Queensland Fishing Monthly March 2020

RAIN GETS THE CRABS MARCHING

Features Queensland crabbing tips • Reel vs reel: get the results • Barra facts: lessons on fluorescence • Camping at Borumba Dam •

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March 2020, Vol. 32 No. 5

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba 20 Ballina 22

Whitsundays 58 Ayr 59 Townsville 60 Cairns 61 Cairns NFZ 62 Port Douglas 61 Hinchinbrook 63 Lucinda 64 Cooktown 62 Cape York

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BOATING AND KAYAK

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Back to Basics 14 Camping and 4WD 73 Cooking 65 Dam Levels 68 Freshwater 68 Fun Page 86 Sheik of the Creek 74 Tech Tricks 16 Tournament News 71 Track my fish 82 Trades and Services 84 What’s New Boating 98 What’s New Fishing 78 10 38 40 76

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A REEL TEST It’s about time we got back into some serious tackle testing at Fishing Monthly.

We used to do plenty of it, but more recently boat testing has taken up most of our resources. However, we’re getting back into tackle testing, starting with a major test of threadline reels in this issue – ones that cost around $200 and are in the 2500 size.

We decided that we needed a broader set of opinions than just the staff here at Fishing Monthly, so we recruited some of our Facebook fans to come and quantify their opinions for us. So a big thanks to our intrepid tackle testers, who you can read about inside.

You can also watch the video review on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel to see the reels being put through their paces.

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REGULAR FEATURES

SPECIAL FEATURES Queensland crabbing tips Barra facts: lessons on fluorescents Reel vs reel: get the results Pirtek Challenge species

ash-filled catchments.

Fortunately, it seems as though a lot of the areas got so much rain that the ash was washed well away.

Wherever you are in the state, we hope that your fish benefit from the rain and that you reap the rewards for years to come.

ION

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

of the stocked fish away from their homes. Still, beggars can’t be choosers and we’ll take what we can get.

I think a lot of anglers were concerned about what would happen when some moderate rain washed ash into the rivers. Historically, fish don’t fare too well in

AT

Mackay 52

You know you live in Australia when you’re driving to a fishing trip through drought and bushfires, and then driving back through floods. There’s nothing abnormal about these two extremes, although it’s rarer for them to happen in consecutive months.

Because this is a fishing magazine, you’re not going to get a political rant from me about it – I’ll leave that to the millions of bushfire experts on social media (who are all rapidly morphing into flood experts). You’ll just get an editorial about how the rains usually kick-start a period of solid breeding and recruitment that refreshes our fisheries in years to come.

Of course, in a perfect world we would have plenty of water to end the drought, but not enough to wash all

CI

Rainbow Beach 45 Hervey Bay 46 Gladstone 47 Lake Monduran 49 Bundaberg 49 Rockhampton 50 Yeppoon 51

From the Editor’s Desk...

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The Tweed 24 Southern Gold Coast 26 Jumpinpin 28 Gold Coast Canals 29 Gold Coast 30 Southern Bay 32 Brisbane Offshore 33 Brisbane 34 Northern Bay 36

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crabs

Let’s go crabbing in Queensland!

BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

We are lucky enough in Australia to have water surrounding us as well as many inland waterways. It offers anglers almost endless fishing opportunities, along with a wide variety of tasty crustaceans like freshwater yabbies and shrimp, prawns, crayfish, sand, mud and spanner crabs, Moreton Bay bugs and more. Let’s take a look at two popular Queensland target species in more detail, the powerful, mangrove loving mud crab and the sweet tasting sand crab.

When chasing any species of crustacean, it is essential to be aware of local regulations, including size, bag and

A feast of sand crabs from a family holiday adventure. their smooth carapace (shell), with a lighter underside. They are found in tropical and warm temperate waters, from northern WA around Exmouth Gulf, right around the top of the country and south on the East Coast to around the Bega River in NSW. They favour soft muddy bottom, preferring shallow estuaries, Paul demonstrates how to handle mud crabs. there is an old saying that you should ‘crab the months with an ‘R’ in them’, so that basically excludes May, June, July and August, with the summer months being the most productive. As you move further north, mud crabs become more common and readily available throughout the year and likewise as you head south and over to the west of Australia, sand crabs become more plentiful.

MUD CRABS (MANGROVE) The mud crab is the larger and more heavily built of the two crabs, with claws that are capable of breaking bones, so safety should be your first

A tasty feed of sand crabs from a trip down to SA where they are raked on the shallow weed flats. tidal flats and rivers lined with mangroves. They are large crabs, with a wide and broad

Paul Chew with a couple of solid mud crabs from the mangroves. possession limits, no take species, taking of females and females with eggs (berried), seasonal restrictions and rules and regulations surrounding

the apparatus to target and catch these species. Your local government fisheries website is a great source of information, along with

guides and information that are available from your local tackle store.

Where I am based in South East Queensland,

Heading for the mangroves to crab from the kayak.

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MARCH 2020

carapace, robust claws, hind legs flattened for swimming and nine similar sized spines on each side of its eyes.

Pots or dillies (drop nets) are generally set along mangrove edges, with special attention being paid to the mouths of drains that crabs may use to venture in and out of larger systems and dense

• All-around activities • Natural contrast

consideration when handling them. You can use a piece of timber or fish donger to pin the crab down, using pressure on the top of their shell, then use your thumb on the outside of one flipper (rear leg) and your middle finger on the outside of the other flipper to apply pressure, lift and handle the crabs. Again, watch those claws! Some crabbers will use twine to tie the mud crab, pulling both claws close to the body and securing them around the flippers, with a knot tied in the tag lines to create a handle for carrying them.

Mud crabs are brown, green and black in colour on

mangroves. You can even keep an eye out on the lower stages of the tide for mud crab holes, resembling burrows in the mud with entries that are slightly larger than the size of the crab. Some of these holes will show activity around the entry, such as fresh mud, crab tracks and shell grit, which can signal that a crab is actively using the hole. Placing pots and drop nets in close proximity to these holes can increase success rates. Dillies or drop nets, which are open at the top, are generally checked more regularly, while pots are often left unchecked for longer periods and overnight.

The high tide section of the tide cycle is prime time

The male sand crab has blue highlights, while the female is a more mottled brown colour.

crabs

Ron accesses the opening in the pot to remove crabs and change the bait. to target mud crabs, as the rising water offers them cover to leave their holes, hunt and feed. Depending on the region you are crabbing you will soon find the tides that are most effective, with large night high tides around the full and new moon being the prime times for crabbing in my local South East Queensland waters.

If there has been no rain for a while, get your pots right up in the upper reaches of creeks and drains. Rain will flush crabs out and encourage them to move, with mud crabs often being caught in more open waters, even by those chasing sand crabs in sandy, estuarine areas.

Bait clips allow you to

in a fresh one. Crabbers will often drop the used baits into a bucket for disposal far away from the area being crabbed so as not to encourage crabs away from their traps. It is important to clip the bait into the centre bottom of your trap, as bait clipped near the edge or in the top of the pot will be more accessible to crabs without them having to enter the trap.

Popular baits include mullet frames, whole mullet, fish frames from a previous catch and in some regions where it is legal, chicken frames and meaty bones.

In Southern Queensland traps are mostly covered by water, even at low tide; while

close to mangroves and in drains on low tide, and get covered by plenty of water on the higher stages of the tide.

Due to this, crabbers will often throw their crab trap floats and ropes up into the mangrove trees to avoid the float being washed under mangrove prop roots and trapped by rising waters, which would making traps difficult to find and check on the higher stages of the tide. Check local regulations in terms of floats and tags required, as well as what information must be included.

Tips for mud crabs • Focus on crabbing the high tide.

• Leaving traps for overnight high tides will produce best results.

Ron checking a drop net. Drop nets are open at the top and are checked more regularly.

A few crabbing accessories including float, tags and permanent marker for labelling, along with bait clips and measures. quickly and easily refresh the baits in your traps – simply clip out the old bait and clip

in northern waters, with their large variances in tide heights, traps are often out of the water,

Learning to handle the crabs is important, especially if crabbing from the kayak.

(STILL) LEADER OF THE PACK.

• Tides around the new and full moon have proven effective.

• Target drains and dense mangrove edges.

• Rain will get the crabs moving.

SAND CRABS (BLUE SWIMMER) Sand crabs are smaller and less bulky than mud crabs.

They’re often considered sweeter eating and feature a dark blue, brown, black and white carapace, with a white underside and blue colouration in the claws, legs and flippers of males and often a mottled brown colouration in females.

Males have longer claws in To page 12

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crabs From page 12

relation to their body size, tending to make the female crabs look stockier. They can reach approximately 25cm

pot (some cheaper quality pots are very light), enough rope for the tide and if necessary maybe avoid the deeper channels with heavy flow.

between checks. In South Australia, my folks will often run drop nets from the kayak and while checking the nets, they will have a squid jig out the back. This can produce a great feed, with a tasty entrée of salt and pepper squid followed by a crab dish!

In Queensland, we are allowed four pots each, so two of us may run a line of eight pots or a couple of lines of four pots in different locations.

When running a line of pots, try to cover various water depths, rather than running all four in the deep or shallow water. This can assist in locating where the crabs are running and we have often caught crabs at one end of the line, shifted the others past that last pot or to a similar water depth and caught plenty.

Likewise, running four in one area and four in another may allow you to identify that the crabs are in a particular depth,

added to the water. Gas ring burners and jet cookers are popular and can be purchased from your local camping or fishing store. The pot will need to be large enough to keep the crabs covered with water throughout the cooking period.

If it is going to take too long to get the water back to the boil, you may wish to do more cook ups with less crabs – say eight sand crabs at a time instead of twenty at once.

Bring the water to the boil, drop the crabs in and then bring the water back to the boil. Once the water is back to the boil with the crabs in it, set your timer. Cook sand crabs for 7 minutes and mud crabs for 12 minutes. Once the time is up, use tongs to transfer the crabs to a bucket of cool saltwater, so they do

BOATING IN A SEA

Mud crabs favour mud and mangrove environments, however rain can flush them out a bit. across the carapace, with a claw span of up to around 80cm. They feed on fish, worms, molluscs and at times algae and seagrass, while being prey for birds and fish.

Inhabiting estuarine systems and bays, sand crabs favour sandy and broken weed bottom, burying beneath the sand where they ambush food during the day, while moving and hunting more actively at night. Leaving pots overnight, especially during a high tide, is an effective way of catching numbers of crabs. In saying that, sand crabs can still be effectively targeted during the day, as they often become more mobile during the higher stages of the tide. Here they are targeted with pots, drop nets and also raked from the shallow weed flats in Southern Australia. Their distribution in Australia ranges from around Nickol Bay in northern WA, along the bottom of the country and up the East Coast to around Southern Queensland.

My family has targeted sand crabs for generations so I

Popular baits include mullet frames and whole mullet, with flathead and whiting frames also being extremely effective.

Plenty of sand crabs can be caught throughout the tide

12

MARCH 2020

is to look at the abdominal flap on their underside. The male abdominal flap is v-shaped, pointed and narrower, while the female abdominal flap is wider and more rounded.

In Queensland, female mud and sand crabs cannot be in your possession and must be returned to the water.

MEASURING CRABS Plastic crab measures are available for sand and mud crabs, making it easier to accurately measure them.

Mud crabs must measure 15cm across the widest part of the carapace. Sand crabs are measured differently and must be at least 11.5cm from the base of the notch in front of the large lateral spine across the shell to the same notch on the other side.

APPARATUS In Queensland tidal waters, you are allowed no more than four pots, dillies or a combination of the two per person and you must not have more than four per person in your possession on a boat on the water. Older style witches hat nets were phased out in

NEW RELEASE

Ready to drop the pot back in with fresh flathead frames for bait. cycle and during daylight hours, with many crabbers opting to check their pots or drop nets every half an hour to an hour while casting a few baits or lures for fish in

The male crab has a more pointed and angled abdominal flap. have picked up some tips over the years that increase catch rates. Like with mud crabs, we tend to get more crabs on the higher stages of the tide and leaving pots out for an overnight high tide produces the best numbers. The tides around the new and full moon often produce an influx of crabs into the river and estuary systems that we crab, however these larger tides can also cause pots to drift so ensure you have enough weight in the

Full Range on Offer A sand crab hunting in amongst the weed.

considered in your possession.

Female and undersized crabs must be returned to the water immediately.

These are the basics, but you can get more detail and

The female crab has a more rounded abdominal flap. additional regulations online and in guides available from your local tackle store.

COOKING CRABS There are stacks of recipes out there for cooking sand and mud crabs, the majority of which just boil them so you can have a sandwich or

not continue cooking and turn mushy. Allow them to cool and then remove them from the water.

When cleaning the crabs, flip up the abdominal flap on the underside and use your hand on the back of the crab and thumb under the abdominal flap to peel the shell back off the crab. You then need to remove the ‘feathers’ that will be attached to the top of the body, rinse out all of the mustard and brown coloured muck, break away the mouth area of the crab and then you can simply break the body in half down the centre, leaving two pieces with half a body and a claw each.

Half a mud crab or a whole sand crab will generally make a sandwich. There are plenty of tools for breaking claws and picking the meat out of crab shells but if you find yourself stuck, the top section of the crab claw can be broken off to make a good crab picker, especially for sand crabs.

CATCH SOME CRABS There’s no doubt we are blessed with an abundance of quality seafood in Australia that we need to protect, so we are still able to hunt and gather for our personal consumption. Crabbing can be an inexpensive, simple and fun way to get outside, adventure and spend time with family and friends, whether you’re dropping a few pots off the bank in your local creek or launching the kayak or boat in search of a tasty feed of crabs fresh from the ocean.

4.88 AVENGER SPORTS

near the mouth or further up a system, around the weed, on sandy bottom and so forth.

Many times the crabs have been running on one side of the estuary system that we crabbed and not on the other.

Tips for targeting sand crabs • Higher stages of the tide often produce better results.

• Multiple traps allow you to cover some water.

• Move your traps to find the crabs – consider depth, bottom and location.

• Drop nets need to be checked more regularly than pots.

• If you’re crabbing the larger tides, ensure your traps are heavy and your ropes are long enough.

IDENTIFYING MALE OR FEMALE The simplest way to identify male and female crabs

Dinner is served!

2010 and are no longer legal to use. Pots and dillies must be labelled with a tag that carries the surname and address of the person using the apparatus.

When not attached to a fixed object above the high tide mark, such as a tree, traps must be tied to a light coloured surface float that is not less than 15cm in any dimension and marked with the user’s surname. If it’s attached to a fixed object, the trap must have a tag attached to the rope above the high tide level that includes the surname of the user.

Sort traps as you go, as having multiple traps on board with crabs in them is

use the cooked meat for other applications. When cooking crabs, leave them whole and place them in the fridge for half an hour prior to cooking to put them to sleep. Bringing a bucket of clean saltwater home with you is ideal, as cooking them in saltwater makes the meat firmer and more flavoursome. If you are unable to bring saltwater home with you then you can mix salt into freshwater to give you a similar taste.

You will need a large pot to boil water in. Gas heat is ideal, as it will bring the water to the boil faster and then return it to boil quicker once the crabs are

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Fishing after the fires NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Drought and bushfires have plagued much of the country in recent times, but there are still plenty of viable fishing options, especially if you know where to look.

What a tumultuous summer it was! Coming on top of one of the most

to fully recover.

Impacts on the nation’s natural environment have also been dire. Hundreds of millions (if not billions) of native animals have perished. Fish haven’t been spared, either. Following on from the massive, drought-driven fish kills of 2019 have come a whole series of new catastrophes.

Ash and fire-retardant chemicals washing into already depleted

events. Some waterways have lost most if not all of their fish as a result.

It’s all extremely disheartening, especially for keen anglers like us. It would be easy to give up, pack your rods and reels away and turn to other pastimes. But thankfully, the news isn’t all bad.

For every waterway decimated by drought and fire, there are a dozen others that have escaped largely unscathed, or are recovering quickly from relatively minor impacts.

The trick lies in keeping up with ongoing reports of major fish kills and obviously leaving those specific locations off your list of potential fishing destinations for at

A beautiful catch of snapper kept in immaculate condition after being brain-spiked and held in a saltwater-and-ice slurry.

A beautifully dark-hued little bass from a small creek that dodged a bullet this past summer. protracted and widespread droughts in our history, the record-breaking bushfire season presented a whole new set of challenges for many parts of the country.

waterways following the fires have taken a huge toll on freshwater and estuarine fish stocks. In addition to well-publicised mass fish kills in places

A livewell full of slimy mackerel could be the key to a great offshore session!

Tragically, lives were lost and thousands of homes and other assets destroyed or badly damaged. It will take years for some communities

like the upper Macleay River of northern NSW, there have been hundreds or even thousands of smaller and more localised

The news isn’t all bad. Like many other anglers, the author tends to head offshore more often for his fishing fix as the country recovers from a dire summer. When the rewards look like this, it isn’t such a big sacrifice to make! least the next few years, while also working to identify waterways that have dodged the worst of the recent impacts.

As a rule of thumb, smaller creeks and streams in especially dry or burnt regions have tended to fare very badly, while larger systems and those away from the main fire grounds are likely to offer much better opportunities.

Similarly, dams or impoundments now generally represent better chances of reasonable fishing than rivers, but only if they still hold a reasonable amount of

water. Once our dams fall into single digit capacities, their resilience and ability to provide refuge for decent numbers of fish diminishes markedly. Look for those impoundments that have remained above 10-15% capacity through the worst of the summer.

Tail-race fisheries below major dams — especially where flow rates have been maintained in order to produce hydroelectricity and supply water for irrigation — are also likely to have escaped the worst impacts of fire and drought, as are larger estuaries with relatively deep entrances and plenty

of tidal flush. And of course, our inshore and offshore ocean waters have remained comparatively untouched.

It’s a hard time for our poor old country and the folks who call it home, but it’s not quite the ‘end of days’. There may even be glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel.

Meanwhile, communities and businesses that depend on anglers like you and me for a big part of their survival are desperate to lure us back. We can all do our bit to help the recovery by making the best of a bad situation and continuing to pursue the pastime we’re so passionate about. So keep fishing… and tight lines!

Many of the dams remain at low levels, but some are still fishing quite well.

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Tech Tricks

Processing prawns BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Over the last decade, prawning has become a popular pastime in Southern Queensland.

Once only the pursuit of the diehard raincoat brigade, prawning is now enjoyed by many. Most castnetters are simply happy to return home with a few kilos for a feed after a fun day on the water, although some take it more seriously and strive to fill their limit. Personally I enjoy prawning and love the spoils of a good day out with the net.

Caring for your prawns and processing them well will increase the palatable pleasure. Banana prawns are the main type caught

for eating in Southern Queensland. These grow a lot bigger than the greasy prawns, which are common bait prawns prevalent in the creeks and estuaries year round. While banana prawns possibly aren’t as tasty as the more open water and oceanic prawns such as tigers, endeavours and kings, they are damn good, and taste even better when you catch them yourself.

However, I have found that banana prawns have a couple of nuances that dictates certain cooking and handling procedures. If you boil banana prawns and then freeze them, I find that the shells can be difficult to remove. Queensland Fisheries law states that you cannot possess prawns with heads or any other part removed, unless they are for immediate consumption. This means

that legally you must freeze the green (uncooked) prawns whole. You cannot process them and just freeze the meat for later use, although I know many who do. As I have a big family and plenty of friends who like prawns, we have no trouble disposing of a full limit (a 10L bucket, which is commonly between 6-7kg of prawns) within a day or two after capture.

It’s important to keep your prawns cool at all times, as they can spoil quickly.

While cast-netting, I like to have a 10L bucket in a small esky with some ice packed around the bucket. Banana prawns, like most seafood, is best cooked and consumed soon after capture, however you can freeze some whole green or cooked prawns for later use if need be. Let’s look at the most common way of cooking prawns, boiling.

2

Prawns are best boiled in salty water. I usually bring home some saltwater in a bucket from where I caught them for this purpose.

Otherwise, make up some to a similar salty taste (usually 1 part salt to 10 parts water) using cooking salt or preferably flossy salt. Additionally, I like to add a bit of brown sugar, but this is not essential.

4

Bring the water to a rapid boil until it really starts to roll over. Boil for a good few minutes before adding the prawns. This is especially important if you make up your own saltwater mixture, as it will guarantee any salt you put in is fully dissolved.

16

MARCH 2020

1

Firstly after arriving home, I like to sort my prawns. Generally I will boil a good portion of the larger prawns whole and then peel and use the smaller ones in other ways such as curries, pasta dishes, homemade spring rolls, garlic prawns or stir fries. Similar size prawns will cook at a similar rate, so I sort accordingly.

3

A gas burner, preferably minimum of a 3-ring burner, is ideal, as it will get the water boiling quickly. Additionally the water will come back to the boil quickly after adding the prawns. Having a lid is an asset and will help it boil faster. A decent size metal pot will allow you to do a kilo or more of prawns at a time.

5

Add the prawns to the water all at the same time. I will generally do in lots of around 1kg or so in this pot, ensuring the water will come back to the boil quickly. You will notice that the prawns initially sink and the water will stop boiling. Ensure to put the lid back on.

Tech Tricks

6

Your prawns should come back to the boil after a minute or two.

Additionally, the prawns will begin to float and an orange scum and some froth will form on the water’s surface. After it begins to boil again, cook for a further 1-2 minutes, depending on size.

7

Remove one prawn and check for the air bubbles along the back of the prawn, mainly on the second and third sections behind the head. Undercook the prawns and the shells will stick to the meat. Cook too long and they will be tough. When the air bubble appears they are ready.

8

Remove the prawns immediately with a scoop and then place in a salty slurry (ice mixed with seawater/saltwater) so they cool rapidly and the cooking process halts. I prefer to leave them in this slurry for a good 30 minutes to an hour, but some will leave for several hours. This salty slurry is imperative for good flavour. It is more important to chill the prawns in salty water than it is to cook them in salty water. Many even prefer to cook in freshwater and cool in saltwater.

1

If not consuming immediately, whole green or cooked prawns are best to put in a container and then filled with salt water and frozen.

Once solid, you can pop the prawn block out of the container and cryovac for longer storage.

2

9

Once completely cooled, your prawns can be removed from the slurry and are ready for consumption. However they are also great to eat while still warm. They can be stored for a few days in the fridge if need be, preferably in an airtight container.

Green prawns, (either fresh or previously frozen) can be peeled with just the last tail joint left on and then cooked. Ensure also to remove the digestive tract. This presentation is ideal for crumbed prawns, stir fries or prawn kebabs on the BBQ.

3

Fully peeled green prawns are great for adding to stir fries, pasta dishes, spring rolls, curries and garlic prawns. You can get a prawn peeler at many kitchen shops that can make the task a considerable degree easier.

Although not top of their class, banana prawns are still exceptionally tasty, especially when recently caught and cooked accordingly.

MARCH 2020

17

BLACK MAGIC

MASTER CLASS

/

W I T H PA U L L E N N O N

Live baiting for longtail tuna March through to May along the mid-North Coast of NSW is a fantastic time of year to be fishing and one of the reasons for this is the annual run of longtail tuna. It’s easy to see why these torpedos are

slimy mackerel, yellowtail and garfish. If you have a boat, you will be able to get to many parts of the coastline that land-based anglers targeting these fish can’t get to. For this reason, it’s best to show some courtesy and stay

for this are the Black Magic Sabiki Rigs in midnight mackerel. They come with four hooks rather than six so they’re a bit more tanglefriendly, especially when you’re catching full strings of slimy mackerel. They also have the sinker already

Evan Hoskins landed this solid longtail. such a popular fish for anglers to target – they have incredible fighting qualities, grow well in excess of 30kg and make fantastic sashimi. On top of that, they are a coastal species of tuna rarely straying more then a

stuff has superior abrasion resistance and has built up my trust after never letting me down over a long period. For mainline, mono is far better suited to this style of fishing than braid and 8-10kg line is ideal.

I use Black Magic IGFA 10kg line.

On the business end of the rig, I use nothing but Black Magic DX Point Hooks. I can’t stress how good these hooks are when live baiting – they have the highest hook-up rate of any hook I’ve come across. Sometimes on your deeper bait when fishing with wind or current, you may want to run a size 0-1 ball sinker to keep your baits at their desired depth.

I pin all my live baits just behind the shoulder and above the lateral line. The only exception to this is when using garfish, which will last and present better when rigged just behind the anal fin.

Once you’re rigged

clear of ledges where LBG anglers are fishing. These fishos are very dedicated and will often trek great distances just to get to a spot, so it’s not really fair to drop your anchor in front of perhaps the only accessible place for them to fish when you have so many more options to choose from.

That’s a lot of sashimi!

The Black Magic DX Point Hooks rarely miss their mark. few kilometres offshore, meaning they can be targeted from the ocean rocks as well as in some estuary systems.

WHERE TO FISH The prime areas to target longtail tuna are headlands or shallow, close-to-shore reefs that hold baitfish such as 18

MARCH 2020

TECHNIQUE While you can spin for longtail tuna with a variety of stickbaits and metals, the most effective and popular method is to use live bait.

These can usually be caught in the same area you’re fishing by using a bit of bread as berley and a size 6-10 bait jig. The best jigs

attached so they are ready to go out of the packet.

Once you’ve caught your live bait, send them out suspended under a torpedo float. The rig is very simple, with the torpedo float running along the leader until it hits the joining knot of your mainline. This knot acts as a float stopper and the leader length determines the depth your bait will sit at. It’s good to have a couple of baits in the water at a time and I like to run one around 1.5m and the other about 3m.

While I used to think 60lb was your best bet for leader size on longtail, I’ve backed off considerably since going to Black Magic 40lb fluorocarbon. This

The closing seconds of a longtail battle. and ready, it’s important to anchor up in a position where your live baits are going to drift back over the area of reef where baitfish are holding. It’s no good if

you’re on the spot but your bait’s drift is taking the baits away from the strike zone, so spend the time to strategically work out your position.

While you have a chance of catching tuna all day, by far the best time to fish is early morning and late afternoon, especially when you have a corresponding tide change.

PREPARING If you do catch and want to keep a longtail for the table, it’s very important you look after the fish after capture.

Like all tuna, longtail should be immediately bled and placed on ice.

Black Magic also make some of the best knifes for preparing sashimi; their Japanese made Wasabi kitchen knives are the perfect tool for the job.

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Seas are still warm and the fishing is still hot YAMBA

Dave Gaden

Autumn has arrived as far as the calendar is concerned, but on the water in our part of the world you may not see any real change. Water temperatures will still be up,

daytime temperatures will still be great, and the fishing should be fantastic.

Around our waters, March is the first real hot month for the mackerel, both spotted and Spanish, to appear in good numbers. The last couple of years have seen the mackerel turn up in March

There should be plenty of Spanish and spotted mackerel around this month.

and run red-hot right through until June.

You won’t need to travel far to start catching them either, as some of the best grounds are also the closest. To the north, the obvious choice is Shark Bay/Woody Head. This sheltered and shallow bay is a magnet for these fish, with large bait shoals everywhere, and in the calmer water you should find it easy to find the fish. It helps that there will probably be 20 other boats out there catching them for you to work out where they are!

I recommend trolling pink squids at first light for the first hour, then find a good patch and either drift or anchor while floating pillies out the back in your berley trail.

Heading south, the first patch of reef just past Angourie in about 30m of water will be a good place to start. There is a lot of good trolling ground down here. Troll from the

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edge of the reef to Freeburn Rock (the bommie) and back for the first two hours to find where they are and, as with the north ground, float bait for them after. Be sure to have a couple of lines out on the

bottom while you are float baiting the mackerel, as there are good snapper on these reefs in March.

When you have had your fill of the mackerel, the options this month are endless.

Heading out to the FAD will find you plenty of those pretty jumping fish, the mahimahi.

This month usually produces our biggest specimens, with some pushing the 10kg mark.

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of kings’!

A lot of the bigger fish will be well down below the surface, so use a larger than normal live bait and let it

sinker on the end and 150m of line out. It hurts the arms just thinking about it!

There will be good trag and mulloway up on the

Try in real close early up here.

The South Evans reef is clearly marked on most GPS mapping and it will show you where it can break, but if you fish the

Richard with a good pearl perch. Head wide this month for these beauties. swim below the smaller fish and get ready for the run.

You may even hook up to a few kingfish or even a small black marlin this month at the FAD, so be prepared with good solid gear and even better knots.

For those who like to venture further out, this month will find big numbers of good plate-size snapper in the 42 to 50-fathom line. We have had sessions out here with over 100 snapper coming on board in a couple of hours. There will be the odd big fish but average will be 35-45cm long.

Mixed in with them will be some nice pearl perch, blue morwong and black-spotted pigfish. The deeper water is a bit harder to fish, and the temptation to put the third hook on the paternoster rig is always there until you have three mad fish and a 16oz

Les with a quality Venus tuskfish. northern reefs from Black Rock to South Evans. We don’t get a heap of mackerel up this way but it’s March, so have a floater with a light wire out all the time because they will show up without warning.

Thomas Durrington (13yo) with a PB snapper on his birthday.

edges of these bommies where the kelp ends and the hard rock starts you will find some quality snapper and big trag in only 8 fathoms of water. Head out to the deeper water as the sun gets high and starts to penetrate the shallows.

At the time of writing this, the hope for more heavy rain is there. The mighty Clarence, like most others in this country, could do with a good fresh or even a flood to clear it out and get the cycle of life going again. My hope is by the time you read this that’s what has happened.

March will find flathead close to the river mouth.

They have been as far upstream as the falls past Grafton in the dry time. If the water is coloured by expected rainfall, look for the clear water coming in on the making tide and fish with the tide to optimise your chances.

So head to Yamba in March and avoid the Easter rush. If you would like to try your luck on the mackerel and other outside fish but don’t have a boat, give me a call and jump on-board one of my charter boats for a day to remember.

MARCH 2020

21

The aftermath of the recent big flush-out BALLINA

Joe Allan

The Richmond River has been well and truly flushed in the last few weeks. This

has caused some species to go into hiding and others to come out and play big time. There have been some big mulloway caught off the rock walls, both north and south, up to

John Oatley with a 36kg 151cm mulloway off the walls in Ballina.

Grant Clements with a solid Aussie bass caught on an Atomic Cicada.

150cm in length. There’s real quality to these fish!

The mud crabs have been firing with good catches reported along the mid sections of the river. Try baits such as mullet frames and blackfish frames. The bigger tides seem to have

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brought the best numbers on.

Before the massive deluge last month, the rock walls along the town stretch and up Emigrant Creek were producing some good numbers of quality bream on light crankbaits.

The rock crab colour in the Atomic Crank 38 has been the standout.

You can also expect to 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. As they say, if you’re not losing lures, you’re not catching and having fun.

There are some good size flathead still being caught along the Porpoise Wall and in Mobbs Bay. Live baits and heavy plastics on the last half of the run-out are always worth a shot, and small crankbaits and plastics up on the flats in Mobbs are solid performers – especially when the water is dirty towards the bottom half of the run-out.

There are some good numbers of bream getting caught off the beaches when the swell isn’t pumping too hard and the water isn’t too dirty. The dart and tailor have been a little quiet, but it’s a good time to start trying 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 some fresh bait.

