Queensland Fishing Monthly - February 2015

24-PAGE TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE INSIDE

How-To

NEW

The Bristol knot • The big tease •

Find the VMC logo SEE INSIDE! COMP

INSIDE

Features

Tried and Tested

The Tinnie and Tackle Show • Sportfishing The Great Sandy Straits • Sweet water jungle jack • Fisheries: change in freshwater legislation • John Dunphy remembered •

13 Fishing Baitcaster • Platypus Platinum + braid • Quintrex F-Series Explorer • Mercury’s new 4-S 115 v 125 Optimax • Bonito’s 5.6m tiller • Karnic Bluewater 2250 •

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Black Magic 12lb Fluorocarbon tippet and Black Magic 4kg+ Rainbow Braid were used by Lee Rayner to catch this estimated 12lb trout while fishing in Tasmania.

This 35kg cobia was landed

by Jessy Higgs on Black Magic 80lb Tough Trace and a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook while fishing off Hervey Bay.

Andrew Pierson, Marshall Emery and Billy Stewart landed these spanish mackerel using Black Magic 80lb Tough Trace off Fraser Island.

This impressive 7.1kg snapper was landed by Dave Parratt on a Black Magic KS 4/0 hook while fishing in Port Philip Bay, VIC.

Black Magic 100lb Tough Trace and the Black Magic Equalizer gimbal and harness were used by Adam Epifanis to catch this excellent kingfish while fishing from Forster, NSW.

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YOUR PHOTO COULD APPEAR IN OUR ADS! If we use your photo in our advertising you will receive a FREE BLACK MAGIC CAP AND PRIZE! Include your name, address, fish weight, where you caught it and which Black Magic or Wasabi products were used. Send a high resolution image to: photos@blackmagic.co.nz

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February 2015, Vol. 29 No. 4

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES

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Ballina 24 Iluka 26

SPECIAL FEATURES

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

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

OUR COVER Angus James and a tropical flathead.

An Angus James image

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The Tinnie and Tackle Show Sportfishing The Great Sandy Straits The Bristol knot Sweet water jungle jack Change in freshwater legislation John Dunphy remembered

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Boating 100 Back to Basics 18 Camping and 4WD 98 Cooking 94 Dam Levels 76 Flyfishing 81 Freshwater 76 Fun Page 96 Kayak 84 Sheik 95 Sunfish 110 Suntag 97 Tournament News 90 Tech Tricks 92 What’s New in Boating 108 What’s New in Fishing 86

ABT TOURNAMENT GUIDE We think you’ll enjoy the bonus 24-page ABT Tournament Angler Guide we’ve included in this issue. If you’re a budding competitive lure angler, it’ll definitely help you with the information you need.

But if you’re not, there’s a lot to learn from the anglers who have proven themselves to be at the top of their field. Take the time to read about their favourite lures and techniques and their success can help make YOU a better angler.

TINNIE AND TACKLE If you want to catch up in person, QFM will be at the Manly Tinnie and Tackle Show on the first weekend in March.

Make sure that you drop in, say g’day and take advantage of our current subscription offer.

ION

REGULAR FEATURES

Dunphy and pioneering angler and author Vic McCristal both left us.

John was a visionary tackle importer, designer and advocate based in Sydney who took Shimano from zero to hero in Australia as a tackle brand.

We have an in-depth interview inside that Steve Starling completed upon his retirement that puts some of his life’s work into perspective.

Cardwell-based McCristal hadn’t been well since Cyclone Yasi and older anglers will most likely remember his insightful prose. He not only pioneered many modern techniques, but was able to communicate them to the masses.

Whether you’re aware of it or not, your recreation is the better for both of these gentleman’s efforts.

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Whitsundays 66 Ayr 67 Bowen 68 Townsville 70 Lucinda 71 Hinchinbrook 72 Cairns 73 Port Douglas 74 Karumba 74 Cape York 75

footage from the Mercury outboard shootout and the launch of the F-Series Quintrex Explorers. In both cases, you get to hear straight from the industry experts about their views on the tests or products.

So the QR code will take you straight to the page on YouTube that has the appropriate content. Most of the time it’s been made by us as we do the test to create the written content.

We think that it’s a great way to add to the experience of reading the magazine and if you’re unsure how to download or use any of the QR scanning apps, get a Generation X to do it for you!

PASSING OF LEGENDS It’s with great sadness that we relay the news of the passing of two industry legends in January. Shimano Australia’s godfather John

CI

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

DO YOU QR? We know from our subscriber data that our readership demographic is males from 25-65 years old. We also know that increasingly, there’s an uptake of smart phones with internet access.

With not all of us being Generation-X technically savvy, it might be a good time to point out what a QR code is and how you use it.

A QR code is that little box with a pattern of pixels inside it. There’s one at the bottom of this page (that points to our Facebook Page). You use an app on your phone to ‘read’ the code and it will direct you to a place on the internet.

At FM, we usually use a QR code to point you to video content that augments the stories that we publish. For instance in this issue, you can see the

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Rainbow Beach 50 Hervey Bay 50 Fraser Coast 53 Bundaberg 55 Lake Monduran 56 Rockhampton 60 Yeppoon 62 Mackay 64 Stanage Bay 65

From the Editor’s Desk...

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CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

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Tweed Heads 28 Southern Gold Coast 30 Gold Coast Canals 32 Gold Coast 34 Jumpinpin 36 Southern Bay 38 Brisbane 40 Brisbane Offshore 43 Northern Bay 44 Southern Pumicestone 46 Caloundra 48 Noosa 49

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

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99CM 107CM 117CM 117CM fishing line recommended FEBRUARY 2015

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Brisbane’s BIGGEST Marine & 4X4 Show MARCH 6-8 AT MANLY BOAT HARBOUR, BRISBANE

The Australian 4×4 and Marine Expo 2015 The Brisbane Tinnie and Tackle Show and Explore Australia Expo are proud to present the best from the elite of the outdoor industries from March 6-8 at Manly Boat Harbour, Brisbane.

The Australian 4×4 and Marine Expo will be offering you unprecedented educational platforms, workshops, seminars, activities and challenges for you to participate in.

Personalities and identities will be on hand to share their knowledge and industry leaders and experts will offer advice, solutions and inside tips.

DOWNTOWN TOYOTA ON WATER DEMO ZONE One of the best things about the new location is that it’s situated right on the water, which means there’s some exciting new aspects being added to this year’s show.

The On Water Demonstration Zone will feature jet skis, boat launches and a few extra surprises!

As well as keeping you entertained, professionals will also aim to educate you on how to operate in both emergency and day-to-day situations.

Stay tuned for the full On Water Demonstration Zone schedule on the website.

YAMAHA SUPERTANK Ever wondered what the fish see when you’re casting those lures? The Yamaha Supertank gives the spectator a fish’s eye view.

This spectacular 15m long, transparent mobile fish tank harbours natural habitat and loads of fish.

Brett Thomson and Michael Cooke demonstrate the many different types of fishing lures on today’s market, showing you how the fish react to them and the different techniques used by many of today’s top anglers.

Demonstrations are done from an aluminium boat so that it’s just like fishing on the open water. All aspects of fishing will be covered, including safety with eyewear and footwear, knife sharpening, electronics and great holidays spots.

Brett is a former two times ABT BASS Angler of The Year and full-time fishing guide and Michael is a seasoned angler with about as much experience as you can have! Both will be conducting shows throughout the day

to help you improve your fishing, strike rate and overall experience next time you’re on the water.

THE ENGEL FISHING STAGE The Engel Fishing Stage will host some Australia’s most respected names in recreational fishing. There’ll be talks, shows and giveaway!

between his toes and hate for footwear led him quickly to become known as The Barefoot Fisherman.

Hodgie’s been working full time in the fishing industry for over 15 years. In that time he’s enjoyed guiding 4WD and fishing enthusiasts around Cape York, putting clients onto barra, threadfin,

You don’t want to miss out on seeing any of the guests that are due to line up with a couple of them listed below.

Hodgie ‘The Barefoot Fisherman’ Dave Hodge, or ‘Hodgie’ as he’s known to many in the tackle industry, has fished since he could walk. Hodgie’s love of the natural earth

mangrove jack, trevally and heaps of other tropical species.

Widely recognised throughout the country as the precision caster with a baitcasting outfit Hodgie’s demonstrations are second to none and his information has helped many the keen anglers master the art of lure casting.

With a contagious and charismatic lust for life and passion for the sport of fishing and the outdoors in general his presentations on the Engel Fishing Stage will be a must when you visit the Show.

Ernie Dingo Ernie Dingo is an Australian actor and television presenter originating from Western Australia who become known for being a great comedian in some of his acting roles and for being a successful on-screen personality. He gained a well-respected reputation as a presenter of The Great Outdoors, a family program about holiday places throughout the world and in our own backyard, discovering new and exciting places to travel and exploring new adventures.

A charismatic and open person, you have to come and explore the great outdoors with Ernie Dingo.

Mathew Hubbard

Visit the team at the 2015 Tinnie and Tackle Show to receive $500 off Toyota Genuine Accessories*

With over 20 years experience in the local surrounds, Mathew has been working on board Firebird with Moreton Island Fishing Charters for the past 5 years.

Even though Mathew has been fortunate enough to fish in many remote locations around the world his deepseated passion lays in the Brisbane River.

Come and check out Mathew’s talk which will cover the Brisbane River: different methods of fishing and gear to target specific species, as well as the best fishing locations and the type of fish you may encounter. Don’t miss the local knowledge and hot tips with Mathew!

KIDS FISHING CLINICS There will be Marine Zone Stations where kids and parents can work their way around the various activities at their leisure.

Plaster Mould Painting The younger kids will choose from a selection of plaster moulds to paint. The moulds will be dry enough to take home by the time they finish the clinic.

Salt Water Tank Salt water tank 1: Children will be shown various sea creatures and estuary fish for identification.

Salt water tank 2: There will be a variety of dangerous fish such as bull routs, stinger rays etc.

This will also include an interactive discussion with the children.

Fishing Kids will learn the art of casting a rod. They will be fishing directly into the marina and baiting hooks and hopefully hooking and landing a fish.

Cast Netting Kids will be taught how to throw the custom-made 4” cast nets. And, depending on space, maybe able to cast these into the water.

Yabby Pumping Kids will learn how to use a yabby pump with water crystals and soft plastics in a specially designed container.

Red claw Tank Children will use lengths of string and various baits to try to catch red claw.

KIDS TACKERS PROGRAM The Brisbane Tinnie and Tackle Show will not only showcase one of the most diverse product offerings in the events history, but the organisers have teamed up with Yachting Qld for the Manly Harbour event which will run from the 6 – 8 March, 2015.

Yachting Qld will bring the kids Tackers program to the foreshore of the Manly Harbour which is a great introductory, fun games-based sailing program designed for kids. Kids don’t need to have any sailing experience and they don’t have to be a member of a club to participate in the free program which is aimed to educate and inspire. To register, please visit the Tinnie and Tackle website page.

EXHIBITORS GET DOWN TO DOWNTOWN TOYOTA At Downtown Toyota it’s easy to turn life’s journey into an exciting adventure. No matter what kind of fishing you’re into, we have a Toyota vehicle that’ll enable you to enjoy the very best of life’s experiences.

As the Official Motor Vehicle Partner of the 2015 Tinnie and Tackle Show we will be displaying a range of vehicles fitted with Toyota Genuine Accessories at the On Water Demonstration Zone to reveal how you can take away that ‘Oh What A Feeling’ experience! Terms and conditions apply. Visit the team at the show or purchase a vehicle during February and March to receive $500 off Toyota Genuine accessories!

Make sure you get down to Downtown Toyota at this year’s Tinnie and Tackle Show to catch a deal on your new vehicle.

For more information call 1800 983 920 or visit www. downtowntoyota.com.au.

GET SORTED AT SPRINGWOOD The crew at the iconic Southside dealership Springwood Marine are proud to be showcasing their impressive line up of

BOOK ONLINE AND WIN

Call 1800 983 920

753 Wynnum Road, MORNINGSIDE 306 Tingal Road, WYNNUM downtowntoyota.com.au

*All parts and accessories are supplied and fitted at normal recommended retail prices. Offer begins 1st February 2015 and is valid to 31st March 2015. Offer valid upon presentation of this advertisement or as a result of sale at the 2015 Tinnie and Tackle Show. Offer excludes government, rental and fleet customers.

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FEBRUARY 2015

Book your tickets online and go into the draw to win a Maritime Experience presented by Get Into Boating. Tickets can be purchased via the tinnieandtackle. com.au Facebook page.

Brisbane’s BIGGEST Marine & 4X4 Show MARCH 6-8 AT MANLY BOAT HARBOUR, BRISBANE

Quintrex, Yellowfin, Four Winns and Kevlacat boats at this year’s Tinnie and Tackle.

If it’s a Quintrex you’re after, Springwood will have some great show specials on boat, motor trailer packages.

While you’re there, take a look at the exciting Quintrex I Beam Aluminum trailers.

Yellowfin plate boats are manufactured locally in the Telwater factory on the Gold Coast. They’re a serious boat for serious offshore fisher and you’ll be able to get an on board tour by talking to the friendly sales team at Springwood at the show.

If you’re in the market for a new outboard, Springwood Marine will have you covered with both Evinrude and Mercury engines. The new 75-115hp Mercury 4-stroke range that are currently making serious waves in the boating industry will be on display as well as the space age designed Evinrude E-Tec GEN 2 engines.

Kevlacat are famous for their serious offshore fishing boats with their special Kevlar construction and fully sealed bulkhead. The revamped Kevlacat 2100 Offshore will proudly be on display at the Springwood stand.

No matter what your boating requirements, the team at Springwood Marine

will be more than willing to steer you in the right direction while at the Tinnie and Tackle.

For more information visit www. springwoodmarine.com.au.

SUN2SEA PROTECTION Sun2sea UV protection are again at the Tinnie and

Tackle Show keeping us protected from the sun and out on the water longer with their range of Australian-made 50+ UPF fishing and boating shirts. This year they’re proving again they are the innovators in Sun Protection, they have released their range of 50+ UPF long pants in the

same lightweight WetnDry 50+UPF fabric, just like the rest of the range, starting with the Ocean Blue Camo and the ever popular Green Camo.

Through their constant R&D and customer feedback, their existing customers have wanted a WetnDry long pant

for outdoor pursuits. These pants are packed with features, like large cargo pockets (great for your plastics), side pockets (for your phone, jigheads, pliers), a D clip for lip grips keys, and so much more. They will be a hit for boating or kayaking anglers and awesome for walking the

banks and wading through the skinny water, while still giving maximum sun protection in and out of the water.

And not forgetting the ladies, a new sundress has been released for lounging around your boat or down the beach or BBQs. It comes in four great colours – turquoise, royal, white and coral red.

As always they will have their ever trusty loose fitting polo, new trick colour ranges for the ladies with new colours for the sun hoodie, and camo kids shirts, sun shoal, bandana, neck sox fingerless gloves.

This year’s stand will be like a sun protection supa-store with everything needed to keep you 50+UPF maximum protected all day, everyday. Best of all it is made

by Aussies for the Aussie sun – look cool, be cool, stay cool.

For more information visit www. sun2seauvprotection.com.au.

NORTHSIDE MARINE STAND This year’s Tinnie & Tackle Show is going to be massive for Northside Marine, and we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary, where we will have some fantastic specials on offer. We will have on display all your favourite brands, which includes three of the biggest alloy brands on

the market today – Stabicraft, Stacer, Surtees. The precise fabrication techniques and innovative designs put these ahead of the rest, and cater for the most hardened of anglers, or for simply taking the family out for a cruise to Moreton Island or up the Brisbane River.

We will also be launching the new range of Whittley Clearwater fibreglass boats that are ideal for South East Queensland conditions. So be sure to see all the latest models at the Northside Marine stand at the show.

The Northside Marine Boating Parts & Accessories will be showcasing all your favourite brands at great prices. We will have all the latest marine electronics on display from Lowrance, Simrad, Furuno, Garmin, Furuno, Raymarine and GME. So for quality advice, and great prices, checkout the Northside Marine Boating Parts Team, they are happy to help.

For more information visit northsidemarine.com.au.

STONES CORNER MARINE Stones Corner Marine are extremely excited about this year’s Manly Tinnie and Tackle Show as we will be showcasing a couple of new models from both Bar Crusher and Sea Jay.

The new Bar Crusher 730HT will be making its debut in SEQ as it is the first time we have stocked this fantastic boat. It will be fitted with the Yamaha F250XCA and loaded on an Easy Tow tandem aluminium trailer. If a serious offshore fishing boat is what you are looking for then this is the boat for you.

The other boats in the Bar Crusher range that we will have on show are the 615C, 615HT and 670HT. There will also be a Bar Crusher available for water test by booking only.

With 2 new models hitting the market in the Sea Jay range, there will be some exciting boats to see on our INFORMATION Show Dates Fri 6 – Sun 8 March 2015 Venue Fairlead Crescent, Manly Opening Times 9am to 5pm daily Entry Prices Adults:.................. $13 Adult 2 Day Pass:. $20 Seniors: ............... $11 Kids Under 15:... FREE

Plate Xtreme models are a FULL PLATE construction with structural strength second to none!

Plate Xtreme Models:

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Pursuit Full Cab & Glass Screen // Freedom Centre Cab // Striker Sports Console // Preda King Centre Console Available in hull lengths 5.1 to 7.6 in there various models

Available Factory Direct: 2 Maddison Court Bundaberg Ph: (07) 4152 2111 | www.seajayboats.com.au | /SeaJayBoats FEBRUARY 2015

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Brisbane’s BIGGEST Marine & 4X4 Show MARCH 6-8 AT MANLY BOAT HARBOUR, BRISBANE

stand. One that will be a big hit in SEQ will be the Avenger 440. This is a heavy-duty, tiller steer boat that is rated to 60hp, ideal for Moreton Bay. All boats on display are fitted with Yamaha outboards.

Make sure you come check us out at this year’s show.

For more information visit www. stonescornermarine.com.au.

JOHN CRAWFORD MARINE Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists – John Crawford Marine will be proudly supporting this magnificent on-water show at Brisbane’s boating epicentre.

We welcome assisting fellow trailer boat owners with any questions relating to

their boats value and how we can assist in offering our established and proven services in buying and selling.

Either if you’re considering selling your late model trailer boat – we make an otherwise difficult and time consuming process simple and hassle free with your choice of sale – consignment or selling out right.

And if you’re in the market for a pre tested, quality, compliant trailer boat, then head on over and see the large range of pre-owned trailer boats available to purchase.

Our webpage is updated daily with quality photos and a well-versed description of the package and overview.

We look forward to talking with you at this

wonderful new show on the water!

For more information visit www. johncrawfordmarine.com.au QUINTREX Quintrex is kicking off their 70th Anniversary with a bang at the Brisbane Tinnie and Tackle Show. A large number of dealers are

If offshore fishing is more your style Quintrex has you covered as well with the new Trident Hard Tops also on display. These fishing rigs are built with the serious fisherman in mind with extra attention applied to find the ultimate layout and design for when you’re reeling in a catch offshore, the end result

attending with a wide range of new models on display.

You can even catch the first glimpse of the new F Series Range of Explorers and Explorer Trophies, featuring a new hull design with wider chines, greater stability and extra storage room. These seriously tough tinnies have stronger side sheets and a sleek new look, thanks to a new pressing design that increases strength by up to 50% compared to previous models.

has created every fisherman’s dream boat.

For more information visit telwater.com.

STACER Stacer Boats has 3 dealerships showcasing new models at this year’s show with a range of the new models on display including Stacer favourites Outlaws, SeaWays, Easy Riders and Ocean Rangers!

If you are looking for that perfect entry-level runabout with room for friends and family, you can’t go past Stacers Seaway Range. With models ranging from the bestselling 429 Seaway up to the 539 model, this versatile range will suit most boaties.

If you love your fishing you can’t go past Stacer’s Assault and Assault Pro range revolutionising tournament style fishing. These newly released models feature a sharper entry point combined with a wide beam to creating a smooth ride and unbeatable stability underfoot.

For more information visit telwater.com.

SAVAGE FIBREGLASS Make sure you don’t miss Savage Fibreglass at this year’s Tinnie and Tackle show, especially Whitewater Marine’s brand new 655 Cabin fitted with the new Evinrude E-Tec G2 outboard.

The 655 Cabin provides a smooth and clean ride being perfectly moulded to glide through the water and matched with the Evinrude G2 200HO. There is plenty

WIN

s t e k c i T t l u d 2xA tal to 20 x Tickets in ay! to be given aw

Simply complete the form below and mail back to Fishing Monthly by the 20/02/2015 and go into the draw.

The competition will be drawn Friday the 27/02/2015 and winners will be sent their tickets by mail.

Mail To: Fishing Monthly PO Box 3172 Loganholme Q 4129

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FEBRUARY 2015

of power to suit any boater’s needs with top performance ensured whether you are out fishing or enjoying some water sports action.

DIAMOND DECK GIVEAWAY Make sure you visit the Diamond Deck stand for the launch of the new Marine Grade Adhesive Foam Decking and be in the chance to win daily prize giveaways.

The team will give two lucky punters a piece of 1500mm x 340mm x 5mm to take home and try for free!

Diamond Deck is a no nonsense non-slip product that will add safety and protection when applied to the deck, seats or gunwhales of your boat. It is easy to clean and a dries quickly, as no water is absorbed. Unlike carpet, after a hose down it won’t stay damp and leave a fishy smell that lingers on.

Diamond Deck is 5mm thick, which is enough to cushion the ride when applied to tinnie seats, while still maintaining a sleek look and reducing the sizzling heat. It is equally at home on the deck below the console reducing shock and fatigue.

Don’t miss your chance to try and test this amazing product.

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SEE US FOR A SUB! As always, you can meet the crew from Fishing Monthly at the show and sign up for a new or renewal subscription to your favourite fishing and boating magazine.

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Get into sportfishing The Great Sandy Straits HERVEY BAY

Mark Bargenquast

During the past 10 years’ guiding in Hervey Bay, I have had many people ask me what fishing is on offer in The Great Sandy Straits.

Without a little bit of local knowledge, it can be very tough — finding the fish, navigating the numerous channels and sandbars, and working out the tide heights can be hard going.

The Straits start from Tin Can Bay in the south and run right up to Moon Point, however, ask any local and if they go fishing ‘down the Straits’ it is generally a term for ‘south of River Heads’.

This area from the mouth of the Mary River to the top of Tin Can Bay is the focus of this article.

As usual in South East Queensland, we have 2 major seasons, summer and winter. Summer is realistically the best time to sportfish the area. The Mary River and the surrounding region has the second highest

commercial catch rate of barramundi in the whole east coast of Australia and, going by catches I have seen in the past, shows staggering numbers of barra and salmon are available in this area (we are talking double figure tonnes per year).

Recreationally, they can be tough, as the Mary system runs very dirty depending on tides and rainfall, making it almost impossible to get a bite on lures unless you keep placing them right on their noses.

I remember talking to a pro barra netter working in the river and he told me of a 93 and a 97lb barra going through the co-op when he was working there years ago as a kid. These were wild salty barras, not hatcherybred specimens either. My 12-year-old son recently caught and released a 132cm fish, and a mate of mine lost one of similar size, so they are there!

Most of the fish in the river are constantly moving, often holding on a spot/ rockbar/eddy or snag for a

short period before moving along with the tide, giving the angler a small window to get the bite. Things are a little easier further down the Straits where tidal movement is usually less harsh; find the fish in the holes and snags, keep working at them and eventually you will get a bite.

The bottom end of the Mary is a maze of rockbars, sandbanks and channels.

During early summer, before rainfall dirties up the water, I have seen big golden trevally, queenfish, threadfin salmon and giant trevally on the sandbanks. The goldies are happily tailing on yabby banks, while the queenies and GT are hunting garfish, mullet and whiting. These flats are also a great spot to try popper fishing for whiting on the last of the ebb tide. Big pikey bream and grunter are around the snags too, so they are worth a cast.

Small GT can be fun on light tackle during winter.

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Tony Risley caught this big golden trevally on fly tackle on a Sandy Strait sandbank in early summer.

Around the corner heading south from Shoulder Point (the eastward point of the southern side of the river mouth), a maze of flats, creeks and channels start. Honestly, it would take years to investigate it all, it’s massive. Opposite the mainland along the island around Wongoolba Creek, Ungowa and Deep Creek, there’s a few barra, threadies and jacks at times on the ledges, plenty of grunter and flathead, and the everpresent bream and tailor in winter.

Occasionally schools of longtail and mac tuna make their way down in here, and these can be great fun; hooking tuna only a few metres from the bank is a real buzz. Some great sight fishing for squid can be had around the rocks along this bank as well.

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Dave Scully with a metre barra from the Straits.

creeks are found in here, and they have a few jacks and threadies in summer, and bream, grunter, flathead, small queenies and GT in winter. Once again, whiting are in reasonable numbers

Steve Clark and a nice wintertime flathead.

and are a great option on poppers along the mangrove edges on the run-out tide.

On the mainland side, many creeks including German, Long Pad, Butchers and Kalah have a great prawn run after good rains, and threadies, barra and grunters can be caught on vibes and prawn imitation plastics like Prawn Stars, Squidgy Stealth Prawns, and Z-Man Shrimps worked with a slow retrieve.

Below these creeks, a few small seaside townships like Maaroom, Tuan, Boonooroo, Poona and Tinnanbar have accommodation ranging from cabins to caravans and powered sites, and are boat-friendly. These small townships are all located conveniently at the mouth of their own creeks, which all have jacks, the odd barra, flathead and bream. Just find deep corner holes, rock bars and snags, and work them over.

Kayak fishing is pretty good in these creeks as well, especially if you can find access to the upper reaches.

Most of these run tannincoloured from the forestry, so darker lures seem to work best. True wild bass are in here too; not stocked fish either, so be gentle and release them carefully.

Further south, Kauri Creek has a deserved reputation as being a great

Jack Jones with a whopping 129cm threadie caught on a Killalure. jack spot. I have caught nice barras in there on plastics, but more jacks and flathead than anything else. The top end was fantastic once, but now it is deemed a green zone, and runs through the Camp Kerr military training area.

Early winter sees the deep area between Kauri, Inskip Point and the Big Mick Beacon leading into Tin Can Inlet firing for longtail tuna. From April to July they cross over the Wide Bay bar and feed inside for

several months. These can be big fish, often over 20kg, and make great sportfishing in winter when other bigger targets have left Hervey Bay. In the years when we get big floods, the dirty water keeps them outside, and only small numbers enter the Straits.

Chrome slugs work well, but a 5” Z-Man Jerkshad on a 1/2oz jighead is an alternative that they can’t resist.

This area can also offer great fly fishing for tuna.

They feed on small pilchards,

hardiheads and herrings, so a 1/0 Surf Candy works a treat.

Tailor can be encountered in really good numbers along the Fraser side of the channel during the colder months, and a few nice lizards as well.

So there it is, if you are into lure or fly fishing, there are some great options in the Sandy Straits area. There’s plenty to explore and you will need a long time to check the whole area out, so good luck with it and tight lines.

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17

Top of the pops for whiting NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

One of the hottest and most reliable summertime fisheries available in our temperate estuaries is surface poppering for whiting!

A decade ago, if you’d told most Aussie anglers that it was possible to consistently and successfully target yellowfin, sand or silver whiting on surface lures, they’d have raised an eyebrow, snickered, or openly scoffed at the suggestion.

However, even back in those days, a few of us had noticed that just occasionally, these supposed bottom-grubbers would streak to the surface and smack a small popper intended for bream. Most of us wrote this off as abnormal behaviour — perhaps a rush of piscine blood, or a moment of out-of-character confusion on the part of these typically shy and retiring fish… Certainly not something we could build an entire fishery on. How very wrong we were!

As is usually the case, it took a couple of innovative

You know you’ve just landed a big whiting when you can’t close your hand around the fish’s muscular body! anglers capable of thinking outside the box to convert an occasional ‘accident’ into a regular, predictable occurrence.

Foremost amongst them were Kevin Gleed and Kaj ‘Bushy’ Busch, but many others played their part, too.

Fast forward 10 years and ‘poppering for whiting’ is now an established part of the estuary fishing scene wherever these great little fish are encountered.

However, lots of anglers are yet to try it, or have had a go but failed to crack the code.

A few even remain sceptical about the whole deal, and wonder if it’s all a con job.

My aim in this two-part

Bonito

feature is to offer all those fishers — the starters and the sceptics — a leg-up on the ladder to surface whiting enlightenment.

WHERE Basically, surface luring can and does work anywhere that yellowfin, sand, silver or summer whiting occur in decent numbers within our estuaries, and I’ve even heard of the technique working from surf beaches on calmer days! However, results improve dramatically in clear, tidal estuarine water shallower than about 2m in depth, and some of the best action I’ve ever experienced has taken place in very skinny water indeed: from

crutch to ankle deep, and even less!

WHEN This is very much a summertime technique, with results improving dramatically as waters warm beyond 23°C. That can mean as early as mid-September and as late as the end of April in parts of Queensland, while throughout most of NSW and Victoria, best results are typically confined to the November through March period.

I believe whiting take topwater lures because they regularly target skipping prawns on the surface, so results are often best when prawns are most active, which is usually from about 4 days after the full moon through the ‘dark’ phase of the lunar cycle.

Tides can play a part, too, but optimum tides vary from place to place.

HOW Cast your smallish

Small cup-faced poppers are where it all started, and they remain the surface lure of choice for many whiting specialists.

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‘Walk-the-dog’ style surface stickbaits are becoming increasingly popular amongst anglers chasing whiting.

(50-80mm) popper or surface stick bait as far as you possibly can over likely water, ideally with the help of a breeze at your back. Work the lure with a reasonably quick and continuous action. Pauses or stops are rarely productive.

With poppers, look to maintain a constant spurt of

water ahead of the lure and a ‘bloop-bloop-bloop’ action.

With stickbaits, attempt to produce a continuous ‘walk the dog’ zig-zagging motion. If a whiting follows either lure style, keep the retrieve going! Only try a pause if you’re running out of water. Pauses work well on bream, but usually result

in following whiting turning away… However, there can be exceptions to this pattern!

WHAT Light spinning tackle and fine main lines are required for casting these lures the lengthy distances necessary for consistent success, and longer than standard rods are ideal.

However, long, ultra-fine leaders are not essential, so feel free to add a short length of 4-8kg mono in case a big flathead gets in on the act.

There are a plethora of smallish (50-80mm) cup-faced poppers and surface stick baits on the market that will all catch whiting. Choose subtle, neutral, semi-transparent and generally ‘prawn-like’ colours and make sure your hooks are small and extra sharp!

NEXT MONTH Some new twists and hot tips for better results when chasing whiting on top.

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The Bristol knot Kim Bain

The Bristol knot is essentially a jam knot (like the San Diego ‘jam knot’ that we tied earlier in this series), which provides an easy and streamlined connection between leader and a double line; including doubled braid. It will pass through rod guides and

Main Line

der

to hook/lure

over rollers smoothly and is quick and easy to tie.

When tied correctly, the Bristol knot out-tests all the various ‘improved’ Albright ‘specials’.

BRISBANE

Bimini twist

Step 1 lea

double loop Tie a bimini twist in your main line to give yourself a short double loop. Note that the double loop at this point is at its actual finished length and it will not get any shorter when the Bristol is tied; therefore give some thought to the length of the loop. The old school approach was to have a very long double, however that was arguably a hangover from the use of swivels to connect the double to a leader.

Now days, with knots being used to form the connections, is it common to use a very short double, often shorter than one full circumference of the reel’s fully loaded spool – this preference avoids the risk that the wind-on knots could get caught on each other when they are on the spool.

Scan to see it being tied

Insert the leader (aka shock leader) through the loop that has been formed by the bimini in tying the double. It helps to keep your index finger hooked around the leader to maintain the loop (or pinch the leader and the end of the loop together) when you start tying this knot. Then wrap the tag end 5-7 times up along and around the doubled line (towards the bimini knot).

Step 2 Bimini twist

leader tag end Step 3

Then bring the tag end back to the start of the knot (the loop end) and pass the leader’s tag end through/between the loop held open by your index finger – under the leader’s first turn and over the doubled line loop, i.e. between the leader and double lines – do not pass the leader through the double loop.

tag end leader Step 4

Snug the knot by moistening the lines with saliva and pulling on both the standing part of the leader and the double line to tighten the knot. The tag end should be protruding at around about a 90o angle – trim the tag end and you’ve finished the Bristol knot.

Bristol knot (snug and trim) leader

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21

Sweet water jungle jack TNQ

Angus James

As an angler, it doesn’t get much better than waking up early with perfect weather conditions and hitting the blue for some line peeling action.

Unfortunately as most of us have experienced,

those ideal days seem to fall perfectly on the days we have to drag ourselves out of bed and into the daily grind.

And when the weekend does eventually roll around wouldn’t you know it, but the wind speed has tripled overnight and the swell makes you feel sea sick just looking at it.

What’s an angler supposed to do? There’s only so many fishing show reruns a fisho can watch!

Nevertheless, there are always options, even ones you may not have considered before…

JUNGLE JACKS Mangrove jack are well known in the fishing community as a popular

These juvenile jacks really are special. With their bright red colouration and electric blue under the eye, the size matters little when targeting such amazing fish in such an amazing environment.

A perfect jungle jack station: overhanging shrubs and a deep section with current flowing in. With water this clear, a lot of the fishing is visual, adding to the attraction of sweet water jack fishing!

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The author with a quality jungle jack taken on his favourite Z-Man Curly TailZ. saltwater target species and a good game fish, but did you know it is also a sweet water champion? On a choppy day when heading out to catch the

big one just isn’t an option, heading up the road a bit to the nearest freshwater stream is where you’re sure to find a mangrove jack nursery.

Juvenile jacks make their homes in the freshwater streams of Queensland waterways, however, these streams obviously

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need access to saltwater environments. Choose your waterway carefully and ensure the jacks will have an escape route.

FINDING THEM When chasing juveniles, it’s a good idea to make sure that the location you choose has good access to the estuary further down in the system.

You’ll find the juvenile jacks further into the fresh, making their homes in shallow holes, generally close to the banks where there are overhanging

trees, snags and shrubbery to hide them from overhead predators. Juvenile jacks love smashing lures, are very active surface feeders and will feed on just about anything that hits the water.

JACK PACK When targeting sweet water jacks my tackle screams light gear. Starting with the rod you’ll want something short around the 6ft mark to make casting into those snags a little whippier and more accurate. A 2-4 kg

weight rating on your rod is ideal for this type of fishing.

You’ll want a good spin reel that’s as equally light.

I personally use a Stradic 1000 Ci4+. They are a great quality little reel, are very light and tough. Of course, any reel around this size will do the job.

The star of the show is the artificial presentation. It’s what the jack is going to see and want to eat. It’s also got to be able to withstand the sharp little teeth the jungle

jacks come with. I cannot recommend Z-Man StreakZ Curly TailZ enough! Paired with the TT 1/16 or 1/12 finesse HeadlockZ series

Looking at your target species main food source, and picking lures that imitate them is a great way to increase your catch rates.

on! As long as you keep the tension up and guide them away from the snags you’re sure to land them.

There’s nothing that

Look at those teeth! These pugnacious little red-devils are made for predation.

A very different perspective! A juvenile jack fights for its freedom with the log it was pulled from in the background.

and you’ve got yourself a durable, life-like presentation that a jack won’t be able to resist. When I get into the thick of the rainforest I opt for the 4” ‘moodring’ coloured Curly Tailz. These purple little lures look very similar to a type of berry that falls from the rainforest canopy that little jacks love to snatch up.

JUNGLE JOY Whilst I do enjoy targeting the bigger saltwater jacks, there is something to be said for sweet water jacks.

In either environment, they are a hard-hitting fish and they’re clever too. Heading straight for the closest snag as soon as they realise they’ve been duped into taking a lure, the fight is

compares to the beautiful and vibrant markings on a juvenile jack. As the species ages and matures they loose their vibrant colour, markings and stripes they wear in infancy.

So next time you have the opportunity to target this very special species in the sweet water, give it a go! You will love it!

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23

Spectacular time to be offshore for mixed species BALLINA

Tristan Sloan tris.sloan@gmail.com

This has to be one of my favourite times of the year for fishing. The mackerel are on the inshore reefs,

and truly hitting surface lures, not to mention the bass on cicada patterns, and best of all the holiday crowds have finally disappeared. This allows us serious fishers a bit more peace and quiet on the water, not to mention

will be chasing Spanish mackerel on the inshore reefs, and while they can be caught trolling lures, the most successful way to pin a few of these tasty table fish is by slow trolling live baits. I often start the session towing a few Laser

Keith Sloan with an average Ballina mackerel for this time of year.

Gus Nowell with a thumping after dark mangrove jack. the marlin are on the wider grounds, the jacks and trevally are well

less crowded boat ramps!

The majority of offshore fishos this month

Pros in an assortment of sizes before we get to the bait grounds, as mackerel

can be very picky when it comes to matching the size of the bait. Consequently, towing a variety of sizes can determine what they are eating, be it small slimy mackerel or large bonito.

These lures are sent out without wire, just relying on their length to prevent bite-offs.

Once at the bait grounds, we try and locate the schools of slimy mackerel, as these are a superior bait to

yellowtail, which will often sit out the back of the boat unmolested when every slimy that enters the water gets chomped. While one of the crew is jigging for slimies, another will be up the front high speed spinning a metal lure in the hope of pinning a bonito or tailor. These bigger baits commonly attract the really big mackerel beyond the school-sized 6-10kg fish commonly encountered on slimies.

Once we have enough livies, a pair of 10kg rods are used to troll them at a very slow walking pace around structure and any bait schools in the area.

One rod has a heavy sinker above the trace to allow the bait to get down a bit deeper, and the other is unweighted to keep it on the surface. Both baits are positioned 30-40m behind the boat, as mackerel can be boat shy.

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The rig is very simple, and consists of a 5/0 Gamakatsu Octopus in the bait’s nose and a 3/0 stinger treble in the tail. A short length of 60lb single strand wire is used to connect the 2 hooks, with a 10cm section attached to a small swivel forward of the lead hook to prevent bite-offs.

sufficiently to put them off the bite, it’s time to head wide and look for something else. Depending on our mood on the day and the amount of livies we have left, we often spend a few hours slow trolling them along the length of the 32 and 42 fathom reefs.

This has resulted in quite

Unlike mackerel fishing, these live baits are fished in free spool with just enough ratchet on to prevent an overrun. The bite of a marlin is quite slow and gradually increases in speed as it swims away, and from there it’s a relatively simple matter of pushing the drag to strike

Fighting a black marlin on the 42 fathom reef. There are plenty of blacks around this month.

The reefs off Lennox Point, Flat Rock, North and South Riordans, and the Mackerel Boulder consistently produce this month.

Once you’ve caught a couple of mackerel for a feed and the sun has risen

a few decent sized black marlin this year and some big bull mahimahi. We rig these on 6m of 150lb Jinkai leader with an 8/0 circle hook, and the bait bridle rigged with a rubber band through the nose.

and waiting until that circle hook finds a place in the corner of the jaw before all hell breaks loose.

We have been running two 15kg outfits behind the boat, but after some gruelling battles on fish

estimated to be well over 100kg, we are thinking of changing up to 24kg.

Often the current is racing out wide this time of year, but if it slows down it’s always worth dropping a jig or live bait down on one of the pinnacles. There have been some really big kingfish lost by the jigging crowd lately.

The estuary has been fishing well. There has been plenty of quality whiting up around the Pimlico stretch of the river and these tasty little morsels are being caught on the usual baits of worms and yabbies.

