New South Wales Fishing Monthly - October 2016 by Fishing Monthly

TROUT OPENING SPECIAL • SPRING KAYAK

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Trout opening: Southern style • New England stream trout • Winning with slow jigging •

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October 2016, Vol. 22 No. 3

Contents BYRON COAST The Tweed 28 Ballina 30 Yamba 32 Iluka 33 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour Coffs Game South West Rocks

36 38 39

MACQUARIE COAST The Hastings 40 Forster 42 HUNTER COAST Harrington-Taree 43 Port Stephens 44 Hunter Coast 45 Swansea 46 Central Coast 47 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 16 Pittwater 19 Sydney North 18 Sydney Harbour 20 Sydney rock and beach 21 Botany Bay 22 Sydney South 24 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 48 Nowra 49 BATEMANS COAST Narooma 50 Merimbula 51 Batemans Bay 52

From the Editor’s Desk... INAUGURAL GONE FISHING DAY Yep – we’ve finally got one! The first ever Gone Fishing Day is happening on the 16th October 2016. Publicised and recognised nationally, it’s not only a great opportunity to go and wet a line, but to take someone new and introduce them to the experience of catching a fish. And you can even win great prizes in the process if you take the time to register. Mr Allan Hansard, National Co-coordinator of Australia’s first Gone Fishing Day said, “What started as a conversation between two anglers waiting for a bite has now grown into a national celebration of Australia’s largest leisure sporting activity with Federal and State governments, fishing clubs, tackle stores, and recreational fishers all supporting the day. “Gone Fishing Day will be a truly national event

with activities happening from Hobart to Darwin and from Sydney to Perth, including kids’ fishing days, family fishing days, fishing tournaments of all kinds and fishing club events, in addition to many Australians heading out for a fish with family and friends. “It costs nothing to take part in what we hope is Australia’s biggest outdoor event - by registering that you will be going fishing on Gone Fishing Day at www. gonefishingday.org. “Make your rod count!” Mr Hansard concluded. SHORT TERM PAIN, LONG TERM GAIN As this issue goes to press, all of the South East is recovering from the hammering it received in mid-September. Rain, rain and more rain. Some headlines touted a 100-year event for Victoria. And while from an angling perspective it puts the brakes on some short term activity,

rest assured that there are long term gains for angling in a broader time frame. South East Queensland had it in 2011 and 2013. Major flooding events that resulted in spectacular recruitment for many species and wonderful fishing that came to fruition in the following seasons. It won’t happen overnight but it will happen.

TROUT SEASON OPENS And finally, the trout season officially opens again this month. We’ve taken a different angle with it this year, with Rhys Creed covering your southern-state options and Wayne Kampe pointing you in the right direction for the northern waters. With all of that water around, it should be a cracker opening!

EDEN COAST Bermagui 53 Tathra 54 Eden 56 Mallacoota 57

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SPECIAL FEATURES Trout opening: Southern style New England stream trout Winning with slow jigging

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Trout

Trout opening in lower NSW WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

The October long weekend in Southern NSW means trout. The season re-opens and anglers can head back to the pristine waters to spin, cast or wave a fly. This is by far one of the most exciting times of year to target trout – they’re well rested after fishing pressure earlier in the year. The weather is beginning to warm up, which means more bugs and insect activity, the perfect combination for feeding trout. The fishing during this first weekend can be unbelievable. Trout are keen for a feed after spawning. The Snowy Mountains and Southern NSW region is home to a range of pristine locations where anglers can spend a day fishing. There is a vast array of creeks, streams and rivers and they’re all different. From crystal snow melt streams in the upper reaches of the alpine region, all the way down to wide snaggy rivers that are home to both trout and natives in the warmer water, the opportunies are endless. There is something for everyone and I’m going to share with you a few techniques, lures and fishing styles that will work well

consider if you want to be successful. That goes for any style of fishing. Understanding your target species, the waterway and the trout’s food source will put you ahead. If you really

days prior to opening, you can be confident in your choice of location. GET IN EARLY As we’re talking about trout opening, it would be good to mention how

famous for it – anglers flock from everywhere before the closed season to get the early running fish. In saying that, this run happens in all rivers, including the ones that aren’t directly

Trout are easier to fool if they’re already in a feeding mood. and fluoro coloured lures – any hardbody, soft plastic or spinner with a bit of fluoro orange or yellow. Spotted dog patterned hardbodies will work well, as they

MATCH THE HATCH AND USE TROUT IMITATIONS Let’s talk more generally about using lures that match what the fish feed on. You

Research your area before you go to find likely trout spots. want to be in for a good chance come trout opening, head out to the area you’re going to fish and have a look around. Suss out your area. Go for a drive or a walk along the bank. Look for fish-holding structure, pools, rapids, current lines and undercut banks with overhanging branches and shade. Take in

incredible the fishing can be on that first morning, especially in areas that are highly pressured by anglers. You want to get in early and beat the crowd, before the fish get caught or go back to their spooky ways. It doesn’t take long for fish to figure out what’s happening – in some locations it can be a matter of days. We have

connected to lakes. All the fish go through this process of swimming upstream to seek out the perfect gravel bed for their eggs. This usually happens over the three months that trout season is closed, and that’s the purpose of the closed season. We stop targeting them for this period so they can naturally reproduce without interruption. This provides the fish with the best opportunity to repopulate rivers with the next generation. But as always, nature doesn’t run by our calendar. Some trout can run late and will still be in their breeding mood, which means they’re aggressive! During this period, trout are active and feed on the roe of other fish, which are bright orange. This is why you want to lean towards using bright

The trout can become spooked after two weeks of open season. have those bright dots along the side of the lure. Many trout lures are produced in this colour. For those who like to flyfish, Glo Bugs are a perfect option at this time of year. If you’re not a flyfisher, you can still use them with your spin outfit. All you have to do is attach a small split shot 40cm up your leader from the Glo Bug, cast it into the river or stream and let it bounce down the rapids. It’s a really successful technique, especially in the upper alpine rivers like the Thredbo.

already know to use lures that represent roe, but the trout have other food sources as well. During October, we start to see a lot of insect and bug activity, and the more bugs that are flying around, the better the trout fishing becomes. Trout love insects! Flyfishing is so popular and successful because majority of the flies match insects that fall into the water. If you want to try your luck with flies, use hopper imitations, emerging caddis, Royal Stimulator, bushy dun, black spinner and flying ant to name a few.

Using trout imitations at this time of year can work wonders. in this part of the country during spring. Here are the top tips for early season trout. RESEARCH AND PRE-PLANNING Trout opening is a significant day and there will be plenty of people trying their luck. If you’re heading out, you’ll have plenty of company. There’s one way you can put yourself ahead of the crowd and it starts before the trip has even begun. Planning and research is something you should 8

OCTOBER 2016

every detail you possibly can and if you don’t have the best memory, take some photos. I like to go out at first light and watch the trout to see their behaviour. They might be rising to specific bugs or chasing small fish in the shallows. It’s amazing what you learn about the fish you target if you take a step back and watch. This situation also helps, because you aren’t tempted to cast a line like other fishing trips. By surveying the area a few

experienced the full potential of trout opening day and it can help to be the first person. Keep that in mind. LATE RUNNERS During the spawning season, trout will make their way upstream to reproduce. They do this so the fingerings can hatch and survive in the shallow river water, before heading back to the lake. This spring run is a big event in rivers that feed into big lakes. Lake Eucumbene in the Snowy Mountains is

This beaut is just one of many trout that are active this season.

Trout If you are spinning you want to look at small cricket imitation hardbodies and soft plastics that represent yabbies and insects. The

lures have a tight wobble action and are best used with a quick retrieve. By doing this, you match the speed and characteristics of

seen before – my preferred choice is soft plastics. They are subtle and don’t emit a rattle or harsh vibrations that are common among

The author uses T Tail Minnows in black gold/sparkle. They’re subtle but deadly on spooky trout. Berkley PowerBait range is brilliant with a good selection of small trout soft plastics – T Tail Minnow, Bulky Hawg, T Tail Shad and Ripple Shad are some of the preferred options. You can’t go wrong if you use a lure that matches the food source of a fish. More detail in the lure is better. You need to be able to make the fish think your lure is real food. Another imitation you can’t go past is a small hardbody that represents a juvenile trout. Brown and rainbow trout pattern lures are a favourite, simply because they work. After spawning season, there will be an abundance of small trout, which will become one of the top food sources for larger trout. I like the Rapala CD3, CD5 and CD7 in the rainbow, brown, juvenile rainbow and spotted dog patterns. These

a fleeing fish. This is what the larger trout will react to. Berkley 3B Fat Dog and Puppy Dog lures are great hardbodies for trout, better for fishing water deeper than a metre and perfect for deeper pools at the bottom of rapids. CLOSE TO TOWN AND WELL KNOWN TROUT SPOTS Areas close to townships and wellknown spots like reverves and common river access recieve high amounts of traffic. Fish become extremely spooky about two weeks after opening weekend. They become accustomed to normal and standard lures – this is where it pays to think outside the box. Natural and subtle presentations are best used around two weeks after opening. You need to use something the fish hasn’t

hook-up rate than that of a treble, because once it’s in the jaw it’s very difficult to fall out. Whereas, treble hooks don’t hold as well, and it is easier for the fish to dislodge. The Berkley PowerBait range of soft plastics are my favourite, especially the T Tail Minnows. These soft plastics are the shape of a small fish, and the tiny paddle-tail on the back is the only movement. My two top colours in the T Tail Minnows are black/ gold sparkle and bronze/ pearl. They’re subtle but deadly on spooky trout. The other style that works well is the Ripple Shad in the perch and holographic gold/black back colours. FISHING THE FAST WATER Many of these tips overlap – this one goes hand in hand with the late runners. Trout will either be at the end of spawning or already finished, so

Anglers have been cleaning up the gear for spring. Preparation is key.

It’s easier to sneak up on the fish by foot.

your presentation has to be perfect. When fishing in fast flowing water, target the still water either side of the main current flow. These locations are known as eddies, and the trout will sit in there in wait for food. The best way to fish the fast water is to cast your lure across the rapids. This way,

locally made in Wagga Wagga by Adam Smith and are custom built for Southern NSW trout. He makes a custom range of double bladed spinners, which allow you to retrieve the lure slower and therefore hold it in the trout’s face longer. It’s well worth having a few of these.

other lures. Even better, soft plastic feels real to fish, which can help in triggering repeat hits. The single hook on the plastic is another positive. You might wonder how a single point is better than the standard six points on a lure with trebles. A single hook has a much better

When fishing in fast flowing water, target the still water either side the main current flow.

Soft plastics feel real to the trout and keep them coming back.

they’ll be hungry and ready to feed up for spring. When trout are hungry, they’re usually close to the fast flowing water and at the base of rapids. The easiest way for them to get a meal is to wait for food to flow down with the current. These fish are the easiest to tempt, because they’re already in a feeding mood. It’s much harder to fool trout in the deep and still pools – in these situations

your lure is passing through both the still and fast water. Many of the fish you catch may seem like they have come from the faster water, but most likely they have followed it from the eddies. All lure styles will work for this style of fishing: small hardbodies, soft plastics, small spinners and Tassie Devils. When it comes to spinners, I particularly like the ones by FTL Lures. They are

ACCESSING MORE WATER WITH INFLATABLE BOATS There’s a technique or style of fishing that we do on the larger trout rivers. Spending a full day floating down a river in an inflatable boat is not only exciting, but successful. We’ve had some of our best sessions with this style of fishing, as we can access water that isn’t usually To page 10

OCTOBER 2016

Trout and cast into shadows and structure in the slower flowing pools. These areas are home to some big trout, but they take a little bit more effort and patience. Just ensure you stay quiet when fishing from the boat, and be careful when floating through rapids. I use the Takacat Sport 300 inflatable boat, as it’s perfect for this style of fishing. It’s built from high quality materials, it’s really stable and easy to

From page 9

fished. It takes a little extra planning and a slightly different approach, but it’s well worth the effort! You will have to ensure that you are floating down a river large enough to fit the inflatable boat. Smaller creeks that become overgrown can be dangerous and are almost impossible to float. Make sure the river is wide enough by doing a bit of research online. Then you need to find two reserves that you can float between that aren’t too far apart. We usually float between 5-8km for the day. An 8km float will take a full day. You also need two cars and will have to leave one at

cast from because of its high pressure air deck. If you’re looking to get into this style of fishing, make sure you have a look at the Takacat Inflatables. If you’re walking the bank in your local town or floating down the rivers in your new inflatable boat, remember to do your research, get in early, target the late runners, match the hatch, use subtle lures in town and fish the fast water!

There’s a lot of little trout around right now, but also plenty of big ones as well.

If you can get to quieter areas with less traffic, the fish are more confident.

the pick-up spot. The best part of using an inflatable boat is they have heaps of room, great storage capacity and you don’t need a trailer. You can just roll it up and throw it in the back of the car. FISHING APPROACH FROM THE INFLATABLE There are a few different ways you can fish from the boat and it all depends on location. Trout are an intelligent fish – in crystal clear waters, they’ll see you coming from a long distance away. The

best technique is to pull up on stone bars, get out of the boat and walk along the banks. This way you won’t spook the fish sitting in shallow water, as you can still sneak up on them by foot. The advantage of the boat is it can get you into these remote locations, where the fish don’t feel the pressure like they do in town. The next technique is casting from the boat. If you have the boat set up with an electric motor, you’ll be able to hold yourself in the current

Remember to get in early, there’s no time like the beginning of trout season.

REPELS INSECTS

OCTOBER 2016

Specialist Stream Special

Trout

Time to trick a trout in a New England stream BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe

Set on a vast tableland with trout waters stretching from around Glen Innes to the north, Tamworth to the south, north east to Dorrigo and then to the southeast Walcha area, the New England trout streams have been blessed with the one thing they need for successful angling: rain. In fact, it’s been a nicely wet and cold winter. Certainly not the sort of conditions you and I would enjoy, but perfect for those feisty little trout

stream near Glen Innes for example. Local sport stores, town information centres and so forth can provide information on local trout waters, because the local infrastructure encourages the sport. For the new fly anglers, it’s sometimes pretty hard to get onto those first fish and learn how to play them. If you want to learn how to hook and play fish, a trip to Dunmore Waters, which is a private fishery west of the small town of Ben Lomond, will be a great way to start. A Google search for Dunmore Waters reveals all.

The famous Ebor Falls are on the southern outskirts of town and are a popular tourist attraction, along with the LP Dutton trout hatchery 14km south of town on the Armidale Road. The hatchery is a must-see for trout anglers and it’s amazing to see just how large both brown and rainbow trout can grow if given the opportunity. Fish over 3kg are common. Whether you plan to fish with fly or lure, there’s a New England stream that’s just right for the job. Considering Ebor as an example, the rivers and creeks in this area tend to run shallow (around a

The author in a moment of reflection. “How could that fish have busted me off so easily!?” waters is strictly light tackle work. A 5wt outfit set up with a floating fly line is a joy to use. A light outfit like this provides lots of fun

with the resident rainbows and browns and is perfect for casting size 12 or 14 dry flies such as a Royal Wulff, Humpy, Red Tag,

Less is more. Keeping presentations small is the key for New England trout. tucked away in the corners, runs, and undercut banks of streams. FINDING FISH Over the entire New England area, there are numerous streams holding trout, and if visiting the area for the first time the trick is to check out streams at the higher altitudes. Many streams will be on private land and it’s wise to enquire at the nearest property for permission to enter and fish, unless the particular section of water is adjoining a roadside rest area. Such is the case with the Beardy Waters

EBOR’S THE HUB Undoubtedly though, the epicentre of New England trouting is the small town of Ebor due east of Guyra and located roughly halfway between Guyra and Dorrigo. Ebor is around 1500m in altitude and has over a dozen trout waters within an hour’s drive. In fact, there are plenty of trout in the Guy Fawkes River right in town, and it’s a treat to order a bite to eat from the Ebor Falls Hotel Motel adjacent the river and enjoy it while watching trout rise. The pub’s a great place to stay too.

metre’s depth) on the gentle slopes between valleys, only to tumble big time into gorges where they become a series of pot holes, runs and cascades under roaring falls. The upper areas with their meandering sections within small flood plains interspersed with tree shaded runs and riffles are well suited to the fly angler, while the deeper, faster, sections in the gorge country might well be home away from home for the lure angler. FLY FISHING Fly fishing New England’s small, enticing

Working a fly against a shaded bank is one of the best ways of taking a trout. 12

OCTOBER 2016

Small water, and a nice little brown trout. Brownies are common in many of the New England streams.

Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, grasshopper or flying ant. The flying ant is a vital fly for times when thunderheads rolling over the escarpment indicate that a storm is on its way, and it’s time to think twice about the graphite rod in your hand! Termites will take to the wing in stormy weather, and those that end up in the drink are irresistible to trout. The other dry flies mentioned are great for all purpose work, and are handy when a hatch of insects is on. Even when the action isn’t so hot though, they’re just as effective for searching out heads of runs, side waters, and those little areas of cover where trout choose to lay up and check out the flow for tucker. Some floatant for the fly, Mucilin for the 3m leader and last section of the fly line, and the stage is set for some dry fly work. Don’t go overboard on the leader tippet, as 2 or 3kg is fine for most upcountry work on trout. Wet flies are also quite effective in all New England streams, and if I

Most valleys around Ebor have streams running through them, and this one is typical of the area.

Trout had to nominate one really effective general purpose wet fly, it would naturally be the Woolly Bugger, size 8 or 10, and in olive, brown or black colours. When wet fly fishing, there’s no need to change to a sinking fly line, as the Woolly can be used quite effectively by removing the floatant Mucilin from the 3m leader by rubbing a bit of mud on it to help it sink. Understandably, wet flies are worked entirely differently to dry flies. Dries are cast gently upstream, to ensure they float naturally,

and are allowed to drift back while slack is carefully gathered. When the fly disappears with a tiny disturbance, a quick lift of the rod will set the hook! With a wet fly on the tippet, the idea is to cast the fly upstream and land it somewhat less gently than the dry fly. This might seem a bit odd, but the idea is to break the stream’s surface tension, sinking the fly rapidly, and perhaps attracting a fish with the little dimple as it lands. Wet fly fishing involves feeling the ‘take’ of

the fly rather than seeing it disappear, and can be pretty exciting. In truth, when there’s not much sign of any surface activity, I usually put on an olive Woolly Bugger and prospect the water for the sheer enjoyment of it. I catch fish too! As an extra bit of enjoyment, sub-surface flies such as black beetles, bunny fur leeches and larger brown or black nymphs on size 10 or 8 hooks can be used in lieu of the Woolly Bugger. Sometimes trout are fussy little rascals and a change of

Small meadow stream, a neat little rainbow, it’s what the New England trout scene is all about.

Just another half metre and it’s in the net! The author’s wife Denise just about to net another New England rainbow. fly can make a big difference to a day’s fishing. LURE OR PLASTIC There are a lot of trout taken on hardbodied lures, spinners and soft plastics, but it’s smart to remember that these fish eat a lot of small things, so keep offerings down-sized for best success. I have a personal rule that if the plastic or lure is larger than 6cm, it’s getting towards too large. With lures, less is more. Small lures won’t go very far on heavy line, so 2kg fluorocarbon or braid on a fine, soft-tipped spin rod does the trick nicely. Just be aware that the combination of lures with sticky sharp treble hooks and a soft meshed landing net can be

fatal to trout. By the time the lure is removed from the fish and net, the trout may be gasping its last. It’s far

wiser to remove the treble and replace it with a single hook of similar size if you intend to catch and release. LAST THINGS New England at this time of year is mighty cold at night, and frosty mornings are to be expected, so make sure to take plenty of warm clothing. Many streams will have bogs around them, so thigh waders or gum boots are handy to keep the feet dry. There are numerous streamside reserves where camping is fine, usually TSRs, and it’s a lot of fun to camp in that ultra cool climate, providing you’re set up correctly. Lastly, don’t forget the fishing license. Have fun chasing trout!

There are plenty of pools under waterfalls within the New England area, and these are perfect for both fly and lure anglers.

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OCTOBER 2016

Putting on a puppet show NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

It turns out that successful lure fishing and puppetry have a great deal in common! Winter is finally behind us and, with it, the bulk of

forget all about the importance of working the lure correctly once it’s in the water. I firmly believe that how you present and work a lure is often far more important to angling success than the actual choice of lure model, size or colour. To put it another way, the magic show is performed

(and even a few older hands) is failing to visualise what their lure is doing in the water, and exactly what it’s supposed to be imitating or representing. My wife Jo has a great analogy for this. She likes to compare lure fishing to performing a puppet show, where the angler is the puppeteer and the lure is

Skipjack or striped tuna spend a lot of time chasing small, fastmoving baitfish in the ocean’s surface layer. To catch them we need to not only match the size, shape and colour of those baitfish, but also imitate their swimming style and behaviour patterns.

Lures come in all manner of shapes, sizes, actions and colours. Exactly which one you choose is nearly always less important than how you work it in the water. the ‘show’ season. Boat shows, tackle shows, 4WD and camping shows, lifestyle and leisure shows… I’ve lost count of how many of these events I’ve attended over the past few months. At several of these expos I was called upon to present talks on stage, and my recurring ‘theme’ for this past show season has been finesse lure fishing and how to get the most out of it. My emphasis in these public presentations has been on ‘working’ lures: in other words, what you do with your rod, reel and line once your lure actually hits the water. In my opinion, far too many anglers place way too much emphasis on the ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘when’ of lure fishing and nowhere near enough on the question of ‘how’. In other words, they want to know the magic lure, the secret spot and the peak time to fish. They become so locked in on these parts of the process that they completely

OCTOBER 2016

by the magician, not by his or her wand! The biggest single mistake in this regard made by most new chum lure fishers

the puppet. The more lifelike the performance we put on with our chosen ‘puppet’, the more convinced our ‘audience’ (the target fish) will be.

So, if we’re attempting to represent a crab with our lure, it should not only look something like a crab, but it should also behave like a crab. Last time I checked, not too many crabs skip merrily across the surface at eight knots or dart and dash through mid-water. Instead they scuttle, crawl and shuffle across the seabed, or climb about slowly on rocks, kelp stems and pylons… And those are the key actions we need to imitate with our crabstyle lures.

By contrast, garfish mostly swim in the upper layers of the water column and, when alarmed, they’ll frequently skip clear of the surface as they dash rapidly away from danger. A lure intended to represent a garfish should do these things.

worth spending a few hours trying out a bunch of lures and presentation strategies. As the weather warms, it’s even possible to slip on a pair of goggles, jump in the pool and check out the action from below. You’ll be amazed how much you learn.

Even the best crab-imitating lure is unlikely to get eaten unless you work it to look like a crab. That means dead slow and on or near the bottom.

A trout landed by the author coughed up this gudgeon. The baitfish is reasonably well represented in terms of size, shape and colour by the soft plastic shown here… But it’s also vitally important to make the lure behave like a gudgeon in the water.

One of the best ways to understand how lures need to be worked for optimum results and at what speeds they perform best is to closely study their behaviour in the water while you try out different presentation strategies. Admittedly, this can be a tad tricky in dirty water, but if you have a backyard swimming pool or access to one, it’s well

As I love to say, it ain’t rocket science… But you’d be surprised how many people get this whole puppet show thing wrong, or simply don’t think about it at all when lure fishing. Yet understanding it can elevate you into the winner’s circle and make you one of those 10 percenters who catch 90% of the fish! Think about it…

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Fast feeding fish are in THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

It’s amazing what consecutive years of good rain can do for an estuary. The Hawkesbury is certainly revived and alive with all manner of fish thriving in the nutrient and bait rich system at present. A warmer winter has kept water temperatures up and the fish feeding in an active mood – none more so than the Aussie bass.

After a good flood at the beginning of winter, big breeders went downstream to spawn. This will be great for the next few years or so. Quality fish have been taken in the tidal water from Windsor to Wisemans Ferry on soft plastics, bibless vibes and spinnerbaits. Rock walls and sand bars are standout places to prospect. Surface fishing should kick into gear later this month as the insects hatch. Small poppers, fizzers and walkers are favourites, and always get a run when

This nice EP was taken on a 3.75” minnow in motor oil colour, cast into tight structure and worked back to the boat with small twitches and pauses.

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the fish are looking up. The terrace from Windsor to North Richmond has produced great fishing for bass, but the smaller fish have a nasty habit of beating their brethren to your lures in this weedy stretch. Sometimes throwing bigger profile lures deters them, but this isn’t always the case. Experienced bass anglers will attest to this. A close relative, the estuary perch have also been biting well in the tidal water from Wisemans to Windsor. Rock walls and weed beds fire up on the run-out tide. Small 2-3” soft plastic grubs, minnows in pumpkinseed, bloodworm and motor oil,

Warm weather and a hot bite on inshore kingfish is what spring and summer are all about to a Sydney-based angler.

Some big bream will be on offer this month for those using fresh or live baits and lures cast around structure. plus 3-7g blades and soft vibes with small profiles are the weapons of choice for perch. Get those lures in tight and make sure your drag is set, as the first run of a big EP can be damaging. I don’t know many who take perch to eat. Their bag limits are set accordingly at two fish per person, with only one over 35cm. With catch and release fishing and bag restrictions, their numbers are plentiful throughout the upper tidal water. It’s expected they should bite well over the next month or two, before wake boats turn up with the warmer weather and make it unbearable to fish. Plenty of good-sized bream have taken residence in the brackish tidal reaches, from the road bridges at Brooklyn to Wisemans Ferry and beyond. Rock walls, reefs and bloodworm beds are all producing fish on their day. Anglers need to move regularly if there is no activity within 30 minutes, to find where the active fish are on any given day. Fresh baits fished in a berley trail and small lures cast tight to structure are the best methods to find a few.

Berowra has also been fishing pretty consistently using small blades and soft plastics. Translucent green, motor oil and bloodworm are the best colours in the clear water here. The flats in Berowra and Cowan will also start to fire as the water temperatures keep rising. Shallow crankbaits and surface pencils in clear or translucent colours will undo a few unsuspecting bream and whiting on the rising tides, early and late in the day. Big female flathead and smaller males will be thinking about heading back to the lower reaches for their annual spawn run. This is typically the time of year when a lot of big flathead are caught around Brooklyn on live baits and soft plastics. Please be mindful and release any fish over 70cm. There are plenty of good eating sized flatties between 40-65cm to put fillets on the table for the family. Mulloway are still biting well, but are spreading out with the drying conditions. Captures are reported from Broken Bay to Wisemans Ferry on lures and baits. Wisemans Ferry to Sentry

Box has soapy mulloway, with the odd school fish getting amongst the action when the conditions suit. Live baiting really takes over this month, as the

herring, tailor, yakkas, mullet and school prawns become prolific in the warming water. Bait gathering is great fun and really gets the confidence levels up before setting off to target your quarry. We are all hoping that the kingfish will move back inshoree early this year, as they didn’t turn up in good numbers until December last season. There has been the odd school busting up in the back bays around Pittwater and Cowan. You need to respond quickly before they disappear after their quick assaults on the micro bait schools. Alternatively, flatlining and down rigging live squid and yakkas is one of the best methods to cover water and find active fish on any given day. Don’t forget to have a small metal slice or surface popper rigged and ready to cast, if you’re venturing around Broken Bay. There have been regular bust ups from salmon and tailor.

Lures and live bait are the best methods to encounter quality mulloway like this from Broken Bay, and up river towards Wisemans Ferry.

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Variety is spicing up Sydney SYDNEY NORTH

Darren Thomas

Being a mad fan of the warmer fishing months, the change from September to October is one of my favourite seasonal shifts of the year. Temperatures are

on the way up and fish are on the way down the coast, chasing our migrating bait schools headed south. This transitional period is awesome for catching both warm and cold water species, as the seasons overlap. The fishing options available are numerous

with so many different species in our local waters. Our inshore reefs are holding great kingfish and many local anglers land plenty. Richard Kidd fished off Dee Why in 35m targeting kings with great success. His 80lb outfit and slow trolling a squid head were the required

some good fish are holding. By finding bait schools, you know you’re in the zone. Not to be left behind, the local inshore reefs are firing with red-hot snapper on the chew. Emerson Spina went out on a solo mission to the 40m mark off Palm Beach, fishing for reds in a berley trail. Using lightly weighted baits, Emmo soon found himself with a double hook up on a pair of solid snapper. It’s always a trying time – two loaded rods and one angler. A cool head landed both fish consecutively. It was a great effort with the biggest of the two going 88cm. Both were hooked on 20lb outfits. Further south, Andrew Marsden fished in 28m off Curl Curl, landing four snapper to 68cm with similar techniques. The anglers at Oceanhunter Sportsfishing are masters of fishing and catch their share of fish for their clients. Even on the odd day off, they can be found fishing. Zane Levett fished with them recently, chasing groper and drummer in the wash. They landed a couple of cracker fish, fishing very lightly weighted baits of

Emerson Spina with a wicked pair of snapper. peeled prawns and bread. These fish will readily take offerings in the berley trail and apply serious pressure once hooked. These fish can be targeted from both the stones and the boat, and make for exciting fishing if the swell is down and the fishing is slow. The rocks have been on the up too, with good angling. Mark Walters fished off Dee Why headlands, and landed two snapper at 43cm using the long cast gear

and mullet fillet for bait. A paternoster rig is popular and a small to medium sized bait is preferred. A major requirement of this type of fishing is a long cast out to the gravel. Once the hook-up occurs, keep the fish up off the bottom. Snapper are a demersal species and due to their nature of living on the ocean floor, will make every attempt to stay down. Plenty of rub offs will occur. The harbour is holding awesome snapper too. John

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combination for landing a 110cm king. David Rothwell fished wide out of Texas Reef with some terrific results. After targeting kingfish with jigs, Rothy and his crew had a mad session landing eight solid fish from a dozen hook-ups, the largest going 105cm with a couple kept for the plate. The rest were released. It’s well worth the trip out to the wider reefs when the conditions are suitable, as

David Rothwell with a solid winter king.

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Zane Levett with a couple of great fish he caught in the wash.

Davies landed three fish using soft plastics from his kayak, drifting west of the Spit. Good schools of trevally are around Grotto Point and Little Manly, both providing their share of captures this month. North Harbour has good flathead on the drift, as does Balmoral. Decent whiting are taking beach worms off the sand flats at Clontarf. Manly and Dee Why beaches have had schooling salmon beyond the breakers of late, providing plenty of fun for anglers of all ages. Grab your favourite distance-casting outfit – mine is a 9ft graphite rod with a 4000 size reel and 15lb braid. With a few metal lures to pelt over the back, you’re on your way. This style of fishing is cast and retrieve, and not a bad way to keep warm during the odd cooler day.

Great fish coming up PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

With winter behind us and warm weather on the way, our waterways will again become a hive of activity. This year we’ve been lucky that over the winter, along our coast, the warm water didn’t disappear. This unseasonably warm water will be a benefit this season ahead. This will be especially so for those chasing offshore pelagic species, but will be also be a big benefit to our rivers. With the warmer water we should also see a lot more surface activity when species such as kingfish, bonito, salmon, trevally and tailor show up. Over the last month, fishing has improved along Pittwater and Broken Bay. The biggest problem we’ve had has been greatly fluctuating water temperatures. On the run out tide, surface temperatures have dropped as low as 14°C, yet on the incoming tide, the water temperature has risen to 18°C on occasions. There are fish to be caught and spot on the sounder, but a bit of work has to be done to get them active. This month, if you fish in Pittwater, have a few

plans for targeting different species. That way, you can roll with the punches. If your chosen species isn’t biting, you can target another. When I take out customers at this time of the year, I always suggest that we spread our efforts and target a few species. We start by catching squid around the weed beds close to drop offs. These areas have larger squid still around, but also tend to hold the small squid for a while as well. The areas to target squid are Portuguese Beach, the Basin, Mackerel Beach and the Palm Beach area. If you have a few people on your boat, try a few different coloured jigs and sizes. I find the natural colours are more successful than fluoros. The larger squid are hitting the 2.5g jigs and the smaller jigs of 1.8 and 2g are catching the smaller ones. If you can remember, put a swipe of scent paste, such as Halco, near the spikes on the jigs. This will not only leave a scent in the water, but when a squid attacks your jig, it’s normally right on the area that has been applied with the scent. The next stage is to turn those little ink machines into big yellowtail kingfish. Use downriggers to cover ground; this enables you to

lower the baits to where the fish are found. The areas we normally target at this time a year tend to be towards the river mouth. There is no specific spot to try, as most of the action happens in the middle of nowhere. The best way to find where they are is to watch for the birds working the surface. Schools of fish vary from year to year, but normally from September onwards we see schools of tailor, salmon and usually a kingy. While those schools are actively working the surface, target them with lures and have a squid on a downrigger, to be eaten by a larger predator down a bit deeper. Areas in Broken Bay that come to life first thing in the morning tend to be towards the mouth of the Hawkesbury River through to the mouth of Pittwater. The great part about fishing this area, especially on a run out tide, is the flotsam line. This foam line filled with weed holds baitfish, and quite often you will see a variety of birds working the area, and larger predators splashing along its length. Remember that this surface activity should excite the bottom dwellers into feeding mode as well. So once you’re sick of catching tailor and salmon, drop a line to the bottom, or even better,

The flotsam line and birds give away where the fish are.

Cass from Luxury Afloat on the Hawkesbury showing off one of the many salmon that can be encountered. a legal size live tailor. See if there are larger predators such as mulloway and big flathead waiting for a feed. If all else fails, drift the drop-offs and sand or mud areas to chase flathead. Cast soft plastics and hop them along the bottom as you are drifting. This can see a variety of other species caught as well. If you head offshore, there’s a lot more options for you. Hitting the reefs is a great way to catch a feed. Some nice snapper are being caught in the shallow grounds of around 30m of water off Broken Bay. The better reefs to target at the moment are Boultons, Reggies, Mona Vale and off Long Reef. There seems to be a variety of fish once a good area is located. Make sure to find some baitfish along the reef or at its edges before you drop any lines and maximise your chances at tangling with a decent fish. Over the next month we should also see some kingfish along our coasts. These kings will be travelling with schools of baitfish, so any point along our coastline can be worth a try. Remember to have a few different baits and lures to see what is working best on the day. There are opportunities for you to get out there and enjoy a day on the water

catching fish. It’s a great part of the year and often will see good rewards for those who

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Successful breadwinner fishing SYDNEY HARBOUR

Craig McGill craig@fishabouttours.com.au

The cold water season is drawing to an end, but it’s not over yet. There’s always a lag between water and land temperatures, so while it’s warming up for us, the fish are still in winter. Kingfish stayed in the harbour longer than usual

and silver drummer have been the main targets. It’s amazing the variety of species that can be taken on the bread baits. My first decent fish I caught as a kid was a bream, taken on a piece of bread off the Manning at Taree. We pulled up for lunch with the family, on a trip home from Coffs Harbour. Like most kids, I wouldn’t eat the crust on my sandwich. I picked it off in small

with bread? It’s processed human food made from a grain with no resemblance to any natural food found in the sea. Not only will fish eat it, at times they’ll go absolutely nuts for it, even when more conventional baits have failed. I’ve caught bream, flathead, mullet, gar and small mulloway in the estuary. It seems like there aren’t many fish that don’t

to leave the end fluffy. This achieves a bait that stays on the hook once wet, but with the fluffy aerated end, still has enough buoyancy to stay afloat. It’s visual fishing – you nearly always get to see your bait taken off the top. Plenty of bread berley is essential. The best spots are where deep water meets rocks. If there’s backwash nearby, then all the better. Small bombies are good – the best time of day is when the sun is low enough that headlands cast a shadow on the area you’re fishing. In addition to bread baits, try pieces of peeled prawn. Large king prawns peeled and cut into three or four pieces are best. Fishing this way will produce a huge variety of species, including silver and black drummer, luderick, trevally, bream and blue groper. I’ve even

Luderick will happily slurp down bread baits. spin. Adjust them by bending the tow eyelet a fraction in the opposite direction of where the lure is swimming. With some lures, like the Rapala CD series, it’s near impossible to bend the eyelet due to its solid construction. In this case, make the same

is equally important. There’s nothing more frustrating than reaching for a suitable lure and finding it comes out in a tangled mess with twenty others, while tuna are busting out all around your boat. The time sorting out mess can often exceed a feeding spree.

A couple of thumping black drummer from the harbour washes. this winter, and it’s looking like they will be hanging around right through until the warm water comes back. They’ve been a bit fussy in the cold water, feeding almost exclusively on small live squid and cuttlefish. They’ve been in good numbers and size upstream in Middle Harbour and the main harbour, with smaller numbers in the lower reaches around Watsons Bay. Fishing the washes around various lower harbour headlands has been productive this winter. Black

OCTOBER 2016

pieces and tossed them into the water. It wasn’t long and I had a boiling mass of bream at my feet going nuts. I bolted back to the car, grabbed a handline and within a few minutes had a nice bream about 2lb flapping on the grass. Until recently, I always considered it to be a bit of a novelty. Generally, the key to successful fishing is in sourcing the freshest, most natural baits and, equally important, identifying the target species’ primary food source. So what’s the go

eat bread. Even more bizarre, most species, even bottom feeders, will rise to the surface to take floating bread. Berley heavily with bread, and then fish with small unweighted pieces, under a small bobby cork. Putting the bread on the hook is tricky. It has to be done right. The crust is stripped off a slice of white bread. It has to be white bread, as multigrain falls apart too quickly. Squeeze a piece about 5cm square around the hook, to form dense dough, but be careful

Solid kings have stayed in the harbour right through the winter. seen various pelagics get in on the act. Talking of pelagics, it won’t be long before they are swarming back into the harbour. Salmon are already in, so here’s a few tips on making sure your lure kit is up to scratch. The most important part of your lure is the hooks. Inspect your hooks for rust that can make your hooks weak and blunt. A rusty hook will not penetrate as smoothly as a shiny one. Replace rusty hooks and split rings. You might decide to replace your hooks with chemically sharpened ones, which will improve your hook-up rate. If you go with standard hooks, use a sharpening stone to get those points razor sharp. Check your lures are performing correctly. The style of lure that’s most likely out of tune is minnows. A bump on the bib last season can put them out, which will usually result in making them swim off to one side. In really bad cases, they might even

adjustments by bending the bib itself. Naturally this is only practical with the metal-bibbed lures and should not be attempted with plastic bibs. Other maintenance might include cleaning dirty painted finishes, polishing tarnished metal reflective surfaces and patching up torn soft plastics with a hot wire. Organising your lure collection in your tackle box

Plastic hook guards are a great remedy, but remember to keep the WD40 up to them, as they have a tendency to hold moisture. Sort your lures into types and sizes and familiarize yourself with their positions in the box. • 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.

Bread baits produce a variety of species.

The best baits for the beaches SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com

Finally it is October! It’s time to have a crack at mulloway off our beaches. With the increasing numbers of whiting and assorted species, there is even more reason for predatory species to hunt. This applies off the ocean rocks and in estuaries like Sydney Harbour and Pittwater. Kings and mulloway will be more prolific as well. On the ocean beaches, it’s the month for big salmon. Traditionally October sees a run of stud salmon from 2.5-4kg. To catch them on 8-10kg braid or mono is a blast, but if you get the right conditions and hook them on line classes from 6-4kg, you’re going to have a battle royale. Seeing salmon strip 50m+ of line off your reel and then jump past the first wave break is memorable. On a recent outing, a customer hooked a salmon on 3-4kg braid and it took a big run seaward between some surfers waiting to catch a wave. The hooked salmon jumped from the water near a surfer and he freaked out – hilarious. The whiting are on at North Narrabeen from the

lagoon entrance to past the Pines, Octavia Street. Expect it to be packed on weekends. It’s a popular spot for this species when they’re on. Head further north to Warriewood, Bungan and Avalon beaches, which are also producing. Heading south, Dee Why and the south Steyne area of Manly beach are good. Bream and stud tarwhine can be expected mixed in the whiting bags, as well as salmon from these beaches. Try ganged pillies on 3/0 to 4/0 hooks, with reflective tape in green, gold or blue. Mix it up for better results. And live

beachworms, or even better bloodworms, are great for the whiting. The new season Hawkesbury prawns, peeled or whole, work for tarwhine and bream. Use baitfish for bream, like half pillies, mullet strips and any oily fish bait. Mulloway is without a doubt worth a go this month. Use live yellowtail, whole or fresh squid strips, or squid heads big enough for a 5/0 to 8/0 Mustad red. Those hooks also suit live yellowtail and whiting. Remember, when using sand whiting for bait, they must be at least 27cm. Try Mid Palm Beach,

Mat Sofi is happy with his two 70cm+ kings caught in the harbour. Mix it up! If the ocean rocks are too rough, hit the harbour or Pittwater.

Carol Borges and her partner Levy Barbosa with just one of several big salmon in an outing from Narrabeen beach – a team building exercise of eight, with the charismatic and fun people from Unique Media.

Newport, North Narrabeen and Dee Why for good early season mulloway. Choose a gutter on either the new or full moon high tides this month. Anglers frequently ask, is the new moon, or dark of the moon, better than the full moon period? Just fish the correct tides, after dark to mid-night highs, regardless of the moon type. Kings are also worth a go this time of the year, off ocean rocks and estuaries. These often hungry, new season kings are willing to smash most baits and lures. The Williamson Popper Pro 180, Rapala X-Rap Saltwater and 9” Stilstar Slapstick are a few lures worth having in your pack. Start off with these in a variety of colours. Live yellowtail suspended under a float is a great way of getting you onto a nice king, so add them. Fresh eastern sea gars are an obvious choice. It’s too

early in the season to purchase them from your fresh retail outlets, but they might be available from good tackle shops that have vac packed eastern sea gars available in their freezers. The robust gar works ok, but I prefer local eastern sea gar. Whole squid, squid strips and cuttlefish also work wonders. Is it practical to have all these lures and baits on a kingfish outing? Hey, of course not. It’s too much organizing for every outing and not affordable to the average angler who fishes once or twice a week for a king. The lures are a good option, allowing you to just get out there whenever you’re ready. If you have the opportunity to get just one of the bait types, that’ll complement the trip for sure. Note that the lures may not work as well as baits. There’s a lot more baits and lures you can purchase or catch, just keep it simple. Importantly, get out there as often as possible in safe conditions, especially off the ocean rocks. I recommend these locations in the harbour: Manly Point, Middle Head and Chowder Head. Off the rocks, try Bluefish Point, South Curl Curl’s flat rock area, and North and South Whale Headlands. This month, I like to pursue big pigs available at selected locations – a mix of fish ranging from less than a kilo to stud 4kg+ fish. Big cabbage baits suspended 1-3m under a float are good, and so are large peeled prawns and white sliced bread using this method. Alternatively, fish a running ball sinker to the hook. Try Little Bluey at Manly, North Curl Curl, North and South Whale Rocks as well. Luderick are in relatively good numbers where the pigs are, except in North Curl Curl. In the harbour, Dobroyd Head, Middle Head, and the Spit are on. Put in the effort to get your hair weed as much as your cabbage weed. Don’t forget sand for the berley. Mix the chopped weed in with the sand. Port Jackson sharks are a problem distance casting for snapper of late. A mix of species are being caught, like tarwhine and trevally with the snapper – reasonably good plate fish from South Curl Curl, Dee Why, Narrabeen Head, and Mona Vale pool rocks.

