Queensland Fishing Monthly July 2019

JUMP INTO JULY • BEAUTIFUL BEACH BOUNTIES

Features Beach fishing know-how • Lure show wrap-up • Cape York capers after the wet •

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July 2019, Vol. 31 No. 9

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES

10

Yamba 18

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34

Ballina 20 SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed

22

Southern Gold Coast

24

Gold Coast Canals

26

Jumpinpin 28 Gold Coast

30

Southern Bay

32

Brisbane 34 Northern Bay

36

Brisbane Offshore

37

Noosa 38 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay

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Rainbow Beach

43

Gladstone 45 Bundaberg 46 Monduran 45 Rockhampton 46 Yeppoon 47 Stanage Bay

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Mackay 48

From the Editor’s Desk...

Fishing Monthly publishes the business-to-business magazine Australian Fishing Tackle Retailer.

It’s where the back end of the tackle industry discusses industry issues.

Recently we printed an article inside it discussing the difficult retail environment and the reasons why small tackle stores can sometimes struggle.

We had more feedback about that article than any we have published in that magazine.

Ever.

It struck a nerve with operators who have lost the joy of being in the industry due to eroding margins and digital disruption.

We all have a local tackle store. Sometimes it’s a stand-alone tackle store.

Sometimes it’s a part of a servo, or camping store, or toy shop. I’ve seen nearly every combination in my travels around Australia.

They’re usually staffed by locals who have an excellent idea about what’s happening in the area.

Rewind 20 years and the first thing you’d do is drop into the local when you go fishing to get a head start for your time on the water.

You’d buy your bait and terminal tackle there, too.

I reckon that there’s fewer small, independent tackle stores around now than at any time in my lifetime and that’s sad.

It’s sad for the owners who struggle to make ends meet, and it’s sad for the areas who now lack that local, finger-on-thepulse advice.

Maybe Facebook reports from your mates are good enough nowadays? But remember, they only tell you what they’ve caught, not when they’re going next or what’s on the horizon.

They don’t want you there catching ‘their’ fish.

It’s the same premise for Fishing Monthly magazines, we like to tell you what’s coming up and to help you plan your trips and less about what happened a month ago. That’s why lots of our contributors work in these local tackle stores.

Do you want your local, independent tackle stores to survive? Make sure that you involve them in your trips!

Talk to them about what’s been happening and what’s expected to happen in the close future. Buy your tackle there. Buy your bait there.

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Tag them in your posts when you’re showing off your catch online.

I don’t like the idea of a future without my local tackle store, and I bet that you don’t either. Keep that in mind next time you buy your lures from a dodgy Internet seller and shamefully drive past their door on the way to the river.

Well, that might be going a little over the top, but you get what I mean. Does your internet supplier sponsor local kids fishing days, help the local school or help your local fishing club with prizes?

I bet not.

Look after your local tackle store and they’ll keep looking after you as long as they can stay in business.

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 58 Ayr 59 Townsville 60 Hinchinbrook 62 Port Douglas

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Cairns 61 62

REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics

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Cooking 74 Dam Levels

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QUEENSLAND FISHING MONTHLY Business Office: Unit 1, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128 Phone: (07) 3387 0800 Fax: (07) 3387 0801

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Fun Page

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Tech Tricks

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Tournament News

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Track my fish

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Cape York capers

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Production: Karen Millward Keith Hawley

Liam Edridge was stoked with this cracking Trinity NFZ permit taken at Half Moon Bay. A Dan Kaggelis image.

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OUR COVER

AUST

Lure show wrap-up

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Mastering the art of fishing the beach 10

Sub-Editors: Nicole Penfold Bob Thornton Annie March Lucette Eggleton

SINCE 1987

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BOATING AND KAYAK

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Cape York

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Cooktown 64

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TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY. JULY 2019

9

Mastering the art of how to read the beach BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

Beach fishing isn’t just a sport, it’s a passion.

Get it right and it can be incredibly productive.

Not only that, but in our fast-paced world filled with digital gadgets and deadlines, it can be damn good for your mental and physical health.

The sights, sounds and feel of the waves as they wash away your woes is something special. Even better if it is interrupted by a screaming reel and buckling rod!

GENERAL RULES To get your best results from the beach, you need to understand how, where and when to fish.

The number one rule in beach fishing is that you

need to be able to read the beach to understand where the fish might be.

Inexperienced anglers often make the mistake of just throwing in a line wherever the sand track leads them out to the beach, and then expect fish. Even if there is fishable water there, these same areas are also popular with swimmers and surfers, and thus tend to spook flighty fish.

There are a few other general rules and tactics that will significantly increase the odds in your favour when beach fishing.

These include knowing your target species and seasons, having the right gear, and knowing the right time and techniques to catch them.

You also need a few plan Bs and Cs for when the fish play hard to get.

The author and his son in a double hook-up in a shallow gutter at high tide. One fish is being landed while the other is being played out.

An elevated position gives a good view of a big long channel. Note the smaller whiting gutters close to shore and the big entrance halfway along at the back.

When you have some sneaky little tactics up your sleeve, it can turn a very ordinary session into a very good one!

For now, let’s start by learning how to ‘read’ a beach.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT WATER You can have the best tackle, baits, lures and surf conditions, but if you’re fishing where the fish are unlikely to be, you won’t catch much! This is why it’s is so important to know how to read a beach.

Gutters, holes, channels, spits, rips, sweep, back banks… fishing has a vocabulary all of its own, but these areas aren’t that complicated to spot or understand. Basically, the colour of the water (darker water is deeper) and the wave patterns are the main giveaways, and when you know what to look for you’ll maximise your catch rates.

Gutter Gutters are stretches of deeper water scoured out of the sand, characterised by darker, greener water.

They generally have a back sand bank where the water

is shallower, and the waves break over this bank before reforming in the gutter,

Light, long graphite outfits are an inexpensive yet effective option as a second outfit for spinning the gutters for tailor.

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and don’t break again until they get closer to, or hit the shore. Fish like tailor, salmon, bream and big dart will prowl the edges of the back bank, and these same fish may roam inside the deeper water of the gutter looking for food.

The shore break of a gutter (where waves are breaking on the shore) is the place to target foraging fish such as whiting, flathead, smaller dart and bream.

These predators roam in the shallower gutters just beyond the shore, and as the waves break and surge up the beach, the fish quickly follow the water in and help themselves to the worms and pipis exposed, or any vulnerable baitfish.

Entrance An entrance is often found with a gutter, and it’s like a funnel of deeper, cleaner water that channels faster flowing water from the inner gutters or holes out to the open sea. This

Tailor are a popular target for beach anglers over the winter months, but you need to choose the right water for them.

is known by swimmers as a rip. A break in the rolling waves can indicate an entrance, and this area is also characterised by more rippled water.

Fish use these entrances to enter and exit the shorebased gutters that hold a smorgasbord of food for them. Fish like to use entrances because they don’t like sand in their gills or becoming disorientated by breaking waves. One entrance to a gutter is good, and two entrances is even better!

Gutters can also vary in size and depth, with deeper

gutters tending to hold bigger fish like tailor, salmon and mulloway at the right time of day. Shallower gutters are perfect for smaller forage fish such as whiting, dart and bream. Fish like whiting

is within castable distance for species such as tailor and salmon.

Outer channels can be described as a second channel running parallel to an inner channel closer

of white wash from waves as protection.

Beach corner Beach corners are another part of the beach fishing vocabulary. These are areas where permanent

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When choosing where to fish channels look for a sloping beach into deeper water and a back bank breaking within casting distance. can be found in a couple of to shore and the beach. holes have been chiselled different types of shallower These are the highways out next to headlands or gutters. Examples include for very big fish, including large patches of rock. shallow inner gutters that fill sharks and pelagics such These can be great places over an exposed back sand as mackerel, tuna, giant to fish, especially when the bank at high tide, or shallow trevally and more. You can seas are very calm and the low tide gutters that have reach these outer channels baitfish seek shelter from a blind end. A blind end is at low tide if you choose the calm, clear conditions where the gutter closes off to an inner channel with a in these locations. the shore or a sand spit and, close back bank, and cast Vantage point provided it has a little bit of over it using big grapnel To most effectively read white water for protection, sinkers and running ‘slide the beach, it’s important to the fish will feed right up in baits’ of live fish or big get up on a higher vantage this corner. flesh baits out to this deep point. This may be a sand Hole water. Another alternative dune (provided it isn’t Holes are pockets of is to cast out with a more closed for regeneration), scoured-out sand in the standard rig but with a big a headland or simply the surf which are formed as bait into an entrance or rip, highest point on the beach. a result of big seas. They and let the fast-flowing rip Even better if you can do are evidenced by their take the bait out to this this at low tide during the darker blue/green colour outer channel. middle of the day, so you and also by waves, which Sand spit get a clearer picture of the don’t break at all over Sand spits are areas sand build up and areas of them. Holes can either be where the sand on the shore deeper water with the sun fully enclosed as they are surrounded by sand bars, or they can have an opening to the sea. These are great locations to fish at night on the high tide for predators such as mulloway, particularly if the hole has an opening or entrance to the sea. At low tide they can be good locations for flathead and bream.

Smaller ‘melon’ holes NEW RELEASE are indentations of around a metre or so in diameter, and can often be found on sand spits or smaller gutters.

Whiting like to forage for worms and yabbies in melon holes.

Channel Channels are simply very long gutters which are Hooked up to another Fraser Island scoured out parallel to the tailor on a light graphite outfit. beach. They can run for several hundred metres or juts out to form a point in directly overhead. even kilometres at times. the surf zone. These areas Likewise, an elevated They act like a fish highway, can be exposed at low tide view will also allow you with fish travelling along and are great worming to see how close a back them in search of food.VELOCITY If locations. They are usually sandbank is to the shore, SPORTS CRUSADER there are few other features surrounded by a hole or a as indicated by waves nearby to fish, your best gutter so you can fish from breaking and spilling foam option when confronted them at low tide, or fish into the darker, greener with a long channel is to over them at high tide for water of the gutter. If look for areas where the fish like whiting, flathead you’re chasing fish like beach shelves away steeply and smaller dart – provided tailor or salmon, choosing on the shore into the they have a sufficient a deep green gutter with channel, or the back bank coverage of water and a bit To page 12

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From page 11

a couple of entry points and a back bank within casting distance from the shore should give you a

stages of the tide because they generally indicate the beach is dropping into deeper water.

Patches of rock are

A perfect example of a low tide whiting gutter with a blind end closing up to the right of the photo.

but can also be tailor or salmon and so are worth investigating.

If you live a long way away from your beach destination, and you want to hit the ground running, you can check out any webcams which might be located in the area you intend to fish.

Coastalwatch.com has live camera streaming across a number of beaches across Australia. These not only give you an indication of where the good water is, but also how much activity is going on in that water, like swimmers and board riders spooking your fish, or making it hard to get a cast in.

BEACH CONDITIONS Once you have found one or more of the locations above and are ready to fish, you might then be faced with some beach conditions

A steeply sloping beach drops into a nice gutter. out to a rip, you should fish on the downcurrent or north side of the rip.

Wind and swell Ideal beach conditions for most species of fish is when the surf is neither too heavy nor too light. Too much swell or wind and the baitfish (and the predators chasing them) will seek shelter elsewhere from the dumping waves and churned up sand. Too little swell or wind on the

factor that can quickly spoil a beach angler’s day.

Unfortunately, persistent patches of floating weed has been the major bugbear for tailor anglers at Fraser Island for decades.

Some years the weed is non-existent, some years it hangs offshore with only small patches making their way in with southeasterly winds, and other years the weed can be so thick that

Deep gutters that break close to shore are great spots to target tailor. It’s also an easy place for kids to fish as they aren’t getting smashed by the waves washing up the beach. good shot at the fish if they are around.

Another consideration when reading the water is to work out how far the fishable water is to cast to, taking into consideration the tide when you plan to fish. It is no good picking out a great looking gutter at low tide if that same gutter is too far out to reach at high tide.

Other factors to consider include how close the deep water is to the beach, how steep the slope of the beach is, and the swell to determine whether you could reach it at high tide.

Steeply shelving beaches tend to be fishable on both

another key feature to look for along the beach.

Isolated patches of rock will attract baitfish, barnacles and oysters, which in turn attract predators. These areas are particularly worth a fish when the beach has limited gutters or structure, or when the seas are flat.

If you are in a 4WD and driving along a beach looking for a likely spot, it’s a good idea to have your passengers ‘spotting’ gutters. Your passengers should also keep an eye out for schools of fish, which can appear as darker patches or flashes in the waves. These schools can sometimes be mullet,

that make life a bit tricky.

This includes sweep, wind, swell and weed.

Sweep Sweep (also referred to as longshore drift) is where the water is being pushed either north or south along the beach, and it’s caused by ocean currents or prevailing winds. Strong sweep can be very difficult to fish, so your best bet in these conditions is using a heavy star sinker on a paternoster rig, or fishing the downcurrent side of a rip or entrance of the gutter out to sea. For example, if the sweep is running towards the north and runs

An elevated shot of what a back bank looks like dropping into a gutter. Note the waves starting to break as they reach the drop-off. water, and the fish will be hesitant to come in close to shore, particularly during the daylight hours. This is because calm conditions reduce the overhead coverage of foam or ripples on the water, exposing the fish to attack.

Weed Weed is another

RIP or ENTRANCE

Above left and right: A clearly defined entrance or rip into a shore gutter.

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JULY 2019

fishing for any species along the beach becomes damn near impossible.

There is no silver bullet when the weed is thick except to drive along the beach with a pair of quality polaroid sunglasses to spot patches of cleaner water.

Either that or find another beach (or in the case of Fraser Island, head north past the headlands or over to the western side).

OTHER TRICKS AND TIPS Most species of fish have peak seasons when they are much more prolific in a particular region. Find out what the best seasons are for the area you plan to fish, and focus your efforts on the species that you have the best chance of capturing at that time.

Being mobile is another key to sustained fishing

success. Being mobile can mean either travelling from gutter to gutter in your 4WD before dusk until you find a patch of fish, or minimising the amount of gear you carry so it’s no chore to walk from gutter to gutter.

Being mobile means carrying just your rod and reel and all the gear you need in a smaller backpack or shoulder bag. This should include water, a few spare rigs and small tackle box. If you are going to keep fish, bring a soft cooler bag inside your shoulder bag with a small amount of ice or small ice brick. It’s also a good idea to keep your shoulder bag wet and cool if you keep fish in it.

Many modern anglers like to mix it up, and on calm days walk and cast soft plastic lures in low tide holes for bream and flathead using 7’+ light graphite rods and 20002500 spinning reels filled with 6lb braid.

Multiple outfits At the other end of the scale, if you have a 4WD, or find a big isolated gutter on the beach that you are going to settle in at for the night, it can pay to increase your odds by having a couple of different rod and reel combinations.

This allows you to fish one stage of the tide with one outfit (like a smaller outfit for bream and whiting when the tide is low), and change to a heavier outfit for tailor or mulloway towards dusk in the deeper high tide water.

Another option I like, particularly when I have the luxury of having access to my 4WD, is to have a couple of outfits when chasing tailor. I will travel with a medium-heavy outfit for throwing big baits and sinkers if the tailor are patchy and I need to play a waiting game for the fish.

This same outfit can convert to throwing big baits after dark for mulloway.

In addition, I like to carry a long light graphite rod (12’+) and spinning reel

filled with 15lb braid to throw lures when the action is a bit faster.

Times and tides The change of light period (dawn and dusk) is the best time for species like tailor and salmon, while bigger fish like mulloway will tend to patrol the inner gutters under cover of darkness. For a more detailed article on night fishing, check out my article called ‘The rewards of fishing at night’ at wp.fishingmonthly.com.au.

The ‘best’ tides vary for different species, and

You don’t always have to cast far to catch fish; this dart was caught from a gutter close to the shore.

When the swell is up, fishing just inside an estuary mouth can result in beach regulars, such as salmon.

also according to the type and amount of water in the gutter. Sometimes a gutter can only fire up when there is enough water over the back bank or running in the entrance to bring the fish close to shore. At other times deeper water close to shore might only be accessible at low tide.

For more information on this topic see my article ‘Best times and tides’ at wp.fishingmonthly.com.au.

Berley Finally, berley is a very much underutilised technique on the beach and can really improve your results, especially when the fish are otherwise sparse.

There are a few different ways to do it effectively.

One simple and inexpensive technique is to use your worming stink bag (well stocked with fish frames and offal) and stake it to the edge of a low tide gutter with a long metal rod holder or some other sturdy stake. Then let the waves wash up over the bag and wash back the scent and titbits into the gutter. This will create a regular berley trail and will bring fish like bream, dart and whiting in close to shore to feed on it.

Another berley technique is to carry a bucket full of a concoction such as bran, chicken

pellets, pieces of pilchards, sand and tuna oil. Soak it in water for a while and then throw out a couple of handfuls every few minutes to create a constant stream.

A word of warning though, don’t do it when there is too much sweep about or you will take the fish away from you.

An easier alternative is just to slice up a few older pilchards and toss it into your gutter at a similar sort of rate. This can bring tailor and salmon in closer to shore, and even attract bottom feeders like flathead.

frames, and allow the waves to wash it around. This is particularly popular on some of the remote southern beaches of Australia for anglers chasing snapper and giant mulloway. It’s a great option if you have the means, time and energy.

ENJOYING THE EXPERIENCE Beach fishing is a wonderful way to get outside and enjoy nature, while also being great for your health. I hope these tips help you catch more fish in your local area or on your next holiday to the beach.

HOLE

An isolated deep hole close to the shore.

Last but not least, some serious beach anglers will stake in a large berley cage containing fish offal and

• For more tips and reports from the author, look up ‘Ontour Fishing Australia’ on Facebook.

JULY 2019

13

Stayin’ alive on the rocks NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Winter is a great time for rock fishing, but we should never forget the dangers of this pursuit.

Make no mistake about it: rock fishing is potentially a very dangerous pastime.

Statistically, it has been cited as the most hazardous sport in Australia, and also the third highest cause of drowning deaths after swimming and boating. It’s sobering to consider this statistic on a per capita basis, especially in terms of how many people go swimming or boating each year compared to the much smaller numbers who actually rock fish.

Touch wood, but in half a century of rock fishing, I’ve never been washed in.

Flattened, skittled, rolled, dumped and washed back across the rocks, yes… In fact, more often than I care to count, especially in my younger and more foolhardy

The author with a nice black drummer or rock blackfish. He’s wearing an inflatable jacket, just in case the worst happens. how early you got up and how far you drove to get to your chosen spot.

In recent times there’s also been a great deal of Wet rocks tell their own story. These ledges are occasionally being inundated by larger sets on a rather sloppy day. There’s nothing ‘freakish’ about those bigger waves, but they could easily prove deadly. and also recovered most of our tackle. We picked up some deep scratches and a few interesting bruises

favourite sidecast outfits in the process. Again, it was a life lesson and has further modified my behaviour on the rocks. I’m a lot more cautious these days.

Every time an angler loses his or her life on the ocean rocks, the media talks glibly about ‘freak waves’, thereby implying that the tragedy was somehow beyond the control of the hapless fishers involved.

This is a big mistake. In my experience, ‘freak waves’ are extremely rare. Sure,

in every hour of every day there will be a couple of larger-than-average swells.

These are not ‘freaks’, they’re natural anomalies that occur in any medium that’s affected by wave patterns. More experienced rock-hoppers inherently understand this, but new chums often don’t. The very best advice I can offer in this regard is to sit and watch the spot where you intend to fish for at least 20 minutes before venturing onto it. If in any doubt, go home, no matter

Lightweight sandals that fit well and offer good grip are a very sensible choice on many rock ledges. days! On one memorable occasion in my late teens, a mate and I along with all of our gear ended up bobbing in a big, deep gutter behind the low rocks we’d been fishing from a few seconds earlier.

We were at serious risk of being sucked through the outflow at one end of the gutter, into the open ocean beyond, but we somehow managed to scramble out

for our troubles, but were otherwise unharmed. It was a salutary lesson.

As recently as a decade or so ago, another friend and I were knocked off our feet by a particularly powerful swell and bounced back across an uneven ledge, picking up some more impressive bruises along the way. But what hurt most was losing one of my

Even on flat rocks and in calm weather, you need your wits about you and should always wear the correct clothing and footwear.

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Jo Starling learnt to fish in Darwin, where seas are generally calmer and swell virtually unknown. She enjoys southern rock fishing, but sensibly insists on wearing a lightweight, comfortable life jacket at all times: in this case an inflatable, yoke-style PFD. heated debate about the introduction of laws mandating the wearing of flotation vests (life jackets) by rock fishers in certain jurisdictions. Such laws have already come to pass in parts of NSW, much to the annoyance of many observers.

In the beginning, I was opposed to these rules myself, seeing them as yet another example of unnecessary, nanny-state over-reaction.

But I’ve gradually (and somewhat grudgingly) come to accept that wearing life jackets on the rocks might not be such a bad idea after

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all. These days, I often wear an inflatable, yoke-style PFD myself on the rocks, even where the law doesn’t demand it. Rather like

choosing sensible, grippy footwear and lightweight clothing that I can swim in if necessary, wearing a PFD is no great inconvenience, and it just might save my life one day. For me, that’s enough reason to do it.

In the end, however, rock fishing safety is about a lot more than what you wear. It’s a matter of mindset, planning for possible eventualities and a strong sense of selfpreservation. The bottom line must always be that no fish or fishing experience is worth risking your life for — nor anyone else’s life . It really is as simple as that.

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15

Tech Tricks

Pimp up your jig rigs with some assist hooks BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Jig rigs, or assist rigs as they are more correctly known, are added to numerous metal free-fall and flat-fall jigs when

targeting a host of pelagic and demersal species.

These kinds of jigs really come into their own in deep water, especially when currents are fairly strong and hamper getting other offerings into the zone.

The enticing action of

these jigs helps to solicit a strike. Good technique is the key to successful jigging.

Put simply, assist rigs are basically a single hook on a short length of tough cord that are designed to hook a fish when it attacks the jig.

Why is the hook on a cord, I hear you ask! It is

Assist cords are commonly made out of Kevlar, Spectra, Dyneema or a combination of these fibres. Although available in breaking strains between 30-400lb, the more common sizes are 150-300lb for use with deep water metal jigs. Assist cord is relatively flexible yet has very abrasive resistant properties. Most specialist tackle stores should have at least one brand available.

1

Choose the appropriately sized assist cord based on the application.

Obviously it needs to be heavier than the main line used. For most deep water jigs I will use a minimum of 150lb and a maximum of 300lb. Once you have cut your assist cord, use a heat gun or naked flame to melt and seal the end and eliminate the chance of fraying.

16

JULY 2019

mainly to minimize fouling on the leader. Even if the hook does catch on the leader, the suppleness of the rig allows it to easily fall back in position. When you are fishing depths in excess of 50m the last thing you want is for the hook to foul and make the jig

inoperable. A lot of time would be wasted and fishing opportunity lost if you needed to retrieve to sort the problem out.

Having the hook on an abrasion resistant cord means that it will waft and bounce around as the jig is worked. Adding a little

flash or colour to the hook will increase its appeal. The extra movement the material adds is also an enticement.

Let’s look at a simple way to make your own assist rigs plus some ways to pimp them up, which increases their appeal to a host of fish species.

Most major hook manufacturers will have a jigging hook pattern suitable for this application. The Mustad Hoodlum is probably the easiest to find, however, the Mustad 10881 Jigging Single, the Owner SJ-41 and SJ-51, the BKK 8090 and 8070, Shout Kudako and Ijika, and Gamakatsu Single 60 are some of the more readily used patterns.

Jigging hooks are inline, eliminating the possibility of them twisting during the descent or ascent and subsequently fouling. Hook size will depend on the size of the jig, but I recommend that the gape of the hook is wider than the jig at the position where the hook will hang. This means that when the fish grabs the jig, the hook will find its mark and not be impeded by the jig’s width.

2

Pass the assist cord through the eye of the hook and then tie a simple overhand knot (granny knot) close to the end you sealed with heat.

Pull this knot up as tight as possible. This is the start of the Japanese jigging knot, the easiest knot to make this assist rig with.

Tech Tricks

3

Using this knotted end, make another overhand knot around the main portion of assist cord so the knotted tag end is facing away from the hook as shown. As you can see, the Japanese jigging knot is simply one knot locked against another.

5

Repeat the process with the other end of your cord, however, this time secure it to a suitably-sized solid ring, or a heavy duty swivel if you wish. You can add some heat shrink over the knots if you want a professional look but this is not integral to the overall strength of the rig.

7

However, if you want to add more appeal, there are several options when it comes to pimping your assist rig. There are many types of flash materials (as you would use when fly tying), ones with glow–in-the-dark or UV properties are ideal.

Small octopus skirts will also exhibit a lot of movement and most of these have glow-in-the-dark eyes. Hookem Fish Skin has an iridescent Mylar reflection to it and will glow in low light conditions. This is the type of material that is on many bait jigs. I have also seen assist rigs adorned with marabou (fluffy feather), soft furs and many other materials.

4

Snug the second knot tight around the main portion of cord so that the initial knot in the end stops it coming undone. Snug this up as tight as possible. You can pass the hook over the handle of your pliers to provide some purchase and apply extreme pressure to ensure the knot is locked together tightly against the eye of the hook.

6

Attaching the assist rig to your jig is done using a heavy duty split ring. The leader is then attached directly to the solid ring using a sliding uni or similar. With this configuration, you are not relying on the split ring for any strength once you hook-up. You are now connected directly to the fish and the jig is hanging to the side. The solid ring is quite thick so that the leader will not suffer abrasion where it is attached. You are now ready to go jigging.

8

The whole purpose of pimping your assist hooks is to add more movement, visibility and appeal to the jig. There is a myriad of material types, colours and combinations that you can use. You can make them to match the jig or contrast it. Some will even put two assist hooks on the one jig, each with a different adornment.

The main hook on any jig is attached to the top eyelet, as this limits snagging on the bottom and hook fouling yet offers great hook-up potential. Extra hooks could be added to other eyelets if fishing it mid water, although this can increase fouling. Making your own assist rigs allows you to customize it for any jig you own and is a fairly cost effective exercise.

JULY 2019

17

Don’t let the nasty wind stop your fishing while the males will be grey with blotches. They can be huge some years, averaging

YAMBA

Dave Gaden

July is the middle of winter for most around the country, but for Yamba it is just the start. The water temperature will really start to drop and the weather will become a lot more predictable.

We can expect the return of those cold southeasterly winds at daylight, the ones that are too lazy to blow around you so they just blow straight through you.

This can make it a little uncomfortable during those early starts, but the days just get better and better as it drops off.

OFFSHORE Offshore these conditions mean the snapper will be in close, really close.

I don’t think you can fish too shallow for these beautiful pink fish. A decent 8kg fish can be taken in just 5m of

between 50-60cm. The biggest I ever caught was a massive 95cm fish.

Riley, 12yo, with the last of the spotted mackerel for the season. water. We quite often spend the first 2-3 hours on charter drifting the shallows all the way from Angourie to Brooms Head with float baits in 10-15m of water chasing

Wally from Lismore with a solid snapper.

This is the month to target these beauties.

quality snapper.

Try and fish as light as you dare, as your hook-up rate will increase. I like 20-30lb fluorocarbon leader around a metre long with a couple of glow beads and a very small glow sinker right down on the bait when drifting, just

remember to remove the sinker when anchored.

July will mean the return of leatherjackets. These piranhas of the sea turn up in huge numbers some years, most of them will be Chinaman leatherjacket. The females will be bright yellow

Louise from Dalby with a feisty mulloway, which is a common catch throughout July.

Andrew McDonald from Redland Bay with a late season Spanish mackerel.

Usually they won’t come in much closer than 50m, so they don’t interfere with the snapper fishing, but they will knock the deep water fishing around some days.

Mulloway have grown in numbers in the last 8-9 years, and now are a very regular catch for most offshore fishers. I’ve mentioned many times that I really like the north grounds from Black Rocks to South Evans Reef, so target these fish along with the big trag.

This month they will be easy to find on the south reef from the northeast corner to south of Brooms Head. Be prepared for the odd rouge cobia to be a very welcome by-catch while you are live baiting the mulloway on the

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reef this time of year, as they will turn up and follow the whale’s north.

You are still in with a good chance to catch a late Spanish mackerel this month, as these fish don’t seem to mind the colder water like the spotted mackerel do. The late fish are usually a bit bigger as well.

The weather conditions this month will give you some great opportunities to head wide to the 50-fathom line. This can be flaunting with danger, as the dreaded jackets may be out there, but if they aren’t the rewards can be high with good platesized snapper, pearl perch, blue morwong and the prized pigfish all possibilities.

Chinaman leatherjackets will turn up in numbers throughout July.

We have times when the jackets are mixed with the quality fish. When this happens we will use a paternoster rig made from 90lb wire and this helps us catch plenty of snapper and pearlies, because the competition for food is so intense.

ESTUARIES This is the best month of the year for estuary fishing. The cold weather signals the spawn for a lot of species as they wait for the water temperature to drop between 16-18°C. Bream usually spawn on the full moon in July or August, but prior to the spawn they gather around the mouth of the river, Middle Wall and both breakwalls. They seem to feed aggressively, whether it’s the competition of so many fish or they need to fatten up for the spawn, I don’t know, but if you can’t catch a decent fish this month, just give up.

LUDERICK Luderick are doing the same as the bream and this year is looking like it’s going to be red hot with good number being taken as early as May. These fish will be joined with the ocean run of luderick coming into the river for the spawn, so numbers will swell overnight and they will be hungry.

Be sure to berley heavily while fishing, if you have never used berley for them before, it’s really simple.

Gather a good amount of weed or cabbage and chop it

up as fine as you can then mix it with a bucket of soft sand.

Spend a bit of time in the mixing process so the weed is consistent in the sand, then every time you flick the

float out try and hit it with a table spoon of your mix.

The results will speak forr themselves.

Enjoy the cold weather and red-hot fishing this month.

These keen anglers bagged out on a recent trip, showing how good the mulloway fishing will be this month.

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19

Bag a beast at Ballina BALLINA

Joe Allan

The fishing has been red-hot of late. As the water temperatue has gradually gotten cooler,

Floating cut baits like squid and blue pilchards with the current are very productive if you want to soak some bait. If you’re into throwing lures and plastics, try 60-80mm lipless crankbaits around

hook size should do the trick. If the current is running harder you might need to go heavier.

Spotted mackerel are starting to drop off the bite and the Spanish are really starting to come on. If the

Chesley Lennon caught this bass on one of North Coast’s beautiful dams.

Jake Stewart with a solid mulloway north of the mouth of the Richmond River. the snapper have been coming more consistently and getting better in size.

The best areas are the close in reefs in approximately 10-15m of water.

0.5oz. On the soft plastics side of things, try 4” prawn imitations in natural colours, 0.5oz weights or even lighter if the current will allow, with up to 4/0

Michael Starkey with a beautiful snapper from Reardons Reef south of Ballina.

water clarity stays pretty clean this will happen quicker. Try trolling any shallow diving lures over 100mm, or if you’re into cast and retrieve, a sinking stickbait around 30g is your best bet.

Tailor are really biting well now, with catches coming more consistently over the last month. The gutters along Seven Mile Beach are worth a throw and the best thing about this time of year along this beach is the stud bream that you can come across. 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 in the next few days.

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

The flathead will start

to become patchy in the river along the Ballina town stretch while the bream will really start to fire in the deeper drop-offs. The top of the tide is the pick to chase the big sea-run specimens that come in to spawn. Try throwing blades and plastics off the end of the south wall as well as deep-diving hardbodies over the porpoise wall.

The winter whiting will be kicking 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.

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19 July. The last two years have seen the tournament area increase from Byron Bay in the north to Yamba in the south. This way there isn’t a huge crowd in the one place at the one time and it’s more fun for everyone.

There will be a food alley, displays from sponsors and a live fish tank to display some of the catches from the event. There really is something in this competition for everyone in the family, including a kids category that runs on Sunday 14 July. If you’d like more information please email ehfc@fishingcomps. com.au or head to www. fishingcomps.com.au/ ehc/faqs/.

The author with a decent bream caught on an Atomic Crank 38 deep in GGB colour.

FREE (07)

The size of the mulloway being pulled out of the river of late 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. Make sure you hold on cause these things are beasts.

EVANS HEAD FISHING CLASSIC Once again, the largest saltwater fishing competition in NSW is taking place in Evans Head this month. The Evans Head Fishing Classic has been running for more then 20 years and is being held from Saturday 13 July to Friday

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Clean water fills out rivers THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

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What a great start to the winter season. Super clear water fills our river and seas, with 20m visibility on most reefs offshore of Tweed and 6-10m visibility around the river mouths this month. Slow currents have seen a good number of cobia, mulloway and mixed reefies already being taken on close reefs off of Tweed over the last month.

Deeper reefs are also seeing some good mixed bags. But, the bigger snapper are still sitting with the kings, amberjack and samsonfish out on isolated rocks, reefs, and wrecks, plus the odd 80cm+ fish in close.

Cobia are here! The author with a quality 15kg cobia.

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Michael Lehrmann with a solid skinny water flathead.

The mulloway and cobia are tormenting bait schools on close reefs. Finding the bait is obviously the key to finding these bait raiders.

The school mulloway, up to 1.2m, can be found on most river mouth rock walls and are stalking the running mullet and herring around the bridges and deeper holes.

Some great packs of tailor are working the rivers this month. The run-in tide is fishing best around the rock walls, where the slack or turn has been fishing better in the holes.

Bream have been getting real thick over the last month and most rock walls and bridge pylons have fihsh schooled up on them.

Look for them feeding on the oysters and then use drift baits to catch these fish.

Flathead are really coming on as well this month and will only get hungrier as the month goes on.

OFFSHORE Over the last month Tweed has been cobia town,

with most caught on live bait on the 36s and a few close reefs. Finding the bait is crucial to finding these brutes. Cobia love sitting in the shade near bait, small juvenile snapper or bream schools.

They will wait for the bait to come to them like a lazy dog.

They also love shadowing whales and you will often hook-up to one just after a whale goes past.

All you need to stop most cobia up to 30kg is 40-60lb braid with 80-100lb leader, depending on the structure.

The odd mulloway can also be found sitting around the bait schools on close reefs this month. The 5-9” plastics, vibes and micro jigs have been working best on these fish.

The reefies have been pushing in closer with every full moon and new moon over the last few weeks. The bigger snapper, spangled emperor, golden snapper, pearlies, tuskies and various other mixed reefies have moved into the close reefs off the Tweed region, from the border to Byron all getting good mixed bags. Working well on the close reefs has been 1/4-1/2oz jigheads and bright coloured plastics, lightly-weighted drift baits, 10-40g micro jigs and octa style jigs. However, out on the 50s, 60-300g jigs, 1/2-2oz jigheads, drift baits and bottom bashing baits are working better.

Some big bar cod and Bass groper are

being caught off Tweed in 250-400m of water this month. So get those house bricks and your 1000m reels ready and get out there.

The current has slowed this month. You’ll find the odd kingy sitting around the bait on the bommies at Nine Mile and Kingy reefs. Live bait fishing has been the best. The bigger models are mainly sitting out wider with the big amberjack, and you’ll find the odd samsonfish around there as well. Look for rocks holding fish in that 100-200m of water for best results. Then, just drop them big jigs and hold on.

Look for the birds circling to find the tuna. A windward position should get the fish feeding towards you and makes for better longer casting, with 20-60g metals working best but the odd one will come on a stickbait or popper as well.

Try to land those lures past the packs and rip it back through as fast as you can – this triggers those reaction bites.

ESTUARY The estuaries are fishing really well with the high water clarity.

Packs of tailor, mulloway, flathead, trevally and bream have been feeding up and schooling up on most rock walls on the run-in throughout June.

Fishing best has been the 3-5” plastics on a 1/8-1/4oz jighead vertically jigged past the fish.

The bigger plastics are working better for the bigger species. Going to a 5-9” plastic, a slightly bigger jighead weight and a longer shank hook on your jigs will see you catching small mulloway up to a metre, bigger tailor and bigger flathead this month.

But, live baits are the go for the bigger river mulloway.

