Queensland Fishing Monthly - March 2016 by Fishing Monthly

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Understanding slow-pitch jigging • Longtail tuna lowdown • Pirtek Fishing Challenge • 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo •

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March 2016, Vol. 28 No. 5

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Iluka 24 Ballina 26 SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Tweed Heads 28 Southern Gold Coast 30 Gold Coast Canals 29 Gold Coast 32 Jumpinpin 34 Southern Bay 36 Brisbane 38 Brisbane Offshore 40 Northern Bay 42 Caloundra 44 Noosa 46 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay 48 Fraser Coast 49 Rainbow Beach 48 Lake Monduran 51 Bundaberg 53 Gladstone 52 Rockhampton 50 Yeppoon 54 Mackay 56 Stanage Bay 57 TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 68 Ayr 69 Townsville 70 Lucinda 73 Cairns 74 Hinchinbrook 72 Port Douglas 75 Cape York 77 Cooktown 76 TNQ Freshwater 78

From the Editor’s Desk... I’m pretty sure that not many of our readers would have known Mike Airey. The expatriate New Zealander passed away in Brisbane recently at the age of 81. He wasn’t an angler, but he’s had a massive impact on the Australian fishing scene. Mike published the first edition of South Queensland Fishing Monthly in November 1987. Before that, he founded the uber-popular NZ Fishing News in New Zealand and before that he was a commercial airline pilot for Air New Zealand. I’ve contributed to the magazine since the second issue in December 1987, and Mike was the first person ever to call me and offer me a column writing for a fishing magazine. I was 15 at the time. In the mid nineties, Mike offered me a job at the growing company and basically gave me only one brief. “Don’t let the writers

contribute articles that are written to impress other writers,” he said. He was pretty steadfast about that point, and the mantra continues in the magazines today. Make the articles relevant to the readers. In the late nineties, Mike saw my interest in restructuring

the Australian tournament scene and helped me to set up the company that we now know as ABT. He didn’t want to own it. He wanted me to own it and use company time and resources to help it grow. The idea that he nurtured grew and, of course, has had a massive impact on the type of

fishing that we do today. Mike sold me the company in 2000. Naturally, it would have been easier to bundle it up and hock it to a big publisher, but Mike seemed determined to give the staff the opportunity to make something more of what he started. And, we took the opportunity with both hands. I think that’s pretty rare in life. To have someone give you opportunities like that when you’re not related to them. In Mike’s later years, you could see him ride the rollercoaster of success and failure with me. With us. And in recent years, we’ve had pretty big helpings of both ends of that spectrum. So we’ll miss you, Mike. Your sage advice. Your pragmatism and your loyalty. You’ve left a fine legacy and we’ll endeavour to keep making you proud in the years to come.

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ING TRADE

Black Magic 20lb Rainbow Braid Elite, Black Magic 40lb Tough Fluorocarbon and a Black Magic 4/0 KS Hook were used by Lee Rayner from the TV show “Fishing Edge” to catch this threadfin salmon. He was fishing out of Weipa in North QLD.

Off the far west coast of SA, Nick was jigging with a Black Magic 300g Knife Jig in ‘red and silver’. He says when this sampson fish hit, he could barely lift the rod tip without being smashed.

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Eric Lollo caught this giant trevally off Britomart Reef in North QLD on a Black Magic 150mm ‘Skippy’ Popper. He said, “Your Black Magic Popper strikes again! I love these pops, the bloop, the style and the ability to cast a long way when needed”.

These two nice sweetlip emperor were caught over the Great Sandy Strait near Fraser Island. Kent Walker used Black Magic 8/0 KL Hooks and Black Magic 80lb Tough Trace.

A Wasabi 8/0 Suicide Hook was used to catch this jewie. Leo Di Fabrizio was fishing out of Mapoon off the North Cape of QLD.

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Slow and steady CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

When it comes to offshore jigging, images of anglers ripping up jigs at a million miles an hour using heavy mechanical jerks comes to mind. Much of this perception stems from the southern kingfish and amberjack fisheries, which have used high speed jigged metals and kabura style jigs for some time. However, the term ‘jigging’ is far more complex than just a fast moving piece of metal, and can provide offshore anglers with many different options and techniques to fool the fish. The biggest misconception when it comes to jigging is that high speed is the only way to go. For some styles of jigging and the use of certain jigs, this is definitely the case – Spanish mackerel prefer an extremely fast moving target. The speed of the jig often triggers the predatory instincts of these fish and switches on the bite. However, high speed is not the only trigger that should be considered while jigging, and slow jigging can be just as much, or even more effective than that of one worked at pace. Slow jigging or slowpitch jigging as it is more commonly known, is a fast growing fishing technique for the simple reason that it catches a lot of fish. Originating in Japan, the concept of slow-pitch jigging is one that will appeal to many anglers as it can bring a very unique approach and presentation to fish that have seen plenty of baits and soft plastic lures. THE ACTION Slow-pitching is not about just slowly working your jig to the top. It is more about using the action

and design of the jigging rod, in combination with turns of the reel (otherwise known as pitching) to drive the action of your jig. Pitches can be whole turns

design of slow-pitch rods plays an important role in maximising the action of your slowly worked jig. To start with, slow-pitch rods tend to have very sensitive

A specialised slow-pitch rod like this NS Black Hole Pioneer SlowPitch jigging rod will really enhance and support your technique.

This sounder shot shows a perfect scenario for some slow jigging. Moving onto a reef with some large arches midway up is perfect for working a jig slowly.

is essential, as they need to be extremely springy to get the best action out of the jig. Essentially, when you pitch by turning the reel, the rod will load quickly even on the shortest of

Reef fish love the Kabura jigs, especially the new Yamashita Tai Kaburas with their interchangeable weighted heads. of the reel or quarter turns depending on the style and design of your jig. While jig design is important, the

Difficult fish like golden snapper respond well to slow-pitch jigs because this method is rarely fished.

tips with a slow tapered parabolic action. These rods will bend very deeply at the entire length, which

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Kabura style jigging is a great way to target big GT.

pitches. When you stop the retrieve the spring back of the rod will allow the jig to fall on the horizontal where it will flutter down and create a wicked action. The jig resembles a wounded or dying baitfish fleeing off the bottom before fluttering and darting back and forth to the bottom. Strikes occur mostly on the fall.

ROD While high-speed jigs rely on the angler to impart action, in slow-pitch jigging the rod does the majority of the work. For this reason, slow-pitch rods are rarely stronger than a PE4 rating, as they are not designed to really fight fish but solely to impart action on the jig. In fact,

it is recommended not to pump and wind on these rods and rather focus on using your reel to retrieve the fish. While it seems quite technical, slow-pitch jigging really isn’t that difficult, especially if you have the right gear for the job. While ordinary jig rods will provide some assistance to get those jigs

A good quality leader is vital to jigging success. FC Rock is soft enough to not take away from the action of the jig but tough enough to withstand heavy punishment from the abrasive mouths of fish.

Big goldens love slow fluttering jigs and are great fun to target using this method.

to dance, a specialised slow-pitch rod will get you the most out of your jigs. CHOOSING A JIG Jig design is also important when slow-pitch jigging. High-speed jigs tend to be quite slender and tapered allowing for maximum speed through the water. Slow-pitch jigs tend to be much wider and incorporate specific angler cuts from the centre of the jig. This is because the wider the jig, the better the flutter on the fall. Jigs such as

the Palms ZetZ Slow Blatt are my favourite for this style of jigging as they have an incredible flutter on the fall and most importantly fall very slowly. Even on the shortest of pitches they have an incredible action, which fish just can’t resist. Shorter skinnier jigs such as the Mariah Trickers are also very effective but are a little thinner, which means they will fall faster. THE REEL THING When it comes to reel choice for slow-

pitch jigging, both spin and overhead will work. I prefer an overhead reel as it keeps you in contact with the rod, and you don’t have to worry about flicking over or engaging bail arms. I find it is much easier to regulate the pitch levels as well using an overhead. Kabura jigging, which essentially uses a shaped jighead (often resembling an octopus or squid head) with skirts and plastic ties hanging out the bottom is To page 12

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From page 11

also an effective jigging method. Originating in Japan this style of jigging incorporates a slow style retrieve. Simply drop to the bottom and then use a slow steady retrieve with a wind or two of the reel before pausing. There is no need to flick or twitch the jig as the skirts and plastic ties flutter around and provide

all the attraction required. These jigs are dynamite on all species especially those tasty bottom dwellers like coral trout, snapper as well as pelagic fish as they can be worked right through the water column. I particularly love these jigs for coral trout as you can bank them on the bottom which gets their attention before you slowly work them upwards where

they are quickly smashed. KABURA CONTINUED Kabura style jigging is nothing new, and there are plenty of octo style jigs out there and some even incorporate a mix of both slow-pitch jig and Kabura style skirts and ties. Some Kabura jigs such as the Yamashita Tai Kabura jigs allow the angler to interchange weighted heads

Slow-pitching at night is awesome and a great way to target big predators such as jobfish.

without having to retie or re-rig. If you are keen to give both techniques a go, but are a little worried about where to try – don’t be. Just go to the same places you would fish with bait or soft plastics and give it a go. Both techniques will work over reef, rubble and even over bait schools. If you are chasing bottom dwelling species then work your

jigs close to the bottom. Alternatively, if you are fishing mid-water then work your jigs accordingly. The technique is the same, just remember – the slower the better. Slow-pitch or slow jigging is a terrific way to fish. Unlike high-speed jigging, you don’t have to bust your guts ripping lures through the water; it’s more

about using your brains and fishing gear to do the work. So if you are after a new approach that many fish have yet to see then give it a go. If you would like to view some informative footage around slow-pitch jigging techniques for both offshore and inshore scenarios check out the Fishing Downunder TV Website.

Coral trout are suckers for a slowly worked jig or plastic and this rarely used technique will see great results in hard fished areas.

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Longtails have come out to play BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Along the Queensland Coast and right up into the Gulf of Carpentaria, we are blessed with schools of tuna during late summer and into autumn. The main and most sought after species seen fairly close inshore is the northern bluefin or longtail tuna. The longtail is prized for its pale pink flesh sections so eagerly sought for sashimi. Tuna tackle needs to match the job at hand. Average fish are around 7-9kg (with larger ‘barrels ‘ always possible) yet a spin outfit consisting of a rod rated 6-10lb and a fast retrieve 3000 size reel with a smooth drag set up and at least 200m of 7kg braid or mono on it should do the job. Either a slug or plastic will work so long as the angler keeps calm. Fly tackle differs, but we’ll discuss more on this later. Longtail tuna give a great account of themselves on the line and are often regarded as milestone captures by anglers seeking them. BIRDS FIND THE FISH FIRST To catch tuna you must find them first. Birds are the clue and a flock of terns diving or flying around looking down intently are a certain sign that tuna are

around. Mackerel also attract these feathered fish finders, but when it’s tuna under the birds it’s common to see a back, a flash of silver or even a whole fish as it leaps in to harass the bait. Feeding tuna are very active fish and can often be

want you close too them. TACTICS FOR A CLOSE ENCOUNTER The best method is to work out which way the fish are going by standing off for a short while and assessing their direction of travel, with the plan to have the boat

A fly, plastic and slug. Note the relatively small size of all three. This is simply because tuna do eat a lot of small baitfish. seen working the surface from a considerable distance. Early morning is always best; the fish are hungry and with the surface usually calmer than later in the day, they can be detected more easily. Detecting tuna is one thing, getting close enough to cast a slug, a plastic or a fly is another altogether, and that’s what the crux of this style of fishing comes down to – approaching fish that do not, under any circumstances,

stationary in their path when they next surface to harass bait. This can only work if the angler is patient enough to give the fish a fair go and allow them to go about their business undisturbed for a couple of feeding sessions. It’s usual to see tuna surface, slash into bait for around 30 seconds, then sound to come up again on more bait about 100-200m further away. The trick is to observe patiently and see which way they are

moving, bearing in mind there is no accurate theory nor rule of thumb, but in general they will usually continue with the same pattern unless disturbed by a boat. Other anglers, of course, make this impossible if they move in for a crack at the fish, but if one is lucky enough to find a quiet area where there are no other boats close by, it’s certainly worth giving it a go. On the topic of other boats, my advice is once a couple of other boats start to work on a feeding school, give the area a flick and head up current and wait. Other boats with over eager crews can make tuna fishing very tough but we are all entitled to a crack at the fish, so there’s no point gnashing the teeth and saying cuss words. Sometimes fish that are hassled by boats roaring up to them will simply move up-current around 300-400m to get away from all the noise and disturbance and can turn up right where your boat is located. It’s also

Longtail battles usually go on for a while, particularly with fly gear, so it’s always a relief to get one to the boat.

Scott Kampe with a sweet eating longtail tuna taken on a slug.

Birds are the key to tuna fishing and the simple rule is that when birds are low the fish are high. When birds are high the fish are low.

worth noting that once the feeding pattern is cracked, it’s not that hard to get the boat into position and the rods ready to cast. LEAVE THE ENGINE RUNNING The second favoured method involves a very stealthy and cunning

approach and this is the one most favoured. Unfortunately our coastal tuna seem to be very switched on to the passage of a boat through the water so there’s a need to approach very quietly, very gently, to avoid hull slap or excessive engine or gear box noise in order to get within

casting range. It’s wise to cut the engine revs and just crawl in very slowly from around 80m away without splash or obvious hull disturbance. If the fish sound in the meantime, simply stop and see where they come up next of their own accord. Back to the first method. Curiously,

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once close enough for a shot the last thing that should be done is to cut the engine. When tuna have been tolerant enough to allow the boat to approach slowly, gently, and at idle they seem to get a fright if the engine stops. Something has changed and this worries them. Moving in close enough for a cast is easy enough with a 40g slug set up on light braid, a little more difficult

even better – mine all hold 300m of 50lb. An extra, extra, sneaky approach is required to deliver a fly as the limited casting distance is the issue. A fly needs to move rapidly to excite a feeding tuna so a small bait fish pattern – Surf Candy, Deciever, Clouser, all size 2/0 – cast into the mass of foam and fleeing bait fish should be retrieved back quick as possible and at the feel of a

the boat, the idea is to loosen the drag quite a bit and drive the boat off about 60-80m. This tactic will immediately disorientate the tuna and after another quick run or two, it won’t be long before he can be seen splashing on the surface, which is a sure sign he is losing the battle. It’s then time for the gaff or net and if the fish is to be taken for the table, the idea is

The author with a fly caught longtail tuna. with a plastic on a 1/2oz jighead, and very tricky with a fly where a 30m cast from a boat is a very big one indeed. FLY FISHING TIPS Fly fishing presents issues. For a start, the fly line is thick enough for the fish to be spooked by it as it delivers the fly into the melee, so a clear, intermediate sink rate, fly line linked to a 2m leader terminating in 7-8kg fluorocarbon tip section should excite the bite without upsetting the fish. Note that most tuna-seeking fly anglers use a 10wt fly outfit and set it up with a reel holding at least 200m of 50lb braid backing. More backing is

hook up the fly angler needs to have everything well under control so the fish can run unimpeded during its first gallop. Tuna cannot and will not be rushed to the boat. The first run is usually a scorcher, then comes lesser ones and some dogged stonewalling where the fish needs to be pumped every metre of the way back to the boat. Finally, the fish will attempt to circle under the boat, which, if it’s allowed to do so, will go on for hours. This is not good. The tuna is relaxing, those big pectoral fins making them very hard to lift upwards. As soon as the fish starts to try to circle under

to bleed it properly over the side before placing it into an ice slurry. IN THE KITCHEN Longtails are great eating so long as the chef selects the palest flesh, which should come off the fish in a long slab. When allowed to become really cool in ice and then cut across the grain into very thin slices, the sashimi you can get is absolutely delicious. More akin to ham than fish, it has a delicate flavour when combined with a little soy sauce and some wasabi and makes the early start, all the tricky approaches and failed attempts well worth the effort.

Scott and Denise Kampe admire a good-sized mac tuna, which are a common by-catch. MARCH 2016

Hervey Bay tuna hotspot HERVEY BAY

Mark Bargenquast

I caught my first big fish at 12 years old – a longtail tuna, caught on an old Abu Garcia Toby spoon and 12lb mono. I kept the fish frame in the family’s freezer to admire proudly until my mother threw it out! I’m sure I’m not the only angler that claimed tuna as their first big fish, and I can attest after 10 years of guiding in Hervey Bay, that tuna definitely win the most sought-after target. And why not? They grow big, fight hard (pound for pound they’re the toughest), and can be caught in a variety of ways. Longtail can be caught almost everywhere, from the continental shelf to right inshore and they’ve even been taken by barra netters

20km upstream from the mouth of the Mary River. Generally the open bays, especially Hervey Bay are where the action is, and we’ve caught longtails all year round. February and March are the prime months

to catch them in Hervey Bay, however the big schools can hang around until May, June and into September. They are often caught deep with live baits or on plastics as a by-catch while snapper fishing. The number one

A double hook-up on longtail is great fun for these two mates! tip is to find a bait school, a longtail definitely won’t be far away. I have caught longtails from the Gulf of Carpentaria right down to Moreton Bay, and I can confidently say the further south you go, the bigger they get. In October/November 25kg+ longtails are reasonably common – one of my clients, Neil Shepherd from Sydney, caught an enormous specimen estimated to be over 35kg in November 2011 on the flats near Roonies. If he had caught it on fly, he certainly would have achieved a world record. One point to remember is the run of larger fish in October/November are full of roe, so be a smart angler and release these breeders if you want future longtail fun – I know I do! Some of these bigger fish have millions of eggs, it would be a great shame to destroy them for the sake of a few fillets.

This is what a Hervey Bay longtail looks like!

Longtail are a real challenge on fly.

WARNING!

When on the lookout for longtails, search for birds, not the masses of birds that hang over mac tuna and bonito schools, rather you’ll find the bigger longtails under 2-6 birds out on their own. The bigger specimens are loners, especially on the flats and they cruise along at about 15 knots – these are fast fish. When you hook a longtail be ready for a tough fight, big runs, and powerful circles. The toughest fish are the ones that don’t run and just slug it out under the boat. Longtails fight to the end on lighter tackle, but they are easy to release – just spear them head first into the water. They are excellent to eat but I stress that they must be looked after, bled immediately and iced or they will go mushy and fall to bits. In Weipa we cut them into big steaks and coat them

in Masterfoods bush spice. One of my favourite dishes is longtail cooked like a rare steak and served on a bed of mashed potato. Longtails are a worthy opponent on fly tackle, and a good 10-12wt is ideal. You can use many different flies – just make sure you match the hatch. Spin tackle is the easiest to use, and a good 20-30lb outfit and a Daiwa 4000 sized reel is ideal. When the bigger specimens are about, I use my 4500 Saltiga with 40lb braid, matched to a Saltist PE4 rod to whack them quick smart! Lure selection is up to the individual, but 5” plastics on a 5/0-5/8 jighead are useful. From January-April they feed on garfish and flying fish at Wathumba, therefore a stickbait or popper will get the bite – it’s the most spectacular way to catch them.

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Sunnies: Put ’em on your face! NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Buying yourself a decent pair of polarising sunglasses is one of the best things you can do to not only improve your fishing, but also protect your eyes. Today, most anglers acknowledge the importance and value of wearing polarising sunglasses whenever they wet a line, at least during daylight hours. These glasses not only allow us to see through the surface glare, and provide a much better picture of what’s going on underwater,

they also give essential protection for our eyes from damaging ultraviolet radiation, flying fish hooks, stray rod tips and poking tree branches. Remember, we only get issued with one set of eyes for an entire lifetime, so it really pays to look after them! While you may be able to get by with a pair of cheap sunnies from the local service station or supermarket, this type of budget eyewear won’t perform anywhere near as well, nor last as long, as a pair of quality polarised sunglasses from a reputable maker. You wouldn’t (or shouldn’t!) rely on a $25

Sight fishing for species such as trout is heavily dependent on the use of quality sunglasses, but they are also invaluable to most other fishing styles, and provide essential protection for your eyes.

fishing reel to provide reliable, long-term service, so it’s a big mistake to expect the same from cheap sunnies. Spend a couple of hundred bucks (just as you would on a premium reel) and you’ll end up with a product that works extremely well and will serve you for many, many years — so long as you don’t drop them overboard or leave them on the seat of the car where they can be sat on! There are many great brands of fishing eyewear on the market these days. I make no secret about being a diehard Mako fan, but there are half a dozen other high profile makers who offer products of a similarly high standard. Shop around, ask questions, talk to your mates and seek out as many opinions as possible before choosing your glasses, and try to opt for a company that advertises fishing-specific models, rather than an ultra fashion-conscious (and ultra-expensive!) supplier catering primarily to the surfing, snow skiing or night clubbing fraternity. LENS LESSONS You can go with either glass or polycarbonate lenses. Glass is heavier, but also stronger, more resistant to scratching, and arguably a little better optically, although modern polycarbonate lenses from the top makers are very

good. You’ll need to take better care of them than glass, which means not cleaning your sunnies with the sleeve or tail of a grubby, gritty fishing shirt! Carry a proper lens cleaning cloth, keep it clean and use it regularly. Most makers offer a range of lens tints that provide differing levels of light transmission, contrast and colour enhancement for improved target separation. As a rule of thumb, yellowish lenses are best in low light conditions (dawn, dusk or under heavy overcast), while rose, copper, bronze and brown are great all-round colours, and especially well suited to freshwater and estuarine applications. Darker grey lenses are considered best for very bright conditions, tropical flats fishing and offshore work. But don’t take my word for it: try a VIDEO

Scan this code to learn a little more about picking the right sunnies.

The author would rather leave his favourite rod or reel at home than forget his sunnies! There are several excellent brands on the market. few variations and see what you prefer! If you wear prescription glasses in day-to-day life, you may also need to consider prescription sunglasses for fishing. These are even more expensive than the standard variety, but well worth the extra dollars. Better still, you may find that your private health insurance policy covers part or even all of the cost! Talk to your optometrist about

your options. If you don’t do so already, get into the habit of wearing polarising sunnies every single time you fish, and for goodness sake, get yourself a decent pair and keep those cheap and nasty ones as spares or loaners! If you’d like to find out more, scan the QR code accompanying this column and watch my short video clip. Tight lines!

These two images of a small whiting feeding in the shallows clearly demonstrate the immense difference a pair of quality polarising sunglasses can make to your fishing!

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Expand your options with the ‘other’ perfection loop BRISBANE

Kim Bain

Following on from last edition’s loop knot with the same name, this month we look at the other version of the perfection loop; this version is a completely different knot, with a completely different purpose. To tie the knot internationally known as a perfection loop, the knottier forms a loop with a second loop behind it, then the standing end is run between the two loops, and the second loop is passed through the first loop. Also known as the ‘angler’s loop’, this knot is used to form a loop in the end of a leader. That loop in the leader can then be attached to a tippet (thus creating a quick change loop-toloop connection for fly fishing) or the loop in the leader can be looped\ attached to an eyed-sinker (such as when tying up a bottom-basher paternoster dropper rig)

old the two loops in place and then H take another turn with the tag end around the line between the two loops, this time crossing on the topside of the second loop.

orm a loop at the end of the line F by passing the tag end behind the standing line. Hold the first loop between a finger and thumb.

VIDEO

4 Scan this QR code to see one of many possible versions of tying this the perfection loop.

orm a second loop by taking a turn F around the standing line with the tag end by wrapping the second turn round the finger and thumb.

old the tag end in place and H pass the second loop through the first loop, checking that the loop crosses over and traps the tag end. (If you are tying a large loop, such as in rope or cordage, you can reach through the first loop and grab the second loop in order to pull the second loop through the first loop).

ubricate and pull L the loop up until knot jams tight by pulling on the standing end and the ‘new’ loop. Trim the tag end.

Heavy leader loop knot, a.k.a. perfection loop ammendment

3-6

Push the tag end through the closest little loop in the cross-over of line (i.e the cross over that is tied to form the overhand loop).

FMG would like to issue an ammendment concerning an incorrect step last month in our knot tying segment. The correct step is shown here. The highlighted circle shows the error made in step 3 to step 6. We appologise for any inconvenience (and lost fish).

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National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo

4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo Australia’s premier fishing and 4X4 event, the National 4X4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo is returning once again to the Brisbane Showgrounds from 11-13 March, with the popular event set to attract hordes of outdoor enthusiasts again. The show will bring the latest and greatest in fishing, boating, outdoor and 4X4 products and accessories to Brisbane from the biggest names in the industry, including Allround Angler, Marine Tune, Motorsports Marine, Cunningham Marine, Noeby Fishing Tackle, Sea Trail Boat Trailers, Boating & RV, ARB, WAECO, Anaconda, Opposite Lock and Engel, to name just a few. Those who attend will be in outdoors paradise, with the 20,000m2 event dedicated to showcasing thousands of products to suit any outdoor adventure, whether it be fishing, boating, camping or 4X4. A highlight for keen anglers and boating enthusiasts

The Fishing Stage performances will be presented by Allround Angler and will cover all areas of fishing including where to fish, tackle to use, advice on what fish you can catch and where, plus question and answer sessions with your favourite fishing personalities. Australian cricketing legend Andrew Symonds will be a special guest at the National 4X4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo, and will share his love of the great outdoors with visitors on both the Fishing Stage and Engel Australia Cooking Stage. Andrew’s appearance will be exclusive to this show in 2016, so cricket fans out there ensure you don’t miss out on this rare experience. Fishing and boating reporter and television presenter Paul Burt will also join the line-up of special guests at the show, entertaining visitors on the Fishing Stage across the three days with tales from his many years of fishing and boating experience. For those who are keen to

appearances throughout the show, including John ‘Roothy’ Rooth, Shaun and Graham from 4WD Action, Rick and Jamie from The Off Road Adventure Show, Jase Andrews from All 4

to those who love the great Australian outdoors. All of the popular stages and interactive features will return to the show again this year, such as the WAECO Outback Stage, dedicated

something for everyone,” said event director, Paul Mathers. “The Show really does provide a fantastic family day out, with entertainment available for even the smallest children, with fun activities,

Huge crowds gathered at the 2015 event for a fun family day out with plenty for everyone.

will be extremely convenient and hassle-free with many different methods of travelling to the Brisbane Showgrounds available during the event. Buy your tickets online now to take advantage of the free train travel to the show, throughout the entire metropolitan rail network. Simply catch the train from your local suburban station and travel for free by showing your pre-purchased ticket. For those who would like to drive, there will be many access points and parking options available at the Brisbane Showgrounds. Tickets are now on sale to this premier outdoors event, at $18 for adults or $30 for a two-day pass, $13 for pensioners, and children under 15 years of age can enter for free! Make sure you don’t miss out on the must-attend fishing, boating, outdoors and 4x4 event of 2016. Visit www.4x4show. com.au/BRI to secure your ticket today. As an added bonus, QFM readers can purchase

NATIONAL 4X4 OUTDOORS SHOW, FISHING & BOATING EXPO Date.........................Friday 11 March – Sunday 13 March 2016 Location..................Brisbane Showgrounds Opening Hours...... Friday 9am-6pm , Saturday 9am-6pm , Sunday 9am-5pm Tickets.....................www.4x4show.com.au/BRI Cost......................... Adults $18  (Two-day pass $30),  Pensioners $13,  Kids under fifteen enter for free.  Discount code....... Enter the code ‘TACKLE’ at checkout for adult discounted tickets.

A large range of boats are on offer for you to compare and maybe even help you decide on your next big purchase… will be the wide range of special guests and entertainment on the Fishing Stage across the three days, including Steve ‘Starlo’ Starling from Channel 10’s Off Road Adventure Show and his wife Jo Starling.

see how to cook your catch, Paul will also feature on the Engel Australia Cooking Stage, demonstrating how to fillet a catch. Other favourite industry experts will also make

Plenty of celebrities turn up for the show – last year we had Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt on board at the Engel Australia Cooking Stage. He’ll be back for this year’s expo! 22

MARCH 2016

Adventure and Peter ‘Spida’ and Sheree Everitt from The Great Australian Doorstep. Each special guest has their own unique, exciting and interesting stories to share, and can provide fantastic advice

Eagers Holden Colorado Proving Ground, Action Arena and The Engel Australia Cooking Stage. “After the fantastic success of our Melbourne event in 2015, we are extremely thrilled to be bringing the National 4X4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo back to Brisbane again in 2016. We believe this event truly caters to the interests and needs of fishing, boating, 4X4, camping and outdoor enthusiasts in Australia. With such a wide range of exhibitors, various show features and dedicated stages, which are always popular among our guests, there is

The All 4 Adventure team had a ball last year.

and plenty of excitement, noise and movement to keep all ages amused at the Action Arena. We constantly look at new ways to improve the National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo, and respond to the needs of our valued visitors and exhibitors. We are always working to have the most up-to-date products, best exhibitors and plenty of action, entertainment and educational sessions to ensure there is something to keep everyone busy at the Show. The 2016 Show will certainly not be one to miss!” The primarily indoors venue will ensure visitors are protected from the elements, and commuting to the show

their tickets to the National 4X4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo for adult discounted price, by entering the code ‘TACKLE’ at checkout. Plus, those visitors who plan ahead and purchase tickets online will automatically be entered into the draw to win a WAECO CFX-95DZ2 Fridge/Freezer and appropriate cover, valued at over $2,000 – the perfect accessory for your next fishing, 4X4 or camping trip. For more information about the 2016 National 4X4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo, please visit w w w. 4 x 4 s h o w. c o m . a u . – National 4X4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo

Heaps of demos are available, so you not only get all the information on 4X4-ing but also a visual display!

Predators are hot on the March ILUKA

Ben Pilch bjpcdh@gmail.com

Outside, the fishing has been firing with mackerel still getting around in numbers when the swell plays the game, and trolling has been the best way to get into a few. The translucent pink squid with glitter in them have been the best producing lures on the mackerel. There has been the odd cobia getting around on the inshore reefs but not as many as in previous months. If you want to target them, livies would be the best bet, but make sure you come prepared with some heavier gear. The black tip sharks in Shark Bay have still been plentiful if you like a bit of flake. These black tip sharks are great for getting kids into fishing, so if you want to get out and have some fun with the kids, drag the boat down to Shark Bay. In the river, whiting have been a bit slow, but flathead and muddies have been around in good numbers. If you do want to

try for some whiting, night time fishing around the new moon using nippers and live worms on a run-out tide on any of the sand flats in the lower river is your best bet. On the flathead side of things, the majority of the action will still be in the

bottom end of the river. Bright coloured plastics and blades are your best bet with chartreuse being my all time favourite colour to chase a feed of flatties. The muddies are very active, and any of the offshoots of the lakes like Woolaweyah in Yamba or

Curtis Parkes with a chunky 51cm midday Clarence River bass.

the Broad Water up past Maclean will be good places to rustle up a feed of crabs. Remember to keep a close eye on your pots as we share the water with plenty of light-fingered people that are not happy with just taking your crabs, but also love to take your pots as well, which can make for an expensive outing. Upriver, the bass fishing has been very good to say the least. Night time surface sessions have been crazy with larger lures in the 70-90mm range attracting many quality fish. During the day, slow rolling 4” plastics rigged weedless around the snags has been working a treat as the sun gets high in the sky. If the water has had colour in it due to the rain, a bit of flash and shine with a spinnerbait has made a great difference in enticing a bite. With the onset of March, it’s time to dust the land-based game gear off and make sure everything is in working order, as we are hitting the prime time of the year to get out and chase those pelagic speedsters off the stones.

Nathan Barratt with a brace of quality Moreton Bay snapper caught late at night.

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Clarence family fishing ILUKA

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Holy barnacles it’s been hot in Iluka the last few weeks! Local temperatures have soared into the mid-30s on many days with some hectic afternoon storms. Local fishing in the river has been slow to steady with some nice whiting taken, especially around Freeburn Island on sand banks with worms and poppers. Lots of smaller bream are around, but some nice size has been taken off the main wall and beaches especially in Shark Bay with fish up to

45cm taken on squid. The flathead have been elusive up this end of the river, but a few nice fish have been caught around Collis Wall and around the back of Palmers Island. There have been some nice luderick found at the Bluff such as Graham Moore’s 1kg fish on the 29 January. The Old Ferry crossing has seen a few nice catches as well. The spotty mackerel have made a few appearances, with bag limits made at Woody Head. Young Cooper Mulcahy brought his 2.7kg fish in for a weigh-in on the 28 January, way to go Cooper! Tailor have been caught in the river and

off the beaches with some good patches but can be sporadic. A nice 2.2kg fish was weighed not too long ago from Jerusalem Creek. The Tuna should start to make more of an appearance soon. A very nice size Spanish mackerel was seen caught off the wall a couple of weeks ago. There are still a few mulloway around 75-100cm size caught on squid, octopus and hardbodies. Doug Marshal weighed in a 19.5kg mulloway on 14 January caught at the Bluff on a hardbody lure. Make sure you check your Almanac for the best moon and tide times.

Get the kids out there and they’ll have a ball catching all sorts of species, like this little spotty mackerel.

Fishing can be a fantastic family day out. Check out this solid mulloway causing great smiles all round! MARCH 2016

Preparation the key to unlocking quality catches BALLINA

Joe Allan

The Richmond River has fished well over the last month. The fresh water stirred up most of the species in the lower reaches. The long hot days and humid evenings have prompted some explosive surface fishing. If you want to chase some bream try the Pimlico Island flats with a walkthe-dog style lure. Atomic K9 Walkers in the new Rock Crab colour have been

dynamite. If you’re after a feed of whiting, try the flats across from the town centre around the RSL club or the weed beds around North Creek. Make sure you have something rigged for a good-size flathead as you may come across some good fish and be able to sight cast at them in the shallows. The mud crabs have been a bit quiet of late as there is a little too much fresh in the system. The rock walls along the town stretch and up Emigrant Creek have produced good numbers of quality bream

on light crankbaits with the Atomic Crank 38 the stand out performer. You will come across a few of our red friends, the mighty mangrove jack, so be prepared to either beef up your gear or go back to the tackle shop with your wallet. They say if you’re not losing lures, you’re not having fun. There are some good numbers of bream caught

off the beaches; the dart and tailor however, have been a little quiet. Try the gutters around Boundary Creek along South Ballina for some good size flathead. Blades, slugs and heavy soft plastics will do the trick if you can’t come across fresh bait. Offshore there have been some quality snapper on the 32 fathoms as well as some good size

Adrian Melchior with a bream caught on the new Rock Crab Atomic Crank 38.

Josh Carter with a cracking snapper on a Jerk Minnow soft plastic.

Zac Skyring with a bream on the new Megabass Flying-X.

trag. The mahimahi have been very consistent off the FADs, however since mid-December the mackerel have defied expectations and are all over the place. One day they are swimming around Black Head and the next at Riodens Reef. The upper reaches of the river have been hit and

miss for bass. A big influx of fresh from the Tatham arm has dirtied up the junction at Coraki. Chatter baits, spinner baits and dark coloured loud crankbaits around the drains and creek mouths are your best bet to find some good fish. The fish will start to get active again once the water starts to clear up.

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The north and south walls have seen some epic action. I’ve started fishing the end of the Fingal wall casting into either the surf side or the river. Last time I was out there I used plastics, chicken and a big popper, but I was late to the party and missed out on the best spot, which in my opinion is right out the end on the river side. KINGFISH Two regular anglers used pillies and got stuck into the chopper tailor, when all of a sudden there was a huge commotion as one of the boys hooked what looked like a metre plus mulloway. A beautiful specimen, it’s pink stripe glistened in the morning sunlight, however, panic set in as the fisher only had 15lb mono on – he was in a little dilemma. It was way too dangerous to climb down there so he ever so gently tried to lift the fish up; a big wave came

What a wonderful place to be – fish or no fish, it’s magic! through and snapped the line. I learnt a lesson there – buy a rope gaff. In addition to mulloway, the rock walls seem to have attracted some bigger predators and big yellowtail kings have been caught. Although there is no consistency with kingfish fishing, they are there alongside some decent spotted trevally. Bream have slowed right down on the walls – I’d

never eat a bream but I’ve noticed the fishers that do, have disappeared from the walls and have moved up river to fish for them from Drydock Road in front of the cadet school, at the Maritime Museum Bridge. FLATHEAD Last month I was the lizard king, this month I’m a burger king – I haven’t caught a decent lizard for a while. The good news is they are around,

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just avoiding me. They have been caught up the Cobaki and Terranora arms of the river, but for a tastier, fresher table fish, the water out near the seaway is much clearer and at this time of year that’s where the big girls go. A super spot to target these fish is close to where the waves stop breaking on the Fingal side of the river. There’s a deep hole with the remains of a barge wreck on the bottom, I fished it one day on the high tide and I could actually see several big flathead lying on the ribs of the wreck. To fish this spot you’ll need a boat and a good sounder. I suggest on the high tide with a pair of polarised sunnies to make your fishing experience that much more memorable – without them I’d never have spotted those fish. I recently got a pair of the new Tonic Splice sunnies, which have made fishing very enjoyable. Whiting are in great condition and live nippers still do the job. Catch whiting in shallow water around or on top of weed banks. Opposite Drydock Road there is an array of sandbanks to pump for nippers on the low tide.

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Topwater explosion GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn

This month we’re set for explosive topwater action! Mangrove jack fire around this time of the year, smashing baitfish on the surface! Not only will jacks be on the list, but flathead, bream, whiting, painted sweetlip and trevally will also be biting. The best time for topwater jack fishing will vary depending on tides and the amount of bait, but the best time will range from early morning around 4-7am and late afternoon around 4-7pm. Any lure that sprays a lot of water forward and makes noise will catch a jack’s attention. Occasional, random pauses throughout the retrieve will be effective, particularly when you cast your lures close to likely structure including jetties, rock walls, trees (natural structure) and especially retaining walls. There’s been great signs of flathead throughout most of our large river systems, especially the Logan River, which has been producing some solid models. A lure I will strongly recommend will be a 3” shrimp style soft plastic in a natural colour, and I fish these around mangrove-lined banks and drop-offs. Cast as close as you can to the structure and don’t be surprised to see some line burning from a decent jack! Trevally fishing is exceptional around this time of the year, mainly in the Broadwater and Jumpinpin, and in the canals. The seaway is another trevally sanctuary, and both surface fishing and burning plastics will work well, but there are times when micro-jigs are effective near the bottom. The top of the high tide, the bottom of the low and also the first part of the change of tides is perfect. If you find a heap of bait, stick to them

because the trevs won’t be too far away. A few weeks ago a mate and I had some 60cm+ GT smashing up bait 100m off North Wavebreak Island wall. Prawns are starting to show up and also continuing to school up through most large river systems. Without doubt the Logan River is

bring on the afternoon bite. Fishing rock walls after a hot day will be a good option as the heat will still be stored in the rocks on dusk. For the bait anglers, live bait is a great option, especially at nighttime around bridges. Mangrove jack, trevally, flathead and the

This 60cm flathead was taken fishing a tight inlet off the Logan River. most anglers ‘go-to’ system. Our last few seasons have been very successful with people filling bags in no time. Sounding prawns up would definitely be a great idea. They show up on the sounder like soft mud, in other words the bottom is slightly thicker. Rarely they will show up mid water, usually the stuff in there is baitfish. Over the next month we will continue to see expected showers throughout the day and temperatures slowly creeping down. We will still have hot days, which will

odd mulloway will be keen to scuff down a live mullet, herring, prawn or yakka if you can get your hands on some. Failing that, dead pilchards are always a good bait for just about anything. In conclusion, March is a fantastic month for a mixture of summer species with a taste of our winter fish! One tip I will share and one to remember through all of your fishing is to stay confident and persist. If you aren’t confident in what you’re using, change up or move spots. Catch you on the water!

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This is what you want to see! This was captured while fishing the north wall, and is most likely schooling tailor or trevally. MARCH 2016

Wet weather gets the mangrove jack fired up GOLD COAST

Danny Sands

After a great start to the pelagic season, a big low pressure has moved over New South Wales. This system has generated a lot of hot northerly winds, turning the water to a cool green colour and making fishing tough. The cooler green water off the Gold Coast has really made an impact on the mackerel fishing in February, so hopefully we see big southerly blows in March, which will improve the fishing.

don’t have downriggers but a simple rig like a size 8 or 12 snapper lead tied to your line with a rubber band about 4m from your live bait is easily homemade. This acts like a downrigger, and works extremely well to keep your baits deep in the water column. Another technique that works well in March is to anchor up and float line pilchards down a berley trail. Quite often you will pick up a few snapper as well. Places like the Diamond Reef and the 18-fathom Reef off Southport and the Focus Reef off Surfers Paradise are worth a look this month. If the water quality improves don’t

wahoo. Bottom bouncing often gets over looked due to the mackerel fishing. The close reefs off Southport can be very rewarding this month with good numbers of snapper. Floatline pilchards down a consistent berley trail to get a feed of these tasty red fish. INSHORE Hot humid days and late afternoon storms have fired up the mangrove jack. March is a great month to target them, and any technique will work. Cast poppers in low light conditions, slow roll plastics under jetties in the daytime, or soak live and dead baits at night. All the

and canal wrigglers have produced elbow slappers up to the low 40cm mark. An even more exciting tactic is to catch whiting on poppers. Bassday Sugapen and the Atomic Hardz K9 walker have worked well for me, but conditions are more

important and have to be right to catch whiting. Clean smooth water will often get a few followers chasing your lure, but windy and dirty water will get the numbers. Try the sandbanks behind the Tweed Heads golf course, it has great fishing on offer

from the bank as well as from a boat. Coombabah Creek is a standout whiting hot spot where poppers dominate. Mud crabs will be on the move after the February storms. Try to work your pots on the big tides, usually the first of the run-in is the most

Paul’s smile says it all after catching this mangrove jack on a soft plastic.