Billy Panagiotopoulas with a nice flathead, as part of a bag of whiting and bream. Mixed bags like this are to be expected in October, with big tarwhine as well. • For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www.bellissimocharters.

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OCTOBER 2016

A changing fishery BOTANY BAY

Gabe Quercigrosse gabeandgabe@bigpond.com

It never ceases to amaze me how fishing can change so quickly. In the past edition of Fishing Monthly, we mentioned how the Moons in the upper reaches of the Georges River were fishing well for whiting and bream. The fish have all but disappeared now; you would be lucky to pluck one or two. Could it be the jetskiers that descend on the area in droves and stop the fish from biting? Possibly. It’s not uncommon to see many PWCs reaching speeds of up to 60km/h in an 8 knot zone, and it’s only a matter of time before there’s a fatality.

recently had a look at how it was going, and it looks fine, but I’m no project engineer. For now, we’ll have to put up with increased congestion on other boat ramps in the area. I will keep you readers posted on its progress. BACK TO FISHING Fishing in the Georges River has been very ordinary in recent weeks, with a lot of effort needed to catch a feed of whiting and bream. I found the stretch of water between Jewfish Point and the old Lugarno Ferry hotspot to be the most consistent. This area is known as Cranbrook, and it’s gained a reputation as a luderick hotspot, with outstanding catches to its credit. Situated upriver from Como Ridge, the oyster leases which used to

schools of bream tend to filter towards the upper reaches of the system. Both the last of the run-in tide and the first of the falling tide are favoured, and the technique is to cast your bait on the edge of the channel and let the flow of water move it along the bottom. Many luderick have come to grief from this position, especially along the old retaining wall on the eastern side. I’ve been averaging a dozen good bream to 35cm per session using live bloodworms and a long trace of 1.5m+ between the sinker and hook. This allows the bait to move around, and allows the fish to bite more readily. The prawn berley distributed by Premier Coast is dynamite, and saves you the trouble of preparing your own berley mixture.

The author’s 45cm trevally and whiting amongst a catch of 15 whiting, three bream and a trevally caught at the Moons with Ted Vlores.

Luke’s recent catch off Sydney. Something has to be done, as it is impossible to fish the river on weekends. Oatley Bay Boat Ramp is still closed for refurbishing and won’t open until sometime in October – if we’re lucky. I

abound there are now gone, but remnants can easily be seen on the low tides, with white markers still showing. All along this area is top breaming country, particularly at this time of year where

Elsewhere in the river, small bream between 23-25cm are driving anglers mad, taking baits meant for larger predators. I don’t know how to get away from these pests. Probably the best method would be to fish

in shallower water, or stick to night time fishing. Luderick have been the mainstay in the Woronora River. A recent competition by the ‘Wonnie’ Fishing Club yielded quite good numbers, with the larger fish nudging the 1kg mark whole. The old house at the entrance to this system on the western side has been productive during the run-out tide. The best way to position your boat is to use two anchors, which allows you to fish side-on to the current. Bream are also common when berley is applied around dusk. Bonnet Head has been fishing well for the same species, and is a handy location to get away from bad weather and fish in relatively comfortable conditions. The well-maintained Bonnet Bay

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OCTOBER 2016

is only a short distance away. If you’ve got the kids with you and you’re looking for a spot that’s safe and easy to get to, look no further than Jannali Reserve. This is a great landbased spot which can always be relied upon to provide a few fish. I’ve heard of good flatties taken from the western shoreline just upstream of the foot bridge adjacent to Neales Inlet, with Squidgy Pro Fish in grasshopper doing the most damage. Good size tailor have been filtering through the system, and a few to 60cm have been taken at night, shorebased on whole pilchards. A similar story applies between Captain Cook Bridge and the channel marker at the entrance to Woolooware Bay, where 20cm Raiders in blue and green mackerel patterns have accounted for good tailor. Bobby Dean, one of the most accomplished anglers on the river, has been catching good mulloway land-based at Picnic Point. Bob only fishes the tide change period and uses only live bloodworms. Some of his catches are quite remarkable, but you need to get out of bed at all hours to get results like his. Oatley Bay has been very quiet, with not too many anglers trying the area. This is customary for the area at this time of year, but it will improve over the next few months. I witnessed a few tailor taken from the north side of Tom Uglys Bridge and the odd flathead failing for pilchard cubes. The bay itself is not setting the world on fire. Kingfish in the 65-70cm range have shown up wide of Molineaux Point and have been taking very fresh strips

of squid during the early hours, while the Bare Island area has also showed signs of better class fish. A whole squid downrigged between Cape Banks, Shaky and Julienne is a sure bet if you’re looking for that trophy king, but you must know what you’re doing or there’s no hope. Flathead have been on the prowl between Nowra Point and Ramsgate Baths. Norm and Dave are probably the best flatty fishers in the area, and they have been getting their bag limits consistently with lizards between 40-50cm. Norm takes the easy way out by casting his Gary Glitter Squidgy ahead, then placing his rod in the holder allowing the fish to hook itself. Similar catches have been reported from the Yarra Bay drift and the Sutherland Point to Little Yewa stretch. There are a few leather jacket around, with the Port Botany retaining wall and the artificial reefs great starting points. Berley is essential, and a paternoster rig armed with a size 8 long shank hook is all you need. A sinker to suit the conditions and a piece of squid or peeled prawn pinched on the hook will do the job. If you’re fishing the rocks, Little Bay has been absolutely fantastic, with luderick, drummer, trevally and kings filling the creek. We’ve had word of some catches of 50+ fish in the area, with one of the kings exceeding 15kg. Henrys Head, just inside Botany Bay, is another rock possie that has been delivering the goods. The main fishing area here is a well-defined ledge at the very tip of the point, ad is easily accessible by walking past the NSW gold course club house down to

Endeavour Lighthouse. Good groper, drummer, luderick, leatherjacket and a few good snapper have been taken there the last few weeks along with tailor and salmon. Cooks River hasn’t been too bad with trevally, tailor and whiting taken in fair numbers, but the boat traffic is a constant pain, so it may be better to leave your fishing until during the week, especially if you’ve got an early morning run out tide or at night on the run in tide. The offshore scene has been a hit-and-miss affair. Big gemfish have been taken at Browns Mountain in good numbers, but lack of blue-eye trevalla has made the long trip to the mountain a costly exercise. It’s a similar story at the 12 mile reef where school kingfish have been boated. I’m told the big Chinaman jackets are back in numbers, while the longfin perch are sitting right on the pinnacles. The peak has trevally by the bucketload, and provides excellent sport for the new chum fishos as well as providing an excellent feed if smoked in hickory dust. Flathead have been the mainstay, with most recognised grounds producing good blue-spot lizards. The charter boat Bianca bagged out on the flatties fishing the Falls and Garie Beach. Other locations which can be relied on to provide a feed

This 95cm snapper is still out there after being released by Chicken Pete.

include the middle ground at the entrance to Port Hacking, wide off Boat Harbour, Mistral Point, Maroubra Wide and the ever-reliable 40m drift between Botany Heads. October is a great month for mulloway, and I expect the first run of schoolies to be evident around Captain Cook Bridge, Tom Uglys Bridge and Como Bridge. Your best bet is to fish two days before the full moon period, with slack water the best time. We should see a few soapy-size fish around the oil wharf at Kurnell, and the fishing will only get better as the season progresses. Bare Island traditionally is an excellent spot for most species, so expect good catches. Bream will make the annual run in the Georges, and upstream of Como Bridge will be the place to look for them. I expect them to start feeding on the weed patches close to sand banks, slowly pushing the whiting out into deeper waters. Although it’s a bit early, I expect a few good fish will be taken around Elephants Trunk, Caster Island and Pelican Point. Luderick catches should decline as the water in the estuaries tend to warm up, but they can still be taken around bridge pylons and will be considerably larger than the ones caught in winter. We can expect whiting to show up in good numbers

this month. I believe that, pound- for-pound, whiting is one of out finest fishing fish, especially on ultra light gear. You’ll find them on the Cornwells at Cockle Bed, the crack in the wall at Oatley Bay, the Caravan Head Channel, the entrance to the Woronora River, Cranbrook and Black Butt wide. Estuary perch and bass will be available above Needles and Shackles Estate in the Woronora River, Liverpool Weir, the stretch close to Cambridge West Weir, and Cabramatta and Prospect Creeks, with worms the best bait available.

Park, Ellis Lane and Theresa Park are all holding good numbers of bass. Come and see me at the shop in Narellan for the latest info. I’ll be giving a talk on how to catch big whiting on Wednesday evening, November 2 at the St George and Sutherland Shire Fishermen Club. If you would like to learn to catch that 1kg+ fish, come and talk to me. Tight lines! • For all your fishing needs, as well as the latest info on what’s biting, drop into Gabe’s Boating and Fishing at Narellan (4/1A Somerset Ave), or Silvania (268/264-

A beautiful mulloway caught in the Georges River. If you fancy a bit of travelling, Sydney’s best kept secret is out. The Nepean River, Cobbity Weir, Menangle Weir, Douglas

276 Princes Hwy). You can also call them on (02) 4647 8755 or (02) 9522 5100 respectively, or visit the website at www.gbaf.com.au.

OCTOBER 2016

Tales from some delighted anglers in Sydney SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

This month’s report is all about readers who sent photos to me, letting me know about their fishing exploits, suggested techniques, baits and places to go to try your luck out in Southern Sydney. A few months ago, Michael Brown contacted me. He’d been fishing with his wife Michelle and his mates’ daughters up at Forster. Not only did the girls get amongst the fish, Michelle got in on the action as well. They drifted adjacent to the oyster leases and drop offs near Cockatoo Island, and caught plenty of dusky flathead while using prawns for bait. Now for those of you with a boat to fish in the Port Hacking, Woronora and Georges rivers, or Botany Bay, try whole prawns for bait next time you’re out. Drifting for flathead, I prefer to have a running ball or bean sinker on the swivel, with a leader of about 45cm, and a number 1 or 2 long shanked hook. This way, the hook can go right through the body of the prawn and the bend comes out in the head. With a live prawn, I

Matilda will be dreaming about her salmon for some time.

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would use a 1/0 Owner circle hook and pin it through the bottom part of the prawn’s tail. Try drifting the stretch of water just downstream of the Woronora Bridge, in the middle of the channel on the downstream side of the 8 knot area at Lugarno, between the Tom Uglys and Captain Cooks Bridge, in 5m of water off Brighton-Le-Sands Beach and along the outside edge of the groynes at Silver Beach, Kurnell. Phillip Snell took his son Charlie and eight year old daughter Matilda for a fish, at Lakes Beach on the NSW Central Coast. He was so proud of what they achieved, it brought a tear to his eye. Matilda was minding Phil’s rod as he was packing up and heard her yell she had a fish on. To his surprise, a salmon was jumping out of the water as Matilda reeled it in. The sambo played every trick in the book, but Matilda stood her ground. Scared, crying and out of breath, she was pulled around the beach like she was walking a naughty dog. Matilda screamed for joy as she handed back his brand new Jarvis Walker 750 beach combo, with blood, sweat and pink glitter. The sambo was caught on a half pilchard

Even though Charlie’s biggest fish was covered in sand, it weighed in at over 1kg. and long shank hook. Phillip remarked that it was truly one of the best fish fights he’d ever seen. Charlie’s first Aussie sambo was caught using a

Shakespeare Tidewater 6000 spin, on a Wilson Foreshore 10’6” with 4.5kg mono. Charlie was using a half pilchard on a 3/0 long shanked hook and was able to land the

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salmon with the waves – a terrific effort. Another time, Charlie caught a bream just over 1kg on a half pilchard, off Lakes Beach in Budgewoi. It was one of the coldest days during the east current. His dad, Phillip, refused to fish. But that didn’t stop Charlie and his mate Jye. Between catching fish, they also went for a swim. Whether you’re fishing off Coogee, Maroubra, Wanda, Cronulla or any of the Royal National Park beaches, you’ll

be in with a chance to catch yourself a few bream, salmon and the odd tailor using half pilchards. You’ll need to find yourself a deep gutter and work your bait right through – fish may feed on the edge rather than deeper parts of the gutter. Next time you fish these beaches, use a set of ganged hooks with either a whole pilchard or garfish, with a running ball sinker on top. Cast into the surf and slowly wind back in. To stop the bait from

twisting, rig it so the top hook is pinned through the eye. As a writer for over 22 years, it’s always great to hear from the readers of the magazine on what their fishing exploits have been. Readers or subscribers to the magazine make me and other writers keep our monthly

reports coming out, in the hope that it helps you get onto your own fish. Over the coming months, get yourself amongst some fish. Send them to me at gbrown1@iprimus.com.au, along with a few words about where it was caught, the type of bait and what tackle you used.

Beau Startin from Cooloongolook with a cracking season-opening river bass.

A great sized salmon for fish number one – well done, Charlie!

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Michelle Brown was stoked with this dusky flathead she caught on a prawn.

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Winning with slow jigging ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

There are not a lot of new ideas that come around in the world of fishing these days. Pretty much all methods and angles have been covered, at one time or another. So with fewer fish overall these days, it’s down to refining techniques. The result – fishing becomes more technical in the more populated areas. With this in mind, Bryan and Yasushi from EJ Todd introduced me to a new form of fishing with metal lures. While it’s not a new concept, it’s become popular in Japan with effective results. Basically jigging, but not the style we know in Australia –

When a fish is on, these rods have plenty of power to get the fish to the boat. They still work the jig to extract its best action and are delicate enough to feel the slightest touch – rods made for a purpose. way down and turned out to be a pike. The next was a yellowtail which got Yasushi excited, even though he’s been to Australia many times. Similar fish are regarded as great sashimi in Japan. Bryan scored a small snapper, barely legal but promising. Then came the rush of wrasse and tuskfish of various types and sizes, but nothing to get excited

about. These jigs were getting hit on virtually every drop. Slimy mackerel were next to line up, along with leatherjackets and good old red rockies. One fish I thought would be a pest, the ever-present Sergeant Baker, are always a nuisance on soft plastics when chasing snapper. There must have been a bit of sand down there as a flathead even appeared.

For some reason, whopper squid were attracted to these jigs. I’d been watching for a while, and with a little practice, had the technique pretty much down pat. Let the lure sink until it hits the bottom then keeping the rod at 90 degrees, with a very short lift, take about half a turn on the reel to impart action on the jig. Let the tip fall then do it again all the way to the surface, or halfway if you want it back in the strike zone quickly. The rod is very important, as your traditional jigging rods will not impart the action. Slow jigging rods have light tip sections and are quite parabolic in their action. The lure rises with the lift and

wind then flutters back a short distance. It takes several lifts to cover even a metre of water, so the jig stays rising and fluttering in a small area, giving fish plenty of time to find their mark and attack. I found it strange that I was getting extra weight on many of the drops, before getting hit by a fish of one type or another. Yasushi and Bryan were too, and we couldn’t work it out. I managed to stay connected to one of the weights and it turned out to be a squid. Then Yasushi and Bryan stayed connected, and it was squid coming in every couple of drops. They just

Arrow squid as well as calamari were equally enthusiastic. drop the lure to the bottom and rip it back fast, for kings and whatever else grabs it. This method uses a slow twitching retrieve to entice the fish to grab your lure, rather than the instinctive chase and strike of the fast retrieve. It’s called slow jigging, or slow pitched jigging. The jigs come in several shapes and a multitude of different colours. The main ones we used were in weights of 100g, 130g and 150g. They were centre balanced, giving them a strong flutter on the drop and a slower fall rate through the water column, falling in a horizontal position. Some jigs come rear weighted with an irregular action during the fall and a faster sink rate. The Slow Blatt Long looks like a knife jig but flat on one side. The long body allows it to hop with a long slide to the side followed by a 26

OCTOBER 2016

horizontal flutter. It combines both jigging styles, fast and slow, attracts the attention of fish with a fast upward movement and gets the bite on a slow drop. We set a date to have a crack at a few fish in my local waters off the south coast. This method works best in waters of 30m or deeper, so a reef that ranges from 30-60m is usually quite productive, and was chosen for the majority of the day’s fishing. With a week of dead calm weather, a full moon and reported captures of many species few and far between, it wasn’t looking good. The current was minimal and the wind a slight southwester so conditions were bordering on perfect. I chose to sit back and watch for a while just to see how this technique worked – get a feel for it before having a crack. The first drop got hit on the

Top: Even smaller snapper took to the Blatts. Bottom: The last thing we expected in 40m of water was a tailor.

Even the normally sedate cuttlefish liked the slow jig technique.

loved it, particularly the jig in red with the luminous bands. We caught both arrow and calamari squid. By the end of the day, we had better than fifteen of these ink-spitting cephalopods. Yasushi hooked one that didn’t want to come up – a fair sized cuttlefish. We only needed an occy now to cover the whole family, but still no decent fish. All this commotion stirred up the locals, as my jig was nailed in the first metre of retrieve. A nice snapper about 2kg found its way to the boat, followed by another

from Yasushi. Then we had tailor in 40m of water and more assorted species of bottom dwellers. We were on our way back by 1.00pm. We didn’t set the world on fire with massive snapper, kings and mulloway, but who does in one trip? We did get hit or caught fish on almost every drop, which is unheard of. Not what we would call quality species, but these jigs and this technique had something that made fish want to bite them. Back at the ramp, enquiring what other boats had caught that day, we smashed

them. Boats came in empty, even on the lesser species. I would brand my first effort at slow jigging a success. I’d love to have a crack at this method on the reefs of the mid and north coast of New South Wales, for pearlies, trag and snapper. On the Queensland reefs, they would be deadly on just about everything from trout to trevally. To work the jig effectively, match them to the right rods and reels. Even the terminals like hooks are important to get right. The gear we used on the day were rods specially

Sometimes you have to sift through small snapper to get the big ones.

built for slow jigging, in the Metal Witch Quest range. The reels were Shimano Ocea Jigger 1500HG and Diawa Saltiga Overhead 10H, both high-speed retrieve. The reels matched to the rods and are super fast to effectively take up the line on hook-up, and set the hook. The lines were colour coded braids, to easily work out the depth. This really helped retrieve speed and to notice hits on the way down, which happened on a regular basis. The diameter is thin for the breaking strain, which helps stay in contact with the jig. Especially in strong current you can feel every touch on the jig. We used Sunline PE Jigger ULT 8 in 35lb, and Super Braid 5 in 24lb, both 300m. We used Sunline FC Rock 30lb leader, which is a favourite of mine in most situations. It’s tough with high abrasion resistance, thin and clear. We ran long leaders of 2-3m, which helped to give the jig a good stealth presentation, with plenty of distance between main line and leader. This helps when the jig is getting close to the rod tip. The hooks were lethal. When you hook squid with standard hooks consistently, you know they’re sharp. They came about through collaboration between Palms and Decoy – the best hook and drop length for the various

A bit of fun when two mini Sergeant Baker tackled the jigs. slow pitch jigs. We were using twin assist hooks, sometimes on both top and bottom of the jig for better hook-up rates. They worked and the hook-up rate was excellent. These are the sharpest hooks I’ve ever used. I’m going to chase some up in bigger sizes and rig them on knife jigs, for

kings, in the same manner as the slow pitch jigs. If they work, I think they’ll rarely miss another hook-up. Slow jigging is a new technique in this neck of the woods, but I’m sure we’ll hear a whole lot more about it, with some solid captures in the future.

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Flathead thick throughout the river system THE TWEED

Josh Gurney

There have been a few good fish getting around over the last month. Bream, mulloway, big flathead, leaping bull sharks, and swimming kangaroos. A couple of good mates and myself have been focusing our efforts on the spawning winter bream. They are throughout the whole system and, when we’ve had a chance, we start in the early mornings fishing bridges. Cast Cranka Crabs tight beside the bridge plyons and allow them to slowly drift down along the oyster encrusted concrete – this is easily the most successful way to entice a decent bream in winter. Another favourite technique of mine, canal bashing, involves a couple of different outfits all with light line, 4lb leader and a variety of lures. I try to always have three rods with me – one

with a deep diving crank, one with a small curly-tail soft plastic and another with a surface lure. I can cover all bases and save time without constantly having to retie and change lures. You’ll find that in canals,

most bream will be hiding in the shade of a pontoon or between boats, so casting accuracy is required. Flathead have been thick around just about all the corners of the river. Light line, early morning,

hole and Boyds Bay Bridge, which is where there have been reports of anglers smacking them lately. Use the same luring technique as you would if you were targeting flathead. With a bit of time, you’ll come up

Check out this cracker GT of Cody’s! A lot of time and patience is required. Don’t be afraid to use heavy gear. A 5-10kg rod, 4000 size spinning reel, or bait cast, and anywhere up to 40-50lb fluorocarbon

reasonable size GT. He was pumped! After a good five minutes he landed his fish and that was it. We called it a day. The birds flew off, bait balls had

Cranka Crabs are really effective on these canal flatties. run out tide and a small to medium size soft plastic will see you with a bag of flatties in no time. Try the Piggery, Condong Sugar Mill or behind the Tweed Heads Golf Course. For those who have a little more patience, coincide a tide change, low or high, with dawn or dusk. Spend a little time fishing one of the many mulloway holes throughout the river, especially the Terranora

with the goods. For those of you that know me, its coming into my favourite time of year. Slowly but surely, summer is just around the corner with mangrove jack! They should be starting to bite, as days are getting warmer. Try throwing some bigger 4-6” paddle-tail soft plastics around common man made structure such as rock walls, bridges, jetties and moored boats.

A swimming kangaroo crossing the river. Be patient, try to time your tides with dawn or dusk. It’s nearly time for those beaut mangrove jacks.

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split up and the ocean turned into a washing machine. We started the motor and headed back through the bar, but just as we crossed I noticed a head bobbing in the water. We went over to check what it was. “It’s a kangaroo!” Cody yelled. Couldn’t believe it, a kangaroo crossing the Tweed River mouth swimming from Jack Evans Boat Harbour to Fingal – not something you see everyday!

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Late shallow snapper big Bassman Spinnerbaits and Atomic Hardz Vibe 60 with rattle in black beauty and rock crab. As the weather warms and the bugs come out, the surface action will heat up, but it won’t be that great for a little while yet. On the offshore front, get far out to the edge of the shelf to chase blue-eye trevally and bar cod. The best bait is cuttlefish. Cut the backbone out of the cuttlefish and use strong circle hooks. Electric reels are a must. Close reefs will still produce good snapper

BALLINA

Joe Allan

The Richmond River started to clear from the rains in September, which really dirtied up the higher reaches. Bass season is now open and this is my favourite time to get out and chase these feisty fish. They will be on the move to upper reaches in creeks and main river arms, but don’t overlook main river stretches. Fish are always hungry at this time of year after doing their business. Try

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– towards the end of the month they’ll start to move out to the 32 fathoms. This is where to look when you can get there, and when the tide allows you to fish it. The northeast winds that start over the next few months will make it harder to fish deep reefs. As the water warms, the cobia and mahi mahi should start to move on the close reefs. Get some live bait like yakkas and slimy mackerel, and throw these around the FADs for a good start. Gamakatsu Live Bait hooks are the best to give these fish some curry.

Justin Northfield with a beautiful snapper from a close in reef.

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The author with an early season Aussie bass caught on an Atomic Hardz Vibe 60. The lower reaches of the Richmond River should see some mud crabs fire up as the warmer weather brings them in. Emigrant

left over from your bait fishing trips. Over the flats, around the town stretch of river, whiting should start to come on the bite for surface lures. Target the shallow flats as the water moves up with the incoming tide. The best lure to try is definitely the Sugapen from Bassday. Beaches are fishing well and the dart have started to come on nicely. Slugs are a great profile to use for these guys. You may still get the odd tailor off the beach, but these will start to become scarce. You will pick up the odd big sea run bream and flathead in the gutters as by-catch. Big bream can really give you some stick on light gear.

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Colin McDonald caught this awesome 112cm mulloway in the Richmond River, Ballina, at midnight. He used live herring as bait.

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Mixed action out on the reef YAMBA

Dave Gaden

October is one of those funny months for fishing in our area. It can be hard work one year and red-hot the next. The water temperature is rising and fish have had some time to recover from their winter spawn and disperse throughout the system, both in the estuary and offshore. INSHORE AND ESTUARY Last month the river had a far bit of colour in it due to the better than average rainfall in the catchment. This pushed some of the better fish closer to the mouth, which were chasing the clean water on the n BThese a Prawtide. bincoming ladesmall m a Y s “ freshes in the river look”as if they will continue, so

Amazingly, our snapper season is still going strong!

yabbies as bait. For those not wanting to travel for them, the shortcut between Hickey and Dart islands is always worth a shot, with the ease of being able to pump yabbies right alongside the spot The last three years have seen the Clarence once again come alive with crabs, both blue swimmer and muddies. Normally you crab in months with a ‘r’ in them, but they never stopped this year and all signs point to another bumper spring. Muddies will be right throughout the system in the usual mud holed spots. Blue swimmers should be in good numbers on the sand channel from the Tavern to Reedy creek and from the boat ramp on

finding the fish may be a challenge. Mulloway love the fresh due to the food, which is predominately mullet, being

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Mulloway have been thick on the offshore grounds. pushed out and the break walls are a real hotspot. Some great lures to try are Bills Bugs range of big divers and the new Maria 140 Loaded sinking stickbait. Flathead are around in good numbers from Middle Wall to Harwood Bridge depending on water clarity, and quite a few fish around the 70cm+ mark are being caught. These are expected to stick around until the end of October. Luderick or blackfish have been sensational this season, and have given no indication they will slow up as the warmer weather comes. I’ve weighed fish to over 1.6kg lately and heard reports of bigger ones. Even the first timers are getting a bag. Whiting should be around this month. The entrance to Lake Wooloweyah around Joss Island is a great spot, as well as the eastern side of Turkey Island upstream from Browns rocks. Anchoring on a rising tide at the lake with lightly weighted yabbies or beach worms is very productive. Turkey Island seems to work better drifting on an run-out tide, with a little more weight, again with

Carrs Drive to the entrance to the lake. But honestly, like last season, you should catch them just about anywhere there is water and sand. OFFSHORE Offshore is where I spend an average of 180 days a year running fishing charters. This year the larger snapper arrived about three weeks late, but they just haven’t left. I have had numerous days of multiple 4-8kg fish being caught, and they are mixed with a lot of quality reef fish like venus tuskfish, Moses perch and Maori cod. For those who like to chase them on plastics, Shelly Headland to Redcliff in the south in around 10m of water for the first and last two hours of daylight is where you want to focus your attention. If you want to head north, north to the break reef off Woody Head, you should be able to fish for them all day. If lures aren’t for you, then floating a big bait with a couple of fluoro beads above the hook through the same area will be every bit as productive. Close reef from Angourie to Redcliff holds good

fish for those not wanting to travel far. The northeast corner produces some big snapper in about 50m and deeper with good trag and bluespot flathead mixed in. Around 3 nautical miles south-southwest is a ground I call Texas, which is a great spring spot. This will show easily as you drive over it, with some nice high rocks and fish holding very tight between the rocks. Drifting with a north current can give up a mixed bag of quality fish most days. The wider ground has been smashed by leatherjacket over the last month or so, but the latest lot are looking poor, meaning they have spawned and I expect them to move on

pearl perch, kingfish, and even early mahimahi can be caught with the normal reef fish in abundance. Spring brings trag to South Evans Reef in huge numbers mixed with really good mulloway, and the boat drive is always well worth it. It’s also only 10 nautical miles from the bar to the Italian Grounds, and here you’re almost guaranteed a good trag and mulloway. I like to fish in (30-40m) for them, drifting if possible, but if you find a hotspot, you can anchor, as they will hold for you. Usually there will be schools of livies with them. Having one live bait and one flesh bait on a standard rig proves the most productive with the activity

Those heading offshore have often returned with great mixed bags. by October. This will mean the reef they took over will quickly fill with trag, snapper and mulloway once more. Drifting the wide grounds off Brooms Head is one of my favourites, as it’s a lottery every day. Anything from cobia, rosy jobfish, pigfish,

of the trag usually attracting the mulloway to the boat. Enjoy the spring and change of season, and if you are traveling south to Yamba, remember we’re now under daylight savings, giving you an extra hour to get that big one.

Go find the flatties ILUKA

Ross Deakin

The mighty Clarence River is still looking pretty turbid due to an unseasonal amount of rain. This was exactly what the river needed – a fresh flush to invigorate fish and fishing activity. We have seen some excellent bream catches, especially around the river mouth and up to Browns Rocks, and some fine flathead caught as well. With the last soaking this area experienced, things quietened down and are now picking back up with impressive catches of flathead and bream. Juno Mailey landed an absolute whopper flatty at Moriartys, estimated around 90-100cm. He released it, but his grandad and local Tony Belton managed to snap a great photo during the excitement. Tailor were up and down and somewhat of a disappointment this winter. There have been fish caught on the headlands and beaches up to the 3kg mark but just not in the numbers we’ve been used to. Trevally

have been caught off the Bluff and Woody Head with reports of up to 8kg fish taken. There have been a few nice whiting taken on the Iluka beaches with worms and poppers. There have been great mulloway caught. Brisbane fisher Young Kim, with a friend, caught two mulloway off the wall on September 7 – 20kg and

10kg. Steve Sherman caught a fantastic Tarwine weighing 1.64kg at Shark Bay on September 1, using pipis. Luderick catches have been improving especially around the Bluff, the Old Ferry and off the Iluka Wall. Snapper have been around in good numbers with many cracker 4-8kg fish weighed in. Bruce Lindenburg had a

Juno making his catch off the shore.

Snapper have been around in good numbers with many cracker 4-8kg fish weighed in.

5.1kg fish caught at Woody Head on the August 31 and Alan Heppers got a 6kg beast Snapper caught at Black Rock on September 12. Weathers warming up, so here’s to an awesome spring and fish aplenty. • For all your fishing needs and up-to-date information and tips for spots and fish drop into the shop for a chat. Iluka Bait and Tackle is located at 3 Owen Street, Iluka NSW 2466. Give us a call on (02) 6646 5217 or 0402 997 572. We are available online at www. ilukabait.com.au or visit our Facebook page.

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Concealed compartment full of gemfish on seized boat. were seized as well as 40 of the gemfish, 20 times over the bag limit, and all fishing

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As many as 40 gemfish were seized – twenty times the bag limit.

gear on the boat, including 52 pre-rigged lines and hooks and an electric reel. The man was allowed to keep his legal bag limit of two gemfish. “Gemfish are listed as a priority species under the Fisheries Management Act 1994. It is an offence for a person to possess a commercial quantity of a priority species, which is five for gemfish. “Anyone found guilty of these offences faces significant fines and may lose their vessel or equipment as a result,” said Mr Tully. Anyone who suspects illegal activity should call the Fishers Watch number on 1800 043 536, or report online at www.dpi.fisheries. nsw.au/compliance. – DPI Fisheries

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Martin Denlow with a pretty tarwhine. OCTOBER 2016

Bring back the bass COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley info@tdsimages.com.au

It’s only a matter of days until we can stalk our favourite feral once again, as the NSW trout season opens for another year. The last few months have provided the range with much rain and plentiful flows in all river systems in our area. The trout suffered greatly last season with depleted flows and searing heat. I

like when we’ve had the off-season gap. Going on recent captures, up in private and non-gazetted trout waters, the trout are in the mood and should be healthy and active. The bass anglers have spent the last month catching up after another extended off-season. If you’re chasing bass, you still have two main strategies to pick from, fish the upper tidal reaches looking for schools amongst the snags, or look for more spread out fish

to medium hardbody lures will work well too, especially in deeper holes or larger river sections, near the tidal stretches. The upper estuary fish are also being taken on shrimp pattern plastics and flies, which need to be fished slower with more patience. M ullow ay have remained regular captures for those putting in the time in the mid-upper estuaries. They’re active in all the systems, but especially in the larger catchments of Kalang,

The bass anglers have been flat out catching up after a four month off-season.

Andrew Talbot’s 91.7cm fish took out biggest snapper by only a few millimetres, during the Dave Irvine Memorial Snapper Classic. think we can look forward to far kinder conditions for the trout this year, or at least for the start of the season. Most creeks should fish well, but I would still tend towards areas that have been easier for the fish during the heat of last season. The creeks in dense forest, which hold good deep holes between riffles and are higher up the range, will have more healthy fish, and hopefully a head start for this summer. It’s always hard to know what the season is going to be

in their upstream homes in the skinny stuff. The latter is the more popular, as it’s usually more scenic and visual fishing. Upstream, it’s never too early to utilise your favourite surface lure. There have been plenty of bass keen on a surface crawler, even in the middle of the day, with not a cicada to be heard. My favourites are the Jackall Pompadour Jr for deeper pools or coloured water, and the Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada for shallow and clear streams. Small

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Bellinger and Nambucca. Jerk shad and paddle-tail soft plastics have been the most successful on river mulloway of all sizes. The same can be said for the headlands and rockwalls, where anglers have had plenty of success. Sometimes it’s been a struggle to find a period with small enough swell to fish, but big enough for the fish to find cover. Headlands with small rocks and bommies off the main rock ledge have showed the most consistency here. Macaulies, Boambee, and Bundagen have all been fishing quite well, but again, only when you can find the right conditions to fish them properly. Fishing in the lower estuary has still be mostly focused around the bream and flathead, both of which have been active and caught in size and numbers. The whiting are starting to warm up though and have been actively hitting surface lures, as well as the trusty yabby. This month should see them come on even stronger, so pull out your Sugarpens and Skinny Pops and start casting. During the Dave Irvine Memorial Snapper Classic, run in late August this year, snapper showed

why they’re the staple for anglers along our coast. During the tournament, 221 local and visiting anglers were able to capture, measure and release 867 legal snapper, averaged at almost 50cm. The largest fish was 91.7cm, and the top three were separated by less than 1cm. This year’s event also enjoyed some of the better weather experienced in its ten years of running. The snapper have since

Other options offshore this time of year are centred around the Seriola gang. Kingfish, Samson fish and amberjacks have been schooled up around most deep reef locations, as well as the islands. Kingfish have been the larger target for most anglers and have been very willing to hit a fleeing stickbait. Live baiting and floatlining have also been netting a few big hoodlums.

tdsimages.com.au and you can show all of NSW. They don’t have to be massive fish or spectacular photos, just well taken images of fun fishing on the Coffs Coast. Send full size pics and a bit about the capture. You don’t have to give away your secret spot, but we’d love to share your fishing captures and see what other anglers are getting up to in our area. Whether you’re capturing

This snapper got Jason up and running towards 3rd place in the Kayak section of the Dave Irvine Classic. continued their form with plenty on offer for every type of angler, with soft plastics, jigs, or bait.

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It’s still quiet, but all that is about to change COFFS GAME

Glen Booth

It’s still all quiet on the eastern front as far as Coffs Harbour game fishing activity is concerned, but the season

species doesn’t turn up though, another always seems keen to fill the void and for adaptable crews this can produce some pretty exciting fishing. After a prolonged absence, striped marlin have figured prominently in

a good chance of catching a marlin, so it pays to have all the ancillary equipment like rod buckets, harnesses, gloves and tag poles ready when that first lure goes over the side. Black marlin have been steady in recent years, but haven’t really hit the dizzying heights some older hands speak of from years past. A hint as to what our season might offer can be determined by what the juvenile bite was like in far north Queensland during winter. Unfortunately, Cape Bowling Green was pretty quiet, although the waters off Cairns fished fairly well. A straw poll of game fishos in Coffs would almost certainly put blue marlin at the top of the target species’ list. While they’ve been caught here in every month of the year, they’re more reliable in the warmer months, with February and March being peak time. The last two seasons have been crackers, with multiple bites a day being recorded.

Mahimahi remain inexplicably thin on the ground. Granted, there’s always a few caught here and there while trolling for blues, but the inshore concentrations around the FAD, wave recorder and traps have been sadly lacking. The problem might be that we all compare current numbers to the spectacular 2014 season where there was a carpet of green and gold under anything that floated, and packs of fish roaming open water. A notable piece of tasty by-catch last season was the wahoo. Arguably the best year ever recorded in Coffs’ waters, some boats got driven mad by the tiger striped speedsters (not us though). Radio chatter went from an excited “It’s a wahoo!” to a more subdued “It’s just a wahoo” as the season progressed and that blind strike didn’t turn out to be a marlin after all. While on species with teeth, the last few mackerel seasons have been epic, with plenty of 8-12kg

Mahimahi have been less common in recent seasons, but last season the wahoo sure plugged the gap in the tasty by-catch stakes.

Those other marlin species are nice, but it’s the blues that Coffs’ anglers really want to catch. should have shifted into gear by the time you read this. So to fill my allocated space this month, I thought I’d indulge in a little crystal ball gazing on what might occur this season based on what has happened in the past. The trouble with this approach is that fish are adept at proving even the most informed pundits completely wrong! If one

spring catches over recent years, and a smattering loitered right through summer — even when the water hit a bath-warm 28 degrees. This early season bite has proven nice and handy too, with the line between the FAD in the north and the waver recorder buoy directly off Coffs proving pretty reliable. You could be setting up the spread just five miles out and be in with

Yellowfin tuna encounters are sporadic these days, so each fish is treasured.

Spaniards and spotties in a range of sizes on call. A lack of flooding rain and plenty of slimy mackerel on the bait grounds has certainly contributed to this, and the season now continues into June. Reports from up around the big island suggest that there’s a small remnant population resident year round. Yellowfin tuna though, remain an enigma. There was a good bite at the start of the season, with surface schools of 25-35kg fish ranging along the shelf line, but these thinned out as the water warmed, although there was a flurry at the end of summer. They’re certainly nowhere near as common as they once were, and the days of cursing them as every lure in the spread got creamed are sadly but a distant memory.

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The Mid North Coast of NSW is home to some amazing bass fishing. The Macleay River offers a fishery that’s as good as it gets. There’s a buzz in the air in the Macleay Valley this time of year, from the excited first-time toddlers tagging along with mum or dad, through to great grandparents dusting off their closed face reels and lures that have worked for decades and every obsessed individual between. The beauty of bass fishing is that you can make it as involved or as simple as you like. You still catch fish and have a great day with family and friends. The bass season started well this year, with cracking fish being caught from day one. The stretches of river around and above Kempsey will provide the best numbers of fish. Reports are that fish are right up through the upper reaches of the river system. The surface

bite, which most anglers desire, will increase as we progress towards summer. Fishing in the dark or at first and last light will still draw out a surface strike most of the year. For the moment, most fish are taken on spinnerbaits and divers, as well as soft and hardbody vibes fished tight to structure or around schooling bait. River whaler or bull sharks will become rampant in the upper tidal zones over the next few months. These fish will take live or freshly dead baits, fished on plastic coated wire. Remember to handle with care and if you don’t intend on eating your catch, release it unharmed. Down in the salt around Smithtown, there have been good numbers of flathead and bream, as well as a few straggler bass still in the area. School mulloway have been right through the lower Macleay, as always. The average size of these fish has increased over the last few years since the size limits were raised. Small to medium soft plastics fished around a high tide

change have been extremely productive on these fish, especially white, green and brown. A few anglers have had the shock of their lives after big mulloway have slammed their small offerings, leaving them with a fight. Big flathead, trevally, tailor, kingfish and even mangrove jacks can be a proposition along the rock walls at this time of year, even using small lures. It pays to always upsize your leader and use light main lines. Luderick numbers have not been massive in the river again this year, but these fish are about with some of the smaller creeks in the region being quite productive at times. Whiting are starting to show up in the creeks and on the sandflats around Jerseyville, as well as some honkers along the beaches. Offshore, the current is absolutely trucking south on occasions. The hope around town, is that these conditions will bring on an early pelagic season, for the Mid North Coast. Things can change day by day. Kingfish are in good numbers everywhere,

This Macleay mulloway was a solid 22kg. from in close around the headlands, around Fish and Black rocks, and out on the deeper reefs and wrecks. Locating schools of baitfish on the surface can lead to some awesome surface sessions on kings at this time of year on stickbaits, poppers or large unweighted plastics like Lunker City Slug-Gos.

Snapper are still coming in regularly with some big fish coming off the shallow reefs down around Crescent Head. With October being known for unpredictable

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Mulloway gone crazy THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

Recent rain may have inspired the breakwall anglers to get into mulloway action that the

with a 28.1kg specimen and Phil Edwards who caught a 24kg fish on the coal wall. These are exceptional fish, congratulations guys. To all the budding mulloway enthusiasts, fish will eventually come to you if you put in effort and fish

OFFSHORE SNAPPER The mulloway are firing in the river, and the offshore fishers are having a ball with the great run of reds. Fish are being caught up to 9kg. Jason Isaacs got onto some great fish on live bait off Plomer Bay. As well as snapper, he landed four mulloway, approximately the same weight – around 6kg. Snapper have taken a liking to plastics. Bigger fish have been smacking 7” Gulp jerkbaits. The crew on board with Sean Tieck had a smashing session with several fish reaching the high eighties in length. Now’s the time to get out and fish off the lighthouse

Mark West with a 86cm snapper.

Damien Rafter’s cracking 29kg mulloway caught after the recent fresh rains. Hastings has put on, but even after the dirty water has cleared, mulloway fishing has been fantastic. Notable captures were Damien Rafter’s 29.7kg fish caught on a lure off the south wall, Adam Janowski

the tide changes, or dirty water events. Remember, I say to all my clients, these fish don’t get big being stupid. A good deal of homework needs to be done as well as putting in the hours.

Jason Isaacs with a solid red that took a live bait. to the Cathie grounds as there will be some more good reds on offer. Bass season is officially on and some crackers are

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been getting them, which makes everyone happy. Spinnerbaits through the weed, or hardbodies into the structure, have also been accounting for some sweet fish. When bass are in the mood, most techniques will produce. Locations like the Wilson and Maria rivers will be great areas to explore, from now right up to Christmas. A quick trip up the highway to Kempsey will see you tangling with the wild bass of the Macleay. Although we’ve been getting plenty of flathead, we should start to really fire up on the lizards in the river. This time last year, we got some big girls and plenty of smaller fish. Try to handle the big ones carefully for release, supporting their belly and only keeping them out of the water for a very short period of picture time. This season we’re going to try some fairly large lures in the aim of getting the magic metre fish. It seems to be the trend with lures at the moment. I’m thinking massive trolled

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James Jackson with a healthy 40cm bass that liked his surface offering.

getting caught. While the fish are spread out, there’s plenty of options and areas to try. Surface lures have

lures behind my yak may draw the attention of some flat beasts. Hopefully you’ll see the results soon.