Surface lures are also producing the goods, and I have been having great success on the Berkley 3B Scum Dogs in the larger 68mm size. Unlike a lot of brands, the required walkthe-dog action is very easy to create with these lures.

While whiting fishing, don’t forget to drop the dillies out, as there has been lot of blue swimmer crabs in the river, and while not as large as their cousins the mud crab, I think they taste a lot sweeter.

A handy approach when fishing for whiting and blue swimmers is to try a couple of night sessions.

The bigger whiting are a lot more aggressive at night, especially around

the dark of the moon when the prawns run, and there always seems to be more crabs around too.

This month is also when the surface action really starts to fire up for the local trevally and mangrove jack population. Early morning or late afternoon is the time to target these species, and look for any back eddies out of the main current flow, with rock walls, bridge pylons, and boat pontoons being prime holding structure.

Nervous herring or mullet on the surface is also an excellent sign.

As far as lure choice is concerned, a lot of people use the Lucky Craft G Splash, but for my money you can’t go past the Halco Rooster Popper. It throws out a lot of water and a loud bloop, and the size 60 perfectly imitates a small mullet or herring.

It’s also much cheaper and Australian-owned.

Stickbaits also work well when the water is calm, and once again Berkley 3B Scum Dog is my preferred lure.

For the rock fishers, the warm water flowing down our coast brings with it loads of giant trevally and tailor for the high speed spin brigade, but also presents some

rare opportunities to catch tuna and mackerel from the stones. This can be done from only a few select local headlands, including South Wall, The Iron Peg and the rock platforms of Broken Head.

Depending on the tide and swell conditions, the best method involves high speed spinning metals, pencil poppers and big hardbodies such as the new Rapala XXX-Rap Cast. I particularly like the Halco C Gar, as it imitates a garfish very well.

Always have a live bait rod rigged with a balloon and some wire, so if you manage to catch a small tailor or bonito these can be drifted out to just beyond the wash line. If looking for tuna, a prime bait is a live garfish rigged on a 60lb mono trace and a very small bobby cork.

With bread berley, these can be caught at your feet at any time of the day using a size 10 bait jig under a float, baiting the hooks with dough or small pieces of prawn.

Enjoy the fishing this month and if you see me out on the water, don’t hesitate to say hi. I love helping anglers catch more fish and you might even be able to teach me a thing or two as well!

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February still sees a lot of people chasing mackerel in the usual places like Shark Bay, Black Rock and Angourie.

Many are trolling with the trusty old pink squid to find them, and then setting up to bait fish. As mentioned last month, to bait fish for them you need to set up a good berley trail with a mix of pillies and tuna oil. Once you have that, rig some pillies under floats and let them drift out varying distances from the boat. Flick the ratchet on and put them in a rod holder.

Make sure you keep the trail going, but don’t make it too thick as this can attract the blacktip shark population, and once they have set in you’re just wasting baits.

In the river, the large breeder flathead are still around down towards the mouth. Don’t forget that these big flathead, while being a fun sportfish, are our female breeders and deserve to be put back to keep our flathead population healthy for years to come.

If looking to chase up a feed of table size flathead, the usual places like along North Arm, Oyster Channel and Browns Rocks should be holding their share of quality lizards, from legal up to the 50cm mark. Again, soft plastics and blades are the way to go; just hop them along

John with a nice bass that took a liking to a Megabass Siglett on a rainy day. the bottom on sandy dropoffs near weed beds or any kind of structure like rock bars or pylons.

This month is just as good as the last one on the crab front, with both blue swimmers and muddies prevalent. The usual haunts like North and South Arm, Lake Woolawayer and the Broadwater are all producing good numbers of crabs, but as always you do have to keep an ever-watchful eye on your pots to make sure those ‘share farmers’ out there who like to check your pots as well as their own are not helping themselves to your crabs! To try and keep the crab thieving down, stick around your pots

and have a fish while keeping an eye on them.

If you want to cast a lure off the stones, there have been a few chopper tailor around in the 1-2.5kg range, and the Halco Twistys are working a treat on them.

The mighty Clarence River and all her tributaries have been firing on the bass front of late. The rain we saw earlier last month has seen the level rise a bit, so places like the Gorge are firing. As well as bass, we have been enjoying some cod surface sessions a bit further upriver with gun cod fisho and Croaker Lures’ manufacturer, Steve Patti.

With the surface action being so hot lately, the standout lures

have been the Croaker Black Betty Paddler. Coming in at 170mm long, it is a beast of a paddler, but seems to account for the largest fish of the trip.

By far the most successful colour has been black. It has been the go-to in those prime surface bite times of late afternoon and early mornings, but through the day slow rolled spinnerbaits have been working well too.

On the bass front, with the deafening sound of cicadas everywhere, the locally made Bills Bugs’ Rat 50 has been working a treat, as has my favourite, the Megabass Grand Siglett. If you love bass fishing, get these lures in your kit ASAP.

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Top times on the Tweed THE TWEED

David Solano

Wow, where do I start?

The rivers and beaches are going off at the moment, and after witnessing some of the catches from outside, I reckon it’s

pretty good out there too.

I’ve been rampaging all over the river in the ’yak, chasing bream on lures with a lot of success.

Two spots in particular have produced some nice fish, in fact, a personal-best 36cm to the fork. One is a bit of a gimme, because

Zac with his mini mangrove jack.

they feed the fish off the back of the tourist crab boat near Seagulls, so it’s cheating a little, maybe?

But how I do it is to cast a lightly weighted plastic in between the engines and hang on as these fish are very aggressive and a lot of fun to catch. I might add that they are pretty clever too, because they cotton on to various lures and then ignore them.

My other ‘secret’ spot is the wall along Drydock Road. Here I’ve been using both shallow and deep diving hardbodies cast as close as possible, then gently rolled back to the ’yak, pausing a few times as well.

Interestingly, that seems to be when the fish hit.

The bridge and the kind of dead end canal where the old yacht club is, is fishing well too. I was there with young mate Zac the other day and told him to cast his plastic so it would hit the bridge then plop into the water. He did just that and got smashed by a little jack

Dave with his PB bream from a not-so-secret spot.

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I’ve got a lot of mates who are into beach fishing and they have been getting quality chopper tailor all along Fingal Beach, with some greenbacks caught down at Kingscliff in front of the surf club. Good fishing spot that; when your arms get too sore from pulling fish in, you can walk 10m and grab a cold one — lemonade of course!

The bigger flathead seem to have moved out towards the sea entrance.

I see them in the strangest places, almost like they are sunbaking, but you have to look really hard as their camouflage is amazing.

Whiting are around in numbers and I noticed all the bait shops have sold out of live worms, but don’t worry they restock quickly.

Where to find them though — try in the shallows, around the rowing club, Kennedy Drive boat ramp, and the long stretch behind the golf club.

If land-based and you want to spin, try walking and casting the Anchorage Estate. It’s perfect; there’s flathead, bream, whiting, jacks, and, I’m not kidding you, the odd barracuda.

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It’s been the best light tackle marlin season we’ve had for a few years and, with a bit of luck, February could be when it’s at its peak!

This season live baiting has been the way to go, and when there’s big bait schools around, like there has been, it’s by far the best way to catch fish! I use an eagle claw circle hook, anywhere from 7/0-9/0 is fine. Due to there being a few larger model fish around I’d be more inclined to use a bit heavier trace than what you would normally run for juvenile black marlin. I find 100lb fluorocarbon is perfect for the job. By weighting your live baits it will allow you to sink your bait deep down into the bait school.

For those willing to venture further afield there should be a few nice blue marlin showing their faces. These fish aren’t for the faint-hearted, their explosive runs are enough to get even the most experienced angler’s adrenaline racing!

For these fish you’ll find yourself venturing beyond the continental shelf and any of our local wide grounds will hold these spectacular game fish from time to time. These areas

may at times appear barren but often subtle changes, such as temperature or current lines, can make a huge difference to the day’s result.

Leave your light rods at home when you’re venturing to these areas, and 24kg gear is often too light for these fish.

The fish in our area average between 250-350lb and will eat lures from 7” to as big as you can imagine. I run a pattern of lures with varying sizes when fishing for blues and I find a small light coloured lure 7-9” long furthest from the boat being a real performer at times.

February is still a good month to target mackerel of all species on our close reefs and spots like Mermaid and Palm Beach reefs as well as the Gravel Patch and Fidos are all good places to start.

As always anchoring, setting out a berley trail and float lining pilchards back into the trail is my most successful way to target these fish. Two rules to guide your mackerel onslaught is use light, either single strand or nylon-coated, multi strand wire (around 20lb is suitable) and keep the berley flow constant at all times. Even when fighting fish keep the berley going because the majority of the time with mackerel where there’s one there’s more.

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When looking to anchor, first sound around for a while and try to find some bait or a standout pinnacle that may set your position on the reef apart from the rest of the crowd.

Later in the month there should be a few nice snapper and mulloway starting to show their faces on our close reefs.

Lightly weighted pilchards and deep set live baits, such as yellowtail and slimy mackerel, are both methods that are hard to beat. These fish are great to eat but remember when you’re taking a feed of fish to look after your catch; it’s always best practice to have an esky on board with an ice slurry. This won’t allow your fish to go off in the heat and also makes your fish taste much nicer.

INSHORE February is always a good month to target mud crabs so if you’re heading up the river to wet a line why not throw in a few pots. Any banks with a nice drop-off and a bit of structure will hold a few crabs. I’ve always had good success with the rectangular collapsible style pot, as these pots are easily stored and quite inexpensive, and they work pretty well. Always remember to clearly label your pots and floats with your name and address.

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chasing whiting and even a less experienced fisher person can achieve good results. I try to stick with lures that are transparent or lightly coloured and anything about 50mm in length should do the trick.

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There should still be good numbers of whiting in the mid reaches of the local rivers, particularly the Nerang River.

But the sand banks towards the mouth of Tallebudgera and Currumbin creeks are great areas to target a few whiting on poppers. This method is surprisingly effective when

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February is a good month to target mackerel of all species on the close reefs.

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The rivers will still be holding a few jacks, cod, trevally and tarpon throughout this month. A run-out tide in the late afternoon until early evening is prime time to chase these fish. Casting and trolling around any rocky banks or outcrops is a good way to target all of these fish. When fishing around these areas it’s generally not a bad idea to keep a tackle back on board.

I generally run by the rule that if you’re not regularly coming in contact with the bottom and occasionally getting snagged you’re either not in the right spot or you perhaps need a deeper lure.

Down towards the river mouths, don’t be surprised if you run into a few schools of tailor. This month generally holds a fair bit of bait around our local entrances and on a run-in tide. That first push of clean water will generally bring in a few chopper tailor with it.

Keep a close lookout for any diving birds or fish breaking the surface; these are key signs that a school of ravenous tailor are present. Once you’ve located these schools, casting small metal lures towards them with a moderate retrieve will rarely see you without a hook up. Any small metal lure around 15-25g will do the trick just nicely.

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of around 4lb and around a rod 2m long and 4lb mainline is probably maximum. This is simply to get the most action out of your lure.

FRESHWATER There should be a few bass on the chew this month,

and with the sudden water level rise, the Hinze Dam should be firing! Lately I’ve been getting good results rolling lightly weighted paddle-tailed plastics around the weed beds and points. I like 2.5-3” grass minnows

made by Ecogear for this application. I mainly use natural colours, greens, golds, and, when the water is a bit dirty or it’s overcast, I like white.

Be safe on the water and good fishing.

The rivers will still be holding a few trevally throughout this month. A run-out tide in the late afternoon until early evening is prime time to chase these fish.

DAFF NEWS

Be responsible with fishing gear Recreational fishers are urged to responsibly dispose of unwanted fishing gear following reports of injured wildlife at Lions Park, Herberton.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district manager Bob Russell said incorrectly disposed fishing gear was a major environmental hazard.

“We have received reports from concerned locals who have rescued ducks and turtles from the water at Lions Park after finding them hooked or entangled in

discarded recreational fishing gear,” Mr Russell said.

“They reported finding hooks, lines, nets and sinkers scattered in and around the water at the park, and raised concerns for the safety of children who play in the shallows there.

“We are urging fishers to do the right thing and dispose of their gear responsibly as it can have devastating effects on other wildlife and users of the park.”

To report injured wildlife, please call the RSPCA on 1300 264 625.

For suspected illegal fishing, whether seen in person or online, please call the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.

For more information tips on responsible fishing practices and Queensland fishing rules, visit www. fisheries.qld.gov.au, call 13 25 23 or download the free ‘Qld Fishing’ app from Apple and Google app stores.

Follow Fisheries Queensland on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@ FisheriesQld). – DAFF

Catch and release survival Catch and release is an important means of ensuring the sustainability of our fisheries resources and must be done in a way to maximise the fish’s chance of survival.

Fisheries Queensland Manager Regulatory Reform and Consultation Tony Ham said every fisher should be prepared to release some portion of their catch.

“To comply with Queensland’s size and possession limits and fishing closures, fishers will often be required to return fish they catch to the water,” Mr Ham said.

“It’s important fishers use responsible fishing practices and fish handling techniques to ensure the fish they release have the best chance of survival.

“The survival of released fish greatly depends on factors such as the length of the fight, where the fish is

hooked, and how the fish is handled and released.”

There are some tips fishers can follow to ensure the fish they release survive: • use barbless hooks where possible • unhook fish using long-nose pliers or a hookout while they are still in the water • if you must handle the fish, always use wet hands or a wet cloth to reduce damage to the protective slime on the surface of the fish • use a knotless landing net • avoid placing fish on hot dry surfaces • for gut or gill-hooked fish, simply cut the line – hooks are expendable and the fish will fare better.

Mr Ham said Fisheries Queensland understands that many recreational fishers like to take photographs of their catch.

“If you do take a photograph, it is best to do this with the fish still in the water,” he said.

“Fish are not designed to be out of the water – most fish need water flowing over their gills to absorb oxygen.

“The longer a fish remains out of water, the greater the stress and harm they experience and the less likely they will survive once released.

“Any fish taken out of the water must be supported properly, with a hand under the tail and another near the pectoral fins – never suspend a fish from the mouth.

“For protected and regulated species, you are required to return the fish immediately to the water when caught.”

For more information on catch and release, visit www. fisheries.qld.gov.au, call 13 25 23 or download the free ‘Qld Fishing’ app from Apple and Google app stores.

Follow Fisheries Queensland on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@ FisheriesQld). – DAFF FEBRUARY 2015

31

Predators carving up the canals this February it very hard to locate them though, and they will move quickly.

The best way to track tarpon is sound them up or find the bait, and then cast plastics and then medium/ fast wind them back. They aren’t in very big numbers at the moment.

In the next month we should see the surface bite get even better, with fish smashing the surface more often as the water temperature rises slightly.

We will see more afternoon

GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn www.tackletactics.com.au

The fishing is mostly red hot at the moment, although it has been up and down at times. The trevally is one species that has been getting around and anglers are catching quite a few. There’s also bream, the odd flathead, jacks and whiting. Dead bait, live bait and lures have all been working a treat in the canals.

The surface bite has well and truly fired up — whiting are fighting over your lure, bream and mangrove jack smacking anything that passes through their territory, and big trevally that can’t help themselves to a well-presented lure.

Hardbodies that have been working well include the Bassday Sugar Pen, Strada Dancer and OSP Bent Minnows.

Casting around sandlined banks with these lures on any tide at dawn or dusk should bring you some action and get the heart racing!

Mangrove jack are in good numbers right up

storms, which is great news as it will really fire the jacks up. Fish for these big red bruisers either the day after a big storm or just before the storm hits. It works every time.

Plenty of trevally have hit the canals in search of baitfish. If you sight fish busting up on the bait, cast over the school and fast wind back, making the lure act like a wounded baitfish trying to escape.

Good structures to fish include rock walls, bridge

pylons and pontoons. These predatory fish will patrol the rock and retaining walls from around 3-6am and 5-7pm. If you can find a nice, bright light at night, the baitfish will sit there, with the big predators not too far away.

That’s it for me for another month, I hope you get out and into a few because there’s plenty to be caught! Make sure you jump over and check out my Instagram account at ‘@_joshdunnsfishing_’.

Trevally can’t resist a plastic wound fast across the top. This solid brassy trevally fell for a Z-Man 3.75” StreakZ in Smokey Shad. river systems and into the mangroves. Look around Coomera, southern Gold Coast, Logan, Jacobs Well, and throughout all canal systems with pontoons.

If you’re a live bait fisho, keep that bait right in the strike zone, and a good spot is around bridges at night. Good livies include tailor, whiting, small mullet and herring.

If lures are preferred, something around 4” in white or natural colours rigged on a 1/4oz-3/8oz jighead is something worth

throwing around for these canal beasts.

The odd flathead is getting around the Broadwater and canals, but not in large numbers. Try your luck for them at the canal mouths.

Rock walls where it’s nice and deep are also the go for flathead, so keep that blade, plastic, bait or hardbody right near the bottom.

The odd tarpon has been swimming in packs in some canal systems. However, anglers have been finding

Harry Taylor with an elbow slapping 41cm whiting taken on the surface with a Bassday SugaPen.

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The Goldy’s on the boil GOLD COAST

David Green

This summer has seen some outstanding fishing off the Gold Coast. Large numbers of black marlin and mahimahi have dominated catches, and the marlin run has seen most of the local tackle shops doing a brisk trade in selling skirted lures and trolling outfits. The marlin have ranged from small fish around 15kg, up to solid 100kg-plus models on the wider grounds.

There have been plenty of big bait schools on most of the offshore spots, and the predominant baitfish has been pilchards.

This month should see the inshore run of marlin continue, and the action out on the 70-80m line improve further. As a general rule, most of the marlin action each summer sees the inshore run of smaller fish move down the 25-50m corridor, with the bigger 40-120kg fish working the bait schools on the 80m line in spots like Deep Trag, Spot X and The Traps. These fish are ideal targets on 15-24kg tackle and most are caught by live baiting. They can take hours on 8kg tackle.

Check out those amazing colours. Kane Barclay with a nice mahimahi. It’s been a great season for them.

Dave Green with a top muddy that’s heading for the wok.

In February the blue marlin bite is generally a good one, with plenty of big fish in the 150kg range showing up in depths from 100-500m. At this time of year, trolling can produce all 3 marlin species, with blues, blacks and stripes being common. Realistically, 37kg tackle is the best gear to troll out wide, as some of the blues are over 200kg and take a lot of slowing down.

The mackerel generally begin on the inshore grounds in February. I doubt the run of Spanish mackerel this

season will be as good as last year’s, as I have never seen a good marlin season and a good mackerel season in the same year. However, in early January a few Spaniards and spotted mackerel were starting to show at Palm Beach Reef. Most of these are being caught on metal lures or floating pilchards, The great run of mahimahi that were off the Gold Coast in December and January should start to slow down this month, and most of the fish that turn up will

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This year has seen prolific numbers of these great fish, with quite a few extremely large specimens over 20kg turning up on a pretty regular basis. Most have been caught on trolled lures as bycatch by anglers targeting small black marlin. Mahimahi love bright lures and on light tackle are a great fighting fish. My boat ended up catching 27 in December alone, which shows how prolific they have been. The average size has been 8-10 kg, which is a bit

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bigger than in most seasons.

This month should see a few big wahoo start to show on the wider grounds as they move south with the current.

These increase in numbers towards the end of the month, and can be very destructive

On the wider grounds the current is generally quite strong, making bottom bashing difficult. There are usually still yellowtail kingfish around on the 50-fathom line, and a few juvenile snapper and teraglin

sized mulloway this summer, and these should continue biting this month. Similarly, the Jumpinpin bar has also produced mulloway on live baits and deeply fished soft plastics. Most of this action has been on the run-in tide.

Mark and Blair Frendin with a nice little black marlin, one of many caught this season so far. on skirted lures intended for marlin. I like to run a Halco 190 Laser Pro with 2 single hooks in my spread of skirts. This catches wahoo, keeps them away from the skirted lures, and also pins a surprising number of marlin.

For the bottom fisher, February is a tough month.

on the inshore grounds.

RIVERS AND ESTUARIES In February there is generally a bit of rain around and it is a good month to target whiting, mangrove jacks and mud crabs. The Gold Coast Seaway has also had an excellent run of good-

The area around the pipeline in the Seaway has produced the majority of the mulloway caught. Some big fish to 120cm have also been landed from the sand pumping jetty just south of the Seaway.

This year has been a very good one for mangrove jack, with quite a few 60cm red

terrors being caught on lures and live baits. The Coomera has been the most productive river in the region this season.

The most successful method is to cast plastics around floating pontoons and retrieve the lure quickly so it travels just a few centimetres below the edge of the pontoon. A 3/8-1/2oz jighead is used to get a bit more weight, so the plastic stays deeper on a fast retrieve. The 4” white Z-Man minnows have been the most popular jack lure this season.

There have been healthy numbers of whiting throughout the estuaries, and February should see good catches in the Nerang River, Coombabah Creek, Jumpinpin Lagoons and the Pimpama River. Bloodworms and Wrigglerworms are generally the best baits to use, but yabbies, shrimps and small soldier crabs are also good. In the hotter months the whiting often bite well at night, particularly if there is a bit of moon.

A fun alternative method is to target whiting on surface lures. Working shallow sand flats with plenty of yabby holes and prawns using small, clear-bodied poppers and stickbaits works very well. The secret seems to be to have a constant and fast retrieve, and when a fish appears behind the lure you need to wind even faster.

There should also be plenty of mud crabs around this month, particularly on the bigger tides. Chicken frames make ideal bait, in that they don’t get eaten out

by fish and are attractive to crabs. Overall, February is one of the best months on the fishing calendar and this marlin season has been a beauty.

Blair Elcock with a spotted mackerel. There’s been a few about already, which is good news.

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Finessing February flatties JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

February is a great time to go fishing now that the holiday period is over and there will be less boat traffic out on the water.

There will be plenty of fish on offer with whiting being high on the lists of most fishos. Flathead should still be around in good numbers and, of course, bream will make up the majority of fish caught at the ‘Pin. When chasing whiting, it is a good start to have a longer, whippy rod around 9-12ft long. Whiting are very finicky biters; they will nibble on your bait and if you strike, most of the time you will pull the bait away from the fish. The lighter rod will bend allowing the fish to swallow the bait and when you pick the rod up the fish has basically hooked it self.

Using a smaller long shank hook size 6 or 4 will work better than larger hooks as the shape of a whiting’s downturned mouth makes it harder for them to get hooked.

Bloodworms are definitely the best bait when

chasing whiting and will produce the best catches.

Beach worms and small yabbies come in a close second as bait and are a great substitute if bloodworms are hard to come by. Squid and small peeled prawns will also work and there is any number of frozen or dehydrated worms available that will also work.

The best spots to try for an elbow-slapping whiting

Flathead fishing has become somewhat of an art form now with flicking soft plastics or vibes and trying to tempt the fish to bite opening a whole new window on how to catch lizards. Years ago, live bait such as mullet, prawns, herring and gar were the best baits when targeting flathead. Fish baits such as pillies, white bait, hardiheads or froggies also worked well and we just cast out let the

Local Mick Phillips with a cracking 20kg mulloway.

Patience is the key to landing mulloway of this caliber. are behind Mosquito Island, Tipplers Passage, the Green and Gold Bank, Slipping Sands, Fishermans Channel, the Powerlines, Ageston Sands and Marks Rocks in the Logan River.

bait bounce along the bottom and waited for a fish to bite thinking they were lazy fish that just sat on the bottom.

Since the introduction of lures and under water cameras we have learnt that

they are ambush predators capable of immense burst of speed, violent strike and awesome hook ups. So the trick is to put the lures in the right areas and getting the fish excited enough to strike. That is what flathead fishing is now and catching a fish on a lure is a thrill that I hope you all get to experience.

Most weed and sand banks will hold flathead and if you catch one there is likely more lizards in the same area. Try finessing your luring technique along the bottom of Kangaroo Island, Pandannus weed banks, the top of Crusoe Island, Cobby Passage, the Stockyards and Fishermans Channel.

Bream are the bread and butter of the ‘Pin and available all year round.

Just look for structure and you’ll find bream. They will eat practically anything and always put up a good fight, which makes them one of the best and easiest fish to catch.

Hot spots are the Pig Styes, the dead trees off the bottom of North Straddie, Never Fail Islands, Short Island and Flatrock.

Muddies are still going well with the rain flushing

Bailey was stoked with his two Jumpinpin lizards. out the rivers and supplying heaps of food in the system.

Try around the river mouths and drop-offs near mangrove banks.

For sandies try around Rocky Point, Stegleitz, Tipplers and Tiger Mullet channel.

• Thanks for all your reports and fish weighed in. Drop us a line at Gem Bait and Tackle if you’d like to order bait or get some up to date info on what’s biting on 07 3287 3868 or email gembait@ tpg.com.au.

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Back to work for fish and fishos SOUTHERN BAY

Nabeel Issa

Well with the holiday period over and everyone back to work and school, the fish have finally had a chance to recover and in the next month we should start to see

some great fishing to finish off the season.

Weather conditions of late have been all over the place, with great days for fishing as well as some horrendous ones.

Heavy rain has made things a little difficult, but after such a long spell of dry weather, this rain can only help flush out the

creeks and rivers.

Making the most of the incoming tides has been the best way to fish with the dirty water around; incoming tides bring in clean water and can often trigger the fish to bite. Anglers targeting bream around the Southern Bay islands have been enjoying

Here’s an unusual capture for the Southern Bay — a tropical nannygai. Nick caught this fish on a Jackall Transam while targeting snapper. Gotta be happy with that!

great success with small soft plastic and hardbody lures.

The incoming tide has been key, as well as finding suitable structure that holds the fish.

Find rocky outcrops and weed flats with clean water pushing over them and the fish won’t be far off.

If bait fishing is your thing, don’t despair, these fish will respond just as well to a wellpresented bait. Prawns, mullet and herring are a great option and always use the freshest bait you can get. It’s amazing how much of a difference it can make! Light line and little weight are equally important in the shallow water to achieve a natural presentation.

Some large snapper are being caught in the deeper water around Peel Island and Harry Atkinson Reef.

Matching up the right tides and an early morning or late afternoon session will see you in contention for one of these prized fish. Bites for these guys are usually few and far between, so it pays to be ready and have the appropriate gear. I like to fish 20lb braid with leaders from 20-30lb, depending on the kind of structure below.

When the water is dirty you can fish a bit heavier than normal, but usually 25lb is a

Brendan Whyte caught this great snapper on a soft plastic. Fish like this move through the Southern Bay area in summer, so now is a great time to target them.

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happy medium. Soft plastics and large vibe lures have been the best options.

Mulloway are still around the artificial reefs, but the presence of sharks has made it near impossible to get them in. They can be very hard to get to bite as they are wary of the bities, and when you do manage to get a hook up, the sharks are straight onto them! Heavy line hasn’t helped either; the sharks always get the fish. If you find this happening to you, it’s best to move along. There’s no point constantly losing fish

to the sharks, as they won’t be leaving if there’s an easy feed on offer.

In February we should hopefully see some better pelagic action. I’ve been waiting a while for them to show their presence in the southern bay, but it has been quiet so far. Reports of school mackerel are coming in, but the fish are few in number.

Looking for schools of bait on the sounder has been the key. There have also been small schools of bonito and mac tuna between Peel Island and Harry Atkinson Reef.

Nothing big, but they can be fun to catch and also make great bait. Longtail tuna will be moving in soon, so fingerscrossed we get a good run of them in the next few months as I’m sure we are all looking forward to screaming runs from these beasts.

Snapper should also still be around in good numbers.

Being on the water just as the sun is rising will see better captures. I have been having some success fishing the reef edges of Peel Island, but once the sun is up it’s all over. The early bird gets the worm!

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February floods will determine fishing high BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

February can be a really mixed month and the quality of fishing will depend on how much rain we have experienced in recent weeks. In years past, many of the creeks and rivers have been in flood during this time, making fishing extremely tough.

Even in the bay the action was slow after these deluges.

However, a decent amount of rain during January and February — without major flooding — will improve the action considerably.

These rains bring nutrients into the estuaries, which will heighten the presence of baitfish and also encourage many species to breed. Crabbing will improve dramatically, and positive effects are also felt further out into the bay.

Additionally, there are plenty of other awesome fishing options to be experienced during February.

CRUSTACEAN CENTRAL Prawn populations within the rivers and estuaries often receive a boost during February, when large numbers run in from out at sea on the full moon. I believe the better numbers will migrate upriver on the full moon in March or April this year, but you never really know for sure until it happens.

Regardless, it’s definitely be worth getting the cast net wet during February and doing some prawn prospecting.

The deeper holes and ledges in the major river systems such as the Brisbane, Logan, Pine and Caboolture will be worth checking out, especially around the tidal changes when the prawns often settle in such areas.

A maximum legal size cast net of 12’ is best, but many find these tiring to throw for extended periods.

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rope will get the net shuffling closed across the bottom, which stirs up the prawns feeding in the silt. They will flick upwards and are caught towards the top of the net and

the prawns are in residence.

The activity may still be a little slow during February, but know that the best action is yet to occur over the coming months, so take the

you are in hot pursuit of pelagics though.

Mac tuna, spotted mackerel, longtail tuna, school mackerel, frigate mackerel and bonito can all be

Threadfin numbers have been excellent over the last few months, and February offers awesome opportunities due to an increase in activity with an influx of prawns. also in the bottom pockets.

Top pocket cast nets have an extra pocket at the top, which traps and holds the prawns as the net is retrieved.

Additionally, these nets can be opened from the top, which makes removal of the prawns a lot easier. However, conventional cast nets with only a bottom pocket will still catch you a good haul of prawns if you are in the right area at the right time.

Sometimes the prawns are holding out on the flats during February, waiting to run up into the estuaries on the moon. Once located, they are generally easy to catch.

Try out from Nudgee Beach, the mouth of the Logan River, and out from Cleveland Point. If you observe large numbers of boats huddled in these areas, you know that

time to check that cast net for tears and be ready for action.

BAY PELAGICS At the time of writing, the mackerel season is yet

caught in these areas on small chromed slugs and slices, Jerkshad plastics, baitfish profile flies and numerous other offerings. Around the

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offerings at times, yet they can also be very pedantic, refusing most lures presented to them. Poppers, stickbaits, Jerkshad plastics, stickbaits, sliders, baitfish profile flies, slugs, slices and many other lures may be called upon.

Kingfish, both yellowtail and black (cobia) are definite bay targets. The area around Dunwick, the Curtain Artificial Reef and many beacons will hold kings, and they will respond to live baits and plastics, poppers and stickbaits. Cobia can be taken on artificials, but are especially responsive to larger live baits fished around structure like beacons and ledges. Additional pelagics, which are rare yet can show up within the bay during February can include Spanish mackerel, marlin, golden trevally, barracuda and others.

OFFSHORE PELAGICS February offers great opportunities for anglers to catch a marlin, wahoo, mahimahi, Spanish mackerel, or even a yellowfin tuna on the offshore grounds around The Group (off Point Lookout), Hutchinson Shoals, Flinders Reef, The

Estuary cod are aggressive predators who are tough to coerce from their environment, although the aptly named Aaron Winch managed this beauty recently.

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to really shine. Reasonable shipping channel beacons, numbers of school mackerel mackerel and the occasional and the odd spotted have tuna can be tempted with been caught around the pilchards and lures. Chromed beacons and even in more slugs and slices are generally open water areas, yet the cast to the sides or the downlarge concentration of surface current edge of the beacon feeding spotties are yet to be and then retrieved at high found with any regularity. speed. Offerings that sink Last year the run was a little rapidly and don’t flutter as late and continued well into they fall are best, as they April, so there is hope yet. are less likely to be engulfed Keeping a look out whilst on the drop, which usually Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, unbelievably fuel efficient. Mercury’s all new 75-115hp transiting through the bay results in a bite off.

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Trench and numerous other areas. Trolling skirted lures, bibbed and bibless minnows will generally put you in the action. Live baiting around larger bait schools can be rewarding when deploying slimy mackerel and yakkas back into the melee.

BRISBANE RIVER The warmer months in the Brisbane River can be excellent for anglers targeting a host of species, especially threadfin salmon.

Late December and early January provided some amazing fishing for threadies at a few locations in the lower reaches. One pair of anglers I know managed 31 in a session on an array of

vibration baits, with all fish released boatside to maximise survival rates. They followed this up in subsequent days with several other sessions producing double figures of threadfin, mostly better than 80cm in length.

Apart from lures such as plastics, vibration baits, blades and micro jigs, some take a more relaxed approach and use live baits to tempt these great fish. Live mullet, herring, pike and banana prawns all work well when presented close to the bottom.

These are generally fished along the edges of dropoffs into the main riverbed, and submerged ledges. The dredge holes along the southern bank down near the mouth will also hold them at times.

Additionally, these areas can produce snapper, mulloway, flathead, bream, estuary cod and numerous other species.

Others occasionally encountered in the Brisbane River can include barramundi, grunter, morwong and trevally.

Anglers with quality side imaging sounders and a good knowledge of their operation definitely have an advantage when fishing the Brisbane River, as they can slowly work along the edges of the dropoff into the main riverbed and scan for fish. Once located, they can

be cast to without having to re-position the boat, which produces a very effective fishing scenario.

When the prawns run up the Brisbane River, the fishing can be very good for threadfin and numerous other species, and anglers do well from both boats and shorebased positions. Popular land-based structures to fish from can include Newstead Jetty, Colmslie Pontoon and Jetty, the base of the Gateway Bridge, the walkways near the Kangaroo Point Cliffs and at New Farm Park, just to name a few. Most anglers will live bait from these positions, however, some put in the casts with lures to achieve their results.

CRABS Crabbing can be exceptionally good during February, with both sand (including blue-swimmer) and mud crabs on the menu.

In the creeks and estuaries, it is the muddie that reigns supreme, although a few sandies are also caught. The least accessible areas, such as the small gutters and channels leading into the mangroves, will often hold the better quality specimens.

After heavy rain, the crabs are often flushed out into the main river systems, which make them a little easier to catch for the average crabber. Setting your pots

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overnight will increase the chances of success with mud crabs. Collapsed mangrove banks, deeper holes, and the mouths of prominent gutters, creeks and channels are key places to set.

Out in Moreton Bay, sand and blue swimmer crabs can be caught in the same safety pots that are used for the muddies, although they are more commonly found along the edges of channels, the outer margins of the bay islands, submerged ledges, and prominent holes. Baits that are both popular and productive for sand, mud and blue swimmer crabs include whole mullet, fish frames, chicken carcasses or even a few pillies in a mesh bag.

Remember that there are strict rules in relation to size and bag limits for different crab species, the type of crabbing apparatus, and the labelling of it. Check these out online before deciding to head out and do a little crabbing, as fisheries are doing patrols in the bay, rivers and at boat ramps, even after hours.

ESTUARIES Fishing within the rivers, creeks, canals and greater estuaries can be fairly good during February, with an exciting array of fish on offer.

Mangrove jack, flathead, trevally, estuary cod, bream, whiting, threadfin and a lot of other species can be taken.

Jacks are a highly desirable target for a lot of anglers, and can be caught on both live baits and lures. They are commonly taken around structure such as rock walls, pontoons, bridge pylons and jetties where they can hunt in ambush mode. Estuary cod will also frequent these same areas, but often have a preference for rock walls where crabs are common.

Flathead are spread throughout the estuary, but are most easily targeted by anglers trolling or casting lures along the edges of prominent banks on the falling tide. Drifting baits or trolling lures along the major channels on the bottom of the tide can produce awesome results.

Bream reside in all corners of the estuary and respond to a wide array of lures and baits. They are probably one of the easiest species for anglers to catch, no matter what the skill level. However, anglers adept at fishing lures and knowledgeable in the habits of bream can often produce some better quality specimens, which can exceed 40cm in length.

During the summer months, the shallows around the bay islands are also popular for anglers targeting bream on lures. Small topwater offerings, shallow

diving minnows, plus lightly weighted plastics and blades can all be put to good use in this zone.

Apart from the population in the Brisbane River, threadfin numbers are also on the increase in the Logan and Caboolture rivers and other waterways. They are commonly caught on live baits by anglers targeting bull sharks and mangrove jack, but lures are especially productive in the hands of good anglers.

Canals offer some good fishing opportunities, especially during the summer months when jacks and estuary cod are more active. In addition, bream, flathead, bull sharks, trevally, tarpon, Moses perch and several other species can be encountered. During windy conditions, the confines of the canals offer a more protected area to fish, but be sure to respect the residents, as this is quite literally their back yard.

Kayak anglers are also afforded good access to fishrich waters. Casting smaller plastics, blades, minnow lures and other offerings along the rock walls and amongst the rows of pontoons and jetties lining the canals is a good approach. Bait fishing with quality dead baits, or preferably live, is a relaxing and generally productive

way to fish. Look for deeper holes and areas where the current eddies over or around structure and you are in with a good chance.

Late afternoons, evenings and night sessions offer the best possibilities. The rock walls at the mouth of canals fish well around the start of the runout tide, as predators take up ambush positions to harass bait and crustaceans being flushed out with the dropping water.

CONCLUSION

With so many piscatorial possibilities during February, anglers will be keen to get into the action, no matter whether it’s in the estuaries, the bay or offshore. There are many hard-core sportfishing targets on offer, yet anglers taking a more relaxed approach and soaking a few baits at their favourite spots will also be rewarded.

Warm conditions dictate that measures need to be taken to avoid sunburn and dehydration, yet getting out into the great outdoors definitely makes the effort worthwhile. With the kids now back at school, keen anglers are frothing for fishing action during February. I am sure the family will be appreciative of your efforts when you return home with some tasty local seafood.

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Waiting for the speedsters to arrive soon OFFSHORE

John Gooding

So far this season, the pelagics have been fairly erratic east of the South Passage Bar, but there has been enough positive signs to think we could get a good run of both Spanish mackerel and wahoo in the coming months.

If chasing billfish is your thing, small black marlin have been eating lures from the Sunshine Coast through to the border.

These small blacks should hang around for the next

month or so and dragging a 5 or 6” skirted lure around some bait schools should get you a hook up or two.

Running up to Christmas, we arranged quite a few charters back to back and the fishing was very good, both out on the wide ground and in close. Good quality juvenile snapper continue to dominate our catches in 80-90m of water. We have also been getting a few snapper in the 4-6kg bracket along with the odd pearly, rosy jobfish and amberjack.

The shallows have produced some quality

Amberjack have been showing up in mixed bags from out wide.

mixed bags for us on charter, not in the numbers of fish as we’ve been pulling out wide, but in some of the hard-pulling fish. It’s been a real mix of species with snapper, mulloway, cobia, spangled emperor, amberjack and the everpresent yellowtail kingfish.

We’ve also had a handful of small black marlin swallow our floated pilchards and give us a bit of entertainment

before throwing the hooks mid-jump!

I’ve heard good reports of spotted mackerel being caught up on the Sunshine Coast, so it shouldn’t be long before we see good numbers in Moreton Bay in all the regular haunts down the Gold Coast.

There are plenty of options off Moreton and Stradbroke islands this month for both bottom fishos and those chasing

Kingfish have been prevalent in the shallows and specimens of this size will strain your tackle to its limits!

Mulloway make a good table fare at this size and are always a welcome addition to the bag.

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Until next month enjoy your fishing, take care on the coastal bars.

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pelagics. Dragging a gar and hardbodied lure around Point Lookout or live bating on Moreton’s close coffee rock should account for a few Spaniards. If a wahoo is on your menu, the Sevens or Hutchies are the spots to have some high-speed fun.

There will be a few mahimahi around the Point Lookout FADS, as long as there’s not too much traffic or spear fishos in the water.

