New South Wales Fishing Monthly - May 2015 by Fishing Monthly

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Pimp your boat • Rock fishing basics • Plumbing a livewell • Rigging weedless plastics • 30 new products! • Kayak sounder solutions •

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Wasabi 30lb line and a Black Magic LB 9/0 hook were used by 6 year old Robert Poile to catch this 12lb mulloway while fishing in the Clyde River, NSW. Great effort!

Brett Johnstone used a NEW Black Magic Squid Snatcher® ‘brown/red’ to take this nice squid while fishing from George Town, Tasmania.

Terry Sheppard of Regal Marine in Vermont, Victoria landed this excellent kingfish on a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook using a whole squid for bait. Terry was fishing in Coffin Bay, South Australia.

This fine bream was landed by Jason Earl while fishing the Hunter River, Newcastle using a Black Magic 6gm Spinsect® ‘golden grub’.

Black Magic 30lb Tough Fluorocarbon leader was used by Bernie Zraika to catch this exceptional snapper weighing just under 5kg while fishing off Stanwell Park, NSW.

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May 2015, Vol. 20 No. 10

Contents 09

BYRON COAST The Tweed 30 Ballina 31 The Clarence 32 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour Coffs Game South West Rocks

33 34 35

MACQUARIE COAST Port Macquarie 36 Forster 38 Harrington 40 Port Stephens 41 HUNTER COAST Hunter Coast 42 Swansea 43 Central Coast 44 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 12 Pittwater 14 Sydney North 16 Sydney Rocks and Beach 20 Sydney Harbour 18 Sydney South 26 Botany Bay 22 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 64 Nowra 65

From the Editor’s Desk... It’s not often that the Australian angling community comes together. Usually it takes a super-trawler or the threat of an all encompassing no-fishing zone to rally Aussie anglers and stir them to action. But in April, one Aussie angler managed to mobilise a huge number of Australian recreational anglers. And he did it with a rod and reel, fishing a lake approximately 14,400km from his hometown in Toowoomba, Queensland. Alumni of the ABT/ AFC tournament pathway here in Australia, Carl won a trip to a bass tournament called the US Open in 2010 to fish for largemouth bass. Finishing 2nd as a co-angler in that event, he gained the confidence he needed to sell up in Australia and devote himself to chasing a dream of becoming a top-level pro angler on the rigorous tournament circuit in the USA. Although a naturally

gifted and determined angler, Carl’s pathway to the top wasn’t easy. In fact, I reckon 99% of people in his situation would have given up. Being perennially broke and alone on the other side of the planet is daunting. But last year, Carl did the impossible and qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series – the highest profile bass series on the planet. And after a heartbreaking mechanical failure on the first event of the Tour, he launched himself into the limelight in the second Tour stop – Lake Guntersville in Alabama. Fishing with a maturity beyond his 30 years, day after day, Carl ascended the leaderboard until he sat in 5th place (from a 113 boat field) going into the last two days of competition. The circuit organiser (www.bassmaster.com) runs an incredibly comprehensive live coverage of these final two days, enabling Carl’s thousands of

Aussie fans to sit up – some all night – watching Carl fishing, live on camera. I was one of them. Carl not only did himself proud, he did his country proud. A skilled and determined performance against the most hardened pros on the planet was matched only by his humility and etiquette. “It doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s what you do when you get back up that counts,” Carl said in front of a crowd of thousands of fans, “and if I can achieve my dream of doing this, then anyone can achieve their goals.” I’m sure that there were hundreds of sleep-deprived Aussies with a tear in the eye as he gained fans worldwide by the minute with his performance. I was also one of them. Carl left the event, already being a part of the Bassmaster Elite Series, but now there’s nobody who doubts that he belongs there. Especially Carl.

Social Media went nuts over the weekend. BASS MC, Dave Mercer, said that Carl “broke the internet” with the number of comments and support he received on-line. I love the fact that Aussie anglers and fans united to give our export an unprecedented level of support. If you want to follow Carl’s progress and join the party, you can do it in many ways – go to www.carljocumsen.com to find the details of his Instagram, Facebook and Twitter acounts. Or you can listen to his voice interviews on SoundCloud (# Carl Jocumsen). Check out www. bassmaster.com on the 30th May-3rd April (California Delta) and May 7-10 (Lake Havasu) for the latest live coverage. Secretly, I think he loves his new nickname – coined by Mercer after a day-leading bag weight. Go the Walla-beast!

BATEMANS COAST Batemans Bay 66 Narooma 68 Bermagui 71 EDEN COAST Tathra 70 Eden 72 Merimbula 69 Mallacoota 72

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A school mulloway taken on a soft plastic on the central coast of NSW. It was tagged and released.

MAY 2015

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ING TRADE

How to rig weedless plastics the right way PART TWO NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

In part two of his threepart series on the basics of soft plastics, I will detail a deadly rig for fishing these lures in snaggy or weedy waters. While the basic method for rigging a plastic on a jighead described last month will serve you extremely well in the majority of scenarios, it’s worth knowing a few alternate strategies for more demanding or unusual situations. One of the most valuable of these advanced presentation methods is the rigging of a soft plastic on a wide-gaped worm hook so that it resists snagging and fouling with weed. This is fairly easy to do, as shown in the accompanying images. Begin by pushing the hook point through the front of the plastic for a short distance (usually about 3-10mm, depending upon

the hook eye and knot into the plastic). Next, rotate the hook and measure it up across the lure body to ascertain the entry and exit points before pushing the point up into the belly of the lure and bringing it out the back. You need to be a bit careful with this part to avoid bending or deforming the finished

cod and yellowbelly in our timber-studded outback waters… In fact, anywhere

you’d like to cast a plastic while minimising snags and weed. Give it a try!

Next month I’ll look at how to choose the right plastics on the day.

1. Begin by inserting the hook point dead centre into the nose of the plastic and bringing it out the lure’s ‘chin’.

Lots of switched-on northern anglers nowadays target barra on ‘weedless rigged’ plastics. The plastic has partially torn away from the hook during a torrid struggle with this nice barra. rig. Study the accompanying photos closely, practice on a

Targeting bass in the weeds is another prime scenario for choosing to go weedless or snag-proof. Note the beads and small sinkers rigged in the loop knot. the size of the plastic and the hook) before bringing the hook point out the lure’s ‘chin’. Pull the hook almost all the way through the plastic until the little kink or twist in the shank enters the nose of the lure and the hook eye sits snugly at the front of the plastic (if your hook is already tied to your leader, you can actually pull

in really thick structure or dense weed, is to push the hook point almost all the way through the lure, but leave it partially buried inside the back of the plastic. In slightly less snaggy country, you can bring the point out and lay it flush along the back of the plastic. Rigged this way, the point will not easily catch

few old, chewed-up tails, and you’ll soon get the idea. Rigged in this way, a plastic is extremely resistant to snagging or picking up weed but, hopefully, the hook point will push clear of the plastic and stick into the fish’s mouth on the strike… That’s the theory, anyway! One additional trick, especially when working

on the branches or rocks, nor readily pick up weed. When a fish eats your offering, you should give it a second or two to really swallow or inhale the lure, then strike extra hard, with a somewhat exaggerated upward sweep of the rod, combined with a few fast cranks of the reel’s handle. Theoretically, the hook point will punch clear of the plastic and stick into the fish. However, any method that snag-proofs a lure also tends to fish-proof it to some extent and, in my experience, you will miss hooking up on quite a few strikes. But if you’re able to cast your lures into places where you otherwise couldn’t (or wouldn’t), it may well be worth sacrificing a few hook-ups in return for many extra opportunities. This weedless rig can be left un-weighted for shallow work, or weighted with a suitable sinker run on the leader or in the loop knot. It is absolutely deadly on barra and saratoga up north, bass and bream in the snags down south, snapper in reefy country, flathead in dense weed beds, or Murray

2. Carefully pull the hook right through until the kinked section of the shank enters the plastic’s nose.

3. Turn the hook and lay it across the plastic to accurately establish entry and exit points.

4. Push the hook up through the plastic, emerging as close to the centreline of its back as possible.

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Rock’s first steps CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

Late autumn through to mid-winter is a great time of year hit our wavelashed rocks and pin a feed of fish. Bream, luderick, drummer, tailor and salmon are all on the move and generally eager to eat baits or slam lures. Each of these species and others that frequent this coastal zone aren’t too hard to catch either. Of course, fish don’t just jump on the end of

the line without some encouragement from the angler. Rock fishing, like any other style of our beloved pastime, requires planning and effort in order to bring rewards. So here we’ll run through some of the most important aspects of the game for those who may be new to rock fishing or just wanting to enjoy a bit more success. SAFETY FIRST Without question, the first thing anyone should consider before heading to the rocks is their own safety and the safety of friends or family. We’ve all

NSW SIZE AND BAG LIMIT REGULATIONS Bream:.................................................. 25cm – 10 Drummer:............................................. 30cm – 10 Luderick:.............................................. 27cm – 10 Snapper:............................................... 30cm – 10 Trevally:................................................ 30cm – 10 Groper:..................... 30cm (only 1 over 60cm) – 2 Jewfish:.................................................. 70cm – 2 Tailor:................................................... 30cm – 10 Kingfish:................................................. 65cm – 5 Bonito:.............................................................. 10 Salmon:.............................................................. 5 Abalone:.............................................. 11.7cm – 2 Turban Snails:.................................................. 20 Squid:............................................................... 20 Octopus:.......................................................... 10 Bait Crabs:....................................................... 10 Cunjevoi:.......................................................... 20

seen those bad news stories on TV or in the papers, about rock fishing fatalities or rescues. The truth is, such incidents are normally the result of people going fishing when they shouldn’t. In other words, when the ocean swells are building or the seas are basically just too rough. The power of a large wave spilling over a rock ledge is much the same as a freight train or a speeding truck. It can knock a human flying and probably prove fatal. We just can’t go playing around with the full force of nature and expect to get away with it. So before any fishing, the first thing to do is check weather and sea forecasts. A simple TV news forecast telling us it will be a nice warm day tomorrow or to expect some rain is useless. We need to see a more in-depth weather report, where they talk about seas and swell. This may mean switching channels to watch someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. These days we also have access to reasonably accurate information via the Internet or phone

The author fishing a safe rock ledge during calm seas. This same spot could become dangerous if the swell picked up to over 1.5m. apps. Some to check out are the BoM coastal weather forecasts and the WillyWeather website, where you can type into the search box the specific area

you plan on fishing. From here, you can then find the swell heights, wind speed and direction, as well as tidal information. If the swell is predicted

to be less than 1.5m, then it’s probably safe enough to fish at most spots. Even so, a small swell of this height may still be hazardous in some places, so try to pick

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Bream are very common around the rocks and respond to a variety of baits. A size 4-1/0 hook and a tiny pea sized sinker running freely on the line is often the best type of rig to use for them.

a day when it’s no more than a metre. If forecasts indicate a swell height of any more than 2m, stay well away from the rocks

remember that swell height is enlarged when combined with a high tide. Once everything’s been sorted out and you’re

minutes, followed by a set of larger waves, and these are the ones to look out for. If all seems safe, proceed down to the spot. If not,

booties or sandals can be purchased from most good fishing tackle shops. I’ve also found those cheap Dunlop Volleys to be quite comfortable and safe on my local conglomerate rock platforms that aren’t overly slippery. Now that you’re on a safe outcrop or ledge, with suitable footwear, it’s also very important to constantly keep an eye on the water

while fishing. Everything may be perfectly fine for 2 hours, then suddenly the swell starts pumping up and the next thing a larger wave crashes onto the rocks. This is not a ‘freak wave’, it’s just a larger wave and it can easily catch anglers off guard if they’re not observant. GEARING UP Using tackle that’s suited to this sort of environment

will go a long way towards comfortable fishing and good results. The main part of this is to use longer rods that keep line clear of the rocks in front of you. If the rod is too short, then line is likely to catch around some kelp, cunje or barnacles. Rod lengths of 3m are a good starting point, but up to 3.6m can be better in some places. To page 10

Some people may not like them, but salmon often save the day when other fish don’t show up. Whole pillies on ganged hooks are about the best way to go if you want to catch sambos. as it will be too dangerous. A large high tide may also mean waves will be spilling over rock ledges that may have been dry and safe around low tide. So overall, the best idea is to look at swell and tidal predictions. Always

heading down towards your chosen rock fishing spot, now is the time to stop and observe. Give it at least a few minutes to see if any larger waves form up and crash onto the rocks. Quite often there will be a safe looking lull for 5-10

look elsewhere. Appropriate footwear is also important. Thongs, gumboots, hard-soled work boots or bare feet are no good. Try to quickly move across slippery rocks and you’ll run into problems. Specialised rock fishing

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small snapper. For groper, larger drummer or average size snapper, try hooks from 2-4/0. Of course, when it comes to using baits like a whole pilchard, then ganged hooks in sizes 4/0-5/0 are a good choice. Another couple of handy items include rubber

float stops, small rubber lumo beads, and a spool of thicker line to be used for traces if you’re mainly chasing tailor or salmon. Remember though, to stick to finer line when it comes to trickier species like bream or luderick. They tend to shy away from thick

line, even if the bait seems appealing. A sharp knife, a decent pair of pliers, a small mesh keeper net to hold your catch, and a rag or towel to keep hands clean are other things you may need to bring along. I always carry a couple of plastic bags

If possible, always try to drop baits in close under some whitewash. This is where most bream, drummer or blackfish are likely to be found. From page 9

Most of the time a mid-sized threadline reel will provide easy, troublefree fishing for most species. For newcomers to rock fishing it’s probably best to stick with old school nylon lines, rather than using braid. It’s just easier to use, doesn’t require a long leader, and works out cheaper. A good breaking strain to use for a variety of

species is 6kg. You’ll catch plenty of bream, luderick, drummer and tailor with this line. If more demanding opponents such as groper, larger salmon, big drummer or kingfish are likely, then step up to at least 8kg line. Once you’ve got more experience under your belt, then it may be time to think about trying braided or PE lines, but the truth is you’ll

catch plenty with nylon. A couple of very reliable brands to use off the rocks are Schneider and Maxima. The tackle box doesn’t have to be anything special. A small selection of hooks, sinkers, swivels, floats and perhaps a few metal lures is all that’s required to target a range of different fish. Hook sizes from 6-1/0 can be used for bream, luderick, drummer, trevally and

Fishing a safe, dry ledge that’s sheltered from the full force of the waves. Plenty of whitewash and a good mix of sand, kelp and broken boulders spell bream in places like this.

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for the purpose of putting any rubbish such as bait packets, snack wrappers or empty drink bottles in. If no rubbish bins are in sight, then it comes home with me and goes in my bin. BEST BAITS Fish generally aren’t as fussy around the rocks as similar species found in calm estuary waters. However, some baits definitely do better than others. The good old blue pilchard is one of the best, providing you’re able to purchase decent quality ones in the first place, as soft, poorly treated pillies are all too common. Used whole on ganged hooks they’re fantastic for tailor and salmon, and bream will always be keen to take a bite at smaller cut pieces. Plain white bread is a really good bait for bream, blackfish and drummer. Compared to other baits, it’s also quite cheap and 1 of my all-time favourites. It works best when squeezed over a small size 6-4 hook and fished either unweighted or suspended beneath a small bobby float. Green or cooked prawns are another top bait that will attract most species, but prawns also lure in any small pest fish that may be

quick to snaffle up a feed of greens. If you want to have a go at using cabbage for bait, try it on a size 6-8 hook and fold the delicate leaves over a few times as the hook is threaded through. It takes a bit of practice when baiting up with this stuff, but it’s worth persisting, as both luderick and drummer rarely refuse it. TOP SPOTS As suggested at the beginning of this article, safety is a priority, so look for dry ledges rather than those with water spilling over them. Still though, the best spots are those with some fairly constant whitewash around. In general, baits cast under sudsy looking water are more likely to score bites than those cast out into clearer water. Depth is not essential at all. In fact, some of the best fishing for a variety of species occurs in relatively shallow locations, especially if there is a sandy bottom next to the rocks. Bream are particularly fond of sandy spots. Too much rock out front of you can present problems such as snagging up as you wind the line back in, so wherever possible, try to fish where the rock

In most areas, for most species, a rising tide is better than a falling tide. Over the years I’ve often found the middle part of the rising tide to be the peak time to catch old favourites like bream, drummer and blackfish. Therefore, arriving at the chosen spot at dead low tide and fishing the next 3-4 hours of the rising tide is a good strategy. If you can time the tides early or late in the day, so much the better. If not, those dreary overcast winter days often produce good fishing as well. So get out there as the weather cools down and warm yourself up with a spot of rock fishing.

Rock fishing certainly doesn’t need to be anything complicated. It doesn’t get any simpler than a hook and tiny sinker running freely on the line. This setup is ideal for bream, drummer and trevally.

A big bream, along with a trevally, drummer and luderick. All were caught on white bread bait as the tide was rising on a cold, overcast day. in the vicinity. Naturally occurring baits that can be found around the rocks like crabs or cunje are also great, but once again attract undesirable pickers and pests. Green cabbage, also known as sea lettuce, is the primary bait for luderick, but black drummer are

ledge drops straight down to the water near your feet. BEST TIMES Most forms of fishing are best done early in the morning or later in afternoon rather than around midday. Although the same generally applies when rock fishing, it’s important to fish the tides. MAY 2015

Mulloway, kings and bream all an option this May THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

I hope you all had a great Easter with plenty of chocolates and big fish. April was kind to us anglers, with great

weather, several metreplus mulloway, some great kingfish and an abundance of flathead and bream scattered throughout the estuaries. This month we see new changes come into effect for the management of Australian bass and estuary perch, with

no take or possession from May 1 to August 31. This, I presume, is to protect any early run fish that come down with a decent fresh in mid-autumn. Despite the closed season, there will be some great perch and bass encountered this month as bycatch. Those

trail established should be paramount, followed by presenting lightly weighted baits of nippers, prawns and whitebait. Keep leaders under the 5kg mark and preferably fluorocarbon. Casting soft plastic grubs, creature baits and vibes in similar areas will

Big live baits of yellowtail, tailor and pike are favourites. Getting enough baits in time for the always-crucial tide change and keeping them alive is paramount. A big flow through tank with the capacity to hold 6-10 livies up to 50cm in length is a handy asset when chasing mulloway over the metre mark. Twin and single hook rigs on 20-40kg gear will stop most fish. Just use enough lead to keep baits on the bottom in the prevailing conditions. Yellowtail can be brought to the boat with a bread berley and then caught on small baited long shank hooks or a Sabiki bait jig. Tailor and pike require a little extra effort to find, with casting and/or trolling the washes best. Lure casting around the tide changes will also account for some quality

fish as we near winter. Most are school fish in the sub metre class, but there seems to be more metre-plus fish showing up each season. The kingfish are still inshore and there are some monsters amongst them. Garfish are the favourite live bait, followed closely by the much easier to obtain yellowtail. Downrigged, flatlined or just drifted with a couple set at different depths will put you in contention. Salmon and tailor can beat the kings to your baits at times, so make sure you catch enough to last a great session. You can always put back what you don’t use at the end of the day. If you’re after that monster inshore king, make sure you go ‘loaded for bear’, as there is no telling when that fish of a lifetime decides your bait is also his!

If the water temperature stays high, there will still be a few kingfish about inshore.

SPOTS FILLING FAST!

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Releasing a quality mulloway with a DPI tag. flicking lures along the rock walls from lower Portland to Wisemans Ferry looking for bream will no doubt cross paths with a few. Some great breaming can be had from Slippery Rock downstream to the heads. Previously, this month has yielded many kilo-plus fish and this his season should be no different. Cockle beds, rock walls and deeper broken reef are all prime locations. Baits and lures will both take fish in these areas. If bait fishing, getting a berley

allow you to take your presentation to the fish and also cover ground to find the active patches. Most bream will hold between 3-6m during daylight hours, so make sure you are getting that lure into the zone. Light leaders of around 4kg will be ample to get the bites and extract them from nasty cover if necessary. Mulloway will be high on my list of fish to target as the water temperatures drop down around 20 degrees.

The odd bigger flathead have been active in the lower reaches. This 73cm fish fell to a 4” paddle tail soft plastic on light spin tackle.

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Some big mulloway will be active in the lower reaches. Use live baits of pike, tailor and yakkas around the tide changes.

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Bloody brilliant Pittwater PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

With blue skies, warm water and fish busting up everywhere, it’s been a brilliant month of fishing. Over the last 4 weeks the fishing has been so good on Pittwater that we have been struggling to go to other areas to catch the same fish. Along Pittwater we have been catching, mac tuna, striped tuna, Watsons leaping bonito, tailor, kingfish, flathead, bream, whiting and mulloway. First light and the change of the tides seem to be the trigger for surface activity at the moment. The baitfish

better to go up-wind of the action, turn off the motor, and drift towards them. On most occasions we have had the baitfish come to our boat for protection, bringing with them a hot bite. There are some big kings under all of this surface activity, but they prefer the small mac tuna or Watsons leaping bonito. When catching some of these speedsters, we have had packs of hoodlums follow, tease and play with the hooked fish, but disappear when 1 is sent out for live bait. It’s only a matter time before one gets hooked up though. The area from Mackerel Beach to Stokes Point and Soldiers Point has been the better area to fish, and I am

You are never too old to go fishing, as 92-yearold Des proves. In fact, Des said that “fishing keeps you alert and young — everyone should do it at least once in their life.” are starting to thin out, but when you find the schools, the predators aren’t far behind. The surface activity can be anywhere at present, but a great place to start is the area between Scotland Island and Longnose Point. Watch for the working birds and approach the school in stealth mode. The feeding fish are very wary at the moment and it is

expecting it to be good again this month. The deeper water has been producing flathead, tailor, bream and mulloway, as well as kingfish that seem to be constantly on the move. We have been drifting this area using simple paternoster rigs and fresh bait for good results. I must admit though, there have been quite a few fish caught on boxed squid

and pillies. The crazy thing has been how many fish have been caught on micro jigs. I was a real sceptic a couple of months ago, but the results speak for themselves. Most of my customers have never used them before, and have been catching the same if not more fish than on baits fished right next to them. On the 60g micro jigs we have caught mulloway to 90cm, kingfish to 77cm, flathead to 70cm, tailor, bream, undersized snapper and bonito. The best method has been to do aggressive hard vertical rips that make the braid thunk, and then let it hit the bottom. It is truly amazing how well this has worked, and if you want to target the kingies, bring it higher in the water column. Squid are fairly easy to come by at present and some bigger dinner sized models are showing up. Most bays seem to have a few hanging around the shallows, but the best area has been Towlers Bay through to Soldiers Point. There are some being caught on the ocean side of Barrenjoey Head, and also at West Head when catching yellowtail. The best-sized jig has been the 2.5g and the top colours have been orange or gold. With the hard-bodied jigs, try the pilchard colour. Out on Broken Bay, the fishing has really picked up. Again, most mornings there is some surface activity to investigate. Small 10-20g metals are very handy to have if fishing first thing in the morning. Flint and Steel is starting to come to life again with school mulloway, bream, and if you fish the edge of the reef, some big flathead are waiting to scoff baits meant for larger predators. The better baits are freshly caught bonito or tuna, stripped up and floated down a berley trail at the change of

tide. Squid heads are enticing mulloway, but there are a lot of pickers about that are cleaning them up before better fish can find them. Middle Ground is producing flathead, the odd bream and school mulloway, and the last part of the incoming tide through to the first half hour of the run out. After that, the bite seems to shut down. I am hoping to get out along the coast to target some reds and other bottom dwellers. Over the next month, early risers will see dead cuttlefish on the surface and take advantage of this first light smorgasbord. On Pittwater we should see big kingfish start to make their presence known and hopefully the salmon, bonito and trevally won’t be too far behind. • Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www.estuaryf ishingcharters.com.au

Quality flathead like this one are being caught on Pittwater’s deeper dropoffs on micro jigs.

Anna with her first mulloway, caught on Pittwater on a squid head whilst drifting.

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Transitional season species on the prowl SYDNEY NORTH

Darren Thomas

It was good to see summer drag on a bit this year and the water stayed warmer for longer, which was encouraging for the bite. Now comes the interaction of seasonal species. How long do you chase those

warmer water fish before you swap gear and switch to cold-water species? The answer lies within boys — for as long as they’re on the chew! Sydney is getting some great reports of both warm and cold-water fish, so I wouldn’t be putting my summer kit away just yet. Kingfish are still being

caught in and offshore, while schools of trevally are moving into our estuaries and here’s a spanner in the works for you — schools of migrating winter salmon have been here all summer. O c e a n h u n t e r Sportfishing owner Vic Levett reports good schools of bait and kingfish from Long Reef to South Head,

Matt Armistead with a Watson’s leaping bonito from the Harbour.

Oceanhunter customer Christine with a kingfish from the artificial reef off South Head.

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with plenty of fish taking baits of live yellowtail and squid on the downrigger, and unweighted in berley trails. Micro jigging has absolutely killed it all summer, and will certainly nail it all winter as well. This form of fishing is relatively active and certainly keeps you warm during the colder months. Heading a bit closer to shore now and the excitement surrounding Sydney Harbour at present is wicked to say the least. Five different species of schooling bait are still present and many a pelagic is feeding voraciously upon them. To close in on a baitball and watch the action unfold is spectacular, and this seems to be occurring from Manly to the Harbour Bridge. Matt Armistead and Bill Maguire are regulars at finding the predators herding these schools, and have had overwhelming success in landing many species in the vicinity, including bottom feeders. The boys headed out on 1 of their many trips and landed kings, salmon, tailor, trevally, bream, squire and bonito. Matt said moving from school to school played a big role and matching the hatch with small soft plastics fished on 3-5kg outfits ensured they stayed connected to most hookups. More than 30 fish were landed in a short session, with the morning bite being more successful. Bill landed a Watsons leaping bonito during one outing, which I haven’t heard of being in the harbour for a few seasons now. It’s good to see them back, albeit somewhat late. Squid numbers have been quite solid in the harbour this month, with reports of plenty caught. Try locations like The Spit, Watsons Bay and Bradleys Head weed beds. Jigs up to 2.5 have been preferred. Sydney Harbour gets a lot of visitors in these pre-winter months, and sharks are no exception. A small tiger was caught from the bank

way up the back of Middle Harbour in the Roseville area just recently, The shark was released after a quick pic and as many species of sharks head upstream to spawn, this is not so surprising. Just remain a little aware, all you autumn swimmers. I mentioned a couple of issues back that we had something in the pipeline for

enter ($20 entry fee) you will receive a bag (valued at $70) containing various goodies and a marked Brag Mat to photograph your fish on and send to us. Two kayaks to the value of $1000, donated by Aqua Yak, will be given away at the presentation, but you’ll need to be on-site on Sunday May 3 at Fish Outta Water to be eligible.

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Details and entry forms are available online at http:// www.fishing.net.au/sydneykayak-classic-2015/ or head over to our Facebook page Fish Outta Water Tackle World for any questions you may have or any other details. We will be looking to make this an annual event, with plenty of major sponsors on board. By the time this copy hits the shelves, there will still be 2 weeks left to fish, so don’t miss out.

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start. Hopefully this is an indication that the activity will run late and we should be experiencing good fishing well into May, possibly even June. The highlights lately have been good numbers of both big and small kings, and school mulloway to 12kg. There has also been plenty of amberjack and samsonfish mixed in amongst them. Tactics need to change now, as will the kingies’ holding positions. You will still get them around places like the wedding cakes and other navigation markers, but they have become fussy, requiring a bit of berley and smaller, lightly weighted baits. Their interest in lures is slowing down as well. There’s more fish concentrated around the heads and Sow and Pigs as they commence their migration out to sea. Best bait is still squid, but make good use of the prime baits like the heads and guts, and cut the tubes into smaller strips. Baits should be presented on lighter gear, lighter leaders, less sinker,

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smaller hooks and down a cube trail. If you want to target the larger kings, use whole live squid around the Spit Bridge, North and South Head, and

put my money on the kings generally winning. The exceptions to this are areas that are only used as feeding grounds rather than holding grounds, where you

spots that you would typically fish through the day. Feeding spots include: Middle Head, Fairlight, Sow and Pigs, Washaway Beach, Obelisk Beach and Quarantine.

Quality kingfish like this pair should be on the chew until June. the deeper channel markers like Neilson Park, Clifton Gardens and Rose Bay. Live gar work pretty well at this time of year, especially on the big fish. Gars are swarming all over Sow and Pigs right now. You can catch them with a bit of surface berley and a 12-14 hook under a light quill float baited with small pieces of prawn or pilchard gut. If you have any gar left over at the end of the day, they make an excellent feed. Cut off their heads, gut and scale, tenderize them lightly with a rolling pin or a meat hammer. Dip them in egg and flour and deep-fry. You can eat them whole, as the bones will have become crisp from the frying. To use them as bait, swim them out on a 4/0-6/0 Octopus pattern pinned under the lateral line through the fleshy area behind the gut cavity. Pinned above the lateral line, the weight of the hook will eventually drag them upside down and kill them. Pinned beneath the lateral line will keel them in a natural position. Swim them out either unweighted or 1m ahead of a small bobby cork. The take is usually in the form of a spectacular surface strike. Big kings have already started to show and we have taken a few to 10kg in the lower reaches. The obvious spots to look are the deepwater locations around structure. From my experience, kings and mulloway don’t like to be in the same spot at the same time, although they do like the same type of habitat. I’ve had a run of mulloway replaced by a run on kings on more than one occasion, with very little crossover. There’s probably a territorial battle going on down there and I’d

will find kings by day and mulloway at night. These are usually in shallower water (10-20’) than you would traditionally target holding fish, and will work best either very early morning or late arvo (kings) or night (mulloway) and usually have kelp beds nearby. Holding spots will be deep (20-60’) and have some structure, preferably with shade (buoys, jetties, bridges or rock ledges) and some current. Harbour holding spots for big fish include: inner North Head, Neilson Park, the mouth of Rose Bay, particularly around Shark Island (please note that most of this area

These are good early morning, late afternoon and night spots. Sydney is presently in the grip of mulloway fever, spurred on by 1 of the best seasons in many years. They are taking them in the upper estuaries, they are taking them in the lower harbour, and they are taking them on the beaches. They are probably the hardest of all fish to crack the code on for consistent success, but here are a few tips that should make it a bit easier. TIDES There is no doubt that the turn of the tide — preferably high, but low works as well — is the pick. If you can find these tides to coincide with low light periods, even better.

La Nina rains of the last 3 years have brought on some of the best mulloway fishing in a long time. is a no anchor zone and is therefore only suitable to drifting in reasonable weather), inner South Head, Wedding Cakes and Seaforth, VB Reef and Pickering Point in Middle Harbour. These are

TYPE OF STRUCTURE Mulloway are different to kings who hang around structure for reference, food and shade. They actually like to get inside the structure for security.

Don’t always assume that it needs to be deep either. I know of at least 1 patch of washy, gnarly bommies, within casting distance of shore, that produces fish up to 18kg and sits in less than 15’ of water. What about when they move well upstream into the mangrove estuaries where there is very little structure? This makes things a bit easier in regards to all tide access. They will be found sitting on the bottom in the deepest holes, but in generally open water. This means that you can reach them with a bait or lure through any stage of the tide. Of course, you will still do better during those tide changes when they are actively feeding. Bridges are a major source of artificial structure in an environment where there would otherwise be none. These are prime spots in the upper reaches, especially for lure chuckers. LURES Soft plastics have had a huge influence in the success of luring mulloway in recent years. Their main attribute over hardbodies is their ability to maintain contact with the bottom. They seem to be most effective in the shallower spots (down to 40’). Night fishing around the various bridges with poppers can also be very effective.

BAIT There has always been a lot of debate about best mulloway baits. For me, it’s unquestionably squid. It doesn’t have to be alive, in fact I think cut baits might even work better, but it has to be fresh. Other baits work well too, but once again freshness is the key. Generally, this means catching your own.

periods fall early morning and late afternoon in low light conditions. SEASON Two major factors influence mulloway movement into the harbours and rivers in the cooler months. First is the return of the mullet from their spawning run to the beaches in May. Then the big squid

harbours. May, June and July are your prime months. WEATHER CONDITIONS At this time of year, your best bites will occur when the wind is blowing nor’ west and then swings sou’ west or south. In other words, just before a front. It’s a narrow window of opportunity. It doesn’t seem to matter too much whether it’s overcast or bright and sunny.

Amberjack love warm water and squid in equal amounts. MOON PHASE The worst week is the week after and including the night of the full moon. The best weeks are the lead up to the full and new moon. It’s no co-incidence that the perfect tides during these

move into the coastal kelp beds for breeding. This is good news because the squid, so critical for bait, are big and easy to catch. To a lesser degree, May/ June is also a time for big and abundant tailor in the

Of course, this is not the only time they feed; it’s just the best. • 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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It’s getting cool, so plan your trips accordingly SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com

It’s probably stating the obvious, but you can now sense the chilly nights and experience the occasional brisk day. The cause is not just the sou’ east and nor’ west winds that should be more dominant in May, but also the shorter days that will see roughly 3 hours less daylight for a few months. It’s easy to lose enthusiasm, especially as it heads toward the last couple of weeks of May and onwards. I’m becoming less keen to hit the rocks, beach or the estuary. It is a pre-conceived idea simply because you may think that if I don’t go out for a very early fish or fish into the late arvo or evening period you’re going to miss out. This is partly true. The low light periods, crack of dawn to a little after sunrise, and then an hour or so before sunset and after dark are generally the best times, but only to an extent. I get clients onto some ripper bags of fish during the late morning and even early to near mid-afternoon

periods at this time of the year. If the tides are not at the right time of the day, don’t just bin the idea. A beach fish with a midday tide rising to the high doesn’t mean that you are going to miss out on your bag of whiting and bream. Surface fish are often on the cards too, so a late morning spin can produce some great results on salmon and even tailor. Have an 8-10’ spin outfit rigged ready with a 45g Sniper or Knight. As an example, when you’re having a whiting fish and the tell tale signs of surface splashes appear, bolt back to your gear and grab the ready-rigged spin rod. Punch it out for some exciting pelagic action. On a different note, off the rocks, have a late morning king spin or live bait. They’re often caught in the high light time of the day, so if there is a good midday-ish high or low tide, give it a go. How good is that! You can sleep in until 8.00am, get the gear ready, and go for a fish by 9.3010.30am and fish until 3.00pm or even later. The luderick are now a good option and so are the groper during the day, and

of course don’t forget the pelagic action that can be on during this month. I am not saying this will replace the best tides and low light period tides that you would optimally fish, but I can confidently say that you are missing out on some cracker

action if you only aim for the best time/tide options! Okay, so now you’re all berleyed up! The action is good to great this month. Off the rocks, the trevally action has started, with some good activity at most rock locations. Starting south at

Old Mans Hat at the bottom of the Quarantine wall, there are trevally being berleyed up in the wash at the main ledge from dawn until a little after sunrise. A few tailor are showing up, so have a set of gangs ready if you get bitten off on a single hook rig with

A nice king for Ben Vogt caught at Bluefish Point. This month you can expect kings of this size and upwards. Similar results can be expected from South and North Curl Curl, and North and South Whale.

a half pillie or peeled prawn. A few bream are also right in close. Bluefish has a few trevally, with some bream and tailor, as does Flat Rock at South Curl Curl and Dee Why, 100m past the swimming pool. Further north, the Turrametta Head side of Warriewood Headland has trevally, with some good luderick action as well. The Hat, Bluefish and South Curl Curl also have good luderick. Mona Vale Pool is a renowned spot and a short walk from the car for trevally. Kingfish action this month is very good. Bluefish and Bangally Head’s main ledge has a few, as does South Whale, which is also known as the Inner Ovens. Ganged large to extra large sea gars, and 9” stickbaits like the Slap Sticks and iCatch stickbaits are working well. I like white stick baits, but the pink ones work well too. Rock blackfish are on this month at all the locations above except for the front of Bluefish. It does produce pigs, but in selected areas only. Little Bluey in Manly, about 750m to the south, is good for this species, and

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South and North Curl Curl, Narrabeen Head, South Avalon and North Whale has been producing. Sydney Harbour rocks at Middle Head has luderick, tailor, salmon and the odd king, while The Spit’s northern side of the bridge has luderick and some kings, and North Harbour off Fairlight Pool holds luderick. If you can get hair weed as well as cabbage, your results should greatly increase. Grab a couple of kilos of sand and grind some weed into it and berley regularly with small amounts for better results. Fish the mid to high tide and an hour or so afterwards. The beaches are as on as the rocks at the moment. Starting at Manly, we had a fish on a recent film shoot, virtually in the middle of the day. It was only a short session of about 2 hours, but we caught 6 whiting to 35cm, 2 bream to 31cm and a tailor of 38cm. The conditions were not great, with a 25kt wind and a moderate swell of about 1.2-1.5m on the day, but good fish were caught regardless. The reliable time for a tailor is normally in the evenings. There are some mulloway to 7kg from the Queenscliff side of the beach, and of course good whiting bags on the morning and late arvo high tides. Dee

Why near the surf club up to the corner, the gutters out the front of the big block of flats called Flight Deck, Warriewood, and Bungan Beach are producing all the above species. If you want to pursue a mulloway, the humble squid is often the bait of choice. Every mulloway that weighs more than a few kilos has eaten a squid, so

it stands to reason to spend time pursuing them off your local jetty, the rocks in the estuary, or favourite ocean rocks that has kelp beds. Take into account that there are few, if any, squid on the ocean beaches unless there is a reef and it’s flat enough. Using fish baits can be more practical in this situation for a couple of reasons. Sufficient squid

can be hard to obtain for bait, and live yellowtail/ mullet are far easier to source. Also, tailor over 30cm or whiting over 27cm are great as slab baits, Chrissy trees or live bait — a more practical option. This month and June is good for a mulloway. Make sure you rug up and use quality footwear like surf boots. It gets cold in the

A black cod of about 6kg caught by myself on a day off, spinning the popular Hat area below the Quarantine wall at Manly. I received a message from a client who said the same cod was probably caught a couple of weeks earlier! It was released of course.

evenings and don’t forget the raincoat, which makes a great wind shield. • 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.

Rahni Soliman with his very first legal kings off the rocks. These were caught at Dobroyd Head inside the harbour.

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It’s luderick time BOTANY BAY

Gabe Quercigrosse gabeandgabe@bigpond.com

If you are a luderick fan, there are plenty to be had in Botany Bay, the Georges River and the Woronora. Because of the large number of private dwellings on the waterfront, most blackfishing is done from a small boat. Therefore the rod should not be too long, about 2.7m, with a light and sensitive tip action. In the earlier days centrepins were all the rage, but these

days a 4000 size spinning reel works very well and is more suitable for other applications. Lines vary from fisho to fisho, but keen anglers use 3-4kg main line with 2kg trace, a selection of split shot from 00-1, and either a 10 or 8 sneck pattern hook. Floats must suit the conditions; calm water requires quill or fine pencil floats, while waters that move quickly need a heavier cork float. A landing net is a must, plus a keeper net to keep the catch alive over the side of the boat.

Luderick can be shy biters, often just sucking at the bait and then moving on. I like to use strong strand fine weed, which they seem to like better than the coarse variety. Most fishos prefer Botany weed and this can be still gathered in certain locations along the shoreline, from moorings, and around oyster leases. Berley is a must, and this is a recipe that works for me: Mix a sugarbag of dry sand, 1kg of green weed cut very finely, and a third of a loaf of stale bread mixed into the sand. Mix all this

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together for easy carrying and then add water to suit. There are times when luderick won’t take weed, so then squirtworms and bloodworms become their staple diet. Use the float rig as you would with weed and the results can be surprising. Tides play a very important part in this sort of fishing. When fishing over flats that have a weedy bottom, you will find that a rising tide is best. You may

Moses perch caught in Port Kembla Harbour. You don’t see that every day. start off fishing in relatively shallow water, but as the tide increases, adjust the float to suit the depth. On low tides, always fish the channel adjacent to the flats, as this is where the fish are. Georges River is possibly the state’s best luderick possie and I’ve listed below a number of locations that can be relied upon to provide a feed: Try the pylons of Captain Cook Bridge on both the northern and southern sides. The entrance to Cooks River and Muddy Creek are excellent on the incoming tide. Cranbrook, all along the retaining wall is worth trying. This is good country, especially on the small tides. Little Moon and Big Moon Bays are excellent, with the red gum right on the waterfront prized territory. Bakers Rock on the opposite side of the Moons can be seen on the low tide and is separated from the shoreline. Russell Jones and Blackbutt are household names amongst luderick fans, and Mickeys Point is regarded as the home of big fish during the run-in tide. The bay itself has lived up to expectations during the past few weeks, and those fishing as light as possible, working the right tides, and using live baits have reaped

the rewards. On the southern side, Watts Reef has provided good catches of bream at night for anyone using live nippers and bloodworms, especially during a rising tide and north easterly winds. The hot water outlet has supplied copious quantities of chopper tailor at night, mainly around the 35-40cm size, and they have shown a preference for unweighted salted pillies. The weed patches along the Silver Beach stretch have been fishing well for dusky

bream run failing to live up to expectations. Sure, a few were taken, but not as many as in previous years. The Kyeemagh to Ramsgate Beach stretch has been good, with tailor taken just on first light and flatties later in the day. Boat traffic has been at a premium in front of the runways and the better catches have been from late evenings during the week. One surprising possie has been the small retaining wall adjacent to the foreshore boat ramp. This spot has produced mulloway,

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Everyone loves a good feed of whiting. flathead, with whitebait the best enticer. It is surprising to see so many small sand octopus caught in the same area. If you are lucky enough to land a few, cut their tentacles off and use them for bait. For mine, this is the best bait at present and will catch most species. The Towra weed corridors have been a little disappointing, with the

snapper, trevally and salmon, with pillies and squid doing the damage. Molineaux Point has been fishing okay without breaking any records, with numbers 156 and 157 on the reclamation wall being popular haunts. A few whiting have been taken from La Perouse Beach at first light on bloodworms. On the Georges River front, there are acres of small

cockney bream taking baits meant for larger fish, and they are extremely hard to escape. Avoid the deeper waters and stick to the

Kyle Bay cockle beds, with fish to 38cm taking nippers. Connells Point hasn’t been too bad for trevally, with the better catches taken

Beach and Burrawang have been the hot spots. At time of writing, I’m told that big whiting to 47cm have started to infiltrate the

Don with a 10kg mulloway from Juno Point. shallower cockle beds for better results. The Captain Cook Bridge pylons have provided plenty of chopper tailor at night, while class whiting have fallen for bloodworms just inside the channel marker at Baldface Point. The falling tide is best. Bream have made an appearance on the

in the deep water of the main channel. Further up-river, luderick have made a showing around Lambeth Reserve and Blackbutt, but they are a day-to-day proposition. Prawns have been scooped up in the upper reaches, with some extra large specimen amongst them. Coolum

system, and they can be found in front of the San Souci Sailing Club during the first couple of hours of the incoming tide. You’ll need live bloodworms or locally pumped nippers. I cannot stress enough of the importance of using locally pumped nippers, as they are of a different colour and the

fish love them. You will also find big whiting on the sandflats at the entrance to the Woronora River, with night time the best. In the bay itself, the Sticks at Kurnell and the mussel beds along Silver Beach will be all the rage for big bluenose bream, and these should hang around for a few weeks. I would also suggest buying the Navionics Apps for Botany Bay, as this will show you all the man-made trenches from Kurnell to Kyeemagh, bearing in mind that these have been made for the pipeline from the salinity plant at Kurnell. This is great information and can be relied upon to provide excellent catches. If you would like to get some weed for luderick, try the drains in Yarra Bay, Little River Creek at San Souci, Muddy Creek, Salt Pan Creek near Davies Road at Padstow, upper Kelso Creek, and the little creek near Bankstown Airport. • 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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Squidding one of the many monthly attractions SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

There is one particular seafood type that I love to catch, and that is squid. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great live or dead bait and fantastic to eat. I have found over the years that they can be a very easy to catch, while at the same time they can be one of the most frustrating things to catch. Regardless, they are a great species to target. One of the dead giveaways as to whether a particular land-based spot

has been producing squid or not is the black ink stains left behind. Sometimes it is worth the effort to drive around and visit a few of the places that you know have produced squid in the past to see if there are any telltale signs. If you are after a few places to look for squid, you could try the following landbased spots: Bare Island, the bottom end of Yarra Bay, the Cooks River breakwall, the groynes off Brighton Le Sands, the Dolls Point wall, Captain Cook and Toms Uglys bridges, the Hole in the Wall at Sylvania, and the groyne off Silver Beach at Kurnell.