This mahimahi couldn’t resist a Black Snack lure. Most of the mackerel action has taken place in areas like the Nine Mile and the Fidos off the Tweed, as this water condition has been favourable to the razor gang. Slow trolling live and dead bonito, and slimy mackerel on downriggers have out-fished all other technique. This trend will continue through March as the mackerel get a bit nervous with the boat traffic they tend to hold deep in the water column. Most fishers

rule out spotty mackerel on the close reefs. Palm Beach, Mermaid and the bait grounds southeast of the Seaway are excellent places to get a feed. The wahoo numbers will increase on the Nine Mile. Troll Hex Heads and Halco Laser Pros at speed to get a few. Another effective technique is to troll small live tuna and bonito. I like to give all my hooks a touch up with a Diamond hook sharpener when I target

river systems from the Tweed to the Coomera River have a healthy population of these great fish. A lot of anglers practice a catch and release policy, which continues the success of the area, however, there is nothing wrong with keeping a couple for a feed. The whiting in the Nerang River have been in big numbers around the Council Chambers. Fishing the week before and after the full moon with bloodworms

A simple snapper lead tied with a rubber band is a cheap but effective way to downrig for mackerel.

productive; load up with chicken frames and mullet. If we get any more rain try setting your pots in the deeper holes in front of any creek mouths or river system. HINZE DAM Hinze dam has fished well for some big trophy bass and saratoga. Reports are sending anglers to the timbers in the western arm with great results. Cicada profile surface lures and cup face poppers cast tight into the timbers have worked well first thing in the morning. As the sun gets high in the sky, slow roll spinnerbaits along weed edges for some big fat trophy bass. Overall, there are still plenty of options if those pesky northerlies still blow. How good is the Gold Coast?

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Still a chance for big pelagics GOLD COAST

David Green

We’ve just entered the first of the transition months on the Gold Coast, and although summer may not have been everything we thought it’d be, March is set to be a cracker. OFFSHORE GROUNDS The fishing on the offshore grounds this summer has been quite disappointing. While there have been a few black marlin on the inshore grounds, the catch rate compared to the last few seasons has been less than half of what is usually expected. Blue marlin fishing out wide of the continental shelf has been hampered by strong northerly current and the fish have often been holding deep down. There have been quite a few mahimahi and some nice wahoo, but in general it has been a slow billfish season, quite below our earlier expectations. Hopefully this month, things should pick up as the current slows down. In general, March is a good month to chase blue marlin, wahoo and mackerel. Out on the wide grounds the best blue marlin fishing in March generally takes place in depths between 200-350m. I

like to fish the more northern grounds in March if there is a northerly wind forecast, and the more southern grounds like the Kink and the Tweed Canyons in a southerly wind period. Standard 37kg tackle is the best way to target these magnificent fish. There are generally big schools of striped tuna around in March and the blue marlin are usually close in attendance. On the inshore grounds, a cold green current shut down the mackerel fishing in early February and the water temperature dropped to 19°C. By March the southeasterly airstream should have pushed warm water well inshore and both Spanish and spotted mackerel should be biting aggressively on spots like Mermaid and Palm Beach reefs and the Gravel Patch east of Burleigh Heads. Trolling hardbodied lures like the Halco Laser Pro 160 and 190 can be effective at times. When the fish are deep, trolling live baits from a downrigger is generally the most effective strategy to get a bite. Live slimy mackerel are deadly when trolled at a deep level. Spinning with metal lures is another very effective method. Most of the time the mackerel can be seen on the sounder

where they usually school up in vertical stacks over the top of pinnacles. Wahoo are another good target species to chase in March. There have been a

few caught in the early part of the season as by-catch when marlin fishing, and it is quite likely that they will increase in numbers this month. Most years the best months for

Connor Frendin with a nice whiting that he caught in Coombabah Creek.

Mark Frendin with a wahoo on a Hex Head.

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Other good methods include slow trolling live tuna, trolling hardbodied lures or using a mixed spread of both skirted lures and hardbodied minnows trolled at around 7 knots. I use 49-strand cable wire on all my wahoo lures. This month there should be a few good sized wahoo over 20kg turning up on grounds such as the 24 and 36 fathom line off Southport, the Tweed Nine Mile and the Mud Hole east of the Tweed bar. If the current on the offshore grounds drops a little the bottom fishing should improve this month. Despite the warm water, some of the local charter boats have had quite good catches of snapper throughout the summer months on the 36 and 42 fathom lines, as well as catching a few parrot fish and pearl perch. This month should see and improvement in catches for the bottom fishing angler. BROADWATER AND RIVERS The water temperature in the estuaries generally starts to drop a little in late March and there is a lot of activity in the rivers, particularly if there is substantial rain. This year, despite it being warm, flathead fishing has been surprisingly good with lots of big fish up to 90cm turning up. A lot of these have been caught on the shallow edges on the last of the run-in tide.

Target species for March in the estuaries include mangrove jack, whiting, mulloway and flathead. In March a lot of the mangrove jack start to move towards the river entrances and quite a few are caught around the rocks near the end of the

north wall of the Seaway. These fish are usually caught on small live baits fished close to the bottom. Further upstream popper fishing early in the morning can be very productive at times and can produce trevally and tailor.

Casting soft plastics around the edges of pontoons is also a quite effective strategy, particularly in daylight hours. Whiting fishing in March is generally very good. Small soldier crabs, blood worms, shrimp and yabbies all work well. The Nerang River, Coombabah Creek and the Pimpama River are all productive spots. Working poppers and small clear stick baits over the flats is another effective strategy when the

fish are feeding on prawns. A lot of nice sized whiting over 35cm are caught in March. When popper fishing a bit of wind definitely seems to help and cloudy water often gets the fish actively chasing the lures. Mulloway fishing can be very good in March around the Jumpinpin Bar. Live pike are probably the best bait available and can be caught around the weed beds back near Tipplers Island and in

the Jumpinpin lagoons. Soft plastics fished deep on the tide changes can also be effective, there are generally a lot of smaller fish smaller than 75cm caught in March. Overall, March is a good month to fish the Gold Coast. While the offshore game fishing has been quite slow this summer, it may improve this month and there are plenty of good opportunities in the estuaries and on the inshore grounds.

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MARCH 2016

Running of the prawns JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

The fishing during March should see a mixed bag of all our favourite Jumpinpin species on the bite, usually during spectacular weather. The banana prawns should be running along the Main Channel, which stretches from Jacobs Well all the way to Macleay Island. The trick is to find them using your sounder and then produce cast after cast with your net until you get enough. Remember the bag limit is 10L per person. The Pin is known for an abundance of bream and are probably the easiest of all the Pin species to catch. A light to medium outfit with a running ball sinker to a swivel, and about 60cm mono trace to a 1/0 bait holder hook and you are all set to find the bream. This set up will pretty much catch every other species of fish at the Pin as well; the only thing you have to change

is the bait and location to match the particular fish you are chasing. Try to target structure, as bream are rarely out in open water with no cover. Berley up to improve your chance of getting the fish feeding – when they do the bigger fish move in for an easy meal. The pick of the spots to try this month are along the bottom of Kangaroo Island, along the western side of Short Island, the Stockyards the Powerlines and Little Rocky Point. For lure fishers, neutral coloured vibes, 2.5” grubs and imitation prawns have worked well around these spots as well. March is a great month to chase whiting on the sand flats along Slipping Sands, Cobby Passage, the Gold Bank, Tipplers Island, Fishermans Channel and out the front of Browns Bay. The same simple fishing rig applies when fishing for whiting, just change the hook to a No 6 bloodworm hook with worms as bait and you’re good to go. Look for channels

NO JOB TOO BIG

with fast moving water that funnels along the banks. The whiting will school facing into the tide, and forage along the bottom. They can’t resist worm or yabbies however; prawns, squid and pipis will all work as well. Chopper tailor can usually be found out near the bar most of the year. They love chasing schools of whitebait through the bar and can easily be found by keeping an eye out for birds diving and feeding. Try to use lures that mimic whitebait, like small slugs or plastics but beware, tailor have razor sharp teeth and will make short work out of your soft plastics. It’s usually a good idea to use a wire

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Nothing beats a feed of fresh banana prawns. trace or a heavier mono trace about 20lb to avoid being bitten off.

Flathead is responding to bait and lures. They can’t resist live mullet, herring or

gar – if you can get your hands on some. Pilchard and whitebait are a favourite as

well. Troll shallow diving lures around weed banks or work the edges with plastics to get you a few flatties on your next trip. Try around the top of Crusoe Island, the Stockyards, Oak Island, the mouth of the Logan and the Panndannus weed banks. Outside the bar there should still be some pelagics hanging about as they move north along the coast to warmer waters. Marlin, mackerel, wahoo, tuna and mahimahi should be available, and you’ll catch most of these near the surface so be sure to keep an eye out for any activity. Keep an eye on the sounder and check for balls of bait and you’ll find the pelagics won’t be too far away. • Thanks for all your reports and keep those fish coming in. If you’d like any advice or up to date fishing information drop us a line at Gem Bait & Tackle on (07) 3287 3868 or email gembait@tpg.com.au.

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Go shallow before winter sets in SOUTHERN BAY

Nabeel Issa

Now that the year is well and truly in full swing and the holidays are done and dusted, the fish have had a bit of peace and quiet!

should carry on through into March. The bigger fish, as usual, have been coming from deeper water with Harry Atkinson Artificial and Peel Island Artificial reefs being the common suspects. The bigger fish have

can get a good drift. I like using lightly weighted soft plastics in the 2-3” size. Drift with the wind and use it to help cast as far as possible. The fish in the shallows are very spooky, so trying to get your lure as far away from

Good-sized bream like this are around in solid numbers at the moment. Danh Duong caught this fish on a paddle-tail soft plastic with some added scent for good measure! The mackerel mayhem that was prolific through the summer has started to slow, with only small schools showing their faces. They were really out in force over the past few months with some truly massive schools terrorizing the Moreton Bay baitfish population! SNAPPER After what has been a relatively slow summer for snapper, there has been some good fish caught over the past month, which

been falling victim to soft plastics and blades fished tight to the bottom. If you’re after quantity (and a lot of fun) I have been spending a bit of time targeting the snapper and grassy sweetlip in the shallow water. While we have lost more than we would have liked, it is seriously good fun and a great way to pick up a feed of fish. Just look for an area with shallow reef, (if you can see the bottom, you’re in the right spot) and position the boat so that you

trade-off between fishing light line to get the bites, and heavy line to land the fish. All I do is just wind as fast as I can and try to keep the fish off the reef! MULLOWAY As it is with this time of the year, the mulloway are quite sporadic. There have been a few caught over the last month, but not with any great regularity. I have noticed from previous experience that at this time of the year they tend to move very quickly. Quite often you can see them on the sounder and then as soon as you get in position to cast, they are gone. If you are determined to catch one, the Peel Island artificial is the best bet. I have seen schools here over the past month, but catching them is another story! Try to use heavier lures such as micro-jigs in the 30-40g range, as these will get down to the fish quicker and help you put it in front of their face before they move on! BREAM The bream around the Bay Islands have been plentiful over the past month. There have been plenty of good reports

Nick Whyte with a nice sized snapper caught on a paddle-tail soft plastic. Nick is a staunch advocate for using your sounder and pays a lot of attention to what the screen is telling him.

the boat as possible can increase your chances. The most important part of the retrieve is the initial sink, as this is when the majority of the bites will come, so you need to be very attentive to watch for the take. If that doesn’t work, I like to work the lure erratically with some fast twitches followed by a slow sink. Again, most bites will come as the lure is dropping. Hooking the fish is the easy part, landing them is a different story! It’s a tight

Brenden Whyte got this big painted sweetlip while targeting snapper. They’re not the most welcomed by-catch, but they certainly pull hard! rolling in of hungry bream swarming the shallows and it doesn’t seem to matter what lure or bait you are throwing! Crankbaits, soft plastics and surface lures are all claiming their fair share. The biggest key is to target the shallows that have some wind on them. The rippled water provides cover for the fish and makes them 36

MARCH 2016

feed far more aggressively. The wind will also help you put out long casts to cover more water. Finding structure such as weed beds or mangroves will also put you in the right areas. They are a great option when the weather isn’t so nice to venture out far! Get out and into them if you get the chance, I always find that winter

tends to slow things down a bit in the Southern Bay. One thing to note is that there are a lot of longtail tuna in the northern bay, fingers-crossed they move in the southern bay soon. As always, if you have a picture or a report you would like to share, send it through to nabs12@gmail. com and I will do my best to get in in the magazine!

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Mackerel malarkey on the coast BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

The warmer months have produced quality-fishing action in Moreton Bay and through the estuaries. Species such as school and spotted mackerel, longtail tuna, threadfin salmon, and mangrove jack are regularly the talk of successful anglers. Crabs and prawns are an added bonus for those who target them and many have enjoyed a seafood bounty after a successful day on the water. Let’s explore just a few of the possibilities. LONGTAIL TUNA So far it has been a great season for longtails with decent numbers of large specimens on offer. The amount of 15kg+ fish that have been hooked yet not always landed is surprising. Those anglers that fish with tackle 10kg or lighter are in for quite a fight with fish of this size, and can expect to spend in excess of an hour on the more stubborn specimens. I managed to get among a few quality longtails this summer and consider myself lucky to convert the majority, however I did lose a few due to pulled hooks and the ever present sharks, usually bullies who wait until the tuna is nearly exhausted before mowing it down. Longtails have responded to a broad array of offerings, tempted with chromed slugs and slices, jighead rigged jerkshad style plastics, stickbaits (such as Duel Adagio and Bassday Bungy Cast) and on occasion pencil poppers. I have caught most of mine on Maria Mucho Lucir but have also scored a few on the Nomad Mad Scad 42g and Duo Press Bait Saira. At times the longtails have been exceptionally easy to approach and will

attack almost anything cast at them, however plenty of anglers, including myself, have had a lot of difficulty getting among them when they’ve been flighty and fussy. The area between Mud Island, the Measured Mile and The Four Beacons has been my honey hole, however

A few trophy longtail tuna have hit the decks over the last few months. Good numbers of these should continue well into May. reports have filtered in from all corners of the bay. The area around Peel Island, the Banana Banks, Naval Reserve Banks, Shipping Channels, Middle Bank, Pearl Channel and numerous other locales have held longtails at various times. The MarchApril period is usually a good time for anglers who chase longtail tuna.

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The area along the front of Bribie Island often fishes well during this period and anglers have found fish very close to the beach. Gilligans Island, out from Scarborough Reef and the mouth of the Pumicestone Passage often produce good numbers of longtail tuna, especially

07 3353 1928

towards the top of the tide and the start of the run-out. However, longtails are generally where you find them, so going on a tourde-bay is often required to find some serious action. While longtails are a great sportfish, they are also excellent table fare when lightly cooked and consumed immediately. MACKEREL We had a fantastic spottie season this year after poor catches during the past few years within Moreton Bay. Spotted mackerel numbers were spread through the bay, however plenty managed to fill their bag (five spotted mackerel over 60cm each in length) in the waters between The Four Beacons and the Banana Banks. With a green zone smack bang in the middle of The Paddock, anglers needed to wait until the mackerel moved out of the zone to have a crack at them. When a bust up occurred, I witnessed up to a dozen boats race towards the commotion, trying to get there and have a cast before

the action subsided. It was quite comical to watch at times, with tinnies, half cabs, bay cruisers and even game boats all trying to get into them. I chose to avoid these situations and simply travelled until I found another school that I could approach without getting mowed down by other boats. This generally didn’t take too long and I regularly found spotties around the northern boundary of the Paddock green zone, between Mud and the Measured Mile and around Middle Bank. The area around Peel Island also held decent numbers of quality spotted mackerel, especially towards the top of the tide early in the morning or late afternoon. Most used metal slugs of some variety to catch their mackerel, including me, however plenty of other offerings were also put to work, especially jighead rigged jerk-shad style plastics. A chromed or coloured metal slice is very cost efficient and works a treat when retrieved flat stick. Popular lures include the Halco Twisty, Spanyid Raider, Javelin Lazer, Samaki Flash, Gillies Baitfish and River2Sea Sea Rock, however a broad array will produce. Reels that can return in excess of a metre of line per turn of the handle will generally make the job of chasing mackerel a lot easier. You generally can’t wind too fast for these silver speedsters and as long as your slug stays under the water surface, then the fastest retrieve you can do will generally produce the goods. The surface feeding schools will be somewhat limited during March however you should still be able to seduce a few mackerel into the esky. Drift with baits such as pilchards, live yakkas, slimy mackerel, and pike are generally successful. Around the margins of the Bay Islands, the Harry Atkinson and Foul Ground, The Measured Mile and the beacons along the main shipping channels are all good places to try. Use a minimal of lead and rig your pilchards nice and straight so that they drift on the current instead of spinning and you will likely attract any mackerel within the area. Add a little berley, such as cut slices of pilchard, and your chances will be heightened considerably. By-catch can include snapper, sharks, longtail tuna, yellowtail kingfish and others. Trolling with spoons (such as Halco No.3 Barra Drone)

The average spotted mackerel has not been much over the 60cm minimum size but they have been plentiful and all taste great. behind a paravane is a great way to cover a degree of water in your search. Other good offerings for trolling can include bibbed minnow lures and small blades. With decent numbers of tuna and mackerel around during March it is definitely worth having a spin rod readyrigged with a metal slice when transiting through Moreton Bay. SNAPPER Although some believe that the warmer months are no good for snapper, these fish are still a serious target. Although their numbers are less than the cooler months, the quality definitely makes up for this. Plenty of 70cm+ models, quite a few 80cm+ specimens and even an occasional knobby exceeding 90cm have been subdued. The usual haunts such as The Harry Atkinson, Bay Island margins, Peel Artificial, Curtain Artificial, Scarborough Reef and the numerous wrecks around the bay have all produced quality fish on both baits and lures. Quality baits, especially small live baits such as yakkas, pike, squid, fresh banana prawns and slimy mackerel are most likely to produce those trophy fish, however even baits such as the humble pilchard and pre-frozen squid can produce. Good quality fillet baits from pike, mullet, yakkas, slimy mackerel, tuna and bonito are also

prime offerings. With the abundance of prawns around during March, whole banana prawns fished close to the bottom with a minimum of lead can be prime bait. Some anglers fish their banana prawns on jigheads (the same as you would pin your soft plastics on), which give a great presentation when drifting. Good lure presentations can include soft vibration baits, soft plastics (including curl-tails, ripple tails, jerk shads, paddle tails, T-tails and prawn profiles), blades, minnow lures and micro jigs. However, anglers are constantly finding more offerings that are acceptable to snapper. Get your presentation in front of the snapper and work it well, this is usually the hardest part of the equation as they will commonly pounce on anything they come across. Don’t think that you need to fish your offerings right on the bottom, as the better quality snapper will generally rise up through the water column in their search for baitfish such as whitebait, hardiheads, frogmouths and gar as well as squid and prawns. THREADFIN The Brisbane River has been on fire for threadies over the last month or more. Some anglers have managed to score more than a handful of quality fish in a session. Luckily

most of these have handled the threadies carefully and released them. Some have tagged them before release, and several of these have been recaptured. This goes to show that they will survive if handled correctly. If possible, avoid removing them from the water, simply remove the hooks and send them on their way. This minimises contact with their skin from hands and landing nets and also means that the whole of their body is still supported by water. Many successful anglers use their side imaging electronics to find the threadies before they even cast at them. Even then it is sometimes a case of waiting until they come on the chew. This may coincide with a tide change or may be a random event. It is sometimes hard to determine what the trigger is. This is not always the case, however and you may just need to try numerous presentations until you get a strike. Threadies are commonly located along the edges of the drop-offs into the main riverbed, the numerous submerged ledges and rocky outcrops, along the retaining walls and in similar locations. With an influx of prawns entering the rivers and

Another baby mackerel, caught in absolutely perfect conditions.

estuaries at this time of the year, the threadfin will often move up the system with the tide following these banana prawns. For land-based anglers this offers good opportunity. Prawns can be caught from a land-based location with a cast net and then re-deployed back into the river. Fish these prawns close to the bottom with a 50cm to 1m leader to allow them to move around a bit and you are with a great chance. Suicide pattern or kahle hooks are ideal for these baits and offer a good hook-up rate. Locations such as the Colmslie Jetty and Pontoon, New Farm Park area, Newstead Jetty, the Sunken Wall (lower tide stages), the Sewerage Shute, under the Gateway Bridge and numerous other areas are worth trying. Night sessions on a rising tide will generally offer the best opportunity however; threadies can be caught at any time of day and any tidal phase. PRAWNS Already as I write this report there have been substantial catches of prawns taken, especially in the Pine River. Other locations worth trying by now will include the Brisbane River, Logan River, the flats out the front

of Nudgee and Cleveland, the deeper holes around Macleay and Coochiemudlo and numerous other areas. Most of the creeks and rivers north and south of Brisbane are worth trying. Cast nets are most commonly used, however dragnets could be used in some areas. Remember to clean up your mess when cast netting from any pontoons, bridges or other man-made structures. A few buckets full of water is generally enough to clean the mud and debris off these structures. This will eliminate a foul smelling mess the next day, which is not only courteous to others but will also avoid the council having reason to close these structures to fishers. If you are castnetting from a boat use your electronics to locate schools of prawns and the deeper holes and ledges where they are found. Cast out your net and allow it to sink all the way to the bottom before shaking the rope as you slowly draw the net up. This will make the net leads shuffle across the bottom and will disturb the prawns, causing them to flick upwards into the net. This is where top pocket cast nets are ideal as they hold the prawns in the

upper part of the net where they are easiest to extract. Remember that the limit is a 10L bucket per person in possession. This means that if you already have 6L of prawns in the freezer at home, you can only take another 4L. The larger banana prawns are ideal for eating (and bait if you want) and the smaller greasy prawns make great bait. CONCLUSION Anglers will have plenty on offer through March. As the weather begins to cool slightly, the conditions for being in the great outdoors will be more tolerable to a lot of people. With the school holidays beginning at the end of the month this will offer good opportunity for families to be out on the water getting among the bounty on offer in the bay, rivers and estuaries. Keen anglers will be out at every opportunity sampling these piscatorial delights throughout the month either from a land-based or boating perspective. A good variety of pelagics, crustaceans and demersal species will make the choice difficult for many venturing out. We really are lucky to be so spoilt for options in the Great South East with a smorgasbord of options awaiting us.

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Pelagics out wide and reefies in close OFFSHORE

John Gooding

At this time of year, the weather in the South East gives us limited opportunities to get offshore, and so far we’ve only had a handful of fishable days in both January and February.

March is normally one of the best months for chasing pelagics east of the South Passage Bar and if we get a prevailing southern weather pattern, the Spanish mackerel that have been patchy so far should really turn on! Chasing Spanish mackerel can be frustrating, sometimes you’ll have to troll for hours without a

strike, but when you do get into a patch of fish, it can be very rewarding. The bite period on Spanish can be around dawn, dusk or on a tide change and might not last for long, so it pays to have plenty of rigs handy. There’s an old saying, “You catch more fish at home,” and it’s very true, especially with mackerel

We fed these mahimahi livies when they were hanging around the boat.

A nice mixed catch of juvenile snapper and mahimahi.

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fishing. You can spend half the bite period fixing gear instead of getting another bait straight back in the water. I like to pre-make rigs, label them and put them in zip-lock bags for easy access. Most mackerel anglers use single strand wire between 30-60lb, depending on location or fish size, but it is wise to check for any kinks in the wire as it could break very easily under the weight of the next fish. As I mentioned, this is definitely pelagic time east of the South Passage Bar, but you still have a few options to nail a feed of reefies. The shallow reefs around Point Lookout in about 25-45m of water tend to fish well for mixed bags, which can include Venus tuskfish, Moses perch, juvenile snapper and pearl perch. There’s no need to float line in the area, a paternoster rig with some fresh flesh baits will do the trick. If you get a hot steamy day with very little wind, the 100m line due east of Point Lookout can often turn it on for quality pearl perch. Mahimahi should also still be around in good

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A solid amberjack that ate a live bait out wide. numbers this month, and for the jiggers a few yellowtail kingfish and amberjacks should be around out wide on the wrecks. • Until next month, enjoy your fishing, take care

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Windy woes won’t worry anglers NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

What a cracking summer we’ve had! Finally we have experienced the weather patterns synonymous of our summers in the South East. With humid high temperature days fuelled by moderate to high south easterly winds, these patterns are a recipe for only one thing in the northern bay, and that’s good fishing.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s silly to go out when it is blowing 20-25 knots, but as always our southerly winds blow themselves out, bringing calm lower wind days, making it an ideal time to go fishing and believe me, the fish aren’t shy either! Let’s see what is scouting and biting in the northern bay! PUMICESTONE PASSAGE This is one good area to visit when the wind is

Ryan Dixon found some late season jacks while chasing bream.

up. Most areas are sheltered in the wilder weather throughout Bribie, with the gaggle of creeks running off the main passage making it easy to hide during blusterous weather. The Passage has been fishing well for the bread and butter species of bream, flathead and whiting with good reports flowing constantly out of the area. Bream have been the mainstay of the recent catches with fresh baits working well and artificials doing the damage when it comes to numbers, especially during the higher tide times. Larger high tides around the full and new moon phases has been a prime time to chase bream tight up amongst the mangrove edges, which line many of the banks of the Pumicestone. Areas that have been working well at the moment are Cooks Rocks, Tiger Rocks, Donnybrook flats, Hussey Creek and Bells Creek, but be sure not to be caught out by the tide as big highs are followed by big lows. There’s plenty of places to anchor up find the deeper, high current areas around creek mouths and drains. This is a prime area for fish to use for moving from place to place. This also increases your chances of a flathead, as they commonly share these areas and pick up what bream don’t want. Sand whiting are still being caught on the southern beaches, with anglers retreating to the calmer waters when the

weather gets too much. Many areas around Bongaree and Sylvan Beach have produced good whiting over this summer, with many anglers being happy with the size of the fish being caught. As always, blood worms are the favourite, with fresh squid being a close second. REDCLIFFE PENINSULA This area has it all. Whether chasing whiting off the beaches of the lower end of the peninsula or joining the hordes of anglers at the infamous North Reef all vying for a slice of the juvenile snapper fishing pie, the action is thick! This last month has been no exception. Juvenile snapper numbers have been steady over the summer with the humidity keeping water temperatures up and therefore keeping the bait in our end of the bay. Granted, we have had a little help from the southeasters! This has helped produce the best juvenile snapper catches we have seen on the peninsula since the Brisbane floods in 2011. North Reef and Woody Point have been the choice areas with good catches coming all through the day. Anchoring up has been the best option at these two areas with some anglers finding long drifts fruitful on other bommies through the peninsula. Bream numbers have been hit and miss over the last month with no set pattern to answer the question of why. Both low and high tide have been

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Jess Dixon used ZMan Grubz to target flathead in the Pine River. working well with windy days producing better fish if you are brave enough to challenge the conditions. Hardbody lures have been the good oil over the last month with Atomic Crank 38s, Cranka Cranks, Jackall Chubbys and Daiwa Presso Cranks DR working to good effect. Good whiting are still being caught at the bottom end of the peninsula with Margate Beach and Hays Inlet still producing the goods, especially on the ebbing tide. With our

annual prawn run occurring over these last two months, I believe fishing should stay reasonably good until the cooler months begin. MONTHLY TIP Imagine not brushing your teeth for one month. That’s how your fishing reel feels when you don’t rinse it out after each use. Salt grime and build up leads to corrosion, so give them a gentle spray of fresh water followed by a wipe down after each trip and you will get maximum longevity out of your gear!

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Making a trip to the Sunny Coast pelagic playpen CALOUNDRA

Damian Parker dpfishingmonthly@hotmail.com

We have had a consistent run of pelagic activity across the Sunshine Coast. Spotted and Spanish mackerel have turned up in good numbers around the inner and outer Gneering Shoals, Caloundra 5,7 and 12-mile reefs and Coolum Reef, with fish weighing in around the 10-15kg mark.

difference between fish or no fish. The initial outlay hurts the bank account, but believe me, it’ll pay for itself in no time. Again, fresh bait is best, but live bait is even better. The wider grounds off Caloundra, Hutchies and Barwon Banks have been o fire with numbers of wahoo, mahimahi, tuna, marlin and sailfish. I find trolling a mix of hardbody and skirted lures around the 6-8 knot mark works best.

wave buoys or any floating object we come across on our day offshore. All-in-all, over the next month keep your options open offshore because I think the best is yet to come! ESTUARIES Moving out of the deep blue and into our passageways and rivers, anglers are having success with good catches of bream, mangrove jack and whiting. Early mornings and late evenings are the

Andrew and Doug with a sailfish they caught at the Barwon Banks.

The author nailed this nice Spanish mackerel at Murphys Reef. OFFSHORE Some anglers have been lucky enough to land fish over 20kg. A problem we have at the moment is having to do battle with the grey suited taxmen (aka bull sharks). Unfortunately, these animals are at the top of the food chain and if they’re hungry, we lose! Let’s hope the mackerel hang around for the next couple of months and we boat more than we lose. There have been quality schools of bait across the coast, which keeps the action hot. Remember to always be on the look out for birds and busting bait schools. If the bait is deeper in the water column, try using deep diving minnows, weighted rigs and if you’re lucky enough to own one, a downrigger. A downrigger is a useful piece of fishing equipment can sometimes be the

Reef fishing has also been productive with reasonable catches of tuskfish, snapper, pearl perch and mulloway being boated, especially on the 80+ grounds east of the Barwon Banks and Caloundra Wide. The wrecks have been a little hit and miss but some have been lucky enough to wrestle with quality kingfish and amberjack. The many channel markers across the coast are home to one of my favourite brutes, the cobia! These fish are best targeted with live bait, especially on the change of tide. But be prepared to have your arms stretched, as these black kings of the seas can reach well over 40kg in weight. The wave buoys are also another place to target cobia and mahimahi. We are always keen to troll a spread of lures, bait past

prime times to target these shallow water species, particularly around the Golden Beach strip and Pumicestone Passage. Our moon phase and tide changes are crucial in all aspects of fishing, so keep your almanac in your back pocket for that right time. There have been quality fish caught around the Pelican Waters bridge pylons and pontoons. Peeled prawns and yabbies are good baits to use but if you take the time to catch live herring, poddy mullet or sand worms you will only increase your chances of a quality catch. There are a lot of deeper holes along the passage, so make sure you identify these at low tide and keep them in your memory bank and target later for a chance to catch a big estuary cod or prehistoric flathead.

Remember to be respectful if fishing around canal pontoons. Most pontoon owners don’t object to people fishing them, but take care not to snag up on or around them. There has been a few mud crabs potted about the place and one of my favourite strips is the Currimundi Lake and estuary system. Always check size and sex of your muddy and make sure it’s full; the darker the crab, the more full of tasty flesh it will be. Currimundi Lake is also another good spot to cast a rod with bream and

flathead generally within reach from the bank. So with the water temp well over 25°C at the moment, earlier in the day is better if fishing rivers and lakes. BEACHES The beach scene has been quite productive with quality bream, whiting and dart in the wave breaks. My bait of choice is the humble pilchard ganged with enough lead to get you over the break zone. Pipis, prawns or strip baits also produce, but can tend to get picked rather than gulped! Always remember to be

very careful beach fishing and never turn your back on the sea. Early morning or late evening is the best time to target the beaches and if you’re lucky, you may even connect with a few tailor and mulloway. The Caloundra Bar and the entrance to the Mooloolah River are hot spots at this time of year. To wrap it up, March is a good month overall for anglers with a great variety of species on offer, and if our weather gods are kind to us we will all enjoy fresh fish on our dinner tables.

A lovely Spanish destined for the table, caught by Ross at Caloundra 12-Mile Reef.

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MARCH 2016

March is massive Spanish mackerel time! NOOSA

Peter Wells

Offshore fishing at this time of the year always depends on the weather, but with a bit of luck we should see plenty of good days to get out on the water and take advantage of the many reefs just off Noosa and Mooloolaba.

quality hooks and have a great range of colours. Little Halls is another spot that isn’t too much of a journey. When the spotty mackerel are on, it can be hard to get bait past them to get into anything else from the bottom. North Reef is another great reef that can really fire at this time of the year; lots of quality bottom fish

the micro jigs a go, drop into either of our stores and one of our staff will take you through what you will need. A trip up to Double Island Point or out to the Barwon Banks are, as always, at the hands of the weather, but if the forecast is favourable definitely worth the trip. The big red emperor is the target fish up

Norm Fiumara won the $50 Davo’s Fish of the Week prize with this 15kg red emperor from The Hards.

Young Tom Vale and his mum Jo got in amongst the spotted mackerel at Halls Reef on Sunday morning. SPOTS AND SPECIES Sunshine Reef has to be one of my favourites out of Noosa – not only is it a shorter journey, but the list of species to be caught here is very impressive. The bottom list includes coral trout, sweetlip, and Maori cod. On the pelagic side expect to see tuna, spotted mackerel, wahoo and of course big Spanish mackerel. This is the time of year when trolling can be rewarding. Deep diving lures trolled at a good pace along the edges of the reef will definitely improve your chances. Some of the great options in deep divers at the moment are the Halco Laser pros, the Samaki Pacemakers, and of course the Zerek Bluewater limited. All these manufactures build quality lures with

and one of my favourites, big cobia. There have been plenty of big cobia hooked and lost of late so check your gear is up to the job. Good solid leader is crucial as well as braid, I am running 50lb on most of my gear with 60-80lb leader, even though a lot of anglers tend to go back to mono leader at these depths I still like to run fluorocarbon for its better abrasion qualities. Livies or a pilchard slowly floated to the bottom has been the most successful for me. Another great option while fishing North Reef is micro jigging, this relative new style of fishing has really taken off with a great deal of anglers stating that they are getting better results with jigs than with bait. If you are yet to give

here but you can also expect big snapper and pearl perch. NOOSA RIVER The Noosa River has been fishing well with trevally and tailor action on the increase. With queenfish, tailor and a

variety of trevally feeding on prawns and baitfish right throughout the system with majority of the action being centred around Woods Bay. Mangrove jack captures are definitely on the increase with the most successful fishers getting out at night; these fish tend to feed more aggressively around the new moon period and when there is a bit of average weather around, good sized fish have been taken from the mouth all the way up to the lakes on anything from prawns to live bait, soft plastics and hardbodies. Casting around structure is the best bet so the pontoon

Luke Norris caught this 40cm whiting near the river mouth while on a Noosa River Fishing Safari.

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consistent method has been good fresh mullet. BEACH DAYS On the beach, the Noosa North Shore has again been the spot to be, or to be more precise, the stretch between Teewah and Double Island. mulloway have been on the mind of most anglers heading that way, fresh mullet, tailor fillets and large clumps of beach worms have all done the job. Fishing at night with very little moon has been the most successful over the last few months. In the closer gutters, chopper tailor, bream and the ever present dart have been plentiful and taking prawn and smaller baitfish like hardiheads and whitebait. No need to cast a mile as most of the time they are just about swimming at your feet. • Now for all the latest information log onto www. fishingnoosa.com.au for up to date bar and fishing reports and don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle world Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola to find out where the fish are biting, and remember tight lines and bent spines!

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and jetties in the Noosa Sound are the perfect home for these ambush predators. For those after a feed of flathead, the mud flats along the Tewantin stretch of the river is always worth a go. The Keitech soft plastics have been a hit with the flathead and come in a great range of sizes, shapes and colours. Also up river threadfin salmon have been on the chew, and are happy to take live bait or a well presented mullet fillet. Whiting activity is also good with some elbowslappers getting caught around the shallow sand flats of the frying pan and the dog beach. These tasty fish are great fun with small surface lures worked across the top of the water. I like the Sugapen Surface Walkers from Bassday, with a good walk-the-dog action the whiting can’t resist. For those that enjoy a spot of crabbing, now is the perfect time to put in a few pots out. With the recent rains and cooler temperatures there are more about and they are full and super sweet. There are many myths about the best bait for catching crabs; from chicken carcass to tins of cat food, but the most

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www.tacklejunkie.fish MARCH 2016

Limber up for ambos OFFSHORE We have continued to enjoy brilliant offshore fishing with very consistent and big catches. My favourite fishing months are usually through winter, however, the fishing we’ve enjoyed

RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

The weather has become a bit unstable as it does at this time of year, but the fishing remains brilliant.

lately through summer is as good as, if not better than winter fishing. Pelagics like mackerel, amberjack, cobia and mahimahi have all fished well when targeted specifically with lures or live bait. Bottom fishing

This solid amberjack caught on live bait brought a smile to this angler’s face!

Some almighty reds have been on the chew.

the reefs has produced all manner of species, and it seems like there isn’t a species out here that we haven’t caught. Great patches of pearl perch and snapper are frequent. Spangled and red emperor have been a consistent catch on the wider reefs, alongside bucket loads of parrot, Moses perch and hussar, making it an easy task to fill the ice box.

ON THE BEACH The beach has fished well for whiting and bream. Late afternoon is the best time to get onto the shore and live beach worms work wonders. GREAT SANDY STRAITS Mangrove jack have fired up with the long, hot and humid days and there have been good catches of barramundi on the inside of Fraser Island on live

bait. School mackerel have been caught at Big Mick Beacon, and the bottom end of Fraser Island produces good whiting. As long as the weather holds, March should continue to fish excellently. • To enjoy a day on the water with Keely Rose Fishing Charters phone Ed Falconer 0407 146 151 or visit www. keelyrosefishingcharters .com.au.

Sharks frustrate anglers all over the bay been the influx of forktailed catfish that inhabit the reefs and estuaries after a good drop of rain. IN THE BAY March is one of those months where it’s hard to decide what to chase; there is simply too much action happening. Up the creeks there are jack, mulloway, barra, grunter and threadfin. Work the drains, snags and rock bars with live baits and lures. The bread and butter species like summer whiting,

HERVEY BAY

Scott Bradley marlin81@bigpond.com

After a good drop of rain at the end of January things are looking up for the autumn fishing season. The whole ecosystem benefited from an injection of freshwater, which carried nutrients and food into the Sandy Straits and Hervey Bay. The only downside has

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flathead and bream are a good option on baits and artificials in the lower reaches and adjacent estuaries. On the flats expect golden trevally schools, mackerel, tuna and queenfish, grunter, threadies and most other estuarine species along Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Straits. Sharks are an everpresent problem that seems to have gotten worse on the Fraser Coast. There is no getting away from them no matter where you go. The other day I fished live whiting on the flats to try and get the kids on to a goldie for a bit of fun, after a couple of nice grunter the sharks moved in and shut any chance of a decent fish down. As soon as a livie hit the water little whaler sharks around 1-2m long would smash it. It’s got to the point that reef fishers are lucky to get one out of ten decent fish to the boat no matter how far out you go.

Tilapia are an increasing problem in our local lakes. ILLEGAL ALIENS! I’ve heard many stories over the years of tilapia found in some of our local lakes and dams but only recently saw the problem first hand. They live alongside our native species in brackish

water and thriving in the conditions. I observed their territorial defence of their nests, which resembles a crop circle in the sand about 1m wide, and I could pester them into hitting a lure by peppering their nest with casts. Considered great

table fish overseas, they are illegal to even have in possession in Queensland and must be destroyed. I fear it may be too late to stop them spreading into other waterways increasing pressure on native fish stocks.

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Head to the shallow reefs for some great fun FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

Officially it’s autumn, but with plenty of warm weather yet to come, we can look forward to at least another month of active warm water species. In Hervey Bay the shallow reefs have fired this season and should do so at least until early May. It’s a little early to predict how the pelagics will perform as this is determined by the movement of baitfish. The trip up to Platypus Bay has been worthwhile. The annual run of spawning bream is still at least two months away, but mature bream will begin to think about building up their reproductive tissues. In this pre-season time, bream are very widely distributed, from sweet brackish upstream waters to the turbulent white water around our headlands. Although not always in prolific numbers, these will be hungry fish. The walls, jetty and marina pylons at the Urangan Boat harbour are great spots to check out during the next few months as bream feed ravenously prior to spawning. I like to berley lightly with past-their-prime pilchards and sand, then float an unweighted hardihead into the mix. With Easter holidays coming up at the end of the month, (dependent on good weather), we can expect to see the trailer parking area at Urangan Boat Harbour packed to capacity with overflow spilling into neighbouring streets. There are two four-lane ramps here, that are all wide enough for the less-experienced to safely launch. These ramps are well maintained with ribbed surfaces. There are also suitable rigging and de-rigging lanes. The only facility not provided, if it could be, is a good measure

The walls, jetty and marina pylons at the Urangan Boat harbour are great spots to check out during the next few months as bream feed ravenously prior to spawning. of patience between boaties, as well as consideration for everyone else at the ramp. During the Christmas-New Year period, I checked out the ramps during busy periods. The most blatant abuse of acceptable procedures was caused by boaties who waited until the trailer was at the edge of the water before carrying out all those essential tasks prior to launching. I need to point out however, that the winch cable and safety chain must remain locked until this point. These sorts of problems can occur when boats return to the ramp. Car and trailer parking spaces may become strained but once out in the bay, great places to fish are in abundance. FRASER ISLAND On Fraser Island’s eastern beaches, the wind conditions have made fishing difficult. However, during small windows of opportunity there have been plenty of dart in the deeper gutters with mixed reports of whiting in the shallow gutters and a few bream, tarwhine

and flathead from the edges of the coffee rocks. The headlands have produced a few bream and tarwhine, and wide casts catch excellent dart. Just as Hervey Bay’s boat ramps will be busy over the Easter holidays, the beaches of Fraser Island are going to experience their busiest period of the year. This claim is rivalled only by the September school holidays and tailor season. Camping areas will be in great demand and bookings for accommodation are already extremely limited. The main access to the island at Inskip Point will see queues of vehicles waiting their turn on the barge. The other access point, from River Heads requires prior bookings. Expect primetime departures to become difficult to obtain. All in all, get organised and book early! With so much traffic on the beach, the best times to fish will be at night, very early in the morning or late afternoon. Another good option is to fish around coffee rocks or headlands,

away from the traffic. The western beaches of the island will also be very popular over Easter. Since the closure of Moon Point Road, the only access from the ocean beach is the Woralie track that leaves the eastern beach north of the Maheno.

coffee rock can also cause inconvenience. After seasonal weed infestation of the beach, wind-blown sand can cover the decomposing weed, which creates a bog, a trap for the unwary. To the south, Woralie Creek needs to be crossed before the long stretch of beach leading to Coongul Creek. This is the most difficult creek on the west coast and attempting the crossing is not recommended. For the avoidance of these various hazards and inconveniences, travel close to low tide. While most visitors reach the western beach via the Woralie track, others come by boat from Hervey Bay. Many come for the day to fish on the beach or to picnic beside one of the creeks. Others come to stay for days, if not weeks. On the western beach, only at Moon, Coongul, Wathumba creeks, can boats be taken inside and away from indifferent weather that might make mooring difficult on the open beach. Small boats can also use Awinya Creek over the high tide. There is always the

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS MONTH Fraser Island ocean beach Dart and whiting Fraser Island western beach Flathead Platypus Bay Spotted mackerel Hervey Bay reefs Blackall and tuskfish Mary River Blue salmon Harbour walls Bream This single lane road with limited passing opportunities is going to see a lot more traffic than it usually does. Once on the western beach just north of Woralie Creek, 4WD vehicles can travel as far north as Towoi Creek. This drive is not without its possible hazards and it is good to see that most vehicles travel in a convoy of at least two. Two major creeks, Bowarady and Awinya need to be crossed and outcrops of

option to allow a small boat to go high and dry at the top of the beach. Obtaining freshwater is not a problem on the western beach. Upstream of any campsites at either Woralie or Bowarady creeks, are the most convenient places to top up. At this time of the year there is plenty of variety in fish species. The creek mouths and any associated gutters and spits not only look inviting, they usually

hold fish, particularly flathead and bream. Whiting can be caught just about anywhere along the beach and fishing around the coffee rocks is usually good for flathead, bream, parrot and Moses perch. Dart are usually found off the ocean beach but they often turn up in numbers in the quiet waters along the western beach. Golden trevally and other predators can often be seen working the shallows close to the beach. This can cause a lot of excitement as anglers rush to get suitable artificials ahead of their paths, occasionally with success. While lures will score you some great fish, particularly flathead, it is always good to have fresh bait on hand. Small baitfish, mostly hardiheads are easily captured using cast or haul nets, as dense schools frequently come close to the beach. Yabbies can be pumped in the Moon, Coongul and Wathumba estuaries. Sea worms are also plentiful along most of the beaches north of Moon Point. They occupy a fairly narrow band within the tidal range and this is not close to low water as we might expect on the ocean beach. On spring tides, either flooding or ebbing, there might be a small window of opportunity. Once the water passes that band, worms are difficult to find. Worming can be difficult if there is smaller wave action and wash of water is more limited, and more frequent. Anglers who visit the western beach cannot expect to find pipis in the beach. This is just not their habitat. Those brought from the ocean beach can achieve some success but they are not part of the natural food supply for western beach fish. Looking forward to some good Easter fishing stories.

