Queensland Fishing Monthly - December 2014

132-PAGE BUMPER CHRISTMAS EDITION

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Features

Joys of island hopping • Advanced trolling for snapper • Floatlining the big ones • Christmas canal critters •

How-To The Yucatan Knot • When to replace your trailer lights • Sounders: save your spots •

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Black Magic 40lb Tough Trace was used by Pete Cherrett to catch this 28kg cobia while fishing at Hervey Bay.

Aaron Lewis landed this 69cm nannygai off Yeppoon using Black Magic 40lb leader Tough Fluorocarbon leader.

Jessy Higgs landed this brown maori cod on a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook and Black Magic 80lb Tough Trace off Hervey Bay.

This 5kg coronation trout was landed by Kent Walker on Black Magic 80lb Tough Trace and a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook while fishing off Hervey Bay.

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December 2014, Vol. 29 No. 2

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES

12

Iluka 24 Ballina 26

Boating 120 Back to Basics 20 Camping and 4WD 100 Cooking 128 Dam Levels 86 Flyfishing 90 Freshwater 86 Fun Page 117 Kayak 114 Sheik 111 Sunfish 119 Suntag 109 Tournament News 92 Tech Tricks 91 What’s New in Boating 124 What’s New in Fishing 102 SPECIAL FEATURES

Business Office: Unit 1, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128 Phone: (07) 3387 0800 Fax: (07) 3387 0801 Managing Editor: Stephen Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas Sub-Editors: Nicole Penfold, Bob Thornton Field Editors: Garry Smith, Jason Ehrlich, Wayne Kampe, Stephen Booth Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall

Printing: APN – Print Production: Melissa Carroll, Karen Millward, Jenna Moir Website: www.fishingmonthly.com.au Distribution: Gordon & Gotch Pty Ltd Subscriptions: Kym Rowbotham

OUR COVER Justin Welsh caught this blubber-lip in the Port of Brisbane.

A Greg Livingstone image.

TO SUBSCRIBE SEE PAGE 81 FIND THE VMC LOGO COMP 110 Queensland Fishing Monthly magazine goes on sale the first week of each month (latest sale date 7th of the month).

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SINCE 1987

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DECEMBER 2014

QUEENSLAND FISHING MONTHLY

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AUST

Joys of island hopping 12 Advanced trolling for snapper 16 Floatlining the big ones 18 The Yucatan Knot 23 Christmas canal critters 108 When to replace your trailer lights 116 Sounders: save your spots 118

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orientation. We know that the block-mounted covers we gave to the winners last year are now firmly established on mantelpieces and in pool rooms all up and down the east coast.

Enter. It could be you in 2015!

COVER VIDEO Speaking of covers, there’s a bit of video showing the capture and release of the blubberlips on this issue – click on the QR code hereby if you want to watch – or to find out exactly where they caught this fish.

Until next month, tight lines!

ION

REGULAR FEATURES

be jealous reading about the fantastic fishing in that part of the world.

SUBSCRIPTION GIFTS We are usually inundated with orders for magazine subscriptions for Christmas presents, but remember that we’ll need these orders in by about the 12 December to ensure that the gift certificates can make it to you before the big event. Alternatively, visit iSubscribe to get any last minute transactions done – they offer a print-out certificate that you can get sorted just minutes before your gift-buying deadline.

BE ON THE COVER With the incredible popularity of the FM Cover Comp earlier in the year, we’re kicking it off again for 2015. See the details inside, but get snapping and make sure that they’re great quality pics in the proper

AT

Whitsundays 68 Ayr 72 Bowen 70 Townsville 74 Lucinda 76 Hinchinbrook 76 Cairns 79 Port Douglas 80 The Cape 82 Cooktown 84 Karumba 85

gear. There’s a few inside this month.

The ridiculously popular Find-The competition kicks off again this month – this time partnering with VMC to challenge you with (and your eyesight). Of course, there’s the Subscriber prizes that are drawn every month.

Every current subscriber is in the draw.

And JRoc Tackle have their giveaway outlined inside. Add this to the find-aword competition and there’s plenty to keep you occupied over the Christmas break.

WHITSUNDAYS ARE BACK Welcome to our new contributor from the Whitsundays – Luke Griffith. Luke runs Renegade Charters in the area and the guys are constantly in touch with what’s biting.

Welcome to the team, Luke, as we know that we’ll all

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TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

OK – someone tell me where that year went?

Someone told me that life’s like a roll of toilet paper – the closer to the end you get the quicker it goes. Seems reasonable.

So, by the time this issue has hit the shelves, we’ll be trying to sneak in a trip or two amongst the pre-Christmas shopping and madness that ensues.

By the look of the reports inside, it’s all about fingermark up north and billfish down south. In the South East, if you haven’t caught a marlin before and want to give it a go, there’s no time like this month to chance your arm.

PLENTY OF COMPETITIONS We’ve heard the call.

You love competitions. Not just fishing tournaments, but competitions where you can enter to win some cool

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Rainbow Beach 50 Hervey Bay 50 Fraser Coast 53 Bundaberg 55 Lake Monduran 56 Gladstone 58 Rockhampton 60 Yeppoon 62 Mackay 64

From the Editor’s Desk...

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CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

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Tweed Heads 28 Southern Gold Coast 31 Gold Coast Canals 33 Gold Coast 34 Jumpinpin 37 Brisbane Offshore 39 Brisbane 40 Northern Bay 42 Southern Pumicestone 44 Caloundra 47 Noosa 48

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Joys of island hopping BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

Many anglers find themselves in a position where they feel they are missing out on a huge chunk of what great fishing this

you catch them to an extent.

However, clued-in fishers will know that just because you don’t have a boat, doesn’t mean you can’t tangle with some of the bigger bay and ocean going fish this part of the world has on offer. In fact, given the right conditions and a little bit

on foot. This ‘island hopping’ is cheap, easy and it can yield some surprising results. The methods outlined in this article can also be applied to other parts of our coast.

PREPARATION Successful island hopping doesn’t come without good

Julian Honman got lucky with this 20kg+ longtail off the beach when the northwesterlies were blowing. Landing this missile required some swimming from the photographer due its size.

BARGE AND FERRY INFO Destination: Moreton Island

North Stradbroke Island Coochiemudlo Island Maclaey, Russel, Lamb and Karragarra islands Young Jack had a great time sight casting to these ‘suckers’ around the rocky shallows of North Straddie. Tiger squid are prevalent throughout the bay islands and are great fun for the kids, they also make a mean live bait. state has to offer because they don’t own a boat.

It can be very frustrating to come home from a land-based assault empty-handed while others around have bagged out after a big trip into the bay. Not having a vessel can limit your target species and how often

of know how, the land-based anglers can sometimes leave boaties scratching their heads!

A great way to get at some fantastic fish without a boat is by taking one of the many public barges and ferries into the islands of South East Queensland and fishing them

preparation, and there’s a few key things to remember when taking the barge or ferry with your fishing gear in tow.

Your gear needs to be packed so that it’s suitable for travel on a barge, so this gives multi-piece rods and backpacks an advantage.

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The squid fishing throughout Moreton Bay can be fantastic at certain times of the year and fishing land-based seldom puts you at a disadvantage.

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ISLAND INTELLIGENCE Before you plan to fish your chosen island, it’s smart to do a bit of research about the island, particularly stuff that relates to the fishing.

By looking at maps of the island, you can determine likely fish-holding spots, find access points, plan a route around the island and also get a general idea for the sorts of terrain you’ll be tackling.

Make sure you’re up to date with the ever-changing green and no-go zones littered throughout the bay – a fine from Fisheries will make for a real downer.

The best place to start your search for info is online.

If you’re lucky, someone may have fished your island recently and blabbed about it – it’s amazing what you’ll find on forums. Asking staff at a local tackle store can also see you pointed in the right direction, and obviously anyone who has fished the island is a valuable source of knowledge.

Whatever you opt for, make sure you do some sort of research. It can be the

this again gives the angler the luxury of mobility, but these services are often expensive and an angler without a boat is usually in that position because they don’t have a lot of money to throw around.

Some services even offer public transport to and from the barge terminal, so you may not even need a car at all!

Information regarding timetables and barge or ferry services of your chosen island can all be found on the Internet.

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Packing a variety of gear and trying to be versatile can pay off, but knowing your target species and the terrain you’ll be fishing allows you to pack smart - we’ll get to that later.

Some islands are big enough so that they offer bus services while others do not and you have to walk to your next fishing spot. If you intend to walk a fair distance, it’s wise not to over pack, or you’ll be lugging around unnecessary weight all day. Some islands have car barge services, and

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difference between nutting out a very unsung, under-exploited fishery or going in blind and coming home empty-handed.

It also allows you to organise your gear adequately and pack smart, making travel not only easier for you, but for the people who have to stow your gear in transit.

Of course, all this theory will only get you so far. The only real way to find out what to expect is to get out and go fishing!

ISLANDS OF INTEREST Barge and ferry services are run from the mainland out to Macleay, Karragarra, Russel, Lamb, Coochiemudlo,

snapper, flathead and squid on the bay side, the next you could be collecting pipis for trophy dart off the beach and spotting barrel-class kingfish from the rocks. Sometimes, fish considered only catchable by boat like mac and longtail tuna, various mackerel species, larger trevally and kingfish come within easy reach of a land-based angler! Be on the lookout.

The larger islands have many places to stay and camping options are also available if you want to save money. These larger islands offer the most of all the bay islands, but don’t be fooled;

there is usually something you can settle on and fish for. As mentioned, the squid fishery around these small islands can be fantastic in the cooler months, and any island hopper should carry a selection of their favourite jigs.

Even though the islands are small, most have permanent residents and therefore places to stay if that’s your plan.

Most are small enough to walk across in minutes and mobility is rarely an issue where it sometimes might be on the larger islands.

ON THE HOP The main attraction for me about these islands is how

Sometimes you just have to be in the right spot at the right time. Island gun fisher Kaspar Lenigas sight-casted this 70cm golden trevally on a Jackson Rogos 105s, which gave him some grief around some oyster-encrusted pylons.

Stradbroke and Moreton islands in Moreton Bay, so this gives an angler a fair few options. There are obviously options outside of the Brisbane region and the same principals being discussed can be taken north, give or take a few crocs!

Larger islands As some of these islands are quite sizeable, it leaves no doubt that you could fish for weeks on end and never fish the same piece of water twice. Just as the size of each island varies, so too do the species you’ll encounter and the terrain you’ll catch them in. Islands with open beach sides such as both Stradbroke islands and Moreton Island are the most talked about.

Irrespective of the fishing you do, these larger islands will have something you’ll enjoy concentrating your efforts on as a land-based angler. One day you could be catching trevally,

the humble, unassuming inner bay islands can turn the fishing on like a light!

Smaller islands While the inner bay islands can’t offer you any beach or rock hopping options, they can offer you access to some fantastic estuarine fishing, including some of the best squid fishing in Queensland!

The smaller islands like Macleay, Karragarra, Lamb, Russel and Coochiemudlo islands are all accessible by barge.

For those who love throwing lures at flathead, bream, snapper, mulloway and other much-loved estuarine species, the inner bay islands have much to offer. With a variety of sand, weed beds, rocky banks and rubble patches, they are known to house a plethora of bay-going species.

Despite being somewhat limited in options,

cheaply they can be accessed without your own boat. You could be fishing on Russel Island, receive intel from a mate at Karragarra who’s catching some stonking flatties and you could be there within half an hour with a swipe of your go-card! You might even be casting squid jigs from Manly or Cleveland with no luck because of dirty water; a $10 note and a quick trip over to North Straddie might just save the day!

The islands of Moreton Bay offer some great alternative options to the generally over-fished mainland and are more than reachable to young anglers without a lot of dough up their sleeves. Anyone looking to try something a little different and experience some line-burning, land-based action should delve into the unsung world of island hopping!

Hooked up and losing line on one of Moreton Bay’s Islands!

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DECEMBER 2014 15

Snapper Feature

Advanced trolling for snapper the easy way HERVEY BAY

Mark Bargenquast

The idea for trolling for snapper all started about 10 years ago after a surprise capture made me think outside the box!

We were fishing off the top of Fraser Island, andhad been catching some big 7-10kg golden trevally on an offshore rubble patch. The sounder showed the depth was 22m (70ft) with yakka schools rising up 10m off the bottom,

the big arches over the top were obviously goldens, or so I thought…

We had been drifting plastics in the bait school, averaging a nice capture every 5 minute drift. I still had a rod rigged with a deep diver from a barra charter the day before, so I thought ‘why not?’ and had a client drop the lure out back as I idled back over the bait school. I was not that surprised when he yelled he had a fish on, another goldy I thought. However, I was totally surprised when a 7kg

Downriggers are often overlooked for deep trolling in Australia, but they can get any lure way down deep.

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snapper was brought boat-side, the gold 20+ Killalure River Rat firmly in its jaws!

This got me thinking, why would a snapper take a lure running at 20ft while trolling in 70ft of water? The answer was simple, the fish were above the bait school hunting down stray yakkas just like a trevally or mackerel.

After this episode I really started to think outside the box and applying basic deep barra trolling techniques. We then started to consistently catch good numbers of snapper on the troll, and it was certainly no fluke.

During the next few years, lure development surged ahead: Halco released the Crazy Deep 125 and 150 Scorpion, a lure that could reach 10m (30ft) on correct tackle; the Poltergeist also made the same depth; Sebile came onto the market with some extra deep divers, the Koolie Minnow in 135 and 190mm; and Classic Barra released the Dr Evil, based on a freshwater cod style lure with a 6m depth label (we hit bottom in 42ft with the correct troll).

Our catches went through the roof, often out-fishing the plastic and bait guys. I knew I was onto something here!

I invited a good mate John

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As time went on, techniques have been refined, and trends started to take shape. A major key to trolling for snapper is to find the bait, I have rarely caught snapper when no bait is present.

Hervey Bay during winter has

will be moving, so I use a good side imaging sounder to keep on them. A good technique is to troll a figure 8 around the bait; most snapper will be within 100m from the bait, sometimes circling around.

Find them on the sonar and get a lure above them and you will get the bite.

Lure selection can be critical, all of the above mentioned lures can dive below 10m (30ft) and this seems to be the magic mark.

Above that and you will halve

Finns braid, and when we stepped down to 20lb Finns, the catch rate improved again, why? Simple, the thinner line allowed the lure to run even deeper again – remember it’s all about depth.

Working on this principal I took a chance and stepped down to 10lb braid. However, in Hervey Bay, the bait schools are surrounded by big 10kg goldies, 20kg longtails and cobia up to 45kg, which meant the 10lb just doesn’t cut it.

The step back to 20lb was

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A decent snapper caught on a gold 125mm Halco Crazy Deep. big schools of yakkas and sand trevally that enter the area to spawn, these are a high value food source for snapper that also enter the bay to spawn.

Don’t worry about depth of the bait as long as you can find some on your sounder and keep on it, the snapper will be close by.

Most of these bait schools

your catch rate easy, simple as that. Most of the areas I troll are deeper than 40ft, obviously in shallower water you will need shallower lures. This technique has worked well for me in depths as deep as 120ft, still consistently catching snapper at 30ft.

Line selection is also critical, we started using 30lb

inevitable.

Leader is another vital piece of the puzzle. After years of trial and error, 1m of 30lb fluorocarbon is the go. Any shorter and the fish will see the braid while closing in on the lure and shy away.

The best time to troll is often during the middle of the run, especially around the

Snapper Feature spring tides when the tide is raging. This helps concentrate the bait along ridgelines, on pressure waves and behind structure, which will also concentrate the snapper.

It always amuses me how anglers bomb baits to the bottom with heavy leads, go to any aquarium and watch the snapper, they are as pelagic as any trevally often swimming mid water, rarely stopping on the bottom. This is why deep trolling can be so effective as the lure is really in their hunting zone for maximum time.

Even though all these techniques were in Platypus Bay and in close off Rainbow Beach, they will work exactly the same anywhere snapper are regulars. You can even scale the whole thing down for close inshore work on smaller fish, smaller lures and lighter lines.

Big golden trevally often school with snapper and can make light tackle fishing tough!

Bait ball on the sounder and the angler is hooked up on the bow, doesn’t get much better!

Troll speed seems to be ideal between 3-3.5 knots, or around 1200rpm, with a 115hp 4-stroke. I have caught them doing 6 knots while circling back over a good show but that was only a couple of times.

Most of these lures work their best at the 3-4 knot range and possibly tow at a greater depth, remember depth is critical.

Tide changes can produce a few bites, but generally early morning and late arvo with no sun on the water is optimum for all predators, but midday to 1pm have thrown

up some monster fish over the years – 7-11kg, which is big for SE QLD. So there you have it, snapper trolling is not hard, persistence is the key. Forget having a 10 minute go, stick it out and I’m sure you will be impressed. On a parting note, I only ever took one fish and released everything else, our best day was 17 snapper over 6kg (or 80cm) as these fish were dripping with roe when lifted from the water and were all released. Good luck and enjoy the strike.

For Mike Duncan and Ben Capper, who booked a charter with Ross McCubbin and Ben Job on Lucky Strike, it turned out to be their lucky day. Thanks to Ross, after trolling skirts for just over an hour wide of the Gold Coast, they got a double hook up on yellowfin tuna, weighing 28 and 35kg!

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17

Snapper Feature

Floatlining for big snapper CALOUNDRA

Brad McKendrick fishingcaloundra@yahoo.com.au

Floatlining is fast becoming the preferred way to fish for larger snapper and other reef species. It’s an extremely effective way to fish, and has been underused for a long time. It’s also versatile, working just as well mixed in a berley trail as it does drifting towards a school of surface feeding tuna, and it doesn’t have to be complicated either.

FOOLING THE FISH Larger fish normally work their way up into a berley trail to feed or work the outer areas of the reef, leaving the smaller fish to work closer to cover. It’s these canny, bigger fish that you want to entice, so you want as natural a presentation as possible.

That’s where floatlining comes in – this technique is

Floatlining is a true tried and preferred method for catching snapper.

slowly and naturally, and is therefore more tempting to the fish. Unlike a big, heavy lead hurtling towards the bottom at breakneck speed, floatlining doesn’t spook the fish anywhere near as often as other methods do.

Smaller, food-obsessed fish may not be put off by a big lead with a bait spinning above it, but an older, wiser fish may well think twice before approaching.

Floatlining can be accomplished by using a single, double or treble hook rig, depending on what you need to cover your bait. For instance, if you are lucky enough to have big pilchards, you may decide to use a gang of hooks, or you could use two hooks in a snell configuration for whole squid and suchlike.

Just don’t fall into the trap of taking the word ‘floatlining’ literally! A more accurate name for this technique would be ‘slow sinking’. You want your bait

A more accurate name for floatlining would be ‘slow sinking’. at the same rate the berley does. The rule of thumb is this: if you’re not getting a

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Floatlining doesn’t spook the fish anywhere near as often as other methods do, which is perfect for targeting big snapper! the most effective method of presenting bait naturally, enticing those large, wary predators to the hook. It’s the presentation of the bait, rather than the bait itself, that makes all the difference. The bait wafts

to get down to where the fish are, and for that you need to take the current strength and depth into consideration (a slow to medium current is best for floatlining). You may need to use a small weight to help your bait fall

bite you’re not amongst the fish, so you need to add or subtract weight accordingly.

TACKLE AND TECHNIQUE There are a couple of ways that you can floatline for snapper. One way is

to continually let out line by stripping line from the reel, wait for it to sink to the desired depth and then repeat the process.

Alternatively you can simply let out a measured amount of line to the depth you think you should be targeting.

This floatlining method works better with baitrunner-style reels because you can control the drop by using the drag.

Of course, you can use spin reels and overheads provided you have a measureable depth marked on your line. Lines like Pioneer Palladium braid are great because they’re colour coded at 10m intervals. Alternatively, you could tie a mark on the line at certain intervals to let you know when you’re getting close to the depth. A fluorocarbon leader running off either braid or mono main line will enhance the presentation of the bait and not spook the big predators.

The choice of line is entirely up to the individual angler. Some anglers like mono because it’s stretchy and forgiving, and any older, more educated fish are presumably less likely to smell a rat. However,

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Snapper Feature I prefer braid as my main line because the lack of stretch allows me to get a full feel for everything the fish is doing. Braid is probably the best option to start out with if you’re new to this style of fishing.

There are a number of options to set up the rig. You

can either run the sinker directly onto the hooks or set the sinker back up the line, allowing the bait to float naturally. I can tell you with confidence that either method will work if the balance of weight to current is right. The key is to use as little weight

as possible, just enough to keep your bait heading down slowly towards the

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sinker in current but if you are out over 70m you can expect to use anything from a 4 ball sinker through to an ounce, and in some circumstances far more.

Snapper and other large predators have particularly

are the first choice of many anglers, and I certainly prefer the security that they offer. I have found Mustad and Tru-Turn hooks to be ideal for preparing ganged or snelled rigs. When the fish takes the bait and turns,

angler to strike – the fish will usually hook itself. At most, a slow lift is all that’s needed to set a circle hook.

So if you’re after a better class of fish, try floatlining and start fooling those big, wary knobbies.

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Large snapper will work their way up into a berley trail leaving the smaller fish closer to cover. It’s these canny, bigger fish that you want to entice, so you want as natural a presentation as possible.

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19

Depth sounder basics PART II NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Last month Starlo talked about the absolute basics of using a modern depth sounder or sonar. This time, he takes it a step further and moves into the realm of slightly more advanced sonar signal interpretation.

In the first instalment of this double-header, I briefly described what depth sounders or sonar units are, outlined the basics of how they work, and explained that most new chums and casual

users are best off to simply turn their units on, hit auto and let them do their own thing (after first ensuring that the showroom ‘simulator’ mode has been deactivated, of course). For some people, this will be enough.

Naturally, however, many keener sonar users will soon wish to begin exploring the wider capabilities of their sounders by tweaking and twiddling the various controls. How these work varies somewhat from one brand and model to another, and I can’t stress strongly enough the importance of carefully reading the manual that came with your sounder,

In this split screen image we see the bottom shelving up and half a dozen or more targets in mid-water. The more detailed StructureScan image on the right shows those targets as individual fish of a reasonable size.

as well as jumping online to watch any video clips or tutorials pertaining to it.

There’s a remarkable amount of information out there, and a simple search engine query listing the make and model of your sounder will most likely bring up all sorts of useful (and not so useful) links.

You can refine this search process further by adding words or phrases such as ‘sensitivity’, ‘frequency’, ‘surface clutter’, ‘colour line’, ‘scroll speed’ and so on to find out more about those various functions and tweaks, then apply them when on the water. In many ways, this is not unlike tuning a television in order to obtain the clearest and most pleasing picture for your eye.

The best settings to use will vary slightly depending on the depth of water you’re operating in, as well as the speed of your boat and the amount of suspended matter in the water column. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ answer to the best combination of settings, so you may need to fiddle a bit from day to day or even hour to hour, but don’t become fixated with all this button pushing and forget that you’re out there to catch fish! Also, learn how to

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Finally, it’s worth noting that sounder technologies have improved at an exponential rate in recent years, and the quality of underwater imaging now available at a reasonable price is nothing short of staggering. Most makes now offer enhanced, high

definition (HD) imaging technologies in their premium units under a range of titles such as CHIRP (compressed high intensity radar pulse), StructureScan, Side Imaging, DownScan, SpotlightScan and so on.

Basically, these technologies all make use of more powerful and focussed beams of sound waves, combined with enhanced

Last month we saw only the basic sonar image (left) of this reading, showing a dense layer of ‘something’ extending a good 2.5m up from the bottom in 5.6m of water. Snags? Weed? Fish? We could only guess.

This month I’ve included the high definition, narrowbeam DownScan image on the right, clearly revealing that layer of ‘something’ as a thick school of moderate sized fish (they turned out to be tailor), with a ball of baitfish under them, and also scattered individual targets (bream and trevally) hard on the bottom.

imaging software, to paint a clearer, more defined and detailed picture of what’s under, alongside and even ahead of your vessel. In many ways, these modern systems are like narrowbeamed spotlights compared to the virtual floodlights of older-style sonar. It’s really worth bearing that analogy in mind, because there are obviously times and places where the broader (albeit it less bright) illumination of a floodlight can actually be more useful than the narrow, confined but intense beam of a spotlight, and vice versa… It’s a matter of horses for courses and both formats still have their place.

In closing, I’ve included the standard sonar images I used with last month’s column, but now with their enhanced, narrow beam counterparts right alongside, as well as an interesting stand-alone StructureScan image… Hopefully you will find these screen shots, comparisons and the accompanying captions describing them ‘illuminating’, if you’ll pardon the pun.

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On the left is a sonar image from last month’s column showing the bottom, a little less than 6m below the boat, and a blob of ‘something’ in mid-water, plus some smaller possible scattered targets. The much narrower, more intense StructureScan beam, portrayed on the right, reveals the ‘blob’ as 2 separate schools of fish, and also shows another single fish near the bottom, just right of centre.

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Modern, high definition sonar (in this case, Lowrance’s StructureScan) at its finest. This readout provides an incredibly clear picture of a very large rock outcrop on the lakebed, with a dead tree standing not far away. The presence of distinct shadows and highlights in this ‘spot light’ view give a 3D effect and make the picture so much clearer.

22

DECEMBER 2014

The Yucatan knot BRISBANE

Kim Bain

The Yucatan knot was first developed in the sport fishing waters off Cancun and Isla Mujeres.

It is generally considered to be a good knot for connecting doubled main lines to heavy leaders.

YUCATAN Some sayKNOT that the Yucatan is not suited for light leaders, however, this is probably because the quality/brand of the two components (mainline and leader) will strongly influence the integrity of

the knot. For example, with this knot the leader must form around the braid and on some hard leaders this may not be possible.

Likewise, the Yucatan knot must be formed using an unbroken (full loop intact) double, such as can be formed using a bimini twist (or spider hitch).

One philosophy behind the Yucatan’s popularity is that if it is tied to connect 50lb braid to 80lb leader, such as you might when reef fishing, then the 50lb braid might test at 65lb breaking strain which is then doubled to give

YUCATAN KNOT leader

a potential 130lb limit; concurrently the 80lb rated leader is unlikely to break at over 100lb breaking strain. Throw in a few nicks in the leader and you’ll pop the so-called 80lb leader before you blow apart the 130lb breaking strain double.

The finished knot is compact and very strong.

It will pass through rod leader making guides easily, it suitable for repetitive doubled casting techniques.

The Yucatan issuperbraid an excellent knot for joining heavy mono-type12-15 leaders to turns superbraid mainlines.

doubled superbraid

1

YUCATAN MakeKNOT a short double line using a bimini twist to form the double. Lay

doubled leader superbraid doubled feed tag end of superbraid leader 12-15through turns end loop of double 12-15 turns spider-hitch or Bimini Twist

2 4

tag end Wrap the super braid double line 12-15 times around thefeed leader, orofas leader through many times as you can for mono to leader connections, probably around feed tag end of 6 end loop of double turns. Knots that require multiple turns of line must lie and draw neatly, leaderup through without line overlapping. end loop of double spider-hitch or Bimini Twist spider-hitch or Bimini Twist

Lubricate with saliva and carefully pull the knot tight. Pull the doubled line and the leader in opposite directions to tighten knot. Note that although the wraps were made with the doubled line, when the knot is pulled tight the leader will wrap onto the doubled line. Trim the tag end of the leader close to the knot.

QX064

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Now bend the tag end of the leader back on itself and feed it through the loop end of the double line.

the double alongside the leader (parallel to but opposite in leader direction). An

YUCATAN KNOT overlap of 20cm is a good measure.

feed tag end of leader through end loop of double spider-hitch or Bimini Twist

12-15 turns

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23

It’s time to gear up for bass on the attack ILUKA

Ben Pilch bjpcdh@gmail.com

Come December, the east coast hot currents are boring down from Queensland and our run of pelagics is in full swing. Chasing spotted mackerel will be the mainstay offshore from the lower Clarence, and the usual mack grounds like Shark Bay and Angourie should see a fair bit of traffic and fish in the coming months.

As stated last issue, a little common sense and consideration of others goes

a long way to making life on the water a little easier and more relaxed at this congested time of year.

The favourite lure to troll for macks is a pink squid of around 6” long with a number 4 bean sinker squeezed tightly into its head. A 30cm length of 60lb seven-strand wire passes though the skirt and sinker. Attached at one end is an appropriately rated rolling swivel, and at the other a 6/0 straight shank hook spaced so it just pokes out the back of the skirt. Tie all that to the end of a 20-30lb outfit and you have yourself the perfect combo for

Kaleum Gannon with a nice afternoon Croaker Lure victim.

Introducing

chasing spotties.

In the river, the flathead will have moved down to the mouth to breed. While being a fun fish to catch, don’t forget the big females are our breeding stock and deserve to be released. Take a few brag pics and pop them back in the drink.

There should definitely be plenty of good eating size flatties around the usual haunts.

Places like North Arm, Oyster Channel and Browns Rocks should all hold quality fish from just legal up to 50cm.

Soft plastics and blades are the best way to round up a feed, hopping them along the bottom on sandy dropoffs near weed beds.

This season is shaping up to be as good as last year for both blue swimmer and mud crabs. Places like the North and South arms, Lake Woolawayer and the Broadwater were all good producers, and should be again this year.

The mighty Clarence River and all her tributaries have been firing on the bass front of late. Myself and a couple of mates have been making quite a few trips upstream, enjoying plenty of surface action on Croaker Lures’ Surface Paddlers in the late afternoon and early

A nice bass plucked out of the snags on a Beetle Spin during the day. mornings. During the day, Beetle Spins rolled through the snags have been our best producers.

It pays to up the gear weight a little when working so close to snags, as it saves losing lures from getting bricked. Bass are one of my all-time favourite lure targets, as they are such a fun, hardhitting fish.

While on the subject of upstream species, it’s almost time to go chase another classic freshwater fish, as cod season is about to open.

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DECEMBER 2014 25

Warm water awaits BALLINA

Tristan Sloan tris.sloan@gmail.com

As I sit here writing this report, I find myself mulling over last weekend’s fishing. After a month of Saturday mornings staring at the Richmond River bar covered by enormous swells, we finally managed to launch the boat on a picture perfect morning and head offshore.

And what a morning it was! Plenty of big snapper on soft plastics, a few mahimahi from a fish trap float on the 42f line, and we even had a marlin come up and sneak a look at our lure spread. The best news is that the conditions are only

going to get better towards Christmas, especially with the water warming.

Pearl perch, snapper, kingfish and amberjack will all be likely propositions on the wider grounds. I generally target these fish with knife jigs and soft plastics, especially the heavy elevator style soft plastic heads produced

by Berkley. Jig sizes range from 200-500g and soft plastic heads can be anything from 55-120g.

While many deepwater jiggers commonly use heavy trace in the 80-150lb range, even in deep water you can get away with traces from 30-60lb for soft plastics, as the fish will often be some way off the bottom, giving you time to wrestle it

away from structure before getting bricked.

While last weekend demonstrated that there are a few small black marlin poking about, they don’t normally hit the inshore grounds until the weeks leading up to Christmas. It is very much dependent of the amount of bait available.

A good tactic, therefore, is to cruise over the inshore grounds early morning and make a snap decision based on the amount of bait present. If bait is scarce, and it frequently is at this time of year, we often head out to the FAD on the 32f line, catch a few willing mahimahi and snapper, and then tow skirted lures around on the top of the tide change.

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Say cheese! Expect to see plenty of great eating size mahimahi lurking around the FAD this month.

This is prime time for marlin activity, and it’s not uncommon to score some much welcome bycatch in the form of wahoo at this time of year. Strong multistrand cable wire run between two hooks on skirted Pakula lures means that we don’t lose too many of these toothy critters, and it doesn’t seem to put the marlin off at all either.

While a few locals will be quietly hoping the mackerel show this month, it doesn’t normally happen until early January. I’ve never managed to figure out why this is the case, as they certainly should arrive at both the Gold Coast and the Clarence by the time this article goes to print. It’s probably worth spending a bit of time inshore if the water is warm and the slimy mackerel are in abundance, but otherwise I would bide my time. Once they do arrive, the grapevine normally fires up and it isn’t long before every man and his dog are fishing for them.

The river will continue to produce good mangrove jacks and bream around the lower rock walls this month, with the larger fish falling to those who put in the hours at night. This is especially the case with the red devils, who leave the safety of their holes once the sun has set.

Flathead will be falling to lures and bait all the way from the mouth of the river to Wardell, with plenty of big females still to be found in the lower river recovering

from their breeding efforts in spring. I often plan a day’s fishing in summer to take advantage of all the species on offer in the river.

This usually entails fishing the run-in tide for whiting with either bait or lures, spending the top of the tide targeting bream or jacks around the boating pontoons and rock walls, and then drifting the channels on the run-out tide for flathead.

A handy trick is to keep a few of your legal whiting alive in the bait tank and use them as live bait for a monster flathead. You will often catch flathead between 60-90cm using this method, and plenty of times you get the whiting back too, albeit a little worse for wear.

I pin the whiting through the top jaw with just enough lead to keep it on the bottom, and put the rod in a holder while drifting around

throwing lures. A circle hook ensures that 90% of the time any fish hooked is easy to release. A few mud crabs collected from the pots dropped off in Emigrant Creek in the morning makes for an enjoyable and tasty day’s fishing.

If your prefer to have your feet in the sand, Seven Mile and South Ballina beaches should be the pick for those chasing a feed this month, with bream, whiting and dart being the mainstays. Taking the kids to the beach so you can sneak in a few hours fishing is a great summer outing.

A rising tide, a prominent gutter or hole with a nice covering of white water, and fresh baits in the form of pipis, worms, yabbies or mullet fillets will practically guarantee a feed of bream.

Have a lovely Christmas and I hope to see you all on the water over the holidays.

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Summer yakin’ on the Tweed THE TWEED

David Solano

It’s December on the Tweed, holidays are coming up, the water is hot and the place is pretty packed with shore-based fishos.

So you want to get a tinny, then you can fish the river in peace, however they can be a bit expensive. Then you have the ongoing money pit; the fuel, the insurance, registration, safety gear and so on. This was my predicament 10 years ago, so what did I do? I bought a fishing kayak and haven’t looked back since.

I can remember all the strange looks my mate and I used to get as we launched our yaks. People pointed at us

sometimes openly laughing!

None of that happens now, in fact pretty much the opposite, as sometimes it’s hard to get on the water with folks looking at my yak in awe, asking questions about all the gear – it’s pretty cool to see people getting excited about yak fishing!

Slowly but surely over the years, the number of people fishing from yaks has exploded and for good reason. You’re sneaky, the fish can’t hear you coming, you can’t get that same stealth in a boat, yaks can go where boats can’t and there’s a lot of shallow areas in the Tweed. One thing that happened was that I accidentally got physically fit as we were paddling all over the place chasing fish, it

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didn’t occur to me that I was working out, Geez! I even got my 6-pack back!

The dollar is not a factor in buying a kayak, I’ve seen them from as little as $100, but they do go right up to $5,000.

Some pretty cool spots to fish from a yak on the Tweed are the Cobaki and Terranora lakes area and all the little tributaries around it. You’ll often find you have the place to yourself and a lot of

decent flathead can be found here even in the summer.

A very pleasant launching area to get to these spots is the beach behind the Maritime Museum on Kennedy Drive. As you are paddling away, take time to check the old trees that line the route, it’s totally Jurassic!

Just like it would have looked in Cooks day.

What I like most about my yaks is the versatility, if I feel like an adventure; I Some quality whiting have been taking surface lures lately and the action should get better with the warming weather.

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The author holds up a ‘shovel-class’ flathead. Flathead are still about in numbers in the Tweed and make for some great summer fun, especially out of a kayak.

can pack the tent, head down Murwillumbah way and explore some rivers looking for the elusive bass. I don’t always fish off a yak as I love rock fishing and I’m always going out on my mates’ boats, but a yak as a backup is gold.

I run a Hobie Outback and an H20 Murray, one’s a pedal, the other a paddle power.

Something to keep in mind is that you can buy a tinny probably cheaper than a new Hobie, but if you offered me a swap for a boat for either of my yaks I’d say NO WAY! WHERE ARE THE FISH? This time of year everything turns around, the

winter species have gone and the fun begins! Most notably for me is the surface bite is back on with a vengeance and I’ve been catching whiting, bream, trevally and the odd flathead all on the surface. The retrieval style I use varies, but I find the bream will often take the lure on a pause where as the other species love a fast moving lure. Try behind PKG’s, Jack Evan’s Boat Harbour and also the area in front of the rowing club under Boyds Bay Bridge. Just a little hint – don’t panic if there’s a lot of fish chasing your lure, wait for the rod to load up.

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Yahoo for wahoo this December holidays STH GOLD COAST

Ben Job

I love December! The days are longer and there’s a stack of different species to chase.

OFFSHORE In the last few years, we have had some great heavy tackle blue marlin fishing wide off the Gold Coast this time of year and by the look of things, December 2014 will be no different! Blue marlin are generally found east of the 100m line. Areas like the Riv Grounds, Jims Mountain, The Kink and the Tweed Canyons are all worth a go.

By trolling skirted lures around 7-17” long (depending on the size of the bait around), you are always in with a shot.

There’s a lot of marlin lures available and they all catch fish, but I can’t help but have a few favourites.

I stick with brands such as Pakula, Aloha and the locally made Black Snacks, just to name a few. Beware, 24kg outfits are considered light when venturing out there and proper tackle preparation is a must!

It’s looking like it’s going to be a cracker light

Wahoo will be on the cards and provide an excellent feed.

Remember to throw them on ice quickly after capture. tackle black marlin season.

Many of us have been tracking these fish as they move down the coast and are eagerly awaiting their arrival. These little guys are great fun and at times you can expect to get 5-10 bites per day. These fish are

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generally in the 15–30kg size bracket, though bigger and smaller fish are always on the cards. Trolling skirted lures 6-7.5” in length is an effective way of catching them but methods like skipping and swimming gar and fishing live baits

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I use a lure with varying depths. I target rock walls, rocky points, lowdown timber, pontoons and rock bars. Basically, they can be found anywhere with a bit of structure.

Whiting should be around in numbers around the Council Chambers and Monaco Street. They are best targeted using bloodworms or small black soldier crabs. Light line is key for big whiting, and 4-6lb braid with a long 8lb leader is perfect. Just a simple running sinker rig is generally the way to go. I vary my sinker size depending on the tidal flow and use a trace around 1m with a size 4-6 hook.

Mud crabs will be on the march in December and provide an awesome feed. The trick to catching muddies is to work out what tide they are most active at the time and what depth they are working in.

This can be heavily dictated by how much rain we have.

Any fish frames or chicken carcasses will suffice as bait. Remember, 4 pots per person and make sure they are clearly marked, you wouldn’t want to ruin a good day on the water by getting a fine!

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are at times very effective.

Most fish are quite easily subdued on 8-10kg line, but if you are in a small boat or shorthanded it can be not a bad idea to run a little bit heavier line such as 15kg. This will result in a better release for the

fish as they won’t spend extended times on the end of the line. Locations vary from season to season, but Kirra Reef and The Gravel Patch usually produce good numbers.

Mackerel, wahoo and mahimahi will also be around and if you are chasing a feed then all these fish are great on the table.

