Queensland Fishing Monthly - July 2016

COOL TIPS FOR WINTER • LURE EXPO LOWDOWN

Features

How-To

Time and tide knowledge • Winter predators in Hervey Bay • South Burnett in the cold

The Twisted Dropper knot • Rigging for luderick

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Boating and kayaking

Wellington Point by yak • All-round solution to boating • A look at the Savage range • Torqeedo’s new products • Stacer 469 Outlaw • Stessco SunSeeker 540 •

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July 2016, Vol. 28 No. 8

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES

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Iluka 24 Ballina 22

Back to Basics 16 Camping and 4WD 79 Cooking 84 Dam Levels 72 Freshwater 72 Fun Page 83 Junior Page 94 Knots 20 Sheik of the Creek 86 Sunfish 82 Suntag 80 Tech Tricks 18 Tournament News 87 Trades and Services 90 What’s New in Boating 104 What’s New in Fishing 61 SPECIAL FEATURES

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

Printing: APN – Print Production: Jenna Milburn Karen Millward Keith Hawley Website: www.fishingmonthly.com.au Distribution: Gordon & Gotch Pty Ltd Subscriptions: Kym Rowbotham

OUR COVER Nathan Tuskes nailed this absolute brute of a coral trout on the new Nomad Chug Norris 180mm popper.

A Nathan Tuskes image.

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Best fishing times and tides 10 Winter predators in Hervey Bay 14 Tying the Twisted Dropper 20 Australian Lure, Fly & Outdoors Expo 53 Winter fishing in the South Burnett 76

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Whitsundays 64 Ayr 65 Townsville 66 Hinchinbrook 68 Lucinda 67 Cairns 69 Port Douglas 68 Cooktown 70 Cape York 70 TNQ Freshwater 71

times but, as Sean points out, what if it has rained for two weeks solid, or it’s blowing a gale, or there are 40 boats sitting on your spot? To help you calculate when to fish, he outlines the most important variables to take into account.

Working out the best time to fish is more straightforward than you might think; the only hard part is getting a medical certificate. Rest assured we would write you a sick note if we could!

FROSTY AND FRESH In this issue Matthew Langford writes about the magical South Burnett region, and what it’s like to fish BjelkePetersen and Boondooma dams on a frosty winter’s morning.

He also explains how to refine your approach to tempt the resident bass and yellas in winter – along with where to find them – so you’re all set for a productive weekend’s fishing in this great part of the world.

LURE, FLY & OUTDOOR EXPO For the lure and fly fans, we’ve got a great feature on the upcoming Lure, Fly & Outdoor Expo on 16-17 July. As you’ve

all come to expect from Fishing Monthly, we have some cool subscription offers: the first 40 people to sign up for a 1-year subscription will receive a free, limited edition Gobsmacked lure, and designer Jamie Judd will be at the show to personally sign your lure for you.

Alternatively, if you sign up for two years for $130, you can take home a 13 Fishing Envy baitcast rod valued at RRP $350 – or you can opt for the $99 2-year subscription deal, which comes with your choice of a Daiwa Phantom X baitcast or spin travel rod. You have to be a bit dedicated to travel to the Expo, as it’s located in Ipswich, west of Brisbane.

But really, can you call yourself a lure aficionado if you skip this one? Well yes, probably. But we’re sure you’d still really enjoy seeing a gorgeous array of lures all under the one roof!

CI

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

You might think it’s cold right now, but it’s positively boiling when compared to the southern parts of Australia. Anglers down in places like SA are braving freezing temperatures to catch redfin the size of postage stamps, or even the trusty Australian salmon – the only fish species proven to taste of despair.

So if the anglers down south are still braving the elements, there are no excuses for us lucky Queenslanders to hide at home in July! The fish are still there and they still have to eat, so grab your winter woolies and hit the water!

LOOKING FOR A SIMPLE ANSWER In this issue Sean Thompson tackles that million dollar question: when is the best time to go fishing?

The obvious shortcut is to buy an Angler’s Almanac and go fishing at the predicted

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Hervey Bay 46 Rainbow Beach 46 Fraser Coast 47 Rockhampton 48 Lake Monduran 49 1770 50 Gladstone 50 Yeppoon 51 Mackay 52 Stanage Bay 52

From the Editor’s Desk...

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Tweed Heads 25 Southern Gold Coast 26 Gold Coast Canals 28 Gold Coast 30 Jumpinpin 32 Southern Bay 34 Brisbane 36 Brisbane Offshore 38 Northern Bay 39 Caloundra 42 Noosa 44

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Best fishing times and tides: weighing it all up BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

When is the best time to go fishing? If you are a regular angler you’ve probably been asked this a thousand times. Or maybe you’ve asked this of others. So what is the answer? Is there such a thing?

Some anglers believe the answer to this question is just a case of buying an Angler’s Almanac or checking the Maori tide charts and going fishing at the best predicted times. But what if it has rained for two weeks solid, or it’s blowing a gale, or

are at play. To maximise your chance of fishing success you need to weigh up a whole range of information, and then be able to adapt your plans if all doesn’t go to plan.

Let’s take a look at some of the key factors at play to maximise, rather than guarantee, your chances of fishing success.

PLANNING AHEAD Very often I see or hear casual anglers going fishing on the spur of the moment, or when they can fit a trip in between weekend chores. In today’s busy society, finding the time to go fishing can be challenging at times – but this is all the more reason

Pup with a nice flattie caught in front of the drains at low tide. there are 40 boats sitting on your secret spot? Can you seriously expect to catch fish then just because a chart tells you that you can?

The answer is no; it’s not that easy. Anglers should not expect cut-and-dried predictability when they go fishing. That’s not to say fishing results are just random, and that tides, times and moons don’t matter – they do. It is just that other factors

to make the most of it when you do go.

With a bit of planning, casual and seasoned anglers can go well-armed with information and not simply turn up and hope for the best.

Whether you a planning a two-hour session or a week long fishing trip, you should go prepared by looking at tide charts, moon phases, weather forecasts and fishing reports, and have a specific plan to

target one or more species.

Let’s have a look at each of these factors in more detail.

Targeting fish in season Having a basic fishing plan should start with finding out the best seasons to target specific fish species in your local or chosen area. In Southeast Queensland, for example, there’s not much point in targeting tailor off the beach in summer when you’d be much better off chasing summer whiting.

Likewise, if you want to catch a mangrove jack, there is little point targeting them on a cool winter day when you would be better off targeting schooling bream or luderick in your local estuary.

Apart from reading magazines such as this, there is also a wealth of books that will help you understand your local fishing seasons and the best places to target fish locally. Look for those that have some localised maps and information such as the River to Reef series (by Bill Johnston); the Gregory’s Fishing Guide; Australian Fishing Network area guides and some of the older books such as Fish Australia: An Essential Fishing Companion as well as Fishing Monthly Magazines’ South East Queensland and Queensland Fishing Annuals from the late 1990s to early 2000s if you can get your hands on them from a library or ebay. Of course there is also a wealth of information on the internet in websites, Facebook pages and forums.

All anglers should also keep a fishing diary to look for regular patterns in your own fishing. If you record a range of information on species caught, time, moon, tide, weather, baits and lures, after a while a pattern will emerge. As I’ve spoken about in this magazine before, the best way to do this is either in an electronic fishing diary such as an Excel spreadsheet or in a commercially available product such as Ken Fox’s

Percentage of flats whiting trips where the fish were just above legal size, by moon phase.

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JULY 2016

The falling tide is a perfect time to fish drains like this on the flats.

Fishing Log. The Fishing Log can be downloaded in a format that burns onto a CD. It lets you record all the useful fishing information, plus you get the benefits of seeing your GPS spots displayed on point-and-click maps. It also has animated graphics for how to tie knots, tide information and more.

Ken can be contacted on (08) 8298 4527.

MOONS AND TIDES Tides Once you know the various seasons to target your favourite fish, the next thing to consider is the tides. Which are the best tides for fishing?

There is no definitive answer, but there are some rules of thumb you can apply for particular species.

For example, species such as flathead and barramundi are ambush predators, and use the falling tides or lack of water to sit and wait for baitfish to retreat from shallow water. The predators position themselves at the edge of sandbank drop-offs, weed-beds, drains, gutters, small creeks and bankside snags for baitfish to return to deeper water as the tide

drops. Likewise, they will wait for the first hour of the tide for the survivors to head back up to the shallows before spreading out.

It’s a different story for foraging predators. Rising tides give foraging fish such as whiting and bream access to yabby banks and oyster racks in estuaries, which might otherwise be exposed on low tide. The edges of mangroves are also a top spot for bream on high tide, as are tiny creek offshoots that are generally accessible only on the largest of spring tides.

These are only general rules though. It’s still possible to catch flathead on a rising tide or whiting on a falling tide. In fact, on some exposed beaches like Fraser Island I find the hour just before and after low tide is the best time to chase whiting off the beach. However, you need to find the right gutters that give fish access to the worms and pipis right at the edge of the shore break.

Another rule of thumb with the tides applies to active northern predators like barramundi, mangrove jacks and trevally. These fish are

expert feeders when the tide is running and pushing the baitfish towards them. This running water reduces the reaction time of fish, which is useful for anglers. It means these predators have limited time to decide whether the item coming towards them is a legitimate meal or a piece of plastic or bait with a hook in it.

When the tide changes and slows, their reaction time increases so their feeding tends to slow at the top of the tide. That’s why the saying ‘no run, no fun’ is so often true when fishing up north.

That said, too much run in a location can make life difficult for the predators.

They don’t want to expend more energy holding their position than they expect to get in return from their prey. In these situations the predators will take up position in eddies, backwaters, deep holes and any other place where the current is being disrupted, such as around bridge pylons or sunken trees. These are the areas to target during the fast running middle stages of the tides.

It’s a good idea to

Percentage of flats trips where big whiting were caught, by moon phase.

change your style of fishing according to the stage and pace of the tide. For example, fishing lightly weighted soft plastics may be a good option in bays, reefs and estuary channels within about two hours before and after the change of tide, but outside of that time a better option can be to drift with bait or troll lures. This includes trolling soft plastics in shallow water during the middle stages of the tide.

Moons Right around the world there are coastal cultures that predict fishing success or failure according to moon and sun cycles. Likewise in Australia we have a commonly used fishing predictor, the Angler’s Almanac. So what lies behind these forecasts or predictions, and do they work?

Before I give my own opinion on that question, let’s have a look at how the moon and sun affect the tides.

Tides are caused by the moon’s gravity pulling on the water in the oceans. This creates bulges in the ocean on both sides of the Earth.

The bulge on the side closest to the moon is caused by the moon directly pulling on the water. The bulge on the side of the Earth farthest from the moon is caused by the moon ‘pulling the Earth away’ from the water on that side. Therefore, if you are on the coast and the moon is directly overhead, you should experience a high tide. If the moon is directly overhead on the opposite side of the planet, you should also experience a high tide. This is why we have two high and two low tides during a 24-hour period.

While the moon has the most influence on our tides, the sun also has an influence.

Solar tides are about half as strong as lunar tides, because the moon is much closer to the Earth. When the sun, moon and Earth are in alignment (at full or new moon), the solar tides add to the lunar tide. This creates bigger high tides (king tides) and lower low tides (spring tides). Conversely, the smallest variations in the tide between high and low are called neap tides, and these occur around the first and last quarters of the moon.

The theory of the Angler’s Almanac and some indigenous coastal cultures around the world is that fish feeding and spawning activity is influenced by sun and moon activity in addition to the tides. The peak time to fish, according to these theories, is when the moon is above the angler’s head or when it is directly overhead on the opposite side of the earth. When the moon is halfway between these points, the theory is there is a minor period of activity.

So do these theories work? Having worked with economic statistics for many

years, I’m a little sceptical on hard and fast theories without seeing data as evidence.

For that reason I have kept a detailed fishing diary for 20 years to see whether the theories measure up. I have plugged my results into spreadsheets and produced graphs to look at possible causes and effects on my fishing success or failure.

My results echo those from experienced fishing guides I’ve used over the years. Moons and tides do have some effect on the quality and quantity of fish caught. I have attached graphs of my Ontour Fishing Australia club mates’ results by way of example – whiting quality from the flats is best in the days leading up to the new or full moon. Quality falls away the most in the ‘other moon’ periods, which are outside of four days before or after the new or full moon (the first or last quarter moon periods). However, more importantly, the best times to fish are impacted considerably more by a range of other factors and do not always directly correlate with predicted best fishing times from a book.

Let’s take an example.

Say the Almanac tells you the best time to fish is 11.37am one particular Saturday, two days before the full moon. So you arrive at your spot half an hour beforehand, esky loaded with an ice slurry ready to keep a few fish for the table.

Unfortunately, what the book hasn’t told you is that it has been raining for two weeks straight. Not only that, the professional netters were through the other day. And there are 40 other skippers who read the same book you did, and are motoring up and down the same area expecting to catch fish. The wind has also picked up and is blowing a gale. The boats next to you start tossing their anchors out with an almighty splash as far as they can, and you glance at the sounder to notice the water temperature is 3°C colder than it was last week.

Despite all this you fish on in the expectation that at 11.37am the magical fish feeding switch will be flicked and you will start to haul them in one by one. Unfortunately, that time comes and goes and you remain fishless.

Let’s consider another example where the tide chart is telling you that fishing will be poor. However, at this time a school of baitfish happens to swim past a school of tailor. Are they not going to take the opportunity to feed on them because the moon is either not above or directly below them?

OK, maybe I’m exaggerating the negative influences a bit but it can and does happen to a greater or lesser extent. The lesson is to take notice of the moons and tides, but more importantly, a range of other influences

that can have an equal or greater impact on fishing results. Let’s look at some of these impacts.

TIME OF DAY In the May edition of QFM I talked about the benefits of fishing at night.

I won’t go over that again except to say that dawn, dusk and night are the best times to target a number of species like barramundi, tailor and mulloway. These fish have eyes that have adapted to see in low light conditions, and they use this to their advantage for feeding at these times.

Similarly, fish will avoid bright, sunny, calm conditions as their eyes are not suited to intense light levels. Fish do not have eyelids and their pupils are fixed, so they are forced to seek out shade and cover, or discoloured or deeper water during bright conditions. Another reason for fish to avoid clear, shallow water is to escape the notice of predators such as birds.

During bright conditions anglers should adapt and cast lures or baits at the shaded side of riverbanks or under the cover of jetties, wharfs or bridges.

WIND, WEATHER AND WATER While bright, sunny conditions during the middle of the day can make fishing tough, cloudy conditions and rain can have the opposite effect. Fish will feed more actively under these overcast conditions. In fact, I recall a midday fishing session in the pouring rain on Fraser Island catching and releasing a number of good bream. This was the same spot where I’d managed to land only one fish in the same gutter that morning in clear conditions.

Water temperature Water temperature, and its influence on fish behaviour, is something few anglers follow closely. However, its effect should not be understated.

Switched-on trout anglers in the Snowy Lakes region use a quality sounder to pick up the thermocline (a temperature band of water that separates warm surface layers from cooler bottom layers), and troll their lures just on or above that layer.

Land-based game anglers also pay very close attention to water temperature around the rocks as they await the arrival of pelagics in summer, as the warm ocean currents swing closer to shore. Gamefish like black marlin also travel down the east coast as they follow warm water south. This usually sees the fish arrive around November around Platypus Bay on the western side of Fraser Island.

Changes in water temperature of as little as 2-3°C can also have an impact on popular estuary species like flathead and whiting, and freshwater species like cod and yellowbelly. All you are To page 12

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From page 11

looking for is water that is a couple of degrees warmer than the surrounds, as this can be enough to turn a slow day into a hot bite – even in times that might be considered out of season for those species.

Places to start looking for changes in water temperature in estuaries include shallow sand flats and areas with relatively shallow, dark, muddy bottoms. Sunny days in winter will see the sun warm the water in the sand flats, while the areas with black, muddy bottoms will better absorb the sun’s rays.

Look for similar warmer water areas in the freshwater lakes, too. Carrying a floating pool thermometer is a good option for estuary anglers if your sounder doesn’t display water temperature.

Water colour As noted earlier, clear water and fish, particularly in bright sunny conditions, don’t mix. A lack of recent rain can often mean very clear water in rivers, bays and estuaries so you need to be able to adapt. This means either fishing these locations at low light periods or seeking out more discoloured water.

Recently I experienced this effect fishing for flathead on the Gold Coast. Notably, the usual haunts were devoid of fish so I decided I needed a change of plan. Looking around I observed two things.

Firstly, the glassy conditions and lack of recent rain made the water very clear.

Secondly, I noticed that the passing boat traffic was pushing chop from the boats onto the northern side of the nearby islands. On further inspection I noticed one of these islands had a muddy drop-off on its shoreline, and the chop hitting this edge was creating a band of discoloured water extending 10-20m out from the shore.

I concluded that in these conditions the fish might either be in the discoloured water, or have moved out to deeper water. Fortunately the theory worked. I soon began

catching a few flathead and a few other odds and ends in the discoloured water on my 3” pink ZMan MinnowZ. As is always the case, if the water is darker or discoloured I like to use fluoro or darker colours, because the former stand out while the latter create a silhouette effect.

My fishing results on the western side of Fraser Island also show that the variety of fish increases substantially after a blow and the water becomes discoloured.

While whiting, bream and flathead are regular catches, discoloured water will bring grunter, trevally, dart, estuary cod and – believe it or not – even snapper into the shallows to feed.

Wind and barometer Apart from the effect on water clarity, wind is another factor that is considered by many anglers to affect fishing success and failure. Not just in terms of its strength (and thus an angler’s ability to head out into open bays or offshore), but also its direction.

Barometer is yet another factor, and the two often go hand in hand. A rising barometer will expand a fish’s stomach and make it hungry, while a falling barometer has the reverse effect.

In the August 2006 edition of QFM, Mark Ward wrote a technical article titled ‘Weather or not to fish’ on the effects of wind and atmospheric pressure, and you can find it on the Fishing Monthly website. If you’re interested in exactly how these factors influence the fishing, I recommend checking it out. However, if you’d rather not get into the technical ins and outs of these patterns, there are still some simple ways you can take advantage of these effects.

Firstly, even if the wind hasn’t yet had the chance to discolour the water, its direction and effect on the water’s surface will mean it provides a bit of cover to the benefit of your fishing.

For example, Skirmish Point on Bribie Island is renowned

as a summer whiting hotspot in spring. This location faces southeast, and particularly fires when it is exposed to a southeasterly chop on the water. Too much wind though and the water becomes turbid, and the fish will move elsewhere.

Likewise, switched-on freshwater anglers chasing barramundi in lakes and

JULY 2016

farmer’s boat. The process of adding and removing trays generally results in dislodged oysters. Big bluenose bream recognise this and follow the boats, sniffing around ready to pounce on any leftovers!

Just give the farmer plenty of room and don’t invade his space or touch his leases, and you should have some good bream action on lures or bait.

Double hook-up in low light conditions. dams will also look to use the wind to their advantage at times. In particular, they will look for wind lanes and use these areas to target fish.

Wind lanes look a bit like the smooth area created directly behind the wake of a boat.

It is an area of smoother water that can stretch for some distance. Wind lanes are a bit like a magnet, attracting and holding many things like insects on their surface. Anglers will often troll, spin or bait fish in these wind lanes.

Finally, after a strong blow anglers in the know will also fish the lee shore of lakes, rivers and estuaries (the shore on the opposite side that the wind is coming from). This is because all the dead insects or baitfish in the water will be pushed by the wind and end

Even on bright clear days you can usually find discoloured water from boat chop.

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up there.

OTHER INFLUENCES Commercial fishing pressure Unfortunately, some things are harder to plan around. One of these is commercial fishing pressure.

You can have all the conditions mentioned above in your favour, yet you turn up to your favourite location

and draw a blank. You don’t even catch an undersized fish; it’s like a fishing desert. It has happened to me, and in such scenarios I have made enquiries with local tackle shops or anglers and, sure enough, the netters have often been through.

Of course, what they are doing is legal; it’s the laws that aren’t right. Queensland is well overdue for a recreational fishing license to introduce recreationalfishing-only areas state wide along the same lines of the successful NSW buy-back scheme. But that is a topic for another month.

What you can do is speak to your local tackle shop or check with local Facebook fishing pages or blogs about the commercial netting along the beaches or estuaries you plan to fish. You can try to find out if they have a pattern, then fish outside of this.

The other thing you can do, even in heavily netted areas, is to go where they can’t go. This is the advantage of a smaller boat with a shallow draft – you can get right up in the shallows they can’t reach. The other option is to fish among snaggy territory, sunken trees, rocky outcrops and so on where the pros won’t drag their nets.

BOAT TRAFFIC Traditionally, boat traffic is seen to have a detrimental influence on fishing, particularly over weekends and busy school holiday periods. However, there are a few times and types of boat traffic that can have a positive effect on the fishing.

One such occasion is following a working oyster

Another productive time and place when boat traffic can be a good thing is when car ferries are operating. As a car ferry pulls out from a sandy beach, the wash caused by the propellers stirs up the sand and dislodges invertebrates such as pipis, yabbies and worms as well disorientating any nearby baitfish. Fish such as whiting, dart, flathead and bream can often be seen darting in to pounce on this smorgasbord as soon as the ferry leaves.

The car ferry landing spots around Inskip Point and Hook Point on Fraser Island are good examples of this. Just give them plenty of room as they come and go.

Another positive effect from boat traffic is when a sand dredge is working in a river or estuary. Whiting will often feed prolifically in the wash that follows it. If you time your fishing to coincide with such an event you can do extremely well.

Finally, on days when the water is glassed out and water clarity very clear, boat traffic can have the effect of creating bow waves that discolour the water in places. Look for these locations and target your fishing there.

RUN-OFF AND POLLUTION Yet another influence that can dampen fishing results considerably, even resulting in fish kill, is run-off or pollution after heavy rain.

In Queensland there seems to be less impact or perhaps just less media about this issue when compared to some of the big rivers of the NSW North Coast like the Richmond. That said, in

2011 dredging of Gladstone Harbour was said to have been a contributing factor to a disease which resulted in fish kills and eventually spread to humans. Fishing bans resulted.

Outside of these extremes, more regular run-off from heavy rains can have a negative impact on fishing, particularly in the upstream areas of rivers and estuaries. In these situations the fish tend to be pushed downstream where the water has a higher level of salinity and is less turbid.

Depending on the extent of the run-off, bigger fish will move to deeper holes in the river or estuary where the heavier, more dense freshwater will sit on top of the lighter, more saline water beneath. Otherwise, the best place to fish is at the river mouth or the nearby beaches.

The best time to fish after a rain event can be the run-in tide as cleaner water from the ocean pushes into the estuary.

OTHER INFLUENCES Of course, there are a few other influences that can affect fishing results such as swell on the beach and currents offshore. Added to that, sometimes the fish just aren’t feeding or even there.

This is why it’s good to have a quality sounder with sidescan in a boat, or even use a shorebased sonar device. If you can’t see any fish or bait on the screen, move on.

Likewise, if you’re on the beach and can’t observe any fish signs or catch a fish around what should be a peak time, don’t flog a dead horse.

Move on. Try the next gutter or even the next beach.

WEIGHING IT ALL UP So there you have it.

While it can be wise to target certain fish around the new and full moons, and around specific tides and times, anglers need to be aware that there are a whole lot of other factors that can influence the best time to fish. While you can plan ahead for some of these, others require you to use your powers of observation and adapt your plans accordingly.

As Ken ‘Brownie’ Brown of Coastwatch fame puts so well, the most important pieces of fishing equipment are your eyes, ears and mouth.

Your ears are for listening – listening to the advice of others, particularly those with local knowledge. Your mouth is for asking questions and seeking knowledge, while your eyes are for observing what is happening above, on and under the water. Use all three wisely, and you will soon be much better placed to assess the best time to go fishing for your target species.

For more tips, information, reports and giveaways, why not check out and follow my Facebook Page, Ontour Fishing Australia. In the meantime, bag your mates – not your limit!

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Finding winter predators throughout Hervey Bay HERVEY BAY

Mark Bargenquast

It’s that time of the year when the cold really hits in South East Queensland.

It’s the time when all my favourite summer species depart or go slow for the

three months. You guessed it, I don’t like winter!

Long sleeve shirts, coats and jeans are not my thing, but I do have a reprieve and that’s going north for a few months guiding on Cape York!

Sadly though, I must return home eventually.

On the upside, most bread and butter species like bream, whiting and flathead are in good numbers and are quite catchable in winter, they all aggregate to spawn on the full and new moons and some big catches can be made especially, over these periods.

Big winter barra are tough, but not impossible!

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These big ones over 70cm are nearly always females.

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many big fish, as they need to spawn and I am a firm believer that there should be a closed season during their peak spawning times like with barra and reef fish.

Squid are another tasty winter treat that have arrived in numbers now.

Just the other day I saw

a school of a fewhundred drifting along the flats. I picked up some off the side with a new Daiwa Emraldas squid jig was too easy and they were good-sized ones in there too.

Try rocky outcrops, especially where there’s a bit of current and baitfish. Squid also love

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sea grass beds, and they love to feed on prawns and shrimps. They can be hard to spot, but a good set of polaroid sunnies can be a big asset. Cast well away from the squid so the lure splashdown doesn’t spook them, and use a slow retrieve to pull it past them.

Most jigs are designed to

imitate a prawn swimming forward, which is slow. I have seen anglers spinning for squid with speeds I would expect for offshore pelagics! Slow it down and the suckers will attack.

Snapper have started to trickle inshore, with a few big ones early as usual.

Baits such as mullet and

squid heads work well, but I prefer plastics and trolling hardbodies down deep.

This is probably the most effective tactic for covering ground and finding bigger specimens, and any lures that break the 30ft mark will do. If trolling, a speed of 3-4 knots is perfect.

Once again, find the bait

An early season snapper that ate a plastic. This species invades Hervey Bay during winter.

Rug up for the cold and you will find a few tuna in the bay.

schools and the snapper won’t be far away.

Another bonus while snapper fishing is the appearance of big longtail tuna and cobia around the same area. These big bruisers will take lures meant for a snapper, and this is why I stuck to 20lb braid for all my snapper work. A 20kg longtail or cobia on 12lb braid isn’t fun

after the first half hour!

In the rivers, barra and kig threadfin salmon are still there. They’re a bit harder to catch, but with the help of a good sounder and some patience you will find them, and sometimes in big numbers. Getting the bites is the hard bit, but very possible with a few tricks.

Late winter, when the water temperatures are just

starting to rise is the go for barra and threadies, and even a rise of 1°C can get them into feeding mode.

Think outside the box and work out what they’re feeding on big banana prawns or whiting, so use the appropriate lures.

So after all, winter isn’t so bad. Just remember to rug up and get out there!

You got to be in it to win it.

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Working with water temperature NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Water temperature can be a key factor that dictates where fish will be found and what ‘mood’ or activity level they’re likely to display. In other words, how ‘catchable’ they will be. At no time of year is this more critical

given volume of water tends to take a relatively long time to heat up or cool down, and this property is magnified by the size and depth of that body of water. So, for example, oceans tend to be much more stable in temperature than very small ponds.

Most of the temperature sensors built into modern depth sounders measure water temperature at the

few metres deeper in the water column, but it’s still a good way for anglers to monitor what’s going on around them. Learning to watch the temperature readout on your sounder, or to carry a handheld thermometer if you’re land-based, can make a big difference to your overall fishing results.

Different fish species have varying ‘preferred

that drags these temperatures down to the 13-14°C that trout love can result in fish kills in our stocked barra dams. While preferred temperatures for barra vary between southern and northern strains, the range from about 25-30°C is considered ideal, with a real sweet spot existing around the 28°C mark.

All that said, fish can adapt. At one end of the scale, I’ve chased barramundi and other Top End species (with at least some success) in late dry season billabongs with a tepid, bath-like surface temperature of 37°C! At the opposite extreme, I’ve pursued spawn-run trout in the Eucumbene River near the end of the season when the water was just a couple of degrees above freezing, the air was a numbing -9°C, and my line was constantly freezing onto the rod’s runners!

Having an idea of the preferred temperature range of the target species you’re chasing can be a big help when it comes to finding concentrations of those targets

While the ‘optimum’ water temperature for rainbow trout might be 13-16°C, you can certainly catch them in both warmer and cooler waters.

However, when lakes and rivers heat up in summer, it can really pay to look for cooler areas.

In most areas, barramundi become much more active when the water warms above 25°C. However, in mid-winter when estuaries chill to just 20°C or less, finding areas even half a degree warmer can produce the goods. than in the depths of winter.

Water temperature obviously varies considerably from place to place, throughout the year and even across a day.

However, compared to air, a

sounder’s transducer, which is often submerged just a few centimetres beneath the surface. This surface temperature fluctuates more rapidly than the temperature a

temperature ranges,’ as well as extreme highs and lows that can potentially prove fatal if exceeded for a certain period of time. For example, rainbow trout become lethargic and stressed if the water exceeds 22-23°C. Their VIDEO

Scan this QR code to see Starlo finding freshwater natives in winter dams ideal zone is between about 12-15°C. Exposure to water over 24°C for even a day or two will almost always kill adult rainbow trout. By contrast, barramundi tend to shut down completely when water temperatures drop below 18°C, and a cold snap

At the southern end of their range, snapper tend to be more ‘catch-able’ in summer, while up north, they’re traditionally a winter target. This is all about water temperature preferences.

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Yellowfin bream generally prefer slightly warmer water than their southern or black bream cousins and can go a bit quiet when it’s really chilly. in a feeding mood. Even if conditions (where and when you’re fishing) are less than ideal, you can at least chase down spots that lean in the right direction. So, for example, if you’re hunting warm water natives such as bass, barra, cod or yellowbelly in winter, you need to look for any area where the water is

slightly warmer, such as along north-facing banks with lots of rock (that trap daytime heat from the sun and radiates it back into the water), or bays into which the prevailing breeze might push surface water that’s been warmed by the sun through the day. Even a lift of half a degree can sometimes spell the difference

between success and failure.

Keep water temperatures in mind every time you fish, and watch my short video on finding freshwater natives in winter dams for some more clues. You can access it by scanning the QR code, or go to my ‘Starlo Gets Reel’ channel on YouTube and look for ‘Where’s The Dam Fish?’

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Tech Tricks

Getting luder-rigged for big winter blackfish BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

As the inshore waters cool, anglers who make the effort can be rewarded with quality luderick or blackfish. Not a species that is regularly encountered by chance, specific targeting is required for consistent results.

Luderick are primarily vegetarian and will eat most weeds found on the rock walls, bankside snags and man-made structures throughout the estuaries.

On occasion, they will engulf a yabby, peeled prawn piece or estuarine worm floated within their

precinct, however weed is their main food source.

Presenting these aquatic weed baits correctly will maximise your chances of catching luderick, however this will require a somewhat difference rig than you use for most other offerings and species.

Cabbage and string weeds are the most common types used for bait, however both purple and black weeds are also worth using.

Basically, if it is available in the area you are fishing, then there is a good chance that resident luderick will be eating it.

Presenting these weeds in a natural manner can often be the key to success. Usually, weed baits

are drifted under a float, weighted so that it is just above neutral buoyancy.

As such, there is little resistance for the luderick to be able to pull the float under the water once the bait is engulfed. This lack of resistance increases the hookup rates, especially for wary or pedantic specimens.

Seasoned luderick anglers can definitely turn the odds in their favour using finesse techniques combined with their wealth of experience. However, newbies to this form of fishing can also score some solid luderick. Specialised tackle includes centrepin reels, slow actioned rods, hand-made floats, floating monofilament (or polymer)

lines, fluorocarbon leaders and sneck hooks. You don’t need to possess all the specialised gear to catch luderick, although it can help.

Many are able to score a few on a light spin or sidecast combinations by manually feeding out the line to allow the float to drift with the current. However, once a few blackfish are secured with conventional gear, some fall in love with this form of fishing and soon invest in the specialised outfits. Blackfish specific rods are hard to find these days, however Gary Howard still produces a few between 10’6-12’ at prices ranging from $100-$150. Some even use rods as short as

1

Centrepin reels like this are ideal for targeting luderick as they allow the line to peel off the spool with minimum resistance. Alvey make a good portion of the blackfish reels readily available with a total of six models that vary in price from $100 to $260.

I use the base model (475B) and it does the job perfectly for me. Note that when spooling these reels that you do not fill them right up as you would other reels. Due to the close-in style of blackfish angling you will only need around 30-50m of line.

A small 3500 size box (from $8) is all you will need to store all your basic tackle. In this there should be some small strong hooks (such as a sneck pattern), generally in sizes between #6 and #10 (from $5 a packet), some float stoppers (from $3 a packet), assorted small split shots (from $1 a packet) and some small swivels (from $3 a packet). You will also require some small beads but these will probably come with your float stoppers. This box pictured is my personal selection and also contains some #8 and #6 long shank hooks and small pencil and quill floats (not used for blackfish). These I use when targeting garfish and mullet on dough baits with the same rig.

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JULY 2016

Float stoppers do just as their name suggests – they stop the float from running too far up the line. These small rubber beads are small enough to be wound through your rod tip when retrieved but will not permit the float to proceed past them up the line. They allow you to change the depth at which the bait is presented below the surface by simply sliding them up or down the line. They are the first thing to be put on the main line. To do this, firstly pass the end of your main line through the loop of fine wire that the float stoppers are provided on.

2

Begin sliding the float stopper down the wire loop until the main line kinks over and the bead passes from the wire onto your doubled-over main line.

9ft, especially when fishing under bridges. Most specific blackfish rods have guides very close to the reel seat to prevent line sag. This can limit the flow of line out through the guides, which alters the drift rate of the float and affects bait presentation.

Good places to start looking for blackfish include the oceanic and estuarine rock walls, the canal entrance walls, deeper mangrove-lined channels and basically anywhere that you can locate weed within the estuaries. Checking out an area at low tide and locating a decent weed supply will often mean it is worthwhile fishing that area on a higher tide. Low tide

also offers the best time to collect weed in many areas.

Once your rig is ready, you only have to find some weed and try a few spots until you are into your first luderick. These often-striped estuary brawlers give a great account of themselves once hooked and will repeatedly dive to the bottom. However, the slow actioned rod will absorb a lot of the head shakes but you will need to withstand a close quarters tug-of-war to turn the odds in your favour. Luderick can really test your skill due to their often pedantic feeding habits and dogged power but they are a lot of fun to catch and pretty good eating if bled and cleaned quickly after dispatch.

3

Keep sliding until the tag end of your main line pops out from inside the float stopper. This can now be slid along the main line to your desired position.

4

Now pass the main line through the top eyelet on your float and down through the bottom eyelet. The float stopper will rest against this top eyelet when the rig is fully deployed.

Tech Tricks

5

Once passed through the bottom eyelet, place a small bead on the line and then attach a small swivel with a blood knot (or similar).

The bead stops the knot of the swivel jamming on the eyelet of the float, which would restrict the bait from sinking down once cast out.

7

You will need to crimp some split shots onto the leader. Use a few small ones between the hooks and the larger ones further up. When the rig is in the water, you want the float to virtually all be below the water except for the top of the bulb and the upper stem. Once you have used a float a few times you will know how much weight each requires to get the float just above neutral buoyancy. Split shot can be pinched on by squeezing the split side with some pliers once the line is in the slit. To remove, pinch the opposite side of the shot so the slit opens again.

9

Your float should look somewhat like this when deployed. Just the top stem and maybe a few millimetres of the bulb should be visible above the water.

6

The basic rig generally consists of two hooks spaced around 30-50cm apart on a fluorocarbon leader. Each hook needs to be on a loop of leader line, especially when using string weed. The string weed is fed through the loop and then wrapped around the hook shank. This keeps it presented nicely without bunching up in the hook gape or falling off. To attach the bottom hook use a perfection loop. The upper hook is attached using a small dropper loop, however you will put the leader through the eye of the hook first before tying the dropper loop and pull the hook and leader through during the last stage of the knot.

8

Your entire leader should be about 1-1.5m in length. Once the top of the leader is attached to the swivel (blood knot or similar) your rig is complete although you may need some fine tuning with the split shot once out on the water.

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Once deployed the baited hooks will sink down until the float stopper hits the top of the float. The stopper can be moved up or down the line so that you can probe different depths of water with your baits, as often the luderick will only feed at a determined depth.

JULY 2016

19

How-to: learning to tie the twisted dropper BRISBANE

Kim Bain

A paternoster rig has a sinker on the bottom (on the sinker loop) and either one or more ‘droppers’ above the sinker. Most rigs will use two droppers that stand

out from the main line.

Last edition we covered the option of a standard dropper loop for a paternoster rig’s hook loop; this month we tie the hook loop using a knot called the twisted dropper knot or loop.

Twisted droppers loops are stiffer and can help the hook

1

Hold the trace, between thumb and forefinger, either side of the location along the trace where you want the knot to be tied.

Then twist the trace, to form loops in the middle between your hands, by spinning both sides in opposite directions with the thumbs and forefingers. This forms tight loops for your dropper.

hang away from the main line.

Having the knot sticking out from the mainline reduces the tendency for your hooks to tangle around the mainline.

Both the dropper knot (see last month’s QFM) and the twisted dropper have a breaking strain of up to around 80% of the main line.

DROPPER DIMENSIONS • Droppers should be spaced apart so that they do not overlap; and so that the hooks (including gangs) do not overlap either.

• Individual droppers should be at least longer than the largest hook that you wish to use.

4

Pull one side of the loop/crossover down and start twisting/wrapping it around the standing line. Keep the centre ‘hole’ open (with your fingers). An alternative is to twist from/around the centre, wrapping an even number of turns of each side of the centre opening. Have a go and see what works best for you and your dexterity.

• When drifting, I like one of my droppers to be short (around 15cm) and the other about 30cm long. Sometimes I’ll go much longer to 60cm for times such as when I’m at anchor.

• If your droppers are 12-15cm long, then they should be at least 50cm apart

– that’s with one single 5/0 chemically sharpened hook on the bottom and a two-hook gang rig on the top dropper.

For further discussion and information on this knot and the paternoster rig, please see my articles on these subjects on the QFM website.

6

Pull the mainline, the standing ends of the mainline one on each side of the knot, apart (away from the knot) in order to tighten the knot about half way. While pulling the knot ‘half-snug’ you can hold the twisted loop lightly with your mouth... ensure that you don’t pull the knot snug just yet!

2

Spin the twists into about ten loops for a short dropper (about 20 twists for a long dropper).

7 5

Having completed between four to eight half-twists, pass the twisted loop through the cross-over ‘hole’ that you were rotating with your fingers. Pull the twisted hook loop all the way through.

3

Cross over the two sides of the main line and twist one around the other. The rest is now the same as tying the standard dropper loop. That is; after forming a loop in the line (do not tie a loop, just form a loop), then insert a finger into one side of the crossover.

20

JULY 2016

Then moisten the knot and snug the knot up tightly.

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Big snapper storm in BALLINA

Joe Allan

Snapper have been coming in good numbers and sizes lately. The best areas to target are the close-in reefs in approximately 10-15m. If you want to soak some bait, I recommend that you float out cut baits, squid and blue pilchards with the current.

If you’re into throwing

lures, try 60-80mm lipless crankbaits around 1/2oz in weight.

On the soft plastics side of things, try 4” Atomic Prongs in white, ghost pearl or electric chicken. Using 1/2oz weights with hooks to 4/0 should do the trick. If the current is running harder, you may need to go heavier.

Spotty mackerel start to drop off the bite and the Spanish really start to take

over at this time of year. If the water clarity stays pretty clean this will happen quickly.

Try trolling any shallow diving lures over 100mm, or if you’re into cast and retrieve, the Bassday Bungy Cast is a must in your tackle box. At 30g you can cast these things an absolute mile.

The tailor really bite well now with catches becoming more consistent over the last month. The

Jake Stewart with a 20kg mulloway.

Josh Carter with a great snapper caught off his jet ski from a close in reef off South Ballina.

gutters along 7-mile Beach are worth a throw and the best thing about this time of year along this beach is the stud bream you are likely to encounter. They’re beautiful in condition and taste amazing. Remember a big bream is a very old fish so only keep what you’re going to eat that day.

If you’re up for a challenge, the Ballina Village Caravan Park is holding a Greenback Tailor Competition on 16-18 June.

There are categories for males, females and children so it is a full family affair.

The cooler westerlies can bring on luderick, so if this cold snap keeps up, don’t be afraid to try for these guys a little earlier then you normally would.

The flathead will start to become patchy in the river along the Ballina town stretch while the bream start to fire in the deeper dropoffs. The top of the tide is the pick to chase the big sea run specimens that come into spawn. Try throwing blades and plastics off the end of the South Wall, as well as hardbodies over the Porpoise Wall.

The winter whiting will kick off over the next few weeks. Try the bigger tides over the sand flats along the town stretch, the area out the front of the Oyster Farm in North Creek and possibly up as far as Pimlico Island (if the water stays clear).

The size of the mulloway being pulled out of the river lately is nothing short of amazing. There are some beasts caught at night, mostly on live mullet in the deeper holes or a shallow diving 200mm crankbait off the walls. Hold on because these things are beasts.

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More mulloway to come as the river clears up ILUKA

Ross Deakin

It’s been an awesome time to be fishing in the Iluka area, and anglers have revelled in the fabulous weather both in and offshore.

a feed should time their trip offshore with good weather, as it can turn ugly very fast.

The mackerel and tuna action has quietened down, but there was still some very nice fish still being taken on live bait and pink squid skirts. Some

with all this fresh coming down the system, some very good size mulloway have also shown up. We have seen mulloway caught off the beaches, headlands and in river recently, and it’s almost hard to avoid them! A 25kg fish was caught by Kerry Roberts

Josh Lane caught this 15kg mulloway after the big flush that came down in June. on the flathead.

Now’s the time to be hitting the water, and things should only get better, especially on the bream and mulloway front!

• For all your fishing needs and up-to-date information and tips for spots and fish drop into the shop for a chat. Iluka Bait and Tackle is located at 3 Owen Street,

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Tailor are really putting on a show for those fishing the local beaches and headlands.

OFFSHORE Starting offshore, some very nice snapper, trag jew and cobia have been taken from Black Rock, Woody Head and South to the Angourie grounds on a mixture of live and dead baits. Anyone after

have even been taken landbased, but it won’t be long before these fish have gone for good this year, not to return until next year.

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last month off the wall, and another 20kg fish was also taken off Iluka Beach by Ian Smith.

There have been some nice tailor taken off the beaches and headlands with fish up to 3.5kg being weighed in.

There are also some very nice bream being found with 1kg turning up regularly in the river.

Just recently, Woombah local Dan nailed a absolute donkey of a bream weighing 1.5kg!

We saw some nice flathead around Browns Rocks, Collis Wall and Middle wall. The usual mix of live dead baits as well as hardbodies and soft plastics are working well

Longtails are still available, but they won’t be for much longer.

Looking danger in the face THE TWEED

David Solano

Up Cobaki way it’s been very quiet fishing wise.

Every time I head there I’m dumbfounded by the amount of debris floating around, from grass clippings to weed and logs, as well as a heap of rubbish. In some places

it’s impossible to get a cast in and I found it pretty similar up at Terranora Broadwater. Terra is holding a lot of fish around the Jew Hole in particular on the run out. If you get there early try a surface lure on the high tide in the oyster leases for some cracking bream. There’s lots of small tailor in the river too and they are the

perfect schoolie attraction, so expect to see a few showing up in the area.

