Queensland Fishing Monthly January 2018

SUMMER HOLIDAY FISHING • BULL SHARK BASICS

Tried and Tested

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CFS PE8 Fish Floss • ATC Combat Baitcaster • Mitsubishi MY18 Outlander • Sea Jay Ranger 4.6 • Horizon SunRunner 485 • Formosa 550 Tomahawk Offshore

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How to fillet mackerel • DIY lure making: Glidin’ Doc

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How to catch bull sharks • Stalking the estuary flats • Pumping yabbies this school holidays •

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I’m not a massive fan of reading magazines online, but even I think that the speed of publication and the experience is pretty cool.

Are we giving up on print? No way. I’m the world’s biggest fan of unwrapping a magazine that the postie has delivered, and enjoying the contents without the clutter that you’re bombarded with in social media. So no matter what hurdles that distributors and the postal service put in our way, you have my assurance that if you’re a fan of print, we will satisfy your need for years to come.

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In recent years we have encouraged anglers to sign up for subscriptions, with the result that over 7000 copies of Fishing Monthly are mailed each month to loyal readers. However, in the last few years, Australia Post has raised postage prices by over 50%. Couple that with increasingly poor service in the same timeframe, and there’s no wonder that I have much less hair that I did in 2013!

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More than six years ago, we raised the price of Fishing Monthly magazines (all states) to $5.95 from $4.95. I honestly believed that it would be our last price rise. Ever.

After all, it’s our readership that makes this magazine what it is. We have lots of readers all loving to hear about their own state. Reports on what’s going on in places they fish is more relevant than exotic species in exotic locations.

So, when our newsagent distributor dictated that they needed a bigger chunk of the pie, we were left with no choice but to add a dollar to the cover price.

This issue is the first time a Fishing Monthly magazine has cost you $6.95. Well, not if you count the old Annual magazines ($9.95), Catch magazine ($19.95) or Tournament Angler Guides ($9.95), but you get what I mean.

It’s not an easy road for publishers at the moment.

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REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 100 Camping and 4WD 80 Cooking 88 Dam Levels 74 Freshwater 74 Fun Page 90 Junior Northern 67 Junior Southern 36 Politics and fishing 98 Sheik of the Creek 67 Tech Tricks 18 Tournament News 91 Track my fish 86 Trades and Services 96 What’s New Fishing 68 What’s New Boating 102 SPECIAL FEATURES How to catch bull sharks Stalking the estuary flats Pumping yabbies DIY lure making: Glidin’ Doc

From the Editor’s Desk...

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Fishing Diary Angler: Paul Lennon Date: May 31st 2015

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Bull Shark

Never mind the bull, here’s how to catch sharks BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

Summer can be a tough time for anglers in Queensland. There can be weeks of unbearably hot days, followed by periods of cataclysmic downpours that can leave our

reputation as a killing machine and a menace to our waterways, can actually be great sport during summer. They’re big, they pull hard, they jump, they’re abundant, and they can be caught at any time of the day – what’s not to like?

Best of all, with the use of circle hooks, you can release

of fishing, so I can’t give advice on it.

After being spawned (bull sharks pups are actually born live, like mammals), the juveniles swim into rivers, creeks and canals to live for a few years, free from predation in an environment that is full of food. As I’ve already stated, these sharks

BULL SHARK RIG

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The bull sharks encountered in the tidal freshwater sections of rivers are usually around this size. waterways unfishable.

On top of that, the hot weather can also have the same effect on the fish as it does on humans – sitting motionless out of the sun, trying to get reprieve from the heat. Quite often, the only time predatory fish are active during summer is at periods of low light, which can mean late finishes or super early starts.

There is, however, one sporting target that is readily available along the entire Queensland coast that seems to thrive during the hottest periods of the year.

The humble bull shark, while bearing an undeserved

these valuable members of the ecosystem back into the water, and satisfy the compulsion us catch-andrelease anglers have.

So how do you find, catch and land these balls of muscle? Let me tell you what I’ve learnt over the years!

ENVIRONMENT Straight off the bat, this article focuses on targeting the juvenile estuary-going bull sharks, which rarely exceed 1.5m in length, so rivers, creeks and canals are where most of my shark fishing happens. Larger sharks in more open waters require a different approach, and I’ve never done that sort

Circle hook

Many baits, both live and dead, will work for bullies, but nothing seems to come close to freshwater eel fillets, and a bait this size is ideal. exist all up and down the coast, and anywhere from the mouth of a river or creek system right up to the first

impassable barrier, which is sometimes in drinkable freshwater, is likely to house sharks. I’ve seen bull sharks trying to climb rapids, and the next bass I have had taxed by a hungry bully up in the fresh certainly won’t be the last. It’s this tolerance to freshwater that makes these animals so amazing and unique.

RIGGING UP Most of those who chase bullies have preferences for their rigs, but there are some aspects of a bull shark rig that you simply can’t skimp on. The most obvious is a wire trace – that should be at least 30cm long. I’ve experimented with single strand rigs and premade nylon-coated traces, and haven’t noticed a lot of difference. The wire is

important to the rig because a bull shark’s teeth can cut through monofilament or fluorocarbon like cheese.

On the bottom of the rig obviously you need a hook, and in the last season I’ve discovered how good circle hooks are for catch and release shark fishing.

Anything between a 4/0 and a 10/0 size (depending on the size of the sharks you’re going up against) should suffice. These can either be crimped on when using nylon-coated wire, or attached with a Haywire twist, which you can easily learn from online videos.

Some premade rigs also come with the hook already built into the rig.

Above the wire trace, it’s important to have some fairly stiff, abrasion-

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Even bull sharks over a metre can be landed on light estuary tackle. The author landed this one on a 2-5kg spin rod and a 2500 size reel.

Bull Shark resistant monofilament or fluorocarbon.

Bull sharks, and indeed most cartilaginous critters, have rough, sandpaper-like bodies that can wear through low-poundage lines, so it’s important to have something there that will stand up. I will usually never go any lower than 40lb, in either mono or fluoro, and even then I occasionally break off on bigger models. Obviously this two-part rig attaches to your mainline.

These are the basics of a shark rig, and optional extras can include various weights, which I will use in strong current, and floats, either foam or biodegradable

balloons, which I regularly use to keep my baits away from bottom dwellers like catfish.

On the other end, rods and reels will always be personal. I’ve never felt any need to over gun with heavy boat rods or anything like that, usually opting for lighter, snapper weight gear so I can enjoy the fight. Bullies fight cleanly, and can be knocked over on fairly light gear if you take your time and allow them to run when they want to. I’ve caught plenty of bullies on bass gear, some of them approaching the metre mark, so as long as there’s good terminal tackle on the

shark’s end, you should be able to wrestle them to the boat, kayak, or shore you’re standing on.

BAITS Bully baits vary as much as the imagination, but there are a few standouts that BULLY BAITS Live Mullet Gar Herring Pike Dead Freshwater eel Tuna fillets Mullet fillets Stingray flaps Salami

Kayaks can get you into some of the more confined creeks that bullies will sometimes inhabit. It certainly adds a new element to shark fishing.

They may look quite gentle when out of the water, but under those gums are some nasty teeth – make sure to stay away from that end! rarely go untouched during a session.

Live baits are a favourite amongst shark anglers, and in Queensland, where cast netting is legal, getting a few decent live baits for a shark session never takes long.

I’ve used mullet, herring, gar and pike to catch bullies in the past, and generally speaking you’ll tend to select out bigger sharks when using livies.

The right dead baits can out-fish any live bait if rigged correctly, and anyone who has targeted bullies will know just how effective freshwater eel fillet can be.

You can either catch them yourself, or buy them from a tackle store that sells them.

They seem to work just as well when defrosted! Who said fresh is best…

Any oily dead bait should work, such as bonito fillets and stingray flaps. I even have a friend who regularly catches them on salami!

METHODS As a general rule, bullies tend to be hunters, not ambush predators. This means they will be actively searching for prey, and for most sharks, this is round-the-clock work.

Because of this, I have found the sharks to be more active when the tide is moving, as a lot of sharks will swim with the current to cover more ground. So when you throw out your bully baits, the idea is for them to come to you.

Many times I have observed them on the sounder moving past the anchored boat, and within seconds one or more of the set rods will load up!

Time of day seems to matter little when fishing in rivers and creeks. Although bullies as a general rule will favour periods of low light to hunt, they will hunt all day, even on really hot days.

I have a clear memory of sharking on a record 40°C day in a Sunshine Coast creek, and catching a shark mid afternoon!

There’s nothing in particular that I look for when choosing a spot – usually just somewhere I can comfortably anchor the To page 12

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Bull Shark From page 11

boat or kayak, or that allows me to fish from the bank without the current bringing my bait ashore. A nice outside bend in the river with plenty of current, or a creek or gully mouth will do just fine.

The trick is to let the current take your offering away from the boat, and this way the flowing water will keep the bait away from you and hopefully in the one position.

If you’re fishing with circle hooks, whether under a balloon or on the bottom, it’s important to have a means of feeding line to the bully once it grabs your bait. If you don’t have a baitrunner style reel, you can simply loosen the drag so line can run freely without

too much resistance. After allowing the shark to run for 5-10 seconds, it’s just a simple matter of slowly increasing the resistance until the circle hook point gets some purchase in the corner of the shark’s jaw.

It’s as simple as that.

If you decide to fish with a fixed float that doesn’t release from the trace when something takes the bait, it’s better to use a ‘j’ style hook. When fishing with this style of rig, it’s important that you hold the rod while waiting for a bite, and strike almost immediately when you see the float disappear under the surface.

If you wait too long, the shark will feel the residence of the float and let go.

Sharks won’t always take the bait and move

away from you. Sometimes they’ll move off sideways, or cruise back toward you.

I’ve had sharks grab my bait, swim under the boat, before pulling tight again on the other side, all while I was having a yarn to my fishing buddy. It’s for this reason that you should always keep your eye on the line and watch for any movement.

TOE TO TOE Bull sharks always give a good account of themselves, particularly on lighter tackle and, as I touched on earlier, they sometimes jump! Bigger bullies can sometimes take huge surging runs, so having a reel with a relatively smooth drag is a good idea.

Another pro to fishing

With a couple of balloon rigs set behind an anchored boat on a still morning, anticipation is running high.

with light gear is that it tires the shark out before you bring it aboard. If you’ve ever had a large fish come aboard too green, you’ll know what I mean!

When it comes time to land them, it’s important to keep safety as your first priority. A large landing net is always the safest option for landing a bully. If you don’t have one, beaching the animal on the bank is probably the second safest. Although I have tail-grabbed bullies to land them, I don’t recommend landing them in this way, because this leaves the head swinging free and snapping, ready to take a chunk out of an arm or leg.

Long-nosed pliers are a must when sharking, as it allows for a safe hook removal, with your fingers well away from the business end!

If you plan to hold up your bully for a photo, it’s easiest if you grab the tail firmly with one hand, and put another firm hand either under the belly, or around the back of the neck. The latter is better for small sharks. The whole time, I like to point the toothy end well away from my body.

Another tip for shark handling is not to worry about gentle releases, as swimming the shark before release is just another opportunity for something to go very wrong.

Holding the toothy end away from your body is a good idea when handling these little balls of muscle.

I usually just spear them straight back into the water like I would with pelagic species. Bullies are hardy and should swim straight off.

EXTRA TIPS Some shark anglers recommend the use of berley.

I don’t typically use berley, but if you want to tip the odds in your favour, it’s fairly easy to concoct your own. Just remember to keep it constant and not too heavy.

Learning how to tie a simple balloon rig (which can be searched for online) will be of great value to you when you set out to target bullies. It can be used with the basic rig I mentioned before, and if you wish to change back to a bottom rig, you can simply remove the balloon from the trace.

It’s fine to keep one for a feed (they have a bag limit of one and a maximum size limit of 1.5m), but I regularly see and hear about individuals who proudly kill these animals needlessly after capture. If you chase sharks simply to kill them, you’re fishing for the wrong reasons. Not only does it make you look bad, it also reflects on the fishing community as a whole.

Sportfishing should help to build a respect for a species of fish, and I’m not alone when I say it’s our responsibility to promote the conservation that we practise.

I hope this gives you the boost you need to get out of the house in the middle of summer and load up on a few bullies.

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Stalking the estuary flats GEELONG

Brenton Hodges

The arrival of warmer weather signals increasing water temperatures, which is good news if you’re

fish homes in on a lure engages a number of our human senses. Observing fish behaviour and the changes in body language when hunting and feeding is interesting enough; being able to actually see the take

Hearing the splashes, slurping and popping sounds as a bream or whiting attempts to suck down a prawn imitation amplifies the experience, resulting in further engagement. All this information, transferred via

from a vessel or wading on foot, the more details are exposed. At an initial glance, some areas may seem devoid of life. Closer observation, aided by a pair of polarised lenses to block out glare (as well as perhaps a more diligent and purposeful approach, which we’ll cover later), can be telling.

Try to look through the surface and watch for shadows and signs of movement, as opposed to actual fish shapes. It’s generally quite easy to see fish darting away in fright once disturbed. The challenge is to spot them well before they become

The more time spent drifting over shallow flats from a vessel or wading on foot, the more details are exposed. Try to look through the surface and watch for shadows and signs of movement, as opposed to actual fish shapes.

The ability to visually locate fish and execute a plan to deceive and coerce one into eating an artificial (and then repeating the process over and over) is the ultimate sport fishing challenge. keen to get into some ultra shallow lure casting action. At this time of year,

unfold in water barely deep enough to cover your knees is truly captivating.

In terms of tackle selection, stalking bream, whiting and flathead on the flats requires some attention to detail. In ultra-clear conditions, semitranslucent lure patterns, which allow sunlight to pass through, are far more realistic options. bream, yellowfin whiting and dusky flathead can all be found casing the flats in the lower to middle reaches of various east coast inlets, rivers and creeks. Here prawns, shrimp, crabs, yabbies, marine worms and small baitfish all become fair game, which brings lures such as shallow diving minnows and surface presentations into play.

ENGAGING THE SENSES Exploring the shallows, and in particular sight casting on the flats, is highly intriguing and incredibly exciting.

Indeed, anticipating the moment of impact as a

our eyes and ears, stimulates the brain well before any contact is made through the line, rod and reel handle.

Setting the hooks into a bustling blue nose bream, a whopping big whiting or lizard-like flathead and feeling the weight, headshakes and every flick of the tail finally brings our sense of touch into play.

Most species seem to find another gear on the flats, running further and pulling harder all the way to the net, which really gets the adrenalin flowing.

POWER OF OBSERVATION The more time spent drifting over shallow flats

JANUARY 2018

spooked by your presence.

Sunlight reflecting off the flanks of a bream, for example, stands out like a beacon to the trained eye.

Likewise surface

Bringing the boat to shore and walking or wading the shallows adds another level of stealth.

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Bream will turn up regularly when fishing the flats, even when you’re chasing other predators like whiting or flathead.

disturbances caused by, say, a fleeing prawn or nervous baitfish, become more obvious (even in windy conditions) to the skilled observer. Listening for the sounds of bait skipping hurriedly across the top or

indeed a predator rising to engage prey at the surface also helps to identify targets outside of our immediate line of sight. Over time, experienced eyes soon become trained to recognise more of the subtleties, such as traces of bream and whiting rummaging below in the sand in search of tucker.

These dinner platesized dig-holes can usually be identified from quite a distance by several darker grey or brownish coloured silt stains spread across an otherwise sandy bottom.

When actively foraging, there may even be signs of discoloured or cloudy water in the surrounding area, which is a dead giveaway.

Evidence of fish feeding in this manner is also available when walking the flats at low tide.

Again, take note of the holes or digs, as well as markings where flathead have been lying up. Areas of hardened or corrugated sand, due to continuous strong tidal flow, tend to hold very little in the way of burrowing bait. Instead, look for the richer soft sand or silt dotted with yabby

holes or crawling with crabs when exposed at low tide. Slightly deeper runs, formed as a result of sand shifting in the prevailing winds and tidal run-off, are also likely to hold fish.

Flathead, in particular, use these subtle changes in depth as ambush points.

Likewise, bream and whiting congregate along these lines, especially during the later stages of a receding tide. Other forms of more obvious structure such as patches of rock, weed beds or perhaps a solitary log, which might have come to rest on a shallow sand bank after being washed downstream during a previous flooding event, have the potential to attract and hold fish on the flats.

Interestingly, the feeding habits of stingrays, which involve digging in the sand and sucking up crabs, worms, yabbies and the like, act as a mobile attractant for scavenging bream hoping to snare an easy meal. These indicators (and many more) vary from one day to the next according to the local conditions. It’s a matter of absorbing as much detail

as possible and quickly processing the information to develop a stealthy plan of attack.

STEALTH MISSION Prior to even making a cast, perhaps the greatest challenge is concealing your presence. Once a fish becomes spooked on the flats, all feeding activity will immediately cease. Bream are especially sensitive in this regard and it doesn’t take much for panic and preservation mode to set in, which usually involves bolting erratically for the safety of deeper water.

Whiting and flathead seem more tolerant in this regard, but once on high alert, they certainly won’t chase an artificial either.

There’s generally a

520

BLUEWATER

WITH Most species seem to find another gear on the flats, running further and pulling harder all the way to the net, which really gets the adrenalin flowing. Aaron Hassett carefully puts the finishing touches on a respectable dusky in just centimetres of water.

These cracking yellowfin whiting fell to a surface presentation twitched across the flats. barrier surrounding the boat within which fish have become aware of our presence and are almost uncatchable in most instances. Weather, water clarity and the ability of those on board to adopt a stealthy approach determine the parameters of this invisible boundary. Wind is both friend and foe. Too strong (>20 knots) and the drift speed becomes way too fast and conditions difficult for lure casting.

Even so, the fish are likely to be on the chew, taking advantage of wind lanes and surface chop, which bring both food and cover. Periods of strong

from the boat, so we can get closer without them realising.

It may be uncomfortable and near impossible to retie knots or take a decent photograph, but (as long as it’s safe for boating) drifting the flats in the wind can be epic. By contrast, when the wind is light (<5 knots) or perhaps non-existent, we don’t cover as much ground, casting distance is reduced and fish are quickly put off by boat noise, which is amplified under a glassed-out surface or calm conditions. Ideally,

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SIGHT CASTING TIPS Make the longest wind-assisted cast possible.

Wear polaroid sunglasses and a peaked cap.

Look through the surface and watch for shadows or signs of movement.

Concentrate your efforts either side of high tide.

Minimise boat noise to increase stealth. wind push warm water and loose ribbon weed (which also carries food) to one side of a lake or inlet and the fish follow. This is particularly pertinent in systems periodically closed or separated from the ocean. Constant wave action stirs up the bottom and encourages fish to feed in the shallows for longer.

It also muffles any sounds

moderate wind speeds of about 8-12 knots are preferable, though fish can most definitely be taken outside of this range by varying your approach.

A drogue is helpful to slow the drift in strong winds. Some circumstances may even warrant the use of an anchor, stake/power pole or electronic spot-lock To page 16

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15

From page 15

function to hold position.

More often than not, drifting silently with the breeze behind you is the go.

Bringing the boat to shore and walking or wading may provide another level of stealth. Either way, long wind-assisted casts bring the most consistent bent rod action.

A quiet approach, be it from a boat or on foot will always result in more enquiries. Boat noise can

be minimised by cutting the engine early and gliding into position under electric power. Trim the outboard up so that it doesn’t scrape across the sand, and switch off the depth sounder, recirculating livewell and automatic bilge pump.

Once a drift line has been established, try to avoid overusing the electric motor to continually correct or reposition the boat.

Although relatively quiet, even a short pulse of the

propeller is likely to spook any nearby fish, therefore lengthening the ‘no catch’ zone. Avoid knocking or banging the hull with items such as rod tips, landing nets, lures, keys and so forth.

Lastly, stay light on your feet when moving about the deck, carefully opening and shutting storage hatches and placing items such as scissors or pliers down gently after use.

It may seem trivial, but it all counts when working in

Taryn Hodges was all smiles when this whopper whiting slurped a prawn imitation off the top.

less than 1m of gin-clear water. It’s no surprise and no coincidence that when my young daughters (aged 3 and 5) are on board and clanging things about while playing as kids do, fishing the flats becomes far more difficult…

FLATS TACKLE In terms of tackle selection, stalking bream, whiting and flathead on the flats requires some attention to detail. In ultra-clear conditions, semi-translucent lure patterns that allow sunlight to pass through are far more realistic. It’s also well worth experimenting with the leader length and diameter. About 2-4 rod lengths of 4lb fluorocarbon is the norm when pitching shallow divers at bream.

A shorter length of 6lb monofilament is a good starting point for surface presentations intended for both whiting and bream.

Upgrading to 8-10lb leader is theoretically a better option when specifically chasing flathead to combat their raspy teeth. In reality, all three species can turn up in the same areas where they can be coerced and played out on the same gear.

THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE Flats lure casting can be dangerously addictive – dangerous in that

Larger dusky flathead use subtle changes of depth to ambush prey in the shallows. you’ll become completely mesmerised by fish that simply won’t eat a lure!

Over the years I’ve been guilty of wasting away hours in this fashion. When all the elements align and everything clicks in terms of your approach and presentation, however, there’s some incredible fish-a-cast action on offer.

Knowing how exciting and satisfying it can be makes it tough to move away, even when conditions are clearly unfavourable.

Despite the fickle nature of sight casting on wide open estuary flats, the ability to visually locate fish and execute a plan to deceive and coerce a fish into eating an artificial (and then repeating the process over and over) is the ultimate sport fishing challenge. Irrespective of the environment, be it a highcountry stream, inland lake or – as discussed in this piece – coastal estuary flats, stalking your quarry and watching the action all unfold is about as good as fishing gets.

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Tech Tricks

A basic guide to filleting a tasty mackerel BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Anglers have been getting amongst the mackerel in Moreton Bay over the last few months. Both school and spotted mackerel have been fairly plentiful and

both are extremely tasty.

They are often located and caught in good numbers at this time of the year, so I thought I would demonstrate an easy way to fillet them that will maximise your flesh yield and allow you to fillet numerous fish within a short period.

Whether you are filleting school and spotted mackerel, or perhaps even a Spanish mackerel, wahoo or other long pelagic fish, the basic filleting technique remains the same. When completed, this basic task will leave you with bone-free, skinless portions of tasty white flesh.

These can then be cooked

in numerous ways including deep fried in crumbs or batter, grilled in lemon butter or portioned into curries, stir fries and pasta dishes.

Mackerel is great eaten fresh but also freezes well, especially when you vacuum seal it. With seven hungry individuals in our household, we can go through a lot of

fish in a sitting. Additionally the kids always want a few pieces to take in their school lunch the next day, so I am often filleting quite a few mackerel at a time, especially when they are plentiful.

Being able to process them efficiently is a godsend at the end of a long day on the water.

Immediately after catching your mackerel, it is best to bleed them quickly and put them into an ice slurry to maximise the flesh quality. Once home or at the ramp’s cleaning table, the next step is to remove the tasty flesh. Let’s look at an easy way to complete this task.

2 1

Insert your shorter blade down near the base of the tail along the back and push through until the point hits the backbone. The backbone is raised higher than the vertebrae, so you want to slice flush against the vertebrae and all the way through to the backbone.

Having a good surface – preferably a bench or fillet table high enough that you don’t need to bend at the waist – will make the task a lot less tiring. Use two sharp knives for filleting mackerel: one with a 7” blade and another with a 9” blade. You’ll also need a dish for your fillets and a few bags for the frames and skin offcuts. A hose or rags to wipe off your fillet table occasionally will keep your surface clean, however avoid getting water on the fillets. Have a fillet glove for your non-knife hand.

Next, slice across the fish with an angled cut that is roughly parallel to the gill plate opening and just behind the pectoral fin. Only cut deep enough that the blade touches the spine but doesn’t cut through it.

4

3

Continue to slice forward towards the head, keeping the blade flush against the vertebrae and only cutting in as far as the backbone. A razor sharp blade will make the task a lot easier and the flesh will slice cleanly without need to saw at the flesh. Slice all the way up to roughly behind the head.

18

JANUARY 2018

5

Cut up through the belly, using just the knifepoint to sever the belly flesh. Avoid cutting through the gut organs, which is messy. Once back past the gut area, push the blade deeper until the point again touches the spine. Keep the blade flat against the vertebrae as you cut towards the rear of the fish.

Tech Tricks

6

8

Once you are virtually down near the tail fluke, push the blade all the way through and then slice backwards to detach the rear of the fillet from the carcass.

Holding the rear of the fillet upwards away from the backbone, slice along the top of the backbone to sever the last point of attachment, removing the fillet from the frame.

Cut the fillet into three or four sections. Each section will provide two portions of fish, so keep this in mind when working out how big you want each section. Change over to your longer blade for the remaining steps. Holding the rear of the tail portion, slice the blade into the flesh, keeping the blade flat against the skin of the fish.

Slice forward, keeping the skin flat between the blade and the cutting surface and remove the skin fully.

7

Cut forward up to the slice you made behind the head. You will need to cut through the rib bones of the gut cavity as you do, however, as they are not tough; a sharp blade will do this with ease. Remove the fillet from the rest of the fish and lay skin side down. Put your knife blade parallel to the rib bones on the flesh side of the gut cavity. Slice down and around the ribs to remove the bones and gut. Discard into your waste bag.

9

The thicker sections forward of this are handled in a different way.

Each will have bones running through the centre of the fillet. Position the blade edge against the centre bones and then slice straight down towards the skin before turning the blade 90° to get it flat against the skin.

Slice outwards to remove the flesh totally from the skin. Repeat with the flesh on the other side of the fillet by slicing down the other side of the centre bones and then outwards to totally remove the remaining flesh.

10

Repeat with the other portion or portions of fillet. In this instance we are left with five portions of flesh and three sections of skin and bones. The skin/bone offcuts can be discarded. Here the flesh has been displayed to show the relevant pieces â&#x20AC;&#x201C; put the flesh straight into your dish as you remove it from the skin to avoid contact with any enzymes and slime on the cutting surface.

11

Obviously we would repeat the previous steps to fillet the other side of the mackerel.

Sometimes I will remove all the fillets from each mackerel and then discard the frames and clean my working surface before processing the fillets into portions. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the strong taste mackerel can possess, trim the few remaining red sections from the fillets.

12

You should be able to process ten mackerel quite quickly and efficiently with this method. I like to keep all the tail portions together as these are a similar thickness and therefore they will cook at the same rate. Some mackerel will have roe in them and this can be removed for eating as well, although many consider it to be an acquired taste, and the frames can be kept for crab bait.

From here you can portion the mackerel into meal-sized packets of fillets and freeze, although it is best eaten fresh. Enjoy!

JANUARY 2018

19

Predictions for the mid-summer fishing YAMBA

Dave Gaden

This month Yamba and Iluka on the northern side of the river should be overflowing with people holidaying in what we call ‘paradise.’

moment. Water will be warm and clear, so try to find somewhere that offers a bit more cover for the fish; deeper or darker water can sometimes be the answer. The Broadwater upstream of Maclean is a favourite of mine.

If you know how to

possibly already know where the fish are. If not, sit at the mouth and ask someone if you can follow them in to find the channel.

Sometimes just drifting across the mouth will be enough to catch a bag of fish, and it’s a beautiful place to fish.

The North Arm behind Goodwood Island and the entrance to Lake Woolawayah are also worth a serious look.

Whiting have had another good year and will be around this month.

Pumping some live yabbies is a must for these tasty little critters. You can quite often catch whiting in bigger numbers if the weather is terrible. They really like to have a go when its windy and even raining – it must have something to do with them feeling secure enough to come into the shallow water.

Brian is all smiles showing off his second lobster for the day caught on a line.

Alan Johnson from Tamworth with a nice pearl perch.

The river should be producing a heap of summer flathead at the

navigate the narrow channel to get into the Broadwater itself then you

Kendal Dowley with a 9.9kg snapper from Black Rock.

Crabs should be a given at this time of the year. Mud crabs have been great all year and all things being fair and equal, the blue swimmers should be everywhere. There are a couple of things to keep in mind if you are crabbing; laws are different from state to state, so make sure you know the requirements for traps and how to measure

your catch.

Ty not to set the traps in the navigation channels.

Some of these are very narrow – trawlers and even our charter boats are restricted by the lack of water either side of the channel. Maritime will collect traps left in the navigation channels.

Also please use sinking rope. This is actually a

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requirement, but too often you see a buoy and 20ft of floating rope hanging of it just waiting for some poor bugger’s propeller.

Offshore in January is a heap of fun, with pelagics like spotted and Spanish mackerel around as well as longtail tuna, yellowfin

and even a good spattering of wahoo and small black marlin a little further out.

The mackerel are the easy targets. Trolling the basic pink squid skirt is a no-brainer, so throw a diver lure out with it. My favourite at the moment is the Zerek Speed Donkey in redhead.

There are some days the mackerel feed just that bit deeper and the diver takes a lot of fish. I use the same lure for the wahoo further offshore.

Mahimahi are everywhere at this time of the year. Although trying to keep a float bait out the back for them can be hard with the mutton birds being able to dive almost 6m to steal the bait. Try to have a rig ready for when you see the bright yellow tails cruise past the boat. A trip to the FAD will definitely find these fish, but they are touchy.

Some days they won’t touch anything you give them and two hours later you are catching them on bare silver hooks.

The Italian Grounds on the south side of South Evans Reef (approximately 12nm north of the bar) will have nice trag most days as well as snapper and There are good snapper available on mulloway. This is a good the wide grounds this month.

STA16076 509FM1/2_Layout 1 27/10/2017 11:32 AM Page 1 place to fish at this time of

the year, as the northeast wind predominately picks up just before noon and will push you back to Yamba.

You also have the bonus of being able to troll through Woody Head and Shark Bay at first light to get a few mackerel in the box before the rest of the trip.

The reef in front of Brooms Head to the south will be a good drift for Venus tuskfish and pearl perch in around 40m of water. There is literally a hundred acres of reef here to fish and it can produce up to a dozen different edible species a day.

Just a basic paternoster rig with some cut baits of mullet and pilly will be the go, but a mate of mine always fishes green prawns for the tuskfish and he can catch up to 10 in a session, so there might be something in it.

As always, the holidays make everything busy. Boat ramps especially can be a bit testy and the waterways will be full of boats going in all directions.

A little patience will go a long way to making the holidays more pleasant.

Call into the shop at the marina if you need any up-to-date advice or would like to join one of my deep sea charters.

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21

It’s still a really busy time to be on the water BALLINA

Joe Allan

Happy New Year, readers.

I love this time of year. The cricket is on almost every day, the fishing is red-hot and you can eat as much as you want and not get in trouble from anyone.

The downside at this time of year is there is more traffic on the water than normal, so take care. Be patient and make sure you have done your preparation with all your equipment. Take your time at the boat ramp and above all, be courteous to all other waterway users.

Crabs have turned up in patches around the middle reaches from Pimlico to Broadwater. Hopefully we get a bit of rain to stir them up a bit more. Give the pots plenty of time to settle and let the crabs find the bait.

The lower reaches of the Richmond have produced some great catches of bream. Try casting noisy crankbaits at the walls early in the mornings while the tide is running. Straightthrough fluorocarbon line is best suited for this. The best lures to try are deep diving hardbodies and the

Noah Rampling caught this beautiful 96cm flathead all by himself; it was released to swim away.

colour I pick depends on the clarity. Dark colours work for low light, solid and bright colours for dirty water and more translucent and natural finishes are best for bright sun and clearer water.

Bass have been quiet around Coraki and Woodburn, as the fish have well and truly moved upstream. You may find them in patches but for good numbers, try the upper reaches around Lismore and Casino. If you’re out early or late and the cicadas are deafening, remember to tie on your surface lures to imitate these tasty snacks for bass.

The trick with these is not to do too much. Just shake your rod tip slightly every now and again, like a cicada that’s fallen out of a tree.

Offshore has been patchy, with the best results on the mahimahi coming from around the FADs. Make sure you get a long drift on these. Live yakkas have been best with almost no weight. If you’re getting bites and not hooking up, try putting a treble hook as a stinger hooked into the fish’s tail. This has helped a few local anglers turn those bites into fish.

Mackerel will come in towards the end of December and should be really thick through January. There have been good reports around the Gold and Sunshine Coast early in December, so as the water warms up these beauties will come

Neil Bauer caught this great hapuka out wide off Ballina. along with it.

Beaches have been producing good catches of whiting and flathead. Look for the main gutters around South Ballina, along Patches

Beach and Boundary Creek.

Fresh bait is always better.

Try digging a few pipis or getting a few beach worms – that’s a skill I have not yet mastered.

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Water temperatures rise and so do fishy appetites THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

We’ve had a great month for fishing on the Tweed. High ocean temperatures saw an early start to the pelagic season. Good numbers of kingfish, mahimahi and the odd wahoo, marlin and mackerel are starting to show up and they are putting anglers’ skills to the test.

High river temperatures have been turning the jacks on and they are really starting to wreak havoc throughout most systems as they feed up for their spawning season.

Some quality whiting are up on the flats this month feeding up on yabbies, worms and crustaceans.

You will normally find big flathead up in the shallows chasing these whiting and they can be a rewarding by-catch of whiting fishing.

Bass have really come on the bite with the high temperatures and the insect invasion. Surface lures are fishing really well in the back creeks and upper river systems.

The author with a nice feed of summer snapper. skills and gear to the test.

Whether it’s live bait, jigs, metals or stickbaits and poppers, they are smashing just about anything and everything put in front of them. Trolled baits and floating pilchards are catching the odd mackerel around Nine-Mile, FiveMile and Fidos, but no real numbers yet.

Leon McClymont looks proud with his school-sized mahimahi.

OFFSHORE It’s definitely a different season to last year, that’s for sure. Water temperatures of 26°C or more and clear blue water has graced us with its presence this year, which has seen good schools of kingfish hanging around Nine-Mile, Five-Mile and the Windarra banks feeding up on bait schools. These brutes are putting anglers’

Mahimahi are on the FADs, 24s, 36s and the 50 fathoms with the odd wahoo and marlin shadowing these speedsters. Look for current lines and floating structure.

Trolling skirted lures is working best this month for these speedy acrobats.

Bass groper and bar cod are out in 300-500m of water. Electric reels are a must for one of these barrels.

There are still yellowfin and marlin out on the shelf and the odd larger mahimahi shadowing the yellowfin.

Mixed reefies have been caught on close reefs using drift baits and plastics – this is a great way to get a feed.

Look for large concentrations on your sounder and then position yourself so you drift back through these concentrations.

Using berley while drifting will get them up off the bottom feeding. We call this style of berleying ‘seeding the grounds’ and it’s a great way to get a feed on these close reefs. Yakkas and slimies can be found on Ten-Minute Reef, yakkas at the sand pumping jetty, bonnies on Point Reef and snapper, yakkas and pike at Kirra Reef. Yakkas, bonnies and mac tuna can also be found at Kingscliff Reef.

ESTUARY With water temperatures of 27-30°C, the jacks have really fired and are feeding up with most anglers only landing one in every three fish. Live baits on a two-hook rig of a night around most bridges and rock walls are fishing really well. Lures work just as well during the day; targeting key structures is the key.

Try Boyds Bay Bridge, Barneys Point Bridge, Cobaki Bridge and rock wall and Chinderah rock walls, which have all produced good fish recently.

The whiting have moved up onto the sand banks and are starting to feed up.

Worms, yabbies and poppers are still the best way to get a feed of these ghosts of the flats.

Try Terranora, Cobaki, the golf club, the houseboats, the Piggery, the Cudgera Creek mouth and the oyster racks in Brunswick. Flathead have been up on the sand flats chasing the whiting and are quiet often a great by-catch of whiting fishing.

Your best bet for catching these big girls is still 2.5-5” plastics. Being up in the shallows you can go right down to a 1/12oz jighead.

This will give your plastics more hang time in the crucial strike zone.

Matching the hatch is just

as crucial and is the key to really nailing these fish in skinny water. This is great fun on light rods and reels and you can get away with lighter leader. Some 6-12lb fluorocarbon normally does the trick.

GTs and bigeye trevally have been chasing bait in the river and along the rock walls on a run-in tide. Find the bait and find the trevally. Blades, vibes and surface lures are catching these speedsters.

Bullies are starting to wreak havoc for anglers that are live bait fishing for jacks in the upper reaches of the Tweed. If you’re chasing these brutes, try freshwater eel, stingray flaps or large whole live mullet up around Condong Sugar Mill, Murderers Creek and around Stots Island for the best results and a bit of bully fun.

The crabs are running well; Stots Island, Rous River, Bilambil Creek, Duroby Creek and Cobaki Creek have all produced some quality can openers.

BEACHES Dart have moved into most gutters along beaches, around most headlands and along the surf side of all the rock walls of the Tweed region. White bait, small metals and small plastics are all catching fish. Kirra Groin, Snapper Rocks, Tweed rock walls, Fingal Headland, Kingscliff rock walls and the gutter on the south beaches are all holding great small schools of dart.

Whiting, bream and flathead are sitting in these gutters and are great

Andrew Strong with a nice Cobaki red dog.

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by-catches while fishing for the silver dinner plate. A few GTs and bigeye hang around the ends of the rock walls in the current. Slugs, stickbaits, poppers and plastics are your best bet for a good-size trevally. There are beach worms and pipis on the south beaches if you need fresh baits.

FRESHWATER It’s great to see the insects out and active; it really gets the bass fired up for surface strikes. Cicadas, frogs, shallow diving bugs, walkthe-dog lures and poppers are all fishing well this month.

Dusk and dawn are the best times to get a big fat bass to slurp your lure off the top.

Deep-diving lures, jig spins, hardbodied lures and vibe lures are fishing well once the sun is up. Aiming for shadows and under overhanging trees is the key during the day. Clarrie Hall Dam is fishing well this month. Working vibes and shallow diving lures over the top and alongside the weeds and lilies produces some great fish.

We should see similar conditions this month, with most anglers chasing mackerel with troll baits and float lines. The pelagics should move in closer to feed on bait schools and you will see more people trolling skirts over the next month.

Jacks will be feeding up and putting on fat so they can spawn. Structure is the key for a big red dog.

Whiting and flathead will still be prolific on the sand flats and a great way to get the kids involved. Trevally will push further into the systems to feed up. Finding bait schools is the key.

Crabs will move through the systems as they fatten up and shed their shells.

Hopefully we will get a run of school prawns this year, which hasn’t been seen in the Tweed for a few years.

If you would like any additional info on any form of fishing, send me a message on our Facebook page Fishing Fun Gold Coast and I will be happy to help you out, or if you would like to see the weekly fishing and weather reports for the Tweed and Gold Coasts check out the page.

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Finding a perfect place to get away for a fish GOLD COAST

Mark Ward barra09@live.com.au

School holidays and hot weather mean that everyone is trying to get out of the house. For anglers it can be tough finding somewhere quiet for either a quick fish or a weekend away.