These fish are all common by-catch when marlin fishing, so it’s worth taking an esky and ice to keep your catch in prime condition.

INSHORE A lot of fishos will be chasing jacks this month, and why not! Jacks are an awesome sport fish and it’s not hard to see why they are on so many anglers’ bucket list. I love catching jacks and am often found floating around the Gold Coast canals and rivers throwing lures at them. I use 20-30lb line and 40lb leader when jack fishing. I like to use a variety of lures, mainly trying to target the depth that the fish are feeding in. I’ll use lures ranging from 1-30ft, as well as a variety of soft plastics. I don’t believe lure choice makes a huge difference for jacks, as long as it’s in their ‘zone’, which is why

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Surface carnage in the canals GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn www.tackletactics.com.au

Christmas has finally arrived and with a lot of fish on the bite I reckon we will have a ball! Most baits and lures have been producing some quality fish.

A lot more bream anglers in their flash bass boats have come into our canals, which can only mean one thing, the bream are on the bite.

Hardbodies in purple and natural colours slow rolled is a deadly technique. Fishing the low tide around jetties and casting around the sand bank line has lead to many successful sessions.

Mangrove jack are hitting the canals, but like always, they can be hard to catch. If you put the hours in chasing them, the results will come. Keep your lure close as possible to the structure in the form of rock walls, jetties or pylons. The faithful 4” minnow type lures with a reasonable jighead has been a great combo for jacks. The Z-Man 4” SwimmerZ or DieZel MinnowZ in bright colours like white, green or a mix of the two have been working a treat.

In the next month or two, the waters will definitely warm up and we should get a few storms. This will have a huge effect on fishing.

more fish will be smashing bait (also your lures) on the surface! This is why I love fishing, seeing a fish go out of its way to chase down

afternoon on a high tide.

Bass are off their treetops at the moment down around Clear Water Islands. Kayaks are perfect for an early

William Smedley with a solid 50cm jack caught on bream gear in Tallebudgera on the new Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ! A decent flathead landed on a TT Lures 1/8oz Switchblade.

Blades are great for catching flathead in the canals.

Photo courtesy of Will Smedley.

Summer is known for a lot of stormy weather, so be prepared and safe. On the other hand, stormy and hot weather will bring fish the on the bite, so too will a cool change.

Now and within the next few months the surface action will go off! Plenty

your lure and smash it on the surface. If fishing was a drug, this is what would keep me addicted for sure! Predators that will chase your lures down include bass, bream, jacks and trevally.

I’ve found the best time for a canal system to fire is an early morning or late

morning hot surface bite and this approach should lead to plenty of fun! If you can find a nice stream in the hinterlands or some fresh water around Robina, you should be in for a chance in the early morning (early as in hit the water at 4am).

Casting plastics, spinnerbaits

or poppers extremely close to the edge and bringing it back is a great way to catch these fish.

I’ve been catching plenty of flathead in the canals lately, which is a good sign for the months to come. Fish around 40cm are common.

Blades have been my go-to lure in my recent trips, but most colours are producing fish. Fish them slow and along the bottom with slow lifts of the rod tip.

That’s one whole year of writing for. QFM and most importantly Steve Booth had taught me a lot about writing, but I thank everyone and can’t wait to see what next year and the future holds!

Stay safe this holiday season and Merry Christmas. December is a great month for all our estuarine species, so get out there and catch them!

DECEMBER 2014

33

Impending marlin madness GOLD COAST

David Green

December should really turn on the action, with the annual run of small black marlin and the estuary fish biting their heads off, what’s not to love about the festive season?

OFFSHORE There were good reports of lots of small black marlin in Hervey Bay last month and these fish should turn up in numbers off the Gold Coast this month. As the East Australian current moves in close to the coast and the water temperature increases to around 25°C, there should be plenty of action from the grounds north of Jumpinpin right down to the Tweed Coast.

At the start of the season I like to work the more northern grounds around the Cotton Reef, Sullies and the 20 fathom line north of Jumpinpin Bar right up to Point Lookout.

There are plenty of ways to target black marlin, but trolling lures is generally simple and productive, although the hook up rate is a lot lower than bait fishing. Small 15-25cm skirts rigged on 100-150lb leaders using 10/0 Gamakatsu SL12 saltwater fly hooks work well for me. Good lures are small Pakulas, Meridians and the locally made Black Snacks.

Christina Manly with a feed of muddies taken from a local creek.

Good colours are blue and silver, purple over pink and lumo green, but colour preferences vary from day to day. Good alternative methods include trolling swimming and skipping gars and slow trolled live slimies. If I find a big school of pilchards or slimies, I generally change from lures to live baits.

As well as marlin there should be good numbers of

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mahimahi from small fish around 2kg up to big bulls over 15kg. There have already been quite a few caught throughout October.

Wahoo should also start to show and cause a lot of lure damage. I find that when wahoo start to show, it is a good idea to troll a Halco Laser Pro in with the skirted lures as these can keep the teeth away from your expensive skirts and catch a good feed. Small yellowfin and striped tuna also respond to the same methods.

This month also sees the blue marlin activity increase out on the wide grounds and over the past 2 years, December has produced a lot of big blue marlin off the Gold Coast. These require stand up 37kg tackle to get consistent results. The 24kg is a bit light on the bigger fish and it can be a real struggle to get them up out of deep water. I like to work the area northeast of the Gold Coast Seaway in a depth between 150-400m.

Catching big blue marlin from a trailer boat is one of the most challenging ways to fish and while some days are doughnuts, the rewards are great when you see a big

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blue crash a lure and the reel growl under heavy drag. Out wide the by-catch in December is generally big mahimahi and big wahoo. You need good sea conditions to work the wide grounds, as you will generally be at least 50km from the Seaway.

Bottom fishing this month slows down a lot as the current warms and runs hard but there should still be a few kings, amberjacks and pearl perch around.

In closer to shore the spotted mackerel and a few early season Spaniards and cobia should start to turn up on Palm Beach Reef. Last year’s mackerel season was outstanding and I hope this year is a repeat of the great fishing we saw earlier in the year.

ESTUARIES AND RIVERS. As the water warms up, the flathead start to slow down markedly and most of the fishing action is centred on mangrove jack, mulloway, whiting, trevally and sand and mud crabs.

Over the years, mangrove jack fishing has changed a lot, largely due to the huge number of floating pontoons that provide food and an ‘all tide’ shelter for jacks. The most successful local method, as popularised by local jack legend Mick Horn, is casting paddle-tail plastics along the edge of pontoons and working them quickly back so they swim about 30cm below the platform.

This is an outstanding method but bust offs are common. You need to be quick to strike and get the head of the fish quickly or they will bust you off on

The small black marlin will be on the move off the Gold Coast in December and anglers look forward to their acrobatic antics. the poles and oyster-covered obstructions.

Poppers are another good option and small deep diving hardbodies catch a lot of jacks as well. Trolling rock bars and long rocky walls is another good method.

A lot of good jacks over 50cm in length will be caught this month, with the chance of a trophy 60cm fish if you are lucky enough to stop them.

The really big ones are very tough to get out if hooked close to cover.

Catching whiting on poppers is also worth a try this month. I like to use the Bassday Sugar Pen. Look for sandy areas with plenty of yabby holes and plenty

Aykut Ahmet was very excited about his big mahimahi.

of current. It is amazing how savage whiting can be on surface lures. The secret seems to be a fast constant retrieve that imitates a fleeing prawn. While you may catch a lot more whiting on bait than lures, I find lure fishing for big whiting is a lot more fun and avoids digging for worms in the mud. Fish over 40cm should be around this month.

With the warming water, the crabs will be on the move and it is worth chasing a few mud crabs on the run in tide in areas such as the Pimpama River, Coombabah Creek and the north arm of the Coomera River.

There should be plenty of sand crabs around the weed beds in the central parts of the Broadwater. Fresh fish frames of oily fish such as mullet or tuna work well for all crabs, and chicken frames are a good alternative bait when chasing muddies.

Overall, this month should see great fishing on the Gold Coast and by Christmas there should be plenty of small marlin being caught on the inshore reefs close to the Seaway. Have a safe summer and great fishing.

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Pin fishing set to heat up for Christmas fun JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

How fast has the year gone? It’s December already, which means school holidays and lots of boat traffic out on the water, so remember to be patient and courteous at the boat ramps, obey all the rules and we’ll all have a safe time out on the water.

Whiting will be the main species that will be targeted this month and there should be plenty around. The Logan River always produces some real quality fish this time of year with plenty over 40cm to be expected. The pick of the spots are Ageston Sands, Marks Rocks, the Junction and the mud flats at the mouth of the Logan.

Outside the river a few other spots to try are the Gold and Green banks, top of Crusoe Island, Tipplers Island and the Never Fail Islands.

Bloodworms are by far the best bait for catching whiting, however they are expensive and not always in abundant supply, so be

sure to order them a few days in advance to avoid disappointment. Other baits to try are beachworms, pipis, prawns and squid.

Mangrove jack and estuary cod will be high on most fishos’ hit lists, but this is a very specific type of fishing that requires a certain amount of skill and patience. They hide in against structure and use it for protection and ambush their prey. Using live bait is a great way to tempt them out, but casting lures against the structure and dragging the lure away works well too. The strike is very violent, as they smash the bait or lure and try to get back to their snag. Most of the time the fish will win as I’ve had them snap 50lb line with ease. A good rig to try is 20lb braid for mainline to a 30-40lb trace. This should put you in a position to pull them off their snag.

The mangrove-lined banks of the Jumpinpin area are the perfect spot for a jack or cod to hide. Try looking for sunken trees, rock walls and jetties and they will more than likely hold a jack or cod.

Flathead are still going

strong after their breeding season with plenty of 40-60cm fish taking both lures and bait. Try drifting along the edges of dropoffs and weed beds with pillies, whitebait or prawns and you should get a feed of flathead. I prefer to troll in 4-6ft of water around the weed with shallow diving lures bouncing along the bottom to try to get the lizard’s attention. This technique is frustrating, as you will pick up a lot of weed, which tends to put off most first timers, but stick with it and remove the weed because the flathead are there. Once you’ve caught a couple you’ll be hooked and you’ll never look back!

Try around Cabbage Tree Point, Cobby Passage, the top of Crusoe or along the bottom of Kangaroo Island.

Chasing mulloway this time of year usually produces some really big fish to 20kg from the deep water off Swan Bay, the eastern point of Short Island and Giants Grave. Make sure to use big livies or big plastics when chasing big mulloway and be sure to set the hook properly, as

I’ve seen mulloway fight for 5 minutes and then just let the bait go. Sometimes they just hold the bait in their teeth.

Muddies and sandies have also fired up with the recent storm activity providing much needed freshwater into the system, so don’t forget your pots and dillies on your next trip out. If you can nudge deeper into the mangroves at the high tide in the Logan and Pimpama rivers, you should get a good catch of muddies.

Fish or chicken frames have been the better baits.

Sandies have been taken along the edges and holes of channels such as Jacobs Well Channel, Tiger Mullet, North Canaipa and up near the Powerlines to Long Island.

I’d just like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

• Thank you for your reports and feedback and if you have any questions, give us a call on (07) 3287 3868 or pop in and see me at Gem Bait & Tackle, you can also email gembait@ tpg.com.au.

Mulloway up to 20kg have been reported recently and fish like this can be common. Be sure to keep your livies or plastics big, as these fish aren’t shy when it comes to prey size!

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Summer speedsters start running OFFSHORE

John Gooding

The water temperature is rising and with heaps of bait around, this points to the annual run of pelagic being not too far away.

We’ve still been targeting juvenile snapper on the wider reefs on recent charters and the amount of bait we’ve been driving through means the razor gang shouldn’t be too far behind.

You can expect a nice mixed bag like this taken With the snapper starting a from the wide grounds at this time of year. little later, they should still be around in good numbers until south of Cape Moreton is what you’re targeting. the place to put some time in Most skirted lures and the end of this month at least.

The wider grounds in and there’ s usually plenty of hardbodies such as Halcos and 80-90m of water have been quality by-catch.

Rapalas will do the damage producing consistent good There’s been reports of but make sure your hooks numbers of fish for us. Most good numbers of small black are razor sharp to penetrate fish have come from the marlin being caught not too they’re hard beaks. Don’t go 40-50m bracket, but we’ve far north of us at present and overboard on line size, 15kg pulled a few from Shallow in past years when we’ve is plenty, as their usually burnt Tempest, the 29 and the 33 seen plenty of small blacks out after their first couple of fathom line. The quality of in the South East corner, we runs, but a smooth drag is the fish on the wider grounds also see a good early run of paramount. has been inconsistent, where small wahoo. With a little Spanish mackerel should you will have a few days of luck this might be the case also be turning up during the good quality coming aboard this year at Hutchinson Shoal month and the fish should regularly and days where you north of Cape Moreton and the have a little more condition struggle to boat fish better than Sevens off Point Lookout will on them this season. We’ve definitely be worth belting a had a bumper season earlier just-legal.

The shallows are definitely few high-speed lures around. in the year but there was a lot the go for the bigger snapper These early season fish tend to of small, just legal, Spaniards this time of year and Shallow be around the 6-8kg range, so caught. On this run down the STA15856HP-FM_Layout 1 20/10/14 1:52 Page 1 keep the lurePMsize relevant to Queensland coast judging by Tempest, just a few clicks

589 Ocean Ranger

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the bait school they should be a little larger. Trolling gar or live baits is the go for these guys and the close coffee rock off Moreton Island, The Group and Shag Rock will be worth a troll.

• Until next month enjoy your fishing, take care on the coastal bars and if you’d like to join me on charter (Max 8 persons), give me a call on (07) 3822 9527 or 0418 738 750, You can also visit my new website at www.outlawcharters.com.au.

Some quality juvenile snapper taken at Deep Tempest. With the snapper season starting later this year, we should continue to see snapper action for the next month or so.

A good assortment of amberjack, kingfish, snapper and even a couple of small mulloway on a day when the fish chewed wherever we went.

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DECEMBER 2014

39

Ho, ho, hot action ahead BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Is it really December again? My credit card still hasn’t recovered from last Christmas. The good news, however, is that there should be some hot pelagic action on our doorstep over the next month or so and plenty of other estuarine, bay and river species to target.

The weather may be scorching, however the hot action on offer is definitely a good reason to slip, slop, slap and slurp this summer so you can withstand the elements and enjoy your time the great outdoors.

PELAGIC PROMINENCE Offshore The summer months are usually an awesome time to target pelagics within Moreton Bay and further offshore. The bay offers school and spotted mackerel, longtail and mac tuna, frigates, bonito, cobia and more.

Venturing offshore to the waters off The Group, Hutchinson Shoals, Flinders Reef, the Cotton Reefs and even further afield will put you in the territory of mahi mahi, wahoo, Spanish

mackerel, yellowfin tuna, GTs, marlin, sailfish and more. It really is an exciting time to be out and about so check the drags on your reels and sharpen the hooks on your lures so you are ready to get amongst them.

Trolling is popular for anglers at a lot of offshore locations as it allows you to cover a good portion of ground and is a productive way to get connected. Anglers commonly drag lures such as skirted resin heads (especially when targeting marlin), bibbed minnow lures, lipless minnows, weighted head skirts, stickbaits and numerous others. The best rigging, techniques and tactics to employ for each can vary slightly depending on personal preference and target species, however it does not need to be too specific most of the time. So long as your lures all swim well at the chosen troll speed and don’t tangle on the turns, you are in with a great chance.

You can mix up the lure styles with some surface lures and some diving lures in your spread. Try along prominent current lines and structure, areas of temperature change and, of course, the historically productive areas

aforementioned. Listening to the VHF will often give you an indication as to where the fish are on the chew as excited anglers usually can’t wait to get on the radio to skite to their mates after a capture.

The bay Within Moreton Bay, the action can be fairly good with large surface busting schools of mackerel and tuna at times. While pelagics are often where you find them busting, searching commonly productive areas such as wide of the bay islands, the shipping channels, Rainbow Channel, the Paddock, Middle Bank area and the Measured Mile can short track your search. Being in the right place at the right time is the key. On numerous occasions, I have trekked around the bay looking for pelagics and have given up and headed home only to find them a few kilometres out from the ramp. Often pelagics will feed around the same time of the tidal phase in a particular area for a few days in a row (if there is good bait) so a return journey to yesterday’s productive spot is always worthwhile.

Surface busting schools are often signposted by fish jumping and splashing or

Mangrove jack are a hotly targeted species during the warmer months and anglers who put in the hard yards usually get the most consistent results. birds wheeling and diving overhead, which can often be seen from a good distance away. Anglers commonly cast chromed slugs and slices, jerk shad plastics, stickbaits, baitfish profiled flies, poppers and numerous other artificials. Last season, small stickbaits were especially popular and anglers achieved good success with Sebile 114 Sinking Stick Shads, Yozuri Adagio, Maria Loaded, Bungy Cast and several others. Recently, I have been using some weighted minnow

lures such as the Maria Duplex and Storm 90mm and 110mm So-Run Minnow, which are another good option.

Mackerel in particular are a popular target for anglers during December. While school mackerel have been around for several months now, spotties should begin to turn up during the month.

This will depend on water temperatures, currents and baitfish activity. Often, these will explode into the bay en masse, but at other times they will periodically trickle in,

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which is generally the best scenario for anglers as it limits the opportunities for the ring-netters to ‘accidentally’ net them, as they are only allowed to ring-net school mackerel purposely.

Surface feeding conglomerations of mackerel, both school and spotted, can be caught on an array of chromed slugs and slices, jerk shad plastics, small sinking stickbaits, baitfish profiled flies and numerous other offerings. Cast to the edges of the feeding melee, otherwise

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you are likely to get bitten off when your line encounters one of the numerous gnashing jaws. Additionally, I will generally start winding just before the offering hits the water so that it is already moving when it lands. This will also decrease the chance of a mackerel inhaling the entire lure, which would result in a bite off when using monofilament and fluorocarbon leaders. Wire is not recommended, as it will greatly decrease your initial strike rate. Generally, the few lures lost when not using wire will far outweigh the extra strikes encouraged.

Pilchards are another popular mackerel offering and are generally presented on a ganged hook rig. Around the smaller beacons you are generally best to sink the lure close to the bottom, however along the edges of the channels (shipping channel and Rous Channel) and around areas such as the Measured Mile beacons, baits are best fished mid water or in the upper third of the water column.

Trolling deep diving minnow lures along the edges of the channels is another successful method, especially on the lower half of the tide. On the higher stages, the odd mackerel will generally be found up on top of the banks so trolling these areas can also be worthwhile, especially the banks slightly south of Tangalooma (just east of The Four Beacons) and Middle Bank. The area along the northern edge of the Sand Hills green zone and the waters between Mud Island, the Four Beacons and the Measured Mile, as well as the Pearl Channel and major shipping channels are good area to start your search. However, surface feeding schools of mackerel are often where you find them, so having a spin rod rigged and ready to cast is highly recommended when transiting the bay during December.

Cobia will still be worth a crack and while there hasn’t been heaps of these around, a few decent specimens are being taken on occasion, mainly on large live baits of whiptails and other demersal species. Yakkas, slimey mackerel and pike will also work for cobia, but are the prime offerings for longtail tuna and other pelagic species.

ESTUARY ACTION The inshore waters, including the creeks, rivers and estuarine banks and channels are popular areas for anglers fishing throughout December. Due to the heat, many anglers, especially family groups, will only venture out for a few hours fishing during the cooler extremities of the day.

The estuaries offer great opportunity for a broad array of species, which can be caught on both baits and lures.

For those after a challenge, mangrove jack are one of the prime sportfishing targets. These are commonly caught on cast and retrieve lures such as diving minnows, soft plastics (especially shad and prawn profiles), topwater offerings and vibes.

Live offerings including mullet, herring and prawns and these will tempt jacks as well as numerous other species including flathead, estuary cod, trevally, larger bream, whaler sharks and occasional others.

For jacks, these are best fished close to prominent structure such as mangrove roots, bridge pylons, rock walls, jetties and pontoons.

Any current altering structure is worth a try. Estuary cod are likely captures in these same zones. The strike from a jack is lightning fast, therefore you will need good reflexes to get the upper hand.

Late afternoons, early mornings, nights and periods with high barometric readings are the best times to be plying your trade on the jacks. Most rivers, creeks, harbours and canal areas will hold some

in a session and most release virtually all their captures and may only take one or two moderately sized fish home for the table. Trolling the edges of prominent banks on the falling tide is a reliable way to encounter a few.

Brightly coloured minnow lures, which will get close to the bottom (preferably banging it occasionally) are the go for this pursuit. Drifting these areas and casting is also a great way to encounter a few also. In areas with a fairly prominent decline into the channel, many will hop soft plastics down these bank edges (curl-tails and paddletails are popular). This is a great way to cover the entire zone and will often produce those larger trophy fish in excess of 80cm, which need to be unhooked carefully and released quickly, as you are not allowed to keep a flathead in excess of 75cm in Queensland. In addition, you have a good chance of encountering an array of other species.

Estuary cod can be targeted in very similar areas to the mangrove jack and

Spotted mackerel such as this nice brace destined for the table, should be showing up in decent numbers throughout December. decent numbers of mangrove jacks, which makes them accessible to anglers fishing from boats, kayaks and land-based. Ironically, the Brisbane River has never really produced jacks in any numbers, however occasionally a capture is reported.

Flathead will still be around in numbers and have been prominent in the estuaries since late August.

Many anglers can easily catch double figures of legal fish

are often taken as by-catch.

However, many anglers choose to specifically target these powerful adversaries due to the challenges they offer and also the tasty white fillets that they can produce. While estuary cod can be found around any prominent structure, they seem to have a definite preference for rock walls, possibly due to the prevalence of crabs in these areas, which are one of their favourite food sources.

Working your offerings around the rock walls of the

canals, the retaining wall at the mouth of the Brisbane River, the eastern facing wall of Mud Island and numerous other similar areas will put you in with a great chance of encountering them. Anglers commonly fish lures that can be hopped or bounced along these walls, such as deep diving minnow lures and soft plastics, preferably rigged in a weedless manner on a TT Snakehead or similar.

As the cod commonly sit in the recesses of these rock walls and dart out when a possible food source is sighted, fishing these offerings in this manner will produce the most consistent rewards. However, you will need fast reflexes and a heavy yet smooth drag if you are to have any chance of prying them away from their sanctuary. Burnt thumbs and frayed lines go hand in hand when fishing for estuary cod.

BRISBANE RIVER The Brisbane River will produce quite a few species during December, however, it is probably the threadfin salmon which are most commonly targeted, especially in the lower reaches. Summer seems to produce the best action for this species in the lower reaches and they can even be caught well outside the river mouth around the tripod beacons of the leads.

Most anglers use soft plastics and vibration baits to target them, but in certain circumstances they are caught on minnow lures, flies and other offerings. Unfortunately, many of the larger threadies pulled out of deeper water will not survive release, no matter how carefully you do it. However, removing the hooks boatside and sending them on their way, without removing them from the water, will go a long way to increasing their survival rate.

Threadfin can be caught right along the river’s length, so heading upriver and doing

a bit of exploring can allow you to locate some great spots. This is made a lot easier for those with sideimaging sounders. You never know, you may even catch a barramundi, as there has been several caught this year in the Brisbane River.

Other species likely to be encountered in the river during December will include snapper, estuary cod, bream, flathead and possibly even the occasional straggler mulloway.

SHARKS Moreton Bay and all the systems running into it will have decent numbers of sharks on offer during the warmer months. These will predominately be whalers, however hammerheads, tigers and whites can also|| be caught. In the Brisbane River, bull sharks and spinner sharks are most common and are best targeted on live mullet and small catfish. These are commonly around 4-8kg in weight but can be encountered to over 25kg at times. Large specimens weighing in excess of 200kg occasionally show up for anglers who apply specific technique and tackle.

In Moreton Bay, numerous shark species

can be caught and anglers commonly float out whole fish baits (gar, pike, mullet, pilchards) into a berley trail of tuna oil. The outer margins of the bay islands, the spoil grounds and foul grounds as well as major channels are great places to try. Sharks can be a lot of fun and are a great way to learn the techniques of playing and fighting a stubborn adversary.

CONCLUSION There is plenty on offer for anglers probing Moreton Bay and surrounding waterways during December.

Hot weather brings forth some awesome pelagic activity and heightened aggressiveness for many estuarine and bay species. However, don’t let the elements ruin your day, ensure you slip, slop, slap and slurp to avoid sunburn and dehydration.

Hopefully you will get some flash new tackle in your Christmas stocking to try out on your favourite species, instead of having to use some mangy ham left over from boxing day lunch to get your piscatorial fix.

Enjoy your holiday season with your family and loved ones and stay safe on the water. Merry Christmas!

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Bring on the heat NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

With the warm weather pumping along like a welloiled machine, it seems Mother Nature has been cruel and kind to us over the last month, giving us a run of good days among the bad, but at the end of the day, beggars can’t be choosers!

In the northern bay we have had our fair share of easterly winds of late from the north and south, giving our east-facing fishing areas a

hiding and forcing anglers to seek shelter in the protected waters of our many estuaries.

But this has also worked in our favour, with the winds helping to push bait into our favourite estuarine areas and as they say, ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire’. In other words, the bait is bringing feeding predators.

Anglers have been reporting mixed results lately, with the increase in water temperatures starting to set some normality to our bread and butter summer species of summer whiting, flathead and the ever present bream.

Catches of summer

whiting have been steady over the past month, with the popular spots being the southern beaches of Bribie from Buckleys Hole around to Norfolk Creek, Margate Foreshore along Suttons Beach and Hays Inlet. The general consensus has been bloodworms and fresh yabbies for bait with diehard whiting hunters always benefiting from using a little red tubing near their hooks.

While chasing whiting, anglers have also been getting solid legal flathead, as these two species often share common feeding areas during the warmer months. Anchored fishos are commonly using two rods, using one for whiting and one with a bait left out the back of the boat, waiting for a ‘usual suspect’ flathead to latch on.

For the lure junkie, moderately-weighted soft plastics around 3-5” have been the weapon of choice, including Z-Man 3” GrubZ, 3” MinnowZ and 2.5” Slim Swims, Atomic Plazos 3” Jerk Minnows, 4” Prongs and Shads Lures 3” Ribbed Candys.

There’s been steady numbers of ‘just legal’ jacks in our systems, but plenty of casts are needed to provoke a strike.

Good lizard reports specimens have also come out of the Pumicestone Passage have been coming out of the Pacific Harbour canals at with Bramble Bay outside of Pumicestone Passage around Bribie with locals saying they Woody Point also producing 112 near Poverty Point, White can hear ‘boofs’ at night with good numbers.

Patch and Sylvan Beach, jacks attacking prey around MONTHLY TIP further south try the mouth pontoons and rock walls.

With summer in full www.taxidermy.net.au of the Caboolture River, the Reports of mud and swing, we are starting to get northern side of North Reef, sand crabs catches have been our fair share of afternoon western side of Woody Point circulating over this month storms. As bite periods Jetty and the mouth of the with afternoon thunderstorms are sensational pre-storm, Pine River upstream of the providing enough rains to we must remember the Houghton Highway. push muddies into our creeks dangers of being on the Bream numbers have been looking for a feed. Despite water during these periods steady over the past weeks Phone: (07) 3893 2199 with the breezy days making this roaming crusader more Mercury Outboard, Diesel and Mercruiser aggressive throughout the day.

Flooding tides and 10-15 knot winds are ideal conditions for bream, as they tend to be less ‘spooky’ as they cruise BAYSIDES PREMIUM shallower waters to feed. Light winds can also assist anglers MERCURY SERVICE CENTRE choosing to drift as this allows you to cover more area for SALE - SERVICE - PARTS some results.

FOR MERCURY OUTBOARDS For the anchored fishos, - DIESEL - MERCRUISER baits like mullet strips, yabbies and chicken breast have been working well with Manly Harbour Marine lighter sinkers proving to be 570 Royal Esplanade, Manly, QLD. beneficial.

For the lure-minded, mid www.manlyharbourmarine.com.au diving cranks, such as the Atomic Crank 38 Mid, Jackall Chubby Shallow, Pontoon 21 Greedy Guts 55SP and Daiwa Presso Minnows have been working well in the shallows during flooding tides with natural and clearer colours being the pick of many. Rocky points, rubble flats, weedy banks and reef bommies have been the areas of interest for bream during these warmer months as it gives them ample coverage to ambush current fluttering bait as they pass with the variable wind patterns.

Some average sized mangrove jack have also been reported in a few of our creeks Plenty of crabs have made their way into in the northern bay but a good Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, unbelievably fuel efficient. Mercury’s all new 75-115hp the systems with the recent rains. dose of rain would definitely FourStroke Range. Unlike anything the world has ever seen. help our cause, providing a nice purge to our creek system. many females finding their as your chances of being The upper reaches of the Pine way into pots there has been struck by lightning increase Duffield Rd, Clontarf 306306 Duffield Rd,Clontarf Clontarf 306 Duffield Rd, and Caboolture rivers have a good ratio of bucks to keep significantly. Play it safe produced a few just-legal jacks anglers happy for their hard and get off the water for the dedicated anglers with work. Sand crab catches when you know a storm is 306 many Duffield Clontarf saying it’sRd, a lengthy have been more common approaching.

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Red gold to kick-start summer STH PUMICESTONE

Jason Wallis

December will see bulk elbow bangers coming from all parts of the passage from Red Beach north up to Golden Beach and most sand banks in between.

The mouth of Coochin Creek has been a hot spot for most anglers on the hunt with the mouth of Elimbah coming in a close second. The larger the tide, the better the success. Following the tide up the banks and into the mangrove line is the key as the fish push up in the shallows feeding on yabbies, small crabs and sucking out small bloodworms from the mud.

Local worms are your best bait hands down. Collect a small bag of worms and a handful of yabbies, which is all you need to get great results.

The flathead have continued to show up in most parts of the passage with your better quality fish being found in the deeper sections on an outgoing tide. Fishing the bottom of the tide is

The author’s dad with a nice little bit of red gold. High-5 for the old boys! yielding the best results as all the water and bait get forced out of the banks, the lizards sit and wait, ready to take an easy feed.

The lower the tide, the better your results will be.

A 20-30cm low tide is the ultimate. Slowly working soft plastics across the bottom is a killer option that works a treat. Small live bait is working great at the moment for the

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up in the high 20s we are hearing a lot of stories of bust-offs. There is only one fish that uses these tactics to feed; that’s the mighty mangrove jack. I’ve seen a few being boated, but not as many as I would like, but that’s why they call it fishing not catching. These guys will feed on anything and everything when they are in the right mood, from plastics, hardbodies, blades to live and slabbed baits.

You need to get it in their face and when it’s feeding

time, early morning or late afternoon, there’s no better feeling than pulling up some red gold. Getting a good catch and release, watching them swim out of your hands free to fight another day. It’s gold, red gold. For more tips abouts catching these red devils, visit my website, www. jackjuncky.com.

Take it easy out there, slow down and take it all in, there have been a lot of dugongs, turtles and dolphins around of late.

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flatties with gar or herring being a good choice.

There have been a few queenfish hunting down bait schools in the shallow.

They put on a great display of aggression and can be great to watch as water and bait flies into the air. As the tide pushes out, they will be hanging on the edges in wait of an easy meal, much like the flathead do.

The locals have been getting some great grunter when chasing the bream.

Fresh flesh baits are the best option with a few being landed on plastics around the mouth of Glass Mountain Creek on the rising tide. Small 3” presentations are doing the damage. There’s also been a few coming from the Cut Through, which is the small gutter that is used for a shortcut from Donnybrook to Glass Mountain Creek.

It can be a bit tricky to navigate as it gets crabbed heavily and is only narrow.

Narrow gutters, crab pots and outboards don’t mix great; but it does hold fish and crabs.

There have been a few good crabs around if you don’t mind working for them. The top end of the creeks has been the target spots, as we have had very little rain to push the muddies out. Just be aware of the low life thieves, especially coming into the silly season. They seem to plague our passage in holiday season. The only way to beat them is to stay with your pots as much as possible.

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Get ready for bigger pelagics on parade CALOUNDRA

Brad McKendrick fishingcaloundra@yahoo.com.au

At this time of year across the Sunshine Coast we really hit our stride with the summer species starting to come on in numbers taking us though into the first quarter of the new year.

Of course, December is holiday time and there is a massive swell in the numbers of anglers, visitors and boat owners that frequent the area. At times it can be quite frustrating to get a boat launched or to even find a parking spot, but patience is the key, so please do one nice thing to help someone else each day.

For anglers, the news is good around the traps with plenty of estuary activity and some nice fish being caught on our beaches.

The Pumicestone Passage has good numbers of bream but you could find yourself spending a bit of time trying to find them. Once you are on the money, you will reap the rewards. Work with structure and don’t be fooled by thoughts that they will be out in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the day.

Pontoons, bridges, rocks and shaded areas all are good spots to begin your campaign and you will need to be able to cast accurately right up into them to have any chance of success.

There are great numbers of flathead at the moment and to be a shot you just need to work the drop-offs around the sandbars and the sandy bottom areas under the moored boats along Golden Beach.

A few curly-tail grubs or 5” Gulp! plastics in turtleback worm colour will serve you well. Blades have also been successful and fresh herring are gun baits for both your bream and flathead.

Currimundi Lake and the canals around Kawana are all reporting strong bream numbers and a hook with a piece of bread is all you need for the kids to have a ball.

Use some bread to berley them up in the water to attract the schools and they will be on in no time.

Whiting are around the Lake area as well as within the Pumicestone Passage and the ebb tide is certainly my preferred time to fish for these little dynamites. Poppers early in the morning can be a great way to target whiting, but you will need to be on the schools just pre-dawn.

The Barwon Banks has a wide variety of species running in large schools at the moment from the small slimey mackerel and yakkas in the bait schools right through to the tuna and the much bigger pelagics, which

food chain. It is important to remember to work the outer edges of feeding tuna schools and not go roaring straight into the middle of them and cause them to dive. Pick the direction they are travelling and get ahead of them, turn

snapper, pearl perch and other mixed reefies, so there are plenty of options out wide.

Wide Caloundra will be the spot for the wahoo and any number of larger predators that hang out around the area. A trip out to these grounds will

Wahoo will be out there smashing bait and getting those drags smoking with their athletic runs. include wahoo, kingfish and mahimahi. Trolling is one of the better methods to use and a mixture of shallow and deep divers mixed with skirts will surely bring you the fish.

Tuna schools can be around anytime of the day but normally you can rely on the tidal changes to get the baitfish moving and start the whole

TIDE WATCH

off your outboard and wait.

You can just start a strong berley trail to keep them in and around the area once you get amongst them.

There are tuskfish varieties in the shallow areas around the 25m mark and the areas that hold them are easily found on your sounder. The areas around 60m are holding

test the very best of equipment and terminal tackle, so you have so make sure things are in place.

Early morning tides are perfect to set up a berley trail and target some mixed reef species. Always have a floater out in case a big mackerel or tuna cruise past the boat – nothing worse than playing

catch up when they are past you! Closer reefs like Brays Rock, Currimundi, Murphys or the Gneerings are perfect for this type of fishing. I like to be out in the early morning before the sun gets too high, fishing the tide and returning just as others are getting into the water.

This month, it is not necessary to go way out onto the deeper reef areas to share amongst the mackerel, tuna and other pelagics that will be nailing baits. Remember the days are very hot offshore, so take adequate water, sunscreen and sun protection and use the local Coast Guard service to ensure your safe return. Always log on to the Coast Guard and log off on your return!

Fish the estuaries and beach areas for any number of bream, whiting and flathead at the moment but there are other species like queenfish and trevally just waiting to be tempted.

It’s going to be a great holiday period this year with much better weather than the last couple. My fingers are crossed. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to everyone who reads the articles and I hope you catch the fish of your dreams. Have Fun!

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Sunny Coast goodness NOOSA

Peter Wells

Holidaymakers will be making the most of what the Sunshine Coast has to offer on the fishing

amongst the fish when we are in full holiday swing is to get out on the water early.

The low light periods are by far the most productive as the fish tend to feed with more ferocity at these times. Some of the lesser-

Weyba Lake has been fishing well for those wanting to catch whiting and bream and the odd flathead.

The canals around Noosa Sound will be firing with trevally in the

Dan Sinclair won the $50 Davo’s Fish of the Week prize with this 82cm saratoga, which he caught and released at Borumba Dam.

Mark Bisman nailed this quality snapper on a pilchard floater at Jew Shoal. front with plenty of great captures in the rivers and offshore being reported.

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early mornings and late afternoons with small surface walkers and poppers taking plenty of fish.

The Maroochy River is a great spot to fish in December with whiting and flathead at the river mouth and along the black banks area. The odd tailor and mulloway will be on the prowl too, especially when the high tide coincides with the lower light periods.

The cod hole has been fishing well for mulloway and trevally and should continue throughout the month. Try mixing it up a bit with live bait and soft

plastics, with so much bait in the rivers, matching the bait is always the way to go.

The Maroochy and Noosa rivers have seen a great influx for prawns so soft plastic like the Zerek Hot Legs and the Live Target prawns have been working a treat. Try a drift near the bridges working your lures close to the bride pylons and you should see mangrove jack, school mulloway and trevally all taking a liking

to a well-presented plastic.

Don’t forget your scent on these plastics – it can really increase your strike rate. To check these out, call in at Davo’s Tackle World in Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait and Tackle in Marcoola and the team will show you through the range.

The Noosa River Mouth has a deep channel running right up next to the rock wall and has created the ideal spot for

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mulloway and mangrove jack to take up residence.

These ambush predators are feeding on the bait as it rolls in and out with the tide. You have to fish your lures close to the rocks, so the attrition rate of lures and tackle can get up there but it is well worth the reward for a 50cm+ jack.

lure as it passes close by the structure that they call home. Being quiet is the key, and a boat full of loudmouthed anglers will more than likely spook a big fish and they will shy away from your lures. Paddle Vibs like the River2Sea Fish Candy have really been making their presents

upriver with the pots could prove worthwhile.

Remember that if we get a lot of rain, the crabs will start to walk down river looking for more saline water. So if there’s rain about set your pots a little more down river.

Offshore fishing as always is dependent on the

list of species to be caught here is very impressive.

Coral trout is the first on your list when you get to Sunshine Reef in the early morning, then as the sun comes up, hopefully the Spanish mackerel and tuna come out to play as well.

Trolling in this area can be very rewarding with a Davo’s Spanish Special very hard to beat. If you haven’t got one of these lures, drop into one of our Davo’s shops and the boys can walk you through how to fish these very unique lures.

Little Halls is another spot that isn’t a huge

journey and when the spotty mackerel are on it can be hard getting bait down to get into anything else.

North Reef has been a haven for big cobia and there has been plenty of big fish hooked and lost of late so check your gear is up to the job.

The Sunshine Coast is famous for its billfish, with small black marlin and sailfish smashing fast trolled lures meant for mackerel. Not a bad by-catch!

Trips up to Double Island point or out to the Banks are in the hands of

the weather gods, but if the weather permits it’s well worth the effort. Big red emperor are the target fish up here, but you have to make sure that the boat is up to the job, because if the weather turns foul, it’s a long ride back home.

• Merry Christmas from the team at Davo’s Tackle World in Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait and Tackle in Marcoola, and for more info on the latest check out fishing Noosa on Facebook or log onto www. fishingnoosa.com.au and remember, tight lines and bent spines!

