Queensland Fishing Monthly February 2018

BARRA BACK ON • TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE INSIDE

Features Finding barra in SEQ • Coral trout on hardbodies • Summer fishing fun •

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February 2018, Vol. 30 No. 4

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba 20 Ballina 22

Managing Editor: Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas Sub-Editors: Bob Thornton Nicole Penfold Cordelia Adams Field Editors: Jason Ehrlich Wayne Kampe Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall

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about an hour after we sent the title to the printers.

That’s nearly two weeks earlier than they arrive in your mailbox.

There has been little confusion about the digital subs; some readers thought that you got it for free with your paid, printed subscription. That’s not the case – for your $65 per year, you get either a print issue (from your state) OR a digital subscription (for three states).

Got it? Good. If you have any teething problems, give us a buzz in the office and we can sort you out.

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want to improve their performance, who doesn’t want to catch more fish?

DIGITAL MAGAZINES OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED Thank you to all of our new digital subscribers that have signed up through the platform on www.issuu.com.

We are confident enough now to run the ad in the magazine to promote it (rather than just a couple of paragraphs in the Editor’s Desk).

The three-magazinesfor-one-price has been really popular. You get your home state magazine plus the two others and they are launched

REDBUBBLE One of our 2018 resolutions was to solve the FM merchandise issue – y’all love it but we infrequently stock it.

Problem fixed.

We’ve partnered with Redbubble to offer a massive variety of clothing and other merchandise to satisfy your urge, or to fill the gift bag.

The way Redbubble works is that you pick your item, pick your logo and they custommake and ship it to you.

THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR And apart from all of that, we hope you enjoy the tail end of summer. It offers warm water and what many would argue is the best time of the year to catch fish and spend time on the water. There’s our popular Find-the competition inside and mountains of articles that relate to fishing in YOUR state.

Get into it!

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REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 122 Camping and 4WD 110 Cooking 111 Dam Levels 104 Freshwater 104 Fun Page 120 Junior Northern 101 Junior Southern 36 Politics and fishing 47 Sheik of the Creek 116 Tech Tricks 18 Tournament News 117 Track my fish 102 Trades and Services 118 What’s New Fishing 112 What’s New Boating 123 SPECIAL FEATURES Finding barra in SEQ Coral trout on hardbodied lures DIY lure making: Pop‘n’Doc Summer fishing in Queensland

We love the February magazine for plenty of reasons, but a major one is that we get to include one of the two Tournament Angler Guides from ABT in the middle of this issue – 32 pages of tips, tackle and techniques that have been derived from the BREAM, BASS and BARRA Tour in 2017.

Now we know that most of the fishing population aren’t tournament anglers and don’t ever want to be a tournament angler, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that there are techniques and tackle developed on tour that will help you enjoy your fishing even more.

So if you keep an open mind, there’s a lot to be gained from those pages.

An example is Stefan Sawynok’s piece merging sports science and fishing.

Although targeted at tournament anglers who

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BOATING AND KAYAK

From the Editor’s Desk...

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TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 94 Ayr 95 Townsville 96 Hinchinbrook 97 Cairns 98 Port Douglas 98 Lucinda 99 Cairns NFZ 99 Cape York 100 Weipa 100 Cooktown 101

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CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay 84 Rainbow Beach 85 Bundaberg 87 Lake Monduran 86 Stanage Bay 86 Gladstone 88 Rockhampton 90 Yeppoon 91 Mackay 92

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed 24 Southern Gold Coast 26 Jumpinpin 30 Gold Coast Canals 28 Gold Coast 32 Southern Bay 34 Brisbane 38 Brisbane Offshore 40 Northern Bay 42 Noosa 44

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Fishing Diary Angler: Luke Macey Location: Tinaroo Dam Date: October 19th, 2016 Conditions: Overcast, SE 15 kts, Black Magic Tackle: 40lb Tough Fluorocarbon Leader

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Barra

Barra bounty available in SE Queensland HERVEY BAY

Dane Radosevic

‘Barramundi?

They’re a northern species – you won’t catch one this far south will you?’ Working in a tackle shop I am often faced with this exact response whenever I mention that barra can be successfully targeted here in South East Queensland and very consistently.

Barramundi aren’t just a northern species. River systems such as Fitzroy in Central Queensland’s Rockhampton region and the Mary River on the Fraser Coast are home to some of the biggest breeding populations of barra on the east coast. Both river systems are renowned for producing outstanding barramundi fishing, and that trophy size fish could be just one cast away.

Previously, Hervey Bay was about the southernmost limit for targeting barramundi, however – possibly due to major flood events that occurred over

Jackson ‘Jacko’ Bargenquast with a fish-of-a-lifetime, measuring 132cm.

This fish was taken from the Mary River on the Fraser Coast. recent years – we are starting to see more regular captures as far south as the Sunshine Coast and even Brisbane waters. It is uncharacteristic to find them so far south, yet with varying sizes being

how great an impact certain moon phases and tidal variations could have on the behaviour and movement patterns of this species.

This has lead to one rule of thumb I fish by with relative success: on the build-up to a full moon when the tides are big I target areas around the main river mouth of the system and the adjacent flats. During these bigger tides your window of opportunity is only short, due to the sheer volume of water that is being pushed around, making it near impossible to fish when it’s running.

These larger tides trigger the barra to travel and aggregate in large numbers in certain locations such as rocky headlands or deeper holes towards the main river mouth where they can sit in a back eddy out of the main flow and gorge

prolonged bite periods and more manageable fishing when targeting structure like rock bars and sunken laydown timber.

When faced with exploring a new location it can often be quite daunting to know where to start, as some of these systems are huge! I have found this myself in the past, where I have spent the majority of my day searching for the best looking structure or water quality and have missed the key bite periods, because I have been driving when really I should have been fishing.

Try not to overcomplicate things. Firstly, locate a likely-looking structure; my preferred structures are rock bars and outcrops or laydown sunken trees with bait present in the area, as big barra have to feed. The next factor (one

caught in multiple systems, is it possible that they could be breeding successfully there too? Time will tell.

I had always thought of barra as being a solitary fish that would find a snag to

It always pays to revive the fish before release so hopefully it can do its thing and contribute to future barra stocks.

This screenshot taken from the Simrad NSS12 shows barra beginning to school up in a back eddy off a big snag pile.

call home and never leave.

Over the years as I have put in more hours in search of this species, I have started to realise just how mobile they really are and not just over short distances – I’m talking kilometres over a few days.

I started to understand just

themselves on the masses of bait that are being flushed out. Whereas around the period of the quarter moon and as tides begin to subside, a percentage of these fish begin to disperse and travel back upriver. With these smaller tides, it allows for

of the most important) is timing, being at that location at the correct stage of the tide when they are going to bite. Timing is so crucial and learning when to be at a location according to the stages of the tide takes many hours spent on the water.

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The author fooled this 93cm model with a suspending hardbody working a back eddy off a rock bar.

Barra Another key feature that I look for when targeting barra is a back eddy, as they just scream ‘barra’ and fishing these back eddies has proven very successful in my local area. A back eddy is formed when the tidal flow meets a structure and is deflected off in a certain direction, creating a patch of still or dead water not affected by the current flow.

Barra love to use this to

their advantage, so they can exert minimal energy. This is where timing is so important, as at different stages of the tide there may or may not be a back eddy, so learning to time your session for when the tide is at the right stage to form an eddy at your chosen structure is very important.

I have purposely positioned myself at locations before the run starts to identify at what stage of

the tide a back eddy started to form in that location.

In doing so, I was able to monitor just how consistently barra moved into that location once it had formed and the same trend followed for a large percentage of the locations I fish.

Knowing your tides is also very important. On the Fraser Coast the last of the run-out tide has generally produced the greatest results

Two of the author’s favourite combos – a Chronarch 150G matched to a G Loomis E6X 684BCMH is his preferred setup for twitching and stalling hardbodies and a Curado 200K matched to a Zodias 661 BCMH is ideal for working soft vibes and soft plastics.

The Hervey Bay region has a larger fish population than most.

when targeting barra and I presume the same trend would be applicable in most areas. As the water recedes from behind the mangroves, mud flats, drains and timberlined banks, it forces the nervous baitfish out into vulnerable waters. It also concentrates the barra into smaller key locations for this stage of the tide, in-turn making them easier to locate and target.

This low water period also makes finding structure a lot easier, as often it isn’t visible.

Modern advancements in electronics have definitely come a

AUSTRALIA’S 1 #

long way with features such as StructureScan and DownScan being invaluable tools when searching for barra, especially in new territory. You can basically scan a rock bar or laydown timber and determine whether or not there are any fish sitting on this structure.

Structure Scan allows me to monitor the fish’s movements and basically work out at what stage of the tide the fish would move into a certain location and when they would leave. Learning to read and trust your electronics will enhance your overall results. Once you

gain a greater understanding of where, when and why, you come to the easier part of how. There are many different lures and techniques available nowadays that if used in the correct scenario will undoubtedly work and draw a bite.

Soft vibes are one of the most versatile lures, and can be fished both deep and shallow. They can be hopped, double hopped or slow rolled and are a great option for fishing in areas with current, as they get down to the required depth and are easily kept in the To page 12

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Barra From page 11

strike zone. A larger profile paddle-tail soft plastic can be used for a very subtle and natural presentation when slow rolled; this is a killer lure and technique when faced with stronger currents or when searching, as it allows you to cover ground quickly.

My personal favourite lure and technique, which

I find most exciting, is aggressively twitching and stalling silent suspended hardbodies. That strike on the pause or as you go to twitch the lure is hard to beat. I often upgrade the terminal hardware on my lures to heavier duty rings and trebles to withstand the punishment inflicted by large barra, giving me piece of mind. However, when doing

so, ensure the lure’s action or suspend rate is not affected by going too heavy-duty.

It pays to have an assortment of different trebles in the box to work out which ones best suit the lure for optimal performance.

Having access to a pool makes this job far easier as you can swap and change until you get the combination just right.

Mark ‘Bargy’ Bargenquast with a better-than-average fish that he caught off a rock bar with a vibe.

A selection of the author’s favourite barra lures; the majority have a base colour of white or pearl.

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My preferred outfit of choice is a low profile baitcaster combo and there are numerous good quality choices on the market. I have found the G Loomis E6X 684 BCMH matched to a Chronarch 150G spooled with 30lb braid very comfortable to use – it’s very light, which makes it easy to cast for long periods.

This outfit has accounted for some quality fish.

On one occasion I had a light northerly blowing from behind as I positioned myself down current from a rocky outcrop on the last of the run-out tide. This particular day I had timed it right as

there was still enough tidal influence to create the perfect back eddy and I observed what appeared to be a very nervous school of herring packed up tight to the rocks. I chose to fish my most confident technique in this scenario, twitching and stalling a suspending hardbody, aiming to keep the lure in the strike zone for as long as possible.

Cast after cast I worked this back eddy for no result, so I made a slight adjustment to where I was positioned and the direction I was working the lure. That very next cast I presented the lure in tight to the rocky outcrop

and began to work it back with the exact same retrieve as previously. A few twitches in, I felt a solid hit. For a split second the line went slack before a solid barra came tail walking out of the water trying to dislodge my hardbody.

My final message here is that there is no right or wrong in fishing, as every day on the water there are varying conditions to contend with.

It is how you perceive them and adjust in that scenario that may just make all the difference between drawing that bite you’ve been working hard for or going home with a donut.

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Chasing tasty coral trout with hardbodied lures WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

Upon departing the beach at Cape Gloucester Resort on charter each morning, amongst the standard rituals that I go through with my clients – apart from safety briefings – I ask everybody on board what they would like to try and catch that day. A fairly common reply is ‘I’d love to catch a coral trout for my dinner, please.’

of graphite construction with a medium-fast to fast action and good lifting power in the butt section. Rods rated at around 6-8kg are ideal.

Soft-tip style glass rods are not ideally suited to this application.

For line, I generally only use 12-15lb good quality braid. Most of my reels have Suffix 832 and I find it to be very reliable. You might think that using such light line to target big reef fish is a little silly but it isn’t. By using the correct rod and

LURES Lure selection is pretty straightforward – keep the colours light and bright and use only lures that can be worked at pace. Lures that have a tight, fast body roll definitely help to single the coral trout out from the rest of the pack. Barramundi-style lures around the 100-125mm length are perfect for this style of fishing. Make sure you select brands or models that will swim comfortably at up to 5 knots.

Hooks and split rings need to be strong enough to handle the required pressure to keep big fish out of the prickles. Most suitable Australian-made lures come out of the box with good quality hardware

The author with a decent pan-sized model caught casting over a weed patch on a 4” Mad Mullet; these things are trout magnets.

Another fine shallow water specimen showing off its khaki colouration.

I then normally go on to say that it’s no problem at all. I suggest we have a crack at using some light spin gear and hardbodies on them. I should take photos of the looks on people’s faces when I make that suggestion, as a lot of people look at me with expressions of startled disbelief, as if I’ve been taking too many illegal substances.

There is definitely a belief amongst reef anglers that the only way to catch a coral trout is to be anchored up with a chunk of fresh pilchard or squid dangled over the side. This is not the case at all. With my operation I do a fair bit of conventional bottom fishing, but more often than not the best quality and biggest quantities of fish come aboard on hardbody lures.

My clients are constantly amazed at how effective and simple it is and, most importantly, it’s piles of fun.

Why would I bother doing this when I know I can catch a fish by normal means? The answer is pretty simple really; when you’re anchored up trying to catch a trout by conventional means, you’re only working one coral bommy or one small section of a reef system at a time. When using hardbodies by either casting or trolling you are able to work an entire system quickly and efficiently, locating any hotspots where there are concentrations of fish.

TACKLE Rods for this style of fishing need to be up around the 7ft mark. They need to be 14

FEBRUARY 2018

boat handling techniques, catching trophies on a regular basis is very doable.

Every now and again I’ll go up to using 20lb tackle and every time I watch the bite rate drop off, so I revert back to using the lighter gear. The lighter the line you to use, the more natural the action will be for your chosen lure and the more bites you will get.

Tihan Bekker had barely fished before climbing aboard Reel Addiction and straight away came up trumps with this nice 4kg fish out of 1.5m of water.

This shows how easy it can be when some basic rules are followed.

Coral trout aren’t the only tasty target up in the shallows. This beautiful 76cm golden snapper caught

by Paul Wilcox was trolled up off an isolated rock and pulled into clear obstruction-free water, which allowed it to be fought and boated in just 3m of water.

Leaders are best at around 2m in length and use either a hard mono or fluorocarbon material.

Occasionally a good fish will brick you and by using a hard leader material with a bit of length, you stand a chance of being able to get the fish up out of the reef. I normally use leaders of 30lb in strength and sometimes come back to 20 or 25lb if it’s a tough bite.

and can be used straight away. Be prepared to change the hardware on some imported lures before putting them in the water.

My go-tos are all good quality Australian-made lures. You need to be able to cover variety of depths for this style of fishing, so I carry a selection of lures on board that will dive to depths varying from 1-8m+.

WHEN AND WHERE TO FISH The next few months are ideal to get out and get familiar with this style of fishing. Over the coming months there will be a lot of trophy fish up in country so shallow it surprises a lot of people; as the water temperatures begin to drop the bigger fish generally bite their heads off, particularly on the days leading up to the full and new moons.

Most years the bigger fish will bite well up until May and occasionally, as was the

case last year, we’ll have big fish biting right up until the end of June.

As I’ve already said, the fish will be up in shallow water and I expect to get my fair share of 4kg+ specimens out of less than 3m of water over the next couple of months. This makes them nice and accessible to small boat anglers and in some locations along the Queensland coast, you’ll be able to cast for them straight off the mainland. The edges of top coastal fringing reefs are an ideal place to start your hunt.

You don’t have to be too stressed out about locating patches of reef that have massive bommies or a lot of structure, as a lot of the better fish will be hiding on

Even kids can do it. Seven-year-old Reef Underwood did a great job of muscling this 6kg brute to the boat on 15lb string. It’s necessary with fish like this to constantly use the boat to assist with keeping the fish’s head up and away from the reef.

These are good distances for the lures to be from the boat. The closer lure is deeper so that the lure and the line will pass under the long lure when making turns.

reef flats that only have a few rocks here and there, as long as there is plenty of weed around. Finding locations that have plenty of weed is integral to this style

trolling can be more effective to cover ground and locate the fish faster. Once an area of good fish has been located you still have the option to stop trolling and start casting.

Troll close by a bommie or weed patch to get a fish hooked-up and immediately drive away from any structure to try and guide the fish into open water. of fishing at this time of the year, as that is where the trout will be hiding during the day.

TECHNIQUES Drifting and casting or trolling are the only two ways to attack this and they are equally effective – it just depends on what you enjoy the most. On some days if the current isn’t flowing hard or the breeze isn’t around then

TROLLING When trolling, I will normally always have two lures out the back. The lures selected on any given day will be different from each other with regards to colours, brand/model and sometimes depth. At the beginning of a session it’s important to mix things up so you can find what they want on

the day. As these fish are bottom dwellers, a key factor is to select lures that will swim as close to the bottom as you dare.

You have to be prepared to donate one or two to the reef here and there. That’s one reason I use Australianmade lures – they’re cheaper than most quality imported models. It’s important to separate the distance of the lures from the boat; this will help prevent the lures becoming tangled with each other when making tight turns or if one of the lures becomes a little bit out of tune. I generally keep my close lure at around 18-20m behind the boat and the long lure at approximately 25m.

Coral trout are an aggressive predator and they will readily eat your lure underneath the prop wash. The further you set the lures out the back, the further the hook-up will be from the boat and the fish will have a better chance to get into the reef and win its freedom. When selecting lures that swim at different depths, make the deeper lure the closer one to prevent lures and lines fouling when making tight turns.

Speed is another key factor. I’ve found the ideal speed to be 4-4.5knots and this is for a few important reasons. The first is that it

singles out the coral trout from the rest of the pack.

Most other reef residents aren’t as aggressive as trout and simply can’t or won’t attack a lure dragged past them at that pace.

The next reason is to get an instinct bite. As with all fish, coral trout aren’t always hungry and willing to eat, but when a bright shiny lure comes shooting past their noses at pace they can’t help themselves – they simply have to eat it. It stands to reason that the faster the lure is, the

more aggressive the fish has to be in order to get it and a more aggressive bite means a better hook-up.

My last reason for a bit of speed is to help keep the fish out of the reef. Once a coral trout is hooked it will get back down into the safety of the reef by any means, so when a good fish is hooked on a lure doing 4.5 knots you’re instantly pulling the fish away from the safety of its home and giving yourself half a chance.

To sum things up, keep them close and tow them fast.

As we are targeting big reef fish in shallow water on light line, once a good fish is hooked-up, both good rod and boat handling techniques are vital to ensure regular success. Don’t stop the boat upon hook-up, as this will allow the fish to drop its nose and dive down into the reef.

Keep driving the boat at 4 knots and keep pulling the fish’s head upwards.

The direction of pull should be angled away from any nearby structure and To page 16

Steve with another great light tackle capture. This hefty gold-spot cod was trolled up off an isolated rock in 5m of water on 12lb line.

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From page 16

into open water if possible.

It normally doesn’t matter if you lose line during this part of the process, so long as you’re working the fish away from the reef. It’s not a golden rule, but in general if a fish is pulling line off the reel then keep pulling the fish.

Good rod handling technique is also critical to ensuring success. During the above-mentioned process it’s not that important to remove the rod from its holder, but once it’s removed and the job of angling the fish to the boat begins, it’s important that the angler keeps maximum

possible pressure on the fish; keep the tip of the rod pointed at the sky. High sticking (as it’s called) isn’t normally a good thing, but in this case it’s necessary.

This is why I like longer rods up around the 7ft mark; they allow you to create good angles to help keep the fish out of the reef. If the angler drops the rod tip then the fish will get its nose down and off into the reef it will go. Once the fight is getting close to over and the fish is somewhere under the boat, it’s time to employ lower rod angles and get the butt section of the rod working in order to muscle the fish to the boat.

When trout want your lure they really want it and will scoff as much of it as they can. Note the colours of these shallow water critters – most coral trout that inhabit the shallows are khaki to greenish-yellow in colour.

retrieve. All that’s required is a constant fast retrieve. While winding the lure in, keep the rod tip nice and low and upon hook-up, whip the rod tip up high straight away to lift the fish’s head. Make sure you do whatever you can to keep that fish’s head up.

As with trolling, select a lure that will work as close to the bottom as you dare.

Every now and again when

you hook that monster it may be necessary to get someone on the helm straight away and start working the fish away from any structure.

In conclusion, when some basic principles are adhered to, this is an awesome way to fish. It’s very successful and the rewards are damned tasty.

So go on, get out there, have some fun and have a go.

A selection of some of the bread and butter lures that the author uses locally (left to right): Reidy’s Goulburn Jack and Judge, the 4” Mad Mullet, a Classic Dr Evil and a Halco 125 Scorpion.

DRIFTING AND CASTING This is a good, fun and effective technique and something that I personally get a few kicks from.

It’s pretty cool to stand shoulder to shoulder with a good mate on a casting deck enjoying some idle banter and pinging a few casts out over a reef flat in search of a tasty dinner.

When using this technique, a key factor is to start your drifts far upwind or up-current, whichever is stronger on the day. When casting, cast in the direction of the drift. This is for a couple of reasons: first, it’s a hell of a lot easier

to cast downwind than up, and the second is once you hook a fish you already have the boat moving in the direction of the fish, which shortens the fight.

If it’s a nice breezy day, don’t be tempted to cast the lure to the horizon.

Remember, the further you hook these fish up from the boat, the better the chance they have. It’s pretty easy to wind up in a situation where you’re left standing on the casting deck scratching your head thinking, ‘that just cost me $20 and I’ve still got no dinner in the esky.’

When retrieving your lure it’s not important to use a stop-start or twitchy style of

Nick Gilchrist kept the pressure on a nice fish and kept it away from the reef. This sort of fishing is handto-hand combat – the fights are brief and intense.

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Tech Tricks

How to cook and clean blue swimmer crabs BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

For anglers fishing Moreton Bay and other waters, setting a few crab pots can offer a great addition to your seafood feast at the end of the day. Both sand and blue

swimmer crabs are fairly abundant and relatively easy to catch in a baited safety pot. Sometimes legal sized male crabs can be scooped from the water’s surface or the shallows with a scoop net.

However you source them, cooking and cleaning them properly will help you get the best from

these exceptionally sweet seafood delights. The whole process of cooking and cleaning crabs is fairly simple and numerous crabs can be processed in a fairly short time. It is advisable to keep your crabs alive until you are ready to cook them. Once they have been removed from your crab pot, this can be achieved

1

To kill your crabs, place them on ice or in the freezer for half an hour. If you don’t kill them before cooking, many of the appendages will fall off the crab as soon as they hit the boiling water. Additionally, this is the most humane way to kill them.

by storing them in a cool, damp area. An old esky with a little bit of seawater in the bottom is ideal.

There is no need to tie up sand and blue swimmer crabs as you do with mud crabs, as their claws are much less powerful and they move a lot slower in a gangly fashion. If they did happen to latch onto you,

they won’t do anywhere near the damage that a muddy could and you will be strong enough to pry their claw off anyway. A bit of ice in the water will slow any crabs down considerably.

If kept cool and in a bit of seawater (just enough to just keep them damp) sand and blue swimmer crabs can last for several days. Water

should be changed at least once or twice a day. If any die, remove them from the others quickly and discard them. Techniques and cook times for mud crabs are different to sand and blue swimmer crabs but for now let’s just concentrate on a basic way to cook and clean your sand and blue swimmer crabs.

2

Use a pot large enough to cook several crabs at once. Fill it over halfway with water then add salt until you get salinity similar to seawater. You can transport some clean seawater home from your trip to cook your crabs in if you wish. Put the pot on heat and bring the water to the boil. Only put your crabs in once it’s boiling.

4

3

For two crabs, boil for roughly eight minutes. Seven minutes should do for one crab and a maximum of ten minutes for four or more crabs.

Remove them quickly from the water with some tongs once the time is up.

5

To begin cleaning, turn the crab upside down and lift the tip of the v-shaped flap away from the body. Pry off the entire upper shell (carapace) in one piece to expose the guts and gills.

18

FEBRUARY 2018

Put the crabs in a bowl, bucket or esky and immediately cover them with ice. For a larger number of crabs, pre-mix an ice slurry of ice and salt water. This will stop the cooking process quickly by cooling them down rapidly. Once cooled, the crab can be cleaned. If you want to store a crab for a few days before cleaning, put it in a sealed plastic bag to prevent it drying out.

6

Pry out the guts in the cavity at the front of the crab with your finger. Wash the remaining gunk out using a high-pressure tap. The gills (pictured, under the thumb) are the next part to be removed from both sides of the crab. These can easily be torn away. With the gills, guts and carapace removed, the bulk of the dirty work is done.

Tech Tricks

7

Next, you have to break up the crab and extract the flesh. Use downwards pressure on both sides of the crab and upwards pressure in the middle to crack it in half. The small flap at the front of the crab with the brown gunk on it can be cracked off and discarded now too.

9

To remove this meat you can use your fingers to crack the shell and push the soft white flesh out of the shell pockets. If cooked properly the meat will be moist and white yet firm.

8

If you’re serving the crab in pieces for a seafood feast, break it into 4-6 portions to provide single serves that can be thrown on a plate for the individual to finish prying the meat out.

The meatiest part of a sand or blue swimmer crab is the body. The meat is in little pockets that are divided by a crisp, yet easily breakable shell.

10

Use a small mallet or the handle of a knife to crack the hard shell of the claw and section above it. Break the shell in half carefully to expose the meat intact. These ‘crab lollypops’ can be served like this or you can remove the meat all together.

12

11

The thin leg sections can be cracked through at one end and then squeezed firmly between thumb and forefinger to prise out the meat.

With a nice plate of crab meat and some crab lollypops you now have the tough decision whether you are going to eat it immediately or get back to work and clean the rest of the crabs first. On fresh bread with some salt, pepper, lemon juice and a little seafood sauce, the crab will be delicious. A beer may also be required to wash it down sufficiently.

FEBRUARY 2018

19

Warm seas produce some PBs YAMBA

Dave Gaden

February is here and with that (for most) brings the crashing back to the reality that the holidays are over, and it’s back to work. When you run charter boats for a living,

OFFSHORE February means the water offshore in this part of the world has reached a constant warm temperature and the mackerel are on the chew. Spotted mackerel can be the most fun and at the same time the most frustrating fish you may ever want to target. There

of the boat that will not touch anything you throw at them. If you have never chased them before, my tip is make things as simple as you can.

Trolling for them at first light is easy stuff. A very simple pink squid with a 7/0 hook on a swivel, no.

4 bean sinker in the head of the squid, 600mm of 90lb wire trace to a good ball bearing swivel and you’re good to go. You will make that for about $5 in three

minutes. Troll at between 9-10knots with the lure set 25 seconds behind the boat. Simple!

Once you get to your first fishing spot on the reef, have a couple of floaters out the back, and once again simple is best.

I just use 300mm single strand 35lb wire to a set of 4/0 gang hooks at one end, and swivel on the other.

I put a pilly on, flick it out the back in the current, preferably on a bait runner

Kev Harmon from Lismore with a beautiful Venus tuskfish.

A perfect eating size snapper for Wendy from Quirindi. it usually means it’s a little quieter and you can breathe again. Yamba is a really busy place between Christmas and Australia Day.

are days you flick a pilly out the back and a fish is on before you close the bail arm, and the next day there will be 50 fish sitting on the surface at the back

Thomas Durrington caught this lovely pearl perch on his eleventh birthday.

reel, and wait for the scream. If at anchor, berley with pillies cut very fine in the current line. Make sure you have a good sharp gaff ready.

This is also the month when the wind is light enough to head to the wider grounds (50 fathom) both ENE and ESE of Yamba.

It’s a reasonable trek out to this ground of between 19-23nm. For some reason, good plate-size snapper around 40-50cm are in abundance out here at this time. They show really well on the sounder and short drifts over them can see you bag out in quick time. Obviously there is a by-catch to contend with while you’re doing this. We usually boat lots of pearl perch, pigfish, rosy jobfish, mahimahi, amberjack and

mulloway, but you learn to live with that.

If that’s all a bit too far and too hard, the closer grounds will have fish as well. Heading north to Black Rock and South Evans gives you the chance to troll through Shark Bay and Woody Head for a mackerel on your way up, and this month, the trag and mulloway are almost a certainty on just about all the reefs. Heading south sees pretty much the same – I troll through the reef off Angourie and One Man and around the bommie known as Freeburn Rock, and fish mostly from Redcliff to Brooms Head targeting snapper, pearlies and tuskfish in 35-55m of water. If you have never caught mahimahi, then a little further out the FAD

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has been producing a heap of quality fish.

ROCKS This is a good month for those land-based game fishers to have a crack at a big Spanish mackerel and longtail tuna from the breakwalls. Both Iluka and

expected, but the water temperature offshore has been really cold. As this picks up, I am sure the swimmers will come in and we will have a good but late run on them. A similar thing happened last year, with December’s offshore water

events, as they can hold you back from going to sea, with dangerous bar crossings and debris throughout the system, but if it happens this year I will welcome it. The system could do with a good flush and hopefully this year

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Todd and Bruce with a couple of nice mulloway taken offshore.

Yamba walls will produce fish, but the North Wall on the Iluka side will certainly produce the better fishing.

If you can catch some garfish and swim them out under a float alive, then you will increase your chances tenfold, but any live bait will still produce a big hook-up. This type of fishing is not for the fainthearted, as the fish you hook will do everything they can to drag you from the stones, so be safe and fish with a mate who is also a good with the gaff.

RIVER In the estuary, the flathead have been having a bit of a resurgence. Lots of quality fish are coming from the entrance to Lake Woolawayah around Joss Island, both on plastics and white pillies. The Broadwater upstream is holding a lot of quality fish around the entrance and along the south bank.

Whiting have also been good this year, and spread nicely through the lower reaches. Upstream from Browns Rocks and around the bend is an island on the right called Turkey Island.

Drifting the front of this on a making tide with a bucket of live yabbies will produce some nice fish, and it’s not a bad spot for some dillies either, with the blue swimmers liking the same ground. If that’s too far to travel then to the front of Sleeper Island, and in front of the tavern will usually fish pretty well.

Last month the blue swimmer crabs hadn’t shown up in the numbers

temperature being way down and then clearing for a good January-February.

If we are going to get a fresh or small flood in the Clarence, then February is quite often the time.

Normally I dread these

we get it.

Happy fishing, and as always, if you would like some good advice or to join me on one of my charters, just call into the shop at the marina and let us get you sorted!

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Spencer (13yo) from Brisbane holds up a tasty pearl perch.

FEBRUARY 2018

21

Dirty water delights forecast for February BALLINA

Joe Allan

Christmas and summer holidays are all over and everyone is back at work or school again. Some great times were had on and around the Richmond River over the holidays.

BEACHES The beaches of South Ballina are holding good numbers of dart and whiting. When the swell is

down, try flicking blades and plastics for flathead in the low tide gutters. This can be a really productive technique, and you may be surprised at how many quality fish you can come up with. Take care when travelling on the beaches, as it only takes a couple of idiots to spoil the fun for everyone.

OFFSHORE Offshore has been producing some quality fish when the weather

allows. The 32s are holding snapper of average size, but you can pretty much guarantee a good feed of these fish.

The FADs are holding mahimahi, with the bigger models coming from the 48s when the tide is really moving.

The mackerel have been a bit quiet since Christmas, as have the marlin.

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A quality mangrove jack caught on a 90mm Bassday Sugar Deep. on the flats around Pimlico Island taking surface offerings, as well as bream and flathead. The Bassday Sugapen 70s are still producing great numbers.

This time of year the number of families lining the river with kids just hoping to catch something is great to see. Getting kids into fishing is something that is easy to do if you use fresh bait, the right equipment and you don’t make them stick out in the sun for too long. In the main river, Mobbs Bay, or the weed flats past the ferry is a good spot to try with the little ones.

With all the fresh that’s been showing up, the lower reaches have had good mulloway off the breakwalls in the last part of the run-out tides. Big hardbody lures and paddletail soft plastics have

been producing results.

Anything that produces big movement and pushes a lot of water will work for the mulloway. Once you do hook something, try to get it in ASAP, as there are plenty of toothy critters around looking for a feed.

Crabs are a little quiet, however the new moon should fire them up. Remember, mark your pots properly as NSW Fisheries have been around confiscating unmarked equipment and issuing fines. They will take anything either not marked or not marked as per regulations. They are also checking fishing licences, the size of fish and bag limits. If you haven’t got a licence, it’s worth getting one. The money goes back into the fisheries and facilities, but I’m sure you don’t want to spend your

time paying fines. Rules are there for everyone to abide by, so the fisheries are sustainable for everyone for the future. If you see anything suspicious, please report these to authorities.

FRESHWATER Bass are in the main river sections and the freshwater coming down from Kyogle and Casino should really get them going once this dirty water settles down. Dirty water fishing can still produce good numbers. A good start is the drains and creeks running into the main river. Chatterbaits are a good start, as well as noisy jerkbaits. Something with loads of noise and plenty of flash should do the trick. You might have to do some traveling to find the fish, but when you do you can rack up good numbers quickly.

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Anglers have been absolutely spoilt for choice THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

Marlin, kingfish, mahimahi, mangrove jack, GT, whiting and bass are just some of the species that have really turned on for anglers this month.

Most anglers are having a field day and making the most of the summer conditions, with plenty of good catches offshore, in the estuary, and the fresh, right up and down the Tweed coast. Humid days and offshore temperatures of 26°C and river

Malcom Scott with a monster king from Nine-Mile.

Nick Frost and Jonathon Piece with the daily double of kings! temperatures of 27-30°C have really turned the explosive fishing on for us Tweed anglers. There have been lots of broken lines leading to broken dreams, tormented emotions and testing the hardest of anglers. Well-maintained gear is crucial at this time of year when going head to head with these species.

OFFSHORE The clear blue water and southerlies have brought the marlin on and they have moved onto our close reef and are feeding up on bait schools. Striped and black marlin dominate these bait schools and trolling skirted lures is the best way of catching a big-billed missile. These jumping giants are sitting in current

lines around 24s, 36s, 50s, nine-mile Reef and even five-mile Reef, which have all had fish taken on them this month and are always worth a troll.

The odd wahoo has been getting around the same reefs and is the best by-catch available when trolling for marlin. Mahimahi are still in good numbers this month, and the places to look are the FADs, 24s, 36s and 40 fathom lines. Skirted lures and high-speed metals are doing all the damage at the moment. Look for any floating debris like trees, palm fronds, buoys or even milk and bread crates.

These floating structures can really produce some great mahimahi fun.

Some monster kingfish

Young Eddie Ricci with a nice elbow-slapper from the flats.

24

FEBRUARY 2018

are still being caught with live bait, high-speed metals, jigs, stickbaits and poppers. Try nine-mile, Deep Southern, Windarra Banks and the reefs in around 100m of water for best results. High-speed jigs are working really well on the deeper reefs, where slow-trolled live baits are working better on close reefs. It’s a must to use a snelled double hook rig for your live baits.

The odd Spanish mackerel has been around nine-mile, with trolled baits catching the larger models. Spotties have been patchy around Point Reef

southside of Kingy Reef, Hastings Bombie and Black Rock Reef.

ESTUARY Most anglers are seeing red at the moment! That’s right: the big mangrove jacks are out and they mean business. Most structure throughout the rivers and creeks in the Tweed region are fishing unbelievably well, with some monster jacks being caught.

If using bait, finding good live bait is crucial and normally takes time. Bait traps, floating bread and bait jigs are the best ways to get bait in the Tweed.

Having a live bait tank,

Lures are still getting a few quality fish. Try the pontoons in the canals, and the bridges like Barneys Point, Boyds Bay, the rock walls at Fingal and Chinderah, and Stotts Island.

Some good elbowslappers are being caught, and poppers worked over the top of the skinny water is a fun way to catch these guys on the flats, but worms and yabbies catching more.

There are still some good flathead around, so if you want a feed of flatties or some sport, try working the weed patches behind PKGs, the house boats, Piggery, Terranora and Cobaki.

GTs have been terrorizing the bait schools and fry. Some solid models will be taken this month on the wall at Fingal, Chinderah, the islands in Terranora and Balaclava

to the southern headlands and back beaches to get out of the northerlies and try the northern beaches when the southerlies blow.

Fingal Beach, Back Beach, Hastings Point and Ocean Shores all have beach worms and some large pipis if you need fresh bait.

FRESHWATER The backwaters and creeks of the Tweed and northern rivers really fishing well at this time of year, with fat bass smacking surface lures.

Try the Uki stretch of the Tweed, the drains around the golf course at Banora Point, the upper Rous River and the upper Richmond and Clarence with cicada imitations around dusk and dawn. As the sun gets up, beetle spins and hardbodied lures will work better.

Clarrie Hall Dam is fishing well at dusk and dawn around the lilies.

That’s one solid Tweed muddy for Scott Tonkin.

The author took this solid mangrove jack from some shallow water structure. and Fidos, and responding mostly to floating pilchards.

There are no real strong numbers yet, but anglers are waiting in anticipation.

There are still some nice pearlies and pan-sized snapper on close reefs and out wider. Working the right sinker size to drift these reefs is critical at the moment with the current.

If you go too small, your bait won’t get down, and too heavy and you’re in the reef. Try drifting Fidos, the Mudhole, 24s and the 36s with drift baits. Micro-jigs and plastics will also find you a good feed of summer reefies in this area.

There’s good bait at the sand pumping jetty, 10-Minute Reef, the eastern yellow marker at Cook, Point Reef,

aerator and pump will keep your bait living and active and having them alive will turn the jacks on.

A few big estuary cod are being caught as jack by-catch and it is so great to see good numbers of them in the system. Remember, these fish are protected and must be released unharmed, but there’s no problem with getting a few shots before releasing.

Fishing heavy structure calls for heavy gear. I fish 50lb braid and 80lb leader, which stops most jacks up to 60cm, but I do still get smoked a few times a night.

If live baits aren’t working, switch to strip baits, and a whole fillet normally does the trick. I tend to use a snelled doubled hook rig to avoid missing fish.

Park. Look for bait schools and cast metals, blades, vibes or poppers. You could even float out a herring, which is deadly on this species.

A couple of rat kings and bigeye have been spotted around the anchorage.

Metals, micro-jigs and plastics have been working well for these little bullets.

As usual, there are plenty of bull sharks around and catching these guys is a growing sport, with most anglers releasing these toothy brutes to fight another day.

Some great crabs will be available this month, so it’s well worth soaking a pot.

BEACH The whiting, dart, bream and flathead have moved into the gutters, breakwalls and headlands, and are taking a variety of baits.

Beach worms are getting the whiting and dart, while pilchards are getting the bream and flathead. Look

Vibe lures right on dark is a technique that is catching some fat bass.

NEXT MONTH The Spanish mackerel and spotties will thicken up in numbers on close reefs off Tweed and will be the main species anglers will be targeting.

The bluewater pelagics should hang around while the water temperatures stay up. They will ball up schools of bait, so look for bait ball on your sounder.

The close reefs will still hold good numbers of mixed reef fish.

March normally means storms, and this will turn the jacks on even more as they fatten up. Jacks, whiting, GTs and flathead will be the main target for most estuary anglers throughout next month. March will see all the big muddies out moving around with the storms, and bass will hit just about anything in the freshwater.

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Focus on the hot water bite in the estuaries Budds Beach. The high tide is the time to target whiting on the flats during the day. This is great fun for the kids and they will get plenty of action, especially with yabby or worm baits. A good tip is to keep the bait moving. Cast out and slowly retrieve, or if you’re fishing from a boat, you can drift. If the drift is too fast, it’s best

GOLD COAST

Mark Ward barra09@live.com.au

February is when the offshore anglers are waiting for the cooler water and the estuary anglers are enjoying the hot water bite.

Offshore has been very exciting over the past month but it has been hard work.

There have been plenty of small marlin in close and big fish out wide but they have been very scattered and can be hard to find.

The same can be said for mahimahi and mackerel.

Anglers are hoping that this month the wind will subside and the cool, clear water will come towards shore with big schools of bait. That will concentrate the increased numbers of predators and have us burning a lot less fuel to find them.

Both spotted and Spanish mackerel will show up but may still be a little patchy. The gravel patch, Palm Beach Reef and the Nine-Mile have all been fishing well on their day, and have also been the cause of some frustration.

One report I got from a

Jacks lay dormant for most of the day and are definitely more active at night and in low light.

Sunrise is a great time to target them, as they don’t like water traffic, so you’ll find them feeding from around 4am; they seem to disappear as soon as the jet skies and boats hit the water.

Trevally are often a by-catch at this time of year. This juvenile golden trevally was landed while chasing mangrove jack. mate had big fish schooled deep on the Burleigh Gravel Patch where even live baits were being largely ignored.

It’s likely that these fish are mackerel. What brings them to bite some days and not others is a cause of great debate; one thing that we do know is that they start

to be more active coming into autumn, especially the spotties.

If we get the weather and water we need for a good mackerel bite, the wahoo will also start to appear.

They will hit the same lures and trolled baits intended for mackerel, making them a

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Ask your local tackle store for some tips. The boys at Gold Coast Fishing Tackle are particularly good at this form of fishing so that would be a good place to start.

Snapper are still being caught on the reefs as well as squire in the estuaries.

Targeting these fish on soft plastic lures is so much fun, no matter their size – these fish hit like freight trains.

The current offshore should be perfect for dropping soft plastics to bottom feeders.

ESTUARY Whiting have been in big numbers all along the Gold Coast. The Nerang River has been fishing well after dark around the Council Chambers and

Cody Ward with a great mangrove jack from a rock bar. to cast and slowly retrieve over a drop-off or across yabby beds.

Mangrove jack should be at their best this month.

The hot water gets them biting, so target them anywhere that there is a lot of structure. Rock walls, bridges, pontoons and even overhanging trees such as Cotton Trees that are common in the mid reaches of the Nerang River are all hotspots.

BEACHES Whiting and dart can be landed all along the Gold Coast and Tweed beaches.

Gutters that are hard against the shore are my favourites.

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End of summer storms really stir things up Within the next month water temperatures are set to rise, creating bait movement throughout the estuaries. The run-out tides after a large tide have been producing a lot of fish like trevally, as the water flows a lot harder.

Night fishing for pelagics is

GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn Instagram: @josh__dunn__

As the last month of summer sets in, we won’t see any shortage of hot weather. As in previous months, there should be more afternoon storms and the fishing is set to fire as the canals are stirred up.

After large amounts of rainfall, you’ll notice the canals turn brown. In this type of environment, I love my surface fishing – bream, jacks and trevally are my main species to target.

Normally the morning after a large rainfall – and even a few days after that – seems to produce the most fish.

With the darker water baitfish hug the cover even harder; try jetties, bridges, mangroves and rock walls.

All the predatory fish have to do is push them up against the rock and retaining walls, ready to demolish. Keeping an eye along and behind jetties is key; fish will often hit the surface at random. I also find the darker waters make the fish want to chase a lure even further, as they aren’t as scared as they would be in crystal clear

a great option, because these fish feel more confident to feed on baitfish around structure and in the open.

February will be a warm month with excellent fishing!

While the offshore fishing fires, the canals aren’t a bad plan B when the swell is up!

The author with a quality tailor taken from an early morning session from the rocks. water. Mangrove jack will chase the lure right to the boat in darker water.

Now is the perfect time to get out a bit more and fish the canals, as a lot of the offshore fishers are having a ball on marlin, mahimahi and mackerel. The offshore fishing can be extremely fun, but it seems the canals get a bit of a break at this time of year.

Mangrove jack are firing with this hot weather,

and each year it seems to get better! Most estuaries are producing solid fish, including the Coomera, Logan and Nerang rivers.

These fish will bite well into the night as well as throughout the day.

Recently I’ve targeted jacks at night and it’s been paying off. Using darker lures under low light conditions will work over the lighter colours, because of the silhouette.

At this time of the year flathead fishing can be up and down. If you stick to the basics and fish well-known flathead areas, you should be in luck.

Soft plastics work very well if you glide them along the weed beds and into the dropoffs just off the sand flats. The best way to rig these plastics I find is with a Hidden Weight jighead, to get the maximum action out of the lure. Stick to natural colours and fish them really slow.

Jackson Kath with his first trevally taken on a ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ.

