NSW Fishing Monthly May 2017 by Fishing Monthly

WHITING BAIT OF ORIGIN – WHO WILL WIN?

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Contents BYRON COAST The Tweed 24 Tweed Inshore 25 Ballina 26 Yamba 28 Iluka 27 Wooli 30 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour Coffs Game South West Rocks

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MACQUARIE COAST Port Macquarie 38 Forster 40 Harrington-Taree 42 HUNTER COAST Port Stephens 45 Hunter Coast 43 Swansea 44 Central Coast 46 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 12 Sydney North 14 Pittwater 15 Sydney Harbour 16 Sydney Rock and Beach 17 Botany Bay 18 Sydney South 20 Western Sydney 22 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 47 Nowra 48

From the Editor’s Desk... Fishing Monthly has always been a refuge for scientists who don’t want to be scientists. I have a degree in handling stress on Australian native freshwater fish. Previous editors Steve Booth and Marc Ainsworth also have similar degrees, as does tacklejunkie. fish co-ordinator Nicole Penfold and our IT guru, Gavin North, who specialised in whether fish feel pain. So how did it come to be that our scientific study about whether worms or yabbies are better for whiting fell to our QLD and NSW ad sales reps, Michael Fox and Rob ‘Rupe’ Gaden Jr? Foxy baled from school at Tweed Heads ASAP in year 10 and Rupe’s a former lure maker, so he’s sniffed way too many fumes to take any sort of veracity into a

scientific experiment. So, of course, we’ve ended up with something that smacks more of Stateof-Origin than science. Still, that’s not such a bad thing. The boys’ experiment went well, and they brought back some interesting observations from their day on the water. You can read about it inside. READER COVERS KEEP ROLLING IN We’re getting a sensational response to the Reader Cover Competition – keep the entries coming! There’s still time to make the cover. All the details are in the ad inside this issue. DO YOU YOUTUBE? You may have noticed that we are increasingly using video content to augment the articles in the magazines. If you see a QR code (that little array of black and white dots) embedded into an article,

make sure that you scan it with your smartphone. And if you don’t have the app to do so, get the closest teenager to download it for you! Alternatively, if scanning codes isn’t your thing, you can just jump straight into Fishing Monthly’s YouTube channel to catch all of the video content we upload. Just search for ‘Fishing Monthly’ on YouTube. Between our current channel and our older channel (Steve Morgan) there’s been over 1.42 million video views in the last couple of years, so we must be doing something right. WHAT ABOUT INSTAGRAM? I’ve never been a huge Instagram user, but there are thousands of you who are. If you follow @fishingmonthly, you can join the other 15,000 followers and see the string of fantastic fishing

photos that Instagram will deliver to you. Got an image that you think needs to be in the feed? Send it to us and we’ll see what we can do! THE PASSING OF A LEGEND Many of you have been following the wonderfully detailed reports from our Botany Bay writer, Gabe Quercigrossi. Sadly, Gabe passed away on March 18 after finally losing his battle with leukaemia. The founder of Gabe’s Boating and Fishing, Gabe is best remembered for his generosity, expertise and willingness to help other anglers. He has passed on his expert knowledge to thousands of people, helping them to take home a feed for their families, and his positive influence will continue for generations. It’s a truly amazing legacy.

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Beach fishing – bait or lures? CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

Surf beaches along the New South Wales coastline offer some good fishing throughout the year, but the autumn months are when things really gain momentum. This is a

occasional big greenback. With mullet also starting to venture out of the estuaries, it’s a top time for mulloway and other larger predators. On top of these species we can also throw in whiting, dart, tarwhine, flathead and salmon. All of the above will take a variety of baits, as well as lures. The majority

and will quickly scoff down such baits. Larger offerings like whole pilchards, strips of fish flesh or calamari tend to attract more predatory fish. Tailor, salmon, mulloway and sharks are likely to take such baits. However, it’s not uncommon for big bream to take a large bait aimed at mulloway, and

Solid salmon like this provide first-rate sportfishing fun when light lure casting tackle is used. As aggressive as salmon can be, they’re also a fickle fish at times. On some days they refuse all lures, while still taking baits. period when most species are actively swimming through the gutters, looking for a meal. If you strike it on a good day the fishing can be exceptional. Bream are starting to emerge from the estuaries in preparation for spawning activities, which take place any time from now through to the end of winter. Tailor numbers are also usually building at this time of year and it’s common to encounter large mobs of smaller to average size choppers, as well as the

of anglers will be using traditional baits such as pipis, beachworms, prawns, pilchards and cut strips of fish flesh. Some of these baits appeal to most fish, while others are better for specifically targeting just one or two species. Smaller, softer morsels like pipis or worms are prime whiting bait, but they also appeal to bream, dart and tarwhine. Even a relatively small beachworm bait will tempt a decent mulloway and tailor. Salmon tend to have a big appetite

that’s probably how some of our biggest bream are hooked in the surf zone. My first genuine 4lb bream took a big chunk of calamari pinned to two 7/0 hooks while fishing for mulloway. So as we can see, fish in the surf zone are quite opportunistic and often more aggressive than their mates back inside calm lakes and estuaries. This being the case, does it make sense that lure casting should work as well, if not better than in much calmer environments? As with most aspects of

Although mulloway will certainly take lures, in the majority of cases, it’s still best to stick with first class natural baits such as calamari, tailor, mullet and so on. 8

MAY 2017

angling, there are plenty of variables to consider, and clear-cut answers are hard to come by. TAILOR AND SALMON This pair makes up the bulk of the beach catch along the NSW coastline, and both are excellent lure fishing targets. Their feeding habits revolve around hunting small baitfish. They both have big mouths and can be very aggressive at times. I’ve enjoyed some phenomenal lure casting sessions with both species, including times when my stamina gave out well before the fish stopped biting. As good as it seems though, in the greater scheme of things casting baits like whole pillies remains a more reliable approach. The reality is that most of the time we’re not simply going to walk down to the surf and encounter large packs of aggressively feeding tailor or salmon. Often it’s a case of picking a suitable gutter, lobbing a bait out and waiting for fish to move in. Sometimes the fish will show up just as the sun sets or towards the top of a high tide. The fact that a bait has fish-attracting scent and it’s staying out in the gutter for a longer period than a lure that needs to be cast and retrieved all the time, means that the first fish that swims within range is likely to find it. If two or more anglers are fishing together at the same gutter, this multiplies the scent. If a few fish are hooked we’ve then got some natural berley in the form of pilchard scraps drifting around, which then increases the likelihood of more salmon

This tailor was one of many hooked during a very hectic lure casting session. A huge pack of tailor had moved into a gutter, and lures were simply a much cleaner and more effective option than old school bait fishing. or tailor moving in to look for a meal. If there are only a few fish around, then the pilchard baits will probably take their interest and a couple will be caught. We could count that as a minor success. On the other hand, perhaps a much larger mob of tailor or salmon will move in. If that is the case, baits would still be successful. Now we’re getting to the point of difference. When ganged hooks and pillies are used it takes a

while to unhook each fish and put a new bait on. If the action is heating up it’s also easy to make small mistakes between fish. Baits can fall off as they’re cast or we may fail to notice a scuffed leader, so the next fish hooked simply snaps the leader or bites the hooks off. In some cases we may even run out of bait. This is where lures come in. Not needing to re-bait between fish speeds things up dramatically. Unhooking fish is often faster as well

Metal lures at the top and sinking stickbaits at the bottom. Throw a few of these into your bait fishing tackle box and you’ll be ready for action should numbers of fish move into a gutter, or if the bait runs out.

hitting the sand and the big soft plastic hanging from its mouth. Six months and a thousand casts later I still hadn’t hooked another one, despite fishing at a very reliable beach where I’d caught many mulloway over the years on bait. What this is mainly saying is that pure luck certainly plays a major role in fishing and there’s no escaping that fact. Aside from that, one of my main observations when it comes to the ‘bait verses lure’ question is that over

a set period of time a bait spends a lot more time in the strike zone than a lure, thus increasing the odds of a mulloway finding it. Lures need to be cast and retrieved, so while a bait remains in the gutter, the lure spends time hanging from the rod tip, flying through the air and being dragged up from the shore dump to back to the rod. While it’s out there, a bait also has the advantage of constant scent, which may entice smaller fish or crabs, which can only help

attract a mulloway. While there’s certainly no doubt that larger soft plastics or big hardbody lures work when it comes to mulloway, it’s always going to be hard to beat top notch baits like calamari or a fresh slab of mullet if the end goal is to just catch one, regardless of the technique used. LITTLE LURES At the opposite end of the spectrum, small lures can appeal to the likes of bream, dart, flathead and whiting. Once again, it’s going to be To page 10

Tailor are the mainstay for beach anglers along the east coast. The good news is that they’re also one of our very best lure fishing targets. and there’s far less chance of a fish being hooked deep down its throat. Catch and release also becomes easier. In other words, the whole process is quicker and cleaner so you can enjoy it more and potentially double the number of fish hooked. A little tip when lure casting for tailor and salmon around sunset is to try swapping over to a white or glow in the dark lure as light levels begin to fade. Chrome metals or other colours may be working fine while it’s

still quite light, but white or glow white lures often score more bites after the sun sinks below the horizon. This can add another 20 minutes of action if the fish are still in the vicinity. LARGER PREDATORS Mulloway and sharks are the two main large predators encountered at the beach. Most anglers are very keen to catch a mulloway, but some of us are also happy to hook a bronze whaler, which are the most common sharks at this

time of year. Smaller bronze whalers around a metre or so put up a serious fight. Treated properly they also make excellent table fare. In some places the occasional kingfish, cobia, tuna or Spanish mackerel could also swim right in close. Overall though, most anglers are probably more interested in mulloway. The very first time I specifically used a lure at the beach aiming for mulloway I was rewarded after only a few casts. I had a 10kg model

Slowly and methodically casting soft plastics at the beach is a great way to find flathead.

MAY 2017

From page 9

hard to beat a fresh pipi or beachworm, but there are some advantages when it comes to using small lures for these common bread and butter fish. The first and most obvious benefit that comes to mind is the convenience factor. This applies across the board with all forms of lure fishing in any type of environment. Armed with a bag or box of lures you don’t have to spend time or money gathering or buying bait. Simply grab your lure kit and off you

go. Lures don’t have to be stored in an ice box and they won’t go off after you’ve finished fishing. Over the years I’ve come to rely on lures and soft plastics as a first choice for flathead when beach fishing. Due to their ambushing style of feeding, flathead tend to lay in the one spot for longer than more mobile fish like bream or whiting. Quite often, the main places they lay are right behind the shore dump or in the shallow gutters close to shore. This means that only short casts

are required, and after each cast you can walk a metre or two and fire off another cast, gradually covering more ground until a fish is encountered. Because this approach has been so successful, I simply don’t see a need to bother with bait if flathead are the chosen target species. Bream and whiting also like to cruise just behind the shore dump and certainly aren’t afraid of shallow water, but they’re also quite mobile, so lure casting can be a touch hit and miss. Find a really

These tailor were some of many that fell to a sinking stickbait lure one afternoon. No bait was used, yet around two dozen fish were caught. Of course, most were released.

A 3” Berkley Gulp pinned to a size 1 jighead. Such an offering works particularly well on flathead, but will also interest bream, dart and the odd whiting.

good little gutter and it could house numbers of bream or whiting, so your lure is more likely to land amongst them. Some suggested lures for these smaller fish at the beach include Berkley Gulp Worms, 80 or 100mm Squidgy Wrigglers and Ecogear ZX30 or 35 vibes. Of course, jighead weights may need to be heavier than what would normally be used back inside an estuary,

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but not too heavy. They’ll jam in the sand as you’re using them. DOUBLING OPTIONS Both bait fishing and lure casting work at the beach. While I’ll still say that good old bait is perhaps the better approach overall, as mentioned above, there are definitely times when lures can have an advantage, so they shouldn’t be dismissed. This is particularly true

when it comes to tailor, salmon and flathead. Therefore, a third option is worth considering. Pack a few lures in with your bait fishing kit. If the bait runs out or big numbers of hungry fish move in close, you’re armed and ready. This way you’re increasing your odds in the long run, learning a bit more about lure casting at the beach and having some fun in the process.

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Homing in on the Hawkesbury food chain THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

You couldn’t pick a better time to be on the water than right now on the Hawkesbury. With the recent fresh in late March and April the fishing has really hotted up, and I could only assume this to be the case in many of the East Coast’s estuaries. Much needed run-off and nutrients that get washed into the creeks, streams and rivers boost life from

the small organisms and macroinvertebrates all the way to the top of the food chain – the predators we anglers like to target for recreation and food. Lots of fodder means lots of fat healthy fish that will likely have a great spawn run this season to capitalise on the fruitful conditions. The bream fishing has been outstanding on lures and baits. Most fish are now concentrated towards the mouth of the river, holding on the rock walls, cockle beds and reefs. Deeper lure presentations like soft

plastics and blades are very effective when the bream start to school, but don’t rule out deep diving crankbaits cast parallel to the rock walls

and cranked down to their working depth of 2-3.5m. Minnows, grubs and creature baits are all successful soft plastic

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A 5” Samaki Boom Bait was the undoing of this metre-long fish. Big paddle-tails like this are a favourite of the author’s when targeting mulloway.

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patterns. They are best fished on 1/12-1/6oz jigheads and cast tight to structure and let sink until reaching the bottom. A few small flicks to entice any onlookers should see you getting connected in no time. Flathead can be found in similar areas. They will have also been forced downstream by the dirty fresh influx. They are best found sitting at the bottom of the rock walls where the hard structure meets the sand/mud and on the plentiful drop-offs that can be found in the back of the bays in Cowan Creek and Pittwater. Jigheads of 1/6-3/8oz with grubs, minnows and paddle-tail soft plastics seem to work

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really well for the best bite each time. The addition of scent to your plastics can be advantageous when the bites aren’t coming consistently. Estuary perch and bass are in their closed (no take) season this month, but a few keen anglers will be getting their fix of pre-spawn schooling fish. They can be found in cricket scores at this time of year and offer really good sportfishing on light tackle and fly. Small soft plastic grubs and minnows or blades up to 60mm that have a tight shimmy are very effective. Kingfish, salmon and tailor will be making a lastditch effort to feed up before the water temperatures really fall. Live yakkas and garfish (if you can get your hands on some) are gun baits at this time of year. Down rigged or flat lined around the headlands, wrecks and major points in Pittwater, these will put you in the action. Try to keep your trace material under 60lb and preferably

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The best time to catch a fish is right after you just caught one! Mulloway have small windows of activity, so be prepared to capitalise during those times to get double hook-ups like these 93cm and 87cm schoolies.

use fluorocarbon to increase your bites. As always, keep your eyes peeled for any flocks of gulls and terns diving on the surface, which is a great way of tracking down active feeding fish. Small metal slices around 10-15g, soft plastic minnows and surface poppers are assets in these scenarios. Rotate through each one until you work out the one that is working best on that particular school. Winding as fast as you can is a great strategy when the fish are very active. Sometimes a slower approach can pay dividends though. Try sinking your lure through the school to see if you can pick off a bigger fish or a different species that is shadowing the school looking for easy pickings. Mulloway will be in their element after the recent rain. Live baiting and lure casting will both yield quality fish this month. Time spent catching quality live baits of tailor, pike, squid and yakkas will put you in the action when rigged well and fished in key locations like Juno Point, Flint and Steel, Eleanors Bluff, the road and rail bridges plus any other major deep points or smaller reef systems you may have found or sounded up. Lure casting will come into its own as the month progresses. It allows anglers to cover a large amount of water in a short period of time to find active concentrations of fish and capitalise on their short feeding windows around the slack of the tide. Soft vibes in lighter weights of around 14g and jighead rigged soft plastics are the best lures for working the bottom structure and locating mulloway.

It is the best of both worlds SYDNEY NORTH

Darren Thomas

Overlapping seasons often mean both warm and cooler water species are eligible for capture, so don’t put away your topwater kingfish gear just yet. May is a great

month to head out to the local inshore reefs targeting kings and snapper, as fluctuating water temperatures offshore encourage most species to feed. Snapper and kingfish are still readily available. Brett Malcolm went out and had a great session on the snapper at Long Reef. Drifting

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lightly weighted baits of fish fillet and squid in 18-30m of water soon proved fruitful, with some good fish caught in an awesome session. Solid kingfish have been captured on the local inshore reefs, with some fish well over 1m. Sydney Harbour is producing bonito, flathead, tailor, kingfish and mulloway, with plenty of squid and baitfish available. This is my favourite time of year to fish the estuaries, as they are still holding fairly respectable temperatures both above and below the waterline. A good variety of target species is still around. Local customer George Makhlouf whipped in store and bought a new 6-8kg combo, and within two hours had christened it on a nice big flathead during a morning session in the rain. George was fishing soft plastics when the big girl hit, and after a couple of quick photos the fish was released. The water clarity is quite reasonable for all the rain we have had, and fishing the deeper areas and drop-offs is recommended for flathead and trevally. Scented soft plastics fished at Clontarf and the Spit worked a treat for Ryan Phillips, landing three salmon to 61cm and a 63cm kingfish.

Further west, bream and flathead have been on the chew at Roseville. Walking the wall in the picnic area west of the bridge has seen anglers catching whiting, bream and flathead using peeled prawns and soft vibe lures. The best fishing times have been dawn and dusk. Some of these captures have even been in the middle of the day. Shane Matthews fished in his kayak working 5” soft plastics around Echo Point and soon found himself hooked up to a samsonfish in rainy conditions. After a quick pic the fish was released. With the water quite muddy up there this fish is an unusual catch. While we’re on about unusual catches, another for the Roseville area was a juvenile longnose trevally. These fish are generally distributed between Far North Queensland and Japan. This fish was caught on a vibe soft plastic and also off a kayak in the dirty water. It’s not just the harbour that has been consistent lately. Pittwater has had some great reports, even with the mild discolouration of late. Archie Levy headed out with his dad Jake for a quick fish in the tinny and landed his first kingfish. Archie managed a

Jake and Archie Levy with Archie’s first king. ripper fish on his 3ft rod with 8lb line using a squid strip for bait. Often while targeting different species the kingfish come along. The guys caught four kings in total. The beaches have been a little messed up due to the rains and big seas from the last month. Fish still have to eat and if you’re willing to brave the conditions, good results can still be had. Cam Swords and his friends fished with rock and beach guru Alex Bellissimo at Dee Why Beach when the swell was still up. The guys had a great session, landing plenty of bream and whiting on beach worms. Solid tailor have been landed casting metal lures

over the back of the breakers at Collaroy and Manly. Dane Peterson caught four fish to 55cm using this technique. Minimal equipment is required for this successful style of fishing. Casting metal lures over the back of the breakers is a good technique when the sea is a bit messy. Tailor and salmon both love the white water with some good fish being spun up at Curl Curl, Dee Why and Manly. I am hearing about some solid whaler sharks invading the suds after dark. If this is a bit more your style, grab some wire and your favourite heavy beach kit and head down to Narrabeen or Collaroy with some mullet fillets.

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Changing bait and tactics in cold weather PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

With the change in seasons nearly upon us, most anglers start to find other things to do instead of fishing. However the smart fishers will pick the best tides and moon phases to continue chasing their scaly prize.

your jigs on the bottom, but the effort is worth it when you finally catch a couple. The areas to target kings during winter are along the western side of Pittwater. Downriggers are needed to cover ground and a keen eye is needed. Keep an eye on the water surface and on your sounder looking for baitfish. When a large arch is found on your sounder and the fish doesn’t eat

Flathead like this 42cm model can still be caught towards the mouth of Pittwater. As the water cools along our coast and rivers, the fish species encountered will differ from that in the warmer months. They are still worth chasing though for that adrenalin hit and to supply the family with a great meal. Along Pittwater we can still catch big kingfish even in the colder water temperatures. They are not as active as in the warmer months. One of the big differences when targeting kings during winter is the bait that is needed to tempt one. In summer we actively chase kingies on Pittwater using live squid or yellowtail. In winter the gun bait is small cuttlefish that can be found along the rocky shoreline of Pittwater. Catching these small cuttlefish requires small squid jigs in the 1.8g sizes. Make sure you keep the jig less than a metre off the bottom. You’ll often snag

your offerings, hang around in the area for a while to entice a strike. The other fish to catch at the moment are bonito. They’re along our coast and on Broken Bay and they are showing themselves at first light with feeding frenzies on the surface. These speedsters also have tailor mixed in with the schools, and all are pouncing on 10g metal lures. If you are having one of those mornings with no surface activity, pull out a couple of hardbodied lures and start trolling the headlands, points and current lines. Watch for baitfish being pushed to the surface and watch for balls of bait on your sounder. On the bottom along Pittwater there are still some flathead around the drop-off at Palm Beach. Using lures or bait will see a few being caught on the run in tide. If there are no takers on the drop-off the

flathead may have settled in amongst the weed beds on the shallower grounds, which would be worth a try. Using soft plastics along the weed edges will see a few explode off the bottom and smash your lures in the shallower water. Bream will also be active on the Palm Beach weed beds. If you’re willing to start early, anchor and berley on the Pittwater side of West Head. This area is shallow, so watch where you anchor if there is swell coming into Broken Bay. Use a berley mix in a weighted berley bucket and lower it, so it’s about halfway to the bottom. The current runs pretty fast in this area and if you have the berley bucket too high in the water column, the berley will settle too far away from the boat to do any good. At home I use a grinder to mash a mix of chicken pellets, fish, old prawns, squid, cans of cat food tuna, tuna oil and bread into a bucket. This mix is then put into smaller buckets (the same size as my berley bucket) and then frozen in my bait freezer. The result is a frozen block of berley that disperses in a fine cloud. The tuna oil leaves a distinct slick on the surface and the heavier particles entice the bottom dwellers into a frenzy. Fresh bonito strips would be my choice of bait. No matter what you use, you must fish this area with light fishing gear. Light traces and light line will give your bait the most natural appearance, and the most important thing when fishing for bream in this area is to float the bait down in the berley trail with as little weight as possible. As the tide and current increase, use small spit shot sinkers to allow your bait to hit the strike zone. There are of course other species that will be tangled with when fishing this area. They’re all fun

to catch, especially on the lighter tackle. Some of the other species that can be caught here are flounder, leatherjackets, whiting and any of the cruising pelagic species that get a sniff of your berley. Squid are plentiful at the moment with most weed beds holding one or two bigger squid. These guys are best targeted with 2.5g jigs, and the natural coloured ones work a treat. For some really big squid the Barrenjoey Head area on the ocean side will be awesome. For those that want to head out on the ocean there are some nice fish to tangle with just waiting for you to dangle a line. Along our coast in the water depths of around 50m there are snapper to be caught as well as morwong, nannygai, trevally, flathead and the odd teraglin. It has been important to find the bait schools around the reefs before sending down some bait. If you are an early riser there will be a few decent snapper still around the shallower grounds before the sun rises. There has been a bit of a late die-off of the big cuttlefish this year, so if you find one floating on the surface, drift down a piece of cuttlefish with no sinker and hang on. I hope this report has you excited about the fishing ahead. We are now offering a great stay and charters with Luxury Afloat Houseboats on the Hawkesbury and Cowan Creek. These amazing deals include a mid-week, four day stay on the houseboat and two flat water fishing charters thrown in as well. Please call us for all the details so I can show you our wonderful part of the coast. • Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www.estuaryfishing charters.com.au

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MAY 2017

Full-on flush turns the system upside down SYDNEY HARBOUR

Craig McGill craig@fishabouttours.com.au

The outstanding feature of this autumn has been a combination of very warm water, high rainfall and big seas. Sydney-siders are quite used to an Easter wash-out, but this season the rain started in early March and hasn’t really stopped. The fish don’t seem to know what’s going on, with winter fish like hairtail and dory being caught alongside

tropical fish like cobia and rainbow runner. The mullet run, which usually kicks off with the first westerly in April, started in late February. Kings have been patchy and it has been one of the worst seasons for surface fish that I can remember. A fish’s metabolism is directly related to water temperatures – the warmer the water, the faster they process a meal and the faster they grow. They eat more when the water is warm, which is good news for fishers up to a point – fish,

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like humans, can suffer from heat stress. I lost a number of my prized aquarium fish to heat stress this summer. You know it’s hot when tropical fish are keeling over in Sydney. Particularly in the estuaries and bays, the water is usually at its warmest on the surface. With lower harbour surface temperatures topping 25°C and upstream at 28°C, no wonder the surface fish didn’t play this year. There have been some upsides, however. The mulloway and snapper fishing has been the best anyone has seen for years. These fish stay deep and are therefore less affected by hot water. We have also seen the best mix of tropical fish in a long time. Pennant fish, long-nose trevally, rainbow runner, longtail tuna, amberjack, samsonfish, Watsons leaping bonito, barred longtom, grinners and cobia have all been caught in Sydney Harbour this season. I sat next to a boat at North Head that pulled in a 20kg cobia. With 24°C water still down past Eden, my prediction is that we will experience good fishing well into the winter months. All the rain and big seas have led to some murky water at times, so here is a quick refresher on how to deal with it. What a good flush does, apart from turning the system upside down for a while, is inject it with a burst of nutrients. This comes from two main sources, the main one being in the form of plant, animal and mineral matter washed in off the land. Secondly, depending on the extent of the flood, the river bed, along with the vast variety of marine organisms, gets lifted and dispersed downstream. Being an opportunistic feeder, bream are particularly turned on by a big flush. I’m expecting a solid turn-up this month. The Spit Bridge, Balmoral, North Harbour, Sow and Pigs, Bottle and Glass and Bradleys Head should all produce well. The shallower spots like Balmoral and Sow and Pigs are best fished in the early morning, late afternoon and into the night. Once the sun is high in the sky, try the deeper areas like Bottle and Glass and North Harbour. With a bit of colour in the water, baits like skirt steak, fresh tuna cubes, chicken and mullet gut and chicken breast fillet dipped in tuna oil seem to work better than live baits like yabbies, prawns and worms. There’s no doubting that once the water is back to its normal clear condition, the live baits will be way ahead.

May is the best time of year to target really big kings. A light berley is a definite advantage in attracting bream. I once fished next to a boat that I considered to be berleying excessively. The anglers’ mix consisted of a typical grain-based berley with what should have been a dash, but was in fact probably half a bottle of tuna oil (we all do it) and it was going in by the bucket full. Consequently many the bream we caught were bloated with oats. My bet was that there were fish still down there that were so full that they had stopped feeding. Berley is designed to attract fish, not feed them. Your bait is there to feed them. Keep the berley regular, but just a sniff. My berley system consists of a few fresh fish frames in the PVC berley pot and a gentle stir every ten minutes or whenever I remember – usually the later. It’s comical to watch some of my crew, who previously had no interest in berley, become human berley pot pistons when the fish turn up. Flathead also come on strong after the rain, attracted by the abundance of baitfish that have been flushed down.

All the areas mentioned above are fishing well for flatties. If you plan to anchor for flatties, find a drop-off on a sand bottom or an area of broken sand reef. Live baits are the way to go when at anchor as the flatties like a moving bait. Drifting the shallow sand areas around Balmoral and Rose Bay is extremely productive, although the fish, while in numbers, tend to be smaller. White bait or anchovies make good drift baits, but once again, livies pinned through the top lip are way ahead. Middle Harbour is relatively deep and only has a small catchment, so it should still hold a few fish, regardless of its resemblance to the Murray. I’ve even caught kings in muddy water up here. My bet would be that mulloway and bream will hold in there. Surface pelagics like frigates, salmon and bonito will move out. The fresh won’t worry the mulloway either. In fact, hunting in dark, discoloured water is their speciality. There’s a lot of mullet in Middle Harbour now so big live mullet baits would be ideal if you can get them. If

Pennant fish have been in the mix of tropical visitors this year.

not, live tailor caught in the lower reaches or squid from North Harbour would be a great choice. As a last resort, big slabs of frozen squid or mullet will do. Down on the lower reaches look for the area where the fresh water coming down from the harbour meets with the cleaner ocean water. This usually occurs around Balmoral in Middle Harbour and Sow and Pigs in the harbour. Down here berley will help concentrate the fish and, once again, the odorous baits will work best. In addition to the gut and steak baits try some pilchard fillets. A couple of spots I have found to work well in these conditions include inside Grotto Point, Cobblers Beach, Tailors Bay, inside South Head (red marker), Sow and Pigs, the eastern cardinal mark at Dobroyd (if the swell is not too big) and inside Cannae Point. North Harbour will offer the cleanest water having only a minimal catchment, and should be well out of the swell. If you are going to chase kings and mulloway, put the effort into catching some squid. Cephalopods are very sensitive to fresh water. Depending on the extent of the flush, fresh water tends to sit on the top few metres, so work the deep grounds with big jigs. We get some of our biggest kings of the season now, which coincides with the garfish run. After fresh squid, gar is the next best choice for big kings. If you are struggling for squid try a floating breadcrumb berley for gar. Sow and Pigs and North Harbour are good spots to try. • 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.

Winter and summer fish mingle SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

We’re getting up in the morning and sensing the chill. A large percentage of the fishing fraternity think “it’s getting cold up here so it must be getting cold down there”. Well it isn’t – not yet anyway, and it won’t be for quite a while. It is still the transition of species period, and this month your winter species will be mixed in with the summer species.

Anglers can also encounter bronze whaler sharks from around 0.8m up to 1.3m, as well as the odd mulloway. The mulloway are the target species, but anyone who wants to pursue them needs to accept that sharks, salmon and tailor are generally the main species caught whilst mulloway fishing. You have to be very patient to catch that prize fish. Factors that will increase your chances include figuring out where to fish for them during the correct conditions and tides, and using the correct bait, rigs and outfits. If you want

Lucas Tran caught his first beachworm and this great bag of bream and whiting off the very crowded Manly Beach. May is one of my favourite months, with virtually all the beach species biting like whiting, bream, tailor and salmon. It’s a good time for mulloway as well. The most populated northern suburbs beach is, without a doubt, Manly. However, it has been a cracker of a beach for a feed of late. We’re seeing regular bags of whiting, bream and tailor, and there will be an increasing number of salmon.

to increase your success rates, give me a call or shoot me an email and I can help you to get onto a mulloway and several other species on one of my guiding trips. Another popular beach for surfers and swimmers is Dee Why. Like Manly, it is a hive of activity but has still been holding a good population of the above species of late. The kelp can be a problem on this beach though, so you

may need to move around. If you’re on the southern side, for example, and it’s full of kelp, jump back in your car and drive to the Long Reef surf club side of the beach and you may find it to be weed-free. This can apply on a lot of the beaches around here. Mid Narrabeen to North Narrabeen, Bungan and Newport have been producers as well. When you’re out fishing for a whiting, I recommend keeping a spin outfit on standby just in case there is a burst of tailor or salmon. I use a spin outfit with 6kg J-Braid, 15lb Sufix Invisiline leader, 45g Knights with gold/green reflective tape, a Daiwa BG3000 and a Wilson Blue Steel 2-piece light surf 10” rod. It’s a nice spin outfit for rock or beach fishing for small pelagics. All of the species are being caught on the beaches mentioned. This is important information for the beach angler. Having a variety of ball sinkers from size 0/1 to 4, or swivel bomb sinkers (that is a sinker with the swivel moulded in the sinker) ranging from 1/4 to 2oz is absolutely necessary for your success on the outing. Generally these sinkers are best for whiting and bream and, when the surf is less than moderate, for tailor, salmon and even mulloway and sharks. When the surf is up, sinkers from 3-6oz are the go, but of course they’re only suitable for heavier lines; around 9-15kg braid or mono. The reason why the sinker sizes are so important is because if your sinker is not moving you’re likely to have a bait that looks rigid and isn’t drifting, therefore looking unnatural. May is an awesome month for the ocean rocks! Just remember that this is a very dangerous sport, and if you’re not experienced feel free to contact me. I would be happy to give you some safety advice. There have been some fairly recent fatalities, and sadly they could have been avoided with the right information. Snapper to 48cm, trevally to 43cm, kings to 70cm, salmon to 65cm and some cracker bream to

42cm have been caught by anglers fishing the washes. I recommend a mix of squid strips, peeled banana prawns, and half pillies in your bait container. Swap around to see what works best on the day. Fresh tailor fillets cut into slivers about 10-12cm long and presented on a 3/0 hook (I use a Mustad 92554) have also been working well, and can be a cheaper alternative than going through 2kg or more of pillies for berley and bait, plus all the extra baits. Bluefish eastern front, South Curl Curl, and Mona Vale pool eastern front rocks have been producing some good bags, and some good squid fishing as well. When the water is a little discoloured I have been using pink and orange Emeraldas Nude squid jigs in the 14-19.5g size range. Without a doubt the best times for squid are from the crack of dawn until sun-up, and about half hour before dark. Flat sea conditions with a swell size of less than 75cm are good as well. The luderick and pigs season is well and truly on. Technically these species can be caught all year round, but late April to the end of October is when anglers seriously target them. The most common baits for pigs

It’s drawing towards the end of the mac tuna and frigates season for Sydney, but they should still be around this month. American visitor David Hoffman was happy with his catch. are peeled prawns, white sliced bread and crust, and large weed baits. For the luderick, hair weed and cabbage weed are the go. Good spots to try include Little Bluey, South Curl Curl, North Curl Curl off and near the swimming pool, Long Reef, a flat ledge called Snapper Rock on the north face, and of course the Mona Vale pool area, northeast and south faces. The kings are still on the chew, and this will continue until the end of June, providing the water temps stay above 19°C. This can vary from year to year. Salted sea gars, medium live yellowtail suspended under a torpedo or turnip float between 1-8m, and 9”

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Silstar SlapStix in the red head or cream colours have all been catching their share. Try Bluefish Point, North Curl Curl and South Whale headland. North Whale southeast point is good as well when you can get a spot there. Normally it is quite crowded. So get out there in May and enjoy some of the most fun fishing of the year! Fishing is a fantastic pastime, and now is a great time to do it. • For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www.bellissimocharters. com.au, email alex@ bellissimocharters.com.au or call Alex Bellissimo on 0408 283 616.

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MAY 2017

A sad farewell to an influential fisherman BOTANY BAY

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

For those of you that don’t know, Gabe Quercigrossi passed away on Friday 17 March and will be sorely missed by all those who knew him through his shop at Milperra in the early years, then at Narellan, and his column on Botany Bay. His wealth of fishing knowledge will be missed by all those seasoned and up-andcoming anglers who took delight in looking at the photos

Bay. Ray Longward from Maroubra landed two bream, one trevally and three whiting while using bloodworms. Paul Lockwood pumped a few nippers off the sand bar at Dolls Point and also fished off the groyne in Frenchmans Bay for one bream and five trevally. All were caught using a paternoster rig. If you are after a couple of squid, you could try the reef that is tucked in the corner where the retaining wall is in Yarra Bay. The best colours have been orange, pink and purple. If you are fishing from a boat you will need to locate the kelp and cast your jigs out

Bill McGuire with a stonker bream caught while fishing with the author at the end of the third runway. in his column and reading about where and when to go in Botany Bay and its surrounds. I never got to fish with Gabe, but I heard of his exploits over the years and there are not too many anglers who would come near the expertise that he had when fishing. From this month onwards, I’ll do my best to report on Botany Bay and its surrounding areas in the detail that Gabe did. A few reports of bream, silver trevally and whiting have been coming in from anglers fishing from Frenchmans Beach, which is located on the northern side of Yarra

onto the sand. Anglers chasing squid in this area from the shore could try suspending a whole pilchard or a squid jig underneath a bobby cork and allow it to float out from the shore. Scotty Lyons from Southern Sydney Fishing Tours reports that his clients have been getting trevally and the odd bream or two while anchored up at Trevally Alley. The best rig by far has been a small running ball sinker down onto either a peeled prawn or a piece of pilly with a No.1 circle hook in it. Be sure to berley. If you don’t have a

berley bucket you could put a couple of loaves of white bread in a keeper bag and dangle it over the side. It will only need a couple of shakes every now and then to get the fish coming up the back of your boat. Trevally and bream have come in from the drums. Remember that you are not allowed to drift through or anchor inside the drums. The water depth around these drums is very deep here so I would keep my leader to about 60cm in length. If you are drifting use a No. 4-6 ball or bean sinker down onto the swivel. The oil wharf has been a bit slow lately with only a couple of trevally caught throughout the day. Undersize snapper have been here in great numbers. Fishing at night has been much better and I suggest you stick to the run-out tide. Watts Reef is best fished at night for bream, snapper and trevally. Anchor up on the sand and cast very lightly weighted baits back to the reef itself. Squid, peeled prawns, half pilchards, pink nipper and 4cm pieces of chicken in Parmesan cheese would be the pick of the baits. Either anchor or drift near the Sticks on the Kurnell side of the bay for bream, flounder, whiting, trevally and dusky flathead. Small snapper and big porcupine fish can be a pest here at times, especially when the tide slows down. Towra Wide is worth a shot for dusky flathead using soft plastics and blades in 3-5m. I use the ZMan 4” DieZel MinnowZ or SwimmerZ on a 1/4-3/8oz jighead, or Berkley Gulp 4” Nemesis lures. The ends of the first and third runways have been fishing well for bream, whiting, trevally and the odd mulloway. The best times

have been at night, but don’t forget that going through the daytime will produce fish as well. You could try drifting here, but I prefer to anchor up and berley. On the northwestern corner of the third runway

Dave Nash and Barry Mainsbridge had a great day out on Botany Bay chasing a variety of fish with peeled prawns. you will see a cardinal marker. Anchor near here for the best results. The large port markers that mark the channel that leads to Port Botany has been producing plenty of six-spined and fan belly leatherjackets on small pieces of squid or peeled prawns. If you don’t have a boat you can always try fishing off the beach that runs from Dolls Point to Brighton-Le-Sands. The best baits have been pink nippers and bloodworms. Why don’t you take the kids down there for a fish? If they get bored of fishing, they can always play in the sand. Carss Park Pool is another place for shore anglers to try out their skills chasing mullet, garfish and luderick while fishing with a float or a small bobby cork. This is a good place to take the family for a picnic and to have a fish. When the kids tire of fishing they can play at the nearby playground. Further upstream the Captain Cook and Tom Uglys

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bridges have been producing mullet and the odd bream or two while fishing pudding baits under small bobby corks. Luderick can be caught on the northern and southern ends of the Captain Cook Bridge as well during May.

Small tailor and snapper are in plague proportions at Bald Face and Oatley points. Try using live poddy mullet and yellowtail for dusky flathead and mulloway. The best rig has been the paternoster. At this time of the year the Woronora River can be a bit hard to fish. The main fish species would be whiting and bream with a couple of duskies thrown in. Live poddy mullet would be the best bait by far, even for the whiting. Remember when using a poddy mullet trap in NSW the trap must have a tag attached to a part of the trap which is at or above water level, with dimensions not less than 80mmx45mm, with BT, initial and surname, year of birth and postcode of the person who sets, uses or lifts the trap. All letters are to be a minimum of 15mm and in a colour contrasting to the tag. You can only use or have in possession one trap at any one time and the maximum dimensions of a bait trap are 450mm (length) by 350mm (diameter) with an entrance funnel no larger than 60mm in diameter. When I set mine I make sure that my ID float is a couple of metres away from the trap, as it could otherwise turn the

poddy mullet from going in. Before using a poddy mullet trap I would suggest that you check where you can legally set one. Check out the DPI website for more information. The sand flats just downstream of Bonnet Bay are producing whiting and bream on the rising tide. You could also try the western side of the old Woronora River Bridge for bream and luderick on the eastern side of the bridge. Just remember to watch the slippery rocks on the eastern side. A few bass and estuary perch are still being caught further upstream of Prince Edward Park. The odd bream, whiting and dusky flathead are coming in as well. Further upstream in the Georges River the Moons, Lugarno, Picnic Point and Kelso have been producing good catches of luderick on green weed. Bream have been taking chicken breast, bloodworms, pink nippers and strip of mullet and tuna for those anglers fishing off the shore at Cattle Duffers. The Milperra Bridge is also worth a shot for bream, mullet and the odd mulloway or two. When you can get offshore the reports that have been coming in have been a bit patchy. Morwong, snapper, pigfish, sweep and trevally have been the mainstay of the catches. May should be a great month for anglers targeting snapper on the close inshore reefs. Try the Wedding Cake (33.55.544 151.15.900) and the Kurnell Car Park (34.01.320 151.14.300). Bondi, Maroubra and Coogee beaches should start to produce good catches of whiting. Beach and bloodworms would be the go. You could also try using pink nippers. The point at Tamarama Beach is worth a shot for luderick on a falling tide. If you have any photos of fish that you have caught recently, you can email them to me at gbrown1@iprimus.com. au with a short description and I will endeavour to get it into my next report.

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MAY 2017

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Vale Gabe Quercigrossi Recently the Sydney fishing community lost a beloved and very generous angler: Gabe Quercigrossi. Born in 1948, Gabe amassed an incredible amount of fishing knowledge in his lifetime – knowledge he

was always happy to share – until he sadly lost his battle with leukaemia on March 18, at the age of 69. Gabe was of course the founder of the Gabe’s Boating and Fishing. Customers will tell you that he always remembered

everyone’s name, and always treated you like an old friend. Unlike many anglers who closely guard their fishing spots, Gabe was always happy to share every bit of information he could to help struggling fishos to catch more. He was someone who always had time for people. Gabriel Quercigrossi was born in Italy but grew up in Sydney, and always loved fishing. After working in the automotive trade for a while, he decided to follow his fishing passion and began selling fishing gear at markets up and down the coast. The next step was to open a tackle shop – firstly Ace Tackle, and then Gabe’s Fishing and Boating. Scott Levi from ABC Radio’s The Big Fish, said that in Gabe’s passing he had lost a very generous teacher and mentor. “From a personal perspective, Gabe shared his fabulous secrets on targeting the elusive, giant, whiting of the estuaries, and putting his lessons into practice has led to me catching these fish now on a very regular basis,” Scott said. “He was such

a generous bloke with his time and his knowledge. “I have never known such a successful fisherman. He was a great competition fisherman, catching beautiful bags of whiting, tailor, jew, and trevally – anything that was on. He had the nuance of bait fishing down pat. He would impart every little secret, and wouldn’t leave out one bit of the puzzle. If you were good enough to be as meticulous as he was, and the fish were there, you’d go home with a good bag. I really did appreciate

that straight, honest, pure information. It made you a better fisherman, and you’d go home with a feed for the family.” Long-time friend Ray Stares, who ran the

Narellan store with Gabe, said Gabe’s favourite part of working in fishing retail was talking to and helping customers. “He was a very knowledgeable man in all aspects of fishing,” Ray explained. “Helping people was a huge part of what he did here, and who he was. “He became a very dear friend to a lot of people.” Gabe’s passing greatly saddened everyone who knew him, and resulted in a flood of supportive messages to his family from all facets of the fishing community. It’s a fact that very few people have the ability and drive to change so many people’s lives for the better, creating a lasting and positive legacy. Gabe was one of those few, and he will be greatly missed. – Fishing Monthly

MAY 2017

Trevally, bream and luderick are the May-nstay SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Hopefully we will have less rain in May than we have been experiencing in Sydney over the past couple of months. Many anglers who regularly fish Botany Bay and the Port Hacking would find that during the month of May, trevally, bream and luderick make up the bulk of their bags. Off the rocks you’ll be getting into the bream, trevally, bonito, luderick, tailor, salmon and snapper. The beaches would still be producing whiting, bream, dart, tailor and salmon. Offshore there would be morwong, trevally, cuttlefish, snapper and a few sand flathead mixed in with them. Checking on the longrange weather forecast,

May is supposed to be less wet than the last couple of months. If this is so, you should be able to get amongst a few fish in the upper sections of the Georges and Woronora rivers. For the land-based anglers who like fishing the Georges River, try beside the bridge at Milperra where you could target bream, mulloway and the odd dusky flathead or two. The best baits by far would be bloodworms and nippers, but if there is a fair amount of fresh in the water, try pilly tails and chicken coated in Parmesan cheese. If you prefer to use soft plastics and you are after dusky flathead or mulloway, lures like the ZMan 4” DieZel MinnowZ or a SwimmerZ on a 1/4-3/8oz jighead have worked. If you prefer something else, try the Gulp 4” Nemesis.