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felt with a great range of colours and sizes, you will certainly find the lure to suit your needs.

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Go offshore galore RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

We have enjoyed another run of stable weather and gotten into some good offshore fishing.

OFFSHORE Although the snapper were fairly late in showing up, they were well worth the wait. We didn’t have to steam too far to get stuck into them and on a few days offshore our baits got smashed before they’d even hit the bottom. Z-Man soft plastics were irresistible to the hungry snapper.

Pearl perch have been in very good numbers as

well and it has been pretty easy to catch a feed of pearlies on both the close ground and out wide. They have also taken a liking to the Z-Man and Gulp soft plastics.

Other fish on the chew have been Moses perch, parrot and some whopping big scarlet sea perch.

We have had a few schools of mahimahi and cobia come through and using light gear have enticed a few of these fish onto our lines.

December is the beginning of our mackerel season and if it’s anything like last year we are going to have a lot of fun on

the outer schools that come through. I’ll be gearing up for these ocean speedsters, as well as continuing to fish for the reef varieties that were on the chew through the summer months last year.

Wishing a very Merry Christmas to all of my valued clients and QFM readers. Hope you get plenty of opportunities to wet a line over the festive season.

• To enjoy a day on the water with Keely Rose Fishing Charters phone Ed Falconer 0407 146 151 or visit www. keelyrosefishingcharters .com.au.

A beautiful scarlet sea perch – they are quite active at this time of year.

Billfish bedlam in the bay causes a sensation HERVEY BAY

Scott Bradley marlin81@bigpond.com

I don’t know what we have done to deserve the weather we have had so far this summer but lets hope it continues.

Sure we have had a few days here and there of howling northerlies but nothing compared to last year.

IN THE BAY The flats from Moon Point south are the perfect place to sight cast golden trevally on fly or threadline tackle. These fish work the flats in schools chasing baitfish and crustaceans and are often seen feeding with their head down and tail in the air.

Flathead, queenfish, mackerel and tuna are often caught the same way and having a couple of

rods ready with a popper or a lead slug is a good idea.

Pumping some yabbies will get you amongst the summer whiting and just about anything that swims in the estuaries. Fish the bigger tides around the full moon for best results.

Threadfin salmon are a prime target for the next few months and the Burrum, Mary and Susan rivers have produced plenty of fish lately. Threadfin work certain banks at different stages of the tide and once you figure out where to be at what time, you’re in!

Platypus Bay is once again in the midst of another epic black marlin season with mind blowing numbers of juvenile fish competing for food. If you haven’t heard about it on social media or by word of mouth, it won’t be long before it’s on your TV screens, we’ve had a few camera crews filming

up here lately. I spent a few days up there during tournament time and on every day we had shots at blacks. Even with all the boats working the same area we were all hooking fish and if you weren’t hooked up you were watching someone else hooked up.

Most fish were in the 10-25kg range but we did manage a couple over 30kg.

Trolling a spread of lures or sight casting the shallows is how most anglers do it, but if that’s not your thing then live baiting works just fine. If you have ever wanted to catch a marlin, get up there and give it a go. With the shear number of fish around you are giving yourself the best chance for success.

Either way, it sounds like a nice way to spend your Chrissy break! Merry Christmas and have a safe and prosperous New Year.

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Urangan Pier refurbishment refuels anglers FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

December isn’t always the easiest month for scoring a feed of fish along the Fraser Coast. Having said that, with some careful planning and the willingness to fish out-of-office hours, reasonable catches should be on the cards.

Fraser Island’s ocean beach will be hosting one of the year’s busiest tourist and holiday traffic. With the number of vehicles on the move up and down the beach, it could be expected that some of the inshore species might take a break in deeper water. Added to this, is the expectation of the first really warm inshore waters for the summer. For the angler, the solution is to get out onto the beach before the traffic and while inshore temperatures are lower.

Provided the seas aren’t too heavy, fishing the quiet inshore low water gutters during the night can be the way to go. As well as their access to worms, pipis and other inhabitants of the beach, schools of small fish come right into the small

break and make easy pickings for our desired targets.

As I mentioned recently, fishing alone on the island’s beaches should be avoided due to the presence of dingos that have proven themselves not to be trusted. Two or more anglers fishing a quiet gutter is the way to go.

Most of the usual island species should be available this month. Dart should be plentiful in the deeper gutters during the day, and in the inshore gutters at night.

Bream and tarwhine should also come inshore at night but they will also be taken around the coffee rocks and headlands.

On the western beach there could be a lot of weed washing in making fishing difficult. Hopefully there will be enough good water to work and there should be good selection of whiting, bream, flathead and small pelagics causing havoc in the schools of hardiheads.

Local and holidaying anglers will have a lot more options to choose from within Hervey Bay, but again the most successful of them will be active during the cooler time of day and at night. In recent columns I have reviewed a number of shore-based locations. There

is every reason to expect that these will work well during this month. However some of the open beaches might not be worth fishing if seasonal weed deposits choke the inshore waters.

Certainly the iconic Urangan Pier will come in for a lot of attention this month. As a fish-attracting device, vast schools of baitfish, mainly hardiheads and herring, gather around the pylons, providing a direct food source for larger species, mostly pelagics. Smaller fish feast on the scraps of such feeding frenzies.

Most experienced anglers use live herrings on floating rigs for school and grey mackerel, as well as golden and giant trevally. Barramundi are also becoming regular catches and large flathead are taken on live in the gutters.

There is also a very, very large resident groper. Every so often, once quite recently, it is caught and carefully released. Most of the live baiting happens in the outer gutter near the end of the pier but bream and flathead are likely catches around the pylons in both gutters. Most of the best whiting are taken on an early morning flood tide, very close to the beach.

Bream are never far from the

structure and are best targeted over the top of the tide using unweighted hardiheads or herring fillets.

The pier is currently being refurbished with modern pylons and replaced decking.

The crew are gradually working their way seawards and a temporary walkway is

and around Point Vernon and Gatakers Bay. Reef species taken here are subject to complex regulatory systems.

Some are designated coral reef finfish areas with varying minimum sizes and bag limits, while others are not so designated and have their own regulations involved. It

The Urangan’s progressive refurbishment. in place around the work area.

Boat anglers have plenty of opportunities. This is the month when water temperatures have risen sufficiently to produce results on the shallow reefs not far from the Urangan Harbour

is a good plan to become conscious with these rules.

The mouths of the Mary and Susan rivers will produce opportunities this month.

These areas are accessed from the ramps at River Heads. Unfortunately parking

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December is a great time to get on the water and as things heat up, the best time is going to be early or late in the day.

The Burnett River has been producing the goods all year and December won’t be any different. Salmon, mangrove jack, flathead and grunter all have been very active in the system.

The mouth of the river has also been producing some great pelagic action with mackerel, tuna and queenfish

guys fishing deep with blades and sinking vibes with big mangrove jack and golden snapper (fingermark) being blamed for the mayhem. The tides are a key ingredient for these bigger fish so if you’re planning a trip to the river, the last of the run-out and the first of the run-in have been producing some big bites as has the top of the tide.

The Baffle has also been fishing very well and getting in before the crowds over Christmas would be a good idea. Roger from Baffle Creek Caravan Park reports his guests have been experiencing some great fishing with mixed bags using

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December sees the pelagic fishing pick up around Bundaberg. harassing baitfish schools.

Early morning sessions are great on these pelagic fish with either surface lures or high-speed metal slices being my pick. I have been told there has been some monumental bust ups with

both bait and lures.

Grunter, flathead and mangrove jack have been pretty consistent and the fish have been moving around so you need to look for them. The upper reaches are extremely shallow and dangerous but

well worth a look if you sneak around carefully. I fished the Baffle recently and I am amazed at how the system has changed, there are a lot shallower sections than ever before and I have even seen some rock bars exposed that haven’t been seen for many years, so be careful even if you visit the system regularly.

The mangrove jack have spread throughout and will be found with the bait, so if you see plenty of bait around, fish that area thoroughly as the big red devils won’t be far from a feed.

Woodgate, one of my favourite family time spots is always busy over Christmas but it still manages to produce the goods if you’re persistent.

The mackerel have been on the artificial reef as there’s been a few golden trevally, so if you’re up early you can get out there and either troll a small hardbodied lure or drift around casting a steel slice. If you’re into relaxing a bit, try drifting a pilchard around and the schoolies will certainly find you.

There is always a few whiting off the beach with the incoming tide being the best time and the best bait is a fresh nipper.

The creek is very shallow but can still be fished. If you launch a kayak, you will get to fish it at prime time. There are mangrove jack, bream and cod keen to hit a wellpresented lure.

Have a great Christmas break and remember to keep out of the sun and keep up the fluids.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Shauclay: quality, affordable Shauclay Fishing Traces was born after Sunshine Coast angler Clayton Maddern saw one too many overpriced shark rigs in a big tackle store. Yes, quality doesn’t always come cheap, but Clayton knew it shouldn’t cost that much!

“I was seeing 2m, 400lb shark traces with uncoated wire and cheap hooks selling for $40!” he said.

“It was ridiculous. I set out to develop a better product at a reasonable price, and after extensive research and testing we’ve definitely achieved that.”

The most expensive traces that Shauclay produces (nylon coated stainless steel wire with hook and swivel ready to go) costs $7.50 for 1m of 200lb, $16 for 2m of 400lb and $26.60 for 3m of 650lb. It’s a striking example of what can be achieved by cutting out the middle man.

Clayton also enjoys doing custom orders for mad-keen anglers in different parts of Australia, and even in the USA.

“People contact me and say, ‘this is what I want to do, can you help me out’,” he explained. “The answer is yes! Whether it’s XOS stingrays off the US coast, or Spanish mackerel or tailor closer to home, we can make the right custom rig for the job. One of our latest orders was for some guys in WA chasing big macks. We did up a 3m trace with 1m of 200lb nylon-coated stainless wire for their bait to go on, and on the top of that they had a 8” long pink skirt with a single J hook for running onto a 100lb swivel. They loved it and sent us some great pics.”

Many of the quality components Shauclay

uses are also available for separate sale, such as the Japanese made, non-twist leader material and hooks.

The hooks range from 8/0 live bait hooks up to a 20/0 316-grade forged stainless steel circle hooks.

To check out some of Clayton’s handiwork, look up Shauclay Fishing Traces on Facebook. If you want to ask a question or place an order, shoot him an email at shauclayfishingtraces@ hotmail.com or phone 0431 770 929. A new website will be coming online next year as Shauclay settles into new and bigger premises, and we’ll keep you posted. – FMG

DECEMBER 2014

55

Lake Monduran in full swing LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

The previous month has fished very well with water temps constantly hitting the 30ºC mark.

Once again windward bays and points like Bird Bay, Pig Trap, Jacks, Rainforest and Insane Bay have produced many of the bites. Jackall Squirrels and Zerek Flat Shad soft plastics have accounted for many barra

through November and I don’t think things will change in December.

As a guide I get asked a lot of questions, but one of the most frequently asked is, should we be targeting snags, lay down logs, and structured areas?

My answer to that is yes, but there are a number of other ways to fish for barra at Lake Monduran.

A percentage of barra will sit, hide and ambush feed on their prey in structured areas and lay down logs.

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The amount of baitfish hiding out in the structure is enormous and as most know, there is nothing quite like the feeling of casting your lure down beside a log or in between a group of snags, willingly knowing that your accurate cast may result in your lure getting smashed.

Another way to target barra here is to fish large shallow areas in 3m or less of water with little or no structure at all. This mainly occurs in windward bays and points where currents are pushing bait and oxygenated water in or around them.

In this instance barra

will school together and take on the role of a pelagic fish, hunting down bait schools much like a tuna or mackerel. Casting to the open areas may not feel right but barra are usually there in big numbers and they are a lot easier to get to the boat in a snag-less environment.

HERVEY BAY GAME FISHING COMP My daughter, Emily, and I were lucky enough to be invited to join Rob Woods team to fish on board his Black Watch 34 (Black And Blue) for this year’s game fishing tournament.

Even though I have

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Emily Howell with her black marlin capture at the Hervey Bay Game Fishing comp. had extensive experience fishing at sea, I’d never been heavy tackle bill fishing. Through Rob’s vast experience in this area and Andrew’s (aka ‘Goldie’) excellent deck handing we took out first place overall in the tournament making it 4 years in a row for Rob. We tagged and released 5 big blues on heavy tackle, the biggest being around 250kg, and 3 small blacks, 2 of which were caught by young Tommy Wood who took out the Junior Champion title. Emily got 1 small black and a cracker of a Spanish mackerel.

Overall the fishing was unbelievable, the weather was great and HBGFC put on an amazing weekend.

Thanks guys.

NEW SOFT PLASTICS I have recently had the pleasure of trailing the new Zerek Flat Shad 5” soft plastic conceived by the team at Wilson Tackle.

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So keep an eye out for these lures, they are a musthave for fishing Monduran and they have been very successful for myself and my clients.

Merry Xmas and happy New Year to all.

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Craige Floyd

Summer has now well and truly kicked into full swing and it’s this time of year that gets me yearning to hit the waterways. Air and water temperatures are nearing their peak for the season, and the fish are fully active during the early mornings and evenings, avoiding the heat of the day. For me it’s time to bust out my favourite style of lure – surface lures – in search of those red, toothy, snapping mangrove jacks.

Just imagine… it’s first or last light and all is quiet and dead still. You cast your favourite surface lure deep in amongst the spindly, twiggy snags, and then watch and wait for the ripples to disappear. You give a little twitch of the lure, and suddenly the water surface explodes! What follows is an intense tug-of-war as you battle to keep that jack from getting back into his lair. It’s moments like these that keeps you coming back time and again in the hunt for that dirty fighting mangrove jack.

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UP AND DOWN THE COAST Starting in the north, at Grahams Creek there have been some flathead about, reaching the mid 600mm

taking soft plastics. South Trees Inlet, mangrove jack have been caught around rocky outcrops and grunter have been caught using live herring.

around the area, checkout the Gladstone Fishing Network Facebook page. The page was created so that people can share their fishing adventures and offer tips and

Philip Rolli with a night-time mangrove jack. mark on 50mm deep diving hardbodies. The Calliope River has produced a variety of species, including golden snapper to 500mm, caught on nuclear chicken soft plastics, mangrove jack up to the mid 500mm mark caught on livies, as well as blue salmon, with the odd bream in the mix. There have also been grunter taken in the anabranch.

At Auckland Creek, out around the mouth, there have been a few flathead around. Anglers have also been getting good sized

Down at Turkey Beach, spotted mackerel have been around the mouths of the bay and major inlets. There have also been catches of trevally in Rodds Bay around rocky points, with most being taken on large poppers and stickbaits.

Scrubby Creek has produced a number of mud crabs along with some average sized flathead.

Offshore, marlin have been showing up with a few caught and released in recent weeks. Anglers are picking up trevally around the wrecks

hints. Boaties can also find people to fill spots on their boats when heading out, just remember to show some fishing/boating etiquette if you’re lucky enough to land a spot.

Social events are becoming a regular occurrence between the friendly group of members and these events are normally followed by a BBQ. The Group has also gained a couple of sponsors – The Little Lure Shop and Eden Lures who have donated prize packs for some events,

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DECEMBER 2014

Pat Laws was very happy with this black spot tuskfish. bream and trevally on prawns further upstream around the bridges.

The Boyne River has been quiet, however some mangrove jack are starting to show up further upstream past the highway bridge,

and the Rock Cod Shoals have been delivering tuskfish and redthroat in good numbers.

Most have been caught on squid and prawn baits.

STAY IN TOUCH To keep up to date from day to day with what’s biting

just to add that little bit more competition! These are purely social events so there is no charge. Check out the Gladstone Fishing Network Facebook page and stay in touch with what’s going on around the area.

Super silly season ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

Threadfin salmon and big grunter are still fair game in the estuaries, although barra are off limits unless we venture to impoundments like Lake Awoonga where the closed season doesn’t apply.

The beaches are packed with whiting and bream in the gutters ready for the Christmas break, so there’s plenty to keep anglers busy.

FITZROY AND THE NARROWS In the past month some terrific king threadfin salmon

have been caught along the Fitzroy as well as the odd mulloway. These fish have been pulled well off rock patches and rubble beds and will most likely stay like that until after Christmas.

The Narrows has also been quite productive, with locals reporting a few large jack being caught up amongst the timbers and mangroves.

During the December period mangrove jack become a more heavily targeted species in lieu of barra. Many anglers choose to use smaller, more weighted lures to entice the jacks but are still able to cast them with their standard barra gear.

This misshapen tarpon has obviously encountered some sort of hardship.

RIVERS, CREEKS AND BEACHES The local rivers, creeks and beaches will be fished more heavily in the holiday period as they are more accessible to most anglers.

Take this into consideration when planning your next trip. The beaches will have a higher number of people and the boat ramps will be no different.

Deeper gutters and drop-offs have been fishing well and this will certainly not change through the next month. Species like cod, flathead and bream are pretty dominant at the moment but the estuaries are full of other species to catch as well. Daytime temps are notoriously hot in December, and as the water heats up in the middle of the afternoon most species will move down into the deeper pockets of water or out into the cooler beach waters.

Through November we saw massive amounts of prawns and herring in the systems. The prawns are still smaller but there are many reasonable sized herrings in the systems. Knowing what’s in the system at any point in time is essential not only for bait fishing

A nice flathead taken on a Z-Man GrubZ in the hardihead colour. but for lure fishing. ‘Match the hatch’ is the key phrase many people use, and there are lots of herring coloured lures and prawn imitation lures on the market. Using a lure that matches the bait source will increase your odds of hooking your target species.

FRESHWATER LAGOONS Tarpon are always around in numbers, but these summer months just on dusk are when they really give lures a beating.

Never caught a fish on a lure before? Grab a small soft plastic, such as a small curl tail with as light a weight as possible, and slowly retrieve it back around tree lines or lily beds, working the lure the whole time. Many fish will go for curl tail plastics

because the tail is always working and always looks active, making the lure look like a live and healthy fish that any predator would want to eat.

On some days the water is just on fire with ripples and activity from fish, especially a really humid day with a shower of rain in the afternoon. In these situations just about anything will work. Try small, lightly rigged hardbody minnows or surface lures when the fish are going off.

CRABBING If you’re wanting to catch a crab or two, the best bait lately has been mullet head, with catfish coming a close second. Fortunately mullet head can be bought from anywhere and it takes no time at all to rig a pot up

with them. A simple bait clip between the eyes and the mullet head is good to go.

Most of the catches lately have been down in the deeper waters and not on the mudflats and mangrove lines. This is quite different from this time last year and even last month.

CHRISTMAS I am a big believer in the motto ‘limit your kill, don’t kill your limit’. Limits help fish populations recover and continue to thrive, so we can enjoy great catches into the future.

Christmas is also a great time to take kids or mates out fishing and teach them about this fascinating lifestyle. Throughout the holiday period I hope you all have a great time fishing and safe travels.

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Reefies in fine form YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

December means school holidays, and everyone is looking for a place where they can score a fish and keep the kids busy at the same time.

ROCK AND BEACH We are blessed with great beaches and estuaries within a short drive from Rockhampton and Yeppoon.

The beaches are always a good proposition over the holidays for anglers with a 4WD. Five Rocks, Stockyard Point and Nine Mile Beach are best as a camping overnighter, although it doesn’t take that long to get up there.

Tides are important and the beaches should be travelled in the lower period of the tides to be safe. There is an abundance of whiting, bream and flathead along the beach and in the sheltered pockets.

Beachworms are available right at your feet and the fish move up the gutters looking for worms with the tides.

Dart are great fun to catch and will take anything whiting do. They will readily grab tiny shiny lures like baby Twisters or ultra small

Flashas. I was watching a guy walking the beach recently casting a tiny Twister, varying the retrieve each cast until he scored fish. In a session in front of Barwells Creek (up from Todd Avenue) he caught flathead, dart and a small blue salmon in quick succession on the same lure.

For those anglers who are a little more adventurous, the rocks and headlands can produce some mind-blowing land-based game action. All the mackerels, tuna, queenfish and sharks follow the current lines to the point. To get an idea of what the action can be like, just Google ‘Stockyard Point grey mackerel’ to see a video clip.

RIVER AND ESTUARY There are lots of spots right in town on The Fitzroy River heading downstream, including long bank at the back of the racecourse, the old boat ramp, the jetty at the south side ramp and the high banks from Gavial to Devils Elbow. The prize up here at the moment is king threadfin salmon. These fish love eddies and dirty current lines, and this makes them an easily targeted fish for the land-based families.

King salmon will take lures readily, especially soft

plastic prawn imitations in natural colours (the only thing better is live prawns). Don’t be shy putting your bait or casting your plastics into very shallow water because these fish can be seen smashing crabs and prawns with half their bodies out of the water at low tide.

People keep asking me the best way to know if salmon are working the banks where they want to fish. It is those tell-tale golf ball looking dents in the mud that are the answer. These dents have been left by salmon on previous tides. If the edges are sharp then it was recent, if the edges are rounded off they were made at least a couple of tides past.

A bonus for the estuary guys is that there are lots of little prawns in all of the creeks and the river. They only need some rain and a small flow to grow pretty rapidly into great bait and table size.

The bottom end of the river and Port Alma have their share of quality salmon, as do Coorooman Creek and Water Park Creek. We trolled up a 1200mm king threadfin salmon at the top end of Waterpark this week. Ash thought it was a little barra due to the lack of fight. It

Dave Tickner with a typical Keppel summer Spaniard. came right up to the boat and when it saw our ugly mugs it rolled on its side, dropping the lure and disappeared much faster than it arrived.

FLATHEAD Flathead are continuing in top form heading into Christmas as we get reports from all the estuaries and even a few from Farnborough Beach. Once again they are a fish that can just as easily be taken from the beach, the bank or a boat.

The flatties have spread out a little more than when they were spawning a month or so ago. They have moved over a wider area but also have moved into more

shallow waters and along the beaches. You may not get the dozen or so fish from a single spot, but you can still get a couple of decent fish working the incoming tides around yabby beds, creek run-offs, beach gutters and sand banks.

Sandy Point, Corio Bay, Coorooman Creek, Long Beach, Mulambin Beach and The Causeway are all fine flathead spots that are easily accessible with a car or a boat (a day at the beach with the kids and benefits of a nice feed).

IMPOUNDMENTS With the barramundi closed season in full swing and those of us with an

addiction to feed, there is still the option of fishing the freshwater impoundments.

There are a number of stocked impoundments that can be fished year-round within a few hours’ drive of here. Awoonga, Proserpine and Monduran are all famous for huge fish, and the hot weather makes them hungry and aggressive. Remember it is illegal to target barra during the closed season anywhere other than a stocked impoundment.

GRUNTER Grunter are going very well in the estuaries and the river. While we continue to have a pretty dry season

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so far the salinity in the area this side of the barrage is up, and that means we continue to get fish like grunter further up the river than usual. Devils Elbow is about as far as you go before you get decent fish, and then there are stacks of spots from Nerimbera downstream to Port Alma and Connor’s Creek.

The trick to finding good grunter spots is a rubble type bottom with big undulations (current ripples) over the

bottom, giving the grunter a resting spot under the fast waters. The spots we fish offshore have a similar look (i.e. a spot with heaps of water movement where they can sit under the current).

Eddy trenches are a perfect spot. Some of the fish in the creeks have reached 800mm and some of the fish offshore have topped 900mm. Prawns are the all-round best bait, and the fresher the better.

Grunter are scavengers and will take a wide variety of

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baits including pilchards and squid.

REEF AND OFFSHORE This year the run of Spanish mackerel never really stopped. Usually we have a quiet period where catches are only small or inconsistent. This year, however, we’ve had amazing amounts of bait schools passing through the bay and just outside, and they have given the mackerel more reason to hang around. The very dry year has kept the bay clean and salty, letting them stay, instead of a wet year where the freshwater flows chase them way out wide of Keppel Bay. The lesser mackerel such as doggies and greys have been showing up every time the weather drops out for any period. Virtually any of the local macky spots will produce fish on those steaming hot, calm mornings.

Cobia have hit the Cap Coast again in force at spots like Farnborough Reef, Findlays and Liza Jane shoals, the Pinnacles, Outer Rock, Man and Wife, Barren Island, Ritamada, Ironpot and Forty Acre Paddock. These big guys will grab bottom baits or troll baits meant for other fish, and have no trouble taking 28/02/14 12:28 PM you lures.

They also give and your gear a workout in the process.

Stephen Maclennan with a nice Keppels trout.

All the reefies are in fine form at present in close and out wide. Don’t waste fuel going 100km out when the spots at 50km are going just as well. Check your sounder, and any time you see bait schools on a patch, have a drop. It could be worth your while saving time and money for the same results.

Have a great Christmas and enjoy your holidays.

Catch you all next year.

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Paradise in December MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

Christmas isn’t far away now, and hopefully you’ll all get some great fishing goodies. I reckon you should also make a New Year resolution to get out

on the water more and use that new gear! That’s my plan anyway.

November’s hot, dry and sometimes steamy weather is set to continue in December so it’s a good time of year to plan some early morning, late afternoon or night sorties in pursuit of our favourite fish.

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KINCHANT

For the novice impoundment angler, I suggest starting at Kinchant Dam which is only a 20-minute drive from Mackay and provides a virtually snag/timber free lake loaded with big barra. This dam is well used by skiers so I recommend early starts or late evening outings.

With the high water temps, I would check out areas of defined weed beds near the old quarry and along that side of the dam right up to the western end of the dam. This area gives you prominent points, small bays, heaps of lilies and also

Bait schools are moving right in close, and small mackerel are having a field day along with tuna like this one. Casting small ‘shinies’ around the edges of feeding fish is the best bet for a hook-up. some ‘weed islands’ to work.

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the resort area). Here the barra can be found patrolling along the weeds and in and around lily pads.

Surface lures are great fun late in the afternoon and into the evening, and two of the best are the C’ultiva Tango Dancer and Z-Man Pop FrogZ. These are different styles of surface lures so they require different techniques. You should work your Dancer with low rod tip and a steady retrieve with a few stops and a few sweeps of the rod. This gets the lure ‘walking’ from side to side.

Most hits come while the lure is stationary.

Pop FrogZ, by contrast, can be worked just like a conventional popper with lots of bloops, stops and a few quick winds. The barra particularly love the white colour. Use the largest frog as that seems to attract the most attention from the barra. These lures can be rigged weedless

and cast right up on the weed beds and on top of lilies.

TEEMBURRA Teemburra Dam has been fishing red hot some days, but at other times it’s a struggle to get the fish to cooperate. The barra are there and show up clearly on a sounder but more work is needed to unlock the last secrets to getting consistent catches here. Along with the same surface lures that work at Kinchant, one of the most popular lures at Teemburra is a Squidgy 100mm gold and black paddle-tail. Fortunately all our tackle shops have good supplies.

Plenty of other lures and flies will work too, but get into the local tackle stores and talk to the guys there and they can set you up with the right gear, and they also know the latest on where they are biting.

Remember that you need a current SIP permit.

MAFSA will be doing more barra stocking this month, supplies permitting, to top up the dams. Check out the MAFSA Facebook page for the latest info on fingerling releases and so on. The MAFSA hatchery mods and extensions should be finished by the time you read this, and members will be gearing up for some sooty production.

SALTWATER The creeks are firing pretty well, with plenty of jacks and cod being caught in the heat.

Many of the cod are undersize or just legal so if you’re in any doubt put them back to grow a bit. Both of these species can be found in the most rugged snags and around rock bars so you need to use heavy gear to have a chance of landing them.

There are also some pretty hefty jacks around some of our headlands, although they are hard to get at unless the weather is dead calm.

Those dead calm days get most of the tinnie brigade thinking mackerel and tuna, and there have been plenty about in good sizes too.

Doggies and spotties have even been caught inside the Pioneer River mouth during the last

few weeks. Schools of small bait are all around the close areas near the harbour, and the macks and tuna are right there with them. Don’t troll right through a school of feeding fish as that will surely disperse them. When trolling, run your lures around the outside of actively feeding fish and enjoy not getting too frustrated when they dive and pop up seconds later 100m away.

Any barra lure that gets down a couple of metres will pull small macks, but tuna can be more selective. Small vibes, jigs and shinies are the go, and this is spin rod territory with long casts with light weights needed. It’s great fun but be prepared for anything up to a 20-minute fight if a decent longtail grabs your lure. These fish are not fussed on lure brands, just sizes. The lures must be small to mimic the bait. Again, our local tackle shop staff will help you out with lure selection.

As I write this report there aren’t many prawns about, although if we get some flushing rain there just might be a small run before Christmas.

But at least the muddies are about in good numbers, and a few pots should see you with enough for a Christmas feast.

Not quite the traditional roast turkey, but man oh man those muddies are tasty!

If you’re chasing the crabs, watch the bigger tides as they can roll a pot a fair distance so tie them securely. Keep a wary eye out for some big mud geckos too as there have been a few over the 3m mark seen regularly lately. Crocs don’t mind riding the bait out of a crab pot either, so slowly and carefully is the way to go.

So as you can see December offers opportunities in both fresh and saltwater, and for the small boat angler this month offers magic fishing.

For the shore-based angler there are also plenty of spots to try for a tasty feed, so why not come and try fishing in paradise in December? You’ll be glad you did! See you at the ramp.

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Billfish brigade bag out WHITSUNDAYS

Luke Griffiths

Last month we saw some great weather and, consequently, some great fish being pulled onto the deck.

We had a good run of billfish throughout the islands and reefs, so it looks like our friends down south are in for a good season as well.

Most of the billfish were caught on slow trolled swimming gar with the odd bait pitched down when they

were being fussy. Remember to always check that your swimming baits are swimming correctly (life-like), and are in good condition. The slightest imperfection in the bait, or swimming characteristic, and the billies won’t go near them.

Make sure you have extra baits rigged ready to go for a quick interchange when chasing billfish, especially if there are mackerel around. These toothy critters have a habit of snipping off your swim baits, so have some made up with wire.

Although not as thick in

Most sailfish have been caught on a slow trolled swimming gar, with the odd bait pitched down when they were being fussy.

numbers as previous months, we are still seeing good numbers of Spanish mackerel around, and next month should be no different.

Good numbers of 5kg+ largemouth nannygai and red emperor have been caught with some 10kg+ models making a welcomed appearance. Fishing flesh baits on paternoster rigs in the 50m+ hard rubble patches around the islands and reefs have been producing these delicious beauties. This month, expect to see more numbers of these fish working the deeper grounds. Fish the deeper waters and you should be rewarded for your efforts.

Big reds are tasty fish and are found all around the islands, you don’t have to travel 30+ miles to catch a good feed.

A lot of our bottom fishing grounds we find while we are trolling for pelagics. Keep a very close eye on your sounder while trolling, and mark any little bump or rubble patch you come across. Some of our most productive ground has been located by using this technique.

Along with the nannygai we have been landing some

The warm weather has brought on a good run of billfish throughout the islands and reefs. nice mulloway as well. Just keep what mulloway you need out of that depth, as they suffer badly from barotrauma and do not release well.

Solid cobia are also being caught on the same rubble grounds along with the nannygai. Cobia 15-20kg+ are turning up from the bait schools on the deep shoals. Knife jigs and large soft plastics worked through the bait schools seem to be the most effective on these

hard fighting fish. Keep those jigs and plastic rigs handy in the next month, as you will see more of these guys hanging around. They are great fun on light gear and sure do give you a work out. A novel idea is to use your tuna casting outfits on the cobia and you will have a ball.

Keep an eye out for the birds working as the tuna are progressively turning up in larger numbers. Many bluefin

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Fishing flesh baits on paternoster rigs in the 50m+ hard rubble patches around the islands and reefs have been producing some excellent red emperor.

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tuna have been caught around the delicious 3-5kg mark. A perfect size for some tasty sashimi, if you are that way inclined. Punters also get a great fight on the light gear on the little speedsters. Casting small metal slugs into the schools is working a treat.

When chasing tuna remember to ‘match the hatch’.

Match your chosen lure to the small baitfish that the larger fish are eating. A lot of the time the fish they are eating are dense schools of whitebait, a small fish only a couple of inches long. Therefore, smaller is in fact better. Try heading up wind of the schools of fish and cast from there. Nine times out of ten these fish will feed into the wind, so they will come to you instead of you blaring into them and spooking the fish.

Fingers-crossed we see more beautiful weather this month and you can get out there on the blue and land some fish. Good luck, tight lines and bent rods.

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The jacks are hot, just like the weather BOWEN

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

Hot, humid weather also means hot fishing this month, especially up the creeks. As the afternoon skies repeatedly fill with dark, rain drenching storms, the mangrove jack action can be nothing short of blistering. These atmospheric conditions are the perfect catalyst for getting jacks to feed,

and when they turn on it’s simply unbelievable how many can be caught in a single session.

The best time to target these fish is just before and after a storm has struck.

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Big bar cheek trout like this one caught by Rob Wilde will be biting hard in December. but was quickly back on the water the moment it let up.

The surge in humidity was almost immediate and could be felt with every breath. Then came the mosquitoes and sandflies.

They were so aggressive that I could only get a wind or two on the baitcaster before I had to stop and start swatting or scratching. They were so thick that they were even getting in my eyes. While it felt like hell on earth, the jack bite was so red hot it was almost a fish a cast.

They were biting just as

bending trebles, a 50cm plus fish will twist a hook just as easily as a 1m barramundi, as their jaw pressure is amazing.

Their razor sharp canine teeth make short work of barbs and points as well, so having quality hooks is a must. Rings are also key, as you typically use a lot of drag (including thumb pressure) to stop that initial run back to the snags, so having rings that won’t pull straight is vital.

Just be careful when upgrading rings and trebles that you don’t overweight the lure. If you go too heavy,

For myself, the success of jack fishing all comes down to the quality of the leader. Having a top quality fluorocarbon leader is an absolute must, as this is what cops the most punishment.

You can guarantee that a big jack will find a way to drag you through the snags, as this is part and parcel of this style of fishing. Having a line that can withstand this type of abrasiveness is therefore essential. I fish with nothing but Sunline Fluorocarbon, and either FC Rock or FC 100 is my go-to line. It is

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Jacks will be savage in December, so make sure your gear is up to the challenge. hard as the insects and it quickly became more about the pain threshold than catching a fish, as I had to decide whether to scratch, slap or wind.

I’m a big believer in that the warmer the water the more aggressive the jacks are. Even the small ones can be a handful during these hot summer months, so you need to really consider beefing up your gear on all fronts. While jacks are not renowned for

the lure will sink too quickly or won’t swim effectively, which can cost bites. It’s often a case of finding the right combination of treble/ ring strength and lure action to achieve the best outcome.

One small factor lure fishos often overlook is the tow point of the lure. Make sure you check this, as even the best quality lures can see tow points torn from bodies when the jacks are big and aggressive.

super tough and strong, can put up with plenty of snag torment, and the quality is incredibly consistent. I have been fishing this for ages and am yet to come across a dodgy roll or length of leader.

When chasing jacks at this time of year, it’s all about how close you can get to the structure. It’s vital to put lures right into the back of snags, even if it means rolling the dice with getting bricked by a fish. The smaller

jacks will often sit out in the more exposed areas, while the larger, smarter fish tend to take more refuge. These are the fish you want to battle with, so getting that lure right down the back is important.

Jacks are not the only species firing up in December. The warmer water also gets the offshore species biting hard as well.

Golden snapper (fingermark) become very active, certainly

less timid and easier to catch.

While they are known as a tough fish to get to bite, when the water is warm they become less difficult to convince, especially if you are fishing without live bait.

I love to target these great tasting and hard fighting fish on plastics and large squid patterns like Berkley’s Squid Vicious — a personal favourite. Just remember that fingermark spawn over summer, so if they come on,

only take what you need as they are slow growing and it is easy to fish out an entire population. If you are not into bouncing plastics, then live or fresh bait is a must.

Live squid is best, but fresh herring or mullet is a good alternative.

The other offshore fish that comes on the bite hard will be bar cheek coral trout.

These fish love moving onto the shallow reefs around islands at this time of year.

Bowen has a plethora of islands to fish and they really are trout magnets. If you are a bait soaker, getting a good berley trail going is a must to lure them away from the bommies and to the boat.

Big baits are a must, as this will allow smaller fish to pick away yet not bait you.

This picking will often attract the trout, as they are very curious, especially when there is plenty of commotion going on.

I prefer to chase them on soft plastics, with large grub styles my favourite patterns. The Z-Man 9” GrubZ is an easy plastic to use for trout, and can be fished in both shallow and deep water. It’s important to have the plastic close to the bottom though. Banging it against the reef to get their attention is the best technique, so don’t be too concerned about fishing too heavy.

Next month will bring much the same, except the monsoon will begin to affect the fishing conditions.

Waters both inshore and offshore will dirty up and become dominated by the run-off, so finding clean water becomes a must. The good news offshore is that the big reds will move closer in to feed on the run-off driven bait, which means you won’t have to run to the outer shoals to get into them.

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Burdekin anglers can finish year on a high AYR

Steve Farmer

December already and another year almost gone.

Did you catch as many fish as you would have liked?

Did you notch up any new PBs or even a new species?

Chances are you’re like most of us and wanted to have done better. There’s still a few weeks left of 2014, so you’ve got a chance of finishing the year on a high. Let’s see what has been happening over the past month and what can be expected in the final few weeks of the year.

Surprisingly, Spanish mackerel were still being caught at the shoals off Alva during November, although the fishing was patchy and most were school size at around 8kg. While they might ‘only’ be 8kg, this is a size that is relatively easy to handle, produces plenty of fillet, and is unlikely to carry ciguatera. Best results were achieved with the everreliable floating pillie.

By the time you read this, the chances of scoring a Spaniard will be even further

A fresh bait of prawn or yabby will probably produce school grunter from Burdekin estuaries during December. Remember to check the legal size. reduced, so targeting this species during December isn’t likely to produce impressive results. Having said that, trolling a lure or drifting a bait for the more prevalent trevally, cobia or queenfish could produce the bonus of a lone Spaniard, so it’s always worth a try.

A severe lack of calm weather on weekends has restricted bluewater fishing

to those who enjoy flexible work arrangements that allow them to hit the water mid-week — which seems to be the only time the winds dip below 10 knots. Most bottom-bouncers on the shoals and reef are reporting modest catches of nannygai (small and largemouth), coral trout and red emperor. Some of the emperor that are being winched from the sharks’ jaws

are tipping the scales to more than 10kg.

With the closed season for barra in place, local creeks are enjoying a reprieve from the fishing pressure in the lead-up to the closure. With barra now off the menu, clued-up fishers are shifting their attention to mangrove jack and golden snapper.

Jack numbers have been pretty good over the past month and catches should increase as we move into the hottest months of the year. Most estuaries have a population of hungry fish, which have been responding aggressively to well-placed lures, slab baits and small livies such as mullet and herring.

Fingermark catches have also been above average and ranged from barely legal to fish up around 7kg. In fact, I reckon fingermark catches have increased on what they were a decade or two back.

This is probably because local anglers are targeting this handsome species more these days, especially in inshore waters. Today’s anglers have

a few more strings to their bow, with many using slowly worked soft plastics and deep-diving hardbodies to effectively fish hotspots.