OFFSHORE Offshore, there have been some quality snapper on the 32s as well as some good size trag, and the mahimahi have still been very consistent off the FADs. However, since mid-December the numbers

been scattered all over the place; one day they will turn up at Black Head and the next at Riordans Reef.

FRESHWATER Before the rains, the surface action in the freshwater reaches was going really well, and the action should pick up again when conditions settle down. Unweighted soft plastics imitating a prawn or small frog have been working well when skipped under trees, and this is a really fun way to fish.

I have also been getting good results on the old favourite Atomic Cicada and Slappa 90.

Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits also have been producing good fish, and another standout has been the Bassman 3/8oz jigs.

When the drains and creeks are running, big spinnerbaits or big noisy crankbaits are the go. The

Al Barrett caught this quality mangrove jack on a live bait in the Richmond River.

A surface-rigged Atomic Plazo Fat Grub got this bass around Coraki before the rain. of mackerel have not been as everyone would have liked. The mackerel have

more disturbance, the better!

Until next month, tight lines.

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Storms will dictate where and what to target THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

Storms have been shaking things up over the past month in the Tweed, and weather events like these determine how anglers should target key species.

All the fresh in the systems, the fish kills from run-off, bait being pushed around and changes in water temps are really affecting where and what to fish for.

These storms have definitely stirred up the offshore pelagics; the floating debris and river and creek run-off offshore has the mixed reefies, mackerel, mahimahi (dolphinfish), wahoo, kingfish and billfish firing up. The bait moving in the rivers has caused the soapy mulloway and trevally

Leon McClymont found this big mulloway off the rocks. to come on the chew.

The run-off has also fired up the beaches and headlands, with a few big mulloway caught off the beach in recent weeks. Bass

Kane Blenkinsop with a Tweed Spaniard.

are also taking advantage of the run-off and the flooding creeks and rivers.

OFFSHORE We have had an awesome pelagic season so far, with lots of blacks, wahoo and mahimahi being caught off Tweed reefs this month.

The floating debris, FADs, buoys and markers have been fishing best for mahimahi lately. Trolling skirts past, and pegging and ripping 20-60g metals past these surface structures will normally result in a hook-up from a small to medium size mahimahi. If you’re after a better size class, trolling the 24s, 36s and the 50s has been producing the medium to large models.

Lots of black marlin are on offer from the 24s out to 200m lines, and there are blues on the 100-400m lines.

Purple 6-9” skirts are still fishing the best. Livebaits have been key to landing a lot of billfish this month, once you have located the fish.

Anglers are picking up the odd wahoo the on 24s and 36s and on the backside of 9 Mile and South Reef on hardbodies and 100-200mm vibes. You can also encounter

540 Workmate

Spanish mackerel around their usual haunts of 9 Mile, 5 Mile, South Reef, Close Reefs, Kingy and Windorah Banks. They are mainly hitting troll baits, especially bonnies and slimies, but there are small bite windows and it’s still hit-and-miss.

There is the odd spotty around the close reefs as well. You can catch them by drifting a float bait such as a pilly, ripping metals past schools or trolling pillies this month. However, like the Spaniards they are few

and far between. Try Fidos, Cook Island, Kingscliff and Hastings Point bommie.

The close reefs that are copping the fall-out from the storms and run-off are fishing well for mixed reefies. There have been a few packs of snapper, kingies, tuskfish, spangled emperor, pearlies and sea perch patrolling these reefs, capitalising on the flood waters flowing over them. Fishing dusk and dawn with plastics and baits will definitely score you a feed, along with the odd large model. The only problem is that there are lots of sharks, as is usual in summer. Some days it can be hard getting your catches past the taxman.

Some great spanner crabs have been caught lately between the 24s and 36s, and it’s well worth soaking a trap. And there’s still lots of bait around; look to Point Reef, Kirra, yellow marker and 10-Minute Reef.

ESTUARY What a jack season it has been this year! Massive numbers have been caught in the Tweed and along the Tweed Coast. The bigger models are still being caught at night on live baits around

Anglers have been catching big jacks this month.

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MARCH 2020

heavy structure. Very large live baits (20-30cm mullet, 20cm bony bream, 30cm whiting, 15-20cm herring and whole fillets and heads) are working best with heavy gear.

There are still heaps of smaller to medium size jacks being caught on lures. The best plastics to use are 3-5” paddle-tails on weedless rigs, followed by 90mm prawn plastics. Other good lure options include 90-150mm hardbodies, 20g vibes, 70-150mm surface lures and swimbaits. Working these lures with the current and allowing them to get as close as they can to the structure will get the best action out of your lures, and will see these reds come out from their cover and smash your offering. Some great blackspot cod are being caught as jack by-catch, and are having most anglers thinking they are onto a good jack.

The whiting are still up in the skinny water.

Yabbies, beachworms and bloodworms drifted along those skinny water banks of a night are working the best, but you can still score a feed during the day. If you’re after the bigger elbow-slappers, surface lures are the go.

Live herring are working really well on big trevally around the bridge lights of a night, with a run-in tide fishing best.

Some big crabs are moving around this month, with the run-off, and the deeper holes and river/creek junctions have been holding the better numbers and sizes.

Just watch for bullies ripping holes in your pots, because they are out and about at the moment. Large baits on medium to heavy gear and a bit of patience will see you doing battle with these bullies. Eel, whole

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fish, heads, large live baits, stingray flaps or guts are your best baits, but even bullock’s heart or liver, lungs, offal or just some old meat will do the job. Wire is necessary for the bigger sharks, but 80-150lb leader will stop them up to 1m (all sharks over 1.5m are protected and must be released quickly and unharmed). Bull sharks up to 1m can be quite tasty if they are dispatched and prepared properly. Soaking the fillets in milk can help with this process.

BEACHES The rains and storms have shaken up the beaches and headlands. Some big mulloway are being taken off the beaches and around the headlands, and live baits, dead baits and whole fillets are fishing best.

There have been some great catches of dart, whiting, bream, flathead and odd tailor coming from the beaches too. Small baits like strip baits, whitebait, half pillies, fillet strips, worms and pipis are fishing best in the gutters this month.

SWEETWATER The rains and storms

Brad Smith with a golden trevally caught on a rainy day. These fish love to push up into the dirty water run-off. upper Clarence. The big bass have been on fire there.

MARCH FISHING The storms will continue to work their magic and fill the waterways and dams this month, and this will dictate where to fish in the rivers and creeks for jacks.

Finding where the bait is being held up will be the key to finding the red dogs. The soapy mulloway will also be taking advantage of these conditions, and will be in

Joel Graham caught some solid whiting in the rainy conditions. have really shaken up the fresh systems and have filled up all those dried up and shrunken pools. The rapids, drains, overflows, spillways, waterfalls, weirs and upper systems are all fishing really well. At first light and last light you can get good results on surface lures. Jig spins, spinnerbaits, hardbodies, swimbaits, plastics, vibes and blades are fishing well once the sun is established.

If you prefer bait fishing, worms, grubs, maggots and flavoured doughs are also catching some good bass, mullet, carp, tilapia and catfish. You can also try soaking a pilly wrapped in wool to catch eels. Their teeth get stuck in the wool and you just pull them up on the bank. Then they just drop off most times. It’s a really fun way for the kids to score a feed of eel, or you can use the eels for shark baits.

For the more adventurous freshwater fisho, try the

the various holes and around the mouth.

Whiting will only push up into the cleaner skinny water, so find the banks with clean water to score the whiting. Flathead will be sitting in the holes under the fresh, eating the whiting that are seeking shelter from the fresh.

Trevally will sit around the bridges eating all the bait getting flushed past, and fishing these bridges with various artificials and live herring will be the go this month. The muddies will be working in most systems throughout the Tweed Coast as well.

The mackerel, kings, billfish, mahimahi and wahoo will continue their dominance of our offshore reefs, and will only get hungrier and we will get better numbers coming through. Finding the bait schools will help with your search for these predators.

The bass will be a great option when the weather is no good, as the back creeks will still hold fish in bad conditions. Look for drains and overflows to find the bass. Caution is advised during heavy rains.

Andew Wil worked along a sand bank for this solid longtom.

MARCH 2020

25

Best of all the summer species in March SOUTHERN GOLD COAST

Mark Ward markward222@bigpond.com

The big river systems have finally started settling down after a very hot and wet summer. The rivers and creeks will benefit this month from all that rain and anglers will be able to cash in on the peak of the summer species over March.

more productive, but the bigger fish seem to take the surface lures and while they don’t exactly smash them off the surface, they are still a lot of fun.

Flathead have been very quiet due to the warmer water temperatures, but early morning high tides have seen some flathead take surface lures as well. It will take another couple of months before flathead start to really

extremely well despite a lot of pressure from anglers. Lake Orr and Lake Heron have also been fishing very well despite the pressure. It seems that the secret is well and truly out and these areas have seen a lot of anglers catching everything from mangrove jack to giant herring.

There will be a lot more bream and flathead around towards the end of the month, which should be great for both

Towards the end of March there should be a few bigger flathead starting to show up.

Trevally have been in good numbers around the canals and breakwalls of the southern Gold Coast.

ESTUARY Whiting have been biting well over summer and should be at their best this month over the shallows. Lure anglers have been doing well with small poppers as well as the bigger stickbaits. Bait fishing is still

fire up, but there are still a few about this month.

Mangrove jack and trevally have been harassing baitfish around the canal mouths and breakwalls. I got to throw some lures around the bridges of Tallebudgera Drive recently and it still fishes

bait and lure anglers. Bream will still be well spread out and we won’t see the big spawning fish for a couple of months yet, but they will be aggressive and feeding up as the water starts to cool.

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reader why the fish can be biting for days on the beach and suddenly shut down as if someone flicked a switch. This has always been a problem with Southern Queensland beaches and part of the reason is water temperature.

Over the past few months, we have experienced a lot of northerly winds. A few days of northerlies creates what is known as an upwelling effect or Ekman transport. What happens is the northerly wind blows the surface water south.

The water to replace that comes from the deeper water, which is a lot cooler but can also be very nutrient dense.

This can have the effect of shutting the fishing down or turning it on, depending on the preferred water temperature of the fish you are targeting. For instance, whiting and dart can shut down very quickly after a drop in water temperature but mulloway and tailor love the cooler, nutrient rich water.

My parents taught a good example of how fish respond to temperature changes to me when I was a small lad bringing home a goldfish for the fishpond. Mum always made me keep the fish in the plastic bag in the pond for a few hours so that any change in temperature from the bag to the pond had time to equalise.

Reflecting back on that now, I realise that I was dealing with a fish that is capable of living for years in a bowl or days in a small plastic bag. There is no question that the toughest fish ever created has to be the humble goldfish. Try keeping a whiting or a dart alive for a few minutes, let alone a few years in a bowl of water.

If I could kill a goldfish by dropping it in water that has a change in temperature, then it’s not surprising how other species that are not as tough

react to sudden changes.

With that in mind, a few days of northerly winds on the Southern Queensland beaches can dramatically affect the whiting and dart that have been feeding well in the warmer water. They will fire back up again, but they just don’t like the upwelling of all that cool water. A sudden change in temperature puts the fish in survival mode so they are less likely to be feeding.

FRESHWATER While a few days of northerlies can shut the beach down, bass prefer consistency. Like most of us,

bass don’t like change. They love a rising barometer, which is normally associated with a few days of southeasterly winds, so that makes March a very good month to target bass in Hinze and Clarrie Hall.

I haven’t been able to fish Clarrie Hall for a while as the water levels have been too low for my boat, but with the rain we have experienced over the past couple of months, the water levels have improved greatly. Reports indicate that bass have been responding well to surface lures and beetle spins around the edges of the lilies. The boat ramp is at Crams Farm and the gates don’t open until 7:30am, which can be a little late for a surface bite at this time of year, but small plastics and beetle spins work very well.

Hinze has seen a lot of fish schooling around the points and actively feeding on the edges and in the timber. They also have been responding well to spoons worked amongst the timber and around the points. Early morning and late afternoon will see a good surface bite and when they are schooled and a little shy, plastics worked very slowly can sometimes get a reaction.

Bass around the central freshwater canals of the Gold Coast have also been biting well. There have been good captures on surface lures after dark around Clear Island Waters. The bites are often very aggressive and the fish are big and in very good condition.

As the water cools, a few tailor should start to move up the coast. Juliette landed this one while bait fishing with her mum.

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March means there’s much more to catch JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

The fishing during March should see a mixed bag, with all the favourite Jumpinpin species on the bite. The weather this time of year is usually spot on too.

Mud crabs kicked off late this year and now they are about in decent numbers around the upper reaches of the Logan River,

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Outside the bar, there should still be some pelagics hanging about as they move north along the coast to warmer waters. Mackerel, mahimahi, tuna, cobia and small marlin all frequent

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Muddies should be around right throughout March. the waters off the ’Pin and now is the time to get amongst them.

Banana prawns are in good numbers again this year along the Main Channel, which stretches from Jacobs Well all the way to Macleay Island and into the Logan River. The trick is to find them by using your sounder and then make cast after cast with your net until you get enough. Remember that the bag limit is 10L per person.

Chopper tailor can usually be found out near the bar most of the year and you can expect them to be there this month. They love chasing schools of whitebait and can be easily 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 they have razor sharp teeth so it’s

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usually a good idea to put on a wire trace or a heavier mono trace about 20lb to avoid being bitten off.

banks and that’s where the whiting will be schooling, facing into the tide foraging along the bottom. They can’t

resist worm or yabbies but prawns, squid and pipis will all work as well.

It’s still a good time of year to target flatties on lures and baits. They can’t resist live mullet, herring or gar if you can get your hands on some, but pillies and whitebait will be effective too. Trolling shallow diving lures around weed banks or working the edges with plastics should 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 Pandanus weed banks.

• Thanks for all your reports and please keep those fish coming in! If you’d like any advice or up-to-date info on what’s happening at the ’Pin, drop us a line at Gem Bait & Tackle on 3287 3868 or email gembait@ tpg.com.au.

A massive bull mahimahi caught just north of the Jumpinpin bar.

It’s a great time to try for a bream, as the water temperatures start to cool down. The pick of the spots 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 been working well around these spots.

Whiting will be available on the sand flats along Slipping Sands, Cobby Passage, the Gold Bank, Tipplers Island, Fishermans Channel and out the front of Browns Bay. A simple running ball sinker rig works well when fishing for whiting; you just need a no 4-6 bloodworm hook with worms as bait and you’re good to go. Look for channels with fast moving water that funnels along the

Bream fishing is a great way to get the kids involved in fishing.

Now is a perfect time to take fish off the top GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn Instagram: @josh__dunn__

I cannot exaggerate how good surface fishing will be during these next few weeks. Mangrove jack, bream and trevally are just a few species that will get your heart racing with excitement with a massive surface bite!

Over the past summers I’ve learned more about surface fishing, such as what species prefer poppers over walkers or slow retrieves compared to fast ones. It’s clear that fish bite differently on certain days, but I’ve found a pattern and it works for me.

Jacks are undoubtedly an aggressive species, so naturally you’d think a fast retrieve would work – and in some cases it does. However, I’ve found that a ‘pop, pop, pop, pause’ retrieve works best. The fish will usually hit the popper just as you go to pop it again after the pause, as they will be sitting under it waiting for it to make one more slight movement before smashing it!

Trevally are similar, although they prefer a faster retrieve without any pauses.

Usually you would cast into a bust-up and they’ll basically hit anything moving. When fishing around pontoons, stick to the fast retrieve to get a reaction bite.

Bream on the other hand prefer a very subtle retrieve, with a lot of pauses. Surface walkers have accounted for most of my fish lately,

fished very slowly tight up against pontoons.

Within the next month, temperatures should peak.

February and March are usually the hottest months of the year! It does bring good news though, as more heat means more chance of rain and we’ve had a very dry start to summer.

Not only does the warmer water bring out mangrove jack, but also another underrated species – painted sweetlip, or as other anglers call them, slatey bream.

These fish range from around 30-50cm in the canal systems and go like a freight train!

I’ve caught most of my

painted sweetlip around bridge pylons, with an early morning high tide being the best bet. However, I wouldn’t rule out rock walls and pontoons – if there’s bait, the fish shouldn’t be too far behind. If you’re a bait angler, prawns are definitely the go.

Soft plastics also work very

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March is looking to be a great month with plenty of fish getting caught lately.

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It’s offshore season!

GOLD COAST

David Green

March is generally a very productive time for gamefish off the Gold Coast, with quality black and blue marlin, wahoo, Spanish and spotted mackerel all plentiful this month. The heavy rains gave the estuaries a good flush out so hopefully the

fishing will improve this month. The target species include bream, mangrove jack, whiting, mud and sand crabs and flathead.

OFFSHORE So far this season there has been an excellent run of medium-sized black marlin on the bait grounds in around 80m of water. These fish have run between 30-100kg+ and there have been a few striped marlin

around as well. They are very challenging on light tackle.

One of our recent fish took nearly two hours to catch on 15kg tackle and was around 100kg. The most successful method has been drifting deep live slimy mackerel through the bait schools.

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been very crowded. Lure trolling has produced a few fish, but most of the black marlin have been very focused on the deep bait schools and seem reluctant to chase baits or lures on the surface.

Plenty of blue marlin should be out on the wider grounds. These fickle fish can be very erratic and move south with the current flow.

On a good day, expect to get roughly 3-5 bites.

They average around 140kg, so in general I use stand up 37kg tackle from my small boat.

The best water depths are usually between 150-400m. The bite and

first run is quite spectacular, and March and April are considered to be the best months of the year by many experienced skippers.

While mahimahi numbers generally drop off in March, wahoo numbers usually increase and there have been quite a few nice wahoo around already.

Most of these have fallen to trolled skirted lures.

A few big fish over 25kg have already been encountered on the wider grounds.

Wahoo should also be encountered on the 36-fathom line and around the Tweed Nine Mile Reef if the current is running.

In closer to shore, plenty

of Spanish and spotted mackerel will be around.

Palm Beach, Mermaid and the 24-Fathom reefs are worth a look. Trolled dead baits such as bonito, tailor and big slimy mackerel are all effective.

In deeper water, a downrigger is a worthwhile investment. Trolled live baits such as yakkas and slimies are also excellent.

If you are fishing the close reefs, anchoring and berleying is a good strategy.

Use unweighted pilchards, live baits and metal lures in your berley trail. Spanish mackerel are also suckers for a well presented stickbait. Over

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recent weeks, the heavy rain has left the close reefs quite cold with green dead water, but hopefully this will clean up this month.

Bottom fishing is generally slow in March.

The wider grounds are usually dominated by strong current, making it hard to fish, but there have

way to fish and some of these whiting are over 40cm long. The key is to use ultra-light tackle, no sinker and cast ahead of the schools as they move up onto the flats on a making tide. This method also produces plenty of bream and some surprisingly big flathead.

bait for sandies.

Fishing large shallow running minnows or big plastic stickbaits on the flats at high tide will still produce a few big flathead this month, particularly if the tide is large and peaks around 8am. Work shallow gutters, the edges of weed beds and small run-off

A black marlin in flight at a secret spot. been surprising numbers of snapper around all summer so the 18 and 24-Fathom reefs may be worth a look for snapper, teraglin, mulloway and tailor. It is always worth putting a live bait on the surface when you are bottom fishing, as these areas can produce some big mackerel.

RIVERS AND ESTUARIES Whiting are usually very active in March and

The recent drought seems to have had a big effect on mud crab populations on the Gold Coast, particularly in Coombabah Creek and the Pimpama River.

I recently went crabbing after the rain, and in an area where we normally catch plenty of crabs there were very few to be seen, so something is clearly very wrong.

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channels for best results.

Most of these fish are over 60cm in length and are chasing mullet and whiting as well as smaller flathead.

There should still be quite a few mangrove jacks around in the canals and using surface lures is often a very effective strategy this time of year.

Quite a few of these fish will be over 50cm in length. As the water cools slightly, a lot of the bigger

Troy Dixon with a good wahoo. move up onto the flats on the first of a rising tide in big numbers. Chasing whiting with lures is a great way to fish. Small poppers and stickbaits can be deadly, particularly if the whiting are feeding on small prawns. At these times, they chase lures aggressively and you can never wind too fast! Sight casting for whiting on the flats using unweighted yabbies is another excellent

crabbing has been in the main section of the Broadwater. Coombabah Creek has been particularly disappointing; I’ve never seen it as bad in over 30 years.

While mud crabs have been quite poor, there have been plenty of sand crabs around near the weed beds between Crab Island and the Aldershots in 3-5m of water. Fresh mullet or whiting frames make ideal

jacks move out to the Seaway walls where they can be caught on small live baits cast into the wash.

There should be plenty of big bream in the upper reaches and some of the better canals should see good catches of bream on lures.

Overall, March is definitely one of the best months to fish the Gold Coast, particularly on the offshore grounds.

MARCH 2020

31

Predators are following the stacks of prawns SOUTHERN BAY

Nick Whyte

February has been a good month for rain, giving all of the systems a muchneeded flush.

Prawns have been going well and this should continue into March. The quality has been really good with the prawns mostly being mediums or better.

The best spots have been directly out the front of Redland Bay, in between Lamb and Karragarra and down around the powerlines.

With the prawns around, predators aren’t too far away. Mulloway, flatties, threadies and bream have been dominating catches.

You’ll be surprised where you can find them, especially right up as shallow as 1m of

schools pushing down into the bay. There have been reports of fish to 20kg but at the moment there are still only small schools, which are very hard to target with lots of boat traffic. Areas north of Mud Island and north of Tangalooma have been best.

Decent mangrove jack have been caught and there still should be some good numbers around this month before the bigger models head offshore to breed. This time of year you can find big congregations around bar and river entrances.

The Seaway is the place to fish this month as well as the Amity rock wall.

Remember to fish heavy, as you will be targeting the larger fish and they’ll have no problems taking you back into structure on light

Josh Chin scored a superb Moreton Bay longtail. spots have been in the Logan River at the Lone Pine or the council chambers in the Nerang River. Look at using poppers more as the water dirties up a bit.

Brisbane River has been producing some great

fish, with large numbers of threadfin salmon and mulloway coming from the port area. There have also been some fish upriver but I expect after this rain that the majority will be heading towards the lower reaches.

The fish can be stacked up in great schools and sessions of 10+ fish over a metre are not uncommon this time of year.

Just remember that these fish suffer from barotrauma when pulled from deep water and if you are practicing catch-andrelease, try and have a release weight handy to get the fish back to the bottom. Take care when handling them and don’t keep them out of the water too long. Targeting these fish is awesome fun, but if you don’t release them properly, they will have very little chance of survival.

With the prawns running, bream will be throughout the Southern Bay around all the shallow rock points. This is a great time of year to target these fish on small topwater lures. The rocks around the Powerlines, the top of Macleay at Pats Point and Lamb Rocks are all great places to have a look.

If you have any great capture from the Southern Bay you would like to share, email them through to nick@techfishing.com. au. Until next month, Tech-it-easy!

Lorenzo landed a golden river thready. water. Look for birds feeding on the surface, as this is a dead giveaway.

Spotted mackerel have been a bit hard to find in the bottom half of Moreton Bay. The sand hills have been a regular producer.

Most fish are still average size, but there has been the occasional bigger fish up to 1m. Longtails should heat up this month, with bigger

tackle. All canal systems and creeks have been producing good numbers, but it seems as though the Coomera has been the pick of the bunch.

Rain will make fishing the top reaches a little harder.

Concentrate your efforts around the cleaner water or use noisier lures like rattling vibes or topwater lures. Work all the main bridges around Sovereign and up through

the river. Deep plastics and deep running hardbodies are the go.

Summer whiting have still been about throughout the Southern Bay. Reports of large fish have not been uncommon over the past month. Most fishers have been targeting these with freshly dug worms. Digging worms yourself will often yield better results. The best

Gavin nailed this nice thready on a Zerek Fish Trap.

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32

MARCH 2020

Mark your calendar because it’s mackerel time BRISBANE OFFSHORE

John Gooding

March is one of my favourite months to target mackerel east of the South Passage Bar, but how good a season it will be depends on what weather pattern we end up with.

If we see a predominately northerly weather pattern, the ocean will be that dirty

green colour in close and the mackerel and baitfish won’t push in, but if we have a more southerly weather pattern the clear bluewater will push in along Moreton and North Stradbroke islands, bringing the bait and predators with it.

When chasing Spanish mackerel, I prefer to slow troll live baits, but getting quality live bait can

sometimes be an issue, so having some gar or small bonito in the icebox will also do the business. Dawn and dusk are usually peak bite times along with tide changes and if you can find the baitfish, you can usually

target for sharks, so if you catch your limit move on and leave them alone. Don’t catch them for the sake of it! Spanish mackerel are a prime table fish, so make sure they are bled and put on ice immediately after capture.

A happy group with a bag out on ambos and a few juvenile snapper.

A small mahimahi just after it hit the deck.

find mackerel.

When Spaniards are in feed mode, they will respond to fast towed hardbodies and if you can find them schooled up on a pinnacle or pressure point, they will go for slow twitched stickbaits.

Please remember Spanish mackerel don’t release well and a fatigued fish is an easy

Spaniards are a popular target for bluewater anglers all along our coastline.

Mahimahi will continue to be a good option this month as the water temperatures are still up. The wave buoy east of Point Lookout still fishes more consistently than the new FADs, but in time we should see the mahimahi catches around them become more regular.

The wider grounds

will continue to fish well for juvenile squire and amberjack, but keep an eye on the current speed before you head out.

We haven’t done any charters of late, as I am transitioning to my new boat, but it shouldn’t be long

!

W O LE N

before we hit the water!

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

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MARCH 2020

33

March will start the seasonal species switch BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With a good portion of the warm weather behind us, anglers will notice a gradual change in prominent species over the next month or two. Mangrove jack, mackerel, threadfin salmon, tuna, estuary cod, snapper, sweetlip and many others remain serious targets. Crustaceans such as prawns, mud crabs and blue swimmer crabs are additional targets for anglers over the coming months.

Even with the warmer conditions, anglers fishing

Rain plays a large part in where the prawns are at any particular time. After good rain, prawns are more common out in the bay and the lower reaches of the large rivers. Areas in the southern bay such as the Saltworks, around Karragarra Island, Macleay Island, Jacksons Hole and the Powerlines are all worth checking out.

When prawns lift out of the mud and the silt around the changes of the tide they are more obvious on the sounders, commonly showing up as a light green or blue scattered haze close to the bottom. Usually as the tide changes prawns will move off with the tide, becoming more scattered as the current

next few months, especially in the southern bay areas.

THREADFIN SALMON The movement of prawns has a large effect on threadfin salmon in the Brisbane River.

When the prawns school down around the mouth, threadfin usually aren’t too far away. Large conglomerations of these quality sportfish can be found in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River, Logan River and many other systems at times.

Soft vibration baits are common lures for targeting threadfin but anglers use a wide array of offerings.

Often it is just a case of getting the lure in front of a thready to get that bite, however at other times they

Chris Deeks proves it is possible to catch big bay snapper all year round with this quality late afternoon fish from around the bay island fringes.

When the first pot holds six keepers, you know it’s going to be a good day!

Moreton Bay are still managing to score some quality snapper, tuskfish, sweetlip and other species from the shallows around the bay islands and the artificial reefs. There are still plenty of quality targets for those keen to get out onto the water.

PRAWNS The rains in late January really fired up the prawns in many of the river systems including Pine, Caboolture, Brisbane and Logan. These bananas have now predominately moved out into Moreton Bay and can be found at an array of inshore locations. The serious prawners who spend the time using their sounders to locate these prawns in the less popular areas have been getting more consistent results. Obviously, when the prawns are in an area and boats congregate, it’s fairly obvious to others and before long there can be quite a crowd in a single area.

However, the crowds don’t stop most scoring a few for a feed or even getting a full 10L bucket of these tasty crustaceans.

34

MARCH 2020

increases, but you should still be able to get several hours of prawning in before they are gone.

At this time of year, the area off Nudgee is often a very popular spot and regularly produces good quality prawns for several weeks, if not months.

However, this changes every season; sometimes they stay a long time in this area and sometimes they move quickly down into the southern bay.

A quality 12’ drop, top-pocket cast net is the ideal weapon for targeting these prawns. These nets commonly have a chain bottom with no bottom pockets, which avoids you scooping up shell grit, stones and other garbage with every cast. Once your net is cast out and allowed to sink all the way to the bottom, a few small tugs on the net will gradually bring the chain bottom in and scare the prawns up into the net.

They will flick upwards and get caught in the top pocket where they can be easily extracted from the net once it is retrieved. The prawning should only get better over the

can be exceptionally pedantic and will only respond to one particular profile or lure style.

Sometimes it is just a case of biding your time until they decide to come on the chew. Anglers fishing with live baits such as mullet,

into the main riverbed, along ledges, in deeper holes and around areas where the sounder indicates numbers of threadfin salmon.

BAY PELAGICS Spotted mackerel have been a big disappointment this year, with very limited numbers being caught within Moreton Bay. While a few were randomly taken in the northern bay, the large schools that we have come to expect from years past just didn’t turn up. However, school mackerel have been around for those who want

channels. Pilchards fished in these same zones, plus around the shallows of the bay islands and other known areas, such as the Measured Mile and other shipping channel beacons, have also produced school mackerel in varying numbers.

While specimens to 80cm were recorded, the majority of the fish were between 50-60cm and at times they were fairly plentiful. Many anglers have returned home with a full bag of 10 fish over the 50cm minimum size limit. Very few surface

There have been great captures of banana prawns in the southern bay lately. herring, banana prawns and pike will often get bites when lures are ignored. These baits are usually fished close to the bottom along the declines

to chase them with many of them being caught on spoons trolled behind paravanes adjacent to the sand banks and in the prominent

feeding schools were located, however those who used chrome slugs and a fast, often erratic, retrieve to jig the beacons were met with

varying degrees of success.

Longtail tuna have often been conspicuous in their absence, with very few schools of surface busting fish being located. Those who live baited the edges of the major shipping channels, around the shipping channel beacons and other areas have been scoring a few quality fish to over 20kg at times.

On occasions, surface feeding fish have been located, but getting close enough to the melee to deliver the cast is rather hard, as they have been spooky and in small numbers.

Even then, getting a take has been quite hard as the baitfish are rather small and tuna have been tunnel visioned towards this bait profile. In this situation, fly fishers often have the upper hand as they have the ability to cast quite small offerings.

When longtail do accept large offerings, stickbaits have managed to score the occasional larger fish looking for a different diet.

While the pelagic action has not been that good over previous months, March often sees an increase in baitfish activity and size within the bay. This in turn heightens the possibility of anglers getting into pelagics such as mackerel, tuna and bonito.

Most of the action generally starts in the northern end of the bay and filters down towards the southern end as the month goes on.

Searching in areas such as the Kianga Channel, the NW channel and the NE channel is recommended during March, especially for those chasing longtail tuna. If surface action is not sighted or you prefer a more relaxed approach, then live baiting around the beacons, Shark Spit, the Curtin Artificial or Benowa Track Grounds could be worthwhile. Yakkas, slimy mackerel and pike are all worth using when rigged on a circle hook and either fished just below the surface or mid-water.

