NSW Fishing Monthly November 2017 by Fishing Monthly

CATCH MORE CRABS • CRACKING THE BEACH MULLOWAY CODE

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Catching more crabs Beach mulloway secrets DIY lure making: Lipless Doc Changing it up

Boating and Kayaking

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Kayaks at ICAST • Trip to the Tomaga River • MotorGuide Wireless Xi5 • Essential boat accessories • Kapten Waverider 550CC Sea Jay 4.88 Avenger Sports •

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November 2017, Vol. 23 No. 4

Contents BYRON COAST The Tweed 31 Tweed Inshore 30 Ballina 32 Yamba 34 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour 36 South West Rocks 40 Nambucca 39 MACQUARIE COAST Port Macquarie 42 Forster 44 Harrington-Taree 45

JD ARTIFICAL REEF DEPLOYED It was a real honour to be at the Shimano Australia HQ for the launch of the John Dunphy Artificial Reef, which is now sitting in

place in around 30m of water just south of the entrance of Port Hacking (more information on page 25). In a fitting tribute to the father of the Shimano brand in Australia, NSW Minister

SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 16 Sydney North 18 Pittwater 20 Sydney Harbour 21 Sydney Rock and Beach 22 Botany Bay 24 Sydney South 26 Western Sydney 29

BATEMANS COAST Merimbula 54 Narooma 53 Batemans Bay 55

From the Editor’s Desk...

HUNTER COAST Port Stephens 48 Hunter Coast 46 Swansea 47 Central Coast 49

ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 50 Nowra 51

A crane deploys one of the huge concrete structures that make up the John Dunphy Artificial Reef. Image: NSWDPI

for Primary Industries Niall Blair attended the opening function, and unveiled the commemorative plaque at the Shimano headquarters in Caringbah. Also speaking at the opening was Aussie cricketing legend Matthew Hayden, who eloquently conveyed his love for fishing and the great man. A product of funding from the Recreational Fishing Licence Trust, JD Reef is just another in a string of artificial reefs that have been placed or are in the planning phase of construction. The structures themselves are impressive, with some standing up to 9m tall off the sea floor. If the success of other artificial reefs are anything to go by, I’m sure that by the time this magazine is in the shelves, the first inhabitants will have already set up a new one in the structure.

Thank you, JD, for your contribution to fishing in this country, and may your reef provide enjoyment for anglers for many years to come. GONE FISHING DAY GREAT We hope that you all got involved in Gone Fishing Day, as it’s important to make time for your passions in a world that seems to get busier and busier. And what better excuse to go fishing than on our National Day? Plenty of people who got involved and registered on the website won some great prizes, and what better way to display a show of strength than the massive participation that we experienced on the day. T h a n k - y o u , Aussie anglers! You can search the hashtag #gonefishingday to see all of the awesome images from the day.

EDEN COAST Bermagui 56 Tathra 57 Eden 58 Mallacoota 58

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Paul Lennon with a beast of a mudcrab.

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crabs

Catching a feed of fresh crabs PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

The Mid North Coast of NSW is blessed with some of the best eating seafood you’ll find anywhere around Australia or the world for that matter. While whiting, flathead, pearl perch, bar cod, squid, prawns and oysters are high up on anyone’s eating list they rank a long way behind a feed of fresh crabs. I just love

of the day and between tide change periods. The two crabs we target on the Mid North Coast of NSW are the blue swimmers and mud crabs. While you will occasionally catch both in the same trap, they are generally found in different environments. Some crossover areas are the exception. BLUE SWIMMERS The blue swimmer crab is the smaller of the two growing to a maximum size

out to deeper water for winter, where they become much tougher to catch. They can be caught in a variety of different traps from witches hats and dilly nets to enclosed-style traps. Be sure to check on the Fisheries website what traps are legal in your area as crab trap rules can be vastly different depending on what waterway you use them in. In Port Stephens where I’m located witches hats are completely banned due to the

A beautifully marked blue swimmer crab. eating the things, and besides that I really enjoy the process of baiting up traps, looking for areas to put them and the anticipation that comes with pulling a trap up from the depths hoping to find a crab or two inside. It can become quite addictive and is also a great activity to get the whole family involved. It’s very hard to do wrong, and can be highly rewarding. Crabbing also has the benefit of salvaging a quiet day’s fishing and can give life to those hours in the middle

of around 1kg and 21cm across the shell. In NSW they have a legal minimum size of 6cm and a bag limit of 10 and can’t be taken if they’re carrying eggs. While they are typically smaller than mud crabs they are generally caught in bigger numbers and are more widespread throughout the estuary system than muddies. During the warmer months from October to May they are caught in their best numbers from 5m or less of water and then tend to move

impact they were having on our local turtle population. For this reason we now have converted witches hats into dilly nets, or use dilly nets or enclosed traps. Drive an hour away, however, and you have the reversal – Lake Macquarie allows the use of witches hats with a ban on enclosed traps! In most areas where they are legal, witches hats are probably the most popular method for trapping blue swimmer crabs as they are very effective, cheap and take up far less room

in the boat than enclosed traps, and you can put four of them out per person as opposed to two. They work on entanglement rather than trapping the crabs inside. The only disadvantage of this is they can sometimes be a time-consuming nightmare to untangle crabs from, often resulting in ripped and ruined netting and – worst of all – lost fishing time! Dillies also work well, however unlike witches hats they don’t entangle the crabs and require you to lift them up while the crabs are still feeding on the bait. This means any crab can come and go as they please so regular pulling every 30-60 minutes is vital for their effectiveness. Round enclosed traps also work well for blue swimmers and here in Port Stephens they’re the preferred trap to use, despite the rules limiting you to two per person (as opposed to four dilly nets). Once a crab enters these, they don’t typically get out. You can put this style of trap out in the morning, go for a fish and pull it up before you go home, or even leave it overnight and pull the next day. As mentioned earlier, through the warmer months of the year most of your blue swimmers will be caught from depths of 5m or less, so a good place to start putting traps out is in this depth of water around

Mud crabs are a true beast in their environment and in NSW the legal minimum size is 8.5cm with a bag limit of five. of where weed beds meet mud or shallow channels and drop-offs. Most of the time crabbing is something I do on the side of fishing and I’ll usually dump my pots in areas where I’ve had succuss in the past, go fishing and come back at the end of the day to pick them up. The problem with doing this is that unfortunately in NSW we have a massive problem with theft of crab traps. When you’re leaving your trap for this long unattended your bound to experience this first-hand at some stage. The best way of avoiding this is to stay in sight of your

MUD CRABS The bigger, meaner cousins of blue swimmers are the mud crab, which can grow to 3.5kg. They are a true beast in their environment and in in NSW the legal minimum size is 8.5cm with a bag limit of five. Any carrying eggs need to be returned the water. These brutes are by far my favourite of the two crab species to target, as they grow much bigger. One big mud crab is a couple of meals on its own. As with blue swimmers, the warmer months from October through to around May are the best times to chase them; winter isn’t even

The author with a cracker pair of muddies.

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the lead up and entrances to any rivers or major tributaries of an estuary system. Areas further up these sorts of places especially around any bends or bottlenecked parts will also be worth concentrating your efforts around. Once you find areas like this you can refine your trap placement. Try putting it around the edges

traps and keep a good eye on them. This is also the best way to catch crabs in serious numbers as you can check your traps every 30 minutes and move them around until you find a few. Tide also plays a major factor with blue swimmer crabs; the run-out tide is by far the most productive and the slack water is typically quiet time.

worth bothering. Enclosed traps are by far the best method for chasing muddies as their powerful limbs make short work of the fine mesh of witches hats. While the heavy-duty round traps that most stores stock work quite well, they too can often end up with gaping holes punched through them. For this reason professional style steel

crabs framed wire mesh traps are the number one choice for serious mud crabbers. The problem is they will probably set you back about $100, which proves costly if it does disappear. Another major advantage they have over nylon meshed traps is the wire mesh won’t build up with mud sediment or absorb the smells of rotting bait. This really makes a difference if you’re leaving

your traps out for weeks at a time while checking and rebaiting them on a regular basis. Soft mesh traps are fine for an overnight crab bash but any longer than a week in the water and they begin to get dirty and smelly; they’ll stop catching crabs even with fresh bait in them. After that they need to be taken home and given a really good blast

with the hose to get all that mud build up and absorbed smells out of them. Then they need to be dried out in the sun. Mud crabs move around during the night to hunt for food and are only occasionally caught in daylight hours, so leaving your traps out at least overnight is essential. The best areas to chase mud crabs are generally Enclosed traps are by far the best method for chasing muddies as their powerful limbs make short work of the fine mesh of witches hats.

Left: Witches hats work on entanglement rather than trapping the crabs inside. The only disadvantage of this is they can sometimes be a timeconsuming nightmare to untangle crabs from. Right: Witches hats are probably the most popular method for trapping blue swimmer crabs as they are very effective, cheap and take up far less room in the boat than enclosed traps, and you can put four of them out per person as opposed to two.

going to be in the back half of the estuary system, especially up in the feeder creeks of major tributaries. These feeder creek environments are usually lined by mangrove forests and intertidal marsh zones often with many smaller accessible arms splitting off multiple times from the main feeder creek. Off the feeder creeks smaller drains run off and carve out deeper holes and channels around their entrances; these are some of the best spots to plonk a trap in. Any severe twist or bend that a creek takes is also a fantastic area to catch crabs, as most of the time you’ll find one side of it will have considerably deeper water than the other.

These environments are best suited for boats under 5m with shallow drafts and even then most of them are only accessible around the top of the tide. For this reason putting your traps out and checking them needs to revolve around the high tides. The last hour of the incoming tide is a good time to get up into these places, and try to avoid being up there too long after the tide turns. The last thing you want is to get stuck up a creek until the next tide high tide as the midges and mozzies in these areas can be brutal. On that note, always remember to pack some super strength Areoguard or Bushmans spray with you when venturing into the mud crabs realms – you’ll need it.

TRAP SET UP Regardless of what species of crab you are going to chase or what trap type you use, you’ll need to have your trap marked by a float. The float must be at-least 100mm in diameter and have clearly written in permanent marker CT (standing for Crab Trap), your initial and surname, your date of birth and your postcode. The rope attached to the float also needs to have a 50g weight on it, so that no line is floating on the surface of the water. Once you’ve got all that sorted, the next important part is what bait to use. If you’re using witches hats or dilly nets, you can get away with using softer baits such as pilchards or mullet fillets To page 10

NOVEMBER 2017

crabs From page 9

inside a bait bag. These must be checked regularly, as softer baits left out any longer than 30 minutes or so will be picked apart and dispersed by other fish, leaving you with a baitless trap. The better alternative is to use something more hardy that will last longer, as in some instances (especially when chasing mud crabs) you

It’s also important when leaving your traps out for longer durations (up to three days) that you completely remove all the leftover old bait and replace in with fresh stuff, as old slimy, smelly bait is actually a major turn-off for any crabs. LOOKING AFTER AND PREPARING YOUR CRABS The best part about

them straight into it. This will keep the crabs in the best possible condition prior to cooking them. The only exception I have to this is with mud crabs when I want to keep them alive for a while. When looked after properly it’s possible to keep these guys alive for over week. This can be particularly handy for family events such as Christmas or Easter when the in-laws have put the pressure on for a feed of crabs and you don’t want to disappoint. To do this it’s very important to take as much care as possible when removing the crabs from each trap as any lost limbs or claws will drastically reduce the time

they can be kept alive for. Place the intact crabs into a box and put a wet towel over them allowing each crab its own space; if they get too close together it can result in a limb or two going missing. The other alternative here is to learn how to tie your crabs up, which is quite easy with a bit of practice. There are plenty of videos on YouTube detailing how it’s done. Once you have the crabs home, leave them in your box and place it in a cool spot with a wet towel over the top, which needs to be replaced each day. I also chuck a few mangrove leaves and branches in there as well just to make

The easiest and most humane way to dispatch the crabs you catch is to carry on-board a large esky filled with an ice slurry and throw them straight into it. might leave your trap in the water for a couple of days. Whole mullet and luderick, as well as the frames or heads of snapper, mulloway, tuna, drummer and nannygai, and even chicken necks all make great baits. For the larger fish head baits, a bait clip through the eyes is sometimes better than a bait bag. The fresher your bait is, the more crabs you will catch.

NOVEMBER 2017

catching crabs is eating them and as with any seafood, the better you can look after your capture, the better it’s going to taste. Crabs don’t freeze well and are best cooked the same day they are caught, then they can be eaten for a few days cold after that. The easiest and most humane way to dispatch the crabs you catch is to carry on-board a large esky filled with an ice slurry and throw

Cooking crabs can be done a stack of different ways and for some simply chucking them straight into a large pot of boiling water does the job just fine.

The author prefers the taste of a crab that has been cleaned prior to cooking. This is easily done by levering off the top part of the shell and removing the unwanted gunky stuff inside as well as anything that’s not solid white crab meat. them feel a bit more at home. After about five days I place each crab in a bucket of saltwater with an aerator for about three hours, which is supposed to purge them of built-up toxins. After this they go back into their box with fresh towels and mangrove leaves. I’ve kept muddies alive for ten days before cooking them using this method. Cooking crabs can be done a stack of different ways, and for some simply chucking them straight into a large pot of boiling water

does the job just fine. While I certainly wouldn’t knock back a feed of crabs prepared like this, I prefer the taste of a crab that has been cleaned prior to cooking. This is easily done by levering off the top part of the shell and removing the unwanted gunky stuff inside as well as anything that’s not solid white crab meat. I also favour steaming my crabs as it’s a very clean way of doing it and very hard to stuff up, as you can check where the cooking process is up to at any time.

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Mulloway

Beach tactics: secrets from the Mulloway Man BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

Considered the holy grail by beach anglers, mulloway (‘jewfish’ or ‘jewies’ as they are affectionately known) are at the top of most beach anglers’ hit or bucket lists. Many anglers spend long, lonely hours on the beach at night in the pursuit of these beasts. Some fishos might chance

upon one or two using baits such as pilchards intended for species such as tailor and salmon. However, the anglers who catch mulloway consistently have their own specialist techniques and tackle. Unfortunately though, many salty old gun mulloway anglers have taken their secrets to the grave rather than share them with even their closest friends, let alone a fishing writer! Left: A steeply shelving beach with little wave movement around Newcastle. The action slowed once the moon got a bit higher over the horizon. Right: A drop-off on the sand can be evidence of deep water directly in front. Note the sandbank to the right, also evident at low tide.

Even small mulloway take a liking to juicy big beach worms.

Fortunately though, my keen fishing mate Todd was much more generous. Todd the Mulloway Man (as I call him) was not only prepared to share his secrets with me, but also took me out for a couple of sessions near his home at Newcastle. Here we put his techniques into action and he shared many of his secrets with me to pass on to you. Todd is a wealth of knowledge on mulloway fishing, even though he’s only a relative newcomer, having targeted them over the past three years. In that time he has caught over 80 mulloway, so he is clearly doing something right. Even more interesting is that not all of his tactics are out of the textbook, yet they work and work very well. This

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NOVEMBER 2017

article summarises the generous information Todd shared with me. DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRUCTURE Deep holes and gutters Deep holes with an entry/ exit to deeper water are one of the more traditional target locations for mulloway along the NSW coastline. So too are relatively short, deep gutters (up to about 100m long or so) with a north and south entry and exit point. These locations are found along a number of exposed NSW beaches and are worth targeting during the peak times of dusk and into the evening. Holes that have been channelled out next to structure such as headlands, isolated rocks or even shipwrecks are also very worthy locations. Such formations attract baitfish and in turn the bread and butter fish such as mullet, whiting and bream that these larger predators like to target. Steeply shelving beaches Very different, yet arguably more consistent and productive locations are steeply shelving beaches, particularly those located close to river and estuary mouths. It is this type of formation, from Blacksmiths Beach at the mouth of Lake Macquarie to Birubi Beach just south of Nelson Bay, that Todd and other switched-on anglers have found to be so successful. It’s like a highway for mulloway; anglers who target the right time and tide as well as more defined beach formations along this strip have the most success. One of the key reasons for the success of these beaches is their proximity to the big estuaries along this strip, which act as both a nursery and feeding ground. Anglers should realise that while steeply shelving beaches give you access to deeper water and thus the chance for fish to ‘turn up’ at your location, there are a few things you can look for to improve your odds even further. Unlike a lot of anglers

who choose high tide so that the water fills deep holes and gutters, Todd prefers to fish the low tide in his local Newcastle beaches. This is because he finds it easier to read the underwater structure along the steeply shelving beaches at this time. Choosing a location along these steep beaches can be difficult for anglers unfamiliar with the area or how to read the water. Steeply shelving beaches

change shape (the waves become higher or lower) indicating a change in bottom structure. Other things Todd looks for are the steepest decline in the sand from the shore as an indication of deep water close to shore. He adds that there are also some permanent deeper holes along these beaches, which are best spotted from on top of the dunes in the middle of the day.

Big king worms on twisted dropper rigs are extremely successful in Todd’s local waters. often don’t produce the traditional rolling sets of breaking waves of more regular beaches. Apart from the shore break, they may just have one back break and can be harder to read. For this reason, Todd finds that spotting deeper pockets of water (or holes) and other structure can be easier at low tide. At this time, he will closely examine the unbroken waves and identify areas where the water is darker and where the waves partly break out further in shallower water, or simply

TACKLE AND TECHNIQUES Set rods Todd likes to fish with set rods as it allows the fish to run with the baits and if you use the right hooks, the fish will usually hook themselves. That said, once the tip of the rod has buckled over (indicating the fish has turned and run with the bait), Todd will grab the rod, tighten the drag about a quarter to half turn to its normal fishing position, and set the hooks by striking hard. In terms of positioning his baits, he generally sets his

Mulloway three rods about 10m apart. That means you need to have a few long rod holders that are set firmly in the sand. Todd uses a 1m length PVC pipe that is 50mm in diameter, which he well and truly wedges at a slight angle to the water with a lump of wood (which I liken to a ‘priest’). Baits and rigs Todd likes to use a variety of baits to cover his bases on any particular night. His favourite baits include king worms (thick enough to fit over the eye of the hook),

fresh squid, whole yellowtail and live whiting. By far his most successful and favourite rig is thick beach worms on a dual dropper rig using relatively small 2/0 red Mustad Baitholder hooks. In terms of bait presentation, he threads the worm up and over the eye of the hook and right up the 15cm dropper to the green lumo bead. He prefers to use 30lb monofilament for these twisted dropper rigs simply because he finds fluorocarbon much more difficult to get a tight twist.

I tend to agree, as I’ve tried a few different brands of fluorocarbon but am yet to achieve the perfect twists that Todd does with his mono leader. A couple of important additions to this rig are green lumo glow beads, which you should charge up with your LED headlamp (facing away from the water) to help the fish spot the bait at night. While this rig might not always catch the biggest fish, it continues to produce even when the other baits aren’t touched.

Todd will also run another rig with the same twisted dropper rig but replace the hooks with 8/0 Octopus circle hooks. On these hooks he rigs a whole medium-size fresh loligo squid, or strip if the squid are too big. A third successful rig is a slider rig with two snelled 8/0 octopus circle hooks baited with either a whole large squid, yellowtail (live if possible) or a live whiting. He uses heavier line (50lb) for this rig and given the bigger baits and deeper water

Fresh squid is another of Todd’s favourite baits.

Left: A yellowtail rigged up on a snelled slide bait. Note the top free hook. Right: The result of the yellowtail bait was this great mulloway.

this rig is usually in, it tends to catch larger mulloway or the occasional shark. Interestingly, he leaves the top hook of the snell free or loose for better hook-ups and so the fish swims or sits more naturally.

Other Tackle Like all anglers, Todd has his personal preferences when it comes to rods, reels and lines. In general he prefers 13’6 to 14’ rods with a fast action. In terms of reel choice, To page 14

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Mulloway falling and the first 1 1/2 hours of the rising tide at and after dusk into the night. In terms of moons, surprisingly Todd is less fussed about the four days either side of the full moon. In fact, on full moon nights, he finds the fish will only bite before the moon gets too high above the horizon and we certainly found that to be the case on the two nights around the full moon that we fished. His theory is the full moon up high reflects off the mulloway’s big shiny scales and makes them too much of a target for sharks. It’s hard to argue with his results, as he has caught the great majority of his fish outside the key full moon period. BIGGEST MISTAKES? Some of the biggest mistakes anglers make are the

From page 13

he loves Alveys, although his dodgy wrist mostly restricts him to spinning and overhead reels these days. For anglers like me who love their Alveys, my 650e rock fishing reel with the handles attached gives me maximum power with the 1:1 wind. In terms of spinning reels, Todd prefers the Daiwa Saltist 6500 high-speed reel and the Saltist Nero 4500 high-speed reel. He also uses a Fin-Nor overhead reel for his slide baiting. On his reels he likes to use 20-30lb braid, topped up with a rod length of 30lb fluorocarbon. BEST TIMES As noted earlier, Todd prefers to fish around the low tide. If he has a choice, he’ll time the tides so that he fishes the last hour of the

ones they are not even aware of. As a regular mulloway angler Todd indicates that the biggest mistakes he sees include bait presentation, impatience and anglers not covering enough bases. Bait presentation is probably one of the key points of difference between very good anglers and the rest of the pack in all forms of fishing. This applies just as much to mulloway fishing, if not more. Baits need to be as fresh as possible, or live and presented in a way that not only looks natural (not twisted or clumped up) but has the hook point exposed. That’s right, the need to hide the hook point from the fish is a myth and doing so will lead to lots of missed hook-ups, as the hook point needs to be unimpeded making its

Yet another fish caught using the Mulloway Man’s techniques and tackle.

way into the tough mouth of the mulloway. Patience is another virtue when mulloway fishing. On some nights the fish might be there just on dusk, on others it can be a wait for several hours or they might not turn up at all. While this isn’t unusual for mulloway fishing, Todd is pretty confident most nights that the fish will eventually make their way along these steeply shelving highways and stop and feed in the areas with more defined structure. This was certainly my experience with Todd on my trips with him. On the first night I caught four soapies (or small mulloway) within the first hour or so around dusk, while on the second night we waited nearly four hours before three fish struck in the space of five minutes! Variety in terms of bait choice and casting distance is something else that anglers chasing mulloway can’t give enough attention to. Todd normally has a smorgasbord of bait choices as noted above. Having 3-4 different baits out there helps to cover all bases for those times that the fish might choose one bait over the other. Once again this happened with us. On the first night, all fish were taken on big, long king beachworms. The second night, the worms weren’t touched, but rather

A small mulloway caught on a fresh squid bait. the fish took fresh squid and yellowtail! Likewise, some anglers can think that it’s essential to cast all your baits out as far as possible. More important is having your baits in the right place in the structure of the gutters you are fishing. This might mean a long, short and medium size cast with three rods in three different areas (e.g. at the edge of the back bank, in a deeper hole close to shore and a slider rig out the back of the back bank) to cover your bases.

CONCLUSION So there are some very detailed tips from a very generous man – the Mulloway Man. I hope these tips allow you to catch a mulloway or two in your local area. If not, plan a trip to the ‘Jew Coast’ around Newcastle in the not too distant future! For more tips and tricks, giveaways and fishing reports, jump on my Facebook page, Ontour Fishing Australia. Until then, bag your mates – not your limit!

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Get psyched up for some hot surface action turbidity and suspended silt on the larger tides. Go for the more translucent colours on the neap tides if the river is clear. The areas to look for this kind of action are on the major bends, drop-offs, creek mouths and sand bars. Select the right jig or blade

THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

Bass are looking up this month waiting for your accurately cast surface lure! Head down to your local creek or river and give this great technique a red-hot crack this month. Nothing beats the sheer aggression these fish have for terrestrial insects when they fall haplessly on the surface of the water; surface lures take advantage of this very trait. Whether it’s a lure splashing, blooping, fizzing, paddling or delicately twitched on the surface, bass love to attack from below and most lures these days are designed to trigger the bass’ feeding mode when worked correctly. The added

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using a diving crankbait, like over weed beds and in heavy timber laydowns. Dawn, dusk and after dark are prime times for this technique, but there are exceptions like well shaded sneaky creeks with lots of overhead vegetation and heavily overcast days. The EPs are still on the rock walls and weed beds in the tidal water from Windsor to lower Portland. Soft plastic grubs and live prawns are snaring a few on the quieter days during the week on a run-out tide. Flathead are widespread at present as they ambush the abundant prawns and herring populations. Soft plastics and vibes are deadly weapons in the right hands and can produce some cricket score catches when the conditions are right. Soft plastic colour selection is always debatable; pumpkin seed, white, blood worm and gold are standout colours when the water has

Big estuary perch are suckers for a well-presented soft plastic cast around the rock walls and weed beds. to get your offering on the bottom and make regular contact to twig their interest and get a bite. A few anglers will get a shock this season when fishing the upper tidal water around Windsor with baits

while anglers are fishing for mullet with bread through the warmer months. Mud crabs should become active this month for those putting the effort in to bait and set traps. The creek mouths and their

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smaller feeder streams from Wisemans Ferry to Brooklyn regularly produce quality muddies through summer. When the crabs are active, bait anglers will regularly experience some twitching of the rod tips and a bit of weight on the line, but when retrieved the weight

School mulloway will be abundant in the upper brackish reaches and willing to take baits and lures. This fish favoured a small blade hopped over a drop-off.

• Mulloway • Kingfish • Bream • Bass • EP’s • Flathead

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and lures. Flathead and bream will push higher up the river when there has been minimal rainfall. They come here for one reason and that’s food in the form of prawns and baitfish. The beach at Windsor regularly coughs up some of these welcome saltwater species

disappears. These are telltale signs the muddies are about – you may be lucky and foul one up in your trace but they usually let go as they get near the surface and the waiting net. Mulloway have been abundant this year throughout the brackish reaches. They will venture right up to lower Portland and beyond if the conditions remain favourable. Most anglers have better luck back downstream from Dads Corner to Laughtondale on the plentiful drop-offs and creek mouths. The size of the school mulloway has been reasonably good this year, but this will start to change later this month with the smaller soapies beating every other fish to your baits. The kingfish have moved in and are harassing bait around the headlands, Pittwater and sometimes in Broken Bay on the bigger tides. Live yakkas, slimies, garfish and squid are top baits to tempt a big hoodlum onto your hook. Downrigging and flat lining are both accounting for some quality kings and this should continue through summer.

Offshore bluefin action finally heating up SYDNEY NORTH

Paul O’Hagan

Another month has passed and there’s good news for the Sydney offshore anglers. While most people thought that the season was over before it started, the fish finally found the GPS coordinates of Sydney and all hell broke loose with people taking days of work and heading out wide for the opportunity to catch one of the large bluefin that were available. While the fish were first marked beyond the Twelve-

Mile they have slowly pushed out further and have held around Browns Mountain for a couple of weeks, giving lots of fishos the chance of a hook-up. While a lot of fish have been taken on the troll using all manner of skirted lures and divers, the best results came from teamwork. A few boats were feeding the schools with numerous blocks of pilchards set down in a berley trail and holding the fish around the area, giving them the chance to throw small cubes and even stickbaits into the feeding frenzy.

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Lots of anglers have been sending the locations of fish schools over the radio and this has worked for a lot of boats that were just trolling around blind in the hope that they can come across some fish. With this being the longest time in recent memory that the fish have stuck around off Sydney, we can only hope that the trend continues and we get a decent run of fish from now on. With boats working the water far and wide there have been reports of some good yellowfin and even the odd marlin being taken as the hot current pushes down from the north, so never give up on the chance to go out wide and troll around the shelf – it could be very rewarding. On our inshore reefs there have been quality snapper taken on the drift and in the berley trails. With all the good sessions there has been an increase in the amount of seals in the area

Anglers have been heading out wide recently for the opportunity to catch one of the large bluefin that have been available, like this cracker fish. and down, giving anglers a chance at some light line fishing with small metals. In the shallow bays and around

that is thrown at them. Beach fishing is improving as the weeks go by with lots of young and

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An example of a school-sized southern bluefin tuna. making the fish very wary and putting them off the bite. If you’re able to find an area with no seals you still have to get your baits past the barracouta that are still in large quantities and doing as much damage to lines and rigs as they can. Hopefully as the water temperature starts to rise we’ll see the back of them and things will settle down again, allowing drifted baits and soft plastics to hit the targets without being chewed. Live yellowtail and fresh squid being slowly trolled around the reefs are still accounting for most of the kingfish, so it’s always a good idea to spend a bit of time filling the live wells up before heading out to the reefs, as it can sometimes make the difference between catching a fish and not. The harbour is still holding large schools of salmon chasing baitfish up

the boat moorings a feed of quality flathead and bream is always an option when the salmon aren’t taking anything

old anglers learning the art of catching live worms (with pliers or with their fingers) and heading to the

nearest gutter for a good feed of whiting bream and flathead. In the evening fresh squid and mullet strips are getting anglers into some good battles with the dusky whalers and stingrays that are patrolling our beaches looking for an easy meal. Narrabeen Lake has become a lot more active with good reports coming in of some decent flathead on the prowl. While the water is still a little cold and crystal clear, they will still take a range of soft and metal vibes fished on a very fine leader in the early morning before dawn and into evening as the sun goes down. As the water temperature rises the whiting will start to move around the lake looking for a feed, so it’s time to take out the surface lures and poppers and have some fun, and maybe grab a feed of fresh fish for the table. On our rock platforms like Blue Fish Point and North Head fishing in the wash when conditions are favourable can be very

Brett Malcolm with a great snapper.

productive at this time of the year with groper and kingfish being the main targets. There is always a good chance of a decent snapper taking a large soft plastic or a fresh slice of squid just before the sun comes up, too.

While rock fishing with bait, lots of berley can be the key to a successful trip; plan to carry as much of it as you can into the area to draw the fish in close. As with all rock fishing, keep an eye on the water and never turn your

back on the waves as the sea is always changing and there is always a chance of a rogue wave popping up out of the blue. Be very careful and enjoy your day out. As always stay safe and enjoy our sport.

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Perfect weather to get out for a morning fish PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

Honestly, there are few things better than being on or near the water and dangling a line as the sun rises, especially at this time of the year. With the still mornings it has been great to get out on Broken Bay to watch for any surface activity. The easiest way to find some fun is to watch for all the bird activity along Broken Bay between Lion Island and Box Head for those coming from the Central Coast, and from Palm Beach through to the mouth of the Hawkesbury River at Juno Point for us Sydneysiders. Broken Bay is a massive waterway and finding fish on the sounder can be a very hard task. Taking advantage of the wildlife around you tuning in to nature’s signals makes finding a decent fish a lot easier. If you’re after kingies, don’t be scared to put out

Flounder are pretty easy to catch at the moment. your first live bait while gathering others at West Head. At times kingfish have been coming up the berley trail and scaring all of the baitfish (yellowtail). To take advantage of this, and make sure that your first yellowtail is hooked up onto a decent outfit and placed

in a strong rod holder so the live bait is just out of sight. Quite often as anglers we’re in such a hurry to gather our live baits so we can travel vast distances and feed the same species

2g are the ones to use. Take a variety of coloured jigs, as there doesn’t seem to be any pattern to the colours that they prefer. One day fluoro pink will work unbelievably well and

is a receding tide. As the tide recedes the larger ambush predators will be on the fringes of the weed beds and in the deeper holes waiting for an easy meal. Casting soft plastics, lures or even drifting baits on light line will see you having a lot of fun. This is the month when we also start to see mulloway showing up along Pittwater and fingers crossed they show up again this year. Over the last few years I have found the better area to catch mulloway along Pittwater is the big basin of water between Stokes Point, Soldiers Point, Sinclair Point and Palm Beach. This area seems to attract a lot of mulloway and I believe it is purely because of all the baitfish that gather around the fringes and get pushed into deeper water as they are targeted by many different species. With the lack of current on most occasions the best way to target the fish in

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Smaller kings are great fun for kids and adults that are young at heart. of fish showing up in the berley trail. Barrenjoey is another great area to try at the moment and once again yellowtail are working well. If you decide to fish the ocean side of Barrenjoey after kingfish, it may also be worthwhile to grab a few squid while you’re there. The ocean side of Barrenjoey is one of the better areas at the moment to gather some squid. If you want to fish the flatter water there are squid to be caught on the Palm Beach weed beds and also at Mackerel Beach through to West Head. Lately catching squid along Pittwater is proving a little difficult due to the size of the squid. Most of the squid that we are encountering are no bigger than 4” long and with this in mind smaller jigs around

the very next day they’ll be after natural colours and shying away from the brighter ones. Targeting kingfish in Pittwater can be a bit hit and miss at the moment but if you’re willing to downrig live baits amongst the moorings around Scotland Island, you should run into one or two. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for working seagulls and if you find a patch of salmon or tailor, anglers have found the odd kingfish lurking. Other species to target along Pittwater are your humble bread and butter species and the good news is that there seem to be quite a few flathead and flounder to be caught. The weed beds and sand flats along Pittwater are now alive with baitfish and these are the areas to try early in the morning, especially if there

this area is to drift. Anglers catch many mulloway while drifting using bait, microjigs and soft plastics in the

above-mentioned area and the beauty is that we also catch flathead, tailor, bream and some kingfish every now and then. There is a fair amount of activity in close. Areas such as Newport Reef and Mona Vale Reef are seeing a fair amount of surface activity with schools of salmon providing some fun. The same areas also have kingfish. Once again using live baits and covering ground seems to be the way to find the fish. Other areas to try for kingfish at the moment are West Reef and East Reef with both of these reefs seeing decent fish. In the deeper water there are still some flathead about to be caught in 50-60m of water. These areas also have the odd snapper. The biggest drama that we have had over the last few months when fishing deeper water has been those annoying Chinaman leatherjackets, toads and – just to bring up the trifecta – barracuda as well. Thank goodness they have disappeared for a little while, because when you find some decent fish on the sounder it is disappointing to lose them on the way up. The deeper water reefs that are fishing well at the moment include the Long Reef drifting grounds, the Ordinance Grounds and the Container. The better baits to use have been the humble pilly or some of the baitfish that can be caught while reef fishing. Squid is also working reasonably well if you’re after a snapper. I hope this report sees you gathering some friends and giving us a call so we can show you some of the great fishing on offer along Pittwater, the Hawkesbury River and our coast. • Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone (02) 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www. estuaryfishingcharters.com.au

More of these will be on offer on the reefs this month.

More species to choose from SYDNEY HARBOUR

Luke D’Ambrosio

Craig McGill is away this month, so the November Sydney Harbour report has been supplied by the team from Otto’s Tackle World, Drummoyne. As the weather warms up, so does the fishing in the harbour. Good numbers of kingfish are being caught in the harbour at the moment with a variety of plastics claiming the

freshwater systems above the weirs, with the afternoons being the most productive. Lately we’ve been seeing good results on subsurface lures such as small paddletails and jerkbaits. These have a small profile which the bass like, but many other plastics should do the job too. We also had a report the other day of a young bloke doing well on bass using a prawn imitation – the new Fuze Prawn Head lure in fairy dust. At the time of writing this report it’s still

start, with a run-in tide being the most productive. Don’t be surprised if you come across a kingfish or two in the process! If you find some salmon on the surface your best bet is to cast small metals like 5-10g Halco Twisties or small plastics like the ZMan Slim SwimZ in opening night and clear Powerbait Minnows. The schools of fish found on the headlands are making their way up the harbour, so keep an eye out for birds and be sure not to

Nick Buskariol on the author’s boat with one of the many kings that have moved into the harbour. It’s great to see how many anglers are involved in the tag and release program. good numbers of the fish. Effective plastics for targeting these fish have included 6” paddle-tails (e.g. Fuze Doctors) and larger 7-8” jerk shads, with one of the best producers being the ZMan Scented JerkshadZ in green lantern. Micro jigs have also been claiming their fair share of fish. For land-based anglers, stickbaits such as the Rapala Long Cast Shallow have started to produce some results, with a few better size fish in the mix. Those anglers who prefer bait fishing can expect good results on live squid. The average size of the squid is smaller at the moment, so your best bet is to use smaller 1.5 to 2.0 size jigs. The bass are starting to fire up a little bit in the

too cold for reliable surface fishing, but that’s all about to change. Bream anglers are doing well on vibes and small grub plastics around wharves and any kind of structure, with surface fishing on the flats starting to show some signs of life. The 70mm Samaki Vibelicious in avocado and the 2.5” ZMan GrubZ in motor oil are two lures the team at Otto’s recommend as a must-have in the tackle box. If lures aren’t your thing, you can simply anchor up and start a berley trail, and use cubes of pilchards for bait. An unweighted cube of pilchard sent down your trail should see you coming home with a feed. Adjacent to the white naval boy at Clifton Gardens is good place to

drive over the schools of fish so everyone can enjoy catching them! Flathead are still abundant in the estuaries, but the lack of rain has seen them moving right up the estuaries. You can catch them along the edges of the channel on a range of 3-5” plastics and soft vibes. Mulloway are also being caught in the upper reaches of the estuary systems, and we’ve been getting good results on 80-110mm Squidgy Prawns in cloud nine and black gold. You’ll need a relatively slow retrieve; a good way to start is with a rhythmic double hop with a pause to allow it to sink back to the bottom, then repeat this back to the boat. If you’re just getting into mulloway fishing, an easier option is to use a soft

vibe like the 100mm Samaki Vibelicious. Give it a really slow lift and let it sink back to the bottom. Remember that it’s important not to get too aggressive when working these lures. THE MONTH AHEAD In November we can expect to see more kingfish moving in, and this is prime time to catch a big one. The best way to sift through these smaller ones is to downrig large livebaits around the headlands. You’ll have to sift through a lot of smaller ones, with hordes of 60-70cm school-size fish moving in, but the bigger ones will be lurking there in the mix. It’s a good time to fish land-based for them in the harbour, as well as all the usual boat-based spots. This month bass will start taking surface lures. Little cicadas work a treat, but if you don’t have any of those then little poppers should do the job just fine. Bream anglers are in for a fun time as the bream will start to feed more aggressively this month, and take lures more readily. All up, as we move into summer and the water heats up we will get a wider variety of species coming in, so it’s a great time to be on the water. For all the up-to-date

Graham Franklin with a brace of bream from the Franklin’s Australia BREAM Australian Open. info on what’s whiting and where, see the team at Otto’s Tackle World at 74-76 Victoria Rd, Drummoyne, give them a call on (02) 9819 6522 or visit their website at www. ottostackleworld.com. au. You can also see all

the latest news and catch photos at www.facebook. com/ottostackleworld. • If you are interested in doing a guided fishing trip on Sydney harbour with Craig McGill please call 0412 918 127 or email craig@fishabout.com.au.

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Great mixed species fishing in the wash SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

As we move into the warmest part of spring we can expect some great results for a lot of species. Rock blackfish, also called pigs and black drummer, are on this month. Far fewer anglers target this species at this time of year, but it’s well worth doing because the pigs can be big, up to 4kg or even larger. My mates call them ‘medicine balls’, the fish are that big and solid. Big cabbage weed baits work well for these big fish. The rig consists of a small foam float approximately 8cm by 4cm, which you can purchase at virtually all tackle shops. For the stopper, you can either use the stem stopper in the middle of the float, which fixes the float at the depth that you want to fish at, or you can purchase float stoppers. Using a float stopper will allow the float to slide up the line until it hits the stopper. It is a lot easier to cast using the running float stopper because the rig is shorter and the float stopper can be wound through the guides, allowing the angler to cast a shorter rig with ease. To continue on the rig, you’ll need a small ball sinker which free runs down to a 25kg+ swivel. Then you tie on a 30-45cm length of 20-30lb fluorocarbon leader and a 1/0 or 2/0 hook. I like to use Mustad hooks in the extra strong suicide pattern. Your main line should be 10x hardness because of the nature of this pugnacious species. You’ll find that 30lb braid will be sufficient and not necessarily overkill, especially with a really big pig.

Will Jorgen worked hard to get these fish. Within a location there are several types of drifts that fish will be in, and these drifts change throughout the tide. Varying your sinker weights is important. When it comes to reels, I recommend a 4000 size spinning reel, such as the Daiwa BG4000 or Saltist Nero 4000. Alvey 650B or 625B reels are also ideal for this species. A 12-13ft rod will be adequate. The Live Fibre series 6-10kg is fine for long casting, and can be used with line classes up to 12kg. The Live Fibre 6-8kg is good for the lighter work. Both are two piece. For rock blackfish spots try The Hat below the Quarantine wall in Manly, Little Bluey in the Manly end of Bower Street, North Curl Curl, and Warriewood. Avoid

fishing any of these locations in a swell above 1m. Have your bread bait and berley, and banana, endeavour or king prawns for back-up bait. LUDERICK If you want to catch a few luderick, try the spots I mentioned for rock blackfish. Some big luderick have been caught off the stones of late, and fish up to 48cm have been reported by some of the locals. Now that’s a big luderick! I have seen a few fish to 44cm, and clients have been catching similar size specimens. Because your luderick gear is in the 3-4kg line class, lifting up these big fish can lead to tears.

Another thing I saw recently was an angler getting stuck into the big luderick at North Whale Rocks. The gear must have been relatively heavy, around 6kg, as the person was skull dragging fish in. This is something you have to be careful of, because the hook size when fishing for luderick with weed baits is in that no. 6-10 size, and it can be torn out. Ripping out the hooks doesn’t just happen when fighting the fish either; it can happen when you lift up the fish. I always prefer to play them out and then wash them up gently with a wave, as the results are much better. MIXED BAG Catching mixed species wash fishing is a great way to spend a few hours on the stones. Try fishing the whitewater wash areas with a pilchard/bread berley and use baits like half pillies, peeled large prawns, squid, cuttlefish or even tailor fillets. This will account for salmon, tailor, snapper, trevally and bream. You can also pick up kingfish, in sizes ranging from small to unstoppable on the medium weight gear that you will be using. Remember that when you’re fishing for wash species they will often go off the bite if you stop the berley trail for too long. I often see anglers over berleying, and then they don’t throw out any more for 10, 20 or even 30 minutes. Remember there is current and wash movement, so the trail will be cut off if you stop for too long. I like to berley up every minute or two, with only small amounts each time. Sometimes you cannot have your bucket of berley close by because there may be shin deep waves washing over the ledge, so keep a bag with you. I use an Alvey carry bag with 1-3kg of berley in a plastic container, so I can keep a constant stream of berley going. I like to have

two bait containers – one for bait and one for berley. For this kind of fishing, a 6-8kg outfit will usually do the job fine, but you can go up to a 10-12kg outfit if you’ll be fishing rougher terrain. When it comes to locations, try Bluefish’s eastern front, South and North Curl Curl, Long Reef’s northeast face flat ledge approximately 350m east of the old cleaning table, and North Whale Headland. I love it when my clients

One of the author’s regular clients, Rob Marich, only got a small bag of whiting and a bream, but this is pretty much the minimum you can expect if you have some know-how. send me photos and reports of what they are catching, putting into practice what they’ve learned with me, and an example of that is beach worming. It’s such grass roots fishing – gather your beach worms then go out and catch a few whiting. They are one of the best fish you will ever eat, and when you’re chasing them

Archer Huang was so rapt with his big blue! He decided to release it, preferring to keep the smaller groper. If the kings aren’t responding on any given day, groper can be a great standby – and the heavy king gear works a treat. 22

NOVEMBER 2017

you’ll often catch other species such as bream, tarwhine, dart, flathead and salmon. Occasionally a nice mulloway will also pick up the bait; beach worms are actually a great mulloway bait off the beach. Lately the salmon have been quieter than previous years, although we’re seeing some good catches of chopper tailor up to about 1kg. There are big schools of salmon off the rocks around the North Head-Bluefish area, and the

guides in Sydney Harbour are also reporting salmon catches, but these fish are a no-show off the ocean beaches. This could change this month though, as November can be a cracker of a month for this species. I’ve received a couple of mulloway reports from Collaroy and Newport Beach, of one 1m fish and another about 85cm. Goodsize school fish, both caught on squid baits. And you can bet there are more fish being caught by anglers who don’t want to mention their prize on social media. This month try starting at Manly Beach, Northern section of Dee Why, North Narrabeen Beach near the lagoon entrance, and the black rock area of Palm beach. Look for the massive boulders on the last third of the beach towards the southern section. • 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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Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Over the past couple of months, both the water and air temperature have been warming up throughout the bay, making it great to be outdoors wetting a line. The only thing that has been a little bit of a deterrent is the wind. That shouldn’t stop you from getting out there, as the fish will be on the chew during November.

and bream off the beach, and also chucking a few lures around for flathead from the boat or shore. Scotty Lyons reports that there will be trevally waiting to be berleyed up at the oil wharf on a run-out tide, at the cardinal marker on the western side of the third runway, the drop-off at the channel markers coming out from Dolls Point, the called the ‘Sticks,’ Watts Reef, the southeast corner of Bare Island, just inside Henry Head and Sutherland Point on the run-in tide.