The good old backstop for estuary fishers, the flathead, has been a bit patchy over the past few months, but should fish well during December. If possible, try the larger tides around the full moon and don’t ignore any shallow bays inundated by the making water. I like to fish an hour or two leading up to the full tide, and then a bit of the ebb.

If you like to wade for your flathead (it’s a great way to fish), remember that we are well into the stinger season now and it’s advisable to stay out of the water as much as possible for the next 4-5 months.

Grunter catches are dwindling, both in the creeks and in the bays such as Bowling Green and Upstart. The larger fish seem to have moved on, but estuary anglers are likely to score school grunter with a fresh prawn or yabby bait.

Remember there are two

species of grunter, the barred and the silver, with different legal sizes. The barred must be 40cm and the silver 30cm, and they can be difficult to tell apart. I suggest simply using 40cm as the legal size for all grunter — after all, you don’t get much fillet off a 30cm fish, even if it is legal.

With the barra season now closed, freshwater fishos can still get their sweetwater fix by downsizing their tackle and lures and targeting feisty little sooty grunter instead. Smaller lures such as spinners, soft plastics and hardbodies no more than 7cm long will appeal to the sooties and reduce the chances of accidentally catching a barra.

Sooties are tough little scrappers and are great fun to catch on a 3-4kg outfit.

They can be reasonable eating if they come from clean, flowing water, but can also be weedy to the point of being inedible in other situations. If you want to, the best bet is to keep a couple to try and release the rest.

Stingers can make wading for flathead dicey over the next 4-5 months.

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No barra, but everything else is fair game TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

With the barramundi season closed as of November 1, people will still be flicking lures around the same areas for a few months, but now jacks are the main target.

Downsizing lures to around the 60-70mm mark with things like Tilsan Barras and Bass, or smaller plastics like the Atomic Prongs and Paddle Tails, is going to be a fun way to not only get a feed, but have some really intense, close quarters battles.

It doesn’t really matter what species, but there’s a time and place for the latest accessory from Bassman called the Beetle Spin Arm. It basically clips onto a jighead or even a diving lure to add subtle flash and reflection.

Trials are being conducted as we speak, but they definitely look the goods. There are so many species they are relevant to; it will be up to the angler to adapt them to their own pursuits.

Golden snapper (fingermark) specialists are gearing up for a cracking season. After the unreal

Elevator heads work on nannygai, and a host of other reef species as well. winter and spring fishing for these hard fighting, top quality table fish over this year’s ‘quiet’ time, it should, by all accounts, be a great bite. I was talking to some divers the other day and they said that one particular spot had literally thousands of choppers stacked 10m deep.

Tuna schools are everywhere at present, and some bigger than average longtails for this part of the

world have been putting in a show too. There are 12kg fish around and small slugs like Outcasts should be well accepted. While not a real big fan of longies for the table, many an angler up here chases them for the smoker. I have tasted it, leading to me shortly getting a smoker — it’s that good.

In the deep, the largemouth nannies have been a bit scarce, and anglers

that have found a few have reported the size to be down.

By the time you read this though, they should be back in numbers on the regular spots, as they usually don’t disappear for too long. A great way to connect is to have one angler bouncing an elevator head or a solid hook jighead with a plastic such as a Gulp Squid Vicious, Atomic Plazos, or other quality soft plastic, while the other sinks

hopping rubbers just off and right on the bottom. When the inevitable snip-off from a toothy critter occurs, I like to drop either a Halco Twisty or an Outcast to the bottom and crank at warp speed or jig up to 10m from the bottom, before feeding it back down and going again until hooked up.

As I’m writing this, the big grunter are getting in on the act. Anchoring up on deep channels out from the creek mouths towards the bay is a great place to secure a feed of these tasty critters. Depending on what’s about for them to focus their efforts on, there are several options and it’s always worth tossing out a couple of different baits to establish what’s on the menu on a particular day. The old fallback squid is a favourite of the majority, but listening to some older specialists, gar and herring fillets are a gun bait, with a couple saying that big prawns are also worth trying.

Up on the flats around the Maggie and some of the mainland mouths, the trevors and permit should be more easily detectable if the wind subsides a bit over the next few weeks. Just you watch, now I’ve said it we’ll get a cyclone…

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Big choppers like this 10kg model should be bedding in drag washers on Chrissy present reels over the next couple of months. a bait back and see who gets the results first. You may be surprised at how many times the plastic gets belted over the bait.

In store at Akwa Marine, we have been moving heaps of solid offshore soft plastics’ outfits, as the word seems to be spreading as to how many fish can be caught drifting and

For the softie chuckers, this should be a fun way to spend a few hours when the water’s a bit clearer, but the flats are also a popular haunt for the fluff chuckers (fly fishers). If you want the ultimate challenge, then trying for a permit or snubby on fly must be about it.

Prawn imitations are seen

as an all-round goer, but I know plenty have been taken on white Clousers too. Mind you, the bycatch of salmon, barra, trevally and so on will be just as much fun, so I’m going to dust off the long rod and have a go. I’ve only ever landed one permit on fly and that was the last time I chased them years ago.

It was only a pup, but I’d really like to nail a 10kg model before I die. Rod Harrison and I were fishing with Steve Jeston on a social trip, and sadly from what I hear Steve has now ceased guiding. Jesto was not only a gentleman, but also an incredible fisherman and fish locater. He knew exactly where to be at what stage of the tide, and what needed to be used to get the bite.

If you want to give it a go, there is another well-reputed guide from the Hinchinbrook area named Ryan Moody, and I’m sure he would be able to accommodate you. For travelling anglers wanting to catch a feed, bend a rod on a holiday, or while travelling through, Ryan’s reputation is very good and I don’t often recommend guides in the pages of any magazine unless I have met them. In this case though, I may not know Ryan, but his reputation and the feedback that we get from customers makes him a pretty bloody safe bet.

BARRA CLOSED SEASON — WATCH FOR CROCS Just to finish up, the law states that it is illegal to lift a barra from the water for photographic purposes, and that’s fair enough, but just be real careful if you decide to hold the fish in the water while unhooking them. There have been several close calls from aggressive crocs in the local rivers recently, grabbing at anglers’ fish as they are trying to land them.

Obviously it depends on where you are as to how high the risk is, but if my son or I accidentally hook a barra in a river with a healthy croc population, then I’m afraid to say I won’t be dangling it next to the boat and ringing the dinner bell for a snapping handbag to come and have a go. I appreciate the theory behind the legislation, but think it must have been worded by someone who ain’t no barra angler.

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Fishing Monthly Magazines Readers’ Pictures

A couple more Carl Jocumsens in the making.

Beau Morris slow hopped a Transam for this 96cm barra before the closure.

Ben Gobbert is stoked with his first red emperor on Northern Conquest.

Big lure big fish? Not for James Titmuss.

Bryce Beechey reckons that as the water warms up, the jacks start to fire.

Corey McCluand with a 110cm thready from the Logan River.

Daniel McCulloch with a trout from wide of Cairns.

Daniel Zhu’s remarkably colourful mangrove jack.

Davin Roberts and a 1770 scarlet caught on the wide rubble grounds.

Dean and Shonelle had a double hookup on Cape togas.

Robbie and Raymond with a super sooty double.

Joseph of Moorooka just caught this 1.2m threadfin salmon in the Brisbane River.

Remi Hagge says the Borumba plastic bite is firing up.

DECEMBER 2014

75

Staying keen in the heat LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

So I was driving past the caravan park here in Lucinda the other day and noticed it was near deserted. It’s hot and the humidity is rising. The barra closed season has commenced, and if things are as per normal in December it will be pretty windy as well. But let me tell you it isn’t all doom and gloom…

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL/ SMOOTH WATERS I’m lucky enough (or unlucky in the eyes of some people) to work nights, so this means that when I knock off work it’s normally about 2 hours before sunrise. In the warm summer months the northeast sea breeze doesn’t kick in until about 10am, and first light as the sun slowly rises is around 5am. This is the time to hit the water.

Pick a hot, humid night with a bit of moon and drift around creeks

Fingermark love the heat, and your drags will burn too.

lobbing plastics and poppers.

Mangrove jack love to hunt in darkness and if you’re lucky and quiet enough you will hear them smashing baitfish. Make long casts and if possible scope out the area in daylight first. Having a good idea of the whereabouts of structure such as snags or drains will give a good clue as to where to spend the bulk of your time; these areas will most probably hold bait and in turn predatory fish.

If all else fails, kill the motors and drift silently, as you will hear the commotion of fish at some stage. Sidescan fish finders are worth their price tags in these situations, as it is quite possible to find active fish on the screen and make casts straight to them. A tip I learned off a jack master was to use a straight retrieve at night, as it helps fish hone in on your lure easier, as it is constantly rattling and causing vibrations. Just remember that fish use their lateral lines as much as their eyes to sense and hunt prey.

Golden snapper (fingermark) are also about and hungry during summer.

Gather some live herring and hit the sugar loader jetty or one of the many rocky holes in the channel, especially around sunset. A good tide to chase fingermark will have around 1-1.5m of run, and the start of the run-in is by far the best. Fingermark also respond well to plastics and jigs, and this is my favourite way to target them. Plastics such as Gulp Squid Vicious and 5” Z-Man scented Jerk ShadZ are standouts for me. What is important is to make sure the lure is on the bottom and remains close to the bottom. Fingermark hold close, but will rise to chase

The end result of a double hook up on Bivouac Junction sooties. and smash a plastic if you gain their attention.

For those that want a change of scenery or if the wind just won’t let up, it’s time to put the walking shoes on and explore one of the many creeks and rivers in the area. First off, I must say be careful as there are crocodiles, snakes and all manner of creatures very happy to cause you dramas.

Take a first aid kit and lots of water, even if you are only going for a short walk, as in the tropical heat you won’t last long if you become lost.

Sooty grunter and jungle perch are available all year round and those that put in the miles get the smiles. A light spin outfit and a small selection of diving, surface and soft plastic lures will do the trick. Check out Google Earth or try asking locals for a starting point.

I recently took the family down to Bivouac Junction Holiday Park and had an absolute ball smashing the sooties. We had double and triple hook ups at some stages

and apparently the fishing was slow! The owners Joe and Sarah are lovely people, and really went the extra mile to ensure our stay was perfect. The Bivouac boys were great young guys and even let us catch a couple of fish (you should see them cast!). It’s definitely worth checking out.

JETTY/ISLANDS/REEF I’ve not got too much to report on from out wider as the weather has been pretty average — and when it’s been good I’ve been working! By all reports the red fish have moved deeper and wider, as have the trout.

The water is getting very warm and targeting fish around the morning and afternoon periods is the best option, as they will bite better and it’s far more comfortable for the angler.

Cobia have moved into the wrecks and closer shoals and reefs, and will fall for a live bait nearly every time.

Cobes are suckers for berley, so by keeping your eyes open at all times you should see

one or several, as they are known to hang in packs.

After another cracker season on the mackerel, they have now all but disappeared, although the odd giant Spaniard will still be roaming about. Running a couple of lures out the back when moving from spot to spot is always worth the effort, as you never know what will turn up out on the reef.

Summer will see anyone with the fuel capabilities and time heading wide off the shelf in search of big black marlin and dogtooth tuna, and I make no secret in saying that I’ll be out there as soon as possible.

I want to feel the power of a big doggie more than anything else at the moment, so stay tuned.

It pays to keep a good eye on the weather over summer, as storms can build very quickly and the wind gusts can generate a real punch. Always be prepared for the worst.

Merry Christmas everyone and go get into ’em!

Day or night, mix species on offer HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

It’s been some crazy season this year, I tell you. We had almost winter-like conditions up until the last week in October, with cool water and southerly airflows, and then as soon as November arrived the heat smashed us with a vengeance. What happened to the normal interchange between seasons is anyone’s guess.

November fished well for big grunter and a lot of fish in the 65cm size range.

Missionary Bay and Gould Island gave up some of the best fishing, and a few anglers scored more than 20 in a session. This would 76

DECEMBER 2014

There have been a few surprises about of late when chasing fingermark — like a nice GT. be the best grunter fishing I have seen for some time.

When they are on, it is so easy to catch them with a simple running sinker rig,

and live greenbacks, squid and strip baits are the key in the bait department.

November also had its usual good run of golden

snapper, and it’s one of the best months for these awesome fish. Many anglers will target them at night a bit wider on headlands, shoals and inshore wrecks during the next few months.

Live squid and herring are the best baits, and are easily caught under a squid light using a drawstring net. It is always handy to keep bait jigs ready for the herring too.

One of the benefits of night fishing is that you sometimes run into black jew in the same area. Black jew are a prized fish up here and rarely caught in daylight hours, so when you get a chance to catch one, you won’t forget it.

They’re great fighters and tasty on the table, although To page 77

From page 76

I wouldn’t take a large one as their flesh is horrible — just like most fish in their adult stages.

The reef has been going off for Spaniards this past month, while the inshore areas are now pretty much devoid of mackerel species apart from the greys, otherwise known as broadbarred Spaniards. They should remain offshore until December and many will move south, but larger ones often stay and become resident on a reef. If you’re a newbie to Spaniard fishing, be aware that the larger fish are prone to high levels of ciguatera toxin, so it’s up to you if you wish to take the risk. The belly flap area is where the toxin is most concentrated, but will be present throughout

the whole fish. A bad dose is something you will remember for a while, trust me.

December will bring much the same on the fishing front, as it really starts to get hot. Best fishing is always at night, particularly when fishing the reef. Light summer winds, in particular the north-northwesters, always makes daylight fishing out there difficult.

When the hot winds arrive, this goes for the wonky holes too.

Back in the estuaries, for December I would say the mangrove jack, fingermark and big grunter will be the prime targets, with a few threadfin salmon hopefully showing up too. Keep an eye out wider on the flats for grey mackerel and longtail tuna, as they can be a bit of fun at this time of year.

I have seen more tripletail (or otherwise known as jumping cod) this year than ever before. They like to hold around floating logs, pylons and current lines where debris gathers. They will take just about anything, from a floating pilchard to a shallow hardbody cast across their nose. December is a great time for them, so keep an eye out for dark shapes around floating structure or jetties.

Well it’s been a massive year for our charter business and launching our barramundi e-course Barra Basics. Next launch is in early February, but you can head over to www. barrabasics.com for a product tour and check out the newly released payment plan. Have an awesome Christmas and a fish-filled New Year.

This year has seen a massive number of school size fingermark lurking in the Channel.

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Good weather defines December fishing CAIRNS

David Mayes

I really do love this time of year; it’s just about mango season and that means the fishing is also going off its tree. The return of December brings with it humid conditions, glassy seas and afternoon storms that can really fire up the fishing.

SO WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING? On a personal level, it has been a tough month to crack a fish, but fortunately other anglers have had some success between the occasionally patchy weather. On more than one occasion beautiful days would deteriorate and force reef-goers to pack it in early or even cancel trips at the ramp. The larger game boats capable of tolerating more punishment continued to find black marlin and reasonable numbers of wahoo out wide.

The marlin fishing has been world class, with numerous reports of quality fish pushing the 1000lb mark. Large swim baits of oceanic queenfish, scad, rainbow runner and small tuna have been accounting for the majority of larger fish. The wahoo have been frustrating anglers, recording plenty of strikes, only to have the baits bitten off just behind the head. Time to re-rig again!

Mackerel numbers, as predicted, have slowly tapered off, however, smaller catches still show up around low light periods.

Closer inshore, November continued to produce with fingermark and black jew responding to soft plastics around dawn and dusk. Downsizing the offering has been a worthy tactic when fish have been located on the sounder yet failed to bite. November has always been by far the best time to target these fish, especially around the build up to the full moon. The last leads markers off Cairns Harbour are a fingermark magnet during this time of year, bringing anglers to their knees if terminal tackle is below par. I still marvel at the old photos of Dad when he used to extract these brutes using live sardines on 15lb mono. Please watch out for larger vessels though and stay well clear!

Coral trout have been reported in good numbers lately, congregating in deeper water between 40-60m. Anglers have been displaying both bar cheek and leopard trout caught from isolated bommies and pinnacles on favourable tide changes. Taking the time to properly anchor well in front of the structure has been a must though. These fish

are suckers for berley and respond extremely well to this simple method. Freezing old bait into a frozen block and deploying it as a berley bomb can pay dividends for those prepared to maximise their bait’s life.

Reef jacks have also been reading the script and bending rods at night in behind Sudbury, Arlington and Moore reefs. Anglers have been picking the red devils up on live hussar and pilchards rigged through the nose. If targeting reef jacks, keep baits well off the bottom, as they will often be patrolling higher up in the water column when schooling with nannies and red emperor.

LOOKING AHEAD INSHORE As the wet looms, conditions will bring humid nights to the region. This time of year is great for targeting mangrove jack after dark, either on lures or bait. If you are prepared to do a late shift from the bank, canals and boat ramps are fantastic locations to target them. Seeking cover by day, jacks will patrol these areas once the heavy boat traffic subsides late at night.

They can often be located by listening for them chopping at bait on a run-out tide near rock walls and pontoons. Live mullet or soft plastics will be very effective, however, in this scenario the most potent bait is half a pilchard due to the scent they excrete.

Flathead along the headlands are also very

along the beach edge in clear water, as they wait to ambush baitfish. Try to release the larger fish.

With wild barramundi off the hit list until February, freshwater impoundments will be a real option throughout the closed season.

Lake Tinaroo in December is probably the stand out destination. Trolling lures close behind a kayak has developed a cult following in recent times. Afternoon sessions casting lures from the bank and on into the night is also extremely effective, as the water is at its lowest level and concentrates fish in more accessible areas.

To give yourself the best chance, focus efforts around the week leading up to the full moon. Late afternoon thunderstorms on the tablelands drive the barometric pressure upwards, triggering stronger bite times.

It is believed that higher barometric pressure causes the fish to feel hungry, as the swim bladder is relaxed.

Lower barometric pressure causes the opposite, similar to supressing appetite and making the fish feel full.

Ok, enough of the theory lesson; if you can align a favourable moon phase with stormy weather conditions, you will greatly increase your chances.

Casting shallow running or surface lures into edges around sheltered bays on sunset and sunrise is a good start. I always look for a

lure needs to be in front of the fish as they move into the bays and points, so persistence is vital. Imagine where the fish will be wen moving up into the bay; its called visualisation, a common technique amongst high performing athletes.

Remember fishing is a sport, isn’t it?

OUT WITH THE OLD I know Tinaroo is a put-and-take fishery as larger

fish need to be removed to accommodate smaller stocked fish. One surely needs to ask the question about the removal of so many fish for just one competition though. I would love to think the Barra Bash could one day adopt a similar concept that is already in place throughout Australia and the world. That is, taking a photograph of the length of the fish on a

brag mat with the angler’s registration tag showing. By embracing technology, this could take the competition into a new direction, allowing all captures over the weekend to be displayed on a screen while the presentations commence. This would be far more marketable, respectful and practical than the out-dated gutting weigh-in station that’s still used.

Giant barramundi at Lake Tinaroo are a real prospect at this time of year. A silver B52 accounted for this specimen — a great colour choice when working lures just below the surface.

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common at this time of year, providing some entertaining fun on light gear. Taylors Point and Second Beach are great areas to try, and will provide plenty of shallow water angling fun. Soft plastics are another option, but at this time of year I have found they are not fussy. Hardbodies worked erratically over shallow headlands will see you tangle with lizards if conditions are right. Low neap tides at early morning or late afternoons bring the lizards right in

substantial drop-off from these shallow weed beds into approximately 12-15’ of water. Fish use these vantage points to move up into the bays, feeding along the weed edge and also amongst the weed where the water is warmer. If you’ve ever placed your foot into weedbeds, you would soon understand why the barramundi sit in there, especially at Tinaroo.

This is all about intercepting fish, so if you hear boofing from feeding barra, stick around! Furthermore, the

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79

An awesome heavy tackle marlin season PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer

Proceedings start to get a bit hot under the collar in the tropics this month, in more ways than one. December is traditionally the hottest month on the calendar, as we begin to experience that intense and humid build up to the wet season. When it actually kicks into full gear is anyone’s guess, but it normally starts at some point in January. Up until this point a typical buildup sees good rain fall during the night and stinking hot, sultry conditions during the day.

By now we are starting to come to the tail end of the heavy tackle marlin season, which has seen some spectacular action over the past couple of months. Overall fish catches were up on previous years, with healthy numbers of male black marlin caught and released in the 200-500lb range, while the quantities of big black female marlin over 600lb were exceptional. There were also plenty of magical 1000lb+ fish registered over the weeks, and some are saying it has been the best heavy tackle season since 2005. Just to give you an example, 126

marlin were tagged in the Lizard Island tournament this year, which highlights just how good the fishing has been.

The run of fish along the Ribbon Reefs started to dry up towards the end of October, and the flotilla of game boats following the bite gradually moved their way down to the iconic grounds of Opal Ridge, Linden Bank, Jenny Louise Shoals and the like, where the bite has remained strong during the weeks of November.

They are still registering good numbers of fish, but this will dwindle as we delve deeper into the month of December.

This doesn’t mean the end of the fish supply though, because at this time of year sailfish tend to be around in good numbers, and there’s always a number of mahimahi, Spanish mackerel and wahoo to target. Skippers will also be watching closely for yellowfin tuna aggregations to form in the Coral Sea, as there’s always the real possibility that the black marlin will be in amongst them. With the likelihood of some real calm weather in the coming month, operations can find themselves miles off the Continental Shelf getting amongst some of the best fishing ever to be

From Lizard Island to Cairns, it has been a phenomenal heavy tackle black marlin season this year, with big fish and plenty of them. experienced.

News on the outer reef itself is that the reef fishing has started to become a bit more sporadic as the water and day temperatures have risen. Daily charters are still picking up reasonable numbers of fish, but not that frenzied catch rate experienced during the cooler months. A typical day

might involve several shifts in location to find the bite and sufficient fish to top up the icebox.

Fishing deep as possible is also a key, and working the tidal changes is an important factor. You generally find that the day’s keep will be a mixed bag of fish, which may include a few coral trout,

nannygai, spangled emperor, sweetlip, stripies and gold spot trevally. There are other fish around, but these have been the staples of late. There’s always the possibility of a few individual rogue Spanish mackerel cruising about, and it always pays to have a floater out the back, ideally with a live fusilier on the end.

It is also a great time to do some overnight fishing, where you’ll find that the ‘reds’ are more active and catch rates will triple. Picking the right weather is critical, so be wary of any potential thunderstorms that may form. Always err on the side of caution and if there’s any doubt, don’t go.

Inshore, our local beaches have water exceeding 30°C. The best fishing is at dawn and dusk, where there’s been some nice blue salmon caught, along with quite a few big flathead. Accidental barra that have been patrolling the areas where creeks break through after a decent sprinkle of rain.

The same can be said about our rivers and creeks, which fish best during the low light periods. There’s quite a few species on the go, including mangrove jack, fingermark, tarpon, midsized trevally, estuary cod, and more accidental barra. Fishing during the middle parts of the day can be tough work, and generally speaking most fish will have a siesta during the heat.

All in all, there’s still of lot of fishing opportunities out there at the moment, as conditions will remain consistent until the Wet season kicks in.

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81

Forget about the swelter by going offshore capture, they are amazing fish to catch, with speedy runs and aerobatic displays sufficient

CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly

to have first time anglers jumping out of their skins.

Mackerel will be thick

aggott88@gmail.com

December in Cape York is a place of extremes.

Up the many creeks and rivers you’ll find breathless mornings, interrupted by the drone of mosquitoes and the unpleasant feeling of mixed sweat and sunscreen dribbling down your back.

So what to do? Well what December often lacks in the estuary and river scene, is well and truly made up for offshore.

It will certainly be amongst the most idyllic in terms of calm, clear mornings to spend out in the bays, nearshore and offshore areas of Cape York. With the highpressure systems of the Dry finally dissipating, we might expect some low-pressure systems beginning to form along the monsoonal trough.

December though, will often yield brilliant weather under greying skies to give offshore anglers the chance to tame some worthy beasts.

Dividing offshore into three sections, East Coast, The Tip and West Coast, let’s have a quick look at some options for those with a little

A Gulf of Carpentaria GT caught from a big school in December. fuel to burn out in open water.

The game boats had another fantastic big marlin season this year, with a bunch of 1000lb black marlin taken up around the Ribbon Reefs. As the fish move south, captures have continued closer to Cairns and will begin to peter out as we head towards Christmas.

Some long range vessels will be using this period of relative stability and calm to venture further north into

Princess Charlotte Bay, and up towards Lockhart River. The shoal grounds and outer reef is amongst the most pristine and unfished in the world, with a host of speedsters swimming along the channel openings and reef points.

School-sized yellowfin tuna will be attacking bait balls in the larger openings, while dogtooth tuna will be patrolling the reef edges and deeper sea mounts. The paddock and shoaling areas

will have hordes of mac tuna and skipjack, being chased around by cartwheeling birds.

From September through until Christmas, anglers keen to chase sailfish might have some luck with skipping gars or small skirts in similar areas.

Some other captures hitting the decks of game boats venturing out wide will be beautiful goldensided mahimahi. Along with wahoo, which have similarly iridescent flanks upon

A popper munching mangrove jack caught on a still December’s evening.

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along any of the likely reef edges and open shoaling ground. Looking for current pushing against a reef or rocky point, with baitfish on the sounder or visible near the surface giving anglers their best chance. Fishing one or two wog-heads loaded with garfish up close and a couple of diving lures that get down to about 2-3m will produce good fish in the early hours of the morning.

Heading up towards the tip of Cape York and Torres Strait in December can be a rewarding experience, and the locals will be licking their

a variety of sweetlips and snappers.

As you move down the west coast of Cape York, the fishing is equally as good on

tuskfish, sweetlip, stripies and reds will be amongst a mixed catch coming in from 10-25m of water.

Use the calm weather

Whammo. Sharks can take their toll on hooked tuna and mackerel in the calm conditions.

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the offshore reefs and rubble grounds. Mackerel and tuna schools will be operating on a daily basis from about 1km offshore all the way out into the Gulf, and along many of the rubbly contour lines marked clearly on even the most basic of chart plotters.

Black jew, fingermark,

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December weather can be picture perfect, albeit a touch warm.

lips in anticipation of getting a little further offshore than is possible at most times of the year. Some will head well east to deeper reefs and shoals where they can target red emperor and largemouth nannygai. Other fish on the cards will be cobia, coral trout, fingermark, and

OR YOUR PHONE DECEMBER 2014

83

Still waiting for the rain COOKTOWN

Nick Stock

Cooktown is yet to receive any decent rainfall that should be typically starting to fall around this time of year, however, the build up has well and truly been kicking along for the last few months.

The tourists have all but left Cooktown for another 6 months, although there are a few diehard retiree

fishos that have been getting stuck into some great fish with the local charter guides. Golden snapper (fingermark), jacks, grunter, queenfish and trevally are making up the typical catches in both the Endeavour and Annan systems, and some decent sized barramundi are poking around as by-catch. While there are literally countless species that can be targeted on Cape York, the barra keep

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all the tourists coming back year in year out, so a disturbance-free breeding season is needed to keep fish stocks at decent levels.

The last month of the build-up prior to the wet season rains offers some fantastic fishing in the freshwater reaches of the local rivers and creeks, and it’s my favourite time of year to chase sooty grunter and jungle perch. They are pumped up and keen to explore new waterways that will become available over the next few months.

Small hardbodies take some beating for this style of fishing; you want something that dives deep quickly and bumps along the bottom in the strike zone where the bigger sooties will hold during the day.

I prefer small divers that quickly float on the pause, allowing you to work the structure where the fish are holding yet rarely snag. If you can manage to get yourself up and happening pre-dawn, then my method of choice for the local freshwater reaches is a small popper around the 45-60mm mark.

Sooties in particular eat a lot of fruits, so flicking a

popper or small Squidgy Wriggler hard up against a sunken bank under a fruiting fig tree is almost a guaranteed hook up on these hard fighting balls of muscle. By-catch can include, spangled perch, tarpon, jungle perch, small barra and archerfish.

If freshwater species aren’t your cup of tea, the coming months offer the only reliable weather window for fishing offshore from a tinnie. Good trout, largemouth nannygai, red emperor and Spanish mackerel will be everpresent on most of the reef systems. It’s just a matter of finding some decent ground that’s holding bait shows to get amongst it.

Over the summer months, finding good table fish on the reefs off Cooktown isn’t a problem.

Getting your prized catch back to the boat in one piece is an issue. While there are always sharks here throughout the year, the December to April months are beyond a joke. Some nights the only option is to keep moving until you start putting a few whole fish in the boat. They may be a pain in the butt, but sharks are

A nice bar cheek coral trout caught on a Cooktown Barra Charters offshore jaunt. part and parcel of fishing the tropics over summer.

Until next month, stay safe on the water, and be sure

to jump onto Facebook and check out the handcrafted timber barra lures I make — Twin River Lures.

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DECEMBER 2014

Busy times ahead in the Gulf of Carpentaria KARUMBA

Alan Gurney awes0me@bigpond.net.au

We have some exciting times ahead up here in Karumba and Normanton, with new boat ramp lanes and pontoons being constructed.

The Carpentaria Shire Council is doing this work and I would like to thank them for looking after our ratepayers and the travelling public. They have an information centre

a look if coming for a visit.

The work associated with the boat ramps has caused some frustration with anglers, but the end result will be worth it.

A huge Gulf tourist attraction is in the planning stages for Karumba, and when completed will be awesome. Effectively, you will be able to come up for conferences and catch a barramundi at lunch out of a lake! The operation will take several years to complete, so anything we can do to support

Senator Matthew Canavan, Senator James McGrath and Noelene Ikin who has been with them on their journey around Queensland with our columnist, who is Deputy Mayor of Carpentaria Shire Council. in both Normanton and Karumba, and I would suggest that they are worth

it would be appreciated. We currently hold tours of the Carpentaria Shire Council

hatchery, so check it out on your next visit.

We had the honour of having two Senators come up to inspect our hatchery — Senator Matthew Canavan, Senator James McGrath, and Noelene Ikin, who has been with them on their journey around the state. I made it in the photo hereabouts, as my other job is Deputy Mayor for Carpentaria Shire Council.

The climate is very hot and very humid at the moment. We have had temperatures around 40°C and humidity of 98%, so don’t say you weren’t warned.

This environment means you must have plenty of water and shade if venturing out, and as always, keep an eye on the weather.

You will be able to catch some nice black jew in the deep holes around the bottom of the tide, and pilchards are a good way to go. Mud crabs will be around out the front and near the mouth, and are usually full at this time of year. Fresh bait will be better than old stuff, so come prepared and you should get a nice feed. One thing you can catch up here so easily at Christmas and that I manage at least once every year, is a hangover.

Fishing off the beach is a friendly option, as you can set up shade and refreshments.

If you erect a camp near the tavern, then resupply should

not be a problem. If fishing off the beach and the wind comes up, give it away as the hooks will get fouled by weed, which is very frustrating.

Finally, don’t forget to ask Santa for some fishing tackle that you desperately need and smile because it is good for you.

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85

20/11/2014 5:13 pm

End of year action TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

Time flies when you’re working and fishing hard, it’s already the last month of the year. If you haven’t done it already, now is the time to put in an order for some new fishing gear to be placed under the Christmas tree!

We still have a few weeks left before people go crazy over the silly season, so you should be able to get out and find somewhere to have a fish in peace.

There are still plenty of options over the busy Christmas holiday period if you are looking to get out and enjoy the outdoors without a massive crowd. Some of the more popular lakes will be very busy and the best time to tackle them will be during the week and early and late in the day. People will flock to the places like Leslie, Coolmunda, Moogerah, Somerset, Bjelke-Petersen and Boondooma. Consider fishing some of the electric motor only lakes if you want more peace or even venturing to the less pressured areas like Cania, Isis Balancing Storage,

Lenthalls, Kurwongbah, Ewen Maddock and Wuruma.

The barra lakes around Mackay like Proserpine, Teemburra and Kinchant are worth a crack early and late in the day or even at night. The closed barra season doesn’t apply to these lakes, so you can get your barra fix all year round. Be prepared to tangle with some big, impressive fish.

There’s always somewhere to get away from the crowds if you’re willing to look. Lakes are only one option. The creeks and rivers will also be firing for cod, golden perch and bass. It’s been a while since we have had some good rain to make anything flow so plenty of the creeks and rivers will be clear enough for luring. A rod and handful of spinnerbaits and hardbodies tossed into a kayak is all that is needed to have a fun day.

GET OUT AND HAVE A CRACK Have you ever flicked through the pages of a fishing magazine or turned on your favourite fishing show and drooled over the fish being caught? These articles and shows are quite inspirational and motivating. There’s no need for us to look on and wish it was us on the end of the rod catching all these great fish.

the fish are sitting. At times they will only be 5m down but can be as deep as 10m.

Choose lures to suit the depth at which they are holding.

Bass Bay between the boat ramps and the buoy line near the pump tower is always worth a look. Trolling up the buoys all the way across to Deer Island can also be worthwhile. The bass will roam all over the place and fish can be caught from up the back of Cressbrook Creek arm to the toilet point up Bull (Beams) Creek, so spend some time searching.

If you are into casting, the fishing may be tricky.

Use your boat to draw the fish in and when they school up on the sounder, roll a soft

Why not make a resolution for next year to get out and have a crack at catching some of the great fish we have on offer?

Start by throwing a few bucks away and planning a trip. I love having a fishing trip to plan and look forward to. An adventure in the pipeline helps me to power through days of work, knowing some great fishing action is just around the corner.

We are so lucky to have all the information we need to catch fish right at our fingertips.

Magazine articles, fishing reports, television shows and online videos and other forms of media can be studied to work out just how to go about catching fish. If it’s a new species you’re chasing or an unfamiliar area, we can learn a lot from what is available to us. I believe any trip’s success comes down to planning. The more work and research you do, the more prepared you will be. There’s nothing like a little prior learning before you head off on a trip, it will help with making the right decisions. I was never a boy scout when I was a young fella but their motto couldn’t be truer when it comes to fishing scenarios and finding success. Be prepared!

Until next month, buckled rods from the Colonel!

     

86

DECEMBER 2014

14 17

28

34

18

Toowoomba

BRISBANE 27

21

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

22

24 25 Cairns 1

26

19 20

33

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

5

32

Rockhampton

Emerald 29

Gladstone

30

7

8

10

Bundaberg 9 11

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Maryborough

Roma

BRISBANE

plastic through them. If they are in reasonable numbers, reaction baits will do the job.

Tail-spinners are perfect but you can also use 3/8 and 1/2oz blades. The trick is to fish them at the same depth as the suspended fish. To do this, learn how to count them down by finding some flat bottom at the same depth the fish are holding. Count how long your lure takes to sink to the bottom and then use it as a gauge to work out how to wind and count your lure back to that depth. Once you’ve mastered fishing the lure at that depth, you will be able to venture deeper and count the lure down to suspended fish.

The entry fee at the boom gate has been removed but the 8-knot speed limit is still

DAM LEVEL Report       

16

31 Weipa

Golden perch numbers will increase all over the dams this month. They just seem to love chewing lures with the warmer weather.

DAMS JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV Atkinson 60 56 55 48 41 Awoonga 94 93 92 91 89 Bjelke-Petersen 65 63 62 58 52 Boondooma 74 72 72 70 67 Borumba 99 98 99 98 94 Burdekin Falls 97 94 91 85 78 Callide 61 60 58 56 54 Cania 90 89 87 85 83 Clarendon 69 65 62 55 46 Clarrie Hall n/a n/a 98 n/a n/a Cooby 79 n/a 67 71 63 Coolmunda 49 48 47 44 39 Copeton 33 32 33 30 28 Cressbrook 97 n/a 92 90 88 Dyer/Bill Gunn 71 66 63 58 52 Eungella 99 99 99 98 95 Fairbairn 49 48 45 44 37 Glenlyon 37 37 37 34 32 Hinze 90 88 88 87 85

13

15

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWNS: TOOWOOMBA, CROWS NEST The bass have scattered around the lake and the numbers seem quite low when they are like this.

Fish can be tricky to locate, especially if they are suspended, which is quite common at this time of year.

Lure trolling will be one of the best ways to find and fool the fish into biting. Trolled lures cover heaps of water and this style of presentation is ideal for scattered fish. Deeper diving lures with a small to medium profile will be ideal. Keep a close eye on the sounder to see where

Gympie

12

in place. Hours for boating and day use of the recreation area are 6am-8pm. For all your supplies, expert advice and to check on the boating restrictions, call in at Fish’n’Bits in Alderley Street, Toowoomba, or give them a ring on (07) 4636 6850. The boys at the store all compete in bass tournaments and really know their stuff.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY The bass fishing has been a bit tougher than previous months but the golden perch have fired up even more. Bass anglers will find the fish will start to scatter a little more this month.

To page 87

For fortnightly updates Julius 69 67 65 61 57  Kinchant 99 99 98 96 86 Koombooloomba 97 73 59 35 25  Leslie 36 36 37 33 31  Macdonald 97 95 97 75 62  Maroon 92 91 92 91 87  Monduran/Fred Haigh 85 84 84 82 80  Moogerah 89 91 87 89 81  North Pine/Samsonval 72 70 69 67 63  Peter Faust/Proserpine 94 93 93 91 87 Pindari 17 16 17 15 13  Somerset 98 97 99 98 97  Storm King 62 59 n/a n/a n/a  Teemburra 101 101 101 101 96  Tinaroo 89 85 83 77 71 Toonumbar 98 94 n/a 99 92  Wivenhoe 88 86 86 84 81  Wuruma 78 78 78 76 75

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 20/11/14

From page 86

These scattered fish are great targets for lure trollers.

Trolling deeper divers like Blitz Bagas, Poltergeist Crazy Deeps and Kezza Freaks will ensure you are in with a good chance.

December is a good month for average fishers to have a crack at catching both bass and goldens on trolled lures.

Because the fish spread out, they are more likely to be encountered in different areas of the lake than when they sit in tight schools.

Working the drop offs to the old riverbed in the main basin will be rewarding and fish may also be encountered on the steep

banks or prominent points. In the timber north of Kirkleigh, bass and goldens will hold around the flats, trees and on the river and creek channel edges. Remember there is now a 6-knot speed limit when venturing past the buoy line at the start of the timber.

Lure casters will still be able to catch fish. Look for better concentrations of bass in areas like Bay 13, Pelican Point and The Spit. Locking onto a spot with some fish showing using an I-Pilot electric motor can soon see them bunched up below.

It is then just a matter of trying to make them bite. Ice jigging and vertically fished plastics can be two of the

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY the area straight out from the CLOSET TOWNS: boat ramp and out in front of HIGHFIELDS, the sailing club building. The TOOWOOMBA best depth to target will vary The golden perch have depending on the location of been steady for the last couple the fish so explore 6-10m of months. Some of the more water and try to work out the southern lakes have already most productive depth. The fired up, so hopefully it is bank opposite the boat ramp Cooby’s turn this month. leading up into Cooby Creek is Fishing live shrimp and also reliable. Some of the best saltwater yabbies is usually the fishing can actually come from most reliable approach. If you some of the submerged ridges are able to find a nice patch and drop-off when crossing of fish, hopping blades and the mouth of the Cooby Creek STA13434Dealer1-2_STA11838NewCamp small vibes can be deadly. Try arm. To find these, 18/07/12 you will

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best methods to get bites.