In Port Hacking, try Gymea Bay Baths, Lilli Pilli, Yowie Bay wharf, Wallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wharf, the Gunnamatta Bay baths and Bundeena wharf, just to name a few. Even though the water temperature has started to cool down a bit now, there will be bream, trevally, sand whiting, tailor, salmon, bonito, drummer and luderick on the chew. The rocks off La Perouse to Malabar will be producing bream, trevally, salmon, tailor, drummer and luderick on the falling tide. Remember to watch out for the swell and you will need to berley for best results.

bream, trevally, salmon and tailor on either half or whole pilchards. For the drummer and luderick, try using green weed, cabbage and cunje for bait. I have found the best berley is a combination of bread, chopped up weed, or cabbage and sand. Botany Bay will be producing bream, trevally and the odd flathead at the end of the third runway, Mono Point, the Oil Wharf, Middle Grounds, wide off Towra Point, and the Sticks. I find that anchoring up, laying out a berley trail and either using a long leader and a 1/0 Owner circle hook with a small

When landing a squid, make sure that it is pointed away from you, as you may get inked!

Morwong will soon be schooling up on the close offshore reefs.

Try using 2.5-3.5 weighted squid jigs in either pink, green or orange. Remember to work them just off the bottom.

The main berley I use is a combination of bread and old pilchards. Just mush them up in a bucket and throw out a handful every 5 minutes. The Kurnell Peninsula will also be producing

ball sinker above it does the trick. It is just a matter of working out which rig is working on the day. Port Hacking will start to produce luderick on both the run-up and run-out tides from both the shore and boats. If you are fishing from the shore, try either Gunnamatta Bay Baths or Lilli Pilli Point. From the boat you could try the Ballast Heap or

Grays Point. Fresh green weed is the best bait for up the river, and downstream you could also try using green cabbage. Shark Island is worth a shot for drummer, luderick, trevally and bream from a boat. Remember to watch out for the sea though. For those of you wanting to go offshore, try the reefs off South Kurnell, Voodoo, and the back of Shark Island, Jibbon Bombora, The Balconies, Marley Beach and Stanwell Park. You would be in with a chance with tarwhine, snapper, morwong, leatherjackets and silver trevally. A good idea is trolling a couple of plastic skirts on the way down and back for salmon, tailor, bonito and mac tuna. Sand and tiger flathead will be schooling up from

the 45-50m mark north and south of the entrance to Botany Bay and Port Hacking River. Drift using a paternoster rig with squid, mackerel and pilchards as bait. Now as for the beaches. I would try Greenhills, Wanda and Cronulla in Bate Bay for whiting and bream during the day on beach and bloodworms. Pink nippers will also produce fish. In the Royal National Park, try Wattamolla, Marley and Garie Beach for salmon, tailor, dart, bream and whiting on a falling tide. The Georges and Woronora rivers will be worth a shot for bream and the odd dusky flathead on tuna, mackerel, pilchards and chicken pieces. Luderick will also start to show up at The Moons and Alfords Point. Green weed is the best bait.

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Post flood, the fishing picks up THE TWEED

David Solano

There has been a bit of a turn around on the Tweed at the time of writing. The water has finally cleared and the weather’s been great. I’ve been fishing all over

the river in the past month, hitting Cobaki Lakes for flathead with shallow divers, successfully I might add, but couldn’t get a legal one that day. Popping for whiting, well that was a different story. I was using a Berkley Pop Dog and really working it hard

Dylan with a tidy yellowfin bream caught at Dave’s launch site.

across the surface. It was one of those days where it seemed 10 or so fish were chasing the lure, and I had a sore face from smiling! Next I ventured to Terranora Flats to see what was happening around the leases, the Crab Boat and the Jew Hole. Here I caught a variety of fish on the popper, the bream especially loved it, and the colour I used was clear. I had a problem though; I noticed them on my peddle through the river system and that’s the marauding long toms busting up all over the place. Unfortunately for me they took a liking to my popper. They are hard to hook with their miniature, croc-like mouths, but when you do pin one you had better hang on as they go nuts, screaming all over the shop. One thing I learnt was to be very careful when getting them close to a kayak, as 1 did the marlin thing and shot straight out of the water and hit me on the shoulder. I have also been fishing the Fingal Lighthouse rocks using big metal slugs, ripping them back as fast as I could. Seeing the explosive strike of a tailor smashing your lure makes for some exciting fishing. Interestingly, I managed an

Australian salmon — the first I’ve ever caught. One area where I did find some legal flathead was the spot where the golf course starts. I just floated with the incoming tide, sight casting at any interesting looking spots. I made it all the way to the Chinderah Bridge where my plastic got nailed by something I couldn’t stop. I think it was either a jack or a trev — it headed straight for a pylon and zip! Gone. So the fishing’s pretty good. The boys tell me the rock walls out at the seaway have been working well, with tailor, bream and little kings mostly caught on diced pilchards. Flathead are all over the place. When you’re chasing these fish, look for where the weed meets the sand, as I’m finding lately that’s where the bigger ones are. The sand bank next to Pickets Wall where the sunken barge is has been producing some nice whiting, likewise the beach on the Fingal side near the seaway. Jacks are still around. I caught 2 in 15 minutes under Boyd’s Bay Bridge, but they were just on the 30cm mark —

Craig Costigan with a good flathead caught in some ordinary weather. not quite what I was after, but a jacks a jack. Every week I go fishing I leave from my backyard.

Check the size of Dylan’s bream he caught right where I launch from. Maybe I should’ve stayed at home!

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Around the Richmond with the new reporter BALLINA

John Goodwin

Hello readers, my name is John Goodwin and I’m the new Ballina and environs correspondent. My passion for fishing runs high like any fishing junkie — if it swims and has fins I’ll have a crack at trying to catch it on lure, fly or bait. I enjoy all forms of fishing, from offshore, estuary, land based game fishing, fly fishing and freshwater, so my columns may be on a broad subject matter, but that’s because of my love of fishing. The new law regarding being able to target wild bass, but not to take any from May 1 to August 31 has come into force. They’ve done this as some bass leave the upper reaches of rivers early to spawn in the brackish water. To me, it’s a little bit of a grey area, but the law states you can target them. I’ll soon be back at dams like Toonumbar and Clarrie Hall to fish the edges with surface lures such as OSP Bent Minnows, Jackall Pompadors and Duo Shumushie Cicadas.

odd school mulloway thrown in for some fun on light line. Plastics around the 3’’ size with a paddle tail seem to get more attention, as well as blades around 1/4oz in weight. Whiting should still be found from the ferry to North Creek, but this just depends on what weather we get this month. Popping for these fish can be real heart-in-mouth stuff, but water temperature can play a massive part and a change in weather will play

reaches of the river along the retaining walls, with some fish getting up around the 60cm mark. Some of the better jacks have been taken on surface lures. Lucky Craft G-Splash and walk-the-dog surface lures have been a hit with them. Also try the Atomic 75mm Shiners, Maria MJ Twitch in the 90mm version, as well has Jackall 79 Hank Tunes if fishing deeper water. The breakwalls and headlands have seen some

Wilson River bass are often victims of the locally made Bassman Spinnerbaits.

Live baiting for these speedsters is still a viable option in May.

May will see the jacks school up before heading to the offshore reefs. Bassman Spinnerbaits, Imakatsu Alive Chatters, and plastics rigged on Beetle Spins will also get some good fish once the sun has risen and before they head to deep water off points and start schooling near dam walls. Clarrie Hall received a stocking of 3,710 mangrove jacks back in March. The NSW mangrove jack breeding and stocking project think they’ll reach 500-700g in the next 2 years. Some people are frowning upon what has been done, while some are rubbing their hands together at what the next few years will bring. The Richmond River around Wardell Bridge to Burns Point Ferry has had a lot of school size flathead, but trying to get anything of size has been a little hard. The area has plenty of bait about after the flush of water early last month, so if you do some searching I’m sure the bigger fish will show up, with the

continues. Some of the better fish have come from the guys casting hardbodies and big soft plastics, but those using bait have been getting the quality fish more often. Some anglers have even hooked the odd Spanish mackerel while targeting the mulloway on the headlands, just to throw a spanner in the works. Offshore, Evans Head, Ballina, Lennox and Byron has had mackerel playing the game on the closer reefs, with slow trolled live slimy mackerel, yakkas and pike getting some great fish. High speed trolling Hex Heads and 190DD Laser Pros has pulled fish as well. May can see some XL models turn up, so don’t put the mackerel gear away just yet. Water around the 35-50m mark can see better fish on the bottom using live baits. Jigging for kingfish has been ‘up and down’, with the current having a major influence on how easy it’s going to be. On some days we’ve been using 400g jigs, then move to the next spot and only need 210g, so take a mix of weights with you.

arrival of the cooler water and the current letting up a little. I went for a ride in a mate’s light aircraft from Evans Head to Tyagarah and was amazed at how many good looking gutters we saw on the flight, but still spotted a little dirty water trapped between Evans and Ballina. Whiting, dart, flathead, tailor and school mulloway have been caught, but still not in any kind of

numbers. The whiting and dart have been favouring beachworms, as have the school mulloway, but if you want a schoolie or a tailor, try flesh baits like bonito. If you’re after any additional information about the area, give us a call at Suffolks Outdoor Sports in Lismore, as we fish regularly and can point you in the right direction.

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LBG getting all the attention ILUKA

Ben Pilch bjpcdh@gmail.com

It’s May already and nearly half the year is gone! Fishing wise, May is a lot like April in that there aren’t any drastic changes happening. The LBG fishing is still going strong and in May we generally see a better size fish come off the rocks, so if you only have 1 month of the year to focus all your attention on, May is your best bet. Here’s hoping that rain doesn’t mess with the season too much this year. As stated last month, watching the weather and sea surface temperatures is your best friend in regards to timing trips and being on the stones at the right time with the highest chance of pulling one of those pelagic speedsters up onto the bricks. The boat fishos will be

catching the same species around the usual spots like Shark Bay, Black Rock, One Man and Angourie. The boats should be seeing

Steve Patti, maker of Croaker Lures, out doing some product testing with a nice 20kg mulloway on one of his own creations.

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fire, as the action can occur quite quickly. This is the month that those Spanish mackerel fishos get out there trolling

Mark Pirie with another nice Croaker Lures’ crunching Clarence River mulloway.

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the boat we always have a casting outfit rigged up and ready to go. If we see a bit of bird action, we’re ready to

live baits around in search of trophy size fish. You can use any of the usual suspects like yakkas, mullet

and gar, but by far the best is a slimy mackerel. Slow trolling them around any of the inshore reefs should see you in with a good chance of connecting to something big, bad and barred. In the river, on the rocks, and off the beaches, everyone will be keeping an eye on the mullet run and what will be following them around — the mighty Clarence Valley mulloway. Find the mullet and you can guarantee a few big silver slabs won’t be too far behind. Spinning these mullet schools with big

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Jetty Boating’s new premises Being able to custom build a premises to suit your needs has many advantages and this is just what the guys at Jetty Boating in Coffs Harbour have done. After years of operating out of a less convenient location, Norm and Karen from Jetty Boating decided it was time to relocate to a larger and more user friendly location - to not only help them manage their increasingly busy business, but also help customers with drop offs for servicing and picking up that new boat package. “Our new building is completely custom built, separating the workshop and the showroom with an

Jetty Boating has moved to a larger, more convenient location. undercover drive through for ease of managing the ever increasing number of boats coming and going,” said Karen.

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MAY 2015

hardbody lures is a great way to connect to a XL Clarence Valley mulloway. Some of the local lure favourites are the Jewie Jewels by Croaker Lures, and the 80g diver by Get Bent Lures. Generally, most use a rod from 10-12’ with 50lb main line in mono or braid, and for leader 50-80lb of whatever your favourite brand is. And with the weather cooling, the boat fishos’ minds will soon be turning to those big, bump headed snapper!

The large showroom links through to the covered, drive-through pickup zone.

brands as Quintrex, Yamaha and Mercury, it would seem they will only get busier in the new location. “ We have more room now which means we can stock a larger range of boats in the yard. The showroom is much more user friendly with easier access to outboards and boating accessories to help you get out on the water,” Karen continued. Boating, floating and having fun is what Jetty Boating is all about, so if you the area and looking for a great deal on a new or used boat, or even a service and repower, they have qualified staff on had to help you out and get you back on the water ASAP. The new location is 6/40 Hi Tech Drive Toormina. – Ryan Limpus.

Bass soon off limits COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley worleybirdfilms@hotmail.com

If you’ve managed to pick this issue up a few days early, then you have a couple of days left in the bass season. This year has seen the introduction of several new fishing regulations, 1 of which is to increase the bass spawning closed season to include May. The bass spawning closure will now run from May 1 until the end of August. This closure is a no take closure designed to protect spawning fish. It is customary for many bass fishos to leave the bass well alone during this time anyway, to let them do their thing. If you do capture any bass during this time though, ensure that you release the fish as quickly and as healthily as you can. As we slowly slip towards winter, the upper stretches of our estuaries should start to get a little more compressed and crowded — with fish that is. As the bass move down into the brackish and upper tidal areas, the competition for food heats up between them and the saltier end of the predator spectrum. In these upper reaches you can have great sessions on bream, flathead, trevally and even jacks at this time of year. The competition for food can make for some very aggressive bites, especially on the surface while it’s still a little warm. There is the

bridge pylon would be the way to tempt a cooler month jack. Offshore has certainly been exciting for many anglers over the last couple of months. Once again we have seen a bumper year on the 2 mackerel species. Spotted and Spanish have been marauding around all inshore reefs and headlands. Unfortunately, it’s their namesake the slimy mackerel that has been the limiting factor at times. Towards the end of the mackerel season there are often times when slimies are quite difficult to find, but they are well worth all the work. There’s almost a linear equation that 1 X slimey = 1 X big mackerel. One observation of note is there have not been many very large Spaniards caught this season. The average is around the 8-12kg mark. Look in many eskies and you’ll find that spotted mackerel are often bigger than the Spaniards. We observed a similar trend last year. It will be interesting to see if the larger fish show up later in the season. What the mackerel have lacked in size have been made up for in numbers. They’ve been so thick inshore that it has been common to see them landed off the stones around our local headlands. Large profile lures like the bigger sinking stickbaits and bibbed minnows have done most of the work, but poppers and metals will also tempt a mack if they’re cruising by. The headlands

The headlands have also been producing some very good mulloway fishing. There have been a few larger specimens caught, especially around the river mouths during rain events, but it has been the mid to large size schoolies that have been common. Sawtell Headland, Urunga’s retaining wall and the northern beaches have all been producing good numbers of solid 10-15kg fish. Soft plastics and hardbodies have been the easiest way to target them, but if you can get a livie into the right spot (that’s the hard part), there’s no way a mulloway is going to pass it up. May is the last chance to chase a trout up the hill if that’s your thing. Unlike the bass spawning closure, which is a no take closure, the trout closed season means no fishing in gazetted creeks and streams from the June long weekend until the October long weekend. The rivers have been flowing hard and fast for most of the last few months, which gives the fish a bit of protection and relief from the hot summer weather, as well as more water for us to fish in. The smaller streams that were flowing too slowly at the end of last year are now full and clear again. There hasn’t been reports of massive numbers of fish and it is yet to be seen how much of a toll the hot, dry end to 2014 has taken on them. From what I’ve seen there are still plenty of smaller fish in the eastern creeks, with the odd good specimen amongst them.

Not settling for just having a mackerel on the April cover, Jason O’Brien decided a mackerel from the stones was on the cards too. This fish was caught on a Sebile Stick Shad sinking stickbait. odd mangrove jack being caught, and the trevally are fairly consistent, even up until winter. A live mullet floated around a snag or

and rock walls with deeper, reefy water directly out the front are the best places to have a flick for a toothy speedster.

The higher creeks towards the top of the range have tended to fish better and are well worth the extra drive to get to.

Local fisho Dayne Taylor with a nice bass caught on a split shot/wriggler special.

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Game season finally gets into gear – with a bang COFFS GAME

Glen Booth

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MAY 2015

Mahimahi were thick before the tournament, but vanished during it. Probably scared! despite appearances to the contrary, at the end of the day catching fish is what it’s all about — or should be. After a woeful game fishing season off Coffs, at the start of March the blue marlin turned up in droves. Boats were having up to half a dozen shots a day on fish from 80 to 200 kilos, but getting the hooks to stick was another matter. Your typical blue’s modus operandi is to pounce on a trolled lure without any fanfare, and most times you don’t see them coming, even from the height advantage afforded by a flybridge. These fish though, were content to paddle behind and beside the lures, make ineffectual swipes at them, sometimes hooking up, sometimes not, but generally behaving for all the world like sailfish or striped marlin. One theory, which certainly has some merit, is that the masses of flying fish present had changed their aggressive feeding mind-set after chasing the elusive winged baitfish. And then when you did get a solid hookup and felt pretty confident about the result, straight lining to the fish and steadily gaining line, 30 minutes into the fight the hook or hooks would pop out. Frustrating? You betcha. Bad language? Plenty of that too. This sailfish/striped marlin-like behaviour had also been reported from the Gold Coast, who were enjoying a stellar blue marlin bite, so it wasn’t just a local manifestation thank goodness. Despite their diva-like attitude, the sheer numbers of blues about augured well

which was held at the end of March. The weather cooperated magnificently, as did the marlin. There were 132 bites recorded for 32 blues, and two blacks that were out playing with the big boys over the shelf. An additional 3 blues didn’t count, 1 due to a shark bite and the others not making the cut-off time on the Sunday afternoon. Most of the activity occurred north east of the port, only 22 miles out, so well within range of everyone competing. Champion boat Mustang , from the Port Macquarie Game Fishing Club, were on world record pace from the get go, with 5 blue marlin tags on the Saturday, and another 2 on the Sunday to cement the win. Seaborn from the Solitary Islands Club was second with 2 blues on the Saturday, and then achieved a rare Grand Slam of a black, a blue and a striped on the Sunday. Third was Reelistic from Port Mac’ with a pair of blues both days.

seemingly had their own private school finning around in their wakes. On Wicked Weasel, we had the blues lined up to have a crack at the spread on the Saturday afternoon, going a less than impressive 14-8-3. It’s worth noting too, that this action occurred when the moon rose over the horizon. There wasn’t much in the way of bycatch encountered — most likely anything edible was laying low given the marlin numbers out there — but Glenn Aylward pinned a very nice 43 kilo yellowfin tuna. Since the comp, the blues have proven elusive, but the stripes have shown up and there’s more yellowfin tuna about too, which is a promising sign coming into winter.

Jarred Flynn with his blue from the tournament.

Releasing another blue boatside.

There’s variety in this red-hot autumn bite SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

May marks another change of seasons in the Macleay Valley. Easter has come and gone and the crowds have definitely died down. Although the weather is beginning to cool, the fishing action is still hot. If variety is what you are after in your fishing, then now is the time as the pelagics slow down and the bottom fishing picks up. It is still quite possible to have a day out with a red-hot bite from both categories though. Although mackerel numbers are thinning, there is plenty of bait around and the water will be warm for a few more weeks yet, so it is safe to say encounters with these fish should continue. Wahoo will definitely be around through May, having a field day on the bonito and frigate population, especially from the gaol grounds through to Fish Rock. Longtail, mac, striped and yellowfin tuna are spread out from 1 end of our coastline to the other.

Some of these fish have better table qualities than others, and some make great bait, however, 1 thing is for sure — when using the appropriate weight tackle for each species you know you will have a good fight on your hands. Fish Rock will be a hive of activity for the majority of the remaining pelagics, and has also been home to plenty of kingfish

setups as well as octo jigs like Lucanus or Pirates and small knife jigs make angling for these smaller kings an absolute hoot. Believe me, you will have to work for your feed. It pays to take plenty of backup jigs, as some days the ‘towel ups’ will be handed out quite regularly. Another bonus of fishing this downsized tackle is that other species like snapper

Light tackle makes small kingfish fun. of late. A lot of these fish are just above legal length. Lightweight micro jigging

are also on the cards to mix the bag up a bit. These methods also work quite

well on the deeper reefs as the current slows down. Just about all species of reef fish can be targeted, with pearl perch, snapper, mulloway, trag and tusk fish being at the top of the list. Live baiting the inshore reefs, especially early in the morning, late evening and even into the night if the conditions allow it, will produce some larger mulloway at this time of year. The current generally eases through winter, making deep dropping possible again. Big kingfish will be found on a lot of the reefs and wrecks out to about 200m, and cod and blueye beyond into the deep stuff. Already some quality pearl perch and trag have been coming in from the 80-100m zones. Beach fishing is another productive form of fishing through the cooler months as spawning migrations take place. Along with targeting these spawning fish, larger predators like mulloway and tailor can be chased also. A lot of mulloway anglers will turn their attention to the rocks, especially areas where these spawning fish will try to hold up overnight.

An 80g Yakamito Rager jig did the trick on this little fella. Blackfish, bream, drummer and tailor will all begin to show in better numbers around the headlands as we progress into winter. Cobia are still being caught quite regularly and there have been some absolute crackers landed this year. Mulloway, especially school-sized fish, have been quite prevalent in the river, as have huge numbers of medium sized bream. These fish have been feeding quite actively in the dirty water, however, a very light approach is required most of the time to trick these wary fish.

May marks the new start of the bass closed season, beginning this year. Bringing the date forward a month is aimed at giving these fish an extended period to spawn uninterrupted. Most anglers don’t target the species during this time to help develop a healthy population in our river. Most bass will travel down towards Kinchela Creek and the Belmore River to hold up for the winter. All bass captured must be returned to the water immediately, unharmed, during the period from May 1until September 1.

MAY 2015

A spectacular Spanish and spotty season THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

Okay guys, say that 4 times real fast! What a cracking season the offshore sportfishos have had. The north coast inshore waters are alive with Spanish and spotted mackerel, and as I pen this column, my good mate Dave Wells informs me that cobia are in on the action as well, with several good fish being landed. The best was a 22kg beast on a 10kg outfit caught by local angler Damien Rafter on

board Calypso. The offshore action is taking place from Plomer Bay to Hat Head. If you want to get into the activity, you better hurry, as they won’t stay around with the water about to change for the cooler period of the year. As to be expected with the amount of speedsters offshore, the inshore reef fishing has been a little quiet, however, throughout the coming month I expect to see anglers back chasing snapper and other reef dwellers as the tide should settle and make for better presentations of baits and lures.

Not getting out last season for snapper on plastics has me keen to try the grounds from Lighthouse to Cathie. These areas from 15-40m out hold some very good fish, and casting 125-175mm plastics up into the tide can definitely put snapper on the boat. The thing I really love about this style of fishing is the surprise element, with mulloway, pearlies, mowies and the ever reliable flathead getting in on the act. HASTINGS RIVER The river had been patchy after a few freshes went through, but I am happy to report most of the

system is back fishing well, with only the Maria River section remaining dirty after the flush. The exciting news will be the mullet moving

North Wall on plastics and hardbody lures. On the walls, the bream will also become a good target as they gather for their

come. For the bait fishos, bream can be taken from the walls of a night with nippers, mullet or quality green prawns being the best

Andrew with his first mulloway, caught on a 6” Berkley Jigging Grub. This fish was tagged and released.

Dave Wells with another big flathead of 95cm, prior to release.

out, and this will bring good mulloway activity. These next few moon phases should be worth a crack then, with live bait, slabs or lures. Already a few quality fish have been taken from the

spawning run. Daytime lure anglers can catch them in most of the deeper locations using deep plastic techniques or vibration lures. Just remember to work the lure slowly and the results will

bait options. Up-river has seen a few mulloway caught and around the Dennis Bridge we recently had a few reasonable hookups, only to pull the hooks. Unfortunately, this

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MAY 2015

The Lions Club of Tweed Coast South is based in Pottsville NSW, servicing the Pottsville community. This year they are running a Fishing Classic, which will be held at the Pottsville Sports Club, along with the Fishing Club, Volunteer Rescue Service & Rural Fire Brigade on the long weekend 6th – 7th June 2015 (Queen’s Birthday weekend). “This is our first year in putting this event together but next year (2016) we will be running the competition in, so hopefully this will come an annual event for the community of Pottsville,” said Bevan Wise. “The funds raised will go to helping our Volunteer Rescue Service, Westpac Helicopter Service, Rural Fire Brigade and our Pottsville Community Project. Sign on will be help at 9am to 2pm Saturday 6th June 2015 at Pottsville Sports Club, weigh-in by 9am sharp Sunday 7th June 2015, with all fish going to auction. You’ll be fishing for a secret weight fish, with winners drawn from one of six species. There will be 1st place prize $1500, 2nd place prize $1000, Major prize boat, motor and trailer valued at $7000. Entry fee for adults is $25 and Juniors $15 (under

16) also prizes for Vets, Mens, Ladies and Juniors. On Sunday catch a party on the lawn at Pottsville Sports Club; there will be BBQ breakfast available,

then later on head inside the Club for a beautiful lunch in Coolamon Restaurant plus live Jazz band. You have got to be there to win! – Lions Club

Mulloway from the beaches and rocky headlands will be a focus of many anglers.

Top: Castaway Estuary Charters did a recent show with the Fish and Hunt boys, Dave Butfield and Beau Scott. Here is the result of a double hookup — a bass and a flathead. The show will be airing in May. Bottom: Sean Doyle has had some great days on the mackerel in Plomer Bay recently.

happens, but we did still manage some good sport on a couple of legal models on plastics. On Castaway Estuary Charters, we have been tagging the mulloway for the NSW tagging program, so if you get a fish with a yellow tag in it, please record the number and let Fisheries know. If you are keeping the fish, return the tag to them. Mud crabs have been exceptional, as have the blue swimmers, and this may be the longest period of consistent crabbing here for a very long time. Luderick anglers are preparing for the winter run, and we should see action on the South Wall soon. What a revelation the green weed fly has been, with some longtime luderick fishos now saying they wish they were using them years ago. Just a note, the new limits on luderick are in force, so 10 is the limit now, which I’m sure is a good enough feed for anyone. ROCK AND BEACH I did manage a trip to Lighthouse Beach for a morning tailor spin, but it didn’t happen for me. With the tailor definitely about though, we could be in for a great month. It is just a matter of finding the right formation and then finding the fish. The guys from Ned

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Kelly’s Bait and Tackle fished Lighthouse recently and managed a few smaller mulloway on slab baits. Let’s hope the conditions are good for May, because with the mullet moving and the tailor on the prowl, it could very well be the month to tangle with a big fish off the sand. In May we can also look forward to finding a few bream, blackfish and

tailor from the rocks. An early morning spin session for tailor can be well worth the effort, with either gang hook setups using pillies or garfish, or belting a chrome slice out across the washes. If you want a bit of fun, try blooping a Halco Rooster Popper — these can get you onto XL tailor, plus the odd king, depending on location fished.

Damien Rafter with 22kg of muscly cobia.

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MAY 2015

Rack up the bream FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

Enjoy the mild and settled weather this month before we are plunged into the depths of winter and the cold mornings that will keep many anglers at home. With the change in season comes a change in fishing and species, or at least locations to find them. To say Flathead are

a ‘summer’ species is fair if you want to catch them wading the flats with the warm trickle of current between your legs. The truth is, the fish have to eat year-round, and it is merely the location that changes for the best success. For bream, the entrance to the estuaries and nearby ocean rocks are the best starting point to find quality fish this time of the year. Any structure near the

entrance will hold fish and this includes oyster leases, bridge pylons, breakwalls, and even the gutters on the beach. The other advantage of this time of year is that the fish gather in reasonable schools, so there is increased competition for the limited food offerings around. Yabbies drifted on the outside of oyster rack wash boards or between racks will not last long, and combine a bait fishing session with a dark

Silver drummer are great fun on light gear. This example actually took a soft plastic meant for a mulloway. Disappointing result, but a great fight.

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Salmon are a great deal of fun, and on light line they can fill the morning with good sport. night and you’re in for a big show. For flathead and whiting, it’s a fair bet to fish further up the tributaries to find the numbers. While there are always remnant fish left in summer areas, the bulk of the fish retreat to their winter hangouts. The Wallamba River is a great place to find a feed of winter flathead on the shallow bends and rock shoals scattered along its length. Both lures and bait will work for the flatties, and live yabbies and live or frozen beach worms for the whiting. The key to success with the whiting in the rivers is to feed out a little berley over a period of time and be patient; enjoy the sunshine and relax. With all the fish movement along the breakwall last month — and continuing this month — the number of school mulloway that are being caught is not surprising. There are a lot of undersize fish taking prawn and fish baits meant for the bream, so before you sink a gaff into the fish, make sure they are the required 70cm length and 38

MAY 2015

remember, only 2 fish in possession. Blackfish and bream are the other 2 species making a mark on the wall, with

fish around the 1kg mark being very common. After dark, the blackfish can lose their vegetarian ways and indulge in a yabby or 2, so

Good mixed bags of tailor, bream and pigs are the staple for rockhoppers over the coming months.

they would be my choice of baits, covering 2 species; bream and blackfish. School mulloway are even partial to yabbies, but they are generally small fish, but don’t be surprised what picks 1 up. The rocks will be fishing better from now on,

make spinning from the stones a mixed bag, with salmon starting to show up along with the choppers. Traditionally, the big greenback tailor appear in late winter, but until then the handful of fish up to a kilo are more than welcome for those that love smoking

their size will increase as spring approaches. The best thing about winter rock fishing is the incredible mixed bag that anglers have access to. Bream, tailor, salmon, tailor, pigs, school mulloway and blackfish are all targets. Spots like the north end

Mixed in with the salmon and tailor are scattered bonito that are a good bait supply for the winter months if salted down and cryovaced before freezing. with the passing schools of salmon and tailor migrating along the coast. Lagging schools of bonito

them or fresh fillets. The bulk of the rock blackfish will come out to play from this month and

of Elizabeth Beach, the south end of One Mile and Janie’s Corner are all well worth a look.

The key to successful rockhopping is not to be scared to get back in the car and drive to another spot. Don’t just kill time catching

rubbish; move and find the fish. Pick a few spots and see how the day’s conditions affect each, and pick an order of attack. It will save

time in the long run and optimise your take home bag. Good luck, though this time of year luck plays little part in success.

VALE DAVID SCARLETT 1964- 2015 It was with heavy hearts that we farewelled my Wild River Bass co-producer and good mate Dave Scarlett in March. Dave passed away suddenly and was the epitome of a good bloke. He loved his fishing and through his role at NBN Taree, was involved with the promotion and support of everything fishing in the local area. He and I met when he covered the first ABT BREAM tournament at Forster more than a decade ago, and he continued to support and cover events in the local area since. His creative passion and camera skills were evident in the WRB I and WRB II DVDs, and I would ask that you spare him a thought next time you watch them or the first time you watch them. Dave was a good, decent and generous man that loved a joke and a laugh, but was

happiest in a canoe fishing for bass. He is, and will be, an incredible loss to his

family, friends and the local area. He is survived by his 2 sons. See ya mate.

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Fishing in full flight at Harrington this month HARRINGTON-TAREE

Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au

This is the month that all keen anglers have been waiting for. We have had a solid fall of rain in the upper reaches of the Manning (around 180mm)

and this has put a good run in the river up around Wingham. Consequently, the fish have been pushed downstream and the mullet have been running out to sea in big schools. The bream are schooled up in the mouth of the estuary ready to run also, and they are easy to catch along the

wall on mullet pieces and tailor strips. Mulloway and sharks are feeding on the mullet schools in the river. ESTUARY Bream are becoming more numerous in the mouth of the river and blackfish are schooling in large numbers along the

beach worm baits near Abbeys Creek. Bream and flathead have been come from the southern end of Crowdy Beach on worms and pippies. OFFSHORE Outside fishing has been great, with all types of fish being caught. In the deep water, bar cod have been landed, while snapper to 4kg have been boated from the close in grounds. Bonito and mac tuna are taking trolled lures where the birds are working, and slimies can be caught from the close in reefs. Small black marlin to 40kg are

still taking lures along the tide lines. May is the best month for all types of angling — estuary, beach and offshore. While the mullet are leaving the river, mulloway and sharks are pretty easy to hook. The only trouble is you don’t know when that big shark will get a hook stuck in the corner of its mouth and can’t cut the line with its sharp teeth. Any shark over 10’ in length is very difficult to land from the wall on normal gear. If you have a heavy rod and a big reel filled with 50kg

line, and a mate who is armed with a good running gaff, then there is a chance. Most big ones though, just head to sea and break the line when the time comes to say ‘stop’. Apart from sharks, there is always the chance of picking up a decent mulloway on dark with half a tailor for bait when fishing the beach. Outside conditions are usually fairly calm in the mornings with a nor’ easter picking up in the afternoon. This wind usually dies at night, so it makes for good fishing conditions.

MRM to the rescue!

Scott Hogan with a 5 kg tailor caught on a Bassday Sugapen. wall. Fish to a kilo have been taken on green weed during the daylight hours and most anglers have been scoring a bag of fish. There have been a lot of flathead in the 50cm-1m range caught from the river wall near where the spur was on live bait. Small mulloway to 4kg have also been taken on livies. BEACH AND ROCK At present, time tailor to a kilo can be caught from both Harrington and Crowdy beaches on pilchards and bonito strips. Mulloway to 13kgs have been landed on

Fishing Monthly heard the story recently about long time reader, Andrew Douglas, who was unfortunate enough to get his fishing gear stolen from his unit – while he was in hospital! After a quick whip-around the office, we assembled a small kit of tackle and after a Facebook plea, Jim Hickson from Manning River Marine helped by kicking in a brand new Daiwa rod and reel. Consequently, Andrew is back on the water and fishing – thanks to a great gesture from a long time supporter of the magazine. Well done, Manning River Marine and Andrew, we hope you catch plenty more fish on your new kit – there’s a pic of the first one on his new rod and reel right here. Based in Taree, Manning River Marine mail order delivers tackle all over Australia – specialising in tournament gear. You can check them out on www. manningrivermarine. com.au - FMG Team

The first fish on his new rod and reel. Thanks Manning River Marine!

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MAY 2015

Here’s a selection of gear that Andrew is back on the water with.

Don’t pack the rods away just yet - May rocks sending some lightly weighted baits down a berley trail. Fishing the wash from a boat is another great way to pick up a feed this time of year, with a mixed bag of bream, drummer and squire all on offer when tossing an unweighted peeled prawn into the whitewater. Out wide, there will still be a few marlin around and it’s not unusual to get a good bite of stripes on the shelf right through May. The

PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

Last month, I talked about it being the crossover time of year when the tail end of the season for some species overlaps with the start of the season for others. Now that we are into May, we will see many of the fish that were still in numbers last month suddenly become a lot harder to catch as both the air and water temperatures begin to drop. This doesn’t, however, make May a bad month to be fishing in Port Stephens. In fact, it’s very good time, with snapper, luderick, drummer, bream, tailor and salmon all starting to spark up. Inside the estuary, luderick have started to pour into the system and are taking up residency along both the Nelson Bay and Anchorage breakwalls, as well as Little Beach Jetty and the Torpedo Tubes at Tomaree. While weed is pretty scarce around the bay, with most anglers sourcing it from various other locations, you will be able to find cabbage off the ocean

current should also slow down from now on, which will make fishing for kings at Almark Mountain far more consistent for those dropping live baits or jigging. When you are out at Almark, be sure to have a bottom bash while you’re there, as you will rarely miss out on taking home a top feed, with longfin perch, snapper, morwong, as well as the odd bar cod and gemfish all possibilities

HUNTER · P O R T

S T E P H E N S

Luderick will be around in great numbers over the next few months. land based spots to get stuck into a few. If you can get out in a boat, the bream fishing is even better, with the rock walls around Soldiers Point and Tea Gardens all producing stacks, especially for those throwing hardbodies and plastics. May is typically a good month for mulloway in the

for a while yet. Off the rocks, it’s coming into drummer time and the best areas to target them in my mind is from Fingal through to Rocky Point, baiting up with large peeled prawns or cunjevoi.

pilchards or a range of lures such as metals and surface offerings. Before the water temperature drops off too much, there will still be a few longtail tuna around and the odd cobia, with the rock ledge

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The author with a solid tailor spun up on first light. rocks around Fingal Bay and Boat Harbour. Just remember when collecting it to go on the low tide and make sure there isn’t too much swell. Bream are also rapidly flowing into the port again, with both the breakwalls and the Boulders on the inside of Yacaaba Headland the best

deep water around Middle Island at Soldiers Point, and also around Oyster Cove and the bridges at Karuah. While the flathead fishing is slowing down now, if you fish upstream around the mouths of Tilligerry Creek and Karuah River, you should still be able to rustle up a few

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Plenty of drummer are starting to get around as the water cools. Spinning up a tailor will also be good option from the rocks from May onwards, with areas such as Box Beach, Fingal Head and Sunny Corner all consistently good. The key to fishing for tailor is low light periods around dawn and dusk using ganged

at Tomaree by far the best place for getting connected to either species. Offshore should see plenty of snapper caught, with the shallows reefs around the islands right up to Edith Breakers all worth fishing with plastics, or anchoring and

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DEPARTS STOCKTON BOAT DOCK... MAY 2015

Water is running uphill again HUNTER COAST

Gary Earl earlybird13@optusnet.com.au

Well we are definitely within the throes of winter now. It’s getting pretty cool both in and off the water. A half frozen foam seat to sit on at

6.00am really sends the message home! Our part of the coast is seeing mass schools of boiling salmon, with tailor in with them and the odd bonito. As I say every winter though, you never know what is going to happen. In May I have seen great fish like late-running

longtail tuna and some cracker snapper, so don’t give up yet. Just pick a day and if you see a number of baitballs or currents running along the coast, it can still hold good fish. The salmon have been sitting in football ground sized schools from Swansea all the way up to the

are still lurking, as are chopper tailor and school mulloway. These are all about 8-10kg, so great fish on light gear. Try the Stockton side of the dropoff along the channel markers. Squid and legal size tailor are the best baits, followed by yellowtail, all of which you can be caught on the Adolf Wreck. Up around Hexham there’s flathead all year round as the water is a little warmer, but live baiting is definitely the best way. Soft plastics work alright if you get into the right area. This month I will be hunting squid for the freezer and plate while waiting for the bigger kingfish to show up. The days of clear water and westerly winds are best. Drop a few jigs down when fishing and let the boat do all the work lifting and dropping them to entice the yummy morsels.

The author and a fresh squid for bait or dinner.

The salmon have been big, so there will be plenty of fishcakes getting cooked on the barbecue.

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MAY 2015

middle of Stockton Bight. Pilchards, chrome lures, shallow running hardbodies, almost anything you throw at them will get eaten. I have even caught them on bare hooks. I know some turn their noses up at these fish, but take a person who doesn’t fish much or at all, and put them onto a patch. Watch the smile widen until they’re having so much fun you can’t stop them — it’s a great thing to see. North Reef is a good area to chase kingfish and big squid through this month. Hook one up as a live bait on solid gear and hold on. Marbles Reef works well too. Fish the bottom with large peeled prawns or fresh crab, as groper feed over both these reefs through winter. The leatherjackets, sweep and trevally can be a pest, so go up in hook size so they can’t take the bait straight away. In closer on the reefs it’s been mother in law fish country, with pike very thick and causing headaches for a lot of small boat fishermen. In the harbour, bream

Two nice bream. These should be around through winter, both on the close reefs and in the harbour. Lures are the easiest way to find them.

A big squid taken on a jig allowed to bounce around under the boat.

Rug up and get out there! SWANSEA

Jason Scerri jayro@hotmail.com.au

The months just keep rolling by in 2015 and I cannot believe how quickly they have gone. The change of seasons is well and truly upon us now and things have cooled right off. Ambient temperatures have fallen considerably and the water temperatures have also declined. The fishing has also dropped off — just kidding! This could not be further from the truth. The weather may have gone cold, but the

up to the mid and far north coast. There has been some great fishing, with tuna to 20kg in the mix. Floating out live baits is a very effective method and the results speak for themselves. Another extremely popular way of targeting these tuna is spinning with large, heavy stickbaits such as Ocean Potions. The anglers who chase these fish put in an enormous effort and there are often stories of heartbreak from bust offs on big tuna, but when it all goes to plan and they get their targeted species, you won’t find a happier angler out there. Enjoy the tuna run guys, and stay safe during it.

occasions their little girl Chloe. This family fished pretty hard and the results came their way, with Amanda doing very well on the marlin. Little Chloe refused to be outdone by mum and she managed to tag 5 mahimahi on 6kg during the Broken Bay tournament. This won Chloe the champion small fry tag and release trophy. Great effort and well done to the team. The mahimahi season overall was not as spectacular, but there were a few solid fish well over the 1m mark. Rats under the legal size limit plagued the FADS though. With the hot weather now behind us, all the attention

Dan continues to produce the goods. Here he is yet again with a solid inshore red. fishing remains red hot in our part of the world. Whether chasing fish in the lake, off the headlands, or 20nm out to sea, there is something there for all to get excited over. The hardest part is getting out of bed and into gear, but once you do, you won’t regret it. It’s that time of year when the rock fishing anglers are in their element. The run of longtail tuna has them chasing these schools of fish from our part of the country all the way

Offshore over the past few months has certainly been hectic. Many game fishing tournaments have been run and won up and down our east coast, with crews travelling long distances to participate in these events. The marlin bite was hot and cold this season, but overall there were some spectacular days out there. One successful local Central Coast GFC boat Finfisn consisted of hubby and wife Nathan and Amanda Bajada, and on

for these offshore crews and their boats switches to 1 fish — tuna. This time of year traditionally sees a good run of both yellowfin and lately southern bluefin tuna. These fish have massively increased in numbers over recent years and it is a fantastic thing to see for the sport, as they were thought to be lost forever to NSW anglers throughout the 1990s. Your best bet for anglers fishing off here would be to

Andrew Douglas is putting his new rod and reel to work again – this time with a great mangrove jack.

run out to the Norah Head Canyons. I’d suggest pulling a spread of skirted lures in the 6-9” range and if you do find the fish schooled up, then by all means pull the lures in and start cubing with pilchards. It’s important to stock up on pilchards before heading out, as bait can often be hard to come by during the cooler months and you don’t want to find the fish schooled up and have nothing to offer them. As a rule, 10-15kg outfits will suffice, however, if you are out wide pulling lures and there are reports of larger ’fin around, then I’d certainly be inclined to run 24kg outfits as these fish can grow up to 100kg. Offshore is not just about game fishing in winter. There have been some great catches of snapper coming from the many reefs we have scattered throughout the region. Stickbaits and other long, slender style soft plastics are working well and good fish to 5kg are not uncommon. Bait anglers have also been taking a few good catches, with pilchards and squid being the best baits. The reefs further offshore are also producing some great numbers of kingfish. Jigging with 200-400g jigs is common practice these days, but a deep-set live bait is also undoing many solid kings. The reefs off Norah Head and Terrigal are especially productive during these cooler periods. The lake is not missing out on the action either, so if you are not that keen on roughing it offshore or crawling over our rock ledges, then that’s not a problem. There are plenty of tasty species on offer over the cooler seasons and they really start firing up from now for the next few months. For those who love targeting big flathead, you will need to change techniques from your summer approach, as it’s time to start working the deeper water. I like to find baitballs in the 8-10m mark and fish beneath them, as this is often where large numbers of flathead lay and wait for an easy feed of scraps that fall to the bottom as the tailor smash through the bait. Large soft plastics on jigheads heavy enough to get to and stay on the bottom are required. That may mean jigs as heavy as 1oz, so jig your plastics instead of spinning them and you will be hooked-up in no time. Mulloway are often landed as bycatch by anglers chasing a feed of flathead, but for those that wise up to some careful reading of their sounders, they will be able to clearly identify the fish and start producing them more consistently. I like to drift a large soft plastic on a heavy jighead from the rod holder while I spin with a slightly

Chloe Bajada with the trophy for her outstanding effort in the Broken Bay GFC tournament. Well done Chloe, on your champion tag and release small fry award. smaller, lighter offering from the front casting deck. I can’t tell you how many solid fish have come from the large plastic fished out of the rod holder over the years. Bream also tend to go deep during these cooler months, and locations such as the deeper bays around the southern parts of the lake towards Chain Valley Bay, Mannering Park and the like generally see the better

specimens. Anglers working smaller 2-3” soft plastics and blade style lures will reap good rewards. Bait anglers have been getting some nice fish in both Salts Bay and Belmont Bay. Prawns and squid strips, I’m told, are producing good bags. The key is to remember to berley if bait fishing for bream. This really helps draw and hold the school to your location.