For the reef fishos, the juvenile snapper will continue on the wider

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Baitfish bring bread and butter species NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

What good fishing weather we’ve had! Yes, we have had the occasional rainy overcast day and windy weekend but on a whole the days have been quite favourable for anglers both inshore and off.

we experienced plenty of northeasterly winds, which had quite an effect on the northern bay as it pushed all the bait schools down to the south. During this last month, we have had our seasonal southeasterly winds making a comeback, which has fired up our bay and brought back the much-needed food to our northern waters.

fishing hole for these areas with anchoring up being the best option.

Live baits or mullet strips are favoured by flathead in the summer months with soft plastics being a great option for the lure fanatics. Offerings such as the 3” Z-Man Grubz, 3” Atomic Jerk Minnows and 3” Keitech Easy Shiners rate high on the agenda with brighter colours catching the eyes of these bottom feeders.

It pays to experiment with jighead weight depending on water depth, but I find a 1/0 suitable for most situations.

Hot spots over the last month have been White Patch, Mission Point and the mouth of Elimbah Creek in the Pumicestone Passage.

Hays Inlet, beneath the Ted Smout Bridge and Bald Hills Creek in the Pine River and the mouth of Cabbage Tree Creek also fire well,

especially during a low light ebbing tide.

SAND WHITING Sand whiting numbers have been nice and steady recently and should continue with the hot weather.

Outside the Powerboat Club at Caloundra and the surf side around Skirmish Point have been the pick of the spots up at Bribie Island with Margate Beach also showing some numbers during the fuller tides.

Bloodworm and squid strips are the standout baits while fishing the surf, but pipis are definitely worth a try also with the off chance you may even get some good dart during your session. The addition of red plastic tubing through your line just above your hook has been a must for whiting anglers for years and has proven itself of late with many anglers keeping this tradition alive.

Mick Starkey nailed this nice bream from the Pumicestone Passage.

Tristan Taylor with a nice trevally taken in the northern bay.

BREAM A reliable indication for increased bait schools in an area is usually the presence of bream both big and small.

The Redcliffe Peninsula has shown better than average numbers of bream with good consistency shown by sizes around 27-28cm fork length.

Many of these have been roaming in packs of 6-8 so be sure to remove your hooked fish quickly as there is a high chance you may be on again.

Mullet strips, chicken breast and peeled prawns have been the most successful baits this summer with a lot of anglers also getting good hauls on hardbodied lures and soft plastics like Cranka Cranks, Atomic Shiner 45, Ecogear CX35HS, Jackall Chubbies, Z-Man Grubz and Gulp Crabbies.

Transparent colours have been working a treat, as water clarity has been quite good.

The Peninsula hasn’t been the only place firing with bream with our estuaries showing good form of late.

The best have been the Pine and Caboolture rivers and the Pumicestone Passage.

The Pine and Caboolture

As we soldier through the steamy summer, fishing has been good throughout the northern bay with the staple species of bream, sand whiting and flathead showing us the value of a day out on the water.

Offshore has also been fruitful for the adventurous anglers with mahimahi, spotty mackerel and small black marlin hitting the decks with high frequency.

Baitfish have been holding well in the bay. During the start of our summer

FLATHEAD I love this time of year for fishing our estuaries and inshore waters as you can pretty much guarantee you are going to encounter a lizard somewhere. We don’t quite breed them as big as the southern coast waters but we do commonly encounter numbers around the 60-70cm mark.

Fast flowing tidal areas with swirling waters are a perfect backdrop to hooking good lizards. Be on the lookout at your local

Aaron and William Sharp enjoyed some father and son fishing time and nailed some good flathead on the job!

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rivers have been working better on the incoming tide with the bream chasing bait up into the rivers and amongst the mangroves.

This is quite a contrast from the Pumicestone Passage, which has been firing on the receding tide.

This is a good time to take advantage of the many creek mouths in the Passage as anchoring at these mouths can ambush fish on the move. Light sinkers with baits and deep diving crankbaits can ensure your presentation remains in the strike zone for longer.

SAND AND MUD CRABS There has been a great spread of these crustaceans over the northern bay, especially the times after a little rain. The flush out of muddies into the channels have lead to good catches in the upper reaches of the Pine River and Cabbage Tree Creek with the Pumicestone producing around the mouths of its major creeks as well.

For sandies, the lower reaches of the Pumicestone have been working well along with Deception and Bramble bays being the pick of the wide spots.

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grunter. Both fish fight hard and are great on the table, but just keep in mind that your bigger smarter fish will only be feeding in the low light periods of dawn and dusk; you will still catch the odd cracker at any time of the day just not in any numbers.

There have been a few small snapper taken from under the bridge. The size of these guys will climb dramatically when the water temperature drops (March and April), which is when the water temperature declines to about 25°C and under.

Your temperature gauge on your sounder can be very handy at times so keep your eye on it.

The mulloway numbers will also climb with the cooler water temperatures.

Just watch your size limits with a minimum of 75cm and a bag limit of 2 per person.

Time and time again I see hillbillies at the boat ramp bragging of the mulloway they caught only to find out seconds later they were not even of a legal size. All I can say is fish for the future, not for the fame. Do your homework and make sure you do the right thing every time. Our kids will thank us for it one day.

I’ve seen some nice jacks boat side recently. There’s nothing better than seeing the big red flank as it surfaces for

The author with a jack caught and released.

The thrill of the chase, the fight, the picture and then the release is all worthwhile. the first time and it feels even better when it slides into the net. Now you’ve netted it, there are a few things you need to do to treat it with care. Take a quick happy snap or two and preferably release the beauty to fight and breed another day. These fish are way too cool to kill and eat and that feeling you get when it swims out of your hands is priceless.

The crabs have been hit and miss for some time now, both sandies and muddies.

If you want to put in some time and hard work chances are you will get a feed. Just remember you will have your rare crab pot thief not too far away. I know a lot of crabbers

opting to not bother because of this reason, sometimes it’s just not work the hassle. I’ve fished these waters for a long time now, and I used to have to play ‘dodge-the-pot’ with my tinnie, but over the past few years this has not been the case as there are a lot fewer floats on the water for of this reason. I know it’s sad, but it’s true. No one wants to spend time, money and effort setting pots just to come back and find some low-life has ripped you off.

There are hoards of turtles and dugongs in the passage of present; so get out there have some fun with the family and hopefully you will land a few fish.

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Summer is really on fire across the Sunshine Coast with schools of munching mackerel and hardfighting tuna smashing bait from Caloundra to Noosa.

OFFSHORE The schools are running in close so you have the luxury of fishing the Inner Gneerings, Murphys and the Caloundra 5, 7 and 12 Mile

reefs rather than running wide to the Barwon Banks.

For those that like to fish out further, Caloundra Wide is running hot with pelagics and the big speedsters of the ocean, the wahoo, are out there waiting.

Mahimahi are hanging around the FADs and the channel markers further north around Coolum.

The Barwon Banks is also a great spot and areas like the Three Sisters offer mackerel and many reef species across its vast network.

The run up to the high tide and the first hour of the ebb are the best times to target the mackerel. During January, hardbodied lures were not as successful as slow trolled livies or large pilchards. A few ganged 6/0 Tru Turns or Mustads with a weight will always do the trick. The best colours for the hardbodies have been Qantas (red head with white body) and the gold colours.

Spotty mackerel are in abundance with an average size around 70cm, but there are plenty of bigger

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Noel McFerran with a hefty cobia taken out wide. ones fighting to take the bait. Mixed amongst them are tuna and Spanish, so there is not much chance of missing them at the moment.

Remember that the key to successful casting to the breaking schools is to match the hatch. They are feeding on smaller bait schools so a 20g slug is ample to hook the spotties.

A common question that I get is about whether or not wire affects the catch rate. The short answer is no, particularly during a feeding frenzy but you must keep a strong connection on the fish so they don’t flip off. Another issue is that your rig may have a few swivels along the length of the leader. You may find that you are being busted off even with wire and that is generally due to fish biting the swivels or sinkers where there is no wire. The best advise is to have plenty of spare rigs ready made in a plastic bag so that you can keep at them.

I have not lost a rig in 5 years but this season alone from December 2014 I have lost 4 chrome slugs and two mackerel rigs.

That’s fishing…

There are still a wide variety of reef species out there and to get the best results head out in the wee hours of the morning or later in the evenings over a tide change. Snapper and pearl perch are being caught out at the Caloundra 12 Mile and at the Kosi.

The are also good numbers of iodine bream and tuskfish out in the southern end of the Barwon Banks and areas of the Gneerings, close in to Mooloolaba, have plenty of mixed reefies.

INSHORE The Pumicetone Passage is a little slow but there are bream, whiting, flathead, trevally and queenfish being taken outside of the normal busy holiday hours. The Boardwalk in Caloundra is always full of anglers including families with smaller kids because it is such a nice spot to fish.

Kings Beach and around to Moffat are OK for bream

but again you will need to beat the big number of swimmers to get into the action.

I noticed that around the pontoons at the boat ramp in Mooloolaba there are plenty of little spotty mackerel mixing it up with the bream.

I noticed a good school of them when launching the boat at the Mooloolaba Coast Guard ramps recently.

They are only around 1kg but will be great fun on light gear for the kids.

The pontoon at La Balsa Park is the same with plenty of anglers dropping a line through the day and night.

There is always plenty of

calm beach water area and swim like mad.

There are extra fisheries officers around checking catches and picking up some frames for research.

Please be polite to them and cooperate as they have a job to do and help us in the long run. The bags limits allow us all to take home plenty of fish, so don’t break the rules and everything will go smoothly. If you meet up with a fisheries officer you could offer them your frames, a little bit helps a lot.

So this month offshore will see the bigger female Spanish mackerel around and more tuna schools

Top: The author with a standard sized spotty mackerel. Bottom: Damien pulled this monster mulloway from a local wreck. fish frames around to draw the fish in. Let’s face it, a free feed is always a good thing!

The rock walls that run right out to the Mooloolaba Bar entrance have deep water and have been known to hold exciting predators like mulloway, tuna and mackerel, so give this area a try while you can. If things are a little quiet, you can keep fishing and the kids can just walk 30m to the

starting to move in. The spotty mackerel will still be on the reefs and reef species will be on the chew but plan that early morning or late evening trip to stay out of the heat.

Take plenty of water and food with you and if you start to feel a little sick or light-headed, sit down and drink some water and cool yourself down. Heat stroke can come on quickly and take you out fast.

Noosa is the place for a pelagic onslaught NOOSA

Peter Wells

Noosa’s offshore reefs are the place to be. Whether chasing exciting reel busting pelagics in the bay, hauling in a great feed off the many reefs, or trolling around for mackerel and many other game fish, the opportunities available are quite vast.

For the time being, some of the close inshore reefs have been providing anglers with exciting action, as mackerel, tuna and wahoo are crashing into all sorts of baits and lures. Trolled skirts and big hardbodies like Rapala X-Raps, Halco Laser Pros and the River2Sea Torpedo have accounted for plenty of fish.

While trolling, juvenile black marlin have been responsible for the odd exciting moment, with the area around Chardons Reef the most productive.

as the trout prefer to take a bait laying on the bottom.

Therefore, fish the bait hard to the reef and you will find your trout catch greatly increase. For a detailed rundown on everything trout, come in and see Chicko at Davo’s Tackle World in Noosa. With 8 seasons as a pro trout fisherman under his belt, there isn’t much old Chicko doesn’t know about catching coral trout.

Heading up to North Reef and the Double Island reefs will also see larger Spanish mackerel. This is the time of year when the big fellas come to town, with fish up to 35kg not uncommon.

Sweetlip, cobia, pearl perch and the odd snapper will be on the bite as well, along with tuna and mackerel on drifted baits.

The Greenings, Coolum and Murphys Reef to the south always produce well in the latter months of summer,

Local lass Maddie is pictured with a couple of nice pearl perch from her trip to Chardons Reef with Chicko Vella of Davo’s Tackle World.

of year, the upper reaches of the Noosa is one of the top spots for mangrove jack. Fishing up past Johns Landing to the mouth of Lake Cootharaba is a great area.

An early start is essential though, and work the snaggy shoreline with suspending and diving lures. Jacks love to hide in the snags and feed on passing bait as it moves down river on the tide. Give the River2Sea Live Minnows a go. These lures are also good for trolling, and you may encounter big threadfin salmon, mulloway, giant trevally, and there’s always the chance of a barra.

From Lake Cooroibah to the ferry you can expect plenty of flathead, trevally, mangrove jack and school mulloway, with soft plastics being perfect in this area.

Drifting down river working a soft plastic will cover a lot of ground and inevitably get you onto the fish. The run-out tide is the best and fishing the low light periods will greatly increase your chances.

Big whiting are on the bite in both the Noosa and Maroochy rivers. Surface lure fishing is taking some great fish up to 40cm. Small popper and sinking poppers are the way to go, but also give the surface walkers a try. Skinny Dogs, SugaPens and Skinny Pops all work extremely well on these delicious table fish.

If you want to find out how to get into this exciting and productive type of fishing, drop into either of our Davo’s stores and have a chat to the team. Let’s face it, if these guys aren’t at work

Graham Mutch won the $50 Davo’s Fish of the Week prize with this quality 5.5kg spangled emperor from The Hards.

I like to place my pots in deeper holes and then head off for a couple of hours’ fishing with the fresh mullet fillets I have just taken off the frames. Regular checking of pots is the key to getting a good feed of crabs though.

We have had a sensational summer on the beaches, with some excellent captures of mulloway, tailor, dart, whiting and flathead all coming from the sand.

Small dart can get annoying in summer, but they are great

fun for the kids and there is nothing better than the big smile you get when they catch something.

Over on the Noosa North Shore, the Third Cutting has been fishing well for small tailor on sunset and daybreak, while up past Teewah some of the bigger tailor have touched the 3kg mark. This time last year, a 5.4kg fish was taken in that exact area, and an old-fashioned 10lb tailor is definitely on every beach fisho’s bucket list.

Night fishing for big mulloway is also worth a try; big baits, big sinker, and let them soak is the tried and true method that most diehard mulloway fishers use.

Now for all the latest information, log onto www. fishingnoosa.com.au for up-to-date bar and fishing reports, and don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait and Tackle at Marcoola to find out where the fish are biting.

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Richard and Jodie Stonehouse from Tewantin boated a Spaniard and 3 spotties at Sunshine Reef on Christmas Day. Cobia, snapper, sweetlip and many other ‘reefies’ have been plentiful around the inner reefs. The coral trout is one of the most sought-after of all the reef species, and Sunshine Reef is one of the best places to target them.

The trout fishing is a little bit more complex than just sending a lump of squid down on a paternoster rig though,

and again pilchard floaters and live baits work well here.

Don’t forget to get that berley trail happening, as this will bring the fish to you. Use a good amount at the start and then slow it right down, with a piece of berley dropped every minute or so. Too much and Mr Shark will make an appearance.

In the rivers at this time

they are out fishing, so their local knowledge is incredible and are more than happy to help to get you on the fish.

Crabbing in the upper reaches of both the Maroochy and Noosa rivers can be very productive in February, as the big bucks are out on the hunt for some female company.

Fresh baits like mullet frames and chook frames work well.

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49

Pot of gold at the end of Rainbow Beach RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

We have been enjoying a good run with the weather lately, and as a consequence there’s been some great fish caught.

have come aboard on each occasion we have managed to travel up there.

Our eastern grounds have proven consistent with snapper, pearl perch, cod, hussar and lots of big parrot. Mahimahi have also been available on nearly

ON THE BEACH Whiting have been available in good numbers and the lagoon at Double Island Point has offered up a good feed. Flathead, bream and dart have been caught around The Oaks at Inskip Point, and along the beach at Middle Rock, towards Double Island Point.

GREAT SANDY STRAITS Whiting are in good numbers here also, with Kauri Creek consistently delivering lots of big fish. The bottom end of Fraser Island has also been a good area of late.

Flathead and bream have been coming in around Carlo Point, while Bullock Point has

been the go-to place for flatties.

With the heat and humidity, the mangrove jack are also very active, and once again, Kauri Creek is fishing well for them.

Last year, February was a ripper for both reef and mackerel fishing, with the mackerel season being one of the best I’ve ever seen.

Hopefully we’re in for a repeat of that awesome action this year.

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

A beautiful Rainbow Beach red emperor caught aboard the Keely Rose.

Still enough swelter for a belter HERVEY BAY

A nice scarlet sea perch caught on a fishing charter.

OFFSHORE We have continued targeting bottom species, as the pelagics are running a bit late and the reef fishing is still very active. On our northern grounds, big pearl perch, scarlet perch, and red emperor

every spot we have chosen to stop at. Simply throwing an unweighted pilchard out the back of the boat has produced mahimahi up to 15kg. It’s very entertaining sport and a nice eating fish into the bargain.

Shaddy looks justifiably happy with this quality pearl perch.

Scott Bradley marlin81@bigpond.com

It’s been a good start to the New Year with better weather, great fishing and we still have a couple of months before it starts to get cold again!

PLATYPUS BAY We’re still getting plenty of pelagic action with longtails, mackerel, billfish, trevally, queenfish and mac tuna working the many bait schools in the area. Sharks have been taxing on many good fish so an upgrade of line class might be the call to get fish to the boat.

If there are no bust ups of bait on the surface or birds working then sight casting the shallows or drifting over the many coffee rock reefs close to Fraser Island using plastics, stick baits and metals can be a productive option for a

mixture of reef, estuary and pelagic species.

IN THE BAY The local reefs have fished really well with coral bream, sand bass, parrot, blackall, Moses perch and cod making up the bulk of the catch. Squid, mullet and prawns are worth a shot if your bait fishing and prawn profile soft plastics are working well at the moment.

Live baiting is the best way to tempt many fish and cod are real suckers for herring, mullet, pike and just about anything they can fit in their mouth.

Most of the bay’s shallow reefs hold cod and if you set yourself up on some decent ground with a good supply of live bait and fish the tide changes you’ll catch fish.

Pencil squid are everywhere at the moment attacking baits and plastics meant for other species.

They vary from tiny bait sized to the big fellas most anglers chase for the table.

Carrying a selection of sizes

and colours of Yo-Zuri style jigs will get you amongst them and if you’re night fishing, a decent light will

fresh fish for the table.

Threadfin salmon are in their prime at this time of year and good numbers

Variety is definitely one of the pluses this time of year and mixed bags like this are the norm over our local reefs. bring them around the boat in no time.

CREEKS In the creeks and estuaries, bread and butter species like flathead, whiting and bream have been a reliable source of

of grunter have been caught on a mixture of baits and lures.

Plenty of crabs are on the move too, so now is the time to get your pots in the water for a feed of succulent muddies.

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Fraser Island access update FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

On October 24 last year, the Federal Court granted Fraser Island native title to the Butchulla People.

Quoting from a spokesman from the Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing “… the determination allows the Butchulla People non-exclusive rights to be present in the area, to camp, hunt, gather, conduct ceremonies, and maintain places of importance and significance on their traditional lands in accordance with traditional lore and customs, subject to the laws of the Commonwealth, State and Local governments...”

There has also been agreement between the Butchulla People and the State Government with regard to protection of cultural and environmental values, as well as the use of traditional names. Recreational activities including camping, fourwheel driving and fishing will continue through existing arrangements and there is no foreseeable change with permits and the way businesses operate.

I mention all this because it clarifies at least some of the concerns that visiting anglers might have. I must say that I am reasonably comfortable with the agreements so far.

No doubt there will be more questions raised, as they have been already, on chat sites.

We are all familiar with the measures that are in place for dingo management at this time. Fencing of townships, electrified grids, keeping track of the dingo population (particularly of problem animals), as well as strict rules concerning interactions with people and deliberate or accidental feeding are some of the measures in place. We are also well aware that there is no shortage of opponents

of the existing measures, but we won’t go down that path right now. The fact is that we do have strict dingo management laws in place, and how these will impact on a people group that have had a traditionally close relationship with dingoes will be interesting to see.

With Christmas school holidays now behind us, the island will settle into a quiet phase, at least until the Easter break in April. As expected, it wasn’t always easy to score a good feed of fish.

There were, however, some encouraging reports of quality sand whiting, particularly in the low water gutters right along the eastern beach.

This was great news and if trends in other seasons are a guide, whiting activity should continue to improve into the next few months.

There have been scattered catches of bream and dart along the open beaches, as well as some good mulloway at Poyungan Rocks. The headlands have been turning on some good catches of

Roads across the island have been in somewhat better condition where there have been heavy downfalls in the past months, but most remain difficult. The Happy Valley to Moon Point road remains officially closed beyond the Bullock Road junction.

Fraser Island’s Platypus Bay has seen plenty of activity for many months now. Boat anglers travel from Urangan, with a few tackling the open water trip from Burnett Heads. The main attraction has been the abundance of small black marlin, often not far offshore, south of Rooney Point. There is really nothing new about their appearance, as it is a reasonably reliable event every year. Mind you, this has been an exceptional season, not only in Fraser Island waters, but right along the southern coast of Queensland, as reported by other correspondents.

While many fish have been taken on trolled skirted lures, there have been times when marlin would take just about any artificial that

Longtails are still being taken in Platypus Bay. bream and dart, as well as a few sweetlip and Moses perch.

The western beach of the island was very busy during the holidays. Fishing reports have been sparse, with northerly winds and weed patches not helping. Whiting have been taken in reasonable numbers, but there have been lots of fish not quite making the legal mark of 23cm.

The Perfect Gift for the Fisherman

passed by them. Even sight casting soft plastics has been responsible for many hookups.

Of course, not a lot of these result in fish being brought to boat, but most agree that it’s great fun! I have heard of many first-timers racing back to Hervey Bay tackle shops to become re-equipped.

I should mention that others have ‘learned the ropes’ by

first taking the opportunity of using one of the local guides.

Platypus Bay and waters south to Moon Point have also experienced some good fishing for other pelagics over the last few months.

Longtail and mac tuna, as well as spotted mackerel, have been busy working the bait balls, but it has been too much ‘on again, off again’ with these fish. Experienced anglers, consulting weather and tidal conditions, more often than not can pick the ‘on again’ times.

Golden trevally have been active over the flats that fringe Fraser Island’s western shores.

From Rooney Point south to Awinya Creek and from Moon Point south to Kingfisher Bay, tailing goldies can usually be found. Fly fishers almost have an ownership of the golden trevally fishery, but the fish have also been taken on bait and a variety of plastics.

Last month I had something to say about the shallow water reef fishery in Hervey Bay, looking particularly at grass sweetlip, or coral bream as they are known in the bay. Catches since the beginning of the year have been encouraging, with most easily making the 30cm limit. Weather conditions have not always been ideal, but you have to make the most of the good days and nights when you can get them.

The coral bream is the most common catch on shallow reef, but it is closely followed by the blackall, or painted blubberlip Diagrammatic pictum.

Some other blubberlips include the brown blubberlip of the estuaries and the sooty and gold spot blubberlips of Fraser Island’s eastern coffee rocks.

This is yet another species that employs a number of local names such as morwong, slatey bream, sweetlip and even ‘mother-in-law fish’.

Before going any further, I need to say that the latter is quite unfair, particularly in Hervey Bay. I understand

This 5.2kg blackall was taken from The Graves off Woody Island. For many people, it presents the best chance of making a capture in excess of 5kg. that the name evolved in north Queensland, where fishermen were so spoiled by an abundance of piscatorial delicacies like coral trout that they deemed this fish to be only worth giving to that much loved member of the extended family. Admittedly, I understand that the northern blackall might acquire a stronger than usual taste in some areas, but in Hervey Bay it is most unusual for this fish to be strong flavoured.

Having said that, like most fish kept for the table, it is best to kill and bleed, then store on ice. I also prefer to remove the skin from the fillets. I know at least one mother-in-law who gives the thumbs up…

For the angler working the shallow reefs, the blackall presents the best chance of making a capture in excess of 5kg, but there are plenty around the 2-3kg mark available. Although they will take just about any bait presented, they show a marked preference for crustacean or cephalopod baits such as crabs, prawns, yabbies, squid and cuttlefish. I would choose one or more of these if targeting blackall specifically, but would not be at all surprised to take them on a hardihead or half pilchard either.

The bite of a blackall is usually very soft, often little

more than a suspicion. It is usually necessary to drop some slack until the fish is felt to be moving away with the bait. Only then should the hooked fish be dealt with. Even though they live over reefy country, they are usually clean fighters.

Artificials, mostly small grubs or curly tail plastics, produce just limited success.

Their use on the reef almost always attracts the attention of more aggressive species like grass sweetlip, Moses perch, cod, or coral trout.

It would appear that the blackall finds its food mostly by smell and the use of its blubbery lips, not so much by sight; attributes that do not lend themselves to chasing worked plastics!

One particular angler that I am aware of would first disagree with me until he admits that he uses one of the tubed scents liberally on his plastic before each cast…

The blackall has a minimum legal length of 25cm and a bag limit of 5.

Being a designated coral reef finfish, it can be part of (up to 5) of 20 such designated fish.

The grass sweetlip and the blackall are the most abundant shallow reef species, but there are others worth looking at.

We will continue with this next month.

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It’s been a typical start to a Queensland summer; hot, stormy and muggy.

Bundaberg has had some pretty steamy days of late and this should continue through February, which means fishing is way more comfortable early in the morning or out for a late arvo session.

THE BURNETT RIVER The river has been on fire lately with the odd storms just keeping enough fresh flowing down it to keep the bait, prawns and fish moving around.

With the holiday crowds gone home it’s now time for the locals to come out and enjoy our pristine waterways once again.

The deeper holes in the Burnett have been producing good grunter on both lures and baits and with a few nice salmon eating the blades and soft vibes there has been some reel fun being had.

The boys from Tackle World have had heaps of good reports lately with mangrove jack and

Reg Brown with his first ever barra. These chromed prizes are back on the cards this month and there’s a plethora of places to find them! for showing how easy they are to put on if you have prepared them before your trip out.

The mac tuna are also everywhere out the front and they will move in and out depending on bait school movements, so keep an eye on the birds, they will give the tuna away. Even if you don’t eat tuna, try catching them for bait as their flesh is firm and they make great strip baits for big trout and sweetlip.

BARRAMUNDI I touched on the fact

a barra, stay in the area as they are schooling fish and can sit in snags in numbers so keep casting, you may just fire them up.

They will eat all sorts of lures and really you just can’t have enough lures so make sure you have the water columns covered.

My advice is to have a range of lures at your disposal as sometimes they like suspending lures and sometimes they like them when they float back up to the surface, so the key is be well-armed. In other words,

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Jason Ehrlich showing that with a decent guide, even he can catch Spanish mackerel. barramundi on the chew and of course as of 1 February; the mighty barramundi will be back on the hit list.

OFFSHORE I did manage a couple of trips out the front lately and the mackerel action has been awesome. The Spanish have been around in good numbers in the 6-10kg range and the schoolies and spotties have been in plague proportions. Without a doubt the number one fish producer for me has been a 40g Halco Twisty. I have even started fishing it with a short 2” length of singlestrand because we have been losing so many to bite offs. Thanks Jason Ehrlich

the barra were back on the target list, which means it’s time to get out there and get amongst them. Barra have turned up in every creek, river, headland and lagoon since the big flood a couple of years ago so it hasn’t been too hard to find a few.

If you’re new to targeting barra and want to give it a go this time of year, they will have just spawned (hopefully) and they will start to push back up the rivers and creeks. Rock bars and deep holes are their favourite haunts but they will hunt and feed in very shallow water and can show up in some very odd spots.

If you do get a hit or see

keep trying until you find what they want.

With plastics, I like a big T-tail that works at very slow speeds. The barra will follow and the kick from the tail can just drive them nuts, so they have to hit it.

I like to use large-gaped hooks, which means there is a big space between the hook point and the shank of the hook and this gives you a better chance of pinning the fish when they swallow it and try to spit it out.

Whatever type of artificial you decide to use, just make sure the hooks are beefed up as barra will sort cheap and light hooks out very quickly.

FEBRUARY 2015

55

Monduran will heat up as the water cools down With Rob Howell still away, FM has caught up with Rob Wood from Lake Monduran Barramundi Charters Australia to fill

you in on what’s been happening up on the lake.

“At the moment, it’s actually too hot to have consistent fishing on the

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Lake,” Rob said.

“The water temperatures have been up to 35ºC and the fishing has been patchy over January.”

Barra in Monduran seem to like water temps between 24-30ºC and the heat plus constant monsoon troughs hovering in the area have slowed the bite down.

Good news, however, is that as these temperatures drop over February through April, the fishing will improve markedly.

“Before Christmas, there were plenty of 80-90cm fish to be had, mainly by throwing smaller jerk baits in the 70-80mm size ranges and these fish will come on again as the water cools down,” Rob said.

Baits like the Rapala X-Raps and Jackall Squirrels in the smaller sizes have been producing the goods, as well as the Z-Man 100mm baits with the chin locking jigheads.

The other thing that didn’t help over January was a bloom of bluegreen algae, but that will also diminish as

Rob’s got the wood on the barra at Monduran. temperatures drop.

In lieu of fishing in the Lake being sub-standard in January, there was plenty of action from escapee barra in the local river systems like the Kolan, Baffle, Littabella and Burnett. Annoying closedseason by-catch. Rob

expects these fish to get a real touch-up from the commercial netters as the season opens.

If you’re interested in fishing Monduran with Rob, call him on 0427 590 995. – FMG

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Trent Jepson caught a cracking 51cm jack at Nerang on a soft plastic.

FEBRUARY 2015

59

The year for innovation ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

Although the weather was rarely in favour in January, a lot of decent fish have still been caught. The estuaries have been fishing nicely and the freshwater areas have been going well in the afternoons.

FITZROY AND THE NARROWS Closed season on barra is over for our region as of midday 1 February. With the gates opening up during December and January a lot of larger fish will be down in the saltwater once it calms down, the input of freshwater from creeks will also mean a great

deal of bait will move into the system making the Fitzroy will be very active.

Places to hit in these times will be rocky outcrops near creek mouths and any mangroves and artificail structures near the creek mouths where the baitfish will also congregate.

The salmon have been going well on lightly weighted plastics and flies. There have been numerous mangrove jacks caught around the area recently too, most of them being taken on soft plastics and the Z-Man DieZel Minnow in ayu colour seems to be the lure doing the job time and time again.

RIVERS CREEKS AND BEACHES In the creeks and beaches

Peter landed this awesome king salmon, you would have to be stoked with that!

large bream and flathead in the deeper parts of the water have been reported.

Areas to target would be channel mouths or drop-offs in the channel from kneedeep water to water over a metre deep.

The bream on the other hand, especially the pikey bream have been a very common catch for people heading down to places like Wild Cattle and South Trees, With them have been Moses perch and odd grunter. Cod have been in the thousands and will take almost any lure or bait thrown at them.

The best places to target these estuary species would be headlands along the beaches, and on a calm day can even result in queenfish or trevally. Medium running bream styled hardbodies have been working well using natural baitfish pattern. These lures typically dive 1-2m and are around 40-50mm long.

FRESHWATER LAGOONS The combination of summer heat, light rain, storms and abundance of small baitfish has turned the fresh right up! The best areas are around the lilies or tree lines.

Small curl-tail plastics

Connor from CQ Fishing and Boating with a nice cod taken on an Atomic Bream Shad. such as the 3� Banana Prawn or Swimming Mullet make any fish in the freshwater lagoons come out and play!

With a few more hot days getting into the middle of summer and continuing with the occasional rain the freshwater areas should be filled full of sportfish to target with grubs, hardbodies and for whomever wants to take up a challenge with the smaller baitfish floating about casting a fly around the lillies, you can get good results!

CRABBING The crabs at this time of the year are extremely active and full to the top with meat.

A recent influx of freshwater in the system should keep the crabbing at the port going strong as the water upstream carries a lot of muck and dead organisms that crabs like to feed on. Check out your local tackle store for any advice or for the low down on the rules and regulations.

NEW SENSATIONS In 2014 we saw some

great techniques such as micro jigging become very popular.

Some great new gear had been developed and some fantastic lures have come out as well.

2015 will be a crazy new year with new reels and revamped older reels, new and revamped rod series and two new Fishfinder GPS systems will be hitting stores this year, which look insane. There’ll be plenty of lures coming about too and I cannot wait to see what lures come on the market!

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Wynnum Marine 31 Fox St, Wynnum 07 3396 9777 www.wynnummarine.com.au info@wynnummarine.net.au

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© 2015 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). ®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. *Terms and conditions apply, excludes commercial purchases. Offer valid on evinrude E-TEC engines 25 HP and above newly purchased and registered from participating authorised dealers. Valid until 28th February 2015 ** For normal recreational use. # Extended warranty covers Evinrude E-TEC engines 40HP and above, newly purchased and registered from participating authorised dealers. Terms and conditions apply. For full terms and conditions please contact your local participating Evinrude dealership. BRP reserves the right at any time to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Products are distributed in Australia and New Zealand by BRP Australia Pty Ltd. 1

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61

Big bags close to home YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

The offshore fishing has gone from strength to strength as we move into the New Year. We are getting a whole range of species without having to do the large mileage we are used to doing.

We are all checking out irregularities on the charts from the bends on contour lines to small features previously ignored by the majority. As more people use our offshore waters you need to look for something that others aren’t seeing or revisit spots long since abandoned by the masses in favour of supposedly more fertile grounds. We make a habit of never hitting the same grounds too often, particularly if there have been no other boats using that area so the stocks there can recover a bit before the

next visit. Sometimes these visits could be a year or two apart, given the weather up here seems to be bad more than good and the fact that having a few hundred good marks doesn’t give you the time to check each one regularly.

The better quality locating equipment has shown that spots previously thought to be barren could have enough features to hold bait but no big pinnacles or bommies that standout at you. Many times these will be the place where that trophy red or nanny comes from. If there is bait there then big stuff won’t be far away.

Pearl perch have been turning up in some catches lately. Though not in the same numbers that the southern boys seem to enjoy, any pearlies are welcome.

Coral trout are in good numbers all over the area with plenty of bar-cheek in the waters around the

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islands and the bigger blue spots in the well-structured areas of deeper water.

The great run of pelagics in the bay had to come to an end sooner or later.

The fresh moving down The Fitzroy River and out through the bay will cloud it up and push the tuna and mackerel out wide of the islands to cleaner areas. In saying that, at present we are the middle of one of the best mackerel runs for some time. The islands have been produced non-stop Spaniards for the past few months. Luckily, the fresh through the bay should not affect the slightly wider spots like Flat, Perforated and Manifold.

The trick now is to find where the current lines of fresh meet the clean salt water. The big Spanish and a number of other pelagics have been patrolling the clean edges waiting in ambush for baitfish to come out of the dirty water. Over recent years in flood time one of the best ways to find the fish was to troll your lures or baits around the plumes in a slight ‘zig-zag’ pattern from clean water to dirty water and back. There doesn’t necessarily have to be any structure, as long as there is a defined colour change along the current lines it is worth the effort.

Years ago, Nashy

Mark Thompson caught this fine king threadfin salmon between the bridges in town. developed a technique to bring Spanish to the baits while trolling when things were slow. This involved dropping a Taipan almost to the bottom and hauling back to the boat as quick as you can. The idea was for the Spaniards to follow the jig and latch onto bait as soon as they see the slower moving delicacy. This method still makes a big difference but nowadays we seem to get as many or more fish on the Flasha or Taipan as the troll bait.

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the right size for mackerel and they get to required depths without having to muck around with down riggers or paravanes.

When you troll baits like pilchards, gar or bonito, idle speed is about right. This gets the baits down a bit and the swimming action of a well presented bait attracts any nearby predator. The trick with trolling lures is to have the lure go fast enough for it to look real

and get the intended vibe happening. Different lures work best at different speeds as a rule. To find the optimum troll speed is as simple as putting the lure in the water and increasing speed until it can’t hold any more then backing off a fraction until it holds again.

Usually 10-12km/h seems to cover the better quality lures most of the time.

Most lures require a bit of fine-tuning to get them to swim properly again, once they have been slammed a few times. Usually this just involves pushing the tow point slightly away from the direction the lure is pulling, for example if the lure is pulling right move the tow point left. It only takes the barest movement to get them right again so don’t apply too much pressure.

A little trial and error and you will be able to tune all your lures to go fast and work better.

Barramundi season is open again after the brief closure. There are so many locals who have been hanging out and there is only so much fine-tuning you can do before you need to put it into practice. The Fitzroy River is flowing well with fresh at the moment, which means that the spots inside the town reaches where the cleaner local flow meets the dirty water coming downstream are the best options. Moores Creek is a prime example, the only hassle is getting your place in the line up as soon as the season opens.

When the river is running fresh, it is the only time when live baits will constantly out fish lures.

Bony bream are the pick of the livies due to the amount of them getting washed down the river that is what the barras are expecting.

The fresh ponds or lagoons around Rocky are the best spots to get livies with either scoop nets or even

bait jigs. Immediately after a storm, or while there is plenty of water running down any of the gutters into the river, there will be barramundi waiting there for a feed.

The influx of fresh has also fattened the prawns considerably and all those jelly prawns from previous weeks are now in serious growth mode. This sits well for the bait fishers in all our local estuaries, especially those chasing barra and king salmon. The prawns will be schooled up in gutters and little creek mouths over the tide but as soon as the tide starts to run out they move out slowly with it and into the waiting kings and barra.

This time of year I can’t go past any little feature that could hold prawns without throwing either a Zerek Prawn or Atomic Prong into it. You don’t always get smashed, although the odds are very good. Coorooman Creek is one spot that has benefited from the great seasons the last few years and is now producing lots of barramundi, including some trophy fish among them. There are so many likely looking areas to target when we go there we just pick a stretch of bank and work every little feature from mangrove edges to sunken logs and rock bars. The bonus of this method is covering lots of ground and the bycatch of golden snapper, kings and jacks.

Corio Bay and Waterpark is known for small barra usually however there are some nice fish among the small ones you just keep moving until you find them Mangrove jack, flathead, golden snapper, whiting, trevally, salmon and grunter are all present in the estuaries other than the fresh flowing Fitzroy and the rest of the month looks very promising.

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63

Cast a net over Mackay for prawns MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

February sees two important tasks for Mackay anglers and the most important is chasing barra now that the open season has started—the other task is the neverending one of mowing lawns as February and March are traditionally our wettest months.

Last month, we had small storms, much thunder and lightning but not a real lot of rain. There has been just enough rain to get a small prawn run happening, but I expect we will soon have enough fresh flushing of the creek systems to get the prawns running. So for February the trick is to find the prawns and the predators won’t be far away.

I keep banging on about

new and improved Prawnstar lures, which now are much easier to rig with a solid ring at the head to attach to your leader/main line. Both these lures look the goods but due to a hand injury I have not had the chance to put them through their paces yet, but will do so in the near future.

One of the great benefits of these prawn style lures is that they can be rigged weedless, which means they can be tossed into all sorts of gnarly snags and this is a great advantage when chasing jacks and barra.

Hooking them of course is one thing, but actually getting to land them is another altogether!

Barra will be in all the usual haunts and Constant Murray and Reliance creeks will all see plenty of action.

There have been plenty of 60-80cm barra around so far this summer so I expect there will be good numbers if there

Threadfin salmon are still on the chew and Keith Day scored this neat thready on a plastic vibe fished close to the bottom on a slow lift and drop retrieve. the new prawn like lures that keep hitting the market and they are now so realistic, that the fish almost don’t stand a chance. Some of them look good enough almost to throw in some boiling water. The latest two that I know of are the Fuze line and the

are not huge rains.

The closed season has definitely been of huge benefit to the barra stocks, but I have heard some worrying stories going around about anglers deliberately targeting barra during the closed season and releasing them.