Take note that there is a recently installed 24-hour speed camera near Cattle Duffers on the Georges River. Make sure that you stick to the speed limit where advised.

This 78cm dusky flathead was caught while slow rolling a Chubby hardbodied lure through the poles in Woolooware Bay while chasing bream. Anyone who knows me will know that I will fish in just about anything. During November there is nothing I like better than getting out there chasing trevally in the bay out of my boat: getting sand between my toes, grabbing a few beach worms and targeting whiting

There have been trevally coming in further upstream at Bald Face Point on the run-out tide, the port marker off Kangaroo Point, Como Bridge and the Moons. The best baits by far have been the peeled prawn, pink nippers and tube worms. One of my favourite baits

for trevally is small pieces of filleted trevally that have been skinned. Just remember that you can only cut up legal sized trevally for bait. You could also try using small frogmouth pilchards, fresh squid, half pilchards, fillets of pilchards and white bait. For those of you without a boat and fishing from the shore you could try La Perouse Island, Fishermans Beach, the small rocky point beside the entrance to the container wall, the breakwalls at the entrance to the Cooks River, any of the groynes along Brighton Beach and at Dolls Point. Further upstream you could try either side of the old Lugarno Ferry and beside the boat ramp at the Georges River State Park. Maybe you would like to get your family or friends together and hire a boat (one that has a BBQ on it) from Como Marina and get out on the Georges and Woronora rivers to find your own secret areas. You never know – you may get yourself the mulloway of a lifetime or a feed of flathead and whiting.

The marina is situated right beside the Como Bridge and there is plenty of parking and a great café. Quite often I get asked about my favourite fish to catch and my favourite places to fish. I just love to fish and I don’t have a favourite fish to chase. One fish species that I do love to target is the dusky flathead, whether it’s with bait or lures – I don’t mind. They are one of the easiest fish to catch, put up a good fight on light line, they’re easy to clean and they taste great. What more would you want? November will see dusky flathead caught right through the Georges, Woronora and Cooks rivers, Botany Bay and even off a couple of the beaches that are close to the entrance to the bay. One of the techniques that I like when chasing dusky flathead is to anchor up on the edge of a drop-off in the shallows – not always, but I like to anchor my boat parallel to the drop-off so I can work both the drop-off

There are plenty of options on the Georges and Woronora rivers to get you out on the water, like hiring a boat.

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and the shallow areas. This can be done with the use of two anchors. Next you will need to make sure you have a small, steady berley trail going. This can consist of old bait and bread mixed with fish oil. Place it on the bottom in a perforated container so that the scent is wafted away on whatever tidal movement or drift is present. The bait could be a pilchard fillet or whitebait, a small live fish such as a mullet or a strip of fish flesh. When it comes to using soft plastics, I would try 4-5” lures with a slow hop back up the drop-off or over the shallows on the other side of the boat. I find fishing off the beach for whiting to be one of the most relaxing types of fishing and every chance I can get I will venture down to the beaches at Cronulla, Garie, Wattamolla and Stanwell Park with either a few tube or beach worms or a few pink nippers to work the gutters for whiting.

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Fishing News

John Dunphy’s legacy to benefit anglers A rich lifetime of contribution to the Australian recreational fishing community was celebrated on the evening of Monday, 18 September

of coastal water popular with anglers. NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Niall Blair, officially unveiled the plaque at the headquarters of Shimano

This commemorative plaque donated by NSW DPI now takes pride of place at Shimano Oceania Headquarters. Image courtesy of Paul K Robbins / Monde Photo with the dedication of a bronze plaque honouring the late John Dunphy. This plaque acknowledges the installation of the John Dunphy Offshore Artificial Reef complex in a stretch

Australia, in the southern Sydney suburb of Caringbah. Amongst his many other achievements, John Dunphy (better known to many simply as ‘JD’) established the Shimano brand in this country

during the early 1980s and headed up the organization for more than 30 years. The John Dunphy Offshore Artificial Reef is set to become famous in fishing circles simply as ‘JD Reef’. It is constructed of 36 individual concrete modules, each standing 5m high. Ten of these modules have steel towers fixed to their top sides, to add a vertical aspect extending the structure some 9m above the surrounding sea bed, thus increasing its attractiveness to freeswimming pelagic fish as well as reef-dwelling species. The modules were carefully lowered into place in 30m of water just south of Port Hacking in October, 2017. The John Dunphy Offshore Artificial Reef is the fourth structure of its type deployed along the NSW coastline. Similar reefs have already been established off Sydney, the Shoalhaven region and Port Macquarie using funds generated by the sale of recreational fishing licences in that state. Further reefs are due to be installed off Merimbula in 2018, and Tweed Heads in 2019, with even more projects to be announced soon. “The NSW Government is proud to be able to provide

a small token to pay our respect to Mr Dunphy and his family, with this commemorative plaque to be on permanent display at Shimano Australia’s Sydney headquarters,” a DPI Fisheries spokesperson said. Speaking on behalf of his entire Shimano team, Managing Director Colin Tannahill warmly thanked Minister Blair and the NSW Department of Primary Industries for their acknowledgment of John Dunphy’s enormous contribution to enhancing the access rights and opportunities of all recreational fishers. Mr Tannahill confirmed that the plaque would be displayed with great pride at Shimano Oceania Headquarters. Speaking further in his capacity as President of AFTA (the Australian

Image courtesy of Paul K Robbins / Monde Photo

Fishing Trade Association), Mr Tannahill also congratulated DPI Fisheries for their ongoing artificial reef program, and described how these installations

JOHN DUNPHY REEF LOCATION There are two separate reefs comprising the John Dunphy Offshore Artificial Reef: Northern Group centre point is 34.05.660S 151.10.658E; Southern Group centre point 34.05.936S 151.10.438E. 36. There are 18 per reef in small groups of 3-4 modules per group, which are approximately 2.5km from the entrance of Port Hacking and 1km from the cliffs of the Royal National Park.

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would benefit anglers for generations to come by providing wonderful new fishing hot spots. Colin Tannahill concluded by explaining how John Dunphy had been inducted into AFTA’s hallowed Hall of Fame, and expressed his firm belief that all AFTA members would unite in encouraging and educating anglers on the sustainable enjoyment of these artificial reefs, thus helping to preserve JD’s wonderful legacy in the fishing world. – NSWDPI

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Hotspots for fishing in November around Sydney SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Anglers that have never ventured onto the Port Hacking River will be amazed how clean and clear a waterway it is. This

sandy basin gives way to some very clear waters that will see fish casually swimming around in 5m of water at various times of the year. Sure, there are days when you have prolonged periods of bad weather and the water gets dirty, but that’s the

same with all waterways. It’s a place where one day you could be getting dusky flathead, then the next day you’ll be pulling in whiting, bream, trevally, luderick, kingfish, leatherjackets, mulloway and many other species. A number of years ago there were small

Small dart can be a bit annoying while fishing off the beaches in southern Sydney, but once in a while you can catch a big one.

Stanwell Park Beach has plenty of close parking to some excellent gutters where you could target bream, whiting and dart.

yellowfin tuna going nuts in South West Arm and giant herring have been caught there as well. I have even caught a couple of big-eyed trevally and red bigeye – a tropical fish species – while targeting other species. With all its great attributes the Port Hacking River can be one of the most

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This month you can catch a variety of fish species and whether you are going to fish from the shore or out of a boat, I would strongly suggest that you have a small, steady stream of berley going. Don’t let yourself get lazy and not berley. Berleying will make all the difference in getting amongst the fish or

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not. Next time you’re fishing, off the shore or anchored up in your boat, berley, berley and berley! If you’re after a few dusky flathead, there are literally hundreds of places you can go in the Hacking. There are shallow weed

8 knot channel at Lilli Pilli Baths over to 8 knot channel at Rathanes. At most parts of the low tide the sand flat is covered, but it drops off into about 20m of water. The depth of the channels can vary at times, as it occasionally gets

Try using the running paternoster rig with either a live poddy mullet, yellowtail or slimy mackerel. Strip baits like tuna, mullet, yellowtail, slimy mackerel and pilchards are also good. You can either anchor so that your boat sits perpendicular to the drop-off

extremely responsive to working small surface walkers and poppers right through the day. Try the Sugar Pens and Berkley 3B Pop Dog. If you prefer to use soft plastics, I would get hold of some 2.5” grub lures in motor oil colour or try the Zman Slim SwimZ and a few 1/40oz TT Hidden Weight Jigheads and work them slowly across the surface. Lately the baths at Gymea, Lilli Pilli and Gunnamatta Bay have been producing whiting, trevally,

bream, flathead, slimy mackerel, leatherjackets and the odd kingfish and salmon. Live squid, yellowtail, slimy mackerel and poddy mullet suspended under a float or A-Just-A-Bubble should do the trick. Squid have been coming in on most of the wharves and baths for those who have been fishing for them at night. These will make great bait for the kingfish and mulloway. The beaches from Cronulla to Coalcliff will start to see an increase in

the number of whiting with a few bream and dart thrown in. Tailor, salmon, gummy sharks and mulloway will be patrolling these beaches as well during the late afternoon through to sunrise. • 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 you caught your fish and I will endeavour to get it into my column.

If you’re into rock fishing, you could try Wombarra just a bit further south of Coalcliff for bream, trevally, luderick and drummer. beds, rock bars, sand flats, creek entrances, deep holes and drop-offs. It’s just a matter of working out what works best and when. If you’re fishing in a boat the place try the drop-off at Lilli Pilli first. This sand bar/ drop-off stretches from the

dredged. It’s best fished in the middle four hours of the run-in tide. It doesn’t seem to matter what time of the day you fish, but there must be a fair amount of current running over the edge of the drop-off; this helps carry out your berley.

or parallel. It’s up to you. You can also try trolling the edge of the drop-off with deep diving minnows of drift along the edge while flicking lures. As the water starts to warm up over the shallow flats the whiting will be

This dusky flathead jumped all over a 5” Berkley Jerk Shad in orange tiger colour worked at the edge of the drop-off to South West Arm.

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Getting back into the Aussie bass sessions WESTERN SYDNEY

Peter Jacovides

What’s not to love about November? It’s almost summer and the fishing on the Nepean is close to its best. Being the closest waterway to us here, to the bass angler this means only one thing – pre-work and post-work fishing sessions. These sessions are some of the best to be had. Mid-week often has far less traffic on the water from both anglers and leisure craft, so there are days where you can have entire stretches to yourself (an uncommon isolation in Sydney). The bass respond to numerous techniques in November and it’s a great time to play around and test out techniques that you may not be as comfortable with. The most popular way to target these fish is with cicada imitations, however walkthe-dog style topwater lures provide impressive captures as they mimic a broad range of the bass’ forage. Those anglers wanting to step out of their comfort zone can turn towards throwing some jigs and chatterbaits

The author with a healthy estuary perch caught on a spinnerbait. in the rivers. This technique is often overlooked in favour of more common approaches with soft plastics and spinnerbaits, but it’s certainly viable. The main river is firing and smaller off creeks have been home to some big fish, often producing numerous large fish a session. Weedless topwater lures have seemed

to be the best lures in these tight areas. Having the ability to throw them into gnarly structure and extract large fish without the worry of snagging up is what makes these ideal for these situations. If the bass fishing isn’t quite working for you, this year’s run of estuary perch has been the best for many

seasons. Target deep rock walls and adjacent log jams in backward moving water or ‘corners,’ as Dicky Woods calls them. By casting a prawn imitation lure (hard or soft, topwater or sub-surface) right in amongst these areas, you’re in with a shot at some good fish. Anglers are capturing estuary perch all the way up to Richmond, with the little rain and lack of fresh water dumping into the system. Further afield the fishing is also picking up. Redfin are waking from their winter slumber and are readily taking a variety of offerings, with a spattering of anglers catching them on small topwater lures destined for bass at Lake Lyell. Live worms are working well for families and those who prefer to use bait. Anglers are having the most success with blades around the trees. The trout have been trickling in with those willing to put the time and effort in being rewarded. The rivers are low and crystal clear so anglers fishing these areas need to be as quiet and subtle as possible when presenting their lure, fly or bait, as these fish are extremely flighty. Moving in an upstream

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direction helps significantly and will help mask the sound of your movements. Small dry flies on light tippets have been the most effective way to target these finicky fish, followed by small, lightly weighted plastics. The streams aren’t the only place to put time and effort into the trout; the local lakes of Lyell and Oberon have been consistently producing good fish. Those fishing off the banks have found the good ol’ Tassie Devil the best choice, while those boat-based anglers have been throwing suspending hardbodies such

as the Daiwa Double Clutch and Pontoon 21 Cablista. Windamere Dam has been a regular destination over the past month and this month won’t be any different. The fish will be schooled off points and weed in 20-30ft of water and will take a liking to small blades and lipless crankbaits with micro hops off the bottom. The key after all this pressure is a lengthy pause between hops; don’t be afraid to leave that lure dormant on the bottom for 10 seconds if need be, as hungry yellowbelly go around looking for yabbies hanging out on the bottom.

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Mangrove jack season starts with a bang THE TWEED INSHORE

Tim Latter

It’s the time of year that most switched-on lure anglers in the Tweed count down the days for. All throughout winter the jack

The main river tends to fish better for mangrove jacks early in the season. Concentrate your efforts on the lower to middle reaches during November. The last couple of months were extremely dry, which triggered an early start to

40-50lb, as there are some behemoth fish that reside under the pylons. Casting parallel to rock bars on the run is a good option as well, especially early in the morning or late in the afternoon when those areas are shaded.

Brock Perry nailed this whopper fish on a Tiemco Sumari.

Glenn ‘Bucket’ Ridings with a midday 50cm+ jack caught land-based. setup sits in the corner, just waiting for the water temperature to begin to rise. All eyes are fixated on Instagram, constantly checking to see those first few prized captures. And then... bang! Mangrove jack lures are being thrown all over the place.

the jack season, so all of the bridges and rock bars throughout this stretch of the river will be well and truly firing by now. Throwing lures into the tide around the main bridges on the run-out tide is a tried and tested method to get a reaction bite. Increase your leader breaking strain to

Jackall Squirrels, Lucky Craft Pointers and Rapala Shadow Raps all suspend, and these tried and proven lures are great choices in this situation. For those anglers who prefer gentlemen’s hours, slow trolling these same rock walls on a run-out tide can account for some monster jacks. You should follow a line a bit wider during the day and watch your sounder for any small pinnacles, as this is where the fish will be waiting for any unsuspecting prey to come past. Atomic Shiners, Mortein Bombers and Tilsan Barras are all great trolling lures, and many jack anglers have had a lot of success on them over the years. You just have to remember to upgrade the hardware so it can stand up to the punishment that these fish dish out.

The mid section of the Tweed has some epic natural structure that is always worth a hit. I have had success on all tides as long as the boat traffic is minimal and the sun is low. Weedless rigged ZMan SwimmerZ would be my favourite lure in this area. Alternatively, if you have mastered the skip cast (I haven’t as yet) I am told that the Castaic Jerky J are dynamite.

NOVEMBER 2017

There is certainly nothing wrong with keeping a feed – mangrove jack are fantastic table fare – however, I believe that we as anglers have a responsibility to fish for the future. I’m sure we all want our children to have the opportunity to experience hooking, landing and releasing a trophy jack in the years to come. Remember, it’s just lovely being out there.

Throwback to the author’s first Tweed River jack.

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I also recommend checking out any cane drains along this stretch. It is well worth tying on a surface lure in those locations, because there is nothing like getting hit by a rampaging mangrove jack of any size off the surface. These days most lure anglers put their mangrove jacks back to fight another day, but whether you keep or release your fish is entirely up to the individual angler.

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Rising water temperatures fire up summer species THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

This month has seen water temperatures rising significantly. The ocean current is speeding up and we have nice, clear blue water. These things are spurring all the summer species onto an early bite.

of water, with a few smaller dollies hanging around the FAD being caught on metals and jigs. A few small marlin are showing up out wide. Purple and black skirted lures are working best at the moment. Try finding current lines in that 100m of water for the best results. The odd random big snapper can still be caught

Paul Okeeffe with a solid wahoo caught on the 24s on a trolled skirted lure. Warmer water on the reef has seen kingfish, dollies (mahimahi), tuna and wahoo tormenting bait schools. Jacks are tormenting the bait in the rivers and estuaries. There is still the odd big snapper around and we often get the bigger isolated knobbies in close at this time of the year. OFFSHORE As the winter species move on, the summer pelagic species move in. Kingfish are becoming more frequent on our reefs and are causing a bit of grief for the light geared offshore anglers. Good numbers are hanging around the Mud Hole, the Nine-Mile, FiveMile, the Pinnacle and Windarra Banks. Downrigged swimbaits and live baits are working best this month and can often result in a mackerel by-catch. Mackerel are still a bit timid but a couple have been caught on the inside of the Nine-Mile on floating pilchards. Mahimahi and wahoo are starting to show up. Trolled 6-10” skirted lures are working best in 60-100m

on close reefs around sun up. Plastics are still fishing well for these species. Some good-size spangled emperors have been caught on drift baits on close reefs off of Tweed. Try berley while drifting, baiting and casting plastics – this will double your catch rate. A few packs of tuna are starting to grace us with their presence. Look for feeding birds. Trolled skirted lures and high-speed metals catching more speedster this month. Bait can be sourced from Point Reef, the bait grounds, Kirra Reef, Kingy Reef and the sand pumping jetty. A few spanner crabs are starting to show up and they seem to be hanging around in 30-60m of water. Try the western side of the 24s. ESTUARY With the river temperatures rising, jacks are starting to chase bait to fatten up. Look for northerly winds and water temperatures over 26°C for the best results on these toothy critters. Live baits are fishing better at night around bridges and rock walls. Lures have been

catching the smaller models in back steams, creeks and the upper rivers. Try around Boyds Bay Bridge, Barneys Point Bridge, Tumbulgum Bridge and Condong Sugar Mill with live baits. Try Cobaki Creek, Bilambil Creek, Duroby Creek, Dodds Island, Stotts Island, Rous River and Brunswick River with slow rolled 3” plastics. Trolling Chinderah Rock Wall with deep diving hardbodied lures can produce a few red dogs at this time of year and can result in good estuary cod as by-catch. There are still some really good flathead being caught throughout most systems of the Tweed. The 2.5-7” plastics are fishing better than other lures and bait. Some 2.5-5” plastics on sand and weed banks are catching good medium-size fish, where 5-7” plastics vertically jigged in the river mouths are catching big females. Try Cobaki Lakes, Terronra Lakes, Piggery and Chinderah Rock Wall

Malcolm Scott with a great snapper taken off a close reef on a plastic. BEACHES A few tailor are still being caught. Try whole pilchards in the gutters along Fingal Beach, Kingy Groin, Cabba Headland, Hastings Point and Black Rock. There are still a few being caught on

Nick Dillion with a solid king caught on a jig. for a good feed, and try the Tweed River mouth, Barneys Point, Hastings Point mouth and Brunswick for a bigger model. Whiting are starting to show up now, with bettersize models being caught on live yabbies and beach worms while drifting the main channels. High-speed popping over sand banks is producing more of the smaller fish and is a really fun way to catch these species. GTs and bigeye trevally are sitting around most bridges that hold herring. Soft and hard vibes and blade lures work well.

metals at sunrise off the headlands too. But there is only a small window. Strip baits and small metals are catching some good-size dart. Flathead, bream and whiting are being caught on stripbaits pipis, worms and half pilchards off the groins and gutters this month. Try South Wall, the Tweed Bar, South Wall at Kingy, the Causeway and North Wall at Brunswick. Pipis and beach worms can be found on Fingal Beach, Kingy Beach, Back Beach, Cabarita and along Ocean Shores if you need fresh bait. Berley is the key

to fishing the gutter this month. By cubing pilchards and dropping them at your feet and letting the waves wash them out, it keeps the fish in the gutter in front of you. The key is to make the cubes as small as possible, so you don’t feed the fish but keep them interested and in front of you. FRESHWATER With the barometric pressure sitting at 1020hpa, bass are really starting to fire up. The shrinking pools in the upper systems with good tree overhangs fish really well. Try Uki, Dum Dum, Oxley River, the Upper Rous, Upper Bilambil and the dams and creeks around Banora Point, with jig spins and hardbodied lures during the day and cicada and walk-the-dog lures at dusk and dawn. Clarrie Hall Dam has been fishing well with ice jigs, Jackall vibes, jig spins,

Darren Lambert with an awesome narrow-barred Spanish mackerel caught on a skirted lure.

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earthworms, bugs and grubs. Try up in the timber in a good depth for the best results. Jacks will be the pick species for most anglers over the next month. With the barometric pressure sitting around 1020hpa and water temperatures rising, more and more jacks will be moving and feeding up throughout the systems. Live baits will still be the pick for most anglers over the next month and normally produce the bigger fish. Whiting will start to frequent our sand banks more and flathead will hang around for the next month to feed up on them. Mackerel, wahoo, marlin, kingfish, tuna and mahimahi will thicken up in number as the winter species retreat and the ocean currents increase. Water temperatures will keep rising in the rivers and ocean, which should fire up most summer species.

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Action all up and down the Richmond system BALLINA

Joe Allan

The whole region is fishing well, but what we do need is some rain to stir things up a bit, as the water’s almost too clear in some parts. A little colour in the water would really kick things along nicely. The close in reefs have been producing a few tuna, bonito and horse mackerel of late. The best way to target these are trolling big metal slugs or small skirted lures. If you find a bait school, get your slugs and start casting,

though. There are a lot of smaller fish, however these are still great eating and can provide some great fun on light gear. As the water starts to really warm up, the mahimahi will become very hungry and be around in solid numbers. The best spots to check are the FADs and the Wave Buoy. The beaches along South Ballina can produce some amazing whiting fishing at this time of year. Scout the beach a few days before the bigger tides and head out at nighttime with live worms and pipis. The pipi numbers

Left: The author took this solid bass in skinny water on an Atomic Crank 38 Deep in ghost gill brown. Right: Up close and personal with a fish caught by Nigel Skyring on an Atomic Shad 40.

Anthony Melchior with a late afternoon flathead. This one went 80cm! because this action can be crazy, with fish often coming cast after cast while you’re on the school. There is still a fair few snapper around the Lennox Point, Riordans Reef and Black Head, the latter can be a little hit and miss

will start to increase as the water warms up. Watch out though, if the northerly is blowing the blue bottles will be out in numbers and while not deadly, they will pack a punch and can inflict uncomfortable stings. Whiting in the lower

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reaches of the Richmond River are firing on small surface lures, especially walking baits. Get these walking as fast as you can over the weed or sand flats until you find a concentration of fish, then keep going, as the whiting can be in big numbers together. Be prepared to hook a few things as by-catch like small trevally, bream and very hungry flathead. When there is water moving over these flats, the fish know it’s time to feed. A good little trick is to change the rear trebles out and change to small assist style hooks. This will help increase your hook up rate when the fish are not as committed. Flathead are well and truly on the bite in the middle reaches of the river around Pimlico Island and right through up to Woodburn. If you’re bait fishing, get some white pilchards (salted keeps the flesh harder), fresh prawns and live poddy mullet. If you’re into

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throwing lures or trolling them behind the boat, this can be the best time of year for this type of fishing. Get as bright a lure as you can, as flathead can’t seem to get enough of bright colours. The freshwater reaches of the river are well and truly hitting their straps. The Aussie bass are out in numbers and eating surface lures in the early and late parts of the day. The best lures to try are any of the cicada imitations. The mornings and afternoons, when these guys are out and singing and you can’t hear yourself think, is the best time to get these out and give them a go. The old faithful spinnerbaits are always a go to, but worth a try this early in the season are small hardbody crankbaits. These small profile lures imitate prawns, and that seems to be what the fish are hitting at this time of year. Until next month, tight lines!

Bryce Cameron with a cracking GT caught on a popper off Lennox Head.

Fishing News

Stopping white spot from spreading into NSW The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is urging the community to be aware of the control orders in place, following a comprehensive risk analysis conducted on white spot.

white spot. “Let me be clear, we need everyone to continue to play a role to ensure white spot does not enter NSW and our Department is doing everything possible,” Dr Middlemiss said. When the shell is removed, the telltale pale blotches are easy to see.

Prawns with white spot are still safe to eat, but anglers must take care not to spread the virus. An amendment has been made to the Biosecurity (white spot disease of crustaceans) Control Order 2017 to allow for the movement of negligible risk decapod crustaceans from the Queensland white spot infected area into NSW. NSW Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Christine Middlemiss, said it is crucial the community continues to remain vigilant to ensure NSW remains free of

“NSW DPI has conducted a risk analysis for the entry into NSW of certain uncooked decapod crustaceans from the Queensland infected area for white spot. “This analysis concluded there is a negligible risk of white spot from trade in these crustaceans as long as important risk mitigations are in place and this means the risk of white spot being introduced would only

occur in highly exceptional circumstances. “We also know these types of species are different to prawns and carry vastly less virus. “As a result, we are allowing movement of species such as blue swimmer crabs, mud crabs, lobsters, and spanner crabs which can now be

brought into NSW from the Queensland infected area, provided certain biosecurity conditions are met. “The risk mitigation measures that will apply to all movements of these crustaceans include that they are destined to be cooked for human consumption, that all wastes and waste water

are disposed of to council approved landfill or sewer systems, and that no live animals are returned to waterways. “DPI authorised officers are undertaking activities that monitor compliance with the new Control Order. “We have made the movement change to allow important access for trade of these species and also

responsibility and we are asking for everyone to remain vigilant to ensure white spot does not enter NSW.” Communities are reminded that: 1. NSW seafood remains safe to consume. 2. Do not use prawns intended for human consumption as bait in any NSW waters. 3. Obey the current restrictions on importation

It’s worth taking a closer look at your wildcaught prawns to check for the disease.

Farmed prawns were killed with chlorine to remove the virus from aquaculture pools.

for the enjoyment of the NSW public.” As part of the Biosecurity Act in place, all members of the community have a general biosecurity duty to consider how actions could have a negative impact on another person, business, animal or the environment. “Biosecurity is a shared

from the Queensland infected area of prawns, nippers, yabbies and other crustaceans or marine worms to prevent white spot disease being introduced into NSW. For more information about white spot, visit DPI’s website www.dpi.nsw.gov.au and search for ‘white spot disease’. – DPI Fisheries

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Lack of rain causes frustration for anglers YAMBA

Dave Gaden

Our area hasn’t seen any substantial rain for almost three months. As they say, ‘drought on the land, drought on the water.’ The lack of rainfall has a huge effect on the rivers and on the ocean. Fresh water, it seems, is the lifeblood of the planet, even if the fish are the salt water variety.

ocean, but fish are certainly harder to find in a period of little to no rain, even out as far as the shelf. My hope is that this month it will rain and our normal November change of season, warm current and pelagic arrivals are underway. November in the estuary can be a blast. The whiting are finally here in good numbers all the way through the lower reaches of the river. As corny as it

Bar than the old position (now about 12nm compared to the old one at around 7nm). The upside is that it will be a lot more accessible for those launching from Brooms Head and Sandon River. The new position puts it in about 70m of water and more importantly in an area that gets a more consistent warm current. The fish are there already. For the reef fishers, I like to head north to Black Rock and South Evans Reef in November; the trag are always a good option up here, but the amount of mulloway you catch during a hot session on the trag

is amazing. Once again, looking for a decent shoal of live bait on the edge of a good rock seems to be the key. Catching the bait and swimming it straight back to a big fish is a great way to spend a few hours; it will shock you how big a livie can be swallowed by even the smallest trag, and how many just-hooked trag get swallowed by the mulloway. Don’t forget to run a very, very light weighted floater out the back when on these fish. I get some great snapper well off the bottom even in 42m of water, like they are hovering over the top of the bait shoal.

James Cooper was happy with his mulloway.

Fiona Young took this a cracker pearlie. In the Clarence estuary the lack of rain and runoff lets the salt water push all the way upstream to Grafton, almost 100km by water, allowing the estuary fish to spread themselves over a vast area of water. This means they’re a little (or a lot) harder to find than when they are pushed down to the mouth to the salt. I’m unsure why the lack of substantial rain affects the

may sound, the sandy beach in the river that adjoins the southern Yamba breakwall is called ‘Whiting Beach’ and this really is a very cool place to chase whiting. I love walking the western end of the beach and around the corner through the shortcut throwing poppers at these exciting little fish. My preference is a white or clear popper. The Zerek popper is my pick, but it

really shouldn’t matter. I fish with anglers using dark colours and even black and they seem to catch just as many. For those who prefer to bait fish with worms or live yabbies, the sand bars at the entrance to lake Woolawayah, the north side of Pelican Island and the south side of Sleeper Island will be an easy way to get a feed. If this year is like the last few then blue swimmer crabs will be everywhere again. Oyster Channel all the way to the lake, the edge of the sand bar just upstream from Yamba Shores Tavern and the north side of Freeburn Island are all easy targets. If the tide is running you won’t have to leave the dillies soaking for long, as the crabs will find the baits

very quickly. Give them 30 minutes between checks and if there’s no crab, relocate the dilly until you find where they are on that day. Be sure to put a trap in as well, as the muddies are on the move. Offshore the pelagics are just starting to arrive. I like chasing the mahimahi (dolphin fish) at this time of the year. For the last few years Yamba has had a FAD and many anglers are familiar with where it’s placed. I thought the positioning of the FAD was more of a convenience for Fisheries than a good spot for a FAD. I had been approached by DPI for advice on a new position and they have now moved it to what I think will be a much more productive area. The downside to this for some will be the fact it is a lot further from the Clarence

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Cobia will be in the mix as well. Unlike the ones we get in August and September – which are usually on or close to the bottom – this month it’s a live bait under a float or a balloon way out the back of the boat that seems to bring them unstuck. There’s a very good

chance of an early mackerel towards the end of this month if conditions are right. Some years the spotted mackerel turn up in Shark Bay off Woody Head to the north in the last two weeks of November. They will be patchy – red-hot one day and totally gone

As always, if you’re heading our way and need some advice or would like to join me on one of my

charters, call into the shop at Yamba Marina and we will do all we can to lead you in the right direction.

ba Prawn Blade s” “Yam Tom from Glen Innes with a big mulloway.

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the next. They’re always worth a look at first light and if you’re heading north, it won’t waste much of your day to have a look. If you’re heading or launching south, try the shallow reefs off Plumbago and Brooms Head – 20m deep is enough. I get some

really good Moses perch and Venus tuskfish off these small snaggy reefs. I lose a lot of gear but get nice fish. Fish light to avoid as many snags as possible and take a packet of bait prawns, because if all else fails in the shallows the humble bait prawn will take fish when nothing else does.

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Summery surprises for springtime anglers COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley info@tdsimages.com.au

We’ve had a blend of summer and winter this spring. Maybe this month it will be time for some spring in spring. This season has been seen some of the hottest spring days in history and there have also been some early summer anomalies for the angler too. Over the last month we have seen periods of very warm water, despite spring typically producing the coldest offshore water temperatures in most years. The warm water has brought with it some surprises for spring-time angler. The yellowfin tuna have been mixing it up with the other cooler water species around the islands. Some anglers have had quite a shock when casting at schools of small mac tuna

Don Cummings has been ticking some big names off his flyfishing bucket list lately, but he wasn’t expecting this slab of sashimi to show up while targeting a school of small albacore and mac tuna. or albacore only to find their hooks digging into a runaway sashimi freight train. Some have been able to stop the train and cash in on the loot, while others have let the train get away, possibly

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oblivious to the gold that train was hauling. Either way it has produced some excitement. Most anglers are happy just having a bit of a flick at the multitude of mac tuna schools along the coast at the moment, just for a bit of fun. The possibility of hooking into a ‘fin’ in one of these schools is enough to keep you casting at them for hours. Mahimahi have been another summer species to turn up inshore as the current moves in and out. The

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‘dollies’ have mostly shown up out wide but they have made appearances around the islands and inshore reefs when the water temperatures have been suitable. We can expect to see more of that this month; you just need to find the water temperatures above 24°C to call it likely. When they are around it has been live baits or mahimahi coloured lures that have done the job. After a very dry start to the season the bass have finally been allowed a little more freedom to move up our river systems. As it always does, the long weekend in October saw the breaking of a four-month drought with some substantial rainfall allowing the waiting schools of bass to push further up into the skinny water. Although there have been very good fish caught in these high catchment stretches recently, they haven’t been there in numbers. We should see more fish in the upper catchments now and hopefully that doesn’t mean we see less of the big fish. Super warm weather in September has brought out the cicadas early this year, so the surface lures in the evening and night are the best

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option for a fun November bass session. Another win for the bass anglers is the reopening of the Nymboida and Mann rivers to fishing after the three-month closure for the eastern cod breeding season. The lower sections of these two rivers

have some of the best bass fishing around, and some of the most idyllic locations to spend time in. It’s well worth planning a multi-day trip, or even just camping alongside the river in one of the campsites. Please remember if fishing any of the Clarence River system, of which these two rivers are a part of, it’s not permitted to target eastern cod.

The cicadas are coming out and the bream can’t resist a wriggling, gurgling critter on the surface. If you accidentally capture one it must be returned to or preferably kept in the water and released immediately without harm. As with all Fisheries regulations, there can be severe penalties involved; make sure you know the regulations relevant to the area you’re in, the fishing methods you’re using and the species you’re targeting. The trout season arrived with much anticipation and perhaps some anxiety about the condition of the trout streams after such a dry winter and hot start to spring. Although the opening weekend was possibly marred for some anglers by drought-breaking rain and a winter chill in the air, most were happy to find plenty of fit-looking fish in much of the higher streams. There has been size and numbers in these streams and so most fears have been relieved, although the health of the lower streams hasn’t been as certain. The streams

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closer to the coast and closer to sea level didn’t fish as well as the higher streams and there has been a lot of algae growth. Hopefully the fish have just been sulking while waiting for decent rain. We’ll see in these next few months how the lower streams respond to some much-needed consistent rain. There isn’t much to complain about for the estuary angler. Almost all the possible

Spending a few days in a canoe or kayak on the Nymboida River is a trip of a lifetime, except that there’s no way you won’t be coming back once you’ve been there.

summer target species have been active through the first half of spring. The whiting have been actively feeding on the yabby flats, responding well to surface lures. We should see the prawns start to run this month so a popper running across the surface will draw the attention of nearly any estuary species. There have been school mulloway throughout the estuaries, especially in the major river systems like the Bellinger and Kalang. Soft plastic jerkbaits and large paddle-tails have been bringing the most success. The mangrove jack have started to show up consistently throughout the estuaries, meaning people have started fishing for them. Local research has shown that the jacks don’t actually leave our estuaries in winter, it just seems they slow down a bit and that effect is compounded by the fact that we all stop fishing for them in winter. Be that as it may, as soon as the first hot days in spring have sprung, so too has the jack gear and it’s on for another summer. A theory I’ve come to adopt is that this is the best time to target them with lures. Surface lures such as Bassday Sugapens and Bent Minnows are the go-to options, as long as you’re happy to donate a few for the jacks to keep in their snags. There is something on for almost any angler this month. No matter what you’re targeting, remember to enjoy the total experience; it’s not just about the fish, it’s about the fishing.

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FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS MORE FISHY TV SHOWS

AUSTRALIAN DORY BREAKING BASS GRAND DESPINES FOUR SPAWNERS HOME AND A RAY HOUSE SCHOOLS LAW AND WATER SCAD MEN REDFIN NOW LINEFELD

SHOALOCK THE BASSELOR THE FOOTY SHOAL THE WIRE TRACE THE X FILLETS TODAY TOBITE WALKING DEAD BAIT WEST WIND STRANGER FINS

Valley Hill Rocketeer Slicer

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 NOV 2017

Phone (day):

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

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SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

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ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Deb Thompson from Hillrue, 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 September is K Baker of Gloucester, who won a Tonic sunglasses and a Tonic watch prize. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

Engelbrecht of Wagga Wagga, J Wilson of Boronia , R Meaney of St James, C Wood of Penrith, B Wall of Aberglasslyn, F McKellar of Tallong, I Salmon of Basin View, D Martin of Nowra, N Parsons of Forresters Beach, M Horgosi of Ngunnawal, E Murta of Gungahlin, G Tasker of Belfield, D Smith of Kariong, S Matthews of Edgeworth, R Jones of Toronto, W Forbes of Nambucca Heads, M Clerke of Attunga, I Harpley

of Gundagai, D Turner of Kincumber, J O’Connell of Capalaba, F Bubas of Albion Park, J Cross of Mondrook, M Ryan of Aberglasslyn, J MacDonald of Petersham, T Field of Flinders, A Bock of Wollongbar, W Short of Hamlyn Terrace, S Snowdon of Buff Point, J Wicks of Cootamundra, M Dunford of Young. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE COASTAL BLACK LOGO

The answers to Find the Coastal Black Logo for September were: 8, 18, 22, 25, 33, 39, 47, 52, 59, 78, 80, 83, 103, 107, 112. – NSWFM

NOVEMBER 2017

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: John Dory

The Find the Coastal Black prize winners for September were: K Yarnold of Surf Beach, C Roberts of North Ryde, M Bekett of Waverley, M Kojic of Penrith South, J Dwyer of Porters Retreat , M Alavoine of Monteagle, R Jones of Werris Creek, R Davies of Bonny Hills, W Cumming of Bass Hill, T Polley of Burrell Creek, C

GUESS THE FISH?

Answer:

How and where it’s all happening this month Welcome to the wonderful Nambucca Valley, a place I am proud to have been raised and am happy to still call my home. I am sure you have heard of it, or even better, experienced it for yourself. When it comes to fishing, the opportunities are abundant and varied. If you’ve been to Nambucca on a holiday you will most likely have had a stroll along the V-Wall at

the entrance to the river; it’s a great way to stretch the legs and start off the day but what can you catch on a blue November day with a few hours to kill? Right on the beach in front of the car park is a great little section of sand and broken rock wall – a top spot to wrangle a few of the nice whiting that are showing up in this warmer weather. You have to be careful, though. On some days in the wrong spot a little further out along the wall, little wrasse and butterfish can decimate a bait

in seconds. Stick to the sand and you will be fine. If it’s something bigger you’re after then November is also a time for big breeding flathead. I find that these big girls are a lot less fussy in the deeper water of the wall or deeper channels in the river and a great way to get down to grab their attention is a nice big vibe around 15-25g in weight. Soft or hard vibes work great; just get it down on the bottom and work the vibrations then wait for that tell-tale clunk as a big fish inhales your offering.

Let’s jump up to Macksville and peer into the dark green murky depths; the most exciting thing about Macksville this month is that the bridge action heats up (although we are still waiting to fish the new road bridge). School mulloway and flathead are the main targets here. It’s a ‘pick your poison’ situation for how you fish here as everyone has their own methods, but I can’t go past bouncing a plastic or vibe around the base of the pylons. When you think freshwater on the Mid

North Coast you can’t help but think about the good old Aussie bass and rest assured we have our fair share of bronze battlers here in the Nambucca. Getting out to Taylors Arm or Bowraville will see you in bass country. Also try Rural Valla in Deep Creek, but remember that quite often the bass water is adjacent to private property; if you’re accessing it by foot, do the right thing and gain the landowner’s permission. You never know, you might gain private access to the pond of your dreams.

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The most exciting thing about Macksville this month is that the bridge action heats up (although locals are still waiting to fish the new road bridge). School mulloway and flathead are the main targets here.

Moving up into the river a few hundred metres we have a few different sandy channels that are great spots for anglers with a boat. You’ll see people up in a few feet of water chasing whiting on small surface lures, which can be great fun, especially when the temperature is up for a few days. Once we get up around the Stuart Island (‘the golf course island’) the mangroves get thicker and a lot of mud skirts the island. After some bad floods a few years ago some good weed beds are just now re-establishing themselves, and once the tide tops over these weeds some fantastic bream fishing can be had along here. Small lures fished super shallow or on the surface can produce very visual strikes. The southern end of the golf club wall is the first river hole with any real depth to it at 7-8m. It can hide all sorts of finned critters and a healthy live bait is a great way to bring them to you. Most people would be targeting mulloway or flathead but the odd mangrove jack has been brought unstuck as well as some yellowtail kings. These species will all be worth a shot here this month.

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Lacking rain doesn’t mean the fish are lacking SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Mitch Maric

After receiving only 2mm recently, inevitably the lack of rain has affected the fishing. We’ve had to work a lot harder than usual and try new areas and different tactics. Eventually our efforts were rewarded! Flathead were spread right through the system so more effort was required to find a good bag of fish. The fishing was more consistent further up the main river and other tributaries, such as Spencers Creek and Clybucca Arm. There were monster flathead caught and released along the rock walls near the mouth. Many fish caught were over 80cm, up to 90cm+ and

a few were even over the magic 1m mark! School mulloway numbers picked up in the river and although they’re somewhat spread out they’re still worth targeting. There were still reasonable numbers of larger fish last month with a handful of 20kg+ fish being caught, mainly after dark or before sunrise near the mouth. The rock fishing remained quite good for drummer, bream and luderick. The tailor were a lot quieter than usual. Some took up the challenge of landing kingfish from the rocks and succeeded with some nice fish between 5kg and 15kg caught near the Gaol and Smokey Cape on lures. Unfortunately as they say ‘drought on land means

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Mitch Taylor with a solid shallow water kingfish. a drought in the sea.’ As a whole, the offshore fishing proved very difficult. The currents were constantly changing and the fish stayed deep. Water quality in close was very average. Very little bait and a strong downhill current made fishing beyond 100m difficult. Decent snapper, pearl perch, mulloway and trag were caught beyond 60m, however I know there was a lot of effort put into finding these fish. When it’s this tough my best advice is don’t dwell on the spots where you caught fish previously – get mobile and spend more time searching. Many boats travelled 50-100km in a day to find feeding fish. Jigs and plastics rigged on heavy jigheads (1-3oz) are the perfect search baits. The kingfish turn it on for us recently. Large numbers of fish were schooling in shallow along the coast. Fish of 15-20kg were in big numbers within 50m of the shore. Kings were stacked up at Fish Rock most days and weren’t fussy. Jigs between 100-250g are ideal as well as stickbaits and poppers. One boat managed 40 fish between three anglers (mostly released) and was back at the ramp by 7:30am!

November is another one of those in-between months but a great indication of the season ahead. The EAC should be pushing in warm blue water along with some very welcomed pelagics. The water stayed warm all winter and longtail tuna were still being caught right through until last month, so they may never leave. It can be a great month to target mahimahi, particularly the bigger classes of fish, and the FAD should be back in and attracting plenty. Ideally we do not want the current to move too far down the coast early like it did last season, taking most of the fish with it! Kingfish numbers will remain strong in close. If the current is as strong as this time last year, bottom fishing the deeper marks could prove difficult. Large mulloway will congregate on the inshore reefs at this time of year. Snapper are still worth targeting in close and, as is often the case, some of the biggest reds get caught at this time of year. The fishing in the river will all depend on what rain we get in the coming weeks. A good flush is certainly not unwelcomed! Whiting will be consistently hitting surface lures and school mulloway numbers

are usually very good at this time of year. Mud crabs stayed active through winter due to the warm water, and from now on they should be mostly full. Big mulloway can still be caught from the

coast. Kingfish numbers can still be reasonable, although the bigger fish will move back out. The beaches are reliable for bream, whiting flathead, a few tailor and plenty of dart. SPEARFISHING Water visibility was very poor for a while, unfortunately, but there was the odd day when the current pushed cleaner water in. Kingfish were in big numbers pretty well everywhere and were holding near the surface thankfully. The Gaol, Green Island, Fish Rock and Black Rock held kings most days with plenty of 10-15kg fish. Mangrove jack were pretty active along the rock walls upriver along with mulloway, although the visibility was terrible. November is an exciting month because we get a taste of the warmer clear water. Kingfish should be relatively

The author with a great kingfish shot in just 5m of water. walls at night with livies, but expect to see more sharks as by-catch. The rocks can generally fish quite well at this time of year – it’s just more hit and miss. Tailor may hang around in good numbers as they travel back down the

easy to find still and schools of larger mulloway will come in shallow. I love diving around the FAD at this time of year as there can be some big mahimahi pushing down with the current. Any traps out in deeper water are worth trying for them.