Reaction baits will work best on bass that haven’t schooled below the boat. If the fish are suspended, try counting the lure down to the right depth and keeping it there for most of the retrieve. Blade baits, Mask Vibs and tail-spinners are all worth trying as one can work better than the other on a given day.

MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, ARATULA Moogerah continues to fish quite well for bass. This month, the fish may scatter or suspend a little more but casting reaction lures will get the bites.

Blades, tail-spinners and

lipless crankbaits can be effective provided you put in the time and locate the fish on the sounder. Another good method can be to fish spinnerbaits in the deeper water. To get spinnerbaits down deep enough, try using lighter line. Casting them on spin outfits loaded with 4-8lb braid is ideal. The fine line diameter will allow them to work deeper when retrieved.

MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, BEAUDESERT Maroon’s bass just seem to be getting bigger and bigger. I have heard of plenty of fish over 50cm in length so far this year. Fish between 40-50cm are quite common,

where once a bass of this calibre was hard to find in this dam. I haven’t fished Maroon for some time and have been wondering if their food source has changed.

If bulk amounts of bony bream have bred up after the floods a few years ago it could explain the sudden growth spurt.

Bass are being taken using many methods. Surface fishing in the early morning will produce a few fish but so far it has been quite steady.

The better action is coming from schooling fish on creek bed drop-offs and points.

The schooling bass in Maroon can really turn it on if you have them all to

yourself. Look around the drop-offs and points using your sounder to locate the schools. Once found, try hopping a 1/4oz blade or tail-spinner through them.

When they have been cooperative, it has been a bite on every cast. Of course, it isn’t always like this but if you are looking for a place to get into some schooling bass, Maroon could be the hot spot this month.

If the schools fail to produce or can’t be found, go back to fishing the weed edges. Try reaction baits like silent lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits and beetle spins.

need a quality sounder, which is capable of locating the fish as well.

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.

Live shrimp and saltwater yabbies can be purchased from Highfields Bait and Tackle on the New England Highway 10:37 AM PageCall 1 in and in Highfields.

see Doug and check out the great range of fishing gear, kayaks and accessories he has on display.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK Leslie goldens have fired up and are whacking lures and baits. The Murray cod population is also getting into the action and encounters with them are quite common. Some of the dam’s regulars average a cod every trip!

Lure trolling has been taking fish all over the lake.

A lot of the action has been taking place in the upper

half of the dam around the drop-offs and rocky outcrops.

Trolling in over 6m of water seems to be the key, although it pays to run lures at different depths, as sometimes the fish will be suspended.

Casting blades and hardbodies in the deeper areas can also account for good numbers of golden perch and cod. The fish should be even more responsive to cast lures this month and it can pay to toss some bigger offerings, which will have more appeal to the Murray cod. Hopping Jackall Mask Vibs, Transams and other soft lipless vibes

around the rocky structure is one of the best ways to get into the fish. If you don’t pull a fish on a new piece of structure after 5 minutes, try moving on and finding a patch which is loaded. It is not uncommon to boat over 50 fish a session at this time of year when using this method. Golden perch are quick to pounce on a hopped vibe and it is just a matter of time until a Murray cod wins the race.

Bait fishers can catch golden perch, silver perch and Murray cod in 5-10m of water. Live shrimp are

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To page 88

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DECEMBER 2014

87

From page 87

the best all-round bait but saltwater yabbies are an easily attainable alternative.

Worms seem to pull fewer golden perch but can be better on catfish and silver perch.

For any tips and gear

for fishing Leslie Dam or the Warwick area, call in and see the guys at Warwick Outdoor and Sports in Palmerin Street Warwick. The store stocks a great range of bait and freshwater gear, which is well-suited to catching our Australian natives.

COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD The fish fired up last month and the great action should continue for at least another two months. Lure and bait fishers have been scoring fish once they find a productive patch of water.

The area out in front of the boat ramp and off to the left has been one of the best for luring and bait fishing. The flats, which lead up to the creek and river channels can hold a

few fish. Usually, most of the fish will be close to the drop-off to deeper water. Trolling this edge is the way to go. Choose a lure that dives close to the bottom for your chosen stretch of water. The drop-off depth will vary from the basin of the lake to further up around the timber so be prepared to change lures to suit.

Casting lipless crankbaits and hardbodies up in the timbered areas should produce golden perch and if you are lucky a quality Murray cod.

WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION

Golden perch will pounce on hardbodied lures cast around the timbered edges at Coolmunda in the mornings and afternoons.

BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY The fishing action will be hot this month. Bait fishers will be scoring bass and golden perch. Try fishing inside the timber or around the points in the basin for a mixed bag.

Lure trolling will be awesome this month. The bigger bass will scatter through the main basin and can be caught on medium diving hardbodies in the deeper areas.

Lures like the Golden Child, 3m Poltergeist and Smak 12 are ideal. Corey from the caravan park reports lures with tiger stripe patterns have been going off. It always pays to keep a permanent marker

lucky enough to run a GPS, the boat’s speed should be a slow walking pace of around 2-3km/h. Lure distance will vary depending on the depth of the fish but start off with around 30m of line out if the fish are about 7m down and mix it up from there.

Lure casters can still catch the suspending bass, although big numbers may be hard to achieve due to their spread out nature. If it is one of those days where the bass follow the boat, they will school up below and can be fooled with ice jigs and soft plastics. If the concentrations are high enough, try various lures at the depth the fish are holding. It is important to count lures down

These fish can be found in quite shallow water in the mornings and afternoons. During the day, look for structure on the bottom. A side imaging sounder is ideal to find trees lying on the bottom. This type of structure can hold plenty of fish, especially if it is close to a drop off to deeper water.

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 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 near the boat ramp with toilets and hot showers to make your stay more comfortable.

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

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 basic items. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call Corey and Niki on (07) 4168 9694.

BJELKE CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI Big goldens and small bass will be fired up this month.

The goldens can be caught on live shrimp and saltwater yabbies if you are keen to soak a bait. Lure trolling is the other option. Try working the second basin of the lake all the way up to the timber.

Look for flats and drop offs to the old creek and troll around these using medium and deep

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.

ISIS BALANCING STORAGE CLOSEST TOWN: BUNDABERG The hot weather will see some awesome surface action if you are able to get to the dam prior to the sun rising. Fish surface lures around the edges and over the top of any weed, which is just below the surface. The Isis would have of be one of the best surface fishing impoundments we have in Queensland.

One gun lure is the Cultiva Zip’n Ziggy, although similar stickbaits with a walk-the-dog actions will suffice. It can also pay to try a cup-faced popper, especially if you are targeting tighter areas. These lures are perfect inside weed and lily pockets where a slower retrieve is needed.

As the day wears on, the surface action will die off and you’ll need to extract the fish from deeper areas around the weed. Reaction baits will be worth a shot due to the warm conditions. Lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits and blades can be tricky to fish close to the weed, but once you master keeping them close to it without fouling up, the results will come.

The boys at Bundaberg’s Saltys Tackleworld fish the dam on a regular basis.

Being so passionate about their bass fishing, they are the ones to talk to if you are heading to the lake for a fish. Saltys stock a great range of lures for both fresh and saltwater fishing and the Bundaberg area has plenty to offer.

MONDURAN CLOSEST TOWN: GIN GIN With stable, warm water temperatures at the lake, the barra action should become a little more reliable. The fishing has been pretty tough but there are still barra being

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Tail-spinners are a great reaction lure to use for casting or trolling for bass. They cover plenty of water when the fish are scattered. or paint pen in the boat, just in case you need to match a lure up to one that is doing the damage. Golden perch will also whack lures, but are more common around the points and closer to the banks.

Wandering around with a lure or two in tow will certainly see something loading your rod so be sure to give it a go.

While hardbodies are an easy option for trolling, there are other options. Towing soft plastics, blades, tail-spinners and spinnerbaits using an electric motor can be even more effective. The tricky part is working out how far back to run them and the boat speed to make sure they are swimming at the right depth. If you are

to the exact depth to achieve good catch rates. Find some flat bottom the same depth as your fish and practice fishing your chosen lures while counting the initial sink rate and then the sink rates after a certain amount of winds. It sounds confusing and a lot of effort, but I guarantee it works.

By using the bottom as a guide to keep the desired lure depth, you’ll catch heaps more fish when you move back out to where they are suspended. I even write everything down sometimes as different lures have different sink rates.

Boondooma is a great place to camp right near the water and sit by the fire while enjoying the view. You could

diving lures.

The small bass should be thick in some areas. These fish will hold around the edges in water 5-10m deep. They can also be found out on the flats and the old creek channels where the goldens hang out.

Bass will take trolled lures but casting can catch better numbers where good shows are found.

Blade baits will give the best hook-up on these smaller sized bass but they will eat plenty of other offerings if you persist. If you try a blade bait, opt for one around 1/4oz in weight and try hopping and rolling it to see if the fish prefer a particular presentation.

For help catching Bjelke

To page 89

From page 88

put in the boat by anglers willing to give it a good go.

The upper part of the lake above White Rock has been most productive. The barra can be caught around the edges near the spindly timber in bays and on points.

If you notice any good weed and lily growth, it is always worth a look to see if there are fish holding around it.

Most fishers are still tossing hardbodied lures.

Suspenders and slow floaters that dive a couple of metres seem to be most popular. The warmer water temperature would also mean plastics

are worth a go. A faster retrieve can be used with the soft plastic making them great search baits capable of covering plenty of water. Once barra are found, you can slow down and pepper the area because where there is one, there is nearly always more.

The tackle store in Gin Gin, Foxies, stocks a range of effective barra lures. The store will mail order and you can check it out online at www. barratackle.com.au. Be sure to call in and get directions to some of the best barra fishing in the area or pick up one of the detailed maps.

Accommodation can

Hopping vibes amongst schooled bass can sometimes be their undoing when other methods aren’t working.

be booked through Lake Monduran Kiosk and Tackle Shop. They look after all the cabins, houses, powered and unpowered campsites, as well as house boats and boat hire.

You can also make bookings

for Guide Lines fishing charters through the kiosk on (07) 4157 3881. I usually stay at the Gin Gin Hotel, which is about 20 minutes from the boat ramp. The rooms are very affordable and pretty basic but

WHITSUNDAY REGION PROSERPINE CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSERPINE, AIRLIE BEACH This is the time of year when the barra move to the main basin of the lake, where they can be caught on trolled lures. The deep water out in the middle within a couple of kilometres of the buoy line at the dam wall will hold some big brutes. Trolling around dawn and dusk usually produces best but fish can also be caught during the day and night. Keep a close eye on the sounder for schools of bait and barra arches and when found, target these areas. If the fish are deep, try deeper lures like Scorpion Crazy Deeps. If they move shallow, chances are they will feed and you should run a lure which tracks at or just above the depth they are showing up at.

There will still be plenty of other barra scattered around the dam. The deep trees, bays, points and spindly trees will all hold their share of fish.

Fish smart, put in the time and you should be rewarded.

The shallows are best fished from the afternoon through to the morning. After that, the fish tend to bite better in the deeper water where they take hardbodies fished to the trees lining the creeks running through the timber.

When visiting Proserpine at this time of years, it pays to have a tackle box full of lures.

Surface luring is a great option in the morning and afternoon.

Hardbodies of different depths can be used for casting and trolling and soft plastics are very versatile and capable of targeting fish at different depths. Proserpine barramundi are big powerful fish. The average size is over 1m in length, so be prepared for some mind blowing fishing once you crack a productive pattern.

If you are heading out to the dam, make sure you call in at Proserpine Bait and Tackle. The store is on the highway through Proserpine

you can get a great feed and cold beer. To make a booking call (07) 4157 2106.

Jamie Bein runs Lake Monduran Barra Charters and fishes that dam more than anyone I know. His regular

visits ensure he has a good understanding of what’s going on. Contact Jamie on his mobile, 0407 434 446 or through his website www.lakemonduranbarra charters.com.

and stocks all the barra gear you could possibly need. The guys will be able to send you in the right direction and help with nailing the lake’s big fish.

The storeowner Lindsay Dobe runs charters on the lake and bookings can be made through the store on (07) 4945 4641

Trolling the main basin of Proserpine Dam will produce some big barramundi this month. Deep divers like the Scorpion 125 Crazy Deep are ideal.

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89

Impoundment barra open for summer business BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

It’s old news that the tidal and coastal barramundi season’s closed until February, which means there’s not even a spot of catch and release for a bit of fun because this caper upsets the vital breeding instincts of the fish.

Impoundment barra, on the other hand, are fair game as they cannot breed in dams, and for the angler wanting some top sport with the fly rod, these iconic fish are a godsend. They are not subject to tidal movement – although the jury is still locked in debate as to tidal phase influence on bite times – as they are in a closed environment, albeit a large one.

Also, when hooked, freshies offer all of the excitement of their sea run cousins. There’s the same thumping hit, usually a bit of jumping and trademark tractor like pulling. Last but not least, barra grow very big in dams and many an angler failing to catch and fulfil the dream of a metre fish in the salt will quickly round up the score sheet in the fresh water environment. Besides, skill

learned at finding, hooking and playing barra in dams will stand the angler in good stead for a crack at the salties once the season opens next year.

OUTFIT Go for a 10wt every time, and set it up with an intermediate sink rate line, plus a spare spool having a floating line on it. If you don’t have flies, buy some size Deceivers, Gold Bombers or Bush Pigs in around a 4/0 size. I make my own and while very rough, they work. Flash and bulk is everything with barra.

PLENTY OF FISH Luckily, we Queenslanders are blessed with a diversity of barra stocked impoundments starting from Monduran Dam in the south right up to Lake Tinaroo towards Cairns. In between there’s popular Lakes such as Awoonga, Kinchant, Teemburra, Peter Faust plus some lesser known water storages linked to power stations such as Callide.

There’s plenty of barra to play with, but barra being barra, they can be fussy and quite close mouthed at times yet my experience shows that when they are seemingly ignoring the best efforts of lure anglers, they will sometimes nail a fly.

While I’m not suggesting that fly fishing is more effective

than other methods, the plain truth is that it’s still a quite viable method of hooking barra if the angler goes about things the right way.

TIME AND PLACE IS IMPORTANT The fly angler needs to combine some important aspects about barra feeding habits for best success. These apex predators are most active when light is down or non-existent, which means early starts (pre dawn is great) and fishing late afternoon and into the night will bear fruit. Night fishing is not for everyone, but if you choose the right situation it’s not hard and can be very rewarding. The point is that there’s no need to make a long cast to hook a barra, as these are not overly shy fish providing the boat is sitting quietly without noise being made within, and this is vital. Noise alerts barra to a boat’s presence and they will skirt around it unseen.

This time of year a lot of barra are going to be feeding in water less than 4m deep, which is perfect for the fly angler. In shallow water the fish hone in on a fly and it won’t go unnoticed.

FIRST TIME AT FAUST My wife Denise and I recently spent a few days

fishing Peter Faust Dam (Lake Proserpine) for the first time. We noted lily beds in many places, forests of standing timber along most shores with a few promising points and the like not hard to find. That said, it took 4 sessions of mooching about, noting features and checking depths of points, flats and inlets while fishing different areas with the fly before I was satisfied we had located a genuine hot spot, a place we could easily fish without interference from timber and where patrolling fish would surely notice our flies.

A lily bed with 3m of water abutting the outer edge of it took my fancy and we drifted slowly while casting flies hard against the lily pads, letting them sink a bit then stripping them back in slow movements.

In two short sessions we attracted several fish (big fat boils of water near the boat) had a fly turned inside out by a fish that had crushed it and spat it out – this happening to me without the slightest tap or resistance – and landed two fish and lost another head shaking rascal. These were not Peter Faust giants,

A happy Mr Kampe with one of Peter Faust’s fat barra.

Such places exist in all our barra dams, you just need to find them.

the best was only around a 1m, but on the fly rod these fish were big hitters, exciting

to play and then photograph.

That’s quality barra fishing in my book.

FIND THE FEATURES: FIND THE FISH While I always look for features such as a point with weed beds and lilies or perhaps a shallow flat with a weed bed abutting deeper water, such places can be a bit hard to locate in a dam that is being fished for the first time but perseverance pays and the smart angler will look good and hard to locate hot spots before deciding to fish.

Timbered flats always abound but my advice is to forget the timbered areas, no matter how tempting. Sure they hold lots of barra but standing sticks are mighty hard to extract a fish from on a fly rod. When anglers using powerful baitcaster outfits spooled with 50lb braid and 80lb leaders are getting busted off, the direct drive fly reel and flexible fly rod is going to do it mighty tough by comparison.

Next issue, we’ll look at suitable fly fishing areas in more detail, playing fish on the long rod, options for best boat positioning and the joys of night fishing for barra as well as some floating line options.

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Tech Tricks

Rigging weedless plastics: how to do it better BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

When fishing soft plastics through heavy structure, anglers have adopted numerous methods to ensure they have a reliable rig to hook their quarry while still being able to work their offering productively through weed beds, mangrove snags, rock walls and other cover.

There are varied ways to rig your weedless offerings.

Over the years many anglers have developed or adopted their own version of the basic weedless rig that they are confident with for the species they target. In this article, I

will demonstrate a few of the weedless rigging options for shads and other plastics, which may prove useful for your applications.

I have used weedless rigging for some of my plastics for over a decade now but had never been confident with my rig until a few years ago. I suppose the array of plastics available in the early years was fairly limited, and many, especially the shads, had solid bodies. I wasn’t comfortable with the hook up rate when rigging these on worm hooks as the fish had to hit the plastic exceptionally hard for the bend of the hook to push through the plastic far enough to provide enough open gape for a solid purchase. And this all had to

1

Pass the hook point through the centre of the nose and protrude it out just under the chin of the plastic. Slide the plastic along the shank until it sits on the kink in the shank just behind the eye.

happen in a split second with most species as they would eject the plastic as fast as they had engulfed it. Additionally, many of the worm hooks available were only of a light wire construction and not suitable for most of our tough Aussie sportfish.

Over the last decade, there has been an enormous array of quality plastics and worm hooks entering the country. Many of these have slits in the belly or hollow bellies and additional recesses in the back, which has made them softer and more suitable for rigging with worm hooks.

When using these plastics, the initial hit of the fish is easily sufficient to push the hook point proud of the body to promote a positive hook set.

2

Flip the plastic around so it is sitting as shown on the hook. By laying the hook bend next to the body you will be able to work out at what point it needs to penetrate through the back of the plastic in the next step.

5

4

Although this plastic was presented well on the hook, a gentle pull on the tail of the plastic will have the head sliding back down the shank and the plastic will bunch up as shown.

This is especially important for anglers targeting impoundment and saltwater barra, which have a hit and spit habit. The hook point needs to be prominent and driven home in a split second before the fish has ejected the plastic.

Berkley Hollow Bellies, Castaic Jerky-J, Squidgy Slick Rigs and a host of other early offerings were soft enough to be fished with worm hooks. In recent times there has been a number of shads from Z-man, Keitech, Jackall Brothers, Fish Arrow and others which will work well with worm hooks and weedless rigging. I have used most of these, finding certain ones better for some species and

To avoid this, there are a couple of additions that can be made to the rig. The first utilises Bait Buttons (also distributed by Tackle Tactics), which are small rubber disks in a handy dispenser. Go back to Step 2 of the rigging to put these on. Put the hook point in the slot and push downwards so the point penetrates the disk. A small rubber lumo bead or similar rubber or plastic disk could also be used.

situations than others, yet all are great products.

One of the problems with worm hooks has always been keeping the plastic rigged straight on the hook.

With repetitive casting and short or tentative strikes, the plastic has a tendency to pull down on the hook, making it curved, which results in it spinning throughout the rest of the retrieve. This is especially frustrating as you never get that second hit and can even spook fish, therefore a future cast is ignored.

Keeping plastics straight on the hook, even with a quite aggressive tail strike will greatly increase your chances of getting a more aggressive second strike and subsequent solid hook up.

3

Part the slit in the belly and pass the hook point through the back at the desired point. The plastic should be straight on the hook and the hook should penetrate the plastic centrally through the body. Sometimes when working over very heavy structure, anglers will push the hook point lightly into the plastic again as shown.

6

Slide this along the hook shank until it is hard up against the chin of the plastic as shown.

Then continue with Step 3 of the rigging. This will help to hold the plastic in place but a savage tail strike may still pull it backwards on the shank. For barra fishing some years ago (before Bait Buttons were readily available) I began using a different method.

8

7

Once the plastic is fully rigged on the hook, get some thin tie wire about 5cm long. I initially pulled the wire out of some plastic bag twist-ties but have also used florist wire for this. Pass the wire through the eye of the hook (not the eyelet on the lead head) and then secure by wrapping it back around itself a few times.

Let’s initially look at rigging a shad style plastic with a worm hook and then two different methods to keep it straight on the hook. We will use one of the popular TT Snakehead Rigs for this demonstration, however the rigging will be the same for most good worm hooks whether they are weighted or not.

Although it may not look pretty, this rigging method offers exceptional durability and means that you will get the best out of your plastics whilst being able to fish them deep in heavy structure, which is often where some of the better quality fish will reside. From here it is up to you to extract them. Good luck with that!

Pass the wire past the chin of the plastic and then wrap around the hook shank a few times as shown. It is extremely difficult to pull the plastic back along the hook shank and the plastic actually has to totally be torn off the hook to remove it. Z-man plastics offer an exceptionally tough rig when used like this. However it is still easy to change plastics by untwisting the wire, putting on a new offering and then retwisting the wire around the shank.

DECEMBER 2014

91

Cardwell Barra Bonanza brings quality by-catch The Cairns Hardware Cardwell Barra Bonanza is done and dusted for 2014, boasting an astonishing 153 competitors and some fantastic catches.

In typical North Queensland weather, the sun shone with a beautiful breeze and kept everyone cool and the mosquitoes at bay.

With some great salmon, mangrove jack and grunter brought in, anglers were

very proud to show off their catches at the weigh-in and have a well-earned cold drink.

Although the barra were a little off the bite, were still a total of 65 caught and released, to live and tell the tale.

Saturday night was a fantastic pig on the spit with all the trimmings, followed by our presentation with congratulations to all our winners.

based band Say What, who kept everyone dancing the night away.

We would like to thank all our competitors who came from far and wide as well as the many volunteers who put in a lot of hours and effort into planning and organising the event.

To our Sponsors, Cairns Hardware, BCF Townsville, Tully Tackle World, CUB,

Freddys Outdoor and Sports Townsville, Daiwa, Surecast Castnets, Cardwell Traders True Value Hardware, Reelax and many more, a huge thank you as you made this event possible.

We look forward to seeing you all in 2015 for another fantastic event, so watch this space for the dates.

Until then, tight lines! Cardwell Sportfishing Club

The biggest mangrove jack was caught by Adam Royle and weighed in at 1.5kg.

Champion Junior Team Brianna Ash, Phoebe Jamieson and Brett Jacobs.

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Townsville anglers dominated the comp with ‘Team Barralundi’ consisting of Nathan Mathieson, Morgan Macory and Daniel Mathieson, claiming the Champion Team award.

Rebecca Price claimed the prize for the Champion Female angler, while Champion Male award went to Nathan Mathieson with Billie Price taking out Champion Junior.

Tully’s Wade Jodvalkus took out the major prize, for the longest barramundi of the tournament, with a 71cm beauty.

Flying the flag for Cardwell Sportfishing Club were the Junior Champions of the event, ‘The Little Nippers’, consisting of Brianna-Dee Ash, Phoebe Jamieson and Brett Jacobs.

Local Baden Candow caught the biggest salmon, at 2.1kg, the biggest Javelin award went to Edmonton angler Grant Berrill with 2.43kg fish and the biggest mangrove jack, at 1.5kg, was caught by Adam Royle from Allingham.

Congratulations to all!

It was then time to let your hair down and party to the sounds of Townsville-

015 FFeebb 220 8tthh SSuunn 8 & & h t h 7 t t 7 SSaat Hoours: CCoommpp. HSat tto a 55aammSmSSuunn a to1100am Major Prize Giveaways boat and freak double agent Kayak

The Champion Team Morgan Macory, Nathan and Daniel Mathieson with the reps of Barra Bonanza sponsors, Cairns Hardware.

Austackle fishing fun The Austackle – Bluefin Country Fishing Classics Round 2 took place on the 1-2 November.

The competition caters for catch and release anglers, along with a deadweight class. Only one fish per species is allowed to be weighed in, making the competition all-inclusive and encourages sustainable fishing.

The fishing grounds included The Mary River and its tributaries, giving anglers plenty of water to choose from. Competitors fished land-based, from kayaks and from boats. Big threadfin, plenty of bass, catfish and flathead made for great bragging. Some

92

DECEMBER 2014

Billie Price, Champion Junior, with her proud dad and an unlucky flathead!

made it to table, feeding the family.

M a r y b o r o u g h showgrounds hosted headquarters for the event, providing camping on site in a social setting, whilst Tairo Lions Club kept the competitors fed and watered.

Adult entries took home a show bag worth over $100, and every child won a prize!

Lucky dip prizes totalling over $5000 were hugely popular. With a minimum prize of $30 and a maximum prize of $300, and sponsors such as Tonic Sunglasses, Railblaza, Austackle lure packs, odds were good for some heavy booty.

Major category winners took home a certificate and bragging rights, and 10

lucky random winners took home prizes from a pool with a combined value of $5000 including Lowrance Elite7 Chirp plus Navionics Gold Card, Tonic Eyewear, Austackle packs, Railblaza accessories and more.

Entries are open for Round 3, Bjelke Petersen Dam on 17-18 January.

Show bags are only available to pre-entries, so get in early!

Entries are available online www.countryfc. com.au or at the Kiosks at Yallakool BP Dam, Lake Boondooma and Mingo Crossing. You can also get entries from from Freedom Fishing Supplies Maryborough and Anglers Den Urangan.

Book

Barra on the bite for Isa’s Classic The action of the 2014 Clancy Corporation Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic has wrapped up with the revised 2-day format deemed a success and the Outback Barra on the bite!

With low lake levels and possible boating restrictions looming over organisers heads throughout the lead up, fine and sunny weather conditions saw Event Manager Steve Farnsworth of the Mount Isa Fish Stocking

the far south of Queensland” he said. “The lower lake levels in fact played to the advantage of the anglers, with warmer than average water temperatures seeing 185 fish weighed in over the 23 hours of fishing, including 15 barramundi, the highest recorded number since 2007”.

“The fish weighed in were of really great quality, some were absolute whoppers like Lucas Menzel’s 99.8cm and 11.96kg barramundi weighed

Stephen Farrelly, Chief Executive Mount Isa Water Board, Nicholas Oltvanji (winner) and Steve Farnsworth, Event Manager Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic (left to right) with the winner’s cheque for the $5,000 Mount Isa Water Board Mystery Weight Barra

Lucas Menzel with the perpetual Overall Heaviest Barramundi trophy Group pleasantly surprised with spectator, competitor and catch numbers.

“With the need to reformat the event this year we knew some of our numbers, especially out of town competitors may be down. But we were in fact quiet chuffed with how the whole event went with 260 competitors nominating, some from as far away as South Headland, Western Australia and Goondiwindi in your campsite at www. yallakoolpark.com.au or phone (07) 4168 4746.

CFC Grand final will

in at approximately 8:30am Saturday”.

The prize on everyone’s lips, the must be won $5,000 for the Mount Isa Water Board Mystery Weight Barra, went home with junior angler Nicholas Oltvanji for his first ever barra catch, weighing in at 5.3kg, which was the closest to the special re-selected.

Other major category winners included Lucas Menzel snagging the along with plenty of other sponsor products. Fish just one round of CFC to gain entry to the grand final.

prestigious title of the Overall Heaviest Barramundi with his 11.96kg specimen, Chris Kirikos taking out the Champion Senior Angler and Andrew Knight the hotly contested Champion Junior Angler title.

Vince Butcher won the lucky senior nomination prize of a Skytrans flight package and Irene Baillie took out the

Lucky Gate Prize consisting of a $500 Brogden’s Furniture Court gift voucher.

For those who stayed on the shore, the entertainment schedule saw ‘Team Kava’ take out the Buffs Club Beach Volleyball Competition, the Mount Isa Mines Dragon Slayers take out the Commerce North West Dragon Boat Regatta and

Nicholas Oltvanji weighing in the $5,000 Mount Isa Water Board Mystery Weight Barra. the crowds enjoy live music, exhibits, stalls and children’s activities such as the jumping castle, yabby races and casting competitions.

The GE Mining Fireworks Spectacular was once again a huge hit, with

Clancy Corporation Dragon Power get set to play the Mount Isa Mines Dragon Slayers in the 2014 Commerce North West Dragon Boat Regatta

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crowds of hundreds lining the shores to see what was referred to as the most amazing display ever seen at the event, lasting over 10 minutes and including some amazing special effects that lit up the natural amphitheatre and mirror-like waters.

For the second year running, campers were also treated to hot and cold showers at the main competition site; proving popular with the weekend’s warm weather!

For the full list of winners and results from the 2014 Clancy Corporation Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic, check out the events website www.lakemoondarra fishingclassic.com.au.

- Katie Schrodter

RUNABOUTS 4.1m to 5.5m “If it’s not a STESSCO...

YOU’VE MISSED THE BOAT!!

Catch and Release Male categories were a family affair, with Jason Pedler taking the adults category on 962 points. Junior Dustin Pedler almost caught Dad with 932 points. be held at Bjelke Petersen Dam on 18-19 of April and boasts a randomly drawn Bluefin boat package for both adults and juniors,

So grab the kids, your mates and the camping gear and get fishing for your chance to win! – Tracey Mammen

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93

Somerton wins Hobie Bass Series Grand Final As the sun rose over the waters of Queensland’s Lake Macdonald for the final day of competition, anglers busily prepared their Hobie kayaks for the 8 hour, day two session of the Hobie Bass Series Grand Final which would see a new champion crowned.

When all results were finalised and confirmed by the Tournament Director, 2013 World Champion, Richard Somerton from

Victoria was crowned the 2014 Hobie Kayak Bass Series Champion, capping off a fantastic year in kayak angling. His impressive 370cm total aggregate fish length placed him comfortably ahead of the field with a commendable performance by runner up Daniel Brown from NSW with a total 318cm catch and John Noble from QLD whose 295cm bag won him the third position on the podium.

WINNING WAYS When asked what gave him his winning edge Somerton replied, “I was getting them just off the weed bed at around 4m, and I just stayed there. I was telling the boys, ‘just stay at 4m’, and today they did and they filled their bags.”

Bass Master Elites qualifier Carl Jocumsen, fresh back from the USA was on hand to help out with the afternoon’s awards ceremony and asked our anglers a few questions about their time on the water.

D e s c ribing his three sessions, the new Bass Series champion, Somerton said, “In the first session, I tried a bit of surface early with a little Mazzy Pop, ended up pulling a 38 just waking it underneath the surface, then that went quiet so I picked up a spinnerbait and had my bag by about 8.15am and then I could start looking for upgrades.

“After I’d found a few upgrades, I left some fish biting in a bay for

Richard Somerton from Victoria was crowned the 2014 Hobie Kayak Bass Series Champion.

WINNING TACKLE Rod:......................... Duffrods 7′ Baitcaster and spin Reel: . ....Daiwa Exist, Daiwa Tatula, Daiwa TD Zillion Line: ................Daiwa Sensor Braid, Berkley Fireline Lure: . ..................................... TT Vortex Spinnerbait

The Hobie Kayak Bass Series grand final line up. the 2 hours of power of the second session, I just powered straight there. It was a bit of a hike so I was watching the clock the whole time. Once I had three legals I thought‚ ‘I need to get back’, so I fired off one more cast, upgraded and then raced back.

“On the second day I had to get over a bit of

hoodoo cause I’ve had a couple of bad second days recently and I got on to a bunch of undersize fish early on and I thought ‘here we go’ but I knew the spot didn’t fire until the afternoon so I went up the system, got my bag and then headed back to my first spot and upgraded in the arvo”.

BRIDESMAID BROWN Brown who placed second in the 2013 Hobie Fishing Bass Grand Final, also netted a catch of bass that measured up short of the tournament winner by 52cm. Nevertheless it gave him an overall advantage in length of 23cm over third place, podium finisher John Noble.

Brown summed up his grand final performance by saying,

“Two times a bridesmaid, going to have to make it work next year.

But seriously, it was a great competition. I loved the three-session format – another hour on the second session would have been even better. The venue was great. This is the first time I’ve fished Lake Macdonald, it’s a great, smaller venue with plenty of options. I loved the

weedy edges, that’s where I found my fish”.

He used a Daiwa Black Label rod, Daiwa Freams and Daiwa Certate reels, 10lb Shinobi Braid, 8lb Daiwa Tournament Leader, and Vortex Spinnerbait in purple nightmare.

NOBLE THIRD WITH BOSS HOG Third place getter in the grand final and winner of round 3 at Moogerah Dam, John Noble from Queensland brought an exceptional 132cm bag back to the Berkley Measuring Station after session 3. Among them the biggest bass of the grand final that measured in at a massive 47cm.

His Boss Hog Big Bass was landed on a Lucky Craft LCMG Power Pointer rod with a Quantum TE100HPT reel, using 10lb Fins Braid with 10lb Rockfish leader.

The 47cm Australian bass smashed a Jackall TN60 Silent Brown Dog. Congratulations to the newest champion, Richard Somerton, to enter the Hobie record books and to all of the competitors on a tight and closely fought grand final. Thank you to all of the other competitors

TOP TEN FINISHERS

Two years a bridesmaid, second-place getter Daniel Brown vowed to come back next year for the win.

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DECEMBER 2014

PLACE................ANGLER................................................................... TOTAL (CM) 1.........................Richard Somerton (VIC)............................................. 370 2.........................Daniel Brown (NSW).................................................. 318 3.........................John Noble (QLD)...................................................... 295 4 ........................Dave Mann (QLD)...................................................... 266 5.........................Anthony Correnti (QLD)............................................. 254 6.........................Glenn Hayter (NSW).................................................. 244 7.........................Bryce Beechey (QLD)................................................ 235 8.........................Denis Metzdorf (QLD)................................................ 232 9.........................Jonathan Chen (ACT)................................................ 230 10.......................Mark McKay (QLD).................................................... 228

QR CODE

Carl and Richard do a walk-through on the Hobie PAs used in the event.

The top three place getters: (left to right) John Noble from Queensland, Richard Somerton from Victoria, and Daniel Brown from NSW. who participated in the other rounds of the series in 2014.

Hobie has committed itself to staging the Hobie Kayak Bass Series once again in 2015 and it is expected that the numbers participating will grow as they have over the previous years.

While the tournaments will become stronger

and more competitive, the sportsmanship, camaraderie, enjoyment and spirit will continue to reflect what has become known as the Hobie Way of Life.

SPECIAL THANKS Thanks to Mal and Trish Gray from Sunstate Hobie for providing dealer support and the Breakfasts and BBQ’s at this year’s grand

final. Like all of the events in the Hobie Kayak Fishing Series, the Grand Final could not have gone ahead without the great support of our generous sponsors Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic.

Lowrance, Rhino-Rack, Strike Pro, Austackle, TT Lures, Yamatoyo, Ecogear, Power-Pole and Hog’s Breath Cafe.

Missed the full presentation? Scan the QR code to watch it here. 5th through 1st

Carl Jocumsen interviews Richard Somerton about his Grand Final win.

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www.smartwaveboats.co.nz Phone: 1800 073 463 DECEMBER 2014

95

IES IC SER ng R T C E EL wi BASS ted by Has Presen Lake Lenthall, located near Maryborough in Queensland, was the venue for the 2014 Bluefin Boats BASS Electric Convention. This season-

Lake Lenthall shines for Bluefin Boats Would Lake Lenthall produce the numbers and quality of bass that had seen the venue used for multiple Australian Fishing Championship series? Had the lakes barramundi had an impact on fish stocks?

OPPOSITION WITH LENTHALL LEVIATHANS Stuart France, a 36 year old store-person for Dulux, took out the 2014 Bluefin Boats BASS Electric Convention. France came

bites – sometimes by letting it sink first then retrieving or other times by just changing it up.

“I caught 10 bass on the first day with only two legals,” Stuart said, “but on the second day I was beaten

Australia’s top BASS Electric anglers competed for the 2014 title on Lenthalls Dam, near Maryborough, QLD.

Jackall TN60 (silent) in brown dog

highlight event brought together qualifiers from 11 qualifying events held in New South Wales and Queensland throughout the year.

Forty-one anglers in total battled it out for the title and the great prizes on offer. With a wrapped Bluefin Boats Estuary Pro on the line for the overall winner, the competition was fast and furious.

How can one out-fish the most committed, passionate BASS Electric anglers in the country? These were only a handful of questions that were shared prior to the event.

In the end the finale had all the twists and turns of a Hollywood blockbuster with a finish that even the best screenwriters would have been shaking their heads at.

FRANCE SHADES

A GREAT PRIZE Long-term BASS Electric sponsor, Bluefin Boats provided a sensational season-ending prize for the Convention. The wrapped Estuary Pro not only looked fantastic, but provides the ultimate platform for bass electric anglers.

Sponsored Bluefin angler, Aidan Robertson was on hand to present the prize to the Convention winner.

96

DECEMBER 2014

from 16th place after day one (1.91kg) to storm home in the last session with the largest limit of the tournament (3.69kg). In doing so, France overcame his nearest rival by 430g, securing the victory and the wrapped Bluefin Boats Estuary Pro. France had the opportunity to prefish for the Convention and began to formulate a plan for the locations he would target.

“I prefished two weeks out from the Convention with fellow angler Shaun Faulkenhagen. This was only the second time that I had fished Lake Lenthall.

We mainly worked the left arm that weekend leaving the middle and right arm for the Friday prefish before the event, we seemed to do better in the left so stuck with that for the tournament,” France said.

“I had a area halfway up the left arm near the junction on the right side, fishing the edge of the timber. There was a laydown near by and the depth I was sitting in was 15ft, with fish suspended 5ft off the bottom but the fish I was catching were the active ones moving into the edge to feed,” he continued.

Casting his Jackall TN60 brown dog silent lipless crankbait and slow rolling it out got him the

Dave Young capped a stellar BASS year with a second place finish at the Convention.

Stuart France smoked the field on day 2, rising from a pedestrian 16th right up to 1st place. by other anglers to my first day spot, so I had to change plans and fish further up the left arm. This is where the pre-fish helped by knowing the more productive banks.”

Within a few casts, his lipless crankbait caught his biggest fish, slow rolling it out from some more timber off the edge with the boat sitting in the magic 15ft mark. Within 50m he boated

his second fish, which he knew he wasn’t going to – a 45cm and 43cm fork bass were in the well.

“So I decided to find some shade and look after the wellbeing of the fish as I only had an esky for a livewell and had caught the fish in the first 1/2hr and had a long time till weigh in. I fished out of a borrowed electric

boat for the weekend,” France finished.

As it happened, the day two, 3.69kg limit catapulted him into the top place. And what better time to do it than on the last day of the season.

“His rod of choice was a Barrabass XP 843 baitcaster, Daiwa SS SV reel spooled with Sunline 12lb Castaway braid and Sunline 10lb FC Rock leader.

e 2nd Plac

YOUNG GUNS TO SECOND PLACE Thirty year old Health IT worker, Dave Young capped off a sensational season in all forms of bass fishing, with podium finishes in the BASS Pro and BASS Electric Grand Finals.