Apart from being illegal, this is not good practice as no matter how carefully the fish is released it has still been stressed and when released can be shark or croc fodder as there are plenty of both in our creek systems.

One individual I heard about apparently caught and released 32 barra in 2 days during December.

Those figures sure show that these were not “accidental” catches of barra, but a deliberate targeting of them.

If I can get a name I will pass it onto the fisheries officers if for nothing else but future reference.

The smaller neap tides will be everyone’s favourite down in the salt while in the dams periods around the full moon continue to attract plenty of attention.

Good barra have been regularly coming from both Kinchant and Teemburra dams with MTA member Phil Lyons striking a great night recently in Teemburra when he landed 26 barra and lost many more through jump offs, snags etc.

Phil uses black and gold Squidgies a lot in various sizes and his results speak volumes for the effectiveness of these paddle-tail plastics.

They’re a must-have in your tackle box for dam barra in this area.

Teemburra has oodles of well-developed weed beds now after a very hot spring and early summer and there are plenty of barra in the main dam basin. The water level is slightly down and the main island right in the middle of the dam is now showing thin spindly sticks above the waterline, and this is a good spot to target barra late in the afternoon and into the early night.

Most anglers will be champing at the bit to get

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BARRA BEWARE

among a salty or two though and live baits will be the most reliable tactic. Prawns, small mullet, whiting or any other baitfish will be on the barra menu and don’t worry that your live bait might be too big as even a barely legal barra has a gob plenty big enough to swallow a large mullet.

If you have plenty of prawns, rig them several to a wide gape hook and their constant kicking and flicking will sound the dinner bell for any barra nearby. Works a treat for jacks, golden snapper, cod, grunter and most other predators that roam the creeks.

There have been good numbers of jacks around too, as well as plenty of king threadfin on some days.

The kings as always are a bit of an enigma; here one day, gone the next. They have been at their best in Constant and Murray creeks while Rocky Dam creek south of Sarina has also been providing plenty of action.

Both jacks and kings will take live baits, but kings in particular are made for plastics and over the last 12 months or so plastic vibes have been accounting for many of the better kings.

The small lift off the bottom, work the rod to make the lure vibrate then drop it back to bottom style of fishing has proven to be a reliable way to catch kings. They are great fish to catch, they fight well and despite the filleting problems with the big bony knobs, they are top tucker.

The usual estuary species have been regularly caught so far this summer with plenty of good size flathead (for this area) being reported.

We don’t get the 90cm+ ones like further south, but there are plenty here that run between 70-80cm.

Sean Taylor picked up this nice jack on a Z-Man plastic from the small gully in the background.

Bream have been a little quiet as have the whiting, and if we have big rains these will go even quieter during February.

Muddies have been on the move in all the creek systems, and the water has been running fairly clear, so they can often been seen working quietly along the edges of the creeks.

As always, restrict the numbers you keep and check them all against a crab measure as the fisheries have been in and around the creeks during December and January, so if in any doubt about size, put the crab back – it’s not worth the fine.

Traditionally mullet and estuary fish have been used for crab bait, but I reckon small mackerel frames and skin are top baits for pots. The flesh and skin lets out plenty of oil

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and that acts as a berley for the crabs and fish as well.

In my past life when I used to bait fish a lot, I used to keep all the belly flaps of doggies and spotties and cut them into thin strips for bait. These are excellent for flathead, grunter, jacks and black jewies and they also attract plenty of attention from bream in the creeks.

The flash of silver and white skin and the oily flesh are an attraction for not only those species mentioned, but also for many reef fish. Try them for cut or strip baits and you won’t be disappointed.

As always, predicting what the weather and the fishing will be like several weeks ahead is not easy, but in Mackay no matter what the weather gods throw at us, there are always options and opportunities, so come and join us in paradise.

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The weather has been a bit stormy and unpredictable, but despite this the fishing both inshore and offshore has been good for the most part.

always happens when Stanage has the king tides, up to 6.m and more, that’s when the barra have their usual exchange from salt water to fresh, and visa versa when they have spawned.

THE ESTUARY Thirsty Sound running into Broadsound and the

salmon at the mouths of the creeks with whiting off the sandbars and on the beach when the weather permits.

Everyone who uses the good pots and fresh bait and takes notice of how and where they set their pots are

getting enough muddies to keep their taste buds and tummies happy. There is a few greedy anglers who visit Stanage with the thoughts of getting as much mud crab and fish as they can and forget everyone else!

Some stonking red emperor have been a tasty addition to anglers’ bags.

Estuary cod pull hard and don’t taste too bad either!

The road to Stanage in mid January was good with the usual few pot holes and corrugation.

The creeks, especially Tilpal, have the encouraging sign of water remaining from the last storm and as per usual at this time of year, we are waiting for the annual wet season to swell all the creek crossings over the road. This

Herbert have been fishing quite well at the right time of the tides. Remember, berley counts up here and be fishing at the change of tide. Good to extremely good catches of black jew in the holes from undersize to oversize. Even the most useless of fishers are able to hook one!

Mangrove jack have been in the creek holes and threadfin

Black jew have kept anglers entertained at this hot time of year.

What we call ‘fill the esky attitudes’.

That’s all fine and dandy, however the only reason Stanage is still so good, is because of the professional fishers and crabbers. Since I came here to professionally fish and crab in 1980, the pros have always taken pride in the sustainability. Once upon a time, if you had to put a measurer on a muddy and it was undersize, we would throw it back until next shell change. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen these days with so many recreational crabbers visiting constantly.

THE REEF The weather allowed the few big boats to get outside fishing the islands and reef. Nice catches of sweetlip, spangled and red emperor,

large and small mouth nannygai and coral trout have all come aboard.

The bag limits were filled by everyone I have spoken to, with catches as close as Two Roundrocks, the Wreck, Danger Rock, Hexham group of islands the Percy Isles.

WORD OF WARNING Bad luck to the campers who thought small male and female crabs were legal to catch, take, cook and eat. You have been sprung. Remember to check with QLD Transport Maritime Safety, GBRMPA and Boating and Fisheries for all the rulings on the waterways prior to visiting Stanage. I have been constantly asking the associated government authorities for a booklet to give out, however I have not received one to date.

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Wet heats up the estuary fishing WHITSUNDAYS

Luke Griffiths

The monsoon season is upon us and, fingers-crossed, we receive some much needed rain. Some pretty ordinary weather hampered us out on the blue recently, and the fishing has been hard work too.

This rain has hotted up the estuaries though, with great numbers of delicious

mud crabs being caught. Look for the run out tide when setting your crab pots as this is generally a good time to catch them. Keep in mind that you only take what you need and release the rest for future catches. Just because you catch 20 crabs doesn’t mean you should keep them all. With more fishing pressure these days, it’s a good idea to conserve our waterways and oceans so future generations can enjoy it also.

Some pretty wild conditions out wide have put a halt to fishing the wider grounds for most anglers, however, with so many islands up here in the beautiful Whitsundays, there is always a sheltered place to wet a line.

In saying that a lot of these sheltered spots are fringing reefs and bommies. Some great catches of coral trout have been caught, which is always a welcomed addition to the esky. These tasty barrels of goodness often fall for a whole pilchard fished on the bottom, in close to the reefs and bommies. However, if you can catch a fusilier, these make fantasic live bait and tend to

Spanish mackerel around.

They always put up a great fight and are an impressive fish to catch, and even better on the fang. While trolling for these guys is usually the norm, we have been mixing it up a little lately and have been having great success on jigs using light spin gear.

Mark the bait schools up on your sounder and drop your jig down through the school cranking it back up as fast as you can. We are finding that less is usually more in this situation and working on the theory, ‘elephants eat peanuts’ – meaning that your jig doesn’t have to be a foot long and half a kilo to catch these

The Renegade crew helping a happy (and worn out!) customer hold up her nice 22kg Spanish mackerel.

Skipper Luke holding a beautiful coral trout caught on live fusilier. catch the bigger coral trout.

Be mindful that if you do catch a large one, you might want to release it as these larger models can be carriers of ciguatera. We usually release coral trout that are over 75cm, just to be safe.

This poison affects a lot of the reef species, including large Spanish mackerel.

To our delight we are still seeing good numbers of the

speedsters. A lot of our success comes from spinning up small 40-60g slugs, rigged up on mono leader. You may lose some gear using the mono, but

trebles that come on the slugs will usually be crushed by the chomping mackerel resulting in poor hook up rates. Running a strong, single

get it back to the boat. Also, by using this technique you will increase your variety of by-catch as well.

Talking about by-catch, the most prolific fish we have been catching are the cobia.

Great numbers are still around the islands and shoals and put up an epic fight. Remember to not mistake this fish for a shark, as it is easy to do. A tell-tale sign you have one on is the powerful bursts, followed by the fish racing you to the top and heading for the surface wide of your boat.

When this fish starts to head towards you, you will have to crank your reel flat out to keep up to prevent your hook from dislodging. Once at the boat, make sure you keep clear of hooks and such as these fish are very erratic once landed.

That’s it from us, hopefully we see some great rainfall totals over the next month, and some good weather for fishing. If you are lucky enough to head out for a fish, keep safe and be courteous to others also out enjoying this fantastic pastime. Cheers.

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Jackson Gray with a feisty cobia caught on light spin gear. you will find your strike rate will improve dramatically.

Another key ingredient for improving your hook ups is to think about the hook you use on the slug. The small

hook of appropriate size to match the lure, with a nice wide gape will ensure a good hook up deep into the fish’s mouth. Equalling a strong hold on the fish so you can

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Rob was over-gunned for flathead AYR

Steve Farmer

Rob Farmer was probably a little bit over-gunned for the flathead we were chasing but, as things turned out, it was just as well.

A brief trip back to his old stomping grounds in the Burdekin saw Rob arrive with a boatload of gear more suited to rampaging pelagics than lazy lizards. However, when the bluewater forecast turned out to be a bit ‘iffy’ we opted instead for an early morning kayak for lizards at Alva Beach.

We found the lizards on our first stop, but the heavy spinning outfit Rob had wasn’t really suited to luring for flathead. He couldn’t cast the smaller lures the flathead seemed to be partial to that morning and the heavier line was probably spooking the flighty lizards, which were often lying in just a few inches of clear water.

When we eventually paddled further into the inlet in search of more flathead grounds, I had two modest keepers in a wet bag in the cargo, while Rob had failed to raise a strike. But the score was about to change.

We went ashore to fish the yabby bed ahead on foot, but a yell from Rob interrupted my first cast. I turned to see him struggling to drag his kayak back into the water with one hand, while in the other hand he held his spin outfit with a healthy bend in it and a rapidly diminishing spool.

He had fired a cast out into the deeper water and was retrieving it back to the dropoff when the 12cm paddle-tail was whacked by some submarine brute far larger and speedier than

any flathead. He struggled aboard his kayak, turned the bow towards the fish and was off on a ride down the inlet, the fish towing him towards the open sea.

I jogged along beside him for a while, snapping photos as I went, but when it became obvious this wasn’t going to be a 5-minute battle, I turned back to my kayak and followed as quickly as I could.

Other anglers are likely to have similar catches to report at this time of year.

With no rain and hence no fresh in the river during January, Burdekin estuary and beach fishers have been enjoying hot, but otherwise ideal, fishing conditions.

Species such as trevally, queenfish and salmon have been moving into the sheltered waters with the rising tides, providing

inshore waters. Many of the successful anglers are avoiding the summer sun by fishing at night, which also happens to be the prime time to target this species. Live baits of mullet, herring and squid are usually the best bet for golden snapper.

Like the golden snapper, mangrove jack have also been fishing well with most creeks producing steady catches of fish around the 46cm mark –

Rob Farmer caught this trevally at Alva Beach on a 12cm soft plastic intended for flathead!

Around 20 minutes later and a kilometre from where he hooked up, Rob managed to drag his kayak ashore on the opposite side of the inlet and land a giant trevally, which he estimated to be at least 12kg! He unhooked and tail-roped the fish, allowing it to swim in knee-deep water until I arrived with the camera. After the obligatory photos the rope was untied and the trevally disappeared in a flash.

some exciting catches over the hotter summer months.

Relatively calm conditions have also allowed boaties to fish the creek mouths and nearby inshore waters for the same species. These areas should also be producing the smaller mackerel species, but so far reports have been scarce.

The much sort after golden snapper (fingermark) is also still fishing well in estuarine and the clean,

not monsters but nice fish all the same. Almost anything will get a response from jacks at this time of the year with small live baits, slab and hardbodied lures often being the best bet. Remember to fish as close as you can to good snag structure and don’t mess about with light tackle – 10kg line is the minimum to hold these dirty fighters out of the timber.

Flathead action has been hit and miss for a few months

Rob getting a free ride from a rogue giant trevally! now. Numbers can vary from one day to the next, as can their inclination to feed. The old lizard can be a frustrating quarry when they refuse to strike at anything you present to them.

The hot summer months have produced a run of calm days, which have been welcomed by bluewater fishos. Trips to the Alva shoals have produced small and large mouth nannygai, cobia and Spanish mackerel.

The mackerel have also been exceptionally prolific on the offshore reefs.

IT’S BARRA SEASON AGAIN! Of course, you know that the barra season opened midday 1 February, with much rejoicing by keen barramundi fishers. These dedicated anglers will have their tackle overhauled and tuned up in readiness for opening hour.

Tactics and fishing spots will depend on what the weather has been doing in the lead up to the opening.

If we’re still waiting for a wet season then almost any Burdekin estuary will be worth a try. The Burdekin and Haughton rivers and Morrises and Barrattas creeks will be the favourites, which are bound to get the most attention. Live baits and trolled or cast lures will get the best results.

If we actually get enough rain to cause flooding, the estuaries may still be worth trying, but live baits will be the best tactic. Flooding may also open up a few freshwater hotspots around the district where anglers can easily tangle with barra. Fish from these spots are likely to be migrating from freshwater lagoons and unfit for the table. Release these barra as quickly as possible.

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67

February fishing frenzy the local anglers with many taking the time over the years to show me new rigs and techniques and to impart crucial knowledge to find fishing success.

I know a lot of you guys read my rabble so a big thanks to you all for teaching the teacher! I will miss the drag burning jacks, insane Spanish mackerel jigging sessions, not to mention the golden snapper (fingermark) and big reds as well, but you never know what lies in waters beyond and I’m looking forward to testing out my skills in this

new ground.

With that, February is upon us and that means one thing in Bowen and that dkaggelis@gmail.com is rain. While a typically It’s with a heavy heart that dry town you can always I pen out my last QFM guarantee that February area report for Bowen, as will see close to a 1000mm it’s time for me to search falling and quite often this out some new water a little comes down over a period further north. of a week or so. This will be During my 13 years the biggest factor that will fishing the waters off Bowen affect the fishing, especially I can honestly say that it if the Don River and other has been one of the most surrounding catchments get amazing places with some a solid flow in it. truly amazing fishing. Not If the rivers do flow only has the fishing been then fishing the creeks will outstanding, but so have become quite difficult as the usually clear salty waters will now be replaced by a murky fresh ridden brown full of weed and debris.

To top this off, many of the snags will also get a good wash out which makes finding the fishing holding structure very difficult.

While this may seem on face value quite an obstacle, it can actually play to the anglers’ advantage, especially if you are chasing barramundi, which will now be back on the take list.

The key to having fishing success during this time is to find where the bait is living and the fish, STA13434Dealer1-2_STA11838NewCamp 18/07/12 10:37 AM Page 1 especially the barramundi, Nannygai will be out in good numbers during February.

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FEBRUARY 2015

Barramundi are back on the hit list! After the flooding recedes, the fishing should go nuts. will not be too far away.

This can sometimes mean spending hours on both low and high tide scouring the creeks looking for signs of herring, mullet and prawns.

This may seem like a tedious exercise but when you figure this out you will come a lot closer to finding where the fish are.

To help you out with finding bait, look for areas where the freshwater influence is at its least and the water is a little clearer.

This can sometimes be backwater eddies or small

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creeks right through to outside creek mouths where the cleaner seas water is pushed in with the tide.

One of my favourite fishing spots this time of year is around Bowen’s rocky headlands, especially over the larger tides. These areas often become havens for bait such as prawns during these major flush events and therefore become real hot spots for big barra and jacks.

In fact, if you are after a big metre plus salty then these are the areas to target.

Some of the better spots

are between Adelaide Duck creeks to the south of the bay, while to the north the areas around Dalrymple Point are also worth a fish.

The northern systems are far more dominated by sand and open beaches, especially those strewn with timber, these are also a very good spot to target barra during the flood events. These beaches fish really well over the bigger summer tides as the water is able to push right up into the structure, which gives both bait and fish plenty of room to hide.

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Shallow running hardbodies are the best to use in these areas and should be twitched or fished very slowly so to give plenty of time for the fish to see them. If you are think you are fishing too shallow, then guess again! You will be surprised at the quality of fish that can be found in less than 3ft of water.

Make sure your gear is up to the task and a strong 8-strand braid like Sunline 8 and FC leader is on your rod as you will need it when you hook these big girls in shallow water. When you hook a metre barra in less than 3ft of water it is very different to hooking one off a snag in a deep creek or impoundment. They tend to play up and become a lot more unfriendly on both gear and angler and can often be jack like in trying to destroy you on the closest rock or snag. They never seem to run out to sea and will require both heavy rod work and plenty of persistence to get to the boat.

Whilst the inshore creeks will be affected by the fresh, the offshore fishing will also be red-hot. The warmer the water the hotter the trout bite in my opinion, and there is never a better time to chase a trout around Bowen’s many islands.

The extra run from the

summer time tides pushes them right up in the shallows and islands like Thomas and Poole are renowned for big

smash them. Just make sure your drag is set for the initial take, as it is very fierce and unforgiving.

sweetlip and even monster trevally so don’t take the light stuff as you will be tying knots all day.

A little wider and the golden snapper (fingermark) will be on the bite across the wrecks and shoals. Soft plastics will work on these fish but mostly during the dusk and dawn periods, whilst live bait will be a better option at night.

These fish will be hungry,

especially if there are a few storms around and will often come on the bite really hard.

The other offshore fish that will be on the chew over February will be the reds. Both the nannygai and red emperor move in pretty close to Holbourne Island this time of year and the bite is mind blowing.

Next month should see a reprieve in the real wet stuff, which will bring

some consistency back to the fishing. New snags will begin to form in the creeks and the barra and jack fishing will be red hot. The offshore fishing will also maintain its intensity but be wary of storms if you are travelling wide, especially at night.

Once again thanks to everyone at QFM and if you are fishing the waters of Bowen, all the best!

Golden snapper will bite hard on soft plastics during dusk and dawn hours, just be careful heading offshore in the dark. trout captures during this time of year.

Make sure you berley up as this will bring them close to your baits. It is also well worth your while throwing both hardbodied lures and soft plastics around these islands this time of year as the trout will be very aggressive and keen to

I prefer to use a 50-60lb tough fluorocarbon leader such as FC100 for this work as you are working in some very prickly country and the fish you are targeting will head straight for the coral once hooked.

Be prepared to encounter other species such as black spot tusk fish, stripeys,

The author, about to head up north in search of new water, holds a nice coral trout for QFM one last time.

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69

It’s all good news for the grunter hunters TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

The offshore scene has been fairly consistent, but the wind has kept the smaller boats back in the calmer waters.

OFFSHORE Most anglers heading offshore have been getting some decent cobia, and schools of half a dozen or so have often been showing up under boats.

Terry Stevens from Akwa Marine even had one around

80lb eat a legal sized school mackerel boat side just after Chrissy. All caught on Go Pro, it should make for a great piece of footage!

A livey is irresistible for Cobes, and having a couple in the live well could pay off for when they show up, similarly, a Halco Whiptail Jig is a great tool to have at the ready. I didn’t have a 60g model with me the other day when the macks showed while I was chucking lures for golden snapper (fingermark). I won’t

be caught without one again.

Mackerel are still around in big numbers, and have been hanging deep, which is making it hard for anyone wanting to chase nannies or golden snapper with soft plastics. The only other option is a short piece of single strand wire, but the bite rate will usually drop considerably, and the choppers and reds don’t take well to wire either.

Looking for fish in shallower waters is about the only way to avoid the mackerel if they

Some really nice grunter have been getting in on the act. This one found a 5” Prong to its liking, as did several others in the same creek mouth.

You just never know what’s going to eat your lure next. Long tom occasionally take lures intended for other species. Watch out for those teeth!

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Trolling the Crazy Deep Scorpion at 8m is another tactic that can turn the odds big time and trolling a ‘figure 8’ over a patch with a couple of these underrated lures often results in a mauling.

The shallower reefs are producing some nice fish, but if you can see the reef, and stealthy approach is needed to land quality fish. Having spot lock on the Minn Kota allows you to hold in the tide run a reasonable distance from a bommie or reef and work the lures much more precisely and slowly to get the bite without getting to close and shutting them down. It’s great fun to watch the fish smack the lure,

through an overwhelming acceptance by lure casters, and the ‘king brown’ or gold colour are great options.

Soft presentations work well if you pick the right jighead, the new Seeker weedless hooks are an absolute winner for us in the North, but with a wide range of head weights and hook sizes, have got almost all of our weedless stuff covered.

If I had to pick just one plastic combination to fish the shallow drains and creeks, it would be the 5” Atomic Prong rigged on the mentioned Seeker hook. I have to admit to removing the screw in retainer and rigging it ‘old style’, but the 1/4oz

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The rubber was destroyed in the battle, but it’s little cost for a couple of kilograms of trout fillets.

The lure was an Atomic Prong, one of Hodgie’s favourite deep water plastics for a range of species. and on calm days is really a spectacular way to spend a couple of hours.

INSHORE Inshore, the jacks are still playing the game as ever, and some nice fish are being taken on both plastics and hardbody divers. Jacks and barra have been loving the new Laser Pro 3-hook, and this lure has gone

weights a good all rounder.

As they say, almost everything eats a prawns, and the grunter have been going off over the last couple of weeks thanks to the big tides and some movement on the prawn scene. I witnessed something the other day that I have never seen before and that was schools of hundreds

of grunter rounding up prawns to the surface and annihilating them like a school of trevally.

All you had to do was get close to the bottom in just the 1.5m of water and twitch the lure and you were on! Not all were over legal size, but when you hooked a decent grunter on the ultra light stuff, it was great fun.

Once again, the Prong did the damage, but in the smallest size a 1/6oz head was perfect for the shallow water. A 6kg leader was a great happy medium, but the barra, which were up to 85cm would scuff it up pretty badly. The barra were sitting under the grunter sucking in the prawns as well, and while we were amazed to see the size of the barra that ate the tiny Prongs, it was the grunter that were our target.

The other lure that attracted plenty of attention was the 3 1/4” paddle-tails, again from Atomic. The grunter are a fan of creek mouths on full moon and big tides, so a bit of a scan around before anchoring could be worth while if your going to soak a bait.

I have found it so easy to locate fish since I mounted the HDS Touch 7 that it almost seems unfair in comparison to the old sounder, but hey, call me a cheat if you like.

Snags, rock bars, reef, gutters and deep drains are such a breeze to locate, and amazingly many are only meters away from on my old tracks and I never new they were there! Admittedly, if I’m casting bank side structure I rarely look at the sounder, but for finding the deeper stuff for casting, side scan technology is just amazing.

If you know someone who has it in their boat, ask to go for a run with them, just to see what this stuff is about, and it will blow your mind.

• If you’re in the Townsville area, you can also call into the shop at South Townsville called Akwa Marine at 16 Dean Street .

Barra back with bluewater carnage LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

Silently drifting down the creek with the tide, the mud banks were slowly showing themselves and the baitfish were getting rather skittish. Then, just like someone had flicked a switch all hell breaks loose. ‘BOOF’!

Baitfish jumping and swimming everywhere and they seem really scared.

‘BOOF’! The next cast lands in the commotion and is instantly smashed and before you strike a leaping chrome bullet gets some serious airtime. It’s February 2015 and from midday 1st the iconic barramundi is back on the target list.

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL The chatter everywhere will be about barra, and as they have been off limits for the last 3 months it will come as no surprise that they are on top of the want-tocatch list. So what is the easiest way to get yourself a Hinchinbrook Barra?

Live baiting is probably the easiest and as long as you can get yourself some good bait you are in with a good shot.

Location is also very important. As a simple rule, anywhere that you collect bait will most probably be a good area to try for barra. When the tide is full they will be sitting in the mangroves out of reach or in deep holes or snags but as the tide drops they

for the first few hours of the run-in tide. Choose a spot that fish will have to swim by you when they head back up the creek following the incoming tide.

Rig up using sinker swivel trace rig, and use 50lb leader to help avoid losing fish to rub offs on their abrasive mouths. After each bite or fish, make sure you check your leader as normally you will be cutting

lists during the barra closure.

Jacks don’t mind rain, so if the channel is fresh they are a good option, just head right up the tops of creeks into the skinny water. Try get there on the turn of the tide when the first bit of run starts moving the water and hang on.

Deep diving lures and plastics rigged up on snagless jigheads will get you down where the red-devils play.

range and the time, it should be on fire.

Yellowfin tuna, mahimahi, dogtooth and XL black marlin are all possible out wide as is some great bottom fishing for the likes of emperor, trout and jobfish.

The jetty during summer should be dishing out severe punishment from the resident GT. I think they must come in from the

Trout love Gulp! 7” Jerkshads jigged over reef. off a bit or re-tying.

For those that enjoy using artificials such as lures and plastics, I suggest hitting the drains on the outgoing tide. These drains will be pushing dirty water and bait out and act as fast food shops for hungry barra. Try to silently drift these areas or use the electric and lob casts

They really are a special fish – anglers will be glad barra are back! wrecks and Islands during summer chasing the bait that is pushed out of the channel during the wet. If you can get the jetty to yourself (or with minimal boat traffic), then blooping some big poppers between the pylons should give you some adrenalin fuelled moments.

You may not win many battles but watching big GT smashing your popper and attempting to destroy you is never dull, trust me. Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight – the jetty is unforgiving and the resident GT there are serious fish that enjoy hanging your offerings on their wall.

Good golden snapper (fingermark) will now be around the jetty and closer

points off Hinchinbrook such as Hillock Point, so live baiting with herring or squid or using plastics such as Gulps will give you a good chance. Try finding structure on the bottom that is holding baitfish and the golden snapper will be close by.

Summer also brings in the cobia and the reefs, wrecks and islands will have good numbers. Cobia will normally follow hooked fish up to the surface and then can be easily sight cast to with an un-weighted bait, livey or plastic. Cobia also hang about near turtles, rays and even floating debris, so if you see any of the above it is always worth a cast.

JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEFS This is the time of year where the weather becomes quite unpredictable and serious rain and wind systems can form offshore.

Keep this in mind when heading out especially at night, as it is harder to gauge what is going on in the dark.

Yellowfin tuna are insane line-burning fun, and these speedsters will be coming on this month. move out and follow the tide and bait downstream. I have written it many times before but catching barra really runs like clockwork in the right spots. So secure yourself plenty of mullet or gar (herring is OK, just try 2 or 3 on a hook) and get yourself in your chosen spot

right into the top shallow section of the drain and work them slowly out. Shallow divers and lightly weighted plastics are the weapons of choice in this situation.

Mangrove jack will be about as well although most people will be over chasing them as they were top of hit

The fishing should be very good in the deep water for reds. Once again having good marks is the secret and they are only gotten by serious time on the water or if you’re lucky to stumble on to one in your travels.

The shelf is along way out but for those with the fuel FEBRUARY 2015

71

Barra’s back on the market!

HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

What a stinker! The summer that is… With these above average temperatures, lets hope it’s building for a reasonable wet season, but I’m not holding my breath too much.

OFFSHORE Offshore reports have been a little sparse, with some good captures of red emperor and red-throat at night but only slow reports of trout during the day.

It can be a funny time of year to fish the reef, as any northerly influence can slow the fishing substantially. Night is by far the best time to fish summer out wide, but beware the storms and strong northwesters coming out of nowhere.

INSHORE Inshore reports suggest that grunter and threadfin have been around in reasonable numbers and golden snapper (fingermark) have been a little slow so far. The channel has had some very patchy golden snapper captures in the past couple of months, which suggests most fish have moved out to deeper headland waters and are best targeted at night.

Live squid and herring are

number 1 baits for this species and can be easily caught at your fishing spots with the aid of a squid light.

An influx of baby sharks have also been harassing local fishers but this can be quite common this time of year, but

about them taking fish and I must agree as we have lost several big salmon to them in recent months.

It might be time Queensland fisheries looks into why the sudden boom in shark numbers over recent

obviously be the barra, with the season re-opening on 1 February. Anglers will no doubt start descending on the local area again smashing the water to froth, but what sort of season we are going to have is a little too early to predict at the

Kev Edwards with his first big threadfin taken at Hinchinbrook recently.

Prized barra like this will be back on the market this month!

I must say the numbers have boomed on previous years.

The adult whaler species have boomed too, with many northern fishers both inshore and out wide complaining

years has occurred and what sort of affects it could have on the fishery if the rising trend continues.

During February the main species on anglers’ lips will

moment. If we get some good rains, then things will slow up in the short term but will be good for the following months.

During periods of fresh run-off, baitfishing can

Want a PROVEN step-by-step strategy to catch saltwater barramundi?

become difficult with baitfish becoming a little hard to catch.

Only the very switched on will know where to find the bait when it gets like this. The best alternative is to target them with lures and Hinchinbrook has plenty of run-off areas and drain country that should work a treat. The run-off and drains will also suit the fly fishers too.

If the region is fresh affected then it also sometimes pays to look for backwaters that hold thousands of juvenile sards and mullet that are only 2cm long. The barra can quite often be seen engulfing mouthfuls of them as these tiny baitfish can get thick in these areas. Another tip is to look to the shallows during this time as well.

If you are struggling to catch a barra and just can’t

put it all together then you can join the long list of anglers who are starting to fish smarter not harder by enrolling in our e-course Barra Basics.

Enrolments for the next intake are available in early Feb so head over to www.barrabasics. com for more info.

If you would like to come up for a charter, unfortunately February to May is fully booked but I still a few gaps in September and October. Some good days are still available in the winter too, especially for golden snapper trips.

• If you would like to book a charter or join our fishing community for some great fishing competitions etc. head on over to www. ryanmoodyfishing.com. And you could also win a free charter drawn twice a year.

Position yourself in fish holding and funnelling locations at exactly the right time, dramatically increasing catch rates saving you time and money.

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✓ Have devoured books, magazines and fishing shows but still haven’t managed to crack the code ✓ Catch barra one day and not the next Learn from the man who has caught nearly 2000 barra over one metre for clients.

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FEBRUARY 2015

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Watch the weather to open fishing window also getting in on the action.

If the bait schools return this year, sports fishos can expect similar action, from pelagics, around the reef edges.

CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

February can present the whole gambit of conditions, from oily calm (usually accompanied by searing heat) to cyclonic, with everything in between. When Huey cooperates, there can be some great fishing this month but generally it’s a time to chalk up the brownie points, while watching for any opportunity to slip in a fishing trip.

Barra fever will be at dangerously high levels, especially early in the month, with many anglers having a crack, no matter what the conditions. Divers have told me there have been good numbers of barra along the headlands and beaches during the closed season, so here’s hoping they are still around and looking for a meal.

A big improvement in the amount of rainfall in January augurs well for a better barra season than it was looking like up until Christmas. Bait is starting to appear along the beaches and around the estuary mouths, so things are looking up.

The breakthrough creeks along the northern beaches opened up in early January and they are always worth a look for the land-based angler, while they remain open to the sea. A live bait out for a barra and dead baits of prawns, squid or pilchards for foragers will see you in with a chance of taking home a fish or two.

Look for bird and surface activity around the entrances to give an indication of any likely action.

The estuaries will be a matter of suck it and see, as the prevailing weather will have a significant impact on fishability. If the streams are running fresh, then forget them, except around the mouth and further upstream where colour changes at small stream junctions will be worth a look for barra.

If streams have plenty of saltwater penetrating upstream, golden snapper, queenfish, jacks and grunter will be hunting for a feed. The rising tide across the flats, in the streams and out the front, will be the best time and place to target grunter, queenfish and GT. Fresh cut baits of mullet, squid, gar and sardines, peeled prawns and half a pilchard are all proven baits in these conditions. The falling tide,

Whatever the weather does there will be a few chances to wet a line, provided you are ready to take advantage of the opportunities when they arise.

Marcus Lavalle-Smith with a 115cm Spaniard he caught on a good old drifting pilchard over the Christmas break. around heavy structure, is the best opportunity to tangle with a mangrove jack, using the same dead baits as mentioned for grunter, etc. Small live baits are also dynamite on jacks and will put you in the running to tangle with a barra or golden snapper.

There has been the odd monster golden snapper around of late but most have been

plastics for golden snapper is getting quite a following around Cairns and is proving very productive and a real adrenalin rush. What often starts as a sharp tap, suddenly turns into a spooked brumby, tearing off at breakneck speed with no regard for the terrain it is bolting through. This calls for quality equipment, line and leader to handle any golden

There has been some monster golden snapper around, like this fish nailed by Matt Coleing recently. smaller fish in the 40-50cm range. Live sardines, mud herring, mullet, gar, prawns and squid are all top baits. A dropper rig tends to work best and if you have a tendency to strike too soon, you are better off leaving your rod in the holder until it doubles over.

Jigging and casting soft

snapper over about 50cm in length. These awesome fish grow to over 10kg and 1m in length and can out-pull practically any fish in the ocean. They also fight dirty, so they offer a real challenge for the serious fisho.

Depending on how the wet season is progressing, prawns

will start to show up along the beaches and near river mouths sometime this month or next. Word gets out pretty quick when they come on, so make sure you keep your cast net handy and your ear to the coconut wireless. The other crustacean worth chasing this month is mud crabs, especially if there has been plenty of rain. The heavier the rain the more they will get pushed out the front of creeks and rivers. In big floods it’s not unusual to find muddies along the beaches.

When conditions allow, the reef is worth a trip this month but be very wary of floating debris if there has been any flooding over previous weeks. Generally there isn’t any real runs of fish but more a sprinkling of this and that. Trout, red emperor, large mouth nannygai and spangled emperor will be the main menu, with plenty of trevally around as well. Sharks continue to be a real problem, especially at night. I haven’t talked to a reef fisho in recent months that has managed a shark free trip.

Spanish mackerel continue to be around but not in great numbers. The good old drifting or floating pillie has been doing the major damage. The macs have mostly been in the rat category but there should be a few monster Spaniards hanging around their favourite bommies this month. These monster macs have a particular liking for live fusilier but any well-presented live bait will see you in with a chance.

Giant trevally will be patrolling the drop-offs, if last year is any indication. GT up to 20kg were on patrol this time last year, chasing large bait schools. Mac tuna, scaly mackerel and Spaniards were

Young Harry McErlean with an impressive Gold Coast canal bream he caught while fishing with his dad in his new kayak.

FEBRUARY 2015

73

Rain quells dry spell PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer

The real first signs that the wet season was gradually taking a stranglehold in the tropics started in early January as we received substantial rainfalls, changing the landscape overnight.

Prior to this the Far North saw an unprecedented run of hot, dry and calm weather, which lasted for two months. By the end of this stretch everyone was hot and bothered and the fishing also reflected this as the rivers had shut

down and the offshore reefs were often unproductive.

However with a break in the weather, proceedings quickly turned around and catch rates across the board began to improve coinciding with the cooler change.

Over the past month the reef fishing has seen a lot of quality fish come back to the harbour docks including classic big red emperor, a smattering of large mouth nannygai, excellent size coral trout and an abundance of sizeable gold spot trevally.

Other species to feature included Spanish mackerel

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to 10kg, hard fighting cobia and some brute reef mangrove jack. Numbers of fish remained consistent on most days, which is a bonus during the warmer months.

Will this true form continue is anyone’s question.

The next month or so are traditionally more challenging and there will be more quiet days than red hot days. However, it all depends on the amount of rain and inclemency we receive over this turbulent period. Generally you’ll find that the quality of fish will be okay but not necessarily the quantity.

The light tackle scene gradually wound down with numbers of wahoo and mahimahi being caught on the edges of the continental shelf right till mid January and then quickly dried up.

There were also several catches of sailfish in the same areas. For the more adventurous light tackle angler, heading even wider in search of yellowfin schools will be the only likely action to be seen in the short term and only if the conditions allow.

The rivers and creeks almost burnt out towards the end of the extremely hot run of weather with no bait to be found and catches were sparse, especially during the middle parts of the day. The upper reaches provided some action on smaller species while the lower reaches were mainly barren. However with a good dose of rain it was the right medicine to re-ignite our local rivers and estuaries into action. Following a decent downpour a day or so later, the mangrove jack came back on the bite and a few accidental barra catches were recorded in the lower

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Gold spot trevally have been the most consistent fish over the warmer months. reaches. Bait started to turn up and in turn mid-sized queenfish, trevally and tarpon also did. With the barra season due to re-open, moderate rainfalls will be the key to success without the flash flooding involved.

As we all know we can’t control the rainfall but if things seem in tact the lower reaches and coastal mangroves and headlands should be where the bigger fish will be in waiting.

If things go according to plan the beach fishing can also be a productive place to fish, especially where the break through creeks occur.

Along our beaches we have dozens of little creeks that lay dormant for most of the year and when the rains come the water forces through the sand dunes and spews out along the beach.

With this flow comes new food and sustenance for all marine life, which include fish. Barra are well known to sit along the beaches in schools waiting for the creeks to release new life and bonus food.

Surface lures work well, prawn imitation lures are a favourite and of course a live mullet or garfish is supreme.

Also along the beaches if we’ve had some decent rain it will bring on the prawns, which can be easily cast netted. Not only do they make for dynamite bait but also they are simply delicious to plate. Our local banana prawns that we catch along our beaches, albeit a bit smaller, are by far the tastiest you’ll ever have.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the wet season unfolds but if conditions can remain reasonable there’s still plenty to see and catch in the tropics.

Super start to wet season KARUMBA

Alan Gurney awes0me@bigpond.net.au

We have had an awesome start to the wet season up here, and with the barramundi season opening it should be a great time to catch them. Please check road reports because we can be cut off for periods of time between Normanton and Karumba.

The freshwater pumping into the river and the run-off on the flood plains are the place to be and soft plastics will get the job done.

The new Prawnstar has been killing them at the end of the last season so grab some and get up here to enjoy the fun.

We can actually catch barramundi off the road when in flood and you

have to be here to believe it. Live bait will also work for those willing to go the extra yards if that is what you like. Place the live bait in the backwater where the run-off is happening for the best results.

There should be more rain and it will create major dramas if you do not have either a self-draining hull or a bilge pump as we can get inches in a few hours. Knowing you have that covered then you will be able to get right up on the floodplain to fish. The drawback is to remember where the creek channel is so you don’t get stranded.

I would recommend that you fish anywhere where the water swirls around as it enters the creeks; 18” of water is not too shallow as we caught a 1.17m barramundi doing just that.

Out the front, if the wind is not blowing, is a good place to catch king

salmon as they will be moving around chasing the prawns – hence my suggestion to try the Prawnstar or equivalent.

Live bait is again an option and we can get some metre-plus fish here so make sure your gear can survive some powerful runs. King Salmon have soft mouths so do not use much drag and remember to keep the line tight for the best results.

The mud crabs will be going off out the front as well so please bring some pots correctly labelled and have at least 10m of rope on them, as we get very big tides at this time of year. My suggestion is to tie the rope to something, but make sure that whatever you do is legal.

Our town boat ramp is being extended to 5 lanes but at the moment only 2 are open so be patient and you will have a good time.

