Queensland Fishing Monthly - December 2015 by Fishing Monthly

FEATURE-PACKED HOLIDAY ISSUE • CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS

Tried and Tested

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Features

Brisbane River threadfin debate • Exmouth fly fishing • Big fish, big lures? • Christmas gift ideas •

How-To

Mangrove jack: north and south • Fraser Island marlin • Scientifically proven fishing hotspots • Softies in the surf • Cod bobbing • Work with wire •

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Bow Higgs landed this mangrove jack on a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook and Black Magic 50lb Tough Trace while fishing off Fraser Island.

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Black Magic 80lb Supple Trace was used by Damon McLean to catch this massive 90cm, 10kg+ snapper fishing at Barwon Bank.

Ron Morgan landed the above scarlet sea perch and red emperor using a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook while fishing off Fraser Island.

This 24kg mulloway was landed by Alex Deacon at a secret location. Alex used Black Magic 80lb Supple Trace.

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December 2015, Vol. 28 No. 3

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Iluka 24 Ballina 26

of things that you’re sure to want if you don’t have them already. Our suggested tactic? Copious use of a highlighter and then leaving the open magazine in a well trafficked position – say under the TV remote control. It’s worked in the past and it’ll work again, we trust. CHRISTMAS GIFT SUBS - READ THIS We love the fact that thousands of readers subscribe to the Fishing Monthly magazines, and hundreds and hundreds buy gift subscriptions every Christmas. Just some housekeeping here – if you like renewing or buying your gift subscription over the phone or via mail to the FM office, please make an effort to get it to us by the 14th of December. The very last day we process subs is the 17th, but if you get it to us by the 14th, we can get the Gift

54 QUEENSLAND FISHING MONTHLY

Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas Sub-Editors: Bob Thornton Nicole Penfold Georgia Williams Field Editors: Jason Ehrlich Wayne Kampe Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall

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DECEMBER 2015

THREADY DEBATE BROADENS There’s been more slagging in the social media world about the Brisbane River threadfin salmon situation at the mouth of the Brisbane River. Suntag’s Stefan Sawynok pulls no punches this month and gives his view on what should be done. As expected with Sawynok, there’s plenty of common sense mixed in with the insight. Just be warned, though, everyone who deserves an uppercut gets one – and that includes recreational anglers. CHRISTMAS GIFTS Every year we like to do some of the hard work for you when it comes to finding Christmas gifts for anglers. Curator of our www.tacklejunkie.fish website, Nicole Penfold, has examined all options for you this year and compiled it into a comprehensive list

At Fishing Monthly, we wish it was summer all year long. Not only are all of the writers bursting out of their skin with excitement and the fishing top-notch, but, because the summer magazines are so big, the staff in the office are buzzing when we’re putting them all together. We love it. And the only thing that makes summer even better is giving the Kiwis a flogging in the cricket (yes, the Rugby World Cup is ancient history now) and having that play on the radio in the background as you’re winding one in. Alternatively, smashing out a dawn session and having the boat washed and the fish cleaned by the time the Channel 9 Wide World of Sports logo scrolls across the screen can result in similar enlightenment. Bring it on!

AUST

SPECIAL FEATURES In pursuit of lightning 10 Northern jack attack 12 Marlin at Fraser Island 16 Brisbane River threadfin debate 50 Softies in the surf 66 Christmas gift ideas 68 13 Fishing Muse Gold 120 Cod bobbing 92 Bluewater Exmouth on fly 94 Big fish, big lures? 97 Building your skill – the loop knot 100

From the Editor’s Desk...

REGULAR FEATURES Boating 122 Back to Basics 20 Camping and 4WD 98 Cooking 114 Dam Levels 88 Freshwater 88 Fun Page 118 Kayaking 112 Sheik of the Creek 115 Sunfish 116 Suntag 14 Tournament News 102 Tech Tricks 22 Trades and Services 128 What’s New in Boating 126 What’s New in Fishing 108

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 76 Ayr 77 Townsville 78 Lucinda 79 Cairns 80 Hinchinbrook 82 Port Douglas 81 Cape York 83 Cooktown 84 TNQ Freshwater 85

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay 54 Fraser Coast 52 Rainbow Beach 54 Lake Monduran 56 Bundaberg 59 Gladstone 60 Rockhampton 61 Yeppoon 62 Mackay 640

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Tweed Heads 28 Southern Gold Coast 29 Gold Coast Canals 30 Gold Coast 32 Jumpinpin 34 Southern Bay 36 Brisbane 38 Brisbane Offshore 40 Northern Bay 42 Caloundra 44 Noosa 46

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Mangrove Jack

In pursuit of lightning CALOUNDRA

Brad McKendrick fishingcaloundra@yahoo.com.au

Mangrove jack have a well-known reputation as fearsome fighting fish that strike like lightning and pull like a steam train towards any available cover, normally taking everything with them. Some people call this species a dirty fighter, but anyone experienced in catching mangrove jack knows that the angler is

the better chance there is of taking a fish. Mangrove jack are highly territorial and will defend their spot aggressively. Smaller fish live their juvenile lives in the protection of the mangrove-lined waterways, bridges, pontoons, underwater snags, rocky outcrops and deep holes. Once they reach around 2-4kg they start to move out into the open ocean where they live out their lives. TECHNIQUES Fishing for mangrove jacks will keep you thinking

There are two effective ways to catch jacks. These include baiting or lure fishing with soft plastics or hardbodied lures. Bait is bait, but live bait is on a completely different level and essential to target mangrove jack. Live prawns, poddy mullet, herring, whiting and crab are among the best choices to greatly increase your chances. It’s important to remember that if you aren’t right up in the snags or rocks, you aren’t in the

Shane Adams with a healthy winter jack.

Justin Peacock loves chasing mangrove jack. the one who needs to be ready and have the correct equipment to have any chance of success. HABITAT These fish can be found in both offshore reefs and estuarine systems. They thrive on areas that allow them to ambush food. The more clutter in the water,

constantly. The moment you stop thinking, the fish will stop biting. You need to look for likely areas that will hold jacks; check out where you are going to present your lure or bait, watch the sounder for dropoffs or likely holding spots and use the tidal run to your advantage.

strike zone. Losing some of your rigs or lures means that you are right in the snaggy areas where they live. When a jack spots your bait it will fly out of its cover, then turn around and take the bait straight back from where it came. These fish hit hard and fast, so it’s smart to strike on the

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Remember to leave the lure or bait in the strike zone as long as possible. It’s a well-known fact that most fish feed into the current, and mangrove jack are no different. When rigging with live bait I use a 2/0-4/0 short shank hook. Live bait can be cast close into the snaggy areas or trolled slowly past likely spots. If you are trolling, get in as close as possible to the snags. When fishing live baits you must watch your line at all times. If there is the slightest twitch, strike. BEST FISHING Everyone has his or her own opinion on this, but day or night you can catch mangrove jack. A making tide or last of the low is my favourite time to catch

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the same catch rate with or without it. Effective lures range from shallow to deep divers depending on where you are fishing. My favourites are Yo Zuri Crystal Minnows, Lucky Craft poppers for surface work and 3.5” Bombers. In soft plastics, I can’t go past the Prawnstar Gold range or DOA Shrimp. Z-Man 100mm and Gulp paddle- tails or minnows are the pick of the others. I always use as light a jighead as possible to get right into the spot so that it sinks down slowly into the strike zone, presenting more naturally. A heavier jighead will sink fast and be out of the strike zone too quickly. The normal lift-andtwitch technique is a killer.

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first nudge of the line. If you don’t put immediate pressure on them, they will make it back to the snag and it’s all over. So strike fast, lock the fish up and turn it away from there. EQUIPMENT Standard spin outfits will do these days but I use a baitcaster outfit so that I can get into tight places with my bait or lure. The main line should be 15-20lb with a high abrasion resistant leader of 15-20lb for the basic set up. I prefer braid, but mono will do the job if you strike fast. Rods in the 3-6kg or 5-10kg range are good to get the job done. You don’t need the best of the best in rods to catch more fish. As far as fluorocarbon goes, my experience has been

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The author’s favourite jack lures: Bomber, Prawnstar, Yo Zuri Minnow and Prawnstar Gold. them because the fish are all congregated in deeper pool areas. There needs to be run in the tide or it

is very difficult to entice them. Remember – no run, no fun! Summer is the best time to target them. Once

you know the areas they like to haunt you’ll find them there all year round. These days there is a lot more pressure in the backwater areas because technology allows us to get there easily with electric motors and kayaks, so plan your trip carefully. Fish when there are fewer anglers on the water. Mangrove jack will spook if there is a lot of noise but sometimes you’ll need to mix up your attack. Keep casting to the area until you are convinced there is nothing there. Annoy them enough and watch the way they retaliate. Mangrove jack are worth putting in the hours of fishing to get the results but is not something you should do half-heartedly. If you are fishing for them, focus only on jacks – if you change it up and start looking for bream or a flathead with the hope of a jack on the side, you will be disappointed. Once you have experienced the smash and grab of mangrove jack you will want more and more. Please remember that we all deserve a chance to fish for them, so release what you don’t need for the table.

Justin Peacock with another jack from the canals. DECEMBER 2015

Mangrove Jack

Northern jack attack! CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

There is little in the piscatorial world that hits a lure harder than a mangrove jack. The sheer ferocity and violence of the strike leaves fishing reels screaming, rods bending, and anglers struggling in desperation as they try to control the red streak of fury attached to their line. From the moment you hook your first jack, the feeling and power is simply addictive and it’s of little wonder that anglers hold them in such high regard.

ability to not only survive but dominate and thrive. There is much debate around this so called ‘spread’ to the south, however, for those anglers who have been chasing these fish for a decade or so will know, they have always been there. The development of canal estates and other artificial structures have seen mangrove jack adapt and, most importantly thrive in systems that now hold fish and sometimes even out fish some of the best creek systems of the north. But it doesn’t matter where you target these red fish, there are a few hard and

or snag where current will funnel bait through on the tide. Jacks will wait patiently for these baitfish to move through where they will pounce on their prey in a swift and deadly fashion. These fish are not shy in feeding, and unlike many species like barra that feel tail to head, the jack is well aware of how to disable a baitfish and will almost always smash fish head on. They will charge at their prey before taking an aggressive turn of direction, hammering their prey head on before retreating back to their snaggy home. This is why many anglers find themselves

Jacks love a popper, especially when worked during times of low light over shallow structure. you can get it close enough. This leads to the second significant factor of getting your lure in the strike zone. Put simply, when you think you are getting close enough to structure, go a little closer. The further you can get that lure or bait to the structure, the better your chances of red success. This is why I love weedless soft plastic rigs when fishing for jacks. Being

able to go right into the timber or rocks and bounce around in their snaggy homes will bring the best results. Sure you may lose a few battles here and there, but it’s the risk which makes the reward so much sweeter. It is no secret that jacks love to sit tight in structure and the jack strike zone is often measured in inches, not feet. In fact, a mere 2” off a snag

Weedless rigged soft plastics, especially red ones are perfect for chasing jacks. One of the most appealing features of the mangrove jack, apart from its sheer brute force, is its availability. Once regarded as a specialised North Queensland only fish, the jack has spread its fins with captures beyond our state’s borders now common. In fact, the mangrove jack has become a staple target species in southern waters just as much in northern waters, which is testament to its natural

fast ideals to stick by if you are going to experience that red success. STRUCTURE Firstly, structure is really key. Jacks are ambush predators and opportunistic feeders, and while the odd fish may freely roam, the majority of jacks will hold up on a piece of structure that will provide the opportunity for an easy and quick feed. This is usually on an edge

completely bricked in structure before they even get a chance to get into the fight as the jack is already half way back to his home before the drag washers are sinking in. ACCURACY It’s this aggressive pitbulllike nature that many anglers, including myself, just love about jacks. While barra will roll or stick their nose up at lures at times, jacks will always smash an offering if

Lure fishing for jacks at night will bring bigger and more aggressive fish.

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can often be the difference between a lure crunching red boil or still water and a slack line. This is where some of the newer baitcaster reels are excelling with the latest technology as they allow the smallest of under- or overhand flicks to send lures deep into where it needs to be. Every successful mangrove jack lure fisher will tell you, casting accuracy is paramount to success and with this much technology and innovation packed into one reel to enhance this, your chances of snaring a big jack will improve right off the bat. QUALITY GEAR The third factor that comes into play is having a combo that can extract a big jack when needed. While casting accuracy is integral to jack success, so is the ability to put the brakes on a big fish and extract them out of their snaggy leaderdestroying homes. When fishing tight into timber and structure, having a reel with plenty of stopping power, but more importantly, is incredibly smooth under heavy load is crucial. The initial impact is so violent and sudden that sticky drags can see even heavy poundage braid or leader snap. Being able to apply heavy-handed pressure to extract these fish

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Mangrove Jack away from snags, but at the same time have a drag system that is silky smooth, allows the angler to have no fear of pulling hooks or striking too hard on hook up. My preference is to fish the Daiwa TW Zillion range of baitcaster as there is plenty of drag pressure per kilo to handle these big red devils and the oversized star design allows the angler to

upper hand early in the battle when most jacks fights are either won or lost. This reel provides plenty of muscle under load but in a subtle smooth form and is perfectly suited to not only putting the brakes on, but cushioning the intense ‘in your face’ style jack attacks. I also prefer reels with a higher retrieve ratio as being able to quickly retrieve those valuable inches

Big jacks like this one are commonly caught in artificial structures like the canals in the background easily crank it right up in the midst of battle if needed without giving an inch. Large, perfectly balanced handles also allows for awesome cranking control and are perfect for getting the

early in the fight can make a huge difference to success. On occasion, you will find tangling in the timber unavoidable so using a high quality fluorocarbon leader like Sunline FC100 is

recommended. When it comes to choosing the best offering to snare a jack, lures are your best and probably most effective. Unlike other species of fish such as barramundi, which can be finicky on lure choice, jacks are far less picky and will readily hit a wide variety of different offerings. When fishing soft plastics it is hard to go past a paddle-tail fish profile plastic as small mullet and herring make up a major part of their diet. Jacks love a slow rolled paddle-tail, especially as it is leaving the strike zone. Other effective plastics include prawn style plastics, especially when fishing into deep timber. Whichever way you go, fishing weedless is a very good option as this allows you to get deep into cover. Don’t worry about the hook up, as jacks love to smash everything hard. Hardbody lures can also be very effective. Like the paddle-tail soft plastic, a slow rolled hardbodied lure is often the perfect imitation. I prefer to fish green colours for jacks and hardbodied lures are definitely a top option, especially when fishing at night. Surface lures are also quite capable of snaring jacks, however try and fish shallow timber snags where

Jacks are powerful predators and are feared by every baitfish swimming in the creek.

Vibes are ideal to use when fishing deepwater midstream structures.

your popper or walker can work its magic just above the jacks home. They will commonly smash the lure out of sheer aggression, making for an exciting hook up. Vibes can also be very effective in deep water scenarios or mid stream snags. Vibes allow you to work these deeper structures staying in the strike zone longer. GET CASTING! Mangrove jack fishing is something every angler must attempt. The basics are pretty simple and all it will take is one well-placed cast and you will be hooked. Now is the best time to be targeting these red devils so make the most of it and feel the thrill of a jack attack.

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DECEMBER 2015

News

Tag results to plan your 2016 fishing calendar SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

The distance between now and Christmas is an ever shortening one, so Suntag decided to get in early and think ahead to the fishing opportunities in 2016. As we are unashamed data collectors, it seems appropriate that we dig into the info and see what it can tell us about the fishing opportunities on offer. In order to keep this exercise relevant, we are only looking at data since 1 January 2013, so it’s recent data and only sites where there have been at least 100 fish tagged. We are using several measures – average size of fish recorded, percentage of legal fish and catch per person per day. In terms of ranking we are ranking on average size. If your area isn’t on the list and you think it should be – join Suntag, get tagging and prove us wrong! BARRAMUNDI Where to go For big barra head to the impoundments and Gladstone region. Your best chance of scoring a barra will be in the Fitzroy River or Wiepa. Over the past 20 years

there has been a divide between the impoundment barra scene and wild barra. This is reflected for example in the fact that ANSA Queensland has separate categories for impoundment barra and wild barra in its annual length completion. There should be some consternation in ANSA over the fact that the leader in ‘wild’ barra section for the length competition are from the Calliope River and are almost certainly Awoonga escapees. Around four years ago the place to be was definitely the Fitzroy River, but that fishery has pegged back some. With the NFZ, five years time may be a very different story. As of now though, the bigger barra are still in the impoundments or escapees. The Fitzroy River end of Curtis Island is also good for the big barra. That was one wild barra area that fired for bigger barra during the bounty and has consistently delivered over the past 2 years. Hidden gems Weipa is the obvious hidden gem, the average sizes are smaller but the catch rates are much higher than anywhere else in the state. King Ash Bay is another hidden gem, especially if you can manage longer boat travel. King Ash Bay has the

As you can see, a heck of a lot of fish are tagged in the Gladstone region.

advantage of a huge range of exciting species to pass the time with when the barra aren’t on the bite. If you aren’t myopic about your barra, you would be hard pressed to find a site with as many opportunities for freaky fishing. KING THREADFIN SALMON Where to go Brisbane River and Rockhampton. Suntag is data poor on king threadfin outside of Rockhampton and Brisbane. In part, that is because thready tactics have been mastered among fishers in those areas but are yet to make it out wider. Expect that to change over time. Fishers have had good success in the Mary River region as well but unfortunately no tagging has been done. Brisbane is still the thready capital when it comes to size, though they are getting to be harder work. Right now though, if you want some thready action the only place to be thinking is the Fitzroy. The catch this year at the bounty nearly exceeded all previous catches at the bounty combined. With no nets in the New Year, there will be no better place to get your thready fix. Hidden gem The Nicholson River region in the gulf country could be the well-hidden gem. Looking at the commercial catch records this has been a consistent producer of threadfin and really you can’t get more ‘away’ from it. MANGROVE JACK Where to go Gladstone Region and Baffle Creek. There is less of a difference in the mangrove jack fisheries across the state than for barra, where there is a big variance on catch rates and sizes. When it comes to fishing experience the jack, has it all, no wonder they are so heavily targeted.

BARRAMUNDI Location................ Fish....Legal.......>1m............... Average........Fish/person/day Peter Faust Dam.... 138.....93%.........25%............... 881mm.................................2.7 Kinchant Dam........ 130.....88%.........18%............... 809mm.................................2.4 Calliope River........ 446.....86%.........13%............... 735mm.................................2.0 Boyne River........... 1236...83%.........6%................. 674mm.................................3.1 Curtis Island.......... 535.....78%.........3%................. 647mm.................................2.1 KING THREADFIN Location................ Fish....Legal.......>900mm........ Average........Fish/person/day Port of Brisbane.... 160.....98%.........78%............... 976mm.................................3.4 Brisbane River....... 317.....88%.........26%............... 780mm.................................2.8 Raglan Creek......... 348.....75%.........75%............... 674mm.................................3.9 Fitzroy River........... 1605...62%.........62%............... 635mm.................................2.3 MANGROVE JACK Location................ Fish....Legal.......>400mm........ Average........Fish/person/day Boyne River........... 135.....61%.........33%............... 370mm.................................n/a Baffle Creek........... 103.....63%.........37%............... 359mm.................................n/a Trinity Inlet............. 116......52%.........26%............... 344mm.................................n/a Rodds Bay............. 155.....44%.........23%............... 337mm.................................n/a Herbert River......... 112......36%.........21%............... 327mm.................................n/a 14

DECEMBER 2015

Gladstone may not be pretty but its fishery has performed since 2013.

A whopping 516 king threadfin salmon were caught during the Rocky Barra Bounty. If a wider array of species is in your thinking, Gladstone should be top of the list in terms of targeting Jacks. If food species with a better than average chance of a jack is in your thinking the Baffle Creek is hard to pass up. Trinity Inlet is one of the areas marked as an NFZ and as such would be another to add to the list if you are heading up to Cairns. Hidden Gem Hinchinbrook Channel has always been one of the go to places for jacks, but the catch rates have fallen off after the cyclone a few years back. As cycles go, Hinchinbrook will make a come back and there is still a lot of good fishing as evidenced by one our Hall of Fame taggers heading that way twice in recent months. YELLOWFIN BREAM Where to go Bundaberg or Maryborough and Hervey Bay. Gladstone keeps throwing up surprises when it comes to fishing data. For an environment that has been heavily industrialised

it has come up trumps for more species than any other. Despite every reason to suggest otherwise, Gladstone might just be the go to fishing destination in the coming year.

choice site. An excellent catch rate and average as well as good offshore and inshore fishing otherwise means plenty of ways to fill in your time. A mild climate and

Kiera Royle with proof that there are jacks around Hinchinbrook Channel. The catch rate for Gladstone is inflated by the Boyne Tannum Hook Up but the average is still pretty eye-catching. After that, the Burnett River is definitely the first

beach camping make it a very attractive package, especially for fishing families. Hidden gem Hervey Bay is the pick of the hidden gems. While the

News data is a little light on, the average 337mm is excellent. Looking at surrounding catch rates, the whole region is excellent for bream and only

a short drive from Brisbane. Given all the options the Fraser coast snagging some serious bream is as good an excuse as any to take advantage.

Is it a wild or impoundment barra? Ryan Patterson is pretty happy either way.

DUSKY FLATHEAD Where to go Gladstone. Going back in time, Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast was definitely the go to place for flathead. The Gold Coast Flathead Classic is one of the bigger events on the calendar. Moreton Bay is still a great place to find fish smaller then 700mm but Bundaberg and Rodds Bay lead the field by a large margin in that department. Yet again, though it’s Gladstone that has powered on in terms of flathead with three sites out of five having the three biggest averages. Must be something in the water… Hidden gem While we have less data, the Mary River average of 601mm once again makes that

Fraser Coast region a great place to try your luck. AUSTRALIAN BASS Where to go Baroon Pocket, Lake Moogerah or Lake Samsonvale

as Somerset and Wivenhoe (not listed but the average is 410mm) are the best options. Overall though, it’s the smaller impoundments around Brisbane that have been the

them by. Just watch the peak tourist seasons though as traffic can get fierce. Hidden gem For some testing old school bass fishing, try

YELLOWFIN BREAM Location................... Fish.... Legal......>350mm........ Average....Fish/person/day Boyne River.............. 690..... 98%........15%................ 309mm...........................20.1 Burnett River............ 1020... 93%........12%................ 305mm.............................6.9 Mary River................ 112..... 92%........16%................ 303mm.............................3.1 North Moreton Bay.....113.......95%.........9%....................291mm............................... 3.0 South Moreton Bay.... 551..... 68%........3%.................. 264mm.............................4.3 If you are thinking of a little bass impoundment action there are plenty of options. If it’s size you are looking for, the larger impoundments such

best balanced performers. With average sizes climbing over the past couple of years and superior catch rates for the regulars, it’s hard to pass

Wallaville on the Upper Burnett. While there have been only 65 fish recorded there in that date range, the average size is 465mm.

FLATHEAD Location........................ Fish............ Legal............. Average........Fish/person/day Gladstone Harbour........ 248............. 98%.............. 511mm.................................2.7 Boyne River................... 375............. 99%.............. 511mm.................................2.4 Rodds Bay..................... 558............. 100%............ 493mm.................................2.0 Curtis Island.................. 105............. 93%.............. 452mm.................................3.1 Bustard Bay................... 116............. 98%.............. 441mm.................................2.1 AUSTRALIAN BASS Location..................Fish....Legal......>450mm........ Average......Fish/person/day Lake Somerset........285......89%........28%................ 401mm...............................6.6 Lake Baroon............322......96%........11%................ 374mm...............................9.4 Lake Moogerah.......638......86%........3%.................. 361mm............................13.8 Lake Samsonvale.....4280....86%........8%.................. 355mm............................ 11.8 Hinze Dam...............1097....88%........3%.................. 351mm............................10.0

Each year there are a large number of flathead at the Boyne Tannum Hook Up live weigh-in.

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Marlin at Fraser Island HERVEY BAY

Mark Bargenquast

Everyone now knows about Hervey Bay’s famous run of juvenile black marlin. Social media buzzes with news of these fish almost as soon as one is caught, and what was once a quiet fishery enjoyed by

a handful of anglers in the know, is now pretty busy. I counted 18 boats working one patch about 1km long last weekend. The word is definitely out! This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though. The fishing over the past couple of years has been great, with many anglers both young and old landing their first marlin – a real

milestone. Quite a few saltwater fly anglers have also caught their first on fly. Tackle shops, other retail outlets and accommodation have all benefited, with thousands of dollars flowing into the local economy just over this one species. Fraser Island’s northern flats are the only place in the world where black

These fish show up starkly against the Fraser Island sand in the shallows.

Fraser Island’s northern flats have been fishing really well for blacks over the last couple of years.

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marlin can be sight fished in water as shallow as 5ft. This fishery is truly world class, with longtail tuna to 25kg, queenfish, big goldens and recently a visiting Sydney punter caught an 80kg big-eye tuna in 3m of water on a fly rod! In this same area we have caught bream, whiting, flathead, tailor and even four bonefish in one day! So how frequently does this phenomenon happen? Well, many new anglers to this fishery seem to think it’s an annual event but let me tell you it’s not. Years ago I saw a massive migration of these juvenile blacks. Well before my ANSA days in the late 80s I heard about it, and possibly the first serious sportfisher in the area, Dave Brown, told me about schools of 15 juvenile blacks swimming in the first gutter off the beach only 15m from shore. Now that would be awesome to see! Then, over the next seven years, not one fish entered the bay. Nothing. Their arrival all depends on weather patterns; a big

northerly year pushes all the cold green currents into the bay, and pelagics seem to disappear – spotty mackerel, tuna and the marlin. This year, however, has been pretty good so far. I saw 11 fish on the flats on a recent weekend, hooked four and landed one. Bigger tides seem to work well, especially over the top half of the tide, but this is a general rule. The lead up to the moon also is another tip worth remembering, but bigger tides seem to bring more wind. More wind blowing over Fraser Island brings more clouds, which are the worst enemy for anglers fishing the shallows. You can have your eyes locked onto a fish and then a cloud blocks out the sun and it vanishes! I strongly recommend quality sunglasses for this kind of fishing. I use Mako Blades with G3H6 lenses, and have found them to be invaluable when there are clouds, intense sunlight or glare from a low sun angle early or late in the day. Tackle preference is totally up to the angler. I

prefer medium spin tackle because most of these fish are 15-35kg. I’ve found that 4000 sized reels and 30lb braid do the job. I have been using a 4500 Saltiga on a Saltist Extreme 762 rod, and when loaded with 40lb J-Braid this outfit knocks them over easily, allowing for a quick, clean release. These fish don’t handle stress well so it’s best to keep photo time to a minimum and swim them towards deeper water for release! Fly anglers have a ball fishing for these guys, and a good 10wt will do the job. Some anglers use heavy 14-16wt rods, but this is overkill on these small fish and hard to cast all day. Juvenile blacks are very aggressive and quite often you will hook a fish only to drop it, then it will turn and attack the lure again. This seems pretty dumb; a tuna or mackerel would head for the hills after the first bite! I have caught little blacks on plastics, poppers, hardbody minnows, live and dead baits and flies. Recently we have been using stickbaits rigged

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A small black about to be landed.

with 5/0 singles for a better hook-up ratio, and have been having good success on them. We’ve been using Daiwa 140mm Overthere stickbaits, but anything that resembles a gar or flying fish will get bitten. Small blacks don’t seem to spook from the boat, either. They fearlessly swim right to the boat and hang around for a look. In the shallow water they look very dark, almost black, and show up well against the stark, white Fraser Island sand! The run of fish seems

to start in mid-October and run until late December, with just a few stragglers left. That’s when they keep heading south on their migration through Moreton Bay and right down the NSW Coast. So there you have it – marlin aren’t just a fish for the rich. Anglers fishing from boats as small as 4m have caught them along the western side of Fraser, and several anglers are trying their luck from kayaks launched off the beach. It’s only a matter of time before they succeed.

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accessible to everyone.” “After years of researching new concepts and they way people fish we have created a product range that includes quality fresh live and frozen bait and tackle, available 24-hours a day,” said Sam. Fisherman have often struggled to find accessible live bait outside normal retail trading hours, early in the morning or late afternoon, and Bait ‘N’ Go machines will give greater access and convenience to both seasoned, last minute, and recreational fisherman. Our bait range, which is available 24-hours from our

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Jackson Bargenquast with a sight cast flats marlin.

Make sure you swim these fish well before release. DECEMBER 2015

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Working with wire NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

The use of wire trace is one of those necessary evils that anglers must occasionally embrace to target those ‘toothy critters’ that could otherwise easily chop through their lines. Here’s the best way to tackle the need for a little bit of bite insurance. There are quite a few species of fish equipped with teeth sharp enough to slice, chew, or chop through an angler’s line or leader. Obvious contenders in this category are genuine ‘razor gang’ members such as Spanish and spotted

like also have hard enough jaws or sufficiently rough scouring pad teeth to damage finer leaders, and billfish like marlin and sailfish have sandpaper bills that do the same thing. In many instances we can hedge our bets against these fish by upping the diameter and breaking strain of our mono leaders. Moving from 6 to a 10kg nylon or fluorocarbon may be all that’s required to prevent regular chew-offs from big flatties, while a 30-40kg leader or bite tippet will usually cope with all but the very biggest barra. However, tropical mackerel, wahoo, big tailor and many sharks will continue to easily cut such leaders. If this starts

coated, multi-strand wire with a barrel swivel at one end and a snap clip at the other. Shop-bought traces do a good job of preventing bite-offs, although it can pay to choose more expensive brands fitted with quality hardware over the cheapies. As useful as pre-made traces are, they rarely display much in the way of finesse. Most are thick and obtrusive, often carrying bright, shiny fittings. There’s absolutely no doubt that the use of any form of wire leader will reduce the number of bites you get, especially when targeting fussy, sharp-eyed species in heavily fished waters. This phenomenon is especially evident when running thick,

Wahoo are one species that virtually demands the use of wire!

Teeth marks on these jigs paint a graphic picture! Most are rigged on short, singlestrand wire traces. For good reason!

mackerel, wahoo and tropical barracuda. Down south, tailor, barracouta, even pike and snook all have sharp teeth and, of course, most sharks are well-equipped in this department. Big flathead, barramundi, Murray cod, queenfish, mahi-mahi and the 20

DECEMBER 2015

to happen on a regular basis, fishers are likely to reach for the wire. Faced with these chop-off challenges, many anglers choose to buy a couple of factory-made traces. These are usually constructed from 30-40cm lengths of plastic-

factory-made traces. Many tropical and sub-tropical fishers who regularly pursue mackerel and the like make their own wire traces, and this is my preferred approach. Rolling your own allows the use of thin, dull-coloured, singlestrand wire and also means you can customise the length and fittings to suit your needs and optimize the end product. Strong connections are created in this material using a combination of haywire twists and barrel rolls. Take a look at my accompanying instructional video, which can be accessed via the QR code on this page, or by going to: https://youtu.be/ PIoXIKXUS3I.

Single strand wire is most often sold in 10m coils in a zip lock plastic bag with a cardboard backer enclosed. Opt for well-known brands such as Mason, Malin or American Fishing Wire and always choose dull, non-reflective finishes in brown tones rather than flashy silver. Single strand wire is very thin for its strength and although it often kinks and coils badly after catching a few fish, it’s cheap enough to be regarded as a disposable item. I’ll usually pre-make a couple of traces, but once you become adept at the technique, it’s easy enough to do it in the field. If you’re new to working with

The author with a small wahoo that fell to a metal jig rigged with a very short (15cm) trace of single-strand wire. wire, carefully study the illustrations hereabout and closely watch my how-to video on YouTube channel at ‘Starlo Gets Reel’. As a final couple of tips, keep your home-made traces as short and fine as possible, minimise the number and size of terminal items attached to them, and always choose dark, dull-coloured swivels, clips and the like. You’ll hook a lot more fish as a result!

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Tech Tricks

Gar swim bait for summer pelagics offshore BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With the warm weather upon us, anglers will notice an increase in the availability of pelagic species. While trolling with lures is popular, there is no doubting the success of trolling rigged baits, especially when the bite is tough. In the October issue I demonstrated a skipping gar, and this issue we will have a look at a swimming gar. The very simple swimming gar rig has been popular for many decades. It is practically foolproof. Key things to keep in mind

are that the garfish needs to be limp and flexible before deploying, and the tow point needs to be centred in the head. Add a suitable chin weight plus hook, and this rig is ready to go. So why should you rig a gar swimbait instead of using a lure? Well, when baitfish are plentiful, or the grounds on which the billfish are holding have been worked over hard with lures, you’ll need a more realistic offering to get strikes. While the swimming garfish requires a slightly slower speed than many lures, it is a lot more enticing in its action, scent and flavour. Often a billfish will hit or mouth the bait repeatedly before deciding to swallow

Run your fingers from the head of the gar down towards the tail, with firm pressure to push out all the excrement. Using your needle or knife tip, remove the eyes.

it properly. If you get a strike without a solid hook-up, it’s advisable to freespool the bait, just allowing it to sink. The predator will think it has wounded the gar and will come back to slurp up its prey. Fish the reel in freespool (with the ratchet on) and allow the billfish to mouth the bait and begin swimming off before you strike. Even if you don’t use rigged baits all the time, it’s handy to know how to rig them for those times when the bite is tough. These baits can be trolled from any fixed rod position on the boat or from an outrigger. I have also had a lot of success when trolling them from the downrigger, which is very successful when the billfish

aren’t rising to surface baits or are feeding deeper. Quality fresh gar are best and these can be sourced from tackle stores, seafood suppliers or you can catch them yourself. Some good hooks include the Owner Longshank (available in 7/0, 9/0 and 11/0) or the Gamakatsu SL12S (generally 8/0, 9/0 of 10/0), but numerous non-offset hooks will do. I like to add anode tape to chemically sharpened hooks to offset the electrolysis, which can make the points brittle. Now let’s look at the basic gar swim bait rig. You can adapt the rig by trying different chin weights, adding a stinger hook or adding a squid skirt.

Squeeze gently, using your thumb and forefinger, at numerous spots along the lateral line. You will feel a small pop as the flesh detaches from the spine. This will improve the bait’s action.

While this needle is still in the head, place the eye of the hook over the needle point. This will allow you to judge where the bend of the hook ends. Insert your knife point to create a small slit in the gar’s belly.

Just forward of the eyes, punch the bait needles through the head from top to bottom, with rigging floss attached. Wrap the floss around the bait’s nose and insert in the slot that you made in the beak earlier. Tie the ends together with a granny knot. This will prevent water from entering the gar’s mouth. 22

DECEMBER 2015

Just behind the pectoral fin, pass the needle and rigging floss through the body from one side to the other. Pass the needle over the gar’s back and then back through the side you first pierced. Wrap the tag end and the needle with floss under the belly and use two granny knots to secure the thread, which is now in a figure-of-8 around the gar. To maintain durability, don’t cut the tag ends.

Insert the eye of the hook into the belly slot and wriggle the hook as you push it up the bait’s body and through the gill plate until the hook eye is in the eye socket area. Pass the leader through the hole you previously made with the needle in the top of the head and out the chin. Pass the tag end through the sinker.

To rig the basic swimming garfish you will need an inline (not offset) hook, some waxed rigging floss, a bait stitching needle, leader material (fluorocarbon or monofilament 60-130lb), suitable crimps, crimping pliers, knife, a sinker (usually #5 to #7 ball) and of course a garfish.

Cut the lower beak off so it’s just longer than the upper jaw. Using the knife, cut a small slot in the centre of the lower beak stub. Push the needle through the head and out the chin of the gar, directly above the eye socket and dead centre across the head.

Repeat this step at the gill plate area. You can use a different portion of thread or bring the existing thread forward. Punch a hole in the middle of the gill plate and do another figure-of-8 with thread around the gill area. This will keep the gills shut. Knot the two ends with some granny knots and cut away the tag ends.

Crimp the tag end to the leader, leaving a loose loop for the sinker to hang on and the bait to pivot on. If this loop is too tight it will hinder the bait’s action. In the other end of the leader, crimp a small loop to attach to the snap swivel on your main leader. If you’ll then be freezing or refrigerating the gar for a while, work it in a snake-like fashion before putting in the water.

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Cracker snapper on the prowl in the deep blue could improve on the flathead front. It should start to improve soon though.

ILUKA

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Whiting have been on in recent weeks, with good specimens out on the beaches and in the river. Worms have been the most popular bait, and little poppers have been taking their share as well. Bassday Sugapens are still the most popular popper choice for these fish. Out on the beaches, there are some really nice bream around and juvenile snapper off the headlands. There have been a few big snapper taken off the headlands too, with a 5.3kg one caught only a few weeks ago. Floating out a pilly is your best bet to catch a snapper. Beach fishers are catching some reasonable size dart, and there are still some nice school-size mulloway being taken on the wall at night and off the headlands. Some nice tarwhine are also prowling the open beaches. Inside the river, the flathead fishing has been a bit ordinary. There is the odd monster around, but certainly the fishing still

At the moment the water in the river is still very clean, but it’s likely we’ll

Stu Bowers was fishing land-based when he got this 5.3kg snapper on a 7” Gulp in nuclear chicken.

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get more rain before long, and that will give us the dirtier water we need. The flatties are taking a mixture of bait and plastics, with the most popular plastic being the 7g Zerek Live Shrimp. Anglers are also picking up the odd school mulloway in the river. Some big snapper have been caught offshore in the last couple of weeks. We recently had two 10kg snapper weighed in – a 10.6kg specimen from Black Rock and a 10.4kg snapper from an undisclosed location. There’s also the odd cobia getting caught. A couple of yellowtail kingfish have been caught off the Bluff recently in the 60-70cm size class. If you’re keen to catch some crabs for Christmas dinner, there are a few blue swimmers around and the odd mud crab, with the better catches of muddies coming from further up the river. • For more information on what’s biting and where, drop into Iluka Bait & Tackle on 3 Owen St, Iluka. You can also reach them on (02) 6646 5217 or ‘Like’ their page on Facebook.

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Whiting poetry on the flats BALLINA

Joe Allan

The last month has seen the summer species really start to fire up. There have been great catches of whiting all round. The lower reaches of the river, pretty much from Pimlico Island and down, have been where the best catches have taken place. Any sand flats with nipper holes will be a good place to start looking. They have been going off on surface lures like the Megabass Dog-X Jnr and the Bassday Sugar Pen. Try colours like hachiro reaction, albina ragyio or laser beam for the Dog-X Jnr’s or MB-16,

C-95 and C-137 in the SugaPens. These are old favourites among whiting lure fishers so rest assured these will give you the results you are after. A few well known locals swear by removing the rear treble hook and replacing this with a small assist hook – just a different technique to think about if you are getting a lot of short strikes. One tip for anyone wanting to give this style of fishing a try, is don’t pause your lure on the retrieve. Get the lure walking or skipping fast and don’t stop. The whiting will hit your lures like little torpedos while you’re moving them. As soon as you stop moving, the whiting will shy away

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and bream will come in for a look. Not a problem if you’re just out for some fun, but if you’re trying to bag a feed, you might go hungry! Summer really is great fun for this style of fishing. Our lovely red friends, the mangrove jack, have been more consistently captured as the afternoons and mornings become muggy and hot. Try any rock walls while the tide is running. Best results come in the last of the run-out, but as long as there is water moving you are in with a chance. I’ve talked about them a lot lately, but the Atomic

Shiner 75DD in ghost gill brown or gold wolf will do the trick depending on the water clarity. Lucky Craft Pointers are great for a more shallow approach. Flathead are still around in the middle reaches of the river, so check out any large holes. When trying for the bigger girls try poddy mullet or any other live bait, alternatively, big bright soft plastics with tails that get some water moving are also very productive. The beaches have been a little quiet, however the amount of bait around should mean that they will start to produce solid

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Whiting are always keen for a Bassday Sugapen MB-16.

Anthony Melchior with a sample of great whiting caught for a feed. numbers very soon. If you’re after some fun with the kids, go on the hunt for some pipis. The kids can really get involved with these little fellas and they also make for some great fresh bait in the gutters. If you’re capable of getting some beach worms there are a few around South Ballina on the bottom half of the run-out tide. The gutters will improve with solid numbers of beach whiting and bream starting to move in. The bass are well and truly on the move now with reports of good numbers from the upper reaches of

both the Richmond and Wilson arms. Now it’s a matter of putting in the time to find them in good numbers as they have started to spread. It goes without saying that early morning and late afternoons will be fun for surface action. The end of November and start of December should see cicadas start to hatch, which is prime time to use your Tiemco Soft Shells and Megabass Siglets. Look out for old overhanging trees and you’ll find that bass fishing in December is the most fun you can have with your pants on! Tight Lines!

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Not the usual suspect! THE TWEED

David Solano

If you are a local, December should be a lot of fun as the river in January will be chockers with holiday makers. The weather’s slowly heating up, but the good news is the river is full of baitfish and prawns of all sizes making the waterway a veritable smorgasbord to the fish. THE LOWDOWN Bream, trevally, whiting, fingermark, flathead and the odd jack are all showing up around the sand pumping jetty up river from Chinderah with plastics rigged to suit the tide working well. Blade vibes

no luck. I will be chasing bass myself soon – and if you don’t have a boat check out some of the inland streams from Bilambil to Marbah, it’s a lot of fun and the fish are there. Terranora Broadwater and Cobaki are currently producing a lot of nice legal whiting and I’ve noticed the ‘guys in the know’ pump their nippers at low tide – whatever the time – and head out when the flats are covered with water. As the nippers seem to be everywhere, they catch their feed and go home. If you can’t pump your own nippers, some of the local tackle shops sell them and live worms work almost as well. Look for the yabby holes on the low tide, then fish them with fresh

however I suggest at this time of year, if you’re a night fisho, to explore Jack Evans Boat Harbour. Sometimes the fish that move through there chasing bait are the biggest you’ll see in the river. JACKS? NO – A SURPRISE TREV! Good news for flathead fishermen, as more quality fish are being landed in the river. A lot of them have been around the 55cm mark, which is perfect for the table. If you’re chasing lizards with lures, sometimes it’s better to think outside the square. A common practice is to find a hole and fish either side of it depending on the tide, but out of the 10 or so 90cm plus lizards

Dave with Graham and his custom made rods with a decent sized flatty. casting along the pylons with the trusty Horn Dog Z-Man jack lure, and then ‘damn – a snag.’ That snag took off like a bullet! I turned the yak away

I wanted was to see what it was, and I knew once I had him away from the bridge he was mine. Eventually I wore an astonishing big trevally

at Jack Evans Boat Harbour, under all the bridges, but if you have a boat and don’t mind an all nighter Condong Sugar Mill is worth a try, seems quiet

Dave and his personal best trevally! bait on the high tide and you could be in for a feed. Those nippers bite, so I’ll stick to poppers any day! The north and south walls have been a little unpredictable, with more fish caught on the outgoing rather than the popular incoming tide. If you’re bait fishing for bream, tailor or mulloway I’ve always found the incoming works best. Tailor have been landed on metal slugs and gang hooks with pillies,

I’ve landed on the Tweed, eight were caught in less than 2ft of water, which is very interesting indeed! Getting back to those big predator fish – you’ll need what I call a broom stick rod – one that can stop a big fish in its tracks, or at least slow it down, as well as a good reel and some serious braid and leader. One morning under Boyds Bay Bridge around 2am – it was pitch black, tide coming in, I was on my yak

What a great fish, this trev fed three families and was much appreciated. from the bridge and peddled my guts out trying to pull this fish away from the structure. I was thinking ‘big jack’ but this monster was pulling the Hobie all over the place, I’m thinking ‘don’t panic’ - all

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out and as he was floating behind me, I couldn’t even fit him in the net, so I ever so slowly pulled him in and lip gripped my personal best 7kg+ trevally. These fish will show up

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Rocking around the big blue sea GOLD COAST

Danny Sands

With school holidays starting this month, the Gold Coast waterways will be just as busy as the M1! This will make fishing hard at times in the estuary and rivers. Early starts and late afternoon fishing trips that can be fished into the night are the key to getting a good feed this month. December will see a few thunderstorms kicking in making this a great month to chase mangrove jack. The Nerang River has a healthy population of jacks that can be fished from Marina Mirage all the way up to the Highway Bridge and the Bond University floodgates. Between these points there are many bridge pylons, jetties, rock bars, and natural structures that can be fished. Try to mix up lures and techniques, from slow rolling plastics and hardbody lures under people’s jetties, to trolling hardbodies and even live baiting rock bars at night time. I like fishing a run out tide when chasing jacks as water clarity plays a big factor in the successful capture of this species. As the water is a bit dirtier, December is a great month for whiting. There should be plenty of big whiting in the Nerang River. Bloodworms and canal wrigglers are the pick of baits. Yabbies and soldier crabs are also effective. Fish a long trace of 6lb mono and work the sandbanks in front of the Council Chambers all the way up to the powerlines. If you don’t have a fish in 10-15 minutes – move to the

next spot. Early morning and night are top times to find the fish. Lake Wonderland has had a great run of Tarpon. Fly anglers have had a ball and tarpon up to 70cm have been caught on a regular basis. I like bright coloured flies for these beauties. Clousers, white deceivers and Crazy Charlies work well on tarpon – as well as a well-presented soft plastic, like the Keitech Easy Shiner range, especially in the crystal

www.daf.qld.gov.au for all the rules and regulations. OFFSHORE Mackerel should start to filter along the east coast this month and most anglers are keen to hear their reel scream and take a feed home. When mackerel finally arrive early in the season they respond well to hardbody lures that are trolled around the 7-9 knots. Halco Laser Pros in 190 and the Rapala X-Raps are my

pick as they can be trolled quite quickly and are very hardy. When trolling I like to troll five rods, rigged with two deep diving hardbodies in close, two Laser Pros on the corners and a pink skirt in the shot gun position about 100m behind the boat. Trolling the 24-fathom reef and Burleigh Gravel Patch can be very fruitful this month. It will always pay to keep an eye on birds and

Christian with a black marlin caught on the 24 fathom east of the Seaway. shad colour. Tarpon mouths have a coarse sandpaper texture and are hard as cement, so sharp hooks and tough fluorocarbon leader is a must. With not much rain in the past couple of months, the sand crabs have been thick in most parts of the Broadwater but crabbing has been excellent around weed patches and in the main channel in front of the swimming enclosure at Southport. I still like mullet for bait and remember to check your pots every hour. Make sure that your float and crab pot is properly marked. If you’re not quite sure, go to

This is a great time of the year to collect a few crabs for Christmas lunch. your sounder to find bait and consequently, bigger species such as mackerel, deep in the water column. I always have a spin rod with a metal slug on it just in case you see a bust up on surface or see mackerel on your sounder. Spotted mackerel will still start to gather in large schools at Mermaid and Palm Beach reefs and if you’re willing to face the crowds they can be a lot of fun. Use plenty of berley, short fine wire traces with 3/0 to 4/0 hooks rigged with half pilchards for best results. With good reports in November on the close reefs and (hopefully) if the northerly

winds stay away, the marlin and mahimahi will be running strong this month. Trolling 6” skirted Black Snack lures around the 40m and 50m line from the Seaway to the Jumpinpin Bar will get you a few reel screamers this month. Before your next trip give your boat a check over and also check your safety equipment is in date. I’d like to say thank you to the Fishing Monthly Group for the warm welcome to their magazine and to all the readers and their families – Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Stay safe and I will see you all next year.