If you are anything like me, fishing isn’t just about catching fish. It’s getting away, relaxing, unwinding and turning your attention

to enjoying what we love to do. That is very hard to do when there are jet skis bolting up and down the river.

Skiers, wake boarders, swimmers, campers and families take up residence in your favourite fishing spot. There is nothing wrong with wanting to go jet skiing or taking the family out to the river for the day but that doesn’t help the anglers out there.

Let’s look at a few options to stay sane these school holidays while still putting

a bend in the rod.

OFFSHORE The close reefs get a lot of pressure at this time of year, but at least you are unlikely to see jet skis and wake boats doing laps of your favourite reef. It’s a great time to get out to the Tweed Nine-Mile, as all the inshore reefs along the southern end of the coast have been fishing very well.

Anglers choosing to fish after dark have been rewarded with great catches of trag jew and

Summer Ward with a whiting from the surf.

Shallow gutters close to shore mean the kids can enjoy some excellent surf fishing.

Ph: Craig Winch 0417 646 711

26

JANUARY 2018

even a few big mulloway have been caught lately.

Fishing the reefs after dark can be very productive at this time of year. The evenings are often very still and the crowds have long gone home.

Mackerel will be very patchy but some will start to feed on the bait that can be plentiful in January.

Cobia will also be a great option on the inshore grounds this month.

Getting out wide will reward the bottom bashes with some very tasty pearl perch. For the game fishers, there have been some good catches of marlin.

Persisting with the marlin fishing will pay off, so don’t be too disappointed if at first you don’t succeed.

All the good marlin anglers that I know have dedicated a lot of time to the art and still have their bad days, but now is the time to get out and hunt a few down.

BEACH AND ESTUARY This is where it can be frustrating for the anglers this month. The creeks and rivers are often very busy, so finding a few spots out of the way can be very rewarding.

The shallow water of Terranora Lake can be a great for getting away and enjoying a quiet fish. The warm, shallow water is loaded with bait and as a result, plenty of flathead and bream can be landed on lures. There is also the odd mangrove jack, especially around the old oyster racks at high tide.

For the bait fishers, whiting tend to move around in schools. Once

located, they can provide plenty of action.

The upper reaches of the Tweed where the tide slows and the water becomes brackish can also be a great location for a quiet fish. On the reedy edges of Condong and Tumbulgum you can see bass moving down and bream moving upstream. It’s a real thrill to land bream and bass from the same bank with the same lure.

For the land-based anglers, the best options are to fish the lakes and canals of the central Gold Coast

for an array of species from bream to mangrove jack and giant herring.

There have also been a few barramundi landed – the diversity of the fishing in this area just amazes me.

Getting out very early is the best way to beat the crowds. With the sun coming up at 4am, there can be three hours of fishing before the first Jet Ski is spotted. My kids love to work lures for trevally and mangrove jack at sunrise in January and they don’t do too badly.

To really get away from it all, it’s hard to beat beach fishing in January.

Pull some beach worms or teach the kids the art of collecting pipis and you’ll always have the freshest bait on hand. Beach fishing the Gold Coast in January may sound busy but early mornings and late afternoons in a less popular area or even on the far northern NSW coast can be very quiet as well as very productive.

Whiting are always around and they love to feed hard against the shore, so avoid walking into the surf. Fish a shallow gutter near the shoreline and it will be loaded with whiting. Make your casts from the dry sand to avoid spooking the big fish on the shoreline.

Fishing the close gutters also allows the kids to enjoy beach fishing without have to cast out a mile or use heavy surf rods.

Bream, dart and the odd flathead will also show up and worms or pipis are the great all-round baits.

Pulling beach worms can be tricky to learn but when you learn it you will never run out of fresh bait.

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There are plenty of quality fish on the bite Flathead have been smashing baitfish on the sand flats in the Broadwater, with a lot of fishers fishing stickbaits (both floating and sinking) of around 100-120mm. This is an interesting technique and seems to work well with water less than a metre. Sight casting is another option.

Fishers have been finding themselves some good fish in the Tipplers Channel and Jumpinpin region, and some fish are even schooling up in the deeper patches. If you find a few 40s or 50s, persist in the area, as you might find

GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn Instagram: @josh__dunn__

As 2018 is upon us and summer has well and truly set in, temperatures have soared. On the fishing scene, as the temperatures rise we will start to see the water warm up, bringing on quality fish.

Trevally are really firing, especially late in the afternoon and well into the night.

GTs and bigeye trevally are dominating the baitfish, both on the surface and mid-water.

Taking two rods with you on your session would work well if you want to quickly change up techniques from surface to plastics.

Poppers and walkers have been working. At night try sticking to darker colours such as black. Anything that gives off a noise like bloops or rattling that imitates a wounded baitfish or prawn is worth a go. For the bait fisher, I would definitely recommend live bait, fished preferably under heavy structure such as bridges and pontoons.

The run-out tides have been producing the quality fish, rather than a run-in. The full moon is on 28 January

yourself a larger model.

As mentioned, over the next month or two we should see temperatures and humidity rise. This brings a lot more afternoon storms and showers, which cools things down. Just before and into the rain during an afternoon session the fish definitely seem to turn on. You can also try the day after a night full of rain.

The start of 2018 should be a cracker! Plenty of fish are biting; find the bait, find the fish. Remember to take some water out with you. See you out there!

Owen McPaul has been dominating the jack scene lately, with this 60cm beast taken on a ZMan SwimmerZ. and I’m tipping it will offer a good run of fishing.

Bream are also an interesting by-catch when fishing for trevally, especially under blue lights where they

are becoming a lot more common. Early morning surface luring has been producing bream, with a high tide pushing up above rock walls the ideal time. Surface

walkers placed perfectly up against a pontoon and retrieved with random pauses has been working great on quality bream, as well as the odd jack and pelagic.

Finding a school of GTs at night can be plenty of fun.

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Happy New Year to all and welcome to what we hope will be a very productive fishing year.

Mangrove jack should become more active with the heat and humidity this month. The best baits to try are live mullet, herring, pike, and gar. If you can’t get any livies then a strip of bonito or mullet should also work. Try around structures that have cover, as it’s more than likely they will hold a jack.

If you get busted off, it was probably a jack, so just keep persisting with heavier gear and hopefully you’ll land that great trophy fish. Usually 20-30lb line and 40-60lb leader should be enough, and even then you will still lose big fish as I’ve seen jacks snap 80lb handline tied to a handrail.

A thumping 55cm Coomera River jack caught by Matt Griffiths. like gar, yellowtail or slimies is a great way to tempt these hard-fighting fish or simply just floatline them out the back of the boat down a berley trail and hold on. And if there is no surface action, then trolling deep diving lures should also produce some fish.

Flathead should still be going well this time of year, as the Pin area is the perfect habitat for them to thrive and breed. There seems to be an abundance of small to medium lizards out at the moment, which shows the system is alive and well and the flatty stocks are going strong.

Pillies are the go for bait fishers; also try white bait, froggies, prawns or hardiheads. The few hours before low tide have been

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the best time to fish so try planning your fishing trip around that. The best spots to try are the top of Crusoe Island, Kalinga Bank, Cobby Passage, around the back of Tabby Island and between Pandannus and Tipplers Island.

The crabs should start to pick up in the nºew year around the new moon now that we’ve had some decent rain. Stick to the rivers and mangrove-lined banks of the Pin area for muddies, and the deeper holes and dropoffs of the main channels for sandies.

• Thanks for all your reports and keep those fish coming in. If you’d like any advice or up to date fishing information drop us a line at Gem Bait & Tackle on (07) 3287 3868 or email gembait@tpg.com.au.

January always produces some quality whiting from around the Pin. Whiting have been about in reasonable numbers and sizes. They were being caught towards the end of last year and should be expected to continue right through January. Live bloodworms and beach worms have been working best. Yabbies, squid, and peeled prawns have also yielded some results.

For your best chance of bagging some whiting, fish in fast-running tides with a size 5 or 6 ball sinker to make sure it’s on the bottom and have a 6ft trace with a size 6 bloodworm hook.

This has proven to be a good consistent rig, and I’ve found that most whiting I catch basically hook themselves.

Use red tube and beads as an attractant so it appears you have more worm on your hook. This works really

well when chasing these tasty table fish. Try around Alberton Sands, across from Rocky Point, Slipping Sands, the Gold Bank, the Never Fail Islands and the Pimpama River.

Warmer ocean currents should bring on the pelagic fish, which generally congregate just outside the Pin Bar. Spanish and spotted mackerel, tuna, cobia, wahoo and even small marlin will be out chasing the bait schools and will be feeding all month long, so look for birds working the water or try fishing along the dirty waterline out from the Bar if weather conditions are good.

The bar can be very dangerous, so be safe and head out with someone who has experience in bar crossing. Trolling dead baits

Rhiley Griffiths loves chasing mangrove jack along rock walls at this time of year.

ADVERTORIAL

White spot disease movement restrictions still in place White spot disease movement restrictions are still in place in South East Queensland. To help protect Queensland’s beautiful natural waterways for generations to come, fishers must not move raw prawns, yabbies and marine worms out of the white spot disease movement restriction areas in South East Queensland.

The movement restrictions are in place from Caloundra to the New South Wales border and west to Ipswich. While we know prawns swim and could spread the disease as they move around, the most likely way the disease will spread long distances is by people moving raw prawns, yabbies or worms and then using them as bait.

The movement restrictions in place also apply to uncooked, frozen crustaceans as freezing does not destroy the virus.

WHAT IS WHITE SPOT DISEASE? White spot disease is caused by a virus that affects crustaceans such as prawns, crabs, lobsters and yabbies. The disease was first detected in prawn farms along the Logan River south of Brisbane in December 2016. It was then found in

prawn and crab samples collected from the Logan River, Brisbane River, Moreton Bay and Deception Bay. When found in high intensity production areas, such as prawn farms, white spot disease results in the rapid mortality of prawns.

While white spot disease does not affect fish, it is not known what impacts the disease could have on the marine food chain and local fish stocks.

Prawns infected with white spot disease do not pose a risk to people’s health and are completely safe.

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO STOP THE DISEASE? Biosecurity Queensland is focused on eradicating white spot disease from Australia.

All infected prawn farms in South East Queensland where the disease was first found have been decontaminated and extensive surveillance is being undertaken across the state looking for the virus that causes the disease.

Since the initial detection of white spot disease in the Moreton Bay region in December 2016, more than 50,000 prawn and crab samples have been tested for the virus.

During the latest round of testing, completed in

September 2017, all samples collected from the Moreton Bay region and key locations along the Queensland coastline have returned negative results for the virus that causes white spot disease.

These results are encouraging and indicate the disease may not be established in Moreton Bay and has not spread into other parts of Queensland.

Two years of consecutively negative test results are required in order to prove the disease is no longer in Australian waterways.

During this time it is crucial movement restrictions are kept in place to ensure if the virus is present, it isn’t accidently spread.

WHAT DOES WHITE SPOT DISEASE LOOK LIKE? Prawns with white spot disease may have a loose shell with numerous white spots on the inside surface of the shell and a pink to red discolouration.

However, please note infected prawns and yabbies may not display any symptoms and white spots may appear for a range of reasons including freezer burn and bacterial and fungal infections.

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31

Marlin madness has started off the Gold Coast GOLD COAST

David Green

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

OFFSHORE Early indications are very positive, with black marlin, mahimahi and wahoo turning up in numbers on the inshore reefs in late November. The easiest and most exciting way to fish is

to troll small to medium size skirted lures. The Gravel Patch off Burleigh Heads, the 24 and 36 fathom line and the gravel patches to the north of the Seaway should all be quite productive.

I like to use 8-10kg tackle when the marlin are small, which might be between 15-30kg apiece, and troll a spread of five lures. If the wahoo are thick, it can cost a few lures, but it is a good idea to troll

a Halco Laser Pro in the long corner position when they are about. This tends to keep their teeth away from your expensive skirts and they generally prefer to eat the minnow.

Good skirted lures to try include small Meridians, Pakulas and Black Snacks.

Because of their hard bony bills, black marlin can be notoriously hard to hook.

I use Gamakatsu SL12 hooks with good success.

Marlin really step it up a gear in January on the Gold Coast.

These fine sharp hooks have excellent penetration. Sizes 8/0-10/0 are the right size for most small skirts. A short length of cable running to the back hook offers protection from wahoo teeth.

If you are specifically targeting mahimahi, work the edges of current lines and pay particular attention to floating objects. Mahimahi like brightly coloured lures.

Blue, gold, yellow, lumo green, purple and pink are all very effective. They also respond to trolled baits such as garfish. In January there are generally good numbers of 6-12kg mahimahi on the inshore grounds in depths from 35-60m. They are a crazy fish to handle when you get them in the boat, but make great eating. I like to clean them quickly and get them on ice within a few minutes of capture.

Both Spanish and Spotted mackerel should start to show in numbers in January around Palm Beach and Mermaid Reefs.

Trolling pilchards under a squid skirt, spinning with metal lures or anchoring up and berleying are all very effective. At this time of year, most of the Spanish mackerel will be between

Mulloway are a real possibility for those fishing big baits and lures around the Seaway and Jumpinpin.

6-10kg. In the holiday season it is not uncommon to see over a hundred boats anchored up on Palm Beach Reef. As well as mackerel, this area produces cobia, bonito and mac tuna.

Out on the wider grounds beyond the continental shelf, the blue marlin season will be in full swing. These fish have been around in reasonable numbers in every month of 2017 and the water temperature out on the

shelf has consistently been above 23°C. In January the 200-300m line is often quite productive, and this area is only about a 25 nautical mile run from the Seaway.

When targeting blue marlin this month, concentrate your efforts around the schools of striped tuna that turn up this month in quite big schools. What a pilchard is to a small black marlin is what a striped tuna is to as blue marlin.

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GOLD COAST RIVERS AND ESTUARIES January is a busy time on Gold Coast estuaries, but there are plenty of good fish to be caught. A lot of small frogmouth pilchards generally move into the Seaway and Jumpinpin entrances this month and these attract a wide range of predators. Mulloway, generally small fish between 60-90cm, are usually in numbers in the Seaway and around the mouth of Swan Bay in January. Small live baits and deeply fished soft plastics account for a lot of fish. It is often difficult to catch a legal mulloway over 75cm this month.

Whiting should be in good numbers on the flats and respond to baits such as yabbies, blood worms, beach worms and soldier crabs. Small poppers and stickbaits are also very effective. Good numbers can be caught by wading the sand flats and sight casting to schools as the fish move up onto the flats on a rising tide. The January fish are usually in numbers and average between 25-35cm with the odd 40cm fish turning up. They are without a doubt one of the best eating fish in our local estuaries.

Flathead fishing slows down this month, but

there are still opportunities on the flats at high tides, particularly on cloudy days.

The big flathead still hunt the flats, and casting large stickbaits like Sluggos and

Silstar Slapstix is quite effective this month. While the small and medium fish have thinned out a lot, it is still fairly possible to get a feed by trolling or

Mahimahi will be thick this month, especially around floating objects drifting offshore.

casting soft plastics in the area between Crab Island and Tipplers Passage.

Mangrove jacks will be around in good numbers this month. Casting paddletail soft plastics along the edges of floating pontoons can be quite effective, and hardbodied lures like the medium Zerek Tango Shad or Lucky Craft Pointer are also very effective at times. Poppers work very well on jacks in low light conditions, and dawn is a good time to use them.

The mud crabs have been very disappointing so far this season, sometimes being almost absent from usually reliable areas. Hopefully a bit of rain should see them return. January is often the best month of the year to chase mud crabs and there can be literally thousands of pots out in places like Coombabah Creek and the Pimpama River. In contrast, the sand crabs have been quite good lately in the area around Crab Island in 4-6m of water adjacent to weed beds.

January is a great month to fish the Gold Coast, even with all the crowds and jet skis. Both the offshore grounds and the Broadwater should be quite productive, and it looks like we are going to have a good season for small black marlin.

Nick Payne snagged this beautiful barra from Lake Lenthalls on light gear. It measured 83cm.

JANUARY 2018

33

Summer fun has begun across southern bay SOUTHERN BAY

Nick Whyte

The hot weather is here and the fishing will be heating up as well. This month is one of my favourites for big bay snapper – there are fewer numbers but the quality usually lifts. You want to try and target these

bigger fish in the deeper sections around 10m+.

Places worth having a look are the Harry Atkinson artificial reefs, the Peel Island artificials, the spit beacon at Peel and the western side of Mud Island.

You don’t need to use massive plastics or baits for these fish, as small 3” lures will match what they

are feeding on. Using your sounder to locate these fish is the key; you may need to be patient, but you won’t find them if you don’t go looking.

Summer whiting are going to be everywhere with some large specimens around. The mouth of the Pimpama and the sandbanks in the mid reaches of the Coomera River and Nerang

A prized Moreton Bay speedster caught on the TT Switchblade.

Richie Lucker with a chunky threadfin salmon.

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River have been producing good numbers and better quality at night on bait.

For those of you wanting to have some fun on lures with whiting, use some slender profile topwater lures to target the bigger models during the day. It’s a great visual way to fish and it’s great fun on the light string.

The Logan River has been producing a few fish also up around the three green markers at the Lone Pine.

The river is still a little dirty after all the fresh pushing down from the storms we have been receiving. This has flushed a lot of the sharks down towards the mouth, though, and some large sharks have been caught. If you enjoy catching sharks, now’s the time to be out there.

Mangrove jack are in full swing and terrorising baitfish up and down the coast. All bridges, pontoons, snag piles and rock bars will be holding

fish at certain parts of the tides. Look for areas with a lot of tidal run in the middle of the flow and then target these areas as the tide slows.

Low light conditions early in the morning are my favourite for lure fishing and late into the hot balmy nights when live baiting.

We should start seeing the pelagics starting to ramp up in the southern bay, such as school and spotty macks, longtail tuna and mac tuna.

The Navel Banks through to Harries, the sand spit on the western side of Goat Island and the Rainbow Channel are all worth a look. Try and match the hatch and throw small slugs or plastics the same size as what they are feeding on. You can throw bigger stickbaits or plastics at the longies to get better results.

The Brisbane River has been fishing quite well.

There have been plenty of threadfin salmon and the

occasional mulloway caught around the Port. There are still a lot of smaller fish coming from the middle reaches from the well-lit areas at night. The rock bars in the middle reaches along with the sunken wall are producing their fair share of pan-sized juvenile snapper and nice bream.

If you have a great capture from the southern bay area would like to share, email them 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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Southern Junior

Bass turning up in skinny water MORETON BAY

Ryan Smith

Happy New Year to all; I hope you all got to spend some quality time with your families over the festive season and had a few hours on the water. This month I will be talking a little

about how I like to chase bass and what I have learnt so far about the incredible species.

When most people think about bass, they think of dams. However, I love to chase them in the skinny water where casting accuracy is a necessity to get lures right into the nooks and crannies where

a bass might be hanging.

Bass in these areas are competitive, because they don’t know when the next bit of food will come around. This means they are incredibly aggressive and hit lures a lot harder.

Generally, most bass in these small creeks are around the 25cm mark. The odd larger fish around 40cm

The author with a healthy bass on a DUO Shinmushi.

and even bigger will test you on the light gear. Any gear around the 2-4kg with a 2500 reel will suit, and going light with a 1-2kg rod and 1000 sized reel with 3lb leader is another ball game. Throwing $30 lures and the skill of steering fish out away from fallen timber on this gear is an addiction for me.

There are hundreds and hundreds of lures on all tackle shops walls, but which are successful?

Firstly, I think about what a bass in a small creek predominantly feeds on; cicadas and insects are the first things that come to mind.

Cicada imitations are great for this particular situation, as the wings allow the lure to roll through the water creating a small bubble trail behind it. Surface lures can also imitate something like a cicada.

Over time I have found lures that sit flat and horizontal with the top of the water (rather than lures with their tail-end sitting down in the water) work the best.

The bass think the lure is something that has

Jack Burling caught this bass on a white DUO Poco Poco. just recently fallen out of a tree and is injured and just slowly trying to move to a safer place. DUO

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Southern Junior Cicadas are just a few I have in my tackle box.

Slowly winding these lures across the top of the water and adding small amounts of rod movement is my

preferred retrieve.

Soft plastics are also a viable option for bass.

When fishing the skinny water I believe it is a must to run weedless hooks with

Jack Burling with his PB skinny water bass taken on a Keitech 3” Easy Shiner.

Casting surface lures out and slowly rolling them over submerged structure works wonders.

small split shot sinkers in the loop knot. Keitech 3” Easy Shiner, Swing Impact, Crazy Flappers, ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ and the 3” MinnowZ are a few favourites. Casting these right into structure and slow rolling them through sticks and logs is deadly.

When anglers talk about bass fishing, the word ‘barometer’ is always brought up. Barometer is

used to measure the air pressure above sea level.

When I am planning a fishing session I always check what the barometer is doing and I’ve found if the barometer is over 1020, the bass tend to be on the bite.

I hope a few of these tips can get you tangling with some Aussie bass!

Until next month, tight lines and screaming drags!

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Quality pelagic action on offer around Moreton BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

January offers anglers quality pelagic action around Moreton Bay and offshore waters. With species such as mackerel, tuna, mahimahi, wahoo, billfish and others, anglers have been spoilt for choice.

The estuarine systems have had plenty of variety for anglers with mangrove jack, estuary cod, flathead, threadfin and numerous others being prominent.

If you crave crustaceans then get amongst the crabs and prawns in the rivers, estuary and bay. The conditions are hot and so is the fishing, so brave the elements to get your share of this aquatic bounty.

MANGROVE JACK So far the jack numbers have been decent, although not as good as previous years. There has been some exceptional quality with numerous anglers cracking the 60cm barrier this season. Those with the skills, experience and a little luck are getting fish on occasion while anglers new to this exciting angling experience have struggled much of the time and have needed to put in the hours to score a few. January could be a lot different, however, as it often brings late afternoon storms and very humid days.

These climatic attributes often get the jacks really stirred up and they are generally a lot more aggressive and will nail any lure or live bait within their vicinity. Late afternoons, nights and early mornings are prime times to get amongst a few jacks within the creeks, rivers, canal systems and estuaries. Lures cast close to prominent structure such as bridge pylons, pontoons, rock walls, mangrove snags and jetties are more likely to get smashed.

Live baits will also work around these structures, however the water coverage that can be achieved with lures is more likely to result in a strike.

Diving minnow lures and soft plastics (primarily shad and crustacean profiles) are commonly used but soft vibes, blades, topwater offerings and several others have the runs on the board.

ESTUARY COD While chasing jacks, anglers have been getting quite a few estuary cod and even the occasional Queensland groper (the latter is protected and therefore must be released quickly and carefully after 38

JANUARY 2018

While lots of anglers specifically target estuary cod, many are caught as bycatch when targeting jacks. Matt needed a heavy drag, a thumbed spool and a degree of luck to extract this donkey from heavy cover recently. capture). Both these will smash a live bait or lure and many anglers will initially thinking they have hooked a quality jack.

Due to their eating qualities, many will purposely target estuary cod. As cod have a love of crabs, they are commonly found in areas where crabs reside, such as rock walls and rock bars. Banging or rattling a lure across or adjacent to these structures is likely to get your lure ambushed.

Minnow lures can be cranked down until they hit the rocks and then slowly worked across them, preferably bashing into the rocks repeatedly.

Soft plastic shads, prawn and crab profiles can be slow rolled and walked across the structures to elicit a strike. If you like a more relaxed approach then soaking a few live baits or quality dead baits around these rock walls and similar areas will also be worthwhile.

BAY PELAGICS Good numbers of school mackerel were taken during November and December by anglers fishing around the beacons and in the channels adjacent major sand bank systems throughout the bay. I managed a full limit of 10 schoolies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; some to over 75cm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; virtually every trip, after catching and releasing numerous others that did not make the 50cm minimum size. I was mainly working channel areas, however many anglers

managed decent numbers from around the Measured Mile and the structures in the Four Beacons group and those beacons further north of this.

The usually-reliable Rous Channel was fairly hit and miss during this time, as was the Small Ships Channel. Drifting pilchards at the artificial reefs and the outer edges of the Bay Islands also produced a few. The Kianga Channel (Western Rocks area) also held some decent numbers of mackerel at times and was one of the few spots where they were surface feeding.

It was well into December before any decent numbers of spotted mackerel showed up and recently these fish have still been a little patchy at times.

Hopefully January will see the large surface feeding schools that Moreton Bay anglers love to discover.

The action around these feeding conglomerations can be frantic.

Long casts and highspeed retrieves with chromed slugs and slices are the most common way to tangle with a few spotties. Jighead-rigged jerk shad plastics, sinking stickbaits and numerous other quickly retrieved offerings will score on these surface-busting spotties, as well. The occasional longtail and large mac tuna will also be lurking around the fringes and will give you a decent tussle on the lighter mackerel tackle.

Spotties will also be taken

on pilchards drifted around the artificial reefs and outer margins of the Bay Islands.

Even anglers fishing the shallow sand banks for whiting will have the occasional hooked fish eaten by a spotty or school mackerel. Having a spin rod rigged with a chrome slice or a pilchard on ganged hooks will often result in a mackerel bonus.

Some anglers even drift a

more searching. Their numbers can be healthy during January, however there havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been a lot around lately. The major channels are the best places to search for longtails with the Rainbow, Pearl, Kianga and main shipping channels all worth a scan.

Often they will be found with other pelagics such as mackerel and mac tuna.

Live baiting around the beacons and along the edges of major channels with yakkas, slimy mackerel, pike and cowanyoung is a relaxed and effective way to target them, especially the larger specimens in excess of 10kg.

Surface feeding longtails can be targeted with the usual chromed slugs and slices, jigheadrigged jerk shad plastics, and weighted swimming minnows such as the Storm So-Run and Rapala SXRL-12 and 14. Numerous stickbaits including Duo Press Bait 125mm, Zetz Gig 115s, Maria Fla-pen 115mm Shimano Rockslide 120mm, Duel Adagio and Rapala SXRLS-12s can be highly effective and cast well on heavier tackle.

Once I would chase longtails on 6-8kg monofilament, which often resulted in fight times over the hour on larger fish. With sharks a lot more prevalent these days, I prefer to fish heavier (generally 40lb) to subdue them quickly, avoid the noahs and also to be able to release them in a healthy state.

for reef fishing or some small whole fish to rig and troll for Spanish mackerel and other pelagics, casting a few small chromed slugs and slices in their direction should be rewarding.

When salted, the fillet baits can be used as strips for tailor and mulloway in the surf or as cubes for snapper, bream, sweetlip and numerous other species. The frames make great baits for your crab pots due to their high oil content.

BRISBANE RIVER The main target of many anglers fishing the Brisbane River is the threadfin salmon, although there is a lot more on offer. Bream, flathead, estuary cod, snapper, mulloway, sharks and numerous others will be caught with regularity.

The threadies will often school in decent numbers in the lower reaches during the warmer months.

The dredge holes along the retaining wall at the mouth, the submerged ledge just upriver from the sewerage shute, the declines into the main river basin and the areas along the fronts of the major jetties and wharves are good places to look. Side imaging sounders have made this so much easier and anglers know there are fish before they even have a cast.

Soft vibration baits are popular. Hard vibration baits worth using can include an array of blades.

Jighead rigged soft

School mackerel have been plentiful since October and decent numbers of spotties have also shown up in Moreton Bay. High-speed spinning with chromed metal lures is an exciting way to catch either species. pilchard under a float some distance behind the boat to hedge their bets while chasing whiting.

If longtails are more your target then you will probably need to do a little

Mac tuna and bullet tuna (frigates) will also be located regularly, however with other tasty pelagics around few anglers will actually target them. If you want some prime fillet baits

plastics, micro-jigs and minnow lures can all be used successfully to target threadies and several other river inhabitants.

Anchoring along the edges of the main decline

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Cast-netters have been getting into some decent banana prawns in the river systems north of Brisbane. Getting the occasional large black tiger prawn is icing on the cake. into the river basin and deploying live baits is a very relaxed way to fish.

Using live baits such as prawns, herring, mullet and pike, anglers can expect threadfin, mulloway, snapper, large flathead, sharks and several other species. Dead baits can also reward and threadfin are even taken on pillies and dead herring baits at times.

The retaining walls at the mouth of the Brisbane River can hold some quality estuary cod. Rattling lures across the tops of the rocks is one good way to target them. Live and dead baits will also score on cod and a host of other species that can be caught here, especially on an early morning rising tide.

The Claras Rocks area regularly produces snapper, bream, flathead, estuary cod and occasionally mulloway. Drifting over this area casting lures and anchoring and deploying baits are both reliable ways to get connected. Mulloway and threadfin often hold on the outer drop-off, which is almost in line with the beacon. Hopping vibes down this decline is a good way to target these fish, especially around the tide changes when the decreased current makes it a little easier to get your offering to the bottom.

PRAWNS The prawns started early again this year with moderate catches of medium-sized bananas being reported from the Caboolture and Pine Rivers as early as mid-November.

This was probably helped by a few good storms during this period and although you needed to

put in the casts, the results were there for those who persevered. Numbers have increased steadily since then with the average size also improving.

Most of the rivers and creeks on the northern side of Brisbane have been producing and over the next month or two results should improve further south. How good the prawning is will be greatly affected by the rains. Last year the prawns were constant until around August, so hopefully we will see a repeat of that prevalence again this year.

Quality top-pocket-only nets of 3.7m drop make the job a lot easier, although you can secure a feed with any net – it will just take longer.

In the rivers, look in the deeper holes, especially those on the corners. The prawns will settle in the bottoms of these holes, often becoming condensed towards the top of the tide, although this can vary. Remember you are only allowed a 10L limit in possession for each person capable of casting a net.

CRABS With the numerous downpours we have received sporadically over the last few months, the crabbing has been fairly good. The muddies have been available in slightly better numbers as lowering salinity levels higher up in the small creeks and gutters have forced them further out into the estuarine and river system after a good downpour. Setting safety pots in the deeper holes, along the edges of collapsed mangrove banks and at the mouths of small gutters and drains leading out of the

mangrove system will put you in with a great chance.

Sand crabs will also be worth setting a few pots for if previous months have been any indication. Decent numbers have been on offer for those deploying pots along the edges of contours and gutters, in channels and along the edges of major banks systems.

Pots can be set using fish frames, whole mullet, chicken carcasses and a variety of other baits.

Remember to check that your apparatus complies with current regulations before setting out and ensure you know the difference between male and female crabs. Make sure you’re familiar with the correct way to measure each species and the size and bag limits for each.

Breaches can cost you heavy fines.

CONCLUSION As you can tell, there is a seafood smorgasbord on offer for those who make the effort to get out.

Whether you are after a feed of crabs, prawns and fish, or are looking for some sportfishing excitement with pelagics such as mackerel and tuna or tough estuarine adversaries such as threadfin and mangrove jack, January has it all.

Hot conditions promote some great fishing, however you will need to take precautions to avoid the onslaught of sunburn and dehydration while having a day on the water. Turn off the air conditioner, get off the couch and get out into the great outdoors to experience some of the awesome fish and notable experiences on offer within Moreton Bay and its filtering waters.

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Warm blue water brings in summer pelagics numbers and responding well to floatlined pillies in depths from 65-90m. We’ve also been doing a fair bit of live baiting and amberjack, samsonfish, yellowtail kingfish and quality trag jew have been keeping us busy.

The numbers and quality of the trag have been good to see with many over 75cm boated; the largest so far was nearly 90cm.

Solid tuskfish, Moses perch and other mixed reef species are still being caught in reasonable numbers on the shallower reefs around Point Lookout and will continue to be a reasonable option for

BRISBANE OFFSHORE

John Gooding

January normally sees the temperature around Point Lookout and along Moreton Island up around 26-27°C, and along with this warm blue water plenty of baitfish and hungry pelagics come in.

There has been a good start to the pelagic season with plenty of wahoo getting caught in the Cape Moreton and Point Lookout regions and most fish have been caught by anglers high-speed trolling with both skirted and hardbody lures.

It’s very important when trolling for wahoo to make sure the hooks are razorsharp to penetrate their hard beaks. Areas worth a troll include Hutchinson Shoal and the Flinders Reef area off Cape Moreton and down off Point Lookout. Sevens Reef and out around the wave rider buoy will produce their fair share of fish.

Spanish mackerel numbers should also increase in the Point Lookout area with the traditional start of the season in the last week of December. Early season

A quality bag of fish that kept this group busy.

A solid yellowtail kingfish that nailed a livey.

Spaniards respond well to trolled gar, and slow trolled live baits will also work well.

Depths of 10-15m around the shallow coffee rock reefs along the front of Moreton Island will be worth a look for both Spanish and school mackerel. Find the bait schools in the shallow water and you’ll find the mackerel.

The wave rider buoy off Point Lookout will see plenty of mahimahi hanging around it. If you’re bottom fishing with a sea anchor out, keep en eye out in case if they turn up unexpectedly.

Lately on charter we’ve still predominantly been bottom fishing. Snapper have still been in good

Clyde with a quality snapper from the 35s.

a feed over the next couple of months.

Overall January can be a very productive month east of the South Passage bar for both perlagics and bottom fish, especially if we get an extended run of good weather and that warm blue water pushes the bait in close.

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

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NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

The New Year brings the perfect opportunity to test drive your new fishing toys from Santa. January is the time to hit your favourite spot in the northern bay as fishing has really picked up since the weather has been hotter and more humid.

Overall the weather in the northern bay hasn’t been kind over the last month with rains and solid

southeasters populating the forecast for weeks on end.

These conditions have forced anglers into the rivers and creeks with bream, flathead and sand whiting giving them plenty to talk about.

The freshwater has really fired the estuary fishing with prawns and small baitfish being flushed out on a regular basis. This has made up for the late start to the annual prawn run we usual get late in the year.

Persistent prawn netters have still been getting good bags through areas like the Pine

and Caboolture rivers, and their hard work has paid off.

Another consistent species of late has been sand crabs in Deception and Bramble bays. These areas have resembled a rally car circuit with the amount of crab floats populating the water. On an unfortunate note, there have been reports of some people checking others people’s pots – it is sad that this highly illegal practice occurs in our waters.

The main channel of the Pumicestone has also been crabbing well with many

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The hot weather has fired up the rivers and has produced some great fishing. anglers being rewarded in a short time.

As per usual, another hot topic at this time of the year has been the river bully itself the mangrove jack. It’s the Holy Grail to some, as their presence is far and few between in the northern bay, but the estuary systems have been reporting catches on soft plastics and live baits. ZMan 4” SwimmerZ rigged on a 4/0 TT HeadlockZ jighead has been the popular choice with houdini and pearl white working well in our estuaries.

As for spots (I have been sworn to secrecy!) but all I can say is it’s the same rivers I previously mentioned that are holding good prawns… I will leave the rest up to your summation.

Sand whiting numbers have been good lately, with the open beaches facing the bay producing the better numbers over last month’s southerly winds.

Margate Beach has been a consistent performer with Buckleys Hole and Red Beach producing for the Bribie locals. Hays Inlet

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and the lower reaches of the Pine River have also reported catches. As per usual, bloodworms have been the popular choice of bait with squid also being effective at times.

Summer is always a time for the predatory speedsters to hit our bay, with spotty mackerel and tailor reported

in wider waters. Off the southern end of Bribie has been the pick for the spotty mackerel with the tailor being more present around Redcliffe Peninsula and the lower reaches of the Pumicestone and even to Sandstone Point.

Bream numbers have been good this summer with high water temperatures providing good surface action for many anglers.

Daiwa Slippery Dog 65F, Ecogear PX55F, LuckyCraft NW Pencil and OSP Bent Minnows have been amongst the favourites for bream, with high tides the primetime as it gives the bream an opportunity to chase bait in the shallows. Ningi Flats, Cooks Rocks, Deception Bay, North Reef and Clontarf are amongst the choice top water spots this summer.

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Steve and Kelly Simmonson with the result of a double hook-up. They landed these two cobia recently fishing around the back of Great Keppel Island.

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The Sunshine Coast rivers have been firing NOOSA

Peter Wells

The Sunshine Coast river systems are all fishing extremely well after all the rain. Now that the water has warmed, some of those great summer species that we love to target have really come into their own.

couple of standouts being the Bassday Crystal Pops in the 30mm and 50mm size and the River2Sea Bubble Pops in 50mm.

If you’re chasing jacks in the Noosa River, try concentrating your efforts along any rock bar, rocky points, bridges and timbered areas, as these fish love to hang around where there is

Graeme did battle with this cracking mahimahi from one of the close reefs just off Caloundra.

Summer whiting are in good numbers in all the systems; the Frying Pan in Noosa is one of the hotspots.

Worms are the gun bait (blood or sandworms) along with saltwater yabbies and pipis. Surface lures have also been working with a

an abundance of structure.

The entrances to the first and second lakes upriver are perfect. Trolling deep diving hardbody lures around the 70-100mm size is ideal as is casting soft vibe lures.

My preferred lures to use would be the Lively Lures

or a deep diving Rapala Shadow Raps, Samaki Thumpers and Jackall Transams. These hardbody lures are slow rising so they are also perfect for casting at structure as well as trolling and the soft vibes are good because they have such a lifelike presence/action, making them irresistible to predatory fish. Remember when trolling to twitch your rod tip every few seconds to impart even more action to the lure.

Mud crabs have also been in good numbers with some nice bucks caught and put on the Christmas tables last month as part of the good old Aussie Christmas seafood feast. Fresh mullet chunks are the best bait to use when chasing a feed of mud crabs.

The annual barramundi closed season along Queensland’s east coast is still effective until midday 1 February. It’s important that these fish are not targeted for catch and release during the closed season as the stress caused to the fish during capture may actually prevent the fish from spawning.

Any anglers found taking barramundi during the closed season could face serious fines!

Dave Tunnington picked up this great cobia fishing from his kayak around the Jew Shoals area. Dave was slow trolling a pilchard.

Offshore it’s all about the pelagics! Mahimahi, mackerel, tuna and even marlin are all firing off the Sunshine Coast! The Sunshine Coast offshore fishing scene has been unreal with the longtail tuna, cobia and mulloway going off, along with great numbers of spotty and Spanish

to mackerel. The best areas out of Noosa to troll these lures are North Reef, Jew Shoal and up at Double Island Point.

If you’re heading out of Mooloolaba, try Coolum Reef, Old Woman Island and Currimundi Reef. Pop into any Davo’s tackle store and ask about our fantastic lure

Milan Milne has been fishing the canals around Maroochy Waters and picking up some stonking bream around the pontoons.

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mackerel. It’s starting to look like it’s going to be a ripper season this year.

With the warm currents making their way down the coast we are starting to see larger trophy-size Spanish mackerel, wahoo and big tuna being landed by some lucky anglers.

When fishing, keep an eye out for bird activity as they hunt for baitfish, which also attract all the blue water species you want to fish for and take home in an esky for dinner. When it comes to enticing big pelagic fish, you can’t go past lures like the Spanish Special Lures.