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Cooler season fish are on the move right now CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

We’re really getting into the cold stuff now, with a few freezing mornings already under the belt and plenty more to come. The good news is that May

rainfall and warm weather to keep them active. Now though, water temps are rapidly falling and although most of the bream are still there, it’s going to take some deeper and slower tactics to bring them undone. Of course, good quality baits like fresh local prawns, strips of mullet,

to drown baits, but there are plenty of productive spots throughout Brisbane Water. The bridges at Woy Woy, Paddys Channel, the Gosford Broadwater and down around the Rip Bridge are some I can recommend. Lure fishos should be using Gulps or vibes like the amazing Daiwa Gekkabijin

on the list. From this point on, luderick should be increasing in numbers and becoming more interested in taking green weed baits. They were showing up at The Entrance in numbers this time last year, but not of a great size. Let’s hope some bigger models show up this season. As mentioned last month, this is a prime time of year for mulloway along our local beaches. The mullet run is in full swing and other fish like tailor, whiting and salmon are out and about, so there’s a pile of tucker on offer to lure the silver slabs into the foamy gutters after dark. It’s quite convenient that May also happens to be the peak month for big calamari squid, either caught from

don’t have to be fresh either. As long as they’re stored separately from other baits, locally caught and then frozen squid is every bit as good as the fresh stuff. Beach fishing should also remain productive for bream and tailor this month. The odd whiting, dart and flathead will probably be on the cards as well, along with a few salmon. May is 1 of my favourite months for rock fishing. I’ll admit to being a blackfish addict from way back and just can’t stop myself from chasing these fish, especially from our local rock ledges. Over the years, many of my biggest fish have come during May, as well as the best numbers. Beastly black drummer are another great species to target off the rocks right

month for tailor along this stretch of coastline. Some impressive choppers hit lures or baits at places like Pelican Point, Wybung Head and South Avoca as we move towards winter, so be prepared as some of these fish can be 3kg and upwards. Another form of tailor fishing that’s fun and rewarding is to jump in the boat and head to some of our shallow reefs just out from the beaches, casting 40g chrome lures or mid-sized surface poppers. The majority of strikes will come over shallow broken rock with plenty of whitewash spilling over into slightly deeper pockets. For safety reasons it’s important to keep the engine running and an eye on the water while fishing.

Glenn Helmers with a solid bream taken on a Gulp slowly worked down deep. Small vibes are another good lure to use this month. is another of our peak fishing times here on the Central Coast. The past few months have been fantastic for bream in our enclosed waterways, with enough

tailor or garfish, as well as one of my favourites, white bread, will be the front line offerings if you really want to get into bream now and into winter. The Entrance is always a good place

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or Ecogear ZX30 if catching bream is a priority this month. Let them sink to the bottom, adjacent to some form of structure like weed or rock, and slowly work them back, occasionally allowing them to settle. Flathead and whiting can still be in good supply this month, although they’re now moving out of the shallows and into deeper spots. By this I mean depths of 2-3m, so not necessarily the deepest holes or channels. Once again, lures need to be worked a bit slower from this stage of the season, and baits should be the best you can get. Bloodworms, beachworms, pink nippers and prawns are

www.cchp.com.au 44

MAY 2015

May is a peak month for tailor right along the Central Coast. While most estuary fish are only small choppers, some sizeable beasts can show up along the rocks or beaches. the rocks or inshore reefs. Mulloway will not refuse locally caught squid, so grab some of the latest and greatest hi-tech squid jigs and stock up on the best bait around. Oh, and they

now. They’ll certainly take green cabbage baits intended for luderick, but when specifically chasing drummer it’s hard to go past cunje or white bread. May is also a peak

All in all, this really is a great month to get out and enjoy your fishing. Better do it now than in a couple of months’ time when things are getting a bit on the tough side.

Well behind schedule, work on the new ramp at Norah Head is nearing completion.

*The payment examples are based on the weekly equivalent of the monthly payment and is based on secured consumer loan over 60 months with repayments of (1) $38.74 (2) $59.58 (3) $75.51. Drive away price of (1) $10,000 (2) $15,000 (3) $20,000, with a deposit of 25% for (1)(2)(3) and an annual percentage rate of 9.99%. Offer is only available to approved applicants of Yamaha Motor Finance. Conditions, Fees and charges apply. Finance applications must be received and approved by 30/06/2015. The comparison rate is based on a secured loan of $30,000 over a period of 60 months. WARNING: This comparison rate 10.56% is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. The purchase price includes Goods and Services Tax. Fitting and extra outboard rigging charges may also apply. Credit is provided by Yamaha Motor Finance Australia Pty. Ltd. Australian Credit Licence No: 394553. Boat Package price does not refer to the pictured Renegade 420 package.

What’s New FISHING

STREAM LOGIC WADERS

Adrenalin Flies stocks Stream Logic breathable waders, which are a very comfortable fit without losing any durability. These waders have 3-layer technology construction and 5 layers below the knee making them very tough. They are suitable for use throughout the season, even through winter as another feature is a pocket for your hands that is fleece lined for those cold days out on the water. These waders have been put through rigorous tests, walking through blackberries and thick bush as well as an 18km round trip to Lake Fergus in the heart of Tasmania’s Highlands, and these waders stood up well! They feature built-in gravel guards, adjustable elastic suspenders, external pocket protected with additional tape, internal pocket with zip fastener, external pocket with waterproof zip fastener, two D-rings for attaching accessories, profiled socks made of 4mm resistant neoprene and a waist belt. Each pair is also tested. Price: RRP $240 www.adrenalinflies.com.au

SPIDERWIRE DURA-SILK

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GERBER STRONGARM

Gerber has been producing militarygrade knives since 1968 and in doing so, has solidified its position as one of the premier knife and utility-tool makers in the world. Their latest fixed-blade knife, the StrongArm, carries on the Gerber legacy in true fashion – with a toughas-hell design for use in outdoor and survival situations. The StrongArm is applicable for many uses, whether you’re on duty or off. It features a fine edge, full tang 420 high carbon steel blade that’s easy to sharpen, super tough and resistant to corrosion. Originally designed around the fundamentals of military survival training, the StrongArm will be a welcome addition to 4WD, camping, fishing trips or any other outdoor expeditions. Gerber’s attention to detail is easily noticed in the StrongArm, thanks to the diamond-textured rubberized handle that provides a solid grip in all conditions. With uses spanning across civilian, hunting and combat scenarios, it’s a blade that’ll see you through the toughest of conditions. Price: RRP $109 www.gerbergear.com

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

SAMAKI VIBELICIOUS 70MM

The new Samaki Vibelicious 70mm Fork Tail perfectly mimics the tight shimmer of a baitfish, luring in a variety of predator species to date. Samaki Vibelicious is constructed of 10X strong super stretch material, ultra strong hooks, premium Japanese wire and it’s available in 14 amazing colours to cater for any angling situation. At 10g, it’s a great weight to cast and achieve distance whilst not being too heavy that it spooks fish. 70mm is a perfect snack size for many estuary and freshwater fish and the strong Sticky Point hooks will keep you attached to that fish of a lifetime. Designed to create the perfect action, it rolls on the drop and shimmers on the vibe all whilst being the ultimate attractant. This great new vibe is perfect for coastal estuary fishing, freshwater impoundments and inland waterways. The all new Samaki Vibelicious will be your go to lure for bass, bream, flathead, mangrove jack and more. Price: from RRP $17.95 www.bluefishimports.com.au

UGLY FISH MIRAGE

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OWNER SINGLE PLUGGING HOOK

Using Taff-Wire, the S-125 is perfect for retro-fitting hardbodied trolling and casting lures. The range of available sizes means that you’ll be able to replace and retro-fit in just about any angling situation. The lightweight but incredibly strong TaffWire ensures that your lures retain maximum action. Taff-Wire helps create hooks that are smaller in diameter, yet stronger and harder than ever before. The single most important characteristic for hook penetration is the wire diameter – if it’s too thick and the wire won’t penetrate easily. Taff-Wire hooks are stronger per wire diameter than any hook on the market, meaning that you’ll be able to set the hook into even some of the boniest of jaws in the sea and know that they won’t straighten. The new Owner S-215 Single Plugging Hook is available in sizes 1/0 all the way to 9/0. Price: RRP $12.95 www.purefishing.com.au

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BLACK MAGIC SQUID COLOURS

REELRACK STORAGE

Pacific Fishing Supplies unveiled the new ReelRack, the fishing reel storage bracket has been constructed from 100% anodised aluminium ensuring it meets the tough demands to provide ample prevention against rust and corrosion. Pacific Fishing Supplies ReelRack fishing reel storage system will allow you to securely and effectively secure your favourite and valuable fishing reels to almost every possible application possible. The following mounting examples are unique in the marketplace for storing fishing reels whether it be a second/spare reel or if you need to break your gear down when transporting. They fit almost any surface in your boat. They fit in your vehicle or even the storage boot of you caravan or motorhome They fit inside if you have a man-cave/ bar and just want to show case your favourites fishing reels, and they have an amazing resistance to saltwater corrosion by using 100% Anodized Aluminium. Price: RRP $49.50 www.pacificfishingsupplies.com.au

Daiwa has continued their long tradition of innovation with the introduction of “Magsealed bearings” into the new Saltiga range. Given the popularity of saltwater fishing, sealing a reel is a major goal. No leakage means no corrosion, longer life and better performance. If saltwater penetrates a reel and dries, it crystallizes, and then erodes gears and bearings. Daiwa found the solution – a membrane of magnetic oil, which shuts out saltwater. By using magnetized oil in conjunction with magnets, the oil attaches itself to the metal surfaces to form a seal. Magseal technology was originally used in the rotor/anti-reverse system, to make water and dust intrusion a thing of the past. However, not content with just Magsealing the rotor/anti-reverse system, the new 2015 series introduces an all-new revolution in ultra smooth rotation and water sealing. The Saltiga has a near bulletproof gearbox and line roller system to complement the other design innovations making the best heavy-duty reel even better! www.daiwafishing.com.au

POWERBAIT RIB SHAD

Squid fishing has taken off all around Australia and with growing popularity; Black Magic has brought out 2 new exciting colours to their range of squid jigs. Orange has always been a favourite amongst squid fishers, while a red under foil is an excellent choice when fishing at the change of light. Black Magic has combined a ‘hi-viz’ UV orange top with a red foil under to create a jig that is ideal for fishing the change of light, but also perfect if the water is a bit murky. For a more natural approach, a brown top fabric over a red foil is a great choice anytime, anywhere, for any squid. Natural colours work particularly well when the water is clean and a stealthier approach is required. This is a top colour when squid are spawning and can be hard to catch. www.blackmagictackle.com

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The Berkley PowerBait Rib Shad is 4.5” of pure swimming action that is designed for shallow or deep applications all around the world. Ribs line the 4.5” bait from nose to tail that rocks through the water perfectly on a small 1/8oz jighead or a weighted-belly hook if you decide to fish weedless. Simply cast around vegetation or in and around heavy cover; vary the retrieve, and let the fish and your skill as an angler dictate how the Rib Shad is presented. The Rib Shad imitates an easy meal for predatory fish, it demonstrates a whole body has motion that attracts fish in shallow and deep water. To add to its attraction, it comes with the exclusive PowerBait scent and flavour, a scent known to turn touches into takes, making this new soft plastic a brilliant all-round presentation for novice and experienced anglers alike. Price: RRP $8.95 www.purefishing.com.au

MUSTAD THOR BRAID

Made from super high strength Spectra fibres, Mustad’s Thor braid uses an exclusive 4-strand NR braiding process that gives Mustad Thor a thin, round and smooth profile for trouble free casting. The advantages of Mustad Thor braid include a quietness through the guides unlike other braids, allowing for longer casts, better presentations and easier handling on any type of reel to avoid wind knots and tangles that can ruin a day’s fishing. The thin profile also makes it easier to pack it tightly onto the spool without loops forming. A proprietary DuPont coating provides excellent abrasion resistance while maintaining an ability to tie knots that will stand up to the punishment of fishing day in and day out. Mustad Thor braid is available in 110 yard spools for 6lb-30lb lines, and 250 yard spools for 6lb-100lb lines. Mustad Thor Braid comes in an easy to see ‘hot orange’ colour. Price: Too new www.wilsonfishing.com

DAIWA SALTIGA 2015

CUDA SHARPENER

Cuda brand’s range of knives and tools are brand new to the Australian market, but already packing a punch with a great range of angling accessories. They have just released a brand new sharpening tool into the range for 2015, which features 7 different sharpening tools on the one device. The Cuda Sharpener can sharpen any knife, hook or scissor that needs sharpening, but also has you covered in a bunch of other areas. This handy little instrument is fantastic for doing field repairs and also features a flat head screwdriver bit, and 4 different sizes torque bits to maximise this tool’s handiness! Featuring both ceramic and carbide sharpening instruments along with the other handy features, this is a sure hit with angling and camping enthusiasts alike. For more information on the Cuda range in Australia, you can contact Nomad Tackle on Facebook. Price: RRP $39.95 www.nomadtackle.com

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What’s New FISHING

BKK GTREX TREBLES

For giant Trevally, you need a giant treble hook. BKK have released a new treble designed specifically for the rigours of giant trevally popping, which often take a toll on inferior hooks. The GTrex Treble features BKK’s patented ‘hand ground’ hook point, which gives a piercing strength unrivalled by competitors. A wide gape and turned in point means you can expect a solid hook up in the corner of the jaw to stay planted for lengthy battles. BKK developed a patented ultra anti rust technology for these new trebles. Meaning the days of rusty eyelets and belly swivels on your favourite GT lures are over. These trebles are big and nasty, just as GTs are, but manufactured to the highest standards. Available in 5/0, 6/0 and 7/0 the trebles come as both barbed and barbless options. Visit Nomad Tackle on Facebook for more information on BKK hooks. Price: $39.95 www.nomadtackle.com

NEW EVAIR SHOES

Whether you’re a keen fisher or you just love to get stuck into the outdoors, the need for adequate footwear is always of the utmost importance. Realising this, Shimano have created the Evair, a range of all-purpose outdoor shoes designed for wet surfaces. The Evair shoe range is slip resistant, giving piece of mind to boating, fishing and camping enthusiasts. Made with an ergonomic arch support, the Evair’s are great for those who are on their feet for long periods of time. They are also perfect for slippery boat decks, strolling through streams and when you’re stuck out in the rain. Made with ultra lightweight material, Shimano’s Evair range features a Velcro locking strap, meaning once they’re on, they’re on for good. Ranging from sizes 7-13, these shoes are made for the Australian outdoorsman that needs protection, comfort and convenience on each foot. 100% submersible, the Evair shoes are designed for the outdoors enthusiast that won’t let Mother Nature ruin their day. Price: n/a www.shimanofish.com.ua

SNOWBEE RANGER

Looking for a quality breathable wader that will keep you cool and dry without spending a fortune? The Snowbee Ranger is the wader for you. Featuring neoprene socks, built in gravel guards, adjustable wading belt, internal waterproof pocket and adjustable braces which all pack down to about the size of a pair of jeans, making this new wader comfortable, compact, convenient and, of course, breathable. Ranger’s Breathable Waders are sure to keep water out and warmth in, so you’ll be able to wade in chilly waters while feeling warm and comfortable with the freedom to breathe. This fantastic wader is available in full body options and is made in sizes medium, large, extra-large and extra-extra-large, meaning there will be a size for anyone out there. For those looking to stay warm in cool waders this winter, or even to invest in their first pair of waders, the new Ranger Breathable Waders are a fantastic option. Price: RRP $200 www.ejtodd.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

GERBER DIME

Taking the standard key-chain multi-tool and ramping it up a notch, the Gerber Dime is designed to be taken with you where ever you go, so you’ll never be left in the lurch again. The Dime features a sturdy bottle-opener that remains exposed even when the tool is closed. Two drivers, a flat-head and Phillipshead, are there for any emergency DIY quick fixes that need your immediate attention. Personal hygiene on the go is also easy thanks to the file and tweezers, which can also come in handy should you find yourself dealing with an annoyingly painful splinter. The pliers are spring loaded for easy operation and also feature wire cutters for precision cutting. Gerber has fitted the Dime with a fine-edge blade, spring loaded scissors and a retail package opener to cover all your bases.Available in a discreet matte black, or vibrant green, red and purple colour options, the Gerber Dime is the most valuable change you’re likely to find. Price: RRP $34.95 www.gerbergear.com

PALMS GIG 115

Distance, strength and action are all features that are key to any good stick bait, especially when you are targeting big tuna, kingfish or any other large predatory pelagic species. The GIG 115 features a natural horizontal sinking posture, a wire through the body construction, an anti hook out belly hook swivel and strong Owner trebles, which will ensure you don’t suffer terminal tackle failures. Weighing in at 45g these sinking stick baits cast long and can be retrieved with a number of techniques including, slow wind, twitch and pause and fast wind. Being 115mm long means they are a great prey size for big kingfish and tuna and their slim profile mimics a fleeing baitfish and aids casting distance. The new Palms Gig 115 comes in 6 exciting colours and comes rigged and ready to go straight out of the packet. Price: RRP $35 www.ejtodd.com.au

AUSTRALIAN FISHING GUIDE

The fully revised and updated version of Steve Cooper’s Australian Fishing Guide is out now! This is a must-have stateby-state guide to Australia’s top fishing spots, for the expert angler and amateur enthusiast alike. Steve Cooper knows the best fishing locations in Australia – including many secret spots – and his book now shares information on over 1000 of his favourite destinations. Because each region has its own special features, the book details the most effective fishing techniques for each location. Cooper also covers important topics like knots, rigs, lures and flies, bait gathering, fishing licenses, fishing festivals and ways of cooking your catch. And never mind the one that got away… check out the ones that didn’t, in a series of photographs o fishing taken of fish caught around this county. Think you know everything about fishing? Steve Cooper’s Australian Fishing Guide (2nd Ed) has something for even the most accomplished angler. Price: RRP $36.95 www.exploreaustralia.net.au

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What’s New FISHING

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE WESTIN MEGATEEZ

Just like a mermaid, the seductive look and extra-large tail of Westin MegaTeez is irresistible. Even the tiniest twitch of the rod tip will make the tailfin wave and swim through the water and even the most cold-hearted predators will fall in love at first sight. The irregular and action-packed diving action is simply in a league of its own! The Westin MegaTeez is perfected for use on a drop shot rig but will be extremely seductive no matter how it’s rigged. The features on this new plastic include an extra large tail design, a double-layer lifelike scale pattern, optimized flexibility and strength and realistic 3D ghost eyes. The MegaTeez comes in two sizes, 3.5 and 5”, and comes in packs of 6 and 5 respectively. The Westin MegaTeez really is different to any other soft plastic on the market and is sure to make an impact on Australian soil! Price: RRP $10.99 www.jml.net.au

MAJOR CRAFT GIANT KILLING

Majorcraft burst onto the fishing tackle scene in 2013 with a range of affordable spin and baitcasting models all featuring quality Fuji components and the new Light Jigging series runs true to the brand ethos. Due to the growing popularity of light jigging in Australia, we’ve introduced another rod to the range – the Giant Killing, a lightweight jigging rod. Each rod in the series combines high-end Fuji K guides and EVA grips on a high quality blank assembled in a way to reduce fatigue stress and increase power through the rod. The power comes from the blank and Majorcraft’s unique cross force wrapping. Perfectly suited to 1.0 PE lines but capable of more, these rods excel at light jigging and slow pitch work and will pull some powerful fish out of their deep, dark lairs. The Giant Killing comes in 3 sizes to cover a range of light jigging situations and species Price: Too new www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

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WRAPPING MINNOW SW

The new Wrapping Minnow SW is the updated version of the original Wrapping Minnow designed for inshore saltwater use. The Wrapping Minnow SW is approximately 6g heavier than the original bass version. It combines a heavy lead head and buoyant foam body in a compact and balanced package. The ultra thin tail blade that can be adjusted according to how much commotion the angler wishes to get out of the lure as it is retrieved. It can be used with a subtle touch or for that reaction bite. At 14g, it casts like a bullet and covers a lot of distance for searching. At 57mm it’s a great snack-size for any inshore predator, and as a sinking minnow, it can be worked all throughout the water column. The Nories Wrapping Minnow SW is the latest from the Wrapping Minnow range and this new model will let you tangle with bigger fish! Price: $33.95 www.jml.net.au

POP UP HAMMOCK

BALT 3.5 AND 6”

MARIA MUCHO LUCIR AH

The competitive nature of Australians means that we strive to have the best gear. When visiting our favourite camping site, envy can kick in when we see extravagant setups that often rival living conditions at home. Relax in style and impress your neighbours with the versatile, lightweight, and portable Diamantina Pop Up Hammock. This transportable hammock comes with a super strong frame, which means you’ll never fall out or be tangled in ropes, which can be an issue with traditional models. Arrive on site and quickly pop up this poly mesh hammock and kick back with a cold drink whilst taking in the beautiful surrounds the Australian outdoors has to offer. While you are enjoying this experience, you can watch as your fellow campers struggle to find trees to support their equipment. The Diamantina Pop Up Hammock will ensure that not only will you enjoy your camping experience with the maximum of comfort, you will be the envy of your fellow campers. Price: RRP $169.99 www.kangarootentcity.com.au

The Balt is a brand new big fish lure from EcoGear that combines a big tail and flat-sided body to give a very natural and high pitch rolling action. This great new soft plastic is suitable for both saltwater and freshwater fishing, and will cover a wide range of angling situations. The plastics can be rigged in a variety of ways to suit different conditions and the two sizes are perfect for a wide range of species both in and offshore, and also in dams. The tough plastic will stand up against savage attacks to give you more time fishing and less time re-rigging. The new EcoGear Balt comes in 2 sizes, 3.5 and 6”, and comes in packets with 6 and 4 tails respectively. The Ecogear Balt is sure to take off and will appeal to angler wanting to tangle with big fish anglers across Australia. Price: RRP $13.95 (3.5”), $15.95 (6”) www.jml.net.au

The new Mucho Lucir AH is now fitted with a front assist hook and a rear treble to increase hook up potential an stay connected once you are hooked up. The new Mucho Lucir AH is available in 18g to 60g and these proven metals feature a centre balanced design with most of their weight at the bottom of the metal, which helps keep the lure in the water on high speed retrieves. The rear weight also assists with casting distance, meaning you can search further when looking for feeding fish. The addition of the front assist hook make these metals ideal for both casting and jigging, so you can scan the distance explore the deep with these new metals. The new Mucho Lucir AH is available in 8 attractive and life-like colours and is perfect for anyone who’s into their highspeed retrieval fishing. Price: from RRP $12 www.ejtodd.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

TONIC NEON IN 3 STYLES!

Tonic Polarised Eyewear, is proud to announce the remarkable Neon ‘Low Light’ lens is now available in 3 popular styles: Rush, Shimmer and the new YouRanium. The Neon is truly the ‘Master of Low Light’. Specially developed by Tonic founder Doug Phillips for sight fishing in shadows, fog, cloud and for dawn and dusk fishing of all types. The fishing public can now buy a pair of Neons in the YouRanium, featuring Tonic Eyewear’s custom designed adjustable nose bridge that is fully integrated into the frame, the Shimmer for a sweeping big, wide and comfortable fit and the Rush featuring Tonic Eyewear’s unique ‘Clikstrap’ and slick conventional styling. 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 antireflective coatings. Tonic Polarised Eyewear comes in eight wraparound styles and a variety of lens types to suit different situations. Price: various www.toniceyewear.com.au

ZMAN KHAKI CAPS

The growing popularity of ZMan’s 10X Tough ElaZtech soft plastics has also seen an increase in the range of ZMan apparel available to Australian anglers who are keen to share their passion for both the sport of fishing and the ZMan brand. ZMan headwear was originally available in a variety of Realtree camo designs and a black flatty, however, after numerous requests from anglers wanting a cap “that isn’t camo”, a good selection of Khaki models are now available both online and in tackle outlets. New additions include a 100% cotton twill khaki cap, khaki trucker cap and a stylish khaki visor and all these products come with an adjustable Velcro straps for a snug fit to sit comfortably on any fishing head! Want to show your support for the ZMan brand? Grab a cap or visor from our new range of khaki apparel! Price: RRP $19.95 www.ttlures.com.au

DRAGON MICRO

Dragon Micro jighead are light to medium jigheads made on unique hooks, featuring two opposite located barbs on the shank. This double barb system helps keep your soft plastic, no mater how hard or soft, firmly planted on the jighead. These compact jigheads are best for small shads or any other lure with a round back, due to the bigger distance between shank and edge of the hook. This jighead is ideal for Marukyu Crab and other smaller plastic lures, such as the Dragon Maggot, which is a proven bream catcher, but is also used for bass, bream, estuary perch, trevally, flathead, salmon and other light tackle sportfish. The jigheads come in a variety of weights, 0.8, 1.5, 2.5 and 4g and they come in 3 hook sizes, 1, 2 and 4, so you’ll be covered for just about any situation you might encounter when pursuing some light tackle fun! Price: RRP $4.79 www.jml.net.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

HOWELLER DREAM

This is lure that won the Bassmaster Classic USA 2014 in a dramatic fashion! The Howeller Dream Master Class is ideal for targeting medium-depth structures and finding strike zones a shallow diver can’t reach. This crankbait features a compact shape with a wide wobble. This rounded bill medium diving crankbait can be used for a wide range of applications, and the buoyancy will be useful for covering snaggy water. At a weight of 18g, this crankbait will be great for distance casting and searching style fishing and at 63mm makes a great snack for some of our inshore predators. Like all Livingston lures, it features an internal circuit board and sound chamber, which emits the sound of a dying baitfish and the small battery inside allows for up to 200 hours of use! Livingston are the first brand to use this technology. Price: RRP $29.99 www.jml.net.au

MIMIX JUMP BUX

Mimix is proud to introduce another great ‘jumper’/‘jump frog’ lure – The Jump Bux! Unlike any small ‘jumper’ lure that you have ever seen before, the Mimix Jump Bux is beautifully designed with great detailing and is beautifully painted to be as life-like as possible, making it the perfect little snack for small, aggressive species. This lure is equipped with an extra strong and sharp double hook, which will help to avoid snagging or getting caught up. The Jump Bux will be perfect for a huge range of light tackle sportfish, including bream, bass, sooty grunter, jungle perch and even trout. The best retrieval technique for the Jump Bux is a straight retrieve, either slow or fast. At a weight of 9g and length of 45mm, the Jump Bux is truly a breakthrough and the ultimate small jumper for all light tackle situations. Price: RRP $17.99 www.jml.net.au

MAD KEEN CLOTHING

Since 1997 the Mad Keen brand has been proudly associated with the Aussie fishing scene. Our cheeky catch phrases have adorned shirts, polos, caps, wheel covers and more showing off our great Aussie sense of humour and giving blokes and the girls the chance to go one up on their mates! Our gear has been covered in fish scales, bait, dust, beer, BBQ smoke and smashed by waves and salt spray. Yet it keeps on going just like the mad keen fisher who promises their mates “just one last cast...” Under new management since 2014, we are bringing back the great slogans you all know and love plus moving into new slogans, smart new designs and a refreshed look. Why not grab a Mad Keen Limited Edition Tee, fleeces and beanies, wheel covers, BBQ aprons, cards, stickers, stubby coolers, stubby stackers, coasters and even gift wrapping! Price: various www.madkeen.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

TESTED: DAIWA BREAM LURES TESTED The new range of Daiwa lures have stormed the market and who better to catch up with than Daiwa fanatic and well known bream angler, Kris Hickson. Kris’ career tournament results on the bream scene are testament to his knowledge and understanding of bream and the lures he uses. What better way to tap into the vast knowledge of this renowned and successful tournament angler than to jump on board during a teams tournament and experience first hand Kris’ ability to read the water and make the right lure selection to get the job done. Like any situation, the calm, windless and sunny morning followed by a change to a strong breeze had Kris picking up three of the new Daiwa lures and putting them to work. Kris caught a five fish limit of bream on the bite sized Presso Rolling Crank, the TD Minnow Silent for skinny water and the suspending deep Yogiri to keep the lure in the zone. CS: Being a well respected and successful

angler, your bait selection must be a huge part of that success. What excited you about the latest Daiwa range of small lures? KH: The new range of Daiwa lures not only had a great variety of body shapes but every lure had a range of true fish catching colours. From crankbaits to topwaters there is something to suit nearly every situation. CS: The Rolling Crank is a favourite of yours. What are the features that set it apart from other small crank baits? KH: The castability of the Rolling Crank combined with the perfect action and ability to fish a variety of depths. Depending on retrieve, it makes it one of the more versatile lures I have used. CS: Watching you work the TD Minnow on the flats where there was the occasional prawn skipping around, why do you think it was successful in fooling the fish and why did you choose the TD Minnow? KH: The TD Minnow is basically the Presso Minnow in a silent version. On

Above Left: The Daiwa Presso Rolling Crank is available in both a deep and shallow version. Above Right: Daiwa’s Gekkabijin Yogiri is less buoyant than the Rolling Crank and more of a baitfish profile.

Once the wind picked up, rocky foreshores fired with the small cranks.

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Above: Welcome to current ABT BREAM Champ, Kris Hickson’s office. Left: The Rolling Crank is perfect where accurate casts are needed.

shallow weed flats where the water is clear and the fish are easily spooked, the lack of rattle and great casting distance make it super finesse. The fact that you can skim it over weed in less than a foot of water if needed, makes it all the more appealing. CS: You were obviously excited about the colour range of the new Daiwa lures, why do you think the latest range of colours have been so successful for you? What is your go to colour, regardless of lure? KH: The range of colours in the new Daiwa lures are a mixture of variations of tried and tested colours that have been proven to work on not just bream but other species like trout and bass all over the country. I don’t have a specific favourite but being a lover of natural colours, there are plenty of options to choose from that I can be confident that will work. CS: Fishing the flats, you were conscious of the weed and its depth. When selecting your lure of choice, what do you consider? KH: Generally fishing the weed flats I try and choose a lure that will skim just over the weed as much as possible and have the ability to be worked to different depths depending on rod angle. CS: You spent some time around the jetties, wharves and boats casting small crank baits. What are the benefits of using the Rolling crank in these situations? KH: The Rolling Crank is a perfect choice around structure as it casts good distances and due to its profile stays true and lands where you want it most times. With a deep and shallow model covering from the surface to around 7ft of water you can keep this lure exactly where the fish are holding CS: The Yogiri is a suspending crank

bait but was fished side by side with the Rolling crank, what is the reasoning behind trying both lures? What difference does each provide over the other? KH: The Yogiri is a different profile to the Rolling crank with more of a baitfish shape. Being less buoyant it is great for keeping the lure right in the fish’s face and working a lot slower. Having both lures in the kit gives you the option to cover more bases and fish to the conditions. One thing is clear, Kris is switched on, when it comes to bream fishing. He was able to identify areas that would hold fish but most importantly select the lures that would be the most successful. Kris was also able to adjust his lure choice from the still morning conditions to the windy afternoon conditions perfectly to keep himself in the game. – Chris Seeto.

The TD Minnow is basically the Presso Minnow in a silent version.

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Discover Something New A little bit closer to Sydney than Brisbane, the Macleay River valley offers anglers fishing options in all seasons and all weather conditions. From bass in the upper reaches to marlin offshore, anglers statewide need to plan a trip to this area before they hang up their rods for good. Lower Creek State Forest

ÂŤ Click on the QR Code to hear Brent Kirk and Steve Morgan discussing the seemingly endless options available.

MACLEAY COASTLINE Macksville

Scott Head

UPPER MACLEAY RIVER

Nulla-Five Day State Forest

Not to scale Macksville

George Creek Nature Reserve

Cunnawarra National Park Bass Lodge

Grassy Head

Ingalba State Forest

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Bellbrook

Armid

Way Way Forest

Cochrane State Forest

3 Bemurrah Homestead

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Bellbrook Cabins

Ngambaa Nature Reserve

Gads Sugarloaf Nature Reserve

Trial Bay

Ingalaba State Forest

Collombatti State Forest

Carrai National Park

South West Green Is Rocks 2 3 4 5 6 9

Caprai National Park Oxley Wild River National Park

Tamban State Forest

Tamban State Forest Willawarrin

Collombatti

Fish Rock

LEGEND

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Smokey Beach

Boat Ramp

Yarravel Nature Reserve

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Smithtown

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1 Bass Lodge 2 Bellbrook Cabins 3 Bemurrah Homestead 4 Bellbrook General Store

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Kempsey South Kempsey

Hat Head 1 Kempsey

Hungry Head

Frederickton

Killick Beach Kalateenee State Forest

Maria National Park Crescent Head 8

LEGEND 1 Compleat Angler 2 Sea Scout II 3 SWR Fishing Adventures 4 SWR Holiday Letting 5 SWR Tourist Park 6 Rocks Real Estate 7 Trial Bay Fishing Charters 8 Crescent Head Holiday Rentals 9 Rocks Marine 10 Hat Head Holiday Park

MACLEAY VALLEY

Bass fishing the Macleay MACLEAY VALLEY

Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

The Macleay River system originates well inside the Armidale Shire, and flows uninterrupted for nearly 300km to the sea at South West Rocks. A healthy population of Australian bass inhabit a large percentage of this waterway, from the tiny creeks in the upper Macleay to the tidal zones of Kinchela Creek. Bass are an iconic Australian species and are largely catch-and-release throughout this region. Working in the local tackle shop in Kempsey, I am constantly reminded of the diverse range of anglers that target these fish, and the mild obsession some have with the species. I feel the main attraction to bass fishing is that it is well within reach of people from all works of life and the Macleay caters for all demographics nicely. The upper reaches of the river also play host to some quality bass orientated lodges that can cater for groups and provide expert guides. Due to private property constraints, large sections of the riverbank are inaccessible without prior consent from landowners. Public access to the upper Macleay is available at Georges Junction,

often caught up around the bridge pylons and can hold some solid fish. To maximise the full potential of bass fishing in the Macleay, a

a new boat ramp only a few hundred metres away. The close proximity of the ramp makes the bridge pylons easily accessible to kayaks and small boats.

A healthy bass taken from a shallow gravel area around Kempsey on a spinnerbait.

Tim Meehan used his kayak to access a secluded hole and found this solid Macleay bass. canoe or kayak is highly recommended. A common practice is to start the day out at 1 of the bridge crossings, paddle upstream as far as you desire, and then let the flow of the river take you back to where you started. Depending on river levels, you may encounter shallow areas where you may have to carry your boats, or high flowing rapids that could require

The Macleay has plenty of places to fish, even in a 20kt southerly. Blackbird Flat and Bellbrook Bridge. Moving down from Bellbrook through to Kempsey, most roads off to the right will lead to a bridge crossing the river. These bridges not only provide direct access to the water, but are also a fishing haven. Flood debris in the form of branches and trees are quite

knowledge, as in all cases the distance by road is only a fraction of the same trip by water. Careful planning will ensure you don’t get caught on the river

boats to be carried. Heading upstream first means you have already covered the stretch of river you will be fishing, making you aware of any obstacles or dangers lurk so there’s no nasty surprises. If planning to do a trip from 1 bridge to another, it is worth consulting a topographical map or attain some local

after dark. Belgrave Falls, located just above Kempsey, marks the top of the tidal zone. This shallow series of rapids is unpassable to all but the smallest of craft, and acts as a boundary of where canoe and kayak numbers decrease and powered boats start. The Kempsey section of the river is serviced by 3 main boat ramps located at Greenhill, the rail bridge in Kempsey, and also one in Riverside Park in Kempsey’s CBD. Deep, long holes are quite common along this section of the river, making it relatively easy to navigate by boat. Adjacent to these holes lie plenty of overhanging trees, eroded banks, snags, weed beds, and even shallow gravel areas, so there is plenty of awesome fishing terrain located within a stone’s throw of the most highly populated area along the river. The pylons of Kempsey’s 2 bridges provide deep holes, and huge schools of smaller bass can be found here early and late in the bass fishing season. There are plenty of land-based options throughout the Kempsey township; we have even been known to duck down under the bridge during our lunch break and nail some solid fish in the middle of the day! The newly constructed freeway bridge just downstream from Frederickton has created a very popular bass fishing spot, which is serviced by

B e lmore R ive r, Smithtown Bridge and further downstream to Kinchela Creek mark the lowest points in the system where bass are consistently found. The boat ramp alongside Smithtown Bridge provides easy launching for small to medium sized boats and has a good wharf, so single-handed launching is possible. Belmore River is only a few minutes away upstream, with Kinchela Creek about 10 minutes downstream. These areas become heavily populated with spawning fish during the winter closed season months, however, they do hold some cracking resident fish year-round. Being well into the tidal zone, bycatch of bream, whiting, school mulloway and flathead are very common when targeting bass in these areas. Bass are a very aggressive species and respond well to a variety of lures and baits. During the warmer months, surface lures are the go-to options. As in all forms of fishing, it pays to match the hatch. Cicada imitation lures are highly effective during these periods, and are almost irresistible to feeding fish. Deep diving lures and spinnerbaits come into their own during cooler periods and through the middle of the day. Dark colours, including black, purple and olive seem to draw the most strikes, but sometimes it is about the action of the lure rather than the colour. For anglers looking

to catch bass using bait, earthworms and live shrimp fished under a float or just drifting unweighted along with the flow will snare plenty of fish. When selecting an outfit for chasing Australian bass, you need to choose a rod with an appropriate cast weight for the lures in use. Shorter rods between 5’6” and 6’6” in about the 2-4kg range are the most popular, as they allow you

to get under over-hanging branches and have plenty of power in the bottom end to pull fish away from snags. Small threadline reels spooled with 6-10lb braid will do the job nicely, allowing lures of all sizes and weights to be cast. Leader size can vary depending on the structure you are fishing, however, 10-15lb mono or fluorocarbon will suit most scenarios.

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MACLEAY VALLEY

Fishing the tidal waters of the Macleay River MACLEAY VALLEY

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

The majestic and sometimes wild Macleay River is formed by the confluence of the Gara River, Bakers Creek and Salisbury Waters, with the river rising below Blue Knobby Mountain, which is east of Uralla on the Great Dividing Range. In length, the river runs 298km and flows through the city of Kempsey on its way to the mouth of the South Pacific Ocean at the picturesque small town of South West Rocks. For the specifics of this article, we will talk about fishing

options from Belgrave Falls, which is the start of the tidal section, down to the mouth. THE ENTRANCE UP TO JERSEYVILLE BRIDGE My first association with this waterway was in 2000, and my early impressions can only be described as being in awe of the fishing potential. On any given day you can catch your saltwater favourites, plus that Australian freshwater icon, the bass, within just a few kilometres — and sometimes in the very same area! Let’s start at the mouth and meander our way up-river and look at the bridges. The walls are famous for luderick, bream, tailor

and mulloway, with some really big specimens of the latter coming from these walls after flooding occurs. For the boating angler, the North Wall all the way up to The Cut can be excellent for throwing soft plastics and vibration blades around for bream, using your electric

to work the area. Cast close to where the rocks meet the river floor, as this is the ideal area for them. Be warned though, the odd mangrove jack does inhabit this wall and not very often does our standard light bream outfits make the grade with these explosive fish.

are great ways to spend a few hours and also very rewarding. For the bait fishers, some pink nippers, worms or fresh green prawns will see you amongst the flatties and whiting on some of the shallow sandy stretches in this section.

Fishing vibration blades around the walls of Jerseyville Bridge can be deadly.

after dark, as it is close to the water and you won’t need to clamber down the rocks if you hook a good fish. On the South West Rocks side bank leading to Jerseyville Bridge lies a stretch of deeper water, and along the wall you can have great bream action throwing small plastics in towards the rocks. This is a spot where school size mulloway can be present in numbers at times, and hopping a bigger plastic or drifting a live bait can produce excellent results. As always, remember to check size limits. Mulloway are now 70cm and anything smaller please handle carefully and send back to keep these amazing fish thriving. This spot can also hold big numbers of bigeye trevally at times and these are good fun on light gear. This brings us to 1 of my favourite forms of structure and that is our first bridge on our trip upstream — Jerseyville. Now this bridge is good for a few reasons. One is the plentiful supply of herring, and the second is the boat ramp and park right next to the bridge. I like to night fish here, as it takes very little effort to get

Also, when chasing mulloway we do the same — upgrade the gear to slightly heavier 4-6kg rods and use 15lb braid and 20lb leader attached to 4-7” plastics. Again, cast to the edges and work lures back with plenty of pauses. This will be best done as the tide slows, and either high or low can produce. Big flatties can also get into the act. When the tide starts to flow again, we can go back to chasing bream. In winter, these walls do have a lot of anglers chasing blackfish, and great catches can be taken using traditional stem floats with green weed setups. At The Cut, which is on the bend as you go around to Shark Island and Stuarts Point, there is always the chance of tangling with a mulloway or big flathead. The same can be said about Kemps Corner — some really big fish have come from here over the years, mainly of a night and using live bait such as tailor, herring, mullet or pike. In saying that, fresh blackfish and mullet fillets account for quite a few fish from here. The township of Stuarts Point and back to the main river is a place where you can spend plenty of time fishing the shallows. Try for whiting on poppers, or small hardbody shallow divers around the racks for bream. Both techniques

to and from the ramp, and it produces mulloway, bream and sharks. When I fish here I take a rod set up with a bait jig, and either the pylons or near the trawlers produces a good supply of bait. In saying that, with the lighting on the bridge, a lot of time you can jig up bait while tied off and fishing. At this location I prefer the slack high tide and the start of the run-out, fishing either the dark or full moon periods. This is a great way to spend an evening. Take a thermos of warm drink and a good feed, and sit back and wait for a reel to scream. When you are finished, it is then just 100m back to the ramp! For shore-based anglers, the park itself can be easily fished. Plenty of quality bream and mulloway come

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Plastics account for some good whiting in the Stuarts Point area. This one took a liking to a 2” Gulp Shrimp. Spencers Creek is another spot where the use of small diving lures or light plastics will get you onto some bream and flatties. Using surface poppers for bream has produced good fish here in the summer months, and if there is weed beds outside the creek mouth, a well worked surface lure will produce more of them plus the occasional surface marauding flathead. Spencers Creek is also a good spot to get some mud crabs. Fishing the rock walls at Rainbow Beach on the way up to Jerseyville Bridge is an area where anything can turn up, from bream, dusky flathead, trevally, mulloway, and even the odd cobia. Consequently, you will need to adjust the gear to suit the species. The wall here is also a good place to fish a live bait

MACLEAY VALLEY from here. In daylight hours, throwing plastics and some of the latest soft vibes account for a lot of mulloway as well. Once again, fishing the slack water, be it low or high, you will be in with a chance of 1 of this system’s best rewards. JERSEYVILLE BRIDGE TO FREDERICKTON BRIDGE As we travel further upstream towards the mouth of Kinchella Creek, you will encounter sand banks. These

are other considerations. One thing though, it does make for enjoyable lure fishing. I would say my favourite all-round lure at this bridge is definitely a vibration blade. Just mix up the colours until you find a winner. Plastics do work, but I find the flathead can enjoy them too much at times. From Smithtown Bridge you will pass the Belmore River, and at times this spot can be a bass holding area,

HOLIDAY PARKS Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks: 1300 262 782 Crescent Head Holiday Park: 02 6566 0261 Hat Head Holiday Park: 02 6567 7501 Horse Shoe Bay Holiday Park: 02 6566 6370 Stuarts Point Holiday Park: 02 6563 0616 Grassy Head Holiday Park: 02 6569 0742 South West Rocks Tourist Park: 1800 666 264 are places, especially in warmer months, that drifting or under the power of an electric motor will produce flathead and whiting. This spot can also be good to troll some smaller diving lures; don’t neglect this option, as sometimes it can save a quiet day. I like to have my lures a reasonable distance, approximately 30m, behind the boat, and troll them at a medium walking pace. You will know if lure is working by the steady vibration of the rod tip. If it stops vibrating, wind in and check for weed. As we hit the mouth of Kinchella Creek, we can target bream, and some good fish get pulled from here each year. Flatties come from this location as well. The next area we come too sees us starting on the crossover with Smithtown. This is a spot where you can land bass, bream, flathead and mulloway in a single session. Plenty of times around the pylons at

into some serious fish. There is a boat ramp at Smithtown if you want to base your fishing in this part of the river. Travelling further upstream, we have Australia’s longest road bridge, the Macleay River Bridge. With a length of 3.2km, it was completed in March 2013. The best thing I can say about it is the fish love it! It is a favourite springtime location, and then again in autumn. The depth it isn’t overly great at 3.5-4m at the deepest, so several methods produce bass. Here again, blades are a standout. Plastics and deeper diving hardbody lures in the 3m range worked as well, with some mornings producing constant hookups.

of Kempsey, you will see several shallow weed beds on the eastern side. These are worth surface fishing early and then switching to spinnerbaits when sun rises, as you can have big days in these spots when bass are in the weed. All you need to remember is that each weed bed can hold fish. Some hold them all season, while others are a bit hit and miss. This may depend on the predominant bait species available. Keep on moving from bed to bed and you will find them. In Kempsey itself, you have another bridge and also a rail bridge, both of which produce fish. In the town area, a few anglers fish here of a night using

KEMPSEY TO BELGRAVE This area from Kempsey through Greenhills and all the way to Sherwood produces some of the best bass fishing on the mid north coast. There is another

bulldozing bass that wants to go straight back into the jungle. High tide is the preferred period over the weed beds. Okay, we have been talking surface, but lastly on this section of weed

This mulloway could not resist a worm imitation. Again, the deeper sections of Jerseyville proved successful.