“I pre-fished the weekend prior to tournament and found fish in all three arms of the lake. Fishing in middle arm was toughest, but produced the best quality fish,” Dave explained.

“Also, the general feel from travelling partners and other competitors was that middle arm was tough and not many would be fishing there during the comp. This helped me make the decision to fish here during the comp. I knew the two other arms had better water but figured they would attract the most attention from anglers,” Young hypothesised.

Young stuck to his guns for the duration on the event, targeting shallow, timbered bays on the right hand side heading up the

arm as well as the first bank on the left as the creek narrows on the way up the middle arm.

Dave chose this location for their depth, structure and presence of baitfish.

The creek bed swings close to the left hand bank where creek narrows - this provided about 20ft of water a cast from the edge.

Early in the morning the fish would come from hard against the edge and as sun got higher they would pull out from bank and sit around submerged fallen trees in 20ft of water.

“On Saturday fish came quickly and early - hard on the edges of creek in top of middle arm but Sunday was a lot tougher,” Dave explained.

“I didn’t catch my first fish until 11am, but then caught a limit and upgraded twice by 11:45. The key on the Sunday was to fish parallel to the bank. I was struggling to get a bite from the edge and started to notice the odd fish mid water under the boat when I was about a cast distance from the edge,” he beamed.

The Lowrance DownScan showed in detail large amounts of fallen timber on the bottom along that stretch of bank. He would make a long cast parallel to the bank and allow the silent Jackall TN60 in

chameleon to sink to the bottom in approximately 20ft of water. He then commenced a slow, steady retrieve, feeling the lure bumping into timber and logs throughout the presentation.

Once he made this adjustment to his technique

it was immediately successful.

The next 45 minutes saw him fill his limit and upgrade several times.

His early-morning technique was quite different.

He would start with a shallow running jerkbait

- either a Lucky Craft Pointer 78 in ghost ayu or Jackall Squad Minnow 80 in fire tiger colour. He used a typical jerkbait retrieve casting as close as possible to structure, taking 2 or 3 winds of handle and then commencing an erratic twitch-twitchpause retrieve.

Yo u n g ’s tackle consisted of a Dobyns Champion Extreme 743 rod, Daiwa Luvias 2004 reel, Sunline Castway PE 10lb braid and Sunline FC

BASS EL E Presente CTRIC SERIES d by Has wing Rock 12lb leader.

“I used this tackle which was heavier than usual because the bass were holding close to cover. It also helped handle the 2-3 barramundi a day that’d hook up. It kept things interesting!” Dave concluded.

Lenthalls seems to be showing glimpses of its former glory.

Aidan Robertson presented the Bluefin prize boat to the champ.

Results Place

Angler

Fish

Weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Stuart FRANCE David YOUNG Brett RENZ Trevor STEAD Joseph URQUHART Adrian WILSON Glenn WINTERS Shaun FALKENHAGEN Stephen NOBLE Jordan RENZ

4/4 4/4 4/4 4/4 4/4 4/4 4/4 4/4 4/4 3/4

5.6 5.17 4.96 4.91 4.87 4.81 4.64 4.29 4.04 3.87

Payout Bluefin Estuary Pro Motorguide 12V 55lb Bow Mount electric Motor Prize Pack + $300 Haswing Voucher Prize Pack+ $200 Haswing Voucher Prize Pack+ $100 Haswing Voucher

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

ABT, PO Box 7196, LOGANHOLME, QLD 4129 Alternatively you can download an entry form from www.abt.org.au At any time you can call ABT on (07) 3387 0888 for help with your entry during business hours.

DECEMBER 2014

97

Committed fishing the secret in GTS final The Gamakatsu Teams Series 2014 Grand Final was heavily contested, with the best bream tournament anglers battling it out for over $20,000 in cash and prizes. Some 42 teams scoured the fish-rich waters of Queensland’s Gold Coast to try and take home the ultimate prize — the Gamakatsu Teams Series Grand Final Champion trophy, $17,000 cash, and a Lowrance HDS7 Touch sounder.

With wild winds and unpredictable weather (the BoM issued a strong wind warning for both competition days), the arena was shortened to the northern tip of Macleay Island. With more than half the field having to change their plans, only the best could possibly rise to the top.

Team Atomic Hardz, consisting of Aaron Sharp and Steve Eldred, were up to the task of making the needed adjustments and putting it all into place. Aaron and Steve concentrated their efforts on the southern end of Moreton Bay, fishing right up to the boundaries of the shortened arena. The pair spent the whole tournament using Samurai Reaction rods with Unitika Silver Thread fluorocarbon straight through, fishing a mixture of Atomic Hardz Crank 38 Deeps and Mids in Ghost Gill Brown, cranking them across flats and off rocky edges.

The only other lure they used was a Bassday SugaPen

70 in colour C-137. This surface lure managed to produce 2 of their biggest fish

day’s efforts, but managed to upgrade 7 times to put together 2.52kg for 5 fish and win

Aaron Sharp with one of their bag of 10 bream caught under difficult conditions, which ultimately got them into first place. in their second day bag. With the addition of Megastrike scent to the lures, the bream could not resist biting these aggressively. Both Aaron and Steve said the key to their success was not only the best rods, line and lures available, but also the fact that they “didn’t stop casting all day”.

They also said that the wind made the water quite dirty and this is where there fish came from. If it was clean they didn’t catch anything.

On day one the pair weighed a 2.36kg bag, putting them in equal fourth position and only 160g behind the leading team. They put their bag together across the day with only a couple of upgrades.

On day 2 Aaron and Steve pretty much mirrored their first

the event by 120g. For their efforts, Team Atomic Hardz took home $17,000 cash, a Lowrance HDS 7 Touch Gen2, and bragging rights as being the best bream anglers in Australia.

of anglers. They concentrated their efforts around Sovereign Island the first day, using Atomic Hardz Crank 38 Deeps in the new Tristo’s Ramjet colour and Atomic Hardz Shiner 45s in the new Blood Red colour to get their bag.

Casting these lures at every pontoon and jetty they could, slowly but surely they put their bag together, which weighed in at 2.36kg.

On day two they followed the same plan and got their bag very quickly, but the fish were quite small. They made the decision to go and chase big fish and moved into the Coomera River. Zac and Nigel used the same lures in the Coomera as they did at Sovereign Island, with the only addition being an Atomic Plazos 3” Prong.

Throwing these lures on Samurai Reaction rods using Unitika Shore Game PE with Unitika Silver Thread fluorocarbon in 6lb, the pair was able to muscle the fish out

and the thoughts of what could have been.

Rounding out the top three was Team Diztek. Darren and Liz plugged away all weekend throwing FB35 cranks around the southern bay and Jumpinpin to put together a total bag weight of 4.61kg.

Like the other teams, they fished very light and cast “’til the death” both days.

Gamakatsu Teams Series

year unbelievable: Gamakatsu, Evinrude E-Tec, Lowrance, Atomic, TT Lures, Berkley, Samurai Rods, Hobie Kayaks, Z-Man, Mako Eyewear and Skeeter Boats. Remember, next time you are in a tackle store, support the sponsors that support your passion Next year sees a huge change in format for the Gamakatsu Teams Series, with the addition of two other

Aaron Sharpe and Steve Eldred with their winners’ cheque of $17,000 plus trophies.

RESULTS Place........... Team......................................... Anglers......................................................Total Fish........... Total Weight 1.................. Atomic Hardz............................ Aaron Sharp/Steve Eldred........................10/10.......................... 4.89kg 2.................. Gamakatsu/Atomic.................. Zac Skyring/Nigel Skyring........................10/10.......................... 4.77kg 3.................. Diztek........................................ Darren Borg/Liz Latukefu.........................10/10.......................... 4.61kg 4.................. Very Ordinary Fishermen.......... Warwick Lyndon/Simon Vaughan............10/10.......................... 4.18kg 5.................. Busting Braid............................ John Siggs/Gary Middleton.....................10/10.......................... 3.93kg Finishing a close second was team Gamakatsu/Atomic.

Zac and Nigel Skyring managed a 4.77kg total bag for the weekend and although just missing out, were very happy to finish so well in this field

of structure and upgrade their bag over 10 times! It weighed in at 2.41kgs, but unfortunately left them short of the mark by a mere 160g. They took home a couple of Samurai Reaction rods for the weekend

would like to thank the anglers that came to the Grand Final, and also the teams that fished throughout the year. We would also like to acknowledge our sponsors who made this year possible, and will make next

divisions. GTS now has an amateur and elite division that caters to all types of anglers. For more information regarding this, please go to www.fishingcomps.com.au for all the details. – GTS

Tough going at the Gamakatsu kayak final The Gamakatsu Kayak Series Grand Final saw everyone rock up early beneath overcast skies, very keen to get under way

live wells. Come time for the weigh-in, it became clear just how hard this tournament would be. Only 4 anglers managed to catch their bag of

RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5

Angler.................... Total Fish.......Total Weight Glenn Allen........... 6/6.......................... 2.23kg Stephen Maas...... 6/6.......................... 1.68kg Stewart Dunn........ 5/6.......................... 1.48kg Wade Mobbs........ 4/6.......................... 1.07kg Michael Maas....... 4/6.......................... 1.05kg

in a relatively unknown waterway and chase that $3,000 prize cheque.

Urunga is not a place where many fishing tournaments are held, and a lot of the anglers were happy to be fishing a Grand Final where it was largely unknown territory for the field. The Pre-Fish produced pretty average results for most, and on the day a lot only knew where not to fish!

At 6:30am, the 16 anglers set out, with the majority paddling up-river and the rest down towards the mouth.

The kayakers kept changing locations, obviously trying to find some fish to put in their 98

DECEMBER 2014

3 bream in 7 hours’ fishing.

And it wasn’t just the amount caught; the fish were some of the lightest anyone had seen.

The second day greeted competitors with lots of sunshine and no wind, so ideal conditions to be on the water in a ’yak. Everyone knew what was caught yesterday and that there was a chance to get a ranking with a bit of luck. At the weigh-in though, it was much the same story, with only 3 catching their bags and the majority only catching 1.

Coming in first, winning $3,000 cash (and one of only 2 people to catch their bags each day) was Glenn Allen. Glenn

managed to not only achieve his bag, but the biggest bag of both days. At the end of day 1, he had a good lead of 290g, and in this system at this time of year that was massive!

He wouldn’t give anyone any hints about where he caught his fish, because he knew what was at stake and didn’t want the other anglers to catch his fish! What he was doing obviously worked for him though, as at the weigh-in on Sunday he had a full bag and a huge smile on his face!

Weighing in 6 fish for a total of 2.23kg, Glenn secured his victory and finally gave up his secrets on catching fish in this tough system.

He fished while making his way up-river, casting Z-Man Grubs rigged with a 1/28oz hidden weights along the bank. The best results came from fishing oyster-covered rocks under trees. The trick was to basically bank yourself (kayaks can go where no boats can!) and skip the lure into the shade, as that was where the bream were holding. He fished left at the fork of the Kalang River, and stuck to that game plan of casting

under the trees right up on the bank.

Catching a bag of 6 fish weighing 1.68kg and coming in second was Stephen Maas — the only other angler to score 6 fish in the tournament.

He went away with a Lowrance Mark 5x sounder and a whole bunch of goodies from Hobie. The entire Maas family are regulars on the scoreboard in kayak tournaments.

Stephen found that with better-coloured water and

an overcast first day, casting along the edges had the bream sucking down plastics. Day 2 proved tougher, and the majority of successful lures on day 1 just weren’t producing.

Success came on pink grubs fished on the water’s edge in very shallow water.

Steve was one of the few anglers who went towards the mouth of the river, going up Back Creek, and ending up near the bridge at Boggy Creek — completely different areas to where almost

everyone else was fishing.

The organisers from the Gamakatsu Team Series would like to send a big thank you to the sponsors: Hobie, Lowrance, Atomic, Samurai, Majorcraft, and the anglers themselves for supporting our events, as without them we wouldn’t be here.

Glenn would also like to thank his sponsors — Okuma and Samaki — for helping him out throughout the year at the many different tournaments he has fished.

Glenn Allen anxiously waits on the word from the scales.

Tough barra fishing breeds tough anglers

Peter Beherens of Team 13 Fishing holds up 95cm of Teemburra barra, the biggest for the comp.

Rod.....................Daiwa Pro Caster and Rick Dobyns Reel...........................................................Curado E5 Braid..... 30lb Sunline Castaway and 20lb Suffix 832 Leader............................................ 60lb Black Magic Lure.................... 100mm Slick Rig in black and gold a truck containing 9,000 barra fingerling was parked at the boat ramp. Most of the guys fishing the comp along with a few boats from MAFSA distributed the baby barra around the dam.

We still got the comp started as scheduled for 7am, so it was a great start to what we expected to be a tough day’s fishing The weather forecast was slightly better for Saturday afternoon than Sunday, we had 20 knot+ winds with some very strong gusts and this showed with the returns and only 8 barra hit the brag mats. The wind on Sunday morning was OK for the start, but blew up after the first hour into 25-30 knot easterlies with some very strong gusts. Listening to some of the anglers at the end of both sessions, there was plenty of reports of barra showing up on the sounders, but everyone found it tough to get them to

eat with only 8 barra making it to the brag mat on Saturday and 16 on Sunday.

The tournament was a 2-angler, 2-session team event with the best 5 fish in each session to count for the points. The first session started Saturday at 11:00am and finished at 6:00pm, the second session started Sunday at 07:00am and finished at 2:00pm.

In the first session, only 7 of the 15 teams managed to boat a fish, and 1 team boated 2 barra.

The second session was twice as good as the first session with 16 barra caught, but again, only 7 teams boated fish.

The water level for the dam is currently level with the spillway at 100% and dropping, the water temperature maxed out over the weekend around 25°C but cooled down during Sunday to 24°C. The weather

TEAM HOT RODS GEAR USED

into a strong easterly gale and the fishing suffered from it.

Team Triton had a cracking day, smashing 7 barra for the session, nearly half the total caught for the second session. The best 5 to count

They also concentrated on a couple of lily pad points on the southern side of the dam with their fish coming from a 130mm Slick Rig in black and gold colour.

Team Reflexion/

TEAM REFLECTION/BASSMAN GEAR USED Rod.... Miller Salty Barra and 13 Fishing Omen green Reel......................... Shimano Accent and Daiwa Sol Braid.......................... 25lb Toray and 20lb suffix 832 Leader.................54lb Toray FC and 50lb Sunline FC Lure.......................................... Reflexion soft plastic

totalled 344cm, giving them a winning total for the comp of 425cm. They fished a lily pad point on the southern side of the dam and all their fish fell to a 100mm slick rig in black and gold colour.

Team Hot Rods’ Geoff Newby and Neil Wilson finished the day and moved up from 6th spot in the first session to take 2nd place for the comp with 3 barra for a second session total of 220cm and 295cm total for the comp.

Bassman’s Ash Sims and Dan Curry took out the 3rd place having caught a 57cm barra in the first session and moved up from 7th spot with 3 barra for the second session for 173cm and a comp total of 230cm.

They moved around numerous spots on the dam with the fish falling to the soft plastic Reflexion lure.

The biggest barra prize went to Peter Behrens with a good fish of 95cm caught in the first session. - Geoff Newby

2014

Rick Napier of Team Triton with one of the many barra that helped secure him and his teammate Dustin Sippel 1st place.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

SEPT MAY Team Hot Rods’ Geoff Newby slipped into 2nd place, boating 3 fish in the second session, including this lovely specimen.

made up of Keegan Hayden and Zac Dunn were leading the field being the only boat to catch 2 barra in the first session for 128 cm, both fish coming from weed beds at the bottom of Teemburra Creek 15 minutes apart in the third hour of the first session.

Second place was held

by Team 13 Fishing’s Peter Behrens and Nick Moore with one specimen at 95cm, which also turned out to be the biggest fish for the weekend The winner of third place was a joint position with Team Triton’s Rick Napier and Dustin Sippel and Team Barra Squirters’ Jason Croft and Jason Ramshaw both boating a 81cm barra.

After unloading the 9,000 barra fingerlings, the second session on Sunday morning started at 7am with a moderate easterly breeze that blew up

The winners of round 2, Rick Napier and Dustin Sippel, who smashed 7 fish in the second session to give them their lead.

FEB

Rod Geoff Busbridge Hand-crafted 12-20lb

and ACM Barra rod Reel............. Daiwa Caldia 3000 and Shimano Stella Braid.............30lb Suffix 832 and Toray jigging braid Leader................................................55lb Schneider Lure............................ 130 slick rig in black and gold

conditions other than the wind were good, with no rain and plenty of sun.

After the first session, Team JML Phoenix Rods

DECEMBER

TEAM TRITON GEAR USED

JAN

Round 2 of the MTA 13 Fishing Barra Team Summer League kicked off at Teemburra Dam 18-19 October 2014.

The expectation for this comp was not good, with a very green looking waterway and winds through the weekend forecast 25-30 knots.

The pre-fish had been tough, with most anglers through the week reporting the odd hit and lost fish with not many barra boated. However, that did not deter the anglers with 30 hardy souls turning up for what turned out to be, as expected, a tough comp.

Before Sunday morning’s 2nd session started at 07:00,

Dec 1-2

Rapala BARRA Tour Teemburra Dam

ABT 07 3387 0888

Dec 4-5

Rapala BARRA Tour (Night Championship) Kinchant Dam

ABT 07 3387 0888

Dec 6-7

Rapala BARRA Tour Peter Faust Dam

ABT 07 3387 0888

Dec 6-7

ABBT X-Factor Australian Teams Championship TBA

Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

Jan 10-11

Mackay Tournament Angers Round 4 Barra Teemburra

Geoff Newby 0419 183 188

Feb 7-8

Boondooma Dam Yellowbelly Fishing Comp Boondooma Dam

Terry Allwood 0400 860 122

Feb 21

MAFSA Fund Raising Event Teemburra

Geoff Newby 0419 183 188

May 29-31

King of the Pin Jumpinpin

Don Vogel 0411 958 076

Sep 19-20

2015 Bowen Family Fishing Classic Bowen bowenfamilyfishingclassic@yahoo.com.au

Russ 0428 776 653 Sharon 0438 701 076

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

DECEMBER 2014

99

Captiva 7 diesel wagon BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

With several upgrades over the last couple of years, GMH’s Captiva series of SUVs just seem to grow more and more appealing to buyers seeking the advantages this style of vehicle offers.

The Korean made Captiva started off as a 5-seater, which, by the look of numbers on our roads, was certainly well received. The range then expanded into a 7-seater with the added attractions of increased luggage and tow capacity on top of the usual SUV high and handsome driving ambience.

And then came the Captiva 7.

The present 2014 series is also offering extremely sharp pricing with GMH reducing drive away costs significantly when compared to previous models, and at the same time managing to under cut rivals considerably. In fact, the 7-seater starts at under 30k, which surely indicates

range comes a redesigned front grille area, changed exhaust tips and changes to tail lights. None of these modifications are earthshattering, perhaps more along the lines of making a good thing even better.

Three models are offered in the Captiva 7 range, with either all-wheel or 2-wheel drive options linked to both petrol and diesel power plants.

There’s the top of range LTZ

ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WELL MATCHED The engine/transmission of the LS7 was a definite highlight of the driving experience. Mated to a 6-speed auto gear box the 2.2L 4-cylinder common rail diesel engine offered 135kW of power plus 400Nm of torque.

Gear changes were seamless, hard to detect thanks to their smoothness, and always exact

The Captiva’s strong engine made easy work of towing the author’s camper trailer.

A neat blend of tonings and highlights creates a pleasant ambience within the dash area of the Captiva 7.

With rear seats dropped, there’s a huge amount of cargo space in the Captiva 7.

That large rear door of the Captiva 7 opens upwards for easy loading. just how competitive this sector of the SUV market is at the moment!

Along with a price cut across the entire Captiva

with all bells and whistles, the LT and LS, as reviewed which was far removed from a cheap vehichle given the list of standard features.

when required. A sequential shift is there, but why bother?

The overall drive feeling of the 7 was of easy power. I found the all-wheel drive

GLIND CAPE YORKER 2 MODELS HIGH AND LOW FLOW Portable Pressurised Water System Perfect for showers, camp kitchens, water transfers, cleaning your fish, your boat and your kids!

Just add water and power!

NEW

www.glind.com.au 100

DECEMBER 2014

Compatible with other Glind products.

wagon to be quick off the mark, remarkably quiet under way and with easy power for overtaking or towing duties.

I gave the smooth diesel full marks. It easily towed our Trek Kudu camper during a trip to the Macintyre River at Goondiwindi, with a quick stop at Lake Coolmunda for lunch and some photos.

Along with enjoying the car’s easy power buyers of the Captiva 7 diesel will be pleased to understand that the engine is designed for long life thanks to an electronically controlled turbo charger plus DOHC cylinder head with chain timed camshaft in lieu of a fibre, one which usually requires replacement at a pre determined interval.

Road manners of the 7 were also a plus. Drive is mainly conferred on front wheels unless slip is detected with the rear wheels also coming into play at that point.

As a mainly front wheel drive unit I found the 7’s steering quite sharp, direct, yet light. Also, the height and reach adjustment of the steering wheel were a bonus.

Suspension was perhaps a little on the firm side with just two of us aboard, but when loaded with a decent amount of camping and fishing gear the ride became far more compliant. That aside, the Captiva 7 will handle most road surfaces with assurance and can corner remarkably flat, even when pushed on winding surfaces. Road noise

was minimal except for a little tyre hum, with the diesel engine virtually unheard once underway.

WELL APPOINTED INTERIOR The Captiva 7’s interior was a mix of fabrics, muted colour, metallic look highlights and sufficient room for all.

Although not overly large, the vehicle’s front seats were comfortable on a 4-hour run, with the fabric surfaces offering support and a feeling of warmth. Power operation for most functions was standard as was an electric parking break, climate control air, Bluetooth music and

Leg room up front was fine, with second row passengers treated to both ample head and leg room although it’s in the rearmost seating department that the Captiva 7 edges out a lot of rivals. Where some vehicles require about 3 different movements, a reference to a hand book , plus a broken finger nail or two to fold down the third row of seats, the Captiva’s finely balanced seats folded down and flat at the lift of a toggle to increase luggage capacity to 465L. Then, with the second row of seats also down in quick smart time (again within seconds) a huge 930L of space with an entirely flat floor is available.

The front passenger’s seat also folds down flat to then offer a magnificent 1565L of space with a 2.7m length available for long objects such as 1-piece rods in their tubes.

What’s more, the Captiva’s upward opening tailgate is high enough to make easy loading and unloading.

Safety equipment and functions within the 5-star ANCAP rated include ESC, EBD, Traction Control, Active Rollover Protection, Hill Start Assist, Descent Control System and self-levelling suspension. Fuel capacity is

The Captiva’s third row of easily assembled, or lowered, seats are ideal for youngsters. phone streaming, USB input with iPod connectivity, Cruise control, a 4-speaker audio unit offering particularly good music and with the ease of steering wheel controls. The 6 air bags were standard.

65L and tow capability is a useful 1500kg for a braked trailer and 500kg for an unbraked unit.

Drive away price of the Captiva 7 as reviewed was a very modest $29,990.

Cruise into camp Kanga wkff@aapt.net.au

I genuinely enjoy researching new camping destinations for this magazine. With new roads to travel, nice people to meet, fresh experiences; it’s awesome fun in my book.

I especially enjoy it when I can catch a nice fish while on the job, which is why I’m taking so much pleasure in presenting this article on Camp Kanga, a great place to set a spell and rig up tackle to have a crack at the big fat barramundi lurking within the waters of nearby Lake Proserpine, or Peter Faust Dam. The wall is virtually within walking distance of Camp Kanga.

A WELL RUN SET UP While some campgrounds are privately or Council owned, this is an interesting set up with Lions district 291Q2 being in charge of Camp Kanga. It’s run in a very ‘spot-on’ manner, with an interesting mix of accommodation for the visitor, full convention and meeting facilities for large groups plus areas for conventional tent and van accommodation as per usual.

The layout of the camp sees it stretching from Crystal Brook Road in the south to the river bed of the Proserpine River at the rear of the grounds to the north and while not offering as much grassed or open area as some camping areas available today, Camp Kanga has more than enough

tents, caravans or anglers seeking accommodation with the boat in tow can all be catered for quite happily at Camp Kanga.

While some visitors bring ‘home away from home’ with them, many will simply avail themselves of the accommodation on site, which takes the form of bunk style cabins, with or without air conditioning. The cabins are actually large demountable buildings divided into two, each having a separate room with its own bunks and refrigerator. The point is that there are a lot of these cabins on site and with a large central laundry and ablutions block servicing each bank of cabins.

There are also gas barbecues for visitor’s use, the comfort level is definitely on the higher side of pleasant.

GETTING THERE AND THE CAMP OFFICE The entrance to Camp Kanga is at No. 2396 Crystal Brook Road, on the right, around 24km north of Proserpine. There are ample signs just you enter town and at the end of the main street pointing to Peter Faust Dam and the camp entrance, just as the car is climbing into the foot hills. They cannot be missed on the right. Proserpine is an hour and a half north of Mackay.

The camp office has an associated kiosk with ice, staple small goods such as bread and milk, cold drinks and the like on hand.

Friendly managers there

will do their best to organise accommodation, suggest some of the more interesting local

The camp’s volleyball court reflects the fact that many school and youth groups also enjoy Camp Kanga. which managed to turn itself on and off in silence. If you have stayed in a place where the fridge would start up with a sound like an anchor chain going over the side you will understand what I am on about. The fact that both laundry, wash up and toilet facilities were kept in a state of utmost cleanliness was also pleasing.

Another feature I really appreciated was the fact that our cabin, along with others, had a weather proof external power point so I could top up our Bullshark’s Minn Kota battery when necessary.

Did I mention the wallabies? Each morning, at around 3:30 as we grabbed a quick feed before fishing, several small rock wallabies would visit to nibble on toast and jam – extremely cute.

LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE Proserpine is a town large enough to have virtually anything a visiting angler might need. Super markets, fuel, plus all manner of retail and professional outlets are on hand as well as the town’s bait, tackle, and chandlery store run by Lindsay Dobe, local fishing guide and renowned barra angler. Prossy also has an interesting historical museum well worth a look.

THE FISHING A lot of anglers like to tangle with Peter Faust dam’s barra, so a stay at Camp Kanga is virtually guaranteed to see you mixing with other barra

anglers and consequently enriching your knowledge of barra fishing. As a fly angler, I’m always on a very steep learning curve and I picked up a lot of clues, and happily a couple of fish, during our short stay.

For the record, there are a lot of barra in this dam.

Some did get over the wall during last summer’s flood

but thanks to the efforts of local angling groups many were picked up and smartly returned. Metre-long fish are still common as can be with 110cm and larger fish regularly being taken by those that can stay attached to them.

Like all barra in impoundments, the fish love to hang out in the timber and there are virtual forests of the

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stuff, so the clue is to find an area where you reckon you can land a fish and give it your best shot. Hook up and hang on, I say! Lily beds and weed beds abound in conjunction with the timbered flats so it’s a barra angler’s paradise.

Best thing is that being an impoundment there are no restrictions regarding fishing during the closed season; if you have an SIP you are hot to trot.

Other fish in the dam include sooty grunter, sleepy cod and saratoga, so it’s a somewhat mixed fishery but with barra predominating.

If you would like to engage a local guide contact Bluegum Barra Charters on 0407 164 515. Guide Ross Burgum lives quite close to Camp Kanga and spends a lot of time on the water.

Camp Kanga can be contacted on (07) 4947 2600, fax 07 49472636 or at admin@campkanga.com.au.

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That means that visitors with

While it’s not the largest barra to come from Lake Proserpine, Denise Kampe was pretty pleased with her first fish from the dam.

BE

Top: There’s room for tents and campers at Camp Kanga but it would be wise to book early for a site. Bottom: This shot clearly shows the handy layout of the camp with barbecues and ablution blocks servicing each group of cabins.

attractions and generally make the visitor very welcome. As mentioned there is a very large kitchen, convention centre and meeting hall also part of the complex so it’s not surprising that youth and school groups also join angling groups in making the best of the set up.

PLEASING FACILITIES Denise and I stayed for several days recently and although the entire region was in dire need of rain, our stay was highlighted by the cleanliness and complete insect proofing of our 3-bunk cabin with its big over head fan contributing to an enjoyable night’s sleep.

Also, much appreciated was the room’s electric refrigerator,

IA

Wayne Kampe

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www.korrlighting.com.au For further product information and purchase details

DECEMBER 2014

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What’s New FISHING

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BLACK MAGIC JELLYBEANS

The latest addition to Black Magic’s range of lures is the Jellybean.

Jellybeans are a very natural soft lure moulded around one of Black Magic’s freshwater fly hooks. The hooks are made in Japan from premium grade high carbon steel. They come in a range of six alluring and lifelike colours and at 5cm in length, they are particularly irresistible to any hungry trout. The paddle tail gives them a very enticing action in the water.

Jellybeans are ideal for fishing in rivers and are equally effective for jigging in lakes.

For a detailed explanation and swimming action video visit www.blackmagictackle. com/shop/freshwater/lures.

Price: RRP $3.50 www.blackmagictackle.com

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DUO REALIS SHINMUSHI

DUO International has released another outstanding topwater lure called the DUO Realis Grade A Shinmushi.

Measuring 40mm long and weighing 5.7g, its name is Japanese for ‘ultimate bug’ and this lure certainly lives up to its name. For starters, it can be customised.

You just use your fingers to unscrew the eyelet from the underbelly, and it will come apart in 3 components: the back piece, wings and legs. The legs can be replaced with feathers, furs or rubber skirt material.

There are also spare packs available with wings, legs, feathered trebles, and top and bottom pieces - basically a total lure, just not assembled.

Once you have cast the Shinmushi, let it sit for 5-10 seconds before retrieving.

Then slowly crawl it across the surface with a couple of pauses in between. In field testing the Shinmushi has caught plenty of bass, along with jungle perch, saratoga and sooty grunter.

Price: RRP $27.95 www.swldistributions.com.au

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OVERTHERE SKIPPING LURE

The new Overthere Skipping is the ultimate high-performance high-speed skipping pencil. Precision tuned and balanced for long cast performance and unrivalled in its ability to skip and slide with ease, this lure sets a new standard in the ‘skipping’ technique.

Featuring through-wire construction for ultimate strength and big fish capability, the Overthere Skipping has been finely tuned in its internal weight balance, with emphasis placed on the rear of the lure to ensure optimum swimming posture.

In the water is where the Overthere Skipping really stands out from the crowd, with the ease that it skips across the surface reminiscent of a fleeing baitfish or flying fish.

There are two models, the 110S (110mm, 27g) and the 130S (130mm, 52g).

Three realistic baitfish patterns further enhance the realism of the lure, while its hard wearing finish ensures the Overthere Skipping handles the test of time and the rigours of offshore angling.

Price: N/A www.daiwafishing.com.au

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

ZEREK THERMITE POPPERS

The Zerek Thermite Popper is built to withstand the harshest of punishment from the toughest fish and still ask for more.

Designed with an extra thick wall, this popper can be used and abused and still maintain its performance. The body strength is complemented by a through wire that connects the tow point to the hook hangers, ensuring anything you hook stays that way.

It also has 6x Mustad hooks and oversized, forged split rings.

A weighted tail allows this lure to sit in a perfect position when paused, ready to create some serious commotion with every sweep of the rod. The tail weight also aids casting distance by reducing tumbling through the air.

Available in 2 sizes (180mm and 140mm), the Zerek Thermite Poppers weigh 90g (180mm) and 50g (140mm) and are available in eight striking colours that imitate baitfish found across Australia.

Price: RRP $24.95 www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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GARY LOOMIS EDGE RODS

Gary Loomis is back and designing rods better than ever. His new range of USAmade rods are called Edge, and they deliver the ultimate in performance.

They use the absolute best materials available, and feature full carbon fibre grips which transfer all the feeling from the rod blank straight into the palm of your hand. The cross weave construction of the grips ensures they never become slippery.

These rods are built with the best componentry available and are unbelievably light. The spinning models feature titanium SiC stripper and tip guides, with the remaining guides being titanium gun smoke recoils.

The cast models feature titanium gun smoke recoils built in a spiral wrap configuration.

The rods for the Australian market – the Edge Southern Cross Series – are a collaboration between the brilliance of Gary Loomis and input from Fish-Tec to make them perfectly suited to Aussie species.

Price: varies www.fish-tecsolutions.com

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ADANIN NEOPRENE WADERS

Adanin neoprene waders are now available in Australia, delivering a quality and value-for-money alternative to what is currently available in the market.

Recognised as a producer and supplier of quality neoprene products, Adanin now has a office in Sunshine West in Melbourne, Victoria. They stock a range of non-fishing products, including wetsuits, booties and gloves, but for anglers it is their waders that are exciting. The range of waders includes neoprene waders, PVC waders, breathable waders and wading shoes. All of the neoprene waders are a minimum of 4mm thick and come in all of the various popular configurations.

To contact Adanin Australia for more information, you can ring them on 03 9973 8859 or 0426 051 588. You can also email them at info@adanin.com.au or look on their website Price: from RRP $198 (chest waders) www.adanin.com.au

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

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

SCAN THE QR CODE!

What’s New FISHING

POWERED BY

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

7

BERKLEY CHALLENGER KIT

8

DOUBLE SHAFT LINE RECYCLER

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DAMIKI UMPA POPPER 40

Redesigned with a cracking cosmetic makeover, the Challenger is a unique product: a complete introductory soft plastics solution designed to give you the best chance at catching a fish on a soft plastic.

Pre spooled with braid, the Challenger SP outfit features an IM6 graphite flick stick designed specifically for fishing soft plastics, matched with a three bearing spin reel and tackle kit full of soft plastic essentials.

In the tackle kit is a selection of Berkley PowerBait soft plastics including the deadly 3” Power Minnow, jigheads, leader and an instructional DVD featuring Adam ‘Mad Dog’ Royter to get anglers on the right track from the get go.

There are three Challenger outfits to choose from: • The Flats and Finesse 7’ 2-4kg, • Rack n Rock 6’8” 3-5kg, • The new Sweetwater Special and new 6’4” 2-4kg. They’re ideal for soft plastic target species such as flathead, bream, bass and trout.

Price: RRP $149.95 berkley-fishing.com.au

With the Daiichiseiko Double Shaft Line Recycler, you’ll never have to pay for line spooling again and you’ll be able to store and protect your line cleanly and safely.

With a super speed dual handle and a dyecast clamp with four built-in ball bearings, line replacement will be quick, simple and smooth.

With the reel attachment, reeling and line replacement becomes a snap.

The tension adjustment screw ensures that the tension can be adjusted at any time while spooling, and the easy-fit clamp screw enables the unit to be fitted to any table or bench for spooling on or off.

You can transfer brand new line from the spool to a reel while adjusting the tension and line from the reel can be quickly reeled onto n empty spool and stored.

The Double Shaft Recycler weighs only 665g and stands 25cm tall, making it very compact and portable.

Price: RRP $180 www.jrocktackle.com.au

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

One of the latest offerings from Damiki is a slim profiled 40mm popper called the Umpa Popper. At 3g in weight, this popper is easy cast to cast and extremely easy to use. It’s dynamite on whiting, bream and bass, and it comes in seven great colours. It’s available now for RRP $11.99.

Damiki has also expanded the colour range for the popular Saemi 50SP. This 50mm long, 4.5g lure has a suspending action and comes with a small plastic rattle that emits a distinct sound that attracts nearby feeding predators. Its tight wiggling action works at the slowest retrieves and is perfect for depths up to 1.5m. The Saemi is ideal for bass, bream and flathead, and the colour range includes such patterns as the sleazy shrimp, sludgy shrimp and yamame colours which are also UV enhanced.

Price: from RRP $11.99 (Umpa) www.searingtackle.com.au

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ECOGEAR CK 40F07 COLOURS

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LIGHTNING STIX RODS

The Ecogear CK 40F07 is a range of classic ‘bulbous teardrop’ shaped lures that are synonymous with serious sportfishing. These lures have been designed for fishing in and amongst the shallows and deep in both fresh and salt water.

The CK 40F7 is popular with tournament pros targeting bream and bass, and it has contributed to a number of tournament successes since its launch. The compact shape of the CK 40F07 means that it casts like a bullet, and fish love its classic sideways wobble.

This dynamic shallow diver weighs 5g, measures 40mm long and is now available in several new colours, expanding the total colour range to 15.

It has also been further refined for Australian species with new hooks, front size 10 and back size 12, replacing the original size 8 and size 10 hooks. You can get your hands on the latest version CK 40F07s at your favourite tackle store.

Price: RRP: $18.99 www.jml.net.au

Lightning Stix use LEDs to illuminate the tip section of the rod, helping the angler detect bites in low light conditions.

These rods are made from specially designed composite carbon and fibreglass blanks with a thinner profile. This gives you a rod that loads and cast extreme distances and is lightweight.

It’s also very strong and is sensitive to feel the lightest bites and to improve hook sets.

Other features include a split butt design, quality graphite reel seats, zirconia carbide guides, under and overbound stripper guide and aluminium winding checks.

The quality LED in the tip is powered by a 27A battery in the base of the tip section, and one battery will last for more than 24 hours of continuous use.

The initial range of Lightning Stix will be ideal for throwing metals and plastics off the rocks or beach, or for bait fishing off piers, jetties and so on, eliminating the hassle of sticking on lights and rod bells.

Price: from RRP $99 www.jurofishing.com

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KEROLL BUG AND MAX

The Keroll Bug, a new Lucky Craft surface walker, is a noisy, fishattracting topwater lure.

It features a wide cupped face which creates a loud splashing sound to call in the fish.

The MAX is fitted with a glow stick attachment and comes with 2 glow sticks so you can easily track the lure at night or very low light conditions.The light also acts as an attractant to fish when fishing at night or in murky water.

The Keroll Bug measures 45mm and weighs 10g, and the Keroll MAX measures 70mm and weighs 16g making distance casting a breeze.

Both come in a great range of fishcatching colours.

Price: from RRP $22 www.ejtodd.com.au

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

What’s New FISHING

13

EUMER SPINTUBE

The award-winning SpinTube Natural is dynamite on freshwater fish like trout and bass.

SpinTube Natural is named after the natural colours used in its construction, and it’s particularly suitable for still and fast water fishing.

In fast waters, you can fish it near the bottom, matching the motion of a sunk fly. In still waters, it can be fished wish a jig fishing technique.

When you’re working the SpinTube Natural, the hooks point upwards so that snagging the bottom can be avoided. The Natural has lifelike hair, a fast sinking, lead-free design (the weight is achieved by using a brass body). It’s handmade and is finished with 3D eyes, giving the product even a more lifelike look.

The SpinTube Natural measures 10cm long and weighs 10g. Scan the QR code on this page to see a SpinTube video with underwater footage, or watch it at tacklejunkie. fish/?p=1120. Although the video doesn’t include the Natural version of the SpinTube, it still gives a good idea of how to work these lures, and how they move underwater.

Price: RRP $14.99 www.jml.net.au

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DORADO HIRAMASA TUNE

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

PLATYPUS PLATINUM+

After two years of feedback and continuous research, Platypus has remastered their popular Platinum Braid, to produce a stronger thinner Braid while still retaining the softness of the original best-selling line.