They have been a favourite for pelagic fishers for a number of years on the Sunshine Coast. These lures have been the undoing of many trophy size Spanish mackerel, wahoo and plenty of longtail tuna.

The Halco 190 Laser Pro STD in colour 1250 is another great lure choice.

This lure runs just under the surface at 7 knots and is coloured specifically for this area, making it irresistible

range and ask our staff what lures you’ll need to target your favourite species of fish – you won’t regret it.

For the bait anglers, the good old pilchard floater along with tinsel head over the top of your bait is always a good way to go. The tinsel heads are really effective as mackerel have very sharp eyes and can see them from a mile away. Always remember to berley when

floating baits, as it makes a huge difference. For the anglers who love working the reefs, good old Sunshine Reef has again come up with the goods with some cracker coral trout, sweetlip, cod and juvenile snapper.

Up on North Reef, anglers have tangled with some lovely mulloway, sweetlip, pearl perch, cobia and Maori cod. For the anglers who are heading up towards Double Island, beautiful big red emperor are always on their minds. This area has fished extremely well for all other reef species as well though with anglers reporting an abundance of quality fish around with some solid cobia and mahimahi being the talk of the town.

On the beach, the Noosa North Shore is still seeing the odd tailor, whiting, flathead, bream and dart in the closer gutters with mulloway also being picked up at night or in the early morning. A great way to fish the beach is to head up there on the low tide keeping an eye out for those gutters. While you are there, get to work and pull a few worms. Our beaches have a few on them at the moment with pipis also being plentiful.

As the tide starts to move in, cast those baits to the back of the gutter and roll the bait into the gutter under the white water.

This is the area where the fish love to sit waiting for a passing morsel. The mulloway anglers using large baits like fresh mullet, fresh tailor fillets and large clumps of worms have done well landing some quality fish in both great sizes and numbers.

• From the team at our three Davo’s Stores, we hope you had a great Christmas and a very fishy New Year. Now for all the latest information log onto www.fishingnoosa. com.au for up to date bar and fishing reports and don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World in Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait and Tackle at Marcoola to find out where the fish are biting.

Milan with another awesome bream.

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Online fishing courses… say what?

After his best mate died of sun cancer, fishing guide Ryan Moody decided it was time to get out of the sun.

“Bryan’s death forced me to look outside the box at how I could continue to use my knowledge to help people catch trophy fish, without baking in the sun 24/7,” said the acclaimed fishing guide of 30 years.

“My wife has a couple of university degrees and

The two newest courses, Sounder Skills 1 and Finding Fingermark, are the result of innumerable requests via social media channels from fans and followers.

“The community that has grown up around us is one of the best parts of the new Fish Smarter business,” said Moody. “The appreciation I receive from students for sharing my knowledge is so very rewarding. We are

creating more Fish Smarter online fishing courses.”

Enrolments into the next intake of Barra Basics will occur from 1-12 February 2018. Smaller courses are available for enrolment all year round. Free mini-courses such as the Barra Strategies Workshop and Sounder Interpretation Presentation are available at no cost.

• For more information email: info@ryanmoodyfishing.

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Barra Basics student Ben Weston with a 126cm saltwater barra caught after following Ryan’s framework. compiling my knowledge into an online fishing course was actually her idea. But we really have been blown away at how it’s taken off.”

After catching over 2000 massive 1m+ saltwater barra in a stellar career, Moody knows a thing or two about barra. The couple’s first course – Barra Basics – now has over 700 students from all over Australia and two from overseas.

“People are often perplexed about how we can teach fishing online,” laughed co-creator Karen Rudkin-Moody. “But fishing is more than just winding in the line or tying on hook. It’s about knowing your quarry and fishing with strategy.

We created a patented one-page fishing framework for each species so students can take the information and apply it anywhere. The easy to follow nature of the framework is what makes our courses so successful.”

Buoyed by the ability of Barra Basics students to catch quality fish almost immediately, the couple have since gone on to create five courses varying in price from $50 to $1300, all housed on their new Fish Smarter website.

the first ones in the world to do something like this and because it’s so worthwhile, I’m giving up charters in 2018 to focus 100% on

com or check out www. ryanmoodyfishing.com, www.barrabasics.com and www.fishsmarter.com.au. – Ryan Moody Fishing

“The community that has grown up around us is one of the best parts of the new Fish Smarter business,” said Moody. Photo courtesy of Matt Young.

JANUARY 2018

47

Pumping yabbies for some summer bait fishing FMG

Ethan Sondergeld

Often, anglers are faced with the question of what bait to use to catch fish such as bream, flathead,

whiting and other estuary dwellers.

My answer is saltwater yabbies, which in my opinion are one of the top baits. But when you’re first starting out, getting your hands on yabbies can sometimes prove

to be quite difficult, so before you go out and get yourself into a huff I have five simple steps to help you find some saltwater yabbies.

STEP 1: THE TIDE The best tide to collect yabbies is the bottom of the

The bottom of the tide exposes the habitat you should be looking for when after yabbies.

While some like to use a sieve for pumping yabbies, it’s easy enough to just pump the mud and sand out onto the bank and pick the yabbies up off the ground.

The pump is the most important tool in the process, and they are fairly inexpensive.

This is what you’re after – saltwater yabbies. They’re excellent estuary bait that few fish can pass up.

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bottom of the tide, or low tide. This exposes all the sandbars where yabbies can be collected.

STEP 2: WHAT SANDBAR? When cruising around at low tide the number of

JANUARY 2018

sandbars to choose from can be quite overwhelming. To find the right sandbar, look for one that is last to become exposed on the outgoing tide and has mud and sand mixed together. This sand and mud composition holds onto moisture longer. One last thing that is vital to you finding yabbies are little holes all over the sandbar, which are the yabby holes, and obviously the more holes, the more yabbies there’ll be.

STEP 3: THE PUMP The equipment you’ll need is a bucket and a sieve, which can be bought from most tackle stores, and a yabby pump which you can pick up for around $50-70.

To use the pump, you simply push the bottom end into the sand so that it is almost fully submerged, and while doing this pull the handle up. In doing this you are sucking the yabbies up and into the pump. Then pull the pump out and spray the content on the sand beside you, or into the sieve if you have one.

Now this may sound easy, but for your first few times it may prove to be difficult. If you keep at it you will get it, and you will work out that it is all about timing.

STEP 4: PICKING UP THE YABBIES After you have

successfully sprayed out yabbies from your pump, you then have to pick them up.

There is no special way about doing this, I just pick them up and put them straight into a bucket. If you are worried about getting pinched by the claws, then the best way to pick them up just behind the head, squeezing gently. Just remember that if the kids are helping that you teach them the safe way to pick the yabbies up.

STEP 5: KEEPING YABBIES ALIVE FOR LONGER THAN A DAY To successfully keep your bait alive for longer than a day is quite simple.

You must first give them clean saltwater every day, keep them in a cool place and have a constant supply of aerated water, which can be done with a simple and affordable aquarium aerator, or you can buy a portable air pump from any tackle store for about $10. One other little tip is to put the yabbies into a styrofoam box or anything similar and elevate at one end so that there is a bit of the box that is dry, and this allows them crawl out and get their own air when needed.

Make sure you only take what you need so that there is always fresh bait at your fingertips.

This is how the author choses to keep his yabbies alive for days at a time. The slant in the box allows them to crawl out of the water should they want a bit of air.

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New year, new places and new fish to find HERVEY BAY

Dane Radosevic

A new year brings new goals and hopes of ticking off more bucket list species and exploring some new and incredible destinations.

Let’s hope for bent rods and screaming drags in 2018 – bring it on!

The Fraser Coast had a relatively wet start to December, which contributed to more fresh running throughout the systems.

Fortunately it didn’t affect the fishing as much this time around and in turn it created an awesome fishery for January. The inshore reefs have been firing with many anglers being rewarded for their efforts with a tasty feed of mixed reef fish on the building tides leading up to the moons.

The main target species on offer has been grassy sweetlip; they have been prolific over the shallower reefs, wrecks and deeper channels. Those opting to fish baits will usually be rewarded with greater

Kurtis Muller with a trophy-size bluey he extracted from a local reef. rig of choice is the standard running ball sinker rig with sinker size chosen according

Nathan with a smaller spotted mackerel that was fooled by a well-presented fly. numbers, although some of the better quality fish have been taken on soft plastics.

Fresh bait is always best with bonito fillets, local pencil squid, prawns, herring and pike working a treat.

The option to berley on the smaller tides will also pay dividends, as over the shallower reefs it can draw the fish in from around the surrounding area and create a feeding frenzy. The ideal

been rewarded with good results. Boat positioning and live bait presentation are very crucial and it pays to get them right the first time around Another option that has been very effective is trolling hardbodies that dive to depths of 2-3m, allowing you to cover more ground faster.

By-catches are common for this method with sweetlip and mixed pelagic species like trevally and mackerel often intercepting the lures somewhere along the way.

One species that Hervey Bay is renowned for is the black-spot tuskfish, better known as ‘blueys’ to locals.

The shallower inshore reefs, ledges and patches of coffee rock have seen good numbers

such thing as a finesse or light tackle option when targeting this species, as they are known for busting off unprepared anglers very quickly. As such, most anglers gear up with heavy hand lines.

The local jack population continues to fire; very hot, muggy days have been coinciding with afternoon rain and storms, making the jacks more aggressive. The Burrum River systems have been producing some stonker fish and the neap tides around the quarter moon period are when you want to hit these larger systems, as they are less affected by the tidal influence and in turn the water clarity is better, so presenting a lure or bait is easier.

Live and slab baits floated into a snag on a snelled rig or over a rock bar continue to produce good fish with the afternoon and evening bite period fishing best. Lure addicts have also been getting stuck into the jacks with those opting to fish either a prawn or paddletail presentation achieving the best results.

Grunter have been prolific and can be found in quite good numbers sitting in the back eddies of rock bars, in the deeper holes with a bend and also on the shallow flats around the islands. Live yabbies, prawns or strips of mullet are all great baits to use when chasing a feed of grunter as they have exceptional eating qualities. Otherwise, small shrimp and curl-tail soft plastics work a treat in white or bloodworm colours.

A good early wet season will see a significant spawning of banana prawns in the upper reaches of

to the depth of water and tidal influence. Less is best, as it gives the bait a more natural presentation. For those opting to work a lure, soft plastic presentations such as 3-4” curl-tail or paddle-tail shapes are ideal.

Cod and coral trout have also been a regular catch in similar areas over the shallow reefs and local wrecks. Anglers taking the time to collect live baits have

Josh has been getting stuck into the local jack population!

59 Torquay Rd, Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Ph: (07) 4128 1022

www.fishostackleworld.com.au info@fishostackleworld.com.au 50

JANUARY 2018

of these fish congregating and feeding hard around the larger tides with some great fish being caught.

It’s no secret to locals that live or fresh crabs are the ideal baits. There is no

the system with reports of good size prawns being caught in late November.

Just remember there is a possession limit of one 10L bucket per person. Crabs are a year-round option on the

Fraser Coast, however they are marginally better during the warmer and wetter months, which should see prolific numbers through January, provided they didn’t get too heavily pressured over the Christmas period.

Threadfin salmon will also be a major drawcard to the Mary and Susan river systems throughout January and the technique for targeting them will vary depending on the moon cycle and tides. The larger building

mackerel in Platypus Bay and some days the schools were that thick you could almost walk across them.

We should continue to see this amazing run of fish this month.

With the majority of fish being a better-than-average class, many anglers have been rewarded with some line-burning action and a tasty treat destined for the smoker box at the end of the day. Smaller 30-40g metal slugs in shiny chrome

The author with a decent inshore trout he caught while tea-bagging a soft plastic across a ledge. tides around the moons will see the threadfin terrorising the creeks and drains on the last of the run-out, as they gorge themselves on the abundance of jelly prawns and baitfish being flushed out.

In this feeding pattern they can be quite difficult to tempt, as it is quite hard to match the hatch when they’re feeding on small jelly prawns. Smaller shallow diving hardbodies such as the Bomber 13A and Rapala X10s are proven performers, as are 3-4” soft plastics in gold or white. These lures by no means match the hatch, but they draw more of a reaction strike.

On the smaller neap tides where there is less tidal influence we should see good numbers of fish congregating upstream throughout the main river course and in the deeper holes. Anchoring up and fishing live baits is a very successful method.

Drifting over the schools of fish hopping soft vibes has been the ‘go-to’ technique in recent times.

I’d hate to be a baitfish at this time of year; as the water temperatures are getting hotter, so is the pelagic scene around Platypus Bay and Rooneys. Throughout December we experienced a fantastic run of spotted

patterns have been working best and a quick tip is to change your original treble over to a single hook, for easier and safer handling once in the boat.

Mac tuna have also been prolific and they are taking full advantage of the masses of bait around. As we lead into January, we should start to see the first of our annual run of longtail tuna schools starting to arrive as they make Platypus Bay home for the next few months.

Breaksea Spit and beyond has definitely drawn some attention over the past few months with double-figure days on the blue marlin being quite a regular occurrence for the more switched on crews and there were even a few grand-slams achieved. There have also been incredible numbers of large yellowfin, wahoo and mahimahi being caught as by-catch when trolling for the billfish.

Areas south of the Two-Mile crossing down towards the Waddy Point Canyons have been producing the best results, however it always pays to monitor and pay close attention to your charts.

Fingers crossed we get blessed with another fantastic year of weather like the one we just had, so we all can get out and hit the water.

Managing good catches with unstable weather RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

The weather is a little unstable now but we are managing a few good days in between.

Offshore, there is still some very good fishing, particularly in close with big catches of pearl perch. Some days anglers are bagging out by 7.30am. Plastics and cut baits are working the best.

Snapper have been

Harry and Matt with a great bag of pearl perch.

slower lately, but the fish we have caught are great quality.

Spanish mackerel have also made a show. They’re only small ones, which is normal at the start – the size will increase. Hardbody lures are doing the trick on the Spaniards.

Out wider some quality red emperor are on offer and live slimy mackerel will increase your chances big time.

On the beach, there have been nice catches of whiting along the beach. A couple of gutters near the Rainbow Shores track have been holding good whiting and bream – the only problem there has been patches of weed now and then.

In the Great Sandy Straits, mangrove jack continues to be the best target with great numbers caught in all the creeks.

The author with a cracking Rainbow Beach red emperor.

Live herring are the first choice bait. Flathead and whiting are also on the bite on the bottom end of Fraser Island. January should see the mackerel numbers climb,

especially spotted mackerel, and we are all ready.

To all the QFM team, readers and my clients, have a happy and safe new year with awesome fishing.

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

Fun fishing following the flush BUNDABERG

Tim Mulhall

More than a month after the huge rain event in October, the river systems were just starting to come good when the heavens opened again. It was very frustrating; just when you start to catch some lovely jacks, the fresh comes through and it’s all over!

This fresh meant that

are also quite a few flathead about, along with a big run of really nice size bream.

The guys have been having a ball on the bream, catching good specimens on small soft plastics. Some of the bream have been up to 40cm long, which is pretty good for this time of year. They’re actually there in good numbers as well, and are one of the most easily targeted species at the moment.

It’s been good news for the crabbers too, as the fresh has

(the 65mm Squidgy Fish in the silver fox colour has been the standout). The average size is good, with the biggest bass caught lately measuring 54cm.

Most of the saratoga have been taken on spinnerbaits, with a few being caught on topwater lures early in the morning. The average size is 40-60cm, and in the near future this will be a great little lake, that’s for sure.

In Monduran, small barra around 50-70cm are being caught up in the B section around the standing timber on the edge of the creek beds.

Most fish are being taken on small hardbody suspending lures like Jackall Squirrels and Lucky Craft Pointers. The best times are early to mid morning and just on dark.

Offshore has been fishing really well lately, with the fish feeding heavily after the spawning closures. The offshore shoals are yielding good numbers of coral trout

and red emperor in around 35-40m of water. There are some big sweetlip and tuskfish mixed in as well. The key to reliable catches is to use really nice large fresh baits.

Large squid baits are the top pick, followed by good quality flesh baits.

A lot of these same areas are holding good numbers of Spanish mackerel, so it’s well worth floating out a livie while you’re reef fishing. Big cobia are around as well.

THE MONTH AHEAD If conditions are right, in January we should see a run of school mackerel around the dirty current line, where the fresh coming out of the river meets the cleaner saltwater.

Mac tuna and northern bluefin tuna also like to prowl the dirty water line. You can catch them high speed spinning with metal lures, or try letting a white soft plastic sink into the school.

If the water cleans up in the rivers, the fishing there should

flushed the muddies out of the system and pushed them down to the mouth.

Another option has been to fish at Monduran or Gregory (Isis). Lake Gregory in particular has been fishing really well, with great catches of bass and even saratoga.

Most of the bass are being caught early in the morning on spinnerbaits slow rolled around the weed edges. A reliable choice on the lake is the Bassman Carl’s Compact in natural colours.

As the day progresses and the fish school up a bit deeper, you can jig them up on small metal blades or soft plastics

bounce back really quickly.

We can expect the threadfin salmon to turn up, because all the prawns will push back up the river. Mangrove jacks, which sulk during the fresh, will come back on and be eager to feed.

The rivers clearing up means a lot of the inshore coastal reefs should fire back up too. The smaller boat brigade can have good sessions on smaller reef fish like squiresize snapper and sweetlip.

MARINE

Ben Cole with a cracker grunter. in December anglers had to concentrate their efforts around the river mouth, looking for the cleaner saltwater pushing up.

Fortunately, there have been some good fish playing the game around the mouth, including a heap of big grunter. Most have been caught on fresh prawns, followed by smelly strip baits such as mullet fillets. All you need to do is put them on a 2/0 or 3/0 hook, send them down to the bottom and wait.

There are good numbers at the moment so it’s not hard to catch a feed.

Down at the mouth there

The author with a solid little Monduran barra.

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You can also contact them on 1800 822 553, check out their online store at www.tackleworldbundy. com.au or look them up on Facebook at w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / TackleWorldBundaberg.

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Corey Hanks was happy with this lovely bass.

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Fishing after long period of stormy weather LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

After a very wet start to the season, Lake Monduran has finally stopped spilling and the dam’s level settled recently at 100%. The fishing has been a bit tough, due to the stormy rain periods and variable winds that we had through

November and December.

In saying this, there are little windows of opportunity when the barra get active and feed. There have been a few success stories post-flood.

Just recently a few keen anglers from North Brisbane took advantage of some major bite times and came up with the goods, boating up to 16 barra per session on two separate occasions.

of this beautiful holiday park at this awesome holiday destination.

Over the years we have met many wonderful holidaymakers that come here to chase big barra, kayak,

visited us in the past and we would like to welcome you all here again in the future.

• You can contact our helpful staff for camping and accommodation enquiries on (07) 4157 3881

There have been quite a few barra success stories post-flood.

Predicted bite times can be taken from most anglers almanacs; these times are based on a combination of tides, moon phases, sunrises and sunsets and give you an optimum fishing time throughout any particular day of the month. All these factors play a big part in tidal fishing.

While a lake isn’t tidal, these predicted bite times have There are little windows of opportunity when the barra get active and feed.

Von Ireland

Filling in for regular reporter Von Ireland is her niece Pee Wee, who was taking care of the shop while Von was away.

I wrote this article on behalf of Von, who is out discovering the other great wonders of our country.

I thought I’d sneak in and pinch a piece of her paradise.

The track into Stanage can’t be faulted. Road works

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or email info@lakem.com. au or contact me regarding fishing info on 0410 599 147 or follow my Facebook page Lake Monduran Guidelines Fishing Charters.

Large prawns have been a favourite of the black jew lately.

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water ski, bird watch and just to simply sit back and relax by the fire. Monduran is a place for the whole family, so we would like to thank all the holidaymakers that have

you, as the Jew Hole in Stanage Bay is going crazy with activity. The black jewfish are starving, so make sure you present them with a fully loaded hook.

Large prawns are a favourite amongst them.

If you’re up for the challenge, the Percys have a whole assortment of reefies on the bite, in particular the red emperor and nannygai.

The odd bream has been caught in and around the bay and if you have the patience for flicking lures, threadfin

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Despite recent heavy rains, things will start to look up this month.

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proven to be very accurate in pinpointing these times in impoundments over the years.

My wife Kelly and I have been managing Lake Monduran Holiday Park for 12 years now. After many years of uncertainty towards our long-term positions and lengthy negotiations, we are now happy to say that we have secured the ownership

Pecka with a pair of black jewfish for the table. have just been completed, so the road is in excellent condition for the entire trip.

If it’s a comfortable journey you’re after, now’s the time.

Be sure to bring the big gear and eskies with

salmon are hanging around Porters Creek.

Muddies are a bit on the quiet side, but their size makes up for their numbers.

The boat ramp has been graded and is also in

excellent condition. Be sure to be first on the water to jag a close park. The ramp has been chockers with keen anglers from all over, mostly on the hunt for the black jewfish.

Mozzies and sandflies have been few and far between, making this time of year even more pleasant.

As we approach the end of the holidays we need to remember to keep being responsible in our waterways.

Limit the amount of alcohol consumption on board and keep a clear head, so everyone comes home safe.

Now we wait to see what Mother Nature will provide for the wet season.

Here’s hoping for some decent freshwater to bring on those muddies Stanage is renowned for.

Stay safe, everyone, and may the fish be plentiful.

• Don’t miss out on the amazing fishing and crabbing at Stanage Bay! Call us at Stanage Bay Marine & Accommodation on (07) 4937 3145, check out www.stanagebay.com, email stanagebaymarine@ bigpond.com or look us up on Facebook.

Reef species turning it on GLADSTONE

Liam Jones

December gave us a bit of everything: rain, wind, storms, glass-outs and everything in between.

We were lucky enough to have a few days before Christmas where the winds dropped below 10 knots for the first time in a long time. Those that were lucky enough to get out had to work pretty hard and were rewarded with some big redthroat and trout.

Its that’s time of year when the redthroat and trout really fire up and chew on just about anything thrown in front of them. They will move right up into the shallows over the bigger tides and make for some extremely fun and brutal fishing.

Hitting surface poppers and stickbaits in less than 2m of water makes for some pretty challenging work for the angler. This is where gear can’t let you down, so that extra hundred or two you spent on the rod and reel will certainly pay off!

We had a small run

good impact on the overall outlook of things. Barra are having the perfect opportunity to breed uninterrupted in just about every estuary system in central Queensland.

The jacks have been hitting hard and they all seem to be a bigger class of fish than in previous years.

fish-holding structure.

I’ve caught plenty of big golden snapper when trolling over rocky outcrops looking for fish.

Black jewfish have been really hit and miss through December but I’d expect them to start firing up as we move into the year, providing they don’t

Riley O’Neal caught and released this 58cm cod in the Gladstone marina. the steady rain we have had it has been very poor compared to what it has in previous years. Until the government has a serious buy-back of commercial licenses, I can’t see this changing in a hurry. There are simply too many pots in the water to wash out any crabs. The ones that do come on are caught pretty quickly.

As we move through the new year, little should change from the previous few weeks. Whether or not we get rain will have the biggest impact on how the area fishes. If we get some good weather, the offshore fishing should be at its best. With XOS redthroat schooling in big numbers expect some great sessions.

When it comes to this stuff fresh, local bait is always

Jacks Boric caught this GT while product testing a Nitro Rods Popping rod prototype.

Ryan Bellert christened his new combo with a solid red in the recent good weather. of black marlin inside the reef in November and early December. These little marlin are a lot of fun on light gear and put on a very entertaining show. Most of the fish seemed to come from just north of Northwest Island in the gutter country.

Small skirts in blues and purples were the standout lures. I would expect most of these fish to have well and truly moved through to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast by now.

Inshore things have been pretty good. We had a steady fresh flow in most creeks for the whole month of December, which can limit the fishable areas, but it’s certainly having a

along with Wild Cattle Creek and the Boyne River.

These creeks and rivers are probably the least affected from the fresh flow and have been fishing really well.

Reports of 6-7 jacks a session have been coming out of the Boyne River over the past few weeks. Expect this to continue throughout

Surface fishing has been the standout on all my recent trips chasing jacks.

Colosseum Inlet has been fishing well for jacks

January and February. Just about any rocky structure in the Boyne River is worth throwing a lure at for a jack.

For early morning and late afternoon sessions surface walkers and poppers make for some very exciting fishing, and by-catches of queenfish, trevally and salmon will keep you entertained when the jacks aren’t playing the game.

The harbour has been fishing well for golden snapper over the past few weeks. Deep rocky structure and rocky pressure points are where the fish are holding. Big 6” and 7” plastics like Castaics, Lunker Citys and Happy Rocks have been the standouts, and suspending deep diving hardbodies like Jackall Squirrels, Imakatsu Pump-Rs and Yakamito Sirens will get the job done and don’t make for a bad option to tow around while you’re looking for some

get too much pressure.

Awoonga is still fishing amazing. While the fish aren’t huge, they certainly make up for it in numbers.

They’re hitting hard and putting on a show. Early morning surface bites have been the standout. As sun moves higher in the sky the fish have been sitting a little deeper where Duo Realis 100s and 90mm Hyper Jerks have been getting the bites.

Crabs have been very hit and miss once again – more miss than hit, unfortunately! Considering

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best and can make the difference between a good trip and a great trip.

Remember, January is still closed to barramundi fishing so if you want to catch a barra the only places you can target them are stocked impoundments.

If you do manage to catch a barra in the salt, do your best to return it to the water in the best possible condition. I expect this year’s opening will be an absolute cracker.

• 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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Rockhampton’s holiday fishing crowd influx ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

We had some ripper weather over December, allowing many anglers to

venture offshore for some great results. The spurts of rain in November helped the estuaries really fire up the fishing and crabbing.

One thing to keep in mind when planning your holiday fishing trips is the

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influx of people. During the holidays, trying somewhere different to the norm can lead to great results! With the amount of great fishing offshore, in the estuaries and in the fresh over December, January is shaping up to be a ripper month for fishing!

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there have been reports of plenty of threadies, blue salmon, grunter and golden snapper around the river mouth and all the branching creeks in that region. The town reaches have also been holding a good population of threadfin and grunter. The salmon have been going well on lightly weighted plastics, prawn patterns and the everdominant soft vibe lures.

There have been numerous mangrove jack caught around the area recently; most of them have been taken on soft plastics and lures like the ZMan SwimmerZ 4” in red shad seem to be doing the job time and time again. There are plenty of small mullet around the ramps lately, all around that 7cm mark, making them perfect predator lollies, especially for the big bull sharks in the river.

INSHORE REGIONS Keppel Bay has had some great fishing opportunities lately; the weather has been much better than usual for this time of year.

There have been plenty of mackerel caught on the troll and GTs caught on poppers and stickbaits. The most impressive part is the size of the reefies being pulled up on light gear and jigs lately.

Getting into the light tackle jigging isn’t hard – you can even have a crack with a typical 6ft barra rod and 4000 sized reel to suit. The Secret Spot bait and tackle shop in Yeppoon often holds free seminars with some of the top advocates for this style of fishing.

RIVERS, CREEKS AND BEACHES In the creeks and on the beaches, there has been a really good number of flathead lurking around, especially for this time of year. Grunter haven’t been an issue to target either and have even been schooling up hard against mangrove edges. Whiting have been a consistent catch over the shallows on both lures and lightly-weighted yabbies

prime freshwater fishing conditions. The key lures lately have all been surface lures in the 6-8cm range.

The technique anglers use for the most reaction strikes is a big pop then a long pause followed by a smaller pop and short pause – just rinse and repeat. When they are fired up and actively feeding, a constant small pop and medium slow retrieve gets the goods on poppers; a walk-the-dog technique on the smaller stickbaits works well too. As usual for this time of year, the hour before and two hours after sunset seem to be the most productive times.

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

A perfect pigeon-pair double hook up on a recent trip. pumped from the yabby beds. Bream have been a common catch around the inlets, feeder creeks and rubble patches; they have been hitting pretty much anything thrown at them.

FRESHWATER LAGOONS The freshwater has been on fire lately. An afternoon storm every now and then along with a bit of water influx has certainly created

meat. With all the summer sales, crab pots are cheap as ever, making it an affordable day on the water for anyone to give it go! Crabbing is a great in-between method of getting a catch while out having a fish. I know many people who go crabbing without wetting a line, but for me a few pots out is just another bit of fun while out chasing a prized catch on rod and reel.

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Bernie got onto some quality small mouth nannygai using a Slug150 slow pitch jig.

Variety of reefies on the chew YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

The near reef country is firing at the moment as we are having bumper seasons with a fair variety of species, like grassy sweetlip, spangled emperor, coral trout, blackspot tuskfish, redthroat emperor, largemouth nannygai, gold band jobfish, red emperor and a few pearl perch.

Over the warmer months it is quite common to get these fish in reasonably close to the islands and just outside the bay.

I get plenty of correspondence from anglers asking why they can’t get them; when fishing close shallow waters it is very important to be at your location before sun up to get that first morning bite. We have found that you only get one chance to score fish and starting late or dropping a fish will often mean your chance has gone.

I like to be at the bait grounds ready to go while it is still dark using bait jigs to pick up a few scad before heading wide. As soon as the first scad comes on board, it’s sent back down with a 6/0 circle through its back just under the dorsal fin. We seem to get one or two quality reds or largemouth nannies before they shutdown as the sun pops fully above the horizon. The baitfish are there most of the time, so we get an opportunity to top up the live tanks for another half hour or so.

Working the tides can be important once you are out in the deep water, as much for ease of fishing as for timing the bite. Reds and sweeties prefer a little bit of run while coral trout are more inclined to chew when the run starts

to slow down. Live baits can rule out pickers and triggerfish, which can be super annoying when they inhabit the same grounds as reds. You hear lots of stories and there is a fine line between the truth and bull.

One of the stories is that where you catch triggers during the

the deeper spots we fish don’t even appear to vary that much across the tidal range at all.

The mackerels, cobia, tuna and the other pelagics have been going well and will be about for the rest of the month at least. The lack of big rains has allowed the bait

Arthur Kohler caught this large spangled emperor wide of Yeppoon. day, you’ll get reds at night.

On a recent filming trip we proved that story to be correct.

There were quite a number of triggers between the reds at one of our wide areas and as soon as the light began to fade, the triggers all made themselves a nest in the sand and shut up shop for the day. That was when the big reds moved in and came on the chew pretty well as dark fell. The tides and the time were both right to catch fish so this also played in our favour. There is also a lot of conjecture about big and small tides for the deepwater reefies. I prefer the smaller tides, however, fishing harder each side of a tide change can be just as productive. Some of

This huge blackspot tuskfish was caught out from Emu Park.

schools to pass through the bay again, bringing with them a bundle of predators for the feast. For the first time in years we managed to bag on Spanish before getting to the islands on a recent trip.

Sometimes it can be easy to tell the difference between tuna and mackerel at a distance so you don’t waste time chasing the wrong schools. I find that tuna will break the surface among the birds when smashing the bait schools, while Spanish are more just below the surface action. Normally if you do see Spanish breaking the surface, they can be very hard to connect with.

With a month to go before barra season opens again there are a lot of anxious anglers waiting for their fix. The size and quantity of barramundi in our area just keep getting better as we move forward from the NFZ’s introduction.

The barra and threadfin are bigger and in better numbers on average than ever before.

Providing we all do the right thing, that will remain the case.

Steps have been taken to help this with the introduction of the Rockhampton Recreational Voluntary Code of Practice (VCOP), which is designed to encourage local and visiting recreational fishers to adopt sustainable and responsible fishing practices while fishing in the Net Free Zone to ensure fish stocks remain in a very healthy state in the system.

The favourite estuary species remain on the chew: flathead, mangrove jack, golden snapper, bream, trevally, whiting, dart, king and blue salmon, to name a few. The prospects for the rest of January look positive.

Trevally and queenfish have been showing up in numbers at Corio Heads and around the Keppels. Estuaries usually slow down over the hottest period and then we move onto muddies, especially over the bigger tides. Mangrove jack have been pretty active lately in spots like the Causeway Lake, Coorooman Creek, Port Alma and a few other little spots around the coast.

Jacks readily take lures from plastics to hardbodies and vibes. I am by no means a jack expert but I have caught my fair share keeping things very simple. I find that the lures require more precision in the casting than the retrieval.

In fact it seems the less I do with the lure, the more fish I catch. This was very evident recently when I went chasing jacks with a mate who is pretty handy. Fishing the same spots he landed three to one, though I hooked up several small barra and he didn’t. He let the lure action do the work and I was twitching and pausing like I do for barra.

Once I went back into basics I got more jack strikes and better results. The last of the run-out and the start of the run-in are good times to target jacks in the creeks. Keep an eye out for

Beau Gower with a fine local Spanish mackerel. submerged logs and rock bars where baitfish can take cover.

The mouths of run-off creeks with any features are worth a shot. Golden snapper and barramundi often grab baits or lures intended for mangrove jack. Live bait from greenback herring, yorkies, prawns and poddy mullet all produce jacks when fished deep into structure.

Small whiting and dart have increased in quantity along the beaches north of the river and north of Yeppoon into army country.

The gutters and washouts are producing the whiting on beachworms, yabbies or prawns. The best catches have been fishing the

shallow water on the rising tide. Dart were best from Farnborough north and were most active where the waves break and there is a bit of whitewater around.

Dart take the same baits as whiting and can also take small chrome slugs and flashas. Some of the dart caught recently have been quite respectable and were kept for a feed. The gutters right up the top of Sandy Point gave the dart and whiting fishers some top by-catches when the schools of blue salmon were coming out of Corio on the dropping tide. It pays to have a rod rigged a little heavier with a pilly, just in case they turn up.

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Getting off to a great, fishy start for this year MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

Happy New Year to all our readers; let’s all make a resolution to spend more time on the water in 2018 enjoying our favourite pastime. Hopefully we can make good use of any super new gear we scored for Christmas!

Last year was a mixed year in our patch of paradise, with huge variations in weather patterns, from being smashed by cyclone Debbie in March to having the driest, warmest winter I can remember, to a return to old patterns like wet season conditions in December!

Through it all anglers had plenty of species to chase and angling remains the most popular recreational activity in our area. What 2018 will bring in weather conditions, no one knows. We are so lucky to have places to fish in virtually whatever weather the gods throw at us.

Historically, January is a fairly dry month, although we can get plenty of humid weather with storms building up to the start of the ‘proper’ wet season in February.

These January hot, humid conditions are ideal for a couple of species – namely jacks in the salt and barra in the dams. Saltwater barra are off the catch list

The NFZ centred on Seaforth has had a real positive effect on many species, especially grunter like this beauty landed by Frank Voss. until February.

The jacks have been going bananas since around mid-November, with plenty of them in catches from both north and south of the city.

Most jack fishing is done here on live or strip baits cast into heavy mangrove cover or worked around rock bars.

Live prawns or small baitfish in the right place will rarely go untouched in heavy cover. Prawns tend to attract plenty of smaller pikey bream, and for jacks I rate them number one.

Fortunately the November and December rains have meant a good run of prawns in the creeks, so a cast net will get plenty for bait and – with a bit of luck – a few for a couple of nice feeds

MAFSA members preparing to release another 7000 barra into Teemburra Dam to further enhance the fishery. Stock were purchased from Good Fortune Bay with SIP funds.

as a bonus.

Like most anglers, jack specialists tend to be pretty quiet about their favourite spots, but they are fairly consistent in their habitat preferences. Look for creeks that have plenty of rocks; even spots that will be exposed at low tide will hold jacks as the water covers them. Rock bars extending partly or all across a creek will almost certainly hold jacks on both the run-up and run-out tides. Any isolated patch of rocks will be worth prospecting, too. Rocky areas with nearby freshly fallen mangroves can be a real hotspot.

Jacks are great fun on lures too and will take soft plastics, hardbodies and any of the prawn imitations that are available. Some of these prawns look so realistic.

Another advantage with all the soft plastics is they can be rigged almost snagless, so they can get chucked into some really gnarly stuff. Try lures with a dash or two of red on them, as that seems to be an attraction for jacks; an old saying goes ‘red lures for red fish’, and that can hold true for jacks.

There will be plenty more species around in the creeks during January, but this will be dependant on rainfall. Early in January we have big 6m+ tides with lots of run and these can be difficult to fish. Look for quieter side creeks or gullies.

Another trick is to get right out in the open on the big flats that characterise the mouths of our creek systems.

With the big tides, species like grunter will work right up on the mud and sand flats chasing small bait. If you can find some rubble up on a flat, that can be a real hotspot. Apart from grunter, expect to run into trevally, queenfish, flathead and king salmon.

If you’re chasing barra during January, the place to be will be our well-stocked dams – they have been red-hot for the last couple of months. Kinchant Dam has been producing some magnificent big barra around the full moon and local guide Paul Dolan has been guiding clients to up to 10 barra a session in the dam.

Paul recently told of a

have some weed beds or patches of lilies. The barra lie up in nearby deeper water and then go on forays up into the shallower water hunting bony bream.

One thing that I urge anglers to do is to take care of the barra if you’re releasing it to fight another day. Don’t have it out of the water lying in the boat while you mess around getting ready for a photo; have everything set before the fish gets to the boat. Take a quick pic or two with the fish well supported and then get it back in the water. A good idea is to swim the fish beside the boat while under electric power to get plenty of water rushing through its gills.

Mackay anglers are enjoying a stellar run of jacks around the rocks in the local creeks during the hot weather. Hardbodies, soft plastics, prawns and bait will all get jackhammered if presented close enough to cover. fly angler who caught his fish of a lifetime – a huge 130cm barra on fly, which left both the angler and Paul marvelling at the size of the fish, which was quickly swum beside the boat before it kicked off strongly.

Teemburra Dam is also fishing really well with plenty of fish in the 100-120cm range now in the dam. These big fish aren’t an easy target, but if you concentrate on well-known features then the chances of tangling with one of these great fish are increased. Favoured spots are prominent points, ends of bays and bays with some light timber or isolated stumps; these spots usually

Hold the fish on its bottom jaw and it will let you know when it’s ready for release; as they start to twist to try to break the grip, release them and they will shoot off and live to brighten up another angler’s day. These fish are a precious resource that need looking after.

If you’re happy targeting smaller barra in bigger numbers, they can be found around the timbered areas and around lay down logs extending out into the water.

Hooking a 70-80cm barra in close to the timber is a real buzz and will take some smart rod work to get them to the boat. Surface lures worked

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JANUARY 2018

in and around timber would have to be one of my favourite angling experiences, and a beautiful scenic spot like Teemburra Dam just makes it so much better.

MAFSA Inc have topped up Teemburra Dam during December with 7000 barra (approximately 17-20cm long) and more barra are on order for all three of our dams. MAFSA has (as of December 2017) stocked a total of just under 2,324,000 fish into our area and barra make up the largest proportion with just over 1,140,000 barra and close behind, 1,110,000 sooties.