Throwing soft plastics in tight to structure can result in bream like this. moreso in the spawning season. It also has bream and flathead in residence. The deeper water behind the

Already, several bass over 50cm have been caught from this location, so definitely give it a look.

surface lures straight across from the boat ramp. The thing you will notice from the area is the shoreline opposite the ramp is full of bamboo and lots of bats. Of a night, tie on a surface walker style of lure like a Jitterbug. Hearing that plip, plop across the water, followed by an almighty explosion is pretty exciting stuff for any bass fisho. If that doesn’t get the heart beating, call triple 0.

boat ramp at Greenhills, but really suitable for small boats, as at low tide there is a bit of a drop there, so be cautious. This area is worth spending a fair bit of time in, especially from October to February. Getting up early and being on the water before daybreak can mean the difference between exceptional surface fishing and just getting a few. All manner of surface lures will work — fizzers, crawlers, poppers, and dog walkers. This season there was an exceptional amount of small baitfish skipping over the surface, so Sammy style lures performed very well. The year before though, cicada numbers were at an all-time high, and therefore those imitations worked a treat. As they say, match the hatch. An important feature about this part of the river is the weed, and believe me, there is plenty. Do not stress this; instead, use it to your advantage. Fish slightly heavier braid of 10-12lb and leaders of 12-16lb. This will seem light when you hook a

fishing we must mention a lure that does produce big numbers at times and that is the spinnerbait. They’re a very simple but effective way to work the weed, slow rolling with the occasional twitch to remove any buildup. This technique is productive, but make sure you have a firm grip on your rod as some of the hits can really wake you up. I should mention that in this part of the river we do still catch bream on the surface and the occasional flathead on spinnerbaits, which again adds to the magic of the area. This season the weed has been very thick, so casting plastics and hardbody lures has been near impossible, with the weed right up in a lot of the snags as well. There are a few spots still suitable, but not many. The magical thing is that each season is different and what was a weedbed fishery this year could be gone with the next flood. Spots change, especially at this end of the tidal range, so always think about it and look at what is happening on the water and under it.

KEMPSEY

LARGEST DISPLAY Quality bass are taken from the weed beds each season. This one took a liking to a spinnerbait. Smithtown you will have a session where you get plenty of bass and a few bream, and then the next day have a complete reversal, landing more bream than bass. A few things that account for this are firstly spawning movement, but rainfall and salinity levels

Nestle factory can produce some trophy bass. Try fishing blades and Jackall style lures. They can be good here, and lately with the production of so many great looking soft vibes, try throwing something that hasn’t been seen as much yet. It could get you hooked

FREDERICKTON TO KEMPSEY Past the bridge upstream are plenty of weed beds, so fishing a small popper, walkthe-dog style lure, or cicada imitation surface plug can get you into the bream and bass that frequent such areas. As we move up towards the city

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MACLEAY VALLEY

Offshore fishing the Macleay MACLEAY VALLEY

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

The offshore fishing from Crescent Head in the south to Stuarts Point in the north can’t be described in just 1 word, as a single superlative doesn’t do it justice. This stretch of water, roughly 45km in length as the crow flies, would have to rate as one of the best light tackle sportfishing, game fishing and bottom fishing areas in the world. Why? It’s due to two things. The first is the continental shelf is at its closest point to the coast, a mere 15km or so offshore. This is mainly due to the fact that this short length of coastline protrudes further out to sea at Smoky Cape and Hat Head than the rest of the surrounding land mass, and the shelf dips in a bit at this point. The second is due to the headland poking so far out that during summer when the East Australian Current (EAC) pours south and smashes right into the rocks at these two points, it forms a large eddy that rolls down the coast.

This ensures that every fish travelling down from the tropics passes close by and, even better, all this action can be easily accessed from small trailer boats launched at the various nearby points along the coast.

cooler water. The hot water usually rolls in around mid December and lasts until June. Sometimes it may not show up until late January and finish in May, but as a general rule of thumb, the first 6 months are hot water and the second 6 are cool.

As late summer arrives and autumn gets into gear, the longtail tuna start to arrive en masse. The choices can be endless, with nowhere near enough hours to cover the options available on any given day. FISHING SEASONS There are basically two seasons; south flowing current with warm to hot water, and north flowing current to no current and

Cooler months When the cooler months arrive and the current slows right down, this is the time to hit the reefs, which are many and varied. These run all along the coast, with the ones in shallower water inside the shelf targeted for teraglin, mulloway, snapper, kingfish, morwong

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and nannygai. If you drift off onto the sand, there are numerous flathead about if you wish to chase them. Out in the deeper water you will find bar cod, monster blueye trevalla and large hapuka. Live baits or squid dropped down into the depths work well on these denizens of the deep, but then you have to get the fish back up and some of them are very big. For the sporting fishos, there are yellowfin tuna, striped tuna and striped marlin in the cooler waters, and some monster kingfish along the rocky headlands. Fish Rock and Black Rock are standouts for this species on poppers, live baits and jigs. The yellowfin show up all year round, but the cooler months see bigger concentrations of larger fish from 30-50kg. The good thing is they can be found from only a few hundred metres offshore right out to the shelf, so putting a few lures out while heading to the cod grounds is well worthwhile, with a few smaller lures included to grab some striped tuna for bait. The shallower reefs off Grassy Head and South West Rocks are a special in the cooler months for big snapper and mulloway. Warmer Months Now this is when it all happens and the current dictates fish activity. It can run south at over 5kts and make the FAD look like a water skier, but with it comes the fish. With water temperatures reaching 28°, just about anything is possible. First to arrive in late December to early January are the mahimahi and black marlin, and they come in swarms. The legendary triangle out from Trial Bay Gaol can see up to 40 boats chasing the marlin, and even with this many present, catches southwestrocks

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of 20 fish a day are not unheard of. Large schools slimy mackerel gather over the reefs here, and the marlin have a picnic, with almost as many billies as baitfish on some days. Most are smaller fish in the 20-50kg range, with bigger fish coming in at times, generally a bit further offshore. They are not just limited to this one spot, but will be scattered along the coast and can last well into March and April during some seasons. As for the mahimahi, they are all over the FAD and the numerous fish trap buoys along the coast, with some of the bigger

fish taken as bycatch when chasing marlin. It is not unusual to get bulls to 25kg on a regular basis, and they last right into May. As the water gets hotter, so does the fishing, as with it comes the tropicals down from Queensland and the wider Pacific areas. There’s Spanish mackerel, spotted mackerel, cobia, sailfish, wahoo, rainbow runners, giant barracuda, amberjacks, yellowfin, longtail, mac and striped tuna, bonito, trevally of all types, and the already mentioned black marlin and mahis. The tropicals might not be for everyone though, but there are still plenty of solid

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MACLEAY VALLEY snapper, yellowtail kingfish, mulloway and teraglin about over the reefs not too affected by the current. If it does back off a bit, the

as much over the sand at the back of the beach and are most often caught when chasing other species. Black Rock is a good spot to look

Out in the deeper water you will find bar cod, monster blueye trevalla and large hapuka. deepwater cod and trevalla are still there too. The mackerel can be found hunting over all the shallow reefs off the coast and the point at Hat Head, and they hang about right into June. Some of the biggest fish up to 35kg are captured then. The reefs out from Grassy Head can hold masses of spotties, or snook as the locals call them, from February right into late May, with a generous amount of bar-ees among them to keep you on your toes. Live slimy mackerel are the gun bait, but when they are on, pilchards catch just as many. You have to get there early though, as 40 boats or more will be out chasing them when they are on the bite. Cobia move in during late January and, being quite a mysterious creature, they can pop up just about any where at any time, which

for them. They reach up to 35kg, but most are in the 5-20kg bracket and they do fight hard. Now the close-in shallow reefs hold Spanish and cobia, but 1 place that is like a magnet to both fish and fishermen alike when the current runs is the aptly named Fish Rock. At times, the current hits it so hard that the water at the front of the rock is several metres higher than the back, and it leaves a massive eddy that swirls for several kilometres behind. This is where just about everything gathers at 1 time or another. Kingfish are always here and some of them are well educated destroyers of 30kg, but they average out at about 8kg. Small to medium yellowfin tuna sit at the northern side of the rock in the current, picking up the baitfish as they come down.

them into flight. Rainbow runners hold close to the rocks on the eastern side and monster tailor to 10kg can be found in the rough and tumble of the washes early in the morning. One surprising fish you may encounter are mangrove jacks. Some of the largest jacks ever caught in Australia have been taken here, while mulloway and snapper gather in numbers throughout the seasons as well. Lures cast into the washes could pull a GT or bigeye trevally, and amberjack visit too, while the outside edge of the eastern wash is a drawcard for wahoo when they are about. With more boats working the shelf over the past few years, 1 thing has become apparent and that is there is a world class blue marlin fishery starting to develop. Ten strikes or better a day is not unusual, with fish to 250kg taken for granted, with much larger fish destroying the lighter 24kg tackle commonly used. The serious anglers are now using 37kg tackle

The fish are obviously out there, but how do you get to them? There is a boat ramp at Crescent Head, but it is onto the beach and into the surf, so mainly used for smaller boats and not really suitable for larger vessels. Hat Head has a great 2 lane ramp into the calm waters of Korogoro Creek that allows the launching of larger vessels, but you have to work the tides. The amount of water your vessel draws dictates when you need to head home, and no one gets in at low tide unless you pull your boat out off the beach with a 4WD. Being a creek, it has a bar, so the relevant rules apply to wearing of life jackets, but for the most part it is a very safe crossing and larger vessels of 6m plus use it regularly. The next ramp is at Trial Bay below the gaol and is the safest ramp at South West Rocks, but can be closed by National Parks at their discretion — usually on holidays and long weekends… It has limited parking and is popular when it is open though.

tricky getting in and out on the lower parts of the tide if there is any swell. There is a dredge here that works to keep a channel open, but even with this you still must use caution. The main ramps are in the Macleay River about 2km from the river entrance. There is ample parking and pontoons for easy launching

and retrieval, but you do have to negotiate the river bar. If new to the area, walk out on the breakwall and watch how the locals do it before your first trip — it can be helpful. Now that you are out there, you have some of the best fishing in the world at your fingertips, so go get ’em.

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Back Creek is the next ramp, a dual lane number that has you launching into calm waters, but again you have to work the tides as it gets very shallow at the entrance. It can be quite

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First to arrive in late December to early January are the mahimahi and black marlin, and they come in swarms. is what makes them such a fascinating species. Both live and dead baits work on cobes, which more often than not travel in schools, so when you hook 1 you often hook a fish on every bait in the water. You’ll find them over all the reefs and pinnacles, but they will turn up just

Schools of mac tuna mix with them and sailfish and marlin will sit in the same position, picking up an easy feed in the current. Long toms gather here by the thousands and are a good food source. It looks amazing as dozens of them take to the air as predators below spook

to everyone. Large schools can be seem cruising the coast just off the headlands and along the backs of the beaches, showering garfish in all directions as they churn the water to foam and launch into the air. Fish from 15-25kg are the norm, and respond well to live baits and lures.

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MACLEAY VALLEY

Beach fishing the Macleay MACLEAY VALLEY

Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

Beach fishing is arguably the most popular way of participating in our sport on the NSW mid north coast. The very young to the very old and everyone in between can get in on the action, whether it be

may be required to access some of the more remote areas, however, plenty of quality fish are located on the doorstep of the villages and populated areas of the Macleay Valley. Beach fishing can be kept extremely simple or made as technical as anglers desire for their own level of satisfaction. Bait is generally available adjacent to the

are few species that inhabit our beaches that can resist a live beachworm, from your bread and butter targets like whiting and bream, through to larger predators like Australian salmon and mulloway. L o n g , soft rods loaded with stretchy mono lines and a simple running sinker or paternoster rig have done the job for decades and always will,

West Rocks town centre, and the boulders to the south of the surf club, can be home to some big bream as well as whiting. Ultra light gear is required to extract fish from these areas due to low swell activity. Front Beach runs from South West Rocks Surf Club to Laggers Point at the southern end of Trial Bay. Old wreckage is located in the surf at the centre of this beach. School mulloway can be taken from this area when holes develop around it. Front Beach is a popular location for flathead on soft plastics, especially through the mid section where washes form in the surf break. Gap Beach and Little Smoky Beach are 2 of the more secluded beaches in the area. Gap is accessible

The author with a nice Smoky Beach mulloway.

A rainbow forms over The Gap. soaking a bait, spinning lures or flicking soft plastics from the sandy shores. A 4WD vehicle

areas you are fishing, with beachworms in abundance, and pipis making a solid return to our shores. There

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MAY 2015

however, there is definitely a shift towards shorter threadline outfits loaded with braided lines and an arsenal of soft plastic and hardbody lures taking place on the beaches. From Grassy Head through to Crescent Head, there is approximately 60km of extremely fishable beach, which have varying degrees of protection depending on what direction the weather is coming from. The beach at Grassy Head sweeps down to the Macleay River and can be accessed by 4WD from the north end. A pedestrian bridge across the river also provides access to the beach at Stuarts Point. The landscape here changes regularly, due to the fact it is quite open to swells from the north and south. Heavy erosion can occur, making access difficult at times. The beach produces good amounts of whiting and flathead in the warmer months, and bream when it is cooler. When a deep hole forms alongside the breakwall at the southern end, big mulloway can be caught. Back Beach is located at South West Rocks between South Wall and Back Creek. This stretch fishes well for school mulloway and particularly flathead, especially at the mouth of Back Creek on a runout tide. Pike live baits can also be gathered at the mouth at times. Horseshoe Bay, located in the middle of the South

Smokey Cape lighthouse in action at night. via an unsealed road off the back road to Arakoon, and Little Smoky via the Jack Perkin walking trail from the car park for Smoky Cape Lighthouse. These beaches change shape frequently, as they get pounded by southerly swells. When deep gutters form along them, mulloway, Australian salmon and tailor become the main targets. Bream, whiting and dart frequent the shallow washes when there are no gutters. Smoky Beach stretches from Smoky Cape in the north 15km to Korogoro Creek on the north side of Hat Head Mountain. There’s 4WD access at the north end via the campground,

and to the south through the breakout at the northern end of Hat Head village. Being such a long beach, there is always somewhere fishable, although the northern two thirds is generally the most productive. Black Rock is located just offshore and the beach kinks in the protected area behind this island. Good gutters form to the south of this bend in the beach. It fishes well of an evening and into the night for school mulloway, bream and tailor. The tight bend in the middle of Smoky Beach narrows up considerably, sometimes becoming unpassable at high tide. Always plan your

passage through this area around a low tide or you could be up for a long trip home via South West Rocks Road, or worse still, stuck and at the mercy of the ocean. All the species that you would expect to find at the beach are present here through their respective seasons. The waters along Smoky Beach become quite calm along the village stretch from The Breakout to the creek. The calm waters aren’t usually productive, with the exception of shovelnose sharks, or, as they are affectionately known — Hat Head flathead. This area can become more productive when there is a bit of north in the swell — especially for whiting and flathead. From the south of Hat Head to Hungry Headland, there are 3 small beaches that fish very well when sand is present. The first beach, The Gap, is generally very rocky, but when a deep gutter forms close to the centre rocks, it can fire for salmon, tailor, bream and mulloway. Caution should be taken if fishing off the rocks though, as the deep hole will make waves reform and smash up against the platform. There is a car park located above The Gap and you are fishing basically within eyesight of your vehicle. Connors Beach is the second one along and is accessed by a short walk along the trail after the headland to the south of the car park. Third Beach is the next south and is a similar distance to walk in from either The Gap or Hungry Headland. When decent gutters are present, Connors and Third Beach fish well for tailor, mulloway, bream and whiting. These beaches are very exposed to southerly swells and at times may have no sand on them at all. Killick Beach runs for

MACLEAY VALLEY

Rock fishing the Macleay MACLEAY VALLEY

Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

Thousands of land based anglers head to the Macleay Valley each year to fish the rock ledges for a huge variety of species that seasonally visit our shores. There are many reasons rock fishing is so productive along this area of the mid north coast, however, the close proximity to the continental shelf and the fact that this region is visited by both southern and northern species of fish in huge numbers are 2 leading factors. Mackerel, cobia, marlin, mulloway, and snapper are just some of the vast array of species that can be targeted in the area with a good chance of success. With plenty of headlands facing in all directions, it is usually possible to find a spot that is fishable and protected from the elements, no matter what conditions you are faced with. Grassy Head is located to the north of South West Rocks and is the next headland up from where the Macleay River meets the sea. This small headland offers some safe fishing ledges with relatively easy access. Mulloway, bream and tailor are present for most of the year and can be targeted throughout the day, however, fishing an hour either side of sunset is the most productive time. Due to the distance from Smoky Cape and the protected area it provides for Trial Bay, Grassy Head is affected by any big swells out of the south and north. This area is definitely a no-go area then during times of large swell. The reefs off Grassy are a haven for

account for plenty of Spanish mackerel, longtail tuna and cobia from this area. Live baiting can be conducted here also, with bonito usually available from the washes. Yellowtail can be caught on occasions, however, it is worth being prepared if there are no bonito available by bringing in livies caught from elsewhere. The northern wall at the southern end of the beach from Grassy Head fishes best when there is a deep gutter across the front and along the beach. You will find big mulloway, flathead, bream, tailor and Australian salmon laying in ambush on a runout tide. Live baiting mullet, pike and yellowtail are the gun options for capturing a big mulloway here. Large paddle tail soft plastics and hardbody diving lures have accounted for some big fish too. The southern breakwall protrudes further out to sea than its northern partner. Due to the main channel of the Macleay running along the wall, it can be a tricky place to fish at times. The end fishes well on a runout tide and if there is a hole present it is possible to let your bait wash around in the back eddy that the river produces. Similar species to the northern wall will be found here. Firing floating bibbed divers out with the tide and slowly retrieving them over the holes that form alongside the bar channel is a popular approach for catching mulloway off the high rocks at the end of the wall. Inside of the breakwall is easier to fish towards the top of the tide, as the run is slow and snags become less common. Bouncing soft plastics along the edge of where the rocks meet the sand is a good way to

Spotted mackerel can be taken from the stones occasionally. mackerel from Christmas through to May, and during this time land based anglers get their chance at a piece of the action too. Large stickbaits and metal spinners

capture big flathead, school mulloway and bream. Blackfish are a common during the winter months. These walls are also reasonably safe and can be

fished in all but the worst conditions Mother Nature can dish up. The gaol wall located at Laggers Point to the southern end of Trial Bay is easily accessed from the Trial Bay camping area. Flathead and whiting are found on the inside over the sand flats. Big bream hold up for the night in this corner during the winter months whilst seeking protection from larger predators. Unweighted fresh bait fished on light line is the best way to fool these wary fish. The outside of the gaol wall through to Little Bay gives you direct access to the ocean. This stretch is riddled with reefs and bommies that can hold a lot of bait at times. Cobia, mackerel and bonito can be spun up from the ledges through the warmer months, while kingfish and tailor are available through

Ledges. Care must be taken here, as the places where you fish arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t very high above sea level. This area can hold mulloway and kingfish most of the year, as well as bream and drummer in winter. Access is via the Jack Perkins track from Smoky Cape Lighthouse and is approximately 1200m from where you park your car along Little Smoky Beach. Located off the northern side of Smoky Headland is a small island known as Gibraltar. Access is possible, however, it is strongly advisable to go with someone who knows the area and the access like the back of their hand. Depending on sand placement, the area will only be accessible at low tide, so be aware of this when fishing here. Big tailor, kingfish, Spanish mackerel and mulloway are the main targets off Gibraltar, with

Another solid Macleay mulloway taken from the stones.

Sean Watson a prized Spanish mackerel taken from Hat Head Point. most of the year. Berleying up the wash holes produces quality bream and drummer. This area is reasonably protected from southerly winds, however, it has some low ledges that should be avoided at all costs during periods of any swell activity. There is a road that runs along a portion of this area, providing very good access as well as picnic tables and shelters if you want to bring the family along. The area of rocks between Little Beach and Gap Beach is accessed from the Duck Ponds located at Arakoon. Mermaid Pools and Billygoat are 2 of the most popular spots in this region. Tailor, kingfish, mulloway, groper, and drummer are present along here, as well as visiting pelagics. Both headlands of Gap Beach are popular for mulloway fishing when deep holes form close to the headlands. Inside of Green Island lies a series of ledges imaginatively known as The

good numbers of bream, drummer and groper also found in the washes. The areas under the front of the lighthouse can also be red hot. These are equally as dangerous as Gibraltar, with high cliffs sloping directly to the water underlying most of the track out there. Extreme caution should once again be taken in this area. On the south side of Smoky Headland is the Cow Hole. This area is accessed from the north end of Smoky Beach. Mulloway and tailor are the main targets in the gutters and washes. Perhaps 1 of the most famous headlands in the Macleay and possibly even NSW is Hat Head. The Hat is the closest landmass to the continental shelf on the east coast. The headland juts out to the north east, causing the East Australian Current to take a right hand turn that creates a back eddy up the beach. This headland is a hive of activity all year round and has very good access.

The north side provides the ultimate protection from a southerly wind. There are plenty of safe spots from the creek to the point, but the action really starts heating up from Bird Rock, located on the outside of Little Beach, to the point. Mulloway, blackfish, bream and salmon are common here through winter, but it is the seasonal run of pelagics that Hat Head is most famous for. Both longtail and yellowfin tuna, marlin, Spanish mackerel and cobia are taken each year from this famous ledge, as well as bigeye trevally and even the odd mahimahi and wahoo. A life ring is located at Hat Head Point. Whilst these ledges are relatively safe, around the corner are some more sinister spots. The affectionately named Death Hole is a rope accessed area where extreme caution should be taken. Wards Hole is located further south, and once again extreme caution is required on these high ledges.

The Island is located on the south eastern side of the Hat. This area is accessed via a track down a steep hill and across a gutter that, depending on conditions, can be crossed at low tide. This spot and the area to the south on the mainland are very popular for cobia, Spanish mackerel, tuna and kingfish. Mulloway and tailor are located all the way from here to Connors Beach. The area from Hat Head Point to Connors Headland is very exposed to the south. Although not overly common, snapper can be taken from these headlands, usually after large seas. Hungry Headland is as productive as Hat Head at times. The north side towards Third Beach is mulloway anglerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heaven, with a whole series of gutters and cracks that just about all hold mulloway depending on their depth and sand placement. To the south side is a series of ledges that make live baiting pelagics like tuna, cobia and marlin possible, however, once again it is advisable to bring livies in with you. The little mulloway bite is located in closer towards the beach and when there is a gutter formed the area fishes well for bream, tailor and schoolies. Rock fishing can be an extremely dangerous sport. Any area can become deadly very quickly if conditions change, so always keep your wits about you and watch the areas you plan to fish first. Do not fish alone, wear proper footwear, and make sure someone knows where you are. Always remember that no fish is worth dying for! MAY 2015

FIND THE

VMC LOGO

COMPETITION There are 15 VMC Logos hidden throughout the pages of Fishing Monthly. Find the VMC logo and page number, fill in the entry form and go in the draw to win! The first 40 correct entries drawn at the end of the month will win a packet of VMC hooks. All entries will go into the major prize draw. (Drawn May 31st 2015)

MONTHLY PRIZE VMC Wide Gape Worm Hook Pack Made in France Value $7.95

MAJOR PRIZES PAGE NO: 1

600 2

$ ST PLACE

VALUE OF RAPALA VMC PRODUCTS

400 3 200

$ ND PLACE

$ RD PLACE

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MAIL ENTRIES TO:

NSWFM Find the VMC Logo Competition, PO BOX 3172, Loganholme QLD 4129 Entries must be received by 31 MAY 2015 Original entries only. No photocopies. Images for illustration purposes only.

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Kayak sounder solutions BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

It was the mid 1990s when I first installed a depth sounder on my fishing kayak. It was an old Eagle grey scale and you could

Top and above left: The Ziploc bag transducer housing. Not pretty, but it’s served the author well. Above Right: A Ziploc bag of water and a roll of tape can get you out of trouble. Right: A small sealed battery is all that’s required to run the most basic sounder.

probably count the pixels on your fingers and toes, so it looked like a game of Tetris. It certainly didn’t have any sort of down, side or 360 degree scanning or imaging. What it did do though, was allow me to see how deep the water was, so that I could focus my casts

along the edges of dropoffs and banks. In those early years of kayak fishing, I was fishing from a 9’ sit inside kayak, and after some research and discussion with boaties that had sounders, I decided to Sikaflex the transducer inside the hull so that there was no air between the transducer, the hull and the water. This allowed the sounder to shoot and receive the signal through the hull. This served me well for many years and when it finally separated a little and was reading off and on, I just threw a handful of water in around the transducer and away we went again. So let’s have a look at why you might add a sounder

to your kayak, some things to keep in mind when selecting a sounder, and a few options when it comes to installation. WHY INSTALL A SOUNDER? I remember Tim ‘The Bream’ Morgan saying a sounder is your eyes beneath the surface, allowing you to locate structure, bait and even fish. This is spot on. When you look out over an impoundment, across a river, or over an expanse of ocean, especially at a new location, it can be quite overwhelming in terms of where to start. For many years it took time on the water to work areas out. If you snagged a few lures, you’d found some structure. If you kept catching weed, you knew the area was weedy. A clean lure generally signalled a sand or mud bottom. Low tide explorations added to your bank of knowledge and understanding of the system, and over time you cracked a pattern in terms of tides, moons, water clarity and other variables. With the aid of a sounder you now launched onto this new waterway with your eyes scanning the horizon for obvious structure, while they also referred to the sounder in search of snag piles, holes, banks, dropoffs, bait, fish and other keys to the puzzle. This ability to see below the water can be even more important when fishing from a kayak, as we tend to focus our attention in a smaller area, rather than travelling the distances covered by the boaties in search of fish. A sounder fast tracks your knowledge and allows you to get the most out what you are able to cover.

Top: A Railblaza mount for the head unit, and a plastic bag of water for the transducer. Above Left: This compact unit offers the kayak angler both sounder and GPS at a reasonable price. Above Right: A Railblaza StarPort and adjustable platform make for a quick install and easy adjustment. WHICH SOUNDER? Select a reputable brand and buy the best you can afford. That’s a good starting point. You don’t need to blow the budget though, with Lowrance now offering a colour sounder for under $150 specifically designed with kayak anglers in mind. For those heading offshore, fishing tournaments, or who have the budget, a more powerful unit with more features and a larger screen provides additional information, detail, and is easier to read, but you do need to consider the available cockpit space and mounting options. After my early ‘Tetris’ days, there are now a couple of features that I always opt for when purchasing a sounder. Colour A colour sounder allows you to better separate fish from structure and bait, identify bottom types, and also to separate fish from thermoclines. I remember well the first time I used a colour sounder; I located a ball of bait that on my grey

MAY 2015

scale sounder would have appeared as a dark coloured ball. Low and behold, with my colour sounder it was a green ball, with 2 red arches in amongst it. After catching a few yellowtail pike, I would normally have moved on, but I persisted and soon hooked up to 1 of the red arches, which turned out to be a nice snapper. Returning to the bait ball, it wasn’t long before the rod buckled over again and I was into another red. When I returned to the mark once more, I found a green ball on the sounder with no red arches. I was sold! GPS If you can afford a combo sounder/GPS unit, then there are many benefits available. Once you locate fish-holding structure, a GPS allows you to mark this point (waypoint) and easily return to it in the future. It also allows you to mark bait or fish, a point where you had a bite or hooked a fish, or anything else of interest. If you are drifting or trolling, you can also record tracks that show where you have been to

ensure you are covering new water on your next run. A GPS is also handy when you are on an adventure from Point A to Point B, allowing you to assess the distance covered and ensure you are on track. This becomes even handier when on multi-day adventures where you need to reach your designated campsite before nightfall. When it comes to selecting a sounder, do your research, make note of what features are important to you, and talk to the experts at the local dealership. INSTALLATION OPTIONS A few years ago I decided at short notice to fish an ABT bass comp at Clarrie Hall Dam. I uninstalled my sounder from my offshore kayak, threw it

in a bag and we set off. When we arrived to fish the comp, I filled a plastic Ziploc bag with water, dropped the transducer in, taped the bag closed around the transducer cord and sat it on the floor of the sit-in kayak. It read perfectly well through the hull of the kayak! Thanks to the sounder, I located bass holding within the weed and extracted them using soft plastics, weighing in my 2 fish bag, but unfortunately not big enough to trouble the winners. What this shows though, is that it is simple science that ensures your sounder will work. As long as there is no air between the transducer and the water, then there is a good chance your sounder should read okay. Many Hobie Kayaks now feature the Lowrance

Ready System, including a built-in transducer mount and pre-installed through-hull cable plugs, so installation is a breeze. Other brands, such as Ocean Kayak offer models that feature a transducer scupper to make installation easier, while Viking have introduced a removable Tackle Pod that makes for simpler installation and the ability to remove the pod, including tackle, sounder, battery and other accessories at the end of the session. The days of using Sikaflex or silicone to attach your transducer inside the hull of the kayak are probably gone, unless you plan to only use the sounder in that kayak and not switch between kayaks or other vessels. Another option is a kit available from your local kayak or marine dealer

that includes a foam block to fit your transducer to. This is glued inside the kayak hull and the transducer simply pushes into this block, allowing it to be easily removed as required. Some kits include oil that is poured into the block prior to the transducer being inserted, while others simply utilise a handful of water to remove the air between the transducer and hull. Another common installation option is an arm on which the transducer is mounted, that in turn mounts to the kayak. This enables the transducer to be lifted or lowered as required and easily removed when not in use or when transferring the unit to another vessel. Ram and Railblaza would have to be the 2 most popular mount

and accessory companies for paddlers, and they offer a multitude of installation solutions. Fitting out your kayak is part of the fun of kayak fishing and although you don’t necessarily need a sounder to catch fish, you will be

surprised just how handy it is, how often you refer to it, how quickly you learn about the area you’re fishing, and how often in the past you have most likely paddled over structure, bait, and fish. A sounder will open your eyes… beneath the surface.

The colour sounder clearly showed bass hiding in the weed.

Above Left: A Railblaza camera boom allows the transducer to be folded up when not in use. Above Right: Unlock 2 Railblaza StarPort mounts and the whole assembly is removed in seconds.

A Railblaza boom folded down so the transducer is in the water and reading.

Profish “Load & Go” Pods Our Removable Pod system will see you having more time on the water. Rig up the night before and simply load your pods on location and go...

Profish Tackle Pod™ • Integrated Sounder, Transducer and Battery pod. • Completely removable in one easy action. • Large internal tackle storage facility. Profish Chill Pod™ • Insulated to keep your catch in perfect condition. Just add ice. • Quick release for ease of loading into your vehicle. • Contains the mess, making clean down a breeze.

FISHING KAYAK SPECIALISTS

www.vikingkayaks.com.au

The complete assembly is attached in seconds via 2 Railblaza StarPort mounts.

Free call 1800 00 42 40

30 Year Warranty Quality assurance MAY 2015

The snapper are on! ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

Yep, there are a few nice snapper hanging about most of the deeper reefs off the Illawarra coast at the moment, and they should linger for a few weeks before working their way into shallow water looking for early cuttlefish. The current has backed right off now, so you can get those plastics down deep in 80m plus on the right day and drift around waiting for that first punishing run. Or you could hunt around with the sounder and look for bait schools and fish around these. You should see the larger snapper around the edges or in the vicinity when you zoom in to the right depth. It can get frustrating when they don’t want to play, but with a bit of persistence a big fish or 2 will come your way. Braid lets you get down deep and stay in touch with your bait, even if there is a bit of current, and as for choice of bait and colour, well white is as good as any. Why a snapper would eat things that are all the colours of the rainbow is beyond me, but they do, so anything is worth a go.

I like the Gulp range, but there are plenty of others out there that work outstandingly well on their day. There are all sorts of other species that love plastics, in particular the leatherjacket tribe that can destroy them in seconds, so bring plenty or it could be a short trip. When you find jackets, move! There can be a bit of bycatch too, with a few samsonfish and even the odd decent flathead if you fish along the edges of the rock and sand that snapper love so much. If you want to use bait, then pick your reef and berley away and use as light a lead as possible to get best results. Alternatively, feed the bait out about the distance that the water is deep, then use a sinker with a snap on it with a very short length of line. Put the rod in the holder, clip the sinker on the line and drop it over the side. The sinker will slide down the line, taking the bait with it slowly down through all the water depths until it hits the bottom. You’re covering all the water, from top to bottom, to tempt any fish in between. There is also the shallow water option. With a full moon early in the month as it was in April, we may get 2 bites

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of the cherry this year. The shallow reefs and bommies with a bit of berley in the evenings might well be worth a look as well. If the snapper don’t want to play, then there are other options, with a few decent kings getting about over the reefs as well. Some will grab a plastic, but the big fellas love live baits, so a slimy fished deep with the snapper baits could get the job done. Alternately, you could work your live baits around the dropoffs of the islands and Bass Point. Be wary though, as the seals are gathering in numbers, taking not only baits, but any kings you might hook. They are more prevalent around the islands, but are liable to pop up anywhere of late. Looking wider, the shelf should see a few yellowfin start to make a show over the coming weeks. There could be a few patches here and there along the coast, or they could blow up all over, it varies with the seasons, but so far it has been a bit on the quiet side. That can change in the matter of days though. If you are looking for yellowfin out around the Kiama Canyons, it is worth dropping down deep with baits when the going is slow for any early gemfish or a trevalla, as the current can be very slow and accommodating this month. With often calm seas and slow drifts, you can stay over the better spots for longer. Back in closer to shore, there will be a few trevally starting to show as the water cools a little. The washes and shallow reefs around the islands are a good spot to start, but most of the shallow reefs will have a few trevally gathering over them. If you get desperate, there is still the ever-reliable salmon. You could do worse than work the washes with

They won’t all be this big, but there will be more silver trevally showing over the shallow reefs and along the rocks this month.

There will be plenty of these guys in the washes and on the beaches this month. bream and even the odd nice snapper. Take a few royal red prawns and fish with a very light sinker or just a split shot or 2 and work the same washes for more bream and trevally, with a few big drummer and blackfish thrown in. Schools of salmon mixed with bonito are still popping up along the beaches and headlands, with some big bonnies left over from last month grabbing livies meant for kings. For the drifters, the flathead have backed off a little, but there are still more than enough over the sand patches to keep you busy, with

Morwong are about over the gravel, with plenty of nice little pan-sized snapper over the reefs and the gravel patches. A few leatherjackets have been about, so if you like a feed of jackets, get out there and rid the place of the piranha of the Pacific. On the rocks, it is a bit of everything for everyone, with good numbers of blackfish moving along the coast in the washes on the headlands and in the quiet bays and harbours early in the morning. If we get a bit of a blow and the sea comes up, they will pack the harbours for a bit of fun when all else is shut down.

• On the doorstep of St George’s Basin • Family friendly park • Private Boat Ramp & Jetty • Accommodation to suit any budget • Close to Clubs and Pubs • Kiosk for the fisherman & family

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enquiries@rivieracaravanpark.com.au 158 River Road, Sussex Inlet www.rivieracaravanpark.com.au

Great Lifestyle Opportunity! 64

MAY 2015

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You don’t necessarily need braid if you fish light. This catch of snapper to 5kg was taken on 2kg tackle in shallow water. Not a single bustoff, and only 1 fish lost due to the hook pulling. pilchards on ganged hooks to pick up a few salmon, with a bycatch of tailor, trevally,

a few gurnard and flounder thrown in off Port Beach and up north past Stanwell Park.

Drummer are starting to get active and there are plenty of bream and a few trevally in

the washes, with the chance of a nice snapper off the deeper ledges. For the land based game guys, this is your best month to score a longtail off the stones in the local area. All the headlands around Kiama are worth soaking a live yellowtail or slimy mackerel from, and you will need to take a few with you as there are plenty of salmon, bonito and rat kings about to knock them off. Some bigger kings are about early, but the longtails can show up any time of the day, with late afternoon a great time. As for the beaches, I like this time of year, with its fewer but bigger whiting and plenty of bream. Beachworms are still the bait, but it can be a bit cool catching them now, as the westerlies put a bit of a chill into wet legs. Salmon are all along the coast and they are still finding a few schools of bait to chase into the shallows and go mad over, turning the shore break into an even bigger washing machine. Some nice school mulloway have been about on the northern beaches for the keen guys who stay up late and fish the top of the bigger tides. I haven’t heard of any thumpers, but they have been common enough to warrant a look. In the estuaries, it is starting to slow down and it isn’t all about flatties any more. You will have to be a bit versatile and chase the bream and blackfish along the edges of the ribbon weed beds. There are some flatties about, but they will taper off quickly towards the end of the month. A few nice whiting will remain down around the entrance to the lake, and there is even the chance of a mulloway under the bridge if you are lucky. Minnamurra has gone a bit quiet, with mainly bream around the bridges, the odd trevally and small salmon down at the entrance, and a couple of whiting in the main channel.

Everything’s on the move as winter looms NOWRA

Wes Murphy wesmurphy@bigpond.com

This time of year usually brings calm, crisp days and hopefully 1 of them coincides with great conditions offshore! If all these things come together, then I am sure that there are some employers out there who may start to notice a pattern in people taking sick days off every year around this time. Why? Well the tuna of course! We should start to see the annual run of southern bluefin tuna soon, but you will need to put in some effort to find these guys. Big boats, big fuel tanks, and big reels are all needed to make the run out wide. There are a couple of different methods, but most choose to cube. Cubing involves purchasing blocks of pilchards, cutting them up into ‘cube’ sizes and throwing them over the side of the boat 1 at a time. When you see the first cube disappear into

Slow rolled hardbodies are the go this month.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Fisheries clamps down on illegal traps Fisheries officers are continuing to protect the precious aquatic environment of the Hastings River, cracking down on illegal crab trapping. Department of Primary Industries Acting Director Fisheries Compliance Tony Andrews said in a covert patrol near Port Macquarie, a 40 year-old male was recently apprehended for allegedly using excess crab traps that were not marked as required. “The man had 39 mud crabs in his possession, about eight times over the daily bag and possession limit, which was deemed to be of a commercial quantity of a listed priority species,” Mr Andrews said. “Fisheries officers seized the man’s boat and outboard motor, the vessel trailer, fishing gear and returned the mud crabs to the water alive.” The man is expected to receive a court attendance notice, and an application is being made for forfeiture of the seized items. “I strongly encourage all recreational fishers to follow the rules and mark traps and nets correctly with the fisher’s initial, surname, year of birth and postcode,” Mr

Andrews said. Mr Andrews said the man will face the charge of possession of more than the maximum quantity of fish in circumstances of aggravation, which carries a maximum penalty of $44,000 and/or 12 months imprisonment. “In addition, if found guilty of exceeding the possession limit of a priority species, the courts may impose an additional penalty of up to 10 times the market value of the fish,” Mr Andrews said. “The numbers of traps that are legally allowed to be used by both commercial and recreational fishers have been set to maintain a workable and sustainable fishery. “Fisheries officers regularly patrol these waters and will apprehend and prosecute anyone involved in illegal fishing.” For more information about NSW fishing rules and closures, download the NSW Recreational Saltwater Fishing Guide at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ fisheries. Anyone with information about suspected illegal fishing activity is encouraged to call the Fishers Watch Phoneline on 1800 043 056. – NSW Fisheries

the depths, throw the next over. One of these cubes needs to have a hook in it, so back the drag lever off and pull line off until you’ve let about 150m out. Reel it back and repeat the process while still throwing other cubes in. Make sure you listen to the radio for talk of where the fish might be, as this should ensure you have some success. He who shares, wins! As the weather cools, the snapper warm up! These guys can be found up and down the coast and targeted inshore in the washes, out wide on pinnacles that show up on your GPS, or raised reef areas you have identified on the sounder. Have a talk to your local tackle shop when you’re in there next time, as these guys have their eyes and ears everywhere, and the information is usually only hours old. Kiama, Currarong, Jervis Bay and Ulladulla are all great places to go find some reddies, with some of the best grounds at this time of year being The Banks, Middle Ground, Long Nose Bommie and Moes Rock. My preferred method is casting soft plastics. Gulps and Z-Mans in the 5-7” range, bright greens, reds and pinks, rigged on ¼-1oz jigheads are my go-to choices. Cast out, count it down to the bottom, double hop the

plastic, and then let it sink again before repeating until you’re ready for another cast. In the estuaries, we have seen a good number of bass and estuary perch move further downstream. The bass are holding west of the Shoalhaven Bridge, and there is no need to go any further up than Shoalhaven Lodge. The estuary perch are now congregating around the bridge pylons and downstream of the canal around Comerong Island. The surface bite has disappeared, so look at throwing blades and soft plastics around. If you want to bait fish, see if you can grab some live prawns off the commercial fishermen. The bass and EPs go nuts for them, but don’t be surprised if you catch good numbers of bream and flathead too! In St Georges Basin we have seen the surface bite die off, with the bream still feeding up on the shallows most days, but now preferring a slow rolled hardbody lure. If you can’t find them, then go out a little deeper and chug away with blades and plastics. The Department of Primary Industries have just deployed some new artificial reefs here, so check out their website for the updated marks: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov. au/fisheries/recreational/ saltwater/artificial-reefs/ st-georges-basin

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Wow! Can there be any more marlin caught? BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

This has probably been 1 of the best marlin seasons in 10-15 years and it’s still going strong. At the moment, tagging 2-3 fish a day is a bad day. If you are not tagging 10 or more then you are not really marlin fishing. But seriously, just seeing 1 of these beautiful creatures up close and personal is quite

some of the keener or more experienced are tagging 10-15 in a day. As you read this, we will still be seeing marlin off the south coast, and there have been quite a number caught further down as the currents continue to push hard. We seem to be experiencing warmer and warmer currents over the last few years. This is having some interesting benefits. This past summer we saw a coral trout, sweetlip emperor and a

too. The downside is the organisms and plants that are used to a colder temperature are becoming affected. For instance, the Tasmanian kelp forests are starting to disappear due to the rise in temperature and the introduction of new organisms such as the long spined sea urchin, which eats everything in its way. So these warmer waters may see an increase in some things, but obviously there is a downside as well. It’s hard to

Some snapper are about with some nice specimens like this one coming in. an experience. Plenty of fishos over the last couple of months have done just that and

MAY 2015

northern barracuda caught on the south coast, and the marlin run seems to be pushing further

say what the future holds. All we know is things are always changing and always will.