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Glorious weather makes for fishing success GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn

2015 went way too fast! Feels like only a couple of weeks ago I was in Lucinda battling with some solid fish. With extreme weather, this year has been filled with hits and misses for most fishos. December is up there with

my favourite months. The fishing is red hot, and we can take a minute to appreciate the year and look back to see where we can improve for the next! In December, the weather can seem perfect for fishing. But even a hot day, with plenty of signs of bait, can be shut down if the wind is blowing from a certain direction,

Nice bass caught fishing the weedy edges!

like a northerly. Quite a few large fish are getting around – jacks, flathead, trevally, bream, and whiting are all making an appearance. Plenty of bait are holding around bridge pylons and not far behind them are trevally, in this case mainly GT and brassy. Other fish like Moses perch and bream will also feed and sit around bridge pylons, it’s just a matter of getting through them to get onto the trevally. On a recent session I caught around six Moses perch to one GT. For the bait fishos – pilchards, prawns, white bait, and bloodworms are all producing nice fish. Night, early morning, late afternoon and change of tides has been good times to fish with bait. Pilchards, prawns and whitebait can be fished wherever (although they work best around structure) and trigger a response from basically any estuarine species, Australia wide. Keep your gear reasonably light, so your baits will be as natural as possible. Logan and Tallebudgera rivers have been the stand out systems lately for me, offering a range of species

A 40cm+ GT taken on a Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ in motor oil caught close up against a bridge pylon! with natural, mangrovelined-banks that go for miles. Every now and again you will come across a few old and broken down jetties and deep-water rock walls. Two species that are all too common for this type of structure are mangrove jack and flathead. Try using soft plastics with paddle-tails or

minnow shaped hardbodies around 100mm. Keep your lure as close as you can to the structure and keep it in the strike zone for as long as possible to give you the greatest chance of a hook up. The Coomera River is just starting to show positive signs. The canals near the highway bridge are

producing jacks and tarpon, not to mention quite a few other successful canals with jetties in the Coomera. In conclusion, December will be a productive month on the fishing scene. Good luck to all anglers and I wish you all a very merry and safe Christmas!

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Game face on as the game fish are coming depths between 150-400m. Look for schools of striped tuna and birds, and don’t

black marlin, expect to catch mahimahi, a few wahoo, and yellowfin and striped tuna. Look for bait and birds. If you want to push further north, the area around Point Lookout is often very good trolling ground in December. The water temperatures warmed up in October this year and there have already been some excellent blue marlin fishing on the wider grounds with 3-6 bites a day becoming common. This should improve even more in December. There have also been excellent catches of really big mahimahi out off the continental shelf with quite a few 20kg fish caught in the early part of the season. This month should prove very good lure trolling for blue marlin in

GOLD COAST

David Green

This month is the time when the water temperature increases a lot, with a warm current pushing in on the close reefs. There should hopefully be a reasonable run of small black marlin this year, but by the reports coming from more northern areas it is unlikely they will be in the numbers encountered last season. OFFSHORE I like to troll a spread of 5 skirted lures around 15cm long and work the northern grounds around the Cottons, Sullies and east of the Jumpinpin Bar in depths between 20-50m. As well as

leave these areas once you locate them. The area just south of, and inshore from

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Jims Mountain has been fishing very well over the last month. A range of lure colours helps, but ‘evil’ (blue and silver outer skirt over green and gold inner skirt), blue and purple, and lumo green all work very well. Pakulas, Black Snacks, Black Pete’s and Meridians all work very well. There should be a few spotted mackerel and cobia start to turn up on the closer reefs around Palm Beach this month and big schools of bait generally start to show on the closer reefs in the first few weeks of summer. If you can anchor on your spot before dawn and establish a good berley trail then fish live baits and pilchards, you are in with a good chance. Doggy mackerel, frigate mackerel and mac tuna can all be caught spinning with metal lures this month. The fish activity is usually easy to find by watching the terns and gulls. Bottom fishing is very restricted by current this month. Out on the 36 and 50 fathom line there will still be a few pearl perch, kings and amberjacks when the current slows, but the snapper greatly decrease in number as the water warms

up a lot. Closer inshore, berleying heavily will still produce a few juvenile snapper, mulloway, tailor and teraglin. Dawn and dusk are the best times to fish, however, there may still be some good mulloway at night. The main emphasis this month is on trolling for game fish, and in general you can put away your snapper tackle for another season. BROADWATER AND RIVERS The frequent afternoon storms have really stirred up the local mangrove jack population and some excellent catches have been made recently. Most of these fish have been caught on cast hardbodied lures and soft plastics worked around the edges of floating pontoons in the Coomera River system. In December, the mangrove jacks are very active in the early morning and there can be some great popper fishing in the canals and around rock walls just before dawn. They also respond well to stick baits. Each season the Gold Coast jacks seem to get a bit bigger and there’s always the chance of a 50-60cm fish. Each season quite a

All Sporty’s Fishing staff w ish you a Merry Christmas & than k you for your support in 2015

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few fish over 60cm turn up, flush of fresh water. There is December and you will need and December is a noted a lot of mud crab movement tough bait if you are leaving in December as crabs move your pots out overnight. I month for really big jacks. Flathead slow down upstream into the Pimpama find chicken helps avoid the in activity this month. The and Coomera River systems. toadfish and small bream. spawn is now long over, These muddies are green Overall, December and the fish start to move shelled with a few white should provide some great back up river and onto the dots on the carapace and fishing on the Gold Coast weed beds. It’s still quite are generally fairly empty. this year. The water has easy to get a few fish on the Chicken frames, fish frames warmed up early and the bottom of the tide cycle in or heads work well. There marlin and other game fish the Tipplers Passage area. are a lot of pickers about in shouldn’t be too far away. The fish tend to be a fair bit smaller in December with a lot in the 35-50cm range. Whiting fishing with poppers is another good strategy this month. I like to fish on flats that have plenty of worm and yabby holes, but the key is to have a fair bit of prawn activity. I use a small stick bait on one rod (the Bassday SugaPen is my favourite) and a small cup faced popper on the other rod. The secret is to wind quite fast and when you see a fish following, resist the temptation to slow your retrieve down. Good areas to try include the flats up near the Jumpinpin Bar, Coombabah Creek and the flats around Crab Island and east of the Grand Hotel boat ramp. Such a fun way to fish! I usually catch my whiting on poppers while waiting for the crab pots to fill. December is a great month to chase mud crabs, Franco Martinese with a delicious feed particularly if there is a bit of STA15856HP-FM_Layout 1 20/10/14 1:52 PM Pagefrom 1 of crabs Coombabah Creek. rain and the rivers get a good

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Summer creates a fishing haven JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

Another year has flown past in record time and it’s great to know that you can still head out to the Pin and catch quality fish all year round. December is one of the best

months of the year to chase a feed here and there should be plenty out there right through the festive season. Whiting will be at the top of most people’s lists and can be found in areas with a sandy or muddy bottom and good tidal flow. Water clarity doesn’t seem to bother them too much as they bite in

This 55cm estuary cod was caught off a mangrove in 2ft of water near Whalleys Gutter.

murky brown to crystal clear and everything in between. However, the bigger whiting I’ve caught have all been in murky water. Bloodworms, beach worms and yabbies are the best live bait you can get, but the humble prawns, squid or pipis also work well. Make sure that your bait is on the bottom, and it’s always a great idea to set a berley trail to bring the fish closer to your baits. The best spots for good sized whiting are the Junction and Marks Rocks in the Logan, the powerlines, Fishermans Channel, Slipping Sands, Tabby Tabby, the Green and Gold Banks to Whalleys Gutter, around Tipplers Island and out from Couran Cove. There should be plenty of good flathead about this month too as those big lizard stocks continue to grow. Trolling the shallows, flicking plastics or drifting for flatties is a great way to learn where the fish hold and on what tide they bite. You can catch them on any part of the tide but I do find they tend to get more fish from half-tide down to the bottom. The best baits for bait fishers are pilchards and whitebait – a decent banana prawn can also land you a few. Some good spots to try are the mouth of the Logan River to

the entrance to Browns Bay, Whalleys Gutter, the Green Bank, Slipping Sands, the bottom of Kangaroo Island and Kalinga Bank to Swan Bay in the deep water with big plastics. It’s the perfect time of year to chase jacks and cod around the mangroves and structures of the Pin. They are both hard fighting fish that love this hot humid weather and become more active this time of year. Live mullet, herring, pike, and gar are the best baits with flesh baits working well too. Trolling lures along rock walls or past snags proves to work well and late in the afternoon around dusk is a great time to fish for them. The main stay of catches will be bream and small to medium sized bream are in plague proportions at the Pin. If your bait is getting picked at, chances are it’ll be a small bream. If you’d like to catch more fish, then use lighter gear and baits that will hold the hook like squid and mullet fillets – you’ll have a ball catching them all day long. The bigger mulloway have been coming at the slack of the tide out from Swan Bay in the deep water with big 6-9”plastics or big baits

Pelagics like this mac tuna are great fun on light gear. like whole mullet or bonito fillets. Outside the Pin Bar pelagics should start to run along the coastline chasing the warmer currents and schools of baitfish. Spanish and spotted mackerel will be heavily targeted this month and they should be in good numbers so keep an eye out for fish busting up and birds diving, or work the dirty water line as it heads out the Pin. Trolling is a great way to chase pelagics as it allows you to cover a heap of ground to find fish and there is always the added bonus of picking up another species like tuna, mahimahi, wahoo or even

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black or blue marlin. Thank you for your reports and feedback, and if you have any questions give us a call on 3287 3868 or pop in and see me at Gem Bait & Tackle. You can also email gembait@tpg.com.au. I’d just like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year with plenty of fishing for all. I’ll catch you next month. • Thanks for all your reports and keep those fish coming in. If you’d like any advice or up to date fishing information drop us a line at Gem Bait & Tackle on (07) 3287 3868 or email gembait@tpg.com.au.

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Big summer snapper take over Moreton Bay SOUTHERN BAY

Nabeel Issa

The year is done and dusted already! It has been a mixed year for fishing in Moreton Bay with some highs and lows but plenty of good fishing in there.

summer rolls on. With some good weather this month, we can expect to see plenty more snapper and mulloway caught. BREAM Bream have been plentiful over the last month. Some great reports have been coming in from anglers fishing the shallow reef around Horseshoe Bay at Peel

bite better and the wind also allows you to cast further and get a good drift going. Shallow diving crankbaits are a good option, as well as surface lures such as small poppers or stickbaits. SNAPPER Now is the time of year when we can expect to see some really big snapper

to use a quality fluorocarbon leader when targeting snapper. Going slightly lighter than usual will also help get you more bites while other anglers are doing it tough. I like to use the Toray brand of line as it has a thinner diameter than other brands for the same breaking strength. This allows you to fish a thinner line while still having enough power to pull the fish out! MULLOWAY There are still a few mulloway showing up on the Artificial Reef at Peel Island. They will start to taper off in the large numbers that they have been in and the schools will be smaller. They are definitely still there though, it’ll just take a bit more searching to find them. I like to spend the time driving around locating the schools, as opposed to waiting for them to find me.

close attention to the sounder. Anglers successful anglers are the ones that can put their lure right in front of the mulloways’ nose. They don’t move too far to chase a lure down so you really need to make sure you get it right down to them! HOLIDAY TIPS Things can get a little crazy out on the water over the holiday break, so here’s a few tips to help ensure you have a good time on the water. Boat ramps can be chaotic, make sure you have a routine in place for loading and unloading the boat and can work through it quickly. There is nothing more frustrating than watching someone stop on the boat ramp to load their gear or remove their straps, while there is a big queue waiting. Make sure you do it before you start to back in!

the extra noise so try and get to your favourite spot before everyone else. Fish light to get the bite! Downsize your leader size to help get you more bites. Show courtesy to other anglers when out on the water, keep a good distance away and try to avoid anchoring right in front of someone drifting. Likewise, avoid drifting right next to boats that are anchored up. There is plenty of space out there for everyone! Lastly, make sure all your maintenance is up to scratch. Check you have enough fuel and oil if needed. Get your motor serviced if it has been over a year, check your safety gear including lifejackets, flares and EPIRB (if you plan on going offshore). Have fun out there this holiday break, and if you have a picture or a story you

Sharima Jamal with an 89cm mulloway caught first cast of the morning at Peel Island on a Z-Man soft plastic. You could hear her excitement for miles! The low for me was the lack of a tuna season; it seemed they just didn’t show up in the numbers of last year. On the other hand, there have been plenty of mulloway and some great snapper around, with more and more caught as

Island and the same between Bird and Goat islands. These areas are best fished when there is a slight breeze to put a ripple on the surface. When it is glassed out the fish can often be very wary, so the ripple helps get them to

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coming in. The trick with the snapper is to get on the water before the boat traffic picks up. The holiday season will see a massive influx of boating traffic. The fish will become wary and their bite window will be narrow. Aim to be at the ramp as early as possible, or fishing at night when there are fewer boats around. Livebait has been a great option when fishing at night, with some of the bigger snapper falling victim to these. The tricky part for some anglers has been catching the livebaits and not so much the snapper! A small tip for anglers wanting to give themselves every chance they can, be sure

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Anthony Sluggett with a cracking 83cm snapper caught on a live bait. Sounding up and down the Peel Artificial Reef is a good idea. I like to focus on the southern end and will use a zig-zag pattern, while paying

Get out there early! The early bird gets the worm, and this is especially true when there is a lot of boat traffic. Fish don’t respond well to all

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Ho ho hot December options BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With the silly season well and truly upon us, anglers will be excited at the piscatorial opportunities during the holiday period and also the possibility of some exciting new tackle to be scored from the fat man in the red suit. December can provide some exceptional fishing due to warmer water temperatures, which increases metabolism and promotes heightened activity amongst most species, especially the pelagics. Moreton Bay and the filtering waterways can offer up some pretty special action during the summer months, so let’s explore a few of your options. MACKEREL Although school mackerel have been located within the bay periodically over the last few months, it is likely that the spotties will begin to show up over the next few weeks. If the usual baitfish species show up en masse, we will be treated to good numbers of surface feeding mackerel and tuna. This scenario can provide some pretty special fishing with schools of whitebait and pilchards being predated upon by hordes of mackerel, all smashing and slashing their way to gluttony on the hapless baitfish. Most small baitfish imitating lures will put you into the action if they are

cast close to the action and retrieved in a ‘bat-out-of-hell’ manner. The faster the retrieve, the greater the likelihood that the mackerel will strike your offering. Most anglers opt for reels that retrieve in excess of a metre of line per turn of the handle for this pursuit. A quality 2.1-2.4m casting rod (preferably graphite) capable of handling line classes between 4-10kg will allow you to reach the schooling fish from a distance and also to fight and subdue the prey. You do not need to fish heavy drags and bully the mackerel as they are clean, open water fighters and too much pressure will only result in tearing hooks or breaking lines. Some good lures for this form of fishing include chromed slugs and slices, jighead-rigged jerkbait plastics, small stickbaits, weighted casting minnows and sliders. Mackerel will also respond to flies, however fly anglers often have trouble getting enough speed to excite fussy mackerel. Even a doublehanded strip can be met with refusal. Some good flies can include bay baits, flashy profiles, surf candies, bay candies and numerous others. A small piece of wire just in front of the hook will decrease bite offs, but will additionally lower the initial strike rate. This also applies to those using

lures and generally you are best to suffer the occasional lure loss to solicit the extra strikes. Casting to the edge of the action and cranking the reel into gear before the lure hits the water will help to decrease the attrition rate with lures. Good places to begin your search for surface feeding mackerel are the shipping channels, Pearl Channel, the middle bank area and The Paddock area (although be careful not to drift into the large green zone, which is roughly located between Mud Island and Moreton but extends a fair way north and south). The Measured Mile is a popular area for anglers fishing with whole pilchards suspended beneath a float. The early morning rising tide is a good time to be fishing this area and often every rod will load up together as a school of mackerel enters your zone. Both school and spotted mackerel can be located during December with the better action on the spotties usually comes towards the latter period of the month. However, a few can be taken from numerous locations such as the margins of the bay islands, the artificial reefs and various other locations therefore having a pilchard floating out the back, even when you are plastics fishing, can reap rewards. Jigging the beacons in the northern bay with chromed slugs and slices will also produce a few, but you may

Matt Mundy with another snorter of a jack from a local system. It was one of three big jacks he caught during a night session recently.

DECEMBER 2015

need to move around a bit to find them. Around the changes of the tide these same areas can be probed with pilchards rigged on ganged hooks. Be aware of the different size and bag limits that exist for each mackerel species and know how to positively identify each to avoid an infringement of the regulations. TUNA Those searching for surface-feeding mackerel will also be confronted with schools of tuna and bonito. These can include mac tuna, frigates, longtails, Australian bonito and Watson’s bonito. Whilst it is only the longtails that are targeted as table fare, the other four species can provide a lot of fun when tackled on lighter line classes. Additionally, they make great bait, either fresh, frozen or preserved. Salted tuna makes exceptional bait for a broad array of estuarine, beach and reef species and is simple to do. These species are also a prime target for junior or inexperienced anglers and are a great way to teach them the skills in fighting a quality fish. Fly fishers will also have a lot of fun targeting them on small baitfish profiled flies, but they respond prominently to a small chromed slug or slice cast into the fray and retrieved flat-stick. Although the rewards may not be on the dinner table that night, targeting these smaller tunas and bonito can provide an awesome amount of fun. CRABS December offers some exceptional crabbing with both mud and sand crabs being available to those who make the effort to set a few pots. The creeks and rivers hold the best concentrations of muddies with the harder to access areas often producing those big, gnarly bucks. Therefore, going to the effort to set your pots in likely spots will generally pay dividends when you check them. Some likely locales include the mouths of drains and gutters feeding out of the mangroves, along collapsed mangrove banks, the edges of the channels and in the deeper holes, especially the smaller creek systems. There are a lot of baits

Snapper are still around for those who target them. This one ate a Palms Slow Blatt worked over some prime Harry Atkinson structure. you can use, with some of the popular ones being whole mullet, chicken carcasses, fish frames, tuna heads or even a few pilchards in a wire mesh envelope. These baits are the same for both mud and sand crabs and although the zones for these species cross over around the mouths of the rivers and estuarine systems, those who are specifically targeting muddies are best to work the waters further out into Moreton Bay. The areas surrounding the bay islands, the channels between these islands plus the deep channels and gutters meandering throughout the bay and along the edges of prominent sand banks are prime locations to set your pots. Both blueswimmer and sand crabs will be caught in these zones with a single pot sometimes producing double figures of succulent crabs, especially when set overnight. SNAPPER Don’t think that because it is the warmer months that you can’t catch snapper. In fact, some of the better snapper I have caught were taken during summer. Although they are lesser in number, there are still plenty around to make targeting them worthwhile. They will respond favourably to an array of soft plastics, vibration baits (both hard and soft), minnow lures and a host of other offerings. Baits such as pilchards, squid, gar, pike fillets, large banana prawns, hardiheads, herring, yakkas, slimy mackerel and many others will work a treat. Live offerings are much more likely to produce a better quality fish, therefore heading down to the Four Beacons or some of the bait grounds in the Rous or Rainbow channels to jig yakkas, pike, slimy mackerel or large herring will

generally be rewarded with quality snapper. Popular and productive grounds include the bay islands (especially Peel, Mud and St Helena), the Harry Atkinson, Peel Artificial, Curtain Artificial, Peel Houseboat, Benowa Track grounds and various other wrecks and rubble grounds. With the increase in baitfish numbers during the warmer months, snapper can be located almost anywhere that there is prominent baitfish activity. As such, larger snapper can sometimes be located out in open water underneath baitfish schools, which are being harassed by tuna, mackerel and other pelagics. A soft plastic (such as a jerk shad) cast into the melee and allowed to sink beneath the main conglomeration of schooling fish will often be engulfed as it sinks. During the warmer months, the dawn and dusk periods are often the most productive time to be wetting a line, regardless of tidal phase, especially around the bay island shallows. In addition to snapper, numerous others such as estuary cod, sweetlip, morwong, school mackerel and others will be encountered. ESTUARY OPTIONS Anglers probing the estuarine waters, including the creeks, rivers and canals will be spoilt for choice during December. Mangrove jack are the key target of many anglers due to their elusiveness, fighting ability and eating quality. Although they are a prime table fish, most serious anglers choose to release the majority of their mangrove jack to ensure the viability of the species in our local waters. Jacks respond well to a broad array of soft plastics,

vibration baits, minnow lures and others. Around deeper structure such as bridge pylons, jetties, rock walls and collapsed mangrove banks, many anglers will use deep diving minnow lures such as the Lucky Craft Barra Pointer 100xd, Atomic Hardz 100 Deep Shiner, Jackall Squirrel Deep 79 and Duo Realis 100DR Jerkbait, just to name a few. Additionally there are plenty of quality ‘old school’ lures that fit the bill including Tilsan Barra, Killalures Flatz Rat, Old Dog Barra Snacks Deep, RMG Scorpion and numerous others. Shad and prawn profiled soft plastics are also extremely popular and can be rigged on a jighead or in a snagless fashion. When rigged snagless, using systems such as the TT SnakelockZ, TT Chinlockz, TT SWS or the Owner Jig Rig and Beast Hooks, you are able to confidently deliver your plastic into the thickest structure where the jacks like to lurk. The closer

(both black-spot and goldspot estuary cod) to around 50cm are the most likely to be encountered and these will respond to the same techniques as the jacks. However, due to the cod’s love of crabs, they are commonly taken along rock walls that line the canals and some river systems. Targeting these areas can heighten your chances for cod, especially if you bang and rattle your lures across the rocks. Live baits are also likely to get them to leave their holes amongst the rocks but you will need to strike hard once they take the bait to prevent them burying you back in the structure. Other species commonly taken from the estuary during December can include flathead, bream, whiting, trevally, tarpon, threadfin and numerous others. Over the last few years there has also been a few barramundi taken from systems throughout Southern Queensland. These include

fish. The changing scenery also helps to relieve their boredom between bites. Flathead, bream, whiting, trevally and numerous other species can be taken with this method. Their enjoyment on the first few trips can make or break their keenness to go fishing so ensure they have a great time and they will start to love the great outdoors. It is a lot better than any animated game. SHARKS The warmer months are prime times to target the numerous whaler sharks that enter the bay. The majority of these will be less than 15kg in weight, making them a lot of fun on light line. They can be encountered throughout most areas of the bay, however, I generally target them around the spoil grounds and outer margins of the bay islands. Drift these areas with a whole fish bait (gar, mullet, slimey mackerel, pike or yakka) trailing behind the boat into a tuna oil slick and you are in with a great

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$ Warm weather means heightened pelagic activity. This rotund mac tuna was full of whitebait and was turned into some prime salted bait. you get to structure the more likely you are to tempt a jack, especially when they aren’t highly active. In Southern Queensland we are lucky to have a myriad of canals, harbours, rivers and other areas where jacks are likely to lurk. The artificial structure in these systems offers similar fish holding structure as the reef systems further north, therefore mangrove jacks will often lurk in these inshore systems for a lot longer before moving offshore. This means that specimens to over 50-60cm can be taken by anglers probing these areas with lures, live baits and occasionally dead bait. These same zones are also popular spots for estuary cod to lurk. Cod to over a metre lurk in these systems but they are rarely ever subdued on the average 6-15 spin and baitcasting tackle that anglers commonly use for jacks and other estuarine dwellers. Smaller specimens

the Brisbane River, Logan River, Caboolture River, Elimbah Creek, Scarborough Harbour, Mooloolabah Harbour and the Jumpinpin area. Although the barra have mainly been by-catch by anglers chasing other species, they may hopefully breed to the point where they can be a target species. Luckily most anglers have released their capture, which goes a long way to ensuring that they get a chance to copulate and populate our waters, like the king threadfin salmon did many years ago. Getting the kids out on the boat to fish the estuaries is a great way to introduce them to the great outdoors. Ensure they are protected from the sun and have plenty of food and drinks and they will usually have a great day. A stop off at a nice sandy area for a swim will increase their enjoyment. Just drifting in the sandy channels with a few baits aft is enough to score a few

chance, especially early morning and late afternoon. They can also be taken in numbers from the Brisbane River and most other systems. I will talk a little more about this next month. CONCLUSION With so many options during December, anglers will have a hard time deciding what species to tackle next. Both the bay and estuaries have a lot to offer the avid anglers and novice alike. Ensure to slip, slop, slap and slurp to avoid the effects of the heat, sunshine and dehydration, ensuring you enjoy an awesome day in the great outdoors. I hope you have been good enough this year for Santa to put some awesome new tackle in your stocking. Have an awesome Christmas with plenty of enjoyable and safe adventures for you and your family throughout the holiday period. See you next year!

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John Gooding

Not much has changed since last month east of the South Passage Bar, except the water temperature has risen a touch, and with that a few more pelagic species have turned up. On charter, the wider grounds have still been producing solid catches of good juvenile snapper and we’ve been getting our bag limit on most trips. Most of the snapper have been around the 40-50cm range, but pleasingly we’ve pulled some solid 3-4kg models. This time last year we boated our best fish from the wider grounds with snapper at 5-7kg fairly common. Although we haven’t been spending a lot of time fishing on the 29s, 33s or 35s lately, from all reports they are fishing reasonably well for snapper. We’ve ventured into Shallow Tempest on a few recent charters and there seems to be plenty of bait holding in the area, so I’ll be surprised if we don’t get a good run of bottom and pelagic species this month. We should see numbers of both Spanish mackerel

Hutchinson Shoal off Cape Moreton, it would pay to drag a few hi-speeds around.

A nice 4kg snapper floatlined in 85m.

Top: A happy group of anglers with their bag of snapper and a school-sized amberjack. Bottom: A solid catch of snapper and a few amberjack we jigged up later in the day.

Mixed in with the macks and hoos should be a few rat yellowfin tuna and the ever-present mac tuna. Don’t be put off if these tuna are jumping all over your lures, sometimes it’s just a flick of a switch and the target species will move in. Peak bite times are probably around dawn and dusk, but around tide changes can also see some red-hot action! For the speedsters, I like to use 15kg line, but make sure your drags are smooth and your hooks razor-sharp. Something that’s also very

important is making sure you have an icebox or killtank big enough to put these top-eating fish into. It’s vital to maintain their eating quality, and keep their flesh firm by bleeding them and then putting them in an ice slurry. Legal size on both Spaniards and wahoo is 75cm, but you’re only allowed two wahoo, compared to the Spaniard bag limit of three. The Christmas holiday season is almost upon us, so there will be plenty of boats on the water and around boat ramps, so take that extra bit of

care. Also make sure your boat and engine are in good running order, especially if you haven’t used them since the last school holidays. Lastly, your safety gear all needs to be current. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas and New Year and Santa drops off that new rod and reel you wanted. • Until next month, enjoy your fishing, take care on the coastal bars, and if you’d like to join me on a charter (max. 8 persons) give me a call on (07) 3822 9527 or 0418 738 750 or visit my website at www. outlawcharters.com.au

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I’m breaming of a whiting Christmas... NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

After a hectic and sometimes arduous working year, we can now look forward to some ‘me’ time to hit the water over the holiday period. With the summer really heating up and the easterly winds in full swing, the Northern Bay have been a little bit of a fishing haven over the last month and is set to continue with the rising air and sea temperatures. Sweeping warmer currents from the Southern Bay have increased solid bait activity with the SE winds topping off the piscatorial dessert for us in the northern waters. This has seen a marked increased activity of bream, juvenile snapper, mulloway and even threadfin salmon in our local estuarine areas. Sand whiting are keeping our east facing beaches somewhat interesting.

BREAM December is one of my favourite times of year to chase these feisty feeders with topwater and surface approaches high on my agenda. Whether fishing the mangrove lined edges of the Pine River or over the countless bommies of Redcliffe, you would be a hard to please person if you didn’t find some entertainment in watching bream chase a surface lure with gusto. Topwater lures work effectively this time of year including OSP Bent Minnows, Luckycraft Sammys, Megabass Dog X Jrs, Zipbaits Skinny Pop and Bassday SugaPens. Add an extra application of attracting scent to make these lures delectable to bream. Where is a good place to use these lures I hear you ask? Well, rubble bottom flats holding water around 2-4ft is an ideal start with many places fitting this description including; in the Pumicestone

Michael nabbed this solid snapper using a Cranka Crab.

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Passage, Ningi, Donnybrook, Glasshouse and Elimbah Creeks, Cooks and Tiger Rocks. Redcliffe has a gaggle of these areas both north and south of the peninsula with our major river the Pine, fishing well along the mangrove edges north of the highway bridge. Mid and deep diving cranks have also been working well in these areas with many solid bream around the 27-28 cm fork length making a regular appearance in the landing net. JUVENILE SNAPPER Shallow water juvenile snapper have been popping up around the Redcliffe Peninsula with many anglers bagging a nice limit of table-sized legals in quick time. Low lit hours and fresh baits have been the most successful combination with many lure fanatics using soft plastics and Cranka Crabs to good effect. North Reef has been the normal hotspot with the southern waters outside the green zone at Woody Point also proving fruitful. Some reports have also come out of Osbourne and Redcliffe Points giving anglers plenty of choice when fishing the Peninsula. At the Bribie end, the Ripples outside of the Pacific Harbour Canal system have been producing the odd nice juvenile snapper along with the Bribie Bridge during night sessions. Cooks Rocks along the deeper edges is also worth a try, as juvenile snapper often populate that area. SAND WHITING Numbers of sand whiting have definitely been up since the mercury has risen with the usual hotspots on fire in the Northern Bay. Southern beaches of Bribie have been producing good numbers

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with many locals finding the calmer morning waters to be the most fruitful. Bloodworms

having good sessions only to be disappointed over the next few. Mission Point, Toorbul

Surface lures are doing the trick on these healthy bream. have been the pick of the bait along with fresh yabbies and squid to a lesser extent. Some anglers have also decided to run lighter leaders off their swivels to increase their bite rate. Margate foreshore and the lower reaches of the Pine River, especially around Hays Inlet, have also been working well especially during the last half of the ebbing tide with bloodworms again proving their weight in gold. FLATHEAD Flathead numbers have been a little hit and miss over the past month with anglers

and Sylvan Beach flats have been the best spots in the Pumicestone with the mouth of Cabbage Tree Creek and Clontarf foreshore being the pick of the southern spots. SAND CRABS Good numbers have been coming out of Bramble Bay recently with size being the issue at times. Sifting through numbers of undersize sand crabs has still been leaving patient anglers a good catch, definitely rewarding the effort for the day. Pumicestone Passage has been on fire with good numbers of sand crabs caught all through the system

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concentrated towards the lower reaches. TIP OF THE MONTH With increased water activity over these holidays be sure to recheck your boat’s safety gear before you head out next. Because minimum requirements change according to the waters you are fishing, be sure to check the Maritime Safety Queensland website at http://www.msq. qld.gov.au/safety/safetyequipment-recreational-ships. aspx to ensure your boat safety is up to speed this summer. A fine on the water can put a real dampener on your day!

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Pelagic parade off Caloundra CALOUNDRA

Brad McKendrick fishingcaloundra@yahoo.com.au

The Sunshine Coast has enjoyed a seasonal run of pelagics making the prospects of a great summer season stronger. With marlin being taken at Caloundra Wide and mackerel running across the Barwon Banks it seems that anglers will truly enjoy the Christmas holiday break this year. Every summer break the ranks of fishers swell right across the coast, with thousands of holiday-makers ready to enjoy everything we have to offer. On the fishing

front, the local reefs such as the Gneerings, Murphys, Caloundra 5 and 7-mile all experience a strong surge of boats and keen fishers who want to experience what we enjoy all year long. Boat parking around the ramps is impossible to find on good days and ramp rage can take over. Patience is the key and offering a helping hand to assist less experienced boaties get in or out of the water, will get things to move along quickly and kindly. Schools of longtail tuna and mackerel are fighting for the many bait schools of yakkas and pilchards. This allows opportunities for trolling with livies or dead

baits to catch a few or for the use of downriggers to target the rising schools early in the morning. Hardbodied deep and shallow diving lures also come into play and will account for plenty of wahoo, mackerel, tuna and other pelagics over the summer period. The deeper reefs hold

Bridge are good areas to target mangrove jack, bream and flathead. The canals around Pelican Waters are prime jack and bream country and as a bonus, you may land a flathead or two. There are still trevally working the channel areas and the cleaner waters are the better option when

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Darrell Kerkow with some Pumicestone Passage flathead. pearl perch, cod, tuskfish, emperor and iodine bream and there are just a few species to help get a feed of fresh fish. On the known wrecks, we are getting cobia, yellowtail kingfish, amberjack and other arm pulling monsters that are worth a thought over the Christmas break. Summer fishing is all about the bait you use. Above all, you should get live bait whenever you can. This is applicable to both offshore and estuary fishing. Get into your local tackle store or speak to fishers and see what’s working. The estuaries are always tough work over the holiday period, mainly due to the large amounts of powered vessels enjoying their recreation on a daily basis. It’s always smarter to fish the estuaries in the early part of the morning and late in the evening once everything settles down a bit. Noise scatters fish in an area that does not have reefs to hold them around so you may work hard in the middle of the day. There are normally bream and whiting around to have a go at, all the time, and if you cannot get live yabbies try peeled prawns as they attract all species. Military Jetty and the walk way around the Pelican Waters

targeting them. There’s plenty of whiting around Happy Valley and along the Golden Beach strip, but don’t discount the deeper holes created by sand flow in the mornings or evenings for bigger whiting. Yabbies

Currimundi Lake is still worth a look in the summer months as it’s a fantastic spot for families to swim in the warm shallow pools and for mum and dad to catch some whiting. It is really popular over the holiday period but well worth a look. The canals around Kawana and Minyama always hold terrific numbers of bream and are some of the better spots to take the kids because you are guaranteed to get a fish. A packet of small prawns peeled and put on the hook will reward you well. I would also recommend taking a few slices of bread to get the fish biting. The beaches hold smaller dart, bream and whiting and they prefer pipis, worms or prawns to munch on. Again,

Further north around Coolum right through to Noosa North Shore will fill up a day trip for the family and should give you enough fish for dinner, all going well. December is a terrific time to be enjoying the Sunshine Coast facilities and to get a few fish as well. Please remember to work in with other boats if out casting a slug at a tuna school. Don’t drive straight through them and disperse them all. Work around the edges and move ahead of them and wait to cast as they come into range. Offshore fishing will be hot so be sure to have a good hat, sunscreen, plenty of water and suitable

For those keen enough, there’s still plenty of snapper about. are the number one bait for whiting or blood worms if available. Please check the local regulations on gathering bait so you don’t get a fine.

the early or later parts of the day are the better times to target the beaches as they are fairly busy over the holiday period.

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Xmas fishing outstanding with the sun shining NOOSA

Peter Wells

For those windy days when you can’t head offshore, the Sunshine Coast rivers have been fishing like never before. The mouth of the Noosa River has been producing a great variety of fish, with bait making its way into the river on the run-in tide. Large flathead, trevally of all kinds, mulloway, and the odd queenie have all been on the chew, and lures such as the Fuze Pulse vibes can be a great option for the Noosa River mouth. A double hop slow lift is one or the best retrieves in this area. A little further upriver there have been some thumper whiting around the dog beach and Frying Pan with fish up to 40cm not uncommon. One of the most important things when fishing for whiting is the business end of the operation.

by the run-in the tide) leading to a swivel, then a 4lb fluorocarbon leader of about 3ft, finishing with a hook. Most use a worm-style hook like the Mustad Bloodworm or Long Baitholder in size 4-6. The other option is a size 4 Fine Worm hook from Mustad, which is finer, has no offset and, being a lighter gauge, does less damage to the bait. Upriver the jacks are also out to play. The fresh water in the system tends to upset the bait fish and the jacks can’t help themselves. Surface and suspending lures like the Maria twitch baits in the 70mm are perfect for working along the edges first thing in the morning. Another way to target the red devils is to use diving lures, paddle vibes and soft plastics in the deeper water as the sun rises. Woods Bay has been the place for surface lures, again first thing in the morning. Queenies along with tailor

the sound of these ravenous feeders hitting bait on the surface. Down in the Maroochy River, the stretch from the river mouth across the flats to Chambers Island has been firing on dusk for thumper whiting. Upriver, the deeper hole from of Coolum Creek up to Dunethin Rocks have been fishing great for trevally, mulloway, flathead and mangrove jack. Vibes like the Zerek Fish Trap and the Fish Candy Jack Hammers have been working very well. Last month the summer rains had just started and with the rain we should see those muddies walking. It’s amazing the amount of ground a mud crab will cover when the fresh water starts to infiltrate the normal saline water that the crabs like. As the fresh makes its way down the system, the crabs will also head down stream looking for a little more salt. This is the time to check out the pots and see if

Andrew McCormack won the $50.00 Davo’s Fish of the Week prize with the 58cm tarpon he caught and released in the Woods Bays. The rig is fairly simple, and a small running ball sinker (where the size is determined

and trevally have been on the prowl. The Noosa sound has also been going off with

they are still serviceable. If not, both Davo’s stores carry a great range of pots, floats and

all the gear you will need to bag some quality bucks. Fresh or frozen mullet is the ideal bait for mud crabs! Remember

Barwon Banks. One successful method many anglers are using out there is float lining. Float

Jordan Zerk with an elbow-slapping whiting, which he caught on a surface lure at the top of the Frying Pan. your size and bag limit, you can only take the bucks, they must make size 15cm across the carapace, and your bag limit is 10. If you are planning a trip offshore, you will need to make sure you’re up early to get your spot at the boat ramp, it seems every car park and side street near the ramps has car and boat trailers parked when the weather is good! The offshore anglers have been having a ball with some sensational fish caught. North Reef seemed to be the place to be with good-sized cobia, tuna and a host of reef fish all on the chew. A little closer in, Chardons Reef also produced some great pearlies as well as sweetlip and the odd billfish. A little further south, anglers who were leaving from Mooloolaba have seen some good action out wide with good reports of snapper, pearlies, tuskfish and cobia all coming from the

lining consists of usually a light to medium size outfit with your choice of braid or mono, and as the name suggest you use very light weight sinkers and ‘float’ the bait down through your berley trail to the fish below. Another bonus for this time of the year is the onset of the pelagics season. Spotted mackerel have already started

to show up and this month we should also be seeing some good sized Spanish starting to appear. Trolling for pelagics has become incredibly popular with some outstanding trolling lures hitting the market such as the Samaki Pacemaker, a lure with an amazing colour range and the ability to be towed at up to 12 knots. These are perfect for working those reef edges the pelagics love to cruise around. Another great way to target pelagics is with stickbaits, and the new Zappelin stickbait from Zerek is outstanding. These surface stickbaits are 160mm long and at 57g, they are a great casting weight that can be fast retrieved or worked a little slower with a sweeping action. The Zappelin is squarely aimed at topwater predators such as, mackerel, tuna and other pelagic predators. • So for all the best advice, the gear you need and where the fish are biting, call into Davo’s Tackle World Noosa or visit our store down at Marcoola, Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle. Also check out the latest catches, fishing reports and bar crossing info at www.fishingnoosa.com.au and remember, tight lines and bent spines.

Local angler Narelle Clark-Dwyer caught this quality mulloway on a Cougar One charter to the top of North Reef.

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Brisbane River threadfin debate: Round two SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

It’s about time we look at the way issues such as the Brisbane River threadfin are handled. In this article I want to explore this issue but please keep the following firmly in mind. To recs – No solution to fishery issues comes for free. Revenue raised from commercial and PPV levy is only enough to fund the basics of fisheries, limiting their time and ability to help you. To commercials – You have a right to exist and make money. That is not at the expense of other users, nor does it mean you have a right to ignore community concerns. If you are not willing to listen to concerns then you should expect the community to come hard at you just like any other business. To Fisheries – Wringing your hands and saying ‘we can’t do anything’ is no answer. The threadfin issue is not your fault but you are providing no leadership. You are locking in a longer war by hoping it will all

go away. Worse, you are alienating people who are willing to work with you. To politicians – Not even entertaining a fishing licence is not very progressive. It creates second-class citizens in the fishery and that is the heart of this issue. Not all fishers will like it but they will at least have proper representation and a means to raise and start solving their problems. I really hope that nobody gets hurt or worse over this issue or any NFZ debate. We as a fishing community all have a responsibility to keep passions in check. WHY ARE WE ON ROUND 2 OF THE BRISBANE RIVER THREADFIN? So there is this small program called iFish that did a show on the Brisbane River threadfin. Why not? There is a good story to tell. Brisbane River Fishing Facebook page shared that the story was on and once again opened the debate on commercial fishers targeting them in Brisbane and the photo featured was the response from a commercial fisher.

