NSW Fishing Monthly October 2017 by Fishing Monthly

BUMPER TROUT FEATURE • FISH SMARTER AND CATCH MORE

Features • • • • • •

Trout at Tantangara Trout hook debate Fishing smarter at New England Lure making: Doc’s Surface Stickbait Success on squid XP Baits Butterfly Jigs

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October 2017, Vol. 23 No. 3

Contents BYRON COAST Tweed Inshore 30 The Tweed 31 Ballina 32 Yamba 34 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour South West Rocks

36 38

MACQUARIE COAST The Hastings 40 Forster 42 Harrington-Taree 45 HUNTER COAST Hunter Coast 46 Swansea 48 Port Stephens 50 Erina 51 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 16 Sydney North 18 Pittwater 18 Sydney Harbour 20 Sydney Rock and Beach 22 Sydney South 24 Botany Bay 23 Western Sydney 26 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 52 Nowra 53 BATEMANS COAST Narooma 54 Merimbula 55 Batemans Bay 56

From the Editor’s Desk... TROUT AND COPETON COD ON THE RADAR With cod season closed and trout season open, there’ll be plenty of anglers travelling to the most publicised lake in the state for a dose of closed-season cod fishing in Copeton Dam this month. Exempted from the closure, we’ll be sure to see a continuing procession of XOS Aussie natives caught in this waterway this spring. It’s exciting to see the variety in Australianmade gigantic swimbaits and topwater baits that are rushing in to fill the niche. Who would have thought that some of Matt Fraser’s handmade blue tongue lizard jointed topwater baits would sell for $300 to $350! And he can’t make enough of them. Likewise, trout anglers will enjoy being able to participate in their favourite

pastime in October, with the season opening just as this goes to print. GONE FISHING DAY 2016’s inaugural Gone Fishing Day was great success at so many levels. At one end of the spectrum, it was mentioned in Parliament by federal Fisheries Minister Anne Ruston, and at the user end it saw thousands of anglers out on the water, going fishing, enjoying the great Australian outdoors and sharing time with mates and loved ones. Plenty of you also shared the experience on social media with the hashtag #gonefishingday. We encourage you to do this again on the 2017 Gone Fishing Day, to be held on 15 October. NSW Fisheries have provided a heap of small grants to fishing clubs and associations to help conduct Gone Fishing Day events and

activities, and you can check out their website to see if there are any events on in your area. If there aren’t, get your local club to apply for an event in 2018. And then go fishing! Make sure you like the Gone Fishing Day page on Facebook and share the heck

out of it. The more of us get on the water and show others that we love what we do, the more powerful our voice is when it comes to making sure that anglers are included in decisions about fisheries, areas and environments that effect our passion.

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SPECIAL FEATURES Trout at Tantangara 8 Fishing smarter at New England 12 Trout hook debate: trebles vs singles 14 Success on squid 28 DIY Doc’s Surface Stickbait 78

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Trout

Tantangara – A shore based angler’s playground FMG

Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

When people talk about fishing the NSW Snowy Mountains lakes, the majority of the chatter is about Lake Eucumbene or Lake Jindabyne. The pre-spawn run in the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers, the huge amount of fish that are stocked or that naturally recruit in both lakes, and the facilities and access have always been well documented. I am the first to admit that I have spent many an hour fishing both lakes from the shore and from a boat. I was well aware of Tantangara and the quality of fish in it, but a lack of adventure on my part, and a poor first experience at the dam, meant that I gave it a wide berth. Wind the clock forward 20 years and an opportunity

Left: Access to the shoreline of the dam is very good. After that it’s just a matter of figuring out where to fish. Right: A perfect example of what to look for when finding an area to fish – a deeper edge and a point with rocks leading into the water. This area produced a number of fish. have everything you need (firewood, food, etc.) and ensure you take all your rubbish and leave the area clean for others to enjoy as well. ACCESS TO THE SHORELINE There is limited access to the western shoreline via the

lying areas can be very soft underfoot and you are a long way from anybody coming to help. Once on the shoreline it is generally firm and you can find yourself a prime location to have a fish. If you continue along the Port Phillip Trail, you’ll find the dam trail. This leads down

The author caught a number of fish from this area including this beautiful hen rainbow. to revisit Tantangara on a work trip was too good an opportunity to miss. Construction of Tantangara Dam commenced in 1958 across the Murrumbidgee River as part of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, and was completed in 1960. Situated northeast of Lake Eucumbene, near the township of Adaminaby, access is via Tantangara Road from the Snowy Mountains Highway. This is an 18km-unsealed road that takes you to the dam wall itself. From here access to the shoreline and fishing is via a number of trails and tracks that I will cover in more detail later in this feature. The dam is entirely in the in the Kosciusko National Park and has limited facilities, so if you are intending to check Tantangara Dam out for yourself then you need to ensure that you 8

OCTOBER 2017

Quarry Trail. This is a 4WD trail only and also has a closure period (June long weekend to the October long weekend). It takes you along the ridgeline of the western side of the dam and has a number of tracks that branch off it and take you down to the water. The track in general is in good condition, but does have a few low spots that can become treacherous if there has been recent rain, so take care. On the other hand, the eastern side of the dam has better access due to the quality of the roads and trails that can be used. Pockets Saddle Road crosses the Murrumbidgee River below the dam wall and meanders high above the reservoir itself, taking you towards the top of the dam to the Port Phillip and Tantangara E trails, which lead to the shoreline of the waterway. Again, care needs to be taken, particularly if there has been recent rain. Low

to where the Murrumbidgee River enters the waterway. This can be a prime fishing location and is a beautiful part of the dam. FISHING As mentioned, my first experience fishing Tantangara was a shocker. I had three very cold days there and didn’t even look like catching a fish. I remember thinking at the time that my mate Andy must have caught his 8lb trophy brown trout elsewhere and he was leading me down the garden path. That experience ensured that prior to this visit I did a little bit of investigation into the waterway and how it fishes. I discovered a few key things while doing this. Firstly, Tantangara’s water levels are prone to quite a bit of fluctuation, particularly when it has large inflows. Earlier this year the rain event that provided many areas much needed drought relief also saw Tantangara reach 75%

capacity – a level that I don’t ever remember seeing. Fishos rejoiced because the fish in the lake took full advantage of the freshly flooded areas and the abundance of food they provided. The fishing was exceptional and the fish were in great condition. As quickly as the dam rose, water releases ensured it fell almost as quickly, and anglers who had experienced the highs now found the fishing very tough, and access to the shoreline treacherous. This is the extreme end of the dam’s water fluctuations, however it definitely pays to keep an eye on what the

water levels are doing when planning a trip. Periods where the levels are stable or when a rise has occurred are prime times to head there. Quickly dropping levels are more than likely going to result in disappointment. The other thing I found interesting was that I couldn’t find any record of the dam being stocked. Natural recruitment seems to be the only way the fish stocks replenish, so dry years around the brown and rainbow trout spawning periods will see gaps in the year classes of fish caught. This hasn’t been a problem in recent years, but

it’s something to keep in mind. If it has been very dry, fish numbers will be down and the fishing more difficult. On this trip the dam had been at 20% of its capacity for an extended period, and rain had ensured a great spawning season for the dam in 2016, so my and Andy’s expectations were high. As we were based at the northern end of the dam, our fishing exploits also began there. Our starting point was at the top end of Mosquito Creek. Like most of the foreshore at Tantangara there are tracks leading to the water off the main trails. We took one of these once we crossed the

Trout creek on the Port Phillip Trail. Although the dam was only at 20%, there was still a lot of shoreline to fish from. In a situation like this, narrowing down where to start is very important.

the area on foot using the following methods. LURES My preferred style of lure to search new areas like we found at Tantangara are small diving minnows. Most

The rain set in, but the author had to have one more cast on this productive bank before heading back to warm up in front of a fire. We looked for areas with steeper banks leading into the water (deducing that deeper water would be along these banks), as there are lots of shallow areas all over the waterway and these deeper banks tend to be like highways for the trout, bringing them within casting distance. We then set about exploring

major brands have a lure that is suitable to do this. They just need to be 3-5cm in length and run around 2-5ft deep. My preferred lures are either the Bullet Five-O minnow or the Rapala CD5 minnow (both also have 3cm versions). Both have great castability and a range of colours to suit most conditions and times of year.

Searching an area is not about standing in one place and blindly casting over and over again. It’s about taking a few steps between every few casts and getting a feel for what is under the water where you are casting. This is done by feeling what the lure is doing during the retrieve. Holding the rod tip low to the water allows the lure to run at its maximum depth. If it’s constantly hitting the bottom then you need to lift the rod tip during the retrieve, so that it runs just above the bottom. If it hits the bottom/weed or structure halfway back and then stops hitting, I then cast again and lift the rod tip where I think it hit, so it just misses it and then lower it again. I am trying to keep the lure in the right zone for the maximum amount of time and in the process painting

a mental picture of the area I am casting to. Two to three casts in one spot are plenty, and you should then move a bit further. If I catch a fish or get a bite, I will have a few extra casts and always have a cast there again as I return back to my starting point, because if there is one then others are likely to be there too. A quick tip: if you are getting a lot of follows and no bites, put a few pauses and jerks into your retrieve. This will either fire the fish up or scare them off. It would be remiss of me to say ‘ignore the large shallow areas of the dam.’ Plenty of fish can be found prospecting the shallows; it is just a matter of adjusting your lure choice to suit. Tassie Devils or spoon-style lures are ideal for this. They have plenty of weight so you can

GREAT LURES TO TRY Hardbodies • Rapala CD3 • Rapala CD5 • Bullet Minnow 3cm • Bullet Five-O Minnow • Geecrack Suguri 60 • Zerek Tango Shad • Tassie Devils • Pegron Minnow Soft Plastics • Strike Tiger 2” T-Tail and 3” Curl-Tail Grub • Berkley Gulp 3” Minnow and 4” Nemesis Minnow • Zerek 3.5” Flat Shad

A rainy morning cleared to a beautiful afternoon, and the bank continued to produce fish. cast a long way, and I rig them with a Mustad inline single hook to reduce their snagability. Long casts and moving between each cast lets you check out large areas quite quickly. SOFT PLASTICS Fishing for trout with soft plastics is very new to me and something I am keen to do more often, given the opportunity. Andy was the one who opened my eyes to it. You can fish a paddle-tail or curl-tail plastic using a very similar retrieve to a minnow lure with similar results. The advantage of using a plastic is that the single hook is a little more snag-proof.

I was surprised that Andy’s plastic of choice is a Berkley Gulp 3” Minnow. I am not surprised that Gulp works, just that this model requires the angler to create action when using it. Andy certainly did that and had great results using a strong whipping retrieve. BAIT The beauty of the areas you try with lures is that they are also prime locations to soak a bait. Use a running sinker rig with the smallest sinker possible. The key is not necessarily casting as far away from you as you can, but more about putting your baits into those highway areas I spoke To page 10

OCTOBER 2017

Trout From page 9

about earlier. Fish roam these areas looking for food, so there is every chance they will eat your bait. Another thing to look for is rocks leading to and in the water. These are prime areas for insect larvae to hide, so the fish love hanging around them. Most freshwater baits will work at Tantangara, from

FLYFISHING I would love to say that I managed to get the long wand out and search the flats during the low light periods with wet flies, or target the numerous fish rising in the areas we fished with dry flies, but time simply didn’t allow me to. I am sure a fly angler would have had plenty of success, and the Murrumbidgee River

braid provides, so I set up an outfit with 3lb spinning fluorocarbon and found that I ended up using it for the majority of fishing. I did not jump a fish off and only missed a couple of hits, so I was convinced this was the way to go. Be sure to pack warm clothing and wet weather gear, as the weather in the Snowy

A wet and cool morning turned into a stunning afternoon to be fishing Tantangara. the humble tiger and garden worm to mudeyes, yabbies, bardi grubs and my favourite – the scrub worm. Brown trout don’t seem to be able to resist a scrub worm, and these baits have been the saviour for many anglers on a quiet trip. PowerBait is a very popular and effective artificial bait. Rainbow trout for some reason will take PowerBait over the juiciest scrub worm you can find.

also lends itself to fly angling. GEAR As far as a rod and reel are concerned, a 1-3kg, 7ft graphite rod matched with a 1500 size reel is perfect for this type of fishing. Until this trip I had been a huge advocate for using 4lb braid and extra long 4-6lb leaders. I had, however, questioned whether the number of fish that I was jumping off justified the additional sensitivity that

Mountains region can change very quickly. For example, when we arrived at the dam it was an overcast and warm day – by the time we got to our first fishing spot it was raining and (for this Queenslander) quite cold. A warm fire was definitely required that night and then it was shorts and t-shirt weather the next day. I took neoprene waders with me and used them first up in the morning. Good footwear

is a must for wandering the banks. They keep your feet dry and provide that bit of extra grip that your author didn’t have when he had a slip on what is a very slippery water’s edge. My runners were certainly not ideal. WHERE TO STAY AND CAMPING Camping is permitted on the foreshores of the dam as long as you are 100m from the waterline. There are no facilities and it is requested by all users that you remove all rubbish and ensure nothing is left behind. I wish to make a side note to all anglers and users of the Tantangara Dam, we found the remains of a campsite in which we removed two full bags of rubbish (mainly bottles and cans) and some burnt-out camp chairs. To the people who left this behind, you are not welcome to the area and I hope you do not return. We stayed at Currango Homestead, which has a number of eco-friendly accommodation options (go towww.nationalparks. nsw.gov.au and search for Currango Homestead) and there are also a couple of options at Providence Portal, which is only a short drive from the dam. I WILL BE BACK My second experience of Tantangara Dam will not be

PE8

The reward for heading to the western shoreline was this beautiful brown trout. my last. After two full days of casting we didn’t even get close to fishing all the areas we had intended, because where we did fish fished so well. We fished the foreshore either side of Mosquito Creek and also ventured down a couple of the tracks off the Quarry Trail. There is a very strong year class of fish around the 30-35cm mark that will provide some amazing fishing

over the next few years. There were also enough bigger fish (up to 4lb) to keep things interesting and to test my 3lb main line. We had another bumper snow season this year, so inflows should be good when the weather starts to warm. In my mind that can only mean the fishing will be good and I need to start organising my next trip to Tantangara Dam.

ACCOMMODATION Currango Homestead – www.nationalparks. nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/ accommodation/currango-homestead Cool Mountain Lodge (Providence Portal) – www.coolmountainlodge.com.au Providence Holiday Park (Providence Portal) – www.providenceholidaypark.com.au

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Trout

Fish smarter for New England trout this season FISHING MONTHLY

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Every year New England trout seem to surprise me. During last summer, water temperatures in some of these waterways reached high levels that fairly tested the survival of the resident trout. With low levels and

OPTION 1 – LOW AND CLEAR WATER With pre-spring rains being a bit hit and miss, I rate the low/clear water option a strong possibility in some areas. Fortunately, New England nights are still very cold and daytime temperatures are hardly reaching 20°C, so high water temperature is not a factor; it’s just that low and clear

is a treat to use. A Red Tag, Geehi Special or Royal Wulff dry fly (size 12 or 14) on a 3m leader finishing in a 2kg breaking strain tippet is a lot of fun to use in many of the high country waterways’ upper sections. Casting gently into pool’s heads, side bubble trails or areas where water detours against an undercut or shaded area will usually put a smile on

Note the breeze on the water. Small trout water often fishes best in a breeze as the fish feel confident under the rippled surface.

Rainbow trout like this one demand a 3kg tippet if you want to stay connected around undercut banks and the like. tepid water the fish seemed doomed in some instances, yet they somehow held on. It seems natural selection has spawned a breed of fish that are tougher than the norm! After some great top-up flows, courtesy of Cyclone

water makes the need for stealth essential to fool these sharp-eyed and permanently wary fish that react to even a heavy footfall, let alone the sight of an angler moving along the bank. In skinny water the fly angler arguably has the best

your face as the fly vanishes in a tiny swirl and the lift of the rod is accompanied by a solid pull. Where smaller runs tip into deeper New England pools, upgrade the fine tippet to a stronger one, as there’s every chance a small water

while watching the fly for that subtle disappearance, or the brief glimpse of a trout’s head, that signifies a fish has taken it. A fly fishing rig, based on a floating fly line set up in the manner I’ve described, will be ideal for prospecting those fabulous little streams around Ebor, Guyra, Armidale and other higher areas where trout do so well. If the surface activity seems to have shut down (no lookers after lots of casts), the use of a wet fly such as a size 8 or 10 black or dark green Woolly Bugger will often get some action going again. Stick to casting into the side runs, shaded areas or bubbly sections while maintaining a short stripping retrieve to feel for the take. To sink a wet fly (size 10 black beetle patterns are also good), all that’s necessary is to rub the floatant Mucilin off the leader tippet with a rag and then smear the tippet and around a metre of the leader behind it with some streamside mud. A couple of rubs with a handful of soft mud will do the trick and this will sink the wet fly rapidly

Hook removers are a useful bit of kit for the trout angler lest those sharp little teeth get to work on a finger. and ensure the best chance of success. OPTION 2 – IT’S BEEN RAINING! If New England high country streams have been blessed with good rainfall

just prior to the opening or during an angler’s foray, there’s every chance that streams might be somewhat discoloured. The smart angler will work towards the smaller up-country sections

A perfect big fish lie: the run-in area of this large pool. Debbie, fishing was great, which is how it ought to be for this season. Stream levels are hard to predict in the short lead-up to the opening weekend – so much can change over only a couple of days, so it might be wise to think a little ahead and consider some options to cover all bases. 12

OCTOBER 2017

of it in that the presentation of a small fly creates very little disturbance, yet will often attract a fish to see what sort of yummy offering has just landed in its larder. The trout motto is ‘if it falls in, eat it!’ Dry flyfishing is at its best in shallow New England waters where a 5-6wt outfit

28cm rainbow or brown is going to be replaced by a 45-50cm one, which is going to give the 5-6wt tackle a real work out. A 3kg tippet wouldn’t be out of place in this situation – the rippled run of water will hide the tippet well and all the angler needs to do is keep all slack out of the equation by retrieving it

A landing net’s a recognized asset for trout angling as these fish are extremely lively.

Trout of recognized trout waters and mainly stick with wet flies for searching fishholding areas around the aforementioned heads of pools, side areas of main bubble trails and any shaded sections with some depth about them. LIGHT TACKLE SPINNING When the water’s up in the grass or discoloured this also provides a great opportunity for the keen spin angler who enjoys using tiny plastics or mini hardbodied lures and the

like on ultra fine tackle. Remember that tiny lures with tiny trebles on them will usually foul in the net (trout require a landing net, as they always jump and carry on at close quarters). When this happens, the fish have a very hard time of it while the angler tries to extract trebles from both a flapping fish and the net at the same time. A single hook is often a kinder option if catch and release is planned. Remember though, whether it’s the fly rod or the spin rod in your hand, a discreet,

gentle approach will always yield far more fish. CONSULT THE MAP With the guaranteed popularity of New England trout waters over the next few months, the really smart angler will put as much distance between where they parked the car and where they fish – after requesting permission to fish from a land owner, as most of the trout waters are on private property. With angler presence a certainty in the first few weeks, better small water fishing

Note the kit: back pack, sun screening hat and thigh waders, ideal for a day on a New England high country stream. Isn’t that pool a beauty?

Water like this demands a very stealthy approach, yet can hold quite large fish.

is always assured where the trout have been least disturbed. A hard look at good old Google Earth will really pay dividends for a day on the water. Other things you’ll find handy are sun protective clothing, a backpack for extra gear and tucker, and thigh waders (if the budget runs to them) to keep your legs dry. A New South Wales fishing licence is available online. Lastly, forceps for removing tiny hooks are much more efficient than fingers.

A selection of wet flies. Note the larger bead head Woolly Buggers on the right.

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Trout

Trout hooks: trebles vs singles WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

Whether you’re trolling a lure in a lake or flicking in a mountain stream, fishing for trout doesn’t come without its challenges. For the most part, trout are quite an easy adversary to tackle, apart from the odd brutal battle running down a river rapid, or a solid buck that’s heading into a thick snag. Trout will often jump when hooked, and while rainbow trout do this more often, browns will also try this in an attempt to rid the hooks from their jaw. This causes big problems when battling fish, as hooks can twist and pull out of their mouth, especially when a trout has two sets of trebles embedded into each corner of the jaw hinge. In this situation, they’ll flex open their mouth causing the hooks to bend and tear out due to the pressure put on them, or they can become lose and fall out due to tearing a hole in the fishes lips. If there is one thing that makes you re-think your tackle, it is when you lose your prized catch. When this happens, anglers tend to focus on what has just happened and begin to look for other methods to prevent

TREBLES Over 90% of lures sold on tackle store walls these days come fitted with treble hooks, and with so many brands of trebles available, various lure manufactures fit out their lures with what is going to fit within the retail price they want the lure to sell for. VMC hooks are without doubt the most common

treble from Norway. I guess at the end of the day, irrespective of the treble brand, trout can still toss a treble during the fight. Many factors come into play when battling fish that need to be taken into consideration. Fishing with treble hooks certainly has its advantages, but also few disadvantages. Trout that are extremely

aggressive during the spawning months have a tendency to swipe at a lure, thinking it is a rival male trout coming to sneak in on the action before he manages to do so. Although some trout will attempt to eat the challenging male, a swipe at a lure containing treble hooks will still prick the fish, but whether or not that it stays connected that is another matter. The same goes for small stream trout. Quite often they will chase down a lure attempting to grab it, but not always do they get their mouth around it. Treble hooks in this situation will once again connect with the fish, but could pull if there is too much pressure, or if the

More fish tend to get lost fishing trebles than with singles.

Higgs displaying a solid brown that couldn’t escape a single inline hook on a hardbody.

Even with six exposed hooks, only one pinned this fish. hooks are imbedded in the corner of each jaw hinge. Of course, combating these scenarios can be just

a matter of re-rigging the lure to single hooks to ensure the hook set is right from the start.

SINGLES Inline single hooks are increasing in popularity these days, especially

Another solid brown landed, but it was pure luck that this one stuck with trebles. this from re-occurring. Hook failures are a common issue when battling trout mainly because hooks are what keep you connected to the fish and if there is a problem at this end, then it is time that you re-think the entire setup. 14

OCTOBER 2017

hooks used today, and while they are up there with the quality you’d expect to find on a quality lure, some others may be a cheaper option from the Chinese market, or then to the other end of the scale and could be fitted with a Mustad

amongst lure anglers. Inline single hooks are a sure way of getting a clear and secure hook set, but they also present challenges. When a trout grabs a lure with two sets of singles, both hooks will imbed securely, providing

Despite lures coming stock standard with treble hooks, this may not necessarily be the best way to have them rigged.

Trout the fish is given enough time to totally grab the lure in the first swipe. This means, slowing down the retrieve as much as possible and allowing the fish to really have a crack is a good idea. Anglers who troll in lakes using the everproductive Tasmanian Devil lure often retro-fit by discarding the standard treble hooks they come with and replacing them with two inline singles. Rigging a Tassie in this way, allows the fish to grab hold of the hooks, having them both imbed in the mouth securing a solid hook set, without the disadvantage of having potentially three barbs from a fine gauge treble hook that could buckle.

the lure hits the water, you’re maximising your chance of success. DAMAGE PREVENTION Another advantage of using single hooks over trebles is the limited amount of damage to a fishes’ mouth. Trebles that do stick in the corner of the jaw can

Obviously, if the fish is going to be kept for the table it probably isn’t of much concern, but if you’re going to be catching and releasing, then taking care of the fish is paramount. No doubt, you’d want to be releasing them with as limited damage as possible. So I guess no matter

Tasmanian Devil lures are commonly rigged with singles rather than trebles to ensure a solid hook set. again, any fish grabbing it from behind will have the rear hook pin in the roof of the fish’s mouth, or at least the single will set in the jaw hinge while the rear single will potentially catch around the gill plate. Fishing for trout, regardless of where and when you’re targeting

Given the strength of the jaw hinge on trout, single hooks always manage to set better than trebles.

Note the strength of the jaw hinge; this is why a single inline hook has a higher rate of secure penetration than a treble.

Even with treble hooks, sometimes only one point will embed.

Hardbody lures also fall into this mix, and even more so when it comes to river fishing. Hardbodies require a slightly different rigging method when using singles. In order to get the hooks positioned correctly, rig the first single on the belly of the lure so the barb is facing in a forward in a kind of reverse direction. This will have the hooks shank run along the belly of the lure. This will enable the hook to sit under the belly so when a fish grabs it, the hook will set instantly. The rear single should face the opposite direction, with the hooks point still facing the lure’s head, but in an upward direction. Once

Retro-fitting your lures allows you to maximise your chances out on the water. The only question is which lure will you choose? them, always poses a challenge, and you might only get one shot at them. By re-assessing your hook setup and ensuring that you’ve made the right choice from the moment

cause complications when attempting to remove them. A single hook on the other hand is just one hook that is imbedded and can easily be removed without causing too much harm to the fish.

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OCTOBER 2017

October heating up the action in the estuaries THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

After some pretty slow fishing, anglers can now rejoice with rising water temperatures and increased feeding activity from most of the estuary’s inhabitants. Bass and EPs have been biting well in the upper tidal waters around Windsor and north Richmond, with bass holding deep on the snags and weed beds. These fish are best targeted with spinnerbaits and bibless minnows. Early and late in the day may see a bit of surface activity for those keen to toss a topwater presentation or two. Focus on your casting accuracy; getting your lure tight into the bass’ territory will more than likely result in a hit. The EPs will be holding in large schools on the rock walls and deeper weed beds that form good back eddies. Deep diving crankbaits, weighted flies fished on intermediate or full sink lines, soft plastics and small blades are all deadly on these fish when they are schooled

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vigorously on the abundant school prawns and small baitfish that are moving upstream to their favourable summer haunts. Most baits will get bites during spring, but the school prawn is always the standout.

with minimal lead to keep the presentation as natural as possible. Small soft plastic grubs, minnows or prawn imitations rigged on 1/12 to 1/6 jigheads will keep the lure fishos on the fish when cast around the plentiful rock walls in the upper brackish reaches. Flathead will be in similar places to the bream with good table fish to be found at the Windsock and Dads Corner. Soft plastics and blades will allow anglers to cover plenty of water and find where the concentrations of fish are on any given day. Prawns will also work well in these areas. Make sure you check your trace near the hook after each fish to minimise the risk of losing that better fish due to abrasion from a previous fish’s mouth. School mulloway and larger 1m+ models won’t be far from the action and can take some anglers by surprise when they snaffle their prawn baits on light tackle aimed at a bream or flathead. Mulloway should

Mulloway are highly sought-after with an increasing amount of anglers trying to catch a decreasing population! Here the author displays a 108cm beast prior to a successful release. Whether they’re presented whole, in part or peeled, they are by far the most favoured bait on the river for most species. Rig them on a no. 1 bait keeper or no. 3 octopus hook and reasonably light line. They are deadly when presented around structure

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be spread right through the system this month, with some better quality fish coming from Broken Bay at the usual spots like Juno, Eleanors Bluff, Gunya Point and the road and rail bridges. Lures and live baiting will both account for

fish in the rising water temperatures. Fishing the tide changes is paramount to success, and spending as much time as possible on the water will put you in with a higher chance of

Blue swimmer and mud crabs will start to come on this month, with Broken Bay up to Berowra best for the blue swimmers and the smaller feeder creeks further upstream for the mud crabs.

Some great flathead can be encountered this month. Sheryl caught this 67cm dusky on a lightly weighted soft plastic on a recent charter. encountering this species. Please be mindful when it comes to whether to keep or release your prized mulloway catch. These fish have been in a significant decline since the ’70s and are currently sitting at an estimated 7% of their virgin unfished biomass. The research has shown that what we are currently doing under the Mulloway Recovery Program is not working, so I urge readers to release any mulloway that is fit for release and only keep fish (within the NSW bag limits) that are not likely to release well and were gut hooked, have barotrauma or similar. Every mature fish swimming in our waters has the ability to spawn hundreds of eggs each breeding season and these are the future of mulloway in NSW.

Fresh fish frames from your previous outing are the ticket for baiting your traps. Set the muddy traps overnight for a better result and the opposite applies for your witches hats, which you should check regularly at around half hour intervals. Salmon, tailor and kingfish will hopefully turn up this month in Pittwater and Broken Bay. They will be fixated on small clear baitfish we refer to as ‘eyes.’ When the predators are feeding on this bait they can be so frustrating unless you present a small fly in front of the leading edge. As the month wears on, the bait will grow and these fish will be a viable target for anglers fishing conventional tackle casting small metal slices and soft plastic minnows into the feeding frenzy.

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Sportfishing for pelagics around Sydney SYDNEY NORTH

Paul O’Hagan

Fishing will improve this month as we see warmer conditions and the cold and windy weather slowly moving away. With the swell and wind not in our favour offshore, anglers have had little opportunity to get out and hunt down the elusive tuna that seem to have lost their directions to Sydney. While a few nice-sized yellowfin were taken out wide recently, there were no decent numbers and few reports of anything else going on. Sydney has a hot current pushing down from the north and a cold current being drawn up from the south, giving us some decent temperature breaks and (as we all know) that’s where the fish are going to be patrolling. A lot of anglers are predicting that they will be into a marlin before hooking up on a tuna. To cover all bases, a good spread of medium to large skirts trolled along the temperature breaks should see some sort of action and maybe a good quality gamefish hooked. Our inshore reef fishing has been very good at times with quality snapper

Nick Martin with a whopper kingfish. on the chew in the early morning in very shallow water. As the day moves on, the fish tend to move out into deeper water. While setting down berley trails for the snapper, an intruder has moved in on our reefs called the barracouta. While similar in appearance to the barracuda that patrol our northern coastlines, it is a much smaller fish and isn’t related. These ferocious predators will take almost anything that is on offer, from trolled lures to plastics, and can be found snapping off baited lines and frustrating anglers as we are constantly tying new rigs.

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While they’re not the best eating fish, they can still be cooked up for a meal. Never eat them raw. Spinning small and large metals with a wire trace should get you some results with this acrobatic little sportfish. While lots of reef species are gathering in the berley trails, there are lots of rat kings and sometimes bigger hoodlums patrolling in the deeper water joining in on the feed. Sydney Harbour has been invaded with schools of very small whitebait being chased by salmon and attracting large flocks of seagulls, which are diving and sitting on the top of the action. The schools have been reported travelling right up as far as the harbour bridge. While salmon are chasing the very small baitfish, you’ll see an increase in our saltwater

fly anglers chasing the schools and casting microsized epoxy minnows and flies that can’t be cast on our traditional spinning tackle with a lot of success. Sometimes the fish become

very picky and won’t take anything other than the size of the bait that they are feeding on. It shows how important it is to match the food the fish are feeding on. With a lot of boats chasing the schools, some anglers drive into the middle of the school trolling a spread of lures and the result is that the fish go down. A good idea is to watch the direction the fish are traveling and prepare yourself in front of them. Wait for the fish to come to you; casting at the head of the school will give you a better chance of a hook-up. With a mix of striped tuna and bonito joining in on the feed and moving fast, there are a lot of good sportfish available to anglers using very light spin gear. Beware, the big kings are hiding down deep and

Jason Smith with a beaut drummer.

just waiting for the chance to strike. On ledges and rock platforms the fishing should improve dramatically as the sea has been consistently bashing our coastline and stirring up the ocean bed, drawing snapper in close to feed in the wash. For anglers laying down a good berley trail and fishing some large plastics and baits, a good red is a possibility. Casting metals and stickbaits can also pick up some of the pelagics that are schooling at this time. Beach fishing continues to be great, with good bags of whiting still available in the early morning on fresh and frozen worms. With the schools of pelagics roaming our coastline, a night spell could see you into some very large salmon. Inside North Harbour, a good feed of flathead is still a possibility among the anchored boats and the sandy shores, with anglers reporting that soft vibes are the way to get a good feed. In and around the spit bridge, anglers are still picking up squid for kings or just to get a feed. The spit bridge fishes well for a variety of species, from bream on small baited hooks to kingfish and mulloway with live baits. Getting the tide flow at the right time is very important as the water pushes in very fast and sometimes it is difficult to keep in contact with the bottom. As always, be patient and stay safe.

Anglers still able to find squid PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang

odd Tim Tam-sized squid. There are larger squid that can be caught and they

are on the ocean side of Barrenjoey Head. When targeting squid on the ocean

plfishfingers@bigpond.com

The fishing along Pittwater is starting to fire up, with baitfish schools now starting to be seen on Pittwater and Broken Bay. Those calm mornings are seeing bait schools shimmering along the western shore of Pittwater. Besides the local seagull population taking advantage, there are salmon and the odd kingfish thrown in. The surface activity is not lasting very long so make sure you have a rod already rigged with a small metal lure of 10-20g if you’re chasing salmon, or a 6” soft plastic if you’re trying for a king. Squid are hard to get at the moment, but there are some smaller ones around the weed beds of Palm Beach. The smaller jigs of 2g are at least getting the

These larger squid may be harder to find this month. Try near Barrenjoey Head.

side of Barrenjoey Head, the larger sized jigs of 2-2.5g are working well on a paternoster rig. Just try to find a school of baitfish towards the bottom and there will be a few squid waiting to pounce on your jig. To find kings when they are no longer showing themselves on the surface, start downrigging the known kingfish haunts such as Scotland Island, the Kingfish Highway and the Supermarket. Keep your eyes on your sounder, and when balled up baitfish have been found, stay in the area for 20 minutes or so. If there are no takers, move on and come back to the area again later in the tide to see if you have different results. October is a month that can see kings being caught in Pittwater on small yellowtail as well. To cover your bases try grabbing a few yellowtail from West To page 19

From page 18

Head if squid are proving too hard to get. Out on Broken Bay there are great bottom fish to be had if you can tear yourself away from the surface activity. Once again, there are salmon, tailor and the odd king. You can also catch flathead, bream and trevally. You even have a chance at a mulloway fishing below the surface activity. Drifting the area from Patonga through to Lion Island has seen some flounder and decent flathead being caught as well. Once again, it’s all about covering ground, marking fish and staying with the bite for as long as it lasts. Along our coast we are also having some great days. The closer reefs are providing a heap of fun on kingfish for anglers downrigging yellowtail. These reefs can also be drifted and kings have been caught on your humble pilly as well as squid strips. Boultons Reef, Avalon Gutter, Newport Reef, Mona Vale Reef and Long Reef have all had fish over the last month and are all worth investigating. There are snapper to be caught first thing in the morning for those that are prepared to anchor, cube and drift lines back. The deeper reefs are also seeing some decent snapper, morwong, flathead and the odd kingfish as well. The problem with fishing water depths of over 50m has been small leatherjackets and toadfish. Unfortunately, these annoying tackle thieves have shown up on the flathead grounds and are being encountered around some of the reefs as well. My suggestion is to only send one line to the bottom if you’re unsure whether you’ve found leatherjackets or baitfish. Better still, get your mate to send their line down first. You don’t have to pay for their tackle bill.

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OCTOBER 2017

Maximising your chances during the slow times SYDNEY HARBOUR

Craig McGill craig@fishabouttours.com.au

September and October are traditionally the quietest months of the year on the inshore fishing calendar. The water is at its coldest and the strong westerlies flatten the seas, making them crystal clear and lifeless. Shutdowns can last for weeks and fishless trips during these periods are almost inevitable. Shutdowns mystify me. Are the fish still down there and simply not feeding or have they cleared out of the system altogether? I find it hard to believe that all the different species just up and leave. On the other hand, out of a school of say 200 or so trevally, even during the worst shutdown you’d expect at least a few to be hungry enough to accept an easy feed.

Kingfish have become a more viable winter option in recent years. Regardless, days can slip by without even losing a bait. During a bad shutdown, even the species usually considered to be pests like cocknies and pike are off the chew. There are measures

you can take to increase your chances during the slow times. Concentrating your efforts around the peak tides, moon phases and weather conditions will help, as will refining your techniques,

The key to tempting winter fish is to present only the freshest prime food items for any given species. In the case of kings, you can’t go past live cuttlefish now.

lightening up on your rigs and using only top-quality baits. There are also some species that are more reliable during even the worst of times. Luderick can nearly always be relied on. Salmon can usually be located in large schools in the ‘cold’ months and are notoriously hard to tempt with artificials, flies included. Leatherjackets also offer an abundant, tasty and underrated sporting option on light line. The salmon run should be in full-swing by now and if the numbers massing off the northern beaches recently are anything to go by then it’s going to be a big season. We have been picking up a few strays on bait while fishing for trevally and there is the occasional random school roaming upstream of the Harbour Bridge and middle harbour. They are notoriously hard to catch when they first come in as they are feeding on really small prey. I’ve also noticed over the last few years that schools have become increasingly

fragmented by attacks from seals and dolphins, making them even harder to catch on some days. Go the real small metal lures and tiny unweighted stickbaits. Don’t forget to occasionally let your lures fall deep through the salmon schools, as you will often find trevally and even kings sitting under them. Keep an eye out for large flocks of sea birds working the surface – they’re a good indication of the position of the salmon schools. Although they are a little bit fussy at the moment, they’re a lot more catchable than they were a month ago. Flies and stickbaits are the best bet and they are just starting to look at metals like small Raiders, which is great

Fish like leatherjackets, luderick and flatties (and more) are available this month adding variety to anglers’ catches. because the tiny stickbaits are a nightmare to cast. You will probably be sharing the school with many other boats, especially on weekends, so keep your wits about you in respect to navigation. Whatever you do, don’t go charging through the middle of the school as it will put the school down and attract plenty of verbal abuse

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from the other boats. Jacket numbers are better than they have ever been. This is due to the vastly increased habitat and food supply created by artificial structures. There are at least ten different species of leatherjacket available to harbour and bay fishers and most can be caught all year round. Jackets cover a wide range of habitats from well up into the estuaries to the open sea and can be relied upon even when all other species have gone off the bite. They are a great little sportfish on light line, are very accessible and delectable on the plate. They are also very high in those healthy omega-3 fats. Good spots to try include

around bridge pylons, marinas, jetties, reefs and rocky points. They love tiny pieces of prawn bait and, as they have a very small mouth, hooks need to be kept small. Fish your baits about 1m off the bottom and wait till you feel that slow suck characteristic of ‘jackets.’ Don’t strike immediately; wait a few seconds to let them get it into their tiny mouth. Kingfish have become a more viable winter option in recent years, but can be fussy when the water is very cold. Being cold blooded, a fish’s metabolism slows right down when they are cold. It’s simple chemistry. Metabolism is just a series of chemical reactions and these reactions slow down as they get colder. It’s the same reason plant growth slows down during winter. If fish are taking longer to process a meal then they will eat less often. The key to tempting winter fish is to present only the freshest prime food items for any given species. In the case of kings, you can’t go past live cuttlefish now. • 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

Around the world artificial reefs have been used to improve recreational Around the NSW worldDPI artificial reefsthe have been used to improve recreational fishing and is leading way by providing reef structures that fishing and NSWshown DPI is leading the way providing reef structures are scientifically to be among thebymost productive habitats inthat our are scientifically shown to be among the most productive habitats in our coastal waters. coastal waters. A series of offshore artificial reefs have already been installed off Sydney, A series of offshore artificial have already been off Sydney, Shoalhaven Heads and Port reefs Macquarie with more to installed follow soon. Shoalhaven Heads and Port Macquarie with more to follow soon. The reefs are designed to provide habitat for key recreational species, The are designed to provide habitat for key recreational species, suchreefs as Kingfish, Snapper, Mulloway and abundant bait species, to such as Kingfish, Snapper, Mulloway and abundant bait species, to increase recreational fishing opportunities for decades into the future. increase recreational fishing opportunities for decades into the future. Visit the NSW DPI website for GPS coordinates to the artificial reefs. Visit the NSW DPI website for GPS coordinates to the Fishing artificialTrust. reefs. The reefs are built using funds from the Recreational The reefs are built using funds from the Recreational Fishing Trust.