Targeting the schools of mullet and packs of tailor as they run along the rock walls and out to sea has been a good method

Wayno Lee Long caught this mixed bag, and even found a few winter mahimahi.

this winter. Just placing a live bait along the walls or holes that are holding those pods of mullet and packs of tailor will see you landing the 100-130cm mulloway, bigger tailor and maybe even a metre flathead.

For chopper tailor, flathead, trevally and bream, fishing the run-in tide with smaller 2.5-5” lures and a 1/12-1/4oz jighead has produced the best results. You will also catch various small reef fish off the walls at this time of year on the run-in.

Bouncing 10-20g micro jigs, vibes and blades (especially prawn blades) in the deeper holes, bridge pylons, rocky points and along the rock walls will see you catching some small mulloway, tailor, bream, trevally and flathead. Short little hops along the bottom is all that you need to do to get that reaction bite. Drift baiting pilchards, whitebait, squid,

strip baits and gut has been catching those fussier fish.

Targeting current lines and following the tide lines up and downriver with surface lures, blades, jigs, small metals and small plastics has been a big producer throughout June. Quality tailor and trevally are feeding off these lines and working surface lures, small metals, vibes or plastics through the feeding fish will see the fish reaction biting to your lures. Light gear is best for this style of fishing, as the more finesse fishos are catching more fish.

Flathead are pushing up onto the flats. Working various artificials in the skinny water is paying off. The 2-5” plastics, hardbodies up to 100mm, surface lures, soft vibes, prawn blades, live yabbies and live beachworms have been catching some decent flathead, bream, winter whiting and small

Matt Saad jigged up a couple armfuls of cracking snapper.

Nick Dillion with a barrel of a bar cod taken in 250m. chopper tailor in the skinny water over the last month.

The last two hours of the run-out and the first hour of the run-in has been fishing best.

BEACH The gutters, various headlands and groins from Snapper Rocks to Byron are fishing well this month.

Spinning metals, stickbaits, poppers, plastics and diving lures will produce some good tailor at dusk and dawn. The rock walls and headlands have been fishing well even during the day.

Try half pilchards, whole pilchards, whitebait, strip baits and plastics, which have all been producing some great mixed bags of bream, tailor, trevally, flathead and even the odd small mulloway or juvenile snapper during the day.

For best results try Fingal Rock Wall, the Causeway, South Wall at Kingy, the northern side of Hastings Point and the Northern Wall, and the Brunswick River mouth.

The best times have been on the last hour of the run-in and the first two hours of the run-out or the last hour of the run-out and first two hours of the run-in. Soaking a whole ganged pilchard or live bait in the gutters on the run-out tide of a night has been producing the odd mulloway and larger tailor, but mostly on the open beaches and more towards the Byron end.

They are really starting to get fired up with the mullet and tailor running up the coast. Scout out the deeper gutters during the day before a planned night trip, so you know how it will fish that night. Fishing at night normally means less wind, so larger live baits won’t get dragged around as much. Cubing or berleying with a bag will also help bring the fish into the gutter in front of you and hold them there longer. But, be vigilant, as this will often bring the odd shark in that is following the mullet and tailor run.

A high-powered waterproof torch is a must for night beach fishing. I recommend a head torch.

NEXT MONTH Most anglers will be

hunting the big snapper, kingies, cobia and mulloway offshore over the next month. Working moon phases and tides will be the key to finding the bigger specimen. Thinking outside the box, whether it be finding new ground, fishing wider, going further south or fishing different times will see you out-smart the crowds and get the bigger fish. Working the rock walls, bridges and holes at the right times will see the smart angler catching the better mulloway, tailor, bream, trevally and flathead.

Flathead will thicken up in the skinny water where they will be trying to warm up. A well-worked plastic will catch better and more fish. Headlands and rock walls will continue to fish well during the day, and the gutters will continue to fish better during the night throughout July. Hunt the schools of mullet and packs of tailor to find the better fish.

Kristian Frey caught this late afternoon offshore mixed bag.

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Perfecting your winter fishing techniques SOUTHERN GOLD COAST

Mark Ward markward222@bigpond.com

Quality tailor is dominating beach fishing this month and the estuaries are loaded with bream and flathead.

There’s not a lot of variety, but there are still good catches to be had.

July is also a good month to land a mulloway. Cold westerly winds mean flat

seas but chilly nights, and this is the perfect scenario for a big mulloway.

ESTUARY Bream have been dominating catches for the bait angler as well as the clever lure angler. Fish light with very light leaders and a little finesse if you want to land a bream on lures. They will have a go at soft plastics as well as hardbody lures.

If you want to increase your chances of success,

Rug up for the cool mornings and enjoy lots of flathead in the rivers and canals.

match the lure to what the bream are feeding on. At this time of the year, there are a lot of prawns in the mangroves at high tide and the bream can be found in very shallow water gorging themselves on these tasty morsels.

Try fishing the Tweed and Nerang rivers around the shallow mangroves or cotton tree lined banks. Matching a small prawn lure to the conditions will do the trick.

Bream can also be found around the rock walls and artificial structure of all the creeks and rivers of the southern Gold Coast.

I prefer to use minnow lures or Cranka Crabs, as this matches what the fish are eating.

This is a good tip for the bait fishers as well. Live bait always works best so if fishing the mangroves, live prawns are deadly.

Additionally, they are not all that hard to catch and store, so don’t be shy and give live prawns a go. They are also amazing bait to use at night. They must send out a distress message that keep the fish coming for miles.

Flathead are at their best this month. The bigger fish are well spread out but

there are also good numbers of pan-sized fish around the estuaries. Even the canals have a lot of flathead in them at this time of year, so fishing small soft plastics on light gear can turn up a mixed bag.

I had a mate walking the very shallow water of Tallebudgera recently who reported loads of baitfish, and flathead were fighting over his lure. Look for clear, cool water as the tide runs in and there should be plenty of bait fish to turn the flathead on.

Additionally, there have been some bigger fish on the edges of the weed beds and drop-off in the Tweed River. I have been doing very well around the Terranora Arm and around the back of the Golf Club.

Trevally don’t mind the cold water either and can be found anywhere there is some bait and current. The canal mouths and rock walls are ideal. There seems to be a lot more small fish about this year, which is good for future fish stocks so careful releases are important.

The canal mouths in Tallebudgera Creek and the rock walls of the Tweed River are preferred

The author with a decent bream landed on a plastic. There will be good numbers of fish congregating downstream this month. locations. On the run-out tide, the mouth of Pine Lake canal in Currumbin Creek will also see a few trevally feeding.

I recently spent a day

with our Bundaberg writer, Jason Medcalf. We were shooting a segment for his fishing show and hit the canals, landing 12 different species over a couple of

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days of fishing. While the bream and flathead seem to dominate the catches, there is still quite a variety of fish out there. I think we landed five different species of trevally alone!

It’s a great time of year to wet a bait or toss a lure around, and just wait and see what shows up.

BEACHES While the morning may be a little chilly, fishing the afternoons as the sun fades is a great way to land some tailor this month. So far reports suggest that there have been a lot of fish about early in the season, so as July, August and September progress, there should be large numbers of fish moving into the gutters.

Pilchards rigged on ganged hooks works well at night and during the day and metal lures are a great option at sunrise and sunset.

Mulloway will also follow the tailor and mullet schools around this month.

Big beachworm baits or live baits work the best.

Fishing into the night is also a better option. Last year, most of the mulloway caught on beaches were landed on the Tweed Coast, but even Burleigh Heads will see a few chasing the tailor, mullet and bait schools.

Dart, flathead and

bream are always an option on the beaches. Monster flathead are often caught on the beaches during winter.

I’d love to know if they are moving from one estuary to another, but for whatever reason, it is always winter that sees big flathead in the gutters.

FRESHWATER Bass have been on the bite in Hinze Dam. The cooler weather has fired them up, and great fishing around the timber has been keeping anglers busy. It’s a great time to roll spinnerbaits. Roll them just fast enough to get the

blades spinning, and deep enough so that the fish don’t have to move too far to attack them.

During the day, fish have been schooling on the points and responding to slowly worked soft plastics.

My new go-to lure is a Berkley Gulp Grub in camo colour, but even the old paddle-tails still work very well.

Clarrie Hall Dam has been a little slower, but the schooled fish will take

a plastic or ice jig that is worked at the depth they are schooling at. Persistence is the key and if that gets boring, try trolling the points and out from the weed. The fish on the troll will be smaller, but they are always on the chew.

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25

Variety is the spice GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn Instagram: @josh__dunn__

As the cold weather sets in, getting out of bed in the morning may seem a lot harder. But, as I’ve found fishing the last few weeks, it really pays to brave the chill for the first hour or two before the sun rises.

Tailor have gradually come around this season, which is unusual for them. In previous years they have fired as soon as the cold weather sets in. Some anglers may say otherwise, but it was tough going for a little while.

Rock walls are a great place to start, as white wash is normally a factor to get tailor on the bite. Deep holes, gutters

and canal mouths are also areas where they will congregate, although surprisingly enough I have caught tailor 2-3km up canal systems. These fish definitely get around!

Try trolling and prospecting the Broadwater during dawn and dusk. There’s normally a few fish about, it’s just a matter of persisting and finding the birds – key to fishing for this pelagic species.

Bait fishing is another great way to get amongst tailor, and is certainly a technique for the more relaxed angler.

Tailor will take most baits, but pilchards are the undisputed top pick. Their oily coated skin is no match for a tailor lurking in the area.

Along with tailor, species such as bream, mulloway and flathead are on the hit

list during winter. It is the perfect time for throwing big plastics in deep waters for predatory fish. It’s a thrill like no other – aggressively hopping your plastics off the bottom, pausing to wait for it to hit the bottom, then seeing a tick in your line before you set the hooks into a quality mulloway.

Bream fishing will be prime this month, as a few fish will still be in spawning mode, whereas others will be stocked up and fat, making for a solid bag of bream if you’re a tournament angler.

In conclusion, July is set to be a great month for a range of species. It’s a month full of those watery-eyed, chilly mornings. Keep warm and get amongst the red-hot bite on the water!

When night fishing doesn’t go as planned, the big-eye trevally aren’t too far away!

FISHING NEWS

Endangered hammerhead sharks dumped in thousands

MIGHTY

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At least 2,491 endangered hammerhead sharks were dumped overboard by commercial fishers in Queensland’s East Coast gillnet fishery in 2018, shocking new data analysed by marine conservationists has revealed.

In the supposed sanctuary of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which is part of the East Coast fishery, the data shows that 3,359 endangered scalloped hammerhead sharks were caught and more than half (1,967) were thrown back.

Studies have shown that only 2/10 hammerheads caught are alive when they are thrown back. Those that do survive the catch and are thrown back have a slim chance of survival.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and Humane Society International (HSI) calculated the figures from data entered into the Queensland Government’s QFish database.

Last year was the first time fishers have been required to record catch and ‘discard’ data on hammerhead sharks caught in the fishery.

Dr. Leonardo Guida,

shark ecologist and senior campaigner at AMCS said, “Of all the life in our oceans, sharks and reef corals are the most threatened with extinction. Yet the commercial exploitation of sharks on our Great Barrier Reef is going essentially unchecked.”

“On top of this, we now find fishers are dumping more than 2,400 unwanted, likely dead, hammerheads because they’re not worth the money or the effort. This is inexcusable, and urgent action must be taken to remove gillnets catching endangered hammerheads from the Reef.

“The Queensland G o v e r n m e n t ’ s mis-management of endangered hammerhead sharks is shocking. Sharks are critical to the Reef’s health, yet commercial fishers can catch up to 120,000 sharks each year in our Great Barrier Reef.

“Reporting numbers dumped is only part of the solution, and now that we know the scale of it, industrial-sized gillnets need to be removed.

It’s not just about sharks either, the benefits of these reforms extend to industry and all life that call the reef home.”

Scalloped and great hammerhead sharks are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red list, which is a higher threat of extinction level than polar bears, lions, and giant pandas.

In 2018, the Federal Government denied submissions from AMCS and HSI that called for the protection of the scalloped hammerhead shark, allowing it to continue being fished in the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Lawrence Chlebeck, Marine Campaigner at HSI said, “Scalloped hammerhead shark populations have declined up to 84% in the reef. Federal and Queensland Governments still have the opportunity to mandate their full protection, and unless immediate action is taken, extinction of an iconic species is just around the corner.”

Dr. Guida added, “The health of the reef is shared responsibility between Federal and Queensland Governments. We expect them to act now and remove industrial-sized gillnets to save these species.” - AMCS

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Mixed bags on offer JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

Fishing has been outstanding this winter, and that should continue this month, with bream being the most sought-after fish.

There are heaps of them throughout the ‘Pin, so they

will be at the top of fishers’ lists during July.

The cooler water temperatures have also brought mulloway and tailor, which is great to see. Flathead are also plentiful. Although not traditionally the best time of year for whiting and mud crabs, they are around in good numbers.

Bream are everywhere at

A cheeky sand crab couldn’t resist this Tango Shad.

RECEIVE

the moment and you almost can’t wet a line without catching one. Stick to any structure you can find and there will be bream. One of the best spots to try for some quality bream is the deep water of the bottom of North Stradbroke Island, where there are sunken trees, ledges and holes in about 40-50ft of water.

A lot of bait runs through this area, attracting all sorts of species at various depths.

On the bottom you can catch bream, flathead and mulloway, in the middle to the top there are tailor, trevally, and any number of other pelagics.

The main problem with fishing this area is that the tide rushes through very quickly and makes it hard to keep your bait in the strike zone.

Sometimes the weather isn’t very pleasant and it can get quite rough. So, the change of the tide is the best time, as the run slows and it’s calmest usually in the mornings.

Other popular spots to try are Kalinga Bank, the eastern point of Short Island, Flat Rock, the Powerlines and in the deeper water near Lone Pine in the Logan River.

Mulloway should be on offer during these colder

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months, and they are mainly being caught on livies and plastics. The turn of the tide is a great time to try your luck. Spots to try are Giants Grave, Flat Rock, Marks and Pitts rocks in the Logan River, the Stockyards, off Swan Bay and Kalinga Bank.

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July is still a great time for flathead. From all reports there have been plenty on offer in the deeper water off Kalinga Bank and the Short Bank, the top of Crusoe Island, near the Five Ways, the mouth of the Pimpama River and the southern tip of Long Island.

Small live herring, mullet and hardiheads work really well on flathead either on the drift or stationary. They will come up berley trails, and I’ve even had one follow a lure to the surface near Kalinga Bank. Try plastics around the weed banks. They seem to bite best as the water is draining off the banks in the last of the run-out tide.

• Thanks for all your reports and fish weighed in. Feel free to drop us a line at Gem Bait and Tackle on 3287 3868 or email gembait@tpg.com.au for any up-to-date info and I’ll catch you next month.

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Winter brings big beautiful bounty to the coast GOLD COAST

David Green

As we progress further into winter, there is an increase in activity in the water as spawning preparations begin. The

fishing conditions improve.

OFFSHORE GROUNDS In terms of water temperature, the offshore grounds of the Gold Coast drop a few degrees well after the onset of winter temperatures on the shore.

July is the first month of the

drop, and this coincides with a reduction in current.

Snapper start to move onto the inshore and offshore reefs at this time of year in preparation for spawning and there should be some good catches throughout the month. The

Mark Frendin with a snapper. July is the best month for snapper fishing on the Gold Coast.

The author with a quality flathead. These fish really fire up in the cooler months. water temperatures and current should continue to drop and this will see the

year where we generally see the temperature on the 36 and 50-fathom lines start to

best time to chase snapper on the inshore grounds is at dawn and dusk, and these

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On the wider grounds of the 36, 42 and 50-fathom reefs the fish tend to bite

more freely during daylight hours, and the hour around a change in tide is often the most productive period to fish.

A lot of quality snapper up to 8kg should turn up

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fish frames, so whole mullet or slimy mackerel heads will catch bigger fish. Soft plastics and octo jigs are also worth trying. I like the Berkeley Gulp Nemesis 7” for snapper fishing and I’ve caught big ones up to 9kg on this lure.

Cobia are another good target species this month, and already a number of good-sized fish up to 25kg have been caught on the inshore reefs this season.

The secret to reliable cobia fishing is to anchor up and berley using big chunks of fish. Cobia are inquisitive and greedy, and also respond to large soft plastics.

However, generally the best method I’ve found is to use live bait. Bigger baits such as tailor, bonito, tarwhine and large slimy mackerel are all effective.

I fish one live bait close to the bottom and a second mid-water with a light sinker. I use a 40-60lb fluorocarbon leader when targeting cobia. They tend to move in small schools and you can spend hours without a bite only to have all your baits eaten in minutes when the schools arrive.

Gamefishing this month is mainly on the wider grounds beyond the 100m line, although in some seasons striped marlin show up on the 36-fathom line and

around the Cotton Reef, east of Jumpinpin. Out on the shelf, fishing is dependent on water temperature. If it is over 23ºC, there is always a chance of catching blue marlin, and most caught in July are big fish in excess of 150kg. Striped marlin can also be a common catch in July, and further out on the 1000m line there are often big schools of yellowfin tuna. This season has seen quite a few yellowfin caught on the wider grounds, some fish being over 70kg.

Mulloway are another species worth chasing in July. The inshore reefs in around 30m of water and the artificial reefs northeast of the Seaway are all worth a look this month. I find I get most of my mulloway from sunset until about an hour after dark.

RIVERS AND ESTUARIES In the estuaries this month there is a lot of fish movement as bream, luderick and mullet migrate to the entrances in preparation for spawning. As the westerlies blow, the water temperature drops considerably and this coincides with better fishing.

As mullet start to move into the entrances, mulloway move into the estuary to feed on them. Fishing a live mullet on a tide change in the Seaway or around

the mouth of Swan Bay at night is a reliable method to catch big mulloway. Most of these fish are over a metre

month as the water cools and the fish become more active. The central part of the Broadwater between

metal vibes and prawn style lures. Over recent years when the fishing is tough, I’ve found the smaller

Mark Frendin with a bright pigfish, a colourful catch for this area. long. During daylight hours, drifting with live pike or big soft plastics is effective but the fish tend to be smaller in size.

Flathead fishing should improve significantly this

Crab Island and Tipplers Passage tend to be most productive in July. Look for clear water and flats adjacent to weed beds. I like to mix up my lures between soft plastics, soft vibes,

Zerek Live Shrimp to be a game changer.

If casting lures doesn’t produce, we generally go trolling so we can cover more water in search of active fish. In water depths

of less than 3m I like to use Micro Mullets, Zerek Tango Shads and the locally made Pig Lures. These are all very reliable. The advantage of trolling is that it helps you find patches of active fish, and when you locate the fish you can stop and cast. A lot of my more ‘secret’ casting spots were found by trolling.

As bream move into the deeper water to spawn, there should be plenty of quality fish in the entrances and big schools should start to show up in the Seaway. Bait and lures are effective for bream, and small blades worked around the pipeline in the Seaway can be deadly.

Some of these spawning fish are over a kilo in weight.

Tailor should show in numbers on the run-in tides around the entrances.

Spinning with small metal lures is an ever-productive method, and if there are schools of white pilchards around, tailor won’t be far behind. Look for the birds and try to position your boat upwind from the schools.

Metal spoons, small minnows and metal slugs all work very well, with some fish in June reaching 2kg.

Overall, July is a good month to fish the Gold Coast and we should see some great weather for getting offshore, if you’re willing to brave the cold.

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31

Wet a line through July SOUTHERN BAY

Nick Whyte

The southern bay is alive with some decent snapper at the moment. There have been lots of fish caught in the shallows as well as better quality fish in the deeper water around the West Peel and Harry Atkinson artificial reefs.

Hardbodied lures are one of my favourite ways to target these guys. You can get them on the troll, which is a good way to cover some ground looking for the bait and schools of fish. Casting to feeding fish over the reef flats and edges really triggers those strikes.

MARINE

WINDOWS

The Zerek 69 and 89mm Tango shads are great for this method and get down to about 2.5m on the cast.

Finding the baitfish is the key to finding good quality snapper, so make sure you use your sounder to locate the schools and work the areas over. All the reef edges are producing fish, so look for the main reef points as your starting areas. Lightly weighted plastics like the ZMan StreakZ Curly TailZ 4” or well-presented bait will give you the best results.

Bream are starting to school up in numbers throughout the Jumpinpin area. The Bar, east Crusoe, Tiger Mullet Channel and

around Short Island are the places to look. You can find them stacked up around sunken timber or even out in the open in the sand undulations.

Once you find a congregation of fish, cricket score catches can be expected. Small soft plastics or small metal vibes are the best way to target these fish in spawning mode. Remember, only take enough for a feed, and don’t take your bag limit just for the sake of it.

Flathead have been consistent this last month.

Fish as large as 75cm have

A little Jumpinpin threadfin that was caught on a Zerek Fish Trap. up to 3kg being reported.

There’s plenty of chopper tailor around the ‘Pin Bar so make sure you keep a small slug rigged and keep an eye out for any schools that may pop up. Weighted and unweighted pillies, fast retrieve slugs or plastics, and even poppers will entice a bite from some of these manic feeders.

There have been a few reports of mulloway from the ‘Pin Bar. This is the time of year big mulloway

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push in following the mullet schools. Plenty of fish have been taken on live baits and lures. Try to work each side of the tides to get out of the main hard running water, or fish the smaller neap tides.

There are also reports of some decent-sized giant trevally getting around in the ‘Pin Bar. • If you have a great capture from the Southern Bay you would like to share, email them through to nick@ techfishing.com.au.

Aaron Wilk finishing off the day with a Moreton Bay juvenile snapper.

9 Cameron Street, Clontarf QLD 4019 Phone 07 3284 5088 Fax 07 3284 5089 email amw@myaccess.com.au Visit our website: www.austmarinewindows.com.au

been very common, with lots of 60cm fish amongst the numbers. Trolling hardbodies produces plenty

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of fish and is a good way to cover a lot of ground and find the congregations of fish. Lures like the Zerek Tango Shad in 50 and 69mm sizes have been accounting for their fair share.

Once the schools are located, it pays to cast the area using vibes or soft plastics. I prefer to use the ZMan 5” paddle-tail, as they are very versatile bait with a slim profile and great action. When it comes to vibes, I like to use the TT Switchblade or the Zerek Fish Trap. Try to work the low tides as the fish gather more along the drop-offs.

Snake drains are the perfect flathead ambush point.

Winter whiting season is in full swing now. Great catches have been coming from all the usual spots like Pelican, Banana and Rous Channel banks. Drift around until you find them and then either shorten your drifts or anchor up.

There’s been decent tailor getting around the bay with quality catches

A standard mid-winter juvenile snapper catch.

4

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It’s worth braving the cold for a Brisbane bite BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

We are now smack bang in the middle of winter and land-based anglers have ample opportunity to get quality fare in the estuaries, rivers, foreshores and along the beaches during July.

If you have a line in the water, you are in with a great chance of success.

Anglers are being treated

good hook placement in the bait will definitely increase results. At this time of the year, the average size of bream in the estuaries will rise due to mature specimens coming inshore to breed.

The beaches and mouths of the estuaries often produce large, lightly-coloured bream, which can appear almost ghostlike and are often referred to as ‘snowies’.

These fish will often run up into the rivers, creeks and estuaries around the full moon.

Lawson White scored this quality Brisbane River mulloway on lightly-weighted squid strips after several previous ones were taken by sharks.

Yamashita egi account for a lot of quality squid like this one taken recently from the bay. to species such as tailor, mulloway, bream, luderick, squid, and snapper. Specific targeting will increase catch rates with a particular species, however anglers can still encounter many of these coincidentally.

BREAM One of the more readily available species for landbased anglers is the humble bream. These can be taken in the rivers, creeks, canals, estuaries and along the beaches on a vast array of baits and lures.

Bream are scavengers and will eat most morsels they encounter. For the angler, this decreases the need to be too specific with offerings. Even very inexperienced anglers have a great chance of scoring a few bream if they have a bait or smaller lure in the water.

While quality fresh baits are desirable for the better quality specimens, plenty of decent bream are caught on simple baits of chicken fillet, dough, frozen prawns and other offerings.

Large bream are often wary. Finesse rigging with minimal sinker weight, light fluorocarbon leaders and 34

JULY 2019

Anglers braving the cold of night will generally get the best of these quality fish, which can reach lengths in excess of 40cm. Good baits include green prawns, numerous fillet baits, whitebait, hardiheads, half pilchards, squid strips, fowl gut, and mullet gut.

Bream lure fishing has become a refined art over the last two decades, especially since the introduction of numerous bream fishing tournaments. Many anglers spend a lot of time and money refining their techniques to make them competitive in this arena and bream fishing has become a popular pastime for many inshore anglers.

A broad array of plastics, minnow lures, topwater lures, blades and vibes can be used to get amongst quality bream.

However, knowledge of the best offering for any situation is best gained with on-water experience.

Having a good knowledge of bream habits and preferences at different tidal stages will greatly increase your success. Deeper water can be probed with jighead rigged plastics, blades, vibes and Cranka Crabs while the

shallows can be worked with topwater offerings, shallow diving minnow lures and very lightly weighted plastics.

Bream numbers will increase throughout inshore waters over the next few months. Now is a great time to get out and hone your sportfishing skills with lures, or to score a good feed using well-presented baits.

MULLOWAY A prime target for anglers during the cooler months is mulloway. Whether you target them for sport or fillets, mulloway have plenty to offer with increased numbers as water temperatures cool.

The mouth of the Brisbane River and the deeper holes in the Logan, Pine, Caboolture and other systems are prime places to deploy live baits. Night sessions can be especially productive when decreased light and boat traffic increase the possibility of this relatively shy species meandering throughout the estuaries and around the artificial reefs.

Lighted areas in these systems will often attract baitfish and other prey species, a fact that doesn’t go unnoticed by any mulloway in the area.

Live baits will definitely give you the best chance because their struggling draws mulloway in from a distance.

Mullet, large prawns, herring, pike, yakkas, slimy mackerel and a broad array of other baits all work well.

Those chasing XOS mulloway over 15kg will generally use large mullet between 20-30cm, presented on a snelled hook rig with just enough lead to keep the bait on the bottom. The strong struggles of these baits will often entice the wary ‘ghosts of the estuary’ into striking.

Large specimens like this aren’t common and many anglers will spend countless

nights braving the cold to encounter one of these special fish. Sharks, shovelnose rays, stingrays and large cod are also serious possibilities for anglers fishing such baits in the estuarine environment.

Large mulloway can be taken on lures, however it is generally the specimens less than 120cm that are hooked.

With the minimum legal size for mulloway at 75cm and a bag limit of two per person, every bag out will produce several kilograms of tasty fillets to provide numerous meals for the family.

SNAPPER Anglers have been

great bait for better quality snapper, especially when fished on a jighead and drifted close to the bottom around the artificial reef areas. Still, most fresh and live baits will work well. I like quality fillet baits such as lightly-salted bonito and tuna strips, pike, pencil garfish, live yakkas and slimy mackerel. However, even the humble frozen pilchard and squid will produce hefty snapper.

Most baits are best fished lightly-weighted, with running ball sinker rigs an ideal choice in the shallows around the bay islands. When fishing from an anchored position, cast baits

Adding a little berley to the mix can be worthwhile when there isn’t much current.

However, berleying in strong currents isn’t wise, as the berley can actually take fish away from your position. Most of it will be well away from the strike zone before it gets low enough into the water column.

Berley can consist of pellets, pilchard slices, pre-made berley logs and discards such as mashed up fish scraps, prawns shells and crab shells.

Lures can be very effective on snapper and there’s a broad array available that will entice snapper to strike. Soft plastics are probably the easiest offering for newbie anglers to cut their teeth on. Providing you don’t go too heavy with the jighead, and work your plastic slowly, there is a great chance of hooking up.

Paddle tails, T-Tails, curltails, jerk shads and numerous crustacean profiles will all work a treat.

Drifting around the fringes of the bay islands is a good place to start your ‘Pagrus’ on plastics journey. Snapper commonly roam these areas as they search for food items along the numerous ledges, reef outcrops and rubbly bottom.

Peel Island still has a good amount of living reef and will produce sweetlip, morwong, tuskfish, cod and many other species in addition to snapper. Mud Island is also a great location, with differing underwater terrain producing a wide array of species.

Around the fringes of the bay islands, snapper may be found close to the surface

Reggie with a beautiful bream taken from the moorings using hardiheads. readily taking quality snapper throughout June. Moreton Bay and the Brisbane River have held some decent numbers of snapper, with lures and baits producing the goods.

Large banana prawns are

well upcurrent and allow them to drift back and settle behind the boat. Feeding out line and allowing lightly-weighted offerings to gradually drift aft is a good ploy for better quality snapper.

as they hunt for hardiheads, gar and other baitfish. As a result, a plastic might be set upon as soon as it hits the water surface.

The artificial reefs also hold good numbers of snapper,

which can be targeted with plastics, micro jigs and soft vibes. Trolling is an effective method here, which allows you to cover some ground with deep diving minnow lures being prime offerings.

Be aware of the relevant size and bag limits, and release small snapper with care to guarantee the future of the Moreton Bay snapper fishery.

LUDERICK Decent weed growth on many pontoons, buoys, jetty pylons, mangrove roots, rocks and other submerged estuarine items has resulted in decent numbers of luderick in these areas. The Sunken Wall, Boat Passage Rock Wall and the retaining wall at the mouth of the Brisbane River will all hold decent numbers of luderick.

They can also be found in numerous channels in the Jumpinpin Area, major canal systems and harbours.

Submerging weed baits (mainly cabbage and string) below an almost neutral buoyancy float and drifting these adjacent to the areas where these weeds grow is the basic method. Fine-tuning this technique with finesse rigging, a keen eye to detect the slightest down or up (an indication that a fish is mouthing the bait) and good bait presentation will greatly increase your results.

Luderick are best kept alive until processing to

eliminate the chance of the black gut lining tainting the flesh. Once dispatched, fillet the fish promptly, remove the gut lining and skin, and

be caught on a wide array of baits and lures.

Whole fish baits like pilchards, herring, frogmouths, sardines, whitebait, garfish

Gateway Bridge, CityCat terminals, Boat Passage Bridge and Lytton Road Bridge can all produce tailor at night.

Mulloway and threadfin can

Numerous lures will interest snapper, with this one scored on a paddle-tail vibe. put the fillets in a little salty water for 30 minutes or so.

This will produce tasty white fillets that can rival many reef fish species.

TAILOR Usually by July, there are good numbers of tailor showing up at a host of locations throughout Moreton Bay, the Jumpinpin Area, Pumicestone Passage and the eastern facing beaches. Tailor are ravenous predators and can

and hardiheads are all prime offerings. These are best fished lightly weighted, unweighted, under a float or cast out and slowly retrieved.

Live baits are a great option, especially for the larger specimens. Salted tuna and bonito strips are prime offerings favoured by many beach fishers targeting the greenback tailors.

Lighted areas in the Brisbane River around the

also be taken with plastics, vibes, blades, shallow diving minnow lures and even topwater offerings.

Red Beach at Bribie Island is a good place to cast out a few pilchard baits or lures early morning or late afternoon around the higher stages of the tide. The Woody Point Jetty, Scarborough Jetty, Amity Rock Wall, Manly Rock Wall, Victoria Point Jetty, Sandgate Jetty and Dunwich

Jetty are other great places to chase tailor if you don’t mind the walk.

Anglers fishing the Bill Turner, Harry Atkinson, West Peel and East Coochie artificial reefs also get a few tailor. Casting lures across the shallow reef area on the northern end of Mud, Goat and Peel islands on an early morning high tide is likely to produce. Many anglers use shallow diving minnow lures and topwater offerings.

Lucky Craft Sammy, Bassday Sugapen and most small poppers can be used in these areas with great success, encouraging plenty of exciting surface strikes. The next two months or so will continue to produce tailor, especially at the eastern-facing beaches of Moreton and Stradbroke.

SQUID A hotly targeted species for both shore-based and boating anglers, squid can be a lot of fun and provide an exceptionally tasty feed when prepared and lightly cooked.

Casting egi around the shallow reef and rubble areas surrounding the bay islands is a very reliable technique.

The weed beds along the eastern side of Moreton and Stradbroke islands and the discoloured sandy areas along the edges of the Rous and Rainbow channels are all worth a try. Drifting egi behind the boat in these

channels, across the sand banks or around the bay islands, can be very effective.

When the rod tip loads up, you simply need to slowly wind in your prize.

Shore-based fishing at Manly, Victoria Point, Wellington Point, Sandgate and Scarborough can produce some very satisfactory results.

Night sessions are generally best and firstly spotting the squid with a high-powered LED head torch can reduce the amount of blind casting.

We still have a few more months of quality squid fishing ahead so grab a few egi and get amongst them.

CONCLUSION Cold weather is a deterrent for many to head out during July. However, it is often several degrees warmer once out on the water and the fishing can be very good.

Making the effort to don some warm clothes, bring a warming drink and get out there is worthwhile.

Anglers up early in the bay love to see the sun peak over the horizon, as this will often herald the start of a hot snapper bite. As it rises higher in the sky, the night chill is replaced with welcome warmth.

Despite the elements, cold weather fishing can be really special so get out and sample some of winter’s piscatorial wonders.

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35

Winter action in northern bay NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

If you haven’t been up to much, there’s plenty of fishing action waiting for you in the northern bay!

It’s certainly been a busy month here. With clear skies and westerly winds blowing, the fishing has been red hot throughout the estuaries and inshore waters.

Early morning seems to

the area. Worthwhile places include the lower reaches of Glasshouse Creek, Lime Pocket, Tiger Rocks, the mouth of Ningi Creek and Donnybrook weed flats, especially on retreating tides while anchored up and using fresh baits.

Whiting are on the chew with bloodworms as the choice of bait. Local anglers are using fresh yabbies to great success at Cockle Banks, Mission Point and Donnybrook.

bigger fish for their troubles.

Shad lures have also produced, but mostly smaller fish. Soft plastics and lures have been most effective in the low light hours, with bright and glow in the dark colours initiating good bite patterns.

Bream numbers have also been steady with their spawning cycles in full swing.

Ravenous feeders are being picked up in the shallows after the full moon with many anglers picking up big specimens using raw chicken breast for bait.

The bream’s spawning habits tend to see them school up in deeper waters, so try deeper areas as the sun gets higher in the sky. Around the peninsula good options are the outer bommies of Queens Beach, Osbourne Point, Drury Point and North Reef.

Soft plastics have

been more successful than hardbodied lures. Some great options include the 2.5” ZMan GrubZ, 2 ¾” Atomic Plazos jerk minnow and 2” Gulp shrimp.

Flathead numbers have risen as larger spawning females have hit the shallows of Redcliffe. The eastern side of Woody Point Jetty, Clontarf foreshore near the Pelican Point Boat Ramp and the inner reefs of Castlereagh Reef are all worth a try.

Fishers have been targeting squid in the reef shallows in the early morning, and around Redcliffe and Woody Point jetties at night. It’s important to reduce the chance of snagging your expensive squid lure.

Make sure you keep your rod tip up when fishing skinnier waters or limiting your sink rate when fishing off jetties or deeper waters.

Jordan Bennie caught this Brisbane River juvenile snapper, which are plentiful this season.

Flathead numbers have been solid lately. be prime time, with the dawn bite period rewarding fishers brave enough to venture out in the cold. Reliable water clarity has shown good numbers of baitfish, attracting bread and butter species throughout all corners of the bay.

PUMICESTONE PASSAGE The cooler months are proving productive so far, with flathead being the talk of

36

JULY 2019

REDCLIFFE PENINSULA Juvenile snapper are leading the catches in the peninsula, with consistent numbers over the last few weeks. The hot spots are North Reef, Woody Point and Garnet Rock.

Most of the quality catches have been thanks to soft plastics, with patient bait fishers being rewarded with

Redcliffe never fails to produce decent bream.

PINE AND CABOOLTURE RIVERS The rivers have been on fire lately with bream, flathead, mulloway, juvenile snapper and whiting being caught throughout the systems.

Pine River has been alive with decent flathead at the mouth.

The ebbing tide has been the most favourable during the early morning bite period.

Again soft plastics have been working well, with fresh baits like mullet and yabbies accounting for good catches.

The smaller tides are the best times to target, as the mouth underneath the Ted Smout Bridge tends to have fast flowing currents around the bigger tide days.