I’m not sure where all the rubbish in the river has come from, but after a good rain it should clear out. By contrast, the Mar-bah arm of the river, from the seaway to Condong is beautiful water, and good bream have been caught off the rockfalls, as well as whiting on the flats

Scott and his terrifically fought mulloway prize!

around the golf club right back up to Ukerebagh Island.

There are some nice flathead around the golf course too; try the deeper, murkier water for them. The little creeks around the area where they enter the main river are well worth a look at too. Jacks must have travelled to Italy for the summer, as I haven’t heard of any caught recently.

The good news is the winter species are showing up in numbers. Recently my mate Scott and I headed out to the south sea wall at day break with a variety of lures and bait, including live worms, pilchards and of course the trusty chicken.

We went right to the end only to find the place crowded. I know this wall really well and I thought you could always find a spot somewhere, but something had changed. Previously you would have to trek up a narrow track until it widens as you hit the beach, then take a tricky walk out over uneven rocks. This used to weed out the super keen from the regular keen. But now there’s a proper road going right out to the point, which makes getting out there much easier. The place was chockers!

Disappointing to see such rubbish in the river, but hopefully a good rain will flush it out.

We got out there and saw a spot on the river side.

Just as we were about to head there a guy fishing the waves facing the pumping jetty changed spots and headed where we were going, so we took his old spot. I was tying a rig on when Scott yelled out to me and I saw his rod bent, with the drag screaming.

He said it bit like a bream, then took off like a rocket.

Ever so slowly he brought it in and there it was – that purple silver shine of a nice mulloway. It was great how we all worked as a team to get this fish up. The fish had gone under the rock shelf and was stuck there, so it was proving very difficult to gaff it and pull it out. I

spotted a good spot further down and proceeded there, but two men yelled at me not to go down there.

“It’s only a fish, Dave!”

Scott said.

“But it’s a good one,” I said back.

I grabbed the 40lb mono, and when the next surge came through I popped the fish out and Scott gaffed it – wow, what a fight that was.

Remember, rock fishing is dangerous. I always have a fully kitted out life jacket on, and I even wear knee pads.

I highly recommend these around the rocks, but the main thing that gave me the confidence to go down there was the tide was coming in so if I fell in I’d float to the beach.

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Catching crackers in the cold SOUTHERN GOLD COAST

Danny Sands

With little to no rain and a sudden drop in water temperature, all the estuaries and rivers have been crystal clear. This,

around the Aldershots, the Neverfails and the shortcut between Crab and little Crab islands will produce cricket score catches. Dropping your leader to around 10lb in clear water will improve your catch rates this month as well.

Bream have been in

still love it. You can often tell if the luderick are running by the old-timers wearing flannel shirts standing shoulder to shoulder with their whippy rods, staring at their floats watching for any indication of a bite. The hot spots will be the Boyds Bay Bridge and behind Twin Towns, and further north the Seaway tower and both the north and south walls of Wave Break.

Cabbage and black cane weed work well in the Tweed area, and green weed works well in the Broadwater and rivers.

Green weed can be picked up from the drains at the Crab Farm near Helensvale.

Mulloway fishing at night will be worth a look this month as big schools of mullet start to enter the Seaway and Tweed bars. The mulloway will start to follow these mullet schools into the estuaries and start to feed on them at night. Weeknights that are fished around the top of the tide that leads up to the full moon usually fish very well.

The clean water has seen excellent numbers of tiger squid caught over the last couple of weeks. Greater numbers of squid have been caught at night, and I

recommend starting at the Grand Hotel and Bayview Harbour on a high tide. Squid are drawn to lights, so putting some overhanging lights on your boat will improve your catch while drifting over the weed beds around Wave Break Island.

BEACH FISHING The whitebait schools have been thick along the coastline, which has pushed good numbers of tailor along our beaches. The bigger greenback tailor have been caught in low light periods.

Pilchards and gar have been the pick of baits, but 40g metal lures have had a lot of success on both the Seaway and Tweed Bars. The sand bags at Narrow Neck is a great location to target tailor before and after work. You can hope out of your car and within minutes be spinning for tailor.

OUTSIDE A lot of anglers had a ball with both mac tuna and longtail tuna in June, so hopefully the whitebait schools will stay around and keep the tuna here throughout July. Finding the tuna isn’t hard – just keep an eye on diving birds. There have been good numbers of both bait

Andrew with a 64cm tailor caught from the Seaway.

They are fun to catch and are excellent to eat as well. aided by the offshore winds, has really cleaned and flattened out the surf, making fishing conditions excellent to fish. The Gold Coast is need of good rain to improve the fishing for both estuary and offshore.

Plenty of flathead are on offer this month. Most are around the 40-65cm mark with the odd big girl being caught. With the water temperature around the 17°C mark, flathead fishing is at its best around the midday lows. I recommend casting 3-4” soft plastics and trolling hardbody lures like Micro Mullets and Pig Lures in pink. Working the areas

excellent numbers and are eating everything in sight including big pike, with most of the bigger bream being caught around the bar entrances. Deepwater plastics will work well this month for bream. The coffee rock ledge that runs from the east side of Wave Break Island up to the old deep hole is a stand-out location. We can also expect plenty of school size mulloway as a by-catch in this location. I have found that Berkley PowerBaits and Gulps rigged on a 1/8oz TT jighead work well in this spot.

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Daniel Hickey with a big tiger squid caught under Ephraim Island bridge.

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Not all mulloway have to be big. It’s great to see good numbers of schoolsize mulloway in the estuary system. and tuna near the artificial blocks off South Stradbroke Island, so that can be a good place to start.

Casting 20g and 40g slugs into feeding tuna always gets the heart racing, but be aware that the sharks love to take a tuna just metres away from a boat after a long fight. For that reason, a 6-10kg spin stick with a 4000-5000 spin reel with 20lb main line is preferred.

There have been good numbers of mulloway on these blocks as well. Dropping live baits and artificial baits like 7” jerkshads and the Koika jigs from Gomoku has been working extremely well.

The cobia have been giving anglers nightmares on the local reefs, with some horses around the 30kg mark.

Big baits like tailor, slimy mackerel and tuna work well on the bottom, and drifting a pilchard in a berley trail is also a great recipe for tangling with a monster. The pinnacles off the Seaway, Focus Reef, Casino Reef and Palm Beach reef will be

worth a look this month.

July is probably the best month to fish for snapper.

Try fishing with plastics at the Mud Hole and Fido Reef off the Tweed. Big 7” white jerkshads from Berkley and ZMan on light jigheads work extremely well in these areas. There’s also heaps of by-catch around, including cobia, big sweetlip and even the odd rogue giant trevally.

The 18, 24 and the 36 off the Seaway will hold plenty of snapper this month. I like to get out early and get to my spot just before the sun gets up, start a berley trail and fish with baits for a couple of hours. When the sun gets high you can try casting plastics while drifting over the same area that you have set your berley trail.

Overall, July can be hard month to get out of bed early, but it’s worth it chasing snapper, mulloway and cobia. There are also plenty of bread and butter species on offer like flathead, bream and an entrée of calamari. How good is the Gold Coast?

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Find the bait, find the predators GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn

July is prime time for a large range of species, and also the time of year where the bait is most active on the Gold Coast.

From surf fishing off the rocks for greenback tailor to prowling the canals for a variety of trevally species, the options are endless. As an added bonus, the kingies also show up throughout the broadwater!

On the Gold Coast, sometimes we take things for granted. We are privileged with all the fishing options and opportunities all year round.

Where else can you be fishing for jacks, bream and flathead in the canals and decide to head 200m off the seaway and get stuck into mackerel, tuna and other pelagics.

This time of year, there is normally a whole lot of bait, usually found in the cleaner water, so usually the broadwater, early parts of the canals and the seaway. Where

there is bait, the pelagics won’t be too far away!

Tailor and trevally inshore and tuna and mackerel offshore can be found in two ways; sounding them up and the most common way, looking for birds feeding on baitfish. The way that works is the pelagics will find the bait and push them to the surface, and that’s when the birds will start diving and all hell breaks loose! Anglers in the area will be anxious to get to the action by casting metal lures into the school

Will Smedley has been getting the job done on some headland tailor.

and retrieving at a fast pace!

Big bream will be on the bite this month in the canals, broadwater and Jumpinpin.

Winter is prime spawning season for bream with larger fish found in the deeper waters. Vibes and blades would be my go-to lures for these fish at this time of year, as you can easily sit over a school of fish and keep the lure in their faces. Don’t be surprised to hook a mulloway while targeting big bream in deep water either – there’s been a few around!

In the next month we will see more cold weather, as we have already been seeing last month. The chances of rain should decrease with more sun out and about. I just pray the wind stays away for majority of this month!

Like I said earlier, the mulloway will start to bite with this cooler weather. Fish can be caught throughout the broadwater in deep water. The North Wall in the Seaway is a hot spot, so is the pipeline, Tipplers Channel, Sovereign Island, the Nerang River and also around large bridges.

These fish can be caught on just about everything! With their large mouth they are able to engulf anything from around 2.5-10”.

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A couple of nice-sized flathead taken from a double hook-up on ZMan plastics.

Flathead will continue to be found in great numbers, but in saying that, the cooler weather may affect the bite.

Fish up to 60-70cm are being caught. Look for deep water, eddies, sand bank drop offs and natural structure in our estuaries.

Will Smedley of Tallebudgera has been fishing the water down his way pretty hard and says that winter brings numbers of trevally around bridges and deep holes. Heavy plastics worked

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Mega mulloway are on the cards this month GOLD COAST

David Green

We’re right in the thick of winter, and this is a great time to be fishing the Gold Coast. The temperatures might be cold, but the fishing action is absolutely red-hot!

OFFSHORE It has taken quite a while this winter for the warm weather to stop and the ocean temperature to drop. This has effectively made most of the winter species start late in their migration runs. This month should also see the current drop back and there should be good bottom fishing on the wider grounds with a few opportunities for the game fishing fleet.

Cobia are a good target species on the inshore grounds this month.

Already some great fish over 25kg have turned up on the artificial reefs just north of the bar, and these great fish should increase in numbers this month. Cobia always turn up at the same time the humpback whales arrive off the Gold Coast.

To catch cobia on a reliable basis, nothing beats

A small cobia caught while flathead fishing in shallow water.

a good berley trail and a large live bait. They aren’t overly fussy when it comes to what type of live bait you use. I’ve caught them on tailor, slimy mackerel, tarwhine, goatfish, snapper and teraglin. The key is to have a sizeable offering that is quite active, and to berley using pilchards or chopped tuna. They also respond to soft plastics and drifted strip baits.

Cobia are a superb fighting fish and on light tackle take quite a while to get on board. Good areas to try this month are the 18 Fathom Reef off Surfers, the blocks (artificial reefs in 23m of water just north of the Seaway), 27 fathoms northeast and Mermaid Reef.

Out wider on the 36 and 50-fathom line, there should be good snapper and pearl perch this month.

Snapper fishing has been very patchy over the past few seasons and the water has remained quite warm over most of winter. There are also a lot of smaller 28-30cm fish around, which may reflect over fishing in the area.

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Mitch Calcutt with a Jumpinpin mulloway that ate a big soft plastic.

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is to fish a tide change at dawn or dusk and use good fresh strip baits, pilchards or soft plastics.

Each season just seems to get a bit tougher, but there are still some excellent fish around. Pearl perch are a good target on the 50 Fathom Reef, but there are a few isolated patches of reef in 100-120m that are very productive when the current slows down.

At night on the inshore grounds should see you into some good mulloway fishing on the 18 and 24-fathom line. Live slimy mackerel are the best bait and nearly all the action starts after sunset and into the night. Most of these fish are between 100-115cm long and at times it is possible to catch your bag limit very quickly. Due to barotrauma, these fish are almost impossible to release in good condition, but they are a great table fish.

For the game anglers, there will still be a few blue and striped marlin around on the edge of the continental slope with the chance of yellowfin tuna as well.

If the water temperatures stay over 23°C, the game fishing should be quite good this month.

RIVERS AND ESTUARIES July is a great month

to fish the Gold Coast estuaries and there is a lot of fish movement throughout the system as migrating schools of bream, sea mullet, tiger mullet and black bream move towards the entrances in preparation for spawning.

Flathead become a lot more active as the water starts to cool down.

Big mulloway are a good target species this month. Most of the bigger fish are caught at night using live mullet around the eddies in the Seaway and around the mouth of Swan Bay near Jumpinpin.

The best time to fish is around the change of high tide. Some of these fish are between 120-130cm long and the bigger fish target the large schools of tiger mullet that school up at night along the rock walls.

A cautious approach is required, minimising noise and light on the water. I’ve been chasing these fish for many years and most of my bigger fish have been caught in July.

Flathead fishing should improve this month and a lot of 40-60cm flathead should be active in the central part of the Broadwater, from Crab Island through to Tipplers Passage. Work the draining channels using soft vibes, plastics, blades

and small hardbodied lures.

Trolling the extensive flats can also be very productive. There have already been a few big crocodiles caught this season, the biggest so far I know of was a 96cm fish caught by keen local Kane Barclay on a Pig Lure. If the water stays clear the fishing should be quite good. If the wind blows strongly from the north or northwest, the fishing can be quite tough and it pays to look for patches of cleaner water.

Squid are another good target this month and in the day can be caught by working squid jigs over the top of the weed beds at high tide. In general, the best conditions are a high tide, a still calm day and clean clear water.

There have been plenty

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of big tiger squid around this winter and they make excellent eating and some of the bigger ones are nearly 1kg in weight.

I find it is important to change your lure fairly regularly until you find the lure the squid are most responsive to. I like the Yamashita jigs. They are a bit more expensive but last quite well and catch a lot of squid.

Overall, July is a fantastic month to come and fish the Gold Coast.

There are always plenty of options and the day time lure fishing available in the Broadwater can be quite exciting across a range of species. If you are passionate about catching your first decent mulloway, this is the best month of the year to get out there and do it.

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Go hammer out some flathead in Jumpinpin JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

One of the best times of year to fish the Pin is during July. Cool clear days, light westerly winds and good water clarity encourage the bream to be on the bite with great catches expected all winter long. Bream are one of the most prolific species throughout the Pin system and are relatively easy to catch, which puts them high on most anglers’ lists.

Simply use a running ball sinker set up to a swivel

attached to about 40-60cm of trace to a 1/0 baitholder hook and you will be armed with one of the easiest and successful bait rigs. This won’t just catch you bream but will also find most of the other species at the Pin as well. The best baits to score yourself a feed are live yabbies, worms, mullet fillets and gut, prawns, squid, whitebait and even bread balled up on your hook.

For bream you can’t go past the usual favourite spots like the dead trees off the bottom of North Stradbroke, the eastern tip of Crusoe Island, the eastern tip of Short Island,

Stieglitz, Flat Rock, the Stockyards, the Powerlines, the north wall of the Seaway and the mouth of the Pimpama River. These spots always produce good quality fish and there is even a good chance that you could land a juvenile snapper there as well during the colder months.

Flathead have been caught on soft plastics from the Pandannus weed banks, Whalleys Gutter mouth, the bottom of Kangaroo Island, the sand flats at the

down. When you find the fish, work the same area, as they tend to school up together. This month the big mulloway should come on at the Pin bar in the deep drop-offs out from Swan Bay and towards the choppy water of the bar.

They can be caught on live pike, herring, mullet and gar – but if you can’t get your hands on any livies, then a well presented strip of mullet or bonito fillet should do the trick. Using 5-8” plastics with 1-2oz

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Bones was happy to release his PB 77cm flathead after an epic fight on light gear. top of South Stradbroke and along the drop-off at Kalinga Bank.

The water quality has been good, so both soft plastics and hardbodies should work well. For the bait fishers, pilchards and big fresh prawns are the go and drifting seems to be the best method to track them

jighead to make sure you get the lure down to the bottom is another way to tempt the mulloway to bite.

Look for slack tides or time your trip so that you fish the turn of the tide where there is little water movement. Tailor should hang around the bar and in the surf at the top

of South Stradbroke. The bigger greenbacks usually cruise along the coast at this time of year chasing bait schools and feeding up for their breeding season.

The best results come after dark, so if you don’t mind a chilly night you can catch the better fish from dusk onwards. Early in the mornings you can see them balling up bait schools to the surface inside the bar and then breaching the surface to get a feed, this makes them fairly easy to spot. There’s nothing quite like a tailor feeding frenzy, with the water boiling around the boat! If you head out during the week when there is less water traffic you’ll have a better chance of seeing this. Use lures the same size as the bait they are feeding on – usually 10-40g is the right size.

Plastics get torn apart by tailor, so unless you have an endless supply, I’d stick to metal slugs. Other than that, try floating lightly weighted pilchards or whitebait in the current and

a cruising tailor should find it irresistible. Pilchards or bonito flesh will be the best bait to use when chasing big greenbacks.

Whiting like faster moving tides, so look for moving water that funnels and you should find some.

Good areas are across from Slipping Sands, the sand flats near Rocky Point, Tipplers Passage and the Green Bank. All these spots will produce fish, you just need to persist and wait for the bigger fish to arrive.

Bloodworms, beach worms and yabbies are definitely the best bait. Muddies are a little harder to come by, so stick to the deeper drains at high tide and get right into the mangroves to give yourself a chance at a feed.

Tight lines and I’ll catch you next month.

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

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Shallow reefs in July SOUTHERN BAY

Nabeel Issa

Winter definitely took its time, but has finally arrived. The weather is great here in South East Queensland, with some crisp cool mornings and warm days with low wind. The snapper have continued to bite, as they have been over the past few months. This has been fantastic. The cooler weather has fired up the bream, with plenty of big fish around at the moment!

BREAM Winter creates great conditions to target big bream in the southern bay area.

Anglers have been catching plenty around the Islands in the shallow water. Macleay, Coochiemudlo and Peel islands are all worth a shot.

Further south, the Jumpinpin is a popular area to visit as the fish school up. Look for banks with steep drop-offs and good tidal flow. When you target bream, be sure to keep a look out for structure.

Shallow rocky outcrops, reef and weed beds are all productive areas to fish.

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I like to use surface stickbaits, shallow crankbaits and small soft plastics when you fish these areas. Use the wind to help you set up a drift and to aid long casts.

The more water you can cover, the more chance you have of finding where the fish are as there can be a lot of water between the fish so once you find a school of fish, be sure to stay around that area and get a few more before moving on. The water has been crystal clear lately, so downsize your line when the fish are being finicky.

Going down to 3lb line will increase your bites, just got to be careful about bust-offs and keep those fish away from the structure!

A few of my favoured lures for fishing in these areas are Cranka Shallow Cranks, Lucky Craft NW Pencils, ZMan GrubZ and Cranka Crabs. I like to rotate between these favourites to try and work out what the fish prefer on the day.

SNAPPER Just as they have been the past few months, the snapper have been out in force. Some really good-sized fish are showing up, and are more then willing to take a wellpresented soft plastic.

Harry Atkinson artificial reef has been firing in the mornings. The majority

Aaron Winch with a great Moreton Bay snapper at 77cm. This fish was caught throwing a micro-jig lure at the Harry Atkinson artificial reef. of big fish that have been reported have coming from the Harry Atkinson.

Drifting with soft plastics and covering ground is the key. Once you locate some fish, try to keep your lures near them, as they will move on quite quickly. Spending some time sounding around the reef can help locate the schools or bait. Stay near the bait to get into the fish.

Fishing at Harry’s can be a bit of a car park situation, so if you prefer a little peace then try the shallows around Peel and

casts. The size is not as great as out on the deeper reefs, but the constant action makes up for it. It’s a lot of fun on the light gear! Lightly weighted soft plastics are a great option here, ZMan soft plastics in particular as there has been a lot of pike around and they can make short work of regular soft plastics! The ZMan plastics tend to hold up well to the toothy critters!

LAND-BASED OPTIONS If you are landlocked and looking for some areas to target to get into a few

Night is the best time; look for areas with lights shining onto the water. These lights attract baitfish, which in turn attract the squid. Cast a quality squid jig to a sighted squid, and you will almost always have a hookup; they aren’t the fussiest of creatures.

Have a look in areas such as marinas, boat ramps, rock walls and jetties. Anywhere with a bit of light shining in the water is a great place to start.

More great fishing will be had this month, so do

A couple of bream from a recent tournament. These fish were caught throwing crankbaits and surface lures in the shallows around Macleay Island.

Goat islands, both of which have been fishing well for snapper and grassy sweetlip in the early mornings and late afternoons. Some recent sessions have been great fun with fish coming on most

fish, there are plenty of options available. Winter is great, especially if you like catching squid! Squid move up into the mainland shallows over winter and are commonly caught.

yourself a favour and get out there! If you have any success or a story you would like to share, send it through to nabs12@gmail.com and I will do my best to get it in the magazine!

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Time to break out those warm winter woollies BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

You will definitely have the winter woollies out by now for those early morning starts! While cold weather can make the fishing a little less comfortable than usual, the variety of species on offer is refreshing.

The snapper run was somewhat delayed this year, but there are decent numbers now being taken throughout Moreton Bay and around the lower reaches of the Brisbane River and the Pumicestone Passage.

Other cool weather species that have made their presence known are mulloway, squid, tailor, bream and luderick. Get your casting arm warmed up for some of these beauties.

LUDERICK Luderick are an unusual species and few anglers encounter them without specific targeted techniques as these fish are primarily vegetarian.

Rigging up for this species is quite different than most other species, yet the rewards are there for those who want to try. Anglers commonly use weed baits suspended below a nearneutral buoyancy float to target luderick.

As you move into co ckroac h country blackfish become a lot more common, however there are still plenty of places locally to chase them. I was lucky to be taught the art of luderick fishing by the late Les James who was an awesome luderick angler and an old-school gentleman. We spent many hours watching the tip of our floats drift along the rock wall at Boat Passage and along the mangrove edge around Short Island and Crusoe Island.

However, there are many other areas close-by that will hold quality luderick including the rock walls at the mouths of the canal systems, the Sunken Wall in the Brisbane River, Gold Coast Seaway, Wavebreak Island walls, Breakfast Creek, the entrance to Weinam Creek, Caloundra Boardwalk and many other locations. If there is weed growing on the rocks and a decent water flow then there is a good chance there will be a few luderick around.

They are a very interesting species and a real challenge to target. Luderick are only available in Southern Queensland during the cooler months so you will need to get organised to get among them.

36

JULY 2016

If you want to know exactly how to rig for luderick then check out my techniques column in this issue.

SNAPPER The snapper season had a fairly slow and belated start this year, probably due to the unusually warm water temperatures during May and early June. However, decent numbers of quality fish have been caught in recently, and we should see the main run of snapper continue over the coming months. The usual grounds throughout the bay have again produced the goods for anglers fishing baits and lures. The margins of the bay islands, the artificial reefs, Scarborough Reef and numerous other productive locations scattered through the bay will all hold quality snapper and numerous other species such as sweetlip, tuskfish and others.

Obviously there are also many lesser-known spots that anglers have found, including wrecks and small patches of rubble, coffee rock and reef. Most of these are closely guarded secrets by those who have found them and I know plenty of anglers who will only fish their grounds in the dark of night or when conditions are less than favourable and there are few anglers out on the water. Being stealthy is extremely important for

of your chosen zone. When working ground while drifting, you should only use your electric motor for positioning. When repositioning it is best to skirt wide of the ground you want to work (and well clear of other anglers) as you motor around to restart your drift. Effort like this will greatly increase the productiveness of the area you are fishing for you and other anglers.

Anglers fishing in kayaks and small craft easily reach shallow areas such as the grounds out from Wellington Point, Cleveland and Scarborough Reef. A stealthy approach is a must when fishing these grounds and anglers are often surprised at the quality of the snapper than can be taken from these areas with subtle rigging, especially early morning, evening and night.

Snapper respond to a broad array of offerings.

Quality fresh or live baits are ideal, especially when presented with simple yet strong rigging. Quality hooks, fluorocarbon leaders and a minimum of sinker weight will all help to tempt those wary specimens. Baits do not need to be anchored right on the bottom and having them in the lower third of the water column is sufficient to hook some quality reds. With so many

Paul Pekelhering caught this quality snapper jigging a soft plastic recently. Anglers can expect to encounter plenty of quality snapper in the coming weeks throughout Moreton Bay. although a broad array of other offerings both fresh and frozen will produce the goods.

Those who like to cast lures find that soft plastics, vibration baits (both hard and soft) and micro jigs commonly tempt snapper within Moreton Bay. Deep diving minnow lures are great for trolling, which is ideal when you want to explore a reasonable area

Mulloway are a winter favourite for anglers in the estuaries and bay. This one succumbed to a micro jig worked over a Moreton Bay wreck. those who want to secure the better quality knobbies, especially in the shallows less than 10m in depth.

It never ceases to amaze me how many anglers will drive all over the ground they intend to fish first before anchoring.

A better option would be to approach your spot from an up-current position then anchor and let out rope until you are within reach

squid around the bay it goes without saying that these are a good bait for anglers to use. When lightly pinned through the hood and the head on a snelled hook rig and sent back into the depths, squid will get the attention of any quality fish in the area within a short period. Other fresh snapper baits that are easily caught in the bay include pike, yakkas and diver whiting,

of water, especially around rubble grounds. In addition to snapper, these lures are likely to produce sweetlip, estuary cod, mulloway, mackerel and numerous other species.

TAILOR Numbers of undersize tailor began to show up in Moreton Bay late in April.

During the last month or so, we have seen increasing numbers of legal specimens

being caught within the bay, Brisbane River, Jumpinpin Area, lower reaches of the Pumicestone Passage and numerous other areas. Landbased anglers have reaped rewards at the Woody Point Jetty, Manly Rock Wall, Amity Point Rock Wall, Scarborough Jetty and even at a few spots along the Brisbane River.

The eastern facing beaches of Moreton and Stradbroke islands have produced some quality tailor, although the numbers have not been spectacular yet. Anglers catching trophy greenbacks often put in the hours with quality baits such as gar or bonito strips and fish well into the night, or hit their favourite gutters an hour or two before sunrise. Beach anglers should see better results in the next few months as the water temperatures fall and the baitfish schools become more predominant along the beaches. Within the bay, tailor have been taken at the artificial reefs, Scarborough Reef and the bay island shallows. Some decent specimens have been taken at Peel Island by anglers working plastics and crankbaits along the edge of the reef on the top of the tide and the start of the run-out. Tailor will lurk along this reef edge, preying on morsels flushed from the shallows as the tide falls. An occasional longtail tuna will also be found in this zone.

SQUID Even early in April, good quality squid were being caught around the bay island shallows and the edges of the major channels. Clear water conditions are essential

for good squidding, and with a lack of rain late in summer, the clarity has been good through most of the bay. Many squid I caught early in the season were well over 1kg, which must be from last year’s stocks. Squid grow quickly and many do not live much past a year or so. Most reach maturity quickly and female tiger squid will breed at anywhere between 90-160 days of age. Many anglers caught their squid simply by dragging a squid jig (egi) along behind them as they drifted the sand banks targeting whiting or the bay islands shallows pursuing snapper.

Squid often attack drifted baits such as pilchards, which were meant for other species.

Many anglers think they are getting a bite, yet the line goes slack once they strike.

This is commonly because a squid has been sucking on your bait, yet they are rarely subdued on normal rigs. If you think there are a few squid around, it is often worth casting out an egi or a baited skewer. If I think a squid is attacking my bait, I will often wind it in slowly to keep the squid still chewing on it then throw an egi out behind him, before pulling the pilchard out of the water. The squid will generally attack and hook-up on the egi and you will have the makings of a good calamari entrée.

The shallows of Mud, Green, Coochiemudlo, Peel, Bird and Goat are popular with anglers casting egi for squid, yet there is a myriad of other locations where they can be found. I often chase mine along the edges of the Rous and Rainbow

Channels, especially in areas where weed beds or the bottom is discoloured.

The general technique is to cast out an egi and then allow it to sink almost to the bottom before raising the rod tip abruptly. Allow it to sink again and then repeat. Sometimes a slow wind of the reel handle with occasional pauses is all that is required to get a squid interested. In clear water, their attacks on your egi are quite visible. Apart from being a tasty form of seafood, catching squid can be a lot of fun for inexperienced and junior anglers. Just ensure that you face the tentacle end away from you and the boat otherwise you might receive an inky blast.

Land-based anglers can get among the squid around the Wynnum and Manly foreshore, Scarborough and Redcliff area, Wellington Point, Victoria Point and several other areas. Usually around the higher tidal stages is best, as squid will come in close to hunt around the rock walls and jetties.

While blind casting with egi (usually 1.2-2.5 size) around likely areas will produce the goods, many like to use high powered head torches to locate squid close to the surface. This can work well, but you

will often walk past squid lurking a little deeper in the water column.

BRISBANE RIVER Although this waterway receives a huge amount of pressure, it still continues to produce good numbers of quality fish for the skilled or lucky fisher. King threadfin, mulloway, tailor, snapper, bream, flathead and many other species are common captures for

all the way up to Mount Crosby, although some areas hold better concentrations than others. Many anglers fish around the lighted areas at night and encounter the occasional quality fish casting lures in these areas.

Side imaging sounders can generally be used to locate decent numbers of threadfin, as they show up quite prominently due to their large air bladders.

These large tiger squid were all over a kilo each, and were caught on a Yamashita 3.0 Live egi over a shallow weed bed in the southern bay.

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anglers fishing the river during July. Threadies seem to be a little more common further upriver than they are during the warmer months.

Although still encountered in the lower reaches, the area upriver from the Gateway Bridge, tends to hold better numbers. Whether these move up following the prawn schools, or for some other reason, I am not sure. They can be encountered virtually

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Snapper numbers can be fairly healthy in the lower reaches of the river during the cooler months. Anglers can sometimes encounter snapper to well over 70cm in length on both lures and live baits. Plenty of smaller specimens are also there to reward anglers and are often caught as by-catch by those who target bream, mulloway or other species. Many of these are caught along the retaining wall at the mouth, the sunken wall, Claras Rocks, from adjacent to the main jetties (especially around the bases of the pylons), the Caltex Reach wall, the decline adjacent the Oil Pipeline and the rock wall at the northern end of Boat Passage where the tugs moor. These will respond to vibes, soft plastics, micro jigs and numerous other artificials, as well as a broad array of baits, both alive and dead.

Mulloway numbers have been good leading up to July and I see no reason why their numbers won’t continue to flourish over the next few months.

They will also respond well to a broad array of baits and lures and can be quite aggressive predators right up the river to well past the city reaches. For some reason we rarely see mulloway caught at weights

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much over 10kg in the river. Maybe the resident bull shark population keeps the numbers of larger, slower moving specimens at bay. However, regular captures of mulloway to 1m+ are enough to keep keen anglers casting their plastics, vibration baits and other lures. Live baits will generally produce good results when fished in the deeper holes and along the ledges. Mullet are prime offerings however large prawns, herring and pike are definitely worth using.

There will be some good numbers of quality fish to be caught over the coming months. No matter when you fish the bay, the Brisbane River or estuarine systems, there will be plenty of variety to sample.

Although I generally find it bitterly cold during July, I am still tempted to get out among the great species on offer.

Early morning and night time sojourns often produce some of the best opportunity, however, you will have to don plenty of winter garb to guarantee your comfort level. Winter will be over before we know it, so start catching the quality species on offer before they diminish in numbers for another eight months or so.

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No run, no fun on reds wind moving and we were sitting stationary – no run, no fun!

We’ve been working the 33, 35, and out on the 90m line. There seems to be good numbers starting to show on most lines of reef and, as the water cools even more this month,

BRISBANE OFFSHORE

John Gooding

This past month has been a real mixed bag, as far as the weather and fishing is concerned. On most trips, the snapper numbers have been encouraging.

couple of charters working the shallow grounds around Point Lookout and we scored nice mixed bags of parrot, Moses perch, juvenile snapper and pearl perch.

When there’s no current on, and snapper fishing is tough, try using paternoster

Remember ‘no run, no fun’ on snapper this month.

This mulloway was an unexpected bonus while fishing out wide.

The only time they were hard work was when there was no current or

M

A

R

they should really come on the chew.

We’ve also spent a

I

N

rigs in that 30-40m of water. It can often be the difference in whether you

go home with a nice feed of fish. So never discount that shallow water.

With the winter westerlies around for the next few months, other spots over-looked are the coffee rock reefs in 10-15m of water dotted along Moreton Island. If there’s a fair bit of westerly blowing and you can’t get out wide you can fish in the protection of Moreton Island and still pick up some nice fish. I find the best way to fish this area is on the anchor but be prepared to move around a bit as the fish spook easily in this depth.

Fishing with a mixture of paternoster rigs and floating baits on bait runner style outfits will normally get you a good mixed feed and don’t be afraid to put a live bait out for a late season Spanish mackerel.

Out on the 42 Fathom line and on some of the wider wrecks, yellow kingfish and amberjack have been keen to nail live bait.

Lately, live bait have been fairly inconsistent, so you might have to do a bit of hunting around to find them and it should be well worth the effort.

Over the past 12 months or so, the South Passage

Bar has changed a lot with channels moving around and sand islands appearing.

If you haven’t been out for a while just don’t go charging through on your old track, have a good look and even see the channel other boats are using until next month.

Enjoy your fishing, take care on the coastal bars.

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

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Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

After an extension of summer that some may have called autumn, it’s been quite a pleasant change to have some cool weather. Air temperatures have started to decrease due to westerlies, with the water temperature ever so slowly following the cooling trend. With the westerly winds producing ultra-cloudless days, many anglers have struggled to find fish during the daylight hours. The low-lit hours have taken honours in the ‘ideal fishing time’ stakes.

BREAM The number of bream has been great, and as we settle into the middle of the bream spawn, the fishing is looking pretty good for anglers in all corners of the bay. Timing has been the key to catch bream in the northern bay lately with days around the full moon crucial to the arithmetic.

As bream venture to deeper cleaner waters to spawn, the Caloundra end of the Pumicestone Passage will be in contention as a

bream hotspot in winter.

Other pockets of schooled bream have started to appear around the bay; however, many anglers are sworn to secrecy as to the whereabouts of these fish in case fishing pressure causes the bream to move out of the area. We can learn from this, and choose to fish deeper, cleaner and tidal spots over the cooler months.

After the full and new moons, bream become ravenous, commonly hitting up their shallow water jaunts to chase baitfish and prawns to satisfy their insatiable needs. Soft plastics really come into play over this time, as you can fish them deep on 1/12oz and 1/8oz weighted jigheads for when fish are schooling in deeper waters. Fish the plastics light, when chasing bream in low light hours up in shallower waters. Vibes and Cranka Crabs are also a good option for the deep, as their presentation is excellent.

Areas fishing well have been upper reaches of the Pine River, Clontarf Foreshore, Otter Rock, North Reef, Bongaree, D u n l o p ’s G u t t e r,

Gallagher’s Point and the boardwalk at Bulcock Beach at Caloundra.

come in the next month or two. Scattered reports have come from Bribie, with

SQUID The tasty cephalopods have again graced us with their presence this winter with numbers appearing throughout the Redcliffe Peninsula.

With the southern bay on fire early this winter, we have slowly gathered momentum, as the weather gets cooler and cooler. Squid jigs come in all shapes, sizes and colours, and anglers have found solid colours to work better in clearer waters and prawn patterned colours to work best in waters with decreased visibility. Rocky points and outcrops around the peninsula have worked well on rising tides, with a constant rolling retrieve helping to keep the lure in the strike zone and away from weed growth.

FLATHEAD Lizard numbers have been good. As the weather cools, many flathead are taking advantage of the clear weather to ambush prey in the shallows. The recent rains have provided adequate colouring in the

water, which has proved advantageous to anglers fishing for flathead in skinny waters. Large shad style soft plastics and sizeable baits like mullet strips and pilchard halves have been among the favourable baits for anglers and many have opted for both techniques when one hasn’t worked.

Recent hotspots have been the newly refurbished Shorncliffe Pier, the lower reaches of the Pine (especially the mouth of Bald Hills Creek) and under the Ted Smout Bridge, Hays Inlet, Burpengary Creek, Cooks Rocks, Sylvan Beach (near Pacific Harbour) and Gallaghers Gutter.

MONTHLY TIP ‘Many strings to your bow’ is a phrase used to describe having more than one skill that you can use if you need to. This is important to fishing as many techniques can increase your catch rate and some days your usual favourite technique may not work!

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JUVENILE SNAPPER Juvenile snapper numbers have been steady over the last month, with the cool weather set to ramp things up. Smaller models are being picked up around the bottom of the Redcliffe Peninsula and the mouth of the Brisbane River, with the bigger models set to

anglers picking the old juvenile snapper from The Ripples and under the Main Bridge, especially at dusk or at night. North Reef and Queens Beach have been the regular hotspots, with popularity growing for Garnet Rock and Margate during days when the westerly winds blow.

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Fishing Fill-its

Korr Easy Fit Lights Korr lighting have provided the camper with some great products over the years, but this one is especially handy when heading to areas where insects are a real pest. As an example, I recently had the privilege of spending time up on Cape York.

You could be forgiven for assuming that in winter the mosquitoes would call it quits, but this is not the case, because as stream and lagoon flows slow down, the little darlings have a chance to hatch in their millions.

Smoke can keep them at bay to an extent, but one thing I’ve discovered for certain is that Korr’s 1.2m Orange and White light is a certain winner at keeping them away from camp.

Tests were carried out with a standard white strip light set at one corner of the Cape York camp, the Korr 1.2 Orange/White strip light set at the other extremity of camp with the selector button pressed

The White Flexible easy to

Korr Orange and Easy Fit Light Light Kit is very use and can be

The kit is compact and easy to set up and comes in a carry case with all power leads and connections. attached to tent awnings, or virtually any place there’s a requirement for light. The light is set up,

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CAIRNS

BILLS MARINE 136-138 Lyons Street, Cairns, 4870 Phone: (07) 4051 6733 Fax: (07) 4031 3080 www.billsmarine.com.au

KARUMBA

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The orange light during daylight. Note the canvas sheath the light is installed in for best protection. to the Orange setting. To my amazement, the orange strip light did not attract one insect whereas the standard white light was supporting a veritable swarm. The orange LEDs in the Korr certainly did the job of repelling the little critters, no question about it!

The Korr 1.2m orange and white Easy Fit light is a very comprehensive unit. The standard kit in its small zip up carry bag contains the 1.2m long light strip in a plastic and canvas fabric sheath with Velcro operated strips, plus a karabiner clip at each end for an easy attachment to a pole or strut.

Accompanying the light with its dimmer cum selector switch is a 5m lead, a connection onto a battery via alligator clips or a simple push on connection to a car or boat outlet similar to the old cigarette lighter outlets. Note that there’s easy connection between the cigarette lighter connection and the alligator clip, so both options are on hand to suit available power outlets.

power provided and then there’s the choice of either white light, which is very bright at 1100 lumens.

The orange (Which can be chosen by pressing the dimmer/selector switch), which is not as bright, is certainly ideal for camp site use to prepare meals and other after dark chores without being pestered by things that have a liking to human flesh.

Having tested this compact but very effective lighting unit under extreme conditions, I must say I endorse it fully and recommend it to anyone heading into mosquito territory, as it certainly will not attract these pests. Note that each light kit comes with a two-year guarantee.

– Wayne Kampe

A night time shot of the Korr orange and white easy fit light in action. Not an insect in sight!

JULY 2016

41

Big snapper catches on the Sunshine Coast CALOUNDRA

Damian Parker dpfishingmonthly@hotmail.com

The Sunshine Coast has welcomed the arrival of one of our favourite winter reef species – big, beautiful snapper! After a long drawn out summer the water temperature has cooled down enough to see the larger red specimens come a little closer to our inshore reefs.

The inner and outer Gneerings, Murphys, Currimundi and Caloundra reefs are all firing with quality snapper, spangled emperor, sweetlip, pearl perch and kingfish making up anglers’ bags. This is the time of year we tend

to anchor our vessels and entice the above species by berleying up and bringing the fish to the back of the boat. Once you have established a good berley trail it’s not that difficult to send the fish into an eating frenzy.

Whole pilchards, squid or any type of fresh cut bait floated down a berley trail on your favourite rod/reel combo will keep you busy until your arms ache! The lighter the line the better.

I avoid using heavy gauge leader materials and most of the time if I’m fishing for snapper I won’t use any swivels and just enough lead to send my offering slowly down the berley trail.

Always remember to try and fish around moon phases

and the run-out tide for best results. My favourite time to fish in winter is in the afternoon. If you’re lucky enough to sneak out around 2-3pm and get onto your favourite spot and start the process, you’ll generally have a good feed by sunset.

If the weather allows and for any reason you haven’t been lucky enough to fill your esky, try drifting around the 45-50m grounds after sunset to rustle up a few pearl perch. These fish are very active around this time of the evening and their oversized eyeballs make it easy for them to spot your offering. But remember your bag limit of five per person and size restriction of 35cm+.

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Ross with a snapper he caught and released at Caloundra. across the Sunshine Coast hold XOS pearl perch and you’ll love it when you reel a 3-5kg pearly up from 100m+. It’s like pulling up a bucket of water, but it’s all worth it, as this species tastes absolutely amazing on the dinner plate. My bait of choice for pearl perch is a whole pilchard but I have fished alongside many anglers who swear by large plastics. I guess I’m just old-fashioned and love good old smelly bait. Don’t be scared to try different methods for any species of fish. There are hundreds of lures, plastics and jigs to choose from. Pop into any of our many tackle stores across the Sunshine Coast and don’t be afraid to ask the staff for their advice.

Many of them will be happy to help and share with you their tips and tricks to catch that fish of a lifetime.

Our estuaries, lakes and beaches have been very productive as well.

The Pumicestone Passage in Caloundra has anglers busy at the moment with good catches of whiting, tailor, mulloway and flathead. Fresh yabbies and worms are the baits of choice. Currimundi Lake has also been active and anglers have landed quality whiting and bream during the day and at night.

Whiting cant resist a fresh yabby so take the time to gather a few fresh ones.

Also use a berley trail of bread and chook pellets to get them active and once it

Gary with an example of a perfect pearl perch. starts, it’s game on.

The canals around Pelican Waters and Kawana hold good numbers of bream and the many pontoons and pylons are happy hunting grounds too. The cod hole in Maroochydore is firing at the moment with XOS mulloway landed mostly at night on live poddy mullet.

The flats around Chambers Island are producing quality whiting, bream and flathead and anglers have had success on both lures and baits.

While the estuaries are offering some great fishing opportunities at the moment, our beaches have also started to fire.

Tailor, dart, whiting, bream and mulloway have been

recorded from Caloundra right through to Point Cartwright. Remember to use the low tide to locate gutters, troughs or any holes and use the landscape or structure to mark your spot.

Return on the outgoing tide and present your offerings.

If beach fishing is your thing then now’s the time to get excited.

Although I love to go to the wider grounds of the Barwon Banks and wide Caloundra for a lot of my fishing, it’s snapper time and we won’t have to venture too far offshore at all to bend those rods and bring home a good feed.

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Love the winter weather NOOSA

Peter Wells

The fishing in the Noosa River over the past month has again been sensational; the river shows a great diversity at this time of the year, with the whole system producing great fish.