MARCH 2016

River run-off ramping up fast! ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

After the recent early rains the late February and early March run-off, barra fishing has been amazing.

Local freshwater areas have been getting many decent fish but looking for those run-off brackish spots where the barra are sitting is definitely the best way to go. In other news, the rains have once again brought

out the prawns and the king threadfin salmon are on fire. FITZROY AND THE NARROWS The river has been insane of late with great reports of king threadfin and barra, and surprisingly enough, the size of the bait schools have been insane. People have been catching multiple squid in their cast nets at the old pontoon. There have also been massive schools of herring and mullet, and as a result there’s been a more frequent catch rate of bream, flathead and other similar species up at the town reaches.

is a great start for fishing these areas. Many of the fish are smaller barra trying to push up into the fresh to grow and get the plentiful supply of baitfish, however there are quite a few large specimens around that can be lost as quick as they hit the lure. Other notable improvements since the zoning re-structure is the amount of fish species in areas that I have not caught many of, but all of a sudden there are quite a number of them, and one such species is the giant herring. On another note, the beaches and creeks are all

Riley with an awesome thready from a recent trip.

Trent shows off a solid Corio Bay barramundi on light gear.

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Ethan took this lovely golden snapper, that are revelling in the run-off. This has many people in discussion about the recent Nets Out QLD program. The correlation between the mass amounts of bait and the uncommon species in the town reaches can’t just be a coincidence… People have been out enjoying the burst of life and the great fishing that has come with it, you only have to look at all the photos to see that! RIVERS, CREEKS AND THE BEACHES The local creeks leading into the river are still trickling with freshwater run-off, so finding the areas where this water meets the tidal saltwater makes for brilliant fishing. A variety of species can be found in these areas but the most predominant fish is barramundi. Using a deep diving 5-8cm lure

fishing well with a plentiful supply of bread and butter species, especially flathead. The amount of baby flathead lays around the beaches now is just ridiculous, so get pumped for a great 2016! FRESHWATER LAGOONS The freshwater lagoons are fishing well enough now that the rains have fallen. Before they got quite dry and not many people were venturing out that way. The humid days followed by nighttime rain really fired the place up and surface lures have never been closer to the top of the tackle bag that I keep in my car.

CRABBING Crabs have been on fire lately, with some massive claw photos, circulating social media. Its great to see the amount being caught. A few customers have said the bigger crabs they have caught have still been a little empty, however those big bucks were caught quite deep. Anyone catching them on mangrove fringes have all said their crabs were full. A pack of mullet heads will always do the trick for a day out crabbing and is a well-known bait that is in plentiful supply in local tackle stores and can prove to be a far cheaper option.

Connor’s been at it again, this time with a nice slab of Central Queensland chrome.

Lake Monduran barra ticking all the boxes LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

We’ve had an encouraging start to 2016 with plenty of anglers enjoying the feel of a big barra on the end of their line. As a Lake Monduran guide and the holiday park manager I get to interact with almost every angler and holiday-maker who visit this awesome lake. The benefit is that I receive firsthand information and customer feedback from their fishing experiences. There is no doubt that

this impoundment, who still have success on the lake through booking a charter and researching as much as possible. There are equally as many that miss out on boating or even hooking a barra through lack of research prior to their arrival. I would like to touch base on the reasons behind this and possible solutions. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Obtain as much info as you can in preparation for your fishing trip to Lake Monduran. There are many social media avenues, local tackle stores, fishing articles

A barra lurks on the sounder. anglers who have many years of experience at the impoundment have had successful fishing results. Then there are those anglers that are not familiar with

and guides that can all offer credible info. LURE SELECTION There is a huge range of barra lures available in just about every tackle store

throughout Australia. The question is which lures do you need for Monduran? One big problem I see on a frequent basis is anglers that come to Monduran with a big bag of barra lures that they have just purchased, of which very little or none of them have any relevance or proven success here. There is no doubt that every impoundment, estuary and river system throughout the country will have a range of lures that will perform better than others at any given point in time. Lake Monduran is no different. If you are going to purchase lures prior to your arrival they might as well be the ones that have had proven success here. Don’t be afraid to ask around – you can get credible info through social media, local tackle stores and local guides. WEATHER CONDITIONS Not everyone can be ‘Johnny on the spot,’ and when planning a barra trip around the weather you can improve your chances by gaining an understanding of the weather and how barra react to it. Barra can be fickle creatures at the best of times. If the wind and weather conditions are not favourable, for example, variable winds, fluctuating water levels, monsoonal troughs and a total change in wind direction after a constant wind, it can make for very difficult fishing.

Matt Watson had a great time landing this 95cm barra around thick timber. Optimum weather conditions usually consist of stable water levels and constant wind from the one direction for a long period of time. These sorts of conditions normally activate barra into feeding mode no matter what time of the month it is. SOUNDERS There is no doubt that side imaging sounders are an essential piece of equipment for barra fishing these days. They allow you to scan past likely points and bays at a speed of about 6 knots or so, giving you the advantage of finding them in a relatively short amount of time. Once found it’s

just a matter of tying up or hitting spot lock on your electric motor and casting to the area where they are thickest. These sounders also give the angler a really good understanding on how barra operate, by tracking their movements through river arms, creek beds,

bays and points. Use this technology effectively, and you will be able to pinpoint likely bite times. • For any further info please contact us at Lake Monduran Holiday Park or visit my Facebook page, Lake Monduran Guidelines Fishing Charters.

Call Jamie today to book your next trip Ph: 0407 434 446

FISHING FILL-ITS

Local fined $5000 over mangrove clearing

A Mountain Creek man has been fined $5000 in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court after being found guilty of removing approximately 20m2 of mangroves in front of his property. Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) district officer Russell Overton said information received from the public led to the discovery of the offence. “Acting on information, officers discovered a large trench through the mangrove root systems had been dug

out in front of his property in order to build a private jetty,” Mr Overton said. “A trunk was all that remained from one large mangrove and three smaller trees showed signs of significant damage caused from pruning. “Incidentally, QBFP officers had spoken to the man approximately a year ago on the legalities surrounding the protection and management of marine plants.” Mr Overton said the fine handed down by the magistrate reflects the seriousness of the offence and should make people think twice about damaging

A large trench was found outside the man’s home where mangroves had been dug out.

The destruction of marine plants is illegal and can result in fines. protected habitat areas. “Cutting down or destroying marine plants on Queensland shores is illegal and incredibly destructive to Queensland’s fisheries resources,” he said. “Any loss of mangroves like these will have a flow-on effect to the fish and crab populations they support.” Disturbances to marine plants, however minor, have a cumulative effect that can lead to a long-term decline in local fish production and general aquatic health. Even hedging can change the productivity of the

mangroves and reduce the number of animals that live beneath the canopy due to excessive shading. Damaging marine plants can carry a maximum penalty of $341,550. The Fisheries Act 1994 protects all marine plants in Queensland, regardless of whether marine plants are on private, leasehold or public lands, or alive or dead. Residents are encouraged to help protect marine plants and report any damage to the 24-hour, toll-free Fishwatch hotline 1800 017 116. – Fisheries Qld

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Barra means business and business is booming GLADSTONE

Eve Malone eve.dave42@gmail.com

The weather looks set to turn in March, and there should be a nice change in conditions if the long-range forecasts are anything to go by. As a continuation to last month’s report, I will feature some brief overviews of areas that the land-based, smaller boaties can access on good weather days and alternatives to the outer reef hotspots. LILLEYS BEACH Lilleys Beach is located north of Wyndham Park and is accessed to the right of the Boyne Island Sewerage Treatment Plant, via Handley

Lilleys 4WD track and Boyne mouth that usually produces a few decent fish on high tide – use poppers or peeled prawns lightly weighted to catch whiting around the mouth of the river. SEAL ROCKS Seal Rocks is approximately 12km southeast from the mouth of the Boyne River. If you don’t know the area very well, please seek local advice before launching from any point along the Boyne as there are some rocky outcrops that can be hazardous. Seal Rocks has one large rock formation, and separate formations at the end of the larger one. The area fishes well for pelagic

JENNY LIND BANKS Jenny Lind Banks is a small area where the ground elevates a few kilometres southeast of Seal Rocks. It’s very small but does fish well in the right conditions. The Jenny holds the usual suspects and fishes similarly to Seal Rocks. Bottom bounce here for reef species such as trout and Spanish. Troll, float or live-bait for pelagics like trevally, mac tuna and similar. I will continue to feature some more areas in the coming months further south and north of Gladstone to inspire you to try somewhere new. REEFS With all the rain and wind that comes with this

Christopher Stolk with a 106cm salty caught in the upper reaches of the Boyne. Masthead and Sykes the bommies seem to fish well for trout, however into the evening and pre-dawn they tend to fire in deeper waters as well. Reds have shown up sporadically as have blue tuskfish, caught on weighted bait on the drift, strip baits and or scented plastics. CALLIOPE RIVER AND BOYNE RIVER The upper reaches are my go-to tip, I’ve seen many jack and barra caught further upstream than down, ZMan in pearl is my preferred choice for the jacks, however

live bait thrown toward the snags will do the trick. Calliope River Bridges and Causeway are getting plenty of jack action along with bream and barr. Heading a bit further north out of the Calliope toward Port Alma, Grahams Creek and Targinnie have had enviable catches of king threadfin salmon and barra. The mud crabs are feeding again, live bait is the go all round. Barra Boyne, that’s how we should all know the river, has produced great numbers

of barramundi, and social media has been flooded with pictures since the start of open season. Live mullet and white plastics get the most attention. Pikes Crossing fishes extremely well in the early hours of the morning. • That’s it from me; if you would like any further information or want to share photos and stories of any catches please email me on eve.dave42@gmail. com. Feel free to join our Facebook group Gladstone Fishing Network.

Clinton Rosenthal caught this threadfin salmon at Port Alma. Drive. The beach spans approximately 1.7km and should only be accessed at low tide. I suggest the incoming tide if you want to put in a few hours here, as you can see the structure and holes more clearly. Until you get to know the area this is the best way to plan your fishing strategy. Target fish along this stretch of beach include whiting, dart, flathead, solid GT and other pelagics. For flathead use 3-4” ZMan PaddletailZ in pearl, or Zerek Prawns. There is a sand patch between the

species. If you are in pursuit of Spanish mackerel, fish for some yakkas or yellowfin barracuda, which are abundant in this spot. Troll these or use as live bait as the Spanish just love them. School mackerel also troll this area for food, so float a pilchard to bring up the goods. Species such as coral trout, coral cod, yellowfin bream and especially sweetlip are popular catches among anglers. Plastics weighted accordingly to be slowretrieved to the top, bottom bouncing or strip baiting are all great options here.

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time of year, there have been better opportunities to head out of the harbour. March will see an influx of pelagics closer to the coast in areas such as Rundle Island and Bass Shoals. Snapper will also start to show in small numbers from now until July/August unless we get an influx of hot weather. They may start to show in the deeper water as the weeks progress. Currently they love the shallower inshore waters, around 12 Mile is a great place to target them, and there are lots of marks on the internet to get you going, then move your target areas closer to the coast. Cabbage Patch fishes very well, but watch the run, the bite seems to fire on the incoming tide around three hours out but if that wind picks up then the bite will be over unless it’s a northerly. If this is the case then change tactics and surface lure around bommies and you’ll find yourself some nice Spanish. Out wider through

Roy Priestley from Eden lures caught this jack while targeting barra on his handmade lure – Slappa.

Bundy barra fever BUNDABERG

Jason Medcalf topwater@bigpond.com

It’s been a pretty hot wet start to the year in Bundaberg and March is upon us, so time on the water should be little more comfortable.

The big talk of our region has been the barramudi fishing with the Burnett River producing some great barra fishing, despite the efforts of the professional fishers. The river had a very good flush out over February, which will mean some good fishing for the rest of the year. There were

They don’t all have to be big ones, whenever and wherever you find them, they’re always fun.

a lot of barramundi that had been up in the fresh that moved down into the salt with the big dump of rain we had and these fish will spread out over time. The anglers using live bait have been doing well fishing live mullet in the deeper holes in the river and also drifting them along the rock walls around Kirbys. If you’re keen to chase them on lures, trolling the rock walls with larger lures that dive to around 3m divers are perfect. I am a big fan of gold colours in the cleaner water for barra, but if the river is still a bit dirty the lime green flouro colours work well. The key to trolling for barra is to think of it as driving your lure, not the boat. You may end up zigging and zagging your way around the many rocky walls and outcrops, but it is important to drive that lure past where the fish are hanging. Of course, your sounder really is very helpful when trolling and most keen anglers will know the benefits of sounders with side imaging as well as down imaging. Knowing exactly what you’re trolling over and seeing whether there are fish there or not is vitally important, as fishing where the fish are

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After setting out to catch a barra, seeing one boatside is a fantastic feeling. is the key. The Burnett is not the only river in our area producing barra, with the Kolan, Elliott and Burrum rivers and Baffle Creek all producing the goods. Each one of these systems has different features and ecosystems, which mean the barra will hunt in different types of locations and at different stages. All in all though, they are still barramundi and they do love to eat, so your target when visiting these systems is to find out where they love to eat and when. For instance, it’s a common misconception that you have to look for the deepest part of

the river to find the fish. In the Burnett there are schools of barramundi siting in 2m of water off a rock point. They sit there because as the tide runs out, all the mullet that come off the adjacent sand flat have to swim around that location. In Baffle Creek, I have found barramundi schooling in a small snag downstream from a great rock bar. They will sit on the rock bar at times, but the bait avoid the rock bar and swim around the snag, hence the barra sit there waiting for a feed. In the Kolan, I have found barramundi cruising around on a mud flat in 2m of water. They patrol from on creek

mouth to another, rounding up the baitfish just like trevally or threadfin. The key really is to get on the water, watch your sounder and cast off any preconceived ideas that barra are a mythical magical creature that you accidently encounter while fishing every now and then. Go out and target them, they show up really well on side imaging and down imaging and they rarely just sit still waiting for you to just happen by. Remember if you’re going to target barra, just target barra. You will need to use at least 40lb leader and dust of all those big lures and change those rusty hooks.

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Fitzroy benefits from fresh flush YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

What a time we’ve had in recent week. Late rains out west and down the Queensland Coast have turned everything around from the period after Christmas. The early schools of mackerel have been sent packing to wider grounds and cleaner water. The bay has that silty brown look, which many of the estuary fish don’t mind too much, but most of the others will be slow for a while. In saying that, in recent years when the early flow starts the country just wide of the plume seems to fire up as the fish still get the bonus feed provided by the flood waters and they can stay in the higher level saltwater they prefer. Sweetlip and grunter will be feeding well on the patches that border the current line. Look for grunter, especially at spots like The Pinnacles, The Rama and Manifold where there is a very good chance of picking up some nice sized nannies as well. Sweeties have already been very active behind the islands and should be stirred up by the weather

and ready for another feed. Fish as lightly weighted as possible, but try and get down to the fish, even if that calls for a move up current so your baits sit in the right area. Prawns will definitely be the bait of choice and will be hard to top. The reef patches on the other side of the islands are running well, as more red emperor and big nannies

cod, jobfish and hussar are all in good numbers, and anglers don’t have to do the big miles like later in the year. By now the heat of summer should have dropped slightly and it will signal the coming of the spotted mackerel in fair sized schools. Last month, we were getting a few early spotties at the southern spots out from Emu

Golden snapper captures have been solid lately, as Jake Robertson can attest with this Coorooman specimen. have been caught in close. Big baits are the key to consistent catches with red fish. Tuskfish,

Park and Keppel Sands. This would normally be a sign that we are in for a big mackerel

season inside the bay. It is hard to really think too much ahead until the river has dropped a little and Keppel Bay clears to its usual blue. Regardless, there will be lots of the smaller mackerel around the islands at all the regular haunts provided we get conditions that allow us to get at them. They should start running at spots like Cape Capricorn and Hummocky before moving into The Keppels. Barren and Child is the most likely spot to score large doggies, greys or spotties and you only need to watch your sounder to locate the schools. Between Barren and Child is the passage and at either end of the passage is a drop off and lumps of reef. These spots are like magnets to bait schools and that in turn pulls in any pelagics in the area. The best spot out here though is the northeast corner, where there is always an obvious current line over the reef edges. Spaniards, cobia and big sharks seem to love this environment and it is the go-to spot for all newbies targeting large fish. Anglers will also be looking for bottom fish such as coral trout and other quality reefies. They will be present anywhere you get some sort of current pushing into or past the main features of an island or bommie. The opening of the barramundi season last month seemed to come on at a new level not seen for many years with stacks of fish around the metre-mark both in town and down the river. This season is something completely different to previous years with the NFZ taking effect. Ever since I began fishing The Fitzroy in the early ‘70s, the majority of fish caught at the beginning of the year

Trent has been getting into some Fitzroy flood barra! vibes to cover a much wider piece of the country, away from the just working the snag and rock bar mentality. This got anglers into another thought process, and they started to look for fish in many other areas and started having more success. The ability to get into very deep holes and hard up against rock faces took over the next phase. The new fad that is turning up fish in other locations is slow trolling. This is not new in other areas, but the amount of fish available in the river left us stagnating in old practices. Often thought of as the lazy man’s fishing, most of us never gave it much of a chance. The threadfin run towards the end of last year and into this year has converted a whole bunch of anglers into giving trolling a go. This has allowed them to fish volumes of territory that previously were

Brett Newman with a Fitzroy king threadfin salmon, which have been biting like crazy in recent months. were small to just legals, with big fish in relatively low numbers. Over the years the fishing styles have advanced from years gone by the where the majority a barra caught locally were caught throwing hardbodies or live baiting. Then progression brought in the use of soft plastics and 54

MARCH 2016

left untapped. The fish often move to the deeper channels over the low tide where they wait for all the baits that were spread out on the high to come back off the flats and shallows. Selecting a lure that runs just a bit shallower than the channel is the best option and even one that touches

the bottom occasionally will attract the attention of fish nearby. When the water is clear the more natural colours are the best, and when the water is muddy then fluoro lures should come into play. I prefer a lure that puts out a decent vibe and this can be varied by working your rod tip as you troll. Only time will tell how good it will be in the river, but once we get rain at the beginning of the breeding cycle and a few reasonable recruitments, the Fitzroy River should rival the best barramundi areas anywhere. King threadfin salmon are still in the best form for years as the big schools continue to dominate most of the action in the bottom end of the river, just outside the heaviest fresh flow. Through Casuarina and down to Port Alma and Connors has not stopped producing serious salmon for months. Most of these fish have been taken on vibes either trolled or worked over the deeper drop-offs. You need to watch your sounder when searching, because the schools are that thick at times that you can count the hundreds of fish and know exactly where to place your lures. The live bait anglers set up camp with prawns under floats and have scored good fish along any of the muddy high bank areas towards Connors. Golden snapper (fingermark) both in the estuaries and offshore have been showing up in lots of catches. Big plastics and vibes seem to be the best option for lures, while they are always susceptible to a well placed live bait. Crabs and prawns have benefited greatly for the nutrient boost provided by the flood water and will be well worth chasing over the coming weeks. The 70mm bait prawns will be 120mm table prawns in no time!

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Barra stocking proves successful upon opening MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

What a start to the barra season, with the first week of February delivering neap tides, heaps of barra and some great wet season downpours. February was a great month all round and the best way to kick off barra chasing for 2016. This month promises to be just as great. With early wet falls of around 300-400mm, the creeks were very muddy, but as they cleared, the prawns appeared. Huge numbers of jelly prawns were all over our systems, and if there is one unfailing truth – where there is baitfish or prawns, there will surely be predators lining up for the feast. BUST A BARRA Good numbers of healthy barra up to 1.1m in length have been caught both in the south around places like Rocky Dam Creek and Sarina Inlet and to the north with systems like Reliance, Constant, and Murray creeks. The Pioneer River has also had its share of good barra; in fact, it’s been difficult not to catch a barra!

Springsure visitor, John Groves, managed 21 good fish from 70cm+ in three days, most were released and three kept for the table. John uses a mixture of lures and live baits, with mullet proving the best on this occasion. Live baitfishers now have plenty of prawns to work with as well as herring, mullet and garfish. It pays to have a variety of baits as barra can sometimes be very picky even though they are largely opportunistic feeders. In other words if it is edible, close and they are in the mood, they will take the bait. The same applies to lures and I always like to have a variety on hand. Big paddletails, some smaller plastics and plastic prawns like Prawnstars and Atomics are always in my boat. I also like to have a variety of hardbodies from poppers to deep divers – I suggest a chat to our local tackle shop staff to get the latest hot lure. With the proliferation of prawns in the system, now is the ideal time to work the tide out in our creek systems. Barra hang on almost every small side gully and creek junction ready to knock off a feed as the prawns are drawn out of

deep cover with the falling tide. Be there to meet them is my advice this month! Barra will also show up on mud and sand flats and any solo mangrove, snag or rock is always worth a work over. Work your baits or lure down the current, which is where the barra expect their feed to come from rather than up into the current. STOCKING SUCCESS More great news on the barra front concerns MAFSA activity in the dams. Just before the barra season opened, MAFSA stocked 4000 barra of mixed sizes up to 51cm in Teemburra Dam as part of the SIP allocation and from donations by Mackay Tournament Anglers. The larger fish will be legal sized by the end of March – a great boost to the dam, which has fished consistently well this summer. The same weekend MAFSA members tipped another 2000 barra up to about 30cm long into Kinchant Dam to top up the numbers there. Again, these fish were bought from SIP funds and will ensure that Kinchant upholds its reputation as a great spot to land a big barra. With the onset of good rain, the sooty grunter have started

to roe up and by the time this is published, MAFSA members expect to have collected brood stock and be well on the way with this year’s breeding program. All things considered, the freshwater scene looks decidedly healthy going into March for the Mackay area. How lucky are we here? Three well stocked dams, and the Pioneer River and Cattle Creek stocked with 1000 tagged barra and plenty of sooties. Freshwater fishing doesn’t get much better anywhere! Back in the salty stuff, big numbers of small prawns have been ringing the dinner bell for plenty of big threadies. Threadfin can at times become totally focused on jelly prawns to the exclusion of all other baits. I have just finished tying up some prawn flies with bodies about 20mm long and I am anxious to try them out. The threadies have been caught right up almost to the freshwater, and apart from live prawns and plastics prawn imitations, good numbers are still caught on plastic vibes worked very slowly in a ‘yo-yo’ fashion with gentle lifts of 30cm or so. Most hits are on the drop, and a

good size threadie will put up a good fight even on heavy tackle. They are much better fun though on 6-10kg tackle, so why not go a bit lighter and have more fun? OTHER SPECIES We are lucky to have plenty of other species around at the moment because of the quantities of bait that the fresh generates. Bream, grunter, flathead and jacks are all about in numbers. Whiting prefer the cleaner water and will feature more as the waters clear up. Unfortunately when the water is almost dirty enough to plough, we seem to get heaps of fork-tail catties and box head barra (also known as toadfish), which can be a real pest, especially to live bait anglers. Usually when they show in numbers you just have to keep moving. Lure fishos and fly anglers don’t have quite the same issue with them, but can still get frustrated at having their carefully presented barra offering snaffled by one of these instead. The flushing rains have also stirred up the mud crab activity and the crabs are on the move. Muddies are caught even right out the front on the mudflats, where they are

obviously looking for food and salty water. Watch your pots though and don’t leave them where they will be exposed in the middle of a mudflat at low tide, or you might find a ‘mud gecko’ has had a chew on your pot and catch. While the heavy rains may have temporarily put a hold on the saltwater fishing, the dams are still stocked up and ready to be fished. The rains will also have a long-term benefit for our saltwater fisheries and can only be a good thing. NFZ The net free zone centred on Seaforth looks to be working, with most local anglers saying they are getting more and better-size fish since the nets have gone. I think it will take a couple of years to really see a huge difference, but I have already heard plenty of comment about good legal size grunter caught where the norm was undersize fish before, which indicates that the nets were catching most of the legal size ones. Grunter gather in schools and are vulnerable to nets. As always, we have a tremendous variety of fishing opportunities here in paradise. See you at the ramp.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Rare speartooth sharks caught and tagged

First ever adult speartooth sharks have been caught and satellite tagged by CSIRO scientists working in remote Cape York.   The elusive shark species – listed as critically endangered – was discovered in the Bizant River on the eastern side of Cape York in Queensland in 1982, but up until now only juvenile specimens had been observed.   The two adult specimens captured were well over 2m in length. Before that, the largest recorded speartooth shark was only 189cm long.   Very little was known about the speartooth shark until research led by CSIRO in 2004 began to obtain a better understanding of the distribution of juveniles in a few river systems in tropical Australia. “We’ve been conducting research into the movement and population status of

juvenile speartooth sharks in the Wenlock River since 2006, and due to our long-term research we now know that juveniles are restricted to a few river systems in the Northern Territory and Queensland,” CSIRO researcher Dr Richard Pillans said.   “But the lack of records of adults is a key gap in our understanding of this species, which is listed as Critically Endangered by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. “According to Dr Pillans the chances of catching the adult specimens were incredibly small.   We know from catching newborn speartooth shark with open umbilical scars in late October – December that the females are giving birth during this period, with preliminary estimates of total female adult population to be less than 500 sharks,” he said.   Despite these low odds,

The lower teeth of the speartooth shark, which are long, narrow and erect with spear-like tips. The upper teeth are broadly triangular, erect and serrated.  over nine days of intensive sampling Dr Pillans, Barry Lyon and Luke Burnett (Australia Zoo) managed to capture two adult speartooth sharks – the first records of adults of this species in Australia – and the first live specimens recorded by researchers anywhere.   While one of the sharks was a female approximately 2.2m in length, the other individual

was a mature male of 2.3m in length, which was somewhat of a surprise and may indicate that the pupping area is also a mating area.   “Both individuals were tagged with satellite tags that will detach after approximately two months and provide information on where the sharks have moved to in this time,” Dr Pillans said.   “The tags also collect water

temperature and depth which can be used to reconstruct the movement pathways and provide detailed information on the habitat preferences of this species.   “It is hoped that the information obtained from these tags will provide the first data on where adult speartooth shark live, with this data critical to obtaining a better understanding of threats to this endangered species.   “We currently have no idea where the adults occur, all we know is that they are found in marine environments somewhere off the northern Australian coast.” The speartooth shark is a species of whaler shark and is often confused with bull sharks given their similar colouration and preference for riverine habitats.   The speartooth shark is characterised by its dark grey dorsal colouration, a large second dorsal fin and

narrow spear-like teeth in the lower jaw, which is where it gets its name from.   The speartooth shark gives birth to live young with the juveniles thought to be born at the mouths of a few rivers systems in northern Australia.   Once born, the young are completely self-reliant and move upstream where they spend the next 3-6 years about 40km to 80km from the river mouth in water of reduced salinity.   During the annual monsoon, juveniles move downstream to avoid the influx of freshwater but move back upstream once freshwater flows ease and salinity returns to their preferred range.   This research is funded by research funds from the Ord River Offset program, CSIRO and is in collaboration with Australia Zoo and the Commonwealth Department of Environment. – CSIRO

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Persistent anglers reap large reefy rewards STANAGE BAY

Von Ireland

The road into Stanage is always a good topic to start with. The turn off

is approximately 73km from the last set of traffic lights in Rockhampton heading north. The 100km road into Plumtree Stanage where the boat ramp gives you the

threadfin, small barra, snubnose dart and a few muddies. It should be a different story come the rain, which has been predicted for this month. Stanage has had very little moisture, with the rain water tanks running almost dry, if not already. The wind has been fairly minimal in the estuaries, but a lot stronger, sometimes blowing up to 30 knot at times. When the bigger boats did get out for a fish, it was not quantity, but

quality that was reefed over the gunwales. The accommodation has quite a few empty spots for 2016. Give me a ring or flick an email if you need any extra info on Pacific Villa or Pacific Oasis. I still mail out tide books, charts and shirts etc. • Remember the latest fishing reports are on www. fishingmonthly.com.au and for queries on Stanage Bay fishing, call me on (07) 4937 3145.

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Black jew are in abundance in the estuaries.

Coral trout have been around in good numbers around the reefs.

most spectacular beef cattle property views in Australia. Just slow down and drive to the unsealed road conditions for the time of day. The later it is, the more wildlife and cattle there’s likely to be on the road. Currently, the road hasn’t had too much rainfall.

Maybe we’re praying to the wrong god… The worst part of the road seems to be the Glenisla section, which has the most corrugation and potholes. The estuary has still been kind to the patient, persistent fishers giving up black jew, grunter, tuskfish,

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BRISBANE

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BUNDABERG

DROP IN AND CHECK THEM OUT AT YOUR LOCAL DEALER!

BOATS GALORE

142 Enterprise St, Bundaberg PHONE 07 4152 6744 MARCH 2016

Fishing Fill-its

Ready, thready, go! BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

There have been ample reports on the topic of catching a threadfin lately, however, as the species continue to grow in popularity and catch rates, it is necessary to inform anglers of proper non-harmful release techniques for those threadies not destined for the plate.

drawn upwards to the surface. Threadies that suffer from swim bladder expansion will have a bloated appearance, which is of no concern if the fish is being taken for the table, but as many anglers like to release their catch, the fish simply cannot get back down from the surface. When released (after a quick picture or two) it will swim around in diminishing circles before expiring. To avoid this it’s necessary to get the fish back into the depths as quickly as possible.

hook from a hardware store. This is an extremely simple and affordable way to give the fish every chance of survival. The hook holds the fish; the weights under the hook pull it down headfirst. I secure the cord to the hook with a binding plus a generous serve of Araldite. To use the release weight you need to secure a hold on the threadie’s mouth, which will require a very small incision. Insert the hook and hold the fish with the head facing down

GOLD COAST (SOUTH) MARINE TUNE

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GOLD COAST (NORTH)

BROADWATER BOATING CENTRE 46 Brisbane Road Labrador, QLD, 4215 Phone: (07) 5529 1777 Fax: (07) 5529 1888 www.broadwaterboating.com.au

GOLD COAST (NORTH) STEFAN BOATING WORLD

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BRISBANE (SOUTH)

STONES CORNER MARINE 117 Old Cleveland Road Stones Corner, QLD, 4120 Phone: (07) 3397 9766 Fax: (07) 3397 2456 www.stonescornermarine.com.au

BRISBANE (BAYSIDE) WYNNUM MARINE

31 Fox Street Wynnum, QLD, 4178 Phone: (07) 3396 9777 Fax: (07) 3893 2046 www.wynnummarineyamaha.com.au

Denise Kampe with a typical Brisbane River threadfin. It’s always the angler’s choice to keep or release a fish, but releasing successfully requires a dedicated release tool employing ample weight. Brisbane River threadies get a lot of angler attention, and on most days anglers take home varying numbers. Threadfin are tricky fish and will only bite if they’re in the mood. When they are on, tempt them with soft plastics and vibes. This will often lead to a spirited fight with the fish hauled up from a depth of around 15m. These wonderful fish sometimes suffer from the change in depths and when finally boated they can be affected by severe barotrauma – an expansion of the swim bladder which occurs as the thready is

A release weight system will drag the fish down into safer depths where it can equalise its swim bladder and survive with no lasting effects of capture. DIY RELEASE WEIGHT Many anglers make their own release weights. All this requires is a means of securing the fish temporarily (some form of hook) as it is dragged down by a heavy weight. Secure the weight to a cord that is long and strong enough to tug the hook free of the fish. I have one that cost only the value of some heavy sinkers, some strong cord and a curtain

when the cord is released. The heavy weights drag the fish straight down, tail upwards. Once down to around 10m+ (put a mark on the cord or watch the sounder to establish depth) give the cord a quick heavy jerk to extract the hook from the fish, which is then free to go. Mission accomplished! The main thing to remember is that a quick release system is required, and that the fish must be bodily pulled down from the surface. Remember the fish is inflated so don’t hold back on the weights.

BRISBANE (NORTH) NORTHSIDE MARINE

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SUNSHINE COAST

RAY SCHOLES MARINE 146 Eumundi Road Noosaville, QLD, 4566 Phone: (07) 5449 7633 Fax: (07) 5449 9830 www.rayscholesmarinenoosa.com.au

HERVEY BAY BUCCANEERS

19 Islander Road, Pialba, Hervey Bay, QLD, 4655 Phone: (07) 4124 6988 Fax: (07) 4194 2364 www.buccaneers.com.au

The author’s somewhat crude but very effective release weight system. 58

MARCH 2016

BUNDABERG

BUNDABERG MARINELAND 95 Targo Street, Bundaberg, QLD, 4670 Phone: (07) 4130 0500 Fax: (07) 4152 4754 www.bundabergmarineland.com.au

GLADSTONE

CURTIS COAST MARINE 40 Chapple St, Gladstone QLD, 4802 Phone: (07) 4972 0135 Fax: (07) 4972 0136 www.curtiscoastmarine.com.au

MACKAY

REEF MARINE 26 Prospect Street Mackay, QLD, 4740 Phone: (07) 4957 3521 Fax: (07) 4957 2447 www.reefmarine.net

WHITSUNDAYS

WHITSUNDAY MARINE 4/11 Shute Harbour Road Cannonvale,QLD, 4802 Phone: (07) 4948 3298 Fax: (07) 4948 3298

www.whitsundaymarine.com.au

BOWEN

REIBEL MARINE 34 Don Street Bowen, QLD, 4805 Phone: (07) 4786 2944 Fax: (07) 4786 6606 www.reibelmarineyamaha.com.au

TULLY

HUNTS OUTBOARD SERVICES 13 Watkins Street Tully, QLD, 4854 Phone: (07) 4068 2222 Fax: (07) 4068 0396 www.huntsoutboards.com.au

CAIRNS

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

KARUMBA

JONES MARINE 30 Yappar Street Karumba, QLD, 4891 Phone: (07) 4745 9159 Fax: (07) 4745 9366 www.jonesmarine.com.au

News

Catch and release – we have a way to go SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

It might be a good idea to put down your cornflakes before reading this article. Actually, better you finish them first. Here is a challenging thought for the day; Queensland Fisheries have done more to foster catch and release than any other group in Queensland. Here is another challenging thought; sports species should be a bag limit of two. Before anyone breaks out the pitchforks, let’s explore what that means and why. When I started my examination of catch and release a couple of months ago as a tangent to looking at another problem, I discovered a range of resources. There were plenty of how-tos, some history, plenty of advocacy against the practice by PETA, as well as advocacy for. On the science front there were two main categories. Released fish survival, which breaks down into techniques to ensure fish survive as well

as an examination of long term survival from multiple releases. Secondly, the science of fish and pain. There are scientific advocates both for and against, using a range of science to prove points. That is not a debate I want to replay in this article, but will hopefully tackle at some point. What doesn’t seem to be out there is a scientific examination of the practice itself. How many people do it? Why do they do it? Why don’t they? 60

MARCH 2016

I have been told a couple of times this examination was a frivolous exercise because this was all just an ideological thing. People either do or don’t based on their beliefs. So what is the reality? What is catch and release and how does it work? IS CATCH AND RELEASE AN IDEOLOGY? I started with that bastion of all human knowledge known as Wikipedia. You down the back there, stop sniggering. Wikipedia reports that the practice of catch and release has been practiced for a century in the UK based on concerns in regard to stocks of key species. It lists the practice as having early advocates in the 1930s in the US and the 1960s in Australia. I am sure there will be fishing historians who will shoot that down somewhere but in all three cases the common thread was conservation. It seems that catch and release is a trade off where fishers release fish in order to conserve stocks. It can be an ideological decision but equally it can be a practical one, and here is the

of catch and release, that is to conserve fish, but is it a moral conscious decision?

conference Mark McCrindle put up a figure for catch and release fishing of 55% to

recreational fishers, I think is consistent with other sets of what’s happened there is data we have (such as the rate the survey was conducted of fish released on recapture in Suntag). Ideology dominates for Australian bass and freshwater cod, where there is a lower bag limit but oddly, for sooty grunter as well. At this point, the attitudes in the sooty grunter fishery cannot be adequately explained. Overall, it’s a reasonable to say that catch and release is the dominant methodology of fishing in this fishery. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SALT? The salt scene is a lot more complex than the fresh, with a mix of fishing methods and reasons. Even allowing for error on the sample the numbers are pretty staggering Those who practice catch and release as a conscious act are to the with somewhere between 6-10 left, those that practice it as a legal requirement to the right. million fish as the estimated catch on key species. That is The answer is sometimes yes, 45%, that is 55% of fishers without really understanding at least 10 fish for every fisher but in reality, often no, they practice catch and release what catch and release fishing in the state for the year. are simply complying with fishing. I have read all of is or how to tease out the For the purposes of this the regulation. Mark’s books and I have a lot attitudes of the respondent. exercise, I am not looking at The best theory I have had of respect for him. As such, those numbers are the raw numbers but the ratio put to me on this issue is that The data in Queensland really shaky. of fish that are caught versus there is a spectrum of fishers from the last Statewide I will let McCrindle those released. Looking at a including commercial fishers. Recreational Fishing survey, research off the hook but bunch of key species listed At one end you have fishers however, doesn’t support this, what it highlights is the fact in the Statewide Recreational who only practice catch and but then again it does. In fact, that ‘catch and release’ is not Survey, we get a figure of universally understood to around 56% of fish released. mean the same thing. I am not using that as an In fact, even basic absolute number, as there is querying of fishers who error in that estimate but on define themselves as catch balance, it’s likely that more and release fishers highlights fish are released than kept. that their attitudes differ Even allowing for more across species, locations and fish released than kept, the purpose of fishing. In other recreational harvest is very words, even for fishers that significant. In fact, for species practice catch and release such as dusky flathead, based on belief, the reality is recreational harvest is larger their application of that belief than commercial. isn’t uniform. To quote p41 of the WHERE DOES Statewide Recreational MCCRINDLE Survey: “The recreational LEAVE US? harvest of these popular I will be honest, when species is significant when I first heard the McCrindle compared to the commercial statistic I believed it to be harvest. For example, the true. In fact, it fed nicely into recreational harvests of my own personal narrative snapper and yellowfin bream of recreational fishers having are similar to the commercial evolved. I lost several nights harvest, whereas the sleep when my other research recreational harvest of dusky didn’t stack up with what I flathead is more than twice the believed to be the case and commercial harvest.” that is not hyperbole. No other I mention dusky flathead fishing issue has challenged as it is a key species mentioned my values as a fisher as much in articles about catch and as this one. release as well as in Wikipedia How do we assess the as a key species targeted for Total catch and total release for common salt species. state of catch and release catch and release. Dusky fishing? While there isn’t flathead is certainly one of reason why. release and at the other end in a weird way, almost 100% enough data breaking the highest rates of catch and There are a group fishers that practice only of the fish released are from down the why of catch and release among salt species at of fishers that believe this harvest. There is a spectrum catch and release, it’s just release, there is enough data 26% and no doubt this has practice is ‘better’ for the from there with people falling that the ratio of ideological to on the what. an impact. Up against the fishery for a range of reasons. in at different stages on that practical reasons for release WHAT HAPPENS IN dominant harvest mentality, In this case they make a moral spectrum. differ. In this case, Mark is THE FRESH? though it’s not having much of decision to release fish for the So is catch and release talking about the ideological The freshwater scene has an effect on the end result. greater good, most often the an ideology? Yes, and no. side, so 55% practice catch relatively few species and Given that only just over greater good of the fish. There are ideological reasons and release for ideological is dominated by tight bag half of fish are released and for There are other fishers to do it, but there are practical reasons and while this is close limits and stocking via the most species surveyed, there though that release juvenile reasons to do it as well, of the to true in the fresh, it’s far SIPs scheme. While there is a less than 10% rate of fish, for example based on kind that won’t see you with from true in the salt and even is a higher error around the ideological catch and release, bag limit regulations or larger a large fine or loosing your less true on the reef. numbers of fish taken as per and it’s fair to say this is a fish that exceed their bag equipment. As this was an off the the Statewide Recreational harvest fishery. limit. Are they practicing THE MAGIC NUMBERS cuff survey for the National Fishing Survey, I believe More to the point, catch and release? At the National Conference designed to give there is less error around the organisations such as ANSA, If you go by the intention Recreational Fishing attendees an overview of ratio of fish released as this founded on the idea of sports