CRABS Mud and blue swimmer crabs have been fairly plentiful over the last few months for those setting a few safety pots in likely spots.

Rain will always increase the likelihood of catching muddies as lowering water salinity in the small creeks, drains and thick mangrove expanse will force them out into the main river and estuarine system. Since the rain in late January, mud crabs have been fairly decent and occasional storms have provided some great opportunities for crabbers to get amongst them.

Out in Moreton Bay, the crabbing for blue swimmers has been good. I have scored a decent feed with every session of setting pots and have generally scored 10-15

at numerous locations in Moreton Bay. The artificial reefs, bay island surrounds and the numerous wrecks throughout the bay have all been worth fishing. The usual techniques with lures such as soft vibes, soft plastics (predominately jerkshads, paddle-tails and curl tails) and micro jigs have worked.

Anglers fishing when there is minimal boat traffic have generally scored the better quality fish.

Around the bay islands, quality snapper are often found well wide of the landmass as they hunt gar, hardiheads and other prey.

You don’t need to fish amongst the masses – go wider and look for baitfish or a current edge and drift through the area and cast.

The same can be said for most of the artificial reefs.

The fish are often well spread and you are more likely to score quality fish away from areas where several anglers have crowded.

Fresh and live baits will always score better results than many frozen offerings, however salted tuna or bonito fillets and pilchards are also highly desirable. All baits should be fished as lightly weighted as possible and if anchoring, it is a good ploy to cast the bait upcurrent and let it drift back as it slowly sinks.

Sweetlip like well-

sweetlip, anglers are likely to encounter a few morwong, tuskfish and other species in these same areas. Floating an unweighted pilchard out the back may even score you a mackerel or better quality snapper.

ESTUARY OPTIONS March can offer some quality estuarine fishing, but it depends on the rainfall. Too much rain will often lower salinity to a point where many species will move to areas with better salinity. If water conditions stay decent, anglers can expect mangrove jack, estuary cod, bream, flathead, threadfin, mulloway, tarpon, trevally and many others during March.

Casting lures to prominent structure such as bridge pylons, jetties, pontoons, rock walls, mangrove snags and rock bars will likely produce a jack or cod. Live baiting can also be highly productive in these zones when using prawns, herring and mullet.

Trolling lures along the edges of channels and banks during the first few hours of the falling tide will likely produce flathead and bream plus an array of other species.

CONCLUSION March offers plenty of options to bay and inshore anglers, but the prevalence of many species will depend on whether or not we get any

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Bribie Boat Sales Matt took this solid jack on a prawn profile during a night session. quality sandies from four pots for a soak of a few hours over the tide change. I have been setting pots mostly around the fringes of the bay islands and along the deeper channel edges. The next few months should still be good for crabbing the bay and estuaries.

SNAPPER AND SWEETLIP Even throughout the warmer months, anglers have been scoring quality snapper

presented fresh baits. Good numbers of sweetlip have been readily caught around Green, Mud and Peel islands.

Being on the water and anchored well before the sun creeps over Straddie will put you in good stead; a high tide soon after dawn is perfect.

The first light often results in a flurry of bites and every bait in the water will get eaten.

Often by an hour after sunup, the action will halt.

In addition to snapper and

serious rainfall. Even if we do receive considerable rain and results are greatly reduced in inshore waters for the immediate future, the longterm effects are excellent and we can look forward to quality fishing during the next few months. So regardless, get into the great outdoors and check out some of the superb fishing, crabbing and prawning on your doorstep before conditions begin to cool down.

143 First Avenue Bongaree, Bribie Island, QLD, 4507 Phone 07 3408 4621 bribieboatsales@gmail.com

Gold Coast Boating Centre 64 Kortum Drive Burleigh Heads QLD 4220 Phone 07 5576 7388 sales@goldcoastboatingcentre.com.au

Unit 1, 3361 Pacific Hwy Slacks Creek QLD 4127 Phone 07 3290 6370 sales@neptunemarine.com.au

Townsville Marine 943 Ingham Road Bohle QLD 4818 Phone 07 4774 3777 sales@townsvillemarine.com.au

Whitsunday Outboard Centre 1 William Murray Drive Cannonvale QLD 4802 Phone 07 4946 7286 woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

Barney’s Marine Shed 3A Nissan Street Pialba QLD 4655 Phone 07 4124 3170 realservice@barneysmarine.com.au

MARCH 2020

35

Rain keeps all the summer species around catches have come from fishing the main channels, pylons and rock walls in the North Pine River and

NORTHERN BAY

Steve Nash

We finally got some summer rain! As a result, this has been flushing out the upper reaches of the creeks and rivers, pushing the baitfish and prawns out.

This in turn has fired up estuary species and ensured a feeding frenzy.

March can be a flat month for the Northern Bay rivers, as the summer species start to thin out. With the approach of the cooler weather, the winter species will not have started their migration run as of yet.

However, the late summer rain should keep some of these fish hanging around for a while longer.

Working prawn imitation soft plastics over the shallow banks will undo flathead.

Dave Hudy with a big-eye trevally taken on a Sugapen 70mm.

RIVERS Flathead between 40-60cm have been regular catches on strip baits and small plastics, with good numbers of legal size bream also falling to lightlyweighted prawn baits and soft plastic imitations.

Night fishers have been catching plenty of mangrove jack with live baits free swimming around rock walls and boat moorings in the Caboolture River.

Hardbody shad style lures around 80-90mm have also

been very productive. When chasing mangrove jack, landing your cast close to the structure will ensure the best possible chance of hooking up to one, but wrangling them out is another story. Smaller jacks will also still be hunting around the rock walls with some garbage guts cod being good icebox fillers.

As the warmer, longer days draw to an end, so will the surface action. So get out there and fish your poppers and topwater stickbaits while you still can. Fishing early

mornings or late evenings can net you some quality fish and is probably the most favoured and visually pleasing way to hook up. Throwing Bassday Sugapen 70s into the shallow mangroves between the sticks can still hook up to some nice bream. Early morning sessions about two hours off the high tide have given the best results.

Trevally have been some of the most exciting catches on topwater lately, with explosive hits and dragscreaming first runs. Most

to three lanes, it will likely only leave one lane available for launches and retrievals.

They’re also adding a

MARCH March is a transition month for Northern Bay anglers. The temperature in

The Dohles Rocks boat ramp is being upgraded and should hopefully be finished by April.

Pumicestone Passage. When actively targeting these brutes, use fast retrieves with smaller surface walkers or lightlyweighted whole small prawns drifted in the current.

LAND-BASED OPTIONS Land-based fishing can be very productive at this time of year, with good size bream feeding up on the shallow flats chasing small prawns.

Fishing light is key. Light fluorocarbon leaders in the 4-6lb range will suit.

Hays Inlet, Deception Bay foreshore and Godwin Beach are good areas to fish as the tide floods the shallow banks.

If you park at Brighton Park, walking the exposed flats at Brighton on the low tide can bring you straight to the main channel to the mouth of the Pine River. About two hours before and after the low tide will give you prime access.

A decent flathead taken on a ZMan CrawZ. floating walkway pontoon on sit, which will open up an exciting opportunity to land-based anglers for future fishing ventures.

Construction is currently ongoing until April, weather permitting.

and out of the water will be a little cooler and the species mix will change with it. Hopefully more rain has followed the late summer storms and it will be a great month for all fishos.

Don’t forget your freshwater options as well.

This trevally was taken on a Chasebaits Flick Prawn.

Marty Bubb throwing a 12ft cast net for a feed of fresh prawns.

36

MARCH 2020

GET A FEED OF PRAWNS With the recent rains, prawn numbers and size should increase over the coming month as they make their way from the estuaries out into the bay. Scanning the deeper holes is the best way to locate schools of prawns and using a quality 12ft chain bottom net with top pocket is the best way to get onto them.

The early morning lows seem

to be the better time to have a throw for them. While most tackle shops carry a range of prawning nets, there are also small businesses that make custom nets from any size, weight and rope length depending on your needs.

DOHLES ROCKS RAMP UPGRADE There are currently major works in place to upgrade the boat ramp for users. As it’s being extended from two

North Pine Dam and Lake Kurwongbah are heavily stocked with bass, golden perch and saratoga. Small inflows in both dams will see the fish fired up and North Pine in particular has some trophy-sized bass just waiting to be caught. If you haven’t fished either lake, there is good access for kayak anglers from Forgan Cove at North Pine and Mick Hanfling Park at Lake Kurwongbah.

Now’s the time to catch that bucket list fish NOOSA

Peter Wells

With autumn upon us, the days will get that bit shorter and hopefully the temperature will start to drop a little. March can produce some great fishing on the Sunshine Coast and if the weather plays the game, some very memorable fish.

lures with big singles rather than trebles seems to be getting that better hook-up rate. Rapala X-Raps, Halco Laser Pros and Nomad DTX Minnows have all been working well.

Tuna schools have been prevalent along the coast with the schools easily spotted from the coast.

Birds have been feeding on the bait schools, making it easy for anglers to find the

Will Blahuntya took a quality mangrove jack on a Lucky Craft G-Splash first thing in the morning.

Big Spanish are always about in better numbers at this time of year and fish over the 20kg mark are not uncommon. Point Cartwright all the way up to Double Island has been good, with areas like Sunshine Reef and the Gneerings the standouts for big fish. Large trolled lures work fantastic on the big mackerel that frequent these reefs and rigging those

fish. Longtail tuna, mac tuna and spotted and Spanish mackerel have all been reported. The best approach has been using slugs in the 15-40g range. Remember at this time of year the fish will tend to feed to the north so if you can get to the north of the school, let them come to you. This will let you get a few more casts into them before they spook.

Sunshine Reef is one

of the best spots on the coast for a feed of coral trout. Making sure you are there for sunup can greatly improve your chances, but these fish can also be taken in the middle of the day.

Live baits fished hard to the reef will get you hooked up, but getting them away from their reefy homes is where the trouble starts.

Having quality braid for your mainline will help as it has less stretch than mono.

Fluorocarbon leader is also important because it is a lot more abrasion resistant than standard mono leader and will cope with the sharp edges of the reef a little better. Make sure you use a quality knot like the FG knot to join the two and you should be in business.

North Reef and the Coffee Rock should be holding plenty of big cobia and mulloway, along with pearl perch and Venus tuskfish. Big cobia love to swim mid-water at this time of year and will quite often be seen swimming with the sharks. Have a floater out the back with just a light sinker right on the nose and it will often be picked up by a big cobia. These fish can get some size to them and fish over 1.5m are not uncommon.

To the south, Murphys Reef is always good for a feed of reefies come late March and is also a great spot to have a go with soft plastics and jigs. Sharks have been hammering fish here and it seems hooking up is only half the problem, as getting a whole fish in the boat has been tough.

Red emperor, scarlet sea perch, sweetlip and pearl perch have been on the hook – or at least part of them anyway!

The beaches along the

2250 Centrecab

Noosa North Shore near Teewah should be fishing best for whiting and some bigger dart along, with tailor and the odd mulloway after dark. Flathead can be caught in the close in gutters on a run-out tide and bouncing a soft plastic around on a heavier than normal jighead is a great way to cover plenty of ground and hopefully pick up a feed of fish. Bright colours work well for flatties.

The lower part of the Noosa River has seen some sizable flathead caught, with many getting close to the no-take 75cm size. To catch the bigger flathead, fluorocarbon leaders of 12-16lb are best, as the bigger fish have very raspy mouths. They respond well to small fish baits including whitebait, froggies and pilchards. For best results, try using smaller gang hooks on a running sinker rig. For lure anglers, plastics are the go. Bright pinks and chartreuse are better when the water has a bit of colour and lighter colours are better when it is clear.

Mangrove jack reports have been outstanding this

Stuart Hargraves caught this lovely pearl perch on a large prawn off the Barwon Banks. year, with most rock shelves and river bends holding fish.

It seems anywhere there is structure has fish. Live baits have been your best bet but hardbodied lures and soft plastics have also been getting their fair share.

Fishing areas like Johns Landing, the boat harbour and Munna Bridge have all produced fish. Hardbodies like the Jackall Hank Tune and Lucky Craft Pointer and plastics like the Keitech Easy Shiner and the ZMan SwimmerZ have been the

Johnny Beck picked up a bright coronation trout just outside the heads at Mooloolaba.

This fish went for a small pilchard bait.

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top picks.

It’s never too early to start talking about bream!

There are always resident fish in the river, with the bigger models turning up when the water starts to cool. Bream are suckers for smaller 2-3” grub, crab and prawn style plastics. Be sure to use some scent on your plastics and fish them slower than usual to allow fish a chance to take a bite. Lightly-weighted lines and jigheads are essential.

Crabs are also on the move. With the rain that has fallen we have seen some good catches of muddies in the system. When putting pots in, keep them close to the mangrove edges and away from the main boating channel.

Frozen mullet is really going to help draw them in and we have a plentiful supply available.

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

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MARCH 2020

37

Barra

Barramundi facts: lessons on fluorescence QLD

Ron Jenkins

In this final instalment of the series, we’ll take a look at florescence in lure colours and what it means in the barramundi world.

Objects (like lures) have colour paint pigments on their surface, which are formulated to reflect a certain colour back to the viewer. All other colours are absorbed. So an object painted green reflects green light and absorbs everything else.

call it ‘black’. Something we can’t see.

Interestingly, the same thing happens at the lowest frequency (longer wavelength) colour red. Go even lower in frequency (longer in wavelength) than red and what have we got? Infra-red.

Electromagnetic radiation that we can’t see. Do we call that ‘black light’ also?

No. Why not?

The colour ‘black’ is simply a complete absence of visible light of any colour.

UV LIGHT Getting back to our

wall. You’ll easily see which lures have fluorescent paint.

A lesson out of this is that lures with fluorescent paint are much brighter and more easily seen underwater (low light) than lures, which don’t fluoresce. Remember though, that there needs to be sufficient light underwater at the depth to allow colour (any colour) to be seen.

It means that if your lure has fluorescent orange/red paint then it can be made to fluoresce by UV light, but only if UV light can penetrate to the lure depth. So, in clear water

A pretty standard display of barra lures looks very different under a UV torch.

The brightness of the colour reflected is dependent on the state of agitation of the molecules of the pigment painted on the object. What raises the agitation state of those molecules to give increased brightness is exposure to electromagnetic radiation at a shorter wavelength (higher frequency) than that of the colour we’re trying to brighten.

So the theory is that we increase the agitated state to which these molecules can be raised by using special additives in the paint. When combined with the higher frequency electromagnetic radiation, the special additives cause the paint to become brighter.

Sound complicated?

Probably. But those words simply translate to paint an object with special paint and hit it with some UV light thus causing it to become brighter – to ‘fluoresce’.

Raising the agitation state of the molecules doesn’t shorten the wavelength (raise the frequency) of the colour.

It merely makes the colour ‘brighter’. More colour results in being able to be seen from greater distances.

The interesting part about fluorescence as we know it, is the idea of using ultraviolet light (sometimes called ‘black light’) to trigger the effect.

BUSTING SOME MYTHS Firstly, there is no such thing as ‘black light’. Violet light is the colour description given to coloured light of the shortest wavelength (highest frequency) light that our eyes are capable of detecting. Any radiation above the colour violet is known as ‘ultra’ violet and our receivers (eyes) don’t work at that range so we 38

MARCH 2020

radiation, which causes specially prepared paint to fluoresce, what have we got?

We need special paint and ultra-violet light. So what is so special about UV light?

It comes in two types.

UV-A and UV-B, with UV-A being the one just above the frequency of violet and UV-B even higher above the frequency of violet. UV-B is the bad one that causes so much trouble to our skin. Yet both of them have the same characteristic in that they can trigger fluorescence. Why? It’s because they are both shorter wavelengths (higher frequencies) than the colours we can see and thus can agitate the special paint molecules to a higher state.

Well, what about the longer wavelength (lower frequencies) red end of the colours we can see? Their paint molecules can also be agitated to a higher level so can be seen better underwater.

Red/orange increased visibility in turbid (murky) water is further enhanced by using fluorescent paint.

In greenish headland/ impoundment water, mid-range yellow/green colours are best visible and fluorescence enhances those as well.

Similarly, blueish/green/ indigo respond to fluorescence in blue ocean water. Colours below blue/green/indigo like red, orange and yellow can still penetrate ocean water to shallower but still useful depths.

In a tackle store all coloured lures look alike. So how can you tell if fluorescent paint has been used on a lure?

That’s easy. Buy yourself a $30 UV torch and flash it over the lures on the tackle shop

(where UV penetrates further than red/orange), the red/ orange fluorescent lure can be seen at much greater distances than it normally can be seen. It will still be bright red/orange instead of grey/dark like it usually is at that depth.

We’ve seen that red/ orange penetrates murky water better than any other colours.

Therefore fluorescent red/ orange should be even more

Don’t get fluorescence confused with luminescence or bio-luminescence. Fluorescent brightness disappears as soon as the triggering radiation is removed. These are not glowin-the-dark devices.

If you’re thinking that it sounds like its getting complicated, then you’re probably correct. However, remember always that we’re not dealing with a black art or magic. We’re simply dealing with characteristics of electromagnetic radiation.

1967 NAVY EXPERIMENT RECAP Here is just a quick recap of the 1967 US Navy experiment in underwater colours previously mentioned.

The colours that are easiest to see underwater at the limits of visibility with natural illumination and a water background are as follows: • For rivers, harbors, and other turbid bodies of water: fluorescent orange/red are the most visible. Non-fluorescent colours of good visibility are white, yellow, orange, and red (bottom range of colours with lower frequencies are best).

• For coastal waters of mediocre clarity: fluorescent green and fluorescent orange are superior.

While non-fluorescent colours of good visibility are white, yellow and green (middle range of colours with mid frequencies are best).

• For clear water: fluorescent greens and white are the best choice. As the clarity of the water is increased, with

LESSONS • Lure colour is restricted in effectiveness by the clarity of the water. A water turbidity of 20-25 significantly impedes colour penetration into water.

• Fluorescent colours are more visible underwater than non-fluorescent colours.

• White is the most easily seen non-fluorescent colour in all bodies of water.

• Lure colour plays less a role in attracting barramundi attention than action and hearing.

• Barramundi use all senses in attacking prey.

Consider the third point.

That’s what I’ve also found over the years. A 100mm ‘drop-bear’ coloured Squidgy Slick Rig has been the most successful lure I’ve ever used. Sowhat if we went one step further and a white lure was made to fluoresce? That should give us the best of all wet worlds.

The only problem is that white isn’t a spectral colour.

It’s a mixture of spectral colours. It’s artificial. So how do you make something that doesn’t spectrally exist, fluoresce? The answer is that we can’t!

So we produce the next best thing, which is white with just the tiniest touch of blue introduced. Hardly noticeable, but it’s marketed as fluorescent white (it’s actually fluorescent very pale blue). Here’s how it pans out when you set your mind to it.

Add a bit of UV and

Fluoro coloured barra lures are very deliberately made this way. The fluoro red/ green combination is a very good all round barra lure for different water clarities. easily seen in murky water and they are.

Look carefully at the before/after images of the UV torch particularly the depths in marker pen on the doors. Lures for 1-2m are mainly red/orange etc., while yellow, green and chartreuse appear on the deeper lures.

The key to understanding why is because those lure colours (fluoro or not) are for clearer water situations. In that clearer water the reds/oranges/ pinks will fade faster than the green/chartreuse, therefore their colours are gone at shallower depths.

Clearer water (dams/ headlands etc.), green/ chartreuse/blue are okay.

Red orange/yellow fade quickly. In dirtier water, the reverse happens.

a consequent increase of viewing distance, the most visible colour will change from yellow-green to green to blue-green (higher range of colours with higher frequencies are best.

Fluorescent materials are superior to non-fluorescent materials of the same colour in all bodies of water.

White is the best non-fluorescent visible material in all bodies of water.

The most difficult colours to see at the limits of visibility under natural illumination and a water background are grey and black. Others that have poor visibility are those whose major spectral components are absorbed by the water; i.e., orange and red in clear water and blue and green in murky water.

voila. You can see what I mean by very pale blue (so close to white). We can see what a difference in contrast to the grey background colour a bit of fluoro makes.

How many tackle shops have you seen that have a UV torch for use? None. Why not? Could it be that they don’t understand how much effectiveness that fluorescent paint adds to a lure?

If you want the lure colour to stand out in water, why only use a bit of fluoro here and a dab of fluoro there? Because it looks nice to a buyer? These anglers want to catch a barra and not win the award for the prettiest lure in the water.

Give the barra something that can be easily seen.

Paint the whole lure with

fluro paint (bib too). Paint it two tone with sharp cut-off transitions and we have something that can be easily seen underwater and with sharply contrasting edges.

Pictured are two lures of a similar colour scheme. They have different body actions, with the Warlock having a coffin shaped bib and tighter body action. The Classic has a broader and larger surface area bib, and has a deeper and slower action. Both are good for discoloured water (fluorescent red colour) and the fluorescent chartreuse is okay for slightly clearer water. These are good all round colours. Note, however, that the red covers the whole head (sides, top and bottom).

So it’s not meant to be the token splash of red colour of the flaring gills of a fleeing or injured fish as the industry and writers tell us. It’s quite deliberate.

Have a look at the same two lures with a bit of UV thrown in. The complete lure surface is fluoro. Not just a splash of fluoro here and there as if it were a work of art to catch the human eye like some are. It’s an angler’s lure and not a fashion statement!

Now you can see distinctive red and chartreuse fluoro colors that enhance lure visibility. Red/orange for more discoloured waters and green/chartreuse for less discoloured water.

Good all-round lures for most conditions! That’s why these lures have a ‘fish taker’ reputation similar to a 100mm ‘drop-bear’ Squidgy Slick Rig. The black vertical stripes on the Classic and Warlock break up the large area with sharply contrasting green/ chartreuse to give multiple contrasts from the side. It’s a pretty simple non-descript looking lure but a lot of design has gone into it.

The only comment I’d make is that the Warlock has all of those attributes plus has the higher flat sides to push more vibrations sideways via the tighter action. That translates to increased lateral line vibrations levels, but with a slightly higher repetition rate (slightly higher frequency) being emitted.

A slow roll retrieve has the Warlock giving out constant predicable lateral line vibrations like a ‘here I am’ beacon, making it easy for a barra to line up!

These lure colour combinations and actions tick a lot of boxes to be successful all-round lures.

So next time you’re deciding what colour to use, thinking about the water clarity and fluorescence and which lures will be best detected by barra. Your catch rate might change.

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Results are in: $200 spinning reel comparison FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s been a while since we’ve done some head-tohead reviews at Fishing Monthly, so we thought we’d start up again having a look at small spinning reels. Threadlines in the 2500 size range are one of the most popular items sold

in tackle stores, and there are usually a couple in every estuary or freshwater angler’s kit when they head out on the water.

We reckon that the $200 price range represents the first jump up into a quality reel when anglers begin their journey into fishing, and there are plenty of reels around in that price range.

You can spool them with anything from 3lb straight-

through fluorocarbon right up to 20lb braided line and leader, and can catch anything from bream and trout to barramundi and small pelagics.

We asked all of the major suppliers to provide a sample of their reel(s) in this price range and size, and most were happy to participate. Some manufacturers (like TiCA) didn’t have anything in the

Scoring started with first impressions.

Our testers at Tide Apparel HQ preparing to face the simulator.

Okuma helios sx

Daiwa TIERRA

zone, while others (like Shimano) didn’t respond to our requests.

In the end, we ended up with nine reels to test, with reels from Rapala, Daiwa, Alvey, Quantum, Okuma, Penn and Abu Garcia lining up for some testing in the office and in the field.

THE METHODS Rather than get the

internal staff to rate the reels, we recruited three local anglers from near our office in South East Queensland: Aaron, Jarryd and Brian.

They all responded to a social media call-up and made themselves available for half a day to give these reels the ‘shop treatment’ at the Fishing Monthly offices.

These three anglers all

Daiwa EXCELER

have plenty of experience fishing and were great testers who took their job seriously. I know that some of my snobby mates would turn up their noses at testing $200 reels, so thank you to the tackle test team!

To baseline the scoring, I dragged an old Shimano Aerocast out of the archives. After 20+ years of

Rapala Maxwell

Rapala R-Type Quantum Smoke

Alvey Orbiter

Abu Garcia Roxani

Penn Conflict ii

SPECIFICATIONS Brand............ Model..................Size.......... Bearings.................Gear Ratio.............. Max Drag............... Line capacity.............. Weight............ Warranty......... RRP Daiwa............. Exceler LT............2500......... 4+1..........................5.3:1........................ 10kg........................ 0.18/230m.................... 205g................ 1 year.............. $149 Rapala........... Maxwell................2000......... 6+1..........................5.1:1........................ n/a........................... 0.25/160m.................... 278g................ 1 year.............. $150 Daiwa............. Tierra LT...............2500......... 4+1..........................5.3:1........................ 10kg........................ 0.18/230m.................... 235g................ 1 year.............. $179 Quantum........ Inshore Smoke.....25............. 11+1........................6.0:1........................ 8.2kg....................... 0.26/140m.................... 227g................ 3 years............ $189 Rapala........... R-Type.................25............. 9+1..........................5.2:1........................ 6kg.......................... 0.25/225m.................... 290g................ 1 year.............. $190 Okuma........... Helios SX.............30............. 8+1..........................5.0:1........................ 6kg.......................... 0.25/200m................... 202g................ 10 years........... $199 Penn.............. Conflict II.............2500......... 7+1..........................6.2:1........................ 6kg.......................... 0.25/180m.................... 225g................ 1 year.............. $219 Abu Garcia..... Roxani . ...............2500......... 6+1..........................6.2:1........................ 5.2kg....................... 0.235/170m.................. 226g................ 1 year.............. $249 Alvey.............. Orbiter SR............100........... 9+1..........................5.8:1........................ 8kg.......................... 0.30/145m.................... n/a................... 2 years............ $259 40

MARCH 2020

inactivity it provided a pretty good indication of what a reel shouldn’t feel like (due to no maintenance for two decades) and it really showed where reel technology is sitting today. Infinite antireverse and balanced rotors are standard, as are roller bearings, efficient bail-return mechanisms and incredibly light frame materials.

We rated each reel out of 10 with respect to the testers’ judgement of ‘initial feel’, ‘smoothness’, ‘looks’, ‘handle feel’ and ‘anti-reverse’.

After the ‘shop’ test we visited Nick Richardson

by our friends at Tackle Tactics, so each reel had the same line, filled to the same point on the spool with Peter Jung’s line spooling machine on the kitchen table at the office.

The team then rated each reel out of 10 for its ‘drag smoothness’, ‘winding under pressure’, ‘drag range’, ‘drag amount’ and ‘overall feel’.

There was plenty of sledging, but each tackle tester took a turn fighting the same fish with the same outfit and the same settings. For consistency, we coupled the reels with

VIDEO

We ended up with a matrix of scores that we took away for analysis, and got some great video footage. You can check it out by scanning the QR code on this page on your phone, or just search for ‘Fishing Monthly’ you YouTube.

THE ANALYSIS There are plenty of ways to skin a cat when it comes to delivering results from the data collected. We have broken it up in a number of ways. First, we collated the overall scores to give us a highest scoring reel from the nine. Second, we compared the ‘shop’ scores

Scan the QR code for testers’ interviews and to see the reels in action.

Brian was perhaps the most thorough tester, he could barely keep his hands off the drag knob.

All nine reels were strapped to the same Okuma Duo spin rods we give to subscribers at boat shows. at Tide Apparel to take advantage of his fishfighting machine, and put the reels through their paces in a situation as close to fishing as we could get.

We spooled all of the reels up with 12lb Platypus Platinum mono, supplied

a trio of Okuma Duo-tip rods (the same ones we give away to subscribers at boat shows). These rods copped a flogging but survived the experience well. We have even more confidence giving these to you at the shows now.

to the ‘fishing’ scores to see which reel walked the walk better than expected.

And finally we divided the combined scores by price to give a ‘best value’ rating.

This is important, because the most expensive reel was nearly twice the price in

The author couldn’t stand around watching any more.

He had to strap up and have a go for himself.

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stores as the cheapest one.

Of course, we could have increased the data accuracy by sourcing a large number of testers and a more objective measurement of drag smoothness and limits, but our goal isn’t to get published in a scientific journal – rather we are collating opinions to help you direct or justify a future purchase.

Also, note that there were only small differences between the best and the worst in each category. Every reel in class will do the job well and there’s only a 22% difference maximum in all of the scores. It shows that our testers were pretty precise when it came to rating the reels on a spectrum from rubbish to brilliant.

Let’s have a look at the results, one at category at a time.

SHOP VS FISHING This is where we compared the two scores from each tester – the ‘in shop’ score (how the reel looked and felt) vs the ‘fishing’ score (how it performed on the fishing simulator). We averaged the scores per reel per category, and added the five averages together for the ‘in shop’ ratings. We did the same for the ‘fishing’ ratings, and then

subtracted the shop score from the fishing score.

That means a positive score is a reel that fished better than it looked and felt, while

In this category, the two Daiwas, the Quantum, one Rapala and the Penn Conflict all fished better than they felt, but this result is only part of a bigger picture. All it means is that some reels felt better loaded up than unloaded. You need to look at the reels in several different ways to get a thorough assessment.

After all, when we researched pricing on the internet, we found that the most expensive reel in the cohort ($259 for the Alvey) was around twice the price of the cheapest ($126 for the Daiwa Exceler).

So the next way we worked the numbers was to divide the total point score by their price. We worked off the MO Tackle website

The simulator that kept reel drags singing and the boys smiling! a negative score meant that it scored better in the shop than with a fish on the end.

Here is how the reels ranked: 1. Daiwa Tierra LT....... +4.5 2. Daiwa Exceler LT.... +3.9 3. Quantum Inshore Smoke.................... +3.6 4. Rapala R-Type........ +1.1 5. Penn Conflict II....... +0.3 6. Alvey Orbiter........... -0.5 7. Okuma Helios SX.....-0.8 8. Abu Garcia Roxani....-1.0 9. Rapala Maxwell........-2.8

for most of these prices, because MO had nearly all in stock. Alvey’s pricing was taken from their online store, and we used the RRP for the Rapala Maxwell, as we couldn’t find it for sale online.

We felt that price was important, because if you do have limited money to spend, you can get two of the cheapest reels for the price of the dearest.

Here’s what we found.

The higher the score, the To page 42

OUTDOOR & FISHING SHOW

Listen on 5am-6am Every Saturday MARCH 2020

41

From page 41

better the value for money in this review.

If you were to look at these results only, the 1. Daiwa Exceler LT.... 0.52 2. Rapala R-Type........ 0.51 3. Daiwa Tierra LT....... 0.49 4. Okuma Helios SX.... 0.40 5. Rapala Maxwell...... 0.39 6. Quantum Inshore Smoke.................... 0.38 7. Penn Conflict II....... 0.34 8. Abu Garcia Roxani.. 0.34 9. Alvey Orbiter........... 0.31

MOST POINTS WINS? A third way to judge the reels may well be to add up all of the ‘shop’ and ‘fishing’ points averages.

With this method, you’re getting the best feeling and performing reel, irrespective of price.

