Queensland Fishing Monthly - August 2015 by Fishing Monthly

20-PAGE FRASER ISLAND FEATURE • BRISBANE BOAT SHOW

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Fraser Island spotlight • 2015 Brisbane Boat Show • Post-capture fish shrinkage: fact or fiction? • Going for gold: catching golden snapper • Magical Tiwi Islands •

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Black Magic 50lb Tough Trace and a Black Magic KL 8/0 hook were used by Kent Walker to catch this 6kg pearl perch off Fraser Island.

A Black Magic Squid Snatcher速 3.0 brown/red was used by Diego Gadea to take this impressive squid at Point Cook, VIC.

Ron Hunt landed this red emperor on a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook and Black Magic 80lb Tough Trace while fishing off Fraser Island.

Jason Dickfos landed this 74cm flathead using Black Magic 10lb Fluorocarbon tippet while fishing in the Mary River.

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Black Magic 60lb Tough Trace was used by Adam Epifanis to catch this shark mackerel. Adam was fishing from Steep Point, WA.

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August 2015, Vol. 28 No. 10

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES

REGULAR FEATURES

SPECIAL FEATURES

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OUR COVER Andrew McKinstray was stoked with this giant queenfish. A Chris Henry image.

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QUEENSLAND FISHING MONTHLY

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AUGUST 2015

OMEN Black rod! Unlike a lot of local boat shows, we never heard people say, “where’s the tackle?” Over 100 happy exhibitors saw to that. FANTASTIC FRASER Finally, there’s a cracking 20-page Fraser Island feature inside this issue – the biggest we’ve ever done. And the focus is on how to do the Fraser trip for the first time. If you haven’t been there, you need to go and if you’re scared of sand driving, you needn’t be. From camping to Kingfisher Bay, there are accommodation options for everyone, and as Will Lee and Michael Fox found out, the fishing is still great. Of course, it wouldn’t be QFM if there wasn’t the opportunity to win the experience for yourself, so keep an eye out for that competition inside. Tight lines!

AUST

Boating 114 Back to Basics 92 Camping and 4WD 96 Cooking 106 Dam Levels 86 Flyfishing 90 Freshwater 86 Fun Page 91 Kayak 98 Sheik of the Creek 95 Suntag 104 Tournament News 107 Tech Tricks 40 Trades and Services 120 What’s New in Boating 118 What’s New in Fishing 100

Post-capture shrinkage of fish 2015 Brisbane Boat Show Tying the Australian plait Fraser Coast spotlight Magical Tiwi Islands Fathers’ Day gift ideas Going for gold: golden snapper

it’ll top out at about 25 tonnes, making it the second biggest threadfin fishery in the state and by far the fastest growing. Although the quality of debate on Facebook wasn’t up there, the sheer emotion about the issue was apparent. Not too many people were in favour of unlimited commercial fishing for this species in the area. Hopefully, government will get on top of this before the population structure crashes. We’re sure that they now know about it and you can follow the progress in future Fishing Monthly magazines. LURE-NATICS We loved the recent Australian Lure and Fly Expo at Ipswich, where we got to meet plenty of readers and signed up more people than ever before to our great new subscription deal. There weren’t too many who baulked at a $130, two-year subscription to take home a $190RRP 13 Fishing

ION

Whitsundays 78 Ayr 79 Townsville 80 Lucinda 81 Hinchinbrook 83 Cairns 82 Port Douglas 82 Karumba 84 Cape York 84 TNQ Freshwater 85

displaced commercial net fishermen from the three areas. I think this is fair. Even though there’s never been a tackle shop compensated for the damage to their business that inshore gill netting does, the government needs to ensure that there’s a pathway out of the industry for those affected. Thirdly, I’m excited because if it’s done right, these areas will be the thin edge of the wedge. Moreton Bay is the next in their sights. FIN-FIGHT Between the last issue and this one, Suntag’s article on threadfin salmon in the Brisbane River really caused some waves. It only took a few images of crates of large, female threadfin salmon netted at the mouth of the Brisbane River to set social media alight. From a virtually non-existent (commercial) fishery in the area five years ago, the take this financial year looks like

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

Just before this issue went to print, I spent a day in Gladstone at the Central Queensland Fisheries Forum. This will probably become an annual event where government agencies, related organisations and interested individuals get together and discuss their involvement with and trajectory of the fishery. It was opened by the Minister controlling Fisheries – Rockhampton’s state member, Bill Byrne – who gave confirmation that the three net-free areas promised ahead of the last state election would be operational by the 1st of November 2015. It’s good news for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s a political party keeping an election promise. I shouldn’t be surprised about that, but I am. Secondly, there’s $10 million to compensate the

Rainbow Beach 42 Hervey Bay 42 Fraser Coast 44 Lake Monduran 45 Yeppoon 48 Rockhampton 49 Mackay 50 Stanage Bay 51

From the Editor’s Desk...

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Tweed Heads 14 Southern Gold Coast 16 Gold Coast Canals 18 Gold Coast 20 Jumpinpin 22 Southern Bay 24 Brisbane 26 Brisbane Offshore 28 Northern Bay 30 Caloundra 32 Noosa 34

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Post-capture shrinkage of fish: Fact or fiction? GEELONG

Ross Winstanley

The occurrence of — and how to deal with — shrinkage of fish that were legal sized when caught, but then measured as undersize some time later, has been known to fisheries agencies for some time. Possession of undersized fish is one of the most common offences seen in the fisheries compliance field, resulting in large numbers of Penalty Infringement Notices for minor offences and court appearances, convictions, boat/vehicle seizures and major penalties for more serious offences. Fisheries agencies have tended to keep the shrinkage issue quiet, largely because it’s just so hard to know how to deal with it. It flares up occasionally, mainly in interactions between Fisheries Officers and those commercial fishes whose catches include numbers of fish that are millimetres undersized when inspected. On rare occasions, such instances become public knowledge, arousing interest among anglers and local media. For example, in 2000, Fisheries Victoria decided against prosecuting a Gippsland Lakes’ commercial fisherman alleged to be in possession of undersized black bream on the basis of the department’s own research on post-capture shrinkage of bream. While some local anglers pondered how prevalent this might be among commercial fish catches, the implications for their own fishing did not produce a ripple of concern. It is probably safe to conclude that, in most states, some potential cases of possession of undersized

fish have not proceeded to court based on consideration of the shrinkage factor. If so, it’s fair to contemplate how many anglers may have paid Penalty Infringement Notices for lesser offences of the same sort when their fish were all of legal size when first caught. Careful examination of fish that are close to Minimum Legal Lengths (MLL) is front and centre when Fisheries Officers conduct field inspections of anglers’ catches. MLLs

of both the fisher information and field enforcement sides of compliance programs, supported, where necessary, by the courts. So, when recreational and commercial fishers take (catch and keep) fish that just meet a MLL while alive, the possibility that the fish may shrink after death presents a risk to the fisher and a challenge to Fisheries Officers in how they interpret and apply the regulations. There are several possible explanations for an

FACT BOX For red throat emperor there is about a 1 in 5 chance that a legal-sized fish will shrink by as much as 10mm within 2.25 hours after death. • Shrinkage of up to 3.7mm in summer whiting occurs mainly in the first 6 hours after death. • More than 70 per cent of legal-sized black bream up to 10mm above the MLL may shrink to less than the MLL within a few hours of capture. Legal-sized King George whiting measuring up to 5mm above the MLL may shrink by up to 8mm within a few hours of capture. • Shrinkage of snapper occurs faster over the first 6 hours after death and is virtually complete after 24 hours. For those measuring close to the MLL, the reported shrinkage averaged 5.5mm and ranged from 2-9mm. • Where tag-recapture programs are aimed at measuring growth rates in fish, it is critical that recaptured fish are measured carefully while alive, immediately upon capture. • Fishers should be wary of keeping just-legal sized fish in ambient conditions for hours before landing. are crucial to the regulatory framework needed to ensure that recreational and commercial fishing is conducted sustainably. In some instances, such as stocking-based recreational fisheries, MLLs are important in strategies aimed at ensuring that fishing conforms to broad community views on what constitutes a fair or acceptable size for retaining fish. Wherever MLLs are specified, they are widely publicised and are a key focus

angler to be in possession of undersized fish. These range from post-capture shrinkage of fish that met the MLL when taken, to carelessness, calculated risk-taking or out-and-out flouting of the size limit regulations. Among the factors that a Fisheries Officer may take into account are the fraction of the total catch that are undersize and the degree to which fish measure under the MLL when inspected. How the officers respond might

Snapper eventually shrank by the same amounts, but the intact fish shrank faster than the filleted fish. 10

AUGUST 2015

Modelling showed that there was almost a 1 in 5 chance that a legal-sized fish would shrink by as much as 10mm within 2.25 hour post mortem, but the probability of observing a 15mm reduction was very low for red throat emperor. be left to their discretion or agency directions might guide them — who knows? To inform fisheries agencies on this point, there has been some good work conducted — independently of each other — by marine fisheries researchers in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia on the shrinkage of 5 popular saltwater species that are taken by recreational and commercial fishers along the East Coast. REDTHROAT EMPEROR In a 1991 study of coral reef fishes, 45 red emperor were hooked, measured, tagged and iced in insulated

equivalent to 281mm fork length. They were divided into 2 groups held separately in insulated containers: 1 group was placed on a tray over crushed ice and the other fish were buried in crushed ice. They were re-measured after 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours. All fish shrank over 24 hours with virtually all shrinkage occurring in the first 6 hours after death. The chilled fish shrank by 1.1-3.7mm (average 2.5mm) while the iced fish shrank by 0.7-3.7mm (average 1.9mm) over 24 hours. Shrinkage was faster among the chilled fish compared to the iced fish.

FACT BOX In most states, Fisheries legislation specifies 2 distinct offences in relation to undersize fish — taking fish that are less than the minimum size, and — possessing fish that are less than the minimum size. In relation to the possession offence, the relevant size of the fish is the length of the fish at the time it is examined by a Fisheries Officer. containers. They ranged in length from 235-495mm fork length. At the time the MLL was 350mm total length, equivalent to 324mm fork length. When measured around 2 hours later, the average reduction in length was 5.0 and 4.2mm as measured by 2 observers. Modelling showed that there was almost a 1 in 5 chance that a legal-sized fish would shrink by as much as 10mm within 2.25 hour post mortem, but the probability of observing a 15mm reduction was very low. SUMMER WHITING Thirteen summer whiting taken in a beach in 1996 measured from 134-329mm fork length; the MLL was 300mm,

SNAPPER Carried out in the early 2000s, the Victorian study of post mortem shrinkage in snapper was a more sophisticated investigation. Using snapper measuring 179-262mm fork length (about 19-29cm total length), the study was designed to account for any impact that rigor mortis may have on shrinkage. The possible effect of rigor mortis was examined by comparing shrinkage of intact snapper and snapper that had been carefully filleted to eliminate any compression of the vertebral column during rigor. After being euthanized, measured and tagged, both filleted and control snapper were covered with ice and held in a chill

room at 4°C. They were then measured 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 168 hours after death. Fish from both groups showed similar amounts of shrinkage, so the results were pooled for all fish. They showed that shrinkage was faster over the first 6 hours and was virtually complete after 24 hours, although some showed slight shrinkage up to 168 hours after death. The amount of shrinkage averaged 5.5mm and ranged from 2-9mm. While they eventually shrank by the same amounts, the intact fish shrank faster than the filleted fish. BLACK BREAM In a December 1999 study in Victoria — when the MLL was 26cm — 70 black bream were caught in a commercial haul seine and were initially treated as if part of a commercial catch, being stored in unrefrigerated insulated boxes. They were individually tagged and measured about 1 hour later, then divided among 3 separate treatments involving differing levels of ambient temperature and cold storage. When first measured, the bream were 246-353mm in total length. When measured 24 hours after death, the mean shrinkage was 5.0mm. There was no difference among the groups subjected to differing forms of storage, and the degree of shrinkage bore no relation to the original length of the fish. Bream that were held at 22°C for 12 hours before being iced tended to shrink faster than those immediately iced or refrigerated at the start of the experiment. The researchers estimated the probability that 50% of bream measuring 260-264mm

when caught would shrink to below the 26cm MLL after 24 hours. They estimated that the probability of a bream measuring more than 270mm shrinking by 12mm is extremely low. The researchers noted that the rapid initial shrinkage observed may have been even greater if the bream had been measured immediately upon capture and not the 75 minutes or so later. They calculated that between 60 and 145 minutes after capture, bream shrink by an average of 2.5mm per hour. KING GEORGE WHITING The 1995 whiting study was conducted in SA, where the aim was to measure length changes between capture by commercial fishermen and onshore inspection up to 8 hours later. Mesh-netted whiting were measured immediately

OVERSEAS OBSERVATIONS These Australian studies have shown post mortem shrinkage to be common in all 5 species examined. Similar results have been observed for many species in the northern hemisphere. These range from tropical reef and pelagic fish to coldwater groundfish and trout, and are linked to a variety of postcapture storage treatments. Adding to the intrigue attached to this phenomenon, a Florida study found that, while most bluefish (tailor), Spanish mackerel and pompano shrank over 6 hours after death, 7 out of 8 common snook increased by an average of more than 1% of their length over the same period. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS? Post mortem shrinkage of fish can pose serious risks to fishers, and complex

Officers allow for legitimate shrinkage? Whether their judgements are based on set departmental protocols or their own discretion, are these the subject of discussions and review with angler groups and industry? In the complex business that constitutes fisheries management, compliance is “where the rubber hits the road” and has 2 equally vital components — education and enforcement. So, what messages do recreational and commercial fishers need to hear to maximise compliance with MLLs and are these messages being clearly delivered? In every state, MLLs are well publicised, as are messages about holding and dispatching fish humanely and chilling them as quickly as possible, but shrinkage is not mentioned in information products. A special consideration is worth mentioning here.

One study showed that all summer whiting shrank over 24 hours with virtually all shrinkage occurring in the first 6 hours after death. on capture, individually tagged and placed in an ice-seawater slurry in insulated bins. At the end of normal fishing operations, the fish were measured again at the processing plant up to 12 hours after capture. When re-measured, 72 of the 76 whiting showed shrinkage of up to 8mm. This study was carried out at 2 locations — Coffin Bay and Port Lincoln. What was particularly interesting — and important if results are extrapolated elsewhere — was the significant difference in the amount of shrinkage between whiting of the same sizes at the 2 sites. Coffin Bay fish shrank by an average of 3mm, while Port Lincoln fish shrank by an average of 5mm. The researchers calculated the probability of whiting measuring up to 5mm above the MLL when caught shrinking to below the MLL was 4% at Coffin Bay and 30 per cent at Port Lincoln.

challenges for those in compliance and judicial positions. For those species in which it has been observed, shrinkage happens fastest in the first hours after death and happens faster in fish held in ambient/warm conditions than those chilled or iced. The findings for these 5 popular species pose a number of interesting questions. It is all very well to advise anglers to measure their retained fish carefully and to immediately place them on ice or in chilled brine for food quality purposes. However, the reality continues to be that this is not how many (most?) anglers operate. So, either way if their catch is going to die and quickly begin to shrink, should they be advised to act conservatively by routinely allowing a margin of error for fish that barely meet their respective MLLs when caught? What margin of error do — or should — Fisheries

Scientific programs and high level fishing tournaments that depend on accurate measurement of fish lengths should emphasise the critical importance of carefully measuring fish immediately they are caught. This is particularly important for tag-recapture programs that are intended to determine growth rates in fish and for age-length studies where fishers supply otoliths along with length, other capture data and fish frames. Maybe it’s time for an open conversation about post mortem shrinkage for the sake of fishers and effective fisheries compliance? Footnote Most of the information presented comes from the 2003 report “Post mortem shrinkage of 4 species of temperate and tropical marine fishes, without freezing or preservation” by A K Morison, I W Brown and G K Jones in the Journal of Fish Biology vol.62(6). AUGUST 2015

It’s great fishing when the weather permits BALLINA

John Goodwin

With August upon us, the weather gods still haven’t been too kind with the wind, but on the days when they have been friendly, the Richmond River and offshore grounds have produced some great fishing

have been reaping the rewards using mullet gut and strips of fish flesh. Lure fishers are still braining good numbers on plastics and blades fished deep, and when the tide has almost hit its ebb are casting the hottest lure to date for bream and that’s the Cranka Crab in the heavy model. Fishing these lures is nothing like a blade or plastic,

from a bream. A big surprise for me last month was getting a few estuary perch while chasing bream from the Hobie and land based. I was quite amazed at the numbers that showed when I moved back up and found them on the sounder. With these fish having a closed season and a no take limit from May 1 to August 31, I rarely stick around to see how many I can sting, as they’ve moved that far down the system to do one thing and that’s breed. Luderick have moved in on the south wall and most people have been bagging

out in no time at all. When they gather on these walls I’ve seen a lot of people fishing cabbage rather than weed. If gathering cabbage off the rocks or headlands, please be careful as this is not a place to be taken for granted. With all my breakwall and headland fishing I never fish alone, as if you get into any situation that’s dangerous, it can be dealt with a little easier with 2. Who’s going to throw you a life ring when you’re the only person fishing the wall when you go in on a heavy swell? The Porpoise Wall, Prospect Bridge and the wall

Richmond river bream have been thick and falling for most plastic presentations. for snapper, pearl perch and mulloway, then you have bream, tailor and luderick in the rivers. Bream have been thick around the Bream Hole and breakwalls, as well as the headlands. They’re not in the numbers of last month, but the quality is outstanding; some fish have been in excess of 1kg. People fishing at night

as it’s not really worked too aggressively. It’s a simple matter of casting it out and letting it roll across the bottom with a gentle lift of the rod while waiting to feel a little tap. Once you feel it, raising the rod tip usually ends up with a screaming drag, or they can crash tackle it, but on most occasions it’s not really the take you would expect

A good snapper taken from deep water while using plastics on 3oz jigheads.

The author with a Murray cod that was caught while fishing private property at Ballandean. inside Mobs Bay also has good numbers of blackfish on them, but trying to get a spot on good days can be hard. Flathead have been a struggle in the river, with few good sized fish. It’s easy to get cricket scores of undersized ones, but I did find some good sized models in the surf casting plastics. Like in the rivers, these guys will hug the edge of the dropoff just at your feet and wait to ambush anything that drops over it, so don’t go wading out to deep. A 1/6oz jighead will have you in the game, with a 3’’ plastic doing the damage. I’m still using a

7’ rod myself, but a graphite rod around 7’6’’ or 8’ with a light tip would be more suited for the job. Don’t just expect flathead. Bream, tarwhine, dart and even stargazers will hit plastics. Offshore should start to get back to normal with the Evans Classic being run and won early last month. The closer reefs copped a hammering, as the wind didn’t really play the game for fishing the wider grounds, but some great fish were taken, like pearl perch up to 3kg. The closer reefs that are To page 13

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AUGUST 2015

Lots to target in spite of the cold ILUKA

Ben Pilch bjpcdh@gmail.com

Well it’s definitely winter! Those bitter winds in the morning are certainly making it hard to get up, but the rewards are there if you can suffer the cold. The inshore fishing is seeing a few good juvenile snapper out at the 30m mark on pillies and bottle squid. There are a couple of better quality 5-7kg models in amongst them on bigger baits also. Out a bit wider there have been kingfish and table fish like pearlies and pigfish. In the river, bream have been lurking around the bottom end on the usual plastics and blades fished From page 12

holding snapper this month should see extra large models move in and make for some great fun on soft plastics or micro jigs. There’s nothing like having your plastic smashed by a big red that’s determined to get back to the bottom on light line. A 7’’ Jerk Shad, 6’’ Grub, or the Nemesis from Gulp in white or pink can never go wrong, but the Squidgy Flick Baits

down deep. Baits that have been working well are mullet flesh and any of the stinky gut baits like chook and mullet gut. There have been some nice blackfish around as well. Along the walls in the lower reaches have seen plenty of action. Off the rocks, there have been tailor in the 2-3kg class available on spinners, with quality 4-5kg fish falling to poppers. River2Sea 130 Bubble Pops are a favourite, as well as the Get Bent Pencil Popper, which have also accounted for some nice fish. On the mulloway front, there have been some nice schoolies around the headlands on plastics. The combo we use is an 8-9’ 8-10kg rated rod with a 4000-6000 sized reel running 10-15kg line and 20-25kg

leader. There have been some better quality models on the larger hardbodies and onr of my favourites is the locallymade Croakers, which have

been accounting for some good size fish. Definitely up-size the gear if you’re throwing around those bigger hardbodies though!

Kaleum Gannon enjoyed a nice morning on the bream.

in pillie are still a great plastic. If it’s bait you fish with, just try and get the freshest possible and run as light a lead as you can get away with, as big snapper during low light hours aren’t really a bottom feeder, but more of a pelagic sitting up to 20m off the bottom. Mulloway offshore have been taking all forms of baits, and afternoon sessions have

been best in shallow water, but getting 2 per person over the 70cm mark meant having a backup plan and chasing something else. Live yakkas, even legal size tailor will have you tangling with a few silver slabs. While fishing for mulloway, you’ll also stumble across a few cobia, but they swim right through the water column looking for anything to eat, so setting a live bait 10m

under the surface isn’t the most stupid thing to do. If heading deep, make sure you buy your nearest tackle shop out of lead, hooks and line (or have shares in it), as the leatherjackets have moved in real thick from 60m out. If you do find these guys, it’s a wise idea to drive somewhere else for a fish, unless you’re good at re-rigging and have a great bank account.

Pearl perch numbers have been good and some great fish have been taken once people have found water that’s leatherjacket-free. Fishing hard on the bottom with paternoster rigs is the way to go here, and hardier baits that can stand the pickers are best. Squid, small live yakkas and tuna strips work well. Having a little lumo tube above the hook can work on shut down days.

Kaleum with a decent hardbody munching mulloway.

If you’re after any information, give us a call at Suffolks Outdoor Sports in Lismore, as we fish the area and can point you in the right direction. • If you’re after any additional information about the area, give us a call at Suffolks Outdoor Sports in Lismore, as we fish regularly and can point you in the right direction.

For more information please visit

AUGUST 2015

A bit of mixed bag activity THE TWEED

David Solano

Fishing on the Tweed has been great over the last couple of months, and has seen the place restore its reputation as a fun and rewarding recreational fisho’s paradise! I’ve never seen so many luderick fishers. They, like their target species, are everywhere, as the river is full of fish of all kinds. After my last ’yak adventure where I caught around 50-60 fish — all on lures, but with only 5 being legal — what I’m trying to say is there’s a lot of bait to interest bigger fish and that’s why the bigger mulloway should start showing up! Oh, they have! I’ve just not got a legal yet, but other folks have. Other species are being caught off the walls out

Dave with a bream feed for tea.

Rocks can equate to dangerous fishing under the wrong conditions.

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the front, and not just the seaway, but also around the old pool at Rainbow Bay around to Snapper Rocks

netted in certain areas of the Tweed. Commercially netting the Tweed? What! I looked into it and yeah, they

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(fishing anywhere off rocks is extremely dangerous and all precautions should be taken). I’ve been told mac tuna have been around in numbers, and even the odd squire off the walls at Tweed? Yeah, right! More on that later. It’s just getting better. The whiting are on the munch and I found that shallow sandbanks with weed around is where they hang. It also helps if you’re fishing the incoming tide, and with lures they like it fast, and with bait they like it live. Behind PKG Seafood is where I’ve been successful with live worms. Flathead? There’s a lot of little ones around and big ones seem hard to come by these days. I notice a lot of nice lizards for sale in the local fishmongers and I’m told they are legally

Top: Discussing fishing techniques on the Tweed. Above: Dave with a nice little soapy.

meant fishing from the rocks. Cool, got off that one. Scott picked me up at 8.30am (a sleep in for me), as that was the time the tide was turning to incoming and that’s how it ended up — incoming fish all over our rods. It didn’t start out real well for me. To begin with I used a big popper — nothing. Then a big deep diver — nothing. Switched to a heavy soft plastic — nothing. Scott, on the other hand, was getting bitten off every cast. He had on the sinker, swivel then hook, but on the hook he would load it with prime chicken fillet. I hadn’t eaten brekkie and the sight of 4 raw chicken fillets was making me hungry for some reason — maybe I could see their potential. After a heap of casts with all manner of lures for no result, I sat on a rock and took in what was happening. First, I hadn’t realised we would be fishing right near the sand pumping jetty on the point that overlooks the little beach at Fingal. Second, the only way to get fish here was down deep and close to the rocks. Third, raid Scott’s tackle box looking for what? I reckoned a 1/4oz TT jighead would do the trick. Oh, he’s got some. Fourth, swipe some chicken and away we go. First cast out towards the seaway with the heavy jighead, bring the bait back into the wall, wait a bit, just as it’s level with me there’s a tap, tap, strike! Straight away I’m on and with my light rod I really give it to the fish, which felt like a horse bream. Somehow I got it through the rocks, weird colour though. Then Scott yells that’s a snapper and so it was. On my next cast I caught a massive bream, and it just kept happening until we ran out of bait. Scott got into them after ditching his traditional rig for a jighead and a lighter setup. The smile on his face after catching a big bream on a 1-3kg Ian Miller T-Curve teamed with a Sol 2000 had to be seen. Next time I think I need to take him out to the end of the wall where 4380.2001 BMP: 606287 the really big fish tend to hang out.

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Wind will dictate the fishing options for August GOLD COAST

Danny Sands

The north westerly winds will start to blow in August, making fishing tough on the wider grounds, but the inshore quite pleasant. A lot of the snapper action will coincide with their spawning run from the 18f reef line all the way out to the 36s. August is a great month to chase snapper on soft plastics on the close reefs of Southport, Surfers, Fidos and Mud Hole off the Tweed. Soft plastics like the 5” Berkley Gulp Jerk Shad in the nuclear colour and the 4” Flick Tail from Shads Lures have been the pick of the bunch so far this winter. When choosing a jighead for your soft plastic, make sure that the hook is heavy duty, as a snapper will crush a light gauge hook. The TT Headlock is a fantastic jighead that comes with a heavy gauge hook, just right for snapper fishing. Long casts on medium spin gear with a slow drift aided by an electric motor or sea

anchor over patchy reef and rubble close inshore is a great recipe for catching quality snapper this month. When casting soft plastics, also try setting a

with the ratchet on. The motion of the boat rocking is enough to get the snapper interested in the lure. The 24f reef off Southport and the 30-36f

period of time. Cobia numbers have been excellent on the 18 and 20f, and the Inner and Outer Focus Reef. In August we should see plenty of fish

Mark Gleeson with a lovely Gold Coast snapper taken on the 18f line off Southport. lazy octopus jig. These rigs are a very underrated option when chasing snapper and will often out-fish a plastic. They are effortless to use. I like to have them about 15’ off the bottom and fish the rod in the rod holder

reefs off the Tweed have been producing big numbers of quality teraglin. A simple 2 hook dropper will get more bites then float lining for teraglin, and will often catch your bag limit of 5 fish in a short

around or over the 15kg mark. Look for reefs that hold plenty of bait, as cobia are fast growers and need lots of food. Don’t hesitate to use large baits such as legal tailor and big slimy mackerel.

If the weather is fine and the wind not blowing north west, you may be keen to head a little bit wider from the coast. The 42 and 50f lines are the perfect places to target reefies like pearl perch, pigfish, morwong and snapper, as well as numerous other species that live out there. When fishing these deep reefs, I prefer to use a paternoster or dropper rig. I think because these fish mainly live close down to the bottom, your bait spends more time in the bite zone. INSHORE August north westerlies and big tides can turn the Broadwater into a cold and lifeless brown puddle, making fishing tough on certain days. The Broadwater has an influx in bait like mullet, whitebait and herring. With this, the winter run of mulloway, flathead, tailor and bream have been excellent. Flathead tend to move around a lot in August, prior to their spawning run. Trolling hardbody lures like Lively Lures Micro Mullets and Pig Lures are great searching tools for finding lizards. When you have found a few, try

anchoring up and casting plastics and soft vibes. This will draw most flathead close to the boat and is a great method for catching a lot in a certain area. If the water is dirty, try fishing places that are out of the tidal flow in areas like the Hole in the middle of Crab Island, Tipplers Passage and places like the weedbeds in front of the Grand Hotel all the way up to the swimming enclosures in front of Southport. There should be a few big mulloway in the Tweed and the Seaway this month. Live mullet on the top of the tide is your best bet. As well as mulloway, big live bait can produce yellowtail kings. The kingie numbers are more prevalent during the weekdays due to less boat traffic. They respond well to surface lures and both live bait and metal jigs. They are most active on the last of a run-in tide. If we get a good run of northerly winds, don’t rule out an early mangrove jack. Places like the Runaway Bay canal system have big concrete retaining walls that heat up during the day, making the water a fraction warmer during

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the winter months. Slow rolling Z-Man 4” StreakZ under pontoons is worth a look in August. On the beach front, the tailor are in good numbers in places like Narrowneck Sand Bags, Tweed Bar, the mouth of both Currumbin and Tallebudgera bars, and the sand-pumping jetty. To catch a few greenback tailor, try

using pilchards and garfish baits on gang hooks in early mornings and late afternoons, and then well into the night. Overall, the fishing options are endless for August. Don’t forget the Flathead Classic is quickly approaching too. To register your team, go to www.goldcoastsportfishing club.com.au.

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Big female flathead will start to show up in August.

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Tailor and trevally terror GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn

With the year flying by, fishing hasn’t been all the best, although some mornings and afternoons have been producing some quality fish. With bream on the bottom, tailor smashing the surface and trevally congregating around heavy structure, you’ll be sure to find some excitement this month! Tailor have been firing throughout the canal systems pushing deeper in the estuaries to find the bait. Solid fish have been caught in The Broadwater and canal mouths in deep water. It’s simple; find the bait to find the fish. Another thing to remember is don’t leave fish to find fish, which is easy to do when they are busting up in the area. Large tailor tend to sit with the smaller fish in large schools, so persist with the small fish to find the larger models. A few local anglers say there are some decent flathead around, ranging from 50-70cm. Throughout Jacobs Well around mangrove lined banks, as well as many more canals with rock and

Ryan Spann continues to smash fish, including this GT taken at the Pin.

Will Smedley with a solid tailor caught on a Z-Man 3.5” GrubZ in motor oil. Large fish like this one will still be around this month! retaining walls. Trolling seems to be the best option with the Micro Mullet being the pick of trolling lures, as well as casting plastics around drop offs. Z-Man 5” Scented Jerk ShadZ in nuked pilchard glow and coconut ice glow have been some of my favourite colours. A tip for the anglers

who fish weed beds is to try the TT Lures SnakelockZ Jighead in order to make an angler more confident to cast into heavy structured areas. Pilchards, prawns, white bait and live mullet are fishing well for the bait brigade. Most large river systems including Nerang, Coomera, Coombabah and Logan have

been fishing quite well, and whiting are one species that has been in good numbers with bloodworms being the best bait. Council Chambers in the Nerang River is one spot to hit up for some fun, and without doubt most drop-offs throughout the river fishing just as well. Don’t be surprised when flicking around lures for flathead in deep holes to come across mulloway and bream, which aren’t afraid to scoff down a well-presented lure! The trevally have been a hit and miss species through the recent and current cooler months, which is surprising with so much bait flooding

the estuaries. Most fish are holding along retaining walls, so try fishing deep into the canals rather than around the mouth. Fire your lures at the bank and work them the whole way back to the vessel. In saying that, landbased isn’t a bad option either as you will cover plenty of ground casting along the banks. Walk-the-dog surface lures and hardbodies are something a trevally just can’t resist! With some recent cold months and water temperatures down, weather will start to warm up from this month on. With warmer water fishing will get

better; flathead, trevally, whiting and bream will all be in greater numbers, not to mention a few mulloway still hanging around! Overall, August is probably one of my favourite months for the ‘all round’ with most estuarine species on the bite. Remember to keep your bait or lure in the strike zone and you will be sure to see some hot reels this month! Jump over to my Instagram at ‘Josh__Dunn__’ and check out some of my recent photos from our trip to Lucinda, Far North Queensland where we fished for 2 weeks over the June/ July holidays!

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Action aplenty in August GOLD COAST

David Green

August is traditionally a month that produces great fishing both in and offshore, with plenty of options for everyone who wants to get out and have a crack at either getting a feed or just having some fun catching and releasing. OFFSHORE GROUNDS This year has seen some

sensational marlin fishing on the wide grounds with plenty of blue and striped marlin being caught wide of the continental shelf all through early winter. This month should see the water temperatures drop a bit but with all the bait present there should still be quite a few striped marlin and yellowfin wide of the shelf. The Gold Coast is one of the few places in Australia where you can catch marlin every month of

the year, and fishing out wide this month still has potential to produce some good fishing. In on the 50-fathom line there should be plenty of pearl perch and snapper around and August is also a great month to chase amberjack, Samson and yellowtail kingfish on jigs and live baits. A lot of the biggest amberjack are caught in August with fish over 30kg turning up at times. These big bruisers are a tough fish to land and bust offs are the

Tony Crowe with a nice yellowfin caught out wide.

A cracking pair of big cobia caught on soft plastics on the close reefs.

AUGUST 2015

norm. The 50-fathom line east of Jumpinpin is one of the best places to look for them. They prefer to hold around high pinnacles and in areas where there is a lot of wire weed. Snapper will be spawning this month and the 36-fathom line is generally the best place to target them. The local charter boat Lucky Strike has caught a lot of good snapper this season. Most of these have been caught float lining using pilchards. The key to catching big snapper is to get out early and have your baits in the water at dawn. Once you have located the

fish turn your sounder off and control your drift using the GPS. Soft plastics have also accounted for some great fish this winter. In closer to shore the Cotton Reef east of the Jumpinpin Bar also produces good snapper and a few mulloway, as does Sullies, a few kilometres to the north. When a light westerly is blowing and the sea is flat the close reefs on the 20-fathom line off Surfer’s Paradise can produce mulloway, cobia and snapper. Fishing into the evening is the best way to target mulloway. The key is to use large live baits like tailer

and big slimy mackerel as the smaller teraglin can steal a lot of smaller hard earned baits. Most mulloway start to be active in the first hour of darkness. If you are patient the bites will come. I’ve got a few spots where we often can’t get a solitary bite until the sun sets, then we lose multiple baits very quickly. Cobia are another target species this month. Fish around areas that hold plenty of bait. The artificial reefs in 23m north of the Seaway hold plenty of yellowtail and tailor and are starting to produce quite a few cobia. Live

baiting, large soft plastics and big strip baits all work well. If you berley heavily it improves your results. A lot of fish in the 20-35kg range should turn up this month. ESTUARIES AND RIVERS Early winter has produced some fantastic flathead fishing throughout the Broadwater and this should continue into August. Sometimes strong north westerlies can heat up the water a bit and the algae that grows on eel grass dies and floats in the mid water. Known locally as ‘snot weed’, this can make trolling difficult as it constantly fouls the lures. Finding patches of clean, clear cool water can be the key to catching flathead when the north westerlies blow hard. It pays to experiment a lot when it comes to flathead fishing. I like to mix up trolling with casting, and I use a wide variety of lures in a session. Blades, soft vibes, plastics, hardbodies and prawn patterns all work at different times, depending on what the fish are feeding on. It also pays to mix up your retrieves. Sometimes fast rips work well, on other days when the fish are less active a series small hops and ultra-slow retrieves using soft vibes and prawn patterns work well. It is also worthwhile

starting to fish the deeper sections of the Seaway and Jumpinpin entrances using large soft plastics and vibes this month as the bigger fish start to move onto the spawning beds. This should also produce a few good mulloway this month, particularly on the tide changes. The inshore spawning run of mullet around the entrances should bring a lot of adult mulloway into the system this month. Live mullet fished on the high tide change at night is the traditional method and consistently produces a lot of big fish from 15-25kg. All of my biggest mulloway have been caught in the estuaries in July and August. Casting hardbodies and big soft plastics at night can also be effective, especially when the fish are active close to the surface. A few mangrove jacks will start to show up towards the end of the month if the hotter north westerlies start to blow. Over the last few years the preferred method has been casting soft plastics like Z-Man SwimmerZ along the edges of floating pontoons and retrieving quite quickly. Both the Coomera and Nerang rivers produce some nice jacks in late August. Interestingly, the bigger jacks don’t seem to fight as hard in late winter and the percentage

landed can be quite high, with quite a few fish over 50cm being landed. Overall, August this year has a lot of potential on both the offshore and inshore grounds off the Gold Coast. It has been a very unusual season with the water temperature on the wider

grounds holding around the 23°C mark for much of winter. This month will see a lot of boats getting ready for the upcoming Flathead Classic and hopefully the quality of fishing we are experiencing at the moment will hold well into spring. Good luck and tight lines.

This monster muddy was caught by John Routledge at the annual VMR Family Fishing Comp in the Burnett River. It weighed in at 1.75kg.

A decent 83cm flathead caught on a Zerek.

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Let flathead season begin JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

The breeding season is just getting underway and the lizards should be feeding up. Now is the best time to target big flathead that can grow to in excess of 1m and are a fish of a lifetime. Just remember all large flathead over 75cm have to be released, so if you do catch one try to handle her with care and release her safely back to the water.

The pick spots will be from the dead trees at the bottom of North Straddie all the way to Kalinga Bank along the steep drop-off and the main channels leading to the bar. They can be caught on any part of the tide but you’ll find they feed more on the first of the run-out or from about half tide out to the bottom of the tide as the water comes off the banks bringing the bait off the shallows into the deeper water where the flathead lie in wait. Try and aim for banks that will

be exposed at low tide and hit the edges of these banks. They can be caught in as little as 6” of water so don’t be afraid to get right up on the bank and slowly move your

If you’re trying for your big bream, then I can say that most of them are caught at night near the top of the tide around rock walls or areas covered heavily in snags.

The bream will be thick all through August, and in good sizes too.

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It’s flathead season and the big ones will be biting. bait or lure into the deeper water. Big bait for a big fish is the way to go with live mullet, herring, gar or pike are awesome baits for the real big fish. Some other good spots to try for lizards are the Stockyards, Flatrock, the point of Short Island, the Gold Bank, Cabbage Tree Point, Little Rocky Point and the mouth of the Logan. The whiting have been picking up in size and in numbers from the Broadwater, Wave Break Island, Couran Cove, the Green Bank, Slipping Sands and the western side of the Never Fail Islands. A few good fish have come from the Pimpama and Logan rivers in the deeper holes, the sand flats between Kalinga Bank to the Pig Styes and the top of Crusoe Island. Sticking with either sand or bloodworms and using red tube and beads will increase your chances of a feed.

Using a little heavier line is recommended as they can snag you up real quick. Berleying up is definitely beneficial and larger baits such as half pillies, heaped mullet, chook gut or large flesh baits will definitely entice the bigger fish. For a big bream try around Kalinga Bank, the dead trees at the bottom of North Straddie, the point of Short Island, the Stockyards and, as I said, any rock wall or deep snag you can find. We’re looking forward to a cracking tailor season as they make their way up the coast chasing the bait schools and getting ready for their breeding season. Tailor can be caught all year round at the ‘Pin, but are particularly prevalent at this time of year and you will start to notice the size and the quality of the fish increase. Most of the time they travel in small schools so where you find one there should be more about. Floating pillies, white

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but they are a very cunning fish and hard to catch at the best of times, so persistence counts. The crabs have gone quiet at this time of year but there are still some about at the mouth of the Logan, Long Island, the Powerlines and Fishermans Channel. • Thanks for all your reports and if you need any advice or want to find out what’s biting drop us a line at Gem Bait & Tackle on (07) 3287 3868 or email gembait@tpg.com.au. I’ll catch you next month.

Persistence pays when chasing mulloway at the ‘Pin, and many hours are often put in before a fish is landed.

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bait or herring around the Bar to Kalinga Bank should get you a few tailor or try using small metal lures if you see birds working or fish chopping up. Recently there was a 60lb mulloway caught out from Swan Bay so there are still some huge fish that can be caught in our waters. If you’d like to target big mulloway then live mullet, pike or herring are the way to go. Using 6-9” plastics and jigging them up and down will work as well,

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King threadfin concerns in the Brisbane River Stocks of king threadfin in the Brisbane River are at risk of serious decline. Commercial catches are just over 56 tonnes in the past 4 years, which is well in excess of historical harvest. Just how many more threadfin are available in the system is unknown but, based on similar system’s stocks, it will be getting closer to exhaustion. There has been limited evidence of strong spawning that would refresh stocks and heading into el

Nino, there is a lower chance of successful spawning. Mathew Hubbard from Brisbane River fishing was the first to raise alarm bells having observed commercial fishers fishing around Nudgee. Mathew posted photos on Facebook of threadfin taken from the river, generating a lot of discussion and in the process reaching nearly 76,000 people. Infofish Australia has been monitoring the

commercial catch for over a year but with a dip in the 2014 catch it wasn’t clear the take was too high until April-May. To March, Brisbane has been the second largest king threadfin fishery in the state. A meeting on the 15 July, attended by many Brisbane fishers highlighted the need for urgent action in order to avert an inevitable decline. The real problem isn’t the commercial fishing so much as the absence of an

Brisbane River fishery is a unique recreational fishery in that the major predators are mostly caught and released. The age profile of fishers is much younger than most other river systems. Generation Y anglers are favouring Facebook over the dinner plate.

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early warning system to provide a buffer against such problems. The Crystal Bowl in Rockhampton serves this purpose and efforts are underway to develop the Crystal Bowl in Brisbane but it’s early days. The Brisbane River fishery is a unique recreational fishery in that the major predators, being snapper, king threadfin and mulloway are catch and release for the majority of fishers. The age profile of fishers is also much younger than most other river

systems. It’s no coincidence that the dominant Generation Y fishers are favouring Facebook over the dinner plate. King threadfin are a fast growing species, reaching around 90cm within 5 years making them a very attractive sportfishing species. With the emphasis on photos for Facebook, the locals have a renewable resource that drives regular spend. With no other major populations nearby, in the past, Brisbane fishers have often travelled to

Maryborough, Rockhampton or the Cape for a threadfin fix. Suntag in partnership with local businesses are driving the effort to collect data, increasingly having to use its own funding to do so. In 2014/15 recreational businesses donated over $65,000 in time and materials to monitor the Brisbane region. Through that effort, it is hoped that in the future such issues can be detected early enough that conflict between sectors and rapid wind up of fishing effort are avoided. – Infofish Australia

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Good news from Moreton Bay SOUTHERN BAY

Nabeel Issa

With the great fishing we had last month, August is set to follow suit, with a fantastic winter season continuing on. Reports of great fishing in southern Moreton Bay keep rolling in, from squid and bream to mulloway and snapper. There is plenty out there at the moment to keep everyone happy. The boat ramps have been jam-packed most weekends and it seems that there are a lot of anglers out there getting stuck into the fish. Fishing with a lot of other boats around can make things difficult and the fish often get wary when there is an increase in boat traffic, so here are a few simple tips to help you get into the fish whilst it’s busy. Get on the water early. Most anglers will aim to launch just on first light or slightly earlier, but if you can get to the ramp prior to this you will be able to get to your favourite spot with minimal traffic as well as avoid the boat

ramp rush (which can often get frustrating). If you find that there are far too many boats around and no one is catching any fish, it’s often for a reason. It pays to move away from the crowds and look elsewhere. Moving a few hundred metres away and keeping an eye on your sounder can help pick up fish that have spread out from normal popular structure. Fishing light, often downsizing leader and lure, can help tempt the wary fish into biting. Lastly, fishing with crowds can be tricky, but thinking outside the square is always the smart way to go about it and will put more fish in the boat. SQUID There has been plenty of squid around over the past few months, with many anglers opting to chase these guys. They can be easy to catch and are great eating, so are a popular target. There are endless locations to target them in the southern bay area, with the shallows around all the islands a good starting point. Horseshoe Bay at Peel

Island, and Bird and Goat are popular locations too. Squid love clean water and weedy bottoms. If you can find these sorts of areas, they won’t be far off. Good quality jigs are a must and can make a big difference in the catch rate. Yamashita and Daiwa make great quality jigs and are worth every cent. If you are land-based, there are still plenty of options. Nighttime is better, and look for areas where there are lights shining in the water. Squid are attracted to them and you can often see them swimming about. Manly is a great place to check out. BREAM Bream continue to be prolific this winter, with some great sized fish about. It doesn’t seem to matter whether you fish shallow or deep, I’m getting reports of plenty of fish from both areas! Fishing the run-in tide around the Bay Islands and using light line (no heavier than 6lb) should put you in the game for some big bluenose bream! Use the wind to your advantage for longer casts, and as it causes

Danh Duong with a PB mulloway from a recent overnight trip at Harries, caught on a fresh prawn while chasing snapper.

a ripple on the surface the fish are less wary. When it’s glassed out and calm the fish can be hard to tempt. SNAPPER AND MULLOWAY Lastly, to the bigger (and more fun) targets in the southern Bay — snapper and mulloway. Snapper are still biting well throughout, with plenty of good-sized fish out there. Anglers fishing Harry Atkinson and Peel Island Artificial reefs are having a lot of success, with the key being to fish the tide changes and keeping away from the crowds. The size of fish hasn’t been as big as last month, but there have been plenty of pan-sized fish around, which are great for a feed. Amongst the snapper, the odd mulloway has been caught, but they are definitely not as prolific as previous. They should start to show in big numbers in the coming months, so keep an eye out for them. Fresh baits like prawns and squid have been highly successful for the snapper. And if lures are more your thing, the new TT Vector Jigs have been working a treat. With plenty of options available to us at the moment,

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it’s a great time to get out fishing. The coming months should see plenty of action too, so we have plenty more to look forward to. If you have

a picture or a story you would like to share, send it through to me at nabs12@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to get it in next month’s magazine for you.