Flathead have also been picked up throughout the system with sand bank dropoffs being the best spots.

Bream numbers have been a

little slim due to the spawn, but are set to pick up early next month. Smaller legals are still being nabbed upstream though, with deep diving hardbodied lures and lightlyweighted baits working on the rising tide.

For the Caboolture River, bream are in good numbers around the boat hulls down towards the mouth of the river.

ZMan GrubZ and Cranka Crabs are working well when fished hard up against the structure. Small school mulloway and the occasional threadfin salmon have been picked up on some of the river’s deeper bends with Jackall Mask vibes, Atomic Vibe 50s and Threadybusters working well to get these finicky eaters to bite.

Patience is the key to this game, so pack a good lunch and wait it out!

Hefty amberjack and snapper this winter BRISBANE OFFSHORE

John Gooding

This time last year, the water temperature was down between 19-20°C

jigging sessions, but live baiting has accounted for 90% of the amberjacks we’ve boated.

The 37 and 42-fathom reefs along with some of the isolated wrecks have all

been producing fish.

Juvenile snapper have been showing up in decent numbers, normally later in the day after we’ve finished with amberjacks.

The fact that we are still

Amberjack and snapper kept this group busy on charter. on the closer 29, 33 and 35-fathom reefs. Plenty of snapper turned up as a result.

Fingers crossed we see these cooler current lines push in again this year, so good numbers of snapper repeat.

This season has started very positively, with plenty of good catches already reported.

It’s been more of the same on charter of late.

Amberjack have been turning it on for us and we’ve had some red-hot sessions, with bag outs the norm.

Most of the amberjacks have been school-sized fish in the 3-8kg range, and at this size they are good tucker.

We’ve had a couple of

These lucky fishers bagged out on juvenile snapper with a few tuskfish, pearl perch and a cobia for good measure.

A bag out on amberjack gave this group of anglers a workout.

picking up good numbers of juvenile snapper in the middle of the day tells me there’s a lot of fish already moved in. More should turn up as the weather and water cools more.

For the pelagic fisher, The Group off Point Lookout and Flinders Reef off Cape Moreton should see larger winter Spanish mackerel keen to hit big troll baits such as bonito, tuna, tailor and slimy mackerel.

Stick baits and large poppers will also do the business on these fish, once you find where they are schooled up.

Pearl perch have been producing numbers in the shallower reefs around Point Lookout and Wire Patch east of Flat Rock.

The bottom end of the wide Caloundra reef system, north of Cape Moreton, is also a good pearl perch fishery.

This area of reef isn’t as pronounced as off Moreton Island, with lots of gravel beds and wire weed the pearlies seem to like.

Here’s hoping the main target species off the South Passage Bar will be snapper. It’s looking like it is shaping up to be a good season!

• Until next month, enjoy your fishing, take care on the coastal bars and if you’d like to join me on charter (maximum of 8 persons) give me a call on 07 3822 9527 or 0418 738 750 or visit my new website w w w. o u t l a w c h a r t e r s .com.au.

JULY 2019

37

Prime winter fishing on the local beaches NOOSA

Peter Wells

In winter, the beach is one of the best places to be. With those cool crisp mornings and the mighty tailor on offer, is there anything better?

When chasing tailor, looking for a good gutter is important, along with the incoming tide. Larger fish have been caught most mornings, but there are still plenty of fish throughout the day.

Most anglers are using the proven method of a whole pilchard on three ganged hooks. If fish are in good numbers, casting metal slugs

Jordan Flora caught this queenfish from the resort pontoons in the Maroochy River.

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and micro jigs can also work well.

Anglers love the Noosa North Shore, and the area north

of Teewah is especially worth the trip. For those of you unable to make the journey north, tailor are also being caught from the gutters at Sunshine and Peregian beaches. Sharing the gutters with tailor are dart, bream and flathead. Mullet fillet and prawns are proving effective baits.

Mulloway anglers are very excited, with the new moon phase bringing plenty of fish over 10kg. Most of the bigger fish are coming from the evening tides with baits of mullet, squid, pilchards, clumps of worms and their favourite, tailor fillet, all catching fish.

Gutters are a little hard to find on the southern beaches around Maroochydore. With the recent swell some gutters have tended to fill and the fish are holding a little deeper.

Big rods and a big cast seem to be the way to go to get

to the deeper water. Another option is to fish the rocks and headlands, where the deep water is a little closer.

Thanks to the sensational winter weather, anglers are out in force enjoying all that the Noosa River has to offer.

Numbers of quality flathead are available throughout the system. Soft plastics and small paddle vibes like the Samaki Vibelicious Thumper tails can be very successful on the flatties. Another proven method is drifting whole fish baits like small pilchards on ganged hooks, and drifting live baits is the gun tactic for larger specimens.

Large numbers of bream have made their way into the Sunshine Coast rivers in preparation to spawn. Mullet gut and fowl gut are the best baits, with some excellent fish coming from the river mouth.

Tailor are also showing

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up in the river, and small micro jigs like the Major Craft Jigpara jigs are a great fun way to target them. Keep in mind you should be upping your leader size to avoid losing too many lures. Fish up to 50cm have come from the Woods Bay and the Frying Pan areas.

Golden trevally are feeding around the mouth, lower estuary and Woods Bay areas. The morning bite is best, with surface walkers and poppers proving to be a very exciting way to fish. As the sun gets a little higher, soft plastics work well using the double hop method. These fish will often pick up the lure on the fall, so make sure you stay in close contact with your lure.

In the Maroochy River the fishing has been outstanding, with a lot of different species on offer. Whiting are in good numbers towards the mouth.

There are a few undersized fish amongst them, so don’t forget they must be over 23cm and a possession limit of 30 fish applies.

The mouth has also fished well for tailor and bream, with pilchards and mullet the pick of the baits. Mulloway are showing up in the upper reaches of the Maroochy.

Good numbers of legal fish have been taken as far as Dunethin Rock. For your best chance of success, use large paddle-tail soft plastics on heavy jigheads, along with larger profile vibes like

Jackall Transams.

The offshore action has been great, with plenty of quality snapper on offer.

North Reef is one of those snapper grounds where you can anchor up, get a good berley trail going and reap the

benefits. Getting that berley going is key when snapper fishing, as the fish will follow that trail from miles around, right to the boat! Baits of pilchard, slimy mackerel and live yakkas should see you come into contact with a

Craig Mullet with a great feed of snapper and sweetlip from the Gneerings off Mooloolaba.

Katy Lines got this Spanish mackerel just off Mooloolaba on a pilchard floater. The fish weighed in at 12kg and took about 15 minutes to land!

knobby snapper or two.

For the lure angler, plastics and jigs are productive in this area.

Getting to the bottom is key, so make sure you use the right weight jig or jighead to get you to the bottom.

Chardons Reef is a hot spot for snapper, pearl perch and mulloway. Early morning and late evening have been the best times to wet a line.

Jew Shoal is delivering pan-sized snapper and sweetlip, while the odd mackerel and tuna are hitting bait on the surface. Sweetlip, cod, Moses perch and coral trout are present on Sunshine Reef. Smaller live yakkas fished hard to the bottom are the ideal bait.

Out of Mooloolaba, anglers that have stayed in close are seeing good sweetlip, squire, and cod on offer around Old Woman Island. Snapper are showing a bit more size on the outer reefs like Caloundra 12 mile and the Barwon Banks. Also on offer are pearl perch, big sweetlip and very large cobia.

• Don’t forget to check in to www.fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest up to date info on fishing and bar crossings.

The knowledgeable teams at Davo’s Tackle World Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success!

JULY 2019

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Fishing News

A reminder for anglers to clean up after themselves Our native animals are suffering entanglements and ingesting man-made substances every day!

So many of these animals die due to injuries from discarded fishing material and plastic waste.

WIRES wishes to tell you some amazing survival stories and share the experiences of animals who got a second chance at life.

LUCKY GULL Recently a young seagull experienced an ordeal that it won’t soon forget. The bird had wounds from six fishing hooks, which were piercing its skin as fishing line had wrapped around its body, from head to foot.

A member of the

plastics pollution,” Jane explained. “It had a plastic ribbon with a balloon at the end tied tight around

were very aware of the risk that the bird could fly into the water still entangled or leave its chick.

Once caught, they quickly scrambled to loosen the balloon from the birds neck.

After cutting the ribbon, they performed a health check, luckily finding no serious injuries from the plastic.

She was released back with her chick.

“We made sure we took the ribbon balloon and disposed of it securely,” Jane said, knowing firsthand the damage it could have caused.

its neck, so would not have been able to eat.”

“There was a baby nearby, so likely both would have perished if we didn’t attend.”

It took Jane and Pauline 20 minutes to catch the bird. During that time they

Even though politicians can take their time on banning plastic bags and other important preventative measures, we do not have that luxury. Australian native animals are feeling the impact of plastic pollution already. – WIRES

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public reported the bird to the WIRES Rescue Office when he noticed it struggling to move.

WIRES volunteer Kay came to the bird’s rescue, treated its wounds and released it back to the wild.

The impact of increased plastic production means animals suffering from ingestion and entanglements will also increase. We cannot face this growing problem with you! Please take your rubbish out with you and dispose of fishing line in a bin with a secure lid.

TURTLE IN A TANGLE A turtle suffered was rescued when it washed up on an East Coast each.

In an incredible effort, it was passed from the person who found it, to a coast guard, a life guard then to a local vet who called WIRES. By this time the fishing line had been removed, but there was a small wound on its flipper. At this time, the turtle is still in care.

TERN IN TROUBLE Entanglement hazards for wildlife include more than just fishing materials.

A few weeks ago, two WIRES volunteers, Jane and Pauline, were reminded of the gravity of this issue.

On a Wednesday afternoon at Shelley Park Beach, a tern (cousin of the seagull) was sitting on the rocks.

Its baby was sitting close by.

“It was a victim of

JULY 2019

41

Finally free of the taxman HERVEY BAY

Dane Radosevic

It has been hard to predict what this weather is going to do compared to previous years, with some unseasonal like behaviour from the wind and especially all the late seasonal rain. Hopefully these conditions improve throughout July. The typical early morning southwesterly blow has been slowing down the morning bite.

Weather permitting, crews should be looking

to venture further afield in search of reef and pelagic species. This month should bring us some red-hot action. Let’s just hope that the sharks have tapered off.

Typically, the currents tend to ease off outside this time of year and the right conditions will make deep dropping the shelf line with electric reels a very rewarding exercise. From the 100-200m line quality pearl perch and snapper have been a regular catch with some sizeable models about this month. Be prepared to be terrorised by big kingfish and amberjack in similar

areas – these brutes can really test the gear out.

Fishing the deeper 200m+ waters, you will start to see bar cod and flametail amongst the mix, both of which are excellent table fish. If you’re feeling fighting fit and game, try dropping a 150-300g metal jig down and see how many pumps it takes to get slammed!

This time of year often sees the pressure of the sharks start to ease off, giving anglers and the fish a fighting chance on our reefs. From recent reports, the shallower reefs around

The author with a solid nannygai he pulled off a new patch of ground that he found while traveling between spots. It always pays to do a loop and check out any likely looking country, as you could strike gold.

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the 30-50m line have been producing some quality mixed bags consisting of green jobfish, sweetlip, red-throat emperor, tuskfish, cod, nannygai, blue Maori cod, snapper, jacks and quite a few sizeable red emperor – a very colourful mixed box is a high possibility.

Don’t hesitate to fish big baits, as often this is what you need to get past the pickers before a larger

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JULY 2019

predatory fish has time to hone in. Whole mullet, iodine bream and hussar fillets are great baits, but large live pike has been the best producer. The scattering of wrecks will also be worth a look on the change of tide during the daylight hours, as they have been holding good numbers of sweetlip and large nannygai. Jacks have also been a viable target species under the cover of darkness.

The gutters have received a much-needed break from angling pressure due to the lack of good weather windows. Fingers crossed this month brings more stable condition, as those who did get out were rewarded with some great fishing. With a fairly slow bite experienced during the morning, southwesterlies there often got a much better response from the fish later in the day and into the evening.

Snapper were a feature from some of the ledge country and shipwrecks, particularly where yakka schools were around. Coral trout numbers have been down and lacking in size, with live baits producing the better fish for some.

Although a mix bag of other reefies, dominated again by grass sweetlip, hussar, cod and tuskies, saw many return home with a solid mixed bag.

Trevally numbers should explode on the gutters, offering a heap of fun (or frustration depending upon your target species).

Dropping plastics or slow pitch jigs on the reefs will see you tangle with a heap of long-nosed trevally of various sizes no matter where you go out there. Big goldies, beautiful diamonds, bludgers and GTs are getting in on the action in many locations. Add school cobia and the odd bigger cobia to the mix and you shouldn’t need to hit the gym when you get home.

Over towards Rooney Point, snapper has been the main target species, with some good catches reported from the Coral Patch area, Red Neds and on other reefs further south. Working plastics during the day has been productive, with a range of jerkshads from Gulp and ZMan working, along with the frilly Madeyes Paddle Prawns.

Dead sticking a few lines out the back while you drift along sounds silly, but previous seasons have proven how much more successful this method can be than continually working your lures. The Chasebaits squid is sure to be a killer for this.

Understanding and

Local young gun Addie with a solid northern bluefin tuna caught while fishing off the very end of the Urangan Pier. trusting your sounder is very important to locating the schools of active fish, as they can be quite mobile and found well away from the reefs.

Schools of yakka can be found throughout Platypus Bay, and snapper have been in attendance in some cases. Afternoon and evening sessions have been the best producers, with a good berley trail a must for best results. The decreased shark activity up that way is a blessing at present, with a few good scarlets, big grunter and sweeties being reported by reef fishos fishing into the evening.

Trevally of various types are a constant feature over many of the larger reef systems up that way day and night, with the smaller trevally being a real nuisance at times. Big cobia in excess of 30kg+ can be a handful in the same areas, especially while fishing for snapper with the lighter gear, as they do love a soft plastic or metal jig.

The 25-Fathom Hole is a favoured area come this time of year and is renown for producing some thumping knobby snapper. Often only a pre-dawn or (my personal favourite) evening bite has produced some cracking knobbies for those hopping plastics towards the northern edge of the hole.

The schools of fish have been fairly small and isolated, so look around until you find them. ZMan 5” StreakZ Curly TailZ in coconut ice and the 5” scented PaddlerZ in electric chicken correctly weighted according to the current and depth are ideal presentations.

The more random technique of anchoring or drifting baits through or past the hole has also been working, with yakka certainly the gun bait for that task.

Once again it is snapper that are the main target for inshore fishos at present, with better numbers of fish turning up deeper into the season. The Roy Rufus artificial reef and its many sunken ships, car bodies and pipe drops set the ideal scene to aggregate the bait and in turn, attract the snapper. With the early southwesterly blow keeping things quiet most times of day have been producing some nice fish, with the odd fish even tipping the scales of 6kg+ like they used to regularly in the old days.

Bait fishos staking it out under the cover of darkness have seen the better quality fish grace the deck, whereas lure fishos targeting the daylight periods are producing more juvenile snapper. While targeting these areas trout, To page 43

Catches of the Rainbow RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

We’ve had another great run of weather, with more fantastic fishing on offer this month.

OFFSHORE Another big run of Spanish, spotted and school mackerel has come through very late in the season. Fish have been feeding like there’s no tomorrow. With screaming reels, bent rods and a very full

icebox, what’s not to love?

Pearl perch are starting to bite with some real quality coming on board. Plastics around 7” are perfect for sorting out the big from the small. Snapper have also popped up on the close reefs

One of many Spanish mackerel caught on the Keely Rose lately.

Cam landed this nice pair of winter pearl perch.

but live bait is needed for the bigger fish.

GREAT SANDY STRAITS Good numbers of winter whiting are in around Pelican Bay and Big Mick Beacon.

Squid are available all through the straits, so it’s easy to get a

great feed of fresh calamari.

JULY July is one of my favourite months for all reef fish. Last July saw us with lots of decent snapper, pearl perch and red emperor.

Hopefully we can expect

similar excellent results this year!

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

of better size fish have come from those who have ventured away from the main packs of boats, which are often huddled on top of one another.

The dreaded toads are making life difficult on some of these grounds and driving away from them is the only answer. Small baits is key, with yabbies, peeled prawn, sandworms and squid strips all ideal baits. The Gulp 2” or 6” worms in bloodworm cut into tiny pieces are a great option for those who prefer to fish with lures.

As per last year, the newly developed pontoon at the River Heads boat ramp has been a popular land-based haunt, and most nights anglers have been fishing shoulder to shoulder.

Mulloway have been the main target species, as they have been congregating in good numbers around the rocky outcrops and headland in the back eddy of the pontoon. Soaking a live squid or pike has been getting results. Try hopping

as a means of escape.

Most reports so far have come from the mouth of the Burrum River. Do be mindful of the specific size limits for each species, as there is often an abundance of small fish.

Most anglers have been targeting these speedsters on lures with two main techniques.

Trolling hardbodies is a very successful method for covering ground to locate fish; while casting and quickly retrieving soft plastics and metal slugs is the preferred method once the fish have been located.

Alternatively, you could bait fish for them float lining pilchards or live herring if available.

Dust off the silly string outfits and bring on the finesse drags, the winter run of bream is on. Key target areas have been the rocky flats and outcrops around River Heads, the gravel patches fringing shoulder point, the southern flats on Big Woody and various

creek mouths scattered throughout the Straits. The best results have come from the last of the making tide as the majority of the fish move up to feed.

Smaller soft plastic presentations such as the ZMan 2.5” GrubZ in watermelon red or bloodworm are season veterans and rigged on a lightly-weighted jighead is a very simple yet effective technique. Other methods, like slow rolling small crankbaits, hopping metal vibes and slow dragging the ever-popular Cranka crab, will also produce great results fished in the right scenario. But it’s hard to beat fishing small topwater lures over the shallow gin clear flats and watching packs of them fight over the lure. For this I’d recommend trying the Jackson Ebi-Panic.

Flathead and smaller mixed trevally species are often a welcome by-catch while working these areas and can test even the most experienced anglers on the lighter leaders.

Always pack a few 2.5 size squid jigs in the tackle box at this time of year, as it is common to come across a patch of local squid while fishing throughout the bay and down the Straits.

Although, this year so far has been challenging, with the majority of anglers working hard to get a bag of half a dozen squid per trip.

Time will tell if the drop in water temperature will make a difference.

For land-based anglers, the Urangan Pier has been on fire this season, with the annual run of longtail showing up in good numbers and reports of multiple fish caught each day over the right tides. Flick baiting unweighted herring or

fishing them under a balloon has accounted for the majority of the fish.

However, some switched on anglers are starting to gravitate towards casting sinking stickbaits like the Nashy 120mm and Rapala 12cm X-Rap Long Casts with great results.

While on the pelagic scene, good numbers of school mackerel, broad-bar mackerel and bonito have been caught on live baits and spoons, although being such mobile fish they can be there one day and gone the next.

Bream are starting to stack up in quite large numbers around the pylons of the pier and are best targeted with cubes of fresh herring. Early mornings or late afternoon sessions and into the evening have been producing the better quality fish, with some people reporting 20+ fish sessions.

Mulloway have also been a prime target at night. Anglers have been targeting them with big livies to great success.

They can often be sight fished to on the edges of the lights.

From a few reports, there are early promising signs of a good tailor run this year, with anglers already scoring some nice fish from the deeper gutters fishing pilchard baits and spinning metal slugs. Fingers crossed the beaches don’t get clogged up with weed like the previous few years and we get to experience an enjoyable season of beach fishing.

Fishing small worm and pipi baits around the edges of these gutters will see you encounter whiting, tarwhine, dart and flathead.

From page 42

sweetlip, cod and blackall can all be expected from the artificial reef and other inshore ledges and reefs throughout the shipping channels.

Further south, the Boges Hole area has produced a few decent juvenile snapper and some very nice sweeties along with the odd trout and cod on the turn of the tide from the gnarly country.

School and broad-bar mackerel are always a welcome catch. They provide some line burning action and are a pretty good eating fish as well.

Reports have been mixed, however, the usual haunts will be worth a look around Fairway Buoy, with some solid grunter and the odd snapper coming from those fishing the bottom with dead baits. The NU2 beacon, Moon Ledge and the shallower reef edges around the picnics will also be worth a look.

Float lining pilchards or live herring (if you can get them) are ideal offerings and won’t be refused by a greedy mackerel. Spoons spun up off the bottom has also been another very successful technique.

Winter whiting fishos have been finding a feed easy enough, scoring their limit of 50 fish a session on most outings. Do keep in mind that it is a possession limit of 50 in total, that’s including your freezer, as it is not a daily limit.

The fish have definitely settled in and are quite spread out in good numbers throughout Gatakers Bay to Toogoom, out the front of the town beaches from Pialba to Torquay, and south of the harbour. The reports

a soft vibe or slow rolling a large paddle-tail soft plastic in the same scenario.

Their numbers have and should only continue to increase around the heads and throughout the straits, with areas such as Kingfisher Jetty, Ungowa ledge and the coffee rock ledges running down the western side of Fraser are all worthy prospects.

Bream have been another viable target off the pontoon or fringing rocky outcrops, with large numbers of fish schooling up at this time of year.

This time of year we often have a run of mixed mackerel species and chopper tailor that move in and terrorise the herring and hardihead populations around the main river mouths, including the Burrum River, River Heads and down throughout the Straits. Locating them is often made easy by staying observant and watching for the schools of baitfish showering across the surface

His and hers, the result of a double hook-up.

JULY 2019

43

Time to get the winter chase on GLADSTONE

Dylan Christie

The cool weather has kicked in but the fishing is still red-hot, with the light inshore breeze offering plenty of fishing opportunities. The light westerly allows you to fish the coastline most mornings

of a high-speed spin reel and metal slug type lures, such as the Arma Radico and the Flasha.

Spanish are showing up almost everywhere, with the usual hotspots being Rundle Island, Rock Cod Shoals and Seal Rocks. Trolled hardbodies are dominating at the moment but with so many different options, it is

definitely worth a try. They are producing some excellent fish including red emperor, grassy sweetlip, red-throat, monster tuskfish, and coral trout. It always pays to have a squid jig rigged up because there are also plenty of quality squid about.

Douglas Shoals is continuing to produce some beautiful big trout and red emperor along with the usual reef suspects. Sykes Reef gets a fair bit of traffic and I can understand why, with some of the best red-throat fishing, not to mention the huge variety of other species.

Plus, it’s only a short trip east to the shelf. Those venturing to the shelf have been rewarded with the tasty treats from the deep such as beautiful snapper,

artificial structures.

Quality golden snapper have been caught from the rock walls and outcrops on live baits and lures, with plenty of cod and the odd barramundi coming as by-catch.

ESTUARY Winter bream have well and truly made their way into the estuaries now, along with blue salmon. If it’s bream you’re after, get yourself some fresh herring, mullet strips or prawns and you will be in with a shot.

Big bream like structure, so rocks, gravel, mangroves and timber can all hold fish. To give yourself an even better shot, fish the making tide when fish are pushing up into and over the desired structure.

Olly caught this solid threadfin salmon from the top end of Curtis Island on a Westin Shad Teez.

Ryan scored this golden snapper using a Zerek Fish Trap. throughout winter, making for beautiful glassed out days fishing the harbour.

OFFSHORE Once again, everyone is talking about mackerel. This month we can expect not just Spaniards, but school mackerel as well. There have been reports of decent schools coming in from around Gatcombe Heads and the One Mile Patch on the northern end of Facing Island. These fish are great for families to catch, as you often find them in large numbers and they can be targeted in many different ways. The simplest technique would be with a pilly rigged on gang hooks either floated or under a balloon. Then there is spinning, which is very effective with the use

crucial to select the right lure for the job. There is no use going out with a 3m diver when all the fish are sitting deep in the water column, as it can be hard to draw the fish out of the depth they are sitting in. Standout lures so far this season have been the faithful Samaki Pacemaker and the new kid on the block, the Rapala X-Rap Magnum Xtreme.

It’s great to see everyone getting offshore, and from what I can see the fish are biting their heads off.

This has to be some of the best coral trout fishing the Gladstone region has seen for years.

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JULY 2019

Blake caught this beautiful bar-cheek trout on a soft plastic. pearl perch, gold bands and comet cod.

THE HARBOUR The Gladstone Harbour has seen its typical run of quality blue salmon come through, so be sure to catch them while they are still around. Winter is great for chasing flathead on the shallow sand bars and gravel flats. Shallow diving hardbodied lures are perfect for chasing this species, with a nice subtle action for flatties and super erratic action for salmon. Other ways to chase these fish are soft plastics and vibes down the edge of the bank as the tide falls, as there are often baitfish fleeing the shallows as the tide drop and the fish are waiting to ambush.

Black jewfish are getting around in good numbers throughout the harbour, but don’t forget that new catch limits apply with this species.

They are quite a versatile fish that can be found in a host of different areas, from up in the shallows around 1m of water right out to the rubble ground in 30m of water. In the harbour they are typically found on isolated rocks, drop-offs and

Blue salmon are in good numbers throughout the Calliope River and the Narrows, and can be targeted with lures and fresh baits. If you’re pursuing them, your best bet is a making tide over gravel and sand bars of a night using gar fillets and herring as bait.

Grunter continue to show up all over the place, especially throughout the South Trees and the Narrows systems. Whiting and flathead are fishing really well around Lilleys Beach with yabbies and prawns. They make for the perfect target while fishing with kids.

LAKE AWOONGA The traffic at Awoonga has definitely slowed down but the barramundi are still biting. Slow rolled plastics rigged weedless has been the undoing of most of these beasts. If that’s not working, use your sounder and head out to the points to find the fish in the deeper water around that 8-10m mark, where a vertical style jigging is your best method. The best lures for this technique are soft vibes along with rattle traps and even prawn style lures such as the Ecooda and Zerek Live Shrimp.

• For all the latest info on what’s biting and where, drop into Pat’s Tackle World at 23 Lord Street, Gladstone or give them a call on (07) 4972 3692. The team have their finger to the pulse to what is happening in the area, and are sure to point you in the right direction. You can also find news, catch photos and special deals on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ PatsTackleworldGladstone) or check them out on Instagram (@patstackleworld).

Twelve Mile Creek has plenty to offer, like this grassy sweetlip.

With dedication comes success GLADSTONE

Liam Jones

Thankfully, the end of June was better than the start.

The full moon saw 5-knot winds for three days, which allowed Gladstone anglers with a big enough boat to get out and fill the freezers with some quality reef fish.

slow fall jigs have been separating the quality from the vermin.

Spanish mackerel have started turning up at all the usual haunts. Rundle Island, Leachy Shoals, Outer Rock and Jenny Lind Bank have all had good numbers of fish.

The bigger fish are falling to well-presented, slow trolled big baits like wolf herring

The author with one of the many barra taken in a quick bite period. Persistence is key to learning the best barra winter spots.

With the water temperatures dropping a few degrees in the past few weeks, sweetlip and trout have moved slightly deeper but are still feeding hard.

The deeper fern country has fished really well, with quality red emperor and nannygai coming over the side. Up north, the gutters and pinnacles have been producing good numbers of nannygai. Live baits and

and doggie mackerel.

You should be able to pick up fresh wolf herring from tackle stores this month. Doggie mackerel are another great Spanish bait that can be caught in good numbers around most of your inshore reefs, rocks and shipping channel markers.

Rigging these big baits can be done a number of ways but if unsure, drop into your local tackle store and ask

their advice. There’s also a video I made on the LJ’s Compleat Angler Gladstone Facebook page on how to rig wolf herring with a chin guard.

The estuaries have been fishing well. Barra and jacks are still feeding despite temperature drops, and blue salmon and grunter have moved into local systems.

The idea that barra are only a warm water fish is far from the truth, with some of my best barra sessions falling mid-July. Finding a suitable habitat where the fish want to feed is the hard part. Warm water is key, so rock faces holding heat, mud flats exposed to the sun, or even artificial heat such as hot water outlets are going to get the bites.

In the middle of June I had a great session on 80-90cm

barra, fishing an area where the water temperature increased by 3°C with the incoming tide. With this we saw fish feeding at will, resulting in seven fish landed in an hour. As quick as they came they disappeared, with the temperature dropping 3°C again. Working out these places and when they will work is key to winter barra fishing.

One thing that has surprised me this winter is the amount and size of jacks coming in. Plenty of fish over the magic 50cm mark have been available throughout June, with South Trees Inlet and Toolooa Bends being the most common system with these larger fish. Rolling deep diving hardbodies over the rock bars seems to be producing more fish than skipping plastics under

Michael Seymour caught this 56cm winter jack on a slow rolled Rapala X-Rap.

Options for windy weather LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

Constant southwest, south and southeast winds have made for a cracking barra bite through May and June and it should be the same for July. At this time of year, winds from the southwest and southeasterly directions are highly predictable and essential for finding feeding barra.

The best areas to find active barra are the wind affected points and bays from White Rock to Two Mile Creek. These areas include Insane Bay, the island in front of Insane Bay, Bustup Bay, Jacks Bay, Heart Bay and all the points that lead into them.

If you are not familiar with these areas you can purchase a detailed map at the Lake Monduran Tackleshop/Office. The friendly staff can also explain and mark these areas in full detail, along with providing you with other helpful information such as lure selection.

MONSTER MONDURAN BASS Through these cooler months, it’s very common while targeting barra in the shallows to get tangled up with a few monster bass. These big Monduran bass will school and feed together with the barra on shallow points and bays throughout the lake.

Last winter many bass around the 50cm mark and even bigger models at around 57-58cm were caught while targeting barra.

LURES Soft vibe jigging in shallow water has been a very effective way to get Monduran barra to bite through these cooler months.

This technique requires you to drop your vibe straight down to the bottom, normally you will be sitting in 2-3m of water depth.

When your vibe has touched the bottom you then take up the slack in your line with your rod tip a few inches above the surface of the water, then give your rod a couple of quick upward cranks and let your lure touch the bottom again. It is also essential that your vibe

has not picked up any weed, so be sure to check your lure is clean from any debris.

This method may seem a little unorthodox at first, but when the bite comes they are powerful and you have to be on the ball.

MASA The Monduran Anglers and Stocking Association has been stocking barra and bass into Lake Monduran for over 20 years now. This has largely come about from the efforts of president John Finlay, who has just recently retired from the group. We would like to wish John all the best for the future and we thank him for his involvement and efforts throughout the years in making Lake Monduran what it is today, which is arguably Australia’s premier barra impoundment.

We would now like to welcome new president Keith Whalley. While Keith has some big shoes to fill, his stocking knowledge, fishing ability at Monduran and enthusiasm to carry on the role will see MASA remain a success story.

Being a stocking

group member myself, the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve played a part in raising funds and releasing 100,000 fingerlings per year is priceless. It all becomes worth it when you’ve got a metre-plus barra on the end of your line.

We always like to see enthusiastic new members joining to help out. If you would like to be involved in the group you can contact MASA for memberships details and stocking information at www.masafishstocking.org.au.

The Monduran Family Fishing Classic will be held on Saturday and Sunday 18-19 October as per usual and registrations start on the Friday afternoon. This year we have many new sponsors and major prizes, so it’s sure to be great weekend for the whole family.

• For further fishing information or accommodation and camping enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact myself or any of our amazing staff here at Lake Monduran Holiday Park on 07 4157 3881 or email us at info@lakem.com.au.

Trent Mauloni scored a personal best red emperor with a whole fresh squid. the snags.

Blue salmon have been caught throughout most systems. Vibes, prawn imitations and smaller hardbodies are doing the damage for lure anglers, while floating half pillies and live mullet are producing for the bait fishers. The mouth of the Calliope River has been holding good schools, however they are disappearing as fast as they turn up.

Crabs have been surprisingly decent throughout June. Although the numbers haven’t been huge, the quality has made up for it. Down Turkey Beach way has been crabbing well, along with Colosseum Inlet.

The dam is still fishing well despite the cool weather.

Afternoon and early evening sessions before the water temperature drops too much has been the stand out. A lot of fish are holding in deeper water around the timber, however if you manage to find a few fish around the weed edges in warm water, you are more likely to get the bite. Slow rolling 5-6” plastics has been an effective technique.

As we move into July

and the water temperatures drop again, expect more blue salmon to start turning up and summer species like jack to start dropping off. If the weather allows, offshore should see excellent red emperor conditions. July is one of my favourite months for chasing reds. Typically we get good conditions, smaller tidal movement around the moons and fish moving closer inshore.

Remember the biggest thing when chasing reds is to farm your spots. Don’t just go back to the same mark and expect to catch fish every time. Find a few spots within close vicinity and fish a different one each time. As time goes on, you will find certain spots fish better on different moon phases, and it won’t be hard to alternate your spots to keep them fishing well all year round.

• For more information on what’s biting, or to stock up with all the tackle and bait you need, drop into LJ’s Compleat Angler Gladstone at the Gladstone Marina on Bryan Jordan Drive. You can also check out the latest news, photos and specials at Facebook Compleat Angler Gladstone.

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Fishing options as winter sets in BUNDABERG

Jason Medcalf topwater@bigpond.com

Winter certainly hit our region in June and we all had to dig deep to get through it.

Fortunately for us though, it only lasted a week.

OFFSHORE As I wrote last month, the mackerel have turned up and are a popular target at the moment. There are good numbers of Spanish in close, giving the smaller boats an opportunity to get amongst them.

There have been some really good bottom fishing sessions as well, with coral trout and snapper coming off the same grounds. The wider reefs and wrecks seem to be producing a bit better than

those in close. Live bait has been the standout for anglers chasing trophy fish, with jigging coming in a close second. A variety of metal style jigs have been producing the goods.

For those anglers who just want to put a feed of reefdwellers in the esky, whether they’re trophy size or not, big baits of cuttlefish or fish flesh will do the job. Plenty of tuskfish, sweetlip and hussar have been hitting the deck in recent weeks.

BURNETT RIVER The blue salmon are back in the river and are really on the chew. Using soft vibes has been very successful, as has trolling small hardbodied lures with an erratic jerking action while trolling. If you’re fishing during the day you should look for the deeper

holes, and during low light conditions you should focus your efforts on the adjacent flats, as the blues will be out on the hunt there.

The bream have turned up in good numbers, with some size as well. The local night time bait anglers have been getting the lion’s share of the big guys, and with the cooler weather of late they deserve the rewards. Soft plastics are picking up good numbers of bream, and if you fish under the bait schools along the north wall and around the ferry crossing you should get into a few. The new moon is 3 July and the full is the 17 July, so plan a trip or two on the days leading up to both of these events and you should really get into the bream.

KOLAN RIVER Most of our rivers and

creeks in the area are still fishing well, even after the sudden drop in air and water temperature. The Kolan has plenty of bream on the chew, and also has seen a few blue salmon up in the deeper sections around the power lines.

Flathead are about but they aren’t really schooled up yet; that will be a month away. You can still get into them though, and trolling small lures and hopping plastics around the sandy drop-offs will produce a few.

The school-sized trevally have been terrorizing the baitfish around the place, and can be real fun on light tackle. Small surface lures, soft plastics worked aggressively and trolled lures will get you into these great fish.

Amity Medcalf showing her dad how to catch bream on soft plastics.

Hoping for calm conditions in Rocky this July ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

The previous month has seen some hit and miss weather. There have been flat days when it’s meant to be 20 knot winds and 20 knots when it’s meant to be flat. July is normally the start of a few months of calm weather, so we’ll see if that actually happens.

Threadfin salmon fishing in the Fitzroy keeps getting better and better. Now that the town reaches have cleaned up they will continually push in and make for a great target species on the neap tides.

Out along the Capricorn Coast, if you

get a chance to head out you can expect a good variety of species like queenies, black jewfish, reds and golden trevally.

THE FITZROY The Fitzroy River has been fishing well, however, a lot of the fish have been

coming from the Port and Casuarina areas. The water clearing in the town reaches in June is a good sign that it will be in a frenzy in July.

We like to fish predominantly plastics for our king salmon and barra. You’ll need a solid

Darryl Yarrow with a solid red emperor from a trip north of Stockyard.

selection of jigheads when fishing the plastics, 1/6-3/4oz sizes will be ideal. This will allow you to fish the plastics at any stage of the tide and as always, the lighter you can go the better Barra have been holding tight to the rocky rubble structure, similar to this time last year. So, if you have a spot that produced last year chances are it will fire up again.