I will not comment on the photo. What I will say is that it highlights the problem exactly. The recreational fishing community is locked in one corner where NFZ is the only viable option available. The commercial sector is locked in the other corner opposing anything that the community raises on principal. As I personally discovered, trying to work with Fisheries and commercials, even with a sensible approach of moderation in harvest and improved monitoring for king threadfin in Brisbane, saw me dismissed as an idiot. Having worked harder than anyone to try to bring real information to the discussion I think that says a lot about the way things are done in Queensland. BRISBANE THREADFIN AND NFZS The Net Free Zones in Rockhampton won’t have a huge impact on barramundi supply, as there are alternatives to take up the slack in the market. King threadfin are a different matter. Rockhampton region

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was the largest Queensland supplier of king threadfin to market. Without an alternate supply such as farming, the most likely outcome unless there is a corresponding drop in demand is that the price of king threadfin will go up. If this is being exported the lower Australian Dollar is another factor. While I don’t know the specifics of the king threadfin market, in normal markets lower supply drives up the price. Recreational fishers may hate me for saying it but that means Brisbane River Threadfin with its proximity to transport to Sydney Markets is now the most attractive alternative. You can’t blame the commercials if they take advantage. That said, there is not an infinite supply in Brisbane. Poor recruitment (spawning success) means there are many less fish in the system than there were two years ago. The evidence may not convince Fisheries to take action but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real. Even if recs don’t cause the problem in terms of stocks, recs will have to take restrictions in the name of fixing the problem. That was made very clear to me in my discussion with fisheries. Once restrictions are in place they are very hard to wind back. HOW ABOUT MARY RIVER KING THREADFIN? Are Brisbane river threadfin more important than Mary River threadfin? Take fisher A (in Rockhampton, Mackay or Cairns) who has a Net Free Zone. Assuming the NFZ works as advertised they will have a huge advantage over fishers in SEQ with no NFZ. If there is then a Moreton Bay NFZ then that will potentially put more pressure on other king threadfin sites such as Maryborough and around Cardwell. Worse, it may see commercial activity in new sites springing up where smaller populations exist and are now more viable to harvest. Then what about the poor buggers in Townsville? Or Bundaberg? How much money will the taxpayer accept for NFZ payouts? How many exhausting community wars will the taxpayer accept? The anglers out west are on their own in terms of fishing options unless they are fishing impoundments. No NFZ will ever help them.

WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY WANT? The real question, of course, is what fishing outcome do you want? Would it be ok if we could deliver a good result for the Brisbane

to improve the fishery delivers sustainable results. In fact, SIPs has been so successful for bass that they have never existed in the numbers they do now. Who is demanding that we take away SIPs? Not the

This photo was posted to the Brisbane River Fishing Facebook page by a commercial fisher. River king threadfin and for the Maryborough and Cardwell areas? A recreational licence is the only realistic way we can do that. With that licence, options including replenishment stocking, or buyout of commercial licences opens up. There could be tradeoffs such as helping commercial providers develop other more profitable business lines or reskill. In other words we can get creative with the solutions, as there is a funding mechanism. A licence allows us to deal with the issue at the source without making someone else’s fishing worse. Even if there are more NFZs a licence allows room to mitigate impacts in other areas. Most fishers pay a premium of one sort or another to fish – be it gear, lures, electronics, boats or SIP permits… Even the guy who goes to Kmart and gets rods for the kids for a once a year fish is paying a premium to participate in fishing. As SIP has shown time and again an annual fee that provides the funding

long list of sites that want in on the scheme. The Brisbane River threadfin is a casualty of a system that works at the state level with no ability to negotiate or fund dealing with local issues. Until recreational fishers are recognized in their own right via a licence used for the betterment of the fishery, fisheries in Queensland will continue to be a mess when it comes to dealing with these sorts of issues. I expect more demand for NFZs. With them I expect more unintended consequences and more demands on government to fix them. I do accept that right now, NFZ is the only tool available to Recs and as such may be the only solution. I am 100% certain that Fisheries will be against more NFZ’s. As for the Brisbane River threadfin – the available evidence says this is not going to end well for fish or fishers. Infofish will keep monitoring and reporting back to the community. For the record, I do think Paul enjoyed his fishing. I congratulate him for his show.

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Tailor save season with late run FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

Christmas holidays already! Somebody please tell me where has the year has gone? Before looking into the fishing prospects at Fraser Island and Hervey Bay, I need to eat a little humble pie. In my November column, written well before the end of the tailor season, I suggested that the 2015 season might not go down in the record books, based on a few earlier months. Wrong! Just when we thought things were as good as over, they decided it was time to put in a proper appearance along Fraser’s eastern coast. I am sure it wasn’t a coincidence that huge bait balls of

share, but anglers who used metals and long casts scored the better fish. The Christmas holiday period is one of the busiest times for Fraser Island, particularly between Christmas and New Year. However, it might be surprising to some that Easter and the September holidays seriously rival Christmas for visitor numbers. In April and September, the weather is usually kinder, and of course September brings in the tailor devotees. December and January can be a bit more on the warm side and there can be the nuisance of march flies. Having said that, for the comfort of both fish and angler, the best plan is to fish in the cool of the early mornings and late afternoons, or at night. Dart, bream, tarwhine, flathead and whiting

on the beach watching me fish, but as much as I like to fish the shallow gutters at night, I now prefer to do so in company with one or more other anglers. The western beaches of Fraser Island are also very popular with camping families at this time of the year. From the eastern beach there is now only one way to cross the island. The Woralie track that heads inland from the beach is a few kilometres north of the wreck of Maheno. With the Happy Valley to Moon Point road now closed, the beach from Moon Creek to Coongul Creek is no longer safely accessible. The western beach can turn on some good fishing for whiting, flathead and bream at this time of the year, but seasonal weed infestation of inshore waters

Ngkala Rocks is impassable on most tides. anchovies were moving along the inshore waters at this time. So much so that thousands were being washed up along the beach. Great reports flooded in from right along the ocean beach. Anglers who used conventional equipment and WA pilchards took their

can be expected in the gutters, but this year whiting catches have been disappointing. I have mentioned in previous columns that dingos can become your company on the beach at night. I have never been threatened by the presence of a dingo sitting

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can be a problem. Last month in our journey north along Fraser’s eastern beach, we reached Ngkala Rocks. It is interesting and certainly justifiable at the location of the warning sign indicating the remoteness of the northern part of the island. Very occasionally the build up of sand allows for vehicle access in front of the Ngkala Rocks. This was the case a few months ago, but this path was only open for about an hour either side of low water. More often the bypass track needs to be taken. This doesn’t usually present too much of a problem for well-equipped, powerful 4WDs with tyre pressures down to about 15psi. The most challenging situation is often the approach track returning at the northern end. From the southern end, the track passes through a rocky cutting, then drops into a soft sandy valley before climbing the dune ridge, then down to the northern beach. Not too much of a problem unless another vehicle is met half-way through in the sandy valley. I write with bitter experience being one of the many who have needed to be snatched out of trouble here.

The best advice I can give is to have a member of the party walk through to the end of the track to make sure a clear run is possible. Ngkala Rocks is one of a few coffee rock outcrops along the east coast. As well as turning on great fishing for the usual beach species, the rocky areas can produce reef species such as spotted perch, snapper and occasionally grassy sweetlip. From Ngkala Rocks to Sandy Cape is usually a trouble free run depending on conditions. Some simple bypasses around Browns Rocks may be required. At Sandy Cape the ocean beach comes to its northern extremity but the moving sand continues to form the Great Sandy Spit with shallow and treacherous channels that careful boaties use to reach the legendary fishing grounds to the east. From the cape, turning east presents an entirely different beach and calmer seas. About 2.5km east of the cape we reach the track leading to the Sandy Cape lighthouse. Unfortunately, this is the end of the road for us as the beach beyond to Rooney Point, and then south to Wathumba Creek is closed to the public. Acknowledging the problems that can arise in a remote area, I see this as just another way of locking up the northern parts of Fraser Island. Many visitors to Hervey Bay are equipped with vessels that are able to make the trip into the northern parts including Platypus Bay. During the Christmas holidays, most will be chasing tuna, spotted mackerel and other pelagics. Inshore reefs around Gatakers Bay, Point Vernon, Scarness, Round Island, Woody Island and the Picnics should be worth some attention. This is the stage of the summer season when a very good class of grassy sweetlip move in over the shallows. There should also be plenty of blackall, Moses perch as well as black-spot and purple tuskfish. The reefs fish best in the very early morning, just on dusk and to some extent, into the night. Most of these species will take just about any bait including pilchards, hardiheads, squid, cuttlefish, yabbies, prawns and cut baits. However, seriously targeting black-spot tuskfish (blueys) almost demands the use of small rock crabs. Just 20 minutes south of Hervey Bay by road, River Heads is the base for Fraser Island barges to Kingfisher Bay and Woongoolbver Creek. There are also two boat ramps, one narrow ramp facing the bay and the other, somewhat more substantial, facing the inside of the river. The increasing popularity of these ramps is certainly related to the booming population

Anchovies washed ashore on Fraser’s ocean beach. of Hervey Bay City, in particular that of the suburb of River Heads. Unfortunately, the ramps and more particularly, the limited trailer parking spaces on this very compact peninsula, cannot keep pace with demands. At busy times it is not uncommon to see vehicles and trailers backed up along the road leading to the ramps. This is exacerbated by the presence of single vehicles whose passengers have taken the transport to Kingfisher Bay Resort. To their credit, the local council has made some improvements to the approach road by widening and providing a few more reasonable parking spaces. I certainly wouldn’t desire to discourage fishers from accessing this fishery, but I would suggest the wisdom of the early bird at this very busy time of year. The mouths of the Mary and Susan rivers meet at River Heads. This estuary and its feeder streams offer very diverse fishing opportunities and is a topic that I would

like to do justice to in a future edition of QFM, so stay tuned. For the time being there have been excellent reports in the spring season. Post spawning yellowfin bream have been thinning out as they return to their upriver haunts, while late spawning pikey bream are still being taken around South Head and along the deep mud banks upstream in the Susan River. Flathead are plentiful but are best targeted on the smaller tides when visibility is high. Blue salmon have returned to form after a lull during the colder months. Whiting anglers are doing well in Shell Gutter, just seaward of River Heads. There have been some encouraging reports of javelin, mostly from well upstream in the Susan River while on the deep ledges at River Heads, specialist anglers have been scoring some great estuary cod. Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and great start to 2016. A few PBs would be good too!

CORRECTION

On page 14 of QFM’s November Issue we printed a photo of the Junior Anglers winner for the Flathead Classic. While we said that Alexei Delinicolis was the winner, which he was, we

printed the wrong picture. QFM wishes to apologise to Alexei and congratulate him on his win. Here is a picture of the real Alexei collecting his prize from Big Merv! – QFM

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Red emperor reign offshore RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

them. Live bait and soft plastics are working very well on most of the

Well, another year is nearly past and what a good fishing year it has been. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, fishing, and customers and I’m delighted once again to have been a part of a great year at Rainbow Beach. OFFSHORE Bottom fishing continues to be consistent with a good flow of pearl perch coming aboard and some quality snapper having a good chew, making for great pearly by-catch. There are still plenty of amberjack around with some cobia in among

pelagics. Other species we are consistently bringing home

Another whopper red caught on the Keely Rose.

are tuskfish, hussar, Moses perch, cod and a few very big red emperor. December is usually an action month with the return of Spanish and spotted mackerel. Nothing like screaming reels to get all the fishers pumped up. Last December the bottom fishing was also very good in close offshore. We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a big thanks to my clients who have supported us through the year. Have fun and stay safe on the water. • To enjoy a day on the water with Keely Rose Fishing Charters phone Ed Falconer 0407 146 151 or visit www. keelyrosefishingcharters

Sean took this enormous red recently.

Bonkers for pelagics! HERVEY BAY

Scott Bradley marlin81@bigpond.com

You couldn’t ask for a better lead up to Christmas, with the fishing absolutely bonkers up here. Everyone I have spoken to seems to be cleaning up on their chosen species whether it be up a creek, in the estuaries, on the reef, or bluewater fishing. IN THE BAY The northerlies have made conditions difficult to fish out the front, however, if you can get out, there are stacks of mackerel around Point Vernon, Fairway

Bouy and Moon Ledge. The flats are still producing decent bream, whiting, and there are flathead everywhere. The creeks have been a popular choice while the wind is playing up, and why not when there are jacks, cod, threadfin salmon and big grunter getting around? A few muddies have been potted lately, with plenty of jennies among them but enough bucks to make it worthwhile. PLATYPUS BAY Platypus Bay has been mental for the past few months with film crews and fishing journalists from around the country chasing our annual run of black marlin. Every year the numbers seem to

get better and double figure shots at billfish per day has been a common occurrence inside Fraser Island. There have been a heap of pictures on social media including the estimated 70kg bigeye tuna caught on fly by sight casting in the flats recently. Out wide over the bar, a couple of big boats had a great day chasing blue marlin and then backed it up with a staggering 39 black marlin in one day on the light tackle grounds. That is world-class fishing in anyone’s book! Around Rooneys, most fish are 10-30kgs and around 1-3 years old – on light threadline and overhead gear they are a tonne of fun. There are plenty of other species feeding on the

The bay has been full of little black marlin like this one. bait with mackerel, longtail and mac tuna along with a host of other species taking everything from plastics,

metals, fly and on the troll. With an ocean full of pelagics to play with and everything else going off, this Chrissy is

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Lake Monduran is firing Rob Howell

Constant wind from one-direction and stable weather patterns made for the best October and November fishing I’ve seen since the floods of recent years. While there were a few days that didn’t produce barra, most days did. As a rule, early mornings and late afternoons have been the best bite times. Tactically, it makes more sense to

divide your fishing day into two segments, with a couple of four or five hour sessions. For best results, you need to be on the water at first light and last light to maximise your chances of finding feeding barramundi. In most instances at this time of year, Monduran barra will go deep through the middle of the day, making them difficult to target. This will also make your fishing experience more enjoyable as it will allow you to escape from the heat of the day.

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TIME TO UP SIZE LURES While side scanning large, flat areas about 2-3m deep, it’s not uncommon to come across large numbers of 1m+ barra. These fish are getting bigger and it’s now time to start upsizing our lures. Over the last month I have been using big soft plastics like the Zerek 7” Flat Shads, the new Happy Rock Softies in the 8” Big Willies and the new Z-Man 8” Mag SwimZ. I rig these on a lightweight jighead from Tackle Tactics in size 8/0. When using these soft plastics it’s necessary to upgrade your leader to 80lb mono or 60lb fluorocarbon. In most cases, barramundi will swallow these lures completely, leaving your leader exposed to their filelike teeth, resulting in a lost fish. SPONSOR A BARRA PROGRAM This is a program that was conceived by my wife Kelly and myself four years ago, with the aim to raise funds above and beyond the proceeds that are already allocated from the SIP funding allowance. We started this proactive program to replenish the numbers of barra fingerlings that were lost in recent flood events. With the water level being above 90%, the stocking allocation allows us to release 500,000-600,000 fingerlings at 50mm long per annum, whereas the current funding pays for only 100,000. There are a lot of anglers passionate about seeing the lake return to its former glory as one of Queensland’s biggest barraproducing impoundments. Julie Whalley is one of these people who has fished the lake for many years, seeing it go through the highs of frequently catching 1m+ barra to the lows of losing many of these fish over

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or Facebook page, or by calling into Lake Monduran Holiday park and making a donation through the office. You can also contact Julie through the Facebook page to purchase a Sponsor a Barra fishing shirt and organise sizes etc. So hop on Facebook or Google, search for ‘Sponsor a barra’ and get behind this great cause to ensure the future of barramundi fishing in Lake Monduran for our generation and the next. • For all your a c c o m m o d a t i o n needs you can visit w w w. l a k e m o n d u r a n houseboathire.com or www.lakem.com.au to book your next Barra fishing holiday. For the latest updates on fishing follow my Facebook page Lake Monduran Guidelines Fishing Charters or call 0410 599 147.

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It’s that time again when we all look forward to spending time with the family, and if we’re lucky enough we’ll get some time on the water as well. December really gets hot in our area, so preparation can make or break a day on the water. With so many sun protection products on the market there’s no excuse for not covering up, no matter what your age or fashion sense. In recent years I have had over 30 sunspots frozen off and four skin cancers cut out, and according to my doctor the damage was mostly done in my youth. I spent a lot of time in the sun around the water without hats or sunscreen and my fair skin pretty much copped a hiding. Over the past 20 years I have been really sun safe with longsleeved shirts, wide-brimmed hats, quality sunscreen and more recently the use of wraps or Buffs. Queensland has the highest skin cancer rate in the world, so protecting yourself and your young ones is vital if you want to continue enjoying the great outdoors. HOLIDAY FISHING TIPS Fishing over the holidays can be as relaxing or full-on as you like. If you aren’t too bothered as to whether you take home a feed, and you’re happy to just enjoy the simple act of fishing, then the Christmas holidays will be great. To improve your

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Fishing around boat ramps can be very productive, but always be aware of what’s happening around you. If a boat is being launched or retrieved make sure you pull your lines in and keep your eye out for reversing cars and trailers. If you’re a mad keen angler and want to maximise your holiday time on the water, early starts are going to give you a better chance at quality fish. Again, watching the tides is the key to more successful fishing, and the last of the out and the turn and run-in over December is my pick. Night fishing with live baits and lures

Long pants, a hat, sunglasses, Buff and sunscreen help to make for a great day on the water. creeks and rivers as they really do spook the fish when they are not on the chew. December has a couple of big tides so be aware that there will be a lot of run at times. If you head out pumping yabbies across a sand bar when tide changes it won’t take long for the tide to cut you off.

will really put you in the picture for some of the larger specimens. Overall, December should offer all anglers the chance to catch a few, so those of you who are lucky enough to be holidaying here, enjoy your Christmas and have a safe New Year.

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chances of catching something worth carrying high through the caravan park, watch the tides and try to get on the water as the tide turns, either at the bottom or the top. If you’re bait fishing then fresh is best. If you have some old, black, smelly prawns in a pack, get some fresh ones or even better collect bait when you get on the water. Pumping fresh yabbies at low tide and then fishing over those yabby beds as the tide rises will have you fishing where the fish will be hunting. Fishing light will also give you a better shot at getting more bites. Stay away from wire traces when fishing in the

Tim Mulhall

Offshore fishing has been limited lately, thanks to a combination of Coral Reef Finfish Closures and poor weather conditions. It’s better news in the river systems. The Elliott, Burnett, Kolan and Baffle are all fishing very well, with lots of mangrove jacks being boated. The Burnett and Kolan are also fishing well for big grunter (javelinfish). Some of the best artificials for these fish have been soft plastics and soft vibes, with the most popular choices being 5” Berkley Gulp Jerk Shads, Jackall Transams and Samaki Thumper Tails. Plenty of bread and butter species are around as well, with anglers getting good numbers of bream, whiting and flathead. The only downside is that quite a few of the flathead are oversize and have to go back, but nobody really minds. Another option is to

head down to the mouth of the Burnett to chase school mackerel. Early in the morning is the best time, before the winds get up. We’re seeing plenty of guys in little boats shoot out to the mouth, catch some schoolies and then zip straight home. Most of the fish have been caught on trolled metal spoons. On the freshwater scene, Lake Gregory has been fishing well for bass on poppers early in the morning. As the sun gets up, switch to using spinnerbaits on the weed edges. There are some crabs around but they’re very patchy at the moment. If you’re keen for a feed of crustaceans, prawns might be a better bet. Although they have been patchy as well, when they do pop up they’re of good quality – we’re talking 15-20 banana prawns to a kilo. The best times are low tide or high tide if you want to get some. THE MONTH AHEAD Provided it doesn’t rain or flood (fingers crossed it

won’t!) we should have one of the best summer species seasons we’ve had in a long time – especially for jacks. There’s plenty of bait, and lots of juvenile jacks mixed in with the big ones. I even caught a handful of small jacks while fishing for bream on the rocks recently, so next month should be good. The reef fishing should be good in December, with welcome catches of coral trout and red emperor. Pelagic-wise, some guys are catching a few marlin. There are quite a few marlin out there – we just need the weather to get out to them – and catches should continue until January or February. • For all the latest information on what’s biting and where, drop in and see the friendly team at Tackle World Bundaberg on 22 Quay St. They’re always happy to answer any questions customers may have. You can also reach them on (07) 4153 4747 or visit their website at www. tackleworldbundy.com.au. DECEMBER 2015

Prawn run sets estuaries alight GLADSTONE

Eve Malone eve.dave42@gmail.com

December is upon us bringing hot weather, and from all reports it seems like we are looking like we are in for a dry summer. What this means to all fishos is smoking pelagic action, estuaries firing up and crabs back on the menu! BOYNE AND CALLIOPE RIVERS The rivers are producing good numbers of golden snapper, flathead and mangrove jack to almost 50cm. Targeting jacks? The Boyne River seems to be fishing better for jacks than the Calliope with good catches in both the upper reaches and toward the mouth. Jacks are very aggressive and make their home in structure, so working along

the banks and covering as much ground as you can is the way to go. The more ground you cover, the better your chances are of finding them. Once you

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Tony Euler with a ripper pair of grunter coming in at 56 and 67cm.

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have your first catch, work the area surrounding. Any structure, no matter how small or large, is worth working over. If you get one, chances are you’ll

find more. Jacks also like current as it pushes the baitfish past where they’re sitting, so the top of the tide and start of the run-out is best. When the water is moving faster, the jacks will be feeding. Night fishing for this species seems to produce better results, and if you’re not into lures, strip baits and prawns are a good option for bait. Don’t make the assumption that all your hits will always come close to the structure, they more often than not will hit half way back to the boat, especially with lures, so make sure you retrieve all the way back in. With prawns running through the systems there are many species that come out to play, and who doesn’t like a fresh feed of prawns, right? Grunter are notorious prawn hunters, so the ‘find the bait, find the fish’ adage rings true for grunter. They feed very aggressively at night time and the turn of the top of the tide is prime time. Mangrove-lined banks are a great place to target, and Gladstone has many systems that are bountiful with mangroves. We have seen some cracking catches over the past month. Gravel patches with good run should also go on your hit list, so too should the mouths of both rivers where you have sandy beaches. Both rivers are showing good quality flathead, and river mouths and around the shallows are giving good results. Hardbodied lures and soft plastics are both equally rewarding. For the bait people, use beach worms lightly weighted.

very fortunate to have such diverse fishing options right at our front door, and Spanish mackerel are on most peoples’ bucket list. There a few who are yet to experience the action, and these fish can bleed 100m of line on the first hit in seconds. There are lots of techniques to catch these bruisers. The main ones are

trolling, floating, jigging and live baiting. Stripies or fusilier are in abundance around our reefs and work exceptionally well, jigging chrome jigs is also very effective as these fish can be caught at the bottom or the surface. When trolling, mix up your lures and try trolling and floating gar and pillies, keeping your trolling speed to around 4 knots. Areas There are many options

Young Connor Joynson with this awesome flathead caught first cast on a hardbody at the mouth of the Boyne River.

to target Spanish. You can catch them around both entrances to the harbour, around the channel markers, around Facing Island, and Oaks. Fishing out wide gives you endless possibilities. Sykes, Cabbage Patch, and the 12-Mile are all fishing very well. Reports of by-catch in the form of tuna, cobia and all other mackerel species have also been flooding in. Reef fish Sykes, Cabbage Patch and around the deeper edges at Rock Cod are bringing in good feeds of red-throat and coral-trout especially around the deeper dropoffs past Sykes. Sound out the deeper areas and you will find fish. Red emperor should also be on the target list and are bringing a big smile to many anglers out there. FRESHWATER Lake Awoonga is showing good signs with the warmer waters throughout December to January. This is one of many options for barra within close range of Gladstone in closed season. Barramundi tend to feed better early morning, late afternoon and night time, and they love the shallows. If we are lucky enough for the dam to stay out of flood, then you should be able to target these areas. Also look closely at the creek entrances; with a bit of wind pushing the water toward the creeks, which in turn will push bait in. If any of you would like to share pics and stories with me you can email me on eve.dave42@gmail. com, or you can join my Facebook group Gladstone Fishing Network, it’s a great way to keep in touch with what is happening in our waters and to share a story or two.

Holiday fishing at its best ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

Threadfin salmon and big grunter are still fair game in the estuaries but as closed season is upon us, barra are off limits as a target species unless you venture to places such as Lake Awoonga. The beaches are packed with whiting and bream in the gutters ready for the Christmas break.

areas until after Christmas. A great place that many locals know and non-locals will easily recognise is the deep drop-offs past Gavial Creek on the southern side of the river. The narrows have also been quite productive with a few large jacks reported from locals caught up amongst the timbers and mangroves. During the December period, the mangrove jack become a heavily targeted species as a substitute to barra. Many anglers choose

twitches at the snag, left for a bit and slow rolled back. The Atomic Prongs can be worked similarly, however, when left they will sink rather than suspend. Finally, the 4” SwimmerZ can be worked with varying lift and drop techniques to get the paddle-tail working. RIVERS CREEKS AND THE BEACHES The local rivers, creeks and beaches will be fished heavily during the holiday period, as they are more accessible to anglers. Take

Connor also landed a nice bream on the Atomic Shad. FITZROY AND THE NARROWS In the past month some terrific threadfin ‘king’ salmon have been caught along the Fitzroy as well as the odd black jew. These

to use smaller, more heavily weighted lures to entice the jacks, but are still able to cast them with their standard barra gear. Some great lures include, Lucky Craft Pointer XD78,

Rhett nailed this great flathead on the transom while we tested the new Motorguide Xi5. fish have been pulled off rock patches and rubble beds and will most likely stay available in these

Atomic Plazos Prong and Z-Man 4” SwimmerZ. The suspending Lucky Craft can be worked with a few

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 dominant at the moment but the estuaries are full of other species to catch as well. Giant herring have become an increasingly common catch, which is a great sign for the local systems and adds another species to target for the day. Giant herring are also a good species to chase for anyone looking to get into flyfishing. As the water heats up in the middle of the afternoon, most species will move down into the deeper pockets of water, or to the shadows cast down by roots and mangroves or out into the cooler beach waters. Through November there have been massive amounts of prawns and herring in the system, the prawns are still smaller but there are many reasonable sized herring in the system. Knowing what’s in

the system at any point in time is essential to not only baitfishing but also lurefishing. Matching the hatch is the key phrase many people use, and there are many herring coloured lures and prawn imitation lures on the market to get you started. Using a lure that matches the bait will increase your odds of hooking your next fish. FRESHWATER LAGOONS Tarpon are in high population and in the summer months just on dusk they really give any lure a beating. Never caught a fish on a lure before? Grab a small curl-tails with as light a weight as possible – and slowly retrieve the lure back around tree lines or lily beds, working the lure the whole time. Many fish will go for curl-tail plastics, as the tail is active, which makes the lure look like a small, alive and healthy fish a predator would want to eat. Some days the water is just on fire with ripples and activity from fish, especially on really humid days with a shower of rain in the afternoon. Anything will work in these conditions, from lightly rigged to small hardbody minnows, and surface lures – they are just going off. CRABBING If you want to catch a crab or two, the best bait is mullet head with catfish a close second. Fortunately, mullet head can be bought from anywhere and take 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. Recently, the crabs have started coming back in big numbers but have been a little small. A week or so into December and they should get a fair amount of meat back in them as they start to feed well again. CHRISTMAS I am a big believer in the motto ‘limit your kill – for sale on

Atomic did it again on this nice flathead! Great work Connor. not kill your limit.’ This is important to remember at all times as the limits serve to protect fish populations

and teach them about this great pastime, hobby, and for many of us, a lifestyle. I hope all the readers

Recently, a lot more whiting have been taken on larger lures. so they can recover and continue to thrive. Christmas is also a great time to take kids or mates out fishing

have a great time fishing and safe travels over the holiday period. Fish light, get the bite!

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It takes a fair bit of grunt to have a good time! YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

After a very dry year we scored some rain in November and, with any luck, we should have a decent season in December. With the school holidays here everyone is looking for things to keep the kids busy and there are so many options around our area for those with or without a boat. Most of our local beaches from Fitzroy Beach heading north to Corio Bay and up into Army country are producing good numbers of dart and whiting. Flathead, bream, trevally, and blue salmon are also a good chance at the right time. Beachworms are in fair numbers, particularly from Bangalee north. The best time for worming is around the bottom of the tide for an hour or so. Our sand is quite compact and it takes a bit of patience to get the worm out without breaking it in two. RIVER AND CREEK SYSTEMS Coorooman Creek is fishing particularly well for bream, flatties and whiting from the beaches and banks while the boaties have scored a few nice grunter and golden snapper in recent weeks. It pays to measure the fish you aren’t sure of because there is a lot of just undersized grunter caught at the moment. The bigger grunter have been taken either side of the full and new moons. The best spots have been the cockle beds near the plain river black banks and the

Cawarral Creek moorings. If the weather is good then it’s only a short run out the front to Quartz, where there are a stack of fish on any given day. Quartz Rock always gets the mackerel

ages. The Causeway has loads of mullet and herring available around the perimeter and yabbies can be pumped on the ocean side of the Yeppoon Emu Park Road.

All the local headlands are big bream magnets. Virtually at any given time there are lots of bream working the rocky edges and gullies. Some of the young blokes drop in a

Greg with a majestic local threadfin salmon. runs, ribbonfish, grunter and salmon whenever conditions are fishable. The Causeway Lake has been producing some decent bream lately as expected, especially over the run-through (tides over 3.8m), which push over the causeway and turn on everything in the lake. The majority of big fish taken in the lake are caught near the bridge as they wait on the building tides. Extra large pike, trevally, flathead, whiting and mangrove jack are in form in the warmer months. There are stacks of things for the kids to do and gathering bait will keep them occupied for

SALTY OPTIONS The Rosslyn Bay Harbour still ranks among the better land-based spots on the coast as everything, from barramundi to mackerel can be caught along the walls most of the year. I prefer an incoming tide for most of the species here. Lots of small bait schools move in and out with the tides and so do the big things that eat them. The other attraction is the amount of bait usually available. We often come down to the harbour in the evenings to throw the cast net and get enough bait for offshore trips in the following days.

berley bag after school and go back later in the evening to catch a feed. There is a good chance to score golden snapper, cod, and salmon in the early morning or evening when the tides are up a little. Corio Bay, Waterpark, and Fishing Creek systems all have plenty of vehicle access and are quite fishable from all areas. These are the most tide-affected systems in the local area, with much of the area dry over the lows. Any estuary species you can think of that lives in the sub tropics lives here. The locals mainly chase flathead, bream, golden snapper and mangrove jack over the closed barra season. Once

again there is an abundance of live baits from yabbies to herring and mullet. Most of the crabs in all of the local systems are fresh shelled and still need a bit of time and a bit more rain before filling out. Hopefully these storms of late do the job by getting the extra nutrients to the crabs and prawns by Christmas. SPECIES INFORMATION Threadfin have the biggest numbers of any of the quality fish in the Fitzroy River. Luckily there are so many spots for threadies that you can fish away from the crowds if you wish. The town reaches of the river have plenty of easily accessible spots on either side from the 400m-mark downstream. The preferred spots are between the bridges, the caravan, Moores Creek mouth, the ledge in front of The Pilbeam, the viewing platforms, the pontoon, the back of the race course and all the way down the high banks. You do have to be a bit careful around dark and don’t let the kids swim in the river because of the crocodiles, which are very active at the moment. Grunter and golden snapper are two of the other species around at present although they are more accessible by boat. Live bait other than prawns can be very hard to find and in the case of popeye mullet, which are present in huge quantities, but extremely hard to nail when you do find them. When the prawns aren’t on, I catch my live baits down the beach before heading into Rocky. MONTHLY TIPS All the lesser mackerel have kept their form on track both inside the bay and in the wider areas. In recent weeks we have stumbled across many schools of doggies or spotties working over small rubble patches up to 60km from Rosslyn Bay.

I like to drop my Flasha or Taipan right to the bottom and let it sit for a couple of seconds then jig it a few times prior to the fastest retrieve I can do. This gives the fish a chance to spot it prior to the chase and often they will grab it almost immediately on the quick return. In the shallow waters we leave a floating pilly out all the time when the mackies are about. In the deeper water I always have a weighted pilly hanging a few metres below the boat so that anything following your lure or your fish up to the surface has a chance of collecting a hook of their own. This works particularly well for mackerel that often come up in small groups to watch the activity. For the smaller craft anglers there have been plenty of fish at the usual spots like Farnborough Reef, Findlays, Bangalee, Ross Reef, Forty Acre Paddock, Ironpot, Rita Mada, Rosslyn Bay, Claytons, Halftide Rocks, Big Peninsula, Humpy, Sykes, Liza Jane, The Pinnacles, Outer Rock, Man and Wife, Barren Island and Corio Heads. Reefies remain pretty solid again this month around the islands and further. Redthroat emperor, grassy sweetlip, parrot, cod and hussar have all had good shows along with the snapper. All year long we have had an exceptional run on the red fish. Emperors and nannies continue in eating mode at most of the recognised patches this side of the shoals. Emperor in particular, prefer baits close to the bottom. If I can’t get livies I use the freshest bait available. It doesn’t matter whether it’s squid, pillies, or iodine slabs – don’t skimp on the amount you use. This gives any other species in the area a chop at it and attracts the attention of the bigger fish. Big baits don’t always mean big fish but it does give

Connor Duffy from Frogleys Offshore with a coastal mangrove jack. Anytime you see schools of bait and there are bigger streaks around the edges or over the top, it pays to drop a big chrome down. 62

DECEMBER 2015

them a chance to move in while there is enough to make it worth the effort. I hope you all have a great Christmas!

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No shortage of spots to go fishing in Mackay! MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

Another year is almost gone, and I hope we’ve all been able to store away some fantastic fishing memories over the year. December in Mackay is always hot, humid – and depending on the wind, we’ll either have an offshore bonanza or have to head for the dams and creeks for our fishing fix.

harassing the schools of small baitfish that the northerly and easterly winds have driven close inshore. Unfortunately, access is now restricted to the south wall only but plenty of shorebased anglers have been having a ball from the dogleg in the main wall to the end. Pilchards or live herring have been the preferred baits, while lure casters have been scoring plenty with metal and plastic vibes. The fish are deeper in the water column than usual

it becomes safe to let the lure sink as by then you are fishing over a sand bottom with no structure. There has been the odd day when grey mackerel have turned up, but as always they seem to drift in and go at a moments notice. Plenty of northern blue and mac tuna have been in the mix also with a smattering of large (20kg+) cobia thrown in as well. Surprisingly, there have been few reports of trevally on the bait but the mega queenies have been showing

Clinton Hassan used soft vibes worked around some shallow rocks to score these nice jacks. HARBOUR AND OFFSHORE Close inshore, the harbour walls have been on fire with doggies and spotted mackerel continually

so your best bet is to use a small sinker when bait fishing or, if luring, cast out and let the lure sink almost to the bottom. Once the lure clears the rocks in the wall,

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up along the wall. For the small boat angler, the calm northerly winds of a morning open up all sorts of areas, from the Lamberts Beach headland right down

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to Hay Point and easily accessible from the harbour ramp in a 4m tinny. It is not all about pelagics though as some very nice blueys have been showing up around Slade Island and to the south hard in at Flat and Round Top islands. Big prawns, light sinkers and heavy line is the recommended way to hook and stop these bruisers. A 50% landed to hooked ratio is good going on blues as they hit really hard and are motoring as they hit and headed for the rocks. Further offshore the bigger trailer boats have been having a ball on trout, sweetlip and nannygai in the shallower waters and pilchards and squid have been the go to bait. Out in the shipping channel the reds have also been on the job with quality fish coming in from the deeper water, and there have been some monster cod mixed in with the reds. There are still a few quality Spanish about and a gar or pilchard drifted out the back of the boat is likely to score a Spanish which makes a great ice box ‘filler.’ CREEK FISHING Creek fishing is also going well and should continue to the end of the year. The success of creek fishing will be dependent on rain, but with the short sharp storms we’ve had through November, the creeks are getting some fresh run, which is stirring up the baitfish and prawns – this can only be good news. Barra are off the target list until 1 February but there are plenty of other opportunities to score a good feed of top fighting fish.

Those really hot sticky humid days, with hardly a breath of wind are gold for anglers chasing jacks in the creeks. They love the heat and have been really active through November with both lures and live baits scoring plenty of fish. Look for the jacks on the big heavy snags, and around rocks on the run-in and at the top of the tide. Some barra will be hooked while chasing jacks and if caught on bait just cut the line with the fish still in the water. Plastic vibes have been one of the most successful lures in the creeks and they seem to catch everything. There are plenty of flathead and bream still around in the creeks with the lizards favouring the sandy flats and the pikies in close to cover. Grunter and whiting are also in the creeks in good numbers and both can be found at high tide over the sand and mud flats where they forage for yabbies. Any low rubble rock particularly towards the mouth of the creeks will usually yield a grunter or two towards full tide. The bigger tides towards the end of December usually produce good numbers of grunter right up on the flats. Excellent dam fishing is the only way to describe Kinchant and Teemburra dams at the moment! Both are absolutely firing with huge barra coming from both spots. How good are these two dams? Less than 40 minutes drive from the centre of Mackay, stocked with large numbers of barra and sooties and regularly

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producing fish way over the metre mark – it doesn’t get much better than this! Kinchant is the preferred option for lake trollers as there is lots of open water really suited to slow trolling big minnows or really big paddle-tail plastics. Work along just outside the edges of the weed beds, and be prepared to hang on as bragging rights for fish out of Kinchant come now with barra over 1.2m and there are plenty of monsters in the dam. The best times to get out there are late in the afternoon, into the evening and at daylight – additionally; most anglers favour the nights close to the full moon. Talk to the guys in the local tackle shops, as they are in the know as to what lures are the hot ones at any time. Make a few purchases and you can be guaranteed you will get good, up to date info as all of the staff are very keen fishos. Teemburra Dam has finally started to fish consistently – not a word I would use for it over the last couple of years as it has been very hot and cold. So far this summer though, the barra have decided to be very co-operative and are smashing lures like there is no tomorrow. The fish are everywhere, out on the flats at the mouth of Teemburra and Middle creeks, in the timber in the side arms and bays, and right on the prominent points in the main body of the dam. Big squidgy slick rigs in black and gold are one of the most reliable plastics in Teemburra, but anglers are

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$28,990

finding that the barra respond to the ever producing plastic vibes worked close to the bottom and with a sink and draw action. Look for colour and sizes that roughly equate to a 75-100mm long bony bream and you won’t go too far wrong. For the hardbody lure tosser, have a mix of shallow divers like B52s and gold Bombers and some that will work down to around 3m, as most of the barra are caught in water less than 5m deep. For a real buzz, get onto some surface fishing for these mighty fish and use lures like the Tango Dancers in the biggest size, or Z-Man Pop Frogz – again in the larger sizes. Surface luring can be productive all

day, but is better at night or periods of low light. At night it is best to fish the open points with surface lures and the timbered areas on the western side of the dam work well early morning or late afternoon. Surface strikes from barra are explosive affairs and they will often hit just beside the boat, which is really heart stopping stuff in the dark! Couple a ‘walkthe-dog’ style lure with a slow retrieve, keep the lure working as this seem to switch on the barra, but a lot of the hits come when the lure is stationary. I love the Pop Frogz as they can be worked with a super slow motion, or sped up and skittered across the surface.

However you fish them, when stopped the legs dangle and wiggle, which seems to turn on the barra and sooty. At night the white frog is the easiest to see and it also works really well during the day, with the added benefit that they can be used over lilies and weed beds without the dreaded treble tangles – a top lure there is no doubt. The dilemma facing Mackay area anglers during December, is just where to fish? Offshore, inshore, mangrove creeks, or red hot dams, we have it all and there are plenty of options and opportunities to round out the year on a high note. So why not come and join us in paradise? See you at the ramp.

Geoff Newby from Mackay Tournament Anglers wrangled this 121cm barra from around the timbers. A top catch using Geoff’s ever reliable rig – a black and gold Squidgy Slick Rig. FISHING FILL-ITS

That Fishing Shop at Jindalee Anglers are a curious bunch, and whenever a new tackle shop opens we all love to check it out. A few months back Richard Smith opened the doors to That Fishing Shop in Jindalee, Brisbane. FMG dropped by recently to catch up with Richard and go through the new store. Richard is an avid fisherman himself and loves nothing more than paddling his kayak up and down the Brisbane River chasing species such as threadfin salmon, Australian bass, flathead, bream, tarpon and bull sharks. When we caught up with Richard he told us that plenty of people overlook the Brisbane River stretch from Toowong to Redbank and tend to focus their attention on either the mouth or up towards Mt Crosby, however he assures us there is great fishing to be discovered in this part of the river. Old fashioned customer service is something That Fishing Shop pride themselves on and owner

Richard is more than happy to pull out a map to point you in the right direction of the fish, share his techniques and tricks as well as compare notes. There is even a coffee machine, lounge, and an area to keep the kids amused. That Fishing Shop stocks a specialised range of fishing gear that is perfect for the Brisbane River and beyond. Brands that you can expect to find in the store are Daiwa, Megabass, Z-Man, TT

lures, Ecogear, Samurai, Nomad, 13 Fishing, Fish Arrow, Westin, Slider and many more, as well as a selection of Australian hand crafted lures. Fishing tackle is not the only flavour of the store, with a great range of kayaks from the Viking and Stealth stables available. That Fishing Shop is located at 2/76 Curragundi Road, Jindalee or you can check out their website by going to http://www. thatfishingshop.com.au/.

That Fishing Shop stocks a specialised range of fishing gear that is perfect for the Brisbane River and beyond. Brands that you can expect to find in the store are Daiwa, Megabass, Z-Man, TT lures, Ecogear, Samurai, Nomad, 13 Fishing, Fish Arrow, Westin, Slider and many more as well as a selection of Australian hand crafted lures. DECEMBER 2015

Softies in the surf! BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Anglers generally jump to metal slugs, poppers and maybe the occasional hardbody when surf fishing with lures. In recent years soft plastics have excelled on

be weighted for casting and to fish through the water column, and can be presented much more subtly than a metal slug or popper – which can be a major benefit when the fish are finicky. On a recent Fraser Island trip we stood side by side with many other anglers chasing schools of tailor that we could

If possible have a selection of rods rigged and at the ready. our surf fishing adventures. It’s no surprise when you think about the benefits of a soft plastic lure; they look and feel realistic, are

see moving through the water, thanks to quality polarised sunglasses. Other fishos popped their poppers and high speed spun their metal slugs

school, just metres away and hooked up on almost every cast. After a couple of fish were pulled into the shore, we inevitably were questioned on our use of soft plastics along with the common concern that the fish would tear the plastics to shreds. After a quick chat about 10X Tough ZMan plastics and factoring in that the tailor were being harassed by queenfish and kingies and therefore spooking from the more aggressive lure presentations, I had them rigged up with a plastic and hooked up in no time! Depending on the application, your soft plastic selection may vary between a jerk bait, paddle-tail, curl-tail or crustacean style plastic. JERK BAIT Due to its straight tail and minimal action, the jerk bait profile is ideal for longer casts and a quicker sink rate, especially with the finesse of lighter jigheads. An ideal option on heavier heads, they perform an extremely long cast and faster or more aggressive retrieve. This is my go-to when covering water and

In search of fish. What a gorgeous day for it!

A 3” paddle-tail matched the hatch and soon attracted the attention of this trevally.

Find the bait and the fish won’t be far away. available in a wide range of sizes, colours and profiles to ‘match the hatch,’ can

DECEMBER 2015

for no result, while we hopped 3” paddle-tails, rigged on 1/2oz 3/0 jigheads, through the

focussing on specific current lines, washes, points and other fishy sections of water, for

speedsters such as queenfish, mackerel, tuna and trevally. CURL-TAIL The other extreme is a curl tail profile. The large curly tail hinders casting distances, however it offers the benefit of plenty of action without having to move the lure far or fast, allowing you to keep it in the strike zone longer. Curl tails are ideal for prospecting deep gutters close to shore and by hopping and pausing them you will encounter a wide range of species, including flathead, mulloway and trevally. PADDLE-TAILS This is generally the first style of soft plastics I will rig, and is an excellent all-rounder. It is also a great starting point for beginners as it sits somewhere between a jerk bait and a curl-tail, in a sense that it still casts well, while offering plenty of tail action at a wide range of retrieve speeds. This versatile plastic option can be fished quickly or slowed right down to a series of hops and pauses. Paddle tails have produced dozens of different species on our adventures, from whiting and dart on 2.5” paddle-tails, through to 3” models for tailor and flathead, and right through to 4, 5 and 6” models for queenfish, trevally and mulloway. CRUSTACEANS Prawn and crab imitations have their place, and although they’re not the first plastic I

rig, they will get a run if the bite is tough. Crustaceans are generally fished slower to mimic the real thing, making them best suited to working a specific section of water, thoroughly fishing smaller areas, sight casting more finicky feeders or fishing flats and areas where crustaceans are readily available as a food source.