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Big fish coming in on warmer currents JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

February presents many different types of fishing, as there are several different kinds of fish on

Glen Thiess caught this 12kg mahimahi out of a tinnie just through the ’Pin Bar.

offer to test out your skill and hopefully land a few good fish.

The big fish have showed up on cue this year with marlin, mackerel, tuna, wahoo, cobia and mahimahi cruising up and down the coast chasing bait schools and warmer ocean currents.

You don’t need to venture far through the Pin bar to find them either, as they can be as close as just behind the first line of breakers. Most choose to troll around all day in search of surface action or bait schools on their sounders. Another great option is to find the bait, jig up a few livies and float line them out until a hungry predator picks them up. This is a great way to spend a day out on the water and great fun when fighting these big fish.

Small schools of chopper tailor should be coming through the bar chasing schools of white bait, so use lures that look like white bait or just pick up a frozen pack and use small ganged hooks and a light sinker. Look for the birds diving and tailor chopping and get in there to chase them.

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This 20kg monster bull mahimahi was caught near the ‘Pin by Kayla Harris. It was her first mahimahi.

Whiting will be at the top of most fishos’ lists as they are a top table fish and great fun to catch. Bloodworms and beach worms are always the best bait. Yabbies, squid or prawns will also do the job. The best spots that have been producing good fish lately are the sandbanks from Slipping Sands, Cobby Passage, the Pig Styes, the Gold Bank, Whalleys Gutter, the Pandannus Banks, the Never Fail Islands and the bottom of Kangaroo Island, to name just a few. If you like fishing in the Logan then try the Junction, Ageston Sands and around those small islands in front of the prawn farm.

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

Just look for structure and you’ll find bream. The larger fish have been coming at night mainly from rocky outcrops like Giants Grave, the power lines, Flat Rock and Rocky Point.

Using baits like mullet fillets, squid and any bait that holds onto the hook will give you a better chance of a fish, as baits like prawns and yabbies are easily picked off by a hungry bream. Small vibes and plastics have been working well too. However, there is always a danger of losing lures when fishing the rocks and it can get quite expensive.

Everyone loves chasing flatties at the ‘Pin as they are growing in numbers and now seem to be the most targeted species at the ‘Pin. They can be caught year-round, put up a great fight and can grow to over a metre, which makes them popular with all fishers.

When using bait stick to small fish like white bait, hardiheads, small gar, pillies, froggies and mullet.

When using soft plastics try to use ones that mimic these baits, as that’s what they love to feed on. All hardbodies getting trolled already look like these baits; the secret is to find the areas where the fish are and you shouldn’t go wrong.

Try around the bottom of Kangaroo Island, Pandannus weed banks, the Stockyards, the dead trees at the bottom of North Straddie and Cobby Passage.

At this time of year the mud crabs should be in full swing and now

that the school holiday boat traffic is behind us the crabbing should be a little easier. Try around the mouth of the rivers, Rocky Point, behind Tabby Tabby and Woogoompah Island.

Sandies usually hold at the northern part of the ‘Pin near Russell and Macleay islands at this time of year.

• Thanks for all reports and if you have any questions on conditions or what’s biting, drop us a line at Gem Bait & Tackle on (07) 3287 3868 or email gembait@tpg.com.au.

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Feb is a fantastic time to be fishing offshore GOLD COAST

David Green

This month is a great time to chase pelagic species off the Gold Coast.

There has been a good run of juvenile black marlin on the inshore grounds and this should continue this month. Trolling baits and skirted lures on the 25-40m lines has produced plenty of small black marlin in the 15-30kg range and even if the water is a bit green, the fish have been biting. Look for birds, patches of bait and inshore current lines.

The fish have been a bit tentative in striking, especially when conditions are calm. Plenty were caught over the Christmas to New Year period and these fish should still be in numbers right through February. As the month progresses the marlin will move further offshore and a lot more big fish in the 50-70kg range will turn up on wider grounds such as Deep Trag, Spot X and the 42-fathom reef where there are large schools of slimy mackerel and pilchards.

Deep live baiting is generally the most effective

Mitch Calcutt with a decent marlin.

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method on these grounds.

Out on the continental shelf the blue marlin will be active this month and so far it has been an excellent season for blue marlin, striped marlin, mahimahi and wahoo. Catches of up to five blue marlin a day have been quite common.

Good areas to try are Jims Mountain, the Riv grounds and the Tweed Canyons.

Most of the action has been in water depths between 250 and 400m. Large skirted lures have been the most effective method with a trolling speed of around 8 knots.

The mackerel have arrived at Palm Beach Reef and plenty of spotted mackerel have turned up and can be caught on pilchards, metal lures and by slow trolling using live baits or pilchards. February should see a lot more Spanish mackerel turning up in spots such as Palm Beach Reef, Mermaid Reef, the Gravel Patch and the 24-fathom reef off Southport. Trolling rigged dead baits such as tailor and bonito is generally a great way to catch them, and if you have a downrigger, try trolling small live

baits set at about 5-10m off the bottom. February is one of the better months to chase mackerel off the Gold Coast.

Mahimahi have also been in good numbers; they will probably thin out a bit as the month progresses. Most of these fish are 7-12kg and have turned up in depths from 40m to well wide of the continental shelf. They are extremely partial to trolled skirted lures, live baits and trolled garfish, and make great eating.

Be very careful handling them when you bring them on board, as they are one of the most difficult to control fish you will ever catch. I use a small cord with a hook on one end to control them.

The hook goes in the mouth and the cord goes around the tail, keeping the fish in a curve. This prevents the fish bruising its flesh and saves a lot on mess and blood spatter.

Bottom fishing is generally quiet this month and is dictated by the current. There will still be a few pigfish, rosy job fish, snapper and kingfish on the 36 and 50-fathom reefs, but

as the current flows hard on these grounds it makes deep water bottom fishing a lot more difficult.

RIVERS AND ESTUARIES February is a great month to chase whiting on

Kane Barclay caught this hen mahimahi. These fish have been around in good numbers recently.

poppers in the Broadwater. I like to work the larger sand flats around the Seaway and Jumpinpin areas on a rising tide. As the water pushes up over the sand and weed the whiting start to move up on the flats chasing small jelly prawns.

Use light braid around 2lb, a short length of 6lb nylon leader and a small popper or stickbait. Clear-bodied lures seem to be the most effective.

Whiting seem to bite better when conditions are quite windy and casting long casts downwind is very effective. The retrieve should be quite quick and when you get a follow keep winding with plenty of twitches. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t slow down the retrieve. Most of the whiting caught on poppers are good fish of 30-35cm and make a great feed.

This method also produces flathead, bream, tailor and trevally. A 50-60cm GT on a whiting popper on 2lb can take quite a while to sort out! Unfortunately bite-offs from both pike and tailor are all just a part of whiting fishing in the Broadwater.

There should be plenty of mangrove jack around this month and the floating pontoons in the Nerang and Coomera rivers are all producing good jacks on both soft plastics and

hardbodied lures with quite a few good specimens over 50cm turning up early in the season.

In February it is definitely worthwhile trying early in the morning with surface poppers for jacks.

Canal mouths are often the best spots to fish poppers and in the pre-dawn period the jacks are often patrolling well wide of cover. This is a

very exciting way to target these great fish. As well as mangrove jack, poppers produce trevally, tailor and the occasional giant herring, with the odd barramundi turning up in increasing numbers over the past few years.

February is generally the best month of the year to chase mud crabs in Gold Coast waters. It has been quite a slow crab season so far with very little rain and

the crabbing has been poor.

Hopefully this month will see increased numbers of crabs in the Pimpama and Coomera systems. The first big tides in February can produce excellent crabbing in these rivers. Chicken frames and mackerel heads are my preferred baits for muddies.

Overall, February is a great month to fish the Gold Coast and it is turning into an excellent pelagic season.

Michael Green with a fair muddy. Hopefully this month will see increased numbers of crabs in the Pimpama and Coomera systems.

FEBRUARY 2018

33

A big old bay bonanza SOUTHERN BAY

Nick Whyte

February is a great month to get out in the bay; the pelagic species are in

inside of North Stradbroke Island and the back of Peel Island inside the Naval Banks. Look for the birds following the schools and target these fish from the direction they are heading.

area over. Some fish have been pushing up to a metre long in size.

The tuna have been more up around the four beacons. To the north there have been small schools around Bird and Goat islands but they have been hard to tempt and very wary of boat traffic.

Throughout the bay there have been some nice snapper showing up. The snapper have been of good size with a lot of fish in the 50-70cm size range. There have been good reports from Harry Atkinson Artificial, the Peel Artificial Reef, the eastern side of Coochiemudlo and also the northern end of Macleay Island around Potts Point. There have also been plenty of pan-sized fish in the same locations with the odd bigger fish to 8kg reported.

Glen Kampe with a crab-eating painted sweetlip.

The Logan River and Cobby Passage have also been giving up a few fish. Live bait and lures have both worked with baits around

Threadfin salmon have been a little bit quiet in the Brisbane River, although there are great numbers of mulloway at the moment.

Scotty caught this great 110cm mulloway. good numbers and there’s plenty going on in the estuaries as well.

Spotty mackerel, longtail tuna and mac tuna will frequent the northern and middle bay.

The best places to look for the spotty mackerel are the four beacons, the Rainbow Channel along the

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Mangrove jack are still around in great numbers although they are a hard target to get to bite. For those that put in the effort the results are there. Coomera and Pimpama rivers have still been performing well.

100mm or 4” being the most productive. Working low light periods has also paid dividends.

Some nice fish to 110cm have been captured in the last couple of weeks. Zerek Fish Traps and ZMan 5” PaddlerZ

have been the standout lures.

For the best results you need to sound out the schools of fish and continually pepper the schools to get the bite.

They can at times be quite finicky and persistence pays.

There’s a nice run of flathead around the middle Bay Islands. Macleay and Garden islands have produced quite a few good fish on the troll. Decent fish have come from the drains when targeted with soft plastics on the last of the run-out tide. The eastern side of Long Island is also worth a go.

If you have a great capture from the Southern Bay you would like to share, email it through to techfishing@hotmail. com. Until next month, tech-it-easy.

• If you would like to learn more about targeting fish on artificial lures or would like to learn how to get the most out of your sounder, please call Nick on 0422 213 669 to customize an on-water session to suit your fishing or sounder needs. Check out the Tech Fishing Facebook page for further information.

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Summer fun in southern bay MORETON BAY

Ryan Smith

The summer holidays are sadly at an end and 2018 is in full swing. Over the summer break I was fortunate enough to head off for a

well as lots of food. When we arrived, we quickly set up camp, and then headed off to the mangroves on the top of the tide just north of camp.

We managed a few bream on surface lures casted right up next to the trees. We found that the shady canopies under the

bream, sweetlip and even a couple of sharks were caught, but the highlight was Jack’s 80cm flathead. Hopping a soft

managed to land the big girl.

We took a few photos and took a measurement, and off she went.

Finley Pell with a shark caught on a live hardihead.

A handful of bream taken on Bassday Sugapens as the sun was setting. plastic along the drop off with long pauses accounted for this fish and after a long nail-biting fight with a 4lb leader, we

Each afternoon we had a high around sunset that gave us the opportunity to fish the oyster beds and mangroves

The author caught this flathead on the edge of a drop-off using a soft plastic. few nights camping. I spent four nights with a few mates over at Blaksleys on North Stradbroke Island.

It all started with ian early morning start of loading the boat with all necessary camping and fishing gear as

trees held a lot more fish than in the open sun.

Each day we would come back for lunch and soak some large baits and livies off the drop off just out from the beach and throw soft plastics as well. Numerous flathead,

Jack Burling with his PB flathead.

around Macleay Island. As the tide was creeping up onto the flats, we were throwing a variety of lures, with shallow crankbaits and surface lures working wonders. As the sun was setting over the water, we would make the journey back to camp to set up a small fire and anchor the boat for the night.

We kept a fish each for dinner every night, which over the four nights included bream, sweetlip, flathead and a few other species mixed in.

At night we would all soak a few baits just out the front of the campsite and also flick a few lures. Several flathead and whiting were caught on both lures and baits.

Each morning we would go for a walk along the weed beds just as the sun was coming up. Slowly rolling small crankbaits and soft plastics with the tide accounted for a

few small flathead and even a few mullet. After a bacon and egg roll we set off for the morning, usually heading towards Peel and Goat.

Flicking 3” soft plastics along the coral and rubble, it wasn’t long until a few fish came aboard. Squire, bream and a wide variety of reefies were all caught using this technique.

The final day felt like it came so quick, and the packing up of camp began.

The standout lures for the few days were the Bassday Sugapen, Imakastu Dilemma Popper, Atomic Crank 38 Deep and Shallow, Daiwa Double Clutch, Atomic 3” Prongs and the OSP DoLive Shad.

I think a trip like this would suit anyone who loves their fishing and boating. If you are planning a trip like this, make sure you have enough food, water and fuel and always tell someone where you are going.

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A late summer smorgasbord for keen anglers BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With warm to stinking hot conditions over the last couple of months, anglers have been fortunate to have a broad array of pelagic species at their disposal.

Bay inhabitants such as school mackerel, spotted mackerel, longtail tuna, mac tuna, cobia and several others have been around in good numbers.

Anglers without the need for speed have been scoring a broad array of other piscatorial and crustacean species within Moreton Bay and its filtering waterways. Let’s look at a few of the better options for anglers during February.

BAY MACKEREL Good numbers of school mackerel have been taken in recent months by anglers jigging beacons, trolling spoons and deploying pilchards and small live baits. School mackerel have mainly been caught in the deeper channels adjacent sand banks, the bay island margins and around the shipping channel beacons.

I often use a spoon lure trolled behind a paravane to locate where mackerel are holding and then cast out chromed slugs and slices. I retrieve them flat stick after allowing them to sink to the bottom. The school mackerel have been healthy and most trips didn’t require too much effort to catch a few for the table.

They are still around in reasonable numbers, however anglers have mainly

concentrated their efforts on spotted mackerel since they began to show up late in December. Their numbers have been sporadic and you often need to do some travelling to find the action.

The northern bay, along the front of Bribie Island, Gilligans Island and the northwest channel have been where the majority were located, however they will gradually move south in numbers in the coming weeks.

Good places to begin your search include the Measured Mile, Middle Bank, the shipping channels along Moreton and east of Bribie Island, around the artificial reefs and north of the Paddock green zone.

On a calm day the slashing action of feeding mackerel can be seen from quite some distance, if bird activity hasn’t been sighted beforehand. The area between the Measured Mile, Mud Island, Four Beacons and Middle Bank can often hold good schools of mackerel during February.

Baits such as pilchards and small live offerings (such as slimy mackerel and yakkas) can be fished around the beacons and artificial reefs.

Surface feeding schools can be targeted with productive offerings such as chromed slugs and slices. Newer offerings like weighted casting minnows work exceptionally well. Smaller stickbaits are also highly productive for school mackerel and other pelagics such as longtail tuna and mac tuna.

Trolling small deep diving minnow lures on light braided line is a fun way to score a few spotties along the

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Naomi with her first-ever spotted mackerel taken from the edge of a condensed bait ball on a cast and retrieved chrome slice. edges of major sand banks and channels. Spoon-style lures trolled a few metres behind a trolling board or a paravane are highly effective and the weapon of choice for the commercial line fishers targeting mackerel.

Mackerel will hang around for a few months yet, however February can be one of the better months.

JACKS For anglers targeting mangrove jack, the fishing has been hard with every fish hard-earned after many hours of casting. Anglers commonly target heavily structured areas such as around bridge and jetty pylons, pontoons, mangrove snags, rock walls and the like.

Most serious anglers prefer lures, however live baits also offer an effective and more relaxed way to fish.

Obtaining baits such as live prawns, herring, mullet and gar will put you in good stead when live baiting around the aforementioned structures as well as deeper holes, especially during the darker hours. Live baiting can be a good way to target jacks landbased and the areas around the larger bridge pylons are popular for anglers to try their luck.

Those using lures will be able to cover more water in their search. While fishing from a boat is considerably easier, land-based anglers are also able to get into the action.

Deep and shallow diving minnow lures, soft plastic shads and crustacean profiles, topwater offerings such as stickbaits and poppers and vibration baits (both hard and soft) will all produce the goods when presented and worked well around these structured areas. Most anglers fish dawn, dusk and night hours

when jacks are more active.

Estuary cod, trevally, bream, flathead and several other species are likely by-catch for jack anglers.

CRUSTACEANS Prawns have been available in decent numbers since late December in the river systems north of Brisbane. The Caboolture River was a little quieter than normal, however the Pine River fired early in January with small to medium-sized prawns. These will grow rapidly and will be medium to large prawns within a month or so. While the northern creeks and rivers will still be the best places to target prawns during February, their movements can be strange at times and they may make an early appearance in areas of the bay such as the Nudgee area or Deception Bay. Quality nets are paramount

for consistent results with minimum casting. There are a lot of quality, locally made nets that are generally ordered and purchased straight from the maker. Many stores are now stocking the locally designed Pro Throw nets, which are a quality net at a moderate price.

The 12ft top-pocket models are the best for prawning, as they sink flat due to their fourreduction design. They have a pocket at the top where the prawns are trapped and no bottom pockets to collect shell grit, rocks, mud and other debris, which are annoying and waste time.

There are a few methods to cast these large nets, however I find the American shrimper’s method suits me.

There is no size limit on prawns but there is a 10L bucket limit per person, which also includes what you already have at home, so ensure you are not over the limit.

Mud crabs are a good option up in the creeks and rivers, especially if we get a bit of rain to flush them down the system. Set a few safety pots with fish frames, whole mullet or chicken carcasses and leave them overnight for the best results. Sand crab numbers in the bay have been good and the same pots can be set along the edges of the channels, deeper gutters and drains leading off the sand flats for good results. Crab pot theft and raiding has been a problem lately, so don’t go too far from your pots or you may lose them.

THREADFIN Good numbers of threadfin have been caught in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River in recent months and this should continue with regularity for a month or so yet. Early mornings and the stinking hot February afternoons can offer the better opportunities.

Threadfin will often school in the dredge holes

along the main rock wall at the mouth, the ledge up from the sewerage outlet, around the fronts of the larger jetties (adhere to approach restrictions) and along the more prominent drop-offs along the eastern end of the oil pipeline. Numerous other areas downriver from the Gateway Bridge will also produce and often it’s just a case of using your sounder to locate a few fish to cast at.

Threadies are often found in deeper water, so fast sinking lures such as vibration baits and especially soft vibes are commonly used. However, there are a lot of lures that will produce the goods including jighead-rigged soft plastics, minnow lures, Cranka Crabs and micro-jigs. Threadfin don’t have great eyesight, so you really need to put the lure close to them so they can detect its presence.

If bait fishing is more your thing then live baits will definitely offer you the best opportunity. Mullet, banana prawns, herring, gar and pike are all good offerings when fished close to the bottom using a suicide or circle hook, fluorocarbon leader and a minimal of lead. Anchoring along the edge of the declines into the main riverbed and then deploying your baits aft is a relaxing way to spend the day. Fish can be caught during any time of the tide, however the falling tide seems to be the best. Dead baits can also produce with pilchards, large prawns and most small, whole fish baits worth trying.

LONGTAIL TUNA There haven’t been a lot of longtails around in recent months. Hopefully their numbers improve over the coming month. The few fish I have found have been in small numbers, however most have been better than 15kg in weight. You will often need to be Johnny-on-the-spot to get a cast in the zone, as they

Trolling spoons behind paravanes can be very successful on mackerel when they are in the deeper channels. This school mackerel was one of over 20 caught in a single session and won the lucky door prize of an invite for dinner.

will feed on the go, slurping bait from the surface and then moving off quickly.

Sometimes a bird hovering overhead may give you some indication as to their movement and you may be able to stalk them and then get a cast close by when they surface. Longtails can be very profile orientated at times when they are in larger schools feeding on a particular baitfish conglomeration.

However, these larger specimens are feeding at will and will commonly engulf anything they come across, therefore they will eat a broad array of profiles. I mainly use stickbaits these days, as I can cast these on heavier line; this allows you to land fish quicker and have them in better condition for release.

Live baits can also produce larger longtails and have the benefit of also attracting

Within Moreton Bay there are plenty of great areas to chase whiting with some of the more popular spots being the Sand Hills area, Small Ships Channel, the Rous Channel and the banks either side of these. The best baits are sand worms, although bloodworms, squid strips, thin chicken fillet strips and a few other baits will work well.

The Isome Worms also work exceptionally well and are the sole offering of many anglers. Most anglers fish on the drift using fluorocarbon leaders to make a paternoster style rig sporting size #4 or #6 long shank hooks with a small sinker on the bottom.

Drifting allows you to cover more water, which means you are more likely to intersect schools of whiting cruising the sand flats and channels. Anglers often get a preference for certain areas

in shallower areas and at night or deployed close to the bottom with just enough lead to keep them there. Dead baits will also attract sharks in the Brisbane River and other estuarine areas, however live offerings are more likely to be detected by any shark within the area.

In Moreton Bay there is a broad array of sharks to be targeted including hammerhead and whalers.

Deploying whole fish baits behind the boat as you drift will allow you to cover a lot of water. A berley trail of tuna oil will heighten your chances dramatically, bringing the sharks to the area where your baits are.

Nylon-coated wire leaders are required to avoid biteoffs and circle hooks mean that the majority of sharks will be hooked in the corner of the mouth. You are only

Sand crab numbers have been good in recent months with most pots producing at least a few keepers. species such as cobia. Yakkas, slimy mackerel, cowanyoung, pike and others will all work and are best fished anywhere from the surface to mid water.

The Curtin Artificial, shipping channel beacons and areas with prominent current lines are prime locations to soak your offerings. Hopefully we will see an influx of longtails in Moreton Bay over the coming months.

BAY WHITING One of the more popular recreational species in Moreton Bay is whiting. Both winter (diver or trumpeter whiting) and summer whiting (yellowfin or sand whiting) can be taken in varied numbers all year round. During the warmer months it’s obviously summer whiting that are taken in the best numbers. These have a combined bag limit with other whiting species of 30 fish and a minimum size of 23cm. The winter whiting have a bag limit of 50 and no minimum size.

due to previous success, however you need to be prepared to shift around if things are quiet. Often the commercial netters will work an area heavily and therefore the fishing will be quiet for a few days or weeks afterwards.

Shifting locations will usually mean the difference between success and failure.

SHARKS The warmer months mean that sharks are both plentiful and hungry. Their aggressive nature results in them sometimes eating a hooked fish struggling on the end of your line as you retrieve it.

Anglers can get their revenge by targeting sharks. They offer a lot of fun on the appropriate tackle and many enjoy the palatable qualities of their flesh, which is often referred to as ‘flake.’

In the Brisbane River, the best approach is to use a live bait, such as a mullet or small catfish. These can be suspended under a float

permitted to keep one shark up to 1.5m in length. They are best bled, filleted and skinned immediately after capture. If they are dead for too long before filleting, they can take on a slight ammonia taste at times.

CONCLUSION Plenty of options exist for anglers during February. The Moreton Bay pelagics should be plentiful and species such as snapper, sweetlip, cod and others will also be available in decent numbers for those who target them. Prawns are getting better in numbers and size by the week and the northern rivers are almost a sure bet to secure a good feed.

Sand and mud crabs are there just waiting to crawl into your safety pot. February can offer a real smorgasboard of aquatic delights to provide you with a lot of fun or a succulent seafood meal. The days are hot, and so are the fishing, crabbing and prawning options. Get out and have a crack.

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Decent weather means good fishing this month anglers have been tagging quite a few marlin and we’ve seen quite a few free jumpers in our travels.

Anglers have got plenty of options, east of the of the South Passage Bar this month with both pelagic and bottom fish letting you break the day up, so have a

BRISBANE OFFSHORE

John Gooding

A year makes a difference; the weather last December and January was unsettled to say the least, but the past couple of months have seen some of the best runs of good weather we’ve seen in a while. We managed plenty of charters back-to-back and fishing has been very good for the month.

We spent the majority of charters live baiting and quality trag and schoolsized amberjack in the 4-6kg range kept us busy with some red-hot sessions.

As I mentioned last month, the size of the trag has been pleasing, with plenty of 70-80cm versions and a few over 90cm. Most of the ambos were of the same mould and we boated a few larger models, with the best just over 30kg.

Along with the amberjack and trag we boated a few juvenile snapper and yellowtail kingfish but they would have had to be quick to beat the others to the live bait.

We also picked up a few bonus mahimahi around the

the 90m line can sometimes fire well at this time of year and.

If you’re after a big knobby, the 50-60m line south of the Cathedrals off North Straddie can produce at this time of year.

There can often be a bit of water between them

A quality mixed bag of amberjack and trag.

10kg mark; they just turned up around the boat and we fed them a livie.

Pelagic fishing has been steady lately with a few Spanish mackerel and wahoo being caught in the Hutchison Shoal area but down around Point Lookout it has been a little quiet.

The Spanish mackerel season went late last year, so there’s still time for a decent run. The billfish

A 30kg amberjack that gave this angler a workout.

A bull mahimahi that was fed a livie beside the boat.

crack at both.

If you’re keen for a feed of juvenile snapper,

“BE A MA T CHECK YO E UR

but when you get one, it will be a cracker. Big baits are the go.

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Summer bream bonanza NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

What great fishing weather we have had! We have had the occasional stormy afternoon and windy weekend, but on a whole the days have been quite favourable for anglers both inshore and off.

As we soldier through another steamy summer, the fishing has been quite good in all corners of 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 during this month.

During the start of our summer 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 southern bay, making that area quite fruitful. But during this last month we have had our seasonal ESE winds make a comeback, which have fired up our bay and bought the muchneeded food sources back

to our northern waters.

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

Summer means a good topwater bite.

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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 with the next cast.

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 hardbody lures and soft plastics like Atomic Cranks, OSP Dunks, Jackall Chubbies, ZMan 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 such as the Pine and Caboolture River and Pumicestone Passage.

The Pine and Caboolture rivers have been working better on the incoming tide, with the bream chasing bait up into the rivers and amongst the mangroves, which is quite a contrast from 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 or deep diving crankbaits can ensure your presentation remains in the strike zone for longer.

FLATHEAD I love this time of year, as while fishing estuaries and inshore waters, you can pretty much guarantee you are going to encounter lizards somewhere in the northern bay. We don’t quite breed them as big as the southern coast waters, but we do commonly encounter good numbers around the 40-50cm mark.

Fast-flowing tidal areas with swirling waters are a perfect backdrop to hooking good lizards, so be on the lookout at your local fishing hole for these areas, with anchoring up being a good option. Live poddy mullet, herring or mullet strips are loved by flathead this time of year, with soft plastics being a great option for the lure fanatics.

Choice soft plastics have been 4” ZMan SwimmerZ, 3” Atomic Plazo Prongs and 3.5”

Jesse Gough shows off some healthy summer bream.

ZMan Trick SwimZ, with brighter colours catching the eyes of these bottom feeders. Try a 1/4 or 3/8oz jighead, with a size 3/0 being most suitable.

GRASSY SWEETLIP The incidence of these awesome fighters have been increasing over the past few years, making them an option in certain areas like Pumicestone Passage and the Redcliffe Peninsula, specifically North Reef.

These reef-dwelling brutes are more commonly found out in deeper reefs and in the warmer northern waters, but they have made themselves well at home on our inshore and estuarine

systems much to the delight of many anglers. A fun catch and a beautiful table fish, they have been known to be caught on both bait and hardbody lures, making them a great by-catch while chasing snapper.

TIP OF THE MONTH Rust! Yes, every boatie’s nightmare. Be sure to wash all gear that comes in contact with the saltwater on your days out, as a good freshwater spray can go a long way.

Reels, used lures, knives, pliers, braid scissors and rods should always accompany your standard boat wash, with a bit of Lanox or WD40 working well on moving trailer and outboard parts.

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The great thing about this time of the year is that we usually will see the best of both worlds with the warmer currents evident and keeping the pelagic bite hot.

Tuna have been very active around the reefs in close to Noosa. They have been schooling in large numbers

around Jew Shoal, Halls Reef and Sunshine Reef. A range of metal slugs including River2sea Sea Rock, ARMA Radico slugs, Halco Twisties and other similar lures have all gotten the job done. It pays to have a selection of sizes on board, as tuna can be notoriously fussy. Match the hatch!

For the small craft that don’t feel comfortable making the trip to the banks or North Reef then Sunshine Reef is

pelagics with Spanish mackerel, wahoo and large tuna all reported lately. The Barwon Banks have also been giving up some nice fish including Maori cod, trout, pearl perch, snapper, cobia and mulloway. The northern end of the Barwon Banks is one of the hotspots out wide with snapper, pearl perch and redthroat emperor nailing pillies and fresh mullet fillets.

On the southern reefs the Gneerings have come up with catches of nannygai,

claimed some big lizards. The Maroochy River is showing her strengths with quality fish coming from all locations.

Twin Waters is the trevally hotspot with tealeaf, GTs and bigeye going hard on surface lures. Walk-the-dog style lures such as the Atomic Bulldog have been popular with the locals. Mangrove jack have been very busy around the bridge pylons and mouths of the creeks.

Again, using suspending lures such as the Zerek

Ronald Wong from Singapore got this thumper bar-cheek coral trout while fishing a charter out of Noosa.

Pinga O’Neal with a horse of an amberjack at 103cm; Pinga was fishing Caloundra Wide and also landed mahimahi and pearl perch.

a great option with sweetlip, Maori cod, juvenile and coral trout all hanging around.

Sunshine Reef is also a great place to give micro-jigging a go and on the shallower grounds you can use some of the lighter jigs. North Reef has been firing with Moses perch, hussar, grass sweetlip, Venus tuskfish and slatey bream all hitting the decks.

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mulloway, Moses perch and grass sweetlip before sun-up on pillies and squid. The Spanish mackerel have also been in good numbers with most fish coming from around the top of the tide. Murphys Reef has been good for kingies and some big wahoo with the good old pilchards and yakka floaters the prime baits.

Spanner crabs have been plentiful over the last month and the 35m depth seems to be the best depth to claim some nice frogs. The spanner crab legal size limit is 10cm from the tip of the spike at the front of the carapace to the mid rear edge of the carapace base. A bag limit maximum is set at 20 per person.

In the Noosa River whiting have been in great numbers with Weyba Creek, Gympie Terrace and the Frying Pan all producing quality fish. Lures from Strada, Atomic and Bassday and River2Sea surface poppers and walkers have caught some of the larger fish.

For the bait anglers live and cured worms, peeled prawns and freshly pumped yabbies have been the best baits.

Mangrove jack have been in great numbers this year, with more and more fish taken, photographed and then released, which will ensure sustainability in the Sunshine Coast Rivers. Anglers fishing at night have had the most success with plenty of fish taken on live baits.

Fishing between the lakes with suspending lures cast hard up against the timber has also claimed some good fish. There have been plenty of trevally in the river with some good bigeye, golden, and diamond trevally coming from the Woods Bay. Surface popping has been great fun with the fish actively feeding in the low light periods.

Flathead have been in good numbers with most fish taken on the run-out tide. Smaller pilchards on ganged hooks have delivered the goods while soft plastics in prawn profiles have also

Tango Shad 69mm has been perfect for securing these toothy critters. Nice catches of whiting are still appearing around the back side of Goat Island and the Black Banks with most fish taken on worms, live yabbies and soldier crabs. Mud crabs are still on the move and areas further upriver are producing the legal-sized crabs. Don’t forget to soak your mullet in tuna oil to greatly enhance the scent trail.

On the beaches whiting are still in good numbers along the Sunshine Beach, Marcus and Noosa North Shore. Freshly-pulled sand worms and pipis are the best

and larger tailor. The best baits have been whole pilchards, squid and slabs of fresh mullet fillets. Larger giant trevally are being caught off the rocks on large surface poppers and GT Ice Creams. Heaver braided lines and a big cast is the key.

On the southern beaches around Maroochydore nicesize dart have been caught off the sand bags over at Cotton Tree with the larger fish preferring the run-out tide. On the northern side of the river Mudjimba, Marcoola and Coolum beaches have all delivered whiting and dart on worms and pipis. Once again the run-out is the preferred tidal influence.

In the freshwater saratoga have been caught in both Lake Macdonald and Borumba in the timber areas using spinnerbaits and smaller suspending lures.

Working the lures around the thicker timber lines first thing in the morning is a proven tactic. Bass are still on the bite with some of the schools of fish being suspended at different depths. Try trolling both deep and shallow diving hardbodied lures.

Micro-jigs have also been popular and seem to get a good reaction bite when fished through the schools. Keep an eye on your sounder and work the water columns, as this will increase your chances of catching more fish and give you an idea of the depths where

Local lad Ryan French caught and released this lovely golden trevally fishing the outer Woods Bay in the Noosa River on the run-out tide.

The golden went for a whole prawn bait. baits with the start of the run-out tide seeming to fish the best. Dart are also prolific and can be a bit of a pain if you are chasing the whiting.

There have been some larger dart at first light caught on small pilchards, white bait and hardiheads.

A few school mulloway are still being caught off the rocks on Noosa Headland, along with snapper, sweetlip

the fish are actively biting.

• Don’t forget to check into www.fishingnoosa. com.au for all the latest up-to-date info on fishing and bar crossings. The knowledgeable teams at Davo’s Tackle World Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success!

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Fisheries management WEIPA

Dave Donald

In spite of all the research that has been carried out on our oceans and rivers, much of our watery world remains mysterious and poorly understood. Looking for evidence of damage under the sea poses is much harder than on land.

For thousands of years, humanity has assumed there are endless fish in the oceans.

Nowadays, scientific evidence shows this is not true, but many politicians still think our fish stocks are endless and can easily rebound after commercial overfishing.

This egotistic ignorance has had some disastrous results. Key managers, politicians and fishers insisted that fears of an imminent collapse of Atlantic cod stocks were unfounded. However, when trawlers went out to the Grand Banks in 1992, they scooped up what proved to be the last viable schools. Atlantic cod used to be regarded as one of the world’s most prolific species, but this final assault was so devastating that 25 years later, there are too few cod in the Atlantic to support any fishing effort.

There are plenty of similar stores, including Peruvian anchovies, west coast USA salmon, our own defunct cannery industries that once processed sardines and tuna, and deep sea orange roughy.

Every angler needs to find the time to watch the documentary End of the Line made by Rupert Murray in 2009 (based on the book by Charles Clover).

Focusing on the plight of the once prolific Atlantic bluefin tuna, it’s a story of sheer greed and environmental contempt.

“What has all this got to do with our ‘bread and butter’ species?” you might ask. “As long as I can catch a feed of whiting, flathead, barra or coral trout, who gives a stuff about the rest of the world!”

Well, if you’d like to catch those fish in five years’ time, or 10 years’ time, or want your kids and their kids to have that pleasure, it’s time to consider doing your bit to try to help that happen.

Modern fisheries management concentrates on species that are most important commercially, and often focuses on specific stock rather than the whole fishery. The pollies talk about sustainability and ensuring marine diversity, but in practice they don’t consider the interaction between fish species, other marine fauna and so on. To significantly deplete the numbers of one species and not others (e.g. by commercial fishing) alters the foodchain balance that maintains diversity.

In the early 1970s, I often

sat on top of Indian Head, Fraser Island, marvelling at the mobs of sharks, dolphins, large tuna and big yellowtail kings feasting on the extensive tailor schools that stretched north and south as far as the eye could see. Today’s 25-year-old angler at the same spot would think I’m dreaming!

Now, I accept that commercial fishing is essential to provide the community with fresh seafood – and commercial fishing can be done sustainably when managed correctly. Problems have only arisen when the ocean’s bounty has been abused, mostly due to technical advances that put the odds in the pros’ favour. Fisheries management hasn’t kept pace with this; big dollars seem to be important than fishery health.

Throw in massive coastal development and increasing siltation and pollution, and the outlook is grim.

The best indicator of the health of a species boils down to genetics. The greater the number of individuals spawning together, the more robust the genetic mix, resulting in healthy, thriving stocks. Some species spawn only in very specific locations, so their genetics are unique to that location. Barramundi, for example, have around 30

demonstrates how essential it is to manage the fish stocks spread all along the Queensland coastline. Fishing effort, weather conditions and environmental degradation all impact on the marine world, and the only effective way to monitor changes is by engaging local communities.

The recent Fisheries Review suggested a major management initiative as one of its major goals – a return to a minimum of 60% of original stocks of all Queensland species. This has to be the most positive initiative in the history of our fishery.

Reaching such a milestone will require concessions from both commercial and recreational fishers.

Unfortunately, there are those on both sides who want to stick their heads in the sand and insist on doing what they always have done. The Fraser Island example above demonstrates what these navel gazers can expect by failing to move with the times!

The figure of 60% is a commendable goal given the population and farming based changes that have impacted on our marine environment. Such a goal would almost certainly mean stopping offshore netting of pelagics such as shark and mackerel, a method that

separate genetic populations along the coastline between Exmouth and Maryborough.

It is widely accepted that once a species reaches a level of less than 40% of original stocks, the population could be subject to genetic changes.

In a worst-case scenario, this could threaten the viability of the species with significant changes to its fertility and/or fry that are unable to survive.

I was privy to research carried out in the Karumba area during the early 1990s that estimated that the local barramundi population had been reduced to nearly 15% of its original stocks. There were hundreds of net fishers, both licensed and unlicensed, operating in that area in those days.

This example

has already greatly reduced numbers of spotted and grey mackerel. The netted product is of very poor marketable quality anyway, unlike linecaught mackerel.

Mullet is another species that deserves a reprieve.

Netting spawning schools is bad enough, but to take them for their roe and discard their flesh is abhorrent. The added fact that some NSW pros still have access to mullet schools in Queensland as far north as Fraser Island makes our Fisheries policy look absurd.

So do you want your ‘healthy’ fishery to be based on the marine world of 2017 or 1977? The answer is obvious but getting there requires us all to be vigilant. Get out there and make it happen!

FEBRUARY 2018

47

DIY Lure Making

DIY lure making: Pop‘n’Doc BRISBANE

Greg Vinall support@makewoodenlures.com

I thought for our final project of this beginner’s lure making series we might do something a little different. So this month we’ll make a little surface popper to take advantage of the upcoming autumn surface bite.

The Pop‘n’Doc is a very simple lure to make and a lot of fun if you like splashy strikes on light lines. Ideal for throwing at bream, whiting, trevally, saratoga, sooties, bass and other small to medium surface feeders, you’ll quickly become addicted to flicking this little guy around our inland and estuarine waters!

Surface poppers vary tremendously in the amount of commotion they create, which is a function of the size, depth and angle of the concave mouth at the front of the lure.

To make a splashy lure, the concave surface needs to be large, so noisy poppers are often oversized at the front to maximise the space for this feature.

That’s great if you’re targeting aggressive or inquisitive species in windy conditions, but often you’ll want a more subtle approach that doesn’t send timid

species scurrying off for cover. The Pop‘n’Doc has a small mouth and creates a gentle ‘pop’ that throws a little splash of water forward on each pulse. It sits close to horizontal at rest, making it perfect for still, quiet water fishing.

FISHING WITH THE POP‘N’DOC The Pop‘n’Doc is very much a light tackle lure.

I generally prefer 2-3kg braid and a matching mono leader. Braid and mono is generally a good line/leader combination for surface fishing, because both the line and leader float.

Fluorocarbon may be great for its low visibility and high abrasion resistance, but it sinks, which can spoil the action of a small surface lure.

Make sure you attach your popper to the leader with a good loop knot like Lefty’s Loop. All hardbody lures perform best if they have freedom to move at the end of the line.

I like a light, reasonably fast taper rod for finesse popping. Unlike stickbaits and gliders, I don’t want a smooth, flowing action when I’m fishing poppers.

It’s beneficial for the lure to move in short, sharp jerks that maximise the effectiveness of the popper mouth in creating audible

splashes and pops.

Spin gear is usually my preference, and make sure the spool is full for maximum casting distance.

Throwing small, lightweight lures on baitcast gear can be frustrating, so I’d usually avoid it.

Like stickbaits and gliders, small poppers tend to perform best if you give them just a little slack line between twitches. Often the strike will come when the lure is stationary, during a pause between twitches, so don’t be afraid to let the lure sit momentarily.

Pop‘n’Doc is a great option over shallow weedbeds for bass and estuary perch, through shallow, snag dotted flats for saratoga, or around shoals and oyster leases for bream. The key is not to rush it. After you make a cast, let the lure sit stationary for a few moments before you start to retrieve. This allows the fish to come and investigate the source of the splash and often results in an aggressive strike the instant you start moving the lure.

You can play around with the cadence until you find what’s working on the day.

MAKING THE POP‘N’DOC We’ll use the same materials as we have for all of our projects: balsa

1

for the lure body, a little stainless steel wire, some size 000 ball sinkers, and a good epoxy adhesive like 24hr Araldite. You also need some paint and clear coat to tart the lure up, of course.

I used a round-nosed burr to make the concave mouth for this lure. You’ll find these with the drill bits in larger hardware stores.

Alternatively, a countersink bit or a rotary tool like a Dremel can do a pretty good job too.

Painting lures is nearly always for the angler more than the fish, and that’s especially true for surface lures like poppers, where the fish are approaching

Tools Utility knife, battery drill and bits, hacksaw, pliers.

Materials • 12.5mm x 75mm balsa plank • 1-1.2mm stainless steel wire • 120 and 240 grit sand paper • 240 grit wet sanding paper • Epoxy adhesive (with syringes and mixing sticks) • Ball sinkers (size 000) • Methylated Spirit • Rotary burr, countersink bit or Dremel tool from below and mostly see just a silhouette.

Still, painting is fun! I’ve airbrushed the poppers I made for this article in a frog pattern, which seems appropriate, since frogs are a common food item for surface-feeding fish.

WANT MORE LURE MAKING LESSONS? I have an online

Template: 1 Square = 1cm

crankbait-making course that will take you through all of the basics. In it I show you how to make a couple of great crankbait projects, give a bunch of painting tips and provide some downloadable templates. It’s 100% free and you can sign up for it at thecrankbaitmasterclass. com.

100% Scale

Visit www.MakeWoodenLures.com/Fishing-Monthly/ to download all the templates in this series.

2

Glue some sandpaper to a flat block and with your lure blank on a flat surface, sand the edges square. Use a curved sanding block to clean up the concave edge on the underside of the lure. Gently remove timber until you’ve shaped down to the profile you marked in Step 1.

Cut out the template and trace the side profile onto a piece of 12mm thick balsa wood. Use a utility knife to cut away most of the waste, but stop just short of the lines you marked.

3

4

Mark a centre line and then the locations of the tow point and hook hangers. Drill a 2mm hole for each of these items, plus a 5mm hole where the belly weight will be.

48

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

FEBRUARY 2018

Mark the top profile on the blank using the template provided, then cut away the waste with your utility knife. Finish by squaring the blank again using your sanding block. One of the advantages of hand carved poppers (as opposed lathe turned ones) is that you can create more complex body shapes. Pop‘n’Doc has a slightly concave belly area, which allows it to sit slightly tail-down at rest. I mark carving lines fairly close to the edge of the blank on all four sides and remove the small amount of waste with the knife.

Then I sand the lure until the body is roughly circular in cross section.

DIY Lure Making 6

5

Using the rotary burr in my battery drill I make the concave mouth of the popper. I find that a high drill speed and light pressure makes for a clean and controlled cut. Start with the burr at an angle to the wood and then straighten it up as the mouth starts to deepen.

Make some stainless steel twist eyes and glue them into the tail and belly hook hanger holes with 24hr, super strength epoxy. While you’re at it, glue the belly weight in place, making sure it sits neatly below the surface of the wood. Then put a little more epoxy on top to fill the hole. Set your lures aside to cure, then trim away the excess epoxy using a knife. Finish by sanding the epoxy flush with the wood. Don’t glue the tow point in just yet, as we’ll need to smooth the popper mouth after hardening the wood.

FINISHED LURE

7

Harden the balsa using some thinned epoxy. You can get full instructions for this on my website at makewoodenlures.com/lure-bodies-hardeningsealing/. Then set your lures aside for a further 24 hours (minimum) before sanding off the gloss with 240 grit wet sanding paper. Use your rotary burr with light pressure to de-gloss the epoxy inside the mouth of the lure. Glue your tow point into the lure with epoxy, wiping away any excess glue with a rag soaked in metho. Now you’re ready to paint and clear coat your lure!