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Wayne Gordon and his son with a genuine 1m+ flathead!

Warm water will bring in the summer fish in preparation for the long season ahead. Fish Rock has been fairly consistent for kingfish and some good fish have come out of this region. As we progress towards summer, the size of the fish generally drops. Don’t be fooled into thinking the big ones aren’t still around

SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

November around South West Rocks and the Mid North Coast is traditionally a time where the fishing doesn’t quite fire. With a little bit of exploring you

the current lays off for those who are able to drop everything and go. Tailor numbers are decreasing rapidly now, although the fish that are remaining are definitely a better class of fish. Rock fishers are getting amongst plenty of school mulloway. The average size of these fish has been around 5kg. Soft plastics and hardbodies are working well on these school-sized fish, especially through the day. Slab baits fished in the gutters around dark will work well for a

Whiting are starting to show up on the sandflats of the lower reaches of the river as well as a few bigger flathead laying off the deeper edges. It’s time to break out the surface lures on the flats as they begin to fire up and before the Christmas crowds arrive. School mulloway are along the rock walls from the entrance of the river up to above Jerseyville in good numbers with slack tides and light line being the best combination to get amongst these just-legal fish.

You know the river is salty when these guys show up under Kempsey Bridge. The bass season is pretty well in full swing now and there have been some absolute cracking fish being caught from the upper reaches of the river. Keen anglers fishing pre-dawn sessions are absolutely nailing the big fish on the surface. Lures like the Tiemco Jumbo Cicada are proving an absolute must

Canoes provide great access to the quieter areas of the river. will find that there are usually both summer and winter species about the place. Now is the gateway month into the peak inshore game season. The current has already started running hard to the south, bringing with it some beautiful warm blue water out wide. What makes this even better is the amount of bait that has been present. Towards the end of the month stories usually start filtering down the coast from up north about the first signs of the summer pelagic species coming our way, which generally puts a buzz in the air as just about every keen angler starts making up their wire rigs

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though, because the second you do you will likely be blown away by a monster. Jigging and soft plastics are the go when fishing in close to the rock, but if things are slow a big live bait dropped to mid water outside of the 200m exclusion zone will usually make something happen. Snapper are still on the reefs in decent numbers as are pearl perch. Getting to them when the current is on is the only problem so this is better attempted on days when the current lays off a little. The deep water fishery is just about over for this season with the exception of a few days here and there when

Bass can be found right next to where you park your car. bigger fella. Bream and kingfish are another two species that have been around the washes quite consistently. The beaches are starting to produce a few good whiting and the odd flathead as well as plenty of the everpresent dart. Mulloway have been coming off the beaches of a night time and there have been a few good ones amongst them.

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Mud crab numbers have been reasonable with the majority coming from further upstream than usual, due to the lack of rain and high salinity levels. As a result of the saltiness of the river, saltwater species like bream, flathead and mulloway are being found as far upriver as Kempsey and beyond quite regularly.

over the weed beds at this time of day. The surface bite has been continuing well into the day lately. The Mid North Coast has not had any real rain in months now and the river is really starting to cry out for a good downpour to give the system a good flush and to ensure the fishing keeps firing through summer.

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Options make November a top month for fishing THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

bream. Bait fishers using livies and fish baits have been doing the best. The upper river has been

It’s a great time to be a fisho on the Mid North Coast with so many options available in the Hastings district. Your biggest dilemma is going to be deciding which fish to target! The Hastings River has certainly come to life, although the water has been a bit clear down the front due to the lack of rain. Fishing the rock walls from late afternoon and into the night is still catching decent sized mulloway as well as

excellent with a bit more colour in the water; flathead have been very responsive to lures – either soft plastics

Martin Denlow cracked his PB 52cm bass on a Duo vibe.

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or soft vibes. Fishing around the edges of weed beds has been the main method for lure fishers. Mulloway upriver have been excellent with several around the metre mark being landed. All the deeper sections of the river are worth trying at this time of year. With the mullet and herring around you should be in with a big chance of getting connected to a silver ghost! Remember, it may take some casting but if you want the rewards, keep at it –

Jason Isaac with a recent red caught using a soft plastic. they will come. Lake Cathie entrance could be closed at the start of this month and that will hopefully make for a good prawn run this season, which also means a much better whiting season than last

year’s. Cathie is the home of some cracking whiting and using a well-worked surface lure, nipper or beachworm will get you a feed from this excellent fishery. Bass season is in full swing and it has been

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Robert Deparis with an 80cm+ PB flatty that was caught while luring for mulloway.

one of my best starts to a season in years; the quality of fish coming back upriver is outstanding. The only drawback for further upstream is the lack of water and some rain is needed to get this area firing. Bass have been taking all the usual offerings and if you locate schools in deeper holes, you can be in for some fun times, as my clients found out recently with several serious chunks landed. A few lures of choice have been the Samaki Soft Vibes, Strike Pro Butterfly Jigs and Duo Bay Ruff Vibes. As always, matching the bait has proven a winning strategy. Night time surface fishing has been excellent with plenty of bass playing the game. Lures like Jackall Micro Pompadours, Jitterbugs and Koolabung Soft Fizzers have all been getting whacked in the dark hours. Mud crabbing has been popular and will continue

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James landed this beast of a mulloway up in the Maria River – a true trophy fish.

over the summer months, so now is the time to get a feed. Please remember the rules and regulations on your gear and catch rates – this way you won’t end up in hot water with Fisheries. If you’re not sure of these rules, check out the DPI website or go to the local tackle store. When the trap has someone else’s name on it, don’t touch it. There are plenty

of crabs for everyone, so use your own gear. The offshore fishing has been quite good and will continue to heat up with some very nice bags of snapper hitting the cleaning tables. Pearl perch, morwong, flatties and a few kingfish have also been caught. You should definitely have a game plan when you’re heading offshore and have a few options up your

sleeve. Many trips that start poorly are saved by a change of tactics. If your favourite lures aren’t getting you onto a few fish then maybe a nice, fresh bait will get you connected. Try changing depth ranges, knowing when tide changes happen and looking for feeding birds. This month there will be so many options, you’ll want to have a few outfits in your kit, so don’t miss out!

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The big bass have continued with Daniel Marsh getting his first 50cm+ bass. FISHING FILL-ITS

A safety reminder about EPIRBs Two fishermen were very fortunate to be alive after their 5.5m boat capsized off the southern Sydney coast earlier this year, and in the wake of this incident GME is reminding anglers to check that all their safety gear is up to scratch. The men, aged 36 and 28, were not wearing lifejackets when they capsized in rough seas at night. After clinging to their upturned vessel for almost four hours in freezing water, with hypothermia setting in, one of the fishermen decided to dive back under the vessel to retrieve their GME MT400AUS emergency beacon. Finally activating the EPIRB at around 9.45pm, the emergency signal was received by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Canberra. After checking with the beacon point of contact, it was confirmed that two adult males had departed earlier in the afternoon to go fishing. AMSA tasked the Bankstown based Rescue 209 helicopter and Water Police vessel 46 to home in on the beacon signal using Radio Direction Finding equipment. By 10.30PM

the helicopter spotted the upturned boat, some 2km off of Sydney’s famous Cronulla beach, with one man in the water and the other clinging to the hull. Both survivors were pulled from the sea by the police

and transferred to Sutherland Hospital suffering from what was described as mild to severe hypothermia, with one survivor also suffering a head injury.

This rescue occurred on a weekend of extreme surf conditions including 7m swells and warnings from the NSW Bureau of Meteorology not to go rock fishing, swimming or boating along most of the NSW coast. An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) suitable for marine use must transmit on 406 MHz and conform with all relevant standards. A 406 MHz EPIRB only complies if it conforms with Standard AS/NZS 4280.1 (it is the ‘1’ which indicates compliance). A 406 MHz EPIRB is a simple and effective alerting and locating device that is compulsory for all vessels operating more than two nautical miles from the shore. It is also recommended for all vessels operating in remote locations or areas of high risk. The EPIRB should be accessible but stowed to avoid inadvertent activation. You should not stow the EPIRB in the bottom of a locker. Any 406 MHz EPIRB must be properly with the registered Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). - GME

Spin:

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NOVEMBER 2017

Let’s hope it rains this November FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

By November we would expect the water to be warming up and anglers will make the slow move from traditional winter species to the more active and prolific fishing that is generated by the vast amount of baitfish and prawn activity. More

was so big it was possible to scoop them with a net from a boat. Shaun Sypher managed to fill his bait tank with pillies and you can’t get fresher bait than that. Everything from Brydes whales to birds and sharks followed the bait along the Mid North Coast (as reported by the NSW DPI) and I’m hopeful the bait migration continues. Without a steady stream of bait the offshore fishing will be patchy.

the place from bushfires to slowing the flow of all the local freshwater rivers. I’m hopeful that November turns it on as it has in past years and gives the place a renewed start to the summer months. Obviously, the rivers will suffer from the lack of water runoff and that will flow through to the upper estuary and the lake itself. A little water will help stir up the prawns and push the

Topwater bream will keep you entertained for hours. Early mornings will see the best of it. flathead will move from the rivers to the flats and lower entrance to spawn while bream focus on anything moving on the surface. The small tuna species like bonito and mac tuna hunt the pilchard and whitebait schools around the rocks and close inshore. Late September gave us an indication of the vastness of the bait that is moving on the coast with a massive school of pilchards moving into the entrance of Wallis Lake and photographed by Forster local and photographer Shane Chalker. The school

Trag, a few small snapper and the odd pearl perch are being reported with scattered flathead and other reef species. I saw a big John Dory at the cleaning tables the other day and it was reportedly taken on a live yellowtail while fishing for kingfish behind Latitude Rock. The rest of the catch consisted of small pan-sized snapper, a few bream and two pike. I assumed the pike were future bait. One thing we desperately need is rain. The long dry winter and early spring has wreaked havoc around

blue swimmers out of the mouths of the tributaries. October generally sees a lot of swimmers in the rivers and with no rain setting pots in the Wallamba and Coolongolook rivers may be a fair call in November. There has been no shortage of bream in the leases and this is only set to get better. I look forward to the consistent topwater bite through summer and the increase in bream in the upper tidal zone. It’s a place you can escape the crowds and still enjoy a great day’s fishing.

Topwater isn’t restricted to the bream either. Sand whiting tend to aggregate in the lower section of the lake and entrance before running to the beaches. Spawning cycles do strange things to fish and the whiting become very territorial and aggressive, which makes them an ideal target for a fast-moving surface lure. Poppers or floating stickbaits are ideal and once you raise the fish behind the lure, keep it moving. Often the fish will lose interest if the lure is left motionless on the surface, so keep the twitching and the retrieve going. Live yabbies and beach worms will have the same effect on the whiting but aren’t nearly as much fun. You should find your share of legal flathead over the sand flats, the edges of oyster leases and around the fringes of the many islands that channel the water into the lake. Shallow bays and weed beds scattered with sand or mud will also produce plenty of fish and they are the best eating to come out of the system. Prawn-style soft plastics, grub-tails and minnow patterns on 1/8-1/4oz jigheads will hit the bottom. A few hops then a pause in the retrieve will attract

Bream will be a focus for many anglers and for good reason – they will be everywhere in all sizes. the fish. Drifting pilchards, whitebait and even prawns is a great way to cover ground but I prefer to cover the same ground casting and retrieving. There have been great bass caught locally since the beginning of the season. A

couple of 50cm tip-length fish were raised and released. Again, without the rain we so desperately need, the bass fishing and rivers will suffer. Fingers-crossed we get enough rain soon to restart the consistent flow and spark things up a bit.

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Bream are still biting from the wall and way upriver. Image courtesy of James Howarth. lagoon at Harrington on baits and lures. Tailor are coming into the estuary just on daylight and only stopping for 20 minutes. They are taking small metal lures. Occasionally kingfish patrol the wall in the early morning but they’re hard to hook on a lure. BEACH AND ROCK The beaches have been bare of fish and apart from the occasional tailor nothing has been landed. The chopper tailor should have turned up at the end of July when the larger fish headed north. There won’t be any tailor until Christmas when the tiny choppers turn up in their thousands. Drummer can be caught from the rocks at Crowdy and Diamond Head

Flathead are starting to appear in the mouth of the estuary. Image courtesy of Rob Kneeshaw.

on prawns, cunjevoi and hermit crab baits. OFFSHORE While it has been a bit quiet most boats have been scoring snapper from the north and south grounds when the wind has allowed. Flathead have been caught on the drift and pearl perch taken from the northern grounds above Diamond Head. The boats that have been able to get out wide have scored bar cod. November is one of the better months for outside and rock fishing. Big snapper can be picked up on the close in reefs with live bait and the occasional mulloway takes a bait as well. Bonito and other surface fish are feeding in close on the schools of whitebait and can be trolled with pink squid lures and small metal lures. In the river luderick can be caught on green weed during the day and on fresh yabbies at night. The big female flathead turn up in the lower parts of the estuary towards the end of November and can easily be caught on a live bait on a bobby cork rig. Don’t forget to let them go once the necessary pics have been taken.

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The Manning above Wingham hasn’t received any rain since the middle of June. The river has stopped running and is clogged with slime as far up as Tiri. I haven’t heard how that part of the river is above Tiri; as there hasn’t been any rain up towards Gloucester, it would be pretty bad. The Manning below Abbotts Falls is very salty and flathead and bream can be caught up above Wingham. As the mullet and bass can’t move between the water holes, the fish must stay put until rain puts a flow in the river. ESTUARY September was a magic month for mulloway. Prior to the full moon and for a few days after, the mulloway bit like there was no tomorrow. Over a period of ten days fish up to 20kg and about a dozen of 5-6kg were landed from the river wall up around the gantry. Live baits, slab baits and soft plastic lures all took fish. Bream are still biting from the wall and way up river on prawns, yabbies, mullet strips and crabs. Flathead are starting to appear in the mouth of the estuary and a fish of 1.04m was caught on a hardbodied lure in the backwater behind the pub. Some good whiting have been caught in the

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Jeremy Brown did a trip up north to fish the Capricorn Bunker Group, and caught some fantastic red emperor.

For more information visit www.stessl.com.au NOVEMBER 2017

The creatures are coming in for summer fresh bait out-fish frozen bait any day. By now the FADs may be in place. I’m not one hundred percent sure yet when they will put them out. When they do, mahimahi and bigger kingfish should show up. Hopefully the current is good to us this year. There were a lot of boat crews that were disappointed last year as when you got to the FAD the current was too

HUNTER COAST

Gary Earl earlybird13@optusnet.com.au

I braved the water recently to have a look around the Adolph Wreck. I was surprised that it was covered in squid – not huge green-eyed models; they were all arrow squid. If you can get a few they would be the number one live bait at the moment, either cut for bream or whole for mulloway. Yellowtail were everywhere, and there were a few blue swimmer crabs kicking up sand, so the crabs should be moving up the river in numbers this month. With fingers and toes that looked liked I had been frozen for five hundred years, I went further down. As the wreck is disappearing under the sand, the rusted, spiky gut-cutting pieces that are still sticking up aren’t a place to go snorkelling over. Flathead have entered the harbour, along with a lot of schools of herring; you could

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hard to fish. You needed lures that weighed a tonne, so hopefully it’s slower if you head out that way. Closer inshore, snapper to 2kg have been over the reefs such as the Dumping Ground and the patches off Merewether. Berley is essential. Here’s hoping for a great season this year and into the next. Remember, the more you are out there, the more fish you will catch.

There’s no better bait than a fat worm. see the flashes of the herring as they swam on their sides. Hopefully the hairtail come in as they did last season – they were in the thousands in the basin, as were the anglers once word spread. I have never tasted one but they are excellent fun on light tackle, and with the amount

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of anglers chasing them they must taste alright. Bream are still around the wheat silos, Lee Wharf, and just out from the wrecks on the drop-overs on the Stockton side. If you get lucky and you’re there when they are loading, the wheat dust attracts bream and huge mullet, and there are probably baitfish, mulloway and big flathead lazing around the same region. Down deeper, it’s excellent entertainment watching the dust get slurped off the surface; you can actually hear the fish sucking the dust in. Around Stockton Bridge a few school mulloway have been taken, but it’s really only a boating option. The amount of snags if you cast

from the shore will drive you crazy. You can float a live bait or large bait out under a torpedo cork on the incoming tides, but a long gaff is needed if you hook something. Pick the higher of the tides to keep the bait from hitting the bottom. Offshore is finally showing some promise. Toms Mark and the Mud Hole (which is getting silted over) have had teraglin, school kingfish, a few big kingfish and school mulloway over in the evenings. Flathead and flounder have been caught just out to the north on the sandy areas. North Reef has squid and heaps of bait, so make that or the sailing boat off Stockton Surf Club your first stop, as live and

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This angler said he near collapsed by the end of the fight with this beast.

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The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has listed Lake Macquarie on the NSW Central Coast in the ‘trophy’ fishery program, which aims to protect dusky flathead while allowing anglers to experience the thrill of catch and 15 Wallarah Street Watkins Road release fishing. Swansea Wangi Wangi The unique anglerCrescent Street 30 Gommera Street Street 15 Wallarah StreetRoad Road 24 Paley Crescent 24 Paley 30 Gommera 15 Wallarah Watkins drivenWatkins initiative involves BelmontBlacksmiths South Blacksmiths Swansea Wangi Wangi A spacious tree filled park Nestled between the shores Belmont South Swansea Wangi Wangi Located on a peninsular Juststroll a shortfrom stroll from quiet and A spacious tree filled parkthe Nestled between the shores Located onLocated a peninsular surrounded a short introduction of on a peninsular Just a shortJust stroll from A spaciousthe tree filled park Nestled between the shores surrounded the Lake, with the quiet andand patrolled on the shores of the Lake. of Lake Macquarie and on the shores of the Lake. ofthebyLake Macquarie surrounded the Lake, with quiet and patrolled on the shores beach. of the Lake. of Lake Macquarie and by the Lake, by with waterfront Blacksmiths waterfront accommodationpatrolled Blacksmiths beach. Stylish A range of accommodation National Park land. Lovely waterfront accommodation Blacksmiths beach. Stylish A range of accommodation National Park land. Lovely code accommodation and campsites and and campsites andStylish modern accommodation or options and family friendlyvoluntary quiet settings for campsites of practice modern accommodation or A range of accommodation National Park land. Lovely and campsites and modern accommodation or options and family friendly quiet settings for campsites convenient location. campsites available. facilities. and accommodation. convenient largelarge campsites available. convenient location. location. large campsites available. facilities. and accommodation. for the release of ‘trophy’ options and family friendly quiet settings for campsites sized flathead over 70cm in treet 15 Wallarah Street Watkins Road facilities. and accommodation. Scantothis to book your s Swansea Scan thisRoad code bookcodeyour length, and is being trialled et 15 Wallarah Street Wangi Wangi Watkins from A spacious tree filled park Nestled between the shores holiday online today! in St Georges Basin and holiday online today! Swansea Wangi olled on the shores of the Lake. of Lake Macquarie Wangi and Stylish A range of accommodation National Park land. Lovely Tuross Head on the state’s mation or A spacious tree filled parkquiet settingsNestled between the shores www.lakemacholidayparks.com.au options and family friendly for campsites www.lakemacholidayparks.com.au south coast. facilities. and accommodation. dailable. on30the shores of the Lake. Macquarie ey Crescent Gommera Street 15 Wallarah Street of LakeWatkins Road and 24 Paley Crescent 30 Gommera Street Street Watkins Road 24 Paley Crescent Street 30 Gommera Street Street 15 Wallarah Street Road15 Wallarah Watkins Road nt 30 Gommera 15 Wallarah The ‘trophy’ fishery ont South Blacksmiths Swansea Watkins Wangi Wangi or Freecall sh A range of accommodation National Park land. 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Releasing ‘trophy’ sized flathead ensures the sustainability of recreational fishing in Lake Macquarie. Image courtesy of NSW DPI.

started but the program has been successfully running for more than a year in St Georges Basin and Tuross Head. “Approximately 90 big flathead have so far been tagged on the south coast and this is providing DPI researchers with valuable data. “All three of the trophy fisheries will be promoted as great spots to go if you want the best chance at catching quality fish.” Catch and release is recognised as an important means of ensuring the sustainability of recreational fisheries. More information on the ‘trophy’ fishery program, including the code of practice, can be found on the NSW DPI website. The DPI has created a video the promoting handling and release of big flathead. Go watch it, go to YouTube and search for ‘The secret to more trophy-sized flathead’. – DPI Fisheries

Fishing keeps up while we wait for the rains wasting time searching. A variety of tactics were doing the trick with some opting to pull skirts and coloratolures@hotmail.com others happy to set a Well it has been a long, trail of floating baits. All dry spring season here on tactics were producing Lake Macquarie NSW. great SBTs with a few nice The rains have been very yellowfin tuna thrown few and far between and in the mix. the lake could certainly do As we look towards with a big flush to freshen summer and rising water things up once again. It’s temperatures, the marlin not all bad news though, won’t be far off at all. If as the fishing continues you happen to come across to be reasonable at least. the fish feeding on bait It’s certainly not fantastic balls then drifting the area but there’s no shortage or slow trolling with livies of good fishing options is a good option. Otherwise available at the moment. a spread of quality game Offshore fishing has lures is your best bet. been the surprise package A range of colours and for a few. Each year we sizes in the 6-10” range hope to see a run of tuna is perfect and don’t be offshore and this year was too afraid to fish in closer looking like a non-event, than many often do. Every however a late season run season plenty of marlin of SBT has been a very are landed off Swansea welcome surprise for many and many of those are game boats. The bad news encountered between was that the fish were the ships and the FAD often a long way out and location, so you don’t have boats had to do plenty of to run very wide at all. searching. Shark action is also The good news was heating up and some that many crews were quality toothies are about. being generous with GPS Big fish to 400kg have locations of the bite each been landed with many day and this helped others other smaller tigers also Bonanza Advert Oct 2017 - Final.pdf 1 5/10/2017 get into the action without being caught. SWANSEA

Jason Scerri

A few early season mahimahi should also be about and we often find each season that these early fish are generally the better ones for the season. This is when crews often only find one or two a day. However, they’re generally real crackers, so get out for an early season troll

sessions fishing the edges recently on those windy afternoons. I basically use the spot lock feature on my electric motor and just edge my way along the banks peppering the edges with soft plastics and small hardbody lures. The results have been great, so it’s well worth a try.

Rodney Austin with another solid Lake Mac snapper. and you might be surprised what nails your skirts. In the lake itself fishing has been consistent. Like I said earlier, it’s not on fire but there is still plenty of offer. Bream have been about in good numbers and sizes. Lure anglers are now finding these fish moving into shallower waters around the lake as the edges warm 6:15 pm up. I’ve had some great

Flathead are about and lovely fish up to 85cm+ have been caught and thankfully released, which is awesome to see. I’ve actually been scoring more better quality flathead on smaller lures recently. I generally target the big girls with 5-6” lures but lately the 3-4” plastics have been out-fishing the larger offerings consistently. I always start my sessions

with white plastics and if these are no good after 30 minutes, I start mixing it up and offering greens and pinks. Mulloway numbers have started to increase, which we love to see. This is my favourite fish to target these days. Nothing compares to nailing solid mulloway on light threadline outfits in calm waters. With my busy lifestyle now producing Colorato Lures, getting time to fish is hard, so a few hours in the afternoon/ evening is often my best chance, and it’s also the perfect time to target these mulloway. Most fish are in the 80-90cm bracket, which is a great size to be getting into. There are certainly bigger fish out there with quality fish over the 1m mark caught as well. I generally use a 7ft 3-5kg rod and a 2500-3000 size reel. I don’t go overboard with the gear, as I’m not fishing reef or anything. They can’t really bust you off, so go light and enjoy the fight. I fish 8lb braid main line and a 15lb fluorocarbon leader. Soft plastics in the 4-6”

range score more fish for me than others, so that’s what I spend most hours working with. Again, we have seen a few very nice snapper coming from the lake. This really is a great sign and seeing reds to 60cm from inside Lake Mac is just sensational. Rodney Austin has caught a few of these quality reds over the past few seasons and recently found some very nice reds on offer. With the summer fast approaching, anglers are looking at kingfish tactics. Many anglers chase these each year from the Swansea Bridge location. Shore-based anglers will be throwing lures left right and centre, so take care out there. This is certainly one of the hotspots for anglers chasing a Lake Mac king. Any of the channel markers around Wangi are also good options. Make sure you beef up your gear considerably, otherwise it will end in tears, I can promise you that. Live squid is the number one option when targeting these fish and each year plenty fall to artificial offerings as well.

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The estuary bite heats up early for anglers as a few reds with the 21 and Vee reefs all holding them. There are still good reds coming from around the islands with Fingal, Big, Little and Broughton all producing fish to 6kg around those low light

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It feels like the fishing is months ahead at the moment, which probably has a lot to do with how good the weather has been with plenty of 30°C days over the past month. This has really sparked things up, especially in the estuary with the surface bite of bream starting to happen as well as some exceptional flathead and whiting fishing. ESTUARY Flathead will be super active this month as they start to make their way downstream to spawn over the summer months. The back half of the bay will still be the best area to fish

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for them with Tilligery Creek up to Oyster Cove and Soldiers Point to Karuah all holding plenty of lizards. Soft plastics or shallow diving hardbodies cast over the flats around high water will the best method to get stuck into them. It already feels like summer with quality bream and whiting coming from surface lures cast around the shallow flats from Karuah Down to North Arm Cove. Good catches of whiting have also been reported on the high tide from Jimmys Beach and Shoal Bay, but you must use live worms and very light leaders to catch them. Mulloway are well worth targeting this month with anywhere from the Nelson Bay rock wall to the Karuah Bridges worth fishing. Kingfish have taken up residency along the Nelson Bay rock wall and inside the marina. These fish are responding best to live squid, however surface poppers are well worth a shot, especially around

early morning high tides. Crabs are on with good muddies and blue swimmers reported from the Karuah and Tilligerry areas BEACHES The whiting fishing is fantastic along the ocean beaches right now with Stockton, Samurai and Fingal all pro ducing elbow-slappers. Fish on those high tides with live worms and you should find it hard to miss out at this time of year, and you’ll more than likely pick up a few bream and maybe even a mulloway. Fishing first and last light around Fingal Spit or Box Beach with pillies or garfish on gang hooks will produce some good tailor. OFFSHORE Charter boats are reporting plenty of trag on the outer reefs as well

Mulloway are well worth targeting this month with anywhere from the Nelson Bay rock wall to the Karuah Bridges worth fishing. periods. Floating baits down a berley trail in water less then 15m is the most productive way to catch reds in these parts in November. It’s also well worth your while to put a live bait out under a float on some heavy gear as there

Edith Breakers and the surrounding shallow reefs have been producing reds to 6kg. Anglers fishing the Seal Rocks area should be made aware that cameras are now being used in the area to catch people doing the wrong thing and fishing the sanctuary zones.

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Flathead will be super active this month as they start to make their way downstream to spawn over the summer months.

Get in on the hot November fishing action ERINA

Aaron Donaldson

Recent spells of warmer weather have really fired up the fishing and local anglers have been quick to capitalise on the action. The estuary and lake systems have been fishing well with plenty of big bream

berley helps. These bigger bream can be super cautious and will react a lot better to a bait that drifts down slowly with the berley than to one that is anchored to the bottom with a large sinker. Flathead have been biting well early with plenty of good fish about. This is also the best time to connect with a crocodile-sized

money on light tackle and flyfishing gear. The bonito should show up in the next month or so to add a bit of variety, so it’s not all bad! Places like Avoca, Terrigal, Skillion and Wybung are well worth a spin this month. Try casting 20-65g metals for them. Luderick have shown up in huge spawning groups along the rock ledges and have been great fun. It hasn’t been unusual to catch 20 in a session, although they will start to taper off this month as the water warms and starts to burn away the green weed on the platforms. Offshore fishing took off with a bang when local boat Phat Cat skippered by Anthony Vadala had

an unexpected five-way hook-up on 60-80kg southern bluefin tuna while trolling. The boys’ captures went viral and since then we have seen one of the best tuna bites ever from the Central Coast south to Botany Bay. It has been amazing to see the fish hang around so long and although it has been crowded, some mind-blowing sessions where had. Bottom fishing has been good with decent snapper and pearl perch about. Barracouta have still been a big problem and they will hit every bait that hits the water a times. A lot of the bigger fish will move closer inshore, so fishing in closer from now on can be a good move.

Local gun angler Andrew Nash with a solid SBT.

The author hooked up to a solid luderick. starting to move up into the leases and shallower areas. These fish can be targeted with either lures or bait. The main tip for the bait fishos is to use little or no weight if you can get away with it, and a little bit of

specimen; I tend to used bigger lures and plastics at this time as the fish aren’t afraid to hit a 6-10” lure. Also a large mullet can give you a good shot at a big flathead or, if you’re lucky, a big mulloway.

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beat on our local waterways. Just be sure not to pause the lure at all when targeting whiting and use little stops and starts for the bream. The blue swimmer crabs have started to awaken from their hibernation and it’s been easy to snare a feed. Most anglers anchor up and use a few hand lines baited with mullet chunks. When you feel the crab has taken hold, just bring him to the net nice and slow (and steady) or they will keep dropping off. The beach and rock fishing has been a total salmon fest of late, which you’ll either love or hate. Even if you don’t like eating them, they certainly give you a good run for your

Bass should be out to play in the sweetwater this month.

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Estuaries really starting to get a move on ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

The rock fishing is just starting to kick into action, particularly for the live bait land-based anglers. The main target is solid kingfish. Fish better than 10kg have been patrolling the deeper ledges in the southern part of our region over the past few weeks and it will get better this month with more quality kings getting into reproductive mode. They gather over the offshore pinnacles like the banks a bit further south and spill over to the coastal ledges as they travel up and down the coast to get to these places, and they have to eat, so a live bait fished at dawn or dusk has a better than average chance of being eaten. They are in good condition at the moment and will be hard to stop but being travelling fish they often make the poor choice of heading to sea rather than wrapping you around every rock within 50m, as they don’t know the area. Hook a local hoodlum and you don’t stand a chance – they’re just too smart. Live squid are the number one bait. Pike, mackerel, yellowtail and even small salmon will also do the trick. Yellowfin tuna used to make their presence felt around the Kiama ledges not that long ago and there is always a chance a few strays may venture in over

Keep your eyes open for the birds. They will tell you where the fish are. the coming weeks. The same can be said for schools of striped tuna working the baitfish along the Blowhole Point. This still happens if the currents are in our favour. There will also be salmon around to pinch smaller live baits and grab lures, so there is a bit of scope for the land-based guys to get a bit of practice in before we get serious when the real hot water arrives a little bit down the track. On most other ledges all along the coast there are some good drummer in the washes grabbing cunjevoi and prawns, while a bit of bread berley will bring in bream and trevally for a bit more variety. Salmon are on most of the other ledges, particularly up north beyond Wombarra and Coalcliff, grabbing ganged pilchards that are cast out and slowly retrieved. A few tailor

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have been getting in on the action as well. Mulloway are also a target in spots where the rocks hit the sand and there is a bit of wash about for cover. You have to work the areas close to the rocks and you’ll lose a fair bit of gear if you’re doing it right. When you find where they are hiding it’s worth the effort. They move about too, so where you get them one day they may not be there the next. The beaches are starting to fire now with good patches of whiting starting to show on most beaches. The best are still Port, Windang, MM and Warilla. As always, beach worms are a must for the best results. Bream are in the deeper gutters, as is the odd school mulloway during the day. Salmon always love worms and can make life difficult when you’re chasing whiting. Flathead are worth chasing now with both bait and lures and they’re on most beaches. Larger mulloway will be more prevalent over the coming weeks leading up to Christmas, so some late nights on the big tides could pay dividends. At least it’s not freezing like when chasing the bigger winter fish. The estuaries are really starting to get a move on now with a few prawns getting up and moving on the dark, kick starting everything into action. Whiting on small poppers are now back on the agenda if you want a bit of fun, but worms or live prawns scooped the night before are a better option for catching a feed. Live prawns are the top bait as every fish in the system is chasing them. Anglers have caught good bream during the evenings after the pickers have gone to bed and flatties just can’t pass them up. In the smaller streams casting live prawns on light line into the snags will get some really good bites on big resident bream. If you like to sleep then prawn-like plastics will do the job on the flatties almost

as well and sometimes better. Small tailor can be a pest in the lake at this time of the year, making a mess of your plastics, so make sure you have quite a few extras. Some nice luderick are still hanging around the weed beds taking weed, and they’ll probably move onto worms at the end of the month. If they aren’t biting, you can take the luderick gear and floats into the feeder streams like the aptly named Mullet Creek up around the golf course, because solid mullet and even a few bream have been taken on bread. The lake will be a minefield from now until Christmas as every man and his dog sets their limit of crab traps up in the hunt for blue swimmers. Be very watchful as you travel on the lake. A prop full of rope can be a bugger to remove, particularly if it’s thin and gets down under the prop and onto the spline and gearbox seals. Minnamurra is hitting its straps too with flatties all along its length and bream around the bridges, particularly at night. Whiting have been around the entrance

and sand flats. Poppers will work here too. Offshore the bottom bouncers are really getting into the flathead all along the coast on all of the usual flathead drifts. They’re goodsized fish too, as they have been now for the past 12 months. The pros must have backed off them for a bit; that will probably change a few weeks before Christmas as they usually get a flogging from the nets then. Over the reefs a few samsonfish are making the snapper fishos think they have a much bigger fish on when they take off. Most of the snapper are in deeper water of 40m+, which can make it tough when the current picks up. Plastics and pick and berley are both scoring fish. Watch that sounder for the best results, as they seem

Some kingfish are on the usual peaks like Bandit and Wollongong with a few down around Rangoon and the Port Islands. For real action at this time of the year, head to the banks off Currarong – it’s worth the drive. Down rigged livies are the way to go. When you get a hook-up, down go the jigs – always try to keep one in the water to keep the school around. Further offshore there have been a few yellowfin tuna from 20-50kg out beyond the shelf since late September and October. They usually show up on the front of the warm water as it starts to push down the coast. Some may venture in closer to shore over the usual peaks. Late this month is a prime time and they are usually big. They may only show for a few

Flatties are on the chew in the lake now that the water is warmer and the prawns are moving. to be schooling rather than spread out over the reefs. Mowies are on the increase along with a few pigfish. The leatherjackets seem to be on the increase too, which can make it tough for both lure and bait fishos.

There are always a few bream around in close if you work the washes with plastics.

days and may go unnoticed if the weather is bad or in the middle of the week, so you have to be out there for a chance. On the shelf mixed in with the yellowfin tuna are a few albacore and striped tuna, so there’s always the chance of a bit of fun on the smaller tuna. With the tuna there will be a few sharks with makos and blues still dominant. A few tigers, hammers and whalers will be coming through as well. Striped marlin will be on the cards this month, as only two years ago they were thick during November. Big mahimahi are always picked up this month as by-catch, so there is a bit on for the game fishos prior to the really hot water arriving. Closer in there are schools of salmon, small kings, trevally and the odd bonito and barracouta chasing bait all along the coast. Watch out for the birds and use very tiny lures for the best results. Remember, the snapper often sit under the pelagics, so drop a big plastic down through the schools or toss in a live bait in case some big kings are stalking them as well.

At the mercy of the strong windy weather NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

After a bit of a reprieve from the strong and seemingly endless westerly winds over the past couple of months, the waters in our estuaries are finally starting to change. With no rain and the recent wind, the waters in our systems have been super clear, making it hard to tempt the wise and cautious fish into biting. With the waters warming and variable directional winds blowing, there is bait beginning to move and some colour in the water has lulled the fish into a false sense of security. ST GEORGES BASIN Unlike the Shoalhaven/ Crookhaven system, the Basin really suffers from this spring ‘clear water syndrome’ due to the lack of a constant tidal flow, so it’s great to see things finally changing and the fish becoming more active. The flatties and bream are really coming on the chew with this water change and there are some big fish amongst them. Flathead in the 90cm class and bream in the 40cm class are being taken by both the bait and lure fishos. The artificial reef systems, which have been in place in the Basin for several years, have bait schools taking shelter on them; this attracts the larger predators. Sitting off the reefs early in the morning and flicking medium-sized plastics towards them has been producing some of the better flatties.

There is always the chance of one of those big silver ghosts (mulloway), too. Bream are being caught from all over the Basin, but the better fish have been coming from One Tree

Point and Swan Bay along the western side and on the eastern side around the mouth of Cockrow Creek and out from Erowal Bay Boat Ramp in around 12ft of water.

Jake Atkinson with a thumper drummer from the Shoalhaven region.

Logan Cheney and his brother displaying a whopper 48cm bream from St Georges Basin that was released to fight another day. This was one of six caught for the day and the smallest was 34cm. Well done, boys.

JERVIS BAY Fishing around the bay has picked up after a pretty ordinary start to spring. There have been a few nice kings on the bommie and under the lighthouse with a few good reds mixed in. The flatty grounds out the front have been producing nice fish for the bottom dongers who have been getting a feed in quick time. The squid fishing has been sensational in the bay and the leatherjackets have finally dissipated, making it a viable option for catching bait and a feed. OFF THE ROCKS Plenty of black drummer are being taken around the rocks and they are some awesome specimens! On the south side of Jervis Bay the recent bushfires may have cleared a few of the old tracks out, making some spots more

accessible again. I know a lot of tracks were getting overgrown and lost, so if there is one good thing to come out of a bushfire it’s the ability to access some of these tracks again. There are some great platforms in this area to fish and in the right season you can catch anything from drummer and groper to black marlin, kingfish and big sharks. It’s worth a trip and exploration if you haven’t fished here before. On the north side of the bay, spinning off Big Becroft has been producing rat kingfish, salmon and a few bonnies. A couple of better kings have been taken from the stones by the stickbaiters around this area also and the boat fishos have been having some fun on the Currarong bommie losing the occasional unstoppable fish.

GERRINGONG TO KIAMA This area has been producing big drummer, good catches of big squid and a few snapper for the land-based angler in the know as well as the in-close boat fishos. When we get the wild seas and winds closing out most rock fishing options Kiama Harbour is always worth a go for squid at night. Slinging a few metals out early in the morning can get you a catch of salmon and tailor. Let’s hope for some rain over the next couple of months to help bring things forward in the summer fishing season. For a successful bass season we are in desperate need of rainfall so the fish can migrate upstream and reach their desired pools. Stay safe.

The author goes squidding at Kiama Harbour when everywhere else is too rough and dangerous. NOVEMBER 2017

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Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The last few weeks has seen the local estuaries really start to fire up with longer warmer days being the norm. This has helped the water temperature to rise, especially in the, making species like dusky flathead just that little more active. These humble critters are certainly on the move, with some cracking big girls getting caught of late. At Narooma, young Jack from Cowra who was holidaying with his family caught his best croc at 98cm, just a couple centimetres off the magic meter mark. To make it more memorable, Jack caught it while fishing for bream in the shallows with his dad. The fish took the young gun 15 minutes to land on 5lb leader. An awesome effort by anyone’s standards, and certainly a catch to remember. To make it even more fitting, the fish was released in great condition. Unfortunately there’s no pictures, as dad left the phone behind. Jack’s big girl isn’t the only one I’ve heard caught

Big flathead are a November specialty around the Narooma region, so anglers can expect a monster or two if targeting them. and you will be surprised at the results! Towards the front of Tuross the entrance is still quite deep, so there’s still a lot of water movement during the tidal period, which is great to see. There’s been plenty of salmon entering the system on the flooding tide, but some days the schools are huge and they are very hard to entice to bite. That can be frustrating, but sometimes even salmon become cagey when fixated on small fry, so having an assortment of artificials to cast at them can pay dividends. You can expect a few mulloway as well, as it’s prime time for these bronzed

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Watching a big flatty like this 89cm crocodile swim away is something the author never gets sick of seeing. over recent weeks, there’s been a handful of 80cm+ fish plucked out of Tuross, with the river section certainly the place to fish. This section of water from the Highway bridge downstream to the entrance of Borang Lake is prime big flathead territory. It’s quite shallow in areas, with pockets of water in the 2-3m range, which is ideal for big flathead. You will find that this water is a lot warmer than what’s down the front of the system, and with the prawns starting to roam the shallows, it makes sense that these croc-sized flatties are starting to play the game. How you target them is personal, but I’d be using smaller soft plastics up to 80mm in length, with either fish or prawn imitations being best. Remember to fish them with a slow, methodical approach early in the season,

marvels. I know some anglers have had a ball targeting them on bait and soft plastics, with the best fish being 101cm, which is not huge, but still a great capture. Anglers fishing the stones have had some exceptional angling of late, with the pelagics out in force. There’s been monster salmon down at Mystery Bay, with a few nudging 5kg, and at that size, they pull hard on any tackle. These fish are responding well to ganged pilchards fished amongst the washes. Use a small ball sinker to get it down a little, and by doing this you can expect the odd tailor and snapper as well, especially after some decent swell. You can expect action like this on most deeper headlands, with both the golf course rocks

and Dalmeny Headland both worth a look. Those targeting blackfish have done well on the inside section of the southern break wall. Using fresh weed or cabbage has been paramount to success, and a little berley will help things along. On the beaches bream, whiting and mullet numbers are on the increase with Brou and Blackfellows being the most productive. Some of the bream are quality fish at over 1kg, with 5-10 fish per session the norm. Better baits have been pipi, live beach worms and tuna strips for the bream. There’s still plenty of salmon and tailor around, with most beaches hat have a half decent gutter producing results. All methods will work, but paternoster rigs rigged with a bait/popper combination being popular. It’s also time to dust of the big rods and target a mulloway or two. Every November some solid fish get caught, especially towards the estuary entrances. The southern end of Blackfellows Beach would be the pick if a mulloway is your quarry, with fresh tailor slabs or live beach worms the pick of the baits. Offshore the flatties in 35-40m are just starting to wake up. They have been slow of late with the coldish water, but reports over the last week have been positive. On the reefs, snapper, morwong and the odd kingfish are playing the game, and I suspect it will only get better as we head further into the month. As usual, Potato Point has been the pick close to shore with the southwest corner of Montague firing up as well. Anglers after the Monty kings have been doing well, though there certainly isn’t any consistency at present. One day they’re on fire the next they’re not, so all you can do is give it a go and hope they are on the good day. When they have fired up, jigs and live bait has worked, with fish around the 4-5kg range being the most prominent. The Fowl House Reef has been the pick of areas to fish, though the fish are moving around a bit, so having a quality sounder to find the denser schools is certainly an advantage. NOVEMBER 2017

Kingfish invasion is set to happen again MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The local reefs around the Merimbula area are fishing great guns at present and I expect that to continue as we head into summer. Species like snapper, morwong and kingfish are making the inshore reefs attractive areas to fish, with some quality models amongst them. Kingfish have especially made a welcome return to the inshore grounds, with Haycock Point and Horseshoe reef both holding fish. Most kingies that have been caught are by the fishos fishing for snapper, with the majority coming in around the 3-4kg mark. If you’ve targeted these fish with live bait or jigs, you would certainly have some serious fun on the right tackle. There’s not only school kings about, as there’s been reports of big hoodlums for months now, and I know of a local angler who caught a 22kg greenback on a stickbait this week. Plenty

Andy Kolber hooked up to a 90cm kingy on mulloway tackle. of anglers have seen these schools of big kings around the pilchard schools, but they have been very hard to entice to bite. Those who have been lucky enough have been in the right place at the right time have managed to catch them on big poppers or larger hardbodied stickbaits.

These kings are travelling around and aren’t staying in one spot, so moving from pilchard school to pilchard school and hunting them has certainly been the key to success. You might have to travel from Tura Head to Haycock looking, but it might just be worth it.