When it comes to colour selection, natural colours are a great starting point, especially in clear water, chartreuse and pinks are also effective options. Adding scent to your plastics can make a difference when the bite is tough and especially when fishing with slower retrieves. RETRIEVES There is no wrong retrieve when fishing plastics in the surf, however it is important to mix it up until you find what is working on different species, tides and at different times of the day. There are three main retrieves that we use when fishing the surf and you may find that a school of fish will respond to one type of retrieve for a couple of fish, before switching off and then switch back on again when you change the retrieve. My wife Sheri and I managed to follow a school of tailor along a kilometre of beach and extract a couple of dozen by changing the retrieve when they switched off or

Longer rods are ideal for long casts with larger plastics and heavier heads.

continually followed the lure without striking. Burning and killing This retrieve is basically a quick retrieve (burn), that may or may not be interspersed with a few pauses (kill). Vary the speed of the burn, and duration and frequency of the kill, until you find what switches the fish on. If the fish are aggressive this will trigger a reflex feeding response and because the lure is moving at speed, the strikes can be brutal!

the bottom) and then using a couple of lifts of the rod tip (hops) to bring the plastic to life, before allowing it to sink again while dropping the rod tip and winding up the slack line to stay in touch with the plastic. When using this retrieve the plastic is often eaten as it sinks on the pause and hence inhaled by the fish, so a heavier leader or short wire bite guard may be necessary if bite offs become an issue.

This flathead responded to a paddle-tail plastic slow hopped through a hole. Slow Roll If the fish aren’t responding, slow it down. The slow roll is basically a slow wind that sees the plastic ‘swimming’ realistically through the water. If you want the plastic swimming higher in the water column speed up a little or lighten your jighead and vice versa. If you want the plastic to run deeper,

JIGHEADS When it comes to jighead selection, a basic guide would be 3” plastic - 3/0 hook, 4” plastic - 4/0 hook, 5” plastic – 5/0 hook, and so on. In terms of jighead weight, the old adage of fishing with the lightest jighead possible to achieve a natural presentation still stands, however, heavier heads allow you cast further and stay in touch more

and 20lb leader, will be fine for throwing lighter weights for smaller species such as whiting and dart, through to 1/2oz 3/0 jigheads and 3” paddle tails for tailor, salmon, flathead and so on. My medium combo consists of a 9’ 5-10kg spin rod, 4000-5000 reel loaded with 20lb braid and 20-40lb leader. It is capable of throwing 1/2-1.5oz jigheads, for medium to large species. This combo casts the same 1/2oz 3/0 and 3” paddle tail longer distances, while allowing me to step up to a larger plastic and heavier jighead in search of trevally, queenfish, mulloway and other larger predators. Finally my heavy spin combo is 13’ 6” long, capable of throwing jigheads up to a couple of ounces and is fitted with an 8000 spin reel, loaded with 30lb braid and 40-60lb leader. I have thrown 9” curl tails, 8” paddle tails and 10” jerk baits on this rod and successfully landed trevally and queenfish over the metre mark. WHERE? In terms of where to start throwing your plastics, keep an eye out for birds, bait and fish. Learn to look deep into the water and through the waves for signs of fish. As a net fishers once taught me, it’s often easier to spot the shadows of the fish, rather than the well camouflaged fish themselves. As with most fishing, structure is key and this also applies to surf fishing. If you are unable to locate bait or fish, great places to start throwing your soft plastics in the surf, include points, deeper holes, gutters that open to the ocean, current lines and any reef, rock or rubble in the area. Keep soft plastics in mind next time you fish the surf and you might be pleasantly

Match the hatch and you’ll catch the fish. slow the retrieve further or increase the jighead weight. Hopping This retrieve involves casting the plastic out, allowing it to sink to the desired depth (which may be

effectively with the plastic in sweep, wave action, and water movement. Your flathead or light snapper combo, consisting of a 7’ 3-6kg rod and 2500 reel loaded with 10lb braid

surprised by the variety of species that eat them, the quality of these fish and the ability of the soft plastic to produce results when other lure types aren’t putting a bend in your rod. Fish on! DECEMBER 2015

Gifts they’ll actually use! FMG

Nicole Penfold nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

No matter what our Christmas budgets are, we all want to give our loved ones presents they’ll actually use. Just don’t forget that the present should also be fun! Your loved one may well use a loo brush, but it’s not a Christmas experience they’ll look back on fondly. And neither will you, seeing as you’ll probably end up being beaten over the head with it. A much better gift option is some new fishing or camping gear. If you’re not sure what to buy for the angler in your life, you’re in luck – here are some great gift ideas! And if you’re an angler wanting ideas on what other people can buy for you, just circle one or two products in this

article and discreetly place the magazine where your loved one will see it. For maximum effectiveness, try draping the magazine over your loved one’s head when they’re trying to brush their hair, or boldly thrust it in front of their face while they’re driving. They’ll get the message.

LATEST LURES AND EGI ••••••••••••••

Lures make a great present, and they suit all budgets. If you don’t want to spend a fortune, you can just give one or two – or you could buy a bunch and present them in a lure wallet (more on that later). For the angler who loves squidding, one of the most impressive squid jigs on the market is the hi-tech Yamashita Live Search 490. It was developed in conjunction with university researchers in Tokyo. These days, too many scientific studies focus on boring stuff like curing diseases and saving the planet. These Tokyo researchers, on the other hand, have their priorities right, working out the best light 68

DECEMBER 2015

for squid to detect so we anglers can catch more. The Yamashita 490 has special paint to achieve this. And like other Live Search jigs, it has a 600hz rattle, which is the sound that squid are proven to be most attracted to. Go science! Other features include Warm Jacket (the thermo storage cloth transfers any

locked split ring at the rear, and if you remove that you can dismantle the lure and switch its parts around to match the colouring and/ or claw size of your local crabs. And of course you

Cranka Crab

Yamashita Live Search 490

surface, making a commotion with its paddling wings. As you’d expect, a big Megabass lure like this one doesn’t come cheap (SRP is over $80), but the quality is absolutely top notch. Collectors of fine tackle will love it. But yeah… you really don’t want to lose it. Unless you have stacks of money, in which case you should send a big donation to me so I can buy more Derbys for my own personal use. Don’t

with the Tide and Fishing Monthly logos on the front and back. All Tide shirts are made from top quality

Tide Apparel

light into heat), double crown stainless steel hooks, and a slim nose design that gives the jig a sharp, darting action with minimal angler input. The 490 comes in 2.5, 3 and 3.5 sizes, and retails for roughly $20. And I also have to

can change the weight to suit the conditions. The SRP is around $20. Finally, if you want a truly superb lure for fish like cod and big bass, the Megabass Derby X mouse imitation is awesome. This 3/4oz surface lure has metal

which could be handy if you’re on a crowded jetty. And designer Josh Ker says it’s already ‘inked’ so if you get squirted it won’t matter. These Aussiemade shirts are incredibly soft, cool and lightweight, and you can see the full range of species at www. bigfishgraphics.com.au. With most good quality sun-protection shirts like these you’re looking at about $80-$90, but this price is worth it because they’re super comfortable and last forever. If you’re prepared to pay a bit more, you can get the cool Nosilife shirts that have insect repellent built in – and it won’t wash off. Having built-in insect repellent is a great idea, seeing as mozzies have no problem biting through traditional fishing shirts and pants (there are Nosilife pants as well). These shirts have

worry, I won’t keep all of them for myself – I’ll donate a couple to other anglers eventually… if they’re prepared to dive down to a snag to retrieve them. Megabass Derby X

wings that fold away when you cast it, and they then unfurl during the retrieve. It mention the new bigger wobbles enticingly along the Cranka Crab. The original Cranka Crab is hugely popular, having blitzed the bream tournament scene. If you haven’t used it yourself, you have to check it out on YouTube to see how lifelike its movements are. Just search for ‘Cranka Crab Morgan’ to see Steve Morgan’s interview with designer Steve Steer, who swims the Crab in a tank to show viewers how it moves. Now, in response to public demand, Steve Steer has released a larger Crab for species like jew and snapper. The bigger Crab still has those lifelike floating claws, which mimic the defensive behaviour of a threatened crab, but instead of trebles on the claws it has a bigger single through the body. There’s a

APPAREL ••••••••••••••

A quick drying, sun protection shirt makes a great gift, especially if it’s a cool sublimated one from an Australian company like Big Fish Graphics or Tide Apparel. Tide has some cool looking jew and mangrove jack shirts, plus a new shirt

Nosilife shirts

Big Fish Graphics

materials so they’re super comfortable, and they have a flattering cut so you don’t look like you’re wearing a colourful sack. Tide makes other clothing like pants and gloves as well (see tideapparel.com.au). Big Fish Graphics is best known for its huge range of fish species shirts; no matter what fish you chase there’s a Big Fish shirt with that species on it. One of the latest models is a squid shirt, which features the most badass looking tentacled beast you’ve ever seen. It would easily scare young children,

a vented back and gusset, plus some handy pockets including a hidden zippered one. Nosilife shirts might not be dazzling to look at like the Big Fish and Tide shirts, but they’re good if you fish in sandfly/mozzie infested locations and don’t like drowning yourself in bug spray.

CAR, CAMP AND BOAT ••••••••••••••

If you’re buying a present for your partner, I reckon the best kind of present is one you can share. Plus it means you can

spend more money and get something more flash! Just be sure to both agree on the purchase before you spend the money, unless you like living dangerously. If you and your partner are on the road a lot, you’ll love having a fridgefreezer in your vehicle (and campsite). It won’t be long before you’ll wonder how you ever did without

with built-in magnet to stop rattling; USB port and bright LED internal light. They have a fiveyear warranty and are priced from roughly $1080, depending on size. And while we’re on the subject of trips away, let’s talk about showers. Nobody likes those awful

I respond that if you don’t like my rules, you can jump overboard and swim home. No, no, don’t go moaning that we’re 60km offshore, you should have thought of that before you gutted a snapper on the damn carpet. Anyway, if you want to keep your boat squeaky clean, I have three pieces of advice. The first is to not install marine carpet (I don’t know what I was thinking). The second is to avoid fishing with people who, for some reason, can’t seem to lift a kill tank lid. The third is to use a purposebuilt cleaning solution like Salt-Away. It washes away salt and other contaminants, and protects surfaces from corrosion. It’s designed

Glind Cape Yorker Maxi

Evakool TravelMate

it. On long trips you just reach back to grab a cold drink, and you can stop for lunch and make sandwiches or chow down on a cold chook. No more stopping at servos for expensive food and drinks! Plus you can feel superior to all the other people who don’t have fridge-freezers in their cars. There’s a host of options to choose from, and one of the latest is the Evakool TravelMate series. These fridge freezers come in both side-opening and top-opening versions in sizes from 38L to 80L. Features include: a rugged casing; a lid that opens from either side or can be removed completely, all in one action; no protruding

camp ‘showers’ consisting of a black bladder that’s heated by the sun. When you hang it up so it can trickle lukewarm water on you, it feels depressingly like getting dribbled on by a bulldog. Those cheap 12V camp showers aren’t much better, and in my experience they break easily. Usually when you’re particularly filthy. If you want a real shower, the Glind Cape Yorker Maxi (approx. $400) is for you. Its water pressure can be adjusted so you can wash dirty dishes, clean fish, wash the boat or fill water containers. It’s a compact unit that’s built with quality components including an efficient and

heat water in a drum over a fire. A Sand Spear Filter comes as standard. The team at Glind have a very slick, classy slogan to sum up their product range, and it’s this: “We don’t build crap at Glind.” It’s blunt but true. I wish more companies had slogans like that. Think how much more interesting toilet paper commercials would be. Another present that’s guaranteed to be well received is a quality camp chair, and you’re looking at about $60 for a good one that’s comfy and durable. A good choice is the new

Wilson Deluxe Camp Chair

to not remove lubricating products, and it has the bonus of being non-toxic. For 2015 the manufacturers released the A-Salt Mixing Unit, which has a throttletype control valve to switch between ‘rinse’ and ‘SaltAway’ settings. You can put it with their Deluxe Muffs to flush out the engine, or add the Spray Gun to wash down the boat and gear. Salt-Away is highly concentrated, so a 946mL bottle (RRP $42.50) will last for ages. It also comes in a ready-to-use spray bottle (RRP $13.25) for rods, reels and other tackle. Another way to clean

A-Salt Mixing Unit

hinges or latches; Secop (formerly Danfoss) compressor; low power draw; silent operation; multi-voltage operation DC 12V and 24V, and AC 240V; heavy-duty handle

reliable Flojet pressure pump, and it’s all housed in a heavy-duty case. It has a flow of 13.2L/min and the pressure is 40psi. You can match it with a Glind heat exchanger for hot water, or

attractive Wilson print in either blue or pink. They’re at tackle stores now, so drop in and rest your rear in one. Finally, I know I said presents should be fun but sometimes a super-practical gift can be awesome. For example, do you know someone who likes to keep their boat clean? I am one of those people. Friends I’ve fished with have accused me of being a boating neat freak, to which

run, which means you’ll have more spare cash to buy more gear! It’s like the circle of life, only better.

BUYING ON A BUDGET ••••••••••••••

Everything in its place If you’re on a tight budget there are still plenty of excellent gift options available. A lure wallet is always handy, and a good quality one makes an affordable gift at around $18-30. I particularly like the latest Daiwa Lure Wallet, which can be worn as a mini shoulder bag when you’re land-based. To page 70

RinseKit

Wilson Deluxe Camp Chair, which is built to withstand 150kg. The build is also extra wide, so they’re comfortable for anyone to sit in. All materials are double stitched with reinforcement around the rubber eyelets, and features include a silver lined cooler bag on the left arm, an insulated cup holder in the right arm, a powdercoated steel frame (reduces rust and damage) and the

your salt-encrusted gear when you’re away from home is with a portable, pressurised shower. As well as the first-class Glind Maxi that I mentioned earlier, there’s a new unit called RinseKit which is much more basic but also more affordable (RRP $149). Somehow it manages to deliver pressurised spray for up to four minutes with no pumping and no batteries. It has an 8L pressure chamber and fills with hot or cold water from the tap in as little as 20 seconds. So definitely consider giving – or receiving – the gift of cleanliness this Christmas. Looking after your gear properly will save money in the long

Daiwa Lure Wallet

DECEMBER 2015

From page 69

It’s built tough, and has a fold-out section for jigs, jigheads, and lures. The back of the bag is perfect for storing packets of soft plastics. There’s also a zippered accessory pocket in the lid that’s ideal for terminal tackle. And if you like chasing squid, you can’t go past the Shimano Egi Case. It accommodates a range of jig sizes, and it’s designed to withstand a hose-down

hats are great – they’re so much better than slathering sunscreen everywhere – but in photos they do make you look like Lawrence of Arabia. Sure – you could take your desert headwear off for a photo, but that would reveal your wild, sweaty, hat hair. The horror! Enter the CapHat accessory! It’s a one-sizefits-all attachment that goes on top of your favourite cap or hat to protect your ears and neck. You just slip

Shimano Egi Case

eyes. Prices range from around $15-$20. Save the reef You’ve probably seen news stories about how sunscreens are harming the marine environment.

Ugly Stik Cooler Bag

savingsunscreen.com. On the nose Catch scent is a budget gift that keeps on giving, and Squidgies’ much-loved S-Factor scent is now available in a larger and more user-friendly 35mL tube (approx. $15). The tube has been designed to prevent leaks, so nothing will get smelly except the lure. This scent has the added bonus of being UV enhanced, to add a visual attraction aspect as well as an enticing smell. Anybody who’s enjoyed success

Liquid Mayhem

at the end of the day. It has nylon zippers and 10 piece dividers, and has a SRP of $17.55. If you’re buying it as a present, you can make it look extra good by stealing some of your gift recipient’s squid jigs from his tackle box and put them in the Egi Case before you wrap it. Then he’ll be doubly pleased on Christmas day to find the missing jigs he’s been stressing about for weeks! On second thought, maybe don’t do that. For the land-based angler, a great gift is the Ugly Stik Cooler Bag (RRP $29.95). It holds six cans and keeps a full day’s worth of food. The zippered closure ensures you’re always ready to enjoy a cold drink. Plus, the back of the cooler bag folds down to reveal two drink holders, so you’re not constantly bending down to put your drink on the ground. An Ugly Stik stubby cooler is included for free. A hat for your hat Another affordable present is a hat accessory called the CapHat (www. caphat.com.au). It’s an alternative to those serious sun-protection hats whose fabric drapes over your ears and neck. Those serious sun 70

DECEMBER 2015

it over the crown of your cap, tighten the CapHat’s toggle and you’re away. If there’s a lot of wind or glare, you can close the Velcro tabs at the front to cover everything but your

Surf Livesaving Australia Marine Friendly

A 2015 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) study found that around 14,000 tons of sunscreen ends up in coral reefs worldwide every year, a c c e le ra ting c ora l bleaching. In light of this discovery, it’s clear that we outdoor lovers have to immediately throw away our sunscreen and start roasting ourselves as red as beetroots to save the coral. Or do we? It turns out that there’s a less painful way to protect the marine environment – it’s Surf Livesaving Australia Marine Friendly spray (RRP $17.49). This clear mist spray comes in a 175g can and is certified SPF50+. It’s been tested and proven to be non-toxic to marine life, so now you can have the benefit of maximum sun protection with minimum eco-impact. This product is oxybenzone and preservative free, provides up to four hours of waterresistant sun protection, and comes in a recyclable aluminium can. And by purchasing Surf Lifesaving sunscreen, you are helping support surf lifesaving training and development programs around Australia – so you’re saving human lives as well as coral! You can find out more at www.surflife

with S-Factor-impregnated Squidgies will love having the option of adding this potent scent to their other lures. The range of Liquid

Mayhem scents are also worth a look. These scents are made from real baitfish, which have been distilled into a super concentrated liquid. To this the

manufacturers have added special enzymes and other proven bite stimulants. Liquid Mayhem scent is easy to apply, and it’s thick and sticky so it holds onto the lure for up to half an hour before needing to be reapplied. Liquid Mayhem costs a bit more than other scents (RRP $26.95 for 2oz tube) but it’s very concentrated so you only need to apply a smidge of it to your lure. It’s available in four flavours, all with extra UV enhancements. You might be suspicious about whether catch scent actually works, but I reckon it’s one of those inexpensive things that you might as well use as not. Besides, the best tournament pros all use it, and you have to respect anyone who’s figured out how to get paid to fish! Lucky buggers, getting paid for doing what they love. I have asked them how it’s done, but they start talking about horrible things like ‘commitment’, ‘dedication’ and ‘putting in the hours’. Oh well. A gift from the kids If you want gift ideas for under $10 – the typical kid’s Christmas budget – a simple packet of plastics is a great choice. And it’s always good to get plastics that are new on the market, because new stuff is always more exciting than old stuff! Something that’s a bit different is the Boom Bait range from Samaki. These

S-Factor scent

Boom Bait range

plastics have special marker dots along their backs to represent different sizes of worm hooks or jigheads. This makes it super easy to rig them nice and straight. You just match, say, a 2/0 with the appropriate marker dots and you can rig it easily and perfectly right away. There are 10 models, starting with little smelt for trout and bream, right up to larger paddle tails and shads for barra and reefies. All have impregnated scent. Or, for the angler who chases big fish, you could go for the huge Z-Man 10” HeroZ jerk bait. It’s made from buoyant ElaZtech plastic so it’s perfect for everything from walking across the surface to being fished on a jighead or paternoster rig. When retrieved at speed, it has a life-like, snaking action that has been the undoing of tuna, cobia and trevally. It should also do well on kingfish and mackerel, as well as bottom fish like snapper, coral trout and other reefies. Like all Z-mans (Z-men?) the HeroZ are made from ElaZtech plastic – a super-tough, super-stretchy plastic that’s practically bomb-proof. The only time I’ve seen one of these plastics damaged was when it got attacked by a mackerel, whose teeth left little slits like razor cuts, but didn’t demolish it as I had expected. The most affordable gift though that I’ve found is the Rod Ruler sticker (www. therodruler.com.au). You just peel off the backing, stick it on your rod and then you can Rod Ruler sticker

quickly and easily measure your catch. It measures 8mm wide and 1m long (you cut the sticker to suit your rod), and it’s UV and water resistant. As well as rods, it can also be fitted to your boat or kayak. No more stuffing around looking for a brag mat or ruler! The RRP is just $6.95.

out ways to lower their camera into the depths (and keep it stable) to see what the fish are up to. There’s some amazing underwater footage on YouTube and on fishing DVDs that’s been shot on action cams, showing fish just quietly doing their thing, as opposed to going berserk on the end of a line. Garmin’s latest action cams are the VIRB X and VIRB XE (RRP $429-$529). They shoot HD footage and are waterproof to 50m. The flat lens makes underwater shots crystal clear, and it also repels droplets. The XE shoots at 1440p/30fps and 1080p/60fps with super slowmo, image stabilisation and zoom levels. The X shoots at 1080p/30fps and 720p/60fps with slow-mo and zoom. Both versions can capture sharp still photos (even while recording) and photo bursts up to 12MP. They have secure mounts, and the microphone delivers clear audio, even

and talented at cool outdoor sports, which I am not. If you are one of those energetic people though, you’ll get a kick out of getting data from the GPS and accelerometer,

stack of other features as well, plus plenty of amazing videos on YouTube. You might have noticed I haven’t mentioned any rods or reels. That’s because they’re risky things to buy

on a room full of cats. To avoid situations like these, we developed the Tackle Junkie website. If you direct your loved one to www.tacklejunkie.com they’ll find pics and info on ZMan 10” HeroZ

as presents; you really need to know exactly what rod or reel the recipient wants. If you just try and guess, you’ll be greeted with a frozen, pained smile when your loved one removes the wrapping paper. It’s the same smile that I made last year when I was hoping for a box of Ferrero Rochers and instead got a new age music CD that sounded like someone turning a fire hose

on the latest rods and reels, which should give them some ideas on what they might like. You’ll find info, pics and videos of a host of other tackle there as well. Then, once you have your inspiration, it’s off to your local tackle store to get the perfect present. Happy gift hunting and Merry Christmas! Hero4 Session

VIRB

RECORDING THE MOMENT ••••••••••••••

It seems everyone is getting into the fun of using waterproof action cams on fishing trips. They’re easy to use (the good ones are, anyway), and you can mount them almost anywhere – on a headband, up high on a rocket launcher or on the end of a pole to hold down at the waterline when fish come boat-side. Enterprising anglers have even worked

underwater. Through the mobile app, users can get a live stream of video. One-touch controls make it easy to wake the device and start/stop recording. If I had to list a downside, it’s that there are fancy sensors built in that cater to those annoying people who are gloriously fit

plus compatibility with other sensors that detect everything from heart-rate to G-force. Of course, I can’t talk about action cams without mentioning the latest GoPro, which is the Hero4 Session (approx. $450). It’s 50% smaller and 40% lighter than other Hero4 cameras, it’s compatible with current GoPro mounts, and has a new low-profile frame and ball joint buckle for extra mounting flexibility. It captures 1080p30 ultrawide video and 8MP timelapse photos at 0.5 second intervals. You can also operate HERO4 cameras using the GoPro App or Smart Remote. This camera is waterproof to 10m, and a single press of the shutter button powers the camera on and begins capturing video or time-lapse photos automatically. A second press of the shutter button stops recording and powers off the camera. There’s a DECEMBER 2015

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The Rod-Runner is carefully engineered to protect expensive rods and reels and get you fishing faster with less effort. It lets you carry five rods safely in one hand, and once you arrive at your location will stand your rods up with its two removable legs, keeping your reels up off the sand and dirt. Having all of your rods rigged, ready and securely stored in the Rod-Runner system will mean that you’ll spend less time rigging and undoing tangles while out fishing. The Rod-Runner is perfect if you enjoy jetty fishing, surf fishing, land-based fishing or even getting to and from the boat on your next offshore fishing trip. With its long, curved, comfortable handle design and the deep cut rod holders, your expensive rods and reels will naturally hang in a diagonal direction, meaning that you can easily manoeuvre around avoiding door frames, low ceilings and fans. This clever product is sure to make your holiday fishing experience easier. Price: RRP $100 www.brismarine.com.au

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Lone Star Marine has once again found a way to cram more value and performance into their mainstay without the high price tag. The new GX series is set to become the new workhorse and standard in perfectly engineered anchoring systems at the right price. Features include all Australian made 6mm 316 stainless and machined 6061 T-6 aluminium construction, real Italian transmissions, triple sealed bearings, twin shaft bearing systems, machined slimline ‘fast change’ collars, and an all new emergency release as standard on all models. Motors are once again custom manufactured and are pre-rigged with twin leads. LSM manufactured the world’s first drum anchor winch with a 200mm drum that’s suitable for 6m+ boats with a holding at anchor capacity of 2800kg. This tiny yet very powerful model will be well suited to larger boats with very small anchor wells. The GX series caters to boats up to 9m+ and is backed by LSM’s famous 5 + Life Warranty. Price: from RRP $1099 www.lonestarmarine.com.au

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The Emergency LED lantern from Korr Lighting is the perfect product for both camping adventures and for use around the home. In the case of a thunderstorm where the power is knocked out, this family-friendly LED lantern is great at providing quick and easy lighting, and is much safer than using candles or gas lights, which are a fire hazard in your home. The LED lantern is very easy to operate and has an extended run time of up to 12 hours. Made from a durable ABS construction, this compact LED is tough and is backed by a one-year warranty. It’s a great addition for any camping set up or emergency LED lighting. Visit the Korr Lighting website for more information. Price: RRP $20 www.korrlighting.com.au

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Every angler loves to capture photos and sometimes even videos of their catch. The quickest and easiest way to do this is to use your phone, but a wet, rocking boat isn’t a safe environment. However, when you use the new Wetsuit Impact for the iPhone 6S/6S Plus you can relax knowing that your phone is protected. This slim waterproof case features a flexible glass impact screen rated 9H – the world’s highest impact standard. It’s tough enough to bear the knocks and bumps of everyday life, can withstand drops of and immersion to 6.6ft (2m), and exceeds tough military standards (MIL STD 810G). A high performance coating on the screen means dirt and grime can easily be wiped clean, so you don’t get the discolouring of standard PET film coverings which can impact the user experience. The manufacturers, Brisbane-based company Dog & Bone, also make cases for the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5/5s. Price: SRP $99.95 (SS/6), $119.95 (SS Plus/6 Plus) www.dogandbonecases.com

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Enjoy your beach fishing with the only reel that will withstand sand and saltwater while giving outstanding casting distance: the iconic Alvey. You will also feel every fish bite because you are in touch with your rig through the line and handles on your reel. No other reel fishes this system or offers this sensitivity. Many top anglers use Alvey reels because of this feature. After you have hooked a fish, even a large one, the Alvey 1:1 direct winding power will control your fish with ease. The smooth multi-plate clutch will also protect your line during the battle. Match your Alvey reel with one of the quality range of Alvey rods, and make sure you get your distance when casting. Alvey’s rod range includes models to suit children right through to serious surf rods and deep sea rods for boat anglers. Buy a Christmas gift that will give years of pleasure to the angler in your life. Price: $244.95 www.alvey.com.au

Backbone Tide watch

The Backbone Tide Watch is perfect for anglers, boaties or anyone who enjoys aquatic pursuits. The watch is equipped with a stack of features, including the ability to calculate past, present or future tidal movements of your chosen location once set. Built tough, the watch comes as standard with a rubber case and strap - in 6 colour combinations - with stainless steel fittings. Features include a 12-digit display, dual time, a stopwatch with 1/100 sec. resolution, a countdown timer and a tide calculator with easy to follow set instructions, and an EL backlight for easy viewing at night. The Backbone has 10ATM/100m water resistancy and is backed by a 12-month warranty on movement. Price: RRP $49.90 www.backbonetime.com.au

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Less time mucking around on the ramp means more time fishing. Thanks to Boatcatch, slipping and sliding on the boat ramp will be a thing of the past. It’s a unique coupling device that allows you to quickly launch or retrieve your boat onto its trailer without setting foot on the boat ramp - especially convenient if you’re on your own. You can quickly motor off and on thereby eliminating the stress of holding up other boats. Boatcatch also reduces the dangers inherent in traditional launch and retrieval methods. It’s made of high strength, 100% marine grade stainless steel and comes with a lifetime warranty. Available in two sizes (Small for boats up to 6 metres long and large for boats over 6 metres) which include a universal mounting bracket to suit most boats (including Cats). Watch our video showing how easy Boatcatch is to use at www.boatcatch.com. Price: from $599 www.boatcatch.com

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Tonic Polarised Eyewear, the new leader in high quality fishing sunglasses, has launched the centrepiece of its Gen2 range. The new Slice lens is the thinnest and lightest polarised glass lens in the world. Founder and designer Doug Phillips said the line separating heavy glass from lighter plastic lenses was gone forever. “We haven’t compromised on clarity and performance,” he said. “The Slice lens is so light you won’t believe you have sunglasses on.” The new lenses are available in photochromic* copper, photochromic grey, light copper neon, green mirror, red mirror and silver mirror. Made in Japan, Tonic sunglasses use the latest optical technology including de-centred lenses for distortionfree viewing at any angle. The scratch-resistant glass lenses are just 1.3mm thick, making them 50% lighter than regular glass. All feature anti-reflective coatings and Tonic’s own polarising filter systems. There are more than 12 wraparound styles. *Lens automatically darkens or lightens in

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The Native Watercraft Slayer Propel (patent pending) is the first pedal kayak with forward and reverse capability. The ability to pedal backwards is an amazing advantage when you need to back away from structure or hold onto your catch. The better than 10:1 gear ratio allows you to pedal farther without tiring, and the Slayer Propel’s raised ergonomic seat means you can fish all day in comfort. The Slayer Propel is very stable so you can stand up easily to cast or sight fish, yet its sleek, efficient design enables you to also enjoy paddling it as a true kayak. You can also enjoy great flexibility in outfitting using the Groove Track accessory system for mounting your favourite rod holders, sounder mounts, lights, cameras and so on without the need to drill. The Native watercraft Slayer Propel is available in two sizes: the compact Slayer 10 (only 3m and 26kg) and the Slayer 13 (4m for extra storage and greater speed). Package deals are available to suit your needs. Price: SRPF $3,900 www.capacitysports.com.au

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At Fishing Monthly, we know that you love a free gift when you sign-up. So we’ve snuck this special offer into the Christmas feature. You won’t even see it on the regular subscription page or on-line. If you spend $130 on a two-year subscription – for yourself or as a gift – we’ll send you a free Silstar Presia 20 reel, worth $120. This reel comes with 7 ball- and one roller-bearing, 5.2:1 gear ratio, holds 180 yards of 4kg line, has instant anti-reverse, a braid-ready ported spool and machined handle. It’s even got an oiled felt drag system. And, of course, you’ll get two years of your state’s best fishing magazine mailed to you each month. Call the office: 1800 228 244

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Silly season sails show WHITSUNDAYS

Luke Griffiths

The silly season is upon us already for another year, and for some people it’s a time for winding down and indulging. For the rest of us, it’s a combination of overindulging and racing to cram everything in before Christmas. My experience is usually the latter!

Whitsundays, and this will continue into the Christmas period. The largemouth nannygai and red emperor have well and truly moved in around the outer islands and reefs, along with the usual suspects for this time of year in the form of cobia and fingermark. Cobia numbers should be on the increase over December, and we have already seen a fair few come aboard on our charters.

Nannygai, such as this one caught by Mark Flinn, have been caught in good numbers over recent weeks. November finally delivered our usual calmer northerly winds for this time of year, which saw plenty of us able to grab the boat and wallow in our bluewater fix! The fishing has certainly hotted up around the beautiful

Cobia are a fantastic fighting fish and fare well on the table. Tell-tale signs of a cobia fight are brutal lunges toward the bottom followed by a run up to the surface out wide of the boat. Once on the surface, a lot of people mistake these

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fish for sharks, so keep a sharp eye and always have a second look. A variety of techniques can secure you a fight with these boof-headed brutes. These include trolling lures and baits and vertical jigging, or just bottom fishing with baits. It all depends on the energy you wish to exert! Another fish which has exerted a lot of our punters’ energy is the awe-inspiring billfish. Some solid numbers have popped up around the Whitsundays over the last month, which is always a welcome sight, especially for us billfishing tragics. I believe they are some of the coolest fish on the planet so I encourage a lot of people to try their hand at chasing them. Don’t be afraid to try something new! Catching a feed of fish doesn’t have to be the be-all and end-all. The outer reefs have also been fishing well and we have seen numbers of tuna schools increasing over the past month out wide. Truckloads of mac tuna have been smashing up bait schools, along with longtail tuna and Spanish mackerel. As always, look for the birds circling and diving, and try casting small metals, stickbaits and poppers at the bust-ups on the surface. Trolling small skirts and hardbodies are an option for the more relaxed angler. After all, it is that time of year! ESTUARIES It’s also the time of year to head down to the estuaries and see what you can catch as the weather heats up. Mud crabs have been around in good numbers and have been quite full, so dropping in a pot is a must. If you do head down to the local creeks for a spot of crabbing and fishing, remember that barramundi are still off limits until 1 February next year. It is important not to disturb these fish over this period.

Skipper Ben Kelly helping customer Ben Hayman with a young sailfish caught in around the islands trolling a Bonze lure. However, all is not lost! Mangrove jacks and fingermark are making their presence felt, and they’re great fun to target on artificials. Look for sunken snags and rocky/oyster bottom to find these aggressive hunters, and don’t give them an inch. They are one family of fish that can really fight, and they certainly know where home is! During your hunt, if you do manage

to snag a bycatch of barra, it’s crucial to release them as soon as possible in a healthy condition. Leaving them in the water while retrieving your hook is generally the best way to go. Speaking of going, that’s all from me this month. Please remember to have fun out on the water in moderation this silly season, as help is usually

far away and you need your wits about you if something does go wrong. Stay safe during the holiday period, merry Christmas I’ll see you in the New Year! • If you’re interested in a game, sport or reef fishing charters around the Whitsundays, give Luke a call on 0429 724 822 or email info@ renegadecharters.com.au.

This bluefin tuna was caught in around the islands while trolling.

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Tropical family fishing! AYR

Steve Farmer

A lack of early rain has ensured that relatively few barra were taken either by professional or recreational fishers during the run up to the barramundi closed season. However, if the big fish are to have the best chance of breeding we’ll need a fresh in the river before the season re-opens at midday on 1 February. According to reports, most estuaries were yielding lower than usual numbers of barra to persistent anglers, but there’s no doubt that the saltwater reaches of the Burdekin River and the creeks in Bowling Green Bay were producing the most and the biggest fish. In the last few weeks of the season, barra sizes seemed to climb steadily but not spectacularly. Average size was around 60-70cms and one monster from a creek in Bowling Green Bay easily blitzed the maximum measurement of 120cm. At a whopping 127cm, this great specimen was released as quickly as possible. Simone Farmer’s 63cm fish was typical of most barra

taken during this period. Simone fished Plantation Creek with her partner, Russell Sutcliffe, and their daughter Ellie. For more than an hour they targeted barra with live mullet baits set among the timber, but without success. Changing tack, Simone flicked a dead mullet around 50mm long into midstream. The mullet bait only lasted ten minutes before it was nailed by the barra. It took her around five minutes to land the fish on just 2kg of line. The barra even spent a bit of time among the timber, but Simone was lucky enough to be able to lead it into the clear. Another trip to Plantation failed to raise any barra, but Russell did score a couple of trophy-sized flathead measuring 69 and 73cm. Both fish were lured off the sand flats, with the bigger one grabbing a ‘no name’ minnow, while the smaller one took a soft plastic. Flathead continue to be the standby reserve for many Burdekin estuary anglers and can often be counted on to save the day. Fingermark have been fishing well across the Burdekin with most keepers

measuring from 40-60cm. Favourite fingermark spots include any of the deeper creeks, waters around Cape Upstart and any inshore shoals. This species likes structure; whether it’s timber, rock bars, mud ledges or just rubble and weed. In the past, the favourite method for taking fingermark were live baits, followed by trolled, hardbodied lures. These days more and more anglers are switching to large soft plastics, hopping them slowly across the bottom beside the structure. Positioning the boat for just the right drift is critical. While the Spanish mackerel season is pretty much over for another year there are still occasional fish turning up on the reefs and shoals. Unfortunately, sharks are a real problem and plenty of good fish (both pelagics and quality bottom species such as trout and emperor) have been lost to the ‘men in grey suits.’ Anglers who fish the shoals regularly believe shark numbers are increasing. Some days anglers have even stopped fishing rather than kill quality fish just to feed these freeloaders from the deep.

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Simone Farmer took this 63cm barra on a dead mullet bait just before the season closed. DECEMBER IN THE TROPICS Summer is storm season in the tropics, and anglers need to be aware of the possibility of these savage weather events when putting to sea. Complete with strong winds, lightning, and torrential rain, storms can build quickly and be a real threat to boaties. They are more likely to form in the late afternoon or overnight and at this time of the year day trips are a safer option than overnighters. During the warmer months, storms or strong westerly winds often cause havoc with boats anchored off the rocky

shores of Cape Upstart. North Queensland’s favourite pelagic, the Spanish mackerel, will be pretty few and far between until well into the cooler months, but sportsfishers have still got the likes of the fast and hardfighting cobia, trevally and queenfish to work up a sweat on over the warmer months. For luring anglers almost anything will work on these species when they’re in a feeding mood. Large trolled minnows (both shallow and deep divers), cast slugs and furiously cranked poppers and other surface lures will all produce the goods.

Baitfishers should be tempting the speedsters’ taste buds with pilchards or, better still, any sort of live bait. Fish them a few metres under a float or let them drift down deep in the current until you figure out what depth the fish are feeding at. In the estuaries, mangrove jack and flathead will be the main species to target, while salmon and school grunter can be counted on for a little variety. That is provided we don’t get a decent fresh in the river. If that happens all bets are off and we’ll be struggling to get an estuarine fishing fix for the next couple of months.

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Let it blow, let it blow, let it blow TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

For months now the wind has been the biggest consideration for trip planning, and with online forecasts changing in as little as a few hours from the last update, any real accuracy has been just about impossible. The bigger boats haven’t had the issues of the small boat fraternity, and this has been obvious in the catch rates. Offshore winds have been reasonably strong, but it’s the inshore winds that have stopped many boats getting out there to start with. With the winds around for so long, the closer reefs and wrecks have accumulated good populations of fish for the early bird anglers. Largemouth nannygai, while not huge, have been around in good numbers. Both lures and bait have been successful on these fish. The Gulp Squid Vicious has been a real stand-out, and the new Atomic Seeker heads are proving to be strong enough to stop the nannies before they get back home again. With a narrower gape between shank and point, these jigheads can handle heaps of pressure before giving up the ghost. Widegaped hooks can be their own worst enemy when fished on hard drag; the wider gape can allow flex, and therefore straighten. Whichever hook you decide to use, it’s the head weight that is the most

important factor in reaching and maintaining the depth necessary to get the bite in the first place. A bargain bin special isn’t always the best option. Around here, golden snapper are a massive sportfishing species, and depths of 6-8m are becoming the focus more and more of ‘in the know’ anglers, particularly if catch and release is your preferred option. The 20-30m stuff holds some big fish, but any fish caught from these areas won’t survive release, so the shallows are the best option for the sporting anglers. Spanish are all over the place and bending rods everywhere from 80m right

Karl Romano with a nice nannygai taken on one of the closer spots that haven’t been hit for a while due to bad weather.

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to the surface on trolled baits and lures. Some massive models are getting in on the action, with fish to 20kg being trolled up around the island on the 160 Laser Pros. Staying true at up to 8 knots, they are a great option for searching for fish at speed. Jigging the depths has also been productive for Spanish, but the cobia numbers have dropped a bit in recent weeks. BARRA HAVE A BREAK Sunday 1 November marked the beginning of the closed season for the barra chasers. Reasonable numbers of fish were taken in the creeks and rivers, plus the flats and headlands in the lead up to the close.

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I have grave concerns as to what the future holds for our local barra population once the open season rolls around, as the net-free zones both north and south of us have created a massive increase in commercial pressure on barra populations around Townsville. I suppose it’s now up to our local politicians to decide whether we can afford to lose one of our biggest tourism drawcards, as reduced numbers from what’s already a pressured fishery might make tourists decide the trip isn’t worth it. Obviously, the areas that are now net-free will see more tourist dollars than Townsville. In the rivers, the jacks around here have been quite consistent, as have the golden snapper, both for the live baiters and the lure tossers. While the size may not turn many heads, the eating quality of both species definitely does. Live prawns, small gar and greenback herring are the best live bait options, while mullet and gar fillets seem to be the best strip baits. Lure-wise, the ones that work best when presented deeper are the Quickcatch soft vibes in the 100mm size, and soft prawn imitations like the Atomic Prongs. Generally speaking, the 4” Prongs rigged on a 1/3oz to 1/2oz head are about right to cast upcurrent and hop back towards your position, and because most estuary species eat prawns, the by-catch can be pretty substantial as well. Just remember that when a barra gets involved, as is generally the case,

Third cast of the new elastic material softies from Mad Eye Lures, and Hodgie pinned this nice inshore trout. It looks like these things will become another must for the box of tricks. it’s illegal to lift the fish and hold it up for a photo. Having said that, there’s no way I would hold a fish in the water while unhooking it, as I want to stay connected to my arms. The amount of fish that have been taken by crocs and sharks around here lately reinforces my stance on this issue. It’s obviously very important that these out-ofseason fish be returned unharmed to the water. If hooked deep on bait it’s sometimes best to cut the line close to the hook and leave it to corrode away, rather than trying to remove it from a deep hooked barra. Lures aren’t such a problem though, and barbless hooks make it much easier to remove a lure with minimal damage. It’s worth considering for the next few months.

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For those wishing to visit Townsville coming up to the holiday season, please take care on some of the rivers, and keep an eye out for the sand bars which have been building up due to the lack of rain over the last few years. Hopefully this season will see a few weeks of rain and flush some of it out, even though the forecast says there is a minimal chance of wet, I wouldn’t be surprised if we cop a cyclone or two early on in the season. It seems like a strange thing to say, but I think we need a cyclone if we’re ever going to get enough rain to dig us out of this dry hole that Townsville is in at the moment. Our water storage is frighteningly low, and without a wet it’s going to be a scary 2016, so BRING ON THE RAIN. Cheers and stay safe!

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Fishing set to sizzle LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

Another year is nearly gone, and I am hoping everyone has had their share of bent rods and screaming drags. Everyone should have written out their Christmas wish lists and accidently left them in plain sight for the other half to see. After an insane few months here at Lucinda, let’s get down to business and see what will be bending rods this month. HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL The channel will be on fire in many ways as it will be stinking hot and humid and the fish should be biting their heads off. As barra are off limits, mangrove jack will be top of the list with golden snapper (fingermark) and grunter. The best time to be chasing those red dogs is the first few hours of the incoming tide. If you pay attention you can normally hear and see them harassing bait schools in close to the mangroves. The tricky part is to be able to present your lure or plastic

close enough to get their attention and the hit. Mangrove jack hit hard and fast and they will run straight for cover, so it is very important for you to be on the ball. I like to plan my rod angles and always be ready to use the boat if possible to help you get the advantage. I always have the electric motor set on a fast speed and the foot doesn’t go far from the control. If they make it back to their home, you can quickly go in and attempt to pull them out, but trust me, they will make it home plenty of times. The thing I enjoy the most about chasing mangrove jack is the tricky casting you need in most situations. And those casts where you just shake your head and smile, because you know that if a jack hits you now… there is nothing you can do. I have probably written this several times, but if you haven’t tried the new Snakelockz jigheads from TT lures, you are missing out. They are deadly, and perfect for jack fishing into tight structure. If you are not bumping your lure or plastic into the snags or swimming them through and over some

TT SnakelockZ and Z-Man Calico Candy MinnowZ are jack candies.

horrible country, you are not in the right spot for jacks. Baitfishers can get into the jack action by gathering some fresh bait or the humble half pilchard. Fishing them unweighted and allowing them to wash into the snags with the wind or current will see you get into some action. Live baits also work well for jacks and fishing them under a float will allow for less snagging. Golden snapper will still be about in the channel but the better fish will be in deeper waters off headlands and wrecks over summer. Smaller schooling size fish can still be caught in good numbers, especially at night. The Hinchinbrook Channel is littered with deep channels and rocky gravel areas, thatwill have golden snapper in residence. These same spots should also see you hooking up to big oceanic grunter (javelin fish) and the odd black jew or threadfin salmon. From reports the threadfin have been quite but this is normal, as we haven’t had a decent wet season for years. JETTY, ISLANDS, REEF Hot and humid afternoons popping the jetty will tire you out, but the rewards can be insane, as during summer the big GT take up residence. The best days to chase GT are the slightly windier days, as you normally have the jetty to yourself, a little rain squall at times will help as well. It is better to stay some distance off the area you are going to fish as you don’t want to spook them. Check the wind and current and set up drifts where you can lob casts into and under the jetty… and hang on. It is always brutal battling GT but fighting them around the jetty is hectic. You want to be prepared with good gear and strong knots, and trust me when I say, GT will find any weakness in your gear quickly. The Palm islands will offer some awesome longtail tuna action if you can manage to chase down a school. Longtail can be the most annoying tuna to chase down as they

It’s always rewarding when you win battles with these thugs. will be smashing the heck out of bait schools until you get close enough for a cast, then disappear only to appear where you just came from. But once hooked up, they offer terrific fun, with long braid-stealing runs and stubborn below boat circle work. Throwing small slugs or small plastics is the best method, but sometimes lobbing small poppers can also work a treat as it can attract their attention away from the bait they’re feeding on. It’s action stations out on the reef if weather allows you to get out there. During summer it is really only the

locals at the ramp so the fishing pressure is more relaxed. The deeper areas normally produce better catches as fish seem to move deeper following the suitable water temperatures. Trout fishing in water around 28-35m should see you spending some time filleting fish that night. Summer months are also awesome for chasing trophy red fish in the deep water. Make sure you keep a good eye on the horizon as some serious summer storms can brew up quickly and really make things uncomfortable. There is something about dropping the anchor into 60m

and sending some big baits down for reds as the sun sets. For the sports fishing nuts (I put my hand up) the shelf is calling, with plenty of line burners lining up to test the drag systems of your reels. Dogtooth tuna are schooled up and hungry so dropping knife jigs into 120m, gritting your teeth, and getting your jig on is not for the faint-hearted, but oh-so-exciting when that jig gets smashed. I can already hear the braid screaming off the reel and feel the back hurting just remembering the brutal battles that took place last year.