Next time you catch a barra or sooty in the dams, say a little thank you to all

the hardworking MAFSA volunteers who have been creating and enhancing these fisheries over the past 20 odd years. Better still, jump in and lend a hand – any of the local tackle shops can put you in contact.

We have plenty to look forward to as rec anglers in 2018. The NFZ continues to produce improved fishing, the dams are well stocked, the creeks and beaches are firing and with good weather, the offshore scene promises plenty of action. All in all Mackay offers great variety of habitat and species as usual, so why not join us in paradise and enjoy the fishing experiences?

See you at the ramp.

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DIY Lure Making

DIY lure making: Glidin’ Doc BRISBANE

Greg Vinall support@makewoodenlures.com

Welcome to our fifth lure making project of the series! This month I’ve got a cool little glider for you.

Depending on who you talk to, this style of lure might also be called a sinking stickbait, jerkbait, wobbler or twitchbait. No matter what you choose to call it, the Glidin’ Doc will add a whole new dimension to your hardbody lure fishing.

Gliders are an oftenoverlooked style of hardbody lure, but they can be very effective if fished properly.

Even better, gliders are reasonably straightforward to make. There’s no diving

lip to cut or fit, just get the body shape right and weight it correctly. A coat of paint and some hooks – and voila!

FISHING WITH THE GLIDIN’ DOC Gliders have a lot in common with stickbaits, the main difference being that they work below the water surface while stickbaits work on top. Both styles have very little action if you simply crank them back at constant speed.

Gliders that are designed to be worked fast tend to be heavily weighted, but the Glidin’ Doc is not one of them! This is a finesse lure, designed to sink very slowly. It’s best fished with twitches and pauses, a walkthe-dog style retrieve or other slow and erratic movements.

Template: 1 Square = 1cm

Allow plenty of slack line between twitches and you should get an erratic side-toside action.

It’s perfect for imitating foraging baitfish that are unaware of an imminent ambush, or an injured baitfish that’s easy pickings.

Bream, bass, ‘toga, flathead, trout and sooties are all fair game! Work it alongside fallen timber, through standing timber or around weedbeds for the best results.

Balsa is a natural material that can vary in density, and no two handmade lures are the same, so you might find that your lures vary in their sink rates. No problem!

By switching between lightweight and heavy-duty hooks and rings you can adjust the sink rate, or use

100% Scale

the small stick-on weights you’ll find in good tackle shops to adjust the sink rate to suit your needs.

Glidin’ Doc can be fished on whatever bream, bass or trout gear you might own.

As for stickbaits, a rod that’s a little soft in the tip will get more action from your lures. It just seems to soften the twitches and smooth the lure movement.

I prefer a braided line with a fluorocarbon leader for fishing the Glidin’ Doc. The lure is often worked slowly, so the low visibility of fluorocarbon is an advantage, because fish have plenty of time to inspect it.

MAKING THE GLIDIN’ DOC All the lures in this series have been pretty simple, but this one is about as easy as they come. The usual tools

TOOLS AND MATERIALS 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 • Holoscale foil (optional) • 3D eyes (optional) and materials apply: balsa for the lure body, a little stainless steel wire, some size 000 ball sinkers and a good epoxy adhesive like 24hr Araldite are all you’ll need. Add some paint and clear coat to tart the lure up, of course.

PAINTING AND CLEAR COATING For something different, I wrapped this lure with a thin holographic material I’ve developed for lure makers, called Holoscale. This self-

adhesive film stretches over the lure and can be painted and clear-coated to give exceptional flash and brilliance that attracts fish from miles away. You can get some Holoscale for your own lures at my website makewoodenlures. com/product/holoscalemirroscale/.

Of course, you don’t have to give your lure the holographic treatment. It can be painted in the same ways as our previous projects.

1

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

You should be used to this step by now! Print the template and transfer 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.

2

3

With your lure blank on a flat surface, square up edges using sandpaper glued to a flat wood block. Use a curved sanding block to clean up the concave edge on the underside of the lure. Work gently to shape the profile down to the guideline you drew on the blank.

4

5

Transfer the top profile to the lure blank using your template then trim away the waste almost down to the line, and square up the blank using your sanding block.

58

Mark a line down the centre of the blank and use your side profile template to mark the locations of the hardware. Carefully drill a 2mm hole into the blank for each of the hook hangers and for the tow point. Use a 5mm drill bit to make a hole for the belly weights. You can use a couple of small sinkers rather than one larger one. It’s important for these lures to stay horizontal while they’re sinking, which is more easily achieved if the weight is spread along the underside a little.

JANUARY 2018

6

The Glidin’ Doc has reasonably flat sides, so the shaping process is similar to the Flat Doc from last month. You can skip drawing a centre line on the sides if you like, and simply draw a line a few millimetres in from the edge, all the way around.

Use a sharp knife to slice away the timber between the carving guidelines. Chip away with light cuts until you’ve rounded off the edge to get a pleasing body shape. A few minutes with some sandpaper will refine the shape and remove the lumps and bumps left by the knife.

DIY Lure Making 8

7

Twist some stainless steel wire to make your hook hangers and tow points, then glue them into the holes you drilled previously. Use plenty of 24-hour (super strength) epoxy for this. While you’re at it, glue the weights into the belly of the lure. You might find that you need to squash them a little with some pliers so that they sit neatly beneath the surface of the wood. Set your lures aside to cure.

Harden the balsa using some thinned epoxy. You can get full instructions for this 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.

FINISHED LURE

9

If you’re going to try the Holoscale lure foil then now is the time to apply it. Make sure the film is nice and warm, stretch it over the lure and coat again with clear epoxy before you move on to painting. If you’re not going to foil your lures then move straight onto painting. You can also use self-adhesive eyes on this lure, rather than painting eyes on.

You’ll find these on the shelves in larger tackle shops, or online.

• 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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59

Wind in the Whitsundays keeps anglers at bay jack being caught. A few crabs were caught around the new moon period and there have been some nice ones coming home recently around the lead up to the full moon for those people who have been prepared to put the time in and work their pots.

WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

It’s been a reasonably blustery old month in the Whitsundays, which has limited fishing time on the water for a lot of anglers.

When I bump into fellow anglers around town, most conversations have generally started up with, ‘when’s the damned wind going to settle down?’

I can’t complain too much at Hydeaway Bay though, as the most of the time when the breeze gets up it blows offshore. Being lucky enough to have so many fishy locations close to home in sheltered water, I’ve still been able to get people out on the water in comfort and safety to

the day and we get our fair share then as well.

While fresh-cut baits claim a reasonable percentage of fish, most of the trophies fall victim to lures. Soft vibes and micro-jigs are go-tos and I’ve also had some good success recently experimenting with

Local legend Tom Lowcock with a cracker of a goldspot cod. have some fun.

The pelagic fishing over the last few weeks has been a bit fickle with the water being dirty most of

Dan McNally with a ripper of a coral trout trolled up on a hardbody and 15lb string.

Patty with a longtail tuna.

the time. The bait schools of herring and hardiheads are conspicuous in their absence. The mainstay of the inshore pelagic brigade has been a few school mackerel, which have been picked up mostly by trolling small hardbodies around reef edges or on quickly worked plastics.

The reef fishing scene inshore has been poking along steadily.

Most anglers are getting a feed of trout and sweetlip but the sizes of most fish are just average with few trophies coming in. Plastics and fresh-cut baits have been claiming most of these fish. We’ve also been able to finesse a few with soft vibes rigged on light fluorocarbon leaders on some of the tougher days.

Up in the estuaries there have been reports of some nice mangrove

Ben Silverthorn with another solid goldspot cod.

It was a particularly good catch on 12lb braid.

January is holiday time, so there is going to be a lot more people on the water than most other times. It’s always good to see families and groups of mates getting out on the water and spending some time together and having a fish. The customary fresh seafood barbecue and a few coldies afterwards just put the icing on the cake.

As we are heading into an unstable time of the year as far as the weather is concerned, let’s hope that the weather gods shine on us and don’t interfere with the fun.

There should be plenty of angling options this month with plenty of species becoming keen for a feed in the warmer water.

Out on the deeper reef and rubble patches around the outer edges of the islands big golden snapper and largemouth nannygai will be a popular target. I love catching these fish – they’re a blast. I have a soft spot in particular for big golden snapper. They’re definitely one of my favourite species to catch and to eat. One of the most popular way to target these fish locally is using live squid for bait at night time.

Being a sportfishing guide, I fish mostly during

chatterbaits. I just love the stainless steel blades on the front of these lures; the way they vibrate, catch the light and reflect it in all directions is proving to be a winner.

The shallower reefs around the inshore islands and the mainland should see some good fishing for

hardbodies or drifting across likely-looking country and casting lures to find concentrations of fish. Once I’ve found a patch of fish quite often I’ll anchor up, send down a couple of berley bombs and then follow with some soft plastics or soft vibes.

I’m living in hope that January will see some bait schools return to inshore waters and give the pelagic fishing a boost. If the bait comes in then there should be plenty of opportunities for some light tackle fun chasing multiple species of tuna, trevally and mackerel. To locate the bait, try searching around the mainland and island headlands, particularly the ones with deeper water or good current flow around them.

The estuaries will only have limited pressure on them this month as barramundi are still off limits. Mangrove jack will be active and make a good target fish. These gutter brawlers are piles of fun; just remember to target them using techniques and locations where you have minimal chance of interfering with the barramundi while they are in

Another local lad, Rod Melville with a nice grunter caught drifting over a deep rubble patch. bigger coral trout. A lot of people love to anchor up and drop a line over the side with some fresh bait to get a nice coral trout or two for dinner. As long as you’re on the right spot, that’s a great way to catch a feed.

Being a bit of a lure fishing nut, I get my kicks from either trolling small

their breeding season. Also up in the creeks the mud crabbing should continue to improve along with the prawning, especially if we get some rain.

I wish everybody the best for the holiday season.

May your holidays be filled with as much sunshine, rod bending and line-pulling action as possible.

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JANUARY 2018

Jacks and grunter feature in Burdekin estuaries AYR

Steve Farmer

If there’s one thing that can affect the success of our fishing trips, it’s the weather. Recently, brisk and unseasonal southeasterly winds buffeted the North Queensland coast, keeping the bluewater crews landbound and producing unusually cool and comfortable temperatures for estuary fishers prepared to put up with the breezy conditions, even in the creeks.

However, the weather doesn’t seem to have suited the fish entirely, with reports of above-average catches few and far between.

Grunter and mangrove jack are the two species that have saved many anglers from a fishless session.

Captured grunter have ranged from well undersized (and hopefully released in good condition) to trophy fish measuring 55-60cm in length.

The smaller fish are more likely to take a yabby or prawn bait, while the larger fish usually fall for a fresh bait of whole herring, slabbed mullet, or small poddy mullet, fished either dead or alive.

A relatively light line and a minimally sized running sinker will get the best results, and hooks need to be as sharp as possible. Grunter are likely to turn up almost anywhere in an estuary, but shell beds are traditionally a popular spot for grunter hunters in the know.

With no rain to muddy the waters, conditions have so far been ideal for anglers targeting mangrove jack and most estuaries are producing fish. Baits of slabbed or whole fish or small live mullet have proven successful when fished close to the snags.

However, my preferred method for targeting jacks is to flick lures at their tangled, timber homes. Soft plastics are certainly effective, but my preference for small hardbodies probably reflects my angling history from an era when we made our own timber lures and were generally regarded as a little strange by most of the bait fishing population.

JANUARY JACKS These days many anglers have got at least a few lures in their tackle box and if you would like to lure up a mangrove jack, this is the time of year to do it.

However, there is one proviso – that we haven’t had heavy

Steve Theofanes caught this 1.7kg grunter at Groper Creek. rains and floods, which is a pretty big ask during these wet season months. Run-off from significant rain events pushes a layer of dirty, fresh water into most of the delta’s estuaries, making luring for any species far more challenging.

Here are a few suggestions to help you find and snare a mangrove jack or two, provided the weather stays dry. While we all know that jacks love snaggy territory; it isn’t as simple as firing your

lures at every bit of timber in the creek. It’s better to refine your search by targeting the more prominent snags and features that are more likely to hold jacks.

Whether the creek is largely devoid of snags or lined with a tangled curtain of mangrove roots, some structure is more homely to the old jack. For instance, a lone, submerged tree – either jutting from the bank or in mid-stream – is a good spot to start. Results can be even

better if the tree is lying across the current flow in a narrow, deep section of the creek. If the tree is freshly fallen and still sprouting leaves and small branches, it qualifies as prime jack real estate, because it offers food and shelter to prawns, crabs and baitfish, which in turn attract hungry mangrove jack and other predators.

Other features worth giving extra attention to are creek junctions and gutters.

These features often have

holes and snags at their mouths, making them ideal ambush spots for jacks. Even the smallest drains will be used by bait in their search for shelter and food.

Backwaters are another feature I can’t pass without firing in a couple of dozen casts. Jacks are likely to lay here out of the current waiting for food to pass. Backwaters can be found on the inside of creek bends, in gutters, behind sand or rock bars and even behind a dense snag pile.

Finally, concentrate most of your fishing efforts on the outside of the creek bends where the water is usually deepest and the snags most prolific. This is also where the water is likely to be the coolest (an important consideration during our hot summer months), thanks to the depth of the channel.

By the time you get your hands on next month’s QFM the barramundi closed season will be over yet again and chances are some keen anglers will have already boated their first barra for 2018. There’s no reason why that can’t be you and now’s the time to overhaul your barra tackle ready for a flying start at midday on 1 February.

Good luck!

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JANUARY 2018

61

A recent chill on the water TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

It has been surprisingly cool over the last few weeks, and along with the drop in temperature, the wind has been way up there as well and has put a chill in the water. Rivers to the north of Townsville have received substantial rain and flushed that nasty black water into some systems. While it hasn’t been enough to trigger a massive fish kill, it has pushed the fish out of the affected systems.

Speaking of fish kills, there was a huge one at Gordon Creek near Townsville that wasn’t black water related, and the

The churned-up waters of the local beaches usually get the bream moving. Lighter lines and flesh baits or peeled prawns are ideal for the beach stuff.

Masked bandit Ryan Tully holds up a nice jack that couldn’t resist his combination of a glow-in-the-dark sinker incorporated into the loop knot and the dipped tail. This is one of Ryan’s favourites. photos that came through the shop (Fishing Warehouse) from concerned customers were quite astonishing.

Thousands of dead fish, mostly juveniles, were flushing out of the creek and documented by anglers.

Considering that this is the creek where the water treatment plant releases it’s treated water, I’m hoping that those anglers with the photos and footage informed the appropriate authorities, as this sort of thing can’t be reported by hearsay but has to be done by the witness. The flocks of birds sucking in the dead fish made fast work of the evidence, so I’m hoping it’s being taken seriously and not swept under the carpet.

The offshore fishing has been quite excellent when the weather allows, and largemouth nannies have made up a lot of the bags, with some stonking big 10kg models being taken.

62

JANUARY 2018

I heard a recent comment about the squid bait supply and how you should buy your squid baits from a seafood supplier, and that pre-packed bait squid aren’t good enough.

The truth is that all bait suppliers need to supply and abide by a food-grade handling licence, and ensure the best possible quality products are supplied to the consumer, so don’t believe all you hear. I think you’ll find that food-grade squid are also quite expensive in comparison to bait-grade, as are prawns.

Whole L u n d ’s California Squid have been taking plenty of fish, but it’s the good old ‘squilchard’ that has been the standout.

Basically, a ‘squilchard’ is a squid hood with a pilly slipped up inside before the hooks are inserted to hold it all together. The combined smell and flavour has been responsible for hooking the

bigger fish, and it’s worth trying to compete with the pickers if they’re a hassle.

Snelled Gamakatsu suicide hooks are the go with this rig; use an 8/0 through the top of the hood and a 10/0 through the bottom where the head normally sits for a great rig. Using the suicide pattern with the bent eye ensures it all lays in line for the presentation and an effective hook set.

With the recent run of mac tuna that we have had, plenty of switched-on bottom specialists have capitalised on the supply of fresh fillet baits. The best bet is to get a cheap bag of pool or rock salt and sprinkle it all over the flesh side of the fillets in preparation for your next outing. The salt partially cures the flesh and toughens it up considerably, and is favoured by big fish specialists. If the sharks are bad though, forget it, as they also love it.

When I used to bait fish the reefs a bit, we got our best results with the mac tuna fillets by cutting them into 50mm by 150mm strips and then salting them heavily for the next outing. Freezing them in ziplock bags with around 10 strips in each meant that you only defrosted what was necessary for your immediate needs. This also works great for pilchards.

Along with the nannies there have been the usual suspects; trout have been thick with bag limits being taken in short time. Big cobia have been putting on a show, too. With no pattern as to their consistent whereabouts, it has been a bit hit and miss. They’re

Some decent estuary cod are smashing lures intended for the jacks, but this has mainly been on the shallower snags. While plenty of people rate these as a top table fish, the author opts to release all of his cod. pretty widespread from all reports, so get ready for a tussle with one of these powerful buggers. If you’ve caught one on heavy line and they come over the side a bit green with plenty of energy left, be careful – they can go off big time, and they’re quite a handful if you’re not ready.

Mackerel are still being taken in the local area, and the greys have shown up in good numbers, with a 10kg model being taken near the Ross Creek mouth, which is a horse for the species.

Trolling small spoons and deep diving lures has been the most effective technique that we have heard of. Once the school is found, casting lures like the Halco Twistys at them has worked well. If you’re using heavier line,

The shallower end of the fallen trees have been holding more estuary cod than jacks, and they have been smashing both hard and soft plastic lures. The contrasting colours of this Laser Pro work well in the run-off conditions.

you may want to upgrade the trebles. The smaller lures with massive depth ability have definitely been getting the runs on the board.

After the windy spell and associated drop in water temperature, many of the fish in the bay and creeks have gone deeper and are sulking a bit. Deeper rock bars and ledges have been producing okay, but they’re a little harder than usual recently. With temperatures about to increase, this could all change in a short time. Our normal routine is to cast lures at the fallen timber and mangrove root systems that line the banks of local creeks.

When the water is warmer, the jacks are usually found on the shallower ends of the snags; with the unstable weather and drop in temperature, it has been the deeper end of the snags that has been holding the majority of fish. The best method we have been able to employ to find these fish has been with 2m divers and prawn imitations rigged weedless and hopped over the deeper structure.

Focusing on the shallower end of the snags has resulted in many estuary cod hook-ups, and while this is still fun, it’s not the target we’re after, so deep it is. I know I keep going on about contrast and its ability to draw fish from further away in the low light conditions or often-dirty water and deep snags, but it’s one simple alteration that has made a difference in our catch rate.

Even powder coating the lead weights on the weedless hooks seems to To page 63

Poor water conditions make things difficult HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody info@ryanmoodyfishing.com

Fishing over the past month has been a little scratchy and inundated with horrible water coming from the Herbert River.

The rain event back in October wasn’t enough to flush our rivers but just enough to spew out lots of rubbish and stagnant water from upstream areas. This has forced fish like threadfin and golden snapper to move out to deeper areas and reports from estuaries have been limited to jacks only.

Jacks are the one fish that

don’t mind the fresh coming out, no matter how dirty it is. The best captures have come from the creeks on the island side of the channel. I also imagine the barra have been very active but with the closed season they are still off limits.

Speaking of the barra season, its not too far from the season open, so anglers will no doubt be dusting off their gear and stocking up on lures. The only thing that could spoil the opening of the season would be floodwaters, which could see them go quiet for a number of weeks – only time will tell.

As far as offshore goes we have seen some unusual

Some good late Spaniards have been hanging around the islands.

From page 62

have an effect, as many keen lure casters are also noticing the difference.

The luminescent chartreuse glow is the most popular one at present, and I believe it’s due to the fact that

Coating the top half of deep diving lure trebles is another variation I’ve heard of, but haven’t mucked around with yet myself.

Here’s just a bit of a hint though, be careful about heating the hook’s gape too much to get the

late Spaniard captures around the islands. Some have been around 15-18kg, so there is a good consistent size in these resident fish. Northern bluefin and queenfish have been very plentiful on the northern side of the island as well. Both species respond well to metal slices, so really that’s the only method worth using. The grey mackerel have showed up as well, with sporadic schools making their way through our northern waters near the family group of islands; quite often they’re mixed with the northern bluefin schools.

Fishing on the reef has been reasonable with the best results coming from deeper waters. Anglers that are fishing deeper have had the best results. Scarlett sea perch, red emperor and big green jobfish have been the most common species out there. Reports of coral trout have been very scratchy, as it’s also not the best time of year for them. Fishing the evening hours is best at this time of year, especially in the shallows. Watch out for the storms – you don’t want to be stuck out there with lightning bolts coming down around your ears.

Fishing in February will most likely see barra as the most targeted species with the season reopening

and I think the threadfin and golden snapper will still be quiet, especially if we get more good rain events. The channel will no doubt see all the gutters and drains getting a good work over, and there are other areas you can turn your attention to such as dirty water patches on the flats during the run-out tide. I hope everyone has a safe start to the barra season and remember to only take what you need.

I have a good feeling

is another pursuit where the results have been very positive, and I have to agree with this.

I’m a bit of an experiment nut and like to make tiny adjustments to my rigging and presentations.

While some things turn out to be a waste of time with no obvious benefits, others do help to land more fish and get more bites. Even if it lands us five or six more fish over a day on the water, I’m a greedy bugger and want to land as many fish as possible, even if most are released.

Shore-based anglers have been getting mixed results with grunter, jacks, bream and whiting, and if

you are using livies for the jacks then you’ll likely hit a barra at the moment. Some massive barra are getting around lately and I had an approximate 110cm fish swoop in on my lure the other day out of nowhere that scared the ink out of me. This happened in a tiny 10m wide drain, and I viewed her that clearly that I could she had a wound on her shoulder towards the dorsal fin – real heart in the mouth sort of stuff.

A couple of weeks ago Ryan and I were casting in a creek north of town and my first fish hooked for the day was a monster barra up around the 130cm mark that ate a Halco Paddle Prawn

Barra like this one caught last October will be back on the radar at the start of next month.

In a patch of clearer water that didn’t bring the bites, a quick change to the white 5” Paddle Prawn rigged on the EWG hook (with Protec) got instant results. so many people are experimenting with it, from bait flyfishers who are using it on their sinkers and running it down onto the top of their baits for a brighter presentation, to flyfishers using it to add glow to their hook eyes before tying and whatever else. Depending on who you talk to, it’s pretty cool to listen to comparisons.

Protec to melt and coat properly. It shouldn’t make any difference to heat the eye of a treble or fly hook, but heating the steel in the bend too much will most likely soften the steel and could result in potential straightening. Mind you, I think that it would take considerable heat to do this. Protec’ing jigheads for golden snapper and trout

Finding the jacks isn’t always the problem, but stopping them can be. On this day several lures were donated to the unstoppable brigade. In the murkier waters, the white with red tail works very well.

about our monsoon returning this season as the lead up to summer saw very moist atmospheric conditions. We have had a lot of showers and light rain periods leading up until now, which is a very different scenario to the last five years or more.

The northern half of Australia has been in a drought for some time and the fisheries have certainly felt the effects. I think this year has been one of our slowest for a very long time,

even though we have had some periods of brilliance.

All we need is a few good years of rain and then we will be back in business.

• Our online masterclass Barra Basics will be ready for enrolment from 1-12 February, so if you’re keen to take your barra knowledge to the top level, now is the time to do it.

The next enrolment will be 1 September. For further information head over to www.fishsmarter.com.au.

Some big jacks are sitting down deeper lately. As the water temperature rises again and entices them up shallower, using the EWG Seekers in the 1/4oz weight will ensure your lure will have an action on the drop, and you can expect plenty of bites this way. in clear view and threw the hooks as it neared the net.

Far from upset, we just went back to casting with a grin for the rest of the day from that one experience. They’re truly amazing fish, and often get you by surprise, as this one did, and avoiding them at this time of year is just impossible.

The close-in marks have been haunted by some big choppers or golden snapper.

They’re taking both lures and baits very well. I think

anglers have realised in recent times that they’re not just a black of the moon phase option, and can be caught in quite shallow waters around the lead up to the full as well.

Apart from ordinary weather and dropped water temperatures, the future weather outlook is for a wet season this year, so bring that on, seeing as we haven’t had one for at least five years now. Good luck and pray for rain.

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Hoping for plenty of calm weather this month CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

January usually has more than its fair share of calm weather, unfortunately accompanied by plenty of heat. Nonetheless, if you fish smart, there is plenty of comfortable fishing to be had. The fish are generally a bit patchy, as they feel the heat as well, so fish early, late and through the night for both action and comfort. There are still plenty of fish on offer; they just take a bit more effort than when they are turning it on in the cooler months.

Reef fishing is certainly on the cards; just watch out for storms and squalls. With the increased heat, usually benign rain showers can pack quite a punch. If the radar is showing a wide scattering of small showers, it is usually a sign that they have plenty of wind in them. Storms, on the other hand, are pretty obvious on the radar – the more red and black there is, the more violent they are.

Fish like a change from the searing heat as much as we do, so any weather event that freshens up the air will also freshen up the bite, so watch for any change, right down to a shift in wind direction and tide.

The best approach with reef fishing is to fish deeper to 30m+ and move around a lot until you locate feeding fish. There

Always have a floater out the back for a Spaniard like this beauty. won’t be any big schools of individual species but a bit of this and a bit of that, so expect a sprinkling of trout, largemouth nannygai, red emperor, spangles, Moses perch, snapper and cod.

Trevally are often an exception to the rule and can be around in big numbers and often size to boot. If they are taking over the fishing then it’s time to move. The other party spoiler will be sharks, which tend to really turn it on over summer. Once again, moving is about the only real option, unless you are happy to show hooks for an hour or so, to see if they move on.

The odd Spaniard is always around at the reef,

so always have a floating pilchard, gar or mullet out the back when bottom bashing. For the sports fisho, there will be plenty of action out towards the shelf, with mahimahi, cobia, yellowfin tuna, northern bluefin tuna and lesser species, along with the odd wahoo and Spaniard.

Closer inshore, cobia should be in good numbers around inshore reefs, wrecks and islands, if the past couple of years are any indication. Fishing for cobia can be undertaken using the same techniques as chasing mackerel, with pilchards, gar and mullet all working at times. You can then add a wide array of lures, ranging

from slugs, jigs, minnows and slices that will all get you in on the action at

various times. Soft plastics also work a treat.

There will also be some quality golden snapper in the same locations, as well as along the headlands to the north and south of Cairns. Stormy weather is a great time to chase golden snapper; be careful and keep a very close eye on the BOM radar, as they can brew up over the Tablelands and charge out to sea very quickly at times. Most of the time they will sit up on the Tablelands and weaken as they cross the coast, but not always.

It will be well worth chasing grunter on the hospital flats in the second half of the rising tide and the first of the run-out during the big new and full moon tides. Fresh strip baits of mullet, gar, sardines, mud herring, squid and cuttlefish are great baits, along with

There will be plenty of golden snapper, like this one caught by Edi Piagno last month, along the headlands to the north and south of Cairns.

any of the above in small live baits. Add prawns, both dead and alive and you pretty well have the grunter covered. They can be pretty fussy at times, so always have at least three or four different bait options and try one of each until you narrow down what their preference is on the day.

Mangrove jack are another fish that love hot, steamy and stormy weather, so certainly have them on your target list this month. If you are feeling lazy because of the heat and don’t want to chase fresh bait with a cast net then half a pilchard, a strip of squid and cuttlefish are ideal baits. Try and get squid or cuttlefish that still have the ink in them, as that tends to attract the jacks even more. When the water is dirty after rain, these three baits are often standouts.

If there is plenty of rain, then chasing prawns along the beaches and the mouth of the inlet will certainly be worth a look, as will putting out a few crab pots on the flats towards the mouth of estuaries and the Cairns Inlet.

Hopefully there will be a serious wet before the end of the month and the barra get a chance to breed undisturbed. We can then all get back to chasing this premier sportfish next month. There have been a lot of barra on the headlands, so it’s looking promising for the start of the season.

Waiting for a sign of the coming wet season PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

With the New Year upon us we approach the oncoming wet season, and it’s yet to be determined whether it will be a decent one or not. The build-up has been mediocre and gives no indication which way the scales will tip.

On the fishing front, the heavy tackle game season notably fizzled out during the latter stages of December. There were some isolated catches of big fish, mainly from the Linden Bank region, but these became few and far between as the days wore on. There still remains the odd small marlin – including blue marlin; these fish venture closer to the shelf in recent times.

There are still a few sailfish being recorded as well, which make a great substitute. The light 64

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tackle gamefishing remains quite strong for the likes of mahimahi, wahoo, Spanish mackerel and yellowfin tuna. The yellowfin fishing will be a focus for game operators and, as is often the case, they’ll have to put some further miles in travelling well beyond the edges of the outer reef.

Inside the reef the fishing remains consistent, without breaking any records. There is a real mixture of fish on the bite and it’s a bit of a lottery draw as to what you’ll catch. The species of late have been varied with coral trout, small and largemouth nannygai, red and spangled emperor, reef jack, sweetlip, stripies and Moses perch.

There have been a couple of different species popping up in recent times including baldy bream and cattle dog cod. One species you can almost guarantee at this time of year is the goldspot trevally that school up in big numbers and sizes.

The average fish is around

Jessie Wighton with a blue marlin he caught on the outer edge of the shelf. They were targeting Spanish mackerel and caught it on an old Halco mackerel lure.

7-8kg and they go like the clappers on the end of a line; eaten fresh they are nothing to snob at.

The days are particularly hot on the water and there is a bit of downtime in a daily session. The key is to concentrate on your preferred spots and be ready for the changes of the tide.

Be confident in an area holding good bait on the sounder, as the fish will flick the light on and have a feed.

Traipsing all over the countryside in search of fish is probably only going to result in a hefty fuel bill.

But, if you can pull off a night trip then all the better, especially for your nannygai and emperor. Weather allowing, fish as deep as possible and once again the turn of the tide should see the fish pile on.

Closer to home it is always nice in the evenings to sit under the shade of a palm tree and have a fish off the beach. Using freshly caught live bait such as mullet or garfish is highly

preferable and fishing the incoming and first of the outgoing tides can turn up all sorts of goodies. Small sharks are always a bit of fun, including the blacktip and lemon variety.

Shovelnose rays are an opponent that warrants plenty of respect and if you tangle with a white spotted ray, you will want to hope you have a full spool of line because you are going to need it. Other sportfish that have turned up in recent times have been some really nice flathead, good-sized queenfish, blue salmon and mid-sized GTs. There have been accidental catches of barra as well, but they have to be released during the current closure. There’s nothing more quintessentially FNQ than sitting on the beach with family and friends, having a drink and wetting a line.

Looking ahead, the amount of rain we will receive in the coming months is the main factor.

Trinity NFZ tips for the New Year CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

January is always a terrific time to be fishing up the creeks of Far North Queensland, and where else is better to wet a line in an area set aside for the joys of recreational fishing?

With the absence of commercial fishing and nets,

the warm air temperatures mixed with good flushes of freshwater from the rain will see bait numbers explode, which always brings the fish on the bite. If you are fishing the creeks (Trinity Inlet, Barron River, Thomatis and Half Moon Creek), one of the key tips is to try and find that cleaner water, especially if there has been a lot of rain and the creeks are running dirty.

The other key tip is to locate where the bait is congregating, especially the prawns. If you can find good schools of prawns, the fish won’t be too far away. If the water is running really chocolate, the creek mouths and flats will be the place to be fishing.

The area out along the hospital flats will usually see good schools of grunter and golden snapper hunting the prawns, which also love this spot. Take care this month as this is also the place where some of the larger breeder barra love to hang out; with the closed season in full force, it’s best to leave these big girls to do their thing for the future.

At this time of year I prefer to fish larger profile vibration style lures, especially if the water is dirty.

Vibes that put out plenty of action and vibration are perfect for those dirty water feeders such as grunter and threadfin salmon that really pick up on the action. These can be used along the flats or in the deeper holes and they are perfect for enticing golden snapper as well.

Bait fishing will also be on the cards and fresh is always best. The bends of the Barron River have been proving popular lately and there have been some sneaky threadfin finding their way onto hooks. Live prawns have been the go-to bait for David Taylor enjoyed every bit of the NFZ with his family landing a couple of beautiful golden snapper.

One month to go and the barramundi will be back on the target list in the NFZ. reports have been coming in thick and fast about the level of improvement seen by recreational anglers in terms of barramundi numbers and also other species, which can only be a sign of good things happening.

As mentioned before, January is a top time to hit the Net Free Zone as

The inlet tends to clean up much quicker than the other systems due to its closed system catchment, so if we get a lot of rain this will be the better option.

Everyone is hoping for a good wet this year as a year of solid recruitment will see the full potential of the NFZ come to reality.

Big jacks will be feeding hard with the warm water and balmy conditions.

these fish.

Fresh dead herring are perfect for those chasing a mangrove jack and I prefer fishing the smaller offshoot creeks at this time of year, as the water tends to be cleaner and attracts more bait.

January also typically sees light winds, which makes it perfect for getting out on the headlands and chasing a few speedsters.

Big queenfish and trevally

will be cruising these areas and along the open beaches, especially around sun up and sun down. This is the perfect time to make the most of these calm inshore conditions to throw a few poppers and stickbaits around.

We are privileged to have such an awesome opportunity in our backyard, so make the most of our NFZ and get out on the water and enjoy it.

It’s game on for another year of fishing LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

As we welcome in another year I’d like to thank everyone for supporting a great magazine and I hope that this year will have plenty of epic fishing tales and tips to help get amongst those fish. So what is 2018 going to have in store for us?

Here in North Queensland we will all be watching the weather and over the next few months we normally receive the majority of our rainfall.

Everyone is hoping for a massive wet season, as it has been a long time since out last decent wet.

Recently it was predicted that QLD would receive above-average rainfalls and I really hope this is correct.

We are also well into cyclone season and although these events bring a lot of rain, they also bring plenty of destruction – they can both be a blessing and a curse. But they are part of living in the tropics and we all just prepare the best we can. Anyway, let’s get into what should be happening out on the water; it will be getting hot and the fishing

should also be going off.

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL I’ll first remind everyone that it is still closed season for barramundi and this stays in place until midday 1 February. Closed season means that barra can’t be targeted. Yes, they will be caught as by-catch when chasing other species; this can’t be helped, but actually targeting them is against the law and can mean hefty fines and penalties. If you do catch a barra during the closed season, take good care of it and get it back into the water as quickly as possible.

The channel fishing is affected by the amount of rain or floodwater that will be pushing out of the Herbert and Seymour rivers. Both of these systems carry a lot of water and the Herbert in particular is a massive catchment that can basically turn the entire channel into a brown running river when it’s in flood. This makes fishing very tough and it’s important to travel plenty of kilometres in search of clearer water.

Launching the boat up at Fishers Creek Boat Ramp is a good plan of attack. This ramp is off the highway when travelling north towards Cardwell. It is a good ramp; it just needs approximately

1m of water to sneak your boat in and out without too much pushing.

The best thing about launching up at Fishers Creek is you will enter the channel halfway up, which means less travel time and more fishing time. If you don’t have a GPS then make sure you keep track of where you are as Benjamin Flats is a massive area with creeks heading off in every direction, most of which look the same.

Mangrove jack will be on top of my list as I am addicted to their aggressive nature and willingness to smash everything you put in their faces. By far my most favoured technique is casting surface lures into structure. You can rig them

weedless and skip them under overhangs and right into the back of snags; jacks can’t help themselves but chase and snap at them.

JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF There is always something happening out the end of the sugar loader jetty.

The best idea would be to get out there early and chase queenies, GTs and golden snapper. A good sounder will help you out a lot as you can pinpoint bait schools and predatory fish.

If fish are hanging tight to structure, a good side scan sounder will find them; it also means you spend less time prospecting and more time with lures and plastics in front of fish. The ability to press

Molly-Rose with her first jack caught on top water.

mark on bait schools and good shows of fish is another reason why a good sounder is such an important tool.

The islands are very hit and miss most of the time but picking good tides and using fresh bait will help get fish in the esky. Coral trout are the most sought-after species and are plentiful in the right spots.

If you are really serious about getting some quality fish then using live bait is the best idea.

The reef fishing should remain consistent. If the weather allows, plenty of anglers will be sneaking out early while the wind is down and getting some delicious reef fish in the esky. Coral trout are always the prize fish for most people and they should be in good numbers in the deeper water.

I like to fish in water around 28-35m during summer, as I think they are comfortable and feeding in these depths. The shallows get very warm over summer and I know plenty of people that spearfish – they always say that there are far less trout up in the shallows over the warm months.

Chasing red fish over night is another great option at this time of year. It means you get out there in the late afternoon, find your location and get an anchor down.

Using good quality fresh bait will give you more bites and although the sounder may be lit up with plenty of fish life, it’s normally a matter of waiting for them to feed.

A few hours may pass without any action and then it’s like every rod in the water gets loaded up as the fish turn on and feed. This bite time may last a few minutes or longer – make the most of it and be ready, as they can switch off the bite as quick as they started.

Summer is also the time to be heading wide if the weather allows to chase sportfish such as dogtooth tuna and mahimahi along with yellowfin tuna. This for me is the pinnacle of fishing here in North Queensland and although it’s rare to get out there and have a go, I get so amped just packing for the trip. The thought of dropping big plastics into 100m of water for fish that rip loads of braid and test everything you have makes me weak at the knees.

That about wraps it up here for Lucinda; another year begins and I really hope everyone gets out there with rods in hand. I look forward to bringing you plenty of fishy stories and a few tips for planning a journey up here.

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The Cape’s waters are coming alive this month all manner of creatures will be getting flushed out. Other fish that excel in the brackish and freshwater will also be packing on the weight in coming months. Fish such as sooty grunter, jungle perch, banded grunter, tarpon, archer fish, giant herring and queenfish thrive in turbid conditions and aren’t too fussy about the menu.

Especially in the western Cape river systems, wetlands and tiny rivulets will dominate the landscape at this time of year, making road access near impossible. The fishing will be equally challenging despite boat access being opened up to floodplains and backwaters that were parched land in the months prior. Huge rivers such as the Mitchell, Archer and Wenlock have so many tributaries dumping fresh water into them, coupled

CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

Torrential deluges that shape the land and water courses – and possibly even cyclones – ravishes and replenishes everything in one foul swoop.

What does all this talk of rain and wet seasons and monsoons do for the fishing in Cape York? While January is a very quiet month on the fishing front, we can look past nasty weather and focus on what rains and swelling watercourses mean to the upcoming fishing. These effects will be masked for some months yet as the food webs and nutrient enrichment kick into gear.

You can normally expect the next 3-4 months to yield three quarters of the annual rainfall around Cape York.

This will usually result in

This big trout was taken in 6m of water on a soft plastic. with slow-seep wetlands, that the effects of any serious flood events will be felt for six months.