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Don’t wait too long to fish for spring species SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

The weather is still doing the cha-cha. We’ll get two cool days, then three warm days, then three cool and two warm. It should eventually stay warm from the end of the month though, and if you haven’t prepared for the 2017-2018 mulloway, king and whiting season you’re going to be late! Below are some of the latest reports of what’s happening on the Sydney northern beach suburbs’ rocks and beaches. The iconic mulloway is a target species that requires persistence. You can’t just go out a couple of times to fish for mulloway and expect great results off our ocean beaches. I recommend at least a couple of dozen trips. Some hard-core anglers do a dozen or more trips in a month, but obviously that’s not practical for most people. Work commitments and family get in the way. What you can do though is use the right bait. One of the man reasons beach mulloway anglers miss out on this great species is because they aren’t prepared with their bait. You have a couple of options. The first option is to catch your own live bait or fresh squid before each session, but this approach isn’t practical for many of

An 11kg blue groper that was released after the photo was taken. The author usually releases blues, and keeps only the odd brown for a feed. Kingfish gear is great for groper fishing when the kings are quiet. us due to the time it takes to gather bait, then travel to your location and still have enough time to fish. The second option is to contact smaller bait outlets that sell fresh bait. The best bait shops regularly get supplies of fresh squid

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and baitfish, because their clientele demand a high quality product. A good sign is clear eyes on whole mullet, slimy mackerel and yellowtail. Good quality fresh and frozen squid should also have clear eyes. Although frozen squid obviously shouldn’t be your first choice, you shouldn’t rule them out entirely. Some of the good bait outlets vac pack them

in good condition. There are other signs of freshness, such as variations in squid colour, but I won’t go into too much detail in this report. Let’s just say if you go for clear eyes you’ll be heading in the right direction. Of course, the very freshest baits and live baits that you catch yourself are best, but if you have good quality bait ready to go in your freezer, you’ll be more likely to fish much more frequently. The more often you fish, the more likely it is that you’ll catch not just one but a few mulloway for the season! And for some extra help, do a trip with me and I’ll teach you how to do it right. Some beaches that are producing mulloway are Dee Why, and Collaroy/ Narrabeen depending on where the kelp is. And if you want to fish the northern or southern sections of beach depending on the swell size, also try Bungan, Newport and Palm beaches, which are good not just for mulloway but for other beach species as well. The run of whiting and the increasing numbers of bream this month from Manly, Dee Why and North Narrabeen are the picks. Big Australian salmon to 3.5kg are also available on all of the beaches mentioned. Buy yourself an Alvey yabby pump and harvest some pink nippers from the sand flats at low tide. Alternatively, some of the bait shops will have live beach worms, blood worms or tube worms. These are the baits you will need for a successful whiting outing.

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This unlucky whiting swam through a plastic ring, which cut into the fish’s back as it grew. It shows how long plastics take to break down in the ocean.

If you’d like to learn to gather your own, I teach beach worming as well. Fishing off the ocean rocks this month will produce good numbers of snapper distance casting. They’re generally in the 31-40cm size range, which is a good size to bake whole or fillet for the pan. Most outings are producing between two and four fish, with some outings producing half a dozen. Squid strips are producing good results, especially if the squid are

Freshwater and fish the ledge approximately 40-50m to the northeast from the ramp. There are some snapper there, along with trevally and the occasional big tarwhine. The pig fishing is going to be great this month, with a good run of fish in some areas ranging from 1.5-3kg+. They will be going into spawn, so if you’re into the bigger run consider releasing some fish and keep only what you need. You should get good results using large cabbage

What do kids and adults have in common? They love catching worms! Daniel Hayes, Jarod Li and bro Michael Li were very happy with their first beach worms. caught fresh. Fish baits like salted slimy mackerel and salted stripy tuna are also cracker baits for this species. Locally you can catch your own yellowtail and use the fillets, which work well too. At the right time of the day, most moderate to deep ocean rock locations with a sand/gravel edge onto reef will produce some snapper. I recommend heading to Queenscliff Headland and casting off the big square blocks, which are about 20-30m past the swimming pool. Cast towards Bluefish Point and fish it in a slight to moderate swell. This location is where I caught my first snapper off the rocks decades ago. I used to go to Manly wharf and catch half a dozen yellowtail for fillet bait, and distance cast from there. At this spot you can also expect to catch tailor, trevally and some bream as a bycatch. The occasional mulloway is also caught while snapper fishing. You can also try going to South Curl Curl/

baits fished 1-4m deep under a small foam float with a variation of sinker sizes depending on the wash and current. Berley up with the cabbage weed shredded with a fish scaler. Some anglers do it with their steel spike boots, but I prefer not to use the boots as it wears them out too quickly. Spots to try are Little Bluey at Manly, North Curl Curl in amongst the boulders facing south near the beach and about 100m from the swimming pool to the south. Long Reef in Collaroy, the boulders to the southeast near the island and the island itself are good spots to try. When it comes to baits, larger prawns like peeled endeavour, banana and medium school prawns are the go. • For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www. bellissimocharters. com.au, email alex@ bellissimocharters.com.au or call Alex Bellissimo on 0408 283 616.

Bust out the gear on the rivers and beaches BOTANY BAY

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Lately the Georges and Woronora rivers have been more successful than Botany Bay, with some good catches coming in from the Milperra and the M5 bridges. Access to the base of the bridges has been okay. Bream, whiting and luderick are on the chew at the Moons, just up from Lugarno. Cattle Duffers is worth a shot from the shore and you could try drifting the opposite shore for flathead and mullet. Kelso Beach is worth a shot on a run-up tide for bream and whiting on either tubeworms or pink nippers. On the run-out you could try for luderick on the downstream side of the beach. Fresh green weed is a must. If you are looking for somewhere to take the kids for a quiet fish, you could try Prince Edward Park on the upper reaches of the Woronora River. When they get tired of fishing, they can always feed the ducks, play on the swings, go for a canoe ride or just kick a ball around in the park. Further downstream at the junction of the Woronora

River and the Georges River there is also a coffee shop, swimming pool, boat ramp and park where you can cast a line or two for bream, whiting, flathead, trevally and mullet. As I have mentioned before in other columns, you can always try fishing off the beach that stretches from the entrance of the Cooks River to the Taren Point Bridge. All you need to do is find yourself a car park and it’s a short walk down to the beach or one of the 11 groynes that are found here. A 7ft rod with 6-12lb line would be enough to reel in those bream, whiting, flathead and the odd trevally or two. You could also take along a few soft plastics and blades. The breakwalls at the entrance to the Cooks River will start to produce good catches of mullet, luderick, bream, trevally, tailor and the odd kingfish or two on the run-out tides. You could also try the small beach beside the airport runway for whiting; this one is no good in a southerly wind, though. On the north side of the bay there are a few squid being caught off Bumbora Point, the breakwall near the Yarra Bay Sailing Club and Bare Island. Remember when fishing off the island or

An outing on the George’s River opened Len and John’s eyes to what could be caught while using fresh bait and berley. anywhere off the rocks in the Randwick area you need to wear a life jacket. The northern end of Maroubra and Bondi beaches are worth a short for bream, trevally, luderick and drummer while using peeled prawns. Use either a bobby cork to keep the bait off the bottom or a lightly weighted rig. Whiting have also shown up along these beaches and Turramurra. Beach and tube worms are the best baits. Also try using small pieces of fresh squid that you have caught. Offshore from the Wedding Cake Island to the entrance to Botany Bay is

Call to action for all recreational fishers – we need your help! What you put on your hook might not seem like a big deal, but to our native species and everyone who likes to have access to quality local crustaceans such as prawns and yabbies it could be just the difference they need. Putting the wrong bait on your hook could also hit you in the hip pocket - not just in availability of affordable local seafood, but also potentially in fines.

Photos - Eastern King Prawn (left) and Yabby (right): Pat Tully

worth trolling in close for salmon, tailor and kingfish. Lately I have been slow trolling scented shad lures in coconut or pearl colours. In 30-50m you could try using micro-jigs for snapper, morwong and flathead. Further south on the Kurnell Peninsula the washes have been producing trevally, bream, tarwhine, luderick and drummer. Drive into the Kamay/Botany Bay National Park from the Kurnell side and park in the car park at Inscription Point. From here it’s a short walk down to the water’s edge to a few spots where you can

put your gear up high and fish the washes. If you don’t like fishing off the rocks, you can come inside the bay at Inscription Point and fish for bream and trevally. Don’t forget to take a few squid jigs with you. You can also try suspending a while pilchard or garfish under a balloon or bobby cork for tailor, salmon and kingfish. As many of you would know, back at the beginning of August the Sydney International Boat Show was held at the new International Convention Centre at Darling Harbour and I was working on the NSWFM stand signing

up new and old subscribers, and talking everything fishing and boating. Since then I have had a number of readers of the magazine send me photos of their catches and where and how they got them. It’s great to see other anglers out there enjoying this great sport of ours and wanting to share their exploits, no matter where they go. I have also had the great pleasure of taking two great Australian ex-cricketers for a fish on one their local waterways, the Georges River. The morning started off with a session on the blades and not much luck. Changing to bait, anchoring up and having a steady berley trail soon had a few dusky flathead, tarwhine, silver trevally, yellowfin bream and a small mulloway come on board. The best baits were peeled and whole Hawkesbury River prawns, striped tuna and strips of filled and skinned trevally. • If you have been out lately and you would like to see yourself in the magazine, drop me an email to gbrown1@ iprimus.com.au with a picture and short explanation of how and where you caught your fish and I will endeavour to get it into my column.

Whether wetting a line in inland waterways or along the coast: Do not use prawns meant for human consumption as bait. Do not dispose of waste from purchased seafood in our waterways. It is illegal to bring into NSW uncooked crustaceans (such as prawns, yabbies or saltwater nippers) or marine worms from the area in South East Queensland affected by White Spot. HEAVY PENALTIES APPLY As of 1 July 2017, everyone now has a general biosecurity duty under the Biosecurity Act 2015, to help prevent the spread of pests and diseases.

For further information see www.outbreak.gov.au and www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity OCTOBER 2017

There are options aplenty in the Port Hacking SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

As those of you who fish in the Port Hacking would know, there are only five boat ramps. There is one at the end of Swallow Rock Drive at Grays Point, Wonga Road in Yowie Bay, Water Street in Burraneer Bay, Port Hacking Road in Dolans Bay and at the end of Gunnamatta Bay. The first four will accommodate small to large boats, while the last one is mainly used by small aluminium boats. One thing I have found over the years is that launching at any one of them will produce fish throughout the year. It’s just a matter of working out which one produces what at a given time of the year. To give you a bit of a heads up, in this month’s column I will let you know which ramp to choose for what species. Launching at Swallow Rock Drive at Grays Point will give you access to whiting, bream, flathead and poddy mullet, mainly at the top of the tide.

Wonga Road in Yowie Bay is a great place to start if you’re after bream, squid, tailor, kingfish, flathead, leatherjackets, luderick, poddy mullet and garfish, at any tide.

Water Street in Burraneer Bay would be my pick for a mixture of poddy mullet, leatherjackets and luderick, again, at any tide. Port Hacking Road in Dolans Bay is a good

base for bream, squid, tailor, kingfish, flathead, leatherjackets, poddy mullet and garfish, also at any tide. Finally, the ramp at the end of Gunnamatta Bay gives an angler access to

Bait or lure fishing for bream will pick up throughout the month.

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If the swell is not too big offshore, then you should try fishing off the beaches in Bate Bay. A mate of mine has been catching a few beach worms off the beach at Greenhills and then turning them into some stud whiting, bream and dart. I am not a good beach wormer, but I can get enough to get me by for a few hours on the beach. I prefer to use pilchards in a bag as the attractor and a whole pilchard squashed up in a stocking as the teaser that goes in your hand. One thing that I was taught by Alex Bellissimo is to make sure that you have a bit of sand between your fingers and the worms as you grab it. Off the rocks there are still plenty of squid about, so remember to put those squid jigs in the bag. Find the kelp and sand off the rocks and you will find the squid. Boat Harbour is worth the walk in for squid, bream, trevally and luderick. Garie and Stanwell Park beaches should start to fire over the next month or so. Use whole pilchards or garfish for the salmon and tailor, squid for the mulloway, half pilchards and beach worms for the

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bream and trevally. If you are fishing in the gutters next to the rocks, you should try using peeled whole prawns. Remember to take a few metal lures with you as well for those fish that are feeding out wide. Whiting, bream and trevally will increase in

Of late I have been working the flats with weed beds in the Port Hacking and have had very good success using lightly-weighted soft plastics. Working them as slow as possible has been getting the results. A number of the bigger fish have come from just letting the plastics

for luderick. There are still plenty of them about. Tailor and the odd salmon or two will also start to show up in the back areas of South West Arm and off Bonnie Vale. For some even slowerpaces and relaxing stuff, try pumping a few nippers at Maianbar and then wade

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The size of drummer may be a bit smaller during October, but they make up for it in numbers. Try using nippers for bait. numbers in the Port Hacking over the next month. Due to the fact that the water can be very clear at times, remember to berley for the best results. If you are into lure fishing, you can’t go past working the rock edges with the Berkley 3B shallow and deep divers. I would also try casting a crab imitation. If you have never used them before, you will be amazed at how good they are.

sit on the ribbon weed. As usual the Port Hacking has plenty of leatherjackets feeding along the rock and weedy shoreline and around pontoons and wharfs. Try using a paternoster rig and either small piece of peeled prawn or squid for bait. If you like a bit of a slower pace in your fishing, you could always grab a few floats and some green weed or cabbage and have a go

across the creek that leads to the Basin and then have a fish off the sand spit on the run-out tide. If you have been out lately and you would like to see yourself in the magazine, just drop me an email to gbrown1@iprimus. com.au with a picture and short explanation of how and where, and I will endeavour to get it into the magazine.

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Local anglers having a ball on the big bass WESTERN SYDNEY

Peter Jacovides

October is upon us and the bass season is well and truly in full-swing! These early season fish are some of our favourites. As the larger

angling pressure and continue their migration to the upper reaches. Targeting these larger fish requires a slight change in mindset; they have been around the traps for a while now and have seen numerous lures and presentations over

Aussie-made lures create high levels of disturbance and the right sound for that big hungry bass to pick up. If you’re like me and catching trophy fish during the daylight hours just feels that little bit more rewarding, get a reaction bite on a buzzbait or

Jack Azzopardi caught this big bass on a spinnerbait. specimens move through the local Penrith waters, we have the opportunity to target very good quality fish before they get bombarded by the summer

the years (these bass are big for a reason). Larger and more aggressive presentations during the night are a popular way to lure the big fish from their hidey-holes.

an erratically walked pencil on top. Or try a wakebait, suspending jerkbait or the ever-faithful spinnerbait subsurface. These are all great options to convert larger fish.

Lures aren’t the only important part of the puzzle – location is also crucial. Areas below fast moving water and areas where you have a change in depth are often where the larger fish hang out. Throw into the mix undercut banks, overhanging trees and laydown timber and you have the perfect environment to house large fish. Be methodical in working these likely areas; a few casts, particularly with these reaction lures, are crucial. Hit the snag from multiple angles with varied retrieves. Estuary perch are also in their second month of opening, and the fishing couldn’t be any better. These brackish water brothers of the bass have been caught on so many techniques, from fly to live bait. The prawn action is picking up, so the most entertaining way to target these battlers is on top. Small pencil lures have been highly effective. Skittering these lures around back eddies and rocky outcrops sees some spectacular boofs, and if this doesn’t get your heart racing, I don’t know what will. Try searching between Wisemans Ferry and lower Portland for the best results.

The trout action in the mountains has started to fire, with the creeks and rivers opening on the long weekend. The water temperatures in the lakes are also rising. The bug activity

way to pick up a few trout on lure. Lake Lyell has surprisingly been the pick of the mountain lakes, with the trout up shallow taking all kinds of offerings and targetable from the bank.

This estuary perch was caught by Justin Brock on a spinnerbait. is slowly picking up, and any bugs landing on the water are asking for trouble as hungry post-spawning trout are looking for that easy meal. Using dry flies to imitate these tasty morsels is a very successful way to target these wily fish, but they aren’t the only option. The warm weather also brings the baitfish and yabbies to life, so soft plastics and hardbodies that imitate these are the perfect

Kayaks or boats, everyone gets a shot at a trophy fish. • Peter Jacovides has been the owner/operator of the Australian Bass Angler tackle store in Penrith for more than 20 years and is available to offer advice or have a chat most days. If you want to know about the latest tackle or technique, kayak fishing, or tournament bass boats, drop into the store at 105 Batt Street, Penrith or phone (02) 4721 0455.

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Squid

Squid want something different every day SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Around June last year I put together an article for NSWFM about squid. In the article I covered locations, rigs, techniques, types of gear to use, how to kill and store them, and how to cook them. So much has changed since then. Do you know that squid that you caught and released 12 months ago are probably not alive now? Sure, many of us anglers will keep the squid that we catch for either bait or eating, but a lot get released so that they can breed plenty more little squid.

Then you have the southern or northern calamari that can grow to over 2.5kg, live in the estuaries, shallow reefs and to depths of about 100m and live 12-18 months before they die. During their life cycle, squid can reproduce a number of times. Sometimes it can be once a month. What has changed in the art of squid fishing over the past 12 months is the types of rods, line, additives and squid jigs that you can now purchase. So, to help you out I will compile a small list of equipment that is currently on the market for you to have a look at. When fishing out of the boat in the estuaries,

gutters that run parallel to rocky headlands. In other words – just about anywhere in the saltwater. Whether you are fishing from the shore or out of a boat, you need to be prepared to move about a bit if you don’t find them at first. When I go squidding from the shore in the Port Hacking River I will start at Salmon Haul Bay working my way to Gunnamatta Bay, Water Street Boat

Point. It would be much easier in a boat, but not everyone has one. Suss out the places that you can go squidding in your area and put a plan together. I am sure that over time you will work out where they are. It just takes a bit of time and effort to get a few squid on the plate. SQUIDDING TECHNIQUES There are so many different ways to catch squid and for me it’s a

Bryce Calvert with a couple of nice squid destined for the pan.

For offshore squidding, the author uses a Pflueger 3-6kg President with a Pflueger Salt 40 spooled with 6kg Fireline Crystal with a 10kg leader. On the east coast of Australia there are a number of different types of squid, some of which are the arrow squid that can grow in excess of 1.6kg, live in estuaries and offshore to depths of 500m and only live for about 12 months.

I prefer to use a 2.1m rod with either straight-through 6kg fluorocarbon (when very windy) or 4kg braid with a 2-3m fluorocarbon leader (when it’s not very windy). Off the rocks I prefer to use a 3.25m rod mounted

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with a large arbor reel. This, along with the 6kg braid, will allow me to cast out around 40m from the shore. While fishing offshore I use a 3-6kg rod mounted with a medium size spin reel spooled with 6kg braid and a 10kg leader. When it comes to what type of line to use when targeting squid, you could use either mono or gelspun line. I prefer gelspun because it is thinner, has more feel, enables you to fish much deeper and it gives you a lot more distance when casting. Only after I have tried a number of different sizes, colours and techniques will I apply any scent to the jig. Then I mainly use garlic, aniseed and pilchard scents. WHERE TO FIND SQUID As anglers we are always learning something new when we go out fishing. A number of years ago I came across a husband and wife drifting along one of the main channels in a local waterway. That particular channel can be extremely clear and has a very white sandy bottom. There are no rocks, weed beds or kelp. There is just sand

and a slight change in the undulations of the bottom. They were both chasing squid with handlines. I was quite amazed at how easy they made it look. It was just a matter of casting out the squid jig. They let it sink to the bottom sometimes and then gave the line a tweak. All of this was happening while drifting over a sandy bottom. Squid can also be found over kelp, ribbon weed, rock bars, oyster racks, rocky headlands, shallow and very deep offshore reefs, in clear and dirty water, cockle beds and in

Dave Austin with a great squid that was caught while using one of his Egihead squid jigs in about 30m of water offshore. Ramp, Wallys Wharf in Dolans Bay and the Gymea Bay swimming pool. If that fails to produce a squid or two, I travel into the Royal National Park and try Warumbul, Costens Point, Bonnie Vale, Bundeena Wharf and finally Jibbon

matter of trial and error to find out which one works at the time. It may be casting the jig out and allowing it to sink almost to the bottom and then slowly winding it back to the shore. It may be tying on a squid jig to

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OCTOBER 2017

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The author’s small selection of squid jigs for off the rocks.

Squid the position where the hook would go on a paternoster rig and suspending it up off the bottom while in a rod holder, letting the movement of the boat do the work for you.

Or what about the slow lift and drop technique, where you are bouncing the jig just off the top of the weed bed? Have you ever thought about suspending a squid jig under a bobby

cork and casting it out and then letting the motion of the waves or passing boats do the job for you? When fishing in deep water (say up to 30m), try putting a ball sinker onto the jig so that it gets it down quicker while drifting. Just remember to use a heavier leader in case you have to pull it out of the weed or kelp. And

use today may not work tomorrow. The same goes for the size, weight and colour of the squid jig. I don’t fish a lot at night, but when it comes to targeting squid off the shore I will usually look for areas that have nearby lights that shine on the water’s surface. Have you ever thought of putting a glow stick on the line

Strips of squid make a tremendous bait for dusky flathead. It’s best to use either a longshank hook or a set of ganged hooks.

Keep an eye out for the DTD squid jigs. The squid love them.

Check out the length of the hood and the candles on that squid!

who can forget about just casting the jig out over the sand and slowly hopping it back to you? Lastly, you could try a quick ripping motion once it is near the bottom. Make sure you pause for a few seconds between each rip. Now the question will be, ‘what is the best technique to catch squid?’ The answer will be the one that catches them on the day. The technique you

above the squid jig? You could even try this when squidding in deep water. When it comes to what colours and sizes, that will depend on what you like. I have 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 in about ten different colours. It’s just a matter of trying different ones. Now that you have figured out how to catch a few squid, what do you do next? You could use it as a whole live or dead bait,

or cut the body into strips or pieces and use that as bait. Or you could just cook and eat it. If you’re going to eat or use the squid as dead bait, you need to kill it quickly and correctly. The best way that I have found is to use a squid spike, stab the squid in the brain and twist. You will know that you have done it correctly as the whole squid will instantly go white.

Not only do I love catching squid, I love using them as bait and eating them. I use a knife and cut the squid from the head to the tail. Pull out the head and guts (freeze this in an air tight bag) and then clean the body. Then I will cut the body into strips and soak the strips in milk for a few minutes to help tenderise it. From here it’s just a matter of deciding what recipe you are going to use.

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OCTOBER 2017

The Tweed region’s bass are all set to fire up THE TWEED INSHORE

Tim Latter

With bass season well and truly underway now, the tackle junkies and bass tragics will be out in force. Ridiculously early starts and surface lure sessions going well into the wee hours in the brackish water are par for the course. You can also head right up in the sweet stuff and the local dams. It really is a fantastic time of the year. That’s not to say that you won’t have success during gentlemen’s hours though. As water temperatures rise it’s no secret that low light conditions are the prime time. There are a lot of different views on how the barometer has an effect on the feeding habits of Australian bass. I am by no means an expert on this topic, but over the years I have found that as long as the barometer has remained relatively steady and around

Everyo

The author’s first fish of the season taken on a paused Bent Minnow. 1015hPa or above, you will have to find another excuse for why the bass didn’t bite. They are certainly a species that takes a lot of working out. That, along with the massive amount

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of lures they will readily attack, is what gets anglers hooked and keeps them coming back season after season. Irrespective of all environmental factors, there is no way you’ll catch a bass at home, so grab your favourite outfit and go get amongst them. Fishing surface is by far the most exciting way to target bass. I can’t remember who said, “One on the top is worth ten from below,” but for many anglers this rings true. There are plenty of lures to choose from and it would be impossible to list them all, although as the air temperature warms up it’s hard to go past cicada imitations. Megabass Sigletts and Grand Sigletts stand out, as well as the Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada. There has been a lot of hype around the recently

released Pompadour Micro from Jackall, so time will tell on its success compared to its bigger brother. Other common surface imitations like poppers and stickbaits can work just as well; these require more action imparted by the angler. Favourites here are stickbaits like Atomic K9 Bulldogs or Bassday SugaPens, as well as poppers like the Megabass Baby Pop X or Jackall Binksy. When the fish are a bit quiet on the top it can pay to change to subsurface lures to maximise your chances of success. Lures that work just below the surface can be worth trying first, as it is still a visual technique and seeing your lure monstered from below is truly one of the best

A PB bass taken on the yak.

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sights a fisher can see. The unique Megabass Anthrax is another great option as well, because you can bloop it on the top, fish it like a wakebait with the rod tip high or drop the rod tip to get it running shallow. Suspending jerkbaits paused and twitched around structure are a very successful technique for Australian bass. Most Japanese lure companies will have some suitable options. My favourite is a Maria 55 Deep. Crankbait style lures work well in shallower water or retrieved over submerged weed. And of course, the versatility of the humble soft plastic means it is regularly tied on when searching for feeding fish or working deeper sections of water. Atomic 3” Fat

Bass can show up anywhere, even as a surprise by-catch while jack fishing.

Grubs are my favourite for the Tweed. I could go on and on about different lures that work, and I think they just about all do at times. It’s how they are presented that really counts. Be as stealthy as possible and keep your casting on point. Nine times out of ten it’s the first quality cast that gets the fish, not the third or fourth sloppy one. Finally, time on the water practising your casting will contribute to achieving more consistent success. You will find bass all throughout the Tweed and its tributaries from the brackish sections upstream, so go find some water and have fun. Remember that your new spot is someone else’s old spot – treat the environment with respect, be kind and courteous on the water and remember, it’s just lovely being out there.

A blending of winter and summer species THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

Now’s a great time to be fishing the Tweed region, with long, warm days and cool, crisp nights. We’ll see water temperatures rise and start to fire up summer species and bring them out of hibernation. Many

OFFSHORE With ocean currents picking up, close reefs are starting to fish really well. Big snapper move onto these close reefs to feed up after spawning and it’s a good time to target them with plastics. Most 5-7” plastics are proving irresistible for big snapper. Try the gravel patches between

side of these packs and they’ll feed towards your 20-60g metal lures. Retrieve these at high speed for better sizes and more fish. If they are easily spooked, try cubing pilchards then float out a half pilchard. This technique will trick them into a bite. If you need fresh bait, try the sand pumping jetty, yellow marker at Cook Island, on

Luke Tapfer with a solid snapper caught on a plastic. anglers are seeing a blend of winter and summer species in estuaries and offshore. Snapper, spanglies, tuskies and pearlies are mixing with mahimahi, mackerel, wahoo and marlin. Bream, tailor, luderick, mulloway and flathead are mixing with jacks, whiting and GTs in the estuary system. Bass are really starting to fire up with the warmer temperatures after their spawning season.

the shallow reefs of Tweed and Kingscliff for the best results. Many deep water fishers are trolling skirted lures and downrigging live baits and troll baits for topwater species such as mahimahi, wahoo and billfish. Look for current lines and bait balls in 100m for a bit of pelagic fun. Packs of tuna have arrived and are great fun to target on light gear. Position yourself on the windward

The author with a nice 6kg spangled emperor.

the south side of Kingy Reef, Point Reef and Kirra Reef. ESTUARY Jacks are starting to fire up this month with the water temperature rise. Hardbodied lures, slow rolled plastics, soft vibes and live baits can be irresistible for this species at this time of year. Targeting pylons, pontoons, bridge pillars, rock walls, and mangrove lines can be really productive. Make sure you’re accurate with casting or it can be a very expensive way of fishing. Finding good concentrations of bait around structure will put you onto one of these red dogs. Mulloway are still being caught throughout the system, and 7” plastics or 200mm deep diving hardbodied lures around the river mouth will work well. The 5” plastics and live baits work better in the holes. Summer whiting are starting to move around the system. Casting small clear poppers can be very fun

when targeting this species on the sand flats. Yabbies and beach worms are catching more in the main channels. Luderick are still hanging around most rock walls and the river mouths. Try stringy weed for a feed and bloodworms for a beast. Try the river mouth near Kingscliff, Kingscliff Bridge, the south wall, Tweed Bar, Barney Point, Boyds Rock Wall, Hastings Point, Hastings Bridge and Brunswick rock wall for the best results. Flathead are still hanging around and are moving back up the system and are sunning themselves in skinny water around weed beds. Hopping light weighted 3” curl-tail and wriggle-tail plastics across the bottom works well this month. The Hastings River mouth has produced a few beasts this month. Bream are starting to feed up before they move back up the system. Small crankbaits, small plastics, bladed lures, soft crab lures and small hardbodied lures have been fishing well around the boat harbour and bridges. There are lots of herring around the Boyds Bay Bridge and Cobaki Bridge at night, if you need live bait. BEACHES There are still a few tailor and dart sitting in the bigger gutters on the

Matthew Saad with a great mahimahi caught on a high-speed metal. Try Fingal Beach, Fingal Head, Kingscliff rock wall, Hastings Point, Black Rock and Ocean Shores, which have all produced this month. The odd mulloway has been sitting in the gutters around Fingal Head, and the south wall near the Tweed Bar, Kingscliff and Brunswick. There are good number of pipis and beach worms on Fingal Head and Kingscliff Beach if you need fresh bait.

Guy Huntchins with another solid snapper caught off Brunswick. beaches and around most headlands at sunrise and sunset. Fast retrieved metals are catching good numbers of pan-sized fish, and soaking a whole pilchard off the headlands and rock walls at night will catch the bigger greenbacks.

FRESHWATER Bass are really starting to fire up in the upper river systems and in the skinny waters of the dams. Look for shallow pools with holes on one side of the riverbank and secluded shallow corners of the dams. The

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bigger bass will be sitting in these holes, under trees and around weed beds, waiting for injured fish and for bugs to fall in the water. Winged cicada lures work really well around sunrise and sunset, and jig spins and ice jigs work best in the timbers of the dams. Deep diving lures worked along the drop-off catch better fish once the sun is up. Next month the water temperature will keep rising and currents will keep increasing, which makes it impossible for anglers to bottom bash and micro-jig; this will see more summer species coming into play. Pelagics will thicken up offshore, and big snapper will be feeding up on close reefs before they go out wide to hibernate. Jacks will be the focus of most estuary fishers next month and the warming weather will make them fire up. Whiting should start filling the rivers, sand flats and main channels this month, and flathead will push up onto these banks to feed on the whiting. Fishing skinny water will produce some great fish next month. Bass will turn on the warmer the water gets. Look for shrinking pools; they will produce some good fish next month. Any drain and run-off will fish well too.

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What’s coming in close in October feisty fish. They will be on the move to the upper reaches of the creeks and main river arms, but don’t overlook the main river stretches, either. The fish are always hungry at this time of year

BALLINA

Joe Allan

Aussie bass season is now open and in full swing. This is my favourite time to get out and chase these

after doing their business, so try big lures that rattle. The best colours to try are black, black/orange and gold. As the weather warms up and the bugs start to get out, the surface action will hot up. Most likely it won’t be that great for a little while yet. On the offshore front, try getting as far out to the edge of the shelf as you can to chase some blue-eye trevalla and bar cod. The best bait is cuttlefish. Cut the backbone out of the cuttlefish and use big, strong circle hooks. Electric reels are a must. Close-in reefs will still produce good snapper, although towards the end

of the month the reds will start to move out to the 32 fathoms. This is where you should look when you can get there, and if the tide allows you to fish it. The northeasterly winds that will start over the next few months will make it harder to fish the deeper reefs. As the water warms, cobia and mahimahi should start to move on the close reefs. Getting some live baits such as yakkas and slimy mackerel and throwing these around the FADs is always a good start. The lower reaches of the Richmond River should see some mud crabs fire up as the warmer weather brings

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The author with a decent bass caught up a creek on a Bassman Spinnerbait.

them in. Emigrant Creek and North Creek are the spots to start looking for these tasty guys. The best baits are luderick frames and any mullet frames left over from your bait fishing trips. If you’re after a feed of flathead, now is a great time to get out and get amongst them. The deep water right in front of the porpoise walls, the channel in front of the RSL Club and the deep hole upriver from the Burns Point Ferry are some good places to start looking. Big, bright soft plastics with tails that disperse a good amount of water are key. Over the flats around the town stretch of the river, whiting should start to come on the bite using

surface lures. Try targeting the shallow flats as the water moves up with the incoming tide. The best lure to try is definitely the SugaPen from Bassday. It’s my personal favourite and I can’t wait until this time of year to get into these tasty things. Beaches are fishing well and the dart have started to come on nicely. The Gorilla Big Eye slugs are a great profile to use for these guys. You may still get the odd tailor off the beach, but these will become scarce. You’ll pick up the odd big sea run bream and flathead in the gutters as by-catch. The big bream can really give you some stick on light gear. Until next month, tight lines.

Adrian Melchior with a Richmond River mulloway caught on an Atomic Metalz 1/4oz blade. 32

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Hoping this October is even better than last year YAMBA

Dave Gaden

October is my least favourite month of the year for fishing offshore. October is the month you jump on a plane and go overseas. However, some anglers last year never stopped producing fish. It was like

This really is the change of season on the water around my part of the planet. Winter fish have dispersed from the shallow areas, summer fish are still too far away and the winds haven’t calmed enough to get out to the wider grounds with any consistency. As I said, last October was fantastic, so let’s work

scattered from 30-42m deep, bunched up really tight and easy to find on the sounder. With the trag, there was the odd good mulloway; a lot of these were actually caught on the trag by mistake. We fished live yakka with the flesh baits for the bigger trag, and as the trag got hooked the mulloway engulfed them. Cobia were funny, as nearly all of them were caught on the bottom, with livies on the surface not being touched. For those anglers not wanting to travel that far or who have smaller boats, try the reef just out the front of Woody Head.

Snapper and trag will hang in 10-20m there most of the morning. If you launch from Woody boat ramp, you’re there in five minutes. We also caught good fish close to Yamba on the northeast corner – the closest reef spot to the bar. It’s a bit deeper here, fishing between 45-55m, but there’s a fair bit of reef. Again, if they are there, they’ll bunch up and will be easy to see. I rarely drift this ground, as anchoring in the consistent current produces far more fish. You’ll need a good anchor here and 100m of rope. Last year had good Moses perch,

Ryan and Sue from Adelaide with dinner.

Dianna with her first pearl perch. they just decided to throw my fishing diary in the fire and reinvent October. We had good catches all the way from Evans Head in the north to Sandon in the south. In other years, like the two previous, we worked hard to find fish of any numbers at all.

on the basis that this one will be the same. I wouldn’t be a fisher or a charter operator if I wasn’t an optimist, huh? This time last year we chased really good trag, snapper and cobia north around Black Rock, the Italian Grounds and South Evans Reef. They were

Don Causley with a 62cm pearly.

Maori cod, venus tuskfish, trag and average snapper around 40cm. Further south, I fish almost due east of Brooms Head in around 42m. This is a good drift ground that regularly produces numerous pearl perch to 60cm+ as well as all the other tasties. A good sign that you are in the right spot will be the small swallowtailed dart (a close relation to the orange roughie). These delicious little fish are a dead giveaway that you are on the ‘Pearlie Grounds.’ Try to avoid doing short drifts, as the pearlies will be spaced apart at this time of the year on this ground. I drift for about

1km each time, marking hook-ups on the GPS to get a pattern of the fish. If the wind and swell are kind, head wide to about the 85m mark; the fish that have left their shallow winter home will set up new homes here. The super strong summer currents won’t have arrived yet, and the leatherjackets (which ate everything that moved in July and August) will go south. There are good grounds north and south of Yamba and both are about 19 nautical miles from the bar – due east of Evans Head Air Weapons Range in the north and Broom Head in the south. In the estuary, the river

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seems to change season a lot quicker than the ocean. Water temperature and clarity can change in just a couple of tides sometimes. This should be the month for blue swimmer crabs to arrive in good numbers. We have had several really good seasons

for these tasty guys and I believe it has been that way for almost the entire east coast. If you are travelling down from Qld to chase crabs, NSW has very different laws. Dillies (witches hats) are still used here, you are permitted

will be the entrance to back channel, Serpentine Creek and Turkey Island. These shallow flats are a great spot at this time of the year. Spend some time chasing a good supply of nippers (yabbies) and you will be rewarded with some quality fish. The school prawns will be running pretty well and with this the soapy mulloway will be chasing them. Try the western end of the Browns Rocks Reef between the reef and the caravan park on the Goodwood Island bank. The wn prawns pushed a Praget Bla into this b “Yam corner on the startdeofs”the run-out tide, and the small mulloway gang up on them.

I fish here with 5” white plastics on a 1/4oz jighead flicking upstream and work them back with the tide. Flathead should have moved back into Oyster Channel from the bridge all the way to the lake. Try the flats around Carrs Drive Boat Ramp and Joss Island, and take your dillies with you. Remember, flathead are a lot like us – they like to be out of the wind and have the sun on their backs, so fish the calm water. Also, they seem to like the one area each day. It’s like if you catch one, two come to his funeral, so don’t be in a hurry to move if you’ve caught a good fish. Good luck this month.