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For those after a feed of sand flathead then the sticks out the front of the Pambula River entrance has been the best option. The flatties have been slow, but they are just starting to pick up now with the slightly warmer water, so expect some better bags over coming weeks. The game fishing out wide will get better with time on the albacore, yellowfin tuna and an early season striped marlin if the weather gods allow it. It’s been an extremely

windy last four weeks, making any trip to the shelf almost impossible, but when it turns around some exceptional pelagic action is just around the corner. The local beaches have been a little quiet for salmon and tailor, but the bream and whiting fishing has picked up considerably. North Tura, Bournda and the northern end of Haycock have been fishing well for the bread and butter species. Light outfits with long traces and fresh bait has been the key to good bags. Pipi, fresh squid and live worms have accounted for most of the fish. There should be the chance of both mulloway and gummy sharks from some of the deeper holes along North Tura. Fishing these deeper sections into the night on a rising tide is a good starting point, with fresh tailor fillets or beachworms the preferred baits. In the estuaries it’s been slower than normal, but that’s just about to turn around. Almost all species will play the game at some time throughout this month. Those after monster flathead are in for a good time, as both the Merimbula and Pambula basins will produce. These big girls will be hungry, with anglers using big soft plastics and live bait catching plenty. There’s

already been a handful of 85cm+ fish caught and released, which is great to see early in the season. I’d be concentrating around the ribbon weed edges on the perimeter of the lake with water depths of 3-7m being ideal. You will get a good feed of 40-50cm fish too, so let the big girls go if you’re lucky enough to get one. If casting smaller plastics trevally, bream, tailor and smaller pinkie snapper can be expected when casting to these same edges. Those using fresh bait like live nippers or worms will start to see some solid whiting and bream on the flats and channels. As the water warms further, surface lures will be another option, which is great sport. Anglers fishing the stones will continue their good fortune of late, with some solid fish to be caught. For the anglers who like throwing lures, small kingfish, tailor, salmon and bonito are all possible opponents. Fish Tura Head, as it’s the deepest and most productive rock platform we have around here. If after the bread and butter species like drummer and blackfish, you should still manage a few in the wash zones, but persistence will be required with plenty of berley. Short Point would be the pick of ledges if after a feed.

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The result of a well-placed soft plastic and a long fight.

Big snapper schools and surface hitting bream BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

The estuary and the inshore reef fishing are the highlights at the moment with the chance of some spring school tuna. Out offshore it looks as though we could be in for a run of small school yellowfin tuna and maybe some albacore as we had some activity to our north and to our south throughout October. Let’s hope this continues this month. In previous years we have seen some great spring runs of yellowfin, usually 5-10kg with the odd 20-30kg fish some years. I remember a November about seven years ago when it was full of albacore out there and everybody would head out using black and purple 6-7” feathered Zuker lures and you were guaranteed some chicken of the sea! Fishing the bottom with electric reels out over the shelf is another option if the tuna are slow and the conditions favour it. At this time of year the northeasterlies start to blow up from midday onwards. Over the last couple of months fishos have had a lot of success fishing the 120m depth with electric reels and at this depth you can also drop jigs between 60-120g on rod and reel jig outfits and you can expect to catch basically anything at that depth: bar cod, snapper, nannygai, ocean perch, flathead, tuna, kingies and more. Spring is a great time of the year for fishing 60-120m depths for big schools of snapper. It seems fishos are covering more depths and using a variety of techniques these days, which keeps things interesting. If you have the gear there are always other options. Fresh bait, especially fresh squid on a paternoster rig, is still the most common rig used out 60m deep and beyond. If you’re not catching your own squid then fishing tackle shops are

supplying very fresh squid these days. Prestige Bait is one company that gets it straight off the local South Coast boats and straight into the shops. It’s a little pricey but definitely worth it. Gotcha Bait also have a very good squid and then there are the boxes of Lund squid, which has been very popular, and Tweed Bait have the squid in a clear package with no writing and this goes well, too. Compleat Angler Batemans Bay happens to

be worth having a flick off the stones, especially with all the spring bait moving in and pushed up against the rock ledges at sunrise. It’s a great time to have a live bait out for a school of kings while flicking plastics for snapper. Let’s hope we get some decent kingfish action this spring and summer. The estuary is starting to light up! We’ve had a good run of flathead and some thick schools of tailor. Anglers have been targeting

Mario showing us what is out over the 60m line. carry the whole range, so call in there for your squid options. Inside, the 60m depth has been plagued lately with barracouta. It hasn’t been very enjoyable constantly losing all your gear in the lesser depths. We should see the barracouta ease up this month and then we can start to welcome the leatherjackets. There’s always a tackle thief just around the corner and just as the jackets slow down at the end of summer, the green toads move in. Ah well – it keeps the fishing tackle shops open. Moving in from the ocean and into our rock platforms last year we had a good run of snapper and there were some good grouper caught as well. Recently the drummer are still showing good numbers and this month it should still

these fish at night around the lights of the bridge. Now we are seeing some good schools of bream coming in and they are hungry after spawning out the front and they are already taking lures off the surface. There are so many surface lures to choose from these days. One of the most exciting surface lures is the OSP Bent Minnow and we can hardly keep them in stock. We now have the OSP Iwaver and it’s also deadly. You can’t go past the Sugapen and (for a cheapy) the Saku Snoop Dog. The Yakamito Surface Poppers are going to be standouts for bream off the surface this warm season. Other species like whiting and bass will fight over them too. It’s looking very positive for the bream fishing in the

Clyde this season, which is great. The other species on the tips of everybody’s lips is the magic mulloway; from now until mid December you can chase them with lures through the day before the holiday traffic kicks in, and then it’s back to chasing them at night. Already there have been some good captures and it’s looking good for the next two months. Some lads came down from Sydney in mid October hoping for a mulloway on a lure and they managed one up past Nelligen, but also had fun on bream, whiting, flathead and estuary perch. They said they love the system and will be back for another crack. Further upstream the bass are on with 45-50cm fish already on the board. Troy from Moruya came in and showed me a very impressive 49cm one the other day. We have been stocking the AusSpin black purple spinnerbait for some time now, because its size and weight with one small Indiana blade is perfect for our backwaters. We had a very big South Coast Mighty Bonanza fishing tournament in Tomakin at the beginning of October and it was a very successful event

Alec with his winning snapper at the South Coast Mighty Bonanza, caught in the deep. with the biggest participation in the event’s history! A lot of people came from out of town to enter, which is great for our community. It got a lot of attention from brands and groups who supported and invested in it. We look forward to seeing you all their next year. A big congratulations to all who put in the hours, days and months of work that goes into such events. Another event worth mentioning is our Gone Fishing Day held at South Broulee Beach on 15 October. This year we had 300 gift bags to give away dotted along the beach. This created

the human chain of people fishing. After an hour or so they came back to the Surf Club for drinks and food and where we had live music on the grass for the rest of the afternoon. Thank you to The Spindrift Saga – our hit group on the South Coast – for a great performance. Get excited and get out there, it’s already on! • For more up-to-the-minute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02) 4472 2559.

A fantastic 20kg+ gummy shark caught and released on charter. NOVEMBER 2017

Target open estuaries BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

As a result of a fairly dry winter, many of our lakes and estuaries are closed to the ocean. Some like Wallaga may have to be opened shortly, as rising water is starting to encroach on roads, which if it does

Most of the systems within the area are relatively shallow, making for good visual angling. Up over the flats is the place to be at high tide, especially around the sea grass beds. All manner of life forms abound here creating a rich food source, and with that the predators follow. Expect flathead to be on the short list, and these fish,

this year will not be a very good one due to the lakes that generally harbour them not being open to the ocean at the right time of year. The prawns you are likely to find will probably be in the systems open to the ocean like the Bermagui River. When there is prawns in this river, try fishing around the bridge lights at night for exciting results.

Brogo Dam is full of bass of varying sizes – you just have to go out there to find them!

Fishing the tidal flats of Wallaga – tidal being the operative word. Wallaga needs to be open to the ocean to be at its best. happen will be just in time for the summer fishing. Those that do remain closed may be to prawner’s advantage, where prawns will grow fast in the warm land locked waters. Summer is fast approaching, and with it the best fishing. Estuary fish have migrated back into the tidal rivers where they are eager to feed and build some condition. All manner of methods will work, but this is an especially good time to focus on lures.

for those with good vision, may be sight-casted, making for exciting angling. Even if you spook a fish in this shallow water, come back later or on another tide, as they are likely to reside in the area for some time while the pickings are good. Bream, whiting and trevally are also to be expected over the flats on lures, while other species may prefer a wellplaced nipper or prawn. Speaking of prawns, now is the time to get serious in finding some, however

EspCrhiatrters

BERMAGUI SOUTH COAST NSW

Marlin, Tuna, h, Kingfis h s i Reef F

Moving out of the estuaries and staying shorebased, the beaches have been very active with a variety of fish visiting them. Salmon are the mainstay, with bream and whiting also making an appearance. These fish are falling to well-presented

beach worms, where you’re likely to find the odd mullet also getting into the act. Nighttime around the full moon is the best chance of a mulloway or a gummy shark, and there has been quite a few taken. Out to sea, things have hotted up with one of the best tuna seasons in years already having occurred earlier in the year, it now seems to be filtering into this month. Albacore and striped tuna are the most prolific with a few yellowfin also showing themselves. I doubt any of those massive bluefin would still be around with water temperatures heating up quickly. There is a good chance of an early season marlin with the water temperatures set to be the highest in years. Wherever you have tuna you have sharks, with makos being the most prolific. They have a taste especially for albacore and anglers will often have one snatched off

their line by an aggressive mako. When you have had enough of the tuna, try berleying for those sharks, as they are one of the best sportfish going around. Up at the rock, Montague Island is producing some good kingfish action. These fish are responding to a variety of methods, so you need to be ready to adapt to the one that is working on the day. Most fish are only just size, which is common at this time of year. If you don’t have any success at the island, you can always go out wide for the tuna or try a spot of bottom bouncing on the way home. Out from Tilba there are plenty of sand flathead, while on the wider deep grounds the tigers are on the chew. They range from here to far south of Bermagui, making for good angling plus a great feed for the table. On the reefs, things are relatively good with plenty

of snapper, morwong and other assorted species. You will need an early start, as the northeast trade winds usually get up around mid-morning. Water levels are down slightly in Brogo Dam, however the bass fishing is excellent. Given one of those warm barmy days leading in to a still evening followed by a warm morning the next day, anglers are likely to encounter excellent fishing as bass chase aquatic life forms along the weed banks of a day or feed on the terrestrial insects falling on the water towards the evening, providing some exciting surface angling. The Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association will be holding their annual comp on the first weekend in December. Anyone who wishes to find out more details on this event can contact me on 0427 934 688 or email djsxstreamfishing@ bigpond.com.

FISHING NEWS

Bass say bye-bye to barrier Australian Bass in northern NSW now have access to over 300km of Richmond River habitat thanks to the completion of the Kyogle Weir fullwidth rock-ramp fishway on Fawcetts Creek. This project has been 10 years in the making, and the fishway uses an innovative V-shape cross section to help floating

debris to pass over the fishway rather than being captured on the rock ridges. In addition, the fishway uses pre-fabricated concrete ‘dragon-teeth’ ridges that have helped to achieve a consistent drop over the 50m long fishway, while reducing instream construction time. Access past this barrier builds on previous actions that

The new fishway under construction.

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The completed fishway makes migration for native species a breeze.

removed Richmond River mainstem structures, the Norco Weir (2007) and Manyweathers Weir (2009) near Casino. Australian bass and eastern freshwater cod need to migrate to complete their breeding cycle, and this new fishway will he a huge bonus to fish numbers in the upper Richmond River. This outcome serves as an example of what can

be achieved when the local council works in partnership with different spheres of government. The fishway was built as part of the broader $8.2 million Kyogle Water Supply Augmentation Project, which received $6.4 million in funding under the Water Security for regions component of the restart NSW Program. – Fish Habitat Network

Lure options opening up on the Bega River TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

A passion for anglers in this day and age is to catch fish on lures, and what better place to do it than the Bega River. Last month the Bega mouth was closed to the sea, providing lure anglers with many options. With the river closed to the sea, water levels are rising, flooding areas not often covered by water. These areas may include tidal flats where food sources like worms, nippers, shrimp or prawns will have permanent

water over them, allowing predators like whiting, bream, flathead, luderick and trevally to hunt. Anglers polaroiding in the early morning and working a variety of lures from soft plastics through to hardbodies or even flies should have some excellent sight fishing. Further up the system, timber or rocky shore lines not normally covered with water may now be worth a look, with bream and estuary perch looking to feed in these areas, providing good shallow water angling. Up where the salt meets the freshwater is also flooded, providing bass with not only

Flooded areas of the Bega are a lure angler’s dream.

In the early morning flathead may be observed predating on prawns near the surface in shallow water. aquatic food, but also lots of terrestrial insects, which are abundant and providing good surface action for both lure or fly anglers. Away from the estuaries, other forms of angling are faring well. The beaches are producing all sorts of goodies with salmon being the dominant species. Find a good gutter and fish it on a high tide and you should have good action with these lovely sportfish. Bream, whiting and mullet are all responding to a variety of baits, while of a night expect gummy sharks, tailor or the odd mulloway. The ever-popular Tathra Wharf is now seeing some of the summer species turning up. Slimy mackerel are always a hit for both young and old. These large schools of fish will show randomly

around the wharf where they cause havoc with their frenzied feeding habits. Yellowtail, trevally are also regulars while passing schools of salmon will keep anglers entertained. With the salmon there is a chance of a kingfish, as schools start to move along the coast. A wellpresented live bait may do the trick and it may also find a larger one hunting by itself. These species will frequent the adjacent rock platforms where anglers can also target other species like drummer, luderick, groper and many more while waiting for the pelagic action. Offshore the action is great, especially for those with a plan to put food on the table, and this means reef and bottom fishing. It is definitely flathead time out on the big

blue briny, and just about anywhere you go you are likely to find them. Out from most beaches, sand flatties are lurking where they can be found in varying depths. How you fish for them also varies in the form of whether you drift using conventional methods or do things like casting soft plastics in shallower water, which is now becoming a

snapper being the most sort after. Either south or north of Kianinny Bay will put you onto some excellent reefs in varying depths. There will be other species to be caught like ocean perch, morwong (both rubber lips and jackass) wrasse, jackets and more. Further afield and out over the shelf there is some game action in the form of

Trevally are another species you will encounter fishing flooded flats. very popular angling method. Fishing wider will see you mixing it with those lovely tiger flathead, where you are also likely to encounter the odd gummy shark or red gurnard. Nearly all the reefs are producing some form of reef dwellers, with

tuna. Striped, albacore and yellowfin tuna are showing in reasonable numbers, mostly being taken on the troll, and while you are out there keep your eyes peeled as it would not surprise me to see an early marlin or two starting to show.

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Fishing options in November MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

SKEETER ZX190 Location: NSW

$40,000 STRATOS 176XT Location: NSW

$19,500 MAKO CRAFT 480 Location: VIC

With the winter weather long behind us the town is coming to life, along with the fishing. The past month has had its fair share of windy, rainy weather and the days are definitely starting to warm up. Visiting anglers have been getting amongst the fish and over the coming months more and more visitors will be heading to Mallacoota. The salmon are still being caught on all the local beaches and the rising tide is the best time to go looking for the fish. When chasing salmon you’re just as likely to catch a few tailor. Most of the fish have been caught by anglers using baits of whole pilchards. Those walking the beach tossing metal lures have also been getting amongst the fish. The breakwall is another reliable area to get a few fish with tailor, silver trevally and salmon caught around the top of the tide. If you’re keen and don’t mind fishing into the night, you can expect to encounter a gummy shark. A fresh fillet of salmon or tailor is a good choice of bait. Fishing outside has seen the sand flathead come back

A blade-caught black bream from the deeper waters of the bottom lake. on the bite as the water is warming with the fish biting in around 30m of water. Fresh fillet are a good choice of bait. Gummy sharks and school sharks are also being caught and as the water warms the tiger flathead should start to come on the bite. The good news is the kingfish have turned up in good numbers and they’re on the move. How long they will be around is anyone’s guess. Trolling lures and covering plenty of water is the way to get a few fish and, as always, find the

bait and the fish won’t be too far away. The fishing in the lake is starting to fire up. The water warming sees the flathead come back on the chew with more varieties of fish caught. Silver trevally are being caught in good numbers and soft plastics are catching plenty. These fish have been caught as far upstream as Gypsy Point. Bream are also being caught lately with the fish starting to spread through the system after spawning. Bream can be caught in the deep water and around the shallow

margins of the top and bottom lake. Fish are being caught on a variety of lures with soft plastics working well. It’s funny watching the patterns; it used to be hardbody lures, then soft plastics and then blades and vibes. It went back to hardbodies then soft plastics again. There isn’t really much new in fishing – it’s just round and round. What’s old becomes new and vice versa. As we head into summer the fishing will only improve, offering more options for the visiting anglers.

Warmer water fishing action EDEN

Kevin Gleed

$22,000 HAINES HUNTER PRO STRIKE Location: NSW

captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The far South Coast is coming to life with summer around the corner, and after a long and cold winter it will be well-appreciated. The past month has seen plenty of windy days that really tested even the keenest of fishers. With the water warming the fishing is starting to pick up. Fishing the local beaches

has been good with salmon and tailor being caught. Plenty of good gutters for fishing can be found with fish being caught at all stages of the tide. Yellowfin bream are also being caught. The best area to fish for them has been the gutters where rock meets sand with a rising tide. Dawn and dusk are the best times for getting a few fish, and fresh bait or live bait will be the best choice (try nippers or beach worms). A few sand whiting are also being

caught and as we move into summer they’ll become a regular catch for those fishing with lighter gear. Fishing into the night at this time of year you can expect to encounter the odd mulloway along with gummy sharks. Recent good weather has allowed the boats to get out to the inshore reefs with good results. Flathead (tigers and sandies) have been caught along with good catches of morwong and snapper. You need to keep moving to find the fish and stay away from

$32,000 SKEETER ZX190 Location: NSW

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NOVEMBER 2017

The flathead are starting to wake up as the weather warms.

those pesky barracuda, as they will steal sinkers, hooks – the lot. There has been little to report out wide. This time of year is the time to ready the boat and gear for the coming gamefishing season. Kingfish have been caught down around Mowarry Point. With the fish moving it would pay to get out and have a go at them while they are here, as there is every chance they might just keep following the bait right down into Victoria like they have done over the last few years. The local estuaries are starting to come to life with the warmer water. Flathead have been taking a variety of lures after being dormant over the winter months. Around the entrance area, trevally are being caught along with yellowfin bream and sand whiting. A variety of baits are catching fish. With the water warming the bass are starting to come to life in the upper reaches of the systems. The catch and release anglers are getting amongst the fish with surface lures working well, as the fish are on the move and hungry.

Taking on the topwater thrills NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

As waters warm with the approach of summer, surface luring really comes into its own, all the way from the tropical north of our nation to the temperate south. It’s hard to beat the

by any visual clues prior to the actual moment of impact. They can come like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky. One moment your lure is happily popping, paddling or gurgling along the surface unmolested, the next moment – bang! It doesn’t matter if it’s a yellowtail kingfish, tailor, salmon, trevally or Spanish mackerel in the salt, or a bass,

huge array of shapes, sizes and configurations. Amongst the most popular styles in this country are floating plugs made from timber or plastic with cupped faces (called poppers or ‘bloopers’), as well as those fitted with various propellers, swinging arms, scoops or fixed paddles that help to create a sputtering swimming action when retrieved.

minimal cranking of the reel to pick up slack line. Often, the longer the retrieve takes to complete and the more pauses incorporated into it, the greater the chances of drawing a strike, especially in common freshwater scenarios. Simple stickbaits with much less built-in action can also be very useful surface lures, especially those models with a tow point situated under the nose, as these can be made to zigzag attractively or bob from side to side using a retrieve technique known as ‘walking the dog.’ This deadly topwater action is achieved by cranking the reel at a slow to medium pace while jerking or bouncing the rod tip rhythmically to alternately tighten and slacken the line. It can take a little practice to

Tailor love topwater lures!

Many anglers will be out there trying to catch their first mega Murray cod on a topwater lure when the new season opens. rush of pure adrenalin that courses through an angler’s veins whenever a fish suddenly rises to the surface and smacks a topwater presentation. These surface strikes are often unheralded

barra, Murray cod, sooty grunter, saratoga or trout in the fresh. Getting crunched on a surface lure is right up there with the very finest of fishing’s many thrills. Surface lures come in a

Most of these stronglyactioned topwater plugs can be either retrieved in a straight line at various speeds, or twitched and blooped in a comparatively small area using rod tip movement and

Fizzers such as the classic Heddon Torpedo range are deadly on summer bass.

Poppers are right at home in tropical seas on aggressive fish like trevally, but also work well further south, especially as the water warms.

perfect this retrieve, but once you crack it, the results are often spectacular! Surface lures can be used to represent a broad range of potential prey or food items, from baitfish to prawns and insects to frogs. For some of our peak freshwater predators such as Murray cod, barra, saratoga and really large Australian bass, it doesn’t end with frogs, either. Mice, rats, small birds, lizards, snakes and the like are all grist for the mill where these species are involved, and the next tale of a mega Murray cod inhaling a fully

grown duck off the surface certainly won’t be the last! Fortunately, there are surface lures and presentation techniques suited to imitating all of these potential meals: from the smallest to the largest. In many instances, precise imitation of particular prey items isn’t really necessary in order to elicit a positive response from a potential predator. Often, it’s more about attracting attention by creating the general impression of something scared and vulnerable struggling on

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the surface and trying to get away. This is especially the case in low light scenarios (dawn, dusk, overcast days or after dark), when surface lures often perform at their very best. Whether you paddle a small ‘walker’ for bass, swim a giant, articulated snake for bruising Murray cod, speed a rubber frog across the weed tops to enrage impoundment barra, or chug and bloop a popper for tailor, salmon and kings, surface fishing is extra special, and you’ll never, ever forget those spectacular topwater hits!

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Skinny water success with Anglers often bypass the shallows, opting for deeper waters instead, but I’m here to tell you that you can have a lot of fun in the shallows when you plan your attack. This was highlighted to me on a recent trip. Staring out across the flats as we drifted over them, we scanned the sand patches for any sign of life. At first we saw nothing, then suddenly I noticed movement, dark shadows cutting through the shallows. They were kingfish in just a couple of feet of water. I pointed them out to my companion, but he couldn’t see them at all, until I offered him my Costas! I had never thought about it in the past, but decent sunnies will give you the edge on the water because you will see more of what’s out there. That day, we ended up catching a few kings, flathead and other by-catch, but what made it all the more impressive was the fact we were fishing Sydney Harbour. Stalking the shallows Since that experience I have spent an increasing amount of time patrolling the shallows hunting fish. If there is one thing I have discovered, it is just how close to stalking prey that flats fishing really is. You stalk the shallows, searching for signs of movement, while not trying not to spook anything in the process. It doesn’t matter whether its a bonefish cruising across the sand like a ghost, a big flathead blending in perfectly with the bottom, or pelagics raiding the shallows, you always get the exact same rush of adrenaline by being able to see the fish first before you make the cast. Skinny water fishing is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding and challenging styles of sportfishing, however, hunting the flats effectively is not an easy technique to master. Not only do you need to be able to read the water, spot and then stalk your quarry, but 60

NOVEMBER 2017

you also need to need to be able to cast accurately as well. An intimate understanding of your prey’s behaviour is also vital. The trick to being successful with this technique just being a good angler, but to be a good hunter as well. Be patient The age old hunting proverb ‘walk little look much’ couldn’t be truer when it comes to fishing the flats. Stalking the flats is all about spotting the fish before they see you. If you spook them, it’s all over. To make its harder, in shallow water most fish are extra nervous and at the first hint of trouble their natural reaction is to flee to deeper water. The best way to move is slowly, stopping regularly and really scan the water for the slightest movement. An electric motor is worth its weight in gold, and is a

valuable tool for studying everything in front of you and trying to sport anything out of place. Remember that most fish will be moving, so the longer you stand still the more likely you are to see them moving first. Every time you move you are giving away your position, which will spook any fish nearby A lot of fish like whiting and bonefish who favour shallow water are incredibly well camouflaged and can be near impossible to spot, despite the fact they are out in the open. The only way to find these fish is when they move and often it is actually their shadow that you see as opposed to the actual fish. Know your prey There is no point in getting the best Costas or being able to read the water if you don’t know where to look. By this I mean you need to understand your

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target species. Knowing the behaviours and habits of one species and how they vary to the next is vital. The flats are a diverse ecosystem that house a wide range of species, all of which have their own preferences, be it water temperature, terrain or food, and you need to know them if you want success. It is imperative that you target specific species rather than wandering around aimlessly, targeting anything that comes by. Different species favour specific environments on the flats. Flathead for example set up ambushes at points where baitfish and crustaceans will pass through, while whiting will cruise over the sand worm beds. At the other end of the scale predators like Aussie salmon and GTs will patrol the drop offs, making regular forays up into the shallows hunting for baitfish. A basic understanding of your target species means you will know where to start your search and will make reading the water a lot easier. Plan your stalk Irrespective of what you are chasing on the flats, you can’t just hit the water and start cruising about, instead you need to consider a number of factors and formulate a game plan to maximise your search. First and foremost, you have to consider the prevailing conditions. Blue-sky days are ideal, while overcast conditions can make it much harder to actually spot the fish. As I said you need a decent pair of polaroid sunnies like Costas, but different lenses do different things. I like to use the new 580 in green mirror that enhance the colours making it easier to spot fish. For me it’s all about glass lenses, but some anglers still prefer poly lenses. Another major factor is the wind. Casting light lures or soft plastics is near impossible if you’re walking into the wind. The only option is to walk with the wind on your back. So before you even

hit the flat, take a moment to plan your approach so you are walking with the wind in your favour. Believe me, there is nothing more frustrating than having a heap of fish in sight and no chances of casting to them because the wind is in your face. Visibility is another issue and you will get the best view walking down sea diagonally across the waves. The angle of the sun is also important and its critical that you have the sun behind you. Walking into the sun early or late is a complete waste of time. When the sun is directly overhead gives you the best versatility. At the end of the day, every scenario

“ Just make sure you have your Costas on your face so you can see what’s out there! “ is different, so be flexible and adjust your approach to suit the prevailing conditions. When you do finally spot a fish, you need to plan your stalk to get you within casting range. This is why it is so critical to understand your target species behaviour. Ultimately, you want to get into position so the fish comes to you. This is exactly the same as hunting, and with your prey coming towards you there is ample time to get ready and present your offering exactly where you need it. Use the tides Understanding the tides is critical when fishing the flats. Every species that you encounter on the flats has their daily routine governed by the tides. The trick is to understand how the tide affects different species.

For example, flathead will set up an ambush during the run-out tide at gutter mouths where the fish feeding on the flats will be funnelled back into deeper water with the receding tide. On the other hand, queenfish will use a rising tide to follow prey onto the flats. If you want to get really detailed, the variation in tides from neaps to springs also plays a big role. Understanding how they affect various species is what makes you become a better angler. What is really important to remember is that the tides are a idly ritual for fish so they will often be in the same spot at the same time of the next tide. So whenever you have a good session, take a note of the tide, not the time. By knowing exactly when to come and hit the same spot you will really reduce your fishing time and increase your catching time. Flat out A lot of anglers think you need to be in deep water to catch big fish, but in reality skinny water is really productive when you hunt rather than simply fish. Just make sure you have your Costas on your face so you can see what’s out there! - Al McGlashan

Previous Page Top: Seeing a flathead in shallow water requires serious sunnies. Previous Page Bottom: Shallow water and Costa sunnies go hand-in-hand. Top Left: When it comes to chasing GTs on topwater, green and blue mirror are the standout lenses. Top Right: Al McGlashan’s personal favourite is the green mirror, which is ideal for all offshore situations. Bottom Left: It doesn’t matter whether you’re chasing bream in the estuary or marlin offshore, Costa will show you more. Bottom Right: Being patient and really studying your surroundings will help you catch more flathead. NOVEMBER 2017

WHAT’S NEW FISHING KAMIWAZA DECO PEN II

Looking for the ultimate Japanese made stick bait? Look no further as Valley Hill’s Kamiwaza Deco Pen II is now available in Australia through Dogtooth Distribution. This stickbait is truly one from the top shelf. Superbly crafted and detailed, the bait is perfectly weighted to ensure a superior diving and swimming action. Each lure is wood carved, is covered in highly reflective, holographic foil, and is then meticulously hand painted to a finish, which has to be seen to be believed. Available in four colour combainations (pink, white, blue, and silver) and in four different sizes (140mm and 34g, 160mm and 55g, 180mm and 77g, 220mm – 130g) the Deco Pen II has been successful in landing many large Australian saltwater species. Japanese quality and durability ensure it copes in all conditions and situations. An absolute must for all stick bait enthusiasts and saltwater predator anglers www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

COSTA HALF MOON

You’ll look like a maverick in Costa’s Half Moon sunglasses, a USA West Coast inspired beach style that rides the mystique of epic ocean swells. This model is available in Shiny Black and Tiger Shark as tributes to the icy water, huge swells and some of the largest sharks in the world that frequent Half Moon Bay. The straight temples, double-cut textures, and integrated Spring Hinges combine outstanding function and comfort with beautiful aesthetics. The sporty beach style of Half Moon embolden the thick, ominous waves of the legendary Mavericks surf break. Handcrafted in the USA, Costa delivers superior lens technology, exceptional fit and durability, and a lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects. The high definition 580 lenses cut glare and enhance your view of the outdoors, and there are six lens colours to suit every scenario – from bright sunlight offshore through to sight fishing in low light conditions. www.costadelmar.com.au

VIBELICIOUS MIDORI 3 MULLET

Samaki Vibelicious brings a new colour to the lure market: midori mullet (‘midori’ is Japanese for ‘green’). This new pattern consists of a chartreuse coloured body with gold glitter scattered throughout, a green backbone, silver foil gills and a silver lateral stripe. This UV-enhanced colour has proven itself time and again around the country, attracting barra, jew, bream and flathead to name a few. Midori mullet is available in the Vibelicious Fork Tail and Thumper Tail, which come in three sizes – 70mm, 100mm and 125mm. The 100mm and 125mm have now been upgraded with new BKK Raptor Z Hooks and the all new Decoy EX Strong Split Rings. New hardware like this encourages longevity in your fishing experiences and better hook-ups, as the hook penetration is on point. All Vibelicious lures contain premium Japanese stainless wire and are made of the toughest 10X super stretch material. Visit the Samaki website for more info and stockists, and like them on Facebook and Instagram. www.samaki.com.au 62

NOVEMBER 2017

BIGFISH JACK ATTACK II

The ‘Red Terror’ of the estuary is championed on Bigfish’s latest shirt: Jack Attack II. “These fish attack with a savage, no-holdsbarred ambush then run back into the snags,” said designer Joshua Ker. “Casting small lures in tight country is what this style of fishing is all about, and that’s what we’ve tried to replicate with this great Jack Attack illustration. It’s a must-have shirt for the next ‘up the back and hang on’ fishing trip!” Jack Attack II shirts are available from a child’s size 2 right through to 5XL for the big boys, so there’s a size to fit everyone in the family. Like all Bigfish UPF50 shirts, they feature BFMaxFlow fabric – a high performance, moisture-wicking material that is not only soft to feel, but durable and incredibly breathable and cool. This apparel is aimed squarely at anglers, and is designed to stand up to the harshest of elements. Price: from $89.95 www.bigfishgear.com

TICA GYMIR GVAT REELS

PRODUCT GUIDE

The new TiCA Gymir reels are crammed packed with many superb features and offer the angler an impressive reel at exceptional pricing. The Gymir reels are available in 5 sizes from a 1500 for estuary and freshwater applications through to a 6000 size for offshore fishing, so they have most fishing scenarios covered. They feature a High tensile strength body, aluminium alloy spool, solid aluminium bail wire, worm shaft drive system, one way clutch impact absorbent ball bearing, computer-balanced rotor and six RRB rustresistant ball bearings. The Gymir reels also feature a drag system with carbon drag washers and have drag ratings of 4kg for the 1500 size through to 10kg for the 6000 size, and offer an easy access oil inlet for easy maintenance. These reels feel very smooth straight out of the box and are certainly worth a look. www.jurofishing.com

LIVETARGET TROUT 6 SWIMBAIT

Designed with all of the characteristics of a full-developed trout, the LiveTarget Adult Trout Swimbait is built to attract the largest and hungriest predators around. Finished in a dark and light pattern to accurately reflect the phases of rainbow trout, the LiveTarget Adult Trout Swimbait is incredibly lifelike from end to end, including a moulded dorsal fin which acts as a shield to protect the razor-sharp EWG hook from hang-ups, and to prevent the build-up of grass. Internally, the LiveTarget Adult Trout Swimbait is fitted a factory-rigged balancing system that eliminates constant re-tuning. At the belly, an accessory pin enables anglers to customize their presentation with additional hooks and blades. This highly effective lure measures 190mm (7.5”) and weighs 3.25oz (92g). For more information visit the EJ Todd website. You can also look them up on Facebook for the latest info and photos, and see videos of the Trout Swimbait in action on YouTube. www.ejtodd.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE 7

WHAT’S NEW FISHING DAIWA TD SOL III

Spoons are a fantastic tool for targeting deep-school fish in our freshwater impoundments, and Juro Oz Pro Tackle have just introduced a spoon that’s perfect for this caper. The Bushranger T-Spoon has an enticing erratic action that fish find very appealing, with a swaying action when drawn through the water, and a seductive fluttering action when allowed to fall on a slack line. Bushranger T-Spoons feature quality fittings and includes a swivel to eliminate line twist, with a quality Black Nickel Chemically Sharpened Treble, making sure you leave nothing to chance. The Bushranger T-Spoon is suitable for trout, redfin, yellowbelly and bass, and will be a handy tool all over Australia. The T-Spoon weighs 7g and is available in 4 dazzling colours. Make sure you’ve got one of these great spoon next time you’re working a school of predators in the deep! www.jurofishing.com

AKAME 120 HYBRID

HALCO MAX 110

ZEREK LIVE MULLET 11

Daiwa’s TD Sol III is the first reel to feature the all-new future design concept LT or ‘Light Tough’. The new concept LT Zaion body is the lightest, most compact and strongest body frame Daiwa has ever produced. Zaion is composed of carbon resin and long carbon fibres, and it far exceeds the strength of magnesium in strength per unit weight comparison. Zaion transmits vibration through the reel more efficiently than ever before, and it is lighter and stronger than a conventional reel made with similar resins or graphites. Other features include Air Rotor, ATD (Automatic Tournament Drag), Magseal, Tough Digigear, aluminium Airspool ABS, Perfect Line Stopper and aluminium Air Handle. The combination on all of these advanced innovations makes the TD Sol III one of Daiwa’s most technically advanced reels. You will feel more connected to lures, detect more bites and fight fish with ease. www.daiwafishing.com.au

The new Hybrid soft plastic prawn from NT company Akame features a segmented tail, and has Kevlar incorporated throughout the tail and into the body. This dynamite barra plastic is pre-rigged with a worm hook setup for weedless fishing. The Hybrid is a cross between a prawn and a fish, delivering two different actions. With a slow retrieve the lure imitates a prawn, gliding forward, while the fluttering wings give off subtle vibrations. Even on the drop the lure glides down like a prawn. When twitched, however, it gives the action of a worm or injured fish, so you can change things up to find out what works on the day. The Hybrid is 120mm long, comes in five colours, has a hook weight of 7g and a lure weight of 18g. Two more models are in the pipeline – a 90 model for the likes of flathead and bass, and a 150 for dam barra and cod. Price: SRP $8.50 www.facebook.com/akametackle

BUSHRANGER T-SPOONS

The Zerek Live Mullet, distributed by Wilson Fishing, is a soft plastic jointed swimbait that is available in three sizes. Built from the super strong TPE thermoplastic, the Live Mullet uses the same concept as the widely acclaimed Live Shrimp, to emulate the kind of natural prey movements that trigger strikes. To achieve this goal, the designers used a segmented body that is held together with a Kevlar webbing, giving strength and unparalleled freedom of movement. Easily workable with a straight retrieve, the lifelike 3D eyes and detailed finishes (natural and attractor patterns) make the Zerek Live Mullet an essential addition to your tackle kit whether you’re targeting everything from barramundi to Murray cod and mulloway, and everything in between. The three sizes are 3.5”/18g, 4.5”/23g and 5.5”/35g, and these are all available in 10 proven colours. www.wilsonfishing.com

The Halco Max 110 is an awesome bibless minnow suitable for both casting and trolling applications, in a smaller and more effective size than its bigger brothers the Max 130 and 190. This new Max is 110mm long and weighs a substantial 30g. Its slender profile casts like a bullet into the strongest breezes, and it is heavy enough to run straight and true several metres below the surface in the roughest of sea conditions. The weight and streamlined shape of the Max 110 also allows for maximum hook exposure, which is critical in lure design. Like its larger predecessors, the Max 110 can be trolled at speeds of up to 12 knots with minimal trolling resistance. Its slender tail section is designed for maximum hook exposure on the strike. www.halcotackle.com

ZMAN 3” SLIM SWIMZ

Following on from the popularity of the 2.5” Slim SwimZ and driven by angler requests, Tackle Tactics have now released a 3” version of this deadly little paddle-tail plastic. This realistic baitfish profile is constructed from 10X Tough ElaZtech, allowing you to catch more fish per plastic and the supersoft and flexible realistic feel of the ElaZtech combined with the unique under hooked paddle-tail design gives this plastic an incredible action in the water. It has an action that sees it punch well above its weight on species landed, including big flathead, mulloway, bass, mangrove jack, barramundi and more. The buoyancy of the ElaZtech helps bring the 3” Slim SwimZ to life in the water, with a tail up, natural ‘feeding’ pose when at rest on the bottom. The lively paddle tail provides action on the drop and the retrieve, making it an excellent option for both beginner and experienced anglers. Available in 12 colours. Price: SRP $10.95 (6 pack) www.z-man.com.au

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

WHAT’S NEW FISHING LOWRANCE FISHHUNTER

The Lowrance FishHunter castable fishfinder is designed for anglers fishing from the shore or a kayak. It sends realtime sonar data via WiFi to view on your smartphone or tablet, and doesn’t require a cellular or internet connection. FishHunter Pro features a tri-frequency transducer, with four ways to view sonar data including Fish (fish symbols), Raw (arches), Bathymetric and Ice Fishing Flasher views. You can troll it to create bathymetric maps. Incorporating five tri-frequency transducers, FishHunter 3D offers five functional views including 3D Fishing and Ice Fishing Flasher, as well as a Directional Casting View that pinpoints fish depth and location relative to the transducer. FishHunter 3D can be trolled to create bathymetric or structure maps. FishHunter’s antenna ensures constant WiFi connectivity for the highest signal range. FishHunter Pro provides a 150ft depth and 160ft WiFi range, and FishHunter 3D offers a 160ft depth and a 200ft range. The rechargeable battery lasts for 10 hours of active use. Price: SRP $173.90-$218.90 www.lowrance.com

SHIMANO SUSTAIN FI

In creating the Sustain FI, Shimano has engineered a spinning reel that offers the perfect balance between rigidity and sensitivity. With its aluminum Hagane Body, the Sustain FI possesses the rigidity of a metal outer shell that maximizes impact resistance whilst eliminating body flex under load. To provide enhanced sensitivity, a Magnumlite Rotor has been fitted and offers an effortless low inertia rotation – a significant improvement on the previous Sustain FG model. X Protect technology provides Shimano’s highest degree of waterproofing protection. This technology leverages both a water repellent treatment and labyrinth structure that blocks any saltwater entry into the reel’s internals. The cold forged Hagane Gear and X-Ship provide a gearing system that is smoother and stronger than any other on the market. This gives the reel a much smoother gear transition but also unrivalled pulling power. There are four sizesfeaturing 8+1 Shielded A-RB bearings and drag output that ranges from 9kg to 11kg depending on the model. www.shimanofish.com.au

NEW GAMAKATSU CIRCLE HOOKS

NOVEMBER 2017

Gamakatsu Inline Big Bait Circle Straight Eye hooks are 4x strong and crafted using Gamakatsu’s state-of-the-art tempering process. These new hooks are high-end, tournament-friendly circles. They are heavy and versatile, designed to catch all reef species and pretty much any fish that pulls hard. Big Bait circles can be trolled, stitched into fresh bait, or thrown into a live bait. The conical point has been chemically sharpened for catch and release. The new sibling to the Big Bait Circle hooks is the Inline Octopus Circle Straight Eye hook. The difference between the Big Bait and Octopus circles is the wire strength – the Octopus is a standard wire and Big Bait a strong wire. The Inline Octopus Circle SE comes in a wide range of hook sizes, covering smaller estuary species as well as larger fish offshore. Inline Bait Bait circles come in sizes 1/0-10/0, and Inline Octopus Circle SEs come in sizes 6-8/0. Both are available in pre packs and 25 packs. www.gamakatsu.com.au

CHASEBAITS FLICK PRAWN

13 14

Hand sculptured off a real prawn, the Chasebaits Flick Prawn is amazingly realistic, right down to the finest details. When unveiling the Flick Prawn at the 2017 AFTA Tackle Trade Show, designer Grainger Mayfield said the new lure had been smashing it in field testing. “It’s been producing excellent results on barra, flathead and jacks,” Grainger said. “And you can guarantee it will be great on any species that loves to eat prawns, from reef fish to estuary species. The colour range even caters to the likes of bass and saratoga in the fresh. We believe it’s the most realistic prawn on the market.” This new lure has an enticingly lifelike movement, and it’s made from ultra durable and flexible 10X material. You can throw it into snags, slow roll or twitch it throughout drains and in open water. The Flick Prawn has colour coded lead, rattles in its tail and an ultra-strong weedless hook setup. It comes in 95mm and 125mm sizes and four realistic colours, plus the ever popular pink UV colour. Price: from $13.99 www.river2sea.com.au

OBSESSION HOTBAITS AND CLACKERBAITS 15 EZY BEACH Australian made Obsession Spinnerbaits are the brainchild of Raymond Parry, and DELUXE two of his latest releases are the Hotbaits

and Clackerbaits. The Hotbaits came about through requests by trout anglers for a single spin lure with a skirt. Since producing them, not only have trout taken to them, but also golden perch, redfin and even flathead in the salt. Available in eight head colours and fitted with either hot tip or turbo-flared skirts, there is a colour combination to suit any angler. Clackerbaits are a very versatile lure that allow you to fish the bottom of the water column all the way to the surface. Obsession Spinnerbaits does a 1/2oz version in four different blade colours (white, red, black and chartreuse) and eight jighead colours. All can be matched with any of their hot tip or turbo-flared skirts. To find out more about Obsession Spinnerbaits contact Ray on 0428 462 397, or to find your nearest stockist head to their website. www.obsessionspinnerbaits.com

PRODUCT GUIDE

The popular Ezy Beach Deluxe Beach Mate range is now available in four great colours and either balloon beach wheels or puncture proof wheels. You could also choose to have your beach mate with both types of wheels, meaning there is nowhere you can’t go with your Beach Mate! Designed here in Australia, the Beach Mate is a trolley, a comfy chair and a sun shade all in one, and it folds up easily for storage so you can keep it in the car without it taking up too much space. It also comes with a cargo net to keep your belongings secure when moving. For a limited time, Fishing Monthly readers can place an order now and receive a bonus gift: a zippered cooler bag with carry strap, so you can carry your drinks and food to wherever you are going! Price: from SRP $129 www.ezybeach.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

Tough Gunnell Rod does all the heavy lifting for you I know what you’re thinking – you’re wondering what on earth this device is and what it does! Well, it’s called a Gunnell Rod, and it has two main advantages over a traditional rod. First, it allows anybody to land a big fish, regardless of the angler’s strength, size or ability. Secondly, it makes it much easier to fish in rough conditions, as you can just hang onto the handle with one hand and wind with the other. You can switch between left and right hand operation, and

A keeper red isn’t bad for the first drop.

the GR will rotate to follow fish movement. The GR is compact and can easily be stored away. You just take it out when you have inexperienced guests, or when conditions get sloppy. It’s also handy when you want to float out a pilly while flicking plastics, and can recover a teaser quickly. Designer Jason Teelow got the idea from deck winches. “Alvey deck winches are great for deep water fishing, but I wanted something more versatile,” he explained. “The GR lets you use any reel, although overheads suit it best. You can use the smallest overheads right up to any of the large 50s or 80s.” You can also use electric reel; Alvey have made a GR model with an extra line guide to suit these reels. I first tested the Gunnell Rod on a trip with Norval Charters on the Coral Sea. I love my reef fishing, and I couldn’t wait to try a device that was so unusual. When I got a chance to have a drop, I sent down a pilly on a running rig with a circle hook. Then I had to leave it so I could photograph other anglers with their catches. I came back and found the GR had hooked something, and I casually wound in a keeper red emperor – not bad for a first fish. Young Kyal Hunt had a turn next, and he brought in more tasty reefies. It was all a breeze with the GR, which took the weight of the fish. Of course, being experienced and (more or less) fit, Kyal and I didn’t technically need the GR, but hey – there’s nothing wrong with bringing in a steady stream of reefies without getting tired. It’s also satisfying in poor conditions to have that handhold, enjoying the sight of everyone else lurching around while you calmly wind in fish.