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August angling options BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Anglers getting out on the water over the coming month will be met with plenty of options in the angling stakes. A good range of species will be caught throughout Moreton Bay waters during August, but historically it can be a reasonably windy

more pleasant. Let’s look at a few of your angling options for August. FLATHEAD One of the big movers in the estuary over the coming month will be flathead. Although decent numbers have been on offer for more than a month now, August should see a greater influx of these prime table and sport fish. Flathead are a great species as they respond well

This 19.6kg longtail was a surprise to hook while targeting snapper in the Moreton Bay shallows. month with plenty of westerly direction, however with weather patterns all over the place of late, anything could be on the cards. As the month progresses, we should see average temperatures rising, which will make early morning starts a lot

to both baits and lures. Anglers who learn about flathead and their tidal habits will be at a great advantage. As flathead spend the majority of their time on the bottom hunting by ambush, you obviously need to probe this zone to be in with the best chance. Flatties

will sit in areas that offer them the greatest chance of scoring a feed. They will lie on the bottom and erupt upwards to engulf any tasty morsel that is unlucky enough to lurk too close to their concealed position. A flathead’s lateral line acts like an ear therefore any crab scuttling across the sand, prawn sifting through the silt or baitfish feeding along the bottom is easily detected. Understanding the basic movements of a flathead will short track your path to success. Learning how your local piece of water should be worked will generally only come about from on water experience, however you can learn a lot by observing marine maps and checking out your areas at low tide. Observing where the most water and the last of the tidal flow exits the major flats and banks systems is a good ploy. Flathead will take up ambush spots along the edges of banks and in the gutters leading off them during the falling tide, as they know there is a high possibility that a good amount of food sources will exit the flats and banks at these locations as the water recedes. Once the tide has bottomed out, your best chances will probably be in the main

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August is a great month for flathead, with plenty of school sized fish, such as this Brisbane River specimen caught by Miss Baker. channels and deeper holes. Once the tide again rises enough to flood these flats areas, the flathead will initially move to the edges of the banks and then up onto them, the smaller specimens first then the larger ones as the water depth becomes sufficient enough that they don’t feel conspicuous in the shallows. Once up on the flats areas, flathead take up ambush spots in small bottom contours, darkened patches of bottom and weed bed areas, occasionally moving to a new location that promises better feeding opportunity. This tidal cycle is repeated constantly and although some areas work differently to others, you should be able to take this basic framework of flathead activity then refine it to apply to your favourite waters. Flathead will eat a huge array of baits and lures and are basically opportunistic predators that will engulf most offerings. Trolling minnow lures and casting sinking lures such as jighead-rigged plastics, vibration baits, flies and other offerings are popular ploys. However, most offerings worked in the strike zone (close to the bottom) will produce results. When trolling, most anglers employ smaller (generally less than 100mm) minnow lures in bright colours such as pink, orange, chartreuse, white or combinations including these. The same colours can be popular and productive in the soft plastics department, especially in discoloured water. Soft plastics are generally jighead-rigged and cast and retrieved along the banks by either slow rolling with occasional pauses or hopping it down the declines. Blades and other vibration baits are worked in a similar manner. Flathead offer some awesome possibilities for the land-based angler. The mouths of many creeks offer good opportunity to wade and cast to likely looking spots. I have spent a fair bit of time casting flies (mainly Clouser Minnows) and small curltail plastics in areas such as the Scarborough Foreshore, the mouth of Pine River, Lota Creek mouth, Manly Foreshore and around the

numerous canals in our area. If you have a kayak then you have a myriad of places to fish and you can additionally use your craft to get to places not accessible via Shank’s pony alone. Flathead have a size slot between 40cm and 75cm with a maximum bag limit of five in possession. SNAPPER The winter months have been kind to Moreton Bay anglers with good numbers of snapper to be caught in all corners. The usual locations around the bay islands, the artificial reefs, wrecks and ledges have all produced decent snapper, however, it never ceases to amaze me the new locations where decent specimens are being located. Even heavily fished and highly busy waterways such as the Brisbane River continue to produce snapper in good numbers and to creditable sizes. Areas such as the Harry Atkinson always seem to get a flogging from the hordes of anglers who flock there but when you see the numbers of decent snapper that are continually caught you can’t argue with those who try their luck. Living close to the boat ramp at Wellington Point, I often head out there for a session and rarely come home disappointed, however, this is usually during the week and during periods when the weather is less than perfect, which means there is less boat traffic. When it gets busy with boats coming and going and anchor chains rattling up and down then it can easily shut down, just like any other spot. Hopefully the new 20 acre reef that is scheduled to be put in out from Scarborough will be just as big of a drawcard for quality species, like Harry Atkinson. The Peel Artificial has produced some creditable snapper in recent years and it is additionally getting known as a regular producer of mulloway. Some anglers can manage to catch and release double figures of quality mulloway here on lures in a session. Generally these fish are first located using side imaging sounders and then tempted with plastics, vibes

and micro jigs. The margins and reef edges around Mud and Peel islands have been producing quality snapper for anglers using both lures and baits. Finding a good spot along one of the contours on the northern or eastern sides of Mud and then anchoring here away from other anglers can be a successful approach. Lightly weighted baits are best cast up current and then allowed to drift down and settle on the bottom. They can be left here for a short time before being wound in, checked and then cast up current again. Some anglers simply choose to leave their baits out until a fish finds it, however, this more active way of fishing presents the bait more naturally. This same technique is also worth trying on areas around Peel such as the edge of the main reef contour, the Houseboat Wreck and at the artificial reef. Drifting whilst you present baits close to the bottom can allow you to cover a decent area of water and also offers great bait presentation, especially with whole fish baits such as gar, pike, pilchards, hardiheads and whitebait. Vibration baits and jighead-rigged plastics offer a very natural presentation, especially when cast up current and retrieved back with the tidal flow. These are generally hopped and paused or wound with a series of erratic winds and pauses to solicit strikes. Apart from snapper, they will also entice sweetlip, tuskfish, mackerel, tuna, kingfish and a host of other species. Most lure fishing anglers have their favourite offering. Many are very different in brand, size, shape and colour because basically, snapper aren’t that fussy. Put the lure in the zone, fish it well and chances are high that you will be rewarded. PELAGICS Anglers may notice an increase in pelagic numbers during August. Small tunas and bonito will begin to become more prominent, especially in the Rous, Rainbow and Pearl channels. These can be targeted on small metal slugs and slices or baitfish-profiled flies. The eastern end of the

Rous Channel often holds good numbers of school mackerel during August and September. These can be targeted by trolling lures, mainly deep diving minnows to around 130mm in length, or spoons, often behind a paravane to get them down. I will expand more on some good techniques for Rous Channel schoolies next month. Longtails are always present in the bay in varying numbers, however, they aren’t always obvious as they often feed deeper when there aren’t big bait schools (as are present in the warmer months) and are often only single cruising fish. These are best targeted with live baits such as yakkas, slimy mackerel and pike. Occasionally you may see one or two individual fish cruising just below the surface and can cast at them with stickbaits, pencil poppers and metal slices. Recently I was lucky enough to hook one on a Samaki Thumpertail (soft, paddle-tail vibration lure) while targeting snapper at the Harry Atkinson. On my small 2500 Certate reel and light rod it took me several kilometres northeast with the current and two hours later I was lucky to land a 125cm, 19.6kg longtail before the sharks got it. Around the edges of major bank systems, such as Middle Bank and Tanaglooma Banks,

and in prominent channels (Rous, Pearl and Rainbow) schools of smaller tunas such as macs and frigates as well as bonito are often found. These can be pedantic in

Candy, Bay Bait, Eyes-Fly or Queenie Killer). These are a lot of fun but can also make awesome bait with small cubes great for bream, fillet strips ideal for snapper and

them tougher and last longer. SQUID I waffled on a bit about squid last issue and did feature articles on catching them on both egi and baited skewers. You can source a back issue or check out the July issue online a short time after this edition hits the shelves. You should be able to put some of this theory into practice during August as squid numbers are generally at a premium. The shallows of the bay islands, the residential canals and the foreshore areas are great places to start your search. Clear water is highly desirable for squid fishing. Casting and egi (squid jig) can be very rewarding for both land-based anglers and boaties. Freshly caught squid are so much better than any other you have tried when cooked on a high heat for a short time. This can include stir fry, crumbing, battering or simple searing on the barbeque plate. Yummo! BREAM Bream numbers have been healthy over recent months and this should continue for a while yet. This species is manageable by anglers of all skill levels and will accept a wide array of baits and lures. Good technique with small plastics, minnow lures, blades and even topwater offerings can go a long way to not only scoring good numbers of bream but also those larger,

Jordon Zappala recently caught this quality cephalopod on an egi in the Rous Channel. their feeding at times but can often be tempted with a small metal slice (generally less than 20g) or a small baitfish profiled fly (such as a Surf

tailor and whole rigged fish making awesome troll baits for Spanish mackerel, wahoo and other bluewater predators. The fillets can be salted to make

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old and wise peg-toothed specimens. Quality baits will generally reign over frozen offerings with yabbies, worms (beach and blood), prawns and fillet strips working extremely well. However, many large bream are caught by inexperienced anglers soaking a stinky servo bought bait. Try around structured areas such as the canals, bridge pylons, bay island shallows, rock bars and jetties. However, bream will roam into all manner of areas and can be caught in most inshore saltwater areas including the beach gutters. BRISBANE RIVER Threadfin, bream, flathead, snapper, mulloway and a host of other species have been regular captures in the Brisbane River in recent months. This will continue throughout August with the area east of the Gateway Bridge receiving the most fishing pressure. Areas such as Clara’s Rocks, the Oil Pipeline, Sunken Wall, retaining wall at the mouth and around the fronts of the major jetties being good places to probe. Live baits are well worth acquiring (try around the Sewerage Shute or Boggy Creek) if you are going to anchor along the edge of the main river bed or one of the aforementioned areas. These same zones can

be probed with lures such as blades, vibration baits (both hard and soft), soft plastics and small jigs for good results. A side imaging sounder is a big asset in the Brisbane River and will allow you to locate prominent soundings of bait, larger predators and bottom structure as you traverse wide of the river bed declines and the faces of the jetties. If you’re searching for threadfin, don’t be deterred from heading well upriver (even up as far as Mount Crosby) because during the cooler months threadies seem to be more prominent further away from the mouth. CONCLUSION While conditions can be cold and windy during August, the fishing is generally very good for inshore and bay anglers. Quality fishing for flathead, bream, tailor, snapper, mulloway and numerous pelagics can make your angling efforts worthwhile. Additionally, there is a whole lot more on offer to whet you piscatorial appetite during August. Squid are a serious target with awesome numbers of these scrumptious cephalopods available to both land-based and boating anglers. It will be warm again before you know it so get out and experience some of August’s angling options while the water is cool and the fishing is hot.

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Snap into business down deep OFFSHORE

John Gooding

August is known for strong westerly breezes, but it is also known for red-hot snapper fishing just east of the South Passage Bar. On charters lately we’ve been pulling good numbers of quality fish. And the water temperatures have been up a little, so we should see them really come on the chew as it cools even more! As I mentioned last month, you always get a late season pelagic or two,

but there’s been quite a lot of Spanish mackerel caught around Point Lookout and Cape Moreton over the past month or so. Don’t get alarmed and think global warming is to blame, it’s just some years the warm currents hang around a bit longer and with them, so do the mackerel. Most of the ones caught have been in the 10-15kg range and in the past before the grey nurse shark closures around Flat Rock, June and July were the time to be fishing the area for these quality fish.

If you’re going to target Spaniards at this time of year, you should try using bigger baits such as bonito, tailor and large slimy mackerel. Back to the snapper, the fact the main season has started a little late off the South Passage, should see the season run later into the year. We have predominantly been working between 70-90m on recent charters and the pleasing thing so far this season is the quality of the fish landed. Last season saw a lot of just legals to around 45cm, but this

year there’s a lot around 45-50cm, which equals to a nice 2kg+ fish. Floatlined pillies and fresh strip baits such as mullet and bonito have been doing the business for us. As I mentioned earlier, we have been working the winder grounds with good results, but the closer reefs such as the 29 and 33-fathom lines have also started to produce good fish. The only problem with the shallower reefs is that too much boat traffic can shut down feeding fish. There’s a lot of good

A quality pearlie that swallowed a livey out wide.

Ambos, kings and snapper from out wide, ready to make a fantastic feed for these lucky anglers.

Happy boys with some nice juvenile snapper, which have been in better sizes this season.

ground right along the length of both the 29s and 33s so you don’t have to sit right in tight to other boats – find your own patch of fish and you will keep them feeding longer. Remember if you have had a productive drift, don’t drive back on your drift line, go wide of the plot track to the top of your drift and also turn your sounder

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off and you’ll be surprised at how much longer they will stay on the chew. • Until next month, enjoy your fishing, take care on the coastal bars and if you’d like to join me on a charter (max 8 persons) give me a call at Outlaw Charters on (07) 3822 9527 or 0418 738 750 or visit my website at www. outlawcharters.com.au.

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Bread and butter bombardment NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

This month brings a seasonal change we all love to see as we start to exit our cooler months to welcome the pleasant spring conditions we have grown to love as anglers in the South East. Yes, we would expect to get our customary Ekka westerlies in the middle of the month, which often spells the end of winter and welcomes the start of longer days again.

the weather? Well, the answer is no, as the end of the cool brings some exciting fishing to us in the northern bay. BREAD AND BUTTER We are not talking about puddings, but angler favourites of bream, flathead and whiting. These three species have always been fishable in the northern bay all year round but one always is a standout in the cooler months and that’s the humble flathead. Standout areas for flatties over the past few weeks have been the mouth of Cabbage Tree Creek, lower reaches

Blake O’Grady with a cracking Redcliffe flathead. Does this month spell a significant change in the fishing quality as it does in

AUGUST 2015

of the Pine River, especially between Dohles Rocks and the Ted Smout Bridge and

the mouth of the Caboolture River, especially on the Burpengary side during the receding tide. Medium sized minnow style and grub style soft plastics have been the recipe with favourites being Zerek Live Flash Minnows, Gulp Nemesis and Shads Lures Flick Tails. Bream numbers have also been on the rise since their annual spawning period drawing to a close. Incoming tides have been the pick of the bream chasing times of late with hardbodied lures coming into their element this time of year. A slow increase in water temperatures and rising barometric pressures have also added to the flourishing bream numbers along with the drop in weed growth. The Pumicestone suffers a lot in the cooler months with annoying stringy weed that frustrates even the most patient anglers, so to see a decline in this has been a welcomed change. Hot bream lures for this month are Imakatsu Wasp 50, Jackall Chubby Shallow, light Cranka Crabs, and Ecogear SX43. Winter or diver whiting have appeared in good numbers over the last few

weeks with the hotspot being Bramble Bay. This has been good as whiting numbers in the past have been very slim in this area. Squid strips and bloodworms have been the pick of the baits with twin paternoster rigs being a good method of attack when numbers are thicker. Other areas in the bay producing good whiting include the favoured Cockle Banks outside of Bribie and areas outside of Nudgee Beach. JUVENILE SNAPPER With great consistency in juvenile snapper numbers in the northern bay this winter, the last few weeks have been no exception. The Redcliffe Peninsula and Mud Island has been the standout hotspots of late in the bay with North Reef and Woody Point producing the goods inshore with the eastern side of Mud Island being the favourite of many. Targeting waters around 12-15ft during overnight and early morning escapades, have still been the right formula to maximize bite times. Many anglers have been chasing juvenile snapper before proceeding with their day, with many still using soft plastics of random colours to great effect.

Canal fishing at its finest. MULLOWAY Diehard anglers have a passion in their eye that many would love to possess in any sport. Add in the possibility of catching a species that can grow to exceed 1m and you have a real game on your hands. Brisbane River has been a stalwart of a battle ground this winter for the humble mulloway with anglers getting them in the deep, shallow and even on surface! A good sounder is essential for fishing deep with

the river having many deep sections that hold fish. Areas around the mouth on the Fisherman Island side, outside BP Refinery and upstream of Claras Rocks have been good for a fish or two. MONTHLY TIP It has been cold, we’re wearing winter clothes, but the days are still sunny, so don’t forget while out fishing we still need to practice sun safety as if it was summer. Remember, hat, sunscreen, hydration.

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Brad McKendrick fishingcaloundra@yahoo.com.au

Our winter season has been a cracker, with a broad range of species on offer from the inside reefs to the outer systems. The Caloundra 7-12 Mile reefs have the odd large pearl perch and plenty of pan-size snapper. Evening fishing has proven to be the best way to go, and the catch rate improves if it corresponds with the turn of the tide. Early mornings are equally good to fish and when you are targeting the

inner reefs like Murphies and the Gneerings, then it is only a short run in and out. It is amazing how lucky we are here on the Sunshine Coast with fishing spots within 5km of our harbours. Having just returned from fishing up north where the minimum distance to hit fishable reefs is 50km through treacherous bars and soupy waters, this is why it is so important to look after our fisheries now and for the future. Offshore in the deeper reefs like Wide Caloundra and the Barwon Banks, there are any number of species on the chew. Tuskfish are the number

NO JOB TOO BIG

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one target throughout the day, with pearl perch, snapper and mulloway in the evenings and through the night. Other seasonal species like coronation trout, morwong and red throats are being taken, but it is sometimes a matter of running from spot to spot to keep the bite going. Fishing the outer reef areas takes a lot of planning to make it a worthwhile trip. The price of petrol is going to change the way we fish, making us think and plan harder. We should learn what fish are seasonal and when certain species are about to start feeding in the area. We need to know what type of bait they respond best, the areas they frequent and why. This information will assist in saving money over the long run and make us smarter fishermen.

Darrell Kerkow with mud crabs caught in Pumicestone Passage. to jump-start the entire ecosystem. So this month fish the close-in reefs, but watch the tide change times and remember to get fresh or live bait when you can. Pilchards and squid are the best all-round

Jetty and the Pelican Waters bridge in the wee hours of the morning on corresponding tides. There are a lot of big brute mulloway out around the deeper reefs at the moment, so if you like to target them, now is the time.

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baits for those that can’t get out to fill up with fresh bait. The estuaries are nothing but slow at the moment. A few crabs are being taken in Pumicestone Passage along with winter whiting, but they are on the small size so far. The bigger bream are still to fire, but they will come in with the large schools of mullet when it’s breeding time. Flathead can still be targeted around the sand flats and within the canals and lake systems in Pelican Waters. Small chopper tailor and mulloway have been caught around Military

Currimundi Lake is slow, but a few elbow-slapper whiting have been taken again into the evenings. Smaller bream are biting further around in Lake Kawana up through the Mooloolaba canals. There are big mullet currently cruising around the canals, so if you want a few, get the cast net out. Work the deeper holes in the quieter times of the day like the Blue Hole for pelagics and big bream. Live worms, yabbies or prawns are great bait for the majority of species in Pumicestone Passage.

Winter also means beach fishing for mulloway and tailor, and once the weather settles a little we can really get into them. Noosa North Shore and Coolum are a couple of the better spots to fish, but head out in conjunction with the tides or you will have to wait to get back. The Cod Hole in Maroochydore offers a chance at a mulloway, along with bream and flathead. Again, target areas like these when things are quieter because constant boat noise does not help the fishing. The beach stretch from Dicky Beach right through to Point Cartwright is always worth a look in search of gutters or nice holes for a fish. I am always checking them out and picking the best spots to return to during both low and high tides. Fish like bream, flathead, whiting and dart are also around, so your chances of a feed are there, no matter what style of fishing you enjoy. This month it’s all about smart fishing. We need to plan trips around the moon phase (both new and full) and the tide change periods. Normally around 2 hours before and after the change is best. Remember, there can be a big difference between the tide change from the ocean to the estuaries, so do the maths first. It’s fantastic having so many species of fish and so many options here on the Sunshine Coast, so enjoy the winter rush. If you catch a good fish, email me a picture and who knows, you might see yourself in the magazine!

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Winter weather perfect for reef adventures NOOSA

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Winter is a great time to head for the reefs. With those predictable days of 5-10kts and swells of around 1m, this makes for perfect offshore fishing conditions. Water temperatures at the moment are ideal for reef fishing, and with this we are seeing some good quality snapper. Anglers making the trip to the Barwon Banks have been well rewarded, with snapper to 5kg, some cracker pearlies, and sensational cobia. Sunshine Reef is a favourite for anglers with smaller craft; there have been some great snapper and other mixed reef species taken from here, with soft plastics being successful. North Reef is also producing great catches, with snapper and mulloway really giving anglers a workout. The good old floater is a great way to fish and depending on the amount of run will determine the size ball sinker needed to slowly get that pilchard to the bottom. Heading out for an evening fish has also been very productive, with a lot of anglers opting for this to beat the crowds and find the better fish. If you are into soft plastics and fishing at night, the Berkley Elevator heads work a treat. The lumo head helps attract

the fish and the design of the head gives plastic a very realistic action. So with deeper water in mind, Elevator Heads are a great option and with a great size range it takes hopping softies around coral structure to a whole new level. Berkley also produce some great soft plastics for the job, and the nuclear chicken in the Gulp range

the right track. Micro jigging has also been making its presence felt, with some new jigs coming onto the market. The Slow Blats from Zetz and the Shimano Colt Snipers have been working extremely well on good size squire, sweetlip and a stack of other reef dwellers. On the beach it is all about the tailor, with good quality fish a fairly common

Chris Leggett from Maitland in New South Wales caught and released this golden trevally at Munna Beach. has to be one of the favourites, and with a range of sizes and styles there will surely be something to suit you. For more information about the best colours and styles of soft plastics to use, pop into Davo’s Tackle World in Noosa and the team there will be more than happy to put you on

thing. With tailor it’s to do with bait presentation; good quality pilchards on ganged hooks, mullet strips and salted bonito fillets are all prime baits for tailor. The more anglers you get the better, so make sure you bring a couple of mates along, as the more baits in the water the better.

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and SX40LC have been working well, along with Cranka Crabs. Cranka Crabs are ideal as they sink slowly, with their foam claws sitting

Walker and Fish Candy Skinny Dogs have all been working well. Once the sun gets a little higher in the sky, soft plastic

Beck Geldard and Sonnie Stevens won the $50 Davo’s Fish of the Week prize with a 22kg wahoo they boated at North Reef.

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Once you have got onto a school, you can swing over to lures like the Halco Twisty. Look for those gutters and deeper holes and

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fish the morning and late afternoons on an incoming tide. A mulloway may be also on the cards. It’s bite is somewhat different as they tend to roll the baits in the mouths, so try not to get over excited — let them take it, wait for the run, and then set the hooks. In the Noosa River, this would have to be one of the best bream seasons we have seen in ages. This time of year they school up in big numbers as they spawn, and are willing to take a wide variety of lures and baits. Throughout Woods Bay, small soft plastic curly tail lures like the Z-Man 2” and 2.5” GrubZ and Squidgy Prawns have been nailing some quality fish. When targeting bream on soft plastics, jighead selection is quite important, as you want the lure to sink fairly slowly and stay in their faces. Dropping leader size will also see better numbers; most anglers opt for a 3-6lb leader when targeting these wary fish. Small metal blades and micro jigs are another good option for targeting schooling fish, and produce a wide variety of bycatch as well. In the Frying Pan, shallow diving hardbody lures like the Ecogear CK40F

up and perfectly imitating a small sand or rock crab. If you want to soak a bait for a bream though, fresh strips of mullet are pretty hard to beat. Elsewhere in the river, Noosa Sound has been providing some spectacular surface sessions lately, with good schools of tailor and trevally herding up baitfish and smashing prawns. These predators will force the bait to the surface by hitting it from below. The low light periods are best, with a high tide also helping. Surface lures are perfect for this situation and produce some exceptional fish. The Bassday SugaPens, Atomic

and micro jigs are the way to go. Prawn profile plastics such as the Zerek Live Shrimp, as well as the everpopular Gladiator Prawn are all great options, and in micro jigs the Blue Blue from Sea Ride is the first out of the bag. Another plus of throwing soft plastics and jigs is that it also brings some other species into the equitation such as large flathead. • For all the latest information, log onto www. fishingnoosa.com.au for up to date bar and fishing reports, and don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle world Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola to find out where the fish are biting.

Mark Arnall tempted this quality coral trout with a squid bait at Sunshine Reef.

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september 3rd - 6th

2015 Brisbane Boat Show Marine Queensland is excited to announce the 2015 Brisbane Boat Show is returning to Brisbane Showgrounds for another epic four-day boating and fishing extravaganza, from Thursday 3 September to Sunday 6 September. Now in its 55th year, the annual boat show has become one of the most anticipated marine showcase events on the Queensland calendar, celebrating everything the marine and outdoors lifestyle has to offer. Across the four-day expo, exhibitors from all over Queensland will be showcasing their latest aquatic and outdoor products. As well as boats there will be fishing equipment, electronics, motors, marine and outdoor accessories, kayaks and more. The 2015 program will feature live talks and demonstrations by industry professionals, as well as workshops and seminars catering not only to experienced boating enthusiasts but also first time boaties. All you need is a passion for the great outdoors and marine lifestyle. The show has something for everyone in the family, including the always-popular Yamaha Supertank and and interactive Kids Zone jam-packed with free and fun activities to keep the young ones entertained. Marine Queensland Chief Executive Officer, Mr Don Jones said, “Showcasing the latest boats and design innovations – engines, kayaks, personal water craft and small sailing vessels – will remain the core framework of the Brisbane Boat Show. “There has always been a strong supporting element of culinary demonstrations,

expert advice on catching particular species and displays educating people about regulations and best safety and environmental practices, but we still see potential to develop the ‘infotainment’ element to a further degree. We have taken on board comments from the public relating to fishing gear, and have invited Australia’s foremost tackle manufacturers, importers and distributors to participate. “We also recognise that in tighter trading positions, people may want to consider upgrading equipment – be it engines, electronics, marinerelated sporting equipment like skis and towing equipment. This year’s show will provide for that with extensive displays, offers and information. As it is the last major boating event for the year it’s also a great opportunity to make sure you have everything for the summer holiday season. “One of the key themes this year will be that boating is a very affordable past-time that provides the best return on investment that a family can make in terms of lifestyle.” So whether you’re a super keen fisher, boating fanatic, or simply looking for a fun day out with the whole family, the 2015 Brisbane Boat Show is one to mark on your calendar. Tickets are on sale now, with the adult one-day ticket priced at $18 and children under 15 free when accompanied by an adult. For more information and ticket purchasing details, visit www. brisbaneboatshow.com.au. LUCKY DOOR PRIZES There will be two major prize opportunities for show visitors this year. By purchasing tickets online you’ll automatically go in the draw to win a 9-hour full day

private reef charter for you and 11 mates! The voucher will be valid for a 12-month period from the date of issue, and the charter will depart from 5:30am from Manly at William Gunn Jetty. A hot coffee and toast will be waiting for you when you board the boat, followed by a BBQ for lunch. All fishing equipment and bait will be included. Ticketholders will also have the chance to win a $5000 voucher to spend at the show by collecting and completing an entry form at the gate. The prize will be drawn at 12pm on Sunday on the Keep Australia Fishing Stage (upstairs of the Convention Centre building). The winner must be available to get to the show on Sunday afternoon to spend the $5000. The show will close at 4pm Sunday. ABT BREAM QLD OPEN – LIVE WEIGH-IN Catch all the action of the live weigh-ins as part of the BREAM Queensland Open, with weighed fish going into the Yamaha Supertank. You’ll be able to see the live weigh-in on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at around 2pm near the tank, and straight afterwards you’ll have the chance to meet and greet with the tournament pros to pick their brains on landing the big one! KEEP AUSTRALIA FISHING STAGE Jason Medcalf and Jason Ehrlich will entertain you as Fishing Stage hosts this year, with the two ‘larrikins’ of Queensland fishing keen to share their infectious passion and enthusiasm for the sport. Their Kids Fishing Show will also return this year, and is sure to be a hit with all young anglers at the Boat Show. With a range of talent and a wealth of knowledge

set to impress event the most avid angler, you don’t want to miss the schedule! You can find out more at www. brisbaneboatshow.com.au. KIDS MARINE ZONE Back again in 2015 is the popular Kids Marine Zone. Suitable for kids aged 5-16, there are heaps of free activities on offer. It is the perfect opportunity for mum and dad to drop the kids off and enjoy the rest of the show! The kids can roll around in the Water Balls, see how high they can jump in the castle, or even learn how to tie on a hook, throw a net like a pro or cast a line where they want it to land! The free hands-on marine sessions are hosted by 2 Bent Rods and are a great way for kids to learn the basics of fishing. Sessions commence from 10:30am on Saturday and Sunday of the show. To join a session, head over to the Kids Fishing Clinic and register. Children will then wait in a designated area until it is their group’s turn to start. When it’s all over, parents are able to collect their children from the specially designated ‘pick-up’ zone.

EXHIBITORS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• There will be a huge variety of exhibitors at this year’s Brisbane Boat Show, but for this article we’ve narrowed down the list to focus on some of the exhibitors of most interest to anglers. Here’s a sneak peek on what these suppliers will have on display

at the show. WHITEWATER MARINE Come and say g’day to the Whitewater Marine Team, and check out the new range of Godfrey pontoon boats direct from the USA and powered by Evinrude E-tec. Whitewater Marine will have a large display of Stacer alloy boats and Savage glass boats

to suit all budgets, powered by Evinrude. “With over 25 years of marine industry experience, we’ll help you get out on the water,” said Clinton White from Whitewater Marine. “Happy boating and we’ll see you at the show!” For more information on Whitewater’s range of products and services visit www. whitewatermarine.com.au. NORTHSIDE MARINE – ALUMINIUM & FIBREGLASS BOATS/YAMAHA This year’s Brisbane Boat Show is going to be massive for Northside Marine. Not only are they celebrating their 50th Anniversary, this will also be their 50th Brisbane Boat Show. This year they have decided to bring all their boating brands together to provide customers with the

best possible experience. “Located in the Marquee, we will display all your favourite brands at sensational boat show savings, including three of the biggest alloy brands on the market today – Stabicraft, Stacer and Surtees,” said Ricky Gleeson from Northside Marine. “These boats are suited to serious anglers and families alike, with safety and performance a key feature across each of these brands. “These packages are all powered by reliable and class leading Yamaha outboards to provide one of the best packages that money can buy. If you’re looking at getting a new outboard, have a chat to one of the trained Northside Yamaha outboard specialists at the show, as they have extensive knowledge on configuring a setup to suit

AUGUST 2015

Now in its 55th year, the Brisbane Boat Show has become one of the most anticipated marine showcase events on the Queensland calendar. VISITOR INFORMATION Dates:................... Thursday 3 September to Sunday September 6 Times:.................. 10am-8pm Thursday and Friday, 9am-5pm Saturday, 9am-4pm Sunday Venue:.................. Brisbane Showgrounds on Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills Ticket Prices:...... $18 for adults, free for children under 15 accompanied by an adult. Tickets purchased online (www.brisbaneboatshow.com.au) go into the draw to win a private fishing charter. Once at the Show there’s also a prize draw for a $5000 voucher. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Buses access the surrounding streets regularly, and the Bowen Hills and Fortitude Valley railway stations are less than a 10-minute walk from Brisbane Showgrounds. For more info call TransLink on 13 12 30 or visit translink.com.au. PARKING Parking is available at the Brisbane Showgrounds on event days for $12 per day, which is payable by cash only upon entry. Signage will direct patrons to available parking facilities. Depending on the event, the car park entry and exit will be either via O’Connell Terrace or Gregory Terrace, and where possible the organisers will provide parking in the closest area to the event. For full transport details visit www.brisbaneboatshow.com.au.

your needs. “Northside Marine will also have boats from industry leading fibreglass brands Axis, Glastron, Malibu and Whittley. These boats are all famous for high quality and revolutionary designs that put you at the helm of a boat you and your family will love. So come and see the latest models, have a chat to one of our boating professionals, and immerse yourself in the boating lifestyle with Northside Marine.” NORTHSIDE MARINE - BOATING PARTS & ACCESSORIES Northside Marine Boating Parts & Accessories will be showcasing a large range of boating bits at great prices, from new marine electronics to water sports gear, LED lighting, boat accessories, seating and everything in between. Located in the

same convenient location as previous years (just up the escalators to Upper RICC/ Convention Centre), they will have a big range of brands on display including Furuno, Fusion, Garmin, GME, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Raymarine, Simrad, CWB, Essential, O’Brien, Oceansouth, Relaxn and more. Experts from each of the marine electronics brands will be on deck over the four days to assist with any questions that show visitors may have. JOHN CRAWFORD MARINE Celebrating its 51st year in business, John Crawford Marine will once again offer show-goers a great range of quality, pre-tested trailer boats. “It’s mind boggling to consider that John Crawford Marine has been buying, consigning and selling

55 th

on the Water

2015 EVENT GUIDE

september 3rd - 6th Queensland’s best used boats for more than half a century,” said Managing Director Matthew Hodson. “Over this time, we’ve met and helped some of the state’s most colourful characters get out on to the water, and we’ve always taken pride in ensuring that each and every boat that goes through our yard meets the highest quality standards. “You will easily find us at Stand 100 at the top of the escalators, and we look forward to catching up with many of existing and meeting new customers. “We’ll have a great selection of quality used trailer boats on virtual display at our stand, and of course there will be some great Tinnie and Tackle Show deals on offer. We have a 50 plus year reputation for quality and professional advice with no bias towards brands, as long as they meet our standards. “All stock has been professionally assessed and the motors are mechanically tested and accompanied with comprehensive written reports. We warrant all engines and ensure all trailers are sold compliant and roadworthy. We guarantee title on all products we sell and offer on-water demonstrations

upon handover. “If you are selling a boat, ask about our established and professional consignment service or trade your boat in. Save the hassle of a private sale and talk with the team about how we can help you make a difficult process hassle free. Remember to bring a photo of your late model trailer boat for a free valuation. “And if we don’t get to see you in person at stand 100, drop by our website at www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au.” QUINTREX The Brisbane Boat Show will be packed full of brand new Quintrex models, with a huge number of dealers

attending with all the latest releases. With Springwood Marine, Brisbane Yamaha, Caloundra Marine, Broadwater Boating Centre and Surf Coast Marine all attending this year’s show to represent Quintrex, you can count on them to have all your boating needs covered. One of the new models on display will be the Quintrex 530 Cruiseabout. It has a new design, which boasts an impressive 62% larger bow lounge area, making it a true rig of comfort and relaxation. Also on display will be Quintrex’s newest addition to their plate range: the 610 Trident Hard Top. It offers customers a slightly more versatile and affordable option

while still incorporating all the features and strategic layout design of the larger Hard Top models. Featuring a fully enclosed hardened windscreen with sliding side windows and a windscreen wiper kit all as standard, and built with the Flared Bow and Blade Hull, the 610 cuts through rough water with ease and offers stability at rest and underway. The standard 610 Trident HT model includes a live bait tank with viewing window, large cutting board with drink and rod holders, 160L underfloor fuel tank, berley bucket and a 135L plumbed kill tank. With a great range of boat show specials on offer, the Brisbane Boat Show will be the perfect opportunity to pick up a new Quinnie in time for summer. STACER Stacer boats will have you covered at this year’s Brisbane Boat Show, represented by group of local SEQ dealers including Northside Marine, Wynnum Marine, White Water Marine and North Coast Boating. With everything from a range of great little tinnies to the Stacer plate series of Ocean Rangers, there will be something on show to suit every boater. The Stacer National

Account Manager, Drew Jackson, said customers heading to the show could expect a huge range of boats on display including all the favourites such as Seaways, Outlaws, Assaults and Bay Masters. “The 429 Seaway is always a favourite at all the shows around Australia as it makes the perfect entry level all-rounder,” he said. “Being rated to carry up to five people makes it ideal for families

looking for a manageable runabout they can still take the kids out in.” For those looking for a new fishing rig there will be plenty on display for all budgets including the bestselling 429 Outlaw and 459 Assault Pro. And if you are really serious about your offshore fishing, check out the 679 Ocean Ranger Hard Top. This model features an underfloor milk crate rib To page 38

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september 3rd - 6th

From page 37

structure of longitudinal and latitudinal stringers complete with 5mm plate bottom sides for strength. Other features include welded rod holders, live bait tank, cutting board, berley bucket and a kill tank. NOOSA MARINE & MECHANICAL Noosa Marine & Mechanical is site number 698 at this years Brisbane’s Boat Show and will be displaying new Hooker boat packages. Joseph Dewar from Noosa Marine said they were the only dealer between Sydney and Townsville that supplied Hooker boats customized to suit buyers’ requirements, with the option for them to be built for survey. “Along with Hooker boats, we’ll also have Redco/ Tinka trailers at the stand,” Joseph said. “There will be plenty of information on hand with brochures and catalogues, and of course our staff are happy to answer any questions that show-goers may have. We will offer a special of free boat registration with any new Hooker boats sold at the show.” COASTAL POWERBOATS Coastal Powerboats will be showcasing their most successful models including the popular Procraft 620 Walkaround Hardtop powered by Suzuki. This value-formoney offshore fishing weapon has been a standout success for Procraft. Coastal will also display a selection from the fibreglass and aluminium Procraft range to demonstrate to show-goers just how far their money can go. Also on display will be examples of the tried-and-tested ranges

AUGUST 2015

of Stessl aluminium and Formosa Searod aluminium boats, with the Searod being the latest up-to-date transom design incorporating multiballast tubes. The Coastal Powerboat range is supported by Dunbier and McKay aluminium and galvanised trailers, and Suzuki 4-stroke and 2-stroke outboards. Call into the stand to discuss your boating and outboard power needs, including commercial and recreational re-power options. SPRINGWOOD MARINE This year Springwood Marine will have a big range of Quintrex models for customers to check out, along with offerings from Four Winns, Mercury and Evinrude. Show visitors can take advantage of Quintrex BMT package discounts, and this applies to Quintrex, Quintrex Trailer and Evinrude Engines. Springwood Marine will also have a show-only deal of a 3-year extended warranty on all Quintrex BMT packages, extending the manufacturers’ warranties to 6-8 years. There will be some great new releases to check out as well, and it’s all at site number

520 located in the Marquee. JSW POWERSPORTS JSW Powersports will have several of the popular Sea Fox fishing boats on display at the 2015 Show. “Sea Fox boats are known for being well suited for both fishing and families,” said Jeff McNiven, owner of JSW Powersports. “We’ll have a fully optioned 286 Commander, a 226 Commander as well as the all new 186 Commander from the Sea Fox centre console range. The 186 Commander is getting shown for the first time in Australia and is a great example of Sea Fox design, with a lot of bigger boat features fitted onto a compact boat. “There’ll also be a 249 Avenger side console on display, which has innovative design features such as a built-in lounger inside the centre console plus a full lounger with backrest in the bow. Sea Fox buyers get a quality finish boat with loads of well thought out design features for a competitive price. You’ll be surprised by how many features are included as standard on a Sea Fox.

“Being the largest PWC dealer in Australia, we’ll also show an extensive range of Sea Doo PWCs and we will have some great show deals. The 2015 Sea Doo range includes recreational crafts, wake sport models and performance crafts. We’ll have a GTX Limited with its intelligent suspension system displayed and it’s a real showstopper! There’ll be fishing racks available, which can be mounted on the back of any PWC and convert it into a fishing rig.” JSW Powersports will be located at stands 450 and 460 at the Plaza just outside the RICC building. For more info visit www.jswpowersports.com.au or www.seafoxboats.com.au. DIAMOND DECK Be sure to check out Diamond Deck at the show. Diamond Deck is a non-slip, UV stable, durable closed cell EVA foam that won’t absorb water. It is manufactured to the highest of marine grade

sheet. To apply you just cut to size, then peel and stick. Diamond Deck is ideal for all marine applications on all boat surfaces, including checker plate, with minimal preparation. To have an up close look at this affordable and high quality product, drop by their stand at the Show or visit www. diamonddeck.com.au. BRISBANE YAMAHA Brisbane Yamaha will have a number of new model releases at the show from Baysports and Quintrex. “Every model in the Baysport range has been upgraded for 2015,” dealer principal Aaron Goodchild said. “This attention to detail is why Baysport is the largest selling fibreglass boat range in Australia. They’ve been manufactured by the same owner in Noosa Heads for the past 28 years, and are the best value Australian-made boats on the market. The proven

standards to insulate you in winter and reduce heat by up to 75% in summer, and its marine grade adhesive is waterproof and fuel resistant, with an easy peel-off backing

build quality, and the soft and dry ride of the Baysport hull makes it unbeatable on the water. Try it with a water test with the Brisbane Yamaha team and I guarantee you’ll be

impressed.” Brisbane Yamaha is also the largest selling dealer of the award-winning Quintrex range of aluminium boats. “Quintrex is celebrating 70 years in boatbuilding this year, and there are some exceptional packages on display,” Mr Goodchild said. “We offer unbeatable prices and we will have the biggest display of any brand of boat at the show.” A highlight at the show is the latest in hard-core fishing rigs from Quintrex, with the launch of the Brisbane Yamaha Fishing Team Dream Boat. The 481 Top Ender is packed with all the latest fishing gear and sits on a fully-equipped off-road Mackay trailer and powered by a 80hp four-stroke from Yamaha, 80lb Ulterra Minn Kota, with Humminbird ONIX 8 SI Touchscreen Link combo. All Quintrex Top Enders have 4mm plate alloy bottom and 3mm sides as standard. Brisbane Yamaha is the largest selling Yamaha outboard dealer in Australia and offers an exclusive 6-year warranty on four-strokes when purchased and serviced at Brisbane Yamaha. “Yamaha is the most reliable outboard in the world and is the only outboard manufacturer to win the prestigious JD Powers Customer Satisfaction award six times over,” Mr Goodchild said. “That is why we offer a 6-year warranty, we trust the brand and the patented anticorrosion aluminium and four stage paint system. “Brisbane Yamaha is an official Humminbird Pro store and has recently made a bulk purchase of Humminbird

55 th

on the Water september 3rd - 6th sounder combos and Minn Kota electric motors and we are passing on the savings to our customers with package deals included in boats at never seen before prices.” Come and see Brisbane Yamaha’s huge display at the show or visit www. brisbaneyamaha.com.au. BOATING & RV Boating & RV, specialists in marine chandlery and RV accessories, will be showcasing a range of new products from some of the biggest brands. Some of the new releases include the Lowrance HDS Gen3 range, Humminbird’s Helix range and the Raymarine WiFi Dragonfly. Boating & RV’s experienced staff are always happy to answer questions and provide helpful tips. Sales consultants from all the big brands will also be on hand to provide expert advice on their products. Boating & RV’s huge range of boating and caravan supplies will be available at special show prices, so be sure to stop by and take advantage of these special offers. In the meantime you can find out more at www. boatingandrv.com.au. YAMAHA Yamaha will be exhibiting

the latest in innovative outboard technology at this year’s Brisbane Boat Show: the all-new F130A, new-look F150B four-stroke engines and the latest in rigging. The new F130A fills the product-range gap between the newly-released F115B and the new-look F150B, also on display for the first time at the Brisbane show. Utilising the newly-designed 1.8L engine block from the class-leading

Not only is it fuel-economical and powerful, it’s the lightest outboard in its class and is even lighter than the DFI two-stroke competition. Show-goers can also see a new series of purpose-built, shock and noise-reducing Shift Dampening System (SDS) Propellers. This Yamahaexclusive technology dampens the shift-clunk noise associated with gear changes through a series of rubber bushes and

F115B, the F130A features the same fuel-efficient twin-cam, four-valve design, but with a single electronically controlled throttle-valve matched with a redesigned EFI system. These revisions, among others, give the F130 some of the best torque and mid-range power delivery in its class.

collars. Available in both polished stainless steel and aluminium, a SDS propeller is available on all Yamaha 0utboards from 70-350hp. For 2015, Yamaha has introduced a new all-in-one colour LCD gauge that relays real-time information from the outboard and sensors, back

to the helm. The new 6YC Command-Link Digital gauge is compatible with Yamaha’s complete EFI four-stroke range from F30-F350. The new F130A, propellers and 6YC Command Link Gauge will be on display at the Yamaha stand and on local Yamaha Dealership display boats throughout the Brisbane Boat Show. MOTORSPORT MARINE Motorsport Marine will have on display several complete boat packages from the Stessco and Aluvan range. All packages are structured around customer satisfaction and best value for money, and give you what you need to get on the water. One of the packages at the stand will be Stessco’s 540 SunSeeker Cuddy Cab, fitted with a 90hp Suzuki 4-stroke, Garmin EchoMap 75SV and packed full of options. Show-goers can also check out Stessco’s 490 BowRider partnered with a 70hp Suzuki 4-stroke and many options. It offers a perfect family fun package that is gentle on the wallet. For the keen angler who wants both performance and style, the 4.4 Katana Pro Side Console from Aluvan will make its debut. Featuring

2015 EVENT GUIDE the soft riding and stable Pro-X hull, it’s jammed full of features that other dealers call options. Show visitors can also take advantage of attractive Boat Show deals at the Motorsport Marine stand, and if you don’t see the model you want you can simply ask the friendly staff and they’ll help you out with a rig that best suits you. BAYSIDE SUZUKI MARINE Bayside Suzuki Marine located in Cleveland is a dedicated Suzuki repower specialist, and they have recently been appointed as Elite Dealer for the engine manufacturer. Owner/Operator Jon Eadie has been in the marine industry for the last 30 years and in such time has completed all Suzuki Sales and Service Seminars from 1986 to date. Since

establishing Jon Eadie Mobile Marine Service in 2005, the need for a fully certified Suzuki Sales and Service Centre for the Southside Region was identified with the introduction of Bayside Suzuki Marine. Boasting from 2009 and current Australian Specialised Service Dealer of the year, the business uses such skills to both service and maintain numerous VMR and Coast Guard vessels in South East Queensland, and offers the same great service to all Southside boaties. For Suzuki Outboards or Garmin Marine Electronics, from custom fit outs to general servicing, Bayside Suzuki Marine is your ‘one stop shop’. For more information visit www.baysidesuzukimarine. com or email enquiry@ baysidesuzukimarine.com.

AUGUST 2015

Tech Tricks

Go the dough for bream skilled presentations are often prerequisites to be in with any chance at all. Although skilled anglers will be able to tempt them on hardbody minnows, blades, vibration baits, flies, soft plastics and a host of other offerings most of the time, those anglers with less experience can still score some great results on quality baits. These can include freshly caught offerings (live prawns, herring etc.) as well as quality frozen baits, with popular offerings being prawns, whitebait, pilchards, mullet gut and fowl gut. One bait which can be prepared at home from inexpensive ingredients, then stored in the fridge or freezer until needed, is a dough bait. INGREDIENTS To make a good dough bait you don’t need a lavish list of ingredients. The basic dough is made with flour and water, and then you can make the recipe uniquely yours with your own list of additives. Different things that could be included are

BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

The cooler months are a great time to catch bream throughout Southern Queensland and even further afield. The larger specimens arrive en masse into the estuaries to breed. Savvy anglers take the opportunity to target them in the creeks, rivers, canals and even along the beaches during this period. Bream are commonly scavengers and will accept a wide array of offerings most of the time. Although many quality baits are available from reputable bait suppliers, you can also manufacture your own dough bait, which will appeal to bream and numerous other species. Bream can be exceptionally wary at times and will sometimes require a finesse approach to secure them on artificial offerings. Ultra-light lines, fluorocarbon leaders and

In your mixing bowl, combine the diced pilchards, cheese (grated or shaved), about a cup of plain flour and two or three tablespoons (or a generous splash) of tuna oil.

Continue squeezing the dough to compact and combine the ingredients. You’ll end up with a sticky dough which, when you pull on it, should be firm enough to be almost stretchy. If it’s too stiff or dry, add water. If it’s too soft or wet, add flour.

AUGUST 2015

finely chopped leftover baits (those old soggy pilchards are ideal), cheese (strongly flavoured cheeses are best), tuna oil, Stimulate, canned sardines, minced raw chicken or meat and a host of other things. There are no rules! You may find yourself sticking to one recipe, or you might try a different combination of ingredients each time you make a dough bait. You can make a large batch and then split it into smaller amounts and either freeze it or refrigerate it for use at a later date. Dough baits are extremely cheap to make, easy to store and they can really produce some quality bream as well as a long list of other species. As the bream pick at the dough, or the current breaks it up, it creates its own small berley trail that really gets the bream on the chew. Let’s look at a basic recipe and how to put some dough bait on the hook to increase the chance of it staying on during repetitive bites.

Some of the basic ingredients that can be combined to produce a good dough bait. You’ll also need a knife, a chopping board and a mixing bowl.

I like to don some rubber or latex gloves for the next step as the tuna oil smell will remain on your hands for days otherwise. Get your hands into the bowl to crush, mix and combine the nearly dry ingredients. This will also help to break the grated cheese into smaller bits.

Old, previously defrosted, soggy pilchards are ideal for adding to your dough bait. These can be chopped up while still frozen if you wish. Remove and discard the heads and then chop the bodies into very fine pieces

Add some water, a little at a time, and mix with the other ingredients until you produce a stiff dough mixture.

Your mix should be fairly even with pilchard pieces visible evenly throughout the dough. Your dough is now ready and can be divided into smaller portions to be stored in the fridge or freezer, if you wish.

Roll a small piece of dough into a log roughly as thick as a pencil and 3-5cm long (will depend on the size of the hook you are using). Pass the dough log through the loop knot until the hook is in the middle.

When tying on your hook, use a loop knot, perfection loop or Lefty’s Loop (all pretty much the same) so that you have a loop above the hook that’s just large enough to poke your little finger through. I have used braid for this demonstration to make it easier to see, but I’d recommend a fluorocarbon leader between 6lb and 12lb.

Roll the dough down over the hook and mould it evenly around the shank. Ensure the hook point is protruding from the dough and is just a little longer than the hook as shown. You are now ready to catch some big tasty bream with your own dough bait.

How to: Mastering the Australian double plait in profile and can be very useful when using relatively large diameter line and small guides. It allows the angler to wind the double knot and double line through the rod guides and onto the reel.

BRISBANE

Kim Bain

The basic technique of this knot is braiding, as in braiding hair. It is quite small

Loop the main line back on itself and allow a very long tag end; each side of the double loop is a strand thereby providing two of the required three strands for braiding. The long tag end provides the third necessary strand. Pass the tag end around over then under and behind the mainline so that the tag end goes from left to right when it goes behind the mainline.

TO BRAID THE PLAIT To get started, I like to have the rod in the rod holder with the rod tip in the air, the reel set on strike drag, and I have the mainline tight to the rod tip in order to keep tension on the line.

Then get the sequence going by wrapping the outside right-hand strand, which in this first instance is the tag end, from the right over the top of the centre strand to bring this outside strand into the middle of the three stands. Once the new middle strand is in place, pull upwards on it, sort of back along the mainline towards the rod tip in order to tighten the knot.

KNOT LENGTH TO BREAKING STRAIN CHART • Line up to 6kg breaking strain.......................................................... 5cm knot • 8kg & 10kg........................................................................................ 7cm knot • 15kg line.......................................................................................... 15cm knot • 24kg and higher.............................................................................. 20cm knot

Next, bring the left-hand outside strand, from the left, over the top of the ‘new’ central strand and thus the former left side strand of the braiding now ends up into the middle. As each new centre strand is placed in position, continue with the technique of pulling each new central leg ‘up’ in order to tighten the knot’s internal crossovers.

Continue to braid for the required length of the knot (see factbox for guide).

main line to rod tip tag end

double line

Lubricate the knot (with saliva from your mouth) and pull the free end tight. Trim the exposed tag end and now you are done.

After you’ve achieved the required length, ensure the tag length strand has found its way into the centre; then fold the tag length in half (double it over) in order to form a loop (this loop is called a bight). Keep the sequence the same – including the bight – ‘outside-in’ for another two complete sets of outside wraps.

Braid the tag length loop/ bight into the plait knot.

braided plait

Thread the full length of the double loop through the tag bight.

Pull the free end tight after lubrication

braided plait free end

double loop

tag end ‘bight’

QR CODE

bight

double loop

after 2 complete sets, pass the double loop through the tag end bight

Scan the QR code to watch a step by step guide on how to tie an Australian doulble plait AUGUST 2015

Belter sessions between blows RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

The calm winter weather we wait all year for has been interspersed with a decent

share of windy conditions, but we have managed to get in a few offshore trips. OFFSHORE The fishing has been consistent providing good catches of snapper and pearl perch in on the close grounds and out wide. Moses perch, hussar, parrot and cod have also been in great numbers. Live bait has been easy to catch lately and has enticed some good-sized cobia, amberjack and lots of cod. GREAT SANDY STRAITS It has been a very good squidding season and makes for a fun day out with big catches of them from Rainbow Beach and Tin Can Bay. Winter whiting have also been in large numbers just

north of Big Mick Beacon and we are also enjoying a good bream season with Carlo Point being one of the hot spots. ON THE BEACH The deeper gutters north of the swimming area have been providing large bream, dart and summer whiting. Live beach worms are working the best. Last year, August was the pick of the winter months with great weather on offer and the best fishing to be had. Let’s hope we are in for a repeat this year. • To enjoy a day on the water with Keely Rose Fishing Charters phone Ed Falconer 0407 146 151 or visit www. keelyrosefishingcharters .com.au.

Mauri cod are real suckers for live bait like this pair caught by Nhan.

Bank walkers get the catches

We should see plenty of snapper in August.

HERVEY BAY

Scott Bradley marlin81@bigpond.com

Some stellar days have finally come our way giving anglers a chance to get out on the water and do some fishing. Results have been mixed across the board with many reliable spots being slow both out on the water and land-based. The good news is everything tends to go up a notch with the influx of warmer water as we shake off winter. IN THE BAY Bread and butter species like flathead, bream and winter whiting have kept anglers busy on baits, plastics and hardbodies. Our local reefs have fished well for coral bream, squire, blackall, cod and coral trout and if you’re chasing a late season snapper the Burrum 8-mile, the outer banks and the Arty are your best bet before

Daniel Bellert with a flathead caught fishing the deeper holes at low tide. they move out for another year. Javelin fish are also a possibility and some crackers are caught chasing snapper on our local grounds. They are a sucker for bouncing plastics and the Burrum 8-mile and the Fairway Buoy are two places that produce good javelins this time of year.

UP THE CREEKS Up the creeks has been a good place to wet a line and get out of the cool breeze on those windy days. Walking the flats around the mouths of creeks at low tide and fishing the deeper holes with plastics and small hardbodies is all you need to do to find flathead,

bream and whiting. Identify the best holes and concentrate your efforts there by trying different lures until you find fish. Soft plastics work well anywhere but can have a bad hook up rate on bream, so when that happens I switch to hardbodies and the numbers change dramatically. Having a shoulder bag and the capacity to carry a bit of gear allows you to caver more ground and catch more fish. River Heads is experiencing a good run of mulloway off the boat ramps and in the river. Live herring, fresh flesh baits, prawns and squid are the baits doing well and luring with hardbodies and plastics will give you every chance of coming up tight on a good fish. A few threadies are still being caught and mud crabs were potting well before the cold snap in July.