October fish festivities FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

Leading into the summer months the nature of the estuary changes, and so does the angler and fish activity. The bream and blackfish are back in town and making their way throughout the lake and rivers along with shoals of baitfish. As the water warms the bream will push further up into the upper ends of the rivers, looking for the developing butter prawns, and the surface activity will start to increase from this month onward. Perhaps the best thing about October though is the start of daylight saving, longer daylight hours and the chance to get on the water after work. It’s also a bit more pleasant as the weather warms and the sting of cold morning air is replaced by more comfortable temperatures. Offshore fishing has been fair, with some anglers scoring plenty of reds in spots like Black Head, and

mixed reef fish over the numerous close shore reef and hard bottom grounds. I heard that rat kings were making themselves at home down at Latitude Rock. None of the fish were big but there were a few just legals in the mix, which would make perseverance worthwhile. Of course, the leatherjackets have been about as well – although nowhere near as prevalent as last season, where they seemed to attack every bit of terminal gear. In the lake, the crowd of small tinnies that gather around the Pitt Street end of Little Tern Island are fishing for seasonal trumpeter whiting. Also known as winter whiting, these fish aggregate in the channels and are easily caught using a paternoster rig, size 6 hooks and worm baits. Yabbies and peeled green prawns work as well, and provided your bait is allowed to drift on the run-out tide you’re in with a good chance. The channel that runs in front of Cockatoo Island (Wallamba) is a

very popular spot for the whiting, and at times it’s difficult to manoeuvre through the drifting boats. There is no minimum size of the trumpeters, though there is a maximum bag limit of 20 fish, including a combination of trumpeter and sand whiting (27cm). Once you’re through the maze of boats in the channel you can fish any of the leases in the lower lake for bream. Most of the bream are back in the estuary by the end of this month, and they will be holding on structure like the bridge pylons and nearby leases. While many anglers advocate lures, it isn’t unreasonable to throw live yabbies or prawn baits in the same areas as you would lures. Casting and drifting baits under the leases will produce some big fish as well as a lot of little ones. Flathead are also mixing up the catch bags, with plenty of legal-sized fish making appearances throughout the lake. Find a bay or flat at high tide, just before the turn, and you’ll find the fish. Ohms Bay,

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The bream in the lake are in top condition and have plenty of fight in them around the racks. The Step or the vast flats down Palms way should fish well as the water warms. The sandy fringes around the sailing club will also produce whiting from the end of the month, and if

the best numbers takes a week or so. Blue swimmers and muddies will be more active as the water warms up, and I for one will be glad to get them back on the regular menu.

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you like surface action it’s one of the spots to go. The middle of October is when I generally start setting out my crab pots, baited with fish frames I’ve collected in the bait freezer over winter. The ratio of effort to reward is better from the end of the month, but locating

There have been reports of good mulloway from the wall, both in the channel and from Tuncurry beach side. Fish around the 9kg mark aren’t common but they’re regular enough to make it worth having a go. Live mullet or yellowtail are best, but large soft plastics are a convenient

the wall, try to deliver the bait on as light a sinker as you can along the base of the wall, or close to it. During the run-out tide there has been some good tailor activity on bait balls from the ends of the walls, so have a light outfit and Raider rigged and ready for any blow-ups.

Good times ahead HARRINGTON-TAREE

Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au

The weather over the past few weeks has been magnificent for this time of year. Most days have been sunny and warm, and the winds have not blown strongly. Consequently, fishing in the river has been great. The last fresh left a lot of dirty water upriver around Taree and down the South Passage. At Harrington, the water was only slightly discoloured on the low tides. The sand spit at the mouth of the Manning has built up and is now further south than ever. This has opened up a lot of beach to fish on the southern side of the sea wall. The beaches are still badly eroded. When we get the steady northeast winds in late spring and early summer, sand will be moved back onto the beaches. ESTUARY Everything is on the bite in the river. Bream are still being caught from the wall at Harrington and further upstream on the oyster beds. Mullet strips and mullet gut have been

the most successful baits, but yabbies and prawns have also taken fish. Luderick are being caught on green weed from the wall, the wharves at Manning Point and further upriver near Chinamans Point. Flathead have started to move back down the river. Good fish have been caught at Chinamans Point and in the backwater at Harrington. Small school mulloway to 4kgs have been landed at Manning Point on soft vibes. BEACH AND ROCK Salmon and tailor are biting well on Crowdy Beach on pilchard baits. The salmon aren’t large, with the best fish going 2kg. The best tailor are about a kilo in weight. Most of the bait schools are staying offshore and it’s only occasionally they come right in to the beach. The sand spit at the mouth of the Manning has produced some small catches of whiting on worms and yabbies. Crowdy Head is starting to produce some decent catches of pigs. Nice calm weather would have helped, as anglers could fish spots where they would not be in danger of being

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washed in. Most of the fish caught are around 1.5kg. OFFSHORE Snapper are biting really well with fish to 6kg being landed. The northern grounds up around Mermaid Reef and the southern grounds at Old Bar are producing bags of fish. Flathead are also being caught on the drift over the sand spots. Out wider in 60m of water, leatherjackets are plentiful. There are plenty of small mahimahi to be taken around the Wave Rider. October is the month when most of the really big mulloway are caught. A high tide around eight o’clock on a full moon night is the best time to have a crack. Live bait, fresh slabs or big squid are the best baits. If you can find some deep water on the southern side of a headland, it’s worth a try. Christmas choppers will be starting to arrive. These make great live bait or fresh slab bait. In the river, flathead will be coming down to the entrance, but they’ll only be small, in the 40-50cm range. Luderick and bream will still be poking around the rock wall at the mouth of the river, so there will be plenty to keep the keen angler going.

The launch of a worldfirst website will change the way Australian families purchase and use large-ticket luxury, lifestyle and hobby assets. Sharebuyit.com.au will enable would-be asset owners to share the cost, and the fun. Boats, jet skis, camper trailers, caravans, high-end road bicycles, and even horse floats are some of the assets that Sharebuyit will connect between co-owners. Director of Sharebuyit, Ross Quigly said the ability to co-own an asset has never been more appealing. It allows all ages to access an enviable lifestyle without the financial outlay. “The market already understands the economic, environmental and lifestyle benefits of co-sharing, with Virgin estimating the value of the global share economy to be $355 billion by 2025,” Quigly said. “Sharebuyit simply takes the co-share opportunity to a new playing field, one where everyone can benefit and in particular, time or budget poor families. “Young families might love to own a boat or jetski but don’t necessarily have

time for year-round usage or the spare funds to finance a luxury item. Families could co-own a caravan and achieve the open road dream much sooner, with much better return on investment,” he said. Sharebuyit doesn’t just offer upfront financial savings on the cost of the asset, equipment or item – it provides ongoing cost efficiencies with shared ownership, running and maintenance costs. It has the potential to service a huge market, from travelhappy and solo adventurers, to cost-conscious or selffunded retirees. “You can post or browse others’ posts to find a likeminded partner to instigate a purchase with. Then, agree on where and what you are buying, and use Sharebuyit management tools to co-own your new asset. “Unlike a handshake with a mate or verbal arrangement with a family member, Sharebuyit provides members with secure confidential contact, then an array of tools and handy tips for management. It’s a ‘win win’ for all parties. Everyone benefits economically, and the portal ensures that

co-owners are accountable, and understand the exact nature and expectations of the arrangement.” Here are some added benefits of Sharebuyit – Sharebuyit’s legal partners can tailor an agreement specific to your needs, the membership portal offers secure cloud storage of all shared documentation, like ownerships, contract copies, registration, insurance, and log books. Documents are easily and readily accessible by all parties, at all times. An interactive bi-annual calendar, inclusive of all school and public holidays, provides members with an easy to access tool for arranging their agreed usage schedule. The log and service schedule offers members a simple interactive calendar to log service dates and pending payments. The calendar may also be used as an engine log, tailored to other similar requirements. The website will also offer options for criminal background checks and insurance. For more information, please visit www. sharebuyit.com.au. – Sharebuyit

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Belter beach sessions PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

Flathead will become much more active this month, as water temperatures inside the bay rise each day. The best areas to find them will be towards the back end of the port, particularly the Karuah River system, from the bridge up to Allworth. Other areas worth a look will be North Arm Cove and the shallow flats around Lemon Tree and Tanilba Bay. Last month I mentioned that if previous years were anything to go off, we should see a few kingfish showing

up inside the estuary. Sure enough, they did, with a few fish caught off the Nelson Bay rockwall and many more lost. The good news is the kings are just starting and should only get better. If you want to give them a crack, pick an early morning tide change, preferably the high. Arm yourself with an assortment of stickbaits and poppers. You could also get a few live squid, which are dynamite on the kings, and send them out suspended about 2-3m under a float. Mulloway will be a possibility along the Nelson Bay rockwall, Corlette Wreck and the deep water around Soldiers Point. A live

yellowtail or slimy mackerel is your best chance to get connected. After another fantastic year, luderick are tapering off, but you should still be able to manage a few this month fishing the high tides along the rockwall or Little Beach jetties with fresh weed or cabbage. BEACHES There’s still some good tailor around the beaches. I’ve been hitting Fingal spit on a weekly basis, casting 30g stickbaits just before dark. I haven’t missed landing some with quality greenbacks and the odd thumping salmon too. Box Beach and Samurai are other good areas worth a try at some afternoon or early morning tailor. If you’re not a lure person, a ganged pilchard or garfish will also work a treat. A few good catches of school sized mulloway to 20lb were reported after dark

A nice school sized mulloway taken on a whole beach worm. up with a great mixed bag of bream, whiting, salmon and flathead – common by-catches. It’s a quiet time off the rocks, however you can still rustle up some good pigs and bream around the white water. Cast lightly weighted cunjevoi or peeled prawns. Tailor are another option from the stones at the moment, mainly around the headlands.

Island. Afternoon and early morning sessions have been accounting for plenty of reds, with good reports coming from anglers fishing unweighted baits around Fishermans Bay and Fingal Island. Soft plastic anglers are having the most success inside the lure-only zone around Edith Breakers.

Out wide and Allmark Mountain have been producing a few kings. Live baits or 300-400g knife jigs are doing the damage. It always pays to have a bottom fish while you’re at the mountain too, with the chance of long fin perch, snapper, gemfish and the occasional bar cod on the cards.

The author with a quality tailor spun on Fingal Beach.

Sandy Leang with a nice luderick.

along Stockton and Samurai beaches. The anglers had the most success using whole beach worms on 4/0 long shank hooks. The good thing about fishing this method for mulloway, is you often end

You might even run into a king or a few early season bonito, especially when throwing lures. Bigger kings are starting to get about, particularly around Fingal and Broughton

Flathead should become a lot more active this month.

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Warm up to some cracking October fishing HUNTER COAST

Gary Earl earlybird13@optusnet.com.au

We’ve had a pretty good winter – mild at times, but far from freezing as it usually is. Fishing has been good, especially on the beach and inshore reefs. Squires are over most of them, and I expect they’ll get bigger as spring brings them over the gravel to spawn. Bream have been on the beaches along with schools of salmon. Stockton breakwall has been giving up school mulloway, but yellowtail have been hard to get for livebaits, so squid is in. They’ve worked a treat. Some nice bream are also in the river mouth, so take lighter gear. They have been taking worms and fresh prawns. Luderick are there during the days, and with bream at night you couldn’t ask for more. Offshore should start firing now. An array of fish will turn up as the water temperatures have been a little warmer this year. It has been around 18-20°C, fluctuating. There are plenty of nannygai and teraglin being caught at

Chris Jelfs with a nice squid he spotted over some weed beds. He quickly changed to a squid jig and got it first go.

Top: Early morning fishing with a bit of fog turned up a nice Maori cod. These are one of the best tasting fish. Bottom: If a crab is full of eggs like this, fishers call it a ‘berry crab’. We have to let them go.

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canoe, then every few hours they’d paddle out to check. Permits are now being introduced on Redhead Beach. Yearly permits start each financial year and last to the next. Now is a great time to get one and get the most use from them. This month, work the rocks for bream, mulloway and flathead that show up. Also try for a few crabs.

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them chase the fly across the water surface. I prefer a live bait or big squid down there, but he gets his fair share of fish and releases them all. Around the wrecks on Stockton, there were a few crab traps in a line towards the heads. I pulled over and asked the anglers if they’d been getting a few. They had a few and had only just started. They were putting them in the

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the mud hole, and some huge mulloway up around 15-25kg. North Reef, the Marbles and Toms Spot have red morwong on them with heaps of barely undersize kingfish. The biggies haven’t shown up this year, but the water is temperate and they could show up any time. A friend of mine likes his flyfishing, and he said around the North Reef buoy it’s unreal. You can watch

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Signs are looking promising SWANSEA

Jason Scerri jayro@hotmail.com.au

Ah, how sweet it is! With summer now just around the corner, things are starting to look up for anglers. Although the fish are on the chew all year round, many anglers just can’t get the motivation levels high enough to hit the water during the cooler months. The good news is that there are no more excuses, with the warm waters and nice daytime temps not far away. The other good news is that the red-hot fishing action that comes with summer is also not far off, and already things are looking promising. The offshore season will, as always, depend on the east coast currents. Fingers crossed we get the good currents and the same hot action that last summer provided. Some days the marlin bite was hard to believe! We can be fortunate some seasons and see regular marlin captures only a few kilometres from the coast. Generally, anglers looking to work

areas to the north such as The Car Park off Port Stephens will elect to slow troll live baits around the concentration of baitfish in the area. A general rule is to have one unweighted targeting the top part of the water column, and another set deep, with a breakaway lead to work the deeper parts of the bait balls. Anglers fishing grounds closer to Swansea itself usually work a spread of skirted game lures. Along with marlin, there is always a good chance of scoring a feed of fresh mahimahi, which no game angler will pass up on. You will often find the smaller fish around the Fisheries FADs, and the larger ones will generally come as by-catch on the marlin lures when you least expect it. During summer it’s important to keep an eye out for any floating items in the ocean, as you could strike it lucky. If you do spot anything, be sure to give it the once over and troll close by it to see if there are any larger fish hanging off it as they often do. Bear in mind that some days they won’t take anything other than a live

bait, so before you head offshore it pays to load the live well with livies. Shark anglers are also starting to get the action they’re looking for. As the currents get moving, so do the sharks. Crews are starting to encounter some good fish wide offshore. Plenty of effort and dedication is put in, that’s for sure – but these anglers don’t mind when they get rewarded with sharks weighing many hundreds of kilos. I’m sure this season will be no different from the last, and with luck the crews will score some more solid fish for their efforts. Kingfish numbers are also on the improve on the inshore grounds. There are also a few good bonito in the mix to spice things up a little. Micro-jigging inshore reefs and live baiting is scoring the results so far, and these captures should only improve as summer moves in. Back into calmer waters, and anglers fishing Lake Macquarie are not missing out on the action. There have been fantastic numbers of mulloway coming from the lake. Lure anglers are scoring

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good numbers, but it’s the anglers soaking live baits after dark that are scoring some great numbers of mulloway. Most fish are in the 80-90cm range, and with so many around it’s great to keep one or two for the table and pop the others back to grow to that magical metre mark. Bream anglers are also in luck, as the bream fishing has been pretty good of late, and it’s sure to get better as the weather warms. The flats are starting to produce on occasions, providing some fantastic and fun fishing. Small hardbody lures are the go, and shallow dive models are your best bet. I find small lures that weigh around 3g are good to cast. Remember that bream love hitting a lure on the pause, so be sure to mix it up with your style of retrieve. Colour choice for lure anglers is another topic altogether. It all comes down to personal preference. I love brown, olives and other types of green coloured lures. I also love hitting the flats when there is heavy cloud cover, and during these periods I love throwing bright green hardbody lures for the bream over the flats. It’s a deadly approach and often underrated by many anglers.

Derek Crosdale recently took his wife out for a bream session and was resoundingly defeated when Judith managed this fine 1.1kg bream. I’m targeting bream in the shallows. As we move through spring and into summer, the whiting should also start to fire up for anglers in the lake. They are a great little fighting fish, good on the plate and provide hours of fun for the kids. Small longshank hooks with small

the sand flats though for better results, and small clear poppers are often very effective on these fish. Rock anglers are out and about enjoying the slowly warming weather. Some locals have been reporting some reasonable kingfish from the rocks. Numbers are thin at the moment, but

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Flathead numbers have made a good comeback. Many fish are now moving up into warmer, shallower waters and you should have no problems scoring a few fresh fillets for the dinner table. I am still finding good fish in the deeper waters, but have certainly noticed a big increase in the number of flathead I’m getting as by-catch when

pieces of peeled prawn work well, and live worms are another bait that’s hard to go past. Lure anglers love throwing poppers and other small surface lures at these fast-moving whiting, and you will generally find good numbers of whiting over the shallows in similar areas to the bream. You will be better off hitting more of

these should increase as water warms up. High speed spinning from the stones is the most common approach, although floating out a live bait under a balloon will often score a good fish. Please keep an eye on weather conditions and stay out of harm’s way while you’re out there enjoying the warm waters that are hopefully heading our way!

Outrunning the unpredictable October weather CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

Everything’s warming up nicely along the Central Coast, with a noticeable improvement on most fishing fronts in recent weeks. Despite the more pleasant temperatures, October weather is notoriously unstable, with plenty storms and wind to hamper your efforts. Perhaps the best way of ensuring things go to plan is to fish early in the morning, rather than an afternoon or evening mission. Spring storms and northeasterly winds normally spark up during the latter part of the day, so a morning session is a safer bet. This is especially so when fishing the lakes or more open bodies of water that are more wind affected. Whiting are back on the hit list and they’re reasonably active in the lakes and Brisbane Waters at the moment. Although they can be caught during any month of the year, once water temperatures rise, so does the whitings’ metabolism. Places like the tidal flats in Patonga Creek, Brisbane

However, pretty much all popular bream lures will do the job over the coming weeks. It’s largely a matter of experimentation. Keep an eye on weather and water temperatures to get an idea of what to try first. The general guideline in this part of the world is surface lures at first light, then as the sun gets higher, switch over to deeper

Woy, Ettalong and Wagstaffe are all good for a better class of fish. Rock fishing through August and September wasn’t as good as it could be this year. From my observations, we copped too much in the way of northwesterly winds and the inshore water was often a fishless, clear green colour. Even sambos and groper

there were a few reasonable days here and there, when salmon, tailor, blackfish, bream and drummer were in a cooperative mood. October isn’t the greatest month for rock fishing, but from experience in previous years, it can produce the goods. Salmon should still be around in numbers, so they’re probably going to be the first fish to snatch

fish encountered in the surf zone during October. Others like bream, whiting, tailor and mulloway are a definite possibility. As previously mentioned, mornings can be more stable this time of year, so offshore anglers should set the alarm nice and early,

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rather than gamble on an evening session. We’re in between seasons right now, so much like rock and beach fishing, it can be hit and miss. There’s always a chance of snapper, trevally and rat kings in close, or better kings and tuna out wide this month.

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pilchard baits. A few bream AWESOME can be around the rocks as well as the odd tailor. SERVICE Trevally and mulloway are in some spots, so it’s definitely worth trying baits or lures for those species. 638 PACIFIC HWY BELMONT Closer in around the washes, luderick and PH: (02) 4945 2133 www.unclerays.com.au drummer are worth pursuing with cabbage, cunje, bread or prawn baits, along with a chance of groper, bream and trevally. Due to those pesky toadfish, I stick with bread, cabbage or crab baits, rather than prawns or cunje. The sweet scent of prawns and cunje, being very soft baits, means toads will strip the Although salmon are more likely along our rocks and bait all too quickly. beaches, a few tailor can be expected as well. Beach fishing is picking up, but it can be patchy Waters and the sandier parts lures. The warmer the water, can become harder to catch until the true warmer water around the Entrance all the better surface lures work. in that sort of water and pushes in through summer house whiting at this time of If we cop a decent cold front I found toadfish to be 24 Paley Crescent 30 in Gommera 15 Wallarah Street Watkins Road months.Street Once again, sambos year. I’ve already been into a or heavy rains then deeper plagueSouth proportions. 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Big kings on the prowl ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

Lake Illawarra feeder streams have had some decent bream, but the real attraction is the huge amount of tiny baitfish around the snags and in the shallows. It looks like the flatties won’t be far off feeding, smacking plastics and bait. The bream are slow, possibly due to the loads of bait around the snags, but I’ve been fishing with lures. A live prawn dropped down into the hiding spots gives a different result. Prawns are hard to come by, but on the next dark night in October they should

get a move on and be plentiful enough for bait. Whiting have started to appear over the flats and they love live prawns too. When the prawns run, the whiting love poppers. On an early morning session, cast small poppers around the holes and drops around the sand banks, east of the bridge. Blue swimmers are starting to move about too. A trip to the lake should produce over the next few weeks, and only get better as we head into the hotter weather. Minnamurra is much the same – a few flatties will show with the always-reliable bream around the bridge pylons, whiting around the flats down to the entrance, and plenty of

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luderick along the edges of weed beds. On the rocks, it’s still transition time, so it can be feast or famine based on water temperature. Early warm water brings the mini mackerel and other baitfish. Then the bonito, salmon, kings and even big striped or mackerel tuna will be on offer off the deeper ledges. There may even be a stray yellowfin if the currents are right. Big kings will start to patrol the usual deeper spots in early mornings and late evenings. The southernmost Illawarra ledges are close to the banks, which will be crawling with big kings towards the end of the month. Many fish will move past these ledges in their travels. If not, salmon, bream, trevally and drummer are abundant in all the washes. The water won’t get warm enough to slow them down just yet. Luderick are in the washes too, and in the harbours on the early high tides. Get some descent weed for bait and berley. Beaches are looking a whole lot better with more species getting involved around the sand. This will only improve over coming weeks. Bream are the target fish this month – all beaches hold fish in the deeper holes and on the edges near rocks. As usual, whiting are starting to show and the beaches around the lake and Minnamurra entrance produce the best results early. The rest of the coast gets better as we head into summer. Windang, Warilla, MM beaches, Minnamurra Beach and the Farm are great starting points this month. As always, beach worms are the only bait for good results and great by-catch. Flatties find their way onto the beaches and are mostly taken when chasing other species, but later in the month, casting plastics along any beach at likely spots will throw up a few. It could well throw up a surprise or two in the form of school mulloway that are increasing in numbers along the beaches. Bigger fish will move in as the sun goes down, and better fish are being picked up from the northern beaches in the past weeks. Big salmon can be a pest when chasing mulloway. They’re great fun on light tackle, if you’re not scared of taking on that big mulloway when it grabs your salmon bait. Pilchards will do the job for the sambos and work equally well on tailor that are getting about on the southern beaches around Kiama. Fish up to 2kg have come in, but most tailor you encounter will be under a kilo. Offshore is picking up with better snapper taking plastics over the reefs and gravel in 30-50m of water. Use your sounder to find bait

Decent kings are making their presence known over the usual reefs.

The flatties will get better as the month progresses, with some nice ones in the mix. schools, particularly those closer to the bottom. Watch for larger fish close by or just work the areas around the schools. Random fish will show over harder ground and bumps. From Port Kembla North, there aren’t many bumps left off the coast. Seventy years of ore carriers and tankers anchoring along the coast has destroyed every outcrop and bump by grinding it to rubble, dragging their massive anchor chains across the bottom every time there’s a significant change in wind. There are fish, but little structure to hold them. You have to look hard. Out further, October is always a good month for yellowfin tuna, striped tuna and albacore. Schools come into the coast some seasons, so keep your ears open for murmurs on the grape vine. A few showed in September, and they had the travelling oceanic fin with big sickles. This is usually the case – their appearance will be at the whims of the currents, but odds are pretty good. There is also a chance of striped marlin this month, as they were still about in August. If you’re out wide and struggling to find yellowfin, there are always gemfish and trevalla about over the canyons. The long drop could be worth a look. In closer, schools of striped tuna have

been popping up along the coast, but they’re scattered. They’re the best bait for bream and snapper, so if you cross paths with a school, have fun and get some great bait. Kingfish are on the move over the deeper reefs like Bandit and Wollongong. A few are starting to show around the islands. Live baits fished deep are picking up. When one is hooked, use knife jigs to

pick up any hangers on. Most locals who tackle kings head to the banks this time of the year, only an hour drive down the coast. Salmon are the most prolific of the pelagics at the moment as they move in solid schools chasing small baitfish. Trevally schools are just below them, with smaller snapper below or mixing with them as well. When you spot the seagulls on top, you should score a few fish. One not so welcome visitor with the sambos and trevally are those toothy barracouta. They get whipped into frenzy chasing your lures, and make it impossible to lure anything else. When they’re about, they damage or take everything you put in the water. Flathead fishers are starting to smile again. Some descent catches are coming in from the usual drifts over the sand. Some of these early fish are a good size, pushing 2kg, so it doesn’t take many for a feed. They will only get better as we move to November. The reefs are producing plenty of leatherjackets, nice mowies and more good pigfish, and small early Samson fish are making a show.

There’s no better bait than fresh striped tuna. Schools are scattered all along the coast right now.

Weather working water wonders NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

With the mix of good and bad weather we’ve had over the past few months, there’s been some pretty good fishing. And if you’ve been able to pick your times, there are absolutely awesome days on the water to be had! Offshore, inshore and even from the shore, fishers are having some good success. OFFSHORE Firstly, offshore we’ve seen awesome yellowfin come in. Mid to late August saw beautiful fish in the 70kg-80kg class hit the

Fat Boy range was hard to beat. They have a great range of rigged lures in 6-8” with some awesome colours and the rigging is top quality and ready to be fished straight of the shelf. In more recent weeks, I’ve heard of big blue marlin being seen, hooked and lost, as they dump almost 1km of line in just seconds. They leave intimidated anglers standing on deck and scratching their heads. JERVIS BAY There have been a few nice reds kicking around the bay for those in the know. The soft plastic fisho’s are continuing to target these guys and in some quite shallow water with some

$20 a pop, so it pays to know the territory you’re fishing. The squid have been more than co-operative in the bay for both the boat and shore-based angler. Plenty of jigs are working but the standout is definitely the green natural colour jig in the Yamashita Aurie Q range. I’ve sold this jig to many squidders who come back for a repurchase.

plastics up the drop-off. Plenty of flatties are being taken around Broughton creek, along the front of the mill. There are nice fish in the Terrera Gut. Estuary perch are in abundance throughout the river, like last year, and are quite partial to the Squidgy Prawns in bloodworm or cracked pepper with the wriggler-tail. There are

Plenty of small bass are making their way upstream in the Shoalhaven. This one took a Squidgy Prawn meant for a flatty.

This is the jig doing damage on squid at present – a must have in any squidder’s box.

Leslee Nolan enjoying an early morning fish upstream, on the Shoalhaven River, from the shores of Shoalhaven Ski-park. decks on amateur fishers’ boats, along with big albacore. Some of these fish were taken in only 60-70 fathoms, which is basically the shelf line. These fish were taking lures of all shapes and sizes. The new Halco Max 190 proved to be a real winner and accounted for nice fish. Skirts in a variety of brands took plenty as well. In value for money, the

pretty good results. The latest lures they seem to be using on the reds are the Samaki Vibelicious in both the fork and Thumper Tail patterns. The trick with these is to find the edge of the reef/kelp beds and work them either adjacent or away from the structure. The treble hook set up on these lures make any cast onto the reef or weed pretty much a costly mistake at

SHOALHAVEN RIVER As much as the flood wasn’t wanted in the river, it’s done wonders for fishing! The lower reaches have plenty of mulloway for the soft plastic fisher. Samaki Vibelicious, the largest Squidgy Prawn and a range of other large plastics are all working if put in the right spot. So where is the right spot? Here’s a couple to start from, which are no secret. You can branch out from there. Firstly Pelican Rocks, it’s so obvious but many fishos drive straight over it. It’s produced more mulloway over the years than I care to count. Pretty much anywhere through the canal will hold mulloway at some time or another – just find the feeding fish and get them away from edges. Further upstream and anywhere within about 300m of the mouth of Broughton Creek can produce fish. I prefer the run-out tide and drifting along the southern riverbank in about 15ft, working

the very anticipated surface bite season. BEACHES A quick look at the beaches has seen a nice run of tailor and many late

of a couple taken from the river around 20kg+. Maybe they’re just not getting to the beach, before they’re caught – something to think about now, with so many people

A squid caught by the author on the ever-popular green Yamashita jig. so many small bass in the river, which is a great sign for years to come. Here’s hoping for some early season warm weather, and maybe a thunderstorm to kick off

season school mulloway along Seven Mile Beach. Another season has passed on the mulloway, and I still haven’t heard of big fish from the beach. I have heard

chasing them on plastics and baits in the river. Bring on the warm weather! Be good and stay safe. Johnny out.

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Bring on the hot spot NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Spring is well and truly here with some warm days making it an ideal time to wet a line. The estuaries in particular will be hotting up as each week passes. Water temperatures will start to increase, and in turn, Summer techniques will come in. Both Narooma and Tuross estuaries are firing up nicely. The next few months will be something to remember. We’ve had rain at the right time over cooler months and both systems had quality flushes, which every estuarine system needs a few times a year. This has seen a stack of bait enter both systems. I expect the prawning season to be a cracker. In Tuross, the river section seems to fish better in October, especially for flathead and bream. Due to it being quite shallow, water warms quicker than deeper tidal areas, and the fish respond to it. Concentrate from the main highway bridge to Four Ways, fishing water

depths of 1-3m with smaller prawn imitations and blades. There’s already been solid flatties caught around the 80cm mark, so all looks good. For those targeting bream, slow rolling hardbodies over the flats will work. If the water is warm enough, an early season surface session is not out of the question. I’ve regularly caught bream on surface in 15°C water, especially if smaller jelly prawns are evident. There’ll be EPs in snags mixed with the bream, and again, hardbodies and plastics will work. At Wagonga, the big breeding female flathead will start to stir, heading downstream to spawn. This month is the start of it all for them, and some cracking fish to 90cm should be readily available. Concentrate around the basin margins in 6-9m of water for a good place to start. This month will see an increase in tailor numbers, and that means mulloway. These silver slabs will be stalking tailor schools, so cast your plastics near them and you’ve a great chance of getting connected. Sure

you’ll loose a few lures to the choppers, but the end reward might just be worth it. Outside, fishing the bottom has had good results with snapper, morwong, sand and tiger flathead, pigfish and kingfish all chewing at times. Reds have been excellent off Potato Point with water depths between 40-60m. Every day has been different for where to find them. Drifting first then anchoring once you’ve located a patch has worked for some switched on local crews. Catches of 15-20 fish are usual with the average fish at 2kg, but there’s still the odd better fish at 5kg. This action should continue for a while yet, but the reds will spread out a bit. At Montague Island there’s been the odd patch of kings turning up, which is great to see. These fish are anywhere between 65-90cm, just on legal size up to some pretty solid fish. Jigs, live baits and squid have all worked. Live bait seems to be getting the bigger fish at present. The Fowl House Reef and southwest corner

Clean yellowfin bream, like this couple caught by Jimmy Downes, will be chewing at well presented hardbodies over the flats. over the rip have been the places to fish. Later on this month, yellowfin tuna and albacore should be patrolling the shelf line. Trolling is certainly the way to go early in the season. They’re getting a heap of albies north of us, so it shouldn’t be long before they’re on our doorstep. I know of a few better yellowfin coming from crews fishing

very wide at 70-80kms, so if you have the fuel and seaworthy boat, it’s worth a look. On the beaches it’s been a little hit and miss. We’ve had very calm seas of late, making the salmon fishing tough at times. In saying that, they’re still being caught. Fishing peak periods and tides has been important for consistent results. Anglers have

October will see the whiting start to play the game. With a few warm days, the flats warm up and then it’s surface time. Bring it on. 50

OCTOBER 2016

been spinning the beaches with chromed slices up to 50g. This enables you to fish each gutter along a beach, fishing the more productive areas and not waiting for the salmon to come to you. When we get the right conditions, beach fishing will pick up for bream, whiting and mullet. This month is ideal for these species and pipi or live beach worms are gun baits. Better beaches to try include Brou, Tilba, Coila and Narooma main. The rock-hoppers are also in the transition period, with a good mix of all species playing the game. If a feed is what you’re after, then luderick, drummer, bream and snapper can be found on most headlands. Mystery Bay to the south, and the Golf course rocks in town, are the better places to try. Use fresh crab, cunjevoi, peeled cooked prawns or cabbage as bait. For the reds, fresh squid or whole pilchards should suffice. Sport-fishers who like throwing medium-sized chromed lures are in for a treat. Bonito numbers are excellent at the minute, and will only get better as the month progresses. These speedsters are solid fish with the average at 3kg. On the right tackle, this is great sport. If you look after them correctly, they’re pretty good on the plate, especially smoked. You can expect the odd kingfish mixed in with the bonnies and if all else fails, salmon are a great back-up.

Fish are heating up MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

What a cracking month to fish the estuaries around the Merimbula region with both Pambula and Merimbula lakes fishing extremely well. Anglers using softplastics and vibes will have the edge, as the water slowly warms and weeks go by. We’re still getting 15-16°C water, which is quite cool, but the fish don’t seem to mind. Flathead are the main species that anglers are targeting. Fish up to 80cm+ are quite possible. October

is renowned for croc-sized flatties with solid fish captured in the previous weeks. We’ve managed some cracker models up to 84cm so far. Everything looks promising. The fish have moved down to the lower sections of the estuaries, and the ribbon weed edges in 4-6m of water are ideal. I use big plastics this time of year, 4-5” models. Fish them slowly with a methodical lift and drop presentation, and use a variety of natural colours. Even with larger lures, you’ll still get a great feed of duskies up to 50cm and there’s always the chance of mulloway at this

The Tuross snags will hold plenty of EPs. Bruce Kefford caught this beauty.

time of year. Those anglers fishing the channels have been doing well on bream, trevally and luderick. Both bait and plastic throwers are getting fish. Anchor up and use sparse berley with live nippers or striped tuna cubes. These have been great on bream, and you can expect some nice whiting too, as the water warms further. There have been sporadic patches of salmon entering both systems, but they’ve been patchy. One day it’s all the go and the next, nothing. When they’re about, great fun will be had. You can catch them on shiners, plastics and bait, but every day is different. There’s the odd big tailor in the salmon schools too. Expect to lose a few lures if fishing like this. The beaches have been a little slow with the calmer conditions, but there’s still some quality fish to be caught. Locals have been getting solid bream, mainly around the rockier corners of the beaches, with whiting and yellow-eye mullet in the shallow gutters. Fishing the flood tide on sunrise has been the key to their success. Live beachworms and pipis are the preferred baits.

It’s mulloway time – the author found out with this neat 87cm fish. When the conditions suit, the salmon action will get better. The usual paternoster rig with a bait or popper combination is best. There should be a few mulloway in the suds as well. Fresh tailor slabs or big bunches of beachworms are ideal. Better beaches include Tura, North Tura and Haycock. The lure anglers, throwing from the stones and targeting pelagics, should have some fun this month. Kingfish, bonito and big salmon are all a real possibility. The headland at Tura and Merimbula wharf would be the pick of spots. Use livebait at these locations as a gun way to catch most fish. Remember to use heavier

gear, especially for the kings. There’s still been the odd report of kings on poppers, but it’s like a few months back. Casting whole pilchards on ganged hooks will work great for salmon and bonito. Short Point to the north of Merimbula is fishing ok for luderick, drummer and the odd bream – cabbage used with berley works well. Fresh peeled prawns on a lightly weighted outfit should see a bream or two. Anglers fishing outside are getting quality snapper on the inshore reefs. Numbers are not huge, but a lot of fish are averaging 2kg – good table sized fish and great fun on the right tackle. Long Reef

and Horseshoe are choice. Lennards Island is also worth a look. There’s been a few kingfish around too, not big fish, but that will change this month. Trolling deep divers and live bait are the best to tempt them. Out wider, there’s been sporadic catches of albacore and smaller yellowfin tuna. Like usual, everything depends on water temperature, current and bait activity. The water further north of us is 19°C – when that gets wide of Merimbula, the tuna action will heat up. Troll from the 70 fathom line to the second drop and fish a spread of bibbed and skirted lures.

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OCTOBER 2016

Lucky dip of species BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

The bluefin bite has now tapered off, but we can look forward to a consistent yellowfin bite in the coming weeks. School yellowfin traditionally come on in October to November, and signs indicate it will be a good season. These fish range between 8-25kg, and are

up the odd mahimahi in the process. These fish have been showing up in catches lately, which is unusual for the end of winter and spring. Traditionally we get them in the warmer months, but this year the water has been warmer than average. We’ve been catching warm water species we wouldn’t normally get at this time. For example, in recent months it hasn’t been uncommon to catch a

One standout species through the cooler months and spring has been the estuary perch. taking small to medium size skirts and divers. Targeting yellowfin is different from targeting bluefin. Bluefin can be in tightly packed schools, and you can make an educated guess from the charts as to where they will be. With yellowfin and albacore, it’s about covering a lot of water. You can also pick

marlin. We can expect more to be caught through spring, and they should kick in hard through summer. It’s also a good time of year for albacore. We’ve had good runs of them in previous years. All though it’s unusual to catch marlin, yellowfin, albacore and mahimahi at this time of year, we’re not

SEASON

complaining! It makes for an interesting fishing trip. INSHORE We’ve had a rather typical snapper run for winter; anglers have been catching some decent fish but they haven’t been biting their heads off. Snapper seem to be in all depths at the moment, from off the rocks through to 60-80m of water. There have been some cuttlefish around and the snapper have been chewing on them in close, and the boys that fish off the land have been getting some good ones up to 4kg. Boat-based anglers fishing the inshore reefs have been getting catches of 5-20 per boat if they find the schools. We can expect those spring snapper schools to be out in the deeper water from October to November, and people will stop fishing from them from the rocks. Last year there was a shore-based snapper bite right through summer, which traditionally doesn’t happen, and we’ll hopefully get a repeat of that this year. Most land-based anglers think that species like snapper, drummer and whiting can only be caught at specific times of year, but a few anglers are cracking the codes to catch these species at other times. Snapper off the rocks are best targeted with very fresh squid, whole octopus and octopus tentacles. If you prefer to use plastics, you can’t go past Gulp Jerkshads in BBQ chicken and pearl white, rigged on a 1/4oz jighead with a 3/0-5/0 hook. At the moment there are good schools of flathead in all the usual spots. Inshore boat anglers have been catching plenty. With kingfish it’s a different story. Although there have been some catches of them, locals are being tight-lipped. The action should improve as spring progresses. This is when we see a real push of all the new bait coming back into the system, which usually brings big schools of small and medium kingfish. It’s a beautiful time of year, with the bait pushing down from the north with the currents, the mutton birds flying above, and the whales migrating south.

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Every Saturday 4.30pm on 52

OCTOBER 2016

There have been some good bream catches lately. SHARKS Lately a few of the boys have been heading out late in the afternoon and evening chasing sharks. There’s never a shortage of sharks, but few of them are makos. If you’re hell bent on catching a big 70-80kg mako, your best bet is to go out to the shelf. When fishing from the shore, you’ll most often catch bronze whalers, sevengillers and the odd gummy shark. Just remember that there are restrictions on catching school sharks and bronze whalers in marine park zones. BEACHES On the beaches we’re seeing a steady run of salmon and tailor. Although

Anglers have been getting n some plenty of bream off the beach through the winter months and early spring. I recommend using very light, thin leader with a very small hook. The best baits are worms, pipis and even crabs at the end of the beach. ESTUARY The estuary fishing has been great; the estuary never really disappointed through the colder months. We had a good run of 40-50cm flathead through the cooler months, although it’s now starting to ease off a bit. One lure that has been working particularly well has been the Squidgy Fish in 80-100mm, in the

Most catches of estuary perch have been coming from Big Island to the Batemans Bay Bridge. it’s traditional to fish with a pilly on a paternoster, you can have a lot of fun luring for these fish. We love spinning for salmon with 9-10ft light but strong graphite rods, with high quality Japanese lures. We use metal stickbaits by brands such as Palms and Bassday, as they look great in the water and swim better than cheaper metals.

black/gold colour. Because of the current in the Clyde, everyone has been looking for heavier jigheads. We ended up ordering in 3/8oz jigheads on fine gauge, 3/0 hooks. Going heavy on a thin hook turned out to be the key to success. When using larger presentations for flathead, a few lucky anglers woke up a sleeping mulloway.

These fish are quite a test on lighter gear. Another standout species through the cooler months and spring has been the estuary perch. Most catches have been coming from Big Island to the Batemans Bay Bridge. There have been some good bream catches lately as well. With the water being unseasonably warm in the estuary, the bream are already taking lures off the surface; usually it’s not until the end of November and December that you get them throwing surface lures around the racks. My friend Mick Ingram recently had an awesome weekend of fishing the surface bite with OSP Bent Minnows. It looks like we’re set for a great summer. When it comes to crabs, it’s hard to predict what will happen. We didn’t see many blue swimmers this year until the water cleared and started to cool down. We’re now stocking the new Hayes Pro trap with an improved design, if you’re in the market for new pots. Finally, bass are starting to become a word on anglers’ lips, and it won’t be to long before people will start be targeting them. More on that next month! • For more up-to-theminute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).

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Flathead on the move BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

The estuaries are heating up nicely and starting to produce some very good fish. In the upper reaches of the Bermagui River, fantastic dusky flathead are being taken on lures. Some of these fish have been in excess of 70cm, providing good sport. Look for them over the flats at high tide, where they warm themselves in the sun’s heat. Up on these flats, schools of luderick will graze over the ribbon weed. Mixed in with them are bream, whiting and mullet. All can be taken on nippers or worms. At night, the bridge will produce all those species and more, as

they feed on what’s washed down with the current. Prawners should also start to look on the dark of this month, out at Wallaga, Cuttaggee and Barragoot lakes. These systems were open to the ocean at the right time and allowed stock to enter the system, so both should prawn well. Out at Wallaga Lake, things are heating up at the fringes, especially around the western edges or around the creek entrance. These are producing well for flatties, as they feast on prawn – match the hatch. Out at sea from around 30m in water depth and right out to the Continental Shelf, tiger flathead are moving along the coast, as they do around this time of the season. They’re relatively easy to target and

the best way is drifting. Sounders are important when fishing this way, as they allow you to find the edge of the reefs or muddy bottoms, where the tigers lurk. GPS is also valuable here as it allows you to track your drift, so you can concentrate your efforts on more productive areas. Keep in mind, these fish have fins. If you’ve been catching a lot of fish in a particular area and return to find little activity, it’s more than likely these schooling fish have eaten the area out and moved on. It will pay for you to move around in this case to find them. In some cases it may be several kilometres. Other benefits of drift fishing out from Bermagui are the amount of scattered reefs ranging just off the

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Launch of iFishcomps app iFishcomps is the only app out there that lets you see the latest fishing competitions around the world in real time. With fishing competitions world-wide offering lucrative incentives and record prize money, this is the app that every keen angler has to have! You can put your fishing skills up against the best of the world and reap the rewards while doing what you love most in recreational sport. MAIN FEATURES We will help you find the competitions you desire and more. iFishComps present a unique list of categories, that help you find what you desire immediately. You will see categories for: Nearest competitions – showing the nearest comps to your location, including freshwater competitions, saltwater competitions,

and prize competitions. All the while showing comps with lucrative incentives and record prize money for winners. There’s an All events Calender – showing all comps created on iFishComps, and displaying the nearest comps to you first. COMPETITION Whether you are a competition organizer, a professional, or new to fishing, iFishComps will help you to see all competitions available and interact with iFishComps Community. You will be able to: Create competitions – with a full profile containing all details about location, date and time, your contact details, a gallery for images and videos about the competition. Join competitions – you can join any competition you like, post catches and tag

the competition for people to see your achievements, as well as liking catches posted by other participants. Finally, you can follow competitions – by adding a competition to your wish list you will be able to see the updates, and check the catches and progress of it. SHARE YOUR CATCHES WITH THE WORLD You can share your best catches on iFishComps, with the option to share it on social media for your friends to see. You can post catches that you got in a competition that you joined on iFishComps, and state your location for everyone to see how good you are. You can also like catches posted by others. This is an exciting new innovation for the tournament fishing scene, make sure you get on it. – iFishcomps

These anglers caught a flathead on a lure and a luderick on a nipper in the shallows of the estuaries. main headland south for many miles. If you crack a good southern drift, it’ll be possible to cover many of these areas in one continual long drift, saving you moving a lot. Flathead are going to be in between these reefs. You’ll know when you find harder structure by the assortment of reef fish including coral cod, snapper, hard pulling morwong and many other odd balls thrown in. October generally heralds the start of the game fish season, with school run tuna, sharks and the remote possibility of an early marlin. Albacore will be on the short list for sure, while striped tuna and yellowfin will also be encountered. Trolling is best at this time of year, as you can cover more ground. A variety of small skirts and diving lures will account for most strikes, but I always like to have a large pusher out the back, for a marlin or larger tuna. Where there’s tuna, there’s likely makos. If you’ve caught plenty of tuna, use the frames of strippies for bait and berley

and start your trail where you encountered the tuna. It may take a while or not happen at all, but when it does it will be spectacular. The FSCBSA is hosting its 18th annual bass comp, at Brogo Dam on the first

weekend of December, and you’re invited! This fun-filled family event is designed to raise funds for the ongoing stocking program, to keep this dam the fantastic fishing impoundment it’s become.