Boofing barra in the shallows CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

February is a month of flooding rains, boggy tracks, flowing rivers and tropical lows drifting over the narrow strip of Cape York Peninsula’s riverdissected interior.

Fishers will be in maintenance and geargathering mode as the rain falls and the offshore scene deteriorates with powerful thunderstorms and generally unsettled conditions.

There may be some glamour mornings amongst it all and some may appreciate the general lack of other boats and fishers on the water. The barramundi season opens on both the

Fishing a shallow run-off backwater on the west coast of the gulf.

in front and to the side of the fish’s head. This will prevent them spooking and believe me, they will always investigate a falling object close by.

Secondly, leave your offering in the strike zone for as long as possible when you know there is a barra there. In particular, leave your offering on the surface for at least 3 seconds before commencing the retrieve.

Sometimes, only the most painfully slow offerings will get boofed and with barra, it will often be right at the boat, just as the lure is about to exit the water. An observant

finning barramundi amongst the mangrove spikes.

It becomes a real close encounter lesson-session when the fish materialise Another jack taken while the lure sat motionless on the surface.

The perfect ambush location for barra: lillies and timber combined with a small drain at the back.

This salty barra was taken from a snaggy drain.

A lovely fat freshwater fish coaxed out of the bulrushes.

A nice jack taken from a shallow mangrove line.

angler will out-fish someone who is more interested in the accuracy of their casts or chattering away to the person next to them.

The east and west coasts of the Cape are vastly different in their makeup and while the west coast will usually be waterlogged and flooded this time of year, the East coast can fish surprisingly well, with much shorter catchments meaning water clarity and river heights are still conducive to fishing.

Other fish on the nibble will be mangrove jack and threadfin salmon. These two awesome predators both relish the wet steamy conditions and both are particularly fond of small prawns that thrive in the wet season months. Small poppers, shallow divers, Prawnstars and scented prawn imitations will all work well fished close to

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under a floating lure and only the right twitch and pause brings about a crashing strike. Two things to keep in mind are, firstly, placement and retrieve in these moments. Always cast your lure at least 50cm from a sighted barra, preferably

Areas where swamps, lagoons and billabongs overflow back into the main river are areas to concentrate efforts during February, especially when these spots have been isolated for some time. Look for a colour change in the main river as clues to these run-offs and concentrate your efforts just on the edge of the run or in spots where the river is back eddying.

• For information on remote charter operations for tailored fishing adventures, please email Tim on wildrivercompany @gmail.com

Al

east coast and Gulf and it is time to begin trialling some of those Christmas presents!

It is the pro anglers who will do best this time of the year, with many barra moving up and down the estuaries. Some of the larger bays and saltwater lakes will really fire and those with small punts are best placed to capitalise.

Hordes of mullet, prawns and other little critters will be hugging the margins of these shallow mangrove systems and the barramundi will be in these murky waters, gobbling up their fill as the rainy, wet conditions persist.

Anglers will do well following the incoming tides up into these shallow margins and flicking floating lures or poppers amongst the timber and mangrove spikes where the bait is gathering. Look for rippling schools, flicking prawns, scattering garfish and of course, the telltale ‘boofs’ of feeding barra.

It is exhilarating fishing when you have drifted a shallow punt up and amongst the mangrove forests to silently and methodically polarize the murky waters, looking for

flooded mangrove lines and often it will be the stray, wider casts which pick up the threadies.

It can be painful watching hordes of threadfin salmon eating tiny jelly prawns, only to have them balk and shy away at each offering you make amongst the melee. Quick reflexes and razor sharp hooks are an absolute must in turning tentative strikes into blistering runs. Fishing lightly weighted, suspended prawn patterns in plastic and as flies will be the downfall of threadfin salmon feeding in this manner.

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FEBRUARY 2015

75

Summer days and red hot fishing TOOWOOMBA

Gympie

12

Jason Ehrlich

13

15

16

fishability1@bigpond.com

14 31

It’s been a while since I’ve put in a full day on the freshwater.

The smell of fish is on my hands and the taste of salt in my mouth after spending a fair bit of time in the ocean. With the barra season reopening at midday 1 February I think I’ll be bending a rod somewhere in the fresh stuff below Awoonga or Monduran in the very near future.

Unfortunately, these dams have been a bit quiet over the last couple months but there should still be good numbers of fish below them.

Due to my lack of freshwater adventures, I put a post for some help with pictures on Facebook.

I had an amazing reply with not only photos but heaps of reports from all over the place flooding in as well.

Sorry if I didn’t get back to you all. You may notice that this is the longest freshwater report I have ever put together. This is due to all the great feedback I had from anglers spending time on the water and wanting to share some information. It was such a hit that I may do it again in the future. Thanks guys for all the help.

Weipa

17

28

34

18

Toowoomba

BRISBANE 27

21

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

Gold Coast

22

25 Cairns 1

26

19 20

33

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

5

32

Rockhampton

Emerald 29

Gladstone

30

7 10

8

Bundaberg 9 11

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Maryborough

Roma

BRISBANE

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWNS: TOOWOOMBA, CROWS NEST The fishing at Cressbrook has been hit and miss. The fish are showing up around the buoy line, out from the boat ramps and around the toilet point up Beams Creek but are usually hard to entice. When found, try using tail-spinners and soft plastics through the better concentrations.

Lure trollers will have success. Due to the fish being spread out, trolling is a great option as it covers plenty of

water. Choose a lure to suit the depth the fish are holding or run a deep diver in close to the boat to make it run shallower if necessary. Lures like the Blitz Baga, Golden Child and locally made Little Rippa are ideal. Colour can make a huge difference so alternate if you are seeing fish but not catching.

Early in the morning, there have been some quality bass coming from the edges of the lake. Some of this action takes place within sight of the boat ramps and camping area.

Casting spinnerbaits in tight to the weedy edge and slowly

Wes Watson and crew have found plenty of golden perch to catch around the steep rocky at banks at Lake Wivenhoe. Shallow to medium diving hardbodies seem to be doing the trick.

These 2 fine Cania bass couldn’t resist coming in to check out Jason Shepherdson’s bright shorts. He put them in the boat using Barrabass rods and spinnerbaits.

Freshwater fishing will have a few changes in place this month. DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) have implemented these from the 1 February so make sure you read up on them. Some of the changes affect set lines, red claw traps, bag limits and

a closed season on Murray cod. Pleading ignorance isn’t going to get you off the hook if you are breaking the law.

It doesn’t hurt to brush up on the rules once in a while and check the bag and size limits for the fish we love to catch.

Until next month, buckled rods from the Colonel!

working them back to the boat is the key to getting bites. The water here is quite shallow so the action is usually short-lived as the fish retreat to deeper, more comfortable areas as the day warms up and the sun gets brighter.

There is no longer an entry fee at the boom gate but the 8 knot speed limit is still in place.

Hours for boating and day use of the recreation area are 6am to 8pm. For all your supplies, expert advice and to check on the boating restrictions, call in at Fish’n’Bits in Alderley Street, Toowoomba, or give them a ring on (07) 4636 6850. The boys at the store are experts on the freshwater scene

and really know their stuff.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY The summer months can be tough for lure casters at Somerset. The bass have spread out and the schooling fish are harder to find. When found they can be hard to tempt and will bite in small windows where you’ll produce a fish a cast before they shut down and become tight lipped again. Schooling bass have been turning up in some of the usual spots like the river drop-offs and flats around Pelican Point, Bay 13 and One Tree Point. These

DAM LEVEL Report             

76

DAMS SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN Atkinson 55 48 41 36 33 Awoonga 92 91 89 96 96 Bjelke-Petersen 62 58 52 52 51 Boondooma 72 70 67 69 69 Borumba 99 98 94 94 96 Burdekin Falls 91 85 78 72 73 Callide 58 56 54 74 73 Cania 87 85 83 88 88 Clarendon 62 55 46 41 38 Clarrie Hall 98 n/a n/a 92 n/a Cooby 67 71 63 76 73 Coolmunda 47 44 39 36 39 Copeton 33 30 28 25 19 Cressbrook 92 90 88 92 89 Dyer/Bill Gunn 63 58 52 47 52 Eungella 99 98 95 90 88 Fairbairn 45 44 37 39 42 Glenlyon 37 34 32 26 26 Hinze 88 87 85 83 83

FEBRUARY 2015

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For fortnightly updates Julius 65 61 57 60 102  Kinchant 98 96 86 73 76 Koombooloomba 59 35 25 21 16  Leslie 37 33 31 25 28  Macdonald 97 75 62 61 57  Maroon 92 91 87 90 93  Monduran/Fred Haigh 84 82 80 80 81  Moogerah 87 89 81 80 81  North Pine/Samsonval 69 67 63 62 61  Peter Faust/Proserpine 93 91 87 86 84 Pindari 17 15 13 12 12  Somerset 99 98 97 97 98  Storm King n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a  Teemburra 101 101 96 91 91  Tinaroo 83 77 71 66 61 Toonumbar n/a 99 92 88 88  Wivenhoe 86 84 81 80 78  Wuruma 78 76 75 81 81

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 22/01/15

From page 76

fish have been the tougher ones to tempt. The better action has been coming from schools found further north.

The Kirkleigh flats hold fish at times and they are much more willing to bite.

Casting tail spinners, blades and masks will produce bass when they are active but when they aren’t playing the game, switch to soft plastics. Use the longest cast possible and a slow retrieve through the best shows you can find.

Another option is to long line the fish. Drop the plastic at one end of the fish and drive the boat away while the reel is free spooling line.

When you reach the other end of the fish engage the reel and retrieve the line. If you’re using this approach leave yourself enough line on the reel to fight a fish and check your drag as the smaller spool diameter of a near empty reel will increase drag tension considerably.

Trolling soft plastics is another option. Drive the boat along at 1.8-2.6km/h

using the electric motor. Cast the plastic out around 50m behind the boat and drag it along. You can run several rods like this with 1/2oz rigged plastics and vary the amount of line trailing to alter the depth of the lures. It pays to hold one rod and drop back and wind up through fish you see on the sounder. By retrieving and dropping back line you can work the water column and ensure the lure is at the right depth as it passes over them.

Lure trollers will be able to score plenty of bass and golden perch. The better action will take place from Pelican Point right up into the timber north of Kirkleigh. Try trolling the creek bed drop-offs and across the flats in the main basin of the lake. Deep diving lures like the Blitz Baga, Golden Child and Crazy Deep Poltergeist will get the job done in these deeper areas. If your lure is cruising close to the bottom, you are in with a good chance of a golden perch. Bass are quite common on trolled lures in the basin of the lake as well.

In the timber, choose a shallower running lure. The

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSET TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA There have been plenty of golden perch caught at Lake Cooby over the last month.

The golden perch action will continue this month and anglers can expect to score fish on trolled and cast lures as well as baits. The fish seem to be coming from all over the dam. Deeper areas are usually better as bigger schools of fish can be found outside the weed edge in over 5m of water.

Trolling hardbodied lures like the Kezza Mud Mouse, 3m Poltergeist, 65mm Predatek Boomerang and small StumpJumpers will put you in with a good chance.

Darker colours are my personal choice and I nearly always have one black lure in tow. Trolling is often best

earlier in the morning and late in the afternoon when the fish are moving around higher in the water column.

Keep a close eye on your lures’ vibrations as floating weed can foul them up and kill the action.

Casting and jigging to goldens found on the sounder can be a harder option to master but the results are well worthwhile. Locate fish and position the boat on top of them for jigging or a cast length away for a casting approach. The first two lures I try are a TN60 Jackall and a 40mm Berkley Powerblade.

These lures are suitable for casting and jigging and it doesn’t take long to alternate between the two to see if the fish prefer one style over the other. The Powerblade in midnight colour is deadly when used with small hops across the lake floor. The

Smak 16, 3m Poltergeist and Oar-Gee Pee-Wee are some worth considering. Trolling between the trees and over the flats in the timber will tempt some quality golden perch and the occasional bass.

WIVENHOE CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, FERVALE The golden perch have

fired up for the warm months. The bass have been scarce but there are a few about and fork-tailed catfish numbers have really increased. Trolling the rocky shoreline and steep banks seems to be the best way to locate the golden perch.

These fish have been nailing shallower presentations.

Hardbodies which dive 2-3m are ideal.

Once fish are located on the troll, it can pay to pull up and cast to the same area.

Wes Watson has been having some cracker sessions using this approach and believes casting is the best way to put numbers of fish in the boat (or kayak). The average sized golden perch has been around 40-50cm with some bigger models measuring 55-58cm.

There are some good rocky, steep banks within a short paddle or boat ride from Logans Inlet. There are also some great ones all the way across the dam on the opposite side. If you are making this trip in a small boat or kayak, keep an eye on the wind and weather as this is a huge section of water and it can get rough.

MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, RATHDOWNEY The edge bite should really be going off over the next month. The warm water will see the bass climbing over reaction lures. Spinnerbaits

TN60 Jackall can be hopped or wound dead slow for several turns before letting it swing back to the bottom during a pause.

Bait fishers will have good results when using frozen saltwater yabbies and live shrimp. Try fishing an area for 10 minutes and if there is no action move on.

When you drop bait straight over the side into fish, it doesn’t take too long to get a reaction. The bait rig is simple. A small running ball sinker should be fished on top of a size 1 wide gap pattern hook such as an Owner K-Hook. Alternatively you can fish the sinker on the bottom of the rig with the hook positioned 20-50cm above on a dropper loop.

This keeps the bait out of the muddy bottom and is ideal if you don’t plan on holding the rod. Both rigs should be fished vertically from the boat to ensure you don’t miss any bites and have a better

chance of hooking the fish.

Shore-based anglers will be able to get into some of the action from the steeper rocky banks along the walking trail which heads towards the dam wall. Lure casting can produce but baits are most effective in this area.

Over the past months, there were several quality Murray cod caught and released. These fish usually take lures meant for golden perch. One of these big fish actually ate a golden perch, which had taken the angler’s lure. You never know when you are going to hook one of these fish. They can be landed on light lines but upping the leader size to around 14lb will ensure you have a better chance of landing them.

Cooby is an electric motor only dam and is well suited to kayaks and canoes.

The concrete boat ramp is on a shallow angle when the dam is full and can be slippery in places but a big electric

powered boat can still be launched with care. Outboard motors can be left on the boat but must not be used. Live shrimp and saltwater yabbies can be purchased from Highfields Bait and Tackle on the New England Highway in Highfields.

Call in and see Doug and check out the great range of fishing gear, kayaks and accessories he has on display.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK The golden perch and Murray cod continue to impress at Leslie Dam. Bait fishers and lure trollers and casters are all getting into the action with fish coming from all over the dam.

The back end of the dam is popular with anglers as it is a quieter area away from the water skiers. Trolling lipless crankbaits is a good way to pick up some golden perch in this area. If you come back into the basin of

Young Talon took his new rod that he got for Christmas to Maroon Dam to fish with his dad Stuart. The pair caught plenty of fish sinking spinnerbaits down the weed face.

for sale on

are one of the best lures to try but others like blades and lipless crankbaits can be equally effective.

When fishing lipless baits, experiment with rattling and silent versions as this can really make a huge difference. If the water is clear, I will often keep rattling baits in the box and tie on a silent model.

The weedy edges will be the place to explore. Look for healthy weed beds and try to fish lures down the face of them or inside any deeper pockets. It doesn’t matter if you hook a bit of weed now and then. This is all part of placing your lure right in the zone where it can be ambushed by a waiting bass.

The deeper edges where the weed drops away into around 5m of water will be ideal over the next couple of hot months. The bass will love this cooler water once the day warms up. The action right up in the shallows will be over quickly so try to follow the movements of the fish. the lake try to fish the edges of the creek beds and any submerged rocky structure. In these areas hopping vibes or slowly winding them can see great results. Small blades are perfect for golden perch but if you up the size of the lure to around 60mm you stand a better chance of hooking a cod. Lipless crankbaits and soft vibes are perfect all-rounders.

If you are into trolling, try working the edges of the creek bed with medium diving lures. The golden perch will favour a particular depth at times and often suspend in Leslie. Run a few lures at different depths until you find where the best action is. One thing I have noted with the goldens over the last few months is how fussy they can be. Even a colour change can turn them on and the same lure can take 5 bites in a row while the others are neglected.

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From page 77

Bait fishers should target fish in the same areas as the trollers. Try to find a ledge and position the boat near it. The ideal depth to drop bait is 5-8m so keep this in mind and move around if you aren’t having any fun.

When the fish are moving around a lot in the summer months, trolling is often a better option than using bait.

For any tips and gear for fishing Leslie Dam or the Warwick area, call in and see the guys at Warwick Outdoor and Sports in Palmerin Street Warwick. The store stocks a great range of bait and freshwater gear, which is well suited to catching our Australian natives.

COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD

The fishing at Coolumnda has slowed down. Lure anglers will find it very tough until the lake clears up more. Storm rain at the end of last year dirtied the water and made the dam rise slightly.

Bait fishers will still be able to catch some quality golden perch. Try fishing the drop-off to the old creek and river beds. If you head

straight out from the boat ramp, you will find the river course less than 100m from the bank. From here follow the drop-off using your sounder until you find a spot holding some life. Live shrimp will be prime bait in the dirty water. Their flicking action in the murky waters will attract the predators from a greater distance.

If you aren’t able to score some live shrimp, try frozen saltwater yabbies.

The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only around 1km away from the lake. The park is just off the Cunningham Highway but far enough away from the noise of trucks to get a good night’s sleep. It offers camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter and a camp kitchen. The park now has an extra two new wheelchair friendly cabins to add to their older ones. Camping is also available near the boat ramp with toilets and hot showers to make your stay more comfortable.

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

SUNSHINE COAST AREA MACDONALD CLOSEST TOWNS: COOROY, NOOSA Matt Williams has been managing to sneak away from work occasionally and torment the MacDonald bass.

He has had short sessions but managed between 10 and 15 fish on most trips. The average bass has been around 34cm but there are some bigger models in the low 40s as well. There should be plenty of action in the main basin and down towards the Three Ways area next month.

The bass can be found across the flats holding in 3-5m of water and seem to like 40mm blades hopped across the bottom. You could also tempt a few on soft plastics but the bite to hook-up ratio on the blades is much better.

Matt’s favourite blade is the Damiki Vault 42.

BAROON POCKET AND EWEN MADDOCK CLOSEST TOWNS: MONTVILLE, LANDSBOROUGH With the popularity of kayak fishing, more and more anglers are fishing these two great lakes. Thanks to the efforts of the fish stocking group, the numbers of fish are rapidly growing. Local anglers have been enjoying the place to themselves but more and more anglers are

starting to travel and enjoy the fishing opportunities.

Bass are the main species encountered for the lure fishing kayak angler. Both lakes are suited to casting and trolling and fish come on a variety of lures from surface lures early in the day to deeper presentations like blades and deep divers during the middle of the day. Ewen Maddock has also produced quite a few saratoga around the lakes edges in the past.

SUNSHINE COAST RIVERS The rivers around the Sunshine Coast are home to plenty of Australian bass.

These fish can be tricky to find and I’m not one to give away the spots of others.

Put in the hard work and you’ll find these great fish.

Local youngsters like Ben Golden have been having a ball with these fiery little fish. The bass will be found in brackish or totally fresh sections of rivers and creeks and love to hide in the shade

sized offerings that fall into the water in their territory. Surface luring is an exciting way to fish for them. They will also eat lightly rigged plastics, small hardbodies and beetle spins.

These wild fish deserve a lot of respect as these systems are not stocked like the lakes. Care should be taken to look after them and return them safely to the water. If you are keen to put on your boots and explore, check out the

Steve Bolin nailed this 55cm bass from Ewen Maddock Dam on a black TN60 Jackall.

These fish will take topwater lures or spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits intended for bass.

of overhanging trees.

Bass in the wild are an opportunistic feeder. They will pounce on most bite

rivers and creeks between Noosa and Mooloolaba.

Good luck, don’t trespass and watch out for snakes.

LAKE BORUMBA TEMPORARILY CLOSED TO ALL WATER-BASED ACTIVITIES As a precautionary measure and in the interest of public safety, Lake Borumba will be temporarily closed to all water-based recreation activities from 6pm Thursday 15 January 2015, due to the presence of blue-green algae. All water-based recreation activities include swimming and waterskiing as well as boating, kayaking, canoeing and sailing.

Seqwater will continue to perform water quality testing at Lake Borumba, and will communicate with stakeholders when they have further results. It is unsure of the duration of this temporary closure. The lake will be re-opened to water-based recreation activities when test results indicate that it is safe to do so.

For further information please see the Seqwater blue-green algae fact sheet. – Seqwater

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FEBRUARY 2015

WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY Fishing at Boondooma should be great this month with heaps of golden perch and bass biting trolled and cast lures. The fish are still spread out through the whole dam so you’ll need to cover some water to find better numbers.

Trolling a deeper lure like a Blitz Baga, Golden Child or Crazy Deep Poltergeist will reach the suspended fish. Lures should get down to at least 6m to ensure they are wobbling past the area the fish tend to suspend out in the middle of the lake. This open water trolling can feel strange but a quality sounder will reveal the presence of the fish. If good numbers are found, casting is another option.

Soft plastics rigged on 1/2oz or 5/8oz jigheads are perfect for long casts over the suspended bass in the middle of the lake. Be sure to use suitable jigheads with fine gauge hooks

to ensure a better hook-up ratio. Some are specifically made for using in the dams such as the Nitro Dam Deep range. These jigheads have had a few refinements made over the last year and are now better than ever for pinning our smaller freshwater natives.

Long casts should be made over the fish before counting the lure down into them and then using a fast wind to bring it back to the boat. Stronger actioned soft plastics with bigger paddle-tails like cut down 9cm Powerbait Ripple Minnows seem to be getting better results than the more subtle actioned varieties like Slider Grubs. Most shad styles will suit the bass, which seem to be favouring reaction style presentations.

Blade baits and tailspinners can also be cranked through the suspended fish with good results. The key is getting the lure to the right depth and keeping it there for as long as possible. If you are a new

player to casting to suspended fish, I highly recommend locating the fish first then driving away to an even and flat piece of lake bed the same depth the fish were holding.

Use this area to count your lure’s initial sink rate and how long it takes after a set number of winds to reach the bottom again. If you are a few seconds out in the fishy spot, you could be spending too much time metres away from where the fish actually are. It makes a huge difference to be right on the money with pinpoint depth control after a bit of count down practice.

In the Stuart timber, there have been some schools of quality bass. These fish usually hold off the edges and can be caught in the deeper water by slow rolling 5/8oz spinnerbaits. Last month these fish were quite responsive but they may move on.

Boondooma is a great place to camp right near the water and sit by the fire while enjoying the view. You could also stay in more style and comfort by booking into one

of the cabins overlooking the dam. The kiosk at the main office does hot food and other basic items. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call Corey and Niki on (07) 4168 9694.

BJELKE-PETERSEN CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI The action went ballistic last month at Bjelke. Cricket score catches of golden perch were not uncommon. Bjelke is the home to some of Queensland’s biggest golden perch with fish of 4-5kg not uncommon. The average sized golden perch is a lot smaller at 1-2kg but the numbers certainly make this lake a great option this month. Smaller bass are also whacking cast and trolled lures. These fish are around the legal size of 30cm with a few bigger models mixed in.

Trolling has been the top technique with medium running lures producing best results. If you are heading to the lake make sure you have a selection of Smak 12s and To page 79

From page 78

Smak 16s in your tackle box.

Darker colours work well with purples, black/gold, dark green and black/white regular fish producers.

The best areas for trolling have been about half way up the dam. Bass Point and also the second open basin of the lake have held great numbers of fish. The creek bed dropoffs out in the middle of the lake will concentrate the fish and following these or crisscrossing them will ensure your lure is dancing in the right spot.

Lure caster will be able to catch a mixed bag of golden perch and bass. Target the drop-off areas, which have good signs of fish on the sounder.

Medium sized blade baits like 1/4oz and 3/8oz are ideal for fishing these areas. Bass are suckers for a winding retrieve while goldens will love the lure hopped across the bottom. If there are fish right below the boat, try a bit of vertical jigging.

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

The Yallakool kiosk is all

set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to have the right lure or lose one. Be sure to call in and check it out.

LENTHALLS CLOSEST TOWNS: MARYBOROUGH, HERVEY BAY It’s been some time since we have had a report from Lenthalls. This great little lake has made a comeback over the last few years and is now producing quality bass and barramundi. The lake has some strict restrictions in place but provided you meet these you will enjoy the day exploring its waters.

The tea tree coloured water of this lake can take some time to clear and due to a lack of run off, the water remains coloured but there is heaps of visibility for luring. The golden, green coloured fish that live in this waterway should provide plenty of thrills if you take a selection of the right lures.

Dane from Fisherman’s Corner in Hervey Bay recommends starting the day off with some surface poppers. Walk the dog and blooping styles are both popular around the edges of the lake. The weed beds haven’t developed all the way to the surface and lily pads haven’t yet taken over. When this does happen, it will be time to bring out the surface frogs.

Crankbaits, 100mm jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits

Barra can be caught by kayaking the freshwater reaches of the Kolan River below Monduran Dam. Terry Allwood managed to land this specimen. are ideal for fishing the lake’s edges and structure once the sun gets higher in the sky.

Work along the banks and look for productive areas by covering heaps of water. The middle and left arms of the lake seem to be fishing better than the right arm.

Lure trollers have been scoring some of the better quality bass by dragging hardbodies in 5-7m of water up the middle of the arms. The better bass are well over 40cm in length while the barra range from 50-80cm in length.

There are entry gates in place at Lenthalls. These open and close to allow access with fishing times being from 6am to 8pm. Only 4-stroke outboards or low emission 2-strokes up to 50hp are allowed on the lake. The speed limit is 6 knots.

For more information on

fishing the lake, call in and see Dane or one of the other guys at Fisherman’s Corner in Hervey Bay. The store is at 59 Torquay Road.

ISIS BALANCING STORAGE CLOSEST TWON: BUNDABERG The bass fishing at the Isis has been tougher over the past month. This has been due to the weed dying off and changing the water quality.

Dead weed isn’t pleasant for fish to be around so if you are hitting the lake stay away from it and search for fish out in the middle in deeper water.

Schooling fish are often found out in the middle of the dam where the three arms meet. Sound around until you find the arches and then start chucking lures at them.

Hopping 1/4oz blades, lipless crankbaits and tail-spinners

through these fish should get a response. With the dead weed pushing more fish out into the middle, there will be more quality bass mixed in with the smaller tackers. These fish can be over 50cm to the fork of the tail.

The weed may start to make a comeback. If fishing the edges of it, keep an eye out for lush green weed growing or coming in fouled on your hooks. This healthy weed will definitely concentrate fish numbers as it establishes itself once more. Reaction lures will cover plenty of water and excite the fish over the hot months.

Spinnerbaits, blades and lipless crankbaits should produce if you find a fish holding section around the weed.

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

MONDURAN CLOSEST TOWN: GIN GIN The fishing at the lake has been very tough with only a handful of fish caught over the past month. This has to change at some time so hopefully they begin to fire up this month.

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DINGHY

Finding fish hasn’t been a problem if you are running a side imaging sounder. The fish are moving through but just refusing to bite.

Whenever we read or see something about barra fishing there is a lot of emphasis on winding our lures slow and keeping them in front of the fish. During these hotter months, it can actually pay to speed things right up and look for the active fish. Use a fast retrieve to burn the lure back and you will cover 4 times the water as when fishing slowly.

Suitable lures for this approach are soft plastics and lipless crankbaits as they handle the speed well.

The barra season will be opened as of midday on the 1 February. This changes bag limits in the dam but also allows anglers to target the population of barra, which live in the Kolan River below.

There are several access points suited to car toppers and kayaks along the freshwater reaches of the Kolan. Check out Smiths Crossing and Bucca Crossing on Google Maps and you’ll be able to access kilometres of water suitable for catching barra. Bigger trailer boats can be launched from the ramp above Bucca Weir at the rowing club. This section of water is deep and wide for a couple of kilometres before it heads around the corner and To page 80

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through the kiosk, on (07) boat ramp. The rooms are very begins to narrow. The Kolan has 4157 3881. I usually stay at affordable and pretty basic but a lot of weed growth in some the Gin Gin Hotel, which is you can get a great feed and areas. I’d recommend bashing about 20 minutes from the cold beer. To make a booking the snags with hardbodies if they aren’t weeded up or getting right up into the weed and tossing surface frogs or weedless rigged plastics.

The tackle store in Gin Gin, Foxies, stocks a range of effective barra lures. The store will mail order and you can check it out online at www. barratackle.com.au. Be sure to call in and get directions to some of the best barra fishing in the area or pick up one of the detailed maps.

Accommodation can be booked through Lake Monduran Kiosk and Tackle Shop. They look after all the Spinnerbait munching barra are becoming more cabins, houses, powered and common at Callide Dam. These fish can be caught unpowered camp sites, as well casting from the shore. If you are heading there as house boats and boat hire. keep an eye out for local angler, Nigel Krueger, as You can also make bookings he seems to have the knack for finding them. for Guide Lines fishing charters From page 79

call (07) 4157 2106.

Jamie Bein runs Lake Monduran Barra Charters and fishes that dam more than anyone I know. His regular visits ensure he has a good understanding of what’s going on. Contact Jamie on his mobile, 0407 434 446 or through his website www.lakemonduranbarra charters.com .

CANIA CLOSEST TOWNS: MONTO, BILOELA Cania Dam has been fishing well for bass with the occasional golden perch and saratoga mixed in. Reaction lures seem to be performing well. Schooled fish can be trolled up on diving lures throughout the lake. On the steeper banks and up in the trees at the back of the dam, casting is a good option.

Spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits worked down the slope of the banks and near the bottom around the trees in 5m

of water should produce some quality bass and goldens.

The saratoga tend to come from the edges of the lake where they are quick to pounce on a lure. Plenty of toga bites will happen not long after the lure hits the water. If fishing the edges, it pays to roll the lure out a couple of metres after it lands rather than letting it sink to the bottom. Saratoga are a pretty fish and it takes ages for lakes to develop breeding populations. Considering they are poor eating and such great fish to catch, handle them with care and let them swim away safely.

CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWN: BILOELA The barramundi have started to fire up again in Callide Dam. This once great fishery has struggled to make a comeback after a couple of floods causing the fish to escape. The stocking group is working hard to get fish back

into the dam and their hard work is now starting to pay off.

Callide is one of the few lakes you can catch barra from the bank. That’s right!

You don’t even need a boat to get into the barra action. With roads leading around much of the dam, there are plenty of access points to walk down to the water and try your luck.

Shallow diving lures are best suited to this approach and usually you would venture in to a windblown bank, which tends to concentrate the fish.

Lures like Bombers, X-Raps and big spinnerbaits have been working well for local angler Nigel Krueger. One of his favourites is the Outlaw Spinnerbait laced with some Dizzy aniseed catch scent.

Nigel sent a pile of pictures through to me and his Navara ute is in the background of nearly all of them. It just goes to prove you don’t need a boat to catch one of Australia’s most iconic sportfish.

them on the new, fresh weed growth will be the place to look for a barramundi.

Outside the weed trolling will be a good option.

Hardbody lures can be effective especially at night.

Kayak anglers are able to use the stealth of their craft to their advantage and catch some massive fish trolling soft plastics. Plastics can be rigged with the hook exposed on a standard jighead for outside the weed or with a

weedless hook system like a TT Snakehead for brushing occasionally through it.

Inside the weed on the fresh growth in the shallows, try using surface lures and frogs over the top of the weed. If surface action is slow, opt for a weedless rigged soft plastic and fish it across the top of the weed. The 6” Z-Man SwimmerZ have proved a winner for some anglers.

Similar 5” and 6” soft plastic paddle-tailed shads will get the job done.

depth or colour. Just make sure you have an R11 (chrome gold orange back) in the 8m (Crazy Deep) 125 Scorpion attached to the end of your line and try all the others on your mate’s rod.

Fishing the back of the dam has been tough. Some great weed beds are starting to develop and this is where I’d be looking early and late in the day. Head to the deeper timber if there isn’t any action and the day is warming up. Surface frogs, topwater lures and soft plastics are ideal around the thicker weed beds while deep diving hardbodies are perfect for the snags.

There is a great weed bed on the southern side of the lake which forms a nice point

about 2/3 of the way to the timber. The barra were tailing in this weed last month so they are definitely in the area. Try surface lures on the edges or over the weed before the sun gets up then work the edges and pockets in the weed with soft plastics during the day.

Surface frogging on top of this weed would certainly be an option on the calmer days too.

If you are heading out to the dam make sure you call in at Proserpine Bait and Tackle.

The store is on the highway through Proserpine and stocks all the barra gear you could possibly need. The guys will be able to send you in the right direction and help with nailing the lake’s big fish. The store owner Lindsay Dobe runs charters on the lake and bookings can be made through the store on (07) 4945 4641.

MACKAY REGION KINCHANT CLOSEST TOWNS: MARION, MACKAY The weedy waters of Kinchant should fish well this month for barra. The dam has risen in the past months allowing some of the existing weed beds to send long shoots all the way to the surface.

These areas are very difficult to fish due to the long stringy weed lying across the top of the water. The outside edges of the weed beds or inside

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WHITSUNDAY REGION PROSERPINE CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSERPINE, AIRLIE BEACH The trolling action has taken off in the basin of the lake near the buoy line at the dam wall. It looks like Christmas lights of a night with all the green and red lights zig-zagging the area with lures in tow. The reason for this activity is plenty of bigger barramundi have schooled in the area and it isn’t uncommon to land a few of these fish in an afternoon session.

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DAWSON RIVER CLOSEST TOWN: THEODORE Drew Hedington has been hitting the Dawson River and having plenty of success on the golden perch and saratoga.

While others would look at the water and think it is too dirty, he has persisted with using lures and managed to produce the goods. The high

water has resembled a cup of coffee in colour and thickness, reports Drew. Best lures have been black Z-Man Frogz and Stingerbaits Buzzbaits in dark colours for the saratoga, which love to eat surface offerings.

Golden perch can be caught on small blades jigged in any eddies or around the larger structure. Another cool way to catch them has been

to cast out and drag back Stingerbaits Jigs.

It’s awesome to hear people trying different things managing to crack a pattern.

The more remote waters like these are often forgotten about by most anglers. It proves you need to stay open-minded about all your fishing exploits.

The little finned suckers are all over the place and all you have to do is put in the time to find and catch them.

Freshwater fly rod fun for cod BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

I caught my first Murray cod on fly tackle back in 1987 in a New England stream. Since then I have taken them in various waters around Canberra out to Bonshaw in New South Wales, as well as around Stanthorpe in good old Queensland.

darkness and can be taken on a surface fly on a floating line at these times while all purpose general fishing will involve an intermediate sink rate line or a sink tip job. Obviously, two fly lines will be an asset but if you only have a floating line stay with it and when the day has brightened and there’s little chance of surface action, rub a bit of good old mud along the leader and the fly will sink quite well.

On the subject of leader,

or is taking a bath (such as a hapless bird) yet nothing moves very quickly so a fully sunken wet fly needs to be retrieved in very slow jerks and twitches with the fly line under control at all times to prevent slack. The idea is to land it with a decent plop to attract a fish in the first instance, give it a short time to sink then retrieve it in the slowest of little twitches with frequent pauses in between the action.

they seem to do a lot) they won’t usually come back for another go. Changing you fly for another is a good option in this scenario.

FINDING COD The really important question now arises. Where do we find Murray cod?

Plenty of impoundments are stocked with them but there’s always a lot of water between fish, making fly fishing a very difficult prospect.

Streams, smaller ones in particular, are the smart move. The keen angler could start around Stanthorpe up on the Granite Belt and then look at virtually every waterway from that point south to Armidale, as well as to their western counterparts.

The point is that the western watersheds are holding the cod, so even a small Granite Belt stream

This cod, while by no means a large one, hit particularly hard and put up a solid fight on a stormy afternoon can be well worth some exploration twenty or so kilometres from where one can jump across it with ease.

Stocking groups are very active in these areas and the fish numbers are kept well supplemented.

The best places to fish

are where there’s some water depth plus good cover to hold these wide mouthed fish that simply wait for tucker to come past.

In all, cod on fly gear are a lot of fun, especially when using the dry fly and waiting for that explosive take!

A selection of the author’s rough but effective cod flies. Note the Toads at the bottom and the purple Gartside Gurglers (on the right), these are excellent for surface work.

The point is not that I’m a great cod angler, more that cod are widespread, and if conditions are right can be very willing starters on the long rod.

SET UP SOLID GEAR Making a start on your own cod on fly gear should involve taking two things into consideration. First, the flies used to take cod need to be pretty big (on 3/0-4/0 hooks) in order to be noticed.

Secondly, while a lot of cod taken on fly tackle will be little tackers that are barely legal (55cm in NSW and Victoria, 60cm in Qld) there will always be a big bruiser lurking at a pool’s head or near some enticing cover that will clean up too light tackle in an instant.

In smaller cod waters, an 8wt rod will handle a big bulky air resistant fly and can then have enough power to tackle a larger fish when hooked. In larger waters such as the Dumaresq, Macintyre, and Severn where cod grow much larger I advocate a 9-10wt outfit.

An interesting aspect of cod behaviour that receives little press coverage is that an individual fish will fight far more strongly than another, and, when conditions fire them up – such as fresh in the stream or a storm not far away – cod can hit an offering very hard, punching well above their weight in the net.

Much like barra, these apex predators are most active when there’s dull light or

a little less than a rod’s length is ideal with some 30kg Penn 10 X or similar material attached to the fly line, then a couple of step down sections terminating in 10kg at the fly. Cod have sharp, raspy teeth, which can chafe a leader quickly so it’s smart to check the leader tip after each fish. Personally, I always use FC100 as my tippet – I love that extra tough fluorocarbon!

SUITABLE FLIES For dry fly work, a Gartside Gurgler is all that is required with the smart angler tying a few of these up on different coloured foam sections, with differing bodies and tails as well. Sometimes cod are attracted to a quite dull offering, other times a shiny one with plenty of flash in the body or tail comes up trumps. There’s a definite bonus in using a dark fly on or after dusk, as it will silhouette far better than a pale offering.

I love purple.

Wet fly work can involve large Clousers, big Deceivers, Bush Pigs, and of course a selection of Toads. The Toads are one of the most effective flies for ambush style predators going. Barra love them too and Mr Google has plenty of tying tips.

Remember, if the water is somewhat dirty, a fly with plenty of flash about it will be most effective.

I believe that over all colour is not as important as the method of working a fly.

As apex predators, cod eat everything that swim, falls in,

Surface flies are worked similarly with some small chugs to start with then a series of tiny twitches with a few stops and starts in between. These fish take dry flies with a very loud slurp, not the sort of ‘boof’ we associate with barra, but a loud sucking sound nonetheless.

The interesting thing is that if a cod misses a fly (which

A section of small stream cod habitat: where branches overhang is a great place to drop a fly.

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Freshwater News

Qld’s freshwater fisheries legislation changes This is a brief overview of changes made to Queensland’s freshwater fishing rules to commence on 1 February 2015.

NEW CLOSED AREAS ADJACENT TO WATERWAY BARRIERS Closures are in place to most dams, barrages and weirs throughout Queensland to protect fish that congregate in these areas during their annual migration. Currently, there are no closures adjacent to the waterway barriers on the North Pine River at North Pine Dam, Sideling Creek at Lake Kurwongbah, Teviot Brook at Wyaralong Dam and Yabba Creek at Borumba Dam. To provide the fisheries resources in these areas with the same protection provided at other dams, barrage and weirs throughout Queensland, the waters 100m upstream to 200m downstream of these waterway barriers will be closed to all forms of fishing.