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

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FEBRUARY 2018

49

Enjoying the summer fishing BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Here in Southern Queensland, you have to be happy with the variety of fish available in summer. Everything seems to be firing in both the fresh and salt.

Boaters can check out Moreton Bay for pelagics such as tuna and mackerel, maybe work some plastics or vibes around some of the numerous artificial reefs. A combination of a favourable tide (some run is good) linked to calmer bay conditions can see the boating team moving about freely, watching for the tell-tale sign of birds hovering over surface feeding fish. Remember, when birds are high the fish are low, and when the birds are low the fish are high.

And let’s not overlook the Brisbane River. On the right tide/weather combination it can produce some surprisingly good fish, including quality king threadfin salmon and mulloway.

BOATERS’ BEST BETS Tuna have been a bit hard to find in numbers in Moreton Bay over the last couple of years. However,

burners with fast retrieve threadline tackle and slugs should remember that the earlier the expedition, the better. There are two reasons

braid and leader. I’ve found that 15-20lb braid will knock over virtually any tuna in Moreton Bay. If you link this to a 10kg leader (you can

anglers patient enough to suss out a good reef edge spot prior to dark, and then fish quietly and methodically into the night. Fresh bait, sharp hooks and patience are the keys to success.

SHOREBASED ANGLING If you don’t have a boat, you can still get a feed of fish. Last year we fished the beaches at The Spit for tailor during winter, and those same holes and gutters hold whiting and dart in summer for the keen light tackle angler.

We have also had good flathead sessions at Cleveland Point and Bribie Island around White Patch.

The very first of the flood tide is ideal. Just wade out to work the drop-off edge and keep the rod low to lead a fish ashore. Lifting the rod

If you want to catch spotties, head out early and look for birds. pontoon, you’re not going to win friends by lobbing a lure in the mix. There are plenty of other structures you can cast to.

Shore-based fishing is fun in summer. Here the author plays a bream at Cleveland Point. for this. Firstly, these fish have very small gullets and it doesn’t take much for them to finish feeding and go off the boil. Secondly, once a few boats start to get into the action the mackerel become wary and are hard to approach within casting range.

go even lighter if the fish are obviously smaller), you’ll be able to cast your slug or plastic further and present them better.

Moreton Bay’s reef areas are also worth a visit early in the morning, when some quality snapper will

Granite Belt cod are great fun for youngsters to catch on spin tackle, and the cooler climate makes a refreshing change.

The Brisbane River can still turn out a thready or two. Denise Kampe took this fish on a Zerek Live Mullet. with some early success by anglers out from Bribie Island last month, we might expect the tuna to soon make their way south into the bay proper. If the bait is there the tuna will be, and once they move into the southern bay areas they often stay well into autumn. I caught a 9kg longtail on fly in Raby Bay in mid-May one year.

Mackerel are the same; once the bait schools arrive, the speedsters with the razorsharp teeth will follow. Wise anglers chasing these line 50

FEBRUARY 2018

Another challenge, particularly for tuna, is those occasions when they are feeding on tiny baitfish and won’t take a metal slug. They might follow, but won’t hook up. An alternative method that can work is to substitute the shiny hard metal for a clear or pale plastic, say on a size 2/0 hook. Cast the plastic into the melee and let it sink right through the action. As soon as it gets down, it’s very likely that a tuna will grab it.

When chasing these fish, remember not to overdo the

usually be found on the ebbing tide. Generous use of berley can help things along, particularly at the Harry Atkinson Artificial.

Around the reef sections of Peel and Mud islands the clue is to fish far off with the boat, or under electric power. Remember that fish in these areas are cunning, and the lighter the tackle the higher the rate of success.

Night fishing with fresh bait – squid, fish fillets or prawns – is another matter. Some corker fish are taken by those

high can cause the lizard to shake its head and cut the leader through.

Cleveland Point is fun for small bream, a tailor or two plus some very fat and tasty gar. Youngsters in particular can have a lot of fun with fresh bread or prawn bait.

Light gear is the trick, keep braid down to 2kg, leader to the same breaking strain and the bites will follow.

Fishing at full tide at first light and berleying hard with plenty of sand, wet bread and prawn heads will see some success. There is rock all around this area, so use a stem float to prevent you getting snagged while still keeping the bait moving.

THE CANALS The bayside canal estates are well worth an early start in summer, and yield a wide variety of fish; even barra have been caught there. If you have an electric motor, or you’re fishing from a kayak, you’ll get the best of the action due to the stealth factor around the pontoons, mooring floats, small jetties and the like.

Please remember that the locals value their privacy, so be considerate. If someone is feeding the fish on their

SOUTH QUEENSLAND FRESHWATER There is some great freshwater fishing within a couple of hours of Brisbane.

The upper reaches of the Brisbane, Tweed and Richmond rivers all hold plenty of bass in summer.

A short foray via kayak or canoe along the upper Brisbane around Fernvale

worth a fish, especially Maroon Dam. While it doesn’t yield many fish over 45cm, they are willing topwater and fly captures, and it’s one of life’s pleasures to be on Maroon Dam at 4am and watch the day unfold.

In Borumba the saratoga are active in the warmer weather, along with good bass. Both lure and fly tackle works well in this impoundment, you just need to finding a quiet area away from major boat traffic.

NEW ENGLAND New England trout around Ebor provide top shelf fishing at this time of year, as they hunt beetles and grasshoppers. Ultra light spin or light fly tackle will also take these fish. Even when you’re not catching fish, it’s great to escape the heat in that cool, high country environment.

The western flowing New England waters, as well as those of the Granite Belt in Queensland, are all well stocked with Murray cod.

These fish offer great sport on spin and fly tackle. While these fish are not found as high up the ranges as trout, you can still experience cooler nights on your cod trips.

A change of pace and a change of climate – trout fishing in the New England highlands. can produce some excellent bass fishing, and that’s just one of the options available.

Impoundments are still

So there you have it – summer fishing is all around us. We just have to get stuck into it!

abt

Tournament

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ABT.ORG.AU

18

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au

2018abt calendar BREAM SERIES

with the Victorian double header, then makes its way through the country before heading to Marlo in Victoria in early December for the big show: the Costa BREAM Grand Final.

Get set to fly because the Costa BREAM Series spreads its wings in 2018, with five states and nine qualifying rounds waiting for anglers in the new tournament season.

The tour kicks off in February Costa BREAM Qualifiers

• Boater $250 • Non-Boater $125

DATE

STATE

LOCATION

EVENT

13-14 Feb

VIC

Mallacoota

Round 1

17-18 Feb

VIC

Gippsland Lakes

Round 2

20-21 Mar

TAS

St Helens

Round 3

24-25 Mar

TAS

Derwent River

Round 4

21-22 Apr

NSW

Gold Coast

Round 5

5-6 May

WA

Swan River

Round 6

2-3 Jun

NSW

Hawkesbury River

Round 7

11-12 Aug

NSW

Lake Macquarie

Round 8

13-14 Oct

QLD

South West Rocks

Round 9

30 Nov-2 Dec

VIC

Gippsland region

Grand Final

5-7 Mar

NSW

Sydney Harbour/Hawkesbury River

BREAM Australian Open

BASS ELECTRIC SERIES DATE

STATE

LOCATION

EVENT

25 Feb

NSW

Richmond River

Round 1

22 Apr

NSW

Clarrie Hall Dam

Round 2

10 Jun

QLD

Wyaralong Dam

Round 3

29 Jul

QLD

Lake Macdonald

Round 4

25-26 Aug

QLD

Wivenhoe Dam

Grand Final

Revamped for the new tournament season, the Casino Outdoors BASS Electric Series is primed and ready for 2018. Four Qualifying Rounds and a Grand Final await anglers in the new tournament season, with two new venues slated for the 2018 series. It all kicks off at the end of February on BASS Electric Entries $80 per angler

AUSTRALIA BASS PRO SERIES DATE

STATE

LOCATION

EVENT

29-30 Apr 3-4 Jun 7-8 Jun 5-6 Jul 8-9 Jul 2-3 Sep 14-15 Oct 16-17 Sep

NSW QLD QLD NSW NSW NSW NSW QLD

Hawkesbury River Cania Dam Boondooma Dam Lake St Clair Glenbawn Dam Clarence River Richmond River Glenbawn Dam

Hawkesbury River BASS Pro Qualifier #1 Cania BASS Pro Qualifier #2 Boondooma BASS Pro Qualifier #3 Lake St Clair BASS Pro Qualifier #4 Glenbawn BASS Pro Qualifier #5 Clarence River BASS Pro Qualifier #6 BASS Pro Grand Final Storm BASS Australian Open

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2

DATE

STATE

LOCATION

EVENT

10-11 Feb

VIC

Bemm River

Round 1

10-11 Mar

NSW

Foster / Wallis Lake

Round 2

7-8 Apr

NSW

Sydney

Round 3

14-15 Apr

WA

Blackwood River

Round 4

5-6 May

NSW

St Georges Basin

Round 5

2-3 June

QLD

Gold Coast

Round 6

15-16 Sept

NSW

Central Coast

Round 7

6-7 Oct

WA

Swan River

Round 8

13-14 Oct

VIC

Hopkins River

Round 9

3-4 Nov

NSW

Lake Macquarie

Round 10

24-25 Nov

VIC

Mallacoota

Round 11

Feb-19 2019

TBA

TBA

Australian Championship

TAG 2018 abt

one of the best wild bass fisheries on the tour, the Richmond River, then heads to Clarrie Hall Dam, Wyaralong Dam, and Lake Macdonald.

The BASS Electric Grand Final returns to the scene of two past BASS Electric Conventions, Wivenhoe Dam, with the biggest event of the calendar taking place in August when the Hoe’s big bass are at their most active.

To qualify for the Grand

Final all you need to do is fish two rounds throughout the year, while the Angler of the Year points race will be decided on an angler’s best three results, with the Grand Final included in the calculation. This is the first time BASS Electric anglers get to fish their first event for free in 2018, so check out the calendar to find out where and when you can get your Casino Outdoors and Disposals BASS Electric fix.

Rapala headlines the BASS Pro Series in 2018, with the new tournament season delivering a host of challenges and rewards for new and returning anglers.

Six Qualifying Rounds throughout the year held on Queensland’s and New South Wales’ finest bass rivers and lakes – plus a

Grand Final at Queensland’s home of XOS bass, Lake Somerset, in September – will present anglers with a BASS Pro calendar that is sure to test and challenge.

Add the Storm BASS Australian Open to the mix, and the BASS Pro calendar is the biggest and best we’ve ever seen.

Rapala BASS Pro Qualifiers

• Boater $275 • Non-Boater $150

BARRA TOUR DATE

STATE

LOCATION

19 Nov

Kinchant Dam (Evening Event)

Round 1

20 Nov

Teemburra Dam (Evening Event)

Round 2

21 Nov

Peter Faust (Night Championship)

Round 3

23-24 Nov

Peter Faust (Evening Event)

Round 4

Barra is on the menu for the November full moon, with the Zerek BARRA Tour set to storm the bass lakes of

North Queensland. Kinchant, Teemburra, and Peter Faust dams host the four-event tour, and if the biggest fish

Zerek BARRA Tour Entries $250 per team, per event

The Hobie Kayak BREAM Series marks a milestone in 2018, celebrating its 10th birthday with a tour set to impress. Featuring events in WA, VIC, NSW and QLD,

anglers are spoilt for choice with 11 rounds making up the series. All events of course lead to the biggest event of the year, the Australian Championship, and in 2018

and big bites of 2017 are anything to go by then the 2018 Tour is one not to miss.

Whether you’re a veteran of the tour or a barra beginner looking to catch your first barra, the Zerek BARRA Tour is the place for you next November. the big show has a twist; the climax event of the series will be taking place in February 2019, becoming the opening event of the new tournament season.

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Tournament Angler Guide

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A day on the lake at wonderful Wyaralong Dam BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

Whether you’re a tournament buff, a travelling fishaholic, or just a holiday angler, at some point you will find yourself fishing in unknown territory without any help.

Chances are, if you’re new to tournament angling, you’ll probably find yourself fishing a lot of bodies of water completely foreign to you as you follow the tournament trail up and down the coast. It’s a daunting feeling standing on the boat ramp and looking out onto a waterway that is someone

else’s stomping ground or, in the case of this article, no one’s stomping ground yet…

GOING IN BLIND I decided to simulate this and I asked Michael Rowswell if he wanted to help me out. Michael is new on the BASS Electric scene, but already has a few podium finishes to his name, and is

Expectations were high as Michael and the author launched the boat at Wyaralong Dam. 4

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definitely one to watch in the next few years. My plan was to get out on a body of water completely foreign to both of us, and observe the decisions Michael made both prior to and during the day’s fishing. Michael didn’t take much convincing and was as keen as I was.

The arena for the day was going to be Wyaralong Dam in South East Queensland, near Beaudesert. A relatively new dam, it was completed in 2011, and stocking began shortly after with the Logan & Albert Fish Management Association providing a steady supply of bass and Mary River cod.

As yet, very little, if anything, is written about the lure fishing opportunities in this dam, and anyone who does catch fish keeps the info close to their chest. I gave Michael a week to do some research and prepare a plan for our day on Wyaralong.

The aim was for Michael to treat the day like a tournament and put a limit of bass together – it was going to be interesting.

FISHING DAY 5:43am As we rolled into the car

The guys were met with unseasonably cool weather for this November day with intermittent rain, so spray jackets came on and off all morning.

park with Michael’s boat in tow on Saturday 11 November 2017, it was unseasonably cool, and drizzly rain looked like a possibility. We noticed another rig being set up in the car park, and neither of us were surprised to see the figure of Bass Electric veteran Adrian Wilson step out of the car. Adrian has been putting some time into this lake, and assured us there were some chunky bass in residence, we just had to find them!

We finally pushed off Wyaralong’s steep one-lane

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boat ramp at 5:58am, and the plan was made to fish some grassy edges with topwater offerings immediately opposite the ramp. I’d originally planned to not fish, and just take photographs and notes while Michael fished, but he insisted I fish with him.

Again, it didn’t take much convincing.

We’d done some research, and found that there were no bony bream in the lake, which often points to a good edge fishery. We decided to fish this area thoroughly, but

with this area and technique bearing no fruit by 7:00am, we thought it was time to move further up the dam.

At 7:32am, we ran into Adrian along a steep bank, with a mixture of drowned timber and rock dotting the waterline. Michael and I were throwing a spinnerbait and football jig respectively.

Adrian said he already had a full livewell between him and his partner for the day, and tipped us off that the fish were sitting off the edge a little bit and relating

All the bass caught on the day were relating to the drowned timber scattered throughout the lake. This made extracting them something of a challenge.

The first bass was an incredibly stout, 40cm fish that ate a ZX40 blade.

to the thermocline that was clearly visible on Michael’s Lowrance HDS Carbon 12” unit. It was then that the fish started to trickle in…

7:34am While hopping and rolling an Ecogear ZX40 blade in colour 442 just below the thermocline in around 25ft of water, Michael hooked up.

His drag was screaming in noisy protest, but when a beige mud marlin broke the surface, we were both a little disappointed. As Wyaralong is dammed on a tributary of

the lower Logan River, the European carp that abound in its waters were able to build a self-sustaining population in the lake. We were aware of this coming into the day, but clearly they were more numerous and aggressive than either of us had predicted.

While it wasn’t a bass, it somehow relaxed us both.

It didn’t get the monkey off our back, but it did convince him to loosen his grip a little.

Catching fish is always a good way to ease the tension.

The carp of around 50cm was

humanely dispatched and disposed of.

7:47am After this we came across a little patch of fish on the sounder as we continued to cruise along the bank. We were still in about 25ft of water when Michael hooked up again. The smaller headshakes indicted that he’d hooked a native species – it was now a question of what kind.

It wasn’t a bass! It was the biggest spangled perch either To page 6

wasaby 8/12/18 G THE

WINNING TRADITION continues

zx30/35/40

Harris fighter flurocarbon

Bream prawn 40/50 mm abt

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of us had ever seen. With this thing giving 30cm a tickle, it’s no wonder we mistook it for a bass on hook-up. We agreed that spanglies of that size would hang out with bass, as they’d most likely be after the same tucker. We

Tournament Angler Guide away to around 80ft, was only about 50m away. We decided to give it a peppering, with Michael throwing a ZX40 in colour 442, and myself throwing an Ecogear Grass Minnow with a 1/4oz jighead.

I suddenly found myself turning around when I heard

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After a few runs for cover and some fancy rod work from Michael, we had our first bass for the day in the net. Finally, the monkey had let go!

At exactly 40cm to the tip of the tail, this was considered a good one in here according to Adrian, who was still

Cod never go quietly…

This little Mary River cod was without doubt the highlight of the day. It was taken on a scent-laden ZX40 blade hopped amongst a bass school, no less! continued mooching along the bank. Surely we were getting closer…

At 8:14am, we came to a timbered point, which protruded out into the riverbed. Bass are wellknown to hang around points with deep water nearby. It was 16ft where we were, and the riverbed, which dropped

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the sound of drag coming off Michael’s reel, but Michael had merely snagged the blade on a piece of sunken timber close to the bottom.

With a few flicks of the wrist, Michael managed to rip it away from its snaggy doom, but as the blade came free of the timber, the rod buckled right back over – fish on!

within earshot. This fish was incredibly deep-bodied, and had clearly been eating well.

We were stoked, and after a few photos, put our first customer into the livewell!

Hooking this fish so close to timber was an important piece of information to note.

As we got ourselves reorganised, we noticed a few

fish moving in under the boat on the sounder. We were now sitting in very close to the timber line. We both switched to blades and began harassing these fish by vertically jigging them in the sounder beam.

At 8:30am, Michael decided to give his blade a bath in some Ecogear Egi Max scent. We’d been getting half-hearted bumps and taps without any hook-ups. He assured me that this product had turned many of his slower days around. As he sent his blade back to the bottom, the hits started up again as the

bait was dropping, and after 2-3 hops off the bottom he was hooked-up once more.

The surging runs had us calling this fish for another carp, but when I caught a glimpse of the animal under the boat, I saw it had a rounded tail. “No way!” I heard myself saying, as I slid the net under a fat little Mary River cod. The high-five that I then I shared with Michael hurt my hand for minutes after the capture!

We knew that Mary River cod had been stocked into this lake, and the stocking group had made an effort to stock more cod than usual into Wyaralong in the hope of creating a viable fishery for them. That said, having personally only ever seen two

Even though the author was meant to be taking photos and notes, he couldn’t resist dropping an ice jig down to some suspended fish spotted around a sunken tree.

caught from dams in about 20 years of fishing, I was pretty excited to see such a beautiful and endangered species up close once again.

With a few photos, the fish was lowered back into the water, where it powered back to the deep, giving Michael a late shower in the process.

These fish never go quietly.

We speculated that with good stocking of these cod, in a few years this may be an area where anglers can set out to target these majestic mottled gluttons… but then it was back to the task at hand.

At 8:42am, while fishing the same school of fish with a ZX40 blade, I managed to connect to another one of the 30cm spangaloid monsters – the dam was proving to be full of surprises.

After that, we decided to leave those fish and return later, opting to head toward some isolated timber in the distance that we saw Adrian pull a fish off around half an hour earlier. Upon getting there, we realised that this tree stood alone in around 70ft of water, and we could see fish suspending about 15ft down, both tight to the tree and out to the side.

8:57am Michael made a cast with a black Ecogear Grass Minnow on a 1/4oz jighead away from the tree, let it fall

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Michael’s second bass ate his soft plastic in seemingly open water around 70ft deep, but upon inspecting the area afterwards the guys discovered a sunken tree with more fish suspending around it. for only 2-3 seconds to keep it up where the fish were, and almost immediately after commencing his retrieve the soft plastic was crunched.

Knowing that carp generally feed in the bottom third of the water column, we were very confident that this fish was a bass. At 32cm to the fork of the tail, this bass was Michael’s second for the day, and was put into the livewell

to join his first victim. Our objective had been reached; Michael had put together a tournament limit!

Upon moving over to where Michael had hooked this fish, we found there was a second, sunken tree, with plenty of fish relating to it. With suspended fish notoriously difficult to target, Michael suggested that I tie on an ice jig and lower it

down to where we could see fish sitting at around 15-17ft, just below the thermocline.

I chose a 12g Smak Wild Ice Jig Darter in brown dog colour, because it reminded me of peanut butter and I was hungry.

At 9:19am I pulled tight to a fish that barely breathed on the jig, after several minutes of tiny bumps that had me questioning whether they were bass. Again, my lure was very close to timber when the fish struck. With a very stout 35cm fork-length bass in the well to join Michael’s two fish, we decided to have a bite to eat, before exploring further up the dam. Pulled pork rolls and Gatorade did a good job to pick us up after a slow morning.

As we worked our way up the dam, we were seeking out timbered points and isolated timber similar to the area that produced those two bass, but while we found bass on the sounder, we struggled to get them to eat. At least we know where they are for next time.

At 11:34am, after approximately two hours of not turning over anymore bass, we pulled into a small bay in about 14-16ft of water, where we could see some large arches holding tight to the bottom. Deep down, we knew they were probably carp, but it didn’t stop us

from trying.

With Michael fishing his ever-faithful ZX blade, and me continuing to rock the ice jig, we dropped our offerings to the bottom expectantly.

Within seconds, Michael was hooked up, and low and behold, the second carp for the day came to the surface.

Once we agreed that all

to catch one anyway,” Michael laughed.

Within seconds he had his rod bent to the felt, as a hefty mud marlin sucked his ZX blade off the bottom. I shot a few photos of him hooked-up while I held my rod between my legs, making my ice jig dance in an unusual fashion near the bottom and, of

The Lowrance HDS Carbon 12” sounder proved invaluable to the day’s fishing. the other large arches were probably carp, we made a move and headed for the next little bay.

We arrived at the next bay at 11:45am, and found an even bigger patch of fish on the sounder. It was only about 12ft deep where we were.

“I’m 100% sure they’re carp, but I’m gonna try

course, another carp decided it was time to eat. I promptly put the camera down – it was time to have some fun!

For the next half hour we caught around 15 carp, with a few double hook-ups! It didn’t seem to matter what we dropped down, they would eat it in seconds, and each To page 8

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fight usually broke the threeminute mark, as 2kg of angry mud marlin doesn’t come in easy on ultra light bass gear.

We were having too much fun. We were like a

Tournament Angler Guide in shallow water well away from any structure were most likely carp. In a tournament situation, this would be a very logical way to fast-track your search for bass. The bass we found were all near timber,

It was around midday that the boys discovered ‘carp bay.’ pair of giggling school kids every time one of our rods buckled over. It was time to move on. The livewell was filling up with carp, which were to be dispatched. We left them biting at 12:15pm. I told myself I’d return at some point with a fly rod for some real fun. I honestly can’t wait!

We didn’t view the last half hour of our fishing as a waste of time. What we did learn from our session in ‘carp bay’ was that any really large fish schooling

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and suspended off the bottom.

This is all useful information for next time.

Our day was cut slightly short when the sounder that we were relying on died at 12:30pm, and the decision was made to jet back to the ramp, release the fish in the livewell, get packed up and head toward the golden arches for a feed.

LESSONS LEARNED Although we didn’t light up the bass, our day at Wyaralong Dam was most definitely a success, and it was very interesting for me to see how Michael took on the challenge of fishing a dam he’d never been on before and that doesn’t have much published information about it. Watching how he broke down the water and put together a bag of bass

This beautiful koi carp was a highlight in the short but intense pest control session.

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The carp were putting a real bend in Michael’s rod and taking some serious drag. was informative for me, and I also believe our day’s fishing proved the point that even the top tier of tournament anglers like Michael don’t spend the whole day smacking fish.

Sometimes they’ll even doughnut, but this is also useful information in the process of nutting out a new waterway. The lesson here is to learn from your experiences, good and bad.

Another key lesson is to let the fish tell you what they want. Every fish you catch tells a story, and it’s important to note when, where, how, and why you think you caught each fish. This is how they tell you what they want.

As for Wyaralong Dam, I really hope to see it added to the calendar sometime in the next few years. Those chunky bass will only get

chunkier and more numerous as the stocking continues.

Oh, and the by-catch isn’t too bad either!

I hope this gives you the confidence to tackle more unfamiliar territory as we march into the tournament season. Or, if you don’t fish tournaments, I hope you make plans to try fishing those places you’ve been meaning to for years, but have ‘never got around to.’ You’ve gotta be in it to win it.

Good luck!

While the bass weren’t jumping into the boat, having two bass as chunky as this to show at the end of the day is never a bad result. The condition on these bass really had the boys baffled, as there are no bony bream in Wyaralong!

daiwafishing.com.au

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Using subtle spybaiting tactics for our wily bass SYDNEY

Tom Slater

Australians are a savvy bunch; I’ve had many conversations over the years with international anglers that would tell you as much. Australian anglers, and especially those who fish tournaments, are often at the forefront of angling techniques and tackle.

Take spotlock and side imaging for example; we’ve known the benefits of these technologies and used them better than arguably most of the other markets in the world. There is, however, one phenomenon that has quietly taken the bass fishing world by storm and completely missed Australia. Despite being one of the hottest baits of the last two years, the spybait (or ‘spinbait’) has yet to draw the attention locally as it has in Japan and the USA. Spybaiting originated in Japan many years ago. You can in fact go back decades to some of the first lures of this style. In the last few years spybaiting has boomed, sparking a revolution in many markets. Every few years you can bet on a new technique to break through and capture the minds of 10

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anglers. A few years ago, it was the skirted jig, which Peter Phelps used to win the Grand Final in 2015. In 2017 on the ABT BASS Pro series, it was the finesse technique of spybaiting.

Although it’s not new, the spybait has yet to take off in Australia. A finesse tactic, spybaiting relies on the subtle nuances of a sinking prop bait to draw strikes from fish that you previously thought were uncatchable.

Most anglers would look at a spybait in the water and think that it doesn’t have enough action, but that’s what makes it so effective.

When fish are shut-down and pressured, sometimes a lessis-more approach is best, and that’s where the spybait comes into its own.

The spybait became prominent at the conclusion of last year’s Storm BASS Australian Open, and looks set to establish itself as a tournament-winning tactic in 2018. As this year’s calendar looks to return to a number of deep Queensland impoundments, don’t be surprised to see savvy anglers using this technique as part of their repertoire on the BASS Pro Series.

WHAT IS IT? A spybait is recognizable by the rotating propellers that

are found on the front and back. It’s often mistaken for a topwater fizzer style lure, but a spybait actually sinks.

They’re often available with different sink rates to cater to different depths, and a spybait will swim as it sinks, shimmying like a stick minnow as it reaches its target depth.

It’s not all about the sink though. Once at its target depth, the propellers will begin spinning as the angler imparts a slow and steady retrieve. The two propellers don’t look like much, but they’ve been specifically developed to impart a tantalizing wobble as the bait tracks horizontally through the water column.

Spybaits are finesse lures, so don’t think you’re going to feel a solid thumping vibration through your rod tip. It’s a technique that requires confidence in your approach, knowing that even on the slowest of winds, your lure is down there doing what it’s supposed to, even if you can’t feel it.

Spinbaits come in all shapes and sizes; some go as small as 40mm, though they are more commonly seen in the 70-90mm range. All have their small differences, and at last year’s Storm BASS Australian Open, just about

every variety caught fish for the competing anglers.

HOW DOES IT WORK? So now we know what it is, how does it work? At its core, the technique of spybaiting is very simple.

Locate the depth where the fish are holding, cast as far as possible, and slowly retrieve the lure through the strike zone.

The spybait shot to fame in Australia during last year’s Storm BASS Australian Open, where Steve Morgan highlighted the lure’s effectiveness during his pre-fish day. Having received a Storm Arashi Spinbait in his pre-tournament swag, Morgan put it to good use during the event, landing almost 100 bass during the

three days of fishing. Once word spread, other anglers were quick to jump on the bandwagon and soon there were spybaits being flung around all over the place at Cania Dam. Spybaits work on one fundamental principle – realism. How many baitfish do you see swimming around vibrating like a TN60 or

It’s not just bass that love spybaits, yellowbelly will take a fancy to a well-placed and worked lure.

darting side to side like a jerkbait? When fish are active this in-your-face response works great and triggers a reaction bite. When the fish shut down, however, things can change quickly.

If you’ve ever watched baitfish when not under duress, you could hardly even notice how they propel themselves through the water. That action is what a spybait mimics. The two props on a spybait give just enough flash and turbulence to create an irresistible shimmy, and they work even at the slowest of speeds. As slow as you can wind, a good spybait will be swimming.

Designed to target pressured fish in clear waters, spybaits are perfectly suited to Australian bass, a species notorious for shutting down, especially under tournament conditions.

Queensland’s stocked impoundments of Somerset, Wivenhoe, Boondooma, BP and Cania are perfectly suited to the technique of spybaiting. When fish are suspending mid-water, relating to schools of bony bream around creek beds, it’s time to spybait. When these schools are biting, it can be the best day’s fishing you’ve ever experienced, but when they shut down, it’s a tough slog to convince one

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of them to bite.

HOW AND WHEN TO USE IT? Spybaiting is a technique best reserved for open areas. Think of it much like heavily weighted soft plastics, which are so dominant in QLD impoundments. It’s a lure and technique for targeting schooling fish in any part of the water column.

Being a finesse tactic, spybaiting is definitely more suited to spinning gear than baitcasting. Once you’ve located a likely school of fish using your sounder, position your boat so you can make as long a cast as possible. Spybaits work best when retrieved horizontally through the water – avoid retrieving them up on an angle.

Once you’ve located the fish, you want to familiarise yourself with the sink rate of your chosen spybait. All spybaits will sink at slightly different speeds, and some are even weighted towards the nose to sink faster and reach deeper depths.

Counting your bait down is paramount to making sure you’re retrieving through the strike zone. Once you know how long your lure takes to sink 1-2m, you can use this to determine how long you need to allow

for your bait to reach your target depth.

Once you’ve counted your bait down, commence a steady slow retrieve, almost as slow as you can wind. A smaller, slower gear ratio reel will help with slowing you down. Depending on how deep you’re targeting, you can occasionally open your bail and allow the lure to sink back. This can also be a key bite trigger, forcing following fish to commit to the strike once your bait begins to sink and shimmy as it’s falling.

You’ll be fishing treble hooks, so when you feel a bite don’t strike. Imagine you’re fishing a crankbait; you want to keep winding until you feel consistent pressure, then a gentle sweep of the rod should be enough to make the hooks penetrate and hook the fish.

WHAT TACKLE DO YOU NEED? Spybaiting is a technique our bream anglers will immediately feel comfortable with. Straightthrough fluorocarbon, long rods and slow retrieves are pretty common in the Costa BREAM Series. For our freshwater friends, this will require a more tailored approach.

With treble hooks, you’ll want to invest in a

The ultra-sharp finesse hooks on a spybait will easily pin fish – even a tentative, enquiring bass. long rod. Anything over 7ft will be adequate, but if you think of where and how you fish a spybait, a longer rod will offer far more benefits.

A longer rod acts as a larger shock absorber, keeping that light line intact and those small trebles holding in the fish. A longer rod will also allow you to make longer casts.

You’ll also want to

invest in a quality small spinning reel, preferably with a slow retrieve ratio.

Drag is also important, as it’s pretty hard to find a bad reel these days. Something like the new Daiwa SOL III in a 2000 size would be perfect.

A spybait works best on fluorocarbon line. Just like any treble-hooked bait, fish have a tendency to swipe at

the bait, often getting hooked in the lip or on the outside of the mouth. As good as braid is, the lack of stretch in this instance can be detrimental, pulling hooks free when a more cushioning, stretchy fluorocarbon line would have landed the fish. You can keep your fluorocarbon line in check with a lineconditioning spray, which To page 12

New Australian rattling Bent Minnow coming March 2018 Designed with high pitch rattles to imitate flicking prawns.

www.fish-tecsolutions.com abt

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minimises memory and lengthens the life of your fluoro.

Use a straight-through fluorocarbon line of anywhere between 4-8lb, depending on the size and weight of your spybait. The lighter the line, the better it will work. As fluorocarbon line sinks, it will help keep your lure tracking horizontally through the strike zone.

When it comes to the lures themselves, my favourite is the DUO Spinbait G-Fix 80. It’s an 80mm bait, which sounds long, but the thin profile makes this a perfect morsel for an Australian bass. The DUO Spinbait is available in a range of sizes, from 60-90mm. I like the G-Fix version because it’s heavier, but it still sinks horizontally.

It’s good for depths up to 10m.

If you find fish in deeper water than that, or if the fish are responding to a faster retrieve, upsizing to the Spinbait 90 is the way to go.

This model sinks head-first, and will reach depths faster and track deeper than even the G-Fix version.

Many other brands have a selection of good spybaits.

The Storm Arashi Spinbait is a great option with a slower

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Tournament Angler Guide sink. Nories also have their Wrapping Minnow, which is more suited to fish on braided line with its one larger single hook.

Whatever bait you choose, be aware of how it swims at all speeds and take notice of its sink rate so you can be sure to keep it in the strike zone at all times.

Spybaiting has taken Japan and the US by storm over the last few years.

Kevin VanDam won last year’s Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on the St Lawrence River in the US on a spybait. It was the first time a Bassmaster Elite tournament had been won on such a technique. Tackle stores in the US sold out of spybaits overnight.

After Steve Morgan’s masterclass on spybaiting at the 2017 Storm BASS Australian Open, it’s only a matter of time before spybaiting wins its first Australian tournament. The next time you’re on the water and catching them on the same old grub you’ve been throwing for over a decade, why not grab a spybait, count it down and take a more finesse approach? You just never know when having another arrow in your quiver could come in handy during the 2018 ABT BASS Pro Series.

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Storm Arashi Spinbait 80mm, 9.4g (1/3oz)

Nories Wrapping Minnow 57mm, 14g (1/2oz)

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Tournament Angler Guide

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Sports science and competition fishing BRISBANE

Stefan Sawynock

I have been working most of my life to understand how fishing works.

That journey started at 18 months old as I was being carted around by my father in the trout streams of Victoria. I suspect that spending my earliest years trying to replicate my father’s fishing techniques gave me a natural curiosity for fishing. Translating that fascination into knowledge took a lengthy study in the fields of evolutionary biology, neuroscience and sports science.

In this article, I aim to provide insights into practices that will make you a better competition fisher. On your behalf, I have pulled together observations of the world’s best anglers and worked with elite sports scientists and experts on human performance. None of my advice will change your unique technical skills, but rather enable you to weaponise them.

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Main: It’s go time. The question is who’s best prepared and skilled enough to win?

Above: Tackle knowledge and preparation is one of the keys to angler and tournament success.

JUST COPYING THE BEST ANGLERS IS A BAD IDEA One of the elements I have noticed with fishing, in general, is there is a focus on interviews with the anglers at the top and getting their ‘secrets’ and sharing techniques. The trap for aspiring fishers is that while new techniques might be attractive, there is a routine of preparation that

leads to success. Rather than focusing on techniques, you need to focus on preparation.

Dig out a copy of The Karate Kid and put it on repeat until you burn into your brain the fact that technical knowledge alone is not the path to victory.

Also, top fishers may well say they don’t follow the routines below. Everybody is different, but simply put, with few exceptions,

competitors rise to the standard of the competition.

Would those fishers do more if presented with an improved opposition? The opportunity to set a new standard for competition fishing is there for taking.

THE STORY OF FISHING How old do you think fishing is? The first recorded book on recreational fishing Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth

an Angle was published in 1496 just after the invention of the printing press, by Dame Juliana Berners. It caused controversy at the time, not because of the gender of the author but because the gentry was concerned that involving the ordinary folk would destroy the sport. That argument sounds familiar even today, but I digress.

Flyfishing in Europe dates back at least as far as 200CE and even further back in Japan to the ninth century BCE. From an Anthropological point of view, the earliest evidence of fishing comes from isotopic analysis of skeletons, paintings, and hooks made from bone, which takes us back at least 40,000 years.

As fishing is a subset of hunting, we end up traveling back around two million years to the earliest hominids who started the path to the brain we have now by adding the energyrich protein sources found in animal meat. From a technical standpoint, the fishing brain is the result of two million years of natural selection. Fishing is one of

the last significant links to our origins as a species.

However, that is not the end of this journey. The real story of fishing goes back way further – 500 million years – to the seas of the Cambrian Era. A FISHER’S EVOLUTIONARY LINK TO THE SEA Two neurotransmitters are responsible for your fishing success, and they date back a long way further than two million years. You have probably heard of them – dopamine and serotonin.

Dopamine traces back to sea sponges, jellyfish, and worms. If you increase the dopamine levels of worms, for example, they become more motivated to seek out food sources; if you reduce their dopamine levels, they will only seek easy to obtain food sources. Serotonin is even more interesting.

Serotonin dates back even further to protozoa but again manifests in influencing behaviour with the arrival of arthropods such as lobsters. When lobsters battle, as they do to establish a hierarchy of dominance, the loser pulls

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Tournament Angler Guide

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in its claws and makes itself smaller – the trigger for this is falling serotonin levels.

You see the same behaviour in humans – when you look at a child being berated by an overbearing adult, what do they do? They make themselves smaller. What is a competition if not a battle for dominance in a hierarchy?

WHERE THIS FITS IN WITH FISHING

How do these neurotransmitters affect fishing? Dopamine you

probably know as the ‘pleasure’ chemical, but that is a simplistic and somewhat outdated view. There is a moment that every fisher experiences when they catch their first fish. Most of the time we associate that particular happy dance with ‘I just conquered the world’ when in fact what it really means is – ‘I just got food – I am not dying tonight!’

It’s important to remember that industrial food production is only a

hundred years old. Go back to 1870 and 70% of the US workforce was employed in food production. As of today, only 2% of the global workforce is involved in food. That, however, is a fact your brain is yet to catch up with from an evolutionary standpoint. Even if you fish to catch and release from an ethical perspective – your mind understands the opposite. A big fat fish means party time for the tribe. That is why we value trophy fish

Being happy and relaxed can play a pivotal role when it comes to catching fish and tournament success.

even if we have the luxury of being able to let the fish go in modern times.

Dopamine can more accurately be considered a ‘motivation’ chemical.

Dopamine is the drug that enables you to spend hours catching nothing and plays a critical role in our decision-making. A brain is a prediction machine (e.g. this lure will get me fish). When we make a wrong prediction, it’s dopamine that triggers the brain to start updating our understanding of the world. Almost everything you have learned in fishing is down to Dopamine.

Serotonin is essential for one’s sense of self-worth and willingness to take on challenges. It might sound obvious, but nobody wins a tournament by feeling defeated from the start.

Serotonin is crucial in developing the confidence to take on challenges. You need to defeat the big lobster after all.

Here is the takeaway.

You owe your fishing ability to your ancient ancestors of the sea. Respect that gift.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR COMPETITION FISHING Competition fishing is a ritualized version of a two million-year-old practice.

The guy who brings home

The live streaming of ABT events allows you to see exactly what the best anglers do during tournament hours. the biggest fish is the leader of the tribe. Yes, technology has changed that game, but that was true even two million years ago when the advent of the use of simple spears improved success catching antelope. Knowing that your brain is purposebuilt for catching fish is a blessing because now you know that all you need to focus on is getting rid of the things that get in the way of performance.

Warning: everyone is different. If a fisher came

to me individually, I would measure many elements of current performance and tailor a specific plan.

What follows is a core set of practices, rather than the perfect recipe that will maximize your unique performance.

TRAINING AND PRE-SEASON First things first, competition fishing is like all sports, you need to have a routine built around the competition circuit, and you To page 16

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need to plan your pre-season, and that includes exercise.

Fishing is not an aerobic sport. Nobody runs out of breath during fishing or at least nobody that shouldn’t be having an ambulance on standby before they get on the water. The exercise regime should be built on some form of weight training, be that with weights or just using body weight to

increase muscle mass across your body. Note that bulking up is not the objective and is counterproductive.

You want to create muscle mass, which has the dual benefits of improving serotonin and testosterone levels. The combination of the two will increase confidence and risk-taking, which you need in competition. Too much testosterone though will tip the confidence and

risk-taking balance too far towards the risk end, so you don’t need to go crazy.

The second purpose of training is to develop finemotor control. Pilates and yoga (sans the leotard) are good examples and have the bonus of strengthening parts of the body related to fishing.

Any fine-motor training needs lots of deliberate movements, not just highspeed repetitive moments.

Note taking and recording good and bad days on the water helps identify and measure the influences of success and failure.

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Aim for three or more sessions a week of each type of exercise with 20 mins each a session.

If you want to go ultimate, take up the sport that has a historical link to fishing – karate. Many of the stances used by karate were developed by fishers in Okinawa while at sea. Kata will supercharge your brainbody connection while doing some kumite (sparring) will do wonders for decision making under pressure. Find a dojo where the teacher focuses on teaching the craft – not self-defence.

PREPARING FOR SUCCESS There are two parts to getting your fishing brain in top condition – setting goals and solving problems. Goal setting is simple. Your goal must be to get a maximum bag (e.g. five for bream) 100% of the time. The advantage of setting that goal is it’s measurable. If you are achieving your goal only 50% of the time, you have work to do. If you are reaching your target 80% of the time, you are in a position where regular podiums are possible.

Put that goal up on the wall and mark every time you achieve the goal both in practice and in live events and continually update your success rate. Keep the two

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Carl Jocumsen knows the value of physical preparation for peak angler performance. sets of results separate.

If there is a big difference between practice and competition outcomes, that’s an indicator that the increased pressure of competition is affecting decision-making.

In that case, you need to practice making choices under pressure. Try this.

Reduce the time window for a practice session down to an hour and offer your partner $50 spending money every time you fail to make the maximum bag. Either you will become amazing at decision making under pressure in record time, or

your partner will tell you to go fishing every day. Either way, you win.

The other advantage of setting a goal is you will be focusing your dopamine system on the thing it’s designed for – working out how to catch fish.

DIRECTED PRACTICE Now that you have a goal and ability to measure that goal, you can direct your practice to removing obstacles to that goal. Instead of discussing techniques, I would prefer to highlight practice regimes. The practice regime below will give you

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the elements of dedicated practice. Dedicated practice means you are focused on continuous improvement that results in being prepared for the best and worst of circumstances. In terms of frequency, three times a week is a minimum.

Always record your bags and weights (use a lengthweight curve if needed).

Keep a track of your averages and compare over time.

• Include casting sessions where you practice casting into difficult situations like low hanging trees • Allow a maximum four hours on the water to get your five-fish bag. Don’t do all-day sessions, because if you are doing exercises, you will be fit enough. Focus instead on perfecting the different parts of the fishing day.

• Mix up practice times; fish the first half of the day and second half of the day sessions, different tides and all the conditions you will see in competition.

• Practice with a single Practicing, particularly on casting accuracy, is a must for all anglers. technique or lure each time you’re on the water with only only sessions to be clear where he would sit on the the odd session where you favoured method.

• Practice across the tidal on how you want to start pitch with his bat and build swap between all methods. a picture of what was going • Compare results of each range and record success. and finish.

PRE-FISHING to happen when he went out of your techniques and Where possible, focus on focus on the weakest ones improving outcomes during I have only a single piece to bat. Take a leaf out of his until you get similar results the worst part of the tide and of advice for pre-fishing. book. Your job on pre-fish is Don’t pick up a rod. Matt to spend time on the water, to the strongest. Then rotate cash in on the best part.

Samurai Mag ad PRINT copy.pdf 3 18/09/2017 12:29:32 PM back to improving your • Practice first and last hour- Hayden used to have a ritual maybe sound up fish and get

to understand conditions.

Use that time to create a picture in your mind of how you will be getting your max bag during the event. The brain doesn’t know the difference between imagination and reality. Having a picture in your head sets up your built-in prediction system. If your vision of what will happen is not coming to fruition – your problem solving will kick in immediately on the day.

WHEN THINGS AREN’T WORKING Here is my last piece of advice and it’s probably the most important. There are those days when the fish don’t play the game within the bounds of the techniques you have. On those days, it’s easy to grind it out, throw out the game plan or just put it down to the fish not being in the mood. While these conclusions may be correct, none are useful because they reinforce the idea that the result is out of your hands. This belief, even by implication, is where neurotransmitters come in – you are essentially admitting defeat no matter how you want to spin it.

When things aren’t working, it’s essential to stop fishing, even for few minutes. In this instance, a useful technique is to close your eyes, focus on breathing

with deep breaths in and out.

