Jordan Davis..... 1.15kg Flathead................................. Troy Benson...... 4.19kg Jewfish.................................. Colin Myles.........5.5kg Whiting.................................. Con Gianis........0.46kg Other Species [Aus Salmon]...... Melissa Vella..........1.9kg Juniors Heaviest Fish 1 Corey Perin......................... 4.615kg............Jewfish 2 Nicholas Pipitone............... 4.380kg............Jewfish 3 Joel Woods......................... 3.320kg............Jewfish Ladies Heaviest Fish 1 Kathleen Matthews............. 3.87kg..............Jewfish 2 Ashleigh Maskell................. 2.195kg..........Flathead 3 Samantha Daff.................... 1.59kg............Flathead hours of voluntary work to make the day one of the biggest attractions in

the Hawkesbury District. – Brett Chain, Pitt Town Fishing Club

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2015 DATE DETAILS

CONTACTS

JANUARY Jan 19-20 FEBRUARY

Hay Lions FC Fishing Comp Hay Hay Lions FNC - haylionsclub@hotmail.com www.visitnsw.com/events

Feb 7-8

Port Stephens Family Fishing Comp Port Stephens Soldiers Pt Marina - 02 4982 7445 portstephens fishingcomp.com

Feb 27-Mar 1 Humminbird Mathoura Fishing Classic Mathoura VC – (03) 58843730

Mathoura www.mathoura.com

Feb 28-Mar 1 Riverina Classic Fishing Comp RCFC - 0459 909 443 MARCH

Darlington Point riverinaclassic.com

Mar 6-8 Bidgee Classic Gogeldrie Weir Park www.facebook.com/LeetonBidgeeClassicFishingCompetition

30 teams took to the Manning River in Taree for the start of the 2015 GTS events.

Mar 8-14

EAFC Annual Fishing Comp Eden Fishing Club – (02) 6496 3410

Eden edenfishingclub.org

Mar 27-29 JULY

Trailer Boat Fishing Tournament Tony Poole – (02) 9029 6554

Port Stephens tbft.com.au

Jul 3-9

Sussex Inlet Annual Family Fishing Carnival Sussex Inlet SIFFC - (02) 4441 2017 sussexinlet.nsw.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing nsweditor@ 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. JANUARY 2015

Good vibrations for Burbidge win

REAM HOBIE B INAL GRAND F The 2014 Hobie Kayak Bream Series National Championship presented by Daiwa held at South Yunderup, WA saw 48 of Australia’s best kayak anglers tussle for the prized title as the Hobie Kayak Australian Champion. After a second solid day of action on the

water, Chris Burbidge from Ferntree Gully in Victoria was crowned top honours. The day started at 6am on the Murray River, an hour earlier than day one. The Power-Pole starting line looked amazing in the overcast, early, morning light as anglers jostled for positions to take advantage of the crucial hours of fishing at the start

OVERALL RESULTS ANGLER

HOME STATE

WEIGHT

Chris Burbidge.......... VIC........................... 3.27kg Brett Ozanne............. WA........................... 3.12kg Michael Maas............ QLD......................... 3.06kg Shane Owens............ WA........................... 3.06kg Clark Wilson.............. VIC........................... 2.77kg Stewart Dunn............. NSW........................ 2.71kg Matt Petrie................. VIC........................... 2.60kg John Sorrell............... WA........................... 2.50kg Jim Barrie.................. NSW........................ 2.44kg Justin Dingwall.......... VIC........................... 2.41kg

Our 2014 Hobie bream Grand Final podium finishers! of the day. the previous day’s fishing Daniel Brown from fishing. Some headed Taree in NSW sat nervously further afield but in the same on the starting line at the direction as the day before, top of the Lowrance Leader others stayed closer to the board with his 2.34kg bag event site and many headed giving him a slight 370g off to completely new lead over his nearest rival. locations. It was common Western Australia’s Brett for competitors to have Ozanne started the day covered more than 15km in in second on 1.87kg and the session with one Hobie eventual winner Chris kayaker pedalling his Hobie Burbidge sat in third Pro Angler 12 over 25km position on 1.67kg. on the day. The field of excited As the grand finalists anglers pedalled off on the worked the early hours, final day of the Australian the weather conditions Championship to execute had deteriorated from the the plans of attack that day before. Rain squalls, they had adjusted after accompanied by wind

gusts of up to 25km/h and sudden cold snaps hit the arena. When the sun did break through around mid-morning, the cloud layer dissipated and the UV levels soared as the heat intensified. When the fronts passed and the wind subsided, the waves began a more rhythmic pattern out on the inlet. The rivers were covered in light ripples and glassy water glistened in the protected areas of the rivers and canals. For many, the fish refused to strike early in the morning, including top 10 positioned anglers who became panicky as fish resisted their presentations. Most anglers thought that the bream would show their most aggressive nature early but some more technical-based predictions suggested that the best bite time would be from 11am-12pm. This is exactly what day one leader Daniel Brown was hoping for at 11am, when he had caught plenty of under sized fish but had no legals in his livewell. All over the arena the situation varied but the

black bream in the upper Murray River where Burbidge had ventured where taking lures through most of the day and a lot of anglers who headed in that direction came home with full bags. It was the same direction that a pod of dolphins, which frequent the river, also chose to head to as they passed through the field of anglers as the tournament kicked off. They were heading back past the Daiwa Event Site at 1pm striking fish, making the water boil, in amongst the snags and riverbanks on the way back through to the inlet. The dolphins knew where the fish were and the best times to target them. When the anglers returned to the Atomic Launch Site, many were happy with their bags, some just happy not to have come home empty handed 2 days straight and others were excited about their prospects. Daniel Brown was dejected as he pedalled to shore with no fish in his well; the day one leader and two times champion was out of the running for a spot on the podium.

Burbidge bumps for win

ABT, PO Box 7196, LOGANHOLME, QLD 4129 Alternatively you can download an entry form from www.abt.org.au At any time you can call ABT on (07) 3387 0888 for help with your entry during business hours.

Burbidge stood at the Berkely Bump Tub watching as angler after angler went up on stage. Finally, it was his turn to walk down the green carpet of the Rhino-Rack Runway and up the stairs and onto the stage in front of the 200 strong crowd gathered to watch a Hobie Tournament weigh-in. Burbidge was the second last angler to weigh-in his bag of 3 fish and was excited as he took over the ‘Hot Seat’, (the seat on the stage reserved for the current leader as the weigh-in progressed). He remained reserved, but with nervous anticipation he looked on as Brett Ozanne came up on stage for the final weigh-in of the tournament. When Ozanne came to the scales he needed a bag weight on the day of 1.4kg to take the title. His 3 bream,

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SHIVER VIBE 88

JANUARY 2015

mostly taken in the canal just 1.2km west of the Daiwa Event Site, fell just short at 1.25kg and Burbidge pumped his fist in the air, ecstatic with his victory. After a great year on the water including 3 tournament victories, the 2014 Hobie Kayak Bream Series Australian Championship title was now rightfully his. After the presentation of the championship trophy in front of a large crowd of onlookers Burbidge offered his thoughts on his performance and on the tournament. “To make it to the Grand Final I had a few performances I was pretty happy with; I won 3 tournaments this year, Paynesville, Lake Tyers and Nelson, the very first round at the beginning of the year,” he said. “When the tournament

here got off to a start on Saturday, I had a pretty good day, I didn’t think I had done enough but I ended up in 3rd place. I just did what I know to do around structure, which is to use deep diving hardbodies and little 40mm vibes.” “Today I started off with exactly the same lures and all I was getting were those spangled grunter or whatever they are called. I got about 15 of those and I thought, ‘This area’s not working now’. My first fish didn’t come until about 9.30 or 10 o’clock so I was starting to hit the panic button. My finger was sort of on it. So I went well

N CHAMPIO

up the river and ended up putting on a purple vibe, just in desperation. About 3 casts later I was into me first fish and it just went on from there and I kept doing that all day. Slow rolling it, fishing structure, fishing drop offs. It didn’t matter what I was casting at I was hooking fish. I only got busted off once today, so I was pretty happy with that. But the vibe did the job for me again; it turned out to be just a fantastic day.”

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Consistency paid for Ozanne’s second 2ND PLA CE

After a brilliant 2 days of fishing, 2nd place in the Hobie Kayak Bream Series Australian Championship went to exceptional Western Australian angler Brett Ozanne, who maintained a constant position. “I came into today quietly confident, I suppose.

I knew it was going to be tough today but I thought that local knowledge would come into play and the local guys would get a bag and some of the east coast guys would have a bit of a struggle to get 3 fish. But with guys of the calibre of Chris Burbidge, they can

always pull one out of the bag and they did,” he said. “I’m absolutely pumped with the whole weekend. I pre-fished pretty extensively and I was fairly confident coming into the comp and wasn’t really thinking about really competing against anyone but myself. I had nothing to lose and it came off, 2 full bags, which were

puffing up all over the sand, so I could see them. I worked the Atomic Crank over the flats, I kicked up a bity of dirt with it, here and there, to get the fishes’ attention and then I gave it a pause and a twitch and they jumped all over it. That pretty much worked all weekend. It was just a matter of finding the fish in the canal and when I did

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The 2014 Hobie Bream Grand Final saw 48 anglers hit the water, all wanting to take out this year’s trophy.

really what I wanted to get, two full bags. I was absolutely stoked.” “I basically used the same technique all weekend. I found fish on the little shallow flats on the canal system where there was a clear layer of sand over a dirty layer and they were

they were really flighty, even when I stood up in the Hobie they would get spooked. I just found a couple of really good patches and probably pulled most of my fish from one 50m stretch. That fished pretty well all weekend until it shut down about 10.30.” “I went into the flats in

HOBIE B R GRAND F EAM INAL the canals this morning chucking an Atomic Crank, my last ghost gill Atomic Crank after yesterday snapping the bib off one on a fish and losing one to a little chopper tailor. I came up to my flat at the end of a jetty, and pegged it under the jetty and got a fish. I couldn’t turn the PA back in time; I free-spooled and lost the lure. Devastated, I tied on a Muddy Prawn, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I came back to that jetty probably 40 minutes later only to find that Atomic Crank of mine floating on the surface under the jetty. I couldn’t believe it and what was even better, I caught my last two fish on that Atomic Crank. “I’m absolutely stoked I came 2nd. Better than I could have hoped and to do it for WA, I’m absolutely rapt”.

Maas amasses third podium 3RD PLA CE

Third place went to Queenslander Michael Maas from North Gold Coast. “It is a bit different coming

here so I wasn’t expecting to catch my bag each day. But I sort of just fished it the way I do back home and it paid off. I pitched 2.5” Damiki D Grub on 3lb leader into the trees, into the timber. There’s just that much structure here you miss a fish on one and you just go to the next one and pitch away again and you just keep getting them. I got 20 legal fish on the final day,

but the day before I only got 5,” he said. “I was 7th coming into the final day and getting a podium finish is just unbelievable. I loved coming here with all the timber and the river. I love fishing all of the natural structure, back at home too. It reminded me of a place I love to fish at home, Jumpinpin, with all its timber and mangroves. I had to adjust, a

little bit, to the fact that there was no real tide. Being from Queensland we get 2m tides, so there’s a bit of a difference. But I just downsized the plastic and downsized the jighead and it just worked.” “Hobie events in Australia are awesome. I fish the boating events and the kayak events but I think the kayak events might be up above the boating events at the moment, the way

Getting set for another day on the water after some Murray River black bream. they are run and the way they are organised. The guys just do an awesome job and the venue

here for this championship was awesome, what else can I say. I just loved being here.”