Shifting sand bars, moving snag structures and a wholesale clearance of weed and debris are just part of the natural purge.

These are essential elements

Twin golden snapper caught on shallow divers from a shoal.

A great golden snapper taken in shallow country.

a few months of difficult inshore fishing before the tide literally turns and begins punching farther up the creeks and rivers of the Cape. What’s happening in the meantime is a thick soup of larvae, plankton, fish fry, tadpoles and almost anything that needs water to breed.

Baby barramundi and saratoga will be preparing their oversized mouths to fit almost anything inside.

During these wetter months,

This solid golden snapper was caught just off the reef edge.

in the maintenance of a healthy fishery. The Gulf of Carpentaria also experiences monsoonal winds from the northwest over coming months. This has the effect of reversing the dominant wind and current cycles, bringing nutrients back into the southern and western Gulf.

Huge plumes of banana prawns and other tasty crustaceans which have bred up in the coastal estuaries will be entering the bays and firing up in the shallow shoals up and down both coasts. Settled morning conditions can lead to exceptional shallow reef fishing in water depths between 5-12m.

Fish such as tuskies, golden snapper, stripies and various emperors and sweetlips will be voracious around the turn of tide. Concentrate your efforts where current and breeze is pushing against structure with soft plastics and fresh baits for

The start of the wet Weipa season is here they can pull really hard!

Black jewfish love livies but any lure you can get in their face like Gomoku micro-jigs in 60g, vibes, big soft plastics and even an ultra deep diving lure will get bitten – be prepared to hang on! I have landed a few on 20lb baitcaster gear but I normally fish 50lb spin, as structure is always nearby.

Here’s a quick note on something a little different: fuel quality for your outboard is something not many anglers pay attention to, but how it can affect your

WEIPA

Mark Bargenquast

The rains have finally started with some good storms and a bit of soaking rain. As yet the rivers and creeks have not started to run, so there will still be plenty of jacks right up the top end of them before the fresh comes pushing down.

January is my favourite time to fish up here, especially if you get a few days without a northwesterly wind or swell. Estuary lure fishing can be tough, as we don’t see big low tides through the daytime – they’re all at night up here. If you do get a run-out to some degree, any creek or river mouth is worth a flick, especially if there’s fresh running out.

Offshore is where it’s happening with a few late Spaniards hanging around.

Big schools of big brassies migrate inshore and a few big GTs and golden snapper will as well. As usual, queenfish are present in good numbers and some 66

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engine’s performance is unbelievable. I run a 200 Honda on my 6.8 Hooker and it usually runs around 1-1.15nm/L – pretty good for a big rig. We get fuel direct from Singapore every few months and after observing fuel figures for the boats after every barge load arrives, within a week my fuel figures change until the next load – it’s no coincidence. At worst I averaged 0.9nm/L and my best average was 1.25nm/L for the month; that’s something to think about!

There should be plenty of queenfish action over the wet season. spectacular surface fishing action can be had with some fish up to 115cm long.

Another cool fish to chase at this time of the year if you have some patience is the tripletail; many anglers don’t even see one in a lifetime. Up here on the right day you can see dozens floating around offshore,

usually hiding under anything floating. They will take almost anything cast at them and sight fishing for these guys is great fun.

Another species that comes on strong is the mighty black jewfish. These big bruisers can school in huge numbers and can be easy to catch. The downside

is that most of these fish don’t release well and die after being released in water over 10m. We usually catch one or two and eat black jewfish for a few weeks, so I would rather leave them alone than feed the sharks.

The channel markers an the Mission Bridge all hold black jewfish at times and

Barra will still be spawning in their closed season, so leave them alone.

The rain is a welcome relief for the Cape WEIPA

Jackson Bargenquast

Finally the first rains have begun to fall up here in the Cape, which is a welcome relief after over half a year of drought. The dry dead grass greens up overnight and the gutters are filled with puddles.

come out to play and the usual candidates at this time of the year – the big golden snapper – have been a little slow to show up.

As they were earlier in the year, the black jewfish have been thick and my mate Clay and I have been chasing these beasts landbased lately. Using heavy gear such as a big handline

me for a while. Luckily I had Clay there, as he helped land the fish; without him I may not have got this beauty in.

Bluewater species such as the majestic sailfish and luminescent mahimahi are beginning to thin out. In their place large numbers of powerhouse cobia, brassy trevally and solid goldens

This big fat black jewfish pulled so hard the author was convinced he had a shark on. chasing barra and while they certainly get the bites when chasing the big girls, you can’t go wrong with a big barra bait slow rolled or twitched past their noses.

Unfortunately, the freshwater fishery is coming to a close and saratoga and sooties will be very spread out and hard to catch with the increased water levels.

Pigs will be the same and saltwater fishing will be on the agenda over the next few months. Good luck to all anglers and remember to think like a fish.

A few threadfin have been hanging around lately and they will continue to show up until next dry season.

Unfortunately another side-effect of the rain is the plague of nasty biting mosquitos, which have recently made land-based missions and trips up the creek very unpleasant.

The fish are also biting insanely though and it’s worth braving the bugs to wet a line.

The reefs have been a little quiet; on a few recent trips the big tuskies haven’t

and large, strong VMC 8/0 hooks, it’s a struggle to land one.

Around 90% of the fish hooked are lost, however I finally managed to land one and it was a PB for me going approximately 50lb and measuring 132cm. This big fat black jewfish pulled so hard I was convinced I had a 6ft bull shark on the line. I was so relieved to land it – I think that will do

will soon show up. The drains will soon be flowing with fresh and this alongside the opening of the season will result in some hardcore barramundi fishing up here in the Cape.

Red toothy jacks and whisker-faced threadfin salmon will also be around in force. A lot of anglers are beginning to lean more towards using soft plastics and prawn imitations when

Big threadies will be hanging around the fresh.

SHEIK OF THE CREEK

Sheik’s new winch puts a spanner in the works BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

There’s something about forecasting a problem and putting steps in place to prevent disaster that’s very satisfying.

Ok, so it doesn’t happen all that often to me, in my life, but that makes those times that it does even more special. So I was looking forward to my coming fishing trip with even more looking forwardness than usual because I’d seen a potential problem, I’d identified what needed to be done, and I’d done it.

Everyone knows one of the most anxious parts of a fishing trip is not whether the knots will hold up under the strain of a big fish, whether the bungs have been put in or even, as in Dougher’s case, whether the Jack

cans are iced properly. It’s getting the boat on and off the trailer at the ramp. This deceptively simple-looking operation is in fact a big trap for young players. It’s a test of your ability to do man things properly, generally in front of a mob of pencil necked old geezers gathered like crows on a fence to watch, mutter and smirk when things don’t go as they should.

I’d seen the signs of impending doom on my last trip. The strap on the winch looked thinner than something that’s really, really thin and the winch itself looked like something Cookie might have winched the Endeavour up with. So I’d invested in a schmick new electric one. It had seemed to work well in the shed when I’d trialled it, so I was looking forward to a nice easy load up as I motored in to the ramp after another fruitless trip. Not

that I had been after fruit, although I would have had more chance of hooking up a mango than a flathead, but that’s me and soft plastics.

So as I mentioned, I was pretty pleased. Rather than wait for the disaster to happen on the actual ramp, as is generally what Dudds

do, I’d been all grown up and got the new winch sorted. I was getting a lovely but very rare warm feeling, (not to be confused

with the warm feeling I get when Boobies and I cross the Wide Bay Bar – that feeling is restricted to just underpants). This warm feeling of being prepared lasted for about five seconds, until I remembered I hadn’t included the battery connection for the winch.

Luckily for me, I had a spanner in my glovebox, so I was able to wind the boat on without any drama at all.

Except if you count the fact that it took me close to three hours as the spanner was about the size of something meant for a kid’s toolbox. Which is funny, cause that’s actually what it was. In another stroke of good fortune, for which my life is renowned, the old geezers spectating on the bench seat saw what trouble I was having and came down to give me a hand. Oh, wait a minute, no they didn’t. Whodathunkit?

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING C POINT HOOKS VALUE PACK

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Black Magic’s C Point hook is recognised as one of the best performing Japanesemade hooks on the market. Manufactured from high carbon steel, they won’t let you down for strength and they are nickel coated to provide excellent rust resistance.

Their ‘signature’ three cutting points, coupled with a smaller than average barb, means they penetrate with ease.

The popularity of C Point hooks has grown over the last two to three years, and this has encouraged Black Magic to make them available in a new Value Pack – meaning you get more hooks for your dollar. The value packs are available in 4/0 – 10/0 sizes.

With the new season almost upon us, make sure you grab some packets of your favourite hook sizes. www.blackmagictackle.com

PELICAN MOBILE PROTECT

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Pelican has crafted the ultra-rugged Mobile Protect backpack range for when you’re hauling your valuables such as laptops and tablets. These backpacks provide exceptional device protection as well as great utility – and will last a lifetime.

Thanks to a well-thought-out interior and exterior pocket design, the Mobile Protect series can hold it all: water bottles, laptops, tablets and smartphones. The unique loopand-lock zipper pull system is featured on all laptop and media pockets, to ensure your more valuable cargo remains safe and secure.

There’s also plenty of payload space for the regular items you want to carry.

The foundation of Pelican’s Mobile Protect range is the durable 1000D nylon shell that boasts a water resistant coating designed to handle whatever nature throws at it. It features ballistic nylon-coated impact zones and compression-moulded EVA shoulder straps, back panel and impact zones. The polyurethane-coated YKK zippers deliver strength and durability in the face of constant use. There are three models – 35L, 25L and 20L – and all are backed by Pelican’s lifetime guarantee.

Price: SRP$139.95 - $229.95 www.pelicanstore.com.au

GARMIN INREACH

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Garmin’s inReach SE+ and inReach Explorer+ handheld satellite communicators can send and receive text messages with any mobile phone number, email address or another inReach device, for when you’re outside of mobile/radio range.

These devices have an interactive SOS, are impact resistant and have an IPX7 water rating. Their high-sensitivity GPS provides basic navigation, location and tracking data. The inReach Explorer+ also has preloaded DeLorme topographic maps, a digital compass, barometric altimeter and accelerometer.

Both units are compatible with the webbased MapShare portal, which lets you send your trip data to friends and family and exchange messages with them.

Every inReach device has free access to a cloud-powered portal. They can also sync with the free Earthmate smartphone app, which lets you access unlimited maps, aerial imagery and other data. Optional weather updates are available.

The battery lasts from 100 hours to 30 days, depending on the setting. To access the Iridium network and communicate with an inReach SE+ or inReach Explorer+, an active

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PRODUCT GUIDE

satellite subscription is required. You can opt for a month-to-month plan, which allows you to pay for service only when you need it.

Price: from SRP AU$599, subscription plans from AU$20 per month explore.garmin.com/en-AU/inreach/

TT LURES NEDLOCKZ 4 JIGHEADS

Designed for the US market as a heavy duty jighead for the ‘Ned Rig’, a finesse rig that has blown up in the states, TT Lures NedlockZ jighead was soon being requested by Aussie anglers for applications on home waters.

The flattened head of the NedlockZ jighead combines perfectly with the buoyancy of ZMan’s 10X Tough ElaZtech plastics to create a presentation that is either fleeing when retrieved or rapidly standing up vertically in a defensive pose when paused, much like a crab, shrimp or yabby throwing its claws up to defend itself, and in turn triggering a strike from predatory species.

The NedlockZ also features the ‘head lock’ grub keeper to better secure your soft plastic in place.

Available in two natural colours, black and green pumpkin, the NedlockZ are available in four weights of 1/15oz, 1/10oz 1/6oz and 1/5oz, with five per pack.

Price: RRP of $9.95 www.ttlures.com.au

DEPS SLIDE SWIMMER

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Japanese tackle giant DEPS are world renowned for quality and attention to detail, and the DEPS Slide Swimmer is no exception to this. It’s very easy to see why these cod magnets are now one of the most sought after glide baits in the country!

You simply won’t find anything else like it in the Australian market place. Featuring a superbly crafted ABS plastic body, which is then encased by a soft plastic material, this bait has a more realistic look and feel not matched by any other manufacturer.

The bait also grips well in the mouth when hit by species such as Australian bass and Murray cod. You will get much more time to set the hook and to ensure your catch is well and truly hooked up.

Available in two different sizes (250mm and 115mm) and some great colour patterns, the DEPS Slide Swimmer is truly unique and should feature in any cod angler’s box! www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

BASSDAY SUGAPEN 120

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The iconic Bassday Sugapen family has been expanded with a new larger 120mm model. It’s perfect for larger estuary fish as well as the offshore species.

The 120 has all the fantastic attributes of the hugely popular 70mm and 95mm models.

This new bigger brother has excellent casting distance, thanks largely to its slimline profile which produces minimal wind resistance to get the lure out further. The Sugapen’s most famous feature has always been its slanted cup face, and the 120 still has that spitting action while being walked, which is a big part of why this lure is so unique and effective.

Coming in six great colours, including some more specialised offshore or barra colours, the Sugapen 120 is a must-have for any keen surface lure angler. For more information visit www.bassday.com.au, or for the latest news and photos check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BassdayAus. Price: SRP $33.95 www.bassday.com.au

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING TICA ZATARA LBXT REELS

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The new TiCA Zatara range of reels is outstanding for the budget conscious angler, boating strength, versatility, durability and smoothness.

The Zatara reels feature a high tensile strength thin body design with an aluminium alloy spool, solid bail arm wire, an intelligent oscillating system, computer-balanced rotor, instant anti-reverse and feature 5 rust resistant bearings.

The Zatara reels offer a smooth drag system with plenty of drag washers and an oversize line roller.

The Zatara reels come in 4 models, a 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 so they have most fishing situations covered and look smart in their black and turquoise finish.

If you’re in the market for a new spin reel and are after a smooth but hard-wearing spin reel and don’t want to break the bank, make sure you give TiCA’s Zatara range of spin reels a look. www.jurofishing.com

Available in either a twin spin or a single blade construction, Australian made Obsession Spinnerbaits Mini Baits are a must-have if you are a avid bass, golden perch or redfin angler.

Mini Baits come in 1/8oz, 1/4oz, 3/8oz and 1/2oz sizes and are built on Eagle Claw hooks. Each Mini Bait ait also includes a size 4 Gamakatsu stinger hook. They come in various jighead colours and are matched with either a hot tip or turbo-flared skirt. There are also seven blade colours in the range to further enhance their appeal.

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

CHASEBAITS BOBBIN’ FROG

Land-based anglers are loving the new Daiwa Hip Bag, which provides a sturdy, reliable option when it comes to storing essentials around your waist. It is the ideal choice for anyone who’s tired of stuck zippers and ripped seams on their waist bags.

There are two models, and both have a heap of compartments to hold all your essential tackle when you’re wading and hiking. The smaller version measures 14 x 30 x 19cm, and the larger model measures 16 x 34 x 23cm. Both are made from heavyduty denier with a padded back for maximum comfort. Other features include YKK zips, lots of pockets, a plier holder, bottle holder, belt loop and more.

To see the full list of features visit the Daiwa Australia website. For all the latest news, photos, videos and competitions check out the Daiwa Facebook page at www.facebook. com/daiwaaustralia. If you want to see more great catch photos and videos from Daiwa, follow them on Instagram @daiwaaustralia. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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The Chasebaits Bobbin’ Frog is designed to bob up and down and move like a real frog. It has retracting arms and incredibly lifelike legs, presenting an incredibly realistic presentation to the fish.

Made of super strong 10X material, the Bobbin’ Frog is robust, flexible and soft enough to ensure an easy weedless hookup when fishing around lilies and weed beds.

The hole around the hook ensures air can escape from the lure on the strike, making for solid hook sets. Before you cast out again, simply squeeze the lure to remove any water, and start twitching it along the surface.

Alternatively, you can let it sink for a different swimming action.

The Bobbin’ Frog measures 40mm, weighs 11g and has twin custom weedless hooks. It comes in a range of colours, including some natural patterns which match common native frog species. It’s set to be a hit with freshwater anglers chasing bass, barra, cod, trout, mangrove jacks, sooty grunter, jungle perch and more. www.river2sea.com.au

KOOLERGEL ICE EXTENDER 11

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KoolerGel is an ‘ice extender’ – a clever product that makes ice last up to 50% longer.

KoolerGel was scientifically formulated and developed to be mixed with water. To use, you just take a container (such as an empty soft drink bottle), add water, and then add the KoolerGel powder. The powder will turn the water into a gel, and when frozen it will be 25-50% colder than ice, and can last for days. One packet of KoolerGel will make 6 x 2L bottles.

Your frozen containers of KoolerGel can be used to keep your esky cool either with or without ice. You can also keep them in your freezer to improve its overall performance.

KoolerGel is non-toxic, non-hazardous, and environmentally safe. This product is also reusable and refreezable, and can last for years.

To see videos of how to use KoolerGel, check out the KoolerGel Australia website.

The site also has an online store where you can buy both KoolerGel powder and KoolerKube freezer bricks.

Price: SRP $29.95 www.koolergel.com.au

DAIWA HIP BAGS

SQUIDGIES BIO TOUGH RANGE

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For the first time, Squidgies has teamed up with Shimano to develop a synthetic bioplastic that is highly durable, stretchy and more environmentally friendly: the Bio Tough range.

The series is manufactured in Japan and has taken Squidgies’ most reliable lure shapes and redeveloped the design to improve their already great fish catching ability. With the Bio Tough Wriggler (100mm and 120mm), Fish (80mm and 100mm) and Flick Bait (75mm and 100mm) now all featuring in the range, anglers have a range of baits to suit a variety of estuary and freshwater applications.

With six UV enhanced colours in the range, there is a lure to match most conditions and species, whether it be bloodworm for bream or pink glitz for flathead.

These new soft baits combine UV enhancement with responsive actions that work effectively when twitched through the water column but also at rest in low current conditions. When a fish is caught, the Dura Stretch properties ensure the lure remains in top condition and ready to catch another.

Squidgies Bio Tough lures are verified to be 50% biodegradable within the first three years.

So if you happen to snag a lure or get busted off, the environmental impacts are reduced when compared to traditional plastic waste. www.squidgies.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au JANUARY 2018

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING TIDE APPAREL SUMMER RANGE

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The creative guys at Tide Apparel have just released the second part of their summer range for 2017. This new range features over 20 new products, with everything from trucker hats to longsleeve fishing jerseys.

Earlier this year Tide also teamed up with their good friends from Daiwa Australia and released a collaboration range called The Collab Collection. The whole range has been extremely popular and is selling fast. The Collab Collection includes a longsleeve fishing jersey, head sock, cap, shorts, boardies, spray jacket and T-shirt. All Tide apparel is made from top quality materials to provide the most comfortable fit possible, and the shirts and tees feature a flattering cut that allows you to look your best both on and off the water.

The new ranges are available from selected tackle shops and from the Tide Apparel online store.

Price: SRP $24.99-$89.99 www.tideapparel.com.au

NEW TEMPT COLOURS

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There are two brand new colours in the Tempt Powder Paint range: galaxy and red toad.

Galaxy is made up of an abundance of holographic colours from every angle you look. Set on a base coat of black, it is sure to match a wide variety of colours and conditions.

Red toad is a super realistic natural colour designed to tempt those really fussy bites.

With a gloss olive green base coat and a distinctive red fleck to catch the attention of anything in sight.

Tempt Industries offer a comprehensive range of high quality Powder Paints designed to powder coat your jigheads. The colours have been chosen to best suit Australian conditions, giving you the flexibility to custom match your jighead to your favourite soft plastic colours.

Also available are a range of UV colours, including a clear coat that can be applied over the top of any colour, giving an intense UV glow.

Tempt Powder Paint is easily applied and gives a professional smooth powder coat finish.

It’s available in a 60g net jar or bulk orders on request.

Price: RRP $16.50 www.temptindustries.com.au

MARIA RAPIDO

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One of Costa’s latest models is named after a popular fishing destination: Reefton. With 12 different river systems less than an hour’s drive from town, it’s no wonder New Zealand’s Reefton is worldrenowned for its freshwater fishing.

These size large frames are the perfect companion to explore any body of water.

They will stay put on larger heads under any condition, thanks to their co-moulded temples, Hydrolite nose and temple pads, and cam action spring hinges.

All Costa lenses have 100% UV blockage for maximum protection and 100% polarization to kill reflected glare. Their 580 lens technology effectively blocks the harshest light waves in the visible spectrum, and enhances the portions that help you see more clearly into the water.

Costa’s Bio Resin frames now come available in four new colours, including two new brilliant matte teak finishes. To check out the full range of Costa sunglasses, plus their range of apparel and accessories, visit the Costa Australia website or look them up on Facebook. www.costadelmar.com.au

SAMAKI STARGAZER SHIRT

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Samaki Stargazer shirt brings you one of Australia’s most iconic fish species for the ladies. The barra’s beauty is so striking you’ll want to take a moment to admire each and every scale as she launches from the depths to attack the Samaki Vibelicious. Running off the success of the ladies Dreamcatcher shirt, the Stargazer sports a warped scale design in the colours of the ocean.

The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sunrays with our UV50+ resistant technology, the soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body plus has the added feature of being breathable keeping you cool and dry.

Samaki designs are brought to you by Australian anglers who love to design Australian species. Stargazer shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 2XL allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water.

With an RRP $59.95 in adults and RRP$49.95 in youth and kids. www.samaki.com.au

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DAIWA TD 18 SOL III 15 Our December issue featured an editorial

The Rapido is the latest stickbait from Maria, and its strong wire through body and ribbed construction give it extreme strength.

Maria Rapidos feature a slim profile and a natural swimming action which makes them ideal to use when your target fish are not aggressively chasing poppers or other more aggressive stickbaits like the Maria Loaded.

These great new floating stickbaits are available in three sizes: 130mm, 160mm, 230m. The 130 model weighs 30g and is fitted with ST-66 #1 trebles, the 160 version weighs 50g and has ST-66 #1/0 trebles, and the 230 model weighs100g and is fitted with 230lb oval split rings.

For more information on the Rapido and other models in the range, check out the EJ Todd website or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Yamashita.Australia. www.ejtodd.com.au 70

COSTA REEFTON

PRODUCT GUIDE

on the Daiwa TD Sol III with incorrect pricing. The correct pricing is MSRP $479.

In case you missed the December issue, here’s the low-down on this innovative new reel.

Daiwa’s TD Sol III is the first reel to feature the design concept LT or ‘Light Tough’.

The new LT Zaion body is the lightest, most compact and strongest body frame Daiwa has ever produced. It’s composed of carbon resin and long carbon fibres, and far exceeds the strength of magnesium in strength per unit weight. It transmits vibrations efficiently, and is lighter and stronger than conventional reels made with similar resins or graphites.

Other features include Air Rotor, ATD, Magseal, Tough Digigear, aluminium Airspool ABS, Perfect Line Stopper and more. You will feel more connected to lures, detect more bites and fight fish with ease. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

Testing the slick CFS PE8 Fish Floss – how sweet it is Wading your way through the multitude of braided fishing lines on the market can be quite a task for any angler.

There are products that cover all price points, and price doesn’t always relate to quality.

When it comes to choosing a braided line, there are a number of questions to ask yourself before you purchase. I will take you through this process while I test Fish Floss PE8 from Custom Fishing Solutions.

Line Diameter Line diameter affects a number of things.

First, and most importantly, it determines how much line you will be able to get on the spool of your reel. If you need to maximise your line capacity, thinner diameters at higher breaking strains can be your friend.

Additionally, if your requirements relate to finesse and minimum visibility, finer diameters allow you to top shot spools rather than fill spools, maximising your dollar spend.

Is fine always your friend? I don’t think so.

Super fine diameters create their own evils.

If you are using fast retrieve ratio spin reels, wind knots are inevitable – and fine lines and wind knots tend to end in disasters.

The same can be said with baitcast gear.

Backlashes happen, and fine lines reduce the ease in which you can untangle what your lack of thumb control has created.

Knot tying is another thing that needs to be considered with fine lines. Many an angler has come unstuck when the knot they have been using for many years just doesn’t work, or gives way at the most inappropriate time.

CFS Fish Floss Although Fish Floss is marketed as one of the world’s finest and thinnest lines, I would not consider it to be in the super thin category. It is certainly fine for an 8 carrier braid though, and this PE8 construction provides extra strength for its diameter. It also provides the line with a bit of weight, and because of this it lays on your spool better and reduces the wind knot and backlash issues. Even when they occur, they tend to be less terminal than the ones you get with really fine, lightweight lines.

Fish Floss is also rounded in construction rather than flat, which reduces the line digging into itself on the spool and helps with castability. It does impact a little on line capacity, but this is far outweighed by the positives that a rounded construction provides, especially if you have not used braid before.

Colour and production quality Colour is and will remain a big debate amongst anglers. I believe colour relates to the fishing application you are going to use it for. Fishing with lures, particularly soft plastics, is about knowing what your lure is doing, and the braid becomes a strike indicator or a visual guide for this. Bait fishing is less about line colour and more about the low stretch and sensitivity that braided lines offer.

I am a firm believer that not all braids are created equal. Production quality can vary from spool to spool, and I have had a couple of cases where a section of a spool of line was brittle to the point where you could break 20lb line between your hands,

but couldn’t 10m further into the spool.

What made it worse was that I discovered it when a metre-plus barramundi was on the end of the line!

CFS Fish Floss is available in hi-vis yellow and green, so you can pick the colour that suits your needs or your preference. The PE fibres are impregnated with a Teflon coating and this has a number of effects, one of which is that it reduces water intrusion into the fibres, which can compromise the colour and the strength of a line. The Teflon also allows the line to run through the rod guides with less friction, to improve castability. I received a spool of each colour to test and there is no question which reel has the hi-vis yellow line on, even after six months of use.

It is difficult to test production quality, however it being a 8 carrier braid gave me the peace of mind that I wasn’t going to

ATC Combat baitcaster – a reel for many occasions a couple of days fishing could mark the end of a inferior reel. However, eight months down the track I have no hesitation in picking up the rod with the Combat on it first up, every time.

The other extreme is the ability to cast light lures and jigs with accuracy and good casting distance. Maroon has large pockets of lily pads and weeded areas, and bass in these areas are best targeted with jigs or surface lures. Accurate casting is a must (hence a baitcast outfit), but too much weight

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Steve Morgan slung XOS plastics on the ATC Combat for a couple of weeks on the ZEREK BARRA Tour and found it his ‘go-to’ combo for the big baits.

ATC is a brand best recognised for its spin reels in recent years, which are made with quality components, look great and don’t break the bank. The Valiant and Valour reels have proven that this brand is a viable alternative to the major brands.

Enter the ATC Combat baitcast reel. It has a larger hand feel than a standard low profile reel, which translates to better line capacity, an 8kg drag system and heavyduty gears. For me this is a crossover reel. It has all the casting attributes any baitcast reel has, as well as the capacity to deal with offshore jigging applications (ATC provide a second handle which is ideal for jigging).

A reel well travelled My ATC Combat has seen a lot of places and many different fishing scenarios. It has ranged from casting seriously big surface lures for Murray cod at Glenlyon Dam to 1/8oz jigs for bass at Maroon Dam. The extremes didn’t stop there either, as I also explored places like Lake Eildon (casting 2oz and 3oz spinnerbaits as well an assortment of hardbody lures), Somerset Dam (casting metal slugs and drone fishing) and back to Maroon casting buzzbaits for bass. Each time the reel performed the task required of it.

Casting heavy spinnerbaits and big surface lures put a huge amount of strain on a reel’s components, to the point where

The ability to cast lures that weigh a little or a lot is a great feature of the ATC Combat reel. will have you fighting the structure instead of the fish. Fortunately, casting light lures is not a problem with the Combat, and the magnetic cast control system has a lot to do with this. With minimal tweaking it assists your casting by reducing the error rate of an uneducated angler’s thumb control. I tested this to the point where I was casting 1/4oz buzzbaits with little or no thumbing of the

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have any problems with the Fish Floss.

Final thoughts Custom Fishing Solutions Fish Floss braid comes in 150m and 300m spools in the two colours I have mentioned. Line classes range from 10lb to 50lb in the 150m spools, and 20lb to 50lb in the 300m spools.

For the fishing I do and the reels I do it with, Fish Floss ticked the right boxes.

The line diameter was fine but not to the point that I had to change the knots I use. Its castability has been what I would expect from a PE8 braid, and in six months of use I have not had any line failures.

My preference is the hi-vis yellow colour, as most of my fishing is with lures, and surprisingly the line colour has held up well.

Check it out at your local tackle store or go to www.jurofishing.com for more details. Peter Jung

TESTED reel. It’s great to spend more time fishing and less time unpicking bird nests.

It survived Steve Morgan One of the best tests we can put a reel through at Fishing Monthly is to give it to Steve Morgan and see if he can break it, and the Zerek BARRA Tour provided a great opportunity to put it through its paces. Steve said that when he tests a reel, there are two main factors that matter the most.

“The first one is, does it survive the experience?” he said. “There’s probably no greater test for a small baitcaster then the rigors of a casting-only BARRA event.

There’s no let up. Every minute the reel is firing out another cast and the baits can be big – up to 25cm long.

“But the other, more subtle test is this: do you find yourself picking up the outfit as a matter of preference? We all have the outfit that becomes the ‘favourite’ for the trip. If you lose a lure, you end up re-rigging it rather than picking up a new outfit and starting there.

“I fished the ATC Combat on a Venom Swimbait rod and for big baits, it was by far the most comfortable rig to deliver the 130250mm soft plastics we were throwing.

“Landing metre-plus barra on the outfit was the final test. Loaded with 48lb Mustad braided line, I wasn’t shy screwing up the drag and trying to bully the fish a little. The drag was smooth, even if my fish fighting technique with the swimbait rod wasn’t!”

Check them out The ATC Combat is available in left and right hand wind, and for under $250 you get a lot for your money. To find out more go to www.wilsonfishing.com.- Peter Jung

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Black Magic

Tough enough for trevally: Black Magic popper Topwater fishing is considered by many to be the most exciting way to catch a giant trevally. For popping or stickbaiting, my lure of choice would be the Black Magic 180mm popper. It’s great for long casts and the amazing thing for me is the cupped face, which creates the noise and bubble trails.

Admittedly, you have to work some poppers hard to make them bloop to call the fish in but with the Black Magic 180mm popper, this is not the case; a firm pull and the lure will do the work for you.

I have enjoyed using this lure for three years and still have my first

one. There are so many teeth holes in it but I still have the confidence to throw it out and know it can handle a big giant trevally.

I’ve changed the hooks on it countless times.

That’s one thing you don’t want – a bent hook. You never know when that next fish will be the fish of a lifetime. There are no second chances with a big giant trevally, and if there is a weakness in your gear, this fish will find it. It’s as simple as forgetting that one hitch on an FG knot through to split rings with fatigue. I take my hat off to these creatures – they are my favourite fish in the ocean.

Three main things I look for when I’m

You can catch some big fish with this lure.

trevally pushing the bait up, all you have to do is put the Black Magic 180 popper to the side of the bait school and get ready to watch that surface strike.

I don’t like to throw the lure directly into the bait school, as it spooks the bait; the trevally end up herding the bait back up instead of hitting your lure. Birds are a good indication of where the bait is, so it’s good to pay attention to your surroundings.

Poppers are a great lure for the splash, but to me they are much more than that, especially the Black Magic 180mm popper.

On every retrieve the noise is what calls the

After three years and a lot of bite marks, the Black Magic 180mm popper still works wonders. searching for giant trevally are current, bait and birds; as all anglers know, no run, no fun. Watch the surface and once you see the commotion on the top of the water from giant

This popper really makes some sound to attract big GTs. You have to work some poppers hard to make them bloop but with the Black Magic 180mm popper it’s just a firm pull and the lure will do the work for you.

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Giant trevally are great fun to catch. Watch the surface and once you see the pipping on the top of the water from giant trevally pushing the bait up, all you have to do is put the Black Magic 180 popper to the side of the bait school and get ready to watch that surface strike.

These lures are great for their casting distance.

fish in, so the harder the retrieval, the further the noise goes to attract a fish in and the odds are a lot better for hooking these beautiful creatures.

I rig my Black Magic 180mm poppers with a Shimano Stella 14000 SW with 80lb YGK Castman down to my leader (100lb Black Magic tough trace) to a solid ring to a size 9 split ring.

That now brings me to the Black Magic 180mm popper. I like to have two different size hooks so there is less chance of fowling up.

I use a size 4 hook on the belly and a size 5 on the rear.

If you would like to follow me and see the different styles of fishing I do, find me on Facebook, twitter @ lollo_eric or instagram @eric.lollo.

– Eric Lollo, Black Magic

Cranka Crab

The Cranka Crab is growing Lure-makers, designers and manufacturers have never been more prolific. Lure fishing is huge and it’s hard to

that we are familiar with.

The idea behind the single hook is that it can be used on larger fish without the issue of small trebles giving way.

It’s fair to say it was a long wait before I could get one of these in my hands and onto the end of my line.

The lure itself comes in

interchangeable parts (like a LEGO kit for fishers).

I believe there are also plans to introduce heavier base plates for these to allow anglers to fish them in deeper and faster running water. They are available in a number of colours, allowing you to easily match the hatch.

When I got my first of these new lures a few months ago, I was excited as a kid on Christmas, but a part of me was a little worried. They looked amazing, but had I hyped myself up too much for it? There are a lot of other lures out there that look quite good too, but they don’t seem to work as well as expected. I felt like I had put a bit of pressure on myself.

Luckily enough we had a good weather forecast and planned a big day off the Gold Coast chasing snapper.

Another successful Crab attached a whopper snapper.

A Cranka Crab up close. This lure had the potential to be the perfect choice for a well-loved target species – snapper. fathom that there is still space for innovation.

It’s easy to think that it’s all been done before.

Of course, that is until we see something out of the ordinary and even something that appears so simple that it makes us ask, ‘why hasn’t this been done before?’

The Cranka Crab, a lure that has been made famous over the past few years, is one of those lures.

It’s an Australian-designed crab imitation that looks and swims like a crab.

Simple on the outside, the Cranka Crab is a very complex lure when you take a closer look. If you have used one, you can understand why they have been made famous, – they just catch a lot of fish!

The most recent addition to the Cranka range is the new 85mm Crab that now features a single hook, totally re-designed from the original treble hook models

Initially announced at the Australian Fishing Trade Show a little over two years ago, it was a lure that had caught my attention, as it had the potential to be the perfect choice for a well-loved target species of mine – snapper!

at 85mm wide and weighs 21g (3/4oz). Given the shape of the lure, the sink rate is a lot slower than your standard lure in that weight range. The Crab is comprised of a number of different components with

The new 85mm Crab now features a single hook that can be used on larger fish without the issue of small trebles giving way.

Cranka spotted crab.

The world is your oyster when it comes to target species on Cranka Crabs. Dan Powell loves a new challenge.

It took all of an hour and I had convinced myself, and my two mates that were out with me, that these crabs rock! So what convinced us? Well we had just boated two monster snapper going 93cm and 94cm!

We were fishing in water 30-40m deep with minimal current and had no trouble sinking the Crabs down. We also found that they were fairly snag resistant with only one lure snagging up, which then came off after I changed the angle and jiggled it off.

The day concluded with one other big hook-up that didn’t go our way; the guess was that it was a big cobia. Cobia are another fish I can see taking a liking to this lure. I’m excited to throw these crabs into other areas I usually fish just to see what else will jump on.

A big mulloway is on the cards next!

Speaking to Steve Steer, the man behind the Cranka brand, reports are coming

in left, right and centre of different fish being caught on these new crabs. Golden trevally, tuskfish and cobia are just a few. The great thing about these lures is that they just look so real that I can’t see fish getting used to them, unless they stop eating crabs altogether! They are a lure that you can tie on and know that it looks like the real deal. If a fish

is there, he’s going to nail it!

These lures are available online from www.crankalures.com.au and from any good tackle store. At $23.95 RRP, they are very well-priced considering what goes into making one of these. I highly recommend giving a Cranka Crab a crack. - Nabeel Issa, Cranka Lures

Bottom feeding golden trevally are suckers for the big crustacean.

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2018 shows promise for freshwater anglers TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

As one year ends and another begins it’s time to set some new fishing goals.

A few resolutions to tackle some new country, explore an unfamiliar lake or work out a certain species or technique may be in order.

The barra season is still closed for another month, so stick to targeting the impoundment fish where you are allowed to catch them all year long.

The Murray cod season reopened last month. The summer months are hot in cod country and there is no better time to target them with topwater lures. Surface luring in the early morning and from late afternoon into night will produce some explosions on top.

No matter where you fish, when a cod erupts at your feet, be prepared to stain your jocks. If you

happen to have a smelly accident, you could take them off and wear them on the outside because the amount of water these fish move when they erupt at you feet is enough to wash them clean again.

The New England gorge country is my favourite spot for cod fishing. Here, the sound of the strike echoes through the hills. The same thrills can be experienced in the border rivers as well.

I have said it many times before and will again: water gets hot on the surface through the summer months.

If you’ve had a swim in a still body of water, you will have noticed how hot it is on the surface before your feet reach the nice cool water. Hot water doesn’t hold oxygen well and trying to release fish into it can be a death sentence.

The sudden shock of coming from cool water to the surface is enough to roll fish like golden perch, cod and barra. You might

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Reports on the Cressbrook fishing have been slow to filter through. The fishing has been a bit tough but while the fish receive less pressure, the action should be okay if you can locate the schooling bass. Bass schools should be found around the usual areas.

Look through Bass Bay, around Deer Island, the flats just past the Eagles Nest rock wall and the points and small flats up the Beams Creek Arm. Schools are likely to be holding deep in around 10m of water. Often smaller fish will be holding a bit

shallower with the quality fish out in the deep.

The hotter water temperatures can cause the big fish to break up from their schools and move around in smaller concentrations.

If they move out into the middle of the lake and suspend in the deep water, trolling hardbodies lures is a good option.

Stick with deeper diving hardbodies that are able to reach 10m and control the depth by altering the amount of line out. When the fish move out and suspend in the deep water, try looking around the area out from the boat ramps and over towards the buoy line, and mark the no-fishing area around the pump tower.

DAM LEVELS

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Lure casters will have most fun when good concentrations of fish can be found. The middle of summer will see the fish a bit tougher to tempt, especially during the middle of the day.

Mornings and afternoons are prime times and if you can have the school to yourself, you are just about guaranteed to get bites. Once the fish shut down, move away and rest the spot for at least half an hour before returning.

On most occasions, spoons and tail spinners will be the best performing lures. Given the fish can be a bit tough at times, be prepared to dig deeper into your tackle selection.

Soft plastics, blade baits and spinnerbaits are all

OCT NOV DEC 6 18 18 93 100 99 17 18 18 47 45 44 73 99 101 81 83 82 83 89 83 90 100 99 6 5 5 0 50 0 86 83 78

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13

15

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14 31

Weipa

17

28

34

18

Toowoomba

BRISBANE

IMPOUNDMENT DAM

definitely worth considering.