By employing a unique braiding process they were able to pack the PE fibres closer together, decreasing diameter and enhancing the strength by up to 25%. The braid’s new process also locks the pigment into the braid structure to ensure a more colourfast product, reducing fading and loss of colour.

When consulting with anglers, one of the most important properties is softness, this increases the handleability of the braid, enabling smoother, more trouble-free casting.

Made right here in Australia by family owned and operated Platypus Lines, they made Platinum+ Braid for the fisher who needs a braid at a price that won’t break the bank. It’s everything that made Platinum Braid AFTA award winner, just stronger and thinner!

Available in 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 50lb in 125 and 300yd lengths in lime green at all great tackle stores.

Price: RRP from $39.95 www.fishplatypus.com.au

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Two of the Bomber lures released at the 2014 AFTA Tackle Show are the Long Shot and the Wind Cheater.

The Long Shot range of Bomber lures are a must have lure for all avid saltwater lure fishers.

The Long Shot features a weight exchange system that assists in super-long casts. The body is tough and durable as well as sporting saltwater hooks and hardware. It comes in a premium colour range and there are three sizes available: 125mm (20g, no. 2 hook size), 150mm (33g, 2/0) and 175mm (51g, 4/0).

The Wind Cheater throws like a bullet and will hit the spot better than any bait on the market. Its realistic wounded action provokes violent attacks, and its ultra-high-tensilestrength, virtually indestructible body is always up to the test. The Wind Cheater measures 150mm, weighs 57g, dives to 6ft and comes with size 3/0/hooks. Available colours are XMK (gold black), 312 (silver black), 313 (silver blue) and 315 (silver red head).

Price: from RRP $18.95 (125mm Long Shot) www.jmgillies.com.au

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The UltraPoint range of natural baitfishing hooks has been boosted with the addition of the new Octopus hook, a medium gauge hook situated ideally between the Big Red and the Penetrator in strength rating.

The Mustad Octopus hooks come as both pre-packed, quick grab packs between 10 and 3 hooks per pack and also in boxes of either 50 or 25 hooks depending on the hook size. A range of sizes from 4 through to 8/0 cover just about every fishing situation across the country, and the chemically sharpened UltraPoint finish ensures a super-sharp hook point that maintains its sharpness. The turned back eye gives anglers a number of rigging options including snelling, allowing them to rig multiple hooks on their trace line for bigger baits. The new Mustad Octopus UltraPoint hooks have a black nickel finish and they are forged for the ultimate in strength.

Price: from RRP $7.95 (pre-pack), $20 (boxed) www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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NEW BOMBER LURE

Bigger is better, and in the case of the new Saltiga Dorado Hiramasa Tune it’s also stronger, with this new slider super-tuned to handle the biggest and baddest fish going around.

Designed for XOS amberjack, this slider is tailor made for super-sized tuna, kingfish and trevally and can be comfortably cast all-day long thanks to its aerodynamic torpedo design and profile.

Featuring a multi-chambered, high pressure injected construction process, this slider is unmatched in strength, with its optimally designed through-wire construction capable of withstanding whatever is thrown at it.

By adjusting the internal balance weight ever so slightly, the new Dorado achieves a quicker dive action, in turn improving lure performance and fish catching capabilities. It’s super tuned for ultimate big fish performance and built to withstand XOS fish. There are two models: the 14F (140mm, 38g) and 18F (180mm, 65g).

Price: N/A www.daiwafishing.com.au

NEW OCTOPUS ULTRAPOINT

13

BLACK TORPEDOS

Strip Strike Productions have just released some of the best-captured flats fly-fishing footage ever seen on the unique Fraser island coastline.

Strip Strike Black Torpedoes is an action packed film. I’m sure that, just like me, you will watch this over and over again.

Join Mark ‘Bargy’ Bargenquast, Andrew Chorley and Murray Smith and a host of other fly fishing experts as they hunt down massive schools of longtail tuna, sight cast for black marlin, and stalk big golden trevally on the flats.

Take note that this isn’t a ‘how to fish the flats’ video. Nor is it an advertorial pushing sponsor products. It’s more along the lines of a ground roots home made video of mates having some great time on the water in a world class saltwater fishery.

Make sure you add this to your DVD collection. The DVD is available online or at any good quality tackle outlet Price: RRP $29.95 w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / S t r i p S t r i k e Productions

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

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

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SCAN THE QR CODE!

Crazy Like A Fox - HALCO - 001

Weighs more

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The Halco Twisty Jig - Twisty through and through, just coming from a different direction. Comes in 55, 70, 90 and 120 grams. Halco tough as always, but gains weight quickly like the rest of us. Available at all good tackle stores.

TWISTy JIG

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What’s New FISHING TESTED:

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

Maria Fla-Pen

TESTED:

Lox Ambassador Hybrid

These couple of Fla-Pens have been well chewed.

I’ve always been a sucker for lures that are a little ‘different’. Decades ago I used to have to acquire them as I travelled overseas – Japanese, South African and American tackle stores were endless sources of enjoyment. Nowadays, there’s a lot of great stuff available domestically.

I can walk into my local tackle store and see the latest and greatest from Australia AND overseas.

The Maria Fla-Pen caught my eye instantly – a relatively small (85mm), heavy stick bait that has a fold-out bib at the tail end. This bib folds away to enhance casting and flaps out to give the lure a wobbling, minnow-like action.

I do a lot of bank fishing at the moment, and lures like this cast a mile and do it accurately.

For the threadfin and mulloway I target, that’s essential.

I also fish in a lot of current and the weight (15g) and design of this lure allow me to control its attitude in the water.

Let me explain….

Let the lure sink on a slack line and it’ll drop, tail first. Sink it on a tight line and the rear bib will lift and make the lure sink horizontally (and much slower).

Shake the tight line with an ultra slow retrieve and the lure will twitch, horizontally at a constant level and this is a great way to target predatory fish that are maybe only a foot or two under the surface.

Of course, you can also just chuck and wind it like a regular minnow. If you do this rodtip-high and it will wakebait.

After several months and dozens of predators this bait has found a permanent position in my predator-kit – especially the glow models for night time trips. The hooks are great out of the box and it’s ready to tie on and fish. At my local tackle store (where I bought my first ones) they retail in the high twenties. More information at www.ejtodd. com.au – Steve Morgan

Left: King threadfin like the Fla-Pen coming with the current.

Right: Mulloway often eat the Fla-Pen way down.

The team at Lox Fishing sent us a couple of their new Lox Ambassador hybrid rods to test. One of the rods sent through was perfect for what I was looking for – a nice light rod for throwing suspending hardbodies for bass.

I usually use the same outfit for flathead plastics fishing that I do for my bass fishing; a 2-4kg 7’ graphite rod. Overall this outfit can do the job fine, but after I used the Ambassador rod for four straight hours fishing, my mind was changed! The rod’s lightweight and sensitivity has brought a whole new experience to my finesse fishing.

I tested the 610 LS model, which is a 6’ 10” 2-piece outfit. The outfit incorporates a

each turn of the handle the action of the lure could be felt through the sensitivity of the rod tip, which is always imperative when finesse fishing.

I tested this rod chasing bass hiding amongst weed edges, but this rod would suit many light sport fishing targets, such as bream and whiting.

There are 14 models in the Ambassador range of rods from the light models, like the one I tested, through to the heavier jigging models, so there is a model to suit everyone’s needs.

To view the full range of Ambassador rods go and visit www.loxfishing.com.

– Ryan Limpus

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What’s New FISHING TESTED:

POWERED BY

The Next Level delivers

It was at the AFTA Trade Show on the Gold Coast this year where I first saw glimpses of Brad Sissins and Mark Berg’s new production – The Next Level.

Knowing the pride with which these guys create visual content, there was no way this production was going to be run-of-the-mill – either from a cinematic or narrative perspective.

And I’m glad to report that The Next Level delivered.

I suppose we’re all a little sick of the product-pushing fishing shows doing the rounds. It’s a vicious cycle – no sponsors equals no show, unless you want to self fund it. And sponsors usually demand a pound-and-a-half of flesh for any input they give.

The Next Level, although underwritten by Daiwa, doesn’t try to sell you Daiwa product. It just delves into the depths of the Daiwa pros that are featured.

The first DVD features trout fishing with Josh Carpenter and Sydney bream luring with Greg Seeto.

Both segments are superbly shot, wonderfully edited and deliver on the promise to give you the ‘next level’ of fishing information.

Best of all, you won’t pay a premium to get hold of the DVD or to download

You won’t be disappointed with The Next Level – it’s beautifully shot and produced. individual segments. The two-segment DVD retails for $9.95 or you can download segments for viewing on your electronic device for $5 each. More information at www.daiwathenextlevel. com.au - Steve Morgan.

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE TESTED:

Freeze dried bait

Sometimes fishing can be expensive and just too hard for some, the thought of bait contaminating your sandwiches or drinks in your esky or stinking out your car puts most people off, let alone the kids. Well up until now this was a common case, but The Freeze Dried Bait Company have a product that will change the way you fish and protect the taste of your food and drink.

Freeze dried squid in a resealable packet is the latest product from the Freeze Dried Bait Company.

The name says it all.

High quality fresh squid is freeze dried in a commercial drier, this process removes about 98% of the moisture while keeping the squid intact and preserves its natural appearance.

The bait has a shelf life of over 3 years. It comes in a resealable bag so you can save what you don’t use for your next trip.

I was handed a packet to test and, having an 8 year old daughter that loves catching fish under a float, we decided to give it a go at our local locked lake we call ‘the park fishing spot’. When I opened the bag I noticed that the smell was very fresh, the colours were as if it was caught recently. The pieces were about an average size of a biscuit, I cut mine

into smaller pieces with some scissors, which was very easy to do, I then placed a handful into a cup and added some lake water. In approximately 7 minutes it was pliable enough to thread on the hook, ready to fish.

We caught plenty of bream and whiting, I was surprised how well it stayed on the hook, it was just like using normal squid that you would buy from your bait shop or super market, the best thing is you don’t need to keep it in a fridge or esky, just rehydrate what

you need and keep the rest in its packet.

The squid is available in a few different pckages: real squid small pieces 40g (which is equivalent to 300g rehydrated), real squid bulk small pieces 300g and whole baby squid 300g.

The best thing about this product is that it will cover most species we fish for in Australia, so grab a few packets today and make your fishing easier, check the website for full details and prices at www.freezedriedbait. com or https://www.facebook.com/ pages/The-Freeze-Dried-Bait-Company.

– Greg Livingstone

DECEMBER 2014

107

Canal critters countdown for Christmas SUNSHINE COAST

Lane Hoffmann lane_h_96@hotmail.com

Things will be getting quite busy during the holiday season, especially on the water! With all kinds of watercraft expected on our local estuaries of the Sunshine Coast, the fish can become a little wary.

However, our great waterways hold a wide range of more ‘protected’ areas to fish for keen lure anglers, including a wide expanse of canals. The waterfront homes in these areas hold a huge amount of jetties, large yachts, boats and pontoons. These areas provide exceptional cover for various species, and as a result making them exceptional places to fish!

In the summer months, bream, trevally, mangrove jack and various other species hold in the canals. The baitfish also seem to take advantage of the cover as well, however most of the time it’s not long before the predatory fish find them. I fish the Noosa and Mooloolaba canals and quite often have some fun sessions. One thing I enjoy most about fishing these areas is that it’s very visual fishing. Being able to see the fish congregating under whatever canal structure it may be, and being very stealthy, you land the perfect cast near them just to see them climb over your lure! Very exciting stuff! Having an electric motor in these situations is vital, as it allows you to motor up to the fish silently in order to land that good cast.

Bream or mangrove jack are the two main target species in the canals. Trevally will cruise through every now and then and bust up on the bait that’s attempting to take cover as well.

BREAM If specifically targeting bream, going for the finesse

approach is key as they are quite a smart and timid species. It’s not all the time the bream will be flighty, as sometimes they will attack lures with a lot of aggression! When choosing the right outfit to use, it’s all about sensitivity. Making sure the outfit will allow you to feel even the slightest of touches. A good quality, light 6’10’’ rod of about 2-4lb, matched up with a 2000 size reel with 4-6lb braid will handle most situations. Also having a leader generally 1-2 rod lengths of about 4lb fluorocarbon is ideal for chasing bream in most cases.

Sometimes with this light gear, the larger specimens may get the upper hand, or you may even come across a jack that’ll bust you off in no time. That’s what makes this style of fishing so exciting!

When casting at the structure, targeting the shady areas is vital, making sure you pin the casts deep into the backs of the jetties and other floating obstacles. This is where a lot of the larger, smarter fish will hold. If fishing early morning or later afternoon, cast surface lures around. Lures such as Berkley Scum Dogs and Prawn Dogs are great imitations when fishing these areas. When retrieving, allow the lure to pause for a short time, most of the time this is when the bream will strike. Having a setup already rigged up with a surface lure is a good idea in case any trevally show up.

Casting a surface lure in the midst of a trevally bust-up is almost a guaranteed hook-up!

In the summer months, the Sunshine Coast canals can also hold good numbers of decent mangrove jack.

Jarryd caught this decent GT after throwing his surface lure into bust ups around the entrance of the canals.

The lures that I’ve had the most success with are the Berkley Gulp 2” Crabby and Shrimp in the peppered prawn colour. Rigging these on a very light 1/40oz jighead will make these presentations look even more life-like in the water.

MANGROVE JACK Mangrove jack are the ultimate ambush predator.

A lot of anglers will put in many hours for these fish as they put up an awesome fight and show their spectacular bright red colours in photos.

The author scored this nice grunter on a Berkley 2” Crabby while chasing bream in the canals.

Jacks hold very tight in dense structure. This is to give them the advantage of being fully hidden when baitfish or prawns swim past without a clue of the jack’s presence. Having the right gear that will have enough grunt to work these

tough fish out of structure is vital, so rods of about 10-15lb and reels of 2500 size will do the job. Lines and leaders ranging from 15-20lb will also do the trick in order to get an upper hand on these fish when battling them.

Mangrove jack will take a variety of hardbodies and soft plastics. Suspending hardbodies of around 50-90mm in size in colours with a reddish or golden tinge is ideal. Twitching these lures alongside jetties, boats and pontoons is a good approach.

Plastics in the form of swimbaits with large paddletails are also a good option to use when fishing for them.

It’s important to land your casts accurately amongst the dense structure, making sure your lure is in the strikezone!

GIVE IT A GO The Sunshine Coast canals provide some excellent summer fishing.

With bream, mangrove jack, trevally and various other species on offer. If you’re in the Noosa area, drop into Hooked On Angling and Outdoors in Tewantin, as the friendly team will provide you with some great advice on how to target these canal dwelling species.

whether you give a little or a lot it all adds up. Crowd funding relies on many people getting behind the project by sharing the campaign. We will be rallying the Australian fishing community to utilise their networks far and wide to promote the campaign through social media. At the end of the day, we need as many people

to hear about the campaign and donate as possible. You can become part of Team Jocumsen 2015 and help Carl take on the best in the world.

Whatever it takes!

Carl has some great sponsors who have been with him throughout his journey and they are coming on board to boost the fundraising

campaign with some great incentives. The more you donate to the campaign, the bigger the incentive. Stay tuned for more information and the campaign launch in November.

Remember to ‘like’ the Carl Jocumsen-Team Jocumsen Facebook page.

- Christine Hunt

The author’s best bream in the canals on a Berkley 2” Crabby.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Carl reaches out for your support Carl Jocumsen is undoubtedly Australia’s highest profile angler after being the first Australian to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite series in 2015. This series sees the world’s top 100 bass anglers go head to head in a very high profile tournament series. This is Carl’s biggest opportunity to date and he needs all the support he can get to take it to the next level.

Carl hails from Toowoomba in QLD and has sharpened his angling skills over many years of fishing local waterways and competing in the Australian Tournament scene. After reaching the pinnacle of the sport here, Carl was ready to take on his dream and he 108

DECEMBER 2014

headed to the USA. He has been dedicated and focused in pursuit of a goal many said was impossible. The journey over the last 4 years has seen Carl sell most of what he owned, leave his family and friends behind to relocate to the USA. He has been fortunate to have some locals who spotted his talent and believed in his ability and they have taken him into their hearts and homes and still being so far from home has been a big part of the challenge.

Excitingly, Carl has achieved a major milestone by qualifying for the Elites in his last tournament in the Bassmaster Opens Central Division.

Competing on the big stage in 2015 will take big

dollars and while Carl has some great support from an excellent stable of sponsors, he will need all the help we can muster to make this next step up in competition. Entry fees alone for the Elites are $43,000 and there are many other costs including, visas, living expenses and operational expenses etc. Anyone who has followed Carl’s story knows that while he is living his dream he is certainly doing it on a tight budget. Carl needs a hand up to kick-start his 2015 Elite Tournament challenge and we are launching a crowd funding campaign on the web platform Fundrazr to rally some financial support.

Crowd funding is the practice of raising money from a large number of people,

News Heading back home Back in June this year Jack Robson was taking part in the Noosa River to Reef Family Fishing Classic. He managed to catch a nice mangrove jack in the river and decided to enter it in the tagged fish section. He had to take the fish 10km from where it was caught to have it tagged at the competition headquarters at the Yacht and Rowing Club where it was released.

Ben Robson was fishing in the same area where the fish was tagged in late October and caught a tagged jack. This happened to be the same fish. The fish had grown from 455mm to 510mm in just under 5 months. The fish had somehow made its way back to the same place it was living.

This is the second fish tagged in a competition that made its way back to where it was originally caught.

In 2001, a yellowfin bream tagged and released in the Boyne River during the Boyne-Tannum Hookup was recaptured 6 weeks later back in the Gladstone Marina where it was originally caught. Seems like some fish have some form of GPS they use to get back home if they are involuntarily relocated.

Wanted: Sightings of juvenile fish Over the coming months, many species of fish will spawn in the mouths of our estuaries. While social media often focuses on the larger specimens that make for great photos, juveniles are just as important as they represent the future river monsters. Smaller fish rarely make it onto the social media pages and aren’t often reported so it can be hard knowing where they are.

While letting any smaller fish you find go is important, getting a photo and recording location helps us to understand where they go and how many are about.

For the larger species such as threadfin and mulloway, fish <400mm are equally important as they tell us things about those that survive the early days.

Every sighting helps us to build on our knowledge and collect data. If you happen to come across juvenile fish, especially bass, barramundi, threadfin, flathead, javelin, jew or bream, let us know. We’ve set up a page to make reporting easier, http://suntag.org.au/report-asighting-of-juvenile-fish/.

How long have tagged fishing been out?

One of the most frequently asked questions of Suntag is what is the longest time between tagging and recapture for a fish? While fish from other tagging programs have clocked over 20 years, the longest time for a Suntag fish is 18.8 years (6,865 days) for a golden perch tagged and recaptured in Lake Somerset. A bass in the Noosa River was not far behind being out for 18.2 years (6,656 days). Not to

be outdone, the longest time for a barramundi is 17.4 years (6,368 days) for a fish in Lake Tinaroo.

Interestingly, all the fish

out for long periods of time have come from freshwater.

It seems like saltwater is a much more competitive environment with a larger

range of predators meaning that fish don’t grow quite as old there.

The graph hereabouts shows the longest time out for some of the key species in the tagging program. Want more interesting information on interesting facts from Suntag? Download the report ‘The Big Picture – Tagging and Recaptures 1985-2014’ and other interesting reports from www.suntag.org.au.

Poor conditions for recruitment in the Fitzroy and Gladstone Region The Crystal Bowl is a project in Central Queensland that uses Suntag and other data sources to predict the levels of barramundi stocks in the coming years. One of the keys to understanding stocks is the success of spawning. Over the years, our understanding of the conditions that determine the success of spawning has improved and in the Rockhampton and Gladstone regions, it all comes down to the right amount of rain at the right time.

That is where the Bureau of Meteorology comes in. While they can’t predict the weather 100% accurately, their monitoring of sea surface temperatures provides vital clues. The key is whether we are heading towards El Nino or La Nina. At the moment the available models predict we are closer to El Nino, which means much lower likelihood of rain and cyclones.

This leads the Crystal Bowl to conclude that

conditions are likely to be poor. The rain may still eventuate but unless the weather defies prediction, this won’t be a good year.

Continuous years of poor recruitment affect the fishing prospects in the

years to come so we hope conditions improve.

A full report on the recruitment conditions will be available shortly from the Crystal Bowl website, h t t p : / / w w w. c r y s t a l bowl.com.au.

The top ten epic journeys of flathead flathead lack the perceived horsepower of some of their estuary cousins but they are equally capable of making long journeys.

They have a reputation for sticking around an area in an estuary and the data backs that up, with just under 83% being recaptured within

10km of where they were originally tagged. Despite this, Suntag has recorded 20 journeys of Flathead travelling over 100km with

the longest journey ever recorded being a whopping 425km at a speed of 1.4 kilometres per day. Here is the top 10:

Distance (km)

Days Out

Tag

Tagged at

Recaptured at

425

298

P11163

Innes Head

Pioneer River

240

317

U31608

Hussey Creek

Waddy Point

235

736

P08204

Kedron Brook Floodway

Fraser Island

230

97

Z20747

Bridge Creek

Scarborough

220

663

P63691

Long Island

Dundowran Beach

175

129

R00175

Boyne River

Elliott River

163

245

T53979

Rodds Harbour

Elliott River

150

555

Z92592

Fitzroy River

Blackney Pt

145

209

J17754

Calliope River

Deepwater Ck

140

197

Fh05239

Colosseum Inlet

Skyringville

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Santa’s big boys’ toys BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

Dear Santa, now that we’re coming up to another Christmas, I thought it was a good time to remind you of your responsibilities to all children who have been good for the past 12 months.

I know that I’m way past the age where I should expect to be rewarded with really top pressies, but at the moment I’m standing in for my nephews Bennie, Savs, Sebs, Jackie and Fin. They have asked me to prepare and table a formal letter of request on their behalf.

They have also asked me to act as the receiver of any aforementioned pressies that you might happen to consider that they deserve. I know in previous years that I have obviously been too old and perhaps a little bit too naughty to be rewarded by any of your parcels, but the nephews have insisted that even if

I can’t get pressies myself, that I should act as a collection point for them. If you have trouble believing this I can get them to write a letter of permission suggesting this.

I know it’s unusual for young boys less than 6 years of age to want boating and fishing equipment amounting to several thousand dollars; not the sort of toys that boys that age want, but they insist that my their pressies will be put aside until they reach the age where they can have their own boats. You might think that Garmin Clearvu sounders, Shimano Calcuttas and livebait tanks are unusual, but as I’ve already said, these boys are very mature for their age and show unusual amounts of foresight and planning.

It might also be mentioned to you that these boys have at times been a little bit naughty, and as I found out when I was a young’ un, boys that are naughty don’t

get pressies, or things such as reels, sounders and boat toys. Jack may have punched Finny several hundred times in the face, but that was a bad afternoon, and Sebs or Savs have been known to practise chucking brown-eyes at passing cars, which was done in the schoolyard and not at home, so that shouldn’t count.

There have been a few other little issues, but overall, I’m pretty sure they deserve their toys.

So Santa, I would appreciate getting those things ASAP so I can install them before our Christmas fishing trip and I can have them organised for my nephews before Chrissy. You know where I live, and I know where you live.

Yours in complete trust, Sheik.

P.S. If you receive any other correspondence from people saying they are Jack, Finny, Sebs, Savs or Benny, then please ignore. People will do anything these days for greed.

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News

Qld families hooked on fishing Recreational fishing continues to be our favourite pastime with the state’s largest ever rec-fishing survey revealing 639,000 Queenslanders enjoy recreational fishing, crabbing or prawning.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh said the statewide survey showed fishing remained an enormously popular recreational activity in Queensland.

“The number of rec fishers represents 15% of all Queenslanders aged five or older, far higher than other popular outdoor sports such as cycling, swimming and golf,” Mr McVeigh said.

“It’s a great result for the fishing sector given the wide range of pastime choices people now have.”

The two-part survey started in August 2013 with more than 15,000 randomly selected Queensland households called to ask whether they had fished recreationally in the previous 12 months.

Mr McVeigh said more than 90% of rec fishers surveyed volunteered to take

part in a further 12-month telephone diary survey which collects information on the individual’s fishing trips including such things as fishing location and number of fish caught.

“This high cooperation rate is very positive and shows the willingness of rec fishers to get involved in monitoring programs,” Mr McVeigh said.

“The full spectrum of recreational fishers will be represented, from those who go fishing come rain or shine, to those who only wet a line once or twice a year.

“This information is important because it will be combined with commercial, charter and scientific research data to help ensure our fisheries are well managed.

“The results will benefit stock and sustainability assessments and the recreational fishing sector.”

The full results of the survey will be released in the first half of 2015.

To find out more about the statewide recreational fishing survey visit www.fisheries. qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23.

– Fisheries

Crabbers cop $32,000 in fines Two men have been convicted and fined $32,000 for crabbing offences.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol field officer James Hohenhaus said the hefty fines showed crabbing offences would not be tolerated.

“The men were convicted in the Cleveland Magistrates Court and fined $16,000 each for taking and possessing 24 female mud crabs, three undersized blue swimmer crabs and three undersized mud crabs,” Mr Hohenhaus said.

“They were also charged for using seven unmarked sunken pots, failing to stop and obstructing officers.

“Both men were aware of the restrictions surrounding the taking of crabs, and had

intended selling the crabs on the black market.”

Mr Hohenhaus said black marketing of seafood was a problem throughout Queensland.

“Black marketing impacts on the competitiveness of legitimate seafood processors and marketers, and also places additional pressure on the sustainability of fish species,” he said.

“We have fishing rules in Queensland so that we can all share our fisheries resources and protect them for future generations.

“It is critical that the public reports any suspected illegal fishing activities, including black marketing, to the Fishwatch hotline 1800 017 116 so that it can be investigated.

“People can assist investigations by providing specific details of the alleged offences every time they are observed including: · Time · Exact location · Activities being undertaken · Boat description and registration or marking where possible · Vehicle description or registration · Description or details of the person.

“Do not engage the person, however, as this can compromise an investigation.”

For more information on Queensland’s fishing rules, visit www.fisheries.qld.gov.au, call 13 25 23 or download the free ‘Qld Fishing’ app from Apple and Google app stores.

– Fisheries

FISHING FILL-ITS

Keeping Tabs on Reef Marine Tabs Boats would like to welcome Reef Marine in Mackay to the Tabs Boats family.

Reef Marine is quickly becoming one of the most trusted dealerships to purchase a boat. However, ‘quickly’ isn’t really the best description – Greg, Brett and the staff of Reef Marine have the runs on the board going back decades!

All their staff are very experienced and will take the time to consider all the available options and custom-build you the perfect package, one that suits your exact needs.

Here at Tabs, we feel privileged to be associated with such a long-standing professional business that is run with everyone’s best interests at heart. Check

out the latest Tabs designs including the all new FX hull series just in time for Chrissy.

For more information visit www.tabsboats.com.au.

DECEMBER 2014

113

Rosco Bass Catcher – a fusion of canoe and boat FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

We get to test all sorts of craft at Fishing Monthly from six-figure offshore boats through to sub-grand paddlecraft. Every so often one comes along that bridges the gap between genres.

That’s what the Rosco Bass Catcher does – bridge the gap between a canoe and a tinnie. It looks like a canoe, but performs a lot like a boat.

And the best bit is that you can launch it in places that tinnies are a pain in the bum to get into the water.

So, for this reason, we chose a saltwater, landlocked lake on the Gold Coast. There are no boat ramps in it, but plenty of bridges, parks and easements that allow water access. I wouldn’t have got my little Bluefin Jon Boat in there easily.

OK. I lie. I wouldn’t have gotten it in there at all.

The Bass Catcher we had to test was the staff boat of the

Standing up is a cinch in the Bass Catcher – and that’s with either one or two anglers casting.

ROSCO BASS CATCHER 500 Length..............................................................4.63m Beam:..............................................................100cm Depth:...............................................................40cm Weight:...............................................................42kg Payload:...........................................................450kg Passengers:.........................................................1-3 Max hp: ...................................................................4 Rosco Kedron store, therefore it was pretty specifically set up for the needs of the guys who make these boats from scratch.

The basic Bass Catcher hull is a three seater and at the top end of the capacity and length range for a canoe.

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It’s got a flat transom, which allows the mounting of a small petrol-powered outboard. In this case it was a Yamaha 4-Stroke 4hp.

Also fitted were a set of outriggers. Although they look a little cumbersome, these stabilisers allow you and your fishing buddy to stand up and fish with ease – a feat that takes pretty precise balance and communication on a plain canoe. If you’ve tried it, you know what I mean.

The most convenient part of the setup was a single axle boat trailer for ease of transport. Even with the outriggers fitted, the rig measures in under the 2.5m maximum road limit.

If you have access to a boat ramp, slide it straight in.

If you don’t (and we didn’t), it was pretty simple to unscrew the outboard and manhandle the boat in and over the rocky edges and the fit the motor to the transom again. On the test

day, this took a maximum of about 15 minutes.

So, with 4 fishing rods and 100 lures on board, we set about ‘boat testing’ on a lovely, overcast, Gold Coast morning.

With Greg ‘man-lure’ Livingstone as my wingman, I was smart enough to pick ‘front” when he asked what end I wanted to sit.

Apart from getting first crack at all of the best spots, the front seat isn’t the best place to manoeuvre a canoe – especially with an outrigger impeding a full stroke. It was Livo’s turn to be a guide and being the boss had to have SOME advantages.

After a couple of cranks on the cord, the little Yammy blurted to life and we decided to take a run around this little system and see what there was to fish.

I was quite surprised as how fast it went. It must have been 6 knots – as this was the speed limit in this system – but geez, it felt a bit faster than that.

You can attribute some of the performance to the upswept stern keel section, which keeps as much of the turbulence away from the transom section as possible. Any BASS Electric competitor knows that the less flat-backed transom in the water, the faster you go and it’s good to see that the designer of this craft has built that performance into the hull.

With the two outriggers fitted, this thing is virtually impossible to capsize. We didn’t try to do it, because of the volume of sinking tackle onboard, but when we picked a bank and started fishing, it was a no-brainer for the both of us to be able to stand up and not worry at all about capsizing the craft.

What does happen, though, when you both stand up is that you act like a couple of sails. What this craft (and any shallow drafted canoes) is no good at is keeping a drift along a bank. The only thing worse than two guys trying to fish in a canoe is one guy trying to do it himself.

We were lucky – I had the ‘man-lure’ as a guide and a well-placed paddle stroke here and there kept the drift true. If fact, when I looked back, I’m sure that Greg thought he was QR CODE

Scan this QR Code to hear the interview with Greg Livingstone and Allana Bold. a Mexican bonefish guide. He had that distant look and a Buff covering his face. Not wanting to wreck his illusion, I started chucking topwaters at some of the bankside structure.

I’m sure that the sight and sound of a kilo-class bream exploding all over my white Cicada topwater shook him from his fantasies. We

The 4hp Yamaha pushed the Bass Catcher around quite nicely at speeds up to (but not exceeding) 6 knots. That’s right, officer, only 6 knots.

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weren’t getting many bites in this lagoon, but what we were getting was total quality – at least by the Gold Coast’s standards.

By the time I had to jump

spots that others find it hard to get to.

With Greg firmly back in reality and posing for some action shots for the magazine and the video (scan the QR

normal sized anglers could load this thing up with an extra 300kg of camping gear and scoot off to somewhere even more remote than a landlocked Gold Coast Canal system

There were some cracking bream gracing the Bass Catcher on the test day. out and take some photos, we’d put together a 5-bream limit that would have weighed around 4kg. That’s not an easy feat in that part of the world and something I’d only done once on the Gold Coast in a bass boat.

Notch up one for the Bass Catcher for getting you into

Code hereby for a link), it was easy to see the attractiveness of this craft to more than just the anglers.

It scoots along, it’s stable, you can sail it (with a factory sail – not just by standing up in it) and it has a massive payload capacity.

In reality, a couple of

and not have to come back for a week!

The 500 Bass Catcher will set you back $2,650 and the optional outriggers are yours for just over a grand more.

You can get more information by visiting www roscocanoes. com.au or by calling the store on (07) 3359 9330.

Top: Load up all that space with some camping gear and you’re outta here. The Bass Catcher holds 320kg of payload! Above: The Bass Catcher is great for getting to places you just can’t get a trailerboat.

n o e b o t t Wan f o r e v o C the ? y l h t n o M Fishing

WIN A POWER-POLE MICRO ANCHOR FROM

24 PAGE Melbourne Boat Show feature

Do you love your monthly issue of Fishing Monthly?

Do you think it’s about time you were on the cover of it?

Well, we think that too and are offering readers the chance to do just that. The March, April and May issues of Queensland, NSW and Victoria/Tasmania FMs will all feature readers’ pics on the front covers.

And there’s no reason why it can’t be you...

Techniques Make mine a mullet Baiting river blackfish • Blue Rock bassin’ • DIY kayak wheels

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See pages 22 · 27

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FIND THE SPECIALTYFISHING.COM.AU .COM.AUU LOGO COMPETITION ITION

Entry is simple. Email us your cover-worthy pic. Remember, though, that it needs to be the right composition and resolution to work. After that, it just needs to get through the Grumpy Old Man committee (Steve Morgan) and then BOOM, you’re the latest cover model.

Be creative - we like images that aren’t just ‘person holding fish’.

• • • • • • •

Other parameters of which you need to take note: Portrait format (turn camera on its side).

Leave enough room for a magazine masthead at the top of the image.

Shoot in the highest resolution your camera can take.

Use fill-in flash to help remove any shadows under caps or biminis.

Live fish look way better than dead ones.

Any fish must be legally captured (within season/size limits). iPhone pics aren’t going to cut it!

Head not too high in the shot to allow for Masthead Portrait format showing focus area

And then email your image to: frontcovercomp@fishingmonthly.com.au with a description of the what/when/where/how of the capture.

Be sure to include your details, too, because we’ll post out a mounted copy of the winning covers to the entrant.

THAT will be going straight to the Pool Room, we bet.

(GST inc.)

Fishing Monthly Group

JUNE 2014

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For full terms and conditions, please refer to www.fishingmonthly.com.au/frontcovercomp DECEMBER 2014

115

When’s the right time to replace your trailer lights?

SYDNEY

Christian Bold

All trailers need to have working lights fitted to them to be legal on the road, but a we all know that one day your lights will be working and the next they’re not. Trying the line, “They were working when I left home, Officer” is usually responded to with, “Sure they were” as you are handed a fine.

TRAILER LIGHT PROBLEMS Even though the police may not believe you, I do.

Being an AUVIS (Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Station) examiner, I regularly have customers bringing in their trailers for inspection only to find that when we test the lights they will have an indicator or side light out. Now the mechanic who wants to earn a quick buck will tell you that your light needs to be replaced and sometimes this will be the case, but before you agree to that, here are a few things to try to get that light working.

Check your trailer plug The biggest culprit when it comes to lights not working is your trailer plug, especially

I doubt these lights would pass a road worthy examination! on a boat trailer. There are a number of things that can go wrong with your trailer plug including corrosion on the pins, pins closing up and not making contact with the cars plug and wires braking off in the plug. Before you pull the plug apart, wiggle it inside the cars plug and see if the lights that weren’t working are coming on when you move the plug. If they are, then it is time to open up the plug and see what the problem is.

Check your earth supply Before I start on what a bad earth is, I should explain what earth is.

‘Earth’ is a separate wire that runs from the lights to the trailer plug that helps stop them from shorting out. Just like anything that requires power to operate, you need to have an earth. Every light on your trailer will have a power source and an earth.

Have you ever been behind a vehicle with its indicator on and the brakes are flashing?

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DECEMBER 2014

This is an example of bad earth. The indicator is trying to get an earth source from somewhere so it is tapping into the brake lights power source causing them to flicker with the indicator. Earth can either be provided through a wire to the lights or from the metal frame of the trailer, the problem with the latter is if corrosion builds between the frame and the light, then the earth connection will be lost.

Check your globes For all those boat trailer owners who have a globed light assembly on your trailer, it is quite common for your lights to stop working. Your globes can blow, the globe holder connections inside the light can corrode or the wires going into the light can corrode and break off. As soon as you remove the light lens, you will know straight away if it is a simple fix, or if you require a new light.

Broken wires To check for a broken wire, it can be tricky and time consuming if you don’t have the right tool and that tool is a test light. A test light can indicate if you have power and earth running to your lights. You can pick one up from any tool shop for around $30. Most boat trailers will have the wiring running inside the trailer frame, test the wire and the closest point before it goes into the frame and then again where it comes out of the frame. This will tell you if you have a broken wire inside the frame or not. If you have broken wires it is time to rewire your trailer.

If these checks have been made and the light STILL doesn’t work, then it is time to replace the light.

WHICH LIGHTS SHOULD I PUT ON MY TRAILER? There are a number of trailer lights available to purchase from all parts of the world. On a boat trailer your will either have globe lights or L.E.D. lights. The type of lights you choose will depend on the vehicle you use to

tow your trailer. Most trailer owners don’t realise that if you tow your trailer with a European make vehicle, you will have issues with the trailer lights if they are L.E.D. There are ways around it but that is another article and conversation all together.

When changing the lights on your trailer, it is also an idea to replace the wiring as well. Why? When dealing with boat trailers you are always dunking the rear of your trailer in and out of the water and over time the wiring corrodes and gets brittle. If you just replace the lights, they may still work but if you are trying to solder the wires together they will not bind.

Joiners are an easy solution to use if you are only replacing the lights, as they will still make a good connection. If you want to make your lights and wiring fully submersible, then you will want to look at a pre-wired L.E.D. light kit. These kits have the wires connected to a circuit board on the back of the light and then coated with a hardened gel-like substance so water cannot seep into the connections. The wire is then long enough to feed through to the front of the trailer to a trailer plug, so unless you are submersing the rear of your

Submersible globe lights My views on globe lights may not be the same as yours and that’s OK. I believe that if a lens can be removed from a light to replace a globe then it cannot be fully submersible, because there is always the possibility of water getting in.

If you are using or replacing your lights with globe lights, I would recommend fitting ones that require a festoon globe instead of a bayonet globe (refer to the pictures to see the difference).

Light boards Light boards are designed to be used as an emergency system only. You can have a light board permanently fitted to a trailer but you must comply with the following: • It must be supported at intervals of not more than 600mm along its length.

• It must be insulated at joints.

• It must be located in such a position that it can neither become overheated nor in contact with moving parts.

• It must be protected from chafing.

• It must have a separate earth return wire between the trailer and its hauling vehicle.

It is not acceptable to use the trailer coupling or a safety chain or cable as an earth.

• Christian Bold, also known as ‘The Trailer Guy’, is

A few quick home checks may avoid a trip to the mechanic. car into the water there is no way water can get into the wiring and lights.

L.E.D. lights L.E.D. lights are really the way to go when it comes to trailer lighting because they are maintenance free, brighter, look better, fully submersible and easily installed.