News and conservation haven’t had long term success in shifting general attitudes. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAKE HARVEST EFFORT HARDER? There is a temptation to say that the freshwater scene is ‘superior’ to the salt in terms of catch and release, but I think that is a narrow point of view. Firstly, the freshwater scene is dominated by stocked

catch and release went from 5% to 38%. Why did mulloway defy all of the other major salt species in the survey? As with species such as barramundi and king threadfin, mulloway are dependant on rainfall and river flows at the right times. Conditions in the latter part of the 2000s were the best they have been for decades, leading to a major

at that time, I suspect that boost was driven in part by young sport fishers. That is not necessarily in numbers, but in their Facebook activity, where many were encouraged to join in provided a reason – to go big on mulloway and join in the fun. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAKE HARVEST EFFORT EASIER? Why hasn’t the ‘catch

a strong one, so in this way the ideology side of catch and release should be king as there is a greater need for conservation as there is no stocking as a safety barrier. Yet the reverse is true. When you have a look at the rough breakup of species we see that around about 90% can be identified as primarily for harvest. Here there will be some debate on what

your bag limit with bass is not a mark of skill so much as not getting it is either inexperience, incompetence or extreme bad luck. Yet, despite the fact it’s easier to get a bag with bass, the release rate of legal bass is way higher than barra or flathead. So why not keep more? The puritans of catch and release claim ideology, yet the

actually a little hard to use the Crystal Bowl in this context. That is because in the fishery that it’s focused on, the Fitzroy River, had commercial fishers as the major harvesters. What it did do though for the first time was quantify the effect of harvest on the fishery and pretty accurately. In the NFZ argument, it wasn’t the state of the fishery so much

percent of bass released only went higher than the current flathead rate in the mid to late 2000s. Catch and release has been around since the 1960s, that’s a pretty big lead time.

as how fast it got there that galvanised the recreational fishers. History aside, the reason I believe the Crystal Bowl is at a very interesting point in it’s

A model of catch and release. impoundments, concentrated areas where spreading the message of catch and release is simpler. Second, the effort required to ‘get a feed’ overall is higher because of tight bag limits and narrow range of species. In many ways, it’s more productive as a fisher to value the fishery differently. If you can get 10 bass in a session (Lake Samsonvale averages 14), there is quite a different experience on offer. In fact, there is substantial evidence that the combination of a great fishery and tight bag limits is the magic combination that creates converts to catch

boost in the numbers of species that depend on rainfall. There were a lot of fish and very tight bag limits, so there was the opportunity to take advantage of mulloway in a very different way. Go look through the Facebook feeds of young sports fishers in Brisbane in that time and you will see lots of mulloway and sessions where there were dozens caught. There were fish that could be kept, but because there was a bucket load of fun and content to be generated out of catch and release, almost all went back. It is no coincidence that those most angry over

and release’ ethos of the fresh translated into the salt? I think perception of eating quality comes into it, but also the amount of effort required to get a feed is less. That is because the techniques are pretty simple, bait is in easy supply and access to the fishery is easier relative to where people live. Bag limits are also on the whole much higher so it’s easier to take more. Catch and release fishers in the impoundment scene do swap back to harvesters in the salt. Not always, often they are conscientious in their choices but they stillchoose to harvest when the opportunity

A breakup of the saltwater catch. and release. Mulloway is one such species that provides this evidence. Mulloway is one species in the salt where there are very tight bag limits. In the 2010/11 Survey 93% of fish were released as ‘too small’, but in 2013/14 Survey that reduced to 37%. Correspondingly,

perceived issues with Brisbane River threadfin predominantly fish for them with catch and release methods. In the business of catch and release, numbers matter. In this case, based on the Suntag experience of the explosion of young fishers coming into Suntag in SEQ

arises. There are also species and fishing opportunities where catch and release is not appropriate such as deep water fishing and this feeds into the lower rate, though it doesn’t explain it. I expected more impact of catch and release in the salt. The conservation argument is

species fit into each role, but if anything, I am being generous to sports species. What this demonstrates, is relative to freshwater there is an abundance of

Ideological Driver

Practical Driver

Species

Catch and Release

Too Many

Too Small

Unwanted

Australian Bass

72%

25%

Freshwater Cod

57%

35%

Golden Perch

33%

16%

46%

Sooty Grunter

60%

10%

21%

harvest species that can be successfully targeted. While the big numbers are in bream, whiting, flathead and tailor, the reality is there is an abundance of ways to get a feed. More to the point, there is an abundance of ways to exceed ‘a feed’, that is to take some home for the freezer. More than anything, abundance, choice and access dominate the salt attitudes and this acts in the reverse way to the fresh. THE WTF CATCH AND RELEASE FISHERY The bass fishery shows if this is a long term opportunity, people change on mass. I have been using the Statewide Survey a lot in this article, so time to change it up. In part, I think we are seeing the effect of a piece of plastic in a fish. What this does demonstrate is the WTF effect of bag limits on catch and release when combined with abundance. All three species listed are considered catch and release species. Bass catch rates are among the highest we have on record in Suntag. In fact, it’s easier to get a legal bass in an impoundment, than a legal barra or a legal flathead anywhere. Getting

More to the point, it’s nearly doubled since 2006. So has there been a major campaign on catch and release since 2006? Or is it more likely that since the breaking of the drought, the impoundment scene has improved a lot, to the point where catch and release is a better fishing experience? Think back to mulloway. I have revised my earlier chart to reflect the boomerang effect of bag limits and good fishing. A SPECIAL CASE – CRYSTAL BOWL Mulloway was a bit of a godsend in the Statewide Survey as this is a traditional harvest species that jumped ship. I was also looking for an innovation outside government and catch and release advocacy that might have had a similar effect and the only long term project I could find is the Crystal Bowl. An upfront admission, I have been involved with Crystal Bowl since it’s inception. That said, it’s been a long term project that was even used by the commercials in their arguments on NFZ. It’s accepted by the local community and does have a lot of science behind it. Going on history, it’s

development is the fact the fishery is now recreational harvest only. Will the recreational sector move to catch and release? Will the fishery improve? Does transparency in the fishery have an effect on the way it’s used? We don’t have the answers to those questions just yet but the answers to those questions will determine if there is a technology alternative to regulation. Sports species dominate in the Fitzroy, so I think this is the best place to see if it makes a difference. The one interesting footnote in the Rockhampton Fishery is there was an explosion of catch and release fishing around 2011, when there were a lot of juvenile barra in the system. This is yet more evidence that abundance and rules work hand in hand to change a fishery. SO, FISHERIES IS THE MAN? Queensland Fisheries, through bag and size limits have had more impact than anyone on the fishery and fishing outcomes as far as whether fish are released or not. They have been more successful at converting MARCH 2016

News fisheries to catch and release than the general industry has been. I suspect they would be reticent to take the credit as this is probably not what they intended, I think they should. Without their data collection this analysis would have been impossible. In the case of impoundments, I would also give a lot of credit to the work of the FFSAQ stocking groups for improving the fishery and creating a late surge, especially in bass. That is not to say that the catch and release media haven’t played a role, because they have, and I suspect it’s a positive one. In terms of reach though, the saltwater experience suggests that there may need to be innovation in outreach to engage fishers who don’t catch and release other than for harvest and regulatory reasons. I wonder if, like clubs, there is a bit of preaching to the choir happening. Projects such as Released Fish Survival have had an impact on release techniques and gear but not on the practice itself. We now have more understanding – the community needs a definite signal to adjust their habits, word of mouth and ideology is not enough. Where ideology alone hasn’t had the impact I hoped, innovation might. Concepts such as the Crystal Bowl and voluntary bag limits are in their early days but they represent the sort of community-based tools that offer hope in the future. Both send a signal to the community to change their habits. Either way, when changing habits, patience is a virtue. Expecting that everyone will change all at

particular fishery to provide social pressure. What the bass, mulloway and Rockhampton barra fisheries show though, is that if you have a great fishery, you increase the rate of conversion big time. WHAT SORT OF BAG LIMITS DO WE NEED? The fishery where change over to catch and release is easiest and will have a positive impact on fishing and the industry is in the sports species. In this, I include species such as bass, barramundi, mangrove jack, mulloway, queenfish, threadfin, trevally and lower take species such as cobia and yellowtail kingfish. All of these have an alternate economic value in the form of the content industry to take advantage of the fishing. Also, the better the sports fishery, the better chance you will get high paying tourism and tourism businesses. These species are only around 11% of the catch mix of major species in the salt, so less fishers are affected by the change. Sports species are more valuable in the catch and release sphere if they are plentiful, that will make the conversion rate to catch and release much higher and faster. There is a chance for a rapid conversion of this fishery, so long as there are fish. A bag limit of two would be a signal to the community that they are better served being catch and release. Fishers can still get a feed as well. For example, two barra will feed a family easily. The arguments for an NFZ in the north have been around improving the fishery, not increasing the recreational take, so a bag limit of two is consistent

I think you need to include commercial effort in that equation, but that is a separate discussion that again requires an article of it’s own. As the NFZ has shown, it’s a sensitive issue. Estuary and inshore species make up roughly 58% of the catch in the salt, so this is the area where you will get the most impact in terms of catch reduction but also the most resistance. To be fair, this requires a complete examination rather than a glib attempt at a number. Mass conversion to catch and release would be really difficult to achieve without setting bag limits that make fishing for a feed impractical. Having said that, some level of harvest reduction for the recreational sector should be a goal and catch and release can play a smaller role in that. What about reef species? Reef species are generally not an ideal catch and release species, and there isn’t a good comparison of recreational vs commercial catch in the Statewide Survey. For this reason, I am cautious on bag limits. As a principal, the experience in the snapper fishery has been that lower is better if you want to improve the fishery. THE FUTURE OF CATCH AND RELEASE What this discussion doesn’t take into account is the feelings of the community, a proportion of which will agree with PETA or other environmental groups even if fishers don’t. The thing is it should. In countries like Germany and Switzerland, catch and release is banned on animal welfare grounds. While this is not likely anytime soon in Australia, it’s a reminder

Ideological Driver Species

Catch and Release

Too Many

Too Small

Unwanted

14%

37%

45%

Barred javelin

16%

80%

Blue threadfin

16%

74%

Cod and groper

12%

70%

16%

Coral trout

95%

Dart

92%

Dusky flathead

26%

n/a

62%

n/a

Hussar

92%

King threadfin

10%

88%

Mangrove jack

77%

Morwong sweetlip

70%

Moses snapper

17%

82%

Northern sand flathead

33%

62%

Parrotfish and tuskfish

88%

Pearl perch

100%

Pikey bream

27%

70%

Red emporer

100%

Red-throat emporer

94%

Sand whiting

91%

School mackerel

22%

73%

Sharks

90%

Silver javelin

92%

Snapper

98%

Spanish mackerel

93%

Spotted mackerel

86%

Stripey snapper

90%

Tailor

88%

Trevally

27%

19%

50%

Trumpeter whiting

10%

83%

Yellowfin bream

12%

82%

which catch and release has a future. First, there is an alternate industry now to the harvest industry in the form of content

Percentage of legal tagged fish released on recapture (non taggers). once is unrealistic, in fact, change really only gains pace when you have a reasonable number of converts in a 62

MARCH 2016

with this effort and the Government commitments to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

that fishers take the wider community for granted at their peril. There are two ways in

Practical Driver

creation. Friend a fisher on Facebook or like any major fishing Facebook page and you will see a lot of content

created through fishing. This aspect of fishing is only in very early days, but it’s not going away any time soon. What that industry needs in order to succeed is a healthy supply of fish and preferably bigger fish available at a relatively low cost. Spending four days getting a great shot might be okay now, but as people start to make a living, be it via Patreon, sponsorship or some other means, time is money. Access to good fisheries will be more and more important. That is not to include other tourism opportunities that eventuate with good fisheries. Second, the need for recreational fishers to collect their own data and become better at monitoring their fisheries is going to increase. I cannot imagine a world where ‘more harvest’ will be acceptable. The community expectation and burden of proof of appropriate use more and more is on the user of the resource. It is always more difficult to unwind an industry that has a financial output and taken reasonable steps to ensure they have mitigated risks of environmental or other concerns. As an industry we still

have a way to go before we can say that is true. While there is a temptation to ‘blame the pros’ and walk away from the obligation to reduce harvest, as I showed last month – it’s not that simple. Recreational fishers take a lot of fish and need to demonstrate that attitudes are changing and the harvest going down over time. Fishers need to demonstrate to the community they can be part of improving the fishery in line with community expectations, rather than just pushing that burden back onto Government. What this means for enterprising fishers in the next generation, is getting in early, promoting not only catch and release content, but being part of the solution to better fishing through monitoring and greater transparency of fishery status. Data Sources Used in this Article: Wikipedia - https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_ and_release Tag and catch records from http://qld.info-fish.net 1985 to 2015 Statewide Recreational Fishing Survey 2013–14 by James Webley, Kirrily McInnes, Daniella Teixeira, Ashley Lawson and Ross Quinn from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

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Shallow reef adventures in Hervey Bay FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

In the pursuit of information for my articles, I love having a chat to anglers as they come into the boat ramp after a time on the water. A typically friendly question from me enquiring about their success will often elicit one of three responses. One is stony silence. No way they intend to divulge the secrets of their excursion on the briny, not to anyone, certainly not to a fishing correspondent. Another typical response is ‘just got a feed.’ Again, no details but at the very least they might have a legal bream whose fillets could become a sumptuous seafood dinner for two. Then there are the refreshing individuals who catch little but are happy to talk about it. Nigel was one of them. Regular readers will know that I have often written about Hervey Bay’s shallow reefs, as these are in easily accessible parts of the Bay. Through encounters like those

the Urangan Boat Harbour, because this area is ideally located to reach the eastern reefs. Just a reminder that there is a triangular shaped green zone occupying a sizable part of the reef to the north of Round Island. See the mud map and also the table of coordinates to locate the corners of the green zone. Silver buoys mark two of these points and the third is very close to the red beacon. Fishing in the green zone is totally banned. Many anglers would be aware that there is some excellent shallow reef country along the western shore of Little Woody Island, and around the red beacon to the south of that island. With the exception of the very tip of Little Woody Island, this is totally zoned green. NIGEL’S STORY The first time I met Nigel, he was happy to show me the contents of his bait bucket - a few prawns, a piece of squid and a fillet of mullet, all of which were starting to feel the effects of a hot sun. When I asked him if he had tried using artificials he said his attempts with small ZMan plastic had resulted in being

for bait to be in top condition. As far as possible, I net my own hardiheads and herrings, and of course pump up good handfuls of large yabbies. When I asked Nigel if he had caught anything at all that day, he told me about dark motley little fish with spines all around its body. Fortunately he used his fish grippers to deal with what was obviously a black spinefoot (happy moment). Once you’ve been stung by a happy moment you’ll spend the rest of your life making sure that it doesn’t happen again. These unfortunate little creatures can be in plague proportions over the shallows during daylight - just another reason to fish dusk and early evening. Nigel’s other capture was an attractive little fish with large black spots on either side. He indicated its size with a hand span. Just as well this little Moses perch found its way back into the water. With a minimum legal size of 25cm, this could have proved expensive if checked by an inspector at the ramp. We had quite a discussion about setting the boat in position on a reef. Quite a

A beautiful mixed bag shows the variety and abundance of Hervey Bay’s shallow reefs. I have mentioned I have come to realise that the majority of anglers working these reefs catch very few decent fish. I wish to tackle the shallow reefs again, to highlight the reasons why so many do not have much success. A shallow reef in Hervey Bay can be defined as rock, coral and other attached marine life that might surface on a low spring tide, or be covered by 1-2m of water. With the tidal range you can expect to fish in up to 6m of water. The reefs fringe the mainland and island foreshores. There are launching ramps at Gatakers Bay, Point Vernon, Scarness and Torquay but the latter three are quite open to the weather. By far the best launch facilities are inside 64

MARCH 2016

snagged, with the loss of two plastics and jigheads. There are some very successful reef anglers in Hervey Bay who mostly work artificials almost exclusively over the shallow reefs. Most target cod and trout as they troll along the reef edges. Others experience success with a variety of plastics and hardbodies. I didn’t want to embarrass Nigel, having seen the state of his bait but it was obvious to both of us that some improvements were needed here. As I mostly use frozen baits while fishing on the reef, I keep my stock in a small cooler with as many freezer bricks as I can possibly fit in. Depending on how far I am travelling I might leave out the first baits to be used. It is so important

lot has been written about the damage anchors can cause on reefs. The best alternative, where possible, is to anchor on a sandy bottom close to the reef and use the tide to carry baits over the coral. There are quite a few places where this can be done in Hervey Bay, but weather

Black spinefoot, otherwise known as a ‘happy moment,’ can deliver a bad sting! conditions can make it almost impossible. The ideal way to position the boat is to have it lying with the tide without the interference of the wind causing it to drift about. With the boat in this position, cast your lines directly down tide. Casting at right angles to the tide will get your terminal gear washed around and inevitably snagged in the heavy structure. My standard rig for the shallows is usually nothing more than sinker on the hook; I sometimes include a heavier leader, but keep the sinker on the hook. Use the lightest lead that conditions allow, right down to no lead at all. Another major reason for casting with the tide is that fish will be attracted into that zone. When I have my boat set on the reef, my first bait is a half pilchard to attract attention and act as a self-berleying device. I rarely use other berleys. Sometimes all they achieve is a massive gathering of unwanted butter bream and other small fish. We had a look at Nigel’s equipment - nothing too much wrong with it, but a little light for the heavy duty fishing that can happen on the reef. My standard set of gear is a much used and loved Ugly Stik made up to suit a 650 Alvey with a large stripping guide for long casts. I use 12kg mono, a wide selection of ball sinkers and 2/0 and 3/0 540 Mustads. This might sound a bit like overkill but when you could be dealing with blackall up to 6kg, you need to have enough wood to put on them. This equipment is fine for the usual run of reef

LEGAL SIZES AND BAG LIMITS Species Min. length (cm) Coral bream (grass sweetlip) 30 Spangled emperor 45 Blackall (painted sweetlip) 25 Moses perch 25 Stripey 25 Bluey (black spot tuskfish 30 Greasy (purple tuskfish) 30 Snapper (squire) 35 Estuary Cod 38 Coral Trout 38 Bream and tarwhine 25 * A maximum total bag limit for coral reef finfish is 20

fish - grass sweetlip (coral bream), blackall (painted sweetlip), small snapper, Moses perch and stripeys, but to tackle blueys (black spot tuskfish) you need to go to at least 25kg mono. Having sorted out the some of the equipment questions it was time to look a little more closely at the popular species of the shallow reef and how to successfully target them. SHALLOW REEF SPECIES The larger grass sweetlip are naturally shy fish. In shallow water they rarely come close to the boat. This is why long casts down tide away from the boat achieve the best results. Although good quality fish are possible captures throughout the day and night, they often have a short burst of frantic activity just on dusk and at first light. With very little warning they will pick up bait and tear off with it. Then it’s a matter of giving little as it heads for cover. In these conditions there is no time to be gentle, particularly early in the struggle. Coral bream feed ravenously on just about anything, but in my book whole small herrings, half pilchards and hardiheads are the top baits. On an evening about a fortnight later I came back to the ramp at my usual time of 5-8 pm. This is when the action happens. Start any earlier and you might have to put up with the happy moments! Stay much later and there will still be the odd fish to contend with. Nigel came into the ramp just as I had pulled my Quinnie up onto the pebble beach. He Bag limit 10 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 7 30

was looking quite pleased with himself and a glance in his icebox showed me why. Half a dozen nice coralies, a Moses perch and a blackall of about 2kg were staring at me through the crushed ice. It was still early in the evening on a rare windless night so we were happy to hang out for a while and talk fishing. We examined Nigel’s blackall, remarking on its fleshy lips. In common with its close relatives, the bruin of Fraser Island and the blubberlip bream of our rivers, their soft fleshy lips help them to feed among the sands between the hard corals and rocks. It might not be surprising then, that yabbies, along with other small crustaceans work well as baits. The only problem when using yabbies is that they are often torn apart by small fish before the blackall can find them. An elderly gentleman and close friend, who sadly is no longer able to fish, developed the use of a shandy of a small strip of squid laid on the shaft of the hook with a yabby mounted on the gape. A simple solution, perhaps, but it works. I often fish with my friend and I would hear him say “the yabby’s gone,” and ten seconds later his reel would be screaming. The initial bite of a blackall, no matter what bait is used, is little more than a suspicion. As well as yabbies and crabs, blackall are quite prepared to take squid or cuttlefish. You might catch a few on hardiheads, even pilchards, but these are not baits that I would choose to target blackall.

Classification N/A Coral reef finfish Coral reef finfish Coral reef finfish Coral reef finfish Coral reef finfish (Combined bag of 6) Combined bag of 6 N/A Max. limit 120cm Coral reef finfish Combined limit of 30

After our examination of Nigel’s blackall we chatted about the eating qualities of this fish and others from the reef. Blackall do not have a great reputation with anglers further north, which I think is unfair. We always bleed a blackall on capture, then fillet, bone and skin. I probably wouldn’t have them in my top ten, but the cooked fillets are very acceptable. Coral bream, closely related to red throat emperor, are prime table fare, no matter how they are prepared for the table. Young snapper are very common over the shallow reef and the majority don’t make the 35cm limit. In fact, they can become quite a nuisance. I took a 50cm specimen in the middle of a typical coral bream burst, which was a welcome addition to my catch that evening. Snapper of this size are superb eating. I was confident that this one would probably earn me another leave pass when I handed it over to the home manager. We also discussed a few of the other shallow reef species. We took a close look at the Moses perch in Nigel’s icebox - no problems

will take just about any bait offering. As table fare they are hard to beat. Closely related to coral bream, juvenile spangled emperor are often caught in their company. They are distinct species with very different legal requirements. The spangled is a much more colourful fish with lots of bright blue spots over its body. Nigel had been debating whether or not to get geared up for blueys (black-spot tuskfish). In Hervey Bay the very biggest fish are taken on the deeper reefs and ledges such as the Rufus Artificial and Moon Ledge. Here specialist fishermen who use 100kg mono hand lines take fish well over 10kg. Whole blue-claw or sand crabs are favoured baits. Once hooked it is heavy-duty work with gloved hands to stop the bluey from making it into his favourite structure. This is one form of fishing that I haven’t graduated to. However, the shallow reefs hold good numbers of smaller blueys that can be handled on lines up to 50kg. I use a heavy duty Ugly Stik with a direct wind 650 Alvey, as well as

bluey arrives at the scene. For these smaller fish, even those of just legal size, there is no room for finesse, the fish must be stopped abruptly and

it put into practice. The first bluey was just undersize at 29.5cm and he was surprised at the energy that small fish displayed. The next fish

about three months later, he hadn’t set himself up for bluey fishing, but was looking forward to doing so for the start of the coming

I am looking forward to catching up with Nigel again soon - maybe at the ramp again - more likely out on the water. There may be lots

Hervey Bay Shallow Reefs Gatekers Bay

Point Vernon

Scale 1 km

NCB Pier

Yellow Buoy

Pialba KEY

Shallow Reef Gas shed Light House

Scarness

Urangan

North cardinal beacon Green zone

brought to boat without giving it the slightest opportunity to find cover. Shallow reef blueys are likely up to 4kg, just about the limit for the kind of gear I use. They are predominantly daylight feeders and early morning sessions usually prove to be

Round Island

Woody Island GS

Boat Horbour

couldn’t be stopped in his tracks, and ended up wrapping my 50kg line around a bommie. After a period of little activity, I was on again and it looked like I was going to lose some more line, but I managed to get the fish coming. Almost 2kg of fish soon ended up in the boat. I am not sure whether Nigel will set himself up for blueys on the shallow reef. It sure isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. When I caught up with Nigel at the Boat Club

summer. However, he had been busy in the latter part of the previous season, having some success trolling shallow working hardbodies. His most frequent catch were estuary cod, many of which were undersize. Just a few trout were taken and more than half made the legal requirement. He also scored a couple of tailor, a big-eye trevally and a small queenfish, representatives of non-resident visitors to the shallow reef.

of Nigels out there struggling to find ways to improve their fishing knowledge and skills and consequently the complete enjoyment of their sport. There are also lots of anglers of various skills and experience, only too ready to talk to and help their fellow anglers. You certainly can learn lots from fishing mags like Fishing Monthly, and from TV shows, but nothing will replace the one to one communication between two anglers sharing their experience.

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Detachable Battery This lovely blackall will do nicely on the BBQ. GREEN ZONE BOUNDARIES Green Zone North (near red beacon) South West (near Round Island) South East (near Woody Island) with this one - comfortably over the 25cm limit. Both the Moses perch and closely related stripey are common captures on the reef, particularly just after dark. They are in elite company with other members of the sea perch family - mangrove jack, golden snapper (fingermark), nannygai and red emperor. Moses perch and stripeys

Lat 25° 16.0’S 25° 16.683’ S 25° 16.100’S

Hoodlum 2/0 hooks. Much the same outfit that I use for other shallow reef fish, except for the line and rod ratings. The standout baits are black rock crabs followed by small paddlers, yabbies and soldier crabs. Yabbies and soldier crabs can get cleaned up quickly on the reef nursery, so the firmer crab baits are more likely to survive until a

Long 152° 55.600’E 152° 55.663’E 152° 56.400’E the most productive. Fishing a late afternoon session will often see them continue to feed right up to complete darkness. The closely related purple tuskfish (greasy) are often prolific on the reef. BLUEY HUNTING A couple of days later Nigel was keen to accompany me on a session dedicated to bluey. He was happy to see

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Huge influx of large-mouth nannygai is nigh! WHITSUNDAYS

Luke Griffiths

The start of the month gave us persistent northwesterlies, combined

heavenly crab goodness. SEEING RED We have continued to see great number of fish caught around the islands and outer reefs. Plenty of tasty red-throat emperor

been boated with nannygai to 12kg caught regularly. Along with the larger fish, we have seen loads of smaller undersize nannygai as well. This is fantastic sight as it gives us a good

A solid large-mouth nannygai, a species that have made a great comeback recently. Expect good numbers of these fish through March.

Renegade skipper Luke helps customer Kristyn Zell hold her prize catch caught trolling a custom bronze skirt. Marlin are still on offer this month. with hot humid days and some decent rain, which kept most landlocked. However, some respite has recently been granted, and the fishing has been awesome. BARRAMUNDI The barra season is in full swing and most have been graced with a fish or two for their efforts. Barra are a fantastic fish to target. From their powerful surge to head-shaking leaps, they make for a great angling experience. They are certainly one of my favourite fish to catch. Fish tight around timber snags and other structure during the early morning or late afternoon, with lures, plastics and live baits. Anglers have captured mud crabs while targeting barra. But don’t be shellfish! If you get more than enough for a feed, let a few go so others can also enjoy the sweet taste of

and coral trout have been on the menu from the outer reefs, with many reports of good-size fish making up the majority of catches. Fish the lead up to the full and new moons for your best chance to find the big ones. A lot of other species have been biting well and quite a number of red emperor have made a welcome appearance. Fish the deep broken ground around the reefs for reds, however if you are lucky enough to stay overnight on the reef, you can also expect to steal a couple from the shallower anchorages, along with the usual suspects of spangled emperor and red-throat. However, if reef fishing isn’t for you, then the islands and inner shoals are another fantastic option. We have seen a resurgence of large-mouth nannygai of late around the shoals and outer islands. Some healthy fish have

indication that the future fishing for them looks promising. If you catch a junior model, release them as quickly and gently as possible to ensure these

great fish can be sustained in coming years. Expect them to be a regular catch as the numbers should be on the increase over the coming weeks.

Anthony Capman and his son were happy with this healthy red emperor caught on deep broken ground wide of the reef.

PELAGICS AND PROBLEMS Unfortunately, the taxman has also been a regular visitor to the reefs. Everyone has their theory as to why the sharks are hanging around, but all I know is they are the worst we have seen them in a long time. If they do become a problem while wetting a line, move to another spot so you don’t waste good fish on a toothy man in a grey suit. They seem to be everywhere though, even smashing our pelagic species on the surface. The pelagic species have fished well and we have seen good numbers of bluefin tuna, mac tuna and spanish mackerel hanging around, along with the odd mahimahi. A lot of bigger mackerel have been hanging deep with a lot caught via live baits on the bottom. Unusual maybe, but this has become a trend in the past few months so give it a crack next time you’re out. Another trend we have seen is billfish lurking about around the islands and shipping channel. Plenty of black marlin and sailfish are still being sighted

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Renegade skipper Luke Griffiths showcases a beautiful red emperor, a species that have been around in good numbers.

To page 69

This month is set to be a stunner of a season! AYR

Steve Farmer

Despite some incredibly hot and dry conditions, the Burdekin area has fished relatively well over the summer months. Quantities weren’t spectacular, but variety was good and persistent anglers usually managed a modest feed of fresh fillets, whether they fished the reef or the estuaries. With the almost total lack of rainfall and no run in the river, the local fishing has been much better than most anglers expected. Flathead in particular have been about in good numbers and have been keen to wolf down both baits and lures. The larger females are full of roe at the moment, so limit

your take of these fish. In really hot weather even the flathead seek a little shade and I’ve found them sheltering under snags on the sand flats or lying in the shade of flooded sand dune vines on the big tides. Flicking your lures around these spots is definitely worthwhile. Grunter have also been the source of a few tasty feeds in the creeks, as well as in Upstart and Bowling Green bays. Fish around 40-45cm have been the main catch in the creeks, while anglers who fish the more open waters of the bays have scored grunter to at least 74cm. Mangrove jack have also been a staple of the estuary catch over the last couple of months. Most keepers have measured in at 40-45cm, but a few

anglers have been lucky enough to tangle with jacks around 50cm. Col Casalegno and his son Brodyn, scored four jacks measuring between 40-50cm while fishing the snags and oyster bars at Groper Creek recently. Their live baits intended for jacks also attracted two barra to 70cm – however, as it was the closed season at the time both were quickly released in good condition. Salmon are an expected catch at this time of the year, and are often associated with the arrival of northerly winds early in summer. While they aren’t prime table fish, the salmon can produce some great pelagic action if you manage to find them schooled up and feeding. Small mullet, herring baits or similarly sized soft plastics, hard-

Brodyn Casalegno and his Dad Col, caught four mangrove jack from 40-50cm in length at Groper Creek.

Brodyn Casalegno released this 70cm barra.

bodied minnows or metal slugs are bound to interest this species. A heavier leader or even a wire trace is necessary to prevent the salmon rubbing you off with their sandpaper-like jaws. Burdekin creeks aren’t usually known for trevally catches, probably because the clarity of the water isn’t great usually. However, with no floodwater run-off, many of the creeks are as clean as they are ever likely to be and trevally and queenfish are moving in around the creek mouths. Catches have generally still been on the small side, but

From page 68

and caught; so set a wellorganised spread of lures or baits in the coming month. Even if you don’t nail that billy, you will likely latch onto a Spanish or two. Speaking of latching on, I’m off to enjoy a couple of quiet ones after an enjoyable (but very humid) day out on the blue. Fishing should be of a good standard this month so if you can swing a trip in out on the water, I’d be doing just that. It is a great chance to escape from the Iphone and Ipad and enjoy our ridiculously picturesque, backyard paradise. In the words of Ergon Energy, ‘look up and live.’ Cheers! • If you’re interested in a game, sport or reef fishing charters around the Whitsundays, give Luke a call on 0429 724 822 or email info@ renegadecharters.com.au.

Grant Buckingham with a sweet late afternoon barramundi, which couldn’t resist a live-bait fished close to structure.

one lucky angler landed a metre plus queenie. Hot, calm days had bluewater fishos hitting the shoals and reefs, but overall results were disappointing considering the effort involved in getting to some distant reefs. Most boats did manage a modest feed of quality fish such as jew and coral trout. Pelagics such as trevally, queenfish and cobia have caused some kerfuffle, especially on the inshore shoals. These shoals and the waters around Cape Upstart are also seeing quality golden snapper (fingermark) to about 8kg. Catches aren’t numerous, but experienced anglers who target the species have brought home a fish or two on the good days. Apparently this species is particularly slow growing, so limit your catch of these big specimens. They are also more susceptible to barotrauma when hauled from relatively shallow depths, so catch and release isn’t really an option with this species. Large soft plastic lures and fresh squid baits are the best way to tempt golden snapper. MARCH FORECAST The month of March can be the tail end of our wet season, so we could be flooded out over the next month. Assuming we don’t get a late wet, then much of the fishing detailed above should continue. Mangrove jack and barra will be the estuary highlights while grunter should continue to produce

tasty feeds for the next few months. With cooler weather just around the corner, estuary anglers can also expect the winter whiting to be moving into our creeks and along our beaches soon. There were reports of a number of catches of large whiting made back in January, so let’s hope autumn brings more of this popular species. On the bluewater, trevally and queenfish should provide plenty of sporting fun through to at least May, and the best spots are the shoals and the waters around Camp Island and the weather side of Cape Upstart. There have been almost no reports of the smaller species of mackerel, which usually provide fun and fillets in inshore waters. Hopefully these schools will arrive during March. EASTER FUN Easter is on the last weekend in March this year – earlier than usual and possibly too early for us to enjoy that magic boating weather that this popular four-day weekend traditionally serves up. Hot rainy conditions are a possibility, making camping less attractive. If you plan to leave the tent at home and take the soft option (sounds good to me) I suggest you book your accommodation ASAP. Whatever you end up doing on the Easter weekend, try to enjoy some time on the water or in the great outdoors. MARCH 2016

Luring shallow reefs – spectacular fishing! TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

Even though the fishing has been good over the last few months, it’s been the barra open season that has gotten anglers excited in more recent times. Anyone who has been in the creeks and rivers knows how active these fish have been. Here’s hoping they keep up that attitude because from 1 February some big fish have been moving around, and these are the important ones to leave in the systems.

In our boat, we have a selfimposed size limit of 80cm, and only one of them if we haven’t kept a smaller fish. There is a lot of flesh on a barra that size, and if treated well, chromed up with a yellow tail, they’re a hard table fish to beat. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen if you don’t keep a metre barra? You run out of fish in the freezer? That just means you have to go fishing again, oh damn! The most recent scientific data suggests that the transformation from male to female, which had been thought to take place at around 98cm, may actually be

You get some surprises in the shallows – this red ate an Atomic Prong meant for trout in less than 3m of water. It was released to fight another day.

more like 85cm. If you release one female breeding-sized barra, and she gets a chance to spawn just once before she runs into a net, gets bit by a shark or croc, or gets taken by an angler, you are personally responsible for putting tens of millions of fingerlings back in the system simply by releasing her that one time, giving her the opportunity to repopulate the estuaries. Although the majority of passionate barra enthusiasts frown upon keeping big barra, it’s not illegal until they’re over 120cm. I can’t condemn anyone bragging about killing 1m+ fish when the law says they can. Still, killing your limit amounts to a lot of fish for one trip. No-one I fish with would even consider keeping their bag limit of barra, but each to their own I suppose! OTHER SPECIES In recent weeks many anglers have chased the good old grunter. Some people have been lucky enough to find consistent patches of fish, but size and numbers change with the tides, so if you’ve got a productive spot I recommend keeping it to yourself. These are one of the most widely sought after species in the north, with every angler searching for good spots.

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Bigger baits such is whole gar fillets or bigger squid are a way to target the bigger specimens but, depending on what zoning you’re in, I’d be throwing a small 3” Atomic Prong or similar around on the lighter lure casting stuff, and see which catches the most. Obviously, anchoring makes

plastics along with you next time. If you’re not sure what lure size and head weight to use, call in and we’ll run through it with you, as this is the most important aspect of success. Soft plastic types that work include prawn imitations like the Atomic Prong 4”, paddle-tail shads, creature

out wide, but their numbers have certainly increased in inshore waters. In shallow waters we have seen some monsters and lost a few fish to them, so land fish as quickly as possible. I’m not sure why, but the less common species have shown up a bit more. We

Don’t discount the good old baitcaster for the reef plasticing; it’s still effective and allows the quick thumb drag override when you hook a trout this size in tight to cover. The lure is a 4” Atomic Prong dipped in Quick Coat. it harder to do the lure thing, as you want to cast your lure far upcurrent and hop it back with the tide run to be in with the best chance, unless the tidal run is minimal. Some thumping big golden snapper (fingermark) have shown up as well, and in the deeper waters the QuickCatch 150 soft vibes have been braining them. The fish chase the lure a fair distance before committing to the attack in the deeper spots. I recommend a sequence of around three or four long, stroking lifts of the rod to get the vibe working, and winding in the slack quickly between lifts. This gets the reaction bites, and you should hang onto your rod pretty tightly as you do this, because the bite can be brutal. SHALLOW REEFS There’s been a resurgence in the pursuit of shallow water reef luring, where many of the bites that occur are within sight of the angler. This is super spectacular fishing for anyone who wants the rush of the bite and fight. Some cracking red-throat emperor are getting involved, and on 30lb luring tackle you can expect a few bust-ups. Trout have also been on the go in the shallower reefs, and this is obviously a really popular pursuit. Some people reason that the lures are too expensive to throw at the reefs, but have you seen the price of bait lately? We sell heaps of pillies, squid, cuttlefish and so on in at Akwa Pro Tackle for those chasing reef species, and if you do the numbers, lures can actually be cheaper on some days if you don’t get busted up too much. If you want to build your confidence in the catch rate of artificials, take a packet of jigheads and

baits like the Keitech Crazy Flapper, Gulp Squidvicious, and flick baits. Colour doesn’t seem to be of crucial importance; it’s more of a personal choice. When the water is clear I like to use more natural colours, and for the low-light periods or when it’s a bit murky I use brighter colours. The addition of a glow bead incorporated into the loop knot is also handy when light is at a minimum down deep. Mackerel have still been chewing well, and the majority of the fish have been taken by anglers trolling lures en route to bottom fishing locations. The 190 and 160 Laser Pros are the pick of the bunch. Gold has been an effective colour, along with the slimy mackerel colour scheme. There are a few big cobia

have seen a few tripletails in our travels in recent weeks, and they can also be found holding on the channel markers every now and then. These things sure are a surprise package when you hook them, and they jump as high as any barra or tarpon when they feel the sting. There seem to be more rock barra around, that’s for sure, and from what I understand they are even better eating than the run-ofthe-mill flatty species. We let these fellas go, mainly because they normally aren’t that common. The possibility for the monsoon trough to reform is very real and being an optimist, I’m sweating on it delivering a bit of late season rain that we so badly need around Townsville. Our

Young Tannhym has an uncanny ability to pull hardfighting fish from insane cover on his 10lb outfit. The tuskies are about at the moment, and smaller plastics are your best bet. Straightening hooks can be a problem on smaller jigheads though. out wide as well. When anglers have found the cobes they’ve been the first bite, beating everything else to the bait. Sharks aren’t as bad as they were a few months ago

water storage is devastated at 22% as I write this. Anyway, I hope you all get to bend a rod as often as possible in the coming month!

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Best bet for barra is to go deep HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody

info@ryanmoodyfishing.com

February was a certainly the hottest month I have ever spent on the water. Some days I just couldn’t wait to get of the water, and that’s unusual for me. I don’t normally burn because I have spent so much of my life in the sun, but the past month has made me feel like a prune in a furnace.

No thunder storms and very little rain has made it more oppressing, especially when you see the southern states getting smashed by rain and storms. Fishing has been quiet in the shallows, which has not been good news for the lure casters, thanks to the extreme heat in the water. I have seen it as high as 34°C in deeper waters and it would be even more in the shallow water. Last time I saw these conditions were

back in the mid ‘90s when we went through the last period of super hot years. My only suggestion to lure casters would be to stick to the larger tides and cloudy days, as this will be your best opportunity to get fish coming in shallow again. The larger tides move the water around more, bringing some of the cooler water to the shallows. I have had a pretty good start to the barra season, but I’m doing most of my fishing

The author with a nice thready from early February.

in 9-10m of water. Clients have been enjoying some great barra captures with a lot of fish in the 90cm bracket. Reef reports have been fairly average, mainly due to those stubborn hot northerlies. The best results have come from anglers fishing very wide and very deep during the night hours. One crew managed to run into a few giant reef mangrove jacks with one nudging the 12kg, mark but I couldn’t get hold of any pictures. Reef fishing will still continue to fish best at night while we have this hot weather upon us. I also heard of some good captures of big golden snapper (fingermark) as well as the odd black jew coming from the Cape Sandwich area, which has been proven a great spot over the years. Live squid and herring are the number one baits for these species and you can also catch some big oceanic grunter amongst them too at this time of year. These are all fine eating species, but always remember to take only what you need, as barotrauma will kill most fish in the deeper headland waters, so there’s not much point catching and releasing after you have reached your

There’s been lots of barra in the 90cm range for clients so far. bag limit. During March, I would expect to see much of the same, but it will depend on whether or not we see any monsoonal activity. We’re leaning towards another dry depressing season, but who knows what might be around the corner. If we do get some floodwaters, then some of our inshore fishing will go quiet momentarily, and if this occurs I would recommend getting out around the islands and targeting a few queenfish, GT and northern bluefin tuna as well as the golden snapper down on the bottom. For those who like a bit of marlin fishing, it’s that time of year we get a few mid sized fish around the 50-150kg size coming in to feed on the small northern blue schools,

which is a whole lot of fun when it works. Trolling some bridle rigged live tuna and some bigger skip baits is the go for best results. The tuna schools are usually found on the outskirts of the islands on the inner shipping lane. If you are interested in our online courses or charters head over to www. ryanmoodyfishing.com. We hope to have our new site up and running during March, but will let you all know in next month’s column. • If you would like to book a charter or join our fishing community for some great fishing competitions etc, head on over to www. ryanmoodyfishing.com. And you could also win a free charter drawn twice a year.

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MARCH 2016

BOATS FOR SALE Predators chewing in the channel on LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton

jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

The opportunities that March provides can be mind-blowing. Once again, it depends on the weather and how much rain we receive. Last month there hadn’t been much in terms of rainfall except for the odd shower and storm, but March is when we normally see the bulk of our rainfall and boy, do we need it! So as long as you don’t mind fishing in torrential rainsqualls, searing heat, humidity so thick you can choke on it and mozzies that resemble small birds…you should be in for epic sessions. All tropical fish are hungry and aggressive as the wet season swings into full force. The Hinchinbrook Channel comes alive and the fish feed up. I have already got the shakes just from thinking about the fish I’m going to get into. Let’s see what Lucinda NQ has to offer this month.