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 boys 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 52 48 61 62 61 7 7 7 96 96 95 36 33 32 72 73 72 98 99 100 79 77 75 76 79 77 20 26 22 13 13 12 87 101 103

Gold Coast

22

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

27

21

23 25

Cairns 1

26

19

33

20

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

5

Rockhampton

Emerald

32

29 7

10

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Gladstone

30 8

Bundaberg 9

11

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 The fishing at Somerset will probably be tougher this month. The fish were moving around quite a bit last month but could still be fooled when found in

BRISBANE

reasonable numbers.

Quite a few bass were suspending out in the deep water but then moving back into their usual depths of around 10m deep. This type of pattern seems to take place a lot more over the summer months.

Once I was of the belief these fish were just out in the deep and suspended there to chill out and relax where they To page 75

Dam............................ % Full           

Maroon 97 98 98 Monduran/Fred Haigh 96 103 102 Moogerah 92 89 89 North Pine/Samsonvale 66 75 76 Peter Faust/Proserpine 73 72 72 Pindari 100 100 99 Somerset 77 79 79 Teemburra 96 97 99 Tinaroo 41 41 40 Toonumbar 97 101 100 Wivenhoe 66 71 73 Wuruma 95 100 100

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 13/12/17

(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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JANUARY 2018

Maryborough

w w w. b a r g a i n b o a t b i t s. c o m . a u

Dam............................ % Full Copeton Cressbrook Dyer/Bill Gunn Eungella Fairbairn Glenlyon Hinze Julius Kinchant Koombooloomba Leslie Macdonald

Gympie

12

brought to you by

Dam............................ % Full DAMS Atkinson Awoonga Bjelke-Petersen Boondooma Borumba Burdekin Falls Callide Cania Clarendon Cooby Coolmunda

think you are doing the right thing by swimming them beside the boat to revive them but actually you can do more harm than good.

Let the fish return to the cool comfortable water as soon as possible. Spear them back in rather than swimming them first.

Save this practice for the cooler months.

With El Nino weather patterns predicted over the summer months, things may get wet for some areas.

Heavy rain will certainly change the impoundment and river fishing. Use it to your advantage. Inflows into the lakes can see the fish move upstream into the running water.

If dams overflow, fish may follow the flow or move back upstream towards the dam wall. When the water is moving, so too are the fish.

Just remember, exclusion zones are in place for dam walls and weirs. Until next month, buckled rods from the Colonel!

the van at Kirkleigh open every day so you can stock up on all the goodies you need. Outside of school holidays, expect them to 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.

WIVENHOE CLOSEST TOWNS: FERNVALE, ESK If you are keen to catch a fish on a lure, regardless of species, Wivenhoe Dam is a great option. Forktailed catfish numbers can be out of control over the summer months. Like all fish, they have their days when the want to eat everything and others where you’ll need

From page 74

were most comfortable; now I am starting to think they use the deep water to travel to new locations.

I have witnessed several occasions where big schools in around 10m of water have moved wide and out in the deep where they suspend. A day later the big school is nowhere to be seen in that area and can be found in an entirely new spot. That’s my theory for now; who knows – it may change again in the years to come.

Look around Pelican Point area for the main concentration of bass.

They can be found up into Bay 13 or on the southern side of Pelican as well.

Lure selection will come down to where the fish are found. Spoons are great when they are closer to the bottom across the flats and near the riverbed drop-off.

When the fish move out and suspend, look for the tighter concentrations and try slow rolling soft plastics through them.

Speed can make a big difference. Some days they like it fast and others slow is better. Opt for heavier jigheads when targeting Somerset’s deep fish. A 3” paddle-tail or curl-tail plastic threaded onto a 1/2 or 5/8oz jighead will get the job done.

Trolling is a great option at Somerset at this time of year. The bass tend to be more scattered, so covering water will see lures cruising past more fish. You can either run with soft plastics and tail

spinners trolled at around 2km/h with an electric motor or cover even more water with the outboard and deep diving hardbodies.

Keep in mind the fish can be found deep, so you will need lures capable of reaching 10m.

Golden perch numbers should be pretty good and you can expect to come across a few in a day’s bass fishing. If you specifically target these fish by jigging small blades around trees and logs, you will score plenty. The start of the timber above Kirkleigh is a good spot to look for old trees on the bottom.

Search across the flats in the middle of the lake just

into deeper water. While these fish are holding deep, use heavier-than-normal lures. In open water, blades, tail spinners and spoons are perfect. Closer to the weed, blades and soft plastics can be fished more effectively.

There will still be a shallow water bite late in

past the buoy line. There is also some great country out from Queen Street.

The snag piles found up on top of the flat at Pelican Point are rarely fished and easy to find on a side imaging sounder. While not every log pile will hold fish, they are worth a jig, as you are bound to come across a snag holding heaps of golden perch.

Redclaw numbers have been quite good in the upper half of the lake. Traps baited with rockmelon or pilchards do the job. Try different depths from 4-10m to work out the best plan of attack.

Somerset Fishing will be open over the school holidays. They will have the afternoon and early in the morning. Switching to topwater lures like the Cultiva Zip’n’Ziggy or Strada Zedia will tempt some bass and you even stand the chance of hooking a saratoga further up the back of the dam.

Davos in Noosaville is just a short drive away and they carry all the right lures to use on the lake. Check

When the bass are suspended in deep water, it’s hard to beat a slow rolled soft plastic. Just make sure you are fishing it at the same depth as the fish. 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 offerings the bass and toga are going to love.

BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA The bulk of bass are schooling in the main dam.

Borumba Flat, just outside

the timber, is holding plenty of fish. Here they can be cast to with tail spinners, spoons, blades and soft plastics. There is no timber across the flat, so even trolling can be effective.

Up the arms there has been a scattering of bass mixed in with saratoga.

These fish love spinnerbaits cast to the edges. Working surface poppers and walkers

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA Cooby Dam continues to fish well for golden perch. The mornings and afternoons are the prime times, as it can be hard to get a bite outside of this time. Lure trollers have been having the most fun with heaps of fish coming from the shallows in around 3m of water.

Fishing a suitable lure to tickle the tops of the weed will ensure you get bites.

Just run it with enough line out to reach the weed without dragging the

mixed bag of bass, golden perch and catfish while trolling. This approach not only covers a lot of water to locate the best schools, it also gives a good indication of what species you are seeing on the sounder.

If the desired species is found, casting lures to the area may be a better option. Heavier lures will suit the deep water the fish love at this end of the lake. Spoons can be hopped or slowly wound through the fish to get the bites. Tail spinners are also a good way to fool the fish and work well as a trolling lure when the boat moves at around 1.8km/h.

Clint Rhule and his son whacked the big bass at Somerset, landing plenty like this on Gang Banger spoons in the Pelican Point area.

SUNSHINE COAST REGION MACDONALD CLOSEST TOWNS: TEWANTIN, NOOSA The deeper water has held the best numbers of bass. The area around the bubble trail and main basin has had some schooling fish. Numbers can also be found where the weed drops

to slow the lure right down to make them eat it. While catties may be thick, bass and golden perch are what most anglers chase.

The flats out in front of Billies Bay Boat Ramp are a good starting point. There are also some submerged island humps down towards the buoy line marking the restricted area closer to the dam wall. There is an ocean of water past this buoy line and a very good chance the bulk of the bass schools move into the area where they can’t be accessed.

Trolling very deep diving hardbodies will help locate the fish. Lures that can scrape the bottom in 10m of water will put you in the right zone. Expect a

bottom too much.

Trolling lures like the TN60 Jackalls has also been a top way to tempt the fish. Alter the speed of the boat to keep the lure just above the bottom.

If a good patch of fishholding weed is found, casting can be a good option. Flick the lures over the area and wind them just above the weed bed.

Keep retrieving at a steady speed all the way to the boat, as sometimes they will follow to your rod tip.

Hopping vibes like Jackall Masks and ZX40 blades will be effective in deeper water if numbers

It’s a good practise to spear cod, golden perch and barra back to the water in the summer months. This gets them back to the cooler layers quicky.

early in the morning will increase the chances of catching a saratoga.

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. of fish are found outside the weed. Live shrimp and saltwater yabbies are also worth a try. Stores have been having trouble getting live shrimp lately, so you may need to bait some traps and try the local creeks and dams for a supply.

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 To page 76

JANUARY 2018

75

From page 75

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 can be left on the boat and must not be used.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK The deeper water of the main basin is producing plenty of golden perch and the occasional Murray cod. Trolling hardbodies that dive 3-5m deep will give you a good chance.

Jigging vibes and small blades will also account for plenty of fish in the deeper areas.

There will be quite a bit of traffic on the lake over the holiday period, so make the effort to fish either early or late in the day, as it may be a bit more relaxing.

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.

Adam Krautz isn’t ready to pass a football. It’s a fat golden perch, which didn’t hesitate to eat his cod spinnerbait.

Warwick is only a ten-minute drive from the dam and you can pick up any supplies you might need.

COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD The Murray cod bite may have slowed down. A few experienced anglers have hit the lake with high expectations only to come home empty handed. The cod will still be worth a

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www.lakeboondooma.com.au www.yallakoolpark.com.au 76

JANUARY 2018

WIDE BAY AND SOUTH BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY The lake will fish well for lure trollers over the next month. With bass and golden perch resting at 5-6m down in deeper water, choosing the right lure is important.

A hardbody that dives to the same depth as the fish will get more bites than fishing above or below them.

Lure casters can still catch fish when better numbers are found on the sounder.

Casting spoons, plastics and tail spinners is a good way to fool them. Look for fish around the Barbers Pole, the Junction, the flats leading into the Boyne, Pelican Point and the boulders opposite it.

There will be plenty of traffic around the lake, and with a lot of fish being up the back end, there will be fewer water skiers to annoy you. Keep moving and exploring until you find some action and you are bound to experience some good fishing this month.

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.

BJELKE CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI Bjelke is fishing well for bass and the occasional golden perch. Most action is taking place between the boat ramps and Bass Point. The water beyond here is getting too shallow to hold good numbers of fish and is harder to navigate.

Look for the better quality fish in deeper areas of 5-7m

of water. In shallower areas you may find plenty of fish but they are often the smaller models. The better quality bass have been over 40cm long and I have even heard of some 50cm fish caught over the past two months.

Casting soft plastics on jigheads from 1/4-1/2oz will

try over the next month, as when they fire up, you can expect to hook several in a good session.

Big spinnerbaits are the best option.

When the cod aren’t playing, there are still golden perch to catch. At times they are so hungry they will take big cod lures, so switching to a more sensibly-sized bait will produce even more bites.

Casting blades or trolling 50-70mm hardbodies will give you a good chance of hooking quite a few golden perch. Try working inside the timber when casting and follow the creek beds out into the basin of the lake when trolling or hopping blades.

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.

call for accommodation and camping bookings on (07) 4168 4746.

CANIA CLOSEST TOWNS: MONTO, BILOELA The bass fishing is awesome at Cania. This lake will handle the holiday pressure well with fewer serious anglers pounding the fish. A lot of the action will be in the dam’s main basin.

the lure down for four or five seconds and start winding. A continuous retrieve will keep the lure higher in the water column where the fish are.

Lure trollers can have a lot of fun on Cania’s suspended bass. Hardbodies that run 3-5m are all you need to reach the fish.

Another proven method is to slow troll a Jackall TN60 at around 2.5km/h.

The author snared several Coolmunda cod on his favourite lure – a 1oz Sudsy’s spinnerbait with one of the new Hot Bite Stinger Assist hooks fitted. give you the best chance.

Trolling is another way to put good numbers of fish in the boat. Spinnerbaits like the Smako are perfect for this, or you can stick to the more conventional approach and run a shallow hardbody.

For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into Bass to Barra. The store stocks an awesome range of gear suited to chasing our freshwater fish and the staff have all the knowledge to guide you on how to use it.

You’ll find the store at 119 Youngman Street Kingaroy.

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

Suspended bass are the target with heaps of fish holding in 3-4m of water out in the deeper areas.

Casting chrome spoons and soft plastics is a good way to suck these fish in. Count

There are still bass to be caught up the back of the lake in the timber. Casting spinnerbaits to the edges and structure will give you a good chance of scoring a bass, golden perch or saratoga.

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE There are still a few barra about at Awoonga.

The eastern side of the main basin has been quite productive about halfway down to Dingo Island. There are plenty of trees, bays and points to explore. Casting

surface lures around the weedy margins is a good way to draw some interest early in the morning when the fish are still shallow and cruising around.

As the day wears on they will head deeper. Soft plastics and suspending hardbodies fished around the spindly timber and treetops can then perform To page 77

From page 76

well. The water is clear, so keep lures down around 2m deep at least during the brighter parts of the day.

A night session is definitely worth a go.

Some lucky anglers scored around 20 barra in one session. Like all fishing, it pays to be in the right spot, throwing the right lure at the right time. Put these three pieces of the puzzle together every time and you will never fail. The hardest part is being in the right spot at the right time. This is where side imaging sounders come into play. Scan out to the sides and watch for the barra moving into your area. When the fish are there, you stand a chance.

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 their own verandas).

To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 4975 0033.

WHITSUNDAY REGION PETER FAUST CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSERPINE, AIRLIE BEACH Not much has changed over the last month and things are likely to stay the same unless a big rain event brings about change. Barra are being caught all over the dam. This isn’t necessarily a good thin,g as when they are spread out like this, there is more water between them, making numbers harder to find.

Up the back of the dam, the points fish well early in the morning, afternoons and into the night. Casting soft plastics like the 130mm Slick Rig in black and gold is a proven method. Some of the new soft swimbaits on the market are also worth a try. You may need to weight some of the shallower swimming models to get them to track deeper.

These shallow fish move out to deeper areas during the day and spend time resting in the deeper water of creek beds. Here they can still be fooled by cranking hardbodies down into the treetops and letting them float back up. Lures that crash dive to 5m are perfect. Weight these lures so they are slow risers.

More time spent in the zone equals more fish. If good numbers are spotted out in deeper water, vibes are a good presentation. Both soft and hard vibes around

100mm long can be hopped and wound through the deep suspended fish. Big plastics like the PowerBait Ripple Shads and Big Willy can also be rigged on heavy jigheads and worked through these deeper barra.

Out in the basin the

fish have been unreliable.

Better numbers should make their way out into this neck of the woods over the next month. Finding fish in the middle of the basin can be a lucky dip but better numbers should make the job easier. To increase your

Trolling is a good option this month. Blades work well when towed slowly at 2km/h using an electric motor.

Presents

chances, try looking around flocks of birds (which mean bait) and following the old creek, river courses and drop-offs.

These deeper fish will move in the water column; often they are around 10m deep. Trolling is a means to an end for lure casters.

It covers heaps of water while you search and can connect you to some solid specimens. Trolling lures is one of the best ways to draw bites from these sometimes-stubborn fish.

Lure casters can then switch it up and try vibes and big plastics on the deep fish. Trollers should just keep on trolling the same area once they have a strike or boat a fish. Deep water fish should be returned to the water quickly if they are to be released.

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 won’t be disappointed, as 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.

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77

Get ready for trolling time at Somerset Dam SOMERSET

Matthew Taylor

With the school holidays in full swing, crowds have flocked to Somerset Dam. This has brought immense boating traffic to the lake.

While this great pressure has influenced the fishing, quality fish have still been caught regularly.

Making such changes can make the difference between catching fish and not. Adjusting variables like trolling speed is also important. Don’t be afraid to go faster or slower than normal. Pelican Point and Brads Bank have recently been the most successful areas. There have been many reports of fish being caught on colours like whites,

The author caught this 53cm fork-length bass on his first cast of the day. A chrome coloured 20g Halco Twisty brought this fish undone.

Summer at Lake Somerset is a time where trolling hardbodied lures consistently catches large bass and yellowbelly. The heat causes the metabolism of the fish to become much faster. Hence, along with the influence of added boating traffic, this causes the fish to spread out to search for food, which makes trolling an extremely effective technique.

Fish at Somerset are well-known for their fussiness and tentativeness.

It’s important to use the right lure in the right situation.

For example, if the majority of fish are suspended in 20ft with a 40ft bottom depth, a lure like the Smak Brolga would be suitable. However, swimming the lure above or below where the fish are in the water column can be a way to ignite the bite.

purples and light blues.

Often it’s a case of trial and error to find out what the fish are biting on.

While finding and catching bass in summer can be difficult, quality fish can still be caught by casting anglers. As usual for this time of year, they are both spread out and on the move. After finding a school of fish it’s vital to keep an eye on your sounder. Always make sure the fish are still in the area, as there is no point fishing where there are no fish.

Reports suggest that bass are schooling at Pelican Point and areas north of it, Brads Bank, Bay 13 and Queen Street. However, it won’t be long before quality fish are caught from areas in the vicinity of Kirkleigh.

This month spoons have again been the best option.

Try using lures like Hotbite Gangbangers, Palms Slow Blatts, Maria Mucho Lucirs and Halco Twisties, along with the Asari Escape-Z Vibe from JM Gillies.

Brett Klaws with a solid golden perch caught while using a Maria Spin Shiner Tailspinner.

ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEM This Electric motor drive can be used on any SUP, Kayak or Canoe. It’s attached easily by any of the 3 universal mounts.

The LAGOON has 300Watts of power control by a convenient wireless Bluetooth.

Controller with built in safety features.

1.5hr MAX running time. Less than 4kg

Reuben Wright with a 50cm yellowbelly caught on a white and blue Hotbite Gangbanger spoon.

Retrieves that have worked well recently with these lures include slow rolling, slow hopping and vertical jigging. The 3” soft plastics and Hot Bite Jets Tailspinners have also been effective. An array of colours like purples, blues, dark greens, whites and light browns have been working well. Take into account water clarity and light levels when deciphering which colour the fish want.

Somerset Fishing Tackle can be found just 200m from the Kirkleigh day use boat ramp at the Lake Somerset Holiday Park.

They stock a wide range of competitively-priced fishing tackle, now including Hotbite Gangbangers and Jets Tailspinners. During your time at the lake, make sure to drop in and say G’day. If you are after any fishing tips or information, feel free to ask and they will be more than happy to

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.

Equivalent to a 3hp petrol outboard. Just without the noise and pollution. It weighs 16kg including the battery. The inbuilt battery can be changed with the simple lift of a release handle.

THE FUTURE IS HERE

For more information call (02) 9532 0002 78

Somerset Holiday Park.

From September to April, the gates open at 5.30am and close at 6.30pm.

From May to August, the opening hours are 6.00am to 5.30pm. To see more from Matt, you can find him on Instagram (@matthew____ taylor) and Facebook (@ matthewtaylorfishing).

While casting anglers have recently had great success on schooled bass, trolling is a goto option during the summer months.

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.

Email: info@islandinflatables.com.au

www.epropulsion.com.au JANUARY 2018

help you. Like their new Facebook page (@Somerset Fishing) to stay up to date with all forms of fishing information.

• If you’re heading to Lake Somerset and are fishing or boating, there are two main boat ramps to use: one located at the Spit and the other at the Lake

Fresh start for Tinaroo TINAROO

Warwick Lyndon

Lake Tinaroo was formed when Tinaroo Falls Dam was built on the upper Barron River between 1953 and 1958, in order to provide a reliable water source for the large scale agriculture that occurs here on the Tablelands.

The lake is a large body of water with over 200km of shoreline, which takes

some exploring and many hours of effort to form an understanding of where the fish-holding structures are.

A word of warning to the uninitiated – Tinaroo is a heavily timbered dam and can become downright dangerous and difficult to navigate during times of low water. Due to this, speed restrictions are often placed on this waterway to ensure the safety of all users.

Recently this was the case with a 6 knot speed restriction in effect.

A sooty grunter captured by the author in the middle reaches of the lake.

Having only visited the Tablelands briefly once before, I had no idea what to expect when fishing Lake Tinaroo for the first time when I moved here mid-way through last year. Despite being involved in the highly competitive bream and bass tournament circuit further south, and having had experience on some of the more southern freshwater impoundments, I had heard that the ‘lake of a thousand casts’ was a tough one to crack.

Although this reputation is more than well-deserved, I am happy to report that Tinaroo can also be a place where dreams of trophy fish of several different species become a reality. Multiple world-record barramundi have been captured here and Tinaroo continues to be one of the lakes in which fish of epic proportions are accessible to anyone willing to put in the effort to target them.

Having said that, Tinaroo doesn’t just play host to the elusive barramundi; other species that reside in the lake include sooty grunter, sleepy cod, mangrove jack, redclaw crayfish, catfish and unfortunately, tilapia. The Tablelands Fish Stocking Society stock several species into the dam to ensure that

Tinaroo Falls Dam was recently at around 40% capacity. Even so, there is still a lot of fishable water to explore!

Tinaroo continues to be a fantastic fishing destination for both families and serious sportfishers alike.

I’m happy to report that over the last few months the dam has been fishing well for several of the more desirable species. Barramundi took a while to come out of their winter slumber this season, but due to a significant rise in water temperature around mid-October, they have been biting well since that time. Over November and December we have seen an increase in the number and quality of barra caught in the dam, particularly around the new and full moons.

With the average size of the fish being encountered well over a metre, this has seen some red-hot sessions occurring, commonly

around the dawn and dusk peak bite times. Some keen anglers have been even more successful when fishing deep into the dark hours of the night. Sooty grunter have also been quite active towards the end of the year, with some very fine specimens being captured. Unlike barramundi, these fish can be taken with regularity throughout the day and are far more likely to bite during the sunlit hours.

Over the next month anglers should be well placed to spend some time exploring this magnificent waterway in search of a big barramundi or feisty sooty grunter. Great places to begin your mission include any of the prominent structures that allow the fish to ambush their prey. These include timbered areas, the smaller feeder creeks, weed

beds, rock formations, small bays, submerged timber, sloping points and the edges of the old riverbed.

Where these features coincide with one or more of the others listed, and have wind blowing onto them, your chances are more than doubled. Of course, there is no substitute for a quality sounder in doing some of the hard yards for you, and units with side scanning ability make a big difference on this lake.

Many of the locals won’t even fish until they have located barramundi on the screen.

• If your New Year’s resolution is to land a trophy fish, get out to Tinaroo and have a crack. If you’d like to keep up to date with more of my fishing antics, you can like my Facebook page – Wazza’s Fishing Page.

JANUARY 2018

79

New MY18 Outlander BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The time: half an hour before daylight.

The location: Mitchell Creek Road, a forestry road between Kandanga Creek Road and Yabba Creek Road west of Imbil, near Borumba Dam.

Year 18 AWD Outlander with its 2.4L petrol engine, wondering if I have made the right decision to short cut across Mitchell Creek Road to be at Lake Borumba’s launching ramp at 4:30am.

The drive quickly went from laid back to “please let it end soon!”.

My predicament was my own fault. While staying on a property at Upper Kandanga,

was until I came to the section cut up by trucks!

On Mitchell Creek Road’s second greasy corner I was suddenly glad that the Outlander had all-wheeldrive on command. The press of a console button the Outlander’s drive changed from AWD Eco Mode to AWD Lock, which sees power going to all wheels.

Suddenly I found things a

At Borumba Dam after a morning’s fishing. On a dodgy back road the Outlander saved the day with its All Wheel Drive Lock system.

Styling changes have enhanced the MY18 Outlander’s frontal treatment with some emphasis on the grille and LED daylight lights.

The 7” central dash screen doubles as an information outlet and reversing camera.

Situation: Mitchell Creek Road is a rough-and-ready unsurfaced track with heavy timber and rainforest each side, wet from the night’s rain.

There’s greasy clay on some corners, and a bad camber to contend with on others. I’m at the wheel of the Model

a mate invited me to join him for a fish in Borumba Dam nearby, and I couldn’t say no; I love flyfishing for saratoga. With only a short drive between car engine start up and boat engine start up, I figured that a bit of bad road was hardly an obstacle. That

A somewhat plain interior is highlighted by faux chrome strips plus neat stitching on the seats and gear selector.

JANUARY 2018

In better shape after drying out: Mitchell Creek Road can really test the car and driver thanks to greasy clay and bad camber on sections. smart, fuel-saving system for most situations. As a failsafe option on slippery or loose surfaces, you just activate the ‘Lock’ mode on the console to engage full-time all wheel drive. This can mean the difference between going forward or going sideways when road surface difficulties and bad camber are par for the course.

MY18 OUTLANDER GENTLY RE-STYLED The model I tested was the 5-seat ES, and slight changes to front and rear differentiate

it from the previous year’s model. As a good all-round SUV, Mitsubishi’s Outlander certainly covers a lot of bases; there are five petrol models in the 2x2 and All Wheel Drive range, another two in the diesel-powered models, plus there’s the plug-in electric Phev hybrid!

I enjoyed driving this cheep and cheerful wagon.

The Outlander’s smooth ride is an feature that Mitsubishi have improved with successive models, and I couldn’t fault it.

whole lot easier, and greasy corners were no longer a threat to forward progress.

The Outlander’s CVT drive system provides ample power for slopes, yet there’s easy control in the more demanding stuff.

This recent experience

With seats folded down there’s a fair amount of room in the rear of the Outlander.

80

justified my decision to choose an AWD Outlander over a 2WD model. If you knew there was little chance of your vehicle travelling on loose or slippery surfaces, the 2WD would be fine, but for the rest of us it’s AWD all the way.

The AWD Outlander has a fuel-saving All Wheel ECO mode, which mainly utilizes front wheel drive unless its sensor detects lack of traction. If that happens, drive is transmitted to the wheel(s) slipping, which is a

A tidy tailgate area. The reversing sensors are very handy in city street parking.

With the 18 range there are also some extra goodies to tempt potential owners, within various grades of specs. As mentioned, the model reviewed was the ES AWD 5 petrol 5-seater,

BOATS FOR SALE

fair amount of plastic in the cabin interspersed with some faux chrome highlights, but that’s no different from many modern vehicles. Contrasting stitching on the Outlander’s gear selector and seats was a

on

SKEETER TZX170 Location: QLD

$33,000

The central display provides plenty of choice. but there’s more. In ADAS specification, this wagon sported adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, reversing sensors plus an auto high beam headlight system.

SAFETY SYSTEMS I really valued the

nice touch.

PHONE AND AUDIO SYSTEMS The Outlander ADAS had power controls for most functions. There was also an easy-to-use cruise control system, a decent touch screen with its information display linked to a reversing camera,

POLYCRAFT 4.10 Location: NSW

The Lock button is a very handy feature in some off-road situations.

All the major controls and features are either on the steering wheel or within easy reach. adaptive cruise control, which deliberately slowed the Outlander on approach to a vehicle ahead, maintaining a predetermined safe distance to the rear of it. Changing lanes on a dual lane road immediately saw the cruise control reverting to the selected speed for the drive.

The lane departure warning system was a good one too – no hoots or beeps, just some flashing of a warning system on the dash which was noticeable without being intrusive. It could also be turned off if necessary when travelling on a road without decent lane edge markings, which might confuse the system.

I used the Outlander both in the city and on longer stints in the country, and I enjoyed the high SUV driving position plus the overall ambience of the well laid-out cabin and dash area. There was a

media systems with Bluetooth phone connectivity and smart phone link display audio on the touch screen, Android audio and Apple car play.

Easily enough entertainment and communication systems

to tempt a tech-savvy buyer.

SUMMING UP Overall comfort and ease of driving is a big feature of the MY18 Outlander petrol AWD 5-seater, and it does have some genuine

off-road capability when compared to some of the modern SUVs (as I found out myself). Handling is very good as well, and the 2.4L fuel-injected petrol engine outputting 124kW/220Nm manages well enough in conjunction with the CVT multi-gearing auto drive system. The engine is no fire breather, but adequate.

Hard acceleration can see the tachometer racing ahead of the speedo somewhat, but once a cruising speed is obtained the Outlander hums along quite well.

Fuel consumption from the 2.4 petrol auto was 8/2L per 100 on mixed city and country driving, and the fuel tank has a capacity of 60L. This wagon can tow a 1600kg (braked trailer) with 750kg unbraked, which is handy for small boat owners.

In my view the MY18 Outlander petrol AWD is a very uncomplicated and easy vehicle for up to five people to enjoy. Prices start at around the $28,500 mark and vary with differing spec levels.

$14,990 SKEETER ZX190 Location: NSW

$40,000 STRATOS 294XL Location: NSW

$50,000 MAKO CRAFT 480 Location: VIC

$22,000 A 12V power outlet in the rear is a useful feature.

Like us on facebook for automatic updates JANUARY 2018

81

Gunna Go Caravan Park at Peter Faust Dam on Gunna Go Caravan Park, just 6km north of Proserpine and around 25km from the Peter Faust launch ramp. It turned out to be a pretty smart decision.

BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Remember Cyclone Debbie? It was way back in April 2017, but the memory is still very fresh around the Proserpine area. You can still see visible damage where immense destruction was wreaked by this massive weather event.

I’m based in Southern Queensland, and down here it’s hard to comprehend just how something that happened so long ago could still be making things tough.

The truth is that the scale of the damage, over such widespread areas, has placed such a burden on insurance assessment and consequent demand on tradies for follow-up repairs, that many locals are a long way from

A licensed bar is very convenient for visitors to Gunna Go, and the Friday night sausage sizzle is always popular.

Greenery all around is very easy on the eye at this caravan park. The tall trees in the area made things very comfy for a nanna nap after lunch.

Denise Kampe enjoyed a spot of sport with a golden trevally out from Shute Harbour. enjoying things as they were prior to Debbie.

Not surprisingly, with so much local infrastructure out of commission, many anglers wanting to have a

crack at Lake Proserpine’s fabulous barra fishing have had a hard time finding somewhere ideal to use as a base. With a week-long trip planned last month, I decided

I really enjoy camping on well grassed sites with level ground, and there’s plenty of this at Gunna Go.

No tent? No worries! There is alternative accommodation on hand.

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JANUARY 2018

This caravan park sits on a large, tree-studded and well grassed area, with both powered and unpowered sites for campers and caravaners.

While Debbie has given

some of the park’s trees a bit of a hiding, there is still enough shade of an afternoon (when it is really useful) for comfortable camping. Most foliage has come back nicely and, with ample greenery above and below, the park is very easy on eye.

Currently there are a number of powered and air-conditioned dongas freshly installed, and these will be welcomed by fishos I’m certain. No camping gear, no worries!

The park owners, Shane and Joy, are also working on providing further on-site accommodation.

Shane and Joy take great pride in Gunna Go, and this is reflected in the welcome extended to visitors, the cleanliness of amenities, the overall tidiness of the park, and the friendly ambience of the licensed facilities which are open most nights. On

If you tire of barra fishing, why not launch at Shute Harbour? It won’t disappoint. This little queenie was great fun on the fly rod.

selecting a powered site at the western end of the park (a fan and Chescold fridge freezer came along with us).

The tall trees in the area made things very comfy for a nanna nap after lunch. As I see it, if we’ve been up since 3:30am chasing barra we’re justified in having a

This attractive caravan park has lots of greenery and room to stretch out.

Concrete pads are available for caravans, and there are plenty of shady trees.

Barra on fly are always fun, and this hardfighting fish made the author very happy.

nap after lunch!

The Bruce Highway runs in front of the park, and although passing traffic can be heard at times the situation is not that different from many of the motels I have stayed in en route to fishing areas around the country.

And with barra fishing very early of a morning, and again of a late afternoon, it was a great pleasure to sleep on a stretcher in the tent and enjoy a gentle breeze through the windows.

Travelling to Peter Faust Dam from Gunna Go is as easy as heading back towards Proserpine and taking a turn on the right around 1km south of the park. Follow the meandering road through the cane fields to Spruce Lane, and turn left at the sign to Peter Faust Dam via

Crystal Brook Road. It’s an easy drive with just the odd small wallaby to watch out for in the wee hours of the morning.

Gunna Go is handy enough to Proserpine to make it easy to refuel or get more tucker, and the town has sufficient infrastructure to cater for everything from tackle to hardware and all medical requirements.

People who like to thoroughly explore their holiday destinations would really enjoy a drive to the local Whitsunday area to the east. Attractions here include some of the prettiest sections of coastline on our east coast, with Hydeaway Bay (that’s the correct spelling,

thanks!) and Dingo Beach being just north of the more well known Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour localities.

The sea fishing here is well out of the ordinary for those of us who fish Moreton Bay regularly. My wife Denise and I launched for just one session at Shute Harbour and took a couple of interesting line burners in short order. On our next trip I plan to divide our time equally between Peter Faust and Shute Harbour, and see how things work out.

Lastly, getting to Gunna Go involves nothing more than looking for signage around 6km north of Proserpine. The entrance is well defined, the welcome exceptional and the stay nothing short of enjoyable.

You can contact Shane and Joy on (07) 4945 1540 or at gunnagocaravanpark@ gmail.com.

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A wide entrance and reception area means that even the largest of rigs will be comfortable at Gunna Go.

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UNILIGHT IS MAGNETIC

Friday nights there’s also a sausage sizzle, and it’s very easy to sit and catch up with the news on the big screen TV and see what the rest of the world is doing. This is a pet-friendly caravan park as well.

On this trip we tented it but cheated a little by

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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

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290 163kg

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SUZUKI HONDA 115HP OPTIMAX

64.37

NEW YAMAHA NEWMERCURY MERCURY 115HP FOURSTROKE

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PREVIOUS MERCURY FOURSTROKE 1.7L

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177kg

270

8.05

170kg

280

3.40

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310

260

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4.25

320

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BSFCon dyno testing; data (L) is an average of 60%-80% *Based Mercury’s 115hp model.

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80.47

330

72.42

340

Just what does it really take to win?

SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

Why would anyone watch golf? That was what I was asking the service staff at the Darwin Airport Lounge. Given the expressions on their faces as they politely rebuffed the line of people asking for a change to the cricket, there was plenty of tension in the room – just not the sporting kind.

Nonetheless, sporting tragic that I am, golf was better than nothing. Fishing, test cricket, and golf have one thing in common – most of the time not a lot happens.

fishers in competitions.

The ABT Barra Tour has just finished and given that it’s a short, punchy event with a mix of venues and formats, it’s an excellent dataset to work with to explore that theme.

A TEST OF CHARACTER The Barra Tour is split into four rounds: one at Lake Kinchant, one at Lake Teemburra and two at Lake Proserpine. All the events are night affairs (4pm to midnight) with the last an all-nighter. Round three is held over two days, so effectively there are five fishing days in total – six if you count the final round as two days.

Speaking as the guy who was up until 3am for most of

Team BARRATRAUMA, Peter (left) and Zac (right).

A lack of action provides something of a challenge to commentators who must provide a constant stream of anecdotes to fill in the gaps. On this occasion one of the commentary team remarked of a golfer I had never heard of: “We know he can win with his A-game, but not with his B-game. Until he can win ugly with his B-Game, he won’t go to the next level.”

Hearing that little gem, I rummaged through my bag for my notebook and noted the comment down, knowing I had the topic for my next article. I am very interested in the 1% fishers – the anglers who stand out from the rest as the ones you expect to win. A-B games are one of the elements that I have observed make the difference between the 1% 86

JANUARY 2018

that getting the scores done, there is no doubt in my mind this is an endurance event.

The endurance aspect adds a twist because competitors are fighting the fish and other competitors, and by the end they are fighting themselves.

Best of all, the Barra Tour is a team event and having looked at the results, that is a crucial element. Teams are only as good as the weakest link.

These are the sorts of conditions that will quickly divide the field and are as such perfect for uncovering the 1% fishers.

FISHING AND SPORTS SCIENCE It’s at this point I want to bring in an introduction to sports science, especially as it relates to fishing. Sports science is a huge part of professional sports and falls

into four basic categories: • Physical training regimes – tailored to the role of the individual • Human performance – making sure that the player is mentally peaking at the right time • Sports statistics – the ability to measure an athlete and their progress • Injury management – rehab and prevention.

Elite fishers are like all elite sports people; they work to a plan, have a consistent preparation routine and execute with high skill. They seem to be able to perform miracles and operate in a league of their own. I have talked to enough fishers that have in one way or another ‘cracked the code’ and know that a more systematic approach to improving performance does deliver results.

If there is a barrier to the use of sports science in fishing, it’s prize money.

Sports science is feasible in sports like cricket, AFL and rugby league because there the difference between success and failure can be many millions of dollars of income to a club. When it comes to fishing, the stakes are much lower, and like all amateur sports, much of the focus is on pride.

That said, there is a dawning understanding that there is an audience for fishing and a need to capture that before someone else does. Improving the overall skills of our fishery is part of that, so I am always willing to share things I have learned.

PHYSICAL TRAINING Physical training is a tricky one with fishing.

Some fundamental elements are required to maintain peak concentration, but that doesn’t extend to aerobic activity.

Running, for example, won’t make you a better fisher, but if you enjoy running, don’t stop. Some weight training (without going crazy) and activities that improve core strength, flexibility, balance and fine motor skills are essentials.

The one area that people don’t consider is casting technique. If you’re going to be a competition fisher in a high casting environment, your back, shoulders and

Team FISHTEC/EJ TODD, Craig (left) and Karim (right). arms are going to get a work over and here is where there is a risk of long-term injury. I have spent time with professionals looking at casting technique, and while we need to spend some time with biomechanical modelling, this is the one section of the body all highintensity fishers need to look after.

While there is no official program, I recommend spending a bit of time with a quality personal trainer or sports medical group who understand the exercises that will build up a balanced muscle through the back, shoulders and biceps. The risk comes if you have a casting technique that favours one muscle group, which creates weaknesses in others, leading to injury or arthritis later in life.

I do have exercise regimes that I have worked through with experts; there should be no need for anything other than bodyweight training.

HUMAN PERFORMANCE Human performance

management is focused on efficiency. Think about driving; when a learner first starts driving they are conscious of everything that’s happening, but as skills develop a twentyyear driver can have a journey and not even remember getting in the car. This process is called ‘unconscious competence.’

Elite fishers have repeated the tasks in fishing to the point where they don’t have to think about them. Having analysed the performance of high-end competition fishers with experts in human performance, they can be broken down into five key areas.

Planning – planning is not about merely having a plan of attack. Careful planning means working out all the issues that are likely to come up. There is no room to be focused on anything other than execution during the competition.

Casting – this is a no-brainer and is just muscle memory. The thing about muscle memory is it works for both good and bad

technique. While it’s a given that high-end fishers have proper technique, that is not true for all fishers. All new competition fishers should get input from a casting clinic or other high-end fisher early on and address any issues before building muscle memory. It’s always much harder to fix poor technique than develop the proper form from the start.