Blue salmon can be easily found schooled up in the channels, sitting over them with the boat and holding on the school while vertically hopping vibes and blades is a great way to get this species to bite. If live baiting is your preferred method, there is a good amount of prawns in the

Clayton with a thumper golden trevally that he caught on a GKI from the flats of Putney Beach. as hit and miss. To make up for this, a lot of close wrecks have been holding a good show of grunter and golden snapper.

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Zane Lanesbury has been getting onto some great crabs recently. There should be one last good run during July. river that are a great bait size.

Rigging them just through the tail and sending them out with a light weight will see you catching some great salmon.

INSHORE REGIONS Keppel Bay has had some great fishing opportunities lately, with plenty of mackerel, emperors, trevally and squid. Not as many jewfish are moving as there were at the same time last year, but the weather was also not

sized trout caught at the Keppel Group on the shallow reef areas, and 5” soft plastics have been doing the trick.

Squid have been starting to move around and picking a good jig increases the chances here. The islands has had some great bait fishing activity, with many large schools holding over rises and points.

ESTUARIES Flathead have been on the move with some large models

being caught. The sand bars and sand flats on the high tides are a great place to search, as they move up onto these areas during the peak of the tide.

Another way of chasing these fish is doing a low tide inspection. A great example of this is the mouth of the Causeway. At low tide you can walk around the sand and see where they lay when the tide comes in, they leave very distinctive marks in the sand. You can then come back at high tide and lure them up. Two lures that have had good success on the fathead lately are the Jackall Squirrel 79 and the Lucky Craft Pointer 78XD. CRABBING The crabs were well and truly on the move during June. We will possibly get one last big run in early July before the action goes quiet while the water temperature continue to drop. GPS marking the pots has been a great help during the colder months to establish a pattern of where the crabs move and sit. Any pots we pull a good haul from we change the mark’s colour to identify it’s a good spot.

Plenty on offer this winter YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

In between the consistently rotten conditions there have been some fine days that have lead to some quality catches. All through the cooler months the majority of reefies and pelagics are on the chew, from the closer grounds to as far as you wish to travel. Red emperor, coral trout, grassies and red-throat emperor have been active throughout June.

Smallmouth nannygai are

These days I use vibes at nearly all the reef spots, as long as they can get near the bottom. With smallmouth it isn’t as important to get it right down. Smallmouth can range from the flatter rubble areas up the structures and over the tops of the various lumps. They are a school fish and when they are around, the schools should be clearly visible on any of the modern sounders.

They respond to very short lifts of the vibe (as long as you can just feel the vibration). Colour isn’t that important, but the cleaner the water, the more natural colour

Hinchy with a cracker salmon he caught in the Fitzroy. at many of the local rubble patches inside the bay. This time of year spots like Lisa Jane Shoals and Findlays Reef come into their own and just out of the bay spots such as The Pinnacles are at their best. They will take flesh strip baits, squid and prawns readily, the rigging doesn’t seem to be making much of a difference. We catch as many on a running sinker as we do with a paternoster.

you should use. I keep trying small paddle-tails and keep returning to the plastic vibes.

I have tried various hook combinations and a single is better overall and you tend to lose less lures to the reef than when using trebles.

Black jewfish have arrived in numbers at nearly all the jew holes around the area.

They tend to move from the deeper areas to the headlands and shallower spots over the

new and full moons. They aggregate to breed over winter before breaking up into the smaller schools and spreading into the bigger estuaries and other areas along the coast.

I use a running ball down to a swivel and a 300mm leader to an 8/0 circle hook or a standard snapper rig paternoster. They can be fussy and fresh baits always work best. Squid, pillies, bonito, wolf herring and mackerel fillets are my preferred baits.

The best thing to happen to black jewfish is the lowering of the bag limit. This should help bring the average size up again to what it should be. Black jewfish suffer badly from barotrauma and once you have your limit on board you should move onto something else.

We have been getting the odd spotted mackerel through June and they may be about at the start of July if the weather conditions don’t chase them out in favour of cleaner waters.

Doggies or Queensland school mackerel have been in lots of spots around the perimeter of Keppel Bay and they sneak in whenever the with wind drops and the water clears a bit.

Spots like Farnborough, Bangalee, Conical, Forty Acre Paddock, Double Head, Ironpot and Ritamada, Quartz, Outer, Barren and quite a few of the local rubble patches can produce well, particularly when we get the winter glass offs. Metal lures, vibes, hardbodies and even spinnerbaits can get the smaller mackerel when they are on. When they are slow, we use the old berley pot and floating pillies. Once the sun rises a little we add a small pea

sinker above the floater. With any luck, you’ll also catch some big grey mackerel.

The greys hit all the spots near the islands and close to Yeppoon. Over the years we have had them up to 10kg at Findlays and Corio Heads.

Grey mackerel are aggressive feeders and will take lures or pilchards.

We get a few westerlies over winter and they tend to shut down the majority of our favourite spots. This is when we fish the spots right in hard against the headlands or islands. This creates an area of calm between the headlands and where the wind touches down on the water surface (the wind curtain). The baitfish move into these locations and bring the mackerel with them.

Spanish mackerel schools have increased in numbers lately. The school-sized fish around 6-8kg are all over the place. Conical, Outer, Man and Wife, Barren and Humpy are all likely to produce fish.

The bigger fish have been a lot more consistent at places like Manifold, Perforated and Hummocky. This year they hardly slackened before the next lot arrived. Like the other mackerels, the water clarity inside the islands will determine where they are likely to be over the next few months.

Squid are a big option in winter. July and August are the prime time to target them around the islands.

There isn’t a better live bait for snapper, golden snapper and even Spanish mackerel. A good feed of squid doesn’t go astray either.

Over the years we have trolled, drifted and anchored

Stickbaiting around the headlands paid off for Luke Skurray with a top Spanish mackerel. when chasing them with the results levelling out. I recommend a very slow troll so you can cover a bit of ground looking for the bigger numbers. You can work over the shallows with jigs hanging out the back until they get a hit. I often soak the jig in pilly juice or tuna oil to help attract the fish. All the islands, local headlands and Rosslyn Bay have good quantities of squid.

For the anglers who like to walk the beaches with baits or plastics, winter is the best time. The Keppel Group has a multitude of beaches where there is a chance of outstanding captures almost every day. The many bait schools that inhabit the waters or pass through bring in a bunch of predators.

Queenfish, several different trevally, the lesser mackerels, flathead, bream and a variety of reefies turn up to get an easy feed.

Yellowtail kingfish and cobia often venture over the flats on the incoming tide in the evening. We have landed both of these fishing in as little

as 120cm of water within 6m of the beach. We always take a cast net and grab some bait whenever the lures don’t do the trick.

The mouths of Corio Bay and Coorooman Creek are a pair of great spots on the mainland with easy access and great beach fishing at times. Whiting, blue salmon, bream and flathead work the gutters and flats on the incoming tide.

Barramundi and king threadfin are still in form from the town to the port.

As the river stopped running fresh, the clearer salt has started taking over the top end again. The bait and the predators move right up into the town reaches too.

The jetties, platforms and high banks make great spots to try with livies. Grunter are doing well in the estuaries and offshore lately. Like black jewfish, they are more active within a few days of the full and new moons. I like to fish either side of the high for the better fish.

‘Tis the season for fishing over the reefs STANAGE BAY

Peewee

Happy July everyone!

Some might say we really do have Christmas in July, because we have finally been gifted with some beautiful weather and outstanding fish.

Stanage Bay is being spoilt this month, with plenty of fishing options and the ongoing development of our new boat ramp. The ramp is still single lane access for your own safety, so patience is key. We’re in for a treat upon completion!

Fishers are returning home with some great

The eagerly awaited boat ramp is in progress.

reef fish from out amongst Hexham and Marble islands, and further out to Percy Isles. Nannygai, coral trout, sweetlip and Spanish mackerel are high up on the catch list around these locations.

All species are going for nicely presented fresh bait, with squid a big winner.

Trolling for mackerel using spoons will get you the best results, but as always if they go off the spoons, definitely take other options to test out.

Areas south of Stanage towards Shoalwater may be out of bounds due to the Defence Force running Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019. Listen out for coast guard notices for confirmation on where you can and cannot go.

Inside the bay the mud crabs are still about, so it is worth bringing along the crab pots. The cold weather hasn’t deterred them yet.

Taryn and Flanno holding up their Spanish mackerel haul.

Bream are being caught off the rocks from Stanage Bay side and Quail Island. Barra and salmon are tapering off and the Jew Hole is a little

quieter. It’s worth fishing at the Jew Hole anyway, because you never know what size monster you might bring in.

Again, please be mindful

of Exercise Talisman Sabre during July. The road into Stanage Bay will be restricted to residents and genuine guests. The condition of the road may become quite rugged and traffic will be heavy, so please drive accordingly and follow any instruction if given.

Camping is fantastic in July and the campground is always open with a spot for all. However, you may not have much time for rest with all the fishing action going on.

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JULY 2019

47

Top tips for the changing options this winter MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

Winter has truly settled in, and with the change of temperatures comes a change of species available to anglers.

On the saltwater scene, our winter targets include three of the most important commercial and recreational species,

most readily available of this trifecta, with even shore-based anglers landing them at Mackay Harbour. At night around the full moon is the peak time to target jewies at the harbour, and they can be caught both inside the harbour walls and along the exposed sides of the north and south walls.

Popular baits include whole squid, live herring or mullet, and large strip

handlines or solid boat rods with pretty heavy gear, and when there are several boats anchored and shore-based anglers, the idea is to horse the fish in as quickly as possible to avoid tangling other lines and anchor ropes. More adventurous anglers are chasing jewfish with large soft plastics and vibes on solid spin sticks and threadline gear. Think plastic sizes in the 200mm+ range and heavy jigheads

Josh Jarmain nailed this Spanish mackerel on a floating pilchard while bottom bouncing for reefies. It was a welcome addition to the icebox.

Jayden Saron thought he had hooked the mother of all snappers near Hay Point, but instead was surprised to haul up this beaut black jewfish. black jewfish, snapper and Spanish mackerel. All three can be found close inshore within reach of small tinnies.

Black jewfish are the

baits of tuna or other oily flesh. Some anglers even go to the trouble of dipping baits in tuna oil.

Most jewfish are caught either on heavy

with 7/0-10/0 hooks because the current run can be pretty fierce.

Offshore spots like Prudhoe Island and the North and South Overfall rocks are

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well-known jewfish spots, while closer to shore, decent numbers are landed every year near Newry Island in the NFZ just off Seaforth. While most jewies are caught at night, they are by no means impossible during daylight hours. Because of their bulk, jewfish show up really well on modern sounders and clued-up anglers can drop baits or big plastics down to individual fish.

The snapper have arrived on cue and when the weather gods smile on us with calm weather, plenty of anglers are taking the opportunity to nail a few at the usual haunts.

Possibly the most productive close-in spot is near Hay Point around the spoil grounds, and any other areas where the sounder picks up rubble on the seabed.

Snapper will show up well on a quality sounder, so it is a good idea to mooch around these areas watching the sounder for either fish or patches of bait. Snapper will take a range of baits such as strips of garfish, mullet, whiting, or whole live baitfish. Snapper will also hammer large fresh prawns, squid, or even strips of chicken breast fillet, so it pays to have a variety on board.

Like jewfish, many snapper are caught at night, but early mornings and late afternoons are also very productive. A few snapper find their way into the harbour, but most are caught in deeper water around the islands and Hay Point areas.

For night fishing, the tides around the full moon are popular, with the moon on a clear night making rigging up much simpler without the need for torches or other lights.

We are very lucky here because the barred speedster, Spanish mackerel, can be

caught right at the harbour walls even in sizes of 30kg+.

The Spaniards will follow bait schools right into the harbour walls, and many anglers have been surprised by hooking up to one of these speed machines while chasing other species or smaller mackerel. The first run of any Spanish mackerel is fast, but 15kg+ models have absolutely blistering speed off the mark.

Favourite baits at anchor include live baits like garfish, and small reef fish.

Dead baits include whole ribbonfish, school mackerel, gar, pilchards, and big fillets of any shiny skinned fish.

A pink or red plastic squid is often incorporated right on the bait as an added attraction.

Baits can be either drifted down tide with some weight or set out under a float or balloon. While berley can turn fish on, with our strong current flows it is best kept to a small amount rather than a continuous stream, as that can have the opposite effect to what the angler wants.

Trolling is another good way to catch Spanish mackerel, either with lures like the old favourite Rapala Countdown Magnum 18 or baits like gar or ribbonfish.

Spanish will also hit jigs and big plastics but their teeth make short work of plastics.

Round Top, Prudhoe, and Slade islands are all close and well-known mackerel spots. Spaniards will also shadow bait schools being worked by tuna out from the harbour, and can often be picked up by dropping a jig to the bottom under the mayhem created by the tuna.

If water temperatures stay high enough and we get some northerly winds, the bait schools will start to move close inshore and bring the school mackerel and tuna

with them. The wheeling birds and slashing tuna will soon let everyone know when the pelagics and bait schools are in.

In the estuaries and creeks, barra and jacks are in hibernation mode but are still present. The main focus will be on the likes of blue salmon, king threadfin and grunter.

Pikey bream are spawning, and will congregate on rock bars and hard up against the mangroves during the colder winter period.

Good whiting will start to run up the creeks and rivers and are also available along our beaches where they are often mixed in with small swallowtail dart. Worms, squid strips or prawn pieces will entice them both and there is always the chance of a decent flathead or trevally.

Mud and sand crabs are hit-and-miss during July, and are unlikely to get on the move until spring. Still, it is worth dropping in a pot or two while chasing other species.

On the freshwater scene, barra are temperamental and will come on the chew in small bite windows only.

As usual the reliable sooty grunter is the saviour in freshwater, with both dam and river fish active right through the winter. More anglers are coming to appreciate the fighting qualities of sooties and it is a pleasure to chase them in the upper reaches of Pioneer River and Cattle Creek on light tackle. They are top fish that respond to baits, lures and fly tackle in clean clear waters.

While we do have a few cold nights in Mackay during winter, our weather is overall mild and pleasant.

We have plenty of quality fishing available, so why not come and join us for a stay in paradise? See you at the ramp!

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AIRLIE BEACH WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD CENTRE

9/11 Spinnaker drive Sandstone Point 4511 Phone: (07) 5497 6733 Email: info@southernfishmarine.com.au Website: www.southernfishmarine.com.au

6 Dooley Street North Rockhampton 4701 Phone: (07) 4927 9150 | Fax: (07) 4921 3502 Email: rifen.boats@bigpond.com Website: www.rifenboats.com.au

306 Duffield Road Clontarf 4019 Phone: (07) 3889 3033 | Fax: (07) 3889 5390 Email: info@brismarine.com.au Website: www.brismarine.com.au

17 William Murray Drive Cannonvale 4802 Phone: (07) 4946 7286 Fax: (07) 4946 7848 Email: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au Website: www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

NOOSAVILLE SUNSHINE COAST MARINE

CAIRNS AUSSIE MARINE

122 Eumundi Road Noosaville 4566 Phone: (07) 5449 7633 | Fax: (07) 5449 9830 Email: sales@sunshinecoastmarine.com.au Website: www.sunshinecoastmarine.com.au

5 Hannam Street Bungalow 4870 Phone: (07) 4033 8800 Email: sales@aussiemarine.com.au Website: www. aussiemarine.com.au

KARUMBA JONES MARINE

38 Yappar Street Karumba 4891 Phone: (07) 4745 9159 Email: jonglo@bigpond.com Website: www.jonesmarine.com.au

WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI TEFLON PLIERS

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Samaki premium stainless-steel tools have been developed from the ground up. The perfect combination of stainless steel and Teflon coating makes these pliers rust resistant, strong and durable.

Every tool has been hand finished to ensure comfortable use and long-term performance.

There are three precise models: two 160mm split ring models in straight nose and bent nose, plus the heavy-duty 130mm side cutter. Each plier sports Samaki’s exclusive handle, which has been designed for superior comfort and durability.

For more information on the Samaki range of tools and accessories, or to find your nearest stockist, check out the Samaki website. You can also like them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/samakifishing) to see the latest news and catch photos, or follow them on Instagram (@samakifishing).

Price: from $14.95 www.samaki.com.au

SNAPPER SNACK IN 2 BANANA SMASH Black Magic has announced the release of the new Snapper Snack in banana smash colour.

The perfect combination of lure and rig, the Snapper Snack is designed with high UV and luminous skirts which slide above the premium KLT hooks to provide a fantastic action. Snapper Snacks are best fished with a thin strip of bait to help maintain the natural swimming action of the skirt. Available in sizes 3/0 and 5/0, there are a wide variety of species being caught on these effective rigs.

The banana smash colour is a proven and popular colour, and it’s hitting all good tackle stores now. You can ask to see the Snapper Snacks at your local Black Magic stockist today, or head to the Black Magic website to find out more. You can also find more information, news and catch photos on their Facebook page (www.facebook. com/blackmagictackle), check them out on Instagram (@blackmagictackle) or subscribe to the Black Magic YouTube channel. www.blackmagictackle.com

DAIWA TATULA RODS

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Daiwa has announced that the new Tatula rod series is set to strike for 2019. A reboot of the popular Tatula range, the new series introduces new looks, technologies and models to elevate the series to a new level of style and performance.

SVF blanks featuring 3DX carbon is where it all begins, with a new spiral palming grip, new Fuji LKW Alconite guides, carbon butt cap, and Fuji PLS Palming Support reel seats combining to deliver anglers performance and comfort well above the rod’s price point.

Featuring eight baitcaster and three swimbait models in the range the new Tatula rod series is the mid range series designed for the angler looking for that ultimate balance between performance and price. Whether your taste is for bass, barra, cod or mangrove jack the new Tatula series is one that’s sure to draw you in to its angling web. www.daiwafishing.com.au 52

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PRODUCT GUIDE

GIANT KILLING BIG GAME

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The 2019 release of the Major Craft Giant Killing Big Game features major changes to the range, with new rod lengths added and updated cosmetics. It still stays true to the series’ focus: hard-fighting offshore fish.

The rods feature the new Fuji Silicon Slim K Frame guides bound onto a supremely strong and light blank. This offers a superb feel in the hand while still delivering the low down power needed to stop big fish.

There are five rods in the series, with lengths ranging from 7’6” through to 8’6”. This makes them all excellent casting rods and perfect for lure chasing tuna, kingfish and topwater or sub-surface reef species.

The rods come with PE ratings starting at 1.5-3.0 for the 7’6” and go up to 8.0 PE for the 8’6” Tuna model.

There are two rods aimed at Hirimasa (Japanese for ‘kingfish’), a 7’7” and 8’6”. Both are rated to a max PE of 6.0 and 100g lures.

The Buri (Japanese for ‘amberjack’) is an 8’ offering with a PE rating of 2.0-5.0, and it’s capable of casting 25-80g lures. www.majorcraft.com.au

SHIMANO STRADIC FL

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The new Stradic FL will carry forward most of the Shimano technologies that have made the Stradic series so strong, durable and uncompromising.

The Micromodule Gear II ensures that the gears can align and perform with minimal resistance, and SilentDrive technology educes the smallest of clearance gaps and tolerances within the gearing system. The Hagane Gear has been upgraded for added strength and smoothness.

On top of all this, X-Protect has also been added to the Stradic FL. The internal labyrinthtype structure gives the reel a superior level of water-resistant performance without impeding the rotation or lightness of the reel. The new Long Stroke Spool has been incorporated to improve casting distance, giving you the ability to cover more water when fishing. The 1000, 2500 and 4000 models have felt washer drags whilst the C3000 and C5000 models have upgraded cross carbon drags.

With 6+1 ARC ball bearings, the new Stradic is sure to impress anyone who picks it up.

Price: SRP $339.95-$389.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

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NEW STUMPJUMPER 6 COLOURS Born on the Victorian banks of the mighty Murray River in 1986, the StumpJumper range of lures have the world’s only truly successful interchangeable bib system.

As unlikely as it sounds, it’s an idea that really works. With the deep diving bib, the No.1 StumpJumper is a great cod lure, but switch to the pointy, shallow running bib and you have a minnow lure capable of taking saltwater speedsters like mackerel and tuna or even barramundi. Not many other lures can do that.

The four new colours that are now available in stores are set to be a sure-fire hit amongst both freshwater and saltwater anglers alike.

The new colours are chartreuse tiger (#107), pink tiger (#108), chartreuse scale (#109) and pearl scale (#110). www.jmgillies.com.au

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

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STORM 360GT SOFT BAITS

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The Storm 360 GT Coastal Largo Shad offers highly detailed, universal baitfish appeal.

This effective soft bait has a deadly body rolling action and an exaggerated tail swing that fish can’t resist. It can also be customised by removing the ‘tail tendon’ to create a wider and more erratic swimming action for those times when the fish are more aggressive. It swims both on the retrieve and on the fall.

The 360GT Coastal Mangrove Minnow has a more slender profile, and its hard thumping paddle tail produces a tight body roll. Like the Largo Shad, the tail action can be customised by removing the tail tendon to deliver a wider tail swing, which mimics an erratic, panicking baitfish. It swims both on the retrieve and on the drop.

Both the Largo Shad and Mangrove Minnow are available unrigged in 3” and 4” sizes in packs of seven, and are currently available in eight colours (Arkansas glow, electric chicken, hot mama, limetreuse, pilchard, pearl, silver mullet, and salt and pepper/chartreuse tail). They can be rigged weedless or on a standard jighead. www.stormfishing.com.au

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SAMURAI EGI RODS

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Samurai produces some of the finest, lightest and crispest feeling rods in the world, and they have turned their attention back to squid or egi rods. When Samurai began, they had some of the sleekest, multi-tapered graphite blanks for this style of fishing, and the new models take that technology even further.

The new Samurai Egi rods use cross woven, hex axial carbon graphite to deliver a blank that is ridiculously light and strong. They press and cross the fibres in a process that results in a crisp, precise machine rolled multitapered blank. These rods have the action that’s essential for the lunging runs of large squid. The tip of the rod remains light and whip sharp, imparting crucial, instant action to the jig as soon as the angler initiates any movement with the rod.

There are three models, an L, M and ML, covering jigs from 1.5-4.0, and all employ class-leading Fuji Titanium Torzite guides and EVA foam grips. www.samurairods.com.au

ULTRA-SIL VIEW DRY SACK

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TD COMMANDER RODS

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Built to perform and ready to unleash fury the TD Commander series has been revamped and restyled. An evolution of the original TD Commander series the new lineup has been expanded and now features 14 models (7 x spin and 7 x baitcast).

Featuring proven Daiwa rod technologies such as HVF Nanoplus blanks, 3DX, AGS and Fuji Titanium SiC guides, the TD Commander series also launches some of Daiwa’s newest and most advanced technologies including the ultra light, ultra strong, SVF Carbon Air Sensor reel seats, and X45 Cobra Shield that greatly enhances blank responsiveness and allows for long accurate casts and better hook-sets.

Dressed in classic green and featuring stylish cork grips the new TD Commander series is a range that delivers in looks and swagger and high-end performance. From ultra-light finesse models tailor made for bream and trout through to extra heavy models tuned to muscle cod and trevally from cover the TD Commander is ready for the Australian angler who’s looking to go to battle. www.daiwafishing.com.au

The Ultra-Sil Dry Sack from Sea To Summit is perfect for land-based anglers and those fishing from an open boat or kayak.

The Ultra-Sil Dry Sack has a clear TPU window to allow you to easily view the contents inside. The window is RF welded into the side panels of the dry sack, producing a super-strong bond.

Features of the Ultra-Sil Dry Sack include: siliconised high-tenacity Cordura nylon fabric for exceptional strength; Hypalon roll top closure does not wick moisture; Polyurethane coated and fully seam sealed for water resistance; reinforced stitching for greater seam strength; super compact and ultralightweight; and round base design. It also uses the Sea to Summit Field Repair Buckle for a tighter closure, and even better water resistance.

The Ultra-Sil View Dry Sack comes in five colours and six sizes, ranging from 1L to 20L. The larger sizes are particularly useful for groups storing their belongings in the same bag.

Price: SRP $14.99-$41.99 www.seatosummitdistribution.com.au

RUMPL PUFFY BLANKET

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BIWAA DEUS 5” AND 6”

Born out of a crisis, with its founders trapped in their immobile van at sub-zero temperatures in America’s northwest, the Original Puffy Blanket by Rumpl, incorporates the latest outdoor technical material technologies, providing a much needed update to the traditional blanket.

A new arrival to Australian shores, the Original Puffy Blanket is water, stain and odour resistant, with an ultra-warm 3D Hollow Fibre synthetic insulation – the same stuff as premium sleeping bags and down jackets. It’s not just warm, but super lightweight and easily packable, making this the perfect blanket to get warm and cosy with this winter.

Available in three sizes and a plethora of plain and printed colour designs, Rumpl’s Original Puffy Blanket fits easily into its water resistant drawstring sack, which ideal for packing your blanket away with the change of seasons.

Available sizes are the Throw size (127 x 178cm), 1-Person (137 x 203cm) and 2-Person (224 x 213cm).

Price: SRP $149.95-$269.95 www.rumpl.com.au

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The Biwaa Deus is a custom designed soft finesse swimbait, and it’s now available in 5” and 6” sizes.

The dense belly allows it to keep an balanced keel, even while unweighted. Hook slots are provided to create a perfect weedless presentation, or you can use a standard jighead or use it as a trailer. A pre-positioned hole lets you add weights, while not compromising the balance and action.

The Eco formulation plastic has the softness and durability that allow the maximum action to be coaxed from the design.

Biwaa’s unique B2A Scent is a natural attractant that is infused into the body during manufacturing, as well as on the outside. The shrimp based, water-soluble additive creates a strong scent trail, activating aggressive feeding behaviour.

The Deus’ tapered spear-tail design works at any speed, and the scale pattern gives the Deus an added level of realism. It’s now available in 3”, 4”, 5” and 6” sizes and a range of fish-catching colours. www.ejtodd.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2019

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

PRODUCT GUIDE

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TESTED Let’s talk tackle storage solutions Outside of using your fishing gear, one of the next most important things is how you store it. There are many options available, from individual tackle trays to full scale tackle stations.

Queensland-based Wilson Fishing has a wide range of tackle storage solutions, and

Wilson lure wallets come in two sizes (large and small) and have heavy-duty zip lock pouches to house your lures. I have been using mine for my big Murray cod lures. I can take a selection of lures in my suitcase with the peace of mind that the lures will be protected, and that the items

Simple and effective tackle storage solutions are important to every angler.

All smiles for the author, but this trip could have been a disaster if the tackle tray that went in the drink had been a regular one instead of a Wilson Deluxe Waterproof model. we have reviewed a number of their products, from their standard tackle bags to the awardwinning Platinum Series Tournament bag and Wilson backpack (check them out at www.tacklejunkie.fish). This time I’ll be focusing on Wilson’s new waterproof tackle trays and their lure wallets, which I have been testing for the last six months.

WILSON LURE WALLETS Lure wallets give you the ability to easily pack items that can be awkward to store. Items like spinnerbaits, rigged game fishing lures and larger lures are just plain difficult to transport, and a lure wallet is a good solution.

The author’s kayak bass tray. It may look a little messy but it holds everything needed for a bass session, plus there’s room for the car keys!

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in my suitcase are safe from hooks. The case is strong, and the zippers have held up well to regular mistreatment.

WATERPROOF TACKLE TRAYS Wilson’s has always had a range of basic tackle trays, which are available individually or come included in their tackle bags. In 2019 they have upped the ante, releasing a new range of waterproof tackle trays. They come in Standard and Deluxe versions in a number of configurations (go to www. wilsonfishing.com to see the range).

The Standard trays are a simple four latch system, while the Deluxe version has larger heavy-duty latches and has a few more options when it comes to tray configuration and depth.

What I expected and what I found The first thing I wanted to know was how waterproof these trays are, so I submerged them for a minute. The Deluxe version had no water enter it, while the Standard tray did let a little bit of water in (maybe a teaspoon’s worth). A pretty good result, as you’d realistically never fully submerge the trays like this; even with quite a few jigheads in a tray, it still floats.

The ability to adjust the compartments in the trays is also important. The Deluxe trays provide more options for the user and have a couple of deep tray versions to hold larger lures. As anglers we always want more options, and I think the team at Wilsons have done pretty well.

Last but not least, I wanted to know how the trays would hold up and protect their contents. Extra latches can mean extra things to break.

I’m happy to report that after six months of regular use I have had no issues. I

have seven trays in total and have had no breakages or damage.

Final thoughts I may not be a total convert to waterproof tackle trays, but there are certain scenarios where they become almost essential. For instance while fishing one of our local waterways in my kayak, I was able to put all the lures is a single Deluxe Waterproof tray. During that trip not only did that tray end up in the water (very easy to retrieve a floating tackle box), but a storm hit, saturating us.

Everything in the tackle tray remained dry and safe, including my car keys!

A common concern with waterproof tackle trays is that moisture can get trapped in them, and this is true. You can avoid this problem by not putting wet items into the trays, or by leaving a couple of latches open so that any moisture can find its way out.

Likewise on hot days the air in the trays expands, which plays havoc with the trays and the items inside them. You can avoid this by keeping the trays out of direct sunlight, or by leaving a latch disengaged.

Overall, both the lure wallets and the waterproof tackle trays have been a great

addition to fulfilling my tackle storage needs, so the next time you are looking at your tackle storage options, check out the complete range of Wilson Fishing products in your local tackle store.

– Peter Jung

The Wilson Fishing Platinum Tournament bag won the Best Tackle Storage award at the 2018 AFTA Tackle Trade Show.

All set for a bit of flathead fishing.

BEST BIBBED/ DIVING LURE Under $30

BEST BIBBED DIVING Over $30

The fact that a big, territorial cod has no problem attacking a small cod is what inspired Matt Fraser to create this lure.

The body is timber, with lead weights along the belly. This jointed lure

than a cod lure, and dives to about 6-8ft on the troll. It’s been doing very well on bass and yellowbelly, and lure show visitors have ordered pink versions for flathead.”

Paul is now working on a miniature version of original surface walker.

Barambah Lures JD Cod

Following the success of the Arancini fizzer, Joey Urquhart made a scaled down version to suit the likes of bream, bass and jungle perch.

“A good fizzer needs to sit low in the water, be heavy enough to cast, and the blades need to spin

without you having to move it too quickly,” he said. “The Chisai ($20) can be worked with the standard jabbing action or walk the dog, and it’s been going great in field testing.”

Joey sold out of Chisai fizzers at the show, and said he’s keen to come back next year.

BEST TOPWATER / SURFACE / WAKEBAIT Over $30 Feralcatt Lures Dragon

has aluminium side fins for stability and action, and the rest of the fins are silicone for durability and natural look and feel. The length is around 250mm with bib and tail included, and it dives down to around 20ft.

When Greg from Feralcatt decided to make a dragon, he had interest right away.

“People were buying my original Dragons so I decided to make a special version for the show,” he said. “The collector’s version ($250) has more

Halfcast Customs 200mm Dot Art Popper and then 4-5 coats of two-part epoxy,” he said. “I chose the dot painting pattern to share a bit of my culture, and to present something different.”

Randy said the Dot Art popper ($140-$180) has performed really well in field

Jamie Dunn’s 85mm Wiggle Bum ($29.95) is actually one of his other lure designs turned upside down and cut in half.

“I went through 10 prototypes, tinkering with the size and width, and making sure I had enough

testing, but that about 95% of buyers are choosing to keep it as a collector’s item.

He’s planning to experiment with different colours.

“I’m definitely going to the show next year,” he said. “I had a great time!”

spikes, more hand carving and a more detailed paint job than the regular version ($200). Both swim and catch fish equally well.

With a lure like this you have to get the joints at just the right length to get that realistic wiggle.

Marcus Walker Butterfly

An upcoming barra trip inspired Chris Anderson to make the Git blade ($30).

“It’s a modified version

TENT CON RA

Gobsmacked Lures Wiggle Bum

weight in the hooks to get it to sink at a decent 1ft per second,” he explained.

“It’s in my standard range now, and I’m working on a 130mm model for guys chasing the bigger cod.”

There are six colours available.

BEST BLADED / METAL LURE Under $30

Jollip Lures Chisai Fizzer

BEST BLUE WATER LURE

Randy Keeble was tired of wasting money on poppers that couldn’t stand up to a GT attack, and he felt that he could do better.

“The timber is fully sealed in a marine varnish, and then paint is applied,

on it, but now I doubt it!” Jamie said. “Once I get it back I’ll swim it and see.”

BEST TOPWATER / SURFACE / WAKEBAIT Under $30

Muggos Peewee

After making mainly cod lures, Paul Muggleton decided to try downsizing for bass, and created the Peewee ($20).

“It’s a white beech timber body that’s 85mm overall length,” Paul said.

“It has a much tighter action

but there are seven people who really want it, or at least another dragon. So I may have to part with it after all!”

So does it swim?

“It would have swum before I put the wings

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When Jamie Judd created this doubleheaded dragon, he had no particular design in mind – he just sat down one day and

started cutting. It occurred to him that he had never seen a two-headed lure, so he set about making one.

“It probably took around 60 hours to finish,” he said. “I enjoyed making it and wanted to keep it

BEST SWIMBAIT Under $30

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Gobsmacked Lures Two Headed Dragon

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Lure Expo Award winners impress in 2019

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Grumpy Lures Git

of one of my cod lures,” he said. “I designed the Git to fish the rock bars in the Fitzroy River for barra, but it can be used in a wide range of scenarios. It’s lighter and slimmer than the cod lure, and I have changed the weight positioning so it paddles on the drop as well as while jigging or on a straight retrieve.”

Chris had a swim video at the show, and he said when visitors saw it they had to have it!

BEST BLADED / METAL LURE Honeyhole Over $30 Crusty Chatterbait

Peter Standing said he’d never seen a lifelike crayfish chatterbait before, and so decided to design the Crusty Chatterbait ($35).

“It was the first time I had made a moulded lure,” he said. “As well as saving time, it means the

lure doesn’t lose any detail, because I don’t have to drill holes to put the lead inside.”

After moving the claws around so that they floated up defensively, he had the lifelike chatterbait that he wanted.

Peter has plans to make a bass version.

BEST FLY Marcus Walker has taken out the Best Fly award for the second year running, with last year’s winning entry being his tiny and very realistic Blowfly. This year his submission was the stunning Butterfly, which has found its way into the collections of some very happy show visitors. We look forward to seeing what he comes up with at next year’s show.

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Cape York capers: fishing after the big wet the fish took around 15 minutes to subdue and pull to the shore backwards.

SHARKS ALSO BUSY As well as golden trevally, all the usual suspects were present on the beaches and other areas we fished. There were lots of quick charging queenfish, barrow loads of pikey bream, some burly barra around rock systems, jacks

BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

This year I once again visited some of my favourite Cape York fishing spots at the start of winter. This trip was a bit different from previous years though, because there had been an almighty wet season which occurred later than usual.

When I first saw the beaches I was amazed at the height of the debris from the big wet! Travelling around the western side of the Cape, kicking off from Weipa, we saw logs and other flotsam and jetsam not just along highest tide marks but right up onto the dunes in places. There were a few wild weather systems around Weipa last summer (even a cyclone warning at

A lightweight spin outfit will handle most fish taken off the beach.

Golden trevally, like this one caught by Trevor McCall, made up the bulk of fly rod captures during the trip. one stage) and the beaches certainly bore the brunt of it. Those must have been some seriously big seas!

BLUE WATER Also noticeable was the wonderfully blue colour of the water. Most of the river systems and creeks were far cleaner than usual, and I was sure that it boded well for the fishing.

However, I did not see much difference with my shore-based fishing when compared to other years. The schools of bait I expected to find hugging the wave break along beaches at full tide were often simply absent, and in over a fortnight’s fishing failed to be of any significance. I guess the Gulf of Carpentaria is a mighty big body of water, and when it doesn’t suit the bait to be along the shore 56

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October/November when the winds die down, the days become warmer and a few storms form of an afternoon.

With temperatures around 32°C and mosquitoes only mildly overenthusiastic in June, it was deluxe fishing whether on a beach or off some rocks. We also had productive sessions at one

then so be it!