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Mixed bags the result of unpredictable weather FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

In our journey up the east coast of Fraser Island we reached Happy Valley. We will take a break this month and return to our journey north as far as Dundubara in the September issue. In Hervey Bay, a couple of long weekends of near perfect conditions ensured that the Urangan trailer park would be bursting at the seams. Boats of all sizes and capabilities hit the water, with some excellent results and also some disappointing ones. Since then the weather hasn’t been particularly great, with solid south easters keeping a lot of boats on their trailers. A number of boats travelled through the Great Sandy Spit to the shoals. They brought back mostly red emperor, scarlet sea perch (nannygai), spangled emperor and cod. On a recent trip north of Fraser Island, a mixed catch by Jamie Lineburg included a species of cod that I must admit that I can’t identify. Having searched Australian and world-wide databases, the closest I can get to it is the eastern wirrah Epinephelus

Introducing

coioides, but I could be right off the mark. Help! If you can, please let me know [Editor - we think it’s a dwarf spotted rockcod but we’re still not sure. If you have a better suggestion go to our Facebook page, we’d love to hear your comments]. Many of the reefs north east and west of Rooney Point also turned in scarlets, small red emperor, grass sweetlip, cod and a somewhat surprising lot of javelin fish. Of course there was always a good supply of tea leaf trevally on the popular wrecks. Further south within the bay, tuna specialists have been having a fairly quiet time, with isolated schools coming up rarely. At the Five Mile off Arch Cliffs, sharks have continued to make life difficult, to the extent that it has become almost impossible to bring a good fish to boat. This year’s bream season made a late start in June. One of the hotspots was the end of Urangan Pier. Most fish were taken over the turn of the tide when there was little run in the water. Urangan Pier has its devotees who fish there almost daily. They arrive with purpose-built trolleys to carry their assortment of rods, tackle, and bait buckets with

One of the beautifully marked cod taken from a reef north of Rooney Point. aerators. Most of their fishing first depends on jigging a supply of herring from the around the pylons. As a large proportion of their fishing is targeting mackerel, golden trevally, GT and queenfish using live herrings, the aerator is handy equipment. The jetty boys don’t always catch heaps of fish, so it has been good to see nice bags of big bream being taken home for the table.

There have also been some good catches of bream inside Beelbi Creek at Toogum, around the foreshores of Gatakers Bay and Point Vernon, and from the walls at the Urangan harbour. The Mary River has been turning on some good bream fishing at South Head, the green beacon at the Heads, and further up-river at Beaver Rock, Lower Rocky and the

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Gridiron. Although Mary River bream will eat just about anything, yabbies are out on their own. There are plenty waiting to be pumped at lots of banks. Handy to the ramps, the middle banks and those to the south of the main channel are good for a little exercise on the pump. For many, the regular winter whiting season is eagerly awaited. Not too many

years ago we would expect them to be feeding well in early April, but recent years have seen the season starting later. Their first appearance is usually off-shore from Gatakers Bay and Dundowran, when the small boat launching facilities become seriously inadequate. Later in the season they become established further south. I am not aware of any studies that may have been done on this species, which are possibly considered unjustifiable for such a minutely insignificant commercial species. From the apparent general southward movement into Hervey Bay, you might conclude that a huge mass of fish physically enter the bay and then move gradually into particular favoured areas to feed. Sounds logical, but where did they come from? Could we be bold enough to suggest that they might be in residence throughout the year, and only start feeding ravenously to build up their gonads in preparation for spawning when conditions are just right? Next month it’s back to the beach and an update on Fraser Island’s tailor season, which should be in full swing.

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The Monduran of old returns with hot fishing LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

A mild Monduran winter had been the trend until our first cold snap half way through July, but this hasn’t stopped the barra from biting. These moderate temperatures have presented us with little windows of opportunity to take advantage of active barra and the odd bass. June and July has without a doubt produced some of the best winter fishing I’ve seen to date with some sessions resulting in double figure hook-ups. We can only expect the fishing to improve as we move out of winter and soon enter into spring. REFLECTING BACK AND LOOKING AHEAD For those anglers that had experienced the Lake Monduran through its former glory, and for those just learning about Monduran, should know that the couple of years leading up to 2010, this lake was a hive of activity for anglers chasing trophy barra. It would be nothing to count 100+ cars and trailers at any of 3 combined boat ramps provided. These were the days when metreplus barra were a common catch, and to boat any barra under a metre was a rarity. This is when Monduran gained reputation for being, arguably, Australia’s premier barra impoundment. To consolidate this fact, kayak angler Dennis Harold landed himself a monster barra that measured 135cm and weighed in at 44.6kg to give him a well-deserved IGFA world record, which I believe still stands.

Rob Ambrose with his 95cm winter barra. From late 2010 onwards, floods and the loss of barra stocks over the spillway had no doubt acted as a deterrent for anglers chasing trophy fish, and to top this off there were rumours and inaccurate talk of there being no barra left at all. We certainly didn’t see the number of people we

used to for those following years to come. In fact, post floods had been quite the opposite, and even though the majority of big barra had left, a huge number of smaller barra were infiltrating this lake’s vast area of river arms, bays and points.

Top: Joe and his brother Josh from Ballarat got into some great action on the winter barra aboard a charter with the author. Above: The days of multiple metre-plus barra are probably 2-3 years away, but for now there’s plenty of fun-sized specimens to keep you on your toes.

Vigilant stocking of 100k+ barra fingerlings every year from the Monduran Anglers and Stocking Association has ensured that this impoundment has a very healthy number of barra of all sizes coming through. Anglers who have spent the time here post floods haven’t been disappointed, frequently tackling fish from 40-90cm, and just recently (April/May) we had seen many of Monduran’s first official metre-plus barra caught since recent floods. While we should see plenty of these big girls caught this coming season, to be realistic the days of constantly boating metreplus barra are possibly 2-3 years away yet. GEARING UP With these bigger fish making their presence known, we need to look long and hard at the equipment we are using, especially

call 1800 228 754. Also, for further info on how the barra are biting and what lures have been working

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line class. Don’t come to Monduran under-gunned. I’ve always maintained that when the bigger girls are getting about you need to use a minimum of 30-40lb braid (even 50lb) and at least 60lb leader, in most cases I’m using 80lb. From a guiding point of view, I don’t want to lose my client’s barra to line failure, and going heavier definitely doesn’t deter these barra from biting. It’s also time to dust your reels off and make sure they are in good working order. If there is any doubt, get them into your local tackle shop for a service. You need to be confident that your equipment is going to perform for you. HOT HOUSEBOAT SPECIAL FOR SEPTEMBER • Book now for any 3 night period through September for a massive saving of $240. Give us a call for more info on (07) 4157 3881 or free

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Monitoring program The Fishery Monitoring team are busy conducting surveys and collecting biological information (length, sex and age) for key target species along Queensland’s coast. If you see the monitoring teams at your local boat ramp, at a fishing competition or on the beaches of the northern Gold

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can’t get to a local drop-off point, contact your area’s coordinator and one of our friendly team members will come and collect your frames from you. Local fishing clubs can support fisheries monitoring by having us along to your events to measure member’s catches. Contact us at fisheriesmonitoring@daf.

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Coast or Fraser Island, help us monitor the sustainability of your fisheries by allowing them to collect crucial biological data from your catch. There are many upcoming opportunities for you to get involved in the monitoring programs.

Queensland’s fish stocks. Participation in the program is easy! As a member, you simply bag and label your fish frames using a provided kit and deliver them to one of the many drop-off locations around the state. If you

SURVEY TYPE Periodic roving beach surveys Routine roving beach surveys Routine roving beach surveys Routine roving beach surveys Boat Ramp Surveys Data collection at weigh-in

qld.gov.au to get involved. For more information on Fisheries Queensland’s monitoring programs or to join the Keen Angler Program visit the Fisheries Queensland website or call 13 25 23. – Fisheries Queensland

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• Every weekend with favourable weather, routine boat ramp surveys from Bundaberg to the Gold Coast will be taken on mackerel, tailor, snapper, pearl perch, bream, whiting, flathead. • From July to December, Southern Queensland local fishing club events will be recording biological data at weigh-ins and collecting fish frames for sex and age information.

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Corey Lowe was extremely excited about catching this 63cm flathead, his PB, on the northern end of the Gold Coast recently.

AUGUST 2015

Cold snap turns on the reds YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

The cold spell we were after has turned up big time. The winter, we never had, has changed dramatically in recent weeks and it has brought on the usual winter suspects in quantity. The cooler temps bring fish into the shallower areas around the islands that you normally have to travel wide to find. Although snapper have been here in the ones and twos, they needed the cooler snap to turn them on. Reports from a number of the shallow local reef patches show they are better late than never. Places like Forty Acre Paddock, Ross Reef, Square Rocks, Conical Rock, Outer Rock, Man & Wife, Liza Jane, The Pinnacles and Greasy Alley have all had decent snapper

around the 4-6kg class. We don’t seem to get them any bigger than that and there certainly hasn’t been any of the huge fish they get down south. These guys we get look like the greyhounds of the snapper family, long and thin without much of a bump. As the southern guys develop new snapper catching techniques, we copy them to improve our chances of success. They have a much bigger season with a lot more fish to experiment with. Jigging is proving to be another useful tool as we hear of more snapper landed after taking a jig that was dropped in hope of other species. One particular standout was from a local gun mackerel fisherman Chris Nash. Chrisso was jigging a large Taipan between his troll baits as usual when it was taken by something that didn’t go like a spannoe. It turned

out to be a knobby about 5kg. With the shocking run of wind we have had lately there should be a few great afternoons where the close spots will produce some quality snapper if you brave the cold. Coral trout are pretty well on the chew much of the time. As we move past the middle of the year and towards September we get the big blue spots or footballers coming into quite shallow water and the country that usually only holds bar cheeks. In recent weeks we have caught some quite large trout in as little as 15m and quite close to the islands. Last weekend on a trip out we stumbled across a patch of large trout in rubble country with not very much structure. We would normally use live baits or big fresh slabs of hussar or iodine for trout. This time none of that was doing the job so I sent down

This last trip I caught a dark tailed sea perch. This particular fish looks almost like a red bass without the big nasal hollow and could be a part of many of the red fish species all mixed into one. One of my crew said that they had caught and eaten them before over the years and it was well worth keeping. I could not find it in Grant’s bible so I put out the word on social media. The replies that came in were quite varied and some clearly showed that a lot of people see things different ways. In the end I took advice from a couple of very good local fisherman who told me that I could find this fish on the Fisheries website where it was clearly identified. The opinions from others concerned me as we have both red bass and paddle tail in our area. If you don’t know what a particular fish is or can’t positively identify it don’t take it. I

Graham Edmunds with a local red. They will continue in top form this month. family a case of ciguatera. By the way, it tasted exactly like it should do. It was a cross between mangrove jack and Moses perch. Reefies are going very well at the moment as we are starting to get into better conditions. All the local spots right out to the wide grounds have been producing a good

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one of my cheapy bling jigs. First drop it was smashed by a fine trout about 4kg. While I was jigging, my off-sider sent down a bait jig with squid pieces on it that was immediately hammered and busted off. The next trick was to put some heavy-duty 3/0s down with small pieces of squid. This did the job and for the next couple of hours all the fish we landed were on small baits or the small jig. The other boat in our crew who was fishing right with us doing the same short drift pattern and filming the bottom at the same time caught nothing on their big baits. What made this even more unusual was that we got onto some good red emperor, which will take big bait over a scrap anytime. This showed why many times my beefed up bait jigs can out-fish the big fish special rigs. It also proves that when you know there are fish on the bottom and they won’t take a bait, try something a little bit out of the ordinary.

Top: It pays to know your species. This dark tailed sea perch took a while to identify. Above: Jack Sutton with a Corio flatty. Make sure you measure and release the oversized catches. knew what it wasn’t and the guys with me who had eaten them before knew what they were talking about, this makes all the difference between having a great feed and possibly giving your

feed regularly. Parrot, red emperor, large mouth nannygai, cod and hussar will continue in top form for the coming month. Black jew and grunter are also in form, especially around the

full and new moons. Whiting have been plentiful right along our stretch of the coast from the river mouth right up to army country. Last week a mate and I went for a look at Ross Creek right outside the Livingstone Shire Council offices. In half an hour we had picked upwards of 20 whiting. The majority of the fish are undersize and should be measured before keeping any. The better spots in the area are Long Beach, Keppel Sands main beach, Coorooman Creek, Kinka Beach, Farnborough Beach, Corio Bay, Nine Mile and Three Rivers Beach. There are stacks of beach worms available over the low tide as you get away north of Yeppoon. In all our local creeks there are decent yabby beds that supply the bait, and you can catch all the fish you want right where you are. If worms or yabbies look like too hard an option, fresh prawns and frozen worms from the local bait shops will get the job done. Bream season is going strong with quantity and quality catches pretty standard. At this time of year the fish are mainly down towards the creek mouths and around the coastal headlands. Many times lately the guys fishing the harbour walls and the headlands have outfished the guys in boats. Places like The Causeway, Rosslyn Bay and Coorooman Creek have plenty of family friendly spots that should yield a bream or two. Flathead are thick at the moment and any little feature from sandbanks to mangrove lines is holding fish. You just have to measure them because there are lots of oversized fish that need to be released among the usual catch. King salmon, blue salmon, barramundi, queenfish, grunter and the odd golden snapper have all featured in captures this month and should do so for a while yet.

Better weather, bigger bites ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

With the conditions during July far better than months previous, this August should be fantastic for fishing the vast fish species Rockhampton and surrounds has to offer. The Keppel Island group has been running well this past month with many species being taken by both

month with many anglers trying to target them. Many people have been trying to use soft plastics and with all the flathead about there is no better time to try. ESTUARY Bream have been the standard common capture for many families and fish that many people enjoy catching. Bream can be can be targeted using a variety of methods. If you are choosing to use baits, anything from a pack of frozen prawns to freshly

are great starting points. Whiting have been a very common and successful target lately, as with every winter. Freshly pumped yabbies on size 2 long shanks will see the whiting come one after the other. Alternatively, some great lures for whiting in recent months have been small metal vibes such as TT Switchblades slowly lifted and dropped on a medium retrieve. Some 6lb braid and 6lb leader will see the job done and still land any bigger

Weedless rigged prawn imitation plastics have been working a treat for flathead, and the Atomic Prong is great for the subtle retrieves flathead desire. boat anglers and people that are over enjoying the beaches for the day. Species such as mackerel and trevally have been everpresent and are very common this time of year especially since the cold snaps have really started hitting. Winter estuary species such as bream, flathead and threadfin salmon have been in high volumes over the past

gathered whitebait will work, and a standard bait rig is a size 1 suicide hook on a running sinker rig with a small size 0 sinker is the go. As far as lures go, deep diving crank baits in smaller sizes like the Savage 40mm Crank work a treat slow rolled on the edges of structure. Prawn imitation plastics and flick baits work great and the Gulp 3” minnow and Gulp 2” shrimp

species, which there’s every chance of hooking up on. The top places for whiting at the moment include Keppel Sands, the Causeway Lake and of course Corio Bay. Look for the gutters and channels and anticipate the run as to where you need to cast. All the queenfish, blue threadfin salmon, steelbacks and trevally in the estuaries

can be easily targeted by using poppers and metal lures. Small metals cast into bust ups and retrieved at a moderate speed will see these species hook up left right and centre, on the other hand using small 50-70mm poppers steadily popped over the surface with some pace about it can get great results when the fish are a little quiet. The poppers are used to imitate the fleeing prawns and whitebait in the estuaries. Flathead are everywhere in the systems at the moment with Corio Bay producing good numbers. The 2 and 3” Flick Baits lightly-weighted (depending on the current) will produce flathead very quickly, especially when sharply jerked off the bottom and left to rest for a few seconds before repeating. Alternatively, trolling for these fish is not a hard task. Baitfish-profiled shallow diving lures trolled over sand flats and gutters can pick these fish up just as quick. To catch these easy-to-target sport fish on baits, some freshly caught live mullet around the 60mm size or freshly caught prawns work a treat on a size 2 running sinker and a size 1/0 circle hook. INSHORE REGIONS The Keppel group has been fishing well along with coastal headlands around Curtis Island. A great variety of species have been caught, and anything from large tuna through to mackerel and coral trout hasn’t been uncommmon. Many people casting for these large long tail tuna are using ‘barra’ spin gear with small metal lures the same size as the baitfish in the water. Many of the trout and

A solid golden snapper for Connor on the Atomic Bass Bug. other reef species have been pulled on shrimp imitation lures such as Zereks and the ever-effective Gulp Jerk Shads are still taking the fish by storm. A lot of the rock bars present around the Keppel Group have resulted in the capture of a large number

of mackerel on barra-sized hardbodies and barra gear, and the size of the grey mackerel being caught this year is unreal! So what are you waiting for? The weather is only getting better and the fishing should follow suit, so get out and wet a line!

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Make the most of good weather MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

Winter’s chill has finally arrived with a bang and as usual the snapper have arrived on their annual migration to our waters. Unfortunately the weather gods have not been very kind and strong southeasterly winds have made sure that anglers have not been able to get out and amongst them. Over the last couple of days we have had that magic winter weather with light winds, clear skies and big sunsets. These are

ideal conditions for snapper and the small boat brigade have made good use of this window of opportunity, which will not last. Snapper have been caught at the usual grounds, with the better fish up to about 8kg coming from the Hay Point area. A smaller run of fish have been showing up around Flat and Round Top islands while my spies tell me that there have been some ripper fish coming from around islands to the south off Sarina/Cape Palmerston. I am often asked for the snapper spots and they move around quite a bit but the above general areas

always seem to produce fish. The advice I usually give is to look where boats are grouped and in these areas and you will find where the snapper are. Use pilchards, strip baits, squid or large prawns and the snapper will respond. Large soft plastics on fairly heavy jig heads are also regularly taking fish. My best advice is to get into the local tackle shops to get the latest info. Expect the snapper to be around into September as that’s what they’ve done in previous winters, along with the other winter regular, the mighty black jew! Again the weather has not been kind to the jewy chasers but

That’s not a sooty grunter, it’s a ‘footy’ grunter!

AUGUST 2015

each full moon the diehards are out waiting for that big run. I have heard some disturbing reports about excessive numbers of jew being speared offshore and I urge everyone to go easy on the numbers. After all, one 20kg black jew will provide many feeds of fish so I really wonder where those fish end up when you hear of 8-10 black jewfish being taken. The closest place to catch a mulloway is Mackay Harbour around the full moon. Small tinnies will line up and fish with big baits of squid around the harbour mouth and outside the south wall. These days fishing inside the harbour is frowned upon and can result in a fine, so stick with the rules and stay out of trouble. Anglers will find plenty of mulloway elsewhere, particularly in the small bay near the light on the southern wall. On a good night the hand lines can be heard rattling around in boats one after another and heavy gear is the go here with a number of boats fishing in a small area. The weather has put paid to many an offshore trip, but on those rare good days the shipping channel has been producing good reds and plenty of pink mulloway. The reefs are also fishing quite well for lippers and trout but only the large trailer boats have been venturing out, while the charter boats are reporting pretty good catches. It’s now winter time is Spanish mackerel time and there has been a good run of fish in the 5-10kg range and as we get closer

Mackay Tournament Anglers Geoff Newby caught this 53cm sooty slowly working a small vibe up between the twin trunks of a submerged tree in Eungella Dam. to spring the fish size will increase with the chance there of a 50kg horse. So far the Spanish have not been readily available to the small boat anglers due to the weather, but as we get closer to spring, the bait will move further inshore and the mackerel will follow. Close handy spots worth a go now include the southern end of Round Top Island, Danger Reef and the outer edge of the rocks running seaward from Slade Island. Trolled gar, ribbonfish or even pilchards on ganged hooks will score fish. Trolling big minnows that get down around 2-3m will also snare plenty of macks. Hopefully the small mackerel species are also not far away, as I have had some reports of a few up around Bowen and the Whitsundays, so we can expect them in our waters any time this month. The small macks will show up first around the islands

off Seaforth and the local tackle shops will have the good oil on them. In the creeks the pikey bream are continuing their spawning and are even more aggressive than usual. Pikeys are great fun on lighter gear and can often be seen in under the mangrove canopy and around snags. Very often though when casting to what appears to be pikey bream, anglers will hook an archerfish instead… Fresh baits and small lures are the go for the pikeys. Flathead and whiting continue to make up the bulk of creek catches with the odd grunter showing up. Flathead are in all our creek systems and can be found around any flat areas, with some snags or rocks nearby. Lizards don’t like the gravelly bottoms, but the grunter favour these areas and they will both respond to the same techniques and To page 51

Reef fishing the focus STANAGE BAY

Von Ireland

How good it is to be at Stanage. To live here, work here, and be part of enjoying the gift of freedom. At this time of year, every year, the offshore anglers arrive and usually so does the wind. The road into Stanage is often a challenge, although moreso for the lads who didn’t get time to do their maintenance. Nothing quite like sitting on the side of the road changing wheel bearings is there! The boat ramp car park also seems to be a challenge to some newcomers, but please do not park on the From page 50

baits like yabbies, prawns or strip baits will all score. Small soft plastics and very small blades will also work on both species. Both grunter and lizards seem to prefer the lower reaches of the creeks rather than right up the top. Blue and king threadfin salmon have been about with the blues in really good numbers. Both species will hunt all the way up to almost

road. The Coast Guard cat is 9.6m with the tractor towing, so all up approximately 20m long and 4m wide, and that’s only one of the big boats up here that uses the road and the ramp. Please take notice of the signage or ask a local if you are unsure of how to park. The monster muddies are hiding thanks to the cold, however, if you are lucky enough to pot 1 or 2, be sure they will be huge and full. The estuary, beach and rock fishing has proved to be surprisingly good if the correct tackle and bait is set-up for the targeted species is used, either whiting, flathead or salmon. The boats that ventured

offshore were very well rewarded with a huge variety of fish, as the pics will tell. Red emperor, grassy sweetlip, nannygai, coral trout, cod, parrot, snapper, mackerel and the protected Maori wrasse and Queensland groper. Every island, every drop-off, every pinnacle or rock fished well at certain times of the tides — it is all up to the skipper and how well he can read the tides and instruments, both in the estuary and offshore. The major problem here in the Coral Sea off Stanage is the abundance of sharks — every species in all sizes, and they love an easy feed of hooked fish. Until next time, no ramp rage. Not everyone was born

to fish, so be patient and help each other out. It doesn’t hurt to try.

• Remember the latest fishing reports are on www. f i s h i n g m o n t h l y. c o m . a u

and for queries on Stanage Bay fishing, call me on (07) 4937 3145.

freshwater with the tide and will also sit in holes as the tide falls. I prefer to fish for the blues on the run-out tide with a reasonable run and in more open waters near the mouths of the creeks. Good baits include yabbies, prawns, small livies and strip baits. Blues can be fairly fixated on small fish at times, and will refuse most offerings. This is when small plastics and blades come into their own.

On the freshwater scene the barra have gone quiet with the chilly weather, but the sooties are as reliable as ever. Good sooties are being caught in Eungella Dam and Geoff Newby had a midweek overnighter there recently and while the fishing was tough, he did manage a bruising 53cm sooty in the snags. Good going on light gear right in the sticks. There has been recently

some very disturbing news from Peter Faust dam near Proserpine, where 3 commercial size gill nets have been found in the shallows. Apparently the nets were not set but had been sunk in bags and when the water level dropped a recreational angler spotted the nets and reported them. Fish stockers have long suspected there is an amount of illegal netting with large gill nets going on in the

dams with barra being the target, and it is not just in Peter Faust where this has happened. Many years ago it was reported that 1780kg of barra were netted in Eungella Dam over 2 nights but unfortunately the info was 12 months old when it came to light. Large gill nets set in dams for barra could only point to the selling of the catch whether by licensed or unlicensed commercial

fishers. As far as I am concerned, if you sell fish you are a commercial fisher, not a recreational angler. As a dedicated fish stocker, I urge every angler to keep an eye out for any illegal activity in the dams. Winter in our area is pretty mild, really so why not come up to paradise and join us, as there is always plenty of angling opportunities. See you at the ramp.

Yes, we do get snapper this far up north, and quite often they’re stonkers like this one.

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Phone: (07) 3397 4141

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BRISBANE NORTH BRISBANE MARINE 306 Duffield Road Clontarf Phone: (07) 3889 3033 Fax: (07) 3889 5390 Email: info@brismarine.com.au Website: www.brismarine.com.au

QUEENSLAND

Where Nature Comes Alive

THE ONLY PRIVATE AND FENCED CAMP GROUND ON WORLD HERITAGE LISTED FRASER ISLAND Situated perfectly for the upcoming fishing season. We are located 4km north of the Maheno Shipwreck. The gutters provide perfect fishing all year round, but come Tailor season a quick 2 minute drive from our camp site (located in the shelter behind the sand dunes) to the beach provides ample opportunity for bringing in a great catch. Our facilities include hot showers, camp kitchens with kettles, toaster, BBQ’s, microwaves, fridges and freezers to store your bait and fish. Our communal fire pits provide a great social atmosphere at night. You could even bring your camp oven and cook up a roast. Our shop sells fuel, bait, ice, fishing tackle, meats, milk, bread, fruit & veg, takeaway foods, alcohol and other consumables. We look forward to seeing everyone’s catch. Bring your family and friends. We are a family friendly camp ground that is now dingo fenced.

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07 4127 9177 www.cathedralsonfraser.com.au AUGUST 2015

Where Nature Comes Alive

Welcome to the Fraser Coast The Fraser Coast is one of the few places you can experience some of the most amazing natural experiences in one location. Blessed with the Great Sandy Strait, Fraser Island and the Mary River, the Fraser Coast is considered by many to be the fishing capital of Australia. Fraser Island has the absolute best that one island can offer – cool ancient rainforests to walk through, over 100 freshwater lakes to swim in, huge sand blows to climb, cliffs of stunning coloured sands and an amazing 120km beach highway complete with a shipwreck to explore. The island sits just south of the Great Barrier Reef and has been built up over 800,000 years of tidal action – the world’s largest and oldest dune building sequence. Nature is alive with over 325 bird species plus wallabies, possums, turtles, flying foxes, echidnas and the famous Fraser Island dingo. From Indian Head and Waddy Point you can see whales

fascinating marine wildlife. On the Fraser Coast, you can experience one of the world’s most iconic sea creatures – the majestic humpack whale. When it comes to

Twenty years of research has recently confirmed that the Fraser Coast is the only genuine stopover along the whale migration route north or south. The whales stay for

restaurants, shops, parklands, picnic areas, playgrounds, piers and a vibrant marina – all with stunning views of Fraser Island. If you’re delighted

awe-inspiring interactions with whales, there’s no place like Hervey Bay. The shape of the Bay combined with the 123km of Fraser Island forms a naturally protected

up to 10 days in Hervey Bay, using the time to rest, play and socialise. In Hervey Bay, life is built around its white sandy beaches, sheltered waterways

by history, public art and architectural designs, Maryborough, one of Queensland’s oldest cities is sure to please. Celebrating the rich heritage, museums,

building where author P L Travers was born. Visit the life-sized bronze statue and see the striking public art which explores the themes of the novels.

playing in the ocean on the horizon and turtles, dolphins, manta rays and dugongs in the waves below. Few things compare with a breathtaking, close encounter with our planet’s

and calm playground that whales love. From late July to early November, set your course for Hervey Bay and experience the best up close and personal whale encounters in the world.

and stunning esplanade. This water lover’s paradise is made for swimming, fishing, water sports and fun activities on the beach, no matter what the season. Spoiled with cafes and

collections and historical homes tell charming tales of memories and pioneers of the past. Discover where the Mary Poppins magic began by visiting the old bank

Be charmed by the Fraser Coast hinterland, with quaint towns hidden along the Mary River. Discover tales from bygone eras and the ancestral home of the macadamia nut, previously known as the

AUGUST 2015

bopple nut. Bushwalking, horse riding and mountain biking on country roads and old stock routes will uncover ideal spots for picnics, camping, fishing and canoeing. The UNESCO recognised Great Sandy Strait is the perfect place for fishing and boating. Put in the same category as the Galapagos Islands, Central Amazon and Uluru, the Great Sandy Strait rivals the Whitsundays with its ideal sailing conditions and stunning scenery. Sail the marine sanctuary and explore the local’s secrets – Pelican Banks and the remote western side of Fraser Island. The uniqueness and diversity of the region’s waterways provides anglers with double the amount of fish species that can be found anywhere else in Australia. With warm northern currents and cool southern currents meeting at the Fraser Coast, it provides a one-stop location for an incredible variety of top angling fish, all able to be caught in the one location. Offering a maze of sandbanks, estuaries and reefs, the Great Sandy Strait creates the perfect home for an array of marine life. Species include coral trout, bream, whiting, flathead, mackerel, tailor and mangrove jack along with sand and mud crabs. The eastern side of Fraser Island is described as the ‘holy grail’ of beach fishing with whiting, dart, tailor, flathead and jewfish all regular catches. On the western side, fly fishers come from all over the world to cast on the flat sandy shallows near the island for golden and the chance to snag the highly sought-after longtail tuna. For more information on the many and varied attractions in the area, visit www. frasercoastopportunities.com. au. – Fraser Coast Tourism

Where Nature Comes Alive Sandy Cape

RooneyPoint Point Rooney

Not to scale

KEY

Ngkala Rocks

Boat Ramp No Vehicle Zone Vehicle Access Allowed Main Access Roads (restricted access in parts)

Orchid Beach

Wathumba Creek

Waddy Point

SERVICES

A Fraser Island Towing, Eurong B Apurla Holiday Retreat, Eurong

Middle Rocks Indian Head

C Fraser Island Beach Houses D Yidney Rocks Beachfront Units

E Eurong Beach Resort

Cathedrals on Fraser G Kingfisher Bay Resort F

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Kingfisher Bay Resort

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Kingfisher Bay Ferry

Yidney Rocks Beachfront Units

Fraser Island

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Hervey Bay

Cathedrals on Fraser

Eurong Beach Resort

B Tuan Boat Ramp

Apurla Holiday Retreat

Eurong Beach Resort

Rainbow Beach

Maaroom

Not to scale

Poona on Dr

Rainbow Beach

Rainbow D Chilly Bin

A B C D E

Boat Ramp Rainbow Beach House Boats Rainbow Beach 4WD Hire Rainbow Beach Towing Rainbow Chilly Bin Rainbow Beach Hardware

Carlo R

Rainbow Beach E Hardware Rainbow Beach Rd

KEY

Rainbow Beach

Carlo

Inskip Point

Hook Point

Coolooloi Creek Manta Ray Barge

North Spit

Rainbow Beach A House Boats

Jabiru Swamp

Tinnanbar

Karoonda

Garilum

Rainbow Beach B C Rainbow Beach Towing 4WD Hire AUGUST 2015

Where Nature Comes Alive

Taking a 4WD to Fraser FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

If you’re planning a Fraser trip, remember that any vehicle destined for the island needs to be a high clearance offroad 4WD in good condition ready for its adventure. There is really no place for low clearance all wheel drives on the island. We all know to bring the usual safety equipment when going offroad, but I recommend adding Max Trax (or similar recovery treads) to the list. They are particularly handy when bogged in a sandy track, and often negate the need to use a snatch strap or winch. TYRES Where the rubber hits the sand, good quality ATs or road tyres are fine. There are plenty of opinions about tyre pressure but there is no one formula,

as there are many variables to consider. These include the type of vehicle, its weight, and the nature of the beach or track. As a rough guide, my vehicle is a moderately loaded Patrol running on Westlake SL309s, and I drop down to 22psi for general running on beaches and tracks. I drop it down to 15psi or even lower for particularly demanding challenges such as north Ngkala Rocks. When you return to the mainland it’s important to go back to normal safe road pressure. Of course, nothing is more important than the way the vehicle is driven. Over time you learn the gearing and speed needed for different situations. TRAILERS Many more trailers are finding their way onto the island than a decade ago. In all situations, trailers and their loads must be compatible with

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towing vehicles. Caravans are becoming more popular with island visitors, but there’s no place for caravans on the inland roads. This includes those that link barge landings to the ocean beach. Caravanners who use the eastern beach from Hook Point are able to find suitable and easily accessible sites, particularly north of the Maheno. ACCESS POINTS AND BARGES With most visitors coming from south of Fraser Island, the barge service from Inskip Point to Hook Point is most heavily patronised. The Manta Ray operates between 6am and 5.30pm daily and there is no need to book. You just turn up and wait your turn. Just be aware that there is likely some soft sand to deal with before boarding. The current return fare for a single vehicle is $110. At River Heads, 20 minutes south of Hervey Bay, Kingfisher Resort operates barges to Woongoolbver Creek and Kingfisher resort. These barges are popular with locals as well as visitors coming from the north. For visitors travelling to the eastern beach we recommend the first option as the road from the creek to the ocean beach at Eurong, for most of its length, uses two one-way tracks. The road from Kingfisher Bay to the ocean beach is mostly two-way with lots of opportunities to meet oncoming traffic. Bookings on River Heads barges are necessary, and the current return vehicle fare is $165. Phone 1800 072 555 for departures and bookings. THE BEACHES Apart from the volcanic headlands of Indian Head, Middle Rocks and Waddy Point, and a number of coffee rock exposures, the eastern beach is entirely sand. It’s always changing at the

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whim of tide, ocean currents and weather. There are two basic beach types. The first, often referred to as the ‘single beach’, has a general slope from land to the sea. The upper section is usually dry, with only the highest tides affecting it. There are situations where there’s no choice but to travel through this soft sand. It’s not ideal but I’ve had to do it many times when I have left a return trip down the beach too late on a flooding tide. If you need to drive through this upper beach, you probably won’t be the first to do so that day so find a track created by earlier vehicles and use it. Your vehicle will probably be content to find its

characteristics already mentioned, but here the upper beach is replaced by flat areas of wet sand, drains and lagoons. These features seem to appear when the water table interfaces with the beach, and are most likely where there is significant seepage from the land. Travelling through this wet flat is usually fairly easy but requires quite a lot of weaving around lagoons and drains. There are many creeks, large and small, that run across the beach as they drain Fraser Island’s abundant water table. As they do so they easily bite into the soft sand of the upper beach and carve some nasty hazards for unwary

DON’T HAVE A 4WD?

Spot of bot

FRASER ISL

Top: Crossing Brown’s Rocks, north of Ngkala. Above: Entering Ngkala Rocks on the way to the Cape. Photos courtesy of Justin Willmer.

There are a few different hire services available but the best we’ve found is Rainbow Beach 4x4 Hire. You can get more information on their vehicles and rates by calling Carolyn on 0404 692 383 or by visiting www.rainbowbeach4x4hire.com.au. They offer beach driving tuition, some free camping essentials, storage space for your car, and their 4WDs are always well maintained and beach-ready. own way through, almost like being on railway tracks, so avoid oversteering. The lower beach, which is washed daily, is damp but usually firm – and it effectively becomes Fraser’s main road. On very low tides, flats are exposed extending out to the water’s edge. They often hold a number of hazards like melon holes, small gutters, steep drops and very soft sand. Using this part of the beach is not recommended. The so-called ‘double beach’ has many of the

drivers. There are a number of significant creeks between Hook Point and Eurong and it’s important to watch out for them and cross as close to the sea as possible. Every creek along Fraser’s eastern beach needs to be given respect. Although most wouldn’t be expected to cause problems at low tide, it’s a good idea to watch the way other vehicles tackle them. After you’ve made a crossing keep moving until you’re well away from the creek. I have seen vehicles drop down to their chassis rails

within seconds of stopping in the wet sand. It’s interesting that the beach we have just been discussing is a gazetted main road. Although it’s made clear that the speed limit is 80km/h, with signed sections of 40km/h limit, there are no stop signs or give way signs, no traffic lights, not even a centre line or a turning lane. Of course, drivers are expected to keep to the left where there is oncoming traffic. This is all well and good until you get cowboys heading north who think they have a right to travel as close to the water as possible. Years ago there was an understanding that vehicles approaching each other would confirm their intentions by signalling left. Of course, a justifiable use of a right signal could be, for example, when a vehicle was leaving the main flow to enter a campsite. I have been happy to see many more drivers using their indicators during the last 12 months. Another convention I would like to see followed more often is parking a vehicle out of the main traffic flow at right angles to the water. Far too often we see vehicles stop right in the traffic path so their passengers can dig up pipis or wet a line. ROCKS AND HEADLANDS Coffee rock exposures come and go as the sand moves around. Those at Poyungan Rocks, Yidney and Ngkala Rocks have permanent, sometimes rough, bypasses that may or may not be needed depending on tide height. At Poyungan Rocks, the approach and the bypass itself can be quite rough. North of Orchid Beach, the Ngkala Rocks bypass, at its northern end, includes what is usually the island’s most serious challenge. This is where my tyres go down to 15psi. The volcanic rock of Indian Head is bypassed through sandy and partly rocky tracks behind the headland. This is by far the most popular place for being bogged on the island, invariably due to high tyre pressure or inexperience. Just a little further north, we leave the beach to bypass the headlands of Middle Rock and Waddy Point to travel

the mostly double-tracked road to Orchid Beach. On the way there are roads leading to the Waddy Point camping grounds, and to the beach to the north. Between Waddy Point and Orchid Beach, there are lots of gutters, lagoons and sand spits that are continually changing. The best advice here is to follow existing tracks. North of Ngkala Rocks, there is an almost uninterrupted run to Sandy Cape. Following the beach to the southwest for about 7km we reach the track to the Sandy Cape lighthouse. From here to Rooney Point and then southeast to Wathumba and Towoi creeks, the beaches are closed to all traffic. ACROSS THE ISLAND TO THE WEST COAST Access to the western coast from the ocean beach is now limited to the Woralie Road that commences at the K’gari campground, around 2km

fairly typical of Fraser Island’s inland tracks. Following periods of reasonable rain, the track is likely to be in generally good condition but there is one section where a bypass has been worn around a waterhole. Following periods of dry weather the sections of track in open areas can become soft and powdery. This applies particularly to the western section of the track while in the shaded rainforest sections, the sand usually retains enough moisture to keep it firm. The eastern sections of the Woralie Road are also used for access to Lake Allom and one of the tourist drives. The track reaches the beach at a beautiful campsite just north of the mouth of Woralie Creek. There is also a branch track that reaches the beach at Awinya Creek. The western beach is open to vehicles from Moon Point to Towoi Creek. The

extremely soft, emphasising the need for travel close to low tide. Coffee rocks appear and disappear at the whim of the tides. Peat bogs deceptively cover thin layers of sand, and there are bubbly bottomless springs in the lower part of the beach north of Awinya Creek. Along the western beach there are a number of serious creek crossings that deserve respect. You should attempt Coongul, Woralie, Bowarrady and Awinya creeks only when it’s close to low tide, and after you have inspected the depth and the firmness of the creek bed as well as entrance and exit points. It’s also a good idea to cross at an angle with the current flow. Because of the relative isolation of the western coast, and the potential problems you may encounter, it is strongly recommended that you travel with at least one other vehicle. There are no beaches south

north of the Maheno wreck. The Happy Valley to Moon Point road is currently closed due to unsafe conditions. It is unclear as to when it might reopen. Access to Moon Point was once available by a now closed barge service from Urangan. The Woralie Road is

closure from Towoi Creek to Wathumba Creek is quite recent and effectively closes access from the western beach to Orchid Beach via Wathumba Creek Road. The western beaches are quite different from those on the eastern side; the higher strips of beach are often

of Moon Point although there are a few points on the west coast that can be reached from the ocean beach. Two of these service barge landing points and there are others that enable drivers to visit Bogimbah Creek and Ungowa. FUEL AND SUPPLIES You can get fuel at Eurong, Happy Valley or Orchid Beach, as well as at Kingfisher Resort on the western coast. However, don’t expect mainland prices. These locations are also good for all sorts of other supplies such as food, bait, tackle, clothing and a range of outdoor essentials.

NEED A TOW? If you need roadside assistance or towing there are a couple of good operators that can come to your rescue. They are Five Rates Vehicle Recovery Service (0428 353 164, fiverats@bigpond.com) and Rainbow Beach Towing (0408 548 685, david@ rainbowbeachtowing.com.au).

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AUGUST 2015

Where Nature Comes Alive

Fraser Island Camping BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Fraser Island, about three hours north of Brisbane and 15km off the coast of Hervey Bay and Maryborough, is the largest sand island in the world, and a popular location for sightseers, campers, 4WDers and anglers. I’ve been visiting Fraser with family and friends for over 25 years, and I believe it lives up to the name given to it by its original indigenous

striking coloured sand cliffs, towering rocky headlands, ancient rainforests, a hundred lakes that range from tanninstained to crystal clear, along with a mix of vegetation, wildflowers and wildlife. All of this combines to give Fraser Island its World Heritage listing, alongside the likes of Uluru, Kakadu and the Great Barrier Reef. It’s a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. You can day trip to the island, selfguided or on a commercial tour, but most people choose to stay a while and take in

The winter tailor run sees a migration of anglers to the island, but there are so many more species on offer, including whiting, dart, bream, flathead, trevally, queenfish, kingfish, mackerel and tuna for shore-based anglers. There’s also a wide range of reef and pelagic species for those anglers launching boats off the beach. Please remember that as a visitor to Fraser Island you have an obligation to understand the rules and regulations that are in place for the safety of yourself, others and for the

A basic campsite in the bottom camp at Waddy. Note the fire ring provided by the QPWS.

Left: Camping can be as simple or as involved as you like. Right: Set up for four weeks beach camping on Sandy Cape. inhabitants: K’Gari, meaning paradise. Its exceptional beauty is made up of a collision of miles of white sandy beaches,

more of the sights. Fraser’s attractions are many and varied, but it’s the fishing that draws many of us back again and again.

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sustainable management of this magnificent environment. You can get maps, detailed information, permits and more online from www.nprsr.qld. gov.au/parks/fraser. A vehicle access permit is required and must be displayed on the windscreen of your vehicle. It’s available for purchase online, over the counter or by phone. HOUSES, UNITS AND CABINS Resort accommodation is on offer on the inside of the island at Kingfisher Bay Resort, or on the main surf beach at Eurong Beach Resort. If a house, cabin or unit is your preferred option there’s a range to choose from, spaced out at various population hubs along the surf side of the island at Happy Valley, Eurong, Poyungan Rocks, Yidney Rocks, Cathedral Beach and more. From here it is through the sand blow at

the iconic Indian Head and on to Orchid Beach, which has plenty of rental houses for holidaymakers. CAMPSITE OPTIONS For most people who visit Fraser Island though, their accommodation will be camping and their home base

a swag, tent or offroad camper trailer. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) manages a number of formal campgrounds which are popular with families with small children. You can also choose from 23 less formal beach campgrounds (not including walkers’ camps), which are also managed by the QPWS. There are too many individual campsites to list here, but each is described in detail on the website mentioned above. The website includes info on facilities, locations, access, number of sites, campsite surface, fires, generators and essentials to bring. All formal camp areas have defined (but not numbered) campsites, water taps or tap stations, toilets, 9pm noise curfew and no generators.

A basic camp complete with plenty of fishing rods.

Most formal camp areas have dingo-deterrent fences, gas BBQs, deep sinks for washing dishes, coin-operated showers and information displays. Informal camp areas have a large open area behind the foredunes with no defined sites, set limits defined by signposts, vehicle access tracks to and from the beach and boat access for some sites. There is a ‘generators permitted’ rule (etiquette is 9am-9pm use), ‘no fires’ rule, no noise curfews, no toilets (best bring a portable toilet), no water and no bins. Most campsites are on a sandy and grassy surface, with reasonable shade and privacy supplied by natural vegetation. Remember this is beach camping so ensure you have sand pegs. It’s also a good idea to throw in a few spare pegs, ropes, poles and tarps so that you can deal with changes in weather conditions. Note that ropes cannot be tied to trees. A bit of research will assist you in selecting a campground close to the sites you want to see, or areas that you wish to fish, remembering that vehicle travel is often restricted to the lower half of the tides. Popular campgrounds during the annual tailor run (which is when many anglers fish areas from Cathedral Beach to Ngkala Rocks at the northern end of the island) include Dundubara, Cathedral Beach and Waddy Point. If you’re more interested

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Where Nature Comes Alive in the lakes and walking trails you might want to camp further down the island to avoid longer drives and maximise the time you can spend exploring. On the northern tip of the island, about 35km from the northernmost settlement of Orchid Beach is Caree campground, where I have spent many of my trips. This is a magnificent location but it’s considered semiremote. You are completely cut off on the top half of the tide and there are no facilities, so you need to take all of your food, water, toilet and shower facilities, fuel and so forth with you. This area is best visited by experienced 4WDers and campers. CAMPING PERMITS Camping permits are available online, over the counter and by phone, with permits required for all camping on Fraser Island, except the privately run camping areas at Dilli Village, K’gari Facility and Cathedral Beach. Permits can be purchased up to six months in advance, and once you’re set up you need to display your permit clearly on your campsite for visiting rangers to check. The cost per night for Parks and Wildlife Services run campgrounds is well under $10 per person, making for an inexpensive holiday in an incredible location. Group campsites for larger groups are also available at some campgrounds. BE DINGO SMART I have seen dingoes on every trip to the island and it’s important to remember that these are wild animals. Do not feed dingoes or leave scraps out for them. Dingoes will generally keep their distance unless attracted by food. Your permits and map will come with ‘dingo safe’ information that you should read, but some tips include keeping children within arm’s reach, walking in groups, avoiding jogging or running (this can incite a negative response), keeping your food and icebox locked up and not in your tent, and securing all rubbish, bait and fish. Most townships have dingo-deterrent fencing, and

several camp areas have dingo fencing with gates. These locations are recommended for families with children under 14 years of age. I am yet to have a negative experience with dingoes on the island, but I’m always aware of their presence and don’t put myself in a situation that may put me at risk. RUBBISH Bins are provided in close proximity to formal camp areas. If you’re beach camping you should take a bin with a lockable lid to house your rubbish. We add an occy strap to secure the lid to prevent dingos, monitors or other wildlife from raiding it and causing a mess. If you’re camping on the beach you can find fenced rubbish and recycling transfer stations dotted along the beach at several locations marked on island maps.

Left: Hot and cold taps and a gas hot water system provides a hot shower anytime. RIght: A dome tent and a gazebo provides plenty of living area. plan to have a fire in the provided rings. Fuel stoves can be used for cooking, using gas or the manufacturer’s fuel, not timber or bush wood. Stoves

FISH FILLETING AND DISPOSAL There is no fish filleting to be done in campsites, due to the smell and attraction to dingoes and other wildlife. Over the years we have designed a variety of fillet tables that slide out from vehicles, attach to vehicles or free stand, and we generally fillet our fish on the beach during the day with an awning out to create shade. Fish frames and unwanted bait should be buried just below the high tide mark, in a hole about 50cm deep,

Not a bad view from the camp. FUEL AND SUPPLIES At each major township you will find fuel (not autogas), ice, gas, takeaway food and general shopping. EFTPOS is available in some locations. CAMP FIRES No camp fires are allowed unless in the QPWS provided fire rings at designated campsites. Firewood is not provided and it is illegal to gather firewood in a national park. Bring milled firewood and firelighters if you

must be a minimum of 20cm from the ground. SHOWERS Showers are available at formal camp areas. Make sure you bring a bundle of $1 coins with you for a hot shower. We generally beach camp so we run a simple 12V shower with water preheated on a gas stove for short stays. On longer holidays we use a portable gas shower. Don’t forget a few empty drums or collapsible water containers for shower water, and don’t

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drink it. All drinking water on the island should be treated before drinking. PHONES Mobile phone coverage can be limited, depending

when dingoes are not present. Remember to check the local bag and possession limits. LIVING LIKE A KING Whether it’s the fishing, spectacular natural environment, walking trails, wildlife or something else that brings you to Fraser Island, camping is a great way to immerse yourself in the heart of K’Gari. At night you can drift off to sleep while listening to the soothing sounds of the wave action, then wake up to a sunrise over the water, wander down the beach to catch fresh tailor for breakfast or join in an afternoon beach cricket game. At dinner time you can enjoy an entrée of fresh fish in the smoker or a roast in the camp oven, plus a coldie and maybe sing along to someone strumming a guitar around a fire ring. Or you can go on a 4WD adventure to the northern most point of the largest sand island in the world. All up, a camping adventure is a great way to spend time with family and friends, and Fraser Island is a location that is pretty hard to beat. My island home is waiting for me… see you on the beach!

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on your provider, so it’s a good idea to pack some 20c and 50c coins in your kit to use the pay phones dotted throughout the island at selected camp areas. GENERATORS You’re not allowed to use generators in formal camp areas but it’s OK to use them in beach camping areas (unless signed otherwise). Generators up to 2.0Kva and no louder than 65 decibels are allowed, and they may be operated between 9am and 9pm.

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Where Nature Comes Alive

You don’t have to rough it! Fraser Island is an experience we should all treat ourselves to at least once. However, for many people the thought of camping pushes this experience down a few places on the bucket list. It’s a shame because there are great accommodation options available for non-campers. If you enjoy the creature comforts of a

soft bed, warm shower and a comfortable place to get out of the elements, read on. RESORT ACCOMMODATION There are two resort options on Fraser Island – Kingfisher Bay and Eurong Beach resorts. Kingfisher Bay Resort has the largest range of accommodation options. They have everything from hotel-

style rooms to villas, houses and wilderness lodges. There’s also a number of dining options, bars and a resort-style pool. Situated on the western side of the island, it’s the ideal base to explore everything Fraser has to offer or just relax and enjoy the resort. Eurong Beach Resort is situated on the eastern side of the island. This resorts sits right on 75 Mile Beach and

You don’t have to camp to be right on the beach. This awesome view comes courtesy of Yidney Rocks Beachfront Units.

offers hotel and apartment style accommodation. It has two pools, a couple of dining options, a bar, coffee shop, general store and bottle shop. It is the gateway to the eastern side of the island. HOUSES AND UNITS If you’d rather be a little more self-sufficient, Fraser Island has many houses and beachfront unit accommodation. These

A view from one of the balconies at Fraser Island Beach Houses.