Starting at the mouth, tailor have been all the rage with large fish taking a liking to baits, soft plastics and smaller slugs on a quick retrieve. The Halco Twisty has always been a favourite but there are plenty of slugs on the market that are great for the job. The Colt Sniper from Shimano is actually a micro jig but works extremely well as a fast retrieve slug. The Colts have a great holographic pattern and are perfect way to excite a hungry tailor.

Down towards the Dog Beach and the Frying Pan, good sized whiting have been taking a liking to live worms, yabbies and the humble peeled prawn. A lot of anglers these days are having great success on popping the surface for whiting. The 50mm Bolt Ballistic popper is a great surface popper with the perfect action that whiting can’t resist.

Around the Woods Bay’s area, tailor, trevally and larger bream have been smashing baitfish, with the

pilchard into the feeding fish and let it sink slowly through the water column.

Another option is surface fishing with larger surface walkers. I’ve had good success on the River2Sea Skinny Dogs, with the 110mm size a good match for the baitfish that are there at the moment. These surface lures work well with a walk-the-dog action imitating a struggling baitfish or prawn.

Further upriver the larger flathead are in great numbers.

This is that great time of year where they can tend to ‘nest up’, that is, a larger female will

Dan Church was happy with this 70cm snapper.

Peter Fedorniak with a bream and juvenile snapper destined for the pan. low light periods and a high tide the most productive.

Lightly weighted frog-mouth pilchards are a great bait. A popular technique is to cast a

like the Ski Runs, Weyba Creek and the mouth of Lake Cootharaba. If you do catch a couple of smaller fish, keep working that same area as chances are big mamma is there as well.

Another great species that frequents the river at this time of year are school jew, these fish can be found from the mouth right the way upstream.

Fishing the deeper sections of the river has been the best bet with paddle vibe soft plastics a great way to target them. The Thumper Tails from Samaki have been very popular and as the name suggests the tail has

attract smaller male suitors.

Working brighter coloured soft plastics across the bottom, like the Fuze 80mm fin baits, should see results. Work areas

a strong vibration that send out a signal to the fish’s lateral line of a struggling baitfish.

These have been very popular upriver were the water is that little bit dirtier.

OFFSHORE The offshore scene at this time of the year is sensational, and it’s all about the reef fish.

Big snapper are on the most wanted list of most anglers.

The closer reefs are really starting to produce with some good quality snapper coming from Sunshine Reef, Jew Sholes and Halls Reef. When fishing these reefs you can also expect to encounter grass sweetlip, pearl perch, moses perch, venus tuskfish, goldspot cod and Maori cod.

These reefs are perfect for micro jigs and soft plastics.

Fishing plastics is great at this time of the year because there can be a fair few smaller pickers that will destroy a bait as soon as it gets to the bottom, leaving nothing but a clean

Courtney Krawec making it look easy with a thumper mulloway from North Reef. hook. Fishing plastics keeps you in the game. Some anglers will fish both bait and plastic on a dropper/paternoster rig, with the bait at the bottom and a plastic on a lightly weighted jighead on the top dropper.

Micro jigging is another style that has really gained momentum over the last couple of years. There are two types of jigs on the market: the traditional knife jig style and flat fall jigs.

The latter tend to fall a little more horizontally, imitating a dying baitfish. The TT Vector and the Zetz Slow Blatt have both got the runs on the board, producing some outstanding reefies.

A little further afield, the Barwon Banks fishes extremely well at this time of the year. Large snapper, pearl perch, cobia and trag

jew are all on the menu. The reefs off Double Island are also a great hunting ground, yielding some larger snapper and red emperor.

BEACHES On the beach the fishing has been excellent, with the migration of tailor up to Frazer Island, big winter bream, the ever-present dart and of course winter whiting.

Most anglers are gearing up for the tailor run at this time of the year, with the area between Teewah and Double Island on Noosa’s North Shore a real favourite with anglers. The good old-fashioned pilchard is still the favoured bait of many.

The most successful method is to rig them on ganged hooks, cast to the back of the gutters and then roll them under the white water.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Brisbane Marine now sells boats A few years ago Brisbane Marine began to offer the sales and service of Mercury products on the Redcliffe Peninsula. They built a strong, loyal customer base that swears by their honesty and reputation for giving customers exactly what they want.

So, when the team were constantly asked why they didn’t sell boats, they decided to listen to the clients that had made them so successful and moved into boat sales!

Like everything at Brisbane Marine, they put a process in place and planned their next move carefully. The master plan commenced in January

this year and their simple business philosophies have paid dividends. Customers can’t get enough of their honest approach and their eagerness to deliver solutions to their customers.

Loyalty is key in the marine industry and Brisbane Marine wanted to be loyal to specific brands by sticking with one alloy boat brand and one fibreglass boat brand. This started them on a journey to find the two best boats they could get their hands on.

They all eventually agreed on Anglapro boats, to make up their alloy range, due to their five-year warranty and amazing stability. Streaker

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Casting slugs is also a great way to get amongst the tailor, especially if you have a good school of fish in the gutter. Remember the more anglers the better when it comes to targeting tailor, as this will keep the school in the same area for longer.

Larger winter bream are also on the chew, and fish to 40cm are not uncommon. Fish this size are best returned as these are the breading stock and can be up to 30 years old.

For all the latest information log onto www. fishingnoosa.com.au for up-to-date bar and fishing reports. Don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World in Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola to find out where the fish are biting, and remember, tight lines and bent spines!

boats were the pick of fibreglass brands, chosen for their high quality wood-free build and their exceptional value for money.

Keep an eye out in the upcoming issue of QFM for a boat test on the latest and greatest Anglapro! Drop into 306 Duffield Road at Clontarf and check out the Brisbane Marine range of boats on display.

They pride themselves on delivering what they promise and ensure customers leave with a positive experience.

Phone 3889 3033 or visit www.brismarine.com.au.

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Venture out and have a pearler of a time offshore RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

We have had another absolutely fantastic run of weather and fishing in the Rainbow Beach area.

excellent quality and quantity, which has kept us on our toes.

All baits are working on the pearlies, but pilchards are the number one – even better than soft plastics.

We’ve had a great

Other reefies that are biting well are estuary cod and some huge coral trout, which are great for the table.

Snapper have been a little on the quiet side, but we have bagged out on

Matt with a pair of Rainbow Beach reds, which have been on fire lately.

Singer/songwriter Caitlyn Shadbolt had an epic day bagging out on big pearl perch aboard Keely Rose.

OFFSHORE Fishing offshore has been nothing short of excellent. Another huge run of pearl perch of both

run of spotted and school mackerel. It wasn’t as good a season as we’ve seen previously, but when they were on they were red-hot.

the odd occasion and they will get better as the water temperature drops further.

We also haven’t had to venture too far to pick up a

nice red emperor, which is a treat and a real bonus.

GREAT SANDY STRAITS Flathead are on fire at the moment in the straits. Soft plastics have been cleaning them up in the mouth of Kauri Creek and along the bottom end of Fraser Island.

The end of Fraser Island has also produced some quality summer whiting and just across the way around

Big Mick and Bullock Point, winter whiting have been putting on a good show for those making the effort and venturing out.

July is right in the thick of the premium fishing months. Usually the westerly winds will generate nice calm seas and all species of reef fish should start to kick into top gear.

Our local Rainbow Beach Fishing Classic is

on again from 1-9 July.

There will be offshore and beach categories for all ages and skill levels and heaps of prizes. Contact Rainbow Beach Sports and Recreation Club for more information.

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Calm conditions ideal for flathead fishing fun HERVEY BAY

Scott Bradley marlin81@bigpond.com

The mornings are pretty crisp now, but it’s well worth getting out of bed to chase the plethora of species available on the Fraser Coast at the moment.

Winter whiting are on the move with plenty of

boats catching their bag limit off Gatakers Bay and south of Round Island.

Grunter have continued to be a familiar catch up the creeks, in the estuaries and on our local reefs. The Fairway Buoy has been another hotspot for grunter with quality fish being caught at dawn and dusk.

Some good catches of squid have being reported

lately in the bay, and just about everytime I’m on the flats I spook a few. Big Woody Island has produced the better local squid and there have been a lot of coral trout being caught on lures in close on the shallow reefs.

OUT WIDE The Southern Gutters have had plenty of action lately, but the problem is the sharks are making it near

impossible to get a decent fish back to the boat. Normally when the sharks are thick, you just move on to the next spot, but at the moment, as soon

ON THE FLATS Flathead numbers haven’t dwindled, with double figure catches being the norm. I even went down

profile of lure we’ve been catching them on.

They have been woofing them down too, and it’s definitely not

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A nice keeper-sized flathead taken before daylight. as you start to catch a few fish at a new location, they’re back mooching under the boat waiting for their next feed. It’s crazy to think we have strict bag limits we have to abide by to maintain fish stocks, and we can’t fill them half the time because of the sharks!

before daylight the other day to catch the tide and caught a couple of 50-60cm fish on lures in total darkness.

Usually their stomach has a mixture of crabs and varied baitfish, but the last few have been full of baby whiting and that’s the

the subtle takes we’re used to with flathead.

I’ve been using shallow diving hardbodies around 50-100mm and at least 10lb fluorocarbon leader to handle their gill rakers and head shakes during the fight.

History of tailor in Hervey Bay FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

With Fraser Island’s tailor season just about to become serious, a fairly comprehensive tailor article is appropriate. After looking at the prospects of this coming season, I would like to take a look at some historical aspects of this fishery and the way expectations have changed, and how techniques have evolved over the last five decades.

Firstly, we should look at the prospects for this coming season. As I write, there are few encouraging signs. A few short bursts of average fish have started to cause some excitement, but it’s starting to look like this month will see the first significant schools of fish working the beach. The season seems to be starting a little later each year, but there is no real statistical evidence to support this. For an unknown reason (possibly temperature related), the movement of mature tailor into their spawning areas is being delayed.

On a positive note, we know that some good catches have been made along Stradbroke and Moreton islands, and to some extent along Sunshine Coast beaches.

It is widely believed that there is a general northward migration, so hopefully Fraser Island will be the next stop. This may be so, but I am inclined to believe that it is more to do with water temperature and the availability of food. There is no doubt that the season will get into top gear very soon and that there will be plenty of opportunities for great fishing along the entire eastern beach.

THE SIXTIES My first experiences of Fraser Island came in the mid-sixties when we had the use of shacks just inside the headland at Waddy Point.

We first travelled here from Hervey Bay – a fivehour sea trip to Wathumba Creek, then 4WD vehicles to Orchid Beach, and on to Waddy Point. This was

when the Orchid Beach resort was in the process of development. At the risk of being accused of writing too much about ‘the good old days,’ I just need to say that fish were in abundance around the headlands, in the lagoons and on the ocean beaches. It was just too easy – you didn’t need to think too much about improving technique, but we did like to do whatever we could to improve, and make the equipment we use more comfortable.

In the late-fifties and early-sixties, the rod blank of choice was the Rangoon Cane. We would fashion this blank into surf or estuary rods by using winch fittings, binding on stripping guides and porcelain runners.

The whole outfit would be completed by one of Alvey’s beautiful silky oak or bakelite spooled reels.

The word circulated quickly when one of the tackle shops was about to receive a shipment of Canes, so it would be a smart move to be one of the first to choose the best of what might be a fairly dodgy selection.

I recall my first Rangoon Cane surf rod with no affection at all.

The term barge pole would be flattering. It lived on, converted into a gaff for dealing with mulloway caught from the rocks at Waddy Point. The Rangoon Cane era gradually came to an end when solid and heavy glass blanks started to appear, and the first hollow, and lighter, blanks just about put us out of the Rangoon Cane misery.

As much as the first hollow glass surf rods were a welcome development, they were heavy and unwielding by today’s standards.

THE FIFTIES In the mid-fifties, the Queensland and Australian fishing champion, Len Thompson, introduced the tailor fishing techniques that still account for the majority of fish taken by anglers today. The gang of four, 4/0 hooks was central to Len’s technique. A short 20kg trace connected by a number 12 swivel to a 7kg main line completed the simple rig. In those days, the bait

of choice was the sea-gar, readily obtainable along the surf beaches. Great care was taken in the alignment of the bait along the gang of hooks so that its presentation would be as natural looking as possible.

Len was insistent that this rig be used without weight, and it was said that he would rather not fish than use lead.

His approach, widely known as bait-spinning, earned him the title of legend in tailor fishing circles. In those early years, WA pilchards were not readily available as they are today, but limited stocks of locally caught blue pilchards, as well as small yellowtail pike were available and these proved worthy substitutes.

Today almost all baitcaught tailor are taken on WA pilchards, but sea-gar have made a comeback when available. Today there are still excellent tailor anglers who, like Len Thompson, confine themselves purely to bait-spinning, preferably using sea-gar. Of course weather conditions do not always make bait-spinning possible and ball sinkers are needed to get the bait into the zone. In this case the sinker is run between the swivel and a second swivel attached to the main line.

THE SEVENTIES In the years following the sixties, the numbers of anglers targeting tailor continued to increase, with Fraser Island becoming the destination of choice, thanks in part for the abundance of spawning fish through late winter and spring.

Of course the increasing ease of travelling to the island, the explosion in the number of 4WD vehicles, the availability of accommodation and a culture of camping out with family and friends, added to the influx.

Prior to the end of the eighties there was no management of the tailor recreational fishery. Until then with no legal size and no bag limit, anglers could pull in tailor until they dropped, and many of them did just that. With minimal refrigeration one wonders about the amount of wastage there must have been. There

were disgusting scenes of mounds of rotting tailor on the rocks at Indian Head and Waddy Point, left by low-life, lesser individuals who were there just for the kill. It still disgusts me when I think back thirty years to witnessing this behaviour.

A CHANGE OF HEART It was certainly time for some sensible management of the fishery. In 1990, a legal minimum length of 30cm was imposed. In following years up to the present the legal length was increased to 35cm and possession limits of 20 tailor imposed. For a short time anglers staying on the island for at least three days were allowed to take 30 fish home.

After this there was the seasonal closure in 1990, of beaches and headlands south of Indian Head and north of Waddy Point during September. This was later to include the month of August. It should be pointed out that management of the commercial fishery has also taken place. Most recently in the Great Sandy Marine Park zoning plan, which has designated the majority of the eastern beach as yellow zoned – effectively prohibiting netting.

Since the first management measures were put in place, anglers have been able to continue making good catches, enjoy great camp feasts of fresh tailor, as well as get involved with family and friends on what must be one of the world’s best beaches. No longer is there the temptation to fish till you drop. Most anglers are keen to catch and release as much as possible, keeping those that are severely maimed to contribute to the in-possession limit.

While most tailor continue to be caught using techniques similar to that introduced by Len Thompson, there has also been the challenge of diversifying as far as equipment and terminal gear is concerned. Of course, high-speed metal lures were accounting for tailor well before Thompson developed his techniques. With the continuing development of light, high-tech, purpose-

Ben Lineburg’s solid greenback was taken with high-speed equipment and 85g Raider. built rods and reels, casting metals to where the better fish are holding has become more effective and enjoyable.

Similar equipment is being used to put a wide variety of soft plastics and poppers out into the strike zone.

The possibility of using artificials effectively in the surf has anglers enthusiastic about finding the right lure for the conditions.

WA pilchards continue to be the dominant bait while, as mentioned earlier, sea gar are making a strong resurgence. Slabs of horse mackerel and tuna are being used by a select group of tailor fishers. These guys

are looking for the biggest fish that patrol the inshore gutters during the night.

Recreational tailor fishing has gone through some interesting times during the last fifty years.

Early in this period we saw the tailor scene dominated by those just out to kill as many tailor as possible.

Later the sensible regulation of the fishery through size and bag limits and closed seasons, certainly curbed those earlier attitudes. At the same time this set sensible guidelines that anglers concerned with conservation were and are more than happy to live with.

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Revel in the wonders of a warm winter catch ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

The recent weather has been very good for fishing, the cold really didn’t hit until the start of June.

The cold waters have created many different fishable areas from awesome early morning flats fishing for estuary species to the patches of warm water where big barra come on the bite. Bream, flathead and salmon are starting to group up on the flats, and barra are moving to warmer spots or down deep where there is little temperature change

for species like yellowbelly, saratoga and sooty grunter.

There are many great areas around Rockhampton to find these fish, and the best way to find them is on Google Maps. Go for a drive and try to find a spot. The highway is littered with bridges that will take you to areas that produce good fish.

THE FITZROY The river has been fishing well for many anglers and a lot of people have been finding good fish. It just shows that persistence pays off. A lot of the fish have been taken between the bridges up in the city reaches, especially on low tide where many anglers walk the rocks to

You only have to look on the local Facebook pages to see the amount of people catching fish and the correlation to the fact the commercial netting is gone from our river system. It would be very hard for this to be a pure coincidence as there was no major flooding event or other significant change to the ecosystem this season. We have already begun to see fish stocks improve. With all this in play, I cannot wait to see what this amazing river system brings in the next few years.

INSHORE REGIONS The Keppel Group has been fishing well along with coastal headlands

The author with a solid tarpon taken on a Lucky Craft Pointer 78XD at the hot water outlet.

David Roberts from BCF Rockhampton caught this nice shovel-nose ray from the marina on light 15lb gear. throughout the day. Further out, the reefies are certainly out to play.

FRESHWATER The freshwater areas around town have been active considering the cooler water. This winter, if you could call it that, is meant to have some pretty cold days, which will shut the fresh down for barra and tarpon. Even though two great species will shut down, the fresh is still viable

fish the pockets of water left over.

The barra have been starting to sit a lot deeper in the areas where the temperature changes throughout the day. Devils Elbow and the mouth of Gavial Creek have been fishing well for both barra and king salmon, and most have been taken on vibes.

Otherwise, anglers have been using deep divers like the Lucky Craft Pointer XD.

around Curtis Island. A great variety of species have been caught, and anything from large jewfish through to mackerel and coral trout can be expected in winter.

A lot of people have been chasing these fish with their barra reels and microjigging rods.

On the bigger reefs out wider a lot of anglers are still using the large jigging outfits. If you have one of both combos and

Rhys landed this solid black jew fishing at night recently.

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JULY 2016

a 30lb rated slug-casting combo, you’ve got most bases covered for a good day inshore. Places like Lisa Jane and Hummocky have been fishing well, with many good reef species being captured.

Some absolute horse-sized Spanish mackerel have been captured off Ship Rock next to Hummocky.

ESTUARIES The estuarine regions have been fishing very well for almost every species.

This year, the bream have been on the move and the flathead will be more active in a few weeks.

Fishing the rock bars

around the estuaries has been fantastic to pull grunter, cod and on the drop-offs near the rock bars, some medium running hardbodied lures have produced a great number of whiting.

Anglers have been having some great fun with lots of smaller queenies and a multitude of different trevally species holding up in spots normally reserved for species like bream and whiting.

CRABBING Although the river has been getting cooler, many people are still pulling ripper crabs out around

the port and Thompsons Point. From what others are saying, they are getting these crabs deeper in the channels.

Mullet heads and heavy duty pots have been selling like crazy, and this is likely due to the fact that heavy duty pots won’t get shifted as much in the river run and the feedback from people and the photos has been insane.

Anyone who likes a crabbing session should definitely get down and get some crabs while they are going hard, or if you’re new to the process, crab pot kits are readily available.

Ben Watson, 10 years old, took this chunky bull shark at Kookaburra Park in Karana Downs on the Brisbane River. The shark was caught using freshly caught catfish as bait on dusk, and measured around 1.2m long!

Cold weather options abound in Gladstone GLADSTONE HARBOUR

Liam Jones

As this issue hits the stands, the cold weather should well and truly moved in. Water temperatures should have dropped a few degrees and the winter species should have moved in. Well, at least that’s what most people think anyway!

In Gladstone we are blessed to have many options for barra and jacks throughout winter. The main option being the hot water outlet. There’s not too many local fishos that could say they haven’t chucked a line

the local wharf and bridge light lines over the years.

Threadfin have started moving through in good numbers and a lot of big fish are getting caught. We always have a good salmon run at this time of year, but I haven’t seen the quality we’ve been getting this year for quite some time.

My favourite style of fishing for threadies would have to be vibing.

Whether they’re soft or hard vibes, it’s pretty hard to beat. Have a look on your sounder and work out where the salmon are sitting in the water column to work out the best way to fish.

If they’re suspending mid

Andrew Thomas with a 7kg largemouth nannygai caught on a 60g Palms Slow Blatt. in here at some stage in their life. The trick for the hot water outlet is big baits!

Most locals tend to prefer the locally made soft plastics when fishing in this area.

Artificial structures and light lines are a great place to start when searching for winter barra. Many a hot session has been had throwing big plastics and suspending hardbodies into

water, try big long rolls, keeping the rod tip high and a reasonably quick retrieve.

If there hugging the bottom.

Short lifts with a slower retrieve. The idea is to keep your lure in the strike zone for as long as possible.

Some spots to start are Worthington Island, Quoin Island, Grahams Creek, Lillies Beach, Calliope River powerlines and just

about any gravel or rock bar in between any of these locations.

Big grunter have been popping up throughout most of our systems of late and will continue throughout winter. Something I’ve been having great success with over the past few weeks is micro-jigging for grunter. Grunter will often hang around deep gravel beds, rock bars and even shipping leads in the harbour. Any of these reasonably deep locations allow you to get right on top of the fish and drop micro-jigs down.

There are many different ways to work a micro-jig and each jig will perform differently. The best way to work out the best retrieve is to sample each jig in clear water and see how it lifts on falls.

The idea behind microjigging is keeping the lure in the strike zone for as long as possible. There are literally hundreds of clips on the Internet to show you different techniques to use.

I find 90% of my hits are on the fall, so make sure you’re always on the ball.

Having a good quality sounder makes a massive difference when looking for these fish. I was sounding around a few artificial structures in the harbour on a recent trip to find very little life. It was just by luck that I was only idling between structures about 500m apart from each other when I picked up a school sitting on nothing but mud nearly smack bang between the two spots. From the school I pulled five good grunter, a jew and even a barra, all on 30g micro-jigs before they finally spooked.

Largemouth nannygai will move into closer reefs like 12-Mile and the many wrecks not far from the harbour. These fish can’t say no to a well-presented micro-jig. Be sure to check

assist hooks on these jigs when fishing for largies as a lot of the standard hooks won’t hold up to the pressure. Upgrading to better quality assists will ensure no fish are lost to terminal tackle failure.

School mackerel should start showing up in good numbers this month in all the likely locations such as Cape Capricorn, North Entrance, Sable Chief Rocks, Goat Rock and Ethel Rocks. All these locations are easily accessible in reasonably small trailer boats.

Try trolling a couple of divers until you find where this fish are located.

Once located, some red-hot sessions can be had throwing chrome lures on light gear.

Try to avoid using wire traces if possible. The increased bites will certainly make up for the 2-3 slugs you lose through bite offs.

Spanish mackerel have already moved in with reports of massive schools as close as Rat Island. Bigger fish are being picked around Rundle Island and Cape Capricorn. The best way to target the bigger fish is slow trolling big dead baits. The best being wolf herring and doggie mackerel, but please ensure if you do use mackerel they are of legal size.

I find the best way to rig these fish is to grab a big chin guard and then run a series of 10/0 mustard tarpon hooks with swivels in between. The number of hooks depends on the size of the bait. I normally hook the first hook back from the chin guard in the underside of the fish and the others I just keep in place down the side of the fish with rubber bands.

Some of the more serious anglers will stitch the hooks into the fish and have all their baits rigged and ready to go before they hit the water.

This time of the year most tackle shops should be able to get their hands on wolf herring, so pop in to

Big barra on the bite at Mondy LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

Mild winter temperatures through June have produced some great fishing on Monduran.

While the majority of barra being caught are around 40-60cm, there have still been some bigger fish hitting the decks.

Through the warmer months we target barra primarily in the early mornings, late afternoons

and through the night. The benefit of chasing barra through these cooler months is that we can target these fish from the first morning light right through to sundown, as barra will hunt baitfish in the shallows for a long period of time.

Winter is also a good time of year to practice a stealthy approach as you don’t want to spook schooled up barra and put them of the bite.

LURES Hardbody lures like the Jackall Squirrels, Jackall

Smash minnows have been working really well on a dead slow retrieval rate. Soft plastics like the ZMan 6” SwimmerZ and the 110 and 130 Pro range Slik Rigs have also been working well also on a dead slow retrieval rate.

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We look forward to seeing you here at Lake Monduran for some winter barra action. For further fishing and accommodation info please contact us at info@lakem.com.au or call me on 0410599147.

Brianna Mclain with 55cm grunter taken on a Yakamito Viper vibe. your local and stock up as there pretty hard to come by and don’t last long when they have them.

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Shipwreck provides new home for marine life 1770

Des Carnell

It’s nice to think there may be a ‘silver lining’ for the small coastal town of 1770 after the recent

serious marine incident.

The Spirit of 1770, the local tourist boat that travels to Lady Musgrave Island, caught fire and sank after an engine room fire – no injuries or lives lost. Divers took video of the wreck

and it shows a huge amount of intact aluminium, some superstructure and most of the hull. This will soon attract marine growth and become a home for huge estuary cod, other reefies and the usual schools of trevally circling above. It’s 16.5nm from 1770 on sandy bottom at 38m deep, well away from any coral reef, so a couple of years and we will have another excellent place to fish.

The Spirit of 1770 joins other local trawler wrecks Cetacea, Shannon and Barcoola. These wrecks are consistently producing good quality fish. However, in early June there were some rumours doing the rounds that the authorities may attempt to salvage the tourist boat.

NAVIGATING 1770 Winter inshore snapper and grunter fishing at night are popular this time of year, so the newcomer to our area needs to know how to safely

navigate back into 1770 in the dark.

1770 Headland has a white flashing beacon that can be seen 10 miles out to sea. Coming in from seaward this light is approximately 30m high on the 1770 Headland at the entrance to 1770’s creek known as Round Hill Creek.

Approaching this light from sea, keep it to your port, and switch on a spot light when it appears close to pick up the large green starboard floating marker, which is not lit. Proceed with caution staying closer to the green starboard marker, and you will safely enter Round Hill Creek.

FISHING Winter was late with our first cold snap on the last days of May. The Spanish mackerel were about in numbers on South Bustard and on the wide reefs. Cobia, aka ‘Wagyu of the sea’,

were caught on the reefs and wrecks. A slab of mullet or fresh large fillets scored some nice specimens.

Yellowtail king will be more prolific on the deep wrecks now as the weather cools down but even though these fish are both called kingfish, cobia leaves the yellowtail for dead as far as a quality table fish goes.

July is the month for snapper on the close reefs, especially on dusk and at night. For those venturing to the shelf the snapper and quality red emperor should be your targets. Cuttlefish heads or squid are great baits for these fish and on the close reefs fish a floating bait with running ball sinker.

Snapper love to pick up natural looking bait and feel no weight resistance from a sinker.

The reefs in July will produce quality sweetlip, parrot, trout and red emperor

in the deeper water. Hussar or baldy iodine bream fillets are great bait for these prize catches.

Round Hill Creek has been alive with huge schools of herring so bring a cast net as they are excellent reef bait.

I caught by PB red emperor of 17.5kg on a single large herring between Fitzroy and Llewellyn reefs.

These huge schools of silver herring are easy fresh bait, and if you are fishing with frozen bait you are throwing money away. A cast net is all you need to catch these bait. Remember the fish will always choose what is living in their environment to feed on and if you offer the same feed you will catch fish.

• Stay at 1770 Camping Ground right on the beach at 1770, and for your local fishing advice call Tony or Josh Lunn at Agnes Water 1770 Bait & Tackle, phone (07) 4974 9304.

Winter species come out to play GLADSTONE

Eve Malone eve.dave42@gmail.com

Gavin with a horse of a 1770 red emperor.

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they really do start to school up and become very aggressive eaters.

Fresh prawns are always the pick of baiting options with live mullet a close second. Good-sized grunter can be found right through the rivers and creeks in the area as well as Turkey Beach and Port Alma so options are endless.

Finding the fish isn’t too tricky, in my opinion they are common throughout our systems in the cooler months of the year, and well-presented fresh banana prawns works very well.

Concentrate your efforts along sand banks and gravel banks either side of the high tide. Bigger tides you’ll find them schooling along the mudflats. The Narrows, Targinnie Creek, Calliope and South Trees Inlet are a good starting point for target areas.

Blue salmon have been hitting live baits up the Narrows at night in the metre range, fish the eddies to target fish waiting to ambush bait as they like to work the moving water and the Narrows is excellent for tidal flow. The Colosseum is also reporting some nice catches of king threadfin, and winter whiting are starting to show up around there as well.

Inner reefs such as Seal and Sable Chief rocks are fishing well for cod, with nice specimens upwards of 70cm making good appearances. Float baits while bottom bouncing the area could get you racing for a screaming rod and bring in some big Spanish as they start to make their way closer in to the coast.

Rundle Island also sees good numbers of tuna, Spanish and bait-sized school mackerel, and we should start to see some biggersized snapper around Bass Shoals just out from Rundle.

a stop off on the bigger tide.

The weather will hopefully remain fairly stable throughout the month as is usual for our winter season. There are some healthy catches of

Steve Good with a nice trout caught while targeting mackerel at Rock Cod. The northern end of Masthead and Rock Cod are both seeing good catches of bigger trout on lures trolled deeper. Some fishers have caught them as by-catch while trolling for pelagics.

The 12-Mile has been a little hit and miss but is still worth

cobia around the Shoal areas, as well as some great reds out North West, Fitzroy and Broomfield.

That’s about it from me this month, feel free to email me anytime with your stories and photos at eve.dave42@gmail.com.

Offshore opportunities in July YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

Flathead have come on strong, and in the past week there was a large quantity in all of the local estuaries.

The majority of these have been fairly big fish with a few oversized girls among them. Flatties are one species that will take any lure within striking range.

Vibes, minnows and plastics have all accounted for flathead in recent times.

Baitfishers who use live or dead bait have had plenty of success. I prefer lures, which I always run barbless, for their ability to cover ground and the ease of release.

Gutters, pressure points and eddies are all likely spots to find fish. We spend a bit of time walking the banks over low tide fishing into the holes along the other side of the local narrow creeks.

Quite often you will see the flathead lying clearly on the exposed sand. You can read their direction and movement over the previous incoming and outgoing tides. This tells you that flathead were in the spot and should be available at different times.

BARRA BOUNTY Barramundi are still a viable capture in Central Queensland, especially in the

large plastics and working the deeper dips along one of the big Corio sand banks. They landed two big barramundi and a few flatties in a short session as the water rose over the bank.

They said that they only get fish there on sunny days in winter. I sounded back over the same territory and found that the shallow water was nearly 2°C warmer than the faster flowing water away from the bank.

BREAM The big bream have schooled up in many of the estuary mouths and bays this month. Several captures lately have confirmed there are plenty around the area.

Any of the creeks with yabby beds and oyster rocks are good starting points. The headlands right along the coast are bream hot spots with the average fish going a kilo or better. The Rosslyn Bay Harbour is a prime bream spot where you can take the kids and fish in comfort without needing a boat or all the fancy gear.

KING THREADFIN King threadfin have dominated local estuary catches again. Whether you work plastic vibes through schools, you find with your sounder, or troll hardbodies along the channel edges they will keep turning up.

Plastics are the most popular and let you work a school

Josh Harris from Slippery Sailor nailed this typical mid-year Spanish mackerel.

Fitzroy River – particularly in the town reaches. Though they aren’t in the numbers of last month, you have a good chance of catching a brag quality barra this month.

Anywhere the water is a little warmer than the surrounds is a fair place to look. The deeper channels and around the bridges or rocks are other areas where they hang out at this time of year in the river.

The majority of bigger fish down the beach have moved to the headlands and the bays.

They will come in and out along the channels and over the sand flats with the tide.

Last week while chasing flatties I noticed a couple of young blokes using very

of fish at any depth when the current isn’t too strong.

When you can’t get them down anymore swimmers and prawn coloured paddletails come into their own, particularly as you can add bigger jigheads until you find the right one for that spot.

SNAPPER As I mentioned last month, big knobby snapper have arrived at quite a few of the inshore patches between the islands and the mainland. Findlays, Forty Acre Paddock, Tuna Reef, The Pinnacles, Outer, Man and Wife, and Liza Jane have all had some decent snapper.

Plastics are a very good option when you know the

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Ben Crew with a very nice local red emperor. fish are around and the bonus is you rarely get done over by pickers or vermin.

We always set the electric anchor some distance away from where the fish are holding so that noise does not scare the fish in the fairly shallow waters.

Once the fish have been spooked you may as well pack up and move somewhere else because they won’t come back on for some time. The same principles apply when baitfishing for snapper. Light gear floated back down towards the fish works best. As always, fresh baits are the only way to go.

I can’t stress enough that you can’t drop the pick and chain where the fish are and expect to catch a snapper.

OFFSHORE Offshore, golden snapper (fingermark) seem to have featured a bit more than normal in the last week or so. A number of the fishers chasing grunter at the local rubble patches have scored a few serious goldens as great by-catch. Large vibes, or plastics are doing the job for most of the anglers, although live baits and fresh squid or flesh bait have also worked well. Grunter and black jew will be in form this month mainly around the full and new moon phases.

Big GTs have congregated at various spots around the area in the past few weeks. A lot of the frothy bommies on the deep-water sides of the islands are turning out some huge fish. Poppers, big hardbodies and XOS chrome lures are the better choice if you want to target a trophy-sized trevally.

Once again we fish with barbless hooks so that the fish has every chance of a healthy release. Around the islands the other types of

trevally are going well from tea-leaf, golden to spotted and bludger trevally. The smaller tea-leaf trevally are quite good eating if bled on capture and eaten as soon as possible.

Red emperor, nannygai, red throat and coral trout just won’t slow down, and any opportunity to get offshore this month should be taken. Day or night the fishing is great. The lesser mackerels are showing up at many of the headlands and close patches, provided the weather is good enough to fish for them. Spanish are consistent and there are fish all over the mackerel spots around The Keppels.

The bigger fish have moved out but the resident fish from 6-10kg are always welcome. Big sea gar have schooled up at some of the island beaches and a few of the beaches in army country.

I try to grab a bundle of these fellas when they are here to use as Spaniard baits when all else goes quiet.

SUCCESSFUL SQUIDDING Squid are thick around the islands and the headlands heading north. Some of the biggest squid seen around here have been caught in the past week or so. We mostly get tiger squid (because of the stripes) and northern calamari, which are a much plainer and paler squid.

There are a number of top squid spots including Square Rock, Pumpkin Passage, Humpy, Man and Wife, Outer and Half Way. Virtually anywhere there is reef or weed mottled with patches of sand creating contrasting bottom colours can hold squid.

Lots of guys in Central Queensland keep the squid hoods for the tables and the gut, head and tentacles in another bag for red emperor.

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51

Snapper arrive right on time MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

As I put this article together we have had our first little taste of winter with overnight temps dropping to around the mid-teens, but our daytime temps are still in the mid 20s, so we really are pretty spoilt here in paradise.

Right on cue the snapper have started to turn up on their annual spawning migration, with the first fish coming

‘look for the anchored boats’.

Snapper though don’t always hang on structure, and it is a good idea to keep an eye on your sounder and if there are baitfish shows, then snapper are likely to be there as well.

A check with the local tackle shops will get you the latest up-to-date info on the snapper.

Other close handy spots to try for snapper are off the river mouth and involve a 10-15 minute run in a tinnie. Danger Reef, Flat Top and Round Top islands and Reichlemans Reef all produce snapper until

jigging. The best way to locate the goldens is to look for bait balls or schools on the sounder then drift over them and work jigs through the bait. Any of the strong action metal jigs will work as well as an oldie but a goodie, the white bucktail jig, which can be had in a variety of weights and hook sizes. I like to give a bit of added colour to the jig by painting the jighead bright red or some other contrasting colour. The action of the bucktail seems to tantalise the goldens and queenies into striking, and the

No matter what the season, if you put out a live mullet you are in with a chance of scoring a nice salty, like this one caught by Bob Byrne. from around the Hay Point area and the islands off Sarina, particularly Knight and Elamang. By the time this edition hits the stands, the snapper season will be in full swing and there will be plenty of small boats chasing them when the weather gods shine on us. Wind is the killer for those with snapper in their sights here, as we tend to get only pockets of a few days with calm light winds at a time and naturally these always seem to happen during the working week!

So far the leads off Hay Point have been productive, featuring both snapper and small mouth nannygai. Squid baits, pilchards and soft plastics have been drawing a few fish, and they have also been found out on the spoil grounds. These spots tend to be fairly popular, and are easy to find, by using the old rule

about September with the rocky areas extending from the NW corner of Flat Top being a reliable spot. Most of our snapper spots have pretty strong tidal runs so heavy lead is called for when bait fishing.

The same applies to using soft plastic stick or curly tail baits.

The soft vibes will also catch snapper as long as you can control the tidal drift and depth to get the lure down to them.

It is often the case that other species are mixed in with the snapper, and in particular golden trevally, generally appear at the same spots and around the same time. This happens almost every year and I doubt it’s coincidental.

Goldens are partial to the same baits and plastics but also have a liking for metal jigs worked through the water column and don’t be surprised to hook up to a queenfish or two while

large single hook provides solid hook ups.

The calm days will also see plenty of surface action with longtail and mac tunas harassing the schools of small hardiheads right into the harbour itself. Below this mayhem you can usually find spotty, doggie and sometimes grey mackerel. The odd Spanish will also be around although many of them are under legal size so keep a sharp eye out and return all undersize ones to the water asap. Ignorance of the different species of mackerel is no excuse for keeping undersize fish.

The harbour area also sees plenty of night action at this time of the year, particularly around the full moon with black jew moving right into the harbour. Most anglers fish for them around the southern wall and at the small bay near

the end of the wall. The odd golden snapper, grunter and barra get mixed in with the jewies so it can be a bit of a lottery at times, especially if using live bait.

The other species worth targeting at night at the harbour is the run of squid that show up during the cooler months. A light and a few jigs will often get you a tasty feed for little effort and is a great way to put in a few hours.

The creeks and estuaries are fishing well, with big whiting being a main target for the next month or so. The Pioneer River is fishing well with whiting being reported from the mouth right up to and including the gravel and sand banks upstream of the Hospital and railway bridges. Worms and yabbies are the best baits although some anglers like to use thin squid strips as they are more durable. A red bead or small piece of red tubing is also favoured by some anglers.

The whiting are also prolific in Bassett basin, which is on the northern side of the river and here there is a mix of mud and sand flats probably best fished near the top of the tide and first of the run-out.

Care is needed as much of the basin dries right out at low tide and it is easy to get stranded. Visitors to our area should check with the local tackle shops.

Queenfish move into the

It’s snapper time and Tom Capewell scored this beauty near Hay Point on whole squid. river during the cooler months and can be caught on live baits and lures right up as far as the hospital reaches of the river.

Small trevally are also a feature as well as grunter, golden snapper and flathead. The odd barra will also be found mooching around the rocks near the Ron Camm Bridge.

Further afield, at the moment the crabs seem to be running hot in all the creeks, with good catches being reported from both north and south of the city. If crabbing I suggest you do not stray too far away from your pots as there are plenty of ‘share farmers’ around who think nothing of raiding other people’s pots.

Bloody low lives!

Up in the freshwater, the barra are going quiet with the cooler weather, although on those calm wind-free days, they can be found mooching around the shallows or just

Bailey Hehir, 7yo, was camping at Eungella Dam and decided to try a spinnerbait off the bank near some weeds and lily pads. The result was this 47cm sooty, the biggest fish he has caught so far.

‘sunning’ in the warmer water.

Go quietly on an electric or in a kayak and they can be seen tailing in the shallows.

Presented with an unweighted plastic or a frog worked discreetly around them will often mean the barra will respond with an explosive smash hit and the ensuing fight in shallow water is always exciting.

Sooties thankfully remain well and truly on the chew during the winter months, both in the rivers and the dams.

All three of our dams are well stocked with sooty grunter and they grow up to about 60cm in the dams, which is one hell of a sooty. Eungella dam is probably the most reliable for sooties, but is about a 2 hour run from Mackay.

Teemburra and Kinchant both have plenty of sooties and are less than 45 minutes from Mackay so tend to get more pressure. Spinnerbaits, vibes and soft plastics all work well on sooties, and I favour those lures that feature colours like gold, black or red with a contrasting colour, such as white or chartreuse.

So that’s a round up of the main fishing to be expected during July, and I haven’t even touched on the offshore stuff where the trout, nannygai and reds have been going off.

The calmer weather has seen plenty of bigger trailer boats out chasing the reefies and most anglers are coming back happy, which is a good sign.

Mackay always has plenty of options for anglers and the chillier winter months are no different, so why not come up to paradise and enjoy a vast variety of fishing.

Heaving big reds over gunwales STANAGE BAY

Von Ireland

Hello to all anglers visiting this heavenly part of the world. We recently received some good rainfall here at Plumtree, Stanage Bay. It was low tide when the heavens broke, and the mud crabbers with the good pro pots and fresh bait pulled in good feeds of monster muddies. The water rats are out in force, 52

JULY 2016

so be careful not to blame your fellow fishers for cutting your pots to pieces.

The Stanage Road, has been fantastic since the small amount of rainfall it received, only 16mm on some properties. The stretches to watch out for are Glen Isla, Banksia, Fernlee, Torilla (massive pot holes) and Warratah. The distance to each property is listed upon entering the Stanage Bay Road, on the left hand post, near the grid. Travel

speed depends on the road condition.

The estuary fishing has been similar to an egg timer: ticking over slowly but surely.

Anglers have been catching nice-sized wirenetting cod, big bream, blue salmon, barra, fingermark, and jewfish.

Outside, when the weather dropped out the big boats were fuelled with bait, ice, tackle and rods loaded for the islands and reef.

They reported great catches of reds, nannygai, stripeys,

spotted mackerel, blues and golden trevally were heaved over the gunwales. After two days of full on fishing, I had fellas in the bait n tackle shop bragging about the pain and how stuffed they felt from pulling in all the fish.

Until next time keep on smelling the fish.

• Remember the latest fishing reports are on www. f i s h i n g m o n t h l y. c o m . a u and for queries on Stanage Bay fishing, call me on (07) 4937 3145.

Anglers heading offshore have reported good catches of reds.

16-17 JULY 2016 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS

The Australian

Lure Fly & Outdoors

EXPO

l l e S p a w S y l T F y y i n g u B s n o i t c e l l o C e r u L Lure Ma king y a l p s i D h s i F e iL v Brought to you by

2016 – THE AUSTRALIAN LURE FLY & OUTDOORS EXPO

SPECIAL FEATURE

OFFICIAL SHOW GUIDE JULY 2016

53

The Australian

Lure Fly & Outdoors

EXPO

16-17 JULY 2016 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS

Image courtesy of Rhys Creed.

Australian Lure & Fly Expo 2016 Make sure you get all your household jobs done before July 16-17, as you will be extremely busy that weekend at the Australian Lure & Fly Expo, the biggest collection of Australian-made lures and flies in the world.

The Expo is the epicentre of the Australian lure industry,

throughout the expo to wow crowds with his expert casting abilities and will be sharing tips on fishing, knot tying, rigs and cooking. With a huge smile and even bigger handshake, The Barefoot Fisherman is always a favourite for anglers of all levels.