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A great little fishery TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Brogo Dam needs no introduction with the efforts of the Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association. It’s one of the best little fisheries on the South Coast and now is definitely time to start fishing it with a concentrated effort. All throughout, the dam will fish well. Better areas are around the weed beds up towards the back of the dam. Bass are feeding on other fish and responding well to lures. On warmer evenings, flyfishing the surface is a lot of fun, especially if there is an insect hatch. Bait is also accounting for nice fish. From Brogo Dam, the river below and into the Bega system, bass and other species that inhabit the fresh are there to be discovered, for those who venture into the more remote areas of these systems. Let’s start with Brogo Dam and follow this river down to the sea. In the river below the dam, there are some

Here’s a two year old fish.

Try a light spin rod and ‘match the hatch’ for happy days.

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accessible holes by foot for the adventurous. Kayaking is more popular from the wall down to the main bridge on the highway. Anglers doing this have had exceptional fishing with bass exceeding the 50cm mark. Some of this fishing is pretty tight, so light short rods may be required. If you wish to continue and you have a few days to do so, you can even follow the river further down the Bega system. This depends on the level of the river at the time and you can find out how high it is, just ask those in charge at the office of Water NSW at Brogo Dam itself. In the Bega River, things change. Most fish you will encounter are likely to be in the brackish water. Along with the bass, you’ll encounter saltwater species like bream, blackfish, mullet, estuary perch and even flathead. As most seasoned anglers in these parts know, these species are as at home in the fresh as they are in the salt. Lures are the way to go and a variety of different styles work. For a little visual fun, rip small wriggle-tails across the front of the big bully mullet schools and see what happens. Fishing in the Tathra area includes the wharf, which I believe is back in action after the storms. Trevally are the main species at present with passing schools of salmon keeping most people on their toes. Mixed in are schools of yellowtail, luderick near the rocks and evening packs of barracouta that lurk in the shadows, waiting for a well-presented lure or bait. Down around the bridge at the entrance to the Bega River, flathead are on the chew. Some very nice specimens in the 80cm range are being taken regularly. These fish and other species have been feeding on small prawns in

the system, so on the dark of the moon this month, prawners should look for those tasty crustaceans. As mentioned, salmon schools frequenting this part of the coast are providing plenty of entertainment for the beach anglers. Most of the beaches are holding good stocks. The best are Tathra and Bournda. There have been some nice

time to concentrate on tiger flathead, as they move in on this part of the coast and will remain here for some months to come. Out from most beaches in 30m of water or deeper will see you encounter this species regularly. Bigger specimens come from deeper water. If you can find gravelly areas adjacent to the flathead grounds, other reef species

A bass from last year’s stock. They grow quickly in Brogo. gummy sharks around the full moon, plus the odd mulloway, and plenty of tailor at night. Offshore, now is the

like snapper or morwong will make a pleasant change from the lizards and provide some colour to the bag.

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Get into the fish before the visitors arrive EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The Far South Coast over the winter months sees very few visitors, and Eden is no exception, but with the weather warming, it’s not a bad destination fishing wise, with a variety

of fishing options available. Unlike Mallacoota to the south, the water temperature offshore is a lot warmer, which makes all the difference to the fishing boats heading out from Quarantine Bay. Heading out to the flathead grounds around the Pinnacle or off Mowarry Point, you’ll find good numbers of sand flathead and tiger flathead.

Most boats are coming back with a good feed. This time of year sees the snapper fishing come alive once the cuttlefish shells are being washed up on the beaches, and when this happens, you can be sure the snapper are on the go. Good fish are caught by anglers fishing from the local headlands on daybreak, and

Black bream are firing in the upper system. fresh, lightly-weighted baits have been the undoing of plenty of good fish. Once the sun is up though, the bite is generally over. When fishing the inshore reefs from a boat, you can move out a bit deeper as the sun rises, and that way you can stay among the fish. Fishing with a berley trail is the way to go, and once again,

Martin Denlow at it again with a glorious mulloway.

use light sinkers, as the fish will rise for the bait. The kingfish can be caught in the same way, and they can turn up at any time. The coming months will see more fish caught. Plenty of salmon are moving along the local beaches and they will be around in numbers for the next few months. Any good

gutter fished on a rising tide should see you amongst the fish. The local estuaries have seen good numbers of black bream caught upstream and yellowfin bream towards the mouth. There’s been plenty of silver trevally by-catch too. As the water warms, the flathead will also start to come on the bite.

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Estuarine critters are on the move this month working, it’s a good chance the salmon are there. Salmon move fast, often moving upstream and into the top lake. They’re not fussy, so choice and colour of lure is of little importance. The breakwall at Bastion Point is a good fishing spot, offering a variety of species with silver trevally and bream still turning up, along with a few remaining salmon. There are plenty of good fishing opportunities out there this month in both the top and bottom lake and further upstream towards Gypsy Point, and as usual, this is what draws anglers to Mallacoota at this time of year. When enjoying a day

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

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on the water at this time of year, make sure you rug up, as it’s still cold, especially when traveling from spot to spot. In saying that, even though there is still a chill in the air, don’t forget to wear sunscreen. The sun can really burn when you’re out fishing all day. Silver trevally, yellowfin bream and flathead are all being caught in the top and bottom lake. The key is to find the schools of bait when you find the bait you will find the fish. Like the bait, you need to keep moving for the best results, as the bait will move with the tide. Because of this, you need to try and anticipate where they are moving to stay with the action.

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The past month has seen little rain, but as usual for our cooler months, there has been no shortage of cold days this time of year, and there are very few visitors to the area. If you head out fishing, you won’t see too many other boats. The cooler months will see very few boats heading offshore fishing and with the cold water, it’s not surprising, as not too many fish are on the bite. A few gummy sharks are being caught, but it’s a lot of effort with little reward. Once the water starts to warm up, the fishing will start to fire. Sand and tiger flathead are a common catch, and some big fish on offer. It pays to keep on the move when searching for the bigger models. There are good numbers of salmon being caught from the gutters along the local beaches, with fish entering the bottom lake on the rising tide. If you spot the birds

MALLACOOTA

Once again, keep changing your lure to find the lure and colour that is working. With the flathead, don’t move the lure too fast, you need to keep the lure in front of their noses for as long as possible. The chopper tailor can be a real nuisance at this time, attacking and stealing every lure that comes in front of them. It’s a catch 22 – if they are there, so are other fish. You just have to sift through little tailor. Good numbers of black bream can be found further upstream, as they going into their annual spawning run. They can be hard to catch one day, and then eat almost anything the next! Good luck for this month.

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Fishing Fill-its

Get ready for first National Gone Fishing Day Australia will celebrate its first National Gone Fishing Day on 16 October 2016 with thousands of Australians going fishing

and plenty of events promoting recreational fishing being held across the nation. Recreational fishing

is arguably Australia’s biggest leisure sporting activity with an estimated 5 million Australians spending a massive $10

National Gone Fishing Day will be a great way for parents to connect with their children.

billion each year to take part in it. Mr Allan Hansard, National Co-coordinator of Australia’s first Gone Fishing Day is very excited. “What started as a conversation between two anglers waiting for a bite has now grown into a national celebration of Australia’s largest leisure sporting activity with Federal and State Governments, fishing clubs, tackle stores, and recreational fishers all supporting the day,” he said. “The exciting thing is that it is happening in just two months –just in time to start a summer of healthy outdoor activities in Australia. “Gone Fishing Day will be a truly national event with activities happening from Hobart to Darwin and from Sydney to Perth, including kids fishing days, family fishing days, fishing tournaments of all kinds and fishing club events, in addition to many Australians heading out for a fish with family and friends. “The great thing about recreational fishing is that it speaks a common language

– it unites all of us with the universal icebreaker: Are they biting?’ “It doesn’t matter if you haven’t fished before or you fish every day – Gone Fishing Day will have something for you. “Our message to all Australians is – GET INVOLVED. Take part in what we hope is Australia’s biggest outdoor event - by registering that you will be going fishing on Gone Fishing Day at www. gonefishingday.org.

“Make your rod count!” National Gone Fishing Day would like to thank its major partners: The Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation, (ARFF) Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA), Keep Australia Fishing and Clemenger BBDO. Find out more about National Gone Fishing Day and how to get involved at: www.gonefishingday.org or at www.Facebook.com/ gonefishingday. – National Gone Fishing Day

Help keep abalone disease out of NSW Don’t use abalone gut as bait. The closure banning the use of abalone viscera (gut) as bait or burley in NSW remains in force. It is illegal to use abalone gut as bait or burley, either recreationally or commercially, for the taking of any fish in all waters of NSW. The use of abalone gut as bait has a high risk of introducing abalone viral ganglioneuritis (AVG) into the NSW population of abalone, which would have severe and irreversible impacts on NSW stocks. AVG has caused massive losses of abalone in Victoria since 2005, with up to 95% mortality in certain areas. AVG has also been detected in abalone processing facilities in Tasmania, most recently in December 2011.

JTN 13460 SEPT 16

Several alternative baits are available to fish for the species previously targeted with abalone gut. These include cunjevoi, pipis, prawns, and bread. Remember to check the rules for gathering bait.

More information Diseased abalone displaying AVG symptom – curling of the foot. (Photo: DPI Victoria)

OCTOBER 2016

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Big changes at Norval FMG

Nicole Penfold nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

The MV Norval, the only charter boat that specialises in fishing the remote Marion Reef in the Coral Sea, is being revamped! For starters,

dories, or staying on the mothership. I fished with Norval earlier this year, and I really enjoyed the bottom fishing and pelagic trolling we did on the mothership. However, luring the reefs from a dory was the highlight of my trip. It’s paradise out there, and the

REEF LURING When you’re chasing the likes of coral trout, it’s all about the pressure points – locations where current pushes against structure, such as a reef edge or bommie. This is where you’ll find the bait and the predators. The predators like to sit just out

The author with a beautifully-marked trout taken on a trolled Rapala X-Rap. there’s a new skipper, Adam Cheers – a young gun with years of experience fishing the northern reefs. Whether you want to bottom bash for reefies, troll for dogtooth or do some jigging, Adam will be happy to accommodate you. Norval owner Ron Murphy is also sourcing a 6m+ tender skippered by a guide. This will give clients the choice between fishing with the guide, doing their own thing in one of the 4.2m

strikes are very different from those you get on bait. The fish absolutely smash the lures, and it’s heart-pounding stuff! On this trip I shared a dory with Rick from Seaya Boats and Redcliffe Marine. He’s an expert at shallow water luring, and we had an absolute blast. There isn’t room in this article to cover everything we did, so I’ll focus on what lures we used and how to work them, so you have an idea of what to bring on your Norval adventure.

This really is picturesque country! 60

OCTOBER 2016

of the main current, waiting to ambush baitfish that get swept past. You can fish these spots by anchoring just in front of them and feeding out a bait or working a lure towards the reef edge or bommie. At Marion we found a large pressure point created by a gap in the reef. It allowed the current to pour through, clashing with an upwell rising from the below the reef ledge. Visually, it was a mishmash of every kind of water imaginable – shallow and deep, green and blue, smooth and rough. In a location like this, the bottom feeders like holding in back eddies and slow water whirlpools, feeding off what comes through into the backwater, including scraps from feeding pelagics above. Pelagics can be found pretty much everywhere; wherever there is bait being brought through the upwell, the pelagics will be there. As soon as you see bait on the sounder, you’ll find the predators. At

Top: Fishing from the coral cays is an amazing experience. Above: A bluefin trevally in shallow water fringing a coral cay. the time the dories didn’t have sounders (the new dories do), so we trolled around to find the fish. Some of the best lures were micro jigs. We mostly used 30-80g Samakis and Tactical Fishing jigs, but anything that has a nice, slow flutter, and which you can rip hard when you need to, will catch fish in the right spot. We worked them as we drifted along the edge of the pressure point, and the fish went nuts over them. We lost a lot of gear to trout, GTs and sharks, but that’s par for the course in a place like this. Plastics also caught their share. Two models that worked for us were the ZMan 4” DieZel MinnowZ and 5-7” JerkShadZ. You need to mix up your retrieves to see what works on the day; e.g. try one big lift and slowly lower the rod, or make a number of smaller hops. Another gun soft lure was the Zerek Fish Trap curl-tail vibe. You need only small lifts of the rod tip to work these lures, creating the vibrations that draw the strikes. And while we’re on the subject of vibrations, it’s also worth trying metal vibes. Rick used TTs Switchblades, and got fish using both short lifts and big lifts. When it comes to surface lures, it’s not all about big poppers. Lots of our fish came on stickbaits, such as the Asari GT, Gladiator Searcher, and Rapala Long Cast Shallow. We trolled them as well as casting and retrieving, and caught a wide range of species. Last but not least are the diving minnows, such as Barra Classics, Rapala X-Raps and RMG Scorpions. These were

fantastic around the shallows, where we trolled them past tidal pressure points. We lost count of the species we caught – everything from trout to GTs to jobfish. It wasn’t all about the fishing though; just being in such a pristine location is heavenly. Marion is stunning, with azure water, vibrant reefs and gorgeous coral cays. It’s also an amazing place to dive and snorkel, with visibility to 30m. THE MOTHERSHIP Back on the mothership, the focus was on bottom fishing, and we also trolled for pelagics between drops. There’s a great atmosphere on board, with lots of laughter and good-natured ribbing. It’s hard not to be happy when so many great-eating reefies are hitting the deck, or when big mackerel and tuna are smashing lures. Between the 12 of us

we caught over 20 species – everything from dogtooth tuna to trout and emperors. You just never know what you’ll hook next, which is one of the best things about a trip like this. ABOUT NORVAL Norval operates from Airlie Beach in QLD. This 60ft boat is a long-range specialist, travelling 200nm from land to remote reefs in the Coral Sea including Marion, Diamond Islets, Flinders Reef and Aventong Reef. The boat has spacious, undercover back and side decks, providing miles of fishing room. Clients enjoy home-cooked meals, air-conditioned cabins, hot showers and FREE beer! For more information and videos, check out www. norvalcharters.com.au. I can confidently say you’ll get an unforgettable experience on this boat!

A green jobfish caught on an Asari stickbait. This was one of the smaller jobfish – we got some much bigger specimens on this trip.

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Spring on the warm weather ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

With the Murray cod season done and dusted in our inland rivers, those intent on catching cod will need to look to some of the impoundments open to cod angling all season round. Eildon will no doubt attract its share of attention and we’ll be hearing of some awesome cod captures over the coming months. In the Murray and many of the adjoining rivers, high dirty flows will see angling mostly restricted to the use of bait. I love the high spring flows along the Murray River as they provide ideal conditions to catch large golden perch on bait. Hidden in the back eddies of rolling water, large perch fan out to hold in slack pockets, and wait for easy meals to wash their way. Sometimes, holding in just a few feet of water, they’re keen to feed. The expectant warm waters usher in the need to breed. Perch do not fall under the same closed breeding season as Murray cod, as

The author with a couple of solid surf-caught salmon. Spring offers numerous angling opportunities and is a great time of year to wet a line, in fresh or salt. Surface lures provide some memorable fish, like this stonking cod landed on a Wake Snake by the author.

Cod on fly was a real eye opener this season.

their numbers are deemed self-sustainable with year round fishing pressure. Even so, if I keep a few fish for the table, they’re smaller. The larger fish are female and full of roe, so back they go, to get on with the business of propagating a future golden perch run. The high flows prompt yabbies to scurry free and feed in large numbers. I’m looking forward to this with several new recipes, including a specialty wok-fried chilli yabby tails. With the warm weather comes the expectant run of redfin in many local lakes, channels and dams. These are great fish to catch – freshly filleted and cooked, it’s hard to beat them in the pan. Redfin respond to numerous baits, but

Pip Clement with his biggest cod on surface fly, measuring in at 95cm. 62

OCTOBER 2016

I prefer to use both soft plastics and blades to catch these fish, as they work so well. Spring is possibly my favourite season for fishing, and while it may spell the close of the Murray cod season, it provides so many options in both fresh and salt. Trout season opens in many rivers – a great reason to get out the walking boots and enjoy some smaller inland streams.

Along the coastal beaches, the long rods bend to the tune of several different species. A crossover of fish show amongst the suds. While large schools of salmon have terrorised smaller baitfish along the beach over winter, numbers are still good in spring. Over the next month, giant mulloway will share the shoreline gutters with salmon, as will large gummy sharks and sizable snapper. Then there are the seven gillers, bronze whalers and elephant fish to consider. It’s

a who’s who of the shoreline break, that’s sure to keep anglers happy for the next few months. All up, it was a ripper Murray cod season with many milestones achieved. A 100lb cod on the cast was only topped by a 113cm fish on the fly. Add another dozen over a metre in length, and you might say our cod fishery looks to be in very good nick. With high flows prompting another good breeding season, the future of our fishery is well and truly on the right track.

Local dams still fire MILDURA

Darcy Sherger

As the Mildura region has recently experienced high rivers and flows, the fishing has been quite difficult for the local Mildura anglers. Many anglers have relied on dams, billabongs and impoundment fishing for golden perch and redfin around the region to get their fishing fixes throughout this high flow period and the close of cod season. Cod season will open up again on the 1st of December, with hopefully those three months providing an ideal time for Murray cod to breed as well as allow the river to clear up around Mildura. The dirty water has definitely kept many boats off the river over the past month, in turn reducing

Murray cod taken as by-catch during the closed season. This will work in our advantage by minimising stresses on Murray cod throughout the closed season and encouraging a better end result from the breeding season. With these high rivers and dirty water, local anglers have been trying a different style of fishing than the river and resorting to areas such as billabongs, dams and impoundment, chasing redfin on soft plastics. Redfin are a beautiful table fish and are great fun to catch casting small soft plastics on a light spin rod. Soft plastics such as 80mm Squidgy Wrigglers, Strike Tiger 3” Curl Tail Grubs and or even a Squidgy Worm or Critters will do the job in clear water. Soft plastics will work the best in clear water, but

if it’s stirred up a little bit, small TN50 Jackalls, small blades and or even Small Celta spinners will turn some redfin heads and entice a hit. Chasing golden perch within impoundments and billabongs has been a success, with small Bassman Carl’s Compact spinerbaits as well as Jackall TN60 and 70s working a treat. During the cod closed season, if you encounter a Murray cod unexpectedly, it is encouraged to release them without taking them out of the water and minimising harm. The less pressure that is put on the fish during this time of the year, the better our fishery will be for the future. Anglers need to respect the breeding season as much as possible try to minimise encounters with them during this three-month period.

Yella fever is coming, so look out Mulwala YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

A trip to the dentist or a day’s shopping with mum could be more fun than trying to pull a fish from Mulwala this time of year. With cod season closed, it’s illegal to target our iconic Murray cod until December 1. For the native fishos, you’re left with locally chasing yellas and they don’t tend to fire until mid October. When they do, look out! Cricket scores are not uncommon and quality fish measure well into the 50cm bracket. Traditionally, the top end of lake around the Bundalong area is more productive than the open waters of the lake itself. For anyone that encounters a cod over the next couple of months, release it unharmed as quickly as possible. Anglers must keep in mind that as of September 1 through to December 1, targeting Murray cod is not permitted. The Murray River below Yarrawonga, downstream through the Cobram area to the Tocumwal Traffic Bridge, is

totally closed to all forms of fishing for this time. Looking back, when conditions settled after July floods, the traditional run of big fish on the chew below the weir took off. Trolling and casting larger hardbodied lures proved most productive. Kev Brooks and Ant Grant were a couple who landed a super cod measuring in excess of the 120cm mark. Cain Peatling was another to have a good run with quality cod, while his brother Brent ‘human banana’ remained fishless. Above all, one angler stood out for his remarkable return of a mighty meter plus cod – Kyle Dalrymple of Corowa. Kyle landed close to half a dozen ‘meteries’ with his lure of choice, the 120mm Kuttafurra Mud Honey. All up, over 20 cod measuring in excess of the magical meter mark were caught along, with many other 70cm+ quality specimens. I’ve just spent six weeks fishing everywhere between Copeton Dam and Townsville. It’s not the perfect time to chase barra or bass, but it’s a great trip none the less. If you’re

headed north, half a dozen locations that should not be missed include Copeton, Kinchant, Teemburra, Monduran, Cania and Peter Faust Dams. There are plenty of other great locations around QLD, but these six won’t leave you disappointed. Coming up on October 22 is the popular Golden Dollars Fishing Competition, an event designed to specifically target yellas. Entry forms and invites are now available for this. Also, organisation for the seventeenth annual Cod Classic is well under way, with the event looking as good as ever. Seven boating packages, a chance to spend 30 seconds in a cash grab machine along with $150K of prizes makes this is one event not to be missed. Entry forms are now available on line at www. codclassic.com.au. For more information on the Cod Classic, the upcoming Golden Dollars or anything relating to fishing Mulwala, feel free to give us a call at Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski on 0357 443133. • If you are visiting town, I urge you to call

Kyle Dalrymple with a 111cm beast of a Murray cod. into Lake Mulwala Fish, Camp & Ski (opposite the post office) in Mulwala and say G’day. We are your

largest Murray cod-specific shop in Yarrawonga/ Mulwala and specialise in all things ‘green’! For

any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports, give us a hoy on (03) 5744 3133.

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Good news and more good news CANBERRA

Bryan Pratt

Good news, there’s a touch of spring in the air. The days are getting slightly warmer and longer. Although cold fronts are coming through, with snow, ice, sleet and gale force winds, the general consensus is that the worst of winter is over. That’s great, but the even better news is we have plenty of water for a change. Persistent rain has filled all of the streams, and lakes that were perilously low a few months ago are looking near full. Burrendong, Burrinjuck, Blowering, Wyangala and Googong are all 90-100% full. Eucumbene has slowly moved up to 44%, Jindabyne is at 85% and Tantangara is at an unprecedented 47%. Even Lake George, supposedly Australia’s largest natural freshwater lake, but dry for the past 20 years or so, has a vast sheet of water creeping over it and increasing each day. This means we not only have water available right now, but also enough in storage to carry us well into summer. Apart from what’s in storage, there’s an additional large supply trapped in the heavy snow mantle, which currently covers the Snowy Mountains and the saturated alpine bogs right throughout

the high country, in the ACT and NSW. EDGE FOOD SUPPLY The most important spinoff from the increasing water levels is that trout, golden perch, redfin and Murray cod are responding to the food washed out of newly flooded ground. They’re feeding around the edges where they can be most easily accessed by anglers. This has been particularly evident at Burrinjuck, which has moved quickly from 32% of capacity to over 90%. Murray cod, golden perch and even redfin have moved from flooded trees and deeper water, where they were situated for the past year or so, to the edges of the lake, especially in the main basin. Bait and lure fishing from the shoreline has replaced trolling and jigging baits or soft plastics, around trees in deeper water. This will continue until the lake level stabilises. Fish will finish feeding in the shallows and spread out through different layers of deeper water. NEW RIVER FLOWS There have been other interesting spinoffs too. At Tantangara, the stored water traditionally has been used to top up Lake Eucumbene, being sent down through the tunnel that exits at Providence Portal. Under new arrangements, this water will now flow down

The now-famous Berkley black grub has proven to be a great lure for golden perch, redfin and Murray cod. Simple but effective, it can be used alone or with a variety of commercial attractants.

the previously water-starved Murrumbidgee River and create a marvellous new stream fishery when the trout season reopens. High flows in the Thredbo and Eucumbene rivers have enabled the rainbow trout

slowly. A few golden perch have been taken on bait in Ginninderra and Burley Griffin, but you need to put in the hours to get a fish. Yerrabi, a small weed-infested waterway in Gungahlin, has emerged as the most

With continuing rain, rivers in the region are running high. Previous barriers to fish passage are now much easier for spawning and migrating fish to negotiate. to more easily access their winter spawning grounds. From all accounts, the current spawning run is developing as one of the best for some time. Similarly, flows from Jindabyne down the Snowy River will assist bass and estuary perch to complete their spawning cycles further downstream. Water is indeed life to the region’s fisheries. URBAN LAKES Canberra’s urban lakes are still cold and turbid. Consequently, they’re fishing

successful of the urban lakes. It has a small urban and rural catchment and is clearer than the other lakes. Good-sized golden perch have been taken on the now-famous Berkley 8cm black Minnow Grubs. These have been an unexpectedly good catcher in the region, during the past two or three years. We assume the fish see it as a soft, tasty and vulnerable fat tadpole, and swallow it down without hesitation. It’s been effective fished on its

Plenty of trout are feeding in the shallows at Jindabyne and Eucumbene, searching for food flooded out of the newly covered ground.

With the Murray cod season now closed for three months, it’s time to let go any fish you catch accidentally. The result will be bigger and more fish in the future. own, or dipped in attractants such as Berkley Gulp Alive, Squidgie S Factor, Stimulate Slam Recharge or Aniseed oil. The fish are mostly around 45cm, but a couple of thumping 60cm/4.5kg fish have been caught. MOUNTAIN LAKES WORTHWHILE Those who braved the weather in the Snowy Mountains have generally been well rewarded. Good browns and rainbows have been caught in Eucumbene, especially at Seven Gates and Braemar, on wood grubs, scrub worms and PowerBait. Flyfishers have taken a few on Woolly Buggers and small black and red matukas, mostly around Yens Bay and Rushy Plains Bay. One flyfisher worked the deep water at the dam wall, with an intermediate sink line, for a nice rainbow. He counted the fly down to 30 before starting the retrieve.

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In Jindabyne, good mixed bags of browns and rainbows have been taken on paddle-tailed soft plastics, worked around the rocky shoreline. The mix seems to be of hungry browns returning from spawning, and equally hungry rainbows, preparing to spawn. Many of the fish were stuffed full of yabbies and the remains of what appear to be goldfish and weather loaches. Other fish have been taken on PowerBait, especially chunky cheese and lime twist, and on lure and fly at Hatchery Bay. A few fish have been taken on lead core line, using Tasmanian Devils and darkcoloured blades. We can await the opening of trout season, then cod season, confident that we have more than enough water in the streams and lakes to provide us with fantastic opportunities, to catch that fish we always dreamed about.

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Trout rivers and golden lakes WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

The cold weather has finally left us alone and we have the beautiful spring weather upon us. Golden perch fishing is now in full swing, in both the dams and rivers. Now is the best time to be casting for fat goldens, as they will be feeding up like crazy before breeding. The alpine lakes for trout are really turning on. Trout are feeding in the shallows and river goldens are beginning to school. BLOWERING DAM Good old Blowering is looking as beautiful as ever with the high water

Goldens are on the bite! Soft plastics are working a treat.

October is a great month for fishing.

levels and fat goldens. The perch are well and truly feeding now as the water temperature is about to hit 16°C. Fish will school up in the twiggy trees like last year, and it’s not uncommon to pull numerous fish from the same trees. Fishing can be tough though, especially on calm and clear days. The fish will become spooky. You’ll most likely receive lots of follows from fish that are interested, but turn away at the last minute. This is exciting and frustrating at the same time. The best conditions to catch goldens in Blowering are choppy and uncomfortable. This provides the fish with cover and protection, making them confident to take a lure. Another way you can catch spooky fish is by fishing the dirty water.

Find areas of muddy water and fish along the colour change. Where the water goes from dirty to clear, the perch will be patrolling the

Trout will be more active coming out of their spawning run.

One way to catch spooky fish is to fish the dirty water.

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

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

Dam Jul Aug Sep Blowering 69 75 84 Brogo 102 101 101 Burrendong 27 72 121 Burrinjuck 60 87 100 Carcoar 18 45 75 Chaffey 64 84 115 Clarrie Hall n/a n/a n/a Copeton 17 21 36 Dartmouth 46 54 60 Eucumbene 31 36 43 Glenbawn 82 86 89 Glenlyon 30 26 42

Dam Jul Aug Sep Glennies Creek 85 87 87 Hume 42 74 96 Jindabyne 66 77 68 Keepit 18 31 60 Lostock 100 104 100 Oberon 60 71 85 Pindari 42 46 76 Split Rock 6 7 16 Tantangara 32 47 47 Toonumbar 100 99 100 Windamere 39 40 45 Wyangala 59 92 98

(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.) 66

OCTOBER 2016

The yellas are well and truly feeding now. edge looking for food. As always, soft plastics are the best option. My favourites are the Berkley T Tail Minnows and Minnow Grubs rigged on a 1/4oz or 1/6oz Nitro jighead.

MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER Fishing has finally come good again in the Murrumbidgee, after the winter rains we received. Water is up and running

again, ready for the summer irrigation. It’s clearing up and at a more steady height. Golden perch are in good numbers and can make for a great day’s fishing. Spend To page 67

Rivers looking good in spring JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

The question everyone asks is, “How are the rivers going to fish this season?” The river season opens on the October long weekend each year. At times, if the spawning season is late, then the main spawning rivers like the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers can be full of trout – mainly rainbows. There can also be a few late spawning brown trout as well. The past winter has been a wet one with a couple good floods. I’m expecting this year that most of the spawn run will be finished before the rivers open. However, that is not all bad news. We still have a few stragglers as well as the resident trout that haven’t seen an angler for months, so there’ll be some good trout captured. Late last August, 220 rainbows, ex Gaden Trout Hatchery fishing clinic trout, were released into the Thredbo River and Lake Jindabyne. Some were up to 5kg – most of those massive rainbow trout are still waiting for you to catch them. October is a great month for trout fishing as

the water level of the lake is rising, and the temperature is perfect for trout. Bugs are now flying about, some having hatched from the water. The trout response to this is feeding time. When the rivers first open, the emphasis is on trying to catch trout. Lure anglers are best to try minnow style lures and there are heaps of them out there. A newer lure on the market growing quickly in popularity is the Bullet Lure. There are two sizes suitable to the river, the tiny 3cm Bullet was very productive last season, so is the new 5cm lure. This lure has in its favour a great range of colours, many of which have been designed especially for trout. With the introduction of the Strike Tiger range of soft plastics, designed with trout in mind, and a fantastic range of trout colours, the popularity of soft plastics in trout waters has escalated. Soft plastics can be rigged almost snagless and anglers fishing the rivers for trout are starting to adapt their practices to also suit trout waters with great success. Back on the lake, fishing will be great for the bait anglers, with plenty of big browns and Atlantic salmon caught. If you’re

lucky enough, you might catch yourself a brook trout over the next month. There have been schools of brookies moving around the edges of the lake from bay to bay. Get one, and you’ll get more. Brookies are very aggressive fish and less fussy about what lure they strike – it’s about placement rather than lure. There’s still time to polaroid for trout around the lake. As the water rises, trout cruise the edges. For fly anglers in particular, it’s an exciting time of the year. A selection of flies you might want to try are Jindy Bugger, olive nymph, green Woolly Bugger and maybe even a Tom Jones. Lure anglers can polaroid trout as well. After spotting trout, watch to see which way they swim and cast a small minnow lure well out past the trout. Retrieve slowly and try to swim the lure about 2m in front of the trout. The best lures will be those that float and then dive to about 1-1.5m deep. Bait anglers, try to spot cruising trout and cast a nice big scrub worm in front – works a treat from winter to spring, when the trout are really hungry. If you have light enough tackle, a worm on the hook and no sinker is the best way to fish for trout. Boat

From page 66

a day on the river casting small hardbody lures, like the 70mm AC Invaders and 80mm Strikeforce Cod Stalkers. Standard 5/8oz Mud Guts spinnerbaits are another good lure choice. Fishing along the river, you’ll come across a number of Murray cod as well. Just remember, it’s closed season and they need to be released. Target the willows and smaller twiggy snags, as this is where the goldens will school up.

These fish like to school up around trees.

Choppy, uncomfortable conditions are best right now, as the golden perch look for cover.

trollers have been waiting for the weather to warm up and bring the trout to the surface prospecting for insects. It’s easy just surface trolling lures, and there’s no need this time of the year to go too deep, but on sunny still days, a lead core line outfit is very helpful. There are new colours of Tasmanian Devil lures to try out now. The Y131 yellow mongrel is one new colour that’s been particularly popular, and the yellow wing version of the new 131 spotted dog. A great spring fishing season lies ahead and if you are coming to the mountains, don’t forget to call into my shop and catch up with the latest fishing information. • If you would like some personal guiding, I will be available over the coming months for fly-fishing tuition and lake trolling trips. Lessons can be booked from 2 hours’ duration, and trolling trips from 3 hours to a full day. If you want to know more about the latest in fishing conditions, just give me a call on (0264) 561 551 or check out my website at www.swtroutfishing.com. au. You can also see our daily Facebook updates at https://www.facebook. com/LJTFA. TUMUT RIVER The Tumut River is definitely worth a fish during October. The water will be on the rise like the Murrumbidgee, but will still be fishable compared to the summer flows. Trout opening on the October long weekend is a great time to target trout. They will be active coming out of their spawning run, and with little fishing pressure, they’re a prime target in the region. You want to target either side of the fast water and the bottom of rapids. Trout will hold in these areas waiting for food. First and last light is always the best option when fishing the Tumut River, as the water is always clear and the fish can be hard to catch in the middle of the day. Best lure choices are fluoro colours and trout imitations, small hardbodies and soft plastics in trout patterns, the spotted dog colour and spinners. Find out more about targeting trout this season in my feature article in this edition. October is a great month to get out fishing in the region. With beautiful warm weather and active fish, it’s one of the best fishing months of the year!

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Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

It’s that time of year again for a mad keen fisho, where there’s not enough hours in the day, and not enough days in the month. Just about every freshwater species will be at their easiest to catch for the whole year. The trout season opens, and they haven’t been targeted for four months, so they won’t be easily spooked. They’re also hungry after the lean times of winter. Add to this the golden perch fishing, which is fantastic during October, and you see why it’s easy to complain about the lack of time. I didn’t even mention the insane lake trout fishing or the quality redfin. GOLDEN PERCH Native anglers in the area will be getting their fix with monster goldens at Blowering, and enjoying the small window of opportunity for polaroiding at this amazing fishery. Mid to late afternoon is best for golden perch action right now, as it’s when the water temperature is highest for the day. Early morning is one of the best times for polaroiding, when the yellas are sunning themselves and are quite easy to spot with a good set of polaroids. These fish will be mostly sitting in the treetops or

Andrew Behnke and his three year old daughter Josephine, fishing the Eucumbene spawn run in freezing conditions. Josephine was entertained by Dad catching plenty of good-sized fish. The Eucumbene River is often overlooked at this time of the year, but it’s worth a look if you’re in the area. the backs of weedy bays in pockets of weed. Cast to them with flies or plastics to entice them. If you’re super prepared, it’s hard to beat switch baiting with yabbies for these picky fish. If you find a fish follows but won’t hit, or you spot a fish before it spots you, cast an unweighted yabby and allow it to slowly sink in front of the fish. It’s often too much for the old greedy-guts goldens to resist and will out fish all other techniques. This is one of the most highly underutilised techniques, fishing for clear water natives in Australia.

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Another beautifully marked rainbow fooled by the two nymph rig. This twin fly setup is hard to beat in our rivers and streams.

Golden perch, weed and twin-tail plastics – it must be October. Fish early for your best polaroiding opportunities at Blowering Dam this month. TROUT SEASON OPEN Trout anglers will be dusting off their gear in anticipation for the new trout season, which opens on the first day of this month. Last season was great, and thanks to the amazing amounts of consistent rain and snow over winter, trout had perfect spawning conditions. If the run in the Eucumbene River is anything to go by, this season could be better than the last. The Tumut River, and many smaller creeks and rivers in the area, will be worth fishing hard this month. Another overlooked place that fishes sensationally at the opening of the season is the Eucumbene River. Some years, there’s still a massive population of rainbow trout in the river that haven’t quite finished their spawning run, or haven’t yet made it back to the lake. The fishing can be fantastic some years, and there’s often no one else around – a recipe for an awesome day river fishing for trout. If the Tumut River happens to be flowing low and slow on opening

weekend, then it’ll be hard to go past fishing there. As the fish have not been targeted for several months, they can be easy to catch – probably their easiest for the whole season. Spinning with bright flashy lures, like Rooster Tails and Insanity Tackle Bling spins, is hard to beat early this season. You cover lots of water this way and any hungry fish nearby will struggle to resist. After the first couple of weeks, fish will slowly get wiser and harder to catch. When this happens, it pays to start using more natural lures like small minnow shaped hardbodies. Try the CD3-7 and F3-7 Rapala range or anything you have that is similar. Alternatively, flyfishing is super this month, but you’ll mostly have to fish sub-surface for the best action. You’ll get the odd fish to rise, but get crazy numbers by drifting nymphs down deep. Try a double nymph setup with a red Copper John nymph and a black, olive or brown nymph. This will catch you fish all season, but is absolutely dynamite during the first few weeks.

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Shallow water feast LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

With widespread rains across the district in late winter and early spring,

the rivers and creeks have had a good flush. Moving water is such a powerful medium – with minimal effort, logs, trees, rocks, and boulders are shifted and tossed about like corks in the ebb and flow.

It must be a real curveball for the fishy inhabitants we chase, like being thrown in a washing machine. Depending on the species, it could be time for migration, a chance to move upstream. For others it could

The use of Google Maps can assist you in finding productive trout water away from the crowds. It may mean extra effort footslogging, but it’s well worth it when you find pools like this.

Just a tad greedy! A bigger profile lure can sometimes be the difference in catching fish in dirty water. Fish are not seeing the whole lure; underwater acoustics are also louder even without rattles.

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be time to batten down the hatches and weather the storm. As the flows decrease and the clarity returns, it’s no doubt a time to establish a new pecking order in the pool. Those anglers heading out for the opening of the trout season on this October long weekend on the Fish and Duckmaloi rivers can take full advantage of this. Large minnow style lures up to 7cm in length can get quite the reaction from the resident boss of the pool. The changes to the impoundments in the district, such as Wyangala and Burrendong, are also evident. Water level increases have been quite significant. The effects would no doubt be felt by the fish. Savvy lure anglers again can take advantage of this situation. Smaller inflows with clearer water coming in can be a real honey hole, especially for golden perch. Don’t let a drop in water clarity stop you from fishing lures in other parts of the dam. Often the fish will be sitting a bit shallower, due to less light penetration in the muddy water. Go up a size in lure to offer a bigger profile, use a contrasting colour or a flashing LED, and something with a rattle inside the body. If you’re using small spinner baits, go for a bigger Colorado blade that thumps away at a slower speed (keep in mind that it’s the cod closed season). Scents are great to apply at any time, even more so when there is a drop in water clarity.

WINDAMERE It would wrong not to mention Windamere – it’s a great place to fish at this time of the year. People travel from far and wide to experience what is arguably Australia’s premier golden perch impoundment. With a smaller catchment, the level increases are usually not as dramatic or turbid, so fish have time to adjust. It’s business as usual. The lack of weed around the edges the last few seasons has definitely changed the edge bite. Fish that normally feel comfortable in 8-10ft

The tree bite in Windamere has been very consistent in the last few years, slow rolling grubs up through the branches. Not all trees are created equal though. Quality sounders with side scan can cut down time spent on unproductive trees. The technology is that good. Don’t be too concerned if things are quiet on the first drops. Golden perch will move away from trees as the boat sits over the top. As the minutes tick by, they slowly return to their woody home.

tried and proven method of putting fish in the boat. Not only that, it’s fun and relatively easy for anyone with a boat. TROUT ARE ABOUT With the opening of the trout season in the rivers and creeks, quite a few anglers will be walking the streams. The better fishing will be off the beaten track, and possibly on private property. Always be respectful and ask for permission to cross private land. Google Maps can be a big help when searching for areas to fish on the local streams, state

Drowned standing trees are an important habitat for golden perch in impoundments. They provide cover and food in the form of baitfish clouds that hover amongst the limbs – golden perch heaven. of water are sitting deeper in 14-18ft depending on cloud cover, sunlight penetration and shade from banks. Hopefully with some good inflow and water over new ground, we may see a return to the luxurious green weed of old.

Stepping it up in the tackle stakes is a good idea while grubbing trees; the environment just doesn’t suit the spider web gear of the flats. Many fishing tournaments for golden perch have been won grubbing trees – it’s a

forest, travelling stock routes (TSR) and some national parks. Clearly marked in most cases, these can allow you access to great water. Hope to see you on the water soon. Until then, tight lines.

All set for a great season of hunting gold! TAMWORTH

Adam Mears adam.mears@hotmail.com

With golden days upon us, it’s hard to look back at the crazy angling conditions we put ourselves though to tame winter beasts and scratch that angling itch. Fast forward to now, we have

catchments this year. It’s great to see the dams looking refreshed. The fishing has boomed, setting the pace for a great season of hunting gold. Golden perch are generally dormant during the winter months, so in spring they feed vigorously to put on weight before breeding. For me, flooded edges and shallow bays are where I’ll

Lures to use in these shallow margins are usually quite versatile and can be fished slower and deeper for other applications. Spinnerbaits around 3/8oz or smaller fit this category, as do vibration baits like the Jackall TN series, Viva Mazzy Vib, or Kakoda G-Vibe. Metal vibes like the TT Lures Switchblade and the Ecogear ZX and VX

Murray cod season closes 1 September in NSW, but Copeton Dam is fishable year round.

Even though it’s still fresh in the mornings, golden perch like this will take a slow worked vibe. complete contrast – warm spring days, sun overhead and the yellowbelly have gone wild! Many of our local dams had a good winter, with above average rainfalls topping up the dams. Last summer we were speculating if we would have any water left in our

be searching. Long casts and light leaders will account for a few extra fish on slow days. My typical setup is a 6’6” spin or baitcast setup with a 2000-2500 sized spin reel, or small low profile baitcaster with 10lb-15 braid and 10-20lb leader, depending on the structure.

series, or soft plastic lures, are also a great option on golden perch. Since the introduction of the AYC competition, these lures are commonplace in our arsenals. Soft plastic craws, yabbies, worms, grubs, shrimp and minnows all have their place, so pack some on your next trip.