ACCOMMODATION Apurla Island Retreat................................ 0437 739 121................... www.apurlaislandretreat.com.au Cathedrals on Fraser................................ 07 4127 9177................... www.cathedralsonfraser.com.au Eurong Beach Resort............................... 07 4120 1600................... www.eurong.com.au Fraser Island Fishing Units....................... 07 5449 9346.................. www.fraserislandfishingunits.com.au Fraser Island Beach Houses.................... 1800 626 230.................. www.fraserislandbeachhouses.com.au Kingfisher Bay Resort.............................. 1800 072 555.................. www.kingfisherbay.com Rainbow Beach Houseboats.................... 07 54863146.................... www.rainbowbeachhouseboats.com.au Yidney Rocks Beachfront Units............... 07 4127 9167................... www.yidneyrocks.com.au

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Eurong Beach Resort is close to all of Fraser Island’s attractions, or you can just relax around the pool.

places give you a unique perspective on what the island has to offer, from the proximity to the beach, fishing and the many 4WD tracks to the amazing views of the ocean and 75 Mile Beach. Here are some of the best places we’ve found. Apurla Island Retreat is a fully self-contained house that sleeps up to eight people (three bedrooms and two bathrooms). It has laundry facilities, a fullyequipped kitchen, deck, BBQ, pergola area and is in the Eurong enclosure, so it is safe for children. It’s simple and confortable accommodation. Fraser Island Beach Houses are individual studio, two-bedroom and threebedroom houses situated on a 1.3 hectare beachfront property. They are all fully self-contained and offer a variety of configurations to suit your needs. The complex itself also has a pool, spa and BBQ area. Units take groups of up to six people, and they’re not far from many of the island’s attractions. If you want absolute beachfront accommodation, you’ll like Yidney Rocks Beach Front Units. They have great views and are close to pretty much everything the island offers, and there’s only a short walk to the beach from your front door. The apartments sleep

eight to nine people and are fully self-contained. Park at your back door and enjoy the Fraser Island experience. Rainbow Beach Houseboats offer a different and exciting way to explore the Great Sandy Strait as well as Fraser Island itself. The Great Sandy Strait separates Fraser from the mainland, and this pristine waterway contains many secluded beaches and places to explore, as well as safe anchorages. Executive and Luxury 45ft eight berth houseboats are available. With safe anchorages on

exclusive mooring boys in sheltered areas throughout the Straits, this is an amazing and different way to see what this area has to offer. Fraser Island Fishing Units at Indian Head has prime ocean front, selfcontained accommodation with million dollar views and no neighbours for miles. You can choose from either a highset house or one of the fishermen’s cabins. Just metres away from your cabin you can fish from the rocky headland, open surf beach or quiet bay protected by the headland. Cathedrals on Fraser has self-contained cabins along with permanent tents. The tents have comfy beds and are close to cooking facilities and amenities. On-site features include a fully-stocked shop, fuel station, laundry and hot showers, and you’re only a short drive away from Eli Creek, the Maheno and Lake Allom. So there you go – if you’d rather go glamping than camping, Fraser Island has plenty to offer. Tick it off your bucket list today. – Peter Jung

Holiday houses are a popular accommodation choice, especially for groups.

Cathedrals on Fraser offers a ‘glamping’ option, with permanent tents (with beds) near cooking facilities and amenities, or you can stay in one of their cabins.

N I W

THE ULTIMATE FRASER ISLAND GETAWAY AT E U R O N G B E A C H R E S O R T Eurong Beach Resort’s absolute beachfront is just a hop, skip and a jump from Fraser’s famous Seventy-Five Mile Beach. You’ll be centrally placed to visit the southern lakes, explore Pile Valley and Central Station and head up the beach to the wreck of the Maheno.

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Eurong’s modern restaurant and bar overlook a large free form swimming pool. The casual Beach Bar and entertainment centre adjoins a second pool. A bakery supplies hot bread, casual snacks and coffee and there is a well-stocked general store. All the comforts of home and a view that’s priceless! To go into the draw simply fill out this form and send it to: Eurong Beach Resort Competition, PO Box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129 Name: ___________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________________________ Email _________________________________________________ Details may be used for marketing purposes. Competition closes 31/08/2015 and will be drawn 02/09/2015. Original coupons only, no photocopies will be accepted. Terms and Conditions • This prize is valid from until 01 September 2015 – 30 April 2016 excluding 21 December 2015 - 17 January 2016 & 25 March 2016 – 10 April 2016 & 23-24 April 2016. • This prize is subject to availability at the time of booking . • This prize is not valid with any other offer, is not transferable or redeemable for cash and must be taken intact. If not utilised in this time the prize will be forfeited and no extensions will be granted. If lost or misplaced, vouchers will not be replaced. • The holder of this voucher cannot on-sell or auctions the prize for any monetary benefit. Eurong Beach Resort reserves the right to revoke the validity of the voucher, if such an incident occurs. • Any alterations to travel plans may incur a rebooking fee. • Eurong Beach Resort may, without notice to the prize-winner, substitute any services or the mode of carriage to carry the passenger. • Food, beverages and incidental expenses will be at the expense of the prize-winner unless otherwise stated.

Where Nature Comes Alive

Resort fishing at Kingfisher Bay FMG

Will Lee wlee@fishingmonthly.com.au

Fraser Island is famous for the beach and rock fishing on the eastern side of the island by diehard anglers in their serious 4WD vehicles, but on a recent trip I discovered a far more relaxed style of fishing from the Kingfisher Bay Resort jetty. While

the approach is relaxing, the fishing action is some of the best land-based action going. Kingfisher Bay Resort is located on the western side of the island and is easily accessible by catching the ferry from River Heads just outside of Maryborough. There are options to walk on-walk off, take the family sedan or the 4WD if you plan to explore beyond the resort.

The jetty is approximately 250m long and its main purpose is to get resort guests to and from the mainland at River Heads. Built in 1989, the jetty is a magnet for all types of marine life including mulloway, trevally, queenfish, tailor, mackerel, bream, flathead and squid. LURE FISHING FROM THE JETTY The majority of anglers who fish from the jetty use

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bait, but fishing with lures can work just as well if not better. Many bait anglers will fish with their baits downcurrent from the jetty, leaving the upcurrent side free for keen lure casters. Jighead-rigged soft plastics are a versatile choice for fishing the jetty. The weight in the lure allows it to be fished at all depths from the shallow flats at the start of the jetty to the 20ft or so of water at the end of the jetty. My preference in plastics is a curl-tail style lure from 3-5” long. The action of a curl tail starts the moment the lure lands in the water right down to the seabed. With so many pelagic species around the jetty you never know when you are going to get bit on the drop. The most effective way to fish soft plastics from the jetty is to throw a big, long cast upcurrent from the jetty, giving it plenty of time to sink to the bottom and then working it back with a lift and drop retrieve. A small selection of jighead weights from 1/8-3/8oz will be all you need for fishing the jetty. It’s not uncommon to see pelagic fish such as mackerel and tuna busting up bait from the jetty, and often the action will be in reach of a cast. Having a dedicated rod rigged and ready to go with a metal slug will save you precious time if you do get a shot at these speedsters. Most of the baitfish they will be feeding on will only be small, so a 20-40g slug is the way to go.

There are plenty of mulloway to be caught at Kingfisher Bay. there’s an abundance of big sea bream holding around the jetty. One of the easiest ways to catch these fish is by using a small, thin strip (50mm) of herring or pike fillet on a no. 2 octopus style hook. To keep the rig simple a size 0 ball sinker ran straight down on the hook is all that’s required to get the bait down to where the fish are. The water is usually clear so keep your line lighter than 10lb when chasing bream. Live baiting is a popular way of fishing the jetty. The structure attracts a lot of larger species like mulloway, trevally, mackerel, tuna and

through the lip and the back hook through the back of the bait for live baiting. Leader material between 20lb and 40lb is ample in most cases but it doesn’t hurt to have some thin wire on hand, especially in the warmer months when mackerel are more common. With an abundance of yellowtail pike and herring living around the pylons, a bait jig (sabiki) is a very simple but effective way of getting enough bait in a short period of time. To work the bait jig, drop the jig to the bottom close to the pylons and jig the rig up and down by lifting the rod

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Michael Fox shows off the quality of the bream that can be expected from the jetty. BAIT FISHING FROM THE JETTY Soaking bait from the jetty is a super relaxing way to spend an afternoon. During the cooler months

even barramundi. Wellpresented live baits are deadly for these species. I like a snooded rig consisting of two 5/0 octopus hooks with the top hook rigged

tip and then lowering it in a fluid motion. I prefer to use a bait jig with no. 10 hooks, and I find a size 3 ball sinker is more than adequate to get the jig down.

Where Nature Comes Alive

Mac tuna regularly show up.

The ‘no run, no fun’ theory also applies to baitfish so pick a time to catch your baits while there is plenty of water movement around the jetty. If all else fails, putting a little bit of bait on each hook of your bait jig can be the difference between an empty bucket and one full of livies. LANDING FISH FROM THE JETTY No matter where you are fishing from it’s always a good idea to have a game plan worked out if you happen to hook a big fish. Look for your closest access

Fish and squid are attracted to the lights on the end of the jetty.

to water level and work out a way of getting yourself and your rod down there safely if you need to. Fishing with somebody else and working as a team certainly gives you a better shot at landing a big fish. A set of lip grips can also be a handy tool for landing bigger fish from the lower platforms. FISH THE LIGHTS On the end of the jetty are two bright fluorescent lights that are left on throughout the night. These are magnets for baitfish, and in turn the larger fish sit just out of the light waiting for an easy feed. Working soft plastics through the transition of dark and lit up water is a super effective way of catching a mulloway. JETTY ETIQUETTE When fishing the jetty be mindful that it is a shared resource, and other guests from the resort do use the facility. There are rubbish bins so there are really no excuses for leaving stuff lying around. During peak season the jetty can get busy so limiting yourself to only a couple of lines will leave room for others. If you’re looking to do a family fishing holiday on Fraser Island but hitting the eastern side of the island by 4WD is not your cup of tea, Kingfisher Bay Resort

is a great place to start. Not only is the land-based fishing there fantastic but the resort offers many

walks and a host of other activities for the whole family. To find out more check out their website at

A bait jig is an effective way to catch live bait. more attractions, including swimming pools, bars and restaurants, guided

www.kingfisherbay.com or give them a call on 1800 072 555.

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Where Nature Comes Alive

Fun on Fraser’s flats BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

For the past decade the western side of Fraser has become increasingly well known for its sight fishing on the flats for tailing golden trevally. These fish can be sight cast to while feeding in the shallows in summer. Hervey Bay fishing gurus such as Scott Mitchell, and guides from Hervey Bay Fly and Sportfishing and Fraser Coast Sportfishing (amongst others) have opened anglers’ eyes up to this. However, fewer anglers realise the variety and quality of the flats fishing over winter, despite some excellent articles by QFM’s own Fraser Coast writer Phil James. Around 20 years ago I read the advice of Phil, and I’ve been putting that into practice ever since. While it is possible to access Fraser’s flats by boat from Hervey Bay, many anglers are put off from fishing the western side

and you’ll regularly have the place to yourself. It’s actually only a 50-minute drive across the island in many parts. Provided there has been a bit of recent rain, the road has been graded and/or the overgrowth from the trees has been cut back by the rangers, the tracks can be quite an easy drive. Still, even if they aren’t in top condition it’s well worth the trip. SPECIES ON OFFER You’ll be amazed by the species on offer on bait and lures on the western flats of Fraser over winter. The most common species are summer whiting (to 39cm), bream and flathead, but for some reason the last few years have seen increasing diversity amongst our catches. This has included dart, grunter, trevally and even a couple of small spotty mackerel – and last year a 50cm snapper took a yabby in 3ft of water! I’ve found that the more diverse species move into the shallows of the flats (out from the deeper ledge that runs along the island’s

COMPETITION FRASER ISLAND ANNUAL TAILOR WEIGH-IN If you’re going to Fraser from August to September this year, be sure to take part in the Fraser Island Annual Tailor weigh-in at Fraser Retreat (see their Facebook page). Entry consists of a $5 donation per fish and there are some awesome prizes on offer. The money raised goes towards the Careflight helicopter service. due to the trip involved. Depending on where you are staying, places such as Wathumba Creek, Woralie Creek, Awinya Creek, Moon Point, Kingfisher Bay, Ungowa and the southern tip of the island around Hook Point can be a full day trip there and back, plus fishing time. It’s worth it though! As well as great fishing, you’ll see the incredible sights of the island’s changing landscapes, a vast array of wildlife (especially at night)

western side) after a southeasterly has blown for a couple of days. This does a few things. The discoloured water provides safety from overhead predators and also brings the baitfish in close to shore. The added wind chop also dislodges food sources from the sand/mud flats. Statistics from my fishing diary strongly support the case that after the southeast winds blow, the variety of fish on the flats increases significantly.

BEST MOONS AND TIMES One of the big advantages of using a fishing diary is the ability to spot patterns year after year and across seasons. Having kept statistics on our club catches over 20 years at Fraser – recording the catch along with moons, tides, water clarity, cloud cover, best baits and wind speed and direction – a pattern has developed. All it took was to plug these numbers into a spreadsheet and produce a pivot table with the results. Without a doubt, the quality of the fish, particularly whiting and flathead, has been best for our social fishing club in the four days leading up to the full or new moons. Once you pass these moon phases, the quality in particular drops away. The number of fish declines gradually in the first couple of days after a new or full moon but drops away further after that until the next cycle starts. Interestingly though, in terms of tide, both the rising and falling tide have been equally as successful for whiting, although the top or bottom hour or so of the tide is always very quiet with very little water movement. For flathead it’s a different story – by far the best tide is the falling tide, or the first two hours of the rising before the fish become too dispersed. BAIT FISHING THE FLATS Bait collection When it comes to bait, you’ll have the most success with fresh and live (for details on catching live bait from the beach or flats refer to my July QFM article on bait collection). The two best local baits for use on the western side of Fraser are beach worms and yabbies. While we have caught beach worms at some of these western locations, they’re not as common as they are on the

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Glassy conditions can still produce good fish with the right gear. eastern beaches so it’s best to bring some with you. We always use a mix of yabbies and beach worms when fishing the flats, as some days the fish prefer the worms (particularly whiting), while other days they will prefer yabbies. At other times both baits work equally well. In terms of yabby collection, one point I mentioned in the July article was pumping yabbies in the vicinity of the mangroves in the small melon holes and potholes that hold water at low tide. This is a great place to return to on the high tide as the fish come in to feed over those flats around the mangroves. Big whiting will move right in here in the shallows, particularly around dusk. When and where You have two options when fishing the flats with bait. The first option is to arrive with your live beach worms and fish the falling tide (starting about an hour after the turn to miss the quiet top of the tide period). The second option is to arrive two hours before the low, pump some yabbies to supplement your worms or as a standalone bait, and fish the rising tide. One of our favoured plans is to arrive, pump yabbies, then have our packed lunch at the dead turn of the tide period then fish the rising tide in the late morning/ afternoon. Once you have your bait, depending on your location and tide you could have either a long or short walk to the creek mouth or edge of the water. If it’s near high tide and you are around either mangroves or the tree-lined water’s edge, you should start at these locations. Once the tide starts to drop it’s a big advantage to use a quality pair of polarised sunglasses to spot the melon holes and small channels,

and fish those as the water retreats. I used to use cheap servo sunnies or even $50 models from tackle shops, but it wasn’t until I tried photochromic lenses that I realised the huge difference that quality sunnies can make. Before I owned good sunglasses, cloud cover made it too dark to spot the melon holes. Photochromic lenses, however, adapt to different light conditions and allow me to spot these key fish zones even on a dark overcast day. If it’s low tide when I arrive, my first target is

the rising tide. Sometimes it’s even worth taking a large stick to mark them, or take a portable GPS or use your phone’s GPS. Be aware that a portable GPS isn’t great if you’re wading some distance. It’s an added weight you can do without as you’ll be standing for long hours, already burdened with a good supply of water, tackle essentials and hopefully a few fish as well. Another very good location, especially from around mid-tide, is be the ripply water found at the

Pup with a good flatty. Note the drain and weed beds in the background. usually an elevated sand spit by the water’s edge, or to polaroid the water and look for melon holes or channels in front of me. On your walk out over the flats at low tide, take a note of larger melon holes/channels that are dry but will fill on

edge of a relatively high sand spit which is being covered with water. The water will make its way around the peak of the spit (where you should be fishing) and come in from two different directions, in front and to the side of it. This can

create a ripple effect over the covered section of the spit, especially when there’s a little chop on the water. The fish will often sit and feed at the edge of this spit and it’s a great spot to target whiting right on the edge. These high sand spits are often the best spot

your number one target is whiting, the cast and slow retrieve technique is best. The Alvey 500 size (5”) reel range (e.g. 500BC) is perfect for a slow, even retrieve technique, and it has the huge advantage of not getting ruined by saltwater. When you’re

for the fish to pick up the bait and pull the rod down gradually – and not a stiff, unforgiving tip which will create resistance to the fish and cause you to lose fish. I see this problem time and time again when I fish side by side with anglers using stiffer rods. I like to

using an Alvey and you land a fish in thigh deep water, you simply drop the butt of the rod, reel and all in the water while you remove your fish. No trying to juggle rod and reel under your arm while you extract a flapping fish. If you were unfortunate enough to drop a spinning reel in the water your session would either end early, or you’d end up paying a premium Fraser Island price for a new reel soon after. Rigs and rods A perfect whiting rig for the slow retrieve technique is an 80-90cm fluorocarbon trace, a no. 4 blood red Tru-Turn hook and, depending on wind, a no. 1 or 2 bean sinker. If you’re using an Alvey for bait fishing be sure to run the sinker between two swivels to help prevent line twist. Above the hook I like to use three or four pieces of 1cm long red tubing (rather than one single piece) with a bead sitting on top of them. This acts as an attractant to the fish. If you’re using a worm, make sure you thread the worm up and over the eye of the hook onto the line. Be sure to also make a few spare rigs and wrap them around a piece of pool noodle and place it inside a medium snap lock bag so the water doesn’t get to it. There’s nothing worse than your mates being on a hot bite and there you are making up a new rig! In terms of rods, I like to use something around 10’6” to 11’4” for distance casting, and which is light enough to fish with all day. I also like a flexible tip

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A feisty trevally caught using the tackle described in this article. to pick up grunter, bream, trevally and possibly even a snapper in the deeper water just off the edge, especially if the water is discoloured after a blow. A great spot for flathead on bait is the edge of the sand/mud and weed banks or even spot casting using your polaroids to pockets of sand amongst the weed. Some parts of the island also have rocky outcrops close to shore and these too can be great places to target flatties when the tide is full. But by far my favourite place for targeting flatties are the entrance to creek mouths, or even small drains running off the flats. They are top spots on a falling tide because the flatties sit at the entrance or edges of them waiting for the baitfish to flee to the deeper water as the tide rises. A tip if you do happen to hook a big flattie is to keep its head below water while you play it so as to avoid it shaking its head and cutting the line with its sharp gill rakers. If you don’t have a portable landing net, use a sideways sweeping action on the rod as you lead the fish towards the dry sand to limit the chance of the hook being pulled from its mouth. This will eventually allow you to slide the fish up sideways onto the dry sand. Techniques Depending on your target species, there are two main bait fishing techniques you can adopt. There is the cast, sit and wait technique which seems, from nearly 20 years of experience on the Fraser flats, to appeal more to bream. However, if you’re like me and

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use either a 11’4” Snyder Glas Crusoe Island or Gary Howard 10’6” Happy Hooker rod in fibreglass, or a 11’ Lox graphite surf rod. Tricks and pitfalls One trick I have learned from my previous experiences in the early 2000s fishing the flats of Narooma and Tuross in NSW is what I call the ‘wading shuffle’. We often fish in waders out on the western flats in winter, and the thick soles on the waders are very effective in creating a cloud of sand/ mud by dragging your foot in the sand. I like to do this particularly as the tide is rising and I then fish back into that cloud as I slowly retreat with the rising tide. It has a similar effect but on a much smaller scale to the wind stirring up the water, attracting fish to investigate the disturbance. A less desirable disturbance to the water is what I call the ‘claim jumper effect’. This is when your mates spot you catch fish after fish, so they decide to hastily wade over to where you’re fishing! This generally involves loud splashing and a direct path straight across the melon holes you planned to cast to on retreat with the tide. Claim jumping generally shuts the fishing down for at least 10-15 minutes as the fish retreat elsewhere. All I can suggest is that you call out to your mates to wade over quietly and come from behind where you are fishing. If they respond with “No thank you” (my mates use less polite words to that effect) I suggest you move yourself, but in a much

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Where Nature Comes Alive From page 65

more quiet, subtle fashion to the next spot and hope they don’t follow! LURE FISHING THE FLATS Lure fishing the flats can involve throwing poppers or walk-the-dog style lures for whiting, or small minnows or soft plastics for flathead, trevally, bream, grunter and even whiting. Much has been written recently about the throwing surface lures for whiting phenomenon and it’s worthy of an article of its own, so I’ll save that for another time. My focus here is on chasing flathead using soft plastics and small minnows on the flats. Rods, reels and tackle In terms of rod and reel, the lighter the better when you are walking and casting for a few hours. A 1000 size reel and 8-9’ high modulus graphite rod is light and perfect for this situation. The extra length (compared to 7’ boat rods) comes in handy particularly on days where there is a bit of wind. On those days a 7’ rod is just too short for making longer casts on the expansive shallow Fraser flats.

Why graphite? Although fibreglass rods will catch fish with soft plastics, they don’t deliver the same sort of sensitivity and therefore action to the lure. This is especially important when you’re using braided line, enabling you to feel every bump on the lure. If you feel a tap on your line transfer up the rod, strike! That tap is usually the fish closing its mouth on the lure. On sunny winter days on Fraser’s flats the water can be very clear so it’s important to keep your terminal tackle down to a minimum. I find that a reel spooled with 4lb fluoro braid and 8lb FC Rock fluorocarbon trace with an 1/8-1/4oz jighead (depending on the wind strength) is more than enough. The coloured fluoro braid lets you follow your line every cast, knowing not only when it hits the bottom (see lure action below) but also to spot gentle hits often only transmitted as twitches in the line as it is sinking, particularly in deeper water. Furthermore, at the business end you should

use a clear fluorocarbon leader of about 2.5m in length. The refractive (light bending) qualities of fluorocarbon line make it extremely difficult to spot underwater, especially when it has a really thin diameter. The lure action When working your lure you need to make sure it’s always on or near the bottom. Flathead like to bury themselves in the bottom, waiting to ambush any unsuspecting prey that comes within range. After you cast out, wait for the line to hit bottom and you will notice a big bow form in the line as the jighead digs into the bottom. You should then pause. Take up the bow in the line by winding your reel, then impart two or three gentle hops before letting your lure settle back down to the bottom and waiting for the bow in the line to form. Again pause, take up the slack, then hop, hop hop. Make sure you use your wrist to impart this lift and hop action, not your shoulder or whole arm, or you will end up very sore at the end of the day.

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The strike is very important when using a soft plastic. When you

as bream, whiting, grunter and trevally) than the tail type lures and some of

access from the front when you need it, but swivelled around to your back to have

Dusk and high tide is time to fish around the mangroves. strike you need to lift the rod straight up. The aim of the strike is to hook the fish in the top jaw. Strike, then keep the rod up and stay tight to the lure. Do not lift the rod up then loosely drop or it will pull the lure out of the fish’s mouth like a spring. When fighting the fish make sure you keep a nice bend in the rod to ensure the line is tight. You don’t want the fish to get any loose line or slack, which might allow it to shake the lure free. Finally, check your leader for any scuffs after EVERY fish and replace it when necessary. LURES AND OTHER ADD-ONS Throwing small minnows (such as the legendary Lively Lures shallow diving Mini-Micro Mullet) and soft plastics can largely involve fishing similar territory with similar gear. These places are outlined above in catching flathead on bait. The technique for fishing hardbody minnow lures is pretty simple. Once the lure has landed, pull down quickly on the rod to get the lure working the bottom straight away. It’s then a case of a gentle wind with some downward twitches thrown in to imitate a wounded baitfish. Make sure you wind all the way back to your feet; I’ve had fish hit lures in slightly discoloured water less than 2m in front of me just when I was about to quickly wind in to cast again. I love Lively Lures Mini-Micro Mullets in pink and grey ghost on the flats. When it comes to soft plastics, your choices are endless. There are all manner of plastics to use, but Gulp 3” Minnows have a habit of catching a lot more by-catch (such

the other fish shape lures. Zmans in fluoro colours also work well on the flats and have the advantage that they are much tougher and more flexible lures. In fact, with all the new lures on the market you might be surprised to hear the old Mister Twister double tail lure (probably the original plastic) still works on Fraser’s flats. These lures are still available online and I’ve caught fish on many of the colours in their range. I like to experiment on the flats and yep, those fluttering double tails still appeal to 21st century flathead! The only thing I change is adding some scents. When choosing a lure colour the rule is clear water = clear lure, dirty water = dark lure. Dark lures create a silhouette in dark water so they’re effective in dirty water and at night, provided there is a bit of moonlight. Tackle accessories Out on the flats it’s important to be well organised and keep your gear accessible but to a minimum. The Alvey Premium Wading Bag is handy for carrying your fish measure, long-nose pliers, spare rigs and a small tackle box of hooks and sinkers. And of course your fish go in the main compartment, which also has drain holes. If you are throwing lures, Lox have a brilliant shoulder bag that has a few compartments for a small wallet to fit your lures, tackle box for jig heads, braid scissors, spare fluorocarbon trace and a scent for the lures (and to mask smells on your hands such as sunscreen). The Lox shoulder bag can easily swivel around your body to give you easy

it out of the way when you are done. J-Roc Tackle also make a fantastic 3-in-1 lip grip (with electronic scales and measure) which is a great device for taking some quick pics holding a big flathead before releasing it. It’s relatively light too. I also like to have a rod bucket around my waist when bait fishing, and on the belt I carry my knife, Alvey Dry Pack (for my phone/camera inside another waterproof bag) and small Alvey Bait Bucket with air holes in the top to help keep the bait alive. Also don’t forget to carry a wet rag to handle the fish with. And of course you should make sure you wear light sun protection clothing, including a longsleeve shirt and hat, and don’t forget some water! Finally, wading the flats often means you’re a long way from an icebox. You can fit a light supermarket chill bag inside your shoulder bag with a small bit of ice to keep your catch cool. At the very least, keep your wading bag wet so that any catch stays as cool as possible. Either way, it’s wise to bring some ice over in an esky and leave it in the 4WD to take your catch home in. Be sure to add some saltwater to make it an ice slurry to keep your fish chilled and firm ready for filleting by the time you get back to your base on the eastern beach. And one last thing – don’t forget the midgie spray! They can be bad, especially at night. For more tips and up-to-date reports, and some fantastic fishing gear giveaways, look up Ontour Fishing Australia on Facebook. Until next time, bag your mates, not your limit!

Where Nature Comes Alive

Fraser Island’s west coast wonderland HERVEY BAY

Mark Bargenquast email@fishingmonthly.com.au

As a kid growing up in Maryborough I had easy access to the western side of Fraser Island via the small seaside townships of Maaroom, Boonooroo, Tuan, Poona and Tinnanbar. Maaroom was ‘just’ in range for long range pushbike trips from Maryborough with rods, my tacklebox and other accessories were all carried for the hour and a half ride to fish off the boat ramp, while begging parents usually resulted in being dropped off at the big Tuan boat ramp for a few hours of fishing. In due course a 12-foot Stessl tinny was bought with

sportfishing bug hit in the mid 80s after reading early Fishing World magazines and seeing pictures of some great fish with lures protruding from their mouths (your fault, Starlo!) looked exciting and I had to be part of this. I would never have dreamed that in 30 years the knowledge I would have gained working as a fishing guide and even bringing my own kids up doing what I loved would ever happen. The inside of Fraser Island is a massive area and with all types of fishing opportunities available for anglers, a boat is really needed to access the area. Land-based is limited but can be done for sure. Fishing land-based from Tinnanbar, Inskip Point can turn up some good pelagic activity,

Golden trevally are available on the inshore flats during the warmer months. a 5hp Mariner, and this really opened up a new world. And as usual the 12-footer went to a 14, then a 16 and so on! Early days were spent bait fishing with frozen prawns and squid, and catches of bream, whiting, grunter and the odd flathead and tailor were common. Then the

and in the mainland creeks can be good soft plastic territory for bream, whiting and flathead. Further north, Hervey Bay has the famous Urangan Pier that throws up some amazing captures from big barramundi, mulloway through to longtail tuna and the occasional big Spaniard.

For the boaties, the top end of Fraser is best accessed from Urangan Boat Harbor, which has very good launching facilities with a multilane ramps and pontoons. For those with larger vessels from 5m upwards, if you’re willing to run north some world class fishing can be had for the annual run of juvenile black marlin from mid October to December as well as massive schools of longtail tuna, mac tuna, various trevally, mackerel and queenies. Distances travelled are generally around 30-50km each way so take plenty of fuel! Further down in the bay from Arch Cliffs to Coongul Point there are a few reefy patches in 30-60ft of water that hold snapper, golden trevally and an assortment of species that are easily targeted on plastics, blades and deep trolled hardbody lures. Winter can see some very large cobia through this area, especially around the yakka and bonito schools. There’s cobia up to 45kg around at times, so fish accordingly! South of Moon Point the sea grass flats start with the famous Hervey Bay golden trevally flats in this area, although their numbers have decreased with commercial netting pressure on the juvenile schools. There is still a few about, and sightfishing for the occasional diamond trevally, queenfish, big GT or permit is also on the cards! From about Kingfisher Resort south, the channel narrows with a sharp rocky ledge that runs for kilometers right down the inside of Fraser past the old sand mining cutting, south of Ungowa. This ledge

Plenty of trevally species can be caught on Platypus Bay’s deeper reefs on plastics and jigs.

A nice barra caught in a Great Sandy Strait’s creek. holds all sorts of critters from barramundi, jacks, golden snapper, mulloway and black jew as well as the usual flathead, bream, sweetlip and tuskfish. At times schools of longtail and mac tuna venture down into this area, and I have even caught them inside the river mouth of the Mary! The Picnic Islands just south of Big Woody Island is a hot spot for queenfish, GT, goldies and in winter, big giant herring, tailor, brassy trevally, bream and plenty of squid. As you head further south past Ungowa logging camp the straits shallow into a maze of sandbanks and mangrove islands and even after 35 years fishing down there, I still am finding new areas and fisheries. This area is best accessed from Tuan with an all tide boat ramp. Maaroom is closer but at low to 1/3 tide, the channel is too shallow. There is some great whiting fishing with poppers and the usual baits of yabbies that are in the area in millions also work a treat. Flathead and tailor spinning can be pretty good during winter. With the comeback of the threadfin salmon population in SE QLD they too have infiltrated the area in numbers and when the prawns run from roughly February to May, they can be seen feeding on drain mouths on a run out-tide. I have seen the slow rise of their population over the past 15 years, and my view is they are actually getting a chance to breed in the river mouth now since the closed barra season has been in place. Barra nets catch them by the hundreds, we’ve scooped up thousands in a dip net right at River Heads boat ramp late February after the floods this year, and they were all 15-25mm long!

Releasing a juvenile black marlin on a northern Fraser Island flat. South of Fig Tree Ledge and the reef islands the Straits opens up again into more deeper seagrass country that is winter whiting country. The best part about this area is that in early winter big schools of longtail tuna come over the Wide Bay Bar and feed through the area. They come right in close to the bank, especially down towards Hook Point and have been caught from the bank on spin tackle. Right where the barges cross at Inskip is often where the tuna can be seen busting on bait, and some big Spanish mackerel can be caught inside

the bar here as well with fish up to 35kg being taken each year. The creeks on the mainland side have a small population of mangrove jacks and some wild bass. For bass, this is about as far north as they go in the wild but I prefer to leave these alone and chase stocked fish. Well, that about covers it in a nutshell. Of course, different weather patterns and tidal influences will slightly change where the fish will appear but give it a go, it’s a great sheltered playground for the keen sportfisher. AUGUST 2015

Where Nature Comes Alive

Fraser adventures offshore BRISBANE

Gary Howard

An offshore fishing trip to Fraser Island dishes up plenty of challenges when it comes to actually getting there, but there’s spectacular scenery on the way and magnificent fishing when you arrive. The waters off Fraser Island offer some truly

diverse fishing with an overlap of southern species like snapper and pearl perch mixed with a rich array of tropical fish species from the Barrier Reef. Fraser’s greatest claim to fame though is the mighty red emperor. Fish of 10-15kg (sometimes even bigger) put anglers and their gear to the test. The first challenge though is getting there, as you need to tow your boat

The waters off Fraser Island are famous for housing big red emperor. This one is just average at around 8kg.

along the island’s eastern beach and over a couple of rocky headlands. At times when beach conditions are a good it can be pretty well trouble-free. That’s rare though. More often than not there are a few tricky spots on the beach, and soft sand tracks behind the likes of Indian Head and Middle Rock before you end up at your final destination to beach launch in the gutters on the northern side of Waddy Point. GETTING THERE Most boats that are trailered up the island are 5-7m long. One you get over 6m you need to be well set up for the beach travel. To start with, make sure your trailer has plenty of clearance under the axles so you’re not dragging the trailer in the soft sand, as this is a sure way to get stuck quickly. Bigger and wider wheels are a good start. A wheel base that tracks the same as your vehicle is a big help too. Try to have your tow hitch so the draw bar is level. Make sure the load in the boat is distributed evenly so you don’t have too much on the draw bar or at the rear of the boat, keeping in mind that if you

When this photo was taken the gutter was right next to Waddy Point. It changes all the time. You need to watch that shallow white water right on the point, especially if there is a big swell.

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AUGUST 2015

get stuck in the soft sand it’s often easier to unhitch the trailer and get the car out than try to reverse in soft sand…not an easy task. Recovery gear is a must, with at least two if not three pairs of Maxtrax. These are placed under the wheels to give a hard platform to raise the vehicle and boat up out of the soft sand. They are an amazing piece of equipment. The last thing you want to do is spin the wheels and dig yourself a big hole, ending up resting on the body pan. If that happens you’re going nowhere. You’ll also want to bring a good, flat block of wood to put under the jockey wheel in case you have to unhitch, and a snatch strap. For big boats a second vehicle in front is always recommended, and when you come across those soft spots you should connect the strap so the front vehicle can pull you through, avoiding unnecessary recovery time. LAUNCHING AND RETRIEVAL When it comes to beach launching, if you’ve never done it before I recommend that you watch a few experienced people before you attempt your first time. An extended draw bar is a big help to put the boat further into the gutter and to keep the vehicle out of the surf. Gutter conditions aren’t always calm water. Have those Maxtrax ready too as the sand and water washing around your wheels can soon sink you down, more so on the retrieval as you have the weight of the boat to pull up the sandy slope of the beach. Keep an eye on the wheels and if they do start to sink, a little just drive forward or back a touch to keep from bogging. It’s a good idea to tell the entire crew what you are planning and have some standby action plans just in

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Parrot (venus tuskfish) are quite a common catch over the shallow grounds like the Gravel Patch.

Brown Maori cod are scattered over most grounds, and they love flesh baits. case something goes wrong. It all may look simple but I’ve seen plenty of mishaps. Just getting bogged is the least of your worries. A good team will know of pending problems and work quickly and efficiently in getting the boat in and out.

The same goes when it comes to heading out the gutter and through the breaking waves. Conditions on the water and gutter formations change all the time. Sometimes it’s easy, and sometimes it’s a nightmare.

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Where Nature Comes Alive Always have a life jacket on. If worse comes to worst and you have to jump out of the boat due to a roll over, jump out on the ocean side, not the beach side, as you will end up with the boat on top of you. Coming back in, ride the back crest of the wave. Don’t try to overtake it or run in front of the wave. You will run out of water or have the power of the wave behind push you sideways if it catches up. Even a small wave has plenty of power. Finally, be patient and watch the wave sets. If in doubt with rough or big seas, DON’T GO. That’s enough about the hazards, let’s move on to the fishing. CHASING REEFIES Because you never know whether your next fish will be a 1kg parrot or a 10kg red emperor I recommend a minimum of 50lb braid or mono. These days I prefer braid as you can fish with less lead as the line is thinner and has less drag in the current, which is often strong. Attach to this a 60lb or 80lb fluorocarbon leader. A 7’ overhead rod is pretty standard for these waters and, for most of the fish you catch, a quality 15-24kg rod will do the job well. Just remember if you do get a big fish, angle the rod down more and take the load over the stronger butt section rather than high stick and put the lighter tip at risk of snapping. For red emperor, you’re looking at a minimum 24kg outfit with either 65lb or 80lb lines. You’ll need it! The inshore grounds like the Gravel Patch are pretty big grounds, and once you have a few general marks you can progress to some of the better grounds after a couple of drifts and a bit of sounding around. When you’re repeating a drift never motor back over the same ground that you

Left: These are the isolated shows you like to run across. A good quality mixed bag was pulled from here. Above: The more isolated bumps on your sounder are likely to turn up better quality fish like these coral cod. are fishing. Do an arc back to your start point. When fishing here you’ll mainly catch a mix of parrot and assorted sweetlip (emperors), with the odd cod and wrasse. They are good grounds to get a mixed bag of 1-3kg fish. If you are looking for red emperor, trout, bigger red-throat and the like, you will need to look around a bit. A good angler always keeps an eye on the sounder while travelling. A bit of a show, no matter how small, is always worth a drop or two. It doesn’t take much to hold a couple of good fish. Isolated lumps and bumps I’ve found tend to be the most productive. When you pull the likes of trout, reds and cod from them you know it’s very likely that they haven’t been fished much. The fish are not always right on the mark so it’s worth doing a sound around or a few drifts. Farther afield, out on the shelf is the place to look for the schools of rosy job fish, pearl perch and

snapper. It’s deep water, 100-120m. The key here is to look for depth rises just off the shelf or small dog legs in the contour of the shelf on your maps. Once out there, zig zag back and forth across the shelf, as the fish can be on top or off the edge. The schools that we have come across out here on the odd occasion have been enough to make any angler envious, and when the fish aren’t biting in the shallows a trip out to the deep can change the day. It’s worth keeping that in mind. If, for example, the 40m zone isn’t fishing, try 60m, 80m or 100m and vice versa. At times, areas just shut down for no good reason. For baits, mullet and squid will get you started. Hussar are quite common in these waters and make excellent baits for red emperor. Take the fillets off the sides and try to keep as much of the fins and tail on as you can. On a big two hook rig the fillet sits nicely, waving in the

current. Big red emperor, among other species, love them. Just remember the hussar must be of legal size for you to keep them. And of course, you can always have a bit of fun jigging soft plastics as there are plenty of fish that will hit them in these waters. These waters truly do boast some exceptional and diverse species and we

haven’t even mentioned the pelagics. My best advice is to take medium and heavy tackle. Start with the basic rigs and techniques that you know and refine them if need be. And if you’re not catching fish in one area, move! Don’t be afraid to spend a bit of time travelling and looking for new grounds as this is how we have found some of our

more productive fishing spots and bigger catches. Once you’ve tasted what these waters can offer, I’m sure it will not be the last time you head to Fraser Island for some offshore fishing. It’s a vast area of ground, and as long as you keep fishing there you will find new spots to fish. It’s all a part of the adventure that keeps us going fishing.

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When you get out into 100m+ depths on the shelf you can find good shows of rosy jobfish, pearl perch and snapper.

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AUGUST 2015

Where Nature Comes Alive

Fraser’s fabulous tailor The two best months are definitely August and September, with anglers planning their trips around either the full or new moon. It just depends when they fall in the month. There are several reasons for this. Most fish are more active around these moon phases, feeding and spawning. Food and sex: powerful motivators and natural instincts for fish! Bigger tides occur too, so more movement of water and food result in a better bite for anglers. I’ve seen a spawn take place only once, and that was while I was standing on Indian Head looking at a school of tailor the size of a football field just

BRISBANE

Gary Howard

If you were to ask me where I’d like to go fishing tomorrow, Fraser Island would instantly pop into my mind. It’s given me a lifetime of good memories and good fishing and hopefully many more to come. I’m sure countless other anglers and their families would feel the same way I do – Fraser is just one of those unique places and it’s virtually on Brisbane’s back door. At this time of the year there’s an annual run of tailor along the northern beaches, in particular Fraser Island. This run is held high in the

the top of the tide, but usually early morning, afternoon and night are the best times to fish. When I say ‘early morning’ I mean before the first hint of light starts to sneak over the horizon. The bite continues until about 8am. Sure, you will still get a few fish if you are a late riser, but you’ll miss the best of it. If you are going to have a fish during the day, try changing to a metal lure and casting right out to the white water at the back of the gutter. Tailor take refuge during the light of the day in this zone. The afternoon bite starts about 4pm and is at its best as the sun disappears behind the dunes with their

When this photo was taken the fish hadn’t yet come on in this gutter, but after a few more hours of the making tide and darkness this became a productive little hole to fish. compromise. Go too heavy and you have the wind resistance on your cast and

the gutter. Additionally, all the striking at the fish when they hit is tough on knots

A slightly better class of fish taken on a flesh bait. Note that just the tip of the hook is inside the mouth. If not for the wire trace, this fish would have bitten its freedom.

Anglers gather for the afternoon bite of chopper tailor. This is a common sight at Fraser Island at this time of year. minds of beach fishos, some of whom consider it to be the Mecca of tailor fishing. Still, these seasonal runs (like all fish) vary from year to year. Generally the season starts in late July as the first run of fish move through. Most anglers pass up on the first run, which is often short. The few schools can move in and out pretty quickly.

to the north. In the calm waters the agitation of the tailor was clear and the dark brown/black colour of the school changed to a lighter colour as thousands of tailor released their milt. It was quite an awesome sight to behold. Fishing the moons you sometimes find there is a good daytime bite around

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shadows casting over the water. When darkness falls (around 6pm) the main run is pretty well done and the bite drops off. Tailor do feed well at night though, and this is when those big greenbacks of 3-5kg move in. To catch them you need to find the right gutter and be patient. CHOPPER TAILOR Before we get too excited about the big ones, let’s first have a look a catching a few of the more common schooling fish, or ‘choppers’, which these days average around 1kg. For this, a rod from 12’0” to 13’6” is about right, loaded with 6-8kg line on either an Alvey side cast or a spinning reel. Using a long rod is less about casting distance and more about keeping the line out of the wash and sweep. It avoids unnecessary drag, which will see your line wash up onto the beach quicker or down the gutter with the sweep. The same applies for the line strength that you use, which is a bit of a

that drag in the water due to the extra thickness of the line. Go too light to get better casting distance and you can often snap off while trying to cast a reasonable weight and pilchard out to the back of

and light line, with plenty of break-offs happening on the strike. If you are reasonably skilled, 6kg line is good for those smaller, chopper-sized fish. It’s hard fishing, so good gear and good knots are essential.

The terminal tackle is pretty basic and straightforward, though a few refinements will help you be more successful. I like to run about a 60cm length of 40lb fluorocarbon leader. It ties well, has good knot strength and doesn’t nick or fray easily. On average, a no. 5 ball sinker is placed between two black crane swivels about 10cm apart. The purpose of this is to reduce line twist due to all the casting and retrieving that you do, and it also prevents the sinker running back up the line when you cast, which reduces your casting distance. Fewer twists and tangles mean more time spent fishing. At the business end of the rig, 3 x 5/0 Mustad 4200 hooks ganged together will accommodate your average pilchard nicely. This is a straight eye, closed hook pattern so you’ll have to open the eyes and close them again when you make your rig. Before doing this, I place a small bend in the shank about 1cm below the eye of the bottom two hooks, but not the top third hook. When you put the three hooks together you

A bit of friendly father-and-son rivalry at dusk. Not much of a gutter but a few fish like this every night is hard to knock back.

Where Nature Comes Alive will see that the eyes now all lie in a straight line. This allows the pilchard to be pulled straight through the water, and the shanks now hold in firmly against the body of the pilchard. It all adds up to a bait that stays on the hook better and longer, and hooks up more positively. You will also find that you can put the pilchard on the rig faster than if you were using a greater number of smaller hooks. When the fish are schooling and feeding well

in the gutter, the cast and retrieve method works best. The speed of that really depends on the sweep in the gutter and how quickly the fish are hitting the bait. When they are really on the chew your bait can be ripped off before you even get the slack out of the line, so you need to be quick. The longer rod can also help you here as you can lean back on it, which aids in pulling that slack out. If the bite is slow and the gutter not too crowded,

Daytime spinning with lures lets you cast to the white water at the back of the gutter where the fish often hide. The period around the full moon is often the best.

Darkness and some better quality tailor are on the chew.

a slower retrieve where the bait can sink a little or even sit on the bottom will do the job. Be prepped all the way through the retrieve, as tailor travel those little low waves at your feet or move through the white water during the lower light hours. GREENBACK TAILOR If you think 1kg tailor hit hard and fight well, you’re going to love catching fish of even 2kg let alone big angry greenbacks of 3-4kg. For these fish you need a different approach and different gear. Find yourself a nice, short, deep gutter where the fish can come over the bank into the gutter and then move out of a northerly facing exit. Even better if there’s access out to the main back gutter. It’s a waiting game now. The big fish require heavier gear – at least 10kg line and a wire trace will join your fluorocarbon leader. If you don’t use wire those razor sharp teeth will snip through mono easily. Use at least 15cm from a swivel at the fluorocarbon leader to the hooks for the wire trace. I recommend still keeping the same leader above the wire for some extra protection and security to hang onto as you try to land the fish dragging it up the beach. There’s no just swinging them up into your arm like you do with choppers. The big fish will fight hard right to your feet and then some. Instead of a pilchard bait on a gang, the preferred bait is bonito or horse mackerel fillets. Not a massive bait, just big enough to load up a 5/0 octopus hook. I run a second 2/0 octopus hook above this as a stinger hook. It helps hold the bait up, preventing it from sliding down into a big blob, and it’s very efficient in hooking up as well. Guys who chase big tailor a lot often use long 15’ rods. Here it is about keeping the bait out in the gutter as long as possible. The big rod keeps the line out of the wash and in the gutter where it needs to be, waiting for those fish to move in. I’d like to say that the fish always hit hard and fast but plenty of times they don’t. You can get just a few nibbles that make you think it’s a small pesky bream or dart, then SMASH, you’re trying to stop the rod being ripped from your hands. And that’s what keeps you on your toes – the anticipation of the unknown. The times they do come in and hit hard, you well and truly know about it. The fish use every muscle in their bodies and the wave action to their full advantage. It’s an adrenaline rush that’s hard to beat.

Big fish moving into the gutter can be short and sweet so you should always

big or small, you should always bleed them. Cutting their throat and putting them

my fish fillets. You can buy a good quality portable unit and an inverter, which will

Look for a gutter where the fish can come in over the bank, exits in a N-NE direction and has access to the open gutter behind. Go back at night and gear up for the bigger greenbacks. have a second rod rigged up ready to go to avoid delays in re-rigging. Just imagine a few big bullies rushing into a room, running around causing chaos all over the shop before a quick retreat. That’s what I picture greenbacks doing. If there is enough bait about, they may stay in the gutter a little longer, bit if not, the handful of fish that do move in can be gone just as quickly. Whether the tailor are

head down in a bucket of cool seawater is the best way. If you are fishing during the day, change the water regularly. Don’t let the water go warm. Once you’ve finished the session, place the now clean and bled fish into the ice for a few hours. This firms the flesh, makes them easier to fillet and greatly enhances the texture and flavour of their soft flesh. These days I vacuum seal all

allow you to run it through the car’s cigarette lighter. This extracts most of the air from the back and excess water with a welded seal. It’s well worth the cost and effort in doing. There are many ways to cook tailor, but my Dad and I prefer grilled tailor with lemon pepper on toast and a cold beer at around about 10am (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!) See you on the beach!

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Where Nature Comes Alive

The Maheno wreck must stop

is a A little queenfish fr om Wathumba Creek

A pretty Kingfisher Bay sunset

ernoon t f a e h t g Cas tin y Rocks e n d i Y t a away

endly i r f e h t f One o locals

McKenzie Jetty Nobody likes leaving Fraser

Looking out from Cathedrals On Fraser

ay’ Fox Michael ‘Mullow pture with another ca

The western side is great to explore

ne call o h p a y nl Help is o way a

Rainbows do exist at Rainbow Beach

Manta Ray barge Inskip Point

A good way to end a day’s fishing

Bream are plentiful at Fraser in the cooler months

Rainbow Beach houseboat s

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AUGUST 2015

hing is s fi f r u s Fraser famous

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Any old mug can catch a fish

Magical Tiwi Islands GOLD COAST

Danny Sands

I recently experienced four days of fishing heaven in the Tiwi Islands. My friends Kirsten and Tony were posted to a remote indigenous community called Pirlangimpi on the edge of Apsley Strait, which divides Melville and Bathurst Island, and they invited us to fish with them. Flying into Pirlangimpi airstrip from Darwin took only 30 minutes, but all the pristine snake-like rivers and creeks seemed endless. For an angler, this view was magical. I just knew I was in for a good week of fishing. We got settled at Kirsten and Tony’s house and organised our fishing gear to set off the next day. DAY ONE We woke upon day one with a 20 knot southeasterly. Although Tony hadn’t been on Melville Island for very long, he already had the place wired up for all the fishing spots. I had wanted to target mackerel but he said we should chase golden snapper (fingermark) instead, so we headed to a reef in front of Dudwell Creek on the top end of Bathurst Island. We pulled up and bam, the sounder was alive with fish. Kirsten hooked up on the first cast. The fish pulled heaps of line until finally a big golden snapper was in the landing net, with a Kato Shadow soft vibe hanging from its mouth. At the end of an hour’s fishing we had 10 golden snapper up to 6kg, all on the Kato vibes. After a couple of hours catching golden snapper,

small black jew, javelinfish, blue salmon and a few cod, we decided to chase a barra in the mouth of Dudwell Creek. When we got there we had the welcoming committee to greet us with two big crocs liking the look of tourists in their playground. The barra were slow, but after catching queenfish one after another we decided to head home and cook up a feed of fresh golden snapper. What a great start! DAY TWO Day two was all about barra. After a late start we headed down Apsley Strait and fished Fuingatingerrany Creek. The locals call it Police Creek and it’s one of the longest creeks on Bathurst Island. To give you an idea of the sheer scale of this waterway, it’s roughly 40km

It started with a cold southeasterly and neap tides, and the barra were quiet. We cast lures at drains, mangrove roots and trolled hardbodies for a couple of cod, tarpon and a few oversize pikey bream. After a while we came to a deep corner in the second arm with overhanging gum trees. With the side scan on we started to count the grains of rice hanging tight to all the laydown timber. It turned into a hot little barra bite, with soft plastics like Zman Diesel MinnowZ and the Savage 3D Shrimps working well. All up we got 13 barra to 81cm, which was great fun on flathead spin gear. The boys decided to anchor up and wet some bait while we had lunch under the shade of the gumtree. They

A barra from Fuingatingerrany Creek that ate a Savage 3D Shrimp. Pirlangimpi

Melville Island

Bathurst Island

Darwin

One of the crocodiles that eyed us off. long with 16 arms coming off it and we fished only two arms in one day. It was fishing heaven.