Double win for Hog’s Breath Boss Hog big bream For the first time in the championships two anglers brought fish to the scales that weighed in at exactly the same weight. On day one Daniel Brown from Taree in NSW brought in the largest fish of the day coming with a 1.06kg ‘keg’, which he pulled in from the lower reaches of the Murray River. On day two Jim Barrie from the NSW South Coast town of Nowra caught another ‘bag kicker’ in the upper reaches of the estuary also weighing 1.06kg. “I caught him down river just sitting on a snag on one of the points of the islands. I threw into the snag and I was lucky that he hit it hard and I locked him in,” Daniel said. “Luckily, he ran straight out towards the yak instead of turning back. I fought him under the yak and I was stoked when I managed to pull

JIM BARRIE’S BIG BREAM TACKLE Rod.......................Daiwa Battler Kung Fu Prancer Reel....................................... Daiwa Certate 1003 Line.......................................... Castaway PE 10lb Leader............................................... FC Rock 6lb Lure.................................................. Cranka Crab

The 2014 Hobie Bream Grand Final couldn’t have gone ahead without the help from its generous sponsors. him on board my Hobie,” Daniel said. Jim Barrie caught his

bream in a different location and setting entirely. “I was working a 100m

DANIEL BROWN’S BIG BREAM TACKLE Rod...................................Daiwa Black Label 6’1” Reel................................................ Daiwa Certate Line................................................... 10lb Shinobi Leader........................................................ 4lb FC Lure.......................Z Man Grubz 2.5“ Bloodworm ......................................... on a 1/28oz Jighead

open bank with no structure about 10km up river from the start. After casting the lure, it hit the bottom, I gave the reel one slow crank and the fish gulped it,” Jim said. “I could tell, compared to all of the fish I had caught over the weekend, that it was a solid bream. It put up a fair fight but thankfully it was already in the open. When I pulled him aboard, I knew

I had a big chance for the Boss Hog Big Bream”. A total of 144 black bream were caught in the Murray and Serpentine River systems over the weekend. The total catch weight of the fish was 68.83kg and the average fish weight amounted to 478g. Not a bad weekend fishing for anglers, who for the most part were fishing in tough conditions, in unfamiliar territory and without the assistance of a pre-fish in the area. Matt Williams and the team from Getaway Outdoors did an absolutely brilliant job providing dealer support and providing the breakfasts, lunches, drinks

and snack packs for everyone one involved in the tournament. Thankyou also for assisting Hobie Cat Australasia in getting this excellent tournament to be such a momentous occasion for the competing anglers and for the followers of the sport of kayak fishing in Australia. The Hobie Kayak Bream Series Grand Final could not have gone ahead without the great support of our generous sponsors Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic, Lowrance, Rhino-Rack, Strike Pro, Austackle, TT Lures, Yamatoyo, Ecogear, Power-Pole and Hog’s Breath Cafe . – Hobie Australasia JANUARY 2015

BREAM N OPE CLASSIC The biggest teams BREAM event on the ABT calendar hit the iconic Sydney Harbour for the Bluefin Boats/ Mercury BREAM Classic Open (11-12 November), with Team Elite Tournament Tackle/ TT Lures (Scott Butler and James Howarth)

The Butler did it River, the BREAM Classic Open saw anglers from across Australia do battle for the title of Australia’s number one bream team. Compiling a 10/10, 6.92kg two-day bag to secure the win Butler and Howarth fished to their strengths to catch their limit each day. Fishing a boat hull and marina pattern each day the pair fished a hardbody

one the pair struck early picking up a 34cm fish to open their account. With one in the well, Butler and Howarth then worked their way progressively through adjacent marinas, in the process filling their bag in relatively quick time. “We hit a flat spot after a while then started up the Mercury and moved to crank boats hulls east of Cockatoo Island,”

N TEAM CHAMPIO

James.Howarth.and.Scott.Butler.with.the.fruits.of. two.successful.days.breaming.Sydney.Harbour. Photo.courtesy.of.lureandfly.com.

said Butler. The approach paid dividends with the pair catching three upgrades in as many cast, the standout fish (1.1kg) proving to be their kicker fish for the day. “There were plenty of fish but they were sitting reasonable deep and weren’t super aggressive

WINNING TACKLE SCOTT BUTLER Rod:...........Lox.610.Ambassador.and.Loshi.7023 Line:........................................................... 4lb.PE Leader:....................................... 4lb.fluorocarbon Lures:. Zipbaits.Tiny. (silver. shad,. bluegill,.. . . silver. trout,. keimura,. and. UV. glow),.. . . with.trebles.upsized.to.size.12 claiming the event win over the talent-laden 72 angler field. The curtain raiser to the 13 Fishing BREAM Grand Final on the Hawkesbury

approach, with a Zipbaits Tiny crankbait (Scott) and Ecogear SX40LC crankbait (James) the standout lures. Starting at Balmain Marina first up on day

Crankbaits.and.soft.plastics.were.the.gun.lures.for. event.winners.Team.Elite.Tournament.Tackle/TT.Lures. Photo.courtesy.of.lureandfly.com.

Big.fish.prevailed.at.Sydney,.as.Michael.Colotouros. from.3rd.placed.Team.13.Fishing/Sunline.shows. Photo.courtesy.of.lureandfly.com.

Zipbaits.Tiny

Rigged.and.ready.to.hit.the.tournament.trailer.the.Bluefin.prize.boat.on.offer.was. a.fitting.reward.for.one.of.the.most.hotly.contested.events.of.the.year. Photo.courtesy.of.lureandfly.com.

Twitch and pause

retrieve lure under boat hull and along edge

JANUARY 2015

WINNING WAYS Cranking.boat.hulls.between.the.Gladesville. Bridge.and.Cockatoo.Island,.Butler.and. Howarth.timed.the.wind.and.tide.right.to. get.the.best.lure.presentation..They.also. pinpointed.exactly.where.the.fish.were.holding. on.the.boat.hulls.and.rotated.spots.to.manage. their.fish.and.get.the.bigger.ones.to.bite.

Butler.and.Howarth.were.all.smiles.with.their.Bluefin/Mercury/Haswing/. Power-Pole.Micro.Anchor.prize.boat..Photo.courtesy.of.lureandfly.com. when it came to eating the Zip Bait and Ecogear. You had to use a stop-start retrieve to temp them to eat it,” said Butler. The horses for course approach delivered Butler and Howarth a 3.74kg bag for the session and had them sitting in first place heading into day two. Heading off in the lead on the final morning the pair once again started off with their marina pattern, and with good result, catching their bag within an hour. “They bit their heads off early then shut down. So we called it quits and headed back to the boats that produced for us on the first day,” said Butler.

WINNING TACKLE JAMES HOWARTH Rod:..............................Nordic.Stage.Areal.7’.Pro Reel:........................................ Daiwa.Steez.2004 Line:....................... 4lb.Yamatoyo.Spinning.fluoro Lures:.............Ecogear.SX40.LC.(bluegill.colour),. . . retro-fitted.with.size.12.Decoy.trebles While the boat hulls produced, it was as much about their fish management as anything. “We’d catch a fish from an area then leave it alone to recover, before returning to hit it again. Most times we’d catch another fish when we came back,” said Butler. With upgrades to

show for their rotational approach the pair made one more pit stop on their way to the finish line. Hitting a spot upriver that would deliver one final upgrade. “The last fish we picked up was a 32cm, and in the end I think it was this fish that gave us enough weight to grab the win,” said Butler.

BREA CLASSIC M OPEN

Day two was definitely the standout when it came to activity, with the pair catching 30-40 fish for the day in comparison to 20 fish on the first day. “On the first day you really had to work the lure to get the fish to eat it, on the second day the fish were more abundant and more willing to eat the lure without the need to work it and tease them,” explained Butler. Weighing in a 3.18kg limit on the final day to claim victory Butler and Howarth secured themselves a new tournament-ready boat package. The duel owners of a new $30,000 tournament rig their prize included a Bluefin 455 Tournament Drifter Pro fitted with a 60hp Mercury 4-stroke outboard, 80lb cable steer Haswing Cayman electric motor and Power-Pole Micro Anchor (supplied by Hobie).

OVERALL RESULTS PLACE TEAM FISH WEIGHT (KG) PAYOUT 1................. Elite Tournament Tackle/TT Lures ....... 10/10 ............6.92 ..................Bluefin Boat + prize pack 2 Abu Garcia/Berkley/Lureandfly.com 10/10 6.54 2 x Austackle Rods/ Shimano Reels 3................. Team 13 Fishing/Sunline ...................... 10/10 ............6.40 ..................2 x Spotters sunglasses 4................. Hobie Fishing/TT Lures ........................ 10/10 ............6.17 ..................2 x Shimano rods 5................. Fishing Station ..................................... 10/10 ............5.79 6................. 13 Fishing 2 ......................................... 10/10 ............5.60 7................. Franklin Services/Shimano .................. 10/10 ............5.51 8................. Berkley ................................................. 10/10 ............5.49 9................. Cronulla Slipway/Gamakatsu............... 10/10 ............5.44 10............... Triton Boats.......................................... 10/10 ............5.33

Blading Down Deep For event runners up Peter Macor and Bernard Kong from Team ABU Garcia/Berkley/ wwwlureandfly.com it was close but no cigar with the pair weighing in the heaviest bag for the tournament on the final day to almost claim the event win. Fishing east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge the pair dug deep to catch their fish each day, fishing a deepwater blade approach to fill their limit. “We fished around the Kirribilli area and focused on the 40-45ft depth range with broken structure on the bottom,” said Peter Macor. With the bream sitting tight to the bottom as their target they’d sink their

blades to the bottom before stating a dead slow lift, drop, sit, retrieve. “It was really important to give the lure a long pause and let it sit on the bottom,” said Macor. Rotating between two lures, a 30mm Berkley Big Eye Blade (nugget colour),

and a 40mm Berkley Power Blade (assassin colour), the pair caught their limit early each day. “Day one was definitely the quietest, we caught around 9 fish in total, day two in contrast was completely different, I think because we moved around a

Peter.Macor.and.Bernard.Kong.fish.blades.down. deep.east.of.the.Harbour.Bridge.to.claim.second. Photo.courtesy.of.lureandfly.com.