SPLIT ROCK DAM Split Rock has not been as lucky as the rest of the dams, close to our beautiful township. It’s still a great fishery, but with the dam still struggling to fill, golden perch have been holding deeper on rocky points, and in the warmer thermoclines around the dam. Once you find a decent bank and get a few fish, work that area. Golden perch are schooling fish, so where you find one you will generally find a few. There are also silver perch and carp in the dam worth targeting this month. Both of these omnivores are likely to take a bait of worms or small shrimp, fished lightly weighted on the

bottom. If you catch a carp, please dispose of it humanely and discard it properly. CHAFFEY DAM Chaffey Dam has been in the mind of most anglers for the past few months. Seeing the dam level rise and flood the margins has anglers excited. From the carp-chasing fly flickers, to the edge bite golden brigade, this month has something for everyone. For the carp chasers, gentleman’s hours are 10am to 3pm, prime times, and the hungry carp will be cruising the edges chasing small shrimp, worms and insects. Wearing a good pair of polaroid sunglasses will enable you to see feeding

carp before you cast a fly to them, which saves wasted casts and won’t spook other targets if you’re a little off the mark. My motto for catching carp on fly is ‘stalk, spot and save’. Golden perch will be hard along the edges of the flooded new foliage and weed beds, and will take a variety of techniques. Fish the prime times around dawn and dusk for better results. Be patient and work areas methodically before moving on, as these goldens often cruise up and down these areas searching for food. You might not get a bite for thirty minutes before you land three fish in five. That’s fishing for you.

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Drawing out those deeper fish HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

October is my favourite time of year to fish the Hunter Valley. The nice warm days with cool nights make camping at

themselves in the shallow clear water. Glenbawn’s catchment has seen some good rain over winter; the water level rose quite some way. The weed beds are the best I’ve seen them in years. If these levels maintain this month, the

Always remember that when it comes to casting an edge, fish are light oriented. Overcast days will see you catching fish up high in the water column all day. On clear days with no wind, it’s a different story. The bass bite their heads off for the

Tom Slater with a golden perch caught at Lake Glenbawn on a swimbait. either Glenbawn or St Clair quite pleasant, with predicable weather for a fun weekend away with friends and family. The water temperature should be hitting 20°C+ in the impoundments and this means fired up spring fishing. A lot of fish have lost their winter weight and there will be big fish on the move to shallow water. You’ll notice they take on a darker hue of bronze or black, to help camouflage

a trebled lure. Concentrate on following the contour of the weed. Your retrieve will

A Lake Glenbawn yellowbelly caught on a lipless crankbait.

“Drop in and ask our friendly staff what they’re biting on!”

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LAKE ST CLAIR

ABERDEEN Phone 69 New England Hwy, [02] 6543 7111 Aberdeen NSW 2336

www.aberdeenfishingandoutdoors.com.au OCTOBER 2016

The author caught this bass at Glenbawn on a skirted jig.

shallow water fishing should be on fire. It’s time to break out the reaction lures and heavier line, because these guys mean business. No more little taps on soft plastics – these fish will nearly rip the rod out your hand as they try to crush your favourite reaction lure. Whether you’re using a topwater lure, crankbait, bladed jig, jerkbait or spinnerbait, they’ll eat it. Target shallow water structure around weed and timber.

Aberdeen Fishing & Outdoors

around timber and rock. The fishing at Lake St Clair should be heating up too. Bigger bass at the lake are caught on topwater lures, and October is the month to do it. A popper, walk the dog style, cicada imitation, paddlers and even hollow belly frogs will get eaten. Like any style of fishing, it’s about working out what the fish want. Try different lures and styles of retrieves until that one bite tells you how they want it. Super shallow water in the low light is where you want to target the bigger fish. They will be up tight on the edge, hunting in the shallows. Get yourself parallel to a bank, so your whole retrieve stays in the strike zone. This can get you quicker results and you can cover more ground to find those active fish. If the topwater lures aren’t working, a reaction bait should. With St Clair’s weed being so thick this year, a spinnerbait or bladed jig will pop through a lot better than

first hour or two and then, like a switch, they turn off. They bide their time until the last hours of light before they start biting again. By moving out deeper and slowing down, you can still catch some fish on blades, tail-spinners, plastics or trolled deep divers. At this time of year with the water temperatures warming, the crawfish and yabby populations are becoming active. Fish are starting to focus on them too. One of my favourite techniques to target these shut-down edge fish is with a skirted jig and plastic craw trailer. As the sun gets higher, it will draw fish tighter to cover. A jig is one of the best ways to target them. A 3/8-3/4oz football or arkie style jig, dragged slowly or with tiny hops along the bottom, will hopefully catch you some bass and golden perch. Try focusing on the outside edge of the weed

The author with a Lake St Clair bass caught on a Bassman Mumbler.

see the bass or yellowbelly dart out and slam your lure. As with any reaction lure, upping your line weight is a must. Fish won’t shy at line thickness. You’ll need at least 12-20lb to survive the initial shock of the strike. When a fish buries you in the weed or timber, the thicker line will give you time to get over to the fish, and try and bring it to the surface. St Clair and Glenbawn are similar to fish at this time of the year, and the same goes for how fish react to light. When the fishing slows at St Clair due to the sun, you can change it up by slowing down and sinking lures into the weed. A weedless-rigged craw plastic or skirted jig, worked along the bottom through broken weed or into holes, works really well. Or, sink a weedless-rigged swimbait or paddle-tail to the bottom through the weed and swim it out, to target fish hiding deep in the weed and escaping sunlight. The Hunter River bass population will be making their way further upstream this month. This means the fish are starting to spread out and become more active. When fishing the lower tidal reaches, it pays to keep in mind that these fish are very much attuned to their environment. If the tide is not quite right, it will keep them tight lipped so don’t waste your time running around looking for fish. Fish come on the bite when they’re ready, so concentrate on one stretch of river and fish as the tide moves through its cycle. Once you work out what stage they bite, you can run the tide and hopefully catch fish throughout the lower system. All your typical river bass lures will work this month, with the topwater bite becoming more prolific.

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Yellas moving onto new ground ORANGE

Michael Collison thegurusgear@gmail.com

Dams are filling quickly around the Central West – Burrendong is at 112% and rising, Wyangala is at 102%, and Windamere’s at 44%. The water is dirty, but the fish are still biting on the edges. Yellowbelly have moved up into new ground. Baitfishing is the best way to target them at this time, and the best baits at the moment are worms and yabbies. The best banks to target are rocky steep banks with a few trees. You’ll only need to cast about 5-10m off the bank. The times to fish are early morning and late afternoon. As the water clears up over the next few weeks, and warmer weather hits us, water temperatures will rise. Fish will go into spawning-mode and start to school up on the flats, and around the trees. Plastics will come into their own, especially bright plastics, if the water still isn’t clear. In clearer water, dark and clear plastics will do you best.

Drop your plastic down the tree and don’t stay too long – fish usually bite after eight drops or so. If you have no luck move to the next tree. Once you find the fish, you can catch a bunch.

My best on one tree is 36 fish in 40 minutes. Get out there and get some cricket score catches in the next few weeks. • For all the latest info on what’s biting and where, drop

into Tackle World Orange at 66 Peisley St, Orange or call them on (02) 6361 8924. You can also see the latest specials and catches at www.facebook.com/ TackleWorldOrangeNSW.

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Copeton Dam water level continues to rise COPETON DAM

David Allen manager@copeton.com.au

Copeton has received great winter rain over the last few months. There has been a slow but consistent rise in dam levels. We have more rain coming, and Copeton was sitting at 29% at the end of August. Great news for all boating enthusiasts is the two-lane concrete boat ramp at Sepoy Knob, now well in the water and ready for the summer crowds. October long weekend is the beginning of Copeton’s summer season, when the water skiers and wakeboarders start to get serious about using the dam. More importantly, it’s also the start of the summer fishing season. From October, thoughts move away from just cod as the yellowbelly fire up. Now’s the time to be checking line loads on your light spin outfits and retying your leaders. Yellowbelly fishing has become much more sophisticated in

yellas will mainly be found in timber or on the flats. The timber may be in many forms. The most consistent producer is a big old pine tree; it must be something about the horizontal branches. These fish in the trees can be targeted in a number of ways. Baitfishers do well lowering a live kicking yabby or shrimp rigged on a suitable hook with a ball sinker running on top of the hook, then slowly bobbing it back up through branches. This is active baitfishing. Work a tree for 15 or 20 minutes and if nobody is home, move to the next tree. When fishing with lures, follow the same approach, but replace the bait with soft plastics, vibes or blades. In Copeton, one of the most popular options is the Gulp Minnow Grub in black, as this matches the colour of Copeton yabbies. Another top choice is the Ecogear ZX40 in a dark colour. Now is also the time to sound around the numerous open flats where the yellowbelly will start

Copeton visitors got to show off their yellas. recent years with light braid and fluorocarbon leaders attached to lures, fitted with fine, chemically sharpened hooks. In the early spring, the

to school. Areas around the Howell Road point, Buriee Point and the Wind Sock are all areas worth checking. As the dam level changes,

always be where the bait is. A 30-40cm yellowbelly is a baitfish in Copeton. When the yellas are schooled, cod won’t be far. Don’t forget to go to our Facebook page and upload photos of your big cod to enter the King and Queen of Copeton Competition.

• 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.

CHIFLEY DAM

Cabins

Yellowbelly will start to school near timber and open flats this month. keep an eye on the sounder. Anywhere you find a rise out of deep water that comes to within 20-40ft of the surface is worth checking for fish. Once you find fish, which show really well on modern sounders, then it’s a matter of finding the technique for the day. Vibes like Jackall TN50, TN60 and Mazzy Vibes are usually first choice. These can be hopped, slow rolled or just about dead sticked. Blades are also popular when the fish are on flats, like Eco-gear ZX40s. Soft vibes are also making an impact for this type of fishing, Atomic SemiHardz 40mm and Jackall Gene 55. Soft plastics rigged on jigheads to suit the water depth, as light as you can and keep good contact with the bottom are also becoming more popular. The rising water level may also draw the fish to areas where there is significant water flowing into the dam. The Gwydir River in Woonulla Bay, Copes Creek, Auburn Vale Creek and Poison Gully are all areas to try. You can

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Animal rights versus fishing ‘rites’

SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

It seems that the greyhound ban in NSW has emboldened animal rights activists to call for a ban on fishing in a much louder voice. In the past, this wouldn’t make the news, but the RSPCA have updated their policy on fishing and are now opposed to ‘bluewater’ angling for species such as tuna and marlin as well as the use of live bait. They have certainly come down on the side of fish feeling pain, quoting their policy on angling. “RSPCA Australia considers that the available scientific evidence demonstrates that fish are sentient animals capable of experiencing pain and suffering. Anglers should therefore treat fish humanely and avoid practices that have the potential to cause pain, injury or suffering during capture, handling, killing or release” (RSPCA, 2016). The ‘fish feel pain’ argument isn’t going away anytime soon. There is a dedicated website on the topic (http://fishpain.com) with what I feel is a fair bit of cherry picked information. I also noted that the Wikipedia page on fish pain comes down heavily on the side that fish feel pain. While I think it’s putting a target on your head to discuss these issues, there has been quite a bit of work done on the topic. In reviewing what is a mountain of literature I have tried to move past the moral arguments on either side and get my head around what is a complex topic. One of the problems that I have discovered in this field is that like social science, political biases can influence the interpretation of the research. That happens on both sides of the debate. A 2012 paper addressed this issue in some detail. This paper is quite complex, but an article in Science Daily in 2013 did a pretty good job of explaining it in simpler terms. HOW HUMANS FEEL PAIN “To be able to understand the researchers’ criticism you first have to comprehend how pain perception works for humans. Injuries stimulate what is known as nociceptors. These receptors send electrical signals through nerve-lines and the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex (neocortex). With full awareness, this is where they are processed into a sensation of pain” (Science Daily, 2013). The activation of nociceptors does not 76

OCTOBER 2016

necessarily mean conscious pain. If that weren’t the case doctors would have a much harder job. If you have ever had a tooth removed or a mole cut out or worse, you are probably grateful for that fact you can switch off the conscious awareness of pain. HOW DO FISH COMPARE TO HUMANS? Many of the more extreme animal rights groups like to make posters of children or animals with fish hooks in their mouth. Ignoring the fact there are some people that like that sort of thing, it is important to have some level of understanding of how fish differ from humans. Again, here is a good summary from the science daily article. “Unlike humans fish do not possess a neocortex, which is the first indicator of doubt regarding the pain awareness of fish. Furthermore, certain nerve fibers in mammals (known as c-nociceptors) have been shown to be involved in the sensation of intense experiences of pain. All primitive cartilaginous fish subject to the study, such as sharks and rays, show a complete lack of these fibres and all bony fish – which includes all common types of fish such as carp and trout – very rarely have them. In this respect, the physiological prerequisites for a conscious experience of pain are hardly developed in fish. However, bony fish certainly possess simple nociceptors and they do of course show reactions to injuries and other interventions. But it is not known whether this is perceived as pain” (Science Daily, 2013). FISH AND PAIN The Wikipedia entry cites the work of Professor Gary Varner, an American Philosopher who focuses on Bioethics. In a table that summarizes his views he builds on the presence of the basic pain equipment to behavior that demonstrates a pain response. He asserts that ‘Analgesics affect responses’ and ‘Response to damaging stimuli similar to humans.’ The 2012 paper contradicts both of these assertions. In the case of Analgesics, the article notes that Morphine, which is effective in humans proved either ineffective or only effective in doses that would prove fatal to small mammals. On the subject of behavior, again there was a repudiation of the methods used. The current overviewstudy raises the complaint that a great majority of all published studies evaluate a fish’s reaction to a seemingly painful impulse – such as rubbing the injured body part against an object or the discontinuation of the feed intake – as an indication

The RSPCA is now opposed to ‘bluewater’ fishing for species such as tuna and marlin, where the fight time is prolonged. of pain. However, this methodology does not prove verifiably whether the reaction was due to a conscious sensation of pain or an unconscious impulse perception by means of nociception, or a combination of the two. Basically, it is very difficult to deduct underlying emotional states based on behavioral responses. Moreover, fish often show only minor or no reactions at all to interventions, which would be extremely painful to us and to other mammals. The conscious recognition of pain is where most of the contention exists. Those concerned with animal rights take one interpretation of behavior; other scientists take a different view. Brian Key from the University of Queensland in his 2016 article “Why fish do not feel pain” (http:// animalstudiesrepository.org/ animsent/vol1/iss3/1/) cites a series of evidence that fish do not feel pain and asserts the burden is on those that believe otherwise to prove that they do. In response, others such as Jonathan Balcombe, the Director for Animal Sentience at the Humane Society Institute for Science and Policy in Washington DC, argue that a precautionary principle should apply. In his view, fish should be treated as sentient and able to feel pain, fishing practices should be changed to reflect that and as such it’s up to those that believe otherwise to prove their case in order to keep the

status quo. Which all just means there is a lot more back and forth to come. SHOULD WE JUST IGNORE THIS DEBATE? I don’t think ignoring this debate is a good idea, but reacting to it isn’t much help either. The fact that the Wikipedia entry is mostly pro the fish feeling pain side is a case in point of how the general public, who may have no experience of fish, can be influenced. As Greyhounds NSW have discovered, we may be only an outrage away from potential consequences. Personally, I can’t say that I am convinced one way or the other. There is substantial evidence that fish don’t experience pain in the way we do. That doesn’t mean fish aren’t affected. All my life, experience in fish handling says that fish do suffer stress and can be injured. Reducing fish mortality from poor handling was the focus of the Released Fish Survival project some years back. The Australian Museum takes the following position, and I agree with it. “In short, if you need to touch a fish, you should remember that the fish may (or may not) experience pain the way you do, but it undoubtedly does suffer from stress. Professional ichthyologists follow stringent guidelines to reduce stress when handling fishes.” I will make a side note that I believe that banning fish photos, for example, to

get fish back in the water faster is not helpful. On the other hand, further discussion on the best methodology of taking fish photos should not be off the table. We should all be willing to look at new and better methods. CATCH AND RELEASE AND TOURNAMENTS Catch and release fishers take note. You are going to be among the first targets in this debate, as are tournaments. Both groups need to consider ways to ensure fish are well treated. Both would do well to look for how community value adds to their activity by assisting with habitat rehabilitation or collecting data to support efforts aimed at the improvement of the fishery. Fortunately, fishing is highly regarded by the community, and there is no serious mood for change. Just remember, though, Germany has banned catch and release, and other nations are watching. WHERE TO FROM HERE? I share the objectives of animal rights activists who wish to see fish treated with care and with as little stress as possible, but I don’t think that turning fishers into the enemy helps. Then again, there will always be those that see humans as evil killing machines no matter what I say. I plan to explore this topic more directly with the researchers involved but more likely, in an online video forum where fishers can get the evidence from the horse’s mouth. There are scientists on both sides of the fence here and overseas; it will be fascinating to hear what they have to say. In the meantime, thank god there is fishing to chill out. GROWTH IN PUBLIC INTEREST IN MARINE CITIZEN SCIENCE Changing gears a little, researcher papers don’t get a lot of coverage in the media in general, so I thought it would be a good chance to give exposure to a recent report along with some ‘gentle’ rebuttal. An article by V. Martin, L. Christidis and G. Pecl reports the following findings: “Potential volunteers are passionate about the marine environment. Volunteers are generous with their time for projects they support. Divers stood out as the most enthusiastic group to contribute. Volunteers are likely to be educated, particularly in science. In general people are more interested in data collection and sharing results than ‘getting involved in the

science’. Fishers are more interested in having a say on the direction of science where as divers are more interested in analyzing the results.” Scientists have been wrestling with the whole ‘citizen science’ scene for a while, and I think that astronomers, in particular, have their mix about right. The space sector engages more often with the community and business in a much broader array of models. Marine science in my experience prefers more control over the process. Before I dive into that topic though here is the summary of the article in the author’s own words. “Social studies in citizen science typically focus on existing project participants. We present results from an online survey of 1,145 marine users to identify broader public interest in marine citizen science. Although we found considerable community interest, the most enthusiastic tended to have a higher education in science, were under 45 years old, primarily enjoyed SCUBA diving, and had contributed to scientific research in the past. The type of research organization involved in a project played a role in people’s willingness to share information. The discourse of public participation in scientific research encourages public involvement in all aspects of the scientific process; however, we found that the respondents were primarily interested in datacollection opportunities. Feedback and past experiences in research were important considerations for gaining and retaining the volunteers. Our results indicate considerable potential for growth in volunteer recruitment, which can contribute constructively to scientific and public knowledge of the marine environment” (V. Martin, L. Christidis and G. Pecl, 2016). ELECTION PRINCIPLE My primary issue with this paper are the kinds of problems presented by all polls. What someone says in a survey is a reflection of what they feel at the time, there is nothing on the line. As every politician will tell you, an election is the only poll that matters because there is a real choice to make. It may be true that educated divers are more likely to be involved in citizen science. I suspect though that there are more fishers than divers. I also suspect there are only certain projects that would be suitable for divers. Would they be interested in a project on Australian bass in impoundments? This for me is the weakness of the paper. It doesn’t sufficiently link the projects available

with the interest. Nor does it sufficiently tease out what turns interest into action. BEING ONE DIMENSIONAL The Marine Citizen Science community is so one dimensional. There is one option on offer: a researcher, most likely government funded, running a project using volunteer labor. Volunteers generally will have shared values with the researcher, some skill and a desire to know more on the subject. My issue is that is where the story ends. You get one flavor – vanilla. Here are two different models that don’t just offer an alternative they change the game. To be clear, I am not advocating throwing out the standard model, but I do think that spicing it up and including more public facing project models would improve Marine Science overall. CROWDFUNDING The future of science funding will be a mix of government funded, private funded and public funded projects. The latter category is the most interesting to me as publicly funded projects are usually ‘crowdfunded’, that is the researcher has to put up a project on the internet and the project is funded entirely from donations. It’s a slightly different form of citizen science where the citizen sponsors science they want to see done. Depending on the project there are usually rewards and project updates. I have sponsored more than one project, and there

The advantage of crowdsourcing is numbers. More data, more participants. The disadvantage is in quality. There is usually a higher level of error due to less control over the process or skills of the person providing data. is a tremendous sense of satisfaction that comes with seeing them succeed and knowing you played a part. Crowdfunding as a model is more likely to produce projects that serve the public rather than science. The Seabin Project (http://www.seabinproject. com/) is a good example. The Seabin project was started by a couple of Australian Surfers to help keep marinas and closed waters clean. It raised over 250k US via Indegogo (https://www.indiegogo.com/ projects/cleaning-the-oceansone-marina-at-a-time#/). While is more an engineering project than a ‘science’ project but it does fall under the category of marine science. It’s a project that benefits the community including

the fishing community. If a pair of surfers could make it happen, then our highly skilled and brilliant scientists can do even better. The challenge is to solve the odd problem that affects ordinary people on things that matter to them. Science overall would benefit from the greater public support. The good news is some newer marine science projects seeking to crowdfund. It will be interesting to see how this area progresses. CROWDSOURCING In the standard citizen science model, you have a known group of volunteers with a known method. Crowdsourcing, on the other hand, is a way of allowing anyone to contribute to a project. The advantage of

crowdsourcing is numbers, more data, more participants. The disadvantage is in quality. There is usually a higher level of error due to less control over the process or skills of the person providing data. Crowdsourcing is an area where industry has stepped up. Insight Genesis, for example, is one of the world’s best crowdsourcing platforms of any type. It’s simple enough in practice, fishers record their scan logs and upload them to a central server. These get combined, and the resulting community maps are made available to everyone. Why does Insight Genesis work? There are two keys; it delivers a benefit to its end users, and they reward their best mappers.

The Australian crowdsourcing service Redmap was very well funded in comparison to most ‘crowdsourcing’ startups yet when compared to commercial projects it’s been a financial failure. It just hasn’t delivered the volumes of data that commercial services do. The main reason I would suggest comes down to benefit. There has been a low level of reward for participants or the community in terms of output. While we all have a level of altruism if any service wants a slice of our time, we need something to it. That is just modern reality. That is not to say it serves no purpose or is not useful. Crowdsourcing can be very beneficial to science, but I would suggest that finding ways to partner with businesses that crowdsource data would be a much better model than science going it alone. Businesses are always looking for new ways to engage their clients. Clients are looking for new benefits. Scientists need data or eyeballs on the water. Bring it all together and everyone wins! Public Interest in Marine Citizen Science: Is there potential for Growth? – A good start. Marine citizen science will evolve with the inclusion of a more diverse set of voices and skill sets in their operation. It’s too much to expect that change will come from within. I think marine citizen science would

benefit from involving more technology, business and social media skills in their teams for example. I also think marine citizen science would benefit a lot from broadening the definition of how to work with the public. This paper is a step in the right direction in that it highlights that there are people willing to get involved. I can only hope this is the beginning of a conversation that expands the ways fishers can be involved, not another paper that will be forgotten in a year’s time. LIST OF REFERENCES “J D Rose, R Arlinghaus, S J Cooke, B K Diggles, W Sawynok, E D Stevens, C D L Wynne. Can fish really feel pain?Fish and Fisheries, 2012; DOI:10.1111/ faf.12010”. Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB). “Do fish feel pain? Not as humans do, study suggests.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 August 2013. “VICTORIA Y. MARTIN, LESLIE CHRISTIDIS, AND GRETTA T. PECL Public Interest in Marine Citizen Science: Is there potential for Growth? BioScience August 2016/Vol. 66 No. 8” explores attitudes to Citizen Science and the scope to recruit additional volunteers. “VICTORIA Y. MARTIN, LESLIE CHRISTIDIS, AND GRETTA T. PECL Public Interest in Marine Citizen Science: Is there potential for Growth? BioScience August 2016 / Vol. 66 No. 8”

FISHING FILL-ITS

Fish hotel project – one year later

At this time last year, 53 fish hotels were installed in Myall Creek, near Dalby, central Queensland, to both stabilise the creek bank and provide shelter and food sources for native fish. This was followed up with the planting of native reeds and rushes, and of riparian vegetation. The local community is now seeing maturing vegetation already providing cover and food for wildlife. Underwater, the plants’ root systems bind together soil and rocks, and dangle into the underwater caves created, forming habitat for shrimp that feed small fish, and providing the surfaces for fish to secure their eggs to. Breaking ground in July of last year, the ambitious river restoration project kicked off with the installation of 53 fish hotels. The dualpurpose structures were designed in conjunction with the Department of

An example of a fish hotel constructed with sleepers and concrete. Image: emrprojectsummaries.org Agriculture and Fisheries. The Condamine Alliance General Manager of Programs, Andrew McCartney, said that selected native reeds and rushes were also introduced to offer a wealth of food for fish and birds. The roots of these plants also strengthen banks, minimising erosion. “A few months after installing the fish hotels, we commenced the second phase of the project,” Mr

McCartney said. “This included planting native vegetation along the river bank, and was an important final step of the restoration project.” After six months, the native reeds and rushes planted along Myall Creek were already approaching maturity. The local community were happy to see the project’s impact on providing native wildlife habitat. The plants provided a home for small insects and lizards, and cover for water birds who forage for them. Another habitat transformation was

Six months after planting (April 2016), the bankside vegetation is already home to native wildlife.

Freshly planted native rushes and reeds. This photo was taken in October 2015. occurring underwater. “The plant root systems are designed to bind together soil and rocks, and these dangle into the underwater caves created,” Mr McCartney explained. “They form habitat for shrimp that feed the small fishes, and the surfaces also provide areas for fish to safely secure the eggs they lay.” This restoration project is expected to continue to thrive as the years roll by. “The larger shrubs planted in a scattering along

the banks will continue to grow over the coming years,” Mr McCartney said. “As they spread their low canopy, they will increase perching and nest sites for birds and lizards.” The restoration project will provide increased habitat value as the plants become established over the next two to three decades. The Dalby community can expect to welcome more birds, lizards and fish to the area over time. – Fish Habitat Network OCTOBER 2016

What’s New FISHING

KRAKEN HALF NUDE EGI

The unique Kraken Half Nude Egi from River2Sea has a cloth back and a fluidfilled belly, giving it the action of a hard jig with the feel of a cloth jig. The fluid that fills the Kraken Half Nude Egi has a couple of benefits. Firstly, it acts as a casting weight, similar to a ball bearing, so the lure casts true. The fluid also contributes to the lure’s action, splashing from side to side and adding a lifelike, erratic factor to the jig’s action as you work it. This jig fitted with ultra-sharp, Japanese barbs to maximise catch rates, and the bulb balanced lead acts like the keel of a yacht, ensuring the lure glides at perfect angles. The Half Nude Egi has two tow points so you can vary the action of the jig, and it’s available in a variety of colours. And as you’d expect from River2Sea, the price is very good value for the quality of the jig. Price: SRP $19.95 www.river2sea.com.au

AMPHIBIAN WATCH

Much like its namesake, the Australianmade 200m Amphibian is geared around diversity. Just as happy in the water as it is on dry land, the Amphibian from Adina gives you the freedom required to live a life on the move. This watch boasts a robust, cold stamped, nickel-free, stainless steel case. This houses a fully repairable Swiss movement, and the case is also equipped with a stylish sapphire crystal face for unparalleled scratch resistance. All in all, it’s tough exterior that’s purpose built to handle the kind of bumps and knocks that you get out on the water or in the great outdoors. The Amphibian can handle all the elements. Whether you’re in the shower, out fishing, at work or having a swim, the Amphibian will feel right at home. It employs a screw crown system for supreme water and dust protection, and the comfort moulded P.U. strap features internal ribbing for breathability and incorporates a classic diver’s buckle. Adina designs and assembles every single watch in Australia, using the best watchmaking technologies from all around the world. For more information on this and other men’s and women’s models in the range, log onto the Adina website. Price: SRP $279 (NK167 S2FS) www.adinawatches.com.au

BALISTA TRANCE

For years Balista has been giving anglers the edge in lowlight conditions and dirty water, and their latest release is the 50mm Trance. The Trance features Balista’s miniaturised LED system. This technology has been proven time and again in larger lures for Murray cod and barra, and now it’s game on for smaller species such as bass, bream and trout. You can use the LED all the time, although you’ll notice a spike in bites in dirty water, lowlight conditions and overcast days. The Trance dives to 6ft, and has a super slow float. Crank it down next to structure or weed beds, and allow it to sit on the spot before beginning to float, while its tail flashes blood red. Every feature of this lure has been considered carefully and tested heavily. It has ultra-sharp BKK trebles and excellent castability. It comes in a range of proven colours, most of which have UV in a pattern on the side, the base coat or under the nose. Price: SRP $24.95 www.balista.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

DAIWA AIRD X

Over the past few years Daiwa’s brightly colored Aird reels have built an enviable reputation, not only on value but incredible performance. Now Daiwa has introduced the all-new Aird X – Daiwa’s most feature-packed reel in this price range. Built on a solid, corrosion-resistant graphite frame and side plate, Aird X uses many of Daiwa’s innovations like Digigear, for powerful smooth cranking; ABS, for supreme casting; Airbail, for perfect line control; Air Rotor, for increased strength and weight reduction; and Twistbuster, to eliminate line twist. All up, the Aird X delivers class-leading performance without breaking the bank balance, and is an ideal reel for beginners to pros. There are four models: the 2000SH (5.6 gear ratio, 225g, 2kg drag, 2.7kg/125m, PE 1/200m); 2500SH (5.6, 255g, 4kg, 3.6kg/155m, PE 1.5/200m); 3000SH (5.6, 290g, 4.5kg/185m, PE 1.2/350m), 4000SH (5.7, 380g, 5.4kg/240m, PE 2.5/300m). www.daiwafishing.com.au

AUSTACKLE GIZMO HD

Big predatory fish are suckers for the flash and vibration of Colorado blades, and Austackle’s Gizmo HD Big Fish Edition takes full advantage of this. It’s built on a solid Mustad hook, perfect for snapper, kingfish, cobia, mulloway, big flathead, Murray cod and barra. You can retrieve the Gizmo HD in a number of ways. You can slow roll it, crawl it along the bottom, hop it, drop it through schooled fish, burn it through structure and more. Use it as you would a jig or bait; look for fish on the sounder, then drop the Gizmo and let it sink through the bait school/fish. Lift and drop the lure and get hit! The Gizmo HD’s sturdy wire arms are adjustable, so you can bend and tune as required. You can also add a soft plastic trailer to boost the lure’s size and vibration, and to slow the rate of fall. Austackle recommends a Paddleworm 100 or Whiptail Grub 85. The Gizmo Big Fish weighs 1oz and comes in six colours, including UV patterns for maximum attraction. Price: SRP $22 www.austackle.com

ATOMIC ARROWZ RODS

Designed in Australia for Australian species, Atomic Arrowz rods integrate advanced designs with the finest materials, including Fuji components and performance-focused, fullgraphite blanks. This series has been designed for both bait and lure angling, and features three ranges: estuary, offshore and barra. The Estuary Series has four spin models. From the finesse special 70SUL designed for ultra light bait and lure fishing, to the heaviest model in the series, the 70ML, this is a series that delivers refinement, precision, and lightness. The Offshore Series delivers superior muscle and control. These four 7’0” spin rods feature ultra-refined fore and rear neoprene grips, and are great value for money. In the Barra series there’s one spin and two baitcaster rods, all with neoprene fore and cork rear grips. You get the finesse to feel the most subtle of bites, and blank sensitivity and control to twitch, rip and pop baits. Price: approx. SRP $150-$200 www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

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

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What’s New FISHING

8 9

ICERAYS UV SLEEVES

XP BUTTERFLY ICE JIG

Icerays UV Sleeves are Australia’s best selling, fully tested and certified sun sleeves. They allow you to wear your favourite T-shirt or polo without having to slather on sunscreen, worry about having to reapply it, or miss areas of your skin. Icerays Sleeves are also a cool and comfortable alternative to a hot, longsleeved shirt. These sleeves are easy to slip on and off, and as the breeze blows, the Tactel/Spandex fabric cools the skin. They’re certified 50+, are hand washable, and there are seven colours to choose from. And for the ultimate in protection, you can team them up with Icerays Hand Covers. As well as being great out on the water, Icerays UV Sleeves are handy for other activities. You can slip them on before a road trip, use them while you’re gardening, or wear them while playing sport like cricket, tennis or golf (they’re the sun protection product of choice for golf professional Anne Rollo). Price: SRP $29.95 per pair www.icerays.com.au

The XP Bait Butterfly Ice Jig, with built-in ‘butterfly wings’, is like no ice jig you’ve ever seen before. As it sinks its wings open up, slowing the glide and making the jig flutter through the water column. This keeps the jig in the strike zone for longer and in the fish’s face. When the jig is raised the wings fold closed. Another feature is the TFLF (Temporary Fishing Line Fixation) System – a small clip on the lure’s tail that you can thread your line through. It causes the jig to rapidly drop nosefirst, to get you into the strike zone quicker. Once the jig has reached the desired depth, give a quick flick of the rod tip to release your line from the clip. XP Bait Butterfly Jigs come in 50mm and 60mm sizes and a range of colours, with holographic foil that flashes when the wings open. These lures are sure to be a huge hit with anglers chasing bass, redfin and yellowbelly. Price: SRP $18.99 www.jurofishing.com

12 SCAN THE QR CODE!

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

GULP JIGGING SHRIMP

Combine the proven fish-catching profile of a Gulp Shrimp and add the enticing tail action of a long, curl tail and you get the New Berkley Gulp Jigging Shrimp. Designed in Australia, the Gulp Jigging Shrimp is essentially a cross between two very popular lures – the Gulp Shrimp and the Nemesis. The Jigging Shrimp delivers more movement on the drop than the original Gulp Shrimp, and it can also be wound on the surface in the ‘pink grub’ style. Whether it’s on the drop or on the hop, the Jigging Shrimp tail swims at the slowest of speeds, delivering a continuous lifelike action. This new lure is available in 3” and 5” sizes and 12 colours, and appeals to a wide range of species. Basically, any species that will eat a prawn will eat this lure. And like all Gulp soft baits, it’s packed full of potent scent that fish can’t resist. Price: SRP $13.95 www.berkley-fishing.com.au

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NOMAD DTX MINNOW

The DTX Minnow is a revolution in trolling minnows, featuring Nomad Autotune, Hydrospeed and Gorilla Through Wire advanced design technology. The DTX (Dogtooth Extreme) entices and stands up to the toughest fish in the ocean. The unique design creates a distressed baitfish swimming action, and the Nomad Designed Autotune tow point and bib system means this lure just keeps swimming deep and straight every time, no matter how many bites it has had. The concealed Hydrospeed belly eyelet allows faster trolling speeds than conventional tow points, so the DTX Minnow just keeps swimming straight and true. The 165mm Model can be trolled at up to 9 knots, and dives to 10m+ when trolled at 6-8 knots. The 200mm version can be trolled at up to 11 knots and dives to 12m+ when trolled at 6-8 knots. The DTX minnow is rigged with Nomad’s purpose-designed, inline single hooks. It’s ideal for tuna, wahoo, mackerel, mahimahi and more. Price: SRP $34.95-$39.95 www.nomaddesigntackle.com

GEECRACK GILLING

A new hardbody swimbait from Japanese lure maker Geecrack is set to explode on the Australian freshwater gamefishing market. This new model is called the Gilling, and the attention to detail and precise construction of this Japanese-made lure make it a step above its competitors on the Australian market. Surprisingly though, the Gilling won’t cost you an arm and a leg when you add it to your freshwater fishing arsenal. Built in three pieces to mimic fluid and realistic movement, the Gilling is suitable for a range of large freshwater predators including bass and Murray cod. This floating, rattling swimbait comes in a range of sizes and 43 colour combinations. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

MOZZIE-FREE SHIRTS

The new BF Maxflow Repel apparel from Bigfish contains an insect-resistant agent that repels 95% of mosquitoes and other biting insects. The range has all the features of Bigfish’s current fabric (soft, cool, lightweight, durable and UPF50) but now when heading out for a day on the water you’ll repel mosquitoes and other bities at the same time! Bigfish tested the shirts on the flood plains of the Adelaide River in the Northern Territory, where marsh mosquitoes are so thick they actually bite you through traditional shirts. The team conducted late afternoon field tests where plenty of mosquitoes landed and bit through traditional fabric. However, when they landed on the Repel-infused fabric, they quickly took off again. The technology behind it is a micro-emulsion treatment that ensures almost perfect transfer from the aqueous phase of the repellent to bond to fabric. It retains 80% efficacy even after 50-70 washes, which is an incredible amount of days on the water! Price: SRP $99.95 www.bigfishgear.com

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What’s New FISHING

ZMAN EZ SHRIMPZ

The 3.5” ZMan EZ ShrimpZ has been designed with a segmented body for a realistic action and glide. It also has 3D eyes, along with thin legs and antennae for added realism and lifelike movement. The rigged version comes in a pack of two and is rigged on weighted Mustad UltraPoint hooks. The weight design locks the ShrimpZ in place and ensures a balanced, realistic glide on the sink. The EZ ShrimpZ weighs about 1/4oz, with the segmented weight system giving you the option to clip off sections of the weight with a pair of cutters. Unrigged EZ ShrimpZ come in a pack of four and act as replacement bodies for the rigged version, while also being dynamite rigged on your favourite jighead. The TTs HeadlockZ and DemonZ jigheads are ideal for locking on the super-soft and flexible EZ ShrimpZ, with a 3/0 hook size a good starting point. In snaggy areas, TTs recommends the ChinlockZ, ChinlockZ SWS and SnakelockZ. Price: SRP $17 www.ttlures.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

EGI OH Q AUSSIE EDITION

Yamashita have worked in collaboration with Australian anglers to release a special limited edition series of colours in the Egi Oh Q Live series. With five glow body versions and one red tape model, these jigs are ideal for use in low light conditions or at night. The three natural baitfish imitations – the King George whiting, glow prawn and black prawn – are ideal in clear water or when the squid are hard to catch. The three zebra glow colours are ideal in dirty water or when the squid are more aggressive. The Aussie Edition Egi Oh Q Live jigs are available now in sizes 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5. Keep an eye out for them at your favourite tackle store, or look up Yamashita Australia on Facebook for the latest news and photos. Price: from SRP $20 www.ejtodd.com.au

BARRA X PRO

Named for its smooth styling, Swift is Spotters’ take on mixing a retro classic with 21st Century sports function. The Swift has been built for action, and its lens shape is a classic, born in the 50s and worn by sports celebrities and movie stars. To boost visual performance, Spotters has incorporated its signature lens curve to block glare and give you full UV protection. The Swift’s frame material technology is strong and durable yet flexible and light – something sunglass creators of the 50s could only have dreamed about. Spotters has moulded a slim temple to keep your peripheral vision clear, completing the look with a hook end on the arms to keep your sunnies secure no matter how active you get. Price: SRP $289.50 www.spotters.com.au

STORM ARASHI VIBE

Storm have raised the bar in the vibe market, with the new Arashi Vibe. Sporting a very handy moving tow point, where the tow point can slide depending on the lure’s movement, this vibe is incredibly versatile. Being so versatile, they are perfect for both vertical jigging and casting applications. They give off fantastic vibrations on the lift or steady wind, but even when allowed to sink, the body rocks enticingly. These lures are always putting out distressed baitfish signals, whether it is being imparted by the angler or not. Rotated hook hangers allow for better hook exposure, so you can turn short takes into hook ups. The Storm Arashi Vibe comes in eight colours to suit different fishing scenarios. At 7cm long and 16g in weight, these great vibes can be thrown at (or dropped onto) many different native and nonnative species. Price: SRP approx. $20-$25 www.rapala.com.au

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Wilson Fishing has taken the popular Barra X and given it a serious upgrade, creating the Barra X Pro series. This series has been built with extra strength in mind, as the target species include mulloway, barra and Murray cod. The Barra X Pro also has a magnetic cast system that gives the lure incredible casting distance and accuracy as well as unique underwater sonics when retrieved. This floating lure is available in 100mm, 120mm and 180mm lengths. It’s designed with a square bib that creates a unique swimming action that screams ‘eat me!’ to fish, and it’s fitted with terminal tackle that will never let you down. Retrieved with a slow wind or a jerking, twitchy retrieve, the Barra X Pro in all sizes dives between 0.8m and 1.2m, putting it squarely into the frame for snag bashing Murray cod and barra or taking advantage of floodwaters at river mouths or headlands for mulloway. It comes in 10 specifically developed colours that include some amazing natural patterns, holographic patterns and attractor patterns. www.wilsonfishing.com

SPOTTERS SWIFT

SHIMANO MAIKURO RODS

Maikuro, meaning micro in Japanese, is the new series of nano graphite technology rods from Shimano. They have a sleek, modern design with a matt black finish, white, silver and black trims, and stylish butt configurations incorporating the new Sea Guide carbon hooded reel seat. The butt design is a combination of cork and extra hard EVA, which was selected for the best transmission of bites and sensitivity in the angler’s hand. Thanks to the highly responsive graphite blanks, this series is best suited to finesse lure-casting situations. There are rods are perfect for targeting light freshwater and estuary, and of course barramundi. Perfect for baitcasting fishos. There is currently one model (MK621BCM) which is 1.8m, 1-piece and rated to 3-6kg. The Maikuro range also includes spin, beach, jigging and offshore models, and more info is available at the Shimano website. Price: approx. SRP $120 www.shimanofish.com.au

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

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What’s New FISHING TESTED: Award DTD is a company in Croatia that produces high quality squid jigs and accessories, which are distributed worldwide. Croatia sits on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, and boasts some of the most beautiful shallow reefs in the world, so it’s not surprising that they’re producing such good gear. We at Fishing Monthly were lucky enough to have some sent to us for testing. We knew DTD had won awards in Europe, so we were keen to try them. UPON INSPECTION Opening the box to see what they’d sent us, we realised DTD have a massive range, with many realistic colour schemes and sizes. The attention to detail on these jigs was impressive, and obviously based on science. I was intrigued by the range of bibbed minnows with squid prongs at the back – something I’d never even heard of. DTD have even gone as far as to print little fish parasites onto the some of the jigs. Strong cloth, steady tow points and razor sharp prongs come standard with each jig, with some even having rattles. I’ve never used a squid jig with rattles, and was very keen to see if this made any difference to the action of the jig, and of course, the appeal to the squid. From what I could read on the packet, I noticed that most of the jigs had a slower sink rate than most other jigs, which suited me to a T. I like to fish very shallow for my squid, and a slower sink rate meant more time for the jig to sit in the squids’ face! Up here in Queensland, the main quarry is tiger squid, or northern calamari. I was charged with the task of finding squid for the

winning squid jigs hit Aussie shores squid community by storm in recent years, the jig really came to life! The side-to-side motion of the jig looked so good! And when worked, it came right up in the water column for anything in the area to see and home in on. That was enough mucking around, it was time to start fishing! For some reason, the action was quite slow in my usual area this year, but I was confident we’d catch squid. We got a few aggressive swipes and bites from flathead and trevally, which was a good sign. If it’s good enough for wily flathead or trevally, then a silly old squid probably won’t ask questions!

Strong cloth, steady tow points and razor sharp prongs come standard with each DTD jig. team to catch, so it was time to get out of the office and hunt some tentacles! IN THE FIELD We started by looking at the action of the jigs in the water. I was drawn to the orange Retro Oita model in size 3.0, because it reminded me a bit of the jigs I’d normally use. The difference was that this DTD jig had a rattle, and a tantalisingly slow sink rate. With a steady wind, the jig cruised upright, much like a prawn or baitfish would when not being chased. However, upon employing the popular, fast whip-like action that’s taken the

TESTED: Platypus

The author was given a spool of 6lb P8 to try, and it was ideal for casting small hardbody lures. Braided line, or ‘super lines’ as many people call them, changed the fishing landscape many years ago. The sensitivity and feel these lines provided, changed the face of lure fishing in particular. At the time they weren’t cheap, but as manufacturing processes improved, so did the quality and price. Braid is now accessible to many more anglers. Platypus (Australian Monofilament) has been there from the start, producing braid from their Brisbane head office like Bionic Braid (one of the first 8 carrier braids), Super Braid and now Platinum, Platinum Plus and P8 braid. P8 Braid is their latest 8-carrier braid, and when a couple of spools landed SCAN THE QR CODE!