Mind you, the next crew fishing the area will probably find bait so thick they could walk on it!

JELLY PRAWNS Fortunately, those ubiquitous jelly prawns were there in their millions, and the fish were hammering them.

The scenario always followed a common theme.

First, there would be a noticeable pinkish or buff coloured stain in the water as the jelly prawns gathered.

Then, at just the right time, a school of fish – trevally, queenies, dart, blue salmon – would home in on the tiny prawns. The action would erupt with a whirling school of fins and mouths under a perfect halo of pink froth and tiny bodies leaping hopefully out of harm’s way.

As fly anglers we are always up for a challenge, so I tied on our tiny pink Crazy Charlies to trick these fish. Most of the time we succeeded simply by not retrieving the fly at speed.

Sometimes it’s far better to simply heave it and leave it, and as the fly sank through the school the line would inevitably pull tight.

Many fish have a reputation of being hard to catch when they’re feeding on jelly prawns, but those little Charlies were hard to resist. Fish after fish fell for them on our 8wt fly tackle, with big golden trevally being the strongest contender for line honours for both myself and my wife Denise.

My best golden was an unusual catch. The 6kg fish was, somehow, jagged with a Charlie in the anal fin. You may not be surprised to hear that golden trevally don’t appreciate this treatment;

Denise Kampe with a personal best golden trevally taken on fly. Note the tiny Crazy Charlie in its mouth. jumping on Zerek prawns, bountiful blue salmon stretching our lines, and at least four species of trevally.

In some areas we saw big queenies giving bait a hiding only a short distance from the shore, but it soon became evident that when those queenies were within easy reach of a lure or plastic, so to were packs of marauding sharks.

These hungry predators ensured that few trophy sized fish made it ashore to be admired.

I suspect this action will continue right into the warmer months towards

Mud crabs are a great part of fishing the Cape, and they can often be found wandering the shore in quite shallow water.

of Weipa’s boat ramps when we went to town to replenish food supplies or fuel.

THE BIG PICTURE The big wet has left its mark. Visitors this winter are going to notice far more lush growth along the roads, and there are a lot of swamps remaining well filled, which will mean more mosquitos to contend with. Winter is no bar to these annoying critters, and July is often the height of their pestilence.

I have tested a Thermacell repellent device along with the standard coils, and I was very impressed with the Thermacell as an effective deterrent. However, it requires a butane cartridge, which you can’t take on a plane. To avoid hassles with airline check-in staff, remove the cartridge and have the device handy to show them. You can buy a cartridge when you get to your destination.

The locals are just starting to burn off in their traditional manner, so you can expect smoke to fill the skies. The road – the dreaded PDR – is comprised of sections between towns, and it’s fast becoming connected by bitumen. The gravel sections that remain can be either reasonable or quite bad on any given day, depending upon a particular shire’s efforts to keep it passable. No hurry, no worry, is how I see it. If the going is tough just go slower and you’ll get there.

With all Cape travel you should be as self-sufficient as possible, with ample spares, although there is usually someone around to assist if you get stuck.

As a holiday base, Weipa is hard to beat. The fishing around town is worth the effort, and the infrastructure is very good given that it’s a big day’s drive east from Cairns. You can catch barra at the low tide rocks just to the east of the Weipa caravan park and camping ground. The boat ramps (Rocky Point, Evans Landing, Andoom Creek) are brilliant fishing spots, because all the prop

water with some depth there should be barra there, but when the water is clear it’s very hard to get the barra to bite. Dirty water is the signal for feeding, it seems.

SAFETY A word of warning: crocs are a part of the Cape fishing scene so it pays to be careful. When you’re wading around areas where water is murky, it’s smart to keep on the move. Make one cast and then take two

side steps.

If your fishing involves wading on rubble or small bits of reef, your footwear should be strong enough to withstand the spines of a stone fish. Away from the water there are snakes, so it’s a good idea to have a night light if you need to move around after dark.

LAST CHANCE I recommend that you make your Cape trip as soon as possible, before

the PDR is completely sealed. Once it becomes an all weather road, the fishing we have now will only be a fading memory.

We’ll see the same thing that happened to Karumba, where the camp grounds are chock full of nomad’s caravans, all with tinnies and endless generators powering freezers full of fish fillets to bring home.

Get to the Cape before that happens.

This unlucky golden trevally fell foul of a Crazy Charlie in the anal fin.

The Weipa caravan park and camping grounds are a great base for a look around the general area.

wash pushes baitfish out and they’re the mercy of predators – which will also be interested in a wellpresented lure, plastic or fly.

If you’re planning to fish from the shore on the Cape, a lightweight spin outfit with 15lb braid will accommodate virtually any fish you cast to. I have found that 10kg FC Rock makes a very durable general purpose leader. As a fly angler I rely on an 8wt fly outfit, with both intermediate sink rate lines and floating lines on hand.

I really like the floating line when I’m working around rocks for barra and jacks. If you find rocks along a bit of

Blue salmon were a welcome addition to the nightly menu.

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www.wp.fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2019

57

A variety of beautiful reef catches on offer WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

Damn, it’s cold. It’s a wellknown fact amongst my work colleagues and mates that I am a complete sook when it comes to cool weather and I’ll be buggered if I ever work or live in a latitude that’s south of the Whitsundays. One of the primary mottos that I have lived my adult life by is, “if coconut trees don’t grow there, then I don’t go there,” and I’m sticking to it.

The last few weeks has been a bit of mixed affair, with the bite on some species poking along nicely and for some others it’s been unusually hard.

get out crabbing regularly are still doing well and getting some solid feeds.

of these guys – they’re one of my favourite species to catch and eat. They’re also quite a

John Martinali with a cracker of a golden trevally pulled up off a shallow rubble patch.

bite, which is normally at its peak through this period of the year, has been fairly miserable, with only a few good sessions being enjoyed. I’m blaming this on the lack of bait schools hanging around, which were a lot denser the last couple of seasons.

Normally as the bait moves in onto our inshore grounds the school mackerel are right up their clackers looking for an easy feed. Right behind them you’d find good numbers of Spanish mackerel and giant trevally looking to predate on the schoolies. It’s pretty simple really, no bait equals no predators.

Onto July and what we can expect over the coming weeks. One of the top target species through the peak of winter for local anglers is the mighty Spanish mackerel. Last July and August saw us enjoy some spectacular action on these guys and I have high hopes that it will happen again this year. Once the migration arrives the outer edges of the islands are the place to be, with Rattray, Gloucester and Middle islands all being well known local favourites.

There are plenty of options available to us to target these toothy speedsters with. While anchored up and enjoying a bit of reef fishing you’d be mad not to have a nice live stripey or a fusilier rigged with a 10/0 hook through its back

This thing put on a hell of a show on a 9 weight.

The author was the happiest person on the ocean once the net went under this fish.

Photo courtesy of Nick Gilchrist.

puffing, panting and grinning from ear to ear.

Back to the mackerel.

By far the most popular and successful ploy locally is trolling, and slow trolling wolf herring (ribbonfish) is number one. Over recent years I have found out the hard way that trolling lures is hard work. Trolling

John doesn’t like to be left out of the action. After the sharks nailed one and he pulled the hooks on another, it was a case of third time lucky when he landed this beauty.

There have been days where I’ve enjoyed some spectacular fishing and then others where I’ve come home scratching my head thinking, ‘what the hell was that all about?’

On the positive side of things, the unseasonal late run of rain has kept the mud crabbing nice and active. They are starting to get a little harder to find, but astute locals who

In the creeks, grunter are on the chew and even though the water has cooled significantly, there has still been some solid mangrove jack featuring in anglers’ catches.

Out in front of our local estuaries, on any shallow patches of rock and rubble, I’ve been enjoying a really nice bite on some ripper golden snapper. I am particularly fond

photogenic fish, which ticks an important box for myself.

The reef fishing around the mainland and inner islands has been a bit sporadic and hard to pick, and the only good bite time recently has been right on the turn of the tide. Any other stage of the tide has been yielding either undersized or trash species. Still on the same inshore grounds, the pelagic

Dave with a beautiful bar-cheek coral trout that went close to the 5kg mark.

58

JULY 2019

This was Dave’s first trip out on the water from Hydeaway Bay and he got a pretty cool trifecta, starting with this ripper of a nannygai on the first drop of the day. and set under a balloon out the back of the boat. I kind of think of this as a lazy angler’s way of mackerel fishing, but hey, it works.

When I’m targeting Spanish mackerel I like concentrate my efforts on them and them alone. Normally, the only by-catch that I get is the occasional pig of a giant trevally, which are more than welcome on my boat. There aren’t too many species of fish around our coastline that are capable of wearing out two, or occasionally more, anglers in a single fight. I always have a little giggle to myself when I look to the back of the boat and see a couple of grown fishos sitting down red faced,

garfish will get a few, but the big Spaniards just can’t resist a nicely rigged wolf herring wafting slowly past

their noses. Last season this style of fishing accounted for approximately 80% of the fish that were caught on board Reel Addiction.

When the fish are sounding up down deeper in the water column don’t forget about jigging as it is another highly successful method. I’m a big fan of micro jigs but just about any style of jig will have its moment of glory if the fish are on the chew. When jigging for Spanish mackerel probably the best tip that I can give you is make the jig move, and by that I mean bounce the thing around in their faces as erratically as you can. Often it is not the style, size, colour etc. of the lure you’ve chosen that will trigger the bite, it’s the commotion that you make with it that will turn the fish on.

Out on the same grounds where the Spanish mackerel are found we also get to enjoy a good winter bite from the deeper reef fish. This bite has already kicked into gear nicely, as just recently we’ve been getting some solid black jewfish and large-mouth nannygai. There have also been a few grunter lurking out in the deep, hopefully we’ll see To page 59

Dave capped off his morning on the boat with this quality jewfish. All three catches were firsts for Dave and to say he was happy was an understatement.

Barra stay around for the winter AYR

Steve Farmer

Many Burdekin anglers understand that fishing changes with the seasons and that they should adjust their target species and techniques accordingly.

Therefore, it has been a welcome surprise that the much sought-after barramundi are still on the chew, despite being a ‘summer’ target species.

Most estuaries are still yielding the occasional barramundi, particularly in the 60-70cm range, and anglers who have adapted their techniques to suit the conditions are having the most success. That might mean fishing live baits rather than lures, and fine-tuning it further with live prawns under a float rather than a live mullet on a running sinker rig anchored to the bottom.

Mind you, don’t discard any approach that you think might work, as this game is full of rewarding surprises.

As well as the delta estuaries, freshwater reaches of the Burdekin River are also turning on some unexpectedly good catches of barra, ranging from undersized rats to metre-plus trophy fish. Most freshwater fishers believe the last-minute run of fish is the result of improving water clarity. More experienced anglers don’t expect the action to last, even if water conditions continue to improve overall. Falling temperatures will certainly take their toll and according to forecasts, the mercury is on its way down over the next few days.

To date we haven’t really had much sign of an approaching winter, which may explain the reluctance of mangrove jack and barra to vacate our estuaries.

But the warmer than usual temperatures haven’t From page 58

a few of them come aboard this month as well.

When targeting bottom species out in the deeper areas, big fresh strip baits will get their fair share of bites as will a variety of jigs. As already mentioned, micro jigs are one of my personal favourites and I have witnessed plenty of days where they out-fish fresh bait. If you haven’t taken the leap to the dark side yet and had a go at jigging, give it a crack.

It’s dead set simple, highly effective and most important of all, truck loads of fun.

Good luck to all of you this month, I hope you all catch a monster or two and I look forward to reporting

A U S T R A L I A

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Despite the warmer than usual weather, the fishing prospects still look promising. deterred the winter species from arriving on time for their annual northern tropical holiday.

The old stalwarts of flathead, whiting and bream have increasingly found their way into estuarine catches over the past month or two and their numbers should increase as our northern winter chill sets in.

Anglers are still anticipating the arrival of the schools of Spanish mackerel, which will hopefully happen this month. Brisk southeasterly winds have been keeping boats landbound throughout June.

However, conditions have improved over the past few days and while the forecast isn’t ideal, I’m tipping a few keen crews will be on the bluewater this month.

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boaties are calling for interim excavation works to maintain the limited access provided by the existing channel until it is complete.

Recently 250 boaties assembled on the sandbar at the mouth of the access channel, aiming to send a loud, clear message to governments that they want prompt action. Molongle Creek is the only access Burdekin boaties have to the waters around Cape Upstart, but the access channel leading from the ramps to the open sea has been plagued by siltation problems almost every wet season for as long as most skippers can remember.

The latest weather event to fill in the recently maintained channel was ex-tropical Cyclone Penny earlier this year. It dumped half a metre of rain in the area, the resultant flooding further filling the channel with sand and mud. This siltation increases the tidal height that boats need to navigate what is left of the channel, reducing the window when

fishers can easily and safely reach the open sea or the sanctuary of the sheltered ramp duck pond.

This window is particularly restrictive during school holidays or on long weekends when hut owners and boaties flock to the area, putting pressure on launching facilities. These limitations also hinder the operations of the VMR boat, effectively putting at risk the 200 hut owners and boaties cruising and fishing Upstart waters.

Burdekin boaties from across the district welcomed the Palaszczuk Government’s pledge to build an all-tide ramp and channel facility at Molongle, but this won’t be completed until April 2021.

The existing channel could be excavated as a temporary fix, but permits to carry out this work could take up to nine months to be granted.

In the meantime, Upstart boaties are stuck with a tidal window of just two to three hours per day – a frustrating and potentially dangerous situation they aren’t happy with.

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Chasing pelagics has been a tough battle recently, but hopefully this improves in July.

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A U S T R A L I A

Phone: 0410 173 060 basscataustralia@gmail.com JULY 2019

59

Who says you can’t catch barramundi in July?

TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

There are plenty of people who pack the barra and jack tackle away as the temperature drops, but the fishing can actually be better during the colder months than when it’s

This is not only due to the wet season supplying the amount of water needed for the barra to spawn en masse, but also because the large amount of debris coming down the rivers got in the way of commercial nets. The nets simply couldn’t be set to intercept the big females as they moved in to lay their eggs for the natural

were as thick as anything.

The doggie mackerel have also been showing in numbers around the usual spots when the weather has been good enough for anglers to get out, and with both species in force there should be some great sessions for boaties and mackerel lovers.

If I could give one word

There have been some nice-sized barra in the billabongs around the north.

This one is drying quickly, and hopefully has enough depth to last until we get more rain. Some big fish have been lost to structure in this hole.

Weedless rigs like this Atomic 4” Prong rigged on the Gamakatsu EWG 5/0, 1/4oz jighead are one combination that just works all year round for the jacks. The coloured lead weight creates a ‘hot spot’ underneath to centralise the fish’s attention. stinking hot. It’s also more comfortable to fish in winter, whether you’re walking the bush tracks or standing on a casting deck fishing the creeks and drains.

Smaller lures become more productive as the temperatures fall, and this year we’re facing a problem that we haven’t had to face around here for years. Most times around this neck of the woods, downsizing lures is the winter tactic to get the bigger fish to bite. However, with the incredible spawn that happened during the last wet event, downsizing may also capture a lot of smaller fish.

always done me well.

Due to the very unfriendly weather we’ve endured for months now, reports of trout, nannygai and reds have been few, as most boats won’t even attempt to get out when it’s as bad as it has been. The bigger boats have been a bit luckier to a certain extent than the small boat owners like myself, as they can pound their way briefly through the rough open

down on top of your hooks is sometimes all that’s needed when the tidal run is a bit slow, and it’s a bit of a lucky draw as to what eats it first.

Berley isn’t recommended as it will just bring the sharks in quicker.

That old belief about golden snapper only being prolific in the warmer months is holding less weight than it once did, and some of the

recruitment of baby barra.

Whether you’re a pro or anti-netting advocate, there’s no denying that this season’s floods and delay of netting has been incredibly beneficial to future barra stocks, and that can only be a good thing for everyone.

Baitfish of all descriptions have also flourished, and the bay is chock full of them.

The mackerel should be in by the time this magazine hits the shelves. A couple of local gamefish gurus battled their way out in the slop to look for a small marlin a couple of weeks ago, and they said that the Spanish mackerel Casting under overhanging and horizontal structure was key to young Tannhym pinning this beautifully conditioned barramundi on a Tilsan Barra.

Small-headed grunter are just as common as sooties in the Burdekin at the moment. This one smashed an Atomic Hardz Metalz blade.

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JULY 2019

of advice to those who want to try catching mackerel on lures, it would be to not overthink it. My two favourite lures for the smaller mackerel species are the Halco Twisty and Halco Outcast, both in the 20-40g sizes. Colour-wise, the pilchard and the chrome with red head work well, but I’ve caught fish on all of the range.

As far as wire goes, I prefer either the 22lb Staybrite soft stainless for Albrighting to the leader, or the lightest Halco pre-straightened or high tensile wire if I’m using a swivel. Both work well, and I only really use about 100-200mm depending on the size of fish available, as we only use around 8lb braid for the doggies. For the Spanish, a Laser Pro 190 or 160 trolled at between 5-7 knots has

water and hide in behind a bit of land or an island, depending on which direction it’s coming from. If you’re getting cabin fever and really need to get out somewhere, and if you know your boat very well, then it is an option – just don’t take any unnecessary risks. As they say, no fish is worth dying for.

The main target species that will be on the hot list this month will be golden snapper (fingermark) and grunter in the shallows, and Spanish and doggie mackerel may be on the cards if you put out a floating pillie or gar.

If the tide isn’t running so fast that it prevents a floater from reaching the bottom unmolested, you’re in with a chance of an XOS grunter.

Running a small ball sinker around the number 1 size

biggest choppers I’ve caught around here have been taken during the colder months.

They still have to eat! No one would ever deny that live squid is the best option for chasing golden snapper.

However, if you’re having trouble finding squid, don’t worry, as these fish will eat (and sometimes even prefer) a live herring, mullet or gar.

And if you can’t get any live baits due to some unforeseen event, and you have to look at other options, you can always use lures.

Some people believe that if you’re not throwing vibes then you’re not in the race, but I don’t go along with that. Even though I’ve caught plenty of choppers on vibes, I’ve also caught heaps on soft plastic prawn imitations, often while

chasing other species. Actually finding the golden snapper is the most important aspect of the hunt, because once you’re found them they can usually be tempted into eating something, even though it may not be what’s commonly regarded as chopper tucker.

THE SHARK PROBLEM Out of control shark numbers are still the number one topic that people are talking about in the store (apart from the crappy weather), and there are plenty of stories about fish getting eaten in rivers, off the beaches and in close around Maggie. I truly believe that the numbers and figures quoted by the Greens about shark numbers declining are false, as they have never given a detailed report of who conducted this research, or where, or how, and the figures go against the evidence that every angler is experiencing.

I honestly can’t see what the problem is with servicing the global market with flake and dare I say it, shark fin. I don’t support live sharks being thrown back in the water after having their fins removed.

The fact is though, there is a profitable market for both the flesh and fins of sharks.

Another lucrative seafood product is something you might not expect. The swim bladder of a barramundi is worth a great deal nowadays, to a point that there has been a possession limit placed on them per angler. Also known as a ‘maw’, the swim bladder of species such as jew and barramundi are rumoured to be used for absorbable sutures to wine and beer filtration and finally, you guessed it, an ingredient in Asian and Indian soups and dishes. The harvesting and collection of these by-products is legal and there is a legitimate market which is being serviced by commercial sectors, so I don’t see why sharks should be any different.

Good luck and stay safe.

The wind is still winning CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

Last year may have been the windiest for some years but this year is leaving it in its slipstream!

It has been a year of one tropical low/cyclone or high-pressure system after the other, with very few calm periods between. Old timers are saying it’s the windiest and wettest they can remember.

When the very limited opportunities have allowed anglers to get out wide they have been rewarded with good hauls of coral trout, reds and mackerel. Coral trout have remained fairly consistent all year, while catches of large-mouth and small-mouth nannygai have been increasing in recent months. Catches of red emperor have been of a high quality but are not being found in high quantities.

There are promising signs that it could be a good mackerel season, with the early arrival of a smattering of lesser mackerel and the capturing of some quality Spanish mackerel at popular mackerel haunts off Cairns.

Grey mackerel made an appearance in the Snapper Island area in early June and spotties started to get caught around Mission Beach around the same time. With small numbers of quality Spanish mackerel

taken around the same time at the islands off Cairns, all that mackerel fishos are waiting on is a much needed break in the weather, so they can get out there in comfort.

The knowledge that good bait schools are already in the area, is giving mackerel hunters hope for a good season. This hope is reinforced by the sea surface temperature dipping below

While they may lack the top end speed of a Spanish mackerel, they certainly win fins down in the endurance stakes!

Anglers who like to sweat it out on the water will also have an array of tuna and trevally species to do battle with, especially out wide. The more aerial anglers will find small black marlin in the bluewater

Hopefully we see plenty of monster Spanish mackerel this July, like this one Brett Fah caught aboard Blackout Sportsfishing Charters off Fitzroy Island.

Anglers with a floater out the back while bottom bashing have been catching some quality Spanish mackerel, like this beauty caught by John Wedrat.

25°C in early June, well on its way to the June average of 24.5°C. Cobia have been a significant presence during the past few mackerel seasons and certainly make a great addition to the day’s fishing, especially for those who like a grinding fight.

and large queenfish in the river mouths to wet their optical appetite, as water temperatures continue to fall.

An upside of the lousy weather is that the Cairns Inlet has continued to produce quality fish, especially golden snapper, along with barra, mangrove

jack, cod, flathead and grunter.

The big surprise has been the significant increase in the number of black jewfish being caught in the inlet this year. They must have been totally decimated by gill netting, but now that it has been banned they are making a rapid and very welcome comeback.

I have heard more reports of black jewfish being caught in the Cairns Inlet this year than I have in the past 20 years combined.

I saw on Facebook recently a photo of a 1m+ back jewfish that was caught in the inlet.

That is the first report I have

heard of a 1m+ jewie being caught in the inlet since I moved to Cairns in 1995!

Golden snapper have lead the weigh-in of fish caught in the inlet in recent months, with continual pictures being published in the Cairns Post and on Facebook of proud anglers with their prize catch. Live baiting has been the most productive method, with prawns and sardines the pick of livies. Any patch of hard or soft coral in the deeper sections of the inlet has been producing fish.

Luring has also been popular and productive, with soft vibes leading the charge,

followed by soft plastics and prawn imitations.

It has been a good season for mud crabs, with plenty of reports of this delicacy doing the rounds on social media over the past couple of months. Hopefully they will continue to be plentiful this month.

The annual exodus of Cairns residents into the Cape and Gulf has been delayed this year due to the massive rainfall in many areas. The 4WD brigade should be invading the north in big numbers by now and early reports have come in of great catches of barra from many areas.

Hopefully tough times are coming to an end PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

When winter hit here, it really hit. We’ve had plummeting water and air temperatures here in the tropics over the last month.

Southeasterly trade winds are dominating the weather pattern and driving cool, bullet type winds up along the far northern coastline.

It has been every angler’s worst nightmare.

This has been the case more often than not for a couple of months and trying to find a decent break in the weather has been difficult.

In saying this, when the calmer days do present the fishing has been of the highest level, particularly on the reef.

Winter is all about fishing on the coastal and outer reefs. This is where a vast variety of species can be encountered on any given day. When the weather is behaving,

individual species have been hunting in packs and these have included the large and small-mouth nannygai, coral trout, reef jacks, Spanish mackerel, spangled emperor and an array of trevally, including golden and goldspot varieties.

Depending on your location and what you stumble across, you can expect to find one species stacked to the roof. This has been the case on recent charters, with small-mouth nannygai completely dominating one spot then at the next it might be the largemouth. The following may be one of the trevally family, and so on.

The reds and trevally are firm favourites in the deeper water beyond 35m, and as you venture up into the shallows it’s your coral trout and emperors that tend to dominate. There has been a heap of other species that manage to add a bit of spice on most trips and they have included green jobfish, bowen snapper, baldy bream and cobia.

Nannygai have been dominating catches through winter.

The cobia, in fact, have been king of late, with only high quality catches for over six months and their numbers have never been

better. They don’t look like they’re giving up that title anytime now.

As the water temperature is hovering around the

25°C mark now, more and more mackerel are moving through the area.

Spanish are at the top of the list on the outer reef and there’s a few more spotted mackerel being sighted as well. Inshore reefs are now littered with doggie mackerel and the great news is that we have the grey mackerel in the area as well.

Some years we see the greys here and other years they are scarce. The reason is unclear, but they do have their specific grounds in the area when they arrive. The old fashioned silver spoon is a long time favourite for racking up a few grey mackerel.

Moving into our calmer waters, a lot of boaties have been forced to fish here because of the continuous strong winds. Even with water temperature at its lowest, the fishing has been fair to good.

Mangrove jack numbers continue to impress, along with javelin and big aggressive bream.

On the right tides we’ve seen trevally, tarpon and queenfish move right through the systems and the golden snapper have been active enough in the deeper holes.

Ever since the weather started to cool down there’s been a lot of big pick handle barracuda around and they won’t hesitate to demolish a fish on the end of the line, whether it be a good-sized jack or bream.

They are super aggressive, following a meal right to the boat and they are of the typical size you’d expect to see out on the reefs.

Other than this, it has been a good time of year to spread some crab pots around and on the bigger tides there’s been some good catches in the area.

Looking ahead, we are all praying desperately for a consistent run of calm weather so that we can explore the reefs more regularly. With tourist season beginning, there is no better time to visit Port Douglas.

JULY 2019

61

Slow down for the winter CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

July spells cool water temperatures in the Trinity Net Free Zone, which can make the fishing extra

tough for the typical target species like jacks and barra.

However, there have still been plenty of these fish around and those who have persisted have been rewarded with some great fish.

In the Cairns Inlet the larger laydown snags have

been producing plenty of rat barra and fish up to 70cm on the run-out tide. Small paddle-tail profiles around 3-4” in length have been doing the damage. Fishing these as light as possible with small twitches, lifts and hops has been the best way to

Big barra are still an option in July, you just have to use smaller profiles and a slower retrieve.

present these baits.

Hardbodied lures have also been very effective, especially those around 8-10cm in length on a twitched suspension retrieve. The larger barra have been sitting in the deeper holes, around the 4-5m mark, in good numbers.

Finding the fish is not a problem in these areas but getting the bite can be tough.

They are especially fussy at this time of year and small jellybean presentations are the way to go. Fishing as slow and as light as you can is the best advice I can give you.

One other method that is working well is using flash and blades on your jigheads, much like what is used on bass. The extra flash has been getting the bite lately and has seen catches improve significantly. Good easy options are the Owner Flashy or ZMan BladeZ jigheads.

Jacks will be easier to find this month but slow worked presentations are

There are plenty of crabs around, so be sure to put your pots in this month. the go. You’ll want to work your presentation slowly so that it can get right into the fish’s face. This technique is a popular one in the States for when fish shut down and it is just starting to become popular here in Australia.

Along the beaches the fishing has been tough for barra but good for salmon and queenfish. There have also

been some ripper catches of giant herring and even the odd permit. Liam Edridge and his young fella recently nailed an absolutely beautiful permit off the mouth at Half Moon Bay. The cold has also stirred up the mud crabs in all creeks, so get your pots soaking! Next month should see the last of the cold water, which will see catches firing up.

Cool, wet and windy HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

Everyone here has been waiting for this bad weather to leave. Getting offshore over the last month has been testing to say the least, especially when you’re battling 20 knot winds and the consistent misty rain.

That being said, we have had a couple of reasonable days here and there where I have managed to snare some good fish in these colder waters. I’ve found that barra are still willing to take shallow hardbodies on

the making tides leading up to the moons.

Recently there have been some real positive signs that our wet weather over the last two seasons is kick starting the barramundi reproduction cycle. While cast netting for live bait at one of my favourite sand spits, in the time it took me to gather 25 good-sized mullet, I removed and released around 35-40 barramundi around 25cm in length from the cast net. There was also numerous threadfin salmon around 40cm that were gently returned to the water.

These next few colder months will be a good time to target inshore pelagics and reds. Areas

near Goold Island and the back of Hinchinbrook will see schools of queenfish, golden trevally and Spanish mackerel showing a greater presence – we just have to hope the sharks keep away when we find them.

The Lucinda Jetty is a popular place for a wide range of species during winter. At times large golden snapper and big barra frequent the pylons, along with queenies, tuna and mackerel. High speed retrieving metal slices will see you having some fun on these species.

With signs that some good dry weather is starting to arrive upon us, I am itching to go visit the Wonky

Nathan Lynch caught the beautiful snapper off the 18-Fathom Reef off the Gold Coast.

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Dustin with a quality 94cm barra. Shallow hardbodies are a good way to target them throughout the colder months.

Holes inshore south of Hinchinbrook Island. This time of year they usually fire with big large-mouth nannygai, bar-cheek trout, gold-spot cod and Spaniards.

We don’t find large schools of nannygai on them, but the ones that do inhabit these areas are quite large fish.

I find the best method is large live greenback herring,

but larger vibes around 30g or heavier can also do the trick. We usually catch 2-3 fish at each spot and then move to another so we don’t wipe out an inhabited Wonky and to keep the fish in healthy numbers for future trips.

Inshore Wonky Holes can be a little hit and miss.

I’m finding that if the water

quality is of a greenish shade the sharks move in and take over everything.

Days of clear blue water often see the best results.

• If you’re looking to come to Hinchinbrook to discover its variety of fish and wish to book a charter, email us at info@ ianmoodysportfishing.com with your enquiry.

Chris caught this cracking 95cm barra. Be sure to target the making tides if you’re wanting a monster barra.

Wishing the wind away for better results LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

I’m sick of this wind. It has been horrible for months now, and long-range forecasting indicates that it may continue, from a fresh wind to frightening, for a lot longer.

Winter is always plagued by persistent southerly winds, but normally we get a break every now and again.

Hopefully this will happen soon. It has also meant that light rainfall has been falling most nights, so it has been some terrible weather all round.

Enough about the horrid weather though – let’s get into what fishing is

compared to catches in the warmer months. I have had plenty of conversations with visiting anglers about catching barramundi over the last few months, and most of it centres on slowing down retrieves and downsizing offerings.

Smaller profile hardbodied lures and plastics will get more attention than larger sizes, because the main food source of most barra will be small baitfish and small prawns.

With a bit of luck, there should be some massive schools of blue salmon cruising the flats and bumping into these schools can be great fun.

It is possible to catch these fish for hours if they stick around, and sight casting lures to them in clear

rods getting bent. It’s simple fishing that can mean superior fish in the boat. The difference in the quality and quantity of fish will normally come down to the bait you use. Fresh or live baits will see better quality fish, and live squid or sardines are the gun baits for both of these species.

JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF As I said earlier, there has been very little to report on due to shocking weather.

What I can tell you is when it finally stops blowing, the fishing will be red-hot.

There has been little to no fishing pressure over the last few months so the fish stocks will be good. There will be lots of trout up in the shallower waters and I can’t wait to drift across Barra are still on the cards, you just have to work harder. amount of fillets you get from one legal fish makes them worth catching.

There are many ways to catch Spaniards but the most common techniques are trolling lures or setting a floater while fishing reef edges. Slow trolling garfish rigged on bait trolling rigs is the method of choice for pro fishers, and they get outstanding results.

Spanish mackerel have an impressive set of teeth that can not only slice

through leaders with ease, but also can do you a lot of harm if you’re unlucky and get too close to the dental work. I always remember a session with a good mate – I was taking a photo of a Spanish he was holding, and it flicked out and landed on my foot!

I still have my toe but it sliced deep into it. I was rather lucky.

Coral trout numbers should be great and chasing them in shallower

water proves loads of fun. Find broken ground with big bommies, fish unweighed baits with the current and hang on. You can’t give these fish an inch, or they will bury you into the bottom and you will be tying another rig.

My favourite bait for trout is strips of mackerel tuna, as it’s tough and will withstand pickers. It is also very oily and this creates a natural berley trail that will attract fish.

Toni landed this cracking winter flathead. These fish will be more common now. to be had around Lucinda, the southern gateway to Hinchinbrook Island. If you haven’t yet experienced the true beauty of this area, you should think about getting up here for a look and a fish!

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL It’s tough times for most anglers up the channel, especially those who are chasing the iconic barramundi. The cold, clear water makes chasing these fish very tough, and catch rates are reduced

shallow water is great sportfishing.

My advice for channel fishing is to forget about chasing barra and jacks, and set your sights on fish such as grunter and golden snapper. They can be caught from similar locations, and deep holes in creek systems or isolated rocks and rubble in the channel itself are perfect places.

Getting some good fresh bait and relaxing in the afternoon as the tide changes should see

the shallows throwing poppers, stickbaits and soft plastics over the bommies in search of trout and other reef dwellers.

The mighty Spanish mackerel will be about in big numbers and most boats will be out to get amongst a few of these fish.

Mackerel fight great, with long dragpeeling runs, and their characteristic head shake then speed away as they rip braid from the spool is pretty addictive. They are great eating and the

Although seen as by-catch, cod are great eating.

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63

Hope for better weather COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

June was a month of disappointment and a hard one to get any joy from fishing. The weather was terrible. Cooktown is renowned for its wind at this time of year, but usually the

rain has died off and the place starts to dry out - not this year.

The rain hasn’t stopped.

Although it isn’t wet season rain, it does make conditions unpleasant and certainly makes it a lot colder than usual. So, fishing has suffered, as everything is so quiet at the moment. A number of hardcore

It looks like Cooktown is going to have a great mackerel season, with beauties like this turning up in numbers.

fishing locals at the wharf have managed a little action around the full moon, with a nice legal barra taken and a few small mackerel. But, even the diehards are grumbling about the conditions and lack of reward for the effort put in.

There is not much to report this month, but we can only hope conditions improve, as I’m sure they will.

There is a glimmer of hope. My son hit the wharf to catch some bait in the last week and his bait jig was full with herring, which means the bait is returning.

We are expecting to have a great mackerel season this year. They should start turning up in impressive numbers over the next few months. The Cooktown Wharf produces some great mackerel and some stories of the monsters that got away.

Here you’ll also find the tax collector, the local groper that reside under the wharf and take their fair share. It’s not uncommon when the fishing is hot that that many hardfought fish fall to the predator that greets them as they near

The full moon produced some solid barra. the wharf. All that effort to get the fish close to capture and you see it devoured below your feet.

So, get your fish in quickly, especially as it nears the wharf or you will lose your dinner. However, it is the food chain at work.

This month, although not a great one for fishing, is a good time to get ready for the fishing adventures to come. Getting excited

about the months ahead and preparing gear is key. I have booked some sites at the Lakefield National Park, as the bookings have opened up.

The expectation is that the fishing will be amazing this year with the amount of flow the river has received.

Getting ready and dreaming of what is to come really makes the excitement build.

Those of you heading

north to fish the Cape, next month conditions and fishing should improve. The Cape has seen lots of water this year and we should have some productive fishing for the later half of the year. So, get ready for some amazing fishing and camping. I have a few trips booked and will be heading around the Cape shortly, and I hope you do too.

Happy fishing and safe travels.

Winter? What winter?

CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

You can sit at the tip of Cape York in June and have a pretty good idea of what July will look like.

It is a beautiful time of year to be up in the far north and consistently warmer temperatures make it T-shirt weather year-round, unlike most areas further south.

for energetic activity.

Also energetic around this time will be the pelagic species on the east and west coasts of the Cape. Queenfish, trevally, mackerel, barracuda and other silver speedsters will be cruising the inshore waters looking to towel up schools of baitfish. Sardines, herring, pilchards and all manner of tiny schooling fish will be getting terrorised in a bay near you!

Basically, from July through until October, there

show up early, sometimes the larger models show up first and at other times the smaller models. Occasionally they will stay well offshore until some magic button is pushed and they move inshore, making targeting them easier from smaller craft.

Mac tuna are a common false alarm for those chasing longtail. They fight like dogs and look brilliant in and just out of the water – they have an iridescent sheen that gives way to stripes across

The endless flats at the tip of the Cape are a great producer in July. adrenalin rush of chasing moving schools of fish.

Casting slugs, jigs, flies or plastics amongst the feeding melee is all you need to do.

Those first few cranks of a reel handle when a cast lands amidst a pack of hungry tuna are exhilarating, especially when things come tight a split second later

and your drag starts purring out line and your arms are buckled over.