Some of Australia’s

and most valuable lures in Australia’s history, including famous lure makers like Newell, McFeeters, RGM, StumpJumper, Deception and Moller.

Anglers are encouraged to bring their old favourites for the experts to identify and evaluate, as there may be an original timber lure

EXPO INFORMATION The 2016 Lure and Fly Expo will be held on July 16-17 weekend at the Ipswich Show Ground Exhibition Centre, 81 Warwick Rd, Ipswich.

There is plenty of free parking and the venue is undercover so come rain, hail or shine the show will go on.

Entry fee is still $10 for adults and children under 16 enter free, and if one day’s not enough to see it all you can also buy a two-day pass for $15.

The National Lure Fly & Outdoors Expo has grown from strength to strength, each year bigger and better than the last – the 2016 event will be the premier angling event of the year – don’t miss it.

For more info, visit www.lureshow.com.au where manufacturers exhibit their latest innovations and masterpieces, collectors buy, swap, sell and anglers shop, drool and talk tackle.

You can expect two days of non-stop action including demonstrations in lure making and tips on timber lure carving, shaping, moulding and painting.

The Barefoot Fisherman, Dave Hodge will be on hand 54

JULY 2016

best fly tiers will also be spinning fur and feathers into realistic fish catching imitations and giving tips and demonstrations for both the experienced and the novice.

Lure collecting has taken the world by storm and Australia’s rich heritage in hand-carved timber lures rivals the best in the world.

The Lure Expo will have on display some of the rarest

worth a fortune in your tackle box!

With so many lure makers in one location, it’s also the ideal time to top up the tacklebox! Visitors can buy the latest, the hard to get, or the cottage industry lures not seen in the tackle shops.

The Lure Expo is also the place where manufactures release their

latest models and colours and sell some lures at below retail prices, so bring your piggy bank, because there will be bargains galore.

This is the Expo’s fifth year running, growing from strength to strength from 2012 to one of the most anticipated and best run events on anglers’ calendars.

The concept of an Expo to celebrate Australian lures was the brainchild of Garry ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald.

After a successful pedigree of running events to raise money for fish stocking, Fitzy decided there was a need to showcase Australian lures and help promote Australian lure and fly makers.

Fitzy wanted to develop an event where people could learn how to make their own lures and flies as well as help promote lure collecting and preserve the history and products of the Australian lure making industry.

The challenge was to put a world-class event together on a shoestring budget that didn’t fleece the pockets of the angler, but instead gave them valuable information, tips and realistic priced products.

The Barefoot Fisherman Dave Hodge will be onsite to share his immense knowledge of lure fishing.

Now five years on, the Australian Lure and Fly Expo has exceeded all expectations, embraced by both industry and anglers as one of the not to be missed event of the year.

FISHING STAGE Throughout the expo there will be a range of guest speakers sharing their knowledge on everything from fishing locations, species and how to use your fish finder.

BOATING HUB Most boats shows tend to be mostly boats with a little bit of imported rods and tackle thrown in. This show spins it the other way, with wall-to-wall lures,

flies and tackle, with some space allocated to showcase Aussie made boats. With the demise of Brisbane’s Tinnie and Tackle Show, the Lure Fly and Outdoors Expo is also a great place to check out some of the various brands of tinnies that will be on display.

WHAT’S NEW It seems that the expo is attracting a new wave of lure makers eager to show their wares off to the evergrowing crowds who flock to see the best lure on offer in Australia. Check out some of the newbies in 2016.

We hope to see you there! - Australian Lure & Fly Expo

The Australian

16-17 JULY 2016 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS

Lure Fly & Outdoors

EXPO

MUGGO’S LURES

EDEN LURES

KUTTAFURRA LURES

• • • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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A first timer at the Expo, Muggo’s Lures are made on the Darling Downs and have a capture sheet of native fish that would be the envy of any lure maker.

SANDFLY LURES •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Aaron Young’s work is always in high demand. He never brings enough lures up from Victoria, so be sure to get in early.

Coming down from Central Queensland, Eden Lures offer a mix of good design with a good finish. Be sure to stock up on these for your next trip into barra country.

GOBSMACKED LURES • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

THUG LURES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Made in Dalby, these lures cover functionality for fishos and artistic flair for the collector. These lures are not to be missed!

WATER STALKER LURES •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

With the keen eye and trained hand of a tattoo artist, the attention to detail on Thug Lures needs to be seen to be believed.

LURE OF THE YEAR AWARDS What started out as a bit of fun at the first Lure Expo back in 2012 has blossomed into the equivalent of the Golden Guitar of the Australian lure-making industry. With an expanded group of categories catering to commercial and cottage makes of all types of lures, from timber minnows to bladed lures; winning a LOTY is guaranteed to increase demand and sales from both tackle stores, collectors and the general public alike.

In 2016, the LOTY Awards and Hall Of Fame dinner will be held in a separate function room only 100m from the expo site itself and will be open to the public. Tickets for the awards dinner will be on sale at the expo food court on the Saturday morning of the expo.

It’s hard to find an angler from Inverell who doesn’t make lures. Water Stalker has a proven track record of catching big New England cod and other natives.

JUNGLE LURES

FERAL CATT LURES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Previous Lure of The Year winner big Jamie Judd will have a huge range of his popular lures available here from his base in Goulburn. He will also be giving demos on wood turning throughout the Expo. Image courtesy of Rhys Creed.

LIVELY LURES • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Lively Lures have a long history, and cover everything from bream to sailfish. Lively Lures have been attended the Expo since the kick off and will be back again.

FUGLY LURES • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

•• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Functional and tough, Jungle Lures are produced in North Queensland with local species in mind. They certainly catch fish, and have proved their worth on tropical species.

Greg Catt has been making lures forever. These lures have a huge following down in the southern states, and Queenslanders who are yet to see them are in for a surprise.

Fugly Lures are back again in 2016. Chris Sinclair’s creations have previously taken out ‘Most Artistic Award’ at the Expo, and when you see his work in the flesh you will understand why.

JULY 2016

55

The Australian

Lure Fly & Outdoors

EXPO

AC LURES • • • • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

With a huge following across the eastern states, AC is a household name to many anglers. Anthony always brings something a bit different each year up from Wagga Wagga on the NSW Riverina.

WILSON STAND TO DISH OUT VARIETY

16-17 JULY 2016 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS If you’re interested in anything from trout to barra and flatties to mackerel, then you’ll need to check out the range of Zerek Lures. Visitors can check out the range of Tango Shads, one of the dominant flathead lures available, Fish Traps, the soft vibe with a difference, and the Flat Shad, the most unique soft plastic swimbait on the market. You can also check out the range of Live Shrimp and Live Shrimp Hot Legs, Live Flash Minnow Wrigglies and bluewater lures including the Pelagic Z and Zappelin.

If you’re into retrofitting your lures with the right hooks, then you need to drop in and discuss the range of hook options Mustad provides. From the lightweight bream treble through to the ultra-tough Kaiju 7x singles and trebles, Mustad has a hook that will enhance your fishing success. Highlights include the incredible 4x Saltism and the unbelievable KVD Elite Extra Strong trebles, both of which are finding favour amongst many lure anglers who are looking for better hook ups and results.

And it’s pointless having the best lures if you don’t have the best rods, and the Aussie Built Live Fibre Venom rods are at the elite level of rods. Making use of a patented blank building process, each Venom rod is hand built at head office to ensure a quality control that is unmatched in the market today. With rods from light spin through to heavy duty popping rods and the award winning Venom Game series, there is a rod to suit your lure fishing needs.

LIVELY LURES TO LIVEN UP THE SHOW • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

KUTTAFURRA KILL IT ON NATIVES

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The famous Micro Mullets have caught just about everything with fins, however it’s on big flathead that they really shine.

Zerek lures have become a staple in many Aussie tackle boxes. This flatty was taken on a Tango Shad in gold spotted dog.

The Lively Lures stand at the Australian Lure Expo is always a popular one. There isn’t a fish that swims that the range of Lively Lures doesn’t cater for.

From the ever popular Micro Mullet for flathead, bream, bass and trout, to the Mad Mullet and Arafura Barra to chase mangrove jack, trevally and barramundi, these lures have proven for years that they can catch anything. Since their release, Mack Bait lures have also proven deadly on mackerel and many other bluewater species.

It is always worth stopping in at the stand, even if it is just to catch up with Alan and check out his lures, so when you get home you can jump on his website at www. livelyluresonline.com.au and purchase the lures you want, having checked them out at the show.

At this year’s Lure Expo, Wilson Fishing will be showcasing a range of Zerek Lures, Mustad trebles and Live Fibre Venom rods.

• • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

STONES CORNER MARINE

Kuttafurra lures and natives go hand-in-hand, and both anglers and big natives appreciate the incredible finish of these great lures.

18 Kerwick St, REDBANK QLD 4301 info@charltonsfishing.com.au

Ph: 07 3818 1677 Mail Order Welcome

www.charltonsfishing.com.au LIKE US ON FACEBOOK 56

JULY 2016

For reviews, competitions, what’s on, the latest releases & updates and chats.

Kuttafurra Lures will again be attending the Australian Lure Expo this year. Aaron’s reputation for producing quality lures has continued to grow, and the demand for his lures has ensured that every hour available has him making lures.

This demand has come about due to the quality finish of the lures (his paint work is second to none) and because they catch fish.

His range of lures is slowly expanding, however the most excitement has been around his Surface Rat and a prototype of a Super Rat. Some huge fish have already been caught on the prototype, and the final version hasn’t even been finished yet.

The Australian Lure Expo is a great chance to have a chat with Aaron and understand the genius behind the lures. It’s also a great opportunity to buy some lures like the Mudhoney in various sizes, the Redfin, and hopefully some of his surface offerings, but get in early because they won’t last long. At worst, say g’day and buy a bottle opener as a reminder that you should get some more Kuttafurra Lures.

Stones Corner Marine will have four boats on display at this year’s Lure and Fly Expo. Each boat has fantastic features that make them perfect for the weekend angler or a hardcore lure fisho.

Starting with the little 370 Creek Masta, this boat has a front casting deck, electric motor plate, transducer bracket and sounder mount plate. This boat also has one of Sea Jay’s wraps on it, which makes it really stand out.

Also on display will be the new bigger brother of the 370 Creek Masta the 398 Creek Masta. This boat will be great for estuaries, rivers, creeks and the dams. It’s definitely worth checking this new Sea Jay model out.

Moving to the bigger side, the 425 Avenger Sports has a side console, front and rear cast platforms, free flow live bait tank and anchor well. There is plenty of room under the front cast platform for all your safety gear and another hatch to store a deep cycle battery for the electric motor.

The flagship on display at this year’s show is the Bar Crusher 575XS. At 5.75m the fishing options in this boat are endless, with everything from flathead, barra to small marlin off the coast on the cards. The boat is fitted with a Minn Kota 80lb I-Pilot electric motor and a Humminbird 899CXI HD SI Sounder/GPS combo. The 575XS has a massive front casting deck with a huge amount of storage.

Three quality pedestal seats make the long days out on the water comfortable for the skipper and two mates.

All boats on display at the Stones Corner Marine stand will be powered by motors from the fantastic range of Yamaha outboards.

We look forward to catching you at the show!

The Australian

Lure Fly & Outdoors

16-17 JULY 2016 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS

EXPO

The story behind Gobsmacked FMG

Nicole Penfold nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

Gobsmacked Lures is an Australian owned, family run business based in Cowra, NSW. Founder Jamie Judd originally started tinkering with lure making just for himself, but – you guessed it – his friends wanted some, then friends of friends started buying some, and all of a sudden he had a business!

We had a chat to Jamie to see what it’s like to be an up-and-coming lure maker in Australia, and what the creation process is like.

STARTING OUT Jamie said the best thing about lure making is the creativity.

“It’s all about the challenge of coming up with something that nobody

Americans catching bass, and people in other places using my lures as collector’s pieces.

It never occurred to me that people would collect my lures. It was quite a surprise!”

So what makes a lure a collector’s item?

Gobsmacked creator Jamie Judd (left) is no stranger to the Lure Expo.

The 175mm Leviathan claims another big cod. Photo courtesy of Rhys Creed. else has done, and it’s really rewarding,” he said.

“The business side of it is just a bonus!”

Making lures full time is not a career option to take lightly, however.

“Five years ago I was a concreter, making lures on the side,” he said. “When I wanted to quit my job to make lures, everyone told me it takes years for new lure makers to get their foot in the door. I braced myself for tough times ahead.

“I was lucky though – the second time I went to the Lure Expo I entered one of my lures and won. That fasttracked everything! Funny thing is, I hadn’t planned to enter the lure in the comp. I was just selling them at the Expo and had one left in my cabinet. I thought I might as well throw it into the running, and it won!”

“When I first started, all my sales were through Facebook, but I now have a website and I also stock quite a few tackle stores around Australia. I even have customers overseas – there are guys in Germany and Switzerland chasing pike,

THE CREATION PROCESS So how does a hand carved lure go from being a block of wood to hanging on a tackle store wall?

“After I have carved the lures on my lathe and by

“It’s hard to say,” Jamie said. “I used to think it had to be something unique, but that’s not always necessary – if a lure is really well made then that can be enough.

Doing something unique definitely helps though, especially when people know your brand catches fish.”

hand, I put them in a sealer for 24 hours, to seal the wood and make it waterproof,” Jamie explained. “After that I sand the lures, then apply a filler prime coat to provide a smooth surface for the paint.

I sand them again, and then they go into the spray booth for painting.

“After the paint is dry, I clear coat them, then hang them up to dry again. Once they are dry, I fit the bibs and the eyelets. All the terminals I use, including split rings and hooks, are of the highest quality, so there’s no need for customers to upgrade them.”

The whole process, from go to whoa, takes around four days. It’s definitely a labour of love, and you can see the process for yourself on Gobsmacked’s Instagram page. Some of Jamie’s most popular photos are the ones of him making his lures.

“People think it’s really interesting to see the building

process, although it’s just a regular working day for me!” he laughed.

Jamie said learning to make lures isn’t easy, but it’s a lot of fun.

“I definitely recommend having a crack at it,” he said. “and don’t get discouraged when you don’t succeed right away. I had boxes and boxes of lures that just didn’t swim! I kept at it though, and eventually came up with lures that swam the way I wanted them to.”

Jamie added that lure making also requires learning about which timbers are best.

“Different timbers suit different lure types,” he explained. “Heavier timber like white beech is good for suspending or sinking lures, and lighter timber like huon pine is good for surface lures and divers.

“Jelutong timber is good for collectables because it’s easy to carve, and camphor laurel is also great because it simply looks gorgeous!”

WHAT’S NEW Visitors to the 2016 Lure Expo who purchase a 1-year Fishing Monthly subscription have the opportunity to get a free limited edition Gobsmacked lure. This 100mm surface walker is a custom version of the popular Rattlesnake, painted in the Fishing Monthly colours.

Jamie Judd still hand carves all his lures.

“Each one is signed and numbered, so they’re a great collector’s lure, and they’re only for the first 40 people,” Jamie said.

Show-goers will also be treated to some brand new Gobsmacked creations.

“I’ve been making a lot of unusual stuff for the Expo, and posting progress photos on Instagram,” Jamie said. “For example, I’ve been carving the Anglerfish from the Gobsmacked logo. The first one took me 20 hours!

Fishing Monthly Group’s show subscription lure.

The spines up his back did my head in. I tried everything under the sun to make them, especially that front one that acts as the lure. Eventually I found shaping them out of metal was the best option, and it looks brilliant. I am hoping to have at least five smaller versions for sale. Plus I am working on a huge one that’s 30cm high!”

Jamie will also be unveiling some new lure models at the event. Two of the standouts are a deep diving, deep bodied redfin imitation, which he predicts will be very popular, and a Barra Jew lure.

“The Barra Jew is the first of my new saltwater range,” Jamie explained.

“I hadn’t planned to make saltwater lures but I had too many people demanding it! I don’t want to give away too much at the moment though.

Everyone will have to wait until the Expo!”

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This anglerfish from the Gobsmacked logo is one of Jamie’s special creations. You’ll have to wait until the Expo to see how the finished product looks.

www.livelyluresonline.com.au JULY 2016

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Lure Fly & Outdoors

EXPO

16-17 JULY 2016 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS

The allure of modification CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

It’s hard to find an angler that doesn’t love lures.

The prospect of flicking out an artificial offering

your way.

The biggest modifications undertaken by lure anglers are the replacement or modification of terminal gear such as split rings and treble hooks.

The main reason for this is that many lures come

consider when terminal changes are to be made.

MODIFICATION PROS The obvious pros are heavy rings and trebles will provide a better success rate when targeting big fish.

For example, when chasing power houses like big barra

Using heavy duty trebles are a must when fishing around timber.

However, they can also do plenty of damage, as can be seen from this barra, which had lost half its jaw in another encounter. and fooling a fish into feeding is hard to beat.

While lure fishing may seem pretty straight forward, in reality it can throw up challenges, especially when you begin to make adjustments and modifications.

BASIC MODIFICATIONS The smallest extra bit of weight here or the lack of weight there can have a dramatic effect on the performance, action and most importantly, fish catching ability of your lure.

Understanding the pros and cons of lure modification is an essential step to lure fishing success. Here are a few tips to help you on

with lighter gauge hooks and rings, which can be a weakness when targeting large fish. The reason for this is pretty simple, and it’s because the rings and trebles are often the most expensive items in terms of production costs per lure for the manufacturer.

Admittedly, many lure manufacturers are now selling lures with quality terminals, however, there will always come a time when hooks and rings need to be replaced. The issue with upgrading, changing or modifying rings and trebles is you begin to play with the balance, weight and design dynamics of the lure. There are both pros and cons to

and giant trevally without the use of heavy set hooks and rings, your chances of landing a fish dramatically decrease as they will straighten out the steel in no time. There is an incredible amount of pressure on terminal gear in a fight with a big fish, especially when heavy drags are applied or the fish gets hooked in an awkward position.

The other less obvious advantage to switching up your terminal gear is the change in weight can create a suspending, sinking or floating effect on your lure.

Heavier trebles or rings can make your lure sink faster, suspend and swim deeper.

Lighter terminals can have the opposite effect. These changes can be significant and useful when trying to get in the strike zone.

Sometimes a change in terminals, even as small as the use of heavier split rings, can turn a floating lure into one that suspends or rises incredibly slowly.

These newfound abilities can separate those who catch fish and those who don’t. In fact, many lure

Big single hooks cable tied together are a popular modification for big surface lures, as they don’t weigh down lures and provide plenty of hook points for big predators.

HAND CRAFTED Timber Fishing Lures

Having the same lure with different variations of hooks and ring sizes is always a good idea. anglers will spend plenty of time on the water testing the effects of such changes before throwing them into the fray.

Pool testing is also a good idea, however, remember the level of salinity will always effect the action, suspension and sink rates of lures. As always, time on the water is hard to beat.

MODIFICATION CONS Obviously there are also cons to lure modification.

The most obvious is the effect on swimming action, which is often what is sacrificed when going to heavier terminals. While most still swim the same, it is often the side-to-side roll that is lost when moving to heavier terminals.

Some lures can become

like dead weights and become like stickbaits, which require plenty of rod manipulation to get them to perform. Some of my favourite hardbodies and vibes in particular become really ineffective when fitted with upgraded hooks and rings, so it can often be a case of finding a compromise between drag pressure and terminal strength (praying sometimes helps as well when you hook a big one!)

The other con of modifying trebles and rings is the lack of movement your trebles can have due to the thickness of the tow points. Many lures have small tow points, which makes using heavy duty rings difficult as they just don’t fit. This can restrict

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The Australian

Lure Fly & Outdoors

16-17 JULY 2016 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS movement of your trebles, which can affect the way your lure swims.

There are ways around the extra weight issues and lures running three trebles are very useful. They allow the angler the opportunity to compensate for the extra weight of the heavier terminals by removing

action of lures. They are also much less damaging on fish and when you do hook up they tend to stay on a bit better then trebles.

At the same time your lure has less hook points, which means hook-ups are harder to achieve.

Another viable option is to use a different design

EXPO

for a lighter gauge and lighter weight hook to be used without compromising too much strength. That’s not to say they still don’t get bent straight, of course, but can be very handy on lures that don’t respond well to change.

Another really cool option is to use doubles or

Lighter gauge trebles are excellent for pinning fish like jacks, but you always run the risk of them bending them straight.

When chasing smaller natives like jungle perch, it really is a case of using as sharp and light as you can go to get as much penetration as possible. However, go too light and they will bend them with ease. the middle hook entirely without losing too much hook-up effectiveness.

Using single hooks is also an option, as heavy set singles can weigh far less and tend to have less impact on the swimming

of treble, such as a wide gape treble. These trebles have a much wider mouth then your standard ‘J’ hook treble construction, which means there is less pressure placed on the hook point during the fight. This allows

Wide gape hooks are an excellent compromise between weight and strength.

devil hooks. Doubles are really strong as well, and are perfect for light lures that just can’t take any form of heavier gauge treble. They are a top alternative and are becoming more common in tackle shops as well.

The final con of modifying your trebles is your penetration rate. Small lighter gauge trebles have awesome penetration as they can slice through skin and find their way between cartilage and bone quite easily. Thicker gauge hooks have much more resistance and thicker points making them harder to sink below the barbs. To get around this it is a good idea to buy and use a hook sharpener.

Sharpening your hook points when using these heavy gauge trebles and hooks is really important and can be the difference between landing a trophy or watching one throw the lure back at you.

OTHER MODIFICATIONS While terminal modifications can have a dramatic effect on lure performance, there are other ways also to modify your lures. One of my favourite modifications is to make slight adjustments to hardbody lure bibs. The slightest bend downwards or sideways can sometimes bring some pretty cool actions to lures.

Often a tweak to the side will make the lure side flash or roll to one side, which can create a more wounded baitfish effect. Alternatively, a tweak upward can see the

lure swim shallower. Older metal-bibbed lures were a little easier to play with, but plastic bibbed lures can still be adjusted quite easily. The key is to make very small adjustments and to take a softy softly approach.

If you are really keen to modify your lures then, why not try playing with different toe points or even drilling a hole here or there, as this

can create bubble trails.

Taking it to the extreme, you can also achieve some really cool bent minnow style effects by simply applying some heat in the right places, especially with many plastic moulded hardbodies.

Alternatively, if you live in North Queensland you can just leave them on your car dash!

Entry

July

16-17, 2016 9am – 4pm

GET MODDING! Modifying your lures is a great way to bring something individual and different to the fish that they otherwise wouldn’t see.

Often it is this subtle change that can brings results.

The best thing about it is that it costs very little and it can be a whole lot of fun. Have fun with your modifications!

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Lure Fly & Outdoors

EXPO

16-17 JULY 2016 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS

EXHIBITOR MAP UPPER FLOOR

EXHIBITORS

• AC Lures ...........................................................42 & 43 • All Fly Outfitters ........................................................ 78 • Aklure ........................................................................ 26 • Balista Lures ............................................................. 38 • Barambah Lures ....................................................... 25 • Barz Optics ............................................................... 62 • Bills Boxes ................................................................ 53 • Boating & RV .......................................................29-33 • B.R.A. Lures ................................................................ 1 • Beardy Lures ............................................................ 21

• Eden Lures .................................................................. 3 • Feral Cat Lures ......................................................... 49 • Fish & Boat Magazine ............................................... 76 • Fish Head Tackle ...............................................56 & 57 • Fishing Monthly Magazine ................................64 & 65 • Fishing Unlimited ...................................................... 36 • FFSAQ ...................................................................... 83 • Fugly Lures ............................................................... 18 • Gobsmacked Lures .................................................. 91 • Hillies Spinners & Lures ............................................ 40 • Honey Hole Lures ..................................................... 50 • Humminbird .............................................................. 59 • Ipswich Marine ................................... Outdoor Pavilion • Jackpot Lures ........................................................... 44 • JH Lures ................................................................... 23 • Jungle Lures ............................................................... 2 • Karee Marine ...................................... Outdoor Pavilion • Kneebone Lures ....................................................... 24 • Kuttafurra Swagman Lures ....................................... 51 • Jungle Lures ............................................................... 2 • Lively Lures ............................................................... 63 • Loola Lures ............................................................... 16 • Lobby Lures .............................................................. 34 • Mastering The Murray PTSD .............................92 & 93 • Mick Molnar Marine Art ............................................ 19 • Mencho’s Lures ........................................................ 28 • Minn Kota ................................................................. 59 • Muggo’s Lures .......................................................... 46 • MB Custom Lures .................................................. TBA • MJT Lures ................................................................... 5 • Nicho’s Maulers ........................................................ 18 • Ninja Lures ................................................................ 22 • Obsession Spinnerbaits............................................ 81 • Powell Lures.............................................................. 26 • Revenge Lures ........................................................... 39 • RV Lures ................................................................... 50 • Sandfly Lures ............................................................ 75 • Secret Creek Lures .................................................... 79 • Shad’s Lures ............................................................. 20 • Somerset Fishing Tackle ...........................84, 85 & 100 • Southern Cross Lures ............................................... 41 • Southeast Qld Flyfishers............................................ 86 • Sportsfishing PNG ..................................................... 45 • Stingray Lures ........................................................... 27 • Stones Corner Marine .........................................66-71 • Sun 2 Sea Clothing ................................................... 87 • Thug Lures .................................................................. 8 • U-Make-Em Soft Plastics .................................88 & 89 • Viper Lures ................................................................ 27 • Water Stalker Lures ................................................... 35 • Wilsons Fishing ................................................. 72 & 74

• Brisbane Fly Fishing Club .......................................... 52 • Brisbane Yamaha .................................................94-99 • Bush N Beach Fishing .............................................. 90 • C & S Horsey Lures .................................................. 48 • Caino Lures ............................................................... 37 • Cod X Lures t ............................................................... 5 • Compact Fishing Australia ...............................80 & 82 • Cooby Cobba Lures ................................................... 4 • Cod Hound Lures ................................................... 101 • Daryl Reeks Archery .........................................Outdoor • D & S Lures ................................................................. 7

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What’s New FISHING

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

TESTED: Schneider Super Smooth 8 carrier braid holds on

Frogging thick weed mats is a real test for braid, especially when you risk running 10lb braid with bass this big!

Schneider’s Super Smooth 8 Carrier Pink Braid has a lot to offer for anyone who’s new to braid, or who is frustrated with the well-known shortcomings of most braids.

These ‘shortcomings’ are usually wind knots, weak abrasion resistance and

coiling, the latter of which is caused by the braid being too stiff and having too much ‘memory’.

I put 200m of the 300yard spool of 10lb onto my old Daiwa Luvias, and gave it my usual test drive in the backyard, casting plugs instead of lures, and attracting cats

instead of fish.

Being strung from eight parts makes Super Smooth rounder than 4-ply and 6-ply braids. This roundness prevents knotting, and increases the abrasion resistance. The braid’s smoothness makes it sit nicely on the reel without springing off or coiling when it comes off. Despite this, it also retains a level of stiffness, which helps with casting distance and accuracy.

To conduct a proper test, I needed an activity that would test out every quality of the braid and push it to its limits. I found the answer in my favourite way to target bass: frogging.

Frogging involves throwing weedless frog imitations over thick weed/lilies, and walking the frog over the weed and into little pockets. When a bass hits you have to furiously set the hook and crank hard.

Most seasoned froggers use slightly heavier gear than usual, and I believed 10lb would be very testing in my chosen location: a pond off a tributary of the Clarence. I had caught 50cm+ bass there before, and the weed there has become very thick.

I cast out, and before long a bass smashed my frog. I stuck like I was swinging a baseball bat and the fight was on! Unsure of the true capabilities of the braid, I stupidly allowed the fish to dive down into the weed, but when I applied ample pressure the braid held. Before I knew it, I had a bass just shy of 50cm.

Soon after the frog got smashed in a

The author was very pleased with the performance of the braid. small pocket between the lilies. I decided the only way I could land it was to skip it across the lilies. Skipping a 50cm bass across lily pads isn’t something you see every day, and my mate Lachlan laughed to see a 2kg fish zoom across the surface.

All boxes ticked Schneider’s Super Smooth 8 Carrier braid ticked all the boxes for me. It allowed me to cast light frogs a long way, it didn’t tangle once, I didn’t get any wind knots even with the jerky retrieve I was using, and it stood up to harsh punishment in the pads against some chunky bass. As a bonus, the high-visibility pink made it easy to see. I’ve had no problems with it, and plan to keep it on my Luvias.

Super Smooth comes in 10-50lb in 150 or 300yard spools, and prices start from a reasonable SRP $49.95. For more info visit www.schneiderfishinglines.com.au.

- Bob Thornton

TESTED: Ideal travel kit: Black Sniper and Ballistic line travel.

DAIWA BALLISTIC EX3000H REEL The new generation Ballistic EX3000H is a state-of-the-art reel that’s lightweight, well balanced and smooth. It combines an excellent retrieve speed with a saltwater standard of build. Thanks to 10 corrosionresistant bearings plus impervious Zaion material in both the side cover and main body of the reel, Ballistic owners can expect a long and useful work life from their investment.

Other features include a totally sealed drag, air rotor and Digigear system. The gear ratio is 5.6:1 which sees over 1m of line

An air rotor and inherent smoothness are features of this well performing reel.

Barra were grist for the mill with the Daiwa outfit.

The 4-7kg Black Sniper 703MHFS 3-piece rod, rated for lures from 7-21g, is one of Daiwa’s Generation Black series of travel rods. These rods incorporate Daiwa’s High Volume Fibre graphite material for maximum strength and lightness. This rod’s MH designation denotes a medium heavy action. This, linked to a fast taper design, makes the rod ideal for solid lure and plastic work, casting slugs and frogging for barra in the dams. The rod also has a sensitive tip.

Finished in matte black, even on the bindings, the 7’ Black Sniper looks good, feels good in the hand and is a very powerful casting tool thanks to well placed Fuji Alconite guides, which combine strength and sufficient size to offer maximum casting distance from minimum casting effort.

A custom Daiwa reel seat sees the screwdown foregrip locking the reel in place rigidly, yet comfortable to use for extended periods thanks to an EVA insert. The rod comes in its own carry pack with sling, and I found it easily fitted into one of my fly rod tubes for air

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

Compact size make this the powerful rig ideal for the travelling angler. retrieved with each reel handle revolution.

The line capacity is 170m for 12lb line, which saw me load the spool with 200m of 20lb braid for a recent trip to Weipa. I gave the outfit a serious workout from the shore, and its balance sheer ease of fishability really impressed me. We had no ice so we needed fresh fish every day for dinner, and that was no problem. Queenfish and golden trevally were

easily handled, but the jewel in the crown was barra. At times I needed to reach barra a fair way from the shore holding around rocks, and the ease of casting a light lure or plastic a fair distance, plus the strength to turn a hooked fish, made it invaluable. Without this outfit I’m sure we would have had to eat a lot more queenies than we did!

- Wayne Kampe

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

What’s New FISHING

1

DAIWA BLACK LABEL V2 AIRPORTABLE

Daiwa’s Black Label V2 Airport range of multi-piece rods has been designed for ultimate transportability, and features many of Daiwa’s latest design and blank technologies.

Crisp and lightweight in the hand, yet powerful and responsive in the heat of battle, Black Label delivers cutting edge blank performance. HVF graphite is the foundation of the blank, and the rod’s performance is further enhanced courtesy of X45, 3DX and Bias Wrap Construction blank technologies.

These combine to increase power and eliminate blank twist and collapse, and allow the rod’s power to be located at the lower section of the blank for maximum power and reduced angler fatigue.

These rods are finished off with the best components, including Daiwa High Grip/Air Beam reel seats, triple A-grade cork and Fuji SIC guides that are highly sensitive, ultra strong and maximise rod performance and sensitivity. All this comes packed in a heavyduty case that is ready to head off to distant piscatorial locations. www.daiwafishing.com.au

2

TOURNAMENT 8 BRAID EVO

Over the years Daiwa Technology has set the standards for reel and rod development, and now in 2016, Daiwa has raised the bar and introduced a new premium 8 ply braid: Tournament 8 Braid Evo. Tournament 8 Braid Evo is available in high visibility chartreuse and multi-coloured, metered offerings, in 150m, 300m and bulk 1000m spools.

Tournament 8 Braid Evo features a round profile, extra high abrasion resistance and a super smooth surface coating that delivers maximum casting distance. It’s super soft and flexible, Evo is available in the following breaking strains: PE 0.6 (2.7kg/6lb, 0.08mm, 150m); PE 0.8 (3.6kg/8lb, 0.10mm, 150/300m); PE 1 (4.6kg/10lb (0.12 mm, 150/300/1000m); PE 1.2 (6.8kg/15lb, 0.14mm, 150/300/1000m); PE 1.5 (9.1kg/20lb, 0.16 mm, 150/300/1000m); PE 2 (13.6kg/30lb, 0.18 mm, 150/300/1000m); PE 3 (18.2kg/40lb, 0.26 mm, 300/1000m); PE 4 (22.7kg/50lb, 0.30 mm, 300/1000m); PE 6 (36.4kg/80lb, 0.45mm, 300/1000m). www.daiwafishing.com.au

3

FISH INC. FULLBACK STICKBAIT

The team at Tackle Tactics have added the Fish Inc. Lures brand to their stable of quality, innovative products. Australian anglers will now have access to Fish Inc. Lures range of stickbaits, poppers and hybrid baits that feature awesome finishes, come fitted with Owner trebles and have actions that have already proven to be dynamite on a range of reef and pelagic species during the testing process.

Starting off with the largest stickbait in the range, the Fullback is a 190mm, 79g floating stickbait with a reinforced ABS body that comes fitted with heavy-duty Owner trebles.

Action wise it responds well to a sweep of the rod tip or a quicker retrieve and the profile, size and floating design make it ideal for targeting larger species feeding on or near the surface.

The Fullback is available in three colours: maasbunker, pink foil and bonito. To view the full range visit the Tackle Tactics website.

Price: SRP $39.95. www.tackletactics.com.au

4

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

NITRO BREAM PRO

Berkley Nitro Bream Pro jigheads feature a newly designed head and keeper for even greater performance. The new style head brings a smoother glide and flutter as the plastic falls through the strike zone, and the segmented quad keeper ensures that the plastic stays firmly in position.

Built on ultra-sharp Owner fine wire needle point hooks, Berkley Nitro Bream Pro jigheads provide ultimate performance for the best soft plastic fishing experience.

These jigheads are available in weights from 1/50oz to 1/4oz, and hook sizes from #4 to #2/0.

RRP $8.95 berkley-fishing.com.au

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1

YAMASHITA NAORY RH 490 GLOW

2

The Yamashita Naory RH 490 Glow is a new addition to the Naory RH series of squid jigs.

Yamashita have incorporated their latest technology into the Naory RH 490 series, drawing on research showing that the best wavelength of visible light for squid to detect is 490nm. The full body 490 glow grabs the squid’s attention and draws them in. Add to this Yamashita’s Warm Jacket technology (the cloth converts light into heat for added attraction), and these small profile squid jigs pack a serious punch.

The Naory RH 490’s entire body glows in a striking turquoise colour. Seven colours are available in a moderate sinking rate in three sizes: 1.5B (3.5g 5.0-5.5 sec./m), 1.8B (5.5g 3.0-3.5 sec./m) and 2.2B (8.0g 2.22.7 sec./m). These jigs are ideal for targeting smaller squid in shallow water or arrow squid at night.

Price: from $19.95 www.ejtodd.com.au/Lures/Squid_Jigs/

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SQUID MEISTER SQUID JIGS

Squid Meister is launching a new range of squid jigs in August 2016. These squid jigs are designed for Australian anglers, and are currently being tested with outstanding results by anglers all around the country.

Ashley Hallam in Tasmania is one of many anglers strategically selected by Squid Meister to already have put the jigs into the water with excellent results. As we all know, Tasmania is home to some of the biggest and meanest calamari, so it’s an excellent testing ground.

Ashley’s results, and those from field testers around the country, prove just how effective these jigs are.

Squid Meister specialises in cloth-less jigs, and the new range will feature five cloth-less jigs as part of the RAW collection. For the cloth fans, Squid Meister has created the RAPz series – Japanese cloth with simple designs, including some unique patterns.

Keep an eye on the Squid Meister website for photos and more info on the launch.

Price: SRP $20-$26 www.squidmeister.com

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

EXTENDED DEEPER RANGE

The compact Deeper Fishfinder can be cast on most standard lines, and it floats and transmits detailed info to the screen of your smartphone or tablet.

The new extended product line delivers extended casting distance and depth range, GPS and more. The Smart Fishfinder 3.0 has a Bluetooth range of up to 40m, and the Smart Sonar PRO and PRO+ use Wi-Fi (no internet or cellular connectivity required). The Wi-Fi range is up to 100m, perfect for long range fishing, and the maximum depth is 80m.

The Smart Sonar PRO+ also has a high accuracy GPS receiver, and all area maps are free to download with the free app.

The app is regularly updated, and includes Solunar Calendar, Fishing Notes, Offline Maps, and more.

On your smartphone screen you can adjust details of the sonar info including sensitivity and beam width, and you can set an alarm to alert you to when a fish passes underneath or when you hit a certain depth. www.buydeeper.com

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BERKLEY DAY BACKPACK

Berkley Fishin’ Gear Tackle Management Systems offers a range of storage solutions to suit every angler. Whether it’s a few packs of Gulps, or everything to hand for a day on the water, there’s a product in the range to suit your needs. The backpack features heavyduty fabrics for style and durability, comfortable handles and corrosionresistant zips and fittings.

A 30L fishing and lifestyle backpack rounds out the new Berkley Fishin’ Gear range. Packed full of features, the FG 30L Day Backpack includes an internal organiser and mesh pockets for tackle boxes and tools, plus a padded pouch designed as a reel compartment. Extra innovations include an integrated Nano Shade cover for protection from heavy rain, and the provision to carry a 15” laptop.

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

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VALLEY HILL ROCKETEER SLICER SQUID JIG

Japanese squid tackle giant Valley Hill has updated their range of technologically advanced squid jigs.

The Rocketeer Slicer stands out as a jig that combines traditional design with modern ingenuity. From the unique metal plate head situated at the nose of the jig (which allows the angler to secure line in two places depending on casting requirements, and ensures a superior swimming action even through debris), to the Rocketeer tail system, which essentially enables anglers to cast more effectively into the wind, the Rocketeer Slicer is a real feat of Japanese design and engineering.

The Rocketeer Slicer is available in two sizes (3.0 and 3.5) and in a range of 13 different colour combinations. It has proven to be highly effective in Australia’s calamari-abundant southern waters and is now gaining momentum across the eastern states.

For stockist or trade enquiries, or for more info on the Valley Hill range, visit the Dogtooth website.

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DARK HORSE POPPING RODS

Casting stickbaits, poppers and metals at tuna and pelagics has never been so much fun. The Dark Horse Popping rods from N.S Black Hole feature balanced blanks for optimal casting and fighting performance. The long fighting foregrip, striking blue blanks and latest carbon cloth technology make the Dark Horse Popping rods excellent value for money with impressive performance.

The long foregrip provides excellent comfort when fighting the fish, and the blank uses a new CF-1115 fabric which minimises twisting and improves strength.

There are two models: the S-833 (8’3”/2.5m, 2-piece, 161cm closed, 322g, 2.4mm top dia, 17.7mm bottom dia, 40-100g, 3.0-6.0PE), and the S-794 (7’9”/2.35m, 2-piece, 147cm closed, 327g, 2.4mm top dia, 17.7mm bottom dia, 40110g, 3.0-6.0PE).

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ZEREK DRY FIT JERSEYS

Designed to keep you cool and comfortable while you’re fishing, the Zerek Dry Fit Jerseys have been released in black and white colours with the distinctive Bluewater Craft logo.

The Dry Fit material actively moves sweat away from the body to a separate fabric layer where it can evaporate away. This leaves you feeling dry at all times while fishing, and the UPF rating of 25 gives you confidence when out in the harsh Australian sun.

Available in sizes from medium (M) through to 3XL, and with sizing that suits Australian bodies, the Zerek Dry Fit Longsleeve Jerseys will keep you fishing longer and catching more fish in comfort and style. www.wilsonfishing.com

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

The ladies with reds WHITSUNDAYS

Luke Griffiths

We are well into the winter months now and into the annual migration of mammals up our coastline.

The annual migration of humpback whales has begun!

We were greeted with some spectacular weather over the past month, which made it easy to spot the huge playful creatures frolicking on the surface. With numbers on the increase we are seeing more and more whales make the long journey up the coast, so

it is a good idea to keep an eye out for them this month, both to witness them in all their glory, and to avoid an unwanted collision out on the water. They can literally pop up out of nowhere and will cause some serious damage if collided with. My tips would obviously be to keep a sharp eye on the water while travelling, reducing your speed and to avoid travelling during darker hours.

Another tip for this month would be to try your luck with some Spanish mackerel. As predicted, the numbers have increased over the past month and are about in great numbers.

Many average around the 10kg mark, but larger beasts have been on the prowl. Large schools can be found around the outer reefs and many are about around the outer and inner islands. All methods have been working on the Spanish, including trolling divers, baits, jigging and casting surface and sub-surface artificials. Once they start to eat you can be in for an exciting fast paced session. So it will pay to keep an arsenal of tackle for them when you head out this month.

The outer and island reefs, have been producing an excellent number of coral trout. In previous reports I

Rhea Linneweber happy with her coral trout caught on Renegade Charters’ Annual Ladies Day.

Coral trout whisperer Rob Murolo displays a beautiful specimen caught in perfect weather!

Casey Peterson and Alice Faust both held up this solid Spanish mackerel caught on the Ladies Day.

Some delicious mud crabs caught by the author on a recent trip to the local estuaries.

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JULY 2016

had mentioned they were plentiful and it has been no different over the past month.

Solid numbers of the highly sought after coral trout have greeted most anglers and their iceboxes, and the trend looks set to continue. The humble old pilchard fished close to the bottom has worked a treat, however most baits and lures have provided a positive result. If weather permits this month, it would be a good idea to head out and target both aforementioned species.

You would have to be happy with a brace of either, or both!

Besides these two crowd pleasers, the red emperor are around and are another species that should be on your radar if you head out this month.

Sharks have slowed a little, giving us a slight reprieve in the deeper waters and allowing us to land a few. Be sure to drop a line around the outer islands, shoals and reefs, as the mighty reds should be on the chew, and will bring a smile to anyone’s face!

Another thing that is sure to put a smile on your dial is the recent estuary fishing reports. Although the barramundi have slowed with the drop in temperature, most other species continue to be available for capture.

You can still be rewarded for

Kyahne Smail and Renegade deckie, Jordan holding up Kyahne’s PB Spanish mackerel. your efforts in the creeks and rivers with good numbers of mangrove jack, flathead, salmon, bream, whiting and mud crabs cruising around

the systems. All of these species are great fun to catch and are also a great way to include kids in fishing and some always needed family

time. These trips could be the ticket to giving them the bug to kick off their love of this great pastime. I mean bug in both senses of the word, both the addictive fishing bug, and the little people bugging you to go fishing! I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Recently we held our Annual Renegade Fishing Charters Ladies Day. This day was a hit, with a group of women filling both vessels and heading out. We headed for the reef where we were met with fair conditions and some quality fishing.