CE 2ND PLA

lot more and covered plenty of ground,” said Macor. Catching around 20 fish for the session on day two the pair’s approached involved being on the move, and focusing their efforts on the eddy side of the moving water. “The fish were definitely concentrated in these spots and eager to bite. I just wish we’d worked this out a day earlier,” said Macor. Weighing in a 3.78kg limit on the final day the pair charged through from 10th place to finish 2nd and claim a podium finish. – ABT

ABT, PO Box 7196, LOGANHOLME, QLD 4129 Alternatively you can download an entry form from www.abt.org.au At any time you can call ABT on (07) 3387 0888 for help with your entry during business hours. JANUARY 2015

INAL RAND F G M A E BR ABT and AFC stalwart Kris Hickson claimed the only bream trophy that he was missing with the Taree tournament pro coming from behind on the final day to secure victory in

Hickson hauls to victory search of upgrades. “It was slow and methodical fishing in the racks. I’d drop the Z-Man next to the poles then slowly drag and draw it across the bottom,” said Kris. The location and technique produced two important upgrades, including a 41, and

WINNING TACKLE WHARVES/BOATS/PONTOON OUTFIT Rod:........................ Daiwa.Commander.662ULXS Reel:.......................................... Daiwa.Sol.II.2004 Line:.................................. 10lb.Daiwa.Shinobi.PE Leader:....................................... 6lb.Sunline.Kong Lures:......... OSP.Dolive.Craw.rigged.on.a.1/28oz. . . TT.jighead,.2.1/2”.Z-Man.Grubz. . .(gudgeon.colour).rigged.on.a.1/16oz.TT.jighead the 13 Fishing BREAM Grand Final on Sydney’s Hawkesbury River. Fishing a multi location approach to catch his fish each day Hickson started day one fishing the Pittwater flats, unfortunately with little return. “I picked up one legal then pulled the pin and went and hit boats and wharfs,” said Hickson. Hickson’s move was spot on and he soon had his full limit, the majority coming on a sinked and hopped OSP Dolive Craw rigged on a 1/28oz TT jighead. With the pattern waning Hickson spent some time fishing rock walls before moving to Porto Bay racks in

R N BOATE CHAMPIO

had him sitting in 4th place at the end of the first day. Hitting the Box Head washes to start day two, his start was equally underwhelming as day one, and with nothing to show for his efforts he moved into calmer water to throw topwaters. “It was quiet all round, for me anyway, so I moved to the racks that worked the day before,” said Hickson. His approach paid dividends with Hickson putting four fish in the well. “There was hairy moments where I could have easily lost fish. It was whiteknuckle rack fishing at its very best,” said Kris. One more legal and two Kris.Hickson.finally.holds.the.Grand.Final.Trophy.aloft.

Callum.Dowell.and.Kris.Hickson.with.their. Grand.Final.winning.day.three.bag.

upgrades from a series of rocky banks followed later in the session and saw Kris weigh in a 3.01kg limit and had him sitting in 2nd place heading into the 3rd and final day. Heading off on day two Kris was confident that he had milked his day one and day two spot of all their fish and as a result he was going to have to find fresh spots and fresh fish to give the event a shake. “Ross (sitting in 1st place) and I both knew we needed to find some new water,” said Kris. Great minds think alike and both anglers found

themselves start their day in the same spot, Pittwater Flats, followed by Brisbane Waters. Hoping to catch a bag at Brisbane Waters, Kris was soon disappointed and with none in the well he pulled the pin and hit the racks. While far from red hot it did get his bag started and with two in the well and the clock saying 12pm he started up his Mercury and made a run to Berowra. “I fished a run of wharves but it was too windy to fish it properly. I decided to give it one more pass and on the first cast I pulled a fish,” said Kris. Nothing then followed until he made one final cast on the last wharf.

WINNING WAYS Hickson.managed.and.varied.his.use.of. locations,.lures.and.techniques.to.stay.on.the. fish.over.three.long.days.of.competition.

BOATER RESULTS PLACE TEAM FISH WEIGHT(KG) PAYOUT 1................. Kristoffer HICKSON ............................. 15/15 ............10.40 ................Yamaha SHO Motor 2................. Ross CANNIZZARO ............................. 13/15 ............10.35 ................Motorguide bow-mount electric motor 3................. Chris WRIGHT ..................................... 14/15 ............9.93 ..................Shimano reel and prizepack 4................. Russell BABEKUHL ............................. 15/15 ............9.56 ..................Damiki lure prizepack 5................. Geoffrey BORG .................................... 15/15 ............9.08 ..................Shimano rod 6................. Tony THORLEY .................................... 15/15 ............8.87 7................. Scott BUTLER...................................... 15/15 ............8.45 8................. Chris SEETO ........................................ 15/15 ............8.43 9................. Michael COLOTOUROS ...................... 15/15 ............8.24 10............... Steve NEDESKI.................................... 14/15 ............7.92

Kris.Hickson.won.a.Yamaha.SHO.outboard. valued.at.$25,000.for.his.Grand.Final.win.

Ross rallies for second ER CE BOAT 2ND PLA Sydney breamer Ross Cannizzaro came close to claiming victory, with the multiple event winner’s failure to weigh in a full limit on the first day in the end coming home to hurt him on the final day. Fishing the washes at Box Head, Baranjoey and Lion Island first up on day one Ross hooked plenty of fish. 92

JANUARY 2015

“I got dusted by a lot of fish, both by bream and by fish that weren’t bream,” said Ross. With a lot of frustration to show for his efforts Ross changed location and moving to Brooklyn and Mooney to fish natural rock walls. “The Berkley 3B crank in mutt colour was the standout lure,” said Ross. Filling out his limit proved difficult and with only three fish in his well, and a 4th that died on him he retreated to Pittwater in search of a couple to close out his bag. Despite all his best efforts he couldn’t find the last two for his limit.

Hitting the washes at Barenjoey first up on day two Ross found little joy, and soon made a move, a big move upriver to Berowra and hopefully some active fish. Fishing secondary points and drop-offs, Ross’ move was soon rewarded, filling his bag, and catching a series of upgrades from boat hulls in the area. “You needed to get your lure right in the zone to get their attention, once you did they ate it with aggression. You just needed to make sure you were methodical in your presentation,” said Ross. The technique involved

Ross.Cannizzaro.came.close.to.claiming.victory.on.his.home.water.

“The last ditch cast was when we picked fish number five, a 32cm,” said Kris. With an hour long run back to the check-in Hickson decided to call it a day, and headed back. A flat battery had him scrambling for his jumper leads, but he was soon moving and on his way. “We made good time

Scan this QR code to watch an interview with Kris Hickson and Callum Dowell.

so we stopped at Cowan to check on the fish and fill the livewell with fresh water,” said Kris. With time to use, Kris’ non-boater Callum Dowell started casting at a near by rockwall. The pit stop paid

2 1/2” Z-Man Grubz bloodworm colour

2 1/2” Z-Man Grubz gudgeon colour

WINNING TACKLE RACK OUTFIT Rod:.............................. 6’4”.Black.Label.641.LXS Reel:................................ Daiwa.Ballistic.2500.EX Line:..................................... 15.Daiwa.Shinobi.PE Leader:....................................... 8lb.Sunline.Kong Lures:....2.1/2”.Z-Man.Grubz.(bloodworm.colour). . . rigged.on.a.1/16oz.TT.jighead N.b Hickson added Pro Cure Scent (squid) often to his lures

OSP Dolive Craw

Twitch and drop

off with Callum picking up two upgrades. With two ‘just legal’ fish gone from their

limit the pair high tailed it back to the finish line. Waiting in line to weigh his bag Kris had little idea of his bag weight. “I though I may have had 2.7-2.8kg, so when 3.26kg flashed up on the screen I was stunned,” said Kris. The weight proved to be just enough (50g) to deliver Hickson his maiden

BREAM GRAND F INAL Grand Final win, a long over due victory, and a fitting reward for one of the most talented anglers on the ABT angler roster.

Dowell dominates for win N CHAMPIO ER T A O NON-B Western Australia’s Callum Dowell reined supreme at the 13 Fishing Grand Final with the 13 Fishing sponsored angler securing victory in the biggest event on the bream tournament calendar. Fishing with Kris Hickson on day one and three, and Mark Healy on day two Dowell fished a soft plastic approach each day to catch his fish. Day one saw the newly crowned GF champ fishing a combination of flats, rock walls, and racks with Berkley Power Hawgs and Crabbies. “While we caught fish in a lot of places it was the racks where we got the bigger fish,” said Callum. Day two began with a point approach with Callum and Mark fishing the swell dominated points on the seaward side of the event arena. “It was definitely an early morning bite. We caught all our fish in the first 45 minutes, then it shut down for us,” said Callum. The early flurry resulted in a 2.65kg limit and had Callum sitting in 1st place heading in to the final day. Running and gunning with Kris Hickson on the final day the pair struggled for most of it, fishing flats and racks until

Callum.Dowell.travelled.all.the.way. from.WA.to.fish.the.Grand.Final. 12pm for little return before making a move to Berowra as a bit of a Hail Mary. “We hit a run of docks and pulled two fish to finish our limit, then we headed back down to Pittwater, making a quick stop at Cowan on the way,” said Callum. The quick stop was when Callum struck gold picking up two quick fish, and upgrades that boosted his bag, and boosted it enough to ultimately claim

the event win. “It was a nervous moment waiting for those fish to hit the scales. To see the winning weight come up when they did was mind blowing,” said Callum. For his victory Callum won a 115hp Mercury 4-stroke outboard, the latest generation 4-stroke from Mercury, and the perfect motor to get him on the tournament trail as a boater in 2015.

NON-BOATER RESULTS PLACE TEAM FISH WEIGHT(KG) PAYOUT 1..............Callum DOWELL................ 15/15 ......... 9.95....................Mercury 115hp 4-stroke motor 2..............Beau RILEY ....................... 15/15 ......... 9.75....................Motorguide transom-mount electric motor 3..............Robert KNEESHAW ........... 15/15 ......... 9.51....................Austackle rod and lure prize pack 4..............Daniel BONACCORSO ...... 15/15 ......... 9.06....................Damiki lure prize pack 5..............Craig ELLIS........................ 15/15 ......... 8.64....................Shimano rod 6..............Zac O’SULLIVAN ............... 14/15 ......... 8.48 7..............Brad ROBERTS ................. 13/15 ......... 8.01 8..............Rebecca FAZIO ................. 15/15 ......... 7.97 9..............Tanya KONSUL.................. 15/15 ......... 7.91 10............John GALEA ...................... 13/15 ......... 7.70

sinking a reverse rigged 2 1/2” Berkley Gulp Crabby in camo down the rocky shore, then hoping it off the edge of the drop-off into the deeper water where the current was pushing. The bite hit its peak

late in the session (1pm) and delivered Ross a 4.11kg limit for the session. Heading off in 4th place on day three Ross knew he needed a heavy bag to catch the leaders, and was banking on a repeat of his big fish

day two to get the job done. Once again he started at the washes, before moving upriver to Berowra. Ross’ wishes for a hot bite were answered and he had his bag by 9.30am, and a total of six upgrades by the

end of the session. “I gave it everything, and put together the heaviest bag (3.26kg) I could. In the end however it came down to not catching my full bag on the first day,” said a resigned Ross Cannizzaro.

Anglers.from.across.Australia.made.their. way.to.the.shores.of.the.Hawkesbury.River. for.the.biggest.bream.event.of.year. JANUARY 2015

The Yucatan knot BRISBANE

Kim Bain

The Yucatan knot was first developed in the sport fishing waters off Cancun and Isla Mujeres. It is generally considered to be a good knot for connecting doubled main lines to heavy leaders. YUCATAN Some sayKNOT that the Yucatan is not suited for light leaders, however, this is probably because the quality/brand of the two components (mainline and leader) will strongly influence the integrity of

the knot. For example, with this knot the leader must form around the braid and on some hard leaders this may not be possible. Likewise, the Yucatan knot must be formed using an unbroken (full loop intact) double, such as can be formed using a bimini twist (or spider hitch). One philosophy behind the Yucatan’s popularity is that if it is tied to connect 50lb braid to 80lb leader, such as you might when reef fishing, then the 50lb braid might test at 65lb breaking strain which is then doubled to give

YUCATAN KNOT leader

a potential 130lb limit; concurrently the 80lb rated leader is unlikely to break at over 100lb breaking strain. Throw in a few nicks in the leader and you’ll pop the so-called 80lb leader before you blow apart the 130lb breaking strain double. The finished knot is compact and very strong. It will pass through rod leader making guides easily, it suitable for repetitive doubled casting techniques. The Yucatan issuperbraid an excellent knot for joining heavy mono-type12-15 leaders to turns superbraid mainlines.

doubled superbraid

YUCATAN MakeKNOT a short double line using a bimini twist to form the double. Lay

Now bend the tag end of the leader back on itself and feed it through the loop end of the double line.