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You can never get sick of looking at barra. The drains are easily visible and are normally only a meter or less across, but when they are working, the water pushing out of them will be darker in colour. It is very important to stay off the area you are going to fish, and as always, make as little noise as possible. Drain areas and flats are normally shallow and noise will travel very

Jacks are hungry in the heat! Always be ready for a jack strike. HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL I’ll start off by stating the Channel will fish well, but it is very important to take note of the rainfall or flooding that we may get. If this is the case, then it is necessary to do some kilometres and find cleaner water. If we have had lots of rain, the southern areas of the channel will run very brown and dirty, as the Herbert and Seymour rivers will be pumping out the freshwater. The best bet by far is to navigate up the channel carefully, or launch at Fishers Creek ramp or Cardwell as the water will normally be cleaner and easier to fish. Barramundi are at the top of the list, and it’s at this time of year that fishing the drains is by far the easiest and most productive way to get among them. Drains are simply a perfect place for fish to sit and wait for food to be pushed down to them. You want to get to your chosen area a few hours after the tide has turned and is running out, the water needs to be just creeping out of the mangrove edges.

easily. Shallow running lures and very lightly weighted soft plastics are the best bet. It’s hard to beat a slowly retrieved shallow diver worked erratically back to the boat, or a paddle-tail plastic rigged on a 1/6oz jighead slow rolled. You will find mangrove jacks and grunter feeding in the drains as well and both will eat the above presentations. When the drains are really on fire you will see barra

and jacks smack baitfish right before your eyes and trust me, that’s when the heart beats quicker… and when you don’t want to be re-rigging or having a sandwich. As it’s so hot and humid this time of year, plenty of anglers head out in the later afternoon and fish into the night as it’s more comfortable and a great time to catch fish. Gather some livies and fresh baits and anchor up in the Channel or creeks for a good chance of bringing home some tasty fish for the table. I must add that if we have had some floodwaters, then the possibility of running into floating debris is very high so be cautious. JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF The summer months are the time to chase big cobia that hang around the inshore islands, wrecks and jetty. Cobia will normally show themselves after a period of time, and in most cases it will be after there have been a few fish caught. They must follow them up looking for a feed or they are just inquisitive and want to check out what’s going on near the surface. If they do appear, then a quickly thrown plastic should get eaten. Don’t throw the plastic at the fish, cast it in front of them by a few metres – they have awesome eyesight. They should turn on it and eat it, no worries.

If this isn’t working and the cobia are fussy, then a live bait put out a few meters under the surface never fails. The jetty is a good place to chase golden snapper (fingermark) on the smaller tides, and the better times are the evening tide changes, especially when the tide starts to run-in. Get live herring or sardines or even better, live squid, to see you get hooked up to those magnificent fish. They fight hard and have the ability to rip some line off your reel, so don’t go too under-gunned or you will pay. They live in close to the jetty pylons and they know where their home is when you sink a hook into them. Golden snapper can also be targeted with soft plastics and vibe type lures fished close to bottom structure, baitfish or fish shown on a sounder. Make sure your offering remains close to the bottom and hang on. I haven’t been doing much out on the reef and the weather has not been kind in the last few months. The few who have got out have done well in the deeper waters for trout and nannygai, both small and large-mouth. Try to avoid the middle of the day, as it’s too hot and the fishing is at its slowest. The best bite periods are tide changes in the morning, or my favourite, the afternoon and evening.

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Use the windows of opportunity CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

Many anglers will be a bit distracted this month, as they make plans and preparations for an early Easter long weekend, at the end of March. Traditionally, it is quiet on the water in the weeks

leading up to Easter, so it’s a good opportunity to make the most of it, weather permitting. March, like most of the wet season, is a real lottery. It has the second highest annual rainfall month and it usually comes in big dumps, making fishing quite challenging. Your approach to fishing this month is very much dependent on the

prevailing conditions. There will most likely be times when the only anglers on the water are the fishing tragics. There may be a few windows of opportunity, when the clouds roll back and the seas are flat, hopefully Easter being one of them. Make the most of the chances that come your way The barra season

Brett Creed caught and then released this early season barra in Cairns Inlet on a live sardine.

opened to a run of hot, light northerlies and keen anglers took advantage of the calm but hot conditions to try and open their barra bank account for the season. Some were successful, but most just made a time withdrawal. Still, being out there having a go is a positive in itself! For those still trying to oget started, the headlands to the north and south of Cairns, Trinity Inlet and the mouths of any stream will be the places to start, if there hasn’t been any major rainfall. If the rivers are running red, try the mouths of any small creek or gutter, where it enters the main flow. There needs to be a colour change, usually with a clearer small stream flowing into a dirtier mainstream. Barra use the colour change to hide and ambush bait. Live bait like prawns, mud cod, mullet, mud herring and sardines are ideal for these situations. Have them set up under a float, so they can be easily cast and drifted along the colour change. You need to be slow and gentle with your casting, so you don’t To page 75

Dakota Creed and his mate Lachlan Macintosh took turns at landing this 97cm barra on a hand line at Tinaroo Dam recently. The boys then happily released the big girl.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Construction of fish ladder gives Condamine natives a boost A fish ladder has been built below the Condamine Bridge at Condamine to help native fish ‘step’ their way over the Town Weir wall. The ladder is a series of rising rock pools and will effectively open the river stretch from Cotswold to the Condabri Weir giving

Queensland MurrayDarling Committee (QMDC) CEO Geoff Penton said weirs that are a barrier to fish migration had been identified as a contributor to the decline of native fish species in the Murray-Darling Basin. “This fish way is low maintenance and is

fish needing to migrate to forage and breed,” Mr Penton said. “The fish way is already working with sightings of dozens of native fish resting in the pools during a flow in the river from recent rain.” Origin Energy, on behalf of Australia Pacific

QMDC’s Paul Webb with Origin Senior Environmental Specialist Lauran Hahn and Australasian Fish Passage Services Principal Consultant Tim Marsden at the Condamine Weir.

The fish ladder in action under the Condamine Bridge. native species such as the Vulnerable Murray River Cod a better chance of survival. 74

MARCH 2016

expected to open up almost 100km of the Condamine River to fish passage which is a significant gain for

LNG, engaged QMDC to manage the fish way project while design, construction and monitoring drew on

the expertise of Alluvium Consulting, Catchment Solutions, Australasian Fish Passage Services, and Bland Sand and Gravel. Natasha Patterson, Origin General Manager Approvals, Land and C o m m u n i t y, said approximately $180,000 in funding had been provided through an environmental offset arrangement. “We are proud to be assisting in efforts to ensure that native fish

habitat is enhanced in areas of the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin where Australia Pacific LNG operates,” Ms Patterson said. The ladder begins downstream from the weir wall with resting ponds allowing fish to recover between ‘steps’ of no more than 100mm as many native fish are unable to negotiate large vertical jumps in water levels. Native species

expected to benefit from the improved connectivity include the Murray River cod, golden perch, eel-tailed catfish, cudgeon and bony bream. The Condamine Town Weir is owned by the Western Downs Regional Council and provides a water supply to Condamine. The fish ladder will be officially opened at 11am on Tuesday, December 1, at the Pioneer Park Rest Area in Condamine. – QCL

Welcome to fishing paradise in Port Douglas! PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer

As we enter into March, the full extent of the wet season is still yet to be determined. To date we’ve had a moderate wet season with huge downpours of rain occasionally and a lot more storm and electrical activity than what we are accustomed to. Overall, the fishing conditions have turned over nicely for the moment providing some good action whether you fish the coastal or offshore scene. Inshore we’ve seen a lot of rain build up on the mountain ranges, particularly in the afternoons and evenings, and naturally this finds its way down to our local tributaries and along the coast. This has been more than sufficient action to stir the pot and provide an abundance of new life and fresh baits. This has been the case along our local beaches, which have seen a plethora of food available for our predatory fish that have been happily gorging themselves. Some early mornings have seen the entirety of Four Mile Beach explode with life as a variety of fish relentlessly attack batches of jelly prawns, adult prawns, mullet, garfish and any other type of fingerlings you could imagine. From page 74

pull the hooks. Prawns and mud cod are the best baits for this approach, as they handle the rough and tumble of casting and retrieving a bit better. Drifting the bait into the closest snag to the junction is another good strategy, as barra will often hole up on the first structure down current from the flow in stream and wait for the bait to cruise past. If luring, try to position yourself in a boat or on the bank to work your lure parallel with the colour change. Cast either side or on the colour change and work all depths from the surface to the bottom, until you find where the barra are feeding. Soft plastics, hardbodied lures with plenty of flash, and prawn style lures will all work on their day. When the rivers are up or on the way down, after floods, be very careful of submerged logs, trees and debris, as they can be very hard to spot in murky water. Don’t forget that the two places around Cairns

Trevally, tarpon, queenfish, flathead, giant herring and barramundi have all been accounted for at various times and the action has been frenetic along the 6km stretch of beach. This phenomenon only seems to happen a handful of times each year and is truly a spectacle to observe and fish when everything comes together. Fly fishers have enjoyed tremendous success, and those using tiny surface poppers and small soft plastic prawn and bait imitation lures have done exceptionally well. The crack of dawn on an incoming tide with calm conditions has been the perfect recipe for this scene to erupt. The beaches going off, but the river fishing within the shire has been quite good as well. Mangrove jack seem to be prolific in most systems and the barra reports across the board have been consistent. Golden snapper (fingermark) have been up and about in our local estuary as well as up on the Daintree River, which is a stronghold for these prized inshore species. Other than this, grunter have been busy across our estuarine flats and there is always a contingency of mid-sized queenfish and trevally moving in and out of the river mouths. Luckily any heavy rains have cleared rather quickly, which has given our systems

a fresh tidy up before returning to normal. This can change in a heartbeat in the tropics, especially if the precipitation hangs in for an extended period and March can traditionally be one of those periods. Offshore, the reef fishing has maintained a steady run of form during these really hot months, more so than previous years when the fishing has been irregular. Coral trout have been the most consistent prized catch and there have been some good spurts of large-mouth nannygai around. As to be expected, the trevally trio of gold spot, t-leaf and bludger have often turned up in solid numbers and provided some great back bending action on the reel. Other species that are caught regularly include cobia, green jobfish, spangled and red emperor and few Spanish mackerel. Once again the future weather will determine the outcome on the reef. If it remains as it has been with plenty of calm days on offer, then the fishing should come along nicely. A heavy monsoon trough or potential cyclone on the other hand will change the landscape dramatically. The bureau says we are to expect less cyclone activity this year, but one should never underestimate the temperamental nature of living in the Far North during the wet season.

The action is still hot offshore, with many tasty trout coming aboard in recent weeks.

that can handle a lot of rain are Cairns Inlet and Tinaroo Dam. It takes a lot of rain to totally disrupt these locations when it comes to barra fishing, so when the skies open up they are a good option. Mangrove jack will be on the prowl and respond well to baits of pilchard and cuttlefish in murky water. Small hardbodied lures with plenty of gold, silver, red and pink also take their fancy, while soft plastics in reds and pinks get plenty of attention. Golden snapper will be biting in the Cairns Inlet, the deep holes in surrounding rivers and around the headlands, islands and inshore wrecks. Live squid will be the best bait, with sardines, mud herring, mullet and prawns a good alternative. Soft plastics, deep diving hardbodied lures and prawn style lures are the go for lure anglers. The reef will be worth a visit when the seas are flat, especially if the water temperature is starting to come off the summer highs. The deep water will be the best option, with large mouth nannygai the main

attraction. The numbers aren’t usually great this month but there are often a few trophy fish, in the 7kg+ range to put a smile on anglers’ dials. Trout will also be around, as will the odd red emperor. As the waters cool the red fishing will gradually improve. Mackerel have continued to bite in reasonable numbers, with Spaniards roaming the reefs and school mackerel more

prevalent close to shore. The doggies have been harassing the bait schools along the coast but are fairly scattered, so trolling has been a good way of locating a few fish. Look for birds diving on the bait schools or surface action to help locate feeding fish. Reef anglers will still pick up the odd Spanish mackerel if they have a pilchard or live bait under a float while bottom fishing. It is by far the easiest way to

pick up a bonus fish or two while chasing reef species. Pelagics will still be around wherever the bait schools are congregating, with giant trevally one of the main players. Anglers who like to target these brutes will work the reef edges, pressure points, pinnacles, current lines and bait schools retrieving high speed poppers and slices. Prawns and crabs will also be available at the

anglers’ buffet this month, if there has been enough rain. Have the cast net on hand and the crab pots correctly marked, with a load of fish fames in the freezer, so you are ready for action when the opportunity arises. Check the name and address tags on your pots haven’t faded off. You would rather come home with a feed of crabs than have your pots confiscated.

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Get hooked into a trout snout COOKTOWN

Ben Stack

During the months of March and April, the seasons really start to change in the Cooktown region. The temperatures will eventually cool (just a bit) which is much anticipated after frequent steamy days through February. As the temperature cools, the breezes begin to slowly increase from the

average 10 knots to up to 20 knots or more. By the end of March or the start of April our wet season usually begins to dissipate, however it has been known to hang around a little longer at times. This change in season will bring the first of the angler tourism to these parts. These visitors are usually serious barramundi fishers, with a convoy of vehicles, boats and boat trailers that are so well equipped for off-roading that you could

easily mistake them for an army convoy once they are covered in red mud. These specialised fishers are clearly focused on being the first ones to cut and winch their way into certain locations to catch big run-off barra. Most of these adventurers head straight up the Peninsula Development Road to locations like Weipa, Old Mapoon or the Northern Peninsula Area and then disperse into the bush from there. Not many other communities or National

produce some nice barra. Threadfin fish well in the dirty water and are worth a try at this time of the year. For threadies, try around the flats near river mouths where they might be eating the baitfish that is flushed out. It would be crazy not to throw a few crab pots in at this time of year too. Plenty of muddies are out and about, with regular reports of people reaching their bag limit of bucks while running their pots over a couple of days. Reef fishing in the Cooktown region continues to dominate the local angling scene due to perfect weather for boating. Every shape and size of boat has been out on the reefs during the doldrums and they have all returned with iceboxes full of fish. As usual, coral trout, large-mouth nannygai and Spanish mackerel

Corey with a cracking coral trout. are the common catches, and Cooktowners are spoilt for choice in these pristine waters. Other target species include golden snapper, which are

The author with a great Spanish mackerel catch. Parks will have authorised access on their roads at this early stage after the wet. The estuaries in the Cooktown region have been pumping out fresh water, which has been collected from the downpours in the upper catchment areas. The barra that were trapped in freshwater holes and lagoons have all made their way down to the estuaries with the floods showing them the way. These dirty water estuaries will fish best around the first few kilometres off the mouth or out around the headlands near the river mouths. For example, the Endeavour River, Cooktown’s wharf and snags up as far as Marton (including the Stonewall) all

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Scott with a coral trout caught on a perfect day for boating.

closer to the headlands and usually found on a rubble bottom with a little structure around. A lot of locals made it out to the Ribbons during the perfect weather windows and have had great success catching fish that look like they come straight out of Jurassic Park. A lot of mahimahi were caught using Wogheads with garfish while trolling along the drop-off outside the Ribbons. Lakefield National Park (LNP) will continue to be closed in March but if you’re a keen barra fisher like myself then watch my Facebook page – Stacky’s Fishing Adventures, or Cook Shire’s website as sometimes the south end of the park may open up early in April depending on the weather. • If you’d like any current information while you’re visiting Cooktown’s region or more information about a particular place in the neighbourhood to fish, then simply ‘like’ my FaceBook page titled ‘Stacky’s Fishing Adventures’ or send me a message.

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Darren with a baby shark mackerel – sorry Darren, they can’t all be big!

The run-off barra riot CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

Heading forward into 2016 and the disappearance of the wet, it will be interesting to watch the season unfold and adventurous anglers begin plying the waters with renewed vigour. With some descent falls throughout the Cape,

This provides greenishbrown water to many of the Cape’s rivers and typically excellent fishing for the few months of March, April and May. March is the month of calendar shoots and trophy fish. It is the month we as writers and anglers can best portray our fisheries to a wider audience and ensure recreation fishing is seen as a positive thing on the wider stage.

net free zones in the Gulf of Carpentaria. I watch with avid interest at the level of engagement recreational and commercial fishers have in the social and political media. Fisheries are big business for Australia and protecting our ever-dwindling resources in the face of ever- increasing populations is a challenge for present and future generations.

A pair of nice trout caught poppering at dusk around a shallow reef.

Fishing birds gathering on a remote beach – a common sight at this time of year. especially around the mid-west coast, a few meter barra will begin to fill landing nets and camera lenses with a touch of luck. March is an awesome month to be fishing run-offs, drains and freshwater sections or major river systems. Quite often the base flow will be consistent as water levels start dropping off.

It is also the time many of the commercial fishers do most of their netting in Cape York and catch most of their product for the year. Interesting developments with net free zones have begun to change the face of fisheries on Queensland’s east coast and I predict it will be just a matter of time before the traditional owner voice begins sounding a little louder with regards to

There is absolutely no point in exclaiming that we have the world’s best managed marine resources without also accepting there are evermounting pressures on these resources. Anglers need to be smart about how they make their choices and who they choose to speak up on their behalf. We need to be seen as environmental stewards

A lovely mangrove jack swims up a rainforest stream… the stuff dreams are made of.

among this user base and have a solid grounding for having done so. Social media these days is acting as a correcting force for nonsense and the wrong ways of doing things. Bad habits and postings of piles of dead fish are usually called out pretty quickly. There is a self- governing force at work here. However there is also a widespread breed of anglers these days who forget that fishing from its very beginning, was grounded in the need or desire to catch fish for consumption. This fact has a very real implication for fisheries and natural resource management. It presents

a very real question. How do recreational fishers as a lobby group become known as both stewards of the marine environment and responsible end user of resources? Up in Cape York, all this basically breaks down into a few simple considerations: How are closed seasons and restricted take zones managed? Is participation driving financial and social benefits to the wider community? In which locations are development and industry at odds with the marine environment? What about infrastructure and access? Does our perception of the health of aquatic ecosystems need to change?

Recognising what is at stake is foremost in the desire to protect something. This is why the great heartland of past fishing writers, photographers and naturalists have done wonders in bringing Cape York’s heritage values to life. People need to see the health, beauty and vitality of a place reflected through media before they will join in support for better management. I am happy to see this trend extend past traditional media, into social media and out into the wider world. • For information on remote charter operations for tailored fishing adventures, please email Tim on wildrivercompany @gmail.com

A lovely gleaming-eyed barramundi caught in the run-off. MARCH 2016

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Barramundi are back on the target list and anglers are out and about trying their luck with this iconic species. We have had a few really nice showers of rain over the past month so this will really fire up those chrome beauties! The land-based options around the Townsville region are unreal, especially in the Ross River. Any of the weirs can offers some exciting sessions. Throwing big paddle-tail plastics is a sure way to get hooked up! Jungle perch are a fun option to target with all the fresh water moving around. Lately I have been using the ZMan 4” Pop FrogZ. These plastics are so much fun to use in the sweet water streams. They are a weedless presentation when rigged on the TT lures ChinlockZ hook, and are able to be cast deep into structure without getting snagged. This is a real game changer when targeting jungle perch. Often they will hit them within the first foot of landing in the strike zone. Surface fishing for these fish is so much fun – so exciting to watch that explosion! There are still plenty of mangrove jack in full aggressive mode. The humidity keeps them active and keen to peel some line off your spool. Remember that they are very territorial, so when you find that great looking snag, hit it from every angle until you move to the next one. Use a red colour presentation to trigger that territorial instinct. Once again you want that lure as deep in the snag as possible, so fishing weedless is a great option. TT lures have the

A big jungle perch in pristine condition snaffles up a ZMan Pop Frogz.

A baby barra takes a nibble!

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SnakeheadZ and ChinlockZ combination that is absolutely dynamite for these situations. Throw it in rigged with your favourite lure and hold on! Before every sooty grunter session I always remind myself how hard these little brutes actually fight. Even the smaller models know how to get you back under their snag with ease. Spinnerbaits are by far my favourite presentation to hunt sooty grunter. They can be worked down deep, fished in tight structure and be burned fast across the surface. There are plenty of species to target in the tropical north and I hope everyone gets a chance to wet a line over this month. Fish on!

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Mixed action on lakes TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

There has been a bit of rain over the past month. While there have been heavy falls in some areas, the bigger falls haven’t been widespread enough to affect the lake levels too much. The ground is soaked and the feeder creeks to the lakes are mostly trickling in. All it will take is a good rain event to top the lakes back up. Keep an eye on the weather if you are planning a trip to make sure you aren’t heading to a full lake or running river of dirty floodwater. While the storm rain we experience at this time of year can fire up the fish just prior to the downpour, we need to exercise caution. The season may start to change but if it’s hot there will still be a few storms about. Some of these storms can be wild out on the water and back at the campsite. A tranquil lake can whip

up into a sea of rolling waves in a severe weather event. If you are miles from the boat ramp and have a smaller boat, the best option can be to head to an area protected from the wind and away from any trees. This includes dead trees in the water as they have a habit of snapping off in strong winds or even when given a good nudge with the boat. Sit out the storm and protect yourself the best you can. Severe storms rarely last more than an hour and are often over in minutes. When camping in wild weather, consider the surrounding trees. A shady tree can be great on a hot still day but a killer when the wind howls. Gum trees have a habit of losing big branches and even snapping trunks in strong wind. Expect these timber missiles to fly through the air with the wind, not fall at the base of the tree. If the camp is in a dangerous area, move away and take shelter in a vehicle or safe building.

We are pretty lucky these days as a lot of our fishing destinations have mobile service to check in with the weather radar and see what is coming. This is a good way to prepare and not get caught out when weather is approaching. Enough about the weather, and onto the fishing! The lakes still produce plenty of fish across the state. Some have performed better than others, so it always pays to do some homework before you head out if catching good numbers is your objective. While the reports here are a good source of information, you can get weekly updates from the tackle stores in the areas you intend to fish. Jump online to see if they have a Facebook page or a website where they provide a weekly update on the action. Even better, go and visit to talk to them directly and stock up on all the goodies you need for your next fishin’ mission. Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel!

I like to pull up outside the gates before they open and ensure all the rods are rigged and the boat is ready to dump into the water. If you are first in line you can be fishing less than ten minutes after the gates open. In the main basin out from the boat ramp, the bass roam the deeper areas where they suspend up to 10m down. These fish can be found by sounding through areas out from the boat ramp, across the buoy line, near Deer Island and up around the Eagles Nest rock wall up Cressbrook Creek. Trolling deep diving hardbodies is an effective way to target these fish. Forget everything you’ve read on lure colours. Bass can be fussy and some days you can catch almost every fish on one lure while the others go unnoticed. It’s a good idea to rotate

MARCH 2016

OCT NOV 19 16 91 89 43 45 61 61 100 102 56 51 81 79 96 93 28 28 n/a n/a 69 71 54 51 22 22 86 86 50 28 85 85 42 38 30 30

DEC JAN FEB 13 8 6 89 87 95 46 45 46 60 59 59 100 98 96 46 42 89 78 74 91 91 88 94 26 24 23 100 100 100 71 69 69 49 43 41 22 19 17 86 86 85 36 21 12 84 81 88 32 32 45 30 30 29

17 18

Toowoomba

BRISBANE

IMPOUNDMENT DAM

unfortunately these days aren’t as common as the tougher ones. Suspended fish can also be caught by casting lures.

Hinze Julius  Kinchant Koombooloomba  Leslie  Macdonald  Maroon  Monduran/Fred Haigh  Moogerah  North Pine/Samsonvale  Peter Faust/Proserpine Pindari  Somerset  Storm King  Teemburra  Tinaroo Toonumbar  Wivenhoe  Wuruma

Gold Coast

24 25

Cairns 1

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

Townsville 2

Proserpine 6

Mackay

Rockhampton

Emerald 29 7

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

95 77 52 31 20 98 98 92 90 77 68 37 99 n/a 76 65 100 92 94

94 94 100 100 41 51 29 21 19 17 92 99 97 97 88 98 89 92 75 73 66 65 40 41 99 80 n/a n/a 72 76 64 62 104 100 90 90 90 98

Bundaberg 9

Maryborough

Roma

Find the better patches of fish and work them over with spinnerbaits, blade baits and tail-spinners. If the bass follow the boat and school up below, switch to soft plastics and work them vertically through the fish. For all your fishing supplies and the latest reports on Cressbrook and the surrounding dams, call in to see the specialist tackle stores in Toowoomba. Tackleworld Toowoomba in Ruthven Street on the north side and Fish’n Bits in Alderly Street closer to the south side have a great range of lures and fishing gear. Support these tackle stores because they will be able to direct you to where the fish are biting and offer invaluable advice. Just remember there is a speed limit of 8 knots and a restricted area at Cressbrook Dam. Check out the signage to ensure you stay out of trouble and abide by the

96 96 79 79 63 57 32 34 21 20 100 104 97 99 94 93 91 91 80 79 72 70 34 36 100 100 n/a n/a 81 85 75 70 100 102 93 93 95 94

Gladstone

QUEENSLAND DAM LEVELS DAMS Atkinson Awoonga  Bjelke-Petersen  Boondooma  Borumba  Burdekin Falls  Callide  Cania  Clarendon Clarrie Hall  Cooby  Coolmunda Copeton  Cressbrook  Dyer/Bill Gunn  Eungella Fairbairn  Glenlyon

John Bryant caught this golden perch while kayaking a section below one of South East Queensland’s dam walls. colours until you find what the fish want. When they are on the job, they won’t care and they’ll eat anything that swims past them, but

Weipa

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Cressbrook has fished a little better for bass over the past month. These fish come from deep water where they are suspending as well as in close to the banks earlier in the mornings. Tossing spinnerbaits around the edges of the lake has been a great way to tempt some better quality fish early in the day. Try heavier spinnerbaits like 1/2 and 5/8oz models. Small profile lures will produce the best results, and these lures can be fished on spin or baitcast tackle. If this is your style of fishing, plan to be on the water as soon as possible to experience the best bite period. The gates at Cressy will be open from 6am this month.

BRISBANE

rules. The gate hours for the boat ramps and day use area are 6am until 8pm. SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Mixed reports have come in from Somerset Dam. The schooling bass have held around Bay 13 and Pelican Point. Find them in 10-17m of water. The fish have been pretty easy to locate and have been schooling up below the boat when you sit stationary for any period of time. Some days they are easier to fool than others. There are several ways to catch them, it really depends on their mood as to what will work best. Casting spinnerbaits, blade baits, soft lipless vibes, tail-spinners and soft plastics will all produce at this time of year. When the bass cooperate, you could land a fish on every one of these offerings in a session.

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 17/2/16

When they are tight-lipped, experiment and see if you can crack a pattern. On tougher days, there will often be a standout presentation and technique that produces more bites. Lure trollers can get into the bass action where the schooling fish are found. The benefit of lure trolling is the moving boat doesn’t draw the schools over to the boat so they tend to stay more active. Hardbodied lures that reach the depth the fish are schooling at will work

well. If these lures have a smaller profile, they will often catch more fish. For this reason, opt for lighter line classes so the thinner diameter of the line can send smaller lures deeper. Black and white or black and red are my preferred colours, but you can experiment as they will prefer certain colours at times. Up at the start of the timber north of Kirkleigh, there have been schools of bass and golden perch. These fish can be trolled up on hardbodies or cast to with

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSET TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA The golden perch have been a bit quiet but anglers are still getting a few for their efforts. The best report I heard last month was a fifteen fish afternoon session. Hopping lipless crankbaits and small blades seems to be the way to attract most of the bites. If you can pinpoint the location of schooling fish, you are far more likely to get good numbers. Trolling and baitfishing still produces a few fish but you need to put in the time to get results. There haven’t been many reports of Murray cod over the last month.

The dam hours are now 6am-8pm. Cooby is an electric motor only dam and is well suited to kayaks and canoes. The concrete boat ramp is on a shallow angle when the dam is full and can be slippery in places but a big electric powered boat can still be launched with care. Outboard motors can be left on the boat but must not be used. Tackle, lures and saltwater yabbies can be purchased from Highfields Bait and Tackle on the New England Highway in Highfields. Call in and see Doug and check out the great range of fishing gear, kayaks and accessories he has on display. The action could pick up suddenly, so drop

WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY Boondooma has been one of the better bass and golden perch lakes to fish lately. The spinnerbait bite in the timbered arms has been great for quality bass. Try casting 1/2 and 5/8oz spinnerbaits to the edges of the lake. Most of the bites will come as the lure is worked back into deeper

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA DAM CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE Against my prediction, the barra failed to fire up over the last couple of months. Fish are still being spotted on the sounder but refusing to eat lures. Only the occasional fish has been caught from the dam. Fork-tail catfish are in plague proportions and at times it’s hard to get a lure past them. In the river below the dam, anglers still manage to score some quality barra in the freshwater above the weir. Launching either side of Pikes Crossing will give you a good chance of nailing a barra. These

water so ensure the boat is in at least 5m of water. Try to follow the contour of the bottom closely and if you can work the lure past trees and you will increase your chances. In the basin of the lake, there are good numbers of schooling fish. Soft plastics have been the best presentation for these fish, which are still out in the deeper areas most of the time.

tail-spinners, blades and smaller profile spinnerbaits. This mixed bag action should continue for another month or two. Venturing further up into the timber, bass numbers tend to drop off but golden perch become more common, and these fish can be caught by trolling around the dead timber close to the old river and creek lines. Working around these drop-offs with medium diving lures like the Smak 16 or Golden Child is bound to produce quite a few fish. If the water is dirty due to

rain, move downstream until you find the clearer water. If there has been a significant inflow, luring the timber might be out until it clears to around 50cm of visibility. Bait anglers can try their luck up in the timber. The start of the trees is usually a good place to drop a live shrimp. Look for water that is 6-8m deep and move often if you don’t getresults. MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, BEAUDESERT If you’re looking for some bass surface action,

Maroon will be a good place to head this month. Bass can be caught on topwater lures early and late in the day. The surface bite doesn’t usually last too long, so make sure you’re set up and ready to go for the prime times of daylight and dusk. Try working poppers and walk-the-dog action stickbaits over the top of weed beds or around the edges. Bass can often be seen whacking insects and small fish on the surface and this gives away their

location. If you see a rise within casting distance or close by, get a lure in the area as soon as possible to nail the active fish. During the daylight hours, try spinnerbaits around the edges of the weed. The middle section of the dam before and just inside the timber is a great place to work over. This area has some big weed formations to probe with your lures. Better quality fish tend to come from the weed beds rather than out in the deeper schools.

in to any of the local tackle stores in the area to check how the fishing is going. LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK The golden perch action seems to have slowed right down. There are still a few about in the afternoons on frozen saltwater yabbies. Luring them has been hard work and small cod have been outnumbering golden perch captures at times. A good way to score some cod is to troll a spinnerbait and a lipless crankbait while on the electric motor to control depth and speed. Work these lures at 2-3km/h. Run the lures beside the boat to ensure they kick into action at the speed you are travelling and then increase it just slightly to keep them working.

Hopefully the goldens have another flurry before the colder weather arrives. It will be worthwhile checking in with Warwick Outdoor and Sports to see if they have fired up. Along with a fishing report, stock up on all your gear. Warwick Outdoor and Sports is located at 115 Palmerin Street Warwick. For a small store, it carries a great range at a very competitive price. Warwick is only a 10-minute drive from the dam and you can pick up any supplies you might need. COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD Cod and golden perch numbers have tapered off at the dam. The falling level is making fishing the standing timber much harder. There will still be a few cod holding near to the old creeks, which run through

the timber. I don’t expect these fish to venture too far from the comfort of this cooler water. Take care in the timber as there are trees on the bottom which could wreck your prop. Try moving quietly through the creeks and work the best structure with spinnerbaits. A lot of trees have their tops missing and these are usually not too far from the base of the tree. This horizontal structure holds fish so try working it over with a few extra casts. In the main basin of the lake, try to stick to the old river and creek channels. The cod and golden perch shouldn’t be too far away from the deeper water. Trolling medium and deep diving hardbodies is a good way to entice the fish. Bait anglers will pick up a mixed bag of fish, but don’t expect big numbers. Live

shrimp and saltwater yabbies are the best baits for golden perch. Worms will pick up catfish and the occasional silver perch. The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only around 1km away from the lake. The park is just off the Cunningham Highway but far enough away from the noise of trucks to get a good night’s sleep. It offers camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter and a camp kitchen. The park has wheelchair friendly cabins. Camping is also available near the boat ramp with toilets and hot showers to make your stay more comfortable. To take advantage of this and the great fishing opportunities in the lake and the river below, give the park a call on (07) 4652 4171.

Trolling medium diving lures will see you at the right depth. Keep an eye on the sounder when you are trolling and consider pulling up to cast a few plastics if you hook a fish. Boondooma is a great place to camp right near the water and sit by the fire while enjoying the view. You could also stay in more style and comfort by booking into one of the cabins overlooking the dam. The kiosk at the main office does hot food and

other basic items including fishing tackle. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call Corey and Niki on (07) 4168 9694. BJELKE CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI Bass numbers have been good at Bjelke. These fish can be caught around Bass Point and Treasure Island. Try working blades and tail-spinners in the more open areas. Casting spinnerbaits to the edges is

a good way to get the bites as well. Smaller profile spinnerbaits work well on Bjelke’s bass. Golden perch will be mixed in with the bass and there are some monsters among them. Lure trollers should try shallower lures at Bjelke. Light line of 8lb or less will produce more bites than thicker lines. It allows smaller lures to dive deeper and work with a better action. For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call

into your local Bass 2 Barra store. Bass 2 Barra stores stock an awesome range of gear suited to chase our freshwater fish and the boys have all the knowledge to guide you on how to use it. The Yallakool kiosk is all set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to have the right lure or lose one. Be sure to call in and check it out. Give them a call for accommodation and camping bookings on (07) 4168 4746.

fish are heavily pressured but they just seem to keep getting caught. Slow

trolling shallow hardbodies at night is one of the proven methods. Casting soft

plastics in the mornings, afternoons and at night is the other way to entice these fish. Hopping vibes in the deeper sections would be worth a go as well if the fish are spotted holding deep on the sounder (don’t let the catfish fool you). If you are keen to try to tackle some fish in the river

or dam, give Lyn and Mark from Awoonga Gateway a call on (07) 4975 0033. At Awoonga Gateway you’ll find clean, modern cabins and your hosts will be full of useful advice to help you try to land that barra of a lifetime. Make sure you tell Mark I sent you and pump him for the secret spot.

GREAT FO R A DAY EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU STAY

• Great fishing, bass, yellowbelly, cod, saratoga, garfish… • Windsurfing, boating, beach volleyball, playground, BBQ’s. • Level tent sites, showers, toilets, hot and cold water. Barra can be located on side image by extending the range in deeper water. On smaller units they will make smaller shadows. On my bigger Humminbird 1198 you can clearly see the barra shadow on the left with the boat moving at 3.8km/h. The range has been extended to 90ft each side of the boat.

Only 50 kms from Toowoomba For more information on camping or fees: Call Toowoomba Regional Council on 131 872 during office hours or visit www.toowoombaRC.qld.gov.au MARCH 2016

MACKAY REGION TEEMBURRA CLOSEST TOWNS: PINNACLE, MACKAY Teemburra’s water level was still down last month. At around 74%, it had plenty of islands in the middle reaches. These islands form long points and there are also a few other humps that are just below the surface, which attract feeding barra. During the daylight hours, there are several points that hold barramundi. These fish cruise around and can be tricky to entice. Hopping vibes past these fish is a good way to fire them up, but make sure you have a lure retriever as snags are inevitable. Suspending hardbodies worked around the timber on these points is also worth a shot. At night, the barra tend to cruise in the open water and work the points looking for a feed of bony bream. Position the boat in deeper water and cast up into the shallows to score bites when the fish move through. At times, the bite window when the fish chew can be short, so

persist as you don’t want to miss the insane action that can take place when the fish are fired up. Casting soft plastics will give you a good chance of getting the bites. Make sure you add a treble belly stinger to your soft plastic to increase the bite to hook-up ratio. KINCHANT CLOSEST TOWNS: MARIAN, MACKAY Kinchant will remain quite low and until the Pioneer River flows it won’t receive any water. When the Pioneer floods, big pumps suck the water up into Kinchant. Hopefully, like the dam receives a top up. Without the inflow, the weed beds look pretty poor. There is still weed around the perimeter of the lake but it isn’t in healthy condition. Rather than forming nice thick weed clumps, it mainly consists of scattered long strands reaching to the surface. There are still some better patches and these are easy to find by watching the birds. The water birds can be seen feeding in the healthier weed and this is often where you’ll find a

2 Dams

barra up in the shallows. Weedless rigged soft plastics are perfect for tossing up on top of the weed beds. Weedless rigged plastics and barra weren’t exactly made for each other, and you tend to miss bites due to the hook not being exposed. I run a 6/O wide gape hook for 5 and 6” swimbaits and drop down to a 4/O when skimming frogs over weed. Outside the weed, there have been plenty of fish. These barra are easy to mark on the sounder when using the side image feature. It’s important to have fish moving through if you are sitting in the one spot. Getting the barra to bite can be tricky at times and the best way can often be to speed up the presentation. The bites you do get will be more likely to stick as well, as the fish needs to put more effort into hitting a faster moving lure. In the deepest part of the lake, which is between the boat ramp and the eastern half of the dam wall, barra have been cruising the open water. On a recent visit, this is where a lot of the bigger fish were holding and we witness plenty over the 110cm mark caught. These fish tend to be quite pelagic and roam this water. They can be found in one area in good numbers only to move hundreds of metres in the course of an hour. Side imaging sounders

This fat barra is destined for release. Like many other big Kinchant Dam fish it ate a Scorpion Crazy Deep. can be used in this water effectively by extending their range. I run mine shooting 90ft (27.5m) to each side. This is where you really see the benefit of using a larger screen sounder. On my Humminbird 1198 the fish returns are very clear and look like barra shapes whereas on a smaller unit, they would be harder to identify. Side image shows far more fish than normal sonar or down imaging. It also reveals which side of the boat the fish are holding. This is very handy when trolling, as the boat can be

turned to the direction of the fish prior to the lures reaching them. Trolling deeper diving hardbodies accounted for some of the biggest barra while we were at Kinchant. All of the big fish we saw caught were on deep divers. Big soft plastics also caught a lot of fish. At times, trolling a soft plastic while using the outboard to move along at 4-4.5 km/h caught way more fish than towing a hardbody. We didn’t have a lot of heavy plastics so we added big bean sinkers in front of the ones we did have to get them down. At

this speed the big sinkers (which were 5cm long) had the lures wiggling away at around 5m deep. The lake has copped a flogging and the barra are more pressured than in any other fishery. It is only high fish numbers that ensure anglers still get their barra fix. Thinking outside the square to show the fish something a little different may be required to get the bites. I can see this lake getting tougher and tougher if this pressure continues. But if you’re like me, you won’t mind the challenge.

the night time sessions. Fish have come from all over the lake but you will need to find the areas that are holding them as there is plenty of barren water between the hot spots. Lure trolling in the basin still produced fish last month. These fish are tricky

to locate as the basin is such a big area. Work from the boat ramp to out in front of the dam wall rope is a good place to start. Troll deeper diving lures at around 5-6km/h. This allows you to cover plenty of water in a trolling session and hopefully find a few fish. The barra will show up on the sounder as big arches and if you find them, work

the area thoroughly. Lure casters are scoring fish from the weed beds in the timber and off the big weed point in the main basin. The weed beds that form points or the islands on the northwestern side of the dam are some of the best areas to position the boat for an extended casting session. Watch the sounder to see if the barra are moving through while peppering the area with lures. The creeks which run through the timber are also worth exploring, especially during daylight hours. As you explore these creeks, look for any humps outside the creek edge where the bottom comes up to 2-3m deep, as barra will often move out of the deep water to feed here. If you are heading out to the dam make sure you call in at Proserpine Bait and Tackle. The store is right beside the Bruce Highway in Proserpine and stocks all the barra gear you could possibly need. Store owner Lindsay Dobe runs charters on the lake and bookings can be made through the store on (07) 4945 4641. The guys will be able send you in the right direction and help with nailing the lake’s big fish.

WHITSUNDAY REGION

1de stination H

South Burnett

· Boondooma Dam · Bjelke Petersen Dam ·

The BEST place in QLD to catch Australian Bass and Yellowbelly

PROSERPINE CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSERPINE, AIRLIE BEACH Proserpine has been impressing barra anglers with monster fish. The barra can be hard work at times but around the full moon, the action picks up during

STAY

NIGHTS AND

SAVE CATCH of the month

YALLAKOOL

BOONDOOMA DAM

Michael Lusio from the Sunshine Coast caught this lovely golden perch.

Jannie Lee caught this 40cm bass at bass point throwing a soft plastic.

www.lakeboondooma.com.au www.yallakoolpark.com.au 82

MARCH 2016

Lake Proserpine’s big weed point that extends into the basin continues to produce plenty of barra over a metre long. Blake Ehrlich caught this one tight against the weed bed on a soft plastic.

Testing Booth

Strike Pro Enticers soft plastics Strike Pro is a brand highly regarded for producing quality and innovative products for many years. Juro Fishing Australia is the company behind bringing the brand into the country. They work very closely with the Strike Pro team to produce lures that are suited to our Australian species, both big and small.

sit between the nippers, and I chose that particular weight because I wanted to get the Crab to the bottom in a reasonably natural fashion (the Crab has neutral buoyancy). However, Rick says that size 2 and size 4 hooks may be the best options. Fishing the Enticer Crab is pretty simple. Just cast it near the structure you want to fish,

a fish wanted one, they didn’t mess about. The Enticer Crab is available in six colours. ENTICER 2” AND 3” FINESSE GRUB Curly-tail grubs are nothing new. Many have been produced over the years, with manufacturers making something that should be very simple, overly complicated.

vibrate, to let predators know it’s there. This also allows your retrieve to be as simple or as complicated as you like, from sitting on the bottom with the tail waving or being hopped violently around. This isn’t an issue with the Enticer Grubs; the fine tail looks fantastic, and it takes nothing to get it moving. I am a keen flathead angler and I have always had one pet hate when fishing this style of plastic for them: when using a fast hopping retrieve the tail of the plastic tends to pick up the hook of the jighead. Considering the tail of the Enticer Grubs, I expected this to happen more often, but that wasn’t the case and the flathead loved them too. The 2” and 3” Enticer Grubs are available in eight colours. ENTICER FINESSE BUG Creature baits or plastics that represent a crustacean

I first tried the Enticer Crab fishing the bridge pylons of the Pine River, and when a fish wanted one, they didn’t mess about.