Black jew pull like freight trains. TIWI ACCESS The Tiwi allow permit-free access to the intertidal waters of the southern sections of the Tiwi and Vernon islands and the eastern side of Melville, as well as the Aspley Strait (including associated rivers and creeks). Anglers in boats can access and fish in these areas provided they don’t go ashore*. If you want land access there are two designated camping areas at Camp Point and Robertson Creek, both of which require a permit. More information is available at www.tiwilandcouncil.com. *Regulations are different

for tour operators, permanent non-Tiwi residents and their guests.

ended up catching 14 golden snapper but, surprisingly, no mangrove jacks. I asked Tony why there weren’t any jacks, and he said he didn’t know and that some creeks produced barra and golden snapper together and other creeks produced jacks and barra. DAY THREE With the southeasterly easing on day three we decided to chase a few black jew about 10km northwest of Dudwell Creek. These waters are uncharted on the maps and rely on good local knowledge to navigate. We went to a patch of reef that came up from 15m to 8m, and fished it the hour before and after high tide. We got slammed in the first 30 minutes, and got four bustoffs between us. Black jew pull some serious drag and definitely pull a mulloway backwards (as David Green had warned me). In 8m of water the 4000 twin power and a 10kg spin rod, which I use for mulloway on the Gold coast just didn’t cut it. But still we ended up with six black jew that morning between 70-110cm. This is a truly diverse fishery system and every day we fell in love with it even more. Over our three days of fishing I didn’t see one

other boat fishing – a far cry from the busy Gold Coast Broadwater. Kirsten, being the principal of the local school, invited Peter and I to meet the local kids on the last day. I bought them a Sherrin AFL ball and had a quick game with them, which was great fun and topped off an unforgettable week. LAST SESSION With only five hours left we decided to hit the local creeks near the boat ramp. These creeks had a different look from the other creeks in the system, with white sand at the mouths and nice clean water. Tony trolled while Peter and I cast lures at fallen trees and mangrove roots. I was first to hook up a nice mangrove jack on a Savage Manic Prey lure, then Peter was on with a feisty barra. We pulled four jacks and three barra from one little creek. The next creek really produced the goods; we got 17 jacks to 45cm and three barra to 69cm in a single short session. Every fallen tree had jacks on it. They were like a pack of dogs, fighting over our lures. The bigger the lure, the feistier they got. We called it a day after the hundredth “this is the last cast”. It was a mad scramble

back to the boat ramp, then we cleaned the boat, packed our gear away and raced to the airport. In no time we were on the small plane flying back to Darwin, looking down at those snake-like creeks and rivers on

Melville and Bathurst islands and thinking “how good is this place!” I was chuffed to experience the indigenous culture of the Tiwi people and the most diverse fishing a angler could wish for.

We pulled four jacks and three barra from one little creek. AUGUST 2015

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Try going for gold CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

If there is one supreme family of fish it would have to be the Lutjanids. With a lineage that includes, red emperor, saddle tail snapper and mangrove jack, the Lutjanid family would be hands down one of the most popular

target species for anglers in Australia and throughout the world. However, when you cast your eyes over this impressive family of fish there is one particular member that stands head and shoulders above the rest – Lutjanus Johnii, or what is more commonly known as the golden snapper. Lutjanus Johnii goes by many names and it has only been in the last decade that

This medium sized golden was taken from the headlands snared in the background. Local anglers of the Cairns region will recognise this as Kings Point, a known big fingermark spot.

it has acquired the ‘golden snapper’ tag; its rebrand was designed to make it more appealing on the seafood retail market. Golden snapper are also known as the ‘chopper’ due to its large piercing teeth, ‘big scale red’ because of its large scales and mangrove jack appearance, and finally ‘fingermark’ due to the large dark imprint on the top corner of its body. Golden snapper are also commonly snared in big numbers from the Pacific Islands, Asia and right through to African waters. On one of my last trips to Singapore I had the opportunity to wet a line with some local anglers who regularly target big golden snapper on micro jigs in their local waters with huge success. Whatever the name or wherever they are caught, one fact never changes and that is golden snapper are a very special fish for so many reasons. Unlike many of the other Lutjanid species, golden snapper are not considered a coral reef fin fish and is categorised as an inshore

Golden snapper are not just an offshore species, they can be taken fishing the same way for barra and jacks and will readily take lures and baits up creeks.

If plastics are not your thing, live squid are the best option if you want to use bait. 76

AUGUST 2015

Artificial structures, like jetties, are a great spot to find goldens. Here the author is hooked up to a big fingermark that was hooked close to the pylons. When you hook up make sure you get out quick as these fish will punish you if they get the chance and know how to fight dirty. estuarine species, even though it can be caught 30km+ offshore. Not dissimilar to their cousin, mangrove jack, golden snapper can be targeted in creeks and rivers right through to offshore environments. However, unlike mangrove jack, size does not dictate when these fish move offshore. Fish up to 80cm can be regularly targeted in deep river systems from the Central Coast right through to the tip of Queensland and beyond. Smaller fish can also be found in deep offshore waters and are certainly not restrained from staying in the protected waters of creeks and rivers. Not much is known about the motivations and movements of golden snapper but one thing is for sure, they prefer to live in big schools. I have regularly seen schools of 100+ fish while free diving. These schools tend to include fish of similar size, which poses an interesting scenario for anglers as golden snapper spots can often be classified into big fish spots or small fish spots. For example a particular spot I fish out of Cairns will only produce fish from 70cm upwards and these particular spots are very special. I call them goldmines as they only produce big trophy fish. Finding goldmines is quite difficult so be prepared to put in the hours searching as they tend to be very isolated and very small in size, in regards to structure. Isolated rocks or rubble patches between 60-100ft of water are the best places, and a good starting point is predominant headlands that jut out into deep water. These headlands offer three factors that can help identify golden snapper country. Firstly, at some point they probably stretched out further, but after years of weathering and erosion, parts of the headland have fallen away leaving

submerged isolated deep water structure. Secondly, deep water headlands can

wrecks, often the bigger fish will not inhabit the wreck structure itself but prefer to

Small isolated rubble patches like this one presented here are the perfect ingredients for a goldmine. Take note of the green showings that represent bait and the red showings, which represent fish. Finding the structure is a good start but look for these signs as well. create sweeping currents that converge bait and create gutters and ledges that golden snapper love to inhabit. Finally, the rocky bases of headlands create caves that golden snapper love to hide in. A prime example of this is Kings Point in the Cairns area, which is a renowned big golden snapper ground as it has all these three characteristics. One effective strategy when exploring these areas is to start close to the headland and work your way out until you find changes in the bottom or, even better, isolated structure. Golden snapper can also be found on

hang on smaller structure away from it. This way the fish will move in on the wreck when it is time to feed and then leave it when they have had their fill. This is important as many anglers will target the main structures of wrecks and overlook what may be surrounding them, which is often where the fish will be laying. Deep water jetty structures are also a top spot to target golden snapper. Spots like Abbot Point Jetty in Bowen and the Sugar Loading Jetty in Lucinda are both renowned for big golden snapper if you can crack the pattern.

When targeting these deep water golden snapper, soft plastics are your best option. Bouncing big jerk shads, grubs and squid style plastics in the bottom third of the water column is an effective method to get a bite. When the fish are a little finicky, dead bait your plastic particularly if you are using a scented plastic. I have lost count on the amount of big goldens snared using a dead sticked plastic compared with one that is being jerked and twitched. On occasion goldens will bite the soft plastic similar to bait and the angler is best to strike and set the hook. On other occasions they will slam you like a mangrove jack. Once they do hook up they will do their best to bury you in the structure below and have a very similar attitude to a mangrove jack. When using soft plastics I prefer to use a 30-40lb Sunline FC Rock or FC 100 fluorocarbon leader. These fish are incredibly hard to fool so you need a top quality leader to provide the best presentation possible. You also want a leader that can take a tonne of punishment from what is essentially a fully loaded mangrove jack on steroids. If you prefer fishing with bait then it needs to be either super fresh or live. Live squid is the ultimate bait for golden snapper. Because of this, many bait anglers will only target goldens at night as it allows them to catch their squid fresh and then send them down below. The best way to catch squid at night is by attracting them to the boat using a light. The light initially attracts small baitfish that eventually entices the squid. Squid lights don’t have to be elaborate, I simply use a Styrofoam crab pot float with an underwater torch inserted into the centre hole. Once you attract them to the light you can either catch them with a long net or try and lure them with a squid jig. An effective bait rig for chasing deepwater goldens is a running sinker onto an 8 or

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The author with his personal best golden snapper caught on a soft plastic. This fish pushed over the metre mark, which is a rare capture.

Black jew are also a common by-catch when chasing golden snapper. 9 circle hook. I prefer to use Wilson’s Octopus Circles for large squid or the Fine Wire Demon Circle Hooks for smaller squid. These hooks are yet to break on me and compared to others, which I have used in the past. When rigging your live squid just slip the hook around 5cm from the arrow of the squid

and send it back into the water as soon as possible. Try to use as little weight as possible bait at the same time you need to get your bait on the bottom. Golden snapper can also be targeted in shallow waters and creeks. The main areas to focus on are around deep holes or around the mouths of

Matt Coxon with a trophy golden snared on a Berkley 7” jerk shad. Sometimes dead drifting big jerk shads can be more effective than working them through the water.

creeks. They are commonly targeted by anglers using vibe style lures or soft plastics fished along the bottom. Keep an eye out for rubble patches or small ledges as these fish don’t need much structure to school. One technique, which I have not yet given enough attention, is trolling large hardbody lures. Big golden snapper are commonly targeted in shallow water by trolling hardbody lures, particularly when fishing water less than 30ft. Golden snapper, like all lutjanids, are highly aggressive and will smack a big lure put in the right spot. Trolling around headlands, isolated ledges or structure in shallow water is the best way to do this and can produce some very large fish. Golden snapper can be targeted all year round but bite the best in the warmer months between October and March. While they are not subject to the Coral Reef Fin Fish Closures they still spawn in a similar way to coral trout over the new moon in spring, which sees them ball up in huge numbers and become very hungry. Other species that are commonly caught when chasing golden snapper are black jew and grunter, so if you are hooking these fish you probably aren’t too far off the golden mark. Golden snapper are very slow growing and research by the Northern Territory DPI has shown that fish above 80cm are more than 20 years old and the majority of these big fish are females. Therefore, it is very easy for anglers to wipe out spots if moderation is not shown. The other important factor is that golden snapper caught in depths exceeding 8m will not survive release and therefore are not to be considered a catch and release option in these conditions. They are a special fish, taste superb and rightly deserve the top position in the Lutjanid family.

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Sails ahoy for billfish WHITSUNDAYS

Luke Griffiths

Dry July – I couldn’t do it and neither could the rain! We have seen some more showery rain this month along with the persistent strong winds. However, we have had some glamour days out on the water, which have resulted in some great fishing. On the nicer days we have ventured to the outer reefs and they did not disappoint. Solid catches of red-throat emperor and coral trout were the norm on every trip we managed out there. Although the coral trout have quietened off a little with the colder weather, they are definitely still there and will fall for the usual baits. Nevertheless, red-throat emperor are making up for it! We are seeing them in plague proportions on the reefs and will continue into the next month. Fishing the reef edges and deeper reefs will produce red-throat that can be caught on a standard paternoster rig, however the running ball sinker to hook rig the best. Red-throat make for an excellent meal so chasing a few of them should definitely

be on the cards this month. Despite the inclement weather this month we have seen some nice clean water through the Whitsundays,

usually just wide of the islands. In these cleaner waters we have been seeing good numbers of billfish hanging around. Some reports

There have been quite a few sailfish around this month. Look for the bait and they won’t be far away.

Macks have been hard work but the rewards are worthwhile.

of smaller black marlin being caught are a great sign for the upcoming season. We have also caught some great sailfish this month, which are a welcomed sight. Don’t be afraid to run some well positioned skirts out, as you may bag yourself a billfish. Just look for the bait and the billies shouldn’t be far away. Remember, if you are lucky enough to land one of these unicorns that you look after the fish. We all want them released in good health to live to fight another day. Speaking of unicorns, we have caught a couple of snapper (the southern variety) during these cooler months, which is unusual for this region. All fish have been 7kg+ and were great to catch. Although a welcomed surprise for us fishing the bottom, it’s not so much for our southern customers trying to catch something else other than snapper! However, we will take them any day. On the bottom out around the shoals and reefs (besides snapper), we have seen the usual numbers of nannygai gracing us with their presence. Look for the making tide on the shoals and similar for these guys and you should bag a few for dinner. Speaking of the dinner table, we have caught some great red emperor this month and next month should be no exception. While these fish live close to structure, look around just wide of it

on the rubble patches to find a few of these impressive red fish. Paternoster rigs loaded with large flesh bait will bring them unstuck. Hold onto your hats though as they do know where they live and will give it their all to get back home. The tell tale signs you have a nice red on are the powerful lunges and the fight all the way to the top. You will be in

techniques and you should nail yourself a mack. As always with the macks, caution is required once on board as their razor sharp teeth have no problem opening up our soft human flesh. It’s a bad end to a fishing trip, speaking from experience! If you intend on heading out this month

A surprise capture off the bottom – a southern snapper is a rare catch in the Whitsundays. for one hell of a fight and one tasty meal that’s for sure. For a tasty meal you can’t go past Spanish mackerel and we have been catching plenty. Although they have been hard work recently, they are still there and are worth the effort. Trolling baits, lures and jigging have been working for us and it will just depend on the day what they want to eat. So be prepared for all

please take care as we are seeing increasing numbers of whales. Always maintain a good lookout for these impressive mammals when on the move, especially in the darker hours of the day. • If you’re interested in a game, sport or reef fishing charters around the Whitsundays, give Luke a call on 0429 724 822 or email info@ renegadecharters.com.au.

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The reds have been keeping everyone busy.

Bream save the day in Burdekin estuaries AYR

Steve Farmer

This year might go down as one of the windiest on record for Burdekin (and probably all east coast anglers), with persistent south easterlies being made even worse by occasional drizzly rain. Bluewater anglers have had their wings severely clipped, while keen estuary fishers are battling on in less than perfect conditions. A week or two of that magical winter weather we all long for at this time of year is well overdue. Fortunately, the creeks have been producing the good old stalwarts of whiting, flathead and bream. For example, the bream saved the day for Tianna Stanton-Cook, Matt Farmer, Joel Casalegno, Brodyn Casalegno and Corbin Reid just last weekend. They fished Morris’s Creek and the large tides resulted in heaps of run, making the fishing difficult. Eventually they found a backwater that the bream liked too, and ended up with 9 pikey bream to 32cm and a cod of 45cm. They retraced their steps the next day and added a further 5 legal bream to their tally from the same backwater.

Similar catches are being reported from many estuaries and beaches across the district. June is a little early for bream, so hopefully the reasonable numbers being taken now are a sign of some good estuary fishing ahead. Interestingly, while many Queensland anglers refer to the pikey as a black bream (understandable considering its colouration), Grant’s Guide to Fishes makes the point that our northern pikey is not a black bream at all. The true black bream is caught in brackish estuarine waters of the southern states. According to Grant, the northern pikey bream grows to 55cm and is a tough opponent on light tackle. It is also good eating, making it a popular target at this time of the year. Flathead are also still fishing well, although howling south easterlies and drizzle can make a day luring the sandflats a little less appealing than it should be. Like the bream, the flathead might not be the most glamorous species in the creek, but they have saved many an otherwise fishless day on the water. AUGUST ACTION AHEAD Hopefully the last month of winter will make up for the windy conditions we had to

put up with early in the season. August often produces warmer temperatures and lighter winds, making it easier to get out of bed and hit the water. Bluewater anglers will be looking for any opportunity to hit the shoals in the hope of picking up a late run Spanish mackerel or three. There should still be good numbers of Spaniards about, although they will be declining over the next couple of months so get out there while you can. Expect other pelagics such as cobia, trevally and tuna to add a bit of variety to your day’s sportfishing. In the creeks, bream numbers should still be strong, with larger fish more prevalent at this time of year. A light spinning or baitcasting outfit (around 4-6kg), minimal lead, and a strong, sharp hook are all you’ll need. If you’re fishing snaggy or rocky areas, a heavier leader may reduce the number of cut-offs. Best baits for bream are prawns (try peeling them), small slabs of mullet or squid. Fresh is definitely best. As the weather warms up, grunter (also known as javelin fish) should be increasing in the estuaries and off the beaches, although school grunter seem to have been on

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Joel Casalegno, Brodyn Casalegno and Tianna Stanton-Cook found a backwater that produced early-season bream. the bite throughout the year. Prawns, yabbies, slab mullet and chunks or whole herring baits will tempt the school fish. There are actually 2 types of grunter in our creeks — the barred or spotted grunter and the silver or small spotted grunter. These species can be difficult to distinguish from each other though. This can be a problem as the former has a legal size of 40cm, while the latter’s legal size is 30cm. Both species have a bag limit of 10. Salmon may also make an appearance in our estuaries any time now. They can arrive

during the winter months, but often numbers peak in spring with the first of the northerly winds. Salmon respond enthusiastically to a variety of baits, but especially small live or dead whole baitfish such as mullet and herring. They are also easily taken on lures such as small minnows, soft plastics and metal slugs. Look for signs of them surface feeding and cast around the edges of the school. A heavier mono trace is recommended to avoid being rubbed off with their sandpaper-like jaws.

Finally, by the time you read this, spring will be just around the corner, so I wouldn’t hesitate to do a little prospecting for mangrove jack or even barra towards the end of August. Actually, both species fished fairly well right through into the cooler months, so they might already be in residence and keen to respond to a well-placed minnow. It’s worth a try. At the very least, check over your jack lures and replace any rusty or blunt trebles in readiness for a jack attack as soon as the weather warms.

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New shop, new tackle, new fish TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

There’s been plenty happening for us over the last month, and the biggest news for us has been the purchase of the Pro Tackle store in

Townsville. Combining the 2 stores will ensure our growth and ability to deliver the best available service in the area. It’s an exciting time, and allows us to continue previous owner Peter Hazard’s legacy of community support and keeping the old school tackle

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store alive and thriving. The internal changes to the store itself have been exciting as well, and the response from our customers has been amazing. As they say, you give support where you get it, and we’re happy to support the local clubs and fishos. Being a completely independently owned store allows us to deliver customer services major chain link stores just can’t, so come and see what everyone’s talking about — from premium custom packed baits to reel servicing by Australia’s most creditable reel engineer, Daniel Erskine, who works his magic from the Precision Reel Engineering or PRE, workshop at the Akwa Marine store at 16 Dean Street, South Townsville. FISH ARE FIRING While the days have cooled off, the fishing is heating up and the mackerel bite is happening everywhere from inshore to the outer reef. All the traditional techniques are getting action. Trolling gar, both on downriggers and skirted skipping baits has been accounting for plenty of Spanish, and as far as lures go, the faithful Laser Pro 190 is racking up plenty of captures. Apparently there have been plenty of tuna schools smashing bait off the surface as well, and the light line guys have been having a ball on the speedsters. The inshore reefs have been smothered in trevally of all descriptions, and the hard fighting diamond trevally have been stretching plenty of the soft plastics and micro jig brigade. Halco have just released their new micro jig contribution, the Outcast,

which comes in several weights and is ideal for the reefs and shoals that see large populations of lure eaters inhabiting them. Available in 40, 60 and 80g weights, they come fitted with the best available componentry and are set to take this market head on. Snapper fishers down south right through to the trout, fingermark and nanny brigade of the north will welcome this affordable addition to their tackle boxes. Actually, the species list that these relatively small lures are accumulating is quite astounding. Fingermark have been patchy, but in the 10-15m depths have been reasonably consistent, with the average fish around the 70cm mark. Many of the deeper reefs are packed with GT and even queenies, but the welcome news is that the cobes are around in big numbers. When you find the schools, they’re taking all sorts of things from lures to dead baits. You

Young Tannhym ‘Fang’ Hodge with his PB barra taken on, of all things, a mullet fillet meant for a bream or jack in the rough and dirty waters of the Ross. can only imagine what will happen to a livie fed down anywhere near one of these big boofheads. IN THE RIVERS Salmon have been coming through in schools, and mixed in with them are tarpon up to 70cm and small queenfish, with the odd giant herring thrown in just to mix the bag

The author has been trialling the new Samurai Runoff series of rods just recently and has been extremely impressed with their capabilities. With the bigger jacks around at the moment, the extra bit of guts in the butt section is a great help in extracting them.

up a little. I always have a 2” prong rigged and ready to throw at these acrobatic sportfish, and even though some of the schooling fish may not be crash hot on the table, they pull a heap of light line and keep you giggling as they cartwheel around the boat. They are a great way to bend a rod when the jacks and barra are a bit slow, but that hasn’t been a problem of late, as both species have been playing the game nicely over the last couple of weeks. Reasonable numbers are smacking lures over a session. The size has increased also, yet just a month ago the jacks were very much on the small side and it was hard to find a legal fish amongst the captures. This month’s been more productive. Some of the bites have been brutal as you lose line, and sometimes lures, as they head back into to the snags. I don’t mind the lure losses at all, and when you come to a good snag you need to be on your game, as jack To page 81

It’s fish on – if we can get to them LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton

I’ve been checking the weather forecast daily, and every time it’s disappointing. That’s typical for winter though I guess, with those persistent southerly trade winds never letting up. It’s maddening because I know there are so many hungry fish out there, and during August they really start chewing their heads off. We just need to get the weather windows to shoot out and get the rods bent and test those drags out. HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL Last month the channel shut down big time at the Lucinda end, but there are rumours of the northern end (Cardwell) still producing some good fishing. There are good catches of flathead and black bream which is normal as both species love the colder, clearer water. Silver javelin (grunter) have also been on the bite, especially fishing those rubble holes in the creeks. Peeled prawns, squid and fresh herring are great baits for grunter. Rigging one of these baits on a running sinker rig with a hook no bigger than a

3/0 should see you get the bite and hook the fish. Remember to give the fish a little bit of line before striking as grunter always mouth the bait and swim away with it while swallowing. Strike too soon and you may miss plenty of fish and go home with a few less delicious fillets. Grunter seem to move in with the tide and swim in schools as they hunt over the sandbars and rubble patches. They also seem to hang around the same areas as blue salmon. The mouths of Waterfall and Bluff creeks are both wellknown spots for grunter fishing, and both creeks have a few nice holes up them as well to explore. Be ready as grunter seem to come through in waves and may produce a frantic bite for a short time with all rods getting hit. Then, just as suddenly, they can go off the bite. A likely reason is that the school has moved on, meaning you’ll have to hope for the next school to swim by. The flathead fishing during winter in Lucinda is amazing. During the summer months you can fish all day and not see a flathead, then during winter absolutely smash them. It goes to show that fish are creatures of habit. Sometimes success comes simply from spending time on the water

and working out a particular species’ patterns. The barra and jacks are sulking in the cold water, and it can be a long day trying to get one to bite. The best bet is to give them a go at the best stages of the tide, and I suggest around sunset as they seem to have a little feed just on dark as most fish do. Downsizing your lure or plastics will also push the odds in your favour. I have had good results using Zman 3” MinnowZ rigged on 1/6-1/4oz TT jigheads (3/0), fished slow and twitchy around snags and drains. Plastics and hardbodies of this size are perfect for fish to ‘snack’ on even if they’re not particularly hungry. Fingermark bream (golden snapper) will also be schooling up in the river mouths and hanging around deep structure where there is good current flow and plenty of bait. JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF The jetty is on fire. It is seriously so much fun out there during winter months with GT, queenies and mackerel fighting for your offering! If you get the right day and the right timing you will have trouble winching the boat back onto the trailer, as your arms will be sore from fighting fish. If sportfishing is your thing, head out there in the

morning and start off with some surface action using poppers. Hang off the jetty as much as possible and make long casts into and under (if you’re game) the pylons. I find that if there has been boat traffic or if you spook fish by getting too close to the jetty, you’ll have trouble getting fish interested. Also pay attention to your sounder. ide scan is invaluable in this situation as you can find where fish are hanging, and it cuts down plenty of time trying to find them. Mackerel At the time of typing this article I haven’t put a mackerel in the boat yet as the weather has been horrid, but I know for a fact that they are out there in massive schools. They’re hungry and they want to tear whatever you throw at them to bits. Mackerel are easy to catch when they’re on the bite. Trolling lures or gar in the first few hours of the morning or around the last few hours of the day will produce fish. Mackerel hunt close to the surface under low light conditions, and during the day they will head deeper and not be as aggressive. If you haven’t fished for Spanish macks by using

Time to target grunter. This one ate a Z-Man 3” MinnowZ. surface lures you are missing out on a fantastic visual treat. A hooked Spaniard will get massive air most of the time with your popper in its mouth or missing it completely, and simply it makes your jaw drop to the floor and the adrenalin pump through your body. Find the bait schools and you will find the mackerel; it’s that easy during winter. Reds and nannygai Reds are also in closer now, and the wrecks and rubble can produce some cracker fish for the lucky anglers in the right spot at the right time. If you get the weather and brave the cooler nights, the nannygai can rip you out of the boat and the odd big red emperor will

also jump in on the action. If you’re serious about cracking into bigger reds, try taking the time to gather some live baits as it should give you a good edge. Find your spot, drop anchor and get comfy as it can be a long, cold night. Still, when that rod loads up it can get serious very quickly. Marlin Marlin are here also and so far I have punched out into the slop once and got one around 25kg boat-side and jumped off another. I’m absolutely hanging to get out there and put solid hours into locating good bait schools and hopefully hear that drag scream. Nothing gets the heart beating like when that big ratchet howls. Keen?!

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Mackerel mayhem – nobody misses out when they’re on. From page 80

fights are won or lost in the first few seconds. I’m using the new Samurai Runoff series of rods at the moment, and my favourite for the jacks is the 10-17lb model that has the all-important soft tip for skipping and flicking the lighter lures. Resting on top is the Shimano Chronarch Ci4+ 150 that takes little all effort to cast. Spooled with Unitika Braid and 30lb fluorocarbon from the same stable, it’s the perfect combo for jacks in the sticks. I have a tendency to fish things to the limit, and in the sticks a decent jack or barra will give you some stick on this outfit, but most of the fish can be extracted — apart from the odd smoking by an unstoppable. I find it boring to know that I am going to land every fish I hook, and

it’s walking the fine line of redlining your outfit to stop them that I enjoy. The barra are taking all sorts of lures, from deep vibes and plastics through to the shallow diving Laser Pro 3 Hookers, and plenty of visual bites have been keeping the nerves on the twitchy side after every cast into a likely spot. Mangroves around the river mouths at high tide have been fairly consistent. There doesn’t seem to be too many big fish amongst them, but a barra that is just over legal, which is the average, is still great fun in the tiny drains and submerged branches of the sticks. When the wind drops out you can sight cast to them, but when they are up top like this, try not to land the lure too hard on the surface as this can spook them. Try putting it just past them, waddle the lure back into

their zone, and then watch the action unfold. Morrisseys, the Houghton, Alligator and the Bohle all have some pretty impressive crocs in them, and this time of year they can be seen sitting up sunning on the banks, which is nothing new. It’s those that are regularly being spotted off the beaches and around the marinas that is a bit spooky. We have plenty of people relating close encounters in the store at the moment, so don’t think you’re out of harm’s way just because you have street lights soaring above you. Hopefully the wind will have gone away by the time you read this, and with plenty of anglers coming in to stock up on bait in preparation for a break in the weather, the new boat ramp complex on the Ross River should be copping a workout.

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Less wind means more fishing CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s been a tough winter to date, so here’s hoping that August will see more sun than rain and a lot less wind. On the few occasions anglers have been able to venture out wide, the fishing has been great, with trophy sized red emperor, largemouth nannygai and coral trout on the bite. The estuaries, which have seen by far the most angling activity, have been ticking along without reaching any great heights. Mangrove jack, mediumsized golden snapper, bream and grunter have been the main players. Mackerel have been about but the winds have restricted opportunities to get out after them. A poor wet season is invariably followed by a wet and windy winter but here’s hoping the worst of it is behind us and there will be less wind and more fishing this month. August is a premier month for reef fishing, when the winds cooperate, with excellent catches of reds and trout the main attraction for bottom bashers. Sports fishos will be focusing on mackerel, especially Spaniards and the serious adrenalin junkies will be chasing billfish. There have been recent reports of small black marlin being tagged at the wide grounds, along with the odd sailfish. Here’s hoping for a repeat of 2013, when the small blacks went ballistic off Cairns. Sportsfishos looking for a more serious workout can focus their efforts on flicking poppers along the reef edges, current lines and around wrecks, for monster giant trevally. Chasing these brutes of fish will certainly

give you a solid work out. Retrieving poppers at full tilt gets the heart rate up and it will go into overdrive when a car bonnet sized monster smashes your popper. Red emperor and large mouth nannygai will be schooling in the deeper water, with plenty of trophy fish amongst them. There will be nannygai in the 8kg+ range and the odd red emperor topping the magic 10kg so make sure your gear is up to the task. Night will be the most productive but there will be plenty of activity during the day, especially early and late. The shallow water will

the hook. It’s quick and easy to replace if you get snagged or bricked by a big one and is less likely to snag up than most other rigs. A whole pilchard threaded through the left eye, down inside the body for the full length of the hook and out the top of the fish, works a treat. The pilchards need to be good quality or they get picked off too easily. If there are a lot of picker fish stealing your pilchards then use fillets of picker fish, with a bit of bone in them, to keep a bait on the hook long enough to let a trout find it. Having a bit of fin on the bait, especially if it’s yellow,

Carl Smith won the battle with this trophy giant trevally while in Cairns as part of the executive of the Cairns Ironman Triathlon. see trout feeding up in preparation for spawning and August is considered one of the best months to chase trout. Trophy trout, over 5kg, are quite common this month. The simplest and most productive rig for trout is an 8/0 or 9/0 long shank hook, with a number 4 or 5 pea sinker straight up against

also seems to help attract trout. Keep the bait moving, to gain the trout’s attention. If you haven’t had a bite in 30 seconds to a minute, lift the bait, sharply, a metre or so and let it drift back to the bottom. You will invariably get the majority of your bites as the bait drifts back to the bottom.

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I prefer to use 50lb braid, with 60lb fluorocarbon leader, on a quality rod and reel but hand-lining is still very productive for trout; 40-60lb mono is about the right breaking strain for a handline. Any lighter and you will lose quality fish and any heavier will reduce your bite rate. There is the added bonus of picking up a few reds in the shallow water at this time of year. I have, on occasions, caught more red emperor off a trout bommie, than trout, during August. Don’t forget to have a mackerel line out the back, as it’s very common to pick up a few

Kevin & Meth Youngberry

Spaniards on a floating or drifting pilchard, gar or live bait this month. Sharks were a real issue last year and if they move

Scott Wallace, from Noosa, caught this 52cm mangrove jack on a trip to the Tip, last month. in on the action the only real option is to pull up anchor and move on. Move at speed over a considerable distance, as sharks have been known to follow boats over short distances, at low speed. They are certainly getting more educated. Sharks used to just take half your fish, whereas nowadays it is uncommon to pull up the head of a sharked fish. Now they take the lot – hook, line and sinker! Mackerel of all types will be in action, from the Trinity Inlet leads to the outer reef. In clear water conditions, mackerel will even poke up into Trinity Inlet on the big tides, especially if there are plenty of bait schools around. The inshore islands and wrecks will offer plenty of mackerel action, so take advantage of any drop in the wind to chase these silver bullets. The back to earth reality of August is that it is often characterised by extensive periods of high winds, restricting anglers to the estuaries and

sheltered waters, which as a consequence cop the most angling pressure. Winter estuary fishing around Cairns won’t light your fire, on most occasions, with a few bream and grunter on offer and the odd mangrove jack, golden snapper and barra around as a highlight. Medium sized giant trevally and monster queenfish should be around the estuary sand bars and drop-offs near the mouth, to provide more excitement for those anglers who are looking for a bit more of a battle for their buck. Surprisingly, there have been a few barra active around the sheltered headlands along Cairns’ northern beaches, when it has been too rough to fish the exposed headlands. The bite periods have been short and the barra not very aggressive, with lots of bumps but few solid hits and hook-ups. Soft plastics, fished slow and deep have been getting their attention.

Reef best value option PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer

The start to the Dry season fishing in the tropics got off to an indifferent start, particularly in the weather department. June proved to be one of our wettest months for the year and conditions were not ideal. However, as we entered July we settled into more normal conditions and for the most part it was quite pleasant. Without doubt, the reef fishing is the best-value option at the moment, and there have been some massive bites when the fish have been suicidal in nature. Some 40-50 fish (mainly nannygai) have at times piled over the side in a very short time space. Outside of these super bites though, the fishing

has remained very positive on most days. Coral and bar cheek trout have been about in sensational numbers this year and they seem to be on the bigger side, with most ranging between 3-6kg. The nannygai, as mentioned, have been prominent and for a while there they were hovering around the 50-55cm mark, especially during the June period when the weather was challenging. Come July, the bigger models returned in better numbers, carrying weights around 6-9kg. There’s also been a real mixed bag of fish around in recent times, creating a bit of a lottery as to what you will catch. At various locations the gold spot and tealeaf trevally have been stirring the pot amongst the nannygai schools, and have been feeding aggressively. Other bottom dwelling fish

that have featured recently have included baldy bream, Bowen snapper, redthroat emperor and reef mangrove jack. Naturally there have been significant catches of spangled emperor, Moses perch, sweetlip and stripies. On the pelagic scene, the Spanish mackerel have been steady, whether caught on the troll or on a float whilst at anchor. They have been found in better numbers fishing those deeper pinnacles where the nannygai and trevally schools have been lurking. As with most fishing on the reef, a change of tide seems to spark them into action, where they let loose and multiple numbers are landed. The small black marlin season is ticking To page 83

The bold and the brave HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody info@ryanmoodyfishing.com

It’s certainly turning into a windy and wet winter that’s for sure. The grass has not had a chance to go brown this year with a lot of coastal shower activity and some big periods of gusty southeast trade winds. As you can imagine, not too many reef reports in the last month but we are getting news from around the islands that the Spaniards have shown up. The only problem is that it’s still a bit bumpy around the islands so it’s been uncomfortable fishing for those that do brave it. Barra have been slow from what I hear, but I have not been out for a couple of weeks myself as we are enjoying a two-month break. Most of Northern Australia are having a barra drought due to consecutive poor wet seasons. However, we can’t complain too much at Hinchinbrook as

we have done all right for the first half of the year. It is going to be another couple of months before we see any significant improvement with the barra. Just before we went on holidays my clients were having a ball with golden snapper and big grunter. They have been a little late starting their winter bite this year but seem to be going well recently. I have also noticed a lot of the grey nomads out on the grunter patches off the main beach so there must be a bit of action on the grunter front. When they are running and you don’t have a boat you should try having a fish out on the Cardwell jetty. Try 2 hours either side of high tide and use some fresh squid on a running rig. Fresh and live prawn also work a treat if you can get hold of them. In recent weeks northern bluefin have made their way into the main channel on a number of occasions. They sometimes surprise you while you’re barra fishing. If a school ever pops up in front of you they will still take barra lures

and vibes if you can cast one quick enough into the feeding school. That’s the trick with tuna, you must get the lure into the feeding school while they are smashing the surface. Then hang on! During August we should see the arrival of big golden trevally as well as diamond trevally. They can be found in the holes off the headlands around the inner islands on the smaller tides and are quite often seen feeding on the reef flats as the tides then make up to the moons. This is when it becomes a great time to flick a few flies at them. I have not done it for years but it’s certainly fun catching a big golden on fly in the shallows. Another species that is popular with the fly fishers is the milkfish. They are found around the inner islands particularly off sand spits and any beaches that have structure

Denise from Melbourne with one of 10 golden snapper for a morning’s work. off them. The shallows around Garden and Gould islands are a fly fisher’s paradise in general. Lots of school

sized GT and queenfish, as well as flathead, inhabit the shallow clear waters, and are commonly caught.

From page 82

over nicely and the wide grounds south east of Port Douglas have been turning up steady numbers of juvenile billfish, mainly around the 15-20kg size, with the odd example slightly bigger. There’s also been some juvenile sailfish caught in the process around the 5-10kg range, which are still good fun even though they struggle to pull any drag on a 10kg outfit. This billfish action will continue for the next month or so and a big tournament out of Fitzroy Island will be the best indicator as to how good

when the sun returned and the skies cleared, the fishing improved instantly. The Daintree River has been fishing well for fingermark, mangrove jack, golden trevally and grunter across the flats. The local estuary has been producing mangrove jack, quality grunter, feisty numbers of mid sized trevally, and the mud crabbing on the side has been rather handy. Our local beaches have been holding good numbers of whiting, along with the odd thumping flathead and trevally. It’s been a busy period, as the tourist season kicked into full throttle at the start

Jordy with a grunter caught on live greenback herring.

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For the game fishers, August is about the best month to get out and chase a few back marlin and sailfish around the bait schools in the shipping lane. This area is about halfway to the reef from Hinchinbrook Islands’ eastern coastline. Look for the Gannets diving as they give away the position of the bait schools. Hope the weather improves for everyone making the trip north this month. If you would like to enquire about our charters or our online Master Class ‘Barra Basics’ head over to www. ryanmoodyfishing.com. • If you would like to book a charter or join our fishing community for some great fishing competitions etc, head on over to www. ryanmoodyfishing.com. And you could also win a free charter drawn twice a year.

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Awesome August up the Cape CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

August and September can be amongst the two nicest months to live and travel in Cape York, with cool nights and warm days. Although trade winds might puff in the afternoons, there are often morning pockets of fantastic conditions. Coral reefs are super clear at this time of year. Coupled with neap tides, the reef lagoons and coastal flats of Cape York’s east coast are typically postcard clear. The flight from Cairns up to Bamaga and Horn Island provides an amazing glimpse of this east coast. The glimmering turquoise jewels line up as barrier reefs along this vast and pristine coastal

and trips farther offshore with trailer boats. An enormous diversity of fish can be found in the clear creeks and rivers of Cape York. These, in turn flow out into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon where the greatest

in for a spear-fish without a boat. Watching mangrove jack and barra sauntering amongst schools of wrasse, drummer and rabbitfish is a sight to behold. On the shallow reefs just offshore, anglers can

have great fun on fingermark (golden snapper), cod, stripies, tuskfish and sweetlip (emperor) species. Larger rocks which sit in slightly deeper water can be dynamite with some current running over them. Spanish mackerel, giant trevally, golden trevally, cobia and coral trout love this current pushing against hard structure. Trolling reef points and current lines in front of this structure can be a very efficient way to track down baitfish and the predators who chase them. If you’re fishing the reef and offshore it’s good to have a bit of run in the tide. It helps to concentrate fish into small pockets and eddies and pressure points. A good tactic is to try to drop anchor upcurrent from structure. Then, when you’re drifting baits or casting

Top: A nice bluefin trevally taken on an outer Cape York reef. Above Left: Classic mackerel live baits huddle in shallow water. Above Right: A whole lot of arm-stretching trouble behind the boat. stretch. Most accessible locations have some landformed protection from the southeasterly trade winds in the form of headlands, creeks, rivers, inlets and bays. From these locations it is far easier to launch local fishing raids

and most diverse organism on Earth lives: the reef itself. The coral and fish-filled reefs begin very close to shore on occasion. Coastal rocks become very clear at this time of year, providing some opportunities to jump

A coral trout nudges towards its lair. plastics and poppers back behind the boat, the current will ensure you have a tight line on retrieve. This leads to great bite sensitivity and solid hook-ups. One of the most prevalent species located on both sides of Cape York is Spanish mackerel. Over coming months they will begin to gather in the vicinity of certain reefs and shoals. There are hundreds of techniques used for catching Spaniards, testament to what a voracious and widespread tablefish they have been over the years. I’d go so far as to say that mackerel may have been the most eaten species of fish in the past 50 years throughout the length of the Great Barrier Reef. Some great Fisheries research has seen conducted in recent years, leading to useful conservation initiatives. These days most anglers are quite sensible, just keeping one or two to eat fresh before returning the

Council work gets ramped up KARUMBA

Alan Gurney awes0me@bigpond.net.au

The Spanish mackerel have been turning up in good numbers and good sizes and this will continue this month until the water starts to warm up. Some of the stories will amaze you, and one in particular would be hard to believe without all the witnesses! A first-timer put his boat in at the point boat ramp and, not knowing where to go, decided he would troll a lure for a barramundi. He headed straight down the middle of the river channel and wouldn’t have gone 250m before his lure got hammered. He was nearly spooled twice before finally getting control of the fish. His landing net was bream size and broke in the effort, but somehow all ended well with the fish boated. The guy didn’t know what he had caught, but was quickly informed that he had caught a Spanish mackerel that weighed in at 18kg. All this entertainment happened within 500m of the point boat ramp. 84

AUGUST 2015

rest or switching tactics to target different species. Many anglers dream of watching their large popper disappear into the dark, cavernous hole left by a giant trevally on the surface. Personally though, I love seeing my popper shoot towards the sky in the gnashing teeth of a Spaniard! Over coming months trailer and game boats will begin targeting small black marlin and sailfish. These feisty billfish move their way up the East Australian coast, culminating in the big black marlin season to the northeast of Cairns. Some operators will be heading well offshore to deep sea pinnacles and detached reef in search of dogtooth tuna and billfish. Let’s hope for some decent conditions over coming months. We’ve had some quite unseasonal weather patterns so far this year, so surely I’m not asking too much for an August without a strong wind warning!

The new Karumba town boat ramp with four lanes and a pontoon down the middle. August is blue salmon time up here as they all turn up to breed. You can find them most everywhere but they will mostly be out the front in the tide line that goes north. This line is where the dirty water meets the clean water and it’s very easy to see. Most baits will work, and I suggest using a running

sinker rig for the best result. Remember that when you’re north of the tavern you can end up high and dry if you don’t keep track of the run-out tide. You have been warned! There should still be grunter in the river on the rubble patches up near the power lines for those days when the wind blows, and

barramundi will now start to turn up as the water warms. The Carpentaria Shire Council has put in some great infrastructure to help anglers, including new pontoons at both Normanton and Karumba to make it easier to launch and retrieve. Please thank them if you get an opportunity. The Normanton pontoon will be extended upriver, and the additional lane will help congestion as well. The Karumba town ramp now has four lanes and, with the pontoon running down the middle, should also make boating a more enjoyable experience. Please remember when passing someone in a boat that you pass on the righthand side, which is the opposite of what you do on the road. It’s amazing that the more I head to the right the more people going the other way head towards me. If finding myself in that situation then I always just stop and wait for them to make up their minds before continuing on my way. This is such a simple thing to get right yet I have seen someone hit a sand bar in his effort to go the wrong way!

Dry conditions but not dry fishing! FRESHWATER

Angus James

It’s no surprise that more and more keen anglers are venturing up to the tropical north to tick the jungle perch off the bucket list! These fish are a truly magical species to target, not only do they test your finesse angling and stalking skills, but the habitat you will venture into to find them is truly breathtaking. To get yourself hooked onto a few of these gems, I highly recommend throwing surface. Watching them explode out of the crystal clear steams is some of the most exciting light gear fishing available. Another great option to have in the tackle bag is grubstyle soft plastics. Casting them into the strike zone will most likely get them smashed and if it doesn’t, it

will get crunched on the way down. The Z-Man GrubZ are the standout for me. Not only are they tough, they’re also very buoyant, making them basically come to life in the water, even when resting on the bottom the grub tail will be swimming for you. Fish them with a light enough jighead as you can get away, you can use them on the

surface, too. Sometimes a fast almost pelagic style retrieve is the best way to excite a big jungle perch! Mix it up. With cooler weather about, the jacks in the sweetwater are a little harder to pin, but if you keep persisting you will be rewarded. Prospect the areas that hold good cover and the right looking environment.

When you find these spots, get yourself in the right positions to pepper that snag from every angle possible before moving onto the next likely looking snag. I was rewarded with a cracker jack the other day by working a good-looking snag for about 20 minutes. They are there, you just have to be confident with your plan of attack. It is such a good feeling when you tempt one to strike. They hit hard and fast, so be ready when it happens! When out targeting some of the freshwater tropical natives, you have a good chance of meeting a few of the other locals in the by-catch. The snakehead gudgeon is a colourful

Jungle perch will really test your ability to be stealthy, especially when the water is as clear as this! yellowish colour to them with little spots all over. They often share the same snags as the JPs.

fish. A lot of the small holes and pools are full of fish competing against each other to the food, so a lot of the

The snakehead gudgeon is a truly remarkable looking fish, and will readily hit small lures in small northern streams. character that doesn’t mind smacking a soft plastic! The markings on these fish are quite amazing. They have a dark brown body with vibrant red and yellow patterns. For the size of these fish they put up a good fight with tinny ferocious head shakes. Another little hard hitter is the spangled perch. They are a beautiful little fish that will also put in the hard yards for the size of them. They have a

Top: Often inhabiting the same structure as JPs, spangled perch are another possibility when fishing the northern sweetwater. Above: Work the snags over and you will be rewarded! Mangrove jack aren’t as active this time of year, but persistence might just see you hooked up…

We have all heard that saying ‘match-the-hatch’ and that doesn’t mean what’s just in the water. When out exploring the many freshwater streams, take notice of what is happening above the water. From the insects, to the vegetation that is falling into the water. Often trying to imitate vegetation, small berries, insects, frogs and even lizards is a great way to go about tempting spooky

action is based on reaction bites and thinking outside the box can bring amazing results. A great example of this was when I was fishing my favourite river and I noticed a few birds perched on an overhanging tree. I tied on a small white grub and flicked it directly under them to imitate their droppings. Boom fish on! Remember to stay safe out there and enjoy! Catch you next time!

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AUGUST 2015

Experiment is the key TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

Last month I had a shocker fishing the freshwater. We hit four different destinations and all we could manage were four bass, a couple catfish and some spangled perch. I’m sure if we knuckled down and persisted by experimenting with different techniques we would have caught more fish but we were looking for a particular type of bite. I have some new tail spinners (Hot Bite Lures). These 12g pieces of bass candy have a tiny profile and great action. We are almost at the time of year where they will work exceptionally well. As soon as we come out of the winter cold, the bass will fire up and it will be game on. This bite can occur at different times through the different lakes. The Sunshine Coast lakes fired early last year and the bass went absolutely nuts late in August. By September, you can just about guarantee the action will be red hot all over the place. Now is the time to stock up on gear if you are planning on fishing this period. When a particular lure is doing the damage better than any other, the tackle stores right around South East Queensland have

been known to sell out and that’s the last thing you want; fish chewing their heads off and you don’t have the right lure in your box. In the meantime, you can sit back and wait for the action to pick up or go out and work for the bites. While it has been tough, the fish have been changing from day to day. You can score 20 bass one day and return to the same school the next and struggle to get a bite. That is the joy of fishing in winter. Tough fishing has taken the edge off my enthusiasm. At least I know the boat still runs well and all my gear is in good condition for when I do find a hot bite. I think I’ll be squeezing in a few saltwater trips until the bass fire up and there’s a pretty good chance I’ll tangle with some big Murray cod. It’s going to be hard to fit it all in because when those big bass start chewing, I’ll be spending most of my days chasing them. The rivers and dams have still been fishing quite well for cod and golden perch. The goldens are a little slower but on a warm day are lining up to eat hopped blades and lipless crankbaits. Murray cod have been turning up in the dams closer to the border. The rivers are again surprising this year as the cod have stayed pretty active. Last month there were still plenty crunching surface walkers. Some of these fish

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWNS: TOOWOOMBA, CROWS NEST Lure fishing has been slow at Cressbrook but live shrimp are taking quite a few bass and the occasional golden perch and catfish. The deeper points around the Eagles Nest rock wall up Cressbrook Creek have been holding a few bass. These fish are suckers for live shrimp but you can also nab the odd one on tail spinners, soft plastics and blade baits. If you find them hugging the bottom, try bouncing an ice

jig up and down on their heads. Ice jigs tend to account for the smaller models at Cressbrook but you never know your luck, there may be a monster waiting to pounce. Brendan Deurloo took his kids out last month and they had a great session on live shrimp and the occasional hook-up on blades as well. All up, they boated over 40 bass with the bigger ones well over 40cm in length. Mixed in were some huge eel-tailed catties to keep the kids happy and guessing what they’d next pull up. Brendan didn’t head out too far; he was fishing one of

     

14 31

were monsters too. HOT BITE FISHING My little hobby of lure making has started to grow. I went crazy making tail spinners to fill a void in the market at this time last year. The JETS tail spinner certainly caught a stack of bass and we had a ball experimenting with different designs until we came up with one that seemed to work best in most conditions. That model weighed in at 16g. I have now added a new tail spinner to the range. It is called the Willy Willy and is a lighter model weighing 12g. This is a downsized tail spinner that comes in four colours. The body has a tiny profile that will easily slide straight down the hatch of a hungry bass. The Willy Willy casts like a bullet, hops nicely and can be retrieved at dead slow speeds. Testing has proven it to be a winner and it rarely fouls up during the cast and when being vertically hopped which in my opinion is very important. Hot Bite Fishing has also introduced fish necklaces. Ideal as a gift or for wrapping around your own neck, these beauties look cool. I wanted to wear a necklace that showed what I love to do – fishing. I looked around and there just wasn’t much of that sort of thing out there. The hinged jaw, alloy, Hot Bite fish necklace is a pretty cool looking piece of gear. I wear mine every

day; in the shower, swimming, sleeping and of course fishing and it’s still looking like new

after 6 months. For more information on Hot Bite Fishing, check out

the Hot Bite Facebook page or email me at fishability1@ bigpond.com.

the points within sight of the boat ramp. The Cressbrook fish schooled up really well last year at the end of winter. This should be the case again this year and if they decide to bite there will be some great action. The bass don’t like a lot of fishing pressure so we were hitting them early until midmorning, bagging 20-30 fish and then heading to Somerset for the rest of the day. You can certainly fish all day and keep catching but when the action is red hot, it spoils you with double hook-ups and fish cast after cast. This good fishing is just around the corner and you’ll

want to be there when it first happens to enjoy it at its best. Usually it will only last for a week or two before the fish get tired of the boats and their mouths get too sore. There is no longer an entry fee at the boom gate but the 8-knot speed limit is still in place. Hours for boating and day use of the recreation area are 7am to 6pm until September. Tackleworld in Toowoomba is a great place to stop and grab your supplies for a trip to Cressy or any of the other dams and rivers. You can check out their latest fishing reports on the Tackleworld Toowoomba Facebook page or online at their website.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Somerset has fished tough over winter. The bass schools have played hard to get but positive things started to take place last month. The schooling bass that are hard to tempt were more responsive to lure offerings on a few occasions. Tough fishing over the winter months isn’t unusual for Somerset Dam and when the bass fire up it’s as if someone flicks a switch. The schools will go nuts when they start to chew. August may be a little early but once September rolls around it should be great fishing.