I have some great meditations to use, but the important thing is to just reconnect with yourself and go through one by one all the tools you have available to change your fortunes until one stands out.

By doing this, you have tapped into the dopamine system rather than depleting serotonin. You may not catch fish, but you will find reward down the track in a fishing brain that is much more resilient and always focused on working out the fish.

WINNING IS THE RESULT, NOT THE OBJECT If you do everything I have listed here for an extended period, you will climb the leaderboard. That said, there is no shortcut. One season will see a significant improvement, but it will take 3-5 years to see the full results, depending on your current skills and how much you practice. The key is to understand that winning and taking your place as the leader of the tribe is what happens when everything comes together. It is not the object of the game.

If you perform at your peak, you give yourself the best chance of success. Until you push yourself, you will never know just how good you can be.

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How to start stepping up your tournament game

BRISBANE

Elliott Fooks

Whether your aim is to catch fish at every tournament you fish next season or to take those midfield finishes into top-tens, we can all make steps to improve our success on the water.

While most of the time anglers look for the next hot bait that no one has found, or fish that harder-to-reach spot in the search for tournament results, for sustained longterm results anglers need to look deeper. To give us all an insight into what it takes, we talked to three of ABT’s finest anglers: Mark Crompton, Craig Griffiths and

Charles West.

Regardless of which ABT species you target, this talented trio will have plenty of tips and tricks on how to step up your angling in the next tournament season and beyond. While all three of our anglers believe that you can fish for a lifetime and still have an infinite amount to learn, they all believe their angling has greatly benefited from four key areas: goal setting, building a knowledge base, mental strength and understanding the seasons.

SELF-EVALUATION AND SETTING GOALS While most people say they want to be a better angler, without specific direction and measurable outcomes it’s easy

to become complacent and your angling can stagnate. We all want to win tournaments and come out on top, but most anglers fail to build a plan to achieve this goal.

“Fishing is like business – you’re not going to start out employing 5-10 people.

It takes time to build up your business, much like you should build up your fishing goals,” explained Crompton.

Building your goals in layers can make this process easier; think short-term, medium-term and long-term.

Short-term goals should be something that you can achieve in a few months. It can be something as simple as being able to hit a target at To page 20

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10-20m distance eight times out of 10.

Medium-term should be something that will take you 6-12 months, such as mastering techniques or understanding a specific waterway. Your longterm goal should be something that will take you up to five years, such as placing in the top ten of Angler of the Year, or taking a podium place on your favourite waterway. All your goals should always be specific, attainable, relevant and time-specific, not aspirations.

As a part of your goalsetting process, it is also important to assess yourself as an angler. Again, Mark Crompton shows how his business insight can guide you to find the gaps in your angling skill set.

“I am happy to admit I have used a range of business assessment tools to evaluate myself as an angler,” he said.

“It’s important to know what your strengths are and what you need to work on before you even think about getting better tournament results.”

Setting short-term goals to fill gaps in your angling ability is ultimately what will help you reach your longterm goals.

BUILDING THE KNOWLEDGE BANK When I asked all three

anglers about finding information, techniques or fishing locations, all three anglers quickly shot back saying written and video information are a good start, but there is nothing is better than working it out on the water.

“You need to create your style of doing something – a book or dock talk is good to get a starting point, but the only way to get it right is time on the water,” said West.

“Most of what I know and use today is the result of previous experience, talking with my fishing partner and time working on my skills,” said Griffiths.

While putting time on the water is one thing, the key is using it effectively and understanding the successes and failures you experienced most on the water each session.

For Crompton, his process of building a knowledge bank all started with having a fishing diary.

“When I started fishing more seriously, I really struggled to remember everything that happened on the water,” he said. “Looking back on old diary entries, I really missed lots of key indicators for where fish were on a given day. Maintaining my diary allowed me to retain more information, and now I can use old entries as a method

to jog my memory.”

In a standard diary entry, you should cover everything from tides and wind through to the lures that worked and didn’t work. It is all about helping to build a mental memory bank to reflect upon, and to help you build patterns of success. And if writing isn’t your forte, don’t worry – West has you covered.

“I really can’t find an ordered method that allows me to keep a fishing diary in written form, so I take photos instead,” he said. “When I am visiting an old lake or thinking of a technique I am trying to work out, I use old photos to jog my memory.”

While all three anglers agree that you need to be able to reflect on your fishing successes and failures, each of them have wide-ranging views on pre-fishing and social fishing, and how best to use your time on the water.

Crompton and Griffiths do most of their fishing solo, using the time to focus on what they are trying to achieve.

“I find when I fish solo I can experiment more,” Griffiths said. “I don’t worry about getting other people onto fish, and it frees me up to try techniques and locations that may fail spectacularly.”

Once off the water, Griffiths uses his networks to validate and bounce ideas off

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other anglers to see what they have been finding.

“I think it’s important to have a network of people you can talk fishing with; that idle chat allows you to think of new ideas and push each other forward,” said Griffiths.

Unlike our two lone wolves, West likes to use his social time to take family and friends out on the water, but still focuses on his

angling goals.

“I think too many people worry about catching fish on a social outing and don’t look at it as an opportunity to learn,” Griffiths explained.

“I am more than happy to forgo catching 30-50 fish a day socially if it means I can work out a new technique or understand where the big bass will hold in a tournament.”

You may be thinking,

‘gee this sounds like I need to become a monk and not talk to the outside world’, but for our anglers it’s about building confidence in yourself and knowing what works for you.

External information is great but it should be used as a starting point.

“Everyone’s information is valuable; no matter if you’re first or last in the tournament,

The hard work and preparation is done; it’s now time to put what you’ve learnt into action.

MAP IT. OWN IT. SHARE IT. I can’t believe how good this map is I just downloaded free off the Quickdraw™ Community. Look at this structure, those drop offs. Never would have known about this lake without the community. It’s fun fishing new water. I’ve already caught two nice keepers. Of course, I’ve uploaded some pretty nice maps, too. Glad someone decided to share this one.

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there is plenty to learn from everyone,” West explained. “It is all about having it stored in the back your head so you can adapt to any conditions.”

CONFIDENCE, DISCIPLINE AND MENTAL STRENGTH Griffiths said that all of his tournament wins have come down to being confident, working to a plan and not stressing out. That’s all well and good, but how exactly do you build up to this success?

Much like setting your goals and building knowledge, this can be broken down into setting yourself up, using the moment effectively and post evaluation.

For each of our anglers the tournament starts weeks before they have even cast a lure on the pre-fish day. Having all your gear maintained and set up in the week leading into the event can make all the difference, because every minute counts during a tournament.

“I start checking over my gear in the week leading into the tournament,” West said.

“I like to have my reels in top condition and rigged on clean rods before I set out on the drive. It’s all about putting myself in the tournament space before I hit the water.”

Building a pre-tournament ritual allows you to mentally

Success comes through hard work and planning.

Mark Crompton’s evolution as a tournament angler is testament to that. check off the tasks you need to complete, so once you get to the event it’s all about the fishing. Over years of running tournaments I have seen loads of anglers miss opportunities to win or place well in events due to boat or equipment failure.

Once your physical equipment is prepared it’s time to get a game plan set for the weekend. As they say, failing to plan is as good as planning to fail.

Your game plan can be as detailed as a time specified run sheet of spots based on the tides and winds, or as loose as a mental checklist of spots you want to hit. It’s all about what works for you.

Craig Griffiths plans where and when he is going to catch every fish in a tournament.

“The goal is to get dialled in to knowing when the fish will move through, to maximise my time fishing with confidence,” he said.

West and Crompton both added that having a plan is all about maintaining the confidence that you have something as a backup, and that you are already in the mindset of catching fish.

“I try to think it’s a process of when I am going to catch my limit, not if I will catch them,” said West. “I visualise how I will catch the fish and what I am doing on

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is a tough ask, it’s always important to remember fishing is fun, and accepting failure is a major part of the process. These failures can be fed back into your knowledge bank. And through reading the tournament report, you can learn how others caught the winning fish on the same day.

UNDERSTAND YOUR SEASON AND SPECIES If you look at the biggest difference between tournament fishing and social fishing, most people will tell you it’s the boats or the gear.

When you scratch below the surface though, it’s the fact you don’t get to pick when you go fishing. Champion anglers of the past got to pick the best times to catch the best fish, and now it’s all about knowing how to catch fish in any conditions.

“I think the biggest and steepest learning curve for anglers is understanding what effect the weather has on the fish,” said Crompton.

“Knowing what the weather will do to the fish will allow you to cut down your time searching for them.

“The biggest thing I look at in the weeks leading into a tournament is weather patterns; knowing what has happened weatherwise on the lake in the weeks before, combined with previous knowledge helps

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me narrow my pre-fish down into manageable areas,” explained Griffith.

Having a quality data bank of diary, photo and metal notes will allow you understand weather patterns and the way it changes fish behaviour, and use other written texts to give you a starting point on where to begin.

West takes his understanding of the seasons one step further, citing the breeding cycle of bass and their cyclical habits in both lakes and rivers.

“I think knowing the breeding and movement cycle of any species helps you target them. If you can understand if they are feeding up or sitting deep, combined with an good understanding of weather conditions, you can eliminate a lot of wasted casts,” said West.

JUST KEEP FISHING While you may be thinking, ‘I haven’t been told anything about techniques and the new hot baits,’ it’s important to know that great anglers are a product of a passion for fishing, understanding their target, and refining their skills – not a specific lure or technique.

Set a goal and push your knowledge. In the words of Craig Griffith, “trust your gut on the water, fish with confidence and enjoy it.”

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the water.”

While even the best-laid plans don’t always work, the anglers who consistently do well in tournaments are the ones who bounce back and mentally reset themselves during the event and after a hard day.

“Staying calm is the best way to ensure you make the most of your whole session in a tournament,” said Crompton.

West added to this, “You need to find something to calm the nerves; it could be music or sitting down for two minutes and then getting back into the fishing.”

While keeping focused throughout a tournament

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Filling your quiver – the right rod for breaming SYDNEY

Tom Slater

You wouldn’t build a house with just a hammer and you wouldn’t play 18 holes of golf with only a 7-iron.

It’s time to take a serious look at your stash of light tackle rods to ensure you have the right selection, as anglers around the country are putting the finishing

touches on their equipment in preparation for the 2018 Costa BREAM Series.

While it’s true that lures like the Cranka Crab and ZMan Grub have simplified many anglers’ approaches to tournament fishing, the many varied venues that the Costa BREAM Series takes us to present anglers with a wealth of opportunities; you only have to watch some of Kris Hickson and Steve Morgan’s

livestream highlights videos from the 2017 tour to see just how many different ways you can catch the humble bream while competing on the water.

The idea behind having a variety of outfits on the deck at any one time is exactly the same principle; just like you wouldn’t use a hammer to cut a piece of timber, a rod that has been designed to excel at one technique might not be

Main picture: A shorter rod is often the best way to go when fishing close to cover and casting accuracy needs to be pinpoint.

Above: Length and strength is the name of the game in rocky situations.

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all there for another. Each rod will have a purpose and that comes down to three main properties; length, action (fast or slow) and strength (stiffness). With that in mind, here’s the ultimate guide to setting up a quiver of rods catered to the demands of tournament fishing.

CRAB ROD What better place to

start than with possibly the hottest lure the country has ever seen? The Cranka Crab has totally revolutionised the modern angler’s approach to bream tournaments, especially those held from Sydney north to the Gold Coast. Those deep, clear NSW rivers are prime Crab territory. Just like with any new lure, as the techniques

evolve and anglers begin to understand the nuances of how best to use them, tackle selection adapts.

If you look back over the past few seasons of the Costa BREAM Series, there were two main ways the Cranka Crab dominated.

The first was fishing it deep around reefs and rockwalls predominately at the front

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au

of river systems. The second was using it as a specific structure lure and placing it close to cover, allowing the natural look and movement of the Crab to draw fish into striking.

For fishing Crabs in deep or open water, many prefer a longer softer tapered rod.

A longer rod will help avoid pulling hooks when fish are hooked in the lips or on the outside edge of the mouth, and it will help control fish so you can more adequately steer them into the clear. It will also aid in deep water hook sets, because as you strike, the tip of a long rod

will move a greater distance than that of a shorter one, so you can more quickly eliminate any slack in your line and set the hook after feeling a bite.

The debate on line choice for fishing Crabs still lingers on, and many still opt for a braid and leader combination.

If you do choose braid and leader, adopt a longer leader length to help give you back some of that stretch. For the deep stuff, find a rod at least 7’4 or longer – Steve Morgan even uses rods as long as 8’6 for fishing Cranka Crabs, so don’t be scared to go extra long.

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For structure fishing, there are generally two trains of thought – go stiffer and shorter to aid in casting accuracy and strength to pull fish away from cover, or stick with a longer soft rod and rely on your casting skills to allow you to fish a long rod and cast tight to structure. Again, line choice will dictate which way you go; if you like to fish braid, choose a softer rod.

Adversely, if you choose to fish straight-through fluorocarbon, which many are favouring for this ‘cast and wait’ style of Crab

Charlie Saykao loaded up in the heat of battle.

To page 26

James Morgan arms himself with a variety of different rod lengths, weights and tapers as he travels the country fishing the Costa BREAM Series.

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Tournament Angler Guide

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From page 24

fishing, then you can get away with a stiffer rod and rely on the stretch to be the shock absorber. Don’t go too short; stick with something around 6’8-7’0 and try to find something with power that doesn’t lock up in the middle section of the blank.

Having a rod that is too fast – it goes from a light tip to a stiff middle section – is where lots of dropped fish and pulled hooks come from when fish take their last lunge under the boat.

SOFT PLASTICS ROD Again, there are two main ways soft plastics win tournaments on the ABT BREAM Tour. The first is fishing light (1/40-1/20) with lures like the ever-popular ZMan Grub and flicking these baits as close to structure as possible. Venues like Forster, Lake Macquarie and Sydney Harbour are prime ground for this technique with the plethora of floating structure to cast at.

The second technique involves a much heavier jighead and the deep water around the mouths of river systems are where the Cranka Crab has dominated. Before the Cranka Crab, a heavy soft plastic was the number one choice for fishing deep reefs and steep rock walls with fast current. Losing Crabs can get

Few people on tour fish with as many rods as Kris Hickson. Each one is selected with a particular lure and job in mind. expensive, and the humble soft plastic still catches them as good as ever down deep.

The principles of rod selection for these two styles of fishing soft plastics mirror that of the Cranka Crab – longer for deep water and shorter for close quarters. A longer rod in deep water will

enable to you pick up slack line quicker; it also allows for longer casts to get the lure as far from the boat as possible.

For the close quarter work, look for something shorter but not too stiff. A short rod will help you to flick underhand casts and skip lures into places others

can’t. Take it from guys like Kris Hickson; if you can put your lure further into a jetty or snag than anyone else, there’s usually a fish there waiting to reward you.

TWITCHING ROD If you’re heading to the Victorian or Tasmanian legs of the Costa BREAM Series

this year, then you’ll definitely want to pack one of these in your stash! Twitching a hardbody is a go-to technique for black bream in Australia’s southern states. While you might reach for that ultralight rod you’ve been using to slow roll crankbaits, maybe it’s time to think again.

Finding the perfect rod for this technique can be difficult. To start with, you’re fishing a lure with treble hooks, so you don’t want a rod that’s too stiff. To get the best action out of your lure, you really want to be using a braid and leader setup, so that lack of stretch in your fishing line means your rod has to make up for it.

Finding a rod that’s soft enough to not pull hooks but has that perfect tip for twitching a lure and making it dance can be difficult. Look for a rod between 6’8 and 7’0 that allows you to really ‘snap’ the slack line with the smallest of rod movements; that will ensure your lure is working fiercely left to right underwater and that’s what big southern black bream absolutely love.

SLOW ROLL ROD Time to bust out the ultralights! Slow rolling a crankbait is an angler favourite on the Costa BREAM Series. Baits like the OSP Dunk, Jackall Chubby, Pro Lure Crank and many more feature so often in anglers’ talks at the weigh-in stages. These lures are simple to use, cover lots of ground and help you find productive areas where you can knuckle down and grind out a limit.

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Russell Babekuhl uses a long rod to punch out a searching cast on a St Georges Basin flat.

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Using the correct sized and weighted reel – and the right line – is important when putting together a quiver of rods.

To page 28

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abt From page 26

Many anglers prefer to use straight-through fluorocarbon line when fishing one of these lures, and that’s all about the stretch. Specifically, the stretchiness of the line cushions timid hook sets in the outside of the mouth, which is so common when fish attack a moving lure like a crank. Treble hooks that are just pinned on the outside of the face can so often pull free with the slightest change of angle, so

Tournament Angler Guide the more shock absorption you can have in your system, the better.

For this reason, the perfect crankbait rod is long and soft.

Just like the fluorocarbon, the long soft rod is another shock absorber. It also helps with casting baits as far as possible – something that’s very important when fishing over shallow clear flats where your boat and shadow can be the biggest deterrents to catching more fish. Look for something at least 7’4 in length with a slow taper.

KRIS’ PICKS • Cranka Crab rod (used for deep reef, seaways and rock walls) – Daiwa TD Zero 701LXS or Black Label 701ULXS • Cranka Crab rod (used for structure fishing, boat hulls and jetties) – Daiwa Black Label 642ULFS • Soft plastics rod (used for deep reef, seaways and rock walls) – Daiwa TD Battler 762ULFS Kung Fu Prancer • Soft plastics rod (used for light plastics, skipping pontoons and boats) – Daiwa Black Label 642ULFS • Twitching rod (used for twitching hardbodies around Victoria and Tasmania) – Daiwa TD Commander 6101ULFS Desert Bull • Slow rollin’ rod (used for slow rolling hardbodies) – Daiwa Gekkabijin AIR AGS 74UL-S • Topwater rod (used for treble hook topwater lures, bent minnow-style lyres and walk- the-dog lures) – Daiwa TD SOL 701ULXS

abt.org.au

Low ratio reels, slow taper rods and straight through fluorocarbon are essential when fishing cranks.

TOPWATER ROD You should think of a topwater rod very similarly to the twitching rod mentioned earlier. Many topwater lures require rod work to get the maximum amount of action, so the same principle applies.

You’ll often work a topwater lure with your rod tip pointed downwards towards the water. For that reason, you don’t want anything too long.

Look for something around 6’8-7’2 depending on your height and your boat’s height off the water.

Topwater lures often have treble hooks, so you don’t want something too stiff.

Bream will often only barely get hooked when trying to eat a surface lure, so you have to be gentle to avoid pulling hooks.

You can’t rely on the stretch of

TOURNAMENT RODS FOR ALL ANGLERS

straight-through fluorocarbon either, as the line’s inherent lack of buoyancy will drag your lures under the water.

Braid and leader with treble hook lures mean you need to go soft, look for something with cushioning and get ready to put more fish in the boat this summer.

The first tournament of the 2018 Costa BREAM Series is right around the corner, so now’s the time to clean the boat and organise the tackle.

For some, this is the perfect opportunity to shop for some post-Christmas bargains and fill out that rod locker a little more. This guide is just the beginning, but most of these styles of rods can cross over into other popular techniques.

Take the deep-water plastics rod, for example; more often

than not, that style of rod is perfect to use with blades and vibration-style lures.

If you’re the sort of angler who likes to have one of everything rigged up before a day on the water, then you might end up with as many as a dozen outfits scattered across the front deck. For some, 4-6 outfits can comfortably get them through anything they face on the water and leave their boat (and their minds) a little less cluttered and focused on finding those winning fish.

CROMMO’S PICKS • Cranka Crab rod (used for deep reef, seaways and rock walls) – Daiwa TD Zero 701LXS • Cranka Crab rod (used for structure fishing, boat hulls and jetties) – Daiwa TD SOL 701MLXS • Soft plastics rod (used for deep reef, seaways and rock walls) – Daiwa TD Zero 701LXS • Soft plastics rod (used for light plastics, skipping pontoons and boats) – Daiwa TD SOL 701LXS • Twitching rod (used for twitching hardbodies around Victoria and Tasmania) – Daiwa Gekkabijin AGS • Slow rollin’ rod (used for slow rolling hardbodies) – Daiwa Gekkabijin AIR AGS 74UL-S • Topwater rod (used for treble hook topwater lures, bent minnow-style lyres and walk- the-dog lures) – Daiwa Gekkabijin AGS

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2017 ABT Rankings and Angler of the Year

The calm before the storm – anglers patiently wait for the kick-off to another season.

The big guns fired and a host of first-time winners cashed in on the BREAM, BASS and BARRA tours in 2017.

Kris Hickson finished the year as the number one ranked BREAMer and BASS Pro boater, while Stuart Walker once again rounded out the season as the number one ranked non-boating BREAMer. Walker will be the man to catch on the BREAM tour, as 2018 is sure to be no different for the Canberra-based bream gun.

Warren Carter was as consistent as ever securing the Power-Pole BREAM Angler of the Year boater AOY crown for the Costa BREAM Series, and Stuart Walker etched his name on

the Power-Pole BREAM Angler of the Year with his third AOY crown in as many years.

Ross Cannizzaro made the step from the bream into bass in 2017 and hit the ground running, claiming three wins for the season and capping off his maiden year on tour with the Bass Cat BASS Pro Angler of the Year title. Keegan Painter also claimed the non-boater AOY crown in his maiden year on tour with the Brisbane basser securing the title with his victory in the last qualifying round on the Clarence River.

Paul Aldous continued his winning ways from the 2016 season with the Kingaroy bass angler finishing another tournament

Ross Cannizzaro had a red-hot year on tour this year.

Kris Hickson with the Mercury Cup for the best ranked Mercury owner for 2017.

year as the number one ranked BASS Pro non-boater on the Bass Cat BASS Pro Tour.

New to the BASS Pro tournament calendar in 2017 was the Storm BASS Australian Open, with Matthew Mott returning to the ABT winner’s stage after a long absence, with the Mayor of Murgon securing a wire-to-wire win in Australia’s first-ever boater-only, five-fish limit bass tournament.

The Open returns again

in 2018 with the Hunter Valley’s Lake Glenbawn set to host this unique event in October.

Richard Somerton continued his dominance in the Hobie Kayak Bream Series with the Victorian bream fishing juggernaut claiming three event wins, and a 493/500 point score for the season to secure the Angler of the Year title over Tony Pettie in 2nd and Simon Morley in 3rd.

Angler of the Year dominance continued on

BREAM PRO RANKINGS BOATER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Kristoffer Hickson Warren Carter Steve Morgan Mark Crompton Cameron Whittam Brad Hodges Graham Franklin Charlie Saykao Mark Healey Ross Cannizzaro

NON-BOATER 325 323 317 295 256 232 221 220 216 214

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Stuart Walker Rodney O’Sullivan Clint Voss Jonathon Thompson Mike Hodges James Morgan Shaun Egan Simon Johnson Tomas McIntosh Russell Winters

305 234 255 220 218 209 207 198 186 182

BREAM PRO ANGLER OF THE YEAR (AOY) BOATER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 30

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Warren Carter Kristoffer Hickson Cameron Whittam Mark Crompton Steve Morgan Charlie Saykao Jason Harlock Graham Franklin Andrew Moore Alan Lister

NON-BOATER 483 481 470 465 461 428 383 369 369 357

t 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Stuart Walker Nick Penprase Allan Murray Wally Fahey Justin Reeves Scott Wilson Tanya Konsul James Morgan Rebecca Fazlo Tony Khouri

474 450 449 441 427 422 419 414 384 371

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the BASS Electric scene in 2018 with Charles West writing his name into the ABT record books with a perfect season. Compiling a 500/500 points score to claim the title.

West had one of those years where everything he touched turned to gold.

Five wins from as many starts, West capped off his year adding the number one ranked BASS Electric title to his AOY crown for 2017. West had a stunning

year, a year like none that we had seen before on the BASS Electric tour. The question is will 2018 be as fruitful for the Valley Hill sponsored tournament angler? The five event Casino Outdoors BASS Electric Series will decide.

The race for the Zerek BARRA Tour Team of the Year was more of a nailbiting affair with two points separating the top three wins in the 2017 Zerek BARRA Tour. Craig Griffiths and

Karim DeRidder (297/300 points) from Team Fish-Tec Solutions/EJ Todd made it back-to-back Team of the Year wins, pushed to the limit by the new kids on the block, Peter Laine and Zac Hunt from Team Barratrauma in 2nd with 296 points, and Ash Sims and Dan Curry in 3rd with 295 points.

For full rankings, records, and earnings of each species and series visit www.abt.org.au.

Ross Cannizzaro and Brian Everingham with the spoils of their 2017 Bass Pro wins.

BARRA RANKINGS 1 1 3 3 5 5 7 7 9 9

Craig Griffiths Karim De Ridder Ashley Sims Dan Curry Jake Mitchell Wally Wilton Geoff Newby Phil Lyons Dustin Soppel Rick Napier

228 228 191 191 161 161 146 146 143 143

BARRA TOY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fishtec/EJ Todd Barratrauma Jackall Venom Triton Boats/Edge Rods Lucky Craft/Edge Rods Zerek Tree Huggers Lews Toray Flattop Fishing

297 296 295 286 284 283 281 280 279 279

BASS PRO RANKINGS BOATER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Kristoffer Hickson Peter Phelps Tom Slater Mark Lennox Brian Everinham Mitchell Cone Stephen Kanowski Warren Carter Terry Allwood Mark Ferguson

NON-BOATER 265 252 242 221 215 208 201 193 189 166

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Paul Aldous Peter Morgan Jason Martin James Reid Orton Marchant Brendan Pieschel Brett Hyde Simon Johnson James Hickson Aimee Thompson

212 206 200 199 187 183 182 176 174 165

BASS PRO ANGLER OF THE YEAR (AOY) BOATER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Ross Cannizzaro Mark Lennox Terry Allwood Kris Hickson Tom Slayter Stephen Kanowski Peter Phelps Adrian Melchior Brian Everingham Graham Ford

NON-BOATER 395 389 382 384 380 372 369 364 361 359

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Keeghan Painter Peter Morgan Dylan Byron Paul Aldous Jason Martin James Reid Lochie Rutherford Brett Hyde Leone Walker Mal Draper

388 387 384 379 376 360 357 356 350 348

BASS ELECTRIC RANKINGS BASS ELECTRIC AOY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Charles West Adrian Wilson Dean Thompson Tom Reynolds Jonathon Bale Matt Johnson Tim Nagano Brett Kleinschmidt Robert Butler Joseph Urquhart

397 342 286 242 230 219 209 203 177 160

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Charles West Adrian Wilson Tim Nagano Brady Ellis Craig Atta-Singh Shaun Falkenhagen Joey Urquhart Dean Thomson Tom Reynolds Sean Connelly

500 478 375 368 350 282 280 276 275 273 abt

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It’s all starting to happen on the Fraser Coast HERVEY BAY

Dane Radosevic

I’m sure many anglers have 1 February marked on their calendar and have already begun the tedious task of changing split rings, trebles and tweaking lures as they gear up for the opening day of the 2018 barra season.

With pre-seasonal rainfall and some minor flooding over the Fraser Coast, all the major rivers and smaller creek systems have had a well-needed flush and have had time to clean up again.

With most systems boasting good water quality and an abundance of bait, all the signs are promising for a great barra fishery this season.

River Heads and the lower reaches of the Mary and Susan river systems are going to be good options to start the search for that prized chromesided barra. The building tides around the moons should see good numbers of fish congregating around the rocky outcrops and headlands, however the massive tidal influence can make it a little tricky to fish, so timing is crucial in this scenario. Soft vibes are a key to your arsenal in this situation, as they can

technique along with a slow rolled soft plastic presentation.

Threadfin salmon are appearing in good numbers The author with a chunky GT he extracted from a reef edge while working a large popper. This species puts both the gear and angler to the test. sink down relatively quick and be worked in the run.

On the smaller neap tides, efforts would be best focussed further up in the systems targeting snags and rock bars with areas such as Beaver Rock and the Little Susan being worth a look. Shallowdiving suspending hardbodies twitched and stalled is a killer

throughout both systems, with fish feeding on jelly prawns around the last of the run-out tide in the drains. When in this feeding mode, erratically twitching shallow-diving hardbodies or slow rolling soft vibes are both proven methods to entice a strike from a threadfin.

If heading down the straits,

VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Competition 2018

your efforts should be focused around the countless drains on the build up to the bigger tides for threadfin salmon and grunter, as they will be in good numbers throughout all

to switch on and feed could result in a good session. One key factor in locating and successfully targeting barra consistently in any system, is finding the ‘back eddies’, as they scream barra! A back eddy is essentially the still water behind structure that is free from tidal flow, often distinguishable by the oil slick looking surface of the water. Barra use this to their advantage, exerting minimal energy as they sit and wait in ambush for baitfish to swim by or be swept past by the current. This is the ideal scenario for a lure fishing addict, and a variety of different presentations can be used to entice that bite, such as soft vibes, suspending hardbodies and soft plastics, and white coloured lures are often successful.

Both flathead and grunter have been caught in some serious numbers around the mouth of the system. The two main channels along Black Bank and where all the boats are moored has been producing incredible numbers of large grunter up to 65cm.

off, the large migrations of longtail tuna will move into the bay and begin their mass feeding frenzy, making the next few months complete chaos for the poor little baitfish. Throw in mac tuna, queenfish, golden trevally and mackerel species that more often than not show up for their fair share, and Platypus Bay is going to be teaming with life over the coming weeks and months. The birds are going to be a dead give away as to the whereabouts of the tuna, as they flock together to take advantage of the bait being force to the surface. The ‘Hervey Bay Special’, Zman 5” Streakz in bubble gum pink should be in every angler’s arsenal when targeting longtail tuna as they have proven irresistible when rapidly retrieved. The same plastic presentation sunk below the tuna and baitfish and worked with an erratic hop or burn and kill retrieve can account for other species of pelagics dwelling down below.

The flats between Wathumba Creek and Rooney Point is well worth a look at

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FEBRUARY 2018

Luke Harvey, a local angler, was stoked to land this solid golden trevally while fishing the bay. of the creek systems. They are best-targeted on the run-out tide in the main channels or around gravel patches. The numerous isolated patches of rubble, rock and small artificial reefs are worth prospecting for sweetlip, cod, trout and blueys on a fresh or live bait presentation.

The Burrum River is home to one of the best breeding populations of barramundi in the area, hence the sheer numbers of fish that get caught. Although often smaller in size, there are also some trophy specimens to be caught. The upper reaches of the main system boasts some incredible rock bars and big snags, which hold barra all over them. Pair that up with bait holding in the area, then timing it right for when those fish are going

Bait fishing has been the preferred method of choice with fresh prawns, mullet fillets and live herring all producing good results.

The pelagic scene out through the mouth of the Burrum River will continue to increase, as large aggregations of baitfish attract predatory fish such as mac tuna, lontail tuna, golden trevally, GT and queenfish. It is quite a spectacle to witness schools of predatory fish the size of a football field gorging themselves on baitfish. Smaller 100-120mm stickbaits and fast-paced pencil poppers can account for some incredible topwater action, and the old faithful 5” pink soft plastics hopped or cranked quickly will draw the strikes as well.

As the spotties taper

this time of year, as quite often large bait balls get pushed in along the beach where packs of queenfish, golden trevally and longtail tuna can be found smashing into them in shallow water.

The fishing across Break-Sea Spit is beginning to fire, with the shallower reef systems and isolated bombies producing some trophysized GT, Spanish mackerel, mahimahi and yellowfin tuna. Chasing any species on topwater is exciting, and casting large stickbaits and poppers to pressure edges where you can see fleeing and skipping baitfish will get any anglers adrenalin pumping. Trolling is another successful method, with diving hardbodies and skirted lures producing good results.

To page 85

From page 84

Moving inshore, the shallower reefs continue to be teaming with life as prolific numbers of sweetlip are being caught on fresh baits lightlyweighted and drifted across the reef, with spangled emperor, blackall, tuskfish, cod and trout also regularly caught.

Hopping smaller soft plastic presentations or slow trolling a medium-running hardbody are both viable options for these species in similar areas. The deeper wrecks and artificial reefs have been producing better quality reef fish, with those anglers focusing around the low light periods being rewarded. Pelagics continue to patrol the inshore islands and

have been providing many anglers with some incredible sport, especially for those fishing with topwater lures, as queenfish and GTs have been smashing these lures.

For the crustacean lovers, this is a fantastic time of year to prep the pots and get the cast net out, as the crabs are on the move in our rivers and creeks and the prawns are running in good numbers. Prawn Gutter, China Bite, Power Creek and many of the smaller creek systems throughout the straits or on the western side of Fraser Island are good areas to start searching for a feed of prawns. One 10L bucket of prawns per person is the legal limit.

Good weather forecast for Feb RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

Another fantastic run of nice weather has let us do many trips offshore. It’s probably the best offshore reef fishing I’ve ever seen for this time of year.

Pearl perch have been the dominant species again with many bag-outs and great quality fish too.

There has been no trick to catching the pearlies. A simpl dropper rig baited with pilchards is all that’s needed.

The other fish on the bite in big numbers have been tuskfish. Slow drifting on glassy calm days with baits

Karl with an acrobatic mahimahi. of squid or mullet strips also saw us achieving bag limits recently.

Cobia and mahimahi are supplying some great

entertainment, with solid models amongst them.

Mackerel have been a bit hot and cold – here today and gone tomorrow. They will be more consistent as summer moves into autumn.

On the Great Sandy Straits, mangrove jack are still an easy target in all the creeks. Live herring and poddy mullet are the red-hot bait and large barramundi are also mixed in with the jacks, which is a lot of fun.

On the beach there has been a weed problem lately, but good whiting are being caught in the clear patches. A wind change and a blow usually fixes the problem. If the weather remains good, February will fish well, particularly for spotted mackerel.

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

59 Torquay Rd, Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Ph: (07) 4128 1022 Neil Mcleod with a solid grunter that took a wellpresented bait at the mouth of the Burrum River.

The author’s wife Kim and daughter Ella got stuck into some quality pearlies on a rare recreational trip.

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85

Persistence is the key LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

Over the past few months Lake Monduran and its surrounding areas have experienced a typical wet season. Huge amounts of rain, storms most afternoons, water rises and shifty winds have made the fishing tougher than usual. The bite times have been finicky, so persistence has been the key to success. The areas that have fished best throughout the lake have been SDA Bay, Bird Bay, Jacks Bay, Rainforest Bay and Insane Bay. A combination of hardbody lures and soft plastics is always good to have on hand. It’s a good idea to frequently change lure sizes and types. Also experiment with different retrieval methods to see what will work best. Lures that have been working well are weedless soft plastics like the ZMan 6” SwimmerZ, also the 5” and

Ryan McSorley from the Sunshine Coast with a great night barra.

Lachlan got into the barra action.

7” Zerek Flat Shads. In the hardbody range Jackall Squirrels, Rapala X-Raps and Storm Thunder Barras have also been standout performers.

Call Jamie today to book your next trip Ph: 0407 434 446

PLENTY OF FISHING OPTIONS AT LAKE MONDURAN When staying here with us at Lake M, your fishing options are not just limited to the lake. The east coast QLD barramundi closed season has now reopened to recreational and commercial fishers.

This means there are other fishing options at hand.

The Kolan River system is a huge stretch of water, which starts from the top Lake Monduran itself and ends at Miara on the coast north of Bundaberg.

Throughout this river system there are a series of barrages and weirs with river sections in between that are perfect for small boats and kayaks; these areas have barra and bass escapees from Lake Monduran.

It’s advisable to seek local knowledge on how to access these areas and keep in mind there are exclusion zones on either side of all weirs and barrages.

• For all accommodation and camping enquiries please call us on 07 4157 3881 or email us at info@ lakem.com.au.

For fishing info and charters you can call me on 0410 599 147.

Jake caught this decent barra.

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86

FEBRUARY 2018

Howdy all new fishers to Stanage Bay, Shoalwater Bay, the Percy Isles and surrounding islands.

The jew holes are still working, although they’re not as generous as in October or November. Barra are certainly enjoying the heat and storms, along with the grunter, bream, golden snapper and cod in the Thirsty Sound.

The Coastline Concreting crew, staying at Pacific Oasis with their lads, certainly had the time of their lives pulling in the mud crabs and barramundi. The barra all released well.

The reefs and coral out from Stanage need protection. While they’re not as prolific as in the northern waters of the Great Barrier Reef, there’s enough there to keep the oysters, coral crays and reef fish happy in this area. Let’s keep it that way and leave our waters pristine.

The grassy sweetlip, tuskfish, red emperor and

The lads had the time of their lives pulling in barramundi. The barra were all released. coral trout have been hooked as close as the Duke Islands.

Collins and Mumford islands have shared some big lippers and Jeffries and Hexham kept the hookers on their toes with a few homing mackerel being tricked by a nice gar bait.

Sam landed a Spanno on his recent trip to the islands.

Joel and Mel had fun potting the muddies and reeling in the blueys. Rob was not so lucky with a 6/0 hook in his eyelid.

He’s fine; it’s just a shame the boat No Excuses wasn’t

even in the water when this happened.

The wildlife is even more abundant than ever and the cattle still like to sleep on the road at times. The road into the township of Stanage To page 87

Consistent rain has made fishing difficult BUNDABERG

Jason Medcalf topwater@bigpond.com

Come 1 February saltwater barramundi are back on the menu. February really is a hot, wild time of the year and our region has seen some scorching hot and very wet Februarys in the past. Since September our region has been getting more than its fair share of rain and most of our systems are still running fresh; some are still dirty.

The consistent rain put a hold on our spring flathead fishing and our early season big jack fishing, but it’s now paying dividends. Most systems are cleaning up and fishing very well and should stay that way if we avoid another drenching.

THE BURNETT RIVER Ever consistent, the river started to fire again upstream with mangrove jack and some very nice grunter being taken around Tofts Rocks. That was before the last batch of storms that dirtied up the water again.

If we sneak through now for a few weeks without too much rain, those jacks and grunter will be back with a few other species as well. There were some prawns getting around and anglers who found them got a decent feed; those who used them for bait got a better one.

The mouth of the river has been a mix with the run-out tide dumping dirty water around the heads. This has sometimes shut everything down and sometimes fired the fish up. The mouth of the river has pretty much been

alive with bait and when they are moving around the fish are feeding. Again, the grunter have been a standout.

Bream and whiting are around, but the quality has been a little poor.

Sometimes when the river has been running fresh for so long the better fish move on looking for more hospitable places to hunt and live. This leaves the smaller fish; after a prolonged freshwater bath, these fish can suffer from disease and develop sores.

THE BAFFLE I have had a couple of trips up the Baffle lately and the fresh has made the fishing very interesting. There is a distinct plug of dirty water in the system being pushed around by the tides and wind.

Try to avoid it, as it can make fishing difficult at times.

While chasing mangrove jack in the cleaner water during the closed season, I had to shake a few barramundi off at the side of the boat that ate my lure when they should not have. They were relatively small fish in the 60-70cm mark, which was great to see – just not in the closed season on my line. February will be an excellent time to hit the Baffle as long as the rain stays away. I’ve heard the prawns are starting to get to size around the mouth, so that’s a good thing too.

OFFSHORE January was a mixed bag with some perfect weather for offshore fishing mixed with wild storms and strong winds.

February is usually much the same, but as most people are back to work it’s harder to take advantage of those pockets of good weather.

Outside there have been some good fish around with coral trout, red-throat emperor, nannygai and tuskfish all coming up from most spots.

The hardest thing I have found lately is getting the good fish up through the sharks, as they seem to be everywhere.

They don’t seem to worry about the mackerel, which is good because they are pretty much everywhere outside at

There have been a lot of tuna getting around outside and yellowfin make great sashimi. the moment too. I’ve tried dropping my old favourite Halco Twisty through them and just winding back flat out – it’s a lucky dip what species of mackerel you will

get. It’s going to be hot this February, so make sure you take plenty of water with you and enough for those on board your boat; you don’t want to spoil your day out.

SUMMER SALE ON ALL NEW

Spotted mackerel seem to be everywhere. This one ate a Twisty.

From page 86

Bay is the best I have ever seen it, however the same rules apply – drive to the conditions.

Sure, the potholes are gone and the corrugation is minimal, but there is a lot of loose gravel. If you’re not used to driving on unsealed roads, this can shatter your windscreen and your nerves.

Sparky’s daughter found out the hard way and wrote her car off over the New Year break; luckily Steph, Rach and all the kids didn’t get hurt.

Anglers couldn’t wait for the barra season open this month. Hopefully I will add another barra to my tally.

Come up and enjoy the thrill of hooking a big Stanage Bay saltwater barra, and you will be hooked. There is no need to go to the Northern Territory, and our barramundi are caught in pristine open waterways. Yes, our estuary is classed as open water with only two little islands, Quail and Long, separating it from the Coral Sea.

• There is still plenty of accommodation for all fishers. For more info, call me Von on 0749 373 145.

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87

Lake Awoonga is steadily improving again GLADSTONE

Liam Jones

How good is it to see Awoonga Dam making a return to its former glory days? While the fish aren’t massive, they’re still there and still being caught in big numbers. In this habitat it won’t take long for these 60-70cm fish to be 90cm to 1m fish. All we have to do is keep them in there – keeping them in there is the hard part.

I know local lure-maker Trevor Burgess is working extremely hard with the Hatchery, council members and all those involved in coming up with something to help keep these fish from spilling over the dam wall every time we have a flood.

As fishers I think we need to get on board with this idea and help out any way we can, whether it be writing to local council, signing petitions or contacting Trevor himself with ideas and suggestions.

Now onto what is actually working on these fish! A number of techniques have been proving successful over the past month. A standout would have to slower sinking bent minnow-style lures.

There seems to be something about these lures that entices

This beautiful coronation trout made an excellent addition to the esky. an aggressive bite even when they are finicky.

Another technique that seems to be working is rigging grubs and lures like the 5” Castaics with flashy hooks and burning them through the weed. Any rocky points with a combination of timber and weed are great places to start looking. Try the more wind-blown points rather then getting out of the wind and trying to hide.

In the estuaries, as you could imagine, these hot days and stormy afternoons have made the jack fishing unbelievable.

Sessions on 6-10 fish are common.

Turkey Beach, Seven-Mile

Creek, Pancake and Jenny Lind are all fishing well.

Early morning and late afternoon low tides make for easy fishing. On a recent trip with my mate Brandon Gillet I tried a new plastic I hadn’t used before.

I was trimming the 5” down to make the body slightly shorter so it was probably closer to a 4” plastic. The action was amazing with a massive body roll and wide tail action.

Root beer and champaign shiner were standout colours on this trip, each accounting for three jack apiece.

The grunter are still in the harbour for those that put

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in the time and effort. On my last jigging trip it took us a good two hours before we located a decent school. The odd fish was popping up here and there but it wasn’t until we located this school that the real fun began. We had two and three-way hook-ups all on light jigging gear with anything around 40-80g in a blue or green colour working on the day. All fish were between 60-75cm and certainly pulled hard on PE 1.5 jigging rods!

Black jewfish are showing up in harbour in decent numbers in harbour on the right tides. All the usual haunts are holding fish from the tide island to holes near Gatcombe Head. Once again, fresh bait is best!

Cuttlefish heads and big local squid are the standouts.

Crabs have improved since Christmas in both size and quality. Grahams Creek has been the pick with some big 2kg+ crabs making their way into pots.

Now the barra season is back open and other than the fact the biggest tide of the year falls on the opening I have great hopes for this year’s barra season.

The steady flows of fresh throughout the closed season should have given the fish plenty of time to breed and spread out.

The places to start looking to catch a barra would be the Boyne and Calliope rivers. Both still have a steady flow of fresh coming down, so both the fresh and saltwater fish will be in the rivers. The Calliope

should be loaded in the upper reaches with smaller fish. From the old highway bridge up any snag or hole is worth a look.

The Boyne’s upper reaches will be full of Awoonga escapees all around 60-80cm. I know the area from the train bridge all the way up to Pikes Crossing will be holding fish. Expect the bigger fish to be located on rock bars and holes further down the Boyne all the way to the mouth.

Some must-have lures to keep yourself in the game this barra season are the Duo Realis 100DR, Jackall Squirel 79 Hank Tune, Jackall Transam, Yakamito Hyper Jerk 100, Lucky Craft Pointers both 78 and 100, Happy Rock Softies Grubs, Willies and Fatheads, Castaic Jerky J 5” and 7”, and Lunker City Shakers from 3” through to 8”. These are what I’ll be arming myself with to cover just about every occasion.