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Mud crabs must be 8.5cm and blue swimmers must be 6cm. Start to look for good whiting around this month. Upstream from Browns Rocks around the bend

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Fresh start to the season on bass and trout COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley info@tdsimages.com.au

It felt like a long and dry off season for many trout anglers, but rest assured the season is here. The 2017-18 season should make up for the wait, with one of the longest seasons we can have. For the first time in five years, next year we will have a September trout day, so all of October will be in play. We also have until 11 June to fit in as many trout trips as we can. Unfortunately the winter has been super dry and mild. The creeks are running very low and unless the long forecast is incorrect, we’re not in for flooding rain anytime soon. With that in mind, the best locations for the first trout trip of the

season will be the larger creeks with better flow, and those up a bit higher in the cool weather. Warm, slow water has a lot less oxygen so the fish will be less active. You’re a lot more likely to come across active fish in cold, running streams higher on the range. In saying that, the earlier you can get up into the trout streams, the better condition the lower creeks will be in. Early in the season I like to use Woolly Buggers and other streamers that can get down in their faces. During opening month, egg patterns will also work well in areas where there are likely breeders. BASS Bass season has started with a bang as plenty of fish have been found throughout entire catchments. Most fish still seem to be down in the brackish and lower

Specialising in Bluewater Game & Sport Fishing

freshwater sections, but there have been good fish coming out of the skinnier stuff. In the lower sections the fish are schooled up and concentrated around the bait. The bridges and deep snaggy areas below the first rapids in each system are where most of the action is concentrated. Prawn and critter imitations are producing a lot of the brackish fish, and there have been plenty of by-catch bass on jerk shads and hardbodies aimed at mulloway or bream. Higher up in the freshwater systems there have been fewer fish, with plenty of size. It’s still a little early for the surface lures to be firing, but I don’t think it’s ever too early to give them a crack around a good snag or wall. Most fish have been eating subsurface plastics, spinnerbaits and diving hardbodies. The water is very low in some of our systems, so look

Kent Richardson with a last minute high plateau trout from the chilly end of season weekend in June. to the sections with deeper holes where bigger fish will feel more comfortable. Low flow generally means relatively clear water in most systems, so more finesse and a bit of patience may be

required to tempt a sulking bass deep in his snag. ESTUARIES As I mentioned, estuary anglers have been coming across bass as they push up into the brackish water

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Jason O’Brien had a very slow session to start the season, but this bass nearly hit the 50cm mark and made it all worthwhile.

chasing co-mingling bream and the less co-mingling mulloway. Over the last month there have been 10kg+ mulloway caught up in these regions, so don’t be surprised if one spits up a bass or two once captured. These fish will take a very big lure, so if you’re chasing something bigger than a schoolie, don’t be afraid to throw some of the bigger hardbodies and plastics around. The bigger bream have been hiding amongst the bass, under the bass and behind the bass in the upper estuaries. As more of the bass force their way upstream we’ll see the bream push right up into the freshwater. Again, prawn imitations have been the standout. It doesn’t seem right, but the Ecogear Aqua Prawn has been responsible for tempting many big bream and bass recently. This plastic looks like it would do nothing underwater, but whatever it does or doesn’t

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A cracking early start to the season for Harley Norton with this 52cm bass taken on a ZMan plastic.

do seems to work. Finding the snags with the mixed schools of fish is the key. If lure fishing isn’t your thing then a live bait is probably the next option to go for. If you can get hold of some live shrimp or prawns and don’t get onto some decent fish when floating one into one of these snagged up schools,

then it’s not really worth trying much else. The only time you would normally have a live shrimp left to dangle on the end of your line is when there’s no fish there. Whether bream, bass, mulloway or even an early season jack, a live shrimp in a snag with fish is as sure a bet as you’ll ever get. The larger rivers like

the Bellinger and Nambucca have had more of this mixed school action, but there are co-mingling fresh and saltwater fish in all of our systems. It’s actually the smaller systems that have the most crossover. Systems like Bonville, Boambee, Deep and Moonee creeks all have such short distances between their estuary and

Don Cummings has been having some fun on the fly with the island rats.

the freshwater stretches that there is a high percentage of the middle to upper estuary that forms a crossover area for fresh and saltwater fish. It’s much more likely in these creeks to see bream up in the freshwater most of the time. This makes it a little easier to pick the mixing zone. If you fish a little down from the freshwater in these systems at this time of year, bass, bream and mulloway are all on the cards, along with the possibility of some bull shark action on the side too. OFFSHORE Offshore this month won’t change too much from the previous. Snapper are dominating the inshore reefs and eating almost anything on the bait side of the equation. They have been a little fussy at times on the lures, but they haven’t slowed down since winter. The larger kingfish are still around most of the islands and deep reefs, but the rats have been moving in. Overall we can expect a little of the same story from September but with a few changes heading towards summer mode, and of course the opening of the trout season is upon us. Get out there before it turns from a dry and mild spring, into a scorching and parched drought.

Ben Duroux and his uncle Darryl Lynch with a nice 40cm Hawkesbury River trevally. It was caught at Bobbin Head on a pilchard.

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October is the month of angling opportunities could have hoped for. Fish were in good numbers from Smithtown right down to the mouth. It was not hard to get a feed at all. The Macleay monsters were out early and many fish up to 1m were caught. Large mulloway were still a viable target, and fish over 15kg were consistently caught on both breakwalls. Many dedicated mulloway anglers said it was the best winter run of big fish for many years. On the rocks last month we were still experiencing great bream and drummer fishing. Bream around 1kg were very common, with a handful of fish between 1.5kg and 2kg appearing. While they can be targeted

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October is one of the most exciting months of the year. There are many great fishing opportunities. Apart from our summer pelagics, just about all other species are on the cards. Daylight savings has started and we are able to make the most of the longer afternoons. August gave us some great fishing, and this showed little sign of slowing heading into spring. The water stayed warm and we had some truly magical winter days. The flathead fishing was better than we

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Ian Black was very happy with his new PB snapper. most of the year, the number and size of drummer was also up, with fish averaging 1.5kg or more. Towards the end of the month we hit what was arguably the best big tailor run in many years. Fish averaged 1.5-2kg, and 3kg fish were common. Some fish to 4kg were caught, and one of the commercial guys hauled in a 5.5kg fish. The beach on Smokey was reliable for tailor and school mulloway, particularly after dark. O ff s h o r e the opportunities to get out were limited due to some strong southwesterly winds and big swell. Most of the action happened out deeper, but there were some snapper caught in close. Pearl perch numbers were great out further along with smaller snapper and stud mulloway. Minimal current allowed some anglers to get onto nice bar cod out on the deeper grounds. Kingfish were in good numbers; a lack of current in close generally meant very short bite periods and lots of smaller fish to get through. October is when the action really heats up in the river. The water won’t get a great deal warmer, so the flathead will remain in the sun-warmed shallows where they can be easily

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targeted. It’s still a great month to target those big fish. Whiting numbers picked up considerably at the start of spring and we should be consistently getting fish on surface lures. School mulloway numbers

on the warmer days. It will be interesting to see what rainfall we get. It has been an extremely dry winter and the system needs a good flush. Any significant rise in the river at this time of year will see the bass head for the hills. The action can be thick and fast when the water level is up, as most pockets and back eddies will hold fish. Bream numbers will be dropping on the rocks as they either move back down the coast or head into the rivers. Drummer will remain in good numbers for the rest of this month. They can be caught on just about every ledge from the Gaol south, although the harder to get to places will hold better fish. October can still be a very good month to target tailor before they start to

Jai Miller with a 70cm flathead. will steadily increase, and they will be worth targeting on plastics in the deeper holes, particularly between Jerseyville and the mouth. Further upriver the bass will be actively taking surface lures, particularly

thin out. South of the Gaol to Little Bay is always a reliable area as well as the rocks at Smokey Cape. Throwing plastics and divers in the shallow gutters in these areas will likely produce a school mulloway,

too. The beaches won’t be all that busy and are still worth fishing for flathead and whiting towards the creek mouths. Mulloway will be worth targeting on Smokey Beach after dark. Offshore there will be plenty happening. This is one of the best times of the year to target kingfish in close. Jigs, stickbaits and poppers will all work well in the right situation. Big fish will hug the coast, particularly between Green Island and Smokey. Green Island, Fish Rock and Black Rock will all be busy, as many try to get in on the action. Get in early is my best tip, as they can go off the bite when pressured. Just remember to stick to the rules – it’s lures-only within 200m of Fish Rock and Green Island. Snapper will remain in close, with Black Rock and the reefs off Grassy being the focus. Out further I hope the leatherjackets have left, as there is some great fishing to be had. Pearl perch, snapper, trag and mulloway will be on the cards between 40m and 80m. SPEARFISHING We were treated to some great conditions heading into spring, with relatively warm and very clear water. Visibility for most of August was 10-20m in close and 20-30m at Fish Rock. Schools of large kingfish congregated around the Gaol recently. Fish averaged from 12-17kg with a couple of 20kg fish getting taken. Mulloway were fairly quiet with only a couple of reports from Black Rock. Water temperatures stayed fairly warm all month, so cray numbers in shallow were down but still worth looking for. Kings will be the focus for October and we should see mulloway numbers increase. Conditions will all depend on rain and winds. Visibility can be very good as long as we don’t get hit by the northeasterly winds.

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In October the Mid North Coast can dish up just about anything. The weather, especially wind, is quite difficult to predict at times, even when you’re closely observing different weather data sources. The fishing over the next few months until Christmas can also be trying at times. When there are remnants of the winter species remaining and the first signs of the summer speedsters arriving offshore the river offers some relief for those windy days. As the water warms and the action turns on in the shallows some red-hot sessions on the bread and butter species will be had, especially with a massive population of hungry postspawn run bass inhabiting the upper reaches. The bass season kicked off quite well with plenty fish being caught in the opening month. The areas around Kempsey and up past Belgrave Falls towards Sherwood have seen some of the hottest action so far. At this time of year this area

has the highest congregation of bass as they make their migration back upriver for summer. The surface action will heat up with the weather.

mainly take place around dawn and dusk. October to November is the peak time for bull shark activity in the upper tidal reaches of the Macleay.

There have been plenty of flathead up in the rock walls, making them easy to access land-based. At the moment fishing deep with soft or hard vibes, diving lures, spinnerbaits and soft plastics is definitely the way to go. Surface strikes will still occur, but this will

While these sharks can be an absolute menace when they take your catch and lure at the same time, the smaller models can be fun to catch and are good on the plate.

Just be absolutely confident in what you are doing if you plan to target them, because even a small specimen can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous. Plastic coated wire and fresh or live bait are best when targeting sharks in the river. The Lower Macleay fishery is starting to heat up now. Smithtown has been home to plenty of bream and flathead as well as some nicesized whiting in the deeper holes. A few bass are still straggling in this area, but nothing like what is present there in winter. Once again, fishing deep with vibes and blades, whether soft or hard, and slightly heavier weighted soft plastic grubs should see some results up around Smithtown. With hardly any rain all winter, there is a healthy population of school mulloway moving up and down through this region with the tides. From the sandflats and rock walls above Jerseyville down to the entrance of the river there have also been great numbers of flathead and bream with a few decent mulloway and even some tailor and kingfish, due to the amount of bait present in the lower system. The better flathead are still hanging high up in the rock walls, usually within 1ft of the surface looking for an easy feed and enjoying the warmth. Fishing bigger, but very lightly weighted plastics is the most productive way that I have found to fish this highly snaggy area and it’s equally effective landbased and from a boat, as the weight of the larger plastic compensates for the lighter jighead and allows a slower sink rate. Using neutrally buoyant or floating plastics helps even further to slow the sink rate.

Rock fishing in October is mainly focused around surface luring for kingies and soft plastics for mulloway. There are still plenty of bream, tailor and drummer around and they are generally a better class. Now is a great time to target one of the aforementioned species land-based and have a fair amount of success. Some of the newer swimbaits in the 20-23cm sizes will be very

stickbaits and poppers, as well as jigs and plastics of all shapes and sizes. These fish are being found out on their usual deeper reefs and wrecks as well as just about anywhere bait is present. Deep dropping out wide is drawing to a close with the current kicking in and out lately. While there are fish there, getting to them becomes increasingly difficult as we transition into

Fishing soft plastics is a great way to keep kids entertained and active, and will often produce results. effective lures off the stones, and won’t break the bank if you get them snagged. Offshore it seems like the bigger snapper are still moving in on the shallow reefs, with the afternoon bite into the dark being the best when the conditions are right. Kings have been around Fish Rock and Black Rock and have been responding to larger

summer conditions. Reports from boats that have been fishing out wide are that striped marlin have been sighted free swimming on occasions. Hopefully with some good water and plenty of bait in the area, the next few months will lead into the awesome gamefishing season that our region has lacked for a couple of years now.

KEMPSEY Sam with a nice arvo snapper out off Hat Head.

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What’s on offer in October THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

October is a month when the fishing really starts to fire up. The water temperatures are rising, prawn activity in our local rivers will increase and it all looks good for superb fishing leading into summer. This month will see an increase in activity on the water with a lot of boaters getting into it again after a winter lay-off. Make sure all

your boating safety gear is up to scratch before heading out as well. Do the obvious checks on trailers and boat motors. Is everything up to scratch? Now let’s look at what’s on offer for an October fish fest! BEACHES The local beaches have been quite good for those putting the time into them, checking for gutters before fishing and gathering fresh bait. Beachworms have been excellent with quite a few reasonable mulloway being landed from North Beach as well as Lighthouse Beach;

both these beaches are long so prior investigation helps. There are also a heap of smaller beaches between Port and Lighthouse worth looking at, especially for your bream, tailor and whiting. Grab a handful of beachworms and give it a try – it’s quite an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. OFFSHORE Fishos have been getting into some quality reef dwellers lately, with Ryan Ford and Casey Bleasdale recently getting a nice mixed box of pearl perch, blue

morwong, snapper, flatties and pigfish. The great thing about this bottom bouncing fishing is the variety you can catch and the simplicity of the whole system. All that is necessary is a simple two-hook paternoster rig with a weight to suit your desired depth and current. Drop it down and see what takes your bait. Once again, fresh bait is a major advantage for good results. The 40m line from Lighthouse south has been a good place to start, but there are many grounds between

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e e r F z w o r r A c i Atom y a w a e v i G t r i h T-S

to recent years; there is no early season dirty water from floods, however they aren’t easy so your casting needs to be up to scratch. I’ve found if you don’t put your lure right up in the structure, the fish have been hard to entice! Surface lures with the walk-the-dog retrieve have been an early season

favourite of mine for a few years. If you notice the bait in these systems and the Macleay River you will understand why. Bream have spread out through the Hastings system and you can have some great fun with these in Limeburners, Big Bay also fishing surface or

Wayne Minns with a cracking red he caught on a slow worked Octo jig.

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The new colour Samaki Vibe was a winner for this nice mulloway Gavin Saxon caught recently.

Stephanie Ayrton also caught this nice metre mulloway in the Hastings.

hardbodied diving lures in the snags around Rawdon Island, Maria River and Wauchope. For the crabbers this month, you could see some blue swimmers in the Hastings, and mud crabs should be on the job. Check

the Fisheries regulations regarding crabbing and get yourself out and into them. There’s nothing like an October fish fest finished off with a nice fresh crab dish and refreshing drink. Enjoy!

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A fishy change of seasonal expectations FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

It seems like winter forgot to visit us when it was supposed to. The extent of winter was a few isolated cold days scattered through the middle months and a chilly morning or two in September. How this all effects the seasonal change in fishing is anyone’s guess and we will have to adjust our expectations from here.

on the job throughout the systems where they have spent the winter. A severe lack of regular rain will affect the rivers and estuaries, if the pattern continues. No one could argue we have had too much rain in the last four months and we need it to rejuvenate the system and flush the place. The freshwater will certainly suffer if we don’t get the rain we usually expect in November and December. A long, hot summer on top of the current conditions

a solid berley trail of bread pumping. Berley is the key to catching more than one or two fish from any given spot. A few loaves of bread soaked in a rock pool or bucket, need to be metered out at a steady pace in a wash that has plenty of white water and wave action. A bit of water depth and a good surge and flow of water around close by bommies is always a bonus. Patience is the other key to stirring the pigs up; pick a spot and fish it until the berley takes effect.

Like so many others, the author is happy to be back catching bass. The broken reef areas like Blackhead, Burgess and South One Mile still have a few smaller bream. Most of the big bream have probably made their way back closer to the estuary ready to push further up into the tributaries. As the bream push up into the brackish water, they will be passing the flathead that spend the winter in the rivers. They will be heading down to start breeding with the large females that

congregate along the foot of the breakwall, Tuncurry Channel and the flats around the Paddock at the end of this month. Even if you don’t want to target a catch and release trophy, these spots are worth fishing because there are always far more legal size males hanging around looking to get lucky. October is the start of crab fishing and I set my pots up in the entrances of the Wallamba or Coolongolook

rivers. As the water warms up, I bring the pots back into the lake proper or the channels around Regatta and Bandicoot islands. Again, the crab and prawn season will ultimately depend on the amount of rain we get to flush and move the critters through the system. I for one am looking forward to the longer, warmer months and the bounty that should come with it this spring and summer period.

This fish is the upper limit of the eating slot for the author – over 3kg and it goes back in the drink. The upside is that the bass anglers can resume where they left off last season, with no waiting for the fish to return to the upper reaches from spawning. The bulk of the fish didn’t move too far, even with the fresh back in April, so they will be

would reduce the flow, stagnate pockets of water and possibly dry up creeks. We need a lot of rain and soon. While the black drummer (pigs) have been scattered this year, it isn’t a total waste of time finding a wash and getting

The rocks are offering tailor up to a kilo during the morning and late afternoon on metal slice lures. A few will fall to baits while you fish for other things, but it’s handy to have a rod rigged for when they break the surface or show up in the wash.

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The past month has been a difficult time for the freshwater part of the Manning. There has been no rain in the upper reaches of the Manning, and up around Tiri the river has just about stopped flowing. Above Tiri the big holes are stacked with bass and they are responding to all sorts of lures and baits. Unless we get some decent falls of rain in the headwaters of the Manning these fish will be trapped there until the river flows again. The saltwater part of the Manning has much better things happening to it. The Manning is currently host to many schools of whitebait and these baitfish have attracted many predatory fish to feed on the schools. Tailor and kingfish have been caught by anglers fishing from the river wall using lures and small baitfish. This activity has brought in the mulloway and the sharks who feed on the fish eating the whitebait. ESTUARY Obviously the mulloway have received quite a bit of attention over the past month, and while they were a bit quiet after the full moon, it did not take them long to get back on the bite. They have been caught up above Harrigans Pub, from the river wall and the end of the sea wall. A few small fish in the 4-8kg range were taken from the sand spit in the mouth of the river. Most of the other fish caught were up around the 20kg mark. Bream, luderick and flathead have also been fairly plentiful. BEACH AND ROCKS Tailor have been the most sought-after species on the beaches and from the rocks. They are taking lures and pilchard baits on both Harrington and Crowdy beaches. A few bream have turned up on both beaches, with the best catches being made from the southern end of Crowdy Beach on mullet gut and mullet pieces. Of course there have been several decent mulloway taken from Harrington Beach by keen anglers fishing the top of the tide and the first couple of hours of the run-out. OFFSHORE We have experienced quite a lot of west to southerly winds and this has made outside fishing a mostly ‘wait and see’ proposition. When the boats were able to venture out, anglers caught great snapper. The fish were caught on both the north and south grounds and usually a few fish up to 4.5kg were

Bream have been fairly plentiful, along with luderick and flathead. Image courtesy of Jason Mayberry. boated. Flathead were also caught on the drift. Surface fish have been absent for all of the past month and it will take a change of water temperature to bring them back to our shores. October used to be the time to catch a big mulloway from the beach, but that was over 50 years ago. Now, with the seasons coming later November is the preferred month. Even

so, there is little wrong with October as a month for fishing. Luderick and flathead will be on the bite in the estuary, and if the chopper tailor have arrived then it will be possible to pick up a decent mulloway on a live bait. The weather will be warm enough to allow early morning and late evening spinning from the beaches and rocks for tailor and salmon.

Shayne Hamilton caught this monster at midnight while fishing with his good mate last summer. It wouldn’t fit in the net, so they had to get creative to pull it up for this photo! OCTOBER 2017

Feeding frenzies following big schools of baitfish HUNTER COAST

Gary Earl earlybird13@optusnet.com.au

We have some strange weather on this area of the coast; we have air temperatures lifting into the high twenties, and

water temperatures sitting around 15-17°C. This can be a good thing or can kill the fishing for your day out. I have been out when the water is cold, then I have hit a warm current that I could troll along, or the current was running to a nearby reef, wreck, pinnacle or any

underwater structure. A day can go from bad to incredible in five minutes this way. In the Stockton River both the North and South arms have had nice flathead, bream and a great influx of baitfish – mainly whitebait in amounts I haven’t seen before. This would be

The three main flathead anglers will come across are tiger, sand and dusky flathead, so get the lures ready as they should show up this month.

Salmon are coming up the coast in huge numbers. They will usually take any chrome lure, and are fun for anglers who like fish that pull hard on light gear.

helping the fish move further upriver. Ash Island Bridge was black with them passing under it, then whack! A fish feeding frenzy would happen. Tailor that followed them were the first, then further up or down the river you could hear that boof of a mulloway rising into the action. I looked at the size of the

bait and tried to match it as best I could. I now own a tackle box of soft plastics with no tails on them. I usually sit down when I get home and get a pair of scissors to reshape the ones that still are saveable. In the harbour flathead are moving in over the Kooragang sand flats, so if you can drift and toss lures

or (even better) get a few live mullet, you should be in with a show. The mulloway have been slow off the dropovers and beach. Wait for the barometric pressure to rise or use the tides just around sunset. If you’re fishing prawns or cut pilchards in close on the walls, some nice bream

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have been running up and down. Stockton wall has been performing the best. Hopefully we have a good bass season this year. Last year’s was only moderate. Try the Hunter all

the way up to Morpeth, then give the Patterson River a shot. Just keep an eye on the quality of water. Around Raymond Terrace, estuary perch have been grabbing deep divers.

If the current warms, you might be lucky enough to get an early season marlin, but you have to get out over the shelf to better your odds.

A lot of anglers can’t or don’t realize the difference between estuary perch and bass, but it’s not too difficult to tell them apart once you know what to look for. The perch has a more prominent snout and the bass is more rounded. As I said before, outside the water is a bit cold and this can change overnight. I know tailor and school kingfish are on the Mudhole Reef and North Reef. Bonito, tailor and salmon are schooling just out from the baths at Merewether. Whales are coming up the coast in numbers and if you’re lucky, you may see one. On the ocean floor in the deeper reefs, nannygai and morwong are still in good numbers to chase. You could get some juvenile snapper fishing the dumping grounds. They’re not big, just a nice plate-size. I’ve seen a stack of them on the cleaning table at Carrington – all just over 1kg and a few gurnard thrown in with them. This month as it warms up, start trolling to your favourite piece of ground. Use small skirts on the inside with some bonito or mac tuna for bait and some lures like the Count Down Rapalas on the outer rods. You may snag a king or two.

FISHING NEWS

Illegal fishers face fines Thousands of shellfish were seized by NSW DPI Fisheries Officers during an operation targeting illegal shellfish collection around Sydney and the Illawarra earlier this year. NSW DPI Director Fisheries Compliance, Patrick Tully, said the annual operation was designed to reduce illegal harvesting of shellfish. “Intertidal invertebrates such as turban snails and abalone are popular with recreational fishers, but… they are subject to strict fishing rules to ensure the catch is sustainable,” Mr Tully said. DPI Fisheries allege that more than 30 people committed fisheries offences including: exceeding the

possession limit of intertidal invertebrates, illegally taking invertebrates from Sydney’s intertidal protected areas (IPAs), illegally shucking intertidal invertebrates, and not paying the Recreational Fishing Fee. The alleged offences included: • Four people found at night in possession of 1855 cockles in the Sydney Harbour IPA; • Two people caught for the fourth time attempting to take cockles in the Sydney Harbour IPA; • A man found with 17 speared moray eels in waters closed to spearfishing at North Harbour; • A Marrickville restaurant owner found offering for sale 80kg of live cockles

without the required documentation; • 12 people found illegally collecting over 500 invertebrates in separate incidents in the Sydney Harbour IPAs; • Four people found with 1167 cockles taken from Lake Illawarra; • Two people found with 10 undersize crabs from Lake Illawarra. The traps were also not marked as required. • A restaurant owner in Quirindi had 455 pieces of illegally harvested shellfish meat seized. Some of the alleged offenders are facing multiple charges and have been fined, while other matters are still under investigation. – NSW DPI

Left: A haul of suspected illegally harvested shellfish. Right: These 17 speared moray eels were taken in waters closed to spearfishing at North Harbour. Images courtesy of NSWDPI.

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Mulloway kicking into gear with warm weather SWANSEA

Jason Scerri coloratolures@hotmail.com

It’s a fantastic time of year here on Lake Macquarie. Things generally kick into gear now and hopefully there’s no holding back for a good five months now. Daytime temperatures continue to rise and the fishing just keeps getting better. Offshore action is still a little slow. Crews know it shouldn’t be long now until the stick faces start poking the heads out. Inside the lake itself fishing has been very good with loads of options and plenty on the chew. For anglers simply looking to stretch their arms and feel a little hurt the salmon schools are still about. The odd kingfish is also starting to make an appearance within these schools, so don’t think every hook-up is ‘just another salmon.’ Every season over recent years we see these kingfish move into the lake over the summer periods and some years we see some real solid fish appear. Fingers crossed, this is one of those seasons. For anglers wanting to try their hand at a lake kingfish there are two main options that generally work if the fish are about. Slow

The author managed this great feed of flathead in a quick hour and a half session recently working a patch of bait in 9m of water. trolling live squid on a downrigger around the dropover area and around the many markers throughout the lake is a great way of tangling with these kings. The other effective method is fishing these same areas and working them over with soft plastics. Generally longer, thinner profile are the go and I would suggest slim 5-7” flickbait style plastics. Mix up the retrieve every

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few casts to see if one style fires them up more than others. Also keep in mind early mornings and late afternoons are by far the best times for having a go at Lake Mac kingfish. Mulloway are also about in reasonable numbers with fish from around legal length up to over 1m coming from the lake. Soft plastics are claiming most victims. When fishing the deeper areas, although it’s important to use a jighead that gets the lure down into the zone, keep in mind that many mulloway hits come mid-water column. Ensure the jighead is still light enough to allow the lure to not simply plummet to the bottom with no action. This is a big key to successfully nailing mulloway on lures in the lake. Anglers soaking baits are also scoring a few fish and with the temperatures

now slowly rising, we will see more anglers putting in the hours after dark and a few more fish will be coming up. Bream fishing lately has been sensational on Lake Macquarie. The past few months have seen spectacular bream fishing with hardbodies and soft plastics doing equally well. It’s not just been the numbers that have been impressive – the size of the fish has been awesome, too. A few key areas have been producing. When the winds have been up a bit the flats have been turning it on and at other times simply working some deeper structure with plastics and blades has been the go-to option. Another method producing the goods is to work the banks that the wind is blowing onto, as the waves stir up this water and the bream are often quite active in these areas. Shallow diving hardbodies or even bent minnow types are great for working the edges. Flathead continue to be on the chew. I’m not sure about other anglers, but I’m certainly still finding my fish in the deeper sections of the lake at the moment. I’m not finding too many in the shallows yet. I’m sure as we more further into warmer weather this will change. The 3-4” paddle-tail plastics have been firing for me lately and by far the standout colour has been white. It may not be the most exciting to look at, but it’s certainly the most effective in my arsenal. For anglers who prefer tackling the open oceans, you’re in luck. Crews out wide hunting sharks are finding a few fish and some very good ones in the mix. Locals have scored some solid tiger sharks lately.

It’s also a good time of year to start prepping your trolling outfits, as the marlin won’t be far off now. It varies from season to season. Any time from now on is as good as any to start putting in the hours and the rewards will soon follow. Solid mahimahi are often a very welcome by-catch for anglers trolling a spread of lures in hope of any early season marlin, so be sure to be on the lookout for any current lines or floating debris and be sure to work it over and over and wait for that reel to start screaming. At this early stage in the season I’d suggest a little bit of a mixed spread of skirted lures. I’d run them as small as 5” out the back off the shotgun position and if your gear is up to it then don’t be

afraid to run a 14” lure close off the transom. Not all anglers who head offshore are looking for that next marlin strike. Anglers heading out for a feed are finding it a little patchy at the moment. That’s not say there is nothing out there, but anglers are certainly working hard for their bags. The offshore reefs are still basically in between seasons it seems. The inshore reefs aren’t firing with the run of summer fish yet, and the wider reefs seemed to have dropped off with their winter residents seemingly moving on. I’d expect the inshore reefs to fire soon enough and with a bit of luck we will see another good year of kingfish from the inshore reefs and nearby rock ledges.

David Sykes managed this lovely pair of Lake Macquarie mulloway on squid bait during a recent night session. Both fish were around the 1m mark.

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Tom Ewings, 15 years old, caught this fantastic 121cm mulloway and released it at St Georges Basin using a green Juro Firebait on a 1/8oz jighead.

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The estuary looks especially good for spring

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fish, especially on glassy mornings where the kingies can often be sighted busting up panicked baitfish on the surface. When kingfish are in the mood they will attack a range of lures, from stickbaits to poppers through to soft plastics and metals. However, the most effective method to get connected to one of these fish is to live bait a freshlycaught squid from the inside of the marina. Regardless of what method you use, 30lb gear should be a minimum, as these fish will almost certainly make short work of anything less. If you know me, you know how much I love chasing dusky flathead, which is why I look forward

PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

The fishing in Port Stephens really steps up a notch in October with increasing water and weather temperatures bringing many species on the chew. The estuary in particular really comes to life at this time of year, as popular species such as yellowtail kings, flathead, mulloway and crabs all come out to play. Inside the estuary, October is when solid kingfish weighing up to 10kg start to appear around Nelson Bay around the rock wall and inside the marina. Fishing at first light on a high tide change is the best time to find these

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to October so much – it is the first month when I really start to home in on them and target them. At this time of year dusky flathead are in their best numbers further up the major tributaries, and will slowly work their way down over the next few months. Soft plastics in the 90-120mm size range are by far the most versatile options for flathead fishing as they can be worked at any depth. Hardbodied lures in the same sizes can be just as effective when used over areas like flooded intertidal flats zones that have consistent depths, allowing the lure to be in the strikezone for the entire retrieve. Mulloway should be around this month in all the usual haunts, such as the deep water around Soldiers Point, the wreck at Corlette,

A solid October mulloway. There should be plenty of them around this month in all the usual haunts.

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Flathead should become more active this month.

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back half of the system. BEACH The beaches have been fishing well, with school mulloway being caught on night-time tides in the gutters along Samurai, Fingal and Stockton. Whiting have also started to show up in numbers and will only get better as everything warms up. Live worms are without a doubt the key to catching whiting off the beach and also pick up plenty of welcome by-catch such as bream and flathead, as well as the odd mulloway. Tailor shouldn’t be a problem to spin up on first or last light from Fingal Spit or Box Beach using ganged garfish, pilchards or a metal lure in the 30-50g range. ROCKS Drummer are still

around in good numbers. Make the most of them now, as they will start to taper off over the next month. Casting lures around dawn and dusk from most of the more prominent rock points should result in a good catch of tailor with the odd salmon thrown in. Don’t be surprised if you catch an early season bonito either. OFFSHORE There are still good snapper to be caught in the shallows this month with Edith Breakers, Broughton Island, Fingal Island and Rocky Point down to Fishermans Bay all worth look. The deeper reefs such as the Gibber, Mungs, Vee and 21 reefs will also be worth a look for reds as well as trag and a few sand flathead off the edges.

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OCTOBER 2017

Adam Hodges with a cracker snapper caught on an unweighted bait.

The luderick action is looking up this month ERINA

Aaron Donaldson

It was a quite winter for fishing. The lack of major rain events and warmer-than-usual ocean temperatures seemed to throw a lot of fish off their game, and some species didn’t show at all! You’ll be pleased to know that recently things are showing signs of improvement. The local estuaries have

been fishing quite well and there has been a stack of bait schools hanging around down deep and the predators – as usual – haven’t been too for away. In Brisbane Water I always find this time of year quite productive. Fishos should concentrate their efforts in the deeper waters, although now is a transition period for our lakes. If we get the right weather, the edges of the weed beds can be well worth a go. Some

good areas to try would be Half Tide Rocks and the Rip Bridge area for the deeper fishing and up in the main Gosford Broadwater for the weed edges. Bream, flathead and whiting will be the main targets. Lake Macquarie has continued to produce right through the cold period. Numerous mulloway have been caught along with monster bream around the cockle beds. Salmon have arrived in

There should be a few bass moving upstream this month.

huge numbers feeding on the micro bait anywhere from the bridge to the back of Moon Island. Be sure to be polite and don’t troll through the school, just sit off the edge and cast your lures into the fish. Anything small in a white or clear colour seems to work best. The rock fishing has been unreal with plenty of big groper, drummer and luderick about in numbers. I have been having great sessions on the luderick with the fly rod lately. It has been great to cast at big packs of hungry fish tailing with half their bodies out of the water! The beaches have been salmon city. Most people are hooking one or two. Big whiting have been cruising the surf zone; the key to hooking them has been quality beachworms – whiting can’t resist them. Scotty Thorington has reported the fishing off Terrigal to be hit and miss at the moment. There has been some great snapper fishing when the current has been right and it has been the same with the kingfish jigging. Scotty says it’s a case of ‘no run, no fun.’ When the jigging has been on he has had some great days. One

A great shallow water luderick taken on fly. day they encountered 14 fish over a metre in length, which is good fishing in anyone’s books. Leatherjackets and the dreaded barracouta have been a major problem and they seem to be moving closer in everyday, which hasn’t been good for tackle collections! Local gun anglers Harley Wood and Daniel

Currie have been landing some quality mulloway on big hardbodies off the rocks lately. The boys have both taken fish around the 25kg mark. They are very committed and earn the fish that they catch. Good on you, boys – keep up the good work! Good luck to everyone fishing the coast as the weather and fishing warm up.

Help keep abalone disease out of NSW Don’t use abalone as bait. The prohibition on the use of abalone as bait or burley in NSW remains in force. It is illegal to use any part of an abalone as bait or burley, either recreationally or commercially, for the taking of any fish in all waters of NSW. The use of abalone 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.

Several alternative baits are available to fish for the species previously targeted with abalone. 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)

Aquatic Biosecurity E: aquatic.pests@dpi.nsw.gov.au T: (02) 4982 1232 www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries

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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.

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au OCTOBER 2017

Barracouta now a toothy thorn in anglers’ sides ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

What is the deal with all the barracouta off the coast this year? Just when you thought it was safe to fish because the dreaded leatherjackets had thinned right out, the ‘couta show up. They have been around for months and don’t seem to be going anywhere in a hurry. The tackle stores love them, as they destroy plastics on sight and cut off the jigheads every second cast, so you

go through a tonne of terminal tackle in no time. Micro-jigs don’t stand a chance and those occy jigs used for snapper don’t come out of the tackle box, as they are too expensive to put down if the ‘couta are about. They seem to be all the way from the backs of the beaches to 40m+ and they hunt in schools so when you find one, there will be many, so the only thing to do is move. The bait fishos chasing snapper are copping it too as the ‘couta find their way into the berley trail and take every bait available; often you don’t even know you

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One of the lure-slicing, hook-thieving barracouta that seem to be everywhere. Check out the teeth. have been bitten off, their teeth are just that sharp. The bottom bouncers lose both hooks and sinkers. You’re not safe chasing flatties over the sand, as they are there too. For the most part they have been smaller fish to 50cm, but some bigger fish (almost a metre long) have been around lately and these can inflict a very nasty wound, as can the small ones. Be very careful when putting your fingers near the sharp end. The larger fish don’t taste too bad, but they are a bit bony. Back in the 50s and 60s they were one of the most marketed fish in the country, so they are not a complete waste of time. I’ve heard they smoke up well. I don’t mind catching the bigger ones on poppers and light line, as they go very fast, lack staying power and peter out pretty quickly in the fight department. If you can get past them or find a spot that’s ‘couta free, there have been some nice snapper over the deeper reefs and gravel in 30-40m of water. If the current isn’t running too fast, a bit of berley will get them on the

chew. Pilchards, squid and tuna are good baits. Alternately, fishing plastics over the same reefs is picking them up as well. Just keep an eye on the sounder for schools of bait or single larger fish close to the bottom and fish these areas. Plenty of snapper in the 6-7kg range have come in over the past few weeks with a whole lot more smaller ones. Kingfish have started to make an appearance over the usual deeper reefs. Live baits downrigged or fished deep on a sinker while chasing snapper are a good way to raise them. Knife jigs work a treat too when you find a school, as they will be gathering for spawning over the coming weeks and into November. The ‘Banks’ off Jervis Bay is the spot to be next month. A few strays will filter through to the islands, Bass Point and Rangoon and they could be any size, so be ready. Further offshore there should be a few albacore floating around the shelf area and beyond. The yellowfin have been quiet so far and the bluefin just didn’t play at all this winter, so there will be a lot of anglers out there with tuna withdrawal symptoms. This can change with the currents, but so far it has been barren. A few striped tuna came through last month and in August as they always do, but no bigger tuna species. The popular alternative to surface species when around the shelf and canyon areas is deep dropping for gemfish, blue-eye and hapuka along with ling and other deep water ooglies, so you don’t come home empty handed. They don’t fight like tuna, but they eat well. Mako sharks are still in the mix taking fish as they come to the top, so you may still get to fight something that pulls hard and jumps before the marlin show up. On the subject of marlin, there may be the odd striped marlin making an appearance towards the end of the month before we

see the current start to push back down in November, bringing a new season of warm water pelagics. Right in close you can get some good fish this month, bashing the washes with prawns and ganged pilchards for all sorts of species. Drummer, bream, trevally and luderick are all keen to have a go at the prawns, while salmon, tailor and even the odd snapper will nail the pilchards. Just remember you must know the area you are fishing, because you have to be in close to get those baits into the white water and waves can and do pop up at any time. Know your limits and don’t get too close if you are in unfamiliar territory. The islands are a good place to start, as they have mostly deep water close to the rocks. Some of the more southern areas around Kiama are good too and northern areas of the coast seem to be much shallower near the shore. Also remember

them every October, but their decline in numbers means they are very infrequent visitors these days. The beach fishing is slowly dragging itself out of the winter gloom, even if we are halfway through spring. Whiting will start to show in small numbers towards the end of the month down around the lake entrance and up to Port Kembla with the odd flathead starting to stick its nose out of the sand as well. A few bream are on the move, particularly where the beach meets the rocks. Some nice tailor are in the deeper gutters with some better than average salmon on many of the beaches, and there should be a few more school mulloway getting around the beaches this month as well, as the water starts to warm a little. They have been about for a month or two now so their size and numbers should increase as we head into summer. Coniston Beach is the one to look at this month.

If the tuna are not about, drop a bait to the bottom on the canyons for solid blue-eye trevalla. to only use prawns from a bait shop that are sold for bait, not prawns imported for food, so as not to introduce white spot disease into our system’s food chain. On the rocks most anglers are trying to cast as far as they can, but working around your feet can often turn up more fish at this time of the year. The same fish are in the washes, just remember to fish very light – a sinker the size of a pea is usually too heavy to get good results and no sinker at all is best. Again, the bream, drummer and trevally will love the prawns. Salmon and tailor will take pilchards and fish fillets, and weed under the float is the best for luderick – they don’t mind prawns either. Later in the month there will be some nice kings moving along the deeper platforms in the early mornings, so a live squid or mackerel could get the job done. We may even see the odd big mac tuna or even a stray yellowfin if the currents are right. We used to see

In the estuaries the fishing will improve exponentially over the coming weeks as the water in the shallows really warms up and gets the baitfish and prawns on the move. Flathead will respond with numbers increasing every week into the summer months, as will the whiting over the shallow flats in the lake and Minnamurra. The bream will be on the move, particularly along any of the rocky shorelines or deeper holes. The one negative is all the smaller bream and other pickers will be on the increase as well as the water warms, making bait fishing during the daylight hours hard work. Garfish and mullet numbers will increase in the main lake and feeder streams and the tailor and salmon will move in and out of the entrances with the tides chasing baitfish. Don’t forget the first solid run of prawns. There may not be huge amounts moving – maybe just enough for bait, but you never know. Good luck.