What you need to do is be able to adapt to the changes. The kingfish are not holding in any real place at the moment, but they are out there in schools, so you need to adapt. We know that there are some good kingies up to 15kg knocking around off the Bay, so if you want some of this action I suggest downrigging livies and walk them with the boat just in gear at a depth of 10-15m along the inshore reefs. Some good fish have been getting speared, but the boats are struggling on rod and reel, so downrigging and covering ground would be the go. It’s encouraging to see some nice fish around, and let’s hope by mid May that there are some good schools off Moruya or Broulee. By then we usually see the marlin bite pick up again, as fish that have travelled south retreat north to warmer waters. Mahimahi have been around in massive numbers again this past summer and into autumn, as they were last year. These guys are at the FAD, the wave rider buoy off Durras, plus headlands, and can be found under your boat pretty much anywhere offshore at the moment. The only problem is that they are all around 50cm and need to grow a further 10cm to make the 60cm legal length for dinner. And they make the best dinner on earth. It’s very frustrating when you have the ocean’s number 1 delicacy swimming all over the place and they are too small, but if you are persistent enough you’ll find a few legal ones, and if you are lucky enough there is the odd bull here and there. The inshore reefs are seeing the snapper bite lift and anglers smiling a lot more lately, compared to a few weeks ago when they were threatening to give up and sell their boats. For sale signs have been ripped up and wives are happy they have stopped whingeing and are out of the house again. What has given them an even bigger smile is a nice run of flathead as well. Not many things can give a mahimahi fillet a run for its money, but a flathead tail sure tries hard. Summer may have finished, but I don’t think you can beat autumn for its comfortable temperatures and fish availability. Other reef species that have been consistent lately have been mowies and nannygai. There have been some big schools of massive salmon smashing bait offshore also, and amongst them have been kings. So drive up with a metal on light gear for some fun. Some of these salmon are 2-3kg — horses! On the beaches we are seeing salmon, tailor and whiting. Good numbers of

salmon seem to be south and good numbers of whiting north if you want to break it up. Tailor have been thick in some areas and there have been some arvo sessions where you could spin up 20-50 off some beaches. We are also starting to see some good mulloway being caught from the beaches after a great run in the estuary over the last 6 or so weeks.

daily, so it always comes back to the number 1 rule of finding the fish first. That’s what Daniel Dowley did at the recent Tuross Heads Flathead and Bream Tournament. He found a 47 and an 85cm flathead, and backed up with a couple of average bream to take out the tournament. Friend and fellow angler on the day, Layton Brant, came in seventh.

There’s plenty of luderick at the moment hanging around structure. Jorge Richardson bagged this one.

A great, pan sized luderick. Nearly every night there were hookups, runs, bustoffs and landed mulloway. It didn’t seem to matter what bait you were using, obviously fresh is always best, but so long as you were fishing the tide change you were in with a chance. Bycatch has been big rays or sharks, so don’t get too excited at first take, as it could be any 1 of the 3. Bream in the estuary can be hard to find sometimes, but once you are onto them they are in good condition, with some thumpers getting around. There are plenty of flatties too, and you just have to be in the right place when they are on the chew. Paul got a nice 85cm one off Corrigans Beach, and Caine had a run of 50cm plus fish off Long Beach the other day. Obviously things change

Another friend and customer of the Compleat Angler Batemans Bay got second place, congrats Billy Sgouros! Quite a few of our customers finished in the top 20, so well done to you all. Autumn carries with it a farewell to the hot weather and a reminder of the cold to come, but it is definitely a time to be in the moment because the temperature is just right, the sunrises and sunsets are colourful, and the fishing is on fire. For more up-to-the-minute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).

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Wagonga impresses NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

It’s no secret that Narooma’s Wagonga Inlet is a favourite estuary haunt of mine. It has an abundance of different species that are catchable using a variety of techniques, but even after fishing this pristine estuary for 30 plus years, it still amazes me how well it fishes at times. Well Wagonga is back to its absolute best. The place is alive with fish, and best of all they want to play the game. The

of the woods it’s quite a few fish. Most are averaging 80-90cm, so solid models, but there are quite few bigger fish being hooked also. We have used soft plastics most of the time, and it may seem a little weird, but smaller fish style plastics around 80mm have been the go. Using bigger plastics 100mm and up means you will struggle, so stick to the smaller stuff. The mulloway are widespread, with the key being to locate the bait and concentrate efforts there. There’s an abundance of whitebait, glassies and frogmouth pilchards

legal fish a session at present, it’s that good. The bonus of using slightly smaller plastics means you get a good bag of bycatch in between mulloway bites. Bream, snapper, flounder and tailor will keep you interested and provide a quality feed if you desire. This action should continue for a month or so; as long as the water hovers around that 20-21 degree mark and the bait stays there, I can’t see any reason why it will change. Let’s cross the fingers and hope so anyway. Anglers fishing offshore continue to reap the rewards, with the Leon and his 88cm mulloway from Wagonga. There’s been a lot of them around the last few weeks.

Stuie Beath from Adelaide with a top flattie. last few weeks have seen some of the best mulloway angling that I can recall. We have managed 9 solid fish while guiding there lately, with just as many lost due to pulled hooks. That may not sound many to some, but for this neck

throughout the system, so find them and you will find the predators. Mulloway aren’t the only critters chewing. Flathead numbers are excellent, with heaps of 45-50cm fish to be caught. It’s possible to get 20-25

marlin bite not looking like slowing down any time soon. It’s been an incredible season for the beaks — I would say the best bite since the early 2000s when it was a belter of a year. Almost every boat that heads wide are

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having shots at marlin. Most succeed, but a few don’t. It’s not uncommon for experienced crews to get 6-8 bites a day, mainly off bait balls, but trolling is producing results also. The majority of marlin are stripes, but there’s definitely more blacks this month than previously. A few of the them are sizeable fish, with specimens to 180kg being captured. I’ve heard of bigger fish lost too, but that’s always the way, isn’t it? With the water still warm and plenty of bait present, I’d expect the beaks to be around for 6 or so more weeks, which is great for the game fraternity. This month will also see yellowfin tuna in better numbers. There’s been sporadic captures whilst targeting marlin by those trolling, with fish to 50kg. As we head further into the month, cubing becomes another dynamite method. It’s a little more work, but the rewards should justify the effort. At Montague Island, the kings are on 1 day, and then have the next 7 off.

They are becoming very frustrating for anglers, as their bite times seem to be getting smaller every year. I’m not sure why, but I do believe that the seals have something to do with it. There must be 3000 plus seals there now and that’s a lot of fish that needs to be eaten, so maybe the kings have wised up and are moving elsewhere. When you do get a few, live bait and jigs have worked, but you will lose 3 out of 5 to the seals, there’s that many. The bottom bouncers are having better luck, with heaps of sand flathead in 30-35m of water. Better areas seem to be straight off Dalmeny Headland, with the chance at the odd gummy shark also. Those after snapper have done okay, but you do have to move around to locate them. Further north at Potato Point is the place to fish, with fresh squid and pilchards the preferred baits to use. The next 3 months will see the bigger reds move in close as the cuttlefish run gets into full swing. On the beaches, bread

and butter species like whiting, bream and mullet continue to feed on the close-in gutters. Lightly weighted beachworms and pipi baits will do the job, with the northern end of Brou Beach a standout. There’s some cracking gutters there that are holding a stack of fish. If you’re after a bit more sport, then salmon are available in great numbers, with Shiners and baits on paternoster rigs the go. The rockhopping crews will have stacks of fun this month, with blackfish, groper, bream and drummer starting to fire up nicely. Casting lightly weighted baits like cunjevoi, prawns and cabbage weed will entice enough fish for a nice feed. Better ledges to try include Golfie Rocks in town (Hole 3, Hogan’s Hole), the southern wall at the breakwall, or Dalmeny Headland about 5km to the north. If targeting pelagic species, these headlands will also produce salmon, tailor and bonito, with whole pilchards on ganged hooks the best.

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Offshore Merimbula madness, inshore delights MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

What a cracking month we have had on the fishing scene around the Merimbula region. It really doesn’t matter what sort of fishing your into, there’s definitely something for everyone. Offshore anglers are excited as the game fish continue to chew using a variety of different techniques. Marlin are still in good numbers, but l suspect they will thin out a little as the month progresses and the water temperature drops a little. The beaks being captured are a mixture of striped and black with the majority of fish around 90-100kg, solid fish in anyone’s books! With the marlin not as thick as previous months, trolling has been a better option as you’re covering a lot of ground. Some crews have been lucky, finding bait balls whilst trolling and then pitching live baits back to the marlin. This red-hot spectacle is something to see with lit up marlin at the back of your boat, if your lucky enough to have it happen to you, you won’t forget it for a long time. The

marlin bite has been wide with the shelf the place to fish. With the water about to cool down it’s tuna time down this neck of the woods. Both yellowfin tuna and albacore will be patrolling the currents; those trolling early in the season will have better results. It’s like marlin, you cover the ground and find the fish not the other way around. There’s already been a sprinkling of yellowfin with a few 40kg models getting captured. I would expect bigger fish and more this month as the water gets to around 18-19°C, ideal big fish water. With the change of season more mako sharks will be available as will the albacore. These fine eating species will be in great numbers anywhere from the 40-fathom line eastwards. Closer to shore these been a few kings around Haycock Point, though they have been hard to entice. Those that have done OK have been throwing larger poppers and stickbaits when they see the kings on the surface. This is very exciting fishing and when it all comes together is quite memorable. In the estuaries, it’s business as usual. Both Merimbula and Pambula Lakes are firing up nicely

with flathead abundant in both systems. There doesn’t seem to be big girls getting caught, just a lot of solid eaters around the 40-50cm mark, which are great on the plate. Those fishing the channels are doing OK on the bream as the yellowfins are heading out to sea to do their thing. That doesn’t mean they will all leave the system, there will still be plenty to tangle with. Whiting and blackfish have been good, especially for the bait anglers, with peeled prawns working a treat. The channels will continue to fish well until winter, they may slow up a little then but if you work hard you will still get results. On another note, it still surprises me what you sometimes catch in our southern estuaries. The other day whilst guiding at Pambula we caught a beaut little amberjack around the 35cm mark whilst targeting flatties. To say it was a surprise is an under statement, as l hadn’t heard of one being caught in there. I know of several captured in Merimbula Lake but not Pambula. This little fella did a short camera shoot then was released in super condition to find his northern home again.

On the beaches the bream fishing has really picked up over the last two weeks. I know of several

few solid whiting to add to the bag plus the odd tailor as well. Those after salmon have to work a little bit for them as

in good numbers from most headlands with the better ones being Tura Head, Merimbula Wharf (inside

Dave, Liam and Justin had a great day on the bream catching and releasing 43 for the day, all fish caught on plastics fishing the shallow flats. anglers using beach worms getting their bags inside a few hours, which is pretty good fishing. I won’t disclose the actual gutter they were fishing but the beaches just north of Tura have been exceptional. With the bream there’s a

they have been hard to locate in any numbers. That should change as we head closer to winter with the odd jumbo greenback tailor expected too. For the rock-hoppers after pelagics like bonito and mac tuna, this is your month. I’d expect to see both species

the bay) and Long Point. Casting metal shiners and live baiting slimy mackerel should see some solid results for those that put in the time and effort. It’s important that you fish early for both species especially in calmer conditions.

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Metre-plus flatties still about in the Bega TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Metre-plus flathead, well that is nice! Well they’re on offer in the Bega River at the moment. These fish will often congregate in the

lower parts of the system before winter falls, mainly to gain condition before the waters cool, and this is when anglers can cash in. These big fish are now not uncommon in the river, and for best results fish with lures (hard or soft plastics), or fresh baits like live mullet, prawns or nippers.

Mulloway are also another fish that prospers under these conditions and are now a regular catch. Around the bridge or the adjacent rocky shoreline are prime areas, as is the rock walls up around Thompsons. Again, most are being taken on lures, although there are

Some of the estuaries in this part of the world are sincerely picturesque.

Trevally are a popular catch anywhere around the Tathra region.

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MAY 2015

plenty that are partial to a live mullet or fresh strip of tailor. One of the true benefits of what has happened to this system has been the estuary perch. These fish have bred up in good numbers since the nets left, providing 1 of the best fisheries for this species along the coast. Lure fishing is good for them, although if you want some exciting fun, try drifting an unweighted live prawn around structure and hang on. There are plenty of bream on offer, along with some nice blackfish around the bridge, whiting over the flats, tailor smashing baitfish on the surface, or travel up to the brackish water for a bass. Along the coastline around Tathra, the fish are migrating and providing good beach fishing. Anglers fishing adjacent to rocky platforms will quite often encounter a variety of species. This is best done by the use of bait, where variety is the spice of fishing. Beachworms and

nippers are likely to produce fish like whiting, mullet, bream or drummer, and these fish can be captured in relatively shallow water with light tackle. The more common beach tactics will produce salmon, some nice tailor, the odd mulloway, and gummy sharks on the moon. Pilchards or strip baits will account for most, however, to enhance your chances, berley with oily fish like tuna or mackerel. The wharf at Tathra is always a popular place and at present there are plenty of fish to be found. Garfish are in good numbers and easily berleyed up close to the rocks. Slimy mackerel are prolific, providing plenty of entertainment for young and old alike, while the ever-present yellowtail and trevally will add to the catch. With so many smaller fish in this area, you can be sure predators are not too far behind. At present, you could expect tuna, kingfish, sharks, bonito and salmon. Of an evening or at

night, start thinking of nice golden calamari rings, as squid will often show up in good numbers and are easily caught on a jig. Out to sea, snapper have showed on most reefs, and are of a good size. Lures are working well on them nearer to shore, while bait is best in deeper water. Out deeper, you are likely to encounter plenty of morwong, ocean perch, and as you drift off the reef, the tiger flathead start. Closer to the beaches, sand flathead abound, providing many a tasty meal and quite often gummy sharks will be an additional bycatch. It is tuna season, with plenty of yellowfin out wide towards the shelf. These are being taken on trolled lures, cubes or live baits in berley trails, and albacore tuna will often make an appearance and provide plenty of action. Have a shark trace handy for that stray mako that may turn up in the trails, as these fish can be one of the most spectacular game fish an angler can encounter.

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Can the awesome bite continue? BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

It has definitely been one of the best marlin seasons in many a decade, but will it continue with the tuna? The hot currents along the east coast this season have brought these fish to us, and now we await to see if the tuna season can be as good.

There are a variety of ways to target tuna and the best is to berley and cube. It’s not bad practice to troll first, hopefully catching a fish, which will indicate tuna in the area. Once located, start your berley trail and work the area for a reasonable time. There is usually a lot of boat activity, so it pays to listen to the radio as to how other boats are going, which will show where the fish are congregating.

Baits that can be used while berleying range from cut slimy mackerel, yellowtail, and striped tuna to whole and diced pilchards. Also, you can hang a shark bait, or a live bait on heavier mono for both tuna and marlin. Depending on water temperatures at the time, it can have a bearing on what game fish may still be around. It is still likely there will be mahimahi,

The estuaries around Bermagui are still chockers with fish.

Bigeye tuna will sometimes mix in with the yellowfin. Let’s hope it is a good season.

albacore tuna, and sharks in a variety of species (which can include makos, blues, whalers and tigers). Marlin will still be present and it is very likely if you target them by either trolling live baits or lures they will be encountered in good numbers. Yellowfin can also be found in this manner and there is still a possibility a spearfish may come along. Montague Island is fishing well for kingfish and bonito, with yellowfin appearing up off the north end. Kingfish will respond to different methods, from jigging, using squid, to slow trolled or deep fished live baits, while the bonito prefer the livies. Kingies and bonnies are being taken out from the bommie at the Blue Pool, around Three Brothers Rocks and down at Goalen Head. Deep diving and bibless lures seem to be doing most of the damage, with some fish being taken on small skirted lures. There are plenty of salmon getting into the act while targeting the other species, which will keep anglers entertained while waiting for a better prize. Reef and bottom fishing is particularly good and should remain this way for the months ahead. Even

though waters are starting to cool, this form of fishing is at its best and it is a great time to target snapper. As the hard running summer currents back off, it will now allow anglers a variety of ways to fish the reefs. Deeper locations like the 12 Mile are easier to fish for a mixture of species, with Tassie trumpeter much sought after. Closer to shore, a variety of techniques can be used for bottom dwellers. Plain, old fashioned drifting over these areas using fresh bait will almost certainly result in a mixed bag of table fish. Becoming more popular is the use of soft plastics on light gear; not only is it fun, but usually secures a good feed of fish too. Start in close to shore, working your way out as the day progresses. Cast in the direction in which you are drifting and work the lures back to the boat. Dropping the pick at this time of year is also very successful, allowing anglers to run berley and bring the fish to the surface. Snapper respond well to this method and some large fish are currently being taken. A host of other species will come into the trail too; these may include trevally, kingfish, mowies down deeper, and the occasional shark. Fish as light as possible for best results, setting baits at varying depths, or throw some of those soft plastics around for fun. There are plenty of fish around on the beaches and rocks, with salmon dominating the catches. Most of the beaches are fishing well, with some

Sometimes the first glimpse has the angler thinking ‘big flattie’, only to be disappointed. nice schools of bream for anglers to target. Mixed in with them has been tailor, trevally, and anglers fishing into the night on the moon have caught quite a few gummy sharks. Those bream on the beaches are moving into any system that is open to the ocean, providing plenty of entertainment for estuary fishos. For best results, use striped tuna and berley the incoming tide in the channels at first,

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moving onto the flats as the tide rises, where you can use tuna and nippers for bait, or toss lures. Brogo Dam is cooling and this is probably the last chance of some reasonable bass fishing before the winter months. Trolling deep diving lures is working best, with bibless lures also producing. For best results, maybe the time honoured tradition of just soaking a worm will work as well as anything.

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Transition from marlin to tuna in autumn EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The far south coast has seen some great autumn weather, while a good drop of rain in late summer has kept the water flowing in all the local rivers. As we head into winter, the town is really quietening down, with Easter being the

last busy period until Christmas. This is the time of year the game fishermen have been waiting for. The past few months has seen some great fishing for marlin out wide on the shelf, with the fish being caught both to the north and south of Eden. Now things have really fired up with albacore and yellowfin tuna coming in. The coming month will see the wind drop off and

perfect weather for heading out wide to chase a fish of a lifetime. As the season moves on, we should also see the southern bluefin tuna turn up, hopefully to cap off what’s been a great game fishing season on the far south coast. Closer to shore, the inshore reefs have been fishing well for your table fish — snapper, morwong, flathead (both tigers and sandies), with reports of

some good kingfish also being caught. The beaches have been fishing well for good sized salmon that are turning up in numbers as we head towards winter. Quality yellowfin bream and sand whiting are also being beached. It’s not hard to find a good gutter, as recent big seas have really moved the sand about. With a rising tide near dawn or dusk, the fish have been on the bite big time.

The rocky headlands in the area are good, with some big black drummer being caught, along with blackfish. Using cunjevoi for bait and plenty of berley is the key to getting a few fish. The local estuaries are still fishing consistently after a great summer, with some good action from whiting and yellowfin bream. Fresh bait in the form of nippers, worms and prawns fished around the entrance should

see you catch a feed. This is the time of year when the prawns start moving, but as of yet there has been little to report. Further up the estuary, flathead are still being caught, with some good fishing been recorded by anglers tossing soft plastics. Black bream are also coming in from around the oyster-covered rocks on hardbody lures. The top of the tide is best.

From Gypsy Point to offshore, ’Couta is firing MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The town is still busy, with fishos from all around coming to sample the fishing that Mallacoota has to offer, and they haven’t been let down.

The past month has seen some great fishing out around the shelf. Marlin have been landed, and as usual plenty have been lost. The key to success has been to find the bait, then concentrate on fishing in that area. This worked for local fisherman Cam Armstrong, landing 3

stripes in the same area over the course of the day. Striped tuna have also been caught and it shouldn’t be long before the yellowfin and southern bluefin tuna arrive. It’s fingers crossed for good weather, as there is only a small window of opportunity. Good numbers of

Yellowfin bream are available in all the local estuaries at present.

know Did you

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Over f videos o cts, du ro p w e n lities a n o pers ing h s and fi R E V A L LY . S N A P P E R . E S G.T TU A PE R RY

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quality sand flathead have been taken out around the aerials, with some big tiger flathead coming from out wider. Fishing for kingfish has slowed right down and it’s been a month or so since any were last landed, but they could still make an appearance in the coming month. The local beaches are seeing the salmon turn up in numbers as the water cools

FISH WITH A LOCAL AT

down. Fish are coming in on both lures and bait. Some good fishing for blackfish has been experienced inside the harbour at Bastion Point, with fish being landed off the new breakwall. The nearby entrance to the lake has been firing for yellowfin bream, with fish caught inside the breaking waves. The sand whiting are about, but not in the numbers of years past. The fishing in both Top and Bottom Lake has been great. Bottom Lake has fished well around the entrance, with the run-in tide really firing up the bream. A few whiting are also been caught. All around Bottom Lake, flathead, bream (blacks and yellowfin) are been caught, but you have to keep moving to find the fish. You can almost guarantee they won’t be where you found them the day before! A few mulloway have also been boated, but there have been nowhere near the numbers about like last year. Plenty of flounder are coming aboard and while most of them are not quite size, there is the odd dinner plate out there. Next year should see plenty of legal size fish caught. Black bream and

flathead are coming in from around Gypsy Point and above, along with a few good estuary perch. The

rivers and creeks are still just flowing, but more rain is needed to keep them moving along.

The local game boys had a ball recently, landing 3 striped marlin for the day.

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Bass on the move MAITLAND

Dave McLean djfmclean@bigpond.com

As we move into late autumn, the weather patterns have been a bit more consistent. Several days of high pressure have occurred, but with the highs can come some westerly winds. The fishing is still a touch and go affair; some days are very productive, while others demanding and the bite quite fickle. This month through into winter, the bass migrate downstream to where the water temperature and salinity are ideal for them to begin their spawning. It is during this time that they can become quite aggressive feeders while putting on condition prior to spawning.

Good areas to target are the deeper holes or river bends, along with areas adjacent to where creeks or drains empty. Glenbawn and St Clair are holding at consistent heights at present, and their temperatures are beginning to fall, but they are still very clear, which can make fishing around the edges a bit of a problem as the fish are easily spooked. With the water temperature falling to the high teens, it should be the time that the bass become aggressive feeders, which can make for some good reaction bites. It is absolutely magnificent to get out on the dam after a foggy morning, as it usually turns into a beaut day, but this month and into the next, the predominant westerlies can hit around midday.

Top: A super river bass that absolutely nailed the TN60. Bottom: Derek Crossdale with a very nice Autumn bass from Lake St Clair that fell to a TN60. On the Paterson and Williams rivers, this is the time to use reaction baits, especially lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits, as the rivers can also be a little stained. If, however, they are clear, then Beetle Spins and Bass Spins will be also very handy, rigged with 2.5-3” plastics with plenty of scent.

While deep jigging can be productive this month, I like to focus on the bass and goldens around the edges in amongst the timber. These fish are usually a bit larger and put up a decent fight. Look for the areas where there is current flow and schools of baitfish. Surface lures are not out of the question in the

low light periods, but my favourite lures are neutral buoyant jerkbaits, with the Jackall Squirrel and Soul Shad at the top of my list. LAKE ST CLAIR. There were heaps of people there over Easter and so the fishing was pretty tough, but now we fishos have it to ourselves. There are some nice catties and odd golden being caught on worms and yabbies, while the bass have been going for live shrimp. This month we will see the thermocline forming at 5-6m, and this is where the bass will be holding during the day. If trolling, you will need a lure to get down to around that depth. Two good lures for this are the Ferralcatts and the Stuckeys. This area is usually out in around 10-20m of water, and is virtually anywhere around the main Broadwater, as the bass move out of the 2 arms and come down the system. There are other trolling options and those are the 1/2-5/8oz Bassman Spinnerbaits and Jackall TN60 lipless crankbaits. The big advantage with trolling at this time of year is that you can cover a lot of area fairly quickly, and secondly the fish can be attracted in from very long distances. It is not surprising to catch fish that you did not see on the sounder. Recently, DPI put around 20,000 silver perch fingerlings into St Clair, so if anyone over the past 4 years has caught silvers in this dam, could you please drop me an email, thanks. LAKE GLENBAWN Lake Glenbawn is looking really good at present, with heaps of people there over Easter fishing and boating. During autumn, the bass and goldens move around in search of areas of reasonable water temperature and good schools of bait like gudgeons and smelt — as if to put on condition before their metabolism slows up in winter. In a dam of this size, this usually means you will need to search out quite a few areas, but over many years of fishing here, they always tend to hold up in some of the same areas. The season appears to be holding on for a few more weeks, which means that the surface bite will still be on for at least this month. Whether you are targeting the deep school bass or the more shallow ones, the common factor is cover — be it in 80’

Blair with a nice Autumn bass that loved the Jackall. of water or 20’, with the heavier the cover the better, which means more lost tackle. Around shallow cover you cannot beat neutrally buoyant lures or crankbaits, and in the deep water, dark pattern plastics on medium weight jigs and light leaders. Good areas to target the deep bass is up around the Panhandle, Dog Leg, Yellow Buoy Bay and The

Narrows. Bait fishing is also worth a try in these areas, especially using black crickets and shrimp. There are also some good areas around the main basin for bait fishing and deep jigging. Try the western foreshore from the wall up to Boat Harbour, and also on the eastern side from Cemetery Point to North Run. These deep fish can be very hard to get to bite, but

persistence with a finesse approach, light leader, stinger hooks and patience will usually produce a few bass and the odd yella. Preferred colours are dark for these deep fish. You will sometimes have to rotate between schools, as they can quite easily shut down. Recently, DPI also stocked around 30,000 silver perch fingerlings to compliment the recent golden perch stocking.

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4933 6299 MAY 2015

Cool and crisp out there LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

The month of May can give fishos a real dose of what lies ahead. Those big cold fronts from down south can push up and give you a real hiding. Aside from these tough days, the middle parts can still hold some warmth, certainly enough for some insect hatches on the trout streams around Oberon and Tarana, although they will be brief. The early mornings on a clear day can be very heavy with frost, especially later in the month, so much so that the runners on a rod, be they spin or fly, can actually ice up, making casting very difficult!

An early spawn run by the brown trout is possible if weather conditions and water are favourable, so keep this in mind when coming up on a tail out gravel run. The browns are almost impossible to see until you are right on top of them, and by then it’s usually too late. All you see is a bow wave heading off into the pool, so it’s better to sit back from the run and watch it for a while. If there is more than 1 fish on station, sometimes they will give themselves away by jostling for prime spawn position. THE TIME FOR COD I may have hinted at this in last month’s column. If I didn’t, I should have… this is the time for the small cod lures to be put away. As water temperatures

drop quickly, a lot of small food items disappear or diminish, and suddenly all that warm water tucker is gone. Yabbies pull back and spend more time in their holes, shrimp become scarce, smaller baitfish are fewer in number with life cycles finished, or diminished by predators over summer. Those first few big frosts are a real trigger for sure; big cod in impoundments feel it and see it, they sense the temperature dropping, they are working harder for a feed, moving further, so it’s prime time to be out chasing them I reckon. Moving fish are hungry fish. It’s hard to beat trolling for cod as a tactic in impoundments, especially if you drive the lure in

Schooling bass on a migration run can be like teenage boys jostling for position at the pantry cupboard — everything is fair game.

DAM LEVELS

Dam

% Full

Dam

Glennies Creek....................... 78

Brogo................................ 102

Grahamstown......................... 83

Burrendong........................... 13

Hume.................................. 21

Burrinjuck............................. 32

Jindabyne............................. 60

Carcoar................................ 10

Keepit................................... 4

Chaffey................................ 32

Lostock.............................. 101

Clarrie Hall......................... 100

Pindari................................. 24

Copeton............................... 17

Split Rock.............................. 5

Dartmouth............................. 77

Tantangara............................. 9

Eucumbene........................... 49

Toonumbar.......................... 100

Glenbawn............................. 81

Windamere........................... 43

Glenlyon............................... 27

Wyangala............................. 35

(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.) MAY 2015

conjunction with your sounder, steer the boat to suit, and change lures to suit the conditions and structure. Casting does have its place though — tighter pockets, little gullies, the backs of bays, tree-lined runs, shallow cover. Don’t discount the annoyance factor with cod either, as it can work with trolling or casting. Repeated runs, repeated casts, cod are top of the food chain under water and sometimes they just get pissed off. The strike then is something else, bone jarring in fact… Maybe it’s just that after a few dozen casts or your fifth run over the top in the boat you slip into auto mode, then next minute the rod just about gets ripped out of your hands. BASS MIGRATION Cooler waters are a trigger for bass as well, with the majority heading for the main basin of dams or the downstream sections of our major rivers and streams. They can be a little tough to find in big systems like the Hawkesbury — you can spend hours with very little action while fishing in

some prime country, then all of a sudden the mother load appears. As with the cod, moving fish are hungry fish. Bass will also school up, which kicks in the whole competition thing. It’s a bit like half a dozen teenage boys getting into the pantry, jostling for position at the front, packets getting ripped open at a rate of knots — nothing is spared. PRE-SPAWN IMPOUNDMENT BROWNS Late April and early May would have to be one of my favourite times of year to target these fish. With surface temperatures dropping fast, those big browns are again tempted back into shallow water for longer. Yabbies make up a fair portion of a brown trout’s diet, especially in Lake Lyell, but the trouble is by late May the yabbies are few and far between and are back in their holes. I reckon most of the browns go into withdrawal mode for a few weeks; like junkies, they wander about, wondering where their regular fix has gone.

Therefore, a well presented imitation, be it plastic, feathers, or hardbody, is eaten with gusto. I have watched them and it’s a sight to see. They light up, they seem to grow in the water, flexing their muscles, fins erect, and then charging the bottom contact presentation from metres away with total disregard for anything else. Walking the banks is by far the best approach. Wear drab coloured clothing and use the early morning or late afternoon sun to your advantage. Look into the water where you can see — it’s no good looking where you cannot — and don’t expect to see the whole fish. Most of the time it’s a glint of white from the inside of the mouth, or the flick of a tail, or a shadow on the bottom. Polaroiding fish is like most things in life — the more you do it, the better you get. Good polarising lenses are a big help, but you get what you pay for. Be warned though, it’s very addictive and very soon you will be doing it for more than just your brown trout fishing.

% Full

Blowering............................. 26

It pays to put the small cod lures away this month. The smaller fish will still have a crack, don’t you worry about that.

Be warned — polaroiding for fish can be very addictive. It may start with trout or carp, then next thing it’s all species in good water clarity. During the colder months, cod are quiet prone to sunning themselves on the right day.

Marvellous May madness around Tamworth TAMWORTH

Adam Mears adam.mears@hotmail.com

The cool starts are upon us already, with dew covered grass, and rocks like black ice that make navigation to the river banks a little bit more difficult. The rest of it though is pure bliss; the fog lining the chilly waters offers the angler that sense of solitude and a backdrop the city dwellers dream of. And then there’s the fishing! The Tamworth region has had a good start to autumn, with a few decent drops of rain really giving the rivers a much-needed boost. On one occasion I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon with gun angler Cameron Jones and stumbled across a few things that really opened our eyes. After reaching our destination, we noticed every pool of water adjacent the river was alive with yabbies, shrimps, large tadpoles and frogs. It didn’t matter how big or small the pool of water was, it was chock-a-block with tasty fish lollies, which boosted

our confidence that we were in the right area. Our lures were getting hammered by hungry fish only a short time later, so it pays to slow down and observe your surroundings, as Mother Nature often provides some great clues to give you the upper hand next time you hit the water PEEL RIVER The Peel has been fishing very well in recent weeks and should do so up until winter sinks her cold, icy claws into us. Local fish whisperers Mel Rosey and Simone Elisabeth have been reporting great catches of golden perch and Murray cod in a few well-known local spots. It’s good to see these fish making a comeback in hard fished areas and goes to show that through good fishing practices, stocking, and catch-and-release, these areas will be here for our kids and hopefully their kids to fish. NAMOI RIVER With fresh water running through, the upper Namoi has been hard to fish with lures, as the fast flowing torrent makes it difficult to keep in contact with the line, but if you can

find a few eddies you will find the natives hanging back in that slower moving water. Baits of shrimp or prawn will have you in with half a chance. If walking the banks is your cup of tea, then medium sized shallow divers in the 70-80mm range will see more than a few hungry cod buckle your rod over. For the golden perch it is hard to go past old favourites like lipless crankbaits. There are plenty out there; Balista, Jackall, Mazzy Vibe, they all have a proven track record so take a selection and see how you go. The lower Namoi has produced some cracking cod in recent times, with both kayak and land based anglers cashing in on the action. Large spinnerbaits are the most successful lure type, with large yabbies being a favourite for those bait fishing LAKE KEEPIT The dam is currently holding around 4 per cent, although reports have been slow coming in. There are always a few fish to be caught and with the levels so low, I must stress the message of limit your

catch, not catch your limit. Follow the rules and take only what you need, as good fisheries can be ruined in just a few short seasons if people consistently do the wrong thing.

successful will be finding a good tree or 2 in 8-12m. Rock worms will be a hard to beat bait, as their lively action and size rings the dinner bell for most species, but getting past the carp might be a problem.

Mother Nature often provides some great clues to give you the upper hand next time you hit the water. I think the dropping water temperature will see the goldens start to school up. The rock walls and islands will be likely holding grounds. Targeting them with soft plastics will be a popular method, and also very

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING OLD AND SOMETHING NEW As young kids, those of us who grew up loving fishing were often influenced by our fathers

or grandfathers. For me, it was instant — the videos and books grabbed my imagination, and then seeing my father bring home large mulloway from the NSW north coast only had me further hooked. For years he helped grow my passion for the sport Some 17 years ago we made the move to Tamworth, where I continued to enjoy my fishing, but dad couldn’t discover the love for the freshwater like he had back on the briny. Last month though, after seeing my pictures, hearing my adventures, and a little bit of ribbing about missing out, he bit the bullet and came fishing. Although our first trip was unsuccessful, we bounced back and on the second he managed to catch his first-ever Murray cod. A second 1 not long after followed this on a surface lure. I think that the fire for his love of fishing is returning and now I’m able to show him what he once showed me. So get out there mums and dads and take your kids fishing. You might just have some fun or even change their lives.

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Big trout move as mountain temperatures fall CANBERRA

Bryan Pratt

After a prolonged warm summer, plenty of trout have come on the bite in the big mountain lakes as air and water temperatures fall to a more comfortable level.

anglers. Some of the best areas have been Hayshed Bay, East Jindabyne, the Thredbo Arm and the western side of Kalkite. Lure anglers have fared best with Rebel Minnows, especially jointed models, and yellow-winged or green Tasmanian Devils. Fly fishers have

and scrubworms. Mudeyes fished under a bubble or waggler float have also been productive. Most of the trout caught had mudeyes, stick caddis and small yabbies in their stomachs. All of the fish were in splendid condition, well muscled, with beautiful pink flesh.

Redfin in Canberra’s urban lakes will attack lures of any size, including, in this case, an extra large spinnerbait. The larger fish are welcome as fun and a feed.

Jason Naumann’s big golden perch from Lake Burley Griffin was a surprise, because it took a surface lure intended for a Murray cod. In Jindabyne, some splendid rainbows to about 1.9kg and nice browns to about 2.8kg have been taken on fly, lure and bait by shore-based and boat

taken some nice fish with various mudeye patterns and particularly Steve Williamson’s goldfish fly. Bait anglers have taken their best fish on PowerBait

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In Eucumbene, browns predominated, and although plenty came from the main body of the lake, a couple of captures suggest some may be moving into the Eucumbene River as early pre-spawners. Several fish over 3kg came from the mouth of the river and 1 angler landed the fish of a lifetime — a 6.2kg brown — on an olive Woolly Bugger. A lure angler fishing the bottom end of the river landed 5 fish around 1kg and dropped 4 others, including 1 he said was “a monster”. Massive mudeye hatches have brought trout close to shore at night, so fly anglers have landed some good fish. One angler at Buckenderra had a 3kg brown, 4 others to 2.1kg, and 4 big rainbows for 1 session, then backed up and did it again the following week. A Compleat Angler group also did well, with nice rainbows and a brown on Western Mudeyes and Fuzzy Wuzzies in Frying Pan. I tried Frying Pan also, but got blown off the water by a rotten westerly that blew all night. Boat anglers did well fishing mudeyes under a bubble or waggler float during the day, and on mudeye fly patterns fished on sinking line. The best locations were flooded

creek beds that could be picked up on the sounder. CANBERRA CUP FINALS The Canberra Cup, a social fishing competition fished over 8 weeks each Thursday night in Lake Burley Griffin, wound up this month, with 20 finalists vying for prizes. It was a close finish, but the winner was Matt Tyler who brought in the largest native fish on the final night, a 63cm Murray cod caught on a lure. Elsewhere in the local lakes, there have been some nice golden perch in the 34-42cm range and a monster that looks to be about 60cm plus caught by Jason Naumann on a surface lure intended for a cod in Burley Griffin. A reasonable sized cod was

caught in Lake Ginninderra on a bardi grub made out of mozzarella cheese! BURRINJUCK COMPETITION Another big competition, the Australian Yellowbelly Championship, was fished at Burrinjuck Reservoir. Some 42 teams participated, landing 297 fish in 13 1/2 hours. The average size was 41cm and the largest 60cm. Most anglers fished the Murrumbidgee Arm with plastic grubs in 10m of water over flooded trees. The winning team consisted of Jamie Loomes and Paul Brown, with Tim and Matt Papworth runners-up. Elsewhere in the lake, Murray cod have gone quiet as the water level falls to around 30 per cent of

capacity. The best chance of catching a fish comes from using large deep divers and spinnerbaits, and have them bumping on the bottom whilst trolling or retrieving. Visibility is about 1m. NICE CATTIES Wyangala Reservoir has also fished well, with small cod on bait off the bank, occasional silver perch to around 30cm on scrubworms, some nice golden perch on bait and lure, and most pleasingly, some thumping big catfish. Catfish used to be common in the lake, but the population has declined in recent years, probably because of egg predation by foraging carp. They are now a welcome, but novelty catch.

These youngsters were delighted with 1 of the good-sized rainbows being caught in Jindabyne and Eucumbene at the moment. The good fishing is a direct result of falling water temperatures in the mountain storages.

The pre-winter bite fires up BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

With the cold weather now settled in, a lot of anglers think that the best fishing is behind us, but this is far from the truth. Most fish species will be super active in May; some because they are starting to think about spawning, which makes them aggressive. This leads to some sensational fishing, especially for trout and redfin. NATIVES Natives will also be quite active this month as they feel the temperatures start to really drop, and will be out in force hunting down anything that resembles a meal before the slim pickings of winter. Murray cod will be the main target, but there will be plenty of golden perch keen to get

amongst the action as well. Bait anglers will do well targeting the natives with bardi and wood grubs, but if you can get shrimp and yabbies, these will also work a treat. Lure anglers will also do well and most lures will get some action. As it is now late in the season, these fish have seen countless spinnerbaits and big hardbodies, so it pays to mix it up and try something different to increase your chances of getting one of the big ’uns to let their guard down. You can just try something as simple as adding a rear teaser to your favourite hardbody, or a bigger or smaller plastic to your spinnerbait, but for the best chance try something a bit different like plastics, chatterbaits, my new Angel Baits, or lipless crankbaits, especially large ones. Whichever way you, go giving them something a bit different

Releasing another trophy sized trout back into the Eucumbene River. Trout anglers will be travelling from far and wide to hit the Eucumbene River’s big spawners this month. If the run is half as good as last season, then the fishing will be sensational.

to have a crack at is going to be your best bet this late in the season. TROUT The trout fishing in general has been good to great at times. When low, the Tumut River has fished well, with fish averaging 500-800g. The smaller creeks have been a bit hit and miss, with some creeks not fishing so well, while others are producing plenty. The annual Eucumbene River pilgrimage will start this month, as anglers from all over the country converge on this unique fishery. If the spawn run is half as good as it was last year, then there will be some sensational fishing to be had for anglers willing to make the journey. I went up last year for the first time in 10 years and accounted for some nice browns up to 8lb. They were definitely worth fishing shoulder-to-shoulder with other anglers for. Although the trouting can be great, it is worth noting that everyone now knows this and it is not uncommon to see hundreds of anglers lining the riverbanks, from the lake up to the trees — and that’s during the week! It is a sight to behold though, and if you have never been there before, it will certainly open your eyes. Watching hundreds of trophy sized trout cruising and resting in a tiny little river sure does get the heart racing, and is something you don’t see in too many places around the world. On top of this, seeing so many anglers co-operatively fishing together on a tiny river is also a real surprise and there aren’t too many arguments despite everyone being so close to each other. There’s more then enough fish to go around for everybody. If you want to avoid these sorts of crowds, then lakes like Jounama and Tantangara have fished quite well. Like the rivers and streams, they should only get better over the course of the month. REDFIN The cooler weather suits redfin just fine and they will

become more active due to the urge to spawn. Big schools will form in deepish water (7-20m) in our lakes, and are best targeted vertically from a boat. Paternoster rigs and 2 hooks is the way to go if bait fishing. Start with 2 different baits, and once you see which the fish prefer, you can rig both hooks with their preferred meal and give yourself double the chance of hooking a fish. Lure anglers will do best jigging with ice jigs or hopping blades or plastics, but at times rubber vibes like Jackall Mask Vibes or large 70mm lipless crankbaits can be an even better option — especially if you want to avoid the at times plagues of small redfin. So as you can see, most fish species will still be very catchable this month and worth rugging up and braving the cold weather for. Dressed appropriately, you will hardly notice the cold weather amongst all the fun and action you will be having. So get amongst some sensational late season fishing action — I know I will be.

Redfin will be forming large pre-spawn schools this month, and can be targeted using most techniques. If you’re having dramas with all the little ones, then try a bigger lure or bait to increase the chances at a big one like this 40cm+ model.

Golden perch will also be out in force this month, as they to try and pack on as much condition as they can before winter sets in.

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Murray cod will be active this month as they devour everything in sight before the slim pickings of winter occur. Giving them something different to have a go at, like this Insanity Tackle Slap Walker, can make all the difference late in the season.

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JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

May in the Snowy Mountains is when the rules for spawning rivers like the Thredbo and Eucumbene change to a bag limit of only 1 trout over 50cm, so keep that in mind and always check with the local NSW Fisheries regulations before fishing any waterway. As I have stated previously, the last spring and summer period was cooler and wetter than normal and therefore great for trout fishing, but recently we have not had a lot of rain and the brown trout are yet to run. That could change any day and may just do that before this article hits the newsagent shelves. Another fact that we have to take into consideration is that with the stable lake levels over summer, the weed beds are well established. We have had some great mudeye hatches and there are yabbies everywhere, which of course the big browns have been feeding up on for months now. It will be interesting to see how many big brown trout are caught over the next few months, firstly on the spawn runs, and then in the lakes when the rivers close to fishing. If coming to fish the spawn run this year and you manage to hook what you consider to be a big fish, it is best to land it as quickly as possible so as not to stress it too much, and if it’s undersize you can release

BAIT FISHING This month is 1 of the best for the bait angler fishing the edges of the lake. Big brown trout are cruising looking for a feed before they head into the rivers on their spawning run. Worms teamed with artificial baits and fished off the bottom is working well at the moment on Lake Jindabyne. Best areas to try are Waste Point at Creel Bay, and the Snowy Arm near the pumping station.

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Arm, and for fish still actively feeding, try Curiosity Rocks, Wollondibby Inlet, Hatchery Bay and the Clay Pits area.

Luke Wallace with a rainbow caught trolling a Willys Special Tasmanian Devil.