GREATER PROTECTION FOR MARY RIVER COD The Mary River cod is listed as endangered species under the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (EPBC Act). A closed season is in place to protect the species during its spawning season, with exceptions provided at nine listed impoundments where the species has been stocked.

It has recently been discovered the Mary River cod are breeding in the waters within and upstream impoundments. In order to provide increased protection to individuals breeding in these areas, a 3-month spawning closure from 1 September to 30 November each year will be introduced for all non-tidal waters, including those impoundments that are stocked. Taking Mary River cod in all other waters will still be prohibited at all times.

It is also evident that fishing for other species results in incidental capture of Mary River cod at some locations, puting them and their ability to breed at risk.

For this reason there is currently a permanent line fishing closure in place on Obi Obi Creek. Evidence of new breeding sites downstream of the existing closure boundary has become available and it is proposed to extend the existing line fishing closure on Obi Obi Creek downstream for an additional 5kg to Crossing 4 Bridge.

GREATER PROTECTION FOR MURRAY COD The Murray cod is listed as a vulnerable species under the EPBC Act. Currently the majority of the species’ natural range is open to fishing during their spawning 82

FEBRUARY 2015

LISTED IMPOUNDMENTS No. Location 1........... Atkinsons Dam 2........... Baroon Pocket Dam 3........... Beehive Dam 4........... Bjelke Peterson Dam 5........... Boondooma Dam 6........... Borumba Dam 7........... Burdekin Dam/Lake Dairymple 8........... Callide Dam 9........... Cania Dam 10......... Connolly Dam 11......... Cooby Dam 12......... Collmunda Dam 13......... Cressbrook Dam 14......... Eungella Dam 15......... Ewen Maddock Dam 16......... Fairbairn Dam 17......... Fred Haigh Dam (Lake Monduran) 18......... Glenlyon Dam 19......... Gordonbrook Dam 20......... Hinze Dam 21......... Kinchant Dam 22......... Koombooloomba Dam 23......... Lake Awonga 24......... Lake Dyer (Bill Gunn Dam) 25......... Lake Gregory 26......... Lake Kurwongabah (Sideling Creek Dam) 27......... Lake McDonald 28......... Lenthalls Dam (Lake Lenthall) 29......... Leslie Dam 30......... Maroon Dam 31......... Middle Creek Dam 32......... Moogerah Dam 33......... Mount Morgan Big Dam 34......... North Pine Dam 35......... Peter Faust Dam 36......... Ross River Dam 37......... Somerset Dam 38......... Storm King Dam 39......... Teemburra Dam 40......... Theresa Creek Dam 41......... Tinaroo Dam 42......... Wivenhoe Dam 43......... Wuruma Dam 44......... Wyaralong Dam

season. Spawning closures only exist in the Barwon, Macintyre and Dumaresq rivers on the border between Queensland and New South Wales. Again the issue is that these fish can be caught during the spawning season putting them and their ability to breed, at risk.

To provide greater protection Murray cod during their spawning period, the current 3-month Murray cod spawning season closure which applies to the Border rivers has been expanded to apply to all Queensland waters contained in the Murray Darling drainage division.

An exception to this closed season applies to Beardmore Dam, Beehive Dam, Boondooma Dam, Connolly Dam, Cooby Dam, Collmunda Dam, Fairbairn Dam, Glenlyon Dam, Leslie Dam, Storm King Dam where these fish are stocked.

GREATER PROTECTION FOR SILVER PERCH Silver perch have recently been listed as critically endangered under the EPBC Act. At present, anglers must release any silver perch caught in the Warrego and Paroo rivers and may take up to 5 in other Queensland

waters. Further protection is required to ensure their take remains sustainable in Queensland.

A combined bag limit of 5 fish in total applies for golden perch, Welch’s grunter, Barcoo grunter and sliver perch. To provide greater protection to silver perch, no more than two of these fish may be silver perch. The no restrictions on silver perch in the Warrego and Paroo rivers will remain unchanged.

Edgbaston hardihead and cling gobies are rare, have a limited range and are targeted by amateur aquarium collectors. The issue for these species is that populations are naturally very small and current management arrangements place them at real risk of overfishing that could lead to their extinction. To provide adequate protection for these species, their take will be prohibited.

CHANGES TO IN-POSSESSION (BAG) LIMITS FOR FRESHWATER SPECIES A number of other fish have also been identified as requiring specific protection to ensure their sustainability. There is a need to either introduce a specific bag and/or size limit or amend an existing bag and/or size limit.

Those species which have had in-possession limits introduced or changed are outlined in the table below.

In addition to the changes to the in-possession limits for those species, an in-possession limit of 20 species will be adopted for any freshwater fish, which was not already subject to an in-possession limit.

This approach is designed to reduce risk of these species being subjected to unsustainable levels of fishing pressure.

PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF MARINE BAITS IN FRESHWATER SYSTEMS Introduction of disease and parasites into new areas can have serious impacts on native fish populations and may affect the future viability of freshwater fish stocking programs. While to date there are no reports of this having occurred in Australian freshwater systems, recent risk assessments show there is a heightened risk of disease transfer between catchments through the use of freshwater animals such as fish and crustaceans and saltwater animals such as yabbies, prawns and small fish bait.

While there are already specific regulations controlling the use of some live bait to help prevent disease transfer, these are believed to be inadequate given the expansion of recreational fishing in freshwater.

To prevent the spread of disease and parasites in Queensland’s freshwater systems, the use of baits from the marine (saltwater) environment will be prohibited unless the bait has been frozen, cooked or preserved.

NEW RULES RELATING TO THE USE OF SET LINES Set lines are currently one of the permitted methods for a recreational fishing in freshwater and involve the use of lines that are baited, attached to a fixed object and then left unattended for long periods of time in order to catch fish. A fisher may currently use up to 6 fishing lines (including set lines) as long as the fisher is within 200m of any set lines.

Set lines have the potential to impact target and non-target species both from an animal welfare and sustainability perspective. The low cost of set lines means fishers sometimes abandon their gear leaving the lines in the water which continue to fish (known as ghost fishing). In other cases, because the lines are not attended, when non-target species such as turtles, platypus and birds are caught in the lines they become entangled and subsequently sustain injury or drown.

To address the issues associated with set lines, their use in Queensland will be prohibited. From 1 February 2015, fishers in non-tidal waters may use up to 6 fishing lines but they must be no more than 50m from any of the fishing lines.

CHANGES TO RULES RELATING TO FUNNEL TRAPS Funnel traps, including

opera house traps, are often used by recreational anglers to target freshwater crayfish.

These traps are cheap, extremely popular and are an effective means of catching freshwater crayfish. It is estimated that more than 200,000 of these traps are purchased in Queensland every year.

Even with strict design requirements around their construction, protected species are still being captured in these traps, most commonly in abandoned equipment in flowing waterways. The most recent example was reported in 2014, when two platypus were found drowned in an opera house trap in the Gold Coast Hinterland.

To minimise the potential for interactions with protected and non-target species, the use of certain funnel and round traps east of a line following the Great Dividing Range and the Gore Highway (Highway 39) will be prohibited outside of 44 listed impoundments (see Attachment 1 for map).

This means that: • Funnel traps and round traps with a rigid opening size of up to 5cm maximum in any dimension will still be able to be used in all Queensland non-tidal waters.

• Funnel traps with a rigid opening size between 5cm and 10cm will only be able to be used in listed impoundments east of the Great Dividing Range from the north of Toowoomba and east of the Gore Highway (A39) and in non-tidal waters west of the aforementioned boundary.

Open top pyramid traps can be used in all Queensland freshwater areas provided they have: • A single, rigid top opening, parallel to the base of the trap with a minimum size of 15cm in any dimension; • A mesh size of no more than 25mm; • A maximum base size of 60cm in length and width; and • A minimum height of 15cm (measured in a vertical line from the base of the trap to the height of the opening).

MARKING OF FRESHWATER TRAPS Following concerns raised about the potential risk to non-target species from lost or abandoned freshwater traps, all freshwater traps must now be marked with solid light coloured float that is at least 15cm in any dimension.

For more information on these changes, please contact Fisheries Queensland on 13 25 23.

– Queensland Fisheries

CHANGES TO IN-POSSESSION (BAG) LIMITS FOR FRESHWATER SPECIES SPECIES IN-POSSESSION LIMIT SIZE LIMIT Freshwater mullet..................................... 20 per person......................................................................Min. 30cm Gulf grunter.............................................. Combined limit of 10 (sooty, khaki and lake grunter)..........Min. 28cm Lake grunter............................................. Combined limit of 10 (sooty, khaki and lake grunter) Eel-tailed catfish (Anodontiglanis)............ Combined limit of 5 (eel-tailed catfish)

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83

Yaks on top for bream BRISBANE

Justin Willmer

A recent fishing adventure reinforced to me a couple of the advantages of fishing from a kayak.

Firstly, I reached out of the car window and patted my trusty vessel as we drove past a crowded boat ramp, selecting a deserted section of white sand to launch from. Standing on

the sand prior to launching, I noted the big summer tide, a flotilla of vessels criss-crossing each other’s wakes and the jet skis enjoying the increased boat traffic that Christmas brings, launching their machines as they cut a path from boat wake to boat wake.

It doesn’t sound like a perfect picture for a quiet day on the water, but this is where the second

The chemically sharpened hook on the HeadlockZ Finesse jighead ensured this subtle tap became a hook set.

advantage of my compact plastic craft came into play. All of this action was taking place in the main channels, as if fenced in by the navigation markers, while my eyes turned to the shallow sand, weed and rubble flats, devoid of boat traffic and with enough water to camouflage the feeding fish that cruised across them. The kayak’s low profile casts minimal shadow and when combined with the almost silent ‘stealth factor’ and its ability to travel in very little water it meant that I could hunt these flats, away from the crowds that holidays and weekends can often attract.

‘Plan A’ was a large yabby bank, lined by mangroves on the shoreline and fringed by a deep channel on its outside edge.

This sand flat had produced quality flathead, bream and whiting in the past, as they emerged from the depths on a flooding tide to search the flat for small baitfish and crustaceans.

I generally prospect these flats with small 1/12oz and 1/8oz blades, and lightly weighted 2-3” soft plastics.

Today, the importance

A handful of flats bream were taken on a Z-Man soft plastic paddle-tail. of having a ‘Plan B’ was reinforced to me as I found the flat covered in seaweed that had been lifted from its resting place, along the banks and amongst the mangroves, by the big tides. A quick search of my basic tackle kit revealed that I hadn’t packed any weedless jigheads, a good backup plan when you find yourself confronted with the dreaded weed, and so I pointed the yak toward a rubble flat where the current flow was faster

and where I had previously had good success on both bream and flathead. The search for stronger current flow was based on past observations that the weed doesn’t tend to settle as much due to the tidal push, clearing off the flat quickly as the tide begins to recede.

My ‘Plan B’ turned out to be a good one. As the tide changed and began to drop I was surrounded by a mass of weed, but it was quickly swept away with the current, leaving

it relatively clear for me to prospect. Watching the sounder as I pedalled toward the shallowest section of the flat, I noted the rise in the bottom to less than 1m of water, stopped about a cast distance from the main rubble patch, flicked over the bail arm on the light spin outfit and fired the 2.5” soft plastic paddle-tail to the far side of the rubble.

The current was racing, the breeze blowing with the tide and I was drifting fast, so I had a 1/4oz jighead

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tied on. Many would consider this too heavy, but for the bream it allowed me to punch a long cast and I could lift the rod tip and slowly roll the plastic for 3 winds, before giving it a few small twitches during the next 3 winds, then back to the roll for 3 and repeat. This kept the plastic up off the bottom and moving across the flat for the bream, while still having enough weight in the jighead if I chose to allow it to hit the bottom on a few occasions in search of a flathead.

As the water depth decreases and if the breezes are lighter, the jighead weight can be dropped to 1/8oz or 1/12oz to create more ‘hang time’ for the plastic and a more natural sink rate and presentation.

A subtle tap greeted the first cast, as the fish was attracted by the paddle-tail and twitches produced by the rod tip. Once they were on the lure I switched to a slow roll and let them continue to tap at the plastic until they found the point of the chemically sharpened hook and the rod loaded up.

It soon became apparent that the subtle taps were the bites of a solid bream and

attracted the attention of another solid bream. Within an hour I had landed 10 solid bream and dropped a

I have since returned to this flat a couple more times, targeting the run out tide as the fish hunt for

A solid bream in the net. Thank you ‘Plan B’.

An elbow slapper bream from on top of the flats. it screamed across the flat on the light braid and 8lb fluorocarbon leader. With the tide dropping I noted a couple of dozen boats anchored on the channel edges, while I was up on top of the flat with the rod bent, drag screaming and a big cheesy grin on my face. I slid the net under the fish, took a few snaps and then re-organised the yak for another assault on the

rubble patch.

I could have probably anchored on the spot, but an advantage of a pedal yak is the ability to quickly move back into position, while also having the flexibility to alter your position to effectively fish the whole flat if one section isn’t firing or stops firing. It’s also handy to make note of any points of reference when you hook a fish as it

makes it quicker and easier to get right back on the spot. A sounder with GPS

few. The most memorable was a fish that tapped the plastic right beside the yak as I lifted it from the water.

I lowered the plastic back in, a few inches below the surface, gave it a shake and a solid fish nailed it! The rod

a last feed before being forced back into the deeper water, landing bream on both occasions in under half a metre of water. I have also had that same smile on my face as I have observed the number of boats on the

Justin with a solid bream from the rubble patch on a Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ in motor oil colour.

Half a dozen dugong milling on the flat made this session even more enjoyable.

is handy for this, but a tree on a bank, channel marker, building or in this case a crab pot float, can also be an effective landmark.

Once back in position I fired another cast and within half a dozen winds and a few twitches it had

Fishing Packages from $699

buckled, drag screamed and after a few laps around the kayak (another advantage of not anchoring), the largest fish of the day measured over 40cm to the tip on the Swivel’s Fish Measure.

If only they bit this aggressively every day!

water, kept at a distance from me by the navigation markers that often dictate their direction of travel and areas they can fish on a dropping tide. Why not take advantage of your yak, get out on the water and get up on top of the flats?

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What’s New FISHING

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KUTTAFURRA MUDHONEY 75 AND 100MM

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

PRAWNSTAR GOLD

Kuttafurra Lures are hand-crafted

by Aaron Young in Victoria. He is recognised as one of the best of our new age Australian lure makers.

Recognised for the quality of his workmanship and paintwork, his lures are a must have for any native fish angler, with the Mudhoney 75 and 100 being no exception.

The hardware on these lures is designed to stand up to heavily built native fish and won’t let you down in this department.

They Dive to 12 and 15 feet respectively and are available in a range of angler and fish catching colours. They cast well and have a very seductive action, ideal to entice your favourite native species out of its hideyhole and provoke an aggressive response.

Kuttafurra Lures are available at selected quality tackle outlets.

For enquiries, Aaron can be contacted via email at kuttafurralures@outlook.com.

Price: RRP $19.95 75mm, $25.95 100mm www.facebook.com/pages/KuttafurraSwagman-lures/1504913619770778

Innovation is still alive with Primal Fishing proudly announcing the release of the new improved Prawnstar GOLD that boasts a swag of fish catching enhancements sure to please.

With a super tough spliced dacron leader and stainless steel solid ring on the nose, Prawnstar cops is even easier to flick, rig and fish. Better still, we’ve made Prawnstar GOLD 10% softer for a better flicking action, attracting more fish.

Prawnstar GOLD’s new glow-in-the-dark eyes gleam like a live prawn under a spotlight and are sure to standout in the crowd. We’ve added some great new colours including fish catching tiger patterns to complement the proven fish catching colours retained from the existing range. And on the original size, we’ve upgraded the hooks to size 1 VMC’s, ensuring you keep the big girls connected.

Prawnstar GOLD is a proven catcher of thumping big fish such as barramundi, mangrove jack, flathead, salmon, bream and more.

Price: Too new www.primalfishing.com

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JROC DYNAMETER

Have you ever wondered if your fishing line is really rated to what it claims to be? If the sun, age and usage has decreased the integrity of your fishing line? If your fishing line purchase is really the strength of what you paid for?

Now you can test your own fishing line up to 25kg/55lb with our new digital scale and line force dynamometer.

The 25kg Digital Scale with line force dynamometer is designed to weigh fish up to 25kg/55lb and test the pull force up to 25kg/55lb and also has a temperature function.

It’s light weight and takes 1x CR 2032 battery, which is included and ready to use.

Precision manufacturing ensures that the Digital Scale with Line force Dynamometer accurately displays weights or pull force up to 25kg (also displays imperial weight measurements), there is also an inbuilt temperature function. The device will turn itself off automatically after several minutes of nonuse, a great power saving feature.

Price: $39.95 www.jroctackle.com.au

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ECOODA RANGER

The new reel in the Ecooda line up is The Ranger! A fresh looking reel with superb colour cosmetics designed with a metallic silver finished graphite body and high gloss black double anodised aluminium spool, it sports a one-piece metal handle with a soft touch rubber knob for comfort.

With over 30 years of reel development and manufacturing, the Ecooda team believes that the internal structure of the Ranger reel offers exceptional value with a long list of fantastic components including smooth gear operation running on a 5.1:1 ratio, 5+1 stainless steel ball bearings and smooth oil felt drag.

A new design of precision internal oscillating gears offers a friction free drive train enhancing increased casting distance with braid and monofilament while preventing wind knots in braided line.

The Ecooda Ranger is available in 4 sizes, 2500, 3000, 3500 and 4000.

Price: RRP $79.95 www.bluefishimports.com.au

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MEGABASS MAGDRAFT

The new Megabass Magdraft is a soft plastic lure that features the usual soft plastic body equipped with the revolutionary mag-hold system, which secures the treble hook alongside the belly via an internal magnet.

This new system increases hook-up ratios by holding the hook up closer to the lure and not having the hook swinging free.

The Megabass Magdraft also features two side fins designed to prevent an unnatural rolling action, and act as miniature weedguards to protect the treble hook when it is in its magnetized position.

It also features robust wire-through construction, which will make the overall construction more robust and battle ready for tough Australian species.

At 1 1/4oz and 6”, this lure is a fantastic size and weight for Australian species from across the board and comes in a variety of colours to suit a range of angling conditions.

Price: RRP $27.90 www.frogleysoffshore.com

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OKUMA CERROS

Designed to deliver unprecedented levels of performance, the Okuma Cerros steps out with a 9BB + 1RB bearing system, a multi-disc drag system that produces 7kg of drag and a lightweight aluminium frame.

The low-profile design of the reel and soft touch handle grips make the Cerros extremely ergonomic as it sits comfortably in your hand.

This gives you the ability to cast accurately and control the lure when fishing in tight terrain.

The lightweight and comfortable EVA handle knobs help to cut down on weight, making this a great lightweight reel that won’t tire you out.

The micro-click drag star allows you to adjust your drag to very precise tension and the adjustable external magnetic cast control system will ensure that when adjusted correctly, any angler can cast it with confidence.

Available now in a 200, the Cerros represents great value and comes complete with an Okuma Lifetime Guarantee, and that’s our confidence that it will last you a lifetime of great fishing memories.

Price: RRP $199.95 www.rapala.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

POWERED BY

7

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DAIWA WIDE BRIM HAT

Due to the demands of the hot Australian sun and interest from Daiwa customers, there is a new addition to the Daiwa hats and caps range. Sun protection is a serious issue in Australia and Daiwa now offer a wide brim hat to protect your whole head and face from the sun’s rays.

It’s a top quality wide brim hat made from lightweight, breathable, easy-care fabric to provide maximum UVA and UVB protection.

The extended brim provides extra shade to the face and neck. It comes with a pull string and toggle that adjusts the sizing to fit most adults and prevent the hat from blowing off. This new hat is easily washed using freshwater or mild detergents.

You can order your new hat now at the Daiwa online on the Daiwa website or pick one up at any good tackle store.

Price: RRP $19.95 www.daiwafishing.com.au

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7

SAMAKI ZING TRAVEL

Searching for that new reef, river or estuary to target those long thought about species that have seemed so untouchable?

Samaki Zing Travel encourages all anglers to get fishing around the globe!

Zing Travel has been smartly designed to suit a variety of fishing experiences and caters perfectly for all your travel requirements.

This 3-piece blank has Fuji concept guides for casting accuracy, deluxe reel seats and ultra hard EVA camouflaged grips PLUS Zing Travel comes with a custom-made PVC hard tube to chuck in the boot of your car or behind the seat in your ute aiding you in a quick fish wherever you are.

With a range to suit all your needs we start with two 7’ spin models being a light 4-8lb and a heavy 12-20lb, a 6’4” spin medium 1017lb, a 9’ spin heavy 10-25lb and 2 baitcast models of 6’ medium 6-12lb and 6’ medium heavy 10-17lb.

Price: RRP from $169.95 www.bluefishimports.com.au

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

OKUMA AZORES

The all-new Okuma Azores is a specialist heavy-duty spinning reel that advances the saltwater spinning reel category to new levels of strength and stability.

Featuring 6+1 stainless steel HPB bearings, machine cut pinion gears, and the Okuma Dual Force Drag system that produces up to 20kg of drag pressure.

A die-cast aluminium body, side plate and rotor have been combined to form an outer shell that is extremely rigid, tough and lightweight. The machined aluminium, 2-tone anodised spool provides ample line capacity, making it ideal for a range of heavy tackle situations.

In order enhance saltwater durability, Okuma’s Mechanical Stabilization System and Corrosion Resistant Coating process prevents the flow of electrolysis between the aluminium body and stainless internal parts.

Finished in stunning silver and black cosmetics, the Okuma Azores is an intelligently designed, tough and rugged performer that you will be proud to own and use.

Price: RRP $219.99 www.rapala.com.au

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CUDA TOOLS

Cuda brand launches in Australia just in time for Christmas 2014. Cuda offers Australian anglers a full assortment of knives, tools and pliers built strong for the tough Australian conditions.

Cuda brand tools use patented Titanium Bonded Passivation technology and German 4116 steel for unsurpassed corrosion resistance.

This intelligent innovation sets the assortment apart from all other tools available today. Cuda uses only the best in materials including Titanium Alloy, Aluminum Alloy, German Stainless Steel and Tungsten Carbide, guaranteeing the ultimate in performance time and time again. In fact, Cuda guarantees all of its tools with a lifetime warranty!

Cuda brand knives, pliers and tools will be available via independent retailers and BCF stores nationwide.

For more information on Cuda tools you can contact Nomad Tackle via their website.

Price: RRP from approx. $12 www.nomadtackle.com

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MIMIX GRASSHOPPER

The Mimix Grasspopper is certainly not like any ordinary popper lure that you’ve ever seen before. Realistically designed and hand-painted after the grasshopper, it has best of both worlds, a great look and a great action!

To add to the attraction of the great action, the Grasspopper has a special ‘antennae’ attached that makes it look even more real!

With special body shape and cup design, the Mimix Grasspopper can be use with short and fast twitches. With a slight line slack and pause in between the twitches, the Gasspopper produces deep and loud pop sounds.

You certainly need to consider Mimix Grasspopper when you are looking out for small popper bait with a big action!

The Grasspopper currently comes in one size at 60mm length and a weight of 9g. Fitted to the Grasshopper are size 6 hooks.

Price: RRP $23.95 www.jml.net.au

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POWERBAIT 4” NEMESIS

Combine the fish catching profile of a jerkshad and the enticing tail action of a grub and you get the Berkley Nemesis.

Designed in Australia, the Nemesis shape is now available in Powerbait formula. This new minnow design features a tail with an action that is irresistible to bass, bream and other estuarine and dam dwelling predators.

The tail design enhances jigging and dropshotting, but lends itself to all manor of fishing techniques. The tail action of this shape has to be seen to be believed.

The Nemisis tail can be worked at the slowest of speeds but will also swim on the drop, delivering continuous life-like action.

Each Powerbait Nemesis is also loaded with Berkley’s exclusive Powerbait scent and flavour formula, which causes fish to hold on 18x longer, so you can feel more bites and set more hooks.

Price: RRP $8.95 www.purefishing.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

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CONCEPT KP

The 13 Fishing Concept family of reels was released early 2014. Recently, the company released a new flagship to the line, the Concept KP. The original Concept A, C and E models were known for their incredibly comfortable design and the KP continues that tradition while bringing some incredible upgrades to the table. A special Alumite Hex13 spool offers a drastic weight saving from the spool found in the other 3 models, allowing anglers to cast lures down to an incredible 4g with ease. Hybrid ceramic ball bearings coupled with the patented arrowhead line guide design further increases cast distance and the super light magnesium frame, carbon handle and Hex13 features combine to bring this reel in at a featherweight 153g.

The ultimate in finesse bass or yellowbelly baitcast reels, the KP boasts a butter smooth 6kg drag to stop hardfighting freshwater fish in the tracks.

Price: RRP $649 www.nomadtackle.com.au

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DRAGON MAGGOT

The Dragon Maggot is the perfect worm imitation with an extremely long, waving tail.

We recommend two very effective ways of fishing with Dragon Maggot. The first is the classic, aggressive jigging tachnique on heavy jighead. The lure should be started from the bottom with high speed and then allowed fall down on the straight, tight line.

In the second method, we retrieve the lure quite slowly, it should almost not lose contact with the bottom. Sand and silt particles will attract predators’ attention. Bites are often quite delicate, so it’s recommended to watch the rod tip at all times. The weight of jighead for this method of fishing should not be too big, all you need is to feel contact with the bottom.

The Dragon Maggot comes in sizes 2, 2.5, 3, and 4” in packs of 20, 15, 8 and respectively.

Price: RRP from $6.95 www.jml.net.au

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SEEKERZ EWG MONSTER

Atomic, makers of a range of soft and hardbodied lures, soft plastics and jigheads have just release a new weighted worm hook, perfect for weedless presentations of all your favourite soft plastics.

Called the Weighted EWG Monster, it is available in 5/0 and 6/0 hook sizes and is built on a high quality chemically sharpened Gamakatsu EWG Monster hook.

Suitable for just about any soft plastic lure, the hook is mid-weighted in 1/4, 1/6 and 1/8oz weights, meaning it will sink horizontally and can be used anywhere you are looking to present a horizontally slow sinking weedless plastic.

They will be perfect in shallower water offshore but also for impoundment barramundi among weed beds.

The innovative spiral (worm keeper) affixed to the eye acts to hold the front end of your soft plastic and stop it from spinning. It has been designed so you can twist the plastic on creating a secure hold, which is not going to tear when casting.

Price: RRP $8.40 www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

KVD BRAID SHEARS

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Braided line is a great tool for many fishing situations due to its low stretch, its thin diameter allowing us to cast further, and its overall strength.

However, that strength makes it difficult to cut. KVD Braid Cutting Shears solve this problem and make quick work of the new generation of super lines due to their ultra-sharp, factory-honed blades that are designed specifically for cutting braid.

There is even a line notch that holds your line in place and the non-slip, ergonomic rubberized grips mean you are always in control, whether you are left-or right-handed.

High grade stainless steel construction and a locking sheath and lanyard to keep your shears safe mean the Mustad KVD Braid Cutting Shears are a must-have tool for any angler.

Don’t settle for inferior quality. Rely on Mustad and Kevin Van Dam to bring you the best braid shears on the market.

Price: Too new www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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VALKEIN LURES

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One of Japan’s best kept secrets, Valkein, is ready to erupt on to the Australian market. Establishing a reputation of lethal efficiency in a ultra-competitive Japanese area of trout fishing, Valkein brand is ready to expand its mirco-spoon offering to hardbodied lures, which will surely cause an excitement among the finesse fishing enthusiasts.

These hard baits are manufactured at the world-renown production facility of DUO, and you can immediately notice Valkein’s attention to details and commitment to the highest of quality. The initial testing in Australia proved extremely successful with the lures producing several trophy fish with the new Limitless Area range, consisting of the Horizard-Wi, Li-Worm and Schwan. All hardbodied lures from Valkein Limitless Area come rigged with super sharp barbless singles, which will also be sold separately.

The Valkein brand is now available, so make sure to request this ultimate finesse ‘ammo’ from your local dealer.

Price: Too new www.swldistributions.com.au

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PFLUEGER SUPREME XT

The Supreme XT beats the competition in overall reel weight, design, construction, performance and price. It has a wealth of best-in-class features that include a sealed carbon-fibre drag, carbon-fibre handle, carbon-inlay drag adjustment, braid-ready spool and nine stainless-steel bearings plus an anti-reverse bearing.

The 179g Supreme XT is the lightest reel in its class. Other features include a magnesium body, rotor and sideplate with a machined, ported and double-anodized braid-ready aluminium spool.

The solid aluminium bail wire is complemented with an anti-twist titanium line roller. The 187g Supreme outdistances itself from the competition by being the lightest reel in its class.

Four sizes are offered for each reel including size 25, 30, 35 and 40. The gear ratio on the size 25 is 5.2:1, all others are 6.2:1.

Price: RRP $249.95 Supreme XT, $199.95 Supreme www.purefishing.com.au

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TESTED: QUALITY BRAID – ALWAYS A PLUS!

The first trip using the braid was slow, but this threadfin saved what would have otherwise been a fishless night.

I’ve never been too adventurous with my choice of braid, always spooling up with the same brand because it works, so when I was given a 300yd spool of the new Platinum + braid from Platypus, I thought I may as well replace the old stuff I was running.

I always thought untying wind knots and suffering occasional random breakages was just part of running braided line, that was until I spooled up my Daiwa Alphas with 20lb Platinum +. It’s not a big reel, and I only managed to squeeze about half the spool on, so I gave the other half to my brother to put onto his 20 year-old Abu Ambassadeur.

Maiden Voyage It was now time to put the Alphas new string to the test. I decided to trudge on down to what I believed to be a good testing ground for some mid-week threadfin salmon and possibly a mulloway.

Not being blessed with time these days, fishing at night during the week allows me to scratch the fishing itch and keep up with work (but it does cost me a few hours sleep!)

I chose my ever-faithful Maria MJ Twitch, which I soon discovered cast like a bullet with this new braid! Castability is very important with this style of fishing, and long casting is often required to tempt these spooky fish. I believe the stiffness and thin diameter of this braid makes it ideal for running on baitcaster reels.

It was a fairly quiet night on the river, with only a few taps and follows to break the monotony of repetitive casting and twitching. One saving grace was the fact that I had no troubles with knotting or the line catching on the guides – always a plus!

My boredom was soon alleviated with a ‘boof’ right at my feet as the MJ Twich was engulfed by a gold-flanked thready.

Game on! Some frantic thumbing of the spool followed the characteristic opening run as I felt the hapless thready dive for a rock bar. With my thumb-on-spool ploy and ‘gentle persuasion’ successful, the 80-something thready was soon lying quietly in the net. I was stoked!

Despite some contact with the submerged rock bar during the fight,

there were no considerable burrs on the braid and that rig has caught me a few hefty fish since.

Jack attack Being a long-time lover of mangrove jack fishing, I knew my brother Doug would make a good test subject for this braid. Fishing in the type of country he does, there was no doubt that this would give a better indication of what this braid is capable of.

Taking a trip up to the Sunshine Coast with his kayak, he met with two friends and they all headed up a small creek on a stinking hot afternoon in pursuit of some jacks.

Doug was using a deepdiving Rapala X-rap around a fallen tree when the first fish struck.

“I put in about 30 casts over a log, I knew there had to be one in there. The fish hit like a freight train only a few metres from the kayak and about 4m from the log, but ran straight back for it immediately,” Doug explained. “I put my thumb on the spool

and but it was too late, he was buried in the snag complex and I didn’t think I’d ever get him out!”

“Luckily, with steady pressure and rod tip work, I managed to untangle the jack and netted him before he could dive for cover again.”

The mangrove jack, measuring just under 50cm, most likely would not have been landed if not for the durability of the Platinum +, that’s at least what Doug believes.

One of Doug’s mates hooked a decent jack on a surface lure that afternoon but was broken off with the braid he was using – this isn’t the domain of light tackle!

Always a plus Having braided line that doesn’t knot around your guides and casts light lures long distances is always a plus! Having that same braid stand up to some of our toughest angling adversaries is a bonus, and being available at an affordable starting RRP of $39.95 it really is a brilliant alternative for some of the more expensive braid out there.

Without doubt, I’ll be spooling up some of my other reals with Platypus Platinum + and putting them through some pain! – Bob Thornton

TESTED: 13 FISHING BAITCASTER IMPRESSES Despite what you might think, at Fishing Monthly we don’t spend each and every day on the water fishing.

In fact, at times, I reckon that our readers get to do more fishing than we do – after all, we produce over 300 pages of content a month between the three Fishing Monthly titles.

But I do get to do a lot of fishing after hours. The last couple of years, I’ve focussed a lot on fishing near home (in Brisbane) and lots of that nearhome fishing involves chasing whatever predators the Brisbane River yields.

Looking at the river, she appears turbid and lifeless, but if you put in the hours, there’s plenty of predators to be had.

So I can confidently say that while testing this baitcast reel from 13 Fishing, I’ve done at least 50 trips and caught everything from Brisbane River barramundi through to mulloway and threadfin salmon on it. Mainly from the bank and mainly casting lures.

Spooled with 40lb braid and usually terminated with a 60lb leader, I matched this reel to a couple of different doublehanded baitcasters over the trial period.

One was a Daiwa Steez Harrier and the other a Nories Voice.

Immediately when you get the outfits into your hand, you feel that this reel is smaller and a lower profile than your mainstream brand low profile reels. That’s a little weird for the first, but you quickly get used to the shape and I found that I held the reel in my hand as I was retrieving the

making long casts mainly by the sound of the reel in the darkness rather than sighting the bait through its casting trajectory.

That setting let me let rip with the bait as hard as I could, get great distance, but have overruns as a rarity.

The third thing I noticed was the drag. The first fish I hooked on the test reel was a mid-eighties mulloway in

Loaded with 40lb braid, the Concept A baitcaster made short work of plenty of river predators. lure and imparting action – everything from everything from topwater to 30g vibes in 50 feet of water. The handles look a little chunky, but you get used to their profile in about 5 minutes.

The second thing you notice is the castability. I struggled and quickly dug into the casting brake system (which is easily accessed in the left side of the reel with a small lever to open the side plate). I found that the #2 setting suited my casting style perfectly – that was

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tight quarters and it was screwed up pretty tight. The drag was smooth – even under the heavy pressure – and it’s remained so after more than 30 fish.

I told Tom Slater from 13 Fishing’s marketing department that I was going to do minimal maintenance on this reel.

Screw up the drag, wash it under the hose for a bit and then put it in the corner until the next trip.

To date and after nearly 6 months of fishing, this system is working fine.

Like technology, tackle gets better and cheaper each year, it seems. With a RRP of $269, this is a quality bit of gear that would have cost you double for the same features only a few years ago.

I love it. They’re not getting it back, although I may be tempted into an upgrade to the higher spec C or E model.

– Steve Morgan

SPECIFICATIONS Weight.............................................190g Max Drag .........................................10kg Bearing Count......................................6+1 Gear Ratio .........................................6.6:1 Retrieve .............................................Right Capacity 150m/PE#1.5 Braid .............(25lb) MSRP ................................................$269

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Australia’s BIGGEST fishing competition! just

20

$

to +enter postage

SUNDAY 22nd MARCH 2015

RIGHT ACROSS AUSTRALIA Over

CFC round 3 BP Dam Over 140 anglers fronted up at Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Peterson Dam for Round 3 of the Austackle – Bluefin Country Fishing Classic.

The weather was hot, and so too was the fishing!

Entrants can compete in Deadweight or Catch and Release categories, using bait or lures to target bass, golden perch, silver perch and catfish. In the interest of sustainable fishing, only one fish per species is

permitted to be weighed in for the deadweight category.

Catch and release points are cumulative with one point allocated for every centimetre of legal size fish.

76 anglers entered the Catch and Release section.

They caught and released back into the water a total of 654 fish. In the deadweight section, 67 anglers took home one fish each for a feed.

In between hook ups, a dip in the dam to cool off

was the way to go. During the afternoon cool down the kids were entertained with a jumping castle, along with a hot meal and a few cold cans for the adults provided by Barambah United Football club.

The event boasts a random draw prize pool of over $100,000. So regardless of how many fish you catch, every entrant stands a chance of taking home a share in the prizes including heaps of Austackle

169,000

$

in cash and prizes

Register NOW to go in the draw to WIN...

Senior Female Catch & Release champion Nicole McGuinness.

Hervey Bay Family Fishing

Stacer 449 Outlaw Tiller Steer powered by Evinrude E-tec 60hp plus trailer valued at $25000

$2000 Lowrance Electronics Pack

$1800 BCF

Spending Spree!

$2000 Berkley Fishing Pack

To enter, log onto

pirtekfishingchallenge.com.au

All proceeds to Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit of St Vincent’s Hospital.

For full terms, conditions and licensing log on to pirtekfishingchallenge.com.au. Permit Nos: ACT Permit Nos TP 14/04455; NSW Permit No LTPS/14/10073; SA Permit No T14/2381; VIC Permit No 14/6070.

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FEBRUARY 2015

Keen fishers planning a holiday next March should mark the Fraser Coast as a definite for their diaries.

The 23rd Annual VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Competition organised by the Hervey Bay Boat Club Fishing and Social Club will be held from Thursday, 5 March to Sunday, 8 March at Dayman Park in Pulgul Street Urangan Hervey Bay. There will be hundreds of prizes to win and you don’t even have to catch a fish to be in the running for most of them.

Many entrants don’t fish at all and simply go along to enjoy the atmosphere at the presentations, partake in the food and refreshments, perhaps win $5,000 cash or a $8,000 boating package, a computer, one of the hundreds of prizes in the lucky draws or the $1,000 cash give-away drawn every day, sponsored by the Boat Club.

Draws and presentation times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday 6pm to about 8pm and Sunday noon to about 3pm.

Entry fees are seniors $40 and juniors $10. There will be a licensed bar and this year’s catering will be done again by members of the Rotary Club of Hervey

Bay Sunrise and they will provide plenty of hot food and cold drinks for everyone.

The live weigh-in will again be sponsored by Fisherman’s Corner Hervey Bay with eligible species flathead (live only), bream and whiting.

Species of fish eligible for the dead weigh-in are whiting, blackall, bream,

bigger boats to venture to the gutters and to waters off the eastern side of Fraser Island after bigger, quality fish.

Thanks to the excellent support and generosity of local business houses the competition has been a huge success each year, so make plans now to enter this popular event.

Weigh master Terry Walters with the prize winning best fish, a barramundi, at last year’s comp. golden trevally and coral bream and also for the seniors an ‘any other species’ category with $1,000 for the best fish, (excluding flathead, cod, Spanish mackerel, shark and ray). This prize structure will encourage entrants with

Entry forms are available at tackle shops in Hervey Bay and Maryborough, at the Chronicle offices and at the Boat Club and Sporties or phone 4194 6138 or see www.fishingcompherveybay .org.au

WINNING RESULTS

FEBRUARY

2015

VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Competition 2015

CONTACTS

Feb 1

Daiwa-Hobie Kayak Bass Series R1 Lake MacDonald

Hobiecat Australasia www.hobiefishing.com.au

Feb 7-8

Boondooma Dam Yellowbelly Fishing Comp Boondooma Dam

Terry Allwood 0400 860 122

Feb 21

MAFSA Fund Raising Event Teemburra

Geoff Newby 0419 183 188

Feb 22

BASS Electric #1 (6am-12pm) Clarrie Hall Dam

Joey Urqhart 0439 764 369

Mar 1

APRIL Junior Female Catch & Release champion Catilin Bryant.