There were plenty of coral trout, red throat emperor and Spanish mackerel to be caught. The day was filled with some wild antics and plenty of laughter. This is a popular event on our calendar with a huge interest and following. So much so, we are considering making this a bi-annual event. So keep an eye out on our social media for upcoming events.

Short and sweet from me this month. Good luck and remember to keep an eye out for those migrating whales.

• If you’re interested in a game, sport or reef fishing charters around the Whitsundays, give Luke a call on 0429 724 822 or email info@ renegadecharters.com.au.

Gary Taylor fought and caught this red emperor at the reef on a recent trip with Renegade.

Spanish mackerel no-show AYR

Steve Farmer

My fishing forecast last month was a bit wide of the mark when it came to Spanish mackerel. In previous years the first of the schools of Spaniards were passing through local waters during late May and early June, but so far this year these much-sortafter pelagics don’t seem to have shown up in any great numbers.

To be fair, the weather hasn’t been great for bluewater anglers in recent weeks, and not a lot of anglers have fished the shoals. However, those who did bang their way out to the shoals reported that they drifted pillies and trolled lures all day for nil result.

I’m blaming the lack of Spaniards on the unusually warm weather we’ve had this year. Hopefully they’ll make their run northwards in the next month or so as the temperatures drop. Let’s hope I’m not wrong again!

Fortunately the shoal fishers didn’t come home empty handed, with most saving the day with a modest mixed bag of small-mouth

and large-mouth nannygai and coral trout. However, sharks seem to be in plague numbers anywhere you drop a line offshore. Everyone has stories of losing quality fish to the sharks, and sometimes anglers are driven to the point of pulling in the lines and simply going home rather than wasting more good fish.

One forecast I did get right was that the squid fishing should be good around Cape Upstart. A number of fishers have reported catches of a dozen or more squid during an easy morning’s luring from the beaches, some of them whoppers.

Josh Krug was hosting a few fishing mates from the south and stopped in at Cape Upstart on his way home from the shoals. Their prawn lures added some big squid to the smorgasbord of mixed bottom fish they already had in the ice box, although Josh said they got a good inking for their troubles.

In the creeks the winter species such as whiting and flathead continue to dominate catches. In many local waterways the whiting are both numerous and large, providing tasty catches for

local and visiting anglers.

The bag limit for whiting is a very generous 30 per angler. This is not a daily limit but an ‘in possession’ limit, and includes any you have back at the hut, camp or caravan, and even any in the freezer at home. All bag limits in Queensland are ‘in possession’ limits, and every year a number of local and visiting fishers are prosecuted for having too many fish in their possession. It definitely pays to keep track of how many fish you have.

While the flathead are fairly numerous, they aren’t feeding as readily as most anglers would like. Small baits and small lures are producing the best results, but you have to work pretty hard for any lizards you land.

Reports indicate that large grunter are also still being taken, although mainly from the Bowling Green Bay area.

As reported last month, prawns and mud crabs are still about in good numbers, meaning anyone with a cast net and a couple of crab pots has a good chance of taking home a tasty feed. Groper, Phillips Camp, Plantation and Ocean creeks are all producing good catches.

JULY FORECAST I’m going to stick my neck out again and say that the Spanish mackerel should be playing a big part in the Burdekin bluewater scene in July. Schools of fish up to 10kg should be moving northwards, and hopefully they’ll be interested in floating pilchards and trolled and cast lures. Hopefully we’ll also be blessed with some calm, winter weather.

Along with the Spaniards, pelagic anglers can also expect to get stretched by the occasional trevally and cobia. While it’s probably best to carefully release the trevally, the cobia are passable tucker and are a welcome addition to the ice box, especially if the other species are a bit slow.

The whales shouldn’t be far away at this time of the year, so keep an eye out for these amazing creatures and try to maintain a safe distance from them.

In the creeks, the whiting and flathead should be at their peak, and bream numbers will be increasing.

Light tackle (say, 3-4kg mono or braid) and lightlyweighted, small baits are

Flathead are one of the winter species that should be fishing well during July. the go for these species.

Keeping your baits moving slowly across the bottom

will increase your chances, especially with whiting and flathead.

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Gold star winning gold spots TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

It’s great when the daytime temperatures drop from the point where you feel like you’re melting, down to where it’s a pleasure to be on the water or walking the banks. Species that were much less active in summer are now making up the majority of inshore lure casters’ and baitfishers’ bags.

The humble flathead has a massive following in the north, and these fish provide plenty of fun and a good feed when you break out the light gear. River and drain mouths are the prime spots to start the search for these aggressive feeders, and bumping a lure into the sand and mud in the shallows is great way to find a few.

While softies have been the choice of lure casters for a decade or so now, the good old hardbody is still very effective when twitched slowly on the retrieve. The average size of the flathead this year is definitely a bit bigger than the last couple of seasons, and 70cm is fairly common. Just keep in mind that those large fish are females and need to be released unharmed.

Bream and whiting have also shown up in many of the more sandy inlets and creek mouths. Lightly weighted peeled prawns and pre-packed worm baits have been very effective. Some of the whiting have been over 40cm.

The popping craze for whiting has been massive down south. Even though it’s a very specific pursuit, a novice can master it pretty quickly if you decide to have a go. Small, translucent poppers in 35-50mm sizes are the go, and the tiny little Roosta Poppers in the 35mm size work very well. If you chase sooty grunter and jungle perch there’s a fair chance you’ll already have

some suitable lures to have a go at this exciting pastime.

A couple of important aspects of popping for whiting is to keep the momentum going once a fish shows interest in your offering. If you stop the retrieve they’ll wise up. You can use as light a line as you wish but some lures need a little heavier leader to make the action suitable. Most poppers need the leader to be tied directly to the connection with a standard hook type knot such as a locked blood knot or uni-knot to avoid it skipping out of the water and tumbling, and to keep it straight during the retrieve.

On the other hand, if you use the little walking type stickbaits – which are often

Cracking whiting on plastics has been a tough one.

I’m looking forward to trying the new Paddle Prawns from Madeye, as I reckon one of these little fellas rigged on a tiny jighead and hopped around on about a 6lb leader could produce the goods. I’ll let you know how I go!

The jack fishing has been a real talking point for the river anglers, with numbers and the average size being great. Many fishers new to the skipping trend have been amazed at how effective this technique is. Double figures of jacks in a session is pretty common now for those who have perfected it.

The principle of the skipping cast is quite basic.

Young Tannhym Hodge with a nice grunter taken while flicking the 3.25” Atomic Paddle Tail Minnow around a patch of gravel. A great fun way for kids to get among the action is to suit up with 10lb and 15lb leaders. even more effective than poppers – it is still important to use a loop knot.

Just like a kid skipping a stone across the water, it’s the low trajectory launch

that is important to get the desired effect. Throw a stone from off the shoulder and it will bite in and sink, but get down low and throw it off the hip and voila!

Lure choice here is important. I find that soft plastics rigged on mid-body weighted weedless hooks work the best, as the weight placement and concealment of the hook point helps the compact presentation. You often lose sight of your lure as it skips under the otherwise impenetrable shadows of the overhanging branches. This is another reason why weedless hooks are good as any jack or barra that’s poised and ready for an unassuming prawn to skip across the surface will generally slam it the second it stops its momentum, so be ready for some spectacular strikes!

Frogs and stickbaits can be skipped, as well as some poppers, but my favourite lures to skip are prawn imitations and paddle-tails.

Atomic Prongs in particular are known to be a favourite of the skipping brigade. As a general rule, paddle-tails are a better choice for the barra hunters, while prawns are a good all-rounder. There is absolutely no doubt that dipping the tails in Quick Coat Dip to highlight contrast in the moving parts of a plastic helps get the bite. Just be a bit careful of some of the more rubberbased materials that you use this stuff on, as it is acetone based and can melt some lures. Also, don’t leave it in there too long in the hopes your plastic will absorb heaps of the stuff. All that’s needed is a quick dip to get the intense colour change.

REEF AND OFFSHORE Offshore fishing has been an absolute dream for many anglers when the weather has allowed boaties to head for the horizon. On some days there have been schools of mackerel, tuna, cobia and other pelagics

While not a highly sought after species, the good old gold spot cod are great fun in tough country. smashing bait as far as the eye can see. Underneath the mayhem there have been some incredibly thick schools of golden snapper, and a plastic dropped to the bottom has been well accepted. Lures that have been working have been the Bassman Mumblers, Atomic stickbaits, the Madeye Paddle Prawn with the skirt added in front of the main body, and the Gulp Squidvicious and jerkbaits. Lots of snip-offs are happening as the schools of macks come through, and a tiny piece of wire can sometimes be the secret to success. It will no doubt drop your strike rate, but those mackerel that do have a go can’t bite you off.

The bottom bouncers have been experiencing some great fishing as well, and some massive trout have come over the gunwales. Anglers are also getting red-throat, and the nannies are playing nicely.

They have been more common in the shallower reefs, which is not unusual for this time of year.

As far as the sharks

go, well… they seem to be getting thicker and thicker all the time. I don’t think it will be long before there has to be some sort of commercially viable industry to bring the numbers back to a manageable level. After sharks were protected from the despicable finning trade, where sharks’ fins were cut off while they were still alive before being dumped to slowly die, their numbers have definitely increased. In my opinion it’s one species that could handle a strictly controlled commercial industry. I don’t know how a mobile processing plant such as the Geelong Star can be allowed to decimate our southern small pelagic fishery, while killing plenty of protected species such as dolphins and turtles at the same time can be allowed. I believe it to be hypocritical of the government to say their decisions are based on conservative considerations.

Oops, sorry about that, I got a bit political for a second!

I hope the cooler transition of species floats your boat and bends your rod. Cheers and good luck.

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Bigger tides for barra bounty LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

Wintertime in the tropics… it seems strange even typing that as so far we haven’t even seen a glimmer of winter. The water has cleared up a lot and the water temperature is down, but we have had humid days, storms and afternoon northerly sea breezes very similar to summer months.

The benefit of this is the fact that the barramundi have continued to happily feed and not bury their heads in the mud as usual in the cold.

The waters around Lucinda are an angler’s dream come true at the moment, as all the species are on the cards. It is quite possible to head out in the morning and chase some mackerel and red fish then after lunch chase barra and jacks in the creeks.

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL At the moment the channel is offering some excellent fishing for a range of species. Although the water temperatures have dropped and the water is clearer, there has still been good captures of barra for those fishing the days with bigger tides, especially in the afternoons.

The better areas to target will be the gutters and drains that have close proximity to a shallow sand or mud flat. The reason for this is simply that those shallower spots will hold warmer temperatures and warmer water ad that means there is a chance barra will be feeding.

Small offerings in both live baits and lures seem to get more interest. The most annoying thing about live baiting for barra during winter is the aggressive pikey bream that hunt in massive packs and will kill and rip apart the biggest of mullet. If the bream find you, it’s nearly worth moving spots as they will deplete your stock of livies very quickly.

Blue threadfin salmon will be on the move as well in the creeks. Early morning sessions can be magic when you can find a big school. I find the creeks that have sand banks over mud seem to hold better schools of blue salmon.

serious airtime. The resident jetty GT seem to also get angrier when it’s cold, and will be the reason plenty of anglers are back re-stocking their tackle boxes.

The Palm Islands will hold good schools of

shallows in better numbers.

One of my favourite ways of chasing trout is to set up a drift over some good bottom and work plastics and micro-jigs. You need to be on the ball, as you need to keep your offering close to

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I would suggest chasing them around the incoming tide when it’s half way in, just be quiet and keep your eyes peeled as the schools can be easily seen rippling over the shallows. It is very hard to beat sneaking up on a school and throwing small lures and plastics into them, seeing them turn on your lure and race each other to smash it is.

Silver grunter will also be about for the bait anglers fishing the mouths of creeks.

Grunter bite all day, but the best sessions are normally during the night, where they feed actively over the flats. Best baits are prawn, sardines or squid and should be fished light.

JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF One word comes to mind when you talk about fishing tropical waters during winter. Fun! There will be packs of queenfish ready and waiting on the jetty, and they should be schooled up and ready to rip some drag and get some

GTs will always eat, even if it’s only out of anger.

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Micro-jigging trout is a fun way to get a feed.

Spanish mackerel, so those with smaller boats don’t need to head to the reef to find them. The northern point of Pelorus Island is a known hot-spot and early morning or evening sessions trolling around the current lines will see rods getting bent.

The main secret to getting amongst the mackerel is to locate the bait schools. If you can find bait, then the mackerel won’t be far off. Trolling hardbodied lures that dive deep and can be trolled at around 6-10km/h are needed. There is no need for wire when trolling, as it will give you less strikes and most of the time the lure will protect your leader. If you do want to use a wire trace, I would suggest making your own out of nylon-coated wire.

The reef will be on fire and as the water is cooler, the trout can be found up in the

the bottom to get strikes but not get snagged. Keeping a good eye on your sounder is important, as it can help to avoid the snagging that is inevitable. You can also use lighter gear so that even the many by-catch species you will get are good fun.

Out in the deep the big red fish will be hungry as usual, and dropping some big slab baits around sunset over a deep rubble patch or rock should see the back getting a work out. If you can beat the fish and the sharks you will be eating well for weeks.

It is also the time of year that the smaller black marlin are about, so for the very few who put in the time should be rewarded with a fish of a lifetime. It is always worth throwing out a couple of pushers (skirted lures) when moving spots, as you never know what you may get interested.

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67

Inshore pelagics putting on a fantastic show HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody info@ryanmoodyfishing.com

It has been quite a different weather pattern since our rain in March.

Ever since then we have had a lot of moist and very windy southeasters, which is the opposite of last year.

encouraging, with steady catches from all the popular species. It’s mainly been the bigger boats getting out there and the reef always fishes better when its rough, so the constant winds are probably why the fishing has been good.

Some friends of mine also said they had a great day on the crayfish at Otter

so don’t wander too far from the shallow fringing reef if you are snorkelling.

A big reminder to all that the Brook Islands area is a no-go zone for fishing and is heavily patrolled.

Our barra fishing is a bit sporadic thanks to the change of seasons and the associated weather changes that drive their

targeting barra would be better off chasing the smaller fish around the drains and run-off pressure points.

fish and they are easy to spot in the distance as you just have to look for the small white terns that also feed on the baitfish.

year for those who just love sportfishing for all pelagics.

As far as the barra and estuary species go, it will all depend on the weather

Lots of pelagics including queenfish are starting to show up in the channel.

Chris with a nice 94cm barra caught on a shallow hardbody lure.

I think we may start seeing some better wet seasons from now on as the patterns are starting to resemble the start of the wet cycle again. During late May, many parts of FNQ had record rain, which was very un-seasonal, yet three days before had a cool snap from the south. These kind of weather changes are not good for the fishing, but we’ve still had some stability recently with some reasonable fishing to boot.

Reef reports from the past month have been

Reef with a nice half dozen in amongst their catch. Our region has many suitable areas for those who like to chase a few crays. There are plenty of fringing reefs around all the Family group of islands and Gould and Garden islands a bit closer to Cardwell, however you should consult your Marine Park zoning maps first to make sure you are in the right areas.

Gould and Garden islands will be very popular with big tiger sharks during the next couple of months,

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JULY 2016

mood swings. This year, our metre long barra count is down on average but the barra in the 90-100cm bracket are booming, which leaves you scratching your head as to what the ratio change is due to. As the winter approaches, anglers

One fish species arriving on cue is the big northern bluefin tuna and they have been seen right throughout the channel and it’s no wonder they are there. The channel has been littered with mega schools of baby herring. Sometimes they pop up on the surface close to where we are barra fishing and it’s not hard to get a hook-up sometimes if you flick your barra lure into where they are crashing the bait. Some of them have been very large

In July, I would expect to see more action on the inshore Spanish mackerel run as well as a few small marlin showing up on the baitschools halfway to the reef.

Pelagics inshore should all start putting on a good show with the GTs and golden trevally also entering their prime periods of the year.

All the tuna species will get better in numbers too, so this is really the start of the best period of the

patterns and how much stability comes with it.

We are almost ready to launch our two new courses (threadfin tactics and wonky holes) on the new site, so head over to www. ryanmoodyfishing.com for all the info.

• If you would like to book a charter or join our fishing community for some great fishing competitions etc, head on over to www. ryanmoodyfishing.com. And you could also win a free charter drawn twice a year.

Preparing for winter fishing PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer

With higher than normal temperatures continuing to roll out in the tropics, at the rate we are travelling we could easily bypass the traditional cooler months and be into spring before we know it. Water temperatures in turn are also well above average, which hasn’t deterred the fishing but enhanced it if anything overall.

In the rivers and creeks the warmer water has extended the bite on some of our more prominent species such as barra, mangrove jack and golden snapper. They have slowed a bit, but not quite to the extent that they have gone into a winter slumber mode.

Smaller live baits such as prawns and sardines

have been viable baits to use as well as smaller lures and soft plastics. A number of trevally, including including mid-sized GTs and goldens, have been very steadily cruising the main parts of the channels and are in the 1-1.5kg range.

Along the flats and surrounding beaches, there have been handy numbers of queenfish, GTs, goldens and a few blue salmon and they have been best targeted on the incoming tides with clean water to assist.

Bread and butter winter species are really kicking into gear including grunter, bream, whiting, sickle fish and flathead. If the days do get cooler at some point, they will become the staple catch in most of our coastal systems. However, to this point, while the water temperatures hover above

average one could expect to catch a varied tally of fish at day’s end.

If the days turn dirty, windy and cold, which is probably on the cards at some point, your best fishing results will be fishing when the wind and tide are going in the same direction. Fish the opposite to this and you’ll be working extra hard to secure a decent catch.

On the reef, we started to see a run of Spanish mackerel a few weeks ago and July is prime time to target these sought after species. The cooler currents from down south are taking their time to get here this year, but once they do it will bring on the mackerel tenfold. Along with the Spanish army will be grey, spotted, doggy and school mackerel as well.

Other pelagics caught have been longtail tuna and

there have been surprising pockets of yellowfin tuna inside of the reef up to 15-20kg, which is one for the books!

Looking slightly ahead, the game operators will start to explore the small black marlin grounds, which are due to fire up. Last year they turned up early at the end of May, but July is normally the start of the run for a couple of months. Numbers of small black marlin have been impressive over the last couple of years and this year we’re hoping for a similar result.

On the reef itself, the bottom fishing is really starting to hit its straps with a range of quality table fish readily available to catch.

Coral trout and nannygai species, large and small are at the forefront with the likes To page 69

Make the most of the good weather windows CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

Conditions this month can vary from sublime to ridiculous and the start of the cool weather has had its dose of both, so it’s anyone’s guess what the weather gods will dish up.

When the weather smiles,

make sure you make the most of it, as chances can be few and far between. The good thing is generally the fishing reflects the weather, so when it’s all sunshine and blue skies, the fishing generally matches.

Reef fishing has been good in the 60m+ depths early this winter but patchy up shallower. Most anglers

who went deep did well, while good catches were scarce up shallow. The mackerel season is off to a promising start, especially at the reef, so here’s hoping for a bumper crop this year.

Most anglers will be targeting mackerel species this month, with doggies the main player but Spaniards the real prize.

There will be a few spotties

and grey mackerel getting in on the act, depending on the location. Last year there were a few spotty mackerel taken in the Cairns area, but they tend to be more

will be pushing out into the 50m+ depths in search of red emperor and large mouth nannygai, while on more marginal days, anglers will use the protection of

south to the Barnard Islands or the mackerel grounds off Kurrimine Beach.

The more serious mackerel chasers will be trolling a pattern of

July last year marked the beginning of the best three months of barra and golden snapper fishing I have experienced in 20 years along the headlands and close inshore around Cairns.

Chasing Spanish mackerel, like this beauty caught by Russell Woodfield, will be high on most anglers’ agenda this month.

From page 68

of red emperor, spangled emperor, trevally species, cobia, reef mangrove jack, sweetlip, baldy bream (iodine bream), and a host of others travelling on their coat tails. The reef is famous for its cooler month fishing and rarely disappoints.

Days leading into and just following the moons offer good tides and even the neap tides are renowned for producing hauls of nannygai on the really deep hangs out in the open.

No matter if you are along the coast or out on the reef, if you strike one of

those magical, calm days, there’s no better place to be in winter. The water is crystal blue and the surrounding mountainous coastline is purely picture postcard material. With the right plan in place, you can expect to see some serious fishing too.

Jason Teelow caught a good haul of nannygai recently using a new product called the Gunnell Rod supplied by Alvey Reels – worth checking out!

prevalent further south.

Greys are a real hit and miss affair, with the odd bright spot occurring around Snapper Island, but generally they have been hard to find in recent years. Fortunately, doggy mackerel and Spaniards have continued to show up in good numbers and early season indications are promising.

The big bonus with mackerel fishing around Cairns is they can still be chased with a fair degree of comfort and safety, up to 15-20 knots. If anglers get on the water early and use prevailing wind conditions and land masses for shelter, it’s not hard to slip out just before dawn, while the winds have a bit of southwesterly in them, nail a few mackerel and be heading for sheltered waters before the wind swings more southeasterly and strengthens. This usually happens around 7am.

On picture postcard mornings, the pre-dawn start will simply give you the best chance of nailing some good fish and then you can stay on through the morning in comfort and hopefully increase the take.

It is a much rarer day when you can head out mid to late afternoon and fish until dark for mackerel. Those days do come occasionally, so it’s a matter of watching the weather forecasts and taking your chances when they come.

The reef will be a popular destination this month when the weather allows, with bottom fishing and chasing Spanish mackerel high on most anglers’ agenda. When it’s calm enough, reef fishos

the reef to stay shallow and chase trout and mackerel.

Overnighters will be popular with red anglers and there will be some trophy rewards in the form of red emperor and large mouth nannygai over the 8-10kg mark. There will be plenty of less popular species gate crashing the party, with spangled emperor, Moses perch, reef red bream, long-nosed emperor, Robinson’s sea bream, cod of all makes and models and trevally with even more varieties on display. The lucky, or dare I say, better anglers, will come home with an esky glowing red, while less fortunate fishos will have more grey and silver shades littering their catch. On the upside, I have spoken to plenty of anglers who have managed shark-free trips recently, so here’s hoping that trend will continue to improve as the water temperatures drop.

Whether you’re fishing 60m or 20m, be sure to have a mackerel line of some description out the back. The most popular and by far the simplest option, is the good old pilchard on three chained 6/0 long shank hooks, preferably with no wire trace, under a float or drifting in the current, if there is some.

This time of year this rig seldom fails to at least produce the odd Spaniard.

Closer to shore, the small boat brigade will be haunting the Trinity Inlet leads, Double Island and surrounding wrecks, Fitzroy Island and the Franklin group, with the more adventurous anglers heading further north to the Snapper Island area and

swimming gar and mullet, live baits, minnows, blades, slices and spoons, in a multitude of combinations, depending on the angler’s preferences and the word on the street on what is proving the most productive this season.

When the weather allows, most boat anglers will head east, but don’t discount the estuaries and close inshore when the weather gods are smiling.

As a rule of thumb, the estuaries are busiest this month when the winds are blowing but this isn’t necessarily the best approach. Fine, calm weather brings out the best of the sheltered water fishing as well, so don’t automatically charge east when the winds drop.

Bream, cod, queenfish and trevally will be the mainstay in the estuaries, but there will still be a few barra, mangrove jack and golden snapper biting for the serious anglers who are prepared to put in the time and effort to target these more sought after species.

This month last year marked the beginning of the best three months of barra and golden snapper fishing I have experienced in 20 years along the headlands and close inshore around Cairns. Most of the action was on soft plastics fished deep and slow, but live sardines, mullet and squid also worked a treat when a more sedate outing was on the agenda. With the declaration of the Net Free Zone in Cairns last November, this inshore and headland fishing will only improve, judging by the fishing in Trinity Inlet in the first half of this year.

JULY 2016

69

Time to get away from the hustle and bustle COOKTOWN

Ben Stack

July is a magical time in Cooktown and Cape York.

The nights are cool, the stars are bright, the roads are dry and you’re guaranteed it won’t rain when you go camping. Over the next few months, the local contingent head bush – away from the bustle at every available chance. Some may head into the rainforests to chase jungle perch; others may head for the rainforest

is an attractive option or maybe right up into Princess Charlotte Bay where the great saltwater grounds are protected from the trade winds. However divided they are on location, they all agree that now is a magical time of the year to get out and explore the countryside.

The Cooktown trade winds are in full swing. This is why most choose to head bush or upriver at this time of year. However, watch the weather reports closely, as on occasions the winds drop out below 10 knots. If you’re in

weeks ago aligning perfectly with the weekend. The boat ramp was packed with cars and trailers lined half way up the main drag of town. Everyone had a successful fishing trip that weekend!

Keep in mind that your boating and fishing gear is sitting around unused a little longer at this time of year.

Therefore, make the most of the windy weather and service your gear. Do the lot – fishing gear, trailers, boats and motors because it will definitely pay off now rather than having problems later when the winds have dropped and you want to go out fishing.

The Endeavour will have clear water conditions for the first few miles. Try chasing surface predators on the incoming tide when it’s nearly full. Trolling a popper or shiny shallow diver is best at this time. You may catch queenies and trevally or a mackerel around the leads.

Upriver is best for barra in July, go deep where they may be lazily hiding around snags, or if they’re feeding get up on the flats where it is warmer.

Annan, Bloomfield and McIvor rivers will all be much the same for fishing strategies as the Endeavour River system at this time

Ramon with a cracking mangrove jack. beaches and fish the creek mouths for saltwater species.

The drier bushlands out west for freshwater barra

the area, make the most of it because it may be a while before it happens again. The winds dropped out a few

The author with a great sample of tropical coral trout.

Scott with a beautifully coloured footballer trout. of year. A couple of readers came up from Townsville and Rockhampton last month.

They messaged me for some local tips and followed this up by hooking into some awesome fish. Golden snapper, queenies, trevally and big barra were all on their catch list. Thankfully they let the big girls go as they promised but complained that they couldn’t find any smaller barra to keep. What a tough fishing trip! I should’ve gone with them.

The bottom section of Lakefield National Park (LNP) had opened, closed and now re-opened again due to some late seasonal rain. At the time this mag goes to the shelf, I would imagine the top end of the park would be open too (or very close to opening if it isn’t). Our last trip found the barra quite uncooperative,

but they were mostly down deep and not of great size.

We always let the freshwater barra go, simply because we’re spoilt for choice up here. Fishing conditions will have changed from our last trip in the LNP because we had some late season rain and the fish may have moved around a bit more.

There is much to see and do in Cape York at this time of year. Jump on my Facebook page to find out more if you’re planning a trip up here this dry season.

• If you’d like any current information while you’re visiting Cooktown’s region or more information about a particular place in the neighbourhood to fish, then simply like my Facebook page, Stacky’s Fishing Adventures or send me a message.

It’s a mack attack on the Cape CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

A nice late May kick to this year’s wet period has seen some decent falls over much of Cape York, especially areas of the mid-west coast and central Cape York. This might give an extra kick to the food web and base flow, igniting some of the Cape’s fish-filled

Winter should see reef species like trout moving in closer to shore.

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JULY 2016

creeks and rivers.

Decent weather on the east coast will mainly involve high-pressure systems located centrally over the middle of the continent.

Some cool mornings and brilliant days will make this a great time for travellers and boating enthusiasts in the far north.

Spanish mackerel will be savaging their way through copious amounts of baitfish during the cooler months, and numbers will be building up over the next few months on shoals and shallow reef country up the eastern coast of the Cape.

It tends to be the contour lines and mixed rubble patches on the west coast

where some large numbers are pulled by pros year after year. Once onto a patch of fish, they tend to concentrate their efforts in the one area, completing long loops anywhere between 3-6 knots with wogs and garfish set-ups.

On the east coast, those trolling for mackerel tend to fish a little further back in the wake and for some reason, shorter tows will make the spread more inviting to mackerel on the west coast.

It is ridiculous how close to the stern fish can be teased up on occasion. It’s a crazy sight to see lit up Spaniards at the back of boat, piling onto anything with flash or fins!

Some smaller black

Mackerel will be a staple in the next few months for those trolling. marlin and sailfish will be forming some of the catch for those chasing them on both the east and west coast. This

will increase over coming months, culminating in some great fishing as To page 71

Snakehead your way up into the sweetwater FRESHWATER

Angus James Instagram: @jimmygusjames

The preparation that goes into any sweetwater mission is always a fun and exciting part of the experience. Before any of my adventures take place, some serious preparation must be done. Not only in deciding what lures to take but it is also vital that safety gear is packed in case things go wrong.

Some essential items I always pack on my missions include water,

There are endless amounts of freshwater streams to choose from up here in the tropical north and a lot of them hold great fish! You just have to put in the effort to reach those hard to get to spots.

Coming up with a solid game plan is going to give you an advantage. I always use Google Maps to find new ground. It’s always rewarding when you do the research on an area, trek into the location the next day and catch a fish in the honey hole you discovered on a computer screen the night before!

see you catch plenty of these sterling silver gems!

A few of my favourite lures to use on JPs are the TT Lures Vortex Spinnerbaits.

These are a smaller style spinnerbait that are perfect for this type of country.

They have a brilliant flash to them and you can rig a small grub on the stinger hook. Another favourite to flick is the ZMan 4’’ StreakZ Curly TailZ. I love using this soft plastic because it basically comes to life when it hits the water. ZMan lures are made up of Elaztek, which is actually buoyant, so A gorgeous small barra in its natural habitat.

A snakehead gudgeon, what a great fish! first aid kit, phone, torch, matches and food. It’s also a good idea to inform a few people of exactly what areas you intend to fish and, of course, always try to fish with another person.

Having the right safety gear could really help you out one day.

From page 70

we transition from winter into spring.

July tends to be a month where the fish really spread and thin out in the estuaries.

Those with good knowledge will still find fish with ease, but others will have to work a lot harder to find the fish that are there. Local knowledge and experience are invaluable in tracking down fish when the water temperature drops off.

Fishing plastics, jigs and vibes over rockbars and sunken timber is a great way to entice fish, which are feeding a little lower in the water column.

Today’s range of sounders and plotters, which include wide angle and side scan technology, paint a very clear picture of structure for anglers. The technology is now good enough to distinguish and identify individual fish.

Where once upon a time many anglers gave the game away over the few cooler months of the year, others

This cooler part of the year is a great time to set out on a few big missions to target some big jungle perch! This temperature makes it a lot easier to cover more ground, so you can reach those honey holes.

Throwing a wide range of artificial presentations will

when rigged on a lightly weighted jighead the grub tail always wants to move.

It’s the perfect bite-sized presentation!

Another really interesting native species that hits lures hard is the snakehead gudgeon. These guys can be found in most

are now catching trophy fish with the aid of technology.

Often these fish are released to fight another day, closing

some of the creek and river mouths. Bite times can best be guessed around a change of tide, and some anglers

Jungle perch love a good soft plastic. freshwater systems up here.

These fish are only a small native but sure will hit your lure with full aggression!

They are a very beautiful looking fish and will take surface lures, but they are real suckers for small grub style lures. On a recent trip to

plenty of fun watching this unique species erupting out of the shallow jungle water to smash our lures!

The sooty grunter are always on the lookout to attack the lures that you throw their way. These fish are as tough as it gets and

these guys is a real treat. I normally use spinnerbaits and soft plastics in the middle part of the day then make the switch to surface as the sun starts to go down. The power behind the surface strike is quite amazing to see.

The author has gotten stuck into some great Spanish mackerel lately. a bright and sustainable loop around the recreational fishing sector of the Cape.

Those who are fishing baits for grunter, golden snapper and black jewfish at this time of year will do well on some of the rubble and gravel grounds just wide of

will swear that certain bite times based on the Almanac will yield best results.

• For information on remote charter operations for tailored fishing adventures, please email Tim on wildrivercompany @gmail.com

Excellent conditions for catching beautiful fish. Get yourself into the outdoors! one of my favourite systems a little trek up a tight feeder creek was full of them. It was

fight just as hard. If you want to have some real fun, using surface lures for

I hope everyone gets out for a flick and remember to stay safe out there. Fish On! JULY 2016

71

Mid-winter options TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

We had quite a big rain event in Southeast Queensland last month.

This dumped plenty of rain along the coast but failed to influence water levels at most dams.

Lake MacDonald, Ewen Maddock and Hinze were all full after the rain but the rest had only minor

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Towards the end of last month, the bass fishing slowed down at Cressbrook.

I visited the dam to give the boat a run and tried pretty hard for a few hours to put some bass in the boat, without any luck. The fish were quite easy to find and the dam showed a lot of future potential. Many of the points and drop-offs throughout the lake held fish.

These smallish bass were holding tight to the bottom on this particular day, but we all know how fishing changes from one day to the next.

The Bull Creek arm of the dam has produced some of the better quality

caught on tail spinners, but will also take soft plastics and blade baits if the schools are thick enough. With some specimens well over 45cm caught last month from this location, it will again be worth a look to see if the bass are still in the area.

Smaller fish are all over the dam. Directly out in front of the steep boat ramp and the hump (which is now a continuation of the island) opposite the Eagles Nest is a great place to start.

These fish are suckers for a tail spinner bounced across the bottom, but also love a blade bait hopped. The reaction lures got the job done last month but don’t be surprised if the fish back down from this style

of lure in preference of a soft plastic or ice jig. This normally happens around this time of year.

rises or no noticeable change at all. This means we can’t blame dirty water for stopping us from wetting a line!

Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel!

Spinnerbaiting the edges will also be worth a shot early in the mornings. On the calmer days, when the sun takes the sting out of the cold air, the bass should be cruising the shallows looking for a feed. Try casting 1/2oz spinnerbaits and follow the contour of the bottom as you fish them back into deeper water. Considering the bass were so spread out last month, there is a very good chance of nailing a few quality fish using this approach.

Baitfishers had a bit of luck fishing schooled bass last month. The water temperature was still up around 19°C but by now it should be a few degrees lower due to some cooler days and nights. This can steady the fishes’ reaction bites, but a well-presented

shrimp should still get some sort of response. Sometimes all the fish want to do is nibble at the legs or eggs on

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FEB MAR APR MAY JUN 6 6 6 6 6 95 91 90 90 91 46 44 43 42 41 59 57 54 52 60 96 96 94 91 88 89 93 100 95 93 91 89 87 85 83 94 94 92 90 88 23 22 20 19 17 100 100 n/a n/a n/a 69 67 65 63 61 41 37 33 32 31 17 16 16 15 16 85 83 82 80 78 12 9 7 7 7 88 100 100 99 98 45 43 41 39 39 29 28 27 26 26

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14 17

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34

18

Toowoomba

BRISBANE

IMPOUNDMENT DAM

the shrimp. A hook like the wide gap Owner K style will give you the best chance of hooking up.

Fish with a tight line using a running ball sinker directly on top of the hook or with the sinker on the bottom of the rig with the hook attached to a loop around 50cm above. This allows you to keep the line tight and get the best feel.

Through light braided line, you will even feel vibrations as the shrimp flicks on the end of your line. If a fish is picking at the legs or eggs of the shrimp, you stand a better chance of pinning it when you have the ability to feel what’s going on.

For all your fishing supplies and the latest reports on Cressbrook and the surrounding dams, call in to see the specialist tackle stores in Toowoomba.

Tackle World Toowoomba in Ruthven Street on the

Kinchant Koombooloomba Leslie Macdonald Maroon Monduran/Fred Haigh Moogerah North Pine/Samsonvale Peter Faust/Proserpine Pindari Somerset Teemburra Tinaroo Toonumbar Wivenhoe Wuruma

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

Hinze

 Julius

16

31

Weipa

25

Cairns 1

26

19

33

20

Townsville 2

3

Proserpine 6

4

Mackay

5

32

Rockhampton

Emerald 29 7

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

8

Bundaberg 9

11

Maryborough

Roma

north side and Fish’n’Bits in Alderly Street closer to the south side have a great range of lures and fishing gear. Support these tackle stores because they will be able to direct you to where the fish are biting and offer invaluable advice.

Just remember there is a speed limit of 8 knots and a restricted area at Cressbrook Dam. Check out the signage to ensure you stay out of trouble and abide by the rules. The gate hours for the boat ramps and day use area are under winter hours, which are 7am-6pm.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY The boat ramp will be a quieter place this month with fewer anglers and water skiers braving the cold. It really is an awesome time to venture out onto the peaceful lake when you time your trips with pleasant weather.

94 94 94 93 98 100 106 97 95 93 51 72 89 91 89 21 23 44 53 63 17 16 15 13 12 99 98 100 99 99 97 97 96 94 94 98 98 97 95 94 92 87 86 87 82 73 71 68 65 64 65 65 64 63 62 41 37 36 36 35 80 79 78 78 78 76 87 89 88 88 62 61 59 56 56 100 100 100 100 100 90 89 86 84 83 98 97 95 94 93

Gladstone

30

10

QUEENSLAND DAM LEVELS DAMS Atkinson Awoonga Bjelke-Petersen Boondooma Borumba Burdekin Falls Callide Cania Clarendon Clarrie Hall Cooby Coolmunda Copeton Cressbrook Dyer/Bill Gunn Eungella Fairbairn Glenlyon

13

15

Not every day is warm and sunny in winter. Rug up and you can comfortably battle the elements and enjoy the fishing! fish around the toilet point area and the banks opposite on either side of the two branches. These fish can be

Gympie

12

BRISBANE

I love the freezing cold mornings with frost on the ground, as you can guarantee the day will start out nicely with no wind and warm quickly. It doesn’t take long to start peeling off the layers, and if the wind continues to stay away you’ll often find yourself stripped down to a fishing shirt and no jumper.

Last month the bass were still chewing reaction lures, which is a little odd for winter. Trolling hardbodies like the Blitz Baga, Golden Child and Little Rippa was one of the most effective ways to hook fish. There was a mix in size too with fish from undersized right up to over 50cm caught.

Lure casters found reaction lures one of the most effective options too. The cooling water temperature will see lure trolling slow down as the fish turn their focus to more aggressive presentations. The slower

For fortnightly updates on Sunwater dams visit www. sunwater.com.au This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams.

All figures are % readings Current as of 16/06/16

roll of a soft plastic is one way to entice the bites when the fish refuse to eat faster moving offerings. Jigging is also a good way to tempt them into biting, as the repetitive hopping of the lure is hard to resist.

Golden perch numbers will drop off this month but you can still get into some golden action by using live shrimp. The timber to the North of Kirkleigh will be the place to try your luck. Try baitfishing in water of 6-8m depth and move often if you aren’t getting any bites.

For the latest reports, check out Somerset Fishing Tackle online and on Facebook. The store is in Kilcoy, but they mail order fishing gear all over the place. For some of the most competitive prices around visit the website at www. somersetfishing.com.au.

MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, ARATULA Moogerah has been one of the most reliable

bass fisheries over the past month. The dam is looking sensational with the development of lush weed beds. These weed formations may die off a bit over winter but should continue to hold the fish.

The bass have been stacking up just outside the weed in the timber where they have been fond of hopped blades, soft vibes, spoons and tail spinners. It will also be worth trying soft plastics if these faster presentations fail to get a response. Some schooling bass have held around the point that extends to the dam wall from the camp ground boat ramp.

Most of the action has taken place in the deeper water around 6-8m deep. In the mornings it will also be worth working lures inside the schooled fish areas tighter to the weed bed. Soft plastics, spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits can pick up shallow water feeding fish. These active hunters

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSET TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA There has been a late flurry of fish at Cooby.

In the last month, the action picked up with quite a few golden perch and the occasional small cod caught. Most fish were taken on bait with a few on lures.

Moving forward, the cooler water will see bait fishing as a better option than luring. The fish will be less willing to chase anything so a bait dropped almost on their nose is the trick to getting bites. Salt-

hookset once the fish takes the bait. Smaller hooks can be used with yabbies as the bait is only small so opt for a No.4-No.2 sized hook.

The afternoon is most likely to produce better numbers of fish, especially around sunset. Try to fish just outside the weed edge or right out in deeper water about 12m in depth.

Cooby Dam’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 then Cooby is definitely worth a visit. The dam hours are now 7am-6pm. Remember, no

Murray cod are one of the best winter targets for freshwater lure fishers. They are able to tolerate the cooler water temperatures and continue to smash lures. water yabbies are often the best offering, even out-fishing live shrimp.

These yabbies are available through many tackle stores.

Drop one straight under the boat weighted with a small sinker about 8mm round.

The wide gap-style hook is good for securing a solid

outboard motors are allowed to be used on the dam. The concrete boat ramp is on a shallow angle when the dam is full and can be slippery in places, but a big electric powered boat can still be launched with care. Outboard motors can be left on the boat but must not be used.

don’t usually spend all day feeding close to the weed, so as the action dies off try your luck on the bulk of the fish, which are positioned in schools outside the weed edge.

MAROON CLOSET TOWNS: BOONAH, BEAUDESERT

The colder water temperature will see a few changes at this little weedy lake. Surface feeding bass

will be hard to find, as the fish become less willing to chase their food. Just because the predators are more lethargic doesn’t mean they won’t eat.

Smaller baitfish species will also be a little slower off the

mark during the cold months so all we need to do is imitate this behaviour.

Fishing around the weed edges with jerkbaits is a great way to start the day. Shallow divers are prefect for early in the day but as the sun gets brighter, you’ll need to send your lures deeper. Deeper diving lures like the Jackall Squirrel or C’ultiva Rippin’ Minnow SP are ideal to probe deeper around the weed. Work the lures down with a rip of the rod tip to make the lure dart and then pause before darting off again with the next rip of the rod tip. Suspending lures are perfect for this style of fishing. They hold their depth once paused and stay right in the face of inquisitive fish. Longer pauses of up to five seconds are fine once the lure has reached the most likely spots. Most of the time you only need to pause for a second. After a longer pause, try twitching the lure as well. Small movements after the pause are often a better trigger than an aggressive rip.

Tackle, lures and saltwater yabbies can be purchased from Highfields Bait and Tackle on the New England Highway in Highfields. Call in and see Doug and check out the great range of fishing gear, kayaks and accessories he has on display.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK I’m tipping Leslie to be the best golden perch fishery over the winter months. It’s already looking likely with good numbers of fish reported last month. The golden perch will be keen to take baits like frozen saltwater yabbies, shrimp and cray tails.

The area around the Washpool Reserve has produced well and you can almost guarantee a few fish if you put in the time here.

Golden perch and eel-tailed catfish will be first on the scene but you may be lucky enough to encounter silver perch and Murray cod too.

Lure fishers should still be able to nail a few goldens, and there is always the chance of catching a cod. Hopping vibes around the structure and drop-offs will see you in with a good chance. Vibes have scored plenty of fish so far this winter and would be my first pick. A bigger profile will attract Murray cod if they are lurking in the area. If the action is too slow on vibes, switch to a 1/4oz or 40mm blade bait and hop it vertically below the boat. If you want to mix things up, you can try a bit of luring while keeping baits in the water.

The water level is only around 14%, so take care when launching and retrieving your boat.

Watch out for underwater obstructions as well as there are a few rocky boulder outcrops around.

Along with a fishing report, stock up on all your gear while at Warwick Outdoor and Sports at 115 Palmerin Street, Warwick.