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We wish you a Merry Fishmas CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

December signals the build-up to the wet season, which is typified by a mix of searing heat, storms, sudden downpours, showers and the occasional gem day. Rather than waiting for the gems, it’s more productive to work around the prevailing conditions and avoid the worst of the heat and wildest of the storms. Fishing early and late goes without saying, as the midday heat and sun is to be avoided at all costs. Generally a pre-dawn start is the best bet, as afternoons often involve storms or strong sea breezes. When conditions allow or where the waters are protected, a late afternoon start followed through well into the evening is a pleasant outing on the water. When the gem days have come along they have been sensational, with the weather matched by the fishing. The headlands, wrecks and islands have been producing quality golden snapper, and the reef has been giving up quality trout, Spaniards and reds. The estuaries have been ticking along with fair catches of mangrove jack and grunter. Small sharks have been a real problem around the wrecks and islands, while their bigger relatives have been wreaking havoc at the reef at times. REEF AND BLUEWATER Reef fishing has usually fired in half days, with either the morning or the afternoon significantly better than the other. Fish tend to be fairly scattered in summer, so keep

moving around until you locate fish on the bite. Cover your options, with a floating pilchard out the back and vary your depth in search of the honey pot. If the water temperature is high you’ll want to fish deep. If the forecast is storm-free, an afternoon start, fishing for trout and Spaniards, followed by a move into the 40m+ water on dark to chase red emperor and largemouth nannygai can be a productive plan of attack. What the trout lack in numbers they often made up for in quality, with fish in the 3-5kg range relatively common at this time of year. The reds will be scattered, so drift fishing is a good option. If you hit the honey pot, you then have the option of repeating the same drift or anchoring on the mother lode. On a fullish moon, a run home around midnight makes for a pleasant outing that doesn’t knock you around too much. The full-on overnighter can often produce the goods but it can take a couple of days to recover – certainly for those on

weather, which typifies December, so they are well worth chasing along the mangrove edges, rock bars and walls and in heavy timber. Luring with weedless soft plastics is dynamite with jacks, as you can cast your lure further into cover and draw the fish out, without getting snagged up too often. The deeper you can get your lure, the more strikes you will get. Hooking a red devil is one thing, but dragging it out

leader. I have found 30lb braid to be ideal. Even though 20lb will suffice most times, 30lb gives a bit more margin for that trophy jack. Leader is a similar proposition; 30lb will do the job most times but 40lb will give you the upper hand on more occasions. If you use quality fluorocarbon leader that is quite hard, such as Black Magic Tough fluorocarbon, you stand a good chance of resisting a bit of rubbing on

Ben Fielding nailed a dozen quality trout on his first trip to the reef off Cairns in his new boat.

Ben’s first outing even resulted in a double hook-up on a drifting pilchard.

There have been plenty of golden snapper taken along the headlands on soft plastics. the wrong side of 50! Pelagic fishos will see plenty of action this month, with the odd big black marlin still present for the top shelf anglers, while the rest of us can happily chase sailfish, monster giant trevally, cobia and a whole array of mackerel and tuna species. Bait schools, as always, hold the key. Find the bait and you will find the fish, and the easiest way is to look for diving birds. If the bait is down deep, the birds might just be hovering, waiting on pelagics to chase them to the surface, so don’t discount a deep troll around hovering birds. ESTUARIES Estuary fishing will depend on the weather. If there hasn’t been heavy rain, the rock bars, deep holes and snags in the tidal section will be the place to chase mangrove jack and golden snapper. Grunter, queenfish, salmon and small to medium trevally will also be around. Jacks love hot, steamy 80

DECEMBER 2015

of its lair is another matter altogether! You need quality gear from the rod to the reel, the line and especially the

rocks, barnacles and oysters. Golden snapper have been around in good numbers and quality, especially along the

FISHING FILL-ITS

headlands, with both livebait and lures taking their share of fish. Luring for golden snapper, in relatively shallow water, using the same rig as mentioned earlier for chasing jacks, is absolute gold! Fish around 70cm are about the limit on this gear, but boy is it fun! If you are chasing 70cm+ fish in heavy country, you really need to step up a level all round, with a heavier rod and reel and 50lb braid and 50lb leader. I find 60lb fluorocarbon is a bit heavy for casting but fine for trolling. Soft plastics and large Prawnstars are dynamite on golden snapper in shallow water, as you can work the bottom from where the lure lands right to the boat. Golden snapper stay close to the bottom most of the time, and most strikes come as you are bumping into structure or have just bumped over it. As a consequence, it is sudden death fishing, so the drag has to be as heavy as the braid can handle. I wrap the leader around my hand a few times and keep cranking the drag down until I can just pull it off the spool. To do this you need a quality reel. My favourite baitcaster is the Daiwa CVZ 253A (which has been superseded by the

Luna, which is just as good), and my favourite threadline is the Shimano Sustain. Any reel of this quality or better will do the job nicely. I prefer to use a baitcaster in up to 20ft of water and switch to an eggbeater once I go deeper, to make it easier to get the lure back to the bottom after each short retrieve. With Prawnstars and jerk shads, I use an action of three or four short, sharp jerks then let it sink back to the bottom. With soft plastic swimmers, the slow roll is dynamite. I don’t lift the rod at all and have it facing almost down the line. I turn the reel slowly for two or three turns, stop and let it sink back to the bottom. It pays to practice the retrieve where you can see the lure, to get the speed and action just right. Slow down the retrieve until the tail is just swimming. The strike usually comes just as you start the wind or as it’s sinking back to the bottom. The key for these fish is to strike hard at any touch, as a golden snapper strike typically involves a sharp tap then a massive run. If you strike on the tap, you are already on the front foot. Leave it too late and it will be all over before it starts!

The new revamped Daiwa Freams LTD 2015 Earlier this year Daiwa released the 2015 Freams, one of its most valuepacked light spin reels, with Magseal technology and the new Automatic Tournament Drag (ATD). Now Daiwa has given a blue, cosmetic upgrade to the Freams, delivering great value with enhanced looks, design and performance. Features of the Freams LTD include: Digigear gear technology for ultimate gear precision, smoothness and integrity; Super Metal Body; Twist Buster II; Air Rotor for ultimate reel balance and performance; ABS spool for trouble free casting; Magseal

for superb waterproofing without friction; and Twist Buster and Air Bail. Many drag systems aren’t smooth at the beginning of the drag, but Daiwa’s ATD is different. At the beginning of a strike the drag starts smoothly, then increases to its pre-set drag rating in a fraction of a second, effectively addressing the problem of line breakage at the strike. There are four models, ranging from the 2000 (4.8 gear ratio, 4+1 BB, 250g, 2kg drag, 3.6kg/100m capacity) to the 4000 (4.9, 4+1, 405g, 8kg, 9kg/200m). Check them out at daiwafishing. com.au. – FM

Offshore encounters are an early Christmas gift! PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer

trevally and golden snapper – particularly in the lower sections of our systems. With plenty of saltwater pushing

have been caught consistently off the bottom and at times, the area has seen an explosion of school mackerel doing the

where the coral trout have gone into overdrive, with catches weighing up to a very respectable 5kg. When they have settled down, the largemouth nannygai up to 10kg have taken the limelight, with some thumping red emperor in the mix as well. When these reds have been on the bite, dozens of fish have been caught in a very short period. With fast and furious action, this fishing will result in a big sack full of the best eating fish from off the reef. Some days the reds have gone quiet, but the fishing has fired up on other species. The local Dragon Lady charter caught almost 150 fish one day –

and they were all grey. A mix of gold-spot trevally and slatey bream kept the anglers going from the moment they dropped a line, right to the end of the day. These types of days have been more common than not when there is a particular species firing on all cylinders. The Spanish mackerel makes an impact at times and they tend to be your bigger isolated models rather than the smaller schooling fish. The weather pattern really settled down at the start of November offering generally very calm conditions – something you’d expect moving into December.

On the game fishing scene, the season got off to a slow start, particularly up along the Ribbon Reefs with a lot of smaller black marlin caught, with a handful of the bigger models around. Recently, the size of fish is improving with more big girls being tagged and released down around the Linden Bank and Opal Ridge grounds. There has been a bit of down time in between the better bites. Hopefully there will be a late run this year and the back end of the season really fires up with some really impressive catches.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Individual big Spanish mackerel have been around in the warmer months. The fishing has really followed the weather’s example and is warming up fast! An array of fish species are on the move, and anglers have scored some really hot bites for inshore angling and offshore pursuits. The rivers and creeks have seen high-ranking tropical species in good form including your incidental barra catches, mangrove jack, golden

right upstream, species such as tarpon, queenfish and river trevally have also featured in places they normally don’t inhabit. There have been a lot of small rats in the rivers and creeks, and this has ensured plenty of predatory species stalking them. Just offshore there’s been some really good fishing on offer on the local inshore reefs and patches. Large-mouth nannygai

rounds on the surface. There has been prolific numbers of brassy and bludger trevally occupying the mid-water. Despite water temperatures rising steadily on the outer reef, the fishing has remained extremely positive in recent times with some very impressive hauls of fish coming back to the docks on a regular basis. There have been days

Sea Adex Boats Tech Night Sea Adex Boats has partnered with Garmin and Fusion to host a Technology Night on 16 December at 6:30pm. The event will include demonstrations and talks explaining the amazing range of products available from these highly respected manufacturers. The venue will be Sea Adex’s showroom at

Unit 9/82 Redland Bay Road, Capalaba. If you are interested in attending you are required to RSVP to info@seaadex.com.au to secure your spot. On the night there will be a lucky door prize and light refreshments. If you want to learn more about the latest and greatest products from Garmin and Fusion, or are interested in learning more

about the locally-built Sea Adex boats, contact Adam on 0435 453 455. – FM

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DECEMBER 2015

Christmas heatings from Tropical North QLD! HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody info@ryanmoodyfishing.com

The seasons certainly changed in a hurry this year! We still had 22.5°C in the water halfway through October thanks to strong winds and coolish conditions. The end of October hit us hard with some very hot weather, and getting used to the sudden change of conditions was a little hard to take. So much for it slowly warming up. November was an awesome month for golden snapper (fingermark), in fact one of the best I have seen for a while with some very good-sized fish around the 70-75cm mark. The average size has also increased from last year. We have caught all these fish during the day despite the fact that many people believe golden snapper go better at night. They certainly do go well at night, but when you can achieve similar results during the day you don’t really need to go at night. Still, night fishing will always remain popular

for the species because its more comfortable than sitting out in the stinking hot sun, plus you have the added bonus of big grunter and black jew showing up as by-catch. I have also noticed that the golden snapper are reluctant to take soft vibes but they will scoff down big greenback herring no worries at all. Recent years have seen the species very active on soft vibes and I don’t really know what it is that they are shying away from. Just as well, we have plenty of herring on tap here at Hinchinbrook. With the barra season closed, some anglers are turning their attention to big golden grunter that are starting their summertime run. At certain times of the month they come into the channel and then disappear back out to the deeper inshore headlands and islands. They are a very good tablefish, and many people would say they’re much better to eat than barra. They are a great fish to entertain the kids with, and sometimes it’s as simple as finding some rubble bottom and dropping down some squid

on a running rig with a 5/0 hook. A live greenback herring is another good bait

all been positive. Deep water off Kennedy Shoals has seen some really big

inshore have all been rather quiet, as they are not running at the moment.

Lex and Steve with a couple of nice golden snapper. for them, and once again you should use it on the running rig. There haven’t been too many reports coming in from the reef, but the few reports I have heard have

large-mouth nannygai. The area has rested very well this year with the constant bad weather, and it’s great to see it fishing well. The Wonky Holes (underwater springs) that are further

When they stop running the fish move further out wide into deeper waters, and that’s possibly why there has been good red fishing around the reefs. Here’s hoping for a

good wet season, although I’m not holding my breath. Northern Australia badly needs it and floodwaters can make the fishery thrive or, like in recent years, starve during drought. Many species depend on flooding rains to breed, and unfortunately many fisheries suffer in dry years as the catch effort overtakes the reduced stock replenishment. In December I recommend golden snapper fishing for sure. They are actively feeding, and the next couple of months are a great time for them. December also brings the tripletail inshore. They can often be seen around the Cardwell jetty and some of the beacons. They sure are an ugly fish, but they fight like crazy and go good on the table. They also take hardbody lures so if you run across a tripletail, pull out one of your shallow divers meant for barra fishing. It’s my favourite technique for them as they fall for it every time. • If you would like to enquire about our charters or online fishing courses, head over to our website at www. ryanmoodyfishing.com.

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Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

Finesse fishing is quite often needed throughout December. Conditions in the estuaries can become a touch lethargic at times with hot weather and large tides making everything but the mozzies difficult to catch. Good bites will usually be in the few hours around sunrise and the hour of sunset. Offshore however, the fishing can be in full swing.

of plastics and quick and efficient manoeuvring to GPS marks is essential. It is rare that the anchor is thrown out with this type of fishing. Rather the use of sounders and extremely accurate GPS allows anglers to drift over bait and structure time and time again. Sinking plastics to whatever depth the life is showing on the sounder. It also allows the chance to sink other profiles in front of fish rather than just baitfish. These days a huge range of prawn, worm and mantis shrimp patterns compete with almost any

an isolated of detached piece of reef can be a good beginning. Fishing depths from about 20-60ft where bait is holding with heavier jigheads has become a popular way to fish. Great captures of tasty fish have become the norm for anglers who are in the know. Basically, all the trevally, tuna and mackerel species will have a crack at a soft plastic. Speedsters love them fished fast and with the flexibility of a spinning outfit, jigged erratically back to the boat. Deeper reefs, shoals, pinnacles, rocks and

Far northern reefs are as attractive as they are fishy. their eyes and competition often ensues, with fish doing battle for a prize just so they don’t miss out. A situation every angler loves. With the range of inbuilt scents and fish attracting pheromones available by different companies, anglers are spoilt for choice. However, regardless of which soft plastics work better than others, the whole marketplace keeps evolving. Anglers who

traditionally only fished bait get quickly converted when they see a few anglers next to them casting repeatedly and getting plentiful rod-bending strikes. The reefy East Coast of Cape York is an anglers paradise in December. Full doldrums provide the ultimate means to escape the inner reefs and explore a little farther afield. Remote islands, cays and reefs are made very easy to reach in

slick-calm conditions. Charter vessel Elizabeth EII just completed an exploratory trip of the far northern section, being rewarded with brilliant reef fishing, diving and trolling. Calm conditions and fish biting their heads off was the order of the day. • For information on remote charter operations for tailored fishing adventures, please email Tim on wildrivercompany @gmail.com

Long-nose emperor are a great option for the plate in the far north. Fishing soft plastics when targeting offshore reef fish and a range of pelagics can be just as rewarding as trolling lures all day. With such a vast range of swimming forgeries matched to an awesome range of jigheads, the sky’s the limit out on the reefs. Having a boat set up that allows the easy working

other thing a soft plastic can replicate. A form of fishing that has become vastly more popular over the past 10 years has been the use of soft plastics over shallow shoal ground. On the East Coast, with the multitude of reefs in the far northern section, it can be hard to know where to start. Finding

bommies can be worked over effectively with a soft plastic presentation. Attempt to drop them back on the up-current side of structure. Quite often, fish will be holding suspended in the current, fins undulating, in packs of similar size. This creates a tense environment when something is flashed past Big Spaniards are just another species in great numbers this month, and this one was taken on the troll.

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Santa claws is coming to town On the other hand, our seasoned locals who manage the heat, with plenty of drinking water and shade, know that December and January are when the winds taper down and sometimes even come to a hot, deathly stillness. “Sounds awful” you might say, but not on the fishing front. The seas turn smooth like a sheet of glass, all the way out to the Ribbons. Boaties manage to travel greater distances, and people can fish places that rarely receive any fishing pressure. These places, located a little further out, deliver fish that stick in your memory for a lifetime. At other times, people lose that dream fish that may scar their memory for years. Make sure your boat and gear are all up to scratch before you head

COOKTOWN

Ben Stack

December in Cooktown marks very long hot days and hot sleepless nights (if you live without modern comforts like air conditioning). Because of this, some people go a little ‘troppo’ or suffer from ‘mango madness’. The heat at this time of year is enough to make new residents pack up and head back down south. All of a sudden, Tropical North Queensland is not such a glorious place to live! At least, not if you haven’t conditioned yourself to the extremes in weather as it builds up for the big wet. At least, we hope it will be a big wet.

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out on your long-awaited trip to avoid any catastrophes. When the waters are still out on the reefs, you might like to fish a little deeper in the water column as the fish may spook easily from boat noise in shallower waters. Fishing in 20m or more will increase your chances of success. Find some fish-holding structure or bommies at this depth, which won’t take long if you’re trolling around for mackerel. Once you have marked some good spots or catch enough mackerel, go back to the spots previously plotted and use bottom rigs. Shortly afterwards, you should start pulling in a quality catch of reefies like spangled emperor, coral trout, nannygai, reef jacks or cod. If you’re outside a yellow zone while bottom fishing, try floating a livebait out the back for cobia and Spaniards, too. Anglers have been getting some quality cobia while anchored up off the reef edges lately. ESTUARIES The estuaries in the Cooktown region have some great mangrove jack fishing at the moment, and this will only get better through December and January. The best ways to chase jacks in the rivers are to throw soft plastics around

the snags or float strip baits while berleying into a snag or rock bar. Mud crab catches are being reported more frequently now. The Annan River seems to produce more frequent catches of full bucks. Big trevally have also been spotted terrorising baitfish around tidal pressure points in the rivers. The baitfish wash down in the tidal currents and become

Paul with some quality Endeavour River muddies.

The author caught this 93cm large-mouth nannygai while on a solo trip in a small tinny. disorientated while getting smashed by marauding trevally. It’s a great sight watching big bow waves aggressively zigzag along

the surface of the water while the trevally are feeding. Lakefield National Park will be closed very soon if it’s not already. Go on

Cook Shire’s website (www. cook.qld.gov.au) for current information. If you manage to get in there, be prepared for either a quick escape or staying an extra few days because the storms can drop some serious rain in short intervals. This may result in you sitting at your camp a little longer than expected while waiting for the road to dry out again. The saltwater stretches in LNP will provide the best fishing at the moment for mangrove jacks, estuary cod and trevally. • If you like current information while you’re visiting Cooktown’s region, or want more information about a particular place in the neighbourhood to fish, simply like my Facebook page titled ‘Stacky’s Fishing Adventures’ or send me a message.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Whitsundays awash with nasty rubbish A total of 38,000 items of marine debris have been found on just 1100m of beaches in the Whitsunday Islands, putting them amongst the dirtiest in Australia. That is one of the surprise findings from a joint research project between Southern Cross University (SCU), Amcor, Eco Barge and the Earthwatch institute. The project brought together 15 volunteers from Amcor and scientists from SCU, Earthwatch and Eco Barge to assess the extent of marine debris in the iconic Whitsunday Islands. The team spent ten days aboard the tall ship, Solway Lass, collecting marine debris from 12 beaches. Marine debris includes things such as plastics and other types of rubbish and is a rapidly growing global problem. Associate Professor Steve Smith and Bob Edgar, from Southern Cross University’s National Marine Science Centre, were the leading scientists for the project. “It was a real eye-opener and it was very challenging. From the marine debris we

collected, these are among the dirtiest beaches I have seen in Australia and are equivalent to some of the beaches in south-east Asia,” Professor Smith said. “We had one 10m section of a beach where we found 3900 items of debris, which were mostly bits of plastic.” In total the volunteers found and removed 38,000 items of rubbish weighing a total of 285kg (excluding timber). The rubbish was collected from a series of 25m transects on 12 beaches. Professor Smith said most of the rubbish was found on the southern side of the islands, which were the least popular for visitors, but which faced the prevailing southeast trade winds. “From the rubbish we have analysed to date, we estimate around 30-50% is from overseas with Chinese material the biggest contributor,” he said. “A lot of that Chinese rubbish lacked marine growth so it is almost certainly coming off vessels visiting Australian ports.” Professor Smith said the next step in the project

was to analyse all the debris collected, to confirm likely sources. “If we can clearly demonstrate where it is coming from, and the source is related to an activity that can be regulated such as disposal from shipping, then there are clear management implications and areas we can target,” he said. “Research projects like these also play a really

marine debris projects around Australia and southeast Asia. This is the second collaborative marine debris project with Amcor and Earthwatch, and the first opportunity to collect data from the GBR, with the help of citizen scientists. Amcor’s Vice President, Safety Environment & Sustainability, David Clark, said, “As a company, Amcor wants to be part of the solution. Our 15

important role in raising awareness of this global problem and can encourage people to take part in clean-up programs.” Southern Cross University has been undertaking a range of

year partnership with Earthwatch is one of a number of programs we are involved in to find new and better solutions to reduce the impacts of our products on the environment.” – Earthwatch

Starts to swelter, target shelter FRESHWATER

Angus James

December already! Wow, this year has certainly come and gone at a fast pace! This month will be a great time to spend with the family and also tangle with a few fish in the process. This time last year the freshwater creeks and rivers were full and flowing well, unfortunately, this year a lot of the smaller creeks are still waiting on the big wet to bring them back to life. I went for a trek up one of my favourite systems a few days ago, and I had to walk a fair distance to find the water. But when I did it was fish on! A lot of the dry creeks all hold some amazing landlocked holes that are well and truly worth the effort to find. Like most Australian species, the jungle perch is a tough customer and will be happy to wait out for the rains in a landlocked environment. It’s big competition to get to the food in these places so often you will be able to catch plenty of them! Watching a pack of hungry JPs attack your surface lure is pretty wild stuff! Red dogs, AKA mangrove jacks, are in full aggression mode this time of year. From their cunning lure smashing and fast paced drag peeling, they are by far one of my favourite species to target! Via boat or landbased these troopers are sure to get the adrenalin pumping through the veins! Making that cast right in the sweet spot will get you in the action. With my landbased adventures I always make sure I am in the best possible position before making the cast into a snag or likely looking area. A little game plan for each scenario will get you onto more fish. Remember to have that drag nice and tight because

even the little fellas will get you back in their lair any chance they get! My favourite presentation to use for snag bashing is the Z-Man 4’’ StreakZ Curly TailZ rigged on the TT SnakeheadZ, this

clear water and attack right in front of you is about as good as it gets, often getting a splash of water from the assault! Then comes the fun part of trying to stop them as they start powering their way

down stream. So much fun on light gear! I would like to wish you all a happy and safe festive season! I look forward to catching up with you all in 2016! Fish on!

A U S T R A L I A

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Walking long distances upstream for jungle perch can be taxing in summer. Make sure you pack plenty of water!

Even flathead will occasionally make their way upstream and into freshwater. Again, where ever you find these guys there’s a chance there may be crocs.

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Blitzen big dam barra! TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

Santa Claus is polishing the sleigh and making sure his reindeer are in good condition. Now is the time to put in your orders, leave some subtle hints or just go out and purchase that fishing gear you’ve been eyeing off! Christmas school holidays can be a bit hectic on the water but the lead up is still a nice quiet time to get out for a fish. The days will be pretty hot so make sure you dress appropriately and whack on a hat, sunnies and sunscreen. Don’t think you’re tough and can handle it! Sun exposure out on the water is a different experience to just general outdoor activities due to the high reflection of UV rays. As relaxing as fishing is meant to be, if you put in a full day on the water, the sun zaps the energy out of you and you’ll be left feeling quite weary by the end of the day. Cover up, and drink plenty of water

so the old body can handle the abuse. Hot days means hotter water temperatures. This increase in water temperature will cause a spike in golden perch activity and entice the barramundi that are stocked further south to come out to play. Barramundi – isn’t it closed season? The East Coast is definitely in closed season for barramundi until midday 1 February, but these prized fish can still be targeted in the dams in which they are stocked. For the full run down of the rules (especially if you want to keep fish for the table) check out the Qld DPI website. The barramundi went absolutely nuts in October. The northern lakes – Proserpine, Kinchant and Teemburra were the standouts, with some magnificent fish caught. Further south, Monduran, Awoonga and Callide also produced fish but these waterways should only improve over the coming month. Lake Lenthalls has

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK Closest Town: Crows Nest Lure casting has been quite tough at Cressy. The fish are hard to tempt on most occasions and are likely to scatter more through the deeper areas this month. This should see an increase in the number of bass caught on trolled lures. Lure trolling in over 9m of water out in front of the ramps and down the middle towards the Eagles Nest should see you in with a pretty good chance. If you catch one, there is a good chance there will be others in the surrounding area. Choosing the right lure is important, as the fish can be fussy. Watch the sounder to see what depth the fish are holding and run the lure at this depth. Lures like Blitz Bagas, Golden Childs, the Kezza Freak and the

Little Rippa are great for Cressbrook bass. Be sure to run a selection of colours to see what the fish want to eat most. If you are able to locate a patch of fish in the middle, try drifting with the wind over the top of them. Soft plastics, spinnerbaits and tail spinners are all worth a try. Redclaw numbers have picked up a bit over the last month, so if you have some pots at home make sure you bring them. For all your fishing supplies and the latest reports on Cressbrook and the surrounding dams, call in to see the specialist tackle stores in Toowoomba. Tackleworld Toowoomba in Ruthven Street on the north side, and Fish’n Bits in Alderly Street closer to the south side have a great

     

DECEMBER 2015

14 31

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

range of lures and fishing gear. Support these tackle stores because they will be able to direct you to where the fish are biting and offer invaluable advice. Just remember there is a speed limit of 8 knots and a restricted area at Cressbrook Dam. Check out the signage to ensure you stay out of trouble and abide by the rules. The gate hours for the boat ramps and day use area are 6am-8pm. SOMERSET Closest Towns: Esk, Kilcoy Bass fishers hoping to pull heaps of fish casting lures can find the fishing a bit tough at this time of year. Schooling fish are still holding around Bay 13 and Pelican Point as well as a few other areas around the lake. Reaction baits will be your best bet. Deeply presented spinnerbaits, tail spinners and lipless crankbaits will all tempt the fish. One of

the best approaches is to drift over the schools using the wind. If it’s a still day, try fishing around the boat while moving on the electric motor. I find if I sit still, the bass school below the boat and refuse to bite. Lure trolling will improve in the open parts of the lake. The bass should scatter here, which makes them better targets for the lure troller. Pick a lure that dives to the depth the bass are schooling. Often the smaller bass will hold higher in the water column in the deep water. These bass will take shallower lures like 50mm Poltergeists or StumpJumper in the smallest size. Bigger fish can be trickier to tempt and will hold closer to the bottom. This is where deep divers that can reach 10m come into play. Golden

Weipa

Toowoomba

BRISBANE 27

23 Impoundment Dams

Gold Coast

24 25 Cairns 1

19 20

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

Rockhampton

Emerald 29

Gladstone

Bundaberg 9 11

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

perch will also take a liking to these lures, especially in the middle reaches of the main basin, around the drop-off to the old riverbed where there is the odd bit of structure. The timber north of Kirkleigh is a great place to target golden perch. There have also been a couple of bass schools holding around the start of the timber. Trolling the edge of the old creek and riverbed or across any 7-10m flats will see you in the right zone for some golden perch action. Medium running lures like the Golden Child or Smak 16 are perfect in the timber. Make sure you have a lure retriever in the boat as these handy bits of gear will pay for themselves many times over when fishing around snags.

DAM LEVEL Report       

been closed for some time but check out the report below – the barra should be lining up to take a lure. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Many people don’t realize when they are reviving fish boat side at this time of year; they can be doing more harm than good. We all know the top layer of water on any lake, still river, or even swimming pool is hotter than the water below. This hot water isn’t where the fish live – they find comfort in the cool, oxygen rich water below. For this reason, take care when releasing fish. Often it is best to spear them in so they are past this hot water and into the comfort of the cool water. Golden perch and Murray cod are two fish that suffer from the effects of hot surface temperatures. With this in mind, think about where you are pumping your livewell water from, and if you can make it more comfortable for fish by drawing the water from deeper or having it chilled prior to putting them in and then running on closed recirculation.

DAMS JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV Atkinson 29 26 24 19 16 Awoonga 96 94 93 91 89 Bjelke-Petersen 50 48 47 43 45 Boondooma 67 65 64 61 61 Borumba 100 99 100 100 102 Burdekin Falls 70 66 64 56 51 Callide 86 84 83 81 79 Cania 99 98 96 96 93 Clarendon 35 33 31 28 28 Clarrie Hall 100 100 n/a n/a n/a Cooby 70 69 69 69 71 Coolmunda 61 60 60 54 51 Copeton 18 19 22 22 22 Cressbrook 89 88 87 86 86 Dyer/Bill Gunn 80 73 65 50 28 Eungella 87 88 89 85 85 Fairbairn 50 48 46 42 38 Glenlyon 30 30 31 30 30 Hinze 99 98 97 96 96

Gympie

Maryborough

Roma

BRISBANE

Quality sounders will reveal sunken piles of logs and sticks. I like to run the side image feature on my Humminbird, which scans out to either side of the boat. These areas are often worth a jig with a blade. Small blades can be jigged vertically around this structure with great results. The golden perch really fire up at this time of year and blading can score dozens of fish when you’re in the right spot. Redclaw crayfish have been around in reasonable numbers. You certainly have to work to get enough to feed the crew or family though. Leaving the pots in overnight and checking them first thing in the morning seems to be the best way to put better numbers in the boat.

For fortnightly updates Julius 87 85 83 79 79  Kinchant 79 84 78 63 57 Koombooloomba 45 41 n/a 32 34  Leslie 22 22 21 21 20  Macdonald 100 98 100 100 104  Maroon 99 99 98 97 99  Monduran/Fred Haigh 98 97 96 94 93  Moogerah 98 98 96 91 91  North Pine/Samsonvale 85 83 82 80 79  Peter Faust/Proserpine 77 76 75 72 70 Pindari 26 31 34 34 36  Somerset 100 100 100 100 100  Storm King n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a  Teemburra 86 86 85 81 85  Tinaroo 87 83 80 75 70 Toonumbar 101 101 100 100 102  Wivenhoe 98 97 95 93 93  Wuruma 98 97 96 95 94

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 18/11/15

MOOGERAH Closest Towns: Aratula, Boonah Moogerah Dam has been very tough over the last couple of months. The fishing is likely to pick up again soon. Deeper schooling fish have been suspending in around 20m of water. These fish are tough to entice. In the timber, the action should be a bit better. Look for fish around the start of the timber. Often they will be suspended through this area. Trolling hardbodies is a good way to search and locate the fish. At times they sit only 3-5m down and slow trolling a good hardbody can do the trick once you’ve found them. There are numerous shrimp in the dam and if you have shrimp pots you’ll catch them. Live shrimp should go well in the trees – try fishing on the bottom as well as in mid-water depth. MAROON Closest Towns: Boonah, Beaudesert The bass action should be great this month. Surface lures worked around the weed beds early and late in the day, will deliver. As light level increases, the fish go deeper. You can follow them with a suspending jerkbait before they settle deeper in the shadows of the weed. Through the day, reaction lures worked down the weed face will score plenty of strikes. Bass love to ambush prey from their hideouts in the weed. Spinnerbaits, beetle spins and lipless crankbaits are great for fishing the edge of weed or any deeper holes. To probe even deeper, switch to a 1/4oz blade bait or smaller tail spinner. These lures can be hopped down the face of

the weed and then across the bottom back to the boat. Bait fishers using live shrimp will manage a mixed bag of fish. Inside the timber in around 7-8m of water is prime baitfishing territory. Bass and golden perch will dominate catches although the odd spangled perch or eel-tailed catfish may pinch a few baits. COOBY Closet Towns: Highfields, Toowoomba The golden perch have fired up slowly in Cooby. Around a month ago, there was a run of Murray cod caught by anglers in boats as well as those fishing from the rock wall. Afternoons are the prime time to fish this lake. The fish tend to bite better just before the sun goes down. Baitfishing with live shrimp or frozen saltwater yabbies will assure you some golden perch and eel-tailed catfish. Jigging smaller blades vertically or hopping them back across the bottom is another good method. You can also try drifting and hopping lipless crankbaits in hard and soft versions. These bigger lures are more likely to tempt a passing cod. Anglers who target Murray cod specifically should stick to casting the edges with spinnerbaits or trolling hardbody lures. At times, the drifting weed can make trolling a pain, but it’s necessary to keep your lures weed free. Keep a close eye on the action of your rod tip. Weed will dull this action and needs to be removed to get a bite. Smaller trolled lures around 60mm long will catch golden perch, and the occasional cod. To target the cod specifically, try running a bigger profile

WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA Closest Towns: Proston, Kingaroy We have just entered the prime month for lure trollers at Boondooma. Hardbody lure makers from the local area get excited at this time of year as they watch the lures disappear off the tackle store shelves. Trolling is an easy way to get stuck into the action, with bass and golden perch falling for this style of presentation. The middle reaches of the lake around the Junction and Leisegangs Ledge is prime bass country. These fish can be found right out in the open water where they scatter and suspend. Sometimes they can venture right up to the dam wall where they hold wide of the first few points leading away from the wall. Running the sounder over the area you intend to fish should reveal their presence if they are home.

Golden perch will be found closer to the shore. Working along the rocky banks, and in particular, the points that extend into the dam can catch numbers of these fish. Try to work along a contour – if your lure runs around 8m deep, try to keep it tracking close to the bottom in this depth. Surely the fish must be sick of purple lures by now! For years this has been the most popular colour to use and it still continues to produce. Brown is another favourite for many but the fish will take all different colours. The important part of the equation is to present lures at the right depth. If you have any doubt about the lures you already have, try some of the locally produced ones like the Blitz Baga, Brolga or Smak 19. In the timbered arms, spinnerbaits have been scoring some great bass and golden perch. The hotter

lure or one with a stronger action. The Kezza Mud Mouse is a great option. It has a strong thumping action that the cod love but a small enough profile for the goldens to want to devour it. Cooby is an electric motor only dam. Outboards can be left on boats but must not be used. Being relatively small, it is also well suited to kayaks and canoes. You can pick up all your supplies including bait and live shrimp near the dam at Highfields Bait and Tackle. Call in and see Doug, he is just behind Subway on the New England Highway. LESLIE Closest Town: Warwick We are entering the prime months to fish Leslie Dam. Fish have fired up and love to chase lures at this time of year. Murray cod and golden perch are the prime targets and are munching trolled lures in the main basin of the dam. The area across from the dam wall and just north of the ski club has been producing well. Medium diving lures are generally best in Leslie but it pays to run a range of offerings to see what the fish want most. The golden perch will take lures that dive between 4-8m deep. Earlier in the day, it may be worth casting to the edges of the lake around any structure. Cod and golden perch love these areas but will move deeper as the day draws on. For edge fishing try either a spinnerbait or lipless crankbait. Casters can catch fish throughout the day by targeting fish on structure in deeper water. Try to find rocks or sunken trees close to the old creek bed drop-off and you’ll be in with a good chance. Vertically jigged blades and

lipless baits are the key to pulling fish from these areas. Baitfishers have had good success on live shrimp, or as a backup, use frozen

saltwater yabbies. Worms can pick up a few fish but are nowhere near as effective as the crustacean baits. The water level is getting lower so take care when launching from the dirt banks. Keep an eye out for soft ground where others have had trouble and if you see a safe, well-used section, head for it. For all your supplies and advice on catching fish in the area, call into Warwick Outdoor and Sports. The store is in Palmerin Street, Warwick and has a great range of quality gear for chasing freshwater fish. COOLMUNDA Closest Town: Inglewood Last December was an excellent month for trolling and this year is shaping up

basically start your troll from straight out in front of the boat ramp. Head either left or right as soon as you see the drop off to deeper water on the sounder and follow the ledge. A mass of circling boats will usually be a good indication as to where the fish are holding in numbers. While trolling, keep an eye out for significant structure along the old creek bed. This is the home to big cod and during the hotter months, they will be quick to take a trolled lure. Lures that dive 5-8m are ideal in this section of the lake. One of my favourites is the 80mm Halco Poltergeist. We’ve had sessions where the fish go nuts on one colour while refusing to eat other lures in the water.

water temperature may drive these fish a bit deeper. Early in the morning will be the time to work around the edges and as the day wears

on, trying sinking lures more and fishing tighter to the trees. Boondooma is a great place to camp, right near

the water and sit by the fire while enjoying the view and a cold one. You can also stay in more style and comfort by booking into one of

to be the same. The golden perch and cod went crazy for trolled lures in the deeper water around the old creek and riverbed. You can

You can never have enough lures, so make sure you have a good selection and rotate them until you find the one the fish like best.

Bass will be keen to take trolled lures or reaction baits like tailspinners this month. This Somerset monster ate the Jets 18g in jackpot colour.

Golden perch will be fired up for the next couple of months. They love to take hopped and jigged lures.

The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only a kilometre 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. The park offers camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter and a camp kitchen. The park now has an extra two 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. the cabins overlooking the dam. The kiosk at the main office does hot food and other basic items including fishing tackle. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call Corey and Niki on (07) 4168 9694. BJELKE Closest Towns: Murgon, Goomeri Bjelke has been a great lake so far this year. There has been some red-hot fishing at times, but like everywhere the fish have been stubborn whenever they like. Now that it’s hot, the schooling fish should scatter throughout the dam. Trolling lures will be a great option to produce bass and golden perch. Shallower lures like the Smak 12 and Smak 16 are ideal for Bjelke-Petersen. Purples, natural, and dark colours are preferred. Try working around the edges of the lake with the lures cruising above the bottom, or venture along the old creek bed drop off. Golden perch in particular will To page 90

DECEMBER 2015

From page 89

inhabit the drop-off area more often than the open water roaming bass. There are still a few fish coming from the start of the timber on spinnerbaits. Take care if you are venturing up this far as the falling lake level presents new hazards. For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call

into your local ‘Bass 2 Barra’ store. You can see Matthew at Kingaroy, or Dylan in Dalby and the boys will have you all geared up and ready for action in no time. ‘Bass 2 Barra’ stores stock an awesome range of gear suited to chasing our freshwater fish and the boys have all the knowledge to guide you on how to use it.

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Michael and Craig Taylor enjoyed a father son trip on BP. Michael landed this 58cm yellowbelly and Craig caught this 49cm FL bass on Smak Spinnerbaits.

Ernie with his first ever Boondooma bass caught casting lipless crankbaits.

www.lakeboondooma.com.au www.yallakoolpark.com.au 90

DECEMBER 2015

The Yallakool kiosk is all set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to have the right lure or lose one. Be sure to call in and check it out. Give them a call for accommodation and camping bookings on (07) 4168 4746. LENTHALLS Closest Towns; Maryborough, Hervey Bay By the time you’re reading this Lenthalls should be well and truly open for business. A quick check on the Wide Bay Water website would be recommended. The dam was closed while work was being

carried out earlier in the year and this fishing reprieve should have the bass and barra keener than ever to jump on a lure. The water level is down close to the old original level it was before the wall extension took place. There are very few water lilies but there is a bit of weed around the edges. If you are planning a trip, just remember there are some restrictions in place. The open hours are 6am-8pm. Boats must have a 4-stroke or low emissions 2-stroke outboard motor no bigger than 60HP and travel under 6 knots.

ISIS Closest Town: Bundaberg If you’ve never caught a quality bass on a surface lure, get yourself to the Isis Balancing Storage. The bass have been nailing topwater baits like the Cultiva Zip’n Ziggy early in the morning. There is only a short window of opportunity before the sun rises to nail some fish. Once the sun is up, switch to subsurface presentations around the weed beds. Soft plastics can produce but often during the warmer months, reaction baits will outperform them. Spinnerbaits, 1/4oz

soft plastics will also be worth a go. Some of the best reports last year were right after Christmas. The hot

weather seemed to get the fish schooling up and easier to find and catch. If you are keen to try to tackle some fish in the river or dam, give Lyn and Mark from Awoonga Gateway a call on (07) 4975 0033. At

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA DAM Closest Towns: Benaraby, Gladstone On the October full moon the action fired up in the dam. Quite a few travelling anglers staying at the Awoonga Gateway Cabins managed to hook into some quality barra. Lyn from the cabins commented on the quality of the big fat fish and said, “It’s amazing! Where did all these big fish come from - and where have they been hiding the last few years?” There is a lot of water between the fish but if you are keen enough to put in the time, you’ll find some action. Mark from the cabins speaks to all the guests and fishes himself so he usually knows the best places to target some fish. New Zealand Gully, Iveragh arm, and Gold Mine Point are just some of the most reliable areas. Casting hardbodies is one of the most effective ways to score a fish but now the water has warmed up,

Awoonga Gateway you’ll find clean, modern cabins and your hosts will be full of useful advice to help you try to land that barra of a lifetime. Make sure you tell Mark I sent you, and pump him for the secret spot.

Matt Manley nailed plenty of barra on a full moon trip to Teemburra Dam. This one took his lure in daylight hours – whereas the bigger fish preferred to feed at night.

MACKAY REGION TEEMBURRA Closest Towns: Pinnacle, Mackay The barra action at Teemburra has been awesome. Plenty of fish under a metre long have been getting into the action with the occasional big girl over the magic metre as well. Around the October full moon, Matthew Manley had an awesome trip boating around 50 barra for his stay. Matt gave a few tips for anyone visiting the lake. Try the shallow, sandy points that have deeper channels nearby. The key bite times are based around tide changes in the saltwater, moon up and moon down. Position the boat in around 4m of water and just keep flicking plastics. Matt takes advantage of his sounder setup to score more fish. He runs a Humminbird with the 360 Transducer. This gives a radar-like image of

blade baits, and Beetle Spins will all tempt the hungry bass in Isis. Look for healthy weed clumps and try fishing the edge where the weed tapers away to deep water. The timbered arm has also produced around the dead standing trees. The dam is full and looking very healthy. For a few months, the level was kept low while work was carried out on the weir in the Burnett River where the water is pumped in. Launching boats is again much easier and the lake is a beautiful place to fish.

what is around the boat. While we all think the barra cruise along a contour line

or the edge of the weed, the 360 shows them cruising out wide at times and with the range set on 80ft, Matt can direct a cast to intercept the cruising fish.

KINCHANT Closest Towns: Marian, Mackay Falling water levels will be experienced until the next lot of big rain.

Gavin Gaw with his 91cm barra caught on a hardbody at the Callide Dam Fishing Competition.