The Enticer Grub has a fine tail that looks fantastic, and it takes nothing to get it moving. This year has seen the addition of the Enticers soft plastic range. Stuart McLaughlin and Rick Massie from Juro have spent many hours perfecting actions, plastic densities and colours, leaving no stone unturned. Unashamedly targeted towards our estuary, smaller freshwater species and the Australian tournament scene, the Enticers range consists of four styles: a Finesse Bug, a Finesse 2” Grub, a Finesse 3” Grub and a Crab. After meeting with the Juro team and being taken through the range, I was very keen to try out these lures myself. ENTICER CRAB There aren’t too many fish in our estuarine systems that won’t eat a crab given the opportunity. This has lead to many manufacturers trying to produce crab imitations over the years, with varying degrees of success. The shape of a crab in itself is tricky to replicate, let alone the action of one (how it sinks and sits on the bottom). My first test of the Enticer Crab was to throw it into some shallow water to see how it sank. I used a 1/8oz jighead with a size 1 hook (with the hook coming out between the nippers). I wouldn’t say that it looked 100% natural, but it did sink without spinning and sat on the bottom the correct way up with the nippers upright. This was already an improvement on some of the soft plastic crabs I had used in the past. I chose that hook size because I wanted the hook to

let it get to the bottom, let it sit there and if a fish doesn’t pick it up, slowly drag it or move it a foot or so and then let it sit again. The sign that a fish has picked it up is small tick on the line or the line taking off. My first experience using the Crab was fishing the bridge pylons of the Pine River, and when

The Enticer Grubs do not fall into this category. They are a classic design, with a set of ribs and an ultra-fine curly tail. For me the most important thing about a curly-tail grub is that it needs to work for you as soon as it hits the water. The tail needs to move and

or insect are an important component of any soft plastic fishing arsenal. They can represent a yabby or crab in saltwater situations, and cicadas or insect larvae in the fresh. The Enticer Finesse Bug has all the subtleties you would want from this style of plastic – a tail that pulsates with any movement of the lure and legs that wave around and have small nodules on the end to further enhance their movement as the plastic drops through the water column. Because it is quite a bulky plastic I fished it using a 1/8oz jighead with a 1/0 hook. It had the hook point coming out just before the tail of the plastic, which gave a good hook-up rate. I alternated my retrieve when using the Finesse Bug from nothing at all to small hops and bloops. The bream I targeted seemed to like the larger offering and hit it with no subtly at all. The Enticer Finesse Bug is 55mm in length and is

available in eight colours. CONCLUSION There are a number of things I liked about the Enticer range of soft plastics. They are an uncomplicated design; Stuart and Rick have ensured the actions are what you want from these types of lures. They are simple to rig; each plastic has a small indentation where the hook has to enter plastic and there is a distinct centre line or channel to bring it back out to ensure it is rigged straight. They also have a shellfish-infused scent. For an angler like myself who firmly believes scent can make a difference, this inbuilt scent is a real bonus – and the ribbing on the plastics provides an area to hold additional scent if you want to use it. This lure range features proven fish-catching colours, and the use of contrasting top/ bottoms and fleck to guarantee extra attraction from the fish. On the other side of the ledger, there was nothing major. You will need to play around with jighead weights

and hook sizes depending on the Enticer plastic you use and the fish you target. When fishing the Crab, a dab of super glue on the grub keeper to keep the hook in an upright position is a must, as it very quickly twists if you don’t. With a RRP of $11.99, the Enticer range of plastics is well worth checking out, and I look forward to continuing to use them. For more information on the Enticer range log onto www.jurofishing.com/index. php/products/strike-proenticers. To see videos of these lures in action, go to youtube. com and search for ‘Strike Pro Enticer’. – Peter Jung VIDEO

Scan this QR code to see the Enticers in action. MARCH 2016

Isuzu MU-X 7-seater workhorse BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The Isuzu MU-X is a robust 7-seater whose forte is serious off-roading. Bush tracks, travelling up beaches – perhaps with a camper or boat in tow – these are the sorts of things that can prove very difficult for many softroading SUVs, as many of their owners have found to their dismay. Not so with the MU-X!

While it’s not as super refined as some of the 4WDs spearheading today’s sales, the MU-X is a great choice for family motorists seeking a strongly built unit to take them to places that only a serious off-road vehicle could handle. AN INTERESTING MIX OF TECHNOLOGY In some aspects the top specced LS-T (as reviewed) is a curious mix of old and new technology. Interior trim level is a bit Spartan, with a fair bit of hard plastic, yet these 5-speed, auto-only units feature keyless entry, electric

seats, electric windows, sat nav, a DVD player for rear seat passengers, climate control air for those in the rear as well, cruise control, reversing camera and rear park assist, touch screen nav and audio system, iPod, Bluetooth, Aux and USB connectivity plus folding electric side mirrors. The proven 3.0L Isuzu diesel engine is a somewhat gruff unit that kicks into life with a flourish, rattles mightily at idle yet pulls like a train when necessary thanks to its 380Nm of torque and 130kw of power.

The 3.0L diesel in the MU-X made easy work of towing the author’s 5.5m fibreglass boat.

“Tinnie Tosser” Want to take your tinny on holidays and catch the big one but can’t because you are towing a caravan?

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Based on the acclaimed D-Max ute, but with significantly modified suspension to please the youngsters when packed and heading for that special place, the MU-X wagon comes with accomplished off-roading ability thanks to its 4WD on demand capability linked to a lockable high/low range gearbox and power to spare from that very strong 3.0L 4-cylinder intercooled turbo diesel engine. It seems almost lazy in the way it easily pulls the wagon up hills, charges through soft sand or mixes it with the best of them with a bit of a sprint at the local traffic lights.

HOTWATER Hot water anywhere, just imagine...

Admittedly the 3.0L diesel is somewhat industrial with its small vibrations and chatter (which thankfully diminishes with speed), but the gearbox is refined and makes the most of the great power from the engine. Able to sense downhill travel and drop back cogs accordingly without engaging the descent control system, the gear box features an ultra-low first gear which, with low range selected, makes the MU-X near unstoppable. The option for driver input via the shifter’s manual sequential mode is also useful when linked to the torque of the diesel engine. Off-road cred comes via the steel bash plates underneath vital components, very useful degrees of wheel articulation linked to ample ground clearance (230mm under the differential) plus side steps to protect the side panels. One thing I particularly liked about the MU-X was the ease in which the consolemounted selector dial flicked the gear box in or out of the chosen ratio system – engaging 4WD from 2WD on the fly is particularly quick – and I feel this will inspire a lot of confidence in the MU-X’s ability. These dialoperated selectors in other vehicles don’t always work so efficiently! Some have a

The MU-X offers a mix of old and new technology. In this shot there’s a bit of the new stuff on display. disturbing amount of hang time, enough to see the car well and truly bogged when push has turned to shove. Family owners will also be happy to understand the MU-X has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating thanks to an extensive list of safety features.

THE DRIVE Despite the mix of old and new technology, I believe the ‘new’ tricks win the day. The MU-X is a very easy car to drive, reverse, and to park. It has a solid, no-nonsense, feel about it at all times, whether moving in traffic or picking through

Although based on the Isuzu D-Max, the MU-X is a stylish looking unit.

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MARCH 2016

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timber, yet the ride remains very comfortable, not easily put off by bad surfaces. The driving position is high, the steering wheel lower, but these are small considerations when taking in the all-round panoramic view from the leather-

achieved fuel figures of 8.8L per 100km, which is very respectable for a 7-seater unit that’s no lightweight. TOW TESTING With a 3-tonne braked trailer tow rating I expected no issues with the MU-X towing my 5.5m Galeforce

powerful and very flexible engine, adaptable seating set-up which sees the last row of seats easily flattened to the floor, the second row with their 60/40 split being almost as adaptable as well, the LS-T MU-X is the ideal unit for someone wanting

Although equipped with quite high seating, even the tallest drivers won’t find themselves short of headroom in the MU-X. backed seats. Hard turns and winding roads need a bit of driver input to keep things going smoothly, but when the bitumen stops and the gravel starts the wagon’s true purpose shines. This is one tough nut to crack! Fuel consumption is another strong point. On a mix of highway and city driving I

with its 90 E-Tec on the transom, and I was right. That diesel engine greatly impressed me with its almost too easy attitude, and a couple of hills encountered en-route to and from home were just non-events for the intercooled turbo diesel. In conclusion, I feel that with its off-road cred,

a safe family transporter as well as a robust tow unit. This vehicle would be a great asset for weekend adventure or long range holiday travel. At the time of publication the pricing for the auto models starts at $46,490 for the LS-U, and $50,990 for the LS-T.

Top: One of the strengths of this 7-seater is the flexibility in seating layout. Above: Seven seaters usually see their third row of seats occupied by youngsters who are nimble enough to scramble in and out with ease.

MARCH 2016

Tech Tricks

Convenient cost-effective ceiling rod storage BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Over the years an angler can amass a huge array of rods and reels, especially if they are into a broad range of fishing techniques. While first string or favourite rods are often stored in the boat, other second and third string rods, the kid’s rods or rods for different types of fishing are commonly left without a permanent home. While stashing

these in a spare corner is a common practice, it’s not an ideal way to store them for longer periods and can lead to damage. If lent up in a corner, hot weather can create a slight bend in your rod. Additionally, reels drain a lot better if they are left horizontal instead of vertical after washing. Water drains out of the drag wells and other drainage points more effectively, taking any salt residue with it. Many anglers use floor standing or wall mounted rod holders and racks, however, these require

quite a bit of vacant space. One area that usually isn’t used for storage in sheds, garages or spare rooms is the ceiling. Generally, there are large expanses of spare space on the ceiling ,which you can put to good use for storing your rods. After moving to a new residence, I needed to store a few spare rods and my kid’s rods so that they were out of the way, yet at hand when required. I have made rod racks for horizontal ceiling storage before, so I decided to whip another one up and show you how in

the process. These racks are relatively cheap to make, can store a decent amount of rods and reels and if you shift they are easy to remove and take with you. The main two pine studs on which the mounting hardware is attached can be screwed to the bearers or studs in your ceiling, or in my case, attached to the underside of a small hanging storage loft suspended from the roof in one of my sheds. You will probably only need two or three self-tapping 50mm+ screws to attach them to the ceiling, but make

For this project you will need two pine studs (I used 2.4m ones), 40mm powder-coated metal saddles (20x) (used to hold piping in place), 50mm PVC coated cup hooks (20x), size 8-15x20mm needle point button screws (or similar) (40x), a 5/32” drill bit, a No.2 Phillips screw bit and drill (preferably battery powered). You can get by without the drill, Phillips bit and drill bit and simply use a Phillips screwdriver and extra muscle power to get the job done. If you need to paint the stud to make it blend in with the ceiling then do this first before starting the task.

sure you know where any electrical wiring is located beforehand and ensure that you screw into the timber studs and bearers and not just the ceiling sheeting. You can make them any distance apart that you wish, however for most of my 1.6-2.4m baitcaster, spinning and overhead game rods, I generally space the two pine studs around 1.3m apart. If you make racking for surf rods then this space needs to be greater. The rods must remain straight when on the racks, even with reels on them,

to avoid them adopting a permanent curve. When tip-to-butting your rods, I find that spacing each rod about 11cm apart is ample, however if you had large overhead reels then you may want to increase this slightly. However, the reels could be staggered a bit so that they are not sitting directly in line with each other. This spacing can be a lot smaller if you are only storing rods without the reels attached. The holder I made here will hold twenty rods and reels and costs around $55 to make in materials.

Mark your first pine stud at 11cm intervals (or your chosen distance apart for each holder). On my 2.4m stud I was able to fit 20 holders with an extra 10cm at each end for affixing to the ceiling.

At every second mark (every 22cm), centre a saddle and affix it to the pine stud with two screws using your drill and No.2 Phillips bit. I used button head screws, (which were already painted) but you can use whatever you have. It all depends on how neat you want it to look. If you don’t have a drill, just use a screwdriver and a little extra effort to get the job done.

Once finished, your first side should look like this with ten saddles in total, all positioned centrally at every second mark. Next lay your second pine stud evenly next to the first and copy the spacing for each holder that you made previously.

5 Screw a saddle centrally at each alternate mark to the first side that you made. The spacings of your saddles do not have to be exact to the millimetre as this won’t affect the final product. Centred approximately over the mark and central on the width of the timber stud is sufficient.

With all ten alternatively spaced saddles on the second length of timber, it is now time to affix the cup hooks. Drill a hole around a centimetre deep centrally on the pine stud at every second (vacant) spot.

Screw a cup hook into each hole, leaving the open sides of each hook facing the same way once screwed all the way in. If you don’t have a drill then just use extra downward pressure to get the thread started. I have used PVC coated cup hooks as they don’t rust or mark your rods. 86

MARCH 2016

When all the cup hooks are in place, your two racks should look like this. This allows tip-tobutt spacing for your rods, which means more rods can be stored in a given area.

Attaching the two sides of your rod rack to the ceiling will vary depending on where you are going to put it. Generally a couple of large screws or coach bolts will do the job. Ensure you affix it to load bearing materials and not just the ceiling sheets. Check for any concealed electrical wiring before you start screwing it on. If you decide to shift or move it then you only have a couple of holes to gap fill. Hope you enjoy your new storage racks. And if you have any vacant spots left on your rack then now is a great opportunity to head down to the tackle shop and buy yourself another outfit.

Business Profile

FIFO boat hire is now affordable for all anglers NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

The acronym ‘FIFO’ stands for fly-in, fly-out and is most often used in relation to remote mining operations employees who fly to the site to commence their week or fortnight of shifts, then fly home afterwards for a break with their families. However, with the advent of fully equipped ‘turn-key’

were totally blown away by Clinton’s professionalism and the incredibly high standard of every component of the hire gear, from vehicle, boat and trailer to the smaller but equally important stuff like safety gear, battery charger, drift drogue (sea anchor), marine radio and on-board electronics. Everything worked exactly as it was meant to! Tassie Boat Hire’s 420 Quintrex Renegade is powered by a 40HP Evinrude 2-stroke motor on the stern,

Starlo shows off a lovely fly-caught Woods Lake brown trout taken from the hire rig. hire packages of vehicles and boats, the FIFO concept now has genuine relevance in fishing circles as well! Late this past spring, my wife Jo and I took advantage of exactly such a business that operates on the island state of Tasmania. The brainchild of Ulverstone tackle shop proprietor Clinton Howe, Tassie Boat Hire kicked off in mid-2015 offering a single boat rig and 4WD vehicle, but has already expanded with the addition of new hire packages. Jo and I were picked up from Launceston airport upon arrival by Clinton in his first full rig: a 420 Quintrex Renegade towed by a 2011 model Mitsubishi Triton dual cab ute. Clinton drove to a nearby service centre to run us through the rig and complete the necessary paperwork, and then we were off on our own for a wonderful week in the Central Highlands chasing Tasmania’s famous wild trout on fly. From the outset, Jo and I

has a Minn Kota Terrova autopilot electric up front, as well as all the ‘fruit’ you could possibly need for full-blown freshwater, estuary and inshore work in between. It really is ready to rumble! We confined our activities to the Central Highland Lakes, concentrating on Penstock, Woods, Arthurs, Little Pine and Crescent, but this rig is also spot-on for chasing Tassie’s big, blue-nosed bream in the

state’s many estuaries, or even venturing up to a couple of kilometres offshore (on the right day) to tangle with all manner of goodies, right up to kingfish and even tuna! We experienced very strong winds during our time in the high country, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing small boat warnings for the lakes on several of the days we fished. The hired rig easily took these demanding conditions in its stride and we stayed surprisingly dry. Personally, I’d like to have seen a 50 or even 60 HP donk on the hull, but the 40 performed well enough two-up, and was quite economical to run. From memory, we spent less than $30 on juice for the outboard across our week! The boat’s generous, fully-plumbed live well was wonderful for keeping a few trout alive and healthy between photo shoots, or to bring one home at day’s end for the table, and would suit tournament anglers perfectly. In fact, with the blossoming bream tournament circuit in Tasmania these days, it’s hardly surprising that a large proportion of Clinton’s customers are mainlanders flying south to compete in various ABT events. The diesel Triton tow vehicle was clean, comfortable and reasonably economical to run. It never missed a beat and handled the sometimes-corrugated dirt roads with ease.

Tassie Boat Hire’s 420 Quintrex Renegade rig is a complete turn-key package, ready for high end sport fishing in fresh or salt water and ABT-style tournament work. All up costs for hiring the 4WD, boat and ancillary gear, plus airport transfers, come in at less than $350 per day, which is excellent value in my opinion, especially when split between two or three anglers. Discounts are also available for extended hire periods, and both the vehicle and boat are available for separate hire, if need be. Weighed up against the time, hassle and expense of driving your own rig to Melbourne and catching the ferry across Bass Strait, Clinton’s service makes a great deal of sense. For Melbourne residents, in particular, it means that a fast getaway for a weekend or long weekend of fishing on the Apple Isle is now do-able and affordable! If you’d like to learn more about this unique FIFO service for serious anglers visiting the Devils’ Playground, scan the QR code accompanying

this review to watch the short YouTube video clip that Jo and I put together during our stay. If you haven’t mastered QR codes, or don’t have the correct app to read them, go to https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=CgtlrWUniP8 or simply Google ‘FIFO Tasmanian Trout’ and you’ll soon find the clip.

You can also find out more, get detailed prices or make a booking by visiting Tassie Boat Hire’s website at www.tassieboathire. com.au, going to their page on Facebook, or giving Clinton a call on 0429 475 550. Be sure to tell him Starlo sent you and he’ll look after you extra well!

VIDEO

Jo fights a rampaging Penstock rainbow on fly.

Scan the QR code to watch the short YouTube video clip that Jo and I put together during our stay.

This hire boat boasts a large, fully plumbed live well. Just the ticket for fly-in, fly-out tournament anglers!

MARCH 2016

Just when you thought you knew everything PART 1 FORSTER

Blake Hudson

Every issue of Fishing Monthly is filled with comprehensive articles that suggest tackle, bait and locations for target species. This month we’re offering fresh information concerning fish handling as opposed to simply how to get them in the box. Welcome to the first instalment of a fourpart series focused on caring for your catch. Releasing fish in a healthy condition is important for maintaining sustainable fish populations, and with this in mind I’ll include information on the many benefits associated with proper handling. I’ll also include an easy to follow guide on how to maximize the quality of the catch you take home for the dinner table. REASONS TO SUPPORT PROPER HANDLING TECHNIQUE I’m not alone when it comes to hearing tales of a time not too long ago, when the local river, beach or home reef used to yield a plentiful bounty. These abundant times create a stark comparison to the meagre hauls of today. You may yourself have even experienced such a dilemma, with your favourite secret spot of yesteryear now not so secret and hardly worth the effort. With the creation of superior fishing and boating equipment, and more lines in the water, it comes as no surprise that we face an uncertain future regarding the endurance of our cherished, dwindling fish stocks. There are many problems that can be blamed for this obvious decline: pro boats and half a century of insufficient quota controls, estuary netting and the decimation of the start of the food chain, trawlers and the annihilation of by-catch, pollution and the degradation of ecosystems, and the ever-present disaster of climate change. However, not everything is shrouded in doom and gloom. If each of us live up to our obligation to play our part to maintain our precious resource, we may indeed leave for future generations much more in the water than just plastic, garbage, and a perilous assortment of snagged and tangled fishing gear. As responsible anglers, our obligation extends much further than just to stick to bag limits, return undersize catch and remove rubbish from our designated place of fishing. It is about respect. Many years spent on professional wetliners (not to be confused with longliners) in the Indian Ocean, under the guidance of a short-fused Trojan of a skipper, taught me about respect and 88

MARCH 2016

Left: Holding a live fish by the mouth, by using lip grippers or other alternatives, all too often results in vertebrae separation or tearing of the lip completely. Right: Holding live fish by the tail is dangerous! This stretches the spinal discs and vertebrae of a live fish, which is dangerous to their health and quite probably the future of the animal. completely changed the way I fished for the better. When we see a better way of doing things – a more streamlined, more sophisticated, superior way – we ultimately adapt, lest we be left behind. RESPECT THE FISH The first thing I learned was that contrary to popular belief, fish are uniquely fragile, and should be handled with extreme care and respect, whether alive or dead. Important things to keep in mind include the fact that a fish’s body has never experienced numerous things that our bodies do, and which we take for granted every day. The most significant of these is that fish have never experienced the full force of gravity, spending their whole lives suspended in water. A fish has never experienced heat. I don’t mean the kind of heat they might experience with the change in temperature of a warm ocean current or sun bathing in the shallows. I’m talking about a human hand around 37°C, or

the scorching bottom of an aluminium boat that burns like a hot poker on their delicate scales. Most anglers are completely unaware that highly sensitive layers of outer skin completely cover the exterior of a fish’s scales – rather than underneath them! A fish has also never experienced anything hard or dry. Fish will often use rock or reef to scratch an itch, but they have never had to endure metal or fibreglass or wood or a bucket, and certainly have never experienced anything dry. Is it any wonder they flip about? Fish have never experienced being held by their mouth or their tail. This practice is completely intolerable, no matter what the size of the fish, from a mullet to a marlin. Dead or alive, holding a fish vertically by the mouth or tail is an absolute no, no! If the fish is alive, holding it by the mouth (using lip grippers or other alternatives) often results in vertebrae

Fish have never experienced the heat of day and the scorching temperature of a boat deck. If you intend to keep a fish, make sure you dispatch it quickly. If you intend to release the fish, attempt to do so boat-side if possible.

separation or tearing of the lip completely. And holding a live fish by the tail is similar to lifting a person off the ground by the head – it’s dangerous! This stretches the spinal discs and vertebrae of a live fish, which is dangerous to their health and quite probably the future of the animal. If the fish is dead and set with rigor mortis, holding it by the tail can release toxins built up in the spine (once separated under the load of its own weight) and disperse them into the flesh. This can greatly affect the taste. There is of course a correct way to hold fish, both dead and alive, and this simple technique will be explored in detail in part two of this series, ‘Landing Your Catch.’ FISH OUT OF WATER On the wetliner boat, the second requirement of the working deck was fundamental to success. Fish were to be sorted and processed swiftly and smartly, or once again we’d risk the wrath of the temperamental

skipper. In any five-minute period, there could be up to 80 fish landed carefully on the kill tables. Predominantly, the catch consisted of the target species, pink snapper, but among those there could be a 25kg amberjack, one or two spangled emperor, a cod that would only just fit in a sleeping bag, and a couple of crazed tailor as big as cricket bats just to keep things interesting. Throw a hyperactive yellowfin into the mix, and without keeping the fish calm and eliminating flipping around, this scenario would have been absolute chaos – not to mention so inefficient it probably would have been a complete waste of time. How did we combat such a problem? We remembered that every second counts when a fish is out of the water. A study on released fish mortality found that an unfortunate 38% of fish held out of the water for just 30 seconds after a line fight to exhaustion died. The rate of death increased to 72% for fish held out of the water for just 60 seconds (Ferguson and Tufts 1992). Many of these died up to 12 hours later. That means when you see a fish swim off after release, you shouldn’t assume it’s unhurt. Try to hold your breath next time you land a fish, and only recommence breathing once

the fish is released, as this is what the animal experiences. This is the crux of the issue, and our first responsibility as anglers. If a fish isn’t a keeper, return it swiftly and carefully to its place of origin. Taking a photo means precious extra seconds out of the water, so if you want to take pics make sure you have a camera on standby so this time is kept to an absolute minimum. Based on the statistics from the above research, it is easy to see how detrimental poor handling can be to the environment, with a great proportion of throwbacks from recreational fishing alone simply ending up as berley. This is unsustainable. Our second major responsibility is the respectful treatment of the product we keep. The way a fish is treated after landing affects the quality. A few simple and inexpensive techniques will result in the best possible eating product that can be achieved. Moving forward, it’s essential to change our ways, and every one of us must be more responsible in the management of recreational fishing into the future. We must dismiss certain damaging fishing practices like fumbling around with a fish with bare hands. Such practice is completely unnecessary – not to mention the damaging, often irreversible air exposure

Sitting in a hot, shallow bucket causes the fish to stress, and spoils the meat.

As anglers, our responsibility is not only to care for the fish, but also to ensure the environment we fish in is left clean and safe. Sights like this are far too common and can cause irreparable damage to fragile aquatic ecosystems.

the fish suffers as every second goes by. And we’ve all done it. The good news is, there is a better, easier, and inexpensive way – with a one-time investment of less than $50 to set up. A way so very sophisticated you will actually be taking home export quality fish to your very own table and be wondering why you hadn’t implemented these techniques years ago. And above all, a way that will sustain fisheries for generations to enjoy. Be sure to catch the following three parts of this series, as all will be revealed, arming everyone in the wider fishing community with the skills to become a more responsible, sophisticated angler.

Cushioning your catch: fish handling basics PART 2 FORSTER

Blake Hudson

With an emphasis on some of the basic ‘do not’s’ of fish handling, Part 1 of this series also highlighted the importance of correct fish handling as a way to guarantee the most superior quality of catch consumed at our dinner tables. Overall though, correct fish handling technique was recognised by experts as a major contributor to responsibly sustaining the longevity of fishing as a whole – especially by returning under or oversize catch carefully to the water. In part 2, we will focus primarily on the fundamentals and many benefits of proper landing technique. We will explore a technique of landing fish that has been used for centuries – a technique that has been improved and modified in a way that makes

around at all. How did they do that? They landed them on wet rice matting. So how did we reproduce that environment on the deck of a working snapper boat in the 21st century? Quite easily. We used foam rubber or a sponge (like a roll of cheap mattress foam) about 50mm thick, on the top of every kill table (ice box), and soak it thoroughly with seawater. Simple, cheap, effective! When we were fishing in WA, the action on deck was similar to milking a cow. We worked as two teams in diagonal formation. Port stern and starboard forward would be lines on the bottom, while starboard stern and port forward anglers would be surfaced – unloading catch onto the tables, re-baiting and then plummeting back to the bottom. The opposing crew would be given the signal to crank up, unload, re-bait and when signaled they were

A cotton glove is a good way to avoid contact with the fish’s scales. it perfectly suited to today’s fishing environment. These techniques are extremely simple – and once adopted and implemented, will enable you to turbo charge your fishing – with the ultimate outcome of giving you more precious time with your bait in the water, and a superior product on your plate. So, back aboard the wetliner in WA, where it was once again reinforced that a fish has never experienced the full force of gravity or anything hard, hot or dry, I was beginning to wonder how to combat these problems when bringing fish aboard a deck. Lucky for us, Japanese anglers discovered that by simulating ‘suspension’ after catching a fish, the fish would remain calm and hardly flip

‘right to go’, the other team would then put their biceps to work hauling. Fish that were unloaded were immediately dealt with by the opposite crewmember. This not only avoided snagging each other and proved a super-efficient stealth stream that returned illegal fish to the water swiftly, it also kept the school alert with bait always on the bottom. In any 5-minute period there could be anywhere up to 80 fish being landed carefully upon the sponge foam covered kill tables. The catch was mainly snapper and an assortment of mixed reef fish, but land a hot blooded pelagic into the mix and without keeping the fish calm and eliminating flipping around, this scenario

would have been absolute chaos – not to mention so inefficient it probably would have been a complete waste of time. In this manner, the saturated sponge bed was an outstanding success in its suspension imitation, but there was still the issue of the bare flesh of a human hand to contend with as a potential aggravation to our live catch. So how do you avoid contact with fish scales with a bare hand? You cover your hand with a cotton glove! With the skipper insisting that under no circumstances would any exposed human flesh come in contact with the fish (dead or alive), we also wore a cotton glove on our left hand (for right handers) – the only hand that ever came in contact with scales while sorting, sizing, returning or killing a live fish. This left your non-glove hand free to grip the killing tool and manage the massive amounts of hooks and line. The cotton glove would be soaking wet, so abrasive contact with the live animal was absolutely minimal, and once again proved a critical component in maintaining a stress-free environment on deck. And that unsophisticated piece of kit was part of our hand for the entire day, handling hundreds upon hundreds of fish and hooks all day. If a fish was accidently landed on top of another one, it would begin a chain reaction of flipping across a loaded table of fish like jumping jacks, with the shortfused skipper quickly turning a menacing shade of psychotic – therefore incidents of the kind were avoided at all costs. So when landing fish, the idea was to unclip a trace from the mainline, turn to face the foam table, quickly choose a vacant space, and gently flick the fish by the trace onto the table while slightly pulling toward you as it lands so as not to scale it. In addition, fish larger than pan size would have their bellies supported. This enabled a safe, ‘flip free’ landing 99% of the time. The good news is that all it takes for any angler – be it amateur or pro – to avoid all of this time wasting, is a piece of saturated sponge the same size as your ice box lid! Once you retrieve your fish, simply hold the line about 5-10cm above the fish, support the belly with a saturated glove hand, and gently lay the animal on the sponge while pulling it slightly toward you with the grain of the scales. All your dramas will suddenly disappear and you’ll have a subdued fish ready for sizing and processing, and be left wondering why you hadn’t employed such a simple thing as sponge landing years ago. It is that simple!

If the fish is illegal size, quickly remove your hook, grab the tiddler with your wet glove hand (usually without protest) and carefully return

tools available for fish handling, what can possibly be simpler than a piece of wet sponge foam the same size as your ice box lid? Everyone,

for? Get out there, get yourself some sponge the same size as your ice box lid, follow the guidelines set out above, start landing your fish

A thin bed of sponge foam is all you need to make fish handling safer for both you and the fish. it to the water. Much simpler, much more efficient, much less stress! Not to mention safer for all involved parties! How many times have you been spiked by fins or sliced by the gill plate or injured in some shape or form while you wrestled with your catch? How many times has your slippery catch escaped your grip and ended up in a compromised situation in the bottom of the boat, on the ground or back in the water? How many times has the process of hook removal alone turned into a drama of monumental proportions? How many times have you taken your kids fishing, for them to reel in a monster far bigger than yours, only to leave it dangling in the sky by bent rod, completely intimidated, afraid and wondering what to do with it? If your answers to any of these questions is “many times”, then you should wet a sponge foam for your landings! And with a variety of expensive and ineffective

Unhooking fish doesn’t have to be messy or uncomfortable. absolutely every single angler – be it fresh or salt, deep sea, beach or estuarine – will benefit hand over fist by including a piece of sponge as part of their fishing kit. I find that a sponge foam is as important as the ice box itself, and I never leave home to go fishing without it. Quite simply... it works! So what are you waiting

like a champion and enjoy fishing even more. It really couldn’t be easier. Next part of this series, I will get down to the pointy end of how to treat your keepers, with a thorough description of another centuries old handling technique that will quite literally blow minds. Until then, see you in the soup!

When in use, a sponge bed won’t take up too much room. MARCH 2016

THE R ECR EATIONAL ANGLER’S LINK SUPERTR AWLER INQUIRY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

In the South East we have had just enough rain to start off the banana prawn run. Over the next few weeks you will see lots of tinnies out in the bay stripped down to just bare flat decks and moving around together as a slow moving cloud following the schools. SUPERTRAWLERS Once again the Geelong Star has been banned from fishing by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. 29 January 2016 Following a higher than expected level of albatross mortalities on the Geelong Star’s last fishing trip in the small pelagic fishery, the vessel will not fish again until additional mitigation measures are agreed by Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) to minimise any further interactions. AFMA’s acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Nick Rayns said that AFMA would continue to work with the operator, Seafish Tasmania, and seabird experts until the authority was satisfied that the additional measures would be effective. There is currently a senate inquiry into the

Supertrawlers are currently the focus of huge controversy among fishing groups. activities of supertrawlers. It is important that we don’t lose sight of this battle even if this one is

currently only fishing in the southern states. THE INQUIRY Senate Standing

Committee on the Environment and Communication’s Inquiry into the environmental,

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Australia’s recreational fishers are the largest stakeholder/ user group affected by fisheries management and environmental management policies and decisions, including commercial fishing activities in the small pelagic fishery (SPF). ARFF is of the view that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way the SPF has been developed and is being managed. Supporting this view is the following: • The commercial fishing of the SPF has attracted more attention from the Australian community, including recreational fishers, than the commercial activities in any other Australian fishery. This has included a number of rallies and public meetings opposing industrial scale commercial fishing of the SPF. • The Government has attempted on a number of occasions to facilitate meetings between the vessel operators and ARFF toward achieving a way forward to address the growing concerns of Australia’s recreational fishers. These

meetings have been outside the management process for the fishery, as determined under the Fisheries Management Act 1991. This is a clear indication that the existing management process as conducted by AFMA are inadequate to appropriately address the concerns of key stakeholder groups or the broader community about industrial scale commercial fishing of the SPF, particularly when industrial scale fishing activities occur in areas that are valued by other stakeholders or close to population centres. • The government has invested significant funds to ‘proof ’ the science of the fishery. This investment is questioned in relation to the low value of the fishery • The Senate is holding this inquiry, reflecting concerns, at least within parts of the government, about the process that has lead to the Geelong Star now fishing the SPF. ARFF remains unconvinced that allowing industrial scale fishing of the small pelagic fishery is the highest and best use of the fishery

and in the nation’s interest. ARFF is also concerned over the manner in which this fishery has been managed by AFMA. In particular, it is the view of ARFF that AFMA has taken a narrow focus when assessing the benefits of commercially exploiting a fishery and has not sufficiently addressed its commitments to assess ecologically sustainable development issues, as outlined in the objectives of the Fisheries Management Act 1991. This situation may be resulting in adverse economic, social and environmental impacts on the Australian economy and community. ARFF recommends that an immediate moratorium be placed on fishing ‘areas of concern’ within the small pelagic fishery (as identified by ARFF) until a comprehensive assessment has been conducted to determine whether industrial scale fishing of the SPF is the highest and best use of the SPF, in our nation’s interest and whether the small pelagic fishery should be commercially fished at all.

www.sunfishqld.com.au

social and economic impacts of large-capacity fishing vessels commonly known as ‘supertrawlers’ operating in Australia’s marine jurisdiction. In addition to the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) attached submission we would like to lodge with the Senate Standing Committee on the Environment and Communications some Queensland specific comments. Queenslanders are intensely protective of what they see as their natural treasures. This was clearly evident with the Queensland based drive to have UNESCO intervene in what appeared to be a death by a thousand cuts of the Great Barrier Reef by wholesale indiscriminate port development along the Queensland coast. Similarly there has been considerable intense public comment since the beginning of the Commonwealth Marine Reserves review and in particular the Coral Sea Marine Reserves Review. Should large

Email: judylynne@sunfishqld.com.au

capacity industrial scale vessels (supertrawlers) commence operating off the Queensland coast, most Queenslanders will see it as an attack on their international reputation of unmatched aquatic treasures. We believe the international arena will also believe that this is not a practice that should occur in either the Coral Sea or in the vicinity of the Great Barrier Reef. Globally, these vessels have destroyed fisheries far more abundant than ours. It seems that decision makers currently believe that doing the same thing the same way will suddenly provide a different outcome. What is of the greatest concern though is that the science needed to clarify the impact of ‘supertrawlers’ is not being investigated and definitive answers on the impacts on multiple interdependent fisheries is not available. The science around localized depletion has been determined too hard and too expensive. A token definition has been created, but after that not one suggestion of any science or funding to take it further. Until this happens legislators can hold tight to their claims that there is no science to support a belief in the negative impact of ‘supertrawlers’. Once that independent research happens, the reasoning behind the failure of all those overseas fisheries will be more than apparent. Let’s just hope that it’s not too late for Australian fisheries. SUBMISSION BY THE AUSTRALIAN RECREATIONAL FISHING FOUNDATION The Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Committee Inquiry into the environmental, social and economic impacts of large-capacity fishing vessels commonly known as ‘supertrawlers’ operating in Australia’s marine jurisdiction.

Industry Profile

Shok App – no effort, win prizes! Have you ever heard of a tournament whose entry fee is less than $1.50? That’s what you get with Shok Tournaments – a $35 first year fee (from mid-February) provides entry for 26 back-to-back fortnightly tournaments, at $1.35 each. And the fact that the membership fee includes a measure mat, which would cost nearly $35 retail on its own, means your outlay is

your standard phone camera function, keeps everyone honest and the competition fair. PRIZES FOR NOVICES AND DIE-HARDS If you’re not the best angler in Australia, don’t worry. Shok regularly runs categories to cater to casual anglers, such as the ‘nearest cm’ category. “For example, we’ll say whoever can catch a flathead closest to 36cm will win,”

silver perch, redfin, luderick, flounder and whiting. The organisers are also open to requests, “Sometimes someone will say they haven’t seen a particular species come up for a while, so we’ll run a comp just for that species,” Aaron said. “We also take requests from groups of friends who want us to manage their friendly comps when they’re on an extended trip. Each person chips in around $25-30,

Post a question, photo, fishing tip or a story.

Live standing, current tournament, rules. Anything you need to know.

The fun part! Use this camera to automatically upload your catch!

Sell your old fishing gear for free? Or buy more!

even better value. Basically, if you feel like you could use a measure mat, get a Shok membership! You might think that with such a low entry fee, the comp prizes would be pretty dismal. A couple of packets of hooks, maybe, or a few bargain bin lures. Not so! The fortnightly tackle prize packs are valued from $150-$300. One of the reasons Shok can afford to do this is because they have low overheads and support from some of largest companies in the industry; it’s far more expensive to run a conventional tournament (think staff, travel expenses, insurance etc.) than it is to run a digital one. Most tournaments have a date, time and a fixed location, but with Shok Tournaments you just go about your normal fishing business at your favourite waterway. Tournaments are run backto-back, you can submit an entry whenever you catch an eligible fish. All you have to do is use the Shok app to take a photo of your (live) catch, measured against the Shok measure mat. Then you press ‘Upload’. Done! The fact that you have to use the app’s camera function, rather than

explained co-creator Aaron Hoskin. “Or we’ll run a pop-up comp where the next person to catch a squid and a bream will win. Or combined species comp, where you have to catch, say, a bass and a yella, and the person with the greatest combined length wins.” Sometimes you don’t even have to measure a fish to win a prize. One of Shok’s latest comps asked members to share their favourite photos/stories of getting kids into fishing, with the winner receiving a start-up tackle box to fuel their youngster’s enthusiasm for the sport. As well as all these comps, Shok continually runs standard ‘longest fish’ comps back-toback. These are divided into separate groups of species, designed to put freshwater and saltwater anglers on an even playing field. The first category is won by the longest snapper, saratoga, red emperor, other emperors (sweetlip), pearl perch, coral trout, slatey bream, nannygai or Murray cod. The second category is won by the longest grunter, morwong, King George whiting, yellowbelly or mangrove jack. The third and fourth categories cover bream, brown trout, rainbow trout,

and we supply a prize. They can see each other’s catches live online, which makes it a really fun experience.” The regular tournaments are run back-to-back every fortnight, with prizes sent out at the end of each tournament. Prizes include a range of tackle (see the website for details). DON’T PAY STRAIGHT AWAY Most of us are unfamiliar with this kind of tournament concept, so Shok have made it free to sign up so you can learn what it’s all about. After you get a feel for the app and decide you want to compete, you can go ahead and pay the registration fee. Currently set at $44.95, the 12-month registration fee will drop to $35 from mid-February, which enters you in 26 tournaments. That works out at only $1.35 per tournament! You’ll be posted an official Shok measure mat to verify your catch, and a Shok stubby cooler. After the first year the membership fee drops even lower, to $21.95. THE SOCIAL SIDE The Shok Tournaments app has a newsfeed that allows anglers to connect socially, share stories and maybe even fishing locations... maybe! The

organisers monitor all posts to maintain a family friendly environment. As well as the fortnightly online tournaments, the organisers also travel to various locations on the east coast hosting social meet-andgreet trailerboat tournaments that are also run via the app. “We tell people we’re planning to run a trailerboat meet-and-greet comp, and people give us suggestions on where to hold it,” Aaron explained. “We go with what the majority wants. The last one was held at the Hawkesbury, attracting anglers from Newcastle to Ulladulla. Around 40 people fished the comp. You just rock up and pay $25 per person, and there are more prizes to compensate for the added entry fee. As a bonus, you can enter the same fish in our regular app comps as you can in the meet-andgreet trailerboat comp, so it’s like double dipping! “We provide a BBQ and drinks. Everyone meets at the ramp at 6am before going fishing, and we monitor the photos coming in via the app during the day. We arrange for everybody to be back by 3pm for the BBQ and presentation. “It’s really good to put faces to names. We’ve made a lot of good friends among our members and their families, and so have they. Our Facebook page has photos of most of our meetand-greet tournaments, so you can see what they’re like. The feedback has been really positive, so we’ll definitely be doing more of them.” BUY AND SELL The app includes a Classifieds section, where you can sell anything to do with

Shay Bogg, co-owner of Shok, loves snapper fishing. fishing or boating. If you find you have too many rods or reels, or you want to sell your boat, this is the place to do it. The tournament registration fee gives you unlimited free listings. Soon there will also be a video link feature so you can post videos. LOOKING FORWARD “We’re not flashy tournament anglers or famous TV presenters, we’re just two blokes who love fishing so we really appreciate the support from our sponsors,” Aaron said. “Shay and I launched SHOK Fishing only just over 12 months ago and to date we’ve got half a dozen sponsors that have been fantastic, including Evolution Boats, Frogleys Offshore, Raymarine, Mako Eyewear and Fishing World. They’re generous companies who have not only backed two regular blokes from day dot, but have also supported the everyday anglers, giving back to the social fishing scene”.

“With their support, and the support of all our members, we’re looking to give back to our community with projects such as restocking dams with fingerlings. “We also have new features coming out, including more upgrades to make the app even more user-friendly than it already is. We’re streamlining it with other social media so you can, for example, like and share on Facebook via the app. We’ve received good reviews in the App Store, and have listened and responded to requests. Shok will be even bigger and better this year, but still just as easy to use, and even more affordable than before. We’re even in talks for overseas versions in the USA and elsewhere. It’s a very exciting time!” To find out more, visit www.shokfishing.com or search for ‘Shok Fishing’ on the App Store or Google Play. – Nicole Penfold

Left: The ‘Tournament’ section of the app displays all currently running tournaments you can enter, with info on eligible species. It also has info on the current standings and rules. Right: In the ‘Classifieds’ section, you can buy and sell used fishing and boating gear. This is a free feature for members. MARCH 2016

Cooking

BBQed peeled cray tails BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

This month we’ll be cooking up one of the tastiest and most available

little crustaceans, the redclaw, or freshwater cray. You can catch dozens of these little critters in drop nets, scoop nets and Opera House pots in dams, rivers, creeks and

Ingredients

even ponds. Although we’ve used redclaw in this dish, there’s other species of cray in Australia that you can eat, and most of these other species can be used in this recipe.