For a small store, it carries a great range at a very competitive price. Warwick is only a ten-minute drive from the dam and you can pick up any supplies you might need.

COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD We are moving into big cod time at Coolmunda.

There have been a few reports of cod in the 85-100cm bracket. Where these fish are coming from has been closely guarded! With the lower lake level, there isn’t a lot of water in the timbered parts of the lake. If you are heading up into the sticks to try, take your time until you work out where the deeper water of the old creeks are.

There are some deeper holes in the creeks around the timber and fishing near these will be your best option. The cod tend to roam in very shallow water during winter and spring and there isn’t usually a need to fish any deeper than 3m. If you have a GPS you may also be able to work the old creek edge and the submerged structure on it in a similar depth of water right out in the middle of the lake.

Golden perch will be a lot slower but can still be caught using live shrimp and saltwater yabbies. The deeper water on the old creek bed drop-off will be the place to drop your baits. Patience is key as the goldens will be pretty steady.

The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only around 1km away from the lake. The park is just off the Cunningham Highway but far enough away from the noise of

trucks to get a good night’s sleep. It offers camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter and a camp kitchen. The park has great wheelchair friendly cabins. 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.

Despite being winter, Somerset bass are still responding well to reaction baits.

2 Dams

1de stination H

South Burnett

H

· Boondooma Dam · Bjelke-Petersen Dam ·

The BEST place in QLD to catch Australian Bass and Yellowbelly

STAY

3

NIGHTS AND

SAVE CATCH of the month

BJELKE-PETERSEN

BOONDOOMA DAM

Brendan Juster caught this good sized Golden Perch with a blue deep diving lure.

Anthony Melchior caught this Bass during the B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Competition at Bjelke Petersen Dam.

www.lakeboondooma.com.au www.yallakoolpark.com.au JULY 2016

73

WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY Boondooma is still one of the best all-round spots for bass and golden perch.

It will be a great place to try a variety of techniques in different areas.

The edges of the dam should fish quite well with spinnerbaits. The points and banks in the main basin and up in both of the timbered arms will hold bass and golden perch. Roll spinnerbaits off the banks and into deeper water letting them drop down a few metres as you reach the middle of the retrieve. There were a few saratoga reported over the last couple of months from up in the timber and this is usually how they are encountered.

In the main basin of the lake, schooling bass should be easy to find by sounding around. Look along the 4-7m mark following the contours around the lake’s second basin. Spots like The Junction and Pelican Point are always worth investigating. The bass schools can be mobile so just use these areas as a general guide and drive along all the banks in the area until you spot fish on the sounder.

Once the schools are found the trick will be to figure out what they want to

eat. Take every lure you have because they can be caught on just about anything. Soft plastics rigged on 1/2 or 3/8oz jigheads are a favourite but also give ice jigs, tail spinners, blades and vibes a run. The fish can be stubborn and will dictate what style of presentation to use.

The mornings can be freezing cold so dress accordingly and enjoy what winter has to offer.

Take some firewood.

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 fishing tackle.

For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call Corey and Niki on (07) 4168 9694.

BJELKE CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI It has been a hit and miss affair at Bjelke over the last month and not much will change now until spring.

The fishing is tough with tournament level anglers only managing a few fish per session. The trick has been to sit on top of fish and wait them out. The fish have been caught on blades, ice jigs and

WHITSUNDAY REGION PROSERPINE The barra fishing is never easy over winter. The fish can still be caught so head out on the warmer

days. If you have a run of good warm days with light winds or even constant wind direction, the barra fishing can pick up.

GREAT FO R A D AY EV E N B E T T E R W H E N Y O U S TAY

• Great fishing, bass, yellowbelly, cod, saratoga, garfish…

• Windsurfing, boating, beach volleyball, playground, BBQ’s.

• Level tent sites, showers, toilets, hot and cold water.

Only 50 kms from Toowoomba For more information on camping or fees: Call Toowoomba Regional Council on 131 872 during office hours or visit www.toowoombaRC.qld.gov.au

soft plastics in deeper parts of the dam around The Ridges and Bass Point. Bass will be the most common capture for lure fishers and golden perch and eel-tailed catfish for baitfishers.

For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into Bass 2 Barra. The store stocks an awesome range of gear suited to chasing freshwater fish and the boys have all the knowledge to guide you on how to use it. You’ll find the store at 119 Youngman Street Kingaroy. Matthew Mott also runs fishing charters on the dams.

The Yallakool Kiosk is set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to have the right lure or lose one.

Be sure to call in and check it out. Give them a call for accommodation and camping bookings on (07) 4168 4746.

MONDURAN CLOSEST TOWNS: GIN GIN, BUNDABERG For a quick bash at the barra, Monduran will be the destination to head for Southeast Queensland anglers. The fishing has been good considering we are now well into winter. Things may slow a little but choosing the warmer days with constant wind direction is going to dramatically increase your chances of finding and hooking fish.

The Mask Vibe has been one of the best lures.

Hopping these through fish on the sounder has paid off with quite a few small models and the occasional one around 90cm in length. Another lure to try is the Kamikaze 96S stickbait. These lures can be hopped like a vibe, but have a slower swimming fall. This slower sinking action may be just what the barra need to trigger the strike now that they are reacting slower.

Finding fish is the key to catching, as there is a lot of barren water. You have a few options here. One is to put in the hours and search for them yourself. Not many of us have the time to do this so a few hints are certainly going to be beneficial. Consider booking one of the guides in the area or call in to the tackle store in Gin Gin for some advice. A few tips can save you a lot of fruitless time on the water.

Foxies Tackle Store in Gin Gin stocks a range of effective barra lures. The store will mail order and you can check it out online at www. barratackle.com.au. Be sure to call in and get directions to some of the best barra fishing in the area or pick up one of the detailed maps.

Accommodation can be booked through Lake Monduran Kiosk and Tackle Shop. They look after all the cabins, houses, powered and unpowered campsites, as well as houseboats and boat hire.

You can also make bookings

Some anglers will fish the deep creeks in the timber with hardbody lures. Slow is the go for winter fishing so crank the lure down into the treetops and then let it slowly float back up to the surface. Adding lead weight or heavier hooks can be beneficial to slow the float rate of the lure. The locally handcrafted BTD General and other 5m divers like Scorpions and Barra Baits are ideal for this area.

Another option that requires a lot of stealth is to move up on top of the weed beds and drift over the top.

Use your polarised sunnies to spot any fish resting just below the surface on top of the weed. Casts will need to

be dead accurate to ensure the fish are not spooked by the splash of the lure or by the line hitting them.

Soft plastics rigged on weedless hooks are perfect for slowly fishing the lure in front of the fish. If you aren’t spotting any fish, the same lure can be rolled over the tops of the weed in the hope of running past one. This is deadly when the fish sit camouflaged inside the weed beds and dart out to nail a passing baitfish. Slow presentations are going to be best so try lightly weighted hooks like the Owner Beast Hook 6/0 with a plastic like the Berkley Rib Shad or similar.

Most people wouldn’t even consider throwing a diving hardbody into the weed but there is one that is an absolute standout. The Halco 90mm Scorpion with the Skin Deep bib has an amazing ability to work through the weed without fouling up. These lures can be fished like a popper or slowly wound subsurface right past any sunning barra. A few twitches usually frees them up from any weed and you can continue working the top 40cm of the water column.

If you’ve never given them a go, they are a must for any barra fisher’s tackle box.

If you give the weed bed fishing a go, try a quality 20lb braided mainline. The

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Golden perch can be taken on lures during winter.

For better results try hopping blades and vibes. This one decided to engulf a Jackall Mask Vibe 60. for Guide Lines Fishing Charters through the kiosk, on (07) 4157 3881.

Jamie Bein runs Lake Monduran Barra Charters and fishes that dam more than anyone I know. His

regular visits ensure he has a good understanding of what’s going on. Contact Jamie on his mobile, 0407 434 446 or through his website www.lakemonduran barracharters.com.

thinner diameter of this line cuts through the weed better than heavy braid, which allows you to stay in better contact with the fish. If you manage to hook a beast in this shallow weedy water be prepared to do some gardening to get the fish back out of the vegetation.

Lindsay Dobe owns the tackle shop in Proserpine right beside the highway.

The shop has always been known as Proserpine Bait and Tackle but has just undergone a name change

and will now be known as Barra World. As you can imagine, they carry plenty of the best barra lures and gear available.

The store also caters for the close-by saltwater fishing in the estuaries and offshore. Call in to see Lindsay or Dane and check out what they have done with the place after the renaming. You can call them for all your barra needs or book a Lake Proserpine barra charter on (07) 4945 4641.

Moving up on top of the weed beds and fishing a lightly weighted weedless rigged soft plastic was the trick to catching this barra.

Testing Booth

Samaki Silver Bullet Technology put to the test FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Rarely do field tests go this well. There was no need for the Tackle Junkie team to do mountains of beach or rock fishing – we just handed the Samaki Silver Bullet rod that arrived in the office to rock spinning expert Tony Smith, from northern NSW. Apart from being able to smell mulloway as they swim past in the waves, Tony’s claim to fame is that there aren’t many predators that live around the ocean rocks that he can’t catch.

How do I know this? One day Tony said to me, “Do you want to film some jew on lures?”

“Yep.” “Let’s go,” he said.

Middle of the day. Sunny.

Summertime.

“Now?” I asked.

what his feedback would be about the spin-configured Samaki. Not long after I gave him the rod, an MMS from Tony appeared on my phone.

It was written in his usual nonchalant style.

“Nice rod, thanks Steve. Looks like it works.

Caught this nice one on my second throw.”

Attached was the amazing pic which went on to feature on the cover of the July issue of NSW Fishing Monthly. The fish was a whopper chopper a whisker under 10lb (4.5kg).

The fish in question ate a popper. Middle of the day.

Shallow water.

Boom.

SPECIFICATIONS • Oval Blank Technology • Fuji K Guides • Super hard EVA grips • Fuji reel seat • Japanese Toray carbon fibre blank

Not a bad way to test Samaki’s Oval Blank Technology – 10lb of Northern NSW tailor. Middle of the day. On a popper.

TEST MODEL Silver Bullet SSB-1202SH Length: 12ft Action: Heavy Line: 15-30lb Cast weights: 2-4oz surf casting. Built to withstand the elements, the Silver Bullet consists of Japanese Toray Carbon Fibre 36 and 40 tonne combined, Fuji K Guides and

The Silver Bullet boasts Japanese Toray Carbon Fibre 36 and 40 tonne combined, and is fitted with Fuji K guides.

If you catch a fish good enough for the Fishing Monthly cover on the test rod, you get to keep it!

“Yep.” He then proceeded to pull six soapies to 80cm in 30 minutes, fishing water no more than 4ft deep. At the time, he was throwing minnows with filed-down bibs on a glass surf rod, Alvey reel and 30lb mono line. Job done!

After seeing what Tony was capable of, I wondered

According to the Samaki website: “The base section of the rod utilises an oval blank construction, thus enabling a greater, more powerful cast

to launch your lure further.

With a tip designed for greater sensitivity so you can feel the strike as it happens, you have got yourself one weapon for

Fuji reel seat for longevity, and super hard EVA grips for comfort.”

That’s great, but we were interested in what the rod was

VIDEO

Scan this code to see a video of the Silver Bullet at the AFTA Trade Show.

like in the real world! I had a hunch that Tony would be a fan. Plenty of Northern NSW guys used to use old FSU4120 blanks extended with a couple of feet of carbon fibre canoe paddle shaft to achieve the same result – a light-yet-strong butt that can launch a lure out of sight.

“I could cast it a million miles,” Tony said. Which, of course, is standard hyperbole for an angler, but a seal of

This rod turned a lot of heads when it was launched at the AFTA Tackle Trade Show.

approval from a hardened lure caster.

Tony coupled the rod with a Shimano Baitrunner 6500 with 20lb braid and a 30lb mono leader about 3m long.

The longer leader suits his style of big-fish-in-shallowwater fishing, but he said if you want to cast even further you could use just 60cm of leader and eliminate any line slap.

“Ideally, my style of fishing would use a rod with a shorter butt,” he said.

“Because I spin from the waterline, the tip up and the longer butt is uncomfortable for me. However, if you were using this from above the waterline with the tip down, the butt would fit under the arm nicely.”

I told Tony he was free to hacksaw away to his heart’s content, and last I heard that’s exactly what he was off to do.

After all, a 10lb tailor on the front cover means that you don’t have to give the rod back.

Thanks, Tony, for testing the Silver Bullet and giving her the thumbs-up!

ABOUT THE BRAND Samaki is a brand that has earned a reputation for high quality without a premium price tag, and every product has been designed for Australian conditions. The flagship of the brand is the highly refined rod range, made from top quality components and covering nearly every angling application, from finesse fishing for bream through to offshore and surf fishing.

Samaki has also created a range of lures that are proven fish catchers. Many anglers would have heard of the versatile Vibelicious soft vibes, which can be seen hanging out of fish mouths all over social media and in magazines. Samaki’s soft plastic Boom Baits also stand out from the crowd, with raised markers on their backs to help anglers line the hook up perfectly every time.

The Samaki range also includes jigs, high speed trolling lures, fishing shirts, line and more, and you can see the full range at www.samaki.com.au. The latest news and photos can be seen on Facebook at www.facebook.com/samakifishing, or you can follow them on Instagram.

JULY 2016

75

Wonderful winter fishing in the South Burnett SOUTH BURNETT

Matthew Langford wkff@aapt.net.au

There’s nothing quite like waking up to a cold, frosty South Burnett winter.

It can be quite hard to pull yourself away from those woollen blankets, but the anticipation of a promising fishing session is always enough to get me out of bed, into some warm clothes and into the truck with either the boat hitched, kayak tied down or boots ready for an early morning start.

I’ve been lucky to live in the region for quite some time, and if you’re not familiar with the South Burnett it’s a comfortable driving distance from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. There’s plenty to see and do with the Bunya Mountains in close proximity and a plethora of wineries to explore. To top it off, we have some of the best farming country in Queensland and our peanuts are a testament to this as they are world renowned.

Not only that, we have some of the best holiday destinations in Queensland,

runs from the back of the dam to the dam wall. The dam itself was constructed in 1988 and covers 2000ha and holds 120,000 megalitres that is delivered via a catchment area of 1600 square kilometres.

The great thing about BP is that its abundance of shallow flats and warmer water encourages the growth of biomasses of bait like shrimps, redclaw, bony bream and barred grunter.

In a case where the bait is in abundance, the fish tend to gorge themselves on these flats.

What occurs within the stocked populations of bass, yellowbelly and silver perch is a massive annual growth rate. Fish that were released in 2013 now have the food and capacity to grow up to 50cm within 4-5 years. Recently, the number of 40-45cm bass has been quite standard and common captures of 50cm yellowbelly are becoming the norm. So within 12 months or so, I’m expecting to see bass up to 50cm and beyond being caught on a regular basis. At the present time Lake Barambah is sitting just above 40% water capacity, so it would be great

Boondooma is a pretty and easily accessible dam to scratch the bass itch.

During winter there are a few things that I like to do to get the fish to bite.

Commonly in winter, the fish like to sit deep on the deeper flats and in the main creek bed. Sometimes these fish can be hard to get to bite, but I like to target these deeper fish with a couple of lures.

I usually sound around the deeper sections of the dam up near the dam wall and along the submerged creek bed. When a show of fish is located, I position the boat on top of them and try vertical jigging. Jigging blades and ice jigs is a great way to get those sluggish fish to bite. The key is being persistent in this scenario, as the deeper fish may take a while to fire up. Commonly

when it comes to winter fishing in BP. Another option is fishing shallow edges. I usually look for edges that have a bit of structure like trees or rocks.

I’ll usually position the boat 30-40m from the bank and cast up as shallow as I can. I generally use small blades for this technique, as the bigger fish tend to go up shallow looking for an easy feed. Once the long cast has been made, slowly hop the blade back out into the deeper water, maintaining contact with the bottom after each hop. Try a number of banks for this until you get a bite or a fish, as you’ll usually get a couple along a stretch of bank if they are there.

the back of the dam and tie up to the trees along the creek. I can almost guarantee you’ll catch a couple of fish if you persist long enough.

Camping and other accommodation options are great at BP, as Yallakool Caravan Park is positioned right on the banks of BP and has fully furnished cabins and powered and non-powered sites available.

It has a large playground, tennis courts and a pool for extra entertainment, as well as a well-maintained camp kitchen, toilet and shower blocks. If you’re looking at visiting BP dam give Corey and Nikki a call on (07) 4168 4746 to make a booking.

Big bass will school up over deep flats in Boondooma over winter.

Boondooma and BjelkePetersen dams, which are both located within a short driving distance of Kingaroy.

The icing on the cake is the other fishing options you have all within a short distance of Kingaroy, Nanango, Wondai, Murgon and Blackbutt.

LAKE BARAMBAH (BJELKEPETERSEN DAM) Lake Barambah or BP Dam is a reasonably shallow dam that has an abundance of shallow flats and a long submerged creek bed (Barkers Creek) that 76

JULY 2016

to see some inflow in the next 12 months.

Fishing BP in winter tends to slow down considerably in comparison to the warmer months. The water cools quite quickly when the temperatures plummet but there are still some great fishing options when the winter months are in full swing. BP dam is best accessed by boat and has two boat ramps. There’s one at the Yallakool Tourist Park and a public ramp adjacent to the park at the picnic area. Both ramps have the added bonus of fish cleaning stations.

Ficks Crossing gives you access to some great bass and yellowbelly water. though, once you get that first bite the fish tend to wake up and actively feed.

Remember, winter temperatures can slow down the fish and they can be stubborn and sluggish so persistence is a major player

Bait anglers have it a bit easier during winter as the fish respond well to a live bait. Shrimps and worms are always a great bait on BP. You can either anchor out in the deep along the old creek bed, or go up to

LAKE BOONDOOMA Constructed in 1983, Boondooma Dam has a water capacity of 210,000 megalitres and covers an area of 1900ha. Boondooma is a reasonably deep dam with an average depth of 10m. It’s

fed by two major systems, those being the Stuart and the Boyne river catchments.

Being a reasonably deep dam, Boondooma fishes well in both the warmer and cooler months and has the availability of some of the best sports fishing available in the South Burnett region.

Regular stocks of Australian bass, silver perch and yellowbelly are readily catchable and the dam even has the added bonus of past stocks of saratoga and Murray cod.

Winter fishing on Boondooma is something that I always look forward to every year. Generally in summer, the fish like to suspend in the timbered arms of the dam and in the main basin. But in winter, the fish like to sit out on the flats and venture up shallow into the weed. This is where fishing becomes fun for me, as there’s a variety of methods that I like to use to tempt the fish to bite.

Most days fishing in winter I will start the day early and fish tight to the weed banks in any section of the dam that holds a good amount of weed. I will position myself just wide of the weed bed and begin casting either a small spinnerbait through the weed patches, or will cast a jerkbait in the same areas.

The spinnerbait technique in the weed is a great way to tempt the fish as they position themselves in the weed pockets waiting to ambush an easy meal.

I will cast the spinnerbait in over the submerged weed patches and quickly work the spinnerbait back. The spinnerbait will frequently get caught up in the weed but a quick jerk of the rod tip should see it come free and start working again as you continue to wind. Eventually, a good bass should come from these pockets and smash your spinnerbait.

The jerkbait technique is a little more subtle and effective. I cast my jerkbait into the same areas around the submerged weed patches around the edge, and then wind it down and start a stiff twitching retrieve. Keep twitching the jerkbait though the weed and make sure you pause the bait for a few seconds every few twitches.

If the bait gets hung up, give it a rip to get it out and continue the twitches.

Most often, the bass will hit the jerkbait when it’s paused, so keep that drag fairly loose so that the line doesn’t pull away from the bass on the strike. It’s one of my favourite techniques during winter.

Later in the day when the temperature warms, I’ll move out wider into that 6-10m range and start looking for scattered fish sitting on the bottom. When I have located a showing of fish, I turn to tail-spinners and blades worked along the bottom using the following techniques.

The slow lift is a great technique to get those fish on the bottom to bite, because the lure is regularly in their face and in the strike zone.

Make a long cast and let the lure sink to the bottom, and when you see the line go slack, begin to lift the tip of the rod until you feel the lure starting to slowly work. Lift the rod tip above your head, then let the lure sink back to the bottom. Keep doing this until you have the lure back below the boat or until you get a bite. Most bites will come when the blade or tail-spinner is fluttering back to the bottom, so make sure you maintain contact with the lure all the way back on your slow lift retrieve.

The burn and kill retrieve is also just as effective.

Again, make a long cast and let your lure sink to the bottom, and when the line goes slack, start a fairly quick retrieve for about 7-10 turns of the handle. After ‘burning’ the lure, stop the lure dead and let it sink back to the bottom, and continue this routine. Most bites will come on the fall back to the bottom.

Just like BP, Boondooma offers some great baitfishing opportunities, especially around the timbered arms of the dam. Live shrimp are the better choice of bait and the great thing is they can be caught from the weed around the edges of the dam. Set a few opera house pots with some soap, cheese or meat as bait and check them regularly until you have enough bait.

The best way to catch a feed with bait is to tie off from the trees in either the Stuart or the Boyne arms. Drop the bait to the bottom rigged on a 2/0 hook and small sinker and gently jig the bait on the bottom. You won’t have to wait long until you get a bite.

Camping and accommodation are available right on the water’s edge at Lake Boondooma Caravan and Recreation Park. The park also has fully furnished cabins, a bunkhouse and powered and non-powered sites available.

It has a large playground, and picnic areas as well as a wellmaintained camp kitchen, toilet and shower blocks and fish cleaning stations. If you’re looking at visiting Boondooma Dam, give Lorraine and Steve a call on (07) 4168 9694 to make a booking.

GORDONBROOK DAM Constructed in 1942 on the Stuart River system near Memerambi, Gordonbrook Dam is a relatively small dam that holds 6600 megalitres of water with a surface area of 236ha. Gordonbrook was originally constructed to provide water for the air force training base during World War II. Now, Gordonbrook is a quiet place of peace and attracts anglers and birdwatchers alike.

The dam was originally stocked with bass and yellowbelly but the floods of 2011 saw the majority of the fish stocked in the dam move over the wall and back into the Stuart system. Since then, stocking groups have replenished stocks of bass and yellowbelly back into the dam. At this stage, the fish in the dam are now of legal length, averaging about 30-35cm. The great thing is that not all the previous stocks went over the wall, and bass of over 50cm have

(mainly bony bream and shrimp) can be located all the way through the dam and river. The best way to fish this dam is to imitate the bait, and in this case it would be throwing blades.

Blades are great little lures that have a tight vibration on the retrieve and can also be jigged vertically. The best thing about them is they imitate a small bony perfectly. When I fish Gordonbrook, I generally throw a 1/4oz blade.

I will find a location, either in the timbered edges around the dam or out on the flats and make long casts and let the blade sink to the bottom. I use a couple of different retrieves, either a burn and kill retrieve or a slow retrieve with lots of hops off the bottom, and sometimes I simply jig off the bottom. The dam water is reasonably clear and generally I use colours like silver, gold and black.

Other lures do work in Gordonbrook, so if you’re not having any luck, make sure you try spinnerbaits around the weed and timber and also lipless cranks.

There is no camping at Gordonbrook, but there is a large picnic area with tables and a toilet block while you’re there for the day.

Memerambi and Kingaroy are only a stone’s throw from this beautiful location.

BARAMBAH CREEK Barambah Creek begins in the hills between Kingaroy and the Sunshine Coast

all still access this system and the fish that were once in BP can now be caught in the creeks below, so all is not lost.

Fishing varies throughout the summer and winter months and different techniques are more effective than others. Summertime

just north of Gallangowan.

The creek runs for roughly 240km and ends when it reaches the Burnett River just east of Gayndah. What makes Barambah creek so enticing is the sheer amount of fish that are in the system, as previous floods have pushed the water over the wall at Lake Barambah and the dam lost tens of thousands of fish to the Barambah Creek system.

The great thing is we can

there to make access easier for you.

STUART RIVER The Stuart River begins below Mount Kiangarow within the Bunya Mountains National Park and flows north through the outskirts of Kingaroy, before flowing west through Gordonbrook

Barambah Creek is small water, but it houses some seriously big fish, like this chunker of a yellowbelly. sees the reaction baits come out like spinnerbaits and crankbaits cast to the edge, but winter fishing requires a bit more tact than just fishing for a reaction bite.

Ficks Crossing is a great waterhole about 5km South of Murgon. Ficks has a car

Ficks Crossing is big enough to allow small boats access. been caught in the past six months and some enormous yellowbelly of 60cm.

The best way to fish the dam is by kayak and it’s easily accessed by a small boat ramp at the picnic area.

After launch, there are two ways you can go, right up towards the wall or left upriver into the winding Stuart River.

The dam itself is quite shallow and massive concentrations of bait

for bass, yellowbelly and silver perch. The creek itself is lined with bottlebrush and has plenty of structure to target. Big rock walls, laydowns, grass, weed and snags are some of the areas that should be targeted while you’re fishing there.

In winter, the fish

park and picnic areas for the family to enjoy and it’s nestled right on the banks of Barambah Creek. Ficks is best accessed by kayak and there is a great launching site just below the picnic area at the end of the fishing hole. There is quite a lot of water to fish as the creek gives you the opportunity to fish roughly 10km before you reach the next weir upstream. Barambah Creek is a great location to fish

in Ficks tend to sit quite close to the bottom and become somewhat lazy when it comes to eating.

Though over the years, I have found that they can be caught quite well with a little work and wit. The best way to target fish in winter is to hop dark blades near the bottom, especially around structure. Look for big logs or laydowns coming off the bank and imagine where the tops of the sunken trees would be under the water. Cast out or drop a black or purple blade down and simply hop it off the bottom. The fish will be lurking around the structure, so take the time to work the snag properly before moving on. On the odd occasion, you will come in contact with a big eel or two but this technique in winter is deadly on the more desirable species.

Silverleaf Crossing is another great location along Barambah Creek to try.

Located about 20km west of the town of Murgon, the fishing is almost identical to Ficks crossing and the same techniques are used during winter. Blades hopped or jigged around structure are deadly. The creek is best accessed by kayak, and the water to explore is quite expansive with plenty of structure and areas to fish.

There are access points to Silverleaf at the crossing on Silverleaf Road or just above Silverleaf Weir itself.

Take some time to look on Google and make sure you know where both locations are. Make sure you take a close look when you get

and past the town of Proston. The river enters Lake Boondooma where it reaches the junction of the Boyne River and becomes the Burnett River. The Stuart offers some great fishing opportunities, but also flows through private land. The best way to access the Stuart is through the following locations and I would recommend fishing by kayak as the water’s edges can be overgrown and hard to fish on foot.

Memerambi can be accessed by Gordonbrook Road crossing, 7km west of Memerambi.

Chinchilla can be accessed at Wondai Road Crossing, which is 20km west of Tingoora.

Finally, Proston Weir on The Weir Rd, 3km south of Proston will also offer you access to the Stuart River.

Winter fishing on the Stuart can produce some seriously big bass as the fish that escaped Gordonbrook a few years ago are still in the system and still very healthy. The best lures to use are small deep diving hardbodies around snags, plastics rigged with beetle spins, small spinnerbaits and vertically jigged dark blades around underwater structure.

BARKERS CREEK Barkers Creek is a small winding creek that begins at the base of the Bunya Mountains National Park and meanders its way north for approximately 100km.

Barkers runs past the town ship of Nanango and is a feeder creek to BP. Just below the dam wall of BP it ends To page 78

JULY 2016

77

From page 77

when it enters Barambah creek. This creek system is quite small and tight and holds a tremendous amount of structure. The best holes in the system are located below and a kayak option would be the best to fish from.

Barkers Creek Flat Weir is 5km west of Nanango on Mcauley-Roome Road.

Mondure Crossing is another good access point and is 8km north of Nanango.

Broadwater Camping Reserve also offers some great access to this system and sits 15km north of Nanango.

Barkers Creek has produced some of the best fishing sessions that I can remember, particularly early in the morning and late

in the afternoon. Surface fishing generally goes quiet over the winter months, but because Barkers has so much cover the fish still hit the surface through winter as well. Small hardbodies, plastics rigged with beetle spins and lipless cranks are always a popular choice of lure when I fish this system as well.

Boondooma also holds good stocks of yellowbelly.

PLAN WELL AND GOOD LUCK So there you have it, the information that I have given above is the most comprehensive winter fishing options that I can give you for the South Burnett region. Please be mindful that if you’re travelling a distance

to come to the above mentioned locations, be sure to do your research first and know exactly where you’re going.

Accommodation and shopping can be easily found in any of the major towns that you’re fishing near and if you’re going to attack the dams, make sure

you stay at the parks. I also encourage you to practice catch and release, as these locations should be shared for future generations of anglers to come. I hope this helps improve your fishing in the South Burnett over the winter months.

Hopefully I’ll see you out on the water.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Barkers Creek offers some great fishing on the surface, even through the winter months.

An Aquaventure for everybody!

I often get asked what an Aquaventure is. The Aquaventure is exactly what it sounds like, an aquatic adventure chasing Australian native fish. The adventure part comes with the terrain these fish live, getting there, and catching them on either lure or fly. The best part of the Aquaventure experience is the increased accessibility to great Australian fish for the general public.

The main target of Aquaventures is the wily sooty grunter, which in my opinion is a very underrated sportfish.

They are formidable fighters with an aggressive appetite.

Other species on offer are jungle perch, mangrove jack, barramundi and tarpon. These fish live in a diverse range of waters, but we concentrate on targeting them in rivers.

I use my Argo, which is an 8-wheel ATV vehicle that floats (it’s even rated to a 9.9hp max outboard) to cover

a lot of distance. This makes larger rivers and bigger holes more comfortable to fish in, such as the Burdekin River

Big sooty grunter are the prime target of Aquaventures, however, many other species can and will be caught during the outings. in the Charters Towers region where 10km+ can be covered in a day with ease.

I also have kayak trips available that cater for one angler. One angler per trip on the yak trips creates a more

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personal experience between guide and angler and avoids separation, which can happen in a group of yaks. This

The Argo, decked out and ready to go!

way the angler is placed in prime position for the first cast at the new spots, which increases your catch rate and experience.

I also offer walking/ hiking trips. These days are geared to chase jungle perch in the remote mountain streams between Townsville and Ingham. The client’s fitness level will be the deciding factor of where and how far we walk.

I am extremely flexible with my trips and like to plan to the individual’s specific needs and quote accordingly.

I love teaching and sharing my fishing knowledge, so not only will we be fishing but I will also offer tips and advice as we go along. – Vinnie Versfeld

New Mitsubishi Pajero Sport BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

As replacement for the Challenger, the new Pajero Sport appears to have taken off from where its predecessor finished and then raised the bar.

For a ute-based family wagon (the Sport is derived from Mitsubishi’s Triton) there’s some serious off-road capability, and great economy from a smaller but quite powerful diesel engine. The cabin also has an upmarket feel when compared to similar ute-derived wagons.

Topping these attributes is a very competitive price, plus a 5-year 100,000km warranty and capped price servicing.

Along with its handy family size and 5-star ANCAP

rating, the Sport comes with a host of audio and media features as standard. There’s Smartphone Link Display Audio with a 7” touch screen, Android Auto, Apple Car Play, digital audio broadcast radio, along with two USB inputs plus a HDMI output within the centre console, which is elevated to make them highly accessible. As you’d expect, there’s also iPod control, Bluetooth phone connectivity and audio streaming.

Sat nav is not standard in the Pajero Sport. Navigation requires a compatible smart phone linked by cable via Android Auto or Apple Car Play to navigate.

STYLING AND INTERIOR The 5-seat Pajero Sport is a great looking vehicle with ample ground clearance.

With LED daylight running lights up front and vertical

rear combination LED lamps each side of the top opening rear cargo door, it’s a head turner. Styling is still distinctly Mitsubishi.

The Sport’s interior is upmarket with piano black sections and subtle contrasting panels in the forward cabin and dash area. There are plenty of soft touches around the doors as well. I reviewed the GLS model, and in the test vehicle there was leather seating all round plus electronic adjustment for both driver and passenger. Dual zone climate air was also standard, as was an electronic function for virtually everything, including the folding outside mirrors.

The Pajero Sport had a good driving position, thanks to tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, and the fully adjustable seating was as good as it gets. Some spirited

Plenty of ground clearance and a sensible approach angle give the Pajero Sport genuine off-road cred.

The high centre console makes electronic functions easily accessible.

Even with the rear seat up there’s still a lot of cargo space.

driving saw the steering able to handle back roads just as easily as the best bitumen, although its fairly high centre of gravity saw the Sport in need of a bit of extra guidance in hard corners.

Even on gravel back roads the ride was more than acceptable. There was only the occasional severe bump intruding into the cabin, thanks to the Sport’s refined handling and suspension package with its multi-link rear end treatment, double wishbone and coil springs/stabilizer bar up front.

DIESEL ENGINE The Pajero Sport uses the 2016 Triton’s 4-cylinder, 16 valve 2.4L common rail turbo diesel turning out 133kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm at 2500rpm. The engine, despite its modest size compared to some of today’s diesels, was certainly not lacking in power.

The smooth diesel was super quiet around town, tractable and willing to go hard.

The unit’s brilliant 8-speed auto unit featured a very low first gear and a high ratio eighth gear. Prominent wheel

mounted paddles are there for drivers who like to play with their auto unit’s ratios up hills and twisty roads, but I left the auto to do its own thing which it did seamlessly. Even under hard acceleration the gear changes were undetectable.

I have a ‘thing’ about some 6-speed or 8-speed auto units, especially if they just don’t work at highway speeds.

One very well known 4WD will not slip into highest gear until around 120km, so I was chuffed to slip the Sport’s gear selector to the right at 98km/h to see that the auto unit was actually in eighth gear – thus saving revs and maximising fuel economy. I averaged 9.1L per 100km on a mix of city and country driving.

While rear leg room is excellent, head room is never going to be class leading. Still, very tall rear seat passengers are able to adjust the back rest to a slightly reclining position to help with this.

Isofix child seat anchor points come standard.

Rear seats tumble forward at the touch of a button and the cargo space is over 1.8m in length.

AT HOME OFF THE ROAD The old Challenger was always good for an off-road run, and the new Sport lifts the bar again. It has 18” wheels, 218mm ground clearance, 30° approach angle and 25° departure angle plus a wading depth of 700mm. With high/ low range gear selection at the touch of a console knob, things could not be easier.

I liked the strong engine braking of the Sport in low range first. With Hill Descent engaged and that very low gearing, it was reminiscent of the very useful braking I’ve experienced from a manual box in low first gear. The road-based 4High system even offers a 4HLc setting that locks the centre diff; very important for beach work, especially if you’re towing, where a combination of momentum and traction can prevent you from being

Big steering column paddles will please drivers who likes to play with gear ratios. bogged in the soft stuff.

In all, the Pajero Sport is a true value for money off-road package with a cabin layout and equipment list that is very hard to top for the money.

The Sport can also out-tow (750kg for an unbraked trailer, 3100kg for braked) and go further off-road than many urban off roaders. Prices range from around $45,000-$53,000.

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News

Moreton Bay Net Free Zone impact summary SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

This article is a follow-up to last months’ article, looking at the Moreton Bay Net Free Zone in more detail. Now there is a more solid proposal being circulated, it’s time to provide the community with as good as possible summary of the available data.

fishery is worth somewhere between $180 and $205 million (Brisbane and West Moreton) based on 2013-14 Statewide Recreational Survey.

Brisbane and West Moreton fishers represent between 943,000 and 1.15 million fishing days (all locations not just NFZ).

THE COMMERCIAL FISHERY The commercial fishery is worth around $1.1

Proposed Moreton Bay Net Free Area To quote the Canadian Prime Minister, it’s 2016 – these things should just be happening. Call me cynical, but I decided to investigate, just in case that didn’t happen. This is what we are discussing in terms of the industry, and in working through this I am only using official figures (sources listed at the end of the article).

THE RECREATIONAL FISHERY There are between 236,400 and 269,600 fishers immediately adjacent to the Net Free Zone (Brisbane, West Moreton). The recreational 80

JULY 2016

million (based on 2013-14 data) on key species (bream, whiting, king threadfin. The commercial mullet fishery worth $1.35 million, which will remain untouched.

The total fishery value (excluding mullet) is worth $2.5-3.7 million.

The commercial net fishery represents on 4,300 fishing days per year (average last 5 years) THE COST-BENEFIT As there are no official figures on the gill net only figures, cost-benefit applies to replacing the entire commercial industry.

In order to replace the

income of the overall commercial effort (total) the recreational sector in Brisbane and West Moreton needs to grow by 3.6-6%.

This assumes no benefit from tourism, as there is too much uncertainty to calculate a tourism benefit at this stage.

To generate that growth with no individual extra spend requires 8,64914,578 extra fishers (resulting in 34,59558,312 additional fishing days). To generate that growth with no additional fishers requires $27.84$48.92 extra spend per fisher (resulting in 34,50058,152 additional fishing days).

Therefore the growth will likely be a combination of new fishers and extra spend.

For instance, a 10% growth would add between $18-20.5 million in spend resulting in $5.7-$6.6 million in real income to the region, even without tourism.

This raises the question of, ‘What is the cost-benefit of removing commercial gill net fishing, but not tunnel net fishing?’ In other words, a partial release of commercial fishing effort.

THE POLITICAL DISCUSSION ON THE NET FREE ZONE The move to establish a Net Free Zone in Moreton Bay is a political one.

This is Labor policy, not a Fisheries Queensland management decision. As with the other Net Free Zones, the Moreton Bay Net Free Zone will have to be passed by parliament.

There is no doubt that there will be some robust debate to come.

Sunfish are leading the discussion from the recreational end and have a proposal that they are circulating to stakeholders.

BENEFIT OF THE PARTIAL RELEASE OF FISHING EFFORT There is a lot less clarity around what a Net Free Zone means than in the Fitzroy, Mackay or Cairns. In those areas, gill nets dominated in the species people were concerned about so it was pretty cut and dry. No nets equalled a clear benefit to the recreational fishing community.

In Moreton Bay, there is a much more mixed fishery with both tunnel nets and gill nets. The former will stay for the most part, the latter will go under current proposals.

A good example of where there is unease is in king threadfin. I have been contacted by a number of

recreational fishers who are convinced king threadfin are targeted by tunnel nets not gill nets. They are concerned that the current Net Free Zone proposal won’t deliver the protection they want for threadfin.

First up, I am not sure why there aren’t figures that make it clear what the impact of the removal of gill nets will have.

Fisheries Queensland will have the data, or should

amount as that would represent most of their income. Fishers would be well within their rights to ask what the proportion of tunnel net catch is in order to determine the benefit.

SIZE OF THE COMMERCIAL NET INDUSTRY As fisheries haven’t released the separate proportions of net activity all I can work on is total net catch figures.

million represented 1.46% of Australia’s finfish market.

COST-BENEFIT OF REPLACING EFFORT I will cover the specifics of the recreational industry later, but a conservative value is between $180-205 million for Brisbane and West Moreton.

A dollar generated by the recreational industry is not $1 in income, so we don’t have to generate $5 million extra to cover it

Fig. 1 Total net commercial sector based on W37, W38 share (best of 3 years) Species...........................................................................................................Value Bream (Including Tarwhine)........................................................................$840,000 Whiting......................................................................................................$320,000 Snapper.......................................................................................................$65,000 Grey Mackerel..............................................................................................$37,500 Sharks......................................................................................................... $79,500 Other (share of total other on ABARES)............................................... $1.76 million Total......................................................................................................$3.1 million do given that there are different licenses for the different styles of netting.

If recreational fishers accept a Net Free Zone without seeing the breakup of gill net verses tunnel nets, then they would be accepting a proposal that could deliver minimal benefit on key species.

The ‘Recreational Use Fee’ levied on boat registrations is around $20.

There are between 85,000 and 95,000 boats registered in Brisbane and Moreton Bay West (adjacent to the proposed Net Free Zone) so that generates between $1.7 million and $1.9 million.

There are between 70 and 80 active commercial net licenses. It is doubtful they contribute a similar

We can’t be sure that Brisbane will get the average Queensland gate price and there could be other errors. These are official figures both from ABARES and Queensland Fisheries but I will allow 20% error so that range is between $2.5-3.7 million gross income (see Fig.1).

There will be downstream impacts to wholesalers and retailers – sourcing $3.1 million in product from alternate sources is by no means impossible.

However, there may be an impact on price to the consumer. The reality is that the seafood market is Australia wide and wholesalers don’t set prices solely based on local conditions. In 2013-14, $3.1

Fig. 2

– the figure is more. How much a dollar represents in real income is actually a hard question, but using figures of from NOAA the ratio of sales (total spend) to income (money earned) is around 32.6% or 32c in the dollar (2011). I don’t think that’s an unreasonable figure. On that basis the recreational sector needs to add between $7.5-11.4 million to the economy to break even with the income generated by the commercial sector.

In all, the recreational sector will need to grow by between 3.6% and 6% to cover the income generated by the commercial sector.

I will use three scenarios to demonstrate the ‘break even’. This is

News based on increasing the value of the industry by $7.5-11.4 million. First scenario is no extra fishers, just extra income from more trips. The second is 50% of income from

days with 4,324-6,573 increase in actual fishers.

Scenario III: 100% from extra fishers, No extra spend – Break Even If the industry were valued at $180 million,

come with comfortable accommodation.

Without a clear understanding of what the ‘Nets Out’ means, it’s hard to feel any certainty on the economic case for tourism

Fig. 3 Overlap of commercial and recreational fishing Summary of the net fishery in grids W37 and W38 calculated in tonnes.

Species.................2010............2011..........2012..........2013...........2014......... 2015 Whiting..................103.60.........94.83.........116.86........92.76...........82.29...... 115.08 Bream....................53.26...........64.78.........87.58..........101.26.........77.18.......140.46 Tailor......................42.25...........45.87.........36.65.........16.19...........32.95....... 34.56 Spinefoot...............43.58...........28.07.........38.13..........29.20..........11.71........ 43.62 Flathead.................27.77...........44.19..........36.91.........26.27..........23.54........31.74 Mackerel school....14.51...........25.15..........26.15..........16.21...........19.56....... 25.62 Bream black..........9.90.............7.763..........12.37..........20.71..........10.48........11.23 extra trips and 50% from extra fishers. The last is 100% of income from extra fishers and no extra spend per fisher.

Scenario I: No Extra Fishers, 100% from extra spend – Break Even If the industry were valued at $180 million,

each current angler would need to spend $0. This would equate to 3940058312 fishing days with 9850-14578 increase in actual fishers.

If the industry were valued at $205 million, each current angler would need to spend $0. This

thus I have removed it from the cost-benefit.

DECLARING MY OWN BIASES I am not a fan of Net Free Zones. Don’t get me wrong, I am working in the Net Free Zones and have seen first-hand how they benefit recreational fishers.

Fig. 4 The following is a breakdown of fishers in the region. Of these fishers a little over 3,500 are part of a club so club fishers represent around 1% of fishers in the region.

Region...................................... Number of Fishers......................Standard Error Brisbane ................................... 236,000 .................................................... 13, 000 Gold Coast ............................... 42,000..........................................................4,700 Sunshine Coast ........................ 59,000..........................................................6,400 West Moreton............................ 17,000...........................................................3,600 each current angler would need to spend $31.7048.92. This would equate to 39,921-58,152 fishing days with no increase in actual fishers.