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

Big, angry QLD squid loved the DTD jigs almost as much as we did!

The slow sink rate of the jigs will suit land-based anglers very well. Finally, I spotted a big loner cruising along a rock wall, and I suggested to Fishing Monthly’s Michael ‘Foxy’ Fox to pop one near it. Almost immediately after the first few jerks, the chunky animal wrapped its tentacles around the jig and Foxy’s rod buckled over. Rattles work for squid! Since that first encounter, we’ve enjoyed using these innovative Croatian squid jigs. Unfortunately, we only started using them at the tail end of the Queensland squid season, but we’ll be well equipped for next season. I can’t wait to test out some of those other weird and wonderful jigs from DTD, especially the bibbed ones! BANG FOR BUCK In the world of squid jigs, you definitely get what you pay for. Spending that little bit of extra money is recommended if you want to catch more squid, and have your jigs last longer. DTD’s range of jigs present the perfect balance between price and quality, and have proven their worth on Aussie squid. There’s a place in tackle boxes all around Australia for these innovative imports, and I’m keen to see what DTD will do next! – Bob Thornton

P8 braid – 8-star quality

on my desk six months ago for testing, it immediately found its way onto a couple of my spin and baitcast outfits. FIRST IMPRESSIONS P8 braid is seriously thin (I was given 6lb and 20lb to test) and smooth to touch. However, although thinness and smoothness are desirable they can also create issues with knot tying. Not all of us can tie knots likes Geoff Wilson, and I wondered whether I’d be able to continue tying the braid-toleader knots I had always used. Losing fish due to knot failure is never a good feeling. I liked the orange colouring. Most of my fishing is done using lures, and the ability to see the line, as well as feel the bite, is important. PUTTING IT TO THE TEST The first test for any line is when you spool it onto a reel. Will it go on evenly, will it spool tightly enough and can you get enough onto your reel to meet your fishing requirements? These are the things to consider, and the P8 delivered on all fronts. Its fine diameter ensures line capacity isn’t an issue. Additionally, because the line is so supple and round in shape, it goes onto the spool snuggly and evenly when you apply firm pressure while spooling. This trait means you’re unlikely to have it bite or over-bind on the spool. This is critical on a baitcast reel. My first opportunity to use the line was on a trip bass fishing to some gorge country west of Brisbane. An ideal testing ground, but also scary as any line failure would be a disaster; the area is a hike-in and hike-out location, with minimum tackle on board. I needn’t have worried though, as the

P8 ticked all the boxes. I didn’t need to learn any new knots, and the knot integrity was excellent. Castability, due to the fine diameter of the line, was better than I had hoped. This was pretty important as much of my time was spent casting surface lures and small hardbodies, and any added distance was appreciated. This also translated into

A quality bass caught on a surface lure, caught using the Platypus P8 line for the first time.

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the baitcast outfit I used, and when the inevitable bird’s nest happened I was able to sort it with minimal fuss. The sensitivity of the line is excellent, as you would expect from an 8-carrier braid, and I enjoyed the feel through the guides. It is a very soft feel compared other braids I have used, and less harsh running through the guides. In successive trips I have continued to be impressed with the P8 braid. The wear and tear of fishing has not affected the performance of the line, and there is no sign of it losing its strength or integrity. Yes, like most braids the colour of the used portion of the line has faded, but that doesn’t affect its integrity. Platypus P8 braid is available in eight breaking strains from 6lb through to 80lb in 150 yard and 300 yard spools. Pricing starts from just under $50 for a 150 yard spool, and remember when you buy Platypus you are supporting an Australian company. – Peter Jung

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

Second Greg Whitehead Fishing Challenge The second Greg Whitehead Fishing Challenge took place from 19-21 August at Lake Burrinjuck. The event was created in 2015 by Stuart Cattanach, in memory of his friend Greg, a local legend in the town of Harden and excellent angler, who sadly passed away from brain cancer in November 2014. In 2015, the event raised $14,000 for The Brain Cancer Foundation and after last years sterling effort, everyone involved in the competition was very eager to continue to build on this success. Points were awarded for carp, redfin, golden perch and Murray cod in the ‘teams’ category while there were also individual prizes on offer. Competitors were given a brag mat and tag and were asked to photograph their catch before release. To record their points, anglers had to show a photo of their catch to the marshals. Anglers could use bait or lure. The competition started at 12pm on the Friday with anglers fishing from boats, kayaks and from the shore. The weather was good and despite a decent wind, anglers were able to push up into the ‘Bidgee arm to target native and pest species. Within the first hour of the Friday session, many anglers had already caught cod and yellowbelly and by the time the weather turned at around 3pm, most anglers were returning to the boat ramp having recorded significant numbers of fish. I spent the Friday session fishing with Troy Erland from GR Lures and Codey Flack.

also landed by two young fishos casting right next to the boat ramp. Friday evening brought 20mm of rain and this continued through into Saturday morning. Many

the bottom and rolled up the sunken trees. Jason’s cod was not beaten on the final day, meaning he took home first prize in the individual cod category while Brett Sullivan won

commended for helping to raise even more money for the cause. Sponsors like MA Steel and Ifish Comps also played an important part in donating money towards the Quintrex Explorer.

Jason Swan craddles his amazing plus sized Murray cod. anglers either stayed in their cabins or spent time around the marshalling station checking out the latest creations by Gobsmacked Lures and Jolly Roger Spinnerbaits who had both set up stalls. For those who braved the weather however the rewards were amazing with competitors recording some exceptional captures. One such angler was Jason Swan, who caught a 91.5cm cod just past Wade Island. Though the weather cleared Sunday, the bigger fish

biggest yella (55.5cm), Steve Woods won biggest redfin and Anthony Steel won biggest carp. In the teams category, team Tight Lines took home the Greg Whitehead Memorial Trophy followed by team The Party Boat in second place and team Weapons Custom Rods in third. The winner of the major prize (a Quintrex F390 Explorer) went to Luke Carmody. However, the Greg Whitehead Fishing Challenge is all about Greg, his amazing impact on the town of Harden and raising money for The Brain Cancer Foundation through raffles, BBQs and entry fees. There were two raffles run during the comp, one of which attracted enormous interest because it involved a selection of unique ‘one off’ lures created by some of the amazing sponsors. Jackpot Spinnerbaits, Gobsmacked Lures, GR Lures, Skeleton Spinnerbaits, Last Cast Spinnerbaits and PRH Lures all put up some epic creations and should be

Codey Flack with a good yellowbelly.

Over $20,000 was raised over the weekend! The prizes also warrant special mention. Fishing Monthly gave a year’s subscription to the winner and half price subscriptions to every entrant. Shimano provided prize packs containing some epic gear while each lure sponsor (some of which I have already listed)

like Jackall and Predatek along with Noxious Spinnerbaits and The Swimbait Specialist gave enormous amounts of lures, which were placed in prize packs. Otto’s Tackleworld Canberra gave gift vouchers to the winners with a value of up to $1,000, and a chartered fishing trip with

The marshals hard at work! Both anglers caught some good fish with Codey picking up a nice yella on a Jackall TN70. However, Friday belonged to the junior anglers with an 81cm cod coming to net and a 52.5cm yellowbelly 82

OCTOBER 2016

proved elusive. That said, there was still plenty of action to be had with yellowbelly and redfin hitting Jackalls, Jackpot Spinnerbaits and deep divers like AC Invaders along with soft plastics bounced along

The high water levels meant the fish were holding near the edges.

Aussie Estuary Adventures was also part of the overall winners haul. This is a very special fishing competition. The sense of community at the event, the generosity of the organisers, sponsors and anglers coupled with the eagerness of the pro fishos to help the younger generation make it one of the best comps on the calendar and one that will provide many happy memories for years to come. Special thanks must go to Stuart and his partner Leanne who put together the competition and who spent the last year preparing. They are amazing people who give so freely to support such a worthy cause. It is also important to thank all the sponsors. There are just too many to name but they are all listed on the promotional page. This year the competition raised over $20,000, which is a remarkable achievement and next year is expected to be even bigger. – Toby Grundy

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2016 OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Oct 1-2

Tomakin Mighty Fishing Bonanza Tomakin

www.tomakinclub.com.au

Oct 8-9

BASS Electric #6 Borumba Dam

Steve Noble 0409 239 065

Oct 8-9

Hobie Bream Classic Nelson

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

Oct 8-9

Rnd 14 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Bribie Island

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Oct 15-16

South Coast Fishing Clubs Inc. Freshwater comp Wyangala Dam

www.nswfca.com.au

Oct 15-16

Central West TackleWorld Fishing Masters GF Lake Windamere

Ian McLean 0478 083 066

Oct 22-23

BASS Electric Convention Maroon Dam

www.abt.org.au

Oct 22-23

2016 Leigh Martin Marine Mercury Classic Lake Hume

Adrian Kent 0490 049 111

Oct 28-30

Hobie Kayak BREAM Aus Championship Queensland

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Nov TBA

Kings of the Lake Lake Macquarie

Michael Shaw 0431 344 656

Nov 4-5

Dartmouth Women’s Fishing Classic Dartmouth

Lorrae Saxton-Smyth (02) 6072 4263

Nov 11-12

Berkley Uranga Sport Fishing Flathead Tournament Uranga

Dayne 0467 675 076

Nov 19-20

Central West TackleWorld Fishing Masters GF Lake Burrendong

Ian McLean 0478 083 066

Nov 19-20

South Coast Fishing Clubs Inc. Estuary comp Gerringong

www.nswfca.com.au

Nov 26-27

Atomic Bream Classic Series Grand Final Marlo

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

Dec 2-4

ABT BREAM Grand Final St Georges Basin

www.abt.org.au

Dec 10-11

Central West TackleWorld Fishing Masters GF Wyangala State Park

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South Coast Fishing Clubs Inc. Beach comp Kiama

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Mar 18-19

South Coast Fishing Clubs Inc. Deep Sea comp Berry

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MAY

May 20-21

South Coast Fishing Clubs Inc. Rock comp Lakeview

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Get ready for the Cod Classic! As always, excitement is starting to reach fever pitch in the lead up to the 17th annual Yamaha Cod Classic! Off the back of last year’s massive One Million Dollar tagged cod promo, competitors can expect the same high-level event, minus the tagged fish. You would be crazy to miss this iconic event held at the home of the Murray Cod, Lake Mulwala! An estimated 3,000+ anglers will be looking to share in the staggering prize pool that totals in excess of $150K. A whopping seven boating packages, a chance to spend 30 seconds in a cash

grab machine, plus a list of goods too long to mention will see the twin towns of Yarrawonga and Mulwala come alive over the weekend of 2-4 December. In its 17th year, the Cod Classic celebrates the opening to cod season and continues to go from strength to strength, being a benchmark for many other tournaments to follow. The Fishing & Outdoors expo will be a main feature, with the chance to grab a bargain not to be missed. Other popular parts of the competition include iconic entertainer Flathead Fred for the juniors, Cod Talk with Rod ‘Codmac’ McKenzie and

Winners are grinners, and there’ll be plenty of that on the weekend of 2-4 December.

2016

Gus Storer, and the Samurai Rods Australian Pro Casting Championships. The Native Watercraft Australian Canoe & Kayak Cod Fishing Championships enters its sixth year. Catering for the new breed of anglers who chose to fish from either a canoe and kayak, this event is a must for those who chose paddle and peddle over petrol and power. Designed for the family with all levels of fishing skills catered for, everybody has a chance of winning one of the

many great prizes on offer weather fishing from boat or bank, using either bait or lures. The majority of prizes are randomly drawn, with you not having to catch a fish to be a winner! Those who are lucky enough to register either a legal size Murray cod or golden perch go into additional draws to win extra great prizes. There will be over 1500 prizes (adults) and all juniors will receive several prizes. Entry fee for adults is $95 pre-paid, or $100 on the

Last year saw many great cod landed. weekend, and all juniors are $50. This includes four meals, a souvenir stubby holder, a

As always, there’ll be some great prizes up for grabs.

free ticket in major boat raffle, Wilson Slickback lure & Bassman Spinnerbait (for the kids), entry into thousands of lucky door prize draws and the promise of a great weekend. Sharpen your hooks, pack the boat, grab your swag and baton down the hatches as the 2016 Yamaha Cod Classic is going to be huge! See you all in Yarrawonga/ Mulwala for the chance to catch a legend in the mighty Lake Mulwala! For more information check out – www.codclassic. com.au, and call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski at 74 Melbourne St Mulwala (opposite the post office), It’s the official Cod Classic shop. Alternatively, you can also call Tony Bennett on 0439 441 667. – Yamaha Cod Classic

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Dartmouth Women’s Fishing Classic is coming up The Border Marine Centre Dartmouth Women’s Fishing Classic is this year running its ten-year anniversary. The competition is being run on 4-5 November, and we are expecting another great year for competitor numbers.

are generally the river rulers. The charity Auction last year saw over $3000 raised to help the Riding for the Disabled group in Albury and Wodonga. There is always lots of entertainment over the weekend, with a Friday

The Dartmouth Pub has lots of great food available for lunch and dinner and the Motor Inn can offer a range of accommodation in motel rooms, apartments and lodges. Dartmouth Alpine Caravan Park has cabins and powered sites.

Amy O’Keefe from Trout Trackers.

Leah Hodgkin casting and Kelly Mitchell on the stump from Holy Mackerels. The competition is one of the leading national events for women around Australia, catering for all fishing techniques. Competitors can enter the Catch and Release section or a Weigh-in section and also fish as an individual, a pair, a team of three or a club of four to six people. Male skippers are able to assist the competitors by launching and retrieving the boat, and giving advice on fishing methods. Once again, the major prize will be a boat package, sponsored by the Border Marine Centre. This year’s prize pool is predicted to be around $30,000. We promote our competition on Facebook, so watch for updates. The Weigh-in and Catch and Release sections add a huge variety of prizes to be won. Last year, local ladies of the The Holy Mackerels took the boat home, which was fantastic to see. They

night charity auction, theme dress-up, presentations and a live band on Saturday.

This year’s competition raffle includes a car fridge, tupperware gift pack, and

a pink swag sponsored by Opposite Lock Wodonga. Other than individual awards, there are pair, team of three and club of 4-6 sections in both Weigh-in and Catch and Release. This year’s proceeds from the Friday night charity auction will be donated to the Dartmouth Mobile Phone Tower Funding, which the town is in desperate need for.

With Lake Dartmouth water levels rising rapidly, we’re expecting some great fishing. The competition is pre-entry only and signing up early can win you a great prize. For entry details, go to our website and read the guidelines and rules. Register online at www.dartmouth.net. au, or phone Lorrae on 02

6072 4263 for inquiries, or Ebony on 02 6072 4213. For accommodation, call the Dartmouth Motor inn on 02 6072 4233. We hope to see you there. Major sponsors are BMC, Stacer, Yamaha, Dartmouth Pub, Dartmouth Motor Inn, Elks Hunting and Fishing, Masons Compleat Angler and Edge FM. – FMG

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Val White, Leah Hodgkin, Skipper Les White, Jan Mitchell and Kelly Mitchell from Holy Mackerels, winners of the 2015 Competition Boat.

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Slater’s Clarence revenge CE 1ST PLA Tom Slater secured his maiden ABT BREAM Qualifier victory almost 12 months after leading the BREAM Grand Final on the very same waterway. Wind back the clock to last year’s grand final and Slater lead on the Clarence after day one, but failed to find limits over the next two days and finished well down the field. Slater got his revenge this time. After sitting 4th overnight, Slater sacked up the heaviest five fish limit of the tournament at 3.2kg to relegate good friend Tristan Taylor to 2nd place. There’s no doubting Slater was on the right fish throughout the weekend, managing to claim victory despite only catching 4/5 on the first day of competition. His 9/10, 6.14kg limit was 130g clear of Taylor and one of only two limits above 6kg. Arriving early Friday morning, Slater launched his boat and made his first stop on the upper end of Middle Wall. “I caught a 32 forker on my first cast on pre-fish day on Middle Wall on a Gomoku Crank. After that I went in tight and spooked some more, so I thought ‘that’ll do’ and moved on.” After checking Middle Reef and seeing a fleet of boats already fishing, Slater turned around and went upstream, to catch the last of the run-in tide at Browns Rocks. His first cast there played out exactly the same as his first cast at Middle Wall.

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“Those first two fish being above 30 told me I knew what I needed to do. I don’t try and complicate things at the Clarence, I know where they live and I’ve spent a long time ironing out every little detail of how to catch them, so unless something crazy is happening upriver, I generally stay down the front.” Day 1 saw Slater with an early boat draw, and like the pre-fish, his first stop was the upper end of Middle Wall. Fishing a Storm Gomoku Crank in BG colour tight to the wall on 3lb straight through fluorocarbon, Slater put two fish in the boat early before a professional fisher moved in on the stretch Slater was fishing. “The technique was really straightforward. I just got in tight to the wall and threw the crank as far as I could and used a slow roll back to the boat. The lure would bump over the rocks at the base of the wall. This is why I like that Gomoku Crank, it’s got quite a square bib, so it deflects really well. I usually hooked up just after it deflected.” After a few fruitless stops on other walls in the front of the system, Slater made the run up to Browns Rocks to attempt to fill his bag. “I generally prefer Browns Rocks on a run-out tide, but this tournament we had a run-in almost all session,” said Slater. “The difference between catching them at Browns and not catching them can be as simple as not paying attention. I cannot stress how hard I concentrate on each and every cast, ensuring I have the perfect amount of line out, the perfect boat speed and the perfect cast

so that my lure gets to the bottom and I can feel it straight away. You’re not going to catch one if you can’t feel it bite!” Opting for the everreliable Heavy Cranka Crab in a variety of colours, Slater essentially dragged the crab

With two more legals in the boat before midday, Slater felt great about the bag he had built. “Every fish I had on the first day was over 30cm to the fork, I had one 35cm that weighed 910g and the rest must have been about 700g

Tom Slater with a pair of his Clarence winning bream. over the bottom. It sounds easy but it’s not. “I pay really close attention to what my lure is doing and try to ‘hover’ the crab just above the rocks, to try and avoid snagging. Then it’s a case of waiting to feel a bite, and if they miss, I quickly slow the boat with the electric and open the bail arm to try and let the crab sit on the bottom and stop drifting.”

apiece. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get that fifth one, which goes to show how tough it was over the weekend. To not catch five off Browns Rocks definitely shows it was a tough bite.” Heading out on day 2, Slater was adamant to not fall into the same hole that swallowed him in the 2015 BREAM Grand Final. Starting again on Middle

Retrieve Move rod position

Heavy Cranka Crab Cast

Storm Gomoku Crank BG

OSP Dunk P45 Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 86

OCTOBER 2016

Wall, Slater could see the fish, but there was no way he could convince them to eat a crankbait. “I could see them on the wall, so I threw an assortment of cranks and couldn’t get a reaction, so I went to an unweighted

Ecogear Aqua Bream Prawn and let it drift over the wall. I managed one solid keeper doing that before it shut down.” Bailing from the front before 10am, Slater headed to Browns Rocks and found his fortunes much better

than the day prior. “I had my limit filled by lunch time, then it was a matter of finding a few upgrades,” explained Slater. With an hour to go in the session, the tide had stopped, the bite was off, and nothing much was happening. Slater

decided to move in shallow and look for an upgrade, casting an OSP Dunk 48 crankbait to the shallow part of Browns. “The decision to move shallow won me this tournament, and I upgraded a 26 for a 27, then not 10

minutes later upgraded that 27 for a 33cm fork. That was the 130g that got me over the line.” For this win, Slater pocketed $2,400 plus the $300 Yamaha Bonus Cheque for the highest placed boater with a Yamaha on the back,

BREAM

SERIE Presente d by Aus S tackle which by all accounts, is going straight towards a new tow vehicle.

Taylor doubles down for second place again CE 2ND PLA Tristan Taylor was relegated to bridesmaid position again, after two consecutive days on the front of the system produced a 10/10 6.01kg limit. Not making it to Clarence until the Friday afternoon, Taylor didn’t get a chance to pre-fish. Instead, he relied on his previous experience and knowledge of the waterway to get him by. Taylor spent his entire tournament fishing the bottom end of Middle Wall, a popular spot on the Clarence River that produces bream throughout the entire year. Taylor however, approached it differently from the other boats also fishing the area.

“I actually started the morning of day 1 in close as I would normally do at Middle Wall, but I noticed fish staging underneath the boat on the sounder. So I cast out the opposite side, away from the wall and quickly hooked a solid 30cm fork fish. I followed that with three more, all over 30 in about five casts. That’s what really set me up for this weekend.” There’s no doubt Taylor’s fish were in good condition, even with him failing to get one of the kicker bites you so often need to finish up the pointy end of the field. Taylor’s consistent 3kg average bags were put together by limits of bream all around 30cm to the fork. The fish were sitting on the sand, off the edge of Middle Wall where Taylor believes they were still spawning, which would contribute to his better than average bag weight.

His technique was one that has become somewhat synonymous with the

Clarence River, fishing deep with a Cranka Crab. The floating claws of the Cranka

-BOATER 1ST NON Stuart Walker continued his domination of the non-boater side of the Costa BREAM Series by claiming his 3rd victory this season. The only non-boater to weigh a full 10/10 limit, Walker claimed the win by over a kilo from Rodney O’Sullivan. Pre-fishing with Todd Riches, the pair had a look at the vast majority of the river from Maclean to the mouth, catching fish almost everywhere they stopped but lacking size. Walker used the pre-fish day to identify

with 10lb Unitika Aorikira braid, topped with a 6lb Unitika Aiger fluorocarbon leader. He fished two different coloured Cranka Crabs throughout the weekend, olive and cockle. Taylor won $1200 for second place as well as the $375 first place pro cheque, which he got from backing himself at the briefing on Friday night.

WINNING NOTES

Winning Edge

Adjusting with the tides was Slater’s key to success on the Clarence. Hitting Middle Wall with just the right amount of tidal flow and then moving shallow on the second day at Browns Rocks when the tide slowed proved invaluable to secure the final upgrade to the biggest bag of the tournament.

Winning Tackle Crankbait Gear

Rod: 13 Fishing MUSE Gold 72L 2-6lb Reel: One 3 Creed GT 2000 Line: 3lb Gamma Touch Fluorocarbon Lures: OSP Dunk P45, Storm Gomoku Crank BG

Tristan Taylor claimed another podium finish at the Clarence.

Walker wins the triple crown key lures and techniques that were likely to dominate his weekend. Day 1 saw Walker paired with QLD BREAMer Peter Cashman. A veteran of bream fishing, Cashman is no slouch on the waters of the Clarence. The plan for the day was simple, Middle Reef right between the two seaway walls. The fishing was hot to start, with Walker achieving a full limit and two upgrades by 11am. Opting to fish a ZMan 2.5” GrubZ in motor oil colour on 1/4oz TT Jigheads, Walker worked the lure off the bottom with short sharp hops, quickly setting the hooks when he felt a bite in the deep water. “Fishing the deep, fast flowing water like that really made me appreciate the quality of the gear I was using. Those

Crab make it the ultimate deepwater lure for Taylor and many others, reducing snags and increasing hook-ups. It’s a combination of the ultrarealistic finish and clever features that make the Cranka one of the most successful lures for fishing the Clarence. Taylor’s equipment consisted of a Samurai Reaction 201 rod, Daiwa Freams 2500 spin reel, loaded

Daiwa Silverwolf Z rods are just so sensitive,” Walker said. By 11am, the bite had slowed to the point where Cashman and Walker were simply wasting time. The pair both had respectable limits and waited for the clock to run out. Weighing 5/5 for 2.79kg, Walker was well and truly in the driver’s seat of this tournament. Walker found himself aboard ABT rookie Brandon Gosbell’s boat for Day 2. Walker had seen Gosbell fishing nearby on day one, so he was confident they were going to be around fish again. Gosbell was out of the blocks quickly, fishing the end tip of Middle Wall. Walker took a little while to get the hang of fishing the popular spot. With two fish by mid-morning, and

Crab Gear

Gosbell looking for more, the pair made the quick move to the pontoons right next to the Yamba Tavern, and it was here Walker went to work on filling out his full tournament limit. Fishing a heavy Cranka Crab around the pontoons and poles, Walker put three more fish in the boat. The pair then returned back to Middle Wall and both managed a few upgrades, and although it was a smaller bag than the previous day’s catch, it was still more than enough get him over the line. Walker’s gear consisted of Daiwa Silverwolf 2004 reels, matched with Silverwolf Z ShiShi-Ou and Sei-Ryuu rods spooled with 6lb Daiwa Evo 8 braid and 4lb Sunline Bream Special fluorocarbon leader.

TOP 10 BOATERS

Rod: 13 Fishing ENVY Black 71LM 2-8lb Reel: One 3 Creed GT 2000 Line: Sufix Nanobraid 8lb Leader: Gamma 6lb Fluorocarbon Lures: Heavy Cranka Crab, Olive Crab, Brown Crab, Cockle Crab

Austackle Big BREAM

James Morgan claimed the $500 Austackle Big BREAM with a 1.25kg stud. Morgan caught the fish along Middle Wall, fishing a Cranka Crab deep at the base of the rocks. Morgan took home a huge prize bag courtesy of Austackle to go along with the $500 cash.

OSP Rookie Award

Brandon Gosbell won the OSP Rookie Award in his first ever ABT BREAM Qualifier. Gosbell put together two great days on the Clarence to finish the tournament in 6th place with a 10/10 5.23kg limit. Gosbell fished the front of Middle Wall both days to place in the money in his first ABT event, and took home a great prize bag full of OSP product for his efforts.

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Tom SLATER Tristan TAYLOR Matthew FINNEY Taigan HEATH Russell BABEKUHL Brandon GOSBELL Graham FRANKLIN Warren CARTER Mark CROMPTON Chris BRITTON

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

6.14 6.01 5.72 5.64 5.35 5.23 4.93 4.73 4.65 4.58

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

Payout $2400 $1200 $1000 $750 $650 $525 $450 $450

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Stuart WALKER Rodney O’SULLIVAN Luke SLAVIN Simon WILSON Clint VOSS Clint NORTHCOTT Russell WINTERS Andrew HARTCHER Shaun EGAN Brett PENPRASE

10/10 8/10 7/10 7/10 8/10 7/10 6/10 7/10 7/10 6/10

4.97 3.82 3.47 3.27 3.24 3.15 3.08 3.07 3.05 2.94

Payout Costa Prize Pack Samurai Prize Pack Berkley Prize Pack Spotters Prize Pack Tonic Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au OCTOBER 2016

Carter claims coast and AOY CE 1ST PLA Victorian BREAMer Warren Carter stamped his name on the PowerPole Angler of the Year title in emphatic fashion, winning the final qualifying event, the Berkley Gold Coast BREAM Qualifier. There’s certainly no better way to guarantee an AOY victory than by winning the final event. With six anglers in contention going into the final event, Carter knew exactly what everyone needed to improve their tally. With one of the largest playing fields on the ABT calendar, anglers could spread out from as far north as Mud Island in Moreton Bay, all the way to the upper reaches of the Nerang River. With the forecasted winds not eventuating until late on day one, Moreton Bay was cleared for exploration for the first session, and that’s exactly where Carter exploded out of the gates to take the overnight lead. “I spent most of my pre-fish day exploring Moreton Bay,” said Carter, “I fished all of the southern bay islands and didn’t find much that excited me, so I travelled to Mud Island and caught three nice fish and decided that was enough for me to make the hour and 20 minute run from the start line.” Carter arrived at Mud Island and was greeted by a low tide, with much of the shallow reef exposed. Carter turned his attention to the steep reef edge where he

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began his day fishing a mixed assortment of deep diving crankbaits. “I really understood how much the tide influences the fish in Moreton Bay. Almost all of the water I was fishing later in the day was high and dry, those fish have to move somewhere so naturally I assumed they would be on the reef edge waiting for the tide to rise.” His day went almost perfectly to plan, apart from losing one good quality kilo class fish halfway through the session. He quickly remedied with the tournament’s Austackle Big BREAM, a 38cm fork Moreton Bay special. Throughout the day, Carter continued to adjust to the rising tide. Initially moving to the inside edge of the main drop off, he then continued over the shallow flat finishing right up on the mangrove line as the session ended with a high tide. His technique was straightforward and perfectly suited to targeting fish that are looking to feed in the shallow water when the tide allows. “I relied solely on a slow rolled crankbait on the first day, it allowed me to cover a lot of water and got the attention of plenty of bream the first day. I alternated between three different lures: a deep Cranka Crank, deep Jackall Chubby and a Smith Camion Dredge,” said Carter. Carter fished the fat profile crankbaits on 11lb Varivas Max Game braid and 5lb Varivas Absolute fluorocarbon leader. He favoured an EDGE Black Widow 702 rod, rated 4-8lb and paired it with a Shimano Stella 2500 reel. With Moreton Bay shut to anglers on day two due to high winds, Carter’s game plan

flew out the window. Visibly shaken by the news his newly found honey hole would be unavailable, Carter threw caution to the wind, opting to travel almost the same time in the opposite direction to access the bridges of the upper Nerang River. “I’d spoken to my good friend Cam Whittam about where he was fishing, because my limited experience on the

throughout the upper canal system with heavy Cranka Crabs. “The first bridge I pulled up to I had a legal on the second cast, so that sort of set the tone for me for the rest of the day, I spot hopped from bridge to bridge, and slowly filled a respectable bag for the canals.” Carter would target the small eddies formed on the down current side of each

Warren Carter holds aloft two of the fish from his Gold Coast and AOY winning bag. Nerang left me with only a few spots up my sleeve, and Cam had been fishing some of those spots. So I decided to replicate what I’d done in the past and just apply that same technique in different areas.” Not wanting to intrude on his good friend, Carter travelled into Lake Intrepid, and targeted all the bridges

bridge pylon. The heavy weighted Cranka Crab would fall down the pylon and often Carter would get hit on the drop or almost as soon as it hit the bottom. As it turned out, his 5/5 2.36kg limit only just scraped Carter clear of second placed Ross Cannizzaro by a mere 40g.

Jackall Chubby

Gravel bottom

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

OCTOBER 2016

Ross ‘Canal’ Cannizzaro CE 2ND PLA Ross Cannizzaro travelled north to the QLD doubleheader to ensure he qualified for the upcoming Costa BREAM Grand Final on St Georges Basin. Having seen the title slip through his fingers at the Hawkesbury River in 2014, Cannizzaro is out for revenge. With only limited experience from one prior visit to the expansive waterways of the Gold Coast, Cannizzaro decided to eliminate water that was at the extremities of the tournament venue. “I didn’t even know where to begin, so I stayed in the broadwater for the entire tournament. Where I knew the channels and speed zones, and wouldn’t eat into

my tournament session by travelling long distances.” An experienced structure fisherman spending so much time on the structure-laden waterways of Sydney Harbour, Cannizzaro was comfortable in amongst the plethora of pontoons, pylons, jetties and boats scattered throughout the broadwater. But it was two specific areas with increased current flow that garnered most of his attention. “Sovereign Island and Runaway Bay that seemed to hold better than average fish, and even with my little experience on the Gold Coast, I knew that a bag of 28-30cm class fish was well and truly above par.” Focusing on these two areas, Cannizzaro went to work with his Abu Garcia arsenal, focusing on hitting the deepest and darkest sections of each pontoon or boat, where he knew few others would spend the time or have the skills to present a lure to the

bream lurking beneath. “I had to be really creative in some instances to get a lure where I thought there would be one sitting, occasionally even busting out the bow-andarrow cast to get a lure into a tight gap.” Identifying early on that the fish were responding much better to a lure with a very slow fall, Cannizzaro trimmed up, lightening his jighead selection from a 1/24oz Nitro to a 1/50oz Nitro Hidden Weight, which when paired with the ever faithful Gulp Camo Craw offered an irresistible slow sink that Gold Coast bream just couldn’t ignore. “Day one I probably caught close to 50 fish, it was one of those magical days that everything just goes right. My non-boater Mark Lawson said to me that my bag would challenge those that travelled the long distance to Moreton Bay and I was surprised to be that far up the standings after the first day.”

BREAM

Presente SERIES d by Berk ley

Ross Cannizzarro was as consistent as ever, finishing second at Berkley presented Gold Coast round of the Costa BREAM Series. With the bay closed on day two, Cannizzaro knew he stood a good chance of running down those in front, with a solid plan in place and a good supply of fish, it was only a stroke of bad timing that might have possibly cost him the victory. “It was late on the second day and I’d miss-timed my run back to Runaway Bay, the tide had risen and there was a real off-coloured water clarity throughout most of the canal, but there was one

Rocket Rod’s day two rally -BOATER 1ST NON Rodney O’Sullivan stormed home on day two of the Berkley Gold Coast BREAM Qualifier to back up his runner-up finish from the previous weekend’s event with a win to round out the almost perfect northern swing. O’Sullivan found himself with the local gold, as he drew QLD locals Mick Torley and Nabeel Issa, two boaters with arguably more experience on the Gold Coast than anyone else in the field. Starting day one with Torley, the pair headed left out of the start at Southport to a set of canals around The Southport School in the lower reaches of the Nerang River. While Torley had a bag early, O’Sullivan struggled to unlock the secrets of fishing as a non-boater in a waterway like the Gold Coast.

With no fish in the well by midday, O’Sullivan changed his approach; he targeted the various boat ramps and sandy patches between the pontoons, completely ignoring the obvious structure that attracts almost all of the attention.

a lot and it took me a while to adapt to how best to approach it fishing from the back of the boat.” Weighing 4/5 for 1.76kg, O’Sullivan found himself in 6th place with a number of anglers hot on his tails.

Rodney O’Sullivan secured victory in the non-boater division. “I managed to scrape up four fish in the last few hours throwing Ecogear Aqua Bream Prawns in salt and pepper into the gaps between the pontoons. It’s not a technique I’ve fished

On day two, they headed to the deep water of the Seaway. The pair went to work on the deep water, adding a number of good quality fish to their bags in quick succession.

WINNING NOTES

An experienced deep water fisherman, O’Sullivan relied on a heavy Cranka Crab fished slow and deep to draw the bites. O’Sullivan also lathered the bait in Liquid Mayhem scent, which he believed helped draw fish back for a second or third attempt if they initially missed the hooks. It didn’t take long for him to put together a five fish limit, and ended the day with a number of small upgrades that pushed his 5/5 limit to 2.55kg, the biggest bag from a non-boater across the whole tournament. O’Sullivan delivered his lures on his brand new Samurai Reaction 203 rod that he took home from the Austackle Clarence River BREAM Qualifier only a few days before. He paired the new rod with a Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500 and spooled the reel with 9lb Yamatoyo Resin Sheller PE and chose a lighter 3lb Yamatoyo Fluorocarbon leader. “I definitely noticed I was getting more bites on the lighter 3lb line than on the 5lb I was originally using,” said O’Sullivan.

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler

Fish

Weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

5.71 5.67 5.62 5.36 5.32 5.09 5.02 4.96 4.89 4.86

Warren CARTER Ross CANNIZZARO Tony MOORE Steve ELDRED Tristan TAYLOR Alex ROY Russell BABEKUHL Ben RICHARDS Tom SLATER James HOWARTH

probably 100m stretch of clear water with fish loaded under every pontoon. At that stage I had a bag of 26 and 27cm fish, and in the last 20 minutes, I upgraded every single fish I had. With an extra 10-20 minutes to fish the last of the stretch of pontoons, I think I would have scraped up the extra 40g I needed.” Cannizzaro’s key bait was a cut-down Berkley Gulp Craw, in camo colour, which he threw on a 1/50oz Nitro

hidden weight jighead. He threw the offering on a slightly shorter 6’10” Abu Garcia KRX Salty Stage rod, which he favoured for the accurate casting he desired. He paired the rod with the matching Abu Revo MGX 20 reel, which he spooled with 4lb Berkley Exceed braid and topped it off with a 4lb Berkley Sensei Fluorocarbon leader. Cannizzaro was classy in defeat, offering praise to all anglers who backed themselves to compete at the highest level of tournament bream fishing. He put a lot of his recent success to having his family accompany him on the trips away from home. With a much shorter drive from his base in Sydney to this year’s Costa BREAM Grand Final on St Georges Basin we’re all expecting big things from Cannizzaro, this could be the year he puts his name on the Grand Final trophy.

Winning Tackle

Rod: Edge Black Widow 702 4-8lb Reel: Shimano Stella 2500 Lures: Cranka Crank Deep, Jackall Chubby Deep, Smith Camion Dredge Line: Varivas Max Power PE 11lb Leader: Varivas Absolute Fluorocarbon 5lb

Winning Edge

Taking advantage of the clear weather on day one allowed Carter to make the most of an open Moreton Bay arena. Catching the tournaments biggest limit set up an early lead that turned out to be unassailable. His diversity shone through on day two, fishing almost two hours by boat away from where he’d spent most of his pre-fish and all of the first day of the tournament. Catching his 10/10 limit from two very different locations earned him not only the title of Berkley Gold Coast BREAM Champion, but also the very coveted and highly regarded Power-Pole BREAM Angler of the Year.

Austackle Big BREAM

Carter’s 38cm fork fish claimed the Austackle Big BREAM award. Carter caught the brute on the shallow reef flats of Mud Island, on a slowly retrieved crankbait banging into the reefy bottom. “The deep diving lures actually snag up less in the shallow water, the extra diving angle keeps the trebles away from the reef more so than a shallower diver would.”

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS Payout $2100 + $500 $250 $1,100 $950 + $300 Y $700 $550 $450 + $150 $350 + $100

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

1st Pro ($200)

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Rodney O’SULLIVAN Mark LAWSON Paul MAZAROLI Jonathan THOMPSON James MORGAN Mark PALAZZI Christian WARDINI Brett WATSON Mathew BACIC Joe ALLAN

9 10 10 10 8 9 8 8 8 7

4.31 3.76 3.71 3.71 3.23 3.20 3.13 2.89 2.84 2.72

Payout Costa Prize Pack Samurai Prize Pack Berkley Prize Pack Spotters Prize Pack Tonic Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au OCTOBER 2016

yak Hobie Ka ries Se BREAM by Daiwa d Presente

Almost 100 anglers from all over Australia, arrived at the seaside town of Forster, New South Wales, to compete in the Hog’s Breath Cafe Round 12 of the 2016 Hobie Kayak Bream Series, presented by Daiwa. All were competing for a seat at the 2016 Australian Hobie Fishing Championship to be held on the Gold Coast in late October. This was the last chance for those

Somerton cleans up at Wallis Lake Saturday, with 41 full bags of four bream, and a total of 225 yellowfin bream for the day. In contrast, day two delivered calmer conditions with high sun and very little wind, making a more comfortable, albeit tougher second day on the water. At the close of competition, 81 of 96 anglers had presented a total 390 yellowfin bream to the tournament director, weighing in excess of 180kg over the course of the weekend.

Somerton had his whole rod under the yak, trying to pull in his winning fish. campaigning for a spot on the 2016 Australian Hobie Fishing Worlds Team, to build their qualifying score. The Wallis Lake arena was the perfect spot to do just that. The arena is a favourite on the Hobie Calendar, due to the quality and diversity of fishing the system delivers. There were plenty of options over the weekend, from the edge fishing along Pipers Bay, Yahoo and Garden islands, the weedy flats directly in front of the launch site, to the adrenalin filled highs and lows of oyster racks found throughout the arena. The weekend started with wet, cold and windy conditions, coming from the southwest, stirring up the water. This became an epic afternoon of fishing on

Ultimately, Richard Somerton from Victoria claimed the top spot and took home the monster cash prize of $2,730, as well as a generous sponsors prize pack for his trouble. Somerton’s impressive two day total of eight bream for 6.6kg were pulled from the racks, near Tuncurry – an 8km pedal from the Atomic Lures launch site. He secured the victory with a comfortable 1.29kg lead over second place Kris Hickson from NSW, with eight fish at 5.11kg total. Carl Dubois, also from NSW, came in third with eight fish, 4.67kg. Somerton put the work in with a 16km round trip and snatched the bulk of his fish from cover. Some particularly shag covered oyster racks not only provided shelter for the fish, but also a plentiful food supply. The decision paid dividends, and the racks not only delivered his bags, but also landed him another $100 for the Hog’s Breath Cafe Boss Hog Big Bream Award for his 1.41kg horse. WINNING WAYS “There was one set of racks that had shags all over it, which is just berley in the water,” he said. “Plenty of cover, plenty of food, plenty of fish! When I got the big one, I had the crab

Hickson came prepared and mapped out his plan of attack. under the racks and he went sideways with it. When he came out, I saw how big he was and he just buried me. I had the whole rod underneath the yak. I don’t know how I landed him on size 14 hooks and 10lb leader. “The Cranka Crab really worked for me. He had the two sets of trebles on either side of his mouth and that’s the only reason I held on to him.” Somerton used a Duffrods 1-5kg Custom rod with a Daiwa Exist reel, 10lb braid and Sunline FC Rock leader. The lure was a Cranka Crab in brackish fiddler.

OCTOBER 2016

Anglers from all over Australia came down to participate in Round 12. Kris Hickson, who won the 2014 Wallis Lake round, landed himself a seat at the Hobie Fishing Australian Championship on the Gold Coast, with his second place bag. Hickson used his prior knowledge, Google Earth, and SIX Maps to build a plan of attack for the weekend, with the intention of ‘spot hopping’ a lap around Wallis Island. After getting his bag early on Saturday morning, he continued fishing where the fish were and saved his legs. With the high sun on day two, he headed to the racks about an hour from the launch site, but had to find his own water as there were many anglers with same idea. “My game plan across both days was pitching unweighted Ecogear Aqua soft plastic on a sample pack of Daiwa Saq Sas teflon coated super sticky worm hooks, which worked really well on day one, but the bite changed on Sunday. Between that and the good old 2.5” bloodworm ZMan GrubZ covered in Pro-Cure, just pitching them as close as possible to the racks worked really well,” he said. Hickson used a Zantetsu 6’8” 2.5kg rod and 2500 reel from the Daiwa Silver Wolf range on day one, with 15lb Evo 8 braid, 10lb Gamma FC leader and an unweighted Ecogear Aqua soft plastic. On day two, he used a Daiwa Black Label 6’8” 2.5kg rod with 2500 Freams Z reel, 10lb JBraid line, 8lb Gamma FC leader and 2.5” bloodworm ZMan GrubZ. COMING UP Round 13, the penultimate round for 2016, sees the Hobie Fishing Road Show head to Nelson on the South Australian Victorian border for the Ecogear round of the series, before heading back to Queensland for the final round of the year at Bribie Island. SPECIAL THANKS Like all of the events in the Hobie Kayak Fishing Series, this round could not

have gone ahead without the great support of our generous sponsors, Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic, Lowrance, Rhino-Rack, Strike Pro, TT

at Barclay Marine for providing dealer support for the tournament.  Thanks especially to those who helped out on the day, and the

Over the weekend, anglers presented 390 yellowfin bream, weighing over 180kg total. Lures, Yamatoyo, Ecogear, Power-Pole, Hog’s Breath Cafe, Mortgage Corp, ABT and also to the team

96 anglers in attendance, for making this the largest New South Wales round since the series started in 2009.