Tough conditions are hopefully behind us but I’ll let you do your homework and see what you can come up with. Some you may need to access with a 4x4 and a kayak or canoe, but not all of them. Get yourself a map and go for a drive; it will be worth your while! SQUID In Jervis Bay the squid have been on and off, as have the jackets! If you’re persistent and don’t mind losing the odd jig, you’ll come home with a feed

NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

Hats off to everyone who has been fishing through the last couple of months – it has been quite a rollercoaster ride! I’m sure the atrocious weather conditions have made things more than difficult to get any sort of consistency and pattern to your fishing. However, those who managed to bag a day off when the weather has been okay have had some pretty good results. As far as the offshore fishing goes, there really hasn’t been anything great to report. The good old pick handles (barracouta) turned up in August and have been giving us hell ever since. This year they have ventured well into the Shoalhaven River system and have been caught in numbers as far upstream as the Nowra Bridge, which is not a usual occurrence.

and some fresh mulloway/ snapper bait. Squid fishos have been travelling further afield and fishing more from the shore. North to Gerringong or Kiama has been a good option when conditions have allowed with some big specimens around. Enjoy October everyone. It’s also the opening of the trout season on the long weekend, so why not give that a go if you’re after a little something different?

Mark Taylor with a typical bream from the Shoalhaven area. Like I said, offshore has been hard work, but there are now a few kings starting to show around the banks and the shallows on jigs. Fingers crossed the planets align and we have a bumper marlin season coming up to make up for the awful winter with no tuna and bad weather. Keep in mind it’s not only the fishers who suffer

when the fishing’s bad. Apart from families putting up with a grumpy fisho, small businesses like servos, bakeries, tackle shops and accommodation places all rely on fishers to go fishing through winter to help keep our economy going, so I really feel for all the anglers working over the past months!

willing to go a little off the beaten track to look for new spots. There is truly some amazing fishing in these creeks, especially for bream on lures. In past years I have fished many of these creeks for cricket scores of fish with some sessions being literally a fish a cast. Lure choice and even placement isn’t much of an issue in these creeks, but smaller lures seem to account for more strikes. I’m not going to mention the names of these creeks,

Tom Mclean with a hefty ‘sneaky creek’ bream from the Shoalhaven area.

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Mark Taylor with a lovely lure-caught Shoalhaven River mulloway.

A squid from Kiama caught at night time on one of the new Shimano lumo Egixiles.

SHOALHAVEN RIVER The ‘couta have been a real problem in the river and are taking their toll on fishers, making short work of lures both hard and soft. Those who have managed to escape them are getting some big estuary perch and nice mulloway throughout the system. The gun lure for the mulloway are without a doubt soft vibes and a couple of colours have already proved themselves. Blades also work on the mulloway and perch. In fact, any lure well presented to the perch at the moment seems to be getting results. These guys must be feeding up before they start making their way back upstream. SNEAKY CREEKS Around the Shoalhaven area there is a handful of what I call ‘sneaky creeks.’ Through the cooler months and wild weather conditions, these creeks can be a saviour for the keen fisho who is

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Estuaries are starting to wake up after cold MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Both the Merimbula and Pambula lakes have been fishing well despite the coolish 14°C water that this time of year brings. This will change shortly as spring gets into gear, with most estuarine species waking up and really starting to play the game. Flathead numbers are on the increase, with a few fish nudging the 90cm mark. We caught a superb fish of 92cm recently that would have weighed around the 5.8kg mark, which is a cracking fish that we released in super condition. This fish fell to a bream soft plastic in shallow water on light line, so we certainly had some fun. Most of the flathead are in the 40-50cm bracket, but October is renowned for big girls, especially in the channels and towards the estuary entrances. Anglers using soft plastics will have better success, with lures in the 80-100mm range being best. There will still be the odd flathead for the bait anglers, with fresh mullet strips, smaller live baits, or live prawns the

best options. Expect a few bream, trevally and blackfish in the channels too, with tailor numbers on the increase in the top lake of Merimbula. As we head further into the month, whiting numbers will only improve and fishing live worms on the sand flats is a great way to target them. Lately we have had great success with metal blades on the whiting, with some big fish over 40cm caught. I know it sounds mad, but you can actually go and target them with this technique – it’s great fun, and it works! Anglers fishing the beaches have done it a little tough of late with the very flat seas from the constant westerly winds, but that will change as soon as the swell picks up. There’s still salmon to 2kg being caught, but a lot of the schools are further offshore than normal, making casting to them difficult. Those who are throwing chrome lures have done best, as more fishing ground is being covered when walking the beach. This month should see an increase in bream, whiting and mullet as they head into the estuaries. Fishing flooding tides early or late

Another classic Far South Coast winter bream. You could never get tired of catching these fish. in the day is prime, with live beach-worms, pipi and fresh prawns the preferred baits. Better beaches to try are Tura Main, North Tura, Gillards and Pambula River mouth.

The rock-hopping brigade has had a field day with the cold water, with blackfish, drummer, bream and groper all chewing. A few locals have done particularly well on the drummer using cunjevoi and cooked prawns for bait. Casting lightly-weighted offerings into the suds using a sand, weed and cunjevoi berley mixture has been a key to consistent results, though the unwanted pickers have played havoc as well.

As the water warms further this month the pelagic species should arrive, with bonito and smaller kingfish on the cards. Deeper headlands like Tura Head and North Head are the places to fish and whole ganged pilchards or chrome lures will do the trick. As with most pelagics, water temperatures is a vital element to their presence, so let’s cross the fingers for some warm water in close.

Over the last few seasons, October has seen an early influx of both albacore and yellowfin tuna on the shelf. I think this year may be the same, as the water temperature charts show some nice water just north of us and in trailer boat distance. This is great news to the game fishers, as they have barley had an off-season with the bluefin run earlier on. Trolling both deep diving minnows and smaller pusher style lures is the go, with the shelf the place to fish. The long liners have also reported good captures of bluefin once again, so when the weather shows some stability it may be worth a look too. It’s been some of the windiest conditions that I can recall along the coast, but surely it’s got to let up soon. Closer inshore the snapper have slowed a little in the numbers department, but the average size has certainly increased. I’ve heard of a few fish to 4kg coming from Long Reef, which is a good reds for that area and great on the plate. Other areas to try are Lennards Island, Horseshoe and White Cliffs reefs. The better baits would be fresh squid, pilchards and slimy mackerel fillets with a paternoster rig. Drifting seems to be the best method at the moment. Drifting the gravel beds with soft plastics fished hard on the bottom might entice a few reds if you’re looking to use lures.

It’s all about offshore NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

EP season is back open, and casting smaller softies and hardbodies amongst the snags is a great way to target them.

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Anglers fishing offshore are having great success, especially those fishing the close in reefs. ‘Snapper’ is the word amongst fishos with some crews getting their bag limits inside a few hours. The Narooma/Tuross region has received a lot of wind and some decent swells of late; this in turn creates ideal conditions for snapper to chew. I’d expect the snapper fishing to remain fairly consistent right through October and beyond if conditions remain the same. The reds can be found on most reefs with the 50-60m line straight off Potato Point a good starting point. There have been plenty of solid fish to 4kg in this area and anglers drifting with fresh baits are getting the best results. This can

be hard at times with the wind, so put a drogue out to slow your drift down. With the reds you can expect morwong, pigfish, trevally and the odd kingfish. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the kings really turn on this month – it’s traditionally the start of jig season and if the current, bait and water temperatures are right, we could be in for a great start to the season. I know Montague Island has been a little hit and miss, but some of the kings that have been caught are dead-set hooters, so it’s definitely worth a look when conditions suit. Further out wide the game crews have been having fun on the bluefin. They are thinning out now and going extremely wide – sometimes 80-100km. There have been sporadic, smaller yellowfin tuna caught, too. When they have played the game, fish to 60kg are on the cards. Again, trolling is the go;

you get to cover a lot of ground and you always have the chance to revert to cubes after finding them. This is a great way to keep fish with the boat and get multiple hook-ups at times. In the estuaries it’s all systems go with the Tuross Lake and Tuross River in full swing. The river is fishing well for flathead with some sizable models upwards of 75cm coming from Borang upstream right through to the highway bridge. Most of these flatties are falling to soft plastics. As the water warms further, anglers using larger live baits like mullet will catch plenty. It’s great to see the closed season on estuary perch is over, because these little fish are active. This will see keen sportfishers after some serious fun out in force, as this enigmatic species is a viable proposition once To page 55

From page 54

again. The snags and deeper rock walls will hold plenty of EPs if that’s what you’re after. You can expect the odd bream, but the bream fishing has been tough over recent weeks in both the lake and river. Hopefully it will pick up soon. The next couple of months are prime time for mulloway. With the entrance well and truly open, this spring will be a cracker. Anglers using larger soft plastics and

live-bait will do best and the run-out tide is best to target these bronzed brutes. Casting bigger soft vibes will also work and is becoming a go-to method for switched-on mulloway anglers. There have been quite a few mulloway caught over recent weeks, so all indications look like a bumper season is ahead. I’ve heard of a couple 1m+ fish around the 10kg mark – I don’t think any angler would pass one of them up.

Anglers fishing the beaches have had mixed success with some sessions awesome and others plain ordinary. A lot has had to do with the conditions lately. We have had large swells along the beaches making it difficult at times to fish. When the fish have done the right thing, good salmon, tailor and a few bream and whiting have been caught. The pelagics have been caught while spinning the gutters with chrome lures

Big EPs in tight structure – you gotta love ‘em.

up to 40g an ideal size. Fishos using paternoster rigs with a bait/popper combination have also done well with the better baits being bluebait and cut pilchards. The bream and whiting are best targeted with live beach worms or pipis. Look for deeper water close to the shore dump and use light outfits only. Fishing the estuary entrances will also help, as both of these species will be entering the systems after spawning. This month will see mulloway and gummy sharks caught. Fresh salmon fillets are a good bait. The better beaches right now include Brou, Blackfellows and Coila. The mouth of the Tuross Lake system just south of One Tree Point is also worth a look, especially on a flooding tide, as is the mouth to Brou Lake about 4km up the beach from Dalmeny. On the rocks the usual suspects like bream, luderick, drummer and groper will all succumb to fresh baits like cunjevoi, fresh prawns, crab and bread at times. The rocks near Blackfellows have been good when the conditions are favourable; this is one spot you need to keep a close eye on the sea at all times.

Renowned skipper Benn Bolton with a cracking 15kg kingfish – the type of king that can be caught at Montague Island. There’s the chance of snapper after rough conditions too. Jamieson Headland near Potato Point, at Narooma both

High Rock at Mystery Bay and the golf course rocks in town are worth a look and have been producing over recent weeks.

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OCTOBER 2017

Snapper run off Batemans Bay here we come! BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

Winter was a little disappointing in regards to tuna, as they were very scarce. Recreational anglers had a lot of trouble finding them; the tuna were either too far south, too wide, too deep or the weather was too windy. We really didn’t get much luck going our way this year, but now with spring kicking in there is still the chance of a run of albacore or school yellowfin. Bluefin made a bit of an appearance in Sydney during start of September so there is a small possibility there, but I expect the bite to be off Victoria by now. BOTTOM FISHING Out wide, deep dropping has still been a very popular thing to do – that’s if the westerlies at this time of the year don’t blow your boat off the trailer. Lots of anglers see electric reels as a must-have piece of kit in their arsenal these days, in the same way you need 10 snapper rods, 10 beach rods and 40 estuary rods. That’s just normal now, and these

Marion Imbriano showing off a couple of nice snapper. The action should continue this month. enterprising, deep-dropping anglers are putting their electric reels to good use with some good catches. The good news is, you don’t have to travel over the shelf and drop down to 400m

good catches, and now a few lads with their electric reels have given it a go with great success. At this depth it is perfect for dropping micro jigs or regular jigs, and they work a treat on fish ranging from snapper to big flathead, ocean perch, nannygai and bar cod. You just never know what you are going to catch in that depth where the inshore reef fish mingle with the creatures of the deep. Plus it is close enough to the shelf where schools of tuna, marlin and big sharks pass through. SNAPPER ON MICRO-JIGS As we move closer in to our inshore gravel and reefs, we should start seeing some good schools of snapper throughout October and into November. This is my favourite time of the year for snapper, as you can find large schools out in the 60-80m depth range.

too much, so they can get down quickly when there’s a lot of current (if there’s less current you can use ones that flutter more). I like jigs that are quite solid and narrow with flat edges that flutter a little. This gives the jig a bit of action once it’s down at the bottom. Once you are down there you can retrieve your micro-jig however you like to find out what works on the day, such as shaking the rod tip as you wind it back, or yo-yoing it off the bottom. No matter what retrieve you employ, you have to slow everything right down while getting as much action as you can out of the jig. When it comes to hooks, you can use a single assist hook or two swinging single assist hooks, and sometimes you can have a hook on the bottom of the jig also. Suitable rods are 6-6’5” in length and thin, with a

the rod will be able to bend parabolicically. Proper micro jig rods bend like you wouldn’t believe! Micro-jigging has become so popular now that I have a large selection of suitable rods and jigs in-store, and not a day goes by where we aren’t customising jigs on the counter with our customers. The inshore reefs have seen masses of pilchards and bait over the last month, and I would expect this to continue during spring. You usually can spot the birds first, and as you get closer you’ll see the water teeming with bait. The next thing you might notice is a number of little (or sometimes not-so-little) missiles tearing through the bait. Those are striped tuna, and they are a lot of fun on light gear. Get out your snapper rod and cast a 40-60g metal out at them, or even your micro jig.

to find good fish. There are some good grounds in shallower areas that some of the lads are starting to now discover, halfway to the shelf. Here the commercial boats used to get a lot of

A selection of good micro-jigs. Again, micro-jigs are an effective and fun option on the snapper, and I like using jigs between 40-60g for these fish. I find that heavier jigs are usually too big, with the possible exception of a particularly compact 80g model that looks the size of a typical 60g jig. I have found that using jigs with a lumo strip, lumo stripes or other glowing marks can be very effective. I prefer my micro-jigs to be quite slim and not flutter 56

OCTOBER 2017

lot of strength and a full parabolic bend to the butt. The rod should have a long, thin butt that is ball shaped at the end, so it can lock comfortably under your arm. The butt should be long enough out from your armpit so you can wind in the fish with ease and comfort. This also keeps the butt section flat and parallel to the water, and eliminates high sticking. That means you don’t have to worry about rod breakages, and

ROCK AND BEACH Off the stones there have been some good snapper caught but you have to put in the hours. Drummer, as always, have been as consistent as ever, and there have been good groper catches too. There are plenty of salmon and tailor as well, with the odd bream from the rocks around the oceanic bays. However, it’s been the beaches that have been overshadowing the stones for those species.

We have been seeing some pipis show up on some parts, and all you need to do is rub your feet in the sand and you’ll find yourself the best bream bait. The beaches have been fishing pretty well for those anglers chucking metals at salmon and tailor, and if you are using bait

People venturing way upstream have also been finding schools of flathead, and Jem Abbott thought it was time to head upstream mid-September in hope of finding a mulloway. That’s exactly what he got, catching a 16.2kg mulloway during a night session. This kicks off the start of the

even slower in the tuna department, it wasn’t too bad really, with plenty of fish around. Still, everyone is excited at the arrival of spring, and we are starting to see bass getting caught, and people walking in buying bass lures for an early start to the season. That’s a sure sign that spring has sprung!

You can always rely on Jed Forrest for a nice catch. there have been some good bream and flathead. RIVER AND ESTUARY The estuary is fishing well, especially around the bridge and structure towards the front. There you will find estuary perch, bream and some luderick.

season, and we’ll see some nice mulloway coming out of the Clyde right up until the Christmas holidays. It’s official – winter is well and truly behind us now. Other than being somewhat slow in the snapper department and

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

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Now we are well into spring, it is flathead time! Whether you are shore-based, in a boat, lazing around an estuary, or out on the vast blue ocean, flathead are coming on the chew, and for us anglers there is nothing better to chew than crispy beer-battered flathead! Estuaries are now really starting to come into their own, with flathead on the move, especially in the upper reaches. Now the land temperatures have increased, so too have the waters of the estuaries. The Bermagui River is fishing well because of this, with most of the usual species being encountered. Already some very large flathead have been hooked, lost and landed, and this looks very good for the season ahead. Luderick are hanging around the weed beds, making for some interesting bait fishing. Nippers or squirt worms are the best in shallow water, while the more conventional weed baits are working in the deeper sections. There are also plenty of bream in the systems, along with whiting, mullet, trevally and occasional flounder. These species love feeding on prawns that flow out with the tide. Fishing around the bridge lights of a night is a sure fire way of encountering these fish feeding on prawns. Offshore around 40-60m is a good place to start looking for flathead, while the real big ones will often be out deeper. The advantage in the shallow water is it is more user-friendly for anglers, although with the introduction of electronic reels, those wide grounds now become easier to target.

Another shallow water flathead falls victim to a well-placed bait. Tigers like the fringes of reefs, and this is good for us anglers. If you start up on the reef when drifting, it will bring other species into play like snapper that are around in reasonable numbers, as are blue or rubber lip morwong. As you start to drift on to the gravel or mud, jackass morwong start to appear and so do the tigers. It will be a regular occurrence to catch a double header of these two species. The most popular reefs are the Four and Six Mile, almost due east of Bermagui, or south down off Goalen Head. With a slight north or northeast breeze you can start up around the Four or Six Mile Reefs, travelling south all the way to Goalen Head. As you do this you will pass over

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In the spring flathead feed furiously on prawns. This one swallowed a soft plastic prawn imitation.

many smaller reef complexes, resulting in a smorgasbord of table fish for your esky. October usually heralds the start of some game fish appearing back in our waters. Tuna are the mainstay, while you can also expect mako sharks, as they like to feast on the tuna. Most of these tuna are likely to be small, with stripies and albacore making up the bulk. The odd yellowfin may show, and hopefully some of those massive bluefin that were caught here in June and July may return to spice up the action. There may also be some kingfish up around Montague Island, but don’t expect much. The beaches are firing up as the many salmon schools patrol them regularly. These fish are relatively easy to catch using a variety of rigs. Try just walking these beaches with a handful of metal plugs, casting to the deeper gutters, it is great fun and very rewarding. Bream and whiting are also starting to move along the coast where they can be sought after in the shallower channels. Those deeper gutters should start to produce gummy sharks and mulloway around the full moon, and now with things starting to warm, it is a lot more comfortable for anglers of a night. The Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association will still be holding their bass comp on 1-3 December at Brogo Dam. Anyone can come and fish this great weekend, which is used as a fundraiser for the ongoing stocking program where an average of 20,000 fish are released annually. For more information on this comp contact me on 0427 934 688 or email djsxstreamfishing@ bigpond.com

Brogo and Bega starting to fire right up TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

October is a great time of year. With warming water temperatures, you know the winter doldrums of not catching bass are coming to an end, and what better place to target them than Brogo Dam as it starts to fire up for the season? Another area that is really starting to heat up is the Bega River. It is still landlocked, so this system has become very warm very quick, bringing the fish on

the chew. The upper reaches are producing good bass, estuary perch and bream. Lures and flies will provide plenty of entertainment. Flies become a better option when the terrestrial life forms become active. When flying ants or cicadas start to appear, this is the best time to use the fly, as the upper reaches of the river are some of the best around. Throughout the rest of the system most estuary species are active and there are plenty of rewards for the thinking angler. When an estuary is closed to the ocean, fish

start to appear in unusual places. This occurs due to fish having to fossick for food instead of it being brought to them by the tides. Look for signs of where fish have been feeding; more often than not this will be in shallow water where nippers and worm beds occur. Go back at a later stage where you can have a crack at them with either a bait or lure. The beach fishos are holding their own producing plenty of salmon. These fish have been in record numbers this season with most beaches in the area producing their share. Other species showing

The author caught his first bass in Brogo Dam in the early 80s. There are a lot more in there now.

on the sand include bream, tailor, some lovely gummy sharks of a night or an occasional mulloway to keep things interesting. With the school holidays, Tathra Wharf is a popular spot and at this time of year with silver trevally are a popular sportfish. There seems to be plenty around and they’re easily caught on a strip of yellowtail (which also hang around the pylons). These strips of yellowtail also make excellent bait for sand flathead that can be caught off the bottom with long raking casts out into the bay. Using these live yellowtail will often attract a predator in the area, which is more likely to be one of those salmon from passing schools that regularly visit the area. These salmon are great fun and can be targeted from the nearby rocks. These rocks give anglers a high vantage point where you can polaroid the water in front of you for passing schools. Drummer are always in plentiful supply on the stones around Tathra and things are no different this month. Anglers can catch a few without too much trouble. Sadly the offshore water hasn’t started to heat yet, so the game fishing isn’t really happening. However, bottom fishing is hot. On the reefs there are plenty of snapper with some decent sized fish being captured amongst the average plate-sized models. Most of the other reef species are finding their way

FISHING NEWS

Community consultation on pest species Local communities, groups and individuals are invited to have their say in developing the NSW Invasive Species Plan 20172021 to reduce the impacts of pest animals and weeds on our land, sea and waterways. NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) invasive species strategy manager, Quentin Hart, said invasive animals and weeds impact on the environment, agriculture, infrastructure and human health. “We aim to develop a new plan with input from the community, which will help prevent new pest incursions and reduce existing pest threats,” Mr Hart said. “Invasive pest animals, including wild dogs, deer and rabbits, feral cats and goats, foxes and carp, are estimated to cost the Australian economy more than $1 billion annually and the NSW economy at least $170 million annually. “More than 1650 introduced plant species

have established in NSW and at least 300 of these weeds have a significant impact on the environment and agriculture – the cost of weeds to NSW agriculture alone has been estimated to be near $1.8 billion per year. “Marine and freshwater environments too are under threat, with more than 250 introduced marine species detected in our coastal waters. “Aquatic pests can cause serious negative impacts

on marine environments and animals, and they can outcompete native species, all posing significant risks to the profitability of Australia’s $2.4 billion-a-year fisheries and aquaculture industries.” Mr Hart said the plan will need to account for the potential of invasive species to establish and spread with future changes to the climate. “The new plan will help guide investment and resources to invasive species

Invasive pests not wanted in NSW include the sabella, also called European fan worms. Image courtesy of NSW DPI.

prevention and management programs, with the aim of building NSW’s ability and commitment to manage invasive species activities on the ground,” he said. Supporting the NSW Biosecurity Framework and complementing the NSW Biosecurity Strategy, Australian Pest Animal Strategy, Australian Weeds Strategy and National System for the Prevention and Management of Marine Pest Incursions, the draft plan is now open to the public for comment. All stakeholders, government agencies, industry, landholders and members of the community, who play a valuable role managing invasive species, are invited to have their say on the draft plan by Friday 13 October 2017. To submit your views on this important issue, visit www.nsw.gov.au/ improving-nsw/haveyour-say and select Draft NSW Invasive Species Plan. – NSW DPI

Thousands of bass fry were released into Brogo Dam last year. It will happen again this year. into anglers’ bags, however the big news is tigers. There are plenty of tiger flathead for the offshore anglers and for those who like them on the table. These are undoubtedly one of the best table fish, so get out there and make the most of it while you can. Brogo Dam is well stocked with an average of 20,000 bass each year. This is due to the efforts of the FSCBSA who annually hold a fishing competition at the dam in early December (this year’s competition will be

held 1-3 December at Brogo Dam) to raise funds to keep this fishery well stocked for all anglers to enjoy. If there are any readers out there wishing to participate in this competition, try contacting me on 0427 934 688 or at djsxstreamfishing@ bigpond.com. If all goes to plan and the brood stock perform, we could see the first stocking of estuary perch go into Brogo Dam later in the year, enhancing the fishery for all.

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Bring on warm months as we head to summer! MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The cold temperatures are still with us and the past month has seen enough rain. The good news weather wise is the coming months will see the weather warming as we once again head towards summer. The town is always quiet at this time of year, with the visitors not showing up until around Christmas. The locals and the few visiting anglers in Mallacoota have been catching a variety of fish over the past month. Fishing the beaches when it’s cooler means

Winter flathead are about, and this one took a soft plastic lure. salmon, and there has been no shortage of them. Tip Beach down to the Betka River has seen plenty of salmon caught at all stages of the tide, with a few tailor thrown in.

Fish are also being caught in good numbers by anglers tossing metal lures off the breakwall. The odd bream and sand whiting are also showing up from the gutters around Bastion Point.

There have been some big seas and strong winds keeping anglers from heading offshore, but when the weather has allowed anglers to get out there a few fish have been available. There has been little to report on the game fishing out wide, but closer to shore some school sharks have been caught along with some good catches of tiger flathead. The sand flathead have been scarce with the cold water temperatures, but things will pick up once the water warms.

The lake fishing over the cooler months means bream, and the cold water makes the flathead fishing hard. Fish can be caught though, and it will improve as the weather warms. The salmon are in the lake along with tailor, and good numbers of fish are being taken around Harrisons Channel out to John Bull market. Anglers are catching blackfish around the jetties using weed fished under a float. We’ve also seen good

numbers of silver trevally in the lake and they are a great fish to catch, as they pull hard and taste great. Many anglers love a feed of trevally sushi style. The bream are being caught from their usual winter haunts, with the deeper water fishing a reliable way of catching a fish, but they will move shallower as the weather warms. Fish are being caught from both the top and bottom lake and upstream towards Gypsy Point.

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Cold weather lingering EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The cold winter weather has not missed the Eden area, but with spring in full flight, everyone is loving the warmer weather. Before the big blow there were reports of albacore tuna out on the shelf, and a lot further out (50km) southern bluefin tuna. The professional fishers got amongst the fish, with little to report for the recreational anglers. Now that the weather has improved, boats will be heading offshore and hoping to find the fish. The offshore water temperature is around 17°C and getting down to as low as 15°C, and the average water temperature will remain the same for at least another month.

Closer to shore on the inshore reefs, the winter snapper fishing has been good, with good schools of fish being reported. Morwong are also being caught in the same areas. Anchoring up and drifting unweighted baits in a berley trail has worked well, with the early morning the best time for this style of fishing. As the sun comes up, move out wider and fish down deeper. Snapper have also been caught on soft plastic lures, and the trick is to locate the fish using the sounder and then drop the plastic through the school, jigging it as it drops. If you don’t get any bites, change lures to find what they will have a go at. Anglers chasing a feed of flathead have been doing well, with tiger flathead turning up out wider, and sandies coming from the

flathead grounds closer to shore. The best way to catch a feed is by using a two-hook rig and a heavy sinker to keep the baits on the bottom. All the local beaches and headlands have schools of salmon moving by regularly, and tossing metal lures is the way to catch fish as they move up and down the beaches and around the headlands. The cold water in the estuaries has really slowed the fishing down. The flathead bite has shut down and the variety of fish available will be limited until the water really warms up. The usual cold water species are still about, with silver trevally, blackfish and black bream the main offenders. The black bream should be further upstream, as they will be spawning over the next few months.

Specialising to succeed NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Concentrating your fishing efforts on specific target species, places or techniques can dramatically improve your overall angling results.

Those smart anglers who select a species, a type of tackle, an environment type or a geographic location and then focus intently on it until they’ve mastered at least the basics always tend to catch a lot more fish than what I like to call the ‘generalists’ or ‘opportunists.’ What’s a ‘generalist’ or

them, I’ll often enquire what they’re fishing for. Almost without fail their answer runs along the lines of ‘Ah, mate, I don’t really care. Whatever comes along!’ Almost without exception, those same anglers will head home later that day with an empty fish bucket. Those are what

Mulloway are one species that definitely rewards the specialist angler. a target species or a short list of species in mind, and tailor your gear and techniques to match that list, you’ll invariably do better. Funnily enough, you may well end up catching something that

a scattergun approach. These fish typically exhibit very specific habits, feeding times and food preferences. Miss the mark in any one of those areas and you simply won’t catch many (if

this is a rather extreme example, but it illustrates the underlying value of specialisation. Of course, specialisation doesn’t mean you need to chase one fish on one type of

Casual, generalist anglers do catch a few trout, but the specialists tend to fare much better on these popular imports. In my book, specialisation is one of the absolutely fundamental keys to consistent success in recreational fishing, no matter where in the world you choose to wet a line.

‘opportunist’ angler, you ask? When I’m walking along a jetty or a riverbank and I spot someone reclining lazily in a comfortable camp chair, drink in hand, with a rod propped up in front of

I call the generalists or opportunists. They choose a scattergun over a sniper’s rifle… and they don’t hit very much as a result! By contrast, if you head out on every fishing trip with

Some anglers spend their entire lives fishing in tidal systems with healthy estuary perch populations, yet never catch one! The answer is to focus and target.

You won’t catch many luderick unless you specifically target them, using the right gear, rigs and baits.

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isn’t even on your original list, but simply having that list in the first place seems to make a positive difference to overall outcomes. Of course, certain species of fish tend to reward the specialist angler even more than others. Luderick (blackfish), mulloway (jewfish), estuary perch and trout are four popular varieties that spring to my mind as species that will only rarely be caught by the opportunist fisho using

any) of these fish. As if to hammer home this point, I’ve met anglers who’ve spent many, many years fishing in estuary systems that are home to excellent numbers of both estuary perch and mulloway without ever catching a single specimen of either. Some are unaware that those fish even live there! By contrast, specialists working on those same waterways are regularly scoring great catches of perch or mulloway. Admittedly,

gear and in just one location for your entire angling life… that’d be rather boring! But it does point to the value of narrowing your focus, at least in the short term. The very best anglers I’ve ever met have all tended to be serial specialists: they focus on one aspect of their fishing until they feel comfortable with that species or method, then they move on to the next challenge… It’s not a bad way to go!

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The outstanding new Zest Ruddertail Jig has some fabulous new features that give this jig an impressive action. The key feature on the Ruddertail Jig is its metal rear wings, which impart an enticing action and make these jigs dance and slide through the water column. The Ruddertail Jigs come in a 200g size, are 170mm in length and come in four superb colours. The Ruddertail Jig is a centre-balanced jig that comes pre-rigged with a quality Mustad assist hook that features 200lb Kevlar that is heat shrunk with quality split rings and solid rings. These lures are dynamite on species such as kingfish, amberjack, samsonfish and dhufish. For more information visit the Juro Fishing website, or look them up on Facebook. www.jurofishing.com

OBSESSION CHATTERBAIT

One of the latest releases in the Australian-made Obsession Spinnerbaits range is their Chatterbait. A must-have lure if you like to target larger native species like Murray cod and golden perch, chatterbaits will get you down to where the fish are and get them to bite. Obsession Chatterbaits are currently available in three sizes, 3/4oz, 1oz and 2oz. They also come in the full range of head colours and all the hot tip and turboflared skirts colours that Obsession has. You also have the option top customise your bait with a curl-tail grub to match your head colour choice. Like the rest of the Obsession Spinnerbait range, these Chatterbaits will become a must-have the next time you go fishing for Murray cod and golden perch. For more information on these and other lures in the Obsession line-up, head to their website or like them on Facebook. www.obsessionspinnerbaits.com

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The Rapala Shadow Rap is getting an Australian upgrade. No other fishery demands more of its equipment, and anglers fishing for iconic species like barra demand a lure that can be fished straight out of the packet with no upgrades needed. The new Rapala Shadow Rap 3X and Shadow Rap Shad 3X feature upgraded VMC Coastal Black 3X strong 7556 Spark Point trebles and upgraded split rings. Comprising the 110mm Shadow Rap 3X in both deep and shallow bibs, and the smaller 90mm Shadow Rap Shad 3X in both depth varieties, the new range reinforces Rapala’s reputation of building some of the best barra lures available. Available in eight colours, these new lures feature the same unmistakeable Shadow Rap finish and action. Tuned to suspend in freshwater, the Shadow Rap 3X will turn back on itself with each twitch of the rod tip, bringing the biggest fish out of the shadows for a look. www.rapala.com.au

SENSHI EGI PRO JIGS

Senshi have released seven new colours in their ever popular Egi Pro Series Squid Jig range that will certainly land plenty of squid this season. Each jig is perfectly weight balanced for a precise, lifelike swimming action with a high quality lead keel. Senshi Egi Pro Series Jigs feature high quality cloth materials, oversized eyes, and super sharp nickel prongs. These effective jigs also boast UV finishes that attract squid, and can be recharged with any light source such as a torch, sunlight or camera flash. The Egi Pro Series Jigs come in two sizes. The first is a 2.5 size that sinks at five seconds per metre, and the second is a 3.5 size that sinks at three seconds per metre. These jigs are exceptionally priced, and you can find more information and photos on the Juro Fishing website. www.jurofishing.com

LUCKY CRAFT SAMMY BUG 100

PRODUCT GUIDE

Following on from the success of the Sammy Bug 75 wakebait, Lucky Craft has released a larger version: the Sammy Bug 100. Sammy Bugs feature a unique adaptation that generates attentiongrabbing topwater action. At the front, the Lucky Craft Sammy Bug features a large-cupped mouth that slaps against the surface, creating a prominent splash and an attention-grabbing acoustic. The large cupped mouth also rests loosely against the bait, clacking and knocking against the body, generating additional strike-inducing sound. At the rear, the Sammy Bug 100 is fitted with a super-bright prop, which adds even more splash and creates a bubble trail. It measures 4” and weighs 1 1/8oz and, as you’d expect from a Lucky Craft lure, it has a premium finish with a detailed scaling pattern. www.ejtodd.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING ATOMIC HARDZ VIB 70

Super tuned and super sized, the new 70mm Atomic Vib now sees the Atomic Hardz Vib range as the complete series, with three sizes (50, 60, and 70mm) making up this impressive range. Designed and tuned to swim straight and true all the time every time, the new 70mm model is a lure that can handle a host of different retrieve speeds and deliver the angler a range of different presentation options. The largest of the series is the 70mm version. Quarry such as Murray cod and barramundi will find it hard to resist this rattling intruder. Freshwater species of course aren’t the only ones that will fall in love with these two new lures; flathead, mangrove jack, mulloway, trevally, snapper and of course a host of offshore species are destined to fall in love with this new lure. The Atomic Hardz Vib 70 is available in all of Atomic Hardz 18 popular colours. To find out more visit the Atomic Lures website or like them on Facebook at facebook. com/atomiclures www.atomiclures.com.au

DEPS SILENT KILLER

Like its DEPS Slide Swimmer cousin, the Japanese-made DEPS Silent Killer oozes quality, durability, and sophistication. With big swimbaits all the rage, the Silent Killer is one of the best you will find in the Australian market, and has proven to be a magnet for Murray cod and big bass. The Silent Killer is a large profile wakingstyle bait that makes no mechanical noise, which is great for a more finesse approach around fish that are highly pressured. To make the lure silent, a tough but soft ABS plastic material is moulded around the hard inner body. The exterior material is translucent and the inner body has a metallic scale pattern. This combination gives an awesome look in the water, especially under bright conditions, and also keeps the lure well protected. Predators additionally get a different feel when they strike the lure; it feels soft and sticky, which ensures the lure stays gripped within the mouth after that first hit. The Silent Killer floats at rest, and with the short square bill it does not dive more than a few feet. The natural action is slow and steady on the surface. It comes in an array of attractive and realistic colour combinations, and in 250mm and 175mm sizes. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

CHASEBAITS WIGGLE 9 BOMB

This unique and versatile soft plastic lure has been designed to give an incredible wiggly tail action on the drop, a nice leg kicking action on the retrieve and a bonus weedless set-up for those anglers who want to fish deep into the weeds and snags. The Wiggle Bomb has an ultra life-like creature swimming action, is extremely durable and can be fished in many different ways. You can keep the rod tip high and use it like a wakebait, let it fill with water and fish deep, or just slow roll it through snags and drop it down ledges. Present something different and turn the fish on. The Chasebaits Wiggle Bomb is available now in leading tackle stores around Australia. For more information, photos, videos and competitions, look up Chasebaits on Facebook. www.river2sea.com.au

SHIMANO CURADO K

The next generation of Curado baitcast reels sets the benchmark in everyday performance and saltwater durability with the new K series. The Curado K series features the latest in Shimano’s innovative MicroModule gearing and X-Ship for smooth rotation, combined with the new SVS Infinity braking system for enhanced casting performance. To withstand the toughest saltwater environments, Shimano has incorporated a specially plated pinion gear, combined with a breakwater wall and drainage port to provide superior protection against corrosion. Featuring Shimano’s new compact body design, the Curado K is 10% smaller in both length and width when compared to the previous model. This is further enhanced by the metal Hagane Body to provide the reel with added durability and rigidity. These sleek, matte black reels are available in a 200 size in both right-and-left -hand models in multiple gear ratios up to 8.5:1, and are fitted with 6+1 Shielded A-RB bearings. www.shimanofish.com.au

ZMAN 3.5” AND 4.2” 11 TRICK SHOTZ A new release that created plenty of interest at the AFTA trade show was the unique profile and action of ZMan’s 3.5” and 4.2” Trick ShotZ. These new soft baits feature a realistic baitfish profile, with a heavily ribbed underside for creating water movement and holding scent. They also have a unique, heavily textured, spade-shaped tail that creates glide, flick and a seductive action, even with minimal movement. Combine this with the buoyancy of ZMan’s 10X Tough ElaZtech material, and this bulkier tail stands up in the face of the fish, creating a strike attractant that is close to the hook point. The heavily ribbed and textured body adds to the flexibility of the lure, creating a plastic that rigs easily and fishes well with almost any retrieve. The Trick ShotZ smaller 3.5” model will appeal to everything from bream, flathead and bass to inshore snapper, while the larger 4.2” version is targeted at snapper, mulloway and barra. Trick ShotZ are available in six colours, with the 3.5” coming in a pack of six, and the 4.2” in a pack of five. Price: SRP $10.95 www.z-man.com.au

HALCO TREMBLER 70XS

Halco has expanded its popular range of Trembler lures with the addition of the Trembler 70XS. The Trembler 70XS is a virtually indestructible bibless minnow that can be cast, jigged or trolled for outstanding results on a wide variety of sportfish. This lightweight, rapid sinking lure weighs a total of 16g and is 70mm in length. It can be trolled at speeds of up to 6 knots, and has a swimming depth of 2.5m. Other lures in the Trembler range are the Trembler 110, the Giant Trembler and the GT Jig. For more information visit the Halco Tackle website. For all the latest news and photos, check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HalcoTackle. www.halcotackle.com

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

WHAT’S NEW FISHING DAIWA HOOKING NOISY RATTLE

BLACK MAGIC 13 SUPPLE TRACE

The new Daiwa Hooking Noisy Rattle is a topwater with many differences. The Noisy Rattle is the first Daiwa lure to feature ultra-sharp barbless hooks, perfectly suited for catch and release fishing. The rear hook features the Nigasazu system, attaching to the body via a flexible, stretchy material that can take upwards of 50kg in pressure! This flexible ‘eyelet’ allows for extra movement of the hook, reducing the chances of fish pulling the hooks. Internally, the rattle system is designed to work instantly when the lure lands on the water. The rattles are located in the belly of the lure so to help send the sounds deep into the water for added appeal. On top of the lure is a small groove designed to take a 2.8mm diameter cyalume stick – ideal for tracking the lure in darkness and adding an attractant to topwater feeders. www.daiwafishing.com.au

SUFIX ADVANCE MONOFILAMENT

Made from 8X tough Flexitech, the new Hurricane 2 1/4” SubGrub has an amazing tail action. At the slowest of movements or the lightest of jigheads, the SubGrub’s tail still maintains a sensational action – so there’s no need to jerk the SubGrub around. Just cast it out and wait until hit hits the bottom (it may get hit on the drop so be ready). Once it has hit the bottom, pause it before making small lifts. You can also try a soft jiggle or slow roll; mix it up on the day until you discover what the fish want. Just remember that slow and subtle is the key to maximising your catch rates. The SubGrub is a great choice in a lot of situations and is also perfect for beginners. This new lure is already producing great results, and creator Peter Nord says it won’t be long before it claims a tournament victory. Report: SRP $9.95 (pack of 8) www.hurricanelures.com.au 64

OCTOBER 2017

Black Magic Tackle has added two new line weights to their range of Supple Trace: 30lb (13kg) and 50lb (23kg). The premium leader is recognised in many countries around the world and manufactured from Japanese copolymers, extruded to the specifications of Black Magic Tackle. This ultraclear product features high abrasion resistance, good knot strength and low diameter. And true to its name, it is supple and sensitive. With these two additional sizes, Supple Trace sizes now align with those of its running mate, Tough Trace: 20lb (100m), 40lb (100m), 60lb (100m), 80lb (80m), 100lb (60m), 120lb (55m) and 200lb (30m). It is packaged into a compact dispenser pack and can be re-used as a lure holder. Black Magic Supple Trace is available from Black Magic dealers nationwide. For more information head to the Black Magic website, or look them up on Facebook at www.facebook. com/blackmagictackle. www.blackmagictackle.com

13 14

AQUAYAK 17 14 DIVE FLOAT The new Australian-made Dive Float by

When it comes to monofilament line, Sufix has raised the bar with its introduction of Sufix Advance at the 2017 AFTA trade show. Sufix Advance is the first and only mono to utilise HMPE raw material into a brand new magnetic extrusion process. HMPE is the raw material used to make all your favourite braided lines, and by incorporating HMPE with the Hyper Copolymer materials, Sufix Advance shatters all previously held records for mono. Sufix Advance boasts statistics like 96% knot strength, 50% less stretch than standard monofilament lines, and superior abrasion resistance thanks to a tough outer layer of HMPE molecules. Additionally, Sufix Advance absorbs less than half of the damaging UV light of a traditional mono, so it will last longer on your spool and won’t degrade over time. Soft and supple, Sufix Advance also has decreased memory, making it the most supple monofilament line ever created. www.sufixadvance.com

HURRICANE SUBGRUB

PRODUCT GUIDE

Aquayak is here, and this high quality float is gaining a lot of interest from divers. The 10L Aquayak Dive Float measures 600mm long, weighs 1.8kg, and has a diameter of 160mm . Its features include : international dive flag, 75mm shark clip, forward and rear tow point, 500g lead keel, LDPE (lowdensity polyethylene) UV11 roto-moulded tough construction and 4mm wall thickness, and of course it’s fully sealed. You can get the Aquayak Dive Float in almost any colour you like, and it’s priced at $89 including postage Australia-wide. For more information or to place an order, head to the Aquayak website. While you’re there, you can also browse their range of kayaks, canoes, kayaking accessories, roof racks and 4WD accessories and more. To see the latest products, videos and special deals, you can like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ AquayakKayaks. Price: SRP $89 www.aquayak.com

ZEREK GIANT RUBY

The Zerek 75mm Giant Ruby crankbait is a beefed up cousin of the Ruby Crank. Armed with a bigger bib, this formidable addition to the Zerek family is set to stir up the underwater currents with its wide wobbling action, as it meanders through the underwater obstacles in depths of 4-5m. The Giant Ruby’s robust form further enhances its castability, while the heavy-duty construction, using quality ABS material, helps withstand the crushing jaws of voracious predators. In addition, the superior buoyancy of this crankbait’s design permits the use of heavyduty reinforced trebles, specifically designed to subdue dirty fighters. A casting weight transfers to the rear of the lure during casting before being rolled and locked near the front of the lure during retrieve, and the Giant Ruby can cast the extra yards and dive just that little steeper when required. Weighing 28g and available in 10 colours, the Giant Ruby will appeal to anglers chasing large predators such as barra, Murray cod, golden perch, flathead and bass. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

XP Baits Butterfly Jigs – XPerience the difference 2016 saw the release of XP Baits Butterfly jigs into Australia. Designed in Russia, they are an ice jig with a difference and Australian wholesaler Juro OzPro Tackle jumped at the opportunity to be the Aussie distributer. They were confident that fish like golden perch, bass, estuary perch, redfin and trout would find the unique fluttering action that the lures have, irresistible. Most people agreed after seeing them in a tank at the 2016 AFTA trade show.