Irrigation is sucking the water out of the lake at a fast rate. Last month, the weed beds were still in a healthy condition but the big bays were losing water fast and reducing the amount of fishable water. When you consider you have to share this basin

area with ski boats you can expect the fishing to be a bit tougher. Night sessions have been the best time to fish. The kayak guys have had some exceptional fishing. It seems their ability to troll stealthily sets them apart from bigger boats. Running

sounders and GPS, kayaks are able to tow hardbodies or soft plastics along the weed edges – this has scored them plenty of fish. David Brace landed one of the standout fish caught. The beast measured 130cm and he should be congratulated for keeping his cool and

boating a monster like this from a kayak (in the dark). If you are planning to try a kayak assault, keep a couple of things in mind. Safety is important during the day but if you venture out at night alone, it becomes much more important. Be sure you can

reboard a flipped kayak. Practice this first - don’t wait until you need to do it. A life vest is also a handy bit of gear. In the dark, kayaks are hard to see and there can be bigger boats out fishing and moving around. A few guys are running solar lights on

The sea of red and green navigation lights at night indicates where the action is happening. Try trolling deeper lures like the Scorpion Crazy Deeps and 80mm Poltergeist. Up in the timber, there will still be a few barra

during the daylight hours and then throwing a mix of plastics and shallow diving hardbodies to great success once darkness falls. Don’t be afraid to fish away from the weed in deeper water during the middle of the day. Fish will fall back into the creeks and deep channels when things heat up. Deeper diving hardbodies are one of

made through the store on (07) 4945 4641. CALLIDE DAM Closest Town: Biloela Callide Dam is back on the map with aggressive barra and giant yellowbelly. Earlier this year, Cyclone Marcia dumped an uncontrollable amount of water into poor little Callide Dam, causing the dam to flow over the wall and flood the surrounding areas. Common thought was that Callide had lost many of its barramundi and yellowbelly over the wall. Cyclone Marcia had left Callide like a large brown milky soup over winter – the water was filthy. But as the water temperature started to rise, the water started to clear up and the redclaw came back on the bite as did the barra. Reports of the odd fish caught began slowly coming in, and as soon as the water temperature jumped above 28°C there was tales of very productive afternoon sessions with fish all in the 800 class.

In October, the Callide Valley Native Fish Stocking Association held the Lake Callide Family Fishing Classic. This weekend was a battle against the elements, with storms and rain each day. These conditions didn’t deter the mad keen fishers! The water temp had dropped, which sent the barra into hiding and only the one barra was caught for the weekend – an absolute horse at 91cm. Giant yellowbelly were also on the bite throughout the weekend with one standout giant which went for 61cm. All those that braved the weather had a great weekend. To find the barra, work the wind blown bays around the timber. If you don’t have a boat, don’t let that hold you back as Callide hosts a fine selection of landbased opportunities where you can find bays filled with barra-holding timber. The barra bite has been very aggressive due to the spike in water temperature, but the lure of choice has been

WHITSUNDAY REGION WHITSUNDAY REGION PROSERPINE Closest Towns: Proserpine, Airlie Beach Mixed reports have flooded in from Lake Proserpine this month. Some guys have nailed the big barra while others have

their kayak but whatever you decide to use make sure it can be seen by other boats navigating the same piece of water. Lights are deceiving at night. From a travelling boat, they can appear to be miles away, when they are literally right below you. 110mm soft plastics on a slow roll, Subwoofers by Lethal Lures, or a good old Gold Bomber. Use a little scent on you lures helps when the barra are shut down – UV Aniseed by Dizzy scent has enticed many a barra. Many barra fishers have been hooking yellowbelly as by-catch while working the snags. Reports have been made of schooled yellowbelly in the snags up the back bays, with one angler reporting over 20 yellowbelly caught and released from one area. The yellowbelly have taken a liking to slow jigged soft vibes. The good old live worm is always a good back up. If you would like more info on how the dam is fishing you can drop in and see Dave at the Disposal Camping store in Biloela, or check out Callide Valley Native Fish Stocking Association page on Facebook, as well as join the group, Bilo Barra Hunters. – Nigel Krueger

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These two beautiful barra are each just over a metre and were caught on a True Blue Squidgy Slick Rig. had barely a bite. Those in the right place have been rewarded and now the fish are moving out into the main basin, there will be fewer fish in the one area as they become more widespread. The lure trollers won’t mind, as they are able to score good numbers of monster barra trolling out in front of the dam wall.

hanging around the weed beds. Deeper water nearby will be important now things are heating up. This allows fish to move in to feed and back to the deep to chill out. The big weed point before the timber on the dam’s southern side will also be worth investigation. Lure casters have been doing well on soft plastics

the most effective ways to get these fish to bite. If you are heading out to the dam, make sure you call in at Proserpine Bait and Tackle. The store is on 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

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Cod Feature

Cod bobbing brings back the fishing fun BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Bobbing sure is a different method to catch cod! That said, it’s a popular method of fishing from the many riverbanks in western Queensland, where water is too discoloured or tightly entangled with snags and bank-side structure for lure casting. While bobbing is a form of baitfishing, it’s very different to leaving a set rod and relaxing with the latest copy of Fishing Monthly while waiting for a bite!

waiting time by stirring the fish into action. Bobbing involves attracting fish to a moving bait and is very useful where there’s no room for a cast and retrieve style of fishing. This technique is very effective on golden perch, cod, silver perch and of course, carp. Bobbing can produce results at surprising times of the day, just when you thought the fish were shut down. Cod, in particular, are associated with a dawn or dusk (or after dark) bite; however, they can be bobbed at any time. GNARLY TERRAIN A look at one of my photos will show the sort

area where there is a safe bit of bank to stand on with at least a metre and a half of water or more, right against the bank. Our native fish like to reside in water with some depth. Current flow is not necessary as there is usually none anyway. There also needs to be plenty of cover nearby in the form of fallen trees, logs, roots and the like. The more cover the better, so if lure casting is impossible, you’ve found the perfect spot! Shade is also very important to both the angler and the fish. The angler wants comfort, the fish requires some cover to lay up in so combine tight territory with good shade.

pea sized sinker and a split shot on the trace between float and a 3/0 or 4/0 hook. A light weight sort of rod

jobs that could be used for bobby corking around the rocks is your best bet, but one can make do. I’ve seen

The float must be kept from moving up or down the line, more so than in any other style of fishing, so as

Good cod bobbing territory, as long as the angler can find some way to get in there! Native fish tend to rest up in these places right through the day.

Even really small cod fall for a bobbed bait. The fish in our western rivers can be so shut down at times, that you can begin to seriously doubt that they are actually present. Bobbing can shorten the

of terrain where bobbing is most successful, and trust me – there sure are lots of these places along the Macintyre River near Goondiwindi. Start with an

BASIC TACKLE DOES THE JOB Bobbing requires a long but strong rod, a big fat bobby float with 10kg line running through it, a

Basic tackle for basic fishing – can’t get any simpler than that! 92

DECEMBER 2015

around 3m long is fine, but remember, the chosen rod needs to have some strength about it. Beachstyle rods are good here; aim for a rod stronger than a whiting rod, but certainly not as strong or heavy as a tailor targeting surf-casting rod. The 3m length of the rod, allows the angler to keep the float moving at some distance from the bank, as well as having enough substance to effectively play a fish from the rod without letting it run. What sort of float? One of those big polystyrene

wine bottle corks used with good results! The plan is always for the angler to repeatedly bob the float to make a considerable surface commotion, this attracts a fish to the moving bait. The more commotion the better, these curious fish won’t scare easily. WHERE’S THE REEL? A bobbing rod is not usually set up with a reel. The reason for this is that the float is fixed in place on the line by a split shot each side of it (to hold it in place) with the trace down to the hook usually over a metre or more in length.

to make decent repetitive plops at it hits the water and also to keep the bait jigging up and down in the one spot to entice the fish to have a go. This style of set-up also comes down to tradition – bobbing rods always have the line fixed to the rod, without a reel in use. The area you are bobbing will be very tight country, so letting a fish run from a reel is going to see it snagged smartly and with the angler up on the bank this is game over – fish gone. Bobbing plays the fish to a standstill on pretty

One rod, no reel, just some line tied onto the rod and the fun comes back to hand to hand fishing.

strong line with the angler hanging onto the rod (big smiles all round) until the fish gives up the struggle then it can be lifted straight up out of the water. Ever taken a cod like this? No? Then you are in for a treat as it’s a lot of fun! Landing nets are not required as 10kg cod are not usually taken by bobbing as they are bit too wise, but plenty of smaller ones and golden perch will queue up for a look at a bait bouncing tantalizingly up and down under a bobbing float. TECHNIQUE To bob for native fish continuously the angler needs to ‘bob’ by lifting and quickly dropping the rod’s tip. Hold the rod at a right angle to the body straight out at arm’s length with the hand somewhere back of the winch and fit for comfort. The idea is to get the float splashing the surface nicely so it’s plop, plop, plop, in quick succession for a short time in each chosen spot. As you might imagine, a reel, even a very small threadline job, is going to be heavy enough to upset the rod’s balance, and may even get in the way. So how is the line fixed? Simple, it’s tied onto the rod around the area where the reel would sit. Lots of turns of line, lots of knots and the line will stay put! You know the saying – if you can’t tie knots, tie lots! Bobbing is a different, very laid back style of fishing that really comes into is own in a lot of our west of the range rivers. I’ve done it everywhere from Yelarbon to Yaraka and bobbing always seems to work. The idea is to select a likely spot, try to work out the depth and adjust the float up or down via the

crimped on split shots and with a bunch or worms, or a shrimp or crayfish for bait. Simply bob in that

spot for 10-15 minutes and see what happens. If there are no takers select another spot and repeat the process.

The idea is to stir up dormant fish and it’s good to move the tackle along a little here and there while

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Angler Jaymes is enjoying some bobbing here, working the float right up under the branches.

Bobbing is also an excellent method of ridding the inland rivers of carp.

continuously bobbing. The bite will be sudden, swift and sure. One second the float is moving, next thing it’s under. Bear in mind that a big fat yellowbelly or legal sized cod is going to put up a great fight when it’s tethered to the rod in this manner but that’s part of the excitement of bobbing for natives. A hand to hand fishing style that has nothing to do with finesse but a lot to do with fun. When fishing a western river it’s great to cast lures around the more open areas at prime times of dawn and dusk but as the day brightens it’s easy to head for a good bit of bank with ample snags and do a spot of bobbing just for the fun of it. Remember to take some heavier line along just in case a few of those big old speckled bruisers are on the job.

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Bluewater species overload at Exmouth WA BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Who wouldn’t love to enjoy a fishing trip that’s the stuff of dreams, one you’ll remember forever? Many anglers seek this experience overseas, but we have many special fishing places involving some travel and adventure right here in Australia. No need to see if the passport’s still current! In Queensland alone we have everything from Fraser Island to hot spots on the Cape, and heading south Tasmania has prime trout fishing. For those who like hot weather there’s the Top End, but over in WA there’s another world of fishing at Exmouth, the western-most extremity of our wide brown continent.

met by expert guide Allan Donald of FlyFishingFrontiers. com. The main goal was for Denise and I to fulfil longstanding ambitions to take a billfish on fly, but during our week at Exmouth we experienced angling opportunities far beyond our initial expectations. While we chose to flyfish, Alan caters to other sportfishing methods as well. Working plastics or hardbodied lures is just as easy for him, as is trolling skirts or other lures for billfish and Exmouth’s other hard hitters. EXMOUTH: AN OVERVIEW Exmouth is blessed with a wonderful diversity of fishing. Pretty much any desirable, much sought-after fish you can think of can be caught there. Barra, jacks, GTs and other trevallies, bonefish, permit, mackerel, cobia, tuna, mahimahi, wahoo, queenies,

Time for lunch on the island; can’t fish all the time! SAVE THOSE FREQUENT FLYER POINTS Exmouth is a long drive from Queensland. Perth is around 4500km away, with Exmouth 1270km north of Perth, so air travel is the way to go. Last September we left Brisbane at 8.15am, arriving at Learmonth airport (very close to Exmouth) at 3:15pm local time after jumping planes at Perth. All luggage travelled straight through and we didn’t touch the cricket bag with the rod tubes in it until we landed at Learmonth. There we were

and of course, billfish – and that’s just the start. Fishing near shore reef areas can see all manner of great eating fish such as coral trout, red emperor, gold-band snapper, spangled emperor and bluebone in the icebox. Exmouth is around level with Rockhampton in latitude, and it’s located on the eastern side of Exmouth Gulf on North West Cape. This upmarket and well set out town of around 2500 people has all the amenities you might need. There are supermarkets, tackle stores

and lots of other retail outlets, and it’s very clean and well kept. Eco tourism and fishing are the drawcards. Boating anglers have a couple of bites of the cherry as far as fishing is concerned because both sides of the big promontory are accessible via sheltered boat ramps. And it’s a very pretty place, with blue water all round kissing massive expanses of white sand. MANTA RAYS AND COBIA A light westerly wind on day one saw Al’s 6.2m Tru-Line centre console, equipped with a 115 Yamaha, launching at the town’s marina, with its dress circle line-up of very serious gamefishing boats. Big brawling cobia and various mackerel species as well as trevally were just outside the marina. Many options for reef fishing for tasty eaters were also handy. Huge manta rays – so graceful and placid – were accompanied by cobia. Denise and I, being flyfishing fools, loved fighting those hardpulling cobia. They could be worked to the boat after a fair amount of grunt and strain, but soon as they saw the boat it was on again – only that time they went even harder! With line-blistered fingers and some sweat developing, we opted for a breather and enjoyed a run across to some adjoining islands. Crystal clear sheltered water in a lee saw Denise and I casting to queenfish, permit, various emperors, and at least three species of trevally on the reef flats at high tide, while Allan moved us quietly along under Minn Kota power. If a fly was allowed to sit for more than a couple of seconds a cod or other reef dweller would whizz out from under a bommie and wreck it. Tough going, eh! While I love my flyfishing, I’m sure anglers keen on using plastics would love this style of fishing as well. So many options, so many great fish and all totally unspoiled!

PH: 0437 788 035

E: allan@flyfishingfrontiers.com W: www.flyfishingfrontiers.com

DECEMBER 2015

A selection of Spardean flies tied especially for use at Exmouth. We wound up with a quick troll for sails off the point of one of the islands. We were excited when a sail turned up but the encounter was all too brief. The sail, obviously not reading the script, became obsessed with the pink squid daisy chain to point instead of attacking the bait-loaded skirt so we could bring him close for a try with the fly. No go. A nasty attack from wahoo soon stopped our trolling, as they seemed hellbent on snipping off Al’s pushers as soon as they were deployed. Remember the lyrics from Kenny Rogers’ song The Gambler? “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em: know when to fold ‘em.” We folded. Back to base. NINGALOO REEF, ACCESSED FROM THE BEACH On the western side of the Exmouth peninsula the giant Ningaloo Reef extends for almost 300km, in many places virtually almost onto the shore. It has massive lagoon areas offering classic flats fishing for the much soughtafter permit and bonefish plus trevally, queenies, emperors and many other reef species. The Continental Shelf is only a few kilometres past the reef break. On day two with a light southeaster we launched at Tantabiddi Ramp with our fly tackle upgraded for billfish. We’d set up a 12wt fly outfit consisting of an IMX Mega rod, a 4” TFO Large Arbor reel set up with a Rio Outbound Short WF 12 fly line, backed with 500m of 50lb Diawa JBraid X8. Both fly lines terminated in 2m 80lb leaders set up with 10” Spardean tube flies and snelled 8/0 and 6/0 hooks. In less than 20 minutes we were in 255m of cobalt blue water, 11km from the shore. These are the early season wide grounds; late season grounds are just past the reef’s

Billfish fly tackle, ready to roll. white water it seems! As far as I was concerned, the world was at peace: with 40 years of flyfishing behind me I was finally living my dream to take a billfish on fly tackle. Al deployed a daisy chain of pink squid to starboard. To port a solid threadline outfit was set up with a big pusher with a tuna belly flap tucked into the rear of the skirt. Less

a black stick giving the pusher a thrashing. GAME ON Allan ripped the starboard pink squid chain inboard then commenced a spirited tug of war with the billy as he steadily wound both the teaser and fired up the fish to the transom of the Tru-Line. Bait in; Yammy out of gear. Out with the

Denise at work on a feisty cobia. Once these fish see the boat they re-double their efforts. than half an hour’s trolling in calm conditions saw a big, white splash on the teaser and

fly and a dark ironing-board sized fish with blue stripes and dots on it – a sailfish

– suddenly materialized at the back of the boat just as my fly landed a tad behind him. The fly line tightened and I struck hard. Once, twice, three times. The fish whizzed off about 40m and gave the best exhibition of head shaking I’ve seen from a hooked fish. The Spardean tube fly flashed in the cobalt water but the hooks held. For 30 seconds it continued, and with no satisfactory result a change of tactics saw a rapid move towards the horizon. Greyhounding leaps saw the 50lb Diawa J8 braid zinging through the rod guides, and

the years. I’ve seen barra dancing in the moonlight, the first pink of dawn and right at the last blush of day. I’ve seen really big queenies jump from hook-set to when the fly dislodges, and trout as well. However, I’ve never, ever seen the likes of that sailfish as it took off in long, low leaps with that beautiful sail unfurled and flapping, and at right angles to the area where the braid was entering the water. Time and patience prevailed. After a careful process of pump-wind-pump with the rod held low and very

Setting up a photo of Denise’s cobia. Fish like these are great sport on a 9wt fly rod. megrinning from ear to ear. Bring it on! For the record, I’ve seen some pretty exciting things at the end of my fly line over

close to the water to apply maximum strain, the sailfish came to Al’s hand for a photo shoot. Then it was time for revival. The blue patches and

bars returned as the boat idled gently forward while I held the fish upright until it tore free of my grasp. TOUGH GOING FOR THE GIRL Over the next two days we fished the east side of the promontory where some very uncouth cobia, countless queenies, a snip off from a Spaniard and more grief from greedy reef fish were just some of the highlights. Then we headed back on the billfish grounds out from Ningaloo Reef. My wife Denise holding the fly rod ready, El Kampo on strike watch while Al circled the baitfish schools, dodged nearby whales and called the schools of flying fish taking off like coveys of quail. The sea was not quite so kind with a 0.5m swell, and half as much wind chop on top of that. It was building but still quite fishable. Billfish don’t always appear as planned. With all the trolling runs we did, the GPS screen looked like a couple of spider’s webs overlaid on each other. At length Al suggested we could pull the pin and head inside the reef for some fun on fish trailing the ever-present rays, but less than a minute later a set of dark, fishy shoulders – as wide as the kitchen bench back home – rounded on the baited teaser with an almighty splash.

The author’s sailfish, looking as pretty as a picture. “ He’s too big!” Al yelled, as an interesting scenario unfolded. The marlin had hold of the pusher and was latched on big time, with Allan almost being pulled out of the boat as he tried to wind it in. Around 10m from the boat the big black decided that the pusher wasn’t worth eating anyway, and let go of it. As Al snicked the engine out of gear he called on Denise to cast the fly into the white water, because sometimes other fish follow a big bloke around. A long, blue striped shape materialized from under the Tru-Line’s transom, and the

fly disappeared. Lady Luck had smiled on us – the fish was smaller than the big bruiser we’d seen. Al called it as quite catchable as Denise struck. The boat surged forward to reinforce her strike, and I watched in awe as the reel’s spool shrank in size at a frightening rate. The black went crazy in a flurry of white water around 200m away, again in an entirely different direction from where the fly rod was pointing. I soon understood the major difference between black marlin and sailfish. In terms

of sheer doggedness and tenacity, that black was one cantankerous fish. Early jumps gave way to dogged strain, and I lost count of the additional runs that fish made just as Denise reckoned she had it on a steady move back to the boat. After an hour Denise was too tired to go on. The energy tank was empty! Alan called time out. “Have a drink of water and a bite to eat,” he advised. “Just keep hold of the rod and make sure the reel is in light drag. That marlin is even more To page 96

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From page 95

tired than you and he won’t go far because the fly line’s drag will hold him back.” She did as he said. Then, encouraged and recharged, she

got back into the pump-andwind business in earnest while Al kept the boat positioned against the chop. After an hour and 40 minutes the marlin was alongside the boat with

A moment of reflection: guide and angler admire Wayne’s sailfish.

Al’s hand on the leader. He estimated it at 50-60kg. Dinner at Whaler’s Restaurant at the Exmouth Escape Resort that night saw the telling and re-telling of the highlights. First: we were very lucky the really big marlin didn’t take the fly. Second: the first look at Denise’s marlin boat-side showed he was wrapped in fly line and leader from those crazy jumps, but Al cunningly manoeuvred the boat to unravel the mess. Third: after one half-focussed photo of the thrashing fish the hook came out as Al pulled it alongside. What a pain! But by IGFA release ruling that marlin was hers as Alan had taken hold of the leader. AN OVERVIEW I’ve described only some of the highlights from our Exmouth trip. When it was a bit too blowy to fish the bluewater, we worked inside Ningaloo Reef and Al showed us how to catch permit and bonefish. We showed him how not to cast to spooky fish and how to lose the only permit we hooked. Both Denise and I did take some tasty spangled emperor for a BBQ feed though so that was a positive. And goldens and small GTs were plentiful. We had a feast of it! If you’d like to visit this amazing part of the world, there’s no need to have a boat. Although a guide definitely

offers access to the best angling in the area, you can still have fun fishing the rocks at North West Cape, and there are plenty of places where Ningaloo reef is virtually on the beach (enquire at the town Visitor Centre for a brochure showing green zones). There really are rich rewards for shore-based anglers here. Tackle needs to be tough. For cobia and the like, tackle matched to 4000 sized reels would be an absolute minimum for the spin angler. Upsizing everything is vital for the really big hitters. Fly anglers need strong 10wt gear for virtually everything except the bonefish, where 8wt are favoured. Naturally, it’s 12wt tackle for the billfish. Proven flies to match all the Exmouth fish are tied by Saltwater Fly Workshop (www.saltwaterflyworkshop. com.au). They are worth the outlay because these guys have worked with Exmouth guides for years. In town there’s a big Tackle World store so you have access to lures, plastics, more leader material and the like. There’s ample accommodation in town. Exmouth Escape Resort is one of the more popular venues, but there are also camping and caravan parks with cabins on hand as well. Tent sites? Plenty. Car hire is easy as well. My advice is to put

Exmouth on your bucket list. If you want to catch a fish of a lifetime without packing the passport or enduring extended offshore boat travel to fish far offshore reefs, contact Alan Donald on

www.flyfishingfrontiers.com or ring him on 0437 788 035. Alan isn’t just about fly angling, so he can give you a great experience no matter what kind of fishing you’re into.

Heading out for a crack at the cobia: the TruLine launching in Exmouth’s boat harbour.

Flats fishing in the lee of an island saw queenies and other fish taken on fly.

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DECEMBER 2015

Big fish, big lures? HERVEY BAY

Jackson Bargenquast

For decades it has been believed by anglers far and wide, that if you want to catch a big fish you have to use a big lure. This however is not necessarily true, as it depends not on the size of the fish but the size of the prey it’s feeding on. For instance, large barramundi and salmon that are entirely capable of feeding

This theory doesn’t sound so far-fetched when I tell you the tale of how I landed the 132cm wild barramundi that certainly had the mouth capacity to feed on full-grown mullet, bony bream and even small salmon, but was caught on a 120mm Killalure River Rat trolling a deep hole in the estuary. A large school of small bait (probably herring) appeared on the sounder with some large shapes suspended below them and in three trolls

the treble hook fell lose and we both lifted the 30kg+ fish into the boat. Certainly a fish of a lifetime! But back to the point of this article, this fish was certainly capable of feeding on the two smaller salmon we captured earlier but was most likely feeding on the small bait and decided that my lure was the perfect target. Other examples of this same situation include large threadfin salmon and barra consistently eating small vibe

An 18kg longtail landed on a fairly small stickbait. type lures such as Samakis, Diawa Subwoofers and Jackall Transams, all lures that closely resemble small baitfish. When large soft plastics are used that represent larger prey items, often you won’t even get a nudge. Onto pelagics; tuna can be one of the most confusing fish to convince to bite depending on their mood and what bait is available, (especially early in the season). Some days they will be feeding on small hardiheads 30mm long, other days it will be flying fish up to 30cm. They even feed on

Taz with a longtail tuna that needed a small fly to get a bite as the baitfish they were eating were small on the day. on large mullet and whiting often prefer a more subtle diet of small bony bream, herring and prawns. The reason for this is not entirely known but a theory has emerged that larger prey are much faster and smarter, which makes them harder to catch. Smaller prey are slower and less alert, as well as the fact that small fish and crustaceans are much more numerous. Whatever the reason, large river fish such as barramundi and salmon almost always prefer smaller prey.

we landed three threadies, two of them around the 90cm mark the third a nice one at 115cm. We trolled for the fourth time and I hooked up on a fish that didn’t fight very hard but was very heavy and I felt like I was pulling a log around. Around 15 minutes later just under the surface the fish rolled and Dad and I both agreed it must be a big salmon. A few seconds later the barra jumped and we stared in awe as the huge fish lazily floated up beside the boat. Just as dad grabbed it by the bottom lip,

prawns and squid at certain times and generally once they have started feeding on a certain prey they will not eat anything else. To convince them to bite you have to try and take note of what prey they are feeding on. Methods for this include observing bait schools and studying their size and species as well as taking note to see if there’s any flying fish and prawns jumping or even squid ink in the water. What prey is around governs what lure you should use. For example, if tuna are feeding on small baitfish you

Such a big barra ate such a small lure!

should generally use slugs and soft plastics, and if they are hunting flying fish or garfish I would use stickbaits and large knife jigs. If squid or prawns are their prey item, try using shrimp soft plastics or even shrimp and squid flies to get the bite. Although this method is more effective on pelagic species, taking note of what bait is around in estuaries and rivers and then matching it with similar sized lures and flies will get you more bites. So remember, it’s not how big the fish is, it’s how big the bait is.

Dad with a nice salmon that ate a Diawa Woofer vibe.

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DECEMBER 2015

New Nissan NP300 Navara STX BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Gone are the days when a work ute was just… well, a work ute. These days they often double as fun trucks for the weekend or general family runabouts. For some people, they’re even a status symbol! All of this means that without a full complement of air bags, a 5-star rating, a long list of additional features plus a ride closer to a car than a job site courier, it’s hard for a ute to pip the opposition at the sales target post. Nissan, with the transition to a Thailand manufacturing facility (the same as many other manufacturers today) have upgraded the Navara with a host of new exceptional features to keep up with the likes of the Triton, Ranger Amarok and the new Hilux. In today’s market the more upmarket the package, the more readily it’s accepted when it’s used for multiple purposes, despite any added expense. Rugged, entry level workhorses are still offered of course, but we’re seeing an upsurge

The sports bar with stop lights is an ST-X feature, and a lined cargo tub is very wise as well.

Rugged good looks give the new NP300 Navara a substantial road presence. in demand for utes with features like Bluetooth audio streaming, sun roof, touch screens for SatNav and other functions, climate air, and push button start. The top-of-the-range dual cab ST-X NP300 Navara 4x4 (there are 27 variants available but the ST-X has all the bells and whistles) came with all of the above features and more. The driver’s seat is leather trimmed, deeply

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padded, heated, and electrically operated. Sitting here looking at the well set out dash with its big 7” touch screen, prominent main dials in their bezels and data displays all enriched by garnishes of piano black and metal trim, you could be forgiven for thinking that it’s a modern sedan rather than a ute. On the road, you experience a quality of ride that’s a country mile ahead of previous Navaras, and right up with the best of the opposition. It’s very easy to forget that this is a 1-tonne commercial ute, rather than a modern, upmarket SUV. That’s a very brief overview of what the Navara NP300 holds in store. Let’s take a closer all round look. INTEROR AND APPOINTMENTS The NP300 looks good, with sleek lines and a tough, business-like exterior. Side steps, a sports bar at the rear and 18” alloys really dress this ute up. As mentioned, the interior is very car-like – a credit to the Nissan design team. Front seat head room might be a little on the cramped side for

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really tall drivers, as the tilt/slide opening sun roof of the ST-X takes up a little room above. However, rear

to the dual climate control air come as standard. All dual cab Navaras have an electric sliding rear window at the back of the cabin which is very handy to cool the vehicle down on a warm day. Also, there are three power sockets within the cabin and another weatherproof one in the rear tray.

sound systems and excellent cruise control. Even the Navara’s doors, which open very wide for easy entry, are neatly trimmed in the fashion of a sedan or modern SUV, not just a slab of hard plastic material as was the case in yesteryear. ENJOYABLE DRIVE There are a lot of great things about the NP300

The quality of the Navara’s seating, the layout of the dash, and overall trim is more akin to a sedan than a one tonne work ute. seat passengers within the dual cab would experience little of this and would find ample leg and knee room. Supportive seating, leather trim, ample storage, and rear air vents linked

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torque in the standard RX single turbo variant, with the ST and ST-X range equipped with twin turbos for a lifted output of 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque. Transmission choices come down to a 6-speed manual or a very slick 7-speed auto, as in the ST-X. Neither engine is at all underpowered, it’s just that the single turbo job takes a little longer to spool up and get underway. On the road, the ST-X 7-speed auto gearbox

impressed me with its absolutely seamless gear changes. The 4-cylinder diesel engine was a little gravelly at start up but quickly settled into a hum underway in the manner of all good European diesels. On the highway – and with some towing, as the photos show – I averaged 8.1L per 100km. The engine/ gearbox combination is so sweet that at 100km/h the engine was ticking over at 1750rpm which, of course, accounted for the

fuel savings. Sweet engine and gear box aside, it’s the road manners that really impress with this newcomer to the Nissan stable. Front suspension remains as usual with coil springs taking the bump out of bad surfaces, but the rear of the ST-X is set up with a multi link/ coil spring suspension that is streets ahead of the usual leaf springs found on the opposition. The result is a super compliant ride without any jarring or jiggling over

A well set out and tidy dash layout gives the new Navara a very upmarket ambience.

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virtually any surfaces – yet the load capacity within the lined rear tub with its 1503mm long, 1130 mm (between wheel arches) width is a creditable 930kg, almost a tonne. On winding roads such as the range on the west side of Somerset Dam, the ST-X Navara suspension and taut body combination was outstanding. There was very little body lean into hard corners, and the ute tracked brilliantly without any steering corrections necessary. And let’s not forget that the Navara is a dedicated 4WD with a rear diff lock, both high and low range with drive to all four wheels at the twist of a dial. Versatile is the word. SUMMING UP Nissan’s new Navara ticks a lot of boxes. Whether it’s the fuel savings, build and ride quality, overall finish and pride of ownership or the load on the tow ball when it’s time to hook up the boat, there’s a lot to like. The price of the ST-X 4x4 seven speed auto I reviewed was just over $50K drive away, but there’s always a lot of wheeling and dealing when it comes to buying one of these vehicles in a very competitive market. Shopping around will pay.

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DECEMBER 2015

Building on your skill base - the loop knot BRISBANE

Kim Bain

Following on from last month’s Palomar Dropshot Knot – the loop knot that we introduced this month are also members from the group of ‘presentation’ knots. RECENT HISTORY Way back in the 1980s, loop knots were used before crimps (i.e. crimps for mono type leaders, the type sometimes known by their brand name as Jinkai) became readily available. These days crimps are commonly used as the preferred connection mechanism for both bait

rigging and the rigging of hooks into skirted lures. The loop knot, however, is still the option of choice for connecting a minnow (or plug) style lure, particularly a bibbed lure, especially to a stiff leader material. TO LOOP OR NOT TO LOOP I’ve made sure to use the descriptor of ‘stiff leader’ because, instead of a ‘permanent’ loop knot, some anglers prefer to choose a supple leader and use a snugged knot like a uni-knot in order to tie to a solid ring in front of some styles of lures and/or they’ll simply use a snugged uni-knot if they are

using a low breaking strain leader that is made from supple mono. The ‘permanent’ loop knot does give away a little in breaking strain percentage to the snugged uni-knot; however when the loop knot is tied in heavier breaking-strain leader than that of the mainline, which is often the case, then the lower breaking percentage of the loop knot is most often not a problem. Thus, in such cases, the overall system still creates a connection where the connection (i.e. loop knot) has a greater breaking point than that of the mainline. Most importantly, a loop knot allows the lure to have a

Form an overhand knot in the leader. Then pass the tag end through the towing eye of the minnow lure.

Next, pass the tag end through the loop formed by the overhand loop (obviously feed the working end into the overhand loop from the opposite side, to the side that the tag end previously exited from the overhand loop).

100

better action through a wider range of retrieve (or troll) speeds and thus all other things being equal (including leader diameter and type) the theory maintains that you’ll get more strikes with hardbodied lures when using a loop knot. Making a loop knot connection to a fly or lure can allow the lure to have more action in the water, which will hopefully attract more strikes. A loop knot is also an alternative to clips and/or split rings at the tow point of the lure – for example, it’s a great option for lures that have northern-hemisphere freshwater grade split rings and/or clips, especially if you are using the lure for saltwater or Australia’s bigger, more powerful freshwater species. Simply ditch the flimsy terminals and tie a loop knot to connect the lure to your leader. However, there are situations when a loop knot is not as desirable. Using as light a leader as possible includes tying fluorocarbon mainline directly to the lure. The concern here is that a loop knot would lower the system’s critical breaking point too much. The end result would

While keeping the overhand loop open, wrap the tag end three times around the main-line/leader.

Now bring the tag end back through the overhand loop.

DECEMBER 2015

be that any big fish you hook is then at high risk of being broken off. The loop knot is not ideal in weedy areas either as you don’t want a weed catching knot (and its tag end) sitting so obviously 2cm in front of the lure. Often very small minnow lures, such as those used for bream and trout, may benefit from being connected via a loop knot. Larger, heavier lures will often perform just as well with a metal ring attached to the lure’s tow point and a uni-knot tied directly to the metal ring. On the other hand, if you are using heavy leader (particularly a leader that is made of stiff material), then an ‘open’ loop knot is often the most desirable option. A variation in the family of loop knots is to tie an ‘open’ uni-knot. This variation is a uni-knot that hasn’t been snugged down tight. Instead, there is a 1cm diameter loop left in the connection and, upon extra tension being applied (such as when a fish strikes), the knot will snug down in the wet line. There are no hard and fast rules with

loop knots; you simply choose (or modify) the option that best suits your system. LOOP KNOT EVOLUTION Years ago, I learned a loop knot where the tag end made a single ‘turn’ around the main leader; however this knot has improved over the years. The original knot is known these days or at least referred to by some as the ‘original’ Rapala Knot. Subsequently, the knot was redeveloped by wellknown saltwater fly fishing angler Lefty Kreh, and became known as the Lefty Kreh Loop. Rapala now promotes a newer version of the knot, which is a variation of the Lefty Kreh Loop. Some anglers prefer one to the other, yet there is no consensus as to which one is the better knot. May I suggest that you give them both a try! This month we tie the knot that Rapala popularised on their packaging. Next month we will try the Lefty Kreh version. If you are really into loop knots there is also the Perfection Loop and the Homer Rhodes Loop Knot to perfect, as well as the aforementioned open uni-knot.

The tag goes through the middle opening of the overhand loop; it should enter the overhand loop from the opposite side from when it made the overhand knot.

Feed the tag end through the large loop that has just been created.

Moisten and steadily snug tight.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2015

DATE DETAILS

CONTACT

DECEMBER

Dec 5-6

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Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

FEBRUARY

Feb 13-14

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Mar 10

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APRIL

Apr 9-10

ABT BREAM Qualifier #3 Mandurah

ABT 07 3387 0888 abt.org.au

Apr 25-26

BREAM Qualifier #4 St Helens

ABT 07 3387 0888 abt.org.au

Apr 30-1 May

BREAM Qualifier #5 Derwent River

ABT 07 3387 0888 abt.org.au

MAY

May 27-29

King of the Pin Jumpinpin

Don Vogel www.sundownersfishing.com

JUNE

Jun 11-12

BREAM Qualifier #6 Forster

ABT 07 3387 0888 abt.org.au

AUGUST

Aug 20-21

BREAM Qualifier #7 Tweed or Clarence River

ABT 07 3387 0888 abt.org.au

2016

For listings please email jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au

DECEMBER 2015

101

Moondarra Fishing Classic – a ripper success A ‘ripper success’ is how Co-Event Manager George Fortune described the 2015 Clancy Corporation Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic as crowds and nominations almost doubled that of 2014. The event was hosted over the weekend at Black Rock Park, Lake Moondarra just North of the iconic mining city. The 2015 Moondarra Fishing Classic saw 450 nominated competitors weigh in a total of 235 fish and approximately 3,800 spectators take to the shores for three days of fun and entertainment. Attributing the success to newly extended fishing hours, ideal water levels and perfect weather, a weary eyed George Fortune summed up the weekend’s success; “From both a behind the scenes and from public perspective, things went fairly seamlessly and it was great to see competitor and spectator numbers well and truly up.” “Due to the drought, it has been a tough couple of years for the event and the organisers – Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group. The atmosphere for this year was truly one of family fun and relaxation. Numbers entered in support activities such as the Commerce North West Dragon Boat Regatta and Buffs Club Beach Volleyball were also higher, resulting in better competition for participants and viewing for spectators.” Renowned as

Queensland’s richest freshwater fishing event due to a prize purse including the $50,000 Mount Isa Water Board Tagged Barra – ‘Fat Albert.’ Albert eluded anglers once again, but thousands of dollars in prizes, cash, and trophies were awarded for the 22 other prize categories up for grabs. Bill Rigby took out the coveted Champion Senior Angler title with a points total of 1,550 and Nicholas Thinee went home with the Champion Junior Angler title. The ‘Heaviest Overall Barramundi’ title went to senior competitor Joshua Isaacson with a barra weighing in at 22.43kg, brought in within the first couple of hours of competition on Friday night. With competitors nominating from as far away as Thursday Island and the Gold Coast, Weigh Master and Co-Event Manager Steve Farnsworth was also chuffed to see a good number of Barramundi weighed in. “15 barramundi were weighed in over the 48 hours of competition making it level with last year and higher than the 5 years previous. While this was the first year we extended the competition by 6 hours, all of the barra were in fact weighed in over Friday and Saturday meaning it really was a good year for this species.” “It was also excellent to see a good level of junior and female competitors in the mix this year as we really try to promote the event as

family friendly and our efforts are working.” On the shore, a team dubbed ‘Orca 3.1’ in an impressive fibreglass based vessel took out the top honours of overall winners in the Dragon Boat Regatta, closely followed by naming rights sponsor Clancy Corporation’s team ‘The Dragon Warriors’. ‘Team Oaks’ took out the beach volleyball title for a second year in a row in a close match against Queensland Police’s ‘Mount Isa Mates.’ Crowds in their thousands flocked to see the Saturday night Ausure Insurance and Finance ‘Fireworks Spectacular’ coordinated by Far North Queensland based Pyrotechnics firm – Five Star Fireworks. Full results from the fishing action will be

DECEMBER 2015

available from the Fishing Classic website and social media in the coming days. Hats go off to the

Joshua Isaacson with the ‘Heaviest Overall Barramundi’ – an enormous 22.43kg!.

volunteer Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group for another memorable and

iconic Outback event for 2015. – Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic

The gorgeous sight of the Black Rock Park competition site by night.

Boondooma fishing competition Boondooma Dam Yellowbelly Fishing Competition spokesman Terry Allwood says that with the lake fishing extremely well, the 2016 event should set new records in both the long standing gilled and gutted section, as well as in the catch and release division. Cash and other prizes will be presented at the end of each of the three sessions as well as the overall competition winners at the conclusion of the event. Profits from the event are used to supplement fishing permit funds from the Queensland Government and to date approximately 4.5 million fingerlings have been stocked into Lake Boondooma. The catch and release category targeting Australian bass and yellowbelly is open to all anglers who nominate. This category has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of Bass to Barra Outdoors and Greg Mitchell Plumbing.

102

Orca 3.1 takes on the Dragon Warriors in the Commerce North West Dragon Boat Regatta final

The annual competition will be held on 13 and 14 February, 2016. Entry costs for the February event will be $20 for adults and $5 for juniors aged 16 years and under. The ongoing support of our many generous sponsors will ensure that a wide range of prizes and lucky draws are available for all competitors. Lucky draws are held at the end of each fishing session and at the Friday night briefing. All presentations and lucky draws are conducted at the event headquarters at the stocking association clubhouse. Food and drink stalls will be provided by local community groups over the weekend and the great camping facilities provided by the South Burnett Regional Council will be available for campers staying at the lake. The cost of camping fees and details of accommodation options at the lake can be found at website www.

southburnett.qld.gov.au or by ringing the Lake Boondooma Kiosk on (07) 4168 9694. Additional information on the local area and past

prostononline.info Please join us at Lake Boondooma for a family weekend of fishing and camping. For additional information please

Last year saw big crowds and plenty of smiles. fishing competitions can be found on the Proston Online website, www.

contact Terry Allwood on mobile 0400 860 122. – Terry Allwood

Lake Moogerah Austackle-Bluefin Country Classic Anglers were met with beautiful conditions at Lake Moogerah for the first round of the Austackle-Bluefin Country Fishing Classic. It was warm enough for people to spend some time in the lake as well as on it - skiing and tubing in between chasing fish was the order of the day. Fires burning in the adjacent hills created a smoky haze across the lake, yet it did not cloud the stunning view of the Scenic Rim. A falling barometer kept the number of captures down, but it didn’t stop the quality of fish, with many anglers photographing excellent

and sizable specimens from every species. A special mention goes

to junior angler, Isaac Chisolm who dominated on the day and landed a 47cm

RESULTS Big catches of the day went to Mitchell Freiberg with a 50cm bass, Matt Stenzel who caught a 50cm golden perch, Carmen Rejfer with a 50cm catfish, Grant Kirkwood who caught a 1.4kg bass, and Wayne Corbett with a huge 1.35kg golden perch. – Austackle-Bluefin Country Classic

TOP CATCH AND RELEASE POINT SCORERS Angler............................................................. Points Carmen Rejfer...................................................... 621 Mitchell Freiberg................................................... 510 Jayne Evans......................................................... 490 Malcolm Flesser................................................... 480 DEADWEIGHT WEIGHED Angler..................................................... Weight (kg) Grant Kirkwood................................................... 2.45 Wayne Corbett..................................................... 1.35

Fantastic prizes were on offer from the sponsors of the event – Evinrude, Bluefin, and Austackle.

Matt Stenzel with a cracking Moogerah golden perch.

bass, a 49cm catfish, and a good size golden perch. The Lake Moogerah Fish Stocking Association was on hand and provided a BBQ and drinks to raise money for more fingerlings. Thanks to all those who bought a sausage to support such a great cause. To qualify for the grand final and have a chance to win the Bluefin/Evinrude Boat package, plus heaps of other sponsor prizes, all you have to do is fish one round! All ages welcome. All prizes are random draw. The second round will be held at Boondooma Dam 12-13 December, and details are available on the CFC website. Entries are now open, register early and take advantage of the early bird prices. Register at: http:// c o u n t r y f c . c o m . au/?page_id=147

Grant Kirkwood looking happy with his bass – the heaviest of the day!

SPECIALISING IN KITCHEN AND BATHROOM RESURFACING

www.pattonpaintingandresurfacing.com.au

Chris Patton 0409 277-968

The first round of the Country Classic was kicked into gear with this decent yellow belly specimen caught by Tom Barton. DECEMBER 2015

103

Phelps gets jiggy at BASS GF CE 1ST PLA

Peter Phelps (6/6, 7.61kg) has added his name to the select group of anglers who have won an ABT Bass Pro Grand Final. Lake Glenbawn NSW, was the happy hunting ground where Phelps overcame Australia’s best bass anglers to secure the victory. Using all his experience Phelps keyed into a pattern during the pre-fish, and presented a lure that has, until now, been largely synonymous with largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing in the USA. In the first session Phelps, a 30-year-old Operator at Liddell power station, quickly compiled a small limit of around 1.2kg in 20 minutes using a Bassman Shorty Spinnerbait and Mumbler over shallow weed and timber. After losing another 4-5 fish on reaction lures he then picked up the jig at 8am looking for upgrades. After almost 3 hours of fishing with no result Phelps started to think he had made a bad decision. The sun came out and the water glassed out. “I did one last run over a rock wall that delivered me two fish for 2.5kg in the last 20 minutes, which had me sitting in 4th after the first session,” explained Phelps. At the start of session two Phelps was confident that his jig presentation was going to pay dividends, “I knew the jig was going to work better in the afternoon. The water was glassy, which allowed me to fish methodically and I felt the heat of the afternoon would drive the fish tighter to cover. I did a pass over the stretch where I caught my session one limit for no bites. I then jumped between

rock walls. Three casts later I boated my biggest fish for the tournament. The bites then started to flow; I caught one every 30 minutes. Ultimately my first two fish were my biggest, weighing 2.7kg and elevated me to second place. In the third and final session Phelps dispensed with the reaction lures and focussed on using his jig presentation

I felt a bite, and let it fall again and he came back and loaded up giving me my first keeper.” “At around 11am, relying on past experience I went to one spot that could hold a fish thinking no one would have fished it much. I came down the dam to a slow tapering bank with a good weed bed and 5-6 isolated trees right on the edge of the weed.”

Peter Phelps with two of his consistently solid winning bass. to get fish. The wind, which had strengthened made things difficult. “Around 9am I had only managed 2-3 little taps again on the jig. All of my spots had been hammered and finding fresh fish was hard. I came out to the very start of the 8 knot zone and fished a stretch thinking the location might be protected from the wind. However the wind started curling around the rock wall and pushing straight in my face. I was unable to really hop the jig and ended up dragging it rod tip down parallel to the bank in deeper water than I had been fishing (around 25ft).