With this rating, the Alvey Orbiter came out on top. Indeed, more than one of the testers were impressed by the looks, feel and fishability of this new entrant into the market

1. Daiwa Tierra LT....... 6 2. Daiwa Exceler LT.... 8 3. Rapala R-Type........ 10 4. Alvey Orbiter........... 16 5. Quantum Inshore Smoke.................... 17 6. Okuma Helios SX.... 18 7. Abu Garcia Roxani.. 18 8. Penn Conflict.......... 18 9. Rapala Maxwell...... 23 see which one came up with the lowest number. This is for entertainment purposes only, as it’s takes none of your individual needs

FINAL WORDS FROM THE TESTERS “They’re all good reels and have a different target species.

My personal favourite was probably one of the Rapalas – the robustness was right up there for me.” - Brian Smith.

“Probably the Alvey for me. Trying that out for the first time I was really impressed.

I had it locked up and it was pretty smooth. All of the reels were great for value for money.” - Jarryd Parkinson.

“In all honesty they’re all good reels, and they all have their place. I particularly like the Daiwa Tierra. Nice looking, good drag and it makes fighting the fish quite easy.” - Aaron Walker.

WHAT’S BEST FOR YOU? If there’s anything we have learned from this experience, it’s that none of the reels failed the fishing test. The difference between the best and the worst drag

Anglers just love the sound of line peeling off a reel.

Everyone went home with a Fishing Monthly goodie bag and a reel of their choice. two Daiwas and the Rapala Type-R represent the best value for money. That’s great if money is the sole

segment. One may also say that this is to be expected, given that it was the most expensive reel entered.

into account.

We are prepared for the complaints and tears from some distributors, but hey – we can only report on what the testers told us!

1. Alvey Orbiter........... 79.5 2. Daiwa Tierra LT....... 73.9 3. Abu Garcia Roxani.. 71.0 4. Rapala R-Type........ 69.1 5. Daiwa Exceler LT.... 65.3 6. Penn Conflict II....... 64.1 7. Okuma Helios SX.... 63.8 8. Quantum Inshore Smoke.................... 61.0 9. Rapala Maxwell...... 57.8

Aaron put plenty of thought into his scores.

Tide Apparel’s fishing simulator had the testers playing everything from 2lb bass to 50lb GTs. basis of your decisionmaking, but you may be buying a reel for a specific purpose and it’s very likely that a reel’s unique feature(s) may be more important than value.

42

MARCH 2020

JUST FOR GIGGLES Finally, how about adding all of the rankings together? In all of the analysis, we ranked the reels 1 (first) to 9 (last). Let’s add all the rankings together and

Our independent testing group took their work very seriously.

was bugger all, so it all may just come down to personal preference.

After all, you might need a high speed reel, and if that’s the case the Quantum Inshore or Penn may fit the bill the best. Maybe you need the lightest reel to balance that fancy rod of yours?

Or maybe you want a reel with a long warranty?

The Okuma wins this race hands down, with 10 years of guaranteed back-up of their product.

I can 100% say that $200 in 2020 gives you a much better reel than it did 20 years ago.

We are also aware that we didn’t test for corrosion resistance or any other measures of durability. That’s because we had neither gear, time or inclination to destruction-test these reels.

We’d much rather give some away to our readers!

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Offshore excellence RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

An incredible run of weather has kept anglers offshore lately.

OFFSHORE The fishing has been great. Pelagic and reef fish have been biting well, with big snapper and red emperor being the standouts. It was awesome to see snapper in numbers as we would see through winter.

Floating pilchards and live yakkas have been working best on them. We’ve also been landing decent red emperor mixed in amongst the snapper

Deckhand Harry showed his skills to land this big red emperor.

BRISBANE (SOUTH) STONES CORNER MARINE 117 Old Cleveland Road, Stones Corner P: (07) 3397 9766 www.stonescornermarine.com.au

BUNDABERG BUNDABERG MARINELAND 95 Targo Street, Bundaberg P: (07) 4130 0500 www.bundabergmarineland.com.au

CAIRNS BILLS MARINE 136-138 Lyons Street, Cairns P: (07) 4051 6733 www.billsmarine.com.au

GLADSTONE CURTIS COAST MARINE 103 Hanson Road, Gladstone P: (07) 4972 0135 www.curtiscoastmarine.com.au

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HERVEY BAY BUCCANEERS 19 Islander Road, Pialba, Hervey Bay P: (07) 4124 6988 www.buccaneers.com.au

Dan scored himself this cracking snapper. and they have liked live yakkas as usual.

Spanish and spotted mackerel are in good numbers but so are the sharks on the mackerel grounds.

It has been hard to get the fish past them some days.

ON THE BEACH The beach fishing has been very good, particularly at

Double Island Point.

Whiting, bream and big dart are easy to catch on live beachworms at the moment.

GREAT SANDY STRAITS Mangrove jack are the talk of the town!

Jacks are still running hot, with poddy mullet being the go-to bait.

MARCH March is a good fishing month for surface and bottom fishing but it can be a bit unstable weather wise.

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

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WHITSUNDAYS WHITSUNDAY MARINE Lot 4/11 Shute Harbour Road, Cannonvale P: (07) 4948 3298 www.whitsundaymarine.com.au

Chris Gartner caught his first ever jack on a kayak while fishing in rock structure in the Coomera River.

MARCH 2020

45

Get into the thick of reef fishing HERVEY BAY

Dane Radosevic

The start of March should be marked on the calendar for all serious reef fishos, as the typical strong summer currents start to subside and the reef fishing really fires between the Herald patches off Lady Elliot and the wider country off Fraser Island (Breaksea).

The prized red emperor is the species many keen anglers will endeavour to catch, and for good reason, as they are an extremely hard-fighting fish that eats incredibly well at any size. Their numbers should only continue to increase throughout these areas over

the next few months. For those in the know, searching country to find small isolated reef and rubble patches away from the main traffic areas should pay dividends. Big baits and livies such as mullet fillets, freshly caught hussar, whole tiger squid, yakka and pike are crucial and will help keep the pickers at bay while attracting the attention of a big hungry red.

Large nannygai will be caught while targeting reds, with certain grounds out wide holding greater numbers than others and producing quality fish exceeding the magic 10kg mark. The usual suspects such as coral trout, sweetlip, tuskies, Maori cod, hussar and Moses perch will make

up the majority of the icebox but at least they are all great eating. Pay close attention to your sonar as you’ll often mark fish higher up in the water column. Floating down a whole pilchard or pencil squid bait or dropping a soft plastic or slow fall jig can often result in getting your arms stretched by a kingfish, amberjack or a very tasty green jobfish.

Take note of any bird activity while motoring between spots, as there could be schools of yellowfin tuna ranging up to 20kg working bait balls throughout the area and they are great sport on a 10-15kg spin stick. Stickbaits rigged to a heavy jighead cast into the school and rapidly retrieved

Owen Howe landed his first yellowfin tuna!

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will most likely achieve a hook-up.

The southern and northern gutters have been fishing quite well but the sharks have made landing anything quite difficult. If you persist with the more heavily pressured common grounds, sharks will be an issue as their population continues to grow. A bag of mixed reefies consisting of trout, cod, sweetlip, hussar,

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Moses perch and tuskies is achievable if you’re prepared to move around to try and avoid the sharks.

If you’re wanting to find new ground with less shark activity, there’s country to the east and west of the main ledges that has been producing some good quality coral trout to 6kg and a variety of other mixed reef species including nannygai, sweetlip, tuskies, cod and the odd red emperor on large flesh baits, livies or soft plastics tea-bagged off the bottom.

Nannygai will become a target species as they become more prolific in areas from the 25-Fathom Hole out to the gutters and can often be found on small patches of flat rubbly country or near wonky holes. They can be a fickle fish to target, but a well-presented fresh bait lightly weighted and floated back down through the target area will increase your chances of hooking the better quality models.

An early season snapper may also be on the cards for those with some local knowledge on the area and where to target them. Look out for any bird activity, as yellowfin tuna schools may be working bait balls throughout the 25-fathom area and further north.

The scattered reefs throughout Rooney will be worth a prospect for a feed with coral trout, nannygai, cod and sweetlip all on the cards. A night session on these grounds will often result in better quality fish being caught and you may even score an early season snapper. Keep the squid jigs close at hand, as pencil squid can be attracted to your boat lights at night and make for great live baits.

Prep the spin sticks and make sure your reels are full and freshly spooled with plenty of braid, as chaos is about to erupt in Platypus Bay with the annual run of tuna expected to take off.

With good numbers of early season longtail tuna being reported, we can expect to have another red-hot season teeming with whitewater, showering baitfish, divebombing birds and some very hungry sharks.

From the Urangan Harbour, you can cut across the bay to Moon Point and run up the island to start your search for birds anywhere from Coongul Creek north.

With the added protection of the island, this will make for a more enjoyable day should the weather take a turn for the worse. The best action will more often be up towards Wathumba Creek and off Station Hill in the ‘pocket’ area, usually due to the bait congregating thickest in this

Logan Cummings was stoked to land a healthy 85cm+ barra from one of the local rivers. area; however, with a greater food supply comes more and larger predators and this is also where the sharks will be at their thickest. Be prepared to move around and fish different schools if you wish to land fish.

Fishing heavier gear than you typically would anywhere else will result in more fish landed and less taxes paid. A quality 10-15kg high speed spin outfit is ideal and, using the correct techniques, can make light work of a tuna in quick time. Having a variety of stickbaits, soft plastics and metal slugs similar to the baitfish they are feeding on is important and will greatly improve your results.

Fishing closer to the island will enable you to check out the flats, which can make for some spectacular sight fishing to packs of tuna moving along the flat in the clear water.

Getting in position on the right angle is important to make your cast so lead the fish in anticipation of one veering off to hone down your offering. Big cobia in excess of 40kg are present in these areas at this time of year and can be found under the tuna schools, on the flats free swimming or tailing behind the rays. Keep your eyes peeled, as they will engulf most offerings presented to them so hold on for the fight!

The central bay area wide of 6 Mile Arch Cliffs and north towards Rooney should present lots of bird activity and longtail action provided you have the right conditions to fish.

The purists will ignore mac tuna but they will also be in abundance, feeding on the bait balls. They are still great sport, as they tend to really beef up this time of year.

It has been a great season for those fishing the inshore

reefs as they continue to deliver quality table fish.

After copping continuous angling pressure, it is promising to see stocks are replenishing well. Sweetlip, trout, cod and blackall have made up the majority of the catches with night raids providing the better quality sweeties on fresh prawn or squid baits. The dawn runs have produced good quality trout while trolling the shallow reef edges or tea-bagging soft plastics over the gnarlier reefs or wrecks on the turn of the tide. Anglers up for a fight have brought out the heavy tackle to do battle with big blue tuskies, but sharks have been making it difficult to land them even after doing all the hard work to stop them.

Nannygai can be caught this time of year over the deeper reefs throughout the main shipping channel or on the ledges over towards Fraser Island, responding best to a well-presented squid, prawn or flesh bait lightly weighted and drifted down.

Over the larger tides, tuna schools will frequent the main shipping channel feeding on micro baits, making them very frustrating to target. Fly anglers will often have greatest success presenting tiny flies like a Surf Candy fly. Alternatively, if using spin tackle, downsizing to a lighter 15-20lb outfit will enable you to cast the smaller 15-20g slugs that are required to draw a bite, with the favoured colour being green over silver.

Queenies will be an easy target species over the larger tides as they roam the shallower reef flats and pressure edges created by the inshore islands. Casting a pencil style popper is about as exciting as it gets when

targeting these acrobatic speedsters, as they love to come to the surface to feed while they hunt down their prey. Pack the heavy tackle as there have been some big GTs hanging around the islands and over the wrecks. Casting a popper during the low light periods when there is minimal boat traffic will give you the best opportunity, or try sending down a big live bait and hold on!

Barra, threadfin salmon and grunter continue to be the top target species throughout the Mary and Susan rivers. Some of the best catches of grunter have come from those fishing with baits across the rocky rubble patches in the lower Susan reaches. Fishing the drains over the larger tides has been producing some quality threadfin salmon and the odd barra for those persistent enough to keep

casting different offerings at them while watching them feed on the abundance of jelly prawns. Here’s hoping for some more rain to give the water a bit of colour and encourage the prawns to propagate and really kick the fishing into gear. The barra fishing has been a little hit-and-miss, with live baits accounting for some great fish around the Heads area. Working the neap tides further

David Howe scored a brute GT fishing inshore at Hervey Bay.

upriver has offered better opportunities for lure fishos. You can also expect to find these same species throughout the straits, usually without the added pressure of other boats.

The hot and humid conditions have made it ideal for targeting mangrove jack.

The creeks on the western side of Fraser have been producing some good fish if you can put up with the sand flies and mosquitos.

There have been reports of scattered patches of prawns in the Burrum River but not enough to fill your limit as of yet. Threadfin salmon, grunter, barra and mangrove jack love to feed on prawns so it is worth searching to find them.

Evening sessions may pay dividends as prawns will often move under the cover of darkness, which is the ideal time for predatory fish like those listed above to be active and feeding.

The Urangan Pier has been pretty quiet and uneventful for some time.

However, the resident GTs out the end of the pier have been keeping the anglers feeling fit enough to tussle with one of these brutes in close to the pylons amused. Heavy 80lb tackle is needed to stop and turn one of these fish and if

The author displaying two prized reef species he landed while fishing the grounds wide of Fraser Island. one does make a run out from under the pier, back the drag off and play the fight out wide to maximise your chances. Other than that, there have been a few

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Great estuary fishing February saw the opening of the saltwater barramundi season and what a cracker it was, with plenty of good fish coming from the harbour and estuaries as well as the little treasure in the middle of town known as Lake Callemondah. The flow over of the lake and the season coincided almost perfectly, resulting in some spectacular fishing from both the salt and freshwater side of the weir. Keep this lake up your sleeve in case we see more rain throughout the month.

Fishing the freshwater side can be effective without rain, however you will need to use a weedless jighead as the area is quite heavily weeded.

The normal hot spots in the harbour produced yet another cracker start to the season with fish around and over the metre mark not uncommon at all, not to mention some of the spectacular by-catch consisting of golden snapper and even the odd larger size blue salmon.

While barramundi is a prime target, there are plenty of opportunities to target other species that

GLADSTONE

Dylan Christie

March is usually one of the best months to fish in the Gladstone region and I can’t see this year being any different. The estuaries have usually had a good flush of freshwater by now and the wind normally drops, allowing people to get offshore, which has been few and far between over the past months. In recent years, we haven’t received much rain but this year we got some decent rain early, so fingers crossed it continues to roll through as the tropical lows build up north.

As a direct result of this, the estuaries have come alive with mud crabs moving around through most systems around the region as well as plenty of prawns, especially throughout South Trees, Calliope River and the Narrows. A great time to chase the prawns is around the new moon. Deep holes seem to be the standout but they can be caught in little drains and creek mouths on the low tide.

are often overlooked in the Gladstone Harbour.

Through February, we saw some great captures of grass sweetlip and coral trout, not to mention some beautiful tuskfish, commonly known as blueys.

If you want to catch tuskfish, matching the hatch is crucial as they are very fussy eaters.

Tuskies are crustacean eaters so they absolutely love a freshly caught crab or prawn and some locals even chase them with freshwater yabbies.

While they can be found in all sorts of areas, it’s common for them to be up foraging over shallow reef and gravel flats, making them quite an easy fish to spot once you know what you’re looking for. They are also the most iridescent blue while in the water so they’re pretty obvious.

With that being the case, if they are just roaming they will often see you as well, which makes them even harder to get closer to. Stealth and presentation is the key to successfully targeting tuskies and it will be an advantage when there is a slight breeze blowing over your shoulder causing

Plenty of quality models were caught over the barra opening. the slightest ripple on the water.

If you’re going to target this hard pulling tractor of a species, I highly recommend using a handline with upwards of 100lb monofilament line. As I said before, presentation can be the difference between getting this fish to eat your bait or just casually cruising on by, so it pays to use as little lead as possible, if any at all, to make the bait look more natural in the water.

While you’re out chasing

ever seen, which is a great sign for the region moving forward. Once upon a time it was very uncommon to see lure-caught jacks over the 50cm mark, however now they are showing up all over the region above 45cm. If you’re thinking about targeting them, there is no better time than now before the weather starts to cool off.

Smaller flathead should also make an appearance this month in some of the more sandy estuaries along with the larger whiting.

larger fish, especially on the wind blown points and timber filled bays. The water temperature may start to drop off but this doesn’t mean the fishing will. It should only have the fish spending more time in the shallows, where they can be easily sight casted.

Be careful with every movement, as they can be easily spooked in this depth of water.

• For all the latest info on what’s biting and where, drop into Pat’s Tackle World at 23 Lord Street, Gladstone

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these awesome fish, it pays to have another line rigged with a pilly or even a soft plastic because you will find yourself seeing some other cool species like coral trout, cod, grunter and even big blubber lip bream.

The estuaries are always great fishing at this time of year. The area seems to have produced more mangrove jack than anything else we have

Awoonga is only going to get better with the amount of fingerlings being put in there at the moment. Fish in the 50-65cm range are often caught around the tops of trees as well as the shallow weed beds. They can quite easily be targeted on surface lures, making for unreal visual action. Afternoons into night leading into the moons are still producing the best results for the

or give them a call on (07) 4972 3692. The team have their finger to the pulse to what is happening in the area, and are sure to point you in the right direction.

You can also find news, catch photos and special deals on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com / P a t s Ta c k l e w o r l d Gladstone) or check them out on Instagram (@ patstackleworld).

Deluge brings delights BUNDABERG

Jason Medcalf topwater@bigpond.com

What a difference some rain makes! Our region has finally had some decent rainfall and there’s even more on the way.

So what do you do as an angler and the rain is keeping you inside? Preparation.

All good anglers I have had the pleasure of fishing with over the years, it’s been their preparation that has set them apart. It may even seem a little basic, but if you start by having all things you think you might need close by and in working order for your day on the water, you’ll be miles ahead.

Things like fish grips, pliers for removing hooks, pliers for changing trebles a good sharp pair of scissors for cutting braid are handy to have. I even carry spares because the person you might be fishing with might be like me and end up borrowing yours and then claiming them for the day.

Preparation doesn’t stop there, just think about what you use in a day’s lure fishing. Leader material!

Make sure you have a few options, as sometimes you

need to drop your leader size to get the bites and sometimes you need to beef it up if the big models are on the chew. With all the really cool tackle management options on the market now, there is always something to suit your individual needs.

And if you’re wondering what other goodies these very experienced anglers have in their kitty, there’s spare trebles, split rings, stick-on weights, super glue, zip ties, duct tape and the essential head lamp for when the afternoon session gets late.

If you’re the boat owner, a waterproof box with a small tool kit that covers basic mechanical fix ups like getting the water pump cover off or tightening the hose clamp on the fuel line.

In my kit I have a spanners that suits all the bolts on the motor, boat and trailer.

I also make sure I have a fully stocked first aid kit that includes your basic painkillers. I carry spare sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, shirt and, probably most importantly, I carry plenty of freshwater. Preparation is thinking about what your day’s plan is and having everything you think you need for it and then a few

things if something happens you weren’t planning on happening.

What’s going to happen in our region in March? Well hopefully we will still have some good fresh flowing through our systems. This will mean great fishing coming up throughout the year, we just have to be a bit patient. Some things that will be a ‘given’ will be the prawns and crabs on the move and when they are moving, so are all the predators. The river mouths will be a hive off activity and definitely worth putting extra time into. If you are getting an itchy lure fishing trigger finger, head to our dams, as they will really start to produce.

This will be my last article in this great mag as it’s time for some of our younger generation to step up and add their enthusiasm and knowledge to help others experience fishing in our great region. It’s been well over 20 years of writing and sharing my experience here and I would like to thank all of you readers out there that support this great mag and this amazing industry.

Just a final thought, fishing is different for everyone. For some it’s an escape, time to

When you get the preparation right it makes the fishing easier. If your local fishing hole is flooded, use this time to prepare, and you’ll be ready when trophy fish like this mangrove jack come along. relax and let the world go by, for some it’s their sport, their life, their addiction, and of course there’s those that are in between. For all my years fishing, writing, presenting on stages and appearing on fishing shows it was all about motivating people to get out and enjoy our natural wonders, because you never know who will be a future decision maker, but if they love the outdoors then it will be in safe hands.

Looking for the barra bite LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

Lake Monduran is renowned for its very early morning and late afternoon bite times, especially through the summer months when the temperatures are high.

However over the past few months this has not been the case, as bite times have been through the later part of the morning, the middle of the day and afternoon.

The predicted Almanac bite times have also played a big part in successful bite periods, so they are always worth looking at before hitting the water.

Great success stories about Lake Monduran have been getting around and for good reason. Most anglers that frequent the lake are boating anywhere from 5-15 barra per session and between 20-40 over three or four days. With the odd metre barra now being caught, it is sure to be another exciting season ahead.

Trolling in deeper water has been a very productive method over the last few months. The water level has been dropping at a rapid rate, and as a result a large number of barra moved out from the shallows to feed out in the

deeper riverbeds and main channels. Now that the region has received a substantial amount of rainfall, the lake’s water level will stabilise and barra will start to feed back in the shallows, making them a much easier target.

March, April and May are my favourite months for

targeting barra here at Lake Monduran, as the cooler weather patterns and stability in the wind fire these barra up. This also means the bigger barra tend to come out and feed harder to gain much needed body fat to get them through the winter period.

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Expect March madness after the downpour ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

The start of open season has been very successful so far. Lots of big barra have been caught, with many captures occurring a few days after the barrage gates were opened. The local estuaries have produced some great fishing in between the showers of rain. Thankfully, the constant rain throughout the start of February has started to slowly fill up all the empty lagoons. There is still a long way to go but it should provide some relief to the fish there.

FITZROY AND THE NARROWS The Fitzroy was fishing very well last month, especially within the first few days of the barrage gates being opened when the clean freshwater was flowing through with big barra and lots of bait.

Unfortunately, the town reaches are now flowing with dirty fresh water, which can turn off the fishing unless you head up one of the creeks into

Pat Egan proved the rain and fresh is good for fishing with a nice 60cm fish from down deep in town. the still water or you are running live baits. All of the flow brings freshwater weed with it, which isn’t too bad as it will eventually break down into food sources for bait.

to success. A few of those can be turned into barra very easily while the fresh is flowing and can make for a great afternoon in town.

Some good areas in town that are sheltered from the flow are the rocks under the main highway bridge, behind the bowls club in Moores Creek and lastly, Gavial Creek.

RIVERS, CREEKS AND BEACHES The creeks and beaches around have really come alive from the rains. The amount of bait around continues to amaze me.

There are a lot of 2” prawns and it’s the perfect timing for spawning with all the rain and some nice full moons on the horizon, so it won’t take long until there are large prawns everywhere. The prawns have certainly brought grunter and trevally with them, as these two species seem to be everywhere the prawns are.

deep diving hardbodies and heavily-weighted, slow rolled plastics.

FRESHWATER LAGOONS The local lagoons are still slowly filling with water. This will greatly help oxygenate the water already there and go a long way to making sure the fish survive.

If you are going to target fish in the lagoons, I suggest fishing ones around the region that are full to help keep the already stressed fish in low water level lagoons in good nick.

While the rain is around, surface lures are the go, especially in the late arvo with a slight drizzle. The key to lagoon barra is long pauses after popping or walking the lure.

CRABBING The crabbing has been pretty good lately for both mud crabs and blue swimmers. The best baits I have been using lately are

With town reaches flowing dirty, it doesn’t mean other areas won’t fish well. The lower reaches will be a little affected but can still have great fishing.

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Narrows will all have minimal impact from the water so can be productive.

Shooting down to the port on the next set of neaps will result in some great lure fishing and the area is so vast that even with a packed ramp you will likely not see anyone while you’re down there.

If you are after a quick arvo or morning session, finding a small lagoon holding perch is the ticket

There are plenty of mangrove jack and flathead around at the moment too.

The bigger tides see the jacks move to the back of the mangroves while the water is higher, so it is best to target them on either neaps or go and chase them on the low tides.

Flathead have been sitting in deeper pockets of water and I have had the most successful chasing them on run-out tides with

threadfin salmon frames.

They have out-fished mullet, golden snapper and flathead frames.

If you can use your frames to go crabbing or give them to someone else who can use them, it is much better for the ecosystem. Nothing goes to waste, nutrients go back into the water and it will help ease the pressure for commercially sourced crab pot bait.

A strong start to the barramundi season YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

Barramundi shifted into top gear as February progressed. As expected, the net-free zones have been producing the goods in the river and all the local systems.

see just about all types of lures to the point where they go cold on what was hot last week or month. On the same token, the new lures get old quick and the cycle starts again. We have seen this with barramundi over a long time and more recently with the big schools of king salmon. We would turn up on the river expecting to score a

The author and Coby Pascoe landed a couple of shore-based barra from The Fitzroy.

Despite there being large numbers of barra in The Fitzroy, you still need to work them out a little bit before you get any great catches. Tides and moon phases definitely play a big part. The tides in the river are about two hours after the Gladstone times. Either side of the high or low can go well, particularly if it coincides with daylight and dusk.

few fish, only to find them unresponsive to the lures we have been using for the last week or two. Finally, after process of elimination in a well-stocked tackle box, one lure will stand out again.

I always make sure that I have a decent selection of vibes, paddle-tails, deep and shallow hardbodies and a few surface walkers for late afternoon sessions. Live

are the amount of bait and fish species that tend to stay up in the town reaches for a longer duration. The main negative for the fishers is that the breeders aren’t producing, which will affect recruitment over coming years. As good as our system is, it needs lots of rain to keep it healthy.

King salmon have remained constant over the last few years. They only slow down for a short while before picking up big numbers once more, although lure pressure does have a major effect on the big schools. Most salmon landed locally fall to different styles of vibes and paddle-tails.

They say colour doesn’t make much difference and maybe colour itself doesn’t, but colour contrast certainly does. The contrast may not be on the lure; it can be the lure colour against water or structure colouring. At the moment, darker bodies or dark stripes are the top lure patterns. When the water is clean, I prefer the more natural colours and when the water is dirty, black or fluoro is my go-to. Livies are also going well for king salmon with prawns or small poddy mullet being the best choice.

Anglers fishing the platforms and pontoons always do well in the evenings. Salmon fall into the ‘no run, no fun’ group as they like a bit of water movement. Kings tend to school more over the low lows and spread out over the incoming tides. You can find a school and lose it again in short time. They usually push upstream with the tide and back again on the run-out. Once the gates of the barrage open, we will

Mark Thompson caught a fine Keppel cobia.

Causeway Lake after the holidaymakers and school kids have left them alone for a while. After dark is still the best time but now you have a reasonable chance of a fish on a quiet day. The Narrows, Pumpkin Creek and Kinka Creek are other spots that hold decent numbers of jacks. Small plastics and hardbodies work quite well but thin strips of mullet pinned one end on an unweighted single 2/0 hook have been slayers. Flick in under the mangroves as far as possible and let it settle for a few seconds before a slow retrieve. Not many jacks can resist grabbing the bait. Livies are also a great option if you can get onto the right size mullet, prawns or herring.

Recent weeks have produced some good catches of grunter once again around the full and new moons.

They should be in form for the next month or so in most of the local systems.

Holes and cockle beds are prime country to check.

Connors Creek, Coorooman Creek, Water Park Creek

and Pumpkin Creek are the better options.

Offshore grunter have been a bit random lately.

Now the big jewies have moved out of the better grunter spots, there might be a better chance of nailing some of these tasty buggers.

Don’t fish on main structure; grunter will be in the surrounding tide trenches, eddies or pressure points.

The Pinnacles, The Rama, Quartz, Cape Manifold and any of the closer wrecks can fire when the tides and moon are on the rise. The best baits are prawns or squid at present. There is a good chance of catching a golden snapper at any of the grunter spots, so we always have a rod or two rigged with a big vibe or plastic.

Towards the middle of February, we had some good runs of doggies at the closer coastal locations. Several times when the conditions allowed, the schoolies came on at Bangalee and Farnborough. Among the dogs were a few spotties and greys. We should be getting a bigger run of greys over

coming weeks. The best catches have been made by fishos ready to go as the sun comes up, and it’s even better if there is a high tide before ten. These shallow spots will normally shut down as the tide drops and the sun moves up.

Metal lures have been the most productive but it’s worth always having a few pillies on standby. If you prefer baits, it pays to have a floater and a ganged pilly weighted a bit deeper. You can adjust your depths once you find the fish. Areas worth a shot for doggies, greys and spotties this month are Ritamada, Iron Pot, Quartz, Divide, Wedge, Findlays and Bangalee. Spaniards are around in small numbers lately so it’s probably only the resident fish. The bigger passing schools are never far away and may show up as the month wears on. Liza Jane, Humpy, Hummocky, Barren and Child, Cape Manifold, Flat, Perforated, The Pinnacles, Conical, Outer, and Man and Wife all hold residents. Use bigger baits or lures this time of year.

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Bryce Sutton with a Keppel Bay Spanish mackerel.

The majority of fish landed lately have been on plastics. Big paddle-tails are outperforming the regular vibes and hardbodies at present. They produce plenty of water movement and noise to attract the barra’s attention.

The fish here receive a lot of pressure and they get to

baits are consistently good when you find the fish away from the crowds. Bait can be pretty hard to catch around town once the fresh flows pick up pace. So far, this year has had one of the driest starts to the barra season in recent times, which can be good and bad. The positives

see the bigger schools return to the bottom end of the river and move in and out of the holes in the delta through to Connors Creek. Coorooman Creek has had a few kings and Corio/Water Park is another likely area.

Mangrove jack have returned to normal in The

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51

Salt or fresh, the barramundi are everywhere MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

We’ve had an amazing opening to the barra season in the creeks and estuaries, with good barra being caught in the city centre and to the north and south.

As predicted, the good run of prawns during January meant the barra were well and truly on the chew last month. This should continue into March, although we normally get our heaviest dumps of rain during March and leading up to Easter.

Boats and barra seemed to be everywhere in the

but a boat in the latter two opens up a heap of water.

Further south, Plane Creek/ Sarina Inlet and Rocky Dam Creek would be the pick of the creeks. Live baits will be productive during March.

Soft vibes have been the lure of choice, with darker colours for the murkier waters with some run-off and lighter colours in the clear stuff. Fortunately, most of our systems clear pretty quickly after rain. Transams, Threadybusters, and similar offerings have been very successful. Zerek Fish Traps have also got a strong following as they get results.

To the north of Mackay, all the creeks are firing with Reliance and Constant having

Troy Taylor dropped a big jig down on some bait and came up trumps with this golden snapper just out from Mackay Harbour. creeks, and on the quarter moon tides the fish went nuts. Catches of 6-10 barra per angler were not unusal, which will continue this month. The best barra baits so far this season have been mullet and live prawns, which is not surprising considering the number of creek prawns around.

The best systems to the south include close handy spots like Bakers, Sandy and Alligator creeks. They all have productive waters accessible from the banks

good numbers of barra. The big news is the success of the barra opening month in the net-free zone. Victor, Cluny, Conow, Mathers and Murray creeks have seen plenty of barra come aboard with fish up to a metre being caught. This year is the final year that data will be collected on the NFZ catches and forms are available at Tackleworld Mackay.