Offshore we have had a few good days here and there. Recently we had small windows where a few people managed to sneak out.

Reports say the lipper size has increased and numbers are good. Most anglers I spoke to that went out bagged out everywhere from Rock Cod Shoals through to Douglas and Haberfield shoals. The 7” soft plastic jerk shads and 60-80g slow pitch jigs have accounted for the better fish.

Trout have been steady with no massive catches coming through. Anglers throwing stickbaits and poppers have been rewarded with the bigger fish, but

Queenfish always provide plenty of fun, with their fast runs and high leaps!

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fishing that little bit deeper with plastics and jigs has been getting the numbers.

In the deeper water reds have been hit and miss, which is pretty normal for this time if year. Nannygai have been consistent with some absolute crackers coming from down south around Bustard Head and 1770.

The anglers with electric reels fishing 150m+ have been scoring some big pearl perch, comet cod and even some XOS coral trout. This type of fishing seems to be growing in the region. While it’s hard work it’s certainly exciting waiting to see what pops up from those depths.

Marlin are still making an appearance, which is quite unusual. Traditionally our season runs from about September to December.

This year they started popping up in July and are still making an appearance out around the ships.

Throughout February I’d expect everything that was going well in the previous month to continue with the added bonus of being able to actively target barramundi!

Hopefully the weather gods bless us with some much-needed good weather so we can all get offshore and chase some of the big lipper and trout that make this time of year so enjoyable!

• For more information on what’s biting, or to stock up with all the tackle and bait you need, drop into LJ’s Compleat Angler Gladstone at the Gladstone Marina on Bryan Jordan Drive. You can also check out the latest news, photos and specials at Facebook Compleat Angler Gladstone.

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The barra are back in town!

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Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

The no targeting and taking of barra – one of our main target species in Central Qld – is over for this summer as of midday

the month. The estuaries have been fishing nicely and the freshwater areas have been going well in the afternoons.

FITZROY AND THE NARROWS Recently there hasn’t been a huge rain event, so the river is nice and salty

mouth of Munduran Creek which is just after Ramseys Crossing. There have been numerous mangrove jack caught around the area recently; most have been taken on soft plastics like Gulp Shrimp, minnows and hardbodies like Lucky Craft Pointers and SX60s.

Darryl Yarrow with a great grunter from the Causeway Lake, during the run-through on a high tide.

1 February, which means it’s back on the hit list for these prized sportfish. The weather in January was decent enough at the start for many anglers to get out and catch a few good ones before the drizzly, windy days on the back half of

and very healthy with life.

The rocks in the town reaches are going to be on many anglers’ hit lists straight up. Some other key areas of interest that have had good soundings of fish are Devils Elbow, Connors Creek system and the

RIVERS, CREEKS AND THE BEACHES In the creeks and beaches anglers have reported large bream and flathead and plenty of grunter in the deeper parts of the water.

The areas to target for the flathead would be channel

Matt has been getting stuck into some great saratoga using his ACM custom rod and ZMan soft plastics.

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FEBRUARY 2018

mouths or drop-offs in the channel from knee-deep water rapidly dropping 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 Corio Bay, the Narrows and Coorooman, along with Moses perch and the swarms of grunter.

The best places to target these estuary species would be headlands along the beaches, off the sides of deep channels or rubble patches that have actively moving water on them.

Hardbodies are deadly on all of these estuary species; the best lures to use typically dive 1-2m and are around 50-60mm long. The yabby flats are faring very well lately and a lot of people have been catching ripper whiting and flathead just using lightly-weighted yabbies on the calm, flats areas of the estuaries.

FRESHWATER LAGOONS The freshwater has really been firing in the mornings and afternoons. Local places like the Woolwash, and other freshwater lagoons along the coastline have been the pick for tarpons, jacks and other freshwater dwellers.

Barra will be back on the freshwater hit list this month locally; impoundments like

The author with a healthy Causeway Lake jack taken on a Palms Mola rod, 2500 Shimano Twin Power and Sunline Super 5 PE 0.6.

Awoonga Dam have fished really well over the summer period. With no more flooding events Awoonga looks to be recovering to its former glory! Locally, 60mm poppers and 4” plastics have been working well in the fresh.

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

to place your pots will determine which pots to purchase or use; the black and orange PRO HD pots are for areas that are deeper and have more water flow, while the standard blue four-entry pots are for creek systems that have smaller tidal influence and not a lot of rough bottom structure.

Check out your local tackle store for advice and info on the rules and regulations.

Matt Seddon celebrates his first barramundi, which he caught on the Fitzroy River. The barramundi was caught on a Rapala MaxRap Fat Minnow in flake gold fluoro red colour while casting tight to rocky structure.

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Barra fanatics are psyched for the season open YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

The best time of year for us barra fanatics is here.

As of 12pm on the first day of this month, barramundi season opens again.

The changes in our fishery have been astounding over the past few years.

A good barramundi and threadfin area has improved to a great fishery now and we rival all the best rivers in Australia for numbers of fish caught for hours spent chasing them. Providing the wet seasons and responsible practices remain, things will only get better. No longer do anglers have to leave Queensland to be in prime barra territory.

In preparation for the

Nikki Owens caught this sweet-looking nanny out from Yeppoon.

The author with a Fitzroy River barra caught last season. barra season I have been doing some sounding in the mighty Fitzroy River lately and leaving the rods at home, so I don’t get tempted by all the barra that are showing on the screen. I am addicted to barramundi, as are plenty of others in the area. My sounding trips have been very productive; all the usual spots are holding fish but I have noticed there are schools in places where I have never seen them before.

The town reaches certainly appear to be the pick for a quick session and all the fish up there are decent size. The only place I found consistent small barra was between Nerimbera and the cut-through. The lack of big rain has allowed bait schools to move pretty much right up to town and that is where the big fish are. I find that an hour either side of the tide change is the most productive period and if that

often getting smacked as it hits the water or after the first twitch. The expectation of a hit keeps the adrenaline levels fairly high for long periods. The funny thing is that more often than not an off-chance throw will draw an unexpected strike, making your heart rate climb instantly.

Then there are the plastic and vibe spots that normal lures just can’t reach. The ability to work a deep straight up and down rock face or the bottom of a deep channel makes plastics a necessary tool in your arsenal. In water where you would think that there is no visibility at all, it seems that the darker colours work the best. Don’t be afraid to put on a black vibe or paddle-tail when the river looks like chocolate.

Plenty of the young anglers around here use livies they collect from

Ben Crew scored this top red emperor out from Yeppoon. lines up with sunrise and sunset, all the better.

The diversity in country just in this small area means that it has spots that will suit all styles of fishing and lures. I prefer hardbody deep divers because of the visual aspects of throwing right into a structure and

the ponds around Rocky.

Herring work very well and will last a session in salt water if they don’t get eaten in the meantime. More and more people are catching tilapia in the ponds. You need to dispose of them appropriately as soon as you can after capture. It’s an

offence to keep them, it’s an offence to put them back in the water and it’s an offence to use them as bait. We have had some reports of tilapia used as live baits and the fisheries have been given the details.

We have had one of the worst runs ever for wind and offshore fishing. Usually the southeasterlies come in small brackets of 3-6 day runs and a few days spell in-between.

The last month or so has been terrible, as it has rarely dropped under 15 knots.

Anglers who made an effort and copped an ordinary trip in the chop have reaped the rewards.

Despite conditions, there have been a lot of quality fish scored recently. Over the hot months the fish come into the closer grounds in quantity. As usual, the trophy fish are at the wider, lesspressured grounds.

The summer mackerel run is here and there have been some good shows of the lesser mackerel and Spanish too. There are lots around, but they are fairly small and many of the doggies and greys will need to be measured for legal size. The Spanish, however, are nearly all school size around 6-8kg, and they easily go over the 750mm minimum. The Spannos of this size are easy to work with, taste good and go very well on gear designed for smaller pelagics.

Cobia are back in form although it seems like they never went away. Many of the rubble patches in the bay and offshore have schools of cobes at some stage over the tide. Often in recent trips we have found schools of cobia that were only just of size or just under. Once they find you it is impossible to get a bait to the bottom and it is easier to look for another spot than wait for them to leave.

This month is trevally time. Early in the year we get trevally at all the local fishing spots around the islands and up the coast. Big golden trevally have been in form, particularly in the shallow waters right in close to the islands and local headlands north of Yeppoon. Goldens are the pick of all the trevally for eating, especially if they are bled on capture, iced down and eaten that day or soon after. They make a great sportfish on light gear and are normally clean fighters given the areas they are caught in.

Golden trevally will take various live baits from prawns to herring. They will also take pillies, dead prawns and fresh fillet baits.

Lures are my favourite method for all the trevally species. Goldens are more likely to take small divers and plastics instead of the big poppers we target GTs with. The more realistic natural hardihead type plastics work very well. If you like using chrome lures then a small metal lure with a slow fluttering motion works well.

I love walking the beaches of the Keppels

with a flick stick and a handful of different plastics working the shallows around the rocks or little gutters. In these pristine, crystal-clear waters it is easy to see the bait schools and that is always my cue to start casting. Over the years I have found that lighter colour clothes let me get closer to the fish before scaring them and on the white sand, I always approach the fish with the sun shining towards me.

When the sun is behind you it makes a shadow that the fish can see well before they see you. When I am around the rocks where there are heaps of shadows I prefer to fish the other way so that the sun is in their eyes and camouflage isn’t so important. Big GTs are turning up at a few spots regularly in our close grounds and the young anglers have been having a field day with these brilliant sportfish. I am glad the lads all practice safe release techniques and they are all returned in good health.

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www.mikat.com.au FEBRUARY 2018

91

New barra season tips and top locations MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

February is here already and the exciting news is the opening of the barra season in waters other than the stocked dams, and with our myriad of creeks and estuary systems, Mackay has plenty to offer the barra anglers. Not forgetting of course we are now into the second year of the Net Free Zone centred on Seaforth and, based on past indications, that area will really fire.

I will be joining the rest of the salty barra-starved anglers looking to reacquaint with these great sportfish and have already eyed off tides

Dad and daughter team Clinton and Kelsey Hassan will be looking to score more double headers like this jack and barra working the rock bars this month. and they are happy to help without giving away specific locations. Remember, barra are creatures of habit and where they are found in one system they will be in similar spots in other systems.

I chase barra on lures and fly and like to target half tide out through the low water and half tide on the run-in. Generally speaking, barra are harder to find on

tide right up on banks, in small gullies, and way up the creeks almost to freshwater.

While they are cruisers, barra will also sit on a snag or rock bar and with modern side scan electronics the game is much easier.

Our area is famed for saltwater barra and for the quality and quantity of our dam barra thanks to the efforts of MAFSA Inc, the local stocking group.

Kinchant, Teemburra and Eungella dams are known Australia-wide as wellstocked dams holding plenty of big fish. Kinchant in particular regularly turns up barra well over 120cm and around the full moon with hot, sultry weather the boat traffic and angler pressure gets pretty intense.

Teemburra and Eungella get less attention but both dams have plenty of 120cm+ barra.

The freshwater reaches of the Pioneer River also hold barra and are stocked annually by MAFSA with small numbers of fish.

Tagging results show these fish move around quite a bit with the main movement being downstream during the wet, and one fish has been recaptured in the saltwater

the bigger paddle-tails that only need to be cast out and worked slowly. Soft prawns imitations and similar will all work and can be rigged weedless and cast right into snags. Hardbodies have an equally large range, but some favoured ones include Halco Hammers, Reidy’s full range, Storm Big Eye and any of the Aussie timber lures. For the fly fisho, have plenty of deceivers, pink things, DK dancers and prawn flies.

While most anglers will chase barra during February, there are plenty of other species around, including threadfin, flathead, grunter, jacks and pikey bream.

Recently there was a great run of grunter in all the creeks and they were noteworthy for the size and quantity being caught in the NFZ. A benefit of not having to dodge nets is more anglers can catch these great sport and eating fish.

I mentioned there are plenty of prawns about; if you’re fishing the creeks, it’s worth setting a crab pot or two as the muddies are on the move and on the chew. A few decent mud crabs can turn an otherwise poor outing into a good one

Kinchant Dam barra like this beauty just keep getting bigger and respond to trolled lures or cast plastics and hardbodies along weed bed edges. leading up to and around the first and last quarter moon phases. The advantage of these smaller tides is that moving around on the low tide is easier and provides more opportunities to fish the last of the run-out, low water and the run-up tide, than on those tides with more variation between low and high water.

Favoured spots will include the Pioneer River near the rocks around the highway bridge, both up and downstream of the bridge and the bridge itself. Further downstream the areas around the ‘V’ will get plenty of attention, particularly from the live bait anglers, and any of the breaks in the trainer walls are worth checking out also.

Upstream around the hospital there will be some action and the small unnamed side creeks will be worth a look. Heading up near the top of the tidal influence and getting towards Dumbleton Weir will also offer plenty of opportunities to tangle with a barra and jacks around the rocks. These spots are more suited to lure fishing, which is becoming more popular every season.

To the south of the city hotspots include Bakers, Sandy, and Alligator creeks, 92

FEBRUARY 2018

all of which offer some shore-based fishing for barra and visitors should seek advice from the local tackle shops staff. A small tinnie definitely opens up way more country and opportunities, and visitors should keep in mind this is very definitely croc country and the warning signs are for real. Just recently a 4m croc was spotted near Mackay Harbour and there have been plenty of others spotted around the district.

Further south, small creeks like Grasstree will produce some barra, but the main spots are around Sarina Inlet and Rocky Dam further south; both can be accessed with a 2WD vehicle and both have concrete ramps. Rocky Dam Creek is well-known for its croc population so take the normal precautions, like don’t clean fish at the ramp. If you’re standing in the water, keep the boat between yourself and the deeper water. These are simple precautions that do work and soon become second nature.

To the north of the city we have major creeks like Reliance and Constant before we get into the NFZ centred on Seaforth. The NFZ offers Seaforth, Victor, Cluney, Canoe, Murray, St Helens

and Blackrock creeks; all of which hold barra and will fish well throughout February. Recently there was a good run of prawns in the NFZ and naturally the barra will be there for the feasting, so obviously live prawns and those realistic plastic prawns will get plenty of use.

The number of barra spots is a bit mind-boggling, especially for visitors to our region, so as always I suggest some purchases from the local tackle shops – they will get you up-to-date info and advice on boat ramps, tides and more. Don’t be afraid to ask, as all the tackle shops are staffed by anglers

Barra in the salt or freshwater respond to walk-the-dog surface lures, like this 1m+ fish that smacked the Lively Lures Ziggy just on dark. the top of the tide although not impossibly so. Look for them on the top of the

February will see plenty of saltwater action with silver barra like this 60cm one smashing lures and live baits in Mackay creeks.

reaches of the city.

A quick word on baits and lures/flies – live bait is best and prawns are the most popular, but the downside is every picker bream wants them. Live mullet and whiting are favoured by the bigger barra and can be fished either under a float or with a bottom rig. Occassionally barra will also take a strip bait such as a fillet of mullet. For the best results stick to the livies, and a cast net will usually get enough baits for a session.

Sometimes the bait gathering gets such good results that anglers will fill a bucket with prawns and forget about chasing barra!

Some good plastics include Squidgies, Reidy’s, Storm and Castaic lures. Use

with little effort. Be warned though – the share farmers (crab pot thieves) are active, so it’s best to stay in sight of your pots while chasing a barra or two.

Most of the fishing scene during February will be creek-based and offshore fishing will be wind dependant. There has been a late run of grey mackerel and a few Spanish have been nailed off the south wall of the harbour. Generally the small boat anglers will be concentrating their efforts in the creeks.

As always, Mackay offers great opportunities for anglers from the wonderful dams to the reef, so why not come and join us in paradise.

See you at the ramp.

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A world-class fishery here in the Whitsundays WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

It has been a busy holiday season; it’s been eons since I’ve seen so many boats and people out on the water around the northern end of the Whitsundays. The weather gods have shined upon us as well; with the exception of a couple of snotty little northwesterlies, the weather has been near perfect for most of the holiday season.

Not only did the weather gods look after us, the piscatorial gods did as well with good fish being caught just about everywhere. We’ve had a nice run of relatively clear water allowing the local spear fishing brigade to do their thing getting some nice feeds of crayfish and coral trout. I don’t know many people who don’t like

Reef Underwood with a great sweetlip for dinner. in both size and numbers. Out in front of Dingo Beach and Hideaway Bay things have been moving along nicely as

There have been ample tuna, queenfish and various species of trevally feeding up high in the water column

year, with good numbers of coral trout and sweetlip moving in onto the shallower reef and rubble patches.

You can’t forget about the sight fishing on the flats at the moment either. This isn’t a form of fishing that appeals to all anglers but those of us who get into it love it and the conditions have been nothing short of sensational recently. I’ve just had a massive casting deck fitted to Reel Addiction, so I’ll be hammering away at this style of fishing with both lures and flies a lot more in

others it’s wet and wild. One thing’s for sure – it’ll be hot.

With the barramundi season opening on 1 February, most keen estuary anglers will be wiping the dust off their favourite baitcasters and spin sticks in readiness to go and do battle with one or more of Australia’s most iconic sportfish. At this time of the year a lot of the better specimens are located outside the main estuary systems. Try hunting around the mainland rocky headlands and the flats systems just outside the estuaries.

Locally, the flats in Sinclair Bay and outside the Gregory River are good places to start. All manner of baits, lures and flies will work at the moment as the water temperatures are well up, which helps the fish to be nice and active. Make sure to use stealth tactics and move around nice and quietly, though. A lot of the time the water around these locations will be clearer than up in the creeks and the fish will be very wary of anything or anyone around them.

Popular table fish such as coral trout, gold-spot cod and sweetlip will continue to feed up on the shallow reef systems over the next month.

As always, conventional bottom fishing tactics with

The pelagic fishing is intermittent during February.

With the water temperatures being at their hottest for the year a lot of our tropical speedsters have either gone to ground or migrated south to slightly cooler waters.

There should be one reliable species, though – the everpopular giant trevally.

It’s a good time to get out a few poppers and stickbaits to find out just how strong you really are.

Key areas that I like to target are bommies that have good current flow around them and deep rocky points and headlands that also have good current flow around them. When targeting these fish make sure you keep moving around and look for the areas that are holding the most bait.

Best of luck to you all with your angling adventures over the next month. Hopefully the big whirly winds stay at bay and everybody gets a chance to get out and have some fun on the water.

• Reel Addiction Sport Fishing Charters specialises in light tackle fishing for all tropical sportfishing species on fly, lures and bait. Reel Addiction operates from the beautiful Cape Gloucester Beach Resort, 40 minutes’ drive north of Airlie Beach.

Robert Lloyd-Lewis, a regular patron at Reel Addiction, getting in on some coral trout action. chowing down on a fresh feed of cray.

Up in the estuaries the muddies and prawns have fired up. If we get any decent rain in the near future, the prawns should only get bigger

well. Out around the outer edges of the islands there have been some big schools of flying fish moving in from out at the reef and they’ve bought some nice pelagic activity with them.

and most have been eager to eat all manner of surface lures. I’ve found the best reef fishing to be in close around the mainland and inner islands, which is pretty typical for this time of the

Michael Vlasic with what’s left of a GT after it bit a popper in half and then got itself bitten in half by an unidentified monster shark.

Shannon Hedrick with a dinner-sized gold-spot cod that couldn’t resist eating a live fusilier for its last meal.

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FEBRUARY 2018

the future. It’s going to be one of my main tasks for 2018 to show off to everyone the world-class flats fishery that I am fortunate enough to have right here on my doorstep.

Over the coming month the fishing should continue to fire well across most fronts as long as the weather remains stable. February is a fickle month to try and predict the weather for; some years it’s dry and calm and

fresh baits will get their fair share of fish. The only problem with this is you’re limited to fishing on a small portion of one reef at a time.

I like to mix things up by introducing a few lures into the game. By trolling hardbodies or by drifting and casting hardbodies and soft plastics you can cover a whole system fairly quickly and effectively, discovering where the honey holes are along the way.

Combined fishing charter and accommodation packages are available. For more information, contact Mick Underwood on 0413 882 153 or email mick@ reeladdiction.com.au. Resort enquiries can be directed to Julie Houston on (07) 4945 7242 or at info@capeg.com. au. To stay in touch with what’s biting, check out the Reel Addiction Sport Fishing Whitsundays page on Facebook.

Burdekin barramundi have been rudely woken AYR

Steve Farmer

This month there’s a fair chance that Burdekin barramundi will be rudely woken from their closedseason siesta. Most keen barra anglers like to start the open season with a bang and I’m tipping Burdekin estuaries will be swarming with tinnies for much of this month, their occupants soaking baits or trolling or flicking lures at fever pitch.

That is, depending on the weather. It’s a fact that at this time of the year we could be in the middle of a long, dry summer – good

you love your artificials and absolutely must have a flicking session, choose lures that make plenty of noise (rattlers and surface lures) and those with contrasting paint jobs that might stand out more in dirty water. A slower retrieve may help barra home in on your offering.

BOATIES BRAVE THE SUMMER HEAT The Christmas/New Year period saw plenty of boaties brave the summer heat and hit the water making the most of some brief stretches of calm weather. On many days skippers reported conditions to be cool, calm and comfortable as they headed offshore, but that wasn’t

fishing and cruising this popular Burdekin area.

Mind you, this idea has been kicked around by political parties for a very long time and Molongle skippers will believe it when they see it.

CLUB CHAMPIONS The Burdekin District Sportfishing Club celebrated the end of another successful year with the traditional barbecue at Helen and Laurie Brett’s residence. It was great to see most members in attendance, with some coming from as far afield as Bowen. Santa made an even longer trip to be there, giving small gifts to those boys and girls who had been good. The highlight of the night was the presentation of awards to the club champions for 2017.

The Burdekin District Sportfishing Club champions for 2017.

Jack Hawkins and Russell Sutcliffe with their catch after an impromptu stop on a secret spot on the Alva Shoals. for estuary fishing, but not good for North Queensland in general – or our muchanticipated estuarine and inshore fishing could be washed out with swirling brown floodwaters spilling out of the Burdekin Delta.

The best fishing spots will depend on the river conditions and keen barramundi hunters may have to venture further afield to escape floodwaters and find hungry barra. Places such as Upstart Bay and the Elliot River may be a better bet than most local creeks if a fair dinkum wet season dumps heavy rains on us, but even these estuaries can be a challenge in the wet.

If you do have to fish in dirty water, live baits will probably be more effective than lures. However, if

always the case.

With the latest forecast promising ideal boating conditions, Ron and Russell Sutcliffe and Jack Hawkins were heading for the main reef, but didn’t quite make it. Around 12 miles out the glassy conditions forecast turned into steep, metre-high waves just a few metres apart, producing an uncomfortable ride even in their 21-footer.

Another couple of hours of flogging their way offshore didn’t seem very appealing and with other boats turning for home the trio opted to spend a bit of time on a nearby mark they had.

The end result was a mixed bag including large-mouth nannygai, red emperor and cobia. Russell said the cobia were thick and hungry.

“I’ve never seen cobia like it. They were following schools of 6-8 big manta ray,” Russell said. “We must have caught 30 cobia for the day and released as many as possible. We only kept those that were deeply hooked.”

They ended up with five around 90cm in the ice box, but there were some up around 1.2m long that they released.

Weather-wise the day got better and better and by the time they headed for the ramp the sea was once again glassy.

TASTY TREATS FOR CHRISTMAS LUNCH Another popular highlight over the Christmas period was the crabbing in local creeks. Most crabs taken weren’t quite full, but they were still a welcomed addition to Christmas lunch.

Prawns were also reported to be in good numbers in many creeks but were a little on the small side. A bit of rain should improve size and numbers.

MOLONGLE MEMBERS OPTIMISTIC With commitments of $5million from political parties prior to the recent state election, Molongle Creek Boat Club members are as optimistic as they have ever been that Molongle Creek will soon become the all-tide access facility that many boaties have been hoping for for decades.

The all-tide access to the waters around Cape Upstart would improve both safety and convenience for boaties

NOTIFICATION OF REFUSAL TO MEDIATE – BAIT’N’GO

From the Ombudsman Kate Carnell AO

The Office of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) received a request for assistance from a small business that is in dispute

with BNG Logistics Australia Pty Ltd (Bait'N'Go).

After unsuccessful attempts at pre-­‐mediation, under subsection 71(4) of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Act 2015, our Office in order to resolve the matter. recommended the parties attend mediation

Despite this recommendation, Bait’N’Go did not fully engage in an arranged mediation, and has refused to attend a subsequent mediation.

I am extremely disappointed in Bait’N‘Go’s lack of engagement and refusal to mediate, considering I believe that mediation is the most effective way to resolve a matter of this nature, provides a fair outcome and avoids costly litigation.

I continue to encourage Bait’N’Go to reconsider its decision to refuse mediation.

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95

Golden rules for golden snapper TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

We’re still waiting for decent rain, and it’s bloody hot! The winds have been pretty consistent up around 15 knots most days, and it took forever for the small fresh to get away in the northern creeks, which slowed things down a bit. Still, the forecast is promising, and if it

of high speeds, is taking a lot of fish. A jellybean-sized lure like this is often the key to bites when it’s a bit tough. The longtails don’t mind them either.

Trout are thick, as are the reds, and some amazing trips have been reported in the store over recent weeks. Having specialist bait on hand gives anglers the choice of many options, and for lure fishers there’s an amazing range of

A really good run of prawns kept the cast netters busy for around the last two weeks of December and the first week of January, and everything that eats a prawn started to play the game nicely. That list includes grunter, golden snapper (fingermark), salmon, flathead and many more fish, which put in an effort for weeks on end.

Big golden snapper are renowned for sucking

This 85cm golden snapper put up an intense fight in the shallows before it was subdued. The outfit is an Atomic Arrowz matched to a Shimano Rarenium spooled with 30lb Unitika braid. comes off then the barra season should be off to a great start. Spearfishers have been reporting big numbers of breeding-sized barra that seem to be just waiting, and let’s hope they aren’t left rainless and disappointed like the last five years.

There are still plenty of Spanish around, and the grey mackerel are also making a show, with fish up to a stonking 10kg still being reported. The Halco 130 Max, which is capable

artificials to choose from also. Some massive fish are being taken by deep presentations jigged in 30-35m of water, with all species falling victim to crab, squid, prawn and shad style baits rigged a little differently. The Berkley Nitro Elevator heads have been the key to some of the rigs for the extra deep stuff, and even custom-rigged 4oz models have been used in up to 70m of water for large-mouth nannygai and big red emperor.

There are plenty of flathead chasing the incoming tide as it floods the flats. It’s a great way to teach the kids the art of luring with light line and smaller lures.

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FEBRUARY 2018

in squid, which have been plentiful from late December. If a golden snapper sees a live squid, it’s just about sure to eat it. Golden snapper are one of those specialist inshore species, and anglers targeting them are very meticulous about the timing, rigging and presentation of their baits. When things are a bit tough, those anglers who go to the trouble of getting good baits, rigged to the best of their ability, come out on top. However, when the golden snapper are about in decent numbers, all you need to do is run a ball sinker straight down on top of a live squid, feed it to the bottom and hang on. The sinker size depends on the depth obviously, and hook size is gauged by the squid or bait size. If they’re average-sized baits, an 8/0-10/0 suicide hook is a good option and quick to rig. Alternatively, you can use no. 7/0 or 8/0 circles; there is a bit of a resurgence in the use of circle hooks for these fish. A few meters of 40-50lb leader is also advantageous.

There are a few lures that stand out as consistent producers on golden snapper in the north, and for those who haven’t yet gotten into it but are intending to, the MadEye Paddle Prawn 7” is very successful on the XOS models. And regardless of what some people believe, there are times when large fish will take a smaller lure, so having a 5” plastic is also

worth keeping in mind.

A classic example of this was on New Year’s Day out in my old Poly in rough as guts conditions, wondering what the hell I must have been thinking to venture out in a 15 northerly. The plan was to pound my way into it and take my time getting to where I wanted to be, and on the trip back have it blowing up my bum all the way home, making for a smooth ride. I found good fish on the sounder, and threw all my favourite big fish stuff with only one belting bite in an hour. A couple of metre queenies got involved and broke the monotony until eventually I resigned myself to making the change to smaller lures.

A 4” Prong is considered small for big golden snapper, but I’ve taken enough 80cmplus fish on them to ensure I always keep them on standby.

I tied one on and it was smashed. Big golden snapper in the shallows go like trains, and this one at 85cm gave me heaps in 4.5m of water.

Old school lure fishos say small lures only catch small fish, but that’s definitely not always the case.

It’s been difficult for lure fishers to avoid the barra during closed season, but that will change. You watch, the rains will show up and the fish will all nick off to the unknown, which is a good thing if they’re making baby barra. It’s pretty much a sure thing that they’ll head

Not the traditional way to chase crabs, but they still taste as good as pot-caught ones. weighted fly back against or across the current, it’s often easier to work the fly and set the hook and keep it in place.

Coming up tight when you’re trying to keep up with your fly in fast current can be difficult in faster runoff-type water.

Hardbodied divers and paddle-tailed shads the most popular lures to throw in these scenarios, and the gorging barra will hit a fast moving lure. My mate Ryan Tully and I were throwing poppers and fizzers at queenfish recently, and caught several barra on the faster retrieves in the wash of a sand bar.

Upon closer inspection we saw dozens of barra in the shallows, along with schools of mouthful-sized whiting and gar, which pretty much had the big golden arches

Some unexpected fish have been showing up around the close-in areas. This big gold-spot gave the author heaps on the spin gear. upstream if the rains do arrive, and if they’re still up there when the season opens it’s going to be a ball for the lure and fly-chuckers.

Big, pale Clousers and Deceivers are pretty consistent flies to throw for barra, as are Pink Things, but these fish will often have ago at anything when they’re in a feeding mood. If you can cast downstream and work a

on their backs as far as the barra were concerned.

The speed of the retrieves the barra were hitting was insane, and we were amazed at how accurate the strikes were at warp speed. The water temperature and clarity obviously had an influence over their behaviour, and while we weren’t looking for barra it was cool to witness.

If you do want to cast

long distances in search of the queenfish, the C-Gar from Halco is a great casting lure for the long distance stuff, and we’ve had great success on them. Offshore bommies are another place that we throw these things around when we get the chance, although that’s not too often these days!

One area we have been frequenting of late has been the flats at the mouths of the rivers and creeks. Chasing the tide in with the fly rod is not only a safe option to tackle the shallows, but also puts you in the right spot at the right time. Schools of small herring have been getting hammered by the invisible and stealthy flatties as they mooch their way into position to attack unsuspecting baitfish. With a quick flick of their tail, flathead are like lightning when they decide to have a go.

We’ve been throwing the fly around for flatties as they’ve been in good numbers lately. Mediumsized Clouser Minnows are a great option for the lizards when fished on a weight forward, full floating line.

The eyes sink the fly, and the floating line lifts it on the strip where it settles back down towards the bottom again. Strikes come from surprisingly shallow water on the making tides. In just a few inches of water, a 50-60cm flatty can hunt with no dramas at all.

Bait fishers have been having trouble with schools of big catfish in recent weeks. I know catties pull hard, and they’re native fish that belong there, but I can’t help but feel disappointed when that whiskered boof head comes into view. Plenty of people enjoy eating them though, and I reckon they’d have to be a better option than the Vietnam-farmed Meekong catfish the supermarkets call ‘basa’. I’d eat flake or forktail catty over Meekong catfish any day!

Anglers are hoping for a good dumping of rain HINCHINBROOK

S IS I H T oat... A BOAT That’s not a b

Ryan Moody info@ryanmoodyfishing.com

After some crazy unseasonal rains in October and November, we went through another drought and some really hot weather in December. My wife and I spent a couple of weeks exploring the north tropical coast out to the shelf and the heat on some days was unbearable. I guess that’s why we spent more time in the water than fishing!

What February is going to bring is anybody’s guess, but I know a lot of people roasted out there over Christmas. We can only hope that a good wet season is just about to start, as we have been through a number of below average seasons now.

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GTs are always good at joining the party on a reef trip.

Fishing has been quiet inshore from all reports, but during the hottest part of the year this is quite often the case. Even offshore reef waters can be slow at this time of year, especially on the neaps. About the only reports that have been coming in is some reasonable catches of golden snapper at night in the main Hinchinbrook Channel.

The best method was live baiting, and this time of year is the best for using one of their favourite baits, squid. Squid are more prevalent during the darker moon periods from each quarter moon either side of the new moon. They are much harder to find around the full moon or when the waters are choppy. A good squid light and drawstring cast net is also an advantage.

Live herring are a great alternative to live squid, and herring would have to my preferred bait for them day or night, as they are a lot easier to catch and a lot cleaner on the boat. Hinchinbrook has many areas where the herring aggregate, and the big oceanic herring can quite often be

If they are under the surface a little, you can find them on your sounder by looking for the large hazy masses on the screen. Sometimes they are packed up if they are being tormented by predators, and therefore the schools appear more solid on the sounder. If they are in the deep waters, then use a drawstring castnet and let it fall the full length of the rope.

With the barra season upon us, some other areas to search for livies include the sandy beaches of the inshore islands and Hinchinbrook itself for big live garfish.

They love the cleaner waters and are a popular bait dead or alive and a favourite of the Spaniards as well as barra. Mullet can be found in many areas that are shallow and muddy and some of the schools seem endless at times. In my experience, Hinchinbrook is one of those places that baitfish of all sorts thrive really well, so with a little bit of observation thrown in, you should find catching bait here pretty easy.

Remember to remain

irukandji. The irukandji is only very small and is almost impossible to see in among the froth and particles of saltwater. They are the worst of the jellyfish and do some strange things to their victims because of intense pain.

Luckily, it’s the quietest time of year for visiting anglers.

In February, be ready for barra season again by getting your gear up to scratch and stocking up on lures and tackle in general. What kind of season start it will be remains to be seen, as we have been absent from the barra scene for three months. We are due to see some cyclonic activity shortly as well, because it’s that time of year, just ask the people of Cardwell…

We also have our February launch of our online course ‘Barra Basics’ with some great new in depth content in the private learning group. The course is just getting bigger and better and the results speak for themselves, so if you would like to super charge your barra fishing check it out at www.barrabasics.com/praise.

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Varied fishing between sprinkle and downpour CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

The fishing so far this year has varied between a sprinkle and a downpour, but the rain has been very much at the sprinkle end of the spectrum. If there isn’t a significant rain soon, it will be another difficult recruitment year for the iconic barramundi.

Hopefully there will still be enough of a wet season to trigger a spawning.

Unfortunately the barra will have to run the gauntlet of nets outside the Net Free Zone and recreational fishers everywhere, if the rains come this month.

If you do catch a large breeding female this month, or at any time for that matter, do yourself and fishing a favour and release it in good condition.

If you must take a pic for the brag board, cradle the fish and keep it out of the water for minimal time.

Under no circumstances should you lift the fish by the jaw, unless you intend to keep it for dinner. Swim it until it kicks back into life, before releasing it, so it has the best chance of survival.

Treated properly, barra have a very high survival rate, from catch and release.

Fishing conditions, while calm, have been pretty unpleasant, unless you are a night fisher. Between 7am and 5pm has been uncomfortably hot and humid so far this year but here’s hoping for the much anticipated and talked about

Swim the barra until it kicks back into life before releasing it, so it has the best chance of survival. wet season arriving in full force this month.

If the skies open up then the break-through creeks along our beaches to the north and south of Cairns are an ideal place for land-based anglers to focus their efforts, along with the headlands.

Barra and salmon will be the main target species around the beach creeks, though juvenile sharks of numerous species, stingrays and catfish will most likely be the main players.

The best times will be around the monster full and new moon tides. The great thing is you will get three cracks at it this month, with huge full moon tides at the beginning and end of the month and big tides around the new moon, mid-month.

Even without rain, many of the run-through creeks will open up with the huge full

moon tides, so go and check them out, irrespective of the rainfall.

Grunter should be well worth the chase on the hospital flats around the new and full moon high tides, with strips of gar, mullet, herring, mud herring, squid and cuttlefish all great baits at various times, along with peeled prawns. All of the same baits – alive and in small sizes – can also make great baits for the bigger grunter when they are around. The added advantage of having a livie or two in the arsenal is you can also pick up the odd barra or golden snapper roaming the flats in search of a feed.

Reef fishing has certainly been hot temperature-wise but thankfully, for a fair percentage, the fishing has matched the conditions.

Generally speaking it has

been the deep water of 40m+ that has been the most productive, especially for reds. Sharks have continued to be a nightmare for many and not a problem for a lucky few.

Fishing waters that see very few boats will give you a better chance of avoiding the razor gang, as there is a pile of anecdotal evidence to support the claim that sharks become very boat savvy and know where to find an easy feed. Drift fishing can help at times but once the men in grey suits home in on your activity they will keep following you until you put a lot of speed and distance between them and you.

Quality largemouth nannygai and red emperor have been coming from the deep water mostly at night, and a few are being caught during the day. If you do undertake a day trip, be

very mindful of regularly rehydrating and staying cool, preferably under shade or by regularly pouring cool freshwater over your head and shoulders. Don’t start this process unless you have an ample supply of freshwater, as it has to be regularly reapplied as soon as you feel it starting to become a bit steamy again.

Stopping the regular wet-down can readily turn your clothing into a sauna suit and be more detrimental than good. Saltwater will do the job but tends to make most people feel sticky and uncomfortable in really hot conditions. If it doesn’t bother you then it’s certainly easier than carrying large quantities of freshwater.

The inshore wrecks, reefs and islands will hold golden snapper, largemouth nannygai, cobia, mackerel and trevally this month

and are well worth a look when conditions allow.

Using live baits and jigging with soft plastics, soft vibes, jerk shads and micro-jigs are all productive techniques at times.

Prawns should start to show up around the mouth of Trinity Inlet and surrounding beaches, especially if there is a serious downpour. Mud crabs will also be worth a look if the wet season sets in proper. However, without the rain they will be pretty thin pickings.

All up there are plenty of options available this month, which are all very much weather-dependant.

The main thing will be to avoid the heat by fishing early, late and overnight, unless the skies open up. Then it’s Rafferty’s rules, with fishing more dependent on the water conditions at any given time, rather than the time of day.

There have been some excellent largemouth nannygai coming from the deep water off Cairns, like this beauty caught by John Wedrat on a recent trip.

Super hot conditions don’t dampen fishing PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

The start to the New Year in the Far North was a sizzler in regards to both the fishing and the weather. Hot temperatures, occasional northerly breezes, ripping tides around the moons and some heavy rain certainly made things a bit uncomfortable.

Despite this, there were some exceptional catches recorded around the traps.

On the outer reef the species were varied.

Coming back to the docks with a mixed bag was the norm and a typical daily catch of bottom fishing included coral and bar cheek trout, small and large mouth nannygai, spangled emperor, stripies and gold-spot trevally. Bonus 98

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The author’s brother Hayes from Melbourne with a stonking 8kg cale cale trevally. catches included big red emperor, thumping cobia, solid reef mangrove jack, jumbo Spanish mackerel and the elusive baldy bream.

We had massive tides around the two moons and finding marks away from the main current was key.

The catch rates in both deep and shallow water were equally impressive.

Those who had the opportunity to throw

poppers across the reefs and pressure points were treated to mind-blowing GT action, especially on those bigger tides.

Inside of the reef, the coastal fishing has also been extremely productive on the calmer days and wrecks, isolated bommies and wonky holes all produced a variety of fish. On the bottom, large mouth nannygai were up and about, and trevally

species were ever-present including bludger and cale cale. Pelagic species were also on the go at various times, including mac tuna and Spanish and doggie mackerel. They were caught by jigging slices up through the bait schools.

Closer to home the headland and river entrance fishing has seen the most action. There’s been a lot of bait schools and they’ve been pushed hard up against the banks by a regular barrage of queenfish activity.

In tow has been some supersized fish including monster barra and big GTs. The local public jetty in Port Douglas recently saw a 1m plus barra and a GT of around 30kg caught by one lucky angler, which released both fish.

Further upstream the bream have been of exceptional quality and the mangrove jack, as usual, have been super busy, especially around low light periods.

Looking ahead, it’s difficult to predict what will happen in February. There’s been some serious hints of rain, which are really needed and will breathe new life into our waterways. The headlands and creeks along the beaches should be a focus for barra, which come

back on the menu this month and if the weather remains flat, there will enough entertainment on the coastal and outer reefs to enjoy a few fish. All we can do is sit and wait and look out the window each morning and then make a decision.

Alex from Sydney caught and released this 1m barra from the Port Douglas jetty.

Hot and humid – perfect for fishing the channel LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

So our warm up celebrations with Christmas and New years are over and done with. It is now time to really get excited, as the most important date on the calendar is here, 1 February, also known as barra open season.

It’s a long three months not being allowed to target those spectacular chrome Hinchinbrook barra, and fingers are crossed we get the right amounts of rain and river rises to allow for a good breeding cycle. The last month

Catching jacks on topwater is the author’s favourite way to spend time. need plenty of rain here, and the same could be said about most of Queensland. Wet seasons and the floods are such

No matter the size, barra always put a smile on your face. has been hot and dry, which is normal, but during February we normally start seeing some increased rain periods as the Coral Sea starts to fire up.

There is plenty of talk about big rains predicted this year, and some of the true long time locals have been discussing certain signs that the rains and floods should be coming. We

an important factor in setting up some world-class fishing in the following years.

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL It’s time to tangle with some chrome and the Hinchy barra should be hungry and ready to play the game. No matter your preference, be it live baits or lures, use these

techniques at the right time in the right place and chances are you will have a few fresh fillets in the fridge and lots of fun.

Catching barra regularly can be difficult, and if I can pass on one tip it would be to get your timing right. I am far from working these fish out, but if I can choose my tide and time to fish I’m very confident I’ll have a chance of landing some. The one thing I have noticed is how certain spots fish much better at different stages of the tide. The fish must know when the water levels are perfect for feeding.

To give yourself more opportunities, you must be ready to fish a spot before quickly moving on to the next area. One thing to note is that the hours around low tide are the best time to fish hands down, and three hours each side of low is the time to get serious.

Barra can be found anywhere in the channel, from deep drop-offs in the channel itself, shallow sand flats or up

the creeks. Look for baitfish and discoloured water that they can hide and feed in.

If live bait fishing is your preferred method, then securing some mullet of various sizes will the push odds in your favour. Don’t be scared of using large baits that are bigger then your hand, as even just legal barra will have a go at eating them. Mullet around 5-7cm are the ones you want to fill your live bait tank up with, just remember to keep them out of the heat and give them a good flow of oxygen and they will stay alive and kicking for days. Mullet are great, as they are tough and really kick around when secured with a hook. You want to use enough weight to anchor your bait to the bottom, as if they are allowed to swim they can easily tangle up with other set baits. A creek mouth or creek junction is a good place to start looking, and the first few hours of the incoming tide should be when the active fish are moving past you looking for a feed.

There are also some good grunter being captured and

plenty of people are fishing the nights away in the channel over some rubbley bottom, bringing home a good feed. Don’t be surprised if the odd golden snapper or black jewfish gets in on the action as well.

Mangrove jack have again been consistent and some epic sessions have been had, especially late in the afternoons when the storms start brewing.

JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF There has been lots of bait hanging out along the jetty the last few weeks, which has meant there has been some good fun on small to mid-sized GT. Early mornings before the wind picks up is a good time.

Too many boats can also spook them, and this is another reason to get out early. If you stay away from the structure and drift along throwing poppers or stickbaits under and through the jetty, you will attract some attention. Stopping these thugs destroying you in amongst the pylons is the difficult part, so using quality gear and fancy boat work can help a little, but in most cases even chain

If you haven’t been to Hinchinbrook yet, get planning!

and a tractor wont stop them taking your offering back to their home.

The islands have been fishing really well for trout, and finding small isolated rocks and fishing fresh baits around them is the best idea.

If you secure some live baits, then you are nearly guaranteed to get good bites, it’s then up to you to be able to turn there heads away or you will be broken off immediately. If you can stop there initial run for cover, coral trout give up and come to the boat very easily.

Plenty of longtail tuna have showed up as well chasing bait around the island passes, so keep an eye out for birds diving or just circling around. If you get to the school when they are busting bait off the surface and throw a small slug or plastic into the school, you should be on straight away, and losing line fast.

Tuna know how to rip braid off reels very quickly, so a reel with a good line capacity and a smooth drag is needed to catch these line burners regularly.