If the industry were valued at $205 million, each current angler would need to spend $27.84$41.31. This would equate to 34,500-52,440 fishing days with no increase in actual fishers.

Scenario II: 50% from extra spend and 50% from extra fishers – Break Even If the industry were valued at $180 million, each current angler would need to spend $15.85$23.46. This would equate to 39,345-58,231 fishing days with 4,925-7,289 increase in actual fishers.

If the industry were valued at $205 million,

would equate to 8,64913,146 fishing days with 34,595-52,440 increase in actual fishers.

BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME? There is a growing belief at government level that recreational fishers contribute significantly to the economy. In times of plenty, it’s easy to skip by recreational fishing but with the mining boom over, recreational fishing is an industry with significant growth potential. Fishing tourism for example is back on the agenda for the first time in many, many years.

In that context, Net Free Zones make sense, so long as there is a strong case for how that will be achieved.

I think that fishing tourism is important.

It’s demonstrated strong benefits in the Northern

The volunteer collected data is certainly showing a positive change in fishing outcomes. I would think most recreational fishers would want one in their area. However, I am not a fan because there are a million things that can be done at an industry level before such draconian measures are required.

I would far prefer to see a joint industry-driven solution that allows for both sectors to assess the opportunities and adjust.

That adjustment should be funded by the industry.

Of course, that would require a vision for where the industry as a whole is headed.

I am a realist. Years of inaction have created the kind of community pressure that only something like a Net Free Zone can

Fig. 6 RECREATIONAL ECONOMICS Number of fishers (Brisbane, West Moreton)................................23,6400-26,9600 Number of fishing days (Brisbane, West Moreton)......................94,3000-11,57000 Average trips per fisher per year (Brisbane, West Moreton)...................... 3.99-4.29 Annual spend (Brisbane, West Moreton)........................................ $180-205 million Commercial net fishing annual days (less mullet)............... 3774.6 (5 year average) Commercial net fishing annual take (less mullet)................... 510T (5 year average) Total commercial wild fishery QLD (2013-14)........................................ $191 million * Note that not all trips are in the Net Free Zone. This is simply a measure of the value of the Recreational Fishery based on where people live in regions adjacent to the Net Free Zone.

each current angler would need to spend $13.92$21.15. This would equate to 34,547-52,512 fishing

Territory and Queensland has a lot of advantages in offering a range of fishing experiences that

release. The community was promised a significant investment in improving the recreational fishery by

Labor as far back as the Burns Inquiry. Fishers have been paying towards such improvement via a levy on boat registrations.

It’s taken a long time and a lot of advocacy over the years to see that come to pass.

While it’s not my preferred solution, I understand why it’s seen as vital by most recreational fishers.

As such, I think it’s important to get the Net Free Zones right.

THE SUNFISH PROPOSAL The full proposal is quite lengthy so I will keep to the key points. The map hereby is the proposed area of coverage and the impacts include: • The particular commercial license endorsements that need to be removed from the proposed net free areas of Moreton Bay are: all N1 endorsements and all N11 endorsements.

• All K endorsements be restricted to mullet only no incidental catch.

• Tunnel netting regulations need to prohibit the use of gillnet materials.

• Tunnel netting be stopped in some sensitive areas such as Deception Bay to Toorbul Point.

They state that the following won’t be affected: • No impact on the Moreton Bay Prawn Trawl Fishery.

• No impact on the Moreton Bay Crab Fishery.

some level of competition between recreational and commercial species. It’s the common food species where there is the biggest overlap. Five species fit that profile – whiting, bream, tailor, flathead, and school mackerel (see Fig. 3).

The other species of interest to recreational fishers will be baitfish.

Around 30 tonnes of baitfish per year is taken by commercial fishers, and a good portion of that would be used locally. There is no clarity on method of capture so this supply may or may not be affected.

THE RECREATIONAL FISHERY OUTLOOK The Sunfish proposal contains figures from the 2010-11 Recreational Survey, so I will provide updated figures from the 2013-14 Survey (see Fig. 4).

The fishing effort is pretty fierce. Even allowing for the standard error Brisbane fishers managed around 2,700 years in just one physical year. Not all of this effort is in Moreton Bay but it highlights the fact that recreational fishing is still very important to local fishers. One fishing year is equivalent to 2,700 years of fishing effort if you just take Brisbane fishers alone. By comparison, commercial effort is around 11.8 years per year in W37, W38 (see Fig.5).

Fig. 5 Commercial fishing effort Breakdown of the number of days fished from 1 November 2013 to 31 October 2014.

Region............... Days Fished......... Standard Error Brisbane ............ 992,000............................... 91,000 Gold Coast ........ 112,000............................... 22,000 Sunshine Coast .202,000............................... 28,000 West Moreton..... 58,000..................................16,000 • No significant impact on the ocean beach mullet fishery.

• No significant impact on the tunnel net fishery.

• No impact on the commercial line fishery.

THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR IS CHANGING One factor on the side of the commercial sector is they have plans that will be of benefit to the community. While it is their place to communicate that plan they are taking positive steps along the path of innovation and creating more value within their product.

This is essential to the long-term health of the commercial industry and I think a step in the right direction.

OVERLAP OF COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHING There are a range of species where there is

LOCAL RECREATIONAL ECONOMICS I am not an economist, but I do try and demonstrated as simply as possible.

The 2000 National Recreational Fishing Survey projected that Queensland fishers spend on average $555 on fishing per year. I will use that figure with a 2% CPI adjustment which brings annual spend to $761 per fisher. Without another survey, that is as good a figure as we have. There will be others that come up with higher values for the industry, but I would prefer to be conservative (see Fig.6).

COMMERCIAL FISHERY ECONOMICS The wild commercial harvest industry was valued at $191 million in 2013-14 (ABARES). A summary of the key species include:

• Prawns were the largest wild-caught fisheries product in Queensland.

An estimated 5,988 tonnes of prawns were landed in 2013-14. The total value of wild-caught prawn production was $70 million in 2013-14.

• Crabs represented the second most valuable species caught in Queensland in 2013-14. A total of 2,793 tonnes were landed, which contributed $30 million to total production value in the wild-catch sector.

• Other key species landed in Queensland’s wildcatch sector included coral trout ($27 million, 840 tonnes), lobsters (mainly Queensland bugs) ($20 million, 818 tonnes), barramundi ($7 million, 813 tonnes) and scallops ($5 million, 2,514 tonnes).

Looking at the species that most overlap in the Net Free Zone (total Queensland figures 2013-14): Bream ($1.07 million, 134 tonnes) average $7.99 per kilo; whiting ($3.0 million, 838 tonnes) average $3.59 per kilo; tailor (not available); mullet ($4.2 million, 1477 tonnes) average $2.50 per kilo; king threadfin ($1.34 million, 305 tonnes) average $4.39 per kilo; sharks ($1.72 million, 305 tonnes); grey mackerel ($3.99 million, 719 tonnes); snapper ($523,000, 64 tonnes); and other ($5.5 million, 1284 tonnes).

If we apply the value proportionally to the W37, W38 Net Fishing in 2013-14 we get: Bream ($714,000, 89.42 tonnes); whiting ($310,000, 86.44 tonnes); mullet ($1.35 million, 473.64 tonnes); king threadfin ($50,700, 11.54 tonnes); sharks ($79,500, 26.5 tonnes); grey mackerel ($37,500, 6.7 tonnes); and snapper ($65,000, 8 tonnes).

Is there a question or issue that you would like us to look at? Send questions to suntag@info-fish.net and we will do our best to provide an answer.

Data sources used in this article: • C ommercial catch economic value – ABARES Australian fisheries and aquaculture statistics 2014 • R e c r e a t i o n a l economic value – The National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey • Commercial Catch Data • Recreational Fisher Numbers and Effort – Statewide Recreational Fishing Survey 2013–14 • Sunfish Proposal – Moreton Bay Net Free Area Submission 250516 • NOAA – Fisheries Economics of The U.S. 2011 JULY 2016

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THE RECREATIONAL ANGLER’S LINK WHAT D OES YOU R PL ATE CO ST? I M PORTE D AN D LO CAL FISH PR ICE AN D TH E N FZ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The first weekend of winter certainly set us up for a change. Up until then we had still been experiencing mild nights and warm days.

In years gone by the bream would have been around in significant numbers by now, but this year they haven’t put in much of an appearance. I anticipate the wet will change things up.

Over the last 20 years, and more significantly now because of the current media circus raising questions against the declaration of the three northern net free areas.

One of the arguments against the nets is always, “where will people who don’t fish get their fish and chips?” This is not a new argument, and we have prepared data over a significant period of time to provide clear information with respect to Moreton Bay against the unfounded allegations that without nets there will be no access for locals to buy fish.

Unscrupulous retailers and in the north even cleared window space and put up signs saying this is what would happen after the net free areas were enacted. They also claimed that no one would be able to buy barramundi anymore. Not surprisingly, that hasn’t happened.

In 2014-15 38.1% of Queensland Fisheries

lack of local fresh seafood available and the increase of interstate and imported fish at lower prices.

The terms of reference for the survey were to ascertain; the availability, type, form, origin and cost of current fish products available to the public in the survey area.

To compare the results with our previous surveys in 1999 and 2012. And to ascertain how much and what species were supplied locally by the commercial sector for purchase by the public.

Generally, local and interstate species were advertised as Australian product with exceptions such as ‘Hervey Bay’ scallops and ‘Tasmanian’ salmon etc. Some imported product indicated country of origin such as barramundi (Taiwan), smoked cod (South Africa), snapper (NZ). Most were just labelled as ‘imported’.

Only one outlet actually had defined labelling practices.

AVAILABILITY ••••••••••••••••••• Common local fish such as fresh whole whiting, bream, flathead and snapper were only stocked by 20% or less of outlets. The range of generally available interstate

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Species................... 1999...............2012............ 2016 Mullet....................... 60%................64%............. 55% Whiting.................... 50% ..............20% . .......... 15% Barramundi.............. 30%................57%............. 55% Snapper . ................ 40%................43%............. 20% Sand Crabs............. 40%................50%............. 70%

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JULY 2016

trout fillets were $50/kg compared to fresh Atlantic salmon fillets at $33 and frozen basa fillets at $8. The lowest cost product per kilo for whole fish was mullet at $6, trevally and tilapia at

and generally a specific bulk caught commercial fish.

Recreational local fish such as snapper, pearl perch, whiting, bream, tailor, swallowtail, mackerel, and coral reef fish were generally

comparisons could be made was 8.5%. The average increase for all interstate products where comparisons could be made was 1%.

The average increase for all imported products where

ORIGIN •••••••••••••••••••

PERCENTAGE OF OUTLETS THAT SUPPLY FISH BASED ON SPECIES

production was from aquaculture. The main two species were prawns and barramundi. In fact, 2,930.9 tonnes of aquaculture barramundi were produced in 2014-15 compared to only 687.95 tonnes of wild caught barramundi.

Sunfish Queensland commissioned three retail surveys from 1999-2016 to ascertain the amount of local fish that reach our retail outlets and what the price affordability was over that same period.

The 2016 survey was done in April/May to provide a seasonal variation to previous surveys. All outlets in each of the surveys were restricted to the Brisbane Region only – from Bribie to Logan. The surveys were commenced as a result of numerous statements from individuals and the public that commented on the

Queensland coral reef and rocky reef fish species varied in availability and were not consistently stocked. (Local pearl perch was available in one outlet only).

The products most

product had increased due to the larger range of inshore species such as mullet, bream, whiting, tailor, luderick, and mulloway identified as sourced from NSW, and deep water species such as gold band snapper (NT).

The range of generally available imported products had remained stable with previously high volume products losing market share to hoki. Asian imports of milkfish and tilapia appeared in 20% of the outlets.

This photo on the left shows the price of local whiting and barra at $37.95 and $42.50/ kg respectively. By comparison the photo on the right shows red spot emperor and sweet lip fillets imported from Indonesia at a reduced cost – $26.99 and $28.99 respectively. stocked in outlets were – Atlantic salmon (13 outlets), mullet and barramundi (7), South African smoked cod (8), prawns in various forms (13).

FORM OF PRODUCT ••••••••••••••••••• There is a trend to buy filleted product rather than whole and this was more noticeable in interstate and imported product. Where fresh whole local fish was stocked there was generally the same species in filleted form and for sale as cooked fish. Imported product was generally frozen with approximately 20% whole and 80% fillets. They were generally in sealed packets/ boxes. Local crustaceans (prawns, crabs) were almost totally sold as whole animals (green or cooked). Stocking of interstate shellfish such as oysters and mussels has increased

RESULTS COMPARISONS •••••••••••••••••••

Generally, as expected all prices have increased, but local product (8.5%) had increased more than interstate and imported product (1%).

Some local product had increased by 20-50%, which is well above average. Coral

STANDAR D SERVE OF PROTEIN

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 65g cooked lean red meats such as beef, lamb, veal, pork, goat or kangaroo (about 90-100g raw) • 80g cooked lean poultry such as chicken or turkey (100g raw) • 100g cooked fish fillet (about 115g raw)

www.sunfishqld.com.au

$10, and milkfish at $9. For fillets, blue grenadier ($13), basa ($8), and mullet ($11) were the cheapest. Mussels ($10) and Bay Prawns ($16) were the lowest cost product in the crustacean/shellfish division.

The highest cost products per kilo for whole fish items included coral trout ($37), NZ snapper ($21), summer whiting ($21), flathead ($18), and mud crabs ($30).

The highest cost of filleted species was summer whiting ($42), barramundi ($35), snapper ($40), red emperor ($43). And in the crustaceans/ shellfish category cooked large king and tiger prawns ($33), Moreton Bay bugs ($40), scallops ($80) were the highest cost. All Queensland products had a 16% increase.

LOCAL PRODUCT

BY COMMERCIALS •••••••••••••••••••

The statement that commercial operators supply the public has only limited validity, as local inshore product availability was low – only 30% stocked one or more local fish species and mullet predominated. In most cases the cost was well above interstate and imported product – prime fish was very expensive, with whiting fillets costing $42, snapper fillets at $40, coral trout fillets at $50, scallops at $80, red emperor fillets at $57, and mud crabs at $30 – making them a luxury.

Local whole product that was generally of a lower price was whole mullet at $7, bay prawns at $10-15, all of which are of a low recreational catch importance

not available for sale. Only three shops sold whole fresh Queensland coral reef fish, which was limited collectively to only five main species.

If volume sales in all supermarkets could be assessed (at Coles, Woolworths, IGA), it would be expected that interstate and imported products would greatly exceed local fresh product.

DISCUSSION ON THE FINDINGS 1999 TO 2016 •••••••••••••••••••

The quality of the product varied and often reflected the listed price difference between the outlets. In several outlets the product was obviously days old and some had two grades for the same species that reflected the ‘shelf life’ difference.

Most of the specialist seafood outlets could be considered excellent areas to purchase well-presented and fresh product. There was little advertising of whether the frozen product had been thawed or not. Supermarket and specialist seafood outlet labelling was generally more accurate, but lacked specific origin details except when promoting high price product, for example, Hervey Bay export grade scallops at $107/ kg. No ‘unfrozen’ product had catch or use by dates.

Product availability was spread in a similar pattern in all surveys with not all surveyed outlets stocking similar products.

Product availability differed between surveys.

The average increase for all local fish product where

comparisons could be made was 1%.

The average current price for scotch fillet steak is $30/kg, which equates to $2.70 per portion of protein.

Whiting fillets are $42/kg equates to $4.83 per portion of protein. Most families can’t afford to regularly eat scotch fillet steak so that certainly makes whiting well out of the reach of most.

Seafood outlets in the greater Brisbane area are stocking very little Moreton Bay fish, and most of what is stocked is outside of the budget of the average local family. Therefore, removing gillnets from Moreton Bay will have no significant impact on the supply of fresh fish to those locals who are unable to catch their own.

The full printed report will be available shortly.

SOURCES

•• Agriculture, • • • • Fisheries • • • • and Forestry in Queensland, 2015.

Research by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences.

• www.eatforhealth. gov.au

Email: judylynne@sunfishqld.com.au

FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION THE EMOTIONS OF A CRAB

ANGRY ANNOYED BOTHERED CANTANKEROUS CRABBY CROSS ENRAGED FUMING FURIOUS GROUCHY GRUMPY HEATED

INCENSED INFURIATED IRATE IRRITATED LIVID MAD OFFENDED PETULANT SEETHING TESTY TOUCHY

Win a pack of Pocket Balls – instant reusable pocketsized heat packs that are safe, waterproof and available in a variety of sport themes, including footy, cricket, golf, tennis, soccer and more! Activated by simple click of the disk inside the ball. To find out more visit www.take5energize.com.au/Pocket-Balls.

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

QLD JULY 2016

Phone (day):

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to M Chadwick from Gladstone, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive a Surf Lifesaving prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The subscriber prize winner for May was D Cooke of Riverhills, who won a Silstar/Okuma/Sufix prize pack.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE ZEREK LOGO

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

The answers to Find the Zerek Logo for May were: 10, 14, 18, 22, 24, 32, 38, 40, 42, 46, 51, 55, 91, 94, 100, 111. – QFM The Find the Zerek logo prize winners for May were: M Chadwick of Gladstone, I Tomkins of Frenchville, R Maynard of Nundah, J Buddle of Torquay, D Smith of Sunnybank, S Whitfield of Broadbeach, B Bull of Coombabah, B Mackey of Parkwood, J Higgins of Caboolture, T Holmes of Childers, B Tieman of Buxton, A James of Burpengary, K O’Brien of Burrum Heads, G McCrossan of Wellington Point, S Grice of Hope Island, R Benson of Boondall, B Newton of Trinity Beach, K Martin of Dalby, C Couper of Chinchilla, N Humble of Rockhampton, R Wright of Urangan, B O’Connor of South Bingera, C Rowe of Loganholme, B Frankel of Pottsville, G Crossley of wilsonton, D Midgley of Morayfield, J Goody of Mt Berryman, B Barratt of Bucca, B Fisher of Roma, N Hogbin of Coominya, K Logan of Yeppoon, M Goodwin of Cardwell, A Jones of Warwick, R Dowden of Bundaberg, N Euston of Tully, F Brook of Leeton, S Theofanes of Home Hill, T Dunshea of Glen Innes, R Peake of Gympie, J Conte of Tullera.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

MAJOR FIND THE PRIZE

The Major prize winners for the Find the Zerek logo: 1st prize of $600 prize pack goes to L Rojahn of Banyo; 2nd prize of $400 prize pack goes to D Smith of Sunnybank; 3rd prize of $200 prize pack goes to G Poor of Taromeo.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM JULY 2016

83

Cooking

Be a sucker for salt and pepper baby octopus BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

The spicy (Schezuan pepper) and briny (freshly ground salt) flavours partner beautifully with baby octopus.

The baby octopus is gently simmered in water until just tender, drained and then lightly coated in cornflour. The octopus is then quick fried in canola oil (or similar), coated in salt and Schezuan pepper and served. The salt and pepper coating on all those crispy tentacles makes for a delicious mouthful for either a snack or part of a seafood feast.

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I prefer to use cornflour (or rice flour) rather than plain flour to coat the baby octopus. When fried, the cornflour gives the baby octopus a lighter crispier coating.

I have added the salt and pepper to the flour in the past but have found that the flavour gets lost.

Alternatively, you could use chilli flakes instead of pepper.

Ingredients • 1kg baby octopus • 1 cup canola oil (or similar), for frying • 1 cup cornflour • 3-4 tablespoon Schezuan pepper (lightly crushed) • 1-2 tablespoons freshly ground salt

The ingredients for the salt and pepper octopus: cornflour, baby octopus, sparkling wine corks (please see handy hints), lightly crushed pepper, and salt.

JULY 2016

4

Tumble the octopus through the cornflour to coat. Alternatively, you could put the cornflour into a resealable plastic bag, add the octopus and shake well to coat.

Place half of the flour-coated octopus in the hot oil in the wok. After adding the octopus to the oil, allow the oil to come to temperature again (this will only take a moment). When the oil is hot again, add the remainder of the flour-coated octopus to the wok. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until the coating is crisp.

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Generously sprinkle the crushed Szechuan pepper onto the octopus and toss through to ensure it is thoroughly coated.

Generously sprinkle the pepper-coated octopus with freshly ground salt.

Simmer the baby octopus in a large pot of water for approximately 30 minutes. Strain the water and place the octopus onto a plate in preparation.

Handy Hint: Add wine corks to the water in which you simmer the baby octopus. I have tried simmering baby octopus with corks and without corks and the cork addition definitely gets the thumbs up from me for making the octopus more tender. I am not sure how adding the cork to the water achieves this but it is thought that the enzymes in the cork may play a part in tenderising the octopus.

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5

Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cooked octopus from the wok.

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Serve the salt and pepper octopus with wedges of freshly cut lime (or lemon).

FIND THE

LOGO COMPETITION There are 15

MAJOR PRIZES

MONTHLY PRIZES

Logos hidden throughout the pages of Fishing Monthly.

1

PLACE

Logo and page number, fill in the entry form and go in the draw to win!

The first 40 correct entries drawn at the end of the month will win a packet of 2.5” Grubz in Motor Oil Colour.

All entries will go into the major prize draw. (Drawn November 30, 2016)

2

3

4

5

VALUE OF TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS

500

$ ND

2

• PACKET OF ZMAN 2.5” GRUBZ IN MOTOR OIL COLOUR • Value RRP: $9.95 each www.tackletactics.com.au PAGE NO: 1

1000

$ ST

Find the

6

7

8

9

10

PLACE

VALUE OF TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS

200

$ RD

3

PLACE

11

12

VALUE OF TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS

13

14

15

NAME ............................................................................................................

ADDRESS .......................................................................................................

Original entries only. No photocopies.

Images for illustration purposes only.

SUBURB .................................................................P/CODE ...........................

PHONE ..................................................................MOB ...............................

EMAIL ............................................................................................................

QFM JULY 2016

MAIL ENTRIES TO:

QFM Find the Zman Logo Competition, PO BOX 3172, Loganholme QLD 4129 Entries must be received by 31ST JULY 2016

Swipe right for knots BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

Round and round and round and round and round.

I’m not talking about the federal election, or about the ceiling fan after just one sample of rum from the special Boobies Batch.

Neither am I referring to my physical description on Tinder, if I ever was to go on Tinder, which I haven’t. In fact I don’t even know what Tinder is, and anyway, what’s wrong with that? Except that I don’t know what it is.

Actually, I’m referring to tying a braid to mono leader knot. For those who don’t know, braid line is like very thin, strong string, which is great because it’s sometimes easier to cast and better for feeling bites. Unfortunately, it also breaks easily when rubbed against a rock or a log, and it has no stretch, which means fish find it easier to pull the hooks from their mouths. For these reasons, it’s best practice to tie a small length of old fashioned fishing line, or mono line to the end of your braid line, which gives you some protection in terms of shock

86

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absorption and protection from rocks and snags. The nylon hopefully rubs against the rocks and logs and is much tougher than braid.

But here’s the problem.

You have to join that thin, string like braid to the thicker stretchy mono line.

That knot has to be stronger than a giant strong thing, but also thin enough to pass easily through the rings on your rod. If the knots are too big, casting your line feels like driving a B Double with no tyres over a steel cattle grid. Now there are many ways you can tie these two bits together. When braid first came on the market, there were no interwebs to give us directions on tying these knots, so it was a bit of trial and error. Skipper had one that was about the size of a shotput ball, but harder.

We encouraged him to start tying it the night before our Dudd’s trips started – mainly so we could hang shite on him on the trip to Awoonga/ Turkey/Baffle while he finished tying up. Mostly that failed because he still hadn’t finished by the time the trip ended.

It was no use asking the pros about it. We paid old mate at Awoonga to take us

out and show us how the big boys did things and before we got out there onto the water he showed us his you beaut knot. Great we thought.

It was a pretty knot, but questions were raised when it came undone under the strain of a big barra. Luckily we’d only been casting for an entire football season non-stop, so I wasn’t that cut up about it. Think of Tarzan yodelling and birds flying out of trees, elephants trumpeting and leopards hiding in trees.

But it’s pretty standard for me to throw my toys out of the playpen when I lose a fish, so the Dudds weren’t surprised.

Since then, we’ve moved through a plethora of variations in an effort to find the thinnest, strongest connection. Boobies thought he’d found the holy grail earlier this year but while it works well, you have to wind Part A around Part B roughly eighty times in four equal directions under exactly 33lb tension all while you position yourself in a half cloverleaf pretzel position.

Much like that one photo of me on Tinder. If I was on Tinder. But I’m not. I don’t even know what it is.

What’s Tinder?

Wilson Moreton Bay and Offshore Family comp The Wilson Moreton Bay and Offshore Family Fishing Challenge was held from the 3-5 June.

Unfortunately the Challenge was held in the worst conditions experienced in 25 years!

Serious consideration was given to postponing the event, but as everything was in place and entrants had travelled from Perth, the Hunter Valley, Sunshine Coast and Central Queensland it simply

wasn’t possible to wait.

Such is the popularity of the event, with over 180 senior entrants and 40 junior entrants braving the weather to participate in a great tournament.

Hopefully next year the weather will be better!

We had some good results, regardless of the weather including Mark Woodward’s admittance to the ‘Whiting 40cm Club,’ with a 43.5cm model.

The catch and release

division targeted flathead.

Jason Clive took out the mens competition with a 75.5cm flathead. Rebecca Baeb, who had a fantastic run on the water took out the ladies section with a massive 70cm specimen, and Lachlan Baker won the junior section with 46.5cm of great flathead released to fight another day. The most notable catch of the day went to Richard Paterson, who subdued a whopping 7.03kg mangrove jack!

RESULTS TABLE Species.................... Division...................Angler.................................Weight (kg) Bream....................... Mens........................Ben Longden.......................1.52 Bream....................... Ladies......................Fleur Pittman.......................0.81 Bream....................... Juniors.....................Jesse Hinder.......................0.98 Snapper.................... Mens........................Glen Bellamy.......................7.12 Snapper.................... Ladies......................Rebecca Baeb....................0.98 Snapper.................... Juniors.....................Izac Matherson...................2.35 Whiting..................... Ladies......................Rebecca Baeb....................0.98 Whiting..................... Juniors.....................Mason Baeb........................0.63 Flathead.................... Mens........................Max Jeanneret....................1.42 Flathead.................... Ladies......................Rebecca Baeb....................1.38 Flathead.................... Juniors.....................Jeese Hinder.......................1.46 Tailor......................... Mens........................Gary Enkelmann..................1.77 Mulloway.................. Mens........................Richard Paterson.................7.38 Sweetlip.................... Mens........................Bodhi Gould........................0.47

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2016 JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

Jul 2-3

Rnd 10 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Mandurah

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Jul 23-24

Rnd 11 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Lake Macquarie

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Jul 23-24

MBTBC Fishing Classic Moreton Bay

(07) 3396 8161

Jul 29-31

Isisford Fishing Competition Oma Waterhole

Sally (07) 4658 8914

Aug 7

BASS Electric #4 Hinze Dam

Justin Thompson 0421 476 392

Aug 20-21

BREAM Qualifier #7 Clarence River

ABT 07 3387 0888 abt.org.au

Aug 24-25

BREAM Qualifier #8 Gold Coast

ABT 07 3387 0888 abt.org.au

Aug 27-28

Rnd 12 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Wallis Lake

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Sept 10-11

Rnd 13 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Nelson

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Sept 10-11

Rnd 13 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Nelson

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Sept 17-18 Bowen Family Fishing Classic

Bowen

Russ McCabbin 4786 3899 www.bowenfamilyfishingclassic.com

Sept 23-24 WTF Women That Fish Barra Classic

Shara 0429923243 Fitzroy River

Sept 25 BASS Electric #5

Daniel Clancy 0419 690 418 Lake St Clair

Oct 8-9

BASS Electric #6 Borumba Dam

Steve Noble 0409 239 065

Oct 8-9

Rnd 14 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Bribie Island

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Oct 22-23

BASS Electric Convention Maroon Dam

www.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.

JULY 2016

87

2016 King of the Pin Another year has come and gone for King of the Pin, with a hugely successful tournament on our hands. The weather this year decided to turn on the fan during the days, but the nights were exceptional. Most who

competition was won by one of the local lads with a smashing 10kg mulloway, and our junior won with a 6.055kg mulloway. Lots of good quality fish were caught across the species.

This year saw the introduction of a Catch and

RESULTS Bream winners Division Angler Mens Daniel Clark Ladies Sam McConnell Boys Bradley Bryant Girls Ashleigh Powell Flathead winners Division Angler Mens Brendan Bahr Ladies Julie Morrow Boys Kyle Hunter Girls Storm Luppnaw Whiting winners Division Angler Mens Ben Haslet Ladies Birnie Drescher Boys Duke Buhagiar Girls Mia Drescher Tailor winners Division Angler Mens Darryl Herbst Ladies Birnie Drescher Boys Ben Maddon Girls Madi Drescher Mulloway winners Division Angler Mens Troy Watt Boys Jay Enrieken Girls Danika Herbst fished the competition either fished at night or managed to find themselves a spot out of the wind during the days.

With all that said, we still managed a fantastic result for entries, which was only slightly down compared with the last few years. This year the

Weight (kg) 1.168 1.120 0.572 0.522 Weight (kg) 2.346 1.920 1.494 2.280 Weight (kg) 0.722 0.408 0.248 0.336

thanks to Austackle for their tireless efforts in the lead up to and on the weekend of our great competition.

On behalf of myself, the president, the executive and general committees, and members of the Sundowners Amateur Fishing Club, we want to thank all our sponsors and competitors who make this competition a huge success every year.

We look forward to seeing you all next year – hopefully with a few of your mates. Watch our Facebook page and website for updates on next year’s competition.

Sundowners would like to thank all of our very generous sponsors that include: 5 star timbers, Alvey, Anaconda Everton Park, Austackle, BCF Ipswich and Loganholme,

A wonderful day was had by all – especially the prize winners!

Boat Hire, Charlton’s Bait and Tackle, Club Marine, Coomera Houseboats,

Weight (kg) 2.434 1.594 0.702 0.900 Weight (kg) 10 6.05 4.34

2016 KING OF THE PIN AUSTACKLE CATCH AND RELEASE WINNERS Species Division Angler Bream Senior Glen Baker Bream Junior Lachlan Baker Flathead Senior Glen Crowther Flathead Junior Lachlan Baker Tailor Senior Glen Crowther Tailor Junior Lachlan Baker Whiting Senior Glen Crowther and Tackle, Gem Hotel, Greens Marine Stainless, Hooked Online, Horizon

Points 105 101 171 35 84 84 35

Shores Marina, Inox, Klik Sinkers, Lizd’n Enterprises, Office National, Pritchett

Release division. The Catch and Release competition was solely sponsored and run by Austackle and went very smoothly. This new addition saw less than expected entries but we are sure this will grow as the years go by. Congratulations to all our new anglers who managed a win, and a big

The junior section of the competition is a great way to get kids enthused about fishing!

Beenleigh Bowls Club, Beenleigh Goodyear, Bert Van Manen MP, Bush and Beach, Cabbage Tree

Crawford Marine, Datatel, De Bortelli Wines, Eastcoast Trimming, Fishy Baits, Gem Bait

Some big fish were weighed in and some great prizes given away.

The King of the Pin competition was a massive success thanks to great sponsorship and a fantastic spirit of competition.

88

JULY 2016

Tipper Hire, QLD Fishing Monthly, Rudi Maas Marina, Southport Dive Centre, Southside Marine Trimming, Tackle Warehouse, The Coffee Lady, Tipplers Resort, Trader Tag, Victoria Point Bait and Tackle, Visy, Vulcan Steel, VMR Jacobs Well, Water Tower Bait and Tackle, Wedderburn Scales, Wilson, and Yatala Outboard Wrecking.

Without these people and businesses we couldn’t run this fantastic competition. Please support our sponsors as they do us, tell them you saw and heard about them at King of the Pin. – Sundowners Amateur Fishing Club Inc

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This section in QLD Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching.

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

MARINE ELECTRONICS

Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

Stones Corner Marine (07) 3397 9766 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Northside Marine (07) 3265 8029 Tweed Powerhouse (07) 5523 0072 Coorparoo Marine (07) 3397 4141 Capalaba Boat Centre 04011 728 379 Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Cunningham Marine Centre (07) 3284 8805

MARINE ELECTRONICS

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• Sounders • GPS • Electric Motors • Marine Radios and accessories • Stereos • Televisions • Radar Units • Autopilots Unit 4/1440 New Cleveland Road Capalaba www.trymax.com.au PHONE: 07 3245 3633

Caloundra Marine (07) 5491 1944 Bribie Boat Sales (07) 3408 0055

NORTH QUEENSLAND Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

MARINE MECHANICS // MOBILE WYNUMM MANLY-BAYSIDE

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS She Left Camera Sunglasses www.hdvcs.com.au Specialty Fishing www.specialtyfishing.com.au U-Make-Em Sort Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au J-Roc Tackle www.jroctackle.com.au

Mechanic Mobile Marine

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Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587

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HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND FRASER ISLAND

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Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727

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• Boat Carpet • Pontoon Carpet • Jetty Fenders • Clears

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For bookings or enquiries contact: Cliff Andreassen 0428 712 283 or 07 5449 9346 A FISHO’S DREAM

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Runaway Bay

MARINE COVERS

SERVICING ALL AREAS & ALL BUDGETS

MARINE TRAILERS Oceanic Boat Trailers (07) 5597 0577 Seatrail Trailers www.seatrailqld.com.au Tinnie Tosser (07) 5498 7339 Sea-Link Special Trailers (07) 3881 3568

Quality Boat Covers • Flybridge Enclosures • Bimini Tops etc.

Upholstery & Carpets • Bunk Cushions • Custom Interiors etc.

Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177 Fraser Island Beach Houses 1800 626 230 Yidney Rocks (07) 4127 9167 Eurong Beach Resort 1800 111 808

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Trades, Services, Charter Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

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HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel Plenty of room for boats and trailers PH: 4069 5222 HINCHINBROOK Cardwell Beachfront Motel - www.cardwellbeachmotel.net (07) 4066 8776 or info.cbmotel@bigpond.com MACKAY BEL AIR MOTEL, MACKAY - PLENTY OF ROOM FOR BOATS AND TRAILERS.............PH: 07 4957 3658 FRESHWATER Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746 Lake Boondooma Caravan Park (07) 4168 9694 Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872 Yallakool Park and Kiosk on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

CHARTER BOATS

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Baffle Creek Holiday House 0419 624 833

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Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

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A very nice squid caught by Taylor Kooy at Point Cartwright on a squid jig. Great work, Taylor, bet it tasted great on the plate!

Fishing Monthly’s editorial assistant and “fighter jet pilot” Robert Thornton was surprised to land this catfish while tagging bass at North Pine Dam.

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Jackson’s July options HERVEY BAY

Jackson Bargenquast

Winter can be a fun time to fish, and after the run of summer pelagic action that I get into with my father, it’s good to sometimes have a break and settle down for some slower fishing trips.

Tuna and trevally are big fast fish, but flathead,

offshore fishing tough, but there’s always somewhere down the straits or the river to get out of the wind, and this is where I like to chase a few flathead.

Light lines of 10-15lb are ideal with a good 20lb fluorocarbon leader, a few small hardbodies and some lighter 1/4oz jigheads and 3” plastics is all you need for some great fun. Look for shallow water warmed by

food shop, you don’t always stop and have a snack!

Cool water in the bay can bring on the annual snapper run, and the artificial reef is a good spot to start with baits. I prefer plastics and hardbody lures just on daylight and dusk.

Look for bait schools on the sounder and fish near them.

We often popper fish for whiting down the straits, and around German Creek

The author caught this diamond trevally in winter in the Sandy Straits.

This trevally was caught while snapper fishing with a plastic. smaller mulloway and even whiting on poppers can be fun on light tackle.

The weather over the last few weeks, particularly after the rain we’ve had, has cooled off dramatically, making early starts painful.

I like the warm part of the year when the sun rises early, and that’s my cue to wake Dad up and put the boat in the water. This time of the year can see southerly and westerly winds that make

the sun, especially around rocks and structure, as the baitfish will be there, and this is where the big flathead will be.

Patience is needed, as a big flathead can be cunning. I have been stood on the pier and watched big flathead from above ignore everything, even a live herring dropped on their nose! They can be very frustrating, but I guess every time you walk past a

and Longpad Gutte. The last half of the run-out tide is my pick, and a good tip is to stay in water less than a meter deep. Any of the small clear poppers or stickbaits work, just remember to keep winding at a medium pace to imitate a shrimp or prawn skipping across the surface.

Smaller trevally are about and take whiting and flathead lures – they put up a good fight on light line. We release all of these,

Snapper become a staple in winter for anglers in the Hervey Bay region.

94

JULY 2016

A winter longtail tuna that came up from the depths in snapper territory. as they aren’t very good to cook, only keeping the odd flathead or squid for a tasty meal.

When we get offshore on the calm days, we often find big tuna down

deep on snapper spots and catch them on deep lures and plastics intended for snapper. They can be over 15kg, but don’t seem to fight as hard as they do in summer, possibly due to the

water temperatures.

So there you go, there’s still quite a few fish to be caught in the depths of winter. I hope these tips see you into some quality fish in the near future.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Fishers charged $5,000 in fines A Brisbane recreational fisher with a history of fisheries offences has been convicted and fined $3,000 after undersized fish were found in a large catch on the Gold Coast.

A second Brisbane man who was also charged in relation to the matter was fined $2,000 in the Southport Magistrates Court.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district manager Rob McDonald said officers sorted through up to 1,000 fish when they inspected a vessel late at night at the Paradise Point boat ramp in May 2015.

“27 undersized regulated fish were detected including 13 bream, 8 tarwhine,

5 dusky flathead and 1 Moses snapper,” Mr McDonald said.

“The fishers told QBFP officers they had been cast net fishing in The Broadwater for several hours and had not measured any of their catch of mostly non-regulated species, that is, fish without size or possession limits.”

The Brisbane men faced four charges of unlawfully possessing undersized fish which are regulated under the Fisheries Act. Mr McDonald reminded all fishers to correctly measure and count their catch to ensure it complies with Queensland size and possession limits.

“Size and possession limits are in place to protect and conserve fish stocks for current and future generations,” he said.

“Fishers should use a sturdy ruler with an end stop to measure the length of their fish or a crab gauge to measure their crabs.”

“If a fisher catches an undersized or unwanted fish they should return it to the water immediately, taking as much care as possible to avoid causing the fish any injury.”

If you suspect illegal fishing report it to the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.

For more information on Queensland fishing rules, visit www.fisheries.qld.gov. au, call 13 25 23 or download the free ‘Qld Fishing’ app. – DAF

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 96 Kayak Hotspot Inside story...

Stessco are an Australian owned and operated family business, with dealerships located in every state. Stessco pride themselves on their flexible boat building arrangements and every client can customise their Stessco to suit their needs and get the best value and vessel for their money.

Remember, ‘If it’s not a Stessco, you’ve missed the boat!’

Made for...

Stessco have a boat to cover every activity.

Those interested in family boating and all-rounder models will love the gorgeous SunSeeker and Bow Rider ranges. Heavy duty fishing vessels like the Bass Tracker range, will entice the keen anglers out there.

This month...

We check out the versatile, sleek and affordable SunSeeker 540 package!.

Olivia Mckenna takes us on a tour of the fishing delights off Wellington Point.

100 All-rounders

The last instalment of Wayne Kampe’s guides to buying a boat – this month he helps us find the right all-rounder.

102 Savage launch

Fishing Monthly headed to the recent Savage media day and were impressed by the updated range.

106 Stacer 469 Outlaw QFM reviewed the Outlaw and found the right fusion of fishing features and functionality.

108 Stessco SunSeeker

Steve Morgan reviews the Stessco SunSeeker 540 and found it had a fantastic ability to switch from family to fishing mode.

Wello Wello Wello – tell me more, tell me more!

DALBY

Olivia McKenna

Wellington Point is approximately 20km southeast of Brisbane. The point itself extends out into Moreton Bay, and is well known for its iconic jetty and seaside village atmosphere. The jetty is a great land-based fishing spot for families and anyone after a bit of light gear fun.

The waters out from the point are ideal for amateur and experienced kayak anglers alike. Flathead and

only option. When the tide is in there is a small kayak-only ramp at the southeast end of the car park.

Dawn, dusk and night fishing produces the best results with live and lightly weighted dead baits catching many fish. Fish will bite bait, plastics and an assortment of lures during the day as well.

A respectable fish finder will greatly increase your chances of success. The area is mostly sand and mud flats, however there are areas of rock, reef and weed as well as drop-offs and channels that hold significant numbers of fish.

Trolling hardbodies, soft plastics and using baits are the preferred techniques. The reef and flats around both King and Green islands are ideal places to plan a trip.

The reefs around the islands hold many species including bream and flathead, so cast lightly weighted soft plastics and vibes into the structure to stir up any resident fish.

Slightly heavier line may be needed for this close to structure combat to decrease the amount of bust-offs. Flats in water less than 2m can be a lot of fun when you break out the surface lures.

Small poppers are great on

Wellington Point is a diverse fishery with stacks of opportunities for kayak and land-based anglers. It’s also home to some gorgeous sunrises!

A paparazzi shot of a juvenile snapper taken on a plastic. bream are good all year round target species for the area, however, winter can bring some big snapper into the bay. King and Green islands are quite easily accessible by kayak from the point and hold many species of fish due to reef habitat. Like all open water, the weather needs to be taken into consideration to ensure a safe and productive trip. Winds below 10 knots are ideal for a trip out in a smaller yak around 3m in length or less. Anything above this warrants a larger and more stable craft. The water becomes quite choppy and unpleasant in winds that exceed 12 knots, so be sure to get an accurate weather forecast before departure.

The cooler months deliver calm days with clear glassy conditions and big snapper.

There are many protected areas within the bay, so follow the rules and make sure you aren’t fishing where fishing is prohibited. You are unlikely to paddle any distance from Wellington Point to land yourself in one of these green zones, but it pays to do some research.

Access to the water at low tide is minimal, with the boat ramp at the jetty the 96

JULY 2016

Groups of locals regularly head out into the bay from Wello. specimens. Light tackle with rods around the 2-4kg range paired with 2500 reels, 4-15lb braid and leader will be all that is needed on most days. Take a slightly heavier set-up in case you run into something bigger. With such a diverse fishery you never know when the big girls are

in town and ready to play.

Soft plastics 3-5” long presented on 1/8th to 1/2oz jigheads will cover all bases.

Mix it up with hardbody lures in varying styles and depths as well as soft and hard vibes. Fresh bait and light weights do very well in all situations.

Groups of locals regularly head out into the bay from Wello – visit the local tackle stores to find out more information and possibly join one of these groups on an outing. The wide variety of species and habitats of Wellington Point are sure to deliver.

Plastics have been the flavour of the month, catching many species across the board.

A large variety of species can be caught in this diverse fishery including bream, flathead, sweetlip, snapper and cod. The odd mackerel and other exotic reef species can make an appearance in the bay. Squid can be found before first light over shallow weed flats, and these can be turned into a delicious lunch or offered to juvenile snapper. Remember fresh bait is the best bait.