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the double alongside the leader (parallel to but opposite in leader direction). An

YUCATAN KNOT overlap of 20cm is a good measure.

doubled leader superbraid doubled feed tag end of superbraid leader 12-15through turns end loop of double 12-15 turns spider-hitch or Bimini Twist

feed tag end of leader through end loop of double spider-hitch or Bimini Twist

12-15 turns

tag end Wrap the super braid double line 12-15 times around thefeed leader, orofas leader through many times as you can for mono to leader connections, probably around feed tag end of 6 end loop of double turns. Knots that require multiple turns of line must lie and draw neatly, leaderup through without line overlapping. end loop of double spider-hitch or Bimini Twist spider-hitch or Bimini Twist

Lubricate with saliva and carefully pull the knot tight. Pull the doubled line and the leader in opposite directions to tighten knot. Note that although the wraps were made with the doubled line, when the knot is pulled tight the leader will wrap onto the doubled line. Trim the tag end of the leader close to the knot.

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Select the right sounder BRISBANE

Nabeel Issa

So how do you pick the right sounder for your boat? There are heaps of different options available on the market now. Advances in sonar technology the last few

will be necessary. Ideally you will be able to read the screen from your position as you are driving or as you are fishing, without having to squint or get right up to the screen. It’s true what they say, bigger is better – always go the biggest screen you can afford.

height. To put it in perspective, a 7” wide rectangle screen is going to give you much better detail and the ability to scan further distances than a 7” square screen would. TOUCH SCREEN The last few years has seen the introduction of touch screen sounders. Available across a

A 7” screen is the perfect size for kayaks – big enough without being cumbersome. years have been incredible and now many of the ‘top end’ features are available in budget priced units. Of course more options mean it can be tricky to decide on which sounder to get so hopefully this article can help make things a little clearer and get you picking the best sounder for your needs. SCREEN SIZE Firstly the best way to narrow down the options is to decide on which screen size you need. Everyone has their own fishing styles so it’s important to pick something that will help you the most. Generally sounders come in sizes ranging from 3” up to 12”. Boat size shouldn’t have a great deal of influence on this decision. What’s important is to make sure that the screen will be big enough to show you what you need. For example, if you like to run split screens, a larger screen

SONAR FEATURES There are quite a few different sonar options available, as I have mentioned in previous articles such as traditional 2D sonar, down scan, side scan, chirp etc, and each has their advantages. It pays to do your research on these and work out which will benefit you the most. Lowrance HDS Units give you the option to chop and change. You can start with a basic Fish Finder/Chartplotter unit and as you save a bit more money you can add features, such as side scan and chirp, whichever is applicable to your style of fishing. If side scan is your thing, look for a sounder with a wide screen. A wide screen will allow you to show more detail on your image, as opposed to a square shaped screen. When side scanning, you want to be using the whole width of the screen, not necessarily the

number of different brands, at first I was a bit reserved about a touch screen sounder on a boat. My thoughts were that they would be difficult to use in wet weather, with messy fingers, bait etc. This was based on my experiences of trying to use my iPhone with wet fingers in the rain. When first purchasing my HDS Touch however, I was pleasantly surprised at how responsive the touch screen actually is. One of my first outings was in the rain and I didn’t have any problems at all

Top: Having a 4-way split screen is a great benefit of a larger screen. Image courtesy of Lee Parkhouse (Simrad NSS12). Above: A wider screen will allow you to cover a greater area but still keep a crystal clear image. navigating the screen. They are designed for the harsh marine environment and so if you are worried about it being hard to

unit in the boat. Likewise, it also shares information such as waypoints and trails, which

enough flat spot to mount the standard bracket so the RAM bracket worked well for my set up. I also use one for my

From 3-12” screens, there is a sounder to suit everyone’s budget

Obviously space is going to be an issue so check first to see how much room you have and this will help you decide on which screen size sounder you can go with.

use, don’t stress! Touch screen sounders make life a lot easier. Navigating through menus, entering GPS Coordinates and scrolling around the screen is just a touch away and far quicker and easier than having to use the keypad arrows to go back and forth to select the desired option – anyone that has put in a bunch of GPS coordinates this way will know what I mean! MULTIPLE UNITS If you like running multiple units on your boat, it’s worth checking if the sounders you purchase will be able to ‘talk’ to each other. Lowrance HDS units are able to share all sonar data when you connect the 2 via an Ethernet cable. This allows you to view your down scan and side scan on more than 1

is helpful when you have a separate sounder mounted on the front casting deck. Some sounders will also share GPS Maps; this will save you having to purchase 2 map cards. MOUNTING OPTIONS Depending on what sort of boat set up you have, there are multiple ways to mount your sounder. Sounders will come standard with a bracket that can be fixed down to any flat surface and is how most anglers mount theirs. If you are like me and prefer to be able to swing the unit around, there are a plethora of aftermarket brackets and mounts available that you can use. I have my sounder on a RAM bracket that I have fixed down into the gunnel of my boat. I don’t have a wide

front mounted sounder to lift the sounder higher to make it easier to read while standing and fishing. The RAM bracket mounts also work well on kayaks. Space is generally hard to come by on a kayak so having your sounder mounted on the bracket gives you the option to move it around. A 4, 5 and 7” sized screen tends to be the pick for kayak anglers, any bigger and they can start to get in the way. So hopefully those few topics will get you thinking about your next purchase and give you a bit of insight into deciding which unit will be best suited for you. Find something that’s within your budget, do some research and most importantly put in the time to learn how to use it. JANUARY 2015

Bar Crusher’s 780 HTP BRISBANE

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

Bar Crusher is well known for their sturdy and tough fishing craft that deliver in the worst of conditions and the addition of the pilot house range, especially the 780 reviewed, adds a level of comfort and fit out that will see this model being used for far more than just your average fishing trip. We had the good fortune to meet the Bar Crusher team on a cool winter’s morning on Port Phillip Bay with a mild offshore breeze that meant we’d have to create our own waves. Luckily we had two boats to play with and when you want to create some waves, the big Bar Crushers can deliver it. Needless to say, the 780HTP handled the steep half metre messy cross chop with ease, whether we hit it at a cruising 4000rpm or took it on at full throttle. Barely a bump was registered and with the plush cabin fit out, there was no annoying thump and bang. The tested 780HTP was fitted out with the top rated 300hp Suzuki 4-stroke and this was more than enough power for this rig. In fact the team recommends a 250hp outboard is all that is required, but I have to say after blasting around with 300 ponies on the back, I’d be heading this way if money was not a concern. It was simply straight out good fun. This rig may look familiar

Top: The front of the pilot house has sleeping space for up to 3 persons. Above Left: The pilot house of this vessel is impressive. It was designed with overnighters and family trips in mind, so the space inside and comfort passengers can enjoy is quite remarkable. Above Right: The 780HTP has a macerating toilet up the front to cater for those longer trips. Right: A massive cockpit area with room for the largest sounders and gauges sees everything at the skipper’s fingertips. 96

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to many and in fact the rig is essentially the same as the 780 hard top. The difference is in the pilot house, which is set up with overnighting and family cruising in mind. PILOT HOUSE The 780HTP is a set up to be a family cruising and overnight boat with enough features to ensure everyone is catered for. Features such as a macerating toilet, a sliding table and seat arrangement for meals, the fully enclosed pilot house, full carpeting throughout the pilot house, an Engel fridge/freezer and just outside in the fishing area a sink and a cook stove for meal preparation and clean up. All of this is highlighted by perfectly placed LED lighting that gives you brilliant lighting in the right areas when you’re at rest and anchored up for the night, be that fishing, eating or sleeping. And speaking of sleeping, the 780HTP can fit up to three persons up front when the time comes to catch some shut eye. This area would be sensational for a couple to sleep and the sliding chair and

first mate’s seat will easily fit a child up to about 12 years old. Hopefully the pictures give you a better idea of this area as it’s quite impressive in real life. The word volumous came to mind when I first lay eyes on the pilot house and after running around in the boat, that impression did not change. Inside the pilot house the skipper’s area was impressive. A massive cockpit area with room for the largest sounders and gauges sees everything at the skipper’s fingertips. Additionally, all of these gauges are easy for the skipper to see. Peter Cleland told me that they did not want to have sounders or gauges on the port side of the cabin and they designed the internals so that everything could be on the starboard (or skipper’s) side and easy to see. Job done there for sure as they had a massive 12” Raymarine factory package surrounded by other engine management gauges and still the helm area did not seem overcrowded. The controls for the 300hp Suzuki were all fly by wire

The weather was great, so there wasn’t much chop or wave activity. Luckily, with a second 780HTP to play with, we were able to make our own waves!

Every Bar Crusher trailer is factory-packaged on a custom-designed trailer and this makes towing, launching and retrieving less complicated with a big boat! and this negated all of the crunching and grinding you can get with cabled control boxes. The throttle handle sat perfectly whether the skipper was standing or sitting and the rig had awesome visibility all round as well. If the rough stuff gets a bit much and the skipper must sit down, there are foot rests that allow you to stabilise yourself and keep good control of the rig. There are also grab handles throughout the pilot house that are in instinctive places. By that I mean that when you go to grab something to stabilise yourself, there is a grab handle right there. All visible welds were well finished, the paint work was immaculate and all the upholstery was first rate, giving you a sense of quality throughout, something the Bar Crusher team hold dear, especially in this top of the line family fishing rig. The helm area also sported controls for the trim tabs and the anchor winch, which make trimming the boat out simple and anchoring a breeze. While the cabin does have a massive access hatch to the winch, getting an auto winch would be mandatory with the size of anchor and lengths of chain needed on this rig. Think of it as not optional, but necessary in my mind. FISHING AREA The fishing area was unreservedly that, a practical fishing area that has been managed and altered over the years to be an ideal platform from which to tangle with big ooglies.

The deck itself is checkerplate and there is FishMat non-slip flooring over the top of this to provide security. Bar Crusher make their own bait boards and they are sensational. Everything you will need in a bait board is there and they are built tough to last. The bait board has a drain into the berley muncher that allows users to keep this area clean and this also

keeps bait scraps and the like off the floor where they can cause slipping and ultimately accidental falls. The gunwales are massive – big enough to take a seat on and fitted out with non-slip material in between the custom cast aluminium rod holders, of which there were two on each side. The back deck also had two wash down hoses, a saltwater and a freshwater to make clean ups and wash downs a breeze. It’s interesting to note that the freshwater is also used on the windscreen wiper up front to help wash off all the salt crystals when needed – a brilliant idea. The transom and motor pod are large and there is a fold down bench seat attached for when you’re travelling and you have extra bodies on board. Given the size of the Bar Crusher 780HTP and the fact you can take up to 6 persons, this extra seating, which can be folded out of your way when fishing, is a very sensible idea.

Made from 4 and 5mm marine grade aluminium, this boat will certainly stand up to the testing conditions our country is known for.