Cray fish Cornflour Crushed garlic Snipped chives 2 Tbsp butter

Start with the freshly caught whole crays, that should be chilled on ice prior.

5 2

Continue all the way down one side, and peel back the underside. Now you can push the body meat out. If you have mixed sizes in your batch of crays once the body meat is all extracted from your catch, you can cut the larger ones in half to even them up.

Take your crays and twist the heads off. Twist, then pull the head away from the body.

Grab the tail flap and pinch your thumb and forefinger into the flesh at the base of the cray’s tail, twist 90° and pull the tail slowly away from the body so that the ‘poop chute’ comes out attached to the tail.

Turn the body over and peel the body shell off – start by breaking the attachment between the underside and the top shell (back) – use your fingernail, small paring knife or a pair of short pointy-nose scissors.

MARCH 2016

Then toss the cray meat in a little cornflour to lightly coat. Heat a couple of tablespoons of butter over a medium heat in a fry pan or BBQ plate. Add the crushed garlic to the pan or plate and cook for a minute before adding the coated tails to the cooking surface. Stir fry for a minute or two until the meat turns pink. Finally, sprinkle the snipped chives onto the cray pieces and stir fry for a further minute.

Serve on a bed of rice.

Duddly happenings BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

So our annual trip left us with an annual number of stuff-ups and duddly happenings. I’m sure these sorts of happenings happen to other fishers, but I’m not so sure they happen with the frequency that our happenings happen. So why do these things occur to us? And I use the ‘us’ a little loosely, because mostly it’s not ‘us’ but rather just ‘me’ that gets into situations that create carnage, be it to my fishing gear, my boat or my person. Sometimes the only damage that occurs is to my ego. On our last trip I was in my boat, and Skipper and Boobies were in BargeArse (Skipper’s boat). We were all fishing the same hole. As happens with Dudd trips, the wind was blowing at a gentle fifty knots across a gentle tide running at twenty knots. We all know what happens in this situation – snag city. Your live bait gets dragged across the rocks as your boat does some circle work around the anchor rope, leaving skid marks on the mud coloured water. The

chemically sharpened hook you especially prepared in the weeks leading up to your trip sticks 1mm into Australia and won’t come loose, no matter how hard you try. When it eventually busts-off and you wind in, you know there’s just a fraction of damage to your 50lb fluorocarbon leader. It’s just enough to make you wonder whether you have to replace the whole bloody thing with whatever the latest leader to braid knot you’re trying to tie. Shirley or Starlo or Starvo – whatever his name is – would tie on a new leader every time there’s even a change in the light refraction of his leader as it brushes past a jellyfish. And so, like a well prepared fisho you spend that fifteen minutes retying your knot while getting smashed by a couple of thousand sandies and one very persistent and nasty horse fly. You’re still tying good knots after the second, third, and fourth snag, but from number five to number ten you start tying a granny knot, and after that you tie the braid to the swivel and tell it to get frayed if you know what I’m talking about – I’m a frayed knot.

Of course, by this time that $5 chemically sharpened hook has been stuck into so many rocks and roots and logs that you wouldn’t know which was the sharp end if one end didn’t have a circle to tie on to. You get the idea; this wandering about by the blunt end of the boat drives bait fishers nuts, so on this particular day I wanted to tie a little rope from the blunt end of the boat to the bank to stop drifting. Only trouble was that when I got out of the boat to tie the rope onto the bank, I forgot I hadn’t tied the other end to the boat and the result was a swinging back end into the middle of the creek. At that point, for some reason, the boat decided to stay in the middle of the creek, while I stood on the bank, with a rope in one hand and something else in the other. This seemed to cause much mirth in the other boat. Didn’t seem funny to me. But, they could only laugh for so long, as after fifteen minutes or so the boat drifted back to me, and I didn’t have to go much over chest deep to get it back. And who was laughing then? Me, because they’d been stuck on about twenty snags while I’d been chilling out in the mangroves – always thinking.

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What’s New FISHING

LIQUID MAYHEM SCENTS

Liquid Mayhem scents are made from real baitfish in a super concentrated form, along with natural baitfish enzymes infused with powerful amino acids and other bite stimulants. The Liquid Mayhem creators said they were fed up with fish attractants that were either to difficult to apply, that put more product in the boat than on the lure, or washed off and disappeared after one or two casts. That’s why Liquid Mayhem was formulated into a sticky matrix that grabs the bait and holds on. This sticky formula stays on the lure for as long as 30 minutes. Because these scents are very concentrated, you don’t need to use much – a small dab is enough. A single 2oz tube is compact enough to fit nicely into your tackle box, and will outlast most larger watereddown containers. Liquid Mayhem is available in four flavours, all with extra UV enhancements to not only attract by smell but by sight as well. Price: RRP $26.95 www.jml.net.au

FLYING X AND PSYCHIC

Two of the latest lure releases from acclaimed Japanese manufacturer Megabass are the Flying X and the Psychic. Imitating a flighty prawn, the Megabass Flying X will have any surface enthusiast keen to try out the erratic action produced by this lure’s unique shape. Designed to be swum quickly across the surface or twitched underneath, the Flying X is ideal for flats species such as bream, whiting and flathead. This sinking lure measures 52mm and weighs 5.3g. The new Psychic has a unique design, which allows it to perform a darting sideto-side action with rod twitches while it is being retrieved. Its magnetic hook keeping system reduces your chance of getting snagged, helping you stay in the strike zone for longer. This sinking lure measures 95mm, weighs 22g and is available in six different colours to suit many different fish species across Australia. www.megabass.com.au

ZMAN 4.5” RAZOR SHADZ

ZMan’s newly released RaZor ShadZ feature a segmented, fish-shaped body and forked tail to create an extremely lifelike profile in the water. The segmented tail allows maximum action with the slightest twitch of the rod tip and the buoyancy of the 10X Tough, ElaZtech construction brings the RaZor ShadZ to life in the water. TTs recommends rigging RaZor ShadZ on either a TT Lures HeadlockZ jighead to fish the required depth, or alternatively weedless rigged on a TT Lures ChinlockZ hook for the erratic, darting, diving action of a dying baitfish, with a deadly slow rise on the pause. The surface hits were spectacular during the testing phase – slow rolling and twitching this plastic as a wake bait… BOOF! For those throwing spinnerbaits and chatterbaits, they have also already proven popular as a trailer. RaZor ShadZ are available in six proven colours, with four per pack. Price: SRP $11.50 www.z-man.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

BERKLEY FISHIN’ GEAR

The Berkley Fishin’ Gear Tackle Management System covers a range of storage solutions to suit every angler. Whether you want to take just a few packets of plastics, or you want everything to hand for a day on the water, there’s a Fishin’ Gear bag for you. The range features heavy-duty fabrics for durability, comfortable handles, and corrosion-resistant zips and fittings. Two of the latest releases are the Fishin’ Gear TMS Bait Wallet and FG Deluxe Bait Satchel, to keep your soft plastics in perfect order. The FG Deluxe Bait Wallet is an excellent organiser for Powerbait and Gulp packs. It has removable transparent sleeves for easy viewing, comes with a caribiner to clip onto belt loops or tackle bags, and has a vertical design to fit in most back pockets. The FG Deluxe Bait Satchel also has removable transparent sleeves, plus internal mesh pockets for terminal tackle. It’s designed to be a convenient hand carry bait organiser. Price: SRP $24.95 (Wallet), $39.95 (Satchel) berkley-fishing.com.au

SLOW BLATT LONG

Slow jigging and fast jigging normally require different jigs to achieve the action required to make each technique successful, but not anymore! The new Slow Blatt Long jigs from Angler’s Republic feature a low resistance centre balanced body which is flat on one side and raised on the other. This profile allows the jig to flutter on the sink, slide on the fast action and slide and fall on the slow action. This means the angler can now impart various retrieves to get the bite no matter what the conditions. The Palms Slow Blatt Long jigs are currently available in 60, 80, 100, 130, 150, 180, 200, 230 and 300. Price: SRP $18 www.ejtodd.com.au

OKUMA INSPIRA

The new Okuma Inspira spinning reel delivers lightweight performance well above its price range. Featuring Okuma’s Torsion Control Armor Design, made with Okuma’s C-40X long-strand carbon fibre technology, this design not only significantly reduces the weight of the reel, it is also extremely rigid, which reduces torque and keeps all internal parts in perfect alignment. The Inspira features Okuma’s advanced Cyclonic Flow Rotor design, which creates a ‘cyclonic’ airflow that significantly increases airflow through the ported rotor. This thoroughly-tested technology allows for a much faster drying time if the reel becomes wet, minimizing the chance of corrosion. The Centrifugal Disc Bail is another unique design. It incorporates a heavier brass disc, which is perfectly weighted and balanced to create a smoother and easier bail operation, while also increasing the strength and stability of the overall bail functioning. Lightweight, smooth and powerful, the Okuma Inspira Spinning Reel delivers serious performance and is backed by Okuma’s 10year limited warranty. Price: SRP $189 www.okuma.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

What’s New FISHING

10 11

SCAN THE QR CODE!

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

SALTY STAGE SKID JIG

TUNA TERROR 2

It’s time to try a completely new style of jigging! While the typical metal jig can catch fish only after it touches the bottom or during the retrieve, the Salty Stage Skid Jig from Abu Garcia is designed to catch fish even when it is falling. It can do this thanks to its ‘switch back’ action, which imitates a squid attacking baitfish. The Skid Jig also mimics a squid skidding from side to side when its in distress, and the skidding motion creates lots of flashes in the water. The action is unique, as it has a consistent straight falling action, avoiding the rotating action that frequently occurs in other metal jigs. The Salty Stage Skid Jig is currently available in 80, 100 and 150g weights and is finished in an array of proven colours. Price: from SRP $12.95 abugarcia-fishing.com.au

Black Magic’s popular Maggot and SBT lure ranges have been revitalised and are now available in a selection of our best performing skirt combinations. The new lure is called a Tuna Terror 2. With an overall length of 200mm, it will initially be available in six colour combinations. The Tuna Terror’s weighted head is the same size and shape as Black Magic’s Maggot head, making it an excellent choice in Australian sea conditions. The Black Magic Tuna Terror 2 is available unrigged or you can have it prerigged on 200lb Black Magic Tough Trace and an 8/0 game hook. Keep an eye out for them at your favourite tackle store, or to view the full range of Black Magic game lures visit the Black Magic website at www.blackmagictackle com. Price: SRP approx. $40 www.blackmagictackle.com

STRADIC ZODIAS COMBO

Shimano’s 2016 collection has delivered the ultimate fishing combo: The Stradic spin reel and the Zodias casting rod. The Stradic has been redesigned with a new Hagane body and gear system. The light metal provides increased resistance and longer durability, as well as avoiding flexing under pressure or a loss of cranking power. This is complemented by the Hagane Gear system, with 3D design cold forging for increased resilience and longer durability. The new Stradics have an additional SA-RB bearing and they’re all high 6:1 to 6.2:1 plus gear ratios. Aero Wrap II, the AR-C spool, one-piece bail and G-Free Body make these reels a repetitive caster’s delight, with better balance in the hand. The presence of Coreprotect on the roller clutch, the drag, the body and the line roller, make these reels perfectly at home in the salt. Using Shimano’s Hi-Power X Construction graphite blanks, Zodias casting rods deliver incredible distance and accuracy. The lightweight blanks are complemented by custom shaped EVA grips, Fuji ‘K’ series Alconite guides — with a Fuji SiC tip — and a CI 4+ reel seat for an additional weight saving. The blanks’ acute sensitivity crisply transmits every tap from a snag, weed, or a cautious short-striking fish, especially when you’re using braid. There are four light to medium spin rods of 6’8” (1-piece) and 7’ (2-piece). www.shimanofish.com.au

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DAIWA SALTIGA 12 BRAID

Daiwa has introduced an industry first, Saltiga 12 Braid, the world’s first 12 ply braid and the most advanced braided line ever. Saltiga 12 combines a 12 ply braid with Daiwa’s UVF (Ultra Volume Fibre) and +Si Evo Silicone, delivering the ultimate highdensity braid that exhibits supreme abrasion resistance and ultimate strength. By reducing the diameter and creating an ultra smooth surface, Saltiga12 produces less friction/resistance on the guides and spool rim, allowing for longer and smoother casting, less noise, minimal water penetration and incredible sensitivity. You will feel more connected to your rod and reel when using this line. Saltiga 12 is the ultimate heavy duty jigging and casting line for big gamefish. It’s colour-coded every 10m and marked every 1m and 5m to give you full line control. This line will change your fishing style. www.daiwafishing.com.au

DIGGER 25+ AND DONGA 15+

The Bushranger Donga 15+ and Digger 25+ are sure to be a hit with native anglers across the country. Both feature a super strong body with in-built rattles and have a wide swaying action that fish find irresistible. They’re designed to avoid snagging, with a buoyant design, extra large bib and flat body to keep the hooks away from snags. The Bushranger Digger 25+ has been designed to dive to 25ft and is great for trolling in impoundments or rivers. The Bushranger Donga 15+ is fantastic whether cast retrieving or trolling. It comes in eight fish-catching colours and has proven deadly on Murray cod, yellowbelly, mangrove jacks and bass. Both lures feature a wire through body for added strength, heavy-duty split rings, black nickel VMC Permasteel trebles, UV Eyes and an excellent paint finish. The Bushranger Digger comes in eight colours and has been deadly on Murray cod, yellowbelly, barramundi and mangrove jacks. Price: from SRP $15.99 www.jurofishing.com

EPIC FAMILY TACKLE KIT

If you want to just grab your tackle box and get on the water then the Wilson Fishing Epic Family Tackle Kit is a 300 piece, two-tray tackle box that has all your needs covered. Inside the kit you’ll find a fish scaler, kidfriendly plastic fishing knife and a standard fishing knife, a pilchard casting jig, squid jig, sabiki rig and an assortment of floats, sinkers, beads, hooks and swivels to catch just about any fish that swims! All of this is packaged in a tough, two-tray tackle box that provides an easy grab-andgo pack for all your fishing needs. Price: approx. $60 www.wilsonfishing.com

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

What’s New FISHING

RHINO-RACK DOME AWNING

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

SAMAKI MANGROVE JACK SHIRT

Rhino-Rack’s Dome 1300 awning easily mounts to the front, side or rear of your vehicle to provide protection from the rain or sun. The amount of shade it provides isn’t affected by a vehicle’s (lack of) height, because it can stand well over 2m depending on the vehicle you mount it to. The roof domes up to offer extra headroom underneath. Made from a heavy-duty rip-stop polycotton, it is tough, weather/water proof, mould resistant and UV50+ protected. The Dome 1300 also serves for superior runoff in wet and windy conditions. The coverage area is a generous 2.5m x 2.4m. It’s quick to set up and easy to use – all you’ll need is a tape measure and 13mm spanner. The Rhino-Rack Dome 1300 awning is compatible with most vehicle roof rack channels, links up with a number of RhinoRack extension products and comes with a 1 year warranty. Price: RRP $379 www.rhinorack.com.au

Rod and lure maker Samaki has now entered the apparel market. Following off the back of the recently launched GT shirt, customers asked for ‘more of where that came from’, and Samaki has responded by releasing the cool Samaki Mangrove Jack shirt. The design depicts a mangrove jack in the mangroves. After scattering a school of mullet, the jack attacks the famous Samaki Vibelicious Thumper Tail. Samaki long-sleeve fishing shirts offer superior UV 50+ protection, keeping you protected from harmful UV rays. They’ll also keep you cool whilst out on the water. As well as the Mangrove Jack design, there is also a Chromed Barra shirt and GT shirt. All Samaki shirts are available from a size 2 toddlers to a 3XL adults. For more information and stockists visit the Samaki website or like them on Instagram and Facebook. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

SLIM SWIMZ COLOURS

The deadly little 2.5” Slim SwimZ, with their bite-sized baitfish profile and under-hooked tail for loads of action even at slow speeds, are now available in six new colours. Angler requests have led to the addition of favourites pumpkin, baby bass, electric chicken, bad shad, mood ring and newly released calico candy, which has proven deadly on a wide range of species. As well as producing results in both the bream and bass tournament scene, anglers chasing everything from trout, redfin and grunter to flathead, yellowbelly and estuary pelagics will find a favourite amongst these new colours. The 10X Tough ElaZtech construction means this little plastic will stand up to toothy critters and aggressive strikes, while the buoyant material also creates a natural ‘tail up’ feeding pose when paused on the bottom, attracting fish and triggering strikes. There are now 20 colours in the ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ range and they come in a pack of eight. Price: SRP $9.95 www.z-man.com.au

DAIWA SALTIST X

Stunning in looks and flawless in design and performance, Saltist X sets a new standard in light tackle spin reel excellence to deliver anglers one of the most durable and reliable light tackle offshore and shoregame reels from Daiwa. Light, powerful, and eye catching in its gunsmoke and silver garb, Saltist X owes its strength and reliability to the many design features of its bigger brothers, Saltiga and Catalina, including Magsealed, Air Rotor and Super Metal. Other features include: Real Four; Super Metal Body; Digigear II; ABS II; Twistbuster II; Airbail; UTD – Ultimate Tournament Drag; and EVA ball knob. Heavily refined and meticulously designed, Saltist X will allow you to feel more connected to your lures, detect more bites, and fight fish with ultimate ease. www.daiwafishing.com.au

SCHNEIDER 8 CARRIER BRAID

Schneider New 8 Carrier Pink Braid is 100% Spectra formulated using the latest technology. This enables the line to be finer while maintaining superior knot strength, creating a super smooth finish for ease in handling, delivering longer casting distance, no stretch and increased abrasion resistance and colour retention. Schneider 8 Carrier super smooth braid is extremely sensitive and durable, while maintaining rounder diameters, and not losing shape with age. These unique braided qualities enables this line to match the demands of today’s anglers, making it an ideal choice for lure fishing, trolling and deep bottom fishing. It has high visibility above the water and low visibility below the water. This braid is available in 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 50lb breaking strains in 150, 300 and 1500 yard spools. Schneider recommends using 8 Carrier Pink Braid with Schneider’s 100% Fluorocarbon Leader. Price: from SRP $49.95 www.schneiderfishinglines.com.au

NEW FROM MEGABASS

Megabass have introduced five new unique lures into their highly popular range. These lures have had extensive knowledge put into their features by pro anglers and designers over many years. One of these new lures is the Popping Duck. Designed to stop the curse of low hookup rates, the Popping Duck is equipped with rotating swivels for both front and rear hooks. Another unique factor is its action, creating a solid popping sound with minimal moving distance, allowing the angler to stay in the strike zone and target specific fish! This floating lure measures 60mm, weighs 6.5g and comes in six colours. The new Picus is a small crankbait designed for rugged territory where other crankbaits would get snagged. With its bumper-like bib, it will virtually eliminate snagging so you can stay in the strike zone for longer. Its slow sinking setting lets you target specific depths. It measures 32mm, weighs 5g and comes in six colours. www.megabass.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

What’s New FISHING TESTED:

Gerber MP600

The quick one-handed opening function means once the fish is unhooked, the tool can be easily folded away. The Gerber MP600 does what most other multi-tools are supposed to do: diminish the need for a bunch of tools by condensing them into one. The difference is that unlike a lot of other multi-tools, this one is bladeless. Having no blade might seem like a con, but really, who uses the knife on the multi-tool anyway? The lack of a blade does a world of good for the safety of the user, not to mention the small, inquisitive hands that might stumble upon it. This tool also complies with the ‘no knife’ policy in the workplace! There are at least four of my most commonly used tools on the MP600, and I found it great to have with me while out hiking, camping and fishing either landbased, on a kayak or in boat. While out on the water, I can sharpen my hooks on the file, cut tag ends while tying knots with the scissors, break out the odd beer with the

TESTED:

opener, take apart my reel for field repairs with the Phillips head screwdriver, and most commonly, take hooks out of fish and other things (including people). The latter was what I used them for mainly, and the quick one-handed opening function meant that once the fish was unhooked, the tool could be folded away and stowed in the pouch. These things are tough as nails, and after a few months of use in both salt and freshwater, sand and dirt, the tool has not a speck of rust. A quick spray with freshwater is all the MP600 needs after contact with salt. The MP600 retails for $159 and is definitely worth having if you want something that functions as multiple tools, and won’t kill you if you fall on it! It’s also great to have if you’re a ‘gear’ fanatic like me. I’m definitely the most popular person out on the boat! – Bob Thornton

TESTED:

Wilson Backpack

At the 2015 AFTA trade show there was a plethora of new tackle storage systems on display, and one of the most popular categories was backpacks. I wish this sort of emphasis had been placed on creating fishing-friendly backpacks when I was walking the banks of the Murrumbidgee around Canberra as a young man. The canvas knapsack I used back then pales in comparison to what is now available. A rare opportunity to fish some gorge country west of Brisbane presented a great chance to test a backpack from Wilson Fishing. The Wilson Backpack is a small, lightweight backpack. It comes with two large tackle trays (they strap snuggly into the main storage of the bag), two small zippered side pockets (one is water resistant to put phones and electronics out of harm’s way), a larger front pocket that has elasticized storage for pliers, knives, scissors and the like, a mesh water bottle pocket and a main storage pocket with double zips and a Velcro closure. Importantly, it also has padded shoulder straps, a padded back panel and a

The Wilson Backpack has plenty of storage and is light and comfortable to wear. The author would have appreciated one of these backpacks 25 years ago. chest strap for the comfort of the user. My three days of fishing the gorge country proved a few things to me about the Wilson backpack. There was more than enough storage for anything you might need on a trip like this. You really appreciate the padding and the fact there are no sharp edges digging into you while you’re walking. Additionally, the chest strap stops the pack slipping from one side to the other, making manoeuvring under, over and around obstacles much easier, and it reduces the pressure on your lower back as well. Last but not least, the zippers and closures held up well – although the same couldn’t be said for me! For more info on this and other Wilson storage options, go to www.wilsonfishing. com or ask about them at your local tackle store. – Peter Jung All the essential ingredients for a bit of gorge country bass fishing.

Tonic Eyewear Rises to a new level

The Tonic Slice lens is 50% lighter than regular glass lenses, which maximises comfort. In mid-2015 Doug Phillips from Tonic Eyewear let the world know that he was working on the thinnest and lightest polarised glass lenses in the market. He launched the Gen2 Tonic Eyewear Slice lens at the AFTA tackle Trade Show on the Gold Coast in July 2015. Retailers showed a strong interest and late in 2015 he re-launched the range with the superlight, 1.3mm Slice lenses. Accompanying the release of the Slice lens, Doug also released a number of new frame styles including the MO, JO and RISE frames. It was a pair of Rise frames that found their way onto my desk just before Christmas, so I put them to the test.

be critiqued by my daughters. The “they look good, Dad” response is high praise from my girls, so the first test had been passed with flying colours. I have been told plenty of times that I have an ‘interesting face’ (reading between the lines I think that means it has a number of flaws and people are being kind) and the difficulty I have always had with sunglasses has been getting them wide enough to fit and yet have the nose piece narrow enough to not allow the glasses to push down my nose. My first impression when putting the Rise frame on was that it definitely sat higher on my face than some other sunnies do, and the adjustable nosepiece provided a comfortable feel when on. The lightness of the lens wasn’t blatantly obvious – that was until I compared it with another pair of glasses. There was an obvious difference against the pair I had been wearing.

First impressions

I’m the father of two girls who are growing up way too quickly, and they have stressed to me that the most important thing about sunglasses is how they look. So when my Rise sunglasses arrived home with me they had to SCAN THE QR CODE!

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

Squid are masters of camouflage, but while wearing the Tonic Rise I had no problem spotting them.

Optical clarity is very important and the new Slice lens delivers. The photochromic lens in the pair I had been given really reduces glare, and the optical clarity is beyond what I was expecting. The only question mark I had was that they are a bit dark to wear during low light periods.

THREE MONTHS LATER

After three months my Tonics have done a bit of travelling. They have seen the most western point of the country, seen the waters off South Australia, gone testing boats for the magazines and have seen many of my local fishing spots. My family will tell you that I am pedantic about my sunglasses – they must be put away correctly, you never pick them up by the lens and last but not least you don’t put them on the top of your head. I love the fact that the Tonics come with a hard case for protection. Also, the soft cover provided helps avoid the fingerprint issue and also acts as a cleaning cloth. And unfortunately I have succumbed to occasionally putting the glasses on my head (thankfully they haven’t been lost overboard or blown off – phew). I have really enjoyed the clarity of vision they have provided. As well as reducing the glare, but these sunglasses give you the ability to look well into the water and distinguish different shapes and movement in both fresh and salt water. Squid are the masters

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

of camouflage and I had no problem spotting them while fishing from the shore in Western Australia. These sunnies are very comfortable to wear and they have definitely reduced the number of times I have to push my glasses back up my nose. The 1.3mm lenses have had no trouble coping with the usual bumps and knocks that everyday use delivers, and are still in one piece even after I decided to sit on them. So I can safely say they have dealt well with the first three months of use.

The technology

Tonic sunglasses are made in Japan and incorporate a de-centred lens technology, which provides distortion-free vision at any angle. The 1.3mm Slice lens is scratch resistant, has anti-reflective coatings, Tonic’s own unique polarizing filter systems and are 50% lighter than regular glass lenses. As well as the Rise frame I tested, there are another 11 frame options and four lens colour options available. To find out more about Tonic sunglasses go to www.toniceyewear.com.au. The site has information on the their range of products and where your nearest stockist is. – Peter Jung

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

Pirtek Fishing Challenge

Get your rods ready for the Pirtek Challenge! The Pirtek Challenge is once again coming to a waterway near you! Australia’s biggest fishing competition, The Pirtek Challenge is open to anglers far and wide across the states. It’s an opportunity to get out on the water with some mates, have an awesome day of fishing, and be in with a chance to win a share of $175,000 worth of cash and prizes! We at Fishing Monthly want to give our readers a head start this year with all the information you need to get started and have the best day possible.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? Each year the Pirtek Challenge is held to raise money for the Prostate

Cancer Foundation. Prostate cancer is currently the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, and the third most common cause

HISTORICAL WINNING LENGTHS Year........................Species......................Length.(cm) 2015.......................Bass.......................................51.1 2014.......................Barramundi..........................123.8 2015.......................Bream.................................... 47.3 2015.......................Flathead.................................93.0 2015.......................Whiting.................................. 47.5 2014.......................Golden.perch.........................63.6 2015.......................Rainbow.trout........................43.8 2015.......................Brown.trout............................69.3 2014.......................European.carp.......................82.3 *Murray.cod.and.snapper.can.be.targeted.in.certain.. states,.however.past.results.are.N/A.

of cancer death. These are sobering statistics, but we can work to lessen the damage by opening up the conversation about prostate cancer with loved ones and mates, which can lead to earlier detection of cancer and fewer fatalities. The importance of supporting the research and work of the Prostate Cancer Foundation cannot be overstated. What better way to support such an important cause then a fantastic day out on the water? Registration is affordable at $25 per angler so you can get the whole family involved for an outdoors fishing bonanza.

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST FISHING COMPETITION! Proudly Supporting Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Peter Duncan Neuroscience Research Unit of St Vincent’s Hospital.

SUNDAY 20 MARCH 2016

RIGHT ACROSS AUSTRALIA

170,000

in cash & prizes! JUST 25 to enter $

plus postage

PRIZES GALORE Fishing will commence at 6am and finish at 6pm on Sunday 20 March, 2016. Prizes are up to $4000 in cash, as well as the chance to win a Stacer 449 Tiller Steer powered by Evinrude E-tec 60hp plus trailer valued at $25,000, a $2000 Humminbird Helix 7 SI GPS package, a $2000 Berkley and Abu Garcia Pack, and a

$1500 BCF spending spree. That’s enough to get us motivated! All you need to do is catch a target species, photograph and release that fish, and upload the picture of your biggest fish of the day. It’s that simple! Check out www.pirtekfishingchallenge. com.au for all further terms and conditions and more information about the challenge. – FMG

PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR FISH •. Y . our.angler.number.will.be.emailed.to.you.after. 6pm.the.night.before.the.competition.starts. •. W . hen. you. catch. your. target. species. simply. lay. the. live. fish. with. the. nose. in. line. with. the. “0”. (zero).measurement.on.the.Pirtek.bragmat. •. P . hotograph.the.fish.so.the.entire.length.can.be. seen. in. the. photograph. along. with. your. angler. number.. •. R . emember.to.write.your.angler.number.clearly.in. the.white.box.provided.on.the.brag.mat.

Stacer 449 Outlaw Tiller Steer

•. C . heck.your.photograph.to.ensure.the.whole.fish. is.in.the.photograph.and.the.nose.end.of.the.fish. is.in.line.with.the.“0”.(zero).measurement.and.the. overall. length. along. with. the. angler. number. is. clearly.visible.

•. Q . uickly.release.the.fish.and.try.to.catch.a.bigger. one.

salt & fresh water target species

$2000 Humminbird HELIX7 SI_GPS

$1500 BCF Spending Spree!

To Register, log onto

$2000 Berkley Fishing Pack

pirtekFIshingchallenge.com.au For full terms, conditions and licensing log on to pirtekfishingchallenge.com.au. Permit Nos: ACT Permit Nos TP 15/08241; NSW Permit No LTPS/15/09562; SA Permit No T15/2139.

MARCH 2016

•. O . nly. a. fish. caught. by. the. registered. angler. can. be.entered. •. A . ny. photograph. that. shows. a. fish. not. alive. or. damaged.will.not.be.accepted. •. Y . ou.can.only.upload.one.photograph.per.angler. to. the. website..This. needs. to. be. your. biggest. fish. •. T . he. upload. needs. to. be. complete. by. 7.00. am. AEDT,.Monday,.21.March.2016. •. A . ny.photographs.uploaded.after.this.time.will.not. be.accepted.

BARRAMUNDI

Size Range:.Up.to.65cm,.common.from.30-40cm.

Size Range: Up.to.1.5m,.commonly.caught.around.40-80cm.in.rivers,.and. 80-110cm.in.dams.

Bait: Live.baits.are.preferred.over.dead.baits,.and.live.offerings.of.herring,. mullet,.prawns.and.shrimp.are.the.pick.of.the.lot..

Bait: Baits.of.grasshopper,.cricket,.worms,.yabby,.and.particularly.live.shrimp. are.successful.

Lures:. Colourful. offerings. are. favoured,. and. proven. patterns. include. Reidy’s.B52,.the.gold.Bomber.and.Squigy.Slick.Rigs..Barra.also.love.flies,. and.again,.the.brighter.the.better.

Lures: Bass. take. a. variety. of. lures. from. surface. lures,. diving. lures,. lipless. crankbaits,.spinnerbaits,.soft.plastics,.jigs.and.even.flies..Match.your.lures.to. suit.where.and.how.the.bass.are.feeding.

FLATHEAD

WHITING COASTAL

Rigs: A.running.sinker.rig.with.a.long.leader,.and.a.tiny.long.shank.hook.is. enough.to.fool.a.whiting,.even.in.shallow.water..Light.braided.line.around. 4lb.with.a.2-4lb.leader.is.an.excellent.balance.for.the.anglers.throwing.lures. at.wily.whiting.

Tactics:. Flathead. are. classic. ambush. predators. that. use. camouflage. to. their. advantage.. Drop-offs,. weed. edges,. hard. rock. and. mud. edges. are. all. favourite. haunts. of. flathead.. Flathead. feed. hard. when. there. is. tidal. movement.. Rigs:.A.running.sinker.rig.with.6lb.braid.and.a.15lb.leader.is.sufficient.for. baitfishing..The.same.goes.for.lure.fishing,.but.try.to.attach.your.lures.with.a. loop.knot.where.possible. Bait: Flathead.will.eat.anything.they.can.fit.in.their.mouth, whether.it’s.live,. dead,.big.or.small. Lures:.Lures,.flies.and.baits.all.work.equally.well.on.flathead..Lures.such. as. soft. plastics,. vibes,. lipless. crankbaits. and. hardbodied. lures. all. catch. flathead.and.a.variety.of.baits.

Bait: Worms. and. yabbies. (nippers). are. two. baits. that. are. rarely. met. with. failure. Lures: Small.hardbodies,.plastics,.and.more.recently,.surface.lures.have.all. taken.plenty.of.whiting.in.the.last.decade..Often,.the.bigger.whiting.will.be. the.ones.that.take.lures.

CARP Size Range:.Up.to.1m,.but.more.commonly.encountered.at.30-60cm.. Tactics:.Carp.feed.by.smell.and.taste.and.are.therefore.attracted.to.things. that.give.off.scent,.making.smelly.baits.effective..Carp.will.also.get.up.into. shallow.water.and.grub.along.the.bottom.looking.for.aquatic.insects,.and. this.is.where.fly.anglers.can.have.some.fun.. Rigs:.A.medium.running.sinker.rig,.paternoster.rig.or.float.rig.with.6-20lb. braided.line.onto.a.10-20lb.leader,.fish.lighter.in.clear.water.free.of.snags. Bait: Baits.as.varied.as.scrubworms,.corn,.bread,.dough,.shrimp.and.grubs. are.all.attractive.to.carp.and.the.use.of.berley.will.increase.your.success. rate.dramatically..

Size Range:.Up.to.75cm,.commonly.caught.at.25-50cm.. Tactics:.Golden.perch.are.predators.that.like.a.moving.target..This.makes. lures. and. live. baits. popular,. however. they. also. love. to. hunt. down. worms. and.grubs.set.on.the.bottom..Lures.cast.around.fallen.timber.in.rivers.and. standing.timber.in.lakes.are.all.successful,.especially.around.first.and.last. light.. Rigs:.Running.sinker.rig.and.a.paternoster.rig.are.both.good.options.with. 20lb.braided.main.line.to.20lb.leader..The.same.line.weights.can.be.used. for.lure.fishing. Bait: Baits. of. yabby,. live. shrimp,. worms. and. even. smelly. dead. baits. are. successful. Lures:.Lures.like.Australian-made.hardbodied.lures,.spinnerbaits.and.lipless. crankbaits.all.do.damage.on.yellowbelly.

MURRAY DARLING BASIN

Lures: Carp.rarely.take.lures,.but.will.sometimes.be.taken.on.lures.as.bycatch,. occasionally. confusing. surface. lures. for. berries.. Fly. anglers. can. target.carp.in.shallow.water.by.sight.fishing.with.small.nymphs.

YELLOWBELLY

COASTAL

Size Range:.Up.to.1.1m,.commonly.caught.30-65cm.

Size Range: Up.to.50cm,.more.common.from.20-40cm. Tactics: Whiting.love.clear.and.shallow.water.where.they.grub.around.for. yabbies,.worms.and.other.tasty.tidbits..By.targeting.these.areas.with.your. baits.or.lures,.you’ll.encounter.plenty.of.whiting,.as.well.as.other.interesting. by-catch..

Rigs: A. running. sinker,. unweighted. or. floated. rig. with. at. least. 30-40lb. monofilament.or.fluorocarbon.is.necessary.because.of.their.raspy.jaw..For. lure.anglers,.15-30lb.braid.with.a.30lb.leader.will.do.in.rivers..In.dams.gear. needs.to.be.stepped.up.to.around.30-50lb.braid.with.a.40-60lb.leader,.as. barra.regularly.grow.huge.in.dams..

MURRAY COD Size Range: Up.to.1.8m,.common.from.40-80cm. Tactics: Murray.cod.are.a.structure-loving,.long-lived,.hyper.aggressive.and. territorial.species..Therefore,.lures.or.baits.fished.or.cast.around.pig.snag. complexes.repetitively.get.a.response.eventually.. Rigs: A. running. sinker. rig. is. all. you. need. to. connect. with. a. cod. if. you’re. baitfishing,.and.20-30lb.should.be.your.minimum.line.weights.for.both.your. mainline.and.leader..The.same.goes.for.lure.trolling.and.casting.. Baits: Live.baits.are.great,.and.there.is.nothing.too.big.for.a.cod.to.eat..Live. shrimp,. yabby. or. even. bony. bream. will. all. get. eaten.. Dead. baits. are. also. successful,.as.well.as.other.smelly.baits,.including.cheese! Lures: Murray. Cod. will. eat. a. variety. of. surface. lures,. hardbodies,. lipless. crankbaits.and.spinnerbaits..As.with.bait,.lures.should.be.big.and.annoying. to.achieve.the.best.results..

MURRAY DARLING BASIN

Rigs: Light.braided.line.around.4-6lb.with.a.fluorocarbon or.monofilament.leader. around.10-14lb.is.preferred.for.lure.fishing..The.same.line.classes.are.perfect.for. baitfishing,.with.unweighted,.weighted.and.floated.rigs.working,.depending.on. how.deep.and.where.the.fish.are.holding..

Tactics: Barramundi.are.sight.hunters,.so.bright,.flashy.lures,.flies.and.live. baits.are.the.key.to.undoing.these.Aussie.icons..Barra.also.love.structure. and.freshwater.run-off.drains,.so.don’t.be.afraid.to.fish.around.dirty.water. and.colour.changes..

MURRAY DARLING BASIN

Tactics: Bass.in.rivers.have.a.preference.for.structure,.however.close.to.their. spawning.season.in.winter,.they.will.school.up.in.open.water.around.the.tidal. reaches..Bass.aggregations.will.vary.in.dams.depending.on.what.food.sources. are.available..If.there.is.a.lot.of.structure.around.the.edges.and.the.food.source. is.predominately.insects,.small.fish.and.shrimps,.the.bass.will.feed.in.shallow. water..If.there.are.bony.bream.or.other.schooling.baitfish.present,.the.bass.will. usually.school.up.in.deep.water..Fishing.where.the.bass.are.with.lures.or.bait.that. mimics.what.food.source.is.available.will.catch.you.more.bass.

COASTAL

BASS

COASTAL

Pirtek Fishing Challenge

MARCH 2016

Like a box of chocolates HERVEY BAY

Jackson Bargenquast

Fishing is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to catch!

reel and he was struggling to control this mystery fish. Dad and I bet it was either a big threadfin or a barra, but after 30 minutes an unusual catch emerged – a 15kg

the blubber-lip could pull a salmon backwards and it was a solid fish to hold, very muscular and powerful. We released it quickly after a photo and let it live to fight another day.

An unusual catch on a vibe this blubber-lip sure pulled some line!

This GT was truly a fish of a lifetime! When you are fishing for popular sportfish such as barramundi, flathead and even tuna you can catch a range of fish you weren’t even targeting, sometimes trophy or rarely seen fish. Take a trip Dad and I took to the river for example. We invited a friend Greg Livingstone and went out to drop vibes and soft plastics into a deep hole, about 25-30ft. After catching a few trophy-sized threadies, Livo cast out a 20g Storm soft vibe and was cranking it back to the boat when it became caught in a strong current. Next thing he knew line was sizzling off of his

giant trevally. Now that’s strange! Only a couple of weeks later the same thing happened to Brett Marsh when he landed his first large fish on a lure – another GT in the river, but this time it was 90lb of fish. The GT ate a large scented soft plastic. It chewed the lure in half, which is clear evidence of the fish’s power. Another strange fish caught on a vibe while barra and threadie fishing was a 6-7kg blubber-lip bream that Dad caught in the heat of the day when the threadies went off the bite but were still showing up on the sounder. Pound-for-pound

Tuna schools are a natural berley system. Schools of bait are smashed by hungry tuna at high speeds, leaving pieces of half chewed up baitfish and stunned or injured baitfish that slowly sink to the bottom, attracting all kinds of hungry predators such as golden trevally, diamond trevally, large reef cod and

even barracuda that feast on a virtual living chum dispenser. Cast a large soft plastic, micro jig or even a heavy vibe into a tuna school and let it sink to the bottom before working it back up. However don’t assume you will hook up to a fish on every cast, it could take several casts and different retrieve styles

Large golden snapper often feast on the bottom below tuna schools in the tropics.

before you finally hook something. If you don’t happen to have any other lures apart from tuna spoons or slugs, they will still do the trick, especially if big Spaniards are hanging beneath the tuna. These are some of the more exciting examples of rare by-catch, but more often than not small and rather distasteful species will end up on your lure or bait. This includes small cod, bream, flathead and other bottom dwellers, which often become pests when fishing for prize species like barra and mulloway in the estuary system. If you are chasing longtail tuna or even black marlin, frequent catches of mac tuna, school mackerel and of course bonito become all too frequent catches, which can frustrate some anglers. At the end of the day, the variety is what makes fishing interesting and even if you don’t catch your dream fish, just catching something means that the day was worth it.

Kade Maltby with a Moreton Bay spotty. Kade and his dad Shane fish as often as they can.

One of the more pleasant catches from under a tuna school. 100

MARCH 2016

Austackle-Bluefin Country Fishing Classics Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Peterson Dam welcomed 145 competitors (including 44 juniors) to

the sizes of fish recorded increases with each event. Lures that worked well were paddle-tailed

$7,800 of prizes thanks to our sponsors. Prizes included a Lowrance Elite 7 Chirp unit and maps, two

A large crowd gathers to watch the weigh-in and see some great prizes handed out! RESULTS

Caitlin Bryant with a big smile and a bigger yellowbelly catch! the picturesque grounds for round three of the Austackle-Bluefin Country Fishing Classics. The dam fished superbly in the lead up to the event, and it held form for the duration of the competition, with plenty of fish recorded. Fingerlings added to the dam by the Fish Stocking Association are clearly growing well, as

soft plastics, blades, ice jigs and bladed lures like the Austackle Gizmo Crustacean. Austackle donated four fishing rods along with a Camp Lake Fire Voucher towards a raffle to support the BP Dam Fish Stocking Association that raised $825! Twelve lucky entrants went into the Random Draw and walked away with over

pairs of Tonic Eyewear sunglasses, and plenty of Austackle fishing gear. The Random Prize Draw and Lucky Dips combined to a value of over $14,000 - well worth the entry fee! Camp Lake Fire on Maroon Dam will host Round Four on 19-21 of February â&#x20AC;&#x201C; entries are open. You only have to compete in one round to

CATCH AND RELEASE Category Senior Catch and Release Female Senior Catch and Release Male Junior Catch and Release Female Junior Catch and Release Male DEADWEIGHT Category Senior Deadweight Female Senior Deadweight Male Junior Deadweight Female Junior Deadweight Male gain entry into the Grand Final, where we will be giving away a Bluefin/ Evinrude boat package and heaps of other sponsor prizes â&#x20AC;&#x201C;all by random draw! All ages are welcome and every child receives a prize. For more information visit www.countryfc.com.au.