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

Berkley Urunga Sport Fishing Club Flathead Tour The Berkley Urunga Sport Fishing Club Flathead Tournament is relatively new

2016 is going to be massive. Run by a family friendly club on the second weekend

Get into some flatties at Urunga, or the variety of other species on offer. on the tournament scene, but if the success of its first two events is anything to go by,

of November each year, the tournament has attracted anglers from all over NSW,

and even interstate. Anglers come to the beautiful seaside township of Urunga to enjoy the fishing, weather and also to be in the running for a bounty of prizes, including a brand new boat, motor and trailer package. It takes place at two bountiful rivers that merge and open to the ocean – the Kalang and the Bellinger. Both rivers offer anglers a mixed bag of options when chasing the winning score to take out their respective tournament category. There are individual honours, as well as two or three person team categories to be won. Whether you like to troll, jig, cast and retrieve or fly fish, there’s an option to suit, and plenty of space for you to do it. Strictly catch and release, you’ll need your individual angler card and camera handy if you want your name on the impressive Mick Molnar Marine Art created trophy. This year’s event will be the first time the organisers use a sliding scale, to determine the points awarded to the angler per fish. This will reward those who chase larger models, rather than just racking up meters upon meters of barely legal to midsize fish. There will also

There are great prizes to be won at the Urunga tournament, including a boat, motor and trailer package.

No matter what style of fishing you enjoy, there’s something for every angler, so get your gear ready. be prizes awarded for random by-catch species, which keeps it interesting for anglers

likely to encounter a range of species on their flathead gear. This includes GTs, bream,

mulloway, mangrove jack, cod, tailor, and even the odd lazy bass that hasn’t made its way back upstream yet. With a total prize pool in excess of $15,000, the Berkley Urunga Sport Fishing Flathead Tournament is not one to miss. To register, visit www.stickytickets.com. au, or call Dayne Taylor on 0467 675 076. The first 300 competitors to register will receive a goodies bag with approximately $100 in freebie,s including a copy of the latest NSW Fishing Monthly Magazine! – Berkley Urunga Sport Fishing Club Flathead Tournaments

for • Sign up updates!

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ch u m o o t s I t tackle no gh? u o n e y l r nea

the latest es. pdates on u ily a d r accessori kie.fish fo gear and n g ju n e ti kl a c o ta b , Visit tackle st fishing and greate Fishing Monthly Magazines

www.tacklejunkie.fish OCTOBER 2016

FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION THINGS MURRAY COD WILL EAT

GOLF BALL CAT SCISSORS PINEAPPLE ROCK CACTUS SCARF TORCH PLANT POT PEN BEER CAN KNIFE

LEMON PEEL OWL SHOE STRING ECHIDNA PHONE MANGO PIP CLOTHES PEG EVERYTHING CHIHUAHUA BRICK NOT YOUR LURE

Win a pack of Pocket Balls – instant reusable pocketsized heat packs that are safe, waterproof and available in a variety of sport themes, including footy, cricket, golf, tennis, soccer and more! Activated by simple click of the disk inside the ball. To find out more visit www.take5energize.com.au/Pocket-Balls.

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

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

NSW OCTOBER 2016

Phone (day):

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to K Franks of Bidwill, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a Pocket Balls prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. - NSWFM

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The subscriber prize winner for August was A Mendes of Mount Annan, who won a Samaki Lure prize pack. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

FIND THE ZMAN LOGO

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

OCTOBER 2016

The answers to Find the ZMan Logo for August were: 8, 12, 14, 19, 24, 26, 28, 33, 38, 40, 42, 44, 69, 76, 82. – NSWFM The Find the ZMan logo prize winners for August were: T Forbes of Mudgee, R Pretty of Blayney, G Jones of West Pennant Hills, J Smith of Kelso, M Maxwell of Lalor Park, D Boyd of Swansea, D Conroy of Page, R Rich of Hamlyn Terrace, P Doherty of Mudgee, J Paul of Inverell, P Stever of Austinmer, M Quigley of Bega, K Finch of Mulgoa, T Hodges of Ballina, M Dunford of Young, J Cross of Mondrook, S McPherson of Thurgoona, K Peterkin of Taylors Arm, R Waters of Temora, M Callaghan of Teralba , M King of Bellbird, P Allen of Beacon Hill, L Wicks of Forbes, G Minett of Taree, G Riveiro of Mannering Park, D Knox of Glen Innes, D Spinks of Scone, J Coates of Gwandalan, E Clarke of Goulburn, R Crowhurst of Budgewoi, G Hayes of San Remo, R Vine of Davistown, L Couzins of Quakers Hill, R Dixon of Comboyne, M Ospino Cobo of Surfside, A Rowan of Young, P Kennedy of Raymond Terrace, F Seal of Junee, A Booth of St Ives, D Allen of Gorokan. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

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Lovable Lake Burley Griffin CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

Lake Burley Griffin is an incredibly consistent fishery where golden perch, Murray cod and redfin can be caught all year round in good numbers. This is especially true for those who use a kayak, as there are pockets of lake which benefit from a finesse approach and can’t be fished effectively from land. FACILITIES Lake Burley Griffin is located right in the heart of Canberra so the facilities available are excellent. There are BBQs, public toilets and picnic areas scattered right across the lake, which are perfect spots to take a break. Some of the more popular areas include Yarralumla Bay, Black Mountain Peninsula

I recommend launching at Black Mountain Peninsula as the boat ramp is close to some exceptional fishing, although launching at Yarralumla Bay is also

SPECIES Lake Burley Griffin holds good populations of large Murray cod, golden perch, redfin and carp. At the moment, small golden

also trout in the lake, but they are scarce. TECHNIQUES Kayak fishing in Lake Burley Griffin is a very different proposition to land-

Plastics are a great choice to use when fishing from a kayak.

Murray cod are always tailing schools of reddies at LBG. This fish was taken by Mick Kochy while fishing the edge of a reddy school. based and boat-based angling. A kayak can get in tight on the flats and drift across steep drop offs. As a result, it’s important to use lures that can be adapted to suit various locations during the session. Jackall TN50s and 60s in black king gill and teo shad are the perfect lure, as they can be slow rolled down deep or quickly retrieved along the top of the water column. I find darker colours work well in deeper areas, whereas lighter colours are more effective on the flats. Plastics are also a very effective lure to use from the yak because, like vibes,

A ‘ripped retrieve’ works well using spinnerbaits. Cast the spinnerbait and allow it to sink to the bottom. Rip the rod tip up quickly to get the lure swimming and then allow the lure to sink to the bottom. Complete the retrieve by slowly winding the spinnerbait back to you. Usually the fish will hit on the second drop. LOCATIONS Black Mountain Peninsula is a great place to start. You can troll the area or cast at the snags lining the bank. It is popular though and gets crowded. I like targeting the points around Yarralumla Bay as there are always natives holding, as well as great drop offs where you can run up a cricket score of big reddies. This spot provides the best of both worlds. You can push right up onto the

bridge pylons further upriver offer exciting fishing – both golden perch and redfin school up in these areas, and cod are never far behind. TACKLE During cod close, I take one combo – a Daiwa X 1-3kg stick coupled with a Daiwa Freams 2004, spooled with 6lb braid and 6lb leader. I can throw 60mm vibes on it, but the rod has enough sensitivity in the tip to be effective with plastics. A smooth 2kg drag can stop most yellas in their tracks and is all you need. During cod open, I take a heavier combo. A 20lb braid and leader is enough to stop anything in the lake. A heavy combo is a must for throwing spinnerbaits and Jackall Doozers, and will give you the best chance of converting a massive fish.

Rob Hart with a standard LBG golden taken using a Jackall lure. and Weston Park. There are even BBQ facilities located on Springbank Island in the middle of the lake, which has a jetty for easy access.

popular. There is a good launch spot off Morshead Drive for those wanting to fish the Molonglo River entrance.

perch seem to be in plague proportions in the lake. Once anglers find a school, it’s not uncommon to catch a dozen or so small fish. There are

Troy Erland used a ZX Blade jigged down deep to hook this nice specimen.

Canberra flyfishing guide Mickey Finn with another awesome capture from his Hobie. 94

OCTOBER 2016

they can be used in a variety of situations. The Squidgy Wriggler 80mm in redrum can be worked down deep with a pause and twitch retrieve, or slow rolled across flatter, shallower areas. During cod season, 1 December to 1 September, spinnerbaits are another great choice with Jackpot being the pick of these popular lures.

flatter areas or stay deep and drift. The entrance to the Molonglo River leading from the hospice through to Fyshwick contains a lot of snags and provides some of the most exciting native fishing in Canberra. Large goldens of 60cm+ can be targeted amongst sunken trees and patches of rock. The

Lake Burley Griffin is a wonderful fishery that can offer truly epic kayak fishing. Catches of over a dozen golden perch, a few cod and plenty of reddies are not uncommon. There are plenty of monster fish in the lake, bays that offer protection from the weather and great snags, which can only be accessed from a yak.

FIND THE

LOGO COMPETITION There are 15

MAJOR PRIZES

MONTHLY PRIZES

Logos hidden throughout the pages of Fishing Monthly.

Logo and page number, fill in the entry form and go in the draw to win! The first 40 correct entries drawn at the end of the month will win a packet of 3.75” STREAKZ All entries will go into the major prize draw. (Drawn November 30, 2016)

PLACE

VALUE OF TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS

500

$ ND

2 7

VALUE OF TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS

200

• PACKET OF Zman 3.75” STREAKZ • Value RRP: $9.95 each 6

PLACE

$ RD

* Note winners receive one packet of 6 one colour

www.tackletactics.com.au PAGE NO: 1

1000

$ ST

Find the

PLACE

VALUE OF TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS

NAME ............................................................................................................

MAIL ENTRIES TO:

NSWFM Find the Zman Logo Competition, PO BOX 3172, Loganholme QLD 4129 Entries must be received by 31ST OCTOBER 2016 Original entries only. No photocopies. Images for illustration purposes only.

SUBURB .................................................................P/CODE ........................... PHONE ..................................................................MOB ............................... EMAIL ............................................................................................................

NSW OCTOBER 2016

ADDRESS .......................................................................................................

Product Profile

Fusion StereoActive combines cool with practical seamlessly to the base mounting plate and the StereoActive unit.

FMG

Steve Morgan

Still confused? Might be easier to watch the video that we made of the Launch

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

As far as product launches go, Fusion’s recent gig on the Gold Coast was pretty cool. Food, drinks, boats – all very GC. But by far, the coolest part of the afternoon was the launch of Fusion’s new Stereo Active product, which fills a niche in the market, especially for craft that don’t have a battery or a need for an inbuilt audio rig. What is a StereoActive? Let’s see if I can summarise it into a sentence…. It’s a floating, waterproof, selfpowered radio/stereo that can play off a USB, tune in your favourite AM/FM channel or stream from your phone. PS: it can also keep that phone and your keys dry and unsinkable. Confused? Probably. There’s a lot to this product, so let’s break that sentence down a little and see what it can do. There’s two pieces to the system – the StereoActive unit, which houses all of the technology, and the ActiveSafe, which holds your valuables and connects

event. Scan the QR code hereby or search for the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel. We were lucky enough to corner the lead product designer, Graham Brain, to get it straight from the horse’s mouth.

will reduce that time a little. The buttons to control the unit are large and sensitive, but intelligently, they’ve been designed to be able to be used with the blade of a paddle. Canoeists, paddleboarders and kayakers will appreciate

don’t speak Aussie or Kiwi. You can control the unit with a paddle, the buttons, or via a compatible Garmin smart watches via ANT technology or the Fusion-Link App on your phone. Incidentally, the unit’s

Weighing in at 1.3kg, there’s plenty of features in this IPX7 level waterproof unit that floats!

The StereoActive/ActiveSafe combination mounts firmly, but also floats in case you do something silly – like drop it in the drink.

Straight up, the StereoActive is a fully selfcontained sound system that can play AM/FM radio, media from your phone via Bluetooth or as much as you can cram onto a USB memory stick. The battery lasts for around 20 hours, unless you crank up the volume to “I hate the neighbours” level, which

this when the unit is mounted on the extremities of the craft. Tinnie users will appreciate that the unit can take a beating and a soaking at the same time. As there’s no LCD screen, the system tells you verbally the functions you have selected. And it can do that in half a dozen languages if you

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s hard to argue with the benefits of a Pickle Fork bow when you’re going fishing. 2016 96 aOCTOBER pecially with few mates. The design allows more storage and more It’s hard to argue with the benefits of a forward Pickle Fork bow when you’re going fishing. sting space. Simply put...more room for mates gear! The But the Pickleallows Fork also Especially with a fewand mates. design more storage and more forward ds tremendous lateral stability which is important when there’s more people

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TheThe bestbest tool tool to take fishing? to take fishing?

USB port can also be used as an emergency phone charger – handy if you find yourself out of juice and immobilised on the high seas. Finally, there’s a flat spot on the top of the unit that is ideal for mounting a personal action camera. Both the music and the camera point at you. Selfie nirvana.

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Product Profile The second part of the system, the ActiveSafe, works perfectly well as a fully waterproof, floating sanctuary for things like keys, cards and phones that don’t like getting wet. Plenty of anglers would use just the ActiveSafe alone. After all, who hasn’t sacrificed a car key or smartphone to the boating gods at least once over the years? $129AUD RRP is a small price to pay for the peace of mind that the ActiveSafe alone delivers. The StereoActive system

($399 AUD RRP) connects to your craft with a base plate, the FUSION Puck, that either sticks or screws on. You can lock the StereoActive on to this plate, or you can cascade the ActiveSafe under the StereoActive. If you already have RailBlaza or RAM mounting systems, there are base plate adaptors that allow you to use your existing hardware. Either way, the unit takes about 2 seconds to connect and disconnect, and because the StereoActive

is freestanding, you’ll most likely find that you’ll find uses for it that you won’t have thought of while making the initial purchase. Personally, I reckon that even without the raucous cackle of Kerry O’Keefe, I’d be perfectly happy listening to Warner belt a hundred on the StereoActive this summer while barra fishing in North Queensland. Yep. That’d be sweet. Expect to see Fusion’s StereoActive in-stores in Australia by early November 2016 – most likely in your smaller, independent stores straight away. They’d make a cracking Christmas present. For more information visit www. fusionentertainment.com or Like the Fusion Stereo Active Facebook page @ FusionStereoActive VIDEO

Scan this QR code on your smartphone to see the full interview with StereoActive designer, Graham Brain.

I dare any reader of Fishing Monthly to say, “I never have and will never need an ActiveSafe.”

FISHING FILL-ITS

Habitat rehabilitation projects Coastal developments often harm fish habitat, but this damage doesn’t have to be permanent. There are a number of projects around the country that are restoring habitat, thereby boosting fish numbers. TIDAL FLOODGATES OPENED Tidally active wetlands are important nurseries for fish and crustaceans. However, the installation of floodgates has destroyed much of this habitat, reducing fish populations. A study has demonstrated that some of these impacts may be reversible. The incremental opening of eight floodgates at a temperate coastal wetland in Australia gave researchers the opportunity to monitor water quality and marine life in a tidal creek over 11 years. This monitoring included analysing the estuary before any flood gates were opened, then after the opening of one gate, three gates and finally all eight gates. Floodgate opening enhanced both water quality and marine life relative to a control creek whose barrier remained in place. There was a big boost in numbers of popular species including

school prawns (15 times more), yellowfin bream (62 times more) and flat-tailed mullet (10 times more). Once all eight gates were opened, the creek recovered to a condition similar to creeks that had not had floodgates installed. BANKS STUMPED Leftover tree stumps from highway expansion projects are being used to help protect more than 3km of the Bellinger, Nambucca, Macleay and Hastings estuaries in an innovative recycling initiative. Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) Senior Coast and Estuary Officer, John Schmidt, said the project expands available habitat by using the unwanted tree stumps, timber and rocks to

create vital bank protection structures. “Bank protection structures are usually made entirely of rock, so this timber will deliver nearly 100 tonnes of additional carbon into the estuary food chain, as well as providing a habitat niche for an extra one hectare of mangroves and promote fish habitat,” John said. “With Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) support, highway partners Lend Lease, Pacifico, Thiess and OHL Construction have provided around 600 stumps, 1600 timber pins and 120 tonnes of rock, most of which has been delivered onsite at the river restoration project spanning 3.5km.” – Fish Habitat Network

Leftover stumps from highway projects are being used to create bank protection structures.

The perfect boats for barra, bass or bream

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

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

Mako 234 CC Mako 284 CC

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

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

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

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

Fishing and Leisure Boats, 165 Currumburra Road, Ashmore, QLD 4214

www.fishingandleisureboats.com.au OCTOBER 2016

Turning to the dark side BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Busy lives can often see us anglers struggling to get out on the water as much as we would like and the ability to make the most of small windows of time is one area where the kayak comes into its own.

hold fish, launch right there and hopefully make the most of the short session. There are a few key safety considerations to take into account when night fishing, along with a few tips that may see you land a few more on your adventures. SEEING THE LIGHT Boat ramps, marinas, bridges and roads running along the waterfront can

night use and map reading. Most of this information will be included on the packaging of quality headlamps. I avoid rechargeable headlamps with the battery enclosed inside the unit, preferring to choose a headlamp with removable batteries, enabling me to carry a spare set of batteries, or rechargeable batteries and not have the worry of limited

Sunrise and sunset are peak bite times and magic times to be on the water.

Back on the trolley after a successful sunset session. It can be as simple as a kayak, paddle, PDF, rod and reel combo and a dry bag with a bit of safety and fishing gear and we’re on our way… even if we only fish for an hour or two, it can be enough to tame the itchy casting finger and give us our fix. If you’re struggling to find even those small widows of time, then you may have to turn to the dark side. Fishing in the dark, whether it be of an evening or in the wee hours of the morning has its challenges, however it may be the best opportunity you have to sneak a fish in pre or post work, or once the little ones have gone to bed or before they rise for the day. Being able to launch anywhere is an advantage as you can drive to spots that you know

often provide light for setting up, launching and retrieving your kayak, however a good headlamp will do the trick if you are sneaking into less populated areas. I have had good service from a range of headlamps and if you select a waterproof headlamp from reputable brands you should be set up for your adventures. LED is a must, offering a cleaner, more even white light, lower draw, less heat and much less chance of failure when compared to incandescent or halogen bulbs. Check out a range of headlamps and consider waterproof rating, light output, light distance, weight, batteries required, run time, different light functions offered, such as multiple levels of light output, flashing and different coloured light outputs for

run times. Another preference is for a powerful headlamp that can act as a spotlight when on the water, while having multiple levels of light output, so that I can tame the light down when rigging and working within the cockpit of the kayak. It’s not a bad idea to carry a spare headlamp in your dry bag, just in case, and this can be a cheaper, smaller option that is simply carried as a backup to get you out of trouble, but is also handy when trying to change batteries on your main light. Other options to light up your kayak include mounted lights such as LED strip lighting and deck lighting and I have seen some kayak setups on the water that look like a floating nightclub. BE SEEN AND HEARD We can now see what we’re doing, however we

Anglers aren’t the only ones that enjoy hunting with the advantage of lower light. 98

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A pole setup allows the all-round white light to be visible 360 degrees above your seated position. also need to ensure that we can be seen. High-vis and reflective clothing is a good idea and I always wear my inflatable PFD that is fitted with large strips of reflective tape. Reflective tape attached to the kayak is another option, and I have seen some nice efforts with reflective names, eyes and teeth displayed on kayaks. Navigation lighting should be fitted if you are paddling and fishing in the hours of darkness. Kayak anglers that spend extended periods on the water in darkness often set up their kayaks with 12-volt lighting systems consisting of a 12-volt battery, switch panel, all-round white light and red/green port and starboard lights. As I often switch between my larger pedal kayak, a smaller sit-on top and a smaller sit-inside kayak, depending

on the mission, I have opted for portable lighting that can be simply and easily moved from one kayak to another. When it comes to portable lighting, it’s hard to go past Railblaza’s Illuminate i360 Allround White Navigation Light and the Navilight Port/ Starboard (tricolour) Light. The Navilight has a white stern light, along with red and green, port/starboard lights, all of which can be switched on independently, or you can run red/green together or all three at once. I mount this light in front of me in the kayak on a StarPort Extender and simply turn off the white stern light so that it doesn’t shine back into my eyes. The all-round white light is then mounted behind my seat on a Railblaza TelePole 1000 (new version called an Extender Pole 1000), which elevates the light above my seated position so that it is clearly visible for 360°. These light options are excellent quality, made in NZ, waterproof and float light up if detached and thrown to someone in the water.

The Railblaza mounting and lighting system makes setup quick and simple.

had great success at night fishing with live worms and yabbies, flesh baits and mullet gut. Darkness is also a great time to send out a live bait as larger predators often hunt more actively under the cover of darkness. For me, it’s hard to beat actively hunting with a

lure though and feeling an interested tap or brutal strike as you are retrieving the lure. When fishing lures in the dark, I prefer lures that make a bit of noise or move a bit of water, including paddletail plastics, blades and diving hardbodies for targeting sub-surface predators. I’ll

often use plastics such as frogs or paddle-tails on the surface or surface hardbodies such as poppers, walkers and paddlers that create a disturbance for attracting predators that feed on the surface, especially in the shallows. So next time you’re suffering from

Having an organised deck or cockpit area is essential when darkness falls – net, lip grips, ruler and boomerang tool all leashed within arm’s reach.

Geared up and ready for a sunset session.

Netting all fish is a good idea in the dark as it makes them easier to handle and release. It is also a good idea to carry an audible signalling device such as a marine safety whistle attached to your PFD or air horn packed in your dry bag and kept within easy reach. WHERE TO FISH The aquatic world changes at night and it’s amazing how busy swimming areas, crowded boat ramps

and bustling rivers that can be tough areas to fish in daylight hours come alive in the dark. Areas that have some form of lighting are the first port of call, as the light attracts bait and predators lurk in the shadows waiting in ambush. Other prime areas to fish include structure that produces for you in daylight

Quality, waterproof headlamps with multiple light levels are ideal.

hours, including rocks, oysters, weed beds and snags, along with areas that fish should travel along as they actively hunt and feed, such as mangrove edges, weed edges, points, drains and channel edges. If the tides are high, get up on the flats, as fish can be found hunting in shallow water in low light, making sure that you keep noise to a minimum, especially in shallow water. Freshwater anglers should again look to structure that produces during daylight hours, but don’t forget the shallows as fish move into feed under the cover of darkness. Fish will also more actively hunt in open water and covering plenty of ground with noisy lures can produce results. BAIT OR LURE A common question people ask me is do lures work at night and the answer is simple, yes. For those who want to fish their favourite baits in the hours of darkness, these will work too and I have

The author snaps a selfie after a successful night raid, with one fish kept for dinner.

It’s all about being able to see and ensuring that other vessels can see you.

‘lackoffishingitis’, take some time to investigate your lighting options, check the tides and pencil in a session on the dark side. Always remember safety first when selecting a location, paddle with a friend when possible, pack your safety kit, select appropriate clothing for the after dark adventure, don’t forget your bug spray and let someone know where you’re heading and when you expect to be home. The aquatic world comes alive after dark and you may be surprised by what you get connected to just metres from your launch point. See you on the water. OCTOBER 2016

Aquayak Snapper Pro Kayak BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Aquayak are a Melbournebased kayak manufacturer, retailer and wholesaler. Australian owned and operated, they offer a range of options from entry level, to fitted out fishing kayaks, single and tandem kayaks, along with all the accessories to get you started. Recently, I launched their Snapper Pro sit-on kayak, fitted out with their Fish Kit, for a day of targeting bream and flathead in a local estuary system. This kayak is easy to handle, for paddlers as young

An intelligent deck layout means everything’s in arm’s reach. SPECIFICATIONS Length: 2.7m Width: 0.79m Weight: 19kg Capacity: 120kg Pricing: $599 + delivery

Fitted out and ready for fishing, the Snapper Pro passed the Evakool test with its roomy rear well. 100

OCTOBER 2016

as eight. With a length of 2.7m, 79cm width and weight under the magic 20kg mark, sturdy carry handles on the nose, tail and each side, it’s a breeze to load, unload and transport to water. It has a capacity of 120kg and easily handled my 90kg+, along

Snapper Pro is ideal for sheltered waters such as rivers, lakes, bays and estuaries. with icebox and fishing gear. On the water, the hull design is impressive for buoyancy, along with speed and tracking. It has very little of the side-to-side zigzagging that similar size kayaks, with

flatter bottoms, are notorious for. In calmer waters, lakes, rivers, bays and estuaries you will find this kayak to be fun, easy to paddle and extremely manoeuvrable. It’s ideal for smaller paddlers. If

you spend time in windier, rougher conditions, check out Aquayak’s other models with more length. The deck of the Snapper Pro is well laid out, with a

Other storage options include a front hatch that allows access to the hull for fitout, or storing additional items that you don’t need to access on the water, such

There are two flush mount rod holders fitted behind the seat for rod, net and gaff storage. An adjustable Railblaza Rod Holder II can be mounted on the included

4 6

easy reach. The Snapper Pro also comes complete with a comfortable and supportive seat, paddle leash and a sturdy two-piece paddle, which is a handy option when it comes to storage and transporting gear in smaller vehicles. A bungy paddle holder on the side deck of the kayak makes it easy to store the paddle when it’s time to fish, and handy to adjust your drift angle or position. It was a glassy day when we paddled out, I fitted the four plugs into the cockpit scupper holes, keeping the area nice and dry. In rougher conditions, or playing in the surf, scupper plugs can be removed to make the most of the self-draining feature. Even when the wind came up with the turn of tide, the Snapper Pro still handled well, cutting through the chop without issue. We had a cracker day on the water. We drifted the

Snapper Pro is right at home, bream fishing the flats. I stored my landing net in one of the rod holders, my second rod in the Railblaza

FEATURES Comfortable seat, Double paddle, four heavyduty handles, two flush rod holders, one Railblaza rod holder II, two storage hatches, two accessories tracks, Railblaza Starport, Railblaza Sideport, large rear tub and a paddle clip.

5 mounted in the centre fitted StarPort, and attached my lip grips and Boomerang Tool to the fitted pad eyes. My tackle was in the included

flats for bream and flathead, worked some edges and drains that accounted for more flathead, fishing 2.5” paddletail plastics on 1/4oz jigheads.

12L dry bag between my feet and a flatty for dinner stayed in the Evakool icebox that fit neatly in the rear well. I was comfortable and had everything at my fingertips for rigging, fishing and landing fish from the Snapper Pro. If you’re looking to get into kayak fishing, check out the range at Aquayak. com. If it’s a smaller, fast and manoeuvrable kayak you want, affordable and set up for fishing, the Snapper Pro with Fish Kit is worth your time.

Manufactured in Melbourne, Victoria

1. The roomy rear live well includes a bungy for securing your gear. 2. The hull design is fast, and easily supports its 120kg capacity. 3. The front hatch accesses the hull for fitting out and additional storage. 4. Sturdy carry handles make loading the Snapper Pro a breeze. 5. The accessory tracks, with two included Railblaza mounts, make fitting out simple and flexible. 6. A centre hatch with bucket is handy for storing gear, while scupper holes ensure quick drainage of water. large rear well that passed the Evakool test. It snugly fits a 20L icebox for taking a feed out, or bring in a feed home. The bungy cord in the rear well can unclip to secure the icebox, or quickly and easily clip back in place, to secure dry bags and other items.

as car keys. These can be placed in a dry bag and stowed securely. A centre hatch is within easy reach and includes a removable bucket, where bait can be stored out of the sun. Other items like sunscreen and tackle can be secured.

Railblaza StarPort, SidePort, or on the accessory track fitted on either side of the cockpit. Railblaza mounts and accessories are excellent on the Snapper Pro, allowing you to quickly and easily add other accessories and keep all your rods and tools within

SNAPPER PRO

599

“See our website or call to find a dealer near you.”

LE OPTION AVAILAB

RANGER

999

ALL KAYAKS...

• Stable with great tracking • Quality workmanship • UV certified plastic • A variety of colour options • Fishing/Non fishing models • 10 Year warranty on construction • Guaranteed not to crack or fade • Ability to option up any model

THE SCOUT

OPTION AVAILAB LE

From

699

* Torqeedo Ultralight 403 1HP - Electric Motor Option on some models • Torqeedo Ultralight 403 $ 1HP - Electric motor option on some models Not Fit

2750 ted

21B Randor Street, Cambellfield, Victoria 3061

For a smaller kayak, the Snapper Pro tracks well.

Ph: (03) 9357 9992 – www.aquayak.com OCTOBER 2016

101

Product Profile

Why we’re excited about the new Deeper BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

The has new and

Australian market seen some exciting introductions lately, leading the charge

is that the Pro+ connects via WiFi rather than by Bluetooth. What this means is that you get more range. For the Pro+, that’s up to 100m of horizontal range, and looking underwater it will give you 80m of depth-finding capability. In

the GPS enabled one will be useful to anyone bank fishing. You can actually cast this out into your chosen waterway, and it will map the area as you wind it back! So, with all this in mind, we decided we’d

could get the device set up, find some bass school and convert those fish arches into landed fish, you’d probably be strapped finding someone who couldn’t! On that day, we even switched off the regular sounder and relied solely on the Deeper ’s fishfinding capabilities! For our field testing day of the Deeper Pro+ at Hinze Dam in South East Queensland, we were blessed with beautiful weather. Once we’d launched, we spent a few minutes setting it up. We were all keen to crack back into some chunky

The Fishing Monthly team had a lot of fun marking bass on the Deeper unit and catching them. is the second generation of Deeper Fishfinders. The latest version, the Deeper Pro+, took out the John Dunphy Inovation award at the AFTA Trade show on the Gold Coast this year, and when you

most waterways, that will be plenty. The other exciting new feature is a faster ping rate on the new units. The old Deeper pinged at eight times per second, whereas the Pro+ pings at 15 times

pick one up and see if they work or not! ON THE WATER We’d previously tested out the first generation Deeper the year before.On that day, we were tagging a bass in the unpressured and

Hinze was the perfect testing field for the Deeper set to ‘Boat Mode’. Simon from ABT was more than impressed with the capabilities of the little black ball. Hinze bass, but there was just a few bits of admin we needed to sort before we got to that. To set up your Deeper Pro+, firstly, we had to download the Deeper app from the app store. Secondly, we had to register the app (when you’re doing this, make sure you’re in an area where you have Internet access). Lastly, we had to pair the WiFi on Editor Steve’s phone to the WiFi on the Deeper.

Once we’d completed these tasks, which only took about 10 minutes, we switched the Deeper over to ‘Boat Mode’, and immediately, we saw fish showing on Steve’s iPhone! We were situated – now it was time to get stuck into some bass! Steve decided that these fish would probably be receptive to an ice jig, so with his smartphone mounted to the rod blank with the very simple rod

mount the Deeper Pro+ comes with, it was possible to fish the jig and watch the fish on his phone! We decided to trail the unit off the back, and we tied it to the end of a heavy swimbait rod. It’s pretty handy to not have to keep glancing down at a sounder, since it’s already mounted on your rod blank! In about 20 seconds, Steve was on. Immediately after the capture, the bass started schooling in big

Steve loves cracking back into a few bass! The smartphone mount made watching the fish shows while fishing very easy. look at the specs, it’s no wonder why. For those who don’t already know, the Deeper is a sonar encapsulated in a floating ball that tethers to your smart phone to give you sonar functionality. The main difference between the Pro+ and the original 102

OCTOBER 2016

per second. The really cool thing though, is that they can actually map the area that you’re fishing. There’s a GPS enabled Deeper, and a non-GPS enabled one. The non-GPS enabled version will tether to your smartphone’s GPS, but

usually out of bounds lower Lake Samsonvale in South East Queensland. While it wasn’t challenging to both find and catch those bass, we were able to prove just how easy they are to use! If a couple of technologically challenged bumpkins

On the display, you can see the map on the left, and some bass stacked up in about 15ft on the right!

Product Profile numbers under the boat as they so often do, and we enjoyed a great deep bite on Hinze Dam! Even Matt the cameraman got stuck in. What was really cool was that while we fished, the Deeper Pro+ was busy mapping the area. With this map, it painted a picture

as to where the fish were actually sitting. We found that the bass were sitting on an edge between 15-20ft, and this really helped with cracking a pattern. We were fishing out of a small fibre gtlass electic boat, but anyone using kayaks, float tubes,

stand-up paddle boards, even fully kitted out bass boats, will find a lot of use for the Deeper Pro+. Even if you don’t have a lot of use for them, they are pretty damn interesting to play with, and can spill the beans about a spot you think you’ve known well

Simon releases a better than average Hinze bass while the Deeper transducer bobs out the back of the boat.

for years! FROM THE BANK After all the fun on Hinze Dam, it was time to test out some of the bank fishing capabilities of the new Deeper unit. We caught up with Tim Morgan from Rapala VMC Australia, who are the distributor of Deeper in Australia, and he took us through just what it could do. Our venue for the day was a pond to the south of Brisbane, and our plan was to map it from the shore. Mapping only works from the bank if you are using the Pro+. To get set up for mapping from the bank, you need to go into ‘Settings’. From here, you need to select ‘Sonar Mode’, and then ‘Onshore GPS Mode’. It will split the screen to give you a view below the water on the right side, and a map on the left. The Deeper Pro+, being water-activated, will only start mapping when it’s in the water, meaning it will save battery and is incredibly efficient. There are three attachment points on the new unit. The top one is for when you’re just dangling it from a boat, the middle one is for when you’re bank fishing from a high platform, and the lowest one

is for casting, which is what we were using on this day. Our aim was to produce a full bathymetric map of the lake, and we did so in just under a hour. Once you have made a map, you can save it if you want, and then overlay it to really study it if you so desire. Here’s a few tips if you plan to map waterways from the bank. We found that you need a fairly heft rod if you want to huck this thing out a fair way. On testing day, Steve was using his long heavy swimbait rod, and Tim was using a medium spin rod. Tim found he had to lob the Deeper, and achieved around half the distance Steve was getting. Something worthy of throwing cod or big barramundi lures is an outift to consider if you want to map largr waterways regularly with your Deeper. You should remember that the Deeper Pro+ won’t map anything shallower than 3ft. This isn’t usually a problem, because this water is most often ignored for fishing, and in clear water you can probably see the bottom anyway. Another thing we found is that it tends to hold a better connection if your smartphone is on your person or mounted on the rod. Lastly, it’s worth waiting a few seconds after the

Deeper lands in the water for it to connect. This only takes about five seconds at the most. TRY IT YOURSELF! If you’re a bank-based angler who wants to see what’s really under the water where you’re fishing, or you have a vessel and don’t want to spend money on multiple units, the Deeper Pro+ is a great option for you. If you want more info about the Deeper range, you can visit www.buydeeper. com and it will tell you everything you need to know, including where you can buy one! This latest bound in technology is such an exciting one for anglers wanting that extra edge, and we hope you can have just as much fun with your Deeper as we did with ours... well, Steve’s – he nicked off with this one! VIDEO

Scan this QR code to see Steve Morgan talking about the Deeper on the water.

OCTOBER 2016

103

What’s New BOATING

PRECISION FISHING WEAPONS

From the 575HT up to the 780HT, the new design innovations in Bar Crusher’s Fishing Weapon HT series have been carefully considered to enhance your boating and fishing experience. The newly-designed Game Lock gunwale/ sidedeck incorporates a 45° angle on the inner edge which, along with the secure toe-holds, lets you lock yourself into a comfortable and secure position. The Game Lock coaming is now slightly narrower to maximise space, yet is still wide enough to comfortably sit on. New hard top designs are complemented by re-designed rocket launchers and slideopening side windows as standard (670HT, 730HT and 780HT), and there are fresh paint schemes. The bow rails, grab rails and bowsprit have also been upgraded. Bar Crusher has redesigned the dash of the 615HT, 670HT, 730HT and 780HT to accept up to a 16” multi-function display, with plenty of space left over. There’s also a new optional roller-door lockable cabin. For the full list of specs, features and options, visit the Bar Crusher website. www.barcrusher.com.au

J-B WELD ADHESIVES

J-B Weld adhesives bond strongly to a variety of surfaces in even the toughest environments. The range began with the original J-B Weld, developed as an alternative to torch welding. Once it sets, it’s tougher than steel. Another J-B adhesive is called MarineWeld, a chemical and petroleum resistant two-part adhesive and epoxy filler system for strong, lasting repairs. It’s designed to be used on decks, hulls and accessories. It sets in 20 minutes and is fully cured in 15-20 hours. If you have to seal a leak or patch a hole/ crack in wet conditions or underwater, you’ll need WaterWeld. As well as being handy on boats, it’s ideal for repairing plumbing, fuel tanks, potable water tanks and more. After curing, it can be drilled, tapped, filed, sanded and painted. It has a set time of 15-25 minutes and sets hard in one hour. For more info on the range, head to the BLA website. Price: SRP $18.90-$19.30 www.bla.com.au

MERCURY 9.9HP TWOSTROKE

Mercury Marine is introducing a new 9.9hp TwoStroke outboard that is the lightest in its class. Weighing in from just 26kg, the new 169cc model is not only easier to lift and carry than its competitors, its compact design means it’s simple to handle. And an optional push-button electric start model makes it a pleasure to operate for all boaters – young or old. It also features loop charge combustion, which delivers reliable performance and better fuel economy. Trips will also be more enjoyable, with through-prop exhaust reducing engine noise for a quieter boating experience. As with all outboards in Mercury’s extensive line-up – from 2.5 through to 400hp – the new 9.9hp TwoStroke benefits from superior anti-corrosion protection. Owners will gain additional peace of mind knowing that Mercury’s extensive service network will always be there to provide product and customer support. www.mercurymarine.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

SAVAGE RAPTORS

After retiring the Jabiru range, Savage has filled the gap for budget-friendly tinnies by releasing the Raptor range with 355, 395 and 425 models. All are full of useful features at the right size and the right price. Standard features include a glove box, drink holders, transom handles and plenty of storage, and options include bimini and envelope, rod holders and a carpeted floor. With front and rear seats, the Raptors can comfortably fit up to four people. These boats can be easily towed behind a family car and will also fit nicely atop most utes. Savage National Account Manager Jason Draeger said the models and options available in the Raptor range means there’s a boat to suit any backyard or budget. “We have developed the Raptor range to offer customers affordable, reliable, nofuss tinnies,” he said. “The Raptors can be used for fishing, as a tender or for taking the family on fun adventures.” www.savageboats.com.au

QUINTREX SEA SPIRIT

Whether you like fishing, family cruising or skiing, a Quintrex Sea Spirit cabin boat will work for you. The entire range (510, 530 and 570) now comes with 3mm topsides and 4mm bottomsides as standard, and can handle a variety of conditions thanks to the Quintrex Blade Hull. Quintrex National Account Manager Cameron Wood said these versatile boats will please the entire family. “For fishos, the aluminium side pockets and rod holders hold all your fishing gear while the large side decks are comfortable to sit on and lean against when reeling in your catch,” he said. “For the laid back boaties, the rear lounge is perfect for relaxing and taking in the sun but it can also be folded up to create extra deck space while fishing. “You can also option up the Sea Spirit to include ski hooks, ski pole and hydraulic steering.” www.quintrex.com.au

DESALT BEATS RUST

Desalt is a simple cleaning and protective product that safely dissolves salt from all surfaces, including when used as a boat engine flush. It can even remove surface rust and act as a retardant, preventing rust from forming. This is a great value marine cleaner specifically designed to protect valuable assets from the corrosive sea and salt air. It is specially formulated to help dissolve salt deposits in boat engines and cleans other exposed bits (with a sparkle) including your trailer, kayak, car and fishing tackle. In fact, anything that comes into contact with the corrosive nature of the marine environment can be washed down by using Desalt. This water based product is non-toxic, biodegradable and PH neutral. For easy application you can use the Desalt Dispenser. Just add 50ml Desalt to the Dispenser and then attach it to a garden hose. The dispenser can also easily be attached to your outboard or flush port on your engine. Price: SRP $44.95 (2L), $39.95 (dispenser) www.whitworths.com.au

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

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

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2016 2016 Local Local Time Time

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

Time Time 0132 0132 0736 0132 0736 1331 0736 1331 1950 1331 1950 1950 0213 0213 0820 0213 0820 1420 0820 1420 2037 1420 2037 2037 0255 0255 0906 0255 0906 1511 0906 1511 2125 1511 2125 2125 0339 0339 0953 0339 0953 1603 0953 1603 2215 1603 2215 2215 0424 0424 1043 0424 1043 1700 1043 1700 2309 1700 2309 2309 0512 0512 1134 0512 1134 1800 1134 1800 1800

m m 0.19 0.19 1.56 0.19 1.56 0.27 1.56 0.27 1.82 0.27 1.82 1.82 0.14 0.14 1.65 0.14 1.65 0.21 1.65 0.21 1.82 0.21 1.82 1.82 0.13 0.13 1.71 0.13 1.71 0.19 1.71 0.19 1.77 0.19 1.77 1.77 0.16 0.16 1.75 0.16 1.75 0.20 1.75 0.20 1.68 0.20 1.68 1.68 0.22 0.22 1.75 0.22 1.75 0.25 1.75 0.25 1.55 0.25 1.55 1.55 0.31 0.31 1.72 0.31 1.72 0.32 1.72 0.32 0.32

0006 0006 22 0604 0006 0604 22 1231 TH 1231 TH 0604

1.42 1.42 0.42 1.42 0.42 1.67 0.42 1.67 0.39 1.67 0.39 0.39 1.30 1.30 0.51 1.30 0.51 1.61 0.51 1.61 0.44 1.61 0.44 0.44 1.23 1.23 0.57 1.23 0.57 1.57 0.57 1.57 0.44 1.57 0.44 0.44 1.22 1.22 0.59 1.22 0.59 1.57 0.59 1.57 0.42 1.57 0.42 0.42 1.27 1.27 0.56 1.27 0.56 1.59 0.56 1.59 0.38 1.59 0.38 0.38 1.34 1.34 0.50 1.34 0.50 1.61 0.50 1.61 1.61

Time Time 0209 0209 0812 0209 0812 1401 0812 1401 2020 1401 2020 2020 0245 0245 0849 0245 0849 1442 0849 1442 2058 1442 2058 2058 0317 0317 0926 0317 0926 1521 0926 1521 2133 1521 2133 2133 0348 0348 1000 0348 1000 1600 1000 1600 2208 1600 2208 2208 0419 0419 1036 0419 1036 1640 1036 1640 2245 1640 2245 2245 0452 0452 1113 0452 1113 1723 1113 1723 2323 1723 2323 2323 0527 0527 1154 0527 1154 1812 1154 1812 1812

m m 0.27 0.27 1.46 0.27 1.46 0.38 1.46 0.38 1.73 0.38 1.73 1.73 0.28 0.28 1.48 0.28 1.48 0.38 1.48 0.38 1.68 0.38 1.68 1.68 0.31 0.31 1.49 0.31 1.49 0.41 1.49 0.41 1.61 0.41 1.61 1.61 0.35 0.35 1.49 0.35 1.49 0.44 1.49 0.44 1.53 0.44 1.53 1.53 0.40 0.40 1.48 0.40 1.48 0.49 1.48 0.49 1.45 0.49 1.45 1.45 0.45 0.45 1.47 0.45 1.47 0.54 1.47 0.54 1.36 0.54 1.36 1.36 0.51 0.51 1.44 0.51 1.44 0.59 1.44 0.59 0.59