The catch rate and size data is invaluable and results already in the NFZ show more barra catches and

Paul Lake worked a Nories B-Hirara in Rocky Dam Creek to score this 75cm barra. bigger fish for recreational anglers. For example, in 2015 (first year of the survey data) 48 legal barra were recorded and all fish except one were kept. In 2019, 173 legal barra were caught in the NFZ and 56% of these were released after capture. That’s an increase in legal barra catches of almost 300% in four years, or roughly an average increase of 75% each year of the NFZ. Plus, that is only the fish recorded and I can assure readers there have been a lot more fish caught than recorded, so it is evident that the NFZ is working for barra numbers and sizes.

March is not only about saltwater barra. The dams are all firing well with good numbers of horse size barra still being caught. So far this year, Kinchant has been where the biggest fish have been regularly caught, followed by Teemburra in number. The biggest barra are in Eungella but they are not caught as often, as this dam is primarily a sooty fishery and the barra tend to be a bit lethargic in the cooler water temperatures.

Eungella was the first dam MAFSA stocked with barra and they have had quite a few years’ head start on the other two dams. I have no doubt there are barra in that dam over 50kg and tales of bust-offs and ‘unstoppable’ fish continue to filter through. Because it is such a great sooty fishery, no one has really taken the time to fully unlock the barra secrets there.

Speaking of sooties, the 2020 INDT World Sooty Championship nominations opened late February and numbers are coming in quickly. The event at Eungella dam is over 2-3 May and numbers have been increased to a maximum of 120 anglers. This is a major fundraiser for MAFSA and all money goes to stocking barra in the Pioneer River, which is not in the SIP scheme. Get in early, as it is a popular event and numbers fill quickly. The MAFSA Facebook page has the rules and directions to the online nominations.

Mackay Regional Council has produced an excellent publication under

the Hooked on Mackay promotion titled Mackay Freshwater Fishing. It gives directions and overviews for each dam, GPS coordinates for the Kinchant structure project, lure types, accommodation etc. Check it out on www. hookedonmackay.com or on the Hooked on Mackay Facebook page.

While barra will continue to dominate most anglers’ thoughts during March, depending on rain and local flooding, there will be other options and fish on the bite. King threadfin and blue salmon are around in good numbers and the big threadies don’t mind the dirty water and a bit of fresh.

Blues definitely prefer clean, salty water.

Threadies, like barra, have been having a good

Taellum Friend caught his first ever barra from the rocks at the mouth of the Pioneer River. time with the abundance of prawns lately. Live prawns will snare them once you find them. They do show up quite well on modern sounders and on side scan in the shallows. Soft plastic prawn imitations will also work.

Threadies have a liking for soft vibes and a slow ‘sink and draw’ type retrieve will account for plenty.

Keith Day wins Environmental Achievement Award Keith Day was presented with the 2020 Environmental Achievement Award 2020 on Australia Day, with the award presentation held at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre (MECC) on Saturday 25 January 2020.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s Keith had a vision of improving the recreational fishing in the Mackay region. His approach was different to most, as many people only thought about fishing in the saltwater environment, however Keith’s vision was to encourage locals and visitors to the region to fish in the freshwater impoundments.

52

MARCH 2020

At the time limited fish stocking had been carried out in the region as a trial by the Department of Primary Industries but not on a regular basis. Kinchant Dam had been constructed and Teemburra Dam was nearing completion and Keith saw these impoundments as an opportunity to progress his dream of making Mackay a premier fishing destination for locals and visitors.

In 1996 Keith, with the help of others, helped to set up a fish hatchery that is still used to breed sooty grunter and grow out barramundi fingerlings, which are stocked in the regions impoundments and waterways.

At various times Keith has held the positions of Chairman, Secretary,

Treasurer and Publicity Officer during the existence of MAFSA and is the current Chairman and Publicity Officer.

Keith is still as passionate today, and 25 years after his dream of improving the freshwater fishing experience in our area saw the formation of Mackay Area Fish Stocking Association Inc. Keith became a life member of MAFSA in 2005.

“Thank you to everyone for your support,” Keith said. “This award is a recognition of the effort everybody associated with MAFSA, past and present, has put in over 25 years and I am very proud to accept it on behalf of everybody.” – MAFSA

With the added advantage of a bit of weight, long casts are no problem with these lures, which will reduce boat noise and the chance of spooking the fish.

For fly fishers, threadies are a real challenging target as they can often be sight cast in the shallows along mud banks. Small prawn patterns, Clousers and baitfish patterns will work on threadies and also blues.

The usual creek and estuary species will be on the go through March depending on the amount of rain and freshwater in the systems. Jacks, cod, bream, flathead and whiting will be the main species caught and their availability will be governed by rainfall totals. Expect to run across small queenies and trevally hunting up the creeks

chasing prawns as well.

The muddies are running and good numbers of crabs have been reported, both to the north and south of the city. It seems the pot robbers or ‘share farmers’ are out in force though, so hide your pots really well or sit and fish nearby. Several pots in the north have also been mangled by crocs so keep your eyes open while in any of the creeks.

Around the inshore islands and even well off shore, the reefies tend to be a little quiet through March and this can usually be attributed to the heavy rain, which is the norm here during March. However, there will be days of fine weather and clear water when it is possible to get among trout, sweetlip, cod, blueys and the like, which can all be found within a few kilometres of the shore.

Around the islands off the NFZ are prime spots but be careful of the no fish zones around some of the islands.

March in Mackay is much the same as last month, with little pelagic activity, plenty of barra and threadies, decent dam fishing and patches of good offshore reef fishing. It sounds great and it is, so why not come up and join us here in paradise?

See you at the ramp.

One of three Net Free Zones in Queensland Plenty of bucket-list fish species Improved catch rates and lengths You’ll be Hooked on Mackay for years to come

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HOOK Reveal 9” review I have been fishing for the majority of my life. Looking back now with 30 odd years of experience I can see how valuable the humble fishfinder has been over the years and how far they have progressed. While fishing with my Dad in the Victorian lakes in the early 90s our little 4” black and white sounder was an invaluable tool when fishing for big winter rainbow trout and salmon.

Fast forward to 2020 and the need for a sounder is much the same, however the technology available is vastly different.

A recent move to the Northern Beaches of Sydney and a new fishery prompted me to purchase a new boat to explore the diverse fishery that is Middle Harbour. A little Haines Hunter Seawasp was the perfect option and I was so surprised when asked to do a review of the Lowrance HOOK Reveal 9”. Little did I know at the time that this little sounder was the perfect choice for a small boat like mine. The powerful unit has a HD 9” screen, GPS Chartplotter with built-in maps and a triple shot transducer, providing a multitude of ways to differentiate structure and fish. Never has finding fish been so easy!

The Details Picking up the box I was surprised at the lack of weight after reading up on the multitude of features that Lowrance has stuffed into the HOOK Reveal 9” unit.

Navigation is a breeze for those early morning starts with the preloaded AU/NZ C-MAP mapping charts and the ability to use Genesis Live to create your own detailed maps in real-time. The triple shot transducer delivers a triple threat of performance with proven Autotuning Sonar, SideScan and DownScan Imaging. The new Fish Reveal feature makes fish easier to see by combining Lowrance CHIRP sonar and DownScan Imaging on one display.

Setting Up Fitting the sounder to the little Haines Hunter Seawasp was very straight forward. In the box was the head unit, mounting bracket, transducer with cable and a power supply cable. As well as some helpful info on installation and a manual detailing the ins and outs of the unit. I had decided to mount the sounder centrally on a swivelling RAM mount to give me a good view when on the run and also whilst up on the casting deck prospecting with

The HOOK Reveal definitely makes finding fish easier.

A swivelling RAM mount is the perfect mounting option for this sounder, as it can be turned to face the angler whether they’re driving from the stern or casting on the front deck.

54

MARCH 2020

The author found the HOOK Reveal to be the perfect sounder for his little Haines Hunter Seawasp.

Finding the fish may be easier, but catching them is still up to the angler!

Side Scan is a fairly standard feature on sounders these days, but at 9” this unit is big enough to split with another function and still give great detail.

the electric motor. The install was very easy and the once the layout and transducer position was decided I was finished within an hour or so. The unit powered up straight away and after a quick registration via the Lowrance App it was ready to go.

Hitting the Water After playing with the settings and getting a feel for the layout it was time to hit the water. The one thing I did notice straight away is the simplicity of the unit. Upon start up the Autotuning Sonar started doing its thing and produced a crystal-clear image of the bottom and some small bait schools as I headed out into the harbour. Using the pages button, I was able to quickly switch between pages layouts for navigating the waterway and looking for structure and fish. Where this unit comes into its own is the new fish reveal feature combining Lowrance CHIRP sonar and DownScan Imaging. The ability to see the structure clearly and reveal the fish amongst it is a real game changer and one I have been relying upon heavily.

Finding More Fish I have found myself taking advantage of the auto features with this unit a lot. Straight out of the box I was able to find fish and key structure points without having to make any adjustments at all. The huge amount of

information the unit pulls in is translated with detail that is easily interpreted even for a newcomer to sounders but is a valuable asset to the experienced as well. You will definitely find more fish with this unit if you make the most of the data presented to you with HOOK Reveal.

How Much Will It Cost?

The HOOK Reveal 9 Triple Shot with AU/NZ Charts I have been trialling for this review surprisingly has a RRP of $999. When I looked up the price of this unit I was expecting it to be much higher. To get all of these features for under $1000 dollars is real value and only a few years ago it would have cost you double that for a 9” sounder with all the same features.

Final Thoughts When I was approached to test this unit, I was excited to fit the sounder on my Seawasp. It is extremely easy to use and can be best described as a plug and play sounder with all of the advanced features you can expect from much higher priced units. As a small boat sounder, the HOOK Reveal is the perfect choice and I am getting more out of the unit every time I hit the water.

If you are in the market for a new sounder, definitely consider the Lowrance HOOK Reveal range of sounders from your local retailer. I am certain you will find the pure ease of use a game changer, and you’ll be happy with your purchase. – Brett Habener

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So far, so good this wet season WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

We’ve had enough rain to stir the prawns and the crabs up and top up the

it off, plenty of mangrove jack and grunter have been caught. The estuaries have been a vibrant place to be and that shouldn’t change over the coming weeks.

As long as we don’t

through this period of the year I expect to be smashing some trophy sized coral trout but so far this season they have been hard to come by.

I’m not too worried about it, as there have been piles of

and fern patches but we’ve had to search hard for them and the pelagic activity out in these areas has been a hit-and-miss affair also.

Most anglers who have ventured out to the shoals and the outer reef have been rewarded with some good catches, with the only real hindrance out there being the pesky sharks. If the weather gods stay nice, March should be a cracker month to get out and indulge in some piscatorial action.

In Edgecumbe Bay and around the inner islands, there will be something going on to keep anglers of all interests amused. It’s been a quiet season so far for coral trout and the like, but they can’t stay clammed up forever and I hope we will be able to smash a few over the coming weeks.

On the same grounds, stacks of bait have been

Steve had a good tussle on light spin gear with this mac tuna.

Coral trout have been hard to come by this month but there have still been a few captures. water tanks, but there have still been more sunny days than wet ones and the wind has been kind to us. It’s been nice to climb aboard the boat each morning and be able to decide where I want to

cop any major deluges that flood the estuaries too much then these areas will see a lot of activity. There will be plenty of crabs and prawns, and the water temperatures will still be high so the barramundi and mangrove

baitfish hanging around on a lot of the inshore reefs.

Although trout have been hard to come by, there has been some good consistent pelagic activity.

The main species I’ve been bumping into have been

Jayde Birrer caught a decent grey mackerel on a hardbody. hanging around for weeks now and if the baitfish stays around, we will continue to enjoy some nice pelagic activity. There are a few school mackerel around at

the moment, but in March and April they normally just get thicker and thicker.

They are fun to catch on light line and when they are true to their name and are

schooling up, it’s non-stop action. I do get excited when the schoolies show up thick, but not just because of the schoolies themselves, more

This was Ina’s first fishing trip and she was thrilled to catch a black jewfish. go and what I want to do, not have my day dictated to me by the weather.

Over the last few weeks, there has been something biting everywhere from up the tops of the creeks right out to the outer reef. Up in the creeks there have been some good feeds of mud crabs coming home, the barramundi season is now in full swing and prawns have started to show up. To top 58

MARCH 2020

jack action should be on fire as well. I don’t normally get to do a lot of creek bashing myself, but March is typically a quieter month for charters, so I am hoping to get into the mangroves and enjoy some of this fishing with a few mates.

The inshore grounds have been a bit of a mixed affair with some species biting well and others being rather scarce. Normally

school and grey mackerel, queenfish and a few tuna.

There has been so much bait around that the hardest part of going fishing each day has been trying to work out which bait ball is going to have the biggest fish hanging off it.

Out around the outer edges of the islands in the deep water has been a bit tougher. Some good fish have come in off the rubble

Steve Treichel has been enjoying the nice shallow water pelagic activity with some chunky grey mackerel.

To page 59

Anglers flood Burdekin River for barra opening AYR

Steve Farmer

For many Burdekin anglers, the fishing highlight of the year occurred on 1 February with the reopening of the barramundi season. Keen barra fishers have been champing at the bit for weeks, if not months for barramundi to be back on the fishing menu.

Up until now we’ve dodged the early season deluges and flooding, which meant estuarine waterways throughout the district have been fishable. As a bonus the weather was hot, steamy and stormy in the week or two leading up to 1 February, which would have helped sharpen the barra’s mood and appetite.

By the time you read this, the action and excitement of opening day will have been played out and relived time and again.

Anglers throughout the Burdekin will be chasing that big, silvery piscatorial icon, no matter what the weather and river conditions might be. I hope you found some action on opening day and that the looming deluge didn’t wash out your day.

From page 58

about what moves inshore to feed on them.

This is the time to start targeting that first big Spanish mackerel of the year or an XOS giant trevally. Quite often when I’m after one of these big predators it’s in less than 3m of water, which is just a blast. The fish can’t go down; the only place they can go is the horizon and that’s quite often where they wind up. This is

JACKS, GOLDEN SNAPPER AND GRUNTER Even without barra being on the menu, estuary fishing has been good across the Burdekin. Typical

Russell Sutcliffe put in the hours over summer and was suitably rewarded.

Russell made the most of an unusually favourable forecast of light winds and calm conditions by

the mouth of the Burdekin River. He spent the morning in the river and landed four grunter, two in the 40-50cm range and two measuring over 65cm.

Russell said he lost not

Russell Sutcliffe and his daughter Ellie with a pair of Burdekin River grunter. summer species mangrove jack, golden snapper and grunter haven’t disappointed estuary anglers.

launching at Phillips Camp and zipping out to sea and southwards along the coast before turning into

one but two trophy-sized golden snapper right beside the boat. These would have easily been personal bests

prime time to stretch your arms casting big poppers and stickbaits.

Unless some bait shows up around the outer edges of the islands, I don’t expect that there will be a huge amount of pelagic action in these waters through March. It will be more about the deeper reef and rubble patches and big golden snapper will be the glory species to target.

These fish will be willing to eat all manner of baits

and lures but at Hydeaway Bay, the age-old favourite is live squid.

As long as the winds stay down, the shoals and the outer reef shouldn’t go without attention this month.

As always, largemouth nannygai are the main fish to target on the shoals and the outer reef will be all about coral trout and red throat emperor. I just hope that the sharks will have a rest and give anglers a fair chance out in these areas.

If you’re keen to go land-based, make sure that you’re armed with a few squid jigs. The beaches that stretch from Cape Gloucester Resort right down to Sunset Beach are prime areas for going for a stroll and hunting for some tasty cephalopods.

Make sure you use light jigs or chop a good portion of the lead off any heavier jigs or you’ll wind donating them to the reef and the rocks.

Whatever fish you decide to go after this month, good luck with it, may you catch plenty and they all be line burners.

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Samantha Cobb with a cobia. This fish wasn’t a monster for its species but it helped save the day at the end of a tough session.

for the keen angler, but they both threw the hook before he could slip the landing net under them.

Russell said he also lost a number of good grunter to sharks and they eventually drove him northwards, past Phillips Camp and on to Ocean Creek. Here he found a feeding school of brassy and golden trevally that took a liking to the lures he was trolling. The fishing was hectic for a while and Russell said he could have filled the boat with trevally if he had wanted to. In an effort to escape the lure-munching trevally, Russell switched to bait, but the trevally were equally pleased with this offering. All fish landed in good condition were quickly returned to the water, while those that were deeply hooked or bleeding were bled out and slipped into an icy brine to maximise the quality of the fillets.

FLATHEAD STILL LURKING Another species that is still being taken in Burdekin creeks and along the beaches is flathead, possibly because water conditions have stayed favourable. The lizards are usually gone by now and while numbers are definitely falling, there have been some

quality fish snapping up lures and baits on Burdekin sand flats. Another few months and the lizards should be making a return for the winter season.

MARCH Many a wet season has extended into March, so if you are planning on wetting a line at this time of year, it may well pay to have a few alternative options up your sleeve.

If there is even moderate flooding it can be a good time to chase a few freshwater barra, as the lagoons get a good flush out and the fish move about. However, take care around flooded waterways. Don’t be tempted to wade in discoloured waters and stand back from the water’s edge when casting. Many of these large freshwater fish (also known as swamp donkeys) lack the table qualities of their saltwater cousins, so release them carefully if you don’t plan to eat them.

For saltwater fish, you may need to move further afield to get away from the muddy Burdekin River floodwaters. Cape Upstart, Camp Island and Bowen all provide inshore fishing within an hour or so of the Burdekin and are usually not affected by flooding.

Riley Hunter, 6yo, caught this 31cm bream while visiting Fraser Island.

MARCH 2020

59

Bring on the wet season TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

With sweat pouring off me, I looked at my son and said, ‘How are you going, mate?”

are ‘out of control’ as some would have you believe.

I have a straightforward approach to fishing in croc water: if you don’t give them an opportunity, they can’t take one. Of course, there is always the occasional

We’ve all seen the ‘jack snap’, and if you get your fingers close to a jack’s mouth while removing a hook, this can happen. Index finger on the right hand and through the thumbnail on the left, and the author’s mate was pinned perfectly by the jack’s teeth.

I’ve never seen him call it quits before, but this time he looked at me and mumbled, ‘I don’t think I can do this in this heat!”

It was only about 36°C but the humidity was around 80%, and we had powered through our water supply.

Out in the open the conditions weren’t quite as bad, but in the thick vegetation the heat was unbearable. Although the fish were there, they were down deep and doing bugger all, waiting until the direct sunlight was off the water. It was time for us to call it quits.

My mate went for a quick flick in the exact same area that evening and caught several big barra and some smaller 60-70cm models, and he said they were clearly visible as they hit feed mode.

If you are going to take on the surface thing of a night time, just be careful, as the crocs are in full-on wet season mode and they’re cranky. Keep in mind that no fish is worth dying for.

Having said that, I don’t believe that the croc numbers

croc that may become aggressive in a public area, and these individuals should be removed for public safety reasons.

Tannhym Hodge with a barra that smashed a Halco Roosta Popper. Sometimes you’ll catch more barra on surface lures than you will on subsurface presentations, so always have one on hand.

At the time of writing this report the jacks have been more than co-operative, and upwards of 20 fish can be landed on a good session. Throw in a few unintended species like barra, archerfish, GTs and

In open water where snags aren’t a problem, the hook-up ratio is better on a traditional jighead than a weedless worm hook. In this case the author was fishing water 4m deep, and used a 5” Paddle Prawn rigged on a 1/3oz Atomic jighead cast upcurrent and hopped back.

60

MARCH 2020

queenfish, and you’ve got a pretty damn good day on the water. Bust-offs, while not common, are far from rare either. Our main outfits are based around 20lb braid and 30lb leaders at present, and are a perfect happy medium for hardbodies, soft plastics and skip-casting under overhanging trees and mangroves.

When it comes to soft plastics, 4-5” prawn imitations and creature baits are effective in almost all local jack scenarios. We like to use powder paint on the leads to either contrast against, or blend in as part of the lure’s profile to give a more natural presentation, and it does seem to make a difference. A 5/0 weighted worm hook is ideal, helping the combination to slide over branches and logs. When the barra are more on the chew, the 6/0 is best for old bucketmouth’s hook-up ratio.

When we have nothing but barra on the hit list, we usually use the 7” Paddle Prawns rigged on 7/0 1/4oz or 1/3oz jigheads. We try to avoid catching the smaller undersized fish by using

bigger plastics. By doing so we probably eliminate a few legal-sized fish along the way, but we still catch enough to keep us happy.

I’ve included a couple of rigging techniques that I find very handy with the presentation of bigger plastics, and hopefully this helps those who may be having issues. Usually a 7/0 hook is big enough to handle the bigger fish of over 80cm.

As hard as they hit, you still have to set the hook, and without the barb being sunk you’ll find that you’ll often jump a barra off during the fight. The second you get hit, hit ‘em back and set that hook. By striking you’ll get the added benefit of pointing the fish’s head at you and away from the snags that they’re going to want to get back to. With a short pumpand-wind action you’ll mostly be able to either tail walk or bully them out of

the snags before they know what’s happening.

In recent times we have discovered good numbers of jacks and barra in flats areas devoid of any structure at all, and have been catching them off the surface. A slow tapered bank with a fairly defined drop-off is prime, and once the depth on that flat reaches around a metre, the jacks seem to be cruising this depth line in wait for an opportunity to ambush something from underneath.

In this scenario, I have found that the Bassday Sugapen in the 95mm size is particularly effective. Being open water, lighter outfits can be used without need for heavyhanded tactics, so the fights are usually much cleaner.

Ideally, as you drift or electric over a flats area around 25m from the shoreline, cast your lure on a 45° angle from the bank. This allows you to be able to work water that hasn’t been affected by your silhouette, shadow or boat noise. Mono leader around 30lb breaking strain is best, because fluorocarbon sinks the nose of the lure a little and reduces the action slightly on any surface lure.

Suspending lures are another great tool to have at your disposal (e.g.

90mm Sugar Deep, Tilsan Barra). Being able to hover or suspend a lure next to structure will draw a curious fish out that bit further from the snag, which is ideal for the hook-up. On quiet days, the lure can often sit motionless for up to five seconds before an attack is instigated. Bites on the stall are always a shock, and are usually quite brutal, so

That clear strip of water on the opposite bank in the background is clear water run-off from a recent shower of rain. Barra were stacked up at the mouth of a small creek. A hardbody diver like this Halco Hamma 105 works well just under the surface. before you can set the hook and try to get some sort of control.

If I am fishing shallow rocks, drains or horizontal timber, I’ll generally twitch the rod tip upwards, so as to walk the lure just under the surface, giving a fish an opportunity to attack from a shallow angle. If the water is deeper than a metre, the rod tip is more often than not at water level during the retrieve and twitched to the side,

the air the less belly you’ll have in the line. This makes bite detection and lure control much easier.

Another lure to keep on hand at all times is a shallow diver, such as the 90mm Scorpion Skin Deep, with a maximum depth of around half a metre. These lures can be worked around some very thick weed and snags, and are great during the run-off when the barra are sitting up in flooded grass.

It’s becoming more and more common to catch sharks on lures, but don’t be too upset because they’re not bad on the plate at this size. Just bleed them well ASAP, and they’ll surprise you. quick reflexes are important.

The only consideration here is that being bitten on the stall usually allows fish that fraction of a second to point their head back home

which allows room to strike and keep pressure on as the hit happens. The downward angle is also quite handy when it’s breezy, and the less line you have up in

At the moment we’re having daily thunderstorms and potentially a wet is on the horizon, and every North Queensland lure caster knows that it’s barra time!

Late start to wet should activate fishing CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

The wet arrived in the last few days of January and quickly made up for its late start. The great news is barra managed at least one spawning run before the season opened last month. The downside is the rain scattered the barra, which were concentrated on the headlands, around river mouths and towards the front of Trinity Inlet, where they’re now waiting to spawn.

Reef fishing has been good for those willing to run the gantlet of storms and flood debris. Day trips have been more popular due to these conditions and anglers have had mixed results, with some hitting the honey pot and others left scratching their heads.

Quality trout, red emperor and largemouth nannygai have been the main players, although not in big numbers.

A sprinkling of other species has coloured the icebox, with the odd nice Spaniard tossed in for volume. This pattern should continue on and off this month, with the main obstacle to reef fishing being rain and accompanying winds. Depending on the amount of run-off, finding clear, clean water will be the first objective. This could

mean having to travel out past the more inner reefs and islands.

The rain should stimulate bait schools, which in turn will attract pelagics like school and Spanish mackerel, trevally, bonito and tuna. Bird activity will be your best indicator of action, so keep your eyes on the sky when moving

with the boils continually vanishing as soon as you finally get within casting range. Try to get a look at the bait just the same and where possible, match the hatch for size and speed. It can be quite a challenge when the bait is only 2-3cm in length, and sometimes when the bait is super small it can work to go big with hardbodied lures.

Quality barra, like this 81cm fish caught by Ally Lavalle-Smith, will be along the headlands this month. about out wide. Trolling in the area of working birds is generally more productive and less frustrating than trying to chase the bait boils as they appear. It can be a bit like chasing ghosts at times,

It’s not always successful but it can occasionally take the cake.

Inshore and in Cairns Inlet, golden snapper have continued to be taken in good numbers and at times quality.

Numbers and quality have been up overall on previous years, so here’s hoping the trend continues. Soft vibes have been the main lure of choice, while soft plastic paddle-tails and jerk shads have also had their day. Live baits of sardines, mud herring, small trevally, mullet, prawns and squid when you can get them have been even more productive. Shallow and deep headlands to the north and south of Cairns have been holding fish, while deeper parts of Cairns Inlet have been the most productive.

Wrecks have also produced intermittently but it often depends on how much recent fishing pressure they have copped.

The headlands are the first place to start looking for barra this month, followed by creek and drain mouths on the falling tide, then run through creeks and run-off drains. Any place where the prevailing weather and water conditions congregate bait will be where barra will be waiting in ambush.

Soft plastic paddle-tail lures continue to produce the goods, along with prawn imitations, well presented hardbody lures and as always, live baits. The same baits mentioned earlier for golden snapper are equally as effective on barra.

Grunter have been around in better numbers in recent months and hopefully

Suzie Evans caught this nice largemouth nannygai. this will continue through March. The high tides around the full moon will be the best time to target grunter on the hospital flats and areas feeding into Trinity Inlet. The new moon tides are not as big but will still be worth a go, especially on the lead up to the new moon when the high tides are bigger.

Salmon, especially blues, have continued to be taken in good numbers, although there aren’t a lot of quality fish amongst them. It is however a promising sign that the Net Free Zone is continuing to produce an increase in fish biomass. The hospital flats, Trinity Inlet, Machans and Holloways and a scattering of beaches north and south have been the best places to tangle with salmon. Blue salmon

are generally considered an inferior fish to eat frozen but are good eating when fresh.

I have had success recently with freezing blue salmon, after washing the fillets in fresh water, towelling them dry and then vacuum packing them. Give it a go if you have access to a vacuum sealer.

Land-based anglers can make good use of all the run through creeks, which should remain open this month due to a combination of rainfall run-off and big tides around the full and new moons.

The turn of the tide, low and high, is generally the most productive. Prawns and crabs will also be worth a look.

Prawns may still be a bit on the small size for eating but will certainly make great bait, dead or alive.

Rain has refreshed all the local systems PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

Recent weeks have seen the Far North settle into a fairly traditional wet season. Monsoon troughs have been dropping down from the north and there’s been ample rain to date.

Our calm water systems have received a good flushing, rejuvenating the whole cycle of life on the water.

The river and coastal fishing has experienced a lot of change, with bait distributed around, sparking up more movement. This is most evident along the river entrances and beaches with all manners of predators coming in for the concentration of food.

This food source comes mainly in as prawns, jelly prawns, mullet and garfish.

Queenfish, trevally, tarpon, blue salmon and barra have all been frequently encountered helping themselves to this smorgasbord. Break through creeks along the

foreshore, which remain dormant for most of the year, have been flowing, providing nutrients and fresh food. They are a really good area to concentrate on, as fish will plonk themselves here and help themselves.

Soft plastics, fly fishing and live baiting have all worked ,so there’s something to suit everyone.

Within the rivers and creeks, as soon as the water clarity returns to some normality it will be the best time to fish. All types of techniques have been productive and don’t be afraid to revert back to the old squid or pilchard if the water is a bit dirty. You’ll be surprised just how effective it is in attracting a bite out of a fish in the tougher conditions.

Mangrove jack have been feeding against the banks, golden snapper have been around on the deep bends, grunter are up on the flats on a rising tide and the bigger barra are down towards the mouth and headland sections. Once again, a healthy supply of rain has greatly assisted

anglers in their quests.

Surprisingly, the rainfall for the most part has not equated to strong winds. There’s been ample opportunity so far to hit the blue water and enjoy a trip

offshore. Wonky holes are releasing and have been popular for picking up some really big largemouth nannygai and gold spot cod.

They are dotted around in between the mainland and

outer reef and are reasonably quickly accessed. They don’t hold big numbers of fish but the quality is right up there.

One or two big fish from these spots and your day is a success. A combination of

Bar-cheek trout are available if you’re persistent offshore.

squid and pilchard is all that is required.

Further offshore on the main reef, the fishing reports have been mixed, which is pretty much stock standard for this time of year. With a bit of effort to move around more than usual, you can claim of a mixed bag of fish in the form of coral and bar-cheek trout, spangled emperor, a range of trevally species and a few nannygai. There’s been a few mackerel around but they are far from being in full swing. Sharks have been busy this summer and at times have been a real problem, nailing the best of the fish coming up off the bottom. Unfortunately, not much can be done except to pick up and travel well away to greener pastures.

Hopefully this pattern or similar will continue in the coming month when the wet season peaks. A healthy amount of rain and continued calm seas will satisfy most anglers. We also hope for no cyclone activity, which is not much to ask for.

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Packed with barra and jacks CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

With the opening of the barramundi season, there have been some epic catches of big barra and lots of anglers have reported great numbers of hungry fish. Over the bigger king tides, quality fish have been taken from out on the hospital flats, especially early morning and late afternoon. The mouth of Hills Creek has also been proving

Barra have been hard on the bite in the NFZ.

Live baiting has been the best way to tangle with barra. to be a good spot for anglers fishing lures and live baits.

Snag bashing further up the inlet has seen smaller

models between 60-80cm coming from suspending hardbodies while soft plastics have also been producing fish. On the

slacker tides, the deeper bends have been holding good fish and are best targeted on vibes and prawn imitations. These fish have also been responding well to live baits and if you can get some live prawns, you are in the game. Another popular spot has been around the light beacons at night. These spots have been drawing in the bait so in turn, bringing in the fish. These are best fished at night with vibe style lures or slow sinking soft plastics.

Other systems like the Barron have also been fishing well and the deep hole between the two bridges has been holding some very large barra if you can get them to bite. There is not much on the edges of this spot so it’s best to stick to the middle of the river and fish the deeper ledges and shale beds. These fish can be hard to tempt so

you need to be patient and do the time on the water for results.