It has been really hot lately and this normally means that the reef fishing can be a little hot and cold. There will be small bite windows, and this will normally be around tide changes, especially early morning and late in the afternoon. Fishing deep water is normally the best idea for reds and trout as well. It is normally too hot on top of the reef flats for good numbers of trout to hold, so looking around in 30m of water for big bommies should see some delicious fish in the esky.

Barra on the menu in the NFZ CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

It’s the time every barra angler waits for – the start of the barra season.

For the barra fishers in the Trinity NFZ this season is going to be one of the best yet. It’s no secret that barramundi numbers along the Trinity NFZ have increased significantly and there is no doubt that this

season’s catches will be at an all time high.

Just recently I sat down with the new Fishery Minister Mark Furner here in Cairns to talk about the NFZ and it was great to see Government increasing support for it to continue. In fact, they have promised an additional $100,000 on top of the local council’s $100,000 commitment to ensuring its continued success.

This funding has yet to be allocated, but it is great that we have the financial resources

It’s the time every barra angler waits for – the start of the barra season.

to support it with possibilities including stocking of fingerlings, signage, possible artificial reefs and other means to encourage more recreational fishing in the area.

Speaking of the fishing, the NFZ has continued to throw out some amazing catches in some areas, which haven’t fished well in decades. Reports from the Barron River have been winding back the clock with metre-long queenfish being snared and seen in good numbers cruising the mouth area along with blue and king threadfin salmon.

One of the first fish species to disappear after heavy netting is queenies and their return can only signal the health of the fishery returning.

Catches along the beaches have been fairing the same with some big queenfish and trevally snaring fresh baits fished just in the gutters. Those fishing the beaches have faired best setting baits around creek mouths, especially on the larger tides on the run-out tide.

With the bigger tides approaching through summer

and the sea being relatively calm at this time of the year, the beach fishing will be electric. It’s always a good idea to get live bait and put one on the bottom and one mid-water using a floater. This way you can target barra and salmon while still in the hunt for a big surface-patrolling queenfish.

The same approach and technique will work along the rocky headlands and foreshores. This area is also worth lure fishing and large shrimp imitations and hardbody lures with a bit of flash will be the way to go.

Don’t give up on the cast until the lure is out of the water, as most strikes will occur right at your feet.

If the water is dirty then live bait suspended under floats will be the way to go.

The Trinity Inlet will be the place to be on open season day for boaties, as this area is showing some amazing numbers of barramundi. The hospital flats will be the place to fish over the bigger tides and this area is renowned for holding some very large

One of the first fish species to disappear after heavy netting is queenies and their return can only signal the health of the fishery returning. trophy-sized barramundi.

If you do catch one over a metre, be sure to handle it carefully. If you can, release it boat-side, as bringing them in can kill them. Up the inlet the mouth of Hills Creek will be a suitable place to chase a big barra on surface lures, especially during times of low light and even in the dead of night.

Further up the creek the tops of Reddan Creek are also worth fishing. The smaller creeks with structure will be holding some excellent golden snapper and mangrove jack as well. If you are keen to get into

luring these areas your best start is getting a good electric bow mount motor. This will allow you to get a boat positioned perfectly to get your lures in the right spot.

Remember, even though the NFZ is here to stay, we all need to take some responsibility to ensure its continued success. It’s always a clever idea to limit your catches and to do your best to return fish healthy if you are releasing them, especially the larger breeder fish. It’s time to get out and enjoy your NFZ, so make the most of it.

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Rain season sees the die-hard anglers prosper CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

In the midst of the turmoil and thunder, and the endless procession of grey

be spreading out across the Cape if the rain and weather permits. Many east coast creeks and rivers will be accessible from places like Cooktown, Lockhart River, Portland Roads and up around Seisia.

item a hungry barramundi could ask for.

Anglers can throw in a touch of colour, rattle and wounded baitfish action to entice these silver predators.

Even when the water is dirty, barra will feed aggressively.

A decent queenfish taken on the current edge of a coral reef. clouds drifting across the sky, February is on in the Cape. If it’s not raining or building up to rain, then

by February wet season standards it’s a dud.

The barramundi season is open and handfuls of die-hard fishing nuts will

West Coast rivers can be a trickier proposition with road closures and swollen waterways the norm.

However, some champagne barra fishing can take place in rivers, as they are supercharged with nutrients, freshwater and every prey

Taking into account water depth, structure and any back eddies formed due to flow, lure choices need to be fine tuned to stay with the fish.

Congregations near drains aren’t necessarily just an upstream feature. Even right down in salt/fresh

intersections, drains will be firing up this time of year.

Anywhere food is being pushed out, either by tide or current through a narrow channel, you can expect barramundi.

Prawn imitations will be well received by all manner of fish species. These late summer and autumn months are great for crustaceans of all sorts to fire up. Some of the fine-tuning and reinvention of prawn lures over the past few years is staggering. A couple of new soft plastic imitations almost seem edible.

Heading back to the east coast, February will present more than its fair share of brilliant days out on the reef.

If you’re aware of squalls, trailer boats can roam the distant reefs and shoals, accessing areas out of range during the cooler months.

The bluewater scene may be a little quiet on the pelagic front, but the deeper reefs and shoals should throw up some brilliant fishing for all manner of species. Look for areas with higher current flow and edges where cooler ocean water enters the reef lagoon.

Many species will look to escape the warm soup-like waters on top of the reefs and trapped water that hasn’t moved much on the previous tide. Anyone spearing in these conditions will notice an oily consistency to the water, which looks like a heat wave and is often

Small red emperor and nannygai are suckers for a jig over deep shoal country. devoid of fish life.

Hopefully bleaching and extreme water temperatures will not be a feature this February. Many areas of the Great Barrier Reef experienced a half-decent coral spawn judging from media reports, so a few years

of cooler water temperatures between February and April will help things enormously.

• For information on remote charter operations for tailored fishing adventures, please email Tim on wildrivercompany @gmail.com

Weipa fishing ready for wet weather wonderland WEIPA

Mark Bargenquast

The rains are finally here with afternoon storms and terrific humidity. At this time of the year it’s best to get out early and return before the rain hits; some of these squalls

can be extremely heavy, totally wiping out visibility and making navigation hazardous.

On the good side of things, the amount of runoff we’ve had gets the fish active and feeding. Black jewfish really come on the bite with big fish schooling up and feeding hard. A

downside is a handful of locals who think it’s okay to kill 50 fish in a session, all around 1m. We need to set examples for the kids who see this happening next to them every day.

Threadies are kicking about in numbers and will get better with more runoff and the barra should have

There are still a few small Spaniards in the offshore scene.

There have been plenty of golden snapper in the wet.

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finished their spawn for the year and will start to move back upriver for the dry. A few good captures of tripletails have been taken, as some big logs have drifted offshore from the big tides and rains. Any floating log is worth a look for these fellas, but be aware that the first cast is the one that counts – they wake up real quick.

Offshore there are a few straggler Spanish macks and they’re not big. They’re

around 6-10kg, so top eating size. Spaniards are my top eating fish – cooked in a Thai green curry, they’re simply awesome. Out wide longtail and mac tuna are in big numbers with some schools of over 100 fish busting simultaneously, which makes great action on lures and fly. Small Mahimahi are around the gamefishing FADs; most are around 50-60cm with a few larger ones in there as well.

There have been a few small marlin hanging about as well and the sails that were thick a few months ago have all but vanished.

The usual queenfish, golden trevally, tarpon, giant herring and brassy trevally are still hanging around on the flats for the serious flyfishers. The water clarity can be tough from the northwesterly winds and rains. Good luck and tight lines.

Summer weather a true stinker COOKTOWN

Paul Prokopuk

With the festive season finished, the true summer period of Cooktown is in full swing. Battling the hot humid days, sudden down pours and the occasional

success in both the rivers and reef. It would have made for some incredible seafood feasts to celebrate Christmas!

The great weather around Cooktown over the last month has seen plenty of reef anglers getting a good feed of quality fish. These

When working the deeper rubble patches, good numbers of red emperor have been caught as well.

The rig of choice has been a double hook paternoster when finding the fish, but as soon as they start firing a single hook will do the trick.

For the sportfishers, flicking heavy minnows over the shallows reefs have seen some nice trout, red bass and trevally being caught. For those with some heavier spin gear, casting large poppers in the same fashion has seen some monster GTs landed.

Once connected to these

powerful fish, you will need to lock the drag and drive off the reef, as these fish will use all their power to bust you off.

The estuaries in the Cooktown region have some great fishing at the moment, and this will continue well into March. The small amount of rain that we have had has been good, but we need heaps more. The rivers haven’t changed colour to any degree or had any significant rises to get the fish on the move.

Mangrove jacks and golden snapper continue to show at most of the local

Kerry with a nice trout caught on fresh bait.

Ryan with a chunky GT caught on a popper worked over a shallow reef. storm makes those fish in the esky worth it. The lucky anglers who decided to stay in Cooktown for the holidays were blessed with perfect weather and great fishing. There has been many reports coming in of

perfect weather windows will continue right through until March, so there will be plenty of opportunities to get out on the reefs. With the warmer water, coral trout and large and small mouth nannygai have been filling the eskies.

Some nice big bucks have been on the holiday menu.

headlands and inshore rubble patches along with the inshore wrecks. Soft plastics jigged around these areas have been turning up plenty of these great fighting and eating fish.

Grunter have been caught out on the sand flats in the Endeavour River throughout the larger tides.

Fresh prawn or strip baits on a light rig should do the trick for these tasty fish. There has still been an abundance of

live bait around the ramps, wharf and moorings. With no shortage of livies, this has been the preferred method, with many reports of success from sinking a live bait on a rock bar or deep snag.

Barramundi may also come along and snatch your bait. Finally, if you are fishing the estuaries, remember to put some pots out, as there are reports of some chunky mud crabs being caught.

Hot dry times are now over WEIPA

Jackson Bargenquast

The long hot dry season of the Cape is finally over, only to be replaced by the even hotter wet season.

The humidity is soaring at this time of the year and the temperatures are reaching 38°C regularly

during the day. This can make for some unpleasant days in the heat, but it definitely doesn’t worry the fish, if anything it’s making them much more aggressive!

The reef fishing has seen some large schools of golden snapper and black jewfish show up regularly, which can be easily taken on lures such

Greg Livingstone from Rapala VMC with a solid brassy trev taken on the wand.

as plastics and baits ranging from fresh prawns to live mullet. Tuskfish are still being taken but seem to be quieter than usual.

Coral trout, big cod and shoals of brassy trevally are also regular candidates at this time of the year. The big trevally and large reef catfish, which often take baits meant for blueys, are often frowned upon by anglers but are always good fun to catch and pull a bit of string.

Out wide the billfish action has settled right down and sailfish are thinning out.

The mahimahi and mackerel have still been around in force as have longtail tuna but that’s just the regular party hanging around the pelagic grounds off Weipa. A lot of floating debris will begin to drift out of the rivers and out into the blue attracting mahimahi, cobia,

amberjack and of course the notorious tripletail. These fish will be a common catch in the upcoming months.

The beaches have been quiet, with no blue salmon or queenfish action going on. Nonetheless the shadows of certain other fish such as permit and blue bastards creep in the shallows regularly and for anglers willing to put in the effort there are fish to be caught.

The rivers are producing good fish as always, but the wet will soon change the nature of the fishing in the estuary. Jacks are still being pushed way up the top reaches of the rivers and will soon be flushed down to the mouths of the creeks.

Unfortunately, barramundi have copped a hiding over the closed season and many anglers don’t realize the

Large golden snapper will begin to show up over the next few months. damage that catching barra during their spawning season can have on them, especially when the fish are kept out of the water for several minutes while a large amount of unnecessary photographing and measuring is done.

Hopefully the fish got a chance to spawn successfully.

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Black jewfish have been so thick lately that people are catching them off the boat ramp! These awesome fish are also spawning, so ‘waste not, want not.’

Good luck to all anglers over the summer months and remember to think like a fish!

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FEBRUARY 2018

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How to deal when fishing’s a B-word SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

I will confess, I am pretty much up for any topic in fishing. I don’t care how thick the reading material, I once read both the original Fisheries Act of 1994 (Queensland) and the most recent edition just to find how it had changed.

Hint: they murdered the original and buried it in a shallow grave under a pile of rotting tilapia. I don’t care how controversial, I am ready, willing and able to debate both sides of the fish and pain debate (at once).

I certainly don’t care how weird the topic (anyone up for noodling?) however, there is one topic too hot to ever be discussed in a fishing magazine before now – an elephant so big they had to demolish the whole building in a desperate attempt to prevent it from escaping.

Unable to resist a challenge I decided I would take on the science of the most controversial topic in the world of fishing – fishing can be super boring.

There; don’t you feel better now that there is a public scientific acknowledgment of something fishers have been anecdotally suggesting for years? If you, like me, find the quieter times in fishing to be some of the best times, here is the science you have been secretly demanding. Just like Doctor Strangelove, you can learn to stop worrying and love the boredom.

BOREDOM HAS A BAD REPUTATION Did your mother ever tell you that only boring people get bored? Did you lie awake at night fearing you were boring? Boredom has a bad rap sheet, and it’s something that we go out of our way to avoid.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines boredom as: “the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest.”

A common understanding of boredom is the ‘are we there yet’ syndrome of car travel.

Boredom in children is such an obnoxious and insidious problem that all manner of electronic devices have appeared with the magical cure for boredom. I question who the cure is for.

Boredom can be a problem if you have a highrisk-loving personality type. Such personality types get particularly creative 102

FEBRUARY 2018

in addressing boredom – negative expressions of this range from drug taking, getting drunk and getting into fights on a Friday night to being the Hollywood favourite – the bored rich kid.

Somewhere between annoying kids and selfdestructive adults we have collectively managed to get the impression that boredom will leave you a friendless social pariah.

There is no social upside to boredom.

A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF BOREDOM A more refined definition of boredom is: “unfulfilled desire for satisfying activity” (Eastwood, Frischen, Fenske, and Smilek, 2012).

That definition fits fishing to a tee if you count catching fish as a satisfying activity.

If not, why are you reading this magazine?

Another similar activity – meditation – is seen as a positive activity by most people. Daydreaming? Not so much. An intriguing fact discovered when you first start many meditation processes is that the mind will wander, and that’s okay. In other words, while meditating, there is a high likelihood of daydreaming occurring.

You might think that meditators are taught to stop the daydreaming, but the opposite is true. In most instances, the trainee is told to just allow the mind to do what it wants, but be mindful of what is happening. When aware that daydreaming is occurring, bring the attention back into the here and now, usually by focusing on a physical element such as breathing.

Rather than trying to stop daydreaming, meditation emphasizes developing focus and discipline so that your mind doesn’t need to wander.

Meditation in a way is the process of deliberately instigating boredom to learn how to deal with it. Fishing can have the same effect.

Exposing yourself to the boring parts of fishing will improve your concentration and ability to focus in the long run.

THE ERA OF SOCIAL MEDIA, BLUE LIGHT AND THE EMPATHY DEFICIT There is something else that creates focus – smartphones. There has been a lot of research into smartphones and the average adult in the US, for example, checks their phone every ten minutes.

Now I am a little concerned with such studies as many studies are motivated to demonstrate a problem, but

If you are looking to improve your fishing ability then you need to use boredom wisely. Make sure you are focused on fishing problems so that your subconscious mind knows to get creative on fishing. there have been enough separate studies to confirm that phone use is high.

There has also been a lot of study on the effect of social media networks on young people. Social media can deliver a regular small hit of dopamine from the ‘attention’ of the phone.

This brain hack has the effect of entertaining us and also making us more prone to feeling boredom when we aren’t getting that attention.

I’m not a scaremonger on such topics. Nonetheless, the evidence is clear that our brains aren’t built for the constant flow of information, nor the flooding of our dopamine systems that occurs today.

All this smartphone usage, particularly at night, is playing havoc with our sleep – so much so that there have been health warnings about the effect of the blue wavelengths of light phones emit. Not using your phone before rest is a good idea and doctors recommend keeping screens off for a couple of hours before going to bed.

Something less widely covered is a phenomenon called the ‘empathy deficit.’

High amounts of social media use, especially interacting with people outside of friend groups, causes our ability to empathize with others to drop. Manoush Zomorodi covers this topic well in her book Bored and Brilliant.

One interesting study in Ireland on the effects of boredom was a greater preference for ‘in groups’ – people like us – and a greater desire to punish ‘out groups.’

The scary part of the empathy deficit is that while

we are very resilient and can stop being online monsters, it isn’t an instant turnaround.

When the smartphone is off and replaced with regular human interaction, returning to a more normal empathetic state can take a week or more. How often does anyone turn off the phone for a week?

None of this is to say that technology is dangerous, but our brains have evolved for a very different world and as such technology overuse can have negative consequences. Fishing can help you to train your brain to better deal with modern technology.

FISHING MINDFULLY It’s at this point that I have something to confess.

I rarely fish to catch fish; I fish to fish. Most of my waking day is all problem solving, high focus activity, and lots of maths, reading and design for often 12+ hours at a time. I find it hard not to be thinking, so some time mindlessly repeating a task like casting is similar to meditation, only I can do it for a lot longer.

Focusing on casting has something of a similar effect to concentrating on breathing in meditation.

The attention is on the here and now and your physical existence rather than the external world or internal world. There are some excellent reasons to do this. Meditation, for example, improves tasks such as multitasking, increase concentration and enhance your ability to resist distractions. In my experiments with casting verses meditation, I tend to find the same sorts of effects, so long as I am

focused on the task of casting and rhythm.

Meditation and fishing have helped me to concentrate longer when it comes to working. I also don’t feel so needy when it comes to social media. I am regularly not on for weeks at a time, and I don’t feel like I am missing out.

Without a serious study, I am not about to proclaim fishing the next thing in Zen. That said, I have read a lot of research on the subject, not to mention tested concepts out for myself. I have measured my performance, and there is no doubt in my mind that repetitive fishing such as lure fishing is a positive in improving focus, lengthening attention span and reducing susceptibility to distractions.

A SECOND LOOK AT DAYDREAMING Remember the poor cousin to meditation – the one that gets kids in trouble in school? Was that you?

Do you even now drift off to meetings but still keep the thread? Congratulations – you are probably a creative person.

You know all those modern-type offices with beanbags and ‘creative spaces’ decorated with lots of colours and toys.

An empty room with white walls is an atom bomb in comparison, creatively speaking. All those objects used to ‘create possibility’ actually work to constrain it by focusing the mind on a specific object or process and distracting you from boredom.

It’s through boredom that your true creative potential explodes. It’s in the absence – not the

presence – of a stimulus that our brains are at their creative peak. Having the discipline to endure the boredom and tap into your natural creativity is a superpower.

I have no idea why daydreaming has the bad press it has, other than the fact it annoys the crap out of teachers. Many of the most inventive people in history have spoken about daydreaming as an essential part of the creative process.

No wonder brain scans of people experiencing daydreams have discovered that, far from a resting state, our brains are in fact very active.

Nature is a pretty elegant version of the white room, especially as the environment remains relatively constant; if there isn’t much going on, the conditions are good to go for boredom. Bait fishing on a slow day is about as good as it gets to unleash your creative firepower, or sleep – whichever you need more.

CHEWING GUM AND WALKING AT THE SAME TIME Here is an interesting question; have you ever driven to work and forgotten the journey? The ability to do an activity even while not thinking about it is called ‘unconscious competence’ – the ability to use an automated routine in the brain that is created through repetition to complete a task without the need for conscious input.

Unconscious competence is a hardwired routine that allows brain functions to be freed up. In other words, we can drive and be off in another world at the same time.

Daydreaming when operating heavy equipment isn’t a good idea. Fishing is a very different matter.

Daydreaming during a hot bite might be regrettable, but rest assured the adrenalin (and copping shit from your mates) will sort that out quick smart. At all other times, it’s fair game.

Daydreaming while fishing can provide a host of benefits similar to meditation, including better use of working memory, improving your ability to work in distracting environments, improved empathy, problem-solving (as your brain has time to focus on a problem) and ironically enhanced focus.

For men in the modern world, mental health is a vital part of life that gets dangerously neglected. Going fishing regularly and giving yourself time to daydream is one of the best gifts you can give to yourself.

ECHOSOUNDERS ARE THE SOCIAL MEDIA OF THE SEA Screens have invaded the water. Gone are the days when you could be guaranteed some tech-free time on the water, and that has an impact on us. While I will acknowledge a title like ‘Echosounders are the social media of the sea’ is a little bit clickbaity, it’s not inaccurate. Echosounders trigger the same response in your brain as social networks, so when you see a fish on the screen, you get a little hit of dopamine.

If you plan to catch fish, this is a good thing, as this is training your brain to reward itself for finding fish.

The challenge for your brain comes if you are already a major phone or social media user. Instead of a useful message on fish, your brain gets a different message – what you want is more dopamine. Flooding your brain with dopamine, as with almost any excess, has a whole host of negative consequences from lower attention spans and sleep issues to addiction, anxiety, and depression.

I don’t want to be alarmist – using your echosounder is fine in moderation. There are

way too many devices now that want to hijack your dopamine system, so staying in control is wise.

My advice to fishers that want to use sounders intensively is to pick which screen is vital to you and stick to it. Ditching the social media and going for the sounder is better in every way; it means less dopamine overall, improved concentration and training your brain to get better at fishing – all win.

CONCENTRATION ON THE WATER For most of this article, I am contradicting my usual advice to fishers, which is to pay attention. That is in no small part because this article is intended for a different group of anglers – those that fish for reasons other than developing skills. If you enjoy just getting out on the water on the weekend, or you are finding your regular life is stressful then this article is for you.

The trick with processing anything like boredom is mindfulness; that is fishing with the clear intention of resting and allowing your mind to wander. Being mindful means monitoring that process, so if things such as negative emotions

or thoughts come up, it’s a good idea to seek professional assistance.

If you are looking to improve your fishing ability then you need to use boredom wisely. Make sure you are focused on fishing problems so that your subconscious mind knows to get creative on fishing.

More importantly, if you are in skill-building mode, boredom isn’t for you.

A FINAL CAUTION ON BOREDOM Very few things in life are as simple as ‘do A and get result B.’ I have to caution that boredom can also have negative downsides. Being bored a lot is a bad sign.

If you are in a job that you find boring then being bored while fishing isn’t a good idea. Experiencing boredom all the time can have significant health consequences or be a sign of depression. Talk to your GP if this is happening to you.

All of our emotional states exist for a purpose; they are there to help navigate the world.

Boredom, like all other states, has a useful purpose.

If improving your capacity to handle the stresses of modern life is your goal, you can do a lot worse than unplug and fish mindfully more often.

Mindlessly repeating a task like casting is similar to meditation.

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103

It’s a good time to try out some new tactics TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

The crowds will have settled down as everyone heads back off to work and settles into their normal routine. This means the fishing pressure, boat traffic and campers will be back to a more normal level. To me, now is a more appealing time to head out for a fish.

Every freshwater species is catchable over these summer months but the warm water can make it a bit tricky at times. The early mornings and late afternoons are the most comfortable for us and our fishy friends. Bite times will be best if you are willing to rise early or stay out later.

If you are new to lure fishing, this is a good time to try trolling some hardbodies. The warm water temperatures tend to drive the fish deeper and scatter

them throughout the lakes.

Trolling deep diving lures covers heaps of water and at this time of year it can be very effective.

There are heaps of suitable lures, so just head into a tackle store and tell them which species you want to catch or where you would like to try your luck.

They should be able to help you out with suitable lures and advise you on the correct setup for the species you’re after.

While on the subject of trolling, there are a series of new freshwater competitions out there suited to lure trollers and anglers of all skill levels.

Aimed at everyday anglers and families, the Golden Lure was such a success that Fishing Freshwater will introduce a number of other events. The next event, called the Freshwater Open, will be held at Boondooma Dam on the 23-25 February.

Anglers can troll or cast lures or even flyfish to catch their fish. Unlike

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Cressbrook fish have been hard to find in good numbers. The bass are scattered over the dam

making good catch rates hard to achieve. Lure trolling the deep water of the main basin is one way to lure some of the bigger fish. Deep diving lures worked out from Bass Bay and over towards Deer

It’s the time of year to try different coloured spoons at Somerset. When you strike the right colour, the bites will keep coming.

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Island (across the buoy line) are often effective.

Running lures around 10m deep will put you in with a good chance but pay attention to the sounder and adjust lure depths to suit where the fish are on the day.

Schools of bass can be found around Bass Bay, the points opposite the boat ramps and up around the points and flats at the Eagles Nest Rock wall up Cressbrook Creek. These schooling fish will eat soft plastics, tail spinners and spoons. Casting will normally only produce a few before the school shuts down. To prolong the bite time, switch to trolling tail spinners. The moving boat over the fish seems to keep them more active than

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Copeton Cressbrook Dyer/Bill Gunn Eungella Fairbairn Glenlyon Hinze Julius Kinchant Koombooloomba Leslie Macdonald

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Weipa

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Toowoomba

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sitting stationary on top of the school.

For all your fishing supplies and the latest reports on Cressbrook and the surrounding dams, call in to see Fish’n’Bits in Alderley Street. They have a great range of lures and fishing gear. The staff can sort you out with the right gear and give you some tips on where to find them.

Just remember there is a speed limit of 8 knots and a restricted area at Cressbrook Dam. Check out the signage

52 48 37 62 61 59 7 7 9 96 95 93 33 32 28 73 72 68 99 100 100 77 75 72 79 77 62 26 22 19 13 12 11 101 103 99

Gold Coast

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24 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

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Cairns 1

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Townsville 2

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Proserpine 6 Mackay

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Rockhampton

Emerald

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Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Gladstone

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Bundaberg 9

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Roma

to ensure you stay out of trouble and abide by the rules. The gate hours for the boat ramps and day use area will be extended this month to 6am until 8pm.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Mixed reports have come in over the last month.

Some anglers have struggled while others have fared well. Plenty of bass are still schooling in the Pelican Point area but they have been harder to entice than those

BRISBANE

found further to the north.

The flats up near Kirkleigh have been holding some quality fish that are more responsive.

The hot weather has the fish most interested in reaction baits. Lures like tail spinners, blades, vibes and spoons, which have a bit more flash and action are accounting for most fish. The bites are still subtle but if you persist, they will find the hooks.

The gun colour has been bright green.

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

Maroon 98 98 98 Monduran/Fred Haigh 103 102 102 Moogerah 89 89 89 North Pine/Samsonvale 75 76 75 Peter Faust/Proserpine 72 72 68 Pindari 100 99 81 Somerset 79 79 77 Teemburra 97 99 92 Tinaroo 41 40 36 Toonumbar 101 100 100 Wivenhoe 71 73 71 Wuruma 100 100 100

For fortnightly updates 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 16/01/18

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.)

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Gympie

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Dam............................ % Full DAMS Atkinson Awoonga Bjelke-Petersen Boondooma Borumba Burdekin Falls Callide Cania Clarendon Cooby Coolmunda

some tournaments, it doesn’t involve livewells. Simply photograph the catch and record it. The most fish wins and there are also prizes for random length and biggest bass and golden perch. With this format, everyone stands a chance to win something right until the end of the three-session event.

Teams can have up to three adults with unlimited kids up to 16 years old. The idea is to get the kids out for a fish and a bit of fun. Fun is what these events are all about and the entertainment continues after the fishing with live music, drinks and tucker on the Saturday night.

The number of teams is limited to 40, so get in now if you are keen for this event or any of the others to follow. To see when the events are being held and where, jump online at www. fishingfreshwater.com.au or on the Facebook page Fishing Freshwater.

Until next month, buckled rods from the Colonel!

It’s funny how things change. When I first released the Hot Bite Jets tail spinners, I went for some bright colours but they were harder to sell.

to catching Somerset bass.

Wrong! If the lure isn’t in front of the fish it isn’t going to be eaten. Presentation still plays the main role. Once you master placing the lure

across the flats of Pelican Point, Bay 13, Queen Street and Kirkleigh will produce plenty of bass and golden perch. These fish will be deep most of the time, so run extra

black patterns, lime green and browny golds are some of my favourite colours. Opt for lighter braid or fused line of 4-8lb with a metre of 14lb leader. The fine diameter of this line will slice through the water ensuring your lures achieve maximum depth.

When the fish are schooled tighter, trolling tail spinners is still one of the

best ways to catch them.

By moving around, the bass stay on the bite longer as they don’t follow the boat as much. Troll at 1.8-2.2km/h using your electric motor.

With around 45-50m of 6lb braid out, your lures will be tracking close to 10m deep. If all else fails, this is my go-to approach to put some fish in the boat.

SUNSHINE COAST REGION

You can’t beat a trolled maggot colour Jets tail spinner on the bass.

Bass guys loved the natural stuff. Now there seems to be a growing trend to toss brighter colours. I like the move. I did my bass fishing apprenticeship catching insects and crustaceans for bait before moving onto trolling and casting lures.

During the trolling days, I learned how critical colour can be to the fish. To watch one colour in a spread of 4-6 lures be eaten over and over again on many occasions was proof enough that colour can matter. Bright colours played a big part in our catch rates back then and I feel tail spinners and spoons, which are reaction baits, should be no different.

Sure natural stuff will excel at times, chromes at others but the bright stuff will always have a place too.

You might think after reading this that colour is the most critical element

in front of the fish, you can then refine the finer details like swapping colours. Still, it pays to be using a colour that is a proven fish catcher while you’re at it.

Trolling hardbodies

to use on the lake. Check in with them to see if they have heard the latest news on how the lake is fishing. Word is they also have some sweet new surface offering the bass and toga are going to love.

BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA Bass seem to be holding out in the deeper areas. Sections of the main basin starting from the boat ramp through to the Borumba flats have held reasonable schools of fish.

In this deeper open water try lures like tail spinners and spoons. The entrance of the timber at the junction of the Kingham and Yabba arms is also worth exploring in the deep. Soft vibes and ZX35 blades are definitely worth trying here. If you’re afraid of losing them in the timber,

try a more vertical style of jigging or switch to soft plastics, which are more affordable to lose.

Further up the arms, saratoga have been willing lure-takers. Surface lures like the Cultiva Zip’n Ziggy are great early in the day. Switch to spinnerbaits, beetle spins, soft plastics and lipless crankbaits as the day wears on. Saratoga are always looking up for their next meal, so there is no need to fish the bottom. Try to fish just above them and you will get more bites.

Davos at Noosaville has all the gear you’ll need to tackle the fish at Borumba and Lake MacDonald. The store caters well for fresh and saltwater anglers. They can be found in the Homemaker Centre on the corner of Mary and Thomas streets.

Blake took his cousin Lacey for a fish and she gave him a lesson in jigging up golden perch. She caught all her fish hopping a Jets tail spinner at Somerset Dam.

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA Cooby was very busy over the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately not everyone managed to catch fish. The increased boat and kayak activity may have had a bit to do with this, as well as the stinking hot days.

Golden perch numbers should again pick up this month. To succeed you will need to fish either early or late in the day, as this is when the fish come out to play. The water in the lake is still very clear, so don’t expect action in the shallows when the sun is overhead. The deeper areas are your best bet if you are forced to fish when conditions are bright.

Trolling 3-4m diving hardbodies close to the weed edges is the ideal way

deep diving hardbodies on braided lines. The Blitz Baga, Scorpion Crazy Deep 50mm and Little Rippa are some of my favourites.

Black with gold or white highlights, chartreuse with

MACDONALD CLOSEST TOWNS: TEWANTIN, NOOSA The deeper part of the dam’s basin and around the bubble trail will fish well for bass. These areas and deeper drop-offs are best fished with jigs. Closer to the edges, Bassman spinnerbaits are working well along with 3.5” plastics like the ZMan Slim SwimZ and Fuze Triple Tails rigged on 1/8oz jigheads.

During the low light periods, surface walkers are performing well when walked off the weed edges and into the first of the open water. For this style of fishing, check out the Jackson Risk Bait and Strada Viral 85mm.

Davos in Noosaville is just a short drive away and they carry all the right lures

Somerset Fishing has moved the tackle van up the hill closer to the campground.

Look for them inside the day area up near the toilet block above the boat ramp. They will be there from Friday to Sunday. They have the right gear and they can steer you in the right direction, as they always know where the fish are schooled up.

to get bites. TN60 Jackalls are also very effective when cast or trolled. There have been a few reports of fish caught vertical jigging small blades like the Ecogear ZX40. Golden perch have been coming from all over the lake.

Out in front of the boat ramp and up the northern arm have been the popular areas to try your luck. The bigger Murray cod have been scarce but the smaller ones are turning up on occasions.

Bait fishing in the afternoons with live shrimp and saltwater yabbies will also be successful. Try fishing just outside the weed edges and out further in up to 7m of water.

Fishing from the rock wall off the bank will also produce a few fish. The area just after the bay and before the rock wall gets steeper is often good.

You can now pick up your bait from Craig’s Home Hardware in Highfields.

They are stocking worms, frozen yabbies, pink yabbies and prawns. Keep an eye on this as they may also stock some other basic fishing supplies in the near future and kayaks are already on their way into the store.

Cooby D a m ’s proximity to Highfields and Toowoomba makes it a very popular fishery. If you are looking for somewhere close to home to drop the boat or kayak in, Cooby is definitely worth a visit.

The dam hours are now 6am until 8pm. Remember, no outboard motors are allowed to be used on the dam. 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

Ultralight Outboard Motors For kayaks, canoes and very light boats With a total weight of 8.9kg including battery, the Torqeedo Ultralight won’t limit your paddling performance, but when called on it can give you the right push against the current, against the wind, or be called on to save your tired arms.

Technology that is clean and state-of-the-art Find your closest dealer: email: web: phone:

torqeedo@powerequipment.com.au www.powerequipment.com.au 1800 069 469

To page 106

FEBRUARY 2018

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From page 105

can be left on the boat, however they are not allowed to be used.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK The hot weather has pushed the fish deeper into the main basin of the lake closer to the old creek bed.

It also seems the smaller fish are more willing to chase lures as well, meaning there are a lot more fish to catch. Heaps of golden perch around the legal size of 30cm will be keen to play. Mixed in there will still be some of the larger fish, which are over 40cm.

Try trolling deeper hardbodies while the fish are out in the old creek bed.

Match the lure to the depth you are targeting and keep it just off the bottom. If the action is slow, venture a bit shallower, as the fish may move back out of the creek and onto the surrounding flats.

Bait fishers will score plenty of fish in the mornings and afternoons.

Fishing with live shrimp and saltwater yabbies will entice the golden perch.

Dropping a worm is more likely to fool a catfish or silver perch.

The Murray cod will take all baits but are not as common as when using lures. Like the golden perch, a lot of smaller ones are getting into the action at the moment.

The bigger fish, which are up over a metre long, are still a possibility though.

Along with getting a fishing report, stock up on all your gear while at Warwick Outdoor and Sports at 115 Palmerin Street Warwick. For a small store, it carries a great range at a very competitive price. Warwick is only a ten-minute drive from the dam and you can pick up any supplies you might need.

Murray cod will be a good option at Coolmunda Dam. They bite in small windows, but the action can be hot when you strike it right.

COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD The cod bite slowed down just prior to Christmas, but since then there have been some good reports of big fish. It seems some days they will eat and others they are just lazy. When they are on the hunt for a feed, trolling and casting lures up in the timber and along the old creek bed drop-offs has

been the way to get the bites.

Both timbered sections of the lake are worth a cast with big spinnerbaits. First light is the most productive time, so it pays to be there early.

After that it’s a hard slog just peppering every likely snag and waiting for a bite window to open.

I recall a session where we had a dead period for several hours and then at around 2pm we moved

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE The dam has really started to fish well with heaps of barra being caught. Most fish are smaller models below 70cm long, but every now and then a cracker will blow you away. The lilies and trees in the main basin are where a lot of the action has taken place.

There is no need to venture too far up the creeks; just stick to the dam’s long southeastern bank and you will be in with a good shot at catching fish.

Surface luring has been great in the early morning and late afternoon.

Sessions with 5-10 fish are not uncommon once you find a good patch. Walkthe-dog topwater lures

are ideal. With the hotter weather the fish seem to have fired up even more and are whacking faster presentations like weedless rigged soft plastic frogs.

As the day heats up, the fish will drop a bit deeper.

This is the time to switch to suspending lures capable of diving 2-4m deep.

Target the spindly trees with these lures and hold on. Despite the fish being short in length, they have plenty of bulk and muscle for their size. Bust-ups are common in tight country, so be prepared.

Below the dam, access to the Boyne River at Pikes Crossing will be a great option from midday 1 February when barra season reopens. Heaps of barra are still holding up in the freshwater on either side of Pikes. These fish range from

WIDE BAY AND SOUTH BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY There is a good spinnerbait bite taking place up in the timbered arms.

Bass and golden perch can be caught here by casting spinnerbaits to the edges in the morning and then working out into the deeper parts as the day goes on. The fish tend to suspend in the trees during the day, so watch the sounder and keep track of how long you are sinking your lures. Once you get a bite after sinking and winding your lure, try to repeat the same retrieve.

During the day, a countdown of 5-10 may be needed to reach the fish before 106

FEBRUARY 2018

commencing the retrieve.

In the early morning, you can basically toss it towards the edges and start winding immediately. Spinnerbaits are most successful for this style of fishing but you can also fool a few on chatterbaits and Lipless Crankbaits like the Jackall TN60.

Trolling lures is great at this time of year as the fish scatter around the main basin in deeper water. This makes it tough for lure casters but if you find a good patch, blades, spoons and tail spinners are definitely worth a cast.

Medium to deep hardbodies will be needed when trolling to reach the fish. Select a lure that dives to the depth they are holding in. You will need

into a new section of tree line. Within ten minutes we caught two nice cod and lost another big brute. The same area and surrounds were flogged for the next hour without another touch. The bite period was short, so if you experience one, make the most of it. If you miss a cod bite, keep persisting in the same area.

The golden perch should be in good numbers for bait fishers, trollers and lure casters. Hopping small blades and lipless vibes is the best way for lure casters to catch numbers. Bait fishers should try similar areas to the lure hoppers. Try following the drop-off to the old river and creek beds, which starts straight out in front of the boat ramp.

Trollers should use the same tactics and zigzag the old creek bed drop-off as they venture up the dam.

Some sections are covered in old tree stumps and these snags are home to Murray cod and sometimes golden

perch. The goldens seem to congregate in particular areas and will show up on the sounder well once found.

Often the deeper fish are harder to tempt and the ones right along the creek edge or up on top of the flat are more responsive.

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

Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge has a few productive secret spots he’s always willing to share.

The Gateway lodge is on the way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby.

The accommodation is

great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable, air-conditioned, selfcontained cabins, each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 4975 0033.

The Boyne River below Awoonga Dam is loaded with barra, which should have had a good spell after the closed season. Try fishing weedless soft plastics for these fish, which range from 60cm to well over a metre long.

60cm right up to 120cm.

The topside of Pikes Crossing is home to smaller boats when the dam isn’t running over. There are a few shallow sections if you want to venture right

up the river and these need to be negotiated on foot.

Dragging a small car topper or kayak through these is the way to go. If you are fishing late, don’t forget your bug spray and torch.

a selection of lures capable of diving from 6-10m deep.

The area from the boat ramp across to the dam wall buoy line has heaps of fish. This is a great spot for smaller boats and kayaks, as you don’t need to travel too far. Skiers may kick up a bit of wake on the busier days. Further up the lake, the Narrows, Barbers Pole and surrounding points and banks are definitely worth exploring for bass and golden perch. Try fishing lures to around 7m deep here and again let the sounder help you decide if you need to make a change to the plan of attack.

Bait fishing will be a bit slow due to the fish being spread out. Heading up into the timber and suspending baits in the trees will be a

good option. Try some fished midwater and some down on the bottom. Live shrimp are best, but use frozen saltwater yabbies and worms as a backup.

Don’t forget the Freshwater Open is on the weekend of 23-25 February.

For more information, check out the Fishing Freshwater Facebook page.

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 including an excellent range of proven fishing tackle. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call (07) 4168 9694.

A few surprises turn up in the freshwater reaches of the Boyne River. This was one of two mangrove jack caught by Nevan Althause from the pure freshwater above the weir.

BJELKE CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI The fishing at Bjelke was great at the end of last year and it continues to fish quite well. Bass and golden perch have been thick in the deeper water of the old creek channel. The fish are found between the dam wall and Bass Point. Areas like Lightning Ridge and out between the boat ramps are very productive.

These deeper fish can be caught by casing or trolling lures. Lure casters will have plenty of fun on the smaller class of fish when using soft plastics, tail spinners and blades. Trollers can also use tail spinners and spinnerbaits on a slow troll or just opt for a diving hardbody lure. These lures should dive 5-7m deep.

Closer to the edges fish can be caught by casting spinnerbaits, blades and soft plastics for the first few hours of the morning before they disperse. Bait fishing with live shrimp and saltwater yabbies will be good around the Quarry area and the yellow marker buoy out from the campground boat ramp.

For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into Bass 2 Barra. The store stocks 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. You’ll find the stores at 119 Youngman Street Kingaroy. Matthew Mott also runs fishing charters on the dams and you can To page 107

From page 106

reach him through the store for bookings and enquiries on (07) 4162 7555.

The Yallakool kiosk is all set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to have the right lure or lose one. Be sure to call in and check it out. Give them a call for accommodation and camping bookings on (07) 4168 4746.

CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWNS: BILOELA Barra continue to bite at Callide but the hot weather has started to make it a little more difficult. A lot of the action has been taking place within sight of the dam wall.

The bays in this main basin have been holding good numbers of fish late in the afternoon and first thing in the morning. Casting soft plastics and retrieving them back with a slow to medium pace should draw the strikes.

You can load your plastics up with stinger hooks in this area as the dam is open with little weed to get in the way.

A section of the bubbles is also fishable just outside the dam wall exclusion zone.

Try casting deeper diving suspending lures around the bubbles, which attract bait to the area. The Jackall Squirrel Hank Tune is popular and you can also dress up floating hardbodies with heavier

hooks and rings or even some lead weight to make them suspend or sink as desired.

More fish will retreat to the deeper water during the day. I haven’t heard of too many caught on the troll, but it would definitely be worth a go to see if you can get a bite from the deep open water of the basin and just sound it out at the same time to monitor fish movements. While trolling, use a deeper lure like the Scorpion Crazy Deep or Poltergeist. Poltergeists are a good option as they are more suited to the oversize golden perch this dam is also famous for.

Most of the fish down the wall end are between 60 and 80cm in length with the occasional one nudging the metre mark. Up the lake in the timber, there is also a mix in barra size but they are spread out with plenty of water between the fishy areas.

Fish the windy shores and try to nut out their movements. They will be deeper on the hot days and move shallower to feed late in the afternoon as it reaches dark. Some bigger fish to well over a metre long have been encountered by some of the local lads in the timber.

Despite a lot of smaller fish, you may need to up the tackle weight just to handle the big girls.

WHITSUNDAY REGION PROSERPINE CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSERPINE, AIRLIE BEACH The action has been pretty slow at the dam due to the hot temperatures and lack of rain. Once the storms arrive, anglers are predicting things will fire up in the main basin. Schooling barra can be found down around the dam wall area and out from the picnic huts. These fish cruise the deep water and can be hard to find.

When they are there you will catch them but they can disappear very quickly.

A lot of trollers work this area and can have exceptional sessions on big fish when they can find them. If you get a strike, make sure you mark the area for another run and further investigation. Deep divers like 80mm Poltergeists and Scorpion Crazy Deeps are perfect for these fish.

Trolling is a great way to explore and watch the sounder at the same time.

If good numbers of fish are found, switching to casting lures can work in your favour.

Spot lock electric motors make lure casting out in the open deep water so much easier. Big and

small vibes and big, heavy weighted soft plastics seem to get the attention of these deep water fish. Plastics work well on a long cast over the fish.

Count the lure down to the right depth and slowly wind it

the shallows but plenty of fish below 90cm long will still be found in these areas.

For all your fishing supplies or a guided trip on the lake, call Lindsay or Dane at Barra World on (07) 4945 4641. Lindsay’s barra tours have been busy so book ahead. You

creek beds. When these fish are found, dropping a vibe into them will often get the desired result. Hopping across the area or slow winding will get bites when fish are spread out around the boat. If they are directly under you, you can drop down and hop to catch them vertically in as

The RMG Poltergeist is a proven barra catcher when it comes to trolling the deep water areas. Photo courtesy of Peter Zeroni. back through them. The vibes can be hopped across the fish, though it’s tricky to keep them mid-water at the right depth. They can also be fished vertically with more accuracy.