TESTED

What’s different? Before opening the packet there is no obvious difference between a XP Baits Butterfly Jig and a standard ice jig. All is revealed however when you open the packet. The body of the jig has wings. They open once the jig is in the water and begins to descend. It slows the sink rate of the jig and creates an enticing fluttering action. It takes very little for wings to flick out, and not only do they provide a different action, but plenty of flash and a clicking sound as they drop.

The XP Baits Butterfly Jig in colour 32 (violet orange speck) held its own against the current gun method at Somerset Dam

Steve Morgan with a beautiful Somerset 50cm+ bass. Late winter and early spring is prime time for big bass in some of our SE Queensland impoundments and a key lure to have in your arsenal is an ice jig. A quick call to Rick Massie from Juro saw some Butterfly jigs arrive at the office and plans made to get out on the water to use them. We decided to head to Somerset Dam, where the bass

Butterfly Jigs vs traditional methods and lures There are many ways to target the schooled fish of Somerset Dam, from rolling plastics through them to flyfishing, but the most successful method in recent years during this spring period has been using metal slugs, which more traditionally would be used to cast for tailor or salmon. The technique is simple – find the fish, cast your slug as far from the boat as possible, let it sink to the bottom, burn the lure back 10 winds or so, stop, feed the lure back and repeat. Steve used this method while I was using the XP Butterfly Jigs. I used a 60mm jig (weighs 10g) in the violet orange speck colour. Although similar, the method I was using was also at the opposite end of the spectrum to what Steve was doing. We described it as finesse at the time, because the bites were heavily reliant on the action of the jig. I made long casts from the boat and then let the lure flutter down to the fish. I did add the odd twitch of the rod tip in case a bass was watching the jig as it dropped (a number of fish smashed it after the twitch). Once on the bottom, it was a matter

of working the jig back to under the boat with a series of jigs and lifts. It definitely paid to work the jig directly under the boat for a while before winding in. The fish could only resist the fluttering jig for so long. I was having one retrieve to four of Steve’s. Between these two methods we caught 23 fish. The XP Jigs well and truly held their own, bagging 11 of those fish. Size wise, Steve did pip me and it was great to see a genuine 50cm bass in the net. What impressed me was the hook up rate of the jig. I missed one bite on the day, with the majority of the fish caught in the corner of the jaw on the treble hook. I don’t think you can ask for too much more than that. Try them for yourself XP Baits Butterfly Jigs are readily available through most good tackle stores. They come in two sizes, 60mm weighing 10g and 50mm weighing 5.5g. There are 10 colours in each size and retail price from $19.95. To find out more about XP Baits Butterfly Jigs and the other products that Juro OzPro Tackle do, you can go to www.jurofishing.com - Peter Jung

The author’s biggest fish for the day. The Somerset fish loved the XP Jigs.

The hook up rate was excellent on the XP Jigs. Most fish were hooked in the corner of the jaw. school up in large numbers throughout the lake. Schools can be easy to find, but getting them to bite can be one of those truly frustrating things in fishing. Fishing schooled up bass in deep water doesn’t fall into my wheelhouse of fishing experience, so I recruited the boss man himself Steve Morgan to show me how it’s done.

Can it be fished like a traditional jig? Once at your desired depth the Butterfly Jig certainly fishes like any other ice jig I have fished. A flick of the rod tip see’s the jig dart and weave as you would expect from an ice jig, it is just the fluttering motion as it drops that is completely different. Getting it to the desired depth without the fluttering slow decent would certainly be the key at times and XP Baits has a solution for this too. A line clip is in place at the tail of the jig. You clip your line into it. The jig then hangs weight down, place it in the water and drop it to your desired depth. To release the line give the rod tip a quick flick and you’re fishing.

The mood on the boat was playful to say the least as we put in the hard yards testing for the magazines.

OCTOBER 2017

Reeling in the red and gold CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

October in Canberra is all about golden perch and big redfin. We are very lucky in Canberra to have access to some superb golden perch and redfin fisheries

while we wait for cod open. Currently, locals are flocking to our urban lakes to chase these wonderful fish using a variety of lures from traditional deep divers and soft plastics through to small swimbaits and vibes. Large numbers of mosquitofish have appeared

already and these pests form an important part of a big yellowbelly’s diet. Find these small baitfish by walking the banks and keeping your eyes on the shallows. Once you find a school, cast your lure a few metres out and slow roll it back towards the baitfish. The yellowbelly will be

surface, provided it’s a calm day. The dam wall is still the best place to look for a golden if you’re fishing from the bank. Casting from a kayak at the overhanging trees near the skate park can result in a solid fish. Now is the time to get stuck into Lake Ginninderra. There have been plenty of big redfin caught over the last few weeks and some thumping goldens have also come to the net. Fishing Ginninderra can be difficult due to the extensive weed beds which sit a few metres off the bank and run from the dam wall right around to the skate park. By targeting pockets in the weed, either gently twitching your plastic on the spot or rolling your lure over the top of the weed, you’ll be sure to get a strike. This is one of my favourite spring fisheries as there is genuine strategy required to achieve success and the fish are always in great condition and fight hard.

Find a school of goldens and it is possible to catch over a dozen in a session. reappearance in some parts of the ponds. Plastics that are rigged weedless are by far the best, especially when twitched close to the bottom.

Find the bait and you’ll find the goldens.

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sitting just off the school and will strike at anything that ‘matches the hatch,’ like the Westin Ricky the Roach. LOCAL NEWS Lake Burley Griffin is fishing well for both golden perch and redfin and has done for the last few months. The water is quite clear, which is rare for this waterway and though the lake is still cold (around 14°C) the fish are hitting a variety of lures and actively hunting along the flats. The lures producing the goods right now are soft plastics like the Strike Pro Enticer Finesse Grub slow rolled along shallow banks. Lures like the Jackall TN50 (silent) remain the best choice if casting parallel to the overhanging willows that line several sections of the lake. The best fishing is at dawn and dusk, but there is also a small bite window between 2 and 3pm. Lake Tuggeranong continues to be a hit and miss fishery. There are large numbers of golden perch and redfin in the lake along with some enormous carp. Few anglers have been able to catch fish consistently so far this spring. However, ‘Tuggers’ is always worth a go, as the surface fishing for redfin can be outstanding. Small poppers cast parallel to the pylons outside the college have resulted in some good captures and there are also large schools of reddies holding near the islands off Greenway that can also be targeted on

Dusk is a good time to fish Lake Burley Griffin. There are large numbers of big reddies on offer in the two ponds at Gungahlin and these fish are exciting sport on light tackle. However, there haven’t been many goldens caught lately and this could be due to the large amounts of weed making a

SURROUNDS The redfin at Googong fired right through winter and are in plague proportions right now. The reddies are big and can easily brick anglers fishing light line to fool fussy goldens. Deep divers are a great choice, because they appeal to both

the redfin and the goldens. Any diver between 40-60mm should get some attention if you cast tight to the trees and add plenty of pauses to your retrieve. A great place to start is the point at the entrance to Shannons Inlet. There are plenty of schooling fish holding in this area looking for bait. However, if you’re after a golden, be prepared to put the work in. Googong’s resident goldens are pretty cluey and can often only be coaxed by using finesse techniques and super light leaders. Adding scent to blades and vibes is one way of getting these tricky goldens to strike. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Dr Bryan Pratt all the best and I hope (along with the rest of the angling community in Canberra) that he has a speedy recovery from illness. Knowing Bryan, he will be back on his feet in no time and we can all look forward to his next report on the local fishing scene.

Gungahlin is the place to catch big reddies.

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Open up a can of fresh trout JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson steve@swtroutfishing.com.au

We are all getting excited with the opening of the river fishing season here! Winter has been late again this year with plenty of snow still on the mountains and plenty of melt yet to come, meaning water to feed the rivers and streams for quite a while yet. We are yet to see how the opening will fish, but when the level of the Thredbo River is up the lure anglers always do well. When the water is

lower the fly anglers usually do a little better. River lure anglers are going to do best using minnow style lures and big lures will often catch more trout at this time of year than small lures. It all depends on how fast and high the water level is in the Thredbo River. Natural brown trout and rainbow trout patterns are most popular, but I also like gold or gold and black colours as well. For fly anglers on the rivers, the best flies to use have still been weighted nymphs and a few fish will even be caught on glow bugs. Meanwhile on the lake

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Guided tours at 10 am and 2 pm. Feed the large fish. Open 10–4 daily. Gaden Rd (off Kosciuszko Rd) Jindabyne P 02 6451 3400 CLOSED DAYS: ANZAC, CHRISTMAS, BOXING. SMALL ENTRY FEE. dpi.nsw.gov.au/ fisheries/info/ gaden

BOATING FISHING CAMPING HUNTING

the fishing has been fantastic and most anglers will agree that we have had the best winter fishing we have seen in many years and that should continue given the lake’s water level is rising. For fly anglers, the polaroiding season has been a little late. It’s now in full swing with the lake level rising quite quickly over new ground. I find casting small green nymphs to be best in the shallow water. Lure anglers can also spot the fish before casting and you will do best with smaller lures (unlike the river fishing) and floating minnow lures that dive to 1-2m deep will be best. Another reason to keep the lures small is that they create less splash and splashing can spook the trout in the shallow clear water. As the lake continues to rise this month the boat trolling will be best near the edges early and late in the day, but you may have problems spooking the fish over shallow water, so make sure your line is out further

lures later in the morning. The best colours to use when it’s early will be darker lures. Try the Yellow Wing Tasmanian Devils, like 111 Willies Special that was named after some trout fishing guide in the area and is by far the most successful lure over summer last season. As the sun gets higher, it’s time to get the lure lower into the water and lead core lines or downriggers are the way to go. Minnow lures in brown trout, rainbow trout and spotted dog patterns are also good and there are many good brands of lures on the market that will do the job, if you know what speed to troll to get the best action. It’s not a good idea to try and mix and match different brands, as no two brands of lures will work best at the same speed. The best lures to try and catch those trophy brown trout will be small minnows and you need to troll these over the weed beds using longer drop backs and lighter line or braid to keep the lures at the deepest depth possible. You

Alberto Galmarini and his son all the way from Italy (here for ski race training in August) took time out and had a fantastic time catching plenty of trout and this massive 10lb Atlantic salmon. trout and salmon. If you want to catch yourself a big brown trout then the best baits are still going to be bardy grubs or scrubworms.

the lake so high is finding easy access, as many of our normal tracks are under water. Those who have a boat will have the advantage

BEST METHODS FOR OCTOBER Best method: Lake trolling Best depth: Surface lures early and late in the day Best lake lure: Tasmanian Devils with yellow wings or holographic Best lake area: East Jindabyne Islands and Creel Bay Best fly method lake: Hamills Killers and green weighted nymph Best river for fly: Thredbo River with olive or black nymphs and glow bugs Best river for spinners: Thredbo River using deep diving minnow lures in brown trout patterns. than normal with 80m being the minimum you will need out. The usual techniques of fishing on the surface in shallow water at first light and then moving out into deeper water using lead core with 20-30m of line out will extend the better fishing well into the late morning. Boat trollers this month will do best using minnow lures early before sunrise and then switching to hardbody

need to do this well before the sun comes up to get the bigger fish. Lake bait fishing has been nothing but excellent for months now. At some times of the day the fish are coming on the bite and you just need a line in the water to catch them. Local scrubworms are best for brown trout while artificial baits of various colours are proving themselves on rainbow

These are best fished with a greased line to stop them from sinking into the weed and getting caught up. Don’t forget meal worms fished like maggots under a float either. There’s no spot fishing better than the others at the moment. With the trout cruising the margins of the lake they can be in one place one day and another the next. The biggest problem with

of being able to get to spots where others can’t. Let’s hope the season is a good one with regular rain to freshen up the streams and cooling the water. • For booking for trout fishing tours please call my shop on 02 6456 1551 or email me at sales@ swtroutfishing.com.au and more information can be found on my website www. swtroutfishing.com.au.

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James Blair did a winter trip 4x4 driving around Lake Lyell, and picked up this nice brown.

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Big goldens and trout are out and about WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

Longer days, warmer temperatures and more bug activity are a recipe for great freshwater fishing conditions. Best of all, these conditions are all here and winter is well and truly

will work. During the day you want to be casting with plastics, lipless crankbaits, 3/8oz spinnerbaits and diving hardbodies. Target the shallow grassy flats on first light and once the sun is up you’ll want to fish deeper in the water column. The standing twiggy trees, steep rocky banks and points are the best structure.

Rainbow trout in the Tumut River are aggressive at the moment and keen to smack an array of lures and flies. behind us. This month is all about golden perch and trout! BLOWERING DAM October long weekend is the first weekend of the

With the standing trees you want to cast your lures past them and allow them to sink within 2m of the bottom before beginning a slow rolling retrieve.

and plastics are best for this technique. Let the lure hit the bottom and give it two short sharp lifts off the bottom and let it sink back to the bottom; this imitates a yabby or a small fish darting away from danger. Trolling in the dark is a very successful technique on Blowering perch. The wall end of the dam is best for this and you want to target the rocky banks and points, this is where the perch will school in large numbers. Troll between 4 and 8m of water and always make sure your lures are within a metre of the bottom. Lure lengths between 50 and 100mm with a 25-30ft diving depth will be the most versatile option. When fishing during the day your lure colour is important. I prefer naturals and dark colours with black being a standout. In the dark, the colour isn’t important at all. MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER The golden perch will be on fire in the ‘Bidgee at the moment. Around Wagga there are plenty of reserves that you can access to launch

Big Blowering goldens can’t turn down a Minnow Grub plastic slow rolled down against the standing trees.

PowerBait T Tail Minnow soft plastics work really well along the shallow edges first thing in the morning. hardbodies. You don’t want to use lures too large, because you want to avoid targeting Murray cod. In saying that, it’s highly likely that you will encounter Murray cod, so still use the same heavy gear, 30lb braid and 30-40lb leader. You don’t want to tire

out a large Murray cod on light gear or be busted off leaving big cod with lures stuck in their gobs. With this same heavy gear, you can get the fish in quick and release it without causing any harm. TUMUT RIVER This long weekend marks the opening for trout fishing

in NSW rivers and streams. This is a great time to get out on the water and target trout, as they have had a long break from seeing lures and they will be very hungry. The bugs and insects are starting to hatch. With the warmer weather they will activity chase lures and even flies. The river will most likely have significant flow with irrigation demand for summer. This means you will have to target the slow pockets and edges behind the fast water. Large flashy lures like the humble silver wobbler will work well. If you find some slow water, use spinners and soft plastics or even a well-placed dry fly with a nymph will work well. October is an enjoyable time to have a crack at some of our great freshwater fishing options.

Dylan Creed with a Tumut River rainbow taken on a PowerBait T Tail. month and usually the best. If not, it’ll be the one afterwards depending on water temperature. If you want to catch some golden perch from Blowering, then you should definitely be up there now as they will be in full-swing. Casting, trolling and bait fishing off the bank at night

The fish will usually hit the lure as it’s passing the tree. Always be ready for following fish. The best technique for the rocky banks is the hop and drop technique. Hold the boat off the bank in 9-7m of water and cast to the bank. Lipless crankbaits, blades

a boat or even walk the banks. Make sure you fish tight to the banks in slow flowing water. Willows and small twiggy trees will hold the most fish. The best lure choices for this time of year are small spinnerbaits between 1/2 and 5/8oz and 60-80mm

Flyfishing along the Tumut River can yield great results as Tallis Cotterill demonstrates.

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Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

Golden perch will or should be on everybody’s lips this month, and impoundments such as Windamere, Burrendong and Wyangala offer fantastic opportunity’s to target these fish. These impoundments are all very different in make-up, and this does change the way the golden perch behave. Generally speaking, slight adjustments are needed when targeting each of these impoundments. BURRENDONG The availability and movements of redfin pin fry in Burrendong, especially later in the month and into November, has a big effect on the habits of golden perch. The protein available at this time coincides with the breeding cycle of big rowed up female golden perch, and some of the biggest fish of the season will come from Burrendong. Stonking 6-8kg fish are not unheard of when the redfin pin fry are thick, and although it varies from season to season and it’s not usually a game of big numbers, rest assured, if you are targeting a big one the time and effort can be well worth the effort. WYANGALA Wyangala has a good population of golden perch, smaller fish mostly, but what they lack in size they make up for in aggression, smashing lures and baits in a number of different areas. Depending on water inflows, sometimes Wyangala can be a little dirty at the start of the spring season, and bait fishing off the bank is quiet often the best way to target them early in the season. Baits can be

The goldens in Wyangala may be smaller than those in Windamere and Burrendong, but what they lack in size they make up for in aggression. Good sessions are possible when you cast lures in the right water. Steeper, windswept rocky banks can be dynamite at times. As the waters clear, lure fishing starts to come into its own. Boat-based or landbased, it pays to keep your lure close to rocky shoreline edges during a retrieve, and a little wave wash is good, especially later in the day when light levels are higher.

these fish will have seen and heard a lot of lures, not to mention boats, sounders pinging and all the clatter associated with what happens inside a boat. I have fished it hard for over 25 years at this time of year, and believe me, a stealthy approach has been

Downsizing tackle and adopting a quieter, stealthier approach in the boat has helped many anglers at Windamere during past springs. Small floating hardbody minnows are very hard to beat in Wyangala for this type of fishing. WINDAMERE Windamere’s attributes as a golden perch fishery are well documented; the opportunity’s to target a

the biggest adjustment I’ve made to my angling here at this time of year. Keep in mind windassisted drifts, longer casts, sounders off, releasing fish away from the areas where you are fishing, anchor and swing, lighter lines and

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Adapting or learning new techniques can give you other options at Windamere. Skirted jigs are underrated when it comes to catching early season golden perch. fished quiet close to the bank, especially in low light conditions. The carp can be a little hard to avoid while bait fishing, but any kids in the camp group will be kept very busy.

consistent run of quality fish between 50-60cm are about as good as it gets. To be consistent you really need a good arsenal of techniques. By the time October comes to an end,

outfits, silent downsized offerings, going offshore and submerged tree tops. These are just a few adjustments and considerations that may help put a few extra fish in the boat.

One of the most consistent methods of catching golden perch in all three impoundments without a doubt has been targeting the sunken standing tress. Some anglers have turned this into an art form. Depth sounders play a big part in the success of these anglers, and being able to see and separate the fish from the web of is now totally possible. Getting them to bite is still the tricky bit, but at least you know they are there. Dropping then slow rolling soft plastics up through the limbs is by far and away the most consistent method of catching these goldens. Needless to say, a quiet approach into the tree is a handy tip, as sometimes the fish will spook then slowly return so don’t be in a rush to move if nothing happens on the first few drops. TROUT OPENING With the October long weekend being the start of the trout season on the streams, it would be wrong of me not to mention the opportunities we have locally. The previous seasons leading into this one have been good, with constant flows of quality water, and this is the key to what I think will be one of the better seasons in memory. The Fish River should be holding some good quality fish in the pools and runs around Tarana. The upper reaches of the Duckmaloi have been quiet for a few seasons, but hopefully a good head of fish has had the opportunity to push up and take station in some of the bigger pools. The Coxes River is eastern-flowing, and gets an injection of spawning fish that come up and out from Warragamba Dam when conditions are right. They can sometimes hang around in the early part of the season in the upper reaches, and walking the banks spinning is a great way to target these fish. Hope to see you on the water soon. Until then, tight lines!

Trout should be in tip-top shape BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

After what feels like a year the trout season will finally reopen at the beginning of this month. This year is looking like it will be another one to remember with good flows in our creeks and rivers all winter long giving the trout perfect spawning conditions. The Tumut River will more than likely be flowing high and fast. Although these high flows make for difficult fishing, the trout haven’t been targeted for months during the closed season and they will be quite easy to catch, so learning to fish in the high flows is something worth trying to master. The fly fishos will have to target the slack water along the banks and the inside of bends for the best success during the high flows. The lure fishos will need larger, heavier lures and will need to cast across stream rather than upstream to give the fish more time to line up and hit your lure. Bait fishos normally fare best in the higher flows and at the beginning of the season some sort of dough

bait like PowerBait works really well. The ever-reliable garden worms also work great and if you can find them, some big juicy wood grubs will have the trout lining up to have a go at your bait.

experience some of the best trout fishing available on the mainland of Australia. The creeks in the greater Batlow area are highly underrated and are up there with some of the best small stream

killed. Due to the limited number of Fisheries Officers it is very rare that someone is actually caught doing illegal activities like killing metre plus Murray cod, so when they do actually

The NSW trout season is back in full swing this month and there should be plenty of fish like this to go around for everybody.

It’s that time of year again. Double hook-ups of golden perch are back on the cards and even eating a banana won’t stop them. The smaller trout rivers and creeks should still have good flows in them and there should also be good numbers of trout around. If you find a creek that hasn’t been fished yet, you should

trout fishing available in Australia. COD CROOKS Fisheries recently caught a man at Blowering Dam in possession of a metre plus Murray cod that he had

Even 60mm lures look big in golden perch’s mouths. During the cod closed season stick to lures this size and smaller to help limit the amount of Murray cod you by-catch.

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catch someone in the act an example just has to be made. MURRAY COD CLOSED SEASON LURES Another topic I’d like to quickly touch on is the use and recommendation of lures over 60mm in length during the Murray cod closed season. There is no law as such about this, but maybe there should be. I know we are going bigger and bigger when it comes to lures for Murray cod and lures over 200mm are now almost the norm, but back in the day a lure over 100mm was considered huge and was certainly considered a Murray cod lure. Suddenly, due to everyone wanting huge cod lures, some new anglers think that a lure up to this length is acceptable. There is no way you limit the amount of Murray cod you catch as a by-catch when targeting golden perch if you are using lures of this size.

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Until there is a law placed disallowing lures over a certain length, it is up to us as anglers to at least try and do the right thing. Stick to lures under 60mm in length during the Murray cod closed season.

You will still catch the odd monster on these small lures, but nowhere near as many as when using a 110mm lure. Time to get real, people – give these guys a bit of a break (it’s only three months) and use small gear.

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Mid-spring is the perfect time to get out lipless crankbaits and jerkbaits. At Chaffey Dam the bite is focused on the weed and rock, and what loves weed and rock? If you said the Rolling Stones, you would be right, but in this scenario the answer is yabbies. Now is the perfect time to use these piscatorial treats to tempt some golden nuggets. My favourite way to do this is to rig a 2.5 or 3” soft plastic

TAMWORTH

Adam Mears adam.mears@hotmail.com

It’s a glorious time of year to be out in nature. Creatures are doing their spring thing, and for me that means the Murray cod breeding season is on. I’m also looking skyward for the dive bombing bringers of death (magpies) that find it hilarious to scare the pants off me as I meander along our local rivers. CHAFFEY DAM I try not to fish the river often from September until December, as there are plenty of other local options we can fish to limit our incidental captures of our iconic Murray cod. Chaffey Dam is going to be a winner this spring, and around this time the golden perch should be as active as a P plater with a new Skyline. I would be looking around weed beds and rocky points for the feisty

perch recently and found them surprisingly good on the deeper holding fish on the thermocline or deeper structure in the 30ft+ range in our local dams. Blacks and purples have been working best. You can fish an ice jig a few different ways; the technique that worked for me was dropping the jig to the bottom and incorporating short, sharp hops then

be hard-pressed to go past a glow bug or a dark Woolly Bugger, but the trout aren’t fussy about colours. For lure casters, Celta type spinners will work well, as will small hardbody minnows. Soft plastics will also work in many sizes and colours – pink, orange, brown or black are my personal favourites. Bait anglers can use worms, shrimp and PowerBait.

Stephen Mears with his first bass caught at Glenbawn Dam. natives, with plenty of focus going toward the western foreshore of the dam. Plenty of techniques will catch them. For the anglers bait fishing, a

shrimp cocktail will be the number one choice followed by local rock worms and small yabbies. For lure casters, I mentioned last month my favourites are

Incidental captures of cod do happen during closed season, but be sure to keep them in the water and release them as soon as possible. on a football jig to have the lure sit in the strike zone longer. At Lake Keepit these techniques will also work. Ice jigs and creature baits are worth trying with all the standing timber. Ice jigs are something bass fishers have been using for years. I tried them on golden

waiting a few minutes. If you haven’t had a hit, wind the jig up a few feet and repeat. Give each tree about 10-15 minutes then move on. SHEBA DAM Sheba has been fishing well thanks to the release of brood stock from the hatchery. Fly anglers will

Just remember, trout can be fussy and will refuse heavy leaders, so fish with 6lb or 4lb leader and have a ball. Once hooked these colourful imports do flips better than most politicians and show true spirit throughout their fight, so get out there and start catching.

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

Dam July August Sept. Blowering 80 77 83 Brogo 100 100 96 Burrendong 87 87 80 Burrinjuck 63 54 60 Carcoar 90 91 91 Chaffey 94 94 93 Clarrie Hall n/a n/a n/a Copeton 52 53 52 Dartmouth 78 78 82 Eucumbene 30 27 30 Glenbawn 88 88 87 Glenlyon 75 75 72

Dam July August Sept. Glennies Creek 83 83 81 Hume 71 77 89 Jindabyne 50 48 58 Keepit 66 68 68 Lostock 100 101 97 Oberon 88 87 85 Pindari 100 100 98 Split Rock 30 30 30 Tantangara 20 25 27 Toonumbar 102 101 99 Windamere 49 49 49 Wyangala 88 88 87

(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.) 72

OCTOBER 2017

Aggressive reaction bites are back on the menu HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

Spring well and truly sets in this month. The water is warmer and the fish will start to become more aggressive while feeding. This month really stamps the beginning of

and hopping a blade, bladed jig or slow rolling a deep spinnerbait may see you pick up some midday fish. The other bass in the lake to target this month are the ones living shallow in less than 15ft. These bass weigh less than their deeper partners. What they don’t carry in weight they make

Lake St Clair weed didn’t quite grow as much as expected over the end of winter and start of spring. With less rain recently the level has slowly been dropping and the weed hasn’t kept up. With what little weed growth there is, these areas will always hold the bigger fish at St

Jack Maunder with a topwater creek bass. the reaction bite. From now on a lot of different styles of lures and bait will catch fish. Both the lakes and rivers in the Hunter should be all firing. The water temperatures should be getting to around 20°C and above. This will bring the golden perch in the lakes out of their winter slumber and on the chew. Lake Glenbawn’s bass will be slightly split up between depths. The deeper schooled fish will still be holding some weight from winter. These fish traditionally sit out off deeper points and rock walls in around 15-25ft. They love to move up shallow during low light periods and feed on just about anything you can throw this month. Pick your poison this month – spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, lipless cranks, crankbaits, blades and even plastics will work. These fish will be active and feeding on whatever swims past their noses. Depending on the weather, these bite periods can be short or last all day. If you find the bite slowing down, try dragging a skirted jig with a craw trailer slowly down back into 20ft. You can also slow down and fish parallel to the bank. Focusing on where the fish are sitting on the sounder

up for in aggression when attacking a lure. They are bronze to black in colour to camouflage in with the shallow structure, and will be spread out through the entire lake. Any shallow weed, rock or timber will hold fish. Again, these fish will take just about anything you throw

Clair. The back of most bays should have weed in their deeper sections. These are good places to start with an early morning topwater lure this month. St Clair is a renowned topwater fishery and the warming weather brings out the insect life, which gets the bass looking towards the surface for their

pauses. If your topwater lure isn’t getting attention, a subsurface reaction or vibration lure will be your next best bet. Spinnerbaits of 3/8-1/2oz in natural, colours and bladed jigs swum over the weed and into gaps and holes should bring some fish. These styles of lures work well around weed with their ability to pop out of the weed easily and the semi snagless setup of a single upward facing hook. Lipless crankbaits are another great lure for targeting the fish in the weed. Using a retrieve with your rod at 45° upwards, hop the lipless crankbait into holes and down the face of the weed. Once the shallow bite slows, a hopped blade or crankbait worked along the weed drop-off works well after the sun is up high. There will always be some schools of smaller fish sitting out just wide of the weed in 12-25ft. These fish will be active and will take a 1/4-3/8oz jighead rigged plastic with beetle spins attached, and slow rolled or hopped blades. The rivers and streams in the Hunter will start to fish well this month. The vast amount of bass that went downstream to spawn will have started their migration back. Some of the smaller creeks will start to see increased numbers of fish from now on. These bass will be hungry after the spawn and will be travelling great distances. All your typical spring lures will come into play. A spinnerbait is a good search bait for locating bass in your local river. Move quickly

Mitchell Cone with a bass caught on a skirted jig at Glenbawn. small blade around these areas after the spinnerbait stops catching. Additionally, once the light gets low, these river bass love a topwater lure from now on all the way through summer. Hunter Native Fish Inc in association with the DPI will be holding the Hunter Native Fish Gone Fishing Day Maitland Carp Catch on the grounds of the Grand Junction Hotel Maitland

on the 15th this month. The event will run from 8:00am with the weigh-in at 2:30pm. There will be over $5000 in prize draws and giveaways up for grabs on the day, kindly donated by BCF Rutherford, Bassman Spinnerbaits, Dennerley Leather, Australian Monofilament Company, Daiwa Australia, Marz Lures and Alvey Reels.

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Peter Maunder with a bass caught on a reaction lure at Glenbawn. at them. Any vibration lure or plastic will work. Surface fishing will also come into play this month on these shallow fish. Fishing the low light is always the best time to fool them into biting.

next meal. Try fast moving baits first up to encourage a reaction strike over the top of weed. Walkers, paddlers, and prop baits work well for this. If that doesn’t work, slow down and add lots of

through sections until you catch a fish or get a bite. From here you can slow down and pick the area apart. Where there is one fish, there will be more. Work weedless plastics or hop a

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Hopes up for successful spawns in Copeton COPETON DAM

David Allen manager@copeton.com.au

As the days continue to warm and we move into early summer, this is a great time to visit Copeton. The winter chill has all but gone and the early mornings are much more pleasant than those freezing conditions we were forced to endure during winter. This time of year can see some fantastic fishing at Copeton as both the cod

and yellowbelly can be on the chew. The cod should be refuelling after going through their breeding cycle, and the yellowbelly will be preparing for their turn at trying to make babies. It is interesting to look at what happens with both our main target species during their respective breeding cycles. Firstly, let’s look at the Murray cod. In Copeton their cycle will generally start with the fish pairing up; this happened early this year with numerous reports from anglers sounding

paired fish in mid-August. This is a month earlier than most years and may even have led to some successful nesting and hatching before the irrigation releases started for the year. It is the irrigation releases that are the major reason that our cod have such limited natural breeding success in Copeton. Cod nest in only a couple metres of water and eggs hatch in about ten days. With irrigation releases of 5000-20,000ML a day coinciding with spawning, a nest site could be dry in

Rachel didn’t just get this great catch of cod, she also got a proposal! Congratulations Rachel and Drew.

NSW Fisheries pumping 66,000 baby cod into Copeton Dam. less than a week, so there are no baby cod. Luckily, NSW Fisheries have done a wonderful job of stocking waterways with the funds raised from fishing licences. Copeton Waters receives fish every year, with 66,000 fingerlings this year. These fish can be seen in the lengths of the fish caught with 5-10cm increases each year – faster for the first few years, then slowing as they get over the metre. Cod in impoundments will reach sexual maturity at around 60cm and the optimum breeding size is 80-110cm. The overall effect of all this is that Copeton has the strongest cod fishery in Australia for both reliability

and average size. Yellowbelly on the other hand have a completely different breeding cycle to Murray cod. Yellowbelly have a cycle often stimulated by rising water levels. These don’t have to be significant rises. The fish then spawn into open water with the eggs normally being suspended until hatching within 24 to 36 hours by the river flow. The problem with yellowbelly breeding in dams like Copeton is that with no flow the eggs sink and perish, so again there are no babies. Copeton gets great support from Fisheries with 80,000 yellowbelly fingerlings being pumped into the lake this year.

As far as fishing goes, the dam has continued to fish well with many cod over the metre having been caught and released through September. Yellowbelly have also continued to improve with the water temperature increases. The dampener this month will be big irrigation releases, as falling water levels will always make the fishing harder. • 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.

October warming up after a slow start to spring NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

It has been a slow start to spring around the New England area with the occasional frosts and chilly mornings still hanging around, but the days are gradually getting

Small spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and soft plastics around 1-2” are the ideal lures for this waterway, however most of the Beardy is on private properties, so it’s important to ask for permission before crossing a fence and heading towards the river. There are two public access spots close

A spring-time golden perch caught on a Westin Platypus.

Mathew Skorupa caught this fantastic golden perch at Copeton. warmer. Local rivers are looking really clear and in good condition, although they are sitting pretty low after few rainfalls leading up to the end of winter. The Beardy River will be open this month for fishing, and trout and redfin can be targeted. 74

OCTOBER 2017

to town where fish are caught often. Brochures can be found in any information centre in any town with a list of open streams, including public access spots, so check that out or jump on the NSW Fisheries website for more info.

There have been no reports of golden perch catches along the Severn River so far this spring. Pindari Dam has been fishing slowly compared to this time last year and colder water temperatures might be playing a big part, along with unstable water levels. The dam sat around the 99-101% mark for most of winter and has recently been dropping again. Copeton Dam has been dropping in level over the past couple of weeks and was recently sitting at 52%. The fishing action has also slowed down as predicted. However, good fish are

still being caught while the wattle is starting to bloom. Murray cod catches are starting to dwindle compared to previous weeks, whereas the yellas are showing themselves and with great aggression. Mathew Skorupa made a long trip up to fish Copeton and found some healthy cod for his efforts along with a pig golden perch that ate a swimbait – not the usual method of choice for targeting these greedy fish, although it’s not the first time a Copeton yella has thought it could eat something that big. It won’t be long

before the golden perch start moving around and schooling up competing for

food as they begin their spawn, so we’re coming onto the most productive time to be targeting them. For the best results, lures that replicate any small crayfish or baitfish will be the lures of choice. Certain colours can also make for better results. Most yabbies (crayfish) in Copeton are black or dark in colour, so I find the dark knight ZX Blade a better choice when fishing this waterway. If I’m trying to mimic a baitfish, the brown frog or bobby cod coloured Mazzy Vib will be my go-to lure. Good luck on the water this month with whatever species it is that you are going to target. I might even see you out there somewhere.