The best thing about this device though is the experiences it gives children and other people who lack strength, know-how or both, as Jason explains. “We took out a young kid called Levi who had cerebral palsy and had never fished,” Jason said. “The Gunnell Rod allowed him to get his first fish, and I’ll never forget his excitement.” Little kids can also use the GR for small species. The littles just hang on and wind, and there’s no risk of them dropping it overboard. The Gunnell Rod is stainless steel and built tough, and has a SRP of $370. If you’d like to see it in action, look up Gunnell Rod on YouTube, or check them out on Facebook. - Nichole Penfold.

The GR is perfect for bottom bouncing.

Mustad 30L Dry Backpack put through its paces At the Australian Lure & Fly Expo in July I watched the Wilson’s boys carry in a stack of new bags which I hadn’t seen on before.They looked the goods so it wasn’t long before I was pestering them about RRP’s and when they’d be available. To my delight our old mate Stephen ‘Boothy’ Booth said he’d love for us to test one for the magazines and tacklejunkie.fish. The bags are part of the Mustad Dry Gear range and were all a nice charcoal colour and looked to be finished very well. The 30L Dry Backpack was of most interest to me. It seemed a perfect fit for what I was after.

then I have dragged it all over the countryside. Up and down trails, in and out of gorges, and in the water more times than I would have liked it to be. Storage As the name suggests it’s a 30L backpack but unless I was carrying 30L of liquid (Great Northern Original) that’s kind of useless as a size. I know it’s the universal language for luggage sizing but its pretty silly. However, I was able to carry a LOT of gear with me on these trips. This included a camera, a first-aid kit, two large tackle boxes, wallet, sunglasses case, pizza

Chock-a-block full of fishing gear, food and accessories the Mustad Dry Backpack is tough and comfortable.

Carrying a lot of gear through rough terrain was a breeze with the Mustad Dry Pack. Perfectly designed straps spread the weight across your shoulders. Something sturdy, comfy to wear all day and tough enough to take a beating from sticks, rocks and the elements I encounter on long walks through skinny water country. My backpack soon arrived, and since

shapes and a spare shirt. There’s also a pocket on the front, which is where I put my phone and a drink bottle holder outside the bag for easy access. For how much stuff I crammed in, the

bags straps were set up so well that you hardly feel the weight. The load is spread right across the shoulders and there are two more clips that go across the chest and waist to stop it moving from side to side when walking. To access the main body of the backpack you can use the large zipper at the top (which rolls down at the top for extra security) or through a smaller zipper on the side. This smaller zip is handy if you’re just needing a pair of pliers or a leader roll, but I was wary of using it too much in case I left it open and dropped anything. Durability I have worn this pack for close to 50 hours

TESTED

now. It’s seen a lot of rough country and a fair few fish. At times the padded support behind the back has been dripping with sweat, caught up in thorns, multiple slides down rock faces and it’s passed with flying colours. How dry is the Mustad Dry Backpack? It’s pretty dry, but not waterproof. The material the backpack is constructed from and all the stitching held up great but I did fall backwards while fighting a fish on a wobbly rock and the front pocket took on water through the zipper and drowned my iPhone. This is more my fault than the backpack’s, though. There are other bags on the market which are similar in design with waterproof zippers, but they’re 4-6 times more expensive than the Mustad Dry pack. At $74.95 SRP, it’s extremely good value. There’s eight bags available across the Mustad Graphite Bag range, and more information is available at www.wilsonfishing.com -Rupe.

I was able to easily fit all these ‘essentials’ into the backpack.

NOVEMBER 2017

Change it up – tips to turn your results around BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

We all know that at times the fish just don’t appear to be there, or they simply won’t bite. Sometimes anglers fish on regardless in the hopes that fish will

happening. They’ll use this information in an endeavour to change it up, trying a new lure, bait or location, or simply a different time. It’s these anglers who can turn their results around, most of the time. To start off, being well prepared for a fishing session

A move of less than 100m in a river can put you onto big whiting like this. arrive or the magic bite switch will be turned on any minute, because a fish prediction calendar tells them it will be. Other times the fishing action might be hot to trot, but for some reason you miss out. Some anglers might simply dismiss this as pot luck. The thinking angler will instead turn their mind to the environment around them. They’ll use all their senses and modern technology and think about what’s happening, or perhaps not

or trip can mean a number of things and be the difference between the dreaded ‘donut’ and a good session. Not only will you start the session with more confidence, but if the going gets tough, you’ll have the tackle, know-how and tools to change things up. Check out Figure 1 for a checklist of things to prepare. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? While it’s one thing to be prepared and have plenty of options up your sleeve, it’s another to know what

you’re doing wrong in the first place. Asking yourself the simple question ‘what am I doing wrong’ is critical to turning your results around. In fact, sometimes the fish may be biting their heads off, but just not on your baits and lures! There is normally a reason and you want to work it out fast before the fish move on. Let’s consider a couple of scenarios and investigate the sort of questions you can ask yourself to determine what you are doing wrong before exploring how you can change things up. While it might not seem it at the time, if others are catching fish and you aren’t this is a lot better than the fish not biting at all. This is because you can go through a process of elimination to work out what you’re doing wrong, what they’re doing right or if the successful angler’s fishing spot is different in some way. Figure 2 is a checklist of things to ask yourself when others are catching fish but you aren’t. Other times while fishing by yourself in an area, or even with others about, you might find the fish aren’t biting or just don’t seem to be there. In addition to the questions mentioned above, there are a few other questions you can ask to determine why the fish aren’t there before you change location. Check this list questions out in Figure 3. CHANGING IT UP Once you’ve asked yourself these questions and worked out what you might be doing wrong, or what others are doing right, you’re ready to change things up. That is, you’re ready to fine-tune your methods, ready to make a move or, in

FIG. 1 BEING PREPARED • Have a target species in mind – know their best season, preferred baits, lures, best feeding times and preferred locations. • Study the area you are going to fish using maps, Google Earth, by seeking local knowledge and by ‘reading’ the water you’re going to fish before you fish it. • Get up-to-date reports from reliable sources. • Keep a fishing diary – study your past trips at this or similar locations from your paper diary or your GPS marks, and name you GPS marks according to date and species. • Don’t take shortcuts – don’t fish the water closest to the track down to the beach, lake or boat ramp just because it’s easier. • Take the right tackle – if you’re in a boat or 4WD take advantage of it by taking extra rods and reels and rig them up with different lures or rigs. • Be mobile if you’re on foot – have enough gear to have options, but not too much to weigh you down. A couple of shoulder bags are perfect for this and you don’t have to keep walking back for your gear. • Take spare rigs – soft plastic anglers can pre-rig some jigheads with different colours on various weight jigheads and bait anglers can wrap spare rigs around a piece of pool noodle. the worst case, come back another time. If the fish are biting, obviously it pays to persist in the area. That doesn’t mean you keep doing what you’re doing if it isn’t working. Try and work out why others are catching fish and you can’t. If you can’t, try something different anyway. If you work out that successful anglers nearby are fishing different water to you (in colour or surface or underwater features), it might be time for a move. If there is no room within a courteous distance from other angler(s), then look for that same structure elsewhere. For example, on a recent trip to Fraser Island, my mates and I were targeting different areas for flathead around one of the creeks on the western side. We were fishing the usual haunts – creek mouths, drop-offs, back-eddies and entrances to drains – and drawing a blank. Then one of the boys landed a number of fish in quick succession in some tannin-stained water. This flicked the switch for

FIG. 2 MISSING OUT ON BITING FISH • Are they casting further or closer to the shore or structure than you? • Are they using a different bait or lure? • Is the colour of the water that they’re fishing different in any way, such as a tea tree coloured patch of water in front of a creek on estuary flats? • Have you transferred any unnatural smells like sunscreen, cigarettes or grease onto your bait or line? • If you’re bait fishing, are you pulling the hooks on the fish by not giving the fish enough line to run and hook themselves? • Are the other anglers using a fish attracting scent on their bait/lure? • If around a bridge or jetty at night, is there more or less light on the water in front of them, or are they at the boundary of the light? • Is your leader too heavy, or are they using braid rather than monofilament lines? • Are they fishing the edge of a drop-off or close to some other structure like fallen trees? • Check your sounder/sidescan – are the fish or the bait sitting under them and not you? • Is the surface of the water they are fishing different in any way, (e.g. it has a white water cover if you are beach fishing?) • Are they using a different retrieve? • Are they fishing on the shady side of a river or estuary during the middle of a sunny day (which provides fish with cover)? • Are you spooking the fish in some way? Are you banging around in the boat, splashing around in the water or have you waded too close to the fish? • Are successful lure anglers nearby fishing around old boats or structure covered in growth while you are fishing around new boats or structure with no growth? • Are they using some attractant on their rig, like red tubing for whiting, or charging up fluoro beads at night above the hook? • Are you anchored over structure on a reef rather than up-current of it and so your baits are being carried past the structure by the current? • Are you using too much lead, or is your trace too short and thus presenting your bait unnaturally? 66

NOVEMBER 2017

us and as good as our spots were, we found the baitfish and the fish. They had taken cover out of the very clear water as the sun got higher in the sky. We moved and sure enough caught fish in similar spots.

on the estuary flats, as they can catch everything from whiting to bream to bigger fish like grunter and flathead. Big fish will also still take small lures. If you’re lure fishing, apply one of the many

A move from a pumping surf beach to inside an estuary mouth can pay dividends. Another option to change your results is to use some berley. You can do this from a boat, the beach, a lake or even from estuary flats. Use it liberally but don’t overfeed them and you should bring the fish to you. A great little trick to fire the fish up without overfeeding them is this mixture; fill a large bucket 1/3 full with sand then add a 300g packet of unprocessed bran, water and 100ml of tuna oil. Mix this concoction up and disperse a handful or two at a time. It will bring baitfish and the fish to you without overfeeding them. If you don’t have access to this, cut up some pilchards in small pieces and mix it with sand. This is a great option off the beach. A change of lure colour can also turn things around. In very clear water, use light greens, blues and whites. In dark water use bright or very dark lures to create a silhouette effect. Changing your lure size can also help at times. I love using small soft plastics on light jigheads

great scents on the market, like Pro-Cure, Squidgies S Factor or Ultrabite (to name a few). I apply scents to my plastics and hardbodies every 8-10 casts and I find I catch more fish after reapplying a scent. Whether it’s the scent or my confidence, it works. Another mistake anglers can make is that if they have caught a few fish in an area they are loathe to move even if the action slows down. When I’m fishing the flats or in a boat looking for whiting or flathead and I’m no longer catching fish, I will fan a few casts in the area before moving on. Importantly, don’t just fish ‘no man’s land’ or water with no structure when you move; be patient and move to the next likely bit of structure. You may have the advantage of technology like a GPS/sounder. If your location is devoid of bait or fish, move! Look for bait or fish on the sounder and then start fishing again. Be sure you don’t spook the fish by motoring over the spots you’re about to fish. Off the beach, a move to the next gutter or a gutter

closer to other structure like a river entrance can pay dividends. If you don’t have a 4WD, or the beach doesn’t allow them, a ‘fat-wheeled’ beach bike can be a great option to move from gutter to gutter. Another good option can be a move off the beach in very big seas to inside a calmer estuary

the shallows can make the mistake of using the same rod and action in deeper water. In deeper water, you need to change things up a bit by changing your lure action and rod for deeper water jigging. You want to use a lift and drop technique rather than cast and retrieve the lure from a distance for

Shoulder bags on the flats allow you to be mobile and give you plenty of tackle options. mouth where the bait – and the fish chasing them – can turn up and produce surprising captures. CHANGE YOUR TECHNIQUE Sometimes a change of technique can be enough to turn your results around. This can be anything from a subtle change in your retrieve in the same spot or trying a different technique altogether. For example, when chasing flathead if the fish are spread out, it can be a good idea to troll lures to cover more ground. On the other hand, if you’re trolling with little success and perhaps catching too much floating weed, a change to drifting with bait could be in order. If the fishing is still tough, you might decide to anchor up next to known flathead structure, like a creek entrance on the falling tide or the edge of oyster racks, and berley the fish to you. Alternatively the fish might be in very shallow water where the water is draining off the flats or further up an estuary that is only accessible on foot or kayak at low tide. On these occasions you want to hop out of the boat and walk the shore throwing soft plastics or vibes to likelylooking areas. An area even reasonably experienced anglers can overlook is the action of their rod on the lure. Anglers who usually fish softer or fast action rods for flathead in

flathead. You also want to use a stiffer or fast action rod. Softer rods will absorb your lift and drop technique and not impart the same action as a stiffer rod. Snapper, particularly in big bays, like Moreton Bay in Queensland, are another species where a change of technique can put you onto fish. A great technique is to fish for snapper with lightly weighted soft plastics during the slow stage of the tide about 1-1 1/2 hours either side of the tide change.

techniques even during the middle of the day. Another option is to change your target species. If you’re fishing off the beach with gang pilchards and getting bites but keep missing the fish, check your bait. If you find the stomach region or middle third of your bait is missing, this can often mean bream are attacking your bait. Changing over to a 1/0 suicide hook with pilchard pieces can turn a frustrating session into a productive one with a few bream from the beach. Another example could be changing from chasing reef species at dawn, to trolling for some pelagic fish once the sun is well and truly up. Here you might move to find some bait schools on the sounder or chase working birds. USING YOUR SENSES In trying to understand what you’re doing wrong, you want to use your senses to understand what is happening around you. If you see a flock of terns smashing baitfish a few hundred metres away, head over there in your boat or to the nearest gutter on the beach. In an estuary, if you spot scattering baitfish nearby, throw a cast there

Fishing with drones and slide baits for fish like Spanish mackerel has gained popularity in recent years for a change to regular beach fishing tactics.

Small light coloured lures are a good option in clear and sandy shallow water, even for bigger fish. tops of which are exposed. These rocks also absorb heat. Flathead will lie in the vicinity of these rocks. USING THE WIND As an angler, I have a bit

very calm to chase whiting, flathead, bream and other species on plastics and bait. RETURN AT A DIFFERENT TIME Sometimes after you’ve

tried many of the options above and moved around, you might realise the fish just aren’t there. You might want to pack up and head for home; if you do, make a note of the time, tide, moon phase, water colour and temperature (or beach conditions) and weather in your fishing diary. This way you can return at a different time or tide and change things up that way. Before a fishing trip, do your homework and prepare. If things don’t go to plan, try to work out why and be ready to mix things up to turn your results around. For more tips, tricks, reports and giveaways, jump on my Facebook page Ontour Fishing Australia. Until next time – bag your mates, not your limit!

FIG. 3 FISH AREN’T THERE OR AREN’T BITING • Is the water too calm or clear to provide protection for baitfish or their predators? • Is the water too discoloured from a recent flood? • What stage of the tide is it? Is there enough current to bring your target species on the bite? • If you’re trolling or throwing lures, are they being fouled by weed? • Check your bait presentation; is your bait in a clump on the shank of the hook or lying naturally on the hook? • Is there some form of structure to attract the fish or bait around where you are fishing or are you in ‘no man’s land?’ • What is the water temperature? Is it too hot or cold for your target species? • Is there something that could be putting the fish off, like swimmers, jetskis or boats roaring over your spot? • If on a lake, is the wind pushing dead insects and other food across the surface to the other side of the lake? • If you’re fishing off the beach, does your gutter have enough water? • Is it so bright and sunny that the fish have moved to deeper water? • Is your sinker size too big and making your bait look unnatural? • Are you making sure your lure is hitting the bottom if you’re trolling or casting for flathead? • Is the location regularly commercially fished?

A change to a shorter, sharper lift and drop technique with small plastics can be the trick when bream outnumber flathead in your target area. Outside that period the tidal run becomes too fast to drift plastics down naturally, so we change over to trolling deep diving lures over the same spot. Provided there aren’t many other boats around spooking the fish and there are fish and bait on the sounder, you can catch snapper with these

flats in winter or early spring you might notice the water temperature is lower than usual. This can call for a change of location to look for warming water which might spark fish like flathead or whiting into biting. You should then use the research of the area you did before the trip, or your local knowledge, and move to slightly warmer water. This might be in a shallow, dark muddy bottom (black mud insulates heat) or around patches of rocks, the

straight away as it generally means a bigger predator like a mulloway, trevally or flathead is causing them to flee. Likewise, if you see trout jumping on the surface, get a cast over there ASAP. It’s more subtle, but you can also use your sense of touch to help find fish. That is, if you are wading the

of a love-hate relationship with the wind. When it blows too hard you can’t get out in the boat and it turns the beach into a washing machine. If it’s too light, the fish might move off to deeper water for cover or the beach can become a mill pond and hard to find a fish. A good medium is a light breeze of 5-10 knots, so there is at least some ripple or swell on the water. That said, if the wind is blowing hard where you’re fishing, all is not lost. Use it to your advantage and get upwind from where you want to cast; cast with the wind to be able to throw longer casts. Alternatively, work out the direction of the wind and fish the lee or calm side of a headland, bay or anything that provides some protection from the wind. On Fraser Island, if the big southeasterlies blow up during tailor season, we’ll head off to the western side of the island where it can be

The author and his son threw out a pilchard berley when things were slow, resulting in this lovely flathead off the beach. NOVEMBER 2017

Matching the hatch scores much bigger fish CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

A number of ACT anglers are currently competing in the Big Burley Bash. This local competition, organised by Adam Samios (of My2Hooks fame) runs throughout October and November and is focused on golden perch and redfin. During the Big Burley Bash, competitors are required to photograph their catch on a numbered brag mat and then send their captures through to the marshals. Points are awarded per centimetre of fish caught, and those anglers who make the top 25 after the initial rounds compete in the final. This is a wonderful competition sponsored by many excellent local and national tackle companies. These catch and release, lureonly competitions represent

The author has found plenty of schooling goldens in Lake Burley Griffin. a great opportunity to hone skills and for the younger generation, pick up useful hints and tips from some of Canberra’s best anglers.

LOCAL NEWS Lake Burley Griffin continues to produce. Though we haven’t had a lot of rain, this hasn’t

Scott Goodman with a nice golden caught using a Fishizzle lure at Googong.

stopped the golden perch from coming on the bite, with many anglers reporting good captures of small to medium-sized yellas that have converged in decent numbers underneath both Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and along the dropoffs at Black Mountain Peninsula. Those anglers who have been ‘matching the hatch’ have been coming away with the better specimens, so make sure your lure is natural in appearance (because the lake is clear) and also chose something in mottled green as this best represents the baitfish in the lake. I like the Jackall TN60 in teo shad because it looks exactly like a mosquitofish. Dusk is the best time to try for a quality yellowbelly, and a bit of cloud cover also helps as the fish are less shy and more willing to swim up higher in the column looking for food. The redfin fishing at Lake Tuggeranong is really

starting to heat up. This is one of Canberra’s best redfin fisheries due to the consistent surface bite. Large specimens can be caught right along margins of the lake using small poppers, but the best places to try are the islands around Greenway during a calm day. Though the fish aren’t always big at Lake Tuggeranong, there are plenty of them and it is not uncommon to see two or three tailing your popper. In addition to this, some decent goldens have been caught behind the skate park by anglers using small soft plastics. This is a great place to start fishing and then head around to the dam wall at sunset to try for one of the really big specimens. These solid fish like to hunt along the rocks, looking for yabbies and baitfish.

The Jackall TN60 in teo shad best mimics baitfish. Lake Ginninderra has proved difficult for landbased fishos over the past few weeks due to large amounts of weed. However, kayak anglers have caught both redfin and yellowbelly

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by positioning their yaks parallel to the floating weed, and slow rolling small divers close to the bottom. The bigger fish like to cruise around these areas looking for food and it is not uncommon to see one or two goldens free swimming along the weed line. For those fishing from the bank, try a drop shot rig and a small black plastic in the 2-3” bracket and be prepared to get snagged a few times before getting a bite. A few good-sized fish have been caught at Gungahlin. This fishery can be hit-and-miss depending on the weed but a few gun anglers have cracked the code. Look for gaps in the weed and cast in either vibes or blades with stinger hooks instead of standard trebles.

Lots of goldens are hanging around the edge of the weeds.

Short, steady lifts followed by long pauses will get the yellas interested. If you’re after a redfin at Gungahlin, cast plastics into the weed beds and steadily retrieve the plastic just over the top of the weed. This drives the reddies insane. SURROUNDS The water level at Googong Dam has dropped significantly and this could be the reason behind the lack of goldens caught over the last few weeks. Though a few nice fish have been caught, many anglers have been left frustrated with only a few redfin landed. That said, the goldens are there and they do seem to be responding the divers fished slow and close to the snags. Bright coloured lures are working well and seem to trigger a more aggressive response from the fish. Once you have given the diver a few quick cranks to get it swimming at the right depth, slow the retrieve right down to almost a crawl so that you give the fish plenty of time to take a good look at your offering.

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Turn up the trout tactics as summer kicks in JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson steve@swtroutfishing.com.au

Welcome to November! Finally we have some nice, warm temperatures here in the Snowy Mountains after a very long and cold winter. Since the environmental water releases down the Snowy River in October, the lake has been pretty stable and is looking great at the moment for all methods of trout fishing. We have seen great catches lately with some big browns and plenty of rainbows being captured. There’s no place better than Lake Jindabyne at present – with the cooler water temperatures the edge fishing is still very good. There was a lot of snow on the mountains this year and a lot yet to melt, so the rivers and streams are still looking great. If anything we still have a little too

much water in some of the streams and it may be the end of the month before the best of the dry fly fishing starts. I would think that how the season will progress from now on will depend on how much rain we get and a wet end to spring may mean a continuation of the great lake fishing. From now on the rivers and streams will start to see plenty of white moths and tea tree beetles and a start to the hopper season may be happening soon, too. If you want to you can still use a small nymph dropper in the faster water to increase your chances at catching a fish. The flyfishing on the lake is still very good around the edges. Fishing the small bays and inlets will get some results very early and late in the day if you’re careful not to spook the trout. Woolley Buggers, Craig’s Night Time and Williamson’s

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about the Snowy’s most important trout hatchery. • Learn • See how four species of trout and salmon are bred. • Find out where and how Gaden’s juvenile fish are released. Learn how trout stocking benefits recreational fishing and • local economies. • Find out about kids fishing workshops. • Enjoy the beautiful picnic-BBQ area.

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Goldfish have been the flies well worth using at dawn and dusk. The shallow bays on the lake are well worth fishing at sunset with both Hayshed Bay and Hatchery Bay fishing the best. Lake bait fishing has been good and teaming up your rig with worms and artificial baits has been the best. Put two hooks on the line and combine a worm with an artificial bait that will float off the bottom and double your chances of catching a trout. If the fish are a little picky and keep dropping your bait, which is evident by short runs of line going out, try using musilin on your line to keep it floating out of the weed; the mucilin also helps reduce the drag created by the water tension. The best areas for bait fishing at the moment have been the Waste Point area, the Claypits and East Jindabyne near Rushes Creek. For the lake trollers, surface trolling lures in the morning at 2m deep at least with lead core lines at three colours or 3-4m deep, will be the best methods to get a trout at the moment. It’s

Thomas Weekes with a cracker brown trout. as they are best for the bigger fish. If targeting rainbows, and there are plenty being

BEST METHODS TO CATCH A TROUT Best method: Bank-based fishing on the lake with artificial bait or scrub worms Best lake trolling lure: Tasmanian Devil in holographic, green and gold number 111 Best lake area: Creel Bay and Waste Point area and Stinky Bay (‘the Haven’) Best fly method lake: Black weighted Woolly Bugger and Williamson’s Goldfish Best river flyfishing: Black bead head nymphs and a size 12 Tea Tree Beetle Best river lures: Gillies Feathertail Spinner and trout pattern 3cm Bullet Lures also worth trolling some minnow lures early in the morning off the lead core lines. The bigger 11cm lures in trout patterns have proven to be very effective and it would be wise to try one off your lead core line early in the day, especially before sunrise. Don’t worry about using bigger lures,

caught at the moment, smaller StumpJumpers and Tassie Devils are still catching their share of fish. Anglers are using leadcore lines and downriggers at the moment. In the middle of the day on those still, sunny days we are downrigging to almost 30ft where the bigger rainbows are holding.

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Hayshed and Hatchery Bay and up at Creel Bay. Lure spinning has been good early and late in the day and should continue that way for a while yet. There are trout about and the best fishing is in the shallows early and in deep water later in the middle of the day. Minnow-style lures in either natural rainbow trout

Station at the intersection of Kosciusko Road and the Alpine Way or give me a call on (02) 6456 1551 for more details and latest updates. Don’t forget that if you want the best daily updates you need to become our friend on Facebook – Steve Williamson’s Lake Jindabyne Trout Fishing Adventures.

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The best areas to troll at the moment with the high lake level have been the East Jindabyne Islands,

and brown trout patterns or gold colours to represent the Jindabyne goldfish that the trout love to chase and eat are effective. Don’t stay in one place too long and only put in a couple of casts in each area. November is a busy month for trout anglers in the Snowy Mountains with a lot happening. Of course Melbourne Cup week is always Snowy Mountains Trout Festival week and more information on that can be found at www. troutfestival.com. Just remember that Saturday 4 November is also Snowy Ride weekend where the Snowy Mountains can expect up to 4,000 motorbikes cruising along our roads. Be aware and be careful. This event helps raise money for children’s cancer so it’s a very worthwhile cause. More information can be found at stevenwalterfoundation. org.au/event/2017snowy-ride. You might also like to look at booking accommodation before you arrive for Trout Festival week. • Why not call into my shop next to the Shell Service

Last month to get in on the angling gold rush usually happens around mid-November and when they switch right into breeding mode they can be difficult to catch, therefore the first half of November will fish better than the second. TUMUT RIVER The river will be running very high this month and the fishing can be very difficult, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a crack. Even with

WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

We are already into the last month of spring and summer is nearly here. The temperatures are well and truly warming up and the bug activity is increasing. We have one more month of targeting golden perch and it’s going to be a good one. MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER At this time of year irrigation demand is high and the water will be up and flowing quickly. This isn’t all bad for the fishing as the higher waters will keep the water temperature around 16°C, which is perfect for golden perch. Golden perch will be actively feeding and travelling upstream to breed.

my favourites being Royal Wulffs, Royal Stimulators, hoppers and Adams Parachutte. November is a great month to be on the water and enjoying the warmth, but we can’t wait until December, because things are going to heat up and I’m not just talking about the weather. We will find out more in the December report.

Black lures with a hint of orange are always the favourite among the goldens. under willows, is the Strike Force 80mm Cod Stalker. They are a great casting lure and bounce through the

Tallis with the fish saftely in the net. Targeting the slower water on the edges of the river, behind structure and willows will yield the best results. If you’re casting tight to logs and structure you will want to be using a spinnerbait, as it can sink beneath the structure and into the strike zone. In the higher flows, lures like the Mud Guts 5/8oz with a willow blade will work best. If you’re fishing in slower moving edges behind structure that have less current, a 3/8oz spinnerbait works perfect on golden perch. A smaller lures will attract more perch rather than Murray cod. Another good lure option for areas that have a lot of timber beneath the water’s surface, or when fishing

demand but again, fishing the edges just like you would in the Murrumbidgee River will produce quality golden perch. There are a number of small creeks throughout the hills around Tumut like Gilmore and Adelong creeks, which will be well worth a visit for both spin and flyfishers. Trout will be starting to take all manner of dry flies, with a few of

timber really well. I like to use darker colours with a hint of something bright, like a black body with an orange tail or head. The same goes for spinnerbaits as well. Another tip to help with fishing in the river is to make sure you target the shadows. With the hotter days, 90% of the fish you will find will be in the thick shadows. BLOWERING DAM This month the fishing should be spot on for golden perch in Blowering Dam. With the water warming up, they’ll start to push deeper in the water column and hold in the cooler water between 5-10m of water. You will only find fish in the shallows early in the morning and once the sun rises they will push deeper. The best lure options for casting are by far lipless crankbaits that have at least 10g or more in weight. Most lipless crankbaits on the market are great – just check on the packet that they are more than 10g, as a lighter lure will struggle to sink to those depths. The rocky banks towards the dam wall end will hold some good fish as they start to school up ready for breeding. This

Golden perch can’t resist this little spinnerbait – the Mud Guts 3/8oz. extremely fast flows you’ll always be able to find some slack water along the edges. Usually the inside edges on bends have slower moving water and the large brown trout will push into these areas and feed on passing and falling food. It can be really fun walking the edges with either a fly or spin rod. We like to walk and sight cast willow grubs and cicadas to fish sitting in these pockets. If flyfishing isn’t for you, dropping some unweighted worms in front of them will always work wonders. Another place to take note of during November is Old Man Creek. It will be up with irrigation

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Yellow fever has been hitting southern NSW or bait drifting with wood grubs, PowerBait or worms. PowerBait used with worms or even a grub can be a very effective trout bait in the fast flows. When the river is in low flow, pretty much all techniques work well but the use of much lighter line is an absolute must. The shallow crystal clear water makes

BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

Spring is in full swing in southern NSW and this can only mean one thing – big golden perch time! Due to a massive late last blast of winter in September the golden perch fired slightly later than usual at Blowering Dam, and they will be well and truly firing this month. These massive golden perch will be at the top of most anglers target lists, but if you find the goldens aren’t playing ball, you have plenty of trout options now that the trout season is open in our creeks and rivers. GOLDEN PERCH With the water temperature now finally consistently on the rise, golden perch in Blowering Dam are now an all-day proposition, and not just a late afternoon and early morning target. This is great news for the lazy angler, as you can still confidently go out and catch good numbers of golden perch after a long sleep in. Fishing during the day and into the late afternoon is probably the best time to be targeting the golden perch at this time of the year. The water temperature will be at its highest late in the afternoon, so try and fish this period of the day as much as possible to give you the best chance of hooking

The start to the 2017/18 trout season has been exceptional in our smaller rivers and streams, with great numbers of stunning trout like this being encountered by most anglers. a few of these underrated sport and table fish. Early in the day these fish will be found sunning themselves in the many weedy bays and along any of the old standing tree lines. The goldens sunning themselves in the tops of these trees can be difficult to catch, but repeat casting with soft plastics and lipless crank baits can provoke them into striking. Alternatively, once the water warms around lunchtime these fish will then go out and hunt some tucker, and it is at these times that they are the easiest to catch. Any wind swept bank, especially if it has created a mud or milk line will hold

How’s that? 1.22m worth of golden perch in two casts! Golden perch fishing does not get any better, and right now is the time to get amongst them.

Golden perch at Blowering Dam will be up in the shallows sunning themselves and chasing down any easy tucker this month, which makes them targetable for the land-based angler.

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line and an extra-long leader around 1-3kg, then use the lightest lure, sinker or fly possible for the conditions. Finally, finish it all off with some natural-coloured clothing that blends in with your surroundings. Those who know me know that I am rarely seen without some sort of camo style clothing on and successful fishing

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actively feeding golden perch. The above mentioned lures should see you with a bend in your rod quite frequently. If this doesn’t work, fish the tree lines and the backs of the weedy bays and you should come up solid on the odd active fish. TROUT SEASON IN FULL SWING The trout fishing so far this season can only be described as awesome. Great numbers of both wild and stocked fish have been encountered in our smaller rivers and creeks. Fishing the Tumut River while it is in high or fast flow is very difficult, and a lot of anglers just don’t bother when it really gets flowing. This is not to say that you can’t catch fish while it is in high flow, it is just much harder in every way, but still doable for those willing to persist and work hard. The best technique in the high flows is repeatedly casting with big flashy lures

the fish much spookier then they are while the river is roaring and a much stealthier approach is required if you want to catch fish all day long. Start by using a lighter

alone is the reason I wear it almost religiously these days. Get yourself some camo gear and you will find you will start catching many more fish then you spook!

The Tumut River will be the place to be if you’re after good numbers of hard fighting trout this month, especially if it is in low flow.

Perfect month to try camping by the water LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

What’s not to like about coolish nights, warmer days, a grassy flat and a camp somewhere by the water with family and friends? November is hard to beat for camping; the inconsistent weather patterns of early spring have started to wane, the heat of summer is still a way off and the hectic madness that is the Christmas break is still to come. All fishing options – apart from targeting Murray cod – are on offer, including trout in the local streams and rivers. Good consistent flows over the previous couple of seasons have meant that the fish have had a chance to reach a better size, particularly the brown trout. The Fish River and its tributaries offer great opportunities for those willing to chase up the access and do the foot slogging. When it comes to the tighter overgrown sections lure casting small spinners and floating 5-7cm minnows is hard to beat. The lower sections with more open pools are where flyfishing comes into its own, especially if you’re just starting out. A slow, quiet approach to each pool is a must in these lower sections. Take the time to observe before moving in, as quiet often the trout will give themselves away with a rise or two. Plan your approach; is the fish on a regular beat, or just holding in

current? Is there a smaller fish between you and where it’s positioned that might spook and scare it off? When you plan and your presentation is perfect, they rarely refuse. GOLDEN PONDS The impoundment scene is really hotting up, especially when it comes to catching golden perch in Windamere, Burrendong and Wyangala. Water temperatures are rising right through the sweet spot. Early mornings and late afternoons will start to become the peak times, especially later in the month. Low light periods or cloud cover during

The wind stirs up wave action, which creates oxygen, it can funnel or congregate food in certain areas which attracts fish, it muffles most boat noises, your casting can be assisted, all very positive points when fishing. A bow-mount electric motor on your boat is a big prerequisite to get the most out of a windy situation, but it’s not totally necessary. In fact, if the drift is good quiet often I will turn mine off. A drift sock or even a big bucket thrown out the back is quiet handy at times just to slow you down that little bit more. What’s not to like about a few spring days on the water chasing golden perch?

Rock walls hold heat and can be great places to target golden perch early in the month of November, especially after a cold snap. the day with some chop on top can still have the golden perch very active though, so keep this in mind. The wind can be of great assistance if you use it in the right manner; so many times I see and hear anglers trying to avoid it, when in reality wind-blown shores can have the best fishing.

As water temperatures heat up the golden perch become a lot more active, especially along rock walls. The slow retrieves of early spring can be put away for the most part, and faster retrieves with hardbody lures and lipless cranks will be the order of the day. Soft plastics will work too.

HAVE A GAME PLAN Sounds simple, but you will be surprised how many boats head out in the morning with little or no plan. With two or three anglers on board, this can lead to a fairly haphazard approach, more often than not leading to a fishless return to camp. It’s better to sit down the night or morning before and hatch a plan together, stick to it and adjust it slightly on the water according to your results. Finding patterns is the key. Sometimes it takes persistence with a particular technique before you start seeing results, so don’t be too keen to jump into the next phase of your plan. When it comes to golden perch it may be as simple as hitting the banks early casting lures, followed by some trolling in 15-20ft then grubbing in the tress with

plastics as the day warms up. That’s a solid plan. IMPOUNDMENT TROUT Lake Lyell will start to get pretty busy by the end of the month, so get in early. Brown and rainbow trout will still be able to be caught flatline trolling in shallow water during low light periods with the early morning being the pick of times. As the waters warm and

the light levels increase, it’s better to target depths a little deeper – 15-25ft would be a good starting point for later in the day. Making adjustments according to your sounder is the best way to go. Look for fish and baitfish schools at a particular depth and target that zone for best results. Hope to see you on the water soon. Until then, tight lines.

Having a game plan and talking about it before you head out ultimately leads to better results, bent rods and more fish.

Lake Burrendong bite is really heating up ORANGE

Darcy Scherger

The golden perch bite at Lake Burrendong has certainly heated up, just like the weather within the region. The warm weather and the intensity of the golden perch bite go hand in hand and this is unquestionably being proven at the moment by many local anglers. The fluctuation in water temperature from the winter to summer months can brutally affect the bite and can be the major influencing factor in catching fish. Recently, the temperature of Lake Burrendong has been close to perfect, though it could end up being only a degree from perfect, which will come in December and January. December to January is the predicted optimum time to fish the lake and

with the many promising fishing reports lately, summer looks extremely

promising for Lake Burrendong. Slow rolling lures from the Jackall

The author caught a couple of solid yellowbelly from Lake Burrendong.

TN series has been very productive of late along with smaller spinnerbaits on the market including my favourite for golden perch – the Carls Compact series from Bassman Spinnerbaits. It’s hard not to tie on Jackall TN60s and 70s on the cast and these will be very dangerous on the lake over summer. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try TT Switch Blades, Daiwa Woofers, Sebile Flat Shads and other sinking crankbait lures. It will depend on the day and the water you’re fishing as to what you use and what will be productive. If the perch aren’t taking a liking to vibes or blades on the day, tie on a Mask or Transam Jackall. These should produce the goods when the fish are being finicky. Each day can be different on the lake; find what works for you on the day you’re fishing and stick with it until it goes cold then try something else.

Summer looks extremely promising for the lake. NOVEMBER 2017

A bit of rainy weather keeps the fish happy TAMWORTH

Adam Mears adam.mears@hotmail.com

With a little rain last month the golden perch have come alive. Split Rock has had a few perch schooling up off the points and they seem to be falling for the usual techniques; lipless crankbaits have been the go and silent lures like the TN series and Mask Vibes are getting results when the bite is quiet. The rivers are looking good and if the rain becomes more frequent then the Murray cod breeding season should be looking good for the years ahead. Speaking of cod, there’s only a month to go before the season reopens on 1 December.

Last year the area had a decent run of golden perch on the surface. Will this year produce the goods? My planning begins with checking Google Earth for access points along like river

systems and checking out the latest and greatest in gear and techniques. This year big

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

Dam Aug Sept Oct Blowering 77 83 75 Brogo 100 96 85 Burrendong 87 80 74 Burrinjuck 54 60 59 Carcoar 91 91 91 Chaffey 94 93 91 Clarrie Hall n/a n/a 93 Copeton 53 52 50 Dartmouth 78 82 84 Eucumbene 27 30 35 Glenbawn 88 87 87 Glenlyon 75 72 72

Dam Aug Sept Oct Glennies Creek 83 81 79 Hume 77 89 87 Jindabyne 48 58 62 Keepit 68 68 62 Lostock 101 97 90 Oberon 87 85 83 Pindari 100 98 97 Split Rock 30 30 30 Tantangara 25 27 16 Toonumbar 101 99 95 Windamere 49 49 48 Wyangala 88 87 83

(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.) NOVEMBER 2017

shrimp and small yabbies. Trolling for these feeding fish has been effective with dark lures in purples and blacks the popular choices. Once you catch one, go over the area as they will often have a few mates hanging close by, so keep persisting and work the area thoroughly before moving on. CHAFFEY DAM Chaffey is looking great; there’s plenty of water, good clarity and it’s the right time of year. The fishing has been very hit and miss. I was talking to one angler who had just arrived back at the bank in his tinny celebrating a great bag of healthy yellas taken on trolled hardbodys along the western foreshore. On my last outing I had to work hard for only a couple of modest fish and a few other reports in

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swimbaits will still be the trend, but I think we’ll also see the sinking soft versions of these lure continue to grow in popularity. The menagerie of options available from

Dam is dead sticking; this is a technique I have used before on bass and redfin, but not as often on golden perch, or as effectively. The water has been quite clear, so one afternoon in late September I decided to try dead sticking with soft vibes as I could see the perch on the sounder and couldn’t get them to commit to other techniques. Dead sticking is dropping the lure down in front of the marked fish and doing nothing – absolutely nothing. Leave the lure hovering painfully close to the fish until they can’t take it anymore and bite out of annoyance or inquisitiveness. Regardless, it is effective when the water is clear. SPLIT ROCK DAM Split Rock Dam out past Manilla has been fishing reasonably well with many anglers getting a few bent

High country golden perch respond well to lipless crankbaits. the US is mind-boggling, but look for quality brands like Savage Gear, Megabass, Daiwa and you’ll be in good hands. One technique I have learned this spring in Chaffey

rods from the local goldens and a smattering of angry eel-tailed catfish; working the rocky points is still very effective and they seem to be sitting in 15-25ft of water feeding predominately of

between. Bank anglers have been doing well with the silver perch, and lightly weighted worms suspended off the bottom using a bit of cork between the hook and sinker have been deadly.

Small cod will still take lures aimed at golden perch. Remember, they must all be released.

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Now’s the time to try different techniques! HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

The onset of a dry summer seems to have hit us a little earlier this year. With little to no rain over winter and into spring, the water levels are down. Since April both the lakes have been dropping and the ground water is falling. This dry weather is not all doom and gloom, as November is your best chance to tangle with some hard-hitting fish. Both Glenbawn and St Clair water temperatures should be reaching around 22-24°C this month, putting the fish into an aggressive feeding mood. This is also probably the best month of the year to experiment with all lure types. The fish are at their most active and willing to hit an array lures. GLENBAWN Lake Glenbawn should fish well this month in all weather conditions, however what the weather is doing will dictate how you should plan your tactics. Having multiple lures to select from will help to quickly work out what they want on the day. There should be a great surface bite going on in the main basin. The cicadas should be in plague proportions in the trees all the way along the banks close to the water. These cicadas can send the bass into feeding frenzies and I’ve even seen them slurping them off the top in the middle of the day. Low light is always going

to be the easiest time to get a surface bite. A cicada imitation should be your first choice of lure, with lots of pauses and shaking on the spot in the retrieve. If the slower surface retrieve is not working, try speeding things up looking for a reaction bite. A surface walker, buzz bait, walk-the-dog style or wake bait can often stir those lookers into biters. After trying a topwater

presentation, a reaction style lure is the next best thing. A lipless crankbait, bladed jig, bibbed crankbait, spinnerbait or blade are some good options. Anything that creates vibration will work. Casting tight to the edge and following the contour of the bank in your retrieve back to the boat is a great way to find fish. A nice slow steady retrieve should be enough to entice a strike. You can add

generally be sitting tighter to cover and out wider in deeper water. A skirted jig with a 2-3” craw trailer in a 3/8-3/4oz weight is a great lure for dragging and

ST CLAIR Lake St Clair’s weed beds have really deteriorated this year. The lack of rain and water level dropping has had them dying off.

Dave Diggins with a nice bass taken on a skirted jig on a timber laydown.

The author with a bass taken on a spinnerbait.

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some pauses and let the lure fall under a tight line towards the bottom. Sometimes if they are not eating on the slow retrieve, a pause every five winds or so can stop the lure in their face and generate a reaction strike. A reaction style lure will work well in low light, overcast and windy conditions. If you are fishing on a glassed out lake with blue bird skies, the fish will

bumping over timber and rock. This will target the fish tight to cover that are not willing to come up and hit a reaction lure. For anyone that hasn’t fished a jig, pay close attention to what your jig feels dragging across the bottom, get a feel for what may be different. Losing contact with the bottom or feeling a bite then no weight is a dead giveaway a fish has picked up your jig. Strike quickly to drive the hook in past the fibre weed guard. Casting out wider parallel to the banks into 20-30ft will target schooling fish. A 3/8-12/oz blade, slow rolled deep spinnerbait, tail spinner, bladed jig or anything that vibrates should catch these fish. Trolling deep divers that can reach 15ft+ along tree lines and rock walls should also catch plenty of fish this month.