On the beaches, the fishing has been unreal.

There have been some massive barra found on the stinger nets and those casting weedless lures across the sides have been finding some excellent fish.

In fact, someone reported seeing a croc feeding on one of the nets recently but after investigation, it was revealed to not be a croc but a metre-plus barra going hard on some bait! These fish will move onto the nets at night and can be found hanging off the headlands during the day. Look for areas of pressure and eddies out of the current and you will find where these fish are laying. A gold Bomber is still the best option for fishing these shallow spots.

While barra have been

Jacks have been nailing slow rolled paddle-tails in all systems. plentiful, so have jacks, with some thumper fish hammering well-directed lures around snags on the bottom of the tide. These fish will continue to feed well; however, how much rain we get will determine how to fish for them. The best rule is to find the

cleanest water possible and fish these areas.

Finally, the crabs have been moving well in the NFZ. With the rain, crabbers will be best to position their pots in the flats out the front of creeks as the crabs get flushed out with the rain and bigger tides.

This jack was taken on a Molix RT Shad.

Weather calm for now COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

The weather in the last month has been incredible, with calm day after calm day.

Reef trips have been a pleasure to organise, as

conditions have been so fantastic that everyone had the chance to enjoy the glassed out conditions.

I’m sure it will come to an end, but the weather should be similar for the month ahead but with more rain as the wet season kicks into gear.

Tash landed this bar-cheek trout.

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We should start seeing some big storms and lots of rain. Care must be taken as storm fronts out at sea can make for a very rough and wet trip home. A lot of locals usually head out early and head back in around lunchtime to avoid the afternoon storm build-up.

Reef fishing has been firing with coral trout, largemouth nannygai and mackerel around in large numbers. The wonky holes have been producing and have been easy to get to in the conditions we have had. Large gold spot cod, largemouth nannygai and bar-cheek trout have been common captures at the wonkies. The fishing has been great and many locals have been eating fresh seafood daily. You have to love this time of the year up north for getting out to the reef and the reefies should stay on the menu for some time.

Everything round Cooktown is saturated due

Leslie Ryder with a hefty gold spot cod. to the good rain we had over the holidays and any large downpour now is going to have the rivers rising and flooding. I know some young anglers who can’t wait for it to happen, as they have been having so much catching

barramundi as the local causeways flood. These spots make great places to catch migrating barra, as they wait for any baitfish to venture across the causeway or the waters rise enough to allow them to escape as well.

Barramundi can be so aggressive at this time of year and it’s no surprise when you think about all the extra water in the system that allows bait to disperse. Barra have to find productive areas To page 63

Focus inshore between weather windows HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

It’s that time of year again when the rain is very unpredictable and patchy.

Some calm weather periods have been inviting anglers a little further out but the incredibly high humidity

few hitting the metre mark at around 13kg. Some areas are relatively shark free and some are just plagued by sharks. If we get another good follow up wet season, it will get the inshore wonky holes flowing and opening up again to keep them fishing well right through winter.

A client of mine unfortunately had all his

to clean up on some of the big nannygai, making the day slightly sweeter for him.

I have found some really good numbers of big queenfish and golden trevally out near Cape Richards but it doesn’t take long for the taxman to home in on them and they soon become impossible to get past. After losing four vibes in ten minutes, I moved on to a

Areas of run-off should produce good barra fishing this month. best, as well as vibes.

Now that we are getting some rain, the areas of run-off are going to be the better spots for barramundi. Depending on how much rainfall we get, it can flow fresh on the surface

if conditions ease and return to some normality, we will see the fish return to their old haunts and feeding patterns.

In times of heavy run-off, fishing out on the headlands around Missionary Bay is

live baits, particularly mullet, would be better off looking behind the tree lines on the island side of the channel.

I usually find them when I look for a clear opening to throw a cast net on the sandy

Dave displays his vibrant nannygai catch. levels have helped create those isolated squalls that can develop right on top of you.

A few anglers who have been managing to get out to the reef have been doing rather well on trout, emperor and largemouth nannygai to an average of 80cm, with a From page 62

to feed as the bait move through the river system. If you can find these baitfish ambush spots, they can be so productive and actively feeding barramundi actively can make for mind-blowing fishing.

Word spreads fairly quickly in Cooktown and once photos go up on social media, the causeway spots can become busy quickly, with many locals trying to get in on the action. The frenzy can be overwhelming, with lures flying through the air but the fishing can be that hot that everyone still catches a fish. Most are too small and are released but are still great fun, especially for the kids.

Just be mindful that crocodiles are also on the move and their food has dispersed as well, so they will be looking for these hot spots. Standing kneedeep in floodwater is not a good idea; most locals park their ute in the water and cast from the safety of the back of the ute. This is a great way to safely have

fishing gear stolen out of his boat the night before his trip at one of the local caravan parks.

Not one to quit, he managed to rustle up enough gear and headed out later than normal to search for some wonkes behind Hinchinbrook Island in a new area he hadn’t looked around before. He managed

different area.

Threadfin salmon have started to show up here and there but getting bites has been quite difficult. Some models around the 70cm mark have come on board but nothing much larger than that. Live baits of mud herring and mullet have been working the

kids fishing in these areas.

Hopefully more rain is on the way and there’s lots of barramundi action to come.

The local wharf has not been very productive with all the fresh in the system and bait being hard to find.

Mangrove jack are still biting but not much else.

The big barramundi should appear around soon but the bait needs to be there for them to feed on. As soon as the bait returns, the fishing should improve as well.

Sam Ryder caught this barra at a flooded causeway.

Threadies have been taking live baits and vibes lately. at the mouths of creeks and rivers, causeways and the like, in which case we will still see good fishing in the backwaters created by the flow of tide and run-off. As we are right in the midst of the wet season, it is very likely we’ll see a lot more rain and fresh water run-off. This can restrict options in the short term but

probably a better option until the rains ease off.

Anglers should be careful during the large high tides this time of year. If any flooding occurs, logs and debris may be floating on the surface, which can be a nasty experience if fishing at night.

If the wet season kicks up a notch, anglers chasing

beaches behind the mangroves on the top of the larger tides of 3m or more.

• Bookings are filling up quickly for the 2020 barramundi season, so now is the time to get in and secure your spot. To book a charter, you can email us at info@ianmoodysportfishing. com or phone 0402 339 459 with your enquiry.

An impressive 85cm barramundi.

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It’s been a challenging time waiting for rain LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

It has been pretty dry and hot the last few months, which is typical of the

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL Sometimes it is near impossible to fish the channel due to massive amounts of freshwater pumping out of the many creeks and river systems. If we get the rain

Toni got a good work out on the reef with this thick GT.

Hopefully there are plenty of barra on the bite. last few years, with most of the rainfall usually coming late February.

The hot, dry conditions have made the fishing a lot tougher in the creeks but on the positive side, the wind has dropped a lot more, especially in the mornings before the northerly sea breeze kicks in around lunch. At the time of writing, there is a potential low in the gulf that hopefully will bring some much-needed rainfall across the north.

March normally brings, it will be very challenging to fish the channel. Normally the southern end of the channel will be brown and running, as the Herbert pushes out a lot of water when it’s flooding, so most fishing is done up in Benjamin Flats.

The flats comprise of hundreds of feeder creeks that all branch off two main channels. They resemble a maze and it is very easy to lose your way up there if you’re new to the area. If you spend some time searching around,

you will find better looking water that doesn’t resemble soup. Live baiting and throwing lures will see you tangle with barra and jacks if you can find areas with lots of bait and some structure to hold fish.

Fishing deep holes in these creeks will also put you in with a shot of landing golden snapper and grunter, both of which are prized table fish and in my opinion, are much better eating than barra. Fish with live sardines anchored close to the bottom and time your trip to coincide with a tide change. The first few hours as the water starts to move is the best time, so make sure you’re anchored up and have lots of good baits just in case the pickers are ruining baits. A sign you’re in a good spot for grunter is if you’re catching the odd catfish – although

they are annoying, they always hang around in similar spots to grunter.

JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF There’s plenty of fun to be had at the end of the jetty when the wind lets you. If the channel is pumping out a lot of freshwater, it can be brown for kilometres past the end of the jetty, but on the incoming tide clear saltwater will usually push back in and the fish will feed. When the channel is pumping out all the fresh, there is a lot of bait that will also get pushed out and will hang around the pylons until the channel clears up.

This means predatory fish will be lining up to take advantage of this easy food source.

I love this time of year for throwing poppers around chasing big GT in amongst the pylons. It is an addictive

style of fishing but the fact that you’re attempting to stop big fish in amongst hundreds of pylons means you’re going to lose plenty of battles. The amount of fights that last more than a few seconds is far and few between, and it can prove to be a rather expensive pastime. Make sure you’re using good gear and don’t use your favourite lures unless you want to lose them!

Although there are normally storms that build up most afternoons, the weather can be a lot better, allowing for plenty more chances to sneak out towards the reef.

The fishing is normally

months due to warm water in the shallows. Try fishing in around 30m over big bommies that have lots of current flowing over them.

Big strip baits of fish will work best, as they are tough and will withstand pickers.

Cobia have been around around, making a nuisance of themselves over reef edges and wrecks. They are not fussy eaters and they will normally be seen free swimming around the boat after following a hooked fish up. A rod rigged with a lightlyweighted bait or a soft plastic should receive immediate attention. It is no secret that

A green jobfish caught while chasing red emperor. great as well with reds biting well in the deep and the typical reefies hungry in the shallower stuff. As a rule, the fishing for trout is normally better in the slightly deeper stuff during the hotter

cobia also love wrecks and broken rubble ground in the middle of nowhere. Big soft plastics worked through the water column will get eaten, particularly if they’re in bright colours.

March downstream for some fresh fishing CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

With the barramundi season now open on the East and West coasts of Cape York, anglers of all persuasions will be giving it a solid crack. Every type of fisher from live bait enthusiasts to night vibe-aholics will be taking advantage of the freshwater run-off in March.

This is the time of year when colour changes, run-off, back eddies and pressure points come into vogue. As freshwater flows into bays and gulfs all along the coast, food chains are brimming with life.

If March pans out like many before it, rainfall should be solid and the threat of a decent low-pressure system or cyclone will be ever present.

Every single shade of grey will be represented and every afternoon will have the distant rumble of thunder booming

near or far. Anglers are at the mercy of heat and rain but the prize can be well worth it.

There will be a small band of dedicated anglers travelling up the Cape if the

are captured each year, mostly by locals with either dead or live bait and usually in cloudy water. Access to most of the rivers and coastline in this part of the world only comes

way to Weipa or alternatively up towards the Tip. There will be a range of charter operations working between Seisia and Aurukun on the West Cape.

Many of these rivers will be fishing well, unless there is too much dirty water spilling down to the sea.

Anywhere north of Mapoon is less likely to be in flood as these rivers are a little shorter, much more like coastal estuaries with swamps behind.

From south of Port Musgrave, expect some run-off water to be coming down in March and potentially into April, depending on the wet.

Cape York is not known for its run-off fishing to the

same extent as the Northern Territory. Despite this fact, there are literally thousands of run-off locations, which work in their own way throughout the Cape. During peak wet season, many of the swamps and wetlands down the West Coast discharge water back into the main systems, creating feeding stations in the major tributaries. A casual look at a topographic map will show plenty of intersecting creeks and rivers. Anything with some kind of access to the sea will hold barramundi and saratoga, even in some of the remote waterholes only reached in floods.

This double hook-up of a pikey bream and golden snapper was nabbed from the creeks.

This monster barracuda was taken on a popper.

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road is open. Beginning with Lakefield National Park, it will be a 50/50 call regarding early access, with recent years seeing closures lasting into April.

If they can get early access, anglers will see great fishing around crossings and the more popular waterholes linking up the creeks and rivers.

Further north, those in the know will be going the extra mile to reach places like Princess Charlotte Bay, Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw.

Some truly huge barramundi

through knowing someone or the right contacts.

With the sealed sections and upgrades for the Cape York Development Road works between Laura and Weipa, the Cape is quickly losing its iconic status as a truly remote location. However, those with a 4WD, a winch and a penchant for getting stuck still have ample opportunity to do so in the Cape. With a bridge over the Archer River yet to be complete, some limitations may still occur getting all the

A nice little run-off barra from a tiny mangrove creek.

Cooking

Cioppino fish stew BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Cioppino is a seafood stew similar to the Mediterranean soup, bouillabaisse. This stew was developed by an Italian-

American fisherman in San Francisco and epitomises a one-pot, seafood-packed, tomato-based feast.

You can use any seafood you have in the following recipe. In this month’s addition, the ingredients

include crayfish tails, baby octopus, bay scallops, mussel meat and fish fillets. You may also use uncooked crab pieces and/or green prawns.

You could either leave your crayfish tails whole or cut them into halves.

Ingredients • 1/4 cup canola oil • 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped • 1 large green capsicum, deseeded and chopped • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 2 cups dry white wine

• Bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped • Salt and pepper • 2 green crayfish tails, cut in half down the middle • 200g baby octopus • 200g bay scallops • 200g mussel meat • 250g fish fillets, cut into pieces

1

2

4

5

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot over a medium high heat. Add the onion, capsicum and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes.

Add seasoning and half of the roughly chopped parsley. Stir the contents thoroughly and half cover the pot with the lid and bring the contents to a simmer. Continue to simmer for approximately 15 minutes.

7

Place the fish pieces into the pot and ensure that they are submerged in the liquid. Continue to cook at a gentle simmer for another five minutes with the lid on.

Add tomato paste and the tomatoes into the pot. Stir well.

At the end of the cooking time, add the crayfish tails and baby octopus to the mixture and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.

8

Remove the lid and sprinkle the contents of the pot with the remaining chopped parsley. Season to taste.

3

Once mixed through, pour in the white wine.

6

Now add the bay scallops and mussel meat to the pot. Stir well and cook for a further minute or so.

9

Serve the cioppino with chunks of crusty bread.

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The joy of camping and fishing at Borumba are plenty of shaded sites (mostly unpowered, but some powered sites are available) along with outdoor camp kitchens and firewood. Other attractions include free use of kayaks arranged via the camp office, a volleyball court, ping pong tables, plus great bushwalks through the adjoining forestry. And at the end of a long day, nice hot showers put the icing on the cake. The amenities are vastly improved over those of yesteryear.

Shrimp traps are on hand for youngsters to make use of, and with shrimps for bait junior anglers can enjoy fishing in Yabba Creek below the eastern end of the campgrounds for the resident spangled perch along with escapee bass, golden perch and silver perch. The occasional saratoga also creates excitement as these

BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The Easter four-day long weekend will no doubt see a number of happy anglers planning to fish Borumba Dam. Tantalising ‘toga and big fat bass thrive in this rainforest-shrouded waterway, with its bays, creek systems and veritable forests of standing timber.

Fishing here is so easy: just put the boat in the water and off you go! Do you need to go far? Not at all – but more on this later.

THE JOY OF CAMPING Camping is fun at this time of year. The days are still warm, the nights are cool, and there’s hardly a better place to set up for a long weekend of fishing this impoundment than the

The author holds up a healthy Borumba saratoga. grounds is a back to nature experience. It’s ‘first in, best dressed’ when selecting a site, fireplaces are still available for use, and with so many hectares of unpowered sites there’s never any shortage of room for even the largest camp to be established. Take the kitchen sink? Why not!

For nature lovers there’s a lot to enjoy. Beautiful king parrots inhabit the foliage, whip birds crack in the scrub, bell birds tinkle in the treetops, while scratching scrub turkeys, petite red deer hinds and the odd inquisitive goanna are all part of the additional attractions you

drive away and there’s ample infrastructure on hand, including fuel.

FISHING THE DAM I mentioned earlier that it would not be necessary to travel far to find a fish in Borumba Dam, and with the impoundment now recovering well from a reduced water level around the New Year, there’s some very attractive fish holding habitat within canoe or kayak reach of the dam’s launching ramp. The bays to the north west of the ramp, almost straight across from the gravel ramp, harbour saratoga and I also lost a big fat Mary River cod there on my last excursion.

Done like a dinner; but we won’t go there!

When travelling up the dam’s main basin there’s a very large weed bed extending for some distance towards the opposite (northern) bank.

The Camp’s office has basic food items on hand, and the manager likes to greet newcomers as soon as they arrive.

A campfire at night makes Borumba camping a treat.

Lake Borumba Caravan and Camping grounds, which are within walking distance of the dam wall. I’ve enjoyed

camping there and fishing the dam for over 30 years, and very little has changed – but the few changes I have

noticed are certainly for the better.

Camping at the Borumba Caravan and Camping

Saratoga might be a prehistoric fish but they pull like mini barra.

With that amount of room available, you can take the kitchen sink.

66

MARCH 2020

might come across. Goannas always cause a stir, but these slow moving and attractively marked fellows just wander about hopefully from one site to the next looking for a handout.

Family groups mixing fishing with the joys of outdoor life will find there

fish have taken up residence in Yabba Creek quite successfully after exiting the dam in times of flood.

The kiosk at the campground’s office has basic food and ice, but if you need to make more extensive purchases then the town of Imbil is around a 15-minute

It cannot be missed as you must pass it if heading further up the dam to Borumba, Yabba or Kingham creeks.

This area is a hotspot that has always been very good for bass and there’s saratoga resident as well. Either side of the weed bed is worth fishing – remembering that it

will extend a considerable distance past those sections above water – and the

following the introduction of bony bream some years back, any plastic,

Once experienced it’s not easily forgotten; just wish I wasn’t so careless last time!

With the dam wall height increasing in 1998 and the water level lifting accordingly, a couple of different ramp configurations have been in place, and with ample parking adjoining the concrete ramp things are pretty good. About the only downside to this ramp can be slime accumulating on the end and slime on adjoining rocks each side of it.

SUMMING UP Camping at Borumba Dam in autumn will be as good as ever, although

you must take a supply of drinking water along with your camping set-up. And do remember, if you are heading up to one of the main creek arms of the dam to fish, there are a few submerged stumps and bits of tree along the sides of the submerged creek beds. If the area is new, it might pay to keep the speed down.

Fishing in the upper Yabba and Kingham creeks, as well as the much closer Borumba Creek, is not only very rewarding but it

means the boat is right up in the rainforest area and consequently some of the prettiest terrain around the dam’s perimeter. In these small water areas the gentle, quiet, approach is the one to score fish, so if you have an electric motor put it to good use.

If you would like to camp over Easter you can book a site on www.campborumba. com.au or by calling 07 5488 6662. The manager’s office is open early, and checking in is required upon arrival.

There are always interesting features to fish in the upper arms of Borumba Dam. A lily bed and laydown tree are very inviting. idea is to search for gaps, channels, good drop off areas or other places where bass and saratoga might be quietly going about their business. Saratoga have ‘beats’ like brown trout, so if a toga is seen moving in a particular section it’s a sure bet it will be back there before long.

The fishing in Borumba Dam has changed over the years and these days,

hardbodied lure or fly that looks somewhat like a bony bream will work on both bass and toga equally well.

Yet the all-time favourite, the spinnerbait, will also take these fish, and purple is a very good starting colour.

No matter which method you’re using, if you get an enormous hit followed by a powerful bulldozer-like run, you’ll probably be hooked up to a Mary River cod.

A HEADS UP ON THE BOAT RAMP Borumba’s ramp has had an interesting if somewhat chequered history. Borumba is one of Queensland’s older dams, having being built in 1963, and back in the day you simply drove down the gravel, turned upwards, then backed down to launch the boat, simply because the water level was much lower than it is at present.

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MARCH 2020

67

Autumn patterns might be slow to emerge TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

We have had a cracking hot summer and I think it will take a while for the fish to transition into the autumn patterns. It takes time for things to change, as the core temperature of big bodies of water takes a while to drop.

The shorter days will be very noticeable now and this may actually increase the action throughout the daytime

bites, as fish have less time to feed. The changes in each individual waterway will take place at a different rate.

Deep holding bass, like those found in some of the lakes, will be slowest to change their habits. While their movements may be gradual, the first thing we will notice is their changing response to different lures.

Other deeper species will be the same as well. Fish that prefer the shallows will start to spend longer amounts of time away from the deeper water. Barra and cod are

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST At the time of writing, Cressbrook Dam is closed due to high levels of blue green algae. The cyano bacteria present is deemed to be too high for waterbased activities. Water conditions are regularly monitored and you can check to see if the lake reopens at the Toowoomba region councils website under ‘Facilities and ‘Recreation’ (lakes, dams and camping).

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Exceptional quality

been popular and are well suited to the way bass feed.

Not every fish hits the lure with the intention of swallowing it whole. This is where the assist hooks on the presentation come into play and do a good job of converting bites from the more timid takers.

Last year was very similar and the same bite continued throughout the whole month. It is likely to change once the days get shorter and the temperature noticeably cooler. Spots like Pelican Point, Bay 13, Queen Street and Kirkleigh Flats will all be worth a look.

Time spent on the sounder to locate the schools of fish will

prime examples. When there is less sun (due to the shorter days and angle change in the sky), the fish are far more willing to hunt the shallows for longer periods. When this occurs, it often calls for a change in lure, or even just a change in the weight of the lure being thrown.

Let’s check out what should be happening across some of the Queensland lakes. Keep in mind some of the lakes may have risen if the weather forecast is correct.

Until next month, buckled rods from the Colonel. on lighter braid – 4-8lb line will see it diving deeper and swimming better.

Trolling hardbodies may seem simple but the more you put into it the more you will get back. Try to work right along the edges of the flats where they drop into the old riverbed. Keep lures close to the bottom or at the same depth the fish are showing on the sounder and work the fishy areas thoroughly.

Often one lure will dominate so rotate through lure types and even colours in the same lure. Golden perch will show up in the same areas as the bass, but their numbers have been down a bit. The bass will range in size from tiddlers to those well over 50cm. Fish of the same size tend to stick together.

Gympie

12

13

15

16

14 31

Weipa

17

28

34

18

Toowoomba

BRISBANE 21

23

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

a school gets smashed, they tend to shut down for a while and you may need to move on to find the next lot.

Don’t toss out all your other casting lures. As the cooler weather kicks in, we

Gold Coast

22

24 IMPOUNDMENT DAM

27

25

Cairns 1

26

19

33

20

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

5

32

Rockhampton

Emerald 29 7

10

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Gladstone

30 8

Bundaberg 9

11

Maryborough

Roma

occur until next month or later so enjoy the current and more predictable action while it lasts.

• Somerset Fishing has a store based at the area above the day use boat ramp. The

BRISBANE

MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, RATHDOWNEY Moogerah’s overall depth is a shallower than a lot of other bass fisheries.

Todd Rasmussen nailed plenty of bigger bass last month at North Pine.

He fished the heavier Spectre Vibration Jigs down deep for the big fish. fish are still being caught at Somerset. Last month was a cracker with almost countless 50cm+ sized bass caught from the lake’s deep flats. Pelican Point fished well for most of the time but the fish did get a bit harder to find and fool.

Good numbers were also taken from the flats up near Kirkleigh. It is a very specific bite at the moment and the fish are only responding well to a handful of presentations.

Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and trolled hardbodies are the standout offerings.

Clear-bladed chatterbaits with assist hooks have 68

MARCH 2020

pay off. Don’t be deterred if you don’t fire a cast in the first few hours. Finding fish to cast at is the trick to pulling big numbers.

Lure trollers will be able to run medium divers up around the Kirkleigh area.

Lures that dive 6-7m are more than enough in this area. As you venture down to Queen Street Flats, you are going to need to punch lures a bit deeper to 8-9m.

This pattern continues as you move further down the lake and in the Pelican Point area, you should be running lures capable of diving 9m+. To get the most out of your chosen lure, run it

Chatterbaits are pulling fish and at times are the only viable option. Like all fishing it pays to mix it up and toss different things.

Spinnerbaits are definitely worth a go through the deep schools. Both spinnerbaits and chatterbaits should be around 5/8oz to ensure they maintain depth when retrieved. Both lures aren’t the best for casting any distance. When the wind blows, I prefer to drift over the fish and let heaps of line out while the boat is moving. If you keep the lure 40-50m away from the boat, you greatly increase your chances of catching. When

Nigel Middleton got stuck into some of the big bass Somerset has been producing. will start to see a switch where the fish are more interested in soft plastics, spoons and blades. When this transition begins, it can be quite tricky working out what they want to eat the most. This shouldn’t

store is open over holidays and otherwise from Friday to Sunday. Orders can also be made online via the website www.somersetfishing.com. au. They have an excellent range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch.

The fish still tend to hold deep at times and we may see some movement this month. The bass population has been favouring the timbered area over the summer months where they To page 69

From page 68

have held higher in the water column in the thermocline.

Here they have been taking spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. These fish will start to venture out into the open part of the lake across the flats where they may be found down deep. Look around the flats out from The Palms and up on This Spit near the dam wall boat ramp. While searching the basin of the lake, stick close to the old creek bed drop off when the flats are 7-10m deep nearby.

The trend had been to throw spinnerbaits and

lipless crankbaits in the trees.

This will continue to work but be prepared to mix it up and throw more compact offerings like spoons, tail spinners and blades. The same smaller lures should perform well in the deeper water of the main basin.

MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BEAUDESERT, BOONAH The dam is quite low and the fish can be found around the main basin points.

Opposite the main boat ramp area is a good starting spot.

Study the sounder, look for schooling bass and try working them with a range

SUNSHINE COAST REGION BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA Bass are chewing in the main basin of the lake. Skier numbers will start to taper off now so it will be a bit more

peaceful fishing the weekends in the main part of the dam.

The points and flats in the first straight were producing well last month. Casting parallel with the key depth seemed to produce most bites. Quite a

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA The crazy golden perch bite has tapered off a bit but there are still plenty around, and the Murray cod are getting in on the action as well. Trolling hardbodies throughout the dam is a good way to catch a mixed bag. Lures that dive to 5m are a good starting point but alter this to suit the depth where you

lures at the moment. Most of these fish are just undersized but it is good to see a few over the legal size of 60cm being caught.

Up around the dam wall rope, bait fishing with live shrimp and hopping blades with assist hooks will produce good numbers of fish. Find the edge of the old creek bed and sit on the shallower humps nearby.

Goldens love these humps but will also cruise through the whole area at times. If you

of offerings. Smaller blade baits are a great choice.

There isn’t as much weed as usual due to the lower water level so if you find any better healthy growth, work spinnerbaits and surface lures around it.

Excellent numbers of bass can be caught, but you will need to sort through the smaller 30-35cm models to pull some of the better quality ones. Bigger profile lures, like spinnerbaits and chatterbait, have been producing some of the better sized fish.

• For all your fishing needs call in to see the team at

Charltons at Redbank.

Drew heads out to the lakes regularly and keeps fish fingers on the pulse. The store has a great range of lures for freshwater species.

NORTH PINE (LAKE SAMSONVALE) CLOSEST TOWN: BRISBANE, LAWNTON, PETRIE There will be a mixed bag on offer as well as a plethora of techniques producing.

Bass are most common but golden perch and saratoga are also on offer. Smaller bass and togas will be found around the edges of the lake.

The best option for those

without Boating Access Scheme Permits is to launch a kayak at the Forgan Cove area. From here, you have plenty of banks with points and bays to explore. On these edges, try casting spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and small blades. You can also toss out a shallow to medium diving hardbody while on the move. If you are limited to just one rod, then try trolling your spinnerbait or chatterbait well behind the kayak.

The better quality bass will be found in the deeper parts of the lake around drop-offs and deep flats.

few boats reported 30-40 fish sessions.

It will take a while for the bite to change but when it does, introduce blade baits, spoons and tail spinners. This time of year is all about mixing things up if you are sitting on fish that won’t chew. Another good way to fool them is to move away

from a school and then return half an hour later. Resting fish is a good way to keep bites coming on any bass lake.

Saratoga will still be a good option up the back of the dam. There was a bit of a run earlier in the year so it won’t take a lot of rain to see the dam running again. Find

the dirty water line and fish the cleaner stuff just before the visibility drops too much.

Toga will be found around the structure and can be caught on all sorts of lures. The trick is to put it in front of them. If I had to pick one lure it would be a 3” plastic rigged on a 1/4oz jighead with a silver beetle spin

Look wide on the points as these are proven fish holding areas. A 5/8oz chatterbait has been great for getting bites from the bigger fish and they will also fall for plastics, blades and spoons.

From all reports, keeping the lure close to the bottom is pulling the bigger fish.

• Tackleworld Lawnton is an ideal port of call for all your fishing needs if fishing the lakes on the north side of Brisbane. The guys can point you in the right direction and help you experience some awesome fishing close to the heart of Brisbane and even further afield. blade attached.

• Davos at Noosaville has all the gear you’ll need to tackle the fish at Borumba and Lake MacDonald. The store caters well for fresh and saltwater anglers. They can be found in the Homemaker Centre on the corner of Mary and Thomas Streets.

weed and others they will be sitting on the flats nearby. A good option is to try and find weed that is on the bottom which gradually steps down close by the old creek bed.

The fish will venture up onto the edges and have the ability to move into the weed to feed and drop back into the creek when they want a spell.

Hopping blades vertically or casting and hopping back to the boat is a gun method.

This technique always seems to get bites regardless of how active the fish are.

Casting lipless crankbaits and retrieving is a fun way

Coolmunda Dam is very low and the fish are feeling the effects. This was one of five dead cod the author saw. The fish must be so thick you could almost walk on them, but the water clarity is poor.

January storms. This will buy the township of Warwick a little more time before the water level gets too low to supply them. On the fishing front, the golden perch and cod are still worth chasing. I haven’t heard as much from the lake lately and this may just be a case of the regulars keeping tight lipped about their captures.

The cooling water will be prime for chasing fish outside An Ecogear ZX40 hopped back into the deeper creek from the weed edge was the undoing of this yella and plenty of his Cooby Dam mates. are fishing.

We have caught them on 3m divers closer to weed edges and 7m divers way out in the middle near the old creek bed. The action when trolling is pretty steady and if you put in a few hours, you will get a few bites. Murray cod are pretty keen on the trolled

are marking fish suspended off the bottom that is where your lure or baits should be.

There are also patches of fish around the better weed edges in the dam.

The weed isn’t as healthy as when the lake is full, so you need to look for the better patches. Sometimes the fish will come from the

to get fish too and results in some jarring strikes. The fish need to be a bit more active for this approach and it often works best late in the afternoon.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK Leslie Dam had a small inflow of water back in the

NEW

of the old creek bed. Golden perch and Murray cod will be prepared to spend more time up on the flats outside the creek. You can either troll or cast for these fish. Bait fishing with live shrimp is another good option but I’d park the boat pretty close to the drop-off when doing this.

Golden perch will be fond of lipless crankbaits and smaller hardbodies that dive 3-5m deep. If you want to

avoid them and specifically target cod, try trolling big spinnerbaits around 1oz in weight. The morning is a great time to be casting big swimbaits across the flats adjacent to the creek beds.

The last time I visited the lake, I could see big cod on the side image when quietly moving across the open flats away from any form of structure.