Tackle – the interesting thing about tackle is the important element is map building. As fishers spend more time on the water, they build up a larger range of circumstances under which a combination of tackle should be used. Top fishers have a surprisingly narrow map, in that they have worked out the specific combinations that work best for them most often. That is not to say they don’t have tricks up their sleeves, but their best techniques deliver results, so they don’t need too many alternatives past plan B. Emotional state – all high-performance athletes manage their emotional

FIG. 1 FISHTEC/EJ TODD VS BARRATRAUMA VS JACKALL Team Min bag Max bag Average bag Total weight Highest place Lowest place Average place Top-five placements Top-three placements Wins Five-fish bags Zero-fish bags

FISHTEC/EJ TODD 40.690kg 70.470kg 58.944kg 294.720kg 1 4 2.5 4 3 1 5 0

BARRATRAUMA 0kg 86.630kg 46.364kg 231.820kg 1 17 6 3 2 2 3 1

JACKALL 24.840kg 69.810kg 54.814kg 274.070kg 2 6 3.5 3 2 0 5 0

state well. That is not a case of always being neutral, but rather knowing when to lift the intensity. The other trick to managing your emotional state is handling the tough times – being resilient and positive in tackling challenges rather than being reactive.

Secondary strategy – this is the B-game, the ‘win ugly’ method. Simply put, the best fishers can be off their game, or make a bad call, and still make sure that a bad day doesn’t see them dropping down the leaderboard. Fish in the boat is always the first goal.

SPORTS STATISTICS AND FISHING Most of the best fishers know their game well, and most people can read a scoreboard. The thing that is most often missing is a real underlying understanding of how close or far away an individual is and how to get there. Fishing more won’t help if that practice is not focused on fixing up the gaps in performance. This is where digging into data

contention. Here we have a great example from the most recent Barra Tour comparing the team that won with the hottest team on form.

FISHTEC/EJ TODD is the elite combination of Craig Griffiths and Karim DeRidder. As a dynamic duo, they are the well-established team to beat; Craig is the most successful of the current barra tournament fishers in Queensland. I believe Craig is the number one in the country.

BARRATRAUMA are the Mackay local dynamos, Zac Hunt and Peter Laine.

With two first placings, an eye catching maximum bag of 86.63kg, one night totalling 338kg and an overall total of 649.86kg, BARRATRAUMA had the A-Game to compete. To put things into full perspective, they boated 355kg more than FISHTEC/EJ TODD over the course of the events. That is the kind of red-hot form you bet your life on.

for stats.)

Katy Perry might tell you that you are a firework, but over the long haul, you need to make sure you that your fuel doesn’t burn out.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND The two top teams at the event included FISHTEC/ EJ TODD and JACKALL, the combination of Dan Curry and Ash Simms.

Over the course of the tour, only 20kg separated the two, which amounts to one solid fish.

JACKALL managed five-fish bags on every night and had the A-game to match the leaders with only a half kilo separating their maximum bags. Here is where the differences in B-games come to the fore, and the ‘win ugly’ factor comes in.

In the last two events JACKALL marginally outfished FISHTEC/ EJ TODD, meaning they nullified the ‘Griffo effect.’

However, in the first two impoundments, where

Team JACKALL, Dan (left) and Ash (right). is useful. The purpose of developing sports statistics is to accurately model the standards of ‘high performance,’ contextualize individual performance relative to the ‘high performance’ state, and to break down the actual strengths and weaknesses of the competitor and measure progress towards goals.

THE FIVE-FISH BAG There is an endless set of competition formats out there, and regardless there is always a number that is a minimum you need to achieve to be positioned for victory. For multi-day events or multi-event circuits like the Barra Tour, there is a second number – the worst performance that will take you out of

On the other side of the ledger, a no-fish bag in event one and then a one-fish bag on the first night of the two-night third event told on them. When they were hot, they were hot, but their B-Game left them with far too much work to do.

In contrast, the strength of Craig and Karim was the ability to share the load and make sure they always managed a bag. In the first two events, Karim made the running on the scoreboard while in the last two Craig dominated. The ability to get five-fish bags every day ensured they never finished lower than fourth, even though they only managed the biggest bag on one night. (Check out Fig. 1

Craig wasn’t as productive, Dan and Ash failed to match Karim. In this case, their B-game let them down, conceding more than 20kg in the smaller impoundments.

SCIENCE-BASED ADVICE TO BARRATRAUMA AND JACKALL I might point out that neither team likely feels the need to be taking advice from a guy who would be happy to walk off the lake with any fish in the boat.

That said, there are lessons for those that might find themselves in a similar situation. It’s important to remember that this is one event in isolation and from a sports science point of view, ignoring history is a big no-no when providing

advice. That said, where is the fun in saying nothing?

Given there is no history to examine, let us proceed with hypothetical advice, assuming similar results in the recent past. In this case, we have two teams with very different problems.

One team has that X-Factor brilliance while the other is just short of the top.

BARRATRAUMA have X-Factor in spades. They managed to boat more kilograms of fish than FISHTEC/EJTODD and JACKALL combined. In a series like the Barra Tour, there is only one night you can afford to have a bad night on, which is the first night on Lake Proserpine.

A big second evening may recover placings, as BARRATRAUMA managed on their second evening going from near last to fifth.

All the other events are sudden death. It seems tragic that they were done on night one. Of the two, they are the trickiest to advise.

There is a risk of damaging the things that make them unique in the search for consistency. Second, on the performances, it’s not as simple as addressing a specific weakness.

My advice would be to focus on form.

With all practice, it’s important to simulate event conditions. Stop fishing upon completing a five-fish bag, and stay on the water past time to finish off a five-fish bag. Additionally, to spice that up, the team can set specific bag weight targets for additional challenges, which will make good use of that ability to get numbers.

JACKALL have the much better problem to solve. In this case, their small impoundment game is not as potent as their big impoundment game. For JACKALL, the challenge is to find the time to spend on the Mackay impoundments, refining their tactics until they can turn a weakness into a strength.

If they can focus on practice in event conditions (same fishing times, same tides), improving bag sizes in the smaller impoundments, they can target a move into the top three for the first two events.

Assuming they maintain their high standards at Lake Proserpine, they have a real chance of becoming a force.

For all the guys back in the pack, the challenge is simple. Get to the point where the A-game is consistent enough that achieving a five-fish bag becomes second nature. It’s at that point they can start tweaking up their B-game.

Lots of practice in event conditions and paying attention to the results are the only way to go.

A U S T R A L I A

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Phone: 0410 173 060 www.basscataustralia.com JANUARY 2018

87

Cooking

Whip up a succulent salmon and soy fusion BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Fusion, in cooking terms, is the combining of techniques and ingredients from different food cultures. In this recipe we

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take some favourite Asian soy sauces and add them to Japanese wheat noodles.

Combined with a high omega-3 hero, salmon, we produce a tasty and healthy main course.

I would suggest that you use a glass bowl to mix the

Ingredients 4 salmon steaks 180g udon noodles 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 2 green shallots, finely sliced A handful of coriander leaves 2 tsp sesame oil 3/4 cup honey 3 tbsp Kecap Manis 3 tbsp soy sauce (salt reduced is fine) 2 cloves garlic, finely grated 1cm fresh ginger, finely grated 1 lime

Add the sesame oil, honey, kecap manis and soy sauce into a glass bowl and stir.

Pour the combined sauce into a nonstick frypan (these make washing up easier) and heat over a medium heat.

JANUARY 2018

sauce ingredients. The lime juice in the sauce could react with a metal bowl and impart a metallic taste to the sauce.

You can use skin-on or skin-off salmon steaks in this recipe. My personal preference is for salmon steaks with the skin on. I

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love the texture and flavour of the cooked skin when combined with the Asian tastes. Please note that this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a crispy skin recipe.

Actually you can use your choice of any type of fish in this recipe; each variation offers a different taste.

Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water. See the instructions on your packet of noodles for specific cooking times. While the noodles are cooking, place the chilli, green shallots, coriander and lime juice into a glass bowl.

Finely grate the garlic and ginger into the bowl. By grating over the bowl, you will get the grated ginger flesh and also any ginger juice released during the grating process.

Place the salmon steaks into the sauce, flesh side down, and cook.

After a minute or so, turn the salmon steaks over. Cook the salmon on all sides to ensure that the steaks are covered in the sauce.

Kecap manis is an Indonesian dark thick sweet soy sauce. You can make your own kecap manis by mixing together equal amounts of soy sauce and either brown sugar or molasses. You may also choose to add flavourings

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such as sliced garlic or ginger, dried chillies (or chilli flakes), star anise and curry leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil then simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is viscous.

Tip the drained and cooked noodles into the bowl with the chilli mixture and pour in the Chinese black vinegar. Mix together thoroughly.

Zest the lime into the bowl then squeeze the lime juice into the mixture and mix together thoroughly.

When cooked, remove the salmon from the pan and drizzle with some of the sauce. To serve, place a sauce-coated salmon steak on an individual plate along with a generous serving of noodles.

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QLD DJAN 2018

Phone (day):

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

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 Darren Culshaw from Banyo, 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 November is W Mahoney of Canungra, who won a Gunnel Rod valued at $370.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

Martin of Dalby, J Seeto of Kippa-Ring, J Kelly of Rothwell, M Bourke of Redcliffe, B Mackey of Parkwood, W Collis of River Heads, B Tieman of Buxton, J Ryan of Yeppoon, D Hutchins of Bundaberg, D Waller of Parkwood, P Fels of Cushnie, R Kunde of Beerwah, B Adams of Bongaree, J Willmann of Windaroo, G Poor of Taromeo, T Hodges of Ballina, P Baggett of The Caves, W Sommerfeld of Toowoomba, K Harding of Boonah, P Martin of Narangba,

A Kittel of Logan Village, S Davies of Emerald.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM The Major prize winners for the Coastal Black Logo competition are: 1st T Ryan of Wagga Wagga, who won $1000 Rapala VMC prizes; 2nd R Morgan of Dingley Village, who won $500 Rapala VMC prizes; 3rd B Halberstater of Yeppoon, who won $200 Rapala VMC prizes.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks.– QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE COASTAL BLACK LOGO

90

JANUARY 2018

GUESS THE FISH?

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Coral Trout

The answers to Find the Black Coastal Logo for November were: 10, 16, 21, 28, 33, 40, 51, 52, 62, 68, 80, 88, 91, 107, 110, 115. – QFM The Find the Coastal Black prize winners for November were: G Mason of Kalkie, A Cochrane of Roma, G Walker of Warner, P Carrington of Deception Bay, A Cook of Ashmore, J Buddle of Torquay, B Frankel of Pottsville, J Bugno of Bardon, G Sprott of Glenlee, R Waters of Temora, M Couchman of Roma, L Betts of Kendall, K Goodman of Mount Morgan, B Hardwick of Kewarra Beach, A Jones of Warwick, J Higgins of Caboolture, C Hendry of Imbil, A Dougan of Bucasia, K

Answer:

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2018 FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

10-11 Feb

Boondooma Dam Yellowbelly Fishing Competition Lake Boondooma

0400 860 122

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

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

14-22 Apr

COD CASH Fishing Tournament Copeton Dam, Inverell

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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

22-23 May

ABT BASS Pro Round 3 Lake St Clair

abt.org.au

2-3 Jun

Round 5 Hobie Kayak Bream Series Gold Coast

www.hobiefishing.com.au

2-3 Jun

ABT BREAM Series Round 7 Hawkesbury River

abt.org.au

9 Jun

ABT BASS Electric Series Round 3 Wyralong Dam

abt.org.au

9-10 Jun

Tweed Coast Marine Greenback Fishing Comp Tweed Coast

Stephen Duffield 0421 052 135

7-8 Jul

ABT BASS Pro Round 4 Lake Boondooma

abt.org.au

11-12 Jul

ABT BASS Pro Round 5 Cania Dam

abt.org.au

29 Jul

ABT BASS Electric Series Round 4 Lake McDonald

abt.org.au

11-12 Aug

ABT BREAM Series Round 8 Lake Macquarie

abt.org.au

25-26 Aug

ABT BASS Electric Series Grand Final Wivenhoe Dam

abt.org.au

8-9 Sep

ABT BASS Pro Round 6 Clarence River

abt.org.au

22-23 Sep

ABT BASS Pro Grand Final Lake SomersetOctober

abt.org.au

6-7 Oct

Bjelke Petersen Public Fishing Competition Bjelke Petersen Dam

Matthew Langford 0408 658 592

13-14 Oct

ABT BREAM Series Round 9 South West Rocks

abt.org.au

20-21 Oct

ABT BASS Australian Open Lake Glenbawn

abt.org.au

19 Nov

ABT BARRA Tour Round 1 Kinchant Dam (evening event)

abt.org.au

20 Nov

ABT BARRA Tour Round 2 Teemburra Dam (evening event)

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.

JANUARY 2018

91

Hobie Series 9 Australian Championship Round The Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9 Australian Championship commenced in Mandurah, Western Australia with the Lowrance pre-fish day on Friday 17 November in hot, dry conditions and a light breeze blowing across Peel Inlet.

The field of 45 qualifying anglers competing in the

and the Murray).

On returning to shore mid-afternoon, the majority of anglers had experienced their first taste of the system and offered comments that suggested that there were fish about the canals and bridges. The same areas were plagued with blowfish, but there were bream among them

never fished in WA before, and despite the difficulties of bagging bream, they enjoyed their first day navigating and testing out the waterway.

For many, it was their first experience in a 2017 Hobie Pro Angler 14 with their forward-reverse MirageDrive 180 pedal system.

Local angler Alex

of having a fun day. I’ve done well in a couple of WA comps, but unfortunately, those results didn’t come at Mandurah,

Channel towards the township and the canal systems just 20 minutes away.

Reports from sceptics

2.17kg. He was followed by Alex Greisdorf with three fish for 2.15kg, just 20g short of Burton, and Sean Higgins

The field of 45 qualifying anglers competing in the tournament came from all over Australia. From the event launch site, the anglers ventured in different directions across the arena.

The new 2017 Hobie Kayak Bream Series Australian Champion Paul Burton. tournament came from Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, the ACT, New South Wales and Queensland. From the event launch site, the anglers ventured in different directions across the arena sounding out and throwing lures at the shallow weedy flats, canal systems, two channels and two feeding rivers (the Serpentine

where I’ve found it a bit tough of late. Maybe she’ll come good for me this weekend.

You’ve got to be in it to win it; anyone’s in with a chance, so we’ll see how I go.”

of no fish were soon laid to rest when by around 8:30am three of those anglers had already filled their Hobie Livewells with their bag limit of three fish.

and they were catchable with persistence, patience and a lot of lost and damaged lures.

Reports pointed to being a difficult competition, but there were large fish about in specific locations; the expressed fear of those that found them was that they would shut down reasonably quickly.

Most had a good day and found it interesting having

Anglers prepping for a day on the water on day two.

Greisdorf from Halls Head in WA, runner-up in the championship, said after pre-fishing, “I had a bit of a fish to get used to the yak. I managed to pull a few fish and lose a few. It was a fun little day on the water, nice and warm. The yak went well, so bring on a big three days.

I won’t go the same direction tomorrow; I’ve got something up my sleeve.

“Today it was about trying out the kayak and pedalling for a few kilometres and just kind

Day one of the Australian Championship kicked off early the next morning from inside the Mandurah Quay Resort Marina in a 12-15knot north-northwesterly breeze with cloudy skies creating optimal conditions for fishing.

The anglers pedalled out into Peel Inlet with most chancing the hourlong pedal to the mouth of the rivers. Some anglers travelled for nearly an hour further upstream. The 13 anglers headed up Mandurah

At the end of the day one session the leaderboard was extremely close at the top end; Paul Burton (WA) was leading the field with three fish for

(WA) was a close third with three for 2.11kg.

Burton who, had been hitting the canals, was concentrating on the older canal in the system rather than the newer ones. He threw lures in most of them and all of his fish were caught on rock structure close to pylons.

He found a shorter rod more advantageous when fishing around and close to structure.

The average weight of fish caught on day one was 520g but Higgins smashed that mark, netting the monster of the day – at 1.29kg – in the canals and finishing his three fish bag by 8:40am. He caught the fish throwing a ZMan GrubZ in watermelon with a green Pro-Tec painted jighead at a boat hull. That Atomic Big Bream won him $250 and at the finish of the event it turned out to be the biggest fish landed in the tournament.

Massimo Salomone (WA) managed 1.89kg and Simon Morley (NSW) bagged 1.72kg to round out the top five.

There had been some excellent fish caught on the

WINNING TACKLE Rod: NS Black Hole Amped 6’6″ 1-3kg Reel: Abu Garcia Revo ALX High Speed Line: Sunline Bream Special 3lb Leader: Sunline FC 3lb Lures: Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn

40mm in salt and pepper 92

JANUARY 2018

Anglers were split between the ‘river risk takers’ and those who chose to fish the canals.

day in various locations across the arena. Many anglers, from the top to the bottom of the field, reported being busted off by some huge fish.

Like Higgins, a lot of other anglers who did well also had their three fish bag limit in their Hobie XL Livewells in the early hours of the session.

Most found it much tougher to attract the bite later in the day.

Some locations were stocked full of squeakers lingering among the blowfish, but the right locations, if you could find them, had fish around the 700g mark.

The rain poured down on day two as anglers headed to the start. Fortunately it cleared and excellent conditions appeared just moments later.

After assessing their day one performances, many competitors adjusted their strategies and took off in a different direction to day one.

Others who bagged out, and had deliberately left numbers of large fish in areas they had previously worked, headed back hoping to bag out early on the solid fish they had sighted and left alone.

The top three anglers – Paul Burton, Alex Greisdorf and Sean Higgins.

Nevertheless, many chose to travel the distance hoping to reap the riches that won Chris Burbidge (Vic) the 2014 Australian Championship in that same location.

At the close of the day, Alex Greisdorf – who concentrated his plan of attack in the Murray River and the small canal system attached to the river – had moved from second to the top of the leaderboard with a 1.79kg bag, accumulating a two-day total of six fish for 3.94kg. Paul Burton dropped to second with his day two bag of 1.73kg and now had six for 3.9kg

championship. Third-placed Simon Morley and fifthplaced Shane Owens were also river risk takers. Secondplaced Paul Burton let that group go their way, and turned away to the left and powered straight to the canals for the third day straight – a decision that would ultimately pay huge rewards at the 2pm weigh-in.

Fourth-placed Sean Higgins also chose to continue his assault on the title from the same area he had fished for the previous two days, and where he had caught his 1.29kg fish on day one. He was rarely sighted fishing outside a 300m

Mandurah township by fishing unweighted slow-sinking lures. The bag weight took his total to 5.81kg, 270g ahead of second-placed Griesdorf.

After an epic battle, an ecstatic Burton – the first Hobie Fishing Australian Champion from WA – proudly hoisted the perpetual trophy over his head to an ovation from the large crowd of proud Western Australians.

The official tournament dinner took place in the evening. Chosen by his fellow anglers, Simon Morley’s camaraderie, sportsmanship and dedication to the Hobie Way of Life won him the Anglers Choice Award. He was presented with a trophy and will have his entry fee refunded.

In recognition of his volunteer assistance to his fellow angler’s travel plans to the championship resort, Geoff Alford was presented with the Mortgage Corp Movers and Shakers Award, a power pack and a Hobie jersey. Michael Halliday won a Lowrance Elite-5Ti sounder, the same fish finder mounted on the 2017 Hobie Pro Angler 14 kayaks used in the championship.

Matt Williams from the Getaway Outdoors Group, who were such an integral part of the organisation of the event and Tanya McFarlane, Mandurah Quay Resort were

both presented with trophies and jerseys signed by the competing anglers.

Specially designed Hobie trophies were awarded to the three Atomic Big Bream winners, followed by sponsor prize pack and souvenir placard presentations to the

money on day three, day two went to Greg Cooper, and on day one Kevin Boese won the money.

The Australian Team to compete in the 7th Hobie Fishing World Championship in Amal Sweden in May 2018 was then announced.

Most anglers had a good day one and found it interesting having never fished in WA before. Despite the difficulties of bagging bream, they enjoyed their first day navigating and testing out the waterway. tenth to fourth-placed finishers in the championship.

A $100 Donut Dough consolation prize was presented to raise the spirits of an unlucky angler who had caught no legal-sized bream each day.

Tameika Purnell took the

Congratulations to Simon Morley, Mark Young, Jack Gammie, Steven Pryke, Richard Benson, Tony Pettie, Glenn Allen, Richard Somerton, Chesney Fung (reserve) and Mitch King (reserve). – Hobie Cat Australia

BOONDOOMA DAM YELLOWBELLY FISHING COMPETITION The rain poured down on day two as anglers headed to the start. Fortunately it cleared and excellent conditions appeared just moments later.

The field split 50-50 at the turning buoys at the start, with the ‘river risk takers’ once again chancing the long journey to the Serpentine and Murray rivers. At the same time, a much larger number than on day one headed to the canals. The canal group had their lures wet before the ‘river riskies’ had even got a third of the way to their destinations.

It was a huge gamble to head to the rivers, especially for those who go way upstream; getting back on time could be difficult, particularly in a strong headwind. There was a chance of incurring a time penalty or even disqualification if they were to get back after the 3pm deadline.

over two days.

Simon Morley with the biggest bag of the day at 1.83kg moved up to third place with a six-fish 3.55kg total, knocking Sean Higgins into fourth. Higgins finished with six for 3.30kg after pulling in a 1.19kg bag on the day.

Shane Owens (WA) moved up into fifth on 2.71kg and Luke Rogan (Qld) who had moved into the eighth position won the day two Atomic Big Bream $250 with his 960g bag kicker.

In ideal conditions, tournament leader Alex Greisdorf was among the leaders of the pack that headed straight to the Murray River on the final day of the

RESULTS Place Angler 1 Paul Burton 2 Alex Greisdorf 3 Sean Higgins 4 Simon Morley 5 Massimo Salomone 6 Joseph Gardner 7 David Shanahan 8 Danny Jobson 9 Shane Owens 10 Glenn Allen

Total Weight (kg) 5.81 5.54 4.89 4.70 3.47 3.27 2.97 2.94 2.71 2.60

radius over the three days of the event.

Higgins finished in a creditable third place; he landed three more fish on day three for 1.59kg and totalled nine black bream over three days for 4.89kg.

After a massive battle for the top spot, second place fell to local Alex Greisdorf who bagged 1.5kg up-river on day three giving him nine fish for 5.54kg. He had travelled over 80km by the end of the tournament heading to the Murray each day where he had fished slowly, twitching with a steady retrieve.

Greisdorf took on the black bream of the Murray with a Duff Rods 7’0” 1-5kg rod matched to a Daiwa Ignis 2505 reel with Daiwa Evo 8 8lb PE line and Sunline FC 3lb leader.

His go-to lures were ZMan SwimZ 3” in bloodworm and hologram shad rigged on TT Lures Hidden Weight 1/16oz and 1/28oz jigheads (for shallow water) and TT Lures HeadlockZ 1/16oz (for deeper water) with stinger hooks.

On day three Paul Burton bagged 1.91kg up in the canals towards the

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93

Franklin crabs for GF win Graham Franklin claimed the biggest title in bream fishing, the Costa BREAM Grand Final, with the Sydney breamer hitting the ground running on day one.

He showed the field a clean pair of heels as he powered to a wire-to-wire victory in the Lake Macquarie event.

Pinpointing his Grand Final winning location and technique in a pre-fish weeks before the final, Franklin was confident about his spot and the fish it had to offer, but he knew success depended on being able to get there first.

“It’s no secret the bridge at Swansea holds good bream but I needed to get

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

Graham Franklin and Neil Kelly with their 5.44kg day two limit.

WINNING TACKLE

STORM

R

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

94

JANUARY 2018

Rod: Samurai Reaction 201, 203 and 302 Reels: Daiwa Certate 2500 and 3500 Line: 10lb Sunline Castaway PE Leader: 6 and 7lb Sunline FC Rock Lures: Cranka Crabs – 65mm (9.5g) in brown, cockle, and olive colours, 50mm (5.9g) in brown, cockle, and olive colours, Jackall Chubby Deep and Shallow in brown suji and ghost gill colours, OSP Bent Minnows, and Megabass Dog X Junior. there before other anglers did, and I needed there to be deep enough water on my shortcut to be able to get there as quick as I could and before anyone else,” explained Franklin.

It all fell into place and a clean run on his chosen stretch of pylons at the bridge awaited him when he arrived at the bridge on day one.

With the tide in the final stages of running in, Franklin positioned himself upriver and back from the pylons and cast a Cranka Crab towards the bridge and the waiting bream.

With the boat positioned in about 7-8m of water Franklin would sink his Cranka towards the bottom, drifting it back with current towards the boat.

“The bream would hold on the bottom, and once the crab was down there and a fish was showing signs of interest, I’d shake the rod tip to make the lure quiver in front of them and entice them to bite,” explained Franklin.

As the incoming tide started to ease and the current started to back off Franklin would position himself closer to the bridge. He fished in under the bridge tight to pylons that he couldn’t reach previously due to the fast flowing water.

“Once we were under the bridge, you’d occasionally see the fish flashing and moving high on the pylons and at times you could cast your crab close to them and get them to take it,” explained Franklin.

While Franklin admits he didn’t catch as many fish as Jamie McKeown who was fishing close by, he got the big bites that he needed to win. He dropped a 5.20kg limit on the scales on day one, showing

that he had the fish to the win the final. Would they last for three days?

Day two showed that day one wasn’t a one-off, with Franklin and his day two partner Neil Kelly bagging out early and bagging out with big fish.

At their heaviest, Franklin ran running ball sinkers on his leader above the crab and sticky weights stuck to the underbelly of the crab.

His approach on day two was the same as the day before – hang back when the tide was strong then move closer and under the bridge as the tide eased. Once the tide started to run out, Franklin would reposition himself on the downriver side of the bridge and fish the back eddy as long as he could until the run-out tide was too strong and made the area unfishable.

“Once the bridge became unfishable we went and fished the flats, biding our time until the end of the session,” explained Franklin.

The Costa BREAM Grand Final victor and his spoils.

“I modified my Cranka Crabs on day two, adding weight to them to get them down when the current was running really hard, then progressively taking the weight off as the current slowed,” explained Franklin.

Each day by the time Franklin left the bridge the work had been done and he could rest easy.

Breaking the 5kg mark again on day two (5.44kg) Franklin headed into the final day with a 2kg lead over Jamie

McKeown, a comfortable, perhaps insurmountable lead, that had Franklin very relaxed for an angler leading the ABT BREAM Grand Final.

Day three started the same way – fish back from the bridge with weighted Cranka Crabs, then move in closer and pair back the weight as the tide eased. Once again Franklin filled his limit early, but as the current eased and he moved in under the bridge, the bite turned on but not to the extent of the first two days.

“The bridge started to show signs of the fishing pressure it had received over the last three days and while we caught fish, we couldn’t get the last big bite to upgrade the smallest fish (32cm) we had in our limit,” explained Franklin.

The last angler to hit the stage, the results were in reality a fait accompli and despite the fact that Mark Healey had weighed in a 6kg limit on the final day, Franklin actually extended his 2kg and his 4.82kg final day saw him claim the Costa BREAM Grand Final by a 2.30kg winning margin.

Fresh off the weigh-in stage Franklin was humbled and perhaps still in shock of what he’d just achieved.

“Having your name on the BREAM Grand Final shield is everything. To know I have my name on it, and achieved it with a lure – the Cranka Crab that has been so good to me since I came out of retirement – is very special,” explained Franklin.

RESULTS – BOATERS Place

Anglers

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

1 Graham Franklin 15/15 15.46 Boat prize package 2 Jamie McKeown 15/15 13.16 Lowrance Sounder 3 Mark Healey 15/15 12.74 Diamond Deck 4 Craig Greenaway 15/15 10.31 Diamond Deck 5 Ross Catnnizzaro 15/15 9.75 Diamond Deck 6 Todd Riches 14/15 9.60 7 Anthony Wishey 15/15 9.33 8 Mario Vukic 15/15 9.28 9 Warren Carter 14/15 9.26 10 Charlie Saykao 15/15 9.12 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

PRESEN TED BY

McKeown goes heavy and deep for second Jamie McKeown claimed the runner-up title at the Costa BREAM Grand Final with the Queensland bream gun fishing a deep water Cranka Crab at the Swansea Bridge to catch his fish.

McKeown’s approach was the same as event winner Franklin – fish back from the bridge when the tide was its strongest then move in closer to the bridge as the tide eased.

Fishing the Cranka Crab in the heavy 50mm and 65mm models, McKeown used mainly the olive colour, but caught fish on others as well.

“I primarily threw the olive, but on three days my kicker fish fell to a spotted crab colour. On day three, however, I was low on crabs

and pretty much threw every crab colour available and caught fish on them all,” explained McKeown.

Weighting the crab to get it to the bottom in the strong current was key and McKeown was prepared and used an assortment of different weights.

“For most of the session each day I had my crabs weighted with a drop shot sinker connected to the split ring. I had three sizes pre-rigged: a 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2oz. I matched the weight to what was needed depending on how strong the current was flowing. I only had about 20 minutes each day where an unweighted crab could be used,” explained McKeown.

McKeown generally caught his bigger fish as

the tide slowed when the fish ventured away from their hidey holes to feed.

The key, regardless of the current flow and the weight being used, was to stay in touch with the crab to feel the nibbles and when one did come simply wind them on.

The approach paid dividends each day with McKeown catching his limit in the first 30-45 minutes.

“The fish were super active each day there was one period on day two when I caught three fish in three casts. It was a bridge that delivered plenty for the Grand Final, and big credit to Franko for getting the biggest fish off it. He’s a very deserving winner, I couldn’t be happier for him,” concluded Jamie.

Tani Konsul and Jamie McKeown were all smiles with their Swansea Bridge bream.

Kelly bridges his way to victory Southern NSW breamer Neil Kelly claimed his biggest tournament win to date with the quietlyspoken angler fishing with Chris Gates on day one and catching a 5/5, 2.94kg limit to kickstart his Costa BREAM Grand Final.

Sitting in equal 19th place at the end of the day, it was his day two pairing with Graham Franklin and their Swansea Bridge Cranka Crab assault that would spearhead his charge for the Grand Final.

Fishing the upriver side of the bridge on the

incoming tide, Kelly’s approach involved casting his Cranka Crab towards the bridge then letting it sink down and drift back to the boat with the flooding tide.

Kelly would feel and watch his rod tip for the bites, twitching the rod tip then allowing the bream to take

Event winners Graham Franklin and Neil Kelly stood proudly with their prize boat packages.

the crab before loading up on a hooked fish.

The approach paid dividends with Kelly boating a string of fish for the session and together with Franklin weighing a 5.44kg limit for the session.

The heaviest limit for the tournament so far, Kelly’s XOS bag catapulted him into 1st place.

With the leading boater paired with the leading non-boater on day three, Kelly once again found himself standing shoulderto-shoulder with Franklin at the Swansea Bridge on the final day.

It was a crab attack once again with Kelly casting up-current, landing his Cranka tight to the bridge then drifting it back to the boat and into the path and the mouth of waiting bream. The pair caught fish upstream of the bridge as the tide pushed in, then as the tide eased and current backed off on the tide change the pair moved closer and in under the bridge to catch their fish.

The moment a new champ was crowned.

While Kelly and Franklin caught plenty of fish for the session, it was the smallest fish in their well at 32cm that they couldn’t upgrade that held them back from weighing another 5kg bag.

Weighing in a 5/5, 4.82kg limit for the session, Kelly finished the tournament with a total of 13.20kg for his 15 fish – an impressive 880g average that delivered him a 550g win over the strong finishing Louie Wardini who weighed in a 5/5, 6.05kg

Cranka Crab

limit on the final day.

For the win Kelly collected himself a Bluefin Boats Estuary Pro hull/Mercury 4-stroke outboard, Garmin sounder, Power-Pole Micro Anchor and Marine Dynamics tournament boat package.

The Costa BREAM Grand Final at Lake Macquarie wraps up the ABT tournament calendar for 2017; visit www.abt.org. au to check out the calendars and events for 2018. – ABT

Bridge

RESULTS – NON-BOATERS Place

Anglers

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

1 Neil Kelly 15/15 13.20 Boat prize package 2 Louie Wardini 15/15 12.65 Diamond Deck 3 Russell Winters 15/15 12.52 Diamond Deck 4 Simon Johnson 15/15 10.18 Diamond Deck 5 Jonathan Thompson 15/15 9.48 Diamond Deck 6 Scott Wilson 15/15 9.45 7 James Morgan 15/15 9.42 8 Anthony Hassarati 15/15 9.18 9 Brenton Madaus 13/15 9.11 10 Justin Reeves 14/15 8.99 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Current

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JANUARY 2018

95

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JANUARY 2018

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au JANUARY 2018

97

POLITICS AND FISHING

After 30 years has our fishery changed?

WEIPA

Dave Donald

Congratulations to Steve and the staff of Fishing Monthly for reaching their 30th anniversary. My by-line also appeared in the first issue and continued for many of the ensuing years.

I was particularly interested in what Kampey and Greeny had to say about fishery changes over those decades in the recent commemorative edition and admit to being somewhat mystified by David’s comment, “I think that in the past 30 years the fisheries in Queensland have been reasonably responsibly managed.” It left me wondering whether we lived in the same state!

There are many fishers who would vehemently disagree with the idea that Queensland’s fisheries have been managed responsibly, particularly those living north of the Sunshine Coast.

Most of the places where I have personally fished intensively – Fraser Island back in the early 70s, the Capricorn Coast from 76-89, and Cape York Peninsula to the present day – have all suffered major negative changes to their fish stocks and marine environment during my lifetime.

The only bright spot in this dismal scenario is the unprecedented rejuvenation of local species that has happened in the Rockhampton/Capricorn Coast region since the instigation of the Net Free Zone in that area. Of course, the story is similar in Mackay and Cairns as well. The pertinent question here is whether such Net Free Zones would be needed if our fishery had been responsibly managed in the first place?

My history with fisheries politics goes way back to the pre-Sunfish era when our first representative body was known as the Queensland Recreational Fishing Council. We had a staunch political ally in the late Tom Burns who was himself a keen fisher, particularly in the Moreton Bay area. His attempt to introduce major reforms to our fisheries management regime while Deputy Premier via the so-called Burns Enquiry was undermined by his own Fisheries Minister but did result in arguably the most comprehensive consultative process ever seen in this state, and possibly the entire country.

The Fisheries Management Advisory Committees (MACs) and Zonal Advisory Committees 98

JANUARY 2018

(ZACs) that resulted were established in all the major fisheries regimes and included a diverse range of stakeholders. MAC members were charged with the responsibility of developing new management plans that would result in the modernization of the state’s fisheries regulations and outlook.

I spent almost a decade as a member of various

around 2008.

Given this history as a passionate advocate for Queensland’s recreational (and charter) fishers, it becomes impossible for me to agree that our state’s fisheries have been responsibly managed.

Words like ‘sustainability’ and ‘precautionary principle’ were bandied about ad nauseum by the managers and politicians while behind the scenes,

In a nutshell, large-scale commercial offshore netting supported by Fisheries regulations that are largely unenforceable, thanks to the Gulf Management Plan, have changed the Gulf, possibly forever.

In spite of some 78% of submissions to the original Gulf of Carpentaria discussion paper asking for power-hauled nets to be discontinued – a view backed by recreational

Grey mackerel like this once populated Gulf of Carpentaria in massive numbers; thanks to the destructive practice of drift netting, they’re now an incidental catch in waters along the west coast. Fish species aren’t the only victims – populations of dolphins, manta rays and other large fauna have also been significantly impacted. Trouble is: Fisheries and environment departments don’t seem to care!

MACs, a voluntary task that involved hundreds of hours in meetings and preparation plus significant amounts in lost income from my charter fishing business to attend meetings. After a very intensive process, the Gulf of Carpentaria Management Plan was the first to be released in 1999. I still remember my comments to the final draft before it became legislation, “so full of holes you could drive a supertanker through it!”

This assessment has certainly proven to be spot on.

As most of the other recreational fisher representatives were to discover, decisions made in open meetings were regularly undermined by behind-the-scenes wrangling involving one-eyed Fisheries managers and wellconnected commercial fishers. Some bureaucrats openly questioned why recreational representatives were even included on the panels! The groundbreaking consultative initiative rapidly lost momentum after the first couple of Management Plans and eventually became so bogged down that most of our delegates had resigned by the time the MACs were scrapped

the bottom line was really ‘rip as much product out of the fishery as possible to make the annual reports look as good as possible.’

From my perspective, the expectations remain largely unchanged today!

In the case of the Gulf of Carpentaria, where I have been based since 1989, my thousands of days spent on the water in that time invariably lead me to the conclusion that management during that time has been grossly irresponsible and the resulting detrimental effect on the marine environment is unprecedented in Australian waters in terms of the short time frame involved.

Don’t get me wrong here, fishing in many parts of Queensland Gulf waters would still be classed as superb when compared with Moreton or Hervey Bay, for instance, but the changes I’ve witnessed firsthand are pretty disturbing. Log sheets from my charter fishing days indicate that from 2000 to 2010, various pelagic species such as queenfish, trevally, tuna and mackerel suffered declines in numbers of up to 80% of their 1990s stock levels.

I’m sure most readers and the public at large still consider the Gulf waters as a near-pristine frontier, but the reality is far different.

and environmental MAC members – this practice was included in regulations for both the inshore/barramundi fishery (N3) and the new offshore fishery (then N9) when the Gulf Plan was finally released. In the inshore fishery, the nets were restricted to 600m in length and had to be secured at one end while the (five only) N9 boats could have 1200m of drifting net but had to stay from 7-25nm offshore.

That all seems fairly straightforward but what happened in practice was a far different story.

Net length could not be ‘officially’ measured so enforcement was virtually impossible. Dozens of inshore boats fitted drum nets of dubious lengths and ignored the requirement that they had to be anchored at one end. Some commercial line fishers estimated that nets stretched for more than 3km! Up to 40 vessels sieved Gulf waters from the Mitchell River to Crab Island for ‘mackerel and sharks’ in a free-for-all of epic proportions.

Nets that reach from top to bottom in 20m of water and extend for kilometres do not discriminate, so fish species weren’t the only marine inhabitants enmeshed. Fauna such as dugongs, dolphins, manta

rays, turtles, pilot whales, sawfish, large sharks and some seabirds also suffered significant population declines. Both state and federal environment departments seem oblivious to the decimation of these animals, even after being repeatedly informed of the situation.

Protests to Fisheries about what were essentially illegal activities by some commercial netters were downplayed or disregarded.

A by-catch plan supposed to stem the senseless slaughter of large megafauna proved to be as useful as the paper it was written on.

Senior Fisheries personnel supported the dubious activities by ignoring blatant abuses and went as far as censuring staff who tried to support those who were seeking to expose the cover-ups.

Mackerel line fishers – who were finding that their bread and butter species, narrow barred Spanish mackerel, were being targeted by the netters, even though it wasn’t permitted by the regulations – protested to the media a number of times along with many Weipa recreational fishers. There were nasty incidents against the protesters including, in my case, a phone death threat. The line fishing fleet eventually declined from around 15 vessels for six months when I arrived in 1997 to a handful for 3-4 months currently.