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Reily and Lachlan had a trip out in the boat with their dad on the Minnamurra River. Not a lot was caught, but they were rapt with their new Shakespeare Ugly Stik Tackleratz outfits. Further downstream I would try the Georges River State National Park. This area has a number of great land-based fishing spots and the area can be fished on the run-up or run-out tides. The best rigs would be the paternoster and the running sinker down onto the swivel and a long leader. To increase your chances of getting a few, berley here with what I call ‘berley bombs’ – chicken pellets, bread and smashed up pilchards soaked in water

then made into a ball between a golf and tennis ball in size. Make sure then to squash the water out of it. These can be thrown just upstream and allowed to break up as they sink towards the bottom. For those of you with a boat, try the Moons, the Como Bridge, Oatley, Kangaroo and Bald Faced points. When I fish from here I find that the run-out tides seem to work the best. Once again, the best baits by far would be bloodworms

and nippers, but if there is a fair amount of fresh in the water, try pilly tails and chicken coated in Parmesan cheese. If you are targeting luderick, you’ll need to make sure you get yourself some fresh green weed. Some places you could try are the pond at the back of the DeepWater Motor Boat Club at Milperra, Kelso Park Creek, Dolls Point or Renown Creek. If you have no luck there you could try off the

rocks at Cronulla, Coogee, Bondi and Maroubra. The shoreline at Little Moons Bay, the rock wall upstream of Alfords Point Bridge, Bald Face Point, the Cooks River entrance and the Captain Cooks Bridge will hold luderick during May. In the Woronora River, you could try both sides of the river at the Old Woronora Bridge, Bonnet Bay and the northern side of the bridge at Prince Edward Park for luderick, mullet and bream. Watch out – the rocks on the eastern side can be very slippery. For those of you that are going into Botany Bay, try the usual spots like the end of the third runway, the sticks, the oil wharf, Bare Island, Yarra Bay and Sutherland Point. The best bait by far is the peeled Hawkesbury River prawn. Next would be the pink nipper and then the bloodworm. Offshore there have been a few good catches of snapper, morwong, trevally and sand flathead coming from the Wedding Cake Island out from Coogee, Maroubra, Little Bay, Kurnell, Merries Reef, Osbourne Shoals, Jibbon Bommies and the Humps off Stanwell Park. One of my favourite fish species to chase during May is drummer off the rocks. This type of fishing is not for everyone, but it would have to be one of the most mind-blowing forms of fishing. Drummer, pound for pound, have so much strength that I have seen anglers shaking in their boots after being monstered by a big drummer. I prefer to use either my Shakespeare Ugly Stik USG-SP1202LM, 12ft, 3-7kg rod mounted with

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Try anchoring and berleying near moored boats for trevally in the Port Hacking.

a Pflueger Salt PFS60 threadline or the 12ft Bruce Alvey Special mounted with an Alvey Beach Classic 625B side cast reel. Both are spooled with 6kg line. Depending on the swell you could try north Bondi and Maroubra and Bare

Island. Remember that if you are fishing off the rocks in the Randwick council area you will need to be wearing a life jacket. Further south you could try Sutherland and Jibbon Points, Coalcliff and the northern end of Stanwell Park Beach.

In the Port Hacking you will find that the luderick and leatherjacket numbers will have increased, as the water gets colder. There will still be a few bream and whiting coming and going and you could also try berleying up a few silver trevally.

May will see a great snapper run off Sydney during May.

The author with a 1kg+ bream caught while working the surface.

Inside the Port Hacking the squid numbers should increase, and for those of you fishing offshore there will be a big increase in the cuttlefish. Remember if you pass a cuttlefish that has been chewed up, make sure that you have a cast or two at it for the snapper that could be feeding on them. • If you have been out lately and you would like to see yourself in the magazine, drop me an email to g b ro w n 1 @ i p r i m u s . c o m . au with a picture and short explanation of how and where and I will endeavour to get it into my column.

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MAY 2017

Bream biting from the beaches to the fresh WESTERN SYDNEY

Peter Jacovides

We finally have to admit to ourselves that winter is nearly upon us. As much as we will miss hot sunny days and balmy evenings, and

jetty or bridge pylon. My absolute favourite is boat hulls, as moored boats offer the bream protection from predators and a smorgasbord of fishy delights. If you’re looking for fishing options this month I suggest you grab a handful

If you are a devotee of the sweetwater (fresh) there has been some great fishing at Lake Lyall near Lithgow. Some awesome catches of bass and redfin have been had by anglers fishing the points either trolling or casting (points are the end of bays

This is a great time to chase these great sportfish too. Speaking of trout, this is Blue Mountains trout time. The trout season comes to an end on the Monday night of the long weekend in June. The lakes and many of the Blue Mountains rivers aren’t gazetted trout streams and are therefore open to fishing all year. If trout are your thing or something you’d like to try, this is the right time to start. Options for trout are endless. Worms or PowerBait drifted off the bank or boat, lures spun or trolled or flyfishing

Trout are feeding up and munching on small fish.

Bream can be hunted from the beach right through to the estuaries. the fishing opportunities the warm weather offers, the cooler months offer some great fishing too. The bream season is in full swing and whether you target them for food (damn, they’re yummy) or as a sportfish, they really are the whole package. Bream can be hunted from the beaches right up to the fresh water reaches of Sydney’s estuaries. I prefer casting small hardbodied lures at structure, be it a fallen tree or bankside snag, a rock bar or an artificial structure like a

of small lures. My box has a few Daiwa Double Clutches, Pro Lure 36 cranks, deep and shallow, and a bunch of plastics like Keitech Swing Impact and Easy Shiners, Gulp Minnows, Squidgy Wrigglers and of course Strike Pro Cyber Vibes. I use a light spin rod with some 4 or 6lb fluorocarbon leader and head down to the Hawkesbury or Parramatta rivers and cast away to anything that looks like structure. If you haven’t done this type of fishing before, give it a go. You will be very pleasantly rewarded.

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MAY 2017

where the shoreline changes direction). Deep divers are the go here; my go-to lure is a Daiwa Tournament Spike in either lazer ayu or brown iwashi. Most deep divers will have a go. Don’t be too surprised if your lure comes up tight and a big rainbow trout takes to the air with your lure between its teeth.

Trolling and casting around the points for reddies has been successful.

are all productive methods. When choosing your lures, flies or baits for trout remember that there aren’t many insects about at this time of year. They’re feeding mainly on gudgeons and smelt (small fish) so choose your baits appropriately. Places to try are the upper reaches of Lake Lyall, Farmers Creek or Coxs Arm, Lake Oberon (respect private property here), Thompsons Creek and Wallerawang Dam (Lake Wallace). Rivers including The Coxs River above and below Lake Lyall and all the associated streams are closed so check the Fisheries website before you head out.

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accessible, even if something happens to your phone. Here’s how it works: Go to maps.deepersonar. com, login using Facebook, Google+ or the username and password you use for the Deeper app then choose a map from the menu on the left. To print, just press ctrl+P (cmd+P on a Mac), or click ‘Download’ at the

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Blending the seasons means blending the species THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

With summer leaving us and winter coming, we have a blending of species this month. Most summer species and winter species are able to be caught. Mulloway and snapper are mixing with summer species like jacks and mackerel. Now is definitely the best time of the year to wet a line on the Tweed.

systems, which sees them fishing really well. OFFSHORE Spanish, spotties and dog mackerel have really turned on this month, with good catches on Nine Mile and Kingy Reef. These fish are mainly being caught on trolled baits and deep diving hardbodied lures. The odd one has been caught on large metal lures. Small packs of tuna have been seen on the 50m lines, with black marlin not far behind these packs of tuna.

adventure. These two little reefs hold a lot of bait, and a bait jig is best to get a live tank full. ESTUARY Rains and storms have given the system a good shake up recently, which means jacks and trevally are on the chew this month. Good numbers have been caught around the bridges and holes throughout the Tweed. Jacks are really trying to fatten up and can’t resist a big old strip bait.

summer and winter species schooling up. The weather should start to settle down over the next month, which will give anglers a chance to get out and chase some pelagic species before they move back north. We should see more snapper and tuskfish showing up on close reefs, and the currents will slow down as winter approaches. This makes things easier for bottom bashing and jigging. Estuaries will see more mulloway in the system and bream starting to school up. Tailor will start to show up in the rivers and on beaches and will thicken up as the month goes on. If you would like any additional information on the region or advice on fishing, please see my fishing page on Facebook – Fishing Fun Gold Coast. I’ll be happy to answer your questions and steer you in the right direction.

Jimmy Mitchell with a whopper Nine Mile kingfish.

Kobi Lee-Leong with a sweet little whaler caught on a close reef off Tweed. We haven’t had the best conditions for fishing offshore and from beaches this month. Northerlies and big swell affect a lot of offshore and beach fishing. The estuaries, back creeks and rivers have been the pick for most anglers. The recent storms and rain have given a real shake up to these

Blacks have been caught on the 24s and 36s as well. Blue marlin have been between 200-400m of water with the odd mahimahi around the FAD. Pretty boy bonito have been around Snapper and Kirra reefs. Troll baits or strip baits for a good starting place for your offshore

Brad Studders with a solid snapper caught drift baiting pillies at the Mud Hole. 24

MAY 2017

Mulloway are also showing up in these spots in good numbers as well. Bream are being caught around the rock wall of the river mouth. Drift baits and soft plastics are doing all the damage on these little silver brutes. There’s still the odd whiting being caught. Try drifting a yabby over the shallow sand banks like the Piggery and Terranora. Crabs are still running really well. Sandies and muddies can be caught this month. Look for big tides and the full moon for the best results. Restrictions apply, so remember to see what applies to you in your area. BEACH The beach hasn’t been the best this month for fishing, with northerlies, blue bottles and large swell. Not a lot has been caught. There are still good gutters from the spit right down to Byron Bay. Mulloway, bream, dart, flathead and the odd tailor are being caught in the best gutters. Beach worms, pipis, pillies and metal lures are working the best. FRESHWATER The storms and rain have turned on the fresh system, with most creeks and rivers flowing again. Bass have really started to bite. These bass are trying to fatten up for the hibernation period. Cicada imitations, jig spins and hardbodied lures are working best. Crackbaits seem to be working well on Clarrie Hall Dam. The blending of species this month should see more

The author with a healthy Tweed River bass caught in the upper Bilambil Creek on a winged cicada.

Luke Tapfer with a great bag of four mulloway and a couple of jacks caught around one of the bridges.

Hunting for bass in the far upper reaches THE TWEED INSHORE

Tim Latter

With summer well and truly gone and the days getting noticeably shorter, the temperatures are starting to freshen up and the cool southerlies are blowing off Mount Warning. You could expect the odd morning fog. It’s a perfect time for chasing one of my favourite sportfish – the mighty Australian bass.

There are many different views regarding targeting bass at this time of year. From the start of May they are a no-take species in NSW and must be returned to the water unharmed. Targeting them in the brackish waters is unethical during winter, however the far upper reaches well away from any spawning fish can produce some exciting sessions on a range of lures. Keep in mind that not all fish spawn each year. Like

most styles of lure fishing in freshwater, you will have to adapt to the conditions presented to you in order to have success when the bite is a bit tough. With the amount of rain we received in March and April, and the temperatures hovering above average, many fish will have continued upstream and found new holes to reside in until it really starts to cool down in June. That’s not to say some wouldn’t have

The author’s old man with his PB bass taken on a night mission.

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hitched an early ride down to the middle reaches, but right up the top will remain a viable option this month. The gear required is very simple. I prefer a light spin outfit for this type of fishing – 6ft long or shorter running 6lb braid and 6-12lb leader, depending on conditions. Only go light when the fish won’t play the game. Lure selection is pretty basic. Try half a dozen options including small spinnerbaits, soft plastic and jig spin or rev head combos, small suspending hardbodies and crankbaits. Contrary to popular belief, Australian bass will still smash surface lures in the cooler months. I like the Megabass Grand Siglet and my second go-to would be a Bent Minnow in 76mm or 86mm. For the longer, slower moving pools, a searchbait like an Atomic Lipless Crank or Jackall TN50 can help you find some fish. Google Earth is your best friend here as the Tweed Valley is littered with these waterways. Some are only quite small, and land-based is the only option. Access can be difficult, but even small holes can hold big, green territorial bass that will destroy any offering on the

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A nice bass taken from the yak on a midmorning surface bite last May. right day. The slightly larger systems lend themselves to a small kayak, which allows you to cover more water, which can take a fair bit of effort when you take portages and log jams into consideration. Look for the shady pools with a good amount of flow, preferably an eddy toward the head of the pool next to an ambush point like a rock ledge or fallen tree. Then you are definitely in the right spot. A certain amount of stealth is required to not spook the wary fish, and accurate casting will

increase your results. I can still remember my first bass capture. It was in one of these tiny backwaters during May, on a River2Sea Rover Surface lure, and from there I was well and truly hooked. It’s super important that we look after these areas, so try to have minimal impact on river banks. Take all your rubbish and perhaps even pick up someone else’s. Be safe and courteous to all on the water and enjoy taking the time to explore some new waterways. It’s just lovely being out there!

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Stirred up mulloway are on the chew big time BALLINA

Joe Allan

The beaches and rock walls around Ballina have had some great activity over the last month. The dirty water has really stirred up the mulloway and they’re on the chew big time. There have also been some tailor showing up in very consistent numbers. The best spots are out the front of Boundary Creek and along the front of the Broadwater Rocks. The tried and tested blue pilchards and metal slugs have been great during the day, but the better fish have been coming on pilchards and cut baits. Between the tailor, some quality

snowy bream have been showing up. Offshore has been going well for mackerel with these showing up later than expected. Trolling 100-150mm divers has been working very well. Once you’ve found the active fish try casting lures for them like the Bassday Bungy Casts. At 30g you can punch these 100mm sinking stickbaits out a hell of a long way. Out the front of Lennox Head, the 32 fathoms have seen good numbers of juvenile snapper and surprisingly good numbers of flathead around the edges of the reefs. Out wider there are also great numbers of quality amberjack being taken. The north and south

Tayla Egan with a healthy estuary cod from around Ballina.

walls of the Richmond have been fishing well for bream. The pick has been the south wall on the run-out tide. Try fishing surface lures like the Atomic Pop50 and crankbaits like the Crank 38 Mid Diver over the porpoise wall when the water is flowing over. There can be some great visual action as the fish come from the depths to hit your lures. As the tide gets lower and you can’t fish over the wall anymore, try hopping blades and prawn imitation soft plastics down the rock face. The bigger holes behind the town have been producing good numbers of mulloway, and this should continue as the water starts to cool down. Live mullet have definitely been the best bait, but you will get them on big soft plastics during the day. If you chase these beasts, the best fish have come on the making tide at night. You will find some big flathead will come along as by-catch. These guys are in the holes chasing anything that comes in front of their faces. Just remember, the big girls are the breeders, so please put them back. Once they get big they’re not that nice to eat anyway. Take a couple of snaps and quickly get them back into the water. It’s great watching a big crocodile swimming back down to the depths. Crabs have been around in really good numbers. The dirty water around the Easter break has definitely stirred things up a bit and this should continue over the next month or so. Try mostly up river from Pimlico towards Wardell. The best baits are whole mullet or mullet frames.

Josh Carter with a 20kg mulloway caught from Riordans Reef. One little secret from an old local crabber is to save your luderick frames and use them for crab baits. The oily frames seem to bring good numbers in.

Before and during the big wet, the freshwater stretches of the river were fishing well for Aussie bass. Big spinnerbaits with gold willow blades were producing the

best numbers, along with chatterbaits. Try Bassman’s 1/2oz spinnerbaits, as these things really push some water and get the attention of the fish in the vicinity.

Anthony Melchior and Aaron Swanson with dirty water Aussie bass.

Ari Carter behind a 22lb snapper caught by his dad. 26

MAY 2017

This month is looking good for Iluka anglers ILUKA

Ross Deakin

We wanted rain and boy, did we get it! Heavy falls in and around the northern rivers turned the river into a torrent of brown water. This will bring a lot of

species down our end. Now that we’ve had things settle down, fishers have been making excellent bream catches with many fish around the 1kg mark. Nice bright coloured plastics and lures such as blades are the go in the murky conditions. Alternatively,

is located at 3 Owen Street, Iluka NSW 2466. Give us a call on (02) 6646 5217 or 0402 997 572. We have all your fishing requirements for this diverse area, such as an awesome bait selection and a

well-stocked store for all your other fishing needs. We have bikes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards for hire as well. We are available online at www.ilukabait.com.au, or you can visit our Facebook page.

Plenty of species are showing up around the beaches, like this awesome trevally.

Many anglers are having success on the bream recently, and this little fisher is proving it!

you can just use bait so the fish can sniff them out. There have been excellent mulloway caught using hardbodies and baits like octopus, mullet fillet and squid. They have been taken off the north wall mostly and during the day, due to the dark water. Make sure you take a mate, a good gaff, good footwear and be extremely careful. Mud crabs are more plentiful since the rain our area had and great full crabs have been caught. The beaches have been quite dirty with lots of weed

washed up on Shark Bay, but we are now seeing some really nice fish being caught such as trevally, tailor, mackerel and tuna. Easter is looking like it’s going to be fantastic as the water quality improves. Give us a call at Iluka Bait and Tackle and we can give you an update on the conditions before you get here. Have an awesome Easter. • For all your fishing needs and up-to-date information and tips for spots and fish, drop into the shop for a chat. Iluka Bait and Tackle

The mulloway have been excellent lately.

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Cold water anglers will have a whale of a time YAMBA

Dave Gaden

It’s a true season change this month with the last of the mackerel and other warm water pelagics heading north. The first of the whales are migrating

in the same direction, so you know the water temperature is dropping. Colder water usually means better fishing, both in the estuary and offshore. Sure, we don’t have the excitement of the summer pelagics, but anglers can consistently

ba Prawn Blade s” “Yam

catch a feed of fish. In the estuary there should be great luderick (blackfish). With the heavy rains in March, the river got a good flush out and the coast got a fair slamming. This got rid of all the old weed upstream and most of the cabbage off the rocks (the food for luderick). New fresh weed and cabbage will be there, and all signs are pointing to a bumper luderick season. Likewise, the bream will be starting to shoal up around the river entrance in anticipation of their winter spawn. Normally you would expect them to spawn on the full moon in June, but some years they have a practice run on the May moon. No doubt there will be good numbers throughout the

A tasty catch of spotties and a couple of reds. Make sure you have a good long gaff and preferably don’t fish alone off the stones. It’s nice to have a good fish but nicer to make it home alive. Crabs have had another really good season this year. They say you should only crab in this area in months that have R in them. I think, just like last year they will just keep going, especially the muddies. We caught blue swimmer crabs right through winter last year (not in great numbers), but I can remember 10 years ago where we hardly caught one all year. Something has changed and the crabs are back, so don’t put the gear away just yet. Offshore, May is generally a real nice time of the year. Persistent north-northeast winds are usually gone, leaving a cool southwest breeze early in the day and calm seas. As I mentioned earlier, the first of the humpback whales arrive this month. To be exact, for

You can expect great catches of fish like this in May.

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MAY 2017

the last five years I have always seen the first whale on 14 May. I’m sure there have been some that came past earlier and I haven’t seen them. I might just be looking a little harder that day, but five years in a row is pretty special. One of the reasons I like the whales is they have a big dark friend that swims with them. Cobia will travel up with these huge mammals. It’s a bit of a funny time to float livies out the back, because you don’t usually use a wire for cobia – they don’t like it – but the chance of getting decent mackerel, both Spanish and spotted, is good right through to mid-June. Bite-offs are very commonplace if you just target cobia, and you get less cobia if you use wire. It’s like racing with slicks in the hope it doesn’t rain with a storm on the horizon. Have some livies ready at all times with the whales around. If a

system from Browns Rocks to the Middle Wall and they will be on the chew. Flathead had been really good before the fresh in March. I expect they will have moved back upstream this month and spread out a bit. They make easy fishing when they are bunched up to spawn. When you find them this month, stay with them. What I mean is they will hold deep in spots in small groups for several days before moving, so when you find a reasonable fish just keep hammering the same spot, as he will have a few mates with him. I have a theory that if you take one good flatty, two come to his funeral. Mulloway have been

fantastic this year and with the colder weather, mullet shoaling up and nights growing longer than days, this is the time to go and target that big fish. Yamba and Iluka are renowned for their big mulloway. Fishing off the ocean breakwalls is your best chance of a trophy fish. Live baiting is very productive on poddy mullet or yakka. Soft plastic fishing for them with an extra-large white plastic is good (I like the ZMan 7” jerk shad or 130mm Squidgy Drop Bear). A 1/4oz head is usually enough with a 6/0-7/0 hook. Hardbodies, both diving and wakebaits, will also work well, especially if they are feeding on the surface livies.

Put the chips on to cook – this is sure to feed the family for a while.

whale swims past the boat in casting distance, as they regularly do, dropping a well presented livey behind it can bring an instant hook-up on

big fish. It’s almost as if the cobia imitate their look alike (remora) by hanging under the whales. Reef fishing for snapper

and pearl perch really starts to lift this month. Finding fish becomes easier with the fish holding tighter to the reef. I like 30-40m of water early in the month. As the water temperature drops start to head shallower. There is no such thing as too shallow for snapper by the end of May with great fish taken in less than 10m every day. Those who like the thrill of lure fishing for pink monsters, my advice would be to fish the bommie (Freeburn Rock) just south of Angourie S 29 31 133 E

Mick with a 12kg cobia caught in the river.

153 22 155. Be very careful, as this coral bommie is only around 3m under the surface. A wave can break on it without notice even on a calm day. Drift past the outskirts of the rock at first light flicking ahead (the way the boat is drifting) and bounce the lure back to the boat. This is the best technique. The surrounding area is covered in heavy kelp, so expect a few big fish to burn you off in the garden. Wider ground off Red Cliff to the south and Black Rock to the north will be chockers

full of good teraglin (trag) this month. These tasty fish bite really well early in the day, so don’t sleep in. Also, find a very cloudy or rainy day and they won’t stop. Remember, if the trag are there in big numbers, mulloway will be there to. Live bait the trag when you can and the mulloway will be a nice by-catch.

Howard with his first-ever mackerel.

Happy fishing and whale watching. Once again, if you need any more specific advice, please drop into my shop at Yamba Marina. We have all the good gear at the right price. All the staff fish and are more than happy to let you know what’s happening on the days you are there.

Mick with a nice pearly.

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Sea-saw weather is making trips out difficult WOOLI

Stan Young

Plenty of rain, wind and east coast lows make it very difficult to pick a good day to go to sea. There have still been spotted and Spanish mackerel around in close waters. Hopefully they stick around until about June. The fresh has been good for the mulloway off the breakwall and the beach

with a fair few school-sized fish being caught. Anglers have even pulled a couple of 2-3kg mangrove jack. Mud crabs have been plentiful and some big crabs have been caught. Locals have been eating crabs and mackerel lately, as there’s plenty to go around. There’s still a lot of bream and tailor being caught off the breakwall. They will start to get thicker as the month goes on and

the luderick will show up in big numbers. The islands off Wooli have been a bit quiet because the dirty water has moved offshore. There have been logs and even a whole tree that came past us as we were fishing. We very quickly moved to closer waters where the fishing was good. The snapper and teraglin will be moving in closer with the currents. It will be time to get the floaters going if

Snapper are moving in closer with the currents.

WOOLI FISHING CHARTERS

the mackerel will leave us alone for long enough to catch snapper. I use a number 1 ball sinker running down to the hook. We put a whole squid and whole pilchard on the hook, let it float down the berley trail, peeling the line off as it floats down in the current. When it runs, flip the bail arm over and wait until you have pressure on the rod. Then it’s time to reel the fish in. VISITING WOOLI Wooli is a small town with a permanent population of about 250 people. We live on a peninsula with the ocean on one side and the river on the other and it’s a beautiful town. If you decide to come to Wooli there are reasonably priced accommodation options and restaurants like the one at the motel that serves good food and beer or the Chinese restaurant run by Patrick and Wendy. The bowling club has a very relaxed atmosphere and cold beer. There is a caravan park on the river that has all the amenities that you would need for camping or caravanning. It even has a camp kitchen. The Wooli River Lodges have a swimming pool and good accommodation. You can contact the motel by ringing 0266 497 532. Contact the caravan park on 0266 497 519. The

Fishing offshore won’t be so easy this month with colder weather and dirty water. Wooli River Lodges can be reached on 0266 497 750. • Call into our tackle shop at 43 Riverside Drive, Wooli

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Snapper will be a good species to target this month.

and we’ll help you with rigs, knots and more. Our charter business has two boats, both purpose-built for chartering. If you want a fun day out give us a call on (02) 6649 7100 and talk to Stan or Claire. We also provide accommodation overlooking the Wooli River. We supply food, drinks, all tackle including rods and reels and ice for your fish. All you need to bring is an esky to take home your catch. If you don’t have a boat and want to go to sea, call into the tackle shop and put your name down on a charter. Or if you’re not sure about conditions, give me a ring on 0266 497 100 and I’ll let you know about conditions.

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MAY 2017

It takes two to hold up a cracker cobia like this!

Fishing settles back into the swing of things COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley info@tdsimages.com.au

It seemed someone flicked the switch when summer finished. February was one of the hottest and driest on record, but since then we’ve had the whole mix. We have seen multiple flood events, cold foggy mornings,

often stealing live baits intended for mackerel. The kingfish have also been a common by-catch for mackerel anglers throwing stickbaits, particularly around the islands and washes. The river mouths have been, and will likely continue to be, a centre for the action due to the increased output from our rivers after all the rain. Large amounts of fish

Jason O’Brien caught this snapper in a secret location just near the secret lighthouse. strong southerly changes, giant swell, intense storms and even an ex-cyclone visit. These significant weather happenings have had varying effects on the fishing around the region, but it wasn’t long before the fishing was back into the swing of things. Fortunately the fishing offshore wasn’t hampered dramatically at all. The main effect has been reducing the on water time. Large swell and wind have hampered the offshore fishing at times, but only due to access issues. For those able to get out, even during inclement weather, the offshore fishing has been in hot form. When the weather windows have opened again there has been decent fishing for all. The mackerel have not shown any signs of running away from a rain flooded coastline. There have been good captures even in some of the dirty water in close, although the best fishing has been a bit wider and away from the colder, freshwater plumes around the coast. Live baits are best if you’re doing some prospecting to find the fish. Stickbaits are producing the results once the mackerel have made their presence known. Over the last month we’ve had a lot southerly winds that push the warm surface waters towards the coast. This has helped keep the mackerel quite close to the coast, at least during the small periods over the last couple of months when there has been large swell, strong winds or flooding rains. The islands and wider bait reefs have been the most popular. Kingfish and snapper have been around in good numbers with both species

were pushed out of the rivers by flood waters and the mulloway, jacks and sharks have been taking advantage of the situation. The Urunga River and Nambucca River breakwalls have been particularly productive. Mulloway have been the main target. Decently sized mangrove jack have been a bonus for some. Some anglers have been targeting sharks in these locations, although mostly they have just been a pest to those who have had good fish pinched by the taxman. In the estuaries there have been brief periods where fishing has been semi normal. Mostly this period has been dominated by high

rainfall and very coloured water. One of the positive aspects in our area is that our local river catchments are largely free of floodgates and irrigation drains. During the recent floods we have seen large fish kills in the rivers north and south of our region. Our rivers have stayed fairly well conditioned and recovered well from each event. The floods tend to shut down the estuary species for a little while. Once the tide has begun to play its part again the estuaries have bounced back nicely. These flood events will have allowed the early movers in the bass populations to make their way down the river systems towards the brackish stretches. This journey is made so they can breed during the winter and is also the reason why this month signifies the start of the no-take bass season. For many anglers this means leaving the bass alone to do their thing and targeting other fish. Unfortunately, due to the bass being further down towards the estuaries, there are inevitably some captures of bass, even when targeting other species. Please remember that you must immediately release any bass caught between 1 May and the end of August. The trout have had mixed treatment this season with a long, hot and dry summer followed by a seriously wet autumn. The streams are all running well at present and should provide a fairly comfortable environment for the trout coming into their breeding period at the end of the month. It’s likely that

some of the populations were spread down river systems due to the very heavy flow in some catchments. The river levels have remained elevated for quite a while though, which allows the fish to move a bit more freely up and down the creeks. It’s a little

early to tell now, but we should find the trout setting up their preferred positions for the breeding season. If you have a few of those gravelly corners that you know are preferred spawning locations, you may find them occupied. Even early this month the fish can be

getting in position while the water is good. Ultimately it’s likely to be the weather either allowing us to fish, or preventing us from fishing that’s going to affect our success. If you can get out there, fish are there. You just have to pick the right window.

Elisa Christie and Jordy Viti enjoying a session on these fun size island kingfish.

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It is still tough fishing on the Solitary Coast Unfortunately, March 2017 proved to be just as dull and uninteresting as February. And January. And December. And November. And October. Oh, and September was a write-off as well. So the Solitary Islands Game Fishing Club’s Heavy Tackle Challenge was going to be a big ask, but with 20 local and visiting boats entered, if there were blues

COFFS GAME

Glen Booth

If I’m ever asked what the peak month for blue marlin on the Coffs Coast is, my stock answer is March. The wind is largely settled, the shelf current has backed off to a manageable pace, bait is reasonably prolific and the blues are here… except this season of course.

around somebody would find them somewhere. With a point score structure engineered to specifically target blue marlin, and other billfish species and tuna, mahimahi, wahoo et al as lesser-rewarded by-catch, this event has been a resounding success over its six year journey. While extremely warm, crews were dismayed to find the water along

Kanaloa’s lit up black marlin boatside. Photo courtesy of Rachel Terrasson.

Justin Williams hooked up to a decent lure eating mako on 37.

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the 100 fathom line was green rubbish, most likely the result of flooding rain that had hit the mid north coast the week before. If specifically targeting blue marlin, off-colour water is hard to get excited about, so in order to find the cobalt blue the species prefers, it was necessary to fish out beyond 700 fathoms. There was the occasional pod of small tuna flipping about, but precious little in the way of big predators chasing them. Unfortunately, the shelf edge was where the action was at. Team Seaborn struck a purple patch and scored a small black and then an even smaller striped marlin

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for their troubles, and were able to hang onto their lead for the duration of the competition, which put $5000 in their pockets. No Frills were the only team to tag a blue, and by my recollection it was the only one seen for the entire weekend, which is quite unbelievable. After pushing wide first up, they came back into the Sawtell Canyons to find the water had improved in the space of a few hours, and hooked a nice fish that got them into second place for a $2500 pay out. A new boat in the port,

Kanaloa’s crew also found a small black in on the edge, which was easily overcome by the heavy tackle in use, but secured them third spot and $1250. The crew of Hemingway didn’t see much on the billfish front, but they did find an 11.5kg mahimahi. At $800 for fourth place, that’s a gold plated piece of by-catch if ever I heard of one! And as for the rest of the fleet, bites were thin on the ground, with just the odd half-hearted swipe from what were most likely small blacks in green water. We

did get to play with a decent mako for half an hour on 37, but then the leader crossed over his teeth and that was the end of that. A good lure gone west too – worse luck. The BOM got the weather wrong once again, and it blew from just about every point of the compass at different times over the weekend. It wasn’t excessive, just uncomfortable. Timing is everything though, as the following weekend ex-tropical cyclone Debbie came barrelling down the coast and that would’ve closed the event out big time.

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MAY 2017

Stewart Meredith from CUB presenting the winning Seaborn team with their trophies.

Cooler days are thinning out the crowds SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

Summer has once again passed us by now, and although the Mid North Coast of NSW has a fairly mild climate, shorter, cooler days definitely start

Before this rise the upper reaches had become fairly low, and huge expanses of weed were choking all the bigger holes. The large volumes of water have now cleared out the river and gone right through the system and out to sea. The annual bass migration was also given a

Another Macleay flathead falls to a Vibelicious. to thin out the crowds, even though there is still plenty of good fishing to be had. The first of May marks the first day of the closed season for bass in NSW waters, meaning these fish can still be targeted, however, all fish must be returned to the water unharmed to provide minimal interruption to the species’ breeding cycle. In late March the region was absolutely battered by huge storms and a massive amount of rain fell in the Macleay catchment. The river rose up to the minor flood level. This rise brought a much needed flush to the upper reaches of the river.

kick start by the rise, with a lot of fish already being found down in the tidal zones around Smithtown. Further down towards the mouth of the river, it’s business as usual for this time of year. Bream and luderick are starting to be found in large schools, concentrating mainly along the rock walls. Large mulloway and flathead will become increasingly active around these schools of spawning fish. Large soft plastics, hardbody lures and live baits become almost irresistible to these fish when they are in this mode. The action on the flats has slowed right down now,

however there have been plenty of good bream up around the oyster racks of Clybucca Creek. Offshore we’re heading towards the end of the pelagic season for this area. The mackerel season was not as red hot as the last few years, although some good Spanish have still been getting caught up off Grassy Head at times. Longtail tuna are around the place in good quantities. There have been some cracker longtail tuna around the headlands, and mac and striped tuna have also been in good numbers. These fish are not so great on the table, however, make great bait for the winter reef dwelling species. At this time the currents begin to slow right down and the weather usually becomes fairly settled. This is a sign to get the electric reels out and head wide. Kingfish, bar cod, bass groper and a whole array of species are all out there and have been basically untouched throughout the warmer months. This fishery is very weather dependant, so it pays to plan around weather windows, and only head out if the conditions are right. In on the shallower grounds there are plenty of pearl perch, snapper,

Kyle Day with a cracking land-based longtail tuna. kingfish, teraglin and mulloway. Depths between 50-120m are a great place to start. There’s miles of ground that holds a huge variety of fish, all of which are great on the plate. May is a great time to hit the beaches. Many species of spawning fish will migrate along the beaches during the colder months. Not only do these fish provide a target for anglers, the larger species of tailor, salmon and mulloway are never too far away.

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QUEENSLAND

STATE I’m Rupe, my mate is Michael ‘Foxy’ Fox, and we’re both advertising sales reps for Fishing Monthly. The only difference is that he’s a seasoned veteran from Qld and I’m a young whipper snapper from NSW. Our recent fishing battle was the latest chapter in that age-old story about the old bull up against the young bull, with the added spice of state vs state and bait vs bait!

V STATE / FOXY

used was bloodworms, and then I piped up and said no way old man, yabbies are better then bloodworms. My reply apparently amounted to serious fighting words, and it was on like Donkey Kong. We decided the only way to settle it once and for all was to have a competition – bloodworms versus yabbies and this is how the story goes…

MATE

V MATE / BAIT V BAIT

pre-booked $20 worth, which is about five worms in total. This might not sound like a lot of bait, but you only need a small amount on the hook each time. Gem Bait & Tackle also sell fresh yabbies, but we decided to pump our own, local baits. It wasn’t long before we were launching the boat and headed to the western side of Wave Break Island to pump some yabbies.

with just one attack from a predator. The worms, on the other hand had great staying power – something Foxy said he could relate to. I doubted this. Just 15 minutes later it was on for young and old. We had a game plan of ‘sure-fire’ spots to visit in the search of not only big whiting, but the more important prize of bragging rights around the Fishing Monthly office. Each spot had similar characteristics: a sandy bottom, flowing water and any sort of drop-off we could find. That’s what you should look for if you want to catch a feed of whiting, and if you can find a weed

was finding it easier to hook and land fish on his set-up, which we put down to the very long and soft rod he used with the new Shogun Ice Blue 6lb fine mono main line. I was using a shorter, stiffer rod with 6lb Daiwa braid running over it and a short, 6lb fluoro leader. Without the ‘give’ of the mono, my braid was pulling a few hooks from lips. A loosened drag soon corrected the problem though. With the southerly wind becoming a problem, we didn’t get to hit our main target area, and retreated further up the river to a very well known whiting hangout amongst Gold Coast locals. On arrival at spot number

FOXY Height: 6’0” Weight: 95kg but claims it’s all muscle Position: Qld Fishing Monthly advertising rep Age: old Bait: Bloodworms PB Whiting: 43cm WHITING QLD Bag Limit: 30pp Legal Size: 23cm Size Range: Up to 50cm Prime Time: Warmer Months Eating Quality: 10/10 Foxy’s Best Hook: Black Bait Keeper #4

Bloodworm enthusiast Foxy didn’t bag a keeper until he swapped sides and used yabbies! This whole thing started on a typical day visiting clients in the Fishing Monthly Triton. There we were, in a well-known tackle store (who offer a selection of fresh baits) talking about the best bait to catch whiting. Foxy said that the best bait he’d ever

BAIT OF ORIGIN The competition kicked off by picking up the bloodworms from Melissa at Gem Bait & Tackle on the Stapylton Jacobs Well Road, which is conveniently placed on the way to our battlefield – the Nerang River on the sunny Gold Coast. We had

The yabbies were easy to find and were perfect specimens, with great size and colour and nice, firm bodies. If you’ve ever fished with yabbies before you’ll know these things are important, because these little crustaceans can be quite easy to lose

The bloodworms sourced from Gem Bait & Tackle were so fresh we could have eaten them ourselves, and for a short while it looked like we might have to. 34

MAY 2017

By-catch was becoming a problem at some spots. This little grunter copped an earful from Foxy before being released to grow into a biggun. bed that will only help your cause. At all locations we anchored into the current and let the baits sit naturally in the flowing tide. Side by side, and let the fish decide. A simple and all-toocommon puffing of chests between two big mouths had lead us to this point. Who would come out the winner? The competition was to be split into four main categories: First Fish, Biggest Fish, Most Fish and Most Species. I was on the board early with a barely legal whiting, but it was enough to take out the first category. We were then set upon by a swarm of undersized bream, toadies and even a stingray, so a move was on the cards. Spot number two saw Foxy get off to a flyer and nail his first whiting on the worm, and the banter began to ramp up. Still, although legal and just undersized whiting were easy to come across, no big fish were found on either bait yet. At this time I started to notice that the wily old Fox

Rig Vs Rig. A small section of bloodworm stayed on longer but proved no match for the bright colours of the yabby.

N E W S O U T H WA L E S

STATE RUPE Height: 6’2” Weight: 80kg when he was 18 Position: NSW Fishing Monthly advertising rep Age: less old Bait: Yabbies PB Whiting: 44cm WHITING NSW Bag Limit: 20pp Legal Size: 27cm Size Range: Up to 50cm Prime Time: Spring Eating Quality: 11/10 Rupe’s Best Hook: Red Long Shank #2

V STATE / MATE V MATE / BAIT V BAIT

plenty of fish but nothing to write home about at first. It wasn’t until the sun began to drop in the sky and the tide changed direction and begun running upstream that we found some real fish. As it is most fishing situations, the old adage of ‘no run, no fun’ held true. This time of day also coincided with Foxy using the last of his worm baits, and jumping the fence to Team Yabby. One yabby bait, and he had an elbow-slapper on deck and promptly into the icy slurry inside the esky. “Things are looking up, young Rupert,” he proclaimed. Interestingly, he didn’t say anther word about his theory of worms being

The Wilson bait pump made short work of the sand bank on Wave Break Island. Providing enough bait for the session in a matter of minutes. three we were hidden from the wind but had to deal with other, much faster and louder problems: the growing Gold Coast jet ski crew. They are a persistent bunch who can read the horsepower on their craft but struggle to interpret the 6 knot zone signage. Once again, we found

better than yabbies. With the setting of the sun, the jetskis finally retreated to the boat ramp and the safety of Daddy’s million dollar mansions, but the bream squad moved in and decimated our yabby stocks. A move was required if we were to find the Holy

RUPE

Grail of whiting fishing – anything over 40cm. We made a quick spurt up the Nerang River to reach our final fishing destination for the night. We were greeted with calm water on a sweeping bend in the river, with all the ingredients we were after to create a perfect whiting haven. First bait, missed hook set. Damn. I rebaited and was soon hooked up to something that felt a bit more substantial. While I initially called it for yet another Gold Coast bream, who often think they are a lot tougher than they really are, a quick look with Foxy’s military grade head torch and we were scrambling for the landing net and high fiving with the arrival of a monster. The stakes were now even. I had the First Fish and Biggest Fish in the bag, while Michael had claimed the title of Most Fish, and was also far ahead in the Most Species category. When it came to bait, yabbies were streaking ahead in both numbers of whiting caught and also in the average size. Although the worms caught everything – eight species in total – our old mate the Sillago ciliata had a clear preference for yabbies. If we were going to have fish to eat on Good Friday then it was going to be with the help of our orange, nipping crustaceans. Over the course of the next hour or so many more fish were hooked, landed and released before it was time to head to the ramp, clean the trusty Quintrex Hornet and be home for dinner with our wives. Cleaning the catch is fairly easy to do. The shape

Rupe’s biggest fish for the afternoon - just shy of the magic 40cm mark.