The deck also sports a kill bin that would be an ideal place to bleed your catch. I wouldn’t store fish in here though as with the Quickflow water ballast technology used, this kill tank takes on the ambient water temperature of the water the boat is sitting in. You’ll still need to pop the fish in an ice bin after they have bled out to ensure their

THE BUILD Constructed from heavy duty, high-tensile 5mm (bottom sides) and 4mm (top sides) marine grade plate aluminium, the 780HT measures 7.80m overall with a 2.47m beam. Its high-tech Waveslicer non-pounding, deep-V hull delivers an ultrasmooth ride, the expertlyengineered Rigideck sub-floor

The optional Bar Flap system can be used to keep water out, and to make the boat lighter in shallow-water applications; or to trap water in, to make the boat heavier when running in extreme rough-water situations. best performance on the table. And lastly, but not least by any measure, if you want mass rod storage, then the rod holders on the roof of the pilot house will hold plenty. There are 10 slots that will store any rods safely and out of the way of fishing activity on the main fishing deck.

system ensures maximum hull strength and Bar Crusher’s exclusive Quickflow water ballast technology ensures the boat is extremely stable at rest. The innovative Quickflow system incorporates a cavity running the full length of the keel that quickly fills with water when the boat

is stationary, which lowers the chines into the water for greater stability, and drains in seconds as the boat moves forward to allow it to leap effortlessly onto the plane. The optional Bar Flap system can be used to keep water out, to make the boat lighter in shallow-water applications; or to trap water in, to make the boat heavier when running in extreme rough-water situations. THE TRAILER Every Bar Crusher boat is factory-packaged on a custom-designed trailer, which ensures towing, launching and retrieving is a breeze. Self-centering and aligning perfectly every time, Bar Crusher’s innovative Bar Catch system also allows for single-handed launch and retrieve. These are all important points as the main impediment to use is generally difficulties at the ramp. Not many people want to have hassles loading and unloading a 7.8m boat and the Bar Catch system, trailer design and set-up and drive on, drive-off operation make this a breeze. Of course the trailers are all alloy, eliminating most of the rust that can quickly weaken a trailer and their brake systems are built specifically to bleed the heat away meaning there will be no brake fade on long trips – a crucially important design factor.

The high-tech Waveslicer non-pounding, deep-V hull delivers an ultra-smooth ride, even in slightly lumpier conditions. OVERALL To say I was impressed is probably a bit of an understatement. This rig blew me away from the ride and power through to the impressive design and usefulness of the pilot house. I can see plenty of offshore anglers overnighting at Lakes Entrance or even up in the Whitsundays. Those chasing tuna offshore in adverse conditions will love the ability to travel with the pilot house fully enclosed, keeping the crew warm and dry and when you’re trolling, the barn style doors can be locked open and the skipper can easily talk to the crew while they work the rods. An amazing rig with

SPECIFICATIONS Length of hull....................................................7.8m Top sides..........................................................4mm Bottom sides....................................................5mm Beam...............................................................2.47m Capacity .................................................. 6 persons Max HP...............................................................300 Rec HP................................................................250 a diversity of use that will appeal to many. At its heart, this is still a fishing machine, but the niceties included make this so much more than just a fishing rig. Check out the 780HTP by logging onto www.barcrusher.com.au or drop into Blakes Marine in Mulgrave and check it out first hand. Impressive is the word and with a an as tested cost of around $160,000, this rig will

be out there and amongst it all over the country. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

1 Railway Road North Mulgrave NSW 2756

www.blakesmarine.com.au JANUARY 2015

Captiva 7 diesel wagon BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

With several upgrades over the last couple of years, GMH’s Captiva series of SUVs just seem to grow more and more appealing to buyers seeking the advantages this style of vehicle offers. The Korean made Captiva started off as a 5-seater, which, by the look of numbers on our roads, was certainly well received. The range then expanded into a 7-seater with the added attractions of increased luggage and tow capacity on top of the usual SUV high and handsome driving ambience. And then came the Captiva 7. The present 2014 series is also offering extremely sharp pricing with GMH reducing drive away costs significantly when compared to previous models, and at the same time managing to under cut rivals considerably. In fact, the 7-seater starts at under 30k, which surely indicates just how

across the entire Captiva range comes a redesigned front grille area, changed exhaust tips and changes to tail lights. None of these modifications are earthshattering, perhaps more along the lines of making a good thing even better. Three models are offered in the Captiva 7 range, with either all-wheel or 2-wheel drive options linked to both petrol and diesel power plants. There’s the top of range LTZ

cheap vehichle given the list of standard features. ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WELL MATCHED The engine/transmission of the LS7 was a definite highlight of the driving experience. Mated to a 6-speed auto gear box the 2.2L 4-cylinder common rail diesel engine offered 135kW of power plus 400Nm of torque. Gear changes were seamless,

The Captiva’s strong engine made easy work of towing the author’s camper trailer.

A neat blend of tonings and highlights creates a pleasant ambience within the dash area of the Captiva 7. With rear seats dropped, there’s a huge amount of cargo space in the Captiva 7.

That large rear door of the Captiva 7 opens upwards for easy loading. competitive this sector of the SUV market is at the moment! Along with a price cut

with all bells and whistles, the LT and LS, as reviewed which was far removed from a

hard to detect thanks to their smoothness, and always exact when required. A sequential

The third and second rows of seats are down and that’s a pretty serious load in the rear of the Captiva 7. 98

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shift is there, but why bother? The overall drive feeling of the 7 was of easy power. I found the all-wheel drive wagon to be quick off the mark, remarkably quiet under way and with easy power for overtaking or towing duties. I gave the smooth diesel full marks. It easily towed our Trek Kudu camper during a trip to the Macintyre River at Goondiwindi, with a quick stop at Lake Coolmunda for lunch and some photos. Along with enjoying the car’s easy power buyers of the Captiva 7 diesel will be pleased to understand that the engine is designed for long life thanks to an electronically controlled turbo charger plus DOHC cylinder head with chain timed camshaft in lieu of a fibre, one which usually requires replacement at a pre determined interval. Road manners of the 7 were also a plus. Drive is mainly conferred on front wheels unless slip is detected with the rear wheels also coming into play at that point. As a mainly front wheel drive unit I found the 7’s steering quite sharp, direct, yet light. Also, the height and reach adjustment of the steering wheel were a bonus. Suspension was perhaps a little on the firm side with just two of us aboard, but when loaded with a decent amount of camping and fishing gear the ride became far more compliant. That aside, the Captiva 7 will handle most road surfaces with assurance and can corner remarkably

flat, even when pushed on winding surfaces. Road noise was minimal except for a little tyre hum, with the diesel engine virtually unheard once underway. WELL APPOINTED INTERIOR The Captiva 7’s interior was a mix of fabrics, muted colour, metallic look highlights and sufficient room for all. Although not overly large, the vehicle’s front seats were comfortable on a 4-hour run, with the fabric surfaces offering support and a feeling of warmth. Power operation for most functions was standard as was an electric parking break, climate control air, Bluetooth music and

Leg room up front was fine, with second row passengers treated to both ample head and leg room although it’s in the rearmost seating department that the Captiva 7 edges out a lot of rivals. Where some vehicles require about 3 different movements, a reference to a hand book , plus a broken finger nail or two to fold down the third row of seats, the Captiva’s finely balanced seats folded down and flat at the lift of a toggle to increase luggage capacity to 465L. Then, with the second row of seats also down in quick smart time (again within seconds) a huge 930L of space with an entirely flat floor is available. The front passenger’s seat also folds down flat to then offer a magnificent 1565L of space with a 2.7m length available for long objects such as 1-piece rods in their tubes. What’s more, the Captiva’s upward opening tailgate is high enough to make easy loading and unloading. Safety equipment and functions within the 5-star ANCAP rated include ESC, EBD, Traction Control, Active Rollover Protection, Hill Start Assist, Descent Control System and selflevelling suspension. Fuel

The Captiva’s third row of easily assembled, or lowered, seats are ideal for youngsters. phone streaming, USB input with iPod connectivity, Cruise control, a 4-speaker audio unit offering particularly good music and with the ease of steering wheel controls. The 6 air bags were standard.

capacity is 65L and tow capability is a useful 1500kg for a braked trailer and 500kg for an unbraked unit. Drive away price of the Captiva 7 as reviewed was a very modest $29,990.

What’s New BOATING

YAMAHA END OF AN ERA

Yamaha Motor Australia announces the end of the legendary V4 Saltwater Series 115C and 130B outboard motors in Australia. These trusted outboards have been powering Australian boaters for almost 3 decades and are well recognised for their performance and have an enviable reputation for reliability and durability forged in one of the harshest saltwater markets in the world. These engines will no longer be part of Yamaha’s range in the Australian market once the remaining units are sold. The V4 Saltwater series of engines were introduced in the 1980s and have always been hugely popular in Australia. Complimenting boats in the 5-6m range, V4 saltwater series engines can be found on many of the classic hulls from that era and today. Both the 115C and 130B Saltwater Series engines will still receive full technical back up from Yamaha’s nationwide network of authorised dealerships as well as a full range of spare parts to keep these engines running long into the future. – Yamaha Motor Australia

2014 OCEANIA GRAND PRIX

Yamaha’s 2014 Oceania Marine Technician Grand Prix has been run and won. The Yamaha technician GP is a training and skills contest where the best technicians from all over Australia and New Zealand come to compete. Competitors are put through a series of challenges to test their knowledge and skill in a simulated workshop environment. This year, Brendan Irvine from Leon and Paul Savages Streaker Boats, Bayswater, Victoria excelled in this gruelling event, earning the title of best Yamaha Marine Technician, 2014. Back for a third year and qualifying highest in his region, Brendan competed against another 7 finalists from around Australia and New Zealand at Yamaha’s Marine Training Headquarters in Brisbane. Utilising his past experience from previous GP events and the enhancement of his skills through Yamaha’s Technical Academy training, Brendan held off a very formidable runner up in Tony Powell from Telfer Marine, Rotorua, New Zealand. – Yamaha Motor Australia

MOTORGUIDE XI5

MotorGuide’s new Xi5 wireless trolling motor has been a double bonus for Brian Everingham, helping him defeat his opponents... and entertain his kids. Brian, one of Australia’s leading tournament fishers has found the Xi5 to be “excellent” for both its technological advances and its super quiet operation. “I’ve had the Xi5 for several months now and I’ve used it in all sorts of conditions and it’s great. I’m really happy with it,” said Brian. And why wouldn’t he be? The Xi5 has been designed to exceed expectations. It’s reliable every day and durable over the long haul. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty and it is wireless capable right out of the box. “I can pre-fish an area the day before and save it to memory, so when the contest starts the motor will take me to exactly the same spot. You can drop right on top of the school of fish you want. – Mercury Marine

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

NEW A-SALT MIXING UNIT

The New A-Salt Mixing Unit has been purposely designed to dispense the SaltAway Concentrate formula. Designed for ease of use with a new throttle type control valve to switch from ‘off’ to ‘rinse’ to ‘Salt-Away’ and will handle high Australian and New Zealand water pressures. No competitor’s dispenser on the market is the same as Salt-Attack’s. The receptacle holds 100mL and has been tested to withstand water pressure up to 120psi. Ideal for outboard flushing with our Deluxe Muffs and you can wash down by adding our spray gun. The Salt-Away concentration is required for Outboard and Jetski engine flushes and most Inboard flushes. To flush your engine, put 40-60mL (min 1/2-3/4 cup) of Salt-Away concentrate into A mixer cup for up to 90hp motor, and for 90300hp use 80mL (full cup), and use to wash boat, trailer, fishing and diving gear. Follow engine flush instructions included or visit web site www.salt-away.com.au. – Salt-Away