Rolling 3” plastics close to the bottom is a great way to tempt the big fish. A dead slow wind with the plastic rigged on a 1/2oz jighead will see the lure subtly swimming close to the bottom. This is too much for big fish to resist. This method can be a slow way to fish but often results in some of the biggest fish. Hopping tail spinners in around 10m of water will also account for plenty of bass once they turn on. If the schooling bass continue to be tough to turn on, head to the edges and try working spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. The edges

DAMS MAR APR MAY JUN JUL Atkinson 29 26 26 31 29 Awoonga 96 98 98 95 96 Bjelke-Petersen 49 48 48 50 50 Boondooma 71 70 70 69 67 Borumba 99 101 101 100 100 Burdekin Falls 93 88 88 75 70 Callide 93 92 92 88 86 Cania 101 101 101 100 99 Clarendon 35 32 32 36 35 Clarrie Hall 100 100 100 100 100 Cooby 71 68 68 71 70 Coolmunda 61 60 60 62 61 Copeton 17 18 18 18 18 Cressbrook 89 88 88 90 89 Dyer/Bill Gunn 77 83 83 86 80 Eungella 90 90 90 80 87 Fairbairn 57 55 55 51 50 Glenlyon 27 28 28 30 30 Hinze 96 101 101 100 99

AUGUST 2015

Weipa

Toowoomba

BRISBANE 27

23 Impoundment Dams 1 Tinaroo Falls Dam 2 Peter Faust Dam 3 Burdekin Falls Dam 4 Eungella Dam 5 Teemburra Dam 6 Kinchant Dam 7 Cania Dam 8 Lake Monduran 9 Isis Balancing Storage 10 Wuruma Dam 11 Lenthalls Dam 12 Boondooma Dam 13 Bjelke-Petersen Dam 14 Lake MacDonald 15 Gordonbrook Dam 16 Borumba Dam 17 Somerset Dam 18 Wivenhoe Dam 19 Pindari Dam 20 Copeton Dam 21 Moogerah Dam 22 Maroon Dam 23 Leslie Dam 24 Connolly Dam 25 Coolmunda Dam 26 Clarrie Hall Dam (NSW) 27 Hinze Dam 28 Lake Cressbrook 29 Callide Dam 30 Lake Awoonga 31 Lake Samsonvale 32 Fairbairn Dam 33 Koombooloomba Dam 34 Cooby Dam

Gold Coast

24 25 Cairns 1

19 20

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

Rockhampton

Emerald 29

Gladstone

Bundaberg 9 11

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

DAM LEVEL Report       

Gympie

Maryborough

Roma

BRISBANE

To page 87

For fortnightly updates Julius 98 96 96 89 87  Kinchant 85 77 77 67 79 Koombooloomba 46 35 30 31 45  Leslie 26 27 27 24 22  Macdonald 100 102 102 102 100  Maroon 100 100 100 100 99  Monduran/Fred Haigh 102 100 100 98 98  Moogerah 91 97 97 97 98  North Pine/Samsonval 80 84 84 87 85  Peter Faust/Proserpine 85 83 83 78 77 Pindari 13 25 25 26 26  Somerset 100 100 100 101 100  Storm King n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a  Teemburra 93 92 92 86 86  Tinaroo 88 92 92 87 87 Toonumbar 100 101 101 101 101  Wivenhoe 95 99 99 99 98  Wuruma 101 99 99 98 98

on Sunwater dams visit www.sunwater.com.au



This symbol

indicates that a

Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams. All figures are % readings Current as of 23/07/15

From page 86

around the basin of the lake can fish okay at this time of year and most will hold a few smaller active bass. Big, chunky fish will be mixed in with the smaller ones with a lot of the better quality specimens coming from inside the timbered reaches north of Kirkleigh. It can take a while to locate a productive edge and it is a matter of trial and error to eliminate the barren water. If schools are seen on the sounder, there is

a good chance active fish will be looking for something to munch in the shallows nearby. While downsized spinnerbaits are popular for chasing Australian bass, it doesn’t hurt to toss one with bigger blades in Somerset to turn on the bigger fish. Big bony bream are a substantial part of their diet at this time of year and the stronger vibrations given off by bigger blades can be the answer. Rigging blade baits and crankbaits on

beetle spins is another proven technique. The beetle spin blade adds size to the profile of the lure and also creates more noise imitating bigger bait in the water. MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: ARATULA, BOONAH Moogerah has been one of the most reliable bass dams over winter. Due to the fishing being good, it has copped a fair flogging. Early morning starts to get to the fish first

Brendan Deurloo took the kids out to Cressbrook Dam to hook into the bass. Some big catfish got into the action as well.

The Cressbrook bass have been nailing live shrimp and soft plastics. Sam caught his first bass there last month on the points around the boat ramp. DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSET TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA The fishing is still slow at Cooby. The cod have been quiet but there are still a few golden perch about for those willing to put in the hard work. The goldens are falling for hopped blades and vibes in the deeper water closer to the dam wall. Casting blades in to the weed edge and hopping them slowly down the contour should also account for a few fish. Bait fishers can expect to catch the occasional golden perch on saltwater yabbies and live shrimp. It is going to be at least another month or two before the fishing picks up. The dam hours are now 7am until 6pm right up to September. Cooby is an electric motor only dam and is well suited to kayaks and canoes. The concrete boat ramp is on a shallow angle when the dam is full and can be slippery in places but a big electric powered boat can still be launched with care. Outboard motors can be left on the boat but must not be used. Tackle, lures and saltwater yabbies can be purchased from Highfields Bait and Tackle on the New England Highway in Highfields. Call in and see Doug and check out the great range of fishing

gear, kayaks and accessories he has on display. LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK Most reports indicate the fishing is tough at Leslie Dam. Lure fishers are struggling while bait anglers are pulling up a few golden perch. Live shrimp and saltwater yabbies have been tempting them to bite with quality goldens coming from closer to the boat ramps. The back of the dam is still producing a few fish too but not in the same numbers. Small blades and vibes have been the most successful lures. These vibrating lures should be hopped on the bottom around structure or close to ledges where the flats drop away into the old creek bed. Toowoombabased angler, John Schwerin and family were at it again over the last month landing dozens of goldens as well as the occasional cod using this method. His success just goes to prove even when the fishing is tough, with the right technique, you can put the fish in the boat. John fishes from a Legend bass boat and due to the lower water level, hasn’t been able to find a section of bank solid enough to back it in deep enough to float it off. Bigger boats like this could have

problems launching until the dam drops more and the solid banks have deeper water to launch into. It would probably be worth checking in with the local tackle store, Warwick Outdoor and Sports at 115 Palmerin Street Warwick, to see if bigger boats are able to launch. COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD Fishing for goldens has been slow at Coolmunda but the cod have still been quite active. Last month, trolled lures were accounting for some nice Murray cod to around 90cm in length. When trolling, choose a lure that dives close to the bottom and work it at a slower pace. The fish will be a bit more lethargic in the colder water so slowing it down seems to get a better response. Using an electric motor to tow the lures along stealthily is the best way to go about this. Try working along the old creek bed drop-offs and the deeper edges inside the timber. Locating structure on the sounder will certainly increase your chances. Fallen trees and old stumps are where the Murray cod will be holding and they should be thoroughly worked over if you locate them. I like to split the screen on my Humminbird sounder running normal sonar as well as side imaging to pick up structure well out to the sides of the boat. To page 88

usually ensure a good start to the day. The action can taper off quickly once the fish get hammered. With spring just around the corner, these bass should fire up even more. This could see the bite time prolonged and bass may even chew well right through the day when boats are sitting on them. Soft plastics are a good way to bang the fish and it’s hard to beat a 75mm Powerbait Ripple Shad in the cappuccino colour rigged on a 1/2oz Dam Deep jighead. Hopping small blades close around the boat can pick up some of the fish that school

up below you. Ice jigs will also take their share but often tempt the smaller fish before the big ones get a chance. MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, RATHDOWNEY Maroon’s weed edges will be where the action is taking place. The better quality bass will be using the weed to hide and ambushing smaller fish as they dart out for an easy feed. Slower presentations should produce the goods. Lightly rigged soft plastics will be ideal around the

shallower areas. Stick with 3” plastics that have a good tail action at the slowest of speeds. Plastics like the Powerbait Ripple Shad, Keitech and Slider Grub are perfect. Casting deeper diving jerkbaits to the weed edge and ripping them out will also work well. Jerkbaits are a top lure when the water is clear as when paused, the fish have plenty of time to come in and make the kill. There are plenty of suitable models out there. Look for Jackall Squirrels and C’ultiva Rippin’ Minnows or something very similar. DYER CLOSEST TOWN: LAIDLEY The bass at Lake Dyer have been tough to find but willing to bite at Dyer. Some of the best action has been closer to the rock wall. You’ll need to cover plenty of water to find the fish as they can be found from the edge of the rocks right out into 10m of water. Trolling has been slow. Cast soft plastics and small blades are all you’ll need until the water warms and the fish are willing to take other offerings. Finding bass on the sounder can be tricky in Dyer. There are stacks of bigger bony bream in this lake. Based on the returns on my sounder, some of these fish must be around 30cm long. When you mix thousands of bony returns like these with the bass, it makes pinpointing the bass schools a lot harder. A lot of the bony bream schools are in deeper water (over 8m deep) so the fish found shallower than this are more likely to be bass or golden perch.

Two Dams

H Bo

One Destination H

m Da doo n e s m a Da m H Bjelke Peter

The BEST place in SEQ to catch

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From page 87

The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only around 1km away from the lake. The park is just

off the Cunningham Highway but far enough away from the noise of trucks to get a good night’s sleep. It offers

SUNSHINE COAST REGION BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, GYMPIE The fishing at Borumba slowed down last month. The bass have been stubborn refusing to eat lures but are still taking live shrimp. The shrimp population is out of control so it only takes a couple of traps left in overnight to secure enough bait for a good session. Schooling fish have been holding in the deeper water around the main basin. Try sounding around the points and yellow buoys to see if the fish are home. Inside the start of the timber at the junction of the Yabba and Kingham should be some schools of quality bass. These fish have been hard to coax but once they feel spring coming, the action should go nuts with the possibility of boating in excess of 50 fish a session. This change happens just like flicking a switch. One day they will be near impossible to interest and the next they will bite their heads off. Depending on the severity of the winter cold, this change could take place towards the end of the month or early in September. There are awesome

weed edges through the main basin which extend well into the dam off the shallower points. These weedy edges will be worth a look if the bass schools aren’t firing. Try casting soft plastics rigged on 1/4oz heads into the weedy edge and slowly rolling them back. Spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits may also work but the bass can be fussy so play around with all options. If you have two or more anglers in the boat mix it up until you find what they want. Bait fishers have been nailing some quality bass and the occasional golden perch up in the Yabba arm. The flats area around the trees just before the second big left hand bend was producing last month. There were signs in both the Kingham and Yabba arms that the dam would roll over. A lot of gas bubbling to the top and a bit of floating scum on the surface were good indicators of an imminent roll over. The bottom layer of water rolls and rises to the top not long after this (usually in winter) and dirties the water up. It can take a week or two for the fishing to return to normal after a big roll over event. It did look like this was only going to take place in the shallower water of the

WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY Bigger fish have been coming from the lake’s edges over the past month or two. Big bass were nailing spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits worked around the lush weed edges. The cold weather last month will dictate how these shallower holding fish respond and what they do for the rest of winter. If the cold has zapped the life out of the weeds and killed it off, the bass will quickly retreat to deeper water. If it maintains its health, a good percentage of the fish are likely to stay close to the weed edges. The deeper flats are likely to hold smaller bass that may

yet be joined by the bigger edge dwellers. These fish can be found in 6-10m of water in the dam’s middle reaches. Once a good school is found, try holding off it and casting blades, soft plastics and tail spinners through the fish. On occasions, the fish may be slightly shallower in 5-7m of water between the weed and deeper flats. Here they should take vibes and blade baits. Casting spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits inside the timbered arms has been producing fish for months and is likely to continue. Extreme cold might shut the fish down but always keep it up your sleeve as another option to explore. Boondooma is a great place to camp right near the water and sit by the fire while

camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter and a camp kitchen. The park

now has an extra two new wheelchair friendly cabins to add to their older ones. Camping is also available

• Great fishing, bass, yellowbelly, cod, saratoga, garfish… • Windsurfing, boating, beach volleyball, playground, BBQ’s. • Level tent sites, showers, toilets, hot and cold water. Only 50 kms from Toowoomba For more information on camping or fees: Call Toowoomba Regional Council on 131 872 during office hours or visit www.toowoombaRC.qld.gov.au 88

AUGUST 2015

great fishing opportunities in the lake and the river below, give the park a call on (07) 4652 4171.

timbered arms so it will still leave the main basin to fish until it all settles down. MACDONALD CLOSEST TOWNS: COOROY, NOOSA The bass have been tough but there are still a few being taken closer to the weed beds. The trick is to slow presentations down and fish tight to the weedy cover. Working suspending hard bodies down the face of the weed is one of the most successful ways to fish. Allow a good pause between rips and twitches. Dane Radosevic fished the dam last month and had good success using the Jackall Squirrel 67SP and lightly weighted soft plastics. When fishing the weed edge, keep a close eye on the sounder for schooling fish. They will let you know when they are ready to eat. Casting soft plastics and hopping small blades through them will score heaps of fish once they feel the schooling urge and some warmer weather arrives. The Botanical Gardens area was first to kick off last year with reasonable numbers of schooling bass with a suicidal tendency to be caught on the 44mm Berkley Powerblade. This isn’t likely to occur until the end of the month. If hard to tempt schools are found,

try working the weed edges nearby as the more active fish will leave the school and feed in the shallower water. BAROON POCKET CLOSEST TOWNS: MALENY, LANDSBOROUGH This beautiful little lake has performed quite well over the winter months. The bass have been easy to find when using a sounder in around

10m of water. In typical bass fashion, once you find a few and pull up, they have been flooding in to school up below the boat. Baroon pocket is an electric only dam so there is plenty of time to focus on your sounder as you move around in search of fish. The points seem to hold good numbers but they can also turn up across the flats as well. It can pay to

use a slow troll and heavy (5/8oz) jighead rigged plastic as you move about. When schools are located, try ice jigs and vertically fished soft plastics through them. When the action fires up at the end of the month or early September, the bass will be more responsive to other techniques like hopped vibes, blades and tail spinners.

enjoying the view. You could also stay in more style and comfort by booking into one of the cabins overlooking the dam. The kiosk at the main office does hot food and other

action pick up a little. Try the deeper areas until the fish move up to the shallows in spring. Look for fish from the boat ramps up to Bass Point

puff up the mud each time it’s hopped. Bait fishers have found the action quite slow. Even when using live shrimps, the action has been steady. A quality sounder to locate the better concentrations of fish is certainly beneficial. For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into your local Bass 2 Barra store. You can see Matthew at Kingaroy or Dylan in Dalby and the boys will have you all geared up and ready for action in no time. Bass 2 Barra stores stock an awesome range of gear suited to chasing our freshwater fish and the boys have all the knowledge to guide you on how to use it. The Yallakool kiosk is all set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to have the right lure or lose one. Be sure to call in and check it out. Give them a call for accommodation and camping bookings on (07)4168 4746. ISIS BALANCING STORAGE CLOSEST TOWN: BUNDABERG Isis has been fishing well in the deeper areas as well as up on the shallow weeds. Being one of the most northern bass lakes, the water stays slightly warmer and the fish therefore play harder than their southern mates.

Even surface lures are producing through winter in Isis. A few quality bass can be caught by working topwater offerings over the tops of the submerged weed beds early in the morning. Bass will explode on topwater offerings like the Zip’n Ziggy. They love the subtle walking action of this topwater lure. If the surface fails to draw any interest, switch to subsurface and try your luck. Some of the better quality bass have been falling for spinnerbaits worked down the weed edges. Plenty of these spinnerbait munchers are over 40cm in length and there is the potential to score fish over 50cm using this approach. Downsized 1/4oz to 1/2oz spinnerbaits from makers like Smak, Bassman and O.S.P. are ideal. In the deeper areas of the lake, bass schools can be a lot of fun. Most of these schooling fish are small at the moment with most just around the 30cm legal size. Blades have been the most successful lure on these fish and should be used with a hopping action. Cast over the fish, allow the lure to sink to the bottom and hop it back. Vary the size of the hops from a short sharp lift to a full draw of the rod to see what the bass want. Tail spinners don’t get

Don’t be confused by big bony bream. As we approached this point doing about 25km/h the sounder went crazy with arches. I think most of these fish were big bony bream but you can see small bass on top of the ridge when we slowed to around 7km/h. One bass (on right) is moving downwards in the water column.

John Schwerin has been nailing more cod at Leslie Dam. Try hopping soft vibes for fish like this. GREAT FO R A D AY EV E N B E T T E R W H E N Y O U S TAY

near the boat ramp with toilets and hot showers to make your stay more comfortable. To take advantage of this and the

basic items. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call Corey and Niki on (07) 4168 9694. BJELKE-PETERSEN CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI The fishing at Bjelke has been pretty slow and won’t fire fully until September. Late August may see the

and once found, try hopping small blades, tail spinners and soft plastics. Bass will be most active with only a few golden perch braving the cold. If you want to chase goldens on lures, opt for a vertical presentation with small blade baits. Use small, sharp hops allowing the lure to touch the bottom and

To page 89

From page 88

as much use on this dam as they probably should. Smaller profile models like the Jackall Deracoup and my Hot Bite Willy Willy would be awesome on the smaller class of bass schooling in Isis. The boys at Saltys Tackleworld in Bundaberg

are bass experts. They love to fish the dam on their days off so will be able to steer you in the right direction. Saltys has an excellent layout and an awesome range of tackle suited to freshwater fishing as well as catering for the endless fishing opportunities in the surrounding area.

MACKAY REGION

Golden perch can still be caught from the dams. Try hopping soft vibes and small blades if you want to catch them on lures.

LENTHALLS CLOSEST TOWNS; MARYBOROUGH, HERVEY BAY Lenthalls Dam has been closed to fishing and camping while work is undertaken and the area is a designated construction site. The closure started on

28 April and is expected to be in place for 5 months. For further information visit: www.widebaywater. qld.gov.au. The fish will be ready to chew after such a big rest so keep an eye out for a confirmed reopening date.

KINCHANT DAM CLOSEST TOWNS: MARIAN, MACKAY Barra anglers will be looking for a winter option and Kinchant is probably your best bet. Further up in the hills, Teemburra Dam barra, which usually play hard will be feeling the effects of the colder temperature. Kinchant barra will be nosing around in the shallows during the day. Forget frogging or other fast presentations. You’ll need to offer presentations to suit the mood of the fish. Working shallow diving hardbodies or walking Stickbaits through the tops of the weed or near weed clumps will tempt timid biters. Use plenty of stealth (no banging the boat, dropping things or loud talking) as these fish in shallow water are easily spooked. If you are sneaky enough, you may even spot the barra before

they are aware of your presence. Sight casting big fish; it doesn’t get much better than that. During the lower light periods or even at night, the barra are likely to be moving around the edges of the weed in deeper water. Keep your eyes glued to the sounder and you should see barra passing through. The side image feature on upmarket sounders is perfect for this. The beam shoots well out to the side of the boat and as barra pass through, they leave an unmistakeable shadow. If the fish are there, persist with slowly twitched hardbodies or a steady roll with a soft plastic. The fish haven’t been out of control with their fighting ability. The cold seemed to have slowed them down. While still powerful, their energetic and aerial displays are somewhat subdued during the colder months.

Stuart France found some nice bass at Somerset. The fish came from steep edges in the main basin and off of points in around 7m of water.

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AUGUST 2015

Score big bass on fly BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Bass on fly tackle are a no brainer these days. When things are tough on the bass championship circuit, anglers often resort to the fly to take out line honours, proving that it’s indeed an effective method. Still, we anglers are always keen to catch a bigger fish rather than just average ones, and that’s what this article is about. If it works for the competition angler it can work for you. FINDING BIG BASS While many of our streams hold good stocks of bass, finding and catching larger specimens is never going to be as easy as casting a fly in an impoundment. That said, selecting the right impoundment is important because recognised bass dams don’t all hold larger fish. Maroon Dam, for instance, is a great place to fly fish for bass – it offers quite unique dry fly fishing – but there are very few fish over 40cm. By contrast Moogerah Dam, just across the way, holds ample fish in the vicinity of 50cm these days, as do lakes

Somerset, Wivenhoe and Borumba up Gympie way. It’s a fair question to ask why Maroon Dam has plenty of smaller bass while the others mentioned seem to hold schools of much larger fish. The answer is as simple as looking at the food sources. Maroon Dam has crayfish and fire-tail gudgeons while the other impoundments hold tonnes of bony bream along with the crustaceans. With that in mind it’s pretty obvious that catching larger bass accustomed to gorging on bony bream will involve using larger flies. That takes care of fly selection: go larger or miss the fun! LOCATING FISH Big bass school up at this time of year (and into spring) because their breeding instincts drive them to congregate. Schooling makes them easier to find on the sounder, and from my experience in all of the major bass impoundments the schools of fish follow a pattern of holding close to the original river or creek bed. It’s an easy starting point with the sounder on the job. If you’ve invested some time in a series of zigzag passes and still haven’t found the fish, try checking out flats or points around the drowned

river bed. Somerset Dam’s renowned Pelican Point sees the river bed extending around this point on three sides – north, east and south – and the fish are usually located right by the old Stanley River bed on one of the sides of the point or other. Whichever impoundment you fish, finding the bass is always the initial prerequisite as there are very few bass taken casting blind. With bass there are usually either plenty or very few. Hint: keep checking the 10m depth area as bass seem to favour schooling up at that depth for some reason. SETTING UP TACKLE Even when targeting larger bass you shouldn’t be in a rush to set up mega tackle. Lots of 50cm or larger bass are taken on 6 or 7wt outfits, with the 7wt my pick of the two. The 7wt is still an easy rod to cast for extended periods (sorry, there won’t be a fish every other cast!) and it has just that bit of extra grunt when it comes to casting a full sink fly line and a fly around the size of a small bony bream. The fly line should have a uniform fast sink capability. The Scientific Anglers Striper IV was the fly line for the job but these days it’s the SA

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Express Streamer that seems to get the fly down quickly to where the schooled fish are holding. A tapered leader of around a rod’s length is the go. If you don’t make your own tapered leaders there’s nothing wrong with a store bought job so long as it sinks. Bony bream style flies don’t need to be exact imitations so far as colour goes, you just want a near enough profile. Big Clousers will work, as will large minnow-style offerings, and don’t overlook the Bass Vampire style of fly. My guess is that these flies have some resemblance to a small yabby, hence their attraction, so a couple of Vampires in the fly box is important. Freshwater is kind on fly tackle, so a quality freshwater reel that can hold at least 50m of backing is ideal. Hint: the larger the arbor on the reel the less issues with the fly line kinking or holding memory on a cool morning. Leave the dinky reel for the trout; go for

Top: That’s 54cm of bass taken by Denise Kampe on a bony bream style fly. Above: Some of the author’s rough but effective flies. The colours don’t mimic bony bream but the profile is enough to fool the fish. a larger one for bass. COUNT THE FLY DOWN TO THE FISH Once you’ve found the fish, make as long a cast as possible. This will see the fly down in the water column and able to be retrieved for some distance among the fish rather than being brought directly under the boat where it won’t be down in the strike zone for long. When the fly line all

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AUGUST 2015

Denise Kampe with a brace of big bass from Lake Somerset.

extends onto the water after that really good cast is made, count the fly down as per the sink rate on the fly line’s box. This should see it down in the strike zone – and then comes the all-important retrieve. With the rod tip right down on or into the water to keep all slack out of the equation, strip the fly back in small, sharp movements. When a fish is interested there will usually be either a sharp pick (you’ve just missed that hook-up) or a solid thump (the fish has taken hold). If you get the pick, slip the fish a couple of metres of slack line as quickly as possible. This will often see Mr Bass come back for another shot (maybe they think that the fly has been wounded?) and you have got him. Once a bass is on it’s just a matter of being patient and wearing the fish down until it comes to the net. Big bass on fly tackle will give a very good account of themselves, and it’s smart to set up with a 5-6kg tippet to avoid breakoffs and spooking the school. So there you have it. Imagine a bass impoundment on a cool morning, a bit of fog coming off the water, the sounder’s screen lighting up with lines of feeding bass… the coffee bag handy for a brew and a bikkie later. Does it get any better? When that rod is being pulled out of your hand by a feisty big bass, it just has!

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FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winner for June was K Stanford of Karumba, who won a Mako Eyewear prize pack. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE VMC LOGO JUNE LOCATIONS The answers to Find the VMC Logo for June were: 14, 28, 36, 39, 49, 55, 69, 71, 74, 78, 87, 90, 92, 95, 107. – QFM

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

FIND THE VMC LOGO WINNERS The Find the Berkley logo prize winners for June were: T Dargusch of Hay Point, P Fels of Cushnie, J Conte of Tullera, R Hodges of Ballina, B Lobley of Silkstone, G Clark of Riverview, C Covell of Miara, K Cervenjak of Greenbank, B Dalgarno of Geebung, G Rees of Glen Eden, A Hewlett of Mothar Mountain, M Sugden of Clarendon, R Pitt of Gatton, J Varley of River Heads, J Bailey of Trinity Beach, T Hubner of Taunton, H Jensen of Alstonville, B Stephan of Helidon Spa, W Wood of Keppel Sands, R Evans of Virginia, R Bignell of Roma, G Yarrow of Miriam Vale, G English of Bowen, W Collis of Laidley, J Hartness of Aldershot, J Bugno of Bardon, A Doyan of Bucasia, M Fergus of Yeppoon, R Elworthy of Point Vernon, M Mason of Bongaree, R Benson of Boondall, W Robinson of Raceview, E Heathwood of Forsayth, D Kell of Avoca Beach, B Newton of Trinity Beach, G Herring of Gympie, C Renz of Crestmead, D Bishop of Gladstone, P Martin of Turkey Beach, H Sippel of Laidley Heights. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

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FIND-A-WORD WINNER Congratulations to Janette Jensen of Alstonville, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM 3

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AUGUST 2015

Take a kid fishing! NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Starlo espouses the benefits and identifies a few of the pitfalls involved in taking kids fishing, and offers some tips that can make the entire experience more enjoyable for everyone involved. As keen anglers, most of us love the idea of getting our kids or someone else’s “hooked” on the sport of recreational fishing, and sharing the great outdoors with youngsters as we pursue this wonderful pastime together. But the fact is, with all the competition from other sources these days for the attentions and passions of our younger generation, we need to be rather clever about how we package the fishing experience if we’re going to truly sell the concept to kids. There are many motivations for taking kids fishing, ranging from the altruistic and generous desire to share our passion, right through to a rather more selfish desire to get out fishing more often ourselves by dragging the rug rats along. Whatever the precise reason, we need to accept that adult-style fishing experiences can be daunting and unappealing for kids. Standing for hours on a windswept beach in the dead of night waiting for a run from that elusive jewfish, or braving the ice cold chill of an alpine lake in mid-winter to chase a few trout might not be the best choices for that all-important first outing with the kids. The fact is, after such a start, you may find it very difficult to get them to go with you next time you suggest a family fishing holiday! Personally, I reckon most adults need to totally re-think their take on selling for sale on

fishing to youngsters. To begin with, we must always remember that kids generally have shorter attention spans than adults, and a greater need for immediate gratification. That definitely doesn’t mean seven or eight hours sitting under the hot sun grasping a trolling rod, or shivering on a river bank waiting for a big bite that may never come!

In my experience, kids need to be doing fun stuff and catching something — anything — right from the word go. It doesn’t matter if the fish they catch are tiddlers, or even unwanted nuisance species by our lofty adult standards, so long as the kids are actually catching fish on a regular basis. When they’re not catching, get them involved

It’s important for youngsters to learn that fishing is also about mateship and camaraderie. in berleying, bait collecting or some other hands-on activity, rather than simply sitting and waiting for a strike that might never come. This was the greatest single lesson I learnt when my own kids were growing

Top: Take the time to teach proper fish handling practices and instil respect for the rules and regulations, too: kids represent the future of our sport. Above Left: Taking a group of young mates fishing can be extremely rewarding — if a little hectic! Above Right: Kids’ fishing outfits don’t need to be expensive, but don’t burden them with cheap and nasty combos, either.

up and discovering fishing. For them, pumping yabbies or nippers for bait (complete with yabby pump fights that often saw them squirting each other with mud and water!) were far more fun than actually fishing with those baits, especially in the early days. Let them do the stuff they enjoy! Don’t project your standards and expectations onto them. When the actual fishing process starts, deliberately aim low (again, by your standards) to ensure immediate action. Use little hooks and small baits, and consider the breadberley-and-float approach. It almost always results in the kids catching fish, even if they’re all tiddlers and throwbacks. Keep those impressionbuilding first few fishing outings with the kids fairly short, avoid extreme weather conditions, and consider incorporating a treat like an ice cream or their favourite take-away meal on the way home. Be sure to take a camera (or phone), too, and record the event so they can share it with their friends. Do everything you can to create happy, positive memories. Follow my five basic

rules below, and I can practically guarantee you’ll have the ankle-biters queuing up for another shot at fishing next weekend! How good would that be? 1. Remember: kids have shorter attention spans than adults. Generally, the younger they are, the shorter that attention span will be. Keep it interesting and fun for them! 2. Get the kids involved in every stage of the fishing process, including gear preparation, bait gathering, mixing and distributing berley, fish cleaning and tackle maintenance. 3. Don’t project your hopes, dreams and expectations onto kids. Fishing achievements that seem significant to you might mean very little to them, and vice versa. 4. Keep those first outings reasonably short and avoid extreme weather conditions. Slip, slop, slap, take plenty of drinking water and fruit juice and pack some favourite snacks. 5. Consider rewarding the kids with a trip to the movies, playground, amusement park or favourite eatery on your way home from a successful fishing outing, or later that evening.

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BRISBANE NORTH CUNNINGHAMS MARINE

HERVEY BAY BAY CITY MARINE

3475 Pacific Hwy Springwood Phone: (07) 3297 8200 | Fax: (07) 3297 8290 Email: gyula@motosport.net.au Website: www.springwoodmarine.com.au

23-25 Snook St Clontarf Phone: (07) 3284 8805 | Fax: (07) 3284 8813 Email: sales@cunninghammarinecentre.com.au Website: www.cunninghammarinecentre.com.au

BRISBANE SOUTH COORPAROO MARINE

BRISBANE NORTH BRISBANE MARINE

57 Cavendish Rd Coorparoo Phone: (07) 3397 4141 | Fax: (07) 3397 6339 Email: info@coorparoomarine.com.au Website: www.coorparoomarine.com.au

BRISBANE SOUTH MANLY HARBOUR MARINE

570 Royal Esplanade Manly Phone: (07) 3893 2199 | Fax: (07) 3893 2188 Email: info@manlyharbourmarine.com.au Website: www.manlyharbourmarine.com.au

AUGUST 2015

306 Duffield Road Clontarf Phone: (07) 3889 3033 | Fax: (07) 3889 5390 Email: info@brismarine.com.au Website: www.brismarine.com.au

TOOWOOMBA WATERSKIERS WAREHOUSE

91-93 Neil St Toowoomba Phone: (07) 4637 9511 | Fax: (07) 4637 9513 Email: rod@waterskierswarehouse.com.au Website: www.waterskierswarehouse.com.au

264 Nicklin Way Warana Phone: (07) 5493 9376 | Fax: (07) 5437 6144 Email: mail@northcoastboatingcentre.com.au Website: www.northcoastboating.com.au

82 Dayman Street Urangan Hervey Bay Phone: (07) 4128 9944 | Fax: (07) 4125 2350 Email: sales@baycitymarine.com.au Website: www.baycitymarine.com.au

BUNDABERG ADRIANS MARINE CENTRE

28 Ritchie St Norville Phone: (07) 4153 1819 | Fax: (07) 4153 1819 Email: adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com Website: www.adriansmarinecentre.com.au

GLADSTONE B.A.S MARINE

3 Pitt St, Gladstone Phone: (07) 4976 9672 Email: basmarine@live.com.au Website: www.basmarine.com.au

6 Dooley St, North Rockhampton Phone: (07) 4927 9150 | Fax: (07) 4921 3502 Email: rifen.boats@bigpond.com Website: www.rifenboats.com.au

150 Scenic Hwy Yeppoon Phone: (07) 4933 6366 | Fax: (07) 4933 7590 Email: info@seabreezemarine.com.au Website: www.seabreezemarine.com.au

WHITSUNDAY CANNONVALE WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD CENTRE

1 William Murray Dr Cannonvale Phone: (07) 4946 7286 | Fax: (07) 4946 7848 Email: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

INNISFAIL COASTAL MARINE & OUTDOORS

178 Edith Street Innisfail Phone: (07) 4061 8272 | Fax: (07) 4061 7718 Email: joel@coastalmarine.com.au Website: www.coastalmarine.com.au

BOWEN REIBEL MARINE

34 Don St Bowen Phone: (07) 4786 2944 Fax: (07) 4786 6606 Email: remarine@bigpond.net.au

When in Rome… BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

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INGHAM J&B MARINE

79 Herbert St, Ingham Phone: (07) 4776 1188 Fax: (07) 4776 1288 Email: jbmarine@bigpond.com Website: www.jandbmarine.com

KARUMBA JONES MARINE

38 Yappar Street, Karumba Phone: (07) 4745 9159 Fax: (07) 4745 9366 Email: jonglo@bigpond.com Web: www.jonesmarine.com.au

So I have to go overseas on a trip. To Italy of all places. Now this has got me a little worked up, for a number of reasons. Firstly, I’ve never been there before. So it’s a bit like heading across to a new fishing hole that you’ve not fished before. There are all the questions that you need to address while you’re packing, because unlike a trip to a new hole with the Dudds, you can’t throw the extra gear into the back of Skipper’s Challenger. And you really only throw your gear into the back of Skipper’s Challenger when you’re ok with it not arriving given the breakdown rate, and also the issue of arrival time. Skipper tends to make sure everything is wrapped strapped and packed right, with the result that he starts to get ready a fortnight or two before us, and arrives two three days into the trip, trailing various straps and buckles, minus a good third of his gear and plus the odd speeding ticket. Don’t ask how he gets them when the beast doesn’t do more than 80km down the Toowoomba range but it happens. So I have to be more careful about my gear selection. Secondly, wherever I’ve been in sunny Queensland, I’ve been able to chuck in a rod, or a handline or at least a couple of lures, hooks and sinkers, but apparently you can’t do that when you go overseas. Why I don’t know because I’d assume at least half of this part of the world would stow a Calcutta with some 30lb braid into their bag, in case they wander past a good waterhole in Italy.

Apparently not. And I’ve just been checking the atlas out, the old one that used to come with the World Book Encyclopedia. I got it cheap from this Italian bloke lives up the road. Fifty bucks. Score. Boom. He doesn’t know they sold for nearly twice that when they were printed back in the 70s. Imagine what they’re worth now. Anyway, if these Italians are that much

behind the times, I’m set. But I’m worried about the fishing. I can’t take a rod, and I don’t know where to fish. Maybe this Coliseum place I keep hearing about has a few barra or jack sitting around ready to smash a livey. Or another place called St. Peters. But I know I won’t be going anywhere near the Dead Sea. I’m already a Dudd. I don’t need more help to catch nothing.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Northside Marine helps Camp Quality In July, Northside Marine celebrated their 50th year with a massive boating festival at their dealership. This event was a huge success with 1000s of people in attendance. It’s definitely an event not to be missed the next time they host a boating festival, with lots of activities and attractions for adults and kids to see and do, with some sensational savings – and the beauty it’s a free event. In conjunction with their event they raised money for Camp Quality, to help create a better life for kids living with cancer. They are tallying the money as we

speak; upwards of $10,000 has been raised for this great cause. Greg Nickerson (owner of Northside Marine) wishes to thank the generous support of the people who bought shirts and raffle tickets over the festival, ‘the support that local boaties provided to help support Camp Quality is overwhelming, and all the money raised will definitely help out this fantastic organisation’, Greg says. Further, ‘Thanks must go to the marine businesses that helped us with product and advertising support for the Camp Quality promotion, including Stabicraft, Stacer, Surtees, Yamaha Outboards,

Lowrance, Simrad, Switchbait Clothing, Offshore Fishing SEQ, Humminbird Australia, Queensland Fishing Monthly, Bush ‘N Beach Fishing Magazine, Raymarine, Club Marine and Yamaha Marine Insurance (YMI). “These businesses epitomise the true feelings of helping a mate out when in need, and is great to be associated with them,” Greg says. If you too would like to help support kids with cancer, donations to Camp Quality are always welcomed simply visit www.campquality.org.au. – Northside Marine AUGUST 2015

Suzuki Jimny the real deal BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Many manufacturers want us to believe that AWD is as good as true 4WD. The Suzuki Jimny, by contrast, stands out from the wouldbe-if-they-could-be pack. This is no high-sitting hatchback with double diffs and marketed as an SUV, nor is it offered in 2WD only either. Make no mistake – this little vehicle is a genuine 4WD in every sense of the word. It has a two-speed transfer box offering high or low range, which sees the ability to transmit power from rear wheels to all four wheels in high or low range by the push of a button. The ample ground clearance – 190mm – very generous departure and approach angles all scream for a bit of fun off road. CHANGES FOR 2015 The Jimny has been around for about four decades but it has been revamped for 2015. The current shape was introduced around 1998 but there’s naturally been some ongoing evolution in the intervening years with a racy looking bonnet scoop, a new grille plus some front bumper bar restyling in this year’s model. Drivers will also be pleased to know there’s an electronic stability program as part of the package. All up, the new Jimny Sierra, as it’s now called, is better, stronger and smoother than ever thanks to some serious refinement. Yet the Jimny retains the original ethos of a tough, go-anywhere vehicle that can handle beach and bush duties with ease. And as a commuter the compact, cheap to run and easy to park Jimny deserves strong consideration as well; it runs far more easily and with more refinement for city work than its rugged, go get ‘em looks indicate. UNDER THE BONNET In assessing the 2015

Jimny let’s start under the bonnet. There’s now an all aluminium twin cam four-cylinder 1.3L engine outputting 62kW of power and 110Nm of torque. They’re somewhat modest

figures but if we consider that the Jimny weighs only 1060kg, the power-to-weight ratio is very respectable. The twin cam engine revs freely, pulls fairly strongly once the tacho needle starts to

Creek crossings don’t faze the Jimny thanks to 4WD and excellent ground clearance.

Top: The latest Jimny’s dash area features a bit of shiny silver to brighten things up. Middle: Seating is comfortable, and large enough to ensure that longer trips aren’t a chore. Above: While the Jimny has limited luggage room, things improve dramatically when you fold the two rear seats.

move around the dial, and is surprising in its flexibility. The Jimny has also become very eco friendly in its latest transformation, and is set up with electronically-controlled exhaust gas recirculation plus electronic multipoint fuel injection. MANUAL OR AUTO These days the Jimny is available in either fourspeed auto or as a manual gear shifter. I reviewed a manual Jimny, and I had no issues whatsoever with the five-speed shifter. The ratios were clearly defined, easy to engage and with a smooth, quite free clutch, the manual Suzi was fun to drive. Take off in traffic was as nippy as needed, and highway speeds were there with ease. On both the highway and off road the Jimny’s ride was more sophisticated than I expected thanks to a three link coil spring suspension set up all round in lieu of the rear leaf springs of yesteryear. In more difficult (pot holed or corrugated) gravel road work the suspension was sometimes a little choppy due to the Suzuki’s very short wheel base. On the plus side though, that same short wheelbase greatly contributes to the Jimny’s great off-road capability due to reduced overhang at both extremities of the body.

Although the Jimny’s suspension set-up is very compliant there’s quite a degree of body rigidity. This is due to a ladder chassis under the floor which strengthens the side members and distributes any rod shock more evenly within the suspension/underbody package. One thing that did impress me was the overall comfort levels. For a small vehicle there was quite a degree of comfort and very little noise, vibration harshness (the dreaded NVH) during highway runs where the engine had far less intrusion than other modern SUVs I’ve driven. The two-door Jimny handled very well even at M1 highway speeds, and even a stiff crosswind didn’t bother the Suzi despite its high stance. Steering is much improved these days as well, and while it’s a recirculating ball-style set-up there was no sensation of slackness in the dead straight ahead position. Ergonomically, the Jimny is a surprise packet. I found the fabric seats with their manual adjustment large enough to be easy going on a four-hour stint behind the wheel, and electric windows and mirrors are also a change from the last Jimny I drove a few years ago. The manual

Left: This is no SUV you’re looking at – it’s a real 4WD. Right: Bonnet scoop, a new grille and bumper – that’s the face of the new Jimny Sierra. 96

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air conditioning worked fine. In a vehicle as compact and inexpensive as this one, is there a need for climate air? I think not. The Jimny’s dash was functional rather than fancy, with plenty of plastic and a few silver highlights here and there around major instruments to brighten things up. There are two SRS air bags up front as well as ABS, plus side door beams, so safety has not been overlooked. We anglers like to tow things and the Jimny has a 350kg rating for an un-braked trailer or 1100kg with brakes. SUMMING UP This small, two-door vehicle takes two adults easily in the front as the doors open quite wide and the seats are of a good size. Youngsters could clamber into the back fairly easily but adults will need to wriggle a bit to be seated. With the rear seat upright, the rear luggage space is a very modest 113L. Fortunately this does have a 50/50 split fold capability to provide a maximum luggage area of 816L, and I was able to pack a camping trip’s gear in there. My overall assessment of the 2015 Jimny Sierra is that it’s a far more quiet and more comfortable vehicle than you’d expect for a small and inexpensive 4WD. Modern electronic extras (e.g. BlueTooth) that we see in a lot of today’s vehicles aren’t included, but in many respects the Jimny still punches far above its weight. On the beach, the light weight and easy power will see it skipping along where others plough. That’s the first point. The second is that this unit, with its easy road manners, will make a great little commuter. Fuel consumption is the big positive – during test runs with the vehicle well loaded I averaged 8.5L per 100km. And… drum roll please… the Sierra comes with a fullsized spare tyre. The price of this tough little off-roader is around $20,500.

FIFO camping on the Cape PART II BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In last month’s issue I mentioned just how easy it is to organize a fly-in camping trip to Cape York, with Weipa as a base. If you book extra baggage you

can bring an icebox with tackle and camping gear in it to complement your usual baggage of rod tubes and other kit. Hiring a 4WD in town provides transport, and from there you can enjoy really great fishing at virtually every bit of accessible water. I prioritised tackle in last month’s article, but there’s more to tackle for a successful FIFO trip to the Cape! MINIMAL CAMPING GEAR My camping essentials were a dome tent, Trangia stove, Helinox chairs, Maison table, frypan with removable handle, poly tarp for shade with extra bits and pieces purchased in Weipa. Tucker, supplemented with fresh fish of course, is as easy as shopping at Woolworths at Weipa, which has almost as big a range as city Woolies at similar prices, which amazed me. There’s also lots of tinned tucker and biscuits as back-up food when you’re heading to places where ice isn’t available. Just remember that the Weipa Woolworths is closed on Sundays; I didn’t know and it was a rude shock. Off the plane and no tucker! Luckily I scored a barra behind the campgrounds, otherwise it would have been leftover aircraft snacks for tea. FISHING OPTIONS Many people like to stay in town in the well set out Weipa Caravan Park, which is within walking distance of the shopping centre, and use it as a base. There’s a cleaning table at the park, emphasising how easy it is to catch fish locally. You can just walk out the back of the campgrounds to the nearby low tide rocks to the right and catch a barra or jack as the rocks become either exposed or covered. We

did just that on our first visit to Weipa. The main beach area behind the park is also worth some fishing effort at full tide for queenies, trevally, blue salmon or giant herring. It’s that easy. Out Evans Landing way there are also plenty of beach areas to fish. There are goodsized golden trevally, grunter, the odd barra and queenies

on hand for the shore-based angler. The Weipa Caravan Park also has hire boats, which are very convenient for a half or full day on the water. With your hire boat in tow, the ramp at Evans Landing allows access to the Albatross Bay area plus the shipping channel markers, which hold lots of great eaters such as grunter, fingermark (golden

snapper) and the like. If you intend to fish those channel markers take tackle set up with 40lb braid, as there are some powerful resident cod there. As good as the fishing is around Weipa (a drive around the town’s outskirts will show where people are profitably wetting a line) it’s always good to get away from the mob and enjoy some peace and quiet. Just remember that a permit to enter and camp is necessary in some instances. The Pennefather campsite (permit required) with the adjoining lagoon and Pennefather River outlet isn’t far out of town. Stones Crossing on the Wenlock River is also handy for either a day visit or an enjoyable camp set up on a freshwater section of the Wenlock. A 4WD is

The Cape’s beach fishing involves a lot of peace and tranquillity, and gives you the chance to downgrade tackle. will quickly get covered in that dust. It’s recommended to bring a supply of very large garbage bin liners and zip ties to cover items that you don’t want coated in red grime. You can buy these items at Mitre 10 if you haven’t packed them in your luggage.

Around Weipa there’s red dust everywhere. It’s a good idea to secure your gear in big garbage bags.

Top: Fishing the boat ramp at Evans Landing can be very productive. Prop wash pushes the baitfish out to the waiting predators, which are prime targets for anglers. Above: The author with a Weipa jack taken from a couple of beachside rocks.

essential to visit both of these areas. Don’t try to get there without one! For the shorebased angler, the Pennefather camp site is well worth the small effort required to reach it as the beach is renowned for blue salmon, queenies, giant herring, golden trevally and the like. Travelling to these areas is great but you have to bear in mind that nearly all journeys out of Weipa proper involve travel on unsurfaced roads – and this means red dust. Lots of it. If your hire vehicle has an open tray, anything you put there (boxes of food, camping gear, baggage etc.)

BEACH FISHING TIPS The fishing prospects in the area are immense, even for novices, and some of the best fishing around Weipa is on the beach. There will be ample sand, maybe some offshore reef evident at low tide, but in all there’s plenty of beach to play with. Interestingly, the best fishing here is usually just as the tide starts to ebb from full, and this tends to continue until around half tide down. And that’s at any given time of day, which is very convenient. Predators like blue salmon, queenies, tarpon and giant herring work right into the very edge of the wave break,

hammering bait. Interestingly, despite the fact that there’s little pressure on these fish they still take instant notice of an angler (such as old Wayno with his beloved 8wt fly rod) sneaking up for a shot. If they spot you they’ll take off to deeper water. Casting a plastic, hardbodied lure or fly from a little distance off is the clue. Generally speaking, you can downsize your tackle considerably when beach fishing to add just a bit more excitement to the mix. ROCKS AND CREEKS If, on your Cape York travels, you drive close to rocks on the beach, or you’re able to get close to a creek or river mouth, it’s time to think of barra and jacks and rig up for these iconic fish. Water clarity towards high tide usually shuts down a bite, so if you want fish for dinner you should concentrate your efforts during the last hour of the ebb tide and first hour of the flood. Stronger terminal tackle of around 15kg is wise as you just never know what species will latch onto an offering cast to rocks or snags. Possibilities include big cod, barracuda and mega queenies. Lastly, bait fishing. If you’re keen on bait fishing make sure you pack your cast net into your icebox as there’s rarely any shortage of baitfish to be had in these waters. And that concludes my FIFO fishing trip hints. Yes, you will need to do a bit of preparation but there’s a lot of satisfaction to be had when it all goes to plan.

Left: Queenfish are nothing but fun on a fly rod. Richard Harvey and Trevor McCall were pretty pleased with this fish. Right: Upgrading terminal tackle is wise when fishing around rocks. The author relied on 15kg FC100 when he scored this barra on fly. AUGUST 2015

Kayak fishing secondary structure BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

This issue I want to look at 1 of my favourite types of fishing and how some recent experiences have reinforced the importance of mixing things up, taking note of what’s happening around you, and being prepared to alter techniques to catch a wider variety of species. One of my favourite types of fishing is drifting the edges for flathead. It’s

waiting for the baitfish and prawns to be forced off the flats with the diminishing water depth. It can be as simple as sliding the kayak in, paddling half a dozen strokes and turning the kayak to face the bank so that you are drifting along the edge about a cast away. As you drift, cast toward the edge of the bank, slightly ahead of the drift, allow the lure sink to the bottom, and then commence a double hop and pause retrieve, ensuring the lure is on the bottom between hops as flathead bury themselves to

Top: Sunrise and sunset are prime times to be on the water. Above: The author braved the weather to score plenty of flathead fishing the edges. relatively simple, a great way to make the most of short windows of time, can be quite productive as flathead love lures, and for those that like a feed of fish it’s hard to beat fresh flatties. When targeting flathead I prefer the last few hours of the run-out tide and first hour of the run-in, as the fish become concentrated along the edge of dropoffs, 98

AUGUST 2015

ambush their prey. My go-to lures are generally 2.5” paddle tail soft plastics rigged on 1/4oz 1/0-2/0 jigheads if the bait is small. If there is larger bait in the system I will upsize to a 3” paddle tail and 1/4oz 3/0 jighead. The 1/4oz allows me to fish fairly quickly, while still maintaining contact with the bottom, and it also makes it possible to fish down the

dropoff into the channel, which where I fish can commonly reach depths of 3-5m. A 7’ 2-4kg rod, 2500 size spinning reel, 6-8lb braid and 8lb fluorocarbon leader will generally have you covered, unless there are numbers of big fish in the area, in which case it’s worth upping the leader to 12-14lb as the raspy mouths of flathead can destroy leaders, especially when larger fish are inhaling soft plastics. When fishing the channel edges, the primary structure I am targeting is visible structure; the edge or dropoff itself, along with the weedbeds, sand and gravel patches, rocks, timber and other snags that attract bait and in turn predators. Drains also make up part of this visible primary structure, acting as ‘bait funnels’ that bring the last of the prey off the flats and into the strike zone of the waiting flathead. This article is about fishing ‘secondary structure’ though, so what am I referring to when talking about this? SECONDARY STRUCTURE When chasing flathead, I am generally zoned in on the edge, paying little attention to the depth sounder other than for an approximate depth of the area I am working the plastic back into. I recently fitted a Raymarine Dragonfly-5 PRO Sonar/GPS to the kayak though, and have been spending more time tinkering around with the GPS, mapping, sounder and DownVision. Upon seeing a snag on the sounder, I decided to cast back over my drift and fish the snag. First cast, snagged… well, at least I knew that the sounder was accurate! I grabbed my second rod, cast, and kept the lure a little higher in the water column on this retrieve, swimming it over the snag. The rod buckled over, the drag screamed and after a short, stubborn fight a nice grunter was in the net. That started the cogs turning. The bottom was pretty flat for a while and then I came to a boat ramp; a piece of man-made structure that is always worth a few casts. This was the perfect opportunity to check out the DownVision on the Dragonfly-5 PRO and there it was; a perfect picture of the boat ramp scrolled out across the screen in front of me. I was pretty blown away by the detail. I have come from the era of a paper sounder in my dad’s old steel hull cruiser, drawing a line on a paper roll and flashing a light to

tell us the depth we were in. From there it was a sounder on my first sit-in kayak in the mid ’90s that must have had about 100 pixels total and looked like a game of Tetris! A few more sounders over the years and now I found myself sitting in my pedal kayak, with my graphite rod, braided line, ElaZtech soft plastic and enjoying the latest in depth sounder technology… we have come a long way. It got even better though. As I drifted away from the ramp and my normal edge bite, the DownVision

A few casts around this school of bait and fish soon produced some quality bream. clearly displayed the end of the ramp and a school of fish, which I believed to be a school of yellowtail pike holding in the same area where we had targeted them

as kids. First cast with the smaller paddle tail and a yellowtail pike came aboard the kayak. Seven casts later and I had 6 yellowtail pike in the Evakool icebox,

Top: This snag produced a nice grunter. Check out the jellyfish also clearly displayed by the sounder. Middle: When targeting the edge, any lumps and bumps the ’yak drifts over could potentially hold fish. Above: A yellowtail pike school holding off the end of a boat ramp shown on the sounder and DownVision.

with a couple of ice bricks keeping them in good condition for an afternoon fish smoking session. Not a prized Australian sportfish, but fun, addictive fishing and a great oily fish for the smoker. If I had stayed focussed on my edge bite I may have missed out on the entrée for the evening’s meal. As I continued my drift, picking up flathead at regular intervals from the

up before spawning. After a dozen or so bream it was time to head for home and I enjoyed the pedal in calm conditions, reflecting on what the secondary structure had added to my session. Keeping an eye on the Dragonfly-5 PRO had added a grunter, cod, nice flathead, 6 pike and a dozen bream to the 20 or so flathead that the edge bite had produced.