A pair of healthy Copeton goldens.

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Yella fever still to pick up after the cod season YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Unfortunately, this report is always the hardest to put together, and is about exciting as watching the grass grow. Cod season is now but a distant memory. Still, those who fancy their hand at chasing goldens know that it’s about to get better. Traditionally the top end of lake and backwaters around the Bundalong area are more productive than the open waters of the lake itself. When they do fire, the old faithful lipless crankbait is your best bet. Hardbodied lures up to 70mm and smaller profiled spinnerbaits will also account for their fair share. For anyone that does encounter a cod over the next couple of months, it should be released unharmed as quickly as possible. Looking back, August started off great and slowly petered out towards the end of the season. The major factor that slowed the action

was the large amount of dirty water that found its way down from the Ovens River. Towards the end of the month, those who measure din cod in excess of the ‘ton’ included Juz Wright, with a 108cm model, Shannon Mobbs with a 114cm truck, Jack Weymouth Smith with his 116 beast, and as the final siren sounded, Dave Adams and Jessie Barassi both cracked the metre with 101 and 102cm models respectively. Overall the 2016/17 season for big cod was the best on record bar none. The incredible amount of meteries fuelled anglers dreams and created a monster that continued all season. I believe there were three main contributing factors to this and they were the black water events further downstream that concentrated anglers at Mulwala, social media, allowing all to share their captures instantly and continuing Lake Mulwala’s reputation as Australia’s premier cod fishery, and the hottest trend in cod fishing

– swimbaits and wakebaits. The last six months has seen a massive demand for swimbaits and wakebaits. These lures are something new for the cod, and until they wise up to them, great returns will continue. Coming up on 21 October is the popular Golden Do$$ars fishing competition, an event designed to specifically target yellas. Entry forms are now available. Organisation for the 18th annual Cod Classic is well under way, with the event looking as good as ever. An incredible seven boating packages, a chance to spend 30 seconds in a cash grab machine, along with $150K of prizes makes this one event not to be missed. Entry forms are available online at www.codclassic.com.au. For more information on the Cod Classic, the upcoming Golden Dollar$ or anything else relating to fishing Mulwala, feel free to give us a call at Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski. • If you are visiting town,

Shannon Mobbs with a magnificent 114cm late season Murray cod. I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish, Camp & Ski (opposite the post office) in Mulwala and say

G’day. We are your largest Murray cod-specific shop in Yarrawonga/Mulwala and specialise in all things

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

Carp numbers too thick to search for perch ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

With the warmth of a pre-spring breeze thawing the bones, it felt time to pop up to the mighty Murray River and chance my hand at a feed of perch. With a tub of freshly dug worms, the short track to the Murray near Wemen was a pleasant drive. Several large shingle back lizards crossed the

NEW

road, enjoying the early warmth after their long winter slumber. When fishing for perch I like to look for pockets of backwater close to snags. I will cast a lightly-weighted bait and if the perch are on, it usually doesn’t take long to get a bite. Sure enough, the hook-laden ball of worms had only been in the water a few moments before the end of the rod tapped down and loaded. With the hook set the fight was very strong, with several line sizzling runs that firstly

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tore upstream only to change direction and power off downstream with the current. This was no perch, and within a few short minutes the large orange tail of a 10kg plus carp was once again beating a hasty retreat along the bank. With the solid carp landed and dispatched of humanely, the bait was once again sent towards the snags. No sooner had it hit the bottom and another bite had the small reel screaming as another solid carp tore off along the bank with the hook pinned in its top lip. This fish was even bigger, and to say it was going off would be an angling understatement. Pound for pound carp are the best fighting fish in the river, and once they reach weights of 10kg plus they will test angler and gear alike. With the fight nearing its end, the hook pulled free of this second fish and it powered back into the depths. With a fresh bunch of worms on the hook I had hardly set the rod in the holder before it was on again and the same powerful run and fight had it three for three and the carp were now coming thick and fast. For the next half hour this pattern was replayed with every bait I delivered into the river. Talk about full on fishing and some serious arm stretching fights! These carp were on steroids, with some of

the biggest I have ever seen in our local waters. Unfortunately, before I had chance to procure a feed of perch the ravenous carp had cleaned out my worm supply. As we continue to head into spring I can only ponder at the amount of giant carp in our local waters. With so many mouths to feed it will be interesting to see

the impact they have on native fishes and the areas they hold. For the moment though to, it seems we might need wade our way through a mountain of carp in order catch a more glamorous fish for the plate. Amongst the carp anglers are landing a few golden perch. From Boundary Bend through Robinvale and downstream

to Wemen and beyond, the perch are starting to bite as the water warms. With poor water clarity, bait has been the best method, with worms, shrimps and small yabbies all working well. Over the coming month, we can expect the perch to bite well and if the carp leave your bait alone for long enough you should manage to land a few.

Just a few of many carp landed on bait in a short session on the Murray River near Wemen.

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DIY Lure Making

Doc’s Stickbait Surface Lure BRISBANE

Greg Vinall support@makewoodenlures.com

Last month we made Doc’s Minnow, a cool little shallow running crankbait designed to catch many of Australia’s bread and butter species. Hopefully by the time this edition goes to print, a whole bunch of Fishing Monthly readers will already have experienced their first fish on a homemade lure. If that’s you, congratulations! You’re now officially a custom lure maker! But if you missed last month’s project, you can always watch the video tutorial and download the lure template on my website at MakeWoodenLures.

com/Fishing-Monthly. This month I’m going to widen our fishing options with Doc’s Stickbait, a simple, walkthe-dog style surface lure. If you’ve never fished with small stickbaits, you’re in for a real treat! Being tailweighted, these lures cast better than most other wooden lure styles. Worked properly, they slide across the water surface with an enticing zig-zag action that just begs for a splashy surface strike. In the estuaries and bays Doc’s Stickbait is perfect for bream, small trevally and even whiting. And in freshwater they’re especially deadly on bass and saratoga. Don’t let the small size of this lure fool you. The next generously proportioned tailor, barra,

Template: 1 Square = 1cm

Murray cod, jack or estuary perch to swallow one of these little lures won’t be the first or the last. They’re meant for smaller fish, but surprises are not uncommon! FISHING WITH DOC’S STICKBAIT Small tail-weighted lures like Doc’s Stickbait can take a little practice to use. If you simply cast them out and then crank them back, they’ll have virtually no action and you probably won’t turn a scale. Light lines and leaders give the best results. Make sure you attach the lure with a good, non-slip loop knot so it has plenty of freedom to move. If you need a little help, you’ll find a bunch of great tutorials for fishing stickbaits on Youtube, or zip down to

100% Scale

the local tackle store and ask one of the staff to give you a quick demo! Over spring and summer there are numerous places to throw small stickbaits. The shallow margins of lakes are a good place to look for bass during the afternoons as fish move up looking for warm water and food. Wading or yakking the yabby flats for bream and whiting is another productive option. Working lures along fallen timber in shallow water is also productive at times, as snags are less of a problem when your lure is on the surface. MAKING DOC’S STICKBAIT Once you have a design that works, turning out a few stickbaits is about as simple

TOOLS AND MATERIALS Tools Utility knife, battery drill and bits, hacksaw, pliers. Materials • 12.5mm x 75mm balsa plank • 1-1.2mm stainless steel wire • 120 and 240 grit sand paper • 240 grit wet sanding paper • Epoxy adhesive (with syringes and mixing sticks) • Ball sinkers (size 00) • Methylated spirits as wooden lure making gets! We’ll be using the same techniques as last month, but we’ll be weighting the lure differently it won’t have the characteristic diving lip of a crankbait. Painting and clear coating Once again I’ll be using an airbrush to paint this lure. But there is nothing wrong with using brushes or aerosol cans to give your lure some colour. After all, a pretty paint job is more for anglers than

fish, so don’t be put off if your early painting attempts aren’t spectacular. That said, if you’d like to take your lure painting to the next level, you could sign up for my free airbrushing course at http://crazylureart.com/freelure-painting-lessons-register/. Or my ebook Getting Started In Custom Painted Crankbaits is available on my website at https://makewoodenlures. com/product/custom-lurepainting-ebook

Cut out the template, place it on your balsa and then trace the side profile of the lure onto the wood. Use your utility knife to slice between the outlines and separate the blanks. 2

Pare away the bulk of the waste with a utility knife, chisel, carving gouge or other sharp blade. Cut close to your guidelines, but not all the way – and try to keep the wood as square in cross section as you can. If you’re a little out of square we’ll fix that in Step 3.

I’m using both our square and curved sanding blocks from last month to clean up the blanks. Hold the block firmly on a flat surface and rub the blank against it until you’ve shaped down to your outline. At this point, your blanks should be nice and square, which helps in getting the hardware properly aligned.

Next I’m marking a centre line. Then I’ll lay the template on the lure blank to mark the location of the tow point, hook hangers and weight. Notice the weight is towards the tail on stickbaits, not up front like it was for our crankbait project. Balsa is soft, so you can use the tip of a nail or other pointy item to make a tiny dent for the drill bit to centre on.

With a battery drill and a 1.5mm drill bit, I’m making the holes that the eyelets will be glued into. Then with a brad point bit I’m making a 4mm hole for the tail weight. Be careful not to go too deep with the weight hole, the weight needs to be just beneath the surface of the wood. Removing too much wood will only weaken the lure body. 78

OCTOBER 2017

Centre the top template on the blank and trace around it. Then slice away the bulk of the waste with a utility knife. Then once again use a sanding block to refine the shape while keeping the balsa square in cross section. When you’re done with this step the lure body should be symmetrical when viewed from above and should be square in cross section.

Now mark centre lines on all the long sides of your blank, then carving guidelines. The guidelines are basically half way between the edge of the wood and the centre line you just drew. Remove the waste between the guidelines using your knife. It’s easier to get this right if you take lots of light cuts and work with the grain. If you find the blade ‘digging in’, it’s time to turn the blank around and carve in the opposite direction.

DIY Lure Making 8

Refine the shape with 120 grit sandpaper. The trick is to not to press too hard on the sandpaper and to do a few strokes on one side, then switch and do a few strokes on the opposite side. That way you’ll maintain the shape and not get flat spots. Keep checking the lure from in front, behind and above to make sure it’s symmetrical. 10

Twist up some small pieces of stainless steel wire to make eyelets. Then use a flat stick to work as much good quality, 24hr cure time epoxy as possible into the holes. Smear some epoxy onto the shaft of the twist eye and gently twist it into the hole in the opposite direction to the thread. When it’s fully into the lure, wipe away any excess adhesive. I’m using a half of a size 00 ball sinker to weight my stickbaits. I split them in two using my utility knife, fill the hole with epoxy, push in the weight and fill over the top with a little more epoxy. Now put the lure aside for at least 24 hours to cure. I’m using twist eyes to keep these lures simple for beginners. That’s fine for small, light duty lures like the ones we’ll make in this series. If you’re making lures that will be fished on lines greater than 6kg breaking strain, you’d be better to use a through-wire or harder timber. Or both! FINISHED LURE

This is a very important step. You’ll want to make your lures hard and waterproof so they last longer. And you’ll want to fill the grain and seal the wood for a better looking paint job. Go ahead and mix up a small batch of epoxy, then thin with a little metho. Warm each lure body using a hair dryer and brush with thinned epoxy while the wood is still warm. Let your lures cure for at least a day, preferably more. Finally, wet sand them with 240 grit paper until they’re smooth and all the gloss has been taken off the epoxy.

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

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ch Is too mu t tackle no gh? u o n e y l r nea

n the latest ries. updates o ily a d r accesso fo gear and nkie.fish g ju n e ti kl a c o ta b , it Vis tackle st fishing and greate Fishing Monthly Magazines

www.tacklejunkie.fish OCTOBER 2017

Grabine Freshwater Fishing Tournament wrap up The 2017 running of the annual Grabine Freshwater Fishing Tournament was successfully held over the weekend of the 26-27 August with outstanding results in both the number of anglers who entered and the amount of fish that SPECIFICATIONS Number Species Caught Catfish........................3 Silver Perch.................5 Golden Perch............57 Murray Cod..............24 Carp........................ 103 Redfin.........................1

were caught and released over the two days, despite some trying conditions. The event had 1026 entrants. The Sponsors Prize Draw winners were Sandra Burnie, who received the Ironman Offroad and Camping Pack, and Jackson Dance, who won the Brooker Boat Package from H2O Marine in Canberra. Congratulations to all involved and thank you for all your support! Each year the competition becomes bigger and better, and that wouldn’t be possible without the anglers who participate. The event’s organisers are

working on a new PA system already, and thank you for your understanding. A big thanks go to the sponsors, as without them the competition wouldn’t be the same. Here are the results (based on longest fish) and the total catches for each

species. Please bear in mind that this is the number of fish that were weighed in over the weekend. Talk around camp over the weekend was that there were a lot more caught that weren’t submitted due to their size. – Grabine Freshwater Fishing Tournament

Brooker Boat winner Jackson Dance with Kyle from H20 Marine Canberra.

RESULTS Category Angler...................... Size (mm) Catfish Junior Longest Harry Coddington......... 560 Senior Longest Chad Stockley............... 535 Senior Runner-Up Peter Bradford............... 430 Silver Perch Junior Longest Jye Carney.....................410 Junior Runner-Up Riley Apps..................... 393 Senior Longest Trent Cady..................... 430 Senior Runner-Up Andrew Keatley.............415 Golden Perch Junior Longest Arlee Garham................ 460 Junior Runner-Up Riley Apps..................... 450 Senior Longest Carole Reynolds............ 475 Senior Runner-Up Tony Bladen................... 471 Carp Junior Longest Madeline Glover............ 665 Junior Runner-Up Emily Smith................... 662 Senior Longest Mark Mangelsdorf......... 870 Senior Runner-Up Richard Apps................ 805 Biggest Bag (Open) Mark George............... 52 fish Murray Cod Junior Longest Zeb Gentle.................... 850 Junior Runner-Up Harper Walker................ 700 Senior Longest Peter King..................... 980 Senior Runner-Up Shaun Hodder............... 920

Mark George had the biggest bag of carp with 52 fish caught on corn and worms.

Carole Reynolds had the longest golden perch for the seniors. It was a 475mm beaut caught on bait.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2017 OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

14-15 Oct

BASS Pro Grand Final Richmond River

www.abt.org.au

14-15 Oct

Leigh Martin Marine Mercury Classic Lake Hume

www.lakehumeclassic.com.au

14-15 Oct

SCFCA Freshwater Competition BurrinjuckWaters Park

southcoastfca@yahoo.com.au

30 Oct

BARRA Tour Round #1 (Evening Event) Teemburra

www.abt.org.au

31 Oct

BARRA Tour Round #2 (Evening Event) Kinchant Dam

www.abt.org.au

3-4 Nov

BARRA Tour Round #3 (Evening Event) Peter Faust

www.abt.org.au

6-7 Nov

BARRA Tour Round #4 (Night Championship) Peter Faust

www.abt.org.au

10-12 Nov

Berkley Urunga Flathead Tournament Urunga

www.urungasportfishing.com.au

16-19 Nov

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9 Championship Western Australia

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours. Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name. 80

OCTOBER 2017

The Cod Classic is back again Excitement is building in the lead up to Lake Mulwala’s annual Yamaha Cod Classic fishing competition. Now in its 18th year, competitors will be the ones getting all the presents! The Cod Classic celebrates the opening to cod season and is now an iconic event on the Australian fishing calendar

not to be missed. An estimated 3000 anglers will be looking to share in the staggering prize pool that totals in excess of $150k. With seven boating packages, a chance to spend 30 seconds in a cash grab machine, a list of major goods too long to mention and 1000+ minor lucky door prizes, competitors will be

going home with a smile on their face. Amazingly, this year will see the event give away its 100th boat! Your name could be on this one! 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, whether fishing from boat or bank, using bait or

lures. Most of the prizes are randomly drawn, so you don’t have to catch a fish to be a winner! Those lucky enough to register either a legal-size Murray cod or golden perch go into additional draws to win extra great prizes. You get four meals, a souvenir stubby holder, a free ticket in major boat raffle, a Wilson Slickback lure and Bassman Spinnerbait (for the kids), and entry into the lucky door prize draws with the promise of a great weekend. Running in conjunction with the Cod Classic is the Native Watercraft Australian Canoe and Kayak Cod Fishing Championships. Entering its seventh year, this event caters for the new breed of fishers who choose to fish from either a canoe or kayak, choosing paddle and peddle over petrol and power. The Fishing and Outdoors Expo will be a main feature of the weekend, with the chance to grab a bargain not to be missed. ENTRY FEE Adults.......$95 prepaid/ $100 on the day Juniors................... $50

2017

Other popular parts of the competition include iconic entertainer Flathead Fred for the juniors, Cod Talk with Rod ‘Codmac’ Mackenzie and the Samurai Rods Australian Pro Casting Championships. You would be crazy to miss this iconic event held at the home of the Murray cod – Lake Mulwala. Sharpen your hooks, pack the boat, grab your swag and baton

down the hatches as the 2017 Yamaha Cod Classic is going to be huge! For more information check out www.codclassic. com.au, or call into the official Cod Classic stores – Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski now at two locations: 74 Melbourne Street, Mulwala (Opposite Post Office) and 61 Belmore Street Yarrawonga (Between Rivers and One Zac).

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Greg Whitehead Fishing Challenge 2017 The third annual Greg Whitehead Fishing Challenge took place at Burrinjuck Dam on 18-20 August. This fishing competition is organised by Stu and Leanne Cattanach in honour of Stu’s best mate Greg who sadly passed away from brain cancer. All money raised from

they could photograph their catch, release the fish and then register their fish at the end of the session. Points were awarded for a combined length of cod, yellowbelly and redfin in the Teams category, while there were also individual prizes on offer for biggest cod, redfin, yellowbelly and carp.

Adam and Phillip Rolls with their loot.

Adam Rolls on his way to a big win in the Teams section. the event goes to the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation and is sponsored by Shimano, Otto’s Tackleworld Canberra and many more. Last year the event attracted over 400 entrants and raised over $20,000, so expectations were high going into this year’s competition. The first session started at 12pm on Friday afternoon. Anglers were given a pack containing goodies from Shimano and Fishing Monthly along with a brag mat and numbered tag, so

I spent the afternoon fishing from my kayak with one of the sponsors of the event, Scott Goodman from Fishizzle Lures. Though the weather on the first day was foul, we still managed plenty of redfin and I was lucky enough to catch a 72cm cod in the first 10 minutes of fishing. Though this was the only cod caught on the first day, I was not in the lead for long. On the Saturday morning, the majority of anglers arrived and were straight out on the water by 6am.

The amount of cod caught during the opening hours on the Saturday was staggering and included some excellent captures by young guns like Codey Flack, who landed a 90cm specimen while fishing a Westin Barry Bass. Some even had luck on the surface, with Ryan Osman picking up two fish – 85cm and 75cm – using a Mudeye Rattlesnake. There were also some great results in the Teams category; ‘YellaFellas’ led by Adam Rolls managed some massive cod and big yellowbelly to 60cm.

Saturday night was all about the marshalling tent, where anglers congregated to watch the footy or talk through the day’s events while checking out the major prize – a Quintrex F390 Explorer from Riverina Marine Centre. Many of the sponsors also set up stalls at the marshalling area and it was wonderful to see Rod De Groot of Last Cast Spinnerbaits and James Judd from Gobsmacked Lures talking through the ins and outs of lure making with the younger generation.

The prizes were amazing.

For the final session on Sunday, anglers again started early. This time only a few cod were caught. Jimmy Casey managed an 87cm fish on 6lb tackle while targeting yellas, and Vladimir Nikolic caught some nice reddies. Other than that, the fishing was slow. In the end Corey Ilitch took out Biggest Cod with a 99.5cm fish, while Adam Rolls and his brother Phillip proved unstoppable in the Teams section, running out easy winners by well over 100

competition so special is the sense of community and the generosity shown at the event by sponsors and anglers alike. This competition was created to honour Greg, but it has now grown into one of the best competitions on the calendar. There is a genuine sense at this event that everyone is working towards the same goal and I think Greg would be proud of what it has become. Thanks must go to all the major sponsors including Jackpot Spinnerbaits, Spotters,

Nicole Manwaring walked away with a new boat! points. Beau Abnett took out Biggest Junior Yellowbelly and Nicole Manwaring won Biggest Redfin. Liana Pitt was the lucky major prize winner. The prizes warrant special mention. There were over a dozen lucky door prizes that included lure packs, tackle and apparel. All of these prizes were donated from sponsors who have given so generously for the past three years. However, this competition is about so much more than amazing prizes and epic fishing. What makes this

Fishing Monthly, Shimano, The Swimbait Specialist, Skeleton Spinnerbaits, Jolly Roger Spinnerbaits and so many more, all of which can be found on the Facebook page – Greg Whitehead Fishing Challenge. Finally, I’m sure all the anglers and sponsors would like to thank Leanne and Stu who have once again organised and run an outstanding competition. Along with Greg’s family, they are the heart and soul of his fishing legacy. – Toby Grundy

Hurry, the Guyra Trout Fest is upon us again Guyra on the New England Tablelands has great plans for this year’s Trout Fest coinciding with the opening of the trout season in NSW. With the best year for trout fishing in a long time just finished, predictions are for an even bigger season starting in 2017. Trout Fest starts September 29 with the Children’s Fishing Clinic run by FishCare volunteers and the DPI at the Mother of Ducks Lagoon in Guyra. This runs from 9am to 2pm for children aged 8-14. The Dutton Trout Hatchery supply some of their huge brood trout to give the children a chance to catch, and take a mighty fish home from the dam at the Guyra Golf Course. The excitement and fun generated for the kids has to be seen to be believed. The kids get their own tackle and other goodies as part of the lessons. A bus tour to the local sights including lunch will keep 82

OCTOBER 2017

parents and other visitors occupied while the kids learn their new skills. Saturday (30 September) is Market Day with the Main Street closed between 9am-3.00pm. Guyra food producers will be highlighting their products with tastings including smoked trout, trout pâté, mushrooms and mushroom dishes, egg products, sweets, cakes, and a BBQ. Guyra’s retailers will be open too. Seating will be provided to enjoy the food and wine tasting and to enjoy the busking and other musical entertainment. Train rides will run from the main street. Fishers are catered for with fly casting demonstrations and lessons, a kid’s ‘touch’ fish tank, fishing suppliers and, of course, the weekendlong fishing competition run by the Guyra Hotel Angler’s Club. The competition has categories for trout as well as redfin, catfish and yellowbelly, with junior and

senior categories. A map of all the local public venues will be provided. Guyra caters well for dedicated trout fishers, with several local fishing establishments

providing accommodation right next to the well-stocked trout streams or private fishing dams. Opportunities for fishing should be exciting, with streams and

Ryan Jones’ efforts were rewarded with this huge catch at the 2016 Guyra Trout Fest Kid’s Fishing Clinic.

lakes at full capacity after the great rainfall for the season. Malpas Dam and the mighty Copeton Dam are both in easy driving distance of Guyra. To tie in with the fishing theme, two expert fly casting instructors (Allan Ekert and Greg Artlett) will be demonstrating fly casting techniques and will give lessons for anyone who wants to try their hand at casting (adults or kids) with rods and lines provided. Allan has a unique ‘secret weapon’ for teaching the rhythm of an expert caster. The FishCare van staffed by FishCare volunteers will be eager to talk to everyone about trout fishing and fishing in general, especially kids. There will be fishing gear for sale as well, along with the Guyra Angler’s Club’s You Beaut fishing raffle. In the unlikely event that some members of the family aren’t interested in fishing, the Troutfest provides plenty of other activities of

interest including art and photography shows (a fishy sculpture display), antique machinery, drives to local attractions, and historical town gardens to name a few. Guyra also boasts a lovely golf course and bowling club. If you are handy with a camera, a Festival Action Photo Competition runs all weekend to 5.30pm Sunday. The fishing competition concludes Sunday evening (October 1) with photo proof entries to be in by 5.30pm at the Bowling Club in time for presentations. Lots of fishrelated fun is planned for the evening. Put Guyra into your holiday plans for the October long weekend and get out into the great outdoors. Registration forms and more information are available online at guyratroutfest. weebly.com or by emailing guyratroutfest@gmail. com. For phone inquiries, call 0488 755 736. - GTF

Hobie SBS Round 7 – Botany Bay SBS Round 7, the final round of the 2017 Hobie Polarized Southern Bream Series, proved to be a tough fish. Located at Botany Bay, over 10 teams didn’t weigh in fish. A total of 181 fish were weighed in, totalling 90.82kg giving an average weight of

plan for Sunday, with an upsize of my leaders to 8lb minimum,” he said. “On Sunday morning I raced straight to the leases, and the second cast of the Prolure Grub in motor oil saw me land my 1.2kg big fish. This set up my day well to say the least.

would enjoy my first season tournament fishing as much as I have. “I would like to thank Mako Eyewear for their continued support as well as The Life Aquatic Hobie in Monavale and Prolure Australia. Bring on the Grand Final!”

0.5kg. The Shimano Big Bream of the day certainly broke that average, with a weight of 1.30kg. Well done to Kevin Varty for bringing this one home. The winning kayaker was Sam Blundell, with a bag weight of 2.29kg. Sam

“It wasn’t long after when the wind picked up, so I made the decision to go and hit the oyster-encrusted banks and mangroves surrounding the area I was fishing as the tide rose. It wasn’t a long wait until I picked up two fish from two casts on the

BOAT: NICK HARE (WANNA GET SOME) Nick Hare’s weekend started with a 3.5-hour drive heading north from Batemans Bay, getting to the boat ramp at around 10am for a pre-fish. They hadn’t fished there since last year.

is only in his first year of tournament fishing, so it’s impressive to see him bring home his second win for the season. It’s great to hear the inspiring stories of the camaraderie between the kayakers and the sharing of knowledge to the new and younger competitors. The Boating section was won by Nick Hare and David Burn from Team Wanna Get Some. They definitely did get some and weighed in 4.01kg – the only bag to break the 4kg mark. Here are the winners reviews of the day. KAYAK: SAM BLUNDELL (THE LIFE AQUATIC HOBIE) Sam Blundell said he started out the weekend by pre fishing in the oyster leases throwing Prolure Grub Tails, and got smoked countless times by solid fish. “I realised this was going to be my game

Prolure shallow Crank and that was my bag set. I persisted with this technique, upgrading twice with many other fish being landed also, with a final bag weight of 2.29kg. I was over the moon to take out the day! I never would have thought I

“We were greeted with 15-20 knot southeasterlies and it was bitterly cold. Not fun!” Hare said. “We took a run upriver looking for some shelter and fishable water. We found some likely looking water, dropped the electric in and nothing. MacGyver

solution and off we go. We threw around some ZMan GrubZ and banged a few around the low 30s. “At this point we figured we were doing OK, but not great. We headed back in and spent the arvo tying new leaders and discussing tactics. After a quick check on BOM, we had a plan. “We took off from 49th and headed straight to the spot we had marked the year before out on the flats. We got there at about 7:15. David was first in as I bent down to move the net out of the way, and I heard his reel start screaming. He looked at me, smiled and said ‘yep, I’m on!’ He repeated this the next two casts. “I finally got my chance and put the next two in the well. At 7:40am the bag was full, and it was high fives all round. Unbeknownst to us, this is when the fun really started. We stuck with the techniques that had been working, slow rolling grubs and hard bodies (ZMan and Strike Pro). “I flicked out a grub and got absolutely hammered, with line disappearing quickly. I scampered down the boat and tried to see what had monstered me. What I saw I will never forget! A monster bream that came in at 41cm and 1.2kg and over 20 of his mates! “This scene was repeated twice more, with a 38 and a 35 hitting the deck, but on hardbodies this time. I dropped our last fish in the well and the realisation hit me – we were actually in with a chance. It was one of our best tournament days ever, with over 15 bream landed and an end result of 4.01kg and ending up with a 41, 38, 36, 35 and 33. “Thanks to our sponsors Hobie Polarized, Hobie Fishing, Compleat Angler Nowra, Cranka Lures, Charted Waters, EvaDeck, Hurricane Lures Australia, Nomad Tackle, Pro Lure Australia, Shimano Fishing Australia, Totally Immersed Water Sports, Fishing World.” - SBS

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McKeown masters the Gold Coast Jamie McKeown has been a perennial top-ten finisher in recent years of the Costa BREAM Series. The seventh stop of the 2017 Costa BREAM Series would see him etch his name onto the champions list, as he came from behind presenting a 4kg bag to the scales on Sunday afternoon to jump into the number one position. McKeown, a Gold Coast local, used every bit of his local knowledge to put together his 10/10 6.49kg limit, more than 600g in front of his next nearest competitor. “I fished the same run both days, but it was definitely the change in wind direction from southwest on Saturday to southeast on the Sunday that made all the difference for me,” explained McKeown. With blustery conditions

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

Jamie McKeown with a pair of his Gold Coast winning bream. of people and lures, so they don’t like venturing far out of their comfort zone to eat something. That little change made all the difference.” Starting Sunday’s final

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of the most remarkable Gold Coast bags. McKeown fished a bait that has made plenty of appearances on ABT’s new livestream coverage this year – an Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn 50, in the salt n pepper colour. McKeown rigged the bait on a 1/50oz hidden weight jighead and fished his offering on a Samaki K2 rod and Ecooda reel. “The technique for most

of the bites happen,” explained Mckeown. With every passing year of the ABT BREAM Series it’s always interesting to look back at the stats of years gone past. Looking back to the record books, it’s easy to assume either the fish are getting bigger quick, or anglers are getting better at targeting the kicker fish that are so important to win tournaments. McKeown’s

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Samaki K2 rod Reel: Samaki Ecooda reel Line: 4lb Extreme PE Leader: 4lb Yamatoyo flurocarbon Lure: Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn 50 (salt n pepper colour) rigged on a 1/50oz hidden weight jighead.

Jamie’s 4.19kg Duffrods Big bag on day two was anchored by the event’s Big Bream.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 84

OCTOBER 2017

greeting anglers on Saturday morning, the extended arena of Moreton Bay was closed to fishing, forcing anglers to rethink strategies and place more pressure on the waterways of the Gold Coast proper. For McKeown, it wasn’t the speed of the wind that worried him, but the direction. One of his go-to locations was the swimming pool at Southport. A popular tourist attraction, the mesh netting and accompanying floats also attract plenty of bream. “I was fishing very lightly weighted plastics – 1/50oz. On Saturday the wind would pick up a belly in my line and would pull my bait away from the net. On Sunday I could fish with the breeze to my back, allowing my bait to sink straight down underneath the net, which bellies with the tide. Those fish are wary and see plenty

day in 10th place, McKeown was simply hoping for enough weight to move up and possibly get high enough to lay his hands on a cheque. As fate would have it though, McKeown put together one

of the locations I was fishing was very similar. You want the bait to fall naturally and slowly. The water on the Gold Coast is clear and these fish see a lot of boats and fishing pressure. There’s really not much you need to do when fishing an Aqua – simply let it fall down the face or underneath your target and hop it a few times once it hits the bottom. If you haven’t got a bite after a few hops, reel it out and throw it in again; that initial fall is when the majority

4kg Gold Coast bag is perfect testament to the increasingly effective techniques that tournament anglers perfect and adapt to different fisheries throughout the country. McKeown now ensures his qualification for the Costa BREAM Grand Final, which will be held on Lake Macquarie in December where both the champion boater and champion non-boater will be walking away with boat/motor/trailer packages courtesy of Bluefin and Mercury!

RESULTS – BOATERS Place

Angler

TW (kg)

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Jamie McKeown Darren Borg Tristan Taylor Alex Roy Steve Eldred Kristoffer Hickson Todd Riches Ben Richards Denis Metzdorf Aaron Sharp

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

6.49 5.86 5.67 5.53 5.41 5.20 5.19 5.07 4.74 4.73

$2200, Big Bream, 1st Mercury Bonus and Duffrods Big Bag prizes $1200, 2nd Mercury Bonus $1000, 1st Pro $750, 3rd Mercury Bonus $550 $500 $400

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

BREAM S PRESEN ERIES TED BY

Darren Borg can still catch them! Darren ‘Dizzy’ Borg was a name that was synonymous with tournament bream fishing for so many years through the start of this decade. As it turns out, the guy can still catch them just as well as back then. Finishing second at the Ecogear Gold Coast BREAM Qualifier, Borg finished with 10/10 for 5.86kg – good enough for runner-up and the $1,350 prize that went with it. Borg’s two bags were carbon copies of each

other, both full limits and both weighing 2.93kg. Borg was on a consistent bite all throughout the tournament, and didn’t have to go far to get them. “I caught almost all of my fish off the Sundale Bridge pylons,” said Borg. “I believe the fish I was catching were post-spawn fish that were making their way up the system after spawning near the seaway or channel markers further out. It’s rare to catch this many numbers on the Sundale

bridge, but myself and other anglers found them schooled here thick on pre-fish day. We committed to the bite here and it paid off.” Fishing a Hurricane Sub Grub soft plastic, Borg would cast tight to the pylons and allow his bait to sink to the bottom. “The fish were holding really tight to the structure, so you had to get your bait close and make sure your line management was on point. You didn’t want your loose line getting caught in

the current outside of the eddy, because that would pull your lure away as it’s sinking.” Once his lure had made contact with the bottom, Borg would fish the bait slowly, letting the curl-tail of his chosen soft plastic do most of the work for him, as it wafted in the current. Borg’s consistency held off a fast-finishing Tristan Taylor, as the extended boundary of Moreton Bay was open to competitors on the Sunday.

Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn

Darren Borg was super consistent each day and finished 2nd in the boater division.

Current

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Jamie McKeown secured the Duffrods Big Bag delivering the only 4kg bag to the scales – a 4.19kg day two limit – to jump from 10th to 1st to claim the event win.

BIG BREAM Jamie McKeown valued added his event win claiming the Big Bream on the Gold Coast for his day two kicker fish caught on an Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn.

Maas-terclass! Another Gold Coast local, Michael Maas took out the non-boating division of the Ecogear presented Gold Coast BREAM Qualifier. Normally a boater, Maas had come prepared to fish the tournament as a boater. With only days to go before the event, his boat sold through tournamentboats. com and he was left to switch his entry to a non-boater.

“It’s funny because my boat had been for sale for a while; I was all set to fish the event as a boater and I’d been pre-fishing and knew where they were. It just worked out that my boat sold and I switched. Luckily, I drew two boaters that fish very similar areas and techniques to what I like to, so that played into my hands nicely,” said Maas. Fishing the natural banks of the Tiger Mullet Channel

in Jumpinpin, Maas and his boaters would cast soft plastics tight to the bank, where they’d pick up plenty of fish, but the size was not what they were after. “We’d find the shallows had plenty of just legal fish. After a while, we worked out that there were actually large schools of bream still spawning out wide in the deeper water. That’s where we were able to

RESULTS – NON-BOATERS Place

Angler

TW (kg)

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Michael Maas 10/10 4.33 Costa Sunglasses and Prize Pack Rodney O’Sullivan 10/10 4.19 Costa Sunglasses and Prize Pack Shaun Egan 10/10 3.95 JML Alliance Rod and Prize Pack Stuart Walker 8/10 3.25 Prize Pack, 1st Hobie Bonus Justin Reeves 8/10 3.14 Prize Pack Sam Bateman 8/10 3.06 Prize Pack, 2nd Hobie Bonus Russell Winters 8/10 2.97 Prize Pack, 3rd Hobie Bonus Paul Mazaroli 6/10 2.62 Prize Pack Stuart Robinson 7/10 2.62 Prize Pack Glen Sturrock 5/10 2.42 1st Pro For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Michael Maas loaded up on bream and prizes to claim the non-boater title. target the better-size fish,” explained Maas. Actively targeting the schools they could see on the side-imaging sonar, Maas caught limits easily during both sessions. Starting Sunday’s final session in 4th place, Maas knew he’d only have to improve on his day one bag to be in with a shot to win. “The day two bags often get smaller for the

Gold Coast. If you remove Jamie McKeown’s monster day two bag and take into account the bay being open, quite often a mid 2kg bag is very good for the Gold Coast, especially from the back of the boat. Once I had upgraded a couple of times and knew I had more weight in the well than I had on Saturday, I knew I was in with a pretty good chance of a top-two finish,”

said Maas. As overnight leader Paul Mazarolli stumbled on Sunday, it was left to Maas to hoist the trophy and collect his prizes. Maas now punches his ticket to the Costa BREAM Grand Final in December where he is a front-runner to win the Bluefin and Mercury boat package, which would be perfect timing considering his recent sale! OCTOBER 2017

Cannizzaro can do no wrong THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

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Ross Cannizzaro has finished off where he started on the Bass Cat BASS Pro tournament trail, winning his third event of the season in only his fourth bass tournament since making the switch from being a bream-only tournament angler in 2017. For the first time ever, the Bass Cat BASS Pro Series hit the waters of the mighty Clarence River, a venue often encountered by the Costa BREAM Series but a totally new experience for almost all of the field. Opening weekend of the 2017 bass season saw 26 boaters and 26 non-boaters hit the water at Grafton, and the Clarence River presented hundreds of kilometres of fishable water for anglers to apply their skills. The event was brought to them courtesy of another North Coast NSW icon, Bassman Spinnerbaits. Anglers could choose to travel upriver through the numerous rock bars and shallow rapids to the boulder-lined banks of the upper Clarence, or as Cannizzaro did, make the long run downstream to the brackish waters of Lawrence and Maclean. For Cannizzaro, it all started with Google Earth. Having fished the lower half of the system a lot for bream

in previous ABT tournaments, he was familiar with the lay of the land and how wide the river is at the mouth. “The Clarence is such a massive waterway and it really shows when the current starts to move,” said Cannizzaro. “Knowing we’d be faced with a post-spawn pattern, I looked for the most obvious locations upriver from the salt where I believed the last of the spawned out fish would be transitioning on their travel upriver.” Cannizzaro called it perfectly, identifying the natural bottle neck that is the Lawrence section of river, where the river narrows and funnels everything into a small channel near the mouth of Sportsmans Creek and the Lawrence Cable Ferry. “On official pre-fish day, I ran straight there and on the first cast with a Bent Minnow I had a 40cm fork fish in the boat. To confirm it wasn’t a fluke, I followed with my trusty 2.5” Berkley Tournament T-Tail and landed another; I knew then that this was the spot I would concentrate my efforts on during the event.” Committing to this area meant a 40km trip each way with two weigh-ins on Saturday – that meant almost 200km in the boat to

BIG BASS

Matt Cameron claimed the Big Bass Prize at the Clarence with the Grafton angler securing the $500 cheque for his day two kicker fish, a 1.81kg bass that he caught on a 50mm silver shadow coloured Atomic Metalz on a 35ft deep rock bar at Eatonsville.