Having little to no weed isn’t always a bad thing at Lake St Clair. While the baitfish might not have abundant cover to hide in, it can make it easier to find the bass and yellowbelly. The weed is key to finding those big fish in the lake. Once you find some thick weed that comes up a few feet off the bottom, you know you can slow down and pick the area apart. Topwater lures will be going off this month at the lake. The bass living shallow cannot help themselves when it comes to a surface offering. The number of insects around this time of year gets the fish looking up for their next meal. Any topwater lure will work in the right conditions. Play around with fast moving lures and retrieves to slower styles with lots of pauses.

LAKE ST CLAIR

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NOVEMBER 2017

Reaction style lures will work around the weed after the surface bite has died off. Bladed jigs and spinnerbaits are great for slipping over the weed. A lipless crank

Cicada imitations will produce a lot of surface bites this month.

hopped and ripped out of the weed will catch some fish as well. A finesse style of approach like a jerkbait or paddle-tail swimbait plastic will work this month as well if the reaction style baits don’t get eaten. If these moving style baits don’t produce, you can slow down and fish a skirted jig and craw trailer or weedless plastic. Sink these into the weed beds holes and edges. Slowly drag and hop them along the bottom. Looking out deeper at St Clair, there might be some larger schools forming with the lack of weed. Any place from 10-30ft you could come across some concentrations of fish. A hopped blade or tail spinner should work on these fish. Rolling a plastic through them can also catch some fish. Trolling is another option that is great for the kids. St Clair has hardly any trees, and this makes it easy to follow the edge of the banks. It’s a technique that will produce a lot of fish this month, as you can cover a lot of water finding the active fish. Deep divers that can reach 10-15ft+ should see plenty of eager fish jump on. Unfortunately, the lack of rain and water flow in some of the creeks and rivers may be slowing down the migration of bass back up into the upper reaches so far. The creeks that still have a decent flow should see some fish starting to turn up. Very similar to last month, your staple river lure selection will work. A spinnerbait, crankbait, topwater or paddletail will catch any fish in the area.

Crank it up a notch this month COPETON DAM

David Allen manager@copeton.com.au

As the fishing and weather are both hotting up, November can see some great fishing, particularly if there is a break in the irrigation water releases. Yellowbelly will be the main target for most fishers at Copeton this month, with the fish schooling out on the flats or over the top of drowned trees. At this time of year the preferred method for targeting yellas on lures will involve mainly sinking lures, lipless cranks, blades and soft plastics. A few good lipless cranks for Copeton yellas are the Mazzy Vibes and Jackall lures. Mazzys come in both rattling and Ninja sound (soft knocking) and a variety of natural and attractor colours. Jackall TN50 and 60s and Masks also give a number of options for presentations. The big plus of both the Mazzys and the TN50 and 60s is that they will stand on their noses when on the bottom – this leaves the hooks exposed and the tail wagging at the fish. It seems with this style of lure at Copeton that less can be more when it comes to working lipless cranks. Small hops and shakes will often prove more productive

Young Kiesha Rusten with a beautiful 106cm cod caught while on holidays. than long lifts. Locally this technique is called tapping the bottom. Bait fishing is also very effective with crays and shrimp being the go-to baits. The most basic rig works fine with these baits; use a small ball sinker sitting on top of the hook. The hook size should be suited to the size of your bait. A couple of shrimp hooked back-to-back on a size 1/0 suicide hook will be hard for any yellowbelly to resist. Blades have earned themselves a place in every yellowbelly fisher’s tackle box. These things catch fish out of all proportion to their size and added trailing assist hooks seem to hook fish that are only looking at the lure. The next good cod with one of these stuck in its nose won’t be the last. The Copeton Cod Classic run in September was a great

success again this year with about 190 anglers competing in this teams event. There were nearly 70 cod caught over the weekend with the winning fish going 1230mm and beating the next biggest by just 10mm. Where else but Copeton would a 1220mm fish be pushed into second position? Congratulations to locals Mick Weeks and team mate Brook Stewart. This competition only offers a

trophy for each member of the winning team and their name on the perpetual trophy on display in the Copeton office. There was nearly $40,000 worth of tackle offered as raffle and lucky draw prizes during the presentation on Sunday morning. If you’re interested in fishing this competition, my advice is get in early as the places fill very fast. If you want a cabin or powered site accommodation for the Christmas holidays, it would be wise to call soon to ensure you have somewhere to stay. Contact the office on 02 6723 6269 and speak with the friendly staff. • 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.

Adam Townsend

For many fishers November is an exciting time to be on the water. Trout season has officially been open for a few weeks and the trout are looking healthy after their annual spawning season. Yellowbelly are out in force and in good numbers now that the water has warmed up and for the anglers fishing a bit closer to the coast, bass have been an awesome target species (while the cod are spawning) and are being caught on all types of methods including topwater. As we head into the warmer months I find blade-style lures will out-fish other styles of lures as they replicate the crayfish/yabbies that will start making their way out of the mud and any other hideout they have been hibernating in over the colder months. I’ve always believed matching the hatch is a big part of catching fish and with crayfish being a staple food source for

most freshwater species, sometimes fish just can’t help themselves, no matter what species you’re targeting with this style of fishing. The local impoundments have been fishing well lately, although they are both fluctuating in levels from some short spring rains and

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Mick and Brock with their trophies.

in just a week; this can sometimes make the fishing extremely tough but there have still been some very nice Murray cod and golden perch being caught. Hopping ZX blades or similar lures close to the bottom along points and trolling lipless crankbaits have been the

A chunky golden perch from Copeton. the water being used for irrigation. Copeton Dam has continued to drop recently and was sitting at around half its capacity. At some stages there was almost 10,000ML being let out

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Plenty of yellowbelly to catch NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

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best methods lately and have produced good quality fish. Pindari Dam has been much the same fishingwise, although the amount of water being let out hasn’t been as dramatic. There have been good reports of

yellowbelly being caught all around the basin by anglers fishing the trees and hopping lures along the rocky bottom up the river arm of the dam. Just remember that Pindari Dam is closed to cod fishing at this time of year and will open up again with the most rivers on 1 December. Pindari was recently sitting at 97%. The Severn River is still available for fishing, but with cod being in the middle of their spawn it can be hard to target the yellowbelly without coming across the cod as by-catch, so I find it better to leave this waterway and similar waterways alone. The Beardy River is in really good shape with good water clarity and it’s also at a nice flow, which is promising for weeks to come. There are no fishing reports for this area so far this season, so hopefully I can get out there and check it out before the next report. Hopefully with more rain and a few more hot days the fishing will be better than ever, just in time for the upcoming Murray cod season. Good luck on the water this month and tight lines.

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MANNING RIVER MARINE 13 Victoria Street, TAREE (02) 6552 2333 jim@manningrivermarine.com.au www.mercurydealertaree.com ABERDEEN FISHING & OUTDOORS 69 New England Hwy, ABERDEEN (02) 6543 7111 aberdeentackle@gmail.com www.aberdeenfishingandoutdoors.com.au

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It is golden time ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

The thawing warmth of spring has finally arrived, kick-starting the angling action in our local rivers and lakes. A few warm days are all it takes to improve

there is also the option of bait – small yabbies, shrimp and worms are all good options. Swan Hill tackle proprietor Jim Credlin reported very good-sized perch landed by local anglers fishing the channel between first and second Reedy Lake. Other locations like Cow Swamp would also be worth

is always good for a perch or two and if it’s a little slow then the Wakool River should provide a little action. While shrimp are still hard to get, a good ball of worms seems to be tempting most fish to take a nibble. It’s a similar story at most locations downstream along the Murray River with

If you have a good supply of bait, you’re bound to land one or two perch amongst the carp. When you consider the size of the river, that’s a lot of mouths to feed. With large cod numbers

the fate of our fishery as it continues on a downward spiral. The next possible environmental blunder will

decade to go from a worldclass fishery to one of few angling highs. Our one claim to fame at the moment is we

With so many mouths to feed make sure you have a good supply of bait. the bite with good numbers of golden perch now on the chew. Owning a boat is not a prerequisite to catching a fish, with land-based anglers enjoying the improved fishing opportunities at many locations. The regulator at Kangaroo Lake is running and this usually prompts a great run of golden perch, both at the regulator itself and downstream along the channel. All manner of lures work well for golden perch but it’s hard to look past vibe styled lures to fish at such locations, especially in the increased flow. Of course

a fish in the next few weeks as there are good numbers of golden perch lurking in its waters. In Swan Hill both the Murray and the Little Murray rivers are dropping, but this has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of several goodsized perch landed on baits of yabbies and worms. In the Edward River near Kyalite a regular fisho from Ararat caught a good bag of golden perch mid spring on bait, with the largest fish being around the 1.5kg mark. This same angler also returned a good number of smaller fish to the river during his visit. The Edward in this area

golden perch starting to bite. Boundary Bend, Robinvale and Wemen all have similar reports of good fish, as do Mildura, Wentworth and beyond. It’s a seasonal trigger that’s stimulated by water temperature and the action should only get better over the coming weeks. Carp are also enjoying the warm spring currents and, as stated in my last report, there are as many as I have ever seen in my lifetime. On a recent bait fishing session from the bank on the Murray River large carp outnumbered native captures about ten to one.

With few natural predators the carp problem will go unchecked over the next few seasons. decimated locally these carp now have few natural enemies and will virtually go unchecked as the number one pest in our waters. I can’t help but wonder about

perhaps be the carp virus. I hope this one has been well thought through as another mess up could very well spell the end. In my local waters it’s taken less than a

still have golden perch in our local waters. So get out and get amongst them while you can. And don’t forget to bring plenty of bait to feed the carp between bites.

Anglers eagerly await the yellowbelly run YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

As usual, knowing where to start at this time of year is a headache. We are smack in the middle of a closed cod season and waiting with bated breath for the traditional run of spring yellas to fire. As the gates fly open for the Melbourne Cup, the starter bell also signals that the yellas will be up and about somewhere within the lake and further upstream around Bundalong and its backwaters. For those who haven’t explored the Bundalong area, the best bet is get onto Google Earth and have a look at what sneaky backwaters and 78

NOVEMBER 2017

lagoons exist in this area. There is some great fishing to be had in this region, especially throughout spring. This time of year also sees a generous amount of yellas school up in the faster running water around the mouth of both the main weir near the train bridge and the Mulwala canal. Your best bet while targeting these critters is a 50-70mm hardbodied lure or smaller profiled spinnerbaits or blades. September’s fishing in Lake Mulwala proved to be a non-event until the school holidays hit late in the month. Some beautiful spring days led to a flurry of land-based fishing action with numerous encounters being reported by the kids. The fish weren’t big in numbers but the quality of the yellas was outstanding

with 55cm+ models being encountered. A continued problem many visiting anglers seem oblivious to is the fact that you can’t fish (or have any fishing gear in position) anywhere on or adjacent to the Murray River downstream from the Yarrawonga Weir through the Cobram area to the Tocumwal Bridge between 1 Sept and 30 Nov. Keep this in mind if you’re planning a trip to this region this month. Excitement is building with the iconic Lake Mulwala Cod Classic only weeks away on 1-3 December. The Cod Classic celebrates the opening to the new cod season at the home of the Murray cod, Lake Mulwala. With an estimated 2500+ competitors looking to share in the massive $150K+

Vanessa and Cooper Bennett with a brace of Lake Mulwala spring yellas. prize pool (including seven boating packages) you would be crazy to miss

what is now more than a fishing competition – a fishing festival!

Incredibly, 103 Yamaha, Quintrex and Lowrance boating packages have been given away throughout the 18-year history of the event. For all enquiries visit www. codclassic.com.au. • If you’re visiting town I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front (opposite the post office) in Mulwala or check out our new store located between Rivers and One Zac in the main street; it’s Yarrawonga’s only tackle store. We’re Yarrawonga and Mulwala’s fishing experts and specialize in all things green! For any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports, give us a hoy on 0357 443 133. Until next edition, happy fishing.

Cooking

Offer more than just oysters, try something new BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

An often-successful host’s strategy is to offer something familiar alongside something new.

In this recipe, tradition is brought to the table with delicious oyster and bacon treats known the world over as Oysters Kilpatrick. My oven-baked garlic and Parmesan breadcrumbed oysters are

the change-up. As with any welltravelled recipe, there are different versions of oysters Kilpatrick. My version steps it up just a little with some mellowing cream and a breadcrumb theme. I’m

using a cast iron oyster pan suitable for stove-top, grill or oven cooking. Medium sized oysters are the best fit for this 12-slot pan, and the following recipe is for 12 medium sized oysters (six in each recipe).

Ingredients Oysters Kilpatrick • 6 oysters in the shell • 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 1/2 cup cream • 1/2 cup fine fresh breadcrumbs • 2 rashers streaky bacon, finely diced Garlic oysters with breadcrumbs • 6 oysters in the shell • 2 tbsp butter • 1/2 cup fine fresh breadcrumbs • 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped • 1 clove garlic, finely grated • 1 tbsp fresh Parmesan cheese, finely grated • Ground salt and pepper

Sprinkle the fresh breadcrumbs over each of the six oysters then scatter the bacon pieces over the top. Now the oysters Kilpatrick are ready to be baked.

Place a generous spoonful of the breadcrumb mixture onto the last six oysters. Top each of these oysters with a small piece of butter.

In a frypan, melt most of the butter over a low heat. Add the breadcrumbs and parsley to the melted butter and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper then add the garlic paste and stir through.

Place the oysters into the oven in the cast-iron pan for five minutes at 200°C. Keep a close eye on the oysters while they cook and be ready to whip them out when the breadcrumbs turn gold and the bacon has cooked.

Pour the Worcestershire sauce into the pot of cream and combine. Spoon the cream mixture onto six of the oysters in their shells.

Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top. With a fork, fold the Parmesan cheese through the breadcrumb mix.

Let the oysters cool before serving. NOVEMBER 2017

DIY Lure Making

DIY lure making: Lipless Doc BRISBANE

Greg Vinall support@makewoodenlures.com

We’re already three months into our beginners lure making adventure, and so far we’ve made a small crankbait and a small stickbait. If you’ve been following the series and have given these projects a crack, I hope they’ve brought you a ton of luck! This month we’re doing something a little different. In fact, it’s something 90% of wooden lure making enthusiasts never attempt: a lipless crankbait. Lipless cranks are really not that difficult to make

once you know how. They’re super effective too, because they can be fished in a variety of different ways that other hardbody lures can’t. Bigger lipless crankbaits are tops for offshore predators of just about every type, while the medium-sized lures are deadly on everything from threadfin salmon to barra, trout and cod. We’re going to make a fairly small lure that will put you in touch with a pile of bread and butter species. In the estuaries you’ll find the Lipless Doc perfect for bream, estuary perch, trevally and smaller mulloway. Freshwater enthusiasts will find they’re great on bass, trout, redfin, yellowbelly and sooty grunter.

Template: 1 Square = 1cm

FISHING WITH THE LIPLESS DOC There are so many ways to fish lipless crankbaits, you could easily fill a book on the subject. Just one of the many things I love about them is that they can handle heavier hooks and rings than other crankbait styles without killing off the action. That makes them great for hauling tough fish out of heavy cover. The Lipless Doc is a sinking lure, so it can be counted down to a particular depth and then ‘yo-yoed’ back. To do this, jerk the rod tip sharply upwards, then drop the tip slowly and let the lure sink back. All the while, crank just fast enough to keep the slack out of the line. This technique can keep your

100% Scale

lure in close proximity to the bottom structure, or the top of a weedbed or thermocline. Don’t allow too much slack to form in the line on the drop… that’s often when the fish will take the lure! If you’re fishing from a boat, a good strategy is to sink your lure alongside submerged trees, then work it almost vertically in a series of short jerks, or yo-yo it around the base of the tree. The action is much the same as vertical jigging and can be deadly on yellowbelly and bass in particular. MAKING THE LIPLESS DOC For simplicity, the materials and tools we’ll use to make our Lipless Doc are much the same as for our

TOOLS AND MATERIALS Tools Utility knife, battery drill and bits, hacksaw, pliers. Materials • 12.5mm x 75mm balsa plank • 1-1.2mm stainless steel wire • 120 and 240 grit sand paper • 240 grit wet sanding paper • Epoxy adhesive (with syringes and mixing sticks) • Ball sinkers (size 00) • Methylated spirits previous two projects. The main differences are in the design – the classic lipless crank body shape is with tow point located on top of the head with internal weighting. PAINTING AND CLEAR COATING For the painting step, I’ll be turning to my trusty airbrush again, as you’ll see in the tutorial at makewoodenlures.com/ fishing-monthly/. But as I’ve said previously, there is no

problem whatsoever with a hand-brushed or aerosol can finish. Fish don’t mind at all! If you’d like to take your lure painting to the next level, you could sign up for my free airbrushing course at crazylureart.com/free-lurepainting-lessons-register/. My ebook Getting Started In Custom Painted Crankbaits is available on my website at makewoodenlures. com/product/custom-lurepainting-ebook/.

Cut out the template, and trace the side profile onto your balsa wood. Separate the blanks by slicing between them with a utility knife. Pare away the bulk of the waste, getting to within 1-2mm of the side profile you marked out. Keep the cuts as vertical as possible – the squarer the wood is in cross section, the better. 2

Using your square and curved sanding blocks on a flat surface, sand the blanks down to the side profile line. The resulting blanks should be perfectly square in cross section.

Centre the top template on the blank and transfer the shape using a pencil. Then slice away the bulk of the waste with a utility knife, as you did for the side profile. Once again use a sanding block to square the blank and refine the shape. 80

Mark a centre line on the narrow edges, then place your side template on the blank and mark the location of the tow point, hook hangers and weights. Notice the weights are well forward and the towpoint is on top of the lure, not on the nose. Use a pointy object like the tip of a pen to make a small divot where each hardware item will go and drill the holes for the eyelets using a 1.5mm drill bit.

NOVEMBER 2017

Mark centre lines on all the long sides of your blank, then mark carving guidelines. The guidelines are basically half way between the edge of the wood and the centre line you just drew. The exception is the area at the top front of the lure, where we want a small flat area to give the lure some action. We won’t be carving away any wood in this area, so you don’t need to draw carving guidelines.

Then drill 4mm holes for the weights using a brad point bit. Then move then drill bit back and forth to join the holes and make a long channel along the chin of the lure. You’ll find that a lot of wood is removed in this process. This leaves the blank quite weak, so work gently until the weights are glued in and the lure is strengthened by the epoxy. 7

Remove the waste between the guidelines using your knife. It’s easier to get this right if you take lots of light cuts and work with the grain. If you find the blade ‘digging in’ it’s time to turn the blank around and carve the opposite direction. Once you’re done, gently sand with 120 grit paper to refine the shape.

DIY Lure Making 8

Now it’s time to glue in some weights. Using the correct amount of weight for your lure design and placing it in the right location is one of the real keys to making lipless crankbaits. We’re going to use three size 00 ball sinkers that have been crushed slightly using pliers until they fit neatly into the holes and sit just below the surface of the wood. Glue these in using plenty of 24hr epoxy, then set the lures aside for a day or two to cure. Once the glue has cured, trim away any excess adhesive and sand flush with the wood. Then give the whole lure a final smooth sand using 240 grit paper. 10

Make some stainless steel eyelets as we did in the previous projects and glue them into the holes you’ve already drilled in the lure body. Be sure to get as much glue as possible into the holes and on the shaft or the twist eye. Wipe the excess epoxy away and set the lures aside once again to cure. Note: I’m using twist eyes to keep these lures simple for beginners. That’s fine for small, light duty lures like the ones we’ll make in this series. If you’re making lures that will be fished on lines greater than 6kg breaking strain you’d be better to use a through-wire or harder timber. Or both! FINISHED LURE

Harden your lures by treating them with thinned epoxy as we did for our crankbait and stickbait projects. The idea is to get as much of the resin absorbed into the balsa as possible, so the wood is hard and waterproof once the epoxy has cured. Finally, wet sand with 240 grit paper until they’re smooth and all the gloss has been taken off the epoxy.

• For extra information and video tutorials please go to Greg’s website MakeWoodenLures.com/Fishing-Monthly/ and complete the free registration. To check out Greg’s other work visit crazylureart. com and his Facebook page Wooden Lure Making.

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www.tacklejunkie.fish NOVEMBER 2017

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2017 NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

3-4 Nov

BARRA Tour Round #3 (Evening Event)

www.abt.org.au

Peter Faust

6-7 Nov

BARRA Tour Round #4 (Night Championship)

Peter Faust

10-12 Nov

Berkley Urunga Flathead Tournament

Urunga

16-19 Nov

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9 Championship

Western Australia

18-19 Nov

SCFCA Estuary Competition

Lakeview Hotel

1-3 Dec

Lake Macquarie BREAM Grand Final

Lake Macquarie

1-3 Dec

Cod Classic

Lake Mulwala

17 Dec

Summer Bream Skins Knockout Rnd 1

www.wsbb.com.au

Georges River

Alan Newton 0413 116 670

www.abt.org.au

www.urungasportfishing.com.au

www.hobiefishing.com.au

southcoastfca@yahoo.com.au

www.abt.org.au

www.codclassic.com.au

2018 JANUARY FEBRUARY

MARCH

MAY

14 Jan

Summer Bream Skins Knockout Rnd 2

www.wsbb.com.au

Hawkesbury River

Alan Newton 0413 116 670

10-11 Feb

SCFCA Beach Competition

southcoastfca@yahoo.com.au

Gerringong Hotel

18 Feb

Summer Bream Skins Knockout Rnd 3

www.wsbb.com.au

Parramatta River

Alan Newton 0413 116 670

10-11 Mar

SCFCA Deep Sea Competition

southcoastfca@yahoo.com.au

Kiama Bowls Club

26-27 May

SCFCA Rock Competition

Berry Bowling Club

southcoastfca@yahoo.com.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. 82

NOVEMBER 2017

The hit Urunga Tournament is back again The weekend of 10-12 November will see anglers descend on the sunny seaside town of Urunga for the fourth annual

has to offer, competing for thousands of dollars in prizes including a brand new Stessco 379 Tripper fitted with a Suzuki outboard from

much more to offer as far as species go and the club rewards those who land big by-catch with trophies and prizes too.

Craig Hanlon and Dale Johnson from Team Freshest Fishing Tours took out the Teams category, even beating three-person teams! Berkley Urunga Estuary Sport Fishing Flathead Tournament. Fished across both the Bellinger and Kalang rivers which intersect and head out to sea at the front of the township, fishers of all ages will do battle on some of the most beautiful water the Mid North Coast of NSW

North Coast Boating Centre. The competition starts at 7am each day and runs through to 8pm on Saturday and 3:30pm on Sunday, with organisers being mindful of people who have traveling to do once it’s all been said and done. While this is a flathead tournament, the rivers have

With Berkley being the naming sponsor, you can be sure there’ll be plenty of packets of PowerBait and Gulp given away to entrants. The new Gotam Shad looks like a hit already!

The rivers are wellknown haunts for big bream, mulloway, trevally, mangrove jack and a host of other hungry fish eagerly awaiting their chance to put a bend in your rod. Open to boaters, kayakers and land-lovers alike, there’s a place for everyone at the Berkley Urunga Estuary

Local legend Luke ‘Tinno’ Tinson and his decky Debbie always seem to find the fish and have a great time doing so.

The one they all want their names on – the amazing trophy carved by Mick Molnar Marine Art.

Even if they don’t catch a fish, the kids can have a ball on the beach in the casting competition.

Sport Fishing Flathead Tournament. There’s plenty of competition in the Adult Male and Female and Junior sections, and all juniors go home with a trophy no matter how many flathead they catch. This is a strictly lureor-fly-only competition with a catch, photograph and release points system, so you’ll need a camera with a removable SD card if you’re going to be in the running for the Mick Molnar Marine Art trophy.

For those who need to a kick-start to the day with a fresh hot coffee and a hearty bacon and egg roll, the Urunga Anglers Club along with the Urunga Lions Club will be selling a BBQ dinner on Friday night and Sunday afternoon, and also breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday morning from 5am. A coffee van will be on site for you to purchase a nice quality coffee from 5am each day too. The first 300 competitors to register will

get a sponsor prize pack full of goodies, so grab a mate or two and enter now. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a fishing competition with a friendlier atmosphere than the Berkley Urunga Estuary Sport Fishing Flathead Tournament. To find out more visit www.urungasportfishing. com.au or to secure your entry, go to www. stickytickets.com.au/58297. – Berkley Urunga Estuary Sport Fishing Flathead Tournament

One lucky fisher will drive away with a brand new Stessco Tripper 379 and Suzuki outboard thanks to North Coast Boating Centre. NOVEMBER 2017

Russell stays Babe-kool for the Forster win On the September 16-17, 72 anglers from Victoria, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, and China headed to Foster, NSW to compete

to the event arena with a reasonable number of them reporting having pulled in solid bags, while a few found the conditions quite testing. At the start of competition on Saturday and Sunday in a

forecast was spot on, with light west-southwest winds each morning. BABEKUHL RACKS UP ANOTHER BREAM WIN Russell Babekuhl from Wingham, NSW, took out the

Podium finishers from left: Jack Gammie from NSW, Michael Halliday from QLD, and Russell Babekuhl from NSW. in the two-day RhinoRack Round 12 of Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9. Pre-Fish Day on the Friday, saw anglers return

slight run-in tide, the PowerPole Starting Line was set in front of the Secura Lifestyle Lakeside Forster Resort in idyllic conditions, the wind

2017

With so much potential cover, finding fish is always a challenge as this venue.

round, the last one of Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9 before the Australian Championship in November. Babekuhl was sitting in second position

after day one just 200g behind the leader. He briefly outlined his weekend fishing in and around the oyster racks of pristine Wallis Lake.

“During the weekend, I moved around regularly fishing fast from Breckinridge Channel all the way around Regatta Island

and down the Tuncurry Channel,” Babekuhl said. “My plan was to crack a feeding pattern, then get away from the field as much

+ COD CLASSIC

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as I could. Some of my go-to spots had anglers on them, however, with the size of the waterway, I was able, to find some untouched water. I covered over 26 km each day

GAMMIE TAKES SECOND Jack Gammie from Sydney, NSW and the tournament leader at the close of day one, had a great

WINNING WAYS Babekuhl’s winning tackle Rod: Abu Salty Stage KR-X 3-6kg Reel: Abu ALX 3000 Line: 6lb Berkley Fireline Ultra 8 with 4 and 6lb vanish leader Lure: Berkley Camo Gulp Crabby on 1/32oz Nitro jighead and OSP Bent Minnow Kayak: 2017 Hobie Pro Anger 14 Atomic Big Bream Jack Gammie from NSW, took out the Atomic Big Bream $100 cash prize with a 1.21kg fish. and this decision paid off. “Do the miles, get the smiles.”

weekend and almost pulled off the round win. “On day one I made the

RESULTS PLACE............. ANGLER NAME................ FISH.............. TOTAL (kg).......PRIZES 1st................... Russell Babekuhl .............. 8/8................. 5.70...................$2,040 + Prize Pack 2nd.................. Jack Gammie .................... 8/8................. 4.79...................$1,060 + Prize Pack 3rd................... Michael Halliday . .............. 8/8................. 4.53...................$690 + Prize Pack 4th................... Nathan Cliff ....................... 8/8................. 4.29...................$320 + Prize Pack 5th................... Mitch King ........................ 8/8................. 4.25...................$270 + Prize Pack 6th................... Carl Dubois ....................... 7/8................. 4.06...................$240 + Prize Pack 7th................... Richard Somerton ............. 6/8................. 4.03...................$210 + Prize Pack 8th................... Geoff Alford . ..................... 8/8................. 4.03...................$190 + Prize Pack 9th................... Warren Cossell................... 8/8................. 3.72...................$160 + Prize Pack 10th................. Gary Hanson ..................... 8/8................. 3.72...................$130 + Prize Pack 1 1/2-hour journey to the Big 4 caravan park, fishing oyster racks with light olive Cranka Crabs,” Gammie said. “I picked up three fish early and moved around the corner to land my Atomic Big Bream which finished my bag of four bream by 10am. The location slowed

down so I moved to another area at the top of Cockatoo island where I upgraded two of my fish.” “Day 2 consisted of the same strategy, it worked, except I had to down sized my leaders and I began using Berkley Gulp Crabbies. The fish weren’t as big (as day

one), but having said that I also lost two good fish in the last hour. “It was great weekend and one that will be remembered for some time.” THANKS Thank you to Barclay Marine in Forster for their dealer support and for the BBQ and drinks after the

anglers’ day on the water over the two days of competition. Thanks also to the fantastic sponsors Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic, Lowrance, Rhino-Rack, Strike Pro, TT Lures, Pro Lure, JML Anglers Alliance, Mortgage Corp, Power-Pole, Hobie Polarized for their much, appreciated support. Hobie Cat

The oyster racks that Forster is famous for received a lot of attention during the competition.

www.fishin.com.au ONLINE TOURNAMENT TACKLE STORE

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The Forster round was hotly contested, with anglers all vying to crack the pattern.

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Greenaway tames the wind to win

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

STORM

Craig Greenaway claimed his first ABT Costa BREAM Series victory on a wild and windy St Georges Basin at the Hobie-presented eighth and final stop of the 2017 Costa BREAM Series. Compiling a 10/10 5.83kg limit, Greenaway edged out Kris Hickson and Peter Cook to hoist the trophy and take home over $2100 in cash. For Greenaway, it was his first victory on the ABT BREAM circuit. “I’ve been fishing comps for many years,” said Greenaway after Sunday’s final weigh-in. “I drift in and out of the tournaments due to time and travel constraints. It feels so great to win my first event, I’ve never really fished well at St Georges Basin and I think the conditions really suited me during this event. I think if we had the glassed-out conditions for the whole event you would have seen the locals step up and produce some pretty good bags.” Greenaway flew out of the gates on day one. His 5/5

A standout fish from Craig Greenaway’s winning two-day limit. Berkley 2” Gulp Shrimp which he rigged primarily on 1/12oz jigheads. “I altered the weight based on the wind. The more I tucked into the bay, the lighter jighead I could go,” explained Greenaway. Day two proved to have much better conditions and Greenaway adjusted perfectly. His 5/5 2.75kg limit was still well above

plastic from the day before. I think the calmer weather had the bream a bit lethargic, so that blade stirred things up and got a few reactions I wasn’t getting with the shrimp.” His go-to blade? An Ecogear VX40 in 439 colour, a staple in almost every competitive bream

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Duffrods Basstix 1-4kg Reel: Daiwa Certate 2004 Line: 4lb Berkley Exceed Fireline Leader: 3lb Sunline FC Rock Lure: Berkley 2” Gulp Shrimp rigged on a 1/12oz jighead, and Ecogear VX40 in 439 colour

angler’s arsenal since their release. Greenaway used a long 4m fluorocarbon leader to attach his blade to his braided mainline, crediting the long leader for added stealth and stretch. “The long leader I think really helped. It gives a little bit of stretch, which is so important with small treble

NOVEMBER 2017

3.08kg limit was the only limit to break the 3kg barrier in what were some of the most testing conditions ever faced by ABT competitors. “The wind on Saturday was really strong, the forecast got it totally wrong and luckily my spot had some form of shelter. It still wasn’t pleasant but it was a lot better than in the main straits of the Basin itself,” said Greenaway. Greenaway was fishing close to the entrance to Sussex Inlet. “Just as you come out of the channel instead of heading right and around Kangaroo Point, I was tucking in to the bay on the left and fishing off the bank where I’d located a harder bottom where the bream were moving through.” Targeting these fish with a soft plastic, Greenaway relied on the ever-faithful

Costa BREAM Grand Final, a venue where he feels comfortable and has fished many times in the past. “My whole goal with coming this weekend was to qualify for the grand final; to do it by winning the event is just a bonus. I can’t wait to get to Lake Macquarie in December.”

BIG BREAM

Steve Nedeski claimed the Big Bream Prize to value add his 4th place winnings.

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

hooks, but it also meant there was no way the fish were seeing anything they weren’t supposed to. When it got tough on Sunday, I do think things like that make all the difference.” It’s hard to argue with an event champion. Greenaway now finds himself qualified for the Lake Macquarie

average for the day, and was enough to hold off Kris Hickson in second place. “Day two I relied a lot more on a blade than the

Steve Nedeski claimed the Big Bream Prize at the basin with the NSW breamer value adding his 4th place winnings to the tune of $500 for his day one kicker fish caught on a suji shrimp coloured shallow Jackall Chubby in 3ft of water at Kangaroo Point.

RESULTS – BOATERS Place

Angler

TW (kg)

Payout

Craig Greenaway

10/10

5.83

$2100 + Mercury 1st

Kristoffer Hickson

10/10

5.75

$1100 + Mercury 2nd

Peter Cook

10/10

5.61

900

Steve Nedeski

6/10

4.97

$750 + Mercury 3rd +

Big Bream $500

Mark Crompton

10/10

4.60

550

Brad Hodges

8/10

4.23

450

Alan Lister

6/10

4.01

375

Jesse Thompson

7/10

3.89

Yamaha Bonus $300

Grant Kime

7/10

3.88

Jason Harlock

6/10

3.48

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

Hickson’s fish losses proved costly ABT’s number one ranked BREAM angler Kris Hickson nearly added another trophy to his ever-growing mantle at the Hobie St Georges Basin BREAM Qualifier. Finishing a close second, his 10/10 5.75kg limit was boosted by the event’s big bag of 3.18kg during Sunday’s final round. Hickson started Saturday’s first session targeting the shallow weed edges on the eastern side of the lake. After a slow start throwing a mix of topwater and subsurface presentations. Hickson came good, boating three fish in as many casts,

just as the wind got too much to handle. “Basically right after I got those three fish we had to move due to the wind. Everywhere out of the wind was riddled with boats.” Managing one more legal fish off a piece of isolated timber structure, Hickson was staring down the barrel of an unfinished limit with only an hour to go until check-in. “I always planned to leave time to fish the actual inlet at Sussex, and that’s where I managed to scrape out another legal fish to put five in the boat.” With Sunday delivering almost glassed-out

conditions, Hickson was able to return to his traditional run and gun approach, cranking up the Mercury Verado and running all over St Georges Basin. Starting again on the eastern shores in less than 3ft of water, Hickson again turned to a two-prong approach of an OSP Bent Minnow 76, and a lightly weighted soft plastic. “It was a slow morning for the most part. I spot hopped a lot of banks looking to sight cast to fish and digs in the calm conditions. After what seemed like forever, I stumbled across one bank that was loaded with fish.

Berkley Shrimp Ecogear VX40

BREAM S PRESEN ERIES TED BY

Kris Hickson secured another top two finish at the final qualifying round of the Costa BREAM Series. It wasn’t until I switched things up and went really finesse that I was actually able to put some of the fish I was seeing into the boat.” It was a change from 4lb fluorocarbon leader to 2.5lb straight through that made all the difference. The first cast with the lighter line produced his best fish of the day. “Small things like converting followers into fish willing to commit to eating your lure are quite often the difference between cutting a cheque and going home empty handed in an ABT event,” explained Hickson. He filled his limit with another solid fish from

slightly wider in 10ft of water. Hickson knew he had enough weight to stay up the leaderboard, but he didn’t think he would get as close as he did. “I thought with the calm conditions some of the local guys were going to bring in some pretty heavy bags on day two. St Georges Basin has produced plenty of 4kg+ bags during tournaments and I really thought one would come in that day.” Hickson was left lamenting what could have been after Craig Greenaway weighed a mere 70g heavier after all was said and done. “I hooked one of the biggest fish I’ve ever locked onto

during the first day; I had it following my Bent Minnow a few times and ended up hooking it on the light soft plastic and saw it in the shallow water before it fell off – that fish would have easily pushed me over the mark.” Hickson’s outfit of choice consisted of the new Daiwa Zero 701ULFS matched with Daiwa Luvias 1000 and 2000 sized reels. For the Bent Minnow, Hickson used 8lb Daiwa Evo8 braided line and 4lb fluorocarbon leaders. His soft plastic outfit was downsized to 2.5lb Toray Bawo fluorocarbon straight through.

Berny bags Basin win Bernard Kong claimed the non-boater title with the Melbourne-based chef and long-time ABT non-boater narrowly edging out second place and PowerPole Angler of the Year Stuart Walker. Kong’s 9/10 4.87kg limit, although one shy of a full bag, was enough to claim the trophy and over $800 worth of prizes from ABT’s group of sponsors. Starting day one fishing

with Aaron Clifton, the pair began fishing shallow. Kong turned to a favoured technique of his, slow rolling an Atomic Crank 38 in Muddy Prawn colour on straight through fluorocarbon line. Targeting the weedy flats and pontoons around Basin View, Kong managed two early fish before the wind picked up and blew them off the flat. Once the wind rose, it was out to the deeper water.

Here Kong threw an Ecogear VX40 in colour 439. “I knew that was the lure to use, because on the second cast I landed a 1.08kg fish which had the lure well down its mouth,” explained Kong. “As I removed the hooks from its mouth, it coughed up broken cockle shells and meat, and so I knew to stick with the blade for the rest of the day.” Fighting the wind and

RESULTS – NON-BOATERS Place

Angler

TW (kg)

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Bernard Kong 9/10 4.87 Costa Sunglasses & Prize Pack + Hobie Bonus 1st Stuart Walker 10/10 4.70 Costa Sunglasses & Prize Pack + Hobie Bonus 2nd Rodney O’Sullivan 7/10 3.95 JML Alliance Rod & Prize Pack + Hobie Bonus 3rd Dallas Blatchford 6/10 3.62 Prize Pack Lindsay Pryke 6/10 3.14 Prize Pack Brenton Spinks 6/10 3.06 Prize Pack Scott Wilson 6/10 3.06 Prize Pack Anthony Hassarati 5/10 2.84 Prize Pack Neil Kelly 5/10 2.79 Prize Pack Michael Hodges 4/10 2.77 Prize Pack For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Bernard Kong added another non-boater win to his tournament CV at the Hobie-presented event. waves Kong managed one more fish, his 4/5 2.77kg bag good enough to be leading heading into day two. Fishing day two with Jason Harlock, Kong was always going to be around the fish. Using the information he had gathered from day one, Kong and Harlock plugged it out in the deeper waters of St Georges Basin. Rotating between the Ecogear VX40 and a Berkley

Big Eye blade in nugget colour, Kong slowly ground out his five fish limit. “Knowing it was going to be a tough bite on Sunday in the calm conditions, I retrofitted all my blades with lighter gauge treble hooks so I could pick up those faint bites and convert them into solid hook-ups.” Crediting the sensitivity of his Millerod Control Freak to be able to detect the subtle

bites, Kong used every bit of his knowledge to convert the timid bites to fish in the live well. “There’s no doubt the change to lighter gauge hooks and my Millerod was the difference this weekend, I could feel everything that was going on underneath the water and that made all the difference in getting the most out of the bites I was getting.” NOVEMBER 2017

Team Samurai takes Open win

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STORM

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

NOVEMBER 2017

Team Samurai Reaction (Tristan Taylor and Dave McKenzie) once again showed that they’re the kings of the Open with the breaming duo securing a wire-to-wire victory in the Mercury Queensland BREAM Open. With strong wind preventing the field from fishing Moreton Bay for the entire tournament, anglers fished Moreton Bay on day one, the Brisbane River on day two, and the Gold Coast on day three. “It was a real challenge for our teams this year. We haven’t had too many opens where we haven’t been able to fish the bay, so to throw them a curve ball of three different venues was something that the teams perhaps weren’t prepared for,” explained Tournament Director Simon Goldsmith. The teams rose to the challenge, and none more so than event winners Taylor and McKenzie who claimed their 4th Mercury Open victory. With the bay open on day one, Team Samurai Reaction headed south hitting the southern bay islands that have served them so well for many years. “Our go-to spots (Peel, Coochie, Macleay, Goat, and Bird islands) down south were primed to fire. We had a run-in tide and plenty of wind, so we expected the bream to be there ready to move up onto the flooded shallows to feed,” explained Taylor. Any that’s how it played out with Taylor and McKenzie throwing a combination of mid and deep running Atomic Hardz Crank 38s across the flooded flats and working them back to the boat with a slow retrieve, with the occasional pause to spice things up. “We’d always worked our cranks with a constant slow roll retrieve then in the Gold Coast BREAM Qualifier a couple of months ago I did the occasional pause and it seemed to entice the bream to bite more than a constant roll,” explained Taylor. The new addition to their retrieve paid off with the pair catching approximately 45 fish for the day and weighing in a 5/5, 3.85kg bag to keep a 30g lead over Team Bush n’ Beach/Atomic (Anthony Wishey and Lex Irwin) in 2nd place. With the bay shut on day two and the teams confined to the Brisbane River, Taylor and McKenzie fished the Luggage Point wastewater outlet, a location that they hadn’t fished much. By end of the day it would become one of their new favourite bream haunts.

Dave McKenzie and Tristan Taylor with some of their winning fish. “It’s a spot that has plenty of structure and current so we fished it by throwing heavy Cranka Crabs into the structure. Then we let it waft and move around with the current and hopefully into the path of a waiting bream,” explained Taylor. The spot delivered the pair a limit in an hour with no real big ones. That, however, was about to change. “I was a little bit done with the spot and was ready to move and go looking for upgrades, but Dave wanted to give it just a little bit longer to see if it had any more to offer,” explained Taylor. Dave’s thinking paid off and ten minutes later he boated a 34cm fork length bream. “That kept us interested and we stayed, and from then on we picked up a fish about every ten minutes,” explained Taylor. The pair continued to upgrade throughout the session and put together a 5/5, 4.07kg limit that would extend their lead heading

into the third and final day of competition. “It was a pretty amazing spot. It must be a staging spot that the fish hold and feed on as they move in and out of the river. The fish never seemed to run out; it must be a location that reloads with fish throughout the day,” explained Taylor. Extending their lead to nearly 1kg Taylor and McKenzie were in two minds about what lay ahead for the final day. “While the bags from the Goldy nine times out of ten will be smaller than the bay, there’s always a chance of a 3kg+ bag being caught, and we’ve seen that of late in some of the events, so we knew we still had to catch a decent bag and we couldn’t just rely on our lead to get us through,” explained Taylor. Fishing the main river pontoons with Heavy Cranka Crabs, the pair tried to extract some of the big bream that hold on the current-influenced floating

structures. With little return for their efforts they then moved to the bridges littered along the Nerang River and threw a mixture of different baits to catch their fish. “It was a real all-sorts kind of day with the fish in our bag coming on a crank, topwater, Cranka Crab, Ecogearaqua, and Gulp,” explained Taylor. Their junk fishing approach was spot on to get the job done with the Samurai Reaction pair delivering a 5/5, 2.38kg limit to scales at the Cleveland Caravan, Camping, Boating and 4x4 Expo weigh-in to secure the win. “We’re very much known for catching fish in the bay, so to win this event fishing three different locations is very rewarding,” explained Taylor. With four Mercury Queensland BREAM Open titles to their name, who can dispute Taylor and McKenzie’s reputation as the kings of the Open?

RESULTS – BOATERS Place

Anglers

Fish

Weight (kg) Payout

1 2 3 4 5 5 5 8 9

Samurai Reaction: Tristan Taylor and David McKenzie 15/15 10.30 Pontoon 21: Denis Metzdorf and Khoi Pham 15/15 9.41 Atomic: Aaron Sharp and Steve Eldred 15/15 8.76 Bush ‘n Beach/Atomic: Anthony Wishey and Lex Irwin 15/15 8.25 Sniper: Luke Rogan and Tyson Hayes 15/15 7.15 Daiwa/TT Lures: Grayson Fong and Michael Thompson 15/15 6.23 Diztek.com.au: Darren Borg and Chris Goulding 9/15 4.29 Loves Brimz: Paul Pollock and Justin Thompson 7/15 3.45 Fishing Monthly: Steve Morgan and Nicholle Smith 5/15 2.41 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

$2,000 $1,200

Top two placing for Team Pontoon 21 Team Pontoon 21 (Denis Metzdorf and Khoi Pham) showed their wares in a talent-stacked Open field with the Brisbane breamers compiling a 15/15, 9.41kg three-day limit to claim the runner-up title at the Mercury presented event. Kicking off their tournament fishing the rockwalls at the Port of Brisbane, Metzdorf and Pham opted for a soft approach throwing a jighead rigged Pontoon 21 Pillo tight to the wall then rolling down the slop. “We’d cast so tight to the wall that you’d often get snagged. We’d then slow roll the plastic down the face of the wall and the bites would

come anywhere from 0.5-1m down,” explained Metzdorf. The approach saw the pair fill their limit by 7.45am. This was followed by an endless supply of upgrades. “We would have caught over 50 fish for the day. It was one of the most insane days of bream fishing we’ve ever experienced,” explained Metzdorf. Weighing in a 5/5, 3.77kg limit, the pair sat in 2nd place heading into day two, 80g behind leaders Taylor and McKenzie. While Metzdorf and Pham fished the Brisbane River on day one, their productive honey hole sat just outside the day two event boundary.