Fish on! It was only a matter of time before we had whiting hitting the decks. of the whiting lends itself to easy scaling, filleting and skinning. Combine this with the clean, sweet tasting flesh and it’s easy to see why this is such a popular table fish, even with people who might not always like to eat seafood. The next time you’re in a fish and chip shop or co-op, you’ll notice that whiting fillets can set you back as much as $40/kg. While this might be a convenient way to get your fish, it’s nowhere near as fun! Spending an afternoon on the water with a good mate, a bucket of bait and a couple of packets of chips is definitely the way to go. From our time on the water, the amount of fish caught were evenly split between both baits. However, if your focus is on whiting, as ours was, we must report that the humble yabby came out on top and continues to reign supreme. When it comes to the winner of state vs state, it’s currently a tie. Extra time is required, which is what we were hoping for all along.

Happy Camper. First fish prize taken care of, now for the other categories!

On the hunt. Collecting fresh bait gives you the best chance for success. MAY 2017

Getaaa fisherman’s Get Get Get afisherman’s fisherman’s fisherman’s perspectiveof ofthe thenew new perspective perspective perspective of of the the new new F25 with Australian F25 F25 F25with with withAustralian Australian Australian fishing legend Steve fishing fishing fishinglegend legend legendSteve Steve Steve ‘Starlo’ Starling. ‘Starlo’ Starling. ‘Starlo’ ‘Starlo’Starling. Starling. StarloF25 F25 Starlo Starlo Starlo F25 F25

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News

Lowrance gearing up to celebrate 60th Anniversary Lowrance, a world-leader in fishing electronics since 1957 — is celebrating its 60th Anniversary. Over six decades this brand has built a reputation for product innovation, and has supported professional anglers around the globe and dominated the tournament trail. Founded by Darrell J. Lowrance, the company revolutionized the fishing industry with the design and manufacture of the original FISH LO-K-TOR – the first transistorized sonar product to display individual fish and show their depths. The FISH LO-K-TOR is one of the most popular fishfinders ever created, with over a million sold from 1959 to 1984. Over its long history, Lowrance continued to break new ground in marine electronics and is credited with introducing the first sonar unit to include a micro-processor; patenting a low-profile Skimmer transducer capable of high performance at boat speeds up to 70 mph; introducing the world’s first handheld GPS for under $500; developing the world’s first LCD product with integrated GPS, mapping and sonar capabilities; and patenting a sonar system with an interactive display. Today, Lowrance continues to push the envelope. Recent innovations include the award-winning StructureScan 3D, SideScan and DownScan Imaging, independent dual channel CHIRP sonar, StructureMap, Broadband Radar and SiriusXM Weather Chart Overlay. The company’s current line of multifunction displays and fishfinders range from the affordable and reliable Hook series, to the standalone Elite-Ti series to the full-feature HDS series. Coming a long way from the days of the FISH LO-K-TOR, the company’s latest release,

the revolutionary HDS Carbon series, adds a highperformance dual core processor, multi-touch SolarMAX HD screen, dual channel CHIRP and Network Dual Sounder to the proven features that have made HDS multifunction displays the choice of anglers at all levels around the world. The first and longestrunning sponsor (47 years) of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), Lowrance anglers have won the last five Bassmaster Classics, and more competitors fishing the B.A.S.S. tournament trail continue to use Lowrance than any other brand. Lowrance is also the official electronics sponsor of Major League Fishing (MLF) and FLW Outdoors. “We are so proud of every moment, every new development and the millions of Lowrance

customers who have become life-long friends along our 60-year journey,” said Leif Ottosson, CEO, Navico. “We put our customers first, and that has been the key to our longevity. We will continue to innovate. We will continue to streamline our products to offer even more exciting features and make them easier to use. That is a promise made in 1957 and that is a promise we continue to make today.” At events throughout the year, Lowrance will offer clothing and gear emblazoned with a 60th anniversary logo, host contests and giveaways on social media, and distribute a commemorative 2017 master catalogue. For more information on the entire Lowrance line of marine electronics visit www.lowrance.com/ en-au. - Navico

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MAY 2017

Fishing still good despite the colder weather THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

May signals the start of the cooler season. As a lot of fishos know, there is some hot action to be had! Port Macquarie recently had a decent bit of rain. We got the first bit of dirty water we’ve seen in a long time. With the river running brown, what do we target?

Mulloway and bream are two species that love a bit of dirty water, and the local breakwalls will throw up some big mulloway over the next week. The most important thing will be to make sure it is safe to fish! Waiting a few days until after the swells abate a little will still have you in with a chance of catching fish, especially around the dirty water line. Secondly, it’s good to fish with a capable partner,

as it can be awkward to try and land a fish on a wavewashed wall. Use a long gaff for this job. Remember, it’s not fun trying to control a 20kg+ mulloway in the swell and fish can be lost here at the last stage of the fight if you don’t take care. Gear needs to be strong, and 9-10ft rods capable of handling big spin or overhead reels loaded with 50lb braid and 60-80lb leader are the go.

Tracey with a nice Hastings River mulloway.

Lures are many and varied for floodwater mulloway. Big hardbodies are among the best. Croaker, Koolabung and Killalure are just a few that account for plenty of floodwater mulloway. Good old bream can be a lot less complicated to catch. They will be in the Settlement Point Canals as well as the back channel near the marina, and you can get quite a few in the dirtier water. I use Berkley Gulps for this, as they work a treat with their special formula. Add a generous application of your favourite scent and this will get the job done. The trick is to cast them around the jetties and walls and work them very slowly using light jigheads. That’s worth a try if the water remains dirty or we get another downpour. When it clears up it will be business as usual. May can be a great time in the rivers for some deep water action. Many anglers would know of the Samaki soft vibes. From this month on they become my favourite lure, and the 70mm whitebait pattern is my go-to for school mulloway. May is also the start of the deep water schooling bream, so

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Gavin Saxon is becoming a flatty magnet. the bonus of the soft vibe is you can get a good bag of flatties on them as well. Locations these lures will get you onto fish will be in the Hastings River along

the rock walls and up-river in the deeper channels and bridge area. ROCK AND BEACH Off the stones we should see some drummer

and bream getting around as well as tailor. A few luderick are also starting to show up, so there are a few options for a fish. Locations such as the

lighthouse rocks as well as the rock ledges between Port and Crescent Head produce. If you’re heading south, check out the rocky outcrops off most of the

beaches between Port Mac and down to Dunbogan. These all produce at times. The beaches have been fishing quite well. With the swells and rain it will pay to check out the formations before heading off. They will probably be in different areas. If in doubt try around the corners of the beaches where the rock meets the surf, as it is always good for

bream, tailor and the odd mulloway. Hopefully the mullet will have started to move and mulloway will be a viable target. Once again, find a good gutter where you can throw out a slab of your favourite baitfish, be it mullet or tailor. Then wait for that silver ghost to cruise through and find it. It’s definitely worth trying.

Warwick with a solid bream. Going deep this month will get you some.

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Mandy getting a cracking whiting on a Sugapen.

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With our new Top Ender you’ll be able to fish in difficult to get at places: the spots that lesser boats might not be able to reach. Because we’ve built in the strength and confidence of upgraded 3mm side sheets and 4mm bottom sheets*, you can get closer to submerged logs or shallow banks, confident that you’re in a tough boat, built to take it. You’ll also discover a stack of features to make your day easier and more comfortable, from rod holders to premium carpet. Time to get to where the fish are hiding. Time to get a Top Ender – from Australia’s number one boat brand. MAY 2017

Time to rumble in the racks for the heavyweights FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

There is little doubt that May is a month of heavyweight bream in the lower part of the system. There is a transition happening from estuary to coast for a lot of mature bream to spawn. There are always a few fish that stall at the gates and hang around

the leases in the Paddock and the Wallamba River mouth just getting fat. Remember, this transition of fish through the entrance doesn’t happen overnight, but don’t waste time either. There is probably a three week window before things get back to normal at the end of the month. The bridge is worth some attention with it being a significant staging area for travelling bream. The pylons

of the bridge are at their best during slack water or when there’s just a trickle of tide to stir things up along the bottom. As well as bream there will be a few flathead lingering around the depressions at the base of the bridge supports. The Tuncurry Channel, from the bridge to the breakwall, has had a good population of the flathead breeding stock tucked up against the bottom edge of the stonework. A mate

No-take rules apply to bass from the first of the month. It doesn’t stop you from fishing in the freshwater for the bass. Just put them back safely.

Bream in the lower leases will be key targets for the Berkley Super Series to take place at the end of the month.

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told me they were stacked like pancakes over each other, and that there were metre plus fish all over the place. I guess leaving them alone while they are breeding is a good idea, but by now they should be done with their business. Please practise catch and release with the big girls. It’s the smaller males that are hanging around the big flatties that are more of an interest to me, and they

are way easier to attract with lures too. Continuing along the breakwall, the travelling fish have only one way to the ocean and many will make the run of an evening. They will also take the time to dine on their way, so yabby or prawn baits drifted on light running sinker rigs are the go. As for luderick, they should be well-established targets along the wall by now too. NO ROCKY START The rock fishing is shaping up for a good season if the early reports keep up. Plenty of cobia have been caught on live bait and heaps of mac tuna and bluefin are hitting the baits. Sometimes the sharks are hitting them. Last year was bad for sharks; let’s hope it isn’t another year of disappointingly shortened trophy fish. The LBG is looking good, but please if you carry rubbish

into the areas, carry it out. It was disgusting the amount of rubbish and crap that was left on popular rock platforms last year and it wasn’t just the easily accessed spots either. More importantly the bread and butter fish of tailor, pigs, bream and blackfish are likely to be the start of a mixed bag from the rocks. I like May for the odd school mulloway from the rock at the ends of beaches like Janies, Bluey and the Shark. Get there early enough for a soft plastic spin and as the sun rises get a berley trail of bread going and attract the pigs and bream. THE LAKE It has been a great year for blue swimmer and mud crabs, and the season isn’t quite done yet. The rains at the end of March have stirred them up and there have been good muddies coming in from the Wallamba River

and around Bandicoot Island, close to the mangrove edges. The blue swimmers have been coming from the North West area of Wallis Island and the main lake past the Step. There are still shoals of garfish hanging around the shallow weed beds. If you’re interested in collecting bait for tailor later in the year, get on them. With a bit of bread berley drifted on the first of the run-in tide you should be set. Don’t forget that the zero possession restrictions on bass and estuary perch come into effect this month. For dedicated bass anglers this restriction doesn’t affect them, as all bass are released as a matter of course. Remember it is not a closed season, it doesn’t close any waterway from fishing and it includes the freshwater well away from where fish spawn.

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MAY 2017

With a bit of luck, the unsettled weather we have been experiencing will soon give way to more stable weather patterns.

I AM ON A MISSION

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A camera that just clicks with fishing adventurers Whether you fish from the boat, beach or hanging from a mess of mangrove branches in the estuaries, you’ll find yourself presented with amazing environments, and of course, your incredible catches. You’ll never forget your first catch or the look on the little one’s face when they catch theirs, and you’ll never forget that awesome trophy fish that nearly got away! But what better way to remember these moments than in full, detailed high definition? Now thanks to technology

you won’t miss a thing, and you’ll want everyone to see it. The KeyMission 80 is the ‘entry level’ camera in this incredible range. This nifty little gadget, in line with its name, has an 80° field of view and full HD video. If you’re a little accident prone, or you like to fish for hard fighters that knock you around a bit, the KeyMission 80 is shockproof for drops up to 1.5m and waterproof to 1m. You can fit the KeyMission 80 in your shirt pocket, so you never forget it when you’re packing the boat. It

good base for the range, because the 170 and 360 get even better! The KeyMission 170 offers an ultra-wide angle of view, making it the perfect device to record all the action when your intrepid spirit strikes. Whether you attach it to yourself or on

and start shooting with the press of a button. With a waterproof device like this, it’ll survive any splash damage at the front of the kayak without worries. If you’re out for a little dirt road four-wheel driving on the way to your favourite hidden fishing spot, the KeyMission cameras

SPECIFICATIONS The Key Mission 80 in action. Its second camera makes taking a selfie quick and easy.

Key Mission

The 170 on a mount. These cameras aren’t fussed by the splash damage. from Nikon, sharing these moments with your friends and family is easier than ever with the KeyMission range and Nikon’s new SnapBridge app. The KeyMission range consists of three cameras, the 360, 170 and 80 which are all named after their degree of view. The KeyMission 360 takes a full 360° photo that seamlessly combines images from two cameras to create an equidistant cylindrical image, meaning you see every detail in one picture. It’s an incredible feature for an action camera, and it means that when your reel is screaming, the camera will capture you at the front as well as your mates running around the boat like lunatics behind you. With the KeyMission 360,

weighs basically nothing and is surprisingly hardy. It’s compact enough to be operated one-handed and doesn’t sacrifice the size of the image or quality. You can have bigger lures than this beaut, so don’t let it drop in front of a hungry cod! We all know cod will eat anything. The KeyMission cameras are designed to handle surprises. The KeyMission 80 comes equipped with quick picturetaking capabilities, and even has a one-step shooting function so you can cut out the tense button pressing between you and the cover photo. The KeyMission 80 has two cameras so you can film in two directions with none of the buttons mashing. The KeyMission 80 makes a really

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a moving vehicle, you’ll be sure to capture the heart of the action as the KeyMission 170 is waterproof up to 10m for 60 minutes (40m in its optional waterproof case) and be dropped from 2m. The hero of the range, the KeyMission 360 is the ideal partner in crime for the outdoor enthu siasts and the adrenaline junkies in the family. Designed to take on anything you throw at it, the KeyMission 360 can go to depths of 30m and can be dropped from 2m without you breaking a sweat. These cameras can even shoot pictures in shallow water for up to 30 minutes to capture your catch in action. Wind noise during recording is reduced and the software’s electronic Vibration Reduction (VR) function also uses information recorded by the KeyMission 360 during shooting to calculate horizontal, vertical and rotational camera movements, allowing it to compensate for vibrations in the video. Kayak anglers can put any device on the front of their yak

The Key Mission cameras are action-ready and super portable for whatever adventure awaits you.

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are dust-proof and freeze-proof against temperatures as cold as -10°C, which is a bonus if you tend to fish colder water. All three cameras will fit inside the palm of your hand and even the heaviest camera in the clan, the KeyMission 360, weighs less than 200g. When you’re ready to share your photos, Nikon’s SnapBridge technology will automatically download your images to your smart device via a constant Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection. You

can take easy panorama shots, quality stills or even time-lapse movies (a visual diary for hot bite times, perhaps!) Those are just a couple of the modes for your recording pleasure. Your photos can be as interesting and varied in style as you like! Each camera comes with rechargeable batteries and an AC adapter to charge them, a USB cable to connect to your computer and other supplied accessories. An LED light in the camera will help you take photos in low light and dark places. Who says you can’t have a photo of a nighttime mulloway battle? All KeyMission cameras are compatible with several devices including your Apple iPhone or Android device and can even connect to Wi-Fi. There are many accessories available

across all cameras including a tripod adapter for the KeyMission 80 so you can film the big fight (or take a selfie), or a backpack clip for those big hikes, when you simply don’t have enough hands for all the tackle. In terms of the battery life, the KeyMission 80 will take up to 220 images or up to 40 minutes of footage before you’ll need to recharge. It’s interesting to note that the KeyMission 170 takes up to 250 images and an hour of footage, while the KeyMission 360 takes up to 230 images and 70 minutes of footage which is likely due to the camera’s greater field of vision. Overall, the KeyMission 80 is a really a cool option for a small waterproof adventure buddy. You don’t need the casing like you would with another camera as the KeyMission 80 covers all bases. If you’re looking for something in-between, the KeyMission 170 has an ultra-wide angle that would capture awesome fish pics while the KeyMission 360 is your all-round full image camera to get every last detail. These cameras are designed to survive the most-challenging conditions, because when the opportune moment arrives, nothing should stand in the way of your perfect shot. For more information head to mynikonlife.com.au.

Thanks to our friends at Nikon Australia, we have 3* KeyMission 170 cameras to give away! Simply fill out the below coupon to go into the draw and post to:

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Entries Close 31 May, 2017. * One in each state magazine: QLD, NSW and VIC. Drawn 1 June, 2017. Winners will be published in the following months publication. Full Terms and conditions can be viewed www.fishingmonthly.com.au/pages/nikoncomp

MAY 2017

The bream are on HARRINGTON-TAREE

Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au

We have had nothing but rain. The drought has broken. The Manning had a rise of 25ft above Wingham and is currently about 4ft above normal. All the weed and slime that was clogging up the river has been swept away and the river is clean again. While a rise of 25ft is not a flood, it could be classed as a big fresh. All the farmers are happy again and the dams are full to the brim. The fresh has moved the fish down the river and concentrated the bream in the lower part of the estuary. Flathead have also

been flushed out of the upper parts of the Manning. The next couple of months will be excellent for fishing as a result of the fresh coinciding with the movement of the mullet down the river. ESTUARY The rock walls at the mouth of the Manning are the places to fish for bream this month. Both Harrington and Manning Point walls are holding good schools of bream. The mullet usually start their run on ANZAC Day and continue to move out of the river for three weeks or so. The bream tend to go with the last of the mullet. There are also schools of mullet coming up the coast from the rivers to the south as well as bream and luderick.

This nice snapper from the shoals took a Gulp Jerkshad before sunrise. Photo courtesy of Harrington Bait & Tackle

Indeed, May is definitely the time to be an angler at Harrington. The flathead have moved down the river and are on the bite in the lower reaches of the Manning. When the river starts to clear, mulloway and sharks will be moving up river in search of a feed of mullet. It’s not unusual when fishing for bream from the walls with mullet strips to get a sizzling run and a bust-off from a shark or a big mulloway. BEACH AND ROCK Our beaches have been flattened by the heavy southerly seas and will take some time to form up properly and provide some good features for tailor and bream to hide in. Crowdy Beach is particularly dangerous because the sand above the high tide mark is very soft and a trap for new users. Quite a lot of visitors don’t let their tyres down enough and travel too fast on the soft sand. The first soft patch they hit sees them bogged down to the axles. Tailor and salmon are back on the beaches with the best fish being on the northern end of Crowdy Beach. Bream and whiting have been caught from the southern end of Crowdy as

Troy Van Kanven with a quality Manning River bream. Photo courtesy of Simon Goldsmith. well. Word has filtered in of a 27kg mulloway being landed from the rocks at Crowdy Head. Mulloway usually turn up about this time of the year at Crowdy to wait and ambush the mullet when they run. OFFSHORE The heavy seas, rain and wind have made outside fishing a bit difficult, but despite all the problems those who have been able to get

out have been scoring plenty of pan-sized snapper and the occasional fish to 5kg from both the north and south grounds. Flathead are still to be caught by drifting over the close-in sandy bottoms. There is not much bait around at present because of the dirty water out at sea. When the water clears, the bait schools will come back in close to the shore.

There is no doubt May is a great time to be a fisher at Harrington. Bream and mulloway can be caught from the rock walls on both sides of the Manning, and tailor can be bait fished or spun on lures from the beaches and rocks. The daytime temperatures are not high so a good day’s fishing can be had by all keen anglers.

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MAY 2017

The changing of the guard HUNTER COAST

Gary Earl earlybird13@optusnet.com.au

The fishing has been pretty good around here lately, especially for luderick anglers. These guys have been bagging out along Horseshoe Beach and the lee wharves. Bream and mulloway are coming onto the scene, and both walls are fishing well with the bigger fish finally turning up. I think this is due to all the rain we

have had, which has been driving the fish downstream into the harbour proper. Prawns are the best bait, as they are getting washed down also. If you prefer lure fishing, try some clearcoloured Zerek prawn lures, as they work well when mass prawn schools are around. Flathead are becoming a little slower off the usual spots; we just aren’t getting the numbers anymore. The flatties that have been coming in have been pretty big and dark, indicating that

they too are being driven down the river. The back channels are being churned up, and some nice big mud crabs have been caught over the last few weeks. Just be sure to adhere to the rules and mark your pots, as a rope wrapped around your prop isn’t fun and it can wreck drive pins. If the rope is thick enough it can even snap the drive shaft on your motor. Offshore, bonito, tailor, medium-sized mahimahi and big bream, nannygai, blue morwong, teraglin,

Fishing rough water from a safe distance can be a wise move. This angler was chasing luderick and drummer.

mulloway and kingfish are all around the shallow reefs. Interestingly, a mate told me he saw a trawler running a net about 80ft in close on Stockton Beach. I don’t know the rules on this but as it was just out the back of the breakers, there go all the sand flathead that love these areas. Further out offshore, the Allmark Mountain has been giving up hapuka and some blue-eye cod, but you need a very efficient boat that is reliable to go out that far. Once you’re out there, it’s a lonely long way from land. Squid have been scarce lately. I have been out in the mornings trying to get a few fresh ones for mulloway baits, but they are hard to get for some reason. Maybe the fresh has something to do with it. This month I recommend heading out to the close reefs chasing kingfish, squire and blue morwong, as they are in good numbers. Alternatively, if you have a big, reliable boat you can hit the northern and southern canyons and play with the marlin and hapuka. Just remember there are huge tiger sharks that like cutting up the fish as you are trying like hell to get them up to the boat!

Luderick are around in huge numbers at the moment. Some anglers love them, some hate them. If you bleed them straight away they taste a lot better.

Bluebottles are everywhere and their sting can be very painful, especially for kids. Be careful where you walk.

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Weather a little more pleasant on the water SWANSEA

Jason Scerri coloratolures@hotmail.com

Welcome to May on Lake Macquarie. I am excited. I love this time of year. May, June and July are some of my favourite months for fishing the lake. For starters, the ambient temperatures have cooled considerably now, and that in itself makes fishing so much more pleasant.

can take its toll, no matter how sun smart you are. It’s not only the pleasant temperatures that make me enjoy this time of year so much, though. Lake Macquarie really fires over these cooler months if you know what to target and where to target them. We often hear that during the warmer months the fish are in shallower waters and with the cooler months, as the water temperatures drop, the

It’s funny, when I was growing up we basically packed the boat away for the cooler months, thinking everything would shut down. These days it’s literally the opposite. I give the boat a good wash up and make sure everything is in top condition with new leaders on, new jigheads and everything. I really put the effort in more than any other time of year, because I know what’s on offer. It’s true: fish generally

Mick Pavlic caught this great bag of bonito that couldn’t refuse his fly presentation. If you’re like me and do the majority of your fishing in an open style boat, then the summer months can certainly be a little draining. Sitting out in the direct sun for hours of flicking lures

fish move off the flats and into the deeper sections. Hopefully this article will give you a few ideas to really make the most of what the lake can offer during the coming months.

Josh Bennett with a 55cm Port Stephens flathead taken on a fishing holiday with his grandparents.

MAY 2017

head to deeper waters during the cooler months, but don’t let that fool you. During certain conditions and weather patterns the flats can fire as well as any other time of the year. Pay great attention to the weather. If you notice a lovely old southerly change coming through then throw on a few shallow diving hardbody lures and get to your nearest set of flats. I don’t care if you’re up the top end of the lake or down the southern end. The bream love a good southerly buster. As long as it’s safe to do so, get out and fish that southerly. I’ll generally opt for brighter lures and relatively shallow diving options. I’ll work them really slow as a rule. This way you can expect some very good bream in both size and numbers. When the weather gods don’t play into my hands I start to look at the deeper options. I work a variety of soft plastics and metal blades or vibes. There are a few spots throughout the lake that suit this approach, and it really is a matter of trying different spots in your area. You’ll start to put some patterns together. For those of us that like to chase a feed of flathead or like to work for that trophy flathead, now is prime time. Like most anglers I opt to release all my larger flathead these days. I’m not going to preach what’s right and wrong – it’s a personal choice, so long as no laws are broken. I like to keep a

few around 50cm and I let all our big girls go. Again, that’s just a personal thing. During these cooler months you will find large concentrations of bait coming into the lake. These will be balls of tailor, and they are exactly what you should be looking for. Don’t work the actual schools as you will just go through loads of lures and not get much in return for your efforts. Instead, work the edges of these bait schools and under them as well. This is where you will find the majority of the flathead and some ripper mulloway as well. I like to work soft plastics again for this style. I will usually use 5-6” plastics. I will always start with white and if there’s no luck I’ll start to mix up the colours. Usually a green or pink change will fire things up. Ensure you use a jighead with just enough weight to work the bottom. If the drift is too quick due to wind, drop over a drift chute (sea anchor) and you’re back in business. Something else we also found in the cooler months last year was that you can often score a few reasonable juvenile snapper as well while working these bait balls – so don’t be surprised if you score a reddy up to 60cm in the lake.

The author managed these healthy bream on an afternoon flats session. These fell to a Damiki DTSCO hardbody lure in natural colours. the shelf. Stick to the shelf and the canyons and these general wide grounds. As a rule, set your larger lures in closest to the boat, so you have maybe a 16” on the short corner, 14” on the long corner and then a 12” on the short rigger and a 10” out on the long rigger. This is a guide that will certainly see you in with a shot, if you stick to something like this. As the waters cool off now is also a great time to try your luck for tuna.

are out wider on the deeper reefs. Locations such as Texas Reef or Allmark off Port Stephens are the pick of the spots during the cooler months. Deep set live baits and heavy jigs are prime options for anglers wanting to get into these kings offshore over winter. OFF THE ROCKS There are still a few good schools of pelagics working along the rocks at the moment with some very good bonito on the chew. Rock anglers can get in on

When you’re after tailor, work the edges of these bait schools and underneath as well. OFFSHORE Offshore fishing also has plenty on offer still for those willing to put the time and effort in out on the ocean. From this month onwards the gamefish will be wider. Any inshore action is basically done for the season and game fishing crews will turn their attention to wider ground. Now is a great time to be out wide hunting for large blue marlin. A spread of larger 10-16” skirted trolling lures will be the norm for boats chasing big blues. You would basically start around

Again, the wide grounds are the best bet for our area. Your choice of lures may be different from your marlin spread. I’d opt for 10” size lures in close and as small as 6” lures further back in your spread. Bullet style and jet head style lures are great for anglers chasing tuna, so keep that in mind when selecting your spread. Kingfish are another species that head wide and deep as things cool off. You will see far fewer kingfish on the inshore reefs now as the bulk of the quality fish

this action and boat fishers throwing soft plastics and high-speed metal lures are also in with a shot. It’s great to see a few keen locals like Mick Pavlic scoring plenty of great fish again this year on his flyfishing gear. It’s a real art and fantastic to watch in action. As always, stay safe out there as we have again just seen another vessel capsize near Moon Island and result in a helicopter rescue. Remember that old saying which is a true one: no fish is worth dying for.

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Plenty of action during the crossover period PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

There is plenty of action to look forward to this month with May being a real crossover period. This is the tail end of the season for many species and overlaps with the start of the season for other fish. Inside the estuary there are still plenty of flathead on the chew. The best areas to chase them at this time of year will be around the top half of the bay from Soldiers Point through to the entrances of Tilligery and Karuah systems. Bream will start to enter the estuary in big numbers this month. You should have no trouble getting stuck into them around most of the rock walls and bars, as well as oyster racks spread throughout the system, particularly around Soldiers Point through to the Short Cut. If you’re set up with an electric motor on your boat then casting

small 2-3” plastics or shallow diving hardbodied lures around structure will prove lethal on the bream. If not, anchor up a casting distance away from some structure and send some unweighted yabbies or peeled prawns down a berley trail. Longtail tuna should still be around in the bay for at least a couple more weeks, so it might pay to have a rod rigged up with a metal lure just in case these guys suddenly erupt around your boat. Luderick are another fish that will start to ramp it up this month, so it will be well worth giving them a go around Tommaree Torpedo Tubes, Little Beach or the breakwalls. Squid are spread along the weed beds through Shoal Bay and Jimmys Beach, with natural coloured jigs in 2.5 sizes working best. From the surf beaches there have been good reports of tailor getting caught on first and last

light along Fingal Bay up to the Spit as well as Box Beach and Samurai. Fresh garfish rigged up on a set of ganged hooks will no doubt be the best bait to target them with. A pilchard should also do the trick. Fish with live worms on the beaches at this time of year, especially around the high tides and you should get rewarded with a real mixed bag. There’s plenty of whiting still around, and bream are starting to come on strong. Bream, mullet and luderick are all migrating north along the beaches this month and will attract plenty of larger predators including mulloway. Large cut baits fished after dark from a mullet or salmon may tempt a big mulloway, but your best chance to get connected to one will be with something live such as a tailor or whiting (legal sizes, of course). OFF THE ROCKS It has been another good year on the LBG scene with plenty of longtail tuna and a

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The cold sting triggers different fish behaviour CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

The tail end of autumn often comes with a wintery sting, which really cools off our local waters. It sends some fish deeper, triggers

others to migrate or spawn and some to simply stop eating for a while. Despite sudden temperature drops, this can still be one of the best months on the angling calendar. Rock fishing is traditionally one of the highlights along this stretch

It may be cooling down but flathead are worth chasing this month. This average fish took a small Daiwa vibe at the Entrance.

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of coastline during May. Fishing can go either way, depending on ocean currents. It’s common for warmer water to linger on, which means the run of small pelagics will also continue. If that’s the case this year, we can expect a few bigger bonito to show up within casting range, with more frigate mackerel showing up at places like Terrigal Haven and Cabbage Tree Bay, as well as smaller to mid-sized kingfish. On the other hand, water temperatures could cool off more and that means salmon numbers are likely to increase, along with tailor. So whether it remains warm or cools off, there should still be hard fighting fish along the rocks for those who enjoy lure casting or drifting a pilly or live bait out under a float. In the past I’ve also enjoyed some of my all-time best drummer and luderick fishing from our rock ledges in May. Keen rock hoppers are lucky here, as our part of the coast has some of the very best and easiest rock spots to fish for this closely related pair. I have a few favourite washy spots around Norah Head, but overall I rate the Munmorah to Catho part of the coast as the best for drummer and luderick. Bream and silver trevally are two more species that are well worth chasing from the stones at this time of year. Once again, that northern stretch of rocky coast has some exceptionally good spots to chase bream and trevally. Even the big Avoca platform can offer some firstrate fishing for both species. Beaches this month should also be kicking into gear nicely. Despite it not being a particularly great year for mulloway so far, this is the main month when

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Although it hasn’t been the greatest year for mulloway so far, beaches have been producing a few under the right conditions. If you haven’t caught one yet, this is the month to drop everything and put in the effort. mullet run, which helps attract larger predators like mulloway. It’s also the last month you can comfortably fish the beach after sunset without wearing waders. May is a great month for chasing calamari squid, so it makes sense to spend some time stocking up on bait and using it at the beach. If catching a mulloway is your aim, drop everything else and put in a good effort on those nights when a high tide peaks a few hours after sunset. Tailor numbers have remained pretty good this year. Although they’re mainly smaller to averagesize fish, exactly the same as last year, they are still worth chasing. A few bigger tailor can show up this month as they are attracted to the mullet. Regardless of all the smaller ones, it wouldn’t be surprising if a 5kg+ model takes your bait or lure. Then of course, it’s a matter of being bitten off or not. As the weeks roll by more and more salmon are also featuring in beach catches. That’s the norm at this time of year and they’ll only get thicker as it gets colder. Add to this an increase in bream numbers and we can see there’s plenty happening along our local beaches right now. Let’s just hope that typically nice and stable May weather equates to good beach fishing conditions over the coming weeks. Offshore fishing has been hot and cold in recent times, largely due to problems getting out with all the wind and swell we’ve had. As May is normally a very stable and calm month, that situation should hopefully be better soon. As mentioned last month, inshore fishing around shallow reefs and bommies for trevally,

kings, bream, tailor and pan-sized snapper is one of the easier and more productive options at this stage of autumn. It saves using up more fuel and time heading further out to end up catching much the same! Estuary fishing is largely about bream and luderick from this point on, although flathead are still worth chasing and a few whiting are always on the cards through the cooler months.

Mulloway are definitely worth pursuing in Brisbane Waters and the lower Hawkesbury this month as well. Unlike beach fishing, I would recommend live mullet, tailor, herring or pike when chasing Brisbane Water mulloway. Although dead baits certainly work, they also attract a lot of pickers and can be quickly wasted. With livies, mulloway don’t muck around so much. They either take the bait or they don’t.

Plenty of good size calamari have been caught around our sheltered bays and popular rock spots lately. Traditionally, the biggest ones show up in May.

What’s willing to bite with winter on the way ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

The sun goes down early and gets up late this month and it can be cold at both times. Don’t let that stop you from hitting the beaches. We get some nice balmy days as well and these are even better to chase excellent whiting along one of our golden beaches in the Illawarra. Beach worms are the way to go and it can be pretty cold catching them. As always, effort reaps reward. The schools are not as big as during the summer, but the fish themselves will all be solid. There will be no throwbacks at this time of the year. A catch of 10 fish will be a good effort on any given day. The best thing at this time of year is the by-catch. The ever-present salmon love beach worms and go hard on light line, and although they’re not thought of by many as good table fish, good old salmon fish cakes done properly are excellent on the chew. Although they have

water to get bait there. Some of them have been fish over 2kg and they’ll put on a good show on light gear. Bigger mulloway are on the usual beaches that are known for big fish. With bigger high tides in the evenings the odds of hooking one are enhanced with more water in the good gutters. The whaler sharks are still present too, so take a few extra hooks. These guys can be prolific on some nights. The trouble is you never know if it is a small shark or a mulloway, so you have to fight them out to see what they are if they don’t bite you off quickly. The rocks are going well too with some pelagics still hanging about in the form of mac tuna, bonito, kingfish and the odd longtail. All these fish love live mackerel or yellowtail, so always keep one in the water while throwing lures or bait fishing. You just never know when one will swim by. Lures are accounting for most of the bonito, and plenty of salmon and tailor are being caught too. Pilchards on ganged hooks slowly retrieved through the

There are still some big bonnies about. The teeth on this one are like a mini dogtooth. thinned out noticeably over the past few weeks the odd flathead is still being caught. They are well outnumbered by the school mulloway who just love a feed of worms. They don’t usually come on the bite until after dark and you don’t often catch them when you are pulling in whiting, as one of the whiting’s number one enemies is the mulloway. Whiting hightail it when there are any mulloway about. Bream have come into their own lately and if you can’t get worms they will tackle fish bait and prawns. It always pays to carry a few different types of bait on each outing. Tailor have come on and they love pilchards, so there’s no standing in cold

washes are taking plenty as well, with the odd snapper and solid bream grabbing the pillies around the deeper ledges. Berleying the washes with bread and fish mince and then bait fishing is bringing in bream, trevally and drummer, depending on what bait you use. Bread works best on the drummer. Cabbage weed under a float is accounting for drummer, luderick and a few big silver drummer. These things go harder than groper, but are useless on the chew – if you can get them out. You know how it goes; you have to cook them with a brick. The estuary scene is fading fast with only a few flatties willing to have a crack. You’ll have to work hard for them. The water is

getting cool, but there are some good bream getting along the weed bed edges around Primbee that are closer to deep water. They will be better next month, and a few are making their way up into the lake feeder streams. The entrance to the lake and Minnamurra is holding some nice luderick if you can get good weed. Try the new synthetic stuff. It seems to trick a few when they are hungry. Offshore is still going pretty well. There are patches of warm and cold water along the coast, and that is dictating the species you will run into. Over the reefs there are a few snapper that stayed after the April full moon. There should be strays and a few more later in the month arriving early for the cuttlefish run, which is still some way off yet. Most of the fish are under 2kg, but some ugly big hump heads are about too. You just don’t know what you will get. There are still a few pelagics about with schools of mackerel tuna, bonito and salmon smashing the baitfish along the coast. As always when travelling, keep your eyes open for the splashes and birds working the schools. Fresh tuna has no equal for snapper bait at this time of the year. The odd king will be hanging around the islands and all the other usual spots. Live yellowtail is the bait of choice unless you can get hold of a few squid. I prefer eating the squid to using them for king baits, although the fight and photo opportunities of a better than 15kg king have some merit. Some of the big bonito from last month are still around grabbing live baits meant for kings. They will move on as the month progresses. Further offshore there is still a good chance of striped marlin and even more of a big blue out over the shelf and beyond. With more boats than ever heading wide these days, the season seems to just get longer each year. Unlike in summer the winds can come from the west and the ocean can get ugly and very dangerous, very quickly. When you’re halfway to New Zealand it’s a long way home. With a bit of luck a few yellowfin tuna should show up during this month. So far they have been pretty scarce. That can all change with the currents. Even the smaller fish that hold in the warmer water over summer were few and far between. The next gamefish will be the southern blues of winter. They are some way

Smaller snapper like this should be pretty common over the reefs this month. off yet. Don’t write off a few mahimahi showing up on the FADs this month either, as they have lasted right into June over the past two years. When going past it’s always worth a look. A few striped tuna have been doing their best to grab the bigger lures, so a small brightly coloured lure in the spread should get all the bait and berley you need. For the bottom bouncers the flatties have slowed a little. There are still enough around over most of the sand patches for a feed, and they seem to be a better size with 40cm+ fish and very few spikies in the mix. Over the reefs the smaller snapper are in good numbers with mowies, pigfish and samsonfish on most days. Trevally are on the increase as the water cools, along with more leatherjackets. Some of them are whoppers. Don’t forget that this month the ocean can be very calm, allowing you to get in closer than you normally would in some of the exposed bays and headlands. This lets you get into shallower water and lay down a berley trail

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Great fishing continues into May NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

It’s May! May the fishing be good, May the weather be good, and most importantly May I take this opportunity to wish all the mums out there a

trip down to the Eucumbene River for the start of the trout spawn run. It’s a pretty good run down from Nowra, taking between three and four hours, making it a real weekend proposition. It’s definitely something to consider if you’re after a bit of a sea change from fishing the salt water.

Wal Balzin with a cracking St Georges Basin snapper which gave him a run for his money on the light tackle. happy Mother’s Day for the 14th of May. It’s hard to believe we’re already almost halfway through another year. The days are getting shorter and cooler, and soon we’ll be back into winter, which is OK with me – I much prefer my winter fishing! The end of April and the start of May means it’s time to start thinking about a

Locally, the fishing has been pretty good since the seemingly endless rain we had back in March and the start of April. The estuaries and rivers did get dirty but they cleared fairly quickly, making for some great fishing which is continuing on into the month of May. ST GEORGES BASIN Although the Basin fished quite well during

Wal Balzin with one of the Basin’s monster tailor. 48

MAY 2017

summer and early autumn, it wasn’t what we had come to expect from it in years gone by. However, after the rain the fishing action really hotted up in there. Anglers have been getting into plenty of good bream and whiting, along with some nice flatties. There have also been big tailor and snapper roaming around, giving anglers more than they bargained for on their ultralight rods and reels. The Basin’s larger counterpart, Jervis Bay, is where you would usually go to fish for decent-sized reds, but at the moment the Basin is producing some real quality fish on pilchards and fresh strip baits. If you get those nice, still, autumn nights there is nothing better than sitting out on the Basin, anchored up with a berley trail going, gazing at the stars and waiting for that 3/0 circle hook to find its mark. SHOALHAVEN RIVER The mighty Shoalhaven River has also continued to fish well since the rains pushed a lot of fish down to around the entrance to the Crookhaven River. Some thumper bream were caught in early April but they have thinned out slightly now. They’re probably heading back upstream around the

rocky edges of the canal and beyond to Broughton Creek, where they have the safety of snag after snag. Still, hiding out here can sometimes be their undoing, as anglers in the know concentrate on this area and work out where the fish are concentrated. The estuary perch are currently concentrated in their usual haunts in the river. From the Nowra Bridge, just downstream of Broughton Creek and the canal are all good spots to try for an EP. And in all these locations you just never know when a mulloway is going to get in on the action, destroying you on the light tackle! JERVIS BAY Jervis Bay has been somewhat of a struggle over autumn, however there have been a couple of saviours for anglers fishing these waters. The squid have been one of them, with plenty throughout the bay and some good size amongst them. When it comes to jig preferences they have been mixing it up a bit, from pinks and oranges to greens and goldy brown colours. A range of quality jig brands are working well, but my pick are the Yamashita Egi Oh Q Lives. The other saviour for anglers fishing the bay has been a run of some nice

A monster flatty of 90cm caught by local angler Harry Harnwell. A big 10” soft plastic was the undoing of this fish. pan-size reds. They are being taken around Longnose Bombie and Middle Ground for both the soft plastic/ micro jigger fishos and the bait soakers. Some big dusky flathead have also been taken in some of the tributaries of Jervis Bay in recent weeks, but

be careful which tributaries you venture into and which areas within them you fish – there are a lot of Marine Park fishing exclusion zones in some of these tributaries, with some being no-fish zones altogether. Enjoy the cooler weather everyone and stay safe!