0007 88 0007 0607 0007 0607 1240 TH 1240 TH 0607

1.27 1.27 0.57 1.27 0.57 1.42 0.57 1.42 0.63 1.42 0.63 0.63 1.19 1.19 0.62 1.19 0.62 1.40 0.62 1.40 0.65 1.40 0.65 0.65 1.14 1.14 0.66 1.14 0.66 1.40 0.66 1.40 0.62 1.40 0.62 0.62 1.13 1.13 0.66 1.13 0.66 1.43 0.66 1.43 0.56 1.43 0.56 0.56 1.18 1.18 0.62 1.18 0.62 1.51 0.62 1.51 0.47 1.51 0.47 0.47 1.25 1.25 0.54 1.25 0.54 1.60 0.54 1.60 1.60

23 23

0.37 0.37 1.35 0.37 1.35 0.45 1.35 0.45 1.70 0.45 1.70 1.70 0.27 0.27 1.45 0.27 1.45 0.35 1.45 0.35 1.78 0.35 1.78 1.78

29 29

TH TH TH

FR FR FR

33 SA SA SA

44 SU SU SU

55 MO MO MO

66 TU TU TU

77 WE WE WE

1908 TH 1240 1908 1908 0100 0100 0657 0100 0657 1334 FR 1334 FR 0657 2015 FR 1334 2015 2015 0205 0205 0757 0205 0757 1437 SA 1437 SA 0757 2129 SA 1437 2129 2129 0320 0320 0904 0320 0904 1544 SU 1544 SU 0904 2233 SU 1544 2233 2233 0429 0429 1009 0429 1009 1643 MO 1643 MO 1009 2326 MO 1643 2326 2326 0524 0524 1105 0524 1105 1734 TU 1734 TU 1105 TU 1734

10 10 11 11 12 12

13 13

0011 0011 14 0610 0011 0610 14 1156 WE 1156 WE 0610

1820 WE 1156 1820 1820 0052 0052 0654 0052 0654 1244 TH 1244 TH 0654 1905 TH 1244 1905 1905

15 15

LAT 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ LAT 33° 52’ of High LONG 151° 13’ Times and Heights Times and Heights of High and and Low Low Waters Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters OCTOBER NOVEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER m Time m Time TimeNOVEMBER m Time OCTOBER m

16 16 FR FR FR

17 17 SA SA SA

18 18 SU SU SU

19 19 MO MO MO

20 20 TU TU TU

21 21 WE WE WE

1908 TH 1231 1908 1908 0112 0112 0703 0112 0703 1334 FR 1334 FR 0703 2023 FR 1334 2023 2023 0227 0227 0813 0227 0813 1445 SA 1445 SA 0813 2138 SA 1445 2138 2138 0345 0345 0925 0345 0925 1556 SU 1556 SU 0925 2244 SU 1556 2244 2244 0451 0451 1033 0451 1033 1659 MO 1659 MO 1033 2338 MO 1659 2338 2338 0545 0545 1131 0545 1131 1751 TU 1751 TU 1131 TU 1751

24 24 25 25

26 26 27 27

0023 0023 28 0630 0023 0630 28 1222 WE 1222 WE 0630

1837 WE 1222 1837 1837 0102 0102 0709 0102 0709 1306 TH 1306 TH 0709 1917 TH 1306 1917 1917 0136 0136 0745 0136 0745 1346 FR 1346 FR 0745 1955 FR 1346 1955 1955

30 30

0.35 0.35 1.41 0.35 1.41 0.45 1.41 0.45 1.62 0.45 1.62 1.62 0.33 0.33 1.47 0.33 1.47 0.41 1.47 0.41 1.62 0.41 1.62 1.62 0.32 0.32 1.52 0.32 1.52 0.38 1.52 0.38 1.60 0.38 1.60 1.60

Time Time 0208 0208 0819 0208 0819 1424 0819 1424 2030 1424 2030 2030 0338 0338 0952 0338 0952 1600 0952 1600 2205 1600 2205 2205 0407 0407 1025 0407 1025 1638 1025 1638 2241 1638 2241 2241 0438 0438 1059 0438 1059 1716 1059 1716 2317 1716 2317 2317 0510 0510 1133 0510 1133 1758 1133 1758 2357 1758 2357 2357 0545 0545 1213 0545 1213 1843 1213 1843 1843

m m 0.33 0.33 1.55 0.33 1.55 0.38 1.55 0.38 1.56 0.38 1.56 1.56 0.35 0.35 1.57 0.35 1.57 0.38 1.57 0.38 1.51 0.38 1.51 1.51 0.38 0.38 1.58 0.38 1.58 0.40 1.58 0.40 1.45 0.40 1.45 1.45 0.43 0.43 1.58 0.43 1.58 0.43 1.58 0.43 1.39 0.43 1.39 1.39 0.48 0.48 1.56 0.48 1.56 0.47 1.56 0.47 1.32 0.47 1.32 1.32 0.53 0.53 1.53 0.53 1.53 0.51 1.53 0.51 0.51

0041 77 0041 0626 0041 0626 1256 FR 1256 FR 0626

1.25 1.25 0.59 1.25 0.59 1.48 0.59 1.48 0.56 1.48 0.56 0.56 1.19 1.19 0.65 1.19 0.65 1.44 0.65 1.44 0.58 1.44 0.58 0.58 1.15 1.15 0.69 1.15 0.69 1.42 0.69 1.42 0.58 1.42 0.58 0.58 1.16 1.16 0.70 1.16 0.70 1.43 0.70 1.43 0.52 1.43 0.52 0.52 1.21 1.21 0.65 1.21 0.65 1.49 0.65 1.49 0.44 1.49 0.44 0.44 1.31 1.31 0.56 1.31 0.56 1.57 0.56 1.57 1.57

SA SA SA

SU SU SU

33 MO MO MO

44 TU TU TU

55 WE WE WE

66 TH TH TH

1935 FR 1256 1935 1935 0132 0132 0714 0132 0714 1346 SA 1346 SA 0714 2036 SA 1346 2036 2036 0234 0234 0814 0234 0814 1446 SU 1446 SU 0814 2144 SU 1446 2144 2144 0345 0345 0923 0345 0923 1555 MO 1555 MO 0923 2247 MO 1555 2247 2247 0454 0454 1034 0454 1034 1700 TU 1700 TU 1034 2343 TU 1700 2343 2343 0550 0550 1137 0550 1137 1758 WE 1758 WE 1137 WE 1758

10 10

11 11 12 12

0030 0030 13 0639 0030 0639 13 1232 TH 1232 TH 0639

1849 TH 1232 1849 1849 0115 0115 0725 0115 0725 1325 FR 1325 FR 0725 1938 FR 1325 1938 1938 0158 0158 0810 0158 0810 1415 SA 1415 SA 0810 2028 SA 1415 2028 2028

14 14

15 15

0.35 0.35 1.43 0.35 1.43 0.45 1.43 0.45 1.65 0.45 1.65 1.65 0.26 0.26 1.56 0.26 1.56 0.34 1.56 0.34 1.72 0.34 1.72 1.72 0.19 0.19 1.69 0.19 1.69 0.23 1.69 0.23 1.75 0.23 1.75 1.75

Time Time 0241 0241 0855 0241 0855 1507 0855 1507 2117 1507 2117 2117 0325 0325 0942 0325 0942 1600 0942 1600 2209 1600 2209 2209 0411 0411 1030 0411 1030 1654 1030 1654 2302 1654 2302 2302 0459 0459 1121 0459 1121 1751 1121 1751 2359 1751 2359 2359 0549 0549 1214 0549 1214 1851 1214 1851 1851

m m 0.15 0.15 1.79 0.15 1.79 0.16 1.79 0.16 1.74 0.16 1.74 1.74 0.16 0.16 1.87 0.16 1.87 0.12 1.87 0.12 1.68 0.12 1.68 1.68 0.20 0.20 1.90 0.20 1.90 0.13 1.90 0.13 1.59 0.13 1.59 1.59 0.28 0.28 1.88 0.28 1.88 0.18 1.88 0.18 1.48 0.18 1.48 1.48 0.38 0.38 1.83 0.38 1.83 0.26 1.83 0.26 0.26

0058 0058 21 0644 0058 0644 21 1310 FR 1310 FR 0644

1.38 1.38 0.48 1.38 0.48 1.74 0.48 1.74 0.34 1.74 0.34 0.34 1.29 1.29 0.57 1.29 0.57 1.64 0.57 1.64 0.40 1.64 0.40 0.40 1.25 1.25 0.63 1.25 0.63 1.56 0.63 1.56 0.44 1.56 0.44 0.44 1.26 1.26 0.65 1.26 0.65 1.51 0.65 1.51 0.44 1.51 0.44 0.44 1.32 1.32 0.62 1.32 0.62 1.49 0.62 1.49 1.49

16 16 SU SU SU

17 17 MO MO MO

18 18 TU TU TU

19 19 WE WE WE

20 20 TH TH TH

1957 FR 1310 1957 1957 0203 0203 0745 0203 0745 1411 SA 1411 SA 0745 2105 SA 1411 2105 2105 0315 0315 0854 0315 0854 1519 SU 1519 SU 0854 2213 SU 1519 2213 2213 0427 0427 1007 0427 1007 1629 MO 1629 MO 1007 2313 MO 1629 2313 2313 0529 0529 1115 0529 1115 1731 TU 1731 TU 1115 TU 1731

22 22 23 23 24 24 25 25

0004 0004 26 0619 0004 0619 26 1215 WE 1215 WE 0619

1825 WE 1215 1825 1825 0047 0047 0703 0047 0703 1307 TH 1307 TH 0703 1910 TH 1307 1910 1910 0124 0124 0742 0124 0742 1350 FR 1350 FR 0742 1950 FR 1350 1950 1950 0158 0158 0816 0158 0816 1430 SA 1430 SA 0816 2028 SA 1430 2028 2028 0230 0230 0849 0230 0849 1506 SU 1506 SU 0849 2104 SU 1506 2104 2104 0300 0300 0922 0300 0922 1543 MO 1543 MO 0922 2141 MO 1543 2141 2141

27 27 28 28

29 29

30 30 31 31

0.43 0.43 1.39 0.43 1.39 0.57 1.39 0.57 1.49 0.57 1.49 1.49 0.42 0.42 1.46 0.42 1.46 0.51 1.46 0.51 1.49 0.51 1.49 1.49 0.41 0.41 1.53 0.41 1.53 0.46 1.53 0.46 1.49 0.46 1.49 1.49 0.40 0.40 1.58 0.40 1.58 0.42 1.58 0.42 1.48 0.42 1.48 1.48 0.40 0.40 1.62 0.40 1.62 0.39 1.62 0.39 1.46 0.39 1.46 1.46 0.42 0.42 1.66 0.42 1.66 0.38 1.66 0.38 1.43 0.38 1.43 1.43

Time Time 0330 0330 0954 0330 0954 1619 0954 1619 2217 1619 2217 2217 0402 0402 1028 0402 1028 1657 1028 1657 2256 1657 2256 2256 0436 0436 1103 0436 1103 1737 1103 1737 2336 1737 2336 2336 0514 0514 1142 0514 1142 1819 1142 1819 1819

m m 0.44 0.44 1.67 0.44 1.67 0.38 1.67 0.38 1.40 0.38 1.40 1.40 0.47 0.47 1.67 0.47 1.67 0.39 1.67 0.39 1.35 0.39 1.35 1.35 0.51 0.51 1.66 0.51 1.66 0.42 1.66 0.42 1.31 0.42 1.31 1.31 0.56 0.56 1.62 0.56 1.62 0.46 1.62 0.46 0.46

0020 55 0020 0555 0020 0555 1223 SA 1223 SA 0555

1.26 1.26 0.61 1.26 0.61 1.57 0.61 1.57 0.49 1.57 0.49 0.49 1.22 1.22 0.66 1.22 0.66 1.52 0.66 1.52 0.52 1.52 0.52 0.52 1.21 1.21 0.70 1.21 0.70 1.48 0.70 1.48 0.52 1.48 0.52 0.52 1.22 1.22 0.71 1.22 0.71 1.47 0.71 1.47 0.48 1.47 0.48 0.48 1.29 1.29 0.67 1.29 0.67 1.49 0.67 1.49 0.42 1.49 0.42 0.42 1.39 1.39 0.59 1.39 0.59 1.54 0.59 1.54 0.35 1.54 0.35 0.35 1.52 1.52 0.48 1.52 0.48 1.59 0.48 1.59 1.59

TU TU TU

WE WE WE

33 TH TH TH

44 FR FR FR

1907 SA 1223 1907 1907 0110 0110 0643 0110 0643 1310 SU 1310 SU 0643 2001 SU 1310 2001 2001 0207 0207 0739 0207 0739 1405 MO 1405 MO 0739 2100 MO 1405 2100 2100 0311 0311 0846 0311 0846 1509 TU 1509 TU 0846 2201 TU 1509 2201 2201 0415 0415 0959 0415 0959 1616 WE 1616 WE 0959 2258 WE 1616 2258 2258 0515 0515 1107 0515 1107 1721 TH 1721 TH 1107 2349 TH 1721 2349 2349 0607 0607 1210 0607 1210 1818 FR 1818 FR 1210 FR 1818

66 77

88 99

10 10 11 11

0037 0037 12 0656 0037 0656 12 1307 SA 1307 SA 0656

1914 SA 1307 1914 1914 0124 0124 0744 0124 0744 1402 SU 1402 SU 0744 2007 SU 1402 2007 2007 0210 0210 0832 0210 0832 1457 MO 1457 MO 0832 2100 MO 1457 2100 2100 0258 0258 0921 0258 0921 1550 TU 1550 TU 0921 2155 TU 1550 2155 2155

13 13 14 14

15 15

0.28 0.28 1.67 0.28 1.67 0.35 1.67 0.35 1.63 0.35 1.63 1.63 0.23 0.23 1.80 0.23 1.80 0.24 1.80 0.24 1.65 0.24 1.65 1.65 0.21 0.21 1.91 0.21 1.91 0.15 1.91 0.15 1.63 0.15 1.63 1.63 0.23 0.23 1.98 0.23 1.98 0.11 1.98 0.11 1.59 0.11 1.59 1.59

Time Time 0346 0346 1012 0346 1012 1645 1012 1645 2250 1645 2250 2250 0436 0436 1102 0436 1102 1741 1102 1741 2346 1741 2346 2346 0529 0529 1154 0529 1154 1838 1154 1838 1838

m m m 0.27 0.27 2.00 0.27 2.00 0.11 2.00 0.11 1.52 0.11 1.52 1.52 0.34 0.34 1.97 0.34 1.97 0.15 1.97 0.15 1.45 0.15 1.45 1.45 0.42 0.42 1.90 0.42 1.90 0.23 1.90 0.23 0.23

0045 0045 19 0624 0045 0624 19 1248 SA 1248 SA 0624

1.38 1.38 0.51 1.38 0.51 1.79 0.51 1.79 0.32 1.79 0.32 0.32 1.32 1.32 0.60 1.32 0.60 1.66 0.60 1.66 0.40 1.66 0.40 0.40 1.30 1.30 0.66 1.30 0.66 1.54 0.66 1.54 0.45 1.54 0.45 0.45 1.31 1.31 0.69 1.31 0.69 1.45 0.69 1.45 0.49 1.45 0.49 0.49 1.35 1.35 0.69 1.35 0.69 1.40 0.69 1.40 0.50 1.40 0.50 0.50 1.41 1.41 0.65 1.41 0.65 1.37 0.65 1.37 1.37

16 16 WE WE WE

17 17 TH TH TH

18 18 FR FR FR

1937 SA 1248 1937 1937 0145 0145 0723 0145 0723 1345 SU 1345 SU 0723 2036 SU 1345 2036 2036 0249 0249 0828 0249 0828 1445 MO 1445 MO 0828 2135 MO 1445 2135 2135 0353 0353 0936 0353 0936 1548 TU 1548 TU 0936 2230 TU 1548 2230 2230 0452 0452 1045 0452 1045 1650 WE 1650 WE 1045 2318 WE 1650 2318 2318 0544 0544 1149 0544 1149 1746 TH 1746 TH 1149 TH 1746

20 20 21 21

22 22

23 23 24 24

0002 0002 25 0629 0002 0629 25 1244 FR 1244 FR 0629

1836 FR 1244 1836 1836 0042 0042 0709 0042 0709 1330 SA 1330 SA 0709 1920 SA 1330 1920 1920 0117 0117 0746 0117 0746 1412 SU 1412 SU 0746 2001 SU 1412 2001 2001 0152 0152 0821 0152 0821 1449 MO 1449 MO 0821 2041 MO 1449 2041 2041 0226 0226 0855 0226 0855 1526 TU 1526 TU 0855 2118 TU 1526 2118 2118 0300 0300 0930 0300 0930 1602 WE 1602 WE 0930 2157 WE 1602 2157 2157

26 26

27 27 28 28 29 29

30 30

0.49 0.49 1.48 0.49 1.48 0.59 1.48 0.59 1.37 0.59 1.37 1.37 0.48 0.48 1.55 0.48 1.55 0.53 1.55 0.53 1.37 0.53 1.37 1.37 0.47 0.47 1.62 0.47 1.62 0.47 1.62 0.47 1.38 0.47 1.38 1.38 0.47 0.47 1.67 0.47 1.67 0.43 1.67 0.43 1.38 0.43 1.38 1.38 0.47 0.47 1.71 0.47 1.71 0.39 1.71 0.39 1.37 0.39 1.37 1.37 0.48 0.48 1.73 0.48 1.73 0.37 1.73 0.37 1.36 0.37 1.36 1.36

Local Time DECEMBER DECEMBER Time TimeDECEMBER m

Time Time 0334 0334 1004 0334 1004 1640 1004 1640 2236 1640 2236 2236 0411 0411 1041 0411 1041 1718 1041 1718 2316 1718 2316 2316 0450 0450 1119 0450 1119 1800 1119 1800 1800

m m 0.50 0.50 1.74 0.50 1.74 0.37 1.74 0.37 1.34 0.37 1.34 1.34 0.52 0.52 1.74 0.52 1.74 0.38 1.74 0.38 1.32 0.38 1.32 1.32 0.56 0.56 1.71 0.56 1.71 0.40 1.71 0.40 0.40

0000 44 0000 0532 0000 0532 1200 SU 1200 SU 0532

1.30 1.30 0.59 1.30 0.59 1.67 0.59 1.67 0.42 1.67 0.42 0.42 1.28 1.28 0.63 1.28 0.63 1.62 0.63 1.62 0.44 1.62 0.44 0.44 1.28 1.28 0.66 1.28 0.66 1.56 0.66 1.56 0.45 1.56 0.45 0.45 1.31 1.31 0.68 1.31 0.68 1.52 0.68 1.52 0.44 1.52 0.44 0.44 1.37 1.37 0.66 1.37 0.66 1.49 0.66 1.49 0.41 1.49 0.41 0.41 1.47 1.47 0.60 1.47 0.60 1.48 0.60 1.48 0.37 1.48 0.37 0.37 1.59 1.59 0.50 1.59 0.50 1.50 0.50 1.50 1.50

TH TH TH

FR FR FR

33 SA SA SA

1844 SU 1200 1844 1844 0047 0047 0620 0047 0620 1245 MO 1245 MO 0620 1931 MO 1245 1931 1931 0140 0140 0714 0140 0714 1334 TU 1334 TU 0714 2024 TU 1334 2024 2024 0238 0238 0816 0238 0816 1432 WE 1432 WE 0816 2119 WE 1432 2119 2119 0339 0339 0927 0339 0927 1538 TH 1538 TH 0927 2215 TH 1538 2215 2215 0439 0439 1039 0439 1039 1646 FR 1646 FR 1039 2311 FR 1646 2311 2311 0536 0536 1149 0536 1149 1752 SA 1752 SA 1149 SA 1752

77 88

10 10

0003 0003 11 0630 0003 0630 11 1253 SU 1253 SU 0630

1853 SU 1253 1853 1853 0055 0055 0722 0055 0722 1352 MO 1352 MO 0722 1951 MO 1352 1951 1951 0145 0145 0814 0145 0814 1448 TU 1448 TU 0814 2047 TU 1448 2047 2047 0236 0236 0905 0236 0905 1542 WE 1542 WE 0905 2143 WE 1542 2143 2143 0327 0327 0956 0327 0956 1634 TH 1634 TH 0956 2237 TH 1634 2237 2237

12 12

13 13 14 14

15 15

  Copyright Copyright Commonwealth Commonwealth of of Australia Australia 2014, 2014, Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2014, Bureau of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tidedaylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times Times are are in in local local standard standard time time (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect New First Moon Full New Moon Moon First Quarter Quarter Moon Phase Phase Symbols Symbols Full Moon Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon

0.33 0.33 1.72 0.33 1.72 0.38 1.72 0.38 1.51 0.38 1.51 1.51 0.30 0.30 1.85 0.30 1.85 0.27 1.85 0.27 1.53 0.27 1.53 1.53 0.29 0.29 1.95 0.29 1.95 0.18 1.95 0.18 1.53 0.18 1.53 1.53 0.29 0.29 2.01 0.29 2.01 0.13 2.01 0.13 1.51 0.13 1.51 1.51 0.32 0.32 2.03 0.32 2.03 0.12 2.03 0.12 1.48 0.12 1.48 1.48

Time Time 0418 0418 1045 0418 1045 1726 1045 1726 2330 1726 2330 2330 0510 0510 1135 0510 1135 1817 1135 1817 1817

m m m 0.37 0.37 2.00 0.37 2.00 0.16 2.00 0.16 1.44 0.16 1.44 1.44 0.43 0.43 1.91 0.43 1.91 0.23 1.91 0.23 0.23

0023 0023 18 0602 0023 0602 18 1225 SU 1225 SU 0602

1.40 1.40 0.50 1.40 0.50 1.80 0.50 1.80 0.32 1.80 0.32 0.32 1.36 1.36 0.58 1.36 0.58 1.66 0.58 1.66 0.40 1.66 0.40 0.40 1.34 1.34 0.66 1.34 0.66 1.52 0.66 1.52 0.48 1.52 0.48 0.48 1.34 1.34 0.71 1.34 0.71 1.40 0.71 1.40 0.53 1.40 0.53 0.53 1.36 1.36 0.73 1.36 0.73 1.32 0.73 1.32 0.55 1.32 0.55 0.55 1.41 1.41 0.71 1.41 0.71 1.28 0.71 1.28 0.56 1.28 0.56 0.56 1.47 1.47 0.66 1.47 0.66 1.26 0.66 1.26 0.55 1.26 0.55 0.55 1.54 1.54 0.59 1.54 0.59 1.28 0.59 1.28 1.28

16 16 FR FR FR

17 17 SA SA SA

1908 SU 1225 1908 1908 0116 0116 0657 0116 0657 1314 MO 1314 MO 0657 1958 MO 1314 1958 1958 0212 0212 0754 0212 0754 1404 TU 1404 TU 0754 2046 TU 1404 2046 2046 0307 0307 0855 0307 0855 1459 WE 1459 WE 0855 2135 WE 1459 2135 2135 0403 0403 1001 0403 1001 1558 TH 1558 TH 1001 2224 TH 1558 2224 2224 0458 0458 1110 0458 1110 1659 FR 1659 FR 1110 2312 FR 1659 2312 2312 0547 0547 1213 0547 1213 1758 SA 1758 SA 1213 2357 SA 1758 2357 2357 0633 0633 1306 0633 1306 1850 SU 1850 SU 1306 SU 1850

19 19 20 20 21 21 22 22

23 23

24 24

25 25

0040 0040 26 0715 0040 0715 26 1351 MO 1351 MO 0715 1936 MO 1351 1936 1936 0120 0120 0754 0120 0754 1431 TU 1431 TU 0754 2019 TU 1431 2019 2019 0158 0158 0831 0158 0831 1509 WE 1509 WE 0831 2059 WE 1509 2059 2059 0235 0235 0908 0235 0908 1545 TH 1545 TH 0908 2137 TH 1545 2137 2137 0313 0313 0945 0313 0945 1621 FR 1621 FR 0945 2216 FR 1621 2216 2216 0352 0352 1022 0352 1022 1659 SA 1659 SA 1022 2257 SA 1659 2257 2257

27 27

28 28 29 29

30 30

31 31

0.54 0.54 1.60 0.54 1.60 0.52 1.60 0.52 1.30 0.52 1.30 1.30 0.52 0.52 1.66 0.52 1.66 0.45 1.66 0.45 1.32 0.45 1.32 1.32 0.51 0.51 1.72 0.51 1.72 0.40 1.72 0.40 1.34 0.40 1.34 1.34 0.49 0.49 1.76 0.49 1.76 0.36 1.76 0.36 1.35 0.36 1.35 1.35 0.49 0.49 1.78 0.49 1.78 0.34 1.78 0.34 1.36 0.34 1.36 1.36 0.49 0.49 1.79 0.49 1.79 0.33 1.79 0.33 1.36 0.33 1.36 1.36

Last Last Quarter Quarter Last Quarter

Tide predictions for Sydney (Fort Denison) have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions. OCTOBER 2016

105

Clark 410 Kakadu SC – Built for anglers’ needs FMG

Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Clark Aluminium Boats produce a comprehensive range of models, from car toppers through to heavyduty offshore boats. They are built in Queensland and are recognised for their strength, durability and safety, as well as value for money. I have tested a number of the smaller models over the last couple of years and have enjoyed what they offer and how they fit into the bigger scheme of things. Saying that, the Clark 410 Kakadu SC is a little different. Based on the 4.35 Kakadu Pro, the 410 has been put together to meet the needs and requests of anglers. WHAT’S DIFFERENT? The key feedback the team received from customers was that they wanted a medium to small boat with a side console that they could put up to a 40hp motor on. Plenty of casting room at the front, the ability to put a bow mount electric motor on it, all at a price point. In short, a little sportfishing machine that wouldn’t break the bank account. The Clark Kakadu series VIDEO

To see this boat in action scan this QR code 106

OCTOBER 2016

was chosen, as many of these features are part and parcel of the range, it was just a matter of tinkering with the layout and finding the right balance to ensure that the performance of the hull wasn’t compromised and that it still met the needs of the customers. The 410 Kakadu side console was the result. Key changes from the original 4.35 Kakadu Pro, other than the length change, was the removal of the anchor well and extension of the casting deck. The casting deck was also lowered to assist with stability and balance on the water, as well as the addition of significant space for either storage, a live well or a larger fuel capacity. With a maximum horsepower rating of 40hp and an electric motor bracket part of the standard fit out, the requests seem to have been met. Lake Mulwala was the location for our on water test. The test boat had a 40hp Suzuki 2-stroke motor on it and looked pretty sharp with its two-tone paint livery. RIDE AND HANDLING The importance of getting the overall balance right is very important. In the case of the test boat, with a 40hp motor on the back he suggested having a fuel tank fitted more towards the front. This improves the weight distribution, which then assists getting on the plane faster and maintains it at slower speeds, and improves the general ride of the boat. The test boat didn’t have this, as the original test boat had been sold a couple of days before I arrived. First thing I have to say about this boat with a 40hp

on it is that it gets up and boogies (not very technical I know). From the first hit on the throttle I knew I was going to enjoy running around in the Clark 410 Kakadu. It got up on the plane quickly and dealt with two passengers being on board easily. Combine a solid wind chop with boat wakes and we had perfect conditions to see what the hull could do. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the 410 coped with the chop and we remained comfortable and dry. The boat at speed sits high on the water (over the chop) and much of the spray that is generated, is behind the seating positions. Cornering was interesting as the vee-nosed punt design means you have a fairly large, flat transom area. When turning at speed the boat did drift a little. This reduced as you dropped your speeds and was non-existent when I did some figure of eight turns. My first impression proved to be true, I really did enjoy running around in the 410. Moving from one location to another or getting where you want to be can be done safely, dry and at a good clip. FISHABILITY The size and layout of the 410 Kakadu SC, as you would expect, lends itself to most freshwater fishing scenarios and would be more than at home on any salt water estuarine system. I would definitely have a bow mount electric motor installed so you can take full advantage of the forward casting deck to cast lures, soft plastics, etc. If trolling is your preferred method, there is plenty of room for three lines to be run out the back and the Suzuki outboard would cope with trolling

speeds with no problems at all. If you enjoy a bit of bait fishing, whether tying up to a tree or anchoring (there is anchor storage space below the forward deck) there are plenty of tie up points around the boat and a bowsprit at the front for anchoring. There is enough space at the front of the boat for two anglers to fish from. There is also enough storage under the forward deck to store gear and keep it out of the way while you’re fishing. LAYOUT I was super impressed with the layout of the 410 Kakadu considering the reduction of length from the original boat. The side console had plenty of room to place a decent sounder and any switches you may need. The seating position was very good, with plenty of room for a 6’2” large person like myself. The seats were very comfortable as well, which is always a bonus. Other than the storage under the front deck there is also a couple of handy side pockets on either side of the seating, to hold those items that need to be within arms reach when you are on the water. SUZUKI 40HP 2-STROKE The 40hp is the maximum horsepower rating for the 410 Kakadu, and the Suzuki 40hp 2-stroke the test boat had fitted, really got it moving. The 2-stroke is installed for two reasons, firstly with pricing in mind and secondly to reduce the weight at the rear of the boat. A 4-stroke can be fitted, but it increases the need to move the fuel tank forward to maintain the hull performance of the boat. The Suzuki 40hp 2-stroke fitted, is a carburetted

2-cylinder motor with a maximum output of 29kW. It is part of the Suzuki portables range and comes with a 3-year recreational use warranty. Considering the motor had only been fitted the day before the test, the performance was excellent and if getting to your destination at good speed is a requirement, then the 40hp 2-stroke is the way to go. THE TRAILER In my mind there are two key points for a boat this size. You must be able to launch and retrieve it with one person and a small family car should be able to tow it. Much of this has to do with the trailer and the way it is set up. The 410 Kakadu was trailered on a 4.3 Dunbier Sports trailer. This is a standard trailer in the Dunbier range and suits most boats of this size and it ensured that both of these criteria were met with no problems at all. CONCLUSION Boats like the Clark 410 Kakadu SC are right up my alley. Small, compact and can be set up to explore and fish all the nooks and crannies of your local lake, river or estuary system. The bonus for me is the side console and the bit of comfort and protection this set up provides. It is imperative to get the balance of the fit out correct, so the performance of the boat isn’t compromised. Well done to Clark as well for producing a boat outside of their current

stable of craft. As far as small boats go this is a little sportfishing machine. Package pricing for the Clark 410 Kakadu starts at $14,590 (or $60* a week) for a plain white boat with a 30hp Suzuki 2-stroke engine and Dunbier 4.3 Sports trailer. The model tested with 40hp Suzuki, coloured sides, electronics package, and Dunbier 4.3 Sports trailer comes in at $16,990 (or $69* a week). Most dealers also stock a full range of electronics and accessories so you can option it up or down to meet your needs. Customer feedback from Boats & More in Echuca and Shepparton was crucial in instigating the design and layout of the 410 Kakadu. These stores have now changed the tested boat name to 410 Cod Catcher. However, the reviewed boat is still known as Kakadu throughout the rest of New South Wales. For more information on this boat and the other boats in the Clark range you can go to www.clarkboats.com.au. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

SPECIFICATIONS Overall Length:.............................................. 4.10m Beam:............................................................. 1.95m Weight (boat only):........................................ 255kg Rec HP:............................................................ 30hp Max HP:........................................................... 40hp Max People:.......................................................... 4

The vee-nosed hull of the Kakadu means it sits high on the water and most of the water spray is produced behind the driver and passenger.

The seating in the 410 is comfortable for both the driver and passenger.

The side console of the 410 Kakadu is well thought out and provides plenty of room for electronics and big fellows like the author.

The Dunbier 4.3 Sports Trailer ensures that launching and retrieving the 410 can be done by one person if required.

Side pockets near the rear seating provide additional storage for the things you need to get your hands on quickly.

The space under the front casting deck provides you the option to put in a livewell, and move the fuel tank forward, or provides a large space for storage.

The 410 Kakadu SC has a bow mount plate as standard that you can add an electric motor to if you like.

The Clark 410 Kakadu SC had power to burn with the Suzuki 40hp 2-stroke on the back of it. OCTOBER 2016

107

G2 Tournament 2000 Bluewater with Suzuki 200 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The second generation 2000 Bluewater sits mid range in the Tournament range of pleasure craft manufactured by the busy Haines Group. At 6.29m in length and with a 2.34m in beam it’s a lot of boat, sure to be appreciated by many people – especially those who need to have a great all rounder suited just as well for family pursuits as for dedicated fishing. The addition of an optional hard top, built on a very strong framework, is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the new G2 Tournament 2000 Bluewater range. Next comes extra cockpit fishing room – some 22cm – plus substantial redesign of the transom area to incorporate a locking door, live bait tank, fold down rear lounge plus hatches that provide access to both batteries and bilge for utmost end user convenience. Up front, there’s 108

OCTOBER 2016

provision for a drum winch to handle ground tackle although the option of walking around the hard top via the cuddy’s wide side decks is certainly viable in calm conditions. I used the walkaround to exit the craft onto a beach and it was quite satisfactory. Tucked below the massive hard top, the skipper and mate’s seats, on their massive hinged storage boxes, are far enough apart to allow easy cabin access via a sliding door. Bunks within the cabin are large enough to sleep on, an infill is available, and useful storage under bunks is sure to be appreciated, as is be the cabin’s full-length side shelving. A Porta Potti is also available. At the helm the skipper and mate will appreciate the comfort and support of the Bluewater’s slideadjustable bucket seats. The sliding windows on each side of the craft’s four-piece, wiperequipped windscreen will be great in hot weather or

in times of bad visibility. Whether seated or standing, the visibility from the helm area is perfect. The Tournament’s 3m long, full-length cockpit side pockets, of very generous capacity, extend right up to the cuddy cab so both skipper and mate can easily access the storage area by their sides. Very handy indeed! The Tournament’s raised dash layout is as

on the dash went to the craft’s big Garmin GPS map 7407XSV unit. It was located above the wheel with banks of switches somewhat lower. Up to four anglers could work in the large, 800mm high cockpit of the G2 Tournament Blue Water (the boat’s rating is for six people). Highlights of the cockpit include generous amounts of side padding,

SPECIFICATIONS Length: ......................................................................6.29m Length overall (including bowsprit):........................6.5m Height on trailer:........................................... approx. 2.4m Height on trailer with hardtop:...............................2.85m Beam:.........................................................................2.34m Hull weight: .............................................................. 960kg Power rating: . .................................................. 130-200hp Max persons: ................................................................... 6 modern as tomorrow, with state-of-the-art dedicated Suzuki gauges that provide every possible piece of information, from engine revs to helm positioning, even exact global position! Suzuki certainly packed a lot of usefulness in those gauges! The pride of place

stainless foot rests atop the long side pockets, two rod holders per side in gunwale tops, along with large hand rails, a non-skid cockpit floor plus a boarding gate to port. The Tournament’s livewell was to starboard within the redesigned transom, while a drop

down three-person aft seat provided comfort underway, yet could be lowered when fishing to form a brace point. Incidentally, the Tournament 2000 Bluewater’s 960kg hull proved very stable at rest, well suited to all manner of fishing or family pursuits. A large bait board aft was also equipped with rod holders. Adding those to the six mounted on the rear of the fibreglass hard top and those in the gunwales brought the total of rod holders aboard to 12. Plenty of rod storage there! Engines range from 130-200hp and power was courtesy of a Suzuki’s new four cylinder DF200A. Interestingly, the new 2.9L four weighs 30kg less than its six cylinder 200 counterpart, and on the transom of the Tournament it certainly proved its worth. Planing occurred at 2800 rpm, travelling at 17.8km/h. I saw a sensible cruising speed of 38.5km/h (3500rpm) with the Suzuki 200 sipping 16.75L per hour. Full throttle application saw 76.4km/h recorded, 6300rpm on the Suzuki gauge.

The Tournament was a pleasure to drive thanks to electric/hydraulic steering, which was extremely direct yet fingertip light. Ride and handling were spot on, as expected of a 21° vee hull with plenty of grip on the water. This boat is well suited to bay, estuary and offshore fishing as well as all manner of family boating. The finish, as per usual with Haines Group products, was up with the very best on offer anywhere, and the hull’s 10-year structural warranty should please owners as well. The displayed price for the 2000 Bluewater is $104,500. More info is also available at www.tournament pleasureboats.com.au. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

Angler-friendly features abound in the Tournament 2000 Bluewater Gen 2, including massive side pockets with footrest, cockpit side coaming and handy grab rail.

Strong under-hull strakes, visible here where they start at the bow section, serve to keep the Tournament level and stable at rest, and right on track underway. Here you can see the Tournament’s clean lines, large work area for anglers plus the very tidy arrangements around the transom.

A drop down seat in the cockpit serves to provide a more spacious area. This will greatly aid fishing, and provides seats for up to three people underway. In this photo you can also see the boarding gate, bait board and bait tank to starboard within the full height transom.

There’s room to spare on the dash area for even larger sounders or nav aids. The test boat’s layout featured state-of-the-art Suzuki gauges and the Garmin 7407XSV unit, on upper levels, wheel and switches are located lower down.

Standing to drive is easy when you have a sliding helm seat with a drop down bolster section. Note the size of the seat storage boxes, strength of the hard top supports and the neat fitment of the sliding cabin door.

A cavernous under seat storage box is a handy feature of the G2 Tournament 2000.

The cabin offers somewhere to have a spell out of the weather, or can be used for gear storage underway. There’s ample lighting, big side pockets and enough floor depth for a Porta Potti to be installed. OCTOBER 2016

109

Trades, Services, Charter BAIT & TACKLE CLARENCE

MARINE MECHANICS SYDNEY

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

COFFS COAST Compleat Angler Kempsey (02) 6562 5307 Rocks Marine Bait & Tackle South West Rocks (02) 6566 6726

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

HUNTER COAST Port Stephens Tackle World (02) 4984 2144

Greg’s Mobile Marine 0424 046 060 • 24/7 CALL OUT Penrith Marine (02) 4731 6250 Moby Marine (02) 9153 6506 or www.mobymarine.com.au Aqua Marine 0415 600 301 or www.aquacash.com.au Cohoe Marine Products (Sydney) (02) 9519 3575 Blakes Marine (02) 4577 6699 Watersports Marine (02) 9676 1400 Neken Marine (02) 9979 9649 Boat Assist 24 - On Water Mechanic (02) 9746 6224

stay & fish

ILLAWARRA COAST

South Coast NSW

NEED REPLACEMENT MARINE ENGINE PARTS OR ACCESSORIES?

SYDNEY Gabes Boating & Fishing Centre Narellan (02) 4647 8755 Windybanks Bait and Tackle (02) 9477 1520

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MACQUARIE COAST

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

FRESHWATER

Dubbo Marine and Watersports (02) 6882 2853

HOLIDAY RENTAL

NORTH COAST

Specialising in “Tournament Quality Lures” 0425 230 964 SHOP 18, 29 KIORA RD MIRANDA NSW 2228

www.fishin.com.au 0425 230 964 Blue Bottle Fishing 0409 333 380 or www.bluebottlefishing.com Mo Tackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Specialty Fishing Products www.specialtyfishing.com.au Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au Techni Ice www.techniice.com J Roc Tackle www.jroctackle.com.au Jayro Tackle www.jayrotackle.com.au

Brooms Head Caravan Park (02) 6646 7144 Calypso Yamba Holiday Park (02) 6646 8847 Iluka Riverside Tourist Park (02) 6646 6060 Wooli Camping & Caravan Park (02) 6649 7671

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

Holiday Haven Tourist Parks

MACLEAY VALLEY COAST

Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks 1300 262 782 Crescent Head Holiday Park (02) 6566 0261

CRESCENT HEAD HOLIDAY RENTALS

MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS // BOAT & TRAILER Bold Trailers (02) 8544 8114 www.boldtrailers.com.au Salt Away 1800 091 172 www.salt-away.com.au

cabins, caravans, camping & fishing … all year ‘round

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.

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Email: holiday@crescentheadrealestate.com.au

Culburra Beach Swan Lake Bendalong Point Lake Conjola Ulladulla Headland Burrill Lake

1300 733 026 1300 555 517 1300 733 025 1300 133 395 1300 733 021 1300 555 525

Relax. Enjoy. Explore.

6 MAIN ST, CRESCENT HEAD NSW 2440

Phone: 02 6566 0500

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3 Transom & floor repairs 312v Electrical installations 4 Aspinall Place, MULGRAVE 02 4577 3482 www.westernboatrepairs.com.au

Crescent Head Holiday Rentals (02) 6566 0500 Hat Head Holiday Park (02) 6567 7501 Horse Shoe Bay Holiday Park (02) 6566 6370 Stuarts Point Holiday Park (02) 6563 0616 Grassy Head Holiday Park (02) 6569 0742 South West Rocks Tourist Park 1800 666 264

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

CENTRAL COAST

www.holidayhaven.com.au

Central Coast Holiday Parks 1800 241 342

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.

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory Jan’s Retreat (02) 4441 7000 Currarong Beachside Tourist Park 1300 555 515 Sussex Inlet (LJ Hooker) (02) 4441 2135 Riviera Caravan Park, St George’s Basin (02) 4441 2112 Killalea State Park, Shell Cove (02) 4237 8589 Holiday With Us, Sussex Inlet (02) 4441 2135 Surf Beach Holiday Park (02) 4232 1791 Kendalls on the Beach (02) 4232 1790 Werri Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1285 Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1340 Kiama Harbour Cabins (02) 4232 2707 Ulladulla Headland Tourist Park 1300 733 021

QUEENSLAND

MV CAPRICORN STAR EXTENDED FISHING CHARTERS

INDIVIDUAL ENQUIRIES WELCOME

FRESHWATER

Swains Reef • Bunker Group • Coral Sea • Shoal Waters and Beyond

Burrinjuck Waters State Park (02) 6227 8114 Providence Lodge (Eucumbene) (02) 6454 2200 Winter Keep (Snowy Mountains) www.winterkeep.com.au Grabine Lakeside State Park (02) 4835 2345 Lake Glenbawn State Park (02) 6543 7193 Wyangala Waters State Park (02) 6345 0877 Bass Lodge Macleay River NSW 0433 482 325 Chifley Dam Cabins 1800 68 1000

W capricornstar.com.au • E info@capricornstar.com.au MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201 or www.amytiadventure.com.au Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters Swains & Coral Sea 0427 125 727

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COAST

Coffs Coast Sport Fishing 0434 517 683 Oceanic Sea Urchin II Charters (02) 6566 6623 or 0428 650 321 The Rocks Fishing Charters 0412 074 147 Trial Bay Fishing Charters, 0427 256 556 South West Rocks Fishing Adventures 0411 096 717

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KAYAK DEALERS Hunter Water Sports (02) 4947 7899

FISH TAXIDERMY Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841

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On board our fully equiped 38ft Randell TRIFECTA Contact: David Hayman (Stumpee) Mobile: 0411 096 717 info@swrcharters.com.au

MACQUARIE COAST 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

ILLAWARRA COAST Sea Lady Charters 0411 024 402 Silver Star Fishing Charters (02) 4421 7462 or 0412 977 000 Shell Harbour Fishing Charters 0425 216 370

EDEN COAST Esprit Fishing Charters 1300 556 658 Freedom Charters Eden (02) 6496 1209 or www.freedomcharters.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

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