DATE DETAILS

Feb 28 Dragon Kayak Carp/Tilapia Eradication Comp Lloyd Willmann

Wyaralong Dam 0429 614 892 www.lafma.org

MAY

lures, rods, reels, Lowrance sounders, Tonic Eyewear products and more!

The Grand Final, at BP Dam (18-19th April 2015) boasts 2 Bluefin Boat packages as major random draw prizes, and more! To qualify, anglers only need to have fished one round.

The last chance to qualify is on 28th Feb-1st March at Paradise Dam, Mingo Crossing, so get in early for this fun, family friendly event!

Further info and entry forms available here: http:// countryfc.com.au/?page_ id=125. – Austackle

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

MARCH

Junior Female Deadweight:........................ Chenille Sjaardema ................2.9kg ................................................................... Tie with Hayley Crumblin Junior Female Catch & Release:................ Catilin Bryant .........................586pts Junior Male Deadweight:............................ Tyron Cowe.............................3.90kg Junior Male Catch & Release:.................... Nick Howard...........................430pts Senior Deadweight Female:....................... Tarnya Crumblin......................4.15kg Senior Female Catch & Release:................ Nicole McGuinness.................743pts Senior Male Deadweight:........................... Craig Taylor.............................3.9kg Senior Male Catch & Release:.................... Matthew Langford...................1513pts Longest Bass Junior:.................................. Caitlin Bryant..........................44cm Longest Bass Senior:................................. Michael Taylor.........................44cm ................................................................... Tie with Matthew Mott, ................................................................... Laurence Crumblin, David Toomua Longest Golden Perch Junior:.................... Tristan Lewis...........................47cm Longest Golden Perch Senior:................... Steve Noble............................54cm Heaviest Bass Junior: . .............................. Trey Crumblin..........................0.85kg Heaviest Bass Senior:................................ Rohan Chandler......................1.05kg Heaviest Golden Perch Junior:................... Hayden Townsend..................2.20kg Heaviest Golden Perch Senior:.................. Sheldon Beling........................2.25kg Heaviest Catfish Junior:............................. Tyron Cowe.............................1.15kg Heaviest Catfish Senior:............................. Ricky Bochman.......................0.95kg

Daiwa-Hobie Kayak Bass, QLD (kayak only) Blue Rock Lake

Hobiecat Australasia hobiefishing.com.au

Mar 5-8 VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Comp

Hervey Bay www.fishingcompherveybay.org.au

George Duck 0407 663 578

Mar 6-8

ABT abt.org.au

QLD BREAM Open Moreton Bay

Mar 7-8 ABBT Basstasstic Bass Fishing Qualifier Bjelke-Petersen

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

Mar 29

ABT (07) 3387 0888

Haswing BASS Electric Major (7am-1pm) Hinze Dam

Apr 18-19 ABBT Basstasstic Bass Fishing Qualifier

Cania Dam

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

Apr 25-26 BASS Electric #2 (12pm-6pm, 6am-12pm)

Cania Dam

Les Barber 0428 726 857

May 3

Tim Steenhui 0432 770 894

BASS Electric #3 (7am-1pm) Isis Balancing Storage



For listings please email jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au

Country Fishing Classics

FISHING AND SOCIAL CLUB INC

March 5–8 Seniors $40 – Juniors $10 Dayman Park, Urangan

Lucky draws for hundreds of prizes!

$10,000 IN CASH TO WIN

• $5,000 Cash OR $8,000 Boat • $1,000 Lucky Draw Every Day • $1,000 For the Best Fish

JUNIORS LAPTOP COMPUTER GREAT FISHING PRIZES TO WIN IN THE DEAD AND LIVE WEIGH-INS • Water Snake Electric Motor • Heaps of Tackle and Ice Boxes Enq. 0407 663 578 - www.fishingcompherveybay.org.au

Catch and release plus deadweight sections - “No live well required”

Target Species: • Barramundi • Bass • Golden Perch

• Saratoga • Catfish

 Dates and Locations: Round 4: Grand Final:

 Entry Fees:

over $

100,000

IN PRIZES TO BE WON

BY RANDOM DRAW!

Includes: Senior and Junior Boat Packages!

Supports and Promotes Sustainable Fishing

Part of proceeds go to local fish stocking associations

Paradise Dam (Biggenden) BP Dam (Murgon)

28th Feb – 1st Mar 2015 18th – 19th April 2015

*Early bird rate applies to entries received 4 weeks prior to event date

Family affordable!

Single Round: Seniors $30 (Early Bird $25) Grand Final: Seniors $40 (Early Bird $35)

Juniors: (16 & under) $10 Juniors: (16 & under) $15

Mailing Address: PO Box 3473, LOGANHOLME QLD 4129 Fax: (07) 3806 3031 Email: info@countryfc.com.au www.countryfc.com.au FEBRUARY 2015

91

Tech Tricks

The big tease benefit BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Offshore trolling is extremely popular these days due to the quality of fishing available and the excitement that every hook-up brings. You do not need a floating hotel to get out and troll up some awesome pelgics, a moderate craft of 4.5m or so will do in the right conditions.

The waters off Brisbane will require a degree of travel to get out past Moreton and Straddie to the fish-rich waters, however productive areas just out from the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast can start from less than a 1km past the bar. Anglers will often stock up with an array of different trolling lures for this pursuit, yet forget one of the other important factors in their spread, a teaser. Let’s look at why these help and some of the types on offer.

WHY TEASE Understanding how you benefit from having a teaser will require that you first understand why fish are

Mirrors One of the more productive teasers types in my opinion are the mirrored varieties. There are many types of these with the most popular being the witchdoctor style, which are basically a block of timber with a slant face on the towing end and mirrors along the side. As these are towed through the water they rock from side to side putting big flashes of reflected light into the water.

There are many quality locally produced

attracted to them.

To a pelagic species feeding in the open blue ocean, either down deep or closer to the surface, the isolated patch of white water and turbulence created by your boat’s propellers initially looks like a school of baitfish close to the surface. The churning water and the noise created by your propellers is the best fish attractor you can get, however adding other factors into the turbulence to enhance this image can greatly increase your chances of attracting a predating fish closer.

When a baitfish school is pushed to the surface and being set upon by hungry predators, there’s a lot of splashing, flashing and audible features noticed from below. The noise of the boat, motor and churning whitewater does a reasonable job of initially getting a predators attention, however, by adding more splashing and flashing to the equation we are more likely to raise fish and have them excited and hot to trot by the time they do rise.

Once they are fooled into thinking the trailing white-

water is a bait school and rise to investigate they will not find any baitfish, only your baitfish imitating lures.

If they are hungry, or excited enough by the deception, they will strike the lure and hopefully you will be hooked up solid to a marauding marlin, wahoo, sailfish, mackerel, tuna, mahimahi or other pelagic.

TEASER TYPES Anything that can be added to the equation, which flashes or splashes will help to emulate the sun’s reflection off the flanks of a darting baitfish or marauding predator, the splashing created by frantic baitfish and even the diving and feeding antics of birds attacking from above.

Whilst I have even seen a string of Fosters cans used for a teaser (and it did get crunched by a big Cairns black) there are several types of teasers readily available from suppliers of game fishing tackle that will enhance your chances when trolling offshore. Although there are several variations of these teasers, the three main types are mirrored teasers, birds and daisy chains.

Another popular teaser is the bird. These are commonly made from timber or various types of plastic and have a wing protruding from each side. When towed behind the boat they will skim across the surface, rocking from side to side with the wings dipping and splashing into the water.

The surface disturbance

versions and all work in pretty much the same way with slight differences to the basic size and finish of each. These are usually positioned between 4m-10m behind the boat in a patch of clean (undisturbed) water between the prop wash and the wash coming off the side of the boat.

These flashes of light can be seen from a considerable distance below the boat and will entice predators in from quite some distance away.

Obviously, they are less effective in cloudy or dull light conditions but still worth having in the water in my opinion.

As they will generally sink rapidly when at rest, they should be the first thing retrieved after a hook-up, otherwise they may tangle with the propeller if you engage the propellers.

With mirrored teasers costing between $120200, it is wise to store them in a dry area and wash them with warm soapy water after use to prolong their life. Mine has served me for about 15 years now and I consider that mirrored teasers are a small investment for a big return, considering the money spent on lures, fuel, tackle and other ancillaries.

Often towed behind a bird or just by themselves, daisy chains are a series of squid or baitfish profiles.

Apart from the visual effect and profile, these will splash across the surface and create quite a commotion. They are generally brightly coloured, often glow green or bright pink, and a single string will generally consist of 4-8 squids, baitfish profiles or mini-birds which are varying lengths apart, generally between 0.5-51m.

Often these are rigged on a spreader bar, which is a thick stainless wire or bar around 1m wide. Commonly 3-6 chains of different lengths (and sometimes different types) are trailed from this bar giving the visual effect of a baitfish conglomeration skittering across the surface.

Often, these are attacked by a marauding pelagic and may need to be pulled from the water to switch the pelagic across to attacking the lure, which obviously has the hook on it. Sometimes daisy chains and spreader bars are trolled without any lures in the water, especially in line class tournaments or when you want to switch bait to cast a fly at a fish.

Basically, the pelagic, often a marlin, will come up and attack the daisy chain and then the angler will decide what type of offering they will present and on which line class, which will maximise points when fishing a line class tournament. They may cast a lure, or more commonly,

Mirrored teasers will entice fish in from a greater distance than most other teasers, especially in sunny conditions when they reflect big flashes into the water.

92

FEBRUARY 2015

Birds

they make is similar to that produced as a bird’s wings dip the surface as they pick up hapless baitfish from the surface, but basically they just help to enhance the overall commotion at the back of the boat.

Birds can be towed from any position behind the transom or are sometimes trolled from the part way up an outrigger on larger boats, being controlled and retrieved from the bridge. On smaller

craft they are simply run from the transom, often as part of a larger teaser conglomeration, sometimes with a swimming gar or other tenticement that a pelagic fish can bite and get a taste of, which will generally increase their aggressiveness.

There are numerous birds on the market, some commercially made and others are local cottage industry products and you will probably pay between $20-50 for one.

There is an array of birds available on the market yet all splash across the water’s surface in relatively the same way.

Daisy chains

a live bait, on a circle hook on the appropriate sized line class, depending on the size of the fish or species that is teased up.

Fly anglers will also use daisy chains and spreader bars to raise fish and get them to the surface and ready to eat. Once up, the angler will put the motor into neutral (as per IGFA rules) and cast the fly to the hungry and aggressive fish.

Sometimes in this situation, the daisy chain or spreader bar may be trolled 30m or so behind the boat to enable time to cast to the fish, as

the teaser is retrieved to the boat.

Daisy chains are available in many different sizes and forms, but basically they help to enhance the image of the white-water at the back of the boat being a school of stricken bait, a visual catalyst that will bring pelagics up from deep down and have them excited and ready to eat when they do get up behind the boat.

Obviously there is no baitfish there, just your lures, which the excited fish will generally smash. The rest is up to you and lady luck!

Daisy chains can be made from conglomerations of plastic squids and fish profiles and are ideal for exciting fish that come up into the spread. They are used extensively for switch baiting and fly fishing teasers.

passing of a legend

John Dunphy passes: a fishing tackle legend It is with great sadness we advise the passing in January of Shimano Australia’s founder, John Dunphy.

John had been fighting a long battle with liver cancer throughout 2014.

John passed away in Osaka, Japan where he had been undergoing treatment and was accompanied by his family.

John founded Dunphy Sports/ Fishing Imports in 1981 and a short time later secured the distribution rights for Shimano in Australia and New Zealand.

We thought it the right time to run this interview piece that Shimano stalwart Steve Starling penned for the ATFR trade magazine a couple of years ago.

Steve Starling snapshots the man known to many simply as ‘Dunph’ or ‘JD’ as he talked about his life, his times and his amazing achievements in our industry.

SS: So John, paint me a brief picture of your childhood. Where were you born, and what it was like growing up there?

JD: Well, I was born in the Sydney suburb of Kogarah, and at that time my family lived in nearby Allawah. I have one brother, Terry, who’s two years younger than me, and two sisters, Dianne and Trudy.

Dad worked for himself back in those days, selling horse manure! When Mum finally got us kids off to school, she also went off to work, in a coffee shop in the city.

Those early days growing up in Allawah and later in Jannali were lots of fun, and I remember them being really good times for us kids.

However, when I was about six, we moved into some housing commission huts at Herne Bay (the area known today as Riverwood). That period was a real learning experience for us kids. There was almost a fight a day in the crowded Housing Commission settlement, which had a really bad reputation in those days.

That period lasted for about three years before we were lucky enough to get a housing commission house (a brick one!) in the suburb of Narwee.

In those days, Narwee was a great place for kids to grow up, because there was bush everywhere. That gave us plenty of places to play and explore after school and on the weekends. Terry and I loved parrots and finches, and we used to trap them in the bush, right near home. Life was pretty good, and we really enjoyed growing up there. We made some great friends along the way, too. In fact, I still have yearly reunions with my old mates from Narwee, although the area has changed quite a bit since then. There’s certainly not as much bush as there was back in the days when Terry and I were out trapping birds!

With John Dunphy at the helm, Shimano Australia won countless awards over the years.

SS: What are your earliest fishing or fishing-related memories, John?

JD: My earliest fishing experiences were always connected to my uncles from Allawah. They were incredibly keen fishos! I’ll never forget the many times we’d go down to the banks of the Cooks River in Tempe to dig bloodworms. Then we’d either head to Tom Uglys Bridge over the Georges River with our wooden handline spools, or we’d get up really early and drive all the way north to the Hawkesbury River road bridge. The Hawkesbury was a bit of a dream destination for us, and its Holy Grail was the mighty jewfish. But of course, we made a lot more trips to Tom Uglys, because it was so much closer to home.

We’d usually fish off Tom Uglys Bridge in the night, often from midnight until 3.30 or so in the morning… right through the middle of winter, too! You can imagine how cold it was. Some nights we’d catch up to 30 big bream and maybe half a dozen jewfish, including a few big ones.

Some of the jewies we hooked were simply too big to haul up onto the bridge, even with our heavy handlines, and we lost them.

Another reason we tended to fish more at Tom Uglys in those days, rather than making the long haul up to the Hawkesbury, was the number of catfish you’d sometimes encounter up there. When the catfish were on the bite, you’d catch heaps of the bloody things! It’d be frowned upon these days, but the way we’d get them off the hook was to swing them around and around in the air on our handlines until we built up enough momentum to belt them down onto the concrete of the bridge.

They’d soon spit out the bait and hook then! Anyway, that system worked well until my Uncle Dicky miscalculated his swing one night… The fish came straight down and embedded itself into the top of his head! Yep… all aboard for a quick dash to Hawkesbury hospital. That was the end of

our fishing for that night.

SS: Sounds painful! What was your first real job after finishing school, John?

JD: My father got me my very first job. He had a mate in what was then called the PMG or Post Master General’s Department [nowadays Australia Post]. I became a junior postal officer. I clearly remember that my starting salary was one pound and ten shillings per week. The weekly train fare into the city and back worked out to 10 shillings, and my board was also 10 bob a week… That left the princely sum of 10 shillings each week to live on.

SS: So, how and when did you

applied for the position and got the job…

The day I started, one of the first people I saw was Fred Glover, who I knew through family connections. Along with Gus Veness, Fred Glover was one of the true legends in the sporting goods and fishing tackle business in those days, and he’d always wanted me to go into that business with his son, John. When he saw me at Jones and Joseph that morning he was really surprised. “What the bloody hell are you doing here?” he asked. Little did I know that he’d recently sold his own sporting goods business to Jones and Joseph. Anyway, I replied that I’d seen the ad’ for the job in the paper, applied and got it. He smiled and said: “ This is so bloody ironic! It suits my plans perfectly.” At that stage, I had no idea of exactly what he meant, and I never had the chance to ask as him. Tragically, Fred had a massive heart attack that same night and died.

So I started with Jones and Joseph and the rest, as they say, is history.

SS: And it’s been quite a history! Give me a run-down of your career in this business...

JD: After a while I was head-hunted from Jones and Joseph to become a cadet in the Dunlop sporting goods’ division. I really liked that job and probably would’ve

SS: I clearly remember the arrival of Shimano Fishing Tackle in Australia, Dunph’.

I’d just become editor of Fishing World magazine, working under Ron Calcutt.

The brand made a huge impact here. I’ll never forget going to a little coffee shop at Central Station with Ron to meet you for the first time. Your enthusiasm was infectious! What are some of your proudest achievements with Shimano Australia? I’d imagine the creation of the Baitrunner concept must be right up there?

JD: Yes, Baitrunner was certainly ground-breaking stuff, and went on to be big around the world. But in those early days it was just such an exciting spirit that existed in the Shimano development team. We were very much the new kids on the block. We were all 10 feet tall and bulletproof and thought we could do just about anything… and we did! The great thing is that some of us are still alive to look back on it all although, unfortunately, some are no longer with us.

The guys involved from the USA were Big Bad Fred, Russell, Kendall and others.

From Japan there was Noda, Mitsuo, Junior and Shinji.

In Australia we had my brother Terry, Mikko [Mark Mikkelsen] and yours truly.

John’s passion for fishing took him all over Australia and around the world. get involved in the sporting goods and fishing tackle industries?

JD: My involvement in the industry started in 1964. By that time I was in the state public service, working as a “fair rent inspector”. My territory included Kings Cross.

You can probably imagine some of the premises I had to inspect and measure up in the Cross! Anyway, it wasn’t something I felt cut out to do, and I wasn’t really enjoying it much, so one day I simply left.

I didn’t have another job to go to, but I knew I didn’t want to pursue that type of career.

I was recovering after breaking my ankle while playing footy when I spotted an ad’ for a storeman and packer at a sporting goods company in Redfern called Jones and Joseph. Well, I

stayed on there, but Dunlop and Slazenger merged and I lost the motor car that had been a part of my package.

It was about this time that the management of Jones and Joseph lured me back for a further three years with them.

At the end of that period, I left them to go into business with John Glover, so I guess old Fred’s dream had finally come true!

That partnership in the sporting and fishing tackle game lasted 14 years, and it taught me so much, as well as giving me valuable contacts.

At the end of that period, we sold out to Protector Safety Industries. I wasn’t all that happy under the new management, so the offer from Shimano in 1981 to set up their Australian business was very timely.

For me, the real excitement was the fact that, thanks to 14 years of developing product in Asia and elsewhere, I had all of these ideas about exactly what we needed to build. But I didn’t have the serious money needed to develop major projects such as new reels and so on. Suddenly, when I hooked up with Shimano, I had an open chequebook to create true high-quality gear.

Before they knew it, we threw out all the old existing moulds and concepts and all these wonderful new products began to happen every year.

We wanted Aussie fishos to experience and share the same sense of excitement we were feeling about doing things differently and creating new concepts… and it worked!

Most importantly, we copied no one, and we still

don’t. Can you believe how many amazing products came from that wonderful period?

Low-profile baitcaster reels with tolerances fine enough to fish with 3lb line are a great example. I remember the bad old days of taking the torch and screwdriver to old-fashioned baitcasters to pick out backlashes in the dark. Then there were the TLD, TTS, TSM, BTR and Beastmaster series, to name just a few highlights.

SS: And then later you guys did the same thing with rods, and also had the foresight to back Bushy and myself with the Squidgies. But going back again, who were your heroes when you were growing up and in later life, and what people do you most admire in the business world?

JD: Certainly, my biggest hero when I was growing up was [rugby league legend] Reg Gasnier. In later life the term ‘hero’ doesn’t apply so much, but there are many people I respect and admire, and my success with Shimano has allowed me to get to know a lot of them personally.

In rugby league there are so many top players who really love their fishing, like Bozo [Bob Fulton] and ET [Andrew Ettingshausen]. In the first grade cricket world, I think they just about all fish, especially my good mate Heydos [Matthew Hayden].

In the fishing industry, Rex Hunt has done an amazing job, especially in the early days when we really needed wider public recognition for our sport.

The contributions made by you, Bushy, Tim Simpson and Barra [Ian Miller] shouldn’t be ignored, either.

Other people such as Julian Pepperell, John Diplock and John and Jenny Mondora are also very dear friends from the fishing world.

In the business world, I have great respect for my good friend John Conomos, who was the chairman of Toyota throughout their most successful growth period in this country. John’s a very astute businessman and I’ve learnt a great deal from him over the years.

SS: How has Shimano Australia managed to remain so successful and continue to grow each year, despite tough economic times and global downturns?

JD: A key element is to come up with significant innovations and improvements every year, without fail. Also, you need to protect and build your customers’ profits and always market your brand professionally. Finally, it’s essential to protect the image of your brand and its products at all times. A strong brand and great product are all that separate you from the also-rans.

FEBRUARY 2015

93

Cooking

Cook and clean lobster BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

The steps to making delicious lobster thermidor has to start with thorough preparation and gentle cooking.

In the following is a stepby-step guide to preparing and cooking this iconic seafood dish.

• Prep 10 minutes • Cook 30 minutes • Ready in 40 minutes • Serves two people

1

Ingredients 1 medium (1 1/2lb) cooked lobster 2 tbsp butter 1 golden shallot, finely chopped 1 3/8 cups fresh fish stock 1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup double cream 1/2 tsp hot English mustard 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or coriander) 1/ 4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Add salted water to the bottom of the steaming pot and place the lobster onto a trivet to keep it above the water; this ensures the lobster is steamed rather than boiled (steaming is a lot more gentle on the flesh and is more forgiving on the timing – it’s hard to over cook by steam!).

4 5 6

2

3 94

Remove the mush and ‘mouth-filters’ from the head area of the crayfish. Leave the meat in the claws for serving.

Remove the meat from the lobster’s tail. It is now ready for the thermidor recipe.

Lay the cray on its back and cut it in half with a meat cleaver.

FEBRUARY 2015

8

10

Chop the lobster meat into pieces and place it back into the half shells on a baking tray.

11

Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallot and cook and stir until tender.

12

Cover and cook for approximately 7-10 minutes. Once cooked, remove from steamer.

7

9

Add the double cream and the juice of half a lemon. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half.

Mix in the fish stock (or crustacean stock) and white wine.

13

Mix in the mustard and parsley, stir and reduce further.

Spoon the sauce over the lobster meat in the shell and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese over the top.

Grill for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Serve immediately.

The unexpected power of the superdudds BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

So you may have noticed the wind picked up along Central Queensland after Christmas. That might have involved the presence of the Dudds around that part of the world.

And when I say, “wind picked up”, you know I mean bloody gales. Locals were astonished at the sudden increase in wind velocity. Being Dudds, we weren’t. We’re used to it now. Intense weather systems seem to follow us around. What we should do is plan a trip to Antarctica and see what happens.

Or maybe in the northern hemisphere, the poles are reversed, and we would end up with perfect weather wherever we went. We might even catch fish. Ha, that’s taking things too far.

The other thing I’ve been wondering is whether one of us is that superhero that makes storms appear.

Maybe she’s called Storm.

Anyway, if one of us is attracting massive weather events, that would explain our Dudds trips. Which makes me wonder which

superheroes the rest of us might be. Boobies’ superpower would be the regularity of his pit stop, 2-3 minutes after his first coffee every morning.

Stuffer would be his ability to lift heavy things and put them down hard. Skipper would have the ability to tie knots that will not hold under even the slightest tension, and Doughers would have a liver of astronomical size that converts toxic chemicals to safe compounds within seconds of them being ingested. Oh, hang on, he already has that superpower!

So that leaves just me and Pommers to be Stormbringer, or Windjammer if you like.

And given Pommers was not present because of a genitourinary complaint, that makes me the one who brings the wind, which is probably appropriate if you ask my wife.

Anyway, the week before we got to CQ, it was all on according to the locals. Eight crabs in each pot, jack and golden snapper smashing lures, livies and even bare hooks, marlin and yellowbelly in

Pancake Creek - everyone was cleaning up. Then the Dudds arrived and yep, you guessed it – shut down tighter than a mullet’s bum.

Despite the wind, we fished on because that’s what Dudds do. Stuffer, Boobies, Skipper and I fished on; Doughers interrupted smashing cans with an occasional boat trip. And of course, despite the hundreds of hours put in by us, it’s Doughers that manages to nail the first of only two decent jack for the week. Skipper got the other one, but given that his conversion was one fish from around 40 hits, he doesn’t deserve credit for this jack. It must have been on some serious medication or acting in an SBS miniseries to allow that to happen.

For the rest of us, it was the usual monotony of tying all the right knots, pinning all the right bait with the right tackle and putting it in the right spot.

Then waiting, waiting, waiting. Cleaning weed off the line. Waiting. Changing positions.

Waiting.

Squinting at the sun.

Waiting. Checking drag pressure. Waiting. Getting

tackle off snags because of the wind flinging the boat around on the anchor like a tethered American Staffie at an Australia Post convention.

Waiting.

And then, going home, which consisted of getting out every ten seconds or so to push the boat through another sandbank before

spending the better part of an hour trying to get the boat to match with the rough position of the trailer in 1m high seas at the ramp.

But despite all that, it’s been a good break for us.

It’s no use going back to our better halves and trying to describe what a tough week it was. No sympathy there! Besides, if we let

them know what we go through to land a feed of fish on the table, they might question why we’ve booked again for next year, which we have done… All we have to do is recruit The Flash, so that Doughers doesn’t end up with another empty can. Come to think of it, that’s when the wind began to blow…

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FEBRUARY 2015

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HAWK FISHING • FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION

Murray Cod Lairs

Name

YARRAWONGA

GUNDAGAI

BOURKE

MILDURA

YARRA VALLEY MOREE

ROBINVALE

BLOWERING

NARRABRI

MOAMA

CONNOLLY

OAKY CREEK

OVENS RIVER

BROKEN RIVER PINDARI

SEVERN RIVER

BONNIE DOON

LESLIE

P/Code

EMERALD

WENTWORTH

STORM KING

Phone (day):

Address

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win a Hawk Fishing cap, Hawk Fishing line, Hawk HB Lure, assorted Panther Martin lures and 3 packets of Youvella chemically sharpened hooks.

SEND ENTRIES TO:

QLD Hawk Tournament Competition PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129 QLD FEBRUARY 2015

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winner for December was J Simpson of Gympie, who won a Tide Apparel pack.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE VMC LOGO WINNERS

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The Find the VMC logo prize winners for December were: G Varley of Hervey Bay, J Wogandt of Urangan, D Camm of Proserpine, D Hall of Glenwood, C Polla-Mounter of Mooloolaba, G Watter of Ripley, J Boneham of Eight Mile Plains, K O’Brien of Burrum Heads, D Stewart of Hermit Park, A Coles of Malanda, B Gant of Atherton, G McGrath of Avoca, R Davis of Sarina, B Hardwick of Kewarra Beach, H Ingham of Upper Mt Gravatt, Z Johnston of Alexandra hills, J Laub of Cannon Hill, L Nipperess of Victoria Point, G Poor of Taromeo, R Benson of Boondall, M Henderson of Edens Landing, L Russell of Birkdale, M Osborne of Alexandra Hills, M Kennedy of Sugarloaf, C Hilas of Sunnybank Hills, C Rowe of Loganholme, J Culshaw of Wavell Heights, D Deppeler of Burpengary East, B Adams of Bongaree, D Trigg of Warwick, K Frankel of Pottsville, G Phillips of Cotswold Hills, B Freier of Ningi, S Bitcher of Clermont, J Higgins of Wavell Heights, J Goody of Mt Berryman, T Hodgson of Bli Bli, V Hazelwood of Mt Gambier , G Edwards of Home Hill, D Watters of Warwick.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE VMC LOGO DECEMBER LOCATIONS The answers to Find the VMC Hook for December were: 12, 16, 34, 37, 41, 47, 50, 64, 89, 93, 99, 101, 115, 116, 120, 123. – QFM

GLORIFY PRIZE WINNER

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

The Gloryfy prize winner was R Kennedy of Caboolture, who won a pair of G3 polarised sunglasses valued at $250.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND-A-WORD WINNER Congratulations to Henry Ingham of Upper Mt Gravatt, who was last month’s winner of the Hawk Tournament Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive Hawk Tournament Tested Bayer Perlon IGFA line, assorted Panther Martin lures, Youvella hooks and a keyring. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM 3 96

• DECEMBER FEBRUARY 2015 2010

News Red emperor off Fraser The crystal bowl for mulloway While a lot of attention is paid to the inshore and impoundment species that are tagged, we have a timely reminder of the importance of understanding reef species. The start of 2015 has seen the first recapture of a red emperor that has been out for over 10 years.

Many of our reef species spend time closer inshore during their juvenile stages and head further out as adults. In this case, the red emperor was tagged off Rainbow Beach before moving 98km to be recaptured off Indian Head. The fish wasn’t measured but weighed in at 6.8kg!

So far the crystal bowl prediction for stocks has been limited to barramundi in Central Queensland. A recent bit of serendipity while looking at threadfin data in the Moreton Bay Marine Park highlighted that so long as we have recruitment data and drivers we can go further.

When comparing mulloway and threadfin data, the data for mulloway over the years told a pretty good story of recruitment and population development over time.

The data was so good

it was deemed ready to develop using the Crystal Bowl methods.

The mulloway story mirrors very closely the barramundi story with big recruitment when we see larger river flows at the right

time. Over the summer there has been rain in the Brisbane region, enough to make the grass grow but not enough to trigger significant flows. The lack of flows, combined with recruitment surveys will

help determine what is the minimum amount of river flows mulloway need.

So what can we expect?

The good news is the prediction is for an increase in the number of legal mulloway but the not so good news is recruitment hasn’t been so successful in the last few years so there are few juveniles to replace them. The reality is the fishing conditions will be very good for those who want to catch a mulloway ,but nonetheless there will be an eagle eye on conditions for the future.

The rise of the lure – golden snapper What are the chances?

What are the chances of the same tagger tagging two fish 12 years apart and having them recaptured on the same day? Let’s just say putting down $5 with a bookie would pay for that new car, so long as you don’t mind waiting for the payout.

Unfortunately you have missed your first chance because it has happened with a couple of bass in the Noosa River. Bass in the Noosa River are very slow growing as shown by the overall growth rate of the fish out for 12.3 years being 5mm/year. By the way, there was only one fisher required for the recapture as well.

So, having looked at how generations affect the lure vs bait debate, how about geography? Golden snapper (fingermark) are a species that range from the Far North down to the Wide Bay area.

Golden Snapper tagging really kicked in around 2005 and, as with mulloway, bait held the lead until

relatively recently. In this case though, generational change does not explain the change as over that period the taggers in action had been in around for a while and the average age was much higher.

When we look at golden snapper north of Mackay vs south of Mackay there are two different stories. In

the region north of Mackay, lures hit the lead in 2013 but the gap between lures and bait is still not huge. In the regions south of Mackay, bait has been seriously on the downslide since 2011 and in 2014 barely any fish were caught on bait.

So why the big change south of Mackay?

The period when lures took over coincides with a period when the barra fishery went ballistic and the Rocky Barra Bounty really arrived as a community event. The Barra Bounty is a lure-only event and barra is a species that is almost exclusively caught on lure. This change in focus towards barra on lures

seems to have spilled over to other species.

The other interesting thing is the ratio of fish caught above and below Mackay dipped in the favour of the north during the years when the barra were strong but returned back to where things have been longer term once the barra fishery slowed down. This may indicate that there was a population burst for golden snapper in the north at the same time as the barra in Central Queensland.

Much more work needs to be done but if that is the case, then we may need to rework our understanding of golden snapper.

The rise of the lure – mulloway If you watch one-day cricket you will be familiar with the worm, the comparison of run rate across the match.

As it turns out the battle between lure and bait can be looked at in the same way.

Mulloway are a species

traditionally targeted more on bait but with the increasing use of soft plastics, the game has definitely been won by lures in the last 5 overs.

This match though is the story of the young anglers stepping up and showing how it’s done.

Fishers who have been tagging for less than a year have tagged almost all of the fish on lures. Over the same period, longterm taggers have caught almost all the mulloway on bait. There is nearly a 15-year age gap on average.

So are lures more effective than bait for mulloway? Well looking at catch rates (fish per trip) the only year lure has been ahead is in 2007.

Generation change and the preference for lures among younger fishers is the big driver in this case.

FEBRUARY 2015

97

Mitsubishi ASX Diesel Auto ticks all the boxes BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Mitsubishi released a re-vamped ASX in late 2014 as their model year 2015 offering. Like the company’s previous ASX models, the newbie was very well received even though there was no game changing modifications to what was, in reality, a pretty good product to start with.

The ASX owners find

and some cosmetic changes can be found, the big news is to be found under the bonnet of the ASX diesel models.

Prior to the late 2014 upgrade diesel ASX variants were equipped with a 1.8L engine linked to a manual gear box. It was a great little engine, but as most manufacturers have come to understand over time that very few Australian drivers are interested in changing gears while punting around the city, which is where most ASX SUV’s are going to spend their lives. They will

In keeping with many of today’s SUV variants, a lot of important controls are steering wheel activated. Note the paddles; great for fun on the ranges and hills. that the vehicle has some interesting practicalities about it; it looks somewhat small yet is quite roomy inside with lots of leg and head room, a very large boot, which can be expanded nicely by laying seats down for carriage of larger items, and is a great car to drive.

With the new ’15 offering, the overall body shape remained much the same, although 17” alloy wheels are now dressing up the rubber

accept it in the case of a large 4x4 to be used for the long haul or serious towing but not for the cut and thrust of ‘stopstart’ suburban work.

Let’s face it, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with changing gears manually; but with the proliferation of auto units in most of our ‘smaller’ cars the concept just does not get off the ground. Mitsubishi is not the only maker to discover this fact of life. Virtually every

manufacturer that offers a diesel variant in manual mode finds that the cars sell far more readily once an auto version is released, which is precisely what most manufacturers end up doing sooner or later.

ENGINE UPGRADE A WINNER I did not mind the manual ASX diesel, but the upgraded LS 4 WD diesel (the DiD auto) with its 2.2L engine is a far more powerful and tractable unit. The in-line 4-cylinder turbo charged common rail direct injection engine churns out 110kW of power, 360Nm of torque, with peak torque on hand from around 1750rpm right up to 2750rpm, which sees a lot of city, highway, towing, mountain range climbing easily taken in the ASX’s stride.

To be fair, the engine is somewhat slow to kick into action off the mark but once that 1800rpm is reached, performance is quite impressive.

Also, I particularly liked the towing stats. The diesel is rated to tow a 750kg unbraked and a 1400kg braked unit. That rating takes in a lot of smaller boats and even a few camper trailers in my book.

Talk of torque and other things aside the 2.2L diesel ASX will be heard chattering away happily at start up revs, with noise levels decreasing dramatically once under way to the point where the engine, like a lot of modern diesels, cannot be heard at cruising speed.

The all wheel drive system in the ASX is very capable, and in fact exceeds performance specifications of several rivals. The ASX

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The Mitsubishi ASX is a shapely unit with some cosmetic exterior changes making the car even prettier. can, in fact, be locked into 4WD mode at speeds in excess of 100km/h when loss of traction is possible.

It comes down to having a very useful option; if a section of road looks like turning slippery, it’s simply a matter of using the selector on the console to ensure that power is being taken to all 4 wheels to ensure they are driving full time, not just when traction is being lost up front. Note that a 4-wheel drive ‘Auto’ mode is also available, which then selects all wheel drive (in lieu of front wheel drive) on occasions when the on-board computer system detects that extra traction is required. This system is a little more fuel friendly.

6-SPEED AUTO A WINNER The icing on the cake with the 2.2L diesel ASX is undoubtedly the 6-speed auto gearbox. The unit, far more applicable to the enhanced torque of the diesel over the petrol ASX (360Nm over 197Nm) delivered seamless, virtually undetectable gear shifts, which could also be manually arranged via the SUV’s steering wheel paddle system. The paddles can also be used to keep the engine

on its most torque efficient power band, which I did when heading up the range to Toowoomba. The point is that the power is certainly there; I’d see a full family load of passengers and assorted cargo causing no issues whatsoever with the powerful diesel and it’s 6-speed auto shifter.

Likewise, some boat towing or a run to the tip with the box trailer of a Saturday morning will be a piece of cake.

SUMMING UP I was impressed with the ASX LS diesel, the ride was very good in most circumstances and fuel consumption comes in at around the 6.8L/100km mark

in a mainly country road expedition, which was not far above factory figures. A full suite of safety features dress up all of the ASX range and there’s handy features such as all electric functions throughout, cruise control, Sat Nav, a reversing camera, Bluetooth audio and phone integration, USB audio input and iPod compatibility to keep the phones and entertainment on hand.

Mitsubishi warranty is 5 years or 100,000km for new vehicles with 4 years or 60,000km capped price servicing offered as well. Price of the LS diesel ASX is around the $31,990 mark.

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Top: No bells, no whistles, just a small DiD badge proclaiming the ASX as being powered by a Direct Injection Diesel engine. Bottom: Seating is comfortable in the ASX and there’s a lot more room than what might be expected when looking at the exterior.

Summer serenity at Maroochydore Holiday Park BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Situated in Melrose Parade, Maroochydore, the Maroochydore Beach Holiday Park is another of the Sunshine Coasts fabulous holiday parks.

Location is the key to success with this holiday venue. It’s only one small sand dune from the fully patrolled Maroochydore Beach, which makes it neatly removed from the busy Sunshine Coast commercial hub going about its business in every direction except one, the east, because that’s the Coral Sea, although I must admit there are fishing charters out there as well.

FINDING THE PARK To enjoy a stay at the Park, however, you must travel so it’s best if heading along the Bruce Highway (whether going north or south) to look for the Maroochydore turn off, opposite Nambour Connection Road. Both turn offs are well signed with Nambour to the west and Maroochydore to the east.

When on Maroochydore Road, the idea is to remain on it until a major turn off to Aerodrome Road is noted on the right. Options then are to continue across the intersection into Ocean Street, turn right into Duporth Avenue, continue onto The Esplanade, into Cotton Tree Parade and then into Alexandra Parade, (just keep the ocean on the left and you won’t go wrong) to find Melrose Parade right at the end of Alexandra Parade. The Maroochydore Holiday Park, at No. 1, will be straight ahead.

If that sounds a bit complicated, it’s also easy to travel down Aerodrome Road until Fifth Avenue is noted on the left. A turn into Fifth Avenue will see Melrose Place as the first on the right with the Park’s entrance soon in view on the right.

BEACH SOUNDS SOOTHE THE SOUL Maroochydore Beach Holiday Park is surprisingly large and is a virtual oasis of serenity in the midst of a very busy world. From within the Park the predominant background noise comes from the soothing sounds of waves on the beach with perhaps some laughter from youngsters having fun on the sand as a pleasant interruption.

In short, the busy outside world seems a long way off; yet this Holiday Park allows easy access to places to see and areas to enjoy with tourist attractions such as Underwater World at Mooloolaba only minutes away.

AMPLE SITES AVAILABLE Sites – both powered and unpowered – for tents, camper trailers and caravans are

certainly in good supply with almost 120 available. These fully grassed camping areas are supplemented by 6 villas (3x2 bedroom another 3 with 1 bedroom) which, because of high demand, might need to be booked a fair way in advance.

of other take away or dine-in restaurants, with the outlets located at the renowned Sunshine Plaza shopping centre also well patronised.

For folk with young children there are ample children’s playgrounds along the

The Park’s well set up villas are popular so it will pay to arrange one well in advance.

A winter visit last year produced this bream for Denise Kampe.

Amenities within the Park also include a baby bath area in addition to the usual facilities while a coin-operated laundry is also on hand. Families are free to enjoy the Park’s barbecue facilities that are kept in spotless condition for the next occupant to enjoy.