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May’s stable weather will produce big bags NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

It’s a cracking time to fish the waters off Narooma with the sportsfishing fraternity licking their chops in anticipation of what’s on offer over the coming month. May is traditionally the start of tuna season, although over recent years it’s been a little later. The water was still quite warm and hovering around 22°C recently. Don’t worry; this is good. There are still plenty of marlin being caught with a few smaller yellowfin starting to show up too. I’ve talked to plenty of skippers and most think the seasons are getting later as each year passes. In some cases it’s a 12 month proposition depending on currents,

bait, water temperature and quality. The beaks seem to be wider lately with the shelf the place to fish. There have been good reports that the Kink, southeast of Montague Island, is red hot some days. Trolling has been the go as the marlin are thinning out a bit and you get to cover the ground to find the fish. The added bonus here is yellowfin tuna and decent albacore will hit the same pushers, so you’re opening up the egg basket. I’d expect to see bigger tuna later in the month with jumbos to 90kg certainly possible. May usually sees stable weather so a berley cube trail along the shelf line is worth a go. Closer to shore the kings at the island were very good but they have slowed up a bit recently. This is likely due to a cold current that edged up the coast. Once this cool water

moves on expect the kings to fire back up with jigs, live bait and squid fished on flasher rigs all working at times. I’d be concentrating around the southern pinnacles or Fowl House Reef for best results. Anglers fishing the rocks have had mixed results with the water temperatures we’ve experienced of late. Some days it’s a warm 20°C and the next back to 16°C. It all depends what the currents are doing and what’s being pushed in close. Hopefully it will move on so anglers can again get amongst them. When the temperature does rise, expect school sized kingfish and bonito with a chance of mackerel tuna. Smaller chromed lures and whole pilchards fished on ganged hooks work well. Yellowtail and slimy mackerel are awesome if live baiting. The best ledges to fish include Mystery Bay

Blades have been around a long time now. They work well on finicky deep water black bream.

and the Golf Course Rocks in town. The washes are holding good blackfish and drummer with cabbage, cunjevoi and lightly weighted nippers getting good results. Berley has been a key ingredient to better catch rates as well. It’s a little more work, but the end result makes it all worthwhile. Dalmeny Headland to the north of Narooma has been the pick of the spots to fish. In the estuaries it’s all systems go with Tuross fishing extremely well at present. Anglers using fresh bait like striped tuna, prawns and Bass yabbies have caught bream, whiting and flathead. The best time is when the fresh saltwater hits the slightly dirty water on the incoming tide. There’s still some fresh water coming down the river after recent rains, so fishing that tide line is working well. Anglers using soft plastics have caught nice flathead although they are hard to entice at times. We’ve had pretty good fishing on deep running hardbodies fished around the shallower margins away from the stronger flow areas. Concentrating in water from 2-4ft has been good with a methodical slow retrieve. Intermittent pauses are working better. Darker colours are the go, but as the water clears further I’d be using more natural colours. There are still a lot of mulloway being captured mainly by bait anglers. The soft plastic brigade are getting their fair share too. The lower reaches are definitely the place to fish. The tide change is the premium bite time. If you can coincide that with an early morning, all the better. Wagonga Inlet just south of Tuross is holding some very big flathead with the upper reaches being the prime area to fish. Live poddies and larger soft plastics have accounted for most of the fish, however bigger blades are worth a go in the cooler dirtier water. If you’re after a feed I’d suggest Dalmeny or Corunna Lake. They are full of flatties from just on legal to

This is what 15kg of mulloway looks like head on. 50cm – great eating size and ideal for the kids. This month the big tailor will enter the system with fish in excess of 10lb possible. These greenbacks can play havoc on tackle so beef it up and you should land a few. It wouldn’t surprise me to see some sizable mulloway following the tailor schools too. Again, large softies or bigger vibed presentations should entice a strike or two. For those anglers targeting the sambos off the beach, Coila and Blackfellows have fired with the latter a standout at the southern end. There’s a cracking gutter there that’s been fishing well for a few weeks now. A paternoster rig, rigged with bait and poppers will work,

as will shiners cast amongst the suds on light gelspun line. This is a great way to target salmon. It’s easy and loads of fun. Sure you will lose a few when they get in the shore dump, but if you change the trebles to single hooks you will land more fish. If you’re after a feed, the entrance to Brou Lake on Brou Beach has been excellent for bream. It’s a bit of an effort to get there. The results will soon fix that. This coming full moon is worth a look for mulloway and gummy sharks. This same section of beach has produced plenty of both over the years so it may be worth taking the big sticks with you.

Water temperatures dropping to a new degree MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The Merimbula region has received some much needed rain over recent weeks giving the local estuaries a good flush. This has really fired the fish up. Both Merimbula and Pambula lakes are fishing extremely well. The rain has discoloured the water to a degree and the water temperature 50

MAY 2017

dropped, but fish don’t seem to mind. The top lake at Merimbula has been a standout for all species with bream, snapper, trevally and greenback tailor all succumbing to a variety of techniques. Anglers fishing smaller blades and soft plastics are definitely doing better than the bait fishos. I’m not to sure why, but who’s complaining when their eating artificials with gusto? I had a recent guide

there with regulars Fitzy and son Bailey and the fish were really playing the game. We managed 20 odd legal fish for the morning session with the best being a 44cm black bream. Now Merimbula Lake is not known for it’s black bream with this beast being the best I’ve seen come out of there for quite a long time. It’s possible this fish plus his mates got pushed down out of Boggy Creek with the recent heavy rains

but one will never know it’s only an assumption. What is good, is that there’s some quality black bream around and best of all their chewing too. We got most of our fish on smaller grubs fished on light jigheads very close to the bottom with only the smallest of lifts required. If you moved the lure any more than a foot off the bottom you didn’t get a bite. This was paramount to having a solid session compared to just a good

session. It just proves that variance to the norm can reap you rewards when playing this game. Offshore anglers fishing the close in reefs and gravel beds for snapper, morwong and kingfish are doing it tough at present with a cold band of water hitting our coastline. This will certainly move on, but it also shows that winter isn’t that far away. What is a nuisance is the amount of leatherjackets that are causing havoc to

anglers with bite-offs being the norm. This does become quite expensive when your loosing rig after rig but hopefully they will move on so anglers can get a feed and keep the family happy. Sportfishers fishing wider are having no trouble at all with the water still 22°C at the shelf. Marlin is still the word, not as many as last month but most crews are still getting a few shots a To page 51

From page 50

day which is great to see. I’ve heard of sporadic catches of smaller school sized yellowfin tuna to 30kg being caught when trolling pushers for marlin so it might be time to lay a berley trail down with cubes and fish strips.

May is well known as the start of tuna time so if early indications are anything to go by we might be in for a cracking yellowfin season, only time will tell. The local beaches are red hot at the minute with salmon and monster

tailor both chewing big time. There’s been reports of tailor to 4kg, which are true greenbacks with a few bigger models lost as well. One visiting angler told me he lost five big fish before landing one, it went 8lb the one he landed and said the ones he lost earlier

Black bream can be finicky to catch, sometimes you need to change it up and think outside the box to get results.

This little 42cm cobia was caught and released by Jonno on a recent trip.

were bigger. Now they’re big fish and exciting stuff! I’d expect these fish to be on most beaches with a half decent gutter that’s holding bait but Tura Main and North Tura would be the pick to fish in my books. For the rock hopping brigade it’s all systems go with salmon, tailor, smaller kingfish, bonito and mackerel tuna all viable

opponents. May is the best month for all the above with Tura Head definitely the place to fish. It’s a deep headland that holds stacks of bait and some very big fish at times. The northern ledge is the deepest and perfect for live baiting either under a balloon or bobby cork. You will catch all the

bait you need here but they can become a little tricky once that sun gets high so you’re better off getting in early and not running out. Casting bigger shiners and poppers is another option with some anglers doing very well on whole ganged pilchards wound in slowly. Good luck with whatever technique you’re using.

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Big bream busting and a few good kings BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

It’s autumn and that means big bream. Put 6lb braid with 4lb fluoro

you’re chucking expensive crab lures around racks. Speaking of gamefishing, last month we were expecting warm water from the north to continue to push down and keep the

running down the second drop-off to produce a nice run of yellowfin right at the tail end of summer. The commercial boats made the most of it and some lucky recreational boats scored

Josh Sawyer and Jed Forrest getting amongst the autumn bream. on a size 1000 reel and jump on a hard fighting estuary horse of a bream. You’ll feel like you’re gamefishing in the estuary, especially if

gamefishing in full swing, which it did. What we also experienced was a good amount of water being pushed in from the east and a slither of cool water

the odd one. Now we are hoping to see more yellowfin tuna action as we approach winter. We are expecting the marlin to taper off with

the chance of a blue marlin encounter. The FADs come out of the water now and our hot mahimahi run is coming to an end. Let’s hope they stick around as long as possible like last year, until the tuna start to show up. KINGFISH What we can expect through May is some big kings knocking around after we had a good showing of them through April. Some fishos had kingfish holding around the boat for over an hour. This doesn’t happen every day but the best thing to do is berley up as soon as you find a school. It’s a bit like what you would do with tuna. When you’re looking for kingfish trolling headlands or reefs and you find them on the sounder, start to berley and drop a livie or jig, or whatever you have ready for them. This way you have a reason for them to hang around. On some occasions all methods are working and you have a blast. If you get kingies up and following your surface lures, remember to get a bit of a splash going on your retrieve. Poppers do that

gear to the odd unstoppable king. There have also been some horse salmon galloping through just to keep you awake. This winter we are seeing young fishos getting 10ft rods made up with high reel seats and small overheads casting their occies and squid right out there the old-school way. We should still see plenty of anglers casting plastics at them and the old pearl white and BBQ chicken Gulp Jerkshads are still a favourite down here on the south coast. I’m sorry to say Pure Fishing have announced that they will be taking BBQ out of the range. I think it doesn’t make sense taking the closest colour to a cuttlefish out of the range. Still, there have been more new colours added and they all seem to be working on reds. BEACHES On the beaches we are seeing welcome catches of salmon and tailor and they are coming up big! Anglers are having a ball with some of these larger than normal sambos and greenbacks. Get yourself a 9-10ft

been feeding on all the prawns that have been around. At this time of the year the bream have the shoulders of a front rower! The most popular hardbodies used on bream at this time of the year are Nories Laydown Minnow Chigyo, the Daiwa range, Atomic Muddy Prawns, the new Sugar Minnows, Saku Minnows in brown dog, Ecogear SXs, Cranka Crabs, Yakamitos and on the surface Bent Minnows are still amazingly popular and effective. We still have plenty of Smith, Bassday and Lucky Craft lures that catch plenty of bream as well. So get out to some of the lakes and estuaries this autumn for the chance of a bream. What was going mental at this time of year last year were the mulloway in the estuary and around the Clyde River Bridge at night. We’ve seen great numbers caught over the last month around that 70-90cm size, and hopefully the estuary is in top gear with these beautiful specimens. Freshly caught squid and live mullet will always be the best presentation for

Jem Abbott with a Clyde River mulloway – a great autumn species. the best and you’ll find that excites them more. You’ll have more chance of getting a bite out of them. You can expect some good kingfish getting around this month. SNAPPER Snapper came in close straight after that early autumn rain and don’t be surprised if they stay in close for a while. It’s shaping up to be a good snapper season and as there are good snapper at this time of the year you might find yourself losing your 52

MAY 2017

spinning rod matched with a size 4000 spin reel to go out and have a blast with these fish in the coming cooler months. Whiting are still around and the Bawley Point area can be good as it approaches winter. Beach fishing of a night is still seeing plenty of sharks around the metre mark and there is always the chance of a mulloway. ESTUARY AND LAKES The estuary and lakes are starting to bustle with big bream that have

these river monsters, and if you can butterfly a slimy or yakka you are still in the game. Days are getting fresher and shorter, but the fishing will go on. There’s still plenty on this autumn. • For more up-to-theminute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).

Golden fins bringing anglers in BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Pilgrimages have been a part of human life around the world for ages and for decades now, an annual journey has been made to Bermagui. Anglers from all around the country and overseas come to our shores in pursuit of the golden fins of the mighty yellowfin tuna and what else may be on offer. This season has shaped up to be one of the best in years with even the smaller tunas being around in good numbers through the warmer months. The smaller striped tuna have been the mainstay through these warmer months and when this occurs the larger tuna will follow. Already plenty of mid-range albacore are starting to show along with the mighty yellowfin. Recently, most fish are being taken on the troll with

nearby. Berley heavy with tuna frames if you want a shark, as makos will respond to this along with tigers, blues or whaler sharks. Staying out at sea, the table fishing is excellent. Snapper are increasing in numbers by the day. Most of the reefs now have these fish around them providing good angling. The pick of them have been to the south of Goalen Head. There are plenty of morwong to be had as well as a mixture of other species. Outwide around the 12-Mile you can expect a few of those Tassie trumpeters from these deeper reefs. Don’t forget about Montague Island, as there is plenty of action there. Kingies have been in good numbers most of the season, although at times some weeding is necessary to find the larger fish. Bonito are also there to be found and can easily be taken on the troll. Out from nearly all the beaches you find plenty of

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Hopefully there will be plenty of tuna this season.

Salmon can be found off beaches, rocks, by boat or in this case in an estuary. a variety of lures working. This method allows anglers to target a variety of species including any late season marlin that are still around. It shouldn’t be long before these fish start responding to berley trails. Cubing is a popular form of targeting tuna. With motors turned off on a calm sea, this is the best way to experience the true beauty of the ocean, until the scream of a reel rocks you back into reality and exactly what you’re out there for. Once hooked up, be prepared. This is where you prove yourself. Over the years I have seen many a grown man brought to their knees with these great fish, mainly due to the lack of technique. Most anglers believe strength is the way to beat a giant tuna, whereas short powerful strokes leading the fish will beat a tuna quicker. Along with the yellowfin, expect others like albacore big-eye tuna. You can be sure wherever there is tuna, a mako shark will be

sand flathead lurking around to fill anglers’ bags. Mixed in have been some lovely gummy sharks, mainly around the moon, but expect

they may turn up at any stage. Red gurnard will also feature in the catch and make excellent table fare. On the beaches, there is fun to be had with plenty of salmon around to keep you occupied. They will take lures or bait. Lures will give you the freedom to explore more. This has been one of the best seasons for whiting whether on the beach or in the estuary. Most of the beaches have good numbers, as do the rivers and lakes. Up in the estuary systems things are starting

to cool down and fish are migrating out to sea. There are good schools of bream in most estuaries towards the entrances that will respond well to berley on the incoming tides. Trevally are mixing in with the bream, as are some large mullet, a few duskies and the odd large salmon to keep you on your toes. Also, this season has been one of the best for garfish with Wallaga Lake full of them. They are of a very large size and extremely tasty on the dinner plate.

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There are still a few flatties to be found. As the water cools, we’ll be seeing less of these lovely lizards.

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A U S T R A L I A

Phone: 0410 173 060 basscataustralia@gmail.com MAY 2017

Sudden temperature changes take their toll the beach and tossing lures into the gutters until fish are found, the average size has been around the kilo mark. The big news at present is the big fish kill. Small leatherjackets washed up on the beaches as far south as Marlo and up to the NSW border. The reason is unsure, but it looks to be related to water temperature, as the water has been over 20°C and it dropped to 15°C overnight. Out wide the temperature is around 24°C. The fishing out wide has been good with broadbill being caught by anglers prepared to do the long run out there. A number of mahimahi have also been caught along

MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

Once again the town is busy. The caravan park is still full. It’s worth noting this is one of the biggest parks in Australia with over 800 powered sites all booked out. This year has been a bumper year for all businesses in Mallacoota. The past month has seen some good fishing both offshore and in the lake with a few fish also caught off the beach. Fishing the beach has seen good salmon caught on lures with anglers walking

with some striped tuna. The coming months should see the southern bluefin tuna make an appearance. Fingerscrossed the weather is good over this period, allowing boats to get amongst them. The flathead fishing for both tigers and sandies has been great with good numbers of big fish caught. With the water temperature dropping out, fish have gone off the bite. The same could be said for the yellowtail kingfish with a few caught and hooked earlier in the month with little to report since then. The boat launching ramp at Bastion Point is being dredged, because it was too shallow and making the

Plenty of decent trevally are turning up anywhere in the system.

Dead leatherjackets drifted into the lake on the tide.

access near impossible at low tide. The entrance to the lake is getting very shallow and it wouldn’t surprise me if it closes over the coming months, if we don’t get any significant rain. In the lake there have been big sand whiting caught along with silver trevally. The bottom lake along with Harrisons Channel have been fishing well. Streams of dead leatherjackets are also drifting into the lake and yellowfin bream have been caught with stomachs full of

leatherjackets. While guiding in the bottom lake I recently spotted a big tropical red spotted turtle. With the water temperature at 22°C, it’s still swimming. When it drops in the coming months, I don’t fancy the turtle’s chances. Flathead are still being caught throughout the top and bottom lake with plenty of good eating-size fish around 36cm. The native bream fishery hasn’t been up to scratch for a number of years. Some anglers haven’t noticed with

better than usual runs of the visiting yellowfin bream. I’ve been lure fishing for bream along this system for 30 years, back even when netting was allowed, and I have never seen it this bad. Fisheries tell us these big bream are over 15 years old, so I dare to suggest things are not going to improve in a hurry. It needs to be remembered that at some stage over the past 10 years, every big bream has spent a number of weeks in front of the caravan park!

More pleasant weather tidings from Eden wouldn’t know it with little rain and warm to hot days. It’s hard to tell that winter is just around the corner. There are still plenty of visitors around. With the rain further to the north,

MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The great weather just keeps on going. We’re into autumn, but you REVA G.T

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There are plenty of good deep gutters on all the local beaches. With the water cooling, the salmon are starting to turn up. Bream and sand whiting are also being caught in the same areas. Fishing the rocky headlands has been good with some big drummer being caught along with yellowfin bream. Fishing the same gutters for luderick has seen good catches of 1kg+ fish. Chasing a feed on the inshore reef has been good with snapper morwong and leatherjackets making up the catch along with the sand and tiger flathead from the flathead grounds most anglers are heading

home with a good feed. The coming months should see the cuttlefish washing up on the beaches and once they are about the fishing for snapper will only improve. There has been good fishing for gummy sharks. The new moon and full moon periods are the best times to wet a line. Kingfish have been pretty quiet this year with anglers hoping they put in an appearance before the water goes cold. The conditions on the shelf haven’t been the best with few fishable days over the past month, due to the wind and swell. When boats have managed to get

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out there they have come across striped marlin, mahimahi and sharks. The cooler water should see the yellowfin tuna turn up. The rivers have still been fishing well with good sand whiting being caught. Beach worms and nippers are a good choice as bait. Flathead are still being caught on a variety of lures. Soft plastics are catching their share of fish. Yellowfin bream, silver trevally and tailor are also being caught. With good fishing to be had over the coming months, visitors to the area won’t go home disappointed.

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Head offshore in May TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Offshore is the place to be at present, as there is a host of fish on offer that are only too willing to feed. The big question is: what to chase, where and when? Out wide it is tuna time with plenty of yellowfin to be found. These fish are falling to a well-presented pattern of lures, both skirted and swimming. Mixed in are plenty of striped tuna, the odd albacore, mahimahi or a stray marlin. For those

Jigging plastics or blades is popular now within the area. They are producing those species mentioned above and plenty of bottom dwellers. Snapper take a particular liking to these methods and are increasing in numbers all the time. Expect some decent flathead to be taken around the fringes of the reef as you drift onto sand. For those who are not into the lures, there is plenty of fun to be had with traditional bottom bashing. Flathead have long been the main target out of Tathra, with plenty of sand and tigers on offer.

It doesn’t take much to put a smile on young anglers’ faces. who wish to berley, tuna will respond to cubes or live baits. Sharks, especially makos, will also venture into the trail, so a shark bait in the water will account for them. Closer to shore there is a lot of light sports action around the rocky headlands. Bonito have been around in some of the largest numbers I have seen in years, providing plenty of action. Mix in salmon, kingfish, frigate mackerel or striped tuna and you’re in for a lot of fun.

The sandies tend to like the shallower water close to shore. Out wider you can find large tigers and the occasional gummy shark to filter into your bag. All the reefs are fishing well with most species on the chew. Very decent snapper are making up the bulk of the captures. On the shoreline, as you would expect, there is plenty of pelagic action around the rocks and off the wharf. Bonito have been around

in big numbers and are only too willing to take a well-cast lure or live bait under a float. Mixed in there have been frigate mackerel, salmon, the odd kingfish and plenty of tailor, especially at night on the wharf with strip baits. Fishing for drummer off the stones has been brilliant all along the coast, and never better than around Tathra. If you are using cabbage weed for bait, you’re likely to attract a few good luderick to mix in the bag. These fish may also be encountered from the wharf close to shore. All your common fun species like yellowtail, mackerel and trevally are being captured off the wharf, providing hours of entertainment for both kids and adults. The beaches are consistent with plenty to be found there as well. Salmon are the most prolific, with all the beaches hosting their share. With them you can expect some very nice tailor, the odd mulloway or a night gummy. Whaler sharks will also be encountered. Not to be left out, there are plenty of bream, whiting, mullet and trevally in the close to shore gutters, which can be enticed to feed with berley. Bream have been the flavour of the season just about anywhere you go. Since a recent flush of the Bega River system it is full of them. Black bream especially like structure and there is plenty of that in this system. Work lures around any form of this, no matter how small you may think it is. Also, you are likely to encounter estuary perch and quite often flathead. Look for those baitfish that will also hang around a snag. All the other species of estuarine fish are on the chew and not only in the Bega. Surrounding estuaries are holding good stocks. Hurry, as the cooler months are coming fast and the estuaries will soon quieten down.

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Some of the estuaries surrounding Tathra are just so picturesque. MAY 2017

Cooking

Spice up crustaceans in this prawn quesadilla BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Ever wanted to add something light and a little zesty to your table

experience? Catch a lot of prawns on the last full moon and don’t know how to do them culinary justice? Here’s a simple recipe to get your mouth watering. In a nutshell,

these prawn quesadillas are single tortillas that are folded over, with a prawn and cheese filling, and then baked in the oven until the tortillas are almost crispy. They can be crispy if

you like, of course, and they make a wonderful lunch or dinner treat for casual eating or dinner parties alike. This versatile dish is well matched with intricate salads or it can be made as

a quick dish for those easygoing nights after a busy day on the water. These quesadillas go well with margaritas, so you can always have some ice in the freezer ready to crush,

and keep some limes, salt and tequila from this recipe for drinks later. You can also serve lemonade for the little ones – lemonade works with this meal too. Now let’s get started with the real fun.

Ingredients • 3 tbsp cooking oil • 3 cups finely grated cheese • 2-3 tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves • 3 green shallots (finely sliced with white and green parts in separate bowls) • 750g green prawns (peeled, deveined and sliced in half lengthways) • freshly ground salt and pepper • 2 cloves garlic (finely grated) • 1 small red chilli (deseeded and very finely chopped) • 3 tbsp tequila (optional) • juice of half a lime • 4 large tortillas.

6 56

MAY 2017

Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil over a medium heat in a heavy-based frypan. Sauté the sliced white parts of the shallots, garlic and chilli until softened. If you like, you can add a bit of tequila to the pan and continue to cook until the tequila has evaporated.

Lay the tortillas out on a clean work surface. Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture over half of each tortilla, leaving a clean border around the edge of the tortilla. Lay a quarter of the prawn mixture over the top of the cheese. Now sprinkle some of the remaining cheese mixture over the top of the prawns.

4 7

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with foil. Brush the foil with 1 tbsp of cooking oil. In a bowl, mix together the grated cheese, roughly chopped coriander leaves and the sliced greener parts of the shallots. Then place the bowl to one side.

Add the prawns to the pan and cook for a few minutes until they are pink and cooked through.

Fold the tortilla in half over the top of the prawns and cheese. Carefully place the quesadilla on the tray. Brush the surface of the quesadillas with the remaining cooking oil. Place the rounded edge of the quesadilla towards the centre of the sheet. Place the quesadillas into the oven and cook for approximately ten minutes or until they start to brown. Carefully flip the quesadillas over and cook for a further five minutes.

Blot the prawns dry with some paper towels and then sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl and stir through the lime juice. Then drain the contents of the bowl through a sieve to remove any liquid. Doing this will minimize the risk of a soggy quesadilla.

Remove the tray of quesadillas from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Slice each quesadilla into wedges and serve with guacamole and sour cream.

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DAIWA STEEZ A TW

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING FISH INC. WING

The Fish Inc. Lures Wing is a 120mm, 50g sinking stickbait that resembles a pilchard in both size and profile, making it dynamite on everything from tailor and salmon to kingfish, tuna, mahimahi, mackerel and reef-dwellers. The colour range and finishes are first class, from natural baitfish colours such as sardine red belly, natural and bonito, to more reaction colours such as gold back and pink back. The Wing comes fitted with heavy-duty Owner trebles, ready to fish straight out of the packet. In the water it comes to life with a sweep or punch of the rod tip, and will be a go-to in the arsenal of beach, rock and boat anglers, with its generous casting weight and the versatility of being able to fish it fast and high in the water column or sink it to the desired depth. Check out the Wing and other models in the Fish Inc. Lures range at the Tackle Tactics website. Price: SRP $25.95 www.tackletactics.com.au

SHIMANO SEDONA FI 9

The Sedona has stepped up a gear for 2017 with the new FI series. Shimano has again raised the standard with the incorporation of the Hagane cold forged gear, which is free from any machine cutting or imperfections. This was once exclusive to Shimano’s premium range, and delivers incredible smoothness, strength and durability. The Sedona FI also features G Free Body, which shifts the reel’s centre of gravity closer to the rod, improving casting performance and reducing angler fatigue. The AR-C Spool produces longer casting distances and prevents backlashes and wind knots, whilst Varispeed II ensures even line lay. There are six models in the series, dedicated to all light tackle pursuits, ranging from bream on bait to snapper on plastics. All models feature 3+1 bearings, and the drag output varies between 3kg and 11kg depending on the model. To top it all off, these reels represent excellent value for money. Price: from SRP $119 www.shimanofish.com.au

DAIWA EMERALDAS 9 STREAM RATTLE

Daiwa’s latest premium Emeraldas Stream Rattle is truly unique, and features many design innovations that make it one the most effective jigs on the market. The Emeraldas Stream Rattle is a visual and action jig, its unique lifelike pattern design incorporated with a rattle system is designed to attract a squid by sight, sound and action. Unique to this jig is the new gliding wing design. Rather than traditional feathers on the jig, the Stream uses plastic wings. These wings allow the jig to glide smoothly when ripped and glide in current more naturally compared to a standard design. By attaching the Agorig sinker to the keel eye the jig will glide slowly at a 30-45° angle, but when attached to an EG-Snap the lure will sink rapidly at a 75° angle. This is ideal for deep water or fast current situations. There are currently 12 colours in the range, and they’re in tackle stores now. www.daiwafishing.com.au

SHAKESPEARE LAZERTIP

Featuring a glow-in-the-dark tip section, Shakespeare’s Lazertip series is ideal for detecting bites in low light conditions. An innovative feature, the glow-in-thedark tip section means no need to attach glow sticks, bells or other gadgets to your rod tip during low light and night fishing sessions. Lazertip rods are as reliable as ever. Built on a composite E-glass and graphite blank with integrated solid tip, Lazertips have double foot stainless steel guides with aluminium oxide inserts, and durable, lightweight EVA grips. Lazertip combos are factory balanced for optimum performance. Lazertip spin reels feature a two bearing system, aluminium spool and thick bail wire, and come in 20, 40, 60 and 80 sizes. The 13 model rod and combo series encompasses a wide range of popular bait fishing situations including lightweight estuary, surf, rock, jetty and boat. Price: SRP $49.95 RRP (rod), $99.95 (combo) www.shakespeare.com.au

STAINLESS BALL BEARING SWIVELS

Introducing the new Mustad range of precision made, high quality stainless steel bearing swivels! These little pieces of machinery are designed to last, and nothing escapes as these swivels are world leaders in terms of start up inertia and ease of movement! Made from the strongest stainless steel possible in a factory owned by Mustad to ensure the strictest quality control, these swivels are assembled with surgical precision and have undergone intensive testing by machine and during heavy fishing. Mustad claims these items have unmatched strength, reliability and performance – something game fishers demand. Mustad Stainless Steel Ball Bearing Swivels come in nine poundages ranging from 110lb all the way through to 880lb, so these swivels are built for heavy game. www.wilsonfishing.com

BLACK MAGIC SOFT 12 HEAD LURES Last month we told you about Black Magic’s new Soft Head lures, but the photo we ran was of the Jack Slammer. Although the Jack Slammers are great lures, we felt our readers would probably like to see an actual pic of the Soft Heads – so here it is! It’s commonly believed that if a marlin misses the lure on its first strike, it is far more likely to make a second strike if the lure head is made of a softer material, rather than a harder resin. That’s where Black Magic’s new ‘soft head’ technology comes in. The first of the new lures is the 270mm Soft Slammer. It has been modelled on the popular Grand Slammer range, which is responsible for many large fish and numerous records. The second model is the 300mm Soft Pusher. With its reverse tapered head, it has a pronounced wiggle action, making it attractive to a wide variety of pelagics. Both lures come in five striking colours and are available either rigged or unrigged. www.blackmagictackle.com

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au MAY 2017

WHAT’S NEW FISHING SHIMANO TWIN POWER XD

STORM GOMOKU 13 DENSE

In Shimano’s pursuit of the ultimate in durability and performance, the Twin Power XD has been born and set a new benchmark for saltwater spinning reels. The battle-tested, cold forged Hagane Gear has received a significant upgrade through advancements in Shimano’s high precision technology, resulting in a strength rating that is comparable to one size larger in the previous model. To further protect the engagement of the XD’s internals, the Hagane Body acts as a rigid aluminum armour that firmly suppresses any distortion and twisting when under load. To oppose unwanted saltwater intrusion, X Protect provides the Twin Power XD with Shimano’s highest degree of protection. Developed specially for the XD series, X Protect leverages a waterproof labyrinth structure that blocks any internal saltwater entry. This is also combined with a new water repellent treatment that is applied to the body, line rollers and roller clutch, making the reel ideal for saltwater applications. www.shimanofish.com.au

BFG 3-TRAY BACK PACK

The Bigfish Gear Back Pack is perfect for land-based anglers making long treks to waterways off the beaten track. It’s also great for boat-based anglers who like to throw in just the one bag with all the essentials. All you have to do is load up the trays, chuck in the drinking water, hat, gear and camera into the main compartment, leader line in the side pocket, then pack the sunnies and phone and wallet into the zip-up side pockets. You will still have plenty of room left for pliers, fish grips, sunscreen and heaps more. Features include three adjustable tackle trays measuring 255 x 180 x 38mm, a 22L main carry compartment, eight various zip and Velcro compartments, and adjustable shoulder straps with chest lock. This bag is lightweight and comfortable to wear, and measures 450 high x 350 wide x 250mm deep. Price: SRP $99.95 www.bigfishgear.com

BLACK MAGIC SQUID 15 SNATCHERS Black Magic’s new Squid Snatchers come in seven proven colours covering four size options. Five of these have ‘super lumo’ bodies, giving that extra glow when night fishing, and these can be recharged simply by holding them in front of your lamp or torch before you cast. The colours available ensure you’re able to choose the best jig for the conditions you are fishing in (i.e. light, current and depth). Black Magic Squid Snatchers feature a luminous cap on the hooks, a luminous band around the tail, black hooks, red/black wings and sapphire blue eyes, making them more attractive to hungry squid. All seven colours have been rigorously field tested by Black Magic’s team with great success, and have been developed specifically for Australasian squid species. www.blackmagictackle.com 60

MAY 2017

PRODUCT GUIDE

Storm’s commitment to their Gomoku concept is very evident, and one of their latest additions is the unique Gomoku Dense, a sinking minnow bait unlike any other. The traditional slim minnow profile hardbody has been a staple for light line lure anglers since the early days of the bream luring boom. But, as has been evident over the last few years, the desires of anglers at the forefront of these techniques to fish a hardbodied lure deeper than ever before has seen the market develop for a sinking minnow style bait that can be retrieved at any depth the angler desires. Weighing a hefty 6g for a 48mm lure, you simply cast it out and allow it to hit the bottom, and then let the lure’s bib do all the work. Available in six great colours, the Storm Gomoku Dense looks to open up new ways to target deeper depth light line estuarine species. www.stormfishing.com.au

JML SENSATION AND 17 ADDICTION Two of JML’s latest releases are the Sensation and Addiction rod ranges, which give anglers a lot for their money. The Sensations feature Toray Carbon, Fuji K Alconite guides, Fuji reel seats and a bonus JML Rod Sox. Spin models range from the Sensitive Tip (7”, 2-piece, 2-8lb, 1/24oz-3/8oz cast weight) through to the Donkey Hunter Spin (7”, 1-piece, 18-25lb, 15-40g). There are two baitcaster models, the Trophy Hunter (6’8”, 1piece, 16-25lb, 10-30g), and the Donkey Hunter (6’8”, 1-piece, 20-30lb, 15-40g). JML Addiction rods boast a premium grade carbon blank, Fuji reel seats and quality components. Baitcaster models range from the Bass (6”, 1-piece, 10-16lb, 7-15g cast weight) to the Barra & Cod (6’8”, 1-piece, 14-20lb, 7-25g). Spin models range from the Bream & Whiting (7”, 2-piece, 3-8lb, 2-10g) through to the River & Bay H (7”, 1-piece, 1625lb, 15-40g). Price: SRP $189.99 (Addiction), $299.99 (Sensation) www.jml.net.au

OKUMA MAKAIRA

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The new Okuma Makaira is built to the highest standard, using the very best and toughest materials, ready to do battle with the largest fish in the ocean. The Makaira’s fully sealed waterproof body is built tough to handle the 30kg of maximum drag pressure that the sealed, dual-force carbon element drag system can deliver. The drag system won’t ever leave you guessing either, with Okuma’s Dial-In drag system allowing you to pre-set maximum pressure so you can just crank it up and hold on. The main gear is like nothing else in the heavy-duty saltwater spinning reel category. Its stainless steel construction means that every ounce of force you apply to the HD machined handle gets transferred to the drive train with zero slop and maximum torque. Available in 20,000 and 30,000 sizes, the Makaira is perfect for throwing poppers at GTs, jigging for dogtooth tuna, and even trolling for marlin. www.okumaaustralia.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

Too tempting not to try – Tempt Industries Powder Paints RE ONLINE MO

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When you need to build, repair or service something, I’m not the first person you would turn to. I am more than happy to spend the money and pass everything over to the experts who have those skills. The other thing I would not call myself is artistic. However, I recently got the chance to be both a DIY-er and an artist when some containers of Tempt Powder Paint came into the office. As soon as I saw them, they piqued my curiosity. As a fan of using painted jigheads to further enhance the appeal of the soft plastics I use, I was intrigued to find out more. I read the instructions, and found the concept to be very straightforward. You simply heat your jighead, dip it into the container of paint powder, remove it and you now have a jighead which is coated in a colour that matches your plastic, or provides a contrast to the colour plastic you are using. I liked the fact that the instructions contained the word ‘simple’. Still, I knew from experience that something described as ‘simple’ could sometimes turn out to be more complicated than I had first thought.

Everything you need to powder coat some jigheads. heat gun from a hardware store (it would normally be used to heat shrink tubing or soften adhesives) and it has been great. Temperature-wise it is perfect, and the

range have a UV component, many don’t. If you want to add UV to those, there is a separate, clear UV coat available. It can be used directly on an unpainted jighead, but

TESTED

I have been using it as a second coat on some of the colours. I use a little bit of heat on the paint, then a light coating of the UV coat and then finish it with the heat gun. The result under blue light is awesome. CONCLUSION I have never used a lot of non-painted jigheads, as my preference has always been to have the jighead either continue the profile of the plastic or provide a complete contrast. I was disappointed the painted version of my old favourite heads was discontinued, but now it doesn’t matter because I can colour them myself. Additionally, in the case of some other jigheads, I can colour the head a different colour from the grub keeper, and have it provide a contrast inside the plastic. All of this helps improve my confidence when I am fishing, and that can only be a good thing. For me, the Tempt Powder Paints have been a godsend. Tempt Powder Paint comes in 50g containers and retail for $16.50 per colour. It is currently available in 21 colours, and more information can be found at www. temptindustries.com.au. I know I’ll be getting more colours soon. - Peter Jung

Left: The key to heating the jighead is to focus the heat solely on the head, and not heat it too much. Right: Once heated, quickly dip the jighead into the Powder Paint and tap off any excess. Next, slightly reheat the head to remove any imperfections and create a gloss finish.

The ultimate result you want to achieve: a quality fish deceived by your jighead and plastic combination.

The end result after using the optional clear UV coat. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case with the Tempt Powder Paints. Minimal experimenting was required before the finished product looked just the way I wanted it to. Here are a few tips I discovered along the way. HEAT SOURCE Any heat source can be used to heat the jighead – anything from a lighter to a hair dryer. However, I have found that the key is to have something that provides a consistent temperature and can be channelled, but also isn’t too hot. The jighead doesn’t need to be very hot at all for the paint to stick to it. I bought a

added bonus is that after you have dipped the head you can gently reheat it to get a beautiful gloss finish. LESS IS MORE This relates to both how much heat you use and the amount of dipping time. After heating the jighead, a quick dip in the powder is all that is required. Make sure you cover the area you want, but remove it quickly and tap away any excess. This ensures that the paint will be smooth and not lumpy. A little bit of heat can be used to smooth things out if lumps occur. CLEAR UV COAT Although a number of the colours in the

The effect of using a second colour on the grub keeper (top). The value of continuing the profile of the plastic with the jighead (bottom).

MAY 2017

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

PRODUCT GUIDE

TESTED

Lowrance Elite 9Ti - A perfect mix of design and intelligence RE ONLINE MO

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My formative fishing years didn’t provide me with a lot of exposure to, nor a need for sounders or fish-finders. It wasn’t until several years later when I moved to the coast, with its unfamiliar and ever-changing saltwater environments, that I really started to see their value to the modern angler. My most recent move to Southeast Queensland and the impoundment fishing available has only made me crave the best gear I could afford even more. If I’m fishing strange water with tactics I’m not accustomed to, I’m going to need all the help I can get. You can imagine the delight on my face when I was asked to review one of the new Lowrance Elite 9Ti units with a Totalscan transducer. These units have a high-res, 9” touch screen, GPS and many different options on how to view the bottom, structure and finned creatures that lie amongst it. The fish didn’t stand a chance. WHAT’S INSIDE? The Elite 9Ti unit has a lot of gadgets and tricks up its sleeve. All your sonar needs are covered with support for StructureScan HD, Low/Med/High CHIRP and the TotalScan all-in-one transducer. With built-in C-MAP charts and reliable Lowrance navigation technology, it even has integrated Bluetooth and wireless connectivity which allows you to download software updates directly to the unit. This is amazing when you start to tap into other Lowrance users’ data through the Insight Genesis network.

The Elite 9Ti mounted at the bow allows easy reading when underway or while fishing. Below right: The Lowrance TotalScan transducer is sleek, easy to mount and can be folded up for easy storage when not on the water. battery and I was down the rabbit hole of features, modes and on screen displays. JUST ADD WATER Sitting under the carport for setup I thought I’d sussed out exactly which layout would best suit my style of fishing, so I was ready to ditch the simulator mode and hit the boat ramp. The first launch and power-up of the unit on actual wet stuff was pretty cool to watch. It was only a matter of

on the water, YES, the Elite 9Ti will help you to find more fish. If they’re around and you know what to look for, it will show them in fantastic detail. Then you’ve just got to entice them, hook them, and land them. Easy, right? INSIGHT GENESIS AND GOFREE This is a clever concept allowing Lowrance users to help map waterways to not only enhance their own knowledge and fishing experience, but also that of

other Lowrance owners. It’s a growing community with members who all believe in the ‘who shares, wins’ motto. Everyone putting in the effort and sharing information will mean we all catch more fish. Using the GoFree app available in the app stores on your phone or tablet gives you another way to view your sounder from anywhere on the vessel. You don’t have to be Albert Einstein to see just how valuable this free download could be. Its mobility is matched by its clarity. It’s super impressive. WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT TO PAY FOR ALL THESE SCANS? The Elite 9Ti package used for this review comes at a price much lower than you might expect for such a feature-packed unit. The RRP on this bad boy is listed on the Lowrance Australia website at $1699 with the TotalScan transducer included, but recently I’ve been able to find them in local retailers for as little as $1349! It’s not that long ago that such capabilities would cost you twice that, and they didn’t always include a transducer for that money either! THE VERDICT I am so glad the opportunity to test this unit came across my desk and onto my little poly boat Donut King. With every trip it demonstrates its value more and more. Although I’ve always been good with technology, I doubted I’d find the Elite as easy to use as some other brands I’d used, purely because I had no experience with Lowrance menus. However, it really is a cinch – and navigation is only made easier with the touch screen, which is another thing I hadn’t been exposed to before. I’ve been so impressed in a relatively short period of time that I’ve already recommended this exact package to a couple of mates who were in the market. The sheer amount of technology, adaptability and ease of use combined with the price tag make it a no-brainer for me. You should absolutely check out the Elite range of Lowrance sounders the next time you’re in a local dealer or find them online if need be. I’m sure you’ll be just as happy with them as I am with mine. - RUPE

There’s a number of split-screen options to choose from, depending on how you want to see the feed. GETTING STARTED The unit I received was to go onto a Bushman Stubby poly boat, and used primarily in the ABT BASS Electric series, and social fishing on the same bodies of water. I mounted the head unit at the bow so it would be in my field of vision from just about anywhere on the boat. If the technology is on board it may as well be utilised and easily accessed as you traverse the waterway. Inside the box was everything I needed except a battery. Screen, transducer, cables, brackets and even the screws to mount it. Taking the time to determine the placement of the head unit and transducer is important, but once you’ve decided the install is very simple. Within about 20 minutes the unit was plugged into a small

MAY 2017

seconds before the Elite 9Ti was collecting, sorting and displaying the impressive amount of data it’s capable of processing. ENTERING THE MATRIX With the flood of information at your fingertips it would be easy to look at the screen and ask yourself, “But what does it all mean?” I recommend spending some time reading the manual provided or, if you’re the impatient gen-y type like me, check out some tutorials on YouTube from the Lowrance pro-staff. You can scan the QR code on this page to see what I mean. WILL I REALLY FIND MORE FISH? There’s only one thing that will guarantee you more fish hitting the deck – going fishing instead of sitting on the couch refreshing your social media feeds. But once you’re

Trusty tackle testing assistant Bob Thornton picked up a great bass in the trees after we saw them on the screen.

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS SONGS THAT COULD BE ABOUT FISHING

BORN TO RUN EVERYBODY HURTS GOOD VIBRATIONS HELP I GET AROUND IM A BELIEVER IM STILL STANDING IMAGINE HURT JEALOUS GUY

LET IT BE LITTLE LIES LIVIN ON A PRAYER MY HAPPINESS OOPS I DID IT AGAIN RECKLESS RUN TO PARADISE SHUT UP YOUR FACE THRILLER WHY

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack. SEND ENTRIES TO: NSW Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

NSW MAY 2017

Phone (day):

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

Dynabait worms are an all-natural, freeze-dried bait. Just soak them in water, and within minutes they’re ready to go! As soon as they hit the water, they release a potent mix of hormones and enzymes that fish can’t resist. These worms are dynamite on bream, whiting, bass, flathead, blackfish, cod, yellowbelly, trevally and many more! Dynabait Bloodworms, Tubeworms and Sandworms are available at all good tackle stores.