Deeper patches of barra will also be found inside the timber on small humps and close to the drop-offs into the

won’t be disappointed – he often delivers the goods and always shares a wealth of knowledge. The store is right on the highway in Proserpine and specializes in barra fishing tackle. You can also keep up to date by visiting their Barra World Facebook page.

little as 3m of water.

Smaller barra can still be caught closer to the edges in the low light periods.

Casting soft plastics, surface poppers and shallow diving hardbodies to the points and weed edges will fool these fish. The warm water seems to keep the big models out of

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Bass coming out of their holiday slumber SOMERSET DAM

Matthew Taylor

While skiers have made full use of the warm weather, many anglers opted to avoid the excessive boat traffic, which often makes fishing impractical and at times quite tough.

With the holiday break now finished, the fish have been given a chance to recuperate. In the coming days and weeks, expect to see the size and numbers of catches increase.

Natural-coloured presentations seem to be working with the hardbodied lures, but mix up your luretype and colour until you find what the fish specifically want, as fish at Lake Somerset rarely bite on the same thing two days in a row.

Recently, schools of bass have been quite tough to find.

As the summer heat quickens the metabolism of the fish, they are forced to spread out to feed. This means that when you do find a school, it is quite possible that they will not stay in the same place

for long. Therefore, it is vital that you watch your sounder and follow the fish. Hence, schools of bass have recently been scattered throughout the upper areas of the lake.

At this time of year, search from Pelican Point to the timbered section of the lake.

According to reports, schooled fish are located at Red Rock, Brads Bank and Wyangi Creek. However, Pelican Point has been the most productive spot for anglers, with many fish being caught from both the southern and northern side, and some anglers catching up

With bass spreading out at this time of year, it pays to spend plenty of time searching.

There is always a chance of a yellowbelly, especially around timber structure.

As I detailed in last month’s fishing report, trolling is an extremely effective technique during the summer months, and even more so when the fishing is tough. With the recent heat, many anglers have caught good numbers of bass and yellowbelly, some are up to 60cm in length. Most of these fish have come from Pelican Point and Red Rock. However, trolling lures along Brads Bank and in the timbered area is also worth a go.

Soft vibes are a fantastic lure when the bite is tough.

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to 10 50cm bass per session. A recent fishing tournament also saw many successful anglers fish in the Bay 13 and Queen Street areas.

Tail spinners have been the pick of the lures for anglers wanting to cast at bass.

Smak STS-50s, Hotbite Jets and Nories ‘In The Bait’ tail spinners have been the most successful. While several retrieves can be used with this lure type, slow rolling and slow hopping has rarely failed to disappoint.

Used in the same way, spoons like Hotbite Gangbangers and Halco Twisties have also worked well. Other retrieves that are worth a go include vertically jigging, burning and killing and burning and slowing. With these lures, an array of natural colours have been successful, with whites, silvers, light blues and purples being the standouts.

Also, soft vibes, soft plastics and blades have accounted for their fair share of fish. Expect to see other reaction style lures like spinnerbaits become more

THIS SPIRIT 1 electric outboard is powered by a built in 1KWH Lithium-ion Battery. Giving 1.5hrs of MAX power running or if your leisurely using this motor the battery can last up to 5 hrs of use.

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fishing needs. Or, if you want to stay up-to-date with all forms of fishing information, ‘Like’ their new Facebook page (@SomersetFishing).

For your next fishing or boating experience at the lake, there are two main boat ramps to use, one located at The Spit and the other at the Lake Somerset Holiday Park. From September to April, the gates open at 5:30am and close at 6:30pm. From May to August, opening hours are 6:00am to 5:30pm.

Kayakers can have a lot of fun in the timber above Kirkleigh.

10HP OF POWER This is the most powerful electric motor in the ePropulsion range. Pumping out a massive 6KW of power which is equivalent to a 10hp petrol outboard. This motor is available in either tiller control or forward control. Forward control uses a wireless throttle and gear shifting control box. Silent, zero emissions and maintenance free makes this motor a pleasure to own.

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successful in the coming days and weeks.

If you are heading to Lake Somerset, be sure to drop in and say g’day at Somerset Fishing Tackle. Located only 200m from the Kirkleigh day use boat ramp at the Lake Somerset Holiday Park, they stock a huge range of competitively priced fishing tackle.

Supplying new innovations like skirted jigs from Jig Pro and products from Marine Dynamics, they have everything to suit your

Hoping for a big rain event LAKE TINAROO

Warwick Lyndon

I am hopeful that the wet season will be in full swing in February up here in the tropical North. With the tablelands region not having had a decent wet for several years, it would be great for this to occur this year.

There are several

positives.

Firstly, an increase in water levels will make the dam a safer place to navigate. As of 3 January, the 6-knot speed restriction has been in place across the entire lake. Unfortunately, if the water falls to critical levels, as occurred last year, the lake will be closed to all recreational activities. A rise in water also allows for easier access to the lake,

Young gun Zack Wilkinson holding a quality fish angled out of the sticks after dark. reasons why I am looking forward to a big wet.

Despite the barramundi not being able to spawn in the lake, rain and rising water levels bring many

as boat ramps may once again become inundated with water, and bank side launch sites will provide firmer ground from which to launch your craft.

On the fishing front, more water, and particularly the storms that bring rainfall to the catchment, can produce many welcome bonuses. The first of these are the storms themselves.

It is a well-known fact that several species of fish feed aggressively due to the changes in barometric pressure created by storm cells. When targeting barra, if you time it right on Tinaroo, the short-term benefit this brings can be somewhat equivalent to the effect a full moon period has on the feeding behaviours of these magnificent fish.

Having said this, common sense must prevail, and I am not at all advocating for anyone to be out waving around their graphite ‘lightning sticks’ during an electrical storm.

The second major angling benefit the wet brings is the inflows created by water running into the lake from the surrounding catchment. These inflows bring with them all sorts of nutrients and food items that attract a range of predators and cause a sharp increase in both numbers and activity of several species of baitfish. If you

get it right, fishing around these inflows will put you in with a chance of having a cracker session on the silver flanked beasts. Just remember to pay attention to what is happening both above and below the water around these inflows, and try to match the hatch, as these fish may be feeding on different prey to usual.

The third benefit to anglers created by the rise in water levels is the fact that many areas or snags previously unfishable will be reclaimed by the water and can become go-to spots once again. This is when smart anglers benefit from paying attention to what is both on the bank and what appears on their sounder. It is also a time when knowledgeable locals will be able to rely on past experiences and catch good numbers of quality fish.

Of course, rising water levels can also create tricky angling conditions.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the fact that rising water generally means lower overall water temperatures, which most species, and particularly barra, don’t commonly respond well to. Also, if we

If you read the conditions and time it right, you too could connect with a genuine Tinaroo beast. experience a major wet and the dam’s capacity exceeds 100%, fish can be lost.

Luckily on Tinaroo, this is largely negated by the fish retention net funded by the Tablelands Fish Stocking Society.

If you’re heading to Tinaroo and need to stock up on fishing supplies, head into town and see Darryl at

Atherton Bait and Tackle on Main Street. He stocks a great range of products at very competitive prices and is always up for a yarn.

If you’d like to keep up to date with more of my fishing antics from the Tablelands and FNQ area, you can ‘Like’ my Facebook blog: Wazza’s Fishing Page.

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109

Isuzu D-Max LS-U BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

I’m always up for a drive in a ute that combines work truck reliability with some serious off road capability, so when the chance to review a D-Max LS-U came along, I put my name down for a test run quick smart.

The top-of-the-range LS-U Crew Cab D-Max is available in both 4x2 and 4x4 configuration, and I was lucky enough to score a 4x4 model

user-friendly cruise control set-up, and that’s a big deal coming from me because I’m critical of many cruise control systems. My idea of a good cruise control arrangement is one where there’s no need to look at the vehicle’s instruction book. All you should have to do is touch a button to activate it, touch another button to set the speed you want, and just drive easily from then on. “Aren’t all cars set up like this?” you might ask.

No, some are certainly not.

Fortunately, the D-Max LS-U isn’t one of them.

designed to carry over 1000kg.

That same suspension set up surprised me greatly on a gravel back road – corrugations being par for the course – and I must give Isuzu kudos for the way they have balanced load carrying capability with comfort for passengers, who don’t like to be jolted or jarred when the road surface turns ugly. Even travelling pretty quickly on corrugated surfaces did not induce any bump steer or other nasties into the ride.

Isuzu have obviously noticed that many of their work trucks are not actually

OK, so there’s no limousine styling in sight, but the D-Max easily lives up to its reputation as a work/lifestyle ute. for this review. I set out for a run to cod country south of Warwick to put it through its paces.

The well set-up D-Max has a 6-speed auto box linked to a laid-back but powerful 3.0L diesel engine. On a variety of surfaces ranging from the best bitumen to bad back roads, I came to terms with a ride that was better than passable.

The handling on all surfaces was pretty well neutral, and only tended towards understeer when things were really being pushed hard. It recorded some surprisingly good fuel consumption

For a vehicle designed primarily as a work truck, it’s got a pretty good layout. The wheel-mounted controls are intuitive, with sound and other connectivity to the left, and cruise control to the right.

The Isuzu’s radio offered a fair amount of station flexibility and had a pretty good sound to it. That’s one of just three glove box compartments the ute provides. figures of 8.3L per 100km to Stanthorpe and back.

On the highway the D-Max was quite enjoyable to drive. I found a comfortable driving position featuring ample support without the need for electric seat adjustment, and smiled at the seamless gear changes from the 6-speed Aisin shifter.

I also liked the quite 110

FEBRUARY 2018

On the highway run to Stanthorpe and with cruise control locked in, the D-Max grumbled along smoothly with just the odd bump or undulation felt at 100km.

Doubtless a load in the back would have sorted things out in that department. The D-Max did, after all, start life as a work ute with leaf spring rear suspension, and it’s still

used for work, but more for towing recreational items like boats and caravans. Isuzu have crafted the suspension accordingly, with a very well sorted independent coil spring/gas shock absorber system up front mated to ride friendly springing under the 1552x1530mm rear tub.

Current sales indicate they are onto a winner.

Interestingly, the D-Max diesel engine never seems to work hard, yet is willing to handle what ever is thrown at it. The 4-cylinder, direct fuel injected, Euro Five compliant Isuzu engine was upgraded a short while ago to output 130kW of power and 430Nm of torque. There’s some pretty obvious diesel clatter at start up (and through the lower couple of the six gears on hand), but for an engine that seemed so laid back I was pretty impressed with the way the 3.0L 4-cylinder turbo diesel could be stirred when I needed to overtake. It’s no fire breather, admittedly, but with

With ample power from the Isuzu’s 3L diesel engine, towing the author’s 4.5m Galeforce was a non-event. a little wind up the D-Max overtook with ease.

With ride pretty well sorted, Isuzu have also made good with the interior comfort levels. Leg and head room, both front and rear, are fine, and at the wheel I enjoyed dialling in my own air-conditioning levels. I was also able to use the GPS on the 8” central dash touch screen without much fiddling about.

On the country run, the radio was king with an excellent sound system, but there’s naturally DVD, MP3, USB port, plus iPod and Bluetooth connectivity for phone and audio streaming.

A decent dash set-up with easily found switches and controls is a D-Max feature, and the LS-U specification list includes a reversing camera within the central screen as well as a really useful electroluminescent display.

The screen is located between the tacho and speedometer, and at the press of the turn indicator stalk, it allows the driver to see a fuel gauge, ambient temperature, current and average fuel usage, distance remaining and a host of other useful information.

Driving aids include electronic stability control, traction control system, ABS with ABD and emergency brake assist. As a genuine off-roader the D-Max has 2WD, 4WD high range and 4WD low range. When 4WD low is engaged, ESC and traction control are both automatically disabled, thus ensuring that beach driving in particular is easy.

Climate control air is handy in this weather, and the dial and fan controls are user-friendly. Drive mode selection is as easy as the turn of a console knob, and 2WD to 4WD can be accomplished at speeds up to 100km/h.

Another feature, hill descent control, was very handy when negotiating Cunningham’s Gap’s wet road surface on the way home. At the first dab of the brakes, the descent control system started working, with helpful engine braking throughout the descent.

SUMMING UP Bling is not a big ticket item with utes of this style and price point, but the D-Max had

Cruise control at 100km/h, the engine revs are a measly 1500rpm and fuel consumption is a great 7.7L per 100km.

a quite reasonable and well set up interior, with LED running lights, side steps and 17” alloys to complement exterior styling. With a 5-star ANCAP rating there are ample passive and active safety features to reassure a driver at all times.

As a work/lifestyle alternative use vehicle, it certainly fulfils both roles with ease.

Last but not least there’s also a decent towing capacity, with ratings of 750kg unbraked and 3.5-tonne braked trailers.

With my 4.5m Galeforce centre console on the tow ball I was able to see just how easily the 3L engine performed. Even a nasty hill near home did little to slow the Isuzu down.

Three passengers can be comfortably seated in the rear seat, with ample leg and head room, while the driver plus an offsider will do it easy in the front. Room is certainly no issue within the D-Max’s interior.

All up, I see the D-Max LS-U as economical to run with an easy drive. The current price is around $47,000.

Cooking BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Spice it up with prawn and mango tacos

Ingredients • 1 small carton sour cream (low fat is fine) • 1/2 cup taco sauce • 1-2 tbsp Mexican spice mix • 1 lime, halved • 1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped • 2-3 green shallots, finely sliced • 1 head cos lettuce • 1/2 a cucumber, diced • 1 punnet of grape or cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters • 1 ripe mango, peeled • 1 ripe avocado • 500g cooked prawns, peeled • hard (or soft) taco shells

2

4

7

Mix the ingredients together thoroughly.

Slice the avocado flesh into cubes and add them to the salad. Add the cooked and peeled prawns and your salad is ready to go. Toss it together gently.

5

8

Pour the small carton of sour cream into a large jug or mixing bowl then add the Mexican spice mix and taco sauce. Squeeze the lime into the jug.

Remove some of the outer leaves of the cos lettuce for later use in assembling the tacos. Tear the remaining lettuce into small pieces and place into a bowl.

Add the cucumber and tomatoes.

Warm the taco shells according to the directions on the packet. After warming, allow the shells to cool slightly and then line the inside base of the taco shell with lettuce leaves. Fill the taco shell with some of the prawn salad.

3

6

9

Now add three quarters of the chopped coriander and the sliced green shallots to the mixture.

To ‘hedgehog’ a mango, start by slicing parallel cuts deeply into each mango cheek. Then slice cuts perpendicular to the first set of parallel cuts to create a grid. Invert the mango cheeks by pushing on the back of the skin. Using a spoon, scrape the mango cubes into the salad.

Spoon some of the sour cream and taco sauce salad dressing over each filled taco. Top the filled tacos with the remaining coriander and serve. A soft taco or tortilla is an alternative to the hard taco shell.

FEBRUARY 2018

111

WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI VIBELICIOUS 1 UV SQUID

DTD WHITE KILLER OITA

Samaki Vibelicious brings a new colour to the lure market: UV Squid.

This new pattern is all about the detail. It has long tentacles extending over the tail, and a soft spot and stripe details add the pearl underbody plus a very lifelike green eye. This colour has proven itself time and time again in field testing around Australia, accounting for barra, mulloway, bream and flathead to name a few. The fish-attracting features of the Vibelicious Fork Tail and Thumper Tail are further enhanced by the ultra-violet properties of the new UV Squid colour.

The Vibelicious Fork Tail and Thumper Tail come in three sizes: 70mm, 100mm and 125mm. The 100mm and 125mm models have now been upgraded with new BKK Raptor Z Hooks and new Decoy EX Strong split rings. New quality hardware like this assists longevity and promotes better hookups, as the hook penetration is on point.

As always our Vibelicious contains premium Japanese Stainless wire and is made of the toughest 10X super stretch material. www.samaki.com.au

The White Killer Oita is the latest innovative European squid jig to hit the Australian market. Manufactured by leading Croatian company DTD, this baby is taking the world by storm.

Unlike any other product in the market, the defining difference is the White Killer cannot help but be noticed by any lurking predators. Made with all the durability and quality you’d expect from DTD, it is bright, attractive, and features three unique ‘glow’ points. The body of the jig omits a green glow in night conditions, and the coloured ‘spine’ is UV enhanced and ensures high visibility during daytime conditions. And as if that wasn’t enough, the side of the lure features a blue glow point to once again enhance visibility.

These glow qualities, coupled with DTD’s use of only the highest grade materials available, ensure great balance and results in superior catching ability. The White Killer Oita is available now in three sizes (2.5, 3.0, and 3.5).

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WILSON LARGE LURE WRAP

SAMURAI OSPREY BOAT RODS

2

The arrival of the Wilson Large Lure Wrap has allowed lovers of big lures to keep themselves, their lures and their rods safe from the rigours of travel on the water and during transport.

The damage that can be caused to a rod blank, the bindings and the guides can be quite significant if you travel any distance in a boat with lures rigged (as almost all of us do). The Wilson Large Lure Wrap stops this damage by protecting the rod blank from a wildly swinging and swaying lure. Measuring 26cm x 28cm, the Large Lure Wrap securely encloses both the lure and the rod, stopping the lure from banging around while you are underway.

Additionally, the wrap reduces the risk of anglers catching themselves on the hooks, and allows for better storage of rigged rods, whether in rod lockers or in rod stands.

The Large Lure Wrap comes in a single pack and measures 26cm x 28cm. It is simple, effective and one of those products that you can’t believe you didn’t think of yourself. www.wilsonfishing.com

OBSESSION GUMMY 3 BAITS Large spinnerbaits to target big Murray cod are a must-have for serious native fish anglers. Australian-made Obsession Spinnerbaits have plenty of options in their Gummy Bait range to meet the needs of these anglers.

Available in 3/4oz, 1oz and 1 1/8oz and four blade configurations (single, double, quad and six blades on request), Gummy Baits are designed to tickle the fancy of Australia’s largest freshwater fish. There is a huge range of head colours, which are matched with Obsession’s hot tip and turbo-flared skirts and finished off with a curl-tail grub and stinger hook to match the head. If you love casting or trolling large spinnerbaits, Obsession Gummy baits are for you.

To find out more about Obsession Spinnerbaits you can contact Ray on 0428 462 397, or to find your nearest stockist go to the Obsession Spinnerbaits website. www.obsessionspinnerbaits.com 112

FEBRUARY 2018

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Samurai has released a new series of all-rounder boat rods with user-friendly actions and a wide weight range, perfect for any offshore boat style fishing.

These very versatile rods can be used for bait fishing, lures, trolling, casting or for the keen jigger.

Each rod is fitted with the finest rod components by Fuji — anti-tangle K Frame guides with alconite rings and Fuji reel seats.

The grips are custom shaped and the rods are pimped out with aluminium decorative parts for some essential bling. A premium rubber gimbal cap is dual purpose: fit it into your rod holder or hold it freestyle. There’s no need for those annoying caps anymore that everyone loses!

There are six models, all 6’0”: OS-25 (1525lb, spin), OS-40 (20-40lb, spin), S-60 (3060lb, spin), OS-H25 (15-25lb, overhead), OSOH40 (20-40lb overhead), OS-OH60 (30-60lb overhead). www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

EGI OH Q LIVE COLOURS

PRODUCT GUIDE

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The Yamashita Egi Oh Q Live series has eight new high-contrast colours added to its range. These incorporate UV and glow paint to create a unique contrast to the cloth and undertape.

Like all Live jigs, they are fitted with the ‘warm jacket’ cloth which converts light into heat. This capacity to hold a level of heat similar to natural fish makes the Lives more successful in attracting squid interest, helping you to catch squid even when conditions are tough.

These jigs also have a patented thin nose design, which minimises water resistance when hopped to give the jig more action for less effort. Other features include large, flat eyes with a glow edge, super fine spikes, Hyper Direct SUS eyelet to maintain jig strength and protect against breakage or leaks, a knife-edged sinker to reduce resistance in the water, and a strike body to make it easy to retrieve the jig. It also has a much longer casting distance than many other jigs, and comes in 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 sizes. www.ejtodd.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING STORM GOMOKU SURF RODS

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No one knows what crustacean or insect ZMan’s new creature bait is meant to imitate, but the TRD HogZ has already accounted for a stack of species in both the fresh and salt.

Plenty of moving parts, in the form of large antennae and fine legs, create vibration and water movement, while the natural buoyancy of the 10X Tough ElaZtech material encourages an ‘antennae up’, life-like pose when at rest on the bottom. This buoyancy, combined with TT Lures’ new NedlockZ jighead, creates a deadly stand-up presentation that reduces snagging and puts those antennae right in the face of the fish, triggering strikes.

A ribbed body adds to the realistic feel and creates additional water movement, while also being perfect for holding scent. A solid core allows the TRD HogZ to be trimmed shorter for a more finesse presentation.

Available in six natural colours, the TRD HogZ is a go-to for anglers chasing bream, bass, trout, redfin, flathead and more.

Price: SRP $10.95 (6 pack) www.z-man.com.au

CODGER TOPWATER

ET’S FISHING ADVENTURES

LUMO SNAPPER SNATCHER

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The world renowned Storm Gomoku micro and light jigging rods are the ultimate weapon for all manner of vertical fishing in both salt and fresh water – and they are now available for surf and rock fishers as well.

Light and powerful, the new Gomoku surf rods have soft tips for casting distance and accuracy but plenty of power in the lower end to be able to stop even the biggest mulloway or Australian salmon.

They feature hi-modulus graphite blanks, colour-coded shrink wrap grips, Fuji KR Stripper Guides, Fuji O Guides and Fuji Reel seats.

Gomoku surf rods are available in three lengths of 9ft 2-piece medium heavy, 12’ 2-piece medium, and 13’ 3-piece heavy.

Line breaking strains range from 8kg up to 15kg on the heaviest model, and lure casting weights start at 30g all the way through to 150g. They are available now at all leading tackle retailers. www.stormfishing.com.au

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Graham Saunders, the man behind Goulburn Lures, has expanded his Codger range into the topwater market with his Codger Topwater.

Easy to use, these super strong lures have a super loud clacking and splashing action that will tempt even the most fussy Murray cod. Available in nine colours, they come equipped with double rear split rings and are fitted with VMC 3X tough trebles for an increased hook-up rate.

The Codger Topwater has a medium sized profile that can be cast using your standard cod fishing tackle. No need for specialised rods and reels – just put a Codger Topwater on and you can experience the cod surface fishing that everybody is talking about. Or if you just love catching Australian native fish using surface lures, then here is another quality offering from an Australian lure maker that is a must-have for your tackle box.

Price: SRP $25 goulburn.lures@bigpond.com

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ZMAN 3” TRD HOGZ

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Black Magic Snapper Snatcher flasher rigs have landed some serious fish over the years, and it’s not by luck.

Australian anglers continue to swear by their quality, and constantly send Black Magic great fish photos and feedback. Now the range has been further improved with the exciting new super lumo colour.

This new rig is tied with the popular KL recurve hooks and Tough Trace, but what makes it stand out is the ‘flash’ colour, Super Lumo. The rigs tied with this material out-performed many other products during field testing, and this is due to their high luminosity and UV content. And you can also ‘super charge’ them with a Black Magic UV Torch.

Snapper Snatcher super lumo rigs are available in sizes 5/0, 6/0 and 8/0. For more information visit the Black Magic website, or look them up on Facebook for all the latest catch photos, news and competitions. www.blackmagictackle.com

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ET’s Ultimate Fishing Adventures features Andrew Ettingshausen’s favourite fishing destinations with hundreds of his wonderful images, essential tips and background stories of adventure. This is the ideal book for any casual or novice angler who dreams of landing the perfect catch. While reading its photo-filled pages you will explore some of the most beautiful fishing destinations across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Isles with ‘ET’ as your guide.

ET’s extensive fishing experience makes him a knowledgeable and well-rounded author. While filming Escape with ET and Seafood Escape, he has travelled all around Australia, trekking inland to its rivers and gorges and fishing the deep blue oceans offshore to find the best fishing destinations.

His adventures have also taken him to New Zealand, the Pacific Isles and countless islands and territories around our continent.

ET’s Ultimate Fishing Adventures, published by New Holland Publishers, is available from all good bookstores or from the New Holland website.

Price: SRP $49.99 www.newhollandpublishers.com

HURRICANE FAT 37 12 SHALLOW CRANK Hurricane Lures is continuing to expand its range of tournament-tested quality lures, which are not only suitable for the tournament angler but the everyday angler as well. The new Fat 37 Shallow Crank is a shallow-running lure with a fast, wide action, designed to draw attention from predators in a large area. It is ideal to use over weed beds, rock banks, sand flats and any other fishy looking structure.

Suspending in freshwater and slow sinking in saltwater, it runs at a depth of just under a metre. Weighing 4.4g it has great castability, allowing you to cover large areas of water. It also comes in a huge range of colours suitable for any situation.

To check out the Fat 37 and the rest of the lures in the range, go to the Hurricane website or look for them in your local tackle store. You can also find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HurricaneAustralia and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/ HurricaneLures. www.hurricanelures.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2018

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING BERKLEY POWERBAIT POWERPOP FROG 13 A favourite meal of just about any freshwater fish is the frog.The new Berkley Power Pop Frog is a unique soft popper with inbuilt PowerBait scent and flavour.

The Power Pop is equipped with a cup face popper at the front end and a mass of trailing legs at the backend combining to give it an action that fish can’t ignore.

The Power Pop Frog comes with a weedless worm hook ready to fish, inbuilt glass rattle and 3D eyes. At 70mm long, plus training legs, the Power Pop Frog is a tasty meal for a variety of freshwater fish that love a surface presentation such as bass, cod, barra and saratoga. It’s available in eight colour variations so you can match the hatch to perfection.

The Power Pop benefits from Berkley’s legendary PowerBait scent infused into every bait. Berkley PowerBait makes novice anglers good, and good anglers great. Berkley scientists have spent over 25 years perfecting an irresistible scent and flavour – the exclusive PowerBait formula. Fish love PowerBait so much they hold on 18 times longer, giving you the time and confidence to feel more bites, set more hooks and catch more fish!

Price: SRP $8.99 Berkley-fishing.com.au

2-PIECE ATOMIC ARROWZ

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Atomic Arrowz rods launched in early 2017, and brought together advanced designs and the finest Fuji components assembled on a full-graphite blank. Designed originally as series of 1-piece rods, they are now available in 2-piece models featuring the same high quality components.

The focus has been on the Estuary, Offshore and Bream models, and ensuring no flat spots through the join to maintain sensitivity. The 2-piece Estuary Series has four models, starting from the finesse 70SUL (2–6lb) up to the 70ML (6-14lb).

The 2-piece Offshore Series delivers superior control across four 7’ spin rods. They feature ultra-refined fore and rear neoprene grips and have an excellent balance. The 2-piece models again have seamless transition.

For the Bream fans there are now 2-piece versions of the Bream Surface 70BS and the Bream Crank 70BC, making transportation and storage easier and safer.

All Atomic Arrowz rods are balanced perfectly to deliver the ultimate feel and bite response, and are lightweight without sacrificing strength.

Price: from SRP $189 www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

NEW COLOURS BULLET LURES

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Bullet Lures have become a favourite for many trout anglers in the form of the Bullet Minnow and the Five-O Minnow. These lures’ popularity has reached the point where users are now demanding more colour options, and Bullet Lures has done so with two new colours: pearl widow and black widow. These very distinctive patterns are highlighted with UV-enhanced dots on the side of the lures, adding even more attraction to the lure.

The new colours will be available in the sinking 3cm Bullet Minnow and all three styles of the Five-O Minnow (floating, suspending/ slow sink and sinking). If you are already a fan of Bullet Lures you will want these, and if you haven’t tried Bullets you should get into your local tackle store and check them out. You 114

FEBRUARY 2018

can also browse the range on the Bullet Lures website. www.bulletlures.com

NEW MONO FROM SHIMANO

PRODUCT GUIDE 13

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Shimano has released three new mono lines: Exage+, Tiagra Hyper, and Tiagra Leader.

Exage+ is a fine diameter Japanese manufactured monofilament with excellent clarity and super sensitivity. It has a soft feel with low memory so it lays neatly onto the spool. It’s ideal for floater fishing for snapper or even surf fishing for species such as salmon.

The new Tiagra Hyper gamefishing line uses premium class Japanese IGFA-rated nylon monofilament that combines high abrasion resistance with optimal stretch. It’s available in invisible clear blue and high-vis fluorescent yellow in 15kg, 24kg and 37kg breaking strains in 1000m spools (15kg and 24kg breaking strains are also available in bulk).

Manufactured in Japan, the new Tiagra Premium Nylon Mono Leader is significantly tougher in abrasion resistance than standard nylon, and offers the very best in knot and crimp strength. Available in 20-150lb, the leader is suited to making rigs for snapper right through to trolling leaders for marlin. www.shimanofish.com.au

NEW FLUTTER JIG COLOURS

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Black Magic’s Flutter Jigs are designed to create a fluttering effect when dropping and retrieving, and are built with highquality components to ensure anglers are getting the most bang for their buck.

Now Black Magic has introduced two new colours to the range that are sure to turn on the predatory instincts of many species. The new colours are silver with orange and lumo stripes, and blue with lumo stripes.

Flutter jigs come in four sizes, 40g, 60g, 80g and 100g. The 60g, 80g and 100g sizes are supplied rigged with a high strength assist hook rigged on Kevlar thread. The 40g model has a lighter gauge hook more suited to the size of the jig, and it also uses Kevlar thread.

Flutter jigs are available from Black Magic stockists nationwide. For more information visit the Black Magic website or like them on Facebook. www.blackmagictackle.com

TICA TACTICA GCA REEL

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The new Tactica Baitcasting reel certainly fits the bill for the angler looking for a small baitcaster for species like bass, estuary perch, trout, redfin and for trolling.

The Tactica baitcaster is packed with excellent features including a one-piece, high-strength aluminium body with a V-shaped, forged machine-cut aluminium spool. It also features a magnetic cast control system, precision-cut brass main gear, quick remove sideplate, soft EVA handles and eight ball bearings, featuring two RRB rust-resistant bearings and six stainless steel ball bearings.

This new reel offers a 6.3:1 high speed retrieve that retrieves 71cm of line per handle turn, and holds 150m of 20lb braid.

It’s a great choice for the beginner right through to the more experienced angler.

For more information visit the Juro website. www.jurofishing.com

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

The revamped Costa range - bigger, better and more affordable US-based sunglass and apparel brand Costa Del Mar have been in the premium eyewear game since 1983, and have been available here in Australia for many years. They have gone through a lot of very important and sometimes industry-defining changes in that time.

The range is now bigger, the quality is better, the price tag has been lowered and they’re now available from one of this country’s largest and best known fishing wholesalers: Rapala VMC Australia.

This move to Rapala brought with it renewed focus, larger distribution networks and a better connection to anglers, and a whole new range was unveiled at the 2017 AFTA Tackle Trade Show on the Gold Coast. What a perfect place to launch new sunglasses! Not only was it warm and sunny, a lot of the patrons were left needing shades all day and even inside, thanks to overindulgent nocturnal activities.

Costa have always been known for lens quality, but in years gone by their range of On the saltwater flats or in the middle of the rainforest picking off carp on fly, if frames wasn’t as diverse as it could be.

With the increasing need of people wanting you’re hoping to sight fish, you’d better take a high quality pair of polarized glasses.

My second pair, the Half Moon, has a slightly smaller frame and lens, and is just as comfortable and easy to wear all day.

For this pair I went for the blue mirror 580 glass lenses, to try something different.

TESTED

an alarming rate of 190 sharks a minute.

Mostly for soup! Anything that helps to restore balance and strength to the oceanic ecosystem has my vote every day of the week.

This program, as well as others that are helping coastal villages recover from devastating hurricanes or floods, is just a small example of the charity work Costa is doing at the grass roots level.

But back to the glasses themselves, since that’s what we’re here for, the bulk of my on-water time is spent in small, clear-ish rivers and creeks. I sight cast to most of my fish, and for the rest I rely on spotting a split boulder or submerged laydown where the target species is likely to be. Having the right eyewear in these types of situations can be the difference between a session I’ll be exaggerating about to my grandkids one day, and a dreaded doughnut.

I’ve found the Costas to cut through the glare very well in all manner of lighting, enabling me to target fish quite easily.

In days gone by a 580 glass lens pair of Costas would set you back as much as $500, but right now you can pick up a set for around the $350 mark from your local stockist – and it’s cheaper again for poly lenses. This is a big win for all anglers as we have another $150 to spend on lures we certainly don’t need! The next time you’re

I found the Costa Rincon frames to be comfortable enough to wear all day, and they cut through the glare in all light situations. to wear the same glasses on the water as they do driving around town or at the pub, a freshen up was needed. Costas new range certainly offers this versatility. Gone are the days where we can get away with a pair of $14.95 servo sunnies – we need to protect our eyes and not be shunned by the fairer sex in doing so.

You can even wear the Costas in combination with a 90s-era flap hat to spot pies at the shops on the way to the water.

Most of the old Costa classics remain, but there have been some really cool new styles released that have already been a hit with anglers, myself included.

I’ve worn most of the major sunglass brands over the last 10 years or so, with varying levels of success. Each brand has its strengths. Some have great lenses but the frames are bulky, rigid and heavy; some have lightweight frames but are not as good on the lens front. I’m pleased to say that the Costa Rincon and Half Moon sunglasses I’ve been wearing for the last 6-7 months are the best combination of vision, comfort and style I’ve ever owned. The bride even likes the look of these ones, which hasn’t always been the case with my fishing sunnies. She actually liked them so much we had to go and buy another pair of Costas for her in the Remora model.

The Rincon are a slightly larger frame, which suits my large noggin. I’ve been able to wear them for hours and hours without the discomfort I’ve felt from a couple of other brands over the years. Clarity of vision and the lightweight frames are the standout features for me. I went for the green mirror 580 polarized glass lens, which was described to me as being the best allrounder for the mix of fresh and saltwater fishing I do. They have not disappointed in either field.

Mr Sun was certainly doing his job this day, but spotting this feisty pest wasn’t a problem with the help of the 580 lenses.

Again, I have worn them in both fresh and in your local tackle store, ask about Costa saltwater situations and they have always eyewear and give them a go for yourself. You can thank me later. - Rupe performed very well.

Both pairs are flexible enough that they don’t push into the side of my head too hard, but at the same time they hold firmly enough to not slide down my nose when I look down or bend over to pick up a fish.

While Costa do offer both polycarbonate and glass lenses, once I tried the demo pair of 580 glass on and walked out into the sun for a test drive, I had to go that way. Weight has traditionally been the downfall of glass, but in these new styles the difference was undetectable.

Something else that drew my attention to the Costa brand was how much it’s putting back into our sport and the people who enjoy it or even rely on it. Costa has long been associated with the OCEARCH Another sight cast victim - I took the program, whose goal is to save the world’s sharks from mass slaughter. Every pair of glasses off for the obligatory solo bass fishing selfie, but I wouldn’t have had OCEARCH-branded Costa models helps fund on-water research and put science the opportunity without seeing the fish first in fast-flowing water. on the side of sharks, which are killed at

FEBRUARY 2018

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Dudds annual trip cancelled BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

It’s a sad week for me and Stuffer. We are the two who are most affected by the non-appearance of the Dudds annual trip in 2018.

Pommers is busy making money, which he’d rather be doing than spending it on fuel and grog. Doughers will be saving his fuel money also, but he’ll channel that into grog money at home, so he’ll be chuffed. Skipper and Manboobs, however, were the ones who really threw the cat amongst the pigeons by ditching the annual sojourn to Baffle, or Turkey or Awoonga in favour of a cruise. Yes, you read that right, a cruise.

I’m not sure why they think getting onto a bloody great piece of floating metal with a couple of thousand other yobbos is going to be more fun than a Dudds trip. I mean how could you compare a week of no sleep, over eating, over drinking, drunkdancing,

yelling obscenities into the night and gambling with a week of no sleep, over eating, over drinking, drunkdancing, yelling obscenities into the night and gambling.

It just doesn’t make sense to me, or to Stuffer.

We’re probably the two Dudds who rely more on the annual pilgrimage to somewhere in central Queensland to keep our lives sane. The others, not so much. Pommers can make money and bet on horses anywhere, Doughers can play games with Jack anywhere, Stuffer can smash cans and the other two can... well right at this moment I better not write what those two can go and do.

I’ve tried to get motivated and do some fishing, but like a lot of things in life, it’s not as much fun on your own.

Not only is sharing disaster safer, but it turns out it’s more fun too. Breaking down, getting stuck on sandbanks, falling out of boats, smashing fishing gear, losing fish, cutting bits

of yourself and generally being a Dudd are just so much more rewarding when Pommers, Doughers,

Skipper, Boobies and Stuffer are there to watch me do it, share it and point at me. Who’d a thunk it?

Jesse Rowe with his PB flathead caught land-based at Bribie Island flicking a Storm scented soft plastic yabby.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2018 FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

10-11 Feb

Boondooma Dam Yelowbelly Fishing Competition Lake Boondooma

prostononline.info

13-14 Feb

ABT BREAM Series Round 1 Mallacoota

abt.org.au

17-18 Feb

ABT BREAM Series Round 2 Gippsland Lakes

abt.org.au

23-25 Feb

Freshwater Open Boondooma

fishingfreshwater.com.au

25 Feb

ABT BASS Electric Series Round 1 Richmond River

abt.org.au

6-8 Mar

ABT BREAM Series Australian Open Sydney Harbour/Hawkesbury River

abt.org.au

8-11 Mar

VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Competition Dayman Park, Urangan

George Duck 0407 663 578

10-11 Mar

ABT BASS Pro Round 1 Hawkesbury River

abt.org.au

20-21 Mar

ABT BREAM Series Round 3 St Helens, Tasmania

abt.org.au

24-25 Mar

ABT BREAM Series Round 4 Derwent River, Tasmania

abt.org.au

21-22 Apr

ABT BREAM Series Round 5 Gold Coast

abt.org.au

22 Apr

ABT BASS Electric Series Round 2 Clarrie Hall Dam

abt.org.au

5-6 May

ABT BREAM Series Round 6 Swan River, WA

abt.org.au

19-20 May

ABT BASS Pro Round 2 Glenbawn Dam

abt.org.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours.

Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name.

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FEBRUARY 2018

The VMR Hervey Bay fishing competition is on The annual VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Competition organised by the Hervey Bay Boat Club Fishing and Social Club will be held from Thursday 8 March to Sunday 11 March at Dayman Park in Pulgul Street Urangan Hervey Bay.

facilities of the Fraser Coast and the sheltered waters of Hervey Bay and Fraser Island.

The fun starts on Thursday with the licensed bar open at 5pm and spinning wheel raffles for Fraser Island Ice Boxes, cash and tackle prizes. Cold

Sunday the spinning wheel, food and drinks start at 11am and lucky draws and presentations start at 12pm.

There will be over $30,000 of prizes to win in the spinning wheel raffles and lucky draws including $250 Tackle World vouchers on Thursday, Friday and

Ellen Walter with a 6kg tuna.

Damian Kennedy and Luke Kerin with the 6kg threadfin salmon they weighed in at the VMR competition.

This will be the 26th year of the popular event; it attracts entrants from all over Australia to participate in an exciting four days of fishing and fun, hoping to win a prize or two while enjoying the excellent

drinks and hot food will be available from the Sunrise Rotary food van and the official opening will be at 6pm followed by lucky draws and presentations.

The same times apply on Friday and Saturday. On

Saturday, and a $500 Tackle World voucher on Sunday.

Every Senior entrant will be in every Senior draw including the Super Draw for a boat package from Bay City Marine. Every Junior entrant will be in

every Junior draw including the Junior Super Draw for an iPad from Wide Bay Motor Group.

Many entrants do not fish at all and simply go along to enjoy the atmosphere at the presentations, partake in the food and refreshments and perhaps win some of the hundreds of prizes up for grabs.

You can start fishing immediately after the official opening and lucky draws and there will be around $10,000 of prizes to win in both the Live and Dead fish categories.

Eligible species in the Live section are flathead, bream and whiting, and species eligible for the

BOATING NEWS

Formosa Marine’s 20 years Formosa Marine are proud to acknowledge that 2018 marks 20 years of aluminium boat building for the Australian boating public.

From humble beginnings, Formosa Marine now sees itself as one of the mainstay brands of the Australian recreational boating market with an Australia-wide distribution network.

The key to the longevity, growth and reputation of Formosa Marine has been the constant onward development of the company’s product range and designs to meet customers’ demands for high quality build and performance in a hull that can be tailored to their individual needs.

A Formosa Marine built hull is marketed under the Tomahawk and Sea-Rod brands of plate boats offering a full range of models from open to cabin hardtops, sizes from 4.55m Classics to the latest

From humble beginnings, Formosa Marine now sees itself as one of the mainstay brands of the Australian recreational boating market with an Australia-wide distribution network.

7.4m heavy-duty Offshores with true self-draining decks.

Select from one of the largest range of optional extras, such as the latest ‘BowActive’ Ladder, or custom design to enhance your boating form.

NEW BOAT GRAPHICS FOR 2018 To commemorate the 20th anniversary, Formosa Marine are re-launching their boat graphics for both the Tomahawk and Sea-Rod range.

The business acknowledges that the Formosa Marlin graphic has become symbolic with their branding, readily recognizable on the water and much sought-after.

The new graphics will feature the iconic Formosa Marlin and a 20th Anniversary sticker, plus an increase in size of the branding to accommodate the larger boat models now on offer.

Dead weigh-in are whiting, blackall, bream, golden trevally and coral bream.

Also for the Seniors there is an Any Other Species category, (excluding flathead, cod, Spanish mackerel, sharks and ray).

Daily prizes will be a rod and reel combo for the heaviest fish of each species and the Any Other Species category, plus runner up prizes and 90L ice boxes for the overall winners.

Everyone that weighed in a live fish will go into a draw for a Water Snake electric motor and there will be a $1000 Tackle World voucher for the best fish in the Any Other Species Category, and daily prizes.

Weigh-in times are 8.30am to 6pm on Friday and Saturday and 8.30am to 12 noon on Sunday.

Thanks to the excellent

support and generosity of the Fraser Coast Regional Council and local businesses the competition has been a huge success each year, so make plans now to enter this popular event.

Entry forms are available at tackle shops in Hervey Bay and Maryborough, at the Chronicle offices and at the Hervey Bay Boat Club, Sporties Club and Pialba Bowls Club, or phone 0407 663 578 or check our website www. fishingcompherveybay. org.au and the Hervey Bay Boat Club website.

Entry costs are $40 for Seniors and $10 for Juniors (17 and under).

Juniors are eligible to enter the Senior section.

– Hervey Bay Boat Club Fishing and Social Club

The Barra graphic is still available on request.

FREE GIFT TO CELEBRATE… As well as a boat graphic refresh, Formosa Marine are giving away a free gift to celebrate their 20 years.

If you order the famous Formosa Marine designed and built bait board and bait tank with your Formosa boat, you will receive a free Railblaza StowPod with a removable QuickPort fastener.

The Railblaza StowPod is UV-resistant, has a drink holder partition and holds all your personal items at your fingertips.

Check out their website at www.railblaza.com for more information and the vast range of attachments that can be added to the QuickPort. Contact your local Formosa Marine dealer for a price list.

Discover more online at www.formosamarineboats. com.au.