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RIVER SPINNING Minnow lures like the Rapalas (especially the jointed ones) and 3”

StumpJumpers and the like will be the best choice for big fish, which have been really on the bite every time we have had rain. Jointed lures have a great action and can be worked fast or slow. Use sinking or deeper diving minnows when the river is high, and stick to smaller lures when the water is low and clear. Don’t worry about the size of lures if the river is in flood, because you might find that bigger is better. The Thredbo River is my river of choice from now until rivers close in June. On the Thredbo, if we get rain and the brown trout start to run, then you might like to use the drift rigging technique to catch the trout as they sit in the deeper, faster water. This method works well, and teaming up a fly like a weighted black nymph with a Glow Bug and letting the rig bounce along the bottom with the aid of some split shot is 1 way you can catch trout on flies while using a spinning outfit. LAKE SPINNING Now that the water is cooling down, the lake spinning will improve. Tasmanian Devils in brown like number 48, the red-nosed Brown Bomber, and Holographic will all catch you fish. The Steve Williamson Tasmanian Devil in orange and black is also working a treat at the moment. When the water temperature gets below 14 degrees, pink or orange lures always fish well. Try some bigger jointed Rapalas — 11 and 13cm are not too big for aggressive brown trout. On the lake, good spinning areas to try are Creel Bay, Waste Point, the Snowy

TROLLING Lake trolling is interesting in autumn, as some days the fish will strike out of aggression and some days they will be feeding. Knowing what the weather is about to do will help. As with spinning on the lake, big jointed lures are well worth a try for big browns. The wed beds are close to the edge, so if trolling

Even at this time of year, the day will often warm up and the fish will go deeper. Lead core lines and downriggers will still be useful over the coming month. Remember all the photos in the magazines of big fish caught off downriggers with slow trolled big minnow lures? Dual depth Tasmanian Devils rigged through the side hole to troll deeper to 4m will also help during the middle of the day, but make sure you don’t troll too fast when this lure is rigged on the deep setting. Lion and Cub islands always fish well in autumn for rainbow trout, and as the brown trout move to the end of the lake ready to spawn, Creel Bay and the Snowy River Arm are well worth trying. FLY FISHING The streams and rivers will still have good days, even this late in the season. You may find fish that will still take a well presented dry. Over recent weeks though, most trout have been taken on brown or black nymphs out of the running water. As the rain comes and more trout move into the Thredbo, anglers’ minds will change to chasing big trophies. Fly anglers will have the best success using glow bugs and nymphs. Black and brown nymphs in about size 10-12 are good, and make sure you have some weighed flies for when the river is flowing hard, as you need to get the fly down to the fish in order to catch them.

purple/black Woolly Buggers and Mrs Simpson. Don’t forget the Williamson Gold Fish around the creek inlets during the late evening. MAY ROUNDUP — THE BEST OF THE BEST! Best method: Surface trolling early and then using lead core lines at 30m out. Best depth: Trolling at 10’ in the deeper areas, middle of the day. Best lake lure: Rapala Pinkie and Tasmanian Devil colour 55 (pink). Best lake area: Creel Bay and the Snowy Arm at the pumping station. Best fly method: Glow Bugs and nymphs on the Thredbo River after heavy rain. Best River: Thredbo River for the bigger brown trout when the spawn run starts. NEWS For the very latest day-to-day fishing reports, call into my shop at Discovery Holiday Parks Jindabyne (next to the Shell servo) or for tour bookings call us on 02 64 561551. Alternatively, send details to Steve Williamson PMB 5 Jindabyne 2627 for more info, or e-mail me at sales@swtroutfishing.com.au Web site for prices is www.swtroutfishing.com.au Join me also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ LJTFA for daily updates. • If you would like some personal guiding, I will be available over the coming months for fly-fishing tuition and lake trolling trips. Lessons can be booked from 2 hours’

Tony Rawlins from the Central Coast in NSW with a brown trout caught trolling a Willys Special Tasmanian Devil early in close, you don’t want them diving too deep. Tasmanian Devil lures are still well worth a try and this month is the time I quite often change to pink or orange colours. These seem to work best on the aggressive spawning fish. Colours 55 (pink) or 56 (orange) are good lures to try for non-feeding fish.

Lake Jindabyne will fish better this month as the edge water cools down. Water temperatures have a big effect on how close to shore the fish come, but it’s cooler now so the fishing is much better and will continue to improve as the temperature drops even further. Flies to try over the coming months will be the

duration, and trolling trips from 3 hours to a full day. If you want to know more about the latest in fishing conditions, just give me a call on (0264) 561 551 or check out my website at www.swtroutfishing.com.au. You can also see our daily Facebook updates at https:// www.facebook.com/LJTFA.

Angling and cod yarns bend all boundaries ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

There is nothing better than a good fishing yarn, and those that stretch the length of the Murray are often in proportion to its size and the giant fish that lurk within. A classic cod yarn told to me many years gone is how Boundary Bend on the Murray River came to be… Seems a Scotsman, an ex Highland hammer thrower known as Mac, lost his temper 1 day and in a fit took out his frustration by swinging a bullock chain around his head. When he let the chain fly, it went straight across the Murray and hooked a wild boar that was drinking by the water’s edge. As he pulled the pig across the river, a huge cod took it. Strong as he was, he could not pull that fish out of the river, so he hitched up his bullock team. In towing the cod out, he pulled the river out of shape, and that is apparently how Boundary Bend was named. At least that’s how the story was told to me… There is poetic right in all fishing yarns, where the truth is often a little wider than the arms will allow. In truth though, I first fished the Murray River near Boundary Bend almost 2 decades ago. It

the goods and on most occasions would easily account for a feed of fresh perch fillets. A little further downstream near Belsar Island, I was to hook my

pending chill of winter that is soon to come. Tangles of riverbank willows go from a healthy and rich green to a vibrant rusty gold as they shed their dress by the

providing excellent casting opportunities for Murray cod on lures. Several solid fish have been landed over the past few weeks, the biggest of these being

a favourite haunt for cod. Downstream to Red Cliffs, Mildura and beyond, there are increasing reports of large Murray cod on trolled lures. We have now

Haydn Ferguson with an average sized autumn cod for the Murray River. first giant cod — a monster by proportion weighing in at 86lb. I recently returned to wet a line in the Boundary Bend area, and quickly discovered that little had changed other than my regular visits. The numerous rock bars and twisted snags were still home to good numbers of

river’s edge. As the water cools, it’s a sure sign the start of the big cod season is close at hand. Soon the bardi grubs will hatch — a heaven-sent bounty that seemingly has no set direction. These giant moths have very little eye/ wing coordination as they randomly batter themselves in an aeronautical display

As the weather cools, anglers can expect to see more quality cod like this one landed by Simon Cardone. was near the junction of the Murrumbidgee River where I trolled up several very nice cod, the biggest almost 20kg. I have many fond fishing memories on this section of the Murray, including some very nice catches of golden perch on baited hook. Shrimp/worm cocktails always produced

crustaceans will become harder to find. In knowing this, the bite begins to rise in tempo as most natives gag on the dwindling chance to catch a feed.

Murray cod and golden perch. Gone now is the heat of summer and the brisk chill of morning light sees fog lift from the water. Old haunts never looked better, as you wonder about the fish they hide. Autumn is the season of change, where myriad colours usher in the

of clumsiness. Drawn by light, many are tempted by the flicker of the riverside campfire, while others end up in the water where they become a welcome snack for a hungry cod. Shrimp numbers now start to drop away. The staple diet of most native fish, these transparent

Locally, the fishing has been very good, and should only continue to improve over the coming weeks. The Murray at Swan Hill has seen cod to 70cm landed on both bait and lures. Perch, too, are taking baits in this area, with some good sized fish up to 45cm bobbed amongst the snags on shrimp. In the Wakool River at Kyalite, a few larger cod have been landed on lures, the biggest measuring in at 108cm. Perch are also biting, with a few on lures, but the best catches have come in on bait. Scrubworms and small yabbies have been working well. The Edward River at Moulmein continues to be the rock of reliability, as it has for most of the season. Both cod and perch have been biting since the opening back in December, and little has changed. Cod to 80cm on bait and lures over the past few weeks, along with some solid perch, have kept fishos happy. Back onto the Murray and from Boundary Bend downstream to Robinvale, anglers are reporting good catches of small to medium cod on lures and bait. It’s refreshing to see these smaller fish in the system, as it ensures the future well-being of the species and hints at the angling opportunities to come. Perch have also been caught on both bait and lures, providing a good mixed bag on most outings. The Murray River at Wemen has dropped away,

Paul Worsteling with a ripper autumn cod from the Darling River. 118cm. Most have been caught in close proximity to rock bars, which are always

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Cod a’ plenty at Lake Mulwala YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Spending 3 solid days fishing the Mulwala Classic Invitational has reminded me that Lake Mulwala is the undoubted home of the Murray cod. If you are chasing the big green monsters, you are better off heading further downstream into ‘Mackenzie Country’, but if a genuine opportunity of crossing paths with 1 of our iconic native species is your goal, the border towns of Yarrawonga/Mulwala should be your number 1 destination. As mentioned in previous reports, autumn is the best time of year to be fishing Mulwala, and we are smack bang in the middle of it now. There are no techniques that will out-do others, so be it bait fishing or the use of lures, patience is your biggest virtue. A general rule of thumb around Lake Mulwala is that you will get more cod of smaller size while fishing below the weir, with better

sized cod coming from the lake, but not in big numbers. Looking back, the reports of quality cod continued throughout March, with the undoubted king being Peter Pejkovic. Peter managed to snag 2 dream fish, with the first measuring a beautiful 113cm. To follow this up, he managed to pull another ‘metrey that stretched the tape out to 104cm. Both fell to cast lures. Jamie Roberts was another to blow the metre mark to smithereens with a 116cm monster, while travelling Yamaha Super Tank presenter ‘Cooky’ had all his dreams come true when a 103cm bruiser took a liking to his drowned yabby! Cooky paid all credit to his net man, Trevor Beach. After gaining a taste for fishing last month, young Isaac Pitches has become hooked, managing to drag father Mark back to the river for more visits. His unassisted PB has now stretched out to 62cm, along with other fine catches. Keep up the interest young fella, and I hope it doesn’t get in the way of your footy!

I’m a tad weary writing this report, as the 23rd Mulwala Classic Invitational has just come to a close. Two and a half days of solid fishing saw 120 competitors gather from all parts of the country, including Phil Cockshut who made the long trip over from Perth. In total, 212 cod were caught, with 102 of them measuring in excess of 55cm. Roger Miles, the undisputed number 1 fisherman in this area and proprietor of Cod Hunter Fishing Tours, again proved his ability — claiming both 1st and 2nd place for biggest cod, with an 89 and an 86cm forming part of his bag. Nationally renowned gun angler Chris Burbidge took the coveted Champion Angler title with his return of 6 legals for the weekend. Wodonga’s Rick Doyle picked up the chocolates for most cod overall, with a handy return of 10. The combined team of Roger Miles, Derek Blow, Phil Keetelaar and Pete Hromenko proved unstoppable in taking out the champion teams award.

Sunday’s Dash for Cash proved hotly contested, with some great cod being caught, but none better than a 97cm model. Fortunately for Rob Van Delft and Wazza Urquhart, their combined pointscore from their 74 and 68cm fish got them over the line to take the $1,000 cash. Congratulations to Mick Bressan and his organising crew for putting on a well run event. An announcement has been made regarding the draining of Lake Mulwala that will commence in late April. In total, the lake will be drawn down 3m over a period of a few weeks. The lake is still very fishable through this period though, with the best launching facility that continues to have water access being the boat ramp at the yacht club. Seeing the lake drained is an amazing sight and something that should not be missed. June will be the best month for viewing and/ or fishing. • If you are visiting town I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish, Camp and Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front

Darren Ryan with a nice 61.7cm cod from the Mulwala Classic. (opposite the post office) in Mulwala. We are your largest Murray cod specific shop in Yarrawonga/

Mulwala. For any information on upcoming events or fishing reports, call 0357 443 133.

Cooler weather fires up big cod around Mildura MILDURA

John Menhennett goobyfish@hotmail.com

Grab your jumpers and beanies as we head into the cooler parts of the year. It’s a magical time for big cod anglers though. We all look forward to this time spent fishing, then sitting around a nice red gum fire on the banks of the river, telling yarns about the fish that got away. At the time of writing this report, the Murray River around Mildura is at pool level and the

air temperatures are cool, signifying yet another change in Nature’s course leading into the winter months. Water clarity has been very good given the time of year. Some good-sized Murray cod have been caught, but they have been a bit few and far between. Most of these have been hooked early in the morning or late afternoon, and usually when barometric pressure has been at its highest point or moving around. Cod have also been most active when the barometric pressure has fluctuated in rapid spikes. A lot of smaller cod of 70-90cm have been caught

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lately on lures around Mildura. These are coming as a result of targeting larger fish using substantial sized lures. Cod well over the metre mark have been caught, mostly below Lock 11. Spots for successful fishing have varied recently, but Wentworth has been a great area to troll and cast for both cod and yellowbelly over the past month. Nice sized yellowbelly are being caught in good numbers still, with some in excess of 50cm. Anglers are reporting catches of yellowbelly everywhere from Hattah to Lake Cullulleraine, which is

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pleasing, particularly since the colder weather has settled in.

Recent catches of Murray cod have been mostly on the 120mm

clarity will fluctuate over the next month, especially leading up to Easter and

Luke Haaja with a nice Murray cod caught on a Hammerhead lure in the Murray River during the transition of the seasons. Fish like this are quite common at this time of year around Mildura. Catfish seem to have slowed down with the temperature drop, in comparison to what was being reported a month or so ago. Of course, carp are still being caught in their hundreds all around Mildura and Wentworth. There have been a couple catch-a-carp style competitions around Mildura of late, which is great for the river health and the community in general.

Koolabung Codzillas and the great range from Gidgee Lures. These lures are considered the ultimate cod fishing tool and they have picked up a lot of the larger yellowbelly also. Trolling them in 6-7m of water has been a very successful tactic of late. Time on the water has also been the key, with keen anglers putting in 10-13 hour days, but with good results. River levels and water

the Mildura ski race, which usually makes fishing conditions tough. Yellowbelly activity will drop off at this time of year, and trolling techniques employed throughout the summer will now need to be adapted to suit the cooler conditions when Murray cod begin to dwell in the shallows. This is where casting into snags and rock piles comes into a world of its own.

The Canberra Native Cup The Canberra Native Cup 2015 took place this year on Lake Burley Griffin. Over 7 weeks from February 5 until March 12, anglers battled it out every Thursday night for a place in the top 20, and a guaranteed spot in the final held on March 19. RESULTS Competitor..... Points Kristal Priestly............53 Paul Hoath.................52 Paul Trembearth.........48 Kevin Hodder.............43 Chris Troth..................40 Dean Kehoe...............39 Toby Grundy..............31 Gavin Fletcher...........30 Adam Ellison..............28 Nathan Canizares......27 Peter Howes..............26 Marcus Kanowski......25 Daniel Egan................24 Brad Spurway............23 Aaron Reid.................22 Nathan Walker...........19 Garry Roper...............19 Blake Kehoe.............. 17 Ben Kanowski............ 17 Michael Abramovic...14 Brendan Hawes.........14 Jason Shields............13 Warren Bevan............12 Kirsty Bevan...............12 Martin Cave...............10 Michael Wilson.......... 17 Chris Barb.................. 17 Peter Steward..............9 Codey Flack.................9 Peter Robertson..........8 Peter Mackenzie..........8 Damian Holcroft..........8 Michael Shanahan.......7 Mathew Tyler................7 Jamie Faull...................7 Melissa Harrison..........6 David Button................6

the action. Each competitor is given a Brag Mat at the start of each session, which is individually numbered. Anglers had to then only provide a mobile phone to record their captures and send the photos to Adam at the end of each stage. Points were awarded for captures of Murray cod, golden perch and a selected ‘pest’ species (carp or redfin). The competition outgrew Lake Ginninderra, and was moved to Lake Burley Griffin

was 1 of real mateship and friendly banter, with many younger competitors given free lessons on how best to connect with some of the larger fish in the lake. The action was very slow over the first few weeks, with few natives coming to the net and giving the tournament organisers a few sleepless nights. However, as the cooler weather set in, the fish came on the bite and some truly excellent captures were recorded. I spent one session

The fish were quite small over the first few weeks of the comp.

The water clarity was exceptional throughout the 8 weeks.

The author with a yellowbelly taken from Black Mountain Peninsula. This spot produced some outstanding fishing during the final weeks of competition.

Michael Shanahan with a nice golden taken near the boat ramp.

smashed his own PB as well as breaking the record for the largest yellowbelly caught in the competition’s 5-year history. Other anglers such as Kristal Priestly also impressed with large captures of both Murray cod and golden perch, as well as the odd cracking redfin over the 2kg mark. Despite fierce competition, it was Brendan Hawes who triumphed during the final on March 19, capturing a large yellowbelly to take out the Opens category, while Mathew Tyler took out first place in the Lure Only section. Kristal Priestly finished top of the women’s draw. Adam Samios and his partner Sasha have created a superb fishing tournament, which is attracting more and more competitors, both locally and from interstate every year. These dynamos are to be congratulated for organising such a successful event and deserve every plaudit. Special thanks must also go to all the wonderful sponsors including Shimano, Noxious Spinnerbaits, Compleat Angler, Sears Work Wear, Maxxis, Native Kayaks, and Canberra on the Water. The next competition is the Pride of Perch starting in November, where once again anglers will fight it out for a shot at an enormous prize pool.

Adam Samios is given his verdict on stage 3. This catch and release tournament was created by Adam Samios who hosts My Two Hooks, and is now well and truly established as the premier fishing tournament in the ACT. Anglers paid an initial registration fee and a weekly fee to partake in

in 2015 to provide plenty of space for each angler. This did not stop anglers from following (at a distance) some of the more seasoned pros, which made the first few weeks very interesting as many reverted to stealth tactics to find good fishing. That said, the atmosphere

with Brendan Hawes and Chris Troth, who managed to connect to a school of medium sized yellowbelly. Over the next few hours, we caught over 30 and doubled that amount in redfin. A golden perch coming in at 58cm was caught by Paul Trembearth, who

Winners are grinners, and with thousands of dollars won, why wouldn’t they be? MAY 2015

Albury Wodonga River Classic comp wrap up The Albury Wodonga River Classic held on Saturday 7 March went ahead in fantastic weather but with a very high river surging between the twin cities of Albury-Wodonga. The event attracted over 120 competitors including kids and family groups, which were the main focus of the organisers. The fish were a little shy, with 5 Murray cod recorded but undersized – the best cod almost made the grade at 520mm. The yellowbelly

considered as a kid’s catch. To start the proceedings a presentation was made to Cooper Ayers from Thurgoona. Cooper was the young lad that appeared in all the posters and advertising for the event and his contribution was very much appreciated by the organising committee. The secret length for a cod went to Nathan Lock from Wodonga and he became the proud owner of Garmin sounder made available by TBS Marine and a PFD1 inflatable life jacket supplied

4 years old and will need to grow into his fantastic prize but that is what the promotion of junior fishing is all about.

length yellowbelly (released) went to Ken Strachan from Corowa who also picked up a Garmin sounder from TBS

Lewis Merlin needed a bit of help from Dad to carry his loot.

Brett Thompson from TBS Marine presents Nathan Lock with his Garmin sounder.

Kevin Lewis from PFD1 and Brett Thompson from TBS Marine presented Ken Strachan of Corowa his prizes for the secret weight yellowbelly (released). were a bit better represented with 6 fish at a respectable 380-500mm. A couple of redfin turned up, as well as a number of carp that were only

by PFD1. The junior secret length prize was a canoe package from BCF and was won by little Lewis Merlin from Thurgoona. Lewis is just

Scott Thompson collects a big ice box from Lance Kotzur of Trevora Trading. The secret length yellowbelly (kept) went to Scott Thompson from Tangambalanga and his reward was an Evacool ice box from Trevora Trading and the secret

Marine as well as an inflatable life jacket from PFD1. The junior carp award was won Tyler Densley from Thurgoona and four other kids that recorded carp

received a new rod and reel as encouragement. They were (in no particular order) Josh Burling (Thurgoona) Cloe Densley (Thurgoona) Nate Lock (Wodonga) and Jack Fry (Wodonga). Redfin adult was won by Lachlan Glabbatz from Jarvis Creek and the junior award went to Jordan Childs from Wodonga who took home the Albury City Council sponsored swag. An award for the best total length by a family group went to the Densley Family from Thurgoona and they are off for a weekend at the Great Aussie Holiday Park on Lake Hume at Wymah. The major prize drawn from all entrants went to Steven Fox from Berrigan who won a fantastic wood heater valued at over $1,000 supplied by Wise Living Products from Albury. A raffle conducted in conjunction with the competition for a Barra

Safari supplied by Darwin Barra Base was won by Michael McDonnell from North Albury. As well as all the above prizes there were 40 random draws for various packages of lures, etc. as well as 6 raffles for meat trays supplied by Tallangatta Meat Processors and cut and packed by Locky at Country Side Meats. The hosts, St Ives, presented a $1,000 cheque on behalf of Carlton Mid who generously supported the costs of running the event. The organisers cannot thank the supporters enough, in particular Carlton Mid, Wise Living Products and the great guys from TBS Marine who were on hand all day. Thanks also to Kevin Lewis for his informative demonstrations on life jacket safety and also to the host of local businesses that got behind the event. – Terry Maloney, Sec. South West Anglers Association

Riverina Classic C&R competition a success The second annual Riverina Classic Catch and Release Competition was held over the last weekend in February, on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River at Darlington Point. The Riverina Classic is designed as a complete family weekend, featuring helicopter joy rides, amusement rides and games, jumping castles and riverside market stalls. The event was again a great success, with just over $18,000 donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia — $3000 more than what last year’s event raised. Some 11,000 Murray cod and golden perch fingerlings were also released at the closure of the competition, in order to secure a sustainable fishing future in the Murrumbidgee River ecosystem. Overall there were over 500 entrants in the competition, more than 100 up on last year’s numbers, 84

MAY 2015

with a total of 261 fish caught over the weekend. Numbers of Murray cod and golden perch were up on last year’s totals, whilst the number of carp caught was halved; a very promising sign for the river’s ecosystem and fishers alike. Categories in the competition included: longest yellowbelly, mystery-sized cod, biggest bag of carp, and cumulative length. Kylie Fraser from Whitton in NSW took the crown of champion

angler for 2015, with a several good fish caught, including a whopping 80cm cod. The competition wasn’t just for the adults either, with kids as young as 2 getting out there and having a go. Each category had both a junior and senior section, and all juniors that entered went home with a prize. Local six-year-old boy Levi Ryan won the junior champion category and collected $5000 worth of prizes.

Kylie Fraser was crowned champion angler for the event.

Jason Piromalli and Shaun Roche. Jason won the boat, motor and trailer raffle.

In total, there was more than $50,000 worth of prizes given out over the 2-day event, which was an increase of

around $5000 from last year. The major prizes as part of the raffle draw included a complete Stacer 399 Proline

Angler boat with 2-stroke 30hp Mercury motor and trailer package, a 150cm large screen TV, and a platinum 40l fridge package. A local entrant in the competition, Jason Piromalli, walked away with the boat, motor and trailer package provided by Griffith Marine Centre. This made it 1 of the largest prize pools offered for inland fishing competitions in New South Wales. The event was made possible by the hard work and dedication of volunteers from the Darlington Point Apex Club, and their partners and friends who helped organise the weekend. The event could not have taken place without the generosity of all our sponsors, whose support will help ensure the community and the event continues to thrive. For more information on the Riverina Classic Fishing Competition weekend, like us on Facebook or visit www.riverinaclassic.com

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

May 2-3

GST Bream Elite Round 3 AFT

Gold Coast www.fishingcomps.com.au

May 9-10

Toray BASS Pro Series Round #2 ABT (07) 3387 0888

Lake Somerset www.abt.org.au

May 16-17

Bluefin Boats BASS Electric Series ABT (07) 3387 0888

Toonumbar Dam www.abt.org.au

May 16-17 Hobie Worlds Qualifier #2

Forster www.hobiefishing.com.au

May 17

GTS Bream Mid Round 4 AFT

Clarence River (Iluka) www.fishingcomps.com.au

May 23-24

SBS Bream Basin Lure and Fly

Mallacoota www.basinlureandfly.org.au

May 24

Bluefin Boats BASS Electric Series ABT (07) 3387 0888

Lostock Dam www.abt.org.au

May 24

BETS BREAM Teams #3 BETS www.betsbream.com.au

Forster

Jun 6/7

Pottsville Fishing Classic Beven Wise

Tweed Coast 0412 810 720

Jun 6/7

Berkley BREAM Series Qualifier #3 ABT (07) 3387 0888

Gippsland Lakes www.abt.org.au

Jun 9/10

Berkley BREAM Series Qualifier #4 ABT (07) 3387 0888

Mallacoota www.abt.org.au

Jun 28 Hobie BREAM Kayak Series Round 9

Sydney Harbour www.hobiefishing.com.au

Jun 28

BETS BREAM Teams #4 BETS

Sydney Harbour www.betsbream.com.au

Jun 28

SBS Bream Basin Lure and Fly

Sydney Harbour www.basinlureandfly.org.au

Jul 3-9

Sussex Inlet Annual Family Fishing Carnival SIFFC - (02) 4441 2017

Sussex Inlet www.sussexinlet.nsw.au

Jul 4-5

Toray BASS Pro Series Round #3 ABT (07) 3387 0888

Lake Glenbawn www.abt.org.au

Jul 12

GTS Bream Mid Round 5 AFT

Port Macquarie www.fishingcomps.com.au

Jul 31-Aug 2

Atomic B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Series BASS Nation

Lake St Clair Classic www.bassaustralia.com.au

Aug 8-9

GTS Bream Elite Round 4 AFT

Clarence River (Iluka) www.fishingcomps.com.au

Aug 9

SBS Bream Basin Lure and Fly

St Georges Basin www.basinlureandfly.org.au

Aug 9 Hobie BREAM Kayak Series Round 11

St Georges Basin www.hobiefishing.com.au

Aug 15-16

Berkley BREAM Series Qualifier #5 ABT (07) 3387 0888

Hawkesbury River www.abt.org.au

Aug 29-30

Toray BASS Pro Series Round #2 ABT (07) 3387 0888

Lake St Clair www.abt.org.au

SEPTEMBER

Sep 24-27

North Coast Fishing Bonanza AFT

Ballina www.fishingcomps.com.au

OCTOBER

Oct 10-11

SBS Bream Grand Final Basin Lure and Fly

TBA www.basinlureandfly.org.au

NOVEMBER

Oct 17-18 Hobie BREAM Kayak Series R14

Georges River www.hobiefishing.com.au

Oct 24-25

Toray BASS Pro Series Grand Final ABT (07) 3387 0888

Lake St Clair www.abt.org.au

Nov 6-8

Berkley BREAM Series Grand Final ABT (07) 3387 0888

Clarence River www.abt.org.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. MAY 2015

NSW/ACT Pirtek Challenge Results are in The Pirtek Fishing Challenge nationwide fishing tournament continues to go from strength to strength, with 8,401 competitors registered for the 2015 event. And although the final amount raised for prostate cancer research was still not finalised at the time of printing, the recipient charities – The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and the Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit – are sure to

get a much needed injection of finds from over 8,000 anglers having a great day on the water! Here’s the final results for NSW/ACT, plus the mystery length winners. There’s also a selection of some of the better pics that were taken throughout the day. I think you’ll all agree that there were some cracking fish caught in what may well be the biggest fishing competition in Australia. – Pirtek Team

1st Bass Junior Luke Robson (46.2cm)

RESULTS Region Place....................Species.............................Length........ Name.........................Suburb....................State NSW/ACT... 1st.........................Bass...................................51.1cm........ David Bond................Merimbula...............NSW 2nd.......................Bass...................................50.1cm........ Ben Parker..................Bowraville................NSW 3rd........................Bass...................................49.3cm........ Ben McLuckie............Wyrallah..................NSW Jr 1st.....................Bass...................................46.2cm........ Luke Robson..............Adamstown.............NSW Jr 2nd...................Bass...................................45.0cm........ Toby Jeffrey................South West Rocks..NSW Mystery Length....Bass 37.0cm......................37.1cm........ Greg Huggins.............Muswellbrook.........NSW NSW/ACT... 1st.........................Bream................................47.3cm........ Douglas Jones...........New Lambton.........NSW 2nd.......................Bream................................45.3cm........ Jo Starling..................Tuross Head . .........NSW 3rd........................Bream................................44.5cm........ Steve Starling.............Tuross Head . .........NSW Jr 1st.....................Bream................................43.1cm........ Scooter Kerstens.......Newport..................NSW Jr 2nd...................Bream................................41.7cm........ Tasman Degroot.........Skennars Head.......NSW Mystery Length....Bream 34.0cm...................34.0cm........ Luke Seiler..................Penrose...................NSW NSW/ACT... 1st.........................Flathead.............................93.0cm........ John Lollback.............Ballina.....................NSW 2nd.......................Flathead.............................92.3cm........ Darryl Edwards..........Palm Beach.............QLD 3rd........................Flathead.............................89.2cm........ Jason Cullender.........Narara.....................NSW Jr 1st.....................Flathead.............................76.0cm........ Rhys Jolly...................Lake Munmorah.....NSW Jr 2nd...................Flathead.............................64.1cm........ Malcolm Scarlett........Berridale..................NSW Mystery Length....Flathead 63.5cm...............63.5cm........ Andrew Hollard..........Turramurra..............NSW NSW/ACT... 1st.........................Whiting...............................47.5cm........ Kim Hayward..............Tura Beach..............NSW 2nd.......................Whiting...............................43.5cm........ Nigel Patfield..............Metford....................NSW 3rd........................Whiting...............................43.3cm........ Greg Cusack..............Tura Beach..............NSW Jr 1st.....................Whiting...............................39.0cm........ Wyatt North................St Marys..................NSW Jr 2nd...................Whiting...............................37.8cm........ William Burggraaff......Lilli Pilli.....................NSW Mystery Length....Whiting 37.5cm..................37.5cm........ Mal Hancock..............Evans Head.............NSW MDB............ 1st.........................European Carp..................82.0cm........ Kirsty Pinal.................Menindee................NSW 2nd.......................European Carp..................80.0cm........ Jason Williams...........Salisbury East.........SA 3rd........................European Carp..................75.1cm........ Lois Hatch..................Bungendore............NSW Jr 1st.....................European Carp..................79.0cm........ Connor Graham.........Chisholm.................ACT Jr 2nd...................European Carp..................76.5cm........ Brandon Dickerson....Cowra......................NSW Mystery Length....European Carp 56.0cm.....55.7cm........ Lee Whitmore.............Beechworth............VIC MDB............ 1st.........................Golden Perch.....................61.0cm........ Todd Hughes..............Inverell.....................NSW 2nd.......................Golden Perch.....................59.6cm........ Chris Howell...............Adelong...................NSW 3rd........................Golden Perch.....................59.3cm........ Steven Watts..............Guyra......................NSW Jr 1st.....................Golden Perch.....................64.3cm........ Ruby Thornely............Borambola..............NSW Jr 2nd...................Golden Perch.....................57.1cm........ Lachlan Grob.............Glen Innes...............NSW Mystery Length....Golden Perch 47.0cm........46.9cm........ Jason Varcoe..............Girgarre...................VIC MDB............ 1st.........................Redfin................................48.8cm........ Peter Willott................Glen Innes...............NSW 2nd.......................Redfin................................47.0cm........ Stephen Mather.........Glen Innes...............NSW 3rd........................Redfin................................46.8cm........ Damian Doust............Glen Innes...............NSW Jr 1st.....................Redfin................................34.6cm........ Isabel Schumacher....Perthville.................NSW Jr 2nd...................Redfin................................32.0cm........ Jake Thornton............Wandin North..........VIC Mystery Length....Redfin 33.0cm...................33.0cm........ Phil Taaffe....................Broadford................VIC GDR............ 1st.........................Rainbow Trout....................43.8cm........ Glen Croker................Queanbeyan...........NSW 2nd.......................Rainbow Trout....................37.9cm........ Jamie Bateman..........Queambeyan..........NSW 3rd........................Rainbow Trout....................37.2cm........ Anton Allaki................Gilmore....................ACT Jr 1st.....................Rainbow Trout....................44.2cm........ Maxine Girling............Berridale..................NSW Jr 2nd...................Rainbow Trout....................NOT WON....................................................................... Mystery Length....Rainbow Trout 41.0cm......40.3cm........ Rick Whyte.................Wanniassa...............ACT

$169,000

in cash and prizes 86

MAY 2015

1st Bream Douglas Jones (47.3cm)

1st Bream Junior Scooter Kerstens (43.1cm)

1st Golden Perch Junior Ruby Thornely (64.3cm)

Hit out of the Parko After one false start, everyone was very keen for the rescheduled Engel sponsored first round of the 2015 BETS tournament to get underway - and that included the organisers! A perfect day with plenty of fish was required to wipe away the pain of a couple of weeks previous and the good ‘ol Hawkesbury delivered in spades. With an awesome sunrise kicking the day off and over 40, 5- bags rounding it off the story should have been about a great day. As it turned out the story was so much bigger, over 10 kilos bigger. With such great conditions the teams were spread far and wide with a few boats fishing the boat hulls metres from the start and other going as far as their fuel tanks would let them. One such team was Team Parko, Andy Parkinson and Matt

Simonis. Using their Skeeter/ Evinrude combination to take them way, way up river the pair were almost in bass territory when the started to chase the runout tide back down stream. Fishing the rock walls in over five metres of water the pair pulled over twenty legals using Berkley Big Blades hopped down the walls. Twenty however was not the key feature of their session, however, it was the sheer quality of the fish that they were catching. Presenting the bag for weighing the writing already appeared to be on the wall for the day with a cracking bag of 5.11kg already on the score sheet. With the fish in the weigh bag being greatly magnified by the water, it certainly looked the goods and it was left to the scales to complete the story. Settling at 5.23kg it was indeed the goods and gave Team Parko the opening win of the season. A cracking 1.53kg fish carried the bag

that included a couple of kilo fish for good measure and in one of those rare tournament moments - especially for NSW - a five kilo bag was knocked off top spot by another five kilo haul. First place earned Andy and Matt the $3500 top prize and an Engel Spectator Pack. So where did that other five kilo bag come from? Pretty much the same area of river and these fish fell to the skilled hands of Team Abu Garcia/Evinrude Australia, Ross Cannizzaro and Alan Loftus. After putting many hours in pre fishing the higher parts of the system the pair were confident of a big bag, a Berkley Crabby and PowerBlade approach proving a solid technique in the weeks prior. After the long run up, a fair bit of “running and gunning” and a rapid trip home the Skeeter/ETEC combination was running on fumes by the time the pair got to the

5.23kg of yellowfin bream was worth $3,500 to Team Parko at the first BETS round of the season. weigh-in. The confidence in finding a good bag had certainly paid off and in setting the bench mark weight of 5.11kg midway through the weigh in you could almost have been forgiven for writing the winners cheque out early. Amongst this big bream fest there had to be one that stood head and shoulders

(well shoulders anyway) above the rest and it was a fish from the much vaunted washes that did just that. Team This Time (David Blakers and Glen Hampson) did indeed catch the big one this time – the fabulous 1.63kg specimen ruled the roost after many challenges were made throughout the afternoon.

Falling for a Gulp! Shrimp in Natural pattern this beauty not only helped the team to third place but secured the first Austackle Big Bream Award for the Series. A $250 Austackle Lure Pack will be on its way to the lucky recipients, as will the invitation to lead the field out for Round Two.

RESULTS Teams Angler 1 Angler 2 Fish Weight Big Bream Payout 1....Team Parko..............................................Andy Parkinson......... Mat Simons............ 5.......... 5.23.......... 1.59................. $3500 BETS Winners Cash 2....Team Abu Garcia/ Evinrude Australia.....Ross Cannizzaro....... Alan Loftus............. 5.......... 5.11................................... $2500 + Engel Spectator Prize Pack 3....This Time.................................................David Blakers............ Glen Hampson....... 5.......... 4.51.......... 1.65................. Lowrance $1500 Catalogue Voucher + $500 Bonus Cash 4....Bing Lee/ Delkor Batteries......................Adam Sczepaniak.... Jorge Van Husen.... 5.......... 4.16................................... Lowrance $1500 Catalogue Voucher 5....Team NDS...............................................Daniel Scott.............. Nic Scott................ 5.......... 3.84.................................. Engel MT45 Fidge Freezer valued @$1149 6....Lowrance/ Abu Garcia............................Greg Silva................. Graham Frankin..... 5.......... 3.77.................................. $500 + Coleman 2 For 1 Day Tent 7....Team Windybanks...................................Simon McAlpin......... David Dobson........ 5.......... 3.68.................................. $250 + Coleman 3x3M Gazebo 8....Mako Eyewear.........................................Tim Staunton............ Michael Hodges..... 5.......... 3.58.................................. $125 + 2 X $100 dinga.com.au Vouchers 9....Ecogear/ Dragon.....................................Simon Sczepaniak.... Sally Bacon............ 5.......... 3.55.................................. $125 BETS Bonus Cash + Engel Spectator Prize Pack 10...Rip Em In.................................................Beau Riley................. Russell Riley........... 5.......... 3.49.................................. $125 BETS Bonus Cash

3rd Rainbow Trout Anton Allaki (37.2cm)

1st Flathead John Lollback (93cm)

1st Whiting Kim Hayward (47.5cm)

2nd Bass Ben Parker (50.1cm)

3rd Bass Ben McLuckie (49.3cm)

3rd Flathead Jason Cullender (89.2cm)

2nd Bream Jo Starling (45.3cm) MAY 2015

Carter breams to BASS win TER 1ST BOA Victoria’s Warren Carter showed he’s a bass rookie to watch on the BASS Pro tour with the multiple event winning BREAM tour veteran compiling a, 6/6, 4.87kg to claim victory in the first round of the Toray BASS Pro Series. Showing experienced bass pros a clean pair of heels Carter fished to his strength, throwing his beloved bream jerkbait, a Smith Panish, to claim first blood at the Imakatsu presented opening round of the 2015 series. Equally forging a path on the bass tour for the bream guys was event runner-up Anthony Thorpe, followed by multiple BASS Electric event winner, Haswing Bass Pro Dave Mann. For event winner Carter it was a bream influenced affair with the Victorian tournament veteran fishing to his strengths and throwing a lure that he’s claimed

many podium finishes on the BREAM tour, a jerkbait. “The Smith Panish jerkbait is one of my go-to lures when chasing black bream, so I tied one on during the Friday prefish and caught a fish on my 4th cast,” explained Carter. With his lure and technique locked in courtesy of a 25 fish prefish Carter kicked off session one fishing the weed edges in the main basin and soon found the fish still on the bite, picking up his limit in the first hour and catching four fish for the session. Sitting in the top five heading into session two Carter once again threw a jerkbait, and just like in session one had his limit in the first hour fishing shallow weed edges. Focusing on the distinct weed edges rather than the broken and more scattered weed lines Carter’s retrieve was textbook black bream jerkbaiting, three to four twitches followed by a pause. The pauses were sometimes up to four seconds long, but were more commonly 1-2 seconds long. “It was important to

Weed fringed bays and points were prime spots to fish in the Imakatsu presented opening round of the Toray BASS Pro Series.

Warren Carter became one of few anglers to have won a BASS Pro and BREAM Qualifier event with victory at Lake St Clair. fish fresh water and not just revisit the same banks all the same,” explained Carter. This approach paid off big time on day one, on day two things however got a lot tougher. “Sunday was really hard. I fished both new and old ground and it was hard going. It wasn’t until the change came through and the wind picked up at 11.15am that the fish started to bite,” explained Carter. Keying in on the wind blown banks as the hot spots Carter made up for lost time, quickly catching his limit, and catching four

Pause

STORM Twitch

VENTAFISH®

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 88

MAY 2015

fish in the last 20 minutes of the session. Weighing in the second heaviest limit for the session Carter in the end claimed a comfortable win. In doing so becoming one of few anglers who have won both a BASS Pro and BREAM event. With a 4th and 1st in his last two BASS Pro events Carter is one of the inform anglers on tour at the moment, and is emerging as an angler to watch for the 2015 Power-Pole Angler of the Year title.

Thorpe mixes deep and shallow CE 2ND PLA

For event runner-up Anthony Thorpe is was a tournament of varying techniques with the NSW tournament gun fishing both shallow and deep to catch his fish. Starting off on the eastern side of the lake early on day one Thorpe filled his limit in five minutes catching his fish on a soft plastic in the shallows. “There was this small bay where the bass were breaking the surface as they herded up baitfish,” explained Thorpe. To catch them Thorpe threw a Bait Breath Fish Tail Shad rigged on a 1/16oz Nitro jighead and worked it back with a slow roll and twitch retrieve. “It was just like a surface bite and once the sun got up and hit the water the bite shut down,” explained Thorpe. With his shallow plastic bite gone Thorpe moved deeper and began throwing

Anthony Thorpe fished both shallow and deep to catch his St Clair bass.

an Evergreen Little Max in 25-30’ of water out from the weed edge. Sitting in equal 1st place at the end of the session Thorpe knew that his shallow, low light, pattern wouldn’t fire until late in session, if at all. “I went deep from the start of the session and vertical fished a 2.5” Bait Breath Fish Curly in 30’ of water, fishing it with a slow roll and drop through the water column,” explained Thorpe. The approach paid off with Thorpe catching his limit in the first ten minutes. As the session progressed and the amount of sunlight waned Thorpe once again hit the shallower edges, throwing a Little Max to the edges and slow rolling it back out. Delivering another consistent bag to the scales Thorpe sat in 3rd place heading into the 2nd and final day. Returning back to his shallow bay Thorpe picked up where he left off, catching a string of fish on his rolled and twitched paddle tail plastic.

Draper rips to Victory -BOATER 1ST NON Fishing his first BASS Pro after many years on the sideline 16 year old New South Wales angler Luke Draper confirmed long held suspicions and showed that he’s a tournament angler on the rise and an angler to watch for the future. Fishing with David Diggins on day one Draper started his day throwing a Jackall Squirrel to the weed edge, and he didn’t have to wait long to find out if he was on the money. “David had me three fish down so I decided to tie on a jerkbait, and it was on my first cast that I caught my first fish,” explained Draper. Working the jerkbait with a three-rip pause retrieve, Draper’s 2nd fish followed on his very next cast. “They were very active early, feeding along the weed

line and slamming our lures”, explained Draper. Weighing in a 2.20kg limit for the session, Draper’s opening limit not only saw him head into the session with a comfortable lead, but his XOS bag also delivered him the Duffrods Big Bag for the tournament. With the early morning cloud gone and the sun now high in the sky Diggins and Draper went deep for the start of the afternoon session, fishing blades over the flats and Berkley Gulps down deep to catch their fish. Weighing in a 1.49kg limit for the session Draper’s bag would have been heavier had it not been for a big fish that he had to let go due to ill health. Fishing with Brian Everingham on day two Draper once again threw a jerkbait, this time fishing a little wider and deeper than the day before. The approach paid dividends with Draper picking up two fish in the first hour.

BASS PR Presente O SERIES d by Ima

“They were active and breaking the surface just like the day before, and in five minutes I had my limit. I stayed for another 1 ½ hours so I could get everything I could out of the area, and in doing so picked up another five upgrades,” explained Thorpe. Knowing that the bigger fish would be on the edges Thorpe stayed shallow and

katsu

final weigh-in Thorpe’s bag was enough to secure him 2nd place and book him a ticket to the Lake Glenbawn Grand Final in October. “St Clair played into my hands for the tournament, with the bite suiting by

Boats cued up to weigh-in each session. fished his way through a number of locations, rotating between a Little Max and a suspending jerkbait as he went. Delivering a 1.55kg limit to the scales for the

preferred techniques and style. This year I’m focusing more on the bass events than the bream so to finish 2nd in my first event is great,” explained Thorpe.

WINNING NOTES

Winning Ways

Carter fished the edges knowing that the bigger fish would be there. He also fished to his strength throwing the lure in his boat that he had most experience and confidence with, a jerkbait.

Winning Tackle

Rod: 7’ spin Reel: 2500 spin Line: 11lb Varivas Avani Sea Bass Max Power PE Leader: 6lb Varivas Ganoa Absolute fluorocarbon Lure: Smith Panish DD65, colour 21 and 39

Austackle Big Bream

Champion nonboater Luke Draper valued added his winnings at Lake St Clair picking up the Austackle Big Bream prize courtesy of his session one kicker fish. Weighing in at 1.19kg, Draper caught it on his first cast of the day on a twitched and pause Jackall Squirrel. Luke Draper claimed victory in the nonboater division. An outstanding result in his first ever ABT BASS Pro event. Hitting the stage to weigh-in a 1.49kg limit Draper blew away the field

to claim his maiden BASS Pro win in his maiden BASS Pro event.