Grafton local Matt Cameron claimed the $500 Big Bass Prize at the event.

Ross Cannizzaro with a brace of his Clarence River winning fish. and from his go-to spot. Saturday’s session started with Cannizzaro and non-boating partner Dylon Byron catching a quick limit on topwater, before working the steep rocky banks in the Lawrence bottleneck using the Berkley Tournament T-Tail rigged on a 1/8oz Nitro Dam Deep jighead. “I was confident of the morning bite and knew I could catch a limit. I never fished the area during the afternoon on the pre-fish day, so I was hesitant about what was going to happen, but as it turned out the bite probably got better. That was more than likely due to the increased current flow from the run-out tide, funnelling the bait and creating back eddies, much like what I targeted in the Hawkesbury River event earlier in the year.” After weighing in a 4/4 3.28kg limit, they headed back down and were greeted with this increased current flow and generous bass and estuary perch willing to play the game. “It all came down to managing the fish. There were certain spots where they would congregate more than others, so it was a case of rotating through and allowing those spots to rest for 20-30 minutes before returning to try and capitalise on another

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler

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

OCTOBER 2017

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

Ross Cannizzaro 12/12 10.45 $2,000 Mike Nelson 10/12 10.39 $1,400 Kristoffer Hickson 12/12 10.39 $1,000 Mark Lennox 12/12 9.68 $650 + Duffrods Big Bag Adrian Melchior 12/12 9.33 $450 Paul Gillespie 12/12 9.02 Tom Slater 11/12 7.84 Robert Blackeby 11/12 7.82 Brian Everingham 9/12 7.67 Kris Banks 9/12 7.38 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

few bites,” said Cannizzaro. Capitalise they did, as the pair put on a 4/4 3.47kg limit to take the lead from Mike Nelson and plant Cannizzaro firmly in the driver’s seat going into Sunday’s final session of the regular Bass Cat BASS Pro Season. Fishing Sunday with non-boating partner James Reid, the pair returned to the area which had been so successful on the Saturday, and it didn’t take long to pick up where they’d left off the day before. Boating another quick bag on topwater lures, Cannizzaro again turned to the Berkley Tournament T-Tail in pumpkinseed fleck and watermelon colours fished on Abu Garcia KRX Salty Stage Light Casting rods, matched with Abu Garcia Revo ALX spinning reels spooled with Berkley Exceed and Fireline Ultra 8 braided lines. The technique was simple: cast the bait out close to the target structure then allow the bait to sink and waft through the current. Once it had reached the bottom Cannizzaro would hop and twitch the lure before letting it come to rest on the bottom again. “Every bite would happen on the drop, which is why you had to pay attention to your line and why a sensitive rod like the Abu Garcia made all the difference.” For Cannizzaro, the 2017 Bass Cat BASS Pro Series couldn’t have gone much better. Finishing the year on 395/400 possible points, he also claimed the coveted Costa BASS Pro Angler of the Year Award and won almost $10,000 in the process. He’ll now look to make it four from five when the Bass Cat BASS Pro Series returns to a river for the season-ending Bass Pro Grand Final held on the Richmond River out of Coraki this month.

BASSCA BASS PR T PRESEN O TED BY

Nelson gets quality over quantity Mike Nelson had never fished an ABT BASS Pro event before turning up to the banks of the Clarence River for the Bassman Spinnerbaits Clarence River BASS Pro. He left the event with some money in his pocket and a ticket to the biggest show in ABT BASS fishing, a qualification for the season ending Bass Cat BASS Pro Grand Final on the Richmond River in October. Nelson’s 10/12 10.39kg limit was only 60g shy of spoiling the Cannizzaro party, with Nelson’s technique for

targeting quality over quantity working almost perfectly. As it turned out, one more bite of any size would have secured the victory as he fell agonizingly short of victory in his first BASS Pro event. Nelson is no stranger to wild river bass fishing; living on the central coast of NSW, Nelson regularly fishes the Manning River as well as others and has spent countless hours honing his skills on these waterways. It was this experience on tidal fisheries that Nelson leaned on to produce a go-to technique for the weekend.

Ross discusses day two tactics before the start on the final day.

“During pre-fish I covered approximately 100km of river trying to locate a solid congregation of fish. I settled on an area well upstream of Grafton through some of the shallow rocky sections almost all the way to Copmanhurst,” said Nelson. Session one started slowly for Nelson and his non-boating partner Nigel White. The pair targeted any crevice or overhanging tree with lightly weighted soft plastics and watched for the tell-tale tick in the line as a bass ate the plastic on the sink. “Once the sun came out the fishing heated up. I think it helped position the bass closer in to the boulders and shade lines, and that meant we were putting it right in their faces as we sank the lures down into the zone.” Weighing in a session-best 4/4 3.51kg limit, Nelson was in the lead heading into session two. Unfortunately, this would ultimately be the session that cost him victory. With the pair failing to bring in a four fish

limit, they weighed in a 2/4 2.95kg limit, showcasing the quality of fish Nelson was consistently bringing to the scales. “That second session hurt me. I had another solid fish in the mid 40s hooked and battled it for a few seconds before it fell off. That would have easily sealed the win for me, but that’s fishing and you can never land them all.” Dropping back to 5th place after session two, Nelson was determined to fill a bag on Sunday’s final session. Committing to again travelling up the rapids to his chosen area, Nelson and non-boating partner Tani Konsul targeted the same structure with a lot more success. “The day started thick and fast. We had a limit early and then went to work upgrading throughout the day.” Placing his bag on the scales, Nelson and Konsul pulled the scales down to an astonishing 4/4 3.93kg limit, almost a 1kg average and the second biggest bag of the whole event.

Mike Nelson brought the big fish to the scale to finish 2nd at round 6 of the Bass Cat BASS Pro Series.

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Armidale bass gun Mark Lennox secured the Duffrods Big Bag with the former Bass Cat BASS Pro Grand Final Champion catching his winning bag of (4.09kg) on the final day.

Painter claims victory and the Costa AOY The bearded singing fisher, also known as Keeghan Painter, put the finishing touches on a remarkable first year on the Bass Cat BASS Pro Series as a non-boater. Winning the final event of the season was just enough to pip stalwart Peter Morgan for the coveted Costa BASS Pro Angler of the Year Award in the non-boater section, a goal Painter was thrilled to accomplish in only his first year competing. “It feels pretty surreal to not only win the last event of the year but to take out AOY as well. I really couldn’t ask for anything

more. Every event throughout the year was a great learning experience and I got to share the boat with some amazing anglers who each taught me something new. That’s one of the best things about the ABT BASS tournaments – the shared weight format. It gets me on the front decks of these boats shoulder to shoulder with guys like Kris Hickson, and you couldn’t buy a better learning experience than that as far as I’m concerned.” Fishing with Kris Hickson on day one, Painter found himself running and gunning. Starting the session heading upriver from the start line, the pair

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Abu Garcia KRX Salty Stage Light Casting rods Reel: Abu Garcia Revo ALX spinning reels Line: Berkley Exceed and Fireline Ultra 8 Leader: 4 and 6lb Berkley Vanish Lure: 2.5” Berkley Tournament T-Tail (pumpkinseed fleck and watermelon colours) rigged on a 1/8oz Nitro Dam Deep jighead, 86mm OSP Bent Minnow

Keegan Painter was a happy man with his non-boater win. would eventually work their way down all the way to Lawrence and back again. The pair hit spots quickly and thoroughly en route to posting day one bags of 4/4 3.03 and 4/4 3.59kg limits, landing them in 2nd place behind Dylon Byron heading into Sunday’s final session. Fishing on Sunday with Adrian Melchior, the pair also did some miles but concentrated on the areas upriver from the start line.

“Adrian is really comfortable in the upper sections of these North Coast rivers and that’s what he

wanted to concentrate on, so we targeted the boulders and overhanging trees on steeper banks upriver from Grafton,” commented Painter. A solid 4/4 3.31kg limit during the final session was enough to edge out a fast finishing James Browning and claim his first victory and enough points to close out the Costa Angler of the Year award as well. Painter relied on a mixture of techniques throughout the weekend but the finesse approach from fishing aboard Kris Hickson’s boat was his predominant technique. “I really just used techniques that are normally more suited to the bream tournaments – cut down

small plastics rigged on 1/16oz jigheads flicked into any shade pocket or piece of structure I could find,” said Painter. His plastic of choice was a Keitech Easy Shiner and Swing Impact. He fished the offering on a JML Anglers Alliance Perfection Series rod, spooled with Yamatoyo braid and Harris Fighter leader. Painter now turns his attention to the Bass Cat BASS Pro Grand Final which will be held on another tidal fishery, the Richmond River out of Coraki, on October 14-15. The winner will walk away with a Bass Cat Margay, Mercury boat motor and trailer package valued at over $50,000.

Berkley T-Tail on 1/8oz Dam Deep Jighead

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

Keeghan Painter 12/12 9.93 Westin Rod and Prize Pack James Browning 12/12 9.79 Bassman Prize Pack Nigel White 10/12 9.40 Prize Pack Elliot Fooks 12/12 9.05 Prize Pack Tanya Konsul 11/12 8.83 Prize Pack Lochie Rutherford 10/12 8.61 Prize Pack Dylan Byron 10/12 8.54 Prize Pack James REID 10/12 7.79 Prize Pack David Simmons 11/12 7.79 Prize Pack James Hickson 8/12 6.96 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au OCTOBER 2017

Perfect season for West

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

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Charles West has closed out the perfect season with his fifth win of the 2017 ePropolsion BASS Electric season at Moogerah Dam and accumulated a perfect 500 out of 500 Angler of the Year points. In the process he took his third win in as many years at Moogerah Dam, showing he is the master of the lake in tough conditions as the only angler to weigh in his full limit with 2/2 fish for 1.05kg. Hot on his heels was his fishing partner Adrian Wilson, who caught the only other legal fish for the tournament at 0.64kg and the event Big Bass. With tough conditions greeting anglers, West knew it would be a grind to fill his limit. Having found good concentrations of bass holding tight to the bottom at The Spit on pre-fish day, he and Adrian Wilson started the session fishing a mixture of deep plastics close to the bottom. “Once we dropped our lures to the bottom, we could see the fish light up, but we

could not get them to bite,” said West. The pair kept moving across the main point of The Spit looking for fresh fish to target. They began to boat undersized fish and knew it would be a process of grinding through fish to find the legal fish within the school. “We started to catch fish as the session went on and began to get lots of fish to follow the lure, but I just felt I needed something to annoy the bigger fish into biting,” said West. Having fished Moogerah for a number of years, West dipped into his bag of tricks and pulled out an old favourite – a silver and orange Nils Master ice jig. While it didn’t produce instant success, West persisted and began mixing up the retrieve to entice the fish. “I would hop the lure close to the bottom, which would activate the fish. Once I could see the fish holding off the bottom I would slow roll it up just out of their reach and then

RESULTS

Place Angler

Fish

1 2

2/2 1/2

Charles West Adrian Wilson

Total Weight (kg)

1.05 0.64

THE F Self-co U ntaineTURE IS H d Elec tric OuERE tboard s

BASS EL ECTR SERIES IC

Charles West with the winning fish from Moogerah that delivered him the 2017 Angler of the Year title. hop it again. I found this kept the fish interested and they would eventually bite,” explained West. He went on to explain the key was to not strike on the fish until the rod had begun to load up. West’s tackle of choice was a Valley Hill Raison Jaburo 65L spin rod, matched with a Daiwa Certate spooled with Sunline Castaway 10lb and 6lb Gamma FC. West’s fifth win of the season caps off an incredible season for the Brisbane-based bass angler as only the second angler in ABT history to score a

perfect 500/500 Angler of the Year score and the first bass angler to complete such an astonishing season. When asked about the key to his season, West put it down to confidence and trust in himself and his fishing partner. “It has been an amazing season, from a slow start it has been a crazy year. I have had such a great time fishing with Adrian; we always have a great time on the boat,” said West. He was also quick to thank his sponsors Valley Hill, Costa, Pro Factory and his family for their ongoing support.

Wilson Whips it real good With his second podium finish in as many events, previous AOY winner Adrian Wilson has continued his stellar finish to the 2017 season taking second place and Big Bass with 1/2 fish for 0.64kg. While West kept his presentation subtle and kept his lure in the face of the bass, Wilson opted for a more aggressive approach – casting a 15g silver Halco

Twisty across the school before ripping it off the bottom in an effort to entice the fish to bite. “I would mix between the aggressive approach of the Twisty and a grub. Each time we would get to a new school I would start out with the Twisty, ripping it to wake up the fish,” said Wilson. While the pair caught between 10-15 fish for the tournament, Wilson was

The calm before the storm as anglers prepare for the early take off.

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

OCTOBER 2017

West and Wilson finished as the top two on a tough Moogerah Dam.

unable to find his second legal fish and complete his limit. “As always, it was a great day on the water, I just couldn’t find the second fish for my limit,” explained Wilson. For this work Wilson used a Barrabass XP843 baitcaster matched with a Daiwa Steez reel spooled with 20lb Sunline Super 8 PE and 8lb FC Rock. Wilson also made the key adjustment to his Twisty by adding assist hooks to make the most of every bite. “It has been awesome seeing Westy have such a

great year. We always have a great day on the water and it’s just always a laugh,” said Wilson. “It also helps having great support from the guys at Tackle Warehouse and Brad from Barrabass Rods.” Attention now turns the Convention in late October. Can West put an exclamation mark on his season or will someone else take the title at the convention? Stay tuned to abt.org.au for all the news and tournament results. – ABT

2017 2017 Local Time

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

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

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

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

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Time m m Time m Time Time m m Time m Time 0533 0.49 0451 0.33 05330.40 0.49 04510.39 0.33 0121 0033 1139 1.50 1108 1.77 11391.63 1.50 11081.48 1.77 0744 0648 1739 0.50 1725 0.26 WE TH 1739 0.50 1725 0.26 WE TH 1402 0.44 1247 0.50 WE TH 2359 1.57 2337 1.66 2359 1.57 2337 1.66 1958 1.46 1856 1.57 0615 0.54 0541 0.35 06150.41 0.54 05410.32 0.35 0157 0114 1216 1.41 1154 1.68 1216 1.41 1154 1.68 0729 1.60 0821 1.68 1812 0.56 1807 0.32 FR TH 1812 0.56 1807 0.32 FR TH 1336 0.39 1445 0.40 FR TH 2039 1.43 1942 1.61 0036 1.54 0024 1.67 00360.43 1.54 00240.27 1.67 0153 0230 0700 0.59 0635 0.40 0700 0.59 0635 0.40 0810 1.72 0857 1.71 1257 1.33 1245 1.57 SA FR 1257 1.33 1245 1.57 SA FR 1424 0.29 1523 0.38 FR SA 1847 0.63 1853 0.40 1847 0.63 1853 0.40 2029 1.63 2117 1.40 0118 1.50 0115 1.65 01180.46 1.50 01150.25 1.65 0302 0234 0751 0.64 0735 0.46 0751 0.64 0735 0.46 0930 1.72 0853 1.82 1345 1.25 1340 1.44 SU SA 1345 1.25 1340 1.44 SU SA 1600 0.37 1513 0.21 SU SA 1931 0.69 1944 0.49 1931 0.69 1944 0.49 2156 1.37 2117 1.62 0208 1.46 0213 1.62 02080.49 1.46 02130.25 1.62 0316 0335 0845 0.51 0852 0.68 0845 0.51 0852 0.68 0938 1.89 1004 1.73 1445 1.33 1445 1.19 MO SU 1445 1.33 1445 1.19 MO SU 1603 0.17 1638 0.38 SU MO 2044 0.56 2029 0.75 2044 0.56 2029 0.75 2208 1.58 2234 1.34 0319 1.61 0309 1.43 03190.29 1.61 03090.53 1.43 0409 0401 1002 0.52 1001 0.68 10021.93 0.52 10011.71 0.68 1039 1026 1604 1.27 1558 1.17 MO TU 1604 1.27 1558 1.17 MO TU 1715 0.40 1656 0.16 TU MO 2155 0.60 2139 0.77 2155 0.60 2139 0.77 2314 1.31 2301 1.52 0430 1.62 0417 1.44 04300.35 1.62 04170.57 1.44 0450 0445 1119 0.50 1111 0.65 11191.92 0.50 11111.68 0.65 1115 1115 1725 1.28 1713 1.20 TU WE 1725 1.28 1713 1.20 TU WE 1752 0.19 1756 0.43 TU WE 2309 0.60 2251 0.75 2309 0.60 2251 0.75 2359 1.44 2355 1.27 0541 1.66 0522 1.49 05410.43 1.66 05220.62 1.49 0524 0542 1227 0.44 1208 0.58 1227 0.44 1208 0.58 1208 1.87 1153 1.63 1832 1.34 1813 1.27 WE TH 1832 1.34 1813 1.27 WE TH 1851 0.25 1838 0.47 TH WE 2353 2353 0.69 0.69 0015 0.55 0617 1.56 00151.36 0.55 06171.24 1.56 0040 0059 0642 1.72 1256 0.50 0642 1.72 1256 0.50 0639 0.52 0608 0.67 1324 0.37 1900 1.36 TH FR 1324 0.37 1900 1.36 TH FR 1305 1.78 1235 1.57 FR TH 1928 1.41 1928 1.41 1956 0.31 1926 0.51 0113 0.48 0045 0.60 01131.31 0.48 00451.22 0.60 0130 0205 0735 1.77 0704 1.65 0735 1.77 0704 1.65 0658 0.71 0743 0.59 1411 0.32 1337 0.41 FR SA 1411 0.32 1337 0.41 FR SA 1322 1.51 1407 1.69 SA FR 2015 1.49 1942 1.47 2015 1.49 1942 1.47 2017 0.53 2103 0.36 0203 0.43 0131 0.50 02031.30 0.43 01311.22 0.50 0227 0316 0823 1.79 0748 1.72 0823 1.79 0748 1.72 0757 0.74 0854 0.63 1453 0.30 1415 0.34 SA SU 1453 0.30 1415 0.34 SA SU 1417 1.46 1515 1.60 SU SA 2057 1.54 2021 1.57 2057 1.54 2021 1.57 2113 0.53 2207 0.39 0250 0.40 0216 0.41 02501.34 0.40 02161.25 0.41 0425 0329 0907 1.78 0832 1.78 0907 1.78 0832 1.78 0903 0.75 1008 0.63 1530 0.31 1454 0.28 SU MO 1530 0.31 1454 0.28 SU MO 1518 1.43 1626 1.55 SU MO 2136 1.58 2102 1.67 2136 1.58 2102 1.67 2208 0.51 2306 0.40 0333 0.39 0302 0.33 03331.40 0.39 03021.32 0.33 0525 0428 0947 1.73 0916 1.80 09470.60 1.73 09160.71 1.80 1118 1013 1605 0.33 1533 0.25 MO TU 1605 0.33 1533 0.25 MO TU 1730 1.52 1623 1.43 MO TU 2214 1.60 2144 1.76 2214 1.60 2144 1.76 2357 0.40 2300 0.46 0414 0.41 0350 0.28 04141.48 0.41 03501.42 0.28 0616 0521 1026 1.67 1003 1.78 10260.54 1.67 10030.64 1.78 1221 1119 1638 0.38 1615 0.26 TU WE 1638 0.38 1615 0.26 TU WE 1825 1.50 1725 1.46 TU WE 2249 2228 1.82 2249 1.60 1.60 2228 1.82 2346 0.41 0454 0.44 0440 0.27 04540.40 0.44 04401.55 0.27 0042 0609 1102 1.59 1052 1.73 1102 1.59 1052 1.73 0702 1.56 1219 0.53 1709 0.44 1657 0.30 WE TH 1709 0.44 1657 0.30 WE TH 1315 0.48 1821 1.49 WE TH 2324 1.59 2315 1.84 2324 1.59 2315 1.84 1914 1.48 0533 0533 0.29 0.29 1143 1143 1.63 1.63 1742 0.37 FR FR 1742 0.37

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Local Time Local Time APRIL APRIL DECEMBER

Time m m Time m Time Time m m Time m Time 0533 0.57 0003 1.83 05330.50 0.57 00030.35 1.83 0122 0032 1132 1.33 0630 0.34 11321.67 1.33 06301.68 0.34 0756 0656 1709 0.68 1237 1.52 SU SA 1709 0.68 1237 1.52 SU SA 1430 0.46 1315 0.41 SA FR 2338 1.60 1830 0.47 2338 1.60 1830 0.47 2017 1.33 1915 1.53 0622 0.61 0056 1.79 06220.50 0.61 00560.31 1.79 0159 0117 1219 1.27 0632 0.40 1219 1.27 0632 0.40 0832 1.71 0743 1.81 1752 0.74 1237 1.41 MO SU 1752 0.74 1237 1.41 MO SU 1507 0.42 1408 0.29 SU SA 1825 0.57 1825 0.57 2057 1.33 2008 1.55 0025 1.55 0055 1.72 00250.51 1.55 00550.29 1.72 0203 0233 0717 0.65 0742 0.46 0717 0.65 0742 0.46 0830 1.92 0907 1.74 1315 1.23 1345 1.32 TU MO 1315 1.23 1345 1.32 TU MO 1500 0.19 1544 0.39 SU MO 1846 0.79 1930 0.65 1846 0.79 1930 0.65 2135 1.33 2101 1.54 0201 1.66 0120 1.50 02010.29 1.66 01200.52 1.50 0309 0251 0855 0.49 0819 0.66 08552.00 0.49 08191.75 0.66 0942 0919 1503 1.29 1421 1.22 TU WE 1503 1.29 1421 1.22 TU WE 1619 0.38 1554 0.13 TU MO 2045 0.69 1953 0.82 2045 0.69 1953 0.82 2213 1.33 2156 1.52 0315 1.63 0225 1.49 03150.32 1.63 02250.53 1.49 0341 0345 1005 0.49 0922 0.63 1005 0.49 0922 0.63 1010 2.03 1017 1.75 1618 1.33 1531 1.26 WE TH 1618 1.33 1531 1.26 WE TH 1647 0.12 1655 0.38 TU WE 2200 0.67 2107 0.80 2200 0.67 2107 0.80 2251 1.49 2251 1.32 0424 1.64 0332 1.51 04240.37 1.64 03320.55 1.51 0422 0433 1107 0.46 1018 0.58 1107 0.46 1018 0.58 1053 1.73 1101 2.01 1719 1.40 1631 1.34 TH FR 1719 1.40 1631 1.34 TH FR 1732 0.40 1743 0.14 TH WE 2306 0.62 2215 0.74 2306 0.62 2215 0.74 2330 1.30 2348 1.44 0524 1.66 0432 1.56 05240.43 1.66 04320.58 1.56 0528 0501 1159 0.43 1107 0.50 11591.95 0.43 11071.69 0.50 1154 1130 1810 1.48 1722 1.45 FR SA 1810 1.48 1722 1.45 FR SA 1839 0.20 1811 0.42 TH FR 2313 2313 0.64 0.64 0003 0.55 0526 1.63 00031.40 0.55 05261.29 1.63 0046 0013 1152 0.42 0615 1.67 1152 0.42 0615 1.67 0625 0.50 0544 0.62 1806 1.57 1242 0.41 SA SU 1806 1.57 1242 0.41 SA SU 1249 1.84 1209 1.64 FR SA 1853 1.56 1853 1.56 1937 0.28 1852 0.45 0052 0.50 0005 0.53 00521.37 0.50 00051.28 0.53 0058 0147 0700 1.67 0615 1.70 0700 1.67 0615 1.70 0727 0.57 0630 0.65 1321 0.40 1234 0.36 SU MO 1321 0.40 1234 0.36 SU MO 1346 1.71 1251 1.58 SU SA 1932 1.62 1850 1.70 1932 1.62 1850 1.70 2036 0.35 1936 0.47 0136 0.46 0055 0.42 01361.37 0.46 00551.29 0.42 0147 0251 0742 1.65 0703 1.74 07420.63 1.65 07030.69 1.74 0722 0833 1355 0.41 1316 0.31 MO TU 1355 0.41 1316 0.31 MO TU 1338 1.52 1447 1.58 MO SU 2009 1.66 1933 1.82 2009 1.66 1933 1.82 2023 0.48 2133 0.41 0216 0.45 0145 0.32 02161.39 0.45 01451.32 0.32 0354 0242 0821 1.61 0753 1.75 08210.66 1.61 07530.70 1.75 0944 0822 1427 0.44 1400 0.29 TU WE 1427 0.44 1400 0.29 TU WE 1552 1.48 1432 1.45 MO TU 2043 1.68 2018 1.92 2043 1.68 2018 1.92 2227 0.46 2115 0.48 0255 0.45 0237 0.26 02551.44 0.45 02371.38 0.26 0453 0339 0858 1.56 0844 1.72 0858 1.56 0844 1.72 1055 0.65 0930 0.69 1458 0.47 1445 0.31 WE TH 1458 0.47 1445 0.31 WE TH 1656 1.40 1536 1.41 TU WE 2116 1.70 2105 1.98 2116 1.70 2105 1.98 2317 0.48 2208 0.47 0332 0.46 0330 0.24 03321.50 0.46 03301.47 0.24 0546 0437 0934 1.51 0937 1.66 0934 1.51 0937 1.66 1201 0.62 1043 0.64 1528 0.51 1531 0.36 TH FR 1528 0.51 1531 0.36 TH FR 1755 1.36 1644 1.39 WE TH 2148 2154 2.00 2148 1.69 1.69 2154 2.00 2302 0.44 0411 0.49 0426 0.25 04110.49 0.49 04261.58 0.25 0002 0532 1012 1.45 1032 1.58 10121.56 1.45 10320.54 1.58 0634 1153 1559 0.56 1621 0.44 FR SA 1559 0.56 1621 0.44 FR SA 1300 0.56 1751 1.40 TH FR 2222 1.68 2245 1.96 2222 1.68 2245 1.96 1847 1.34 2356 0.40 0451 0.52 0524 0.30 04510.49 0.52 05241.71 0.30 0045 0627 1050 1.39 1130 1.49 1050 1.39 1130 1.49 0716 1.62 1257 0.42 1631 0.62 1714 0.53 SA SU 1631 0.62 1714 0.53 SA SU 1347 0.51 1853 1.43 FR SA 2259 1.64 2340 1.89 2259 1.64 2340 1.89 1934 1.33

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31 0605 1157

1.36 0.60 TU 1809 1.51

31 0048 0719

0.37 1.84 SU 1356 0.29 1952 1.46

 Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2015, Bureau of Meteorology Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2015, Bureau Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of of Australia 2015, Bureau of of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum Predictions Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of of Predictions is is Lowest Astronomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in in effect New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon Tide predictions for Sydney (Fort Denison) have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions. OCTOBER 2017

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

HOLIDAY RENTAL MACLEAY VALLEY COAST

CRESCENT HEAD HOLIDAY RENTALS

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.

www.crescentheadholidayrentals.com.au

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

Phone: 02 6566 0500

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

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

REEL TIME FISHING CHARTERS

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

Phone Dave today: www.fishingyamba.com.au 0428 231 962 OPEN 7 DAYS

EASY PARKING

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

CENTRAL COAST Central Coast Holiday Parks 1800 241 342

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

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

FISH TAXIDERMY Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841

BOAT HIRE Boab Boat Hire (NSW) 1300 002 6221

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

MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

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

www.southwestrocksfishingadventures.com.au

PORT & REEF SFISHING GAME ERS

CHART

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

*Minimum 6 people

On board our fully equiped 38ft Randell TRIFECTA Contact: David Hayman (Stumpee) Mobile: 0411 096 717 info@swrcharters.com.au

CHARTER BOATS CLARENCE COAST Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters, 0428 828 835 Reel Time Fishing Charters Yamba 0428 231 962 Wooli Deep Sea Tours (02) 6649 7100

COFFS COAST Coffs Coast Sport Fishing 0434 517 683 Oceanic Sea Urchin II Charters (02) 6566 6623 or 0428 650 321 The Rocks Fishing Charters 0412 074 147 Trial Bay Fishing Charters, 0427 256 556 South West Rocks Fishing Adventures 0411 096 717

MACQUARIE COAST

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

SATELLITE TV INSTALLED

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

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

EDEN COAST Esprit Fishing Charters 0418 634 524

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

QUEENSLAND Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters Swains & Coral Sea 0427 125 727

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

www.mikat.com.au FISHING GUIDES ILLAWARRA COAST Bay & Basin Sportsfishing 0413 610 832

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

This section in NSW Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching. 90

OCTOBER 2017

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory KAYAK DEALERS

ba Prawn Blade s” “Yam

The Life Aquatic - Mona Vale – (02) 9979 1590 Australian Bass Angler - Penrith – (02) 4721 0455 Hunts Marine - Yallah – (02) 4284 0444 Bunyips Great Outdoors - Lismore – (02) 6622 1137 Maclean Outdoors - MacLean – (02) 6645 1120 Wetspot Watersports -Fyshwick – (02) 6239 1323 Graham Barclay Marine – Forster – (02) 6554 5866 Hunter Water Sports - Belmont – (02) 4947 7899 Totally Immersed Watersports - Nowra (02) 4421 5936 Hunts Marine - Batemans Bay – (02) 4472 2612 Compleat Angler – Merimbula – (02) 6495 3985

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

NEED REPLACEMENT MARINE ENGINE PARTS OR ACCESSORIES? has you MOBY MARINE covered P T Y L T D

S E R V I C E S

• We are one of Australia’s largest suppliers of after market spare parts & accessories • Trade Enquiries Welcome

• Huge range of spare parts • Sterndrive & Outboard Specialists • Servicing All Makes & Models

AUSTRALIA’S # For Spare Parts & Accessories

(02) 9153 6506 sales@mobymarine.com.au

BAIT & TACKLE

CLARENCE

YAMBA BAIT & TACKLE “Yamba’s Leading Tackle Shop” “IN THE MAIN STREET” Shop 3, 8 Yamba St, Yamba

02 6646 1514 • OPEN 7 DAYS “The Home of Leavey Lures” • Stocking all Major Brands • Experienced Local Knowledge • Tournament Bream Gear in Stock • Snorkelling gear in stock

Drop in to see Mick & Kelly

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

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

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

HUNTER COAST

Port Stephens Tackle World (02) 4984 2144

SYDNEY

Discounts for Fishing and Boating Club Members

44 Barry Ave, Mortdale, NSW

www.mobymarine.com.au

ASK INSTORE FOR SPECIAL FISHING MONTHLY DISCOUNT

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

Also Available •Large Berley Mincer $69.99

FRESHWATER

Vented Motor Covers to Suit Wide Range of Makes & Models

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS

www.fishin.com.au

NEW!

ONLINE TOURNAMENT TACKLE STORE

FROM

ZX BLADES ZMAN GRUBZ

CRANKA CRABS

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

Tweed Coast Marine (07) 5524 8877 Ballina Marineland (02) 6686 2669

99 Small Berley Mincer

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

CANBERRA/ACT

TWEED/BYRON COAST

1299

echoMAP CHIRP 95sv DownVüTM/SideVü GPS Map Combo

BENT MINNOWS

JACKALL CHUBBY

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Rod Holder 2 With StarPort Mount

•Black or White

3999 EACH

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

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

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

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

STORES

CELEBRATING

WIDE

YEARS

AUSTRALIA

0425 230 964 – info@fishin.com.au 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 MOTackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au Anglers Warehouse www.anglerswarehouse.com.au

www.bargainboatbits.com.au

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

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS FISHY TV SHOWS

BIG BREAM THEORY CRIMINAL CHINES DOCTOR HOO FRAME OF THRONES BOWS OF CARDS MY KITCHEN SCHOOLS OFFSPRING TIDE PLAY SPOOL RUSSELL CAUGHT SIXTY MINYMPHS

SPICKS AND DECKS THE DOCK THE OFFISH BETTER CALL SOLE THE SHRIMPSONS THE SOPRAYNOS THE PIKEINGS TWIN PIKES VICAR OF DIBLEEL

Valley Hill Rocketeer Slicer

Name: Address:

P/Code:

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

NSW OCT 2017

Phone (day):

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

The Rocketeer Slicer from Japanese tackle giant Valley Hill is a real feat of Japanese design and engineering. The Rocketeer Slicer has a unique metal plate at the nose of the jig, which lets you secure line in two places, and ensures a superior swimming action even through debris. In addition, its tail system lets you cast more effectively into the wind, The Rocketeer Slicer is available in two sizes (3.0 and 3.5) and 13 different colour combinations. It has proven to be highly effective on Australian squid. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

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

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for August is J Urquhart of Casino, who won a TT Lures and ZMan prize pack valued at $300. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

Aberglasslyn, D Harvey of Ocean Shores, J Grace of Shoalhaven Heads, K Burge of Salamanda Bay, B Mayger of Warren, M Collins of Engadine, B Birch of Oran Park, D Collister of Tamworth, R Chown of Glendenning, T Polley of Burrell Creek, J Paul of Inverell, C Engelbrecht of Wagga Wagga, L Jeffs of Gateshead, T Hodges of Ballina, T Kennedy of Karuah, P Lyneham of Fern Bay, M Clerke of

Attunga , B Hall of Balgownie, K Hester of Beverly Hills, D Turner of Kincumber, B Bailey of Ulladulla, B Jordan of Botany, R Todd of Wahroonga, M Baker of Gorokan, G Wade of Empire Bay, B Stokes of Morwell, S Cook of Seven Hills, A Sinclair of Lalor Park, I Dando of Tuggeranong, W Cumming of Bass Hill. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE COASTAL BLACK LOGO

The answers to Find the Coastal Black Logo for August were: 10, 14, 27, 29, 32, 38, 42, 46, 53, 57, 64, 68, 93, 102, 106. – NSWFM

OCTOBER 2017

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Snapper

The Find the Coastal Black prize winners for August were: I Errey of Leeton, N Bryant of North Albury, P Herbert of Clarenza, M Sutton of Bonny Hills, M Horgosi of Ngunnawal, M MacMurray of Eglinton, M Dunford of Young, D Kell of Avoca Beach, R Cooper of Forster, R Waters of Temora, M Ryan of

GUESS THE FISH?

Answer:

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 96 Flatties for yakkers Inside story...

Kevin and Meth Youngberry are the new owners of Galeforce boats, based in Maryborough, QLD. Galeforce are custombuilt boats, and the pair encourage customers to give them their ideas to freshen up and improve Galeforce Boats for the next generation.

It’s flathead season, and we don’t want our kayakers missing out! Justin Willmer provides a few tips in this edition.

100 Aye aye, Captain Toby Grundy explores a hidden gem near our nation’s capital, Captains Flat Dam.

Made for...

102 C-Map Genesis

Galeforce offer quality, value and an outstanding ride, all hand-built!

104 Whittley CW2150

Galeforce Boats have a range of open boats that can be customised to suit the customer’s fishing, diving and boating needs.

This month...

Wayne Kampe gives us a tour of his new boat, a 4.5m Galey with 75hp Evinrude! Read the full story on page 98.

Peter Jenkins takes an indepth look at Navico’s latest digital mapping technology, C-Map Genesis!

Steve Morgan jumps aboard this great new rig powered by Yamaha’s F150hp 4 stroke.

106 Brooker 455R

Gary Brown takes Brooker’s 455R Freedom Hull for a spin with a Mercury 60hp on the transom.

WHAT’S NEW BOATING WHITTLEY INNOVATION 1

SIMRAD SOFTWARE 4 UPDATE

Whittley has joined forces with Garmin and Volvo Penta to release a new engine and power management system, which will be standard on all models. It will display Volvo Penta engine diagnostics through a Garmin 7” multi function screen (12” or 16” upgrades are available). At the push of a button, users can see accurate engine data including fuel flow levels, distance to empty, battery performance and more. There’s no need for mechanical gauges to be cut into the dash. The system also integrates to Volvo’s Battery Control Module, which manages the charging and distribution of power between batteries from the motor, as well as power usage throughout the boat. In addition, sterndrive boats will come standard with a built-in waterproof battery charger. Owners can also easily upgrade to the exclusive Whittley Pulse system. It features digital switching via the Garmin screen, a separate 2.5” screen for battery diagnostics and an E-key remote that controls engine startup, along with battery ‘on’ and ‘off’ functions. www.whittley.com.au

Navionics functionality and general software improvements. The update includes significant improvements to TVG (Time Variable Gain) and Auto Gain, Navionics SonarChart Live, Navionics Dock-to-Dock Autorouting and Navionics Plotter Sync, in addition to NMEA 2000 entertainment enhancements. TVG (Time Variable Gain) functionality has been significantly enhanced to remove clutter at the top of the screen without affecting fish targets near the surface. The update also simplifies the TVG scale, and Auto Gain calculations now yield better performance across a wider range of transducer installs and vessel speeds. Other improved features include SonarChart Live (lets you create 0.5m HD bathymetric maps in real time), Dock-to-Dock Autorouting (creates intelligent, detailed routes), and Navionics Plotter Sync. Software enhancements to these displays enable them to work directly with all third-party NMEA 2000 compatible audio equipment. For more info visit the Simrad website. www.simrad-yachting.com

RAYMARINE AXIOM PRO

FLIR Maritime Asia Pty Ltd has launched the expansion of its Raymarine Axiom Multifunction Display (MFD) line to the Australian market with the introduction of the Axiom Pro. Designed for serious offshore enthusiasts and professional captains, Axiom Pro features Raymarine’s HybridTouch user experience, combining multi-touchscreen controls with an ergonomic keypad for additional confidence in rough seas. For the serious offshore angler, Axiom Pro is available with a 1 kW, high-powered CHIRP sonar and Raymarine’s built-in, advanced, RealVision 3D sonar. The new Axiom Pro line is available in 9, 12 and 16-inch display sizes, and each model is available with Raymarine exclusive RealVision 3D sonar. Axiom Pro’s fish-finding capability is upgraded with an optional, internal 1kW CHIRP sonar. This powerful offshore sonar employs a wide spectrum of CHIRP sonar frequencies and enables anglers to see through dense schools of baitfish, identify thermoclines and simultaneously target gamefish in deep water. Price: RRP $3,699 www.raymarine.com.au

OCEAN CRAFT DEEP VEE

The new Ocean Craft Walkaround Cabin Ultra Deep Vee is the deepest vee planing monohull in its class, with a 30° deadrise and outstanding fuel efficiency. It also has an excellent power-to-weight ration, with the redesigned 6000 Caloundra Class Walkaround Cabin weighing only 750kg. The new monohull is a trimaran at rest and an outrigger when turning. With sponsons coming to bear off the plane, the boat’s draught remains shallower at rest and is a lot softer when planing. Combined with inflatable pneumatic properties with less vibration and wear on landing (wave jumping), the ride is a lot smoother and outperforms other hull types. It tackles wind and waves head-on and delivers superior all-weather performance using less fuel. The Walkaround Cabin Ultra Deep Vee also features phenomenal buoyancy and stability, with a low friction, smooth riding Posi Lift hull backed by a Lifetime Unsinkable Warranty. The UltraDeep Vee is now standard on all models, from 2.6-7.6m. www.oceancraft.com.au 94

OCTOBER 2017

PRODUCT GUIDE 1

TWO NEW LIVEVÜ MODELS 5 Designed for trolling motor installation, the PS22-TR is the latest addition to the Garmin Panoptix product line, which now includes six transducers with varying installation options for freshwater, estuary, inshore and offshore applications. Incorporating LiveVü Forward and LiveVü Down all-seeing sonar technology, the PS22TR offers a narrow 20° beam angle for crisp, improved resolution and clear images of what’s all around and below the boat – in real time, while moving or stationary. Paired with a compatible Garmin GPSMAP or echoMAP CHIRP head unit, Panoptix delivers a whole new perspective to fishing, allowing anglers to watch the movement of fish and the reactions to their lures/baits up to 30m away. The PS22-TR is ideal for freshwater, estuary and inshore anglers targeting bass, barra and bream in the snags, and species such as jewfish, snapper and kingfish on relatively shallow reefs. Price: RRP $1,499 www.garmin.com/en-AU

HAINES SIGNATURE 6 FLAGSHIP 788SF

One of the largest legally trailerable boats in Australia is here with the release of the Haines Signature 788SF! The flagship 788SF sets a new benchmark in the fibreglass fishing boat market – a formidable bluewater fishing machine that’s an impressive addition to the iconic Australian-built Haines Signature range. Designed with the adventurous offshore sport fisher in mind, the boat is perfectly suited to tackle the open waters head on with its superior build, standout performance and seafaring capability. With its all-black hull, 500L fuel tank, stainless steel finishes, big screen electronics and a transom rating up to 400hp (single), the 788SF is a stylish, well-equipped, serious fishing boat capable of taking on the bays and seas with confidence, whether for a day trip or weekend charter. The prototype model on show features a centre console configuration with full composite (Thermalite) construction and is powered by two of Suzuki’s mammoth 350hp outboards. Price: from $149,000 for a boat, motor, trailer package www.signatureboats.com

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Flathead tricks for spring kayak anglers BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

It’s the season to be kayak fishing, with spring bringing longer daylight hours, warmer weather and a stack of new species onto the kayak angler’s radar. Whether it’s bass in the creeks, snapper in the bays, mangrove jack in the snags or big flathead up in the shallows, spring offers kayak

plastics, I thought I’d give you a few tips for targeting one of my favourite spring species. Flathead are available all year round, but spring sees them fire up in many systems and you can catch good numbers. Big breeders also become more active and often move into the shallows. I love catching these big girls from the kayak, especially in shallow water, however I always handle them with care and release them quickly after

Early morning is both spectacular and a peak bite time. Sunset and sunrise are magic times to be on the water.