– Formosa Marine FEBRUARY 2018

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Trades, Services, Charter

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• Sounders • GPS • Electric Motors • Marine Radios and accessories • Stereos • Televisions • Radar Units • Autopilots Unit 4/1440 New Cleveland Road Capalaba www.trymax.com.au PHONE: 07 3245 3633

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

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

Shed 1 281 Jacobs Well Road Behind GEM Service Station, Alberton 4207

BOAT HIRE // HOUSE

MARINE ELECTRONICS

Salt-Away www.salt-away.com.au

n

Tackle Warehouse Brisbane (07) 3398 6500 BCF www.bcf.com.au Davo’s Tackleworld Noosaville (07) 5449 8099 Davo’s Tackleworld Marcoola (07) 5448 8244

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. $320 + GST for 6 months Email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

Phone 3807 7846

GOLD COAST

Mob 0427 142 201 Fax 3807 2468

Great family and fishing boats!

www.custommarinewelding.com.au Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883 ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402 Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088 Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064 Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636 CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808 Iconic Boats Brisbane 0475 311 447

+ 50km of sheltered waterways on the Gold Coast’s Broadwater + No Licence required CALL FOR A + Boats from $995 DEAL + 2-12 berth

+ 07 5502 6200 + www.coomerahouseboats.com.au

Brisbane South and Gold Coas t

MARINE ELECTRONICS

NEW

TINNIE HIRE AVAILABLE

FRASER COAST Rainbow Beach Houseboats (07) 5486 3146 Lake Monduran House Boat www.lakemonduranhouseboathire.com.au

BOAT HIRE // TRAILER GOLD COAST Boab Boat Hire - 1300 002 622

BOAT PAINTING BRISBANE Brisbane Boat Painting 0433 356 620

BOAT MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS

CUSTOM ALLOY FABRICATION • Boat repairs & fitouts • Bait tanks • Transom rebuilds • Fuel tanks • Consoles

FISH TAXIDERMY

MARINE MECHANICS GOLD COAST

Fish Taxidermist www.fishtaxidermy.net.au or 0428 544 841

Whitewater Marine (07) 5532 4402 T&S Marine (07) 5546 2599

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Stones Corner Marine (07) 3397 9766 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Northside Marine (07) 3265 8029 Coorparoo Marine (07) 3397 4141 Capalaba Boat Centre 04011 728 379 Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Cunningham Marine Centre (07) 3284 8805 Caloundra Marine (07) 5491 1944

NORTH QUEENSLAND

Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

MARINE MECHANICS // MOBILE WYNUMM MANLY-BAYSIDE Wondall Rd Marine (07) 3396 5633

Gary’s Marine Centre

OVER 20 YEARS FABRICATING AND WELDING ALUMINIUM

FISHING GUIDES SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Suncoast Barra Fishing Park www.suncoastbarrafishing.com

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

MARINE TRIMMERS SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION BRISBANE

FOR RENT: Holiday House on Karragarra Island

CUSTOM TRANSOMS 20-75hp $750 75-150hp $890 150-225hp $980 Freight can be arranged Australia wide

PROFISH BOATS – Phone Peter 0417 782 114 Email: peter@profishboats.com www.profishboats.com

3201 6232

• Pet friendly and peaceful • Fish n Crab from in front of the house • Complimentary bikes & kayaks for you to use

in beautiful Moreton Bay

217 Pine Mountain Road, BRASSALL MARINE TRAILERS Oceanic Boat Trailers (07) 5597 0577 Spitfire Trailers (07) 0400 866 323 Tinnie Tosser (07) 5498 7339 Sea-Link Special Trailers (07) 3881 3568

Rent for $150 per night minimum 2 nights, sleeps 6 Phone Kevin 0457 778 097 or go to Stayz property No. 182473 for more photos and information

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.

118

FEBRUARY 2018

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Islander Retreat, South Stradbroke Island 0420 967 557

FRASER ISLAND Apurla Island Retreat 0437 739 121 Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364 Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177 Fraser Island Beach Houses 1800 626 230 Yidney Rocks (07) 4127 9167 Eurong Beach Resort 1800 111 808

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Baffle Creek Holiday House 0419 624 833

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

N O W AVA IL A B L E

FISHING CHARTERS

ALL YOUR FISHING MONTHLY GEAR

REEL TIME

From

T-Shirts

$

22 85

• 6am to 2pm $150pp • 3 boats – holds up to 30+ people • All fishing gear and bait is supplied • No fishing licence req.

• Pickup from Yamba Marina or Iluka ferry wharf

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

EASY PARKING

COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel 4069 5222

Phone Cases

MACKAY

From

BEL AIR MOTEL, MACKAY - PLENTY OF ROOM FOR BOATS AND TRAILERS.............PH: 07 4957 3658 FRESHWATER Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746 Lake Boondooma Caravan Park (07) 4168 9694 Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872 Yallakool Park and Kiosk on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

CHARTER BOATS GOLD COAST True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622 BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034 My Charter Boat Tweed Heads 0407 347 446 RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366 Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412 Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428 Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0411 605 090 Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469 Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330 Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929 Gone Fishing Charters Gold Coast (07) 5529 7833

BRISBANE Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576 Big Cat Charters and Tom Cat Charters 0433 430 248 Moreton Island Fishing Charters 0413 128 056 Brisbane Fishing Charters 0427 026 510 Bucket List Fishing Charters 0428 368 316 John Gooding Outlaw Charters 0418 738 750

SUNSHINE COAST Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Rainbow Beach Fishing Charters 0439 775 070 Smithy’s Fishing Charters Sunshine Coast 0407 574 868 Top Catch Charters Sunshine Coast 0429 013 012 Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814 Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402 Sunshine Coast Fishing Charters (07) 5500 0671 Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956 Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170 Hervey Bay Fishing Charters (07) 4125 3958 Incredible Charters 1300 655 818

NORTHERN NSW

MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

$

29 45

Mugs

YAMBA’S LARGEST TACKLE STORE

From

$

• Chandlery • Boat Sales • Ice & Gas • Bait & Tackle • Trailers Sales & Parts • Charter Bookings Ph: 6646 1994 or 0428 231 962 Email: dave@gaden.com.au

1 7 27

Now Agents For

HERVEY BAY

Fully Guided Lure & Fly Fishing •

Clocks $

BORN AND BRED LOCAL GUIDE

• 5.5m Custom sportsfishing Vessel • 4.4m Estuary Sportsfishing Vessel • Quality Fishing Gear Supplied

42 7 0

Carry Bags From

$

www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726 MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201 Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727 Bundaberg Fishing Charters 0429 017 217 Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686

20 3 3 Throw Pillows

From

$

25 4 2

and lots more...

MANY DESIGNS TO CHOOSE FROM ON A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS ALL MADE TO ORDER

Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234 Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911 Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Eclipse FNQ Weipa Charters 0488 058 668 Fish’s Fly & Sportsfishing Weipa (07) 4069 9957 Action Charters Mackay 0417 452 346 Fishing Charters Townsville 0403 386 722 JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324

Wooli Fishing Charter (02) 6649 7100

Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044

Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0428 828 835 Reel Time Fishing Charters Yamba 0428 231 962

Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027

fishingmonthly.redbubble.com

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2018

119

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS STRUCTURE TO FISH AROUND

DROPOFF HUMP POINT RIDGE REEF FADS WEED BED ROCK TIMBER DOCKS

WRECKS BREAKWALL JETTY POTOON PYLON BRIDGE BOARDWALK BUOY BOMBORA BRUSH

Valley Hill Rocketeer Slicer

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

QLD FEB 2018

Phone (day):

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

The Rocketeer Slicer from Japanese tackle giant Valley Hill is a real feat of Japanese design and engineering.

The Rocketeer Slicer has a unique metal plate at the nose of the jig, which lets you secure line in two places, and ensures a superior swimming action even through debris. In addition, its tail system lets you cast more effectively into the wind.

The Rocketeer Slicer is available in two sizes (3.0 and 3.5) and 13 different colour combinations. It has proven to be highly effective on Australian squid. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Mark Boyle from Slacks Creek, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for December is J Robinson of Beenleigh, who won a Aquayak Kayak voucher valued at $300.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

Pleasant, K Martin of Dalby, L Dewar of Roma, J Bowyer of Blackall, S Theofanes of Home Hill, F Brook of Leeton, J Bugno of Bardon, M Harrison of Newport, D Davidson of Guyra, A Needham of Blackbutt, D Cauchi of Bundaberg, G Mason of Kalkie, G Poor of Taromeo, N Thomas of Gatton, B Mason of Koongal, L Pirlo of Modanville, P Baggett of The Caves, D Hendry of Imbil, B Mackey

of Parkwood, S Ball of Coombabha, D Conway of East Greenmount, P Lobley of Silkstone, J Wogandt of Urangan, P Fill of Turkey Beach, A Horton of Kenmore, B Bell of Wodonga, B Steers of Redbank Plains, L Mant of Julatten, B Fisher of Roma, D Dunk of Proserpine, A Kittel of Logan Village.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks.

– QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE DX POINT LOGO

GUESS THE FISH?

The answers to Find the Gamakatsu Logo for December were: 11, 14, 21, 26, 39, 40, 50, 54, 60, 71, 74, 86, 109, 114, 122.

– QFM

120

FEBRUARY 2018

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Yellowbelly

The Find the Gamakatsu prize winners for December were: G Bateman of Pialba, N Hogbin of Coominya, G Ward of Bloomfield, D Hutchins of Bundaberg, K Cook of Bli Bli, R Davis of Sarina, B Halberstater of Yeppoon, J Routledge of Bundaberg, J Conte of Tullera, B McGarry of Mount

Answer:

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat

Inside story...

Horizon Aluminium Boats are an Australian family-owned and operated boat-building empire. It was founded in 1992 by Bob and Christine James, who’ve built their business from a small shed in Burleigh making two models, to a factory on the Gold Coast producing 84 models of boats that continue to charge at the forefront of boat design in Australia.

Made for...

Horizon have endeavoured to design and manufacture boats that not only fulfill fishing fantasies, but cater to a family oriented boating experience. Their motto is ‘Building family dreams today,’ and they have consistently fulfilled this promise.

This month...

Editor Steve Morgan is checking out the spacious Horizon Scorpion 485. See the full story on page 130!

122 Find your perfect estuary rig

Starlo looks at some of the things that make a good boat for estuary fishing, and how to decide which rig will suit your estuarine needs!

126 The very best of summer boating

Wayne Kampe discusses how to maximise your enjoyment and minimise the chance of something going wrong in the boat at this busy time of year.

128 Sea Craft Xtreme 5.2 Centre Console Wayne Kampe takes this serious high-sided alloy rig for a trip across Moreton Bay with Ray from R & M Marine.

Finding your perfect estuary boating rig NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

The bulk of Australia’s army of trailer boat anglers concentrate their efforts on estuaries, tidal rivers, bays and harbours. Many also visit freshwater lakes and artificial impoundments.

As a result, one of the

15-70hp outboard, although in recent years there has been a noticeable shift to more powerful donks on these rigs; it’s no longer rare to see pocket rockets loosely based on the American bass boat, flats boat and bay boat concepts, often sporting power plants with ratings from 70 to as much as 150hp or even more.

Personally, my idea of the perfect estuary/

lot of additional space in a boat and that’s important.

The hull of my dream estuary rig will have a modest V up front, transitioning to a flat underside amidships. It should draw no more than 20-30cm of water and be stable at rest, even with two or three adult anglers moving about as they stand and cast. Naturally, the trade-offs in such a hull design are diminished

Starlo and Jo nowadays run a Beastmaster Snubby 500 for their estuary, freshwater and inshore boat fishing. water as practical taking into consideration stability and safety issues. Every extra centimetre of elevation adds to the effectiveness of such a deck, increasing an angler’s ability to see into the water, not to mention

rear casting decks while fighting a fish without having to step back down into the cockpit – even if only along one side of the vessel – so much the better.

This may be achieved via a generous, top-opening rod

vessel’s ability to navigate in tight country. If you insist on having a canopy of some sort, make sure it’s easily removable, or able to be stowed without impacting the vessel’s fish-ability.

Abundant under-deck

A bow-mounted electric motor is virtually essential for truly effective lure and fly casting. most popular classes of trailer-able fishing boat sold in this country is the ubiquitous ‘semi-flat water’ or estuary rig.

Typically, this is a hull from 3.7 to about 5.2m in length, powered by a

freshwater rig is an open boat with a centre or side console, although there is also much to be said for tiller steer setups, especially at the smaller end of the size range under discussion here.

Tiller steering opens up a

You don’t need to spend a fortune to put together a really effective and versatile little flat water rig.

sea-handling capabilities. I accept that my dream rig may bang a bit in a decent chop (especially if built from alloy) and be rather wet in a quartering sea.

Without question, my dream rig will be fitted with a bow-mounted electric motor, ideally one that boasts a wireless remote control and has GPS-actuated spot lock or anchor capabilities.

There will be a powerful sounder/GPS combo unit on the console or back by the tiller steer position, and likely a smaller unit up in the bow where it’s easily visible while casting. Both units will have colour screens and the latest in StructureScan or CHIRP capabilities for enhanced sonar imaging.

As a dedicated lure and flyfisher, I place great store in having a generous casting deck located in the bow of my estuary/freshwater boat.

Ideally, this flat deck will be set as high above the

Imported bass, flats and bay boats are gaining popularity in Australia. their casting range.

Having a smaller, functional casting deck in the stern is also handy, both for a second or third angler and also on those occasions when it works best to fish over the transom (such as when using your bow-mounted electric motor’s anchor or spot lock function to hold position against current or wind).

If it’s possible to walk from the front to the

locker set at the same height as the casting decks, or even extra-wide coamings unencumbered by rails, radio aerial mounts or nav light fixtures.

Things my dream boat won’t have are a permanent canopy or bimini top. These can be great for escaping the weather, but in any boat under 5.5m in length, they’re also guaranteed to adversely impact your casting, inhibit your vision and reduce the

storage is highly desirable, as is an enclosed or partly enclosed rod locker capable of holding half a dozen spare rod-and-reel outfits up to at least 2.2m in length. If it can swallow a fully rigged 9ft (2.8m) fly rod, so much the better.

Hopefully this quick overview of my personal priorities when choosing an estuary or freshwater rig may help when you’re next shopping for one.

4.5m Available sizes: 4.5m, 4.8m, 5.5m & 6m 21 KELVIN GROVE STREET, MARYBOROUGH QLD 4650 galeforceboats@galeforceboats.com.au – (07) 4123 2833 122

FEBRUARY 2018

WHAT’S NEW BOATING C-MAP GENESIS UPGRADE

1

C-MAP Genesis’ processing engine has undergone a major revamp to improve map display and creation speed.

Benefits include: faster population of Social Map with community-sourced contour data; enhanced contour display, optimized by zoom level, of both personal maps and Social Map charts on the C-MAP website (no need to manually select fixed contour level – C-MAP delivers the optimum detail, depending on the zoom level); reduced clutter of depth markings; significantly reduced wait time for sonar data to upload, process and display a finished map in your dashboard; restored functionality of features you may have noticed were temporarily not working, including downloads of large merged maps; and a ‘Favourite Lakes’ feature in Social Map that allows for quicker and easier navigation between the charts of your favourite waterbodies.

C-MAP has also announced the full global integration of public Fishbrain catch-location waypoints, helping you to identify why fish were caught where they were. www.genesismaps.com

MERCURY VESSELVIEW 703

2

The next gen VesselView703 delivers improvements across the board.

Its SolarMAX high-definition glass touchscreen has wide viewing angles, dimmable lighting and a glare-reducing coating for viewing in all conditions, and a new customizable WheelKey and an expanded keypad give you total control of all functions.

The new unit includes built-in WiFi and Bluetooth. It also contains an Active Trim Control Pad, which when coupled with ECU module automatically trims the engine(s), to improve performance and cut fuel costs.

Other features include an integrated echosounder, true dual channel CHIRP, GPS and chart plotter. With twice the memory of the previous model, the VV703 also has a more powerful dual core processor.

VesselView703 can simultaneously display detailed information for up to four engines.

It can also be integrated with all the Simrad accessories for the NSS Evo3 product line. www.mercurymarine.com

GARMIN ECHOMAP PLUS

3

The new Garmin ECHOMAP Plus features powerful sonar capabilities, preloaded charts and mapping, and built-in WiFi. All models have a sunlight-readable 4”, 6”, 7” or 9” display, and the 7” and 9” units have a new keyed-assist touchscreen, providing quick access to the features you use most.

Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, anglers can take advantage of the free ActiveCaptain mobile app. You can use the app to access, update and purchase maps and charts on a mobile device anytime, reference the ActiveCaptain community for marina and other points of interest details, and more. The app provides notifications directly to the plotter/combo, software updates, off-vessel planning capabilities and more. Once the unit is turned on, the maps and charts will be instantly available.

All units have built-in CHIRP traditional sonar and CHIRP ClearVü and SideVü scanning sonar. The 7” and 9” Plus models also provide support for all Garmin Panoptix all-seeing sonar transducers. The entire range is preloaded with BlueChart g2 HD cartography.

Price: $499-$1599 garmin.com/newmarine

FC 680 SEALEGS

4

FC Boats, manufacturers of specialist fishing boats, have created a unique amphibious model.

Ross Christensen and his team have created a 680 Sealegs prototype, developed for a customer who lives on the water and wanted a boat he could drive in and out of his shed.

The boat is roomy for an amphibious craft because the additional engine, which drives the Sealegs’ wheels and hydraulics, has been built into the centre console, with the hull reengineered to conceal the cooling and exhaust pipework. Externally, the Catalinastyle raised sheer line means the front wheel can tuck away nicely, for a better looking profile.

Contributing to the prototype’s success is its 6-cylinder 225hp Verado, whose power steering technology has allowed FC to link the outboard and the front wheel in one steering system.

“It works better than other brands due to the Verado’s vertical steering pivot, even when the motor is fully trimmed up,” Ross explained. “It really enhances the steering of the boat when it’s up on its wheels, and when it’s in the water it’s a beautiful boat to drive.” fcboats.co.nz

NOHEA MOKU BOAT SHOE

1

2

5

Hawaiian inspired footwear creators, OluKai, have released the Nohea Moku boat shoe, made to withstand and provide superior traction when wet.

The Nohea Moku is lightweight and breathable, thanks to the outer mesh and stretch air mesh tongue and gusset. Coupled with drainage ports on the medial side and a soft, aerated microfiber lining, these shoes were born to keep boaters dry whenever, and wherever possible. They are also easy to get on and off – you just tighten or loosen the elastic laces.

Boasting a highly durable, dual-density, anatomically moulded PU footbed with a soft gel heel insert, the Nohea Moku is as strong as it is comfortable. It also has an all-weather, anti-marking gum rubber outsole.

Available colours are trench blue, black and dark shadow. To purchase visit the Escape 2 website.

Price: SRP $139.99 www.escape2.com.au

MERCURY VESSELVIEW 903

PRODUCT GUIDE

3

4

6

Mercury’s new VesselView 903 is the largest and most advanced version in this popular range of multifunction displays.

With a 9” screen and a 16x9 aspect ratio, VesselView 903 is easy to read in virtually all conditions. The touchscreen interface delivers intuitive display interaction, with an optional remote-control button interface available.

The 903 can be integrated with all the Simrad accessories for the Go9 product line – radar, transducers, AIS, VHF, Sonic Hub/ Fusion Link/SiriusXM and more. It also has a built-in 10Hz GPS and chart plotter capability.

Auto notification of software updates come through the embedded WiFi. VesselView 903 provides a descriptive fault text display, as well as up-to-date information for more than 30 engine parameters including fuel level and range, oil temperature and pressure, battery voltage, water depth, Genest and more.

In addition, with VesselView Link boaters can fully integrate the propulsion system via NMEA2000 onto other devices. www.mercurymarine.com

5

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

SCAN THE QR CODE!

FEBRUARY 2018

123

UNBEATABLE

75-115HP FOURSTROKE 75-115HP FOURSTROKE

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

NORTHERN COAST BRISBANE SOUTH SeeNSW/GOLD your authorised MercuryIPSWICH Marine Dealer today.

TWEED COAST MARINE 32 Machinery Drive Tweed Heads South 2485 Phone: (07) 5524 8877 Email: admin@tweedcoastmarine.com.au Website: www.tweedcoastmarine.com.au

SOUTHPORT/GOLD COAST NITRO MARINE

34 Smith Street Motorway, Southport 4215 Phone: (07) 5532 5812 Email: sales@nitromarine.com.au Website: www.nitromarine.com.au

GOLD COAST ONSHORE MARINE

Horizon Shores Marina, Woongoolba 4207 Phone: (07) 5546 2480 | Fax: (07) 5546 1362 Email: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au Website: www.onshoremarine.com.au

TOOWOOMBA WATERSKIERS WAREHOUSE

91-93 Neil Street Toowoomba 4350 Phone: (07) 4637 9511 | Fax: (07) 4637 9513 Email: rod@waterskierswarehouse.com.au Website: www.waterskierswarehouse.com.au 124

FEBRUARY 2018

IPSWICH MARINE

SPRINGWOOD MARINE

BRISBANE WEST KAREE MARINE

BRISBANE HOLT MARINE

BRISBANE SOUTH COORPAROO MARINE

BRISBANE BAYSIDE MIKES MARINE

BRISBANE SOUTH MANLY HARBOUR MARINE

BRISBANE NORTH SOUTHERN FISH MARINE

45 Huxham Street Raceview 4305 Phone: (07) 3294 3944 | Fax: (07) 3294 5320 Email: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au Website: www.ipswichmarine.com.au

1776 Ipswich Road Rocklea 4106 Phone: (07) 3875 1600 | Fax: (07) 3875 1622 Email: sales@kareemarine.com.au Website: www.kareemarine.com.au

57 Cavendish Road Coorparoo 4151 Phone: (07) 3397 4141 | Fax: (07) 3397 6339 Email: info@coorparoomarine.com.au Website: www.coorparoomarine.com.au

570 Royal Esplanade Manly 4179 Phone: (07) 3893 2199 | Fax: (07) 3893 2188 Email: info@manlyharbourmarine.com.au Website: www.manlyharbourmarine.com.au

3 Carlyle Street Slacks Creek 4127 Phone: (07) 3297 8200 | Fax: (07) 3297 8290 Email: sales@springwoodmarine.com.au Website: www.springwoodmarine.com.au

25 Queens Road Everton Hills 4053 Phone: (07) 3353 1928 | Fax: (07) 3353 4548 Email: info@holtmarine.com.au Website: www.holtmarine.com.au

9 Smith Street Capalaba 4157 Phone: (07) 3390 3418 | Fax: (07) 3823 5856 Email: sales@mikesmarine.com.au Website: www.mikesmarine.com.au

9/11 Spinnaker drive Sandstone Point 4511 Phone: (07) 5497 6733 Email: info@southernfishmarine.com.au Website: www.southernfishmarine.com.au

Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, unbelievably fuel efficient.

Mercury’s all new 75-115hp FourStroke Range. unbelievably fuel efficient.

Mercury’s all new 75-115hp FourStroke Range.

Unlike anything the world has ever seen.

Unlike anything the world has ever seen.

BETTERCOMPACT FUEL EFFICIENCY MORE MORE AND AND MORE POWER

RANGE THAN EVER BEFORE 115HP FOURSTROKE – UNEXPECTEDLY COMPACT 115HP DISPLACEMENT COMPARISON 115HP OPTIMAX CRUISE YAMAHA SPEED FUEL EFFICIENCY EVINRUDE SUZUKI HONDA E-TEC 1.5L F115B 115 115 VS. CURRENT FOURSTROKE OPTIMAX OVER 8.5%AND OVER 4% OVER 5% OVER 12% OVER 33% HEAVIER HEAVIER HEAVIER HEAVIER HEAVIER

115HP FOURSTROKE FUEL EFFICIENCY VS. 115HP OPTIMAX 2.4L

MERCURY 115 LIGHTEST

2.4L

5.102.2L

km/l

300

2.1L 2.0L

2.55

1.8L

290 163kg

1.70

1.8L

171kg

1.7L

1.6L

THE NEW MERCURY 115HP FOURSTROKE COMES MERCURY’S NEW 115HP FOURSTROKE IN AT AN INCREDIBLY LIGHT 163KG* MAKING IT THE DELIVERS TO HORSEPOWER 14% BETTER CRUISE LIGHTESTUP IN ITS CLASS.

SPEED ECONOMY

km/h

SUZUKI HONDA 115HP OPTIMAX

64.37

NEW YAMAHA NEWMERCURY MERCURY 115HP FOURSTROKE

56.33

0.0

48.28

NEW MERCURY 2.1L 115hp

40.23

217kg

32.19

MERCURY OPTIMAX 115hp

0.85

24.14

PREVIOUS MERCURY FOURSTROKE 1.7L

182kg

16.09

177kg

270

8.05

170kg

280

3.40

0.0

g/kWh

2.0L

310

260

(54kg Heavier)

4.25

320

EVINRUDE

80.47

330

72.42

340

MERCURY’S NEW 115HP FOURSTROKE THE ALL NEW MERCURY 75 –115HP RANGE HAS DELIVERS UP TO 63% BETTER FUEL EFFICIENCY HEAPS OF IT, HELPING OUT GUN OTHER 4-STROKES AT CRUISE VS. THE 115HP OPTIMAX WITH A IN THE CATEGORY. SLIGHT TOP SPEED ADVANTAGE.

BSFCon dyno testing; data (L) is an average of 60%-80% *Based Mercury’s 115hp model.

Information basedrated on manufacturers’ claimed horsepower and weight figures. engine speed based on standard ICOMIA emissions test.

Test conducted on a 1775 Lund aluminium boat.

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6 Dooley Street North Rockhampton 4701 Phone: (07) 4927 9150 | Fax: (07) 4921 3502 Email: rifen.boats@bigpond.com Website: www.rifenboats.com.au

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125

The best of summer boating BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

It’s a busy time and a fine time to be on the water. Days start early in summer and even with daylight savings, 5am is still a great time to be on the water.

Launching recently around that very time of day, I saw a mum and dad team with a couple of youngsters having all sorts of trouble with their transition from car to boat.

Dad and the little ones were in the obviously very new craft, while Mum was holding it and the engine wasn’t playing the game with lots of starter motor but no exhaust note.

Accordingly, I am putting a few ideas forward to ensure

when the trailer is in the water for the very first time.

Certain things can influence fuel supply, especially if there is some time lapse between dealer start and owner start at the ramp. It’s easy to make sure the engine is ready for the get-go by setting it up at home for a short start-up a day prior to the big event.

The boat should be in a convenient place with the outboard right down, and the engine flush muffs set up over the water intake near the prop and the hose turned on. This is the marine mechanic’s recommended method of flushing an engine; the concept is to get the water through the entire system the same as if the boat was in the water. Make sure that most

and turn the key again. It will fire first click, and it will do the same at the ramp where, again, a squeeze of the primer bulb is a good idea.

A SMALL CHECKLIST When it’s time to put in the fishing tackle and tucker and leave home with the boat on the tow bar a small checklist of to-do items will make things go a whole lot smoother. First off, is everything up nice and tight?

The boat should be tied down at the rear on the trailer, and latched securely up front to the winch and safety chain.

The bung should be in too.

Prior to leaving home it’s wise to see that all the trailer electricals are working. In the case of an older rig, something might be amiss – maybe an indicator or stoplight is not

At this ramp we see rocks on each side and a somewhat narrow area in which to reverse to the water. It’s probably not an altogether ideal place for a beginner to learn to reverse, nor for someone to be hanging on to the boat if it doesn’t start immediately. that a much-anticipated fun day on the water is just that, with no disappointments or hard times.

START HER UP AT HOME A shiny new boat is a wonderful thing to own but if it’s going to have its maiden voyage, it might be best to see what might facilitate things. From a couple of very interesting experiences I’ve had with brand new boats of my own, it’s a really good idea to make sure the engine is going to start easily. Although it would have been started and run by the dealer when the engine is fitted, that doesn’t mean it will start immediately

of the water is available for the engine and not escaping around the sides of the muffs.

I put occy straps on my flushing muffs to keep them tightly in place.

At home a few squeezes of the primer bulb are wise to ensure fuel is right through the system and the key can be turned to start position. Don’t be surprised if the engine takes a few cranks to get it firing initially; this is by no means unknown for brand new engines.

The idea is to get water running through the engine for a few minutes. Next, shut down and give the engine a rest for a couple of minutes

A dodgy ramp at low tide is not for the uninitiated.

It’s best to come back when the tide is higher.

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Leave the safety chain on.

Any gear to go into the boat should go in at this point and then the rig can be lined up for take-off when it’s your turn.

Reversing can be tricky; I did a whole article on reversing in last month’s issue.

If you missed it, I stressed that one of the easiest methods of keeping things on track is to watch the boat in the side mirrors. As soon as it moves out of alignment with the car a small turn of the steering wheel in the direction the boat is heading should straighten things up. Once the wheels are in the water it’s time to release the safety chain and free the boat from the trailer’s restraint.

If you find mirror reversing too hard, have someone walk alongside and direct you. New boaters can do a whole lot worse than head to a freshwater dam for an initial boating experience.

These are much smaller boating environments all round and most Southern Queensland impoundments offer decent ramps with plenty of room each side. Also, there’s likely to be far less pressure on learners coming to terms with reversing or driving a new boat.

EXITING THE TRAILER – TRAPS FOR THE UNWARY With the trailer wheels in the water, now comes a decision – do you simply attach a rope to the front cleat and let the boat slide off

This looks spectacular, but it’s not the way for the family to enjoy their boating.

Leave the air time to the experts. smartly, or is it better to use the winch to manually lower the boat off the trailer slowly and under full control? Either method will work but a big, solid boat on a ramp with

Beach launching is strictly for the experts in the game. It’s far better to stick to the easy ramps and enjoy the experience. working; a spray with some electrical contact enhancer on trailer/car connections just might save the day. Those connections also need a bit of TLC, so a spray with contact enhancer after fishing.

THE RAMP Practice makes perfect with launch and retrieve procedures, but why not choose an easy ramp to start with? A ramp with a handy pontoon walkway is going to make things easier and it will be a whole lot better if final organisation is carried out in a methodical manner prior to engaging reverse gear near the water.

Your first step is to free the boat, removing rear tie-downs and any other encumbrances.

a fair amount of slope will gather so much momentum it is going to be like holding a high spirited horse; once the slack takes up it’s mighty hard work! A smaller, lighter, craft can be more easily managed with a bow rope or free slide launch. Again, it comes down to experience and practice.

Give some thought to that valuable transducer.

As sounders have become larger and more complex, so too have transducers. If it damaged through contact with the ramp – heavier hulls can dip surprisingly deep when they slide off a trailer rapidly – there will be some hand wringing and teeth gnashing taking place if the transducer is mangled.

Transducers can’t be

A situation all boaters strive for – a well-trimmed craft riding smoothly and freely.

repaired and if the installation has been somewhat complex or involved (due to the cable snaking through confined or hard-to-get-at areas of the hull) it’s likely not a DIY project to install another one later.

Time off the water and money from the pocket will be the outcome, so give some thought as to how the boat might best be launched from the trailer. I always reverse winch it down, walk out and free the tow hook. This is a small fetish of mine that keeps trailer bearings mostly dry. As I have waterproof legs, they have never shown signs of corrosion or other damage from saltwater immersion.

NEW ENGINE TLC With the boat in the water and crew aboard, stay aware as you leave the ramp that red beacons are kept on the right, green on the left, and other

boats are passed on the left.

How do you proceed when outside restricted speed areas?

A rule of thumb is to trim the engine right down to achieve planing speed then trim up once on the plane, without overdoing it. Getting the feel of things is the smart move; it’s best not to overdo any of the procedure.

Over-trimming upwards will see the engine burbling and bow far too high to make decent forward progress, so a happy medium needs to be attained. Comfortable and easy going boating is the name of the game.

If a sensible medium trim level doesn’t easily occur, the boat needs to go back to the dealer for the engine to be moved up or down on the transom. Don’t ram the throttle lever right forward to see how fast she will go until

A decent walkway adjoining a ramp takes a lot of stress out of launching and retrieving a small craft.

the recommended break-in period for the engine is over. At the first service the technician will link a workshop computer to the engine and if the manufacturer’s break-in period/rev limits have obviously been ignored, you are going to attract some

different sea conditions on any given day. With the car, headlights are for night time, windscreen wipers are for driving in the rain and all contingencies are covered.

When in a boat it’s all up to skipper once the

Even in the Brisbane River there can be some pressure waves or wash. Note the big ship in the background; it had just passed while Denise was working on this mulloway.

One of Moogerah Dam’s ramps – an easy place for a beginner to become acquainted with reversing and general boating. Take some bait or a trap to score some shrimps and you can take home some bass as well. sideways glances from the management.

EASY DOES IT ON THE WATER First boating trips for a novice are very different to driving a car as a learner.

Cars travel on marked lanes on roads and roads are always driveable – however slowly. Boating is a whole new ball game, as watercraft are subject to

ramp is out of sight. Go fast in waves and there will likely be some spray and bumps, and very possibly discomfort.

Even boating or fishing in the Brisbane River will see some massive wash causing temporary upset as tugs, huge ships, and island-bound ferries pass.

Slackening off as a big wash approaches makes

a lot of sense in these conditions.

When heading out into a bay or estuary it’s a smart practice for a beginner, particularly with family aboard, to have a quick look at local conditions on the net before departure.

Try the BOM and Queensland Observations; conditions recorded on the various beacons will confirm that things are going to be pleasant for the launch and hopefully for the duration of the time on the water. Also, consider the consequences of wind against tide – this is always a certain recipe for some chop.

Limiting first trips to easier destinations makes sense, too. While the

wrecks at Tangalooma look great in this mag’s pictures, they are a long way from any launching ramp if a strengthening breeze whips up serious chop, making a run home into a nightmare in a smaller craft.

On the other side of the coin, heading for an easy-toreach destination in decent conditions will ensure the home team are willing to come back for more of the same. Drenched with spray, bounced around and uncomfortable, they will likely find more urgent things to do next time boating is suggested. Enjoyment is the aim of time on the water and going about things correctly will ensure there is plenty to go around.

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FEBRUARY 2018

127

A value package – the Sea Craft Xtreme 5.2 CC

BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Boat reviews are always dominated by weather.

Overly calm conditions can make a craft’s ride quality more difficult to assess. On the other hand, it certainly makes taking photos real easy and provides some interesting top performance figures from hull and motor.

In the Sea Craft Xtreme’s case we launched at Manly on Moreton Bay on a day of beguiling calmness, and that’s how things stayed. Ray Dial of R & M Marine (Hemmant) assisted with the launch and review and I doubt I’ve seen many craft leave their trailers – and be driven back on later – as easily as the 5.2 Sea Craft.The trailer was a custom-made Sea Trail trailer featuring alloy C channel construction which combined strength, a functional design and light weight quite superbly.

A no-nonsense sort of alloy rig, the Sea Craft had a rigid feel about it thanks to 4mm plate all around. I SPECIFICATIONS Length: 5.25m Beam: 2.25m Hull construction: 4mm plate alloy all round Weight hull: 655kg Engines: 90-150hp Engine fitted: 90hp Evinrude E-TEC Fuel: 95L Persons: six Towing: Family wagon or a 4x4 ute 128

FEBRUARY 2018

Main: On the move and doing it well; the Sea Craft’s hull design sees the craft planing very freely and kicking displaced water well away from the hull.

Above: With the its interesting design, the craft rides very freely up on top of the water, not through it, which is a bonus for performance and fuel consumption. noted that although welds were not smoothed, they were continuous and of a fairly high standard. The wide non-skid decks looked good to sit on in quiet conditions and with check plate on the self draining floor and raised forward deck, the fishing team would enjoy sure footing on the water with the owner having an easy wash-out back home. I love hose-out style boats.

PLENTY OF FISHING FEATURES Full cockpit-length side pockets looked great for stowing long items and with a 60L in-floor kill tank/storage compartment and a shelf within the centre console a fair amount of equipment would find a home for a day on the water.

The rail and windscreenequipped centre console

offered some breeze protection with a Raymarine Dragonfly 7 GPS/sounder and a compass. Marine radio, gauges for the 90 E-Tec astern and switches were all handy, and the wheel was linked to hydraulic steering, which was easily reached from the fore/ aft bolster seat set onto a big storage box. Bolster seats are great when travelling then easily reversed when watching a couple of baited rods and enjoying a snack.

I noted a 30L livewell aft and a transom-mounted bait station equipped with a cutting board, tackle drawer, four rod holders and side tool compartments as well. A folding rear seat is standard but was removed for our water test with only the backrest in place. The full transom-height lockable boarding gate to port would

be appreciated by an angler hauling in a big one or a swimmer returning to base.

There is a grab rail and ladder tucked into the transom for that latter purpose.

90 E-TEC AMPLE POWER Powered modestly by a 90hp Evinrude E-TEC – top power is rated as 150hp – the Sea Craft Xtreme 5.2 performed quite well. A 15” Viper prop kicked the solid 655kg hull onto the plane at a modest 3000rpm and 13.7km/h. It turned more revs into forward motion at the following rate: 4000rpm for 32.3km/h, 4500 for 38.2, 5000 for 45.2 and 5800 for 58.3.

Although it’s a small engine compared to the maximum 150hp, the 90 E-TEC still had plenty of power given the ease with which it kicked the rig (with two on board) quickly onto the plane and had ample power reserves throughout the rev range. Evinrude’s fuel injected 2-strokes are like that, of course, and with that sort of get up and go even

having four anglers aboard should present no problems.

In the prevailing conditions, fast runs and sharp turns were a breeze.

The hull with it’s massive double reversed outer chines tracked like it was on rails and was then rock steady at rest, so it’s good for virtually all fishing pursuits.

Ride assessment was facilitated by some big Moreton Island-bound ferries leaving Manly and I guess the excited youngsters aboard might have wondered why an alloy boat with two grinning persons aboard came zooming in on their wash and jumped straight through it a couple of times.

The Sea Craft handled that bit of sport quite well; there were no hard bangs or jarring, just a smooth impact with spray thrown well away.

SUMMING UP Stability’s assured, an excellent and wellcontrolled ride’s a bonus, and with 1.45m high sides the Sea Craft 5.2 Xtreme certainly had plenty of freeboard.

The Chinese-made Sea Craft boats are somewhat new to our market and offer a range of craft extending from 5m right up to 7m in length. With everything from cuddy cabs to both centre and side consoles on the books there’s a pretty good choice on hand. Keen anglers and family boaters could enjoy them equally.

For a test run, contact Harvey Bay Marine on (07) 4124 9955 or R & M Marine of Hemmant, Brisbane on 3393 9463. Both are happy to assist potential owners to open the throttle and experience the ride and handling of these Vee hulls.

The price as reviewed was $42,990 (with high-end C channel trailer).

• 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.

The Sea Craft Xtreme 5.2 CC is a handsome craft with great potential.

Top: That’s a 26° Vee there; those wide reversed outer chines gave the hull terrific stability.

Above: Among the angler-friendly features was a well-equipped aft bait station.

A sensibly-sized centre console makes a decent hub for controls and gauges and still allows plenty of workroom around it. Note those great non-skid decks as well.

The Sea Craft has room for up to four to fish in comfort. The checker plate floor is nice and grippy underfoot and easy to wash out back at base.

Some of the features that make the 5.2 Sea Craft Xtreme 5.2 an excellent fishing or family craft are easily seen here. Note the great freeboard, wide decks, well set-up bait station, console seating for two and neat boarding platform.

While it was a long way from maximum allowable power, the 90 Evinrude E-TEC did a very good job of powering the solid Sea Craft hull.

Top: Useful fishing features here are the long side pockets, great toe rail under the pockets and paired rod holders within decks.

Left and Right: Bolster seats are great in small craft. With their two-way backrest it’s just as easy to watch a baited rod astern as it is to study the sounder at the hotspot. Allocating storage duties to the shelf in the centre console makes sense.

Top: Easy launch and retrieve capability is a great feature of the custom C channel trailer that the Sea Craft Xtreme 5.2 is carried on.

Above: A deep Vee with a difference – those two larger outer reversed chines certainly provide ample stability to the Sea Craft’s hull both underway and at rest.

FEBRUARY 2018

129

Horizon Scorpion 485 a great entry-level rig - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

T

Firstly, the rig is well priced. Scott James and his team at Horizon boats specialise in getting affordable packages on the

SPECIFICATIONS Length.........................................................4.9m Length on trailer........................................6.0m Height on trailer.........................................2.4m Beam...........................................................2.2m Depth........................................................ 1.16m Bottom........................................................3mm Sides...........................................................3mm Hull weight............................................... 510kg Max hp............................................................75 Capacity............................................. 5 persons a little boat testing, fishing and tubing on the Tweed River. And the question we set out to answer was this: does the Scorpion offer a good compromise between fishing, fun and family?

The answer was a definite ‘yes,’ and let us tell you why.

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FEBRUARY 2018

water. As tested, the Scorpion came in at under $33,000, which is at the affordable end of family boating.

Secondly, you don’t need to trade in the family car for a 4WD to tow it. With a dry hull weight of just over 500kg and an on-trailer weight of less than 1000kg,

you’ll move it around nicely with most family sedans.

The added bonus of a light rig is that you can use a single axle trailer to tote it. Single axle trailers have inherent manoeuvrability advantages in small spaces and garages and an overall length of 6m means that it’s not impossible to fit in most spaces designed for cars.

Thirdly, there’s abundant shade and areas out of the weather in the Scorpion.

The cuddy cabin design’s open cabin pairs nicely with the added soft top to create a space out of the sun for anyone to chill out who has gone a bit hard early on. While travelling, the rear bench seat offers a smoother ride and folds away neatly for when the serious action takes place.

There’s been a lot of thought put into getting the crew on and off the boat – a shallow draft means that

you can pull the boat to the beach transom-first and load through the duckboard and transom door. Not all boats are that easy to load.

Step back to the power plant and the Yamaha

DE FOR EX

Main: The Horizon Scorpion 485 can get a lot done with not that much boat. It has a big cabin, shade and enough grunt to easily tow a tuber, as well as comfortably fish in a hull length of less than 5m.

Above: Yamaha’s Will Lee eagerly volunteered to do a few laps of the lower Tweed on the biscuit. The Scorpion ticks a lot of the boxes for fun family boating in a package that won’t break the bank, or your tow vehicle.

CO

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

If you have a family and like fishing, you always seem to be confronted with a series of compromises. What may be the ideal fishing boat for dad may be totally unsuitable for mum, or vice versa. Add in a couple of kids with the attention spans of a small insect and compromise will be right up there on your radar.

Horizon Boats’ Scott James is right up to speed on this situation. They manufacture and sell a range of boats that are both affordable and tackle some of these issues head-on.

We recently got out on the water with the Horizon 485 Scorpion Cuddy Cabin – powered by a Yamaha F60 4-stroke outboard – to do

R

4-stroke F60 offers great fuel economy. Delivering 38km/h at 4500 rpm and 3.4km/L of fuel, the combination is definitely easy on the pocket when it comes to running costs.

Steve Morgan

Q

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CON

AN THE

FMG

test – just scan the QR code on this page or visit the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel.

Fishing-wise, we eased the rig out through the Tweed Bar and found the

PERFORMANCE RPM Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) 1000.......................... 5.3.......................... 4.0 2000.......................... 9.3.......................... 2.5 3000........................... 14.......................... 2.3 4000........................... 31.......................... 3.3 5000........................... 43.......................... 3.1 6000........................... 52.......................... 2.4 *Tested with a 12” pitch alloy Yamaha propeller.

Of course, we had to answer the question of whether it was ‘tubeworthy.’ Yamaha’s Will Lee readily stripped down to the boardies and contemplated how fun his job was while sliding around the Tweed.

You can see the vision of Big Willie in action in the video version of this boat

Scorpion seaworthy enough to easily take offshore on the good days.

For more information, you can visit Horizon’s website at www.horizonboats. com.au, like their Facebook page (Horizon Boats) or look up your local Horizon dealer and have a chat. Packages start from $31,690.

Fancy a quiet fish? The Scorpion draws little water and the transom set up with door and ladder allows you to get in and out easily when you’re in or out of the water.

Powered by Yamaha’s F60 60hp four-story outboard the fuel economy was always going to be good. How good? At 4500rpm cruising at 38km/h, you get 3.4km/L of fuel – very frugal.

The transom door is a simple design, but it makes the boating experience for the family so much better. No more busting your nuts clambering over the bow rail!

You can access the anchor well through this for’ard hatch. The crew can, at least. It’s the unwritten rule that the Captain doesn’t have to pull up the anchor.

The fold-away rear lounge seats are a comfortable place to travel and stow away when the fishing rods come out.

You can feel the weight of the cabin on the hull – the centre of gravity is higher than similar hulls with different layouts.

It looks like a lot of boat, but the family car will have no worries towing the Scorpion/Yamaha package and with a single axle trailer, you’ll be able to manoeuvre it into tight garage parking situations.

The helm will fit all of the gadgets you’ll need to spend a day on the water. Larger units will need to be bracket mounted.

There’s a pretty big cabin in there for a 4.85m boat and the fact that it’s open means that it seems even bigger.

Whether you use the cabin for storage, relaxing or both, the design is simple and easy to maintain.

Ready to roll for under $33,000, the Scorpion is a logical step to a family boat from an open tinnie.

FEBRUARY 2018

131

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