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to John Coates from Gwandalan, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – NSWFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for March were G Critcher Bellambi, B Ryan of Freemans Reach, D Pemberton of Muswelbrook and J Morgan of Penrith South, who won a SaltAway kit valued at $97.45 SRP. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

Inverell, D Turner of West Pennant Hills, B Mannering of Leumeah, H Hosking of Alstonville, D Sullivan of Aberdeen, I Dando of Tuggerwong, D Chandler of Theodore, D Osborne of Perthville, A Morrison of Forbes, L Swiftof Blayney, M Claydon of Karuah, D Simpson of Nambucca Heads, T Polley of Burrell Creek, D Thompson of Warilla , K Baker of Gloucester, W Forbes of Nambucca Heads, S Doherty of

Mudgee, D Nisbet of Tuncurry, G Minett of Taree, E Murta of Nicholls, D Miller of Cobar, D Jones of Bathurst, L Wicks of Forbes, R Jones of Werris Creek, S Ayre of Denman, M Fullagar of Liverpool, L Gorham of Toronto, B Lucas of Coffs Harbour, J Ratcliffe of Orange, J Butcher of Basin View. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE DX POINT LOGO

The answers to Find the DX Point Logo for March were: 8, 14, 17, 19, 24, 34, 40, 47, 51, 55, 64, 73, 77, 83, 94. – NSWFM

Guess the Fish Answer: Brown trout

The Find the DX Point logo prize winners for March were: T Fuller of Catherine Field, T Vine of Davistown, M Jones of Lismore, D Nacinovic of North Narrabeen, F Seal of Junee, S Davis of Emu Plains, M Baker of Gorokan, K Batho of Quirindi, M Blake of Walcha, P Giles of South Nowra, J Paul of

GUESS THE FISH?

Answer:

We’re still waiting for the Robinvale cod show ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

The Murray River at Robinvale has good numbers of golden perch taking bait, but Murray cod still remain a no show so far this season. Downstream towards Wemen, anglers can expect good numbers of perch on bait amid a mountain of carp, with no reported cod captured this past month. Further downstream to Nangiloc, where 300 competitors hit the Murray River for another competition during mid-March, numerous golden perch and carp were landed, but by competition end the large field of mostly bait anglers managed to raise only one legal sized Murray cod, measuring in at 56cm. The real truth of the black water kill down this area is starting to hit home. Other than the Swan Hill area, cod captures of any notable

size have remained all but non-existent from below Boundary Bend all the way through to Renmark in South Australia. The good news is there have been some good cod landed down lower in the South Australian lock system, where the black water was eventually shandied out. On another note, it’s a sad but true fact that fishing lines catch far more than just fish. As an angler, it shames me at times to arrive on location only to be confronted by the mess left behind by other anglers. Often I’ll see plastic bags, bait containers, discarded lure packets, empty cans and bottles and last but not least, tangles of fishing line. Every year many animals fall foul of discarded fishing line and the numbers continue to grow as angling becomes more popular. In the past few years, I have rescued several different varieties of birds including a pelican that had its beak tied shut in a tangle of hooks and line. Unable to feed, this poor

bird had wasted away and was very light for its size. Another memorable incident involved a large shingle back lizard trailing a tangle of line and bark from a fish hook lodged in its front leg. On a recent trip to the river we by chance came across a white cockatoo whose screeching calls from the steep clay bank drew our attention. It was early morning and the large red gum root close by had been stripped bare of most of its bark by the panicked bird. On closer inspection, we found the cockatoo was bound by the foot and tethered

ending, but one that need not happen in the first place had the line not been left lying around the river bank! On almost every trip to the river, I come across discarded line, be it tied off a branch or stick or just simply left lying on the ground. Often there are hooks and sometimes bait connected, which will intern attract the interest of a host of animals that are likely to eat the baited hook. Surely it is not that hard to take home these materials and put them in the bin. At some coastal locations, PVC containers

Mildura angler Gareth Lynch travelled above Echuca to catch his first metre-plus cod for the season. He reckons there are no decent cod left in his local waters.

This cocky was tangled by the foot in braided line and had spent at least one hot day baking in the sun before we rescued it the next morning. The irate bird had torn all the bark from the large red gum root in its bid to escape.

There are plenty of big carp in the mix as well, and they’re great fun on the line, but very poor in the pan.

to the root by some braided fishing line. Judging by the bark striped root, we guessed the bird had to have been there for at least a day. With the temperature set to once again soar above the high 30s, it would no doubt have succumb to the heat and lack of water if we had not happened along. Although our intentions were good, the tethered cocky took great displeasure in our attempts to cut him free, latching on to a wayward thumb during the procedure. With the line cut and unwrapped from around its foot, the cocky flew off to a noisy reception from the rest of the flock. It was a good

have been placed on piers and near cleaning tables so as discarded line can be placed in them for collection. Next time you are down the river feeding the ducks and birds, take note, as if there are a

There are literally millions of juvenile carp in the system. This net full is the norm when trying to catch yabbies.

good number of them on location you can almost be assured that at least one will be sporting fishing line or the injury’s derived from it. SWAN HILL COMP It was smiles all round for anglers competing in the Swan Hill Services Club Fishing Competition during March at the Pental Island caravan park. An impressive 69 boats hit the mighty Murray River, loaded with all manner of secret bait and lure in the hopes of catching a few fish. There was 55 legal sized Murray cod landed over the two days, the biggest stretching the tape out to 69cm. There were five legalsized golden perch landed as well, along with numerous carp. There were a good number of undersized Murray cod captured, also providing hope that in time we might once more see some larger cod in our local waters.

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE Korrigan Magnum Buzzjet Slideswimmer 175 FOR YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST

www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au 64

MAY 2017

Bulldoze 160

Dogtooth Distribution

Mulwala is cod central YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

You could be forgiven for thinking that each month I just rabbit on about the same old thing. There’s plenty of cod, surface lures, Mulwala this and Mulwala that. It’s hard to report anything but the truth and the truth is Lake Mulwala has never fished as good as it’s fishing this season. The past month has been nothing short of outstanding with plenty of cod being reported. The best tip available to any angler fishing Lake Mulwala at present is to target waters no greater than 2m in depth. Weed beds or fallen timber add to the equation. Put these together and you are in with a great chance of plenty of green fish encounters. The problem targeting the shallower water is the majority

of fish are small. The average size is between 40-50cm. On a positive note, returns of 55cm+ cod are about one in every five. Lure selection is not critical, as every type, style shape and size has encountered for as many as the next. While the bite is hot, it’s a great chance to try some new techniques. Swimbaits are the latest craze. Talking about the latest craze, while surface fishing has traditionally been seen as an early morning, evening or nightly activity, all these theories have been thrown out the window recently with a visit from Dutch angler Hugo Hegeman. A super keen and competent fisho, Hugo spent plenty of time on the lake with the majority of anglers throwing surface lures around the weeded areas. He had numerous strikes throughout the day with a 73 and a 75cm fish taken at 12 noon and 1pm. This proves that they will hit

a surface lure any time of the day. Since this visit the word has gotten around with plenty of other daylight surface cod being taken. There are many who deserve a mention for their captures over the last month. Without wanting to offend, I’ll reel off a few of the bigger ones. Pete Luczkowski took to the daylight surface fishing and was rewarded with a 114cm pig at 4pm in the afternoon. Marcus ‘Motor’ McMillan was another to land a 114cm off the top and. These were both caught on Koolabung Cod Crackers. Berrigan boy Harley Middleton attained his PB with a beautiful 113cm falling to a well-presented surface lure. Coming into the 112cm bracket were both Marshall Elliot and Dean Steegstra with surfacecaught monsters. Chris Zammit also boated a 109cm beast on a recent Greenvale Angling Club trip.

Waiting on winter MILDURA

Darcy Scherger

As the chilly mornings and cool evenings are becoming more frequent leading into the winter months larger Murray cod specimens should be on the prowl for a decent feed. As the average outside temperature continues to drop this will also decrease the water temperature of the river enticing the larger Murray cod that are left to move about and hit the odd lure cast or trolled past their face, increasing the numbers of encounters and happy fishers. Although it’s not as easy as it sounds, a lot of hard

work will still need to be put in to reap the rewards. The cooler water temperatures should help the lure fishers out there chasing that trophy fish. There have been several encounters with solid fish after the black water event, though the quantity and sizes haven’t been anything to brag about. Things have still been reasonably quiet recently, although hopefully this will change. Many anglers have been convinced that the larger Murray cod have really taken a massive hit due to the recent black water. This winter will show how bad they suffered as keen anglers will be still out there on the hunt for them. Hopefully more and more stories start to kick around the town about the elusive Murray

cod being caught, so more anglers will be keen to tackle the cold mornings. Despite the downs of the black water and the effects of it, anglers within the region are still having plenty of fun with smaller Murray cod and golden perch, proving that there is still reasonable water around for them to live and cope through the hard time. Local angler James Mason has been out on the water trying to crack the code and catch a mighty Murray cod and has only had luck on several smaller specimens. This is a very good sign that the big ones can still be out there and we just need something to trigger them to hit.

Hugo ‘Dutchie’ Hegeman with one of the midday cod (75cm) that has helped reinvent the surface fishing wheel! Donnie Blackie didn’t quite make the 1m mark but his 96cm fish was a pleasant surprise while out fishing alone. Failure to mention Daneka Robinson would be an insult, as she managed to land back-to-back a 94cm and 90cm cod off the surface. Looking back, early March saw the running of the His and Hers Partners Classic with 62 teams participating. The results were outstanding. The ladies caught the better numbers of fish while the fellas caught the bigger ones this year. Jack Pyle and Kate Small from Team Mad Chooka

cleaned up the field with Jack’s 93cm beast being the biggest for the day. The middle of the month saw the running of the Great Northern Cod Nationals. The cream of Australia’s cod fishos descended on the lake and returns proved the field’s capabilities. Over three and a half days 415 cod were recorded with 84 of them over 55cm. Rick and Rueben Doyle of McGrath Lures came out on top taking home close to $10,000 in cash and prizes for their efforts. Rick also landed the biggest fish for the event measuring in at 974mm.

Another father son combo in Derek and Kade Blow of team KD Fishing finished creditably in second place. Matt Pejkovic and Mick Massier rounded out the top three with their consistent fishing. • If you are visiting town, I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish, Camp & Ski (opposite the post office) in Mulwala and say G’day. We are your largest Murray cod-specific shop in Yarrawonga/Mulwala and specialise in all things ‘green’! For any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports, give us a hoy on (03) 5744 3133.

Little Murray cod like this beaut are a good sign that the big ones are still out there. MAY 2017

Our local trout fishing could be under threat JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

Do we have Snowy Scheme Mark II? I’ll believe it when I see it. There are far too many questions to be answered before I get too excited. We might have a big problem though – our world-class trout fishery might be under threat! So far we have been very lucky. Guthega, Island Bend, Tantangara, Eucumbene and Jindabyne dams are all free of vermin fish. These are pristine trout lakes! While there is no definitive plan yet, it seems that the most likely solution will be to pump water from Talbingo Dam to another dam such as Tantangara or Eucumbene. The other alternative might be reusing the water from Khancoban Pondage. Most of you will be aware that both Khancoban and Talbingo have redfin. Redfin have been responsible for the decline of many trout lakes across NSW and are carriers of Epizootic Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus (EHNV), which has a significant

impact on rainbow trout and Macquarie perch. My concern is that any water from Khancoban or Talbingo pumped to any dam that does not have redfin poses the threat of introducing redfin into a new waterway. Once that happens they will be everywhere and the problem is compounded if the destination dam is either Tantangara or Eucumbene, because Tantangara feeds directly into Eucumbene via the Providence Portal and from there Eucumbene can service every other dam in the system. A redfin explosion across the whole of the Snowy Scheme is a distinct possibility if not managed appropriately. This could be a disaster! At the moment the Monaro Acclimatisation Society is onto the problem. In the past Snowy Hydro have been supportive of our supposedly annual 70 million dollar trout fishery, but hey – this is politics. There’s no way they’re worried about a few trout fishers. MAY RULE CHANGES Thredbo River rules change this month, so only one fish is allowed to be kept

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MAY 2017

and that fish must be over 50cm. All other fish must be released, no matter what species. The close of the rivers and streams to fishing occurs at midnight on the Monday of the NSW June long weekend. The rivers open to fishing once again on the Saturday of the October long weekend. FISHING REPORT Meanwhile, Lake Jindabyne’s water level has been reasonably high over summer and has only now started to drop as we prepare for winter and the eventual snow melt in spring. How fast the water level drops will of course depend on how much rain we get over coming months. Let’s look at what we should expect for fishing over the coming month. This month is one of the best months for bait anglers fishing the edges of the lake. Big brown trout are cruising the edges looking for a feed before they head into the rivers on their spawning run. Worms teamed with artificial baits and fished off the bottom are working well at the moment on Lake Jindabyne. The best areas to try over the next couple of months will be Waste Point at Creel Bay, as this is where a lot of the trout will congregate in readiness to move into the mouth of the Thredbo River on their spawning run. Hatchery and Hayshed bays are also both worth a try. When trout move into the river on their spawning run they get very territorial. If you’re a lure angler, minnow lures like Bullet Lures and the small 3” StumpJumpers and a variety of others are all worth a throw. Pick the right colour and get the right depth. 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. Metal blades cut through fast flowing water and get down easily. When you can’t get depth out of a minnow, try a blade. The Thredbo River is my river of choice from now until rivers close on the June long weekend. On the Thredbo River, another method that works well when you have fast flowing water is the drift

Nadine Lindsay with a rainbow trout caught trolling a holographic Tasmanian Devil. This is typical of the size of the rainbows currently being caught. rigging technique. Team up a fly like a weighted black nymph with a Glo-Bug (artificial egg) and let the rig bounce along the bottom with the aid of some split shot. This is one way to catch trout on artificial flies using a normal spinning outfit. On the lake, the water is cooling down. The lake spinning will improve, but lure colours have been a little different to previous years. Orange and pink are always regarded as aggression colours for when the trout are in spawning mode. Holographic lures have been good too. Good spinning areas to try are Creel Bay, Waste Point, and the Snowy Arm. For fish that are still actively feeding try Curiosity Rocks, Wollondibby Inlet, Hatchery Bay and the Claypits area. 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. If there is a cold front approaching the fish will often get territorial and this is big lure time. Big jointed lures are well worth a try for

big browns. The weed beds are close to the edge. If you’re trolling early in close you don’t need any lures that dive too deep. Even at this time of year the day will often warm up and the fish will still go deeper. Lead core lines and downriggers will still be very useful over the coming month. Trolling deeper to 4m will also help during the middle of the day, but make sure you don’t troll too fast. 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. The flyfishing on streams and rivers will still have good days even this late in the season. Fish will still take a well-presented dry fly. Over recent weeks most fish however 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 trophy fish and fly anglers will have the best success

using Glo-Bugs and nymphs. Black and brown nymphs in about a size 10 or 12 are good. 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 before you will catch them. 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. It’s cooler now and the fishing is much better and will continue to improve as the water cools even further. Flies to try over the coming months will be the purple or black Woolley Bugger and Mrs Simpson. • For the very latest day to day fishing reports, call into my shop at Discovery Holiday Parks Jindabyne next to the Shell servo. For tour bookings call us on 02 6456 1551 or send details to Steve Williamson P.M.B. 5 Jindabyne 2627. For more info you can email me at sales@swtroutfishing.com. au. Check out my new website at www.swtroutfishing.com. au. Also join me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ LJTFA for daily updates.

MAY ROUNDUP – THE BEST OF THE BEST! Best Method Best Depth Best Lake Lure Best Lake Area Best Lures Thredbo River Best Wet Fly Method Best River

Surface trolling early and then using lead core lines at 30m out Trolling at 10ft deep in the deeper middle of the day Tasmanian Devil pink number 55 or Holographic Hatchery and Hayshed bays Bullet Minnows in bright spawning colours or Strike Tiger soft plastic nymphs Glow Bugs and nymphs on the Thredbo River Thredbo River

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Plenty of good news on Monaro CANBERRA

Bryan Pratt

We’ve had lots of good news recently. Firstly we have had rain. It was getting overdue in some areas, then finally arrived

Flushing the streams removes accumulated debris and mats of algae and generally refreshes the waterway. It also washes in lots of organic matter, which bacteria attempt to break down. The initial flush of bacterial growth

overall because the rainwater contains a lot of oxygen and also beneficial nitrogen. The rain also triggers a lot of insect activity and washes a lot of food items into the streams, and the fish benefit accordingly. The lakes also benefit

Anglers have a love-hate relationship with redfin. They can be good fun to catch on bait, lure and fly, especially when there is little else available. They’re also good to eat if large enough. in sufficient quantity to rejuvenate streams throughout the region and put a bit of water back in the lakes.

and preferential uptake of oxygen might leave the fish short on oxygen temporarily, but this soon redresses itself and the fish benefit

Googong Reservoir, part of Canberra’s drinking water supply, is a superb fishery. It’s famous for extra-large redfin, golden perch and Murray cod, and is a long-term experiment in the use of domestic storages for angling.

directly from the rain. It boosts oxygen and nitrogen levels and washes in a lot of food from the surrounding landscape. Fish are attracted to the food in the shallows and are thus more accessible to bait, lure and fly anglers. Flooding of new ground as water levels rise also brings fish closer to shore. Fish particularly gather around small waterways draining into the lake, because that’s where most of the food comes in. Rain is welcomed and the news is nearly all good. The downside? Anglers get bogged going into places where they shouldn’t be, churning up the moistened landscape and generally showing disregard for the integrity of fragile and

supposedly protected areas. That’s where the second lot of good news comes in. NEW CAR PARK Every year when the run of pre-spawning browns gets underway in the Eucumbene River, large numbers of anglers gather in the hope of catching a trophy fish. Most of them do the right thing, but an objectionable number insist on trying to get to more and more remote locations, further churning up the landscape, disturbing the river bed and blocking other anglers from accessing the river banks and the river itself. That’s about to stop. Thanks to angling activist and President of the Monaro Acclimatisation Society Steve Samuels and his colleagues, a car park is to be established at Denison near the Eucumbene River. All vehicles will have to park there. That should put a stop to the damaging and antisocial behaviour of the yobbo brigade and anglers will have only a short walk to get to the river. It’s the best news we’ve had for ages. BROWNS ON THE MOVE To add to that good news, reports are coming in daily of small to mediumsized browns moving into the Eucumbene River and possibly the Thredbo River. The numbers are small as yet, but increasing. If we get a few more rainstorms, the major movement of fish, including the larger specimens, should get underway. At the moment the fish are taking a variety of flies, including Glo Bugs, weighted nymphs, Woolly Buggers, elk hair caddis and dry Snowy Mountain grasshoppers. Soon they’ll probably revert to mostly Glo Bugs and nymphs. Rigs consisting of these two flies with split shot will be used by the majority of fly and lure anglers in coming weeks until the season closes

Veteran trout identity Rod Smith with a prime Monaro brown trout. Fish like this will soon head up the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers on their prespawning run in huge numbers. New car parking arrangements on the Eucumbene River will offer their habitat some long overdue protection. on the Queen’s Birthday weekend in June. Remember to do the right thing with prespawning fish. Photograph them as your trophy then let them go on their way. After all, they are your future if you intend to continue as a trout fisher. LOCAL LAKES Canberra’s local lakes have been very quiet, with virtually no Murray cod showing up and just an occasional golden perch caught on yabbies, scrub worms or blades. Anglers are wondering whether it’s just a seasonal thing or whether the phenomenal catches earlier in the season have taken their toll. It doesn’t take much brain power to realise that in an artificially stocked lake there are only a certain number of fish available. If you keep every fish you catch soon there won’t be any left. Thankfully, redfin remain active and provide an opportunity for some fun and a feed if they are big enough. They are taking scrub worms

and a wide variety of lures and soft plastics in all of the local lakes. Alternatively, you could try your hand for an outsized carp in one of the local lakes. We’ve got plenty of the mongrels in the national capital and we are more than happy to see a few get caught and despatched to carp heaven. GOOGONG WONDERLAND The exception to all of this is Googong Reservoir, where fishing has been good, especially for boat anglers. There have been plenty of big redfin with many around 44cm, nice fat golden perch and some Murray cod either side of a metre. Fish have been taken on scrub worms and yabbies and a variety of lures, especially soft plastics for redfin, Burrinjuck Specials and Mask Vibes for goldens and extra large spinnerbaits, deep divers and surface lures for cod. The lake is full, the water is clear and there are no carp. Fishing is highly recommended at the moment.

The national capital has its fair share of carp, including monsters like this mirror. They provide some interesting fishing on fly and bait when native targets have gone off the bite, as is happening in Canberra’s local lakes at the moment. 68

MAY 2017

Murray cod don’t mind the May weather WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

May rolls in and we notice the drop in temperature as the seasons prepare for the change into winter. This drop in temperature can slow down some styles of fishing, but it’s also the recipe for some of the best freshwater fishing conditions in the region! As the water cools off the smaller natives begin to go

irrigation flows the large fish are too far down and we can’t get our lures into the strike zone. With the lower flows during May there is less current and depth, which allows our lures to get right down in front of the fish. As long as we don’t receive any rain, the river will be clear. This means you need to keep your distance from the structure (if you’re fishing from a boat). This is to ensure you don’t spook the fish. They will

little to zero current make sure you let your lure sink down near the bottom (to the bottom is even better), before starting your retrieve. My favourite spinnerbaits are the Mud Guts 5/8oz and at this time of year when you’re targeting bigger fish it pays to add a larger tail and a stinger hook. PowerBait Rib Shads and a 3/0 stinger hook are worth a run on your lures. TUMUT RIVER The Tumut River will also be a spot that you can’t

The author with a golden perch that inhaled the Mud Guts 5-8oz spinnerbait in orange and white.

Jack Zyhalak with a solid Murrumbidgee River cod that was living on a large red gum log. dormant but the big Murray cod become active. When you mix active fish with low water levels you have the perfect recipe for success. MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER The Murrumbidgee River is a magical place to be at this time of year. The nights are cold with foggy mornings rolling into beautiful crisp days, meaning clear and low running water and big Murray cod. The fishing at this time of year can be both tough and rewarding. You will have to work hard for the fish, but the effort is worth it with the larger size of fish. It’s not uncommon to find fish between 80-100cm. The big logs become exposed with the low flowing waters. The largest fish in the waterway will always hold on structure that will be covered even in the lowest of flow. This means that when the river is running high with

be a little more on edge in the clear water and can be easily spooked. Casting spinnerbaits is my favourite and preferred fishing method at this time of year. Try to target the larger logs and leave the smaller twiggy ones alone. You want to cast tight in against the structure, targeting the key areas like the root ball, any crossovers and forks in the logs. When there is

go past if you’re a keen trout angler. Flyfishers love the lower flowing waters, and swinging nymphs are the preferred method. I covered this technique in detail in the previous report. It’s definitely a technique worth using throughout May while the river is low. Spinning with a range of spinners, small hardbody lures and soft plastics will

work wonders. If you’re after larger brown trout, target the deeper, slow flowing bends and under willows tight in against the shadows. If you are after some of the smaller fish and hard fighting rainbows, target above and below the rapids. The feeding fish will sit in these areas and wait for food to flow past. The easiest technique is to stand on the bank and cast across the river. Use a medium to fast paced retrieve back and the aggressive rainbows won’t be able to resist. It’s a great technique that has previously caught us plenty of trout during May. This month will bring great fishing as long as we don’t receive large amounts of rain. If we do get rain like we did last year, the fishing in the Murrumbidgee River will probably be ruined due

to high and dirty waters. We just have to hope that the rains hold off until late May. Light patchy rain won’t disturb the flow of the river.

Remember, May is the time for big fish. Grab some spinnerbaits, bulk them up with big plastics and start casting at the large red gum logs!

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Amazing May mayhem LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

May can be like a weather preview of what’s in store, a warning almost, especially for those that have travelled from lower warmer altitudes to places like Thompsons Creek Dam (TCD). It hits them like a hammer when they climb out of the relative cosy comforts of a heated car. You watch them slowly stretch as they walk around the car and say, “Hey, this isn’t so bad.” the colour slowly drains from their face and within minutes they are rummaging frantically through every nook and cranny of the car looking for anything that might give a measure of warmth. Fear not, the walk up to the dam will keep you warm. You have a relaxing stroll on the lee side of the dam wall; birds are twittering and the breeze is but a puff. Cresting

the wall is like the car park all over again, only this time there is no hidden jacket behind the seat. There’s no beanie stashed in the glove box. If it sounds like I’ve seen this a few times, you would be dead right. I’ve even experienced it a few times myself. The good news is when the weather is like this it’s one of the best rainbow trout fisheries on the mainland of Australia. Trout just love cold, super clear oxygenated water. In May the browns will be in pre-spawn mode and can be very aggressive towards other fish, so don’t be afraid to up the length of your lures to 75mm and even 90mm. Keep the profile slender. Plastics and hardbodied minnows are the go. Low light periods are the key when fishing these larger offerings. Try to cast along wind lanes and mud lines. The browns love working along these. Metal spoons in TCD are a big favourite of mine. This is especially so when the above mentioned weather

conditions prevail. Spoons can be cast in all but the most shocking conditions, and ditto for blades. Line control on the sink is important, as fish will hit them on the drop as they flutter down. Be ready to set the hook. FLY ANGLERS HAVE AN EDGE AT TCD When it comes to those clear sunny days with little or no wind (yes, it does happen) flyfishing has a definite edge at TCD. The ability to present small offerings on such light leaders to wary fish just cannot be done as well while lure casting. If there is some wave action and a slight breeze, all the better. You can dead drift a soft hackle wet fly across a point just keeping in touch with the fly. It’s a deadly technique if the breeze and wave action is right. Low light conditions can mean stalking fish in shallow water is really hit and miss but a great challenge for a pair of fly anglers working together as a team.

This can happen in May so be prepared. Thompsons Creek Dam can fish really well when it does. STREAMS AND RIVERS The local trout streams have made somewhat of a comeback the last few years, good flows and continued stocking have boosted numbers. May is a good time to target a bigger brown trout, one of those ones that has been holed up in a blackberry lined pool that’s just about unfishable. With a spawn run imminent the brown trout move upriver to find a good spawning bed. As they travel they rest in pools that may be a little less overgrown. Suddenly they are catchable with aggression levels

climbing. Large minnows are readily chased down and eaten. It’s a great time to be on the rivers and streams. The Fish River and its tributaries still hold enough fish to keep anglers happy. Access is limited, so remember to ask permission to cross any private land. SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO I look forward to seeing the results of more anglers embracing swimbait fishing for cod. May should see some real corkers come out of local waters like Wyangala, Windamere, Burrendong. One thing for

sure is there will be a lot of casting between fish. When it happens, all those fishless casts will be forgotten. Some creature comforts on-board if you are boatbased always goes a long way at this time of year. Get some hot thermos of soup, the ability to boil some water for a cuppa and something to enjoy while you break the concentration. Getting out for a walk in a likely spot is also well worth a try. Stretch the legs and get the blood pumping. Tucked up little corners with rocks and timber where it’s hard to troll are the go.

The brown trout in local rivers and streams usually average about this size. Bigger specimens do exist if you’re willing to do the miles.

DAM LEVELS brought to you by w w w. b a r g a i n b o a t b i t s. c o m . a u

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

Feb. March April Blowering 81 73 65 Brogo 78 93 101 Burrendong 93 87 90 Burrinjuck 79 72 66 Carcoar 97 92 91 Chaffey 168 165 99 Clarrie Hall 100 n/a n/a Copeton 49 44 46 Dartmouth 78 77 77 Eucumbene 44 42 41 Glenbawn 91 90 90 Glenlyon 65 62 76

Feb. March April Glennies Creek 83 81 83 Hume 82 74 61 Jindabyne 70 64 58 Keepit 69 58 62 Lostock 84 76 102 Oberon 95 92 91 Pindari 91 81 100 Split Rock 30 29 30 Tantangara 16 16 16 Toonumbar 85 86 101 Windamere 51 50 50 Wyangala 92 88 88

(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.) 70

MAY 2017

Fly anglers have a definite advantage when it comes to the clear waters of Thompsons Creek Dam. Windswept points and dead drift soft hackle wet flies can be deadly at times.

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13 12 69

No one is too cool for cool water schools BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

If the redfin fishing we experienced at Blowering Dam through the warmer months is anything to go by, this winter could offer some incredible fishing. At this time of the year the redfin congregate in

hold you down there. Taking that into consideration, it’s hard to beat ice jigs jigged vertically. If you’re not over the fish and want to locate them without moving, then it’s hard to beat rubber vibes, blades and plastics. This group of lures really is all you need for a great day of jigging. Cast the blade, rubber vibe or plastic away from the

The redfin fishing has been sensational at Blowering Dam this year and hauls like this have been the norm. massive pre-spawn schools and move from the edges of the lake out into the deep open flats. These schools can sometimes have hundreds of fish and once one school is found, generally there are many other schools in the near vicinity. Often you drift off one school only to find an even better school. It really can be that good through the cooler months. I also find in that you catch the much bigger redfin during this pre and post spawn period through the cooler months. Baitos targeting these redfin will do well actively bobbing yabbies and worms on a paternoster rig. If you really want to get the big numbers, it’s hard to beat jigging with lures. It really doesn’t get much easier than jigging for redfin in the winter months. You can either troll to find the schools, use your sounder or just drift around until you start catching fish. Lures of choice for this type of fishing are heavy lures that get you to the bottom quickly and

boat and then hop it back to the boat until you find fish. Then, as they are not that easily spooked when holding deep, the best tactic is to get your boat positioned over the school and jig like crazy primarily with your ice jigs. Whatever you found the fish with will also do the job. The redfin will be mostly holding around the 30-50ft

mark, so if you’re using plastics you will need to rig them on 1/4-5/8oz jigheads depending on the wind on the day and how heavy your line is. Blades and vibes also need to be quite heavy for their weight to help get your lure down and also to help you detect any of those deep bites. To increase your chances of detecting hits, it pays to use light line and a long light rod. What you’d use for trout or bream is perfect. Through the cooler months there is nowhere near as much tucker on offer for the natives, so we find they often follow the redfin schools around and pick off any stragglers. After you get a redfin school biting, all that action gets the natives’ attention and quite often you’ll hook into Murray cod on ice jigs, plastics, blades and vibes. If you pay attention to your sounder you will see when the natives turn up. They’re often represented as large single arches under the school of redfin. You can continue to use the above mentioned lures and still hook the odd native or you can make the sacrifice of putting the redfin gear down and throwing something much larger at the natives. Using larger longer blades and vibes or increasing your plastic size is all you need to do to increase your chances of hooking the lingering natives. This is easier said than done though, if the rest of the anglers on

Natives like this can be found hanging around all year, but the best time to target them is during the cooler months. board stick with the redfin fishing and are pulling a fish each drop. Using these larger lures will mean you hook far less redfin, but it gives you a better chance of hooking those big natives. If you do hook redfin on these lures, they are almost always of a large size. TROUT RIVERS The two main options in the rivers this month are have fun with the prolific resident trout in the Tumut River or go and get amongst the crowds and monster brown trout during the annual Eucumbene spawn run. If you chose the Tumut River then conventional techniques will work best. If you are heading to Eucumbene, you better pack the Glo-Bugs, nymphs and split shot sinkers. For a day of crazy action on the spawn run, all you need to do is get the weight right with your split shot.

Too much split shot and you’re not drifting enough, not enough split shot and you’re drifting above the

fish. Both will see you catch few fish, so take the time and get it right and you will slay them all day long.

It’s important to let these big breeders go at this time of year. They aren’t as palatable now as the rest of the year and they are about to make the fishing even better for you next season by reproducing.

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May’s moody autumn natives TAMWORTH

Adam Mears adam.mears@hotmail.com

The cool weather has come early and the cold, icy hand of winter is well within reach of toiling anglers working hard for their fishing fix. Those who persist will be rewarded.

spinnerbait or a lipless crankbait, and burn it around the shallows searching for a reaction strike. As the sun gets up, if you have a sounder, look for the thermoclines – that’s where fat pre-winter gold chunks will be waiting for an easy meal. In this scenario, bottom tapping lures or tail spinners fished slowly along

accounts, anglers fishing deep around the trees with shrimps have hooked a few golden perch and eel-tailed catfish. Another productive technique is to fish soft plastics very slowly on the bottom, puffing up silt to imitate a yabby or shrimp foraging around the bottom. Slow rolling blades will also work.

Murray cod love spinnerbaits. This one scoffed a Pirate Spinnerbait fished near the bottom. Late autumn natives can be moody mistresses as the change of season plays havoc on key feeding times in both the dams and rivers. The golden perch are a little sulky but the greedy goodoo (Murray cod) can surprise even the most seasoned of anglers. If goldens are your goal, head to the dams and fish the shallows in the mornings. Fish deep as the sun rises. In the early sessions I would run two different lure styles if you can. Have one person flicking a soft plastic, crawling it slowly along the bottom and methodically working the area. The other angler should then fish a reaction bait such as a small

these areas will hopefully have you in with half a chance of a fish or two. Over the last month afternoon thunderstorms have brewed up and have created some great fishing sessions in the Tamworth region. Surface lures are still working a treat and XOS lures are leading the charge. Thirsty Lures, Mudeye Lures and New England Lures all suit this style of fishing. LAKE KEEPIT Lake Keepit is looking good. It has been hard for me to crack in recent times, and my go-to luring techniques have been really struggling to get bites or interest at all. From all other

Those anglers in the know have still been getting the odd large cod. These bigger models have been taken on large trolled spinnerbaits and deep divers around drop-offs and weed beds in the main basin. The lead up to the full moon is a great time to fish, and working the shallows on dark rolling chatterbaits and large soft plastics could see a cold night heat up with red hot action. Stay alert and look for signs like fork-tails and carp getting boofed in the shallows. CHAFFEY DAM Chaffey Dam is alive and well. The dam is full and the edges are where to find the fish. The carp seem to have gone quiet, but the golden perch, silver perch and catfish have been on fire. It’s not common at this time of year to have such aggressively feeding golden perch, but the fresh new ground and the explosion of life around has the fish feeding up before winter sets in. Enjoy the bite and remember to limit your catch, not catch your limit. Goldens have been feeding actively around the weed beds and rocky

Justin Price loves his fishing and puts in the effort all week, every week. points in the last hour or so before dark. Small vibrating lures like the Jackall TN50 have been a clear standout. Bladed lures and 3” plastics are accounting for a good number of fish as well. These nugget shaped goldens will respond well to baits of shrimp and worms, while bait fishers can expect some by-catch as

Emily Ross holding a beautiful Peel River silver perch that fell to a bunch of worms.

well. Eel-tailed catfish and silver perch are the repeat offenders. PEEL/NAMOI RIVER The river is looking better and better with all the rain we have had, so there is no better time than now to be hitting the local haunts in search of Murray cod. The Peel is looking great around the Dungowan and Piallamore stretches. Most of the access here is private property, so seeking permission to fish is essential. If you have access to a kayak, launching at any of the bridge access points near town can get to many of these spots. The Namoi is looking great and fishing superbly with many big fish being caught on a variety of different lures. The key is to fish big surface lures and diving hardbodies of 120-350mm. You can also try large spinnerbaits with 5-9” soft plastic trailers. Get out there and spend some quality time on the water and eventually the fish will reward you.

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Surface lures will continue to produce through the cooler months. Persistence is the key. 72

MAY 2017

Winter fishy habits and reely good retrieves HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

May is usually the time we start seeing some frosts in the Hunter Valley. These cold nights and mornings really start to bring down the water temperatures. This is when we start to see the fish move into their prominent winter patterns. This cooler water in the impoundments will hopefully bring the fish up shallower in the water column, making them easier to catch. Lake Glenbawn can start to fish well at this time of year. There is a typical winter edge plastic bite that happens every year, and May is the month to try it. A 1/4oz jighead with a 2-3” paddle-tail plastic or grub is deadly for casting the edges. These plastics perfectly

represent the primary bait in these waters, which is smelt, gudgeon or minnows. There will be a lot of fish sitting in 20ft of water and they should be easy to find, virtually spread throughout the whole lake at this time of year. These fish in 20ft move up into the shallows to feed in low light situations, such as early morning and late evening. A good long cast can be made up towards the edge. Keep your rod tip up to control the depth your plastic is running at, and try and follow the contour of the bottom all the way back towards the boat with a nice slow roll. Some little twitches can be thrown into your retrieve if the slow roll is not getting action. If it is sunny and calm, try focusing on bottom contact more often. Allow your plastic to hit the bottom, then

There will be plenty of bass to jerkbait around the weed beds.

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twitch it up a few feet. Let it fall back again, similar to a flathead retrieve. For evenings, cast out parallel to the bank and focus on the fish you can see beneath you in 20ft. A jerkbait will work too for early mornings and in low light when the fish are high in the water column. Another handy plastic to try is a 2-3” stickbait on a 1/16-1/8 jighead. These plastics imitate a dying baitfish and the light head is needed to not send them plummeting too quickly. Twitch them up then let them sink on slack line. There will always be deeper schools at Glenbawn in 40-80ft of water. A slow rolled plastic or ice jig worked in their face works really well. Small slender blades can also be worth a try on the shallow and deep fish. Lake St Clair’s fish will follow a very close pattern to Glenbawn at this time of year. The fish will start to focus on smaller lures and be less inclined to hit a reaction style bait. Small plastics, jerkbaits, ice jigs and blades will be your main staples for putting fish in the boat. The weed beds got hammered from dropping levels over the end of summer. Hopefully the autumn rains have maintained the levels and we haven’t lost them all. On a lighter note, the less weed, the easier it is to fish. Fish your jerkbait and plastics up in the shallows in low light and focus on moving deeper and more parallel to the bank as the sun gets up. Weedless rigged plastics are handy for putting your lure where the standard jighead cannot go. Focus on the holes and pockets in the weed. Out deeper you will find schools anywhere from the shallow flats in 20ft out to suspended in 80-100ft of water. An ice jig can quickly

Dom Jordan with a shallow water bass from St Clair. work out whether these fish are active. If the ice jig fails, try slowing down with a plastic or slow roll a blade. The majority of the bass in the river systems will have started their migration downstream at this time of year. While perhaps not as aggressive as the summer bite, they can be still caught. Focusing in the tidal areas in the lower Hunter, you will find fish starting to school. Trolling small deep divers is a handy way of covering water and locating fish schooled in any holes. Several passes can be made over the school to keep catching them, or you can catch one and stop and cast around the area. Small blades and paddle-tail plastics worked into the deeper sections will catch these schooled fish as well. You can also try fishing the shallower cover around timber and rock. Casting accuracy is very important when targeting the shallow structure in the tidal areas. Focus on cover that breaks the current flow and gives something for the fish to sit behind to ambush prey.

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Pulling out the big gun lures COPETON DAM

David Allen manager@copeton.com.au

May is finally here with the cold weather. It’s big fish time. May would be one of the best months to chase the big Murray cod that Copeton has become famous for. This is the time to be using the big guns, heavy tackle and big lures. The last 12 months have seen some major advances

in tackle, which have been driven by the desire of fishers to be able to cast bigger and bigger lures. Last winter we saw the rise of the wakebait. Some standouts in this field were the Mudeye Snake and New England Lures Wakebait. Both these lures are well over 200mm in length and weigh over 4oz. To constantly cast these lures, specialist rods are required, and there are now a number of options to look at. Wilson, Loomis,

Daiwa and Samaki all have some cracking rods suited to these big lures. Fishers are now looking at the heaver end of the baitcaster reel market to balance these rods. Most of the big tackle companies have reels that fit this category. The Shimano TranX300 and Diawa Lexa300 come to mind. The other area to consider is your main line. Braid is still the way to go, but when casting these big, heavy and expensive lures a

Daran Ryan from MoTackle in Coffs Harbour with a Copeton keg.

backlash can see your lure disappear into the night if you are only fishing 20 or 30lb line. Most big lure fans are now stepping up to 40-60lb high quality braid to avoid this problem. This year I think the swimbaits are going to have a big impact on the Copeton cod fishing. These segmented fish replicas are so lifelike that all that is required is a slow roll with the occasional pause. The longer you can keep these things in front of the fish, the more likely the cod are to convince themselves that it is real and they should eat it. One standout so far has been the Jackall Gantarels. There are many more that will hit the market soon. Stable weather patterns associated with high pressure systems are what we want to see this month. This will provide the ideal conditions for a big cod bite. Pressure above 1020hPa will provide the conditions all fishers want to see. As the weather cools the fish will move into the shallows to chase the baitfish that are attracted to the slightly warmer water

This cod really wanted that Kingfisher. and the insect activity that this provides. It’s hard to say exactly what is going on in this shallow water. My guess is that smaller baitfish like common carp, spangled perch and maybe silver perch are feeding on some sort of emerging insect or larvae in the shallow margins. These then attract the major predators, Murray cod. I have seen cod cruising around in water just deep enough to cover their backs. The end of the irrigation season and some good autumn rain events have the dam level on the rise since early in April. This is also good news as falling water levels generally have an adverse effect on the fishing at Copeton. Water covering

new ground gives the smaller fish a great new food supply in the form of worms, grubs, crickets and more. This will again bring cod size meals into the shallows where Murray cod will be hunting under the cover of darkness. All in all, May is my favourite month of the year to fish Copeton Dam. It’s cold without being freezing overnight, and the days are still warm. You can fish 24/7 at this time of year. • Copeton Dam is one of the best lakes in NSW to catch a trophy Murray cod. Dave runs the Copeton Waters Holiday Park and is a great source of up to date, local information on what’s biting. Contact the park on (02) 6723 6269 for information and accommodation bookings.

Fresher flows than a rapper’s best prose NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

Heavy rains during March and leading up to April produced major

flooding throughout the New England area, which would have seen many fishers put away the rods until it settled. However, that wasn’t the case for some places where the

The author’s first-ever metre cod off the surface.

flush of rain brought out the keenest of fishers as well as some good catches. Local rivers were roaring, so it was tough in some areas. After a few lure changes and plenty of casts, fish were soon caught amongst the whitewash. The Severn River has been the most productive out of some of the rivers, with a dozen or more cod caught at the tops of holes and beside high flowing rapid areas in consecutive sessions. Larger profile spinnerbaits rigged with a 9cm trailer have been the stand-out lure presentations, although large chatterbaits have also claimed a few healthy Murray cod out of the rising floodwaters.

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MAY 2017

A Monster Vibe working in flowing water. With the river getting a well needed flush, the fishing should only continue to improve as the water levels recede and the water starts to clear up again. In the meantime, finding active fish in high currents is a whole load of fun and very rewarding. For some, it’s not a normal type of fishing. The Beardy River was recently also in flood and stained in colour. Other than higher water levels, not much changed in this area. There have been no fishing reports of late. Pindari Dam has been fishing really well even though it has received all of the floodwater from both the

Severn and Beardy rivers. This saw the dam rise from 81% to 101% in a matter of a few days. Fishers staying along the banks have still been catching yellowbelly and catfish on both bait and lures, however the boat anglers have had a ball throwing blades and lipless crankbaits around the front of the spillway as the water rushes over, finding a variety of species looking for an easy meal. The top end of the dam has been dirty with a lot of debris floating down. Precautions will need to be taken if heading up that end of the dam for a look-see. Copeton Dam has been fishing just as well if not

better with the surface action already going nuts. There have been plenty of stories from a handful of fishers all having an awesome time getting amongst the natives. As we get further into May the surface action won’t slow down either, as the bigger fish start feeding up ready for the spawn. Swimbaits and spinnerbaits have also been producing good numbers of healthy fish throughout the day, even when the sun is directly above. Copeton has been fluctuating between levels lately but was sitting around the 45% mark recently.