July will be a month where the flats fishing is in full flight, with crystal clean flats and a good chance of sunny conditions for polarising fish. Much of the Cape’s west coast will be a flats haven this time of year,

Quality barra like this are being caught up the tiniest of creeks.

There will be a few brisk mornings out on the water as south and easterly winds throw chilled surface air about the place.

But between 8am-8pm there is a fair chance the temperature will be perfect 64

JULY 2019

should be fish working within a few kilometres of nearly the entire Cape York coastline.

Each year the run of northern bluefin (or longtail) tuna vary in size and distribution. Sometimes they

a small torpedo-like body.

Unfortunately, mac tuna aren’t so good on the sashimi plate, but make excellent berley and bait with their blood red flesh.

Anyone who loves chasing tuna loves the

You can find barra feeding in shallow gutters throughout the Cape in winter.

with all sorts of silvery fish transitioning across the sand, gutters and rubbly patches in close to shore.

Fish such as queenies, trevally, barramundi, giant herring, tarpon, blue salmon and permit will be just some of the variety on offer within a short cast from shore during the winter months. Fly fishers in particular enjoy the wind coming from behind them and the sun at their back, making mornings on the west coast a real treat for feather and fur chuckers.

All in all, July is a brilliant time to visit the Cape. Just expect a few brisk mornings and a fair chance of some wind about the place. There is always a sheltered bay or river somewhere to escape the persistent trade winds. And there will always be a pack of fish somewhere nearby, needing to catch a feed.

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Wet a line in winter TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

It can be a tough slog through winter. Beanies, gloves and tracky-dacks might keep us warm, but the fish need to endure what the weather dishes out.

If the winter isn’t too cold for too long, the fishing can be okay, but once the harsh cold sets in it becomes a hell of a lot tougher. Despite this, you can usually find a few lakes that are performing better than others.

Bass, barra, golden

perch and cod can all be caught through the winter months if you head to the right spot at the right time and use the right lure and technique. Slowing things down is key. You need to make sure your lures are spending more time in front of fish. This isn’t such an easy task when the fish are hard to find on the sounder.

Winter sees fish acting very differently on the many lakes they live in.

In some spots, they head for the shallows while in others they school up out deeper. Weed beds or the lack of them play a big part in where fish will be found.

Weed beds hold the bait and

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Cressbrook Dam remains closed due to an outbreak of blue-green algae. With Cressbrook and Cooby dams closed due to algae, Toowoomba anglers will need to go a few more miles to get into the fishing action.

• The Toowoomba council will continue to monitor water conditions and will reopen the dam when they deem it is safe.

You can stay informed through the Toowoomba Regional Council website or drop in to Fish’n’Bits Toowoomba for an update. They have a great range of lures and fishing gear. The team can sort you out with the right gear and

Gympie

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some warmth. If the food is there, the predators won’t be too far away. In other lakes, masses of baitfish can be found out in the deeper water. If this is the case, the fish we are chasing should also be in the area as long as they find the water temperature comfortable enough.

Like fishing at any time, there are lots of variables – winter just adds to the toughness factor. You can still go out and have a good day on the water, but I am already eager for spring when the days are warmer and the fish come easy.

Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel!

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Weipa

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Toowoomba

BRISBANE

IMPOUNDMENT DAM

Clappers and below the houses at Queen Street are two areas I always check out. They don’t hold much during the warmer times of year, but when winter hits the fish tend to turn up there.

There are a few other isolated spots around the lake that are worth a try.

The key to catching is finding, and you should always head to the lake expecting to do a lot of looking at the sounder between casts. With fish coming from Kirkleigh all the way down to The Hump, there is a lot of water to cover. If you concentrate on the riverbed drop-offs and adjacent flats as well as points and humps in the 7-10m range, you can eliminate a lot

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

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give you some tips on where to find the fish.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY The bass seem to be a bit scattered this winter. Schools are popping up but are on the move. When this is the case, today’s hot spot can be totally barren tomorrow.

There are a few key locations that seem to hold better schools during winter.

Out in front of Happy

Even this Megabass Vision One Ten is not too big for the bass at Maroon, especially when fished with aggressive twitches and long pauses.

16

25

Cairns 1

26

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33

20

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

5

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Rockhampton

Emerald 29 7

10

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Gladstone

30 8

Bundaberg 9

11

Maryborough

Roma

of barren water.

Ice jigs dominate catches at this time of year. If the bass are seen close to the bottom, there are few better ways to get them excited. Some anglers have noticed that once the fish light up under the boat, a switch to heavier spoons has produced the better quality fish. Winding the lure while keeping it close to the bottom is the way to fish them.

Trolling hardbodies has slowed right down. A few anglers have had good success on monster bass trolling the Spectre Vibration jig just fast enough to keep it off the bottom. An electric motor is needed for this as you will need to accurately control

BRISBANE

the boat speed to keep it at around 2km/h. The amount of fish caught hasn’t been outstanding but the quality has been sensational, with a few 3kg models making their way to the net.

The fishing will continue this way for at least another month. As August arrives, things can change very quickly. It is either around then or early September that the fish will school up and wake from their winter state. When this happens, I know where I’ll be spending my time.

• Somerset Fishing has their store based at the area above the day use boat ramp. The store is open To page 67

QLD & NORTHERN NSW DAM LEVELS Dam............................ % Full

        

DAMS Atkinson Awoonga Bjelke-Petersen Boondooma Borumba Burdekin Falls Callide Cania Clarendon Cooby Coolmunda

APR MAY JUN 5 5 5 75 74 72 7 7 6 31 30 28 95 96 95 106 101 101 51 49 47 75 74 72 0 0 0 33 33 33 12 10 9

Dam............................ % Full           

Copeton Cressbrook Dyer/Bill Gunn Eungella Fairbairn Glenlyon Hinze Julius Kinchant Koombooloomba Leslie Macdonald

12 11 9 38 39 39 4 4 3 100 101 100 16 20 19 12 9 9 93 94 93 99 96 93 99 99 100 79 79 84 5 5 5 105 103 102

Dam............................ % Full           

Maroon 79 78 76 Monduran/Fred Haigh 81 80 78 Moogerah 64 61 58 North Pine/Samsonvale 72 71 69 Peter Faust/Proserpine 81 81 80 Pindari 6 6 6 Somerset 75 77 76 Teemburra 100 101 100 Tinaroo 102 100 96 Toonumbar 74 72 67 Wivenhoe 59 58 56 Wuruma 88 87 85

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 18/06/19

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.)

66

JULY 2019

From page 67

over holidays and otherwise from Friday to Sunday.

Orders can also be made online via the website www. somersetfishing.com.au.

They have an excellent range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch.

WIVENHOE CLOSEST TOWNS: FERNVALE, ESK Plenty of anglers have been fishing Wivenhoe. It has a reputation as being one of the better winter bass fisheries. The results have been mixed so far. It is such a large lake that it takes a long time to explore and find the better spots.

I had a quick three-hour session a while back and all I could tempt was a fat golden perch. Some mates in another boat had a little more success. They worked the same area and boated a couple of bass on the troll as

well as a golden perch casting.

This action all took place on the flats out from Billies Bay. Trolling the flats and close to the drop-off from here back towards Logans Inlet will almost always guarantee a few fish. Deep divers are a must, as you will need to fish 8-11m of water keeping the lures close to the bottom.

You don’t always need to see a lot of life on the sounder to catch a fish on this lake. It is strange how once a fish is caught, they just seem to appear from out of nowhere. With this being the case, always keep a casting lure like a spoon rigged and ready to go. While one angler winds a hooked fish in, the other should be getting a cast or two in to see if there are more fish in the area.

The banks fished very well last winter. Casting TN60 Jackalls and suspending jerkbaits pulled the big

bass. With a lot of country to explore, finding the good spots can be very hard. I have a few spots that I run over fast to see if I can get a bite.

Sometimes the bite will be from a lone big fish, but other times there will be a school in the area. If you are seeing fish on the sounder, the area is definitely worth spending some time on or revisiting at a later date.

Boats tend to draw the fish out and they will school below you. If you can work the bank before this happens, you have a much better chance of catching. The fish always seem to be more responsive when they are up shallower on the edges. Once they school up below, you can trick them with ice jigs and small blades but they are harder to fool.

• Call in to see the team at Charlton’s Fishing at Redbank. They head out

Fly anglers will be able to cash in this month, either fishing deep with fastsinking or intermediate lines, or over the top of weed with floating lines.

SUNSHINE COAST REGION MACDONALD CLOSEST TOWNS: TEWANTIN, NOOSA It will still be another month until the big bass schools appear. In the meantime, focus on fishing the weed edges through the middle and lower reaches of the lake. Casting lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits to these edges will see you score some good fish.

It can be tricky fishing the edge of the weed and working out how it grows.

Use a pair of polarised sunnies to spot the surface weed and keep working wider from there until you are just brushing the tops of the weed.

The assist hook on chatterbaits and spinnerbaits is great for this. These hooks are hidden inside the rear of the skirts, which seems to help with brushing through the weed. The light gauge hooks easily rip free from

weed when caught up, but are deadly with finding their mark as soon as a fish tries to bite at the lure.

Smaller blade baits are another great option for hopping close to the weed edges. Just use a short and aggressive rip to free them when they are fouled in the vegetation. It is often this ripping from the weed that attracts the fish and gets them biting.

Remember, MacDonald is an electric motor only dam.

You can still use your bigger boats fitted with outboards, provided you don’t turn the key on. Enjoy the peace and quiet while travelling under paddle or electric power.

BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA It can be a bit tough for the next 4-6 weeks. The best bet is to target bass in the basin of the lake between the boat ramp and

in the timber around the Junction. Smaller fish will be more common closer to the ramp end. A few will be available in the flats close to the dam wall and opposite the boat ramp as well as in the first few prominent points.

These bass are suckers for ice jigs but it can be hard to catch a quality fish.

Further up the lake, check the points that extend out into the dam as well as some of the flats up the back before the timber.

Ice jigs will work on these fish as well, and will occasionally pull one of better quality. If they are in the mood, casting soft plastics, spoons and blade baits will get bites from better quality fish.

• Davos at Noosaville has all the gear you’ll need to tackle the fish at Borumba and Lake MacDonald. The store caters well for fresh and saltwater anglers.

They can be found in the Homemaker Centre on the corner of Mary and Thomas streets.

to the lake quite often, so you might be able to pump them for a few secrets and save some time by heading straight to the fish with the right lures.

MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, RATHDOWNEY School bass have been holding on the main lake points. The Spit that extends from the boat ramp to the dam wall is always reliable at this time of year. Closer to the timber, the flat that extends out from The Palms is also worth a sound over to see if fish are around.

Fishing will be hit-andmiss over winter but the fish, regardless of mood, should still be there to try your luck on. Soft plastics are one of the better winter options. Slow rolling through the fish with 3-4” paddle-tails or grubs will get them biting. Ice jigs and blades are always handy for vertical presentations and if you have a spare rod, keep them rigged and handy for when the fish first appear under your boat.

The monster bass have been hard to find in Moogerah but more and more 40cm+ fish are being caught.

They will really stack on the weight over winter and I am sure there will be some 2kg+ fish getting around.

MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BEAUDESERT, BOONAH The clear, cold water of Maroon Dam is perfect for suspending jerkbaits. You can start the morning off by getting up on the edges or over the top of shallow weed beds. I recall days in years passed fishing the Rapala Husky Jerks over the top of weed and through pockets, only to have my cold hands jolted when a bass hit and ran hard during a long pause of the lure.

Shallow lures will only produce until the sun gets too bright and the fish move deeper. It is then a case of working deeper suspenders like Jackall Squirrels that can dive 2-3m on the cast.

Get these lures down to depth quickly and then start to twitch them and pause for several seconds. I would

Bottom hugging bass, showing like this on a sounder, often call for a vertical ice jig presentation in winter. throw in a 10 second pause once the lure has reached depth. It is amazing how far a bass will travel from deeper water to attack when conditions are ideal and the water is clear.

Other winter options include lightly-weighted soft plastics and skirted jigs. These can be fished around hard structure or the edges of the weed beds.

Schooling fish outside the weed tend to be smaller but can be caught on a range of offerings. Blade baits, spoons, and soft plastics can perform well but it is hard to beat an ice jig over the colder months.

NORTH PINE (LAKE SAMSONVALE) CLOSEST TOWN: BRISBANE, LAWNTON, PETRIE Bass numbers were steady last month and the size of the schools will only improve. This has its positives and negatives.

Bigger schools mean scattered fish will become fewer, which means locating schools becomes much more important than just picking off a random fish here and there. Locating schools with

the use of a sounder in the boating and kayak areas is the key to success.

The kayakers will be in with a good shot this winter but they will need to cover plenty of water to find the fish. Concentrate on the main lake points, flats and drop-offs in 7-10m of water.

Bulk fish should also turn up on the points at Forgan Cove and Bullocky Rest. These are land-based spots and the only way to know if the fish are there is to try your luck.

Launching spoons out into the deep water off the points and then hopping or winding them back will soon let you know if there are any about. The Halco Twisty and Hot Bite Gang Banger G2 absolutely smashed the fish in previous years.

• Tackleworld Lawnton is an ideal port of call for all your fishing needs if fishing the lakes on the north side of Brisbane.

The team can point you in the right direction and help you experience some awesome fishing close to the heart of Brisbane.

Gary’s Marine Centre

3201 6232

217 Pine Mountain Road, BRASSALL JULY 2019

67

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA Cooby Dam remains closed due to the outbreak of blue-green algae. Hopefully when the cold snap arrives, it will help kill it off.

Unfortunately, the great fishing isn’t likely to come back on until mid-spring when things warm up again. Keep up-to-date on the Toowoomba Regional Council’s website.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK This lake is probably your best bet for catching winter golden perch in the southeast corner. Leslie fish will be seeking the deeper water as the lake level continues to drop. Boats can still be launched below the old boat ramp and the Washpool Reserve. Just look for the wheel tracks and stay away from any areas where others have bogged down.

With the level falling, there will be more rocky outcrops getting closer to the surface. Navigation through the middle of the main dam is safe, but take care when in less than 5m of water or within 100m of the banks.

Similar rocky outcrops in deeper water are ideal places to try your luck.

Frozen saltwater yabbies and live shrimp will get a few fish when fished around these spots.

Lure anglers will do it tough. Trolling spinnerbaits is still an option for the cod, which seem to tolerate the cold better. Golden perch like to take hopped lures, which stay in their face more.

Soft vibes like the Jackall Mask Vibe, or Ecogear ZX40 shrimp blade is the way to go. Bounce these around the rocks in 5-8m of water. If a tree is nearby, this kind of structure will improve your chances in the deeper water.

Some great sessions can be experienced if you are

WIDE BAY AND SOUTH BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY Boondooma is often a great lake to fish through winter. The fish are slower but you can really hone your skills experimenting with different lure types throughout the day.

Early in the mornings, bass and the occasional golden perch can be pulled off the shallow edges. The timbered arms are good places to start your search for shallower fish. Casting spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and lipless crankbaits around the structure on the edges will give you a good chance of scoring a quality fish.

These fish can be quite shallow in the winter months but as the day brightens and the sun hits the water, they will drop back into deeper water.

Keep this movement in mind and work your lures to suit. That is the beauty of casting and retrieving sinking lures. You can pause and sink the lure to any depth to keep it close to where the fish are most

likely to be.

Edge dwelling fish will also be found around the main basin of the dam, but with so many banks to try it can take some time to find them. It is usually a good idea to fish close to where deeper fish are spotted on the sounder.

The morning-edge bite will only last as long as the sun allows. Foggy starts and cloud cover will prolong it but sooner or later, deeper water will be the better option. Here, sounders will come into play and finding scattered and schooling fish is necessary. Search in 5-8m of water in the lake’s middle reaches.

Spots like Pelican Point and the Junction can be used as a starting area but look at all the banks within sight of these. When schools are found you may need to experiment to see what they want to eat most.

Spinnerbaits and soft vibes work well at times but if the hits aren’t forthcoming, switch to presentations like blade baits, spoons, tail spinners and soft plastics.

Winter can be a frustrating month but there

SEASON

7

lucky enough to stumble on the right spot. The secret is to keep moving and looking until you find a patch of fish willing to eat. Don’t be surprised if you get a Murray cod or two hopping vibes.

• Along with getting a fishing report, stock up on all your gear while at Warwick Outdoor and Sports at 115 Palmerin Street, Warwick.

For a small store, it carries a great range at a very competitive price. Warwick is only a ten-minute drive from the dam and you can pick up any supplies you might need.

COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD Very few reports have come from Coolmunda Dam. The water has been dirty, so hopefully the cold helps the sediment settle. Murray cod are a great option in this lake and just because very few fishers have reported in, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try your luck. I have found that when the cod have been left alone for some time, they seem to bite at the first sight of a lure. My go-to method

is spinnerbaits around the structure found along the old riverbed edge and up on the adjacent flats.

• The Coolmunda Caravan

will be days when the fish are prepared to chew.

Quality bass will start to show up as they bulk up with roe. Boondooma produces quite a few fish over the magic 50cm mark and these models should now be well over 2kg.

• Boondooma is a great place to camp right near the water and sit by the fire while enjoying the view. The kiosk at the main office does hot food and other basic items, including an excellent range of proven fishing tackle. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call (07) 4168 9694.

For the latest information, jump onto Facebook and check out Matthew Mott Sport Fishing for Motty’s latest fishing reports.

BJELKE CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI The cold water will present anglers with a couple of options. For those brave enough to endure a cold start, tossing lures around the edges of the lake can fool bass and occasionally a golden perch. Early in the session, work the shallower water with 3/8-1/2oz spinnerbaits or Jackall TN50 lipless crankbaits. The more

active fish will push quite shallow for a feed before the sun brightens, forcing them deeper.

As fish go deeper, switch it up and try blade baits and tail spinners on the schooling fish. These schools will be found in the lower end of the lake between Bass Point and the Quarry. The drop-offs often hold numbers but if you can find them across the deeper 6m flats, they should be easier to catch. Lure presentations should be nice and slow to suit the mood of the fish. Slow retrieves or slower hops should get the bites, and at all times keep the lure close to the bottom.

• For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into Bass 2 Barra. The store stocks an awesome range of gear suited to chasing our freshwater fish and the team 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 and you can reach him through the store for bookings and enquiries on (07) 4162 7555.

• The Yallakool kiosk is all set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to

IS HERE!

Every Saturday 5.00pm on 68

JULY 2019

Park is only 1km away from the lake. It offers camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter

and a camp kitchen. To take advantage of this and the great fishing opportunities in the lake, give the park a call on (07) 4652 4171.

Murray cod are always an option during winter. The dams, creeks and rivers will all produce, so mix it up and try spinnerbaits and surface lures. 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 TOWN: GIN GIN Despite being one of the more southern barra lakes, Monduran has a great reputation over the winter months. Cold water tends to concentrate the fish into tighter schools. If you can line a trip up with some of the more favourable winter weather where the wind is light and days are warm, you are in for a good chance.

Monduran barra are getting bigger. Last year’s 50cm models are now closer to 60cm, and starting to peel drag and give anglers some grief. Mixed in with these are barra ranging from 80cm-100cm long, so fish accordingly. Braided line around 30lb is the minimum I would recommend when casting around the timber.

Good quality leader is a must.

Hardwearing fluorocarbons of 60lb+ will held to prevent bite offs, gill raker cuts and abrasion while rubbing on timber.

The middle reaches of the dam and Bird Bay are

great places to try your luck. Spend heaps of time on the sounder and if you aren’t seeing fish, move on. This is more critical than other times of the year. Barra get quite lethargic over the winter months and don’t cover as much water as when it is warm. Rather than waiting for them to find you, you need to go searching. Fish will often inhabit the same areas week after week, so once you develop a run of hot spots, the action will only improve.

This is one of the hardest things about fishing this lake. There is just so much fishy-looking country and it simply can’t all hold fish. This is why the lake’s regulars and the guides have great success.

Spend the time and you will reap the rewards. If you don’t have the time to invest in searching for fish, then consider the guided option with one of the lake’s experienced operators.

Lure-wise over winter, you have two proven options: suspending hardbodies that dive to around 2-3m, or soft vibes.

The Jackall Squirrel and To page 69

OUTDOOR & FISHING SHOW

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From page 68

Lucky Craft Pointer fit the bill in the hardbodied lure department. For a soft vibe, try a 95mm Jackall Transam or a Zerek Fish Trap. Vibes can be hopped through patches of fish or directly below the boat.

The suspending hardbodies should be cast over fish and worked

down before being paused and twitched. How long you pause can make all the difference. If you use some longer pauses of 5-10 seconds at least a couple of times per cast between twitches and short pauses, you’ll be improving your chances.

These fish are lazy at this time of year. You need

to convince them your lure is an easy feed, so keep it in their faces.

CANIA CLOSEST TOWNS: MONTO, BILOELA Cania is further north than most bass lakes, but don’t let its location lead you into thinking it doesn’t get cold. Icy starts are common in North Burnett

Barra are still a target species in winter. You just need to change your approach.

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE I jumped the gun a little early last month, thinking the barra would move up into the weed beds. The stable temperatures in the deeper parts were enough to keep them happy and most fish stayed out in the deeper timber over 3m deep. Surely that will start to change this month.

As the fish start to feel the cold they will be looking for somewhere warmer to hide, and burying deep into a nice healthy weed bed is often the way to stay warm. As winter wears on, it will become easier to find these weedy hotspots as the cold can take its toll on the health of the weed.

Sick-looking, discoloured weed should be avoided.

The lush green stuff is where you want to be. This

vegetation pumps out the oxygen and holds the bait way better, and of course the big barra prefer it too.

In winter, the barra will push deep into the weed beds. If there is a deep weed face at the start of the weed bed, push well past this to where the weed is more broken in the shallower water. Sometimes this can be more than a cast away from the actual weed edge.

It takes a bit of work if this is the case, as props start to get choked with weed as you try to drive through it.

When entering, try to make as little noise as possible to prevent spooking the barra.

Once within range of the shallow broken weed, a weedless rigged soft plastic is the go-to offering.

Frogs and paddle-tails to around 5” can be slowly worked through the pockets in the weed. The 4/0 and 6/0 Owner Beast hooks in

the weighted versions are ideal for this. There is no need to add extra weight, as presentations should be slower to tempt the lazy winter barra.

• Justin Nye from Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing runs fishing charters on the lake.

He caters to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi.

You can contact him on 0429 223 550 or visit the website gladstoneflyandsport fishing.com.au.

• Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge always has a few productive secret spots to share. The Gateway Lodge is on the way into the dam after turning off at Benaraby.

The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable airconditioned, self-contained cabins, each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 4975 0033.

on inland waters like Cania.

With the lake level still quite high, the fish seem to handle the cold starts well.

At times, they will venture up into shallower areas.

Surface luring will be slow but lures like spinnerbaits and suspending jerkbaits can get them to bite. The middle reaches and further on up to the timber will be the places to try your luck on the edges. Steep banks are often a favourite over the warmer months, as the fish can quickly drop back in to deeper and cooler water.

When it is colder, they can also be found on the gentle sloping banks and in the backs of the small gullies leading into the dam.

I am a big fan of these small gullies and believe they make the ideal hunting ground. The bass can force the bait in these areas up against the edges or right to the back of the gully to trap them and increase their feeding chances.

Edge fishing success doesn’t last too long before the fish hightail it for deeper and more comfortable water.

More stable temperatures will be found in 5-10m of water and here schooling fish can be found. Look from the middle section of the dam right up in to

the timber. In the middle reaches, fish will often be spotted on the sounder while fishing the banks.

As you venture further up the lake, flats and old creek lines come more into play and the fish will be found well away from the edges, where they take up residence in open water.

Downloadable contour maps, like Insight Genesis Maps for Lowrance and Simrad sounders, are invaluable if you are not familiar with this lake.

In the deeper water, you can play with all types of offerings. If the fish are in the mood, you will catch on tail spinners, blade baits and spoons. If they aren’t willing to chew hard you can often be more subtle in the presentation. This is when ice jigs and soft plastics can save the day.

CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWN: BILOELA Callide Dam barra will be feeling the cold. Being further inland, the area gets icy cold in the mornings.

If it is a harsh winter, it can take its toll and barra have been known to not survive a cold snap. This happens when fish basking in the afternoon sun get caught out by the freezing overnight temperatures.

The Duncan family went fishing in the Pioneer River and this keen 6yo angler was stoked to land his first barra, which measured in at 76cm.

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With no weed to trap the fish, migration from shallow to deep water should be an easy task.

Hopefully the fish are smart enough to make this move and make it through the winter months.

Deeper fish were being caught in the lake’s main basin prior to the cold.

These fish should move to shallower water now that the core temperature of the lake has dropped.

Here they can be targeted with soft plastic, vibes and suspending hardbodies.

Keep retrieves slow, as the fish won’t be willing to chase anything moving too fast.

Finding barra on the sounder by quietly moving around on the electric motor will ensure you are casting to fish.

Despite lots of areas looking fishy, there are only enough barra to inhabit certain spots. Find one or two fish and there will be more nearby.

The fish should be more predictable on the calm and warmer winter days and once you find good spots they should continue to produce.

Don’t expect big numbers of fish. Barra fishing through the winter can be tough on this lake.

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JULY 2019

69

A winter mission at Tinaroo LAKE TINAROO

Warwick Lyndon

We are now in the thick of winter, and air and water temperatures have dropped to their lowest for the year. Believe it or not, Tinaroo barra can still be caught in the cold if you remember the golden rules. Look for active fish around the wind blown margins of the lake, persevere where fish are marked, fish smaller lures, and work them slower in the cold.

If you don’t think Tinaroo barra are accessible to the ‘Average Joe’, think again.

I was recently talking to a lovely 75yo gentleman from Melbourne who hooked a 102cm fish on his fourth ever cast in the lake. Even better was that he hooked it from the bank on his trusty Gold Bomber and the brand new stick he’d purchased for the trip.

He had only gone online to check the rules and organise his Stocked Impoundment Permit five minutes earlier.

The main ramp at Black Gully provides great access down to about 50% capacity. water level, launching is possible from the bank, but take care to avoid becoming bogged, particularly when it is chopped up from high use. This ramp allows great access to all of the southern aspects of the lake, including Peterson Creek, the Barron River and Mazlin Creek arms, DPI bay as well as the Severin Arm. Further around to the east from Tinaburra there are several ramps situated

launching options. The two most popular ramps here are located at Black Gully and Tinaroo township. The concrete ramp at Black Gully is single lane concrete, but it isn’t overly long and is dry below around 50% capacity. This ramp offers great access to the middle reaches of the lake.

If launching here, take care to avoid the sailing boats and marker buoys, as the Tinaroo Sailing Club is

also located here. When the water level is very low, bank launching from the harder rocky section adjacent to the Sailing Club is very popular. The Black Gully area has basic amenities including a toilet block, some older picnic shelters and a barbeque.

The Tinaroo township boat ramp is situated just past the main caravan park and recreation area at Tinaroo. While amenities at the actual ramp are non-existent, less than two minutes drive away are some of the best kid’s playgrounds, concrete walking paths, and shady, grassed picnic areas anywhere at the lake. This is the reason why the annual Tinaroo Barra Bash event is held here.

The Tinaroo township concrete ramp offers great access to sheltered water all the way down to under 30% capacity, with excellent amenities not far away.

Bay and School Point.

Those who venture further afield will find bank launching possible at several

possibility. If starting or ending your mission in the dark, please use both your boat’s navigation lights, and

The Tinaburra ramp is the most popular in the lake and offers great access to all of the popular southern area with ample space and quality amenities on site.

Launching on the hard gravel in front of the Sailing Club at Black Gully is a popular option when the water level is low.

I want to take this opportunity to discuss how to access the lake in order to launch a Tinaroo fishing mission. Starting at the southern end of the lake, and less than five minutes from the town of Yungaburra, is the popular Tinaburra boat ramp. This area offers full amenities including toilets, kid’s playground, barbeques and picnic shelters. It is also home to the Avenue of Honour, which is a monument to those who fought in Afghanistan.

The ramp here is a two lane concrete affair until the dam drops to about 60%. After this it becomes a single concrete ramp, which runs dry at around 40% capacity. Below this 70

JULY 2019

in the Tinaroo Park region.

The main Tinaroo Park ramp is single lane concrete, and is popular with anglers wanting to head up the Severin Arm, and is also the first option for anyone who has driven up the Gillies highway from Cairns. This ramp provides comfortable launching down to around 40% capacity. There are also several dirt launching ramps further around towards the Brady Creek area.

There is a good quality concrete ramp situated in the Barron River arm up past Lavender Hill that offers easy access to the upper Barron area, although this is often closed to the public.

At the northern end of the lake there are several

The ramp itself is a good quality concrete one, with access to calm waters out of the southeast trade wind down to below 30% capacity on the deeper of the two lanes. Launching here provides the best access to all of the popular northern areas of the lake, including the dam wall region around Barrabadean, Platypus Rock and Downfall Creek, as well as Fong-On Bay, Barefoot

All of the designated ramps have clear signage, and a handy tip for first timers – the information map is quite accurate in terms of navigation and fishing spots.

The launching option at Tinaroo Park is a basic single lane ramp that provides great access to the Severin Arm.

areas around the lake. Just be aware that after the water level drops, the bank can become quite soggy and present a challenge for those with heavier boats. There are also several other small access areas and private ramps dotted around the lake.

Wherever you launch, please remember to be safe, as lighting is minimal or lacking in most areas, and when the water is low, becoming bogged is a real

a strong torch or spotlight to show you the way. It also pays to keep some basic recovery gear in your launch vehicle.

Launching at Tinaroo is easy at the moment, as the water level is high. Get out there and make the most of it!

• If you’d like to keep up with more of my adventures from FNQ, like my Facebook blog ‘Wazza’s Fishing Page’ or subscribe to ‘Wazza’s Fishing’ on YouTube.

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71

Mitsubishi Triton comes of age in our time BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Gracing our roads since 1978, the Triton has undergone some very significant changes over the decades, with the result that today’s MR model Triton is more car-like in many respects.

It’s more refined, and with the benefit of an Aisin auto gearbox linked to a proven engine, it’s a very smart performer as well.

The Triton now sports five body styles and 20 different variants, in a work utility that is a serious contender for line honours in the on road/ off-road market, especially where value for money is concerned.

MORE FOR YOUR MONEY The MR of 2019 has upgraded body styling,

giving the Triton a wider, tougher looking road presence. Its safety equipment has also been enhanced, even in the base GLX, to cover traction and stability control, with hill start and trailer stability assist, a reversing camera and seven air bags.

The braking systems are also enhanced. Models above the GLX provide autonomous emergency braking, lane change assist, auto high beam, warnings, rear cross traffic alerts, blind spot monitoring and unintended acceleration alert systems.

In short, the 2019 Triton not only looks different but has significant advancements when it comes to refinement, ride quality, additional features and interior design.

Mitsubishi have given their proven engines an opportunity to perform even better. While the

Refreshed styling is a stand-out feature of this year’s Triton, which remains a very reliable unit for both work and play.

2.4L petrol engine and six speed manual box is still available, it’s the popular 133kw, 430Nm 4-cylinder 2.4L common rail turbo diesel unit that seems to attract most buyers. Today both engines are linked to a super smooth 6-speed Aisin auto shifter that has increased performance dramatically.

As mentioned, body styling has seen some major changes. There’s a totally new bonnet and

clever styling, it is also effective in enhancing the Triton’s previously staid road presence.

Side styling has subtly changed to lower the profile of the rear tray, while changed bumpers and tail lights enhance the tray’s proportions when viewed from the rear. The actual tray dimensions and payload are virtually unchanged, however. The 2019 Triton remains a serious workhorse, with a

all time favourite, the steel wheeled GLX with a 945kg rear tub payload and automatic gear shift.

For a near base vehicle it has a lot to offer, with the safety tech of the GLX base vehicle dual cab surpassing the Hilux and Ranger base models in many respects!

Practicality rules in the GLX, and wash-out vinyl floors are ideal for muddy boots through the week and sandy feet on weekends up the beach.

Just as practical were the well-proportioned, clothcovered front seats which proved very comfortable.

The Triton dual cab is rated as a 5-seater, but to my mind the second row might be best for two larger passengers rather than three, as the rear seat is a little narrow.

Behind the wheel, with its class-leading height and reach adjustments, there’s padding on the console box lid, the door and the major console section between driver and passenger.

This is a change from previous models, which were somewhat stark in this regard.

The dash layout, considerably changed over last year’s model, had a wide sweeping appearance, enhanced with garnishes of silver-tone material, and seemed to be less plastic and more soft touch material.

Other dash features included a decent reversing camera

Cloth seats always make sense in a no-frills work ute, and proved very comfortable on longer drives.

The Triton’s dash has been given an overhaul.

Luke and his father were fishing Cania Dam when he pulled this 65cm saratoga out of the timber using a Gulp soft plastic.

72

JULY 2019

grille along with an upwards repositioning of fog and head lights. It serves to create an impression that all frontal areas are simply one unit extending from the bonnet to the mud guards.

While this may seem just

payload approaching the 1 tonne mark, and a towing capacity of 3100kg for a braked trailer and the usual 750kg unbraked.

GLX 6-SPEED DUAL CAB AUTO I reviewed the tradie’s

plus audio controls. Most major controls were wheel mounted, and it was pleasing to hear forward and rear parking sensors at work in the more confined spaces around shops and the like.

To page 73

From page 72

ON THE ROAD As always, the Triton is an enjoyable drive, with the driving position and

on the motorway, and when on the open road and free to go, the under-stressed 2.4L diesel engine took on a new life thanks to the

Roman sandal!

This is a proper 4WD of course, and underway the Triton can be slipped into 4x4 mode on the fly on

The major controls are wheel mounted, and the features and read-outs on the dash are easily identified and monitored.

Fuel consumption on a mix of city and country driving was very reasonable at 9.5L per 100km. With leaf springs under the rear tub there’s still a slight amount of jiggle when the Triton is

driven unladen, but it’s not significant and certainly no deterrent to ownership.

The Triton GLX dual cab was awarded a 5-star ANCAP safety rating when last tested. The price has risen slightly within the range, but it still nicely undercuts the competition across the board, and in most cases the extra equipment

levels will ensure the Triton still remains better value for money.

A 5-year 100,000km warranty is standard, although in June this year Mitsubishi were providing a 7-year/15,000km warranty for people buying a new Triton that month.

With luck, this deal might be extended.

Up front the new Triton has great road presence thanks to some pretty audacious styling. all-round visibility just right. Large side mirrors prevented small cars from sneaking up on either side

6-speed Aisin auto unit. For a work ute, it had quite a sporty feel and seemed to have more toe than a

slippery or sandy surfaces.

This will be handy when heading up the beach or away from the boat ramp.

The major controls were steering wheel mounted, easily located and simple to activate.

THE SHEIK OF THE CREEK

The luck of the Irish may be rubbing off BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

So I’ve gone against my normal life rules and hired a fishing guide.

It’s one of a few life rules I’ve chucked out of the tinny in recent weeks.

The others include never travelling without my favourite reel, never swearing at children and never buying economy seats for any flight over 8 minutes in duration.

The last two are linked.

Anyway I’ve been in Ireland for a few weeks visiting rellies and suddenly got the wish to fish. I eventually found my way onto the interwebs, and in a nice little surprise, right nearby was a lake with various shots of an old mate holding up these particularly nasty looking brutes called pike. Murray cod colours and teeth like an English Viscount.

I called old mate up and had a chat about going out. At least, I think that’s what we spoke about. Could have been ordering a bacon and egg burger, but I think he said something about being at the ramp by 8:30am.

The Irish accent sounds fine, dandy and understandable on TV but in reality it’s a series of mumbles, coughs and murmurs, not unlike

rainwater over a busted table drain. But I think I convinced him to send me a text and shortly after, one arrives confirming the trip.

One night at the oldee Irishee pubee with local lads Donal, Ruari and something else that sounded like ‘mashepotatoesandgravy’ left me a bit doughy, but I was down at the ramp on time. Boat looked good as he pulled up; one of those yank jobs with rod lockers, six or eight live tanks and a hair dryer. Then the fun started.

Another bloke turned up, and he was apparently from Northern Ireland.