“I targeted the tree bases throwing multiple casts at each. With minutes to go I warned my non-boater Dayne Taylor to get ready to go. I fished the front side of a tree and as the boat went past I started casting to the next one. When I looked behind I saw the shade cast by the tree and threw in. The cast was almost straight down beside the boat. I hopped the jig once and felt weight. The next part was a blur. All I remember at the death was high-fiving Dayne as he yelled, “Drive!” and sorted my rods and fish out for me!”

The rock walls of Lake Glenbawn provided the bulk of Phelps’ fish with five of six coming off rock walls in the 8 knot zone. The sixth came off a weed edge at the base of a tree in around 12ft of water. The rock walls provide the fish with an uneven bottom and ample structure to hold off. The steepness of the walls provide depth for the bass to move up and down with changing moods and weather conditions. Most fish ate the jig in the 10-15 ft range. The lure that Phelps used to great advantage was a skirted jig and craw trailer that mimicked native crustaceans. Practising with this lure presentation and understanding how to naturally present the lure was key to getting the bass to react. Phelps shares his experience, “All of my limits were weighed on the skirted jig and craw trailer. I cast tight to the edge and because of the steepness of the banks fished I gave the jig the smallest hops possible trying not to let the jig fall more than one foot at a time. I would pause it for a second, then hop it again. I would fish the lure down the slope to around 15- 20 feet deep before quickly winding in and firing out the next cast. Most fish ate it on the drop.” The lure was a Peppers Custom Finesse football jig in blue/black and a Bassman Jig (custom and yet to be released) in Colour 051, both weighing 3/8oz. “On the Peppers jig I would rig a Berkley 3” Chigger craw in black/blue and on the Bassman jig a 3” Gulp Crabbie in camo colour. I trimmed the skirts slightly to give a jagged edge and smaller profile and trimmed the plastics to suit and match the jig size.” “Having good mates Mitchell Cone right beside me and Tom Slater right behind him kept my head in the game during the whole tournament, because I felt if I fell short one of them would win – which to me is just as good as winning.”

Hickson almost steals top spot CE 2ND PLA

STORM VENTAFISH®

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 104

DECEMBER 2015

Kristoffer Hickson, a 29 y/o tackle manager at Manning River Marine pushed Phelps all the way, falling only 30g short of securing a Grand Final victory. Hickson, long recognised as one of the most consistent bream anglers on the ABT circuit, showcased his versatility, and went within a whisker of simultaneously holding both bream and bass Grand Final titles!

Kris Hickson came away with second place and the biggest bag of the weekend.

Hickson targeted banks from the top of the main basin all the way to the 8 knot zone, and caught fish on most of them with the two best banks located on the outside of pump house bay and a bay just short of the 8 knot zone. The first session started slow for Hickson as he threw topwater and jerkbaits for the first hour with no result. A change to a Jackall TN60 saw the first solid legal fish hit the deck. Hitting a number of locations with the same presentation saw Hickson fill his bag with smaller fish. In the last hour a move to a productive pre-fish bank saw a solid upgrade fall to an Imakatsu Alive chatter. In the second session conditions became more challenging. Wanting to keep his key locations rested in case the fishing became tough he considered other options. Hickson shares his second session thoughts and approach, “ I saw a few ski boats on the outside of a bay at the top of the basin and thought that was the best chance I had of finding some stirred up water where the bass should have been confident to feed in. It was a bank I had done well on

in the past with weed, deep water and trees, plus the dirty water. Throwing the Alive Chatter, it was only a couple of minutes before I got my first fish for the session and in the next 45 minutes I had landed 8 fish with a few upgrades.” The final session wasn’t a problem for Hickson. He returned to a bay where he had located bigger fish during the pre-fish, “I had a plan to fish tight to the edge for big fish for the first hour then move out to the weed edges and pockets after that. I went back over the same bank as I planned and then to the edge of the weed for one good upgrade. With an hour to go I decided to go back to where I got fish at the start of the second session and after 6 or so more fish I got a 41cm on my last cast.” The technique that produced the best results for Hickson was slow rolling the Imakatsu Alive chatter over from the bank over the weeds, dropping it into the gaps and rolling it back out. Once that area was covered he would cast parallel to the outside edge of the weed, sink it to the bottom then slow roll it back with pauses keeping it close to

the bottom and in and out of the weed. Lures used included a Jackall TN60 in brown dog colour, TT’s Jig Spinner sporting a 1/4oz #1/0 HeadlockZ Jighead and a 2.5” Z-man Slim SwimZ in smoke hologram colour and a Imakatsu Alive Chatter. Hickson alternated between baitcast and spin outfits depending on lure presentation. For the Jackall TN60 Hickson used a Daiwa Black Label 6101MXB paired with a Daiwa T3 1016 reel with SV spool and spooled with 12lb flurocarbon fished straight through. For the Jig Spinner and Alive chatter Hickson used a Daiwa Gen black Trauma centre paired with a Daiwa 2500 Caldia reel spooled with 8lb Daiwa J Braid and 10lb Gamma leader. Hicksons final thoughts on the 2015 Toray Bass Pro Grand Final, “I think the key to this tournament for me was being able to find fish that were catchable in any situation. This gave me confidence in what I was doing, especially when it came to honing in on where the bigger fish were, determining what they were eating and choosing the right lure for the situation.”

Falkenhagen up! -BOATER 1ST NON

Shaun Falkenhagen, a 31-year-old Technical Manager at Holcim went back to back, adding the 2015 Non-Boater Champion title to his illustrious tournament resume that included the 2014 Non-Boater Champion title and 2010 Electric Convention title. With a skill set the envy of many boaters across the ABT tournament circuit, Falkenhagen again showed that when the chips are down he can never be discounted. In session one Falkenhagen headed to the middle stretches of the dam. Using a Z-man soft plastic, the first two casts yielded his tournament limit. It was an auspicious start and a sign of things to come. Session two saw Falkenhagen start in the 8 knot area where both anglers caught their limit within the first hour

Peppers Custom Finesse football jig in blue/black with a Berkley 3” Chigger craw in black/blue

on soft plastics. A move to steeper timer banks yielded seven upgrades using lipless crankbaits. Session three saw Falkenhagen paired with Paul Gillespie. The anglers headed to the main basin rock walls. Using a 5/8oz spinnerbait in 20-25ft, Falkenhagen would make long casts then sink the spinnerbait to the bottom while employing a slow retrieve. In all twelve fish were boated for the session including 3-4 upgrades. Falkenhagen discusses the locations and presentation of the lures used, “Weed edges were targeted with soft plastics, with most fish coming out of water less than 6ft in depth. Lipless crankbaits were fished in the tops of the trees. After casting, I would count the lure down to 10 and then slow roll the lure back. Finally spinnerbaits were used along the deeper rock walls in the main basin; the technique involved sinking the lure to the bottom in 15-20ft with a slow retrieve. Long casts were important in the clear water.” Falkenhagen’s lures included a Z-man slim swim soft plastic in watermelon red, slightly cut down on

BASS PR O Presente SERIES d by To ray

a 1/4oz painted impact tackle jighead, Silent Jackal TN60 in shad colour and a modified Impact Tackle 5/8 spinnerbait in smoke yellow core colour. “I altered this spinnerbait to have a single willow to help keep the lure stay deep in the clear water,” explained Falkenhagen. Falkenhagen’s tackle outfits were rotated depending on the lure used. For soft plastics the outfit included a BarraBass IP901 rod paired with a Daiwa Certate 1000 reel spooled with 6.5lb Toray Light Fish PE and 6lb Toray LEX leader. For lipless crankbaits; BarraBass REV702 rod teamed with a Daiwa Alphas reel spooled with Toray 13lb Jigging PE and 10lb Toray Superhard Leader. Finally for spinnerbaits, a BarraBass XSB610 rod matched with a Daiwa Sol 1500 reel spooled with 12lb Toray SeaBass Power Game and 8lb Toray Superhard leader. “Thanks to ABT and my boaters for the weekend. Also thanks to my sponsors Fishtec Solutions, Stomr Rain Gear and BarraBass Rods for their continued help and support”.

WINNING NOTES

Winning Ways

I would say it was a combination of everything. My years of experience fishing Glenbawn give me a great understanding of the fish and how they behave. The lure was something completely different to what the pack were using, and I knew I could get big bites in the right locations.

1 foot hops, followed by a pause

Winning Tackle

Rod: 13 fishing 7’3” Medium Envy Black Reel: 13 Concept C 8.1:1 bait cast reel Line: 16lb Delux Amigo Braid Leader: 10lb Gamma fluorocarbon “The fast reel was used for winding quickly on a bass after it bit and getting the jig in quickly once I had finished a retrieve.”

15-20 feet

Quick retrieve

TOP 10 BOATERS

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS

Place Angler

Fish

Total Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6

7.61 7.58 7.47 7.17 7.17 6.96 6.96 6.47 6.45 6.40

Peter PHELPS Kristoffer HICKSON Tom SLATER Mitchell CONE Greg BEATTIE Tony THORLEY Anthony THORPE Mark LENNOX David YOUNG Grant CLEMENTS

Prize

Trip to the USA 13 Fishing Prize Pack 13 Fishing Prize Pack NS Black Hole rod NS Black Hole rod

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

Place Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 4/6 5/6

6.16 5.73 5.66 5.55 5.44 5.40 5.36 5.05 4.55 4.45

Shaun FALKENHAGEN James HICKSON Cameron LEY Ryan JONES Tony NEAL James REID Luke DRAPER Warren HOWE Ben RANDELL Owen MCPAUL

Prize

MotorGuide Xi5 13 Fishing Prize Pack 13 Fishing Prize Pack NS Black Hole rod NS Black Hole rod

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au DECEMBER 2015

105

s egabuck BASS M Lake St Clair produced the goods for anglers in the Edge Rods BASS Megabucks with all teams delivering fishing to the weighmaster’s scales each session. Lake St Clair, one of the premier bass lakes of the state, fired for anglers. A series of recent water rises, perfect weed beds and active shallow dwelling bass combined to make it one of the standout bass bites of the 2015 ABT BASS season. Despite an impressive effort from all the teams, one team dominated for top honours. Peter Phelps and Mitchell Cone from Team 13 Fishing/Searing Tackle stamped their authority on the event by claiming 1st place and Big Bass each session. A notable and dominant display of local knowledge and the intricate nuances that are needed to garner the bigger bites in a tournament, Phelps and Cone used a multifaceted approach to catch their fish. Dialling in on where the bigger fish were and what they wanted early,

106

DECEMBER 2015

St Clair shines for BASS Megabucks then making adjustments as required to stay on the winning bite. SESSION 1 1st place Team 13 Fishing/ Searing Tackle Phelps and Cone started their tournament in the main basin but it didn’t take long for the pair to quickly make their first change for the tournament. “The water was simply too clear in the main basin so we stowed our rods on the deck, started up the motor and headed up the Carrowbrook arm to find water that wasn’t as clear,” said Phelps. The move paid off with the pair filling their limit in 40 minutes throwing a combination of a Pontoon 21 Cablista jerkbait, Fish Arrow J Shad soft plastic and Bassman Shorty spinnerbait. Fishing water no deeper than 5’ and paralleling their way along the bank, the pair fished the gutter that ran between the water’s edge and the inner edge of the weed bed. Focusing on here as the prime area to target, the pair alternated between lures with Phelps throwing the Bassman Shorty and Cone, swapping

between the jerkbait and the soft plastic. “The bigger fish were definitely shallow and close to the edge. If we fished wider and the outer edge of the weed bed we could only catch small fish,” said Phelps. The kicker fish in their bag, and the session’s Big Bass, was a 1.27kg fish caught off a tree on a twitched and paused Pontoon 21 Cablista. Weighing in a 3.98kg limit Phelps and Cone secured a 410g win for the session and held momentum heading into session two. 2nd place Team Paul Hopley Autos For Simon Marchant and Wayne Beazley, session one at the Edge Rods BASS Megabucks was the start of a consistent and ultimately successfully event with the pair cashing in at each session. “Wayne and I were simply looking forward to getting out on the water, having some fun, and getting to spend some time together,” said Marchant. Upbeat and relaxed about what was in store, the pair started session one fishing the stained upper reaches of the Falbrook arm throwing topwater lures.

“We threw and shook Tiemco Soft Shell Cicadas and OSP iWavers along the edges for a while then swapped to a Slider and

Cone headed to Falbrook arm in session two. “We wanted to rest the Carrowbrook and we were confident that the Fallbrook

session, their best going on to secure the Big Bass Prize for the session, and falling to a soft plastic in 4’ of water.

Phelps and Cone with the bag that got their event rolling, their 3.98kg session one limit. fished it tight to the weed,” said Marchant. Using a combination of cut down muscadine and avocado glitter coloured Sliders rigged on 1/6oz, size 2, Diztek (Marchant) and Nitro (Beazley) jigheads the presentation for the plastic involved casting it tight to the weed edge then hopping and shaking it back out. The approach paid off with the pair weighing in a 3.57kg limit to claim the $500 2nd place cheque for the event. 3rd place Team TT Lures/ Hobie Fishing Kris Hickson and Owen McPaul from Team TT Lures/ Hobie Fishing picked up the last cheque in session one with the pair starting out in the Carrowbrook arm of the lake before moving to the main basin. Spot hopping their way around the basin the pair focused on the gaps, allies, holes and edges of the weed to catch their fish. Throwing a TT Lures Jig Spinner the pair fitted to it a 1/4oz, size 1/0 TT Lures Headlockz jighead rigged with a 2 1/2” smoke hollowgram coloured Z-Man Slim SwimZ softplastic. The tackle Hickson used to present his TT/Z-Man setup included a Daiwa Generation Black Trauma Centre rod, Daiwa Silver Wolf 2500 reel, 8lb PE, and 10lb fluorocarbon leader. Catching 15 fish for the session the pair weighed in a 3.03kg limit to win themselves an Edge Rod for their performance. SESSION 2 1st place Team 13 Fishing/ Searing Tackle Rather than returning to the scene of their successful opening session, Phelps and

would hold fish just like our session one area,” said Phelps. The validity of the pair’s thinking was quickly confirmed and in 30 minutes they had their limit filled. Using the same approach and techniques as in session one, the pair once again threw a combination

2nd place Team Paul Hopley Autos Marchant and Beazley were on the fish and on the money again in session two. The pair fished the main basin for the afternoon session targeting the weed beds and the clear area between the weed bed and the bank. The pair threw

Simon Marchant and Wayne Beazley were consistent during the Edge Rods’ presented event claiming 2nd place each session. of jerkbaits, soft plastics and spinnerbaits. While Cone threw the jerkbait and plastic, Phelps focused his efforts on the spinnerbait, but in contrast to session one when he threw a Bassman Shorty, in session two he threw a super-compact customised 1/4oz Bassman. The retrieve for the jerkbait was a standard three twitch pause fished tight to and over the weed, the plastic was fished with a slow roll with a twitch every 3-5 turns of the reel, while the spinnerbait was given a slow roll with a small surge in the retrieve every 3-5 cranks of the handle. Numerous upgrades followed throughout the

their cut down Sliders for a successful session. Weighing in a 3.7kg limit for the session, Marchant and Beazley claimed second place by a mere 30g. The tackle Marchant used to catch his fish was Samaki Zecton Phase 2 rod, 1000 Daiwa Luvias reel, 6lb Stren Microfuse mainline and 7lb Sunline FC Rock leader, while Beazley used a 6’8” Pflueger Patriarch rod, Patriarch 9530 reel, 6lb Berkley Fireline, 6lb Berkley Sensei leader. 3rd place Team Legend Boats/ Hyper Marine John Picton and David Lane had a red-hot session two. The pair caught 35 fish for the session to finish the

day with big smiles and a new Edge rod to their name for their 3rd place performance. Fishing the Falbrook arm for the session, Picton and Lane threw a two-lure combination, soft plastics and spinnerbaits. “We started with soft plastics and picked up a fish in the first 10 minutes, but there was not much after that so we tried a spinnerbait and caught a fish almost immediately,” said Picton. Listening to what the fish were telling them, the pair then stuck with spinnerbaits, throwing a combination of 1/2oz Bassman and Smak models. With the water dirty, the pair cracked a pattern for success, a key element that they needed in their lure selection to get the bites. “You needed to have red in your spinnerbait skirt. We used more natural colours to begin with but they worked with limited success. The best colour was a skirt with 8-10 strands of red in it,” said Picton. The retrieve for their spinnerbait involved casting it to the edge, sinking it to the bottom, then giving it five cranks of the reel handle, sinking it again, then giving it another five cranks. “A lot of the hits came as the lure was sinking back down,” said Piction. SESSION 3 1st place Team 13 Fishing/ Searing Tackle After resting their session one location (Carrowbrook) for session two, Phelps and Cone returned to the Carrowbrook arm for the third and final session. “It was just too good not to go back and see whether we could go back and get them again,” said Phelps. Rather than fish the same banks again, the pair fished a long way up the creek deciding to fish water that rarely gets fished and water that they believe would hold fish due to the

OVERALL RESULTS

PLACE TEAM 13FISHING / SEARING TACKLE

1 2

PAUL HOPLEY AUTO’S & LPG CENTRE

TT LURES / HOBIE

DUFFRODS

ILONA FINE SOY CANDLES COSTA / SMAK LURES

Peter Phelps, Mitchelle Cone

12/12

12.78

$3000

Simon Marchant, Wayne Beazley

12/12

11.23

$1500

12/12

9.46

Edge Rods

Kristoffer Hickson, Owen McPaul

12/12

9.27

Edge Rods

Greg Beattie, Troy Danes

12/12

9.26

Karen Fontaine, Deborah Kowalczyk

12/12

9.23

Craig Simmons, Stephen Kanowski

12/12

8.76

FILLET AND RELEASE

Tony Thorley, Paul Gillespie

12/12

8.52

BASS N BREAM TACKLE

Mark Ferguson, Luke Mulholland

12/12

7.79

Mark Lennox, Michael Thompson

12/12

7.47

Wayne Gordon, Justin Scott

11/12

7.44

DUFFRODS / TORAY

TACKLE WORLD TOOWOOMBA

Edge Rods

TOOWOOMBA

TEAM TENNESSEE

John Brider, Mark Lawson

9/12

6.72

GRUMPY OLD MEN

Peter Leggett, Peter Morgan

8/12

4.92

TOTAL

148

112.85

with the pair once again getting stuck into plenty of fish with their shallow water three-lure approach. Catching their heaviest limit for the tournament, Phelps and Cone in the end secured a comfortable win for the session, and just like they had in the first two session, picked the Big Bass prize for session three. Incidentally, the fish was caught off the same tree as their session one big bass. Phelps’ tackle included a 13 Fishing 71LM Envy Black spin rod, 6lb PE Delux Amigo/8lb Gamma line for his soft plastic and

Owen McPaul and Kris Hickson fished the main basin to secure 3rd in session one. prevailing water level and bite pattern. The approach paid off

FISH WEIGHT PAYOUT

LEGEND BOATS / HYPER MARINE David Lane, John Picton

ANGLERS

jerkbaits, and 13 Fishing 71 medium Envy Black baitcast rod, 13 Fishing

Concept C reel spooled with 16lb Delux Amigo PE braid and 12lb Gamma leader for his spinnerbaits. While Cone used a Millerods Finesse Freak rod matched with 5lb Power Pro Bite Motion mainline and 8lb Gamma fluoro leader for his jerkbaits and soft plastic. 2nd place Team Paul Hopley Autos Marchant and Beazley started the thrid and final session in the Falbrook arm of the lake. “The first half of the session was essentially a repeat of session one with

said Marchant. Later in the session they moved to the main basin and picked up where they left off in session two throwing and working soft plastics along the weed beds and the weedless gutter between the weed bed and the bank. With a double figure catch card for the session the pair weighed in a 3.96kg for the session to claim another podium finish and pick up their third cheque for the tournament. Post event Marchant was acknowledging of his sponsors, both for the event and the year.

John Picton and David Lane with their 3rd place session limit. fish coming from the weed edges on plastics and the occasional topwater,”

“I would like to thank Paul Hopley Autos from Lake Macquarie for

sponsoring us. It’s great to have a sponsor outside the fishing industry. I hope this continues to help grow the sport. Also Darren Dizzy Borg from Diztek lures for his support this year,” said Marchant. 3rd place Team Costa/Smak Saving their best until last, Craig Simmons and Steve Kanowski hit main basin points in the final session to catch their fish. Fishing spinnerbaits (OSP and Smak) early the pair focused on the outside of the weed edge and worked their spinnerbaits with a slow roll, interspersed with the occasion jerk. The approach delivered them their limit by 8.30am. “The cloud came in around 9am so we decided to give topwater a run,” said Simmons. Throwing a combination of Imakatsu Dilema Poppers and Tiemco Soft Shell Cicadas, the Simmons and Kanowski caught multiple fish, with the bite lasting up until 10 minutes before the 11.30am end of the session. Fishing the dirty water gutter located between the inner weed edge and the water’s edge, the pair found the fish active and numerous, much to both Simmons and Kanowski’s surprise. “This was something that neither of us has seen

much before, bass hitting surface lures on a muddied edge,” said Simmons. The dirty water approach delivered them a 3.66kg limit for the session and saw them secure the final prize for the session and the tournament. OVERALL CHAMPION TEAM It was a dominant performance from Phelps and Cone with the formidable pair claiming a perfect score, top honours and Big Bass each session, to stamp their name on the overall winners’ trophy. Compiling a 12/12, 12.78kg limit for the tournament, Phelps and Cone attributed much of their success to many years of experience on the lake, particularly in conditions like those in the tournament. “St Clair can be a challenging place when the water is clear and has risen. But it suits our preferred style of fishing which is hitting the shallow edge,” said Phelps. For their perfect performance Phelps and Cone cashed in to the tune of $3,000. ABT would like to thank all competitors and event sponsor Edge Rods for once again making the event a huge success and one of highlight bass events of the tournament calendar. DECEMBER 2015

107

What’s New FISHING

ADVENTURES AND MISADVENTURES

Over five million Australians fish for fun,* which makes it one of our most popular pastimes. Indeed, the tradition of fishing dates back tens of thousands of years in Indigenous communities, so really it’s fishing not BBQing, surfing or footy that’s the quintessential Australian pastime. It Happened on a Fishing Trip is a collection of the stories that we can all relate to – the fishing adventures and misadventures of onetime anglers, amateurs and pros, families and friends, all in the stunning landscape of Australia. This book features stories, pictures and hilarious anecdotes from folk across the country, including authors and fishing royalty: Angela Pippos; Vicki Lear; Philip Weigall; Steve Starling; Greg French; Hilary McPhee; Krissy Kneen; and Vicki Hastrich. To be in the draw to win a free copy, cut out the entry form on page 56 of this magazine.

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

DAIWA MORETHAN SWITCH HITTER

Price: RRP $29.99 www.affirmpress.com.au

The new Daiwa Morethan Switch Hitter is a high-density, compact, sinking pencil developed to cast for topwater feeding pelagics. Precision tuned and balanced for long cast performance, and unrivalled in its ability to slip and slide with unmatched ease, this is the lure that sets a new standard in the ‘sliding technique’. Built for ultimate strength and big fish capability, the Switch Hitter has been finely balanced, with emphasis placed on an optimum swimming posture that darts under the surface, reminiscent of a fleeing baitfish. The flattened forehead allows the lure to dig in when twitched and ripped at high speed but also allows it to zigzag slide at low speeds. Though twitching and ripping is highly effective, this lure is also equally deadly when cast into a surface feeding school and allowed to sink. On the sink, the lure shimmies and slides, enticing feeding fish into striking. The Morethan Switch Hitter measures 85mm, weighs 20g and dives to 1m. www.daiwafishing.com.au

*From the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

ZEREK STEP SLIDER

The centrally weighted Zerek Step Slider is constructed from high-density lead to give the heaviest weight for the smallest profile – a combination that has been proving deadly on all manner of fish species. The central weight design allows the Step Slider to flutter on the drop, giving the appearance of a wounded baitfish fluttering to the bottom after a vicious attack from a predator above. This fluttering action is appealing to slower striking fish like snapper and nannygai, and it’s also extremely tempting for faster predators like mackerel and tuna that are picking up the scraps below. With four sizes currently available (20g, 30g, 40g and 50g) and seven fish-catching colours, the Zerek Step Slider is set to take your micro jigging to the next level. Whether you’re fishing slow or fishing fast, the Step Slider has you covered. Check it out now at your favourite tackle store. www.wilsonfishing.com

OKUMA AVENGER X

For 2016 the third generation of Okuma’s Avenger series has received a makeover and some important upgrades introducing the Avenger X. The drive system begins with a powerful forged aluminium handle arm with premium EVA knobs. On the interior, the precision elliptical gearing system includes machine cut brass pinion gear. Four ball bearings plus a Quick-Set anti-reverse bearing deliver fluid performance and commanding hook-sets. A solid aluminium bail wire circles the rigid, machined aluminium spool. The Blade Body Design is ultra compact and, along with the computer balanced rotor, is made from lightweight and corrosionresistant graphite. The spool is aggressively ported to reduce weight, and the spool arbor features braid lock knurling, eliminating the need for mono backing and increasing precious line capacity. The multi-disc oiled felt drag system churns out 3-11kg of drag. Available sizes are 25 (shallow spool), 30, 40, 55, 65 and 80, all backed by Okuma’s 10-year limited warranty. Price: from RRP $79.95 www.okuma.com.au

DECEMBER 2015

TT LURES DEMONZ JIGHEADS

Featuring the award-winning HeadlockZ grub keeper, TT Lures DemonZ jigheads are premium quality hand-painted jigheads, with realistic 3D eyes, built on Gamakatsu, black nickel, chemically sharpened, heavy wire hooks. The colour range has been customized by the Tackle Tactics Pro Team to match popular soft plastic colours and common baitfish species that inhabit our freshwater and saltwater systems. The HeadlockZ grub keeper is designed to suit the 10X tough Z-Man ElaZtech soft plastics, while also being suitable for other brands. It locks the plastic in place on the jighead so that you can cast hard and work the plastic aggressively. Even after a missed bite there’s a good chance the plastic will still be locked in place and swimming effectively, encouraging the fish to return for another strike. DemonZ are available in 1/6oz 1H and 1/0H; 1/4oz 1H, 1/0H, 2/0H and 3/0H; and 3/8oz 2/0H and 3/0H in seven colours, with three per pack. Price: SRP $10.95 www.ttlures.com.au

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SHIMANO LUGGAGE SYSTEMS

Shimano has released a new tackle luggage range in consultation with Aussie anglers. The range includes reinvented rod tubes, soft tackle bags, a water-resistant Banar Bag and the foldable jig case gear bag. Also to join the family are five luggage tackle bag concepts, including lifestyle and full tackle system backpacks, lure binder cases and wallets, and a double-sided egi case. All are made with heavy-duty adjustable strapping, reinforced handles, water-resistant and durable single-finger PVC zips. Some bags also include smart phone pouches and laptop sleeves. Prices are as follows: Gear Bag - $42; Egi Case - $17.55; Jig Case - $33.80; Lure Wallet - $32.50; Tackle Wallet - $32.50; Tackle Bag M - $78; Tackle Bag L - $89.70; Back Pack 25L - $58.50; Back Pack and Tackle Box - $91; Banar Bag M - $48.10; Banar Bag L - $54.60; 1.22m Rod Tube - $39; 1.90m Rod Tube - $58.50; 2.20m Rod Tube - $65. Price: from $17.55 www.shimanofish.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

SCAN THE QR CODE!

TICA GALANT GAAT SERIES

The new Galant series reels from TiCA are silky smooth reels full of exceptional features, and they’re also very reasonably priced. The TiCA Galant series reels feature a high tensile strength body, aluminium alloy spool, worm shaft system, thick bail arm system, instant anti reverse and feature TiCA’s RRB (rust resistant bearings) with each model featuring six RRBs. These reels also feature the new Easy Maintenance Oil Inlet System, which allows the anglers easy access to oil the reel without having to strip the reel down. On top of that, the Galants also have a carbon drag washer system that allows the reels to have superb drags, with the 6000 size featuring a max 10kg drag setting. The TiCA Galant comes in four sizes to cover most fishing applications, from a little 1500 size for finesse work right through to a 6000 size to cover boat and offshore fishing. Price: from RRP $129 www.jurofishing.com

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

ECOODA HORNET STICKBAIT

TIDE GUIDE AND ALMANAC

The Ecooda Hornet 180S Stickbait has two unique swimming actions. It has a sensational walk-the-dog action, which is constant in both smooth and rough conditions. The second action is what Ecooda calls ‘snake ‘n’ roll’, and this is achieved by pulling your rod tip slow and long across the water’s surface, giving it a very unique action that fish can’t resist. Whether you’re chasing GTs and coral trout, or spinning off the rocks for macks or tuna, the Hornet is ideal. The Hornet is 180mm long, weighs 80g and has a one-piece stainless welded wire for strength. It comes in four lifelike colour concepts, and its reflective prism tape insert creates added attraction in the water. Every angler has a hook preference so Ecooda has left the option up to you. Price: RRP $29.95 www.ecooda.com.au

The little orange Tide Guide is back! The publishers had thought digital predictions would replace print, but when a 2015 Tide Guide failed to appear in the shops, a huge outcry resulted. “We got it wrong,” a spokesman said. “About a hundred phone calls told us so. A few thousand others were more polite!” The 2016 Tide Guide’s predictions are now in the large typeface of the official BOM format, but users will not lose their familiar feet and inches. The back cover has a flap which folds out to become a placeholder. There’s a conversion table, a daily diary section, and a colour fish ID section with bag and size limits. The 2016 Angler’s Almanac has also been released, with all the usual features including colour fish ID photos and knot tying diagrams. The predicted best fishing times of each day and best days of the month can be used anywhere, and it also contains the 2017 moon phases. Price: $6.60 admin1@tideguide.com.au

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MURRAY MOTH BY LEAVEY LURES

The opening of the cod season is almost upon us (December 1), and there’s no doubt all those die-hard cod enthusiasts will be stocking up their big cod lures in anticipation for the event. One lure that is now on the topwater radar is the Murray Moth, new to Leavey Lures. This lure, designed by Yamba lure maker and tackle shop owner Mick Leavey, incorporates an awesome paddle/crawling action working alongside the movement of its jointed body. Cod find it irresistible! It took Mick 12 months of testing and tinkering with the design before he finally came up with the 120mm Murray Moth, which is available in six colour options and comes fitted with Owner ST56 size 2 trebles to handle these strong natives. For more information check out the Yamba Bait and Tackle Facebook page. Leavey Lures are available from Yamba Bait and Tackle or via phone/mail order. Price: RRP $26.95 Ph: 02 6646 1514

WILSON FOLDING NETS

With features like extendable handles and collapsible frames, the Wilson Folding Landing Net range is perfect for storage in tight spaces. These nets have environmentally friendly netting with large diameter mesh to avoid excessive hook tangling and keep fish in the best possible condition for release. With a flat base and steep sides, the net’s design means that once a fish is in the net, it stays in. The two models, Large (333FND1) and Snapper (333FNDSO), have some unique characteristics. The Large net has an extendable handle that can reach out to 1.8m! This net was designed with the aid of barra tournament experts who literally catch a barra as it jumps. This handle length makes this net ideal for larger boats and for shore- and pierbased anglers. The Snapper net has a fixed handle length of 90cm and is squarely aimed at the boat angler looking for an easy to store net that will handle large fish easily. www.wilsonfishing.com

ATOMIC 60MM VIBE

Atomic has released a 60mm Vibe in both rattle and silent versions. It’s available in all existing colours in Atomic range, plus some new colours as well – and these new colours will be spreading to all other Atomic lures soon. The goal for the designers was to develop a vibe that would work at a slower speed. They have achieved this with a unique design that allows the Atomic Vibe 60 to be worked at high speeds offshore and at very slow speeds in the fresh. This allows you to keep the lure in the strike zone for longer than you could with other vibration lures. It’s available now, so check it out at your favourite tackle store. You can also watch a video review by scanning the QR code on this page, or you can hop on YouTube and search for ‘AFTA 2015 Atomic Vibe’. Price: SRP $17.95 www.atomiclures.com.au

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109

What’s New FISHING

VIKING LIVEY TACKLE POD

Viking Kayak’s new Twin Livey Tackle Pod prototype has been put to the test by Stephen Tapp. Stephen has reported that the Pod allows him to easily transport live baits in one half, and tackle in the other half. The concept uses a high flow design so water exchanges rapidly, so you can run the pump on a timer if you want to conserve battery power. The output has an anti-siphon on it to stop the tank draining when the pump is off. This also directs the pump output to swirl and stir the water in the tank to help ensure there are no oxygen-poor spots in the tank. “The pump intake in the transducer scupper is completely self priming, making the system really easy to use,” Stephen said. “The four outlets overflow at a rate matching the pump to keep the tank full. The overflow outlets on either side are directly over the foot-well scupper for rapid draining, and have bungs.” www.vikingkayak.com.au

MARINEFRIENDLY SLSA SUNSCREEN

You’ve probably seen news stories about how some traditional sunscreens are harming the marine environment. A 2015 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) study said it’s estimated that every year, approximately 14,000 tons of sunscreen ends up in coral reefs worldwide. An easy way to do your part to protect the marine environment is to use Surf Livesaving Australia Marine Friendly spray. This clear mist spray comes in a 175g can and is certified SPF50+. It’s been tested and proven to be non-toxic to marine life, so now you can have the benefit of maximum sun protection with minimum eco-impact. And by purchasing Surf Lifesaving sunscreen, you are helping support surf lifesaving training and development programs Australia-wide. This product is oxybenzone and preservative free, and provides up to four hours of water-resistant sun protection. To be in the draw to win a Surf Lifesaving sunscreen prize pack, simply complete the Find-A-Word puzzle on the Fun Page in this magazine. Price: RRP $17.49 www.surflifesavingsunscreen.com

BLACK MAGIC FIBRE GLIDE

Black Magic SSP Fibre Glide is a PE line which is not braided. It is up to four times stronger than mono with a similar diameter, and has zero stretch and super sensitivity. This line features 1m indicator marks to give you better bite detection when your lure or jig is sinking. It’s supple and smooth, has outstanding castability and a fine diameter. Black Magic recommends that you use their high quality leader to minimise line abrasion. Fibre Glide is ideal for spinning reels, and for fishing soft plastics, squid, jigging, lure and bait fishing. It is available in 4kg (0.13mm diameter) and 6kg (0.18mm diameter) breaking strains in 150m spools. Price: SRP $24.95 www.blackmagictackle.com

PENN FIERCE II

The Fierce II comes in standard and LiveLiner models, ideal for all manner of bait fishing. Now, with improvements to the bail and spool, the Fierce II also enhances line management. The aluminium body and side-plate maintain precise gear alignment under heavy loads. The Fierce II stays smooth with four corrosion-resistant shielded SSBB, and it also has a heavy-duty aluminium bail wire. The spool is braid ready, eliminating line slip on the reel, and line capacity rings let the angler know how much line is on the reel at any time. The Techno-Balanced graphite rotor and bail configuration also improves line lay on the spool. The ultra-reliable drag system remains smooth and cool throughout battle. A machined and anodized aluminium handle is finished with a comfortable, soft-touch knob. There are 10 models, including four LiveLiners. Gear ratios range from 5.2:1 to 6.2:1 with weights ranging from 275-908g. Maximum drag on the 2500 is 6kg; 14kg on the 8000. Price: from RRP $119.95 pennfishing.com.au

DECEMBER 2015

TIEMCO W BUZZ

The W Buzz, one of the latest creations from Japanese company Tiemco, is a noisy topwater lure that’s fitted with twin fizzer props on the sides, a silver Colorado blade on the belly and a small cupped face. When fished with a simple straight wind the W Buzz creates an impressive commotion on the surface. It’s proven to be a very effective lure for catfish overseas, and in Australia it’s perfect for calling in those active Aussie bass. The Tiemco W Buzz measures 56mm long and weighs 13g. It’s currently available in five colours: 02 (green with a black stripe and pale belly), 04 (greenish gold with pale belly and black spots), 05 (black with white face and stripes), 07 (black with a red head) and 10 (gold with a black back). Price: approx. $30 www.ejtodd.com.au

PENN FISHING TOOLS

There is a spring-loaded Penn Plier designed for a wide range of applications, with 304 and 420 stainless steel wrapped in a titanium black nickel coating giving these tools maximum hardness, durability and corrosion resistance. Each tool has passed Penn’s extreme 168-hour saltwater and acid tests. Handles are non-slip and ergonomically shaped for comfort. The 7” wire cutters have sturdy, sharp jaws to cut through stainless steel single-strand wire cable up to 0.84” thick. This is a great companion to the 10” leader crimpers that can handle sleeves up to 0.08” in diameter. The all-around use Bull-Nose pliers from Penn come in a 6.5” size with plenty of torque strength. They’re equipped with side-mounted cutting jaws that feature replaceable blades. The 6.5” Parallel Plier is the ideal offshore plier for cutting wire, monofilament and hooks. The design produces extreme pressure on the jaws for heavy work, while the bypass cutters actually cut instead of pinch. Price: from RRP $44.95 pennfishing.com.au

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

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

What’s New FISHING

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

TESTED: Samaki Boom Baits are the bomb!

A close up view of the Lime Chatreuse 5” Bomb Shad in action. I like seeing new products that take a little bit of this, add a little bit of that, and when put together result in a great product with cool features. This is what we found at the AFTA Trade Show 2015 when the team at Samaki showed me their new range of soft plastics – Boom Baits. The Boom Baits are made of the 10X super stretchy plastic material that has

TESTED:

become popular with soft plastics in Australia - great for longevity and durability. The plastics have also been infused with a fish attracting scent to help entice bites. The range of Boom Baits also have UV enhanced options – a proven fish attracting addition to any lure. An interesting aspect about these new plastics is the rigging points along the top of the plastic. They provide a guide to where the hook point should come out of the plastic according to size of the hook in the jighead you are using. I’m the first to admit to being a klutz when rigging plastics so this is a great idea, and also a great help for those who are starting out and learning how to rig up and use plastics themselves. As the material is made of the super stretchy 10X material, I would suggest adding a dab of super glue to where the jighead meets the head of the plastic to keep it in place. Baits made from this material have the tendency to slip up the hook if retrieved sharply through the water. There are also jigheads available that are designed for this plastic type. We were lucky enough to be given some models of the Boom Baits to review before they hit the shops. The range comes in a variety of styles from your curly tailed grub baits for bream and bass, right through to your larger paddle tailed models which are perfect for your larger species. The Spider Prawn is unique bait and is a creature type lure that has bream and bass fishing written all over it. It comes in 2 sizes (40mm and 60mm). We had the chance to see this bait rigged at AFTA and swum in the casting pool. Its light tentacles and

legs flutter on the drop providing a fantastic natural presentation like a live prawn. We tried out a few models in both the salt and fresh water and picked out a couple of shapes we thought would suit our target species. Flathead were the target species in the salt and I found they loved the bright lime chartreuse colour of the 5” Bomb Shad. The paddle tail gave an irresistible rolling action when retrieved, and on a day that was fishing hard with some dirty water around,

Bob with a little jungle perch captured on a Boom Bait. this bait got the bites. A simple slow to medium lift and wind technique was perfect to get this plastic working all the way back to the boat. In the fresh water some of the smaller sized Boom Baits looked perfect for chasing jungle perch, so when sub-editor Bob headed up north on a trip he was pretty

keen to give them a run. The 3” Forking Jerk model in avocado pearl looked like a perfect natural bait presentation. Fished in shallow water with small twitches, these small finesse baits worked great and accounted for plenty of JPs. Overall I’m pretty impressed with the range and look forward to using them more in the future. Prices for a pack of Boom Baits start from $9.95, and they’ll be available in all good tackle stores from early December. For more information visit www.samaki. com.au, or scan the QR Code to link you to Steve Morgan’s interview with Samaki’s Josh Lowry regarding Boom Baits release at the AFTA Trade Show. - Ryan Limpus

Safeguard Cargo Net

It comes in a quality storage bag to keep everything together when not being used.

The Safeguard Cargo Net covers the Stratos 201 bass boat perfectly. There are a few things that can really spoil your trip to or from the boat ramp. Firstly, a police officer telling you that although you have packed all your gear safely in the boat, it’s not safely packed and you will need to pay a fine. Alternatively, you arrive at the boat ramp or home and find that bump you hit on the way was enough to dislodge a favourite outfit and send it on its way. Both situations can be avoided because I have found the solution. Safeguard Cargo Nets, formerly Gorilla Cargo Nets, manufacture certified cargo nets of various sizes and shapes that can be adapted to fit any open trailer boat of any length. Safeguard Cargo Nets have sold over 45,000 units over the last five years in Australia alone. These units have been purchased by SCAN THE QR CODE!

Fishing with these lures guarantees you a great day on the water.

government departments, local councils, tradies, 4WD enthusiasts and anglers who want the peace of mind that whatever they are covering will be protected and still there at the end of the trip. I tested the XXL size cargo net on a Stratos 201 XL bass boat and it fit perfectly and covered the decks from front to back. The cargo net is made of heavy-duty UV stabilised webbing material and incorporates eyelet anchor points for the carabiner style connection straps, which are attached quickly and easily. The buckle that comes with the fastening strap is easy to tighten or loosen as required. Everything about this cargo net screams heavy duty and quality. The webbing has been tested and has a certified load rating

of 544kg/2.6cm, and it’s backed up with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty. The net comes packaged in a zippered storage bag with side pockets to store the straps. Being the largest in the range, the XXL size net is quite heavy and I found it much easier to pull over the boat with two people (it would still be possible to do with one person, you would just need a bit more time). I’m sure the smaller nets are lighter and a one-man job. The dimensions of the XXL are 5.60m x 3.16m, suppling more than enough coverage for the internals of any larger open style boat. The next size down is the XL, which is 3.00m x 3.60m and would be more appropriate to put on an open tinny. Both these sizes come standard with eight tie-down straps. With more emphasis being placed on

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The adjustable straps are easy to tighten up the net. fining people for unsecured loads, and more and more stories about theft at petrol stations or even at traffic lights, the Safeguard Cargo Net provides peace of mind when travelling to and from your next destination. The cargo net could also be used to cover the boat during storage, to stop leaves and debris falling in, or transferred to other trailers or items during transport. It is a great deterrent to people who like removing things from your boat, trailer or roof rack while you’re not around. Although at the higher end of the price scale, these cargo nets are worth every cent in the way of quality, durability and peace of mind. For pricing and more details contact your local dealer. To find your nearest dealer go to www.safeguardnet.com.au - Michael Fox

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111

Kayak setup and storage BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

With some wild weather, I reluctantly shelved my planned camping adventure and decided it was time to take the opportunity to tick a job off the list and reclaim the floor of my shed. There were three kayaks

purchased along with a new kayak to get you started on your aquatic adventures. Let’s look at the PFD, paddle, and kayak seat and get started on clearing some floor space. PADDLE I often fish from paddle kayaks but even when I’m fishing from a pedal kayak I still ensure that I have a quality paddle at my disposal. Many new kayak packages include

A durable paddle is a must have when battling fish in snaggy country. dominating a fair amount of floor space and the plan was to wall mount them. With Christmas and the holiday period just around the corner, I’m sure there will be plenty of new kayaks finding their way into homes around the country and these too will need storing, so this article is dedicated to exploring some storage options for the three key accessories that are generally

a paddle, unfortunately these paddles are often very basic and heavy, made with an aluminium shaft, and often without drip rings with a chunky rectangular shaped paddle blade. The lack of drip rings on the shaft, just above the paddle blades, will see water running down with each stroke into your lap, or down your arms. The aluminium shaft may not seem heavy at first, however after a few

hours out exploring and fishing you will soon notice the difference a fibreglass shaft makes in comparison. The alloy shaft also becomes an issue in southern climates, transferring the cold into your hands and causing ache and discomfort. Finally, the chunky rectangular blades can do more harm than good physically and definitely don’t give you the return for effort of shaped kayak paddle blades. Many kayak retailers will allow you to pay a little more and step up to a better paddle from the start. This doesn’t mean that you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a paddle, but if you spend around $150 on the workhorse paddle of our kit, the Carlisle Simply Magic or something similar, you will gain a paddle with a fibreglass shaft, glass fibre reinforced injection moulded polypropylene blades with an asymmetric cut and have a cupped shape for plenty of power and an efficient stroke. This translates to a reasonably light paddle that is virtually bulletproof, a pleasure to paddle with and you don’t have to be afraid of pushing off from boat ramps and oyster rocks, or pushing it into the sand or weed flats to hold position. This paddle is ideal for beginner to intermediate paddlers and we have been giving ours a hiding for nearly a decade. In our kit we have paddles worth a few hundred dollars that feature carbon shafts and multi-laminate

fibreglass or carbon blades. These paddles are an absolute pleasure to paddle with, they’re super lightweight and you appreciate this when using them for long range missions offshore. I avoid using these paddles though when bashing through the skinny water or using the paddle to push off or anchor the kayak in the myriad of rocks, oysters, rubble beds, mangroves and snags of the rivers and estuaries, due to the relative fragility of high performance blades. SEAT Some kayaks come fitted with deluxe seating systems that provide plenty of adjustment, support and comfort to make your day on the water more comfortable, enjoyable and productive. Often kayak packages come with a basic paddle and also a basic seat with minimal adjustment and padding, so it’s worth upgrading the seat if the one that comes with

A comfortable seat is essential for multi-day missions. the kayak doesn’t look up to the task. For a small addition to

wear it. Should something go wrong, it’s not going to do you any good packed in your

Inflatable PFDs are popular due to their lightweight and unobtrusive design.