Why fit a ‘lecky? NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Those who’ve never used them sometimes look askance at the expensive electric motors mounted on other angler’s vessels and ask what the point is in owning one. In the first

and reel at home, or even give up our depth sounder, than be caught without a functioning ’lecky, as these wonderful devices are commonly known. This certainly hasn’t always been the case. Not so many years ago, I could judge how lightly-fished and remote a destination might be by the number of questions I fielded about the electric

motor in case ya break down? Or some kinda anchor?” Perhaps a little sadly, there are now very few corners of our big country left that haven’t seen at least a handful of boats sporting electric motors (sometimes referred to as “trolling motors” in American literature), and those wide-eyed questions and quizzical looks come far less Bow-mounted electric motors have radically altered the way we fish from boats, especially when casting lures or flies. electrics are still available, and remain reasonably popular amongst the owners of lightweight car toppers, folding boats, big Canadianstyle canoes and even kayaks. However, it’s the more sophisticated bow-mounted versions of the electric motor that have really transformed our day-to-day fishing.

you’ve experienced the magic carpet ride provided by a modern bow-mounted electric motor, it’s hard to believe just how much difference it can actually make to your fishing. Of course, the downside to these tools is their need for an on-board power source. This typically takes the form of one, two or even three

use, most bow-mounted electrics can provide up to three days of low speed manoeuvring work from a full charge. The fishing benefits associated with this sort of stealthy mobility simply can’t be overstated. There are several brands of electric on the market these days and you tend to get what

You don’t need to own a big, flash bass boat to benefit from using a bow-mounted electric motor! of a two-part series on the benefits of using electric motors, let’s answer that important question. The level of ownership of electric motors amongst Aussie boat fishers has increased dramatically over the past decade or two. These days, many of us who live for our lure and fly fishing would rather leave our favourite rod

motor mounted on the bow of my trailer boat. If I stopped at a campsite or pulled into a servo for fuel and someone wandered over to quizzically check out the ’lecky, I knew I was getting off the beaten track. “Hey mate,” their query usually began, “what’s that weird lookin’ contraption on the front of ya boat? Is it a spare

regularly today. Electric motors take two basic forms. The earliest versions simply clamped to the transom of a boat right alongside the outboard (or in place of it) and were used to propel the vessel in much the same manner as a standard petrol donk, albeit more slowly, but with considerably greater stealth. Transom mounted

Bream fishing is so much easier when you have a ’lecky! That’s iconic Aussie actor and comedian Garry McDonald (aka Norman Gunston) with a hefty bream he finessed from the shallows on a hardbodied minnow.

The combination of electric motors and sophisticated sounders has radically evolved our fishing. Some say it’s unfair to the fish… But Starlo reckons we need all the help we can get!

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Folded up onto the foredeck when travelling, these units are easily deployed once the vessel reaches the fishing area and used to quietly manoeuvre about while casting or slow trolling. As well as being whisper quiet, they allow pin-point placement of the boat. The best of them have cable or wireless foot or hand controls and some even feature a GPS interface that allows them to hold the boat in a fixed position against wind and tide, or track along a designated path at the operator’s chosen speed. Until

big, heavy deep-cycle marine batteries with ratings of at least 100 amp hours. You’ll need to be able to recharge these batteries, too, which can be problematic out in the bush. Happily, the advent of portable generators, reliable solar panels and vehicles fitted with dual battery systems has helped in this regard, but there’s nothing quite like being able to plug a charger into mains power overnight to re-juice those tired batteries. This mightn’t always be possible out in the back blocks, but with careful

you pay for. The best of them aren’t cheap. They also need a little more TLC than your average outboard. A good wash down with freshwater after use in the salt is essential, and it pays to protect them as much as possible from dust and excessive vibration. That typically means removing and storing the unit while towing your rig over rough dirt tracks. Luckily, most have quickrelease mounting plates. An electric motor might not currently be at top of your fishing gear wish list… but perhaps it should be!

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Fishing mistakes: Looking at the one percenters PART 3 BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

In the final instalment of this series, we’ll be looking at bait and lure presentation, and the other

flies off the hook during the cast or sits unnaturally in a ball at the bottom of the hook. To maximise your chances of success when bait fishing, anglers should use live baits, or very fresh or quality frozen baits. Catching live baits can not only be

lies naturally along it. For live worms, this means you should thread the worm up and over the eye of the hook and present it straight, leaving 1-2cm dangling off the end. For bigger baits like tailor slabs off the beach, snooding two hooks is a good option

Setting a rod low and flat to the water will mean less resistance to fish like whiting and bream.

Peter Phelps has ticked two boxes here: the natural colour in the clear water covers sight, and the noisy rattle of the lipless crankbait covers sound. little one percenters that give us an edge when we’re out on the water. This is an area often overlooked by anglers, but in reality it can make all the difference. BAIT PRESENTATION The old adage that fresh is best is very applicable to bait fishing. What is also important is how the bait is presented on the hook so it looks as natural as possible. Unfortunately, some anglers mistakenly think they are in with a good chance of a few fish when they throw out huge globs of frozen squid (or similar) on their hook or toss out prawns that go increasingly black as they leave them in the sun beside their bucket. Alternatively, some anglers may go to the trouble of catching live bait (or even buying it) like live worms or yabbies, but they then present it in such a way that it either

productive and save you money, but it can also be a heap of fun too! For tips on catching a variety of baits, check out my July 2015 article

When the water turns brown, anglers can’t expect to use the same techniques to get the same results they achieved in clear water. in QFM on bait collection tips, tricks and tools, which is available online. When presenting baits, make sure the point of your hook is exposed and the bait

When the sweep and swell is too big, fish like Australian salmon will enter river mouths chasing baitfish. 76

MAY 2017

to keep the bait straight. Baits such as a live prawn, shrimp or even a pilchard tail can also be presented neater and stop them flying off or

tearing by tying a half hitch around the bait. LURE PRESENTATION Probably one of the funnier moments I’ve had fishing was when I went fishing with a mate for trout once near Goulbourn, NSW. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him tie on a Wonder Wobbler, cast it out, then sit down and have a beer. After a couple of minutes when I realised he wasn’t going to retrieve it. I asked “Aren’t you going to retrieve that back through the water?” he answered with, “You mean I have to retrieve it?” It cracked me up at the time, but seeing similar incidents since then has made me realise we shouldn’t assume that everyone knows what to do with a lure! Another mistake I have seen involves anglers using

the wrong lures for the area they are fishing, or the fish they are chasing. If I see this, I will always offer some words of advice, as it saddens me to think that businesses are happy to sell them lures, but not explain where or how to use them. It is another reason that anglers should do their research before handing over their hard-earned cash. Once again, presentation is critical when lure fishing, probably even more so than bait fishing. Anglers who hurriedly put their soft plastic tails on that are so bent they are almost at right angles to the hook, should not expect the fish to jump on their hooks. Likewise, anglers using hardbody lures need to check if the lure tracks straight in the water first before casting it out or trolling it. At times, the bib can move slightly off centre and cause the lure to swim to one side. This can easily be corrected by ‘tuning’ the tow point of the lure with a pair of pliers by bending it the opposite direction to which it is swimming, i.e. if the lure runs left, bend the tow point to the right. SIGHT, SCENTS AND SOUNDS How fish react to movement, smells and noise is probably one area where the fishing fraternity is still learning. What we do know is that fish tend to perceive ‘good’ (potential food source) and ‘bad’ (danger) signals from what they see, smell and hear. Sights While we still have a lot to learn about what fish see, we do know that fish use their eyes to spot and chase their prey and can also

differentiate between colours in clear, shallow water. This means two key things for anglers, we want to avoid the fish spotting us, and we want to think about what the right colour lures to suit the water colour. I think it would be fair to say that there would be very few saltwater anglers that have not seen the puff of mud or sand and the blur of a flathead speeding off into the distance after they have spooked them at the waters edge or while wading. What anglers don’t realise is they have quite likely spooked

other species of fish close to the shore over the years that they didn’t even see. Whiting are one species that will feed right on the edge of the shore where waves from a small inner gutter are breaking right on the sand. Trout will also feed right on the water’s edge, particularly at night when the water is rising over new ground exposing new food sources. For this reason, anglers chasing such fish should approach the shore cautiously and even throw their first casts 10-15m back from the water’s edge. After you have worked the edge of the shore, you can then move a bit closer to cast a little further out. Once you are in the water and wading in an estuary or a lake, you want to move very slowly so as not to splash or thump the bottom and spook the fish. Lure colours and accessories When it comes to choosing lure colours, I’ve

Yabbies (with their colour and smell) and bright red tubing above the hook accounted for this nice whiting in discoloured water.

‘Set and forget’ can be good, or bad, depending on what species you’re targeting.

heard skeptical anglers claim a tackle shop is just trying to sell them more lures when they suggest different lure colours for different water conditions. I believe you should carry a few different colours according to the water conditions. Basically, natural or clear colours are best for clear water, while at the other end of the spectrum, fluorescent lures are better in dirty water while dark colours like dark blue, black or purple lures will present a silhouette if fished in very dirty water or at night. A couple of coloured accessories can also help the fish spot your bait. This includes the addition of red tubing or beads just above your hook for whiting, and adding a small green glowbead just above your hook and charging it up with a light source for fishing at night. Berley Using berley off a boat, wharf, rockwall or from the shore of a beach or estuary is a great option, provided it is done the right way. The scent of the oils and sight of the berley can bring fish to you. Unfortunately though, anglers can make the mistake of too much berley, or use it in that in such a way it takes the fish away from you. For example, I’ve seen boat anglers on an artificial reef throwing out pilchard pieces or handfuls of mashed berley during the middle stages of the tide, only to see it drift past us well down current and still floating near the top of the water. They not only didn’t catch fish, but we had to move as well as it took our fish away with it. The other thing that can happen is that anglers throw out berley intermittently resulting in a ‘broken trail’, and once again lose any fish it might have attracted. A better option during the mid stage time of the tide is to use a berley bucket or cage and anchor it on the bottom near your boat, or stake it to the beach and let the waves roll it around and disperse the berley close to shore. During the slower periods of the tide you can throw out handfuls

of berley, but make sure it is a consistent stream. Start with a couple of handfuls and then throw some more out every few minutes. Discoloured water To be a successful angler you need to think like a fish. That includes thinking about where fish might be at a certain stage of the tide, or, where they go when conditions change due to a change in water temperature or water colour. This means that just because you might have got a nice catch of bream on yabbies near some sunken timber in your local estuary one day, it doesn’t mean that will catch them on the same bait in a couple of days time after there has been a major downpour that has discoloured the water.

anglers don’t even realise they are making. Catching fish can be hard at times, so it is important that we give ourselves every chance to maximise success, and that includes not transferring unnatural smells onto our baits and lures. Before you touch a bait or lure, make sure you wash your hands well after applying sunscreen; filling the car, 4WD or boat up with fuel; or after having a cigarette. Better still, you can apply one of the many fishing scents now on the market to the bait and your finger tips, or sacrifice one of your baits by squishing it and rubbing it over your finger tips and hands. You then simply wash your hands in the water and dry them on a rag so you

When fishing for small fish, like whiting, it makes sense to use a small presentation like this. ‘cheat bait’. Unperturbed by this sledging, I continued to use it and despite some stubborn resistance, my mates evidentially joined the fold! It works!

Make sure your bait sits naturally on the hook with the point exposed. If the fish can’t see their potential food source, they need to sense it by some other means and this includes smell. Therefore, in times where the water is dirty, be it an estuary, dam or river, anglers need to adapt their baits accordingly as they should lure colour. Oily fish baits, or baits marinated in tuna oil can really come into their own in these circumstances. Good and bad smells Transferring unnatural smells onto baits and lures is another in the fishing mistakes category that

don’t make your rod and reel handle greasy from the oils. I first started using scents 20 years ago when fishing for trout with bardi grubs at Lake Jindabyne and Eucambene. Halco Freshwater Catch Scent was especially designed for freshwater fishing and was said to attract trout to your bait from the oils and scent it permeated. Interestingly, despite using the same rigs, bait and tackle as my mates fishing side by side with me, my results using the scent were consistently better. The cause, my mates claimed, was my use of

The ‘set and forget’ technique can work in calm water of estuaries but protect your spinning reels from the sand.

I now also use scents, such as Pro-Cure and S-Factor on all my lures, whether they are soft plastic, hardbodies or metal vibes. My reasoning is that it masks the unnatural smells mentioned above such as sunscreen. Further, I find especially with soft plastics, that fish such as bream and flathead will come back for a second or third hit on the plastic covered in scent with much more consistently than fishing without them. There are also scents such as Ultrabite, which is said to contain fish pheromones and stimulate fish to feed. I’m not sure about the validity of those claims, but I have used it on my lures and in my berley and it does seem to be effective. Noise I have seen and heard all too often well intentioned anglers giving clear instructions to fellow anglers to keep their voices down and the radio volume low or “it will spook the fish”. Yet these same anglers will bang about on the bottom of their aluminium boat to get the anchor out, throw around gear (such as steel yabby pumps) or otherwise move about clumsily or noisily. Once located, they will then give the anchor and chain an almighty swing and toss into the distance that even

a champion rodeo cowboy would be proud of! Once the anchor is down, they will then toss out a bait with a lump of lead that could almost act as an anchor for the boat, which of course causes another almighty splash. Another mistake I see boat anglers (including more experienced anglers) make quite regularly is ignoring the impact of the noise of the motor on the fish. All too often I see them roaring up at full speed to their desired location having scared off any fish in the immediate location. A better option is to slow down when you are within about 50m of your spot, and if you have an electric motor, use that for the last 10-20m or so. Similarly, I see anglers who are drifting over a spot, return to the start of their drift by motoring directly over the water they are about to start drifting again. A far better option is to swing around in a wide arc and again slow right down as you approach the start of the drift. From the shore, I’ve seen fellow trout anglers get up before the crack of dawn, drive their vehicle right down to the lakes edge then thump about setting up their rod and chairs inches from the shoreline. After a while, they then look across and ask each other why my mates and I seem to be catching fish only 20m away while they haven’t got a touch in the first hour of their arrival. I have also experienced first hand the effect of anglers wading very noisily on the flats either between locations or making their way back to shore to land a fish from the flats. When they get to their desired spot, often next to their disgruntled mate who they have ‘claim jumped’ they then wonder why neither they nor their mate (who was catching fish consistently), can now not get a bite! The answer lies in the fact that fish can hear and feel sounds whether they come from above or below the water (including vibrations from the water’s edge). So keep the music down, tread softly and move about in your boat as quietly as possible! TECHNIQUES Finally, there are a couple of fishing techniques that I see some anglers adopt that can cost them fish.

The first is the ‘set and forget’ technique with rods. While placing your rod vertically in a holder off the beach can make sense to keep your line above the first breakers and stop it getting washed in, it can also help hook fish that hit the bait hard like tailor and salmon. However, it is not always the best technique to use for all species yet I see it all the time. When setting your rod in a holder in an estuary, lake or calm water flats, keep the rod low and parallel to the water, allowing fish like whiting, flathead or freshwater species to take the bait and run and thus not feel the resistance of an upright rod. Switched on trout anglers also use baitrunner reels or open the bail arm of their reel and lightly bluetac the line to the rod so the fish can pick up the bait and feel little resistance as they move off with it. Secondly, sweep from the beach can be an area that frustrates anglers to no end, having their lines washed sideways into other anglers lines or into the shore. In such conditions, anglers should ditch ball sinkers for star or breakaway sinkers to get a better hold. Sometimes even this doesn’t work so it is then best to move along the gutter or channel until you find a rip, where the sweep is dragging water out to sea. From here you want to fish the side opposite to where the sweep is running out to sea. You will find this area much easier to fish with much less sweep. SUMMING UP So there you go! Fishing is a fantastic pastime and can be very rewarding and relaxing. But it can also be frustrating if you keep losing, or not catching fish and not understand why. I hope these tips and tricks help you catch more fish and learn from your mistakes. I hope it also encourages you to keep learning more from time on the water, with guides or reading magazines and books. For more tips, reports and giveaways, check out my Facebook page, w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / ontourfishingaustralia. Until next month, bag your mates – not your limit! MAY 2017

Hobie Round 3 at Mallacoota Over the weekend of 25-26 March, 74 anglers from all over Australia headed to Mallacoota in East Gippsland, Victoria to compete in the Mortgage Corp Round 3 of Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9. After a tough pre-fish day, where a lot of anglers struggled to find abundant fish, the first day of competition saw conditions that looked promising for a good catch, with overcast skies and a breeze on both Top and Bottom lakes. By the end of the session a reasonable number of anglers pulled in solid bags, with other competitors struggling to find enough fish to fill theirs. Nevertheless, 55 anglers brought back fish to the

Strike-Pro weigh-in, 18 with full bags of four fish. The field was led by Richard Somerton with his full bag of four fish for 3.64kg, followed by Bogdan Zisu with four fish for 3.50kg and Tony Pettie sitting in third place with four fish at 2.97kg. As the sun rose over the Pro Lure Arena and competitors raced away from the PowerPole starting, with clearing skies and very little wind expected throughout the day, anglers were in for a second testing day of competition. There was very little cover to entice fish to venture out of hiding. Despite a second hard day of fishing that didn’t produce the Mallacoota magic that anglers expect from the inlet, 28 full bags were still

brought back to the Strike Pro weigh-in, with a total of 121 fish weighed in on the day. Of the 74 anglers, only 65 caught fish over the two days of competition. A total of 260 fish were caught over the two days and weighed 162.36kg all up. SOMERTON’S SECOND SEASON WIN Richard Somerton from Mount Martha, Victoria took out his second tournament of the three that have been contested so far in the 2017 series. Somerton spent the day out on the water on Friday making to most of the pre-fish day. “Pre-fish day on Friday was so-so, I went down to the Dead Finish on a little reef

thing in the morning with me. So, I decided to leave and hit Gravelly Point. When I got there, I dropped a fish, which was certainly a good legal, on probably my fourth cast. Then I got a little one in the yak and I was on my way.” Somerton then managed a fish weighing 750g from around the corner caught on a plastic. He made his way to the other side of Dead Finish Bay where there were some muds. There he got his bag and a small upgrade. He was just under 2kg and the fish stayed there, in my live well, from 9:40am right through until about 1:30pm. Then he pulled into two bays at the top of the Narrows. He upgraded one of

Day one had promising overcast weather and a good breeze for fishing.

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MAY 2017

back in there. I found there were a couple of fish on it and I threw topwater at them. I pulled it away and left them alone. I continued to check out some locations and ended up with about a dozen fish by the end of the day. I thought to myself, ‘Ok, great! They’re around,’ and I was ready for day one of the comp. “On day one of the competition, when it was announced that we were chasing four fish, I knew I had to go at it hard. So, I virtually just worked the whole of Dead Finish Bay, slowly and methodically hitting everything that I could. I found a lot of muds, and fish mudding in there, and I managed to get a bag nice and early, which brought a smile to my face. From there I just slowly upgraded throughout the day.” In the last 45 minutes, Somerton managed two slightly better fish, which made him even happier. He caught one on a Cranka Crab, which he had changed the hooks on. The other was caught by rolling a Cranka Crank in beer bottle colour. On day two of the event, Somerton was joined by plenty of other anglers who went down to the Dead Finish. “There were a least a half a dozen yaks down there first

the fish straight away, with a 850g fish. Then he headed into the next bigger bay. He found plenty of fish were feeding actively and he scored two cracker 1kg+ fish. He upgraded his other two fish in the well and with half an hour to get back, he motored on back to the event site Over the day, Somerton tried a variety of tackle options, finding that the fish were spooked easily. He had a few majors to go to. His winning tackle consisted of a 1-4kg Duffrods rod and a Duffrods HySTIX rod, Daiwa

Richard Somerton took out the win again with some cracker 1kg+ bream. what presentations were enticing the bite. “It all started for me on pre-fish day, but it was a very tough day on the water. I did a full lap of Bottom Lake and only found one fish in one area and decided to leave that area alone. I headed to Top Lake and again just found a single fish. I just couldn’t back it up. So for the competition on Saturday and on the Sunday I decided to start by going back to Bottom Lake. “When I got back there, on day one of competition, the fish were there, in good average size. I grounded it out, landing a fish every hour to an hour and a half, throwing brown suji shrimp Jackalls. I was just taking them over a drop-off, slow rolling from very shallow to 1.5m and they were just hitting it. They loved it! “About 1pm, when the wind picked up, I made my way to ‘the Sands,’ Goodwin Sands, and there were fish all over it. I was throwing ZMan Slim SwimZ and managed to upgrade two or three times in the last hour and a half of competition. “I pretty much had a mirror day of that, on Sunday. I went straight back to the same spot I started at on Saturday and got my bag of reasonable sized fish. Again, at about 1pm when the wind picked up, I got back on ‘the sands’ and caught plenty of fish, but I wasn’t able to upgrade. I headed back home hoping I had enough in my bag to at least hold my second position from day one, and I did it!” Zisu used a Millerods rod with a Daiwa Steadz and a Daiwa Certate reel. For line he used Sunline FC 3lb

caught rolling a lure down the side of a fallen dead tree. As soon as the lure got to the end of the tree, the fish chased it and hit hard. The fight was on! “I got the nose of the Hobie facing out to open water and started pedalling the MirageDrive like mad. I got it out in the clear before it tried to head back home to the tree. I had no choice but to lock up, drop the rod tip under the water, and pedal hard and turn the fish before it got back in under the tree.” “I got it out in the middle of the bay and wore it down before getting it in the yak. I thought, ‘no wonder the thing went so hard,’ it was a big yellowfin (bream), which can pull a black bream inside out. First thing that came to mind was, ‘how did I land that?’ I think I just got lucky.” Allen’s rod was a 6’10, 2-6lb Samaki Zing Gen II. His reel was an Ecooda Black Hawk 2 2000. He used Samaki 6lb braid, Samaki 4lb leader and an Ecooda Mini Crank in pearl shrimp colour. MORTGAGE CORP MONSTER MOVER The Mortgage Corp Monster Mover prize went to Michelle Gamble from Mallacoota in Victoria. Michelle moved up from no fish and 55th place on the Rhino-Rack Leaderboard at the close of day one to finish in 38th place with a three fish bag of 1.82kg. SPECIAL THANKS The Mortgage Corp Round 3 of Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9 could not have gone ahead without our generous sponsors, Daiwa Australia, Berkley, Atomic, Lowrance, Rhino-Rack,

DIVISION WINNERS Category Womens Youth Masters Grand Masters

Angler Tameika Purnell (NSW) Jack Gammie (NSW) Gary Hanson (VIC) John Whelan (NSW)

Exist and Daiwa Certate reels, Daiwa braid, Sunline FC 3lb straight through, a Cranka Crank in beer bottle colour and a Cranka Crab. BOGDAN ZISU BAGS SECOND Like Richard Somerton, second placegetter Bogdan Zisu took advantage of the pre-fish day on Friday to test out locations where fish may be congregating, see how active they were and

Fish Total Weight (kg) 6 3.21 5 3.43 6 3.91 3 1.58

straight through. The lures of choice were the Jackall Chubby in brown suji shrimp and ZMan Slim SwimZ in bloodworm. ATOMIC BIG BREAM Glenn Allen from the New South Wales Central Coast caught the largest fish of the tournament, and won the Atomic Big Bream $100 cash prize. His Atomic Big Bream came out of a back bay in Bottom Lake. The fish was

Strike Pro, TT Lures, JML Anglers Alliance, Power-Pole, Mortgage Corp, Pro Lure, Hobie Polarized and ABT. Thanks also to Leaf and the team from Compleat Angler Merimbula for providing Hobie dealer support over the weekend. Thanks to all the anglers for your participation and support of Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9. – Hobie Kayak Bream

Tuross Head tournament an outstanding success With MotorGuide as its major sponsor, the sixth annual Tuross Head Flathead & Bream Tournament has been an outstanding success, with 255 competitors taking to the water around the small fishing village on the NSW south coast. At the end of the weekend catch-and-release fishing tournament, the experienced

David Fraser took home the winner’s trophy with his two best flathead at 72.6cm and 48cm. His best bream were 32.3cm and 27.5cm. He scored a total of 248.1 points and a comfortable 10-point lead on Stuart Walker in second place. It was a one to remember for David. By 3pm on Saturday he didn’t have a fish in the boat, then he

the competition has gotten stronger and stronger, with entries filling up a lot quicker. Plenty of the competitors bring their family to Tuross Head so we have 800-1000 people come into the area, which is tremendous for the local economy.” As part of its sponsorship, MotorGuide supplied a new

provided to the tournament,” Peter said. MotorGuide motors were a common sight at the tournament, being ideally suited to competition fishing. The MotorGuide Xi5 allows fishers to stay in a specific spot, shuffle the boat in either direction to better explore fishing holes, move

The tournament had 255 anglers participating and was a great success.

David Fraser took out first place and won a big smile from the little angler next to him.

caught his final four in just half an hour. The largest flathead of the competition was caught by Malcolm Gilham and largest bream by Jeremy Leoflath. Competition Coordinator Peter Dugan from the Tuross Head Fishing Club said it was another very successful tournament. “The weather was great, thank goodness, and while the fishing was a bit slow on the Saturday by the end, things were back to normal

with some very nice fish recorded. Most fishers were two to three in a boat, and this year we had a lot of kayakers with some people even fishing from the banks,” he said. “I would really like to send a big thankyou to the rest of the committee and volunteers involved in running this competition. Things ran very smoothly and without their help this tournament wouldn’t be what it is today. “In just a few years

Fishing legend Steve Starling at the event. bow mount MotorGuide Xi5 trolling motor, which was given away as a Lucky Angler prize. “That was a great prize that everyone was hoping for, and I’d like to thank MotorGuide for the wonderful support they have

in a chosen direction and more. The Xi5 is also fully compatible with Lowrance fishfinder/chart plotters through the Pinpoint Connect interface, which was also part of the major giveaway. – Tuross Head Flathead & Bream Tournament

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2017 MAY

JUNE

JULYT

20 May

BASS Electric #3 Hinze Dam

www.abt.org.au

20-21 May

Round 7 Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9 St Georges Basin

hobiefishing.com.au

20-21 May

South Coast Fishing Clubs Inc. Rock comp Lakeview

www.nswfca.com.au

20-21 May

Manning River BREAM Qualifier #5 Manning River

www.abt.org.au

3-4 Jun

Cania BASS Pro Qualifier #2 Cania Dam

www.abt.org.au

7-8 Jun

Boondooma BASS Pro Qualifier #3 Boondooma Dam

www.abt.org.au

10-11 Jun

Round 8 Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9 Port Macquarie

hobiefishing.com.au

17-18 Jun

BASS Electric #4 Borumba Dam

www.abt.org.au

5-6 Jul

Lake St Clair BASS Pro Qualifier #4 Lake St Clair

www.abt.org.au

8-9 Jul

Glenbawn BASS Pro Qualifier #5 Glenbawn Dam

www.abt.org.au

15-16 Jul

Richmond River BREAM Qualifier #6 Richmond River

www.abt.org.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours. Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name. MAY 2017

Back-to-back for Morgan

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

STORM

Steve Morgan made it back-to-back wins on the Costa BREAM tour, with the 44 year old Brisbane bream fisher adding a win at Albany to his last start victory at Gippsland Lakes in February. Compiling a 10/10, 5.615kg limit for the tournament Morgan used a two-prong approach to catch his tournament winning fish, fishing both bridges and oyster racks each day to fill his limit. Heading straight to King River Bridge on day one, a spot that he shared with Warren Carter, Morgan didn’t have to wait long for the action to happen, and to fill his limit. “The bridges were one of the few places that I was confident I could catch fish at low tide, so that’s where I went first up,” explained Morgan. Fishing the opposite side of the bridge to Carter, Morgan cast his lure out and fished it down deep under a school of anchovies. “The bream were down there eating the anchovies, and they were hungry and super keen to eat my Cranka Crab,” explained Morgan. It only took 25 minutes

Steve Morgan with a brace of his Albany winning bream. for Morgan to fill his limit, a limit that included a 1.37kg fish and two fish over 30cm. As the tide rose Morgan changed location, and he changed to what he really loves, throwing Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns at oyster racks and fishing OSP Bent Minnows on the flats. “Before the water got high enough to fish the racks I fished the edges of the channel with Bent Minnows, intercepting the bream as they moved up onto the flat. Once the water got high enough

BIG BREAM R

Steve Morgan secured the Big Bream Prize adding $500 to his event winnings with his 1.365kg kicker on day one caught on a Cranka Crab on the bridge.

I moved in and fished the racks,” explained Morgan. Morgan’s rack technique involved throwing his Ecogearaqua over the top of the rack. He’d then pop it over the edge and it was as it was sinking down after the pop that the fish would eat it. “You’d see the bream come out, sniff the Aqua, then choff it down and eat it. If it was a little bream you wouldn’t set the hook, you’d pop it out of the fish’s mouth and hopefully a bigger fish would eat it. If I didn’t get a bite on the initial drop I’d twitch the Aqua across the surface to the middle of the racks, then deadstick it, and a fish would often charge out and eat it,” explained Morgan.

While Morgan’s rack approach saw a tonne of fish (50-70 fish), it was the early morning bridge pattern that put the big fish in his well, and saw him weigh in nearly 4kg for the day. Heading back to the bridge on day two, Morgan lasted about an hour. “It didn’t really happen on the bridge on day two, so I pulled the pin and headed to the racks,” explained Morgan. Putting together a limit throwing Ecogearaquas, Morgan compiled a 1.63kg bag to hold onto to the lead and claim his second victory for the year. Morgan cashed in at Albany, picking up the winner’s cheque, the Big Bream prize, 1st place Pro cheque, and the Duffrods Big Bag.

Carter cruises into second Warren Carter brought his fishing form west from Victoria, adding another podium finish to his tournament CV to help put behind him the bad memories of the long roadtrip. Compiling a 10/10 bag at 4.88kg for the event, Carter started his tournament fishing the King River Bridge on day one. “I fished here for the whole day throwing Cranka Crabs and had my limit by about 9.30am,” explained Warren.

It’s hard not to smile like Warren Carter when you’re catching bream like these.

TOP 10 BOATERS

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 80

MAY 2017

Place Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 9 7 8 10

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 9/10

5.615 4.880 4.015 3.910 3.780 3.695 3.495 3.205 3.170 3.005

$1600 + $500 Big Bream (1.365kg) + $400 Pro + Costa Sunglasses $1100 + Merc Bonus $250 $750 + Merc Bonus $150 $500 + Yamaha Bonus $300

Steve Morgan Warren Carter Greg Cooper Cam Whittam Kim McIntyre Callum Dowell Charlie Saykao Mark Crompton Tom Palfrey Nigel Kelly

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

Using his new Minn Kota electric motor fitted with the new Spot Lock, Carter positioned his boat out and up current from the bridge then drifted his crabs back under the bridge. “This was a different approach to what I usually do. Usually I position the boat down current then throw up current towards the bridge. The new Minn Kota allows you to hold the boat up from the bridge and present the crab in a more natural way,” explained Carter. With his boat up current Warren would drift his crab in under the bridge. He would then occasionally tighten up on the line, then lay out some slack line and continue to drift it back. “The fish would swim up on the crab then pick it up and I’d then set the hook and try and muscle it out,” explained Carter. Carter paid a high price for fishing that deep in cover, landing half the fish he hooked. Despite the losses Carter weighed in a 5/5, 3.19kg bag to be sitting Continued over

From previous page

in second place at the end of day one. Returning to the bridge on day two it wasn’t until 8.30am that he boated his first fish. He put one more fish in his well then at 10.30am he moved location and fished the backside of some oyster racks, in an

area where he found some bream digs. “I threw a bunch of different lures in this area but it wasn’t until right at the end of the session that I caught the fish to complete my limit. I had three fish at 1.30pm, and in the last half hour I bagged out and upgraded twice,” explained Warren. The lure that did the

damage was a 70mm Smith Panish, while the outfit he used to present it was an Edge Rods 702, Shimano 2500 Stella, and 4lb leader. Carter weighed a heavier

bag than Morgan on day two, but didn’t have enough to peg back the lead Morgan had established for the final day. “I’ll take a second any

day, especially after the trials and tribulations we had on the drive across. The next stop is Blackwood and I can’t wait to get there,” explained Carter.

BREAM Presente SERIES d by BKK

Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn Cranka Crab

Current

Tom McIntosh dominated at Albany to claim the non-boater title.

Tommy Mac Tops the Field The only non-boater to weigh his full limit, Tom McIntosh fished shallow to catch his tournament winning bag, throwing OSP Bent Minnows and shallow Cranka Cranks around shallow weed beds. “I’d used the wind to make long wind assisted casts with the Bent Minnow then work it with a rip, twitch, pause retrieve. The key was to make plenty of casts and cover as much water as possible,” explained Tom. The outfit he used to throw his Bent Minnow included a 6’10”, 2-8lb 13 Fishing Envy Black rod, Daiwa 2004 Luvias reel, 6lb Unitika Bream Jr PE, and 3lb Gamma fluorocarbon leader.

While the Bent Minnow produced plenty of fish there was a limit to its use, and that limit was dictated by the wind. “You wanted the wind to blow for the Bent Minnow to work, but once the wind got too strong you couldn’t work the Bent Minnow properly,” explained Tom. Once the wind got up Tom put the minnow down and picked up the Cranka, fishing a smoke prawn coloured shallow Cranka Crank across the top of the weed. The lure would dive to about 1m, occasionally touching the weed and getting hung up. “Sure it’s a hindrance to get hung up on weed, but

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Steve Morgan valued added his event winning claiming the Duffrods Big Bag for the event with his 5/5, 3.99kg day one limit. The heaviest sack for the event came on a combination of Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns and Cranka Crabs.

that’s where the fish are,” explained Tom. It’s when the lure became hung up on the weed that Tom’s choice of rod played in his favour. “I prefer to use a slow taper rod when cranking because it allows to you pull the lure off the weed more gently than when using a fast tapered rod. A fast taper rod will pop the lure out too fast. It’s when the lure comes out off the weed in a slower more measured manner that the fish will often eat it. That’s exactly what happened during the event,” explained Tom. Tom’s crankbait outfit included a 6’9”, 2-6lb, 13 Fishing Muse Gold rod, Daiwa 2004 Luvias reel, 6lb Unitika Bream Jr PE, and 3lb Gamma fluorocarbon leader. Tom’s multi-lure approach paid off delivering him a 5/5, 2.80kg limit on day one, and a 5/5, 1.86kg limit on day two. His victory punched

his ticket for December’s Costa BREAM Grand Final at Lake Macquarie and was a sign of things to come for the second half of the WA leg of the 2017 Costa BREAM Series.

WINNING TACKLE Outfit 1 (Cranka Crab), Rod Millerods Bream Buster, Reel Daiwa 2506 Luvias, Line 6lb Unitika Silver Thread fluorocarbon, Leader TBA, Lure Cranka Crab. Outfit 2 (Ecogear Aqua), Rod 7’5” Nordic Stage Artist, Reel Shimano Stella, Line 4lb Berkley Nanofil, Leader 6lb Chinu Harris, Lure Ecogear Aqua Bream Prawn rigged on a straight-through fluorocarbon, rigged on a Van Fook #1 worm hook.

Steve Morgan caught plenty of fish in the racks on Ecogear Aqua Bream Prawns.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

Thomas McIntosh 10/10 4.650 Costa Sunglasses + Prize Pack + $100 Hobie Bonus Brenton Madaus 9/10 3.915 Prize Pack + $300 Pro + $50 Hobie Bonus Nick Penprase 8/10 3.290 JML Rod + Prize Pack + $35 Hobie Bonus Jesse Choy 8/10 2.695 Prize Pack Wally Fahey 6/10 2.375 Prize Pack Joseph Gardner 5/10 2.325 Prize Pack Jenny Gardner 6/10 2.310 Prize Pack Adam Smith 7/10 2.050 Prize Pack Chris Hill 5/10 1.755 Prize Pack Mike Sutcliffe 4/10 1.585 Prize Pack For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

One and two, Morgan and Carter fishing the King River Bridge on day one. MAY 2017

Carter crushes it at Blackwood

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

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Warren Carter showed himself as the king of the west, with the 50-year-old Victorian fishing the edge at Blackwood to claim victory in the second of the two WA rounds of the 2017 Costa BREAM Series. Going one place better than his second at Albany, Carter jumped from third at the end of day one, to top spot on day two to finish the event as the king of the west. Hitting the water on pre-fish with the goal of trying to key in on the technique that delivered him victory in the last ABT event on the Blackwood, it didn’t take Carter long to realise that lightning was going to strike twice. “In 2013 I fished upriver working crankbaits parallel along the timber lined banks. Unfortunately I only caught three fish, perhaps it was because of all the rain that had been through the system. I then went down river and caught fish,” explained Carter. Caught between two options on day one, to go up or down, Carter spent the first hour and a half on day one up river for no result. He cranked up the Mercury, headed down

Warren Carter jumped from third place at the end of day one, to top spot on day two to finish the event as the king of the west. river and fished there for the rest of the day. “I fished shallow laydowns in 2ft of water with a Jackall Chubby and ended up getting my limit in the last hour and a half,” explained Carter. Day two saw a change of plan. He had little choice. “There was a pro fishing the flat that I was going to fish

WINNING TACKLE

Rod: Edge Rods 702; Reel: Shimano 2500 Stella; Line: Varivas PE; Leader: 4lb Varivas Absolute Fluorocarbon; Lure: Jackall Chubby brown suji, Smith Camion SR (black).

so I moved to a spot known as West Bay,” explained Carter. It was definitely a cloud with a silver lining. Carter filled his limit by 8am and then made his next change for the day, swapping from a Chubby to a black Smith Camion. “They black Camion was the switch that really turned them on. I would have caught 30 legal fish throwing it,” explained Carter. Delivering the heaviest limit (5/5, 3.54kg) and the Duffrods Big Bag to the scales on the final day Carter once again showed his dominance on the

Blackwood, claiming victory and stamping his name as the hot contender for the 2017 Power-Pole BREAM AOY points race. “My worst result so far this year is third and we’ve got four events to go, so I’m feeling good about my chances. But there’s definitely no certainties in this sport,” explained Carter. With Carter the defending AOY champion and with 396/400 points from the first four events and in career best form, only a brave person would bet against Carter for the AOY title.

Whittam cranks to second Victorian breamer Cam Whittam had a successful first visit to WA’s Blackwood River with the tournament veteran claiming a top two finish to end his western visit on a high. Day one saw Cam focusing on rock clumps, but it wasn’t the clumps themselves that he was fishing. “The tide was a little lower on day one and the fish seemed to be holding wide of the rocks waiting to move up with the water, and it was here that I caught my bream, plus a bunch of by-catch early in the morning. There was a lot of salmon, herring and

Cam Whittam had a successful first visit to WA’s Blackwood River claiming a top two finish.

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 82

MAY 2017

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

Warren Carter 10/10 6.125 $1,650 + Costa Sunglasses Cam Whittam 10/10 5.730 $1,200 Alex Griesdorf 10/10 5.515 $775 Greg Cooper 9/10 5.090 $500 Shane Owens 10/10 4.800 Blake O’Grady 7/10 3.810 Mark Crompton 10/10 3.685 Ben Scott 10/10 3.535 Charlie Saykao 5/10 3.515 Callum Dowell 8/10 3.370 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

bait in the area, and the bream were there as well,” explained Cam. With his limit in the well by 8am, Cam followed the fish as they moved further up the bank with the incoming tide. Throwing small cranks at the flooded rocks, Cam upgraded his initial small limit to finish the day with a 2.52kg limit. Aiming to repeat his day one success and pattern on day two, Cam Continued over

From previous page

once again found the fish willing to play the game, picking up his limit early then upgrading throughout the day as the tide rose and the fish gravitated towards the rocks. Acknowledging that the luck was on his side on day two with the hooks sticking in the big fish, Cam finished the day with his heaviest limit of the tournament, a 3.21kg bag. The main rod that

Cam used to do the damage on the Blackwood was a Duffrods T-8522, a great all-round rod that he can’t praise highly enough. “This rod suits my style of fishing perfectly, and it’s the first rod I reach for whether I’m throwing small crankbaits, large jerkbaits, vibs, or crabs,” explained Cam. I addition to his beloved Duffrods Whittam was very acknowledging post event of his sponsors and the

integral role they play in his tournament fishing career. “I can’t speak highly enough of my sponsors. EJ Todd, Humminbird, Minn Kota, and Tonic contribute greatly to what I do and I can’t thank them enough for their support. I’d also like to thank Yamaha for their support of ABT. Like all the Yamaha boaters on tour, I really appreciate the money they put in and their sponsor bonus program,” Cam Whittam concluded.

BREAM Presente SERIES d by BKK

Tom takes the title Making a clean sweep in the west, 21 year old Victorian breamer Tom McIntosh compiled a 10/10, 6.13kg limit to claim the non-boater title at Blackwood. McIntosh fished to his strength using many techniques that he had plenty of confidence in. He fished with good friend and BREAM Classic teammate Charlie

Saykao on day one. “Charlie and I had a chat after the draw at the briefing to nut out a plan for the day. With the rain that had been through the system we decided to fish the lower end of the river with the objective of filling our bag with limit fish, then head up river later in session in pursuit of bigger fish,” explained McIntosh.

Fishing sunken timber and rock bars Tom threw an ayu coloured Smith Jade, throwing it into the gaps and slots left by his boater and working it with a series of twitches and a pause. It was one such gap left by his boater that McIntosh caught his kicker fish for the day, a 1.46kg Blackwood monster. “There was a little gap at

Jackall Chubby

Making a clean sweep in the west, Tom McIntosh took out the number one spot for non-boaters.

Smith Camion

BIG BREAM

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Champion boater Warren value added his event winnings by claiming the Duffrods Big Bag for his outstanding day two bag. The limit that anchored his victory, his 3.54kg heavy weight sack came on a Jackall Chubby and Smith Camion.