He said something to me, I said, “Howyagoing,” and he said something like, “Lobstersinyourre grundies,” which I decided was a greeting.

The fishing was great in that we caught fish, but it was a funny way of fishing. It consisted of clipping a lure onto the end of your line, then flinging it as far as possible, then winding it in. Now these lures weren’t little. Most of them were about the size of a shoebox, and after about a dozen chucks, I thought my elbows were going to follow.

I wasn’t complaining though because it was colder than a witch’s elbow, even with four layers of cotton and a coat.

And we did get onto these

pike things. Unfortunately, although they looked the part, I reckon there’s more fight in half a besser block than a 20lb pike.

And all the while,

between hoisting these lumps of rubber out into the black water, my two boat mates were chatting away.

Apparently in English, because every so

often I recognised a word.

First there was clumsy, then broken, then complete fool. I don’t know what they were talking about, because the bulk of it was

more ‘water over a table drain’ noise, but I reckon they were discussing the weather. Except, I’m not so sure the weather should be that funny.

JULY 2019

73

Cooking

Warm wintery clam chowder BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Chowders are hearty, warming and delicious.

This clam chowder’s texture is somewhere

between a soup and a stew.

Pipis can be substituted for clams in this chowder recipe. Pipis come under a few aliases, such as eugaries or cockles, and are best gathered on the incoming high tide.

With this recipe do not add salt before tasting the chowder, as the liquid from clams can be salty enough. Also be aware of how many pipis you can have in your possession.

In Queensland you can

have up to 50 pipis per person, but in New South Wales anglers can only use pipis as bait.

Finally, make sure you wash the clams under cold water before cooking to remove any sand.

Ingredients

1

Place the clams in a large pot and then add the water and wine to the pot.

Place the lid on the pot and simmer the clams in the water/wine mixture over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.

3

Remove the clam flesh from the shells.

Chop the clam flesh and add to the cooking liquid. Pour the milk into a clean saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the diced potato to the pot and continue to simmer until the potato is tender.

6

2

Remove the clams from the pot with a slotted spoon and set them to one side to cool. Discard any that have not opened.

Tap the clams’ shells a few times first before discarding, some of them may open. Strain the cooking liquid through a clean cloth or cheesecloth-lined sieve into a clean bowl.

4

When cooked, drain the potato, keeping the milk it was cooked in. In a pot, melt the butter over a medium low heat and sauté the shallots, celery and garlic.

Stir until the celery and shallots have softened.

Then stir the flour into the butter/ vegetable mixture. This is the roux for the chowder.

Stir well and simmer for ten minutes or so. Season to taste with freshly ground salt and pepper and stir. Stir the chopped parsley into the chowder.

74

JULY 2019

7

500g clams (or pipis) 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup white wine 1/2 cup milk 1 large potato, peeled and finely diced 1 tablespoon butter 1 clove garlic, finely grated 2 golden shallots, peeled and diced 1 stalk celery, finely diced 1 tablespoon plain flour freshly ground pepper, to taste freshly ground salt, to taste 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley

5

Add half a cup of the milk to the veggie roux and mix them together thoroughly.

Slowly add the rest of the milk, the cooked diced potato, the clam liquid and the chopped clams to the pot.

The completed clam chowder. Serve the chowder with your choice of savoury crackers or golden brown toast. Perfect for winter.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2019

JULY

AUGUST SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

6-7 July

ABT BREAM Round 6 Bribie Island

abt.org.au

13-14 July

ABT BASS Round 4 Cania Dam

abt.org.au

20-27 July

Hobie Fishing Worlds 8 Southport

hobiefishingworlds.com

28 July

ABT BASS Electric Round 4 Lake Gregory

abt.org.au

10-11 Aug

ABT BASS Round 5 Somerset Dam

abt.org.au

7-8 Sep

ABT BREAM Round 7 Gladstone

abt.org.au

8 Sep

ABT BASS Electric Round 5 Wivenhoe Dam

abt.org.au

14-15 Sep

ABT BASS Round 6 Richmond River

abt.org.au

14-15 Sep

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 8 Port Macquarie

hobiefishing.com.au

20-22 Sep

ABT BREAM Queensland Open Moreton Bay

abt.org.au

21-22 Sep

Bowen Family Fishing Classic Bowen’s Front Beach

Ross McCabbin on 0428 776 653 or bowenfamilyfishingclassic@yahoo.com.au

21-22 Sep

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 9 Albany

hobiefishing.com.au

23-28 Sep

Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival Baffle Creek

familyfishingfestival.com

28-29 Sep

ABT BASS Electric Round 6 Borumba Dam

abt.org.au

5-6 Oct

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 10 St Georges Basin

hobiefishing.com.au

12-13 Oct

ABT BASS Electric Australian Open Wyaralong Dam

abt.org.au QLD

18-20 Oct

Variety Bass on Fly Lake Borumba

Jeremy Wakelin 0447 741 709 or redlaughter@optusnet.com.au

19-20 Oct

ABT BREAM Round 8 Port Stephens

abt.org.au

23-24 Oct

ABT BASS Grand Final Lake St Clair

abt.org.au

26-27 Oct

ABT BASS Australian Open Glenbawn Dam

abt.org.au

8-10 Nov

Tinaroo Barra Bash Lake Tinaroo

tinaroobarrabash.com.au

29 Nov-1 Dec

ABT BREAM Grand Final Gold Coast

abt.org.au

7-8 Dec

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 11 Marlo

hobiefishing.com.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 2019

75

Hutchison clinches first ABT win with topwater The Sufix BASS Pro took place over 25-26 May at Glenbawn Dam. The weather was cool but the fishing was hot. Scott Hutchison claimed his first ABT win over a massive 68 boat field.

He didn’t have much of a pre-fish getting on the water at 9am cruising around looking for likely spots, like weed edges, muddy flats and timbered edges that might hold fish. He found some key areas and was off the water by 12pm, leaving the fish alone until comp day.

He said that you can’t win a comp on pre-fish, but you can lose it by burning your fish on practice. Wise words for people looking to get into comp fishing.

Day one he left in 51st place out of 68, he got to his spot in the bays on the right hand side of the boat.

Throwing topwater for the first 20 minutes saw Scott landing his first fish within 10 casts.

He then headed to Pelican Point, trying topwater once again for nothing. He then moved on to some muddy flats in 3-4m of water, throwing a 3/8oz Keitech jig and picking up a fish every hour or so.

He only landed five fish for

BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rods: Reels: Line: Lures:

Ian Miller Rip Freaks Shimano Exsence 20lb Sunline and 12lb Seaguar leader 3/8oz Keitech jig and a River2Sea Whopper Plopper

BOATER 2ND PLACE GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:

Scott Hutchison claims his first ABT win and the biggest tournament pay-out in ABT history. day one and finished with a weight of 4.32kg, which had him sitting on 4th place going into day two.

Day two he tried the same run, but it was a lot windier and his surface bite didn’t work. So, he headed

straight to his muddy flat working his 3/8oz Keitech jigs. Once again, fishing was quite slow for him and he was only picking up a fish every hour or two. He worked that flat methodically all day for only four fish. He

was getting worried as he had a 1pm finish.

At about 12:10pm he saw a swirl in 30ft of water and didn’t think it was a carp. He picked up his topwater rod with a River2Sea Whopper Plopper and cast straight into

Samurai 201 Shimano Stradic Ci4 1000 Berkley x9 6lb braid 6lb Momoi leader Keitech Easy Shiner

the rings and boom, his 5th bass came on surface in deep water with sunny skies in the middle of the day on a surface lure. He couldn’t believe what had just happened, nor could anyone else after telling them how he caught it. You can see it in the day 2 highlights video.

Scott weighed his five fish for 4.40kg and a total of 8.72kg and locked his first ever ABT Sufix BASS Pro win and the biggest qualifying cheque in about five years of $4000.

Scan the QR code to see Glenbawn day one highlights.

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Scott Hutchison 2 Troy Boulton 3 Mark Lennox 4 Russell Babekuhl 5 Luke Draper 6 Robert Tilley 7 Graham Ford 8 Greg Beattie 9 Mitchell Cone 10 Tom Slater

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 8.72 $4000 10/10 8.70 $2000 + $500 Garmin Big Bass 10/10 8.39 $1750 9/10 8.20 $1500 10/10 8.00 $1250 10/10 7.81 $1000 10/10 7.80 $750 + $250 Evinrude Bonus 9/10 7.51 $650 10/10 7.47 $550 9/10 7.38 $550

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 76

JULY 2019

Boater winner Scott Hutchison and his non-boater Mark Larsson with a couple of their day one fish.

Mick Eastment’s first win in second event Day one Mick headed out with boater Mark Parriot in 16th place. They headed up Glenbawn Dam to just before the 8 knot zone to some trees in about 20-30ft of water. Once again, the 2” Keitech came into play.

Fishing definitely wasn’t easy for Mick, only getting a bite about once an hour and not filling a limit of five until about 12pm.

Those five fish were all that Mick and Mark caught for the first session of the second round of the 2019 ABT Sufix BASS Pro. The pair weighed a decent bag of five for a total weight of 3.57kg.

Day two Mick headed out with Russell Babekull, not going too far up the dam to Big House Bay. They were targeting banks in about 2-6ft of water with Russ fishing a jerkbait and

Mick sticking to his plastic pattern. Russell filled the shared weight bag by 8am before Mick caught a fish.

After the sun hit the bank they were fishing, Russell’s jerkbait bite had stopped and this gave Mick’s plastic pattern a chance to work.

He was casting beside trees and letting them sink to the bottom and would twitch them out. He ended up getting two good upgrades in the afternoon.

Mick would like to give a big thanks to his boaters Mark Parriot and Russell Babekull for an amazing tournament and leading him to his first ABT BASS Pro win. Taking a Bassman Prize Pack that will fill his box with spinnerbaits, jigheads, chatterbaits and skirted jigs for the next couple of seasons.

Mick Eastment claimed the non-boater win with a total weight of 8.38kg.

Boulton bags boater second Day one Troy Boulton fished Big House Bay targeting deep edges. He was casting a Keitech 2” Easy Shiner in pumpkin

chartreuse on a 1/4oz Bassman jighead. He told me the first hour was crazy. He would land a fish first cast, drop a fish

on the second, and then him and his non-boated had double hook-ups three casts in a row.

Catching his bag by

Troy Boulton and his non-boater Anthony Melchior with a couple of their fish, which helped score them second place in their respective categories.

7:10am, and he only started at 6:55am. He lost count of how many times he upgraded. After a while the bite slowed and became a grind, and he only caught two more fish for the day.

But that first flurry was enough to give him a bag of five fish for 4.59kg.

Day two he ran straight back to his spot. Bolton said that the fishing was slow on day two, and saw him not catching a fish until his 5th cast and not filling his limit until 7:30am. I hope he was joking on the slow fishing comment, because filling a limit in 35 minutes is just sick.

By 9am the bites had completely stopped. So, he moved around looking for new ground. He found one area holding fish but only got one to bite around 11am, which turned out to be a nice upgrade.

By then he was happy with what he had in the well and just junk fished for the rest of the day for no more fish.

For his effort, Troy Boulton took out the $500 Garmin Big Bass with a healthy 1.25kg fish taken on a 2” Keitech Easy Shiner.

Bass Pro Series presented by

Scan the QR code to see Glenbawn day two highlights.

NON-BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:

Shimano Zodias Shimano Stradic Ci4 1000 6lb main line 8lb leader 2” Keitech pumpkin on a 1/6oz jighead

Non-boater Leaon Walker came in third with a total weight of 7.97kg, and walked away with this Tackle Tactics Prize Pack for her efforts.

NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Mick Eastment 2 Anthony Melchior 3 Leaon Walker 4 David Welfare 5 Eathan Martin 6 Robert March 7 Allan Price 8 Thomas Konen 9 Ryan Bates 10 Tim Steenhuis

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 8.38 Bassman Spinnerbaits Prize Pack 10/10 8.27 Fishtec Prize Pack 10/10 7.97 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack 10/10 7.84 Sufix Prize Pack 10/10 7.80 Daiwa Prize Pack 10/10 7.50 Sunline Prize Pack 10/10 7.41 Keitech Prize Pack 10/10 7.39 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 9/10 7.35 Ecogear Prize Pack 10/10 7.25 Shimano Prize Pack

Competing anglers waiting at the bump tubs before the weigh-in.

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Alan Lister annihilates ABT record at Albany The 2019 Costa BREAM Qualifier took place at Albany in WA from 30 April to 1 May. The weather was freezing, raining and blowing a gale, but that didn’t stop keen anglers from getting out there and producing some cracking bags.

Alan Lister is a bream legend from Canberra.

He follows the ABT Costa BREAM Series everywhere it goes. He has had some highs and lows on the tour over the years, with a couple of top tens in Tasmania and having a cracking bag disqualified at the Tweed River because his phone was on NSW daylight savings making him an hour late. This year at Albany was another high to add to his list.

Lister’s pre-fish started pretty good considering he had never fished or seen the water at Albany before. He picked up a legal fish not far from the boat ramp, but that good luck didn’t last. Not only was it freezing cold, wet and windy, he only caught small undersized fish the rest of the day fishing the Kalgan River.

He soon realised he would have to try a different area, so Alan made the move to King River. This move

BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Daiwa Gen Black Instant Noodle 702 Reel: Daiwa Aird 2000 Line: Sunline Castaway 10lb Leader: Sunline FC Rock 4lb Lures: OSP Dunk ZMan motor oil GrubZ

Alan Lister didn’t even need to fish day two to win this round. He finished with a bag total of 6.28kg. was perfect and saw Lister catch five black bream with a combined weight of 4kg. He left the pre-fish at King River in a good mood, believing he had found something special.

Day one saw Lister head to that sweet spot he found in the pre-fish and he caught his limit of five bream by 9am.

Alan was throwing an OSP

Dunk in a metre or less of water. He was dredging the bottom with his Dunk, giving the rod a couple of big jerks with his rod to really puff the sand up, then pausing the lure and as it would just sit there the bigger fish would smash it. Alan upgraded though the day.

With 10 minutes to go he

He only caught three small fish in his spot, so he decided to head further upriver fishing the edges. This saw him catch two more legals on a ZMan grub.

Heading back to the weigh-in site he was a little worried he had not done enough. Lister weighed five fish for 1.65kg and a total weight of 6.28kg. Alan Lister could of got a doughnut day two and still won his first ABT Costa BREAM Series Qualifier.

Scan the QR code to see Albany day one highlights.

upgraded his smallest fish for a 39cm black bream, which weighed 1.3kg and also won him the Daiwa J Braid Big Bream. His day one bag was an impressive 4.63kg.

Day two conditions were different from day one – it was glassed out and Lister was worried. He stuck to his guns and went back to his flat.

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Alan Lister 2 Charlie Saykao 3 Tristan Taylor 4 Mark Crompton 5 Alex Greisdorf 6 Joseph Gardner 7 Wally Fahey 8 Callum Dowell 9 Steve Morgan 10 Peter Degroot

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 6.28 $1100 + $500 Big Bream 10/10 3.48 $750 7/10 3.33 $500 8/10 3.25 Keitech Prize Pack 8/10 2.89 Sunline Prize Pack + $500 Mercury 8/10 2.62 7/10 2.34 $300 Mercury 5/10 2.16 5/10 2.15 4/10 2.05 $200 Mercury

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 78

JULY 2019

Fishing Monthly’s Ian Sewell and Steve Morgan checking out some of the catch.

Walker strolls away with the top win Stuart Walker is by far the most consistent non-boater of the last five years, with wins and top tens all around the country fishing in the ABT Costa BREAM Series. He is looking to take out his 5th AOY title in consecutive years.

Walker pre-fished with Wally Fahey for the WA round at Albany. He said they didn’t catch many big fish on practice day, but caught good numbers of small fish. This gave him a strong game plan for day one of the 2019 ABT Costa BREAM Series held at Albany WA. Day one he was paired up with Mark Crompton.

The first thing Crommo said to Walker as they were boarding the boat was, “Hope you got good wet weathers as we’re gonna get wet.” How right he was.

They headed up the Kalgan River to start the day.

Mark was fishing tight to the edge, so Walker worked the secondary drop-off in around 8-10ft of water using his much loved ZMan GrubZ in motor oil on a 1/16oz jighead. He picked

BREAM SERIES

Scan the QR code to see Albany day two highlights.

Non-boater winner Stuart Walker and boater winner Alan Lister. up a couple of keepers working the drop-off. They didn’t spend too much time there, and they decide to head to the King River just past the bridge in the mouth.

Walker found his groove here, catching a fish a cast.

They weren’t big fish, but he

was getting a keeper every now and then. He managed a 36cm fish that weighed 1kg and tipped his five fish bag to 2.68kg.

Day two Walker was fishing with Tristan Taylor, who had motor problems day one that carried on to day two.

They fished just past the King Bridge for 20 minutes before the motor problems started again. They managed to get a mechanic to come down and fix the problem, and then they were off again right up the King River.

Walker caught his five

Saykao claims second prize For Charlie Saykao, the pre-fish suggested it was going to be a grind, not because of a lack of fish, but because of a lack of legal bream, even with a 26cm tip minimum.

At the start of day one, Saykao changed his strategy and opted to hit the open flats and try to put an early bag together.

The wind was forecast to pick up, so it was better to hide in the Kalgan River later. Fishing the flats leading into the Kalgan River produced many undersize fish. A few drifts saw Saykao only pick up two legal fish.

The move into the Kalgan didn’t see much change, except calling a legal for his non-boater if he cast at a rock they had drifted past. He made the cast and bang, legal.

The rest of the session went the same, undersize after undersize. The Slim

fish limit up there. So, they headed back early, giving themselves time to get back and have another shot at the bridge. With 15 minutes to go, Stuart picked up a vital upgrade of a 39.5cm bream at 1.27kg and his five fish.

This gave Walker a day two

Second place boater Charlie Saykao was stoked with the fish he brought to the weigh-in.

SlimZ in bloodworm kept hooking up and he managed to get to four legal fish.

With high winds and not much time left, Saykao drew on his knowledge

from being an Albany local for 14 years and headed to the Bayonet Head flats.

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 5.30 Daiwa Prize Pack + $200 Hobie 9/10 3.81 Fishtec Solutions Prize Pack+ $100 Hobie 8/10 3.04 Cranka Prize Pack + $75 Hobie 5/10 2.17 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack 4/10 2.03 Sufix Prize Pack 5/10 1.66 Ecogear Prize Pack 2/10 1.42 Shimano Prize Pack 4/10 1.39 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 4/10 1.34 3/10 1.26

weight of 2.62kg and secured his second non-boater win of the 2019 Costa BREAM Series Qualifiers.

He thanks his boaters Mark Crompton and Tristan Taylor, and gives a shout out to Wally Fahey for the pre-fish.

NON-BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:

NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Stuart Walker 2 Michael Sammut 3 Craig Wise 4 Fred Fraser 5 Michael Hodges 6 Mike Sutcliffe 7 Richard Wootten 8 Dallas Batchford 9 Travis Ryan 10 Oliver Seear

BREAM Series presented by

Silver Wolf 7’2” 1-4kg Silver Wolf 2004 6lb Daiwa Evo 8 braid and 4lb Sunline Bream Special leader ZMan motor oil GrubZ on a 1/16-1/12 jighead

It would be protected enough from the high winds and hopefully produce a legal or two.

It ended up being a good call.

Saykao resorted to his new trusty Berkley 3B Puppy in 12 gauge colour. With only 20 or so minutes left, the Puppy Dog hooked up on his 5th legal. He ended his day one with a 1.69kg bag, which was good until Lister dropped his 4.63kg bag.

It was swing for the fences on day two.

Charlie Saykao decided to head upstream of the Kalgan River. There is a history of big bags coming from above the rapids, and Saykao knew he had to go big.

The Puppy Dog came out to play in the shallow rocky zones to pick up a few legals, but the undersize fish were dominating. Sometimes Saykao and his non-boater thought they had snagged a legal only to be disappointed.

The plan was to fish one side of the bank on the way up, and the other on the way down. Saykao

switched between ZMan GrubZ in the deeper water and Puppy Dog in the shallow rock zones.

The upper reaches saw some legals caught, but it was upgrading 1mm at a time. He thought it was going to turn on when his non-boater hit a 30cm bream in the middle of the river, but nothing came.

They hit a few spots on the way back and even managed a couple more upgrades, but still only by millimetres. Returning to the weigh in Saykao was sure he didn’t have enough, but his 1.79kg bag was enough to snag second.

Charlie would really like to thank Shane and Steve Owens for loaning their Nissan Patrol and boat for the week. The round sponsor was Power Pole and it is so hard fishing flats on a boat without Power Poles, especially in the windy conditions they had in Albany.

Saykao was using Millerods matched with Daiwa Luvias and loaded with Daiwa Evo 8 in 6lb.

This meant he had a setup for each occasion.

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Degroot dominates at brilliant Blackwood It was a great weekend at the Okuma Blackwood River BREAM Qualifier – the fifth stop of the 2019 Costa BREAM Series.

It was a one, two and three WA finish, with Mandurah local, Peter Degroot holding onto his day one lead to take out the champion’s trophy for this event. His 10/10 limit for 6.11kg put him nearly 100g ahead of Perth’s Alex Greisdorf, who brought in 10/10 bream for 6.02kg to finish in second place.

Degroot is a Perth local and he has had a few top 10 finishes in the ABT bream circuit over the years. Now he has taken out his first ever ABT win. He only fishes the

WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:

SECOND PLACE GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lures:

Despite Blackwood not being his favourite fishing location, Peter Degroot still managed to claim the win with a combined weight of 6.11kg.

Scan the QR code to see Blackwood River day one highlights.

Atomic Arrowz 7ft Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500 Sunline Siglon braid and 6lb FC Rock leader River2Sea Baby vibe

Blackwood River roughly six times a year as it’s not his favourite venue, even with his win that hasn’t changed.

Peter went into the pre-fish not so confident and fished upriver just past the ski zone. He caught a few nice fish on a reedy bank in the mid 30s on a River2Sea Baby vibe. He left there happy enough to go back and fish this area on day one.

On day one he headed straight upriver to the reedy bank. He was casting his Baby vibe hard to the bank in under a metre of water, working it down the bank to about 4m of water and usually getting bit on the edge. He filled his limit fast and started upgrading by 8am. Peter started to get the bigger bites as the wind picked up and the tide got higher. He finished

day one with five fish for a weight of 3.54kg and a lead of about 400g.

Day two Peter went straight back to where he fished the day before, a little worried about whether his spot would handle the pressure and hold up for a second day. His fears were confirmed when he got there, as the fishing was a lot slower and he didn’t get his limit until well after 9am.

Duffrod Daiwa Exist and Luvias 2004 10lb Daiwa Evo 8 and 6lb Yamatayo leader Jackall Chubby shallow and a ZMan GrubZ

The bites did become more consistent as the tide got higher, but it then became hard to land the fish as he started pulling hooks and busting some good fish off. Peter’s persistence paid off, and he managed to land some nice upgrades

at the end of the session giving him five fish for 2.57kg and a total weight of 6.11kg. This secured his first ABT Costa BREAM qualifying win and saw him taking home $1300 and the first place $500 Mercury bonus.

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Peter Degroot 2 Alex Greisdorf 3 Charlie Saykao 4 Steve Morgan 5 Joseph Gardner 6 Tristan Taylor 7 Mark Crompton 8 Alan Lister 9 Callum Dowell 10 Kim McIntyre

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 6.11 $1300 $500 Mercury 10/10 6.02 $750 $300 Mercury 10/10 5.76 $500 10/10 5.18 Keitech Prize Pack 10/10 5.09 Sunline Prize Pack 10/10 4.93

10/10 4.77

10/10 4.52

10/10 4.42

10/10 3.70

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 80

JULY 2019

Anglers lined up and ready to take on the Blackwood River.

BREAM Series presented by

Blatchford boomed at Blackwood Dallas Blatchford hails from the Wangi Wangi area and loves his bream fishing. He will tell you himself, he doesn’t compete to win the ABT Costa BREAM Series, he just comes because he loves it. This passion is what makes the win so special to him and all the anglers he competes against.

Day one he fished with Wally Fahey. They headed upriver hitting snags and natural structure on the edges of the Blackwood River. Throwing 2.5” Berkley Gulp camo Crabby on either a 1/32 or 1/24 jighead depending on the wind was his method of choice. Dallas said he had a ball fishing with Wally. They bounced off each other, just having a laugh and catching fish in the mean time.

Dallas had filled his limit by 10am and he upgraded a few times after that by 10-20g, fishing in a depth of 0.5-3m of water.

His day one bag weighed in at 1.94kg.

Day two he went out fishing with Steve

Blatchford stuck to his Crabby pattern, catching a fish here and there with two keepers. As the tide turned in and stated to run hard they headed behind Molloy Island hitting reedy banks with white weedless Ecogear Aqua Bream prawns.

Dallas landed two more legal fish there, just missing out on a limit bringing four fish to the scales for a weight of 2.09kg. This gave him a total of 4.03kg and secured Dallas his first ABT Costa BREAM Series win.

Steve Duff took out the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream on the Blackwood with a 1.96kg bream using one of his own Duffrod Urban Bones rods Okuma reel and an OSP Dunk 48 in colour T23.

BREAM SERIES

Scan the QR code to see Blackwood River day two highlights.

NON-BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Dallas Blatchford claimed first place for the non-boater category and took home a Daiwa Prize Pack for his efforts.

Morgan, and they headed downstream. They started on some flats but left pretty

quick as they were covered in snot weed. They made a move to the jetties and

artificial structure and it was totally different to the first day.

Rod: Reel: Line: Lures:

Daiwa Black Label V2 Daiwa Luvias 2506 Sunline Siglon 8lb 6lb FC Rock leader Gulp Crabby and Ecogear Bream Prawn

Upgrades paid off for Griesdorf Day one Alex headed downstream of the Blackwood River, fishing banks less than

a metre deep targeting overhanging paperbark trees. His lures of choice were a shallow

Jackall Chubby in black and gold, and brown suji shrimp, and ZMan GrubZ in

Boater first and second place, Peter Degroot and Alex Greisdorf, with some of the catches that made up their winning bags.

gudgeon on a 1/16 TT HeadlockZ jighead.

Alex just kept going through the motions, knowing that any cast with one of his three lure choices was bound to get bites and fill the limit of five bream a day.

He only got his five fish day one for a total weight of 2.88kg.

Heading out on day two he was a little more confident in his pattern and filled the limit of five Blackwood black bream by about 10am, far better than his first day.

Not only did he fill his limit quite quickly, he also got three upgrades before the end of the session and the three upgrades were his best three fish for the weekend. Bumping his five fish for a day two weight of 3.15kg and a total weight of 6.02kg saw him win $750 and the $300 Mercury bonus.

Everyone was having a great time fishing the Blackwood River!

NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Dallas Blatchford 2 Tani Konsul 3 Stuart Walker 4 Richard Wootten 5 Oliver Seear 6 Mike Sutcliffe 7 Fred Fraser 8 Michael Sammut 9 Bernard Kong 10 Michael Hodges

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 9/10 4.03 Daiwa Prize Pack + $200 Hobie bonus 10/10 3.85 Fishtec Solution Prize Pack 10/10 3.70 Cranka Prize Pack + $100 Hobie bonus 7/10 3.61 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack + $75 Hobie bonus 9/10 3.39 Sufix Prize Pack 9/10 3.30 Ecogear Prize Pack 8/10 3.10 Shimano Prize Pack 7/10 2.90 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 7/10 2.86 6/10 2.23

Wally Fahey missed out on top 10 boaters by 120g. So close!

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Let’s rethink fishing in New Zealand responsible use of their products, as irresponsible use can be destructive.

Fishing has long had a social element where at the end of the day, we often sit down over a beer. I hope that both sides benefit from the relationship, and fishers adopt the positive message on both fronts.

I am willing to bet that most fishers have everything they need in the tacklebox now for inshore and estuary in

SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

I was going to do part II of my codelab this month, but when a bigger story comes along, I think it’s important to tell it while it’s fresh. Accordingly, the codelab will continue next month.

May has been a massive month for Track My Fish, we have run events at all parts of the country including New Zealand, and we had several high profile events, including the Barra Nationals on our list. The biggest was left to last and required traveling to our friends and rivals over in New Zealand.

The Kiwi’s promised a massive event – and boy did they deliver. The only downside, they plan to go bigger again in 2020, so I am going to spend the next year putting in new technology to cope with what will be one of the fastest paced fishing events on the planet.

This month I will look at the numbers, provide you with plenty to think about in terms of planning your fishing holidays and if nothing else, you can feel the pangs of jealousy that come when someone else is finding bigger fish than you.

TAKING A TEAM TO NZ We at Infofish were so impressed with the quality of the 2019 Luremasters event that we are organizing to take a team over to Auckland for the 2020 event.

Of course, don’t take our word for it, the data speaks for itself. Spaces will be limited, but if we get our quota, we will arrange a group booking, as from my experiences at events like the Barra Nationals and ABT Tours, fishers that stay together form friendships for life.

I am keen to see fishers involved from any state, expressions of interest are open, and you can get on the list by registering at https://tmftournaments. com.au/luremasters2020.

Fig.1 Catches during the day at Luremasters.

DAIWA NEW ZEALAND I want to give a shout out to Scott Malcolm and the team at Daiwa New Zealand who approached us nearly a year ago to develop their app, focusing on improving the level of catch and release in tournaments. Daiwa has a clear objective to spread lure fishing, but not at the expense of fish stocks.

That is a message I can get behind. We have taken a ‘gently, gently’ approach to New Zealand because we want to be a positive part of the fishing scene, and we want to ensure we deliver a product that matches the needs of the locals.

LEGASEA Another group I would like to give a shout out to is Legasea, the peak body for Recreational Fishing in New Zealand. I have had several very positive meetings with the guys at Legasea, which is essential

they deliver services to the fishing community (and the wider community) and advocate for a responsible recreational sector. They have a very effective program for larger competitions where fish are weighed in to provide professional fish filleters and organize for the discarded frames and heads to be used in other communities for food.

Another area they have innovated is in funding; they raise funds through partnerships, member clubs as well as through government grants. In other words, they have some independence in their funding, and I think that is a good thing.

I think the big takeaway for readers is that not only is the fishing excellent – the recreational fishery in New Zealand is in good hands under the stewardship of Legasea.

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JULY 2019

Having spent a recent weekend at the lure show at Beenleigh, it’s clear that many Australians

had aesthetics designed to catch the eye of the fisher, as much as the fish.

Kiwis, on the other

Fig.2 Number of unique fishers reporting catches by hour during the day at Luremasters. to us, as we want to be respectful of long-term players in the fishery.

I have found Legasea to be very impressive. They have a focused message in which they have identified the fundamental problems to be solved,

AUSTRALIAN VS NZ LURE FISHING There is a big difference in the types of lures and techniques used by Aussies and Kiwis. In Australia, there is a broader variety in methods between regions even on the same species.

STATISTICS Event % Catch >500mm NZ Luremasters 31.1% Suntag (2017-19) 11.6% QLD Recreational Fishing Survey (2013/14) Not Available NSW Recreational Fishing Survey (2013/14) Not Available SA Recreational Fishing Survey (2013/14) Not Available Event NZ Luremasters Barra Nationals 2018 SCF 4lb Club

It was a full house at the post-event presentation.

No. Days 1 5 2 2

No. Fish 1071 1185 756 1118

Minutes/Fish 0.60 2.37 2.86 0.90

Avg Weight (est) 2.00kg 0.90kg 1.47kg 0.80kg 1.60kg % Trophy 1.8% 0.42% 2.5% 1.1%

are on a never-ending quest for the perfect lure.

There is a significant lure ‘collecting’ scene as well, which highlights the value of the craft as something more than just the fish you catch. There were many a lure at the lure show that Avg Length (est) 463mm 355mm 420-440mm 330-350mm 420-440mm

% fish >=500mm 37.3% 42.7% 21.3% 13.6%

No. Species 12 1 71 44

hand, are more pragmatic, using the lures that work and tending to stick to them, or at least in the regions in the North Island I visited. Heavy jigs, soft plastics, metal lures, and the larger stickbaits were common. The locals do know their stuff, and local knowledge is vital, so make some time to share a brew or three. On that point, Legasea has its own lager, so that you can support the local fishing industry even in the off time. I think that teaming up with a local brewery to create a product that benefits both brewer and fishers is a great idea.

Both industries have the challenge of promoting the

NZ. No doubt there are some great opportunities to do some lure swaps with the locals.

LUREMASTERS 2019 Going into Luremasters, we knew that we were up for some challenges. The event is the creation of a couple of Kiwis, Daniel DeJong and Wayne Downer, and with some helpers they have managed to create a major event. With the addition of the Daiwa NZ Tournament App, fishers had the option of releasing fish with catches reported on the go. As a group, 500 anglers is the largest we have managed, where we don’t have one on one training available for fishers, and the kiwis handled it like pros. We had a few questions that we managed before the event via messenger, but 99% of people just downloaded the app, registered and were off and running. On that front, things ran smoothly – given we were running two comps in different countries on the same day.

Our previous most fish processed in a single day clocked in at 530, and the prediction was for double that. There are not many events that deliver those sorts of catch rates. In this case, it was only me doing the processing, so I knew I was in for a busy time.

At 500 anglers, the event closest in Australia I know of at those catch rates is the flathead classic on the Gold Coast.

The weather gods were definitely on our side, with perfect weather for inshore and offshore, leaving a crazy amount of territory open for review.

With a midnight start, we expected to see fish early, but maybe the lure fishers are later risers, and we didn’t start receiving

year, as there will be a bait division as well. Looking at trophy fish alone doesn’t fill out the picture, and a quick look at snapper shows why.

Snapper might not sound like the most exciting option until you see the numbers. In all, 745 Snapper were reported at an average length of 463mm.

A whopping 232 of the 745 were over 500mm, and this is where the Luremasters event stands out as a world-

kahawai, john dory and gurnard provided a smaller portion of the catch, and I suspect mostly by-catch. One area that the locals could be a bit more adventurous on is to experiment more with species beyond snapper and yellowtail king. All fishers benefit from getting outside their range of experience – that is where skills are built. That said, with snapper fishing as good as it is, it’s easy to

The winner of the largest snapper category was Matt Pearson. large numbers of fish until 6am. Once the event got going though, it was full on, with two fish reported every minute between 6am and the cut-off of 5pm.

Fig.1 captures the day succinctly; every time the catch rates dropped in an hour, they were building to more significant numbers.

Fig.2 shows the number of unique fishers reporting catches during the day, which shows the spread of fish reported across the field.

A SNAPSHOT OF THE EVENT The headline numbers for the event, 1071 fish in total from 298 fishers with an average catch rate of 2.35 fish/fisher. Five species targeted – snapper, yellowtail kingfish, kahawai, john dory, and gurnard, with 12 species in total reported. Most of the fish were caught north of Auckland between the Great Barrier Island and the mainland, though fish came in from the Bay of Plenty to the tip of the North Island, providing a vast fishing area of more than 800km of coastline.

In terms of trophy fish, 1.8% of the fish met the trophy length, but this is a bit lower than the long term Track My Fish average of 4.3% (645 out of 14,777 fish). That, however, is a little misleading, and I expect that to change next

class fishing event.

In comparing with the Australian experience, data is sporadic in Australia and not exactly recent, but using the numbers available; you can see some significant differences. One of the most obvious is the proportion of fish >500mm.

On the quantities available, nowhere in Australia returns fish at that size consistently to the degree seen in the Luremasters event. If you are interested in Snapper as a sports species, it might be time to book a flight to Auckland.

The remaining species yellowtail kingfish,

see why the locals focus on snapper.

COMPARING EVENTS There are plenty of events wanting to take your money, so what’s the selling point for going to Luremasters 2020? I am not going to make a pitch to emotion, although the Auckland area offers crazy beautiful backdrops for fishing. Instead, I will present a comparison of similar events from Australia and let the results speak for themselves. To provide a well-founded comparison, I will use a premium event, community event, and sports event as

Luremasters is one of those weird events that embraces all three classifications.