Left: A quality paddle makes your time on the water more enjoyable. A selection of the author’s paddles. Right: A quality sooty on a quality paddle!

the price you may be able to step up to a seat with more adjustment points, better quality construction and thicker, higher density foam for cushioning. This can save you money in the long run, if after a couple of trips you purchase a better quality seat and the original one finds itself gathering dust and cobwebs in the depths of the shed. PFD Buy a quality PFD and

hatch. I have been a long time wearer of the inflatable style PFD, due to the lightweight and unobtrusive design, but after replacing a couple of rusty canisters I am beginning to lean toward the foam style PFD as a preferred option. The foam PFD doesn’t require you to pull a cord once in the water, nor does it rely on a canister for inflation. There are now more kayak angler friendly versions with a design that

Profish Tackle Pod™ • Integrated Sounder, Transducer and Battery pod. • Completely removable in one easy action. • Large internal tackle storage facility.

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allows more movement, no bulky foam on the lower back to interfere with seating and plenty of storage pockets and attachment points for gear. Oh, and did I mention – wear it! STORAGE Now, you’ve unwrapped your new kayak, or like me they’ve been haunting the floor space in your shed for years, it’s time to work out where to store them. Manufacturers recommend that you do not store them flat on their hull on hard surfaces as this can cause flat spots, do not suspend them by their ends or carry handles as this can create a banana shaped kayak. Do not store them on a trolley as this can concentrate stressing and cause hull damage. Experts recommend storing them on the strongest point of the kayak by storing them on their side, either on

so are well and truly up to the task and a two person lift made it easy for me to lift one end onto one of the racks and then assist Sheri to lift the other end onto the second rack. Simple, secure, supportive and if we were ever to move house there are only four screws to remove the Aquaracks and rehouse them. RAILBLAZA – STARPORT WALL SLING For my crusty, sit-inside kayak, that sees plenty of action, I opted for the RailBlaza StarPort Wall Sling as it’s simple for me to operate by myself. Simply lift one end of the kayak, slide the strap around and clip it in, then move to the other end and lift it, slide the strap around and clip it in. This system also lays flat against the wall when not in use –in case we need to store a vehicle in the shed. The StarPort Mounts can be

Left: As you can see, there is very little hardware protruding from the wall once the kayak is removed. Above: The creek basher secured on the RailBlaza StarPort Wall Sling. of the shed I could also back the vehicle in and lower the kayak straight onto the roof racks, saving a lift at one end. I hope Santa brings you

something fishing or kayak related for Christmas and that you find some time to get out on the water during the holiday period. If your

time off happens to coincide with average weather though, maybe it’s time to visit your local tackle store for a new lure or two, or head out to

your shed to sort your gear for future adventures, hang those kayaks and find some floor space. See you on the water!

Images for illustrative purposes only.

GO Top: Aquaracks are rated to 80kg and suitable for craft of all sizes. Below: With all the kayaks out of the way, we’ve finally got enough floor space to find a new project – maybe some new yaks! the ground, or by suspending on their side using a padded cradle or webbing strap that distributes the load. These cradles or straps should be toward stronger sections of the kayak and not toward the ends, again to avoid the ‘banana’ kayak. SEA TO SUMMIT – AQUARACKS For my wife’s small, lightweight kayak I opted a pair of Aquaracks. These racks are simple to install. I inserted a length of timber into the framework of the shed to reinforce it, measured, drilled and used the supplied hardware to attach each rack. Being an open rack I am able to lift my wife’s kayak above my head, climb the ladder a few steps and insert the kayak into the Aquaracks. One kayak out of the way. I also selected Aquaracks for my big offshore paddle yak. They are rated to 80kg

unlocked so that the WebEyes and straps can be removed completely. I currently have another StarPort Wall Sling mounted high on the opposite shed wall to store my large Bazooka rod tube. This system is again quick and easy to mount, with two screws per StarMount and then simply insert the Webeyes into the mount and slide the lock closed. It took me about twenty minutes to measure, drill, install and hang the kayak. The weight rating is 30kg per sling (total 60kg), so it will handle most kayaks, canoes and SUPs with ease. With the wall full and only my pedal kayak left to trip over I am currently investigating the range of hoist systems that are on the market. Not only could I free the last area of floor space, but by lifting the kayak up toward the insulated ceiling

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Cooking

Seafood Gazpacho BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Gazpacho is a tomatobased soup made of chopped raw vegetables and served cold. This soup originates in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. In this version, we add seafood such as crab meat and whole prawns to make a delicious Seafood Gazpacho.

Any colour capsicum can be used in Gazpacho, however, I like a capsicum colour contrast to the vivid red of the tomatoes; hence I tend to use either yellow, orange or green capsicums (or all three). With regard to the leek, I prefer to use the white part only (having some of the pale green parts in the mix will not be a problem); the roots and the dark green leaves are trimmed away and discarded. Slice

the leek in half lengthways, wash well and then cut into thick slices. Use a glass bowl for chilling the tomato mix and for the completed Gazpacho. Using a metal bowl may react with the acid of the tomatoes and limes to impart an unpleasant metallic flavour to the chilled soup. My food processor is a Magimix food processor; it’s my choice for the ‘chopping’ in this recipe.

Recipe 4 large very ripe tomatoes cut into quarters 1 capsicum, deseeded and cut into pieces A good dash of Tabasco sauce Freshly ground salt, to taste 1 leek, predominately the

Process tomatoes and capsicum in your food processor until they’re of a liquid but chunky consistency, and then pour this mixture into a large glass bowl. Add salt to the tomato mixture, followed by the Tabasco sauce. Place the glass bowl in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour.

Process leeks, garlic and onion in the same way.

Heat the canola oil in a frypan over a medium heat. Now add the leek mixture to the hot oil in the frypan and sauté for about five minutes until the ingredients in the leek mixture have softened. Next, sprinkle the chilli powder over the sautéed leek mixture.

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white part(s) only 2 cloves garlic, finely grated 1 red onion, cut into quarters 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon chilli powder 500g small green prawns,

peeled and deveined 250g crab meat 2 limes, juiced 1-2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped (garnish)

Shift the leek mixture to one side of the frypan and add the green prawns to the cleared area of the frypan. Cook the prawns, turning them occasionally until they are pink. Stir well to combine the cooked prawns and the leek mixture together.

Add the prawn mixture to the tomato mixture together in the glass bowl (from the fridge). Add the crab meat to the tomato and prawn mixture in the bowl. You can add the chopped flat leaf parsley to the bowl and mix again. Pouring in the lime juice, and mix it all in together (using a fork) before returning the bowl to the fridge for a couple of hours to chill thoroughly. The nearly completed Gazpacho just needs to be garnished with coriander in a bowl prior to chilling in the refrigerator.

The completed Seafood Gazpacho. To serve, divide the Gazpacho between either individual glasses or bowls (I used martini glasses for a bit of fun in the photo). To garnish, sprinkle a few of the finely chopped coriander leaves over the top.

Pay peanuts, get monkeys, or an NRL star! BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

There’s an old saying that if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys, and that’s true. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that if you don’t pay peanuts you’re not going to get monkeys. Sometimes you pay through the nose (in my case that’s a lot of nose and a lot of money) but would gladly settle for a monkey, or any ape like relative. Or even an NRL player. On the other hand, it doesn’t always follow that if you do something on the cheap you’ll be getting something that’s going to last as long as an Australian Prime Minister. Or even longer – maybe two weeks! So basically, what I’ve managed to say is that that old saying is crap. Let’s start again. It has been mentioned around the blithering gathering that is the Dudds that I might tend to do things a little on the less expensive side. The words ‘cheap b******’ may have been mentioned on the odd occasion, and sometimes on the even one as well. To be fair, it’s only mentioned occasionally, mostly because their time is taken up whinging

about some other irritating habit of mine they want to bring out into an open forum, as long as that open forum doesn’t include my presence. To be even fairer, the other Dudds and I don’t spend a great deal of time together because they’re too blowy to

get into my boat for any longer than it takes to put it off the ramp and onto the water. As long as the ramp is concrete and no longer than 5m, the slope is shallow and the water is no more than about 5mm deep. And I’m not in the car or the boat and the motor is

not running. In fact, as long as I’m not within sight or hearing of the situation! This of course reduces but does not totally eradicate personal risk. So maybe they’re right, and I do things cheaply. Boobies was scoffing at my live bait tank the other day. He

was in his fancy-dancy Trophy with everything in place and working, and Skipper was nearby with his barge-arsed monstrosity and also his boat that also has everything laid on, so it’s unfair of them to make fun of me just because my thirty year old hull needs

bits and pieces added on. Combine that with my limited budget allocation from the Minister for Finance, Corrective Services, Major Events and Terrorism and you’ve got a situation where I have to make do with what is available. So a rubbish bin out the back tied on with bailing twine is all I get for a live tank. So what if the lid falls off occasionally? So what if the water scoop and pump unhook from the battery every so often? So what if the rock that keeps the tank from falling off the transom makes the boat list a little to port? You get these slight imperfections in any boat. It doesn’t mean I’m any less successful at fishing. Let me rephrase that. It doesn’t mean I’m any less successful than the other Dudds at fishing. The only problem I have with being a little on the frugal side is that I’m getting this feeling that I take my boat out these days not to catch fish but to find out what parts work badly, work partly or don’t work at all. It’s a bit like going to the gym really. Or going to bed. Just ask the Minister for Finance, Corrective Services, Major Events and Terrorism.

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THE RECREATIONAL ANGLER’S LINK NO NET ZONING DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE SECTION: SUNFISH •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Merry Christmas Queensland recreational fishers! At midday 1st November, Queensland had its first three ‘Net Free Areas’ enforces near Cairns, Mackay and Keppel Bay. This decision went to the wire with the LNP doing everything it could to scuttle it with a disallowance motion. While the party line was that the LNP didn’t oppose ‘Net Free Areas,’ they opposed due to a lack of consultation and that the payment package offered was insufficient. These points collapse under three very important facts. To start, all east coast net fishers, whether they held an N1 endorsement or not were written to and offered the opportunity of an individual meeting in addition to the

public port meetings to discuss their individual situations. Personal consultation is not something we have ever seen before. Secondly, the initial packages offered were in excess of 20% higher than what the previous LNP government offered in their net buyback program. This was then added to with further payment packages. Take for an example, a net fisher in the Cairns Trinity ‘Net Free Area’ who has fished 21 days per year over the last three years in that area. Based on these payment package figures he could receive $18, 000 for his commercial boat license, $90,000 if he only had an N1, N11 and C1 (that is a netting, crab and

bait endorsement), $21,000 payment for Settlement Scheme, $20,544 for Impact Alleviation Scheme. That is a payment of $149,544 for only fishing a total of 21 days per year over the last three years – most of us work about 235 days per year. If he netted one week per month that payment would be $274,174. This is hardly an insignificant payment for only a small number of days’ effort. Sitting LNP members openly declared their opposition to ‘Net Free Areas’ in parliament. Ve r i t y Barton (Broadwater) said she was “Incredibly concerned about the emails that I have seen which indicate that the Labor Party clearly intends

to roll out net-free zones right across Queensland. This is just a continued betrayal of the people of Queensland.” Andrew Cripps (Hinchinbrook) echoed these sentiments, “I am very concerned about what this minister’s plans are for fishing in this state… there are many people who want to eat fresh seafood caught in Queensland but are not necessarily able to go fishing themselves. Their access to domestic seafood should also be considered as part of this issue. I believe that many of those people were among the 26,000 Queenslanders who signed the petition opposing this regulation tabled by the member for Nanango during the last sitting of

parliament. We also cannot dismiss the impact it will have on seafood wholesalers and retailers and other downstream businesses. An impressive 2224 Fisheries and Another Regulation Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 14 Oct 2015 Queensland fisheries are internationally recognised as being well managed. We do have bag limits. We do have size limits. We do have seasonal closures. We do have different coloured zones that regulate the take of seafood by recreational and commercial fishers. In addition to these, commercial fishers, including operators in the net fishery, must adhere to a large volume of additional regulations. Labor’s proposal will impact

on the livelihoods of families across Queensland due to the nature of commercial fishing licences. The issue of displacement of effort as a result of these particular net-free zones has not been widely discussed or acknowledged. This will put more pressure on the fisheries elsewhere, increase competition for the resource elsewhere and create more conflict between commercial and recreational fishers elsewhere. But perhaps that is Labor’s intent.” Discussions in relation to a Net Free Area in Moreton Bay are due to commence early in the New Year. Keep an eye out for public information meetings, petitions and support activities.

JUNIOR ANGLERS

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• On Saturday 17 October the Junior Anglers Association ran an event on Moreton Island that has been running since the early 1950s. The Junior Anglers Association was originally founded by Jack

their Saturday to assist on this day each year. Additionally, without the support of generous sponsors this event would not have lasted the 60 years that it has. If you’re able to support these companies in return

more than 100m from where the Micat landed. Not long after, Brendan Dunstan from Wynnum State High caught the first bream a little further north. As the day progressed fish were caught steadily along the beach. In all, eleven flathead, eleven whiting, two dart, six bream and one long tom were caught. As well as the impressive array of prizes these kids took home, they also had valuable one on one guidance all day from some of the best fishermen in the country. Thank you to SQAFCA anglers Martin Cowling, Barry Pollock and Barrie James. These guys came prepared with specialty

Steven Murphy from Clontarf High with a cheeky little bream. The kids had an awesome time on the beach learning new skills and sharpening their angling abilities!

Callum Devantier from Iona College with a 2.5kg flathead, absolutely stoked! Alvey, Keith Peel and Ben Perkins in an effort to promote the benefits of fishing to students who may not previously have had the opportunity. We had 75 anglers gathered in anticipation at the departure terminal of the Micat by 8:30am, many of who had travelled a considerable distance for this event. Organizers are extremely grateful to the teachers and volunteers freely give up

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for their generous support of junior fishing it would be greatly appreciated. The day on the beach certainly started well. The weather was clear with little movement on the water, and was starting to look like it a very good fishing day. Many seasoned club fishers that helped on the day were surprised they couldn’t convince the young anglers to throw a bait at a very promising looking log not

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rigs made up and some great fresh baits. Many thanks to them, their help was greatly appreciated. The kids fishing for bream and whiting didn’t miss out though, Dr Paul Palmer provided some mangrove wrigglers that he is developing at the Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre. The Bribie Island prawn farming project uses marine worms as ‘vacuum cleaners.’ Waste nutrients discharged by the prawns are bound in small algae and plankton which lodge in the sand and are consumed by the worms. Junior Anglers Association and Sunfish Queensland appreciate your assistance Dr Palmer. Next month I will provide some interesting details about his project. Part of the angler education process for juniors

is providing them not only with the mechanical skills but showing them the best baits for the right conditions. This includes how to look after bait, the fish they release, and those that they keep. After a long day on the beach, parents collected some very tired but happy kids, some with fish, but all with memories of a great day. The kids took away some new skills everyone had prizes, gifts and information packs.

Email: judylynne@sunfishqld.com.au

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Product Profile

13 Fishing Muse Gold When I heard about a new range of rods coming out from 13 Fishing I was eager to see what they were going to be like. Being a huge fan of the Envy Black series, I was interested to see what sort of developments they’ve made since the introduction of the Omen and Envy bloodlines a few years ago. The new Muse Gold rods feature a softer taper than what

swallows the lure. Although these new models feature slightly softer actions, I still find them to be very responsive and with that ever so satisfying ‘crisp’ feel. This is probably due to a slightly downsized Kigan guide train, and partly due to the high quality graphite used in the blank’s construction. The first glimpse I got of the Muse Gold series was

in my lure without the rod tip striking the water surface with every movement. As the rocky, timber lined bank slowly dwindled and made way for a shallow weed bed, I picked up the 72ML Muse Gold. Equipped with a 1/4oz Bassman jighead and plastic, the slightly longer length gave me ultimate control on the end of a long cast to keep the plastic just

The Muse Gold has also proven successful on bream for both Charles and Peter.

Peter Phelps has been impressed with the performance of the new 13 Fishing Muse Gold, testing it at Glenbawn, one of his favourite dams. I was used to with my beloved Envy Blacks. The softer action lends itself well to light line applications like bream and bass fishing. This is very true when you need a soft sensitive tip to either feel bites or help with timid hook sets. In situations like crankbaiting for bream, they’re just perfect, where a long soft rod helps absorb the runs and head shakes of the fighting fish. Or the situation I’m more familiar with, fishing soft plastics at Glenbawn Dam for bass. Here the bass bite so timidly I find you need a rod with a very sensitive tip to detect that split second where the bass commits to swallowing the lure, which allows you to set the hook with perfect timing. It’s not uncommon to feel a bass biting at the tail of your soft plastic for 2-3 seconds before you feel the tell-tale ‘bump’, as the fish

when Tom Slater showed me a few photos of the then secretive models. I instantly fell in love and could not wait to have a play with them. In the hand they are everything I had imagined. The beautiful combination of cork and Eva foam grip makes the rod very comfortable in the hand. Gold trimmed accents make a very visually pleasing rod, but being attractive doesn’t always make for a workhorse performer out on the water. My first cast with the 69ML model amazed me with the distance I achieved. Usually I’m a fan of 7ft+ rods, but this little 6’9” was taking my fancy pretty quickly. The slightly shorter length made easy work of the close quarter targets around the timber-lined banks of Lake Glenbawn. Working a 70mm jerk bait, the shorter length allowed me to rip the rod tip downwards, to mimic that killer darting action

over the top of weed, then drop my rod tip as it nears the edge following the contour of the structure. Being a tournament bass angler, my equipment is pivotal to my performance on the water under pressure. I

cool dark gold blank these rods certainly look the part. Complimented with high quality cork and Eva handles, the Muse Golds have to be one of the best looking rod series I’ve seen for quite some time. There’s no point looking the part if you can’t stand up when it counts, and the Muse Gold certainly stands its ground when it comes to fishing. It’s good to see a range of spin rods that have a slower

why you would choose one rod over another, it’s a good starting point. I have managed to use 2 models over the past month, the MGS72ML and the MGSA69L. Let’s start with the 69. You might notice the addition of the ‘A’ inside this rods model number. As with all 13 Fishing rods, there is a lot of input from Australia. This particular model was developed by the guys in

Charles West loves flicking soft plastics for dam bass, and the Muse Gold was perfect for this application.

The aesthetics of these rods are second to none. 120

DECEMBER 2015

want to be able to cast further and with more accuracy than the next guy. That gives me more chances at catching those trophy fish that you need to win tournaments. I feel the new Muse Gold certainly gives me these advantages. With a model to suit every light spinning situation check them out online or at your local tackle shop. – Peter Phelps • • • • • • • • • • • When I first saw the Muse Gold rods I thought about how good they looked. With the gold trim and the

action. I’ve become used to the fast and extra fast actions that are so prevalent these days. Instead, the MUSE Gold rods have a nice soft and springy mid-section but remain crisp and responsive, something that I’ve found many rods with this taper lack. My general rule of thought has always been a faster taper rod for anything with a single hook, and a softer rod for lures equipped with treble hooks. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule but if you’re ever wondering

Australia to expand the range into the realm of ultralight bream, bass and trout fishing. This light powered rod has a casting weight of 1/401/6oz, so it can cope with a wide variety of lures. I love using this rod to cast small crankbaits and for twitching small jerkbaits. The soft action is great for lures with treble hooks, as so commonly fish are hooked outside the mouth and pulling hooks can be problematic. I like to call this my small lake assassin rod. Anyone that knows me knows

I love Maroon Dam and its great bites on small jerkbaits, light plastics, and surface lures. I know I can pick up this rod with any of those lures and it will have the versatility to do the job. The other rod I have been fortunate enough to use is the MGS72ML. It has a cast weight of 1/8-3/8oz with a moderate fast taper, which makes it very versatile, from casting soft plastics to small vibration baits and mid-size crankbaits. I have been using a lot of 1/4oz-rigged plastics of late and have been amazed at the casting distance I can achieve. I did mention that I like a faster taper rod for fishing soft plastics, and that is mostly true for when I am twitching or hopping a plastic. When it comes to slow rolling small paddle-tail plastics in lakes for Australian bass, I actually find a slightly softer taper works better as the fish tend not to smash the plastic on the first bite, but rather nibble much like bait fishing before hooking up. The slightly softer tip of this model compared to the rod I normally use actually makes it easier to detect the bites without spooking the fish from feeling the pressure of the rod. For all you saltwater guys, I think this model would be the perfect all-rounder for versatile estuary fishing. It’s light enough to cast a small bream lure a long way, yet has enough grunt to fish 12-15lb braid and chase flathead, school mulloway, trevally or any other typical estuarine species. The MUSE Gold rods are on the shelves of good tackle stores now and I can quite confidently say they are one of my favourite rods from the ever growing stable of 13 Fishing. – Charles West

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121

Deluxe Sweetwater 220 WB with 175 E-Tec BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

This massive 16-person capacity tri-hull pontoon craft is certainly not your ‘standard’ fishing craft. However, with its huge comfort levels, immense stability, overall roominess,

Now, with all the luxurious features aboard the Sweetwater you could be forgiven for thinking that this is a very special sort of boat. Which it most certainly is. STRONG TRI HULL CONSTRUCTION A quick overview of the big alloy pontoon style tri-hull reveals massive tubes

PREMIUM LAYOUT White Water Marine of the Gold Coast supplied the test boat – the Premium edition Sweetwater 220 WB (for wide body). This model has all the bells and whistles. In fact, the term ‘Deluxe’ just might not do it justice! Overhead there are twin biminis, set up with built-to-last, robust alloy

A side view of the Sweetwater shows just how large this craft is. The 175 E-Tec is all the power this boat needs. I’d only go up to maximum 250hp if the local football team and mates were likely to be aboard often (max 16 persons).

Sleek and functional moulding was a feature of the Sweetwater’s helm area. Note the large bezels for instruments, cup holder, speaker and, overall, the appearance of a luxury fit out. and power and performance to spare thanks to the 175 E-Tec astern, the Sweetwater WB 220 definitely has appeal for family boaters looking for a great fishing/cruising all-rounder to use in semisheltered waters. And even more so if they like to do some entertaining, as the big Sweetwater has a svelte looking, glass-topped wet bar with stainless steel sink and adjoining classy looking stools for those special times when it’s time to kick back and relax.

And there’s more! Complementing the underseat storage are similarly well set-up areas beneath the mouldings for the wet bar and helm area. In all, the designers have put all the available space to excellent use. One innovative feature I really liked was the pop-up changing cubicle room on the port side of the Sweetwater

(amidships) opposite the side boarding gate. The fabric cubicle is designed to remain tucked way in the front of the aft lounge until required, and then hinges outwards and upwards to free stand on its own frame. I’m told it can also be set up with a toilet. The skipper’s moulded module, incorporating the helm area, featured a tinted

designed to plane at low speed, provide stability and immense buoyancy. There’s a strongly constructed platform onto which the upper superstructure of high sides, flat carpeted floor and other on-board appointments all combine seamlessly. This craft is 7.37m long, 2.59m wide, and 1551kg in weight. The welding of the alloy pontoons, incidentally, is neat rather than invisible but certainly in keeping with the overall presentation of the craft as a top quality vessel that’s a pleasure to own.

SPECIFICATIONS Length....................7.37m Beam.....................2.59m Height.................. .1551kg Max hp...................... 250 Max persons...............16 Price....................$86,900

There’s no shortage of comfort while seated up front. Rated for up to 16 persons, at least 10 could sit up here. That portable ice box would also hold the day’s catch.

The comfortable bar stools have height adjusting levers. 122

DECEMBER 2015

windscreen, large bezel instruments, Sony stereo sound system plus panels of rocker switches. A door to port within the moulding allowed access to the large storage space below, and I saw sufficient room for another ice box to tuck in there as well. I found the skipper’s slide adjustable seat to be very comfortable, quite supportive and well bolstered. The craft was easily helmed thanks to hydraulic steering and the seamless power of the 175 E-Tec astern on an extension of the middle pontoon.

frames, to ensure nobody on board is exposed to nasty summer sun. Paired massive lounges adorn the bow, and there’s another aft, opposite the skipper’s helm seat. All up, there’s certainly a lot of room to sit comfortably and enjoy the ride on the fabulous seating that’s an outstanding feature of the craft. Up front, set between forward lounges, was a portable ice chest equipped with a drink holder. Handy for tucker, drinks and the catch of the day as well. All the plush lounge cushions lift to provide storage space within well-sealed compartments below, so even with a full complement aboard there’d be enough storage room for clothing, PFDs, towels and lots and lots of fishing gear.

REVELLING IN THE CHOP Test runs were within the Southport Broadwater in somewhat choppy conditions at times. They did nothing to faze the Sweetwater whatsoever. This is one big boat: solid as a rock and with

Looking towards the stern there’s a lot to please the eye. A very high standard of upholstery is matched by the deluxe wet bar with its sink and under storage area, as well as the well bolstered seat for the skipper.

There’s close to all the comforts of home here thanks to the wet bar’s facilities and under storage capacity. The drink holders are set into the glass top, and the speaker for the sound system is in the rear of the port lounge seat.

The Sweetwater’s pop-up, free standing, change room can accommodate a toilet. very little imprint on the water at speed thanks to the well-designed pontoons with their solid keel strips. With two aboard, the massive tri hull eased onto the plane at a mere 16.5km/h (2000 rpm) and peaked at 73.3km/h at 6000rpm. Cruising at 48.4km/h at 4000rpm would seem very

practical, as noise levels from the 175 E-Tec were low and there was plenty of power in reserve. Towing skiers would be very easy with this craft given the inherent power. Maximum engine ratings were to 250hp, and trust me – things would be really humming with that sort of power on tap.

SUMMING UP My overall impression of the Sweetwater 220 WB is that it’s an all rounder for both boating fun and fishing. It would likely be confined to estuary or bay work in suitable conditions, which is in line with the genre. As a family fishing rig, this big lady would be simply brilliant; there’s all the comfort in the world, shade from the twin biminis and room to spare. The finish is top shelf, nothing is left to chance, and the fit-out is as good as it gets. Entry and exit is facilitated by locking gates fore and aft as well as one

central to port. Note that you might need to moor the Sweetwater. She can be trailered but there are some restrictions as she’s pretty well oversized at 2.59m in width. Priced at $86,900, it’s a lot of boat for the money. For more information check out White Water Marine’s website at www.whitewatermarine. com.au or give them a call on (07) 5532 4402. • 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.

Running along at near 50km/h, the big Sweetwater made easy work of Broadwater chop. Most people would run the craft at this speed (at 4000 rpm) as it would still cover a lot of water in an easy, laidback manner. Note that tiny amount of wash for a 22 footer, due to the minimal imprint of the tri hulls underway.

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123

Robalo’s R207: ultimate family/fishing crossover

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

The challenge that a lot of anglers face in their boating life is when they make a family. When you’re young and carefree, you get to buy a boat that gets you to where the fish are. That’s your focus.

Fast forward to later in life, you have a partner and kids and all of a sudden their safety and comfort trumps your need for the ultimate fishing craft. Historically, crossover boats compromise in all areas, but on a Robalo R207 we tested recently, imported by Aussie Boat Sales, there’s a mix of creature comforts and fishability that we’ve rarely seen.

The windscreens are high enough to see through while seated and over while standing. Sometimes manufacturers get this wrong.

SPECIFICATIONS LOA............ ..20’7” (6.27m) Beam......... ....8’4” (2.54m) Weight on water... .1588kg Max hp....................200hp Deadrise......................18° Draft..........................37cm Fuel............................227L Capacity...........8 persons Livewell.......................49L Now, upfront, let us tell you that this isn’t a boat that’s in the same price range as other, locally made offerings, but if you bear with us you’ll see that the serious features well and truly justify the serious price tag. We caught up with Scott O’Hare at his marina at Williamstown in Melbourne, at the mouth of the Yarra River – a superbly located family business nesting a fleet of Chaparral fun machines. Aussie Boat Sales is also the dealer for that other iconic American brand – Robalo.

Your most valuable piece of fishing tackle.

“The 207 is my favourite boat in the Robalo range,” Scott said, as we hid from the wind at the restaurant in his Anchorage Marina complex. “It’s unashamedly a fishing boat, although if you’re getting some pressure to have a craft that can tow a ski or tube, then it does that with style.” The boat is broadly a bowrider configuration, although when you ditch the creature comforts you’ll find that there’s a very functional casting deck up there. Additionally, although the test boat wasn’t fitted with one, you can definitely add a long shaft trolling motor to satisfy your need for boat control while casting. Other features are nearly too numerous to name, but again, for the angler, an underseat livewell on the transom PERFORMANCE RPM. Speed Fuel (km/h) (L/h) Idle...............2...........1.9 1000.......... 6.5..........3.2 2000...........13..........9.5 3000...........29...........19 4000...........48...........28 5000...........64...........58 5200...........69...........65 • 5.6 seconds to plane

ticks a lot of boxes, as do the Targa rod holders. You are able to fit an electric motor at the bow if lure casting is your deal, and the front gunwales are wide enough to get up and cast off if you feel that you’re standing too low on the front deck. Wet storage for

by most twin-cab 4WD utes and larger. Scott has fantastic knowledge of all things Robalo, including the Kevlarreinforced hulls and meticulous build process that’s born from decades of manufacturing experience from the brand.

See yourself and the family in the 207? As tested, this rig, on a trailer, will set you back just over $90K. Prices start from the high $80K. skis or kneeboards is between the consoles. Naturally, all deck fittings on the 207 are stainless steel and suitable for saltwater use, while through-hull fittings are bronze. This boat is built to last. Eminently trailerable, the test boat was supplied on an Australian-spec twin axle trailer. This size boat is towable

Give him a call on (03) 9397 6977 for more information on this boat, or their Robalo or Chaparral brands. • 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. VIDEO

This book will provide many new insights to even the most experienced fishers. View sample pages and purchase online at: www.howtouseafishfinder.com 124

DECEMBER 2015

There isn’t one piece of wasted space under the deck. Rainproof storage lets you keep either tackle or day tripping gear safe and dry.

Scan this QR code to watch the full interview with Scott O’Hare from Robalo.

Beside the helm is massive underfloor storage. The helm itself has a broad array of switches and controls, but you may have to sacrifice a cup holder if you want to add a larger sonar screen.

You see this more and more nowadays – helm seats with a hinged cushion that acts as a lifter or as a backrest. It’s all about the functionality in this Robalo 207.

Hidden under the comfortable rear lounge is a 50L livewell with LED lighting and a blue gelcoat finish. In practice, this could be easily used as a kill tank as well. Remove the cushions and there’s ample room for lure casting on the front deck. Additionally, the gunwales are wide enough for anyone who’s half nimble to get up there and increase their angle on the fish. These are the features that get the kids across the line – a fully enclosed and lockable mini-cabin with a portable toilet.

Americans definitely win the ‘who can make the best anchor storage’ competition. Nearly all American saltwater boats I’ve seen have excellent hanging-anchor wells that are built for the purpose and do their jobs well.

Robalo’s Hydro Lift hull is efficient, self draining and backed by a 10-year warranty. Practically, hose down is easy. There’s an on-board deck wash for keeping things tidy during a trip, and clever design to make hosing down a cinch when you get back to port.

The 200 Honda now comes with a 7-year warranty and pushed the 207 up onto the plane in 5.6 seconds – both with and against the wind. The concealed ladder is a nice touch.

R260

www.robalo.com 03) 9397-6977

Time to get serious.... DECEMBER 2015

125

What’s New BOATING

SIERRA FUEL INJECTOR KIT

Fuel additives and fuel alone cannot clean away layers of deposits when the engine is running. The only proven method is by removing the ‘stale’ fuel (the cause of the deposits) and using a fuel system cleaner periodically. By using Sierra’s Fuel Injection Cleaning Kit regularly, you will help maintain the fuel injection system’s cleanliness and performance throughout the life of your engine. For best results, use E-GO! Blast Fuel Cleaner (S18-8606). To also enhance the motor’s life and performance use Sierra’s E-Go Boost (S188607), suitable for both petrol and diesel motors. Simply add to your boat’s fuel tank. The Sierra Fuel Injection Cleaning Kit includes a Cleaning System Container, a hose, a small fitting, a large fitting and also a carry case. Cleaning your fuel with the Fuel Injector Cleaning Kit will only do good for your engine and save you lots of money in the long term. www.bla.com.au

FLAT STICK

Tackle Addict Australia is proud to introduce this revolutionary new product to the Australian boating and kayaking fishing community. Tackle Addict Australia has flown under the radar for a number of years distributing quality apparel and producing an outstanding range of custom built surface lures to a select number of national clients. Tackle Addicts enters the boating/kayaking market with the Flat Stick! Flat Sticks are designed to make your flats fishing productive and hassle free. Flats Sticks are a rod and bracket system designed to slow or stop a boat’s drift across the flats. Flat sticks consist of an aluminium bracket and highquality composite rod to create the ultimate flats fishing tool. With a range of fixing options available to suit all types of craft including a no drill bracket, which slips under your bow mount electric, installation is a breeze. All components are build tough for the harsh Australian saltwater environment and designed to last. – Tackle Addicts Australia

MORNINGSTAR HYDRO HULL

Morningstar boats* are revolutionary when it comes to construction, appearance and performance in the worldwide aluminium market. The Hydro Hull sets these boats apart from mainstream alloy craft. Traditional alloy boats use a basic frame structure of horizontal and vertical ‘C’ and box section frames for their support structure. Morningstar’s advanced technology allows them to press a sophisticated and stylish design into a previously rigid alloy medium. The three pieces of structure consisting of the sides and bottom pressing are robot-welded to create a very strong outer shell and ‘exoskeleton’. This ‘unibody’ concept is also used in high-end sports cars, aeroplanes and bicycles. The ‘Origid’ deck structure provides the internal structural integrity. Incorporating the 6mm internal keel, the backbone of the deck structure, the Hydro Hull skeleton is cemented in place with the welding of the Origid deck frame. Morningstar’s rigid exoskeleton shell and Origid deck structure combine together to form the Hydro Hull. *A Taiwanese company, not a Korean company as stated in Wayne Kampe’s article in the November issue.

www.morningstarboats.com.au

NORTHBANK 650HT

DECEMBER 2015

South Australia’s premier boat builder, Northbank Fibreglass Boats, has just released a new model of its ever popular 650 Hardtop. The new 650HT still uses the same 1400kg dry hull with a 2.44mm beam and 930mm of freeboard. The difference is the new toughened glass top which increases visibility from the helm, and lets much more natural light into the cabin. The new lid has also freshened the look of the 650HT into more of a contemporary design, while being functional and robust at the same time. Another positive is that the new lid can be retro-fitted to all existing 600 and 650 cuddy models opening up a whole new market for current owners of these models. The new 650HT will also save time in the build process, so from a manufacturing point of view this also made a lot of sense. The new 650HT looks great and will certainly stack up against the competition. www.northbank.com.au

Adelaide-based Redarc Electronics is releasing the next generation of its award-winning electronic brake controller Tow-Pro, with sights firmly set on the export market. The Tow-Pro Elite, launched in October, incorporates a number of new features that will result in smoother braking for motorists towing heavy trailers and caravans. It also features ‘Active Calibration’, which means that once fitted to the customer’s vehicle, the Tow-Pro Elite will automatically calibrate itself, even without a trailer attached. Redarc’s Managing Director, Mr Anthony Kittel, said Tow-Pro Elite had undergone extensive quality control and product development at Redarc’s Lonsdale headquarters. “We continue to set the industry benchmark for innovation in electronic technology,” he said. “Since its launch in June, 2014, Tow-Pro has become one of our most popular products, being used by people who tow caravans and camper trailers, horse floats, boats and the like.” www.redarc.com.au

TWO-PRO BRAKE CONTROLLER

QUINTREX NEW HORNET RANGE

Quintrex has updated its Hornet series for 2015 with the entire range now featuring the successful Fighter Series bow. The Fighter Series features a wide ‘forked’ shaped bow, designed to improve stability at rest and also increases internal storage room and the casting area. The Fighter Series bow was first released in 2013 exclusively to the 450, 481 and 500 Hornet Trophy models and after rave reviews was developed for the entire Hornet and Hornet Trophy range as well Quintrex’s renowned Explorer range in models 390 and above. The new 2015 Hornet Trophy range is packed with features, some of which are premium carpet as standard on all models and a new look side console on models 450 and above. The 440 Hornet Trophy features a rear casting platform with a live bait tank, a front casting platform, rod holders, transducer bracket and smooth look 2mm marine grade aluminium top sides making it one serious fishing rig, suitable for a range of different applications. www.telwater.com

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au 126

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Trades, Services, Charter MARINE MECHANICS

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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.

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory BOAT MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS

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MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

www.reelrepairs.com.au 110 Sherbrooke Rd, Willawong Qld 4110

The Islander Retreat, South Stradbroke Island 0420 967 557 Hemingways at Tin Can Bay (07) 3219 9376 Bribie Island Real Estate (07) 3408 1006

FRASER ISLAND

BOAT TRANSPORT AUSTRALIA WIDE FROM A TINNY TO 50 FEET WEEKLY SERVICE TO ALL MAJOR CAPITALS

Fraser Island Fishing Units INDIAN HEAD

DJ Freight Marine Transport 0418 793 357 0427 341 076 contact@djfreight.com.au

For bookings or enquiries contact: Cliff Andreassen 0428 712 283 or 07 5449 9346

MARINE TRIMMERS

A FISHO’S DREAM

bearfish@bigpond.com www.fraserislandfishingunits.com.au

MOBILE MARINE CANOPIES Canopies Bimini tops Cockpit covers Front and side clears Full boat covers Upholstery Pontoon carpet ... and more!

Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364 Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177 Apurla Island Retreat 0437 739 121

OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Fraser Island Beach Houses 1800 626 230 Yidney Rocks (07) 4127 9167 Eurong Beach Resort 1800 111 808

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Martin Costello 0434 615 936 www.mobilemarinecanopies.com

GOLD COAST

Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883

Servicin Phone/Fax: 07 3372 2740 or major b g all call Duncan on 0439 717 839 rands Email: dhreelrepairs@bigpond.com Drag upgrades available • Rod repairs • Mail orders welcome

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

BRISBANE

Phone 3807 7846

e parts needs repairs and spar el re ur yo l al r Fo

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

VISIT www.salt-away.com.au SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

ce Reel Performan

Southeast Custom Rod Building and Repairs 0438 055 877

U-Make-Em Sort Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

1800 091 172

Salt-Away www.salt-away.com.au

D&H REEL REPAIRS

Advance Marine Upholstery GOLD COAST BOAT COVERS & CANOPIES • Biminis • Canopies • Storm Covers • Camper Covers

• Boat Carpet • Pontoon Carpet • Jetty Fenders • Clears

Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587

PH. You can do07 it all 4937 at the Bay! 3145 Baffle Creek Holiday House 0419 624 833

www.advanceupholstery.com.au

Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

www.stanagebay.com

PH: 07 4937 3145

ALL WORK IS GUARANTEED Call Simon 0412 763282 E: info@advanceupholstery.com.au

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

BAIT-ICE-TACKLE

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel Plenty of room for boats and trailers PH: 4069 5222

HINCHINBROOK Cardwell Beachfront Motel - www.cardwellbeachmotel.net (07) 4066 8776 or info.cbmotel@bigpond.com

CMY

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

Trades, Services, Charter Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory FRESHWATER Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746 Lake Boondooma Caravan Park (07) 4168 9694 Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872 Yallakool Park and Kiosk on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

CHARTER BOATS NORTHERN NSW Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0428 828 835 Reel Time Fishing Charters 0428 231 962

GOLD COAST

BOOK NOW FOR WHITING KAYAK FISHING TOURS SOUTHERN BAY • GOLD COAST

HALF AND FULL DAY TOURS • Hobie kayak and fishing gear supplied www.kayakfishingtours.com.au Phone for bookings

0439 714 345

Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726 MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201 Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727 Bundaberg Fishing Charters 0429 017 217 Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686 Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 MV James Cook (1770) (07) 4974 9422 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234 Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911 Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

FISHING ON TV

Eclipse FNQ Weipa Charters 0488 058 668 Fish’s Fly & Sportsfishing Weipa (07) 4069 9957 Action Charters Mackay 0417 452 346 Fishing Charters Townsville 0403 386 722

IDEAL GIFT!

BURDEKIN JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324 Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044 Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027

FISHING GUIDES SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412 Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428 Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0411 605 090 Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469 Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330 Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929 Gone Fishing Charters Gold Coast (07) 5529 7833

Fish Taxiderist www.fishtaxidery.net.au or 0428 544 841

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

Suncoast Barra Fishing Park www.suncoastbarrafishing.com

True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622 BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034 My Charter Boat Tweed Heads 0407 347 446 RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366

FISH TAXIDERMY

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

DVD’S -

Series 2 through 8

$19.95 each GST INC. - with FREE P&H

1800 228 244

Advertise here - $195 + GST for 6 months Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au BRISBANE Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576 Tom Cat Charters (07) 3820 8794 Moreton Island Fishing Charters 0413 128 056 Brisbane Fishing Charters 0427 026 510 Bucket List Fishing Charters 0428 368 316 John Gooding Outlaw Charters 0418 738 750

SUNSHINE COAST Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Smithy’s Fishing Charters Sunshine Coast 0407 574 868 Top Catch Charters Sunshine Coast 0429 013 012 Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814 Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402 Sunshine Coast Fishing Charters (07) 5500 0671 Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956 Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170 Hervey Bay Fishing Charters (07) 4125 3958 Incredible Charters 1300 655 818

HERVEY BAY

Fully Guided Lure & Fly Fishing •

BORN AND BRED LOCAL GUIDE

• 5.5m Custom sportsfishing Vessel • 4.4m Estuary Sportsfishing Vessel • Quality Fishing Gear Supplied

www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

This huge Spanish mackerel was caught by 10-year-old Rebecca inshore at Tin Can Bay with the help of her mum, Emma. The Spanish was 1.35m long 15kg, and she landed it on 8lb braid and 10lb trace hopping a 1/2oz blade, it took her one and a half hours with a bit of help from mum.

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Bite Me Fishing Charters Yeppoon 0419 029 397

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

Black Pete Marine Pty Ltd PO Box 3094, Allambie, NSW 2100 blkpete@bigpond.net.au www.blackpete.com.au | 02 9905 7888

FREE HP UPGRADE SAVE UP TO $1977 ON THE 80-150HP RANGE

PLUS AN AMAZING

MERCURY FINANCE RATE

OF ONLY 4.99%

So get in to your nearest participating Mercury dealer or go online to check out these amazing deals and finance offers.

HURRY OFFER ENDS FEB 26, 2016. www.mercurymarine.com.au *Terms & conditions apply. Savings are based on RRP including recommended SmartCraft Kit and subject to change without notice. Prices exclude local freight charges, Fit up and local statutory charges. Offer available on selected new consumer FourStroke outboards from 80 to 150hp purchased from participating dealers from Friday 20th November until Feb 26th, 2016. Ask your participating dealer for full list of models in the program. Offer is subject to availability and engines must be 2014 build onwards and installed and registered by no later than April 30, 2016. Offer not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or rebates. **Terms, conditions and credit criteria apply, offer available over a maximum 36 month term on Motor and Repower only. The comparison rate is based on a secured loan of $30,000 for a term of 5 years at an annual percentage rate of 4.22%. The amount of credit provided to you and the term of the loan may be different to this. WARNING: The comparison rate only applies to the example given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Finance is provided by Mercury Finance Pty Ltd ABN 28 156 248 092. Australian Credit Licence Number 421347.