NAVICO – GOFREE

Navico, the world’s largest manufacturer of marine electronics and parent company to the Lowrance, Simrad and B&G brands, has announced the launch of its newest brand, GoFree. Designed to deliver content and services to consumers in the way they have come to expect from modern electronics, the GoFree brand for use with Lowrance, Simrad and B&G Multifunction Displays (MFDs), as well as mobile devices, gives boaters access to what they want, when and where they want it. GoFree products include all existing Insight charts, Insight Genesis personalised mapping service with Social Map community data sharing, BioBase aquatic map Software as a Service (SaaS), the online GoFree Shop which offers content from Jeppesen, NV Charts and more, wireless telematics solutions and the GoFree family of mobile apps for iOS and Android products. For more information on GoFree, the GoFree Shop, the GoFree App or the entire line of Navico marine electronics, please contact 1300 NAVICO in Australia and 0800 4 NAVICO in New Zealand. – Navico

MERCURY 75TH ANNIVERSARY

For 75 years Mercury has maintained an unmatched record of leadership, innovation and service – inventing, designing, building and perfecting the very best marine propulsion systems in the world. Now everyone is invited to join the celebrations. To help mark Mercury Marine’s rich history, a limited edition 75th Anniversary range of Mercury Apparel is now available including hats, t-shirts, hoodies and fleeces. All items are covered by a 14-day replacement or refund policy, as long as the returned items are in original condition. The unique 75th Anniversary range is only available while stocks last, so go online and visit the Mercury Dockstore at www. mercurydockstore.com.au where you’ll be able to see the full range of Mercury merchandise. Coming soon to the Mercury Dockstore: Mercury Racing apparel! Perform at your best and look great doing it. For media enquiries contact Jonathan Revitt on (08) 8267 6888. – Mercury Marine

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Stacer 670 Ocean Ranger BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Stacer’s Ocean Ranger line of offshore boats takes in models from 5.897.39m in length, with the

679 and 739 now available as hardtop models. This well-turned out pair of ocean-going craft are aimed at a lot of existing plate rigs that are flavour of the month with many bluewater anglers. Built as tough as old

boots, these all-plate Ocean Rangers feature 5mm bottom sheeting linked to a strong internal sub-frame of both cross and longitudinal ribs that provide great strength while reinforcing Stacer’s EVO Advance Hull. Topsides are 4mm

A stylish vinyl wrap compliments the Ocean Ranger’s very smooth lines. SPECIFICATIONS Length.............................................................. 7.09m Height on trailer..............................................3.88m Beam................................................................2.40m Weight............................................................ 1133kg Hull construction........................5mm plate bottom, 4mm plate topsides Fuel....................................................................220L Engine rating............................................115-200hp Engine fitted...................................... 150 E-TEC HO Persons...................................................................7 Towing......... Family six wagon, or 4x4 ute or wagon

plate, so there’s no shortage of muscle there either. The Stacer EVO Advance Hull is a medium V design, around the 20° mark, with large reversed outer chines to both compliment ride and reinforce stability at rest. The new Ocean Ranger is more than just a soft-riding offshore rig with a lot of fishing room though; besides being

M AU ADE STR IN AL IA

♦ Independantly collapsible front & back ♦ No Straps or struts front or back ♦ Top quality frame & materials ♦ Large coverage area

Lifetime Manufacturers

WARRANTY

6686 5116

www.undercovercanvas.com.au 100

JANUARY 2015

Stacer’s first hardtop, it comes with enough kit, plus options, to make it virtually a complete driveaway fishing rig. Features like a glass-fronted live bait tank aft, an underfloor floodable compartment for the catch, bait station with 5 rod holders and cutting board, Lowrance sounder and XDR skimmer, concealed cockpit lighting, berley bucket and other items are there to tempt the buyer. ANGLERFRIENDLY LAYOUT Up front aft of the big bowsprit and roller, the Ocean Ranger’s open anchor well — no lid unfortunately — features a mounting plate for a winch. Although it’s not hard to reach the anchor from the cabin hatch, or to walk around beside the cabin while making use of the handholds provided, the winch plate is still an important feature. The glass windowequipped hardtop (with windscreen wiper and washer), is a very well designed unit — high enough to be comfortable for those sheltering within it, yet still maintaining the craft’s easy-on-the-eye lines. The hardtop’s features start with the drain cum handhold along each outer edge up top. There are also aft-facing lights at the rear, along with a set of 6 flip-down style rod holders designed to make rod selection quick and easy. Outrigger mounting plates were also fitted to the cabin sides. The 2m-long bunks offered both a place to rest or handy storage space underneath, and with an overhead shelf forming a decent back support, I found the cabin’s head and leg room ideal for time out of the weather. The floor is checkerplate, the same as the rest of the craft. A floodable underfloor kill tank was located between the rear of the cabin entry and the box-mounted seats for skipper and mate. These seats, incidentally, were as robust and comfortable as any I’ve ever sat in. Mounted on rigid stainless frames atop the tackle tray-equipped storage units (also set up with recesses for an EPIRB and a fire extinguisher), the highbacked and quite wide seats offered slide adjustment and were deeply padded to offer the best ride when things get bumpy. I found the skipper’s seat offered a virtually unlimited view all round, and coupled with the hard top’s sliding window, was one of the better helm setups I’ve experienced in a large alloy craft. At the starboard side of the cabin entry area, the dash layout was dominated by

Calm conditions such as these pose no challenge to the Ocean Ranger’s EVO Advance Hull, which will do just as good a job in rougher conditions. a flush-mounted Lowrance HDS12 unit, and with the engine’s I-Command gauges configured within the HDS12, running the boat was a pleasure. The dash area, incidentally, still had plenty of room for other gauges or items as required. To starboard of the three spoke wheel were the Volvo trim tab controls, to port the windscreen wiper controls, with rocker switches for various functions lower again. Currently the rig’s marine radio is to starboard on the side panel, but I’m

advised that future models will have it mounted high overhead at the front of the hardtop, where it’s still within easy reach, but out of the way somewhat. Storage was also a feature: the first mate having 2 levels of shelving by the left elbow and a glove box directly in front of the seat, while the skipper has a shelf for personal items also by the side. HIGH SIDES Prominent features within the wide cockpit were well-formed side

Top: The 150 Evinrude E-TEC HO was ample power for the Ocean Ranger 679 Hard Top. Bottom: Strongly made and very comfortable seating for skipper and mate was a useful feature in a craft intended for long ocean runs.

pockets, which to port is fitted a raw water deck wash unit. Three cast and welded rod holders adorned metrehigh cockpit gunwales, bringing the total number of rod holders to 17! At the transom area, a glass-fronted live bait tank doubled as a step, with the Ranger’s boarding ladder being directly aft. A berley bucket was also fitted to the transom. A large bait rigging station with 5 rod holders and a cutting board was central, while a dropdown lounge seat (padding being an option) with a fish measure was also prominent. The seat, to my mind, would be best kept up out of the way when fishing, but easily set-up for travelling. Importantly,

With the big Lowrance HDS12 as a central feature, the Ocean Ranger’s dash layout was very tidy and well thought out. the boat’s paired engine batteries are secured within an above-floor transom shelf. Interestingly, the Ocean Ranger does not have an

Top left: Fun in the sun. A bit of wide open throttle offshore saw 36 knots on the Lowrance HDS 12. Middle left: A floodable kill tank is standard within the Stacer Ocean Ranger series. Middle right: A well made Stacer drive-on trailer is part of the 679 Ocean Ranger package. Bottom: Padding is an option for the Ocean Ranger’s rear seat, which comes complete with a fish measure, plus total portability to get it out of the way when fishing. Note the live bait tank and side pockets.

external scupper system to drain the cockpit floor, so any water aboard is collected within an underfloor sump and automatically pumped overboard.

RIDE AND PERFORMANCE With its 1133kg hull weight and massive beam of 2.4m, the big Stacer could hardly be expected to ride other way than very well, and be steady as a rock at rest. Stacer have been building boats for a long time now, and their extensive R & D has finetuned the EVO Advance Hull to its current high level of performance. Admittedly, the test runs offshore were in millpondlike conditions at first, but things kicked up nicely while we were out after a fish. On the return run to the Seaway the hull rode very sweetly, carving cleanly into chop at speed and pushing any displaced water

In its element: the Ocean Ranger 679 Hard Top in trolling mode. well away. The hardtop’s advantage would, of course, really shine in adverse conditions when it would combine with the cuddy cab to keep breeze away and occupants as dry and as comfortable as possible. Performance from the 150 Evinrude E-TEC HO (High Output) — in a brand new chrome toning — was sparkling. Rated for engines from 115-200hp, 150 proved ample power for the 7 person rig. The craft planed at 2400rpm at 10.6 knots, cruised very quietly at 3000rpm at 18.5 knots, and with a modest fuel use of 20.8l/hr it was obviously a very good rev/ speed combination for

Bunks are meant for seating and storage rather than sleepovers, and there’s nothing wrong with that in a serious offshore rig. ocean cruising. At 4000rpm we saw 26.3 knots on the GPS, 5000 delivered a feisty 33.6 knots and 5300 topped out at 36.3. What also impressed me was the sheer grunt of the direct injection 2-stroke E-TEC. Pushing the throttle forward saw instant response throughout the rev range, and yet the engine was remarkably quiet. SUMMING UP Stacer have got a lot of things just right with the 679 Ocean Ranger. It’s roomy, stable, well-finished off, with some of the neatest welding I’ve seen, and its impressive wrap certainly looked the part on a serious fishing rig. The performance

from the E-TEC 150 HO was everything one might want, and I saw no need for further power. Ocean Rangers have a Stacer factory 3 year limited warranty. For prices, get in touch with your local Stacer dealer. Visit www.stacer. com.au for more details. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

A deck wash is virtually mandatory in an offshore fishing rig these days. JANUARY 2015

101

This section in NSW Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching.

SYDNEY

MACQUARIE COAST

The Boat Pimpers (Sydney) (02) 9792 7799

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

FRESHWATER

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

Dubbo Marine and Watersports (02) 6882 2853

3Gelcoat repairs 3 Insurance repairs

3 Transom & floor repairs 312v Electrical installations

Bait & Tackle

Online Tackle Products www.fishin.com.au 0425 230 964

www.fishin.com.au ONLINE BREAM TACKLE STORE

4 Aspinall Place, MULGRAVE 02 4577 3482 www.westernboatrepairs.com.au

BYRON COAST Yamba Bait & Tackle (02) 6646 1514

COFFS COAST Compleat Angler Kempsey (02) 6562 5307 Rocks Marine Bait & Tackle South West Rocks (02) 6566 6726

Fish Taxidermy

MACQUARIE COAST

Specialising in “Tournament Quality Lures” 0425 230 964

Neptune’s Treasures - Your Catch Reproduced 0405 226 282 www.neptunestreasures.com.au

Graham Barclay Marine (02) 6554 5866 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333 Port Macquarie Tackle World (02) 6584 9972

SHOP 18, 29 KIORA RD MIRANDA NSW 2228

Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841

Blue Bottle Fishing www.bluebottlefishing.com info@bluebottlefishing.com Ph: 0409 333 380

Breakdown Response

HUNTER COAST Port Stephens Tackle World (02) 4984 2144

Boat Assist 24 (02) 9746 6224 or www.boatassist24.com.au

SYDNEY Gabes Boating & Fishing Centre Narellan (02) 4647 8755 Gabes Boating & Fishing Centre Sylvania (02) 9522 5100 Windybanks Bait and Tackle (02) 9477 1520

Chandlery & Accessories

Techni Ice www.techniice.com

Bermagui Bait and Tackle (02) 6493 5444

Marine Mechanics

Loomzys Fish and Fix (Forbes) (02) 6851 1425

Specialty Fishing Products www.specialtyfishing.com.au Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au

Korr Lighting www.korlighting.com.au

FRESHWATER

Mo Tackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au U-Make-Em Soft Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014

EDENS COAST

Out of the Blue Tackle 0417 608 344 or www.outofthebluetackle.com.au

Jayro Tackle www.jayrotackle.com.au

Fishing and Travel Opportunity

SYDNEY

Boat Imports

Penrith Marine (02) 4731 6250

Import USA Boat 0435 476 177

Create more time to fish, less time for work!