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Samurai Reaction 201 Reel: Megabass Idaten Racing Condition Line: 10lb Unitika PE Leader: 6lb Unitika Aiger flurocarbon Lure: Atomic Hardz Crank 30 (mid and deep) with upgraded trebles (size 12 Gamakatsu Wide Gap), Heavy Cranka Crab, Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn, Gulp.

Unperturbed by this fact, the pair started day two fishing the many posts scattered throughout the river and the sunken wall at Pinkenba. “We picked up fish throughout the session, then as the day wore on we moved downriver and fished the rockwalls that were down the seaward boundary,” explained Metzdorf. Catching a dozen fish for the session on a combination of Pontoon 21 Pillo soft plastics and Pontoon 21 Crackjack hardbodies, the pair weighed in a 3.21kg limit to move them up into 2nd place from 3rd. With the floating structures of the Gold Coast in their sights on day three, the Pontoon 21 pair fished tuned Pontoon 21 CrackJack jerkbaits around boat hulls and pontoons in the Nerang River and Broadwater to catch their fish. “We’d take a CrackJack, detune it so it swam to the side when retrieved, then twitched and paused it along and under the boats and pontoons to draw a

Steve Eldred and Aaron Sharp were as consistent as always in the Open, finishing third.

Atomic Hardz Crank 30

Weedy bottom

Rocky bottom

PRESEN TED BY

Denis Metzdorf and Khoi Pham from Team Pontoon 21 finished second in the Mercury presented event. response from the fish,” explained Metzdorf. The aggressive pushtheir-buttons nature of the presentation delivered the pair the second heaviest limit for the day, but they had to work for it. “We didn’t get the final fish of our limit until about five minutes before the end of the session – it was a real grind,” explained Metzdorf. Weighing in a 2.43kg limit the pair finished the event with a 15/15, 9.41kg total to claim 2nd and their best result to date in the Mercury Queensland BREAM Open. ABT would like to thank all competing anglers, Mercury Marine, Australia Events, and the Cleveland Caravan, Camping, Boating and 4x4 Expo for making the 2017 Queensland BREAM Open a success. To see all the video action from the event, including on-water catches and angler interviews, visit the event’s playlist on the ABT Tournaments YouTube channel. – ABT

Some of the winning tackle from Team Samurai Reaction.

Cranka Crab

The winners explain to the media how they secured their fourth Queensland Open win. NOVEMBER 2017

Mott storms to victory Long-time ABT BASS Pro and AFC legend Matthew Mott has claimed victory in the Storm BASS Australian Open. The Murgon fishing guide and tackle store owner brought a 10/10 13.72kg limit to the scales over the weekend to take victory from fellow South Burnett local bassers Greg Mitchell and Brett Turner. This victory is a special one for Mott, who’s won most of what there is to win in competitive bass fishing in Australia. “I’ve been doing this a long time,” said Mott after the final weigh-in on Sunday afternoon. “I’ve been

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

drive that I used to have, but the unique format of the Australian Open brought me back and I’m so thankful for events like this that give us a reason to turn up and compete.” The Storm BASS Australian Open was the first event of its kind in Australia. Thanks to a Queensland Fisheries Permit, ABT and its anglers were permitted to keep an increased possession limit of five Australian bass, which were to be released alive immediately after weigh-in. The increased possession limit allowed the tournament to take place over two longer sessions

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Dobyns Champion Extreme 762 spin rod Reel: Abu Garcia MGX Extreme 20 sized spinning reel Line: 6.6lb Berkley Fireline Exceed Leader: 8lb Sunline FC Rock Lure: 3” Slider Grub in gold fleck colour rigged on a 5/8oz Smak jighead

STORM

fishing these tournaments since the beginning; I’ve won Grand Finals and AFC, but lately I’ve been taking some time off. My business is booming and to be honest I’ve somewhat lost the

Matthew Mott added another trophy to his cabinet with the victory in the Storm BASS Australian Open.

with one on Saturday and one on Sunday. For the event’s champion Matthew Mott, his vast experience at the lake took over during practice on Friday, where he located an area that

was replenishing with fish throughout the day. It was then he formulated his game plan of ‘stay and play.’ “I fished that spot for as long as I could both sessions. It was a special little spot and there was so many fish there. I didn’t ever see the point in leaving until I couldn’t catch anymore.”

Mott pumps his first in celebration.

RESULTS Place Angler

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 90

NOVEMBER 2017

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

Matthew Mott 10/10 13.72 $6,000 Greg Mitchell 10/10 13.16 $3,375 Brett Turner 10/10 12.53 $2,250 Matthew Langford 10/10 12.32 $1500 + Day 2 Big Bass (1.55kg) Stephen Kanowski 10/10 12.14 $1,250 Paul Aldous 10/10 11.77 $1,000 Matt Johnson 10/10 11.63 Corey Goldie 10/10 11.44 Jordan Renz 10/10 11.36 Peter Phelps 10/10 11.36 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

The key spot he identified was the old road boat ramp road, now covered by 40ft of Cania’s beautiful bass-rich water. “I think I probably used $5 worth of fuel all weekend – the spot was literally around the corner from the start and I bet I’d made a cast before even the last boat had left the start line,” said Mott. Mott leaned on his vast experience of fishing heavily weighted soft plastic swimbaits to the fish, which were suspending above the road bed anywhere from 20-40ft down. The technique was textbook Queensland bassing, keeping the plastic running as flat as possible thanks to the heavy 5/8oz Smak jighead which he matched to a 3” Slider Grub in gold fleck colour. “I went to 8lb Sunline FC Rock leader and 6.6lb Berkley Fireline Exceed. The thin line again helped me keep the lure tracking horizontally as close to the bottom as possible,” explained Mott. His go-to rig was a Dobyns Champion Extreme 762 spin rod matched with an Abu Garcia MGX Extreme 20 sized spinning reel. “The long rod let me cover the most amount of water possible; that long rod combined with a 5/8oz jighead makes for some seriously long casts, and I wanted my lure in that strike zone for as long as possible.” The event drew 31 of Australia’s best bass anglers to Cania to compete for over $15,000 in prize money – one of the richest events in ABT BASS history. Matthew Mott walked away with a $6000 first-place cheque and a trophy that will take pride of place on his mantle at home.

STOR

Mitchell close second Another local South Burnett angler, Greg Mitchell fell just shy of the biggest win of his career producing the only other bag over the magic 13kg mark on way to a 10/10 13.16kg limit and the $3375 cheque that came with it. Greg Mitchell has fished ABT since the early days of bass tournaments, beginning his career as a non-boater, and then transitioning to the front of the boat a few years ago. Mitchell perfectly represents the pathways that ABT tournaments give to anglers looking to challenge the best in Australia. After his performance at the

Storm BASS Australian Open, it’s clear that Mitchell is well on the path to becoming a consistent and feared competitor on the ABT tournament trail in years to come. Much like Mott, Mitchell found no shortage of fish during the two-day event. It was his formula to target the fish that were staging closer to the bottom that made all the difference. “You had to target the fish that were closer to the bottom if you wanted to catch the bigger and better quality fish,” explained Mitchell. “During the first few hours you could catch fish

pretty easily and quickly, really winding the plastic pretty fast through the suspended fish. It was once that bite really slowed down and you could begin seeing fish move through hugging the bottom on your sounders that you had to slow down and grind that lure along the bottom to get the better bites.” To do that Mitchell relied on one main lure – an OSP HP Shadtail 3.1” in colour #139, rigged on a 1/2oz jighead and paired to an Edge Black Widow ISR703 and 2000 sized spinning reel filled with Toray 10lb PE braided line.

Greg Mitchell fished the house down at Cania to claim second place.

Turner takes out third place It was a trio of South Burnett locals atop the Storm BASS Australian

Open leader board come Sunday afternoon, as Brett Turner produced a

10/10 12.53kg limit to sit third and collect $2250 in prize money.

Brett Turner finished third bringing fish like these to the scales.

“I really enjoyed the longer sessions; it really let you formulate a solid game-plan and really adjust if conditions or the bite altered.” Those were the comments of a very ecstatic Turner after Sunday’s final weigh-in had finished. A relative newcomer to the competitive bass fishing sport, Turner has showed he’s no slouch when the tour heads north and the bass start relating offshore to schools of boney bream. Ta rg e t i n g fish suspending off main lake points, Turner would start the mornings allowing his chosen soft plastic to sink for five seconds before commencing a speedy retrieve back to the boat. The bass were alive and kicking early in the session, chasing down the faster retrieve and giving Turner a quick limit each day. As the sun rose and the bite slowed, Turner

BIG BASS Visiting US bass angler and Bass Cat representative Kevin Short secured the Big Bass honours on day one with the Arkansas angler weighing in a 1.88kg bass to anchor his 6.46kg limit that had him sitting in equal fourth place at the end of day one. South Burnett’s Matt Langford valued added his fourth place winnings claiming the day two Big Bass for tournament with his 1.55kg kicker fish. – ABT paid close attention to his electronics, noting the fish movement throughout the water column and matching his presentation to whether they were sitting high or hugging the bottom. Turner’s go-to baits were a 3” Slider Grub in baby bass colour, rigged on 1/2oz jighead and presented on a Pflueger Patriarch rod and Daiwa Certate 1000 reel. He spooled the reel with 6.6lb Berkley Fireline Exceed and topped it with a 6lb Sunline FC Rock fluorocarbon leader. The Storm BASS Australian Open used a

Queensland Fisheries Permit to allow anglers to hold an increased possession limit of five Australian bass, to be released alive immediately after weigh-in. This permit was only for competitors of this tournament and is not for the angling public. The current two bass per person possession limit still applies to anyone fishing for Australian bass in rivers or lakes throughout Australia. For more information on your local regulations, contact Fisheries.

Slider Grub

40 feet

Old road

Matthew Langford claimed the Big Bass prize on the day two to anchor his fourth place finish for the tournament. NOVEMBER 2017

Road testing fishing apps – part one I am a little odd as an app developer in the fishing space, as I still believe the traditional methods of fishing win hands down. For the next couple of issues, though, I’m going

THE GOOD When I was in Rockhampton, I recorded a run down a creek as one of my first live tests and this is a snapshot of that session. Early on the device was erratic in counting casts, but the tracker seemed to improve once I was out on

The Anglr device in action. to look at the digital world and where apps are up to in providing fishers with the next generation of devices to help them get more from fishing. Up front, I want to say even the best apps in the world are still a work in progress. Even the best funded are making ‘educated’ guesses on fishing recommendations. That said, I do believe they will get better and that many of the next generation of fishers will see apps as a main source for advice. The challenge right now for apps is data – getting enough of it and making the most of it. Part one of this series will look at three data-driven apps with different approaches from the personal, to the crowd sourced and group sourced. ANGLR – FISHING DIARY I think that the Anglr device is the perfect place to start, because it’s both cutting edge and demonstrative of the challenges machines have in understanding our world. For the record, I love Anglr; it’s the one device I always take fishing. WHAT IT IS Anglr is a combined device that’s not officially available in Australia yet, but I think it will be within the year. A sensor is attached to the fishing rod and links via Bluetooth to a phone, which records data from the sensor as well as recording the fishing track. 92

NOVEMBER 2017

the water. There is a whole bunch of tackle recording options, including rod swaps, which is nice, though you have to manually enter the details in the app. If you want

a complete diary, this device is head and shoulders above other apps I have tested. The other thing that surprised me was how good the battery is. I haven’t run a fishing session less than four hours long with the device, and it’s been perfect – both phone and sensor. The sensor does take a long while to charge (up to six hours) so it’s best to leave it on overnight before going fishing. THE QUIRKS The moment I got this device I had one question on my mind. Anglr makes a big deal of the fact that the device can detect a fish strike and I was wondering how that would work in practice. The reality is not very well. If you are a fantastic fisher (well better than me at avoiding snags), then that feature is a godsend and in the freshwater scene in the US, I can see it would be useful. Fishing in amongst the snags for barra – let’s just say I wish that every strike it recorded wasn’t a snag. I am concerned that there is no link to tidal information, and in fact the list of weather data feels more like what I would expect for impoundment fishing. Given that the bass scene is the biggest money-spinner in the US, that would account for the tilt towards impoundments. THE NOT SO GOOD Anglr feels like a technology that’s a work

The social feed in Fishbrain.

The Anglr device output. in progress, and I say that with respect for what it will become. There is no support for Australian species, and the times logged are done at the server not via the phone, so it shows trips at the wrong times. The one thing I miss is the kind of analysis I did on Steve’s data. For example, on the Gavial Creek trip the ratio is 539 casts over four hours for one fish (I dropped two more – honest!) That doesn’t tell me a lot about the spread of my effort. It’s also impossible to see the number of casts in each part of the area fished, which is something I expected given some of the marketing materials. I think they will fix that up, but without that detail, any analysis is going to be pretty meaningless. OVERALL There are a lot of features that are in the ‘coming soon’ bin, particularly on the analysis side, so at this point the app is probably only 50% complete. As a fellow developer, these apps are very complex, so I don’t see that as a negative. The reality is you need to get the app in the hands of fishers to refine many of the features, and while $120US might seem steep for a halffinished device, this device will get better. Users of any technology pay a premium for early access and this is a fishing product worth early access if you love tech. Anglr’s real strength is in its ability to diarise everything that’s going on. Using the device in impoundments would be pretty sweet even in Australia. The very visual view of a fishing trip does make establishing patterns much easier. In many ways, I hope they step away from analysis into further improvements on visualisation. Being able to

link to Insight Genesis would be a killer when combined with the level of detail in the diary. Early adopters in the fresh, this is for you. Early adopters in the salt that like to experiment, this is also for you. Everyone else, check back in 12 months. FISHBRAIN – CROWDSOURCING FISHING SPOTS Fishbrain is one of the first fishing apps to appear,

and it’s the largest. Hailing from Sweden, this app is backed by serious money and already has a substantial user base in Australia. WHAT IT IS Fishbrain aims to be the crowd sourced answer to fishing advice. By gathering data provided by fishers and applying some smart technology, this app is meant tell you when to fish and what to use. That is a big ambition.

Viewing where fish have been reported in Fishbrain’s premium mode.

The first thing you see on login is a social timeline. A quick scroll through shows the fishing equivalent of Facebook or Instagram – lots of fishing photos and videos with a lot of social love. Who doesn’t want a lot of love? What isn’t explicitly laid out, or at least I missed it, is the fact that your catches contribute to a database of fishing locations and it’s not until you sign up for a premium account that you realize that others use Fishbrain to source fishing spots. Since its inception, there are more fishers

app sends you notifications regularly of people catching fish, partly so you can give some social love but mostly I think to remind you while you are at work that someone else is having more fun than you. There is a new function to auto-detect a species, which I applaud. There is also a search function that is something I have used a lot. You can select a species and then find a list of catches, which I have used in the past to get an idea of how fishers are handling species like threadfin.

The scoreboard from the ABT Queensland Open on the Track My Fish app. you need the whole days’ catch, which is what Anglr does well – Fishbrain not so much. There is the option to keep your locations private, but you need to do that on each report. On this front Fishbrain is trying to be all things to all fishers. THE NOT SO GOOD If I were to have a criticism, it would be that it doesn’t seem to excel at anything functionally. Don’t get me wrong, technologically it’s the most impressive app on the market. That technology seems a little overstuffed, but that might just be me. Fishbrain isn’t targeting the expert user. I found the app frustrating when trying to research king threadfin; granted the app is not designed for researchers, but the work I was doing was very similar to an expert fisher. I suspect an expert would find the number of steps required to do many tasks too cumbersome and the advice suspect.

unless you are a casual fisher. I would recommend Fishbrain to fishers that travel a lot and want to sneak out for a fish wherever they go. I also recommend it for people that fish a lot landbased. Land-based fishing can be difficult to work out when it comes to access and safety. I have found a lot of land-based spots using the app that I would never have otherwise discovered. With all that said, I think it’s the app most likely to be popular over time. Even if the forecast engine isn’t accurate, fishers are looking at the real-time nature of the data and are signing up. TRACK MY FISH – CITIZEN SCIENCE, CLUBS AND COMPETITIONS Track My Fish is our app, so I will disclose that upfront. That said, I have enough people that give me feedback to be grounded and we know what we’re good at, and what we’re not so good at. We’re not

The catch recommendation for bream in the author’s local creek. registered with Fishbrain than fishers who submit catches, so the real target is anglers looking for help with their fishing. Fishbrain is an app that confounds me in some ways because most of the fishers I know would likely murder me in my sleep if I started selling their fishing spots. It’s not my place to judge, but the way Fishbrain goes about the process is something that underlines one of the biggest conversations in the development of apps and social media. What is the appropriate way to compensate people for using their data? THE GOOD The function of lodging a catch onto the social feed is pretty simple and it does record some useful details such as weather and tide conditions. The social feed displays fish caught in your area, so you get a quick visual snapshot of the fishing action happening around you. Helpfully, the

The real search though is unlocked when you sign up for a premium account, which is around $90 per year, and that is still its most compelling feature. THE QUIRKS When the premium account is enabled, you can search for fishing spots, see the top performing baits and lures and use their smart prediction system for when to fish. This is built on the quality of data available and knowing as much as I do about the analysis of data, that is not a one-size-fits-all equation. I had a look, for example, at my local creek and ended up with every day of the week showing the same time to go fishing for bream and flathead. Call me crazy, but I expect the tidal differences to come into play. One of the biggest quirks I find in the Fishbrain app is it does make something of an attempt at diarising and analysing your catch. To do any useful analysis,

Data capture for tagging events on the Track My Fish app. OVERALL Fishbrain is simple to use and pretty good at helping you locate fishing spots. The social media aspect of Fishbrain provides a ready audience of fishos without the worry of everyone seeing your Facebook feed full of fish. It’s also not ‘public,’ so if you are fond of being edgy in your comments, it’s a good place to put content that is not going to be searched by your boss. Unless he fishes of course. I don’t recommend the diary aspect of this app at all

aiming to be ‘all things to all men.’ WHAT IT IS Track My Fish (TMF) is different to most of the other apps that I will cover, in that the other apps are intended for individual anglers, whereas TMF is for groups of fishers. For clubs, the main benefit is modernisation. TMF provides clubs with a way to run events without having to go through all the hassles of managing photos and fishing reports. For

tagging groups, it’s all about removing the need to fill out trip sheets at the end of the day, which significantly reduces the errors in rekeying data. For competitions it’s about providing real-time scoreboards and live feeds, reducing the work for competition administrators, freeing them up to do more important things like social media. We have focused on finding a balance between making it easier for fishers to report catches on the water and group managers on the backend. THE GOOD Track My Fish, focuses on enabling recreational fishers to collect data that is usable in a fishery

to an existing fishing group that has registered with the app. It’s not unusual for fishers to download the app then start loading catches using the private fishing mode before realizing they need to connect. Once they do so, it’s smooth sailing. THE NOT SO GOOD Track My Fish does support a private fishing mode and fishing diary function. At the moment, the diary is only available via the web backend, which is not ideal for most fishers who want to use the app as a standalone. There is also a lack of links to tide and weather data. We are in the process of adding in those functions to the app and they will be there by early next year, but even

The live feed from the ABT Queensland Open. management sense. For the first time, recreational anglers can manage data collection under their own steam. As an example, Infofish won a grant from Advance Queensland to extend our monitoring using the app and Crystal Bowl (fishery tracking and forecasting) to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which is a sign that the tide is shifting. Compared to the other two apps, TMF is the fastest to record the important details of the fish, which is important when you want to get the fish back in the water. Track My Fish is less about what individual anglers get back from the fishery, and more about how they can play a role in ensuring there is a sustainable fishery for years to come. That objective is not for everyone, but it’s important that those fishers who do want to make a difference have the best possible tools to do so. Many fishing clubs have struggled to recruit younger fishers, and I hope this tool helps. THE QUIRKS The biggest challenge we have found in using the app is getting people used to the idea that they can fish under more than one ‘event.’ Most apps are download and go, whereas downloading TMF is just the first step. To use the app, you need to connect

then I wouldn’t recommend the app to the casual user, as there will always be better diary apps. OVERALL Of the three apps, TMF is the closest to be able to measure what is going on within the fishery, because it strikes a balance between the simplicity of capturing fish data and the precision of data. TMF also puts the group in control of the data’s use. TMF is not an app for regular fishers, but then it’s not designed to be. We did do an early version aimed at that market, but we felt that the likelihood of there being way too many fishing apps competing for anglers’ time was high. Instead, we focused on what we do best. App fatigue is already a thing in parts of the US with vendors wanting a slice of fishing data for a range of purposes. We believe there is a different way to deliver specific fishing benefits to fishers such as working out when the best time to fish is in a way that protects the individual’s data. That is why we are less focused on the diary elements and more on harnessing the power of the fishing group. By empowering fishing groups to do more of what they love and be successful, we know they will look after the fishery for the future generations. NOVEMBER 2017

Trades, Services, Charter Discover the land of many waters on the unspoilt South Coast of NSW

CLARENCE COAST

HOLIDAY RENTAL

Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters, 0428 828 835

MACLEAY VALLEY COAST

CRESCENT HEAD HOLIDAY RENTALS

Reel Time Fishing Charters Yamba 0428 231 962 Wooli Deep Sea Tours (02) 6649 7100

COFFS COAST Coffs Coast Sport Fishing 0434 517 683 Oceanic Sea Urchin II Charters (02) 6566 6623 or 0428 650 321

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

The Rocks Fishing Charters 0412 074 147 Trial Bay Fishing Charters, 0427 256 556 South West Rocks Fishing Adventures 0411 096 717

www.crescentheadholidayrentals.com.au

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

Phone: 02 6566 0500

www.southwestrocksfishingadventures.com.au

Crescent Head Holiday Rentals (02) 6566 0500 Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks 1300 262 782

HUNTER COAST

PORT & REEF SFISHING GAME ERS

Wangi Point Lakeside Holiday Park (02) 4975 1889 Blacksmiths Holiday Park (02) 4971 2858

CHART

CENTRAL COAST Central Coast Holiday Parks 1800 241 342

u Mid week packages from $420 p/p* u Weekend packages from $320 p/p*

*Minimum 6 people

On board our fully equiped 38ft Randell TRIFECTA

ILLAWARRA COAST

Contact: David Hayman (Stumpee) Mobile: 0411 096 717 info@swrcharters.com.au

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

FRESHWATER

MACQUARIE COAST

Burrinjuck Waters State Park (02) 6227 8114 Winter Keep (Snowy Mountains) www.winterkeep.com.au Grabine Lakeside State Park (02) 4835 2345 Alpine Tourist Park (02) 6454 2438 www.alpinetouristpark.com.au Milani Trout Cottages (02) 6775 5735 www.milanitroutcottages.com Wyangala Waters State Park (02) 6345 0877 Chifley Dam Cabins 1800 68 1000 Copeton Waters (02) 6723 6269

FISH TAXIDERMY

Castaway Estuary Charters 0427 239 650 Ocean Star Fishing Charters 0416 240 877

SYDNEY Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters (02) 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351 Sydney Sportfishing Adventures 0405 196 253 Ocean Hunter Sports Fishing 0414 906 569

EDEN COAST Esprit Fishing Charters 0418 634 524

Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841

CHANDLERY & ACCESSORIES Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014 Korr Lighting www.korrlighting.com.au

ILLAWARRA COAST Sea Lady Charters 0411 024 402 Shell Harbour Fishing Charters 0425 216 370

QUEENSLAND

CHARTER BOATS

Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters Swains & Coral Sea 0427 125 727

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

REEL TIME FISHING CHARTERS

FISHING EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME! • 6am to 2pm $150pp • 2 boats – holds up to 18 people • All fishing gear and bait is supplied • No fishing licence req. • Pickup from Yamba Marina or Iluka ferry wharf

Phone Dave today: www.fishingyamba.com.au 0428 231 962 EASY PARKING

• Reef, Deep Sea and Sport Fishing • Swains, Samurez, Cap Bunker Group • Dories available • LUXURY 20m Cat. New V8 Scanias. Large comfortable and stable. • Air conditioned and fast (cruise up to 16 knots) • Professional crew (over 22 years experience) • Cater for groups up to 12 people from 3 to 10 days • BYO or fully licenced bar • Desalinate unit • Trips designed to suit your requirements

SATELLITE TV INSTALLED

OPEN 7 DAYS

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

www.mikat.com.au MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

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

FISHING GUIDES PORT STEPHENS Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters 0434 370 687

ILLAWARRA COAST Bay & Basin Sportsfishing 0413 610 832

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

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. 94

NOVEMBER 2017

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory KAYAK DEALERS

ba Prawn Blade s” “Yam

The Life Aquatic - Mona Vale – (02) 9979 1590 Australian Bass Angler - Penrith – (02) 4721 0455

BAIT & TACKLE

CLARENCE

Maclean Outdoors - MacLean – (02) 6645 1120

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

Wetspot Watersports -Fyshwick – (02) 6239 1323

“IN THE MAIN STREET” Shop 3, 8 Yamba St, Yamba

Hunts Marine - Yallah – (02) 4284 0444 Bunyips Great Outdoors - Lismore – (02) 6622 1137

Graham Barclay Marine – Forster – (02) 6554 5866 Hunter Water Sports - Belmont – (02) 4947 7899

02 6646 1514 • OPEN 7 DAYS

Totally Immersed Watersports - Nowra (02) 4421 5936 Hunts Marine - Batemans Bay – (02) 4472 2612 Compleat Angler – Merimbula – (02) 6495 3985

MARINE MECHANICS

“The Home of Leavey Lures” • Stocking all Major Brands • Experienced Local Knowledge • Tournament Bream Gear in Stock • Snorkelling gear in stock

SYDNEY Penrith Marine (02) 4731 6250 Moby Marine (02) 9153 6506 or www.mobymarine.com.au Cohoe Marine Products (Sydney) (02) 9519 3575 Blakes Marine (02) 4577 6699 Watersports Marine (02) 9676 1400 Marina Bayside (02) 9524 0044 Shannons Outboards (02) 9482 2638 Hi Tech Marine (02) 4256 6135 TR Marine World (02) 4577 3522

CANBERRA/ACT H2O Marine (02) 6280 0555 Aussie Boat Sales ACT & NSW 0433 531 226

TWEED/BYRON COAST Tweed Coast Marine (07) 5524 8877 Ballina Marineland (02) 6686 2669

COFFS COAST North Coast Boating Centre (02) 6655 7700 Jetty Boating (02) 6651 4002 www.jettyboating.com.au

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

MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS // BOAT & TRAILER Bonanza Trailers 0408 299 129 www.bonanzatrailers.com.au Salt Away 1800 091 172 www.salt-away.com.au

SYDNEY The Boat Pimpers (Sydney) (02) 9792 7799

DEEP WATER PERFORMANCE!

Drop in to see Mick & Kelly

Marina Boat and Tackle (02) 6646 1994 Yamba Bait & Tackle (02) 6646 1514 Wooli Bait & Tackle (02) 6649 7100

COFFS COAST Compleat Angler Kempsey (02) 6562 5307 MOTackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Rocks Marine Bait & Tackle South West Rocks (02) 6566 6726 Outdoor Adventure South West Rocks (02) 6566 5555

MACQUARIE COAST

1449

echoMAP CHIRP 95sv Deep DownVüTM/SideVü GPS Map Combo With GT51 Deepwater Transducer!

Ned Kelly Bait n Tackle Port Macquarie (02) 6583 8318 Graham Barclay Marine (02) 6554 5866 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333

7 GREAT COLOURS!

HUNTER COAST Port Stephens Tackle World (02) 4984 2144

SYDNEY

Gabes Boating & Fishing Centre Narellan (02) 4647 8755 Australian Bass Angler www.abafishing.com.au

FRESHWATER Aberdeen Fishing & Outdoors (02) 6543 7111 Dubbo Marine and Watersports (02) 6882 2853 Loomzys Fish and Fix (Forbes) (02) 6851 1425

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS

www.fishin.com.au ONLINE TOURNAMENT TACKLE STORE

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www.fishin.com.au 0425 230 964 Blue Bottle Fishing 0409 333 380 or www.bluebottlefishing.com MOTackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au Anglers Warehouse www.anglerswarehouse.com.au

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au NOVEMBER 2017

2017 2017 Local Time

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY(FORT (FORTDENISON) DENISON)– – –NEW NEWSOUTH SOUTHWALES WALES SYDNEY JANUARY JANUARY SEPTEMBER

LAT 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ LAT 33° LONG 151° LAT 33° 52’52’ LONG 151° 13’13’ Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Times and Heights High and Low Waters Times and Heights of of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY MARCH FEBRUARY OCTOBER NOVEMBER

Time m m Time m Time Time m m Time m Time 0540 0.47 0432 0.50 05401.29 0.47 04321.15 0.50 0458 0434 1159 1.76 1101 1.78 11590.50 1.76 11010.64 1.78 1040 1013 1831 0.33 1738 0.34 MO SU 1831 0.33 1738 0.34 MO SU 1709 1.70 1652 1.48 FR SA 2339 1.37 2339 1.37 2351 0.31 2338 0.53 0041 1.42 0516 0.52 00411.37 1.42 05161.20 0.52 0555 0531 0628 0.55 1142 1.74 0628 0.55 1142 1.74 1108 0.60 1141 0.43 1241 1.63 1819 0.35 TU MO 1241 1.63 1819 0.35 TU MO 1742 1.55 1805 1.75 SU SA 1912 1912 0.42 0.42 0127 1.39 0025 1.37 01270.24 1.39 00250.46 1.37 0041 0022 0717 0.62 0603 0.55 07171.45 0.62 06031.27 0.55 0645 0616 1323 1.49 1225 1.69 WE TU 1323 1.49 1225 1.69 WE TU 1235 0.36 1156 0.54 MO SU 1952 0.50 1902 0.37 1952 0.50 1902 0.37 1855 1.78 1824 1.62 0215 1.37 0114 1.38 02150.21 1.37 01140.38 1.38 0125 0100 0811 0.69 0656 0.58 0811 0.69 0656 0.58 0730 1.52 0657 1.34 1409 1.37 1312 1.62 TH WE 1409 1.37 1312 1.62 TH WE 1324 0.31 1238 0.47 TU MO 2035 0.56 1950 0.39 2035 0.56 1950 0.39 1941 1.78 1903 1.68 0207 1.41 0307 1.37 02070.32 1.41 03070.21 1.37 0135 0205 0755 0.61 0913 0.73 07551.40 0.61 09131.57 0.73 0733 0813 1406 1.53 1503 1.27 TH FR 1406 1.53 1503 1.27 TH FR 1319 0.41 1411 0.30 TU WE 2123 0.60 2042 0.42 2123 0.60 2042 0.42 1942 1.73 2025 1.73 0306 1.45 0402 1.39 03060.27 1.45 04020.24 1.39 0210 0243 0902 0.62 1022 0.73 09021.47 0.62 10221.59 0.73 0810 0853 1509 1.46 1608 1.21 FR SA 1509 1.46 1608 1.21 FR SA 1400 0.36 1455 0.31 WE TH 2138 0.43 2217 0.62 2138 0.43 2217 0.62 2020 1.75 2106 1.66 0407 1.52 0500 1.43 04070.24 1.52 05000.29 1.43 0245 0318 1017 0.59 1133 0.70 1017 0.59 1133 0.70 0848 1.53 0931 1.60 1620 1.40 1716 1.19 SA SU 1620 1.40 1716 1.19 SA SU 1442 0.33 1538 0.35 TH FR 2237 0.43 2313 0.62 2237 0.43 2313 0.62 2100 1.75 2145 1.56 0509 1.62 0555 1.49 05090.23 1.62 05550.36 1.49 0320 0352 1134 0.52 1235 0.63 1134 0.52 1235 0.63 0929 1.57 1009 1.58 1732 1.39 1820 1.21 SU MO 1732 1.39 1820 1.21 SU MO 1526 0.32 1620 0.40 FR SA 2336 0.41 2336 0.41 2142 1.70 2224 1.46 0609 1.73 0005 0.60 06090.25 1.73 00050.43 0.60 0359 0425 1244 0.41 0644 1.56 1244 0.41 0644 1.56 1011 1.61 1046 1.55 1841 1.40 1326 0.55 MO TU 1841 1.40 1326 0.55 MO TU 1614 0.33 1703 0.46 SA SU 1913 1.25 1913 1.25 2226 1.63 2303 1.36 0033 0.39 0052 0.57 00330.29 0.39 00520.50 0.57 0439 0458 0705 1.84 0728 1.63 07051.62 1.84 07281.52 1.63 1057 1124 1345 0.30 1409 0.47 TU WE 1345 0.30 1409 0.47 TU WE 1705 0.37 1749 0.53 SU MO 1942 1.43 1958 1.29 1942 1.43 1958 1.29 2315 1.52 2345 1.27 0129 0.36 0135 0.53 01290.36 0.36 01350.58 0.53 0523 0535 0800 1.93 0808 1.69 0800 1.93 0808 1.69 1145 1.61 1206 1.47 1441 0.22 1446 0.40 WE TH 1441 0.22 1446 0.40 WE TH 1803 0.42 1841 0.58 MO TU 2038 2038 2038 1.46 1.46 2038 1.34 1.34 0215 0.49 0221 0.35 02151.19 0.49 02211.41 0.35 0008 0034 0846 1.75 0852 1.98 0846 1.75 0852 1.98 0613 0.43 0619 0.64 1523 0.35 1531 0.16 FR TH 1523 0.35 1531 0.16 FR TH 1240 1.60 1255 1.43 TU WE 2116 1.38 2130 1.47 2116 1.38 2130 1.47 1909 0.46 1942 0.62 0313 0.34 0255 0.45 03131.30 0.34 02551.13 0.45 0112 0134 0942 1.99 0925 1.80 09420.51 1.99 09250.69 1.80 0710 0715 1620 0.16 1559 0.30 FR SA 1620 0.16 1559 0.30 FR SA 1343 1.58 1354 1.39 WE TH 2220 1.48 2155 1.42 2220 1.48 2155 1.42 2025 0.48 2051 0.62 0402 0.36 0335 0.43 04021.23 0.36 03351.12 0.43 0226 0247 1030 1.96 1003 1.82 1030 1.96 1003 1.82 0817 0.55 0825 0.71 1706 0.19 1635 0.28 SA SU 1706 0.19 1635 0.28 SA SU 1453 1.59 1501 1.39 TH FR 2309 1.47 2234 1.45 2309 1.47 2234 1.45 2144 0.45 2158 0.59 0452 0.41 0417 0.42 04521.23 0.41 04171.15 0.42 0346 0400 1115 1.87 1043 1.82 1115 1.87 1043 1.82 0930 0.55 0936 0.69 1749 0.25 1714 0.27 SU MO 1749 0.25 1714 0.27 SU MO 1604 1.63 1608 1.43 FR SA 2355 1.44 2316 1.48 2355 1.44 2316 1.48 2253 0.38 2255 0.52 0502 0.42 0502 0.42 1125 1125 1.78 1.78 1753 0.28 TU TU 1753 0.28

Time m m Time m Time Time m m Time m Time 0042 1.47 0000 1.50 00420.34 1.47 00001.22 1.50 0029 0559 0644 0.57 0551 0.45 06441.43 0.57 05510.64 0.45 0640 1138 1246 1.45 1208 1.71 TH WE 1246 1.45 1208 1.71 TH WE 1233 0.47 1803 1.49 MO SU 1859 0.52 1834 1859 0.52 1834 0.32 0.32 1848 1.64 0123 1.44 0047 1.51 01230.31 1.44 00470.45 1.51 0115 0041 0731 0.64 0643 0.49 0731 0.64 0643 0.49 0645 1.30 0726 1.51 1328 1.34 1256 1.61 FR TH 1328 1.34 1256 1.61 FR TH 1230 0.56 1327 0.41 TU MO 1937 0.58 1919 0.37 1937 0.58 1919 0.37 1849 1.56 1936 1.64 0209 1.42 0140 1.52 02090.30 1.42 01400.37 1.52 0156 0120 0828 0.69 0741 0.53 08281.58 0.69 07411.40 0.53 0808 0725 1417 1.25 1349 1.50 SA FR 1417 1.25 1349 1.50 SA FR 1415 0.36 1315 0.47 WE TU 2023 0.64 2009 0.43 2023 0.64 2009 0.43 1931 1.63 2020 1.62 0237 1.53 0303 1.40 02370.31 1.53 03030.31 1.40 0232 0157 0848 0.56 0933 0.71 08481.49 0.56 09331.63 0.71 0847 0802 1451 1.39 1520 1.18 SA SU 1451 1.39 1520 1.18 SA SU 1458 0.34 1358 0.38 TH WE 2107 0.48 2120 0.68 2107 0.48 2120 0.68 2101 1.57 2012 1.68 0340 1.56 0405 1.41 03400.25 1.56 04050.33 1.41 0232 0307 1006 0.56 1048 0.70 1006 0.56 1048 0.70 0841 1.59 0924 1.66 1606 1.32 1636 1.16 SU MO 1606 1.32 1636 1.16 SU MO 1442 0.31 1539 0.34 TH FR 2212 0.51 2227 0.70 2212 0.51 2227 0.70 2054 1.70 2141 1.51 0447 1.62 0509 1.44 04470.22 1.62 05090.38 1.44 0309 0339 1126 0.51 1157 0.65 11261.67 0.51 11571.67 0.65 0920 1000 1725 1.30 1749 1.18 MO TU 1725 1.30 1749 1.18 MO TU 1526 0.25 1618 0.35 FR SA 2318 0.50 2330 0.67 2318 0.50 2330 0.67 2137 1.69 2219 1.45 0553 1.70 0607 1.51 05530.22 1.70 06070.43 1.51 0347 0411 1237 0.42 1252 0.57 12371.74 0.42 12521.66 0.57 1002 1033 1836 1.33 1846 1.24 TU WE 1836 1.33 1846 1.24 TU WE 1614 0.23 1658 0.38 SA SU 2223 1.65 2258 1.38 0021 0.47 0025 0.62 00210.25 0.47 00250.49 0.62 0429 0443 0654 1.78 0656 1.58 0654 1.78 0656 1.58 1046 1.77 1108 1.64 1338 0.33 1337 0.49 WE TH 1338 0.33 1337 0.49 WE TH 1704 0.23 1738 0.42 SU MO 1936 1.38 1932 1.31 1936 1.38 1932 1.31 2313 1.57 2337 1.32 0119 0.42 0112 0.56 01190.31 0.42 01120.55 0.56 0512 0516 0748 1.86 0740 1.66 0748 1.86 0740 1.66 1134 1.78 1145 1.60 1430 0.26 1416 0.41 TH FR 1430 0.26 1416 0.41 TH FR 1759 0.27 1820 0.47 MO TU 2029 2013 2029 1.44 1.44 2013 1.38 1.38 0212 0.38 0155 0.49 02121.46 0.38 01551.25 0.49 0005 0019 0839 1.90 0820 1.74 08390.39 1.90 08200.61 1.74 0600 0554 1516 0.22 1453 0.33 FR SA 1516 0.22 1453 0.33 FR SA 1225 1.74 1224 1.55 TU WE 2115 1.49 2051 1.46 2115 1.49 2051 1.46 1858 0.32 1907 0.52 0236 0.42 0301 0.36 02361.20 0.42 03011.36 0.36 0104 0106 0900 1.80 0926 1.90 0900 1.80 0926 1.90 0653 0.48 0639 0.67 1530 0.28 1559 0.22 SU SA 1530 0.28 1559 0.22 SU SA 1321 1.69 1309 1.49 WE TH 2130 1.53 2200 1.51 2130 1.53 2200 1.51 2005 0.38 2001 0.56 0348 0.36 0319 0.37 03481.28 0.36 03191.17 0.37 0202 0211 1010 1.86 0941 1.83 1010 1.86 0941 1.83 0733 0.72 0755 0.56 1639 0.25 1606 0.24 SU MO 1639 0.25 1606 0.24 SU MO 1402 1.44 1425 1.63 FR TH 2243 1.52 2210 1.59 2243 1.52 2210 1.59 2102 0.58 2119 0.41 0432 0.39 0403 0.34 04321.24 0.39 04031.16 0.34 0327 0308 1052 1.78 1024 1.82 10520.61 1.78 10240.75 1.82 0907 0839 1715 0.30 1645 0.24 MO TU 1715 0.30 1645 0.24 MO TU 1536 1.60 1506 1.41 FR SA 2323 1.51 2252 1.64 2323 1.51 2252 1.64 2231 0.40 2206 0.57 0516 0.44 05161.27 0.44 0443 0416 1.19 1131 1.68 11310.60 1.68 1023 0951 0.74 1751 0.37 TU 17511.60 0.37 SU 1615 1.41 1649 SATU 2334 0.37 2303 0.52 0002 1.49 0002 1.49 0547 1.34 0516 1.27 0600 0.51 06000.54 0.51 1132 1059 0.69 1209 1.57 WE 12091.62 1.57MO 1715 1.45 1753 SUWE 1825 0.45 1825 0.45 2351 0.46

1616

1717

1818

1919

2020

2121

2222

2323

2424

2525

1010

1111

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 Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2015, Bureau of Meteorology Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2015, Bureau Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of of Australia 2015, Bureau of of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum Predictions Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of of Predictions is is Lowest Astronomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in in effect New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon Tide predictions for Sydney (Fort Denison) have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions. 96

NOVEMBER 2017

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 98 MotorGuide Xi5 Inside story...

Sea Jay Aluminium Boats has been family owned and operated for over 25 years, and the name has become renowned for strength, quality workmanship and customisation with the angler in mind. Whether you’re fishing in fresh or salt, inshore or offshore, Sea Jay will provide you with a model to suit your boating and fishing needs.

Made for...

Sea Jay specialises in boats for sports anglers, offering a stable fishing platform and plenty of storage.

This month...

Editor Steve Morgan examines Sea Jay’s versatile 4.88 Avenger Sport on a beautiful day on Moreton Bay. Check it out on page 110!

Wayne Kampe tests out the wireless MotorGuide Xi5 in his home waters.

100 All about the finish After briefing us on the layout, Wayne Kampe goes into the finishing touches that make his new Galey so good.

102 Tomaga tales

Toby Grundy visits a beautiful South Coast river, and uncovers some of its esturine secrets.

104 ICAST wrap-up

Justin Willmer reports back from ICAST in the states after seeing what big brands will have to offer soon!

108 Waverider 550 CC

Wayne Kampe catches up with Pat from Waverider Boats to take this unsinkable rig for a run.