To page 70

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From page 69

• You can suss out the fishing and pick up tackle from Warwick Outdoor and Sports at 115 Palmerin Street Warwick. For a small store, it carries a great range at a very competitive price. Warwick is only a 10-minute drive from the dam and you can pick up any supplies you might need.

COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD I paid Coolmunda a visit last month just to see what the water looked like. The dam is just a creek with a bit extra water around the dam wall area. If you were keen to have a crack at the fish, you could launch a 4 or 5m boat with a 4WD from the shore near the dam

wall. You can access this by following the base of the rock wall from the high and dry boat ramp.

The water clarity is still very poor with only 10cm of visibility. I haven’t heard reports of anyone luring fish but they would certainly be an option with bait. The dam is full of life. There must have been over 1000 pelicans carving through the

schools of bony bream. In one spot I counted over 200 turtleheads sticking out of the water. This was up the Macintyre Brook arm where there were five dead cod floating in a 200m stretch.

These fish were 80-100cm long and had only died recently.

Hopefully it is just a case of such a small waterway not being able to sustain so

much life and not the start of something more serious.

I heard they are pumping to aerate the water down near the dam wall and increase oxygen levels. It is sad to see the lake so low but once the heat eases up, oxygen levels will increase and buy the fish a bit more time.

• The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only around 1km away from the lake. It offers

camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter and a camp kitchen. 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, give the park a call on (07) 4652 4171.

you do happen to find a tighter patch of fish that you want to work more thoroughly, switch to a slower troll and use a 5/8oz spinnerbait.

Early in the mornings will be a good time to flick the lake’s edges with spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and blades. Try working the middle reaches of the dam between The Narrows and The Junction.

During the day, the fish on the edges tend to move deeper. If you can find bunches of bass on the sounder they are likely to be the ones that ventured up into the shallows. Have a

crack at these fish and rotate though your lures to find what they want most. Often blade baits work a treat.

Some deeper schools will start to appear anywhere from the dam wall down to the Junction. The cooling water should see smaller lures like plastics, blades, tail spinners and spoons getting the bites. It is right at the start of a transition time so experiment to see what they want to eat most.

• Boondooma is a great place to camp right near the water enjoying the view. You could also stay in more style and comfort by booking into one of the cabins overlooking the dam. The kiosk at the main office does hot food and other basic items

including an excellent range of proven fishing tackle.

For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call (07) 4168 9694.

• For the latest information jump onto Facebook and check out Matthew Mott Sport Fishing for Motty’s latest fishing reports.

BJELKE-PETERSEN CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI Bjelke should fish well for another month. The bass and golden action down the bottom end of the lake has been good over the warmer months. There was a spike in the catch rate after a small rise in water level. This hasn’t raised the dam much so the best action will still be down the bottom end.

Trolling hardbodies and spinnerbaits down the main creek and along the edges of the channel will get the bites. There’s no need to send lures too deep as the water is quite shallow. In the area below the campground, you will want your lures running 3-5m deep. Lure casters can drift the same water casting spinnerbaits and hopping small blade baits.

Blades may start to be the better option as the water temperature cools down.

In the quarry area, you can flick lures from the edges or try soaking a bait. Bass and golden perch can be caught here as the drop-off to the old creek bed isn’t far away. Walking

the banks with a spinnerbait or lipless crankbait in the mornings and afternoons will put you in with a good chance.

• For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into Bass 2 Barra. You’ll find the stores at 119 Youngman Street Kingaroy. Matthew Mott also runs fishing charters on the dams and you can reach him through the store for bookings and enquiries on (07) 41627555.

• 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. They tend to like the trees in deeper water that have plenty of spindly branches. Locating trees like this is now getting a bit harder as the dam drops, but on a positive note, the few that remain are more likely to hold the fish.

While most fish are small, I would still recommend using 50lb braid as there is the odd big one in them. Some of the tree areas also tend to hold big fish but they are very hard to get to bite.

The weed beds grew like crazy over the summer months and the fish are

likely to patrol the edges of these around darkness and into the night. This is usually the best time to tangle with the 80-90cm fish. Pick a wind-blown weed point between New Zealand Gully and Dingo Island or from Gold Mine Point to just past Dingo on the opposite side.

The fish are very keen on the Barambah Bony Shad and Zerek Live Mullet swimbaits. Soft plastics like the 6” Hollowbelly rigged on a 1/2oz jighead will also get the bites. I would be quite happy just tossing these three lures for a session well into the night around the full moon period. However, the fish need to be there – so if

WIDE BAY AND SOUTH BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY Boondooma had a bit of water run into it earlier in the year. It wasn’t enough to dirty it up so it didn’t change the way it was fishing. Good numbers of fish were being trolled up last month in the first half of the lake. Deep and medium divers fished along the steep banks in The Narrows and on the stretch near The Barbers Pole accounted for plenty of these fish.

Trolling will continue to produce fish this month.

Hardbodies work well for covering heaps of water. If CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE The bigger barra were a bit shy last month. It was still pretty hot and there is a good chance they were just chilling out in some deeper water and hard to find. With things now cooling down, they should return and be more predictable.

Plenty of smaller 50-60cm fish have been caught around the treetops.

Hardbodies around 100mm long are perfect for these smaller

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The bigger Awoonga barra love a Powerbait Hollowbelly. They will be more active under the cover of darkness around the full moon. you are not seeing anything, then move to another spot.

I suggest spending daylight hours studying the weed points and where the best spots are.

• Justin Nye from Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing runs fishing charters on the lake. He caters to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. It is hard to beat time on the water and this is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish. You can contact him on 0429 223 550 or visit the website gladstoneflyand sportfishing.com.au.

• Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge always has a few productive secret spots to share. The

Gateway lodge is on the way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby.

The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable air conditioned, self-contained cabins each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 49750033.

CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWN: BILOELA Barra are still being caught but they have been frustrating at times. Even when fish are found in numbers, they are refusing to bite. Locating fish is still key but being on them when they decide to chew is even more important.

Finding fish in this dam takes quite a bit of time. However, once you locate them, there will be heaps all together.

They tend to head to deeper tree tops during the day and will then venture from there up in to shallower water to feed when they are ready.

Sometimes this is right on dark but if there is a bite window in the middle of the day, they can also be found shallow. Callide barra also have a habit of moving often so you will need to spend a lot of time on the sounder to ensure you are fishing to them.

The trees just the other side of Pelican Point have been a regular To page 71

From page 70

haunt for the fish and there are some nice flats on the inside of these

trees where the fish move in a more active state.

Don’t be afraid to speed up offerings if the fish aren’t

playing the game. A plastic burned off the bottom can sometimes be all it takes to switch them on.

Closer to the dam wall, scattered barra will be found along the buoy line.

These fish can be trolled or cast to but the numbers are often low and you need to spend a lot of time on them to get a bite. Late in the afternoon and at night, these fish can move in to patrol closer to the edges and hunt for food. Position yourself a cast away from a likely looking area on a windblown bank and you

will be in with a chance.

When all the stars align, you can have a cracker session here.

The fish may not be in big numbers but they make up for it in size. Metrefish barely turn an eye now and there are a few being caught over 110cm. They are fit too, and launch out of the water and peel line like you would not believe.

Despite it being a tougher barra fishery, after writing

this, I think I’ve just talked myself into another trip before winter kicks in!

• The camping area at the dam has undergone some big improvements recently with an amenities block has been added to the park.

If camping or caravanning isn’t your thing, there are 5 fully self-contained cabins.

You can contact the Callide Retreat on (07) 4993 9010 for bookings and more information.

W E N • Side console • 5 metres • Large front casting deck • Removable 2nd console

• Huge storage lockers • Livewell • Space space space • Fully Customisable

Built tough for serious anglers For full pricing & specifications – Contact Michael Boag Ian Ryan caught this Awoonga barra during a downpour. It was a big fish between the small models that took a liking to his Jackall Squirrel worked in the trees.

WHITSUNDAY REGION PROSERPINE CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSERPINE, AIRLIE BEACH Barra have been a bit steady lately. With a bit of rain a good possibility, this could all change in a flash. Barra, like other animals, seem to know when a weather event is on the way. A small rise earlier in the year allowed the barra to push up into shallow flooded ground. If it rains again, head to similar flooded country and work the river where the water is running in. The fish will stay in the area for several weeks after this.

As the lake edges flood with water, small fish move into the area to forage and the barra know there will be plenty of tucker on offer.

Lightly-weighted plastics like frogs and paddle-tails will get the bites. Topwater is also an option.

The weather forecast isn’t always right and if there is no run into the lake, it will be a case of fishing deeper in the trees and looking for fish grouped together in the main basin.

Side imaging with sounders is your best way to attack this lake and covering heaps of country to locate fish is very important. The barra will often be found close to the creeks and gullies that

wander through the timber.

A nearby hump on the edge of the creek is always a good spot to look. When fish are located, try tossing hardbodies and vibes at them. They will take a range of other presentations too, like the always reliable paddle-tail plastics and even spoons.

In the basin, lure trollers are still a good chance of hooking fish. Deeper divers, like the Scorpion Crazy Deep, are perfect for this lake. The bite time is often around the tide

change (even though it is freshwater). If you find fish out in the open part of the lake, make sure you are working on them during the peak times.

• This lake can be tricky to fish if you are new to it and I recommend getting some local knowledge. For all your fishing supplies or a guided trip on the lake call Lindsay at Barra World on (07) 49454641.

The store is right on the highway in Proserpine and specializes in barra fishing tackle. You can also keep up to date by visiting their Barra World Facebook page.

0417 545 593

Bassco Boats

Ultralight 403 Ultralight Outboard Motors

1

HP

equivalent

Kayaks / Canoes / very light boats For anglers and adventurers unwilling to compromise + With a total weight of 11kg including battery, the Torqeedo Ultralight won’t limit your paddling performance + Compatible with the steering system of all popular kayak models + Capable of travelling up to 10km/h and covering up to 100km + Waterproof to IP67 Technology that is clean and state-of-the-art

Twilight is always a good time to be staking out wind blown points and banks for impoundment barra.

Find your closest dealer: email: torqeedo@powerequipment.com.au web: www.powerequipment.com.au phone: 1800 069 469

MARCH 2020

71

Baitfish bringing in the barra LAKE TINAROO

Warwick Lyndon

March is always an interesting month to fish Tinaroo, as the wet is usually ongoing and

If the lake is still rising or has hit capacity, make sure you take the time to explore the areas that have become inundated with new water.

Barra and sooties will move up into new areas looking for food and ambush spots.

and checking one or two new spots on each trip is a good way of building up a heap of go-to locations.

Of course, the job is made easier these days by side scanning sounders, with barra in particular being very easy

Areas like this can become inundated by rising water during the wet season, creating new fishing opportunities. baitfish become quite abundant and active throughout the lake. This means predatory fish will be moving around looking for an easy meal and can be targeted by savvy anglers who know what to look for. Barra and sooty grunter will respond to a range of techniques, and can be tempted in a variety of locations this month.

These can include islands, creeks, standing and piled timber, rocky areas, points, standing grass, boulders and shrubs. Wherever there is decent structure, wind and/ or current, access to deeper water and a bait source, fish won’t be too far away.

Anglers who have been fishing the dam while water levels have been lower will be well aware of these areas,

The barra are in great nick, even at this small size.

to see on a correctly set up unit. Taking the time to scan at very slow speeds enables those who put the effort in to pinpoint exactly where the fish are and capitalise on this by fishing these areas at peak times. If you notice a heap of baitfish ‘clouds’ in an area but no barra, try returning at a different time of day or when there is a change of tide in the salt. You might be surprised how much barra respond to certain environmental inputs and thinking like this will definitely see you catch more fish in the long run.

Lure casting, bait fishing and trolling in these areas will all provide opportunity for anglers to tangle with trophy fish this month. For those casting lures, make sure you stay well back from the target area and punch out long casts, particularly if fishing shallow.

Big impoundment barra are actually quite spooky in shallow water, so keep the noise to a minimum and cover

as much ground as possible.

Good lures to try include soft and hardbodied swimbaits, soft plastic paddle-tails, and floating and suspending bibbed hardbodies. If you’re fishing deeper, good options are hard or soft vibration baits or heavier swimbaits. Being able to sink these lures down in front of the hungry barra is the key.

Fly fishing seems to have made a comeback lately and I have noticed several keen anglers waving the wand at the lake. This is great to see, as it shows people are willing to try new things and step outside the norm of traditional heavy baitcast gear. From all reports they have been quite successful, particularly when targeting the schooled barra in more open locations.

Trolling lures is quite a popular way for anglers to

Jack Centofanti loves fishing the inflows for sooty grunter at this time of year.

This is probably the fattest 49.5cm sooty you’ve ever seen! cover a heap of ground and locate schools of feeding barra. For this option, make sure you select a lure that runs at the appropriate depth. Remember that barra are lazy and are most often

looking upwards, so a lure that runs about 30cm above the depth they are sitting in will work best. Trolling slowly gives anglers an opportunity to watch the sounder closely and narrow

in on productive areas.

• If you want to keep up with more of my FNQ adventures, you can like ‘Wazza’s Fishing Page’ on Facebook or ‘Wazza’s Fishing’ on Youtube.

QLD AND NORTHERN NSW DAM LEVELS Dam............................ % Full

        

DAMS Atkinson Awoonga Bjelke-Petersen Boondooma Borumba Burdekin Falls Callide Cania Clarendon Cooby Coolmunda

DEC JAN FEB 5 5 5 63 60 60 4 3 7 21 20 25 75 65 72 71 61 101 34 31 29 60 57 56 0 0 0 26 23 23 2 1 6

Dam............................ % Full           

Copeton Cressbrook Dyer/Bill Gunn Eungella Fairbairn Glenlyon Hinze Julius Kinchant Koombooloomba Leslie Macdonald

7 6 7 37 37 38 3 3 4 91 86 86 10 8 15 3 3 3 85 83 90 75 71 101 59 55 63 31 29 36 3 3 12 81 74 104

Dam............................ % Full           

Maroon Monduran/Fred Haigh Moogerah North Pine/Samsonvale Peter Faust/Proserpine Pindari Somerset Teemburra Tinaroo Toonumbar Wivenhoe Wuruma

54 48 49 67 61 61 35 30 29 59 57 88 70 68 68 4 4 4 66 64 66 89 86 88 69 63 66 28 18 28 46 44 43 66 61 62

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 12/02/20

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.)

72

MARCH 2020

Triton continues to impress with 2020 model BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

It was only last year that the Triton underwent a major facelift with significant changes that made it a very serious contender for the workhorse-weekend warrior’s dollar.

the rear diff lock was previously only available on Mitsubishi’s flagship GLS Premium Triton.

Mitsubishi have also added something important for rear seat passengers in their four-door GLX Tritons – a rear air circulating roof pod to directly cool air their way. This feature was previously only

Towing the Trek camper trailer was never a challenge for the Triton ute.

A 7” touch screen has a lot of handy features at the fingertips.

Despite some price increases across the range, the humble Triton was more than just snapping at the heels of the likes of Hilux, Ranger, BT50, Colorado and D-Max. In many respects it was showing them the way to go, with important feature updates, value for money and sheer enjoyable driveability.

This was particularly evident in the four-door, five-seat, double cab models. They are the most popular vehicles with private buyers because of the handy versatility of its work-andleisure option. Towards the 2019 model year’s end, the Triton underwent some very serious discounting, which lifted sales to a level that saw it peak as the private buyer’s ute of choice.

The upwards shift continues with this year’s model offering the addition of a rear diff lock to the middle of the range Triton

available on GLS and GLS Premium models.

Without any noticeable body styling changes, that’s the real nitty gritty of the

Cloth seats might not have the allure of leather but the Triton’s pews were designed for comfort. There is plenty of leg room available, even with the front seats well back. new 2020 Tritons. They still present as an agile, easy to drive 4x4, with plenty of

Safety features are standard fare in the GLX Triton.

GLX and GLS models.

The real significance of this addition is that

be smaller in overall size compared to some competitors, but they still pack a punch. The Triton’s 2.4L turbo diesel engine is linked to a 6-speed gear with 133kW of power and 430Nm of torque. It had sufficient get up and go with smart take off work and easy highway overtaking.

off road cred plus capability to work hard when push turns to shove. They might

TOW TESTING The four door GLX 6-speed auto (a manual 6-speeder is also available) reviewed was set up for towing and touring. It had a tow pack and a smart looking bull bar up front – complete with LED light bar.

I hooked up the Trek camper trailer for a country run to see how the Triton handled the work.

Admittedly, with just a mere 350kg tare mass, the Trek hardly caused the Triton to flick down from sixth gear at any point in my travels. However, it was still a really great drive with plenty of comfort from the cloth-faced seats, an easily (manual) adjustable driving position, and everything was set out neatly on the dash and steering column. A big 7” touch screen graced this

year’s model and the digital radio showed me how good it can sound.

Ride comfort was good, rather than outstanding. Like other utes, it was equipped with rear leaf springs and at times the ride showed the leaf springs were on the job over rougher surfaces.

With the Trek on the tow bar and some vital camping/fishing equipment (3-way fridge freezer, small outboard motor, food box, ice box, tackle aplenty, and other sundry gear in the rear tub), the ute seemed to ride like a standard SUV. Gone was any semblance of jiggle, thanks to its 3100kg tow capacity and a 945kg rating for the rear tub.

TIGHT TURNING CIRCLE A feature I really enjoyed at the wheel of the 2020 Triton was the convenience of the ute’s very tight turning circle, which is tighter than most of its rivals.

The second standout feature was the Mitsubishi’s intuitive cruise control system. All it involved was a press to the cruise button on the wheel’s right hand spoke, then a touch of a button beside the Cruise switch that set the selected speed. Some

cruise control systems seem to have a fast and loose sort of management of set speed but the Triton’s was spot on.

This is very important, as the Triton does not have a digital speedo. Safety features are not neglected, however, as there are a suite of safety features such as EBD, DAB, hill descent control, ASC, ATC, Lane Departure warning and other handy features.

MORE GOODIES Taking the Triton off road will only enhance its cred! The approach angle is a competitive 30º, the super select 4x4 system is available on the fly and the GLX now comes standard with all terrain tyres. With the rear diff lock engaged, the Triton will take a lot to stop it, that’s for sure. Touring is very easy, thanks to the excellent ride plus a fuel tank capacity of 75L. On my tow/highway test runs, I achieved 8.2L per 100km fuel use.

On selected Triton models Mitsubishi are offering 7-years/150,000km warranty plus two years free servicing, a mighty enticement if ever there was one! All Triton’s have a 5 Star ANCAP rating.

Off road tyres make sense on a 4x4 ute that can handle an adventure trip.

The reviewed Triton is a great ride with neat styling, side steps, a tonneau cover and plenty of power to tow a camper trailer.

MARCH 2020

73

At least we have our health (and each other)...

BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

It’s a sad Dudds trip when everything goes according to plan. If we were to have a successful trip without disaster it would lead me to question my sanity.

Luckily, our latest one wasn’t, so I didn’t. And anyway, as a general life rule, I let others do that.

Now, ok, this latest trip was a good one in terms of things caught. Jacks and cod were plentiful, although there were less crabs than a Monsanto symposium. It’s all very well for governments to pat themselves on the back when they close a fishery to pros, but all it does is move the pros to other areas, meaning less pressure in some systems, and more pressure in others.

But anyway, as I mentioned, we caught heaps of finny things, some of them even big enough to chuck in the chullybun.

There were the inevitable gear failures and breakages, the cracked keel, the clogged up tell-tale, the scratched transducer, the smashed windscreen, the lost landing

net, the two or three broken rod tips, the seized reel, the seized wheel nuts, the lost winch handle, the scratched

hull, the electrical failures, overheating motors…

Things didn’t improve on the second or third day either.

But despite all that drama and cost, I’d count it as a good one because as I get older, the risk of gear

failure gets less as we can afford gooderer quality, but the risk of medical failure gets higher. You get to

the stage where there’s a sizeable bit of mileage on your tyres, and every time you head out somewhere there’s an increased risk of heat stress and elevated blood pressure.

Making it through without blowing a pooper valve or similar can be counted as a win at this stage of my life, and it’s nice to know every single Dudd made it through this trip, which is probably a bonus. I know for a fact that Boobies was pretty concerned about me at one stage. I reckon I busted off seven or eight rigs in a row. One after another.

Ping! Ping! Ping. Two or three might have been little bloody goldspots or Moses dragging me into heavy cover, but the rest were just rigs into snags, one after the other, all within about ten minutes, which is pretty impressive given I had to tie a new leader onto the braid, and tie a pre-prepared rig on each time.

At the end of which I did a Corporal Agarn, and threw my hat onto the floor of the boat, then jumped on it. Didn’t do the floor a lot of good, but made me feel surprisingly better.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2020

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

1 Mar

ABT BASS Electric Round 1 Richmond River

abt.org.au

7-8 Mar

ABT BREAM Round 3 Derwent River

abt.org.au

11-12 Mar

ABT BREAM Round 4 St Helens

abt.org.au

21 Mar

LAFMA Carp and Tilapia Eradication Competition Wyaralong Dam

Lloyd Willmann 0429 614 892

21-22 Mar

ABT BASS Pro Round 1 Lake St Clair

abt.org.au

28-29 Mar

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 12 Round 2 Georges River

hobiefishing.com.au

4-5 Apr

ABT BREAM Round 5 Mandurah

abt.org.au

5 Apr

ABT BASS Electric Round 2 Coldstream River

abt.org.au

18-19 Apr

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 12 Round 3 Mallacoota

hobiefishing.com.au

25-26 Apr

ABT BASS Pro Round 2 Clarence River

abt.org.au

29 Apr-1 May

ABT BREAM Australian Open Sydney

abt.org.au

2-3 May

ABT BASS Electric Round 3 Lostock Dam

abt.org.au

2-3 May

Hobie Kayak Bream Series 12 Round 4 Blackwood River

hobiefishing.com.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours.

Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name.

74

MARCH 2020

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Pirtek Fishing Challenge

World’s biggest fishing comp enters 12th year!

The world’s biggest fishing competition the Pirtek Fishing Challenge is now in its 12th year. It’s a one-day catch, photo and release event to be held on Sunday March 15, 2020. Keen anglers of all ages will compete right across Australia fishing their favourite locations.

The Pirtek Fishing Challenge raises funds and awareness for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and the Peter Duncan Neuroscience Research Unit.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is a broad based community organisation and the peak national body for prostate cancer in Australia. It is dedicated to reducing the impact of prostate cancer on Australian men, their partners and families, recognising the diversity of the Australian community. The Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit has recently been lauded as the number one Neuroscience Research facility in Australia.

The focus of the Unit is to study adult stem cells and their role in causing and exacerbating neurological

plus postage. Everyone who registers receives a limited edition Pirtek Fishing Challenge cap and brag mat.

New in 2020 is that each Junior who enters receives a pack of Berkley Powerbait Nemesis lures.

There are target species in each state of Australia, plus the Murray Darling Basin, ‘East Coast Freshwater’ and ‘Mountain Trout’.

For the longest fish in each species, there are prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and 1st and 2nd in

our ‘On The Water’ prizes – a Stacer 469 Outlaw tiller steer boat and trailer package, including an Evenrude E-Tec 75hp outboard engine (valued at $31,990), Snap-On Tools tool kits (two valued at $2600 and eight valued at $600), a Lowrance Hook 2 fish finder (valued at $2000), a Berkley fishing tackle pack (valued at $2000), or a $500 Valvoline product pack.

Altogether, the prize pool is worth a massive $215,000.

Another first for 2020 is the Lowrance Fishing Club competition. Ten lucky fishing clubs will win a Hook 2 Split Shot 7 inch sounder GPS units valued at $800. The registered club with the most members entered for the 2020 Pirtek

Fishing Challenge in each state plus the Northern Territory will win this terrific prize.

There are two units for NSW/ ACT, QLD and Victoria along with a unit for WA, SA, TAS and NT. All competitors need to do is enter their Fishing Club’s name at the time of registration.

Remember, the idea is to grab the family or a couple of mates for the day, have a great time fishing and raise dollars for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and the Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit at St Vincent’s Hospital.

Hopefully you can also grab some big prizes for yourself! – Pirtek Fishing Team

YOUR CHALLENGE • Enter the challenge via the website and be sure to read the terms and conditions.

• After you have registered, a limited edition Fishing Challenge cap and Fishing Challenge brag mat will be posted to you.

• The list of target species is available via the website www.pirtekfishingchallenge.com.au. diseases. The goal is to find and apply new neuroscience techniques for patients suffering from diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s, and other neurological infections and stroke. Proceeds from the Pirtek Fishing Challenge will be split between these two leading medical research organisations.

Registration is $25,

the Juniors.

Plus a $4000 cash prize if your catch is closest to the ‘Mystery Length’ in your category.

The list of target species is now available on www. pirtekfishingchallenge. com.au.

Even if you don’t catch the biggest fish, (or any fish at all), just by entering you’re in the draw to win one of

• On Saturday, 14 March 2020 (after 6:00pm) you will be sent via email a repeat list of the target species plus your angler number. You can also log on to the website to download this information.

• Anglers will commence fishing at the official sunrise time in their State/Territory on Sunday, 15 March 2020 and cease fishing at the official sunset time in their State/Territory on Sunday, 15 March 2020.

• No Lines in water prior to the official sunrise time (State/Territory of the competitor) on Sunday, 15 March 2020 and all lines out of the water at the official sunset time (State/Territory of the competitor) on Sunday, 15 March 2020.

• When you catch your target species simply lay the live fish with the nose in line with the ‘0’ (zero) measurement on the Pirtek bragmat.

• Photograph the fish so the entire length can be seen in the photograph along with your angler number.

• Check out the Photographing Your Fish page for information on how to correctly photograph your catch.

• Remember to write your angler number clearly in the white box provided on the brag mat.

• Check 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

76

MARCH 2020

length along with the angler number is clearly visible.

• If you do not receive your brag mat before Sunday 15 March, you may measure and photograph your fish using last year’s brag mat, a fisheries measuring sticker, another competitors mat (with your Angler Number), or a generic brag mat.

• If you are not happy with the photograph, simply take another one.

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

• Only a fish caught by the registered angler can be entered.

• Any photograph that shows a fish not alive or damaged will not be accepted.

• Any photograph which has undergone digital manipulation, i.e., photoshop, will be disqualified.

• You can only upload one photograph per angler to the website. This needs to be your biggest fish.

• Follow the directions on the website to upload your photograph.

• The upload needs to be complete by 7:00am AEDT, Monday, 16 March 2020.

• Any photographs uploaded after this time will not be accepted.

• If your photograph is damaged, blurry or the overall measurement of your fish is not clearly seen with your angler number the photograph will be disallowed.

• Check the website on Saturday, 21 March, 2020 to see if you’re a winner. The National Fishing Challenge committee’s decision will be final and no correspondence entered into.

Tactics: Smelly baits are very effective for carp. Carp will also get up into shallow water and mooch along the bottom looking for aquatic insects, and this is where fly anglers can have some fun, sometimes landing some huge specimens.

Rigs: A medium running sinker rig, paternoster rig or float rig with 6-20lb braided line onto a 10-20lb leader. Anglers can obviously go 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.

Lures: Carp will take lures, usually as by-catch. Fly anglers can target carp in shallow water by sight fishing with small nymphs.

GOLDEN PERCH Size Range: Up to 75cm, commonly caught at 25-50cm.

Tactics: Lures and live baits are popular, and 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, and the warmer periods of the year are generally preferred.

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 COD Size Range: Up to 1.8m, common from 40-80cm.

Tactics: Murray cod are a structure-loving and territorial species. Therefore, lures or baits fished or cast around big snag complexes repetitively usually get a response eventually. During periods of low light, they will often leave their lairs in search of food.

Rigs: 20-30lb should be your minimum line weights for both your mainline and leader.

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.

REDFIN

Size Range: Up to 60cm, common from 20-40cm.

Tactics: Redfin are a schooling fish, so finding schools of fish before deploying bait or lures is preferred. Redfin are very aggressive and will respond to a variety of presentations in the lakes and rivers where they have been introduced.

Rigs: A small running sinker rig fished vertically from a boat on 6-10lb is sufficient for redfin anywhere.

Bait: Any small invertebrates, such as worms, crustaceans and insect larvae make great redfin bait. Yabbies and shrimps are definitely standouts when searching for bigger perch.

Lures: Anything suitable for bass or trout will certainly fool redfin. Small hardbodies, soft plastics, surface lures and even flies will readily take perch.

COASTAL

WHITING

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 rig with a long leader, 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.

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.

COASTAL

Size Range: Up to 1m, but more commonly encountered at 30-60cm.

FLATHEAD

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

Tactics: Flathead are classic ambush predators that use camouflage to their advantage, often burying themselves in sand or mud when awaiting their prey. Drop offs, weed edges, hard rock and mud edges are all great spots for flathead. Flathead have a preference for tidal movement, either running in or running out, and don’t feed as much when the water is slack.

Rigs: A running sinker rig with 6lb braid with a 15lb leader is sufficient for bait fishing. The same goes for lure fishing, but try to attach your lures with a loop knot where possible to maximize the action of the lure.

Bait: Flathead will eat anything they can fit in their mouth, whether it’s live, dead, big or small.

Lures: Most lures work well on flathead, the trick is to have it in their face. Lures such as soft plastics, vibes, lipless crankbaits and hardbodied lure all take flathead, and they’ve been known to chase down swimbaits and surface lures as well.

BARRA

COASTAL

CARP

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

Tactics: Bass in rivers love structure, but when they spawn in winter, they will school up in open water around the tidal reaches. Bass can be a little different in the dams. If there are bony bream or other schooling baitfish present, the bass will usually school up in deep water, chasing the smaller bony bream. If there is a lot of structure around the edges and the food source in predominately insects, small fish and shrimps, the bass will feed in shallow water.

Rigs: Light braided line around 4-6lb with a fluorocarbon or monofilament leader around 8-14lb is preferred for lure fishing. The same applies for bait fishing.

Bait: Grasshopper, cricket, worms, yabbies, and particularly live shrimp are successful.

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.

(FRESH AND SALTWATER)

Size Range: Up to 1.8m, common around 50-70cm.

Tactics: Barramundi are veracious predators of the estuary, and love eating the baitfish and prawns that abound in these waterways. It’s for this reason that live baits, lures and flies work so well for this iconic species.

Rigs: An unweighted live bait rig is perfect for barramundi fishing, and a running sinker rig should be employed if you want to get the bait down a bit.

Bait: Live baits of mullet, herring, whiting and prawn are excellent for barramundi.

Lures: There are so many purpose-built barramundi lures on the market, ranging from soft plastics, hardbodies (shallow and deep), topwater baits and flies. The tricky part is finding out which will work on that particular day.

TREVALLY

COASTAL

Lures: Winged lures trolled off a downrigger are fantastic for when trout are schooling deep. Hardbodies, small bladed spinners and soft plastics are great for trout in shallow water.

BASS

(ALL SPECIES)

Size Range: Many trevally species can exceed 1m, however are common in the 40-70cm range.

Tactics: Trevally generally prefer fast-moving prey, and will happily chase down lures and flies wound as fast as an angler can wind or strip. There are times when a slow approach will outshine a fast one, particularly for species like golden trevally in shallow water.