Moby Marine (02) 9153 6506 or www.mobymarine.com.au Aqua Marine 0415 600 301 or www.aquacash.com.au

Kayak Dealers

Looking for motivated individuals who are serious about spending more time fishing and less time working.

Cohoe Marine Products (Sydney) (02) 9519 3575 Blakes Marine (02) 4577 6699

Hunter Water Sports (02) 4947 7899

Watersports Marine (02) 9676 1400

Boat / Trailer Modifications & Repairs

Neken Marine (02) 9979 9649 Family Boats (02) 9622 0222

Bold Trailers (02) 8544 8114 www.boldtrailers.com.au Salt Away 1800 091 172 www.salt-away.com.au

WARNING!

9 out 10 engines fail from salt corrosion

ENGINE FLUSHING JETSKIS TRAILERS

FREECALL For more info

WASHING BOATS FISHING & DIVE GEAR

1800 091 172

VISIT www.salt-away.com.au

P T Y

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP

FOR OUTBOARD & STERNDRIVE SERVICE OPTIONS Outboard and Sterndrive Specialists All Services & Repairs by Qualified Technicians We are one of the Largest Distributors of After Market Marine Engine Parts in Australia

(02) 9153 6506

44 Barry Ave, Mortdale, NSW Marine Mechanics Cont...

www.mobymarine.com.au COFFS COAST Jetty Boating (02) 6651 4002

Holiday Rental

L T D

SYDNEY’S

CORROSION CONTROL SALT REMOVING TREATMENT

www.familyfreedomnow.com I info@familyfreedomnow.com I 0421 367 338

MOBY MARINE

S E R V I C E S

SALT-AWAY IS A MUST FOR:

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Boat Assist 24 - On Water Mechanic (02) 9746 6224

FLUSH YOUR ENGINE WITH

ACT NOW AND PROTECT YOUR VALUABLE BOAT, ENGINE, TRAILER, FISHING AND DIVE GEAR.

Imagine being able to fish any day of the week, travel to great fishing locations and work part-time to support your fishing activities!

NORTH COAST Brooms Head Caravan Park (02) 6646 7144 Calypso Yamba Holiday Park (02) 6646 8847 Iluka Riverside Tourist Park (02) 6646 6060 Wooli Camping & Caravan Park (02) 6649 7671

HUNTER COAST Wangi Point Lakeside holiday Park (02) 4975 1889 Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks 1300 COASTAL Blacksmiths Holiday Park (02) 4971 2858

CENTRAL COAST Central Coast Holiday Parks 1800 241 342

ILLAWARRA COAST Currarong Beachside Tourist Park 1300 555 515 Sussex Inlet (LJ Hooker) (02) 4441 2135 Riviera Caravan Park, St George’s Basin (02) 4441 2112 Killalea State Park, Shell Cove (02) 4237 8589 Holiday With Us, Sussex Inlet (02) 4441 2135 Surf Beach Holiday Park (02) 4232 1791 Kendalls on the Beach (02) 4232 1790

WANT IN? EMAIL : ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Werri Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1285

FREEDOM CHARTERS

COFFS COAST

Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1340

Coffs Coast Sport Fishing 0434 517 683

Kiama Harbour Cabins (02) 4232 2707

Oceanic Sea Urchin II Charters (02) 6566 6623 or 0428 650 321

EDEN COAST

EDEN

South West Rocks Fishing Charters (02) 6566 5298 or 0429 995 390 The Rocks Fishing Charters 0412 074 147

Fishermans Rest (Eden) (02) 6496 1999

Wooli Deep Sea Tours (02) 6649 7100

FRESHWATER

Trial Bay Fishing Charters, 0427 256 556

Burrinjuck Waters State Park (02) 6227 8114 Providence Lodge (Eucumbene) (02) 6454 2200 Grabine Lakeside State Park (02) 4835 2345 Wyangala Waters State Park (02) 6345 0877 Bass Lodge Macleay River NSW 0433 482 325 Chifley Dam Cabins 1800 68 1000

CHIFLEYCabDAM ins Just 20 minutes drive south of Bathurst Affordable self-catering accommodation Quiet peaceful setting

This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 30 words within a 5x2 ad size.

Lake Glenbawn State Park (02) 6543 7193

• Reef, Game and Kingfish • Shared and private charters • Bait and tackle supplied • Homemade morning tea • Packages available • Owner operated

WE CATCH FISH!

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Winter Keep (Snowy Mountains) www.winterkeep.com.au

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY ON THE NSW STH COAST!

Ph: (02)

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QUEENSLAND

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2015

Email : ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

TRIP NOW

MACQUARIE COAST

Swains Reef • Bunker Group • Coral Sea • Shoal Waters and Beyond

Castaway Estuary Charters 0427 239 650 Ocean Star Fishing Charters 0416 240 877

Book now on 1800 68 1000 Book online at visitbathurst.com.au

ea Gr

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HUNTER COAST Tailermade Fishing Adventures (02) 4928 2653 or 0411 096 717

SYDNEY

MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201 or www.amytiadventure.com.au Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters Swains & Coral Sea 0427 125 727

MIKAT CRUISES

Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters (02) 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351 Sydney Sportfishing Adventures 0405 196 253

Moorings

ILLAWARRA COAST Sea Lady Charters 0411 024 402

Botany Bay Moorings $700 PER ANNUM FOR MEMBERS MUDDY CREEK AMATEUR BOATING & FISHING ASSOC.

TRADES AND SERVICES ADVERTISING Line listing from $15 + gst per mth* 2cm x 2 from $35 + gst per mth* 5cm x 2 from $50 + gst per mth* 7cm x 2 from $74 + gst per mth* 9cm x 2 from $89 + gst per mth* 10cm x 2 from $99 + gst per mth* 11cm x 2 from $105 + gst per mth* 12cm x 2 from $110 + gst per mth* * Conditions apply Call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au Boat Hire Boab Boat Hire (NSW) 1300 002 6221

Charter Boats BYRON COAST Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters, 0428 828 835 Sea Master Fishing Charters, (07) 5524 8849 or 0415 593 901 Reel Time Fishing Charters 0428 231 962

Greenwell Point only 10 mins from

SILVER STAR

ENQUIRE NOW. 0427 908 668 www.mcbafa.com.au www.facebook.com/mcbafa1

Fishing Charters

Shell Harbour Fishing Charters 0425 216 370

Limited availability only a small number remaining.

SLIPWAY AVAILABLE

Swains & Coral Sea

Silver Star Fishing Charters (02) 4421 7462 or 0412 977 000

FISHING CHARTERS

NOWRA NSW

Game and Deep Sea, Charters ing Reef Fish

• Reef, Deep Sea and Sport Fishing • 20m Cat – Large comfortable & stable • Air-Conditioned & fast (cruise up to 18 knots) • Professional crew (over 22 years experience) • Cater for groups up to 14 for up to 10 days • Fully licensed bar • Dories available • Three large bathrooms • Blue Ray DVD + Plasma Tv’s • Desalinate unit • Trips designed to suit your requirements

Choice of

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Michael Ph: 0427 125 727

Fax: (07) 4972 1759

Mowong

SWAINS

EXTENDED REEF TRIPS

Flathead Kingfish Tuna Plus more! SILVER STAR FISHING CHARTERS

www.mikat.com.au

NSW Recreational Fishing Licence.

FOR UP TO 10 PEOPLE •Swains Reef •Port Clinton •Stanage Bay •Island Head Creek •Shoalwater Bay •Pearl Bay

NSW Maritime Surveyed. Jervis Bay Marine Park permit.

Phone John 0412

977 000

EDEN COAST

CP:

0419 789 921 www.inyadreamscharters.com Fishing Guides

www.silverstarfishingcharters.com.au

ILLAWARRA COAST BATEMANS COAST

Bay & Basin Sportsfishing 0413 610 832

BATEMANS COAST

Top Cat Charters (02) 4472 7340 or 0427 727 340

EDEN COAST

Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures (02) 6495 9902 or 0400 062 504

EDEN COAST

Esprit Fishing Charters 1300 556 658 Freedom Charters Eden (02) 6496 1209 or www.freedomcharters.com.au

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

WANT IN? EMAIL : ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Tournament Angler Guide 2015 LAUNCHED IN FEBRUARY 2015 NSWFM

“Who Shares Wins”

NSW Tide Times

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES JANUARY Time

Time

0607 1.65 1245 0.49 TH 1837 1.30

0523 1200 FR 1746 2339

2015

LAT 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ Times and Heights of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY m

Time

1.51 0.60 1.24 0.53

0100 0731 SU 1414 2008

1.62 0.49 SA 1846 1.29

2 0145 0815

17 0106 0736

3 0226 0853

18 0200 0828

4 0304 0929

19 0253 0918

5 0341 1002

20 0346 1008

6 0416 1036

21 0440 1059

7 0454 1110

22 0534 1148

8 0533 1145

23 0018 0631

9 0016 0615

24 0111 0731

2 0025 0700

17 0617 1258

3 0115 0748

18 0032 0708

4 0200 0832

19 0124 0758

5 0242 0912

20 0215 0846

6 0321 0950

21 0305 0935

7 0400 1026

22 0358 1025

8 0437 1100

23 0451 1114

9 0515 1136

24 0545 1204

10 0015 0557

25 0045 0644

10 0058 0701

11 0057 0642

26 0139 0745

12 0143 0733

0.54 1.67 0.43 1.30

0009 0643 MO 1325 1922

Time

0619 1.55 1304 0.53 SU 1904 1.27

0516 1200 MO 1804 2351

Time

1.61 0.44 1.35 0.53

0108 0717 WE 1342 1953

1.72 0.33 TU 1901 1.47

2 0149 0757

17 0035 0646

3 0228 0833

18 0130 0740

4 0304 0909

19 0224 0831

5 0240 0845

20 0316 0923

6 0317 0920

21 0409 1015

7 0357 0959

22 0502 1106

8 0438 1039

23 0556 1159

9 0524 1124

24 0002 0651

0.61 1.55 0.49 1.47

2 0044 0709

17 0618 1256

3 0130 0751

18 0051 0715

4 0210 0829

19 0147 0808

5 0247 0903

20 0242 0900

6 0323 0937

21 0335 0950

7 0359 1011

22 0429 1041

8 0435 1045

23 0522 1132

9 0514 1120

24 0617 1224

25 0206 0837

10 0554 1158

25 0043 0715

10 0615 1215

25 0054 0748

11 0144 0754

26 0307 0949

11 0020 0639

26 0134 0817

11 0028 0715

26 0150 0845

27 0237 0853

12 0236 0858

27 0415 1104

12 0103 0730

27 0232 0924

12 0129 0821

27 0253 0940

13 0233 0831

28 0339 1008

13 0336 1012

28 0521 1211

13 0155 0830

28 0336 1030

13 0239 0929

28 0354 1030

14 0329 0940

29 0445 1125

14 0442 1126

14 0256 0942

29 0443 1131

14 0349 1030

29 0449 1115

15 0427 1053

30 0547 1234

15 0545 1230

15 0406 1055

30 0544 1223

15 0454 1125

30 0537 1154

0.47 1.71 FR 1342 0.43 1933 1.31 0.47 1.75 SA 1430 0.38 2022 1.33 0.47 1.78 SU 1512 0.35 2105 1.34 0.47 1.79 MO 1549 0.33 2145 1.35 0.48 1.78 TU 1625 0.34 2224 1.36 0.49 1.75 WE 1700 0.35 2300 1.35 0.52 1.71 TH 1733 0.38 2337 1.35 0.55 1.65 FR 1807 0.41 1.35 0.59 SA 1212 1.58 1843 0.45