Champion nonboater Tom McIntosh secured the Big Bream Prize at Blackwood, adding $500 to event winnings for his 1.46kg day one kicker fish. Caught on a Smith Jade in ayu colour it was muscled from a small gap next to a flooded tea tree bush.

the back of a tea tree bush. I cast the Jade in, twitched it down to a little branch and the fish hit it like a freight train. I applied pressure to him as soon as he struck and he came out with little fuss. Once he was out in the open it was game over.” In contrast to the Albany event where McIntosh used a slow taper rod for his crankbaiting, Blackwood saw him opt for a rod with a faster taper. “I was fishing tight to cover so I wanted a rod with a bit more backbone and a faster tip so I could apply pressure quicker than with a slower tapered rod,” explained Tom. McIntosh’s approach paid off and he delivered a 3.285kg bag to the scales to lead by over a kilo heading into day two. Paired with Steve Morgan on the final day, McIntosh’s plan was to fish the same structure as day one – timber and rock bar – but he was conscious of not hitting locations that his day one boater, Charlie Saykao, and other boaters, had fished the day before. While the pattern was the same the lure differed

with McIntosh throwing a shallow diving Cranka Minnow in rusty gold colour around submerged rocks. The approach paid off with McIntosh weighing in a 5/5, 2.845kg limit to claim a comfortable victory. His stunning last day delivered him a perfect 20/20 limit for the two WA rounds and fueled his back-to-back victories. “To do this well was beyond my wildest dreams. As a uni student it was a struggle to gather the funds to make the trip across, and these events were going to be the limit of the ABT events I could afford to do for the year. With two solid AOY scores under my belt, I’m now seriously considering how I can make it to more events,” concluded McIntosh. With his current hot streak who can blame him for wanting to try and make hay while the sun shines? Costa BREAM Series anglers now turn back to the east coast with ABT making a long overdue return to Taree in May for the Mercury Manning River BREAM Qualifier, 20-21 May.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Thomas McIntosh 10/10 Massimo Salomone 8/10 Joe Franco 6/10 Joseph Gardner 6/10 Mike Sutcliffe 6/10 Carey Nolan 7/10 Blake Coomber 5/10 Mirek Soucek 5/10 Rebecca Fazio 5/10 Rod Pickering 3/10

Weight (kg)

Payout

6.130 3.280 3.120 2.585 2.565 2.335 2.245 2.200 2.160 1.280

Prize Pack+ $500 Big Bream (1.46kg) Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

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

Winners are grinners in WA. There were plenty of sponsor prizes and cheques handed out. MAY 2017

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This section in NSW Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching. 84

MAY 2017

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory Holiday With Us, Sussex Inlet (02) 4441 2135 Surf Beach Holiday Park (02) 4232 1791 Kendalls on the Beach (02) 4232 1790 Werri Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1285 Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1340 Kiama Harbour Cabins (02) 4232 2707 Ulladulla Headland Tourist Park 1300 733 021

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boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat

BONITO SPORTSFISHING BOATS AUSTRALIA

Inside story...

Bonito Boats originated in New Zealand in 1973. Designed by Frank Pellen, the original hull was 4.85m long. Hundreds of these boats were made before the moulds came to the Gold Coast in the mid ‘90s. It didn’t take long for the commercial fishers of Moreton Bay to realise this hull suited them perfectly. Constant demand for a larger version kick-started the development of a 5.6m hull in 2012. In 2013 they extended their range further with a specific centre console deck.

Made for... Bonito’s focus is to build the best quality tiller steer, side and centre console boats available to both recreational and commercial fishers.

This month...

This month editor Steve Morgan takes a run in the new Bonito 500 tiller steer.

88 Kayak hotspot

Toby Grundy overcomes the frustration of the Queanbeyan River for rewarding results.

90 Deep vs edge bite

Venturing into deeper water, Justin Willmer explains why kayakers need a new ‘edge’ to their fishing.

94 Hobie Mirage Outback review

Take a first look at the new 2017 Mirage Outback as Corey Gallagher puts it through its paces.

96 Right boat for you

Wayne Kampe continues from last month’s feature on how to find the right boat for you.

100 Nitro’s Z18

Steve Morgan takes this absolute zinger of a bass boat for a spin on a popular tournament venue.

MAY 2017

Tackling the Queanbeyan River CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

The Queanbeyan River is the most frustrating fishery that I have encountered for a long time. There are plenty of big fish in the river and it is a really pretty spot to paddle, but the fish are so fickle and I am yet to work out their feeding patterns. That said, here is everything I know about this river. Despite being very annoying, it’s a really interesting river to fish.

if you kayak up towards Googong Dam. SPECIES The Queanbeyan River is jam-packed full of big redfin, solid golden perch, brown trout and Murray cod. It’s a real mixed bag and this makes it exciting, but also very challenging. Large cod won’t hesitate in striking at a small Rapala meant for a trout. Likewise, the bigger redfin will happily take surface lures designed for greenfish. TECHNIQUES If you’re fishing surface for cod, I recommend a smaller

so that the lure swims up the column fast, then I let it sink back down. The fish usually hit on the drop. To connect with a big reddie, try a large surface lure. This is one of the few areas I have visited where the redfin can be caught consistently using surface lures with snake-like imitations being the pick of the bunch. The redfin boof like cod so be prepared for some big hits and some solid fish. A 50cm specimen isn’t out of the question, especially if you fish in

Codey Flack with a sweet reddie caught while fishing vibes for yellas. FACILITIES The Queanbeyan River flows right through the centre of Queanbeyan, a large town in NSW that sits just outside Canberra. The town has everything you’ll need including a great tackle shop along with a supermarket, petrol station and cafes. You can even have a coffee at the launch spot right under the main bridge. Despite the closeness to town, bring a life jacket and beacon. Depending on how far you paddle, you may find yourself isolated, especially

surface lure slow rolled right over one of the many half submerged logs jutting out of the river. Inserting lots of pauses into the retrieve seems to bring the cod on, and they also prefer these paddler type lures over snakes and wakebaits. Spinnerbaits also work well, especially when fished parallel to a set of reeds or overhanging branches. The yellas can be targeted using blades, vibes and plastics, but vibes are by far the most effective. These fish seem to favour darker colours. I let my lure sink and then lift my rod tip quickly

winter. Vibes and blades also work well for these fish. THE KAYAK On my latest trip I used my Native Slayer Propel 13 and it performed well. Large stretches of the river are wide and deep, making a pedal kayak a great choice. If you want to get up into some of the better areas, you will need to travel a long way. Make sure your kayak has plenty of storage for food and water. You don’t need a sounder to fish Queanbeyan, as there are fish on most snags and all my fish have come from

Rigged and ready. A peddle kayak is a good choice. 88

MAY 2017

structure, never in the middle of the river. LOCATIONS Start by fishing right under the bridge in the centre of town. Yabbies cling to the pylons and small fish hover near the shade, which means predators are never far away. Up from the bridge and past the leagues club you’ll find plenty of reedy banks. These areas hold cod and reddies, which can both be targeted with surface lures. However, if chasing yellowbelly, you will have to push up towards Wickerslack Lane where the river narrows. There are large sunken boulders here where golden perch set up ambush points. You may have to get out of your yak around these areas and push, but always have a cast from the bank before getting back in. There are decent fish holding in the shallows. TACKLE For yellas and reddies, I use a Daiwa Gen Black series 2 Pinster 1-3kg rod matched with a Gen Black 2000 sized reel. I use 8lb braid and 8lb leader and I find this handles even the larger reddies with ease. It is also capable of dealing with solid cod. I caught a 76cm specimen using this combo earlier in the year. For cod, I use a Daiwa Tatula 100h baitcaster reel and a Daiwa Air Edge baitcaster 5-10kg rod. I run 20lb braid and 20lb leader and this is more than enough to deal with good-sized fish from a yak, even in snaggy areas. TIMING The Queanbeyan River is very frustrating because there is no right time to fish it. Sometimes the fish will hit everything and sometimes, despite the barometric pressure being perfect, the water temperature sits around 18°C and the clouds roll in. Then the fish will be completely shut down. Although you can catch fish all year round, even in the

There are plenty of places to stop and cast as Luc Abbott proved with this solid greenfish. depths of winter, you can also potentially waste a trip. The best indication that the river is firing is if you see young fishos lining the bank of an evening. The river has an almost cultlike following among the younger generation, with groups of teenagers often lining the bank during a hot bite and pulling in amazing numbers of fish. It actually reminds me a lot of the South Coast in that way, and it is wonderful to see so many young anglers practising catch and release in this urban waterway.

CONCLUSION The Queanbeyan River is one of those places that I will return to again and again because it is a bit of a puzzle. The surface action can be superb and the size of redfin has to be seen to be believed, along with their penchant to hit topwater and boof like a cod. It’s a complete mystery why the fish don’t have a bite pattern, meaning Queanbeyan is a frustrating place to wet a line. The amount of contradictions in one scenario makes it truly addictive kayak fishing.

The reddies tend to be big.

The redfin boof like cod and love a snake imitation.

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Lowrance HDS Carbon 16 boasts a massive 16” HD screen display, which gives you the equivalent of four 7” screens when set up as a four-panel split screen. To drive high-tech features, like StructureScan 3D with SideScan and DownScan Imaging, StructureMap, Broadband Radar and SiriusXM Weather Chart Overlay, there’s a powerful processor that lets you easily switch between applications and simultaneously view independent sonar feeds. SolarMAX HD display technology features HD views and clear visibility in all conditions and angles, and it can withstand higher temperatures than conventional units. With superior colour accuracy and boosted highdefinition reproduction, these screens are perfect for viewing picture-like sonar images. HDS Carbon 16 lets you view and control two independent, live sonar sources at different locations from a single display. Check out the website to find out more. Price: from SRP $6799 www.lowrance.com/en-au

STAR BRITE BOAT GUARD

HAINES SIGNATURE 495F

Star Brite has released a number of new marine cleaning products featuring PTEF – the slickest, non-stick material ever developed. It repels water and oil-based stains and deposits, making future cleanup quick and easy. It’s specially formulated for use on fibreglass, metal, plexiglass and painted surfaces, and can be applied over old wax or polish. One of the new products featuring PTEF is the Star Brite Boat Guard Speed Detailer and Protectant. This product uses high-tech polymers that bond to fibreglass, polished metal, plastics, rubber and painted surfaces to add shine, enhance colour and provide a barrier to UV damage. Just spray on and buff off to keep the boat looking its best, and extend the time between having the boat waxed or polished. Another new release is the Star Brite Premium Marine Polish. It provides excellent protection against UV, seals the surface to repel stains and delivers a deep, long-lasting gloss. You just apply once a year, let it dry to a haze and wipe off. Price: SRP $31 (Boat Guard), SRP $44.60 - $71.00 (Premium Polish) www.bla.com.au

ZIPWAKE V-SHAPED 3 INTERCEPTORS AMI have announced that the new Zipwake V-Shaped Interceptors are now available for Australian marine consumers. Complementing the existing highly effective modular Interceptor system, the new V-Shaped Interceptors are centreline mounted, and ideal for filling the gap between twin outboards or stern drives. Available in four models, the interceptors cover deadrise angles between 11-24°. The V-Shaped Interceptor can be included within new installations, or retro-fitted within existing builds, further increasing the flexibility of the system. Since its introduction in 2015, AMI have had notable success with Zipwake’s Dynamic Trim Tab System. This system has been installed in a wide range of vessels, from smaller, highly agile pilot craft through to larger recreational and commercial vessels, utilising Zipwake’s modular capabilities to extend multiple interceptors across a wider transom. www.amisales.com.au

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Haines Signature’s new 4th generation 495F delivers an extra 6” of cockpit space, a redesigned dash and more storage than its popular predecessor, the 493F. The 495F features more modern styling and cleaner lines including a reworked bowsprit. It also has full-length cockpit side pockets with shelves, two live bait tanks in the transom and a large cockpit/cabin area with improved bow access. The revamped dash can also now cater for larger electronics. It can easily be towed with the family car or SUV on a single axle trailer and is small enough to be garaged. The 495F can easily be launched by one person and is perfect for day trips. It boasts the same soft ride and stability at rest as its big brothers, with a power rating of 60-90hp. Options include a bimini, bait boards, stainless steel rails, transom steps and more. Price: from $43,923 with Suzuki DF90A (excl. on waters) thehainesgroup.com

NEW GARMIN GPSMAP UNITS

PRODUCT GUIDE

Available in 7” (752xs) and 9” (952xs), the Garmin touchscreen GPSMAP 752xsv/952xsv are equipped with 1kW traditional CHIRP sonar, CHIRP ClearVü scanning sonar, and support for Panoptix all-seeing sonar. Built-in wireless connectivity for Garmin mobile apps and VIRB action camera integration is also standard. A 10Hz GPS/GLONASS receiver delivers smooth on-screen navigation, while preloaded premium mapping features include Aus BlueChart g2 HD charts, and Quickdraw Contours personalised HD mapping software. The units offer full-network compatibility for the Garmin Marine Network, which allows support for sharing sonar, maps, user data, radar and IP cameras across multiple units. There’s also NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 support for autopilots, digital switching, VHF, AIS and other sensors. For those who prefer a keypad/rotary control knob interface, the new 10” (1022xsv) and 12” (1222xsv) units have the same GPS, connectivity and sonar features with the addition of CHIRP SideVü scanning sonar. They come preloaded with a worldwide basemap, with SD card slots to accept Garmin BlueChart g2 Vision HD charts. www.garmin.com/au/products

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

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MAY 2017

Deep Bite Man and Edge Bite Kid BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

You might be wondering who Deep Bite Man and the Edge Bite Kid are. Many moons ago I was on a fishing trip with a couple of characters – skilled anglers – and they were discussing how they often debate where to fish when bass fishing. One of them likes to fish deep schooled fish, while the other favours the edge bite. They both had their reasons for preferring one or the other and also acknowledged their strengths in that particular technique, while still being competent in the other.

rainfall, wind and a variety of other variables. I had hot bites sometimes and then occasional fishless sessions, where I was left wondering where the fish had gone. I began to realise the importance of being able to fish deep and shallow water, using a variety of techniques, so it was time to venture into deeper water. I read loads of articles about fishing deeper water, asked questions of those who consistently caught fish in deeper water and made a point of venturing out of my comfort zone. In the process I landed snapper, bream, trevally and a variety of other species and caught fish when the edge bite wasn’t happening.

It wasn’t instant success though and I needed to work on controlling the kayak and holding position, reading the sounder, selecting lures, staying in touch with them and better understanding the structure I was fishing and the species I was targeting. With the influx of freshwater into my local system recently, courtesy of Cyclone Debbie, my normal shallow water bite shut down and I was forced to revisit

also the winter bass season when the bass often bulk up, school up and at times feed aggressively in deeper water. If you normally catch fish on an edge or flat and the fish aren’t biting, try fishing the deeper water in close proximity to this edge. HOLDING POSITION Anchoring devices that commonly secure the kayak in shallow water, such as grab anchors (made from spring-loaded builders

Snapper become more common as you start fishing deeper.

This is another great example of an edge bite structure.

With freshwater floating on top, it’s time to fish deeper. After spending a few days with these guys I walked away and thought about my own fishing, which is predominantly kayak fishing and based around the edge bite. I fished channel edges, mangrove edges, the edges of sand bars, edgebased structure and very rarely ventured into water much deeper than 2m. I was regarded as a flathead fisho in the saltwater and caught plenty of bass in the fresh, but there were times when the bite wasn’t on the edge, due to season, weather, water temperature,

clamps), stake out poles, electric pole anchors and lightweight anchors, give way to heavier anchors and drift chutes in deeper water. I run a Cooper 1kg poly anchor when fishing the shallows and adding half a metre of chain to this setup is an effective option when fishing deeper water and faster currents. Downrigger bombs or similar lead weights are an option when fishing deep in lakes and impoundments without current. Much of my deep water fishing is drifting productive areas. A drift chute (sea anchor) is effective for slowing your drift in windy conditions, while also controlling the drift angle of the kayak when used in conjunction with an anchor running rig. The anchor running rig is simply a pulley toward the nose and another toward the tail of

An anchor running rig makes control and positioning easier. the kayak with a loop of cord running between them and a tag line to which the anchor line or drift chute is attached. The anchor running rig allows you to swing the anchor to the front or rear of the kayak, to fish up or down current, while also allowing you to adjust the angle the kayak sits to the

controlling the kayak angle when drifting. It is a compact paddle that can be used with one hand, allowing you to leave your larger paddle stowed when fishing. LURE SELECTION When it comes to lures I mostly fish soft plastics due to their versatility, affordability and ease of

This selection should cover you for edge and deeper bites.

Scent can make a difference when fishing slow and deep. MAY 2017

some of the deep water techniques I had developed after my first encounter with Deep Bite Man and the Edge Bite Kid. STRUCTURE AND BAIT Just like in shallow water there will be areas that hold more fish in deeper water. Keep an eye on your sounder for schooled fish and also bait balls that may attract predators. Structure is commonly a key element when fishing and in deeper water this can include

drift chute, which can make fishing more comfortable in rougher conditions, or make casting, line management and staying in touch with your lure easier. I generally anchor facing up current when lure fishing, bringing the lure back naturally with the current, and facing down current when bait fishing. A Backwater Hand Paddle is also an inexpensive and simple option for

changes in bottom structure such as rock, rubble, weed, snags, depressions and channels. Structure can also be artificial in the form of wrecks, bridge pylons, artificial reefs and rock walls. Structure creates current changes, eddies, shelter and also attracts bait. River mouths, seaway entrances, deeper holes and the main river channels are also consistent producers and at times the go-to spots to be fishing. Prime examples include the winter bream spawn, where bream often school in large numbers in deeper water toward the mouths of systems and

Bridge pylons are prime deep water structure.

fishing. They can also have plenty of action built into the lure. A soft plastic that catches bream on the edge bite will also catch them on the deep bite. It’s the same with other species and

will put through the rod tip and they tend to fish them too aggressively. I have had success fishing them more subtly, in the same way I fish a plastic, with small hops and pauses or slow lifts and drops.

of time to watch that plastic descend toward them, move in and eat it. This technique can be dynamite on bream, snapper and a variety of other species. Kayak control is crucial when fishing light and

There they are, a bit deeper. plastics, it’s just a matter of adding some heavier jigheads to your kit if the current and depth require it. I have a selection of 1/12, 1/8, 1/6 and 1/4oz jigheads for fishing the edge bite and these can also be used in deeper water, however I also include a handful of 3/8 and 1/2oz jigheads in my kit in case I venture into deeper water with stronger currents, or if stronger winds restrict casting distance. It’s also a good idea to include a few plastics with less action for deeper water, including a few jerkbait profile (straight tail) plastics. Paddle-tails and curl-tails have loads of action, which is great for fishing the shallows. However, this action slows the sink rate of the plastic, where the jerkbait can get

Other deep water lure options include micro-jigs, metal slugs and deep diving hardbodies. Hardbodies will generally have a diving depth marked on the packaging, giving you a starting point. If you have a sounder on the kayak you can troll the lure at different speeds until it hits the bottom, giving you an idea of what depth the lure runs at behind the kayak. This can be handy when targeting deep structure, bait and schooled fish. There are four main techniques I use when fishing deeper water. FISHING LIGHT Taking the light plastics you are fishing in the shallows and allowing them to slowly glide and swim toward the bottom in 3, 4, 5, and even more metres of water can be

a drift chute or hand paddle can help avoid the frustration of a spinning kayak. DREDGING This is the opposite of the first technique and involves fishing heavy, so that the lure is bumping and ploughing into the bottom. This technique can

lures vertically I was hopping, twitching, lifting and moving the lure all over the place… with little success. Nick Whyte from Tech Fishing taught me that less is more and that by using minimal movement and keeping in touch with the bottom occasionally, almost driving the lure just above the bottom, your lure presents a lot more naturally. Success followed with this much more natural approach… after all baitfish don’t spend their time rocketing around all over the place. HOP AND DROP The last technique is basically the same technique that I use when fishing the shallows, with a little more jighead weight to handle the depth. I make long casts ahead of the drift, either directly in front of the drift or slightly across the drift to cover more ground. Then I allow the lure to sink on a slack line, while managing the slack to keep an eye on the line and feel for any takes. Once the lure touches down on the bottom I give it a double hop, allow it to settle on the bottom again and repeat. It’s a matter of selecting a jighead that’s heavy enough to reach the bottom, while light

Who will catch these bass when they’re bigger, Deep Bite Man or the Edge Bite Kid?

An anchor can allow you to hold position and fish more effectively.

A hand paddle allows you to adjust your drift angle with one hand. down much quicker if you are targeting species that are holding deeper in the water column. Another favourite for deeper water is metal blades or vibes. I run 1/12, 1/8 and 1/4oz blades when fishing the edge bite. The 1/4oz also transfers well to deeper water, along with a few 3/8 and 1/2oz for deeper water and faster currents. A lot of anglers get excited about the vibration a blade

extremely effective. You need to be patient and position your kayak so that you can stay in touch with the plastic on a slack line, while feeling or watching your line for any bites. This can be especially effective in the low light conditions of dawn and dusk, when fish are feeding higher in the water column, and also on those glassy days and slack tides, when the bite can be finicky. The fish have plenty

be effective when targeting bottom dwelling species or species that are holding tight to the bottom. It is also a great technique for beginners. Get it down there and in their faces. Many big bass have been caught slow rolling a plastic through schooled fish on a 1/2oz jighead. The heavier lure can also help keep the kayak in position, by simply keeping the rod tip toward the nose of the kayak when retrieving the lure. FISHING VERTICAL Fishing vertical is extremely effective and it’s about striking a balance to find a jighead that will hold directly below the kayak as you drift with the current. When I first started working

enough to create that natural drift and sink that attracts the bite. Once the lure is below the kayak, give it a couple hops and retrieve it. Fishing behind the drifting kayak (dragging it with the drift) makes it difficult to work the plastic naturally and keep any contact with the bottom. As much of my fishing has been in the shallows, that is what I have mainly written about, so I figured I would cover some deep water techniques in more detail in this article and I hope this encourages those other edge bite kids out there to give some deeper water fishing a crack, especially when the edge bite is shut down. So who are you, Deep Bite Man or Edge Bite Kid? Is there a species, technique or water depth that you would like to explore more? Fish on!

This ramp is a good example of structure where you’ll find an edge bite. MAY 2017

Quintrex 2017: bigger, brighter, bolder, better For decades Quintrex have set the standard for the others to follow. Advanced hull designs, stunning performance, and styling that is both market leading and innovative see no weakening of that trend, and the release of their new models

stretch forming technology with the strength of pressed aluminium side sheets, the Blade hull design results in a boat that is sleek and streamline in looks and equally impressive in performance, handling, and ride. The legendary

610 is rated to a staggering 200hp. With ratings of this size the 570 and 610 are impressive to say the least. A favourite with keen anglers, the Renegade range has stepped it up to another level with the release of two new models. The Renegade 530

The Freestyler 550 launches into action.

Spacious and comfortable, the forward section of the 630 Freestyler is impressive to say the least. continues to see them as one of the forerunners of the aluminium boat industry. Upcoming in 2017 is the release of new models within existing line-ups, many of which are an answer to the calls from customers for a specific model or models, while the release of a whole new concept in hull design heralds a new dawn for Quintrex of aluminium hull design and performance. “We’re always very conscious of listening to our customers and dealers and many of the new models are a response to us listening to what our customers wanted,” explains Quintrex’s Account Manager Drew Jackson. While the expansion to existing line-ups has helped strengthen proven ranges, it’s the introduction of the new Apex hull concept that’s destined to chart out new water for Quintrex and its customers. “We’re incredibly excited about the Apex hull design and what it offers. It offers a level of comfort, stability and performance like we’ve never been able to offer before. It’s definitely next level stuff when it comes to aluminium hull design and performance,” added Jackson. MORE BLADE, MORE CHOICES Quintrex’s famous Blade hull design technology goes from strength to strength in 2017 and features heavily in the new line-up. A design that combines advanced 92

MAY 2017

Runabouts range takes full advantage of the Blade hull design with two new models, a 570 and 610 Fishabout now offer buyers two larger models. Designed with South Australian and Victorian boaters in mind the 570 slots perfectly in the range and offers a tonne of space, particular with its large rear deck. Like all Fishabouts in the range the 570 and 610 feature 3mm sides, while the larger of the two, the 610 offers boaters an offshore hull, without the usual hefty offshore boat price tag. With the same hull as the 610 Trident Plate boat, the 610 Fishabout now puts an offshore boat in reach of those on a budget. The 570 will take up to a 150hp outboard, while the

supersedes the previous 520 model, while the 570 introduces Quintrex’s biggest Renegade ever. Available in side and centre console configurations the Renegade boats are fussfree fishing platforms with a host of features that

come standard including a large carpeted floor complete with casting platform, live bait tank, rod holders, anchor well and transom step. Built tough with 3mm topside and bottom sheets, and high sides for safety and angler security, the

The 570 Renegade will take up to a 115hp outboard and offers anglers plenty of power, speed and range.

The 530 Stealth Hornet is a sportfish angler’s dream with large decks, plenty of storage, and exceptional comfort, making it hard to go past.

new Renegades are hard to go past for those looking for a 5m+ trouble-free, clutterfree, fishing platform. The largest of the two models, the 570, will take up to a 115hp outboard, offering anglers ample power, speed and travel range. HORNET HEAVEN Perhaps the most famous name in the Quintrex line-up over many years is the Hornet. A game changer when it was released in the 1990s, the new models show that the Hornet name has lost nothing when it comes to performance and ingenuity in design. The range has been buoyed by the addition of three new models with the Stealth Hornet 470, 510, and 530 models

taking Hornet design and performance to a new level. Standard features include a 30% longer front casting deck, a folding rear casting platform with fixed rear seats, 30% more storage and folding cleats for a cleaner look and work space. The console on the new Stealth models will accommodate a sounder up to 12”, while the largest model in the range, the 530, has the option of a dual console and a centre rod locker in the front casting deck. The new Stealth Hornet models aren’t short on power either with a 75hp (470), 115hp (510), and 150hp (570) maximum horsepower rating on each of the three models. Large, clear, clutterfree front and rear decks, voluminous storage hatches, stability, power and sure-footedness through chop and corners are the trademarks of the new Stealth Hornet models, and are attributes that are sure to see the Hornet name retain the reputation and following that it has enjoyed for many years. YELLOWFIN FEVER Quintrex’s Yellowfin offshore plate boat range welcomes two new family members with the 7000 and 7600 Southerners designed to handle the rough conditions of Southern Australia. Featuring the refined hull design that was released with the range in 2016, the two new models for 2017 feature a 300mm longer cabin for extra driver and passenger protection, and a now-standard carpetlined hood on the hard top models that improves looks and comfort. Optional features include a portside wiper option, external handwash featuring a foot switch, while a lockable bait station

on the stern provides ample tackle storage and a large, well thought out baiting and rigging area. All HT (Hard Top) models feature a rain deflector for added protection and dryness, while the largest of the two new models, the 7600 Southerner, is rated for a 300hp outboard. If a single 300hp is not to your liking there is the option for twin 150s. Strong, powerful and uncompromising, the new Yellowfin Southerners are designed for those who aren’t willing to settle for anything but the biggest and the best. A NEW HORIZON The release of the new Apex Hull design

at the bow provides greater lift, resulting in better boat position and attitude on the water. The Apex Hull features RSDs (Raised Side Decks) that increase overall internal volume by 20%. It’s also fully welded for improved strength and rigidity. The new Apex Hull is a step above what has come before with its modern styling and design elements delivering a significantly progressive, contemporary look to the Quintrex brand. The Apex Hull is available in two ranges, the Frontier and Freestyler. The Frontier is available in five different sizes, 510, 530, 550, 590, and

a super comfortable, super roomy watersports vessel. THE NEW FRONTIER The console of the new Frontier has a tonne of storage room and can accommodate a 12” sounder, while the front casting platform has room for your favourite Eva Kool esky. The 510 and 530 will accommodate a 50L, while the larger models will take an 85L, and even an impressive 110L if the raised casting option is selected. Four stainless steel rod holders, and aluminium live bait tank with viewing window, and Sea Tread kit on the transom and front further enhance the Frontier’s list of standard options to make it an excellent choice for those

The inside of the Freestyler is sleek and modern and offers more space and 80mm more freeboard thanks to Quintrex’s RSDs (Raised Side Decks). Featuring all the elements of the Apex Hull design including RSD, sweeping chine, increased hull flare, and outstanding comfort, stability and cornering ability, the Freestyler looks as good as it performs. The RSDs increase the space substantially, while providing a greatly level of

user safety and confidence, making it ideal for families. The lines of the Apex Hull combined with the forked bow of the RSD and sleek windscreen profile provide a modern contemporary aesthetic. The Freestyler doesn’t scrimp on storage either with plenty of storage throughout including

up), barn door, bow ladder, ski pole and bait board, picnic table, and Fish Pack Rear Lounge. The Freestyler is the showpiece of the new Apex Hull design and is a range that impresses you with both when at rest and in action. Quintrex’s Nathan Shaw gave us an insight the company’s thoughts on the

Sure-footed and with plenty of power through the corners, the Quintrex Freestyler eats up the conditions. is Quintrex’s newest evolution in hull design since the introduction of the Blade Hull in 2011, and it’s one that Quintrex is ecstatic about. “We released the Apex Hull to our dealer network at a recent conference on the Gold Coast and we were overwhelmed with their response. I encourage anyone to test drive one of the Apex Hulls, because the results speak for themselves,” explained Quintrex’s Account Manager Nathan Shaw. The key design element of the Apex Hull design is the flare of its hull. Carried further aft to maintain continual contact with the water, the result is a smoother more comfortable ride. The wider, sweeping chine design of the Apex Hull opens the front of the hull that allows the flaring to carry further along the stem to significantly enhance rough water performance and capabilities. The widening of the chine has greatly improved boat stability and grip when cornering, while the increased surface area

630, and is available in both side or centre console configuration. Featuring the Apex Hull’s flared bow, 4mm bottom and 3mm side sheets, and RSDs that deliver 80mm more freeboard and allow for concealed controls and wiring, the Frontier is a range that is equally at home as a fishing platform or as

looking for a boat that’s a multi-use all-rounder. For those looking for a bit more flash and splash in their life, the Freestyler range has the Apex Hull for them. Available in five models, 510, 530, 550, 590 and 630, the Freestyler series is serious fun and shows a side to Quintrex boats that we’ve never seen before.

Like nothing we’ve seen before from Quintrex, the new 630 Freestyler is a huge leap forward in design and performance.

Clear, clutter-free decks with plenty of holeshot, the new 470 Stealth Hornet is an impressive sportfishing boat.

a console storage hatch that allows for quick easy access to your valuables. The Freestyler ’s performance and style are equally matched with power. The 530 is rated to a 130hp, while the biggest model in the range, the 630, takes up to a 200. The 630 running a 175hp Evinrude G2 E-Tec, for example, is impressive when it comes to hole shot, powers through corners and top speed when run wide open. With a 200 on the transom, the performance and power will be next level again. For those looking to pimp their ride, the Freestyler offers a long and impressive list of optional features including a wakeboard tower on the larger models (550 and

Freestyler and who it will appeal to. “The Freestyler features a unique, modern look with sleek sporty lines. The performance of this boat is unbelievable; the way is handles corner and rough makes it suitable for a variety of uses.” Quintrex’s new models for 2017 see the evolution of this famous brand continue. The addition of new models within the Blade Hull series further enhances the famous hull design line-up, while the creation of the innovative Apex Hull design heralds a new future in performance, function and style. To find out more about the new models visit your local Quintrex dealer or visit www.quintrex.com.au. MAY 2017

Hobie Mirage Outback with 180º capabilities

MELBOURNE

Corey Gallagher

Hobie have a long tradition of quality and innovation. Their products have dominated kayak angling markets worldwide since the introduction of the first purpose designed, pedal propelled fishing kayak, the Mirage Outback in 2001. In the 16 years since its introduction, the Outback has undergone several key upgrades transforming it into one of the best kayak angling platforms available. The 2017 model saw the evolution continue with the introduction of the Mirage Drive 180 and the new Camo Series edition. Like its bigger brother, the Mirage Pro Angler, the Mirage Outback was designed purely as a fishing kayak. Its hull design and deck layout have been carefully considered and the result is an exceptional kayak that appeals to both tournament and social anglers alike. As a regular participant on the Hobie Kayak Bream Series I have witnessed the growing popularity of the Mirage Outback amongst kayak tournament anglers in recent years. The Outback offers many advantages over rival kayaks and its lightweight hull design is a major contributor to its success. The Mirage Outback can be easily transported to and from 94

MAY 2017

your favourite fishing spot on roof racks. Its manageable size and weight make launching that much easier when fishing solo and very little room is required when storing the kayak at home. The major upgrade to the 2017 Mirage Outback is undoubtedly the addition of the Mirage Drive 180. The MD180 differs from past Mirage Drive units in that it has the ability to move the kayak in reverse. For many years this has been the thorn in Hobie’s side with more conventional pedal and propeller propulsion systems in rival yaks always having this ability, just with less power.

The Mirage Outback angler can pull the reverse shift cable on the MD180 to pivot the fins 180 degrees, allowing the kayak to be propelled in reverse, at full power. Simply pull the forward shift cable to return the fins to their original position and continue. I have been using the MD180 for several months now and have been surprised just how much I am engaging reverse. I often use the reverse feature to negate the effects of tide or wind pushing me past a snag, rocky point, pontoon or pylon. This keeps me in the hot zone longer. I have also found the reverse drive invaluable when hooked up to a fish, as

reversing allows me to clear the fish of any structure before any potential bust-offs. The new fin design produces more thrust allowing the angler to reach their spots faster. The second major upgrade on the 2017 model is the introduction of the new Camo Series. The Camo Series Outback features the new camo colour styling. It’s an olive kayak with grey and black mottling throughout and non-slip pedal pads creating a striking kayak both on and off the water. A larger Twist and Stow rudder and large pad eyes for attaching accessories in the cargo area are also included

The Outback is exceptionally stable for a smaller kayak, allowing anglers to stand in their yaks – an important feature for anglers wanting to cast and retrieve lures.

SPECIFICATIONS Length Overall.............................................. 3.68m Beam.............................................................. 0.84m Crew.................................................. 1 (single seat) Capacity.........................................................181kg Fitted Hull Weight............................................37kg Fully Rigged Weight........................................45kg Vantage Seat CT Capacity............................125kg Hull Construction.......... Rotomolded Polyethylene RRP................................... $3390 (+$200 for Camo) in the Outback Camo Series package. The 2017 Outback is also available in its standard configuration in these colours: Caribbean blue, golden papaya, red hibiscus and ivory dune. The other key feature of the Outback out from its rivals is the Vantage Seat CT. With three-way adjustment and two seating height adjustments Hobie have taken comfort to a new level. The Lowrance Ready system remains in the 2017 model allowing anglers to easily mount compatible transducers in a built in mount with through-hull wiring plugs provided. This system can also accommodate Lowrance Totalscan transducers, which solves a long-standing problem with anglers wanting to run side scan in their kayaks. Other key features of the Outback include the Twist and Stow rudder – a retractable rudder that swings out of the way when it’s not needed and is perfect when launching from a bank – a large front hatch, 8” twist and seal centre

and rear hatches, port and starboard mesh pockets and a rear cargo area with bungee tie downs and pad eyes to secure accessories. There is plenty of room to store all the equipment needed for a day on the water. The kayak also features four moulded rod holders which double as a great place to store nets, gaffs and other gear. Please note that the reviewed kayak featured several aftermarket accessories including the Micro Power Pole Anchor, Hobie Livewell and Lowrance Elite 9 Ti Sounder. The Hobie Mirage Outback is an extremely versatile kayak that appeals to a broad range of anglers. It is feature packed in a lightweight package adding further to its appeal. The Outback has long been a favourite among the kayak angling fraternity and the 2017 model with its upgraded reverse drive and appealing Camo Series will ensure that this kayak continues as one of the best options for kayak anglers.

The major upgrade to the 2017 Outback, the Hobie MD180 featuring ST Turbo fins moves the Outback along effortlessly and with improved efficiency.

Hobieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Twist and Stow rudder can be retracted when not required. The Camo Series model includes an upgrade to a larger rudder.

Recessed rudder control with soft touch grips allow the kayak to be easily stored or transported upside down.

A large cargo area behind the seat gives the angler plenty of storage options. Hobieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Livewell or H Crate fits perfectly into this space. The Camo Series includes larger pad eyes for tying down these aftermarket accessories.

The seating position and angler cockpit is large enough to accommodate most anglers and mount plenty of aftermarket accessories such as camera mounts and fish finders.

Reversing in the Outback is now possible, anglers pull the reverse shift cable pivoting the fins 180 degrees, instantly moving the drive into reverse. Simply pull the forward shift cable to return the fins to their original position.

The Hobie Mirage Outback Camo Series includes several upgrades over the standard kayak including the striking camo colour.

Camo coloured non-slip pedal pads are included in the Camo Series edition.

A large front hatch with bungee tie downs allow anglers to store all the equipment needed to enjoy a day on the water. MAY 2017

How to choose your next boat from the get-go PART 2 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In last month’s issue I covered a lot of ground in considering some of the more important factors that can influence the selection of the right fishing boat for a given fishing situation. Pretty obviously this is one mighty big topic given the differing fishing

boats about with differing designs, attractively useful features (or otherwise) and standards of finish and fit out that can go from terrific to terrible. In the sun shirt stakes some of us like really flashy ones with a trendy design, the maker’s logo prominent up front and maybe a fish or two being flashed on the back. A comparable boat might well show off so much bling it fairly shines on the darkest night, and why not? There are quite

Plain alloy dressed up with a decal shows the versatility of this sort of rig. scenarios that exist and the fact that we use virtually everything from paddleboards to big ocean-going rigs to chase our fish! Between those widely spaced parameters there is always just the right fishing boat for the job. It’s merely a matter of making the right selection from the get-go. If things are assessed correctly from the start, the chosen craft should be on the money when it comes to chasing those fish. SO MANY BOATS! The trouble is that boats are about as plentiful as those sensational sunproof shirts we anglers like to wear. And just like the plethora of sun shirts in the tackle and water sports shops, there are just as many

job, as many bells and whistles as possible and enough fishing features onboard to warrant regular envious inspection. It’s not everyone’s boat, naturally, but guess what? The owner catches a lot of fish because the rig is perfect for his or her fishing requirements. On the other side of the picture, the sun shirt is old, faded and perhaps a bit tatty. Close to being declared the next cockpit hand wipe in fact: but the nonchalant owner still wears it happily whether on the water or not. The tatty sun shirt style of boat will likely be faded fibreglass or weather worn alloy with a few dings, dents and stains within and without. If it’s a small tinnie the seats might have seen some brief duty as cutting boards and it’s no surprise that the engine cowling is faded. Yet the boat seems to have a lot of large fish scales within its crusty sides, dried crab legs are tucked into the odd corner and the boat

the selection of a just-right rig often comes with one major decision. Do we go with glass or alloy? Last month’s issues of freeboard, sea keeping ability, ride quality and fishing room are still very much in the mix, naturally, but in this piece we’ll look further into the pros and cons of both glass and aluminium products. This is not a glass versus alloy debate. It’s to show what they can offer a potential owner. IS ALLOY FOR YOU? It’s not hard to comprehend the popularity of alloy boats. Versatility of design ensures that the buyer can usually find a rig within the proposed price range and intended purpose without too much expenditure of precious time or money. Factors favouring alloy craft include less weight per metre of hull length and there’s the sweetener of reduced requirements for care around the ramps and rocks, especially with an unpainted hull. Beware of a painted hull touching one of those pontoons with yellow buffers, especially if said buffer is weathered. These things can scuff paint terribly, so keeping the hull from prolonged contact is wise. All alloy craft still need some TLC with overall use and storage. Battery isolator switches are essential to keep power from leaking and causing electrolysis. A good clean

Modern alloy welding techniques offer rapid production, minimal waste and the assurance of a well-finished and sturdy end product for the angler. the-art stretch formed hulls and MIG and TIG welding techniques that offer strength and neatness of finish in spades. Enhanced second and third generation hull designs promote good riding characteristics and the old days of rough riding

to hot showers and a marine toilet. In between these extremes are craft that meet every conceivable need from family fishing rigs to specialised finesse fishing outfits for true enthusiasts. From sub 4m roof rack riders through to well

Just like our fishing shirts, alloy craft come in all sizes and shapes. This well built pontoon rig combines immense stability with ample fishing room. a few dollar’s worth of lights tucked under those gunwales! Our bling boat naturally sports the best possible finish in gleaming glass or an awesome alloy paint

even smells like the sea at low tide. Again, the owner certainly knows how to score a feed of fish or crustaceans. And again that craft is not for all. While boats might vary,

From kayaks to mighty offshore rigs, anglers align their choices with their needs to get the most from their fishing.

Sea Jay’s mighty 6.8 Pursuit is a big boat with big everything. If there is anything lacking in this great plate alloy it hasn’t been invented yet. 96

MAY 2017

after use also keeps paint in good condition. Avoid leaving tackle with little metal bits on the floor of the tinnie – again, because of electrolysis. SOME OF THE BIG PLUSES The greatest steps forward with alloy craft in the last decade would have to come down to overall design improvements thanks to today’s state-of-

tinnies are well in the past. Variation in available sizes is another factor to consider. It’s a fact that alloy craft range from 2.5m tenders (seen any 2.5m glass craft lately?) through to 7m+ oceangoing fish fighters that come bunk equipped, pack immense fuel supplies and ample freshwater and feature every comfort from refrigeration in the galley

powered plate alloy trailer rigs, the potential buyer is spoilt for choice. DESIGNER HULLS Design diversity is a big plus with alloy craft. A manufacturer can offer the same basic hull (in, say, a sub 5m craft) with options for tiller steer, side or centre console with forward controls or, with as many or as few additional features as that craft’s

price point allows. The same hull can be painted to perfection or left as bright alloy, yet either style could feature additional niceties such as a flat floor, rod holders, plumbed bait or catch wells, useful storage areas, an electric motor mounting point, auxiliary motor mount and even bimini shading. Modern alloy craft are also built to last thanks to time-proven and wellengineered structural arrangements throughout

that ensure the most basic alloy rig has guaranteed rigidity. Even the lightest hull, where side thickness might be as fine as 1.6mm will maintain total integrity in the toughest working conditions. PRICE POINT ISSUES Cost overall is often where an alloy craft can leave some change in the pocket, compared to a glass rig of similar size and spec level. Reduced hull construction time along with designs that involve

as little waste material as practical mean quicker turn over of product and value added production. Aluminium’s lighter weight also means that suitable outboard engines can be less powerful and therefore less costly for optimum results. For trailer craft, which is the domain of most alloy rigs, a less involved trailer with lighter weight also sees many tinnies on the tow ball of the family sedan when it’s fishing

Never think that only larger alloy craft come in plate construction: this little Mojo features 4mm plate all round.