Make sure that if you are purchasing L.E.D. lights they state that they are ‘submersible’ and not just ‘water resistant’. Waterresistant stands up to rain but not being submersed in water. This is a common mistake when buying L.E.D. lights and as you can imagine the water resistant L.E.D. lights don’t last long on a boat trailer.

one of Australia’s leading trailer and caravan repair specialists. As the Director of Bold Trailers he is a licensed motor mechanic, auto electrician and automotive body builder. Christian is also an AUVIS and e-safety examiner for the RMS. You can contact Christian and the team at Bold Trailers for any information regarding trailer and caravan repairs, maintenance, modifications, legal requirements, imported trailers, parts and accessories and new and used trailers for sale. Their friendly technicians are always willing to help you to make your towing experience safe and enjoyable. For more great tips go to www.boldtrailers.com. au or Phone: (02) 8544 8114.

HAWK FISHING • FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION

Fishy Xmas Gifts

Name

BAIT BUCKET

HAMMOCK

SUNNIES

BOAT

HAT

SURFACE LURES

BUFF

HEADLAMP

TACKLE BOX

BUM BAG

HOOK FILE

TRAILER BEARINGS

CHARTER

JIGHEADS

TRAVEL ROD

DECKCHAIR

KAYAK

WADING BOOTS

DRINK COOLER

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PRAWN NET

Address

P/Code Phone (day):

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win a Hawk Fishing cap, Hawk Fishing line, Hawk HB Lure, assorted Panther Martin lures and 3 packets of Youvella chemically sharpened hooks.

SEND ENTRIES TO:

QLD Hawk Tournament Competition PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129 QLD DECEMBER 2014

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The major prize winners for October were: T Pedofsky from Currumbin Waters who won $600 of product for 1st prize, T Kennedy of Summerland Point who won $400 of product for 2nd prize and K Tripp who won $200 of product for 3rd prize.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE SPECIALTY FISHING FISH WINNERS BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The Find the specialtyfishing.com.au logo prize winners for October were: P Baker of Cungulla, J Lucas of Mount Isa, J Laub of Cannon Hill, A Dougan of Bucasia, M Mason of Bongaree, R Kennedy of Caboolture, J Lowik of Churchill, A Hewitt of Mirani, S Bitcher of Clermont, B Hardwick of Kewarra Beach, D Fitzgibbon of Machans Beach, B Botting of Nanango, K Goodman of Mt Morgan, N Kempthorne of Ripley, J Renton of Browns Plains, M Baker of Gorokan, K Martin of Dalby, D Hall of Glenwood, K O’Brien of Burrum Heads, P Etter of Richlands, M Kennedy of Sugarloaf, S Theofanes of Home Hill, M Uren of Rochedale South, B Dalgarno of Geebung, M Chadwick of Chadstone, G Watter of Ripley, R Schefe of Point Vernon, H Ingham of Upper Mt Gravatt, C Hendry of Imbil, A Coles of Malanda, P Fielder of Everton Hills, R Kunde of Beerwah, D Male of Bongaree, B Herrmann of Churchill, D Bishop of Gladstone, R Maynard of Nundah, L Rojahn of Banyo, H Weir of Bellara, D Stewart of Hermit Park, S Dawson of Bald Hills.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM FIND THE SPECIALTY FISHING OCTOBER LOCATIONS

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

The answers to Find the specialtyfishing.com.au logo for October were: 12, 14, 20, 26, 34, 48, 63,70, 74, 82, 88, 98, 104, 106, 115. – QFM

FIND-A-WORD WINNER Congratulations to Lisa Rojahn of Banyo, who was last month’s winner of the Hawk Tournament Finda-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive Hawk Tournament Tested Bayer Perlon IGFA line, assorted Panther Martin lures, Youvella hooks and a keyring. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM 3

• DECEMBER 2010

DECEMBER 2014

117

Save your spots!

BRISBANE

Nabeel Issa

What would you do if you lost all your GPS marks?

Are you just one click away from disaster? Hours of hard work, sounding around, finding new ground, all gone!

It’s a thought that would make most of us cringe.

2

Sometimes sounders pack it in; they get dropped or damaged, or you may even sell your boat without thinking about your marks on the sounder. Backing up waypoints is something every keen angler should look at doing. It’s a simple process on most sounders and gives you the peace of mind that if anything ever goes wrong,

you have them saved in a safe location.

HOW TO DO IT Most sounders will give you an option to save your waypoints, in some way or another. The following instructions are based on a Lowrance HDS Touch sounder, but the basic principles apply to most sounders out there.

Now select the Waypoints, Routes, and Trails database. This will bring up a screen that will give you the option to export. (On Lowrance Elite HDI sounders, this same Waypoints, Routes, and Trails section is where you can access all your waypoints and save them to an SD card.)

3

1

Hit the Pages key and select Files. This window will open:

Hit Export and the following window will open: If you are planning on transferring waypoints between an older model unit, you can select a different file format (depending on the model unit you are transferring to). In this case it will be between HDS Touch Models, so we will keep it as User data file version 5.

Now hit the Export button. It will ask you where you want to save the file to, so just select the appropriate memory card.

Make sure that you don’t save your waypoints to the Mapping card. There is a good chance that you will damage the maps on the card, and considering the prices of some of these, it’s a much safer (and cheaper) option to save your waypoints to a blank SD card.

Once the Waypoint file is saved to the card, you can now transfer these to a computer. I also email myself the file (if it isn’t too large), just as a precaution in case something ever happens to my computer.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Get your trailer sorted at GCCM I’m pretty sure that most of you know what dry-storage for your boat is. It’s where a giant fork-lift cradles your pride and joy from the water and whacks it up in a rack – out of the elements and off the trailer.

It’s a great way to store your boat if you only use it in the same place each time.

But I also found out that it’s a great solution to the ‘how do I work on my trailer’ problem.

Unless you’re willing and able to drop your boat on the lawn, there’s very few options when it comes to looking after your boat trailer and having the freedom to work on it at your leisure.

The first time I did trailer work, I had to find a place with some spare space, some tyres and a forklift to get the bass boat off.

The last time I did it, I took it down to Gold Coast City Marina and let them look after it. Let me tell you, the second option was much easier.

Best of all, GCCM have a special for dry-storage over summer – pay for two months and get three. Three months to get your trailer re-galvanised, re-welded, repaired, painted or pimped to within an inch of its life is plenty – even in ‘boating time’.

Now - time to get your trailer sorted! – Steve Morgan 118

DECEMBER 2014

THE RECREATIONAL ANGLER’S LINK Recreational fishing tourism is for today, tomorrow and the next day. This is all of us unless you live on a creek and never fish anywhere else.

We pay to travel to our favourite spots, whether it is fuel for the car or boat, barge fees or plane tickets.

With increasing population densities, Moreton Bay is one of few remaining safe areas for families to fish that is reasonably accessible from all of Brisbane and the surrounding regions.

Every year hundreds of kids learn to fish in Moreton Bay. Records indicate that Moreton Island alone is on average 80% non-residents on any given day. When considering recreational fishing tourism, some of the items to be valued include fresh fish on the table, healthy activity for any individual irrespective of physical or intellectual capacity, age, sex or socio-economic status, tackle bought, bait, fishing apparatus, boats, fuel, vehicles specific for fishing, accommodation,

throughout the greater catchment area. Currently it is almost impossible to catch a legal-sized whiting on Moreton or Bribie Islands on beaches open to netting in what is their peak season. In addition, the whiting being netted are not appearing in local markets, but we have reason to believe they’re going directly to Sydney markets.

Both of these islands are National Parks designated for recreational use. Many trips to these national parks include fishing as one activity. At the moment, the benefit of this is being denied. In Moreton Bay, like many other population centres, we are becoming increasingly aware of areas of localized depletion resulting from concentrated, repetitive, commercial gill netting.

I witnessed this as recently as a few weeks ago.

so that the recreational sector can still have an enjoyable experience. The commercial sector still has the same allowable catch as previously, but just leave some high value recreational areas untouched. Many believe this is the way of the future for Moreton Bay as well as many other high population centres along the Queensland coastline.

We are asking for a small portion of Moreton Bay Marine Park including both Bribie and Moreton Islands’ foreshores to be set aside for recreational fishing. In most areas we are only asking for a strip 400m wide. We are NOT asking for access to existing green zones within the area. Moreton Bay Marine Park covers 3400km2. The 3 sub areas that we have identified total 115km2 that is not already excluded to

meals and transport costs to access the island.

Because of the limited access and the National Park designation, these commercial enterprises are limited in number and nature on Moreton Island.

Many of the purchases are therefore bought in local communities prior to departing for the island. This means that a significant reduction in recreational fishing tourists will not only impact Moreton Island Ferries and local Moreton Island businesses, but businesses

I spoke to several groups fishing on the same 500m of beach, who indicated that contrary to previous trips they had been unable to catch anything of a legal size. Between them they had spent $6000 on their trips that week. Fisheries Queensland do not have a mechanism for either measuring or managing localized depletion at this point in time. In the national arena at the moment though there are currently investigations into areas that may become closed to commercial fishing

commercial saleable take, that is only a little over 3%.

For the 405,000 recreational fishers in the Brisbane and Moreton Bay areas (according to Fisheries Queensland Recreational fishing survey 2010) that is a very, very small ask. Commercial catch data on the Fisheries Queensland website is quite coarse. As a result, the figures we have been able to extrapolate include the tunnel netters and offshore netters in grids W36, W37 and W38 (Moreton Bay Marine Park) who will not

www.sunfishqld.com.au

be impacted. As a result, the catch estimates we are using will be significantly higher than reality.

In 2013 about 1,384 tonnes was recorded in logbooks in these grids and this equates to about $6.9 million to the fishers. The 3% of that equates to a little over $207,000. This hardly warrants a buyback.

Last financial year the recreational boat owners in the Moreton Bay catchment area paid over $1.9 million in Recreational Use Fee

that is included as part of their boat registrations. We think that putting $207,000 a year for the next 3 years from that into FRDC (the Fisheries Research Development Corporation) for investment into research that will have flow on benefits to the commercial sector would be fair and reasonable.

We need a significant show of support to demonstrate the importance of recreational fishing and the value to our community

of recreational fishing tourism. Please don’t assume that our political representatives either know or acknowledge this. Also, please do not assume that it is so obvious a solution that lots of people will raise their voice. We need you and your family to do so for the future of recreational fishing in Moreton Bay for our children and their children. Please like our Facebook page www. facebook.com/MoretonBay RereationalFishingArea.

Email: judylynne@sunfishqld.com.au

Morningstar 4.6m Offshore Cuddy Cabin SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Ever since I was 14 I have always had some kind of boat. At the moment I have a 4.5m aluminium boat and I will always have an aluminium boat – that’s just my preference.

I was met by Chris Tocchini.

He’s clearly very proud of the range, and told me that the journey started in 2010 when Taiwanese-based company CadCam approached Australian boat builder Troy Munnery with plans to use their experience, knowledge and plant equipment to build an aluminium boat unlike any seen before.

SPECIFICATIONS LOA:.................................................................4.65m LOA on trailer:......... 6.3m (motor in locked position) Beam:.............................................................. 2.00m Trailer width (outside of guard to outside):....2.1m Weight:............................................................390 kg Max load:.........................................................755kg Max persons:..........................................................5 Max outboard:...................................................60hp Fuel tank:.................underfloor AT60 aluminium 60L Steering system:.................................... mechanical Bow rails:....................................... bow, side and aft Prop size:................................... 13.5 x 15 alloy prop Variable deadrise:............................................... 19° Depth at mid ships:..................................... 700mm Battery type and size:...... SeaMaster Gold MFM50 800MCA 640CCA sealed Trailer:................... Mackay, braked and fully rollered

the Morningstar boats uses 5083 alloy, which is stretch formed and work hardened, to deliver a hull that is tougher than the original sheets it was formed from.

By stretch forming the bottom of the hull from one 3mm sheet using a 150 tonne press, the need for a keel weld is removed from the hull (and therefore the key weakness), increasing the overall strength and durability of the boat.

Similarly, the two sides and transom are stretch formed thus creating a boat hull from four pieces.

This is not the only major advancement.

Using the plant equipment employed for manufacturing car bodies, the company has also completely innovated the so-called ‘stiffener’ system used in small craft.

The patented Origrid design of the internal framework is created by cutting a single 5083 sheet and then pressing pieces of the sheet

No matter if it’s fishing, cruising or any water sports, these boats are built to last.

When I was given the opportunity to test a couple of aluminium boats from Morningstar I jumped at the chance, as I had never heard of them before. When I arrived on the morning of the boat test

The basic concept behind the design was to take the lessons learned from 20 years of metalworking in the car industry and build a boat hull stronger, tougher and smarter. The manufacture of

“Tinnie Tosser” Want to take your tinny on holidays and catch the big one but can’t because you are towing a caravan?

Well here is the answer!!

Features include: Single person operation, electric and manual models, custom made to suit vehicle and boat, built for off-road conditions, aluminium and stainless steel construction.

For further information contact Bowline on

Ph: (07) 5498 7339 Fx: (07) 5498 7351 Mobile: 0419 674 343

www.tinnietosser.com.au 120

DECEMBER 2014

to form the frame. This minimizes the number of welds and creates a repeatable, perfectly-fitting frame each time.

The combination of the four-piece stretch formed hull and the Origrid frame deliver a boat that looks great, is lightweight, super strong, tough and robust, and rides and performs almost like a fibreglass boat.

On closer inspection I was shown that the unique design of the aluminium plate formed hulls with a second reversed chine was like no other. During forming, thousands tonnes of force is applied on premium aluminium plates and the material becomes almost liquid-like, evenly spreading on dedicated design dies. Flat plates become complex shapes.

This allows the single plate bottom of Morningstar Boats to incorporate reverse chines, strakes, and variable

The boat sits near to level at rest, even with only the driver on board. deadrise, and eliminate an external extrusion keel.

Additionally, side plates and gunwales can now be integrated into a streamlined shape with a second chine and flared bow. Together, these formed plates give the hull outstanding hydraulic properties, static and dynamic. That’s why they call it the Hydro Hull.

Strength is another important characteristic of the hull. The formed plates act as a strong outer shell.

This ‘unibody’ concept is popular with high-end sports cars, planes and top-end bicycles.

No longer dependent on frames alone to provide structural strength, the net result is a stronger, lighter and more rigid integral structure.

Special folding technology is also used to construct stiffeners and transom.

Folded stiffener system and transom dramatically decrease welding and increase rigidity and durability.

PERFORMANCE It wasn’t before long that we had the Morningstar 4.6m Cuddy Cabin at the ramp in the Pittwater rolling into the water and motoring through the 4 knot and 8 knot zone so that I could open up the throttle up.

I was very impressed by how dry the ride was as we headed up towards Barrenjoey Headland and turned out to sea, even though there was a fair bit of a northeasterly wind blowing. The second reversed chine on the boat was definitely doing its job by pushing the water and the spray back down towards the water’s surface. The axe-like forefoot and deep V give this boat a very smooth and soft entry into the water.

When turning the boat at top speed and going over the wakes of other craft there was no sideways slipping, creating a stable track as you turned.

The Honda F60hp fourstroke pushed the boat extremely easily out of the water and up onto the plane

within approximately three to four times the boat’s length. When you push the throttle, the outboard engine drives the boat forward, while the water gives the boat a lifting force to plane. Bow-to-aft reverse chines and strakes on the Morningstar bottom plate help to conserve more lifting force and allow the boat to plane quicker and increase its cruising stability.

SAFETY At rest with two adults on board and on the same side of the boat there was

side of the boat. The height of the gunnels from the floor allowed me to easily lean up against the side to brace myself.

There were no grab rails on the boat that I tested, but if you look closely at the photos with this article you will see there is a rectangle section that forms the top rail. This gave me somewhere to hang onto, but if it was my boat I would get them to install a grab rail on the passenger’s side at least.

At the rear of the boat there’s a fold-down seat for

Top: The second chine has been reversed. This, combined with the flared bow, pushes the spray down to give a stable and dry riding experience. Bottom: There’s plenty of room behind the windscreen to mount your GPS/sounder, plus an area below to store an esky or two. There’s also plenty more room to add more dials and switches to the console. a slight lean. This would be understandable when you have around 180kg on one

a couple of extra passengers, who could hang onto the side rails while travelling.

ERGONOMICS This boat comes with two side pockets at the back half of the boat, a five-tray storage system under each seat, a storage rack at the rear of the of the boat for PFDs and the battery, plus two small shallow storage trays under the cabin. I need a ton of storage though, so I’d get them to customise a storage box up the front in the cuddy section of the boat.

In the test boat the instrument panel contained a fuel gauge, rev counter, voltage gauge and a 12V socket. The five black switches from left to right are: nav lights, anchor light, bilge pump, live bait aerator and a spare switch. If you want a different layout, the guys at Enterprise Marine can customise the console to suit your preference.

The boat comes with a covered anchor well which can be accessed by climbing through the lockable hatch at the front of the cuddy cabin.

If you frequently go on solo trips, I recommend that you change the lock to a doublesided one so you can access the interior of the boat while launching.

Personally, I found the throttle position to be a bit too far back from the steering wheel when standing to drive the boat. When I was sitting it was OK though.

FISHABILITY When taking a boat for a test drive you don’t always get a chance to fish, but on this occasion I was able to troll a couple of lines out the back when a school of tailor showed up. The boat was very stable even though I was moving about a fair bit setting up the rods. There are four rod holders in total, one on either side of the rear of the boat and two on the self-draining cutting board.

If you are into live baiting for kingfish, mulloway, sharks and so on, there is a plumbed 20L live well on the port side. The 3mm checker plate floor is self draining which makes it very handy if you want to hose out the boat while on the water. You could easily wash the floor down if you were to install a hose.

This boat is designed to take five adults and would fish four comfortably either trolling or drifting offshore or in the estuary. Anchoring up would also be a great option as two anglers could fish from the front two seats and the other two anglers could use the back bench seat.

There was plenty of room to mount a GPS sounder combo, compass and so forth up behind the windscreen. The CM500 seats with a five-tray

compartment underneath were quite comfortable when driving and at rest.

NOISE Many of the aluminium boats I have tested over the years have a fair amount of noise when travelling at speed. Even mine.

Morningstar boats are constructed differently from conventional pressed our plate alloy boats, however.

This construction, along with the one section flared sides and revered chine, provides not only tremendous strength but cuts down on the noise when travelling at speed and coming down off a wave or wake.

The only thing I would say about the 3mm checker plate floor is that if you dropped something metal on it this would send a fair amount of noise through the water, which could possibly scare off the fish. If you were really worried about this you could always carpet the floor.

The Honda F60hp four-stroke outboard is so quiet you can easily have a conversation while travelling.

The Morningstar Hydro Hull comes with a fiveyear warranty and the test boat also came with a water safety kit, boat and trailer

At the rear of the boat you’ll find the alloy self-draining preparation board, a 20L live well and the fuel inlet.

registration, battery box, a fold-down ladder and a non-slip pad, plus all the required navigation lights.

The RRP is $31,300 from Enterprise Marine at Unit 8, 77 Bassett St, Mona Vale. For more info contact Chris Tocchini on (02) 9999 5558 or email chris@ enterprisemarine.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.

Both the driver’s and passenger’s seats have a five-drawer storage compartment built in.

DECEMBER 2014

121

Tabs 5600 Territory Pro centre console PORT MACQUARIE

David Poulton pmbc@drsm.com.au

Tabs Boats are renowned for building strong, reliable vessels, and this is clear in their company motto — “Tough Aussie Boats”. The build is complimented by a smooth ’glass-like finish that shows they are not only tough, but also great to look at.

First examination of the Tabs Territory Pro and you pause to take in everything the company has become

renowned for — strong design and attention to detail. It certainly looks like a great boat for the serious offshore angler.

DIMENSIONS Keeping their motto in mind, Tabs have certainly built a tough Aussie boat.

The new Super FX plate hull design with a 4mm bottom is made from 5083 high tensile sheets, welded the full length with 3 stringers and a 10mm thick 100mm high keel. The smooth 3mm sides are beautifully welded, giving it a sleek finish once painted. It’s a boat that’s certainly built to last!

Powered by the new Mercury 115 Command Thrust 4-stroke, this boat has plenty of power.

The reverse chine, combined with a deep V-hull, provided an excellent ride with great stability. We had less than favourable conditions for the test (which is what you want), but taking it out over the bar and into some tough seas the boat was more than up to the challenge.

It provided a dry ride and responded well under the conditions.

At 5.75m in length and with a roomy 2.4m beam, the Territory Pro is a lot of boat. Tipping the scales at around 620kg, it has a transom weight of 240kg.

With the test boat fitted with a Mercury 115 Command Thrust 4-stroke weighing in at 175kg, it’s a pretty light package considering its size.

At rest, it feels extremely safe, even with a decent swell running. It has plenty of storage room, with all the safety gear located in the bin under the driver and passenger bench seat.

Underway, there are plenty of places to hold onto to deal with the conditions.

Vision while driving seated was good and provided clear sight whether cruising along an estuary or under power

ackle t h c u m Is too ugh? o n e y l r a pdates on not ne

for daily u ckle, junkie.fish le k c ta t fishing ta s. it Vis d greates n rie a o t s s s e te c la c the ear and a g g n ti a o b

for • Sign up s! te upda

• New products • Reviews • Videos www.tacklejunkie.fish Fishing Monthly Magazines

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DECEMBER 2014

With its clean lines, the Tabs 5600 Territory Pro certainly grabs the serious fisho’s attention. at sea. While standing when crossing a bar and moving in big seas the Territory Pro handled well, was very stable and with seat and console rails you certainly felt safe.

POWER Getting this big girl moving was effortless, thanks to the new Command Thrust Mercury 115 4-stroke. With just a little tap on the throttle she was up and planing, and cruised at around 4900rpm doing 24 knots. When put under the pump and given a little juice, she revved out to 6100rpm and was nudging over 32 knots.

Performance tests were done in the estuary, and with flat water it was great to see the boat fly. Offshore in tougher conditions, it was comforting to have done these tests and know there was enough power and quick response to deal with tricky seas, proving that the hull and engine was a good match. The recommended rating of 115hp was more than sufficient and going to 150hp would see the boat fly.

When driving a boat of this size with such a responsive engine, safety is a key and the Territory Pro handled beautifully. It held a straight line well, and when the power was cut it continued to hold true — coming off the plane quickly, sitting down smoothly, with no water pushing over the pod or the transom.

Cornering at slow speeds was difficult and something that would take getting used to. This is due to the boat not having hydraulic steering. It’s an optional extra well worth considering, but not entirely essential. In saying that, the boat did respond and handle well when turning at speed, exhibiting very

Top: The front deck has great storage, with a removable 90L icebox for keeping the catch fresh. Middle: The plate hull design contributes to the Territory Pro’s great handling characteristics. Bottom: The flip-flop backrest makes for a great driving position, or a comfortable spot to lean back and watch the rods when fishing.

little slip, digging in nicely, and transitioning well from one direction to another — making it very safe for avoiding obstacles in the water.

Offshore, it carved through the swell and even punched over a few waves comfortably. It tracked well in a following sea and handled admirably given the conditions.

EXTRAS When thinking about buying a boat, we sometimes forget about extras and get caught up in just the initial cost. Tabs have done an

excellent job by including some cool accessories that make it a great fishing vessel. On the port side is a lockable rod locker, while on the starboard a large shelf. It also has a rear swim platform with a stainless steel boarding ladder, and a walk-through transom for bringing people or those big catches on board. It also comes with an aluminium bait table and three rod holders. This is well positioned, and adjacent to it on the transom is a live bait tank all plumbed up and ready to go.

LAYOUT When looking at the layout of the Territory Pro, ‘functional’ sums it up pretty accurately. There’s plenty of deck space for 3-4 anglers, and being able to move around the boat from the stern to the bow with little effort is a great bonus when wrestling a big fish. Large gunwales at the right height make for a safe, stable fishing platform, and would come in handy in a rocky sea.

Forward there is a sizeable anchor well that is easy to access, and under-

At rest, the boat makes for a stable fishing platform

The bait table is a great feature, with storage underneath and set at a good height.

floor 2 storage compartments — one for incidentals and the other containing a 90L removable icebox to look after your catch. With plenty of open deck space aft of the console, it really is a superb fishing vessel.

CONSOLE The command centre of any boat is the skipper’s seat, and in this case it’s a large two-seater box seat

All New 2015 Hull Design

with a flip-flop backrest.

The console has a well considered, no fuss layout.

There’s an EPIRB holder, and a large compartment for personal belongings. Along with the engine controls and instrument gauges, the console is also fitted with a Lowrance Elite 7 Colour GPS sounder, a Lowrance VHF radio, and to give you some extra protection from the sun,

a heavy duty T-top. A large shelf at the bottom is a handy place to store any other gear you might need at the ready.

FISHABILITY AND SUMMING UP At a glance, the Territory Pro gets you looking, but once tested it gets you wanting. With ample fishing room, great stability and storage space supported by precise handling and plenty of power, this boat has it all for the offshore angler.

With some nice extras thrown in to increase its appeal, this is an awesome package. Sitting on an Oceanic Trailer for reliable towing and easy launching and retrieval, it is a combination well worth considering. At $49,999, it’s a lot of boat for the money.

The test rig was supplied

by Hastings Marine at Port Macquarie. If you’d like to check the Tabs 5600 Territory Pro out, give them a call on (02) 6583 5511. To see the full Tabs boat range, visit www.tabsboats.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.

SUPER FX HULL the way of the future

T

he new Super FX hull Series is the latest innovation in a long list of dynamic hull Effects that give you the best of the best in plate hull design.

SUPER FX “SUPER EFFECTS ” • 5083 HT plate boats at a pressed boat price The Effect: Strength durability and weight for ride • 8mm Keeper plates cross braced between floating floor brace and the stringer The Effect: Strength, longevity safety and resale • Full bulkheads every 400mm from bottom sheet to floor The Effect: Strength and ride through the default effect of extra weight, safety and resale • Full length spray chines The Effect: Keeps spray low • Variable deadrise plate hulls The Effect: Allows for a deeper amidships and entry V while maintaining the efficiency stability and shallow draft of a moderately V hull • Pressed planning strakes in 5083 The Effect: There will be no change in the 5083 high tensile strength in the middle of the sheet due to the annealing affect that welded on planning strakes have • Full rockered strung boat The Effect: A reduced wetted surface area means less fuel, greater range and of course a dry more enjoyable hull • Large reverse chines The Effect: Increased stability at rest

07

5594 6333

FREE OPTIONS ON EVERY MODEL See our website

dean@tabsboats.com.au • www.tabsboats.com.au DECEMBER 2014

123

What’s new boating

1

HONDA MAINTENANCE

In a first for the company, Honda Australia has introduced a maintenance schedule notification as standard in all new engines ranging from BF40-BF250 with NMEA2000-compliant gauges.

This technology will make it easier for Honda customers to keep their engine serviced and extend the life of their engine.

All BF40-BF250 engines built since September 2014 will be equipped with this feature so that when your engine is due for a service, a flashing reminder will appear on your gauge. Maintenance schedule intervals can be changed with the ‘Dr. H’ on-board diagnostics system, which is supplied to authorised Honda Marine dealers.

This is perfect for recreational and commercial operators alike, where busy lives can cause users to forget about proper engine maintenance.

“This new feature will ensure that Honda customers will have every opportunity to keep their investment properly maintained and working well,” Stephen Harvey, Technical Services Manager at Honda Marine, said. - Honda

2

LSM EXTENDING WARRANTY

Lone Star Marine has announced this month they are extending their Unconditional Warranty period to a full 5 years on all Gen3 and future winch series.

“With our almost non-existent claim rate on current models and the fact we have never charged a customer one cent to address an issue, it just makes sense. This new upgrade is just a reflection of the real world results of our current range,” Malki Ary at Lone Star Marine said.

The new Warranty is pro-rated to all Gen3 Winches from their release in March 2013. Lone Star Winches also feature a Lifetime Warranty on water ingress, the only warranty of its kind in the world.

“We build our winches to last from the welds to the drives. We want our customers to know they’ll never be hit with an $800 bill for a new drive. So if we make something that is waterproof, it should remain that way for life.” - LSM

3

MOTORGUIDE XI5

Fishing writer and TV presenter Steve ‘Starlo’ Starling isn’t someone who changes his sponsors at the drop of a hat – so when he does, it’s worth paying attention. Starlo recently fitted one of the new MotorGuide Xi5 electric motors to his rig and was very impressed.

“This electric is the quietest, smoothest and has the fastest response I’ve ever encountered,” he said. “The Pinpoint GPS system is a significant advance in performance… and the Anchor Mode is unbelievably good regardless of the conditions.

“The Jog function can be used to shuffle the boat 1.5m in any direction… and being able to store Anchor points, as well as record and replay routes, is invaluable.”

The Xi5 has a strong composite shaft backed by a lifetime warranty. The motor is water and dust proof, and its quiet and precise steering transmission is built for long-life. The Xi5 also includes wireless capability right out of the box, letting you command precise motor control from anywhere on the boat. www. mercurymarine.com.au - Mercury 124

DECEMBER 2014

4

GME BONUS PACK

1

Market leadingw Emergency Beacon manufacturer GME has released the MT600G, in a special promotional BONUS Pack, just in time for Christmas. Coupled with the MT600G GPS equipped EPIRB is the versatile ET80 waterproof, twist-tocharge torch.

The MT600G features enhanced GPS functionality ensuring faster location in an emergency situation, a 10 year battery life and advanced self testing capability, giving users greater peace of mind. Certified by COSPAS SARSAT for worldwide usage, the MT600G is an Australian made safety device that could save your life.

The ET80 torch features a unique twistto-charge capability which means that your emergency torch will never be without charge.

You can charge your torch via USB on the way to the boat ramp, and using the USB ‘out’ cable, charge other USB powered devices such as a phone. To top it off, the ET80 has a stainless steel bottle opener moulded into its base. Perfect for those hot summer days!

The MT600G BONUS Pack with ET80 torch is available at authorised GME Marine Dealers at an RRP of $399 including GST during December and January or while stocks last. – GME

5

3

STACER 619 EASY RIDER

Released due to customer demand, Stacer’s new 619 Easy Rider offers the largest bow and cockpit space in the bowrider range and has room for up to 8 people.

The 619 Easy Rider has a large cushioned bow lounge and new rear lounge featuring a wraparound backrest design, eliminating sharp edges and creating ultimate comfort. In line with the 2014 range this boat also features the Low Profile Sports Deck with a design which sees the UV stable, moulded material extend further around the corners of the dash, creating an aesthetically pleasing line.

The 619 has 4mm bottomsides and 160L fuel tank and is rated up to 200hp. A ski locker, sound system with speakers, and sounder are included as standard. It’s available as a Ready 2 Go Package complete with a boat, motor, trailer and 3-year limited factory warranty. www.stacer.com.au - Stacer

6

2

QUINTREX F450 HORNET

The new design of the Quintrex F450 Hornet maximises fishability – the slimline sports console increases cockpit space and fishing access while the standard front and rear casting platform offer the perfect fishing spot.

The F450 Hornet comes complete with a live bait tank in the back deck and tackle box tray as standard while the wide 2.1m beam creates a large front casting platform complete with a battery tray.

The Eclipse V-Flared hull allows the beam to be wider at the bow for a larger front casting platform, and cuts through choppy water well for all round stability.

The F450 Hornet features a 77L underfloor fuel tank and is rated to 75hp. Options include a bow mount thruster plate, berley bucket, bimini and envelope, stereo and speakers and a deluxe rod storage locker.

The F450 Hornet is available as a Quintrex Instant Boating Package including an engine, Quintrex trailer and 3-year limited factory warranty. www.quintrex.com.au - Quintrex

4

5

6

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.

SUNSHINE COAST

MACKAY / WHITSUNDAYS

Promote your Sunny Coast boat hire business here! For as little as $15 per month.

Phone (07) 3387 0800 Email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

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

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Boat Licencing GOLD COAST

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www.bundallmarinecentre.com.au

5504 7446

Bundall Marine Centre

No.1 Ashmore Rd, Bundall

TOP BRANDS • TOP SERVICE • GREAT PRICES

INSIDE SPORTY’S WAREHOUSE

07 5526 2786

Marine Trailers

Sea-Link Special Trailers (07) 3881 3568

0422 198 651

Marine Electronics

MAIL ORDERS

WELCOME

32 Straithaid Rd BUNDALL 4217 QLD

MARINE ELECTRONICS

Marine Mechanics

SALES • REPAIRS • INSTALLATIONS

GOLD COAST

ONSITE AND MOBILE INSTALLATIONS

• Sounders • GPS • Electric Motors • Marine Radios and accessories • Stereos • Televisions • Radar Units • Autopilots

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Tackle Warehouse Brisbane (07) 3398 6500 BCF www.bcf.com.au Victoria Point Bait and Tackle (07) 3820 9581

• Sales • Service • Spare Parts • Warranty and Insurance work * REPOWER SPECIALISTS *

Spinnaker Sound Chandlery Ningi (07) 5497 6007 FTO Tackle Outlet Brisbane 0416 017 094

Unit 4/1440 New Cleveland Road Capalaba www.trymax.com.au PHONE: 07 3245 3633

www.runawaybaymarineservice.com.au

Boat Hire – House 2/247 Bayveiw St Runaway Bay GEOFF NEWMAN PH 55774411

GOLD COAST

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Boat Modifications and Repairs

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Bundall Marine Centre – Servicing all makes and models. MOBILE SERVICE AVAILABLE (07) 5504 7446

+ 50km of sheltered waterways on the Gold Coast’s Broadwater + No Licence required + Boats from $895 + 2-12 berth

Whitewater Marine (07) 5532 4402

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727

CORROSION CONTROL SALT REMOVING TREATMENT

WARNING!

Northside Marine (07) 3265 8029 Coastal Powerboats (07) 5568 0904

+ 07 5502 6200 + houseboat.net.au

Capalaba Boat Centre 04011 728 379 Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Cunninghams Marine (07) 3284 8805

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Caloundra Marine (07) 5491 1944

Lake Monduran House Boat www.lakemonduranhouseboathire.com.au

Bribie Boat Sales (07) 3408 0055

NORTH BRISBANE

Boat Hire – Trailer

Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

GOLD COAST

Boat Mechanics – Mobile

Walk on/off, or tow away Fish finder/gps, marine radio, all safety gear Half day, full day, and overnight rates True locals with great advice www.goldcoastboathire.com.au 20 Georgia St, Coombabah 0432 710 892 Boab Boat Hire - 1300 002 622

9 out 10 engines fail from salt corrosion

Coorparoo Marine (07) 3397 4141

BRISBANE

ACT NOW AND PROTECT YOUR VALUABLE BOAT, ENGINE, TRAILER, FISHING AND DIVE GEAR. SALT-AWAY IS A MUST FOR:

ENGINE FLUSHING JETSKIS TRAILERS

FREECALL For more info

WASHING BOATS FISHING & DIVE GEAR

1800 091 172

VISIT www.salt-away.com.au

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

Rod and Reel Repair

Marine Outboard Wreckers

D&H REEL REPAIRS

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20 Wrights Place Labrador Qld 4215 website www.brumbsmarine.com.au email brumbsmarine@bigpond.com

www.reelrepairs.com.au North Queensland 110 Sherbrooke Rd, Willawong Qld 4110

Aluminium fabrication • Steel fabrication • Boat repairs Boat modifications • Aluminium sales

JT Reel Repairs, Mackay 0427 552 485 or (07) 4955 2485

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

Southeast Custom Rod Building and Repairs 0438 055 877

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Shed 1 281 Jacobs Well Road Behind GEM Service Station, Alberton 4207

Advertise here - $90 + GST for 6 months Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Phone 3807 7846

Mob 0427 142 201 Fax 3807 2468

www.custommarinewelding.com.au Online Tackle Products

Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883 ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402

She Left Camera Sunglasses www.hdvcs.com.au

Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088

U-Make-Em Sort Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064 Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636

Marine Transport

CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808

ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Boat Painting Holiday Accommodation

BRISBANE

• • • • • • • • •

Spray painting Re-sprays Fairing Paint protection Touch ups Repairs New or old Anti-fouling Fiberglass repairs

BOAT TRANSPORT AUSTRALIA WIDE FROM A TINNY TO 50 FEET WEEKLY SERVICE BRISBANE TO CAIRNS

Professional paint jobs made to last.

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Hemingways on Tin Can Bay (07) 3219 9376 Bribie Island Real Estate (07) 3408 1006

MORETON ISLAND

DJ Freight Marine Transport 0418 793 357 0427 341 076 contact@djfreight.com.au

Shed 3 Redland City Marina 100 Beveridge Road Thornlands 4146 Qld

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Marine Trimmers

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Fraser Island Fishing Units INDIAN HEAD

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Shed 3 Redland City Marina 100 Beveridge Road Thornlands 4146 Qld

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For bookings or enquiries contact: Cliff Andreassen 07 5449 9346 or 0428 712 283

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

A FISHO’S DREAM

Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727

bearfish@bigpond.com

Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587

Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364

WANT IN? EMAIL : ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469

BURDEKIN

Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330

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Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929

JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324

Gone Fishing Charters Gold Coast (07) 5529 7833

Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044

Fully setup fishing accommodation

Call Von 07 4937 3145 Stanage Bay Marine and Accommodation w w w.stan a g eb ay. co m COOKTOWN

Advertise here - $195 + GST for 6 months Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027

Fishing Guides BRISBANE Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576

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Slimy mackerel: How to fillet and cook the bait BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Called slimy mackerel in Australia, they are found all over the world. In Australia they are considered arguably the best baitfish available for many target species, but are seldom thought as table fare. However, in many places they are revered as an eating fish, particularly in colder waters.

The secret to cooking mackerel is to remove two boneless and skinless strips of flesh from each fillet.

One strip from above the bloodline, the other strip from below the bloodline.

3

1

Getting prepared: two slimy mackerel fillets and a slimy mackerel alongside for comparison.

Next remove the rib bones from the belly half of the fillet.

2

4

To remove the bones, make an incision down to (but not through) the skin above the pin bones and bloodline (which run the full length of the fillet). The line of pin bones that run the full length down the middle of the fillet will remain attached to the skin. Then turn the knife outwards and cut the flesh away from the centre and remove the strip of fish flesh from the dorsal part of the fillet.

Now skin the bottom half of the fillet. Using a blade longer than the fillet you can skin in the opposite direction to normal. Make a cut into the flesh below the pin bones and then cut the flesh strip away from the remaining skin and pin bones, ensuring that you have no bones in the strip that is intended for the table. The remainder should now be the skin with a row of pin bones still attached.

This recipe is a concept rather than a rigid amount of ingredients.

The seasoned flour consists of plain flour mixed with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

The mackerel fillets are coated in this mixture and then sautéed in a little

5 128

Two mackerel strips (one from the upper section of the fillet and the other from the lower section of the fillet) on the right ready for cooking.

Note that the rib ‘flaps’ make good bream baits and the flesh and skin left overs make good berley.

DECEMBER 2014

6

butter until almost cooked through. Don’t overcook as the mackerel as it will continue to cook in the pan when removed from the heat.

I remove the fillets from the pan and add chopped herbs to the butter in the pan. This herb buttery

mixture is then spooned over the cooked mackerel.

I have used chives in the photo for this recipe, but you can add almost any herb of your choice. The robust oily flavours of the mackerel will team with most herbs; my favourites are thyme, coriander or chives.

To serve, place the mackerel fillets on a plate and spoon the herb butter sauce over the fillets. A squeeze of lemon lifts the tastes in the dish.

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