Top: A flathead from a weed edge. Above Left: Fishing the edge while monitoring the Dragonfly’s DownVision. Above Right: Another nice bream from a school picked up on the sounder while drifting the edges. edge bite, I also located another piece of secondary structure on the sounder that produced a cod and better than average flathead, before coming across what appeared to be a rubble patch holding fish. The area I was now fishing had more current flow, so I marked the rubble patch as a waypoint on the Dragonfly-5 PRO’s GPS mapping. This allowed

me to reposition the kayak and pedal up current to the structure, so that I could cast ahead of the kayak, over the structure and bring the soft plastic back naturally with the current and through the strike zone. The first cast was smashed, the reel screamed with a light drag setting, and I soon saw the silver flash of a quality bream. After

each fish I repositioned the kayak, cast again and the action continued, with bream following the lure almost to the kayak. If a hook did pull from 1 fish, another was there to inhale it. The school of bream were angry, competing to get a crack at my little plastic, and with a few days until the full moon I’m guessing they were feeding

So next time you’re on the water, be it edge fishing, surface fishing, or targeting structure such as weed, lilies, timber, mangrove edges or rocks, don’t forget to keep an eye on the sounder and what’s going on around you. Changing your technique could make the session more productive and see additional species added to your catch.

Left: Primary structure when chasing flathead — a drain funnelling bait from the flats. Right: A handful of flathead from some secondary structure located using the Dragonfly.

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FISHING KAYAK SPECIALISTS

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Top: A nice grunter pulled from secondary structure while fishing the edge for flathead. Middle: Stay sun smart. This session produced 31 flatties from the edge on Z-Man Slim SwimZ. Above: Not a prized sportfish, but pretty good in the smoker.

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30 Year Warranty Quality assurance AUGUST 2015

What’s New FISHING

SUN2SEA TECHPANTS

In response to consumer requests, Sun2Sea UV Protection has released its new Tech-Pants, made from the same lightweight WetnDry UPF 50+ fabric as the rest of the range. Robbie Wells from Sun2Sea said, “In response to customer requests, and after thorough R&D, we have created a WetnDry longpant called Tech-Pants. They feature large cargo pockets, which are great for plastics; side pockets for things like your phone, jigheads or pliers; and a D clip for lip grips or keys. Our Tech-pants are great for boating, kayaking, walking the banks and wading through skinny water. They provide maximum sun protection both in and out of the water, and they’re 100% Australian made.” Sun2Sea Tech-pants (sizes XXS-3XL) are available in blue camo and green camo. For the ladies, Sun2Sea has released a new Sundress (XXS-2XL) that’s great for the boat, beach or at a BBQ. It comes in turquoise, royal, white and coral red. Price: RRP $89.95, $79.95 sundress www.sun2seauvprotection.com.au

WORSTELING’S 1001 FISHING TIPS

1001 Great Fishing Tips is the ultimate guide to catching Aussie fish, whether you’re fishing off the rocks, in a boat, at the beach, sitting on a jetty or standing on a riverbank or estuary shore. Suitable for anglers of all ages, from novice to experienced, this comprehensive, easy-to-read fishing bible by Paul Worsteling – Australia’s best-known and most widely respected fisherman – covers everything from the right gear to use, the correct way to cast, how to find the hot spots, how to back your boat down the ramp and more. Packed with advice and beautiful photography, 1001 Great Fishing Tips has every angle of safe, successful fishing covered – from the moment you open the tacklebox until your catch hits the frying pan. Paul Worsteling is host of IFISH with Tackleword on Channel 10 and ONE. 1001 Great Fishing Tips is Paul’s fourth book. Price: RRP $34.99 www.ifish.com.au

SUPER-THIN GEN2 LENS

Tonic’s new Gen2 lens is the thinnest polarised glass lens ever seen in Australia. At only 1.3mm, this new lens is so light you won’t believe you’re wearing sunglasses. Its clarity and performance is better than anything Tonic Eyewear (already the market leader) has offered before. Specially developed by Tonic founder Doug Phillips, Gen2 represents a remarkable leap forward in polarised optics, and hit the shelves in spring 2015. It is available in photochromic* copper, new photochromic grey, neon and three new mirrors. All Tonic models incorporate the latest Japanese optical technology, including unique de-centred lenses for distortion-free viewing at any angle. Tonic’s scratch-resistant glass lenses are 50% lighter than regular glass and feature Tonic’s own polarising filter systems and anti-reflective coatings. The range includes 12 wraparound styles and a variety of lens types to suit different situations. [*Automatically lightens or darkens in response to light levels] Price: RRP $279 www.toniceyewear.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

MEGABASS X DRIFT

Fishing around bridges, rock walls and river bends with large tides and fluctuating bottom topography can be difficult when there’s strong water movement. Enter the X Drift – a vibration style lure that has been designed with a ribbed body imitating a prawn. It has been designed to drift down, respond to a lift and fall in high current areas. Its design means it can cut through the water and stay down where the fish are without being swept away. It is balanced to sink head down, reducing the likelihood of getting snagged, and comes rigged with a single strong treble midway which rotates 360°, reducing awkward angles that can result in a pulled hook. In order to maintain the sinking angle, there is a fish attractant off the rear hook point instead of another treble. The X Drift measures 68mm, weighs 14g and comes in six fish-catching colours. Price: $37.95 www.megabass.com.au

PENN POWERCURVE RECON

Penn Powercurve Recon takes the features of the Powercurve range – Spiral Wrap graphite blanks, Fuji K guides and Fuji winch mounts – to create heavy artillery travel rods with the strength, reliability and actions of a one-piece rod. The Recon’s Spiral Wrap Construction combines dual inner blank construction with a spiral outer wrap for extra strength and performance. A core of dynamic power glass is over-wrapped with a layer of high modulus graphite, and the dual core is then spiralwrapped with a carbon protective outer-layer for increased power, strength and overall performance. Fitted with top quality Fuji componentry and guides, the Recon comes in five models. Three are designed for casting lures to reef edges (7’, 3-piece 5-10kg spin; 7’3”, 3-piece 10-15kg spin; 7’6”, 3-piece 15-24kg spin), and there’s a 9’, 4-piece 6-10kg model for shore-based work and a 5’8”, 3-piece 15-24kg game rod. All models come with a hard tube for travel. Price: RRP $399.95 to $439.95 pennfishing.com.au

3 4

SHIMANO SARAGOSA

Shimano are the masters of the open water, and have created an enormous range of equipment suited to fishos of all levels in all conditions. Whether you’re on a flat lake or on the open seas and whether you’re hunting for lightweight swimmers or big game biters, there is a rod and reel combination waiting for you to find. For a winning combination, the Saragosa reel is a gutsy saltwater spin reel that is extreme in every way, bar its price tag. Featuring Shimano’s X-Ship technology, this easy to use reel delivers remarkable cranking power with less effort and a smoother feel. With X-Shield and X-Protect keeping salt water out of key component areas, the Saragosa is encased in a hybrid aluminium and graphite body for extra durability. Available in six sizes, the Saragosa is a tough reel for tough fishing. Price: From RRP $349 www.shimanofish.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

SAMURAI CRUISERS

Samurai’s four-piece travel rods combine superior rod construction technology with the convenience of a manageable length travel series. Whether you pack one in your suitcase or just leave one in the car, the Samurai Cruisers will make sure you never have to compromise on quality when you travel. The advanced blank separates into four convenient lengths, and bends all the way through the joins with no flat spots, delivering true power along the entire length. These rods also feature the kind of quality Fuji components that anglers have come to expect from Samurai: K Series Alconite guides to deliver long accurate casts and smooth line delivery, and a comfortable VSS reel seat finished with ultra comfortable cork split-butt handle and butt end. There are four models, all 7’0” long: CS4-F70 (2-4lb), CS-8-F70 (3-8lb), CS-12-F70 (4-12lb) and CS-20-F70 (10-20lb). Together they’ll tackle everything from shore casting the banks of a river to offshore work for reef species. Price: from $359.95 www.samurairods.com.au

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

The Gerber Freescape Camp Kitchen Knife is just at home in the kitchen as it is in the outdoors. The short length, wide profile at the heel and tip, flatter design, and fine straight edge makes this knife great for working on smaller boards. The Freescape Paring Knife is similar but built on a smaller scale, making it ideal for peeling or mincing. Its high-grade steel ensures it can stand up to a range of outdoor duties, such as cutting twine and feathering sticks. Both knives have rubberised handles and steel blades that do what a lot of camp tools can’t, which is run through the dishwasher once you’re back home. In addition, their potential to be sterilized at high temperatures without dulling makes them great for the kitchen. Other features include a grippy textured handle, hi-vis green accents, and a sheath to attach to your belt loop. Price: RRP $79.95 for Camp Kitchen Knife, $39.95 for Paring Knife au.gerbergear.com

BULLET LURES FIVE-0 MINNOW

REDESIGNED ABU 7000 SERIES

Anglers familiar with Abu Garcia’s original 7000 series remember the sheer power offered by this size of reel. Abu has maintained the power with the redesigned 7000 series, while increasing the balance and adding new features. These reels feature an Anti-Distortion spool (ADS) design, giving the reel strength for long fights, plus Duragear brass gears for extended gear life. A four-pin centrifugal brake provides effective cast control, and the ergonomically angled handle and star drag keep your hands closer to the action. The synchronized level wind system improves line lay while a corrosion resistant IAR bearing provides greater protection. The red C-7000 includes one bearing while the silver C3-7000 has two stainless-steel High Performance Corrosion Resistant (HPCR) bearings plus one roller bearing. To control hard-charging fish, the C3-7000 includes a Carbon Matrix drag system and the C-7000 has a multi-disc drag system. Price: RRP $259 for the C-7000, $289 for the C3-7000 www.abugarcia-fishing.com.au

FISHHUNTER PORTABLE SOUNDER

COLORATO LURES

Bullet Lures designer Jason Pace has created a 5cm model called The Five-0 Minnow. In testing it has accounted for many freshwater and estuarine species. The Five-0 Minnow has two Owner #10 ST36 trebles and Owner split rings, and comes in 24 colours. The Silent Sinking model weighs 5.2g, has a tight action and will swim in fast water without tumbling. It’s good for long casts. The Silent Floating model weighs 3.7g, has a wide swim action and is great for floating down rivers with overhanging trees. On retrieve it sits between 2-3ft, and it has proven successful on the troll at around 4-4.2km/h. The Rattle Slow Sinking/Suspending version weighs 4g, has a wide swim action and is a great lure to retrieve and pause to attract both fussy and aggressive fish. It’s also effective on the troll, diving to 3-4ft. Price: RRP $14.95 www.bulletlures.com

FREESCAPE CAMP KNIFE

FishHunter has introduced portable, smartphone-based fishfinder. It comes wrapped inside a sealed waterproof silicone-polymer case the size of a cricket ball, and contains a high frequency transducer. It works in all weather conditions and works with more than 7000 IOS and android devices. The high frequency transducer operates at 380khz, with the power to reach and analyse to a depth of 40m in both fresh and salt water. FishHunter delivers the most advanced GPS tracking and mapping available on your smartphone. You can mark your favourite fishing spots by placing ‘pins’ on the FishHunter map. You can also add photos, notes or other pieces of data to each pin or in your catch logbook. You don’t need to be within mobile phone range, you just pair your FishHunter with a smartphone or tablet using blue tooth and then cast it in the water. You can then check your smartphone/tablet to see the bottom contour, depth and fish locations. Price: RRP $249 www.fishhunterapp.com.au

Colorato Lures is a family-owned business that makes quality game fishing lures handmade by Fishing Monthly writer Jason Scerri. Jason said because he makes the lures himself he can ensure premium quality control and keep costs to a reasonable level. “Our lures are slightly weighted to ensure they grip far better in the water, and this is even more evident in choppy seas,” he said. “All are cup-faced heads so they create a fantastic bubble trail and are very easy for anglers to run, and they’re fitted with Japanese Yamashita and Yo-Zuri skirts. “So if you’re chasing tuna, marlin, mahi mahi or any other gamefish that loves to chase skirted game lures, fit a Colorato or two into your spread and see the difference.” Colorato lures come in 6”, 7”, 8” and 10” sizes in weighted and unweighted heads. Colorato Lures Hoodies are now available as well. Price: from $29 www.coloratolures.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

NEW MASK VIBE GENES

New from the Jackall stable is a new generation of fork tail soft vibes. The team at Jackall developed this lure as a hybrid of the Transam and Mask Vibe, and it’s called the Mask Vibe Gene. There are two new sizes, 70mm and 55mm. These cover every species from bream to jew in the saltwater to just about anything in freshwater like trout, redfin, yellowbelly, bass, sooties and more. Smaller and more subtle in their vibration than their older brothers the Mask vibe and Transam, the new Genes exhibit the same fish catching traits. These include vibration at the first twitch of the rod tip, straight gliding fall and perfect balance. To see the latest developments visit the Jackall website or check out their Facebook page. Price: RRP $20 www.jackall.com.au

GLIND CAPE YORKER MAXI

When you need a shower while camping or boating, or need pressurised water for dirty dishes, to clean fish, wash the boat or just to fill water containers, the Glind Cape Yorker MAXI is for you. This compact unit is built with top quality components including the super efficient and reliable Flojet pressure pump, and it’s all housed in a rugged, tough case. This portable, travel anywhere shower system has a flow of 13.2L/min and the pressure is a massive 40psi. You can match the Cape Yorker MAXI with a Glind Heat Exchanger for hot water, or heat water in a drum over a fire – or just harden up and have a cold shower! A standard inclusion is the Glind Sand Spear Filter so you can travel anywhere and draw water from the sandiest and saltiest of environments. Price: RRP $399 www.glind.com.au

DAIWA VADEL 2015

A new standard in light tackle shore game excellence, Vadel delivers anglers a very durable and reliable light tackle shore game reel in a range of sizes and gear ratios. Light, powerful, and eye catching in its strong metallic cosmetic, the Vadel is ideal for shore casting and jigging, with its strength and reliability coming from the utilisation of many of the design features of its bigger brothers, Saltiga and Catalina. Designed to excel and built to perform, Vadel integrates many of Daiwa’s most innovative designs and technologies including Mag Seal, Air Rotor and Super Metal, and blends them with proven designs and features to create a reel that has few peers when it comes to light game spin reel excellence. www.daiwafishing.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

TTS SNAKELOCKZ JIGHEADS

The latest addition to the TT Lures stable is the SnakelockZ jighead. Combining the ‘chin lock’ system from their ChinlockZ hooks, with the free-swinging front weight concept of their Snake Head jigheads, the team at TT have enabled anglers to secure their plastic with the ‘chin lock’ while offering maximum action and the weight required to get the soft plastic deep in structure with minimal chance of snagging. SnakelockZ jigheads utilise a stainless steel, through wire loop, with a locking system that enables you to twist and unclip the hook from the head. This gives you the freedom to swap hook sizes and weights as required, or attach a different hook to the head to suit a particular soft plastic or technique. SnakelockZ are built on chemicallysharpened, heavy-duty Mustad worm hooks, and the through wire has been tested to 75lb. SnakelockZ are available in 2/0H-6/0H and 8/0H in packs of three (8/0 is two per pack) and weights from 1/12–3/8oz. Price: SRP $10.95 www.ttlures.com.au

FOXWING ECO 2.1 AWNING

The patented Foxwing Eco 2.1 awning from Rhino-Rack can be set up and packed down by one person in a matter of minutes. This awning is perfectly suited for utes and small to medium sized SUVs that have existing roof racks fitted; this includes Rhino-Rack roof rack systems and some additional rack brands. Constructed from a lightweight polyester with a polyurethane (PU) coating, the Foxwing Eco 2.1 is UV-resistant, has a 2000mm waterproof rating and a mould-resistant coating to keep you dry in a downpour. The beams and awning case have been created using a rust proof, anodised aluminium to make sure that the Foxwing Eco 2.1 stays in A1 condition whether it’s in use or packed away. Built for both on and off road adventures, the Rhino-Rack Foxwing Eco 2.1 will keep you protected from the elements no matter the weather. Price: RRP: $539 (roof racks not included) www.rhinorack.com.au

AR21 INTENSITY LED

Whether you’re checking on livestock around the property, heading out on an off-road adventure, or even spotlighting your way up a mangrove creek in the boat, there’s nothing worse than being stuck in the dark with only the standard lighting in the vehicle to guide you home. ARB have solved this problem once and for all by creating the AR21 Intensity LED driving light, which will turn night into day no matter what time it is. Using 21 highly efficient Osram LEDs situated within a patented reflector design, the AR21 produces a huge light output of 6,950 raw lumens at 6,500 Kelvin. Suited to smaller bull bars or areas where space may be limited, these lights set a new benchmark for on-vehicle performance and deliver the closest possible colour to daylight, resulting in reduced fatigue for the driver and a massive increase in visibility. Price: RRP $495 www.arb.com.au

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

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What’s New FISHING TESTED:

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

Daiwa J-Braid

To get a thorough low-down on Daiwa’s new J-Braid, we approached four of the people who use it the most: Daiwa Pro Staffers Mark Gercovich, Darren Weda, Andrew Badullovich and Leigh Fleet. After testing J-Braid on everything from trout to kingfish, here are their evaluations and verdicts.

MARK GERCOVICH

“I’ve been using the new J-Braid on the local kingfish and tuna population for the past few months and have been super impressed by its performance. It hasn’t lost colour or frayed/fluffed up, and still bursts off the spool on the cast like new. Its limp/ fine enough to knot well yet doesn’t loop and tangle easily like some low diameter braids. “The multi-coloured braid depth increments are invaluable for these applications for a number of reasons, like getting a feel for how far that tuna is from the boat or how close that king is from getting you on the bottom. The 40lb has certainly been strong enough to stand up to the rigours of casting, jigging or trolling for these species. I spooled one reel up with 30lb, concerned it may have not been strong enough, but keen for some extra distance and stealth factor. Yes, the 30 does allow you to throw a stickbait an absolute mile yet I’ve been able to land tuna to 18kg on it. Sure, it may take a bit of extra time to get the fish in, but on days when hook-ups are difficult with finicky fish, it’s not an issue.”

“Daiwa’s new J-Braid has managed to tick all of these boxes, giving anglers a value-for-money braid that has great castability, thin diameter and high strength ratio. I have been using the J-Braid for all my trout fishing for a while now and have been super impressed with its performance when compared to other more expensive braids I’ve used in the past.”

ANDREW BADULLOVICH

“Braided lines have definitely enhanced our fishing strategies. Their zero stretching qualities are the main catalyst for their popularity, contributing to fresh techniques emerging and some old methods taken to new heights! “There are a few key elements that I look for when purchasing a particular braid for light tackle saltwater applications. These of cast length. I also favour lines with a smooth finish, and I’m particularly fond of highly visible colours such as chartreuse. Smooth finishes enable you to fire lightly weighted (and sometimes unweighted) lures into precarious positions where wily fish hold with caution. The hi-vis colour allows you to monitor the course of your lure during the retrieve, and is also useful as a bite indicator when working soft plastics. “My choice to use Daiwa’s J-Braid for light tackle saltwater applications has definitely assisted all forms of my light tackle angling. The J-Braid on my reel is retaining its colour while conveying great knot strength, and so far it’s showing no signs of fatigue or abrasion. I can confidently say that Daiwa’s J-Braid performs well above its recommended retail price.”

DARREN WEDA

“For chasing trout you need a thin braid that comes off the spool nicely and guarantees to give you as much casting distance as possible. Super light lures are crucial for chasing species like trout but can hinder your casting distance, so using a braid that has great castability is essential. “Another essential is a strong braid, one that will give you the most strength possible for the thinnest diameter. Chasing any skinny water species like trout can be rough on your line, so it has to have the ability to withstand a bit of abrasion from rubbing on rocks, logs, branches and so on.

appear as lifelike as possible. J-Braid’s new chartreuse colour gives you the advantage because it’s bright and highly visible in low light and dark conditions. “Fishing heavy structure such as bridges and rock walls requires high abrasion resistance. We had a fish wrap us around a pylon, which necessitated a quick freespool, and to our luck it came back around! There was some slight scuffing on the line but it held up fine. “Keeping in mind some of these key elements when you spool your next reel it’s hard to go past a high quality product made in Japan like Daiwa’s new J-Braid.” - FMG

LEIGH FLEET

include cranking hardbodies for bream, working topwater lures for whiting, or hopping plastics for flathead. “I prefer fine diameter lines with a round profile, as this aids casting trajectory and accuracy. Those of you who hunt whiting on surface lures will understand the importance

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

“Targeting mulloway at night using small to medium soft plastic lures around heavy structure can be very challenging yet super exciting, and requires line that’s easy to use, highly visible, and is super strong, round and smooth. “I’ve been testing Daiwa’s new J-Braid on light to medium setups and I can’t believe just how smooth this braid is. A perfect match, spooling a TD SOL 2508 with a good 150m of 10lb J-Braid, the line’s diameter is only 0.15mm but has a breaking strain of 10lb. This is very strong for a PE 0.08 line! It’s light enough to fool a welcome by catch of chunky bream yet strong enough to handle large mulloway. Knots bite down hard and casts are made easily even in windy conditions. “As winter sets in, night is a great time to target these fish. When you’re working smaller soft plastics through various depths of the water column it’s important that you are able to see and control your line, keeping in close contact with your lure to make it

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News

How much does your fish cost? SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

The economics of recreational fishing is somewhat similar to the dark occult arts. Much of what is out there could be as accurately obtained by reading the entrails of goat sacrificed at midnight. Lots of big numbers are thrown around but it’s really hard to make much sense of what any of them mean. In this issue, we have a look at the Suntag data and try to bring the economics of recreational fishing down to earth. There is more to come on this topic but this month it’s back to basics. What do you pay for your fish? The one advantage of using the Suntag data is we know as much about the fishers as we know about the fish. Suntag fishers for the most part use boats kitted out for lure fishing (<4m), medium sized motors in the 30-70hp range, have the full range of electronics and fish lures and heavy braid lines most of the time. That is the profile used in calculating out the costs to catch fish, and knowing that the reader can make their own assessment of where in the fishing spectrum they sit. As in all things, fishing responsibly and taking only what you need is the way to go. PRICE OF YELLOWFIN BREAM Bream, along with flathead and whiting, represent the staple of most

fishers across the state. Suntag fishers are no different in this regard. Yellowfin bream is a relatively cheap option for the consumer at around $14 per kilo for fillets. Availability varies from location to location but it’s reasonably easy to find in the larger population centres. Australia-wide, the bream catch is around 1,100 tonnes worth approximately $5.9 million as of 2012/13 based on the figures from 104

AUGUST 2015

the ABARES Australian Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics 2013 Report. The big surprise then is that this is a species that comes at a premium price to the Suntag fishers. Brisbane Suntag fishers are paying $68.90 per kilo (2014) for the pleasure of their bream. That’s a factor of 4.9 times what it costs at the shops. Outside of Brisbane the price drops to $45.30. Why do Brisbane fishers pay a premium? Bream are pretty light on weight wise at legal length, coming in at

that high for a staple fish for a competent fisher with normal kit? It’s the consumer, not the commercials that fishers are really competing with. Consumer demand is what drives the fishery and in this case consumers have put a pretty tight ceiling on the price they are willing to pay. There is a solid case that recreational fishers, who are willing to pay more per kilo should get a better slice of the pie. Increasing the recreational catch could also have the effect of

Suntag fishers pay $68.60 per kilo (2014) for flathead in Brisbane and outside Brisbane it’s around $45.70. The average flathead recorded in Suntag locally is around 416mm or 400g where as outside Brisbane it’s around 477mm or 700g. Once again higher costs to fish in Brisbane also play a role. In this case the higher price for flathead is probably more justified. There is a high demand from both recreational fishers and consumers, with consumers willing to pay high prices.

around 400g at 25cm, and that’s whole fish, not fillets. On average the bream in Brisbane come in on average at 281mm, where as outside Brisbane the average is 313mm, around a 300g difference. The other factor is the higher costs Brisbane fishers pay to fish.

driving the market price up with better price returns to commercial fishers. PRICE OF DUSKY FLATHEAD For those that prefer flathead for the table the competition is a little tougher. Flathead are widely available through the grocery chain,

In this case, fishers should expect that more competition to get at the resource to be reflected in price. Overall the flathead market seems more in parity than the bream market. If anything the 2014 price was a little low suggesting fishers may have moved onto other species. Competent fishers still pay a premium to access the fish but it’s a premium more reflective of market forces and the need to keep stocks in good shape. PRICE OF INSHORE SNAPPER Snapper as a non-retail species presents as an attractive alternative to flathead or bream. While there is a commercial fishery for snapper in most states, this is not a species that has made it in a big way into

No doubt fishers will have their own views on how much they pay for bream but to match the price at Coles, Suntag fishers would need to spend no more than $20.80 per person per trip. That’s based on average catch rates for that group of fishers. The high price is due to the bream fishery being one of the most heavily fished for the dinner table and fishing is especially heavy in Brisbane. Should the price be

the current Woolworths price being around $37 per kilo for fillets. There is a much bigger market nationally for flathead at 3,890 tonnes valued at around $25.6 million. On top of this, flathead is common in restaurants and better fish and chip outlets. Even non-fish centric chains such as Red Rooster offer battered flathead as alternative to chicken reinforcing in the consumers mind that this is an easy to handle cut of fish.

the retail chains and remains largely a niche market species. Looking at the commercial catch, in 2012/13 it was around 549 tonnes or $4 million in South Australia, 230 tonnes or $2 million in NSW and 152 tonnes or $1.1 million in Victoria. In Queensland the commercial catch in 2014 was around 88 tonnes. To put that into perspective, that’s 4,451 fishing days or around 19kg per trip. That is a lot of effort for a lower return so it’s hard work being a snapper commercial fisher. The Suntag fishers are paying around $45.55 per kilo (2014), verses the fish market price of $40kg. This close parity to market prices is due to the size of available snapper, 389mm on average or about 1.3kg. There is also a relative high catch rate at around 4 fish per person per trip. With a bag limit of 4 not all are kept, only the most suited for the dinner table and that isn’t always the larger fish. In general, Suntag fishers have more choice on the size of snapper they keep than almost any other typical harvest species. There was a price spike for Suntag fishers targeting snapper around 2007-2009 as catch rates were down. By the time the snapper bag limit came in around 2011 the price was falling. The fact that it stayed high even as commercial catch was falling suggests recreational effort was also too high. It also suggests the bag limit came in late and fishers in the area had already begun adjusting practices. It would appear though the reduction in bag limit was justified.

There was a second spike in 2013 as commercial effort picked up again in the inshore fishery but that has since settled down. Overall the snapper commercials in the inshore fishery have been pretty responsible. The 15 tonnes commercial harvest boundary seems to be the point where conflict occurs. Below that boundary there are far less issues in terms of stock pressures reflected in prices/catch rates. What this shows is the fishery does have a fine sensitivity to fishing pressure. While stocks do seem to recover, this fishery does need some level of effort control on both sides. It should be noted that the 15t boundary is not pointing fingers. That is simply the point at which joint effort is noticed in the Suntag data. Keeping the limit at four is justified on the available evidence. PRICE OF MULLOWAY Mulloway is an interesting species because it’s subject to recovery programmes in NSW. What is surprising is the fact that it’s only 69 tonnes worth $700,000. Even back in 2010/11 the take was only 84 tonnes. In Queensland, the commercial mulloway take has been negligible until recent times. Mulloway are not prized by consumers in the way barramundi are, so don’t command as high a price. Mulloway have strict controls in place for recreational fishers with a limit of 2 at a minimum of 75cm. There is also a generational divide in how mulloway are viewed with younger fishers practicing catch and release while

News older fishers are more likely to harvest. So what do the economics say about the state of the fishery? The price of mulloway in Queensland for Suntag fishers has been pretty stable around the $30/kg mark, reflecting the effort required to score a legal fish. In 2014 though, things changed as the commercial catch soared to 10.9 tonnes and the Suntag price dropped below the $20/kg mark at the fish markets to $16.20 (2014). This is reflective of the fact that there have been good years of rain and legal length mulloway are relatively abundant. As we have access to NSW data we can make a comparison. In 2014 in NSW the cost based on the mulloway programme there is around $17.10 per kilo, still below what they are paying in the shops. At a minimum, it shows the mulloway recovery programme is helping. The data isn’t from enough areas yet to say if that is statewide. In Queensland, it makes ‘cents’ to add the odd mulloway to the diet. Mulloway are an important sports species now and there is a value to ‘catch, selfie, release’ not reflected here. That will be the subject of another article.

keep more? Suntag fishers put back over 5.3 tonnes of fish in trips where they targeted bass in the period since 1 January 2014. Unlike natural populations there is a funded mechanism to replenish bass in impoundments in the form of Stocking. Not encouraging a greater harvest share makes no economic sense. Catch and release fishers would probably disagree and claim this spend as a badge of honour. It should be kept in mind that bass live a long time and impoundments cannot take on fish indefinitely. A harvest PRICE OF BASS What the? The price of bass? Bass are pretty much a catch and release fish as the bag limit is very low. It certainly is for the Suntag fishers. So why look at a catch and release species? Using the same calculations as we have for the other species and leaving out things such as accommodation and food we get an interesting number. The price per kilo is around $16.20 per kilo, the equal cheapest of any species assessed and every kilogram gets returned to the water. To put it in perspective Suntag fishers kept a total of 25 bass and released 4,775 in the past 18 months.

increase in impoundments is a better alternative to restricting the spend on fingerlings or having impoundments overstocked when they need to draw down water in the dry times. Another issue created by keeping the price low for bass means the price of golden perch artificially high. Rural and Inland fishers are overly disadvantaged in these economics as they either pay a premium for table fish or have to travel greater distances for harvest species. Of all species reviewed the economics of bass, a recreational-only species, looks at least in balance.

When you factor in additional costs such as accommodation on trips away that price is higher but I think there is a genuine argument to say that is a ‘recreational’ cost. Bass as a catch and release species is a true ‘recreational’ species. Golden perch on the other hand is a very different case. For golden perch the price per kilo for Suntag Fishers is around $80.60 when you factor in all costs. The point I will make on the price of bass is this: Given that the harvest price is low relative to buying fish at Woolworths and golden perch and stocks are high, why on earth are you not allowed to

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AVAILABLE AT

www.parsun.com.au AUGUST 2015

105

Cooking

Marinara baby octopus BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

The sauce in the following recipe is a rich robust tomato sauce. Baby octopus that has been soaked in a spicy (chilli) citrus (lemon) based marinade, then simmered in this tomato

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sauce until tender. This recipe is easy to make and can also be used either as a pasta sauce or as a topping for crunchy bread. Ingredients for marinade 1 cup lemon juice Pinch of dried chilli flakes 2 tablespoons soy sauce A good pinch of salt 1 teaspoon of black pepper

The ingredients for the marinade will add a spicy flavour to the baby octopus. Ingredients include lemon juice, dried chilli flakes, soy sauce, salt and pepper.

4 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley Ingredients for sauce 1 teaspoon garlic paste (3 cloves) 400g tin of chopped tomatoes Salt and pepper to taste A good pinch of dried chilli flakes 12 or so basil leaves, roughly chopped or torn

In the pot, sautĂŠ the garlic paste and chilli flakes in 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir fry for a minute or so before adding the tinned tomatoes to the mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine the tomatoes into the mixture.

Marinade the baby octopus in a ceramic (or plastic) bowl for at least half an hour â&#x20AC;&#x201C; donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use metal. Sprinkle some roughly chopped flat leaf parsley over the octopus and mix through.

Drain the octopus and discard the marinade. Carefully add the baby octopus to the pot.

Add roughly chopped or torn basil to the tomato mixture and stir well.

Stir the contents of the pot together thoroughly and then allow to simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until the baby octopus is tender.

AUGUST 2015

The completed baby octopus in Marinara sauce, just waiting to be either ladled over steaming hot pasta or heaped onto some fresh crusty bread.

Lenthalls BASS Electric comp moved to Isis The Lake Lenthalls BASS Electric competition was recently held at Lake Gregory due to work being done at Lenthalls Dam.

1.86kg. Jordan also took out the Austackle Big Bass, weighing 1.18kg. Jordan used 2½” Ecogear Grass Minnows with 1/4oz jigheads. He also

RESULTS Angler................ Session 1.....Total......Option Up 1 Jordan Renz....... 1.86...............1.86.......$110 2 Adrian Wilson..... 1.72...............1.72.......$50 3 Mitchell Renz...... 1.60...............1.60 4 Tim Steenhuis.... 1.47...............1.47 5 Jonathan Bale.... 1.11...............1.11 Big Bass: 1.18kg by Jordan Renz

First placed Jordan Renz bagged two fish weighing 1.86kg.

Fifteen anglers took on the windy conditions at the Isis impoundment. The wind was a steady 25km/h with gusts up to 30km/h and the water was considerably choppy. Sheltered spots were hard to come by and 12 quality fish were landed by anglers. First placed Jordan Renz bagged 2 fish weighing

used a 4” Nories Spoontail with 1/2oz jighead. Jordan is sponsored by Ecogear and ACM rods. Second placed Adrian Wilson boxed 2 fish weighing 1.72kg. Adrian used jerkbaits on a BarraBass Rod and Certate reel. Adrian found better quality fish on the points.

Second placed Adrian Wilson boxed two fish weighing 1.72kg. Mitchell Renz filled out the rest of the podium with 2 fish weighing 1.60kg.

Mitchell’s lure of choice was also a 2½” Grass Minnow with 1/4oz jigheads. – ABT

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2015

DATE DETAILS

CONTACT

AUGUST Aug 15-16

ABBT Basstasstic Bass Fishing Qualifier Somerset

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

Aug 22-23

Hobie Fishing Worlds 2015 R12: Qualifier #3 Redcliffe

Hobiecat Australasia www.hobiefishing.com.au

Aug 28-30

Brown and Hurley Yellowbelly Classic Longreach

0409 469 119 yellowbellyclassic@hotmail.com

Aug 29-30

BASS Pro Qualifier #4 Bjelkle Petersen Dam

ABT abt.org.au

SEPTEMBER Sep 5-6

ABBT Basstasstic Bass Fishing Qualifier Borumba

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

Sep 19-20 2015 Bowen Family Fishing Classic Bowen

Russ 0428 776 653 Sharon 0438 701 076 bowenfamilyfishingclassic@yahoo.com.au

Sep 26-27

‘Win a Tinny’ Family Fishing Comp Tara

James Smith James.Smith563@gmail.com

Sep 30-3 Oct

Great Northern Brewing Co. 2015 Flathead Classic Gold Coast

GCSFC www.goldcoastsportfishingclub.com.au

OCTOBER Oct 16-17

WTF Women That Fish Barra Classic Fitzroy River, Rockhampton

Shara 0429923243 Bel 0407674198

Oct 17-18

ABBT Basstasstic Bass Fishing Qualifier Wuruma Dam

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

Oct 23-35

Clancy Corporation Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic Lake Moondarra, Mount Isa

www.lakemoondarrafishingclassic.com.au

Oct 24-25

BASS Grand Final Lake Glenbawn

ABT abt.org.au

Oct 31

Daiwa-Hobie Kayak Bass Australian Championship Hinze Dam

Hobiecat Australasia www.hobiefishing.com.au

Oct 31-Nov1

ABBT X-Factor Australian Teams Series Borumba Dam

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

NOVEMBER Nov 13-15

Bluefin Lake Maroon Fishing Classic Lake Maroon

Steve Wilkes www.sportstuition.com.au

Nov 21-22

ABBT Basstasstic Bass Fishing Qualifier TBA

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

DECEMBER Dec 5-6

ABBT X-Factor Australian Teams Series Somerset

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

For listings please email jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au AUGUST 2015

107

Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic One of outback Queensland’s most unique annual events, the Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic, hosted annually in Mount Isa between the picturesque red rock hills of the Selwyn Ranges, is a must do for any outdoor enthusiast. Having grown considerably since its humble beginnings in 1999, the award-winning 3-day event hosted by the Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group today boasts the title of Queensland’s richest freshwater fishing competition, with thousands of competitors and visitors flocking to the man-made Lake Moondarra 15km north of the iconic mining city’s CBD. Boasting a line-up of on and off-shore entertainment to rival many major fishing tournaments, organisers pride themselves on offering something for all tastes, while living up to their slogan of fishing being just the beginning. On the water, nominated competitors can try their luck at landing thousands of dollars in prizes, trophies and cash up for grabs, with over 20

categories including junior and senior classes and mystery weights. There’s also a whopping $50,000 for the lucky angler who manages to snag the Tagged Barra. Synonymous with big outback barramundi, the fishing program also boasts the great fighting sooty grunter and elusive sleepy

pay a small nomination fee of $30 for seniors and $10 for juniors. This entitles them to complimentary camping at designated areas at the Lake facility. A recreational reserve, the Lake Moondarra precinct is open to camping only for the annual Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic, with competitors invited to

cod as species of choice. The Lake Moondarra waters are also home to long tom, perch and catfish. Raising funds for the Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group’s re-stocking efforts, competitors are required to

stay from Friday through until the Monday after the event. Equipped with shady trees, 4WD tracks, a lookout, picnic huts, grassy parks and amenities including hot and cold

A not fo organisatior profit n local and re helping gion charities al

the Hosted by EW CL ASSIC CR ED LU and our VArs sponso

Check out our Website and entries available online

www.bowenfamilyfishingclassic.com

- 20

$25 SENIOR (16 years and over) $15 JUNIOR (15 years and under)

15 th SEPT. 20

Australia’s BIGGEST Family Fishing Classic at the Top of the Whitsundays SENIOR BOAT worth $37,000 WOIFN2

1 STIC FANTA ONDA/ /H BLUEFINEANIC OC G BOATIN GES PACkA

Compered by

JUNIOR BOAT worth $6,675 LUCKY WEIGH-IN PRIZE

FISHING HOLIDAY PACKAGE VALUED At $1639

l Coach Tickets for 2 - Cairns to Cooktown & Return with Trans North (1 ticket for 2 can be changed to Daintree Ferry) valued at $664 l A days boat hire fishing or exploring by Boab Boat Hire in Townsville valued at $495. l 2 Nights Luxury accom. in an Executive Deluxe Room at Innisfail Aquarius on the Beach - Townsville valued at $330 l River voucher by Tropic Petroleum valued at $150 The HerbertFuel

advocate express advocate observer independent miner AUGUST 2015 The

The

Bowen

The Northern

108

23. Nominations can be placed right up to the close of fishing on Sunday. HOW TO GET TO MOUNT ISA The city of Mount Isa is ideally situated in Queensland’s vast north west, in arid and romantic outback Australia. It is located 200km from the Northern Territory border,

• Yabby races • Casting competitions • Live bands • Trade exhibits • Swimming • Kayaking and canoeing • Hiking • Food, drink and bar facilities Nominations for the 2015 Clancy Corporation Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic will open 1 week out from the competition and be available from local supporting business or from the nomination tent at Lake Moondarra from 12.00pm Friday October

1,829km from Brisbane, and 883km inland from Townsville, the closest major city. Mount Isa is the administrative, commercial and industrial centre for the region. It is accessed by direct flights from Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Darwin and the Gold Coast, and rail and coach services are available from most major cities. Sealed highways access the city of Mount Isa from the Northern Territory and most major cities in Queensland.

EXTEND YOUR STAY Mount Isa has undergone a transformation in recent years. Once known as being a rough and ready mining town, it now boasts a metropolitan feel with trendy bars, coffee houses and boutique shops. No shortage of wide open spaces, red soil desert-scapes, distinctive wildlife and things to explore and experience, the Isa is a must-visit on every traveller’s agenda. Whether you are visitor to our shores or a born and bred Australian, once you’ve been to Mount Isa you’ve experienced the true heart of our amazing nation. The small town community spirit lives on through a force of dedicated locals who organise events such as the famous Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic and Isa Rodeo. While in the region, take in a tour, visit major tourist attractions, or wine and dine with the locals. ACCOMMODATION If you do not wish to camp at the designated areas at Lake Moondarra as a nominated competitor, Mount Isa has a wide variety of accommodation available ranging from 4 1/2 star hotels to motels, caravan parks and backpacker hostels. For more information on alternative accommodation in Mount Isa, contact the Outback at Isa Visitor Information Centre on (07) 4749 1555.

Mulloway Marathon

TRAILERS

BOWEN

showers, campers can make the most of idyllic outdoor surrounds and a jam packed entertainment schedule on the shore. Kicking off from 6.00pm Friday October 23 with fishing to close at 6.00pm Sunday October 25 (extended hours for the first time ever), the 2015 Clancy Corporation Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic will wrap up around 8.30pm Sunday with presentations. For spectators or those not keen to wet a line, days can be filled enjoying any of the following activities and entertainment: • Fireworks spectacular • DIY dragon boat regatta • Beach volleyball competition

The

HAMMO & LEON MITCHELL

2015 XXXX Beach Party

H Celtic Fyre H Captain Wow H Mason Rack H Electrik Lemonade H The Hillbilly Goats H Tropic Temple H Sweet Spot H Sylvia the Seahorse H Karrie Haywood H White Rock H Suburban Superhereos Show H Dame Edna WEigh-in With sPECial guEst PErsonalitY

SENIOR LUCky NOMINATION PRIzE 7 nights for 4 adults (off Peak)

$1820 value

Sustainability comes to Brisbane! We have been monitoring mulloway over the last couple of years and now it’s time to take the next step in helping them along. We are really excited that Humminbird/BLA agree with us and they have put up a $1000 order for the fisher that puts back the most metres of mulloway. The Rocky Barra Bounty played a huge role in getting the community onside for greater sustainability in fishing from both Commercial and Rec fishers and played a

key role in the Fitzroy being named as a Net Free Area by the Minister. This is our chance to show Brisbane that not only are rec fishers responsible in their fishing, they are leading the way! The best way to show your support is to get involved. Register, fish the event under your business name and demonstrate in the best way possible that the future is in ensuring there are fish always, not just in the good times. Entry fees are only $50 per head and everyone gets a great 1.2m aluminium ruler

to show off their catch. Every fish registered goes into a weekly prize draw! Register online: qld. info-fish.net/suntag/ membership/register_ marathon.asp held between 15 August to 26 September 2015 Moreton Bay Marine Park. It is a catch/tag and release, photo only. Results updated daily online. All the data collected will be used to help determine the stock status for mulloway and provide feedback to the community on where they are headed into the future. – Infofish Australia

2015 Annual Bowen Family Fishing Classic Don’t miss Australia’s Biggest Family Fishing Classic at the top of the Whitsundays along Bowen’s front beach. Join in the fishing and the fun at the famous Bowen Family Fishing Classic and Wet Weekend - to be held on 19 and 20 September 2015. The Classic is more than fishing. Entertainment will be enjoyed by the whole family throughout the weekend. The show kicks off with a local Gospel Band, Blessing of The Fishermen, followed by the XXXX Beach Party on Saturday afternoon from 12.45pm. Nine bands from Bowen to Brisbane will play on Bowen’s Soundshell to entertain all ages from the young to the young at heart. Come on down for Brekky Beachside with Dame Edna and the comic songs from the Hill Billy Goats before a leisurely day of music and mayhem, weigh in, and wonderful prizes all of which must go home with a lucky winner. This is all interspersed with a huge range of activities from Cake Crunchin Contest, Sand Sculpting, Lolly Drop, Crawchie Races, Bush & Beach Craft for the kids, Yabby Pumping

distinctive ‘swish’ like the senior boat. Set up the Oceanic TSL 3.4 Galvanised Trailer with jockey wheel and full gal pack, completes this terrific lightweight boating package. You will enjoy two weigh-ins over the weekend with fish donated to the weigh-in team, filleted, packaged, and delivered to Meals on Wheels, with anglers knowing this charitable organisation

benefits each year. Proceeds from the Classic assists local and national charities, with a significant donation each year allocated for Fish Stocking. There are 16 categories for fishing, including Crabs, with a Highest Weight Prize as well as Secret Weight for all Senior and Junior Anglers. The ladies are catered for with a top prize for the Heaviest Fish weighed in by a female angler from Centrepoint Traders. Another Senior

The Bluefin 4.8 Mangrove Jack worth $37,000 is the Senior Lucky Nomination Prize Boat. Competition, Cast Net Casting Competition, Dash for Cash and Console Corner. There will be heaps of rides for the young at heart, as well as games, displays, food and three bars. Senior entry is $25, Junior entry is $15 and the Senior Lucky Nomination Prize Boat worth $37,000 is the Bluefin 4.8 Mangrove Jack. This awesome platesided Ezi-Ride Hull has a side-winder console and is fitted-up with the ultimate 4-stroke Honda BF80 engine with 7yr warranty. On the dash is the Humminbird Wide Screen Helix 5 SI

Fish Finder/GPS Combo and Fusion Sound System. The painted Mangrove Jack is finished in a distinctive custom wrap and is set up on an Oceanic TSL 4.8 13 BLS Deluxe Trailer for ease of launching and retrieving. The Junior Lucky Nomination Prize Boat worth $6,675 is the Bluefin 3.4 Drifter. The all new elliptical hull drifter offers stability and is fitted-up with the portable power of the Honda 2.3hp with 7yr warranty. This 3.4 Drifter has a drop-in floor, checker plate deck, side pockets, 2 rod holders and is painted and has the

It’s a family fun event catering to all ages.

QLD’S RICHEST FR ESHW FISHING COMPETI ATER TION!

US THE INFAMO F O N R U T E R

0BOARD $5IS0A ,W0A0 TER NT

Lucky Nomination Prize is 7 nights accommodation at Montes Reef Resort valued at $1,820. Lucky weigh-in prize is a fishing holiday package valued at $1,639. Presentations are at 4pm Sunday culminating in the Senior and Junior Lucky Nomination Boat Draws. We have trophies and prizes for Champion Junior and Senior and tagged fish prizes for the juniors and tens of thousands of dollars in prizes and give aways. The Classic attracts thousands of visitors to our Region each year, so make sure you mark your calendar, book your accommodation early, tell your friends and bring the family. Come to the 24th Classic at Bowen’s Beachfront the perfect setting at the top of the Whitsundays. Make your way to beautiful Bowen on 19-20 September 2015 and take part in Australia’s Biggest Family Fishing Classic, 3 time winner of Bowen’s Event of the Year. Entry/nominations are available from tackle stores or check out our website for the full list of outlets or you can enter on line: www. bowenfamilyfishingclassic. com – The Classic Crew

CLANCY CORPORATION

LAKE MOONDARRA FISHING CLASSIC

23-25 OCTOBER 2015

BLACK ROCK PARK, LAKE MOONDARRA, MOUNT ISA

OVER 20 PRIZE C INCL. JU ATEGOR NIOR, SE IES NIOR & THOUSA M YSTERY NDS OF WEIGHT $$ WORT H OF TROP CASH & HIES, PRIZES U P F O T R EN GRABS TERTAINM HUGE LINE UP OF EN

MOUN !!! A R R A B D E TAGG

RKS SPECTACULAR O EW R FI G IN D LU C IN ALL TA BEACH VOLLEYB AT EG R AT O B N O G A DR ING COMPS YABBY RACES CAST EXHIBITS ADE KIDS ACTIVITIES TR & COLD SHOWERS CAMPING INCL. HOT MORE! BAR, GREAT FOOD &

NOMINATIONS: $10 JNRS, $30 SNRS. OPEN: 1 WEEK PRIOR OR AT THE EVENT. ALL NEW EXTENDED FISHING HOURS - 6PM FRI TO 6PM SUN

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY:

TRADING AS

Dave Clancy powering the future

FISHING’S JUST THE BEGINNING!