Standards of finish in many alloy craft are right up there. Carpet within the storage compartments is standard in most such rigs.

time, with only the big plate alloy ocean goers requiring a big 4x4 to get them to the ramp. EASY REPAIRS Another matter for consideration must be repairs and modifications. If an alloy craft needs this sort of work, flatter surfaces are easy to work on. Cutting, welding, sanding, grinding and even painting are all feasible. Given that aluminium is such an easy material to work with and so many skilled welders are available, it’s not out of the

question that a competent alloy welder might be located for repairs or other work even if you’re far from home. On a glass craft modifications can involve far more. Firstly the right materials need to be on hand and, as the material needs to be applied or reworked in a state of flexibility, specific expertise is necessary. Moreover, colour matching of older or weathered surfaces can be tricky. In some cases the craft

might need attention by the original manufacturer to bring things up to speed. IN A NUTSHELL Alloy craft are deservedly popular given the advantages I’ve outlined. These factors should make selecting the right craft for the job easier, but let’s not overlook fibreglass either. In next month’s issue I will outline what fibreglass boats offer the angler. From smallest to largest, there are quite a lot of things to consider, so don’t write glass rigs off just yet!

The perfect boats for barra, bass or bream

You’ll find them where the fish are... since 1967 Mako 214 CC

For more than 20 years, Nitro have continually refined and delivered serious fishing boats for serious anglers. Nitro boats are foam-filled to exceed US Coast Guard survey requirements. This gives you the safety of level floatation, security and comfort – and additional fishing stealth – all backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Mako 234 CC Mako 284 CC

Fishing with Nitro is a blast! Whether you’re a tournament pro or a weekend warrior, Nitro boats will ignite your passion and pack more fun into your day. Just getting there is half the fun!

The latest offerings from Mako feature the deepest internal freeboard of any boats in their class, while still providing large underfloor fish boxes, and the huge safety benefits of a true self-draining cockpit and foamfilled hull. You’ll enjoy your offshore fishing more knowing that Mako’s 100% composite construction is totally rot-free, enabling Mako to give you the best warranty in the business – the Mako Assurance Life Time Warranty

The world’s #1 aluminium fishing boats! Tracker’s outstanding quality and unique manufacturing process have made them the world’s largest boat builder – producing more than 40,000 aluminium fishing boats per year. Their foam-filled, unsinkable, 3mm plate alloy hulls are robotically welded to deliver superior quality at a lower cost – and are backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Tracker’s Pro Guide series is designed with a deep-vee hull for exceptional performance, even in rough waters. Their Diamond Coat finish is a Tracker exclusive that resists oxidation, providing protection and a shine lasting 70% longer. Standard features include a Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance colour sounder, plus tournament-ready live well systems and rod lockers.

Call Tim Stessl now on 0429 680 504 to arrange a test drive or email tim@flboats.com.au Hopefully it will be rough, as you’ll be stunned by the performance of these boats when the weather gets challenging!

Fishing and Leisure Boats, 167 Currumburra Road, Ashmore, QLD 4214

www.fishingandleisureboats.com.au

see NITRO boat test on page 100

MAY 2017

Bonito’s new 5m tiller steer with 90hp Suzuki - SC

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Check out that room! Load up the family, the tents, water, eskies and the kitchen sink. It’ll all fit! 98

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DE FOR EX

Built on the banks of Queensland’s famous Jumpinpin, fibreglass Bonito boats have carved a nice little niche for themselves in both the commercial and recreational fishing markets. There’s a handful of crabbers that put serious miles on their Bonitos in their local area – running 150hp tiller steer outboards. That’s on the 5.6m version, which we’ve tested over the years at Fishing Monthly, and you can Google “5.6m Bonito” to see the article and videos. The latest Bonito to grace their range is the 5m (or 500). It’s not necessarily brand new, but this is the first opportunity

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

that we have had to get one out on the water for a test. To do so, Roger and Martin from Bonito Boats talked local Bonito owner Adam Webb into going out for a morning on the water. Adam is a Jacobs Well local and knows the ‘Pin like the back of his hand. He spends a lot of time fishing, crabbing, prawning and camping in the area and needed a boat that could do all of those things – both with the family and without. His Bonito 500 is perfectly set up and versatile enough to do all of these things and more. Hand laid with high quality glass, a self-draining floor and an attention to detail, let’s examine how this Bonito ticks all of Adam’s boxes. FISHING AND CAMPING If Adam is in ‘sportfishing’

Steve Morgan

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AN THE

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mode, there’s a small, front casting deck that he can stand on and use his Minn Kota iPilot, which is located frontleft. Also a keen whiting angler, it’s a simple transition to move the seats to the front bases, add the bimini top and you’re hanging a couple of Alveys and sloppy joe rods over the transom, waiting for a whiting to load up. Adam’s tip SPECIFICATIONS Length.................. 5.0m Beam.................. 2.05m Weight................ 510kg Max hp....................115 Fuel (underfloor)....110L Freeboard........600mm Internal beam.... 1.65m PERFORMANCE RPM..............SPEED 700.......................... 3 1000........................ 4 2000........................ 9 3000...................... 15 4000...................... 36 5000...................... 48 6000...................... 60 6400...................... 64 was that you have to dig your own bloodworms to get the best whiting. Adam’s a big fan of camping locally on Straddie, and you don’t need to stretch the imagination very far to see that the space on this boat would swallow up the camping gear for the bulkiest of packers. CRABBING AND PRAWNING Adam also explained that while crabbing, there’s the beam on board to carry

Top: Adam Webb knows the ‘Pin like the back of his hand, and took the opportunity to show us around on the test day. Above: The soft ride of glass made it comfortable up front sitting on the casting deck while travelling. his large, hand-made crab pots, and the boat draws little enough water to get up into the shallowest creeks that often yield the best crabs. Adam has two daughters, who are 8 and 9 years old. They can cast their own nets and, understandably, after a solid session on the crustaceans, the boat can be a bit of a mess. “I love that no matter how dirty the boat gets, you can hose it out, give it a quick scrub and it comes back gleaming,” Adam said. “One polish a year and she is back to near-showroom condition.” ON THE WATER Not surprisingly, the 90hp Suzuki on the transom shoots this boat up and onto the plane. With both seats back, I expected this boat to be a little bum-heavy, but the Bonito jumped up onto the plane and maintained an efficient attitude in the water. Hitting 6400rpm at wide open throttle, the Bonito

skipped along at 64km/h and cruised comfortably at 4000rpm where it sat on 36km/h. No fuel usage gauge was available to test economy. As with most Bonitos I’ve been in, I loved the swingaway sounder arm. Adam’s was fitted with a Garmin 95CV, which has a 9” colour screen and gives you great bang for your buck. The Bonito is simple in

its layout, simple to drive and simple to fish out of. There’s a reason why Bonito boats are becoming increasingly popular, and their simplicity (and a nice finish) definitely has something to do with it. If you want to go and check out the Bonito factory or talk about their range, talk to Martin Slennett on 0416 099 908 or visit www. bonitoboats.com.au.

The Bonito will turn heads at the ramp and on the water. The bow is low enough to board the boat from the front reasonably easily.

You can see the scupper balls for the self draining deck under the duckboards. There’s enough vee in this hull to make the ride very comfortable – and it continues through to the bow.

On paper, a 90HP tiller would be brutal to handle. In practice, it’s well balanced and responsive.

Some people call them side pockets, but Adam Webb calls it a footrest. He’s very comfortable in the Captain’s Chair!

While not holding live bait, this live bait tank holds the earmuffs for the outboard.

Prime real estate on the transom is taken up by a transducer (L) and a venturi pickup (R) for the live bait tank.

Little luxuries like a deck wash make it easy to clean up after a session on the cast nets in south east Queensland.

Adam keeps his valuables in the plastic box and inside the under-seat hatch. Safe as houses.

Trim, throttle, a gear lever and a tachometer are all located in the tiller. The gear change lever is ergonomically spot-on.

This might look like a standard anchor well, but you may not notice the homemade stainless-steel anchor. There’d have to be a few cartons’ worth of work in that!

The Garmin 95SV is mounted on a stainless steel swing arm. Awesome idea and available on all tiller-steer Bonitos.

The front casting deck isn’t huge, but it’s totally suitable for one-up fishing. MAY 2017

Nitro’s Z18 gives plenty of bang for your buck

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Although I test a range of boats for Fishing Monthly, I always get the most excited when I get to go and drive high-powered, low to the water fishing boats. Some call them bass boats or various other iterations, but for me they are fun to drive and even better to fish from in the areas they were designed to be used. Best of all, is when we get to drive a boat that’s been already set-up, dialled in and debugged by a keen user. And that’s what we got at a

cold, windy Moogerah Dam day, when Tim Stessl from Fishing and Leisure Boats introduced us to Brisbane’s Lee Parkhouse. Well, it was more of a re-introduction, as I’d actually fished with Lee years ago as a non-boater in a BREAM event on Lake Macquarie and he’s a permanent fixture on any boat show Navico stand in the area. Lee’s hull is the Nitro Z18, built in the USA and imported by Australian distributor, Fishing and Leisure Boats in Queensland. It’s a fully composite hull with no wood (Nitro stopped using wood in their hulls in 2012) and it’s supplied on a locally made Dunbier twin-axled trailer. “By buying your Nitro

Plenty of deck and storage space makes this craft a force to be reckoned with to the fishing-minded. 100

MAY 2017

SPECIFICATIONS Length...............5.63m Beam.................2.38m Max hp.................. 175 Fuel..................... 151L Capacity..... 4 persons Deadrise................16° PERFORMANCE RPM Speed (km/h) Idle (600)................. 4 1000........................ 7 2000...................... 11 3000...................... 31 4000...................... 63 5000...................... 90 5600.................... 105 through Fishing and Leisure Boats, you get a full warranty on the hull, motor and trailer, so you have 100% support and peace of mind,” said Tim Stessl. Lee confirmed this and was also an advocate of the ease of ordering. “I talked to Tim, picked the options and colours and a couple of months later I get the call to come and pick it up – it was that easy,” he said. Six months after delivery, Lee is as happy as the day he picked it up. “I looked at all of the brands and the Nitro just gave me the best bang for buck I could find,” he continued. Since, he’s added three Simrad units, a Hydrowave, a boatload of tackle and he’s got the setup just right. Stomping on the HotFoot, the Nitro lifts onto the plane, but it’s in the mid-range that

Top and Above: Thanks, Lee, for letting me drive your Nitro like I stole it. The rig sat on 105km/h with a little driver input. the Mercury 175 ProXS really pushes you back into the seat. At 5000rpm, it pulled a very respectable and economical 90km/h and at wide-open it sat on 105 with a little bit of driver input required to avoid chine walking and optimum trim. In my books, that’s perfect. Touch the helm mounted trim up to drive it ‘on the edge’ and tap it down a touch to drop a couple of km/h but drive ‘hands free’. As always, a feature of bass boats is the ability to dry-store a mountain of tackle, underfloor, in a manner that lets you access it easily. Of course, with decades of bass boat building under the belt, the Nitro does it easily. On the trolling motor and with a rod in the hand, the Nitro is as well behaved as any bass boat. Stable, stealthy and quiet underfoot, a bass boat if minimally affected by

wind and remains the ultimate platform for calm water lure casting. There’s not much more to say – the Nitro does indeed look great, perform admirably and offers excellent value for money with local dealer support. With just one of the 12” Simrads (instead of the three that Lee has mounted), this package would come in at $76,000, but basic packages start from around $60,000. VIDEO

Scan to watch Tim Stessl walk through the Nitro Z18’s features.

For more information, call Fishing & Leisure Boats on 0429 680 504 or visit w w w. f i s h i n g a n d l e i s u r e boats.com.au • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications. VIDEO

Scan the QR code to watch the boat test on the Nitro Z18.

There’s no doubt that the Z18 will turn heads at the local boat ramp. Lee’s kept a simple black gelcoat with flake that matches the Mercury OptiMax perfectly.

Check out the dual-Simrad installation up the front. There’s some serious tech there. We could see just how many bass were ignoring our lures.

A cooler in the step of a bass boat isn’t a new idea, but Nitros come with a removable rubbish bin that’s super practical. Otherwise, you’re fishing for all of your offcuts at the end of the day.

The Nitro’s helm – like all of the boat – has evolved over the years to house all of the switches and gauges at fingertip reach. You can also flush-mount sounders, although if you’re a Simrad pro-staff, you may still have problems!

Here’s a screen shot showing the sensitivity of the sounders. They’re mounted on a pair of Marine Dynamic’s stands. The Hydrowave between them emits sounds of baitfish schooling and being eaten.

This is a boarding ladder. Getting back in a bass boat isn’t as easy as it seems, unless you have one of these.

The fact that you need only one rod, reel and lure to catch a bass means nothing to serious cast and retrieve anglers. This is the bare minimum you need to take. Tournament-ready, the dual livewell has timed switches and the ability to pump the water out. It’s a standard feature in any serious tournament boats.

The Moogerah Gorge provided some shelter from the icy wind. Two up, anglers can fish wherever they can stand with maximum stability. MAY 2017

101

2017 2017 Local Time

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY (FORT (FORT – NEW NEW SOUTH SOUTH WALES WALES SYDNEY – LATDENISON) 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ JANUARY JANUARY Time mMAY Time

Time Time 0432 0432 0627 1101 1101 1232 1738 SU 1738 SU 1811 MO 2339 2339

0516 0516 2 0038 1142 1142 2 0732 1819 MO MO 1819

TU 1340 1916 0025 0025 0143 0603 0603 0839 1225 TU 1225 TU WE 1451 1902 1902 2030 0114 0114 0252 0656 0656 0940 1312 WE 1312 WE TH 1558 1950 1950 2143 0207 0207 0359 0755 0755 1035 1406 TH 1406 TH 1655 FR 2042 2042 2249 0306 0306 0457 0902 0902 1123 1509 FR FR 1744 SA 1509 2138 2138 2347 0407 0407 0548 1017 1017 1204 1620 SA SA 1826 SU 1620 2237 2237

33 44

55 66 77

0509 0509 0036 8 1134 1134 8 0632 1732 SU SU 1732

MO 1242 2336 2336 1904 0609 0609 0119 1244 1244 0714 1841 MO 1841 MO TU 1315 1939 0033 0033 0159 0705 0705 0753 1345 TU 1345 TU 1347 WE 1942 1942 2013

10 10

0129 0129 11 0235 0800 0800 11 0830 WE 1441 1441

WE TH 1418 2038 2038 2045 0221 0221 0313 0852 0852 0909 1531 TH 1531 TH 1450 FR 2130 2130 2118 0313 0313 0350 0942 0942 0947 1620 FR 1620 FR 1524 SA 2220 2220 2153 0402 0402 0430 1030 1030 1027 1706 SA 1706 SA 1600 SU 2309 2309 2230 0452 0511 0452 1115 1110 1115 1749 SU 1749 MO SU 1640 2355 2309 2355

12 12 13 13

14 15

m m 0.50 0.50 0.37 1.78 1.78 1.41 0.34 0.34 0.62 1.37 1.37 0.52 0.52 1.80 1.74 1.74 0.43 0.35 0.35 1.36 0.70 1.37 1.37 1.71 0.55 0.55 0.48 1.69 1.69 1.36 0.37 0.37 0.73 1.38 1.38 1.64 0.58 0.58 0.50 1.62 1.62 1.40 0.39 0.39 0.73 1.41 1.41 1.60 0.61 0.61 0.51 1.53 1.53 1.46 0.42 0.42 0.69 1.45 1.45 1.57 0.62 0.62 0.50 1.46 1.46 1.54 0.43 0.43 0.63 1.52 1.52 1.56 0.59 0.59 0.50 1.40 1.40 1.61 0.43 0.43 1.62 1.62 0.58 0.52 0.52 1.54 1.39 1.39 0.50 0.41 0.41 1.67 1.73 1.73 0.54 0.41 0.41 1.52 1.40 1.40 0.51 1.71 0.39 0.39 0.51 1.84 1.84 1.50 0.30 0.30 0.52 1.43 1.43 1.75 0.36 0.36 0.49 1.93 1.93 1.47 0.22 0.22 0.55 1.46 1.46 1.76 0.35 0.35 0.48 1.98 1.98 1.44 0.16 0.16 0.58 1.47 1.47 1.77 0.34 0.34 0.49 1.99 1.99 1.41 0.16 0.16 0.61 1.48 1.48 1.76 0.36 0.36 0.51 1.96 1.96 1.37 0.19 0.19 0.65 1.47 1.47 1.73 0.41 0.54 0.41 1.87 1.33 1.87 0.25 0.70 0.25 1.44 1.68 1.44

16 16 MO MO TU

17 17 TU TU WE

Time Time 0540 0540 0556 1159 1159 1156 1831 1831 1724 2352 0041 0041 0645 0628 0628 1247 1241 1241 1815 1912 1912

0127 0127 0043 18 0717 0717 18 0740 1323 WE WE 1323

TH 1345 1952 1952 1915 0215 0215 0141 0811 0811 0836 1409 TH 1409 TH FR 1448 2035 2035 2026 0307 0307 0245 0913 0913 0930 1503 FR 1503 FR 1548 SA 2123 2123 2136 0402 0402 0348 1022 1022 1020 1608 SA SA 1642 SU 1608 2217 2217 2241 0500 0500 0447 1133 1133 1108 1716 SU SU 1730 MO 1716 2313 2313 2340 0555 0555 0543 1235 1235 1155 1820 MO MO 1819 TU 1820

19 19 20 20 21 21

22 22 23 23

LAT 33° 33° 52’ 52’ LONG 151° 151° 13’ 13’ LAT LONG Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Times and and Heights Heights of of High High and and Low Low Waters Waters Times MARCH FEBRUARY MARCH FEBRUARY JUNE Time m JULY Time m Time m Time m

m m 0.47 0.47 0.57 1.76 1.76 1.30 0.33 0.33 0.75 1.63 1.42 1.42 0.60 0.55 0.55 1.28 1.63 1.63 0.79 0.42 0.42 1.39 1.39 1.58 0.62 0.62 0.61 1.49 1.49 1.29 0.50 0.50 0.81 1.37 1.37 1.55 0.69 0.69 0.59 1.37 1.37 1.33 0.56 0.56 0.80 1.37 1.37 1.54 0.73 0.73 0.55 1.27 1.27 1.42 0.60 0.60 0.75 1.39 1.39 1.56 0.73 0.73 0.49 1.21 1.21 1.53 0.62 0.62 0.66 1.43 1.43 1.60 0.70 0.70 0.43 1.19 1.19 1.66 0.62 0.62 0.54 1.49 1.49 1.64 0.63 0.63 0.38 1.21 1.21 1.80

0005 0005 0036 24 0644 0644 24 0637 1326 TU TU 1326

0.60 0.60 0.42 1.56 1.56 1.66 0.55 0.55 0.35 WE 1242 1913 1.25 1913 1.93 1.25 1907 0052 0.57 0052 0.32 0.57 0130 0728 1.63 0728 1.66 1.63 0731 1409 0.47 WE 1409 0.34 0.47 WE TH 1330 1958 1.29 1958 2.02 1.29 1956

WE WE TH

TH TH FR

Time Time 0000 0000 0118 0551 0551 0810 1208 1208 1424 1834 1834 2006 0047 0047 0221 0643 0643 0904 1256 1256 1525 1919 1919 2116

0140 0140 0323 3 0741 0741 3 0954 1349 FR FR 1349

SA 1620 2009 2009 2224 0237 0237 0422 0848 0848 1040 1451 SA 1451 SA SU 1710 2107 2107 2324 0340 0340 0515 1006 1006 1121 1606 SU 1606 SU 1753 MO 2212 2212

44 55

0447 0447 0015 6 1126 1126 6 0601 1725 MO MO 1725

TU 1200 2318 2318 1832 0553 0553 0100 1237 1237 0645 1836 TU TU 1236 WE 1836 1909 0021 0021 0139 0654 0654 0727 1338 WE WE 1311 TH 1338 1936 1936 1944 0119 0119 0216 0748 0748 0806 1430 TH 1430 TH 1345 FR 2029 2029 2018

m m 1.50 1.50 1.71 0.45 0.45 0.47 1.71 1.71 1.41 0.32 0.32 0.74 1.51 1.51 1.60 0.49 0.49 0.52 1.61 1.61 1.44 0.37 0.37 0.75 1.52 1.52 1.52 0.53 0.53 0.55 1.50 1.50 1.49 0.43 0.43 0.73 1.53 1.53 1.46 0.56 0.56 0.56 1.39 1.39 1.55 0.48 0.48 0.69 1.56 1.56 1.43 0.56 0.56 0.56 1.32 1.32 1.62 0.51 0.51

Time Time 0042 0042 0013 0644 0644 0702 1246 TH 1246 TH 1313 FR 1859 1859 1846 0123 0123 0105 0731 0731 0753 1328 FR 1328 FR 1410 SA 1937 1937 1952

16 16

17 17

0209 0209 0205 18 0828 0828 18 0845 1417 SA SA 1417

SU 1508 2023 2023 2103 0303 0303 0310 0933 0933 0938 1520 SU 1520 SU MO 1605 2120 2120 2215 0405 0405 0415 1048 1048 1030 1636 MO 1636 MO 1700 TU 2227 2227 2320 0509 0509 0518 1157 1157 1122 1749 TU TU 1753 WE 1749 2330 2330

19 19 20 20

1.62 1.62 0.64 0.51 0.51 1.42 1.30 1.30 0.56 0.50 0.50 1.67

21 21

1.70 1.70 0.58 0.42 0.42 1.41 1.33 1.33 0.56 1.72 0.47 0.47 0.54 1.78 1.78 1.40 0.33 0.33 0.57 1.38 1.38 1.76 0.42 0.42 0.50 1.86 1.86 1.40 0.26 0.26 0.57 1.44 1.44 1.79

0607 0607 0022 22 1252 1252 22 0618 1846 WE WE 1846

23 23 24 24

1.51 1.51 0.40 0.57 0.57 1.54 1.24 1.24 0.38 1.96 0.62 0.62 0.29 1.58 1.58 1.55 0.49 0.49 0.37 1.31 1.31 2.05 0.56 0.56 0.22 1.66 1.66 1.54 0.41 0.41 0.37 1.38 1.38 2.09

m m m 0.49 0.49 1.56 1.50 1.50 0.45 0.50 0.50 1.46 1.57 1.57 0.66 0.54 0.54 1.48 1.41 1.41 0.46 0.56 0.56 1.52 0.64 1.54 1.54 1.42 0.59 0.59 0.47 1.33 1.33 1.60 0.63 0.63 0.58 1.50 1.50 1.39 0.64 0.64 0.45 1.25 1.25 1.71 0.69 0.69 0.48 1.46 1.46 1.40 0.68 0.68 0.43 1.19 1.19 1.82 0.75 0.75

1.61 1.61 0.58 0.52 0.52 1.31 1.27 1.27 0.58 0.60 0.60 1.69

0309 0309 0013 21 1001 1001 21 0608 1558 TU TU 1558

1.43 1.43 0.36 0.68 0.68 1.42 1.17 1.17 0.39 0.77 0.77 1.93

1.62 1.62 0.52 0.50 0.50 1.33 1.28 1.28 0.57 0.60 0.60 1.73

22 22

1.44 1.44 0.26 0.65 0.65 1.46 1.20 1.20 0.36 0.75 0.75 2.00

1.66 1.66 0.47 0.44 0.44 1.34 1.34 1.34 0.55 1.77 0.55 0.55 0.43 1.72 1.72 1.36 0.37 0.37 0.55 1.41 1.41 1.79

23 23

1.49 1.49 0.18 0.58 0.58 1.49 1.27 1.27 0.35 0.69 0.69 2.04

24 24

0.48 0.48 0.41 1.77 1.77 1.36 0.32 0.32 FR 1436 0.54 MO 2015 1.49 2015 1.80 1.49 2107 0203 0.43 0203 0.40 0.43 0345 0823 1.79 0823 1.37 1.79 0941 1453 0.30 SA 1453 0.55 0.30 SA 1515 TU 2057 1.54 2057 1.79 1.54 2145

1.56 1.56 0.15 0.50 0.50 1.50 1.36 1.36 0.35 2.02 0.60 0.60 0.17 1.65 1.65 1.50 0.41 0.41 0.38 1.47 1.47 1.95

m m 0.33 0.33 1.51 1.77 1.77 0.53 0.26 0.26 1.44 1.66 1.66 0.75 0.35 0.35 1.40 1.68 1.68 0.57 0.32 0.32 1.47 0.75 1.67 1.67 1.33 0.40 0.40 0.59 1.57 1.57 1.52 0.40 0.40 0.71 1.65 1.65 1.30 0.46 0.46 0.60 1.44 1.44 1.57 0.49 0.49 0.65 1.62 1.62 1.30 0.51 0.51 0.59 1.33 1.33 1.63 0.56 0.56

0319 0319 0037 6 1002 1002 6 0619 1604 MO MO 1604

22 33 44 55

TH 1202 2155 2155 1841 0430 0430 0118 1119 1119 0703 1725 TU TU 1242 FR 1725 2309 2309 1918 0541 0541 0156 1227 1227 0744 1832 WE WE 1320 SA 1832 1955 0015 0015 0232 0642 0642 0823 1324 TH 1324 TH 1358 SU 1928 1928 2030

16 16

17 17

18 18 19 19 20 20

FR 1156 2139 2139 1830 0417 0417 0110 1111 1111 0707 1713 WE WE 1251 SA 1713 2251 2251 1923 0522 0522 0203 1208 1208 0801 1813 TH TH 1345 SU 1813 2353 2353 2015 0617 0617 0254 1256 1256 0855 1900 FR 1900 FR 1437 MO 2104 0045 0045 0342 0704 0704 0945 1337 SA 1337 SA 1529 TU 1942 1942 2153

Time Time Time 0003 0003 0254 0630 0630 0900 1237 SA 1237 SA 1543 TU 1830 1830 2219 0056 0056 0400 0632 0632 0954 1237 SU 1237 SU 1638 WE 1825 1825 2320

11 22

0055 0055 0502 3 0742 0742 3 1046 1345 MO MO 1345 TH 1728 1930 1930

0201 0201 0011 4 0855 0855 4 0556 1503 TU TU 1503

FR 1134 2045 2045 1813 0315 0315 0054 1005 1005 0642 1618 WE 1618 WE 1218 SA 2200 2200 1853 0424 0424 0131 1107 1107 0722 1719 TH TH 1259 SU 1719 2306 2306 1930 0524 0524 0207 1159 1159 0800 1810 FR FR 1338 MO 1810 2008 0003 0003 0242 0615 0615 0838 1242 SA SA 1417 TU 1242 1853 1853 2045 0052 0052 0316 0700 0700 0915 1321 SU 1321 SU 1458 WE 1932 1932 2122

55 66 77

0155 0155 25 0309 0820 0820 25 0910 SA 1453 1453

0113 0113 10 0308 0735 0735 10 0902 FR 1411 1411

25 25

0135 0135 26 0225 0808 0808 26 0828 TH 1446 1446

11 11

26 26

11 11

0131 0131 26 0429 0748 0748 26 1034 SU 1415 1415

11 11

27 27

0348 0348 12 0408 1010 12 1010 1004 SU 1639 1639

0319 0319 27 0455 0941 27 0941 1100 MO 1606 1606

0250 0250 12 0422 0907 12 0907 1022 SU 1530 1530

27 27

12 12

0255 0255 28 0415 0925 28 0925 1021 SA 1559 1559

13 13

28 28

13 13

0302 0302 28 0558 0916 28 0916 1212 TU 1533 1533

13 13

0516 0516 14 0530 1131 1131 1131 TU 1751

29 0639 1250

0414 0414 14 0543 1026 1026 1151 TU 1638

0350 0350 29 0012 1003 1003 0640 WE 1615

30 0047 0729

0.53 0.53 0.24 1.69 1.69 1.63 0.40 0.40 TH 1418 0.36 FR 2038 1.34 2038 2.08 1.34 2045 0215 0.49 0215 0.21 0.49 0320 0846 1.75 0846 1.75 0924 1.59 1523 0.35 FR 1523 0.41 0.35 FR 1510 SA 2116 1.38 2116 2.08 1.38 2137

0.45 0.45 0.22 1.80 1.80 1.54 0.30 0.30 SA 1602 0.47 SU 2155 1.42 2155 2.04 1.42 2230 0335 0.43 0335 0.27 0.43 0514 1003 1.82 1003 1.48 1.82 1119 1635 0.28 SU 1635 0.55 0.28 SU 1658 MO 2234 1.45 2234 1.95 1.45 2323

0417 0417 30 0612 1043 1219 1043 MO 1714

0.42 0.33 0.42 1.82 1.43 1.82 0.27 1714 0.62 0.27 TU 1756 MO 2316 2316 1.48 1.48

0502 0502 31 0019 1125 0712 1125 1753 TU 1321

0.42 1.83 0.42 1.78 0.41 1.78 0.28 0.28 WE TU 1753 1.41 1859 0.69

0.36 0.36 0.47 1.86 1.86 1.36 0.25 0.25 SU 1535 0.63 MO 2243 1.52 2243 1.77 1.52 2206 0432 0.39 0432 0.49 0.39 0447 1052 1.78 1052 1.78 1046 1.35 1715 0.30 MO 1715 0.66 0.30 MO TU 1616 2323 1.51 2323 1.74 1.51 2245

1751 TU 1700 WE 2327 0002 0615 0002 0600 1220 0600 1209 WE 1209 TH 1750 WE 1825 1825

0.44 0.44 0.51 1.68 1.68 1.33 0.37 0.37 0.70 1.69 1.49 0.52 1.49 0.51 1.33 0.51 1.57 0.73 1.57 0.45 0.45

0.49 0.49 0.18 1.74 1.74 1.53 0.33 0.33 SA 1452 0.40 SU 2051 1.46 2051 2.09 1.46 2121 0236 0.42 0236 0.19 0.42 0402 0900 1.80 0900 1.80 1005 1.51 1530 0.28 SU 1530 0.44 0.28 SU 1545 MO 2130 1.53 2130 2.03 1.53 2213

Time Time 0533 0533 0038 1139 1139 0714 1739 TH 1739 TH 1335 SU 2359 2359 1929 0615 0615 0136 1216 1216 0805 1812 FR 1812 FR 1433 MO 2041 0036 0036 0243 0700 0700 0901 1257 SA 1257 SA TU 1534 1847 1847 2157 0118 0118 0354 0751 0751 1000 1345 SU 1345 SU WE 1635 1931 1931 2308 0208 0208 0503 0852 0852 1059 1445 MO 1445 MO 1733 TH 2029 2029

Time Time 0451 0451 0142 1108 1108 0817 1725 WE 1725 WE 1442 SA 2337 2337 2042 0541 0541 0239 1154 1154 0905 1807 TH 1807 TH 1537 SU 2150 0024 0024 0339 0635 0635 0952 1245 FR 1245 FR MO 1630 1853 1853 2255 0115 0115 0437 0735 0735 1037 1340 SA 1340 SA TU 1717 1944 1944 2350 0213 0213 0531 0845 0845 1121 1445 SU 1445 SU 1800 WE 2044 2044

0212 0212 10 0253 0839 0839 10 0845 FR 1516 1516

25 25

0.38 0.38 0.47 1.90 1.90 1.39 0.22 0.22 FR 1420 0.59 SA 2115 1.49 2115 1.80 1.49 2053 0301 0.36 0301 0.47 0.36 0330 0926 1.90 0926 1.38 1.90 0925 1559 0.22 SA 1559 0.61 0.22 SA 1458 SU 2200 1.51 2200 1.80 1.51 2129

TH 1214 1845 0025 0025 0119 0656 0656 0716 1337 TH TH 1306 FR 1337 1932 1932 1937 0112 0112 0215 0740 0740 0814 1416 FR 1416 FR 1359 SA 2013 2013 2030

m m 1.47 1.47 1.63 0.57 0.57 0.53 1.45 1.45 1.35 0.52 0.52 0.75 1.44 1.44 1.58 0.64 0.64 0.52 1.34 1.34 1.40 0.58 0.58 0.75 1.42 1.42 1.54 0.69 0.69 0.50 1.25 1.25 1.48 0.64 0.64 0.71 1.40 1.40 1.52 0.71 0.71 0.47 1.18 1.18 1.58 0.68 0.68 0.63 1.41 1.41 1.52 0.70 0.70 0.43 1.16 1.16 1.71 0.70 0.70 0.52 1.44 1.44 1.53 0.65 0.65 0.40 1.18 1.18 1.84 0.67 0.67

0.37 0.37 0.24 1.83 1.83 1.48 0.24 0.24 0.50 MO TU 1640 2210 1.59 2210 1.93 1.59 2303 0403 0.34 0403 0.31 0.34 0547 1024 1.82 1024 1.45 1.82 1155 1645 0.24 TU 1645 0.58 0.24 TU 1735 WE 2252 1.64 2252 1.79 1.64 2355 0.39 1.43 TH 1833 0.65 1.65 0.47 FR 1345 1.42 1935 0.71

0.40 0.40 0.40 1.78 1.78 1.38 0.31 0.31 SU 1557 0.57 WE 2136 1.58 2136 1.76 1.58 2223 0333 0.39 0333 0.41 0.39 0501 0947 1.73 0947 1.38 1.73 1105 1605 0.33 MO 1605 0.59 0.33 MO TH 1642 2214 1.60 2214 1.70 1.60 2303 0.41 0.41 0.42 1.67 1.67 1.40 0.38 1638 0.62 0.38 TU 1730 FR 2249 1.60 2249 1.64 1.60 2347 0454 0.44 0626 0454 0.44 0.44 1102 1.59 1241 1102 1.42 1.59 1709 0.44 WE 1709 0.65 0.44 SA 1826 WE 2324 2324 1.59 1.59

0.50 0.50 0.22 1.72 1.72 1.49 0.34 0.34 SU 1620 0.43 WE 2021 1.57 2021 1.84 1.57 2240 0216 0.41 0216 0.29 0.41 0514 0832 1.78 0832 1.78 1123 1.47 1454 0.28 MO 1454 0.51 0.28 MO TH 1711 2102 1.67 2102 1.70 1.67 2326 0.33 0.33 0.38 1.80 1.80 1.45 0.25 0.25 TU 1803 0.59 FR 2144 2144 1.76 1.76

0.28 0.28 1.55 1.78 1.78 0.46 0.26 1615 1.43 0.26 WE SA 1300 2228 1.82 2228 0.66 1.82 1859 0440 0.27 0059 0440 1.41 0.27 1052 1.73 0723 1052 0.54 1.73 1657 0.30 TH 1657 1.42 0.30 SU TH 1352 2315 1.84 2001 2315 0.71 1.84

Local Time Time Local APRIL APRIL AUGUST Time m

0136 0136 10 0353 0742 0742 10 0956 MO 1355 1355 MO TH 1541 2009 2009 2201 0216 0216 0430 0821 0821 1038 1427 TU 1427 TU 1626 FR 2043 2043 2243 0255 0255 0510 0858 0858 1123 1458 WE 1458 WE SA 1715 2116 2116 2328 0332 0332 0552 0934 0934 1212 1528 TH 1528 TH 1811 SU 2148 2148 0411 0411 0019 1012 1012 0640 1559 FR 1559 FR 1305 MO 2222 2222 1915 0451 0118 0451 1050 0733 1050 1631 SA 1631 TU SA 1405 2259 2030 2259

0533 0533 31 0152 1143 0809 1143 1742 FR 1446

0.29 1.29 0.29 1.63 0.59 1.63 0.37 0.37 MO FR 1742 1.43 2110 0.72

 Copyright Copyright Commonwealth Commonwealth of of Australia Australia 2015, 2015, Bureau Bureau of Meteorology  Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology Datum of of Predictions Predictions is is Lowest Lowest Astronomical Astronomical Tide Tide Datum Times are are in in local local standard standard time time (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or or daylight daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times daylight savings savings time time (UTC (UTC +11:00) +11:00) when when in in effect effect New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Moon Phase Symbols Full First Quarter Quarter Full Moon Moon

m m 1.83 1.83 1.22 0.34 0.34 0.62 1.52 1.52 1.46 0.47 0.47 0.69 1.79 1.79 1.19 0.40 0.40 0.62 1.41 1.41 1.50 0.57 0.57 0.63 1.72 1.72 1.20 0.46 0.46 0.61 1.32 1.32 1.56 0.65 0.65 1.66 1.66 0.56 0.49 0.49 1.24 1.29 1.29 0.58 0.69 0.69 1.62 1.63 1.63 0.49 0.49 0.49 1.28 1.33 1.33 0.55 0.67 0.67 1.68 1.64 1.64 0.42 0.46 0.46 1.32 1.40 1.40 0.51 0.62 0.62 1.73 1.66 1.66 0.37 0.43 0.43 1.35 1.48 1.48 0.48 1.77 0.55 0.55 0.33 1.67 1.67 1.39 0.41 0.41 0.45 1.56 1.56 1.78 0.50 0.50 0.31 1.67 1.67 1.42 0.40 0.40 0.44 1.62 1.62 1.78 0.46 0.46 0.30 1.65 1.65 1.45 0.41 0.41 0.44 1.66 1.66 1.74 0.45 0.45 0.31 1.61 1.61 1.47 0.44 0.44 0.46 1.68 1.68 1.68 0.45 0.45 0.33 1.56 1.56 1.49 0.47 0.47 0.49 1.70 1.70 1.59 0.46 0.46 0.37 1.51 1.51 1.50 0.51 0.51 0.53 1.69 1.69 0.49 0.49 1.49 1.45 1.45 0.42 0.56 0.56 1.52 1.68 1.68 0.56 0.52 1.39 0.52 1.39 0.46 1.39 0.62 1.55 0.62 1.64 0.56 1.64

Time Time 0533 0533 0228 1132 1132 0834 1709 SU 1709 SU 1511 WE 2338 2338 2149 0622 0622 0345 1219 1219 0941 1752 MO 1752 MO 1617 TH 2301 0025 0025 0500 0717 0717 1045 1315 TU 1315 TU FR 1720 1846 1846

16 16 17 17

18 18

0120 0120 0004 19 0819 0819 19 0602 1421 WE WE 1421

SA 1145 1953 1953 1817 0225 0225 0059 0922 0922 0658 1531 TH 1531 TH 1242 SU 2107 2107 1910 0332 0332 0147 1018 1018 0748 1631 FR FR 1334 MO 1631 2215 2215 2000 0432 0432 0233 1107 1107 0835 1722 SA SA 1424 TU 1722 2313 2313 2046 0526 0526 0315 1152 1152 0920 1806 SU SU 1512 WE 1806 2130 0005 0005 0356 0615 0615 1004 1234 MO 1234 MO TH 1559 1850 1850 2214

20 20

21 21

22 22 23 23

24 24

0055 0055 25 0434 0703 0703 25 1046 TU 1316 1316 TU 1645 FR 1933 1933 2255

0145 0145 26 0511 0753 0753 26 1129 WE 1400 1400

WE SA 1732 2018 2018 2336 0237 0237 0547 0844 0844 1212 1445 TH 1445 TH 1823 SU 2105 2105 0330 0330 0019 0937 0937 0626 1531 FR 1531 FR 1258 MO 2154 2154 1919 0426 0426 0109 1032 1032 0711 1621 SA 1621 SA 1350 TU 2245 2245 2026 0524 0211 0524 1130 0806 1130 1714 SU 1714 WE SU 1450 2340 2138 2340

27 27

28 28

29 30

m m m 0.57 0.57 1.31 1.33 1.33 0.49 0.68 0.68 1.59 1.60 1.60 0.51 0.61 0.61 1.28 1.27 1.27 0.49 0.74 0.74 1.67 0.42 1.55 1.55 1.30 0.65 0.65 0.46 1.23 1.23 1.76 0.79 0.79 1.50 1.50 0.32 0.66 0.66 1.36 1.22 1.22 0.41 0.82 0.82 1.85 1.49 1.49 0.23 0.63 0.63 1.42 1.26 1.26 0.35 0.80 0.80 1.91 1.51 1.51 0.17 0.58 0.58 1.48 1.34 1.34 0.32 0.74 0.74 1.93 1.56 1.56 0.15 0.50 0.50 1.52 1.45 1.45 0.30 0.64 0.64 1.89 1.63 1.63 0.18 0.42 0.42 1.53 1.57 1.57 0.33 1.82 0.53 0.53 0.23 1.70 1.70 1.53 0.36 0.36 0.37 1.70 1.70 1.70 0.42 0.42 0.31 1.74 1.74 1.51 0.31 0.31 0.44 1.82 1.82 1.57 0.32 0.32 0.39 1.75 1.75 1.49 0.29 0.29 0.52 1.92 1.92 1.44 0.26 0.26 0.47 1.72 1.72 1.45 0.31 0.31 0.59 1.98 1.98 0.24 0.24 1.32 1.66 1.66 0.55 0.36 0.36 1.42 2.00 2.00 0.65 0.25 0.25 1.22 1.58 1.58 0.61 0.44 0.44 1.40 1.96 1.96 0.67 0.30 1.15 0.30 1.49 0.65 1.49 0.53 1.40 0.53 1.89 0.66 1.89

31 0324 0911

1.13 0.66 TH 1554 1.43 2244 0.61

Last Quarter Last Last Quarter 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. 102

MAY 2017

UNBEATABLE

150HP FOURSTROKE

The Mercury 150hp FourStroke is the largest displacement and lowest weight outboard in its class. The perfect partner for powering trailer boats.

LIGHTWEIGHT. LARGE DISPLACEMENT. 150HP FOURSTROKE – COMPACT MERCURY 150 LIGHTEST

HONDA BF150 OVER 5%

YAMAHA F150LB OVER 8%

SUZUKI DF150 OVER 12%

150HP DISPLACEMENT COMPARISON 3000

2500

3000cc

2867cc

217kg

NEW MERCURY

60AMP

SUZUKI

44AMP

YAMAHA

35AMP

HONDA

40AMP

2670cc

2000

206kg

150HP ALTERNATOR OUTPUT

2354cc

223kg 232kg

NEW MERCURY

The New Mercury 150hp Fourstroke comes in at an incredibly light 206kg* making it the lightest in its horsepower class. *Based on Mercury’s 150hp (L) model. Information based on manufacturers’ claimed horsepower and weight figures.

mercurymarine.com.au

SUZUKI

YAMAHA

HONDA

The Mercury 150hp FourStroke is the largest displacement, helping out gun other 4-strokes in the category.

The largest capacity 150hp FourStroke boasts an impressive 60amp alternator output, giving you ample power for all onboard electrical accessories.