NOVEMBER 2017

Testing Booth

New age Wireless Xi5 MotorGuide a winner BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In this issue of the magazine I’ve outlined some of the things that have enhanced fishing experiences with our Galeforce 4.5m centre console. While the performance ride and handling are naturally major factors, it’s the extra items that we carefully assessed as mandatory additions that have been the icing on the cake.

when compared with those of yesteryear. Things like instant response to any command, sheer convenience of the main features plus the effortless silent power of the unit have certainly made my fishing a lot more enjoyable – and dare I say successful – than other auxiliary propulsion units I have owned. CONTROL UNITS Starting at the beginning, the Xi5 MotorGuide’s handbook set out things very carefully and in easy-tounderstand language. As a

me to be fully hands-on with tricky tackle tactics while I turned the boat with a toe. When barra fishing with the fly rod, I far prefer the foot control over the hand unit as there will always be times when it’s necessary to devote full attention to a fish and its attempts to get into cover. When things are more relaxed, the hand controls earn its keep, so both options are the smartest way to go. It was also handy to know that no matter how involved I was with a fish or other distraction, the exact command I’d given

A fabulous fly-caught Somerset Dam bass taken by Richard Harvey. The Xi5’s Anchor Mode ensured the Galeforce stayed right over the fish. was invaluable. Providing the prevailing breeze was light I was happy enough to drift while fly fishing for these great little fighters, but once breeze strengthened and

Anchor position, regaining the hot spot was as easy as pressing and releasing the previously selected button to get the craft moving back to the honey hole. An ascending

as easily selected again and acted upon with a touch of the Route Playback and relevant storage button. It was easy to look for fish as we travelled and stop to harass them or

Hook-up! The author relied on the Xi5’s silent running to sneak onto a Cania saratoga. While there are several contenders for the big tick of approval, the Xi5 MotorGuide electric motor is right up there as a for absolute highest honours. For the three months I have had it on the front of the boat it has certainly surprised me with its smooth efficiency, capability and diversity of functions. One thing that has been very obvious from the outset is just how far advanced the modern electric motor is

somewhat older convert to the modern digital age (for years I thought a megabyte was a big meal; a terabyte an extra hot curry) it was nothing more than fun to undertake a couple of steps to initialise the unit to both the foot and hand control units. So why do I use both of these control units? Put simply, although the hand control is undeniably convenient, there have been times in the past when the use of a foot control allowed

the Xi5 MotorGuide had been received and acted upon. A beep signal follows a command and tuning the audible beeps (there are three audio modes available) gave an insight into how commands worked. I chose Audio Mode No. 2 to cover everything from Start Up to Anchor position record and recall. ANCHOR MODE HANDY Fishing for bass at Cania and Somerset dams in late winter I found the Xi5 MotorGuide’s Anchor mode The MotorGuide saw the author stealthily casting to features in Cania Dam in search of saratoga and bass.

A brilliant successful combination - the Lowrance HDS Carbon 12 and MotorGuide Xi5 in use at Lake Somerset. Note the track in red showing the boat heading back on a predetermined route to waypoint 45, with the bass just starting to show on the sloping bank of the Stanley River bed. 98

NOVEMBER 2017

became a pest I immediately touched the Anchor Mode button to lock into place over a school. If the Lowrance Carbon 12’s sounder screen was telling us there were fish in a certain area, a two second press of one of the numbered buttons on the hand control would see the Anchor position exactly stored for reference later. Feeding bass frequently move, of course, (especially if a few of their mates are being hauled struggling to the surface) and once the sounder showed the fish were moving it was very convenient to use the hand control buttons to move the boat 1.5m per time with a ‘jog’ command in a chosen direction. But if we had drifted some distance from the original

chirp from the MotorGuide would always confirm the command was being acted on. FOLLOWING A ROUTE Another big feature of the Xi5 is the unit’s ability to follow a predetermined route. This feature, relying upon the MotorGuide’s GPS to follow a given track, has been very useful when working both reef edges in Moreton Bay as well as the Stanley river’s bed in Somerset Dam. In the freshwater scenario setting up a route on the Stanley’s bed was as easy as activating the hand control’s Route Record button then manually tracking a chosen section of river bed. A press on a chosen hand control button saw the route I selected stored at the end of travel, to be just

keep on travelling to the route’s end where the Anchor lock would activate to remind us we had reached the end of the selected course. Naturally, the same system worked just as easily along a reef edge in Moreton Bay’s Peel Island. THE OVERVIEW In overviewing the MotorGuide Xi5 I’m more than satisfied with my investment. The unit is a no brainer to use, is very easy to deploy or retrieve (my dear wife can testify to that as she fishes from the front of our boat) and not the least of the great things about the Xi5, is that both foot and hand control units are powered by batteries (AA and AAA) that are freely available at a huge number of outlets.

WHAT’S NEW BOATING BAR CRUSHER EXOCET

Bar Crusher’s latest special edition series – the Exocet – is available in two versions, the 615C and 670HT. These new models incorporate the standard features found in all Bar Crushers, plus extra inclusions. There’s a new distinctive paint scheme; carpet-lined roof, cabin (lower section) and cockpit side pockets; welded uprights in side pockets for screw-in rod/gaff/tagpole storage; new mini deluxe baitboard (615C); 15” black mag trailer wheels and black painted mudguards and more. Rated to carry up to a 150hp outboard [615C] and 200hp [670HT], with respective fuel capacities of 140L and 190L (long-range tanks also available), these ultra-tough boats are capable of running miles offshore. As with all Bar Crusher cuddy cabins, the 615C’s gas-strut roof (with side clears) folds down to reduce the on-trailer height by around 1m. The 670HT Exocet’s stylish allweather hard top and toughened safety glass windscreen allows full standing room and a 360-degree view from the helm, with slideopening side windows. www.barcrusher.com.au

HUMMINBIRD HELIX SERIES

The new Humminbird Helix series boasts models that features Mega Imaging with CHIRP digital sonar, AutoChart Live vegetation and bottom hardness mapping, and Bluetooth connectivity. With a sonar frequency nearly three times greater than traditional 455kHz frequencies, anglers benefit from the clearest, sharpest underwater views ever, with vastly improved Mega Side Imaging and Mega Down Imaging. In addition to mapping depth, AutoChart Live now gives anglers the ability to map aquatic vegetation and changing bottom hardness. Select new Helix units also feature built-in Bluetooth, which allows users to sync their smartphones and other devices, delivering text messages, missed calls and more. The Helix G2N range has 7”, 9”, 10” and 12” models, each with three CHIRPing sonar model options, AutoChart Live and Bluetooth, and select models have Mega Side Imaging and Mega Down Imaging. The Helix G2 range has 5” and 7” versions, each with the same CHIRPing sonar model options as the G2N. The G2 units are also now equipped with AutoChart Live. www.bla.com.au

LIGHTWEIGHT SUZUKI DF100B

Suzuki’s new DF100B 4-stroke outboard is the lightest in its class and at 157kg, is 25kg lighter than the DF100A. The new model also has the largest gear box ratio in its class and uses the same proven 1502cc engine unit as the DF70A/80A/90A models. However, Suzuki has stepped it up by adding a water detecting system, the advantage of which alerts the driver with an audible alarm and visual warning if water is detected in the fuel. This means safer boating for the driver and less chance of corrosion and loss of power output in the engine itself. The DF100B also boasts Lean Burn fuel technology, offset driveshaft, maintenancefree timing chains and tilt limit system, all packaged in a stylish body. The DF100B and DF100A will both be available to allow customers to select which outboard best suits their needs. DF100B stock will be available this summer. www.suzukimarine.com.au

FULLY ELECTRIC BOAT

Inspired by the new wave of electric cars, USA yacht manufacturer Hinkley has created an on-water equivalent. The new creation is called the Dasher, and Hinkley describes it as the “world’s first fully electric luxury yacht”. It has a silent Whisper Drive propulsion system powered by dual BMW i3 lithium ion batteries. The Dasher accepts dual 50amp charging cables (twice as fast as the most popular plug-in electric cars), which deliver a full charge in under four hours. This 28’6” craft has twin 80hp electric inboard motors which produce almost no noise, and zero emissions. They deliver a cruising speed of around 16km/h and a fast cruising speed of 43km/h. The boat’s range is an estimated 64km at cruising speed and around 32-40km at fast cruising speed. Minimising weight has been a big focus of the design, and it achieves this with a carbonepoxy composite hull and carbon stringers. At around USD$500k, the Dasher is out of the reach of most. However, given the increasing accessibility and affordability of electric cars, electric boating may well follow suit. www.hinckleyyachts.com

MERCURY FOURSTROKE SALE

PRODUCT GUIDE 1

For a limited time, Mercury is offering Australian boaters significant savings on its FourStrokes from 3.5hp right through to 150hp – savings from $175 to $1,950 recommended retail. And for anyone purchasing an engine from 40hp-150hp, this offer also includes a free VesselView Mobile, worth $450 (recommended retail). VesselView Mobile provides SmartCraft engine data on your smartphone or tablet, and to receive the data, owners simply need to download the free VesselView Mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. The Mercury Unbeatable FourStroke Deals sale ends on 20 November, 2017. Terms and conditions apply, and more information is available on the Mercury Marine website. Low finance deals are also available through Mercury Finance. www.mercurymarine.com

SIMRAD GO12 XSE AND GO7 XSR

The GO12 XSE and GO7 XSR are the newest additions to Simrad’s GO standalone chartplotter series. The GO12 XSE offers a new, 12” display option for the series, while the upgraded GO7 XSR features a restyled, glass-helm design, along with radar compatibility, not previously available on the GO7 XSE. Featuring super-bright displays, these new units have intuitive menus and multi-touch controls similar to smartphones and tablets. Even novices will find them easy to use. Fully compatible with Simrad Broadband 3G/4G and Halo Radar systems, the GO12 XSE and GO7 XSR also feature internal GPS receivers, StructureScan HD and CHIRP Sonar, autopilot integration, engine data monitoring, full audio entertainment connectivity with SonicHub2, built-in wireless connectivity and the Simrad TripIntel trip computer. Both units connect to NMEA 2000 compatible sensors, and a wide range of cartography options are available. Look out for them later this year. Price: from $1049 (GO7), $3499 (GO12) www.simrad-yachting.com

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

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NOVEMBER 2017

Things that made a good boat even better BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In last month’s issue I discussed the layout of my 4.5m Galeforce centre console, which was tailored to suit my fishing requirements. In this article I’m outlining some of the things – the extras if you like – that have made a good boat into a great fishing boat. 75 EVINRUDE E-TEC With almost two decades of experience with Evinrude E-Tecs, it was a no-brainer that I would select one of these low emission 2-strokes to power the solid Galeforce hull. I’m no petrol-head, but I require my engines to perform; in fact, I just don’t see much sense in powering a boat with any engine that struggles to achieve adequate hull performance. It’s false economy in my view. It’s no secret that I

emission rating would allow us to fish some of the areas off limits to non-compliant engines. Wivenhoe Dam is one of my favourite bass impoundments and the E-Tec fulfils the Water Board’s stringent emission requirements very well. Our 75hp turns revs into speed via a 13 7/8 x 17

LOWRANCE CARBON 12 When a sounder is as good as this unit it’s hard to know where to start, or where to finish! To keep things in perspective I had used a Lowrance 12” HDS Gen 3 unit in my previous boat and thought it was just the bee’s knees. I loved

The picture says it all. There’s no way the Keel Shield can contact the trailer at any stage.

The Evinrude 75 was the perfect engine choice for the 4.5 Galeforce.

An interesting screen shot of the Carbon 12 – note the dark arches (the bass) and the boney bream school so close to the surface that their shadow is visible on the side imaging. love the instant response from these direct fuel injected 2-strokes, which provide impressive power to weight ratios along with frugal fuel consumption. Past experience is usually a pretty reliable guide to the future, so reinforced by my previous ownership of three 90s, one 25 and one 40hp E-Tec – all without the slightest sniff of an issue during well over 1400 hours on the water – I figured I’d stay with what I had complete confidence in. With recommended engine ratings of 70-75hp, the 1.3L three-cylinder E-Tec 75 with it’s 20” leg would have the grunt to provide very strong performance while the CARB three star ultra-low 100

NOVEMBER 2017

Viper prop, which virtually kicks the craft out of the hole in around two boat lengths and yet provides excellent fuel usage figures. The Galey – two up – planes at 13.4km/h at 2500rpm while 3000rpm sees it humming along at 30.6km/h with a fuel usage of 13.1L/h. At 4000rpm – a cruising fave – the GPS indicated 48.6km/h and fuel consumption of 17.4L/h, while 5000rpm gave us some breeze at 64.5km/h. Of real significance is the fact that at cruising speeds of around 40-50kph (3500-4000rpm) normal conversation is possible. Fuel consumption is so good that a big morning of fishing Somerset Dam would usually mean a fuel usage of 3.5L.

the thing, but once I got my head around the huge difference involved with the Carbon 12 I suddenly realised what a gift I had at my disposal. Keeping all the tech jargon to a minimum – the dual core processor, twice the RAM of the Gen 3 predecessor, new wireless Bluetooth connectivity – it was the ultra clarity of the big screen (even when wearing sunglasses) along with user-friendliness and a host other features that make fishing as easy as possible that I found to be some of the highlights of using the powerful sounder GPS. Once the Carbon 12 unit was installed and the Total Scan transducer setup it was very satisfying to customise split screen pages to suit my fishing and organize a suitable data overlay for a planned fishing trip. For instance, when barra fishing in an impoundment I set up a prominent water temperature overlay on the screen to find the warmest water on the day.

This is obviously not so important when fishing Moreton Bay, as depth and bottom features are the go-to items there. I enjoyed downloading impoundment and other social maps, setting up access to the GoFree store via my home wifi and working out a

been great to fish a new area and have an Insight Genesis Social Map of that waterway available as one of the ‘favourites,’ which I have specifically set up for my use. I favour a mix of screen features from sonar/ structure scan (sonar on the top half of the screen)

A Hard Korr Boatlight kit – with dimmer – is very useful for night fishing. catalogue of music for the Sonic Hub2 linked to the Lowrance unit. On the water it has

Denise caught this fat bass taken from a school spotted on the sounder.

right through to navigation, side scan and sonar on other screens. A simple touch will see the desired favourite on the screen while adjustment of depth to maximise all images has also provided the best view of what our finny friends are up to! Navigating around coastal areas via the Navionics chart is simple while the GPS function of the Carbon 12 has been faultless and just as userfriendly as every other aspect of the unit. New trails with a different colour are handy; a run back to the ramp on Borumba Dam after dark as the result of an overly-extended toga session well up Kingham Creek was highlighted by a red trail. Mind you, the Hard Korr LED headlight on the underside of the Xi5 MotorGuide’s mounting point earned its keep that night too.

DUNBIER SR4 7M-13B TRAILER The Dunbier SR4 7M-13B is one of Dunbier’s Supa Rolla series of trailers that provide a very important self-centring feature as a craft is either driven or winched on. The trailer’s design is super strong and allows a boat to be carried low within the support rollers, which is ideal for Vee hulls such as the Galeforce. Rear cross members, with sets of rollers each side, always self centre the hull as soon as it is drawn into it. I don’t like to immerse bearings and will avoid the situation at every opportunity, so our rig rolls gently off the trailer

– and is retrieved – without giving the bearings a swim each time. The low profile

of the hull within the trailer greatly facilitates this small bearing preservation fetish

One of best features of this trailer is the way in which the hull’s bow section and frontal area never touches the rollers or any other part of the trailer. This is a very significant feature as it ensures the Keel Shield on the bow is not subjected to compression or high degrees of friction as the boat goes on or off the trailer, which of course might cause it some grief. This all-roller setup is

something to be seriously considered when choosing a trailer for a glass hull; launch and retrieval are simplified and the design of the SR4 7M-13B ensures the Keel Shield stays put to protect the hull at the ramp or on gravel edges. HARD KORR LIGHTING PRODUCTS A Korr boatlight kit has been installed under all side decks and around the stern of the craft for night

fishing. With its capacity to dim and the availability of several colours to keep pesky insects at bay at night, the Hard Korr light kit is a brilliant asset. The LED spotlight up front of the craft is an essential item to avoid contact with folk who mistakenly feel that having a nav light on when casting a lure 30m from their craft at night will scare barra away from their boat.

With a screen like this, the bass are certainly on the job. Note the small patch of bait up higher, doubtless trying to get away!

Hard Korr LED spotlight is a valuable asset for dam navigation after dark.

of mine! Yes, my feet and legs do get wet, but being waterproof I don’t need to check them periodically for corrosion after salt water use. With is mechanical brakes and 13” wheels, the Dunbier SR4 7M-13B trailer suits our purposes admirably. On the road – our boat is having plenty of travel around the state, Peter Faust is next – the Galey’s hull sits low, there’s reduced wind resistance and the trailer is beautifully balanced at all speeds.

With the Keel Shield on, the boat can be drawn onto concrete ramps and other hard surfaces without risk of damage.

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Take a trip to the Tomaga River CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

A few years back, I was staying at a mate’s coast house near Broulee. The house was positioned right on a river that I had never fished before that looked promising, so we decided to give it a crack. We ducked down to the main bridge over the river one afternoon and cast from the bank out to the pylons. My friend picked up three big bream within the first few casts, but I didn’t catch much. I was too busy staring up the river at the maze of snags and flats thinking about giant flathead. I have since kayaked the Tomaga River a few times and found it offers outstanding flathead fishing. It is also one of the most unique fisheries on the South Coast, because its upper reaches are kayak-only and the occasional giraffe can be seen on the bank as the river passes by Mogo Zoo. FACILITIES The Tomaga River winds it’s way around the town of Tomakin on the South Coast of NSW and up to the town of Mogo. You can pick up food and tackle supplies in Batemans Bay, and there is also a petrol station and

right along the river and therefore you don’t need a beacon, but I would recommend a life jacket as it can get windy and the current can be strong. SPECIES The Tomaga River has good populations of silver trevally, blackfish, bream,

Wriggler 80mm in gary glitter or the Ecogear grass minnow with a 1/8oz jighead. Twitch the plastic along the bottom. Short, quick lifts a re key along with long pauses. This type of retrieve best mimics the baitfish, which school in huge numbers at the back of the system. I also recommend

Pedal kayaks are best for the 18km round trip. some massive flathead. If you’re fishing these areas, I recommend upsizing your leader. If the fish aren’t hanging around the racks, head up further towards the zoo. Here you’ll find plenty of structure both above and below the surface. There are half-submerged gum trees which are always worth a crack along with some

Aquayak r recommends ifvoer Tomago R

TACKLE I use a Daiwa Harrier 1-3kg light stick matched to a Daiwa 1000 Certate spooled with 6lb braid and 6lb leader. I also always bring a spare spool with me of 4lb fluorocarbon in case the fish are really shut down. I do lose fish using this outfit, but I catch more than I drop. You’ll get more bites the lighter you go.

The author with a good-sized flathead from the Tomaga. flounder and flathead. Most of these fish are found closer to the river mouth, which is accessible by boat. The better flathead and bream fishing is up the back of the river, which is only accessible by kayak at high tide.

natural colours, as the water is clear and shallow. Small shallow divers like the Ecogear SX48 also work well. Cast your diver parallel to a likely bank and slow roll the lure back to your position inserting the occasional pause

Tomaga is a beautiful river. supermarket near a good launch spot next to George Bass Drive. There is phone reception

doing a lot of casting, so you’ll need your hands free most of the time. Also, it’s an 18km round trip if you intend to fish the pristine waters at the top of the system and that’s a long way to paddle. I took my Native Slayer 13 and though its turning circle is not the best, it does

The river was affected by commercial netting in the late nineties but has made a remarkable comeback. The fish are big and well fed. TECHNIQUES If the fish are shut down, I recommend using soft plastics like the Squidgy

in the retrieve. I have caught some great flatties using this method. Often the flathead will hit the lure once you’ve started winding again after a short pause. THE KAYAK I would recommend a peddle kayak. You will be

have reverse, which made manoeuvring large flathead out of the snags a breeze. The larger kayak also helped me remain stable when standing and casting. THE SOUNDER If the river is sitting below 20°C, there really isn’t much point in fishing it. I have tried and been unsuccessful. However, once it tops 20, it starts fishing well. The temperature changes as you travel up the river and it’s important to have a sounder with you that can read temperature so that you can find the patches that are worth fishing. On my last trip I fished a bank that was sitting on 21°C, while the pools either side were cooler. I pulled over 30 flathead from that bank and nothing in either of the other pools. I use a Lowrance Series 7 Ti (an outstanding bit of kit), but any sounder that can give you a good temperature read out will do. LOCATION If you push up past the sandflats (where the boats can’t venture), you’ll find row upon row of oyster racks. Start here. There are plenty of bream hanging around the area, but there are also

Find the patches of water sitting on or above 20°C. significant weed beds that provide good ambush points for hungry flathead. TIMING The Tomaga River fishes well from early spring through to early December. Once the crowds roll in during school holidays it does go quiet and fires up again from February through to April. In winter it’s very quiet.

CONCLUSION The Tomaga River is a great little fishery and most of it is only accessible by kayak. It’s visually spectacular and the flathead are big and fight well. Now is the time to visit before the crowds and you never know, maybe you’ll see a few giraffes while battling a big lizard on the flats!

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103

ICAST kayak highlights BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Based in Orlando Florida, ICAST is the world’s largest Sportfishing trade show and a showcase for the latest innovations in fishing gear, apparel, accessories and, of interest to many of us, the latest and greatest

and even climb into some new kayaks or test new drive systems. It was a good opportunity to get hands on with new products, speak to Pro Anglers about product design and features, and get a taster for the almost 2000 exhibitors showing their wares throughout the show. Hobie again had a strong presence at the show, including the unveiling by

with pre-drilled holes and nut spaces in the back for easy mounting of additional rod holders and other items, along with four heavyduty straps for securing the H-Crate to your kayak, canoe or SUP. The H-Rail integration around the top of the crate allows you to attach any of the H-Rail accessories, including rod holders, tackle bin, cup holder, camera

The Hobie Mirage Eclipse continues to capture the imagination of those who love the water.

The On Water Day allows visitors to experience all types of craft first-hand. from the world leaders in everything kayaking and kayak fishing. I was lucky enough to again attend ICAST, taking

Steve Fields of a Hobie PA kayak, wrapped especially to announce that this year’s Hobie Worlds event would be held in Sweden. Anglers

mount, etc. A quality, durable and practical storage option for kayak anglers. A couple more Hobie releases that gained plenty of attention were the upgrade to the Mirage Drive 180, which has just arrived in Australia, allowing Hobie anglers to switch from forward to reverse with the pull of a shift cable, and also the Mirage Eclipse SUP with a difference, it’s pedal powered and has steering! The Mirage Drive 180 will give the Hobie angler much more control of their kayak, being able to switch

from forward to reverse in seconds to back fish out of cover, fish closer to structure with safety, hold in either direction in current, regulate distance from structure when drifting in wind and overall present that lure more effectively and drive it more effectively by offering greater control of the vessel. The 180 Drive system weighs in under 8lb, new for 2018 are ARC cranks that adjust with the push of a button to accommodate users from child to adult and the dual fins provide shallow water access and easy shore landings by simply pushing one pedal forward. Not brand new, but certainly still attracting plenty of interest at the show was the Mirage Eclipse Pedalboards, a SUP with Hobie’s fin system and a set of pedals like a low impact walking machine, along with handlebars with levers that you squeeze to turn left or right. The pedal system and handlebars can be removed as required, just in case you want to keep it really simple. If you haven’t seen the video check it out, they look like great fun, good for fitness and an alternative fishing option… I’m always

The Slayer Propel 12 LT thermoformed ABS lightweight pedal kayak.

Horizontal rod storage sorted in the Titan 13.5 Propel. a little bit of time out from our stand to get around and check out what’s new. Much of what was released at the show will have started arriving on our shores in time for our peak spring and summer kayak season, with more to come… and of course it’s perfect timing for those of us looking for a kayak related Christmas gift to ask Santa for. The day prior to allowing us into the show to check everything out, the organisers have an on-water day, held on and around the lakes at the exhibition centre. Here visitors can cast new rods and reels, swim new lures 104

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from all over the world compete in their local regions to qualify for this event, bringing the world together in a competitive, friendly environment that celebrates the sport of kayak fishing. Other additions from Hobie included the H-Crate Jr, a smaller version of the original H-Crate, which takes the old milk crate in the rear well storage idea and brings it into the modern era, with quality materials and loads of features. The footprint on the H-Crate Jr is 14” x 14” and it includes four integrated rod holders, one in each corner, with bungy cord to secure your rods, grid wall

A few Bote Boards just waiting to be test driven.

looking for another vessel to add to the menagerie of fishing craft. I added a Native Watercraft pedal kayak to my fleet over five years ago and it was great to catch up with Woody Callaway from Native who was generous with his time, talking me through some of the new gear. Their pedal drive system has a propeller for providing thrust, instant hands-free switch from forward to reverse and after plenty of hours on the water my drive system has been faultless. My fingers are crossed that the full Titan series of kayaks reach our shores as they are a super-stable, functional fishing machine. The impressive Titan 13.5 was on display and is now available in Australia. It

has miles of room for gear, while offering unsurpassed stability for stand up fishing, a massive 250kg capacity and 105cm beam, horizontal rod storage, two rear Power-

lightweight option for those who require this feature. Other features include Propel Pedal Drive, sharp entry and flare in the bow for enhanced glide and smooth

The H-Crate and H-Crate Jr are quality, functional storage options for the kayak, canoe or SUP. Pole mounts, full length seat sliding track, bow hatch with hull storage, split paddle storage, anti-slip pads, Groove Tracks throughout, cup holder, Intuitive Rudder System, transducer mounting plate, elevated First Class Seating and signature squared off stern with the option of a custom motor mount that will accept trolling motors for a power-assisted ride. This is a big kayak, definitely not a one-person roof topper, rather an ultimate purpose built fishing machine that is super stable and loaded with features. After the success of the Titan 13.5, including a ‘Coolest Gear of the Show’ at a recent paddle expo, I’m not surprised that Native have also announced the addition of a Titan 10, due for release at the end of 2017 and Titan 12, due for an early 2018 release. Another interesting addition and another first for Native Watercraft, who also have the slogan ‘first with reverse’, is the Slayer Propel 12 LT, the first lightweight pedal kayak constructed from thermoformed ABS. The thermoformed ABS is smooth and classy, while also being extremely durable, impact resistant and most importantly an extremely

Best in Show at ICAST 2017 was taken out by a SUP, stand up paddle board, but not just any SUP. Bote Boards have finally made their way to Australia and we can only hope that the award-winning Rover follows. A premium product, Bote Boards would have to be the best quality, best designed SUPs that I have come across, from their stylish, functional lines, to their finish quality and range of accessories, including the Tackle Rac, Tackle Web, Bucket Rac and integrated attachment points for the Travelink Sling to make transporting your SUP simple and comfortable. Rover though is next level. Designed as a paddleboard first, Rover blurs the lines between paddleboard and skiff.

Now that’s a cool dock idea – you don’t even get your feet wet! Rover include thick rails that improve stability by adding volume along the rails, keyless, snap in side fins to keep you tracking straight, a sunken cockpit to lower your centre of gravity and create side rails to keep you from losing gear, a powder coated aluminium bar for lifting and safety from the motor, power well which improves performance and safety, while allowing you to trim the motor up when paddling, running channels for channelling water and increasing stability at speed, durable Honeycore construction that is incredibly durable, foam filled and unsinkable, along with that Deep-V nose for better tracking, speed and silence. You can even add a PowerPole Micro or a Wheel Rac so that you can wheel Rover to the water. Sign me up!

Cockpit space, storage and stability galore in the Titan 13.5 Propel. travel in choppy conditions, First Class frame seat with sliding adjustment, stern storage, dry storage, rudder system, flush mounted rod holders, groove tracks, anti-slip pads, water bottle holder and much more. The Slayer Propel 12 LT is now available to Aussie anglers and here’s a few specs: length 366cm, beam 86cm, weight 28kg and a maximum capacity of 158kg.

FeelFree, Bonafide, Pelican, Jackson and NuCanoe to name a few, new paddle designs from the likes of Bending Branches and plenty of new tools, storage options, attachment systems transducer mounting options, kayak lighting drink holders, rod holders, trailers, live wells and much more. Not all of these products will find their way to our shores, however I guess the key is that shows like ICAST and our own AFTA trade show are a culmination of all of the time we spend on the water, crazy ideas dreamt up around a camp fire, design ideas scribbled on napkins over lunch and everything else that combines to create better solutions to our needs and to push the envelope of kayak fishing. I for one will keep my eyes peeled on the

The Deep-vee nose design quietly slices through the water, offering the serenity and stealth that attracts many to SUPs, while paddling efficiently in a variety of water conditions. A tool free modular rack system allows a multitude of configurations, including a Moto Rac that is fitted with two rod holders and allows you to attach up to a 6hp motor… you now have a micro skiff. I

Photos don’t do the Bote Boards Rover justice.

Steve Fields announces the Hobie Wolds 7 will be held in Sweden with the unveiling of an impressively wrapped Hobie PA.

think Rover inspired so many people at the show because we all stood there and imagined the places we could take it and the species we could target. It embraced everything technical and everything simple and rolled it into a vessel that was both exciting and practical. Other features of the

And before you know it I am almost out of words and have hardly scratched the surface. Other releases included pedal options in the form of the Ocean Kayak Malibu Pedal and NuCanoe H2Prodrive, powered propulsion options such as the Torqeedo Ultralight 403, new release kayaks from

new products section of this mag as we move into the peak of our kayak fishing season and maybe that new product will be something that will make my kayak fishing more enjoyable, more comfortable, more productive, safer or maybe just simpler. See you on the water. NOVEMBER 2017

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Advertorial

Pro+ heads west When the legends at Deeper contacted and asked me if I’d be interested in trying one of their wireless fish finders, I couldn’t reply fast enough with a giant “Yes!” Spending so much of my time either walking the banks of small freshwater rivers and streams or fishing Copeton or Pindari dams out of my kayak, a device like the Deeper Pro+ could really take my own understanding of the waterways to a new level. The ability to see, in real time, what was hiding amongst the snags or just how deep certain holes are is something most people would not have access to – particularly in the rivers, which are just too small for someone to put a boat in and map with a traditional hard mounted sounder. Imagine the amount of anglers over the years who have wandered the same tracks as I do casting, without really knowing what laid beneath the surface. I’d now have a big advantage – the Deeper Pro+. After a few weeks of me harassing the postie each day, the package finally arrived. I couldn’t wait to get out on the water and test its capabilities.

positive, I must say I was a little sceptical on just how much I would use it and how much of a difference it would make, but I can tell you all I was pleasantly surprised. GETTING CONNECTED Connecting the Deeper unit to my phone was fairly easy and it wasn’t long before they were talking to each other and was ready to show me what lurked beneath the surface. I’m not sure on what kind of a range it has as far as how far I could cast it and have it still work, but the whole

so you can get the most out of your unit. The classic screen that is default has what Deeper calls a carbon background and shows the best overall colours. It wasn’t too bad on the battery life of my phone either – I thought it might drain it very quickly, but it was a nice surprise when it lasted for ages. TURNING FISH FOUND INTO FISH CAUGHT My brother and I are not the most technical guys in the world, and neither of us have a lot of experience with sounders, but it wasn’t long after the unit was in the water that we got the hang of what was what. We could see the snags, see the fish and were racing each other to get a cast in the right place. Some of what we thought were fish were probably snags and some of what we thought were snags turned out to be cod, but we weren’t complaining! SUMMARY Even after a short time using the Deeper, I could see why some guys I know love theirs and also why it has won so many awards all over the place, including the John Dunphy Award for

A screenshot from the author’s phone showing the different textures of bottom, depths of water and most importantly, the fish!

Here you can see a few fish hunting close to each other just in front of a bank of weed.

The tabs at the top of screen make it very easy to switch screens and get the information you need.

I ended up going fishing the same day it arrived! Even if it was winter and freezing cold, I wanted to catch some cod using my new toy. With my younger brother tagging along, I headed for a local hole that had produced fish in the past, but we hadn’t really been able to unlock its full potential since we were just guessing where the deeper holes were and fishing only the snags we could see. Even though the idea of the Deeper was really exciting and the talk about it was so

time I’ve used it the connection has stayed very strong. This might have been tested if I was casting further. The Deeper unit turns itself on as soon as it hits the water and you only need a smartphone with WiFi – it doesn’t need an internet or phone signal, and won’t chew your valuable data. VIEWING WHAT’S DOWN THERE Once you’re connected, you can change the view settings depending on if you’re fishing day or night, or even just different sunlight periods

Innovation from the AFTA Trade Show on the Gold Coast last year. They’re easy to use, totally portable and most importantly, made it easier for me and my little brother to catch fish. With Christmas approaching quickly, I’d have no problems recommending the Deeper sounder as a great gift. Anglers are notoriously hard to buy presents for, but this one is a real winner and won’t break the bank. Adam Townsend

Cod on! A beast of a wild fish that was identified on the author’s phone while scanning the hole in the river.

The Deeper unit comes with a bright orange case so it’s easy to see in the water. The author was a little worried a cod might eat it though…

Ready for action! The unit is very light and easy to cast on the author’s Dusk rod that he normally carries as a spare anyway.

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More than just a sounder, the Deeper Pro+ can also give you up to date weather and barometer information.

Kapten Waverider 550 CC a game changer

BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Boats are a big part of my life; I love them and love the things I can do with them. I enjoy spending time in other poeple’s boats as well, which means that every so often I have the privilege of spending time in something quite out of the ordinary, which is exactly what the plate alloy Kapten Waverider 550 is! The Waverider’s hull configuration is a radical departure from the norm (yet absolutely proven) and combines high levels of performance and stability with a highly detailed finish and very high levels of sea keeping capability. The craft is a genuine game changer in plate alloy craft design. The radical hull configuration is the brainchild of Kapten Boat Collar’s Pat Jones of the Sunshine Coast. I first experienced the design and the accompanying top-shelf ride and easy performance a couple of years ago when I reviewed the Kapten 490 Waverider and its big brother the 610 centre console Waverider. These innovative rigs employ a vastly different hull shape, which sees the 4mm plate alloy craft having a fine entry with massive and quite steep reversed outer chines commencing somewhat aft of the entry section and continuing to the stern, in what could almost be regarded as a tri-section arrangement. While this rig is admittedly different, in practice it works 108

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very well; the fine bow reduces impact from waves while the tunnels created by the exaggerated outer reversed chines have a significant impact on ride, performance, and handling by trapping air under them underway and then really digging into the water to provide utmost stability at rest. In sea conditions off the Sunshine Coast the two earlier Waveriders were simply outstanding. While it would have been a treat to review the new 550CC in an oceanic environment, time and other constraints prevented the opportunity. Settling for the Brisbane River in lieu, we fortunately encountered some very large wash from passing tugs, ferries and other large behemoths; this allowed at least an accurate assessment of the hull’s ability to manage short sharp chop at speeds in excess of 50km/h. Mother Nature did her bit as well; the wind blew around 30 knots making for a fun day on the water! Hang on to your hat – I certainly did! AUS SHIPS’ DELUXE FINISH In essence, the new 550CC has combined many of the very best features of the earlier models and some additional ones to make what was quite good even better. The reversed outer chines are even larger and there’s also a 17° Vee aft to further iron out chop. The reviewed rig was constructed by Aus Ships at Rivergate Place Murarrie. Surveying the craft on its custom trailer, I was taken by the outstanding Aus Ships finish, which involved a truly outstanding standard

of workmanship. The welds were smoothed, polished and perfected with fit and finish absolutely top-shelf as well. A neat wrap highlighted the sides. Although the 550 Waverider was an eye catcher, I found the good looks were highlighted with practicality and fabulous performance. Pat Jones advised me there were, in fact, four models available – each an entirely custom rig as per final fit-out. The sizes available were 4.5, 5.0 (tiller steer available) 5.5,

fuel consumption of 23.6L/h. Into the wind-driven chop, the plate Waverider felt like a virtual hovercraft, so even though the 2.8L Suzuki was brand new I kicked in a quick burst to 5000rpm to enjoy the blast of breeze at 64.5km/h while the 550 just hummed along – no fuss and no bumps whatsoever. Dropping the trim down a tad (the craft was very responsive to trim) I experienced some really impressive G-force doing hard turns just for the fun

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................................... 5.50m Length on trailer............................................ 6.7m Beam............................................................. 2.38m Recommended engine.....................150hp Suzuki Hull construction................4mm plate throughout Weight hull.................................................... 650kg Max People.......................................................... 5 Deadrise..........................................17° at transom Trailer....................Custom-made rolled aluminium Towing.................. Family six wagon or 4x4 wagon 6.0 and 6.5m centre console craft, so there’s something for everyone by the look of things. Note that while the reviewed craft didn’t have a windscreen, one would be fitted prior to the owner taking delivery. HOVERCRAFT RIDE Launching at Colmslie, I was amazed at just how easily the 650kg hull was powered by the 150 Suzuki on the transom. The craft planed at a modest 2650rpm, which saw a speed of 21.5km/h recorded. Easing the ultra-sensitive fly-by-wire throttle forward to 4000rpm, I saw a speed of 45.6km/h recorded with a

of it. I would speculate that with the 2.8L Suzuki broken in properly and the tacho touching the 6000 mark – as it certainly would – speeds around 70km/h would be quite manageable. FISHABILITY AND LAYOUT Footing’s assured in this purpose-designed offshore rig, thanks to carpet throughout and there’s plenty of room for up to five anglers to fish. A couple can work astern with two or three on the raised deck ahead of the console. It would be game on thanks to the surplus of work room and assured stability.

The 700mm interior sides finished just above the selfdraining floor provide a foothold when playing a big angry one, while the wide decks atop the sides also provided great brace points. The big bait station aft came with rod holders, cutting board and a window front to keep an eyes on the livies. Set into the transom was a tackle locker with several drawers while additional rod holders were near the bow. There were storage compartments set within the front floor, beneath the front seat and under the console. Additional storage is just one of the many options for a buyer to consider along with installation of an electric bow mount, as a Water Snake 80lb thrust was installed on the reviewed craft. The hub of the craft was the neat console under the big T Top with a bench seat for the skipper and a mate placed to ensure the dash and engine controls were within easy reach. The simple and functional dash layout had a Suzuki multi-function gauge set to port with switches and other items handy, the Suzuki engine controls to port and within easy reach whether you’re seated or standing. The dash hasn’t been designed to accommodate a flush mounted sounder, so a pair of optional 9” Garmin 820 units could be top mounted. The seating comprises of paired two person benches, per the owner’s request, and the seat up front of the console certainly provided plenty of breeze in the hair underway.

LAST THOUGHTS In assessing the Waverider 550CC I saw it as an exceptionally wellbuilt craft with a design that, while very different, is one hundred percent functional. Ride quality and stability are the strengths of this craft and they fairly beg for an offshore run, yet there’s no doubt the high degree of care in the finish and presentation would also have great appeal to a buyer. The design is available in bow rider, runabout, half or cuddy cabin formats and can be offered in both 2D and 3D survey. The standard rating is Level Floatation; if swamped (and fully loaded with all gear) three people can stand on one side without fear of capsizing thanks to under-floor sealed compartments and the sealed foam-filled side decks running the length of the craft. The fuel capacity was 185L but can be extended to 300L for far-ranging offshore work. As reviewed with the recommended Suzuki 150 and well-designed custom trailer – without electronics – the rig would come home for $69,500. For more info, visit www.waveriderboats. com.au, call (07) 5441 3636. • 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.

The Waverider’s unique massive reversed chines are almost pontoon-like in their effect. Check out the very shallow draft of the craft at rest.

The Waverider’s forward anchor locker bulkhead incorporates a set of rod holders; the Water Snake 80 is an option.

Those totally sealed side modules are foam filled, hence the craft’s Level Floatation rating.

Transom features include a three-step ladder to starboard, a big bait station and a multi drawer tackle locker.

A forward hatch up front is handy for anglers working there.

Stability’s assured with the Waverider. Even jumping a curling wash didn’t move the craft off a level attitude.

The Waverider’s interior sides form part of full-length foam filled compartments.

The Waverider’s Tee top offered both shade and rod storage.

Main pic and above: The Waverider at speed – air forced under the hull ensured ample lift underway, hence the very fine mist of spray coming away from the chine. Ample freeboard gives the Waverider definite offshore cred.

Pat Jones at the helm. Note the fishing room and those 700mm high interior sides. NOVEMBER 2017

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Sea Jay 4.88 Avenger Sports with 75hp Yamaha - SC

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SPECIFICATIONS Bottom sheet.. 3.0mm Side sheet....... 3.0mm Beam................ 2.30m Depth................ 1.22m Floor ribs................ 12 Capacity..... 5 persons Hull weight....... 435kg Rec hp.................... 70 Max hp................... 90 Max motor.........175kg 110

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There’s no denying that Bundaberg’s Sea Jay make a great-looking boat. Every time we upload a video-test to social media, there are plenty of people commenting that a Sea Jay is their dream rig. Luckily, the boats are built to last and perform their duties nicely. The 4.88 Avenger Sports that Garry Fitzgerald turned up with at the boat ramp at Cleveland was no exception. Garry is the National Sales Manager on the brand and had borrowed the rig from long time Sea Jay dealer, Stones Corner Marine in Brisbane. As it was fitted with one of the new F75 Yamahas, Willie Lee from Yamaha was there, too. Yamaha is proud of this motor (which is based on the F90) and Yamaha is always keen to see how their product performs on local hulls. And as a spectator commented as we

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be a great ‘weekend’ boat to get to remote campsites and tote all of the gear that you need to make the trip comfortable. Available through the Sea Jay dealer network, the company has a reputation

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however this hull was cradled on a Redco from Stones Corner. As tested, the package we took for a run weighed in at $34,500, although BMT packages start from the low $30Ks.

PERFORMANCE RPM............ km/h.................. L/h................ km/L idle.................... 4.................. 1.3....................3.0 1000.................. 5.................. 1.9....................2.6 2000.................10.................. 4.5....................2.2 3000................ 26.................. 8.4....................3.0 4000................ 43.................13.2....................3.3 5000................ 57................... 22....................2.6 5700................ 67................ 30.3....................2.2 Main: We call it the ‘Sea Jay Curse’ at Fishing Monthly. The bay flattens out and the wind stops whenever we go to test a Sea Jay. If you’re an angler, then you may think this is a good thing, but it doesn’t let you get a feel for the hull in the rough. Above: The south east corner of Peel Island is a pretty part of Moreton Bay and offers a variety of options for the angler and the boat tester. were preparing the rig for launch, it looks “mint!” Although there’s only 5hp difference between the 70 and 75hp Yamahas, there’s nearly 50kg weight difference. The 70 is a 1.0L outboard and the 75 is the same platform as the F90 and has a 1.8L capacity. With a less beamy boat, this may be a problem, but the 2.3m of width at the back of the Sea Jay holds the weight with ease. And the 90hp version would also legally fit on this hull. Apart from the weight, the main difference between the two motors is torque in the mid-range. Some dealers will tell you that “there’s no replacement for displacement”, and the capacity of this engine can definitely be felt as the

hammers go down. Having virtually no weight in the boat apart from some safety gear and the occupants (i.e., no trolling motor, batteries or fishing tackle) also helped this rig jump up and out of the hole. In fact, I think that some extra weight in the hull would make it more stable at rest, as it was so light that it would rock from chine to chine at rest. Nothing that a full tank of fuel and a MotorGuide wouldn’t sort out. Of course, the 75 Yamaha was super efficient, getting over 3km/L of fuel at a cruising speed of 43km/h at 4000 rpm. From a fishing point of view, the world is your oyster with the Adrenaline hull – there’s mountains

of space inside it to accommodate three anglers comfortably, or a boat load of camping gear. It’d definitely

of being easy to deal with when ordering options and customisation for your rig. They’re big enough to build you the boat you want quickly and small enough to still listen to their customers. Sea Jay can supply trailers for all of their boats,

For more information about this rig or the rest of the Sea Jay range, call into Marina Bayside at 1-13 Mangrove Lane, Taren Point, visit their website at www. marinabayside.com.au, or call (02) 9524 0044.

Yamaha’s F75 is substantially heavier than their F70 (by around 44kg), but offers nearly double the displacement (1.8L versus 1.0L) and plenty of torque. The 2.30m beam holds the motor easily and it sits under the transom’s maximum weight threshold by 7kg.

Top: Here’s the best of both worlds – an anchor box and an electric motor plate. Great for the bait fisher and lure caster. Above: With a full height transom and motor well, there’s room to fish in the port and starboard transom corners.

You want plenty of flat, open deck space? You’ve come to the right place!

With several seat-mounting options, you can set up the seats to suit the sort of fishing that you’re likely to do. Half-pockets at the rear of the aft of the casting deck offer some gear storage.

Top: The Avenger hulls have a reputation for being beamy – you can see just how beamy they are in this pic from above. Left and Right: The small casting deck up front has a couple of storage compartments. Anglers fitting a bow-mounted electric will often mount the batteries here to reduce bow lift.

We love that there’s a small, waterproof compartment for your valuables. Also, there’s plenty of space to bracket mount a large fish finder. The grab rails complete this practical console.

The helm is comfortable and you can rest your arm on the gunwale while using the throttle.

Top: Wide gunwales all round offer plenty of places to mount rod holders. Above: Yes, the Avenger 4.88 will turn heads at the ramp, with its Yamaha paint matching, wide beam and shallow draft, it’ll be easy for the family to get on board, too. NOVEMBER 2017

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