A common outing for local anglers, is to paddle out and drift along the line of reef and rock from King Island to Ormiston Point.

bream and any other hungry predators lurking close-by.

After a lengthy paddle, the explosive surface strikes will satisfy you. Any structure found in the deeper water like drop-offs and bommies are where the bigger reef predators will be found. Drop small fresh strip baits down to these zones and wait for your reel to start screaming.

A small soft plastic bounced off the bottom is also worth a try.

The inshore reefs and flats of Wellington Point don’t usually hold large fish, but rather lots of fun-sized

A neat little cod caught on a plastic.

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Looking into kayak clothing BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Appropriate clothing is an important part of any angler’s kit, whether they’re fishing the surf or rocks, hiking trout streams, venturing into the northern mangroves or paddling local waters. For kayak anglers, clothing choice can

In calmer conditions, I opt for a wide brim hat, but in windy conditions it can be painful to keep it on my head, so I switch to a cap, with the addition of a Buff, Headsox, Solar Sleeve, or one of its many other forms, and use this to secure the cap in place, while also protecting my face, neck and ears from the sun. A Buff covers all of the bits that you normally miss with the

eyes, so invest in a quality pair of sunnies. It’s a good idea to have a strap on your sunnies so that they don’t end up in the water if dislodged and so you can hang them around your neck when holding a fish for a photo.

GLOVES When my wife first came kayak fishing with me she sledged me for wearing gloves fishing… and she now owns a nice blue pair herself. Gloves can serve many different purposes, including sun protection, warmth, protection from fish and grip for a comfortable and confident paddle stroke.

I now own a variety of gloves for different applications, including gloves without palms and lightweight gloves that are designed for sun protection and stretch gloves with Velcro cuffs and reinforced palms for longer paddles and missions that involve a fair amount of portaging. Look in my kit and you’ll even find a pair of SealSkinz Waterproof, windproof and breathable gloves that are awesome for early winter starts and cold, wet, windy days.

or one of the many colourful tournament style shirts, some of which will carry a UPF rating tag such as UPF 45. If you are looking for a quick dry, UPF 50, wet and dry lifestyle shirt, then check out the range from Sun2Sea UV Protection.

These shirts have become extremely popular with those spending time outdoors and especially within the kayak fishing community, and they feature longer sleeves for additional protection, stand up collars to protect the neck and there is even a hooded model. Even better, they’re made in Australia.

When it comes to wet weather gear, you may be able to get away with a light raincoat in warmer weather, with some options available that pack into a small bag or even into their own pocket.

When the weather gets more serious or during the cooler months, I will often step up to a purpose designed waterproof/breathable option from brands such as Sea to Summit Solution.

These jackets are extremely weather resistant and keep you dry where many other jackets fail, including cuffs,

Wide brim hats offer better sun protection than caps. importantly excellent sun protection. Your legs got wet getting into the yak and are dry ten minutes later… or at the end of a session you have avoided the dreaded red legs, that these pants are all about function, while still looking good.

When it comes to wet and windy, or cooler weather, I slide on some Sea to Summit Solution Access Splash Pants.

A light raincoat is an option for cooler weather and summer showers. be even more important as you have a limited payload, can be more exposed to the elements and travel times can be longer than in motorised craft.

Paddlers need to take into account elements such as sun, wind, rain, cold, heat and insects when considering clothing features such as weight, durability, waterproof ratings, breathability, pack size, flexibility, zip and Velcro closures, UV rating and so on. Although often not considered as attractive as the lures, rods, reels and other components of kayak fishing, once you start delving into clothing you will find that there is some cool gear available that will make your kayak fishing experience more comfortable, safer and more enjoyable, while also allowing you to spend more time on the water, especially when the weather cools.

HEADWEAR I wish I had worn a hat more when I was younger and made a point of being more sun smart in my adventures. If you Googled images of hats you would find a million different types and it’s important to select one that suits your adventure.

Offshore anglers often wear bucket style hats that are made from soft, quick-dry, hi-vis material to make them more visible featuring a strap to secure them in place in wind and swell.

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sunscreen and it can also be a good addition to your kit on chilly mornings and windy days.

I have recently added a mosquito head net to my kit in preparation for some kayak crabbing deep in the mangroves and skinny creeks of my home waters.

SUNGLASSES Sunglasses not only protect your eyes from objects such as lures, rod tips and branches, quality polarised sunglasses also protect your eyes from the sun’s rays, while cutting the glare off the water so that you can better locate structure, bait and even spot cruising fish.

You only get one set of

Robbie and Sue from Sun2Sea UV Protection live and breathe the outdoors.

TOPS In tropical conditions you may opt for a long sleeve cotton fishing shirt

A lightweight raincoat can be handy in cold or wet environments.

zips, necklines and hoods.

BOTTOMS After too many doses of red legs… including filming a kayak fishing DVD many moons ago where I applied sunscreen to the same leg twice and not to the other, I prefer to wear long pants when kayak fishing. The various lightweight and zip off models are a good starting point. Recently the team at Sun2Sea UV Protection husband and wife team, Robbie and Sue Wells, developed long pants in their Stealth Series that have been designed from the ground up for kayak and adventure anglers. Tech Pants are durable, hardwearing and comfortable, with loads of features including button and zip, belt loops, elastic waist, quick dry, loads of pockets, D-Clip and most

These pants are lightweight, waterproof and breathable, featuring Glideskin neoprene adjustable waist and ankles, waterproof/breathable 2-layer barrel GP fabric and a mesh pocket for storing scent and other bits and pieces within easy reach. You can wear them standalone in warmer weather or over other long pants in cooler weather.

Kayakers faced with extreme cold often make the leap to wetsuits and dry suits.

FOOTWEAR Over years of kayak fishing, I have moved away from the sneaker style water shoes due to their weight, bulk, slow drying time, lack of dexterity, difficulty to keep mud free and general level of comfort, preferring neoprene style dive boots or water shoes.

There are some flash models available, including versions with a separate big toe, or all toes separate for more feel, but hands down my favourite have been the Sea to Summit Solution Bomber Booties. These water shoes are comfortable, flexible and constructed

A neck sock offers anglers additional protection from sun, glare and wind.

from 3mm neoprene, with an extremely secure Velcro strap, heavy rubber toe, heel and sides, and a 0.5mm polymer midsole for rock protection.

A cool discovery I have made in recent years has been SealSkinz waterproof, windproof and breathable socks. These make winter fishing more comfortable and are excellent for kayak campers who are able to set up camp, take off their wet shoes, dry off their feet, slide on the warm, dry, waterproof SealSkinz socks and then put their wet shoes back on while their feet remain warm and dry.

LAYERING For those who are spending long hours on the water and especially those

coloured dry bags makes it quick and easy to set up camp, locate items and sort gear as you travel.

SUIT UP! This article simply covers some of the clothing that has proven effective

A sun smart kayak angler anticipates a bass surface strike. touring and camping from the kayak, layering is important. Rather than put all of your eggs in one basket

Gloves can make paddling more comfortable and help with fish handling.

by wearing one heavy pair of pants or jacket, wearing multiple thinner layers allows you to remove or add layers to better regulate your body temperature as the day warms up or weather changes. It also means that if you do end up wet, it is much easier and quicker to dry multiple thinner layers of clothing. I will often start my day wearing a tee shirt or dry tee, fishing shirt, light fleece jacket and finally a light raincoat, shedding layers as required.

OTHER TIPS Carrying a change of clothes in a dry bag is a good idea, and I also include a lightweight Tech Towel, for use in the kayak or when I get back to the car. When

camping from the kayak it’s a good idea to carry a couple of dry bags for clothes, one for clean clothes and a second dry bag to house those clothes that need to be quarantined.

Having a selection of different

Sheri is comfortable and protected from the harsh sun.

Steven kitted out to handle the elements both in and out of the yak.

for me, while also noting that clothing selection is an important aspect of kayak fishing, camping and touring. Check out the variety of hiking, sports, camping and water sports clothing that is out there and remember to consider your level of comfort, the elements that you will be dealing with while out on the water and your visibility to other vessels when selecting clothing for your adventure.

See you on the water.

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the latest es. pdates on u ily a d r accessori kie.fish fo gear and n g ju n e ti kl a c o ta b , Visit tackle st fishing and greate Fishing Monthly Magazines

www.tacklejunkie.fish JULY 2016

99

Boating made easy: the all-rounder solution BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Very few manufacturers classify their craft as all-rounders. However, quite a lot of boat owners

means there must be ample room, protection from weather, bunks to snooze on and lots of storage space under them. Certainly, provision for a toilet might well be part of the criteria, as well as enough dedicated batteries to accommodate

a portable refrigerator and the like.

This selected criteria will rule out specialised sportfishing craft such as bass boats, high-end punts, and all other open craft that have plenty of fishing room but limited or no protection

The Evolution 552 powered by a 150 Mercury 4-stroke is a compact glass craft that has sufficient desirable attributes to qualify it as an all-rounder.

As an all-rounder the Sea Fox 226 Traveller sports a lot of seating, with storage modules under each area. refer to their craft as all-rounders because the like to do a range of on-water activities, not just fishing. Such rigs see a lot of family use, which can often involve nights spent aboard in a selected anchorage, and often combine tow sports and fishing with whatever else is going on. The same craft might be used within an estuary, out on the bay or even involved in an upriver or offshore run.

Impoundment fishing? Certainly! The next 6m rig to launch at Lake Awoonga won’t be the last.

So what do we look for in a boat for general all-round use, one that can fulfil all of these functions?

Family touring and overnighting aboard the rig

JULY 2016

and offer a huge amount of fishing room.

Now that we have covered the best boat types, let’s turn our attention to power issues.

POWER IS THE KEY Larger craft require larger motors, and if tow sports are involved there’s certainly a need for power to spare. On top of this, extended cruising is easiest

would see the craft equipped with an engine near to top power specifications. A large fuel tank, say around the 200L mark, would always be an asset.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS The next factors to consider are seating, general equipment levels and work room for fishing.

Cuddy rigs usually have

The Grady White 226/300 4-stroke Yamaha combination easily fulfils multiple roles. This boat has plenty of everything, with both a galley and marine toilet inside the cuddy cab, and fishing features galore in the main cockpit area.

The Sea Fox 226 Traveller bow rider qualifies as an all-rounder due to its size, which incorporates ample storage, lots of work room, plush seating, a toilet within the console and no shortage of power from the 250 Yamaha 4-stroke.

100

from the elements.

Considering that the weather protection, storage and creature comfort side of things are paramount, it makes the most sense to opt for a cuddy cabin or centre cab rig. There are plenty of boats that

are suitable for family boating, water fun and fishing, all neatly combined in the one package. The selection of a cuddy cab rig is perfect. Coming in second is the centre cab, provided the craft is large enough to feature a cabin of some size, and maybe with optional storm covers to provide weather protection if you’re planning to do some overnighters.

Surprisingly, a larger bow rider can constitute a handy all-rounder, especially if you don’t want to spend time on the water overnight. Even these are open boats. Larger bow riders do offer plenty of storage area and lots of seating. They are usually powered to the limit as well,

Seats that stretch into decent beds help qualify the Sea Fox 226 Traveller as an allrounder, particularly for families. with a powerful engine working with plenty of revs in reserve to save fuel.

Fuel savings are always important, whether you’re off on a long coastal jaunt chasing fish or doing some serious point to point inshore cruising. My concept of an all-rounder

additional seating aft, which is often able to be lowered when fishing to increase fishing room. This is a very handy feature. Some craft even have modular lounge seating which can be moved or removed at will – brilliant!

Next comes equipment

levels. A good all rounder should have weather protected storage space, and somewhere to store the catch which can be drained at the end of the day. You’ll also want to have decent off-floor side pockets within the cockpit area to accommodate a wide

range of gear, from skis to gaffs, and to tuck your feet under when bracing against the sides if conditions are unsettled or a big fish is causing mayhem.

A bait station aft is important, as is a bait tank which can also be filled with ice and cold drinks on

long runs or when skiing or towing. Rod holders are virtually essential, both in the gunwales and on the bait station. When preparing tackle it’s very handy to have somewhere to set the rod into and then work on the business end to replace gear or set up bait correctly.

One handy thing about the Evolution 552 is the ease in which the rear seat can be dropped to enlarge the fishing area. This boat also gives users the protection of a cuddy cab with bunks, it has excellent fuel capacity and a range of other desirable attributes.

Combining all of these attributes is not difficult, and the larger the boat is, the easier it is to get all of these features in the one unit. If you’re looking at something a bit smaller you’ll find it harder to fit everything, but it’s still not out of the question; there are several manufacturers, both plate alloy and glass, that do offer useful rigs that make excellent all-rounders. Two examples that come to mind

The all plate Iconic 5.5 is a compact cuddy craft that certainly can double as an all-rounder thanks to plenty of features, ample weather protection plus good power from the 140 Suzuki.

it’s planned.

Alternatively, a team of angling aficionados might well see the centre cab as their all-rounder. And last but not least, if there’s no intention to overnight on the water, the bow rider can be in the equation – especially if it’s equipped with a decent bimini to provide some weather protection.

Choosing an all rounder? It’s not hard at all.

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But the Pickle Fork also adds tremendous lateral stability which is important when there’s more people up-front. Add all this to the fact it’s a Quintrex and you might just have the perfect tool to take fishing.

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EW001

s hard to argue with the benefits of a Pickle Fork bow when you’re going fishing. pecially with a few mates.

The design allows more storage and more It’s hard to argue with the benefits of a forward Pickle Fork bow when you’re going fishing. sting space. Simply put...more room for mates gear! The But the Pickleallows Fork also Especially with a fewand mates. design more storage and more forward ds tremendous lateral stability which is important when there’s more people

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TheThe bestbest tool tool to take fishing? to take fishing?

are the Iconic 5.5 plate boat that I reviewed recently, as well as the Evolution 552 fibreglass cuddy cab.

Having said all that, the main consideration when choosing an all-rounder boat comes down to what each particular owner wants the boat to do. If you mainly want to do family trips, you can’t go past a cuddy cab. As well as creature comforts, there’s always sufficient room aft for fishing when

101

Boating Profile

Savage step it up again BRISBANE

Elliot Fooks

Savage Boats have provided versatile, practical and durable boats for anglers and families to enjoy since 1898, and the latest range of offerings is no exception. The team at Savage have taken on lessons and feedback from

heritage in mind, the team at Savage have gone back to the drawing board to create a boat that takes the Jabaru to the next level.

The Raptor range comes in two configurations, the Raptor and Raptor Pro. The 355, 395 and 425 Raptor offers an affordable option that any angler would be keen to start their next adventure in. With plenty

The Raptor Pro 405 has all the storage to keep your tackle out of the way. their customers to expand on their range and improve the boating experience for all. The new range includes a new Jabaru, a larger Scorpion, updated Bay Cruisers and improved alloy trailers.

‘RAPTOR’ THE JABARU REBORN The Jabaru range of boats personifies the Savage mentality of practical boats for generations. With this

of internal space and bench seating, each model can take up to four people, while still remaining light enough to be towed behind the family car or used as a car topper. With the option to add in features such as a bimini top, rod holders and carpeted floors, the Raptor can be much more than a bare bones tinny.

Coming in three size options, the 405, 425 and 445 Raptor Pro provides an

A Scorpion on the run.

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option to suit any avid angler.

Each model comes standard with front and rear casting platforms and ample storage, to allow the angler to focus on catching that next fish.

With a revamped hull design, the V-nose allows anglers to venture into shallower water and is teamed with wider chines to provide more stability at rest and a softer ride than previous models.

For those wanting more storage, the deck layout can be customised with extras such as live bait tanks and rod pockets.

525 SCORPION FOR THE ANGLER WANTS IT ALL Many of Savage’s valued customers have called for a larger Scorpion – and Savage have delivered. The new 525 Scorpion and Scorpion Pro provides the serious angler with a boat that can cover all their needs and wants.

The larger size provides ample storage and deck space to allow you to bring your entire fishing crew along for the adventure. The front deck can be optioned up with roto molded storage options, which can be plumbed into a live well. While the spacious rear casting platform comes standard with a live bait tank.

The hull is designed to allow anglers access to small waterways while remaining

Top: The Raptor range has a boat for every sort of angler.

Above: The 485 Bay Cruiser can carry the whole family. up to the task of tackling rough offshore conditions.

With a 77L fuel tank and maximum horsepower rating of 115, the 525 Scorpion is a boat that can do it all.

UPDATED BAY CRUISERS TO ACCOMMODATE THE WHOLE FAMILY Savage have updated 485, 515 and 545 Bay Cruiser models to provide a more practical and enjoyable boating experience for the whole family. The Bay Cruisers have had a redesign from the front to back, with the new larger dash area that provides space for larger electronics and improves the driving position.

The new lean through dash allows for greater access to the anchor well and all boats can now be optioned up to

include an electric drum winch to make it an easier day on the water. At the rear of the boat, the Bay Cruiser has been designed with larger gunnels to provide a more comfortable space to sit on or lean to while reeling in a fish of a lifetime.

The Bay Cruiser is a family all rounder with all the trimmings to provide a great day on the water. The 485 is a great example of this, with two seats in the front and a folding bench seat in the rear the boat can be set up for a day drifting live baits in the bay or a family trip to that picnic spot upriver.

ALLOY TRAILERS FOR ALL With fuel economy and durability becoming more of a concern for all consumers, Savage have developed

a complete range of alloy trailers to satisfy these concerns. The C-section alloy trailers have passed accelerated lifecycle testing to ensure that each trailer will withstand a lifetime of use. This change in material also gives a dramatic weight saving of 40kg for a small trailer, making it easier tow with smaller vehicles and providing less strain on the vehicle. All of Savage’s new alloy trailers are made from the ground up and in house, which ensures that it is the perfect match for your boat.

With all the new improvements, there is sure to be a boat in the Savage range to suit your needs. For more information or to find your local dealer head to www. savageboats.com.au.

The Bay Cruiser has space for all of your electronics.

Product Profile

Torqeedo shock the Australian electrics market BRISBANE

Tom Slater

German engineered Torqeedo electric outboard motors are set to explode into the Australian market thanks to their newly formed

different models from Torqeedo’s extensive electric outboard range.

Australian consumers will have no worries finding a dealer for the Torqeedo range anywhere in the country, now that the brand is supported and backed by Australian

Equipment’s infrastructure and dealer network.

“It means Australian consumers will now know where to get information on the best electric outboards on the market. We’ve already seen the response in only a short time. It’s a fantastic product and people are excited they can now access it easier through our network.”

ULTRALIGHT The Torqeedo range extends from 1hp equivalent motors, right through to 80hp weapon. The 1hp equivalent Torqeedo Ultralight 403 is perfectly matched to any kayak or canoe, and pushed the Aquayak Scout (3m) at an impressive 8.6km/h. What is probably more useful, is when backed off to a cruising speed of 4km/h, the included Torqeedo Lithium-ion battery gives the user an amazing 4-5hrs of running time. Integrating with the kayak’s steering

The Torqeedo Travel 1003 features a modular design with integrated lithium battery and detachable tiller arm. and tilting system, the Ultralight 403 is easy to operate and features a small, easily mountable hand control for throttle. It retails for $2,750, including

range if necessary.

CRUISE For serious electric enthusiasts, the Torqeedo Cruise offers 5hp, 8hp and soon to be released 20hp

Fishing Monthly recently attended the media day celebrating the new distribution of Germanengineered electric outboards, Torqeedo. FM was very impressed with the efficiency of these great motors. distribution agreement with Melbourne-based Power Equipment. Fishing Monthly recently attended a Torqeedo launch event at Sandringham Yacht Club and trialled three

industry powerhouse, Power Equipment.

Torqeedo Product Manager Jason Hodder is excited to have a brand such as Torqeedo, operating with the backing of Power

Torqeedo also offer their Power 26-104 lithium powerpack for use with their Cruise outboards. The lithium battery is under half the weight of equivalent lead acid systems.

Australian consumers will have no worries finding a dealer for the Torqeedo range anywhere in the country, now that the brand is supported and backed by Australian industry powerhouse, Power Equipment.

GST, and is also available as a package deal with Aquayak Kayaks.

TRAVEL The Torqeedo Travel 503 (1.5hp) and 1003 (3hp), as their name implies, are the perfect electric outboard for the nomadic traveller.

Featuring a modular design incorporating the main motor leg, tiller arm and integrated lithium-ion battery, the Travel series can easily be moved to and from the boat, or switched between vessels.

The integrated lithium-ion battery means you don’t need a bulky heavy leadacid battery to be mounted anywhere, simply plug and play and enjoy up to 3hp of electric propulsion.

The two models start from $2,530 including GST and spare integrated batteries are available for increased

equivalent models. Standing proud as a standalone electric outboard, the Cruise models are powered with a separate Torqeedo Lithium-Ion Power 26-104 battery, but can also be run off any suitably powered deep cycle battery on the market.

On a Quintrex 3.2m punt, even the smallest Torqeedo Cruise 2.0 (5hp) model, produces incredible torque and thrust with instant throttle response and up to planing speeds.

Starting from $5,610 including GST, these aren’t for the faint-hearted, but if you want to plane on an electric boat, these are one of the only options.

LITHIUM POWER BATTERY The Torqeedo Lithium Power 26-104 battery caught our eye. The 24v lithium power pack is

designed to power the Torqeedo Cruise range of motors, but is more than capable of powering any high output electric motor.

Weighing only 25kg, the Power 26-104 is under half the weight of equivalently powered lead acid systems.

Lithium batteries also benefit from their inherent ability to retain full output until reaching a state of no charge. Unlike lead acid batteries where power output tapers off as the battery decreases in charge.

The Torqeedo Lithium 26-104 retails for $4,290 including GST and is rated for 800 full discharge cycles before the battery will lose 25% of its capacity.

CONTEMPORARY TECHNOLOGY All Torqeedo electric outboards are equipped with an on-board ‘brain’ that will tell you specifics, such as ground speed, range to empty, wattage draw and current battery power remaining. The Torqeedo Torq Trac app, which is available in both the Apple and Google Play Store, links your smartphone to your Torqeedo outboard for even more information.

The To r q e e d o range of outboards are manufactured in Germany and are absolutely top quality. The motors are quiet and deliver punchy throttle response. Torqeedo specifically design every aspect of their motors for ultimate efficiency. We were impressed by the motors and look forward to seeing the Torqeedo range supported by a company with the distribution and support network of Power Equipment.

For more information on the Torqeedo range of electric outboard motors, visit Power Equipment’s website at www. powerequipment.com.au/ products/torqeedo/.

JULY 2016

103

What’s New BOATING

1

SIMRAD EVO2/ RADAR BUNDLE

Simrad has announced its latest deal: a discounted introductory price of SRP $3129 on the NSS7 evo2/3G Radar bundle, saving customers over $800. The promotion will last until 31 July, 2016.

Order books for the bundles will open on 9 May, 2016, with shipments scheduled to start immediately.

The Simrad NSS evo2 features TouchSensible multi-touch control with logical keypad input and push-to-select rotary knob for precision control in any sea conditions.

The system offers quick and seamless multitouch access to performance features with an intuitive icon-driven menu interface. Charts can be moved, zoomed and personalised with familiar tablet-like gestures, while new pre-set split-screens and data panel configurations are optimised for widescreen viewing.

Simrad 3G radar boasts a 24NM range, unmatched resolution and clutter reduction, extremely low emissions, InstantOn technology, low power consumption, and simple installation and ease of use. www.simrad-yachting.com

2

GARMIN GMR FANTOM

Garmin’s GMR Fantom is the first 40W solid-state, pulse compression, Doppler marine radar series.

Available in a 4’ (1.8° beam width) or 6’ (1.25° beam width) open array, the Fantom incorporates Garmin’s MotionScope technology, which uses the Doppler effect to detect and highlight moving targets and track weather in a single ping. Realtime moving targets are highlighted with an easyto-see colour, and the Auto Bird Gain lets boaters easily locate feeding birds.

Fantom delivers high resolution while maximising energy on targets, and pulse expansion maximises target size. The Echo Trails setting can help identify the direction of the moving targets.

These radars deliver high sensitivity for both close- and long-range (from 6m to 72nm) without compromise in reliability. Dynamic Auto Gain and Dynamic Sea Filter continually adjust to surroundings, water and weather conditions, while MARPA settings enable the tracking of 10 targets simultaneously.

Fantom is compatible with the GPSMAP 7400 series, 8000 series and 8400 series.

Price: SRP from AU$10,999 www.garmin.com/en-AU

3

RAYMARINE PAIRS WITH NAVIONICS

Raymarine and Navionics have collaborated to make new features available on Raymarine’s LightHouse II based multifunction displays, including Navionics’ Dock-to-dock Autorouting, SonarChart Live and Advanced Map Options.

Dock-to-dock Autorouting creates detailed routes through narrow channels. When you choose your start and end points, Autorouting calculates a route that takes into consideration chart data, navigation aids, and depth.

SonarChart Live works with Raymarine multifunction displays, letting you create 0.5m HD bathymetry maps in real time. You can engage your sonar to survey new areas or places where bottom conditions have changed, and create new bathymetric charts that appear instantly. You can also upload sonar data and download updated charts easily. New Advanced Map Options let you highlight shallow areas, select a fishing range, and adjust SonarChart contour density.

The updates are available for Raymarine a, c, e, eS and gS Series MFD models produced after 2011, updated with LightHouse II Release 17 software. www.raymarine.com/lighthouse

4

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

TIMBER-FREE CRUISE CRAFT

1

Every Cruise Craft boat is now 100% timber free, completely eliminating the opportunity for timber rot.

In a conventional fibreglass hull, timber was principally used in the transom and sub-floor system. However, after extensive R&D, Cruise Craft now has construction process which provides a 100% composite Cruise Craft boat.

The composite build process focuses upon two key areas of the hull – the transom and the sub floor system. All Cruise Craft models now have a full composite, rot-free transom. This is manufactured by laying up panels to create a thick sheet of composite material to suit each specific Cruise Craft model.

In the sub floor, Cruise Craft’s Matrix Grid Construction process is employed.

Formed from composite material to profile the cavity between the inside of the hull and underside of the fully moulded fibreglass floor liner, the sub-floor composite matrix provides rigidity and support for both the cockpit floor and the hull itself. www.cruisecraft.com.au

5

3

LOWRANCE WINTER SALE

Available from 1 June to 20 September, Lowrance is dropping the RRP by $200 on each sku across the HDS Gen3 range.

The HDS Gen3 is available in 7”, 9” and 12” models, and has enhanced, built-in fishfinder technologies. With an improved user interface plus multi-touch and full keypad operation, the HDS Gen3 series provides quicker, fingertip access to all features – along with an enhanced processor for more responsive performance. The commands are easy to learn, and features such as scrolling menus, cursor assist, snap-to setting markers and preview panes are similar to operating a smartphone or tablet.

The promotional pricing is: HDS-7 Gen3 - $1799, HDS-9 Gen3 - $3099, and HDS-12 Gen3 - $4499, all with 83/200 and LSS transducers. Options are also available for head only and alternative transducer skus. www.lowrance.com

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2

4

5

YELLOWFIN RANGE REVAMPED

Quintrex has revamped its range of Yellowfin plate boats.

The new range is made up of eight new models: 5800, 6200, 6700 and 7400 all available with a hard or soft top. The 6200, 6700 and 7400 have 6mm plate bottom sheets (5mm for the 5800), 5mm transom material and 4mm side sheets.

There’s a completely new hull design including a variable deadrise to 19° at the transom, and 1.2m freeboard. The checker plate floor is fully welded, with box section floor frame offering extra strength.

The self-draining floor features a no return scupper drainage system, and the newly designed full transom extends the waterline length, giving more lift and offering superior stability and buoyancy.

The design allows for larger outboards, and the Evinrude G2 sits further back on the transom, freeing up space on the duckboard.

There’s a massive list of other features and upgrades, and you can read all about them on the Quintrex website. www.quintrex.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

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

6

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Stacer sets the pace with the 469 Outlaw BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Stacer offer a veritable feast of boating experiences these days, from small tender-sized punts and tinnies right up to offshore rigs with all the bells and whistles.

It means there’s an alloy boat for virtually all fishing requirements.

As a mid-sized rig easily towed by the family car and suited to either family or more dedicated angler/boaters, the 469 Outlaw ticks a lot of boxes.

A close look at the rig reveals just why this model, in particular, is so popular.

One of the obvious reasons for the Outlaw’s popularity is Stacer’s skilful blending of fishing features and functionality into a boat that falls into today’s ‘just

Powering along smoothly, the Stacer’s well designed Evo Hull cuts an impressive figure.

Here you can see the rear casting area adjacent to the transom.

right-sized’ category. It’s a class of craft that has captured a lot of the budget based boating market.

Northside Marine in Brisbane supplied the test boat. This particular craft did come with several major options to upgrade its fishability, yet the package price with options was certainly not excessive when compared to similarly equipped craft within the market niche.

A STYLISH RIG On its custom Stacer trailer, the rig looked stylishly neat – even eye catching. White 3mm thick plate-style sides were jazzed Left: A neat dash layout set-up on the Outlaw’s sports-style side console is an eye-pleasing feature. Below: The handy forward casting platform with its hatched compartments and catch well is one optional extra that most 469 Outlaw owners will select.

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JULY 2016

A view of the Outlaw’s cockpit area. Note the large seats on pedestals as well as the minimal intrusion of the side console and the side pocket on the skipper’s side. up with a go fast decal.

Handy fore and aft grab rails gave the craft a finished appearance, and the Stacer brand was prominent astern.

The compact and sleek grey Yamaha F70LA decorated the transom in fine style.

And fine style is what this craft is all about. It’s

small enough to be launched and retrieved by just the one person yet would fish three or four anglers, depending on their plans for the day.

In addition, Stacer have ensured the 469 Outlaw’s design and set-up never strays far from the ‘looks good, goes great and works well’ overall concept.

Up front, an elevated carpet-covered casting deck came set up with storage hatches each side of a big catch well. An electric motor bracket was tucked to port of an open anchor well. Stepping down into the main cockpit work area, the craft’s windscreen equipped side console came with a glove box, Yamaha gauges and bank of main switches with the wheel lower. I found the console caused minimal intrusion into fishing space. Twin Stacer Sea Pro seats on

The 469 Outlaw lets two anglers comfortably fish up front, with the potential for another one or two working aft. pedestals were placed side by side aft with another seat positioned further forward.

COCKPIT SET UP FOR COMFORT While at the helm I noticed that Stacer had done an excellent job of setting up the skipper’s seat in just the right position in that I could easily make myself comfortable, there was plenty of room for my legs under the console and the windscreen blocked slipstream quite well.

Cockpit storage space for longer items was provided via paired side

pockets, while a battery compartment to starboard, live bait well to port were set into the transom with their hatch covers providing further casting platforms – as is standard in many smaller craft these days.

Note that paired rod holders were installed astern within gunwales. In short, comfort levels were high.

70 YAMAHA EASY POWER Driving the 469 Outlaw was nothing short of fun with two aboard. Engine ratings were from 50-75hp, and with the Yamaha 70

SPECIFICATIONS Hull length.......................................................4.97m Length on trailer.............................................6.16m Beam................................................................2.22m Depth...............................................................1.08m Construction.......... bottom, sides, 3mm alloy sheet Engines........................................................ 50-75hp Fuel......................................................................77L Persons...................................................................5 Towing...........................Family six or big four sedan

4-stroke near top power the craft jumped straight onto the plane at a very modest 14.2km/h at 2700rpm.

It reached 3000rpm at 21.6km/h, 4000rpm at 34.7km/h, and 4500rpm saw a very reasonable 41.8km/h. With a rev range going to 6000rpm, you could easily speculate as to speeds around the 60km/h mark being standard for the Outlaw/F70 LA combination.

It was interesting to note that Stacer’s engine ratings began at 50hp, This, to my mind, might somewhat restrict the craft’s excellent performance capability. The Stacer Evo hull is a time proven design with easy planing capability, ample stability and soft riding characteristics that will endear it to owners, but at some 4.97m long, 2.22m wide and with a basic weight of 422kg without engine or passengers, it

needs power to perform well. I’d be reluctant to nominate less than 60hp

on the transom unless a two-person team would be aboard most times. The 70 Yamaha 4-stroke made a lot of sense to me.

FISHING RIG Looking at the 469 Outlaw purely as a fishing rig, I saw it as a very comfortable three to four person outfit. Although ratings are for up to five aboard, that sort of team would likely be family orientated, not a group of anglers – unless everyone was working as a very well organized team and were fishing in favourable conditions.

Ride and handling tests were undertaken in the western part of Moreton Bay, and the Outlaw came through with flying colours.

With the easy power of the Yamaha 70 astern, the rig, whether two or three up, had a very sweet feel about it. When crossing wash at speed to see if I could invoke some hard bumps or jarring, the result was

always pleasing. I’d see the rig very suited to most bay or estuary conditions, and it would certainly handle a run offshore on the right day and conditions.

In many respects, with its 1.08m side depth, ample width for length ratio, flexible seating and the large range of options from bimini to electronic packages that Stacer offer, the 469 Outlaw is a genuine all-rounder. It’s ideal for buyers seeking a smaller craft to fulfil options from fun boating to serious fishing.

I personally would prefer to see some of the more desirable fishing options as standard equipment rather than options. However, with a package price of $27,032 (as reviewed and with a braked trailer), I consider the craft to be excellent value for money. For more info call Northside Marine on (07) 3265 8000 or visit their website at www. northsidemarine.com.au.

This image gives us a look at many of the Outlaw’s cockpit features such as the large port side pocket, cast decks aft and the seating arrangements.

One person launch/retrieval of the 469 Stacer Outlaw is a bonus for lucky owners to enjoy.

An important component of the Outlaw’s optional forward casting deck is the large catch well.

JULY 2016

107

Stessco SunSeeker 540 with Yamaha 100hp

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Boat testing in Melbourne on a dark, drizzly ‘Melbourne’ day – well, it had to happen eventually. Luckily, there were a couple of boats with canvas canopies to test. One of them was the ironically named SunSeeker 540.

Chelsea Yamaha’s Rob Neely and I sat, with the rain spattering on the canvas, talking about this new model. You can watch the full interview by scanning the QR code on this page on your smartphone or by visiting the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel.

Rob’s a passionate Yamaha dealer and he loves PERFORMANCE RPM................... Km/L Idle (700)................. 4.5 1000....................... 5.3 2000....................... 2.6 3000....................... 1.7 4000....................... 2.6 5000....................... 2.1 5800....................... 1.5 *Propped with aluminium 13¼” x 17” propeller

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JULY 2016

setting up his Stessco boats so that they run well and pump out plenty of tunes.

The SunSeeker 540 did both, in style. Melbourne’s weather was nice enough to fine up for the water-test part of the day.

Powered by a 100hp Yamaha 4-stroke, the Stessco SunSeeker 540 reached 56km/h, with an economical cruising range of 3500-4500rpm.

With economies reaching nearly 3km/L, the Yammy sure showed its frugality at cruising speeds. If you’re after more speed, the hull is rated to a maximum of 115hp.

If you take away the optional bait station mounted on the transom, you’d be fooled into thinking that this is a family boat. Boarding from the stern is easy, with the foldout ladder, wide duckboards and transom door. The ‘V-birth’ cabin seems larger than it actually is without a passenger side bulkhead.

Continuing the family friendly theme, this boat comes on a single axle Stessco trailer and most family-sized cars readily tow it. Priced in the low $40Ks, it also fits into

many family budgets for a boat over 5m in length.

Looking forward though, you may find it difficult to find the Stessco Sun Seeker 540 in the Stessco range. That’s because it’ll be called the 550 in future catalogues and Stessco ranges.

According to Stessco’s Adrian Beil, there are also some transom

improvements that you’ll see in the current models.

Regardless, the Stessco switches out of ‘family’ mode and into ‘fishing’ mode pretty easily. Deep gunwales allow you to nestle up to the side of the boat when dropping a line offshore, and the addition of the bait station gives you somewhere to consolidate the mess that chopping bait can make.

There’s nothing worse than a tiny hatch to access the anchor. If you get stuck in this one, seriously consider fewer pies.

SPECIFICATIONS Deadrise at transom......................................... 17.5° Hull.....................................................................4mm Sides..................................................................3mm LOA..................................................................5.55m Beam................................................................2.26m Depth...............................................................1.15m Max hp................................................................. 115 Max Transom weight....................................... 180kg Capacity....................................................6 persons Hull weight......................................................580kg There’s plenty of cockpit space for at least three to fish quite comfortably and an inbuilt, plumbed live bait tank takes the hassle out of keeping your live bait kicking.

Out on the water, the hull didn’t seem overly trim sensitive. Some boats – especially aluminium – like a lot of trim. This isn’t one of them. It cruised along nicely through most of the speed ranges with little difference to ride or economy.

On the trailer, the single axle helps to keep the price down and adds an element of manoeuvrability if you need to manhandle your boat into a tight parking space. Stessco make their own trailers and they’re designed to complement their hulls.

More information on the Stessco range can be found at www.stessco.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.

VIDEO

Scan this QR code to see the full interview with Rob Neely from Chelsea Yamaha.

From above, you could nearly mistake this Stessco for a fibreglass boat. There’s plenty of space to get out of the weather too, which was handy on the test day.

Continuing the theme of simplicity, the helm has all of the basics. Some dry, under-seat storage is handy.

The 100HP Yamaha 4-stroke was as quiet and frugal as always. Spinning a 17” aluminium prop, the Stessco hit a top speed of 56km/h at 5800 RPM, although the best economy was between 3500-4500 RPM.

There’s nothing complicated about the cabin, and with the infill, it’s pretty beamy up there. The lack of a bulkhead in front of the passenger makes it feel very spacious, if not private.

Carrying 16.5° of deadrise through the transom softens the ride in the Stessco. Check out those duckboards. Ladder + duckboard + transom door = easy loading.

A single axle, braked, galvanised trailer keeps the costs down. Nearly all family cars will tow the SunSeeker.

The small kill tank/storage box between the driver and passenger seats can be drained into the bilge.

The test boat was fitted with a simple bait board option and a couple of rod holders. The transom door makes rear loading easy.

Rob from Chelsea Yamaha loves his sound systems, so here’s a solution – speakers in the rear seat box! I wonder if they act like a Hydrowave?

A plumbed livewell on the starboard side will keep livies kicking all day if that’s what you fish with.

JULY 2016

109

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

BRISBANE SOUTH See your authorised Mercury Dealer today.

MANLYMarine HARBOUR MARINE

NORTHERN NSW / GOLD COAST TWEED COAST MARINE 32 Machinery Drive, Tweed Heads South Phone: (07) 5524 8877 | Fax: (07) 5524 3324 Email: dan@tweedcoastmarine.com.au Website: www.tweedcoastmarine.com.au

570 Royal Esplanade Manly Phone: (07) 3893 2199 | Fax: (07) 3893 2188 Email: info@manlyharbourmarine.com.au Website: www.manlyharbourmarine.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH CUNNINGHAMS MARINE 23-25 Snook St Clontarf Phone: (07) 3284 8805 | Fax: (07) 3284 8813 Email: sales@cunninghammarinecentre.com.au Website: www.cunninghammarinecentre.com.au

MERIDIAN MARINA HORIZON SHORES ONSHORE MARINE Cabbage Tree Point Rd,Woongoolba Phone: (07) 5546 2480 | Fax: (07) 5546 1362 Email: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au Website: www.onshoremarine.com.au

BRISBANE BAYSIDE MIKES MARINE 9 Smith Street Capalaba Phone: (07) 3390 3418 | Fax: (07) 3823 5856 Email: sales@mikesmarine.com.au Website: www.mikesmarine.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH BRISBANE MARINE 306 Duffield Road Clontarf Phone: (07) 3889 3033 | Fax: (07) 3889 5390 Email: info@brismarine.com.au Website: www.brismarine.com.au

BRISBANE SOUTH SPRINGWOOD MARINE 3475 Pacific Hwy Springwood Phone: (07) 3297 8200 | Fax: (07) 3297 8290 Email: mercury@motosport.net.au Website: www.springwoodmarine.com.au

BRISBANE WEST KAREE MARINE 1776 Ipswich Rd Rocklea Phone: (07) 3875 1600 | Fax: (07) 3875 1622 Email: sales@kareemarine.com.au Website: www.kareemarine.com.au

TOOWOOMBA WATERSKIERS WAREHOUSE 91-93 Neil St Toowoomba Phone: (07) 4637 9511 | Fax: (07) 4637 9513 Email: rod@waterskierswarehouse.com.au Website: www.waterskierswarehouse.com.au

BRISBANE SOUTH COORPAROO MARINE 57 Cavendish Rd Coorparoo Phone: (07) 3397 4141 | Fax: (07) 3397 6339 Email: info@coorparoomarine.com.au Website: www.coorparoomarine.com.au

BRISBANE HOLT MARINE 25 Queens Rd Everton Park Phone: (07) 3353 1928 | Fax: (07) 3353 4548 Email: info@holtmarine.com.au Website: www.holtmarine.com.au

SUNSHINE COAST NORTHCOAST BOATING CENTRE 264 Nicklin Way Warana Phone: (07) 5493 9376 | Fax: (07) 5437 6144 Email: mail@northcoastboatingcentre.com.au Website: www.northcoastboating.com.au

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WIDE BAY THE BOAT PLACE 1872 Tin Can Bay Rd Goomboorian Phone: (07) 5486 5865 Email: yaltacraft@live.com.au Website: www.theboatplace.com.au

INNISFAIL COASTAL MARINE & OUTDOORS 178 Edith Street Innisfail Phone: (07) 4061 8272 | Fax: (07) 4061 7718 Email: joel@coastalmarine.com.au Website: www.coastalmarine.com.au

CAIRNS AUSSIE MARINE 5 Hannam St, Bungalow Phone: (07) 4033 8800 Email: sales@aussiemarine.com.au Web: www. aussiemarine.com.au

HERVEY BAY BAY CITY MARINE 82 Dayman Street Urangan Hervey Bay Phone: (07) 4128 9944 | Fax: (07) 4125 2350 Email: sales@baycitymarine.com.au Website: www.baycitymarine.com.au

BOWEN REIBEL MARINE 34 Don St Bowen Phone: (07) 4786 2944 Fax: (07) 4786 6606 Email: remarine@bigpond.net.au

MARYBOROUGH FRASER COAST BOATING 120 Richmond Street Phone: (07) 4122 1770 Email: sales@frasercoastboating.com.au Web: www.frasercoastboating.com.au

BUNDABERG ADRIANS MARINE CENTRE 28 Ritchie St Norville Phone: (07) 4153 1819 | Fax: (07) 4154 4808 Email: adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com Website: www.adriansmarinecentre.com.au

INGHAM J&B MARINE 79 Herbert St, Ingham Phone: (07) 4776 1188 | Fax: (07) 4776 1288 Email: jbmarine@bigpond.com Website: www.jandbmarine.com

ROCKHAMPTON RIFEN BOATS 6 Dooley St, North Rockhampton Phone: (07) 4927 9150 | Fax: (07) 4921 3502 Email: rifen.boats@bigpond.com Website: www.rifenboats.com.au

KARUMBA JONES MARINE 38 Yappar Street, Karumba Phone: (07) 4745 9159 Email: jonglo@bigpond.com Web: www.jonesmarine.com.au

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