This drift netting continues to the current day with 4-6 vessels still operating. Apart from VMS charting their position, these vessels fish virtually unmonitored even though the Gulf Plan requires regular observer visits.

There is no requirement for the fishers to report by-catch or large fauna deaths, even for species that are endangered.

Repeated requests to Fisheries for review of the practice continue to fall on deaf ears. An appeal almost a decade ago to Greenpeace to assist in exposing the environmental carnage caused also went unheeded.

The Gulf of Carpentaria doesn’t have many voters living along its shoreline, so in political terms, it’s very low on the priority scale!

When I first started charter fishing off Weipa, trevally and queenfish were as thick as fleas on a mangy dog’s back. Encountering schools of big to monster GTs was a fairly regular experience, big golden trevally were prolific and the tealeaf trevally in plague proportions. These days, tealeaf trevally in Albatross

Bay are uncommon, the few goldens around the place are usually under a kilo and the GT schools are a rare occurrence. The days of encountering the shining sides of massive schools of grey mackerel have gone, along with the showers of newly hatched sprats that used to be a regular feature of inshore travel – sometimes for kilometres – during September and October every year.

Dolphins are no longer a common sight while travelling Albatross Bay even though boats are having to travel further afield to find fish. The manta rays still move along the beaches feeding on jelly prawns at the end of the wet season, but in less numbers and generally of smaller sizes than 15 years ago. The legacy of these destructive fishing methods extends right through the Gulf environment.

There’s much more I could add to this disgusting saga but the message is very clear.

Every concerned fisher in Queensland needs to be aware of what’s going on in our waters and be prepared to stand up and support those who are seeking to have our problem areas recognized.

Recreational fishers will probably never again find the amazing marine world that I had the pleasure of experiencing when I initially came to Weipa in 1997 and that saddens me.

However, there are some hopeful signs in the recommendations mooted in the recent Fisheries review. We all need to make sure our new government keeps the process moving. If the review is fair dinkum about establishing a 60% residual target for commercial species, any netting involving pelagic species should be virtually impossible to justify – and that’s without considering the environmental damage caused to large marine fauna, which in itself is reason enough for a responsible government to shut the practice down.

Recr eatio n al fishers and the general community in Weipa have been strongly advocating a Net Free Zone for wider Albatross Bay since 1997.

Given the spectacular recovery rates of species in the current three zones, there may be some hope for the area yet. Taking a much more holistic approach to include all Queensland gulf waters is infinitely more desirable.

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat

Inside story...

Horizon Aluminium Boats are an Australian family-owned and operated boat-building empire. 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...

We’re checking out the Horizon SunRunner 485 with a Yamaha F90hp on the transom.

Read all about it on page 108!

100 First time yakkin’ Starlo gives a few pointers for those looking to get into the world of fishing from a kayak!

104 Boat backing basics Backing a trailer is an important skill if you own a boat, and Wayne Kampe shares a few tips.

106 Sea Jay Ranger 4.6m Steve Morgan gives this rig a good run out from Bundaberg, powered by a Yamaha 70hp 4-stroke!

110 Formosa 550 Tomahawk Offshore

Last time Kampey climbed aboard a Formosa rig, he loved it! But will he love this one as much?

Getting into kayak fishing NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Kayak fishing is booming and more and more anglers are getting into it each year. Here are some tips if you’re considering that path yourself.

used in these lightweight boats developed rapidly.

Aluminium and then fiberglass replaced canvas and timber strips, before being largely superseded themselves by modern plastic polymers, carbon composites, Kevlar and various other space-age materials.

shrouded with a canvas or rubberized apron. In more recent decades, sit-on-top kayaks have become very popular, especially amongst anglers. As their name implies, the occupants sit on these vessels, which typically feature hulls with sealed, watertight chambers.

Sit-on-top ‘yaks offer a

Just because you’re in a kayak, it doesn’t mean you have to give up the good things!

Many keen ‘yak fishers run very sophisticated electronics on their little boats.

Kayak fishing tournaments are becoming increasingly popular. Here, competitors mill and chat before the beginning of a round.

The watercraft known as kayaks originated in Arctic regions where narrow, double-ended vessels made from animal hides stretched over whalebone or timber frames have been used as hunting platforms for well over 4000 years.

Recreational anglers took a little longer to realize the usefulness of kayaks, but these paddlepowered craft were certainly being employed as sport fishing tools by the early 20th century. Through the second half of that century, the designs and materials

Dedicated fishing kayaks came a little later. They were typically wider and more stable than traditional kayaks, and were often fitted with rod holders and other accessories. Today, the most advanced fishing ‘yaks are extremely sophisticated, and many users trick-up their boats with all manner of on-board electronics and other goodies.

Originally, kayaks were designed to seat one or more occupants inside the hull, with their upper bodies emerging through an opening that was often partially

The author battles a feisty little bass hooked from his Native Watercraft Propel kayak.

higher seating position, giving their occupants better vision into the water and a drier ride, at least in calm water.

You can pay as little as a couple hundred dollars for a basic, rotationally-moulded plastic kayak, and as much as several thousand for a top-of-the-line, pedal-drive model with all the bells and whistles. As with most things, you tend to get what you pay for. However, it makes good sense to opt for a more budget-priced model when starting out, at least until you decide if the sport is truly for you. Later, you can always sell your first fishing kayak second-hand and upgrade to a more expensive and sophisticated model.

One of the greatest advances in fishing kayak technology has been a shift away from paddles as the primary means of propulsion.

Sails, small outboard motors and electric engines have all been used to push kayaks, but it was the advent of pedal-powered flippers and propellers that really freed up anglers’ hands to fully engage in the fishing process.

There are two primary

pedal-power systems in use today: a step-motion design driving penguin-like flippers (developed and made famous by the Hobie company), and a bicyclestyle design driving a small propeller (created by the Native Watercraft company).

Both propulsion systems have their advantages and disadvantages.

The flipper-style, step-

While this issue has now been addressed, switching from forward to reverse — or using a combination of forward and reverse thrust to hold position — isn’t quite as fast, intuitive or effective in flipper-driven craft as it is in propeller-driven ‘yaks.

On the other side of the ledger, the biggest drawback of existing propeller systems is their inability to function in

Owning a dedicated kayak trailer like this ripper from Redtide can make it much easier to transport and deploy multiple rigs. motion system is fast, efficient and able to operate in surprisingly shallow water, by virtue of the fact that more experienced operators can easily flatten out and ‘flutter’ the flippers close to the underside of the hull.

On the downside, until recently it was impossible to pedal in reverse and back up using the flipper system.

very shallow water. Typically, the propulsion leg and propeller must be lifted clear in water shallower than about 30-50cm and a paddle used to traverse this skinny water.

When deciding between the two rival pedal propulsion systems, evaluate the amount of shallow water work you’re likely to undertake, your preference for either circular

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(bicycle-style) pedalling or step-motion, and your desire for instantaneous reverse or spot-holding.

Finally, I’d stress that ‘yak fishing is potentially dangerous, especially in rough, fast or very cold water. Kayakers should be competent swimmers and wear a comfortable flotation vest at all times, even if local laws don’t demand it.

In addition, ensure that your kayak can be easily seen under all lighting conditions.

In some jurisdictions it’s mandatory to fit kayaks with a pole carrying a small flag, and to display lights after sunset or in heavy fog. Even where the law doesn’t mandate these steps, they make good sense.

Happy ‘yakking!

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Reader’s Story

Jet ski fishing trip around Fraser Island Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world, has the clearest water in Australia and is famous for having juvenile blacks that you can catch on the flats.

Pelagics are available almost all year round.

Recently I joined Rob and Shane from Fishski Australia and three other jet ski fishers for a three-day trip up north to Fraser Island to target juvenile black marlin on jet skis. The marlin visit this place from October to December and they have to be one of my highest regarded fish for their acrobatic display; fishing

from jet skis takes this to another level.

We had spent a week going over 4x4s and skis and fishing gear, making sure everything was in the best working condition — Fraser Island can be remote if things go wrong. The plan was to stay at Wathumba Creek and fish the western side around Platypus Bay. We headed up on a Monday morning to beat the tide and set up camp.

We dropped the skis into the creek and set up the rods.

We woke up to a stunning glass-out day the next

morning, so we had a quick brekkie and decided to head north a bit about 100m from the beach where we deployed our Remora skirts.

After a hour of trolling I hooked onto a baby black and had a great battle. Lucky for me I was just 30m from the beach, so I slowly headed towards it and ended up playing it out on the beach.

After a quick photo I walked it out a bit and then swam with it as it as it went back out into the blue.

This is one of the greatest experiences a fisher will encounter, so be vigilant

Fraser Island is famous for having juvenile blacks that you can catch on the flats.

The author played this great little marlin out on the beach. It was released after the photo. with the recovery process – that way all of us, including generations to come, can share in these incredible moments.

Over the next three days we caught and released six marlin and other pelagics.

This place is amazing and I hope others can discover this place, too. Planning is the key, and remember to use top safety gear.

A big shoutout to the team at Fishski Australia. For all your jet ski fishing setups, see Rob or Shane. You can also check them out on Facebook.

– Jason McColl

The group dropped their jet skis in the creek, ready for a big day of fishing.

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101

WHAT’S NEW BOATING NAVICO EXPANDS TRACK OFFERINGS

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TROJAN BEARING KITS

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Navico, parent company to leading marine electronics brands Lowrance, Simrad, and B&G, has expanded the range of reporting and connectivity options offered by its Track telemetry system, with the all-new Track HD. Historically Track has provided instant access to vessel location and status via a mobile app and online dashboard.

Now with Track HD, users can take remote control of lights, pumps, HVAC, or other systems. Track HD also enables cloud storage for key vessel documents, and TripReplay to capture and share details of previous trips.

With multiple connectivity options including WiFi and cellular, with satellite coming soon, consumers can choose the option that best meets their needs. These new plans are available now and existing customers can upgrade their subscriptions online.

To learn more about the Track telemetry system, please contact 1300 NAVICO or visit track.gofreemarine.com. www.navico.com

A common cause of bearing failure is foreign matter in the bearing, and Trojan Parallel Bearing Kits come with high-quality seals to limit the entry of unwanted particles. The precision ground matched cones and bearings provide excellent rolling resistance and minimal wear, giving you longer life in your bearings. They are the perfect addition to any trailer breakdown kit.

The first kit is the Parallel Standard Bearing and Seal Kit. It includes high-quality oil seals to keep dust and excess foreign matter at bay.

Perfect for use on caravans, camper trailers and work trailers, the bearings are rated to 1750kg per pair.

The second kit is the Parallel Marine Bearings and Seal Kit. It includes triple-lipped marine quality seals with a stainless steel wear plate, perfect for ocean dips. It’s ideal for boat trailers, off-road campers and where water resistance is necessary. For stockist enquiries visit the Trojan Parts website. www.trojanparts.com.au

NEW MERCURY INNOVATIONS

WHITTLEY ONLINE DEALERSHIP

2

Whittley Marine has launched their new online dealership feature on the Whittley Marine website. It gives potential buyers a unique in-dealership experience on their screen, to make the new boat buying experience as easy and un-confrontational as possible.

New information tools include a virtual tour (you’ll feel like you’re walking around the boat via clicking a mouse or pushing a finger to the screen); and Build A Boat (lets you choose factory options and see a MRRP price, to customize your package).

You can also live chat with Whittley Factory staff, apply for finance and see what the weekly payments would be; check which models are in stock at your local dealer, request a brochure, and access a detailed list of exactly what comes in the standard boat package for each model.

To take a virtual walk around the latest Whittley boats, just select a model on the website and click ‘Build A Boat’ to get started. www.whittleymarinegroup.com.au

GARMIN STRIKER PLUS

The Lowrance HOOK2 series of fishfinders/ chartplotters deliver superior ease of use and affordability. They feature Lowrance’s new Autotuning sonar, which corrects sonar settings for the clearest underwater view so you spend less time manually adjusting sonar settings. Most models also feature full navigational capability and pre-loaded, high-detail mapping.

New wide-angle Broadband Sounder and CHIRP sonar providing more sonar coverage than most other fishfinders. SideScan and DownScan Imaging complete the HOOK2 sonar arsenal on select models, delivering lifelike images of fishing-holding structure to the side and below.

There are three easy-to-install, value-priced sonar categories: 3-in-1 sonar with High CHIRP, SideScan and DownScan Imaging; 2-in-1 sonar with High CHIRP and DownScan Imaging; and proven Broadband Sounder.

There are 12”, 9”, 7”, 5” and 4” display sizes, and most models will also feature full navigational capability and pre-loaded C-Map cartography. HOOK2 fishfinder-only models – with the exception of the sonar-only HOOK2 4x Bullet – include a built-in GPS plotter (without charts).

Price: from $129-$2149 www.lowrance.com/en-au

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Garmin’s new Striker Plus fishfinders are the perfect entry-level solution for anglers who want superior sonar plus the ability to create and store their own contour maps.

Like the first-gen Striker series, the Striker Plus offers built-in CHIRP traditional sonar and CHIRP ClearVü and SideVü scanning sonar technology. And thanks to the built-in Quickdraw Contours mapping software, it’s easy to create and store up to 2 million acres of maps with 1ft contours, which can be viewed in real-time.

The Plus series comes with a built-in high-sensitivity GPS receiver, and users can also take advantage of the free Garmin ActiveCaptain mobile app that connects compatible mobile devices with a Striker Plus unit.

The Plus series also adds 4.3” and 9” models to the existing line-up, all with bright, sunlight readable displays. With a rugged design, the Striker Plus series is compatible with a wide-range of optional Garmin scanning transducers.

Price: SRP $249-$899 102

JANUARY 2018

1

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Mercury Marine has introduced an ultralightweight and reliable 15 and 20hp EFI FourStroke platform. Features include battery-free EFI for fast, reliable starting, instant throttle response and better overall performance.

The new 15 and 20hp EFI is designed with ease of maintenance in mind. Its clean, no-drip, no-spill oil drain system, fresh water flushing attachment, and water separating fuel filter makes this one of the most user-friendly outboards available.

At 45kg, this platform is also among the lightest engines of its class, improving acceleration, top speed and handling. On top of all that, it delivers exceptional fuel economy.

Mercury has also launched an innovative new Multi-Function Tiller Handle, which offers true ambidextrous operation. This new centremounted tiller is adjustable horizontally – up to 18° to either port or starboard. The throttle grip rotation is reversible to provide an intuitive boating experience, regardless of driving-hand preference. The tiller handle is also adjustable vertically, and there’s a tilt lock feature that locks the tiller angle at 73°. www.mercurymarine.com.au

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JANUARY 2018

103

Beat those trailer backing blues BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Reversing a boat trailer is part of boat ownership, unless of course your craft is stored on a covered hard stand. In that case, you won’t be reading this article at all – probably having a look at the stock market reports or The Financial

but it’s not much chop in the rain. Besides that, depending on your height it can be downright dangerous when leaning, say, half out of a big 4x4. It looks dodgy too!

Being advised by another person walking beside the driver is all right but it can – should things go wrong – lead to less-than-polite comments (with friends giving advice) or a hissy fit leading to a major quarrel

cars (apart from mine) have reversing cameras. These are brilliant in a tow ball to trailer tow hitch connection but are a bit useless at the ramp when a camera full of boat bow leads nowhere at all. Use the mirrors for the best success.

USING THE MIRRORS Taking the scenario of boat to water as an example – the reversing method I’m about to outline will

the ramp. Done properly, the car and boat will certainly be going backwards in perfect alignment, no risk about it.

Once the car and boat are in good alignment on the ramp, it’s dead easy to keep them that way. Naturally, prior to any reversing practice it’s smart to ensure mirrors are equally adjusted so far as looking at the rear of the car is concerned.

The car and boat should be reversing back smoothly in perfect alignment, but what happens if the boat starts to move out to one side or the other? The trick is to make small – note that word, small – adjustments by moving the steering wheel in the direction the boat is heading at the same time keeping an eye on the trailer.

Watching in the mirror, you should see the boat straighten nicely with further rearward movement. It’s important not to overdo things. The beauty of the

The moment of truth – the ramp at Peter Faust Dam is a bit tricky because the sudden slope at the top makes it difficult to see the ramp in the mirrors. It’s also fairly narrow with large rocks on each side waiting to devour wayward tyres.

This method, using mirrors, is by far the easiest once you become accustomed to it. In fact, when moving down a particularly long ramp it’s a pretty neat trick to gently move the steering wheel from one side to another just to get a glimpse of the boat trailer

It’s less vital once you’re accustomed to the mirror reversing system and can judge how necessary it is to move the wheel to make a correction. For the new chum to the game, a good line makes for good easy reversing.

Practice this system where there is sufficient

When there is as much boat showing in the mirror as this some major adjustments will be required to straighten things up.

Times. If you’re like me and need to sometimes back the rig down a ramp – or what passes for a ramp at a particular locality – you might find this small article of some use.

Reversing boats down inclines that may or may not be entirely visible is not a skill humans are born with, yet some seem to master it easier than others. For the record, I have been reversing craft down ramps for over 45 years and have tried several different approaches to the problem with varying degrees of success, or otherwise.

Hanging half out of a car door to see how things are going is a reasonable method of lining things up

(spouse or partner advising) but it can still work.

Ultimately it all depends on the driver’s expertise as to whether the boat goes in on the first or second try.

It’s a classic case of practice making perfect and the more you do it, the easier it becomes to employ correct judgment.

To assist that judgement there are two items on every motor vehicle that can really assist when reversing: the side mirrors. These will assist whether reversing down a ramp with a boat in tow, or simply linking the car and trailer couplings to form one unit. Before I elaborate on using side mirrors, kindly allow me to diverge a little.

I understand that most

work on other situations, naturally – the clue is to rely on the side mirrors of the car and make carefully calculated adjustments as things proceed.

One tactic is to have a look at the ramp first and ascertain whether it is possible to line up the car and boat with the ramp well before starting the descent to the water. This first alignment is very important, so with both car and boat aligned perfectly straight there should be equal areas of boat trailer (mud guards are ideal to line up with) in view in each side mirror.

The idea is to keep these areas as equal as possible while reversing slowly down

There’s a very slight misalignment here with a small surplus of boat showing compared to the other mirror.

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JANUARY 2018

Looking good – the car and boat are in excellent alignment here.

The boat is well placed for a straight run down the ramp. system is that these small corrections can take place on either side with equal ease. As I mentioned, don’t overcorrect; just make a small adjustment and observe the result.

as things progress.

The one thing that makes or breaks the method might be failing to line up the car and boat correctly with the ramp in the first instance.

room to reverse with the trailer on. It’s handy to work out just how little movement of the steering wheel will bring a large result. As mentioned, practice makes perfect.

With this amount of boat showing in each side mirror, things should go well on the way to the water. Note the narrowness of the Peter Faust ramp.

Mahindra

All New Tougher Next Generation Mahindra PikUp The Mahindra Group is excited to announce the launch of their All New Tougher Next Generation Mahindra Pik Up. Mahindra’s next Generation PikUp, with its refreshed outer body styling, new six speed transmission, increased turbo diesel power, and stylish new interior is a tough no nonsense ute that is as rugged as ever.

The original Mahindra PikUp, launched in Australia in 2007 has been plying the roads and backcountry of Australia for ten years.

With thousands of Mahindra PikUps sold to Australian customers over the past 10 years, the PikUp has built a trusted and solid reputation as a reliable, rugged and value for money ute for the Australian market.

The All New Mahindra PikUp boasts significant enhancements in its drivetrain to 103KW of power/330Nm torque, and all-new 6-speed gearbox.

Its totally new attractive interiors will appeal to a much wider customer profile with the inclusion of ISOFIX child restraints with top tether standard on all Dual Cab models.

Mahindra products offer, proven reliability, function and premium value for money. The upgrade, with its aggressively-styled exteriors and plush interiors includes a complete overhaul of the Mahindra PikUp’s aesthetics, with specific emphasis on the front-end styling. The vehicle comes in two specification levels, S6, which provides function

rated to 2.5 tonne braked towing); aluminium trays, galvanised steel trays, colour coded steel trays; genuine winch compatible steel bull bars; genuine fiberglass snorkels; genuine carpet floor mats; genuine canvas seat covers; genuine suspension upgrade with bash plate and lift kit; genuine stainless steel nudge bar with bash plate; and, genuine vinyl floor kit.

PRICING, VARIANTS AND WARRANTY At launch, there were four variants of the new Mahindra PikUp: The Single Cab PikUp is available in 4x4 S6 Cab Chassis from $26,990 drive and value and the S10, which offers an SUV-likespecification yet remains within the identity of the Mahindra PikUp’s rugged and reliable legacy.

EXTERIOR: A FRESH NEW LOOK The Mahindra PikUp’s clean, contemporary lines improve the look of the vehicle while maintaining a tough signature stance. The most compelling changes are to the front of the vehicle where the grille, headlights, bonnet and foglamps have all undergone a substantial redesign.

The new grille design is smarter, using a glossy black finish with subtle chrome accents (S10 Models), as well as a more prominent Mahindra badge, while the lower air intake has been reshaped to provide a stronger visual integration with the grille. Black mesh inserts are consistently applied to both the main grille and the lower

air intake, creating a more consistent appearance.

The headlights on either side of the grille are also completely new, with a cleaner, more resolute appearance and a new curved LED Daytime Running Light signature for the S10 Double Cab. Bolder fog lamps are mounted in restyled apertures that are linked to the lower edge of the headlights. The redesigned front-end styling is accompanied by static bending projection lamps.

INTERIOR: THE NEW AGE STYLE The spacious cabin of the Next Generation PikUp has undergone important upgrades as part of the model line-up. Perhaps the most obvious improvements are to the upholstery and the 6” full colour touch screen display on the S10 Double Cab models located in the centre console.

The Mahindra PikUp’s

cabin is also comprehensively equipped. As the flagship model of the range, the S10 Double Cab benefits from useful features such as remote central locking, cruise control, satellite navigation, reversing camera and a multifunction steering wheel.

The upgrade doesn’t end here. With smart features like auto wipers and intelligent headlamps the vehicle promises to take the customer experience to the next level of comfort and performance.

Fully Automatic Climate Control further enhances the comfort of occupants in the S10 variants.

SAFETY: REASSURING PEACE OF MIND Safety features like Hill Descent Control, ESC, ABS, EBD, Roll-over mitigation, Airbags, Crash protection crumple zones and a Collapsible steering column are standard across the range. Strengthening our commitment to safety and comfort, we have added head rests and 3-point lap sash seat belts for all seats along with two ISOFIX anchors in the rear seat with three top tether points for all Double Cab models.

DRIVETRAIN: POWER AND EFFICIENCY The Next Generation PikUp has an updated 2.2L 4-cylinder mHawk turbodiesel engine that makes use of a variable geometry turbocharger to produce 103kw. The impressive torque peak of 330Nm is reached at just 1,600rpm, and sustained

to 2,800rpm, ensuring excellent in-gear acceleration and great towing power.

The turbodiesel engine is linked to a six-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels, with 4×4 transmission with low range.

The entire range of the Next Generation Mahindra PikUp is fitted with an Eaton MLD (Mechanical Locking Differential) as standard.

GENUINE FACTORY ACCESSORIES Mahindra Automotive Australia prides itself on working with some of the best global accessory manufactures, many based right here in Australia. Our Genuine Factory Accessory Program, many of which are available from launch, includes but is not limited to: genuine tow bar (currently

away; the Dual Cab PikUp is available in 4x4 S6 Cab Chassis from $29,490 drive away; the Dual Cab PikUp is available in 4x4 S6 with factory well-side tub from $29,990 Drive Away; and the Dual Cab PikUp S10 4×4 with factory well-side tub from $31,990 drive away.

From early 2018 the 4x2 S6 Cab Chassis will also be available from $21,990 drive away.

The pricing includes a 5-year/100,000km limited warranty with 5-year roadside assistance. They are available in four colours – Artic White, De-Sat Silver, Napoli Black and Red Rage. More information go to www.mahindra.com.au and www.facebook.com/ mahindraaus. – Mahindra

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Sea Jay Ranger 4.6m with Yamaha 70hp 4 stroke

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3.25m beam the similarly bulletproof Yamaha F70 (tiller) strapped to the back.

Incidentally, Mackerel Pete’s boat was powered by the same engine and recently closed over 2500 hours!

When we released the video for this test, it really hit the mark with anglers

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................................4.6m Beam........................................................2.35m Depth .......................................................1.26m Hull .............................................................4mm Sides ..........................................................3mm Floor ribs ....................................................... 10 Capacity .................................................. 5 max Hull weight .............................................. 505kg Max motor weight................................... 155kg Fuel ..............................................................90L Total length.............................................. 6.15m

Main: The Sea Jay 460 Ranger is about as bulletproof as you’ll find in a commercially available boat in today’s marketplace. A full self-draining floor and massive beam will make this rig an instant favourite of the tough-as-nails fishing crew.

Above: Apparently when you Google ‘What boat does Chuck Norris have?’ the Ranger 460 comes up.

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The last time I launched at the Elliott River in Bundaberg, I was headed offshore for the day with Spanish mackerel pro-line fisher, Peter Stevens. And on that day we made Fishing Monthly’s most popular YouTube video yet (about how to troll dead baits for Spaniards).

Pete’s boat is a no-nonsense plate aluminium workhorse that delivers day-in and day-out. Sea Jay’s new 4.6m Ranger is built with the same user in mind – maybe not commercial anglers, but anglers that use their boat hard every

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weekend and never expect any reliability issues, ever.

The new Ranger replaces the 4.4 and 4.7m models in the range and is built on Sea Jay’s Samurai hull. Featuring 4mm bottom sheets and 3mm sides, the test model had a fully self-draining checker plate deck, a massive

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There are plenty of boating anglers out there who want to do all of their maintenance with a garden hose (or a Gerni if they are upmarket). The Ranger allows this.

Australia-wide and the softlaunch of the model created a demand for the hull that Sea Jay worked hard to fill.

What I learned from the experience is that sometimes it isn’t the creature comforts of a hull that gets anglers excited; it’s about having a boat that does its job well.

And that’s exactly what the Ranger does.

If you use your boat hard in estuary and inshore environments, you want the clean-up from a crabbing or prawning trip to be easy and to be achievable with a garden hose. The Ranger ticks all of the boxes here, with no carpet to clean or paint to damage.

Similarly, the built-in livewell drains straight to the outside through holes in the transom, reducing the need

for electronic intervention to keep your baits alive.

The high front casting deck conceals massive underfloor storage. The Ranger holds a fibreglass EvaKool under the deck.

Up for’ard, the ability to mount a trolling motor next to the anchor well is great for those who like bait fishing as well as lure casting.

The small side console is one of the pro concessions to luxury in this rig and will probably be frowned upon by the tough TNQ anglers as being a bit ‘soft’, but it’s a great place to mount a sounder and keep your valuables out of the way of spray.

The other concession is some comfortable seats which slide into a baseless floor mount.

Twist the throttle on the Yamaha and the Ranger jumps onto the plane and it sounds just like an F-series Yamaha at full throttle.

Without fuel flow metering available, the Ranger delivered 51km/h against the tide and 56km/h with it. With standard F70 fuel consumption, that gives a range of well over 200km with the on-board 90L fuel tank.

Overall, this rig is as Queensland as XXXX Gold and winning State of Origin footy games. Check out www. seajayboats.com.au for more details and make sure you like Sea Jay on Facebook.

As tested, the Ranger came in at $31,530. Make sure you scan the QR code hereby to see the Ranger in action!

Ain’t got time for dance seat bases?

Sea Jay has you covered.

Sea Jay’s livewells are simple and self-drain through an array of holes on the transom.

Above: The front casting deck is actually pretty high, which makes the storage underneath cavernous. A little paint on the inside could take the edge off the sun, in case you live in North Queensland. Inset: There aren’t too many boats where you can fit an EvaKool this size under the floor!

2.35m of beam makes the Sea Jay Ranger a real workhorse. We challenge you to fill it with camping gear for a long weekend away, because it’ll hold it all – easily.

The Ranger holds its beam a long way forward and the Sea Jay steps bow is distinctive from the outside, but barely noticeable inside.

This is clever – capability for a proper anchor well and an electric motor. It’s good to see a boat manufacturer that understands how most of us like both lure and bait fishing.

Small side pockets hold a bit of gear, but don’t run full length to the front casting deck.

The small side console is super practical without chewing up cockpit space. You can see some of FM’s tools of the trade in this shot – the Nikon KeyMission 170 is on all of our boat tests.

There’s plenty of room under the transom for water to escape through the scuppers.

Yamaha’s F70 is a perfect complement to this hull. The tiller is eminently userfriendly and economy is off the charts.

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Horizon SunRunner 485 with Yamaha F90hp - SC

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Length.....................................................4.985m Beam.........................................................2.02m Hull weight............................................... 450kg Max hp............................................................90 Fuel...............................................................80L Test weight............................................... 889kg Main: The SunRunner is eminently capable in both inshore and offshore situations, and the 90hp Yamaha gives the rig a range of over 200km with an 80L fuel tank underfloor.

Above: There wasn’t enough swell or wind chop to give the Hydro Lift hull a proper workout.

Unique to the boat is the internal layout. A full, flat, internal floor runs from bow to transom. Instead of a front cabin, there’s a simple rail system that helps your gear stay in place up the front while opening up the maximum amount of fishing space down the back. Indeed, there’s a lot of cockpit room for a sub-5m boat, and that’s

RPM......................Speed....................... km/L 1000........................... 6.5........................... 3.3 2000..........................10.9........................... 2.7 3000............................ 24........................... 2.7 4000............................ 40........................... 2.9 5000............................ 53........................... 2.3 6000............................ 63........................... 1.6 * With a 16” alloy Yamaha SDS propeller.

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with ease.

Often, buyers will overlook the practicalities of trailering. Supplied on a single-axle trailer, this rig is just as manoeuvrable off the water as it is on the water and you can jackknife it into a tight parking or storage space if needed.

This may include a garage.

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I found it hard to believe that while testing Horizon’s 2018 SunRunner, it was the first time I’d ever been over the Tweed River bar. Of course, I’d been through the Southport Seaway (to the north) and the dicey Brunswick River bar (to the south) countless times. Apart from the great scenery to take some images for this test, it was obvious the fishing opportunities the entrance offered. These were noted for a future fishing trip.

Travelling on the SunRunner 485 with Scott James from Horizon Boats, it was good to be in the boat with a local. The factory for both Horizon and Stessl Boats is just up the road and the boat has been designed with offshore anglers on the southern Gold Coast particularly in mind.

Horizon’s Hyrdo Lift hull has the runs on the board, so it’s the internal fit-out improvements that herald the 2018 version of this craft.

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range of around 24km.

Plenty enough to run around on a glassed-out weekend offshore.

The other thing that turns heads about Horizon boats is the price. With packages starting from under $40,000 (the rig as tested was under $45,000), it’s a great stepping stone

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exactly what the Horizon team wanted to deliver.

What the hull has also delivered is a rig that’s east to anchor, with a split-access to the anchor well. With the added Bimini top and bait board, it was obvious that this boat had been set up with the keen snapper angler in mind.

Loading and unloading is easy with the transom door to the starboard side of the outboard.

Powered by the new Yamaha F90 4-stroke outboard, the rig was economical, delivering 3km/L burned at a comfortable cruising speed of 3500rpm and 34km/h.

With an 80L fuel tank, this gives a theoretical

for anglers upgrading from their first tinnie. You get shade, offshore capability and the ability to spend a family day on the water

For more information, you can visit www. horizonboats.com.au and make sure you like Horizon Boats on Facebook.

With the transom bait station, the SunRunner is set up for bait or lure fishing. That’s the Gold Coast in the background.

The 90hp Yamaha delivered excellent economy, with 3km/L at 3500rpm.

The dash of the 2018 model is improved.

There are plenty of places to hang on and access to the anchor well is easy. You can also flush mount large electronics.

Designed with the serious angler in mind, there’s plenty of rod storage in the rocket launcher and shade for when you’re traveling.

The SunRunner will turn heads at the boat ramp and on the water.

The fully flat floor and rail system makes storage simple.

Check out the large kill-box under the cockpit floor. It keeps things neat when the mackerel are running.

Cradled on a single-axle trailer, the rig is manoeuvrable off the water as well as on. It helps with tight storage spots.

Boarding is easy with the fold down ladder and the slip-in transom door.

The rear lounge can fold away after you’ve finished travelling to your fishing spot.

The anchor well is simple and easily accessible through the split section for’ard.

The rear bait station is practical and has enough room to work around.

The transom deadrise isn’t massive, which provides a balance between rough water ride and shallow water loading ability.

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Formosa 550 Tomahawk Offshore with 140hp Suzuki

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It’s been a few years since I had the pleasure of reviewing one of Formosa’s Tomahawk craft, but as is always the case with renewing acquaintances with old friends, it was again an enjoyable experience. The Formosa’s eye catching good looks, courtesy of a decent lift in the forward sheer line plus a rakish swept back stern area leading to the engine pod with it’s boarding ladder and side rails, were still as attractive as ever.

Proud as punch on a tandem Redco Sportsman trailer, the 550 Tomahawk Offshore was certainly a larger rig than I’d previously

enjoyed. For a 550 it was a very big boat in every sense of the word! Which, of course, is great for offshore fishing, or any sort of fishing, for that matter. With boats, more for the money is the way to go.

To me, it’s pretty obvious that the new Formosa Tomahawk V2 hull has moved the Formosa line right up to the minute.

A sharper 18° deadrise hull has been combined to outer reversed chines for enhanced overall ride and stability. Increased floor rigidity sees an underfloor construction that locks stringers and multi cells directly to bottom sheets.

The 550 featured Marine 5083 high tensile 4mm alloy sides and bottom, although Formosa craft over 6.2m in length

have 5mm bottom sheets as a bonus.

The O ff s h o r e Tomahawk’s self-draining decks range from 4.8-7.4m in size, so there’s certainly a wide range to chose from.

The diversity also extends to design, with side and centre consoles sharing kudos along with centre and half cab rigs, plus a runabout and bow rider to round off the Aussie made line up.

GENUINE OFFSHORE RIG The six-person 550 Tomahawk came equipped with numerous features to qualify it as a genuine offshore craft. Metre high sides linked to a beam of 2.45m ensured huge amounts of work room for five or six to fish in comfort. A 500mm high raised deck up front complimented the big

Main: Sitting easily at rest the Formosa 550 Tomahawk Offshore is a mighty handsome craft. Note the many features easily visible in this image, like the the sensibly-sized console, boarding gate in the transom and big bait station astern.

Above: With a bit of pace on it’s easy to see how freely the Tomahawk runs. Note the big bait station at the transom, a handy bit of kit.

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cockpit aft, with both areas being carpeted for comfort and stability. Under floor storage bins up front were designed to cater for tackle, clothing, PFDs and safety gear, while a large plumbed fish box aft was for the day’s catch.

Seating was for five in the test rig, with three floor spigots aft, two more ahead of the console with its Suzuki digital multi-function gauge and switch panel handy to the skipper. A Garmin echo map 955V sounder plotter was console flush mounted above the rig’s five-spoke sports wheel, and while a slightly larger sounder unit might also fit there, a big 16” job would require a RAM bracket to set it up.

I found the standard console, as fitted, was obviously designed to maximise the fishing area, yet was large enough to fulfil its role as a central helming station. Note that an upgrade to a larger console is on Formosa’ option lists.

Aft within the cockpit area side pockets offered storage of items around a metre in length, the pockets being broken into paired segments. This did surprise me, as most craft of this size offer full length side storage compartments in work areas.

I did note that Formosa advertise customisation of their craft and extra long fishing rod lockers are on the list of options, so no doubt a potential owner wanting larger side pockets could discuss the matter prior to construction.

That small matter aside, there was no complaint about the usefulness of the transom area, with its large

bait station, cutting boards, rod holders and a live bait well. At a sensible height for easy use, the bait station was equipped with a hinged lid, a neat and quite user-friendly arrangement.

140 SUZUKI DID THE JOB Engines for the solidlybuilt Tomahawk were rated from 115-150hp, and with

confidence for an owner wanting to use the craft for serious fishing pursuits.

OVERVIEW As an offshore fishing rig, the big Formosa 550 Tomahawk makes a lot of sense. About the only change I’d envisage would be to request one section side pockets. I liked the flexible seating layout, the huge

SPECIFICATIONS Length.........................................................5.7m Beam.........................................................2.45m Hull weight............................................... 760kg Deadrise.....................................................18.5° Engines.......................................... 115 to 150hp Engine fitted..................................... 140 Suzuki Fuel capacity.............................................. 150L Persons............................................................6 Towing.......................4x4 or large family wagon a 140 Suzuki on the pod, the rig ran very sweetly indeed.

Is more power necessary?

Only if four or more would be aboard most times.

The craft, two up, planed at 3000rpm at 18.4km/h, 4000rpm saw 36.2km/h on the Garmin 95sv, 5000rpm a speed of 49.6km/h and a quick burst to 6000rpm saw 67.3km/h.

Doubtlessly with the Suzuki 140 fully run in, 70km/h and beyond would be the hammer down pace.

Just like the last Tomahawk, I drove the ride was quite good. Bumps and thumps from wave action around the Jumpinpin Bar area were hardly felt and the hull exhibited a refreshing lack of noise upon wave impact.

Formosa have certainly ticked some boxes, with the design and set up of their new V2 hull, which certainly provides a lot of sea keeping and ride

amounts of internal freeboard, the vast work areas all around the craft, and last but not least, the great ride and easy handling of the rig mated to inherent stability.

As tested, the craft would come home for $61,950. A 115 Suzuki on the transom would see a base rig come home for around $51,920.

The reviewed Formosa was provided by Australian Marine Centre at Springwood. You can get in contact with them at (07) 3808 7333 or by emailing sales@amcboats.com.au.

You can also visit www. formosamarineboats.com.au.

• Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

Even at launch the Formosa 550 Tomahawk Offshore is an impressive sight.

Note the easy release Tow Catch on the winch post, this handy bit of kit provides instant (one person ) release of the boat with the skipper aboard.

A very useful bait station, complete with a livewell, was one of the user-friendly features of the Tomahawk.

The 550 Tomahawkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flexible seating set up means that more work room for anglers is as easy as moving a seat to a chosen area, or leaving it back at base for the day.

Centre consoles vary in size as much as the craft they are fitted to; the Tomahawkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s was obviously designed to optimize fishing room but still do the job.

Variable seating is just one of the really handy features about this craft.

Cockpit side pockets were wide, although of two-part construction.

An option allows for full length unobstructed pockets if required.

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The game has changed… The ALL NEW Mercury 15-20hp FourStroke battery-free EFI range changes the way you will think about portable outboards.

Lighter, more powerful, more efficient, more durable, more intuitive… unlike any other portable fourstroke.

• 13% lighter than previous model • Best in class performance • Battery Free EFI for fast, reliable starting • New exclusive multi-functional tiller handle, adjustable for left or right handed operation

Visit mercurymarine.com.au or your local Mercury Marine Dealer.