Crab pots can be an indicator of slightly deeper water, drains and channel edges, all of which hold fish. anglers ideal conditions and some exciting fishing opportunities. Spring also fires up the kayak retailers and you will find plenty of new product releases in both kayaks and accessories, along with package deals and specials,

a couple of photos, so they can get on with producing more flathead. TIPS FOR KAYAK FISHING FLATHEAD Time your tides Use the tide to your advantage and catch a drift while you cast and cover

tide for flathead is the last of the run-out, targeting the channel edges, sandy patches and especially drains. Run and gun If the fish are there and active, it won’t take many casts to find out, so I like to ‘run and gun’ covering plenty of water and throwing plenty of casts. Even in the shallows I will throw a 1/4oz jighead, switching up to 3/8oz if fishing a deeper edge over 1.5m deep. Once I catch a fish or two, I will make note of the area and drift that section of bank again or anchor up, as flathead often school at this time of year with several smaller males around a larger female. Anchoring You will be happy you packed an anchoring device once you come across a

a brick on a rope, a stake out pole that you drive into the bottom and attach to your kayak, or more complex like the versatile powered

luck catching flathead I always reinforce the fact that your lure needs to be on the bottom. Whether you use a heavier jighead

Jeff with a pan-size flathead that was released to fight another day. Paddle-tails are a favourite for flathead, with plenty of action on the sink and retrieve. option – the Power Pole Micro Anchor. Knock them on the head When I’m speaking to anglers that have had no

when you first start to make it easier to see your lure touch down and your line go slack, or a slightly deeper diving hardbody for casting

or trolling, just smack the bottom. As you become more experienced you can lighten up the presentation and flutter it down over weed to attract some of those pickier, larger fish. Flick the switch If you’re fishing for an hour for no fish and you haven’t changed lures, you’re probably missing out. A colour change can make a difference; I often run a lighter more natural colour in clear water and on bright days, or a darker silhouette colour in dirty water and overcast days. I use a fluoro colour if the others aren’t working. A change of profile size can also make a difference and I will switch from a bulky 3” paddle-tail to a slimmer 2.5” paddletail or vice versa, sometimes with surprising results. Keep an eye out for baitfish in the area and ‘match the hatch.’ Weedless wonders If you fish weedy areas, a weedless jighead for your plastics can allow you to bounce over or swim a plastic through weed and structure with less chance of snagging or fouling. The hook-up rates are still good with flathead striking the plastic aggressively and the hook-ups are often solidly set in the jaw hinge where there is less chance of thrown hooks or biteoffs. You will find plenty of guides on how to weedless rig online. It makes scents After numerous occasions when scent has switched on the bite, or made the bite more aggressive, I am a massive believer. I use them for masking foreign scents, attracting fish, triggering strikes and making fish hold on longer, so I have more time to set the hook. If you’re not catching, scent up and see if it makes a difference for you. My favourite scents

Changing to a fluoro colour like sexy penny can sometimes entice a bite. so it’s a great time to grab your first kayak or upgrade to a new model. I was lucky enough to travel to the ICAST International Tackle Show in Orlando and can guarantee that there are some awesome new craft and plenty of new accessories on their way to Australia. After catching about 50 flathead over a recent weekend of throwing soft 96

OCTOBER 2017

ground. Then catch the turning tide back home again. When fishing the last of the run-in I target mangrove edges, drains, holes and eddies in the current caused by structure. A favourite spot to find a flathead when the flats are covered by the tide is broken weed flats where flathead can be pulled from sand patches no larger than your kayak. My preferred

patch of fish or the perfect drain or snag. An anchor running rig that allows you to move the anchor from the front to the rear of the kayak is handy and I like to anchor so that the nose of the kayak faces into the current, allowing me to make casts up current and bounce the lure back naturally with the current. Other anchoring options can be as simple as

Sheri was stoked with her first cod; a new species is worth celebrating.

for flathead include mullet, pilchard and bloody tuna, and I prefer gel scent as it stays on much longer. I generally smear on some scent every 30 or so casts and after landing a fish.

a few, so make sure they’re rigged up with suitable gear for the area, and getting the lure into the strike zone and working it effectively. I gave Jeff the lead drift and first crack at the fish, just

his kayak to a quality brand in a larger model that tracked straighter, and paddled faster and easier over longer distances. It didn’t blow around as easily in the wind and he wasn’t

back and work that section again, taking note of what was holding the fish in the area, including rubble, sand patches and drains. As the tide slowed the bite dropped off. The saying goes, ‘no run, no fun,’ so I dropped my jighead weight to 1/8oz and slowed my retrieve right down in the hope of encouraging a fish to bite. With less run the flathead can just lay around and there’s no urgency to trigger a strike, such as a baitfish speeding past with the current. I managed to land a few during the tide

Sliding the kayak in to chase a sand crab, the author ran into this bloke who was familiar with his ramblings.

Upgrading to a larger yak with more payload has made paddling and fishing more comfortable and enjoyable for Jeff. Safety First Remember, flathead have a few nasty spikes around their head and they often thrash around when landed, so a landing net is a great idea, along with a pair of lip grips for handling, photos and releasing the fish, or transferring it into the icebox. I leash both my net and lip grips onto the kayak using T-Reign retractable gear tethers… as the saying goes, ‘leash it or lose it.’ Spring a trip on your mate Spring is a great time to introduce new anglers to the sport, line up a few friends for an adventure or grab that mate from work who doesn’t catch as many as he should and take him for a fish. My mate from work Jeff had been on a few paddles recently where the bite was a bit slow, so I thought I would invite him up my way, as there had been a few flathead on the chew. I was looking forward to

taking my time and enjoying the glassy morning. Once we had him the right distance from the bank, landing that

A low tide flat with this much life is sure to hold fish at high tide.

This drain just screams ‘flathead’ as it funnels bait off the flat with the dropping tide. lure right on the edge of the weed and hopping it down the channel edge it was fish on! Don’t get me wrong –

Pink is a favourite for flatties and ZMan’s new twilight colour is a winner. the paddle, drift, banter and hopefully getting him onto a few fish. Remember. you’re trying to get your mate onto

sitting in a puddle of water. Like many anglers, he had initially purchased a cheap, small kayak that came with a

Jeff can fish. Once he had me four to one, it was every man for himself. Jeff recently upgraded

paddle, seat and trolley, only to realise that it wasn’t really suitable for larger paddlers or those wanting to carry plenty of fishing gear. These are great for the kids and recreational paddling, but you need to ensure the kayak is suitable for the application and has an adequate payload before you make your purchase. Jeff’s new yak is set up to use the electric motor that it came with for longer adventures, however he will be soon upgrading his seat after a few hours on the water and a numb butt. We continued our drift, alternating between 2.5” and 3” paddle-tail plastics and changing colour occasionally if the bite slowed. Jeff threw 1/6oz and 1/4oz jigheads, while I threw 1/4oz and 3/8oz jigheads and we both landed fish. The fish were in patches, so if we landed a couple, we would paddle

change, targeting a slightly deeper section that I call ‘the basin.’ We pulled our yaks up on a sandy patch to stretch the legs and eat our morning tea while the tide turned and then commenced our drift back with the incoming tide. With the tide picking up pace it was a real run and gun as we drifted quickly back to the ramp. To control the plastic more effectively we cast slightly ahead of the drift and then bounced it down the channel edge and back towards the kayak. If the soft plastic falls back behind the drift, it’s difficult to stay in touch

with and control the plastic, and also to keep in contact with the bottom. It was a great morning on the water and we landed about 20 flathead. We kept one each for a feed and Jeff had held his own during a magic morning on the water. We had dinner sorted and a few yarns to tell at a later date. Don’t forget the camera I was grateful recently that I always ensure the waterproof camera is charged and in my pocket, when my wife Sheri landed her first cod. We were drifting close together when I heard the excitement of the hook-up, the stubborn first run and then the squeal when Sheri realised it was a new species for her. I paddled over, slid the net under the fish and it was high fives as we admired the colours and markings before a quick photo and release. New species are worth enjoying and celebrating, regardless of species or size… who knows when the opportunity will come again to tick off another first? That’s a wrap for me. I hope you have a chance to get out on the water. Maybe it’s time to take a mate, plan an adventure or target a new species.

A landing net and lip grips makes handling flathead and other species safer and simpler. OCTOBER 2017

Galeforce 4.5m Centre Console with 75 E-Tec BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In a previous issue I outlined my plans to have a 4.5m Galeforce built as the right boat for the job, which was a topic I discussed at length in previous articles. My view was that the justright boat should always be purchased after a thorough assessment of proposed fishing plans along with the water conditions likely to be encountered.

work – into a smaller rig that would be used in both barra dams and the bay, and in a package that is easier to deal with in everyday usage. At the ramp, at home, at the barra or bass camp – there are things that require manual effort. I’m not saying I’m getting old or feeble (grey hair must be a big fad these days as so many people have it), it’s just that a lot of things are heavier than they used to be, and the hills I hunt with the bow in autumn are definitely becoming steeper each year. Hence the need for

hull design still retained all proven features such as the 21° Vee with planing plank aft, big reversed outer chines for stability under way (and at rest) plus the above water bow flare along with 800mm high sides to keep occupants as dry as possible at all times. It was a novel concept, given that a 4.5 Galeforce had never graced a mould at its Maryborough factory, but as Galeforce are custom boat builders, it was a project that Kev and Meth Youngberry undertook with ease. The new 4.5 is available in both tiller steer and console format, and I selected the double centre console layout to suit our requirements. Anglers who are keen on a different layout

The 4.5’s hull in profile; it goes as good as it looks. sit on one of the rear storage compartment’s hatches. WATERPROOF HATCHES Storage within the 4.5 Galeforce started up front via hatches below the full-sized non-skid casting deck, which is the same size as larger models. An anchor well up front (lidded to keep the rope in the boat) sat ahead of two storage hatches that were 800mm long, almost as wide and 320mm deep. A drained

Twin transom compartments are part of the 4.5 Galeforce’s storage solutions. Considering my own needs saw me deciding on a smaller glass craft for all-round work, as I wanted comfort while I travelled, as much fishing room as possible, given the dimensions of the craft and stability while I fished. As the owner of three previous Galeforce rigs, I was very familiar with the great ride and handling they offered along with the

a more compact Galeforce craft, which would be lighter and have less weight behind the car. The very effective Dunbier SR4-SB multi roller trailer under the craft was also substantially lighter in weight than that under the previous 5.5m craft, so there was – along with the powerful 75hp E-Tec on the transom – a further weight reduction bonus there as well.

Main features are easily noted here. From the bow there’s the anchor well, paired under deck lockers, the Xi5 Minn Kota electric, the double console with grab rail and tinted screen, and wide decks. that console! Boats involve compromises, right? Well there’s one we made; trading off some space for slipstream protection. Another involved deleting the usual seat ahead of the centre console, which needed to come forward for best overall balance. This was no issue, and if we planned to take along an extra passenger, they could

that the combination of cast deck drains, plus decent hatch seals, completely carried all water away without any finding it’s way into the storage compartments to annoy me – a very good start to ownership in my view! LOWRANCE 12 CARBON DOMINATED THE DASH I kept the Galey’s dash layout as minimal as possible. A Lowrance Carbon 12 sounder/GPS was

SPECIFICATIONS Length of hull.......................................... 4.5m Length on trailer................................... 5.95m Beam......................................................2010m Interior freeboard............................... 700mm Exterior Freeboard............................. 800mm Deadrise hull.............................................. 21° Fuel............................................................ 80L Recommended engine hp................. 70-75hp Engine fitted................... 75hp Evinrude E-Tec Towing....................... Family six sedan/wagon fish box some 900mm long, 30mm wide and just as deep was set up at the rear of the cast deck and designed to take care of plenty of ice and the day’s catch. One of the really great things I was to first discover about the baby Galey was when I gave it it’s first wash down at home. I was to find

flush mounted to port with a pair of Evinrude I-Command gauges, providing real-time data on exact fuel use, fuel remaining, engine revs and other important information set to starboard. A radio aerial base fitting and a Uniden radio were also part of the dash layout, which saw the wheel linked

Ample above water bow flare ensures water is pushed well away from the Galey’s hull underway. Running at speed the 4.5 Galeforce shows the freeboard that keeps occupants dry. excellent sea keeping ability and overall build quality. Most importantly, I know they also maintained a high resale value. LIGHTER WEIGHT IS IMPORTANT The concept was therefore simple: combine some of the best characteristics of my previous 5.5m Galey – which was brilliant for Moreton Bay 98

OCTOBER 2017

TOTALLY NEW HULL Most importantly the new rig would still need to provide my wife and I sufficient room to enjoy our fly ishing as well as lure and plastic work, but I figured that with only two aboard we’d do it easy. To be fair this particular 4.5 Galeforce was an entirely new concept, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that the craft’s

will find it’s only a matter of having a discussion with Galeforce Boats to consider alternatives. We really enjoy sitting high and tucked behind a console while travelling, so we happily exchanged some interior space for the extra comfort under way. One morning we launched at Cania Dam and it was 3°C. We love

The author opted for easily removable pedestal seats to provide flexibility in the fishing area aft. Note the deck mounted rod holders and pop up cleats as well.

to hydraulic steering right in front of the starboard seat. The double console came equipped with a very useful hand rail atop the tinted screen and within the console’s upper compartment the craft’s isolator switch, the I-Command and NMEA 2000 network wiring for engine gauges, sounder and Sonic Hub 2 were all neatly installed out of harm’s way, so that I could effectively use the storage to advantage. The lower console area was set up with the engine battery and offered another very large storage space. Further storage came via the twin compartments in each transom corner. The box to port was drained and could be used as a live bait well.

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The personal touch – rod racks under the deck return.

Wide decks are handy for a well-earned coffee; that bass fishing’s hard work. FLEXIBLE WORK AREA AFT Aft of the double console with twin section lockable storage compartments, the rear fishing area was 900mm in depth and a full 1800mm in width. Pedestal swivel seats were purpose-designed to be removed on the day to provide extra fishing work room if required. There was nothing new in this, and I often did the same with my larger Galeforce craft when heading out for a quick daylight mackerel or tuna trip. The idea being that fish spotting was so much easier standing and, besides, it just gave us extra work area aft to handle large fish that like to struggle, carry on and make a big mess in the progress. The full non-skid deck up front was dressed up with a lean post, which – being so handy – is pretty much a fixture. TOP SHELF STABILITY Fishing at Somerset Dam on the craft’s maiden outing saw Denise flyfishing aft (she scored a decent bass first cast!) while this old boy worked up front with the long rod for the experience. Bass were hard to find that

day, and even harder to hook up. I had one hit and missed him! One thing immediately noticeable to both of us when fishing was the remarkable stability of this smaller Galeforce. It seemed to be every bit as stable as the other three I had owned, which I must confess, was as surprising as it was

pleasing. The 21° Vee hull’s excellent design, although smaller, still did its job of maintaining a firm grip on the water at rest thanks to those large outer reversed chines in combination with the mass of an 80L fuel tank and the 75 E-Tec astern. NOUGHT LOST IN THE RIDE A chance to run the

Galey in some solid chop at Somerset Dam came during the afternoon session when a cold southeasterly had blown in and it was exciting to see that the ride I was accustomed to had not changed one bit. Powering into the chop we stayed dry as all wash and spray was pushed well away from the hull, as per usual. SUMMING UP While the 4.5m Galeforce is a definite head turner, it goes as good as it looks thanks to the willingness of the 75hp on the transom. Already I’ve found the craft has proven very easy to launch, retrieve, and to push back into its space at home. You might be able to back your boat into its storage area, but I can’t, so the planned weight reduction of the overall package has paid off handsomely. The stability, ride and performance look good and soon I will have had a much broader use of the craft around the ‘Pin and bay areas for a more exact assessment. The Carbon 12 sounder is even easier to use than the HDS Gen 3 predecessor and I cannot wait to get some impoundment maps into the system and head back for more time at Somerset and other dams.

$85,000 CUSTOM QUINTREX HORNET 440 Location: QLD

$28,500 ATTACK 470 Location: NSW

$15,500 HAINES HUNTER 445/146R Location: VIC

$15,900 SKEETER ZX190 Location: NSW

$30,000 The Galeforce hull features a 21° Vee aft, planing plank and reversed outer chines.

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KAYAK HOT SPOT

Cracking the code at Captains Flat Dam CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

When I was 18, I visited a tackle shop in Queanbeyan, which has now closed down. There wasn’t a lot of gear in the shop and the owner wasn’t keen to talk. However, after we bought a few lures, he mentioned a dam we had not heard of before and told us to give it a go. He called it ‘the flat’ and promised that we would catch a range of native and pest species using bardy grubs. We spent an entire day walking around the dam casting divers and bait, but came back with only one carp to show for our efforts. In March of this year, I decided to try it again and

There are small yellas in the dam. power boats are not permitted on the dam. There is also no boat ramp available and the banks are steep, meaning that it is fishable by kayak and that’s about it. Also, there is no phone

sized yellas. TECHNIQUES I tried a number of different techniques during my visit to the dam including slow rolling swimbaits, slow rolling surface lures,

Slow rolling the plastic parallel to a snag is also a good technique, but I stress that you really have to slow the retrieve down almost to a crawl if you are after a yella. THE KAYAK I would recommend a light yak, which is either peddle or paddle. You will have to carry the yak to an appropriate launch area so light is always best. Further, parts the dam are quite tight so a manoeuvrable, smaller yak works better. THE SOUNDER A sounder is critical for Captains Flat. Though it is not a large dam, the fish can be in a certain area one day and in a completely new area the next (they move around a lot). Also, a good sounder will help you map out snags and read water temperature. I use side scan and I like being able to see the entire snag and recognise different types of species. LOCATIONS Try the reed-lined banks first. These areas hold golden perch and carp along with the occasional cod. If this doesn’t work, you can use your sounder and head out into the middle of the dam. The cod hunt schooling fish out in the deeper sections, so look for clumps of fish and the larger arches below. TIMING I caught a few fish in March, but I wouldn’t say it was firing. It might be a

better place to fish in early summer when the water is reasonably warm or perhaps in late summer when the fish are starting to shut down. I wouldn’t recommend fishing it in winter, as it gets incredibly cold. TACKLE The cod in this dam don’t seem to respond to larger lures, so there is no point in bringing a heavy outfit. I ended up putting my

also jig in the deeper sections on the dam. This rod has a huge amount of power in the butt, which was lucky as my largest cod of the trip (74cm) dived right back to the snags on the first run – I still landed the fish with the strength in the base of the rod. CONCLUSION Captains Flat Dam is not an easy place to fish. The drive in is tricky and the fish – unlike any other natives I

Unfortunately, carp make up the majority of the fish caught at the dam. larger rod in the back of my yak and focused on finesse techniques once I caught my first fish. For the majority of my trip, I used a Daiwa Gen Black V2 light rod matched to a Daiwa Gen Black 2000 and found that this worked well as I could throw small plastics with ease and could

have come across – ignore large offerings and take only small lures. It’s as frustrating now as it was when I was 18, but thanks to my kayak I have started to slowly unlock it. This spot proves that a kayak can make a serious difference more than any other waterway I have fished since I started this column.

The author’s largest fish from the dam using 6lb braid. though I did a bit better, it remains a really tricky fishery to crack. FACILITIES Captains Flat Dam is located just outside the town of Captains Flat, which is about 40 minutes’ drive from Queanbeyan. There is a pub in town, but not much else. If you need supplies, it’s best to stock up in Queanbeyan where you will find Wheelers Fishing and Outdoors (a great tackle shop) along with cafes and petrol stations. Access to Captains Flat Dam is by 4WD only and

Aquayak r recommends float Captains F Dam

reception, so take a beacon and a life jacket. I have never fished the dam alone and I don’t recommend anyone try to either, as it is a treacherous place. It is also important to mention that the dam is built on top of a mine and the fish have been affected by metals in the water. Therefore it is dangerous to eat fish from the dam. Release the native fish and humanely dispose of any carp caught. SPECIES There are golden perch, Murray cod and carp in the dam. There isn’t a lot of food in the dam, so the fish are lean. Don’t expect to catch chunky cod or football-

twitching divers and slow lifting TN50s off the bottom. None of these worked. It was only when I switched to a small plastic that the fish started to come on the bite. I recommend using an 80mm lure like the Squidgy Wriggler in gary glitter or red rum paired with a 1/8oz jighead. Cast the lure tight into the snags and allow it to sink then slow lift the lure through the snag and definitely don’t rush it. As the lure exits the snag, twitch your wrist a few times before letting the lure sink again. Usually, the fish will take the lure as it exits the snag and will also take it on the drop as it falls back down.

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Bill Dunn checks out a patch of likely looking water.

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ahead of the game For a long time prior to the introduction of the Insight Genesis digital mapping system I was in search of topographical information for a number of the inland impoundments that I regularly fished and competed on. Mapping detail for the coastal waterways was readily available via a number of means like Navionics cards, however the inland freshwater dams and rivers of Australia had limited detail. I had tracked down old printed topographical maps, often produced prior to the dam wall construction for some of these impoundments, however it wasn’t until the introduction of Insight Genesis that contour details for the inland dams could be accessed and displayed on our electronics. While the name might have changed, the new rebranded C-Map Genesis has opened up a whole new range of information and offers plenty of assistance in displaying and interpreting bottom contours and continues to deliver huge advantages to the recreational and tournament angler. In a nutshell, the product allows you to record sonar data

This sort of mapping technology is essential if you want to be competitive in tournament angling these days. with a compatible Lowrance/Simrad/B&G unit while on the water and, after submitting this data, a custom map will be made available that displays contours down to 1ft intervals. Uploading of data can be done either remotely, while on the water, or alternatively via your PC using the C-Map Dashboard. Once the new digital high-definition map is generated and downloaded, it can then be displayed again on a compatible unit. The maps contain additional detail displayed in a variety of colour palettes, and also allows the display of bottom hardness and underwater vegetation so you can position yourself and target those areas that are holding fish. Bottom hardness will display in varying shades to highlight hard through to soft. Similarly, vegetation is displayed in various colours to show weedlines or submerged weedbeds. With all these features combined, the angler can target specific contours, bottom hardness, vegetation or combinations of all types to hone in on the most likely habitat to hold fish.

Social and tournament anglers alike will enjoy the features of C-Map Genesis digital mapping. 102

OCTOBER 2017

C-Map Genesis is very user-friendly and easy to get your head around.

As an additional bonus, the free version of C-Map Genesis offers access to social maps, allowing you to tap into the mapping efforts of others and display contour maps for bodies of water you might have never visited previously. The list of social maps and the coverage of the respective impoundments is ever increasing. Most of the more popular dams in the eastern states, through the efforts of the Lowrance community, have now been fully mapped and the corresponding social maps offer complete coverage for most of these dams. As either a recreational or tournament angler, there are

Check out the detail of this map!

many advantages of this product. I use C-Map extensively when researching new impoundments or seeking out new areas on dams that I am already familiar with. From the comfort of my own home, I can scan the map of a dam and look for the sorts of features that I know will hold fish, depending on the time of year. From the map, I am able to create a waypoint that I then transfer to my sounder, so it is ready for me to visit when I get on the water. Once at the dam I’m able to track straight to those areas, already knowing the bottom contours and have the contour detail available when I arrive there. My passion is Australian bass, however the principles are the same for all fish. At particular times of the year I choose to target bass in areas that display different characteristics. When fish are holding on points, I target these areas. Once I hone in on where the bass are located, I can seek out similar contour details on the C-Map and maximise my time in productive areas. Using the contours I can identify steep points from flatter points, determine if fish are holding on one particular side of a point and look for similar features elsewhere. Once I find the optimum depth, I’m able to follow this contour on the C-Map around the point and keep the boat positioned in the most productive depth. At other times of the year the fish congregate on the flats adjacent to the main river bed and again, the C-Map helps to quickly identify these areas. At various times of the year the depth they hold at can vary, however, once the fish are located, the map can be used to identify similar areas. All the while the map is showing the underwater features that aren’t necessarily apparent when scanning the above

water landscape and can therefore be identified solely by reading the sounder. One of the coolest features and the most eye opening moment for me was when I first started displaying the C-Map contour maps on my unit. Over the years I had compiled a large number of waypoints that were resulting in clusters on my chart. Up to that point I had largely fished ‘blind’, and while I was always targeting certain depths, I did not necessarily have a ‘spatial’ view of the bottom to identify flats, gullies, points, saddles etc. When the contour details were overlayed on my existing waypoints, it immediately became apparent the sort

The maps have additional detail displayed in a variety of colour palettes, and allow the display of bottom hardness and underwater vegetation.

Knowing the topography of an impoundment before you even go out will inevitably put you onto more fish. of structure the fish were congregating on. I could see that often the clusters of waypoints I had saved over the years corresponded to a flat, hump, gully or other notable feature. Once I understood the bottom structure the fish liked, I was able to scan the map and seek out other areas that displayed similar features. This has opened up numerous other areas of the dams that I had previously never visited and increased opportunities. The display of the C-Map Genesis map on my sounder is now one of the most valuable tools I use and, with the coverage of the social maps on the increase, is continually improving. The ability to view charts prior to arriving at a new location allows me to prepare beforehand and I already have a plan of the areas I wish to cover before I get there. – Peter Jenkins

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Whittley CW2150 with Yamaha F150hp 4 stroke - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

CON

AN THE

DE FOR EX

T FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s not every day you get to test a boat that can be made into a configuration that allows the installation of a bow mounted machine gun. Granted, it’d be great for when you get to the secret snapper spot and your so-called ‘mate’ that you took fishing last week is anchored up, hooked up and pretends to not speak English. I did check with Alan Whittley, however, and that version went overseas. You can’t get it locally. What you can get is an outboard powered version of this popular sized hull that’s eminently suitable for both inshore and offshore fishing. Built in Australia and refined from decades of feedback from Australian boaties, the CW2150 is a popular model in the range, boasting the walk-through configuration to give access to the bow of the boat without having to crawl around the gunwales.

Powered by Yamaha’s stalwart F150 four-stroke outboard, which is at the lower end of the range suitable for this hull, fuel economy mirrors the fact that it’s working hard to push the hull. Not that modern fourstrokes don’t like the load – in fact there are thousands of Yammys on the water that cherish the workload. Regardless, expect around 1.5km/L of unleaded burned for this rig. From the cockpit, you’ll see that this is a beamy boat with high gunwales. You feel safe in this boat out on the SPECIFICATIONS Length................ 6.5m Beam................ 2.48m Boat weight....1020kg Max hp..................230 Fuel.....................205L ocean. It’s only 2cm narrower than the maximum legal width (without having to tow with an oversize sign) and it has gunwales as high as anything I’ve tested in recent times. The rear lounge seats are

PERFORMANCE RPM Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) 600..................................4............................... 2 1000................................7.............................2.3 2000.............................. 13.............................1.8 3000..............................22.............................1.1 4000..............................44.............................1.5 5000..............................57.............................1.5 5500..............................65.............................1.0 *5.4 seconds to plane with Solas 17” propeller 104

OCTOBER 2017

Main: At 6.5m long and just under 2.5m wide, the Whittley CW2150 is a big, deep, beamy boat that’s just as comfortable offshore as it is inshore. Above: On the plane in 5.6 seconds, the Yamaha F150 fourstroke pushed the test boat to 65km/h at 5500rpm. fully removable, allowing you to change from ‘family mode’ to ‘fishing mode.’ In fact, this version of the hull does both pretty well. The front cabin is well designed and spacious and honours the Whittley heritage of making comfortable cruising boats. Looking back from the helm, its fishing chops become evident. The bait station is large and simple. There are three ways to store rods: vertically and horizontally in the side pockets and up in the rocket launchers. Bait tanks in the transom corners solve your live bait storage problems and a big kill tank under the floor deals with the issue of icing down your catch.

You know what else I like in a boat? Somewhere to put your keys, wallet and mobile phone without fearing that they’ll be lost or drowned. You could fit 50 of each in the open glove compartment storage on the passenger side of the helm, along with a couple of coldies in the drink holders. Driving from the helm is comfortable and there’s space to flush mount all necessary electronics. For me, that’s a must in a 21st century boat. To test this impressive Whittley CW2150 or a range of other boats for yourself contact the NSW dealer, Terrace Boating on (02) 4983 5600 or visit www.terraceboating.com.au and be sure to scan the QR code on this page to watch the full video test on this boat.

The 2150 is high sided. Peter Jung and Alan Whittley are both tall guys, even if unable to catch snapper on demand.

Top: Economical cruising speed is between 4000 and 5000rpm. The best fuel economy delivered is around 1.5km/L of fuel burned. Below: This is one good looking boat. You won’t be feeling any of that boat ramp jealousy with this beaut.

Top: All Whittleys are delivered with a five year hull warranty for peace of mind. Below: The passenger helm station has a massive dry space for your personal electronics and drinks. Radio and stereo are also mounted this side.

The split windscreen and lift-up cabin hatch allow the walkthrough access to the anchor.

The entire rear lounge is removable, allowing you to swap between a family-friendly layout and a fishing-friendly layout.

Top: Spacious side pockets are made even bigger by the high gunwales. This one has both vertical and horizontal rod storage and a deck wash. Left: Rarely do we test a boat of this size without an anchor winch. Right: The canopy, clears and rocket launchers all work together nicely to free up space and provide shade – a must in Australian conditions.

If it takes a Porta Potti to get the family out on the water, then there’s a receptacle for one in the 2150. And the cabin is big enough to ensure that there’s plenty of shady room for the family.

We’re seeing these Relaxn seats more and more in Australianbuilt boats. They’re good looking and comfortable.

Top: The CW2150 is easily towed by any of the twin cab utes that are so popular amongst anglers. Left: Considering Whittley’s heritage, it’s not surprising that the 2150 boasts a flash, functional cabin. Right: Clever use of the available storage space is a Whittley hallmark. See here what you can fit under the cabin seats. OCTOBER 2017

105

Brooker 455R Freedom Hull with Mercury 60hp

SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

The Brooker 455R Freedom Hull with a Mercury 60hp 4-stroke outboard is a very impressive boat in and out of the water. On the day that I put it through her paces the weather was brilliant and there was not a ripple on the water. With two people on board the Mercury 60hp 4-stroke outboard was able to get the Brooker 455R Freedom Hull up onto the plane within around 20m. Once up on the plane the aluminium hull gave us an extremely comfortable ride, even when going over the wake of other boats and through some small chop. This rig is a good choice for both inshore and offshore angling, and is ideal for two

to three anglers. Even though the boat is rated to having five onboard, I would find this a bit crowed when trying to fish. If, on the other hand, you just wanted to cruise about and go for a picnic and may have a swim, five on board would be fine. FEATURES The Brooker 455R Freedom Hull comes with a number of features. They are as follows: side rails; two pedestal seats and positions (the driver’s is adjustable); a pod step transom step and fold-down ladder; bow eye with roller; an anchor well; two long, shallow side pockets; a wrap-around, walk through windscreen; custom built bimini top; fully carpeted floor; lockable glove box; extra wide gunnels; walk-in dashboard; wrap-around padded rear gunwale; and a tacho, speedo and hour gauges.

SPECIFICATIONS Length:................................................... 5.99m Hull Type:........................................... runabout Construction:.................................. aluminium Length:................................................... 4.63m Beam/Width:........................................... 2.0m Weight boat only:...................................325kg Interior height:...................................... 0.58m Side thickness:........................................ 2mm Bottom thickness:.................................. 3mm Max horsepower:.................................... 60hp Min recommended:................................ 40hp Shaft length:............................................ Long Prop:..........................4-blade Mercury Spitfire Maximum People:......................................... 5 Recommended trailer:........................ 134MR Height on trailer:................................... 1.93m Length on trailer:.................................. 5.25m Fuel tanks:..................................................... 1 Warranty:................ lifetime hull for first owner 106

OCTOBER 2017

Main: The wrap-around windscreen and clears give the skipper and passenger plenty of protection from the elements, while still maintaining a clear view for all. There’s also plenty of leg room up front. Above: Even though you have a padded bench seat and gunwale cushions, there is still a fair amount of floor space. The wider gunwales have been given extra support by a bracket that is wielded to the ribs. TEST BOAT The rig that I tested on the day came with a 60hp 4-stroke Mercury ELPT outboard and included a 40L underfloor tank and gauge, a custom built bimini and clears, a 7” sounder and GPS, a captain’s chair, navigation lights and a battery isolation switch on a 146S Brooker trailer for a cost of $28,138. If this is a little bit above your price range you could look at a drive-away package for $20,925. This is powered by a Mercury 40hp 2-stroke ELPTO outboard, three gauges, a registered 146S Brooker trailer, boat rego, a safety kit, battery and a bilge pump. If you wanted something

a bit quieter or you want some extra power you could always upgrade to a 40hp Mercury ELPT 4-stroke for an extra $1050 or so, a 50hp for roughly $2000 or a 60hp for an extra $2300, giving you the maximum horsepower you can have on the 455R Freedom. One of the things I liked about this rig was that the fuel tank was under the floor. This gives you that extra space at the rear behind the bench seat to have an extra battery for all your electronics, an extra storage box and an extra jerrycan with an extra 10L in-case you need it for those longer trips. Due to the fact that I mainly fish out of my boats

I am always on the lookout for things that make it easier for me to fish out of. This rig came with two rod holders in the gunnels and two at the rear of the boat. This would be ok if you were at anchor or drifting. As for me I would do away with the two at the back and put in a live bait tank and maybe a live well. Then have a chopping/ preparation board installed at the front of the motor. This would then have a couple of rod holders in it. Storage is a big thing in a boat and you can’t have enough storage room. The padded bench seat has plenty of room for storage in it. But if it was me I would shorten the length by about 50cm.

This would then give me that extra room to stand right in the corner when fishing. If you don’t do as much fishing as I do you would then leave it as it is and work around it. If you are someone who heads offshore for your fishing you would know that there are a number of extra requirements when doing so. The likes of an EPIRB, marine radio, to name a couple. These items could be easily installed on and under the console in front of the passenger. Still allowing for plenty of leg room. I found that the Brooker 455R Freedom Hull was very easy to drive onto the trailer and while keeping the boat in gear I was able to walk through the hatch in the wrap around windscreen to hook up the boat. It was just a matter of turning off the engine, tilting it up and climbing out through the front to put on the safety chain. All this without getting your feet wet. We tested this boat with the good folks at Penrith Marine but unfortunately they no longer sell the Brooker range of boats. We would like to thank them though for allowing us to still run this test for the FM readers. If you’d like to check out the 455R Freedom for yourself, or browse other models in the Brooker range, drop into the H2O Marine premises at 4 Whyalla St, Canberra or visit their website at www.h20marine.com.au. or call (02) 6280 0555. You can also find H2O Marine on Facebook at www.facebook. com/h20marinecanberra.

The Brooker 455R Freedom Hull with Mercury 60hp 4-stroke looks very impressive, even from the rear. The hull comes with a lifetime warranty for the first owner.

The test boat came with a 40L underfloor tank, custom bimini and clears, a 7” sounder and GPS, nav lights, battery isolation switch and a trim, fuel, RPM and hour gauges.

The collapsible bimini top is securely fixed to the grab rail on the wrap-around windscreen. This will provide plenty of protection from the elements when travelling. The 58cm high gunwales provide that extra stability when fishing from the side of the boat.

The removable and comfortable pedestal seats come with a folding seat cushion to give you that extra height if needed when travelling. There is also a pocket at the back of the chair to store water resistant maps.

If you need to have more room when fishing you can easily remove the custom-made bimini top and clears. The reinforced pod gives the boat plenty of stability in the rear end, while providing a jump-off point if you want the enter the water. If you do a fair amount of live baiting you could have a plumbed live well installed in one side of the rear of the boat and a storage compartment in the other.

Even when running the boat at 8 knots you can still see over the moulded windscreen. The clears and the canopy will give you plenty of protection from the elements.

There is plenty of space to bolt on your spare wheel under the nose of the boat.

It’s good to have a mate help you get your boat onto the trailer, but if you’re on your own you can drive it up and then climb through the windscreen door.

If you are going to take the boat out and jump into the water, the fold down/ up aluminium ladder makes for easy access. The ladder will also give you easy access when the boat is on the trailer.

If the ramp is shallow you should drive the boat up part of the way and then use the winch and strap to take it all the way.

Before moving, check that you have the correct support under the shaft of your motor. The hydraulic alone won’t hold it up. OCTOBER 2017

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