From the numbers, it’s clear that Luremasters is an elite event by Australian Standards in terms of results. The only measure they were behind on was the % of fishers reporting fish, but that is a function of time. The comparison events are two days plus, which gives anglers time to learn from mistakes and network to find fish. In some ways, I am grateful for that stat being down as the catch rates would have been near unmanageable if 80% of fishers reported fish. New Zealand is more consistent with changes in results a function of fishing pressure. The Barra Nationals, for example, was down to 215 fish this year and I expect the Hinchinbrook event to be down slightly with long-term dry weather.

Australian events are more subject to the extremes of our climate.

LUREMASTERS 2020 Luremasters 2019 was a huge event, but Luremasters 2020 is going to present massive technical challenges. In 2020, Luremasters will have a bait event running at the same time which from a citizen science point of view will be fantastic, but from a technical point of view doubling the fish per day makes for some significant challenges.

In 2020, we will have a new NZ Server, implementing new artificial intelligence to sniff out duplicate photos and auto check the lengths of fish smaller than 500mm.

We are also going to have new scoreboards and statuses for scoreboards – so fishers can see the provisional scores before full checking. All in all, we have aimed to introduce much more automation on the backend while not overcomplicating matters for fishers in recording

Legasea have made many partnerships in New Zealand, including with local brewer Moa. catches. 1000+ fish in one day via the Daiwa NZ Tournament app is a good sign that things are heading in the right direction.

With 1000 fishers involved, this is going to be one of the most significant sportfishing events on the fishing calendar in either country; predictably tickets are already selling fast.

If you are looking for a different tournament experience and being part of history, join team Australia in 2020.

In the meantime, if you have a few days free, why not consider heading over to Auckland and grabbing a charter for a brilliant time and a chance to scope out the competition.

Jordan Stoddart managed to land this feisty mangrove jack on a recent trip to Baffle Creek.

Fig.3 Snapper size breakdown.

JULY 2019

83

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This section in QLD Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching.

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JULY 2019

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory MARINE TRIMMERS SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

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22 85

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2019

85

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS FISHY BLOCKBUSTERS

LEGALLY BREAM THE GODFISH REEF WARS FLATTY GUMP SNOW WHITING MURRAY CODDINS JIGGING PARK LURE KING DIVE HARD

DTD - REAL FISH OITA

TROLLINATOR WAHOO OF OZ TACKLE STORY SCHOOL OF ROCKFISH BLADE CASTER BERLEY CLUB GARBUSTERS BARRA BEGINS KILL BILLFISH

Name: Address:

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QLD JULY 2019

Phone (day):

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

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FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to, A Bowyer who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for May is P March of Wellington Point, who won an TT Lures Prize Pack valued over $400.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

Cauchi of Kepnock, K White of Aspley, R Pool of Godwin Beach, Z Steinhardt of Tivoli, M Hever of Childers, A Bragg of Mount Isa, G Watter of Ripley, O Dillmann of Southbrook, G Poor of Taromeo, C Thorne of Roma, M Kras of Goodna, L Randles of Capella, E Lezuchewski of Darra, J Willmann of Windaroo, P Craft of Coomera, B Nicholson of Bundamba, R Harrison of Cooktown, B Stephan of

Donnybrook, I Wogandt of River Heads, C Renz of Crestmead, R Waters of Temora, J Bowyer of Blackall, L Dewar of Roma, C Scott of Currumbin Waters, K Aldridge of Rockville, M Baker of Gorokan, B Freier of Ningi, F Heiniger of Woombye, T Gyte of Aspley, J Bugno of Bardon, R Treacy of Frenchville.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE DAIWA LOGO

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JULY 2019

GUESS THE FISH?

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Australian Bass

The answers to Find the Daiwa Logo for May were: 10, 14, 19, 24, 28, 30, 34, 36, 45, 57, 58, 64, 76, 86, 93. – QFM The Find the Daiwa Logo prize winners for May were: B Brown of Lota, P Carrington of Deception Bay, W Geaney of Beecher, S Davies of Emerald, P Fielder of Everton Hills, M Hughes of Uralla, J Conte of Tullera, A Svaikauskas of Alligator Creek, B Newton of Trinity Beach, P

Answer:

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 88 Stuck in the Middle with you Inside story...

Revival delivered its first boat, a R525 Cuddy, 11 years ago in mid-June, 2008.

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Revival Boats create value-focused family fishing, lifestyle and offshore-oriented craft that are meticulously hand-crafted in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

This month...

Troy Brown launches his kayak in the beautiful fishrich waters of Middle Creek on the Discovery Coast.

90 A paddle through foreign waters Justin Willmer takes his love for kayaking on holiday, and provides some top tips for yakking far from home.

92 Preventing storage woes between trips Wayne Kampe looks at ways you can save coin when storing your boat.

We’re checking out the 640 Offshore with Mercury 150hp 4-stroke. Check it out on page 94!

JULY 2019

87

Middle Creek – a kayak fisher’s playground this area effectively, as many sections are nearly impassable by boat.

We were lucky enough on this trip to fish with local Scott Hornby.

I asked Scott how he likes to fish the area and he willingly shared his encyclopaedic knowledge.

Scott likes to fish the deeper holes at the bottom of the run-out tide, or

BRISBANE

Troy Brown

As we are blessed with outstanding fishing locations around South East Queensland, most of my fishing is focused on these easy to reach places. Sometimes we need to travel to find those hidden gems, which was the case with a recent visit to Middle Creek Campground in Eurimbula National Park.

Ron Hess organised this trip, where I was joined

by Tim Donselaar and we decided to try our luck at fishing with the locals.

Middle Creek Campground is an easy drive from the picturesque town of 1770, or a six hour

Angela Delaware displays a flathead caught while casting a Rapala Jack Deep lure into the mangroves. accurate statement, as the area is home to a vast assortment of fish species and listing them is simply impossible. Ron did advise us to fish light, which was the only advice I questioned later in the trip.

Unless you are a local, camping in the park is the best option to maximise time on the water.

Campsites are very basic, with minimal facilities on offer. If you are staying for a longer period, take a lot of water, as you will not find conveniences such as showers onsite.

Composting toilets are well maintained, but you will need to remove all other waste when you leave. Fire pits are available to keep

Middle Creek has something to offer all visitors to the area.

Target rocks and timber around the mangroves with suspending lures to attract feisty mangrove jack. journey if venturing from Brisbane. Wherever you reside, the trip is worth the effort, as this is every bit as good as we imagined.

The only difficult section of the trip is access into the park, which is strictly 4WD only. Small off-roaders should access the campground with ease, although rain and heavy

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best in this area. The usual target species are extra large mangrove jack, black jewfish, golden snapper and barra.

Scott likes to sound a hole or rock ledge, looking for bait schools.

Trolling deep diving lures with the current into these areas is highly effective, as most of the schooling fish face into the current

use may mean that only high clearance 4WDs can access the area.

When questioned about the fish we were likely to encounter, Ron replied simply, “small stuff and big stuff.” I was a little mystified by the response, which left me with more questions than answers. In hindsight, it was a quite

The views are nearly as stunning as the fishing.

There is a rudimentary ramp area for launching your kayak.

warm at night, and serve as great meeting places for some friendly conversation over a cold ale.

Middle Creek consists of a myriad of rock bars and sand bars at the creek mouth, which morph into a diverse range of shallow rock ledges and deep holes in the upper reaches. Areas near the campsite can be extremely shallow, so navigating these sections for the first time is best done during daylight and on high tide. Once past these shallow areas, there are a multitude of shallow sand banks, weed beds, deeper channels and sudden drop-offs into rockfilled holes. Kayaks are the best way to explore

the first couple hours of the run-in tide. Building neap tides leading up to a full moon usually fish

waiting for a feed. Lures that make contact with the bottom seem to get the most interest.

While mangrove jack catches are tapering off sharply as the water temperature drops, the odd monster can still be enticed to strike a well-placed lure.

We watched in awe as Scott’s lure was engulfed by a marauding jack – the tight drag was no match for a fish determined to reach the safety of its snag. The strike was just a sign of things to come.

During my brief stay at Middle Creek, casting small soft plastics, jigging heavy vibes and trolling deep diving lures accounted for a solid tally of flathead, bream, trevally, cod, Moses perch and even sweetlip.

There were some solid fish, but the real excitement came with a few heart-

Ron Hess with a healthy Middle Creek flathead.

stopping strikes. While jigging some deep holes and trolling some of the shallow sandy flats, I was hit with some aggressive fish strikes that I will never forget.

Although the logic of fishing light ensured I caught many fish, I was left ruing the monsters that got away. The lesson is fish light for sheer quantity, but also take some time to target the larger species on offer. In these instances, I suspect massive black jewfish in the deep holes and large giant trevally in the open areas were the

offenders, but on 6-10lb gear I would never get the opportunity to find out.

Scott gave us some insider knowledge into what works on the local species. For hardbodied lures he recommends natural mullet patterns in greys and golds rather than dark colours.

When the water is clear he says bright patterns work well. Soft plastics in the 4-6” range also account for a number of fish, with a simple slow roll close to the bottom.

Fish run hard and this terrain is not forgiving

Local Scott with a solid barramundi.

Mangrove areas are surrounded by flats, rock edges and deep holes.

on your gear. Scott recommends no less than 30lb braid and 60lb fluorocarbon leader for the bigger fish, as they don’t fight fair and immediately head for cover. Strikes in the dark can be heart in the mouth stuff!

Learning to rig weedless will improve the variety of fish on offer. Structure is in abundance, so this presentation will enable you to work closely through weed beds and rocky bases.

While not guaranteed snagfree, these rigs will reduce frustrating gear changes when targeting fish hiding in the structure.

Weedless presentations will reduce hook-ups on a

For variety and quality, this location is one that should be placed on the bucket list of any dedicated kayak fisher. As there is limited mobile phone coverage, it is also a location that truly allows you to be at one with nature. High quality insect repellent is a must, although a warming fire seems to be nearly as effective at deterring the small pests. Any kayaker who takes the time to venture into this world will be rewarded with an amazing fishing location and some spectacular views.

Two visitors happy with the spoils Middle Creek has on offer. tentative strike, but rarely make a difference when a fish attacks the plastic aggressively.

Campsites can be booked online at the Queensland Nations Parks Booking Service.

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89

A paddle through foreign waters BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

My wife Sheri and I love everything kayaking, be it fishing or crabbing, camping, exploring new waters, immersing ourselves in the natural environment

It’s well worth the effort though when it comes together as you may find yourself hooked up to new species, or seeing your destination from a completely different perspective, with some unique photos and memories of your destination. Simply Google your destination

At the end of our Colorado River journey, the guides sort the many kayaks. and observing wildlife, or accessing land-based areas to explore.

Whenever we travel interstate or overseas, we ensure that we fire up the search engines, hit the internet and look for kayak fishing, kayak tours and kayak hire options in the area that we are travelling to.

From here you start to get an idea of what there is to see, catch or explore in the region, all from the seat of a kayak.

Unfortunately, on our last overseas trip a few years ago, both of our kayak tours were cancelled due to weather.

This is always a possibility, so it pays to have a couple of backup activities pencilled in just in case. This was on a trip to Queenstown, New Zealand and one of the tours was a paddle across a lake

in terms of fitness levels or paddling ability.

Even though Sheri and I have been paddling for many years, we still prefer to select tours that are suitable for all age levels and generally labelled beginner or possibly intermediate. After all, we are unfamiliar with the area and the craft, while also being on holidays. Most reputable operators will have quality kayaks, PFDs, paddles and other gear, however the reviews section will give you a better idea of the quality of the tour.

After a lot of saving and preparation, we recently took off overseas again, hoping that the weather would play the game for the two kayak tours that we had booked.

The first was in Las Vegas, consisting of a 20km paddle from the base of the mighty Hoover Dam, down the Colorado River that divides Arizona and Nevada states, finishing up at the Willow Beach Marina.

COLORADO RIVER It was an early pick up for our Colorado River paddle with Evolution Expeditions and Michelle our guide was also our driver. Michelle gave us a basic rundown on the day, made us feel at ease and also had plenty of stories about the area as we made the drive to our launch point.

We were lucky that there was only Sheri, myself, our guide Michelle and another couple Jeff and Casey from

Sheri exiting Sauna Cave after a quick sauna.

The natural hot pools were almost too hot to get into.

Time to paddle back for a well earned BBQ lunch. followed by ‘kayak hire’, ‘kayak fishing’ or ‘kayak tours’ and you will find some options in the region.

Then it’s just a matter of

The second in Hawaii and was a simpler adventure that included paddling from Ha’eia State Park onto Kane’ohe Bay to snorkel the reef, with the hope of coming across a honu (green sea turtle) in the wild. Both adventures went ahead and here’s a quick wrap up of the two adventures, along with the gear that we carry with us on these adventures.

Ohio. Sheri and I were in a two-person kayak, as was Michelle with plenty of water, snacks and our lunch, while Jeff and Casey decided to take separate kayaks.

The kayaks were quality Perception kayaks, with rudders, comfortable seats, dry storage, quality paddles and we were fitted with comfortable PFDs. By the time we had travelled down the old road used to build the dam and were standing at the base of the Hoover Dam in awe, I already had my money’s worth. No time to stand around though, as security is strict getting down to our launch point.

The group’s kayaks on the bank below the River Gauger’s station.

The author was lucky enough to swim with a couple of green sea turtles. to dinner at a lodge, with a return paddle on sunset.

The reviews were good, the photos amazing and we were disappointed that the weather denied us our adventure and we didn’t have any flexibility in our itinerary to reschedule.

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picking an adventure that sounds like the right fit for you and investigating it further in terms of when it is available, pricing, inclusions, what you are required to bring and whether there are any requirements

After some instruction we boarded our kayaks, launched and moved out into the middle of the river where we could admire the Hoover Dam and the surrounding construction.

Michelle pointed out some of the narrow catwalks that had been built along the sides of the canyon wall and were used during the construction of the dam. Being a dam built in part for hydroelectricity I was confident that we would have some flow in the river to assist us over our 20km journey and I was correct.

We were all paddling steadily, while admiring the scenery, the colour and clarity of the glacial water and chatting as we all paddled close together, learning more about each other and also the history of the area.

Jeff and Casey were also competent paddlers, so in no time at all we were at our first stop, Sauna Cave. Michelle

The longhorn sheep come down to investigate Jeff’s kayak.

tied our kayaks off and we climbed a small track, before entering Sauna Cave. The water in the cave was hot and a couple of feet deep, the cave was filled with steam and as we walked further into the narrow cave Michelle turned her headlamp off and it was pitch black. We felt our way along the walls a little further into the cave and then Michelle turned the headlamp back on to guide us out of the cave. It was such an unique experience, it was like a sauna and upon exiting the cave the desert air rapidly dried our clothes.

We continued our journey down the spectacular

Colorado River, a source of life that carves its way through the desert, supplying hydroelectric power and water for farms in multiple states.

The river is also the border between Nevada and Arizona, so it was cool to paddle from one state to another.

The next stop on our paddle journey was morning tea from Michelle’s box of snacks. Then we went on a short walk up into a canyon, where we were met with a metal ladder.

We had arrived at the

on a paddle the day before and had us paying special attention to some sections of the surrounding rocky walls.

Our instructions, keep an eye out for their white butts as that’s the easiest way to spot them.

A short distance on and we were lucky enough to meet a herd of longhorn sheep that included a couple of tiny babies and some larger female sheep. We moved closer for a few photos and the sheep came right down to the water to drink, while The view from the River Gauger’s station up the Colorado River.

Sheri takes a moment to appreciate the bridge and the dam. hot pools. Taking turns to carefully climb the ladder and we were standing in the first and coolest pool, which was still pretty warm! The pools are maintained with sandbags of gravel and we met the man who maintains the pools, chilling out in pool three. As you move through the pools you get closer to the main source, where the water flows from the rock, they get hotter. We all did pool one, two, three, and then I pushed on through pool four to get a photo of the water flowing from the rock. Safe to say, if it was a bath I would have waited a while before getting in. We chilled and chatted in pool one for a while before continuing on our journey.

Sheri had come across photos of longhorn sheep when looking up this tour, so she asked if there was a chance of us coming across some during out paddle.

Michelle had seen some

sheep negotiate the steep, rocky inclines, seemingly climbing straight up smooth rock faces. We said goodbye to the sheep and thanked Michelle for yet another cool experience.

Further down the river we pulled up for lunch in a shady area that allowed us to rest, relax, chat and enjoy the delicious lunch packs that Michelle had for us, including a meat and salad roll, fruit and other snacks.

It was then back on the river and we were treated to a story about the River Gauger, his office built onto the canyon wall where he measured river heights, sediment levels and so forth.

After a day’s work he then

final paddle to Willow Beach Marina, where we enjoyed a cold drink before boarding the mini bus back to our hotel.

What an incredible adventure and amazing scenery, not far from the craziness of the Las Vegas Strip.

HAWAII Our second adventure was a mini bus from Waikiki in Hawaii, to Ha’eia State Park and onto beautiful Kane’ohe Bay. After some initial instruction, our group of six double kayaks (twelve paddlers) was towed halfway out to the reef we were going to snorkel. We were then detached from the boat and paddled out to a

on the mini bus to Waikiki after what had been another fun day of kayaking and adventure, getting away from the standard tourist trails.

There are a few things that we carry with us on our travel adventures, when we have kayak tours booked.

Sturdy, supportive water shoes are important and can be washed and dried before returning home. We also take our own Sea to Summit dry bags with us as it allows us to organise and pack these before our tour, although most tours will supply dry bags and outline this in their tour description. Other items include a waterproof

Just one of the interesting creatures found swimming around Hawaii. sandy section in the middle of the reef where we met the boat again, reattached our kayaks, entered the water and had some snacks and drinks before a quick snorkel instruction.

We spent the next hour snorkelling the reef edge, with one guide snorkelling with us and another monitoring the group from a kayak. We saw a variety of colourful fish in good numbers and we were lucky enough to swim with two small turtles that didn’t seem too concerned

phone case, sunscreen and bug spray. Your choice of clothing needs to be based around your adventure, considering sun protection, temperature and layering so that you can regulate your body temperature.

Next time you’re planning a trip, be it a couple of hours from home or internationally, if like us you love adventuring in the kayak, there may be an opportunity to catch a new species, explore an incredible environment,

Paddling into Emerald Cave, the sunlight reflections cause it to light up green. a few others surrounded the small babies to ensure they were safely out of sight. It was amazing to watch the

Sheri and her group gearing up for a paddle and snorkel in Hawaiian waters.

had to cross the raging river by lying in a basket and using cables to pull himself across, then negotiate a narrow catwalk around the canyon wall, another basket and cables to cross the river and then a couple of miles walk home. After twelve years of river gauging, the dam was then built at a different location!

It was then onto the famous Emerald Cave and after having the river to ourselves we were now joined by more paddlers. We waited our turn and reversed into Emerald Cave for a few photos. When the sun shines into the cave, the water

lights up emerald green and the green light then bounces around the walls and roof of the cave. Another cool stop on our journey.

Being a small group of reasonably strong paddlers, we were ahead of schedule and able to make one last stop at the River Gauger’s house. Unfortunately, a fire had consumed the house, however, the foundations remained, along with a sign and images of the residence and garage. There was also the old road, some hand laid rock walls and a spectacular view back up the river. It was a great way to finish our adventure, before the

The mighty Hoover Dam. with our presence. It was then back onto our kayaks and we made the paddle back to our launch point, where we finished the adventure with a delicious BBQ pork ribs and chicken lunch with salads and drinks. It was then back

observe wildlife or check out the tourist attractions from a whole new perspective. I will never forget standing with the crowds on the wall of the Hoover Dam during our Hoover Dam tour.

See you on the water.

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Preventing boat storage woes between trips BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In last month’s issue of the magazine I looked at storage issues in smaller boats, and how to address the challenges of working with limited space.

This month I’ll take you through some of the issues that come with storing a boat for extended periods between outings. This is something that boat owners don’t usually expect to happen, but it can certainly occur due to circumstances beyond our control.

I have a friend who repairs trailer boats, and he said that if more people did the right thing before letting their boats sit for a while, he’d be far less busy! A fair proportion of his livelihood comes from neglect and sheer carelessness. He has seen boats come in for repair work that actually have fungi growing in damp

promote moisture for sure.

Forward storage hatches should get a clean out next.

It’s surprising how a little bit of saltwater sneaking in now and again can make a mess, especially if a few emergency tools or other metallic items are stored in a hatch where salt residue has been lurking.

PRESSURE WASH This is the right time

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cloth and then one with some vinegar on it.

Side pockets, especially lined ones, are also places where unwanted salt can later cause dampness and even mould if you leave them long enough.

A sponging with some warm water and detergent prolongs useful life, and if there are drain holes you should ensure that they are open and free to do their job.

LET THE BILGE BREATHE Bilge access is not always easy in trailer boats, but if there’s reasonable

This should not occur in an open bilge area that’s easy to clean and dry out. Note the small patches of dampness-induced mould in the top left corner.

If you don’t remove the rope and thoroughly clean the whole area, you’ll end up with a damp anchor well. to also give the deck a thorough clean-up, especially if there is a non-skid surface up front.

Every time the bucket is returned wet and salty, a layer of salt is added to the storage compartment. areas – how bad is that?

He’s also seen seats and other soft materials fall apart from mildew and other dampness related issues.

His number one recommendation is to ensure that the stored boat stays as dry as possible (throughout, not just on its outer surfaces), particularly if air flow throughout the craft is likely to be restricted.

THINK THINGS THROUGH A dry boat is a good start but there are many other issues confronting a boat owner contemplating laying the boat up for a spell.

Let’s begin by looking at the average glass rig, climb aboard her on the trailer, and see what action we can take to prevent drama down the track.

To start with, pull the anchor and warp out and give them, and the anchor well, a thorough clean up prior to being put away. If the anchor well is within the front of a cabin, some damp, salty ropes are going to

dry properly.

If the craft is a centre console rig, now is the time to open the console doors and have a look in the storage space. Many consoles come with upper and lower storage via a central shelf, and if the uppermost shelf is most used it should be well aired, and all the unwanted material should be

Non-skid areas seem to accumulate small particles of ingrained material that causes discoloration that’s very hard to dislodge.

You can trust me on this, as I’ve owned four boats with non-skid decks, and I’ve found that a pressure washer – the good old Gerni – is far more efficient than a scrubbing brush/ sugar soap/elbow grease session! Carpet is different, easier to clean and then

removed prior to extended storage. If you see any nuts, washers or other assorted small pieces of hardware (vibrating free of an original fitting), these need to be reinstated without question. A half cabin boat often features under bunk storage, and this might also need a good clean out. If there’s any old food or drink bottles, take them out.

BEWARE FLOOR LEVEL STORAGE AREAS Many craft over 5m in length have floor level storage areas which can be a terrific place to store a handy bucket or other receptacle. However, this can be a sneaky trap. A bucket that has saltwater dripping off it will cause a build-up of salt in that compartment when it’s returned, to the detriment of anything metallic in the area. So while it’s quick and easy to dump the bucket back in the compartment, it’s best to wait until you’ve removed the salt first.

If you do see salt residue in the storage area, wipe it out with a damp

The Gerni at work: note the difference! The deck had been hand-scrubbed beforehand.

Roller marks can be hard to remove, but acetone will do the job. access it certainly pays to clean the area out. Anything discarded in the cockpit can find its way to the bilge area before long, so lure packets, wrappers and the usual suspects of sand and soil often end up in a bilge sump. Also, boats stored near trees will certainly accumulate leaves, twigs or berries in a very short time. Removing the bung and allowing the whole sump area to dry properly can greatly reduce issues associated with storage.

Now we come to the outside of the hull – those exposed areas that tell the world just how well we look after our boat.

MAINTAINING THAT FIBREGLASS LUSTRE Fibreglass craft are easy to clean both inside and out with detergent and warm water, except when you get those hardto-remove marks on the hull from trailer rollers or from scuffing on the yellow edges of pontoons.

Pontoon marks are no big deal, but those roller marks are something else. They are often associated with even a brand new trailer (usually if the tow vehicle has a diesel engine) due to a reaction between the diesel exhaust fumes and the rubber rollers.

Removing these stubborn marks might require some acetone, which is best applied with heavy-duty gloves to protect your

hands, and always in a well-ventilated area. Just rub it onto the area, and it should clean it up. Rubbing alcohol such as Isocol can also clean up fibreglass, but I prefer acetone.

Small scuffs and scratches can be removed by fibreglass polish, and I have found that the Extra

as is providing plenty of airflow through the stored craft. Hatches should be opened and residue removed to see what’s going on under the debris.

If it’s possible to lift floor coverings it’s very wise to do so, just to see what’s doing down there!

Any foreign material plus residual water, both fresh and salt, are the trouble makers. Discarded tackle is also a problem because if a battery is left connected to the rig (even when isolated completely) some corrosion through galvanic action might occur where sinkers and the like contact the alloy.

Diligently washing an alloy boat with a strong detergent mix might not be doing the alloy a favour, due to the alkaline composition of that detergent. From experience, a gentle baby detergent is a good choice for alloy craft exteriors and

When the boat is going to be mothballed for a spell, you should thoroughly clean and dry out all the compartments.

Cut stuff does a great job without too much effort.

The last job is to give the engine a once over and release the winch ratchet a tad. Why compress the boat onto the trailer when it’s not going anywhere?

Summer storage requires engine inlet ports to be mud wasp proofed as well.

ALLOY BOAT STORAGE When it comes to alloy boats, completely drying the hull is equally essential,

other soiled areas.

Again, the trailer should be well cleaned and all traces of salt removed from around the springs and brake units. Some stronger detergent can be used to clear away salt traces.

Last but not least, the fuel tank needs topping up with a good dose of fuel stabiliser. Filling a tank when it’s not going to be used may seem unnecessary, but it will minimise the chances of condensation.

WHAT’S NEW BOATING AXIOM SUPPORTS YAMAHA CL

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Yamaha Command Link and Command Link Plus has now been integrated into Raymarine’s family of Axiom multifunction displays.

Raymarine’s Axiom series can now display the instrumentation for up to 4 Yamaha outboards on a single display. The Axiom engine data display echoes the look and feel of Yamaha’s digital instrument displays and is compatible with a wide array of Yamaha outboards installed on existing boats as well as on new boats.

Raymarine’s integration with Yamaha outboards gives boaters a big-screen view of engine parameters, tank levels, battery status, and more.

Just about any boat with Yamaha Command Link or Command Link Plus can be integrated with Raymarine’s Axiom MFDs using Yamaha’s optional NMEA 2000 gateway and pigtail. Boats equipped with Yamaha Helm Master or Set Point systems can also integrate with Raymarine using Yamaha’s optional NMEA 2000 gateway (6YG) and Yamaha’s CL7 display.

The free LightHouse Annapolis 3.9 OS update is available now for Axiom, Axiom Pro, Axiom XL, eS Series and gS Series MFDs. www.raymarine.com

ROD HOLDER EXTENDER

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If your rod holder is just out of reach, or the rod butt is hitting the deck of your kayak, check out the Railblaza Rod Holder Extender.

The addition of a Rod Holder Extender to your rod holder will let you offset your rod holder too, adding another level of versatility. You can make your set-up ergonomically better, and get easier access to your rod holder. More importantly, you’ll have the rod in your hand faster when you get a strike.

The Rod Holder Extender will fit any Railblaza rod holders, giving 125mm (5”) of extension. It is fully adjustable, allowing the rod holder to be extended outwards or conveniently position your rod holder closer to you on your kayak or boat.

Care must be taken if you are using the Rod Holder Extender for trolling, as breakage can occur if drag is not set correctly on your reel.

For more information on mounting options, or to view more products in the range, visit the Railblaza website. www.railblaza.com

MAZU UPDATE FOR AXIOM

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Mazu has added powerful new functionality to its app available on Raymarine Axiom MFDs through Lighthouse Apps.

Raymarine Axiom users who have mazu’s m2500 satellite system can now view ROFFS (Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service) fishing forecast hotspots using the mazu app on the MFD. Users also get offshore access to up-to-date sea state data including sea surface temperature, chlorophyll, altimetry and currents. The app also has a new, streamlined user interface.

ROFFS provides a variety of the high-resolution satellite-derived fishing oceanographic analyses customised for anglers. These analyses are specialised for pelagics like tuna, marlin, wahoo, dolphinfish, sailfish, swordfish, sharks and more. ROFFS professional oceanographers analyse multiple real-time oceanographic datasets including but not limited to ocean currents, SST, clarity, ocean colour/chlorophyll, plankton, frontal boundaries, species habitat of targeted fish, and bottom structure to guide users to the most productive waters for a successful

PRODUCT GUIDE

fishing trip. This data is integrated into hotspot locations detailed on an oceanographic map and a comprehensive text description that is easy to understand and use. www.mazu-marine.com/sportfishing

SEAFARER VICTORY 6.0

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The Victory model has been part of the Seafarer family since the early days, and has evolved over the years. A pioneering sport-fishing craft, it is one of Seafarer’s most popular boats.

The new model Victory 6.0 has been transformed with a whole new above-thewater design, and has been kitted out with a plethora of new options, most notably the addition of a new hard top option which has transformed it into an exceptional offshore fishing boat. The hard top also includes two hatches in the roof for ventilation and a Hella LED deck light. A dive/side door also now comes standard.

A whole new layout has also been introduced with a redesigned transom, deck, dash and cabin, improving on what has been a highly respected fishing craft for many years.

Head to the Seafarer website to see the full list of specs and options. www.seafarerboats.com

SIMRAD CRUISE CHARTPLOTTER

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Designed for simple and straightforward navigation, the new Simrad Cruise features a simple, easy-to-use interface, sunlight-viewable display, preloaded Australia charts, mounting bracket and sonar transducer.

The Cruise combines essential GPS features with depth-finding capability to deliver safe and reliable navigation at an affordable price. Free from complicated fishing-specific sonar and networking features, Cruise eliminates the need for boaters to master complex electronics.

The user interface is controlled with a rotary dial and keypad, ensuring smooth navigation through menus, and provides the vital information needed for a safe and enjoyable time on the water. The included transducer provides CHIRP sonar with excellent automatic depth tracking for worry-free operation without the need for fine-tuning or pre-programming.

Available in 5”, 7” and 9” display sizes, this unit is IPX7 waterproof rated and ideal for installation in open boats, and can be flushmounted or bracket-mounted.

Price: SRP $699-$1099 www.simrad-yachting.com

WHITTLEY SL 20 OB

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The new Whittley Sea Legend 20 Outboard (SL 20 OB) is a Yamaha outboard powered model with a 6.3m, SL 20 hull. There’s also the option of a new Coast Tourer Edition hard top, with a full length screen and sliding side windows.

The SL 20 OB gives you the option to easily set your package up as an offshore weapon, a family overnighter, or both. There’s a new flat back transom offered to maximise the fishing area. It also comes with standard premium rear rubber flooring and twin ice/fish boxes (doubling as a seat), which can easily convert to a family area with the side seat and table option.

The package can be optioned up to suit customers’ budgets and needs, with prices ranging from $69,990 for the soft top model, to the Coast Tourer Edition available from $79,490. All SL 20 OB packages are factory rigged to be powered by a Yamaha F130 or F150 four stroke, and are packaged on a dual axle Mackay trailer. www.whittleymarinegroup.com.au

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Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

SCAN THE QR CODE!

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Revival 640 Offshore with Mercury 150hp 4-stroke - SC

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RE ONLINE MO

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Length................ 6.40m Beam.................. 2.40m Max HP.................. 225 Tow weight...... 2000kg Capacity...... 8 persons Fuel...................... 200L The current fleet comprises 6 models from 5.25m to 6.5m each with unique editions that span a vast array of boating options and offer unrivalled value in their respective markets.

According to their website, “Revival currently builds around three (3) hulls per week in its 94

JULY 2019

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SPECIFICATIONS

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s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

We’ve tested a few Revivals in the last year, ranging from their Cruiser to the crossover X-Rider.

Revival Boats create valuefocused family fishing, lifestyle and off-shoreoriented craft that are meticulously hand-crafted in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne, Vic. Launched in the wake of the GFC, Revival Boats is the creation of founder, Sam Catanese, former captain of iconic Aussie boat brand, Stejcraft.

Rather than merely replicate his previous efforts, Sam started with a clean sheet and crafted a tougher and more versatile family of hulls that could cater to every environment and boating experience.

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in a happy place when they’re on the water.

Weighing in at under 2,500kg, it’s eminently towable by a twin cab ute or 4WD. You’d probably need to leave the small family SUV at home on a trip with the 640.

Steve Morgan

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your smartphone. There’s plenty of commentary and running footage there if you’re not within striking distance of Western Australia’s southwest.

For more information or custom pricing, contact your local dealer or visit

PERFORMANCE

Main: There’s no way anybody would rather be at work on the test day – it was immaculate. Above: On the open ocean side, we could really get a feel of how this hull handled the ocean swells. A bit more wind would have been nice to run it through some swell plus wind chop.

Melbourne facility making it one of the most prolific manufacturers of fibreglass trailer boats in Australia.

Each hull is painstakingly hand-crafted to exacting specifications and unlike many brand owners, Sam proudly has his hands (literally) on every hull produced in his factory.”

The test boat was powered by a 3.0L 150hp Mercury, which is a solid platform that’s been around for years and it’s pushing along a Revival 640 Offshore.

For those outside the industry, this ‘work/ demo’ boat is one that the West Australian guys put together so that they can go fishing and boating on their days off. And the business gets to own it. After all, there needs to be SOME advantages of owning a boat shop..

The smooth water

on the test day let us measure some figures like speed and economy.

With the hammers down, the boat reached 66km/h at a reasonably thirsty 1.1km/L and 5,500rpm.

Drop it down to cruising speed, though (32km/h at 3,500rpm) and all of a sudden you’re getting just under double that range.

Combine that with a 200L fuel tank and well over 300km is on the cards for an extended fishing trip.

Pushing out into the ocean swell, the ride was very pleasant and it definitely punched above its price point. You can see the fit out in the images, but the test craft’s equally rigged for a fishing mission or a family day on the water and there’s not a lot of time needed to switch between the two.

Is the Revival the top-of-the-line all-singing,

all dancing fishing machine? Definitely not, but it does have all of the attributes of a highly capable offshore boat that keeps the less-keen anglers

RPM......Speed (km/h).......... Economy (km/L) 650............................5................................ 2.5 1000..........................8................................ 2.3 2000........................ 13................................ 1.7 3000........................ 28................................ 1.8 3500........................ 32................................ 1.9 4000........................ 45................................ 1.8 5000........................ 60................................ 1.3 5500........................ 66................................ 1.1 You can see the video of the boat test on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel – or you can scan the QR code on

www.revivalboats.com.au.

As tested, this Revival came in at $93,000, however, packages start from around $80,000.

The Mercury 3.0L has proven itself to be a real workhorse since its launch. Optimum cruising speed delivered 1.9km/L economy at 32km/h and 3,500rpm – decent for a 6.4m boat.

Top: The boat features a folding rear lounge and a removable bait station. It’s pretty easy to convert this from a serious fishing rig to a family day craft.

Below: With carpet lining and padded pocket fronts, it’s a reasonably luxurious cabin up front.

When the Mercury dealer puts the 150 4-stroke on their own demo boat, you know that they are confident with it.

Rounded seat bases aren’t as common as they once were, yet there’s still storage underneath for tackle you need close to hand. Folding seat fronts are becoming more and more common, offering support whether you are seated or standing.

The rig sits on a twin axle Dunbier Glider roller series trailer.

Ready for fishing it weighs in at under 2,500kg.

There is a hard top in the Revival 640 range, however, the shop rig is a soft top.

There’s still plenty of shade and shelter from the elements with the added clears.

Left: The passenger seating is mounted on a stainless base that holds a cooler box underneath.

Right: You can mix and match seat base options.

With everything flush mounted, the helm is neat and tidy.

It is one of the more tidy layouts we’ve seen.

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Nobody knows your engine like we do

PROTECT YOUR BOATING LIFESTYLE WITH MERCURY AUTHORISED SERVICE Keeping your Mercury running 100% has never been easier with a Mercury Authorised Service Centre… you can expect • Courteous, expert service • Fully trained technicians using only genuine Mercury replacement parts and lubricants.

• The added peace of mind that all genuine replacement parts come with a full one year warranty.

Simply put, no-one else has the knowledge and diagnostic equipment to ensure the best possible service.

So why would you trust anyone else...

www.mercurymarine.com.au