TOP 10 BOATERS

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS

Place Angler

Fish

Weight

Payout

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 5/6 5/6 5/6

4.87 4.50 4.22 4.00 3.94 3.92 3.80 3.37 3.33 3.30

$2,100 $1,100 $800 $700 $550 $400

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Luke DRAPER Cameron LEY James REID Ryan JONES Brett HYDE Adam SHARPE Peter MORGAN Owen MCPAUL Dayne TAYLOR Rodney THORPE

6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 4/6 4/6 4/6 3/6 3/6 3/6

5.12 3.89 3.86 3.82 2.87 2.44 2.18 2.00 1.87 1.66

Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

Warren CARTER Anthony THORPE David MANN Malcolm STEWART Peter JENKINS Peter LEGGETT Mark FERGUSON Stephen DUFF Robert BALDOCK Michael THOMPSON

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au MAY 2015

Kay kicks at Clyde yak Hobie Ka River Clyde BREAsMented by Daiwa Pre

Southern NSW’s Clyde River was the scene of the 4th round of the 2015 Hobie Kayak BREAM Series, with the expansive waterway and challenging

fishery playing host to 30 keen kayakers. The ever consistent Luke Kay claimed the event win, compiling a 3/3, 1.69kg limit to relegate Eric Wood

(3/3, 1.56kg) to 2nd, and Carl Dubois (3/3, 1.39kg) to 3rd. Event runner-up Eric Wood also picked up the Austackle Big Prize courtesy of his 810gram Clyde River bream.

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Name

Fish

Weight

Fish

Weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

1.69 1.56 1.39 1.38 1.37 1.34 1.23 1.19 1.12 1.04

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

1.69 1.56 1.39 1.38 1.37 1.34 1.23 1.19 1.12 1.04

Luke Kay Eric Wood Carl Dubois Simon Morley Kane Terry Lynden Briggs Jeremy Thomas Andrew Hancox Brian Hunt Jonathan Chen

Payout

Carl Dubois, Luke Kay, and Eric Woods stood out on the Clyde River to claim the top the three spots.

$750 $382 $232

For event winner it was a surface lure and crankbait won event with Kay fishing mangrove edges close to the town bridge. His tournament winning lures included a Lucky Craft NW Pencil and a Pro Lure S36 crankbait in black. The win added yet another win to Kay’s

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

yak Hobie Ka a Dam llow BASS Ta d by Daiwa Presente

On Sunday March 29 bass anglers from up and down the east coast gathered at Tallowa Dam, 160km south of Sydney, to compete in round three of the Hobie B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Kayak Series. A large field of the country’s best bass kayak anglers headed off in excellent conditions from the Power-Pole Start Line in the catch-photo-release (CPR) tournament. The majority of the field made the long trip up the eastern arm of the waterway in search of big bass hiding in the snags at Beehive point, but it was two cunning anglers who decided to fish the

impressive tournament CV and once again showed he’s always an angler to watch in any event he fishes. In total 44 bream hit the scales for the tournament. For more information on the 2015 Hobie Kayak BREAM Series, presented by Daiwa, visit www.hobiefishing.com.au.

Classic Crust dominates kayak win main basin directly in front of the launch site who picked up first and second for the day, in the process saving their legs from a workout. At the end of the session it was Joe Crust from Sydney in New South Wales who took out first place with a 3/3, 115cm limit. Richard Robson from Bowral in New South Wales followed closely, missing the top spot by 1cm, while Glenn Hayter, also from New South Wales, took third place on the podium with his 107 cm bag. Joe Crust summed up his tournament when asked to outline his plan of attack and share some of the strategies and techniques he used to win the event. “During the pre-fish I’d pedalled about an hour and a half towards Beehive Point,

TOP 10 BOATERS Place

Angler

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Joe Crust Richard Robson Glenn Hayter Mick Skinner Scott Anderson Brad Chin Scott Carmody Simon Morley Jonathan Chen Brett Crowe

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

115 cm 114 cm 107 cm 107 cm 107 cm 105 cm 102 cm 101 cm 91 cm 88 cm

$320 + Sponsors Prize Packs $190 + Sponsors Prize Packs $120 + Sponsors Prize Packs $80 + Sponsors Prize Packs $60 + Sponsors Prize Packs -

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au and caught very little for my efforts. I’d done well in the past fishing the edges, but failed to get the pattern to work during the prefish. I caught up with Richard (Robson) near the event start line and we spotted a couple of schools of fish, so we decided to fish here

for the tournament and rotate our way through the schools. As soon as one school stopped biting we’d move to the next spot. We were fishing in 5–7m of water and it seemed like the bass were balling the mosquito fish up against the drop offs. This made them easy to target

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle

Rod: ..................... Daiwa Generation Black Reel: ...........................Daiwa Certate 2000 Line: ................ Berkley 4lb Fireline Crystal Leader: ...........................Sunline VHard 5lb Lure: ....1/8 and a 3/16th Jighead on camo coloured grub

Winning Ways

and we simply cast into the active schools and worked out lures back to the kayak”. ROBSON HOOKS SECOND Robson netted a catch that measured short of the tournament winner by just 1cm, but it was enough to give him an overall advantage in length of 7cm cm over third place finisher Glenn Hayter. Describing his day on the water, Robson said. “Joe and I sorted out a plan during the prefish that saw us fishing together and fishing the schooled bass right in front of the Hobie weigh-in tent. We worked this way knowing that sometimes it’s good to

team up on the bass as it can keep them active and bitting. It’s also a tonne of fun. We basically did a circuit of the main basin of Tallowa Dam catching fish on vertically retrieved grubs as we went. We had an absolute ball and caught 40-50 fish for the day, including a lot of upgrades. It didn’t really shut down until the last hour of the session. To get to experience bass fishing this good, and getting to share it with your best mate is an absolute privilege. To finish first and second just tops it off”. Robson joins Crust in qualifying for the 2015 Hobie B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Kayak Series Australian Championship on Hinze Dam, October 31- November. NEXT ROUND It’s now time to start planning for the next round of the Hobie B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Kayak Series, which will be held on the Mary River in Queensland May 31. A special thanks to, Chris Purnell from Totally Immersed Watersports in South Nowra for providing dealer support at the event, and B.A.S.S Australia Nation.

It was really all about not spooking the fish. Thinking about what’s going on beneath you and being mindful of that. We were releasing the fish a long way away so as not to put a distressed fish back into the school and freak the others out, sending them off the bite.

Big Bass

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MAY 2015

Brad Chin from Heathcoate in New South Wales picked up his Hog’s Breath Cafe BOSS HOG Big Bass after making the slog up to Beehive Point and landing an impressive 46 cm Australian Bass Atomic 2.5” Paddle Tail Black and Gold (pictured) “I picked it up around midday in one of the little bays near Beehive. I dropped one at the boat that would have upgraded me a few centimeters but I’m happy with the 46cm that got me the cheque.”

Joe Crust with one the many fish he caught to claim victory at Tallowa Dam.

Tony Pettie smashes Mallacoota victory

yak Hobie Ka ries Se BREAteMd by Daiwa Presen

director each day and a total of 304 bream, weighing 207kg were presented to the weigh master over the course of the two days before being released back into the system. Day 1 leader and eventual tournament winner Tony Pettie from Traralgon in Victoria had a solid 3 bream bag for 2.86kg going into the second day of the tournament. Tony Pettie held on to the number 1 position on the Lowrance leader board netting the first place on the Aussie team for the Worlds in China, a qualifying position in the Australian Championship, as well as an excellent sponsor prize pack and a $2,245 cheque for his efforts. Tony also took home an additional $100 for landing the Hog’s Breath Café BOSS HOG Big Bream with his 1.24kg bag kicker fish from day 1. Consistency was the name of the game as Tony laid out his plan of attack: DAY 1 “I got my bag by 7.30am on the Goodwin Sands, near the green marker posts, and then went looking for bigger fish. I went down to Cemetery Bight and managed one upgrade. I then went back

On March 14-15, 78 of the country’s finest kayak anglers from Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT descended on the popular holiday town of Mallacoota in Victoria to compete in Round 3 of the Hobie Kayak Bream Series presented by Daiwa. While anglers were looking for the round win, they were also chasing points towards Angler of the Year (AOY), Rankings and, most importantly, the 2 spots on the Australian Hobie Fishing Team available from this first of three qualifying rounds for the 5th Hobie Fishing World Championships to be held later in the year on Shang Lake in China. On both mornings, the anglers headed off from the Power-Pole starting line, splitting in direction with half the field heading for Top Lake and The Narrows and the other half opting for Bottom Lake. It was those who worked Bottom Lake who seemed to bring the bigger bream to weigh-in each day. More than half the field brought full bags of 3 bream to the tournament

Tony Pettie held on to the number 1 position on the Lowrance leader board netting the first place on the Aussie team for the Worlds Championships in China.

fish. Shortly after I worked out that the fish were on the flats in very shallow water and got my first and second fish quickly but the third eluded me. “I then headed to the front of the flats where there was a really rocky area in only 300mm of water. BANG… I caught my third of over a kilo, finishing with a respectable bag of 1.94kg placing in 19th but way under the 2.5kg average expected to get a top 5 place.” DAY 2 “I was confident that the same area would produce fish, especially with the strong winds forecast. I got to the sands inside the southern green

of fun and winning a spot on the Australian team is just awesome. I just have to let the wife know now…” PHAYER TAKES SECOND Ben Phayer from Victoria followed up a 1.94kg bag of 3 bream on day 1, with an impressive day 2 bag of 3.18kg for an accumulated 6 fish weight of 5.12kg. This was short of the top prize by 950g, but enough to give him a 200g lead over third place finisher, Joshua Smith also

channel marker. First cast… a 1kg+ fish, second cast another. Hmm, maybe a good day…. “As the storm rolled across with the wind and rain the fish shut down. After a few hours I had a bag but needed to upgrade the small fish to

to the back of the Goodwin Sands near Dorran Bight, this is where I managed to catch the Boss Hog. I then moved to the other side of Goodwin Sands and managed another couple of upgrades.” DAY 2 “Gotta love the reverse start. I went back to my first spot from day 1 and found 10-15 others there, it was terrific to see every one hook up but me. I moved down the Goodwin Sands a bit and caught my first fish, 10 minutes later I had

MORTGAGE CORP MONSTER MOVER The Monster Mover for Round 3 was Steven Pryke who moved up 32 positions. After finishing day 1 in 63rd position with no fish, Steven went on to smash it on day 2 and with a 3 fish bag for 3.04kg. from Victoria. Phayer recounted his weekend’s efforts on the water. DAY 1 “I knew that Goodwin Sands was a productive area so I planned to fish there but by 10.30am I didn’t have a

HOG’S BREATH BOSS HOG Round winner, Tony Pettie also brought home the bacon, after catching the tournament’s biggest fish, a 1.24kg bream, taking the Hog’s Breath Café Boss Hog Big Bream cheque. The Hog’s Breath Café Boss Hog Big Bream was caught on day 1 of the tournament at the back of Goodwin Sands using a Jackall Chubby in suji shrimp. S

TER TOP 10 NON-BOA

SERI ES BAS S ELEC TRIC

DATE:

BOSS HOG HOGS BREATH PAY TO:

Hogs Breath Boss Hog

FOR THE SUM OF:

One Hundred Dollars

$ 10 0

nts Fishing Tourn•ame barra bass • bream

Left: Popular holiday town of Mallacoota in Victoria was host to Round 3 of the Hobie Kayak Bream Series presented by Daiwa. Right: Top 3 place getters: Tony Pettie (1st), Ben Phayer (2nd), Joshua Smith (3rd). caught another 3. I moved to where I had caught my biggest fish on day 1 which paid off with 2 more upgrades. I then moved into Dorran Bight where I lost 1 fish, the only touch that I did get. I went back to my hot spot and got another quality upgrade. My day 2 bag weighed 3.21kg and kept me in first place.” REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS Pettie summed up his feelings on being the first to make the squad to represent Australia at the Hobie Fishing World Championship in China this November. “I had a really good couple of days, loads

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle

Rod: N.S. One Black Hole MS702UL Reel: Daiwa Aird 2000 Line: 4lb Fireline Crystal Leader: 4lb FC Rock Lure: Jackall Chubby in suji shrimp and Cultiva Mirror Shad

Winning Ways

Pettie had no doubts about what gave him the winning edge in the tournament. “I just wanted to work Goodwin Sands. I’ve done alright there before, it holds good fish. There’s a bit of channel there so I was just fishing the shallows and bringing it down in to the deeper water with a slow roll and an occasional pause and twitch.”

TOP 10

Visit www.hobiefishing.com.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888.

Place Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6

6.07 5.12 4.98 4.87 4.77 4.76 4.73 4.63 4.58 4.56

$2245 + Prize Pack $1150 + Prize Pack $750 + Prize Pack $290 + Prize Pack $290 + Prize Pack $230 $230 $230 $175 $175

Tony Pettie Ben Phayer Joshua Smith Scott Lovig Chris Burbidge Daniel Brady Patrick McQuarrie Glenn Allen Trevor Green Bogdan Zisu

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

go with the 2kg+ in the well. I went back to where I got the other fish and yet again almost first cast I had my upgrade. “I was confident that this was the biggest bag I had ever weighed in, and thought a top 10 may have been in reach. My bag weighed 3.18kg putting me straight into 1st place…. WOW… The nerves started.” On earning a spot on the Australian team Phayer said, “Finishing 2nd place! To qualify for the grand final was my aim for the season but to qualify for the Hobie Worlds in China is an honour and a dream come true.” SPECIAL THANKS Like all of the events in the Hobie Kayak Fishing Series, this round could not have gone ahead without the great support of our generous sponsors Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic. Lowrance, Rhino-Rack, Strike Pro, Austackle, TT Lures, Yamatoyo, Ecogear, PowerPole, Mortgage Corp , Hog’s Breath Cafe and ABT. Thanks also to Stewie, Tony and Leaf from Compleat Angler in Merimbula for providing Hobie dealer support. MAY 2015

Rollison turns back clock Andrew Rollison (2/2, 2.19kg) took out the first BASS Electric event for 2015, the Haswing BASS Electric Major at Hinze Dam, March 29th. Rollison, a 47 year old Technology Manager at News Corp, returned from an eight year hiatus to take the win at his local dam. Capping off the victory, Rollison also secured the Flow-rite Big Bass for the event (1.22kg). Rollison decided not to prefish the tournament, relying on his previous experience and knowledge of the waterway. However, as Rollison discovered on competition day, the water levels had risen significantly (15 feet) since his last trip. The decision was made to stick to his original plan and return to where he had located fish at the lower water level. Rollision discusses his choice of location and technique used, “I had made a decision to fish one section of bank and not travel too much. I also fished a bay that was still partly in the shade on

Andrew Rollison with his brace of Hinze winning bass. (Double Willow) with a combination of skirts #26 (purple, red and white/ cream), #001 (purple and white fleck) and #31 (cream, olive, silver fleck)”. Rollison’s first fish came at 7.30am, and then nothing until 9.45am when he lost two fish in two casts into the sunken timber. This

rattled Rollison who took a break for 10-15 minutes to regroup and refocus and then concentrated on catching the second fish. A few bumps came over the next hour but no bites connected. Giving the bank a rest he headed out to fish points for approximately 1 hour. Rollison identified

suspended fish at 20-25’ in the trees, but could not get a reaction from them. “At 11.45am I headed back to where I had lost the two fish earlier, as I figured that there must be other active fish in the area, and on my first cast I connected to, and landed the fish that filled my bag.”

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle

Lure: ............... 3/8oz Bassman spinnerbait Rod:.............G. Loomis Crankbait CBR843 Reel: ..................... Daiwa Zillion PE special Line: ...............14lb Berkley Crystal Fireline Leader:..... 20lb Sunline flurocarbon leader

Winning Ways

“I think the fact that I took the time to recompose after losing two fish in succession was a real contributor to the overall outcome. Also focusing on the things that I could control, such as boat position, technique and presentation, helped overcome the tough bite.”

Flowrite Big Bass

The event winner Andrew Rollison also secured the Flow-rite Big Bass for the event (1.22kg).

STORM VENTAFISH®

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MAY 2015

the western side of the dam that had held fish earlier in the year. I targeted structure that was in 15-20’ of water and positioned the boat around the 35-40’ contour to cast and retrieve across the target area which contained multiple sunken bush and tree skeletons”. “The technique was to let the lure drop to the bottom in approximately 20’, then a dead slow roll and pause, 3 slow winds then letting it sink again, effectively keeping it connected to the bottom and slowly dragging it through the sunken tree frames in the target area. The strikes that I did receive came during the slow roll. The spinner bait used was a 3/8oz Bassman Carl’s Compact spinnerbait

Above left: Andrew Rollison also picked up the Flow-rite Big Bass Prize at Hinze. Above: The top three from the first Haswing BASS Electric Major of the year cleaned up in the prize department.

RESULTS #

Angler

Fish Weight (kg)

1 2 3

Andrew ROLLISON Adrian WILSON Stephen MCLEAN

2 2 2

2.19 2.12 1.74

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Paul MCHUGH Jonathan BALE Shaun FALKENHAGEN Les SMITH Tom REYNOLDS Luke CLARK Rebecca SMITH QLD

2 2 1 1 1 1 1

1.51 1.44 1.11 0.91 0.9 0.88 0.79

Payout

Haswing Electric motor Engel Esky, $300 Haswing voucher, 13 Fishing Omen Black rod, $200 Haswing voucher Spotters sunglasses & lure pack Spotters sunglasses & lure pack Tonic sunglasses Austackle rod Austackle rod Lure Pack Lure Pack

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Adrian Wilson claimed another podium finish to now be the number one ranked BASS Electric angler. Rollison notes in relation to his tackle that he increased his leader strength given the terrain that he was fishing and noted that the water was still partly cloudy from recent rain. “It is pretty easy to loose the mental edge and become negative when you don’t catch or lose fish, but I didn’t want that to impact on the remaining time that I had left. Thanks to ABT for the event and the major sponsor Haswing. I am looking forward to the remaining comps and the Electric Convention at Cressbrook”. TREETOP TREASURE DELIVERS FOR WILSON Adrian Wilson (2/2, 2.12) produced a strong result to finish in second place and kickstart his 2015 BASS Electric campaign. Wilson, a 50 year old self-employed concreter from Heritage Park, found his tournament limit but fell just grams short of taking the win. Wilson had the opportunity to prefish Hinze Dam five weeks earlier and found the bite tough, only managing to land one fish. On a positive note Wilson did locate a promising school of fish off an edge in about 8m of water and decided to return to this location on the day of the tournament. However things don’t always go to plan, “On competition day I headed to my starting point, but unfortunately another angler looked like they were heading in that direction in front of me so I had to change my game plan. I ended up heading down near the dam wall, where I fished edges for about 25 minutes until I finally came across some fish in 7m of water. I dropped down a 1/4oz

Impact Tackle Bladez in fire tail colour and vertically hopped it and scored my first fish followed by my second fish 15- 20 minutes later using the same lure. I was pretty happy to have bagged out within the first hour on a 33cm and 36cm respectively, especially knowing how challenging the bite was”. Wilson proceeded to fish the surrounding flats with a variety of plastics and blades searching for

upgrades. Knowing this area held good fish kept Wilson plugged away, but no fish were forthcoming. With no upgrades a move was made to his next location, a submerged tree that laid in roughly 10m of water. “When I reached this spot I started to get a good showing of fish on my Lowrance in 5-7m of water around the submerged tree. I put my spot lock on and dropped down some blades and ice jigs but could not entice a response. After 1.5 hours with no bites but plenty of fish still showing I decided to drop a marker buoy on the tree and move

3/8oz Bassman Carl’s Compact spinnerbait (Double Willow) with a combination of skirts #26 (purple, red and white/cream), #001 (purple and white fleck) and #31 (cream, olive, silver fleck)

out about 20m so I could cast cut down plastics back over the tree. As it was a breezy day, the wind would continually shift the boat around hence why I put down the buoy, so I knew where to cast every time. I would count the lure

bites, therefore sparking up my enthusiasm again. Looking back, I believe the change of angle from a vertical to a more horizontal angle obliviously presented the lure differently to the fish, and possibly triggered a new found interest from

BASS EL ECT MAJOR RIC

Headz Jig Head in smoke yellow core colour. The lure was continually coated in Procure Super Gel in garlic scent. “In hindsight, it was a good choice to stay where the fish were schooled and not waste valuable time trying to search for more active fish that I possibly may never had found. As the saying goes, never leave fish to find fish. I would like to thank Bill, Adam and the rest of the boys from Tackle Warehouse for their support over the years and Brad Clark from Barrabass rods

Luke Clark’s boat is rigged and ready to go for the 7am start in the first Haswing BASS Electric Major of the year. down for about 15-20 seconds and then start a dead slow retrieve back to the boat which got me instant, but subtle

them. I stayed in this spot for the remainder of the day, upgrading twice with a 40cm and a 39cm fish”. Wilson used a cut down 2.8” Keitech Swing Impact Fat in silver flash minnow colour rigged on a 1/4oz Impact Tackle

for making my rods”. Wilson’s tackle included a Revs 72 Barrabass Rod teamed with a 2500 size Daiwa Certate Reel spooled with 10lb Sunline Super 5 Braid and 6lb FC Rock Fluorocarbon leader.

Spinnerbait retrieve

2.8” Keitech Swing Impact Fat in silver flash minnow rigged on a 1/4oz Impact Tackle Headz Jig Head in smoke yellow core colour MAY 2015

Grady White Seafarer 226 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

I don’t know what it is about Grady White boats but every time I set out to review one from Game and Leisure Boats at Runaway Bay the weather takes a vicious turn to the windy side of the scale. Luckily, these boats are made for the rough stuff so as I boarded the Grady White Seafarer 226 recently I just grinned at the white caps out on the Broadwater

to have a snooze over night after spending a day aboard cruising, or alternatively to make use of the angling appointments and generous cockpit layout to get stuck into some fish. With their fishing and other equipment stored within the cuddy cab, an icebox aboard for tucker, a team of dedicated fishos would enjoy heading offshore for the day. CUDDY WELL SET UP The Seafarer’s cuddy cab came equipped with a fresh water sink to port of a folding door, while inside well formed V berth

cabin hatch up front plus opening side windows and an interior light combined to ensure that the cabin was well ventilated, very bright and airy. With it’s two part door (upper section acrylic plus bi-fold lower section) able to be locked it also offered useful security if the craft was to be docked over night and some gear left aboard. HARD TOP HANDY One option on the Grady White that really appealed to me was the very strong hard top – with it’s ultra strong stainless steel frame work

INSTRUMENTS WELL SET UP The Grady White Seafarer 226 featured a very strong 4-piece windscreen with plenty of dash space behind it. The craft also had a very neat instrument layout, which made driving and monitoring progress a pleasure. Uppermost on the three section instrument area was Yamaha’s new multi function LCD gauge with it’s 5” screen, linked to the 300 four-stroke’s digital gear/ throttle control system. Set into a very slick binnacle, with the Grady

Above left: Family anglers will enjoy the fresh water sink within the Grady White’s cuddy cab. Above right: The Grady White’s attractions include soft bunks, a toilet plus shelves and ample lighting within the cuddy cab. Left: Standing to drive is assisted by the bolster section of the skipper’s high backed seat.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION Length..............................................................6.76m Beam................................................................2.44m Length on trailer...............................................8.2m Height on trailer................................................3.1m Deadrise.............................................................. 20° Hull weight.................................................... 1592kg Fuel....................................................................431L Engine ratings.........................................200-300hp Engine fitted.................... 300hp Yamaha four-stroke Persons....................................................... Up to 10 Towing............................ Large family wagon or 4x4 and said to Chris Jones of Game and Leisure, “Bring it on!” For the record, although it sports an impeccable finish there’s nothing soft about the big Seafarer 226. It’s a solid fibreglass craft with a length of 6.76m, beam of 2.44m and with almost one half of the craft devoted to a cuddy cab. There’s room for a family 94

MAY 2015

cushioning (including an infill) offered options of stretching out or with the infill removed, sitting to enjoy time out of the weather. Useful storage was under each side berth, while full lining, cushioned back rests courtesy of the plush side shelving, a marine toilet also under the forward cushion, large

– featured on the reviewed Seafarer 226. The moulded hard top also came with a radio box, front and side curtains, a drop curtain, clears, aft rocket launcher rod holder plus another rod holders on the rear vertical frame work. Along with some shelter for up to 4 people it also offered useful hand holds for anyone going forward to tend ground tackle, via the big walkaround area beside the cuddy. I tried the walk-around out myself in somewhat choppy conditions and had no issues going forward to photograph various items thanks to the convenience of the large hard top and it’s framework. Note that a strong bow rail is also part of the Grady White package along with a very prominent bow sprit to ensure that the pick does not contact the lovely gel coat.

White emblem adjacent, the gauge was a great source of information and very easy to refer to. On the next level down was a compass plus engine controls, below the compass the craft’s tilt adjustable three-spoke wheel,

The day was a misty one but it did not take the shine off the Grady White’s well-made hull at work. ignition key, with a quite neat but fairly large array of switches to starboard, along with the trim tab controls. Helm area seating consisted of high backed buckets mounted on moulded boxes set up with side accessed compartments under each pedestal bucket seat. I found these seats to be very comfortable as both passenger and driver. The skipper’s seat was slide adjustable, afforded great visibility and offered the option of also standing braced against the lower bolster section if necessary. Note that storage shelving was also set into each side of the craft adjacent skipper and mate’s seats. Lids on the aft sections of the seat box extensions provided seating for two more people, conveniently handy to both skipper and mate. Further storage was again provided under these seat squabs with the 180L capacity box to starboard set aside for general storage, with the port side being suited to a live well or ice chest, as it was insulated. Note that both of these storage compartments had lids equipped with gas struts and decent rubber sealing for utmost convenience. AMPLE COCKPIT WORK AREA With almost one half of the craft devote to the cockpit I saw ample room

in this area for 4-5 anglers to enjoy their fishing. A self draining non skid floor was but one of the useful attributes here along with 1.8m long side pockets (off floor with a toe rail under them) large enough to hold plenty of tackle, gaffs, tag poles and the like. A fresh water wash was located in the port pocket. Three horizontal rod racks per side were set up within cockpit sides with provision for rods to be fully rigged for use and their rod tips inserted within the hull liner out of harm’s way. Other cockpit items of note were the side coaming up top to provide comfort while working on a fish, paired seats in each aft quarter (which could be lifted to allow access to compartments under them) plus a drop down section at transom centre, providing extra space for the engine to tilt upwards. Two gunwale rod holders per side were fitted with paired cup holders aft. Aft of the transom a boarding platform plus ladder was located to port. 300 YAMAHA HAD REAL PUNCH Engine ratings for the Grady White were 200-300hp, which saw the top power 4.2L Yamaha V6 strutting its stuff with

There are a lot of useful hand holds associated with the Grady White’s big hard top; check out those rod holders.

ease. The big Yamaha was near silent at idle but could be provoked into a throaty growl with movement of the small throttle lever to the right of the wheel. The Seafarer 226 planed at an amazingly gentle 13.8km/h at

2400rpm with two aboard in the nasty Broadwater chop. Cranked to 3000rpm saw 33.6km/h on the GPS, 4000 a speed of 47.8km/h, 5000 a feisty 63.4km/h from the brand new engine. Run in properly, I’d see top speeds

Top: Engine data made easy: Yamaha’s multi function LCD gauge. Bottom: Well formed walkaround facility makes tending ground tackle both easy and safe up front of the Grady White.

in excess of the 70km/h mark from the well designed hull, which featured a 20° aft ‘V’ section plus quite large reversed strakes each outer edge for best stability. The V6 Yamaha impressed me with its smooth, seamless power band and even at the 45005000rpm mark the engine was still super responsive. As I mentioned earlier, the review day was not pleasant thanks to a stiff southerly whipping up chop, with lots of misty spray about too, but Grady White have been building hulls for offshore work for decades and the Seafarer 226 took everything in its stride with ease. Running out through the Seaway was fun with the hull ironing out incoming swells with ease. Thanks to a decent lift in the forward sheer line, plenty of above water flare right from the bow’s entry the big Grady White kept us entirely dry with it’s smooth ride. Stability is important in fishing craft and I was impressed with the inherent steadiness of the Seafarer 226’s 1600kg hull, which, even with two on one side, hardly showed any inclination to lean. In short, I gave the hull full marks for easy performance, excellent balance and handling plus ample stability both under way and at rest. FISHABILITY AND SUMMING UP The Grady White 226 Seafarer is certainly a top quality fishing rig with a lot going for it as on offshore craft yet family boater’s would certainly enjoy the rig as well. As such, I see it as a top shelf all rounder. Fresh water’s aboard, there’s a toilet and the cabin would be ideal for overnighting, yet the 660mm high cockpit offered plenty of fishing room plus the convenience of those large capacity fish boxes under the aft facing seating squabs. Attention to detail also sees every wet area draining outside the hull not under the floor. Finish was deluxe

trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers,

hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

Ample cockpit room makes for comfortable fishing in the Grady White Seafarer 226.

Bring it on! The Grady White was entirely at home in the Seaway swell.

BuILT GRADy- WhITE TOuGh!

FreedoM 275 seAFArer 226

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Game & leisure Boats Pty ltd Factory 1 Runaway Bay Marina, Queensland tel. (07) 5577 5811 eMAil sales@gandlb.com.au

www.gandlb.com.au

MAY 2015

GLB275FMG001

A locking cabin door is a big plus in a family fishing or cruising style craft, check out those big seats on boxes as well.

from stem to stern. With tandem wheel Magic Tilt alloy trailer, the Grady White (with safety gear and registration) would come home for $139,900, which, given the high end finish, specs list, performance and offshore capability of the craft would be value for money. Note that Grady White craft have an excellent resale value, if you can find one! Game and Leisure Boats can be contacted on (07) 5577 5811 or www. sales@gandlb.com.au. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/

Bluefin Wrangler 620 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The Wrangler 620 is the largest boat currently manufactured by Bluefin Boats. A massive all-plate alloy centre console featuring a raised foredeck and a powerfully built T-Top complete with rod holders, this is undoubtedly an offshore warrior with some serious attitude. And yet it’s certainly an eye-catching craft. Even sitting quietly at the water’s edge at Southport, the Wrangler 620 created quite a stir. Heads turned on shore; other boaters just

stared. In her deep grey/ black livery with contrasting wrap and numbers, it’s just that sort of craft. GENERAL LAYOUT With 3mm sides and 4mm bottom plate construction ensuring strength and longevity, this centre console sports huge amounts of fishing room within its overall length of 6.23m and beam of 2.3m. Up front, aft of the big anchor well and solid bow rail, a raised deck area well protected by a substantial lift in the craft’s sheer line offers a great work area thanks to a side height of 730mm. Paired storage hatches are located within the deck, while a seat spigot provided some flexibility

in seating arrangements. This is in addition to the bench style helm seating, with an additional seat being an option. A large dividerequipped and plumbed live well was set into the rear of the casting deck. This could also be utilised as an additional storage area. As elsewhere within the Wrangler, all floor areas were covered with hookless carpet, which offered sure footing and was a pleasure to stand on. With its massive overhead framework, the

A lot of heads turned to admire the Wrangler 620’s fine lines when resting on the beach at Southport.

The manufacturers were generous with the hookless carpet throughout. TECHNICAL INFORMATION Length:.............................................................6.23m Beam:...............................................................2.30m Length on trailer:..............................................8.1m Height on trailer:...............................................3.2m Hull construction:.......................4mm plate bottom, 3mm topsides Deadrise:............................................................. 23° Fuel:................................................................... 175L Engines:....................................................130-175hp Engine fitted:.......................... 150 Mercury 4-stroke Persons:..................................................................6 Towing:.. Family six wagon, or large 4WD ute or wagon

Those aboard would appreciate flexibility in the Wrangler’s helm seating, courtesy of a 2-way backrest.

console was equipped with a windscreen, 4 side grab rails, and featured a set of rod holders on its rearmost lip. Despite its height, rods could still be easily reached. Storage was provided on 2 levels within the centre

Although not top power, the 150 Mercury 4-stoke certainly made easy work of powering the big Wrangler. 96

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console, with a hatch cover providing weatherproof storage for a central compartment. Instruments on the dash area were well laid out, with a Lowrance HDS12 unit to port, and a soft lined compartment set to starboard. For easy use by the skipper, the big Lowrance interfaced with the Mercury 150 powerplant in the usual manner. On a lower level on the dash area were 2 banks of switches, the craft’s 3-spoke steering wheel, ignition switch, plus engine controls. Paired drink holders were lower again, and in a handy position for use by skipper and first mate while seated on a well-padded storage box with a fore/aft backrest. An icebox was set up aft of the helm seat. AN ANGLERORIENTATED COCKPIT The Wrangler’s cockpit work area was also well designed for the utmost in angler comfort. Decks atop gunwales were around 300mm wide and featured

Besides being a great place to fish, the Wrangler’s forward casting deck also featured twin hatches and a large live well. SeaDek inserts as a comfy calm water seat. The 640mm-high interior sides also incorporated rod racks, offering full tip protection within tubes set into the side of the craft for 3 rods per side. Paired rod holders were also set into gunwales, while another couple of rod holders graced the craft’s

aft bait station. While the cockpit floor was not selfdraining, any water finding its way aboard would be directed to a sump aft to be swiftly pumped overboard. Transom features included hatches for battery and fuel filter access, a 30L plumbed live bait tank to starboard, a lockable entry

A neat, functional transom layout, with a removable cutting board.

A smooth running hull at work. It’s easy to see how little fuss the Wrangler’s well-designed hull creates when under way.

Blue Fin’s Brad Richey at the helm of the Wrangler. This boat was so enjoyable to drive, we were virtually drawing straws to see who might be next! door to port that converted to a ramp to haul in a big fish, while a fold-down boarding ladder was set immediately aft. MERCURY 150 NOT MAX POWER The well performing 150hp Mercury 4-stroke outboard — set on a full width pod — was not top power. Interestingly, Bluefin has allocated 175hp as a top weight in order to cater for twin rigs. That said, the 150 Mercury made easy work of powering the boat with 3 aboard. These big block engines have been very well received since their release last year, and as the saying goes, there’s no replacement for displacement. The Merc’ 150, so quiet at idle, easily pushed the Wrangler’s 960kg 23° deep vee hull onto the plane at a mere 10 knots at 2000rpm. At 3000rpm the Lowrance recorded 18 knots, 4000rpm saw 26.5 knots, 5000 had 38 knots, and wide-open throttle of 5800rpm a blistering 42 knots. All speeds were recorded with 3 aboard and a half tank (175L) of fuel under the floor. With fingertip-light hydraulic steering and plenty of get-up-and-go from the Mercury, the Wrangler was such a pleasure to drive it was hard to fend off the other folk who wanted a crack at the helm! I found cruising at around 3500rpm to be really great. At those revs, around 23 knots, the Mercury was extremely quiet, yet the rig was covering a lot of ground in a very fuelefficient manner. Test runs within the Southport Broadwater and

on the Seaway gave a strong indication of the craft’s potential as an offshore rig. Featuring Bluefin’s Eziride hull, the big Wrangler simply couldn’t be made to pound or wallop when crossing wash or coming off waves in the Seaway entrance. The hull’s design ensured a very sea-kindly ride at all times and a quiet one at that, thanks no doubt to the amount of foam fill below the floor and strong sections of cross ribs and longitudinal bracing. Not surprisingly, with such high sides and that large sheer line lift within the bow area, there was very little water making a nuisance of itself when travelling fast in choppy conditions. It’s important to remember that open boats always have the potential to get a bit wet at times, but in my view it would only be with the Wrangler travelling across big chop

or solid wave action with wind on the quarter that there would be any need for a spray jacket. FISHABILITY AND SUMMING UP Purpose-built as a fishing rig, the Wrangler 620 has great potential. Rated for up to 6 anglers, I’d see 4 fishing it easily, maybe even 6 in the right conditions given the 2 work areas both up front and aft of the centre console. Those aboard would find plenty of room for tackle boxes and the like within storage areas, there’s a bait tank aft, a big fish box up front, and lots of side height to ensure comfort when offshore. With its large pressings and massive spray chines, the plate hull featured

impressive stability at rest and would no doubt endear itself to anglers fishing wide. Surprisingly, there were no side pockets within the cockpit area, but on the credit side was the fact that rods could be stored in complete safety thanks to the built-in tubes within the sides, and the fact that the cockpit sides were also soft lined with hookless carpet. In summing up the 620 Wrangler and 150 Mercury package, I saw it as a really well put together offshore rig with a lot of workroom and plenty of comfort for those aboard. Seating options are available for anglers wanting to take out a few people at a time, and it’s a topic Bluefin will discuss.

I found the overall finish and fitout to be exceptionally good. Welds were visible but very neat,

with the standard of paint finish and upholstery work of the highest quality. Pride of ownership would be a big plus with this craft. Options on the test rig included the vinyl wrap, folding ladder, Lowrance HDS 12, and raised front casting deck. The reviewed craft, on a custom Bluefin trailer, is available as a package, and Bluefin Boats can be contacted on (07) 5571 5277 or at www. bluefinboats.com.au for a dealer nearest you. • 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.

Additional storage space within the Wrangler consisted of a large box under the padded helm seat.

Compact yet very functional best describes the Wrangler’s helm set up.

Features such as the Wrangler’s spray chine and belowwater pressings are easily seen in this launch image.

Safe storage for valuable rods is going to be a selling point with this craft. MAY 2015

Live wells – do it right THE TWEED

Roderick Walmsley ru4reelcharters@gmail.com

A livewell is a great addition to any boat. It can be utilised in both a tournament environment and also keep live baits in excellent condition during extended sessions on the water. Knowing that when you place a fish or livie in your well it will remain in a healthy condition by flicking a switch is a great load off your mind and a major plus to any boat. Not all boats come with livewells unfortunately, and although some boat builders do offer them as

the compartment for the livewell without the plumbing. This usually means a box that drains into the bilge of the boat. Fitting an aftermarket livewell can be a large headache that is something not many of us think about until it is too late and the boat is already built, to such a degree that fitting 1 may not even be possible. Here are some of the pitfalls that you may come across and the right process when retrofitting a livewell to your boat. ACCESS TO INSIDE THE HULL To fit the livewell and do it right, you will need access to the inside of the hull. Many of the boats

will need to be able to lift up the deck(s). This can be accomplished on most small to mid-sized tinnies with varying degrees of difficulty if the floatation is polystyrene blocks. If it is a glass boat with injection moulded foam you are well out of luck. The moral of this story is that if you intend buying a new boat and want a livewell, it is imperative that all the plumbing and componentry be fitted before the boat is completed and leaves the factory floor. Or alternatively, they make allowances for it as advised by someone that actually knows what they are talking about.

Fitting the overflow outlet for the livewell. the same difficulties arise. No access, pumps cannot be fitted due to cross members or struts in the boat, no place to fit drains and so on. The unfortunate part is that on numerous occasions the livewell simply cannot be fitted due to the construction and layout of the boat. LAYING PLUMBING AND FITTING PUMPS So you have gained access below decks and removed the floatation. You now need to lay the drain hose and livewell fill hose. Cross members in the boat could make this a bit tricky unless the boat builder has allowed for this during the build. The

mark the hoses as you place them in position to ensure you connect the right hoses to the right pumps. This sounds obvious, but believe me, it’s easy to mix them up when connecting everything together. A definite must is to use good quality hose and fittings, as you don’t want to have to replace a leaky hose at a later stage. I used the Flow-Rite gear for my system, as it was originally designed for this purpose, and there is no need to try and reinvent the wheel. Use the products that are purpose-built and you won’t have any problems with the system after it is built.

fittings also rotate, so they can still be moved while routing the hoses and aren’t rigid. One thing to remember when mounting pumps is to place them in an accessible spot, as they are an electrical appliance and have a limited lifespan, no matter how good the ones are that you purchase. Use the best make of pump possible so that they will give you troublefree service. CHECK AND RECHECK Run all the hoses to length, place the pumps where you want them, and ensure everything will work where it is before

Mark everything as you go. This will expedite the process and avoid simple mistakes.

Making the parts fit can be a real mission when installing aftermarket livewells, but it can be done. an additional add-on, they don’t always do what they need to for them to be effective and their attempts can be very basic. The other option that some boat builders also offer is to install 98

MAY 2015

built today require a fair bit of floatation under the deck. This will have to be removed to run the hose for the drains and the pumps. Once they are fitted, it needs to be replaced. To get to the flotation you

Flow-Rite (Australia) deals with scenarios like this on a regular basis and consistently come across these exact problems. Every time they have to advise people on how to fit an after-market livewell,

Measure 3 times and drill or cut once. When drilling through the hull below the waterline, you definitely don’t want any errors! drain hose will run from the base of the livewell to a skin fitting mounted in the transom. The fill hose will run into the top of the well from a pump, also mounted through the transom. A good idea is to

Their Qwik-Lok system makes hose clamps an unnecessary evil and are easy to lock in place by simply pushing the pipe into the connector once the fittings have been mounted to the hoses. The Qwik-Lok

cutting holes for hoses or mounting anything. Try to avoid problems like elevated hoses or sharp bends, as these could lead to air locks, which could jeopardise the effectiveness of the well and ultimately

drill any extra holes, then it can be tied into the drain hose and thus run out the transom. This is a neater fitout, but is not always

the pumps. Test the timer and scrutinise each fitting. Once you are happy and confident that all is good, then replace the floatation,

I have had live mullet and herring in it for targeting mangrove jack. I have had flathead and tailor in it that were kept alive and fresh for

You need to be able to get access to the boat’s hull to correctly fit the livewell, even if it means taking out all the foam like this. The fun part is fitting it all back in later!

The auto timer is a great feature; simply set it to the amount of time you want the pump for and it will do the rest.

Secure all hoses neatly, ensuring that they won’t rub on anything when you are bouncing around and cause a leak in the future.

The suction intake on the right hand side, with the drain for the livewell on the left hand side. The job looks neat and professionally done.

the wellbeing of the inhabitants. Also take a good look at the drain and try to position it that will make it the most effective, and leave as little or no water in the well at the end of the day. This may mean putting a bit of water in the well and letting it drain out as a test. Once you are happy with everything, start to mount the components. Choose the correct size hole saw as 1 that is too small (measure 3 times, cut once) will mean a lot of filing to get it right, and 1 that is too big will mean a very bad seal. Once you have drilled all the holes and the system lines up and looks good, start to hard mount everything. It does sound like a lot of mucking about, but by doing it this way you get it right first time and will be happy with the finished job, instead of having to make alterations half way through.

Elastomeric Marine Sealant (not silicone) all these parts in place and snug up the skin fittings. Some of the Flow-Rite components and skin fittings are labelled with their specific functions and can make the job look a bit more professional. Once the transom is tight and secured of any chance leaks, move forward to the live well. Check the hoses as you go and ensure that there are no sharp bits of alloy or fibreglass that the hose can rub against. If there is any doubt, file the protrusions back or place a rubbing strip of a hardwearing substance to prevent damage. Once you are happy, glue in the components of the well. I opted for a 2-pump system. One fills the well independently from my boat’s transom, and the other pump recirculates the water through a highenergy venturi nozzle that oxygenates the water.

I have also wired in a Flow-Rite ProTimer. I don’t need to switch it on and off to keep my fish alive, I simply select auto timer and the pump will do it intermittently. This ensures that my fish are given a constant supply of well oxygenated water. I believe this to be an integral part of my system, as it is very easy to forget to keep switching the recirculating pump on and off. I much prefer to put the fish in the well and forget about them. Another necessary addition to the live well is an overflow. This will need to be mounted approximately 3/4 the way from the top of the well. This will stop the water overflowing into the boat, and on subsequent times if you need to top the water up during the day’s fishing. This overflow can be plumbed to run straight out through the side of the boat. If you don’t want to

an option on smaller boats or those with limited underfloor space. Once the installation is completed, before re-installing the floatation and sealing up the deck, test the system for leaks. Fill up the well and run all

making sure to get it all back in. Replace the decking and you are ready to go. Your livewell is now complete and you can be confident in the health of your fish from here on in. Since fitting a livewell to my 4.2m Tabs Bullshark,

dinner. I have had bream in it from the rivers, and bass and redclaw from the dams. It has been a major plus to my boat and was the only thing that it was lacking until now. I look forward to years of problem free boating with it.

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Boating Feature

Special Feature: Products that will enhance your There’s a concept that we have around here about ‘fun money’, and this is how it works…. You can complain as much as you like about your rent, Telstra bill or stingy little tax return, but when it comes to money you spend on fishing and boating, than that’s the fun money. You don’t complain about it, you enjoy spending it and the pleasure it brings you.