Facilities at the Park Office include LPG refills plus ice while wireless Internet is also available.

Nearby attractions and activities naturally include a visit to the patrolled beach for a swim, or a crack at the fish when conditions are right – more on this topic later.

One of the really handy things about Maroochydore Beach Holiday Park is the proximity to popular dining outlets such as the nearby Surf Club, local RSL and Bowls Clubs. In such a hub of business and tourist activity there are also a large number

esplanade area adjoining the beach. Note that the Sunshine Coast’s airport at Marcoola is only a few kilometres away.

SUMMER FISHING FUN With a beach access point set up within the Holiday Park it’s not surprising that the beach is one of the main local attractions. Patrolled by surf lifesavers for the swimmer,

lapped by the Coral Sea for the angler, it’s a great place to spend time and, like many other surf beaches, fishing will vary from species to species at different times of the year.

Currently it’s whiting, dart and trevally that have been stretching lines for surf anglers while the nearby Maroochy River has been providing good catches of whiting, flathead, bream with the early bird also doing well on quality trevally and jacks around the snags and other hard features. Mud crabs have also been potting well, as per usual at this time of year.

Maroochydore beach offers something for everyone with the angler having all the fun at daylight and dusk.

One of the attractions of surf fishing is DIY bait, namely beach worms. The beach at Maroochydore has its complement of worms for the angler with the know-how to catch them but as always these critters are easiest caught when seas are small and wave action diminished.

It’s important not to overlook the Maroochy River.

There are plenty of places to fish from the shore and if solid waves are crashing onto the main beaches the sheltered river reaches can be a safe bet as a bit of stirred up water coming into the river seems to kick start the fish remarkably well.

I holidayed at the Park last winter and when a southerly buster closed the beach to easy fishing we launched the boat at the Picnic Point ramp (northwest end of Duporth Avenue at David Low Way) and took some decent bream in the river on yabbies I pumped nearby.

In all, a great place for the visiting angler to stay and is particularly suited to family groups. Jason and Nicole Fillipini are the managers and they will do their utmost to make the visitor welcome. Contact details are (07) 5443 1167 or on the web at Maroochydore @sunshinecoastholidayparks. com.au.

“Tinnie Tosser” Want to take your tinny on holidays and catch the big one but can’t because you are towing a caravan?

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Ph: (07) 5498 7339 Fx: (07) 5498 7351 Top: Campers enjoy a stay in serenity while the busy world passes a short distance away. Bottom: A very well set barbecue shed will please Park occupants.

Mobile: 0419 674 343

www.tinnietosser.com.au FEBRUARY 2015

99

Quintrex launch F-Series Explorers FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

At an embargoed Media Day at Sanctuary Cove in late 2014, a handful of Australia’s boating media were invited to have a sneak peek at a new shape for Quintrex’s biggest selling hull, which has been unchanged since the 1990s – the humble Explorer.

Changing such an established model is a big call for a boat company – especially since the formula currently works for the Explorer and Explorer Trophy models, but the success of the fork-bow in the Hornet models encouraged them to make the upgrades, which have now been launched through their national dealer network.

Immediately, the new models look different.

Characterised by the ‘picklefork’ (as the Quintrex employees call it) bow, the changes are more than cosmetic.

Wider chines at the bow give more stability at rest and a deeper entry point gives the new hull shapes a softer ride with the added bonus of improved spray deflection.

In raw area, there’s 11% more space on the casting deck in the Trophy models and 11% more cockpit space in the standard Explorers.

You can see this easily in the side-by-side diagrams hereby.

These boats carry their beam a lot further forward than the older models.

Not many may notice a new pattern of side-pressings – they look more modern and are 50% stronger than the older clinkering on the side of the previous models.

Finally, there’s a new design of lockable rod-locker available on the Trophy models as an option. Upwardopening, it’s definitely out there a little in design. The true test of these will be when they start getting out on the water.

I’ll be interested if anglers give it the thumbs-up.

TESTING So, after all of the theory in the classroom, there was no better way to experience the new models than to get out on QR CODE

Scan the QR Code above on your mobile to watch the full interview with Stuart Morgan.

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FEBRUARY 2015

the water with Quintrex staff and fellow media to do some good old-fashioned tinnie wrangling (read: racing).

the official release date.

OUTCOMES Indeed these craft are stable (both fore and aft) and

beamy. And yes, the bow does look like a pickle-fork, but there are advantages and disadvantages with the design.

The F-Series bow configuration is now available in various iterations across all Quintrex Explorer models.

You can see here the steeper entry and improved spray deflection.

Quintrex R&D man, Stuart Morgan, says that the design allows for easy mounting of bow-mount electric motors.

We had to take his word for that, since none of the display models had one mounted.

The new F-Series Explorer Trophies carry their beam a lot further forward.

Admittedly, it was an impressive sight to see a two full sets of the new models – powered by E-Tec and Quintrex’s in-house Vortex branded outboards. All boats wrapped with designs celebrating Quintrex proudly being in business for 70 years as an Australian company.

It was especially impressive to have all of these boats manufactured, wrapped and used on the media day without any of the dealers finding out that there was a new model in the pipeline. I suppose that there’s an endless supply of tarps at the Telwater factory and enough sneaky corners to hide them in until

He also, however, explained that with the extra beam came some extra weight, meaning that it you’re car-topping an Explorer currently, upgrading to a new model may not be an applesto-apples swap.

We took the opportunity to interview Stuart and you can watch the full discussion by scanning the QR code hereby.

THE FINAL WORD “A lot of time and work went into updating the Explorer Trophy Range.

Being such a popular model, we wanted to make sure that

we came back with something our customers would love even more than before,” said Cameron Wood, Quintrex National Account Manager.

“The 420 Explorer Trophy can be found all over Australia,” he continued, “It is a very important model in the Quintrex range and we look forward to showing our customers how we have made it even better for them.”

For more information on the new F-Series Trophies, see your nearest Quintrex dealer or visit www. quintrex.com.au.

Greater stability is a hallmark of the 2015 hull shape.

You can see the increased beam in this photo that compares shapes of the older and newer Explorer models.

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FEBRUARY 2015

101

2.1L Mercury 115CT 4-stroke vs 125 OptiMax FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s not often that we get the opportunity to test outboards head-to-head. And as a consumer, we know that it’s hard to decipher all of the marketing that’s published by outboard companies.

Typically, we have loyalties to a particular outboard brand or another based on an original purchase – maybe made decades ago.

But things change.

Technology changes and what was once the latest and greatest becomes old technology.

Twenty years ago, if you thought that 4-stroke outboards were just car motors tipped on their side, were heavy, unresponsive and had too many expensiveto-service parts, then you’d probably be right. None of the old 4-strokes could match the torque curves of the old carburetted 2-strokes.

But back then, fuel was

much cheaper and emissions ratings were unheard of.

Over the years, 4-strokes have become lighter, more responsive and cheaper to service, and they’re taking a greater share of the outboard market. And when it comes down to it, there’s some great products on both sides of the tracks: direct injection 2-strokes and 4-strokes.

In the last couple of years (and in reality, since the release of the first large-capacity 4-stroke motors) the pendulum seems to be swinging more

the same noise output. And although we didn’t measure emissions, the 4-S was a

more pleasant motor to operate. No smoke or smell noticeable in the cabin.

and more towards the 4-stroke technology. These products boast bigger cylinders than their DI cousins, light weight and diminishing service costs.

Mercury, in fact, is so confident of their new mid-range 4-stroke product that they invited us down to take part in a head-to-head comparison – one of their new (mid range) 4-stroke models (the 115hp Command Thrust) up against a greater horsepower OptiMax (the 125 that’s just recently been phased out of the product range).

Rigged on identical Streaker Navigator 5700s and with Streaker’s Sean Savage in attendance, it was a great opportunity to get a feel plus some hard data on actual performance between these two technologies.

If you don’t want to read any further, we can summarise as a takehome message for you: there’s basically no reason to buy an OptiMax in this horsepower class for a hull like the Streaker.

But don’t take my word

for it, let’s break down the raw data and you can make your own mind up.

Scan this QR code to see the full interview with the staff from Mercury and Streaker Boats.

NOISE Word on the street is that 4-strokes are quieter than 2-strokes, especially at idle, but what does the data from the test day show us?

The difference is less at each end of the rev range, but in every instance the 4-S was quieter than the Opti.

In practise, the 4-S would 1000rpm higher for RESULTS We measured noise levels (dB) at the edge of the motor splash well at all RPM ranges and recorded the following data: dB.............. 115 4-S...............125 Opti Idle......................70......................... 74 1000...................73.........................79 2000...................79.........................86

3000...................88.........................94 4000...................92.........................98 5000...................97....................... 100 WOT.................. 103....................... 105

There’s nothing wrong with the OptiMax – it just happens to be trumped by the 4-stroke at every test.

FUEL USAGE

A matching pair of Streaker Navigators were an impressive sight at the National Aquatic Centre on a windy Melbourne day.

102

FEBRUARY 2015

Again, theory has it that the 4-S should be more frugal on the juice than its OptiMax cousin, so we measured the fuel usage through the SmartCraft gauges installed on each of the boats at the prescribed rev ranges.

At idle speeds, the Opti is actually a bit better on the gas, and also at WOT, there’s no difference between them (apart from the fact that the 115 was going faster), but in the crucial cruising ranges – 3000 to 5000rpm, the 4-S used less fuel.

RESULTS Litres/hour............. 115 4-S...................... 125 Opti Idle.............................. 2.4....................................0.8 1000........................... 2.8....................................1.3 2000........................... 6.3....................................5.2 3000.......................... 12.3.................................14.2 4000.......................... 19.4.................................20.8 5000.......................... 30.2....................................33 WOT.............................40......................................40

SPEED AND HOLESHOT

RESULTS Km/h....................... 115 4-S...................... 125 Opti Idle.............................. 5.7....................................3.7 1000........................... 7.2....................................5.7 2000.......................... 11.5.................................10.9 3000.......................... 19.5....................................14 4000............................39...................................41.3 5000............................55......................................55 WOT.............................69......................................61

Top: Here’s the winner – the 115 CT 4-S. Faster, lighter, quieter and cheaper to run. Bottom: The lines of the new Mercury mid-range 4-strokes (right) are distinctive when compared with the older OptiMax (left).

IN SUMMARY Summing up, we wouldn’t be surprised if Mercury reduces their OptiMax line up in the near future as this big bore 4-stroke technology expands throughout the range. Mercury has phased out the 125, 75 and 90hp OptiMax models, with the

115 ProXS remaining.

Around $1,000 dearer at the point of purchase, we believe that the overall cost of ownership will be less than an OptiMax over the life of the motor. Less fuel, no oil burning, fewer parts and no timing belt services – ever – all add up, especially that DI oil – it’s not cheap.

Let me pre-empt the responses we’ll get from this. Yes, the Command Thrust gearbox and the standard box on the Opti are different ratios and consequently, they need to be propped a little differently to achieve optimum rpm on the Navigators.

There’s a 1” difference in the propeller pitches (the 4-S is 1” greater), which explains the top-end speed difference, but makes the holeshot tests even more impressive.

Holeshot tests were pretty easy – with Scott Brown and Sean Savage – two highly competitive racing enthusiasts at the helms, we dropped the flag and let them drag race off a standing start.

The 4-S won every time and displayed impressive low-end torque.

We were impressed.

For more information on the new Mercury mid-range 4-stroke line up, go to www. mercurymarine.com.au or grab a catalogue from your local Mercury dealer. You can also watch a video of the test day and interviews with key staff from Mercury and Streaker by scanning the QR code hereby.

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CONTACT YOUR NEAREST QUINTREX DEALER TODAY! FEBRUARY 2015

103

Bonito’s 5.6m tiller offers a whole lot of space FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Around a year ago we took a look at a great little inshore/offshore hull in make by the guys at Bonito Boats. At the time Roger and Martin’s little operation out of an old shed at Cabbage Tree Point in Queensland was capable of kicking out a boat every few weeks.

Ever since, the guys – due to the nature of this versatile hull and the quality of the build – have had to ramp up the speed of production to keep up with orders. Bonitos are now operating in diverse locations up and down the coast.

There have been cosmetic improvements (like moulded, recessed deck lids) and practical progressions (like recessed niches for marine electronics).

Recently, we heard of an interesting iteration of the hull – a 5.6 metre hull that’s been made into a sports fishing layout tiller-steer with a 115HP Mercury 4-Stroke.

So we just had to take

The proven Bonito hull makes short work of Moreton Bay chop. Here it makes short work of a 5cm wind ripple. a look, and caught up with the owner of the boat (well known Moreton Bayside mechanic, Kirk Brinckman) for a run on southern Moreton Bay to get his take on why he set the rig up like he did.

Like a lot of boat tests we do nowadays, there’s a video of the test day complete with interviews with the owner and the builder, which you can access by scanning the QR code on this page.

MARINE GRADE ADHESIVE FOAM DECKING

THE 5.6M HULL Before we delve into Kirk’s reasons and preferences, we asked Roger Barnes about this concept of big tiller drives on his hulls.

He said that commercial users commonly run up to 150HP tillers “no worries at all”, so the question of whether the hull has what it takes to handle the 115 was moot.

Bonito builds these hulls tough. Roger says that commercial users put up to 1500 hours on their craft per year. Recreationally, then, it’d be near impossible to wear one out.

CAPTAIN KIRK’S PATHWAY Kirk was a tiller-drive tinnie owner – his last aluminium hull had a 60HP tiller on it. The day before he was about to order a new tinnie, he went for a test drive in a Bonito in a 15 to 20 knot breeze on the

While travelling, the driver and the passenger both sit down adjacent to the transom. Kirk’s a right-handed tiller-driver, which doesn’t feel as weird as it sounds sitting in the driver’s seat.

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To find your local stockist visit www.diamonddeck.com.au Trade enquiries welcome 0437 864 077 Enquiries@diamonddeck.com.au 104

FEBRUARY 2015

that have been implemented since we last tested a Bonito.

“This new Sportsfishing Deck includes the first of our fully moulded cast deck and hatches with recessed hinges,” Roger said, “ so they are a vast improvement on the aftermarket deck hatches we had been using to this point,” Roger said.

You’ll also notice a lot of small improvements – like the stowaway sounder recess. Kirk’s fish finder swings out on a stainless steel arm to be in the correct position while driving and fishing. It neatly swings away to protect the unit and create more space as required.

The joy of working with a small manufacturer

On old-style Mercury 115 4-stroke tiller outboard powers Kirk’s rig. It’s surprisingly easy to drive – even at wide open throttle where it reached a top speed of 69km/h on the test day.

Bay and was sold instantly.

The smooth ride in the nasty conditions outweighed any of the uneasiness about running a glass boat in the rocky shallows of the southern Bay. Kirk fitted up ‘The Enterprise’ himself, as he had the skills to do so.

He bought the hull and trailer from Bonito and the outboard separately. All of the internal fitup and wiring of the trolling motor and sounder he did himself. As such, his finished cost for the rig was around $30,000 – very comparable to a tinnie of the same magnitude.

“I love the boat because it’s so versatile. We go camping 6 or 7 times a year with the kids, I cast net from it and I do a lot of fishing in the rocky shallows of Moreton Bay and I can’t fault the boat – it does everything I want it to do,” Kirk said.

HULL IMPROVEMENTS Roger Barnes took us through some of the improvements to the decks

like Bonito is that they are usually quite willing to discuss requirements in details with a customer and can give you exactly the configuration you want, rather than having to choose a set configuration from the catalogue.

PERFORMANCE ‘Captain’ Kirk’s a little unorthodox in that he likes driving his tiller steer right handed from his seat on the port side. That sounds weird until you try it for yourself and it’s not too bad.

Kirk has his swing-sway sounder also mounted on the port side to be close enough to read and operate while underway.

Although there was no tachometer mounted in this boat, we took some speed readings at various RPM ranges – idle, cruising (at around 4000 RPM estimated) and wide open throttle. The rig idled at 6km/h and cruised at around 40km/h and maxed out at 69km/h.

It’s no problem launching and retrieving the Bonito single-handed. You’d think we’d help Kirk put it in, but no – we were taking photos.

With some whitecaps forming east of Coochiemudlo Island, we took the opportunity to run the boat at WOT through the rough stuff and it handled it all with ease. It was ‘choppy’, but definitely not nasty or scary. You can see

the result in the video.

And as Kirk said, it wasn’t scary changing hands for the tiller, however, a gunwale mounted trim switch would make it easier for trim adjustments on the fly.

Is this the boat for everyone? Probably not.

Is it a great solution for anglers wanting a no-fuss, low maintenance platform to do their thing anywhere between the freshwater and offshore? Most definitely.

If you’re interested in this type of hull, give Roger

a call on 0438 886 813 or Martin on 0416 099 108 for more details. You can also try www.bonitoboats. com.au, but as website authors, these guys make a great boat!

• 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.

QR CODE

Scan the QR Code to see the fill interview and test footage with Roger Barnes and Kirk Brinckman.

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QUALITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE

PHONE: (07) Top: Now THAT’S some cockpit space. Need a mountain of camping gear and some 44s of fuel? No worries. Middle: Although Kirk drives the tiller righthanded, the instruments are located on the starbord side of the boat.

Bottom: And there’s a decent casting deck up front to get your lure casting done. Kirk does a bit of this, so the bow-mounted electric motor is important.

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105

Euro styling present in Karnic Bluewater 2250 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Euro styling, long a big selling point in automobiles, now comes to boats. The well appointed and well finished Cyprian built Karnic Bluewater 2250 is a fine example of what European stying is all about in water craft.

The overall design of this 6.3m fibreglass craft involved a decent lift in the bow sheer line to assist in sea keeping capability, a well designed cuddy cab offered weather protection plus a bunk and toilet while the large cockpit with its high sides and self draining capacity offered seating for 4 up front, two more folk aft.

The Karnic’s 20° ‘V’ hull with its strong under water strakes featured a very deep and lustrous gel coat dressed

Euro styling: slightly different but still very attractive, that’s the Karnic. be assured thanks to a 10-year hull structural warranty, there’s full foam under the floor and a fibreglass injected stringer system for maximum strength.

Stefan’s Boating World of Coomera Karnic are a long way from their home in Cyprus. Researching their history a quick glance on the

its power winch. Access up front, where a seat beckons at the extremity of the cuddy cab, is via a well set up walkaround area with ample hand

holds courtesy of the stainless steel hard top frame work. If boarding from the stern, there are a couple of useful handrail equipped boarding platforms with a step over the transom easily negotiated.

The Karnic’s rod holder equipped moulded hard top was well situated to offer shade for skipper and mate and with the craft’s 4-piece windscreen also offering its own share of weather protection in the forward area of the craft things were very comfortable under way.

Entry to the window equipped cabin was via a locking bi-fold door and once in the cabin I noted more than just a hint of luxury thanks to sumptuous cushioning on bunks along with full cabin lining. Note that large storage lockers were set up under the bunks (convertible to a large bed thanks to an infill) while a marine toilet was also installed under the bunks as well.

Cabin access via the

folding door was also facilitated thanks to a lift up section which, when lowered, formed a neat part of the craft’s dash area extending aft of the 4-piece screen. Note that an above floor storage locker was installed in the port side, along with a speaker for the Karnic’s excellent sound system.

In all, it was an attractive layout combining practicality and purpose very smoothly.

MULTIFUNCTION HELM SEAT Smart design saw both skipper and first mate seated on a well-padded multifunction bench seat, which provided seating for two facing forward, two facing aft; a configuration that allowed easy conversation by those up front when underway. The seats were not overly large but adequate.

What’s more, the seat also lifted forward (grab handle provided) to allow access to a spirit stove and cutting board equipped sink tucked under

Left: The Karnic’s cabin was truly deluxe standard thanks to deep padding, full head lining and plenty of natural light.

Middle: The Karnic’s dash layout: simple but effective. Right: Back to back forward seating on a smartly designed module allows interaction between skipper and crew underway. Note the wide cabin door, a very neat finish all round. up with top shelf stainless steel rails and fittings.

In some respects the Karnic differed somewhat from many of the local products in that some features were a bit novel, others perhaps overlooked but overall the craft offered distinctive yet eye catching lines, practicality, and a host of on-board features to please both the dedicated angler as well as the family boater. Peace of mind with a purchase would

The hull did indeed have a very rigid and solid feel about it.

Although unfamiliar with the brand, I found it a great pleasure to be aboard the big Karnic and assess it’s performance and handling. The point is simply that a good boat is a good boat and the review to follow will likely indicate as much. But before delving into detail, let’s first have a quick glance at Karnic boats.

Offered for sale by

‘Net showed a host of different Karnic models with each offering a great combination of features to add value to the individual package. The reviewed Bluewater 2250 also packs a lot of punch both in styling, appointments and on water performance.

ATTRACTIVE LAYOUT On-water entry at the bow involves stepping through the split bow rail, just ahead of the anchor well pulpit with

02

TECHNICAL INFORMATION Length of hull....................................................6.3m Beam................................................................2.45m Length on trailer............................................... 7.8m Height on trailer..............................................3.10m Hull weight.................................................... 1080kg Deadrise.............................................................. 20° Fuel....................................................................265L Engine ratings......................................... 175-225hp Engine fitted........................ 225hp Yamaha 4-stroke Persons...................................................................6 Towing......................... Large family 6 wagon or 4x4

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The Karnic’s well designed hull in action: note how efficiently displaced water is moved away from the bow area.

it; the small galley ideal for making a cuppa or putting together a snack between sessions with the fish. Water capacity was 45L. There was also a set of tackle trays built into the seat’s rear section as well.

I found the Karnic’ s bench seat with its high back rest ideal for driving the craft yet should it be necessary to stand to drive (as it so often is) the seat formed a strong brace point as well. Visibility while seated was totally unobstructed, as it should be. The Karnic’s instrument display was mounted on an upraised moulded binnacle directly ahead of the skipper.

Instruments and gauges consisted mainly of a compass, paired gauges to monitor the 225 Yamaha astern, switches and radio controls. Drink holders were also provided, while the craft’s 3-spoke sports style steering wheel was central; forward controls and stereo speaker side mounted.

The instrument binnacle design, with its many curved surfaces, would perhaps make the installation of a large screen sounder somewhat difficult, but the fitting of a large RAM bracket to hold a

sounder would take care of even the sort of very large screen that every boat seems to feature these days.

SELFDRAINING COCKPIT The self-draining cockpit with its rod holder equipped gunwales and non-skid floor, while not specifically set up for dedicated angling pursuits, was still very fishing friendly.

Seating was flexible with both side seats within the cockpit plus aft squabs with back rests on hand, each removable when fishing or to simply provide more room.

Large live wells were located within each aft corner while a pair of side pockets were located each side of the cockpit as well. Interior side height at 600mm ensured plenty of confidence – for up to 4 anglers – when fishing.

One thing anglers would certainly enjoy was the great stability of the 6.3m long, 2.45m wide hull with its 1080kg dry weight. Substantial mass of that nature tends to sit aft like in the water and this sort of stability, along with the easy fuss free ride of the well designed hull, would make the rig a great one for bay, estuary or all manner of offshore work.

TOP POWER YAMAHA DID IT EASY Performance from the top power 225 Yamaha 4-stroke was ideal for the solid Karnic.

Purring gently at idle the big

Yammy kicked the rig into motion with ease and at just on 2000rpm I noted an easy plane at 18.2km/h with 3 aboard.

Kicking up to 3000rpm saw 34.5km/h recorded, 4000rpm got us to 57.6km/h, 5000 rpm at 68.3km/h. A burst to 56000rpm (WOT) gave her 74.8km/h.

The responsiveness of the 4.2L V6 engine was all one could wish for and the smallest throttle lever movements brought very quick engine pick up. In all, a great horsepower match for the hull.

Handling was very good with the hull turning quite sharply without any prop cavitation while recovery from any lean during sharp turns was noticeably fast.

It would have been great to have spent some time offshore, in the big Karmic but it was not to be. Nonetheless, I formed an opinion that the manner in which the hull handled some large wash within the Coomera River would see it very much at home offshore.

The point is that the bows are high, all water was kicked well away from the hull’s interior and there was ample freeboard. Matching that with such great stability, both at rest and underway sees the Karnic Bluewater 2250 a great sea boat.

SUMMING UP In summing up, I gave the new comer from Cyprus

Top Left: The forward seat module will open to allow access to the stove and sink while handy tackle trays were installed on a lower level. Top Right: Who wouldn’t smile? The Karnic’s such an enjoyable boat and a pleasure to drive or be aboard. Above Left: Forward seating gives a front traveller a nice ‘breeze in the hair’ feeling. Top Right: The Karnic’s aft seating was comfortable with plenty of padding available. full marks in virtually all departments. I would have liked to see the side pockets somewhat longer, maybe a deck wash and a rod holder equipped bait station at the transom, but with redeeming features of size, easy

performance, stability plus high levels of sea keeping capability, I feel that many anglers would be pleased with the craft.

On an Oceanic dual wheel (with alloy mags) trailer the Karnic Bluewater 2250 would

come home from Stefan’s Boating World for $96,999.

Contact details are: email@ stefanboatingworld.com.au or telephone (07) 56658400 or fax at (07) 3844 4777.

• 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.

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FEBRUARY 2015

107

What’s New BOATING

1

STACER’S 519 ASSAULT PRO

A summer of fun on the water awaits, so now is certainly the time for boat lovers to upgrade their old outboards – and Mercury Finance is making it oh-so-easy.

Stacer’s brand new serious fishing range packs a punch with its new streamlined design and fishing features. With a new hull shape featuring a sharper chine, sleek gunnels and extra freeboard the 519 Assault Pro offers unbeatable stability at rest and cuts through swell with ease for a comfortable ride. The redesigned 519 has a rear-casting platform including a live bait tank and front casting platform with a dual battery set up for running an electric motor.

Stacer National Account Manager Drew Jackson said the 519 was a game changer for Stacer’s fishing range.

You can option up the 519 Assault Pro to include a deluxe rod locker which can fit 4 rods up to 7ft in length and you can even go one step further and upgrade to the electric rod locker,” Drew said.

The 519 Assault Pro is available as a Stacer Ready 2 Go package complete with boat, motor, trailer and 3 year limited warranty.

– Telwater

2

THE BEST JUST GOT BETTER

Haines Signature Boats, regarded as building some of Australia’s best boats through 55 years of innovation, has taken the next step by incorporating Carbon Kevlar into their manufacturing process.

John Haines, CEO of Haines Signature Boats said, “We’ve tactically incorporated Carbon Kevlar into our manufacturing process to provide a hull that has greater strength and has increased impact, tear and penetration resistance. By laying Carbon Kevlar fibres in specific directions and in specific locations we have been able to produce a hull that has a dramatic improvement in structural integrity without additional weight.

“Simply put, this technology has allowed us to build a stronger boat without sacrificing performance in any way,” said John.

The introduction of the new materials will be seen in 2015 model Haines Signature boats, and while the showroom finish on the boats will not change, buyers will be rewarded with a more robust boat that is designed to take the punishment of everyday use. – Haines Signature

3

ALL-NEW HDS GEN3

The HDS Gen3 combines advanced fishfinding technologies with a fast processor and easy-to-use menu system.

The Lowrance HDS Gen3 series delivers an improved user interface with multi-touch and full keypad for fingertip access to all features, and an enhanced processor for more responsive performance than ever. Each model comes standard with today’s most advanced fishfinding technologies including StructureScan® HD, DownScan Imaging™ and CHIRP Sonar.

Built-in wireless connectivity allows convenient map and software downloads direct to your display, plus remote viewing and control from smartphones and tablets. The HDS Gen3 also offers plug-and-play compatibility with Lowrance performance modules such as broadband radar, marine audio, AIS and VHF; NMEA 2000® connectivity; and support for a wide range of cartography options.

The HDS Gen3 series is available from your local Lowrance dealer or distributor at an RRP of $2,199 for the 7”, $3,299 for the 9” and $4,499 for the 12”. – Lowrance Electronics

4

NEW F130A FOUR-STROKE

Yamaha Motor Australia is extremely pleased to announce the release of the new F130A. This model was unveiled in December at the Paris Boat Show.

The new F130A fills the only remaining gap in Yamaha’s four-stroke engine range and is especially exciting for Australian customers who have been requesting a Yamaha fourstroke engine in this horsepower category for many years.

While the new motor is based around the F115B, the F130A also inherits technology from Yamaha’s larger horsepower engines. Yamaha engineers have employed the use of a single electronic throttle intake valve on the F130.

The electronic throttle valve is controlled by a microprocessor that interprets the operator’s instructions from the mechanical control at the helm to make precise throttle movements according to engine temperature and atmospheric conditions. This system works in tune with new fuel injection and ignition technology within the F130A, to deliver incredible response, awesome power and exceptional fuel economy. – Yamaha Motor Australia

5

Diamond Deck is a no nonsense nonslip product that will add safety and protection when applied to the deck, seats or gunwhales of your boat. It can also keep bare feet (and posteriors) cool on hot summer days and keep you on the water longer.

The quality and durable EVA closed cell foam is non-slip in wet and dry conditions.

Diamond Deck comes ready to apply with a peel and stick marine grade adhesive bond that will not come unstuck when exposed to the harshest outdoor elements.

It is available in two convenient sheet sizes, which are 340mm x 1500mm and 500mm x 1500mm. DIY customising your Diamond Deck isn’t a problem and cutting the sheets to size is easily done using a sharp pair of scissors or cutting knife.

Diamond Deck is also great for use on caravans, camper trailers, paddleboards, jet skis, kayaks and bathrooms with endless applications and possibilities.

Ask for Diamond Deck at all leading boating stores, chandleries and tackle stores and check out diamonddeck.com.au for more information. – Diamond Deck

6

FEBRUARY 2015

2

DIAMOND DECK NON-SLIP

3

4 3

5

455 SCORPION TILLER OPTION

Savage’s new release, the 455 Scorpion TS, is a brand new feature packed fishing rig perfect for dams, creeks and rivers.

The 455 Scorpion is available as a centre and side console and for the first time is also available as a tiller steer model. Built with tough 3mm smooth side sheets and a soft riding, reliable hull, the 455 Scorpion is packed with all the fishing essentials to get you out on the water quick.

Savage Director of Sales and Marketing Damien Duncan said with the new Scorpion range replacing the previous Piranha model line-up it was important to include the tiller steer option as it was in clear demand from their customer base. ‘The 435 and 455 Scorpion are the first models in this range of boats that have been available as a tiller steer and we are expecting it to be very popular with our dealers and customers,’ Damien said.

For more information on the 455 Scorpion or the entire Savage range head to www. savageboats.com.au. - Telwater

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

108

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Fishing Fill-its

Verados give volunteers reliability and muscle With a new pair of 250hp Mercury Verados pushing their 7.8m Noosa Cat 2700, the crews of Volunteer Marine Rescue – Jacobs Well are even better prepared to assist recreational boat operators who find themselves in difficulty or in need of urgent medical attention.

Operating in the area between Southern Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast Broadwater, the Jacobs Well volunteer crews have to navigate potentially dangerous waters such as the Jumpinpin Bar as well as extensive shallows around the area’s many mangrove islands.

VMR Jacobs Well’s Vessel Maintenance Officer is very pleased with the changeover.

“These engines get a lot more horsepower into the water. When we were towing boats with the old engines we’d need 5,500 rpm to get on the plane but with the Verados we plane at 4,200.”

The new Verados were installed and adjusted by the experts at Brisbane Marine.

“The engines have improved the boat’s fuel

economy by 20L an hour at cruise speed,” said Dealer Principal, Troy Wood.

“In fact, from 2,000 rpm onwards the Verados are better everywhere in fuel economy and performance.

“I think it’s fair to say the performance and capabilities of the Verados have impressed a lot of people,” Troy said.

In testing, the Noosa Cat 2700, which weighs in at 2,250kg dry, hit a top speed of 83.3 km/h (45 knots) at 6,000 rpm – exactly what you need when people’s lives are at stake.

Optimal cruising speed was 44 km/h (24 knots) giving it a range of over 817 kilometres (441 nautical miles). This sort of range is crucial for protracted offshore search and rescue missions.

Acceleration from 0 to 30 km/h (16.2 knots) took just 5 seconds.

The general consensus amongst the Jacobs Well skippers is that “with the fly-by-wire controls she’s also beautiful to manoeuvre now,” which is another key feature required when coming alongside a disabled vessel in less than ideal conditions.

For the first time Volunteer Marine Rescue Jacobs Well is now a one brand organisation with Mercury outboards on all four of its boats.

The Squadron’s other Noosa Cat, the 6.7m Beenleigh II, carries twin Mercury 150hp 4-strokes. Their Naiad 5.6m RIB now has the just released twin Mercury 90hp 4-strokes, while their 4.5m RIB is pushed along by a single Mercury 50hp 4-stroke.

With reliable 24-hour on-call support from Brisbane Marine (www.brismarine. com.au) in Clontarf and a two year, unlimited hours commercial warranty with a guaranteed trade-in price, the volunteers at Jacobs Well found it just made good commercial sense to have all their engines from Mercury.

For more information, visit www.brunswick.com or www.mercurymarine.com. au. – Mercury

Sam Clarke with a sand whiting caught while he was on holidays from QLD in Yamba.

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www.tacklejunkie.fish FEBRUARY 2015

109

THE RECREATIONAL ANGLER’S LINK By the time you read this, the election will be over and we will know the results. Let’s hope it’s going to provide some positive benefits for recreational fishing. So with that in mind I have two important issues to talk about and yes, one of course is the Moreton Bay Haven. The other is the Review of the Commonwealth Marine Reserves.

MORETON BAY HAVEN ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• In December a group of concerned residents, business operators and landholders met with local candidate Kerrie-Anne Dooley to discuss various concerns they had regarding the operation of their businesses and their quality of life on beautiful Moreton Island. There were some issues raised by all including poor communications (mobile phone service is patchy and sporadic), access along the front of Cowan and an all-weather access to Kooringal.

What wasn’t surprising though was that everyone had significant concerns regarding commercial netting activities.

In Moreton Bay like many other population

centres we are becoming increasingly aware of areas of localized depletion resulting from concentrated, repetitive, commercial gill netting.

Fisheries Queensland do not have a mechanism for either measuring or managing localized depletion at this point in time. In the national arena at the moment though there are currently investigations into areas that may become closed to commercial fishing so that the recreational sector can still have an enjoyable experience.

The commercial sector still has the same allowable catch as previously but just leave some high value recreational areas untouched. Many believe this is the way of the future for Moreton Bay as well as many other high

population centres along the Queensland coastline.

Just as a reminder, we are asking for a small portion of Moreton Bay Marine Park including both Bribie and

Moreton Islands’ foreshores to be set aside for recreational fishing. In most areas, we are only asking for a strip 400m wide. We are NOT asking for access to existing green

ONLINE SURVEY OPEN FOR COMMONWEALTH MARINE RESERVES REVIEW •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• An online survey for the independent review of Commonwealth Marine Reserves is now open. The survey builds on the call for submissions that is already underway.

The co-Chairs of the review’s Bioregional Advisory Panels, Professor Colin Buxton and Mr Peter Cochrane invite interested individuals and organisations to fill in the survey with ideas and suggestions on how marine reserves should be managed into the future.

“We are really keen to hear from as broad a range

110

of people as possible and are hoping those with an interest will complete the survey,” Professor Colin Buxton said.

“The review is making sure that its work builds on the feedback and efforts that individuals and organisations have already made”.

“We’re seeking new and additional information that specifically addresses our terms of reference. The government has reproclaimed the outer boundaries of the Commonwealth marine reserve networks and the Coral Sea, so our focus is on their zonation and internal management.”

The review has established 5 Bioregional Advisory Panels (representing the southwest, northwest, north, temperate east and Coral Sea marine regions) to facilitate consultation with interested parties.

There are a number of ways to join the conversation, including by completing the online survey or providing a written submission. The Bioregional Advisory Panels will also meet in regional locations and with peak organisations representing relevant business and not-for-profit sectors, as well as with relevant

www.sunfishqld.com.au

FEBRUARY 2015

government agencies.

“The online survey provides a quick way for all interested people to give us their views and help focus the work of the Bioregional Advisory Panels,” Peter Cochrane said.

Details about the online survey and making a written submission can be found on the Join the Conversation page at www. marinereservesreview.gov. au. Written submissions close on 28 February 2015, the online survey will remain open until the end of March.

For media: Mali Stanton – 0439 582 686

zones within the area we have highlighted but just to ensure that in future they will remain clear of commercial fishing should the zonings change.

Moreton Bay Marine Park covers 3400km^2. The 3 sub areas that we have identified total 115km^2 that is not already excluded to commercial saleable take, that is only a little over 3%.

For the 405,000 recreational fishers in the Brisbane and Moreton Bay areas (according to Fisheries Queensland Recreational fishing survey in 2010) that is a very, very small ask.

Commercial catch data on the Fisheries Queensland website is quite coarse. As a result the figures we have been able to extrapolate include the tunnel netters and offshore netters in grids W36, W37 and W38 (Moreton Bay Marine Park) who will not be impacted. As a result the catch estimates we are using will be significantly higher

Email: judylynne@sunfishqld.com.au

than reality. In 2013 about 1,384tonnes was recorded in logbooks in these grids this equates to about $6.9 million to the fishermen. Only 3% of that equates to a little over $207,000. This hardly warrants a buyback.

Last financial year the recreational boat owners in the Moreton Bay catchment area paid over $1.9 million in Recreational Use Fee that is included as part of their boat registrations. We think that putting $207,000 a year for the next 3 years from that into FRDC (the Fisheries Research Development Corporation) for investment into research that will have flow on benefits to the commercial sector would be fair and reasonable.

We need a significant show of support to demonstrate the importance of recreational fishing and the value to our community of recreational fishing tourism.

Please don’t assume that our political representatives either know or acknowledge this.

Also please do not assume that it is so obvious a solution that lots of people will raise their voice. We need you and your family to do so for the future of recreational fishing in Moreton Bay for our children and theirs.

Please like our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ MoretonBayRereational FishingArea. - Judy Lynne

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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.

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Boat Licencing GOLD COAST

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CORROSION CONTROL SALT REMOVING TREATMENT

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Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Cunninghams Marine (07) 3284 8805 Caloundra Marine (07) 5491 1944 Bribie Boat Sales (07) 3408 0055

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BRISBANE

112

SALT-AWAY IS A MUST FOR:

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

Rod and Reel Repair

Marine Outboard Wreckers

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www.reelrepairs.com.au North Queensland 110 Sherbrooke Rd, Willawong Qld 4110

Aluminium fabrication • Steel fabrication • Boat repairs Boat modifications • Aluminium sales

JT Reel Repairs, Mackay 0427 552 485 or (07) 4955 2485

CUSTOM MARINE WELDING & ELECTRICAL

Marine and Auto Electricial n All types of Welding n Stainless Steel n Aluminium n Mild Steel n Boats Repaired n Fuel & Water Tanks n Canopies n Bow and Stern Rails n Custom Vehicle Tool Boxes

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North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

Shed 1 281 Jacobs Well Road Behind GEM Service Station, Alberton 4207

Advertise here - $90 + GST for 6 months Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883 ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402

She Left Camera Sunglasses www.hdvcs.com.au

Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088

U-Make-Em Sort Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064 Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636

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CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808

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Boat Painting Holiday Accommodation

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DJ Freight Marine Transport 0418 793 357 0427 341 076 contact@djfreight.com.au

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Marine Trimmers

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For bookings or enquiries contact: Cliff Andreassen 07 5449 9346 or 0428 712 283

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

A FISHO’S DREAM

Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727

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Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587

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WANT IN? EMAIL : ads@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2015

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CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

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Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0411 605 090

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