Blake Hughes was stoked with his prize pack.

A couple of great bass grace the weigh-in tables.

This little cattie got a kiss at the weigh-in.

Chris Nelson with a beauty out on the water.

Angler Points Naomi Tonscheck 238 Matthew Langford 1833 Adi Howard 297 Nicholas Newton 928 Angler Janette Goeman Corey Schilf Hayley Crumblin Kurt Wilson

RESULTS JUNIOR CATCH AND RELEASE Species Angler Bass Nicholas Newton Golden perch Nicholas Newton SENIOR CATCH AND RELEASE Species Angler Bass Matthew Langford Golden perch Mel Tonscheck Catfish Toby Gibson SENIOR DEADWEIGHT Species Angler Bass Jason Vanhoff Golden perch Corey Schilf JUNIOR DEADWEIGHT Species Angler Bass Riley Wilson Golden perch Brayden Schilf Catfish Kurt Wilson

Weight (kg) 0.65 1.25 0.45 3.20

Length (cm) 44 52 Length (cm) 47 50 50 Weight (kg) 0.45 1.25 Weight (kg) 1.10 1.35 1.15

MARCH 2016

101

Boondooma Dam Fishing competition wrap up Boondooma Dam Yellowbelly Fishing Competition spokesman Terry Allwood says that the lake fished very well for the 2016 event with over 200 fish going through the catch and release section and 316 in the gilled and gutted section. The biggest yellowbelly weighed in at 2.25kg. The comp attracted 835 entrants including 202 juniors. Prizes were presented at the end of each session as well as overall competition winners at the conclusion of the event. The water level was 62% which, together with the good weather, set the scene for a great weekend of camping, fishing and family activities. Profits from the event supplement permit funds from the Qld Government, and so far

around 4.5 million fingerlings have been stocked in the lake. The catch and release category of Longest Native targeting bass and yellowbelly was won by Mark Bleys of Proston with a 515mm bass, who took home over $300 in prizes and a trophy. Dylan Brandley of Kingaroy put in a solid effort to walk away with the most fish (bass and yellowbelly) caught and released with a total tally of 17 fish. The Heaviest Yellowbelly title was claimed by Bart Fraser of Bli Bli with a 2.175kg fish. Bart took home over $360 cash plus prizes and a trophy, which was sponsored by Corey and Nikki of the Lake Boondooma Kiosk. The winner of the Heaviest Bass section sponsored by

Wondai Accounting and Tax Services was Lincoln Neal of Tara with a bass of 1.75kg. Lincoln fished the lower end of the lake using bait to secure a pay cheque of $320 plus prizes and a trophy. Hanwood Fish Hatchery Champion Junior anglers for yellowbelly were Alex Lindsay of Dalby with a yellowbelly of 2.25kg. The bass was claimed by Brady Cullinan of Toowoomba, with a bass weighing in at 1.46kg. The 3.4m Bluefin boat was won by Nicole Kussiow, which was proudly sponsored by Lake Boondooma kiosk and Bluefin Boats. Congratulations to all the winners and thankyou to everyone who attended and made the event such a success. With over $20,000 profit

made from the weekend, the future for Lake Boondooma fishery is looking very healthy. Next year’s comp will be held on 11-12 February. Entry costs will remain at $20 for adults and $5 for juniors aged 16 years and under. The ongoing support of our many generous sponsors ensured that a wide range of prizes and lucky draws were available for all competitors giving away over $25,000 worth of cash and prizes. Food and drinks stalls were provided by local community groups and the great camping facilities provided by the South Burnett Regional Council was put to great use for campers staying at the lake. For more information visit www.prostononline.info – BDFSMA

Brady Cullinan won the Junior Heaviest Bass prize with a 1.4kg fish caught on a Smak 12 lure.

The Wild Medic Project Grand Slam Tournament In response to the earthquakes in Nepal last year, a handful of Qld Ambulance Service paramedics started a non-for-profit organisation known as The Wild Medic Project. These volunteers go into areas that are extremely remote and without any healthcare. Wild Medics are

currently working in a small village of Nepal. As part of this amazing group of ambos, I wanted to do something to help with the building of the clinic as well as get over to Nepal and be part of the medical team that looks after this community. Being competitive by nature and mad keen about fishing, the solution

was obvious. I decided to host a fishing tournament that encourages families, as well as competitive tournament anglers, to get together for a day on the water while at the same time raising funds for The Wild Medic Project. A number of years ago, Matt Fraser from Nitro/ Berkley discussed with

BOYNE TANNUM

Hook Up Fishing

Competition

pri 30th a , h t 9 2 ay & 1st m

250,000

in PROMOTIONAL GIVEAWAYS

Registrations Open 1st March Online Entry Fees - $85 Senior $40 Junior

PRIZE FIRST S HAINE E UR SIGNAT

Check website for rules & conditions

WIN A CAMPER TRAILER, ENGEL FRIDGES, OTHER BOATS, HOLIDAY & MORE

www.boynetannumhookup.com.au 102

MARCH 2016

me the idea of having a multiple species tournament. Essentially, anglers are given a species list of 8-10 fish and the idea is to catch five species from the list. Catch five or more from the list and you have a grand slam. Points are still awarded for each fish caught from the species list but the idea is still to achieve a grand slam. Matt and I hit the water to test the idea and had a ball. We jigged fluoro shads for flathead before changing to small natural coloured grubs for bream. We danced surface lures for jacks and trevally. On the test day, we even dead-sticked deep plastics for juvenile snapper in the Gold Coast’s broadwater. Matt and I achieved our grand slam and had so much fun. We ran with a practice comp, held late in the afternoon with competitors fishing into the evening, as well as another comp, with the usual early morning start. The grand slam concept was never far from our minds and Matt always said he’d like an opportunity to do it again. When the Wild Medic Project was looking for a fundraiser event, I gave Matt a call. We changed the rules to include families with young children. If there was a junior angler in the team, we allowed families to fish with either bait or lures but as a family team – there would be no individual scores. Instead, all fish caught by the team are added to the family’s total. Senior teams had it a bit tougher – lure or flyfishing only. All points are allocated to individuals to decide the Champion Angler as well as being part of the team’s total point score to decide the Champion Team. I have been fishing tournaments for years and I thought that I’d seen it all. The Grand Slam proved me wrong.

I allowed anglers to start from 6am, but anyone could come down and register at any time before the end of fishing at 1pm. We had anglers coming down to register mid-morning – these guys were asking me how to use lures. I went out to look at one team’s gear and they had pinched a couple of Dad’s old surf rods, Alvey reels and all, and bought some pre-rigged plastics on the way to the comp site. This particular team were a couple of paramedics from Beenleigh who just wanted to come down and be a part of The Wild Medic Project fundraiser. It was for that exact reason that we gave away over $10,000 worth of lucky door prizes, as well as the major raffle of a Husqvarna ride-on mower and complete garden care set from Victoria Point Mower Centre and Husqvarna. The team that took out the seniors division managed a grand slam with flathead, bream, whiting, tailor and mulloway. Team Simrod was tournament angler regular Steve Wilson, Tim Simpson and his partner Trish Lang from Bluewater Magazine. Steve Wilson opted to work plastics around the weed beds early for whiting and bream as the team thought the whiting would be the hardest to catch. Fishing 23oz jigheads with Berkley plastics, Trish landed a whiting on her third cast and two more came in rapid succession. A bream also fell to this technique before changing to heavier gear and bigger lures to jig up a flathead. With three of the five already landed, team Nimrod then moved to the Gold Coast Seaway to chase tailor off the north wall and mulloway on the pipeline. Trish put a lure among some nervous bait and got a tailor, which had the team one fish short of the grand slam. Steve moved to the

pipeline where they dropped big white Gulp Shads down to land two mulloway before divers came and spooked the fish. The team also landed a small trevally near the comp site. Team Nitro with Matt Fraser fished a few locations early on with no luck. Then they went to the Five-ways to work Berkley 3B Flat Dogs and 2” Gulp Shrimps around the shallow weed edges for bream and flatties. The team were just about to leave the shallows to target another species when Matt was belted by something that took 100m of line. Thinking he had a foulhooked stingray, he was happy to net a 55cm trevally. This was enough to earn Team Nitro second place on what was a tough day for most teams. The winning family team was headed by local paramedic Shane McEvoy, who brought his godson Tristan Mahon with him to help take home the family trophy with a great flathead. All the family teams fished land-based and some seniors did too. Competitors had varying levels of experience, from anglers such as Matt Fraser, who has won ABT Grand Finals, to blokes who paid their money then asked me how to fish. All anglers returned to the comp site to enjoy a BBQ lunch and open bar at the VMR building on Main Beach. The event had some amazing support from sponsors, which allowed us to give away plenty of prizes. Matt Fraser summed it up by adding, “Great comp, lots of fun and a very sociable presentation.” The next Wild Medic Project Grand Slam Tournament will be held on 17 July. Keep in touch through Fishing Monthly or our Facebook page. – Mark Ward

Boyne Tannum HookUp turns 21 years old The Boyne Tannum HookUp was initially launched on 7 June 1996 and since then has run annually for the past 21 years. This tournament is going from

strength to strength, and is set to continue as an event for families to enjoy all that the Gladstone region has to offer. It really is a premier fishing location!

Doctor John is the king of catching big bluebones.

One of this year’s main prizes is a Haines Signature Suzuki package.

SO HOW DID IT ALL COME ABOUT? The idea of the popular fishing competition came from well-known, young and energetic local Darryl Branthwaite (who is now a life member of BTHU) in first discussions together with other passionate business locals Zach Simmons, Paul Simmons and Ned Beaumont of Boyne and Tannum. They discussed this idea and many more, put their heads together and made it happen. Don Colyer and Robyn Shepherd of the Gladstone region joined the team in 1993, and this was when the first committee for Boyne Tannum Hookup was formed, and in 1995 the event was born. The intention was to create an event for the community to enjoy on the Queen’s birthday long weekend. The team wanted to give families and community members something to do locally, and attract tourists of all ages to the region all while supporting local businesses and stimulating the local economy. The Boyne Tannum Hookup has since become the largest fishing competition in Australia, and each year since its inception it has attracted over 3000 entrants

Every year sees some great catches at the Boyne Tannum HookUp. in the competition, over 10,000 people in attendance each night of the event, and millions of dollars in prizes. The formula for success comes from a dedicated and determined team of volunteers who work hard each year to hold the iconic annual event. And of course, the consistently strong numbers of attendance, supporters and sponsors. Darryl Branthwaite says everything needs to

come together to create a successful event. “The Boyne Tannum Hookup has been successful because of local passion, good planning, excellent event recipe, good marketing and promotion, excellent engagement from industry, council and small businesses,” he said. “They are proud to be associated with the event as it adds liveability to this great region.”

Going forward in 2016, the newest board of committee members for the Boyne Tannum Hookup are very excited to be continuing on this great event, and have been busy getting everything ready for the 21st birthday celebrations over the long weekend of 29-30 April and 1 May, 2016. For more information on this year’s competition, visit www.facebook.com/ TheBoyneTannumHookup or phone 0418 886 739. - QFM

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2016

DATE DETAILS

CONTACT

MARCH

Mar 5-6

BASS Pro Qualifier # 1 Glenbawn

ABT www.abt.org.au

Mar 5-6

Rnd 3 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Mallacoota

Hobie www.hobiefishing.com.au

Mar 8-9

BASS Pro Qualifier #2 St Clair

ABT www.abt.org.au

Mar 10-13

VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Competition Hervey Bay

George Duck 0407 663 578

Mar 13

BASS Electric #1 Clarrie Hall Dam

Joseph Urquart 0439 764 369

Mar 20

Rnd 4 Hobie Kayak BREAM series South Sydney

Hobie www.hobiefishing.com.au

APRIL

Apr 9-10

BASS Pro Qualifier #3 Richmond River

ABT www.abt.org.au

Apr 9-10

ABT BREAM Qualifier #3 Mandurah

ABT www. abt.org.au

Apr 17

BASS Electric #2 Isis Balancing Storage

Les Barber 0428 726 857

Apr 22-23

Rnd 5 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Scamander River

Hobie www.hobiefishing.com.au

Apr 25-26

BREAM Qualifier #4 St Helens

ABT abt.org.au

Apr 27-28

Rnd 6 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Swan River

Hobie www.hobiefishing.com.au

For listings please email jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au MARCH 2016

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Kayak photos and filming BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

After over a year of inflicting my bad selfies, ‘fish on the floor of the

including casting to structure, retrieve techniques, strikes and the fight. I also hoped to capture footage looking back at me as I rigged up and then hopefully fought, landed, displayed and released my catch.

and photo quality over the years, meaning only a few hundred dollars worth of camera can capture magazine quality images. Most of the photos in my stories have been captured on a Panasonic Lumix waterproof and

When selfies go wild! Having an organised camera set-up, as described in the article can help you capture some much more memorable photos!

A Contour sports camera mounted on a Camera Boom 600 to capture all the hot fishing action. kayak’ and fish in my hand photos on Fishing Monthly readers, some recent windy and wet weather inspired me to spend some time in the man cave and sort out my kayak camera mounts and cameras. This will not only help me capture better quality images for future articles, along with images for my own albums, fingers crossed it will enable me to create videos to accompany future articles. Watching videos made by other kayak anglers, readily available on YouTube, is a great way to plan what you want to capture in your photos and videos. I hoped to capture footage from behind me, to offer the angler’s perspective of method and technique

Another box that needed to be ticked was a mount that allowed me to attach my digital still camera to avoid the weird horizon lines, anglers hidden behind fish and chopped off fish tails (or even worse, heads), associated with kayak fishing selfies. This mount would also double as a mounting point for my video camera when I wanted to capture better quality audio during my adventures. I have accumulated a selection of different cameras over the years and they all play a different role when it comes to filming from the kayak. CAMERAS Waterproof Compact Cameras Compact cameras have improved greatly in build

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surroundings. This camera allows me to focus on that cool fish as the main subject, with everything else dropped back into the background. The downside of digital SLR cameras include their weight and bulk, along with the need to protect your investment by storing it in a quality waterproof and

The author’s earlier setup with a Camera Boom 150 and Camera Boom 600.

The classic handful of fish shot. Surely there is a better way! MARCH 2016

shockproof camera. It fits in the top pocket of my fishing shirt, is easily and quickly accessed when a photo opportunity arises, has good battery life, and is small enough to handle when taking the dreaded kayak fishing selfie. This camera is also capable of capturing quality audio and video.

The downside of compact cameras is their lens restrictions in terms of both zoom, when wanting to capture close ups of wildlife, and when you want to get a wider angle view of the kayak, scenery and other kayak anglers holding fish. Digital SLR Cameras There’s no doubt that digital SLR cameras, with their vast array of settings and optional filters and lenses, have the ability to capture some incredible images. I carry an entry level SLR, Canon 600D, with three lenses; a standard lens for most shooting, zoom lens for capturing wildlife and when shooting other kayak anglers from a distance, and finally a wide angle lens for capturing the kayak that I am sitting on in its

shockproof case, like those from Pelican or Storm. I don’t take this camera on all adventures, however it is

cool to have it there at the ready, fitted with a circular polarising filter to cut the glare off the water, when you come across some awesome structure, a bait ball or cruising fish. Sports Cameras Sports cameras, such as the GoPro or Contour, have been a blessing for kayak anglers with their waterproof cases, wide-angle lenses to capture all of the action in a confined environment and the quality of the footage that they capture. They can be mounted almost anywhere, including our heads, chests and on the kayak. They handle the environments we venture into and can even film underwater. The downside of sports cameras is that the wideangle lenses can push the action into the distance a little, such as surface strikes or wildlife, and there is also a serious lack of audio in their waterproof cases. Some anglers overcome this audio deficiency by running a separate microphone or separate audio recording device. Handheld Video Cameras Handheld video cameras are now extremely affordable, much more lightweight due to digital technology and

This little collection is worth its weight in gold in terms of the fantastic recording to be captured. Each has its own purpose and when combined will give you a stack of awesome footage!

offer excellent audio for kayak anglers, when not in windy conditions. Most have the downside of not being waterproof, but kayak anglers fishing on flat water are now taking their chances and mounting video cameras in raised positions on the kayak. They also lack the wide-angle lens of sports cameras, but by mounting them on camera booms they can be swung away from the angler to capture more of the action. I recently tracked down a waterproof handheld video camera and look forward to putting it through its paces and sharing the action in future articles. MOUNTS There are a variety of mounting options available,

landing and releasing fish. This is a quick overview of my setup, but your options are almost endless when it comes to camera and mounting options. Stay tuned over the coming issues

of Fishing Monthly and hopefully I can share more of my adventures, minus the dreaded selfies and maybe even with a link to some live action! See you on the water!

The Contour captures the action from the TelePole 1000. I have used is a Railblaza Camera Boom 600, an arm that can be swivelled 360° to allow me to swing cameras without wide-angle lenses, such as the compact camera, SLR or video camera, toward me to set up the camera or timer and then away from me to capture the photo or video. This allows me to avoid the selfie and frame up photos holding fish, or swing the camera out to film rigging or speak to the camera. I look forward to mounting another camera boom to the side of the kayak so that I can swing it below the water to capture

TelePole 1000 with light and Camera Boom 600 with compact camera.

The Railblaza Camera Mounting Kit, including sports camera mount. however I prefer to stick with the range of Railblaza mounts as I already had a selection of StarPorts and accessories in my kit and they have proven to be reliable, of good quality and affordable. TelePole 1000 Behind the seat of my kayak I have a Railblaza TracPort Dash 500, mounted to the kayak with two StarPort mounts for easy removal, while providing four StarPort mounts to which I attach three Railblaza Rod Holder II adjustable rod holders

for carrying my rods and a TelePole 1000 telescopic pole to which I can attach a sports camera via a Railblaza Camera Mount Kit for filming from behind and above me during the day, and a Navisafe LED light for after dark. Use a wide-angle lens of a sports camera, such as a GoPro or Contour camera, to capture the seated angler, kayak and area surrounding and in front of the kayak. Camera Mount Kit The Railblaza Camera Mount Kit is a compact

option designed to lock into any of the range of Railblaza mounts, and allows you to rotate the camera to every angle, with factory set friction joints to keep your camera steady. I use this mount to attach a second sports camera, and use its wide-angle lens to capture vision looking back at the seated kayak angler. It is also ideal for quickly attaching the compact or SLR camera for shots holding fish. Camera Boom 600 The final mount that

The video camera and compact camera ready to record some live action.

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105

Sea Adex RMP 43: vee-nosed punt made better GOLD COAST

Mark Ward barra09@live.com.au

Is there anything more synonymous with freshwater and estuary fishing than a vee-nose punt in the classic 4m+ range? Hulls of this size are ideal for a huge array of fit-outs, can be towed behind even the smallest of family cars and they won’t break the bank. In fact, I own one myself, along with half the staff here at Fishing Monthly. We’ve all customised our tinnies different ways, from rigging them up as a dedicated tournament fishing machine or as something to keep the kids away from the Xbox. Fishing Monthly managed to get out on the water with Brisbane-based

106

MARCH 2016

plate boat builder Sea Adex to put the new RMP 43 through its paces. As the name suggests, the RMP 43 is a 4.3m hull with a 10° deadrise and available in either tiller or side console configuration. THE HULL The RMP 43 is a vee-nose punt with a slight deadrise of 10°. Built to handle anything, the hull is 4mm plate alloy from top to bottom. Traditionally, a true vee-nose punt has a sharp bow that flattens out to a flat transom. However, the advantages of having a slight vee to the bottom at the transom is that the hull doesn’t slap on the surface of the water as much, preventing the horrible ‘tinny slap’. Just looking at the running shots taken of the RMP 43, it is evident how much a small tinnie relies on the shape of the transom for ride quality. Add to this the

4mm heavy-duty plate alloy design, and the result is an amazing ride for a hull of this size. One of the advantages of having a dead flat bottom is stability at rest. Most serious punts these days have a deadrise similar to that of the Sea Adex, but this comes at the cost of stability. What Sea Adex have done is place a very wide 150mm reverse chine down on the waterline. The term ‘reverse chine’ is used a lot in hull design and for anyone new to boating it can be a little confusing. The chines of a hull simply give the hull its vee-shape, box shape or even rounded shape. A chine is the change in angle to ‘round out’ the hull. This dates back to when wooden planks would be used to shape a hull, and every plank placed to change the angle of the hull would create a chine.

Most manufacturers incorporate a reverse chine that deflects outwards, to allow water to be directed away from the boat for a drier ride. Because the reverse chine on the Sea Adex is huge and located on the waterline, it not only deflects spray but aids in the stability of the hull at rest. When you’re on board the RMP 43, or when you’re moving from one boat to another, it’s apparent that the stability of the Sea Adex is exceptional. Overall, the design of the RPM 43 is excellent, providing a very smooth, dry and quiet ride. LAYOUT The test boat was an open, tiller steer version of the RMP 43 which would be ideal for weekends away with the family or a bit of serious club or sportfishing. The seating was very comfortable, with three different positions as well as a slot for a seat or lean post on the front casting deck. Underfloor storage was huge with plenty of room for bait, live or kill tanks to be installed. Tournament anglers could easily fit this out with batteries for either a 12V or 24V system. The bow has an anchor well, cleat and rope guide with enough room on the bow for an extra sounder as well. The transom also has some extra storage along with side pockets and elevated trays to keep the battery and fuel tank off the deck. The test boat had a small Raymarine GPS sounder positioned just under

SPECIFICATIONS Construction................................................. 4mm 5083 Deadrise........................................................10° variable Length on trailer.........................................................5m Height on trailer.......................................................1.1m Hull weight.............................................................. 410kg Beam.........................................................................2.1m Max hp..........................................................................60 Max Persons.................................................................. 4 Price: ..........................................................from $21,000 the gunwale. The painted finish and fully carpeted deck gave a RMP 43 a very neat finish. PERFORMANCE The tiller steer version of the RMP 43 was well laid out and simple to operate. The big tiller arm and massive gear control lever of the 60hp Mercury always appears oversize when looking at them, but the functionality is very good. The hull performed as a 4.3m plate boat should, having little trouble with the chop, but needed some restraint over big wakes and swell. As mentioned, the constant deadrise and big reverse chine were the standout features of the RMP 43, giving it excellent stability at rest and perfect tracking, even through big eddies and over chop. Being a tiller steer setup, we were unable to get accurate rev ranges on the outboard but the 60 Merc was happy to cruise at around half throttle at 16

knots and flat out she was just shy of 32 knots. The hull was stable at full noise and easy to manoeuvre while puttering around. Prices for the RMP 43 start from $21,000, and options available include livebait tank, kill tank, electric motor mount, berley bucket, rod holders, side pocket storage, side console, centre console, targa tops, bimini tops and more. To find out more about this and other Sea Adex boats, visit www.seaadex.com.au or phone the guys on 0414 821 448 or 0435 453 455. Their premises are located at 2/82 Redland Bay Rd, Capalaba in Brisbane. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

The test boat had little trouble with the chop, but needed some restraint over big wakes and swell.

The test boat had a small Raymarine GPS sounder positioned just under the gunwale.

One of the advantages of having a flatbottomed hull is stability at rest.

The tiller steer version was very well laid out and simple to operate.

The seating was comfortable, with three positions as well as a slot for a seat or lean post on the front casting deck.

The RMP 43 showing off its good looks at the Cleveland Camping, 4X4 & Boating Expo.

Dry storage is available in the RMP 43. This would be appreciated by any boat-based anlger.

Elevated trays for the fuel tank and battery make for less clutter and mess. MARCH 2016

107

Revival 580 Sports with 115 Mercury 4-stroke BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Revival Boats are built in Melbourne by Sam Catanese, who is well known in the boat building industry, and his team of fibreglass crafters. With four decades of boat building experience behind each Revival, and Sam’s pride in his product, buyers can be assured they are getting a quality, no-nonsense powerboat that will stand the test of time, deliver as good a ride as possible and provide plenty of comfort for those aboard. Above all, Revival boats represent great value for money and always seem to be in demand; used models are snapped up soon as they appear on sale’s lists. I was lucky enough to review one of the larger

Revivals, the 580 Sports, out from Redcliffe recently (courtesy of Cunningham Marine). Not having been aboard one of these neat boats for some time, I was quite impressed with its features and performance at the end of the day. The 580 Sports is the sort of boat that would suit dedicated anglers just as readily as more casual anglers seeking a roomy craft for the family, with provision for weather protection and plenty of storage. The 580 comes standard with a two-person bunk up front, and within the cabin there’s storage under the bunks as well as in overhead pockets. Big side windows dressed up the cabin, which offered access forward onto a beach or pontoon via both an opening section in the windscreen plus a large sideopening hatch atop the cabin. You could also access the anchor well this way (although

the test rig had a power winch fitted). SENSIBLE OPTIONS The reviewed craft came with a variety of options. Some would please anglers, such as the large bait station aft, while other options promote comfort. One significant option for our climate was the Revival’s bimini plus a good set of clears, which saw Jake from Cunningham Marine and myself enjoying the time on the water while pretty well protected from our Queensland sun on a 35°C day. Seating up front was courtesy of strong bucket-style seats. The skipper’s seat was on a pedestal, while the first mate’s was set on a neat moulding comprising a lockable storage compartment, an ice box at the rear and padding for an extra passenger. Cabin entry wasn’t impeded whatsoever by the seats, and they both had swivelling capability plus slide adjustment.

The 115 Mercury 4-stroke was ample power for the 580 Revival. Unless you expect a full complement of seven people to be aboard regularly, it’s ideal. 108

MARCH 2016

SPECIFICATIONS

Length.......................................................................5.8m Beam.......................................................................2.34m Hull weight..............................................................830kg Engine rating.................................................... 90-175hp Max persons.................................................................. 7 Price:........................................................... from $46,990 Instrumentation for the 115 Mercury 4-stroke astern was fairly comprehensive, with banks of switches and other items handy, close to the wheel. When seated at the helm I noted full visibility all round plus very easy monitoring of all gauges and instruments. COCKPIT WITH ALTERNATE SEATING Aft seating saw a pair of well-made moulded seat boxes with neatly fitted padding atop them combining to provide a three-person bench seat at the transom. This set-up was quite flexible in that all aft seating could be removed for really heavy-duty fishing days, or moved to either side of the carpeted cockpit as a complete unit or as separate boxes. The main items of angler interest within the cockpit were the full-length, softlined side pockets as well as padded sides up to the gunwales where recessed stainless grab rails were on hand as brace points. Underfloor storage compartments were also installed, and the drained rearmost one offered 110L of space. With a well set up bait station and live bait well tucked into the starboard quarter of the transom, the big Revival was set up in fine style for keen anglers. Still, casual or family boaters are also catered for with an optional removable pedestal table that could be

set up in proximity to the aft seating – very handy for a meal on the water. To enter from astern via the craft’s ladder and boarding platform, you simply remove the dedicated section of the rear backrest. This allows an easy step into the cockpit via the aft seat. CAPABLE 115 MERCURY 4-STROKE Power ratings were from 90-175hp, which saw the 2.1L, 4-cylinder 115 Mercury 4-stroke as a fair way from top power, but very capable in every way. With two aboard the very smooth and remarkably quiet Mercury planed the craft at a modest 10 knots (19.2km/h) at 2750rpm. 3000rpm gave the rig a nice push along to 15 knots (27.4km/h), 4000 saw 22 knots (41.3km/h) on the GPS, 5000rpm a speed of 31 knots (57.3km/h) and 5600rpm a sizzling 36 knots (67.5km/h). With a 130L fuel tank I’d see some great cruising figures from the rig with that 115 on the transom. Another thing I liked about the Mercury was the willingness of the engine right through the entire rev range, along with its quietness of operation at cruising speed. This craft really handles well, hence the ‘Sports’ designation. SUMMING UP As either a fishing craft or family runabout, the excellent

ride and overall stability of the Revival’s 830kg hull must be a significant selling point. Due to its 20° vee linked to big reversed other chines, the 580’s 2.34m wide hull was very soft riding, while at rest it sat very steady with little inclination to lean even with two people on one side. Chop encountered during test runs proved the capability of the hull’s design to simply ride over rougher water without undue spray or significant impact. I’d certainly give the nod to the rig as an offshore fish hunter. In summing up, I give the Revival 580 Sports test boat full marks as either an excellent family craft or one for the more dedicated anglers in our ranks. It’s a very comfortable all rounder with some nice touches in the form of the ice box, bunk infill and some very useful options. For the anglers, about the only option I’d require would be a deck wash for a clean-up when the fish are coming in. Towing with the family six or wagon would be very easy. From Cunningham Marine of Clontarf, the reviewed craft with all options on an Oceanic trailer would come home for $53,990, although a basic package can start as low as $46,990. Cunningham Marine can be contacted on (07) 3284 8805 or 0411 121 032. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

This boat has a sturdy forward seating set-up, handy storage locker and ice box under the mate’s seat, along with a cushion for an extra front passenger.

Most family anglers would appreciate the optional table, which comes apart and tucks into a side pocket when not in use.

Bait stations are always appreciated in fishing boats. The Revival’s comes with a large cutting board plus rod and drink holders. The size of the Revival’s side pockets is easily seen here, along with the well padded seat atop the ice box up front.

Thanks to cockpit side pockets and cabin overhead shelving there’s a lot of storage room in the cabin. A Porta Potti could snug under the bunk infill as well.

The Revival’s hull design reveals a decent vee plus large reversed outer chines.

This view shows the Revival’s versatile rear seats to advantage, plus the large in-floor storage space.

Moving the Revival on or off the Oceanic trailer was incredibly easy as the hull and trailer were very well matched. MARCH 2016

109

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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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Trades, Services, Charter Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

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BRISBANE

BAIT-ICE-TACKLE www.stanagebay.com

PH. You can do07 it all 4937 at the Bay! 3145

PH: 07 4937 3145 Baffle Creek Holiday House 0419 624 833

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel Plenty of room for boats and trailers PH: 4069 5222 HINCHINBROOK Cardwell Beachfront Motel - www.cardwellbeachmotel.net (07) 4066 8776 or info.cbmotel@bigpond.com

Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576 Tom Cat Charters (07) 3820 8794 Moreton Island Fishing Charters 0413 128 056 Brisbane Fishing Charters 0427 026 510 Bucket List Fishing Charters 0428 368 316 John Gooding Outlaw Charters 0418 738 750

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Eclipse FNQ Weipa Charters 0488 058 668 Fish’s Fly & Sportsfishing Weipa (07) 4069 9957 Action Charters Mackay 0417 452 346 Fishing Charters Townsville 0403 386 722

BURDEKIN JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324 Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044 Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027

SUNSHINE COAST Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Smithy’s Fishing Charters Sunshine Coast 0407 574 868 Top Catch Charters Sunshine Coast 0429 013 012 Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814 Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402 Sunshine Coast Fishing Charters (07) 5500 0671 Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956 Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170 Hervey Bay Fishing Charters (07) 4125 3958 Incredible Charters 1300 655 818

HERVEY BAY

FISHING GUIDES SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Suncoast Barra Fishing Park www.suncoastbarrafishing.com

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

FISH TAXIDERMY Fish Taxiderist www.fishtaxidery.net.au or 0428 544 841

FISHING ON TV

Fully Guided Lure & Fly Fishing

MACKAY

•

BORN AND BRED LOCAL GUIDE

• 5.5m Custom sportsfishing Vessel • 4.4m Estuary Sportsfishing Vessel • Quality Fishing Gear Supplied

BEL AIR MOTEL, MACKAY - PLENTY OF ROOM FOR BOATS AND TRAILERS.............PH: 07 4957 3658 FRESHWATER Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746 Lake Boondooma Caravan Park (07) 4168 9694 Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872 Yallakool Park and Kiosk on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

CHARTER BOATS NORTHERN NSW Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0428 828 835 Reel Time Fishing Charters 0428 231 962

GOLD COAST True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622 BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034 My Charter Boat Tweed Heads 0407 347 446 RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366 Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412 Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428 Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0411 605 090 Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469 Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330

IDEAL GIFT! www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Bite Me Fishing Charters Yeppoon 0419 029 397 Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726 MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201 Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727 Bundaberg Fishing Charters 0429 017 217 Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686 Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 MV James Cook (1770) (07) 4974 9422 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234 Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911 Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

Ben Edwards with another good yella. This one was missing an eye, but that didn’t stop it homing in on Ben’s lure.

DVD’S -

Series 2 through 8

$19.95 each GST INC. - with FREE P&H

1800 228 244

Brent Richardson got this Mekong giant catfish while on a trip to Thailand.

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

SURF LIFE SAVING FUN PAGE THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T SIT ON

ANTS

HANDRAIL

ROAST CHOOK

ANTENNA

HOT SAUCE

SANDWICH

BAIT BOARD

JIGHEADS

SCALER

BLOOD

KNIFE

SLIME

BULL SHARK

LURE

SNAKE

CATFISH

MUDCRAB

SUNNIES

CHILD

OUTBOARD

WATER POLICE

COFFEE

PROP

Win a prize pack from Surf Life Saving Sunscreen. Save your skin and save the fish…so there are more for you to catch!

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack. SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

QLD MARCH 2016

Phone (day):

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to James Willmann of Windaroo, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a Surf Lifesaving prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

The subscriber prize winner for January was G Pike of Upper Kedron, who won a pair of Tonic Mo & Jo frames. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE ZEREK LOGO

January locations: 14, 20, 22, 27, 32, 38, 40, 46, 58, 66, 71, 74, 79, 85, 98, 109. – QFM The Find the Zerek logo prize winners for January were: T Hubner of Taunton, C Rowe of Loganholme, J Hodkinson of Battery Hill, A Kittel of Logan Village, A Cox of Alexandra Hills, A James of Burpengary, G Leverton of Taylors Beach, D Leciej of Hervey Bay, A Walpole of Eight Mile Plains, B Brown of Lota, P Symonds of Kallangur, S Milne of North Isis, M Reynolds of Glen Eden, B Fisher of Roma, G English of Bowen, M Cunningham of Moranbah, M Sempf of Palmwoods, J McQuaigue of Currumbin Waters, K Cervenjak of Greenbrank, J Conte of Tullera, M Gillett of Boonah, A Svaikauskas of Alligator Creek, J Higgins of Caboolture, J Harkness of Aldershot, C Groundwater of Gordonvale, M King of Scone, R Jensen of Cotton Tree, R Randall of Oakhurst, R Quill of Tin Can Bay, J Unwin of Miriam Vale, J Willmann of Windaroo, D Hutchins of Bundaberg, W Abbott of Kepnock, W Fishburn of Bundaberg, G Myers of Wurtulla, J Smith of Kuwungan, T Brown of Maryborough, B Lacey of Cannonvale, A Graeff of The Gap, D Male of Bongaree. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

QFM FISHING TRIP

Congratulations to the winners of the QFM Fishing Trip • New competition! Chris Scott, Colinproducts Giuliani, and Lisa Rojahn • Videos are the lucky receivers of the highly rated book, It • Indepth happened on a Fishing Trip. WellReviews done and happy reading!

check out! 1

• DECEMBER 2010

MARCH 2016

113

What’s New BOATING

NEW GARMIN STRIKER RANGE

Garmin’s new Striker range of fishfinders offers anglers high-end technology at an entry-level price. Combining CHIRP traditional sonar, CHIRP DownVü and SideVü technology, along with a built-in high-sensitivity GPS receiver, these units are powerful tools for freshwater, estuary and inshore anglers fishing from kayaks and smaller boats up to around 5m in length. The Striker fishfinder series is available in bright, sunlight-readable 3.5” (Striker 4/4dv), 5” (Striker 5dv) and 7” (Striker 7dv/7sv) colour displays that feature a new rugged design and keyed interface that’s built to withstand the harsh marine environment. Bringing Garmin’s true CHIRP sonar to the entry-level market, this technology creates crisper fish arches with better target separation than traditional sonar by sending a continuous sweep of frequencies that are interpreted individually on their return. The Striker series is also compatible with a wide-range of optional Garmin scanning transducers to customise sonar performance and installation options. Price: RRP from $199 www.garmin.com

RAYMARINE QUANTUM RADAR

The Raymarine Quantum CHIRP radar is the industry’s first recreational marine radar dome featuring CHIRP pulse compression technology. A new approach to marine radar, Quantum CHIRP radar really sets a new standard for compact solid state radar, delivering superior radar imaging on both long and short ranges. “We are thrilled to bring our new solid state CHIRP radar technology to the recreational boating market” said Grégoire Outters, Vice President and General Manager of FLIR’s Maritime segment. “This breakthrough technology coupled with our ATXTM advanced target separation technology will change the game in terms of its performance, ease of use and connectivity.” Quantum CHIRP Radar will be available worldwide in the first quarter of 2016 through Raymarine’s authorized network of dealers and retailers at an affordable price. For more details about the Quantum CHIRP Radar, you can visit the Raymarine website. Price: RRP $2,395 www.raymarine.com

SLIMLINE NAVARA SUBMERSIBLE L.E.D

Narva’s popular model 36 submersible trailer lamp is now available in a slimline kit, ready for fitment to boat and jet ski trailers or motorbike and camping trailers likely to see plenty water or mud. Each kit contains 2x 12V L.E.D slimline rear stop/tail, directional indicator lamps with inbuilt retro reflectors, with one of the lamps also equipped with an in-built L.E.D licence plate lamp. The lamps are tested after the sealing process and cables are also sealed at the entry point of the lamp to ensure optimal underwater performance. Despite this superior engineering, during the installation process Narva recommend avoiding cable joins near the lamp or in any other position where they are likely to come in water. Narva’s new Model 36 submersible Slimline L.E.D trailer lamp kits are supported by a 5-year L.E.D warranty and can be purchased from leading automotive, camping and marine stores Australia-wide. Price: RRP ~$119 www.navara.com.au

PURPLE LINE ULTRA LOCK

MARCH 2016

Trailer accessory manufacturer Purple Line has launched a new high-security hitch lock that secures Australian 50mm ball hitches both when hitched and unhitched. The Saracen Ultra anti-theft hitch lock offers heavy-duty protection for boats that spend all day hitched to the tow vehicle at a ramp, and all winter unhitched at home. Made from high strength composite metals, it has an anti-pick 7-pin cylinder lock with tubular, anti-copy key. But it is really for any trailer with a 50mm ball hitch – caravans and camper trailers, horse floats, box trailers and even car and motorcycle trailers. Saracen Ultra joins the Purple Line range of anti-theft products including the regular Saracen for unhitched trailers and supertough Nemesis wheel clamp, all made of high-strength steel to resist cutting, picking, drilling and gas freezing. Purple Line anti-theft products are available online and at leading caravan accessory outlets and selected marine equipment retailers nationally. Price: RRP from $89 www.purpleline.com.au

MERCURY HAS YOU COVERED

If your family is into boats then Mercury has some terrific ideas for those last minute gifts. There’s a great range of Mercury-branded merchandise that any Mercury owner would love to have. There’s T-shirts, jacket, caps, stubby holders, key rings, stickers… there’s even a bar fridge! Another great summer holiday idea is a Mercury outboard engine cover. Mercury outboards have been carefully crafted to perform brilliantly and to have great visual appeal, so a specially fitted, Mercurybranded cover will help you maintain your boat’s overall appearance long-term. To help protect your investment from salt and sun, Mercury has three options: Splash Covers – these are vented so they can be left on while the motor’s operating or can be used for trailering. Full Covers – these cover the motor from top to bottom so can be used for trailering or for engine storage. Combo Covers – these provide the best of both worlds, a Full Cover, which can be unzipped into a Splash Cover. www.mercurymarine.com.au

5 4

SEA JAY’S NEW CRUSADER RUNABOUT

Col, Janelle and Troy Glass are proud to present the latest model Sea Jay Aluminium Boat, the Crusader Runabout. The Crusader features increased rising dead rise (sharper entry), an improved ride, increased waterline width (greater planning surface area), faster planning, increased reverse chine – an even drier ride with maximum stability and a swept bow with increased depth of sides. The new Crusader Runabout will replace the Capri as the premium runabout in the range, with the Seeker remaining as the entrylevel runabout from Sea Jay Boats. “The latest swept bow configuration in a runabout gives a better feeling of safety up the front of the boat and the soft ride of the Samurai Hull is a pleasure to feel,” said Col Glass from Sea Jay Boats. “The Crusader provides a prefect mix of a roomy family boat with a good fishing platform for dad, it puts Sea Jay Boats firmly back into the runabout market.” Available in a 4.9m and 5.2m version. www.seajayboats.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au 114

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

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visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

Built to perform. Built to last.

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BRISBANE SOUTH SPRINGWOOD MARINE

BRISBANE HOLT MARINE

3475 Pacific Hwy Springwood

25 Queens Rd Everton Park

Phone: (07) 3297 8200 | Fax: (07) 3297 8290

Phone: (07) 3353 1928 | Fax: (07) 3353 4548

Email: michaelb@springwoodmarine.com.au

Email: info@holtmarine.com.au

Website: www.mercury@motosport.net.au

Website: www.holtmarine.com.au

BRISBANE SOUTH MANLY HARBOUR MARINE

HERVEY BAY BAY CITY MARINE

570 Royal Esplanade Manly

82 Dayman Street Urangan Hervey Bay

Phone: (07) 3893 2199

Phone: (07) 4128 9944

Fax: (07) 3893 2188

Fax: (07) 4125 2350

Email: info@manlyharbourmarine.com.au

Email: sales@baycitymarine.com.au

Website: www.manlyharbourmarine.com.au

Website: www.baycitymarine.com.au

BRISBANE SOUTH COORPAROO MARINE

AIRLIE BEACH / WHITSUNDAY WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD CENTRE

57 Cavendish Rd Coorparoo

1 William Murray Dr Cannonvale

Phone: (07) 3397 4141

Phone: (07) 4946 7286

Fax: (07) 3397 6339

Fax: (07) 4946 7848

Email: info@coorparoomarine.com.au

Email: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

Website: www.coorparoomarine.com.au

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

MARCH 2016

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