This feature is about some things that you can spend the fun money on when it comes to your boat, because we all know that there’s no such thing as wasted money when it comes to accessorising your pride and joy. Of course, there’s probably a whole swag of products that you don’t even know that you need yet. That’s where we come in

NEED YOUR BOAT

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• Custom Made S/STEEL ADD ONS • TARGA TOPS For CCs • ROCKET LAUNCHERS Rigid / Folding • Live BAIT WELLS • Under floor FUEL TANKS • All Marine ELECTRICAL WIRING • S/STEEL Rod Holders / Snapper Racks • S/Steel BACKING PLATES & MOUNTS to suit your needs • BAIT boards • Shaped BOW RAILS • CUSTOM MADE hard tops • Cuddy CONVERSIONS to CC • Outboard pods MADE TO FIT YOUR BOAT • New FLOORS • All ALUMINUM WELDING & Mods

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and maybe give you some ideas about what’s available. So consider this… •••••••••••••••••

SOUNDERS AND GPS

It’s not a long shot to convince you that you need a depth sounder (or fish finder) on your boat. Today’s units seem to get better by the month. Not only can they pinpoint your location to within a few feet, they can show you what’s around, under and beside your boat in incredible detail. It seems like the new standard size is a 10 inch screen and if you’re not running a side scan module, then the guy next to you is seeing more than you are. Community datacollection like the Insight Genesis program by Lowrance means that you can benefit from others’ hard work and see the bottom contours in your area like never before. All-in-all, this should be on the top of your list when it comes to accessories that’ll catch you more fish. •••••••••••••••••

GAUGES

••••••••••••••••• There’s both proprietary and after market gauge upgrades available for your outboard. If you run a compatible motor from any of the big brands, there’s most likely a colour LCD screen option that’ll give you a mountain of motor data at your fingertips. One of the best reasons for upgrading is fuel

BOAT LIGHT KIT • Run for 12 hours and still start your motor • Hook up bait and tie knots with ease • Never replace a bulb - Virtually indestructible • Fully waterproof (they will run under water) IP68 • No stumbling around the boat

BAIT BOARDS

•••••••••••••••••

• Rig up quickly and safely • Lights up all your wells • 12v easy to fit DIY, • Commercial quality product • 50,000 hour life span

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SOUND SYSTEMS PROPELLERS management. These units are super accurate at measuring how much gas you’ve used and how far you’ll get on the amount you have left. Mercury’s Vessel View and Yamaha’s Command Link are examples of these. •••••••••••••••••

ELECTRIC MOTORS

••••••••••••••••• A decade ago, you’d be flat out seeing a transommounted electric motor on a tinnie you’d drive by at your local river. Nowadays, they’re more the norm than the exception. Driven by a cohort of tournament anglers and now considered an essential tool for the lure casting angler, a 12V or 24V trolling motor can sit on the bow of your boat and make manoeuvring a quiet piece of cake. Increasingly, there’s integration between your electric motor and your fish finder/GPS. You can record routes, head to sounder created waypoints and spot-lock to a position that’ll keep you in a location hands-free, letting you concentrate on the fishing. MinnKota works with Humminbird units and MotorGuide’s superlative Xi5 talks to Lowrance. •••••••••••••••••

BIMINI TOPS

www.korrlighting.com.au For further product information and purchase details

100

MAY 2015

••••••••••••••••• When we’re young and crazy, bimini tops seem like a hindrance rather than a help.

When we transition from that state to ‘old and sensible’, you realise that they offer shade and make your boat a lot more family friendly. Best of all, they can be custom built for your boat to fold away very neatly or can be removed with the removal of a couple of pins. Or, you can fit a pre-made, off the shelf model to your tinny. The latter option can be quite affordable. •••••••••••••••••

DECKING

••••••••••••••••• The easiest way to turn a shiny, slippery, reflective tinny into a safe, cool fishing platform is with the various stick-on decking products available. With super strong glue backing the non-skid surface and the ability to cut the decking to shape, even the least confident boat pimper can get their tinnie bench seats and gunwales looking fantastic. •••••••••••••••••

SOUND SYSTEMS

••••••••••••••••• Although some sound systems are integrated with your sounder/GPS network, by far the most popular sound upgrade involves fitting a dedicated marine radio/MP3 player. And often the hardest part of the install are finding places to mount the speakers. Anecdotally, some heavy metal music blaring will often bring the predators on the bite. How true is this?

There’s only one way to find out, although I can’t imagine Justin Bieber leaving anything with an appetite…. •••••••••••••••••

ROD RACKS

••••••••••••••••• Often the first home made upgrade that a boat gets it to locate some rod holders. There’s two types – those that hold your rods in a position for fishing and holders that are designed to store your rods out of the way. There’s plenty of off-theshelf solutions to both of these situations – just ensure that if you’re trolling for big fish, that you get ones that can handle the pressure. The first fast running predator on a heavy outfit that makes the rod holder the weakest link won’t be the first. And losing your favourite trolling outfit to the deep blue stings. A lot. •••••••••••••••••

PROPELLERS

••••••••••••••••• One of the easiest ways to get your boat performing better is to make sure that your propeller is suitable for your rig, and, tuned properly. Having one blade dinged and out of whack does more than cost you speed and fuel, it ca also create vibrations that literally rattle you motor apart. The good news is that there’s a network of propeller repairers and specialists, nationally, that can come to

Boating Feature

boating experience for the whole family SOUNDERS AND GPS

When stuff goes wrong on the water – and it can be totally out of your control – you’ll love yourself forever when you can lay your hands on one of these. Standing for Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, it’s the one thing you grab after a PFD when things get nasty. •••••••••••••••••

LIGHTING

GAUGES

DECKING

THAT’S A WRAP

••••••••••••••••• And the most impressive

thing that you can do to your boat, is to vinyl wrap it. And stay with us here – it’s more than bling factor. Vinyl wraps protect the finish on your boat and are usually cheaper than a paint job. Infinitely customisable and as in-your-face or subtle as you like, wraps are becoming more popular every year. Who knows – they might even be a claimable advertising expense for your business!

MARINE GRADE ADHESIVE FOAM DECKING

WINCHES

TRANSFORM CHECKER PLATE INTO COMFORT

VINYL WRAPS Features and Benefits _ _______________ _______ ____________

ROD RACKS the rescue. And it’s usually cheaper to tune your current propeller than replace it. Access these guys through your local boat dealer. Sometimes swapping from an aluminium propeller to a stainless steel one will give you a jump in performance. Stainless props are thinner and more efficient, although more expensive to purchase. •••••••••••••••••

LIGHTING

••••••••••••••••• If you’re after a pimping idea that looks good as well as performs a practical function, then get ready to look at some LED lighting for your craft. Drawing bugger-all power, an undergunwale LED light kit not

only looks ace, but also serves a function. You can work on your gear and ensure that none of that light leaks over the water. If you need underwater light to attract bait and fish, they you can do that, too. The best way we’ve seen is the LED Bung Light that retro-fits into your boat’s bung hole. Indeed, light will be shining out of your boat’s ass. And that can’t be a bad thing. •••••••••••••••••

WINCHES

••••••••••••••••• Let’s face it - nobody that owns a boat likes pulling up the anchor. The deeper it is, the more laborious the job. That’s where an anchor

winch comes in. With the flick of a switch. you can deploy or retrieve your anchor from the comfort of your cabin. Of course, this gives your mate you take fishing less to do. It means that you can allocate his efforts towards making sandwiches, bringing the drinks or filleting the fish. Anchor winch systems are becoming more accessible and affordable for regular boaties. •••••••••••••••••

BAIT BOARDS

••••••••••••••••• This accessory can be pimped and practical at the same time. Usually fitted via a couple of in-transom

mounts on boats where they are removable, a bait board can include knife holders, tackle drawers, rod holders and can even be plumbed. Becoming the workstation focus of your cockpit, it’s great to localise the mess in a place where it’s easy to clean up. After all, the floor of the boat is for fish blood and slime only. Keep the bait mess separate! •••••••••••••••••

EPIRBS

••••••••••••••••• Although these are usually a fancy colour, they’re more a safety necessity than on your Christmas pimping list.

H EASY TO HOSE DOWN AND CLEAN H H NO MORE SCRATCHES AND DENTS H H JUST MEASURE, CUT, PEEL AND STICK H H REDUCES HEAT BY 75% AND UV STABLE H H PERFECT FOR DECKING, FLOORING, GUNWALES, TRANSOMS, STEPS AND CHECKER PLATE H H DIMINISH SHOCK, FATIGUE, NOISE AND GLARE H H NON SLIP SURFACE FOR SAFETY AND COMFORT H JUST PEEL & STICK FOR ALL MARINE APPLICATIO NS

H AVAILABLE IN UNIVERSAL LIGHT GREY H 1500MM X 340MM X 5MM H 1500MM X 500MM X 5MM

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Boating Feature 1

Diamond Decking

Korr Lighting

The Diamond Deck is the perfect solution to enhance your boating experience by making your boat or tinnie aesthetically appealing to the eye with the importance of superior comfort and safety in mind. Checker plate has become very common in boating, but as we all know it is very hard on the feet after only a short period of time and it can be dangerous if you take a fall on it. This is where Diamond Deck is the perfect solution to turn your checker plate into the ultimate comfort zone without the loss of any safety or grip. So when you need to pimp your seats, decking, flooring, gunwales, transoms, bow, hatch covers, anchor well, steps and other endless possibilities – diamond deck is right here and right now. Visit the new Diamond Deck website to find your local stockist and check out the full gallery of pictures and how to apply videos at www.diamonddeck.com.au or call 0437 864 077 for any trade enquiries or further information. – Diamond Deck

Lone Star Marine Winches 3

Diamond Deck Decking

New Korr Lighting Boat Light Kit

We invented Korr Boat Light Kit in 2009 and have upgraded the lighting system several times. We have found through the feedback and sales of this lighting system that night fishers tend to move from spot to spot throughout the night, and the biggest problem with the white light when moving around at night is

that your eyes dilate. This means for a few seconds after looking into the white lights you suffer night blindness until your eyes get used to the dark The new range of Korr Boat Light Kits will come with white and blue coloured lights, so when traveling at night your eyes adapt to the darkness a lot faster when you have the blue lights on. So now we have a lighting kit that will work well for different environments. Use white when stopped and blue great for traveling at night to avoid night blindness. – Korr Lighting

Lone Star Marine

Lone Star was created in 2009 with the sole purpose of offering excellent anchoring systems at a better price without sacrificing quality or customer service. Lone Star Marine went back to the beginning with drum anchor winch design; custom drives and twin bearing shaft support on all models. They are the only company to use a twin bearing system, which greatly increases longevity. They are the only anchor winch company in the world that has replaced highly stressed aluminium components, such as gearbox flanges, with more durable stainless steel. With roots in solid engineering, LSM have created custom accessories such as the world’s first cast hawse pipes and worlds first wide hawse pipe, The Original Chain Guard, worlds first stainless encased winch motors, and are the only winch company to offer a 5+ Life Warranty on all 6 winch models. Based in Melbourne, LSM assemble all winches from their facility in Carrum Downs. Visit www.lonestarmarine.com.au for more information. – Lone Star Marine

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1300 964 264 www.roadtechmarine.com.au 102

MAY 2015

ONLINE!

Boating Feature 4

LED Lights

X-Factor Boat 5 Wraps

Vehicle lights are often a necessity for the serious 4WD owner and are especially helpful when towing a boat or for any other rugged pursuit. LEDs are almost completely resistant to shock and vibration and are very compact, unlike halogen or HID. They use far less power for the amount of light they produce, turn on instantly with no ‘warm up’, and last for over 50,000 hours. Outputting over 3,400 lumens of brilliant white light, they are equivalent to a 300W halogen lamp. The flood beam will light up a road to a distance of 183m, while the spot beam will light up a distance of 378m. Assembled with marine grade 316 stainless steel fasteners, they are rust proof and waterproof (IP68). They can also handle pretty extreme temperatures. Suitable for 12V and 24V systems. Choose from a solid LED spotlight (MLC134) or floodlight (MLC136). Available from Road Tech Marine stores nationwide or from their website at www. roadtechmarine.com.au. - Road Tech Marine

5 Personal Locator Beacon 6

Raymarine Wi-Fish™

Kingfisher Canopy

X-Factor Signs Get Wrapped

When you’re shopping around to get your boat vinyl-wrapped, you have two choices. You can get the guys who have been taught to apply the printed stickers around the curves of your boat, or you can get the guy that teaches the sign writers how to do it. Richard Potter from X-Factor signs is an Avery specialist installer who trains a lot of Avery installers. He’s also an angler who has been wrapping boats since the early Australian Fishing Championships TV show days. With the ability to create and customise the wrap designs or by using a standard, pre-made artwork, Richard can turn your boring tinnie into a work of art. A bonus is that the wrap will help preserve the condition of your paintwork or gelcoat underneath the install. X-Factor Signs uses Avery Supercast vinyl with a UV stabilised, clear, over-laminate to ensure that your wrap lasts for years. Get in touch for a quote www.xfactorsigns. com or call 0413 113 828. - FMG

The Boat Pimpers 8

5” 3,400 lumen LED Lights

Personal Locator Beacon

Best used by sailors, lone trekkers and bushwalkers who take their adventure seriously, it is one of the smallest PLBs currently available. It has a guaranteed 10-year battery life, a 10-year warranty and an estimated lifetime of 20 years. There are six different means of rescue including 406MHz transmission (SAR standard), 121.5 homing beacon signal (Aircraft Band Emergency Frequency), GPS location readout, visual strobe, signal mirror and whistle on a lanyard. It is self-buoyant, salt water and corrosion resistant to 3m, and contained within a highvisibility impact resistant case. The PLB automatically communicates to search and rescue on standard frequencies anywhere in the world and can also be taken on aircraft as it has a non-hazmat battery. This means it can be used anywhere in Australia and overseas. Available from Road Tech Marine stores nationwide or from their website. For more info visit www.roadtechmarine. com.au. - Road Tech Marine

Raymarine Wi-Fish™

“The first Dragonfly launched in 2013 was a breakthrough that let fisherman see the underwater world with incredible fidelity” said Grégoire Outters, Vice President and General Manager of FLIR Maritime. “Now with the expanded and more attractively priced Dragonfly range, we are making our high performance CHIRP DownVision™ sonar technology within reach of every fisherman and boater.” In addition to the Dragonfly 4 and 5 models, the new Wi-Fish™ sonar for mobile devices joins the Dragonfly range. Built on the Dragonfly sonar platform, Wi-Fish™ is a black box wireless sonar designed to work exclusively with smartphones and tablets, letting fisherman access CHIRP DownVision™ from anywhere on board. Using Raymarine’s Wi-Fish™ mobile app, fishermen can view, pause, and rewind sonar imagery, making it easy to record their favorite fishing spots and share with friends online. - Raymarine

The Boat Pimpers

The

There are so many products out there and ways of “pimping your boat” but if you want to do upgrade any aspect of your boat, and get it done well, you need to bring in the professionals the get the job done. The Boat Pimpers in Sydney are here for just that. And you name it – they can do it. From custom stainless steel and aluminium fabrications, rails, rod holders, rocket launches and canopies right through to custom flooring and marine wiring for your electronics. They can basically help you upgrade anything and everything on your boat – and make sure it’s completely 100% perfect for what you require. The Boat Pimpers are also your one stop shop for all your aluminium welding and fibreglass repairs. Phone: 02 9792 7799 www.theboatpimpers.com.au - The Boat Pimpers

Kingfisher Canopy

“Our customers were frustrated with the traditionally designed bimini tops - and so were we. We both fish so we know how annoying a maze of straps and struts can be. Finding an alternative was our aim and as it turns out the Kingfisher exceeds even our original expectations. It gives great cover and heaps of room to move, we can spend more time fishing - and even the missus is happy with it.” Each Kingfisher Canopy is manufactured individually in Australia by an experienced craftsman using the finest quality materials, fixtures and fittings to maximise the canopy strength and durability. The Kingfisher Canopy has been tested to 60km/h (2.8M model) in its fully extended position, with customer feedback indicating that this is a major feature. For more info visit www.kingfishercanopy.com.au. - Kingfisher Canopy. MAY 2015

103

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Suzuki’s high performance four cylinder DF200A In late 2014, Suzuki unveiled its latest lightweight and fuel-efficient model – the new four cylinder DF200A. The new DF200A delivers the kind of impressive performance one would expect only from a V6 engine – but from just four cylinders, which means it is the lightest in its class. In addition to this the new DF200A benefits from a whole host of high specification features, which deliver real customer benefits, including:

compression ratio for impressive acceleration and low end torque. • Lean Burn Control Technology for improved fuel economy. • Knock, O² and water detection sensors and systems to monitor and control internal engine operating parameters and improve reliability. Importantly, the new DF200A weighs in at just 225kg, over 12% less than Suzuki’s current V6 DF200 model.

cowling represents more than just contemporary styling. Its design and the special baffling underneath work together to provide a semidirect air intake system that provides cooler air directly to the engine’s long track tuned intake manifold. The engine breathes even more efficiently thanks to Suzuki’s proven Variable Valve Timing system and twin intake and exhaust valves for each cylinder. By allowing the engine to breathe cooler air, both

Shedding weight is one way to make a 200HP perform. With a 12% weight reduction over its V6 brother, the DF 200 does just that.

With the DF200A weighing just 225kg, boaters can choose a lighter, inline four cylinder engine without sacrificing power or performance. • Direct air intake and Variable Valve Timing for higher thermal efficiency and exceptional performance. • 2,867 cm³ “Big Block” displacement and a higher

STYLING AND PERFORMANCE Just one look at the newly designed cowling of the DF200A indicates that this outboard is something special. However, the shape of the

acceleration and top end speed are improved. In fact, Suzuki factory testing reports a 1.5% improvement in top end speed and an impressive 12% improvement in 0 to 30 mph acceleration when compared

to competitive models. Another contributing factor to these improved performance numbers is the 10.3:1 compression ratio. By increasing compression of the fuel/air mixture by 9.7%, Suzuki engineers have dramatically improved the power output from its impressive 2,867 cm³ displacement DOHC powerhead. POWER-TO-WEIGHT When it comes to speed and performance, boaters must balance power and weight. Until now, many boaters have had to deal with the weight of a V6 engine in order to achieve the level of performance they desired. Now, with the introduction of Suzuki’s new DF200A,

Left: Suzuki’s design and the special baffling underneath work together to provide a semidirect air intake system that provides cooler air directly to the engine’s long track tuned intake manifold. Right: The engine breathes even more efficiently thanks to Suzuki’s proven Variable Valve Timing system and twin intake and exhaust valves for each cylinder.

there’s a real alternative to Suzuki’s V6. With the DF200A weighing just 225kg, boaters can choose a lighter, inline four cylinder engine without sacrificing power or performance. For those boaters in the market for a new boat and motor, or considering repowering from heavier V6 four stroke outboards (or even older two strokes), the new DF200A provides an attractive choice in terms of size, weight and fuel economy, not to mention cost of purchase. RELIABILITY The addition of Knock and O² sensors helps keep the engine running smoothly. The Knock sensor ‘listens’ to combustion, providing information to the ECM to precisely manage engine timing. The O² sensor monitors engine operating conditions and provides input to the ECM to manage the fuel/air mixture for maximum efficiency and optimum performance. In addition, the DF200A features a water detection sensor to warn of moisture in the fuel system, a common concern given today’s use of ethanol-blended fuel. LEAN-BURN With the introduction of its Lean Burn Control Technology, Suzuki’s engineers have made fuel-efficient four stroke outboards even more economical. By taking full advantage of the computer control afforded by the 32-bit onboard ECM, and through the use of engine sensors monitoring everything from engine timing to ambient temperature, the system is able to provide the precise amount of fuel needed throughout the rpm range. By utilising Lean Burn Control Technology, the DF200A enjoys a significant improvement in fuel economy over Suzuki’s V6 200 horsepower outboard.

In fact, Suzuki Factory Testing indicates a 32.6% improvement at top cruising speeds (5000rpm). ADDITIONAL FEATURES In addition to the DF200A, Suzuki is also introducing the DF200AP, which benefits from even more technology. The DF200AP will be the first 200HP outboard on the market available with Suzuki Precision Control drive-bywire controls and Suzuki Selective Rotation. With Suzuki Selective Rotation, dealers can set up engines in either standard or counter rotation, thanks to speciallydesigned gearing in the lower unit and the engine’s electronic shift controls. Ryan Lloyd, General Manager for The Haines Group, said, “Once again the engineers have delivered a ground-breaking new outboard motor. It delivers outstanding power and has a very satisfying engine note. We are confident that this new model will be hugely popular right across Australia and New Zealand and it will cement Suzuki’s reputation for producing outstanding large horsepower outboards.” ON THE WATER Fishing Monthly caught up with Ty Hawkins from Suzuki at a recent catalogue shoot on the Gold Coast and took the DF200A for a spin on a neat Tournament centre console. You can listen to the interview and see the test footage by scanning the QR code hereby.

Scan the QR code to watch the interview with Ty Hawkins outlining the features of the DF200A Suzuki. MAY 2015

105

What’s New BOATING

BAR CRUSHER’S SUB-5M MISSILES

Australian plate aluminium boat manufacturer Bar Crusher has added two more vessels to its arsenal, the 490C and 490WR. Aimed squarely at entry-level boat buyers and those looking to step-up from pressedaluminium tinnies, the 490 hull series brings Bar Crusher’s renowned quality and performance within reach of more people with its mid-$30k price tag. Measuring 4.9m LOA, with a 2m beam, the 490C and 490WR are built on Bar Crusher’s industry-leading Gen2 hull design with Delta Flare. The high-tech Waveslicer non-pounding, deep-V hull delivers an ultra-smooth ride, the expertly-engineered Rigideck sub-floor system creates maximum hull strength and Bar Crusher’s exclusive Quickflow water ballast technology ensures the 490C and 490WR are extremely stable at rest. They are each packaged on a custom-designed trailer, which ensures towing, launching and retrieving is a breeze. Bar Crusher’s innovative Bar Catch system also allows for single-handed launch and retrieve. – Bar Crusher

NEW DRAGONFLY RANGE

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

COOL WATER STINGRAY

In response to the growing popularity of kayak fishing, Cool Water has launched their Stingray Kayak specifically for budding yak fishers. The Stingray’s design is built for professional fishers, including comfortable seating and extra-large hinged storage containers. To keep you on track, the large rear rudder with foot pedals offer amazing steering and directional control. This is especially handy in strong currents, they can however be lifted out of the water when not required. The Stingray offers two fishing rod holders and a large middle hatch for mounting additional rods, offering anglers more opportunity to catch that elusive fish. The extra-long base storage hatch fits a dry bag, luggage, and nets; all of which make a fishing expedition a breeze. It weighs in at 26kg, is 3.7m, has a load capacity 170kg, and comes in ‘cool blue’, ‘thunder’ and ‘brown camo’.– Kangaroo Tent City

RAYNER SELECTS MERCURY

The new Dragonfly range offers anglers advanced CHIRP sonar vision, superior color displays, and wireless mobile device integration. The new Dragonfly range begins with the 4.3” Dragonfly 4 DV and the entire Dragonfly range use wide-spectrum CHIRP DownVision sonar technology to give anglers photo-like images of fish and underwater objects. Dragonfly’s CHIRP sonar pulses across a wide spectrum of sonar frequencies simultaneously, which produces much higher resolution and life-like sonar images. Anglers looking to step up to enhanced fish identification can choose the 4.3” Dragonfly 4 DVS or the 5” Dragonfly 5 DVS. The ‘DVS’ models feature CHIRP DownVision plus a second conventional CHIRP sonar channel, optimized for locating fish targets. Dragonfly PRO models combine CHIRP DownVision and conventional CHIRP sonar with a fast 10Hz GPS and internal Wi-Fi for streaming to mobile devices. - Raymarine

After running 2-stroke outboards for eight years, high-profile fishing expert Lee Rayner decided to change up to more modern technology – and he’s selected Mercury. Lee, who’s currently presenting the hit national show Fishing Edge, said he did his homework before deciding that Mercury was the way to go. “This is my profession so I certainly looked into it, and Mercury 4-strokes have a great reputation for delivering plenty of power while keeping the weight down,” he said. Lee decided to change from 2-strokes to 4 for a number of reasons. “Mercury engines have unbelievable acceleration and are really robust. They obviously burn much cleaner and have lower emissions as well,” Lee said. “It was also about the show. Fishing Edge is all about showing people they can get out there and do it on their own, go places and catch some really good fish. Many, many viewers will want to do that with a 4-stroke instead of a 2.” – Mercur y Marine

SIMRAD GO7

Simrad Yachting has announced the release of the GO7 standalone multitouch chartplotter and echosounder. This will offer boaters an affordable option for electronic navigation. The feature-packed GO7 is an ideal fit for RIBs, runabouts and cruisers, providing quick and easy access to the vital information boaters require to safely maximise their time on the water. The customisable user interface allows boaters to easily navigate through displays even in the toughest offshore conditions. With multi-touch; pinch-to-zoom chart and sonar range adjustment, as well as drag-and-drop functionality for excellent route planning and charting functions, the GO7 is intuitive. With its accurate internal 10Hz GPS antenna, the GO7 provides reliable situational awareness at any boat speed. Through its NMEA 2000 networking, WiFi and Bluetooth compatibility, the device also gives boaters immediate access to full engine integration, Sonic Hub entertainment functions and complete autopilot control. - Navico

GARMIN’S BLACK BOX SONAR

Garmin’s powerful new GSD 25 premium sonar module is the ultimate all-in-one black box solution for serious anglers fishing from high-end trailer boats and larger game boats. Integrating true, dual-channel 1kW CHIRP, CHIRP DownVü and CHIRP SideVü scanning sonar, this remote networking solution delivers images so clear it’s possible to distinguish between target fish, small and closely-spaced fish at key fishing depths all the way down to over 1500m. The level of clarity is so high, in fact, several professional game boat skippers have already dubbed it “the clearest sonar on the planet”. As all experienced anglers will attest, the ability to dial into specific frequencies is hugely advantageous, especially when targeting fish like marlin, snapper and various others species. Fully-networkable with Garmin’s GPSMAP 8000 series and paired with Garmin’s new line of all-in-one CHIRP and scanning transducers, or compatible Airmar transducers, the GSD 25 is the ultimate search and confirmation tool. - Garmin

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

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

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STACER 399 PROLINE ANGLER SC

• 30HP Evinrude E-TEC • White Painted Hull • Telwater Galvanised Trailer • Side Console • Garmin Fishfinder • Bow Mount Bracket • Inshore Safety Gear

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BAYSPORT 545 WEEKENDER

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STACER 449 BAY MASTER

STACER 429 SEAWAY

36,930

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48,500

BAYSPORT 585 SPORTS

• 130HP Evinrude E-TEC • Tandem Axle Trailer • Bimini & Clears • Rear Extension • Cutting Board • Lowrance Elite 5 Combo • Stereo • VHF • Inshore Safety Gear

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65,750

BAR CRUSHER 615C

BAR CRUSHER 490C

• 60HP Suzuki• Single Axle Trailer • Spare Wheel • Bar Catch • Cutting Board • Battery & Box • Inshore Safety Gear

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• 140HP Suzuki • Single Axle Trailer • Bar Catch • Plumbed LBT • Cutting Board • Raymarine Combo • VHF • Hydraulic Steering • Dual Batteries • Offshore Safety Gear

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STACER 489 OUTLAW SC

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STACER 509 BAY MASTER

• 90HP Evinrude E-TEC • Black Painted Hull • Telwater Aluminium Trailer • Bimini & Sock • Lowrance Elite 5 Combo • VHF • Inshore Safety Gear • Stainless Ladder • Navigation Lights • Bilge Pump

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CHAPARRAL 19 SKI & FISH

• 220HP Mercruiser • Boeing Trailer • Bow & Cockpit Covers • Garmin Fishfinder • Trolling Motor Stereo • Plumbed LBT • Safety Gear

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BAR CRUSHER 615HT

• 140HP Suzuki • Tandem Axle Trailer • Bar Catch • Plumbed LBT • Cutting Board • Raymarine Combo • VHF • Hydraulic Steering • Dual Batteries • Offshore Safety Gear

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1 Railway Road North, Mulgrave NSW 2756 ph 02 4577 6699 · www.blakesmarine.com.au

Trades, Services, Charter BAIT & TACKLE 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

MACQUARIE COAST Graham Barclay Marine (02) 6554 5866 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333 Port Macquarie Tackle World (02) 6584 9972

HUNTER COAST Port Stephens Tackle World (02) 4984 2144

SYDNEY Gabes Boating & Fishing Centre Narellan (02) 4647 8755 Gabes Boating & Fishing Centre Sylvania (02) 9522 5100 Windybanks Bait and Tackle (02) 9477 1520

MARINE MECHANICS

U-Make-Em Soft Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

Penrith Marine (02) 4731 6250

Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au

Moby Marine (02) 9153 6506 or www.mobymarine.com.au

Techni Ice www.techniice.com

Aqua Marine 0415 600 301 or www.aquacash.com.au

Jayro Tackle www.jayrotackle.com.au

Cohoe Marine Products (Sydney) (02) 9519 3575 Blakes Marine (02) 4577 6699 Watersports Marine (02) 9676 1400 Neken Marine (02) 9979 9649 Family Boats (02) 9622 0222

Boat Assist 24 - On Water Mechanic (02) 9746 6224

MOBY MARINE P T Y

L T D

SYDNEY’S Your Outboard and Sterdrive Specialists

Bermagui Bait and Tackle (02) 6493 5444

FRESHWATER Loomzys Fish and Fix (Forbes) (02) 6851 1425

BOAT IMPORTS Import USA Boat 0435 476 177

KAYAK DEALERS Hunter Water Sports (02) 4947 7899

MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS // BOAT & TRAILER Bold Trailers (02) 8544 8114 www.boldtrailers.com.au Salt Away 1800 091 172 www.salt-away.com.au

SYDNEY The Boat Pimpers (Sydney) (02) 9792 7799

Mo Tackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Specialty Fishing Products www.specialtyfishing.com.au

SYDNEY

S E R V I C E S

EDENS COAST

Out of the Blue Tackle 0417 608 344 or www.outofthebluetackle.com.au

FISHING & TRAVEL OPPORTUNITY

Create more time to fish, less time for work! Looking for motivated individuals who are serious about spending more time fishing and less time working. Imagine being able to fish any day of the week, travel to great fishing locations and work part-time to support your fishing activities!

www.FamilyFreedomNow.com www.familyfreedomnow.com I info@familyfreedomnow.com I 0421 367 338

HOLIDAY RENTAL NORTH COAST Brooms Head Caravan Park (02) 6646 7144 Calypso Yamba Holiday Park (02) 6646 8847

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP

Iluka Riverside Tourist Park (02) 6646 6060

FOR OUTBOARD & STERNDRIVE SERVICE OPTIONS

Wooli Camping & Caravan Park (02) 6649 7671

SERVICING ALL MAKES AND MODELS MASSIVE RANGE OF SPARE PARTS 44 Barry Ave, Mortdale, NSW

www.mobymarine.com.au

(02) 9153 6506

MACLEAY VALLEY COAST Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks 1300 262 782 Crescent Head Holiday Park: 02 6566 0261 Hat Head Holiday Park: 02 6567 7501 Horse Shoe Bay Holiday Park: 02 6566 6370 Stuarts Point Holiday Park: 02 6563 0616 Grassy Head Holiday Park: 02 6569 0742

COFFS COAST Jetty Boating (02) 6651 4002

MACQUARIE COAST

• Cabin Accommodation • Caravan and Camping

• Activities for the whole family • Resort pool with deck and wading area

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

FRESHWATER

3Gelcoat repairs 3 Insurance repairs

3 Transom & floor repairs 312v Electrical installations 4 Aspinall Place, MULGRAVE 02 4577 3482 www.westernboatrepairs.com.au

Dubbo Marine and Watersports (02) 6882 2853

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS www.fishin.com.au 0425 230 964

www.fishin.com.au ONLINE BREAM TACKLE STORE

FISH TAXIDERMY

CHANDLERY & ACCESSORIES Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014 Korr Lighting www.korlighting.com.au

108

South West Rocks Tourist Park: 1800 666 264

HUNTER COAST Wangi Point Lakeside holiday Park (02) 4975 1889 Blacksmiths Holiday Park (02) 4971 2858

CENTRAL COAST

ILLAWARRA COAST Currarong Beachside Tourist Park 1300 555 515

Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841

Boat Assist 24 (02) 9746 6224 or www.boatassist24.com.au

1800 666 264

www.southwestrockstourist.com.au

Central Coast Holiday Parks 1800 241 342

Neptune’s Treasures - Your Catch Reproduced 0405 226 282 www.neptunestreasures.com.au

BREAKDOWN RESPONSE

BOOK A GREAT GETAWAY TODAY!

Sussex Inlet (LJ Hooker) (02) 4441 2135

Specialising in “Tournament Quality Lures” 0425 230 964 SHOP 18, 29 KIORA RD MIRANDA NSW 2228

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

Blue Bottle Fishing www.bluebottlefishing.com info@bluebottlefishing.com Ph: 0409 333 380

Kendalls on the Beach (02) 4232 1790 Werri Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1285

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.

MAY 2015

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1340 Kiama Harbour Cabins (02) 4232 2707

MACQUARIE COAST

BATEMANS COAST Top Cat Charters (02) 4472 7340 or 0427 727 340

Castaway Estuary Charters 0427 239 650

EDEN COAST

Ocean Star Fishing Charters 0416 240 877

Fishermans Rest (Eden) (02) 6496 1999

EDEN COAST

HUNTER COAST

FRESHWATER Burrinjuck Waters State Park (02) 6227 8114 Providence Lodge (Eucumbene) (02) 6454 2200 Winter Keep (Snowy Mountains) www.winterkeep.com.au Grabine Lakeside State Park (02) 4835 2345 Lake Glenbawn State Park (02) 6543 7193 Wyangala Waters State Park (02) 6345 0877 Bass Lodge Macleay River NSW 0433 482 325 Chifley Dam Cabins 1800 68 1000

Esprit Fishing Charters 1300 556 658

DEEP SEA & GAMEFISHING

FISHING GUIDES

MONTIQUE

40ft RANDELL. Fishing capacity 12 persons.

All Bait, Fishing Rods and Reels Sunscreen and Morning Tea

DEPARTS STOCKTON BOAT DOCK...

BATEMANS COAST EDEN COAST

Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters (02) 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351 Sydney Sportfishing Adventures 0405 196 253

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

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

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 30 words within a 5x2 ad size. Email : ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Sea Lady Charters 0411 024 402 Silver Star Fishing Charters (02) 4421 7462 or 0412 977 000 Shell Harbour Fishing Charters 0425 216 370

FISHING CHARTERS

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MAY 2015

109

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES MAY Time 0024 0620 FR 1230 1852

Time

m 0.61 1.50 0.51 1.61

2015

LAT 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ Times and Heights of High and Low Waters JULY JUNE

0025 0628 SA 1233 1857

Time

0203 0800 TU 1342 2013

2 0222 0815

17 0311 0910

3 0306 0903

18 0347 0949

4 0352 0953

19 0422 1027

5 0440 1045

20 0457 1105

6 0529 1138

21 0531 1146

7 0619 1233

22 0609 1230

8 0038 0713

23 0023 0650

9 0139 0807

24 0114 0737

2 0200 0752

17 0250 0848

3 0242 0835

18 0334 0934

4 0325 0921

19 0416 1019

5 0410 1010

20 0458 1102

6 0458 1100

21 0538 1145

7 0549 1155

22 0618 1230

8 0643 1253

23 0018 0700

9 0054 0739

24 0106 0745

0.40 1.41 0.47 1.89

0.33 1.44 TH 1356 0.44 2029 1.94

0232 0829 TH 1406 2035

Time

0.34 1.39 0.48 1.83

0245 0844 SA 1430 2057

0.35 1.39 FR 1446 0.50 2113 1.80

2 0330 0933

17 0344 0951

3 0416 1024

18 0415 1027

4 0503 1115

19 0447 1104

5 0552 1209

20 0522 1145

6 0022 0644

21 0600 1229

7 0123 0738

22 0036 0645

8 0231 0837

23 0133 0737

9 0346 0939

24 0243 0839

0.16 1.52 0.30 1.98

0313 0917 SU 1503 2121

2 0104 0700

17 0121 0722

3 0143 0739

18 0214 0815

4 0221 0817

19 0304 0906

5 0300 0857

20 0354 0956

6 0341 0939

21 0442 1045

7 0424 1024

22 0530 1133

8 0512 1113

23 0617 1222

9 0603 1206

24 0015 0705

10 0010 0700

25 0102 0754

10 0157 0835

25 0202 0834

10 0245 0903

25 0214 0829

10 0457 1039

25 0356 0944

11 0110 0801

26 0158 0844

11 0304 0931

26 0303 0924

11 0356 1000

26 0320 0924

11 0002 0556

26 0500 1045

12 0216 0902

27 0258 0932

12 0411 1025

27 0405 1012

12 0503 1055

27 0427 1018

12 0051 0645

27 0000 0557

13 0326 1000

28 0358 1019

13 0514 1116

28 0502 1059

13 0013 0603

28 0526 1111

13 0131 0728

28 0048 0646

14 0431 1054

29 0452 1102

14 0018 0613

29 0010 0554

14 0105 0657

29 0030 0618

14 0208 0806

29 0133 0734

15 0531 1145

30 0541 1143

15 0114 0708

30 0056 0642

15 0151 0745

30 0115 0707

15 0241 0843

30 0218 0822

0.55 1.51 SA 1303 0.50 1926 1.68 0.50 1.51 SU 1336 0.49 2000 1.73 0.46 1.50 MO 1410 0.49 2034 1.78 0.43 1.48 TU 1445 0.51 2110 1.81 0.42 1.46 WE 1522 0.53 2149 1.81 0.43 1.42 TH 1604 0.56 2231 1.80 0.44 1.39 FR 1649 0.61 2318 1.76 0.46 1.36 SA 1742 0.65 1.71 0.48 SU 1306 1.35 1843 0.69

1.67 0.48 MO 1412 1.38 1952 0.70 1.64 0.45 TU 1518 1.44 2107 0.67

1.63 0.42 WE 1619 1.55 2219 0.59 1.64 0.38 TH 1715 1.67 2325 0.50 1.65 0.35 FR 1807 1.78

0.30 1.58 MO 1406 0.40 2031 1.97 0.29 1.53 TU 1451 0.46 2117 1.96

0.32 1.47 WE 1536 0.52 2202 1.91 0.38 1.41 TH 1620 0.60 2245 1.82 0.45 1.36 FR 1705 0.67 2330 1.73

0.52 1.32 SA 1753 0.74

1.63 0.57 SU 1314 1.30 1845 0.79

1.54 0.61 MO 1409 1.31 1945 0.83 1.47 0.62 TU 1506 1.34 2053 0.83

1.42 0.61 WE 1600 1.40 2200 0.79 1.41 0.60 TH 1650 1.48 2301 0.73 1.41 0.57 FR 1734 1.56 2353 0.66

1.42 0.55 SA 1814 1.64

31 0038 0626

0.58 1.43 SU 1220 0.53 1851 1.72

0.45 1.45 TU 1336 0.51 2008 1.85

Time

0.33 1.44 WE 1427 0.50 2056 1.92

0.34 1.62 SU 1320 0.36 1945 1.95

Time 0139 0729 WE 1310 1945

0120 0709 MO 1258 1930

m 0.34 1.46 0.47 1.93

0.41 1.65 0.35 1.88

0.51 1.44 0.52 1.79

Local Time AUGUST

0.40 1.45 WE 1417 0.50 2048 1.89 0.37 1.45 TH 1500 0.51 2131 1.91 0.35 1.44 FR 1547 0.53 2216 1.89 0.36 1.43 SA 1638 0.56 2304 1.85 0.37 1.43 SU 1732 0.60 2357 1.79 0.39 1.44 MO 1833 0.63 1.71 0.41 TU 1354 1.47 1941 0.65 1.63 0.42 WE 1456 1.53 2054 0.64 1.57 0.43 TH 1556 1.61 2208 0.60 1.53 0.43 FR 1654 1.70 2316 0.53

1.50 0.43 SA 1747 1.79

0.45 1.49 SU 1207 0.43 1838 1.87

0.38 1.48 MO 1255 0.44 1927 1.92

0.35 1.41 TH 1510 0.54 2138 1.87 0.39 1.39 FR 1552 0.59 2217 1.80

0.44 1.36 SA 1634 0.64 2257 1.72

0.49 1.34 SU 1718 0.69 2336 1.63

0.53 1.34 MO 1806 0.74 1.54 0.56 TU 1318 1.34 1900 0.78

1.46 0.59 WE 1411 1.37 2002 0.80 1.39 0.60 TH 1506 1.41 2112 0.79 1.34 0.60 FR 1600 1.47 2219 0.74

1.32 0.59 SA 1650 1.54 2319 0.67

1.32 0.57 SU 1736 1.63

0.58 1.34 MO 1143 0.54 1819 1.72 0.49 1.37 TU 1226 0.50 1901 1.81

0.27 1.46 FR 1444 0.43 2115 1.97 0.24 1.48 SA 1534 0.43 2201 1.95 0.24 1.50 SU 1627 0.45 2251 1.89 0.26 1.51 MO 1723 0.49 2343 1.79 0.31 1.52 TU 1824 0.54 1.67 0.36 WE 1331 1.54 1930 0.58 1.55 0.41 TH 1432 1.57 2044 0.60 1.44 0.45 FR 1534 1.62 2200 0.58

1.38 0.48 SA 1634 1.68 2311 0.53

1.35 0.48 SU 1731 1.74

0.46 1.35 MO 1147 0.48 1823 1.80 0.40 1.36 TU 1237 0.48 1911 1.83

0.36 1.38 WE 1323 0.48 1955 1.84

0.37 1.38 SA 1526 0.53 2149 1.74

0.40 1.38 SU 1605 0.56 2225 1.68

0.43 1.37 MO 1646 0.60 2300 1.60 0.47 1.37 TU 1730 0.65 2339 1.51

0.50 1.37 WE 1820 0.69 1.42 0.54 TH 1318 1.38 1917 0.73 1.33 0.57 FR 1412 1.40 2025 0.74

1.26 0.59 SA 1509 1.43 2136 0.71

1.23 0.59 SU 1605 1.50 2244 0.64

1.23 0.57 MO 1659 1.58 2340 0.55 1.27 0.52 TU 1748 1.69

0.43 1.33 WE 1200 0.46 1836 1.79 0.32 1.39 TH 1249 0.40 1922 1.89

0.13 1.56 SU 1522 0.29 2145 1.94 0.14 1.59 MO 1615 0.32 2235 1.86 0.18 1.60 TU 1713 0.36 2327 1.73 0.26 1.60 WE 1813 0.43 1.58 0.34 TH 1306 1.59 1920 0.50 1.43 0.43 FR 1407 1.58 2034 0.54 1.31 0.49 SA 1512 1.58 2151 0.54 1.24 0.53 SU 1617 1.61 2303 0.50 1.24 0.53 MO 1716 1.65 0.45 1.27 TU 1134 0.51 1809 1.69

0.40 1.31 WE 1224 0.48 1854 1.72 0.36 1.35 TH 1308 0.46 1935 1.73 0.34 1.38 FR 1348 0.45 2012 1.73

0.33 1.40 SA 1426 0.44 2047 1.70

31 0200 0756

0.23 1.46 FR 1339 0.34 2010 1.95

 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

m 0.34 1.42 0.45 1.66

0.35 1.43 MO 1541 0.47 2155 1.61 0.38 1.43 TU 1619 0.50 2230 1.54

0.42 1.43 WE 1701 0.54 2307 1.45 0.46 1.42 TH 1747 0.59 2348 1.36 0.51 1.41 FR 1841 0.63

1.28 0.55 SA 1320 1.40 1944 0.66

1.20 0.59 SU 1418 1.41 2056 0.65

1.16 0.60 MO 1521 1.46 2207 0.59 1.18 0.57 TU 1624 1.54 2309 0.49

1.24 0.51 WE 1720 1.65 0.37 1.33 TH 1141 0.42 1812 1.77 0.25 1.43 FR 1233 0.33 1900 1.86

0.15 1.53 SA 1325 0.25 1949 1.92

0.09 1.61 SU 1416 0.19 2038 1.93

31 0303 0911

0.07 1.67 MO 1510 0.18 2129 1.88

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. 110

MAY 2015

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