1.34 0.63 SU 1251 1.49 1921 0.48

1.34 0.68 MO 1335 1.40 2003 0.52 1.35 0.71 TU 1428 1.32 2052 0.55

1.38 0.72 WE 1530 1.25 2145 0.57 1.43 0.68 TH 1639 1.22 2243 0.56

0.47 1.73 SU 1349 0.37 1941 1.36

0.41 1.85 MO 1437 0.25 2031 1.43 0.35 1.94 TU 1524 0.16 2121 1.49

0.30 2.00 WE 1611 0.11 2211 1.55 0.27 2.00 TH 1658 0.10 2300 1.58 0.28 1.95 FR 1745 0.13 2352 1.59

0.32 1.84 SA 1832 0.20

1.59 0.39 SU 1257 1.69 1921 0.29

1.57 0.46 MO 1352 1.53 2012 0.39 1.56 0.54 TU 1454 1.37 2107 0.48

1.55 0.58 WE 1604 1.26 2207 0.54 1.56 0.57 TH 1719 1.22 2309 0.56 1.59 0.53 FR 1827 1.22

31 0007 0643

0.56 1.63 SA 1330 0.48 1922 1.26

0.51 1.70 MO 1452 0.39 2047 1.35 0.48 1.72 TU 1526 0.37 2124 1.38 0.47 1.72 WE 1558 0.35 2158 1.41 0.46 1.71 TH 1629 0.36 2231 1.42 0.47 1.68 FR 1700 0.37 2304 1.43 0.49 1.63 SA 1730 0.39 2340 1.44 0.52 1.56 SU 1802 0.43 1.44 0.56 MO 1221 1.48 1836 0.47 1.43 0.60 TU 1302 1.39 1915 0.52

1.42 0.65 WE 1350 1.31 1959 0.57 1.42 0.67 TH 1449 1.23 2053 0.60

1.44 0.65 FR 1601 1.20 2159 0.61

1.50 0.58 SA 1718 1.22 2307 0.57

1.60 0.47 SU 1825 1.29

0.41 1.84 TU 1415 0.23 2014 1.49

0.32 1.94 WE 1501 0.14 2102 1.59 0.24 1.98 TH 1547 0.09 2151 1.66

0.21 1.97 FR 1633 0.10 2240 1.71

0.21 1.89 SA 1718 0.15 2329 1.73

0.25 1.77 SU 1803 0.23

1.71 0.33 MO 1241 1.61 1850 0.35 1.66 0.42 TU 1335 1.44 1939 0.46

1.61 0.51 WE 1435 1.30 2034 0.56 1.55 0.57 TH 1545 1.21 2137 0.63

1.52 0.59 FR 1703 1.18 2245 0.66

1.52 0.57 SA 1812 1.21 2348 0.64

0.60 1.58 MO 1346 0.48 1947 1.34 0.55 1.62 TU 1422 0.44 2024 1.40 0.51 1.64 WE 1455 0.41 2058 1.45 0.47 1.66 TH 1525 0.39 2130 1.49 0.45 1.65 FR 1554 0.38 2200 1.52 0.44 1.63 SA 1624 0.39 2233 1.55 0.45 1.58 SU 1654 0.41 2306 1.56 0.47 1.52 MO 1725 0.45 2342 1.56 0.50 1.45 TU 1759 0.49

1.54 0.54 WE 1239 1.37 1835 0.55 1.52 0.59 TH 1327 1.30 1920 0.60 1.50 0.61 FR 1426 1.24 2015 0.65

1.50 0.60 SA 1538 1.22 2126 0.66

1.53 0.54 SU 1656 1.25 2242 0.62

0.42 1.82 WE 1346 0.23 1952 1.59 0.32 1.88 TH 1434 0.17 2041 1.71 0.24 1.90 FR 1519 0.14 2129 1.79

0.19 1.86 SA 1604 0.17 2216 1.84

0.19 1.78 SU 1649 0.23 2304 1.85

0.24 1.66 MO 1734 0.33 2353 1.82 0.32 1.52 TU 1819 0.44

1.75 0.41 WE 1318 1.38 1907 0.56 1.66 0.51 TH 1416 1.27 2000 0.66 1.57 0.58 FR 1524 1.21 2103 0.73

1.51 0.61 SA 1637 1.21 2214 0.75

1.48 0.60 SU 1743 1.25 2322 0.73

1.49 0.57 MO 1834 1.32

0.55 1.57 TH 1415 0.46 2027 1.53 0.50 1.58 FR 1446 0.44 2059 1.59 0.47 1.58 SA 1516 0.43 2130 1.64 0.44 1.56 SU 1446 0.44 2102 1.67 0.43 1.53 MO 1517 0.46 2136 1.69 0.44 1.48 TU 1551 0.50 2213 1.69 0.47 1.43 WE 1627 0.54 2252 1.67 0.50 1.37 TH 1707 0.59 2336 1.64 0.53 1.31 FR 1755 0.64

1.61 0.55 SA 1315 1.28 1854 0.69

1.58 0.54 SU 1425 1.28 2006 0.70

1.59 0.50 MO 1538 1.34 2123 0.66 1.63 0.42 TU 1643 1.45 2234 0.57

1.70 0.35 WE 1739 1.58 2337 0.46

0552 1.76 1215 0.28 TH 1830 1.71

m 0.50 1.72 0.35 1.39

Local Time APRIL

0.35 1.78 FR 1303 0.25 1918 1.82

0.28 1.77 SA 1349 0.25 2006 1.90

0.23 1.73 SU 1434 0.29 2053 1.94

0.23 1.65 MO 1519 0.35 2140 1.94 0.27 1.55 TU 1604 0.44 2227 1.89

0.34 1.45 WE 1649 0.54 2314 1.80 0.43 1.36 TH 1736 0.64 1.70 0.51 FR 1253 1.29 1827 0.73

1.60 0.58 SA 1353 1.25 1926 0.79

1.52 0.62 SU 1457 1.26 2033 0.81

1.47 0.62 MO 1559 1.30 2143 0.80 1.45 0.61 TU 1652 1.37 2245 0.75

1.46 0.57 WE 1736 1.45 2338 0.68 1.48 0.54 TH 1815 1.53

31 0020 0634

0.67 1.51 TU 1305 0.53 1916 1.39

 Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2014, Bureau of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astonomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols

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.

Central Coast Central Coast Boat World 19 Lake St Budgewoi Phone: (02) 4399 3568 E:ccbw3@bigpond.com Website: www.centralcoastboatworld.com.au Cowra Cowra Marine Centre 29 Grenfell St Cowra Phone: (02) 6342 2904 | E:info@cowramarine.com.au Website: www.cowramarine.com.au Port Macquarie Hastings Marine 185 Hastings River Dr Port Macquarie Phone: (02) 6583 5511 | E:sales@hastingsmarine.com.au Website: www.hastingsmarine.com.au

Mercury Portables. Lightweight and built to last. Mercury’s Portables range provide the power that you can carry, run and depend on. With eleven horsepower options ranging from 2.5hp to 30hp, these compact units punch well above their weight.

Coffs Harbour Jetty Boating 40 Hi Tech Drive, Toormina Phone: (02) 6651 4002 | E:info@jettyboating.com.au Website: www.jettyboating.com.au Hunter Valley Maitland Power and Marine 23 Melbourne St, East Maitland Phone: (02) 4933 3284 | E:sales@mpm.net.au Website: www.mpm.net.au Far South Coast Merimbula Outboards 382 Sapphire Coast Dr Tura Merimbula Phone: (02) 6495 9634 | E:info@merimbulaoutboard.com.au Website: www.merimbulaoutboard.com.au Sydney West Penrith Marine 4/133 Coreen Ave Penrith Phone: (02) 4731 6250 | E:sales@penrithmarine.com.au Website: www.penrithmarine.com.au Sydney North Shore Shannon Outboards 3/41 Leighton Pl Hornsby Phone: (02) 9482 2638 | E:sales@shannonoutboards.com.au Website: www.shannonoutboards.com.au Sydney North West TR Marine World 44 Curtis Rd McGraths Hill Phone: (02) 4577 3522 | E:sales@trmarine.com.au Website: www.trmarine.com.au Sydney North West Watersports Marine 11 Binney Rd Kingspark Phone: (02) 9676 1400 | E:info@watersportmarine.com.au Website: www.watersportsmarine.com.au Central Coast Insinc Marine 278 Manns Road, Gosford West Ph: (02) 4324 4300 | E:troy@insincmarine.com.au Website: www.insincmarine.com.au Northern NSW / Gold Coast Tweed Coast Marine 147 Pacific Hwy Tweed Heads South Ph: (07) 5524 8877 | E:admin@tweedcoastmarine.com.au Website: www.tweedcoastmarine.com.au Dubbo Dubbo Marine & Watersports 36 Bourke St, Dubbo Ph: 02·6882 2853 | E:bbeandel@bigpond.net.au Website: www.dubbomarine.com.au Mid North Coast Disco Marine 160 North St Grafton Ph: (02) 6643 1199 | E:sales@discomarine.com.au Website: www.discomarine.com.au Sydney South Go Boating Liverpool 142 Terminus Street, Liverpool Ph: (02) 9601 3022 | E:info@goboating.net.au Website: www.goboating.net.au Batemans Bay Batemans Bay Marine 6/37 Gregory St Batemans Bay Ph: (02) 4472 7133 E: batemansbaymarine@hotmail.com Sydney Avante Marine 212 Silverwater Rd Silverwater Ph: (02) 9737 0727 | E: info@avantemarine.com.au Website: www.avantemarine.com.au

Black Pete Marine Pty Ltd PO Box 3094, Allambie, NSW 2100 blkpete@bigpond.net.au www.blackpete.com.au | 02 9905 7888

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3.40 2.55 1.70

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Mercury’s new 115hp FourStroke delivers up to 14% better cruise speed economy. BSFC dyno testing; data is an average of 60%-80% rated engine speed based on standard ICOMIA emissions test.

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32.19

0.0 24.14

new mercury 2.1L 115hp

16.09

previous mercury mercury optimax fourstroke 1.7L 115hp

8.05

260

0.0

270

km/h

115hp optimax

Mercury’s new 115hp FourStroke delivers up to 63% better fuel efficiency at cruise vs. the 115hp OptiMax with a slight top speed advantage. Test conducted on a 1775 Lund aluminium boat.