LAKEMOONDARRAFISHINGCLASSIC.COM.AU

CONNECT WITH US: AUGUST 2015

109

All Betts are off at Gippsland TER 1ST BOA

Declan Betts, a 37-year-old retail nurseryman hailing from Colac, Victoria took out the Mercury Gippsland Lakes BREAM Qualifier. Betts (10/10, 9.03kg) sat in third place after day one, but rocketed into the number one position courtesy of his day two limit of 5.44kg, securing the victory by 650g from his nearest competitor. Betts’ pre-fish was plagued with motor issues that threatened to derail his tournament, but fortunately these problems appeared to work themselves out as the event loomed. A number of locations on the Nicholson River proved to hold fish, and these formed the basis of Betts’ tournament plan. Betts’ morning got off to a good start when he boated four fish quickly. The fifth fish, however, proved difficult to catch and even more difficult to land. “I was attached to the fifth fish a couple of times, but those battles ended in tears,” he said. “As the morning wore on I could tell that section of river was shutting down, and I knew I had to move if I was going to fill my limit.” Betts and his non-boater then snuck down to the lower reaches of the river and fished a section where Betts had previously caught fish. “I soon found myself attached to a kilo fish, and after all the hard work was done the fish came close to the net and then turned… and the jig and fish parted ways. Harsh words were uttered!” Fortunately, Betts picked up a consolation prize soon after and his non-boater picked up a fish as well. That was the end of the excitement for day one. Day two started slowly and, as is often the case on the

Declan Betts finished strongly at Gippsland, weighing in 5.44kg on the final day to claim the event win. second day of a tournament, the fishing appeared to be tougher than day one. “I was concerned that the river was not coping well with the amount of traffic it had seen, especially after I had only caught one fish off my original bank from the previous day,” Betts said. He switched banks and dropped a fish but quickly regained composure, and after a short space of time he had four fish in the well. Again the fifth was proving difficult; Betts was getting the hook-ups but for various reasons putting that fish in the boat was eluding him. “I decided to put my faith in my original bank and finally put a good fish in the well,” he said. “Shortly after I traded a 28cm fork bream for a 37.5cm fork bream. “I started mixing it up, switching sides of the river and I found another upgrade, a 39.5cm fork fish, at which point I was happy and wondering whether sticking around was being greedy. I pressed on, and on one hook-up I thought ‘this feels just like the average fish, nothing special’. Then after seeing him under a tree branch I realised I’d better take this fish seriously. After landing it and realising it was actually a 38 fork fish, I knew I was sitting on a good bag and gave myself plenty of time to get safely back to the weigh in. It was the first time in

my life I have come in over 15 minutes earlier than my allotted finishing time!” Betts caught his fish by casting ZMan GrubZ rigged on a Decoy Nail Bomb weedless 1/16oz jighead tight to the natural timber structure. He then hopped the lure out and waited for a good committed strike. Once hooked it was a no-holds-barred fight on tight drag in an attempt to get the fish into the open expanse of the river to play them out on his terms. Betts said that using light line was key to securing the

all-important big fish bites. “I went light to get the bites as the water clarity was still really good,” he said. “It was a risky strategy that thankfully paid off. I always believed that I was on the fish to put two reasonable bags together, but the calibre of some of the fish I found on day two far exceeded my expectations. “I’d also like to give a big thanks to my two non-boaters Tanya Konsul and Paul Siemasko for their company and help on the water.”

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle Rod: Samurai 101 Reel: Daiwa Certate 2506 Line: Unitika Aorika braid Leader: 4lb Sunline V Hard Lures: Zman GrubZ rigged on a Decoy Nailbomb weedless 1/16oz jighead

Winning Ways Betts attributes the use of light line (4lb) as a key to his victory at Gippsland Lakes.

Austackle Big Bream Damian Domagala took out the Austackle Big Bream at the Mercury Gippsland Lakes BREAM Qualifier. The 1.62kg bream, caught in session one in Toms Creek, fell to a Jackall Chubby in brown suji colour retrofitted with size 10 Vanfook trebles.

Hodges sticks to the plan STORM

CE 2ND PLA

VENTAFISH®

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 110

AUGUST 2015

Brad Hodges, a 34-year-old PE teacher was runner-up at the Gippsland Lakes event. Hodges led the field after day one, but was overtaken by Betts’ final day heroics. Always consistent at ABT events, Hodges again caught the bream to

contend for top honours. In the pre-fish Hodges went towards Lakes Entrance where he worked a combination of jetties, moored boats, shallow flats and sunken timber. As the morning rolled on he worked the shallow flats and edges but found no signs of fish holding in these areas. Eventually a move up the system resulted in Hodges locating a large concentration of fish holding on the fallen snags and drop-offs. Faced with a decision

on day one whether to target the jetties or fish concentrated around the snags and drop-offs, Hodges hedged his bets and decided to hit the jetties. Ultimately this decision set up his tournament and got him tuned into a pattern that produced quality fish throughout the event. “Within the first handful of casts I hooked up to a solid fish only to pull the hooks,” he said. “Luckily within the next few casts I was on again, and this time a kilo bream came quickly to the net.”

As Hodges worked the next couple of jetties and moored boats he landed two more fish and his confidence was building. Then, at 9:30am, he headed upriver to search for the schooling fish. “The fish seemed to have thinned out compared to the pre-fish, but after working a couple of snags with a Berkley 3B Puppydog I landed my fourth legal fish,” He said. “It was shortly after that I hooked a really large bream very deep in a snag. This fish was every

bit of 1.5kg and for a spilt second I could see a 5kg bag beckoning, but it quickly came to an end after this fish tore me to shreds on the barnacle-encrusted snag. “Knowing that you generally only get one chance to land a fish like that in a tournament I felt I had wasted a great opportunity.” With an hour to go, the fish fortunately began to bite a little more freely. After landing his fifth legal and upgrading a couple of times Hodges headed back to the weigh-in. “I was happy that I had five decent fish in my bag, but I still knew I had let two solid fish get away!” he said. Day two saw Hodges return to the same jetties

BREAM

Presente SERIES d by Me rcury

Cast lure tight to structure

Z-Man GrubZ rigged on a Decoy Nailbomb weedless 1/16oz jighead

Wait for committed strike Hop lure slowly

where he lost an early fish. Working the nearby jetties saw him quickly boat three

fish before he headed up to the snags that had delivered him the larger of his fish

Brad Hodges was as consistent as ever at Gippsland, claiming another podium finish.

on day one. “Targeting the sunken timber resulted in only one more fish in the well, and doubt started to creep in,” Hodges said, “but when I moved back to the jetties I got a kilo fish that rounded out my tournament limit.” This relief enabled Hodges to relax, and in the remainder of the session he found a couple of small upgrades before heading back to the weigh-in. Hodges used three presentations throughout the tournament, all rigged on an Abu Garcia rod matched to an Abu Garcia SX20 reel with 6lb Nanofil and 4lb Sensei leader. His lures of choice were the new Berkley 3” Nemesis in camo and Berkley 6” Sandworm in

camo (both ridged on a Nitro 1/16oz jighead) and a Berkley 3B Puppydog in mongrel. “The tail action on the Nemesis is the best I have seen,” Hodges explained. “Matched with the deadly combination of Gulp and the camo colour, I reckon this lure is a must have.” Hodges’ techniques with the Nemesis and camo Sandworm was to cast in

tight to structure and/or first drop-off then allow the lure to hit the bottom. He then worked the lure back to the boat with a combination of lift and drop and a double hop retrieve. When using the Berkley Puppydog he cast the lure in tight to the timber snags, and aggressively retrieved using a twitch and pause motion through the sticks.

with small gentle lifts and drops. Interestingly, the fish became more aggressive and started hitting my vibe almost every third or fourth cast. I went through quite a few small fish before I landed another keeper. With four fish in the well I knew I had a chance

of winning.” Franchuk alternated his outfits throughout the event, favouring a Millerod Bream Buster XF Classic 7’0” when using an Ecogear SX40, and a Millerod Bream Buster XF Long Cast 7’3” for soft plastics and vibes. Both rods were

teamed with Daiwa Sol 2000 reels spooled with 10lb Unitika Aorika braid, with 2m of 4lb Sunline fluorocarbon leader. Franchuk said his previous knowledge and experience at Gippsland Lakes over the last five years were key to his victory at this event.

Franchuk takes out non-boater title

-BOATER 1ST NON Alex Franchuk, a 57-year-old electrical engineer at Jacobs Australia, took out the non-boater division. Franchuk didn’t get a chance to pre-fish on the practice day, but was confident in his knowledge of the system given his previous performances at ABT and VicBream Classic events. Franchuk was paired with Geoffrey Borg on day one and Scott Bilton on day two. During day one Franchuk suggested they head to the Tambo River, near the Johnsonville boat ramp, as he knew the area held a school of legal fish. The team made their way to the location and started

to investigate. “The fish were in the deep and the deal was to use soft plastics and bladed lures to get the fish biting,” Franchuk said. “On Saturday the fish weren’t too active and didn’t want to pay any attention to soft plastics. After we caught some fish on bladed lures we decided to stick to blades. I was using Strike Pro Cyber Vibe 35 cm in colour 780E (black) and Ecogear VX35 in 439 colour. “I landed only three legal fish on day one but went through numerous undersize fish in the process. That bag put me in contention and I was happy with the result.” On day two after speaking to his boater Scott Bilton, the decision was made to inspect the Mitchell River edges first and then go to the Tambo

Alex Franchuk dominated the non-boater division, with close to a 2kg winning margin over his nearest challenger.

River and try to catch fish in the deep. Bilton, a NSW local, took Franchuk’s lead when the anglers arrived at the Mitchell River. “I made only a dozen or so casts into the bank with the SX40 in custom Geneo paint job when I felt the hit, and my rod loaded with the nice size black bream of about a kilo mark,” Franchuk said. “I was thrilled that my plan worked out off the bat. “About five casts later a bigger fish hit the lure and I was on. After a few minutes of careful fighting I landed my biggest bream for the tournament – around 1.3kg. At that moment I knew I was heading towards the podium.” After another hour of casting the anglers packed up and headed to the Tambo River. On arrival at the same spot where Franchuk had fished the previous day he was told that the bite wasn’t there and nobody had caught a legal fish. It was not good news but knowing the fish were active the day before Franchuk felt confident he could get a bite. After trying blades that had worked on day one, he decided to tie on a favourite deepwater lure that had worked for him in the past – a Bassday Range Vibe in black. “After a few casts I had my third fish on board,” he said. “I fished extremely slowly

BOATING RESULTS #

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Declan BETTS Brad HODGES Steve GILL Daniel MACKRELL Mark HEALEY Brad ROBERTS Ross CANNIZZARO Mark BROWN Cameron WHITTAM Tony PETTIE

10/10 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 6/10 7/10 5/10 5/10 5/10

9.03 8.38 6.79 5.41 4.52 4.37 3.92 3.75 3.71 3.53

Payout $3100 $1500 $1200 $1100 $950 $800 $700 $600 $450 $450

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

NON-BOATERS RESULTS #

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Alex FRANCHUK Michael HODGES Braddley YOUNG Simon JOHNSON Owen WATSON Clint VOSS Steven PRYKE Nathan LEICHT Tanya KONSUL Ben THOMPSON

7/10 3/10 4/10 3/10 3/10 2/10 3/10 2/10 2/10 2/10

5.02 3.12 2.89 2.32 2.12 2.02 1.89 1.76 1.58 1.55

Payout Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

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

111

Hickson spikes another victory TER 1ST BOA

Manning River Marine’s Kris Hickson continued his winning ways from 2014 with the current Grand Final champion completing a wire-to-wire win to claim victory in the Hobie Mallacoota BREAM Qualifier, June 9-10. Coming off a quiet opening round (Gippsland Lakes) of the two-event Victorian leg of the 2015 Berkley BREAM Series Hickson hit the water on day one of the event, far from buoyed with confidence after a quiet and relatively uneventfull prefish. “I struggled to lock in a solid pattern during the prefish. I picked up a few fish on blades on the points in deeper water but they didn’t hold the quality of fish that you need to get to feature in the top ten at Coota”, explained Hickson. Without a hard pattern to turn to on day one Hickson fished two areas he hadn’t touched the day before. Areas that he expected to produce in the strong wind that was forecast. “My first two spots didn’t pan out like I hoped, and 1 1/2 hours into the session I had no bites and no fish in the well”, explained Kris. Reverting back to the spots he fished the day before Hickson found little to get excited about. “Not only couldn’t I

Kris Hickson continued his winning ways from 2014 securing another BREAM victory at the Hobie Mallacoota BREAM Qualifier. catch a fish I also couldn’t find them with my Humminbird sounder like I did the day before. So I stopped, composed myself, and had a think about where they might have moved to”, explained Hickson. Confident that the fish wouldn’t have moved much Kris fished a nearby point. His thinking was spot on and on the first cast he picked up his first legal on a blade. His first fish was soon followed by his second, a 35cm caught on a Daiwa Spike crankbait cast to the edge. With only one small legal to follow for the next half hour Hickson cut his loses and went in search of greener grass. “The plan was to fish as much bank as possible, and hopefully pick up a good fish here and there”, explained Hickson. A run and gun approach

throwing Daiwa Spikes to the edges and on the flats paid off with Hickson filling his limit and upgrading three times for the session. Delivering the heaviest bag for the day to the scales Hickson sat in the number one spot heading into day two, a day that would hopefully deliver him another four, or perhaps even five, kilo bag. Opting to start the day on a location that was more likely to put fish in his livewell early Hickson started off at Palmers Bank, and with good result putting three fish in the well in the first 10minutes. A confidence booster to start his day he them moved to one of his productive day one banks in search of bigger fish. A legal and three dropped fish followed. Disappointed, but far from defeated, Hickson once again moved, leaving

to run and gun other spots, confident that he could come back later to catch fish once he’d give this spot a chance to rest and recover. The approach worked with Hickson picking up fish like he had the day before, albeit slightly smaller, on his rolled and twitched Daiwa Spike crankbaits. The last angler to hit the weigh-in stage, Hickson in the end had enough weight to secure the win over Ross Cannizarro. A result that mirrored the 2014 BREAM Grand Final when Hickson beat Cannizarro to claim the GF crown. The win at Mallacoota not only further confirmed Hickson’s reputation as one of Australia’s best tournament breamers, but also elevated him to the status of Australia’s number one ranker BREAMer.

Cannizarro hits the spit to win CE 2ND PLA

STORM VENTAFISH®

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 112

AUGUST 2015

32-year-old self employed concreter Ross Cannizzaro fished a deep water pattern in the bottom lake to catch his fish, keying in on a concentration of quality yellowfin bream holding adjacent to a sand spit as the location to catch his potentially tournament winning fish. Finding a one acre patch of fish during the prefish, Cannizzaro opted not to target them during the tournament, knowing that Ross Cannizzaro bagged out at Mallacoota fishing a deep they weren’t big enough plastic and blade approach to finish second. and that small fish wouldn’t count it Mallacoota, a venue Finding active fish on the where big fish are need to yellowfin I found weren’t more fish nearby that were well conditioned. So I kept bigger and fatter”, explained edge and holding in water cash a cheque. 2-15’ deep Ross used a “The first patch of looking and found some Cannizzaro.

BREAM Presente SERIES d by Hobie

Daiwa Spike in brown suji shrimp

combination of lures to catch his bream, with his go-to lure a Berkley Power Blade in assassin colour. “The retrieve was straight forward. Cast it out, let it sink to the bottom, then work it back with a lift and drop retrieve. The key though

was to make sure you kept the blade tight to bottom”, explained Ross. While the Power Blade caught the bulk of Ross’ fish, when they did shut down he switched to the perennial bream catcher, a Berkley Gulp (3” Minnow in pepper

prawn). Rigged on a 1/12oz Nitro jighead Ross fished the Gulp with a shake n’ drag retrieve. Once again keeping the lure in touch with the bottom was the key to the retrieve. Ross’ patch of bream was incredibly active, with the

Abu Garcia BREAM Pro catching his limit by 8am each morning. “They were active, especially early”, explained Cannizzaro. Catching 30 plus legal fish each day the fishing can only be described as classic coota. Instrumental in Ross’ two fished filled days at Mallacoota was a new series of rods that he’s testing from Abu Garcia called ‘Salty Stage’. A range that’s to be released soon, and that he has quickly fallen in love. “These have been glued in my hand since I first picked one up. I won’t use anything else”, explained Ross. The balance of Cannizzaro’s tournament tackle included a Abu Garcia MGX reel, 4.4lb Berkley Fireline Exceed, and 4lb Berkley Sensei

fluorocarbon leader. Ross’ podium finish cemented his already

strong affiliation with the Mallacoota fishery, and once again confirmed him as an angler to watch in any event he fishes.

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle Rod: Daiwa Tournament Specialist Bream 762LFSOH Reel: Daiwa Caldia 2500 Line: 4lb Daiwa Brave Lure: Daiwa Spike in brown suji shrimp

Winning Ways Hickson added sticky weight to the chin and tail of his crankbait so they would cast further, and swim deeper. The sticky weight allowed the lure to hit and dig along the bottom at any depth.

Austackle Big Bream Champion nonboater Jesse Rotin secured the Austackle Big Bream Prize, with the Daiwa Bream Pro securing the $500 prize on day two with his 1.33kg kicker fish.

Jesse jags victory -BOATER 1ST NON

Continuing the dominance of Daiwa anglers at Mallacoota was 24-year-old Jesse Rotin of Victoria. Fishing with Shaun Clancy on day one Rotin fished a 3-4m deep flat in the bottom lake early to catch his fish. “We found fish on the sounder hanging around schools of bait, and it didn’t take long for these fish to respond to our lures”, explained Rotin. Fishing a combination of 401 coloured Ecogear VX35s and VX40s, and bloodworm coloured 100mm Squidgy Wrigglers Rotin picked up three fish early before the bite slowed, nessecitating a change in technique. “The lift and drop technique continued to produce fish but I needed to alter the drop slightly and

keep more tension in the belly of the line so I could feel the bites which now had become very slight and

subtle”, explained Jesse. The change paid dividends with Rotin delivering 3.74kg to the

Rotin’s 1.33kg kicker fish secured the $500 Austackle Big Bream prize.

BOATING RESULTS #

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Kristoffer HICKSON Ross CANNIZZARO Peter NORD Chris WRIGHT Shaun CLANCY Brad HODGES Mario VUKIC Declan BETTS Warren CARTER Cameron WHITTAM

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

8.72 8.30 7.96 7.86 7.76 7.70 7.57 7.16 7.14 7.03

$4,450 $1,750 $1,750 $1,200 $1,150 $1,000 $700 $600 $500 $400

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

scales to lead the field heading into day two. Fishing with top lake with Jason Harlock on day two Rotin went for a completely different approach and rather than fishing sounded fish out in the open like he did on day one hit the edges. Fishing Daiwa MR and DR Rolling Cranks on the open sand edges and a Z-Man Grubs on the snags Rotin’s approach involved casting each lure tight to the edge them working them with a slow twitch and pause retrieve. The approach proved deadly with Jesse filling his limit by 8am. With a focus of looking for fresh fish the pair moved, hitting a bank that Jesse’s boater fished on the prefish. The move was spot on with both Rotin and Harlock picking up several upgrades. With time running out and the need for a serious kicker fish in the bags forthright in the their minds the pair

Daiwa Bream Pro Jesse Rotin shone at Mallacoota shallow and deep, hard and soft to catch his non-boater division winning fish. hit one final spot. A tailor caught by Harlock was soon followed by Rotin with a solid fish that came dangerously close to finding its freedom. Tempted by a Z-Man Grub the fish tried its best to rub itself free on a snag but Rotin’s quick rod work and the abrasion resistance of his 4lb Daiwa Brave fluorocarbon prevailed and a 40cm bream soon came to

rest in the landing net. The upgrade that he was looking it was the kicker fish that anchored his 4.21kg bag and ultimately his event win. “Coota is a outstanding bream fishery, and to experience just how good it is and win an ABT event here is very special. I’d just like to thank my two boaters and my sponsor Daiwa for helping me make it happen”, concludeds Rotin.

NON-BOATERS RESULTS #

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Jesse ROTIN Grayson FONG Richard PATTERSON Joel CORRIE Glenn WATT Braddley YOUNG John GALEA Ben THOMPSON Paul SIEMASZKO Jack DIHM

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 10/10

7.95 6.63 6.25 6.01 5.96 5.91 5.82 5.65 5.29 5.09

Payout Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

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

113

Jackaroo 455 Tournament right on the money BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Coomera-based Jackaroo Boats aren’t as well known as some other SEQ manufacturers, but once

word gets around I’m certain we’ll see more of these well-performing fibreglass craft on the water. These boats have an all fibreglass construction, even to the point of having a fibreglass stringer system under the floor plus a composite/fibreglass transom for maximum long-term durability. The hull warranty is 20 years! There’s also some flexibility in the interior layout of these Jackaroos, although the basic design of the Jackaroo’s soft riding and quite stable hull naturally remains the same. The reviewed Tournament 445 featured fore and aft casting decks, ample rod storage, a massive 110L live well (with divider) plus a neat doorequipped centre console. If you prefer though you can go for a tiller steer rig and order seating to suit your needs – it’s all up to you.

A right-sized centre console dresses up the Jackaroo’s interior without being intrusive. TOURNAMENT BASED LAYOUT The test boat is used by Scott Corby of Jackaroo Boats as his current tournament rig, but the

445 Jackaroo appeals to more than just tournament anglers. It’s in the popular 4-5m range that can be towed by the family sedan, yet would suit up to four

Well-made, lined and lockable under deck compartments are located up front. SPECIFICATIONS Length..............................................................4.45m Beam................................................................2.05m Deadrise.............................................................. 18° Hull weight......................................................400kg Fuel......................................................................70L Engine ratings............................................. 60-90hp Engine fitted.......................... 70 Yamaha four-stroke Persons...................................................................4 Towing............................ Family six sedan or wagon

The Jackaroo’s hull travels with very little fuss or spray.

Left: The Jackaroo has a practical layout. The aft fish well is a useful addition, it doubles as a seat, with casting deck capability. Right: An easily monitored dash is a handy feature. 114

AUGUST 2015

anglers with ease. Up front there’s an electric motor pad to port of a lid-equipped anchor well. An (optional) sounder was set up to function via a transducer on the Minn Kota electric. The raised casting deck was coated with SeaDek for safety and convenience, featured two large under-floor waterproof and carpet-lined and lockable compartments for storage of valuable tackle. The large steps either side of the console which lead down from the raised deck up front (these were part of the deck moulding) were both set up as ice boxes. The centre console had plenty of room for instruments and gauges on its upper section, yet was not so large as to take up excessive room within the craft. On the upper face of the console, tucked behind a tinted windscreen, were Yamaha multi function gauges, a Humminbird

958C sounder/GPS combo, ignition switch, steering wheel linked to hydraulic steering and forward controls for the Yamaha F70A four-stroke on the transom. No seating was provided on the test boat because Scott prefers to stand and drive, but several seating options are on Jackaroo Boat’s books. Rod storage is always important on a fishing boat, and even more so with tournament boats where several ready-to-use outfits are usually on hand. The Jackaroo 445 has three in-hull storage facilities along each side which sees rod tips protected up under the outer edges of the front deck, while the butt sections are set onto horizontal rod holders at the stern. Rods are easily removed yet entirely protected from mishap while underway. I gave Jackaroo full marks for this easy to use set-up. Aft of the console the

I really enjoyed test runs on the Coomera River as Scott and I put the Jacka through its paces. The easy handling of the rig impressed me, and the pick up from the 1L capacity 70hp Yamaha (which featured a lot of grunt off the mark – something these F70A’s are renowned for) saw the craft up out of the hole and planing in only a couple of its own lengths. The 18° vee hull with its reversed outer chines eased onto the plane at a modest 16.3km/h at 2700 rpm. At 3000rpm the GPS recorded 22.4km/h, 4000rpm saw 38.5km/h while 4800rpm saw the craft skipping along at 47.7km/h. The ride was excellent, with wake crossings in the Coomera causing only the slightest bump as we ironed them out. The Jackaroo’s hull, with its very pronounced forward flare just below the gunwales, was remarkably dry. Also, the craft rode

of interior side height. Stability is very good, and with that great ride this craft is punching well above its weight. Fishing features are certainly there, and it would be easy to fit a couple more rod holders to side rails and perhaps tick the option box for a live bait well. Modifications are available to suit individual requirements but I believe a lot of small boat orientated anglers would find the Jackaroo 445, as presented, ideal for their needs. In all I saw the craft well suited to both tournament and sportfishing. Estuary or bay trips would certainly be on the cards in suitable conditions, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Jackaroo 445 out off the Seaway with a couple of punters holding onto trolling rods when the pelagic fish are on the job. The ride is the thing: these craft ride very well, and with some ice in the live well a morning on the water

The Jackaroo has a practical layout. main work area’s floor also featured non-skid rubber coating. The main features here were 600mm high cockpit sides, rod holders and grab rails on the top decks. Pride of place went to the 110L dividerequipped live well which doubled as a two person seat or casting platform. It was naturally plumbed and tournament ready. Further aft, a storage compartment in the port quarter could easily be converted to a bait well when required. Aft of the transom, paired boarding platforms sat astride the Yamaha 70 four-stroke. 70 YAMAHA DID IT EASY Engine ratings for the 445 Jackaroo Tournament are 60-90hp, which saw the Yamaha 70 fourstroke as mid range – but entirely adequate – power.

slightly bow-high at speed. I reckon only a nasty crosswind over chop would bring the spray jackets out of a storage compartment. Stability is always a factor to consider in a smaller boat, and I’m pleased to report that the Jackaroo’s vee hull wasn’t inclined to tip or lean even with Scott and myself on one side. Weight distribution within the hull was obviously ideal, and along with the prominent under-hull strakes and outer reversed chines the hull’s grip on the water saw easy balance all round. As a tournament rig that inherent stability would certainly be appreciated, and as a craft for a small family it would be just as valuable for maximum comfort. FISHABILITY Looking at the Jackaroo 445 there’s around 650mm

would be a no-brainer. Overall the standard of finish was quite good, with a very lustrous gel coat complementing the interior with its rubber floor matting and flow coat on the sides. The price of the boat as tested was $36,184, without electronics or trolling motor but with quite a few extras. Jackaroo Boats can be contacted on (07) 5519 4674 or 0418 602 019, email at peter@jackarooboats. com.au, or at www. jackarooboats.com.au. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

Top: The Jackaroo 445, with Scott at the helm, shows off its attractive lines. Middle: A general-purpose hatch at the rear of the craft can be set up as a live bait well if necessary. Above: Ice boxes built into each front step are handy features.

BUILT TO ORDER - QUALITY AUSTRALIAN MADE BOATS With a 20 Year Structural Warranty on all Hulls No Timber = No Rot

JACKAROO 445 TOURNAMENT Newly designed forward casting deck with plenty of storage

Jackaroo Boats, Shed F 1-3 The Boat Works, 200 Beattie Road, COOMERA For full range: www.jackarooboats.com.au Phone: (07)

5519 4674 AUGUST 2015

115

Horizon 438 Stryker SC with 50hp Suzuki BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

This neat 4.5m Horizon side console rig has a lot going for it. While a team of keen anglers could put the well turned

out alloy rig to good use for some serious fishing in bay or estuary, there’s no denying the craft’s tremendous family boating appeal given the generously wide layout, ample interior work room plus a red hot price, at under $21,000 from the

dealer’s yard. And that’s with electronics as well. And, as I was to find out during test runs with Scott from Horizon Boats, it also has a very easy and totally forgiving ride, in many respects better than you might expect from an alloy craft of such modest

Interior work room is a great feature of this craft, as can easily be noted here. dimensions. Available in several sizes and configurations – extending to 438 and 454 runabout or tiller steer models – the Horizon Stryker range are quite new and for a fishing team or small family boating enthusiasts looking for real bang for the buck are going to be very hard to overlook. So let’s take a closer look to see what all the fuss is about. GENERAL LAYOUT Up front there’s a handy grab rail, plus a quite large drained anchor well just ahead of the carpeted, 250mm high, casting deck. Note that the Stryker’s option sheet covers an electric motor pad up front. Stepping down from the carpeted cast deck with its large under floor storage compartment, plus useful seat spigot, and into the main work area easily allows us to note one of the great advantages of side console rigs; the side console with its helm station was right out of the way. Also, the windscreen and grab rail equipped

Top: The Stryker’s flexible seating system, maximizing interior room, is a great feature of this craft. Middle: On the beach and ready to go. Note the generous beam of the Horizon 438 Stryker. Above: Side consoles make sense in a fishing craft: the Stryker’s console taking up very little room. 116

AUGUST 2015

SPECIFICATIONS Length................................................................4.5m Beam................................................................2.06m Length on trailer...............................................5.3m Height on trailer..............................................1.95m Construction..............3mm sheet sides and bottom Weight hull.......................................................350kg Deadrise.............................................................. 13° Fuel...................................................... tote tank 25L Engines.................................................... 30 to 50hp Engine fitted............................Suzuki 50 four stroke Towing............................... Family sedan, ute or 4x4 Persons...................................................................5 side console offered ample legroom below, being open through its lower section. I found the seating position within the high backed pedestal skipper’s seat certainly was quite comfortable given the easy leg placement under the console. Steering wheel and engine forward controls were also within easy reach while the modest engine gauges plus Humminbird 788d HD sounder set onto the upright section of the console was very easy to keep an eye on. A modest yet quite useful dash layout saw instruments and sounder uppermost, switches and marine radio

lower on the console’s face. Note that a side pocket was handy for the skipper’s use. I liked the seating options within the Horizon Stryker, in that a seat spigot was installed up front, another to port just ahead of the side console, plus a fourth beside the skipper’s helm seat providing for a side by side configuration or with one person further forward to keep the craft trimmed, a handy option in smaller craft. Current production models of the 438 Stryker also have a quite large under floor storage compartment set to port of the console, no doubt going

A generously large anchor well is a handy feature of this neat fishing craft.

to be appreciated by owners for storage of all sorts of gear from tackle to tucker. The main cockpit work area with its 550mm interior side height came equipped with 1m long off floor pockets aft, two rod holders per side in the 280mm wide extruded side decks. A compartment for the fuel tank to starboard plus a plumbed live well to port completed the aft, near transom features. Note that this area, also carpet covered, could be used as a small cast deck if necessary, although I believe most anglers (with maybe four working aboard the craft) would simply fish from up front or within the cockpit area. Aft of the transom a pair of boarding platforms (with rails) were set up each side of the Suzuki 50 4-stroke outboard, a transducer bracket to starboard. In all, I saw the 438 Stryker as having a very useful layout with sufficient features for the angler to make it a desirable fishing craft. SUZUKI 50 TOP POWER With engines rated from 30-50hp, the Suzuki 50 4-stroke was always going to impress with its easy performance on the Horizon’s 350kg hull. Whisper quite at idle the Suzuki never seemed to make much noise at all, tucked down below the Horizon’s transom as it was, but it certainly made its presence felt once the forward control unit was moved. Easy, seamless power seemed to be the forte of the Suzuki 50, which planed the craft at 16km/h and at 2800rpm, while 3000rpm saw 25.2km/h on the Humminbird 788d. More throttle saw a rapid transition to 4000rpm and 32.8km/h, while 5000rpm recorded 41.6km/h, with WOT of 6000rpm seeing a brisk 53.5km/h. While

top speeds are always fun at the time a sensible cruising speed, to my way of thinking, was an easy 30km/h at just under 4000rpm with fuel usage being very frugal, engine intrusion being absolutely minimal. A CONFIDENT AND DRY RIDE The 438 Stryker impressed me with its ride. We did quite a few test runs down towards the Tweed River bar and the craft handled the incoming swells with ease. By backing off a little, accelerating when necessary the Horizon’s Hydro Lift hull – with its variable deadrise and quite large wet area pressings as well as a reversed outer chine – rode very surely and with great confidence. It was also dry too, as pushing hard onto wave action saw very little displaced water likely to affect occupants; most being pushed well away at the stern area of the hull. Moving away from the sudsy stuff and back up river we had the chance to do some fancy circle work to test out the efficiency of the hull’s design, which I’ll

This image gives an insight into the way displaced water is pushed away from the Stryker’s bow at speed. candidly admit impressed me with its very smart turning ability, plus quick recovery from same. No doubt the craft’s large keel contributed greatly in this regard while the extremely light steering made driving

a very easy matter. Stability at rest was also a strong point of the Stryker and two of us moving about made little difference to level attitude: a feature that family boaters will appreciate.

FISHABILITY AND SUMMING UP Horizon are certainly on a winner with their Stryker series of craft. The reviewed 438 featured 1.1m high sides, which gave it plenty of sea keeping ability while a very large work area ensured that those aboard (up to five) should be able to enjoy their time aboard. I’d see a family with a couple of youngsters enjoying bay or estuary fishing with ease and safety thanks to generous interior freeboard of around 750mm while more dedicated types could see three people, perhaps up to four in suitable conditions, wetting a line. The excellent and dry ride, very easy handling and stability are important for the rig with its useful fishing features. Overall presentation was very good with a neat standard of welding and a well-applied paint job with contrasting strips

completing the package. With a starting price of just $16,990 and the reviewed rig coming home for just $20,490 on a single axle trailer, this is truly a value for money craft quite suited to a complete beginner or old hand alike. For the location of your nearest Horizon Boats dealer, contact Horizon Aluminium Boats by telephone on (07) 5598 1033 or at www.horizonboats.com. au or email to admin@ horizonboats.com.au • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications. This boat test was performed in Queensland. By law in New South Wales you would be required to wear a life jacket while operating this boat alone.

Top: The Stryker running at speed: family boaters will really enjoy this craft’s smooth ride. Left: There’s a lot of useful work area within the 438 Stryker, as this image shows. Right: The Horizon enjoying a little airtime, that Hydro Lift hull made easy work of swells within the Tweed River. AUGUST 2015

117

What’s New BOATING

ARB REMOTE FRIDGE MONITOR

ARB Corporation has announced the latest addition to their growing camping and touring range. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your campsite after a hard day’s 4WDing, only to discover the drinks that you put in your fridge freezer are warm. Fear this no more with the release of the ARB Remote Fridge Monitor. This monitor allows you to keep track of the temperature of your ARB Fridge Freezer from the comfort of the driver’s seat. Using clever wireless transmitting technology, the ARB Remote Fridge Monitor displays operating data such as internal fridge temperature, supply voltage and compressor status of your ARB Fridge Freezer on a conveniently located backlit display for the driver to monitor whilst in transit. If you’re sick of finding warm drinks after a long journey, the ARB Remote Fridge Monitor will make a handy addition to your camping accessories. www.arb.com.au

GX SERIES WINCH

Lone Star Marine has once again found a way to cram more value and performance into their mainstay without the high price tag. The all-new GX series is set to become the new workhorse and standard in perfectly engineered anchoring systems at the right price. Featuring all Australian Made 6mm 316 stainless and machined 6061 T-6 aluminium construction, ‘Real Italian’ transmissions, triple sealed bearings, twin shaft bearing systems, machined slimline ‘fast change’ collars, and an all new emergency release as standard on all models. Motors are once again custom manufactured and are pre-rigged with twin leads. LSM have claimed to manufacture the Worlds First drum anchor winch with a 200mm drum that is easily suitable to boats 6m+ with a holding at anchor capacity of 2800kg. This tiny yet very powerful model will be well suited to larger boats with very small anchor wells. The GX series cater to boats up to 9m+. Price: RRP from $1099 www.lonestarmarine.com.au

MINN KOTA ULTERRA

The bar has been set to a new height with the Ulterra freshwater motor. With Auto Stow/Deploy and Power Trim, we can understand the excitement. The Ulterra comes with your choice of i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link, and a standard redesigned foot pedal with Spot Lock button, Power Trim and Stow/Deploy all from the pedal or remote control. The Ulterra also comes standard with Universal Sonar 2 transducer built into the lower unit that will suit Humminbird sounders as well as other electronics with the correct adaptor cable listed below. Once your motor’s in the water, Power Trim lets you easily adjust the motor depth for changing conditions, using the included i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link remote, or the redesigned foot pedal. It’s one more way Ulterra handles the busy work, so you can focus on fishing. We’ve also added Spot-Lock to the pedal, making it even easier to stand your ground. The saltwater Ulterra motor is expected in early 2016. www.arb.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

MARINE DYNAMICS HYDRO-NUT

Trolling motor accessories are seldom seen, but here’s one that is starting to turn some heads! Marine Dynamics have released a product designed to increase your trolling motor’s performance. The Hydro-Nut is an accessory for electric motors and replaces the stock standard propeller nut. The wider surface area of the Hydro-Nut applies a greater force to hold the propeller down compared to the usual stock nut. This, in turn, reduces vibration and noise. Trolling motor vibration is often felt through the boat when used at high speeds or in high current areas, and the Hydro-Nut is the perfect way to stop that excessive noise and movement. Made from billet aluminium, Hydro-Nuts are also anodised in a number of different colours for corrosion resistance and to add some serious bling to your boat. To grab a Hydro-Nut and maximise your trolling motor’s performance, visit the online store on the Marine Dynamics website. Price: from $65 www.marinedynamics.com.au

REPOWERED 26 CARIBBEAN

People have been asking about Andrew Weekes’ 15-year-old 26 Caribbean flybridge cruiser when he repowered it with a pair of MerCruiser 4.5L 250hp V6s. “It’s a fantastic little boat. I actually bought it to do the conversion,” he said. A well-known face in the ski-racing world, Andrew had just sold a 61’ timber displacement cruiser because family boating time was at a premium, and he was after a smaller, faster craft. Weighing about 4,500kg loaded, the repowered Caribbean is performing brilliantly. Optimal cruising speed is around 27 knots at a combined fuel burn of just 62L/h, which gives the boat a range of 185km, with a comfortable margin. The top speed is around 45 knots at 5,000rpm, and went from 0-20 knots in a meagre eight seconds. “These new MerCruiser engines have a great power to weight ratio and experience shows they are going to be really reliable,” Andrew said. mercurymarine.com.au

NEW ARVOR 730 DIESEL

It’s an outstanding combination – Arvor’s new 730 Diesel and the Mercury Diesel 2L 150hp engine which powers it. “This is a combination which we have tweaked to within an inch of its life,” said Arvor’s Peter Collins. “And the results are really obvious when you get it out on the water and put it through its paces.” As you might expect with Arvor, the 730 D is a shaft drive which makes it all but unique at 7.3m long (6.70 meter hull) and a dry weight of 2.10 tonnes (approx. 3.40 fully loaded on the trailer). “The engine? I love it because it’s so reliable, smooth, quiet and fuel efficient,” Peter said. “It is so much better than the competition and you can have all the mod-cons, interfacing with Smart Craft instruments and the like.” The new boat is going to make its first public appearance at the up-coming Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, followed by Melbourne and Sydney. mercurymarine.com.au

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10w LED Work Flood Light

1 00

36w Single Row LED Bar

distance

RANT

3 WATERPROOF

2.1 KG

FEATURES: Featuring in the XD series, these Osram light bars are made for extreme distance, whilst still providing a significant spread beam to the sides of the road.

IP68

YEAR

3600

11/38v DC

WARRANTY

LUMENS

Bar Length 555mm

COMBO BEAM

XD 6 0

WITH HIGH POWER GERMAN OSRAM CHIP

led driving light

1LUX @ 340m

• 12pcs x 3w OSRAM LEDs • IP68 - Fully waterproof • Long life: Up to 50000 hours • PVC polycarbonate lens material • Aircraft high grade aluminium alloy • Dual Heavy Duty mounting brackets • Beam: Combo beam • Suitable for all types of vehicles and heavy duty machinery • 3 Year Warranty • Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) • No radio interference from these lights • Lights designed to prevent glare • Waterproof aluminium shock-proof casing • 11-38v allows LED lights to be fitted to both cars and trucks

20” DRIVING LIGHT

• Working voltage: 10-30v DC • IP67 Waterproof • Current: 12v /0.83 amps 24v / 0.41 amps • Aircraft high grade aluminium alloy • Long life: Up to 50000 hours • 2 Year Warranty

SEE OVER 340 METRES

www.korrlighting.com.au For further product information and purchase details

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Trades, Services, Charter Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory BOAT LICENCING

BAIT & TACKLE AA Prawnin Pete’s Cast Nets Custom-made top pocket prawning nets 0412 122 256 zzsperoj@ihug.com.au

GOLD COAST

BEST LURE RANGE THE Fishing GOLDON COAST TOP BRANDS • TOP SERVICE • GREAT PRICES

INSIDE SPORTY’S WAREHOUSE

07 5526 2786

MAIL ORDERS

WELCOME

32 Straithaid Rd BUNDALL 4217 QLD

PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTIONS

CLA SSE AVAIL S OVEABLE WEE R KEN DS

www.bundallmarinecentre.com.au

5504 7446

Bundall Marine Centre

No.1 Ashmore Rd, Bundall

0422 198 651

MARINE MECHANICS

Spinnaker Sound Chandlery Ningi (07) 5497 6007

BOAT HIRE // HOUSE

+ 50km of sheltered waterways on the Gold Coast’s Broadwater + No Licence required + Boats from $895 + 2-12 berth

• Sales • Service • Spare Parts • Warranty and Insurance work * REPOWER SPECIALISTS *

www.runawaybaymarineservice.com.au QLD HONDA DEALER OF THE YEAR 2011/2012

Bundall Marine Centre – Servicing all makes and models. MOBILE SERVICE AVAILABLE (07) 5504 7446

T&S Marine (07) 5546 2599

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

Northside Marine (07) 3265 8029 Coastal Powerboats (07) 5568 0904 Coorparoo Marine (07) 3397 4141

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Lake Monduran House Boat www.lakemonduranhouseboathire.com.au

BOAT HIRE // TRAILER

Oceanic Boat Trailers (07) 5597 0577

MARINE ELECTRONICS

SALES • REPAIRS • INSTALLATIONS

ONSITE AND MOBILE INSTALLATIONS

• Sounders • GPS • Electric Motors • Marine Radios and accessories • Stereos • Televisions • Radar Units • Autopilots Unit 4/1440 New Cleveland Road Capalaba www.trymax.com.au PHONE: 07 3245 3633

Whitewater Marine (07) 5532 4402

Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727

+ 07 5502 6200 + houseboat.net.au

MARINE TRAILERS

MARINE ELECTRONICS

GEOFF NEWMAN PH 55774411

Great family and fishing boats!

Call Glen Forte on 0411 255 743 Get Some Experience on YOUR Side

Sea-Link Special Trailers (07) 3881 3568

2/247 Bayveiw St Runaway Bay

GOLD COAST

• Pre-Purchase inspections • Engine Servicing • Charter Skipper • Boat Deliveries • Advanced Driver Training

Tinnie Tosser (07) 5498 7339

Tackle Warehouse Brisbane (07) 3398 6500

Victoria Point Bait and Tackle (07) 3820 9581

.com.au

Seatrail Trailers www.seatrailqld.com.au

GOLD COAST

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

BCF www.bcf.com.au

COMPLETE BOAT INSPECTIONS

Capalaba Boat Centre 04011 728 379 Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Cunninghams Marine (07) 3284 8805 Caloundra Marine (07) 5491 1944 Bribie Boat Sales (07) 3408 0055

BOAT MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS

TRADES AND SERVICES ADVERTISING Line listing from $90 + gst 6 months* 2cm x 2 from $195 + gst 6 months* 4cm x 2 from $320 + gst 6 months* 8cm x 2 from $590 + gst 6 months* Rates exclusive to Trades and Services Directory *Conditions apply Call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

NORTH BRISBANE

GOLD COAST

SAMPLE AD -BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 20 words within a 4x2 ad size. Email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

BOAT MECHANICS // MOBILE BRISBANE

Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Wondall Rd Marine (07) 3396 5633

SAMPLE AD -BUSINESS NAME

Boab Boat Hire - 1300 002 622

SUNSHINE COAST Promote your Sunny Coast boat hire business here! For as little as $15 per month. Phone (07) 3387 0800 Email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

If you have any other trades or services that you would like to see in this section please don’t hesitate to give us a call

BRISBANE WIDE

This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. Email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

This section in QLD 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.

Trades, Services, Charter SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587

07 5529 2292

ROD & REEL REPAIRS

20 Wrights Place Labrador Qld 4215 website www.brumbsmarine.com.au email brumbsmarine@bigpond.com

NORTH QUEENSLAND

Aluminium fabrication • Steel fabrication • Boat repairs Boat modifications • Aluminium sales

CUSTOM MARINE WELDING & ELECTRICAL Marine and Auto Electricial n All types of Welding n Stainless Steel n Aluminium n Mild Steel n Boats Repaired n Fuel & Water Tanks n Canopies n Bow and Stern Rails n Custom Vehicle Tool Boxes

JT Reel Repairs, Mackay 0427 552 485 or (07) 4955 2485

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

Advertise here - $90 + GST for 6 months Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Shed 1 281 Jacobs Well Road Behind GEM Service Station, Alberton 4207

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS

Phone 3807 7846

Mob 0427 142 201 Fax 3807 2468

www.custommarinewelding.com.au

She Left Camera Sunglasses www.hdvcs.com.au Specialty Fishing www.specialtyfishing.com.au

MAKE YOUR OWN

SAMPLE AD -BUSINESS NAME

Soft Plastics & Spinnerbaits HUGE RANGE OF LURE MAKING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE!

This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. Email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883 ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402 Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088

D&H REEL REPAIRS ce Reel Performan

e parts needs repairs and spar For all your reel Servicin Phone/Fax: 07 3372 2740 or major b g all call Duncan on 0439 717 839 rands Email: dhreelrepairs@bigpond.com Drag upgrades available • Rod repairs • Mail orders welcome www.reelrepairs.com.au 110 Sherbrooke Rd, Willawong Qld 4110 Southeast Custom Rod Building and Repairs 0438 055 877

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Hemingways at Tin Can Bay (07) 3219 9376 Bribie Island Real Estate (07) 3408 1006

(02) 6258 7515

0400 587 515

MOB www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

U-Make-Em Sort Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au J-Roc Tackle www.jroctackle.com.au

MARINE TRANSPORT

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 8x2 ad size.

Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064 Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636 CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808

BOAT PAINTING BRISBANE

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 8x2 ad size.

BOAT TRANSPORT AUSTRALIA WIDE FROM A TINNY TO 50 FEET WEEKLY SERVICE BRISBANE TO CAIRNS

DJ Freight Marine Transport 0418 793 357 0427 341 076 contact@djfreight.com.au MARINE TRIMMERS BRISBANE

MOBILE MARINE CANOPIES

ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Canopies Bimini tops Cockpit covers Front and side clears Full boat covers Upholstery Pontoon carpet ... and more!

OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Martin Costello 0434 615 936 www.mobilemarinecanopies.com

ads@fishingmonthly.com.au FRASER ISLAND

Fraser Island Fishing Units INDIAN HEAD

For bookings or enquiries contact: Cliff Andreassen 07 5449 9346 or 0428 712 283 A FISHO’S DREAM

bearfish@bigpond.com Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364

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

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

My Charter Boat Tweed Heads 0407 347 446

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366 Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412

t Stanag Looking to stay a

e Bay?

Fully setup fishing accommodation

Call Von 07 4937 3145 Stanage Bay Marine and Accommodation w w w.stan a g eb ay. co m

Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428

BURDEKIN

Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0411 605 090 Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469 Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330 Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929 Gone Fishing Charters Gold Coast (07) 5529 7833

HINCHINBROOK

JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324 Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044 Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027

FISHING GUIDES

Advertise here - $195 + GST for 6 months Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel Plenty of room for boats and trailers PH: 4069 5222

Eclipse FNQ Weipa Charters 0488 058 668 Fish’s Fly & Sportsfishing Weipa (07) 4069 9957 Action Charters Mackay 0417 452 346 Fishing Charters Townsville 0403 386 722

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 8x2 ad size.

BRISBANE Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576 Tom Cat Charters (07) 3820 8794

Cardwell Beachfront Motel - www.cardwellbeachmotel.net (07) 4066 8776 or info.cbmotel@bigpond.com

Moreton Island Fishing Charters 0413 128 056 Brisbane Fishing Charters 0427 026 510 Bucket List Fishing Charters 0428 368 316

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 8x2 ad size.

John Gooding Outlaw Charters 0418 738 750

SUNSHINE COAST Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Smithy’s Fishing Charters Sunshine Coast 0407 574 868 Top Catch Charters Sunshine Coast 0429 013 012 Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402

Suncoast Barra Fishing Park www.suncoastbarrafishing.com

Sunshine Coast Fishing Charters (07) 5500 0671

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956

Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

Hervey Bay Fishing Charters (07) 4125 3958

ads@fishingmonthly.com.au FRESHWATER

ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

Incredible Charters 1300 655 818

FISH TAXIDERMY

HERVEY BAY

Fully Guided Lure & Fly Fishing •

Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

BORN AND BRED LOCAL GUIDE

Fish Taxiderist www.fishtaxidery.net.au or 0428 544 841

FISHING ON TV

• 5.5m Custom sportsfishing Vessel • 4.4m Estuary Sportsfishing Vessel • Quality Fishing Gear Supplied

Lake Boondooma Caravan Park (07) 4168 9694 Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872 Yallakool Park and Kiosk on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

CHARTER BOATS NORTHERN NSW Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0428 828 835 Reel Time Fishing Charters 0428 231 962

GOLD COAST

BOOK NOW FOR FLATHEAD KAYAK FISHING TOURS SOUTHERN BAY • GOLD COAST

HALF AND FULL DAY TOURS • Hobie kayak and fishing gear supplied www.kayakfishingtours.com.au Phone for bookings

0439 714 345

www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

IDEAL GIFT!

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Bite Me Fishing Charters Yeppoon 0419 029 397 Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726 MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201 Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727 Bundaberg Fishing Charters 0429 017 217 Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686 Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 MV James Cook (1770) (07) 4974 9422 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234

True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622

Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034

Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

DVD’S -

Series 2 through 8

$19.95 each GST INC. - with FREE P&H

1800 228 244

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

THE outboard of the FUTURE

Evinrude E-TEC G2 The outboard of the future. AVAILABLE TODAY Introducing a revolutionary concept in outboards – a choice. Now, choose cutting-edge over commonplace. Choose more torque over more talk. Choose more time on the water over more time in the shop. Choose the outboard that performs, and looks like no other outboard in the world.

Contact your local dealer today TOOWOOMBA

Waterskiers Warehouse

SUNSHINE COAST

BRISBANE SOUTH

Springwood Marine

BUNDABERG

3475 Pacific Hwy, Springwood 07 3297 8200 www.springwoodmarine.com.au • gyulav@springwoodmarine.com.au

GOLD COAST

White Water Marine

10 Hinde St, Ashmore 07 5532 4402 www.whitewatermarine.com.au • sales@whitewatermarine.com.au

GLADSTONE

Steve Fleetwood Marine

10 Morgan St, Gladstone 07 4972 9463 sfmarine@tpg.com.au

TOWNSVILLE

Angus Smith Marine

6 Plume St, South Townsville 07 4771 4046 www.angussmithmarine.com.au • boats@angussmithmarine.com.au

Caloundra Marine

8 Baldwin St, Caloundra 07 5491 1944 www.caloundramarine.com.au • sales@caloundramarine.com.au

91-93 Neil St, Toowoomba 07 4637 9511 www.waterskierswarehouse.com.au • rod@waterskierswarehouse.com.au

Adrians Marine Centre

28 Ritchie St, Bundaberg 07 4153 1819 www.adriansmarinecentre.com.au • adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com.au

WHITSUNDAYS BOWEN

Cannonvale Marine

14 McIntosh Dr, Cannonvale 07 4946 6136 www.cannonvalemarine.com.au • sales@cannonvalemarine.com.au

TULLY

Hunts Outboards

13 Watkins St, Tully 07 4068 2222 www.huntsoutboards.com.au • hos3@westnet.com.au

THE NEW STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE Born out of passion for perfection, the Mercury Racing Verado 400R ups the ante in outboard engine performance. Serious enhancements have been made to the proven 2.6L supercharged dual overhead cam platform, delivering incredible achievements in power and efficiency. A 7,000 RPM rev limit for blistering acceleration and performance, custom Mercury Racing calibration and impressive power-to-weight ratio are just the beginning of the advancements the 400R delivers.

For your nearest Mercury dealer visit mercurymarine.com.au