Rigs: An unweighted live bait rig is a great way to tangle with a large trevally on bait, however simple weighted rigs may be needed if concentrations are found deep.

Heavy monofilament or fluorocarbon up to 100lb or more may be necessary.

COASTAL

Bait: Baits of worms, crickets, grasshoppers, mudeyes and shrimps can all be successful at different times.

MURRAY DARLING BASIN

Tactics: In dams and lakes trout can form huge school in deep water, and this is when they can be caught trolling lures. Trout are an opportunistic predator in streams, meaning they will investigate anything that comes into their domain. At other times, trout can sometimes be very fussy, particularly when there is a specific hatch of insects or baitfish in the area. Drifting baits, or casting small lures and flies is a good tactic in rivers.

MURRAY DARLING BASIN

Size Range: Up to 1m, common from 30-50cm.

MURRAY DARLING BASIN

(BROWN AND RAINBOW)

MURRAY DARLING BASIN

TROUT

GREAT DIVIDING RANGE

Pirtek Fishing Challenge

Bait: Live fish, squid prawns and even crabs will bring the bigger and more predatory trevally unstuck.

Lures: A huge range of lures will work, but particularly those that can be worked quickly. Hardbodies, soft plastics, surface lures, flies and metal lures will all catch trevally.

MARCH 2020

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI SQUID JIG BOX

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The new Samaki Squid Jig tackle box is now available. This box stores your squid jigs individually without spike hook-ups, thanks to foam compartments which keep your jigs separate from one another. It makes life a lot easier being able to store your jigs in a box free from other jigs and saltwater damage.

The double-sided box holds a variety of sizes and weights, and each spike sits within its own foam casing. You also have the ability to place your jig weight within the foam slits for extra jig preservation.

Samaki Split Foam tackle boxes come in five sizes, each designed for a variety of lure storage options, holding the smallest of flies up to your favourite vibes, hardbodies, jigheads and squid jigs. The range starts with a small single-sided model, and moves into four double-sided options of medium, large, extralarge, and jig extra-large.

The soft slit foam insert has slits and holes for you to use your tackle box to the max, all without hook tangles. The UV-resistant lids reduce lure fade, and the waterproof o-ring and stainless steel hinges safeguard your lures and terminal tackle. www.samaki.com.au

DAIWA TD HYPER RODS

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Daiwa has revamped the TD Hyper Series, delivering high-end performance at a mid range price.

The heart of TD Hyper is Daiwa’s HVF Nanoplus blank that combines precise resin control with unidirectional graphite fibre to produce a blank with maximum graphite density.

Light, responsive, and crisp in action, TD Hyper blank performance is further enhanced courtesy of X45 blank technology, working seamlessly to eliminate blank twist and distortion to increase rod strength, function, and sensitivity.

The new TD Hyper receives a significant componentry upgrade in the form of Daiwa’s Air Sensor reel seats. Air Sensor reel seats are made from carbon-infused resin, making them lighter and stronger than traditional reel seat designs. Partnering the Air Sensor reel seats are new taper grips that enhance comfort and control. There is an extensive array of models to choose from, ranging from multi-piece travel rods to technique specific light tackle and heavy models. www.daiwafishing.com.au

BLACK MAGIC SLIM JIG COLOURS

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The Black Magic Deepwater Slim Jig range just received these five new colours: candy stick, blinky, mahi mahi, night rider and fire tiger, which join the original colours of extreme pilly, pink frost and mad max.

Deepwater Slim Jigs are all high in UV and lumo, and are all rigged with super strong 8/0 assist hooks, Kevlar thread and split/ solid rings. These low-resistance, long narrow jigs offer a faster retrieve with less effort, and they are great for deep water fishing. They are available in two models, 200g (246mm) and 300g (266mm).

For more information on the Deepwater Slim Jigs, check out the Black Magic Tackle website.

You can also find more information, news and catch photos on Black Magic’s Facebook 78

MARCH 2020

PRODUCT GUIDE

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page (www.facebook.com/blackmagictackle), Instagram (@blackmagictackle) and the Black Magic YouTube channel. www.blackmagictackle.com

BONE DASH 60S

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The Bone Dash is a sinking pencil bait that flutters on the fall and slides on the retrieve giving the angler options like never before.

By attaching the line to the front eyelet, the Dash will work like a sinking pencil bait, fluttering on the fall with a side to side glide on a straight retrieve. Smart anglers can give the Dash a realistic sliding, darting action with clever rod work.

Attaching your lure on the top eyelet will enable the vibe mode, giving the Dash a tight wobble on a straight retrieve. This tie off position also creates less resistance through the water on the retrieve and still maintains the fluttering sink.

Small in profile, but big on action and options, the Dash 60S is a dual function lure that will appeal to predators in any water. It measures 60mm, weighs 10g and comes in 11 colours. www.wilsonfishing.com

TICA EZI CAST BAITCASTER

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TiCA’s new Ezi Cast Baitcasting reel offers excellent quality at an affordable price, with an attractive bright white and black finish.

The TiCA Ezi Cast Baitcaster has a robust frame with a V-shaped double anodised aluminium spool, brass main gear, Magforce brake system that helps eliminate backlash, star drag with Micronic Click, Quick Remove sideplate and instant anti-reverse.

The Ezi Cast Baitcaster comes with five bearings, of which two are stainless steel, one RRB (Rust Resistant Bearing) and two nylon bearings that help to make this reel cast effortlessly and allow the spool to spin freely.

The Ezi Cast Baitcaster comes with a 6.3: 1 high speed ratio and delivers 7kg of drag pressure. It is available in both right- and lefthand wind and it holds 150 yards of 20lb braid. This reel is ideal for the likes of bass and estuary perch, and anglers looking for a small, low-profile reel. www.jurofishing.com

SPEED SKIRT AND SPEED PLUG

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Gillies has expanded its Bluewater range of lures with the addition of the Speed Skirt and Speed Plug.

The Bluewater Speed Skirts are a high speed trolling skirt capable of searching waters at 15-18 knots, making them ideal for tuna, wahoo and other high speed pelagic species.

They are available in four colours – purple black, lumo green, lumo and pink.

The Bluewater Speed Plugs are constructed from a hard polyurethane material, are keel weighted in the front for casting, have a luminous ball in the body section, and feature a rubber hook lock that secures the rig. They are available in four colours – smoke, green, purple and blue.

You can find more information on the range at the JM Gillies website, or for the latest news, catch photos and competitions, check them out on Facebook (facebook.com/jm.gillies) or follow them on Instagram (@jm.gillies). www.jmgillies.com.au

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NEW RAPALA 3X COLOUR

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Rapala has added a new colour to the Shadow Rap 3X range: ROL (live roach).

It’s available in the 3X, 3X Deep, Shad 3X and Shad 3X Deep models.

The 11cm suspending Shadow Rap 3X makes tight turns when twitched, turns to look back and then settles to a head down position with a quiver before starting a slow fade-away dive on the pause. It can be fished almost in place with short twitches.

The 3X Deep version dives to 1.8m, and is ideal for a slow moving dying minnow presentation. It can be fished with little forward movement, yet a lot of side-to-side action.

With a fast twitch followed by slack line, it turns almost 180° before settling with a flicker to a dying dive.

The 9cm Shad 3X swims with the infamous horizontal struggle with a vertical rise on the pause, mimicking a baitfish in trouble.

The versatile Shad 3X Deep model can be fished finesse or aggressively, matching the mood of the fish. www.rapala.com.au

The Shimano Tiger Baku Baku is a Japanese designed kabura jig. The Baku Baku’s 3D holographic eyes enhance the colour combinations, and the specialist silicon skirts have been developed to entice fish to bite. The Oceania model has been beefed up with longer, curly skirts, a line-through head design and larger heavyduty hooks to handle the toughest fish in the ocean.

The Baku Baku design uses a low centre of gravity head shape that creates a resonance when moving through the water. Its shape also produces a complex flow of water behind the head, which creates a unique fish-attracting action from the silicon skirts. The line-through head design allows the skirt to flutter naturally to the bottom, and once hooked the freerunning head means the fish can’t use the weight of the jig to throw the hook.

The Tiger Baku Baku is currently available in six colours: red gold, orange silver, red silver, chartreuse glow, blue sardine and black gold.

Price: SRP $19.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

NEW EGILICIOUS MODELS

LIVETARGET FLUTTER SHAD

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Tackle Tactics have teamed up with their Pro Anglers to create a stack of new colours, including foil and glow patterns, in the Fish Inc. Egilicious range of squid jigs.

TTs has also added Fast Sink models in the 3.0 and 3.5 sizes, which during testing proved priceless when fishing deeper water, faster currents and when drifting and fishing in windy conditions.

The popularity of Egilicious jigs is due to their affordable price, quality, durable tight cloth, super-sticky Japanese Owner squid hooks, a buoyant tail for a natural stand-up presentation, and a tail angle designed a few degrees higher to reduce snagging and fouling.

The addition of 15 new colours has the nation covered, with the Pro Team already proving the worth of colours such as bleeding belly, bleeding black, red rack, fluoro green, fluoro orange, neo glow (glow), blue beans (glow) and hot pink (glow). This brings the total number of colours to 27.

Price: SRP $11.95-$12.95 www.tackletactics.com.au

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NEW DAIWA LUGGAGE

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SHIMANO TIGER BAKU 10 BAKU

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The Daiwa luggage range has been expanded with four new additions.

The Tackle Backpack holds nothing back in strength and design, and features multiple zippered storage pockets, a front chest strap, and a front access tackle tray compartment preloaded with four 3600-sized Daiwa tackle trays.

The new Soft Top and Hard Top bags provide room for all your angling goodies, with external zippered pockets, double handle and padded shoulder strap, and single 3700-sized Daiwa tackle tray, making them an essential item for your next trip away.

There are few pieces of luggage more essential than a water-resistant boat bag, and the new Daiwa Hard Base Boat Bag sets the standard in ruggedness. Constructed from durable vinyl material and featuring a waterproof hard bottom, this is the bag to help keep your gear safe and dry. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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Winner of Best Saltwater Hard Lure at ICAST 2019, the LiveTarget Flutter Shad jigging spoon mimics a shad fluttering in distress.

The Inner Core produces a vibrant flash, the feather hook creates drag and holds the hook in the ideal strike position when falling.

You can lift and drop to create a falling shimmy action, or snap the rod tip to impart an erratic twitch action. The result is a strobing flash which triggers a bite. The Flutter Shad comes in two sizes (60mm, 21g and 80mm, 42g) and 10 colours.

LiveTarget also took out the Best Freshwater Hard Lure at ICAST, with the firstever anatomically precise spoon: the Erratic Shiner. The lure has a life-like Inner-Core with a pulsating vibrant flash, an Exo-Skin that produces an erratic wide-wobble, and a darting effect imitating an injured baitfish. It has been designed for long casts and is also excellent for trolling. It comes in two sizes (55mm, 11g and 70mm, 21g) and 10 colours. www.ejtodd.com.au

SAMAKI BIG BARRA

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Samaki’s newest barra shirt features a dark, stormy sky in the background as the beautiful girl leaps from the depths to engulf a Mega Bomb Shad.

This brand new barramundi design has been drawn from the ground up, with amazing detail in the mouth, gills and every scale, and the eye is next level fish art at its finest.

The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sun with UPF50+ technology. The soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body, plus it has the added feature of being breathable, keeping you cool and dry.

Samaki designs are brought to you by Australian anglers who love to design Australian species. Big Barra shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 5XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. For more information and stockists visit the Samaki website, and like them on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date. www.samaki.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au MARCH 2020

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING DOBYNS SKIRTED FOOTBALL JIGS

JIG STAR TWISTED 13 SISTA RODS

Dobyns Football Jigs are hand-tied with custom coloured skirts in a combination of round rubber and premium silicone for a natural flowing action. They are built to the specs of professional bass angler Gary Dobyns, who has won over a 100 major tournament victories in the US. These jigs feature a football head shape that easily crawls over rocks and other hard structure, and have chip-resistant paint. They are built around a razor sharp Gamakatsu 604 Round Bend Hook, which Gary has used on his own jigs for 20 years because of its superior hook penetration. Each jig features a special 4-barb bait keeper to hold the jig trailers securely in place. They are available in 12 proven colours and two weights – 3/8oz and 1/2oz. www.ejtodd.com.au

PLANO RUSTRICTOR 14 SERIES Plano’s Rustrictor Series brings unbeatable rust-proof protection to the StowAway line.

The Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) infused walls and dividers provide 360° of protection that blocks rust and corrosion for five times longer than other tackle boxes.

The Rustrictor 3700 model (35.5 x 23 x 5cm) brings this technology to Plano’s most popular StowAway size – the classic 3700.

It has four fixed compartments, or you can add the provided dividers to create up to 24 compartments. It’s the perfect companion to any Plano 3700 Series tackle bag or system.

There’s also a slimmer 3700 Thin version (35.5 x 23 x 3.5cm), and the roomy 3700 Deep (35.5 x 23 x 8cm) for your biggest lures.

Designed for terminal tackle, the Rustrictor Terminal model (31.5 x 22.5 x 3.8cm) surrounds its contents with a corrosioninhibiting vapour that won’t leave any residue, odour or film.

Other models in the range are the 3600 (28 x 18.5 x 4.5cm), 3600 Deep (28 x 18.5 x 7cm), and the compact 3500 (23 x 13 x 3cm), so there are sizes to suit all situations and angling preferences. www.jmgillies.com.au

SALTIGA 12 BEX UVF PE+SI

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Made with UVF (Ultra Volume Fibre) and Evo Silicone, Saltiga 12 BEX UVF PE+Si line is the ultimate high-density braid, exhibiting supreme abrasion resistance and ultimate strength.

With 72% improved abrasion resistance, 20% more strength, an 18% more slippery surface and 30% less line stretch compared to 8-braid premium PE lines, our Saltiga 12 Braid UVF is the ultimate in line technology.

A reduced diameter provides an ultrasmooth surface for less friction/resistance on the guides and spool rim allowing for longer smoother casting, less noise, minimal water penetration and incredible sensitivity.

Saltiga 12 is perfect for heavy-duty jigging and casting line for big gamefish, and it’s color-coded in 10m, 5m and 1m increments to allow full line control. It’s available in a range of sizes from PE0.6 (200m spool) up to PE8 (400m). www.daiwafishing.com.au 80

MARCH 2020

PRODUCT GUIDE

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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Jig Star evolved after NZ jigging expert Chris Wong spent years jigging with renowned big fish anglers, testing his products on XOS kingfish and hapuka.

The Twisted Sista rod has an innovative ‘acid’ or ‘spiral’ design which draws on the inherent advantages of both overhead and spin rods. The design alleviates blank twist associated with poorly-built overhead rods, and allows the blank to develop its maximum potential. These rods have excellent power and resilience as a result of the carefully tapered nano blank with a perfect acid guide flow. Bend the Twisted Sista to its max and you’ll see what all the fuss is about.

There are three models, all with Fuji PSS, PLS palming reel seats with Fuji KWAG and LC Guides, and a lack of binding between the guide feet, reducing ‘dead spots’ caused by excessive binding. The MK-II rod has been redesigned with slightly more butt power and finished with custom artwork and detail. The grips have changed to short, chunky grooved EVA for a greater, more comfortable grip. All rods come with a padded rod bag. www.jurofishing.com

BLACKWOLF STRATO 40

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The BlackWolf Strato 40Technical Daypack might look like an ordinary backpack, it’s equipped with a range of handy features.

For sticky situations in the bush, there’s a safety whistle and a night reflective daisy loop. There’s also an internal pocket for a hydration tank.

Designed with a waterproof rain cover, you can count on this backpack to keep your valuables dry, and the heavy-duty no. 10 zippers are built to last.

Say goodbye to an aching back and say hello to relaxed shoulders; the padded waist and shoulder straps mean you can feel balanced, secure and confident no matter the terrain. For heavier loads, the sternum strap across your chest takes the pressure off your shoulders and give you extra cushioning.

You can even use this backpack in the city, because it has a padded laptop holder and hardcase, as well as RFID protection from digital theft. There’s also a removable key holder and external headphone port.

Price: SRP $199.99 www.blackwolf.com.au

NEW BIO TOUGH COLOURS

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Two effective new colours have joined the growing Squidgies Bio Tough lineup range. These new offerings greatly expand the range’s appeal to finesse fishers seeking downsized offerings for finicky adversaries, ranging from trout, yellowbelly and bass to bream, flathead, whiting and more.

The classic Squidgies favourite ‘UV jelly prawn’ colour is now available in the Bio Tough Grubs, Crawler and smaller Fish and Wriggler models.

The black grub is a staple lure in many angler’s tackleboxes, and the new UV Black Onyx is now available in the Grubs and Crawler.

These new colours perfectly imitate bottom-dwelling critters including yabbies, crabs, nippers and shrimp, as well as all manners of other creepy crawlies living in salt and fresh waters. www.shimano.com.au

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

Versatile Palms Turn Pop 50 I have had many years of success using surface lures in the estuaries and creeks around Sydney, catching a range of species. The ones have been particularly successful are the Bassday Sugapen, Nomad surface lures, Rapala poppers and some Prolure surface pencils, both on the flats and near weed and structure targeting Australian bass, whiting and bream, along with the occasional flathead that took an interest.

walk-the-dog style retrieve which was great for a lure of this design and shape.

Being a chunky lure with a transparent body it imitated a fleeing prawn very well.

With the constant winding and twitching it really brought in the bream, and you could easily see them tailing it like a pack

The pink prawn colour was the most successful during testing

This time I wanted to try something different – the new Palms Turn Pop 50. This popper is 5cm long, which is the perfect size for the species that I target. It has a centre treble and twin rear assist hooks, weighs 3.9g and comes in six colours: clear prawn, black bar prawn, pink prawn, yellow prawn, red/ green prawn and brown prawn.

At first glance the Turn Pop appeared to be an overdone popper that was confused as to what it wanted to be. Was it a surface pencil or was it a popper? Would it swim well or would it drag with the assists and be balanced incorrectly with the differing hook shapes and sizes?

of dogs from behind. It wasn’t long before it got smashed by numerous bream, and it was even smashed by an opportunistic longtom and a pike!

WHEN TO USE IT In comparing this to a Bassday/Prolure or similar pencil, I still feel they have their own league and can’t be topped in that particular arena. However, for the popper fanatics who need something in windy conditions to create some further attraction, the Palms Turn Pop really is a standout. The assist hooks with attractant tinsel and coloured line adds to the appearance of prawn legs fluttering Something I didn’t expect to encounter during a bream session – a hungry pike. the fish would have a go at the rear but not connect. It’s possible that this was my error in not letting the lure stay in the zone long enough, or perhaps it needed to be worked a tad slower, allowing the assists to flutter more freely, encouraging a stronger hook-up.

The one thing I learnt with these style lures is to maintain a constant retrieve.

The minute you stop, the fish quickly lose interest, unlike when you’re fishing a Bassday or similar.

Overall I found the Palms Turn Pop 50 to be quite a versatile lure.

If the wind is up or you are targeting unknown waterways or flats and want to have a crack at targeting a number of species, this lure is definitely something you’ll need to have in your arsenal. It’s dramatic in how it lands, and its motion through the water creates plenty of disturbance that draws the fish in.

To view the full colour range, or to find your nearest stockist, visit www.ejtodd. com.au. - Ben O’Brien

The Turn Pop 50 in green/red, ready to be put through its paces.

A bream that took a liking to the yellow prawn colour.

TESTING The first cast saw it rocket through the air like a bullet, perfectly weighted, and it definitely got the distance I wanted.

The landing is heavy, with the assists and trebles causing a bit of commotion as it hits the water. It certainly makes its presence known.

On the first retrieve I noticed that it dispersed a lot of water from the cup face, which was great. With further winds of the reel and twitches of the rod tip I could really get it moving, doing the

along as the lure is whipped from side to side, splashing enticingly. The pink prawn was by far the best performer on my trips; I imagine that the colours would really stand out when it’s moving through the water, and the fish home in on it.

Bream found these poppers to be super enticing, and they just couldn’t resist having a swipe at the Turn Pop as I worked it past pylons and around submerged timber structure. I found that the hook-up rates weren’t overly improved with the assists; I found that

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au MARCH 2020

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Lessons from loss of Fitzroy barra This month I want to talk about a big national problem that seems to be missing in the current discussion of the summer that has been and the emotional reactions on both sides of politics. I despair for rational discussion on dealing with the reality of global warming now and in the coming years.

Canberra may as well be on Mars at the moment for how close they are to the problem.

December provided the most difficult survey that we have endured in what is now over the hundred survey days. With a tight deadline, we had 10km of the Fitzroy River north of Rockhampton to cover and in the 42°C heat our Humminbird unit was locked up and the GPS on our Biosonics Echosounder self-destructed.

Add to that dodging huge mats of hyacinth and the day ending with a collision with a snag that bent the transducer plate to near right angles, and we barely scraped together enough data to do a presentation 24 hours later. With our presentation done the easy thing to do was to pack up and head back to Brisbane.

Something troubled me about what little of the survey we completed, which kept me in Rockhampton for two weeks more, including building a GPS solution from scratch to get us back on the water.

What troubled me was the presence of small pockets of tilapia nests that shouldn’t be there.

The Fitzroy River is unique. I don’t know of any other that has so much data – over 30 years’ worth.

Fishers around the region report their catch data to us – most years more than 300 trips – and when combined with results of competitions, we have an accurate picture of what is happening year to year. Back in 2007, the catch rates of barramundi were so low that there was talk of shutting down fishing altogether. That is the climate cycle for barramundi, boom-

bust. In 2007, much of the East Coast was in terrible drought, a state we have headed back into and may be in for another year at least.

When the drought broke, the fishery went into overdrive, and with three years of good recruitment the boom arrived with the best fishing for 25 years. That quality of fishing played a key role in the establishment of a Net Free Zone in 2016.

Infofish has monitored recruitment as well for 20 years. At the moment the recruitment is so poor it may as well be zero and without unlikely relief in the form of summer rain, that won’t change. Ironically, there hasn’t been a good recruitment year since the implementation of the Net Free Zone.

Legal fish currently make

MARCH 2020

A survey in action on a cooler mid-30s day.

Fig. 4 – Example of tilapia nests in shallow water/sand banks. up around 80% of barramundi catches, so if commercial fishing were still allowed today chances are the fishery would be pretty close to back to the state it was in 2007.

Instead, the Fitzroy attracts a growing level of fishing tourism. That, however, is the salt part of the Fitzroy.

The river is separated by a barrage that keeps the freshwater locked in and

Fig. 1 – Forecast catch rates for 2020 on the Fitzroy River.

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provides the water supply for the town. That barrier, like so many artificial obstructions in rivers, disrupts the natural cycle of the barramundi.

In normal circumstances juvenile barramundi would make their way up into the freshwater part of the river to grow up, but with the Barrage in place that only happens on a one in 20-year flood, where the flood plain gets inundated and large chunks of the town go underwater. There are many other artificial obstructions that limit the movement of juvenile barramundi, over 1200 in all. In years with minor or substantial flooding, off river sites open up, and in the years with poor rain juveniles have to rely on king tides. With a substantial population of big hungry barra to navigate on the

way to safety, predation has decimated the recruitment in the past couple of years.

We don’t make it easy for our native species.

SCOPING THE TILAPIA PROBLEM Back in 2007 at the peak of the drought there wasn’t much attention placed on tilapia. While there may have been sites where tilapia had snuck in, they were certainly

not there in large numbers and were not reported in net surveys conducted in Alligator Creek, one of the sites in this survey. In fact, the survey region is used as a release site for stocked barramundi and for a brief time in 2010/11 all the traffic on the river was in this region as the stocked fish had grown to the point where they were being caught in

Fig. 2 – Tilapia sites in the survey area.

good numbers.

In mid-2018 we did our first ever biosonics survey in Yeppen and Crescent lagoons, located on the southern road into town.

Tilapia were known to be present in the lagoon, but once we did full scanning it was clear there was a large, well-established population with an established nesting areas just waiting to spread on the next flood. Interestingly, there were far less tilapia in the next lagoon in the chain – the Woolwash.

Geography played a key role in keeping the tilapia under control. The Woolwash is closer to the river system and requires less flooding for barramundi to enter the lagoon. With the current drought conditions the Woolwash is close to drying up, and over 100 fat barramundi were recently rescued by locals and returned to the main river. In contrast, there are no barramundi in Crescent Lagoon and at best a handful in Yeppen.

What we didn’t know is how far up the river they have progressed.

Once we could get back on the water we discovered the small pockets of tilapia nests were potentially legions, which is not always easy to tell on scans. All up we identified 134 nesting sites in the 10km of river we surveyed, of those 55 were significant sites obviously in use by many fish. While I can’t provide an exact number of nests, it exceeds the 1000 mark, however some will be eel-tail catfish. Fig. 3 shows the locations of the sites, red being the largest sites.

One interesting thing we noticed on reviewing the sidescan data was two separate nesting strategies.

The largest clusters of nests occurred in shallow water, between 0.5-1.5m depth.

Nests tended to be close to the bank, with very few in open unprotected waters – see Fig. 4. In the main channel, nests were still located in shallower water at the edge but either close to or within wooden structures – see Fig 5.

If that wasn’t depressing enough there was more to come. The biosonics surveys turned up big numbers of fish, so many bony bream, that even the biosonics couldn’t count them. In the main channel the number of large balls of bony bream were numerous and sizable.

We did some volumetric assessments of larger balls and I have no doubt the total number of bony bream would be closing in on the million fish mark. We haven’t released our species classifier for biosonics just yet, but we have developed the algorithms and we have reference data for tilapia from our very first survey.

A conservative estimate in the 2.5km of the main channel surveyed would be 3000 fish classified as tilapia.

In terms of the biomass of fish >200mm long, tilapia dominated. It’s likely that this region is attractive to tilapia for its large shallow areas, but with another 40km of viable territory back to the barrage, and more territory upstream, the total biomass of tilapia has the potential to be very significant. Based on the sample size of 10km, which is significant in of itself, tilapia and bony bream are the dominant biomass.

THE IMPACT OF ROOKWOOD WEIR There is a plan to enhance Rookwood Weir, another structure further upstream for the purpose of trapping more water for agriculture.

Tilapia are going to love the change. One of the reasons that tilapia have managed

to take hold so fast above the barrage is the way in which the system is stable and shallow most of the time, with plenty of territory for nesting and almost no predators, punctuated by floods that allow them to move further up the system.

Unlike for native species, the separation of the river into a series of ponds in the dryer periods presents no obstacles to tilapia recruitment. In fact, with their omnivorous diets they can use the dry times to build up their numbers and maximise their ability to spread when the rains come.

You have to admire the way evolution has equipped tilapia to dominate systems.

It’s little wonder they are among the top food fish species globally.

In contrast, most of our native species are all built to ride out the dry times and then repopulate in the good.

It’s a strategy that assumes free motion along waterways in the good times. With all the modifications we have made to our waterways that strategy isn’t working out so well.

All things being equal, every structure that holds back water without being an impassable barrier is going to benefit tilapia. If that hasn’t been factored into the plan for Rookwood and similar structures, somebody better start thinking about allowing commercial fishing for tilapia in the next ten years.

ARTIFICIAL FISHERY I made a trip to the Pacific North West in the US in 2017 that left me shocked.

Salmon with albacore tuna and dungeness crab make up the majority of the fishing economy, both commercial and recreational. Human intervention through water management practices have reduced the viable natural recruitment for salmon to between 8-10% of its original capacity. As a result most of the salmon fishery is dependent on a massive hatchery program, with an industrial scale of stocking

supplementing the natural stocks. It’s a serious issue, similar to that with Tasmania farmed salmon, and it has raised serious concerns in the community but the biggest concern is the reality the fishery would likely collapse without ongoing human intervention.

For some unknown reason it never occurred to me that things are actually worse in Australia. When it comes to our inland fisheries, our historical water management practices have generally had an abysmal effect on the environment and fish stocks. Fair credit has to be given that thanks to habitat work and large amounts of stocking things have improved, but that doesn’t change the fact that without human intervention – we know where that fishery will end up. We have already been there.

It’s pretty scary when you think about it, that a wide range of our native species are reliant on us to hang in. What is even more scary is in the next two decades the climate gods will almost certainly throw a bunch more curve balls.

GLOBAL WARMING IS NOT GOING TO HELP I have spent plenty of time listening to climate science over the break, including material that would fit firmly in the denier category. I think that the rush of scientists to have a simple message has not only backfired in terms of community action, it’s killed necessary discussion.

That message – that 97% of scientists agree that man-made climate change is real. I mean really? Who cares? Who believes that?

I have sat in rooms of experts, the only time you see that kind of consensus is when money or religion are involved – often both. The lay person is right to smell a rat. What we really need to know is how is that going to play out. That is where climate advocates with their doom and devastation approach have paralysed our response.

Here is the reality. The world is heating up, but that is a big emotive topic so I want to focus on the part that impacts us. One thing not discussed in the climate change ‘debate’ is most of the ‘warming’ in global warming

Fig. 3 – Tilapia sites in the survey area. happens in the oceans, not in the atmosphere. In fact, without an ocean global warming would have been a lot worse, and this is bad news for Australia.

Our climate is largely driven by two key ocean phenomena, El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole. How is a larger discussion, but

Fig. 5 – Example of tilapia nests in the main channel among structure.

Fig. 6 – Tilapia candidate biomass in the main channel survey area.

the effect of putting more heat into the ocean is to strengthen their effect – ie. shorter periods of big rain, intense cyclones and longer dry periods of below average rain leading to longer droughts.

Australia’s fate is to bounce between having too much water with limited ability to trap it and too little water as water needs for cities and agriculture exceeds what we generate.

While everyone is talking CO2, it’s water that is Australia’s big problem looking ahead.

We have wasted the time since 2007 with stupid political ideological positions on both sides of politics. The last summer of horror has been the result.

We need less politics and

more preparation for what’s to come. Only focusing on emissions reduction will lead to more areas of the country becoming dangerous to live in for humans and animals.

It’s water policy, not energy policy that will be the biggest challenge for Australia in the next 20 years. Less security around inland water means big problems for fish and the broader environment. It means more long dry spells that lead to the kind of fire conditions we have had this summer and less water available in key areas to combat them. In the estuaries and inshore, warmer waters means species migrating to wider areas, something we are already seeing in Queensland and the wider East Coast.

As fishers, we should be concerned with climate change as the risks of more changes to our rivers to trap water increase. Accidental overfishing will happen in areas where fish start to find it difficult to recruit. More species will end up on the human life support system, some banned from fishing altogether, while species like carp and tilapia will be advantaged everywhere that native species are under stress.

The allocation of resources in NSW to keeping fish alive in drought struck areas is a step in the right direction, but it’s really only a sign of things to come.

THE LESSONS FROM THE FITZROY Three to four years ago, an option was on the table for the region above the barrage to join the SIPS program to secure funding for ongoing stocking. Locals objected to having to pay to go fishing in the river and the idea was canned, but I wonder if their decision would be the same if this tilapia mapping was available. It seems to me restocking the Fitzroy is an urgent task, and as the well-established tilapia population in the Woolwash

shows, barramundi can make a difference.

The reality is tilapia were able to flourish because they were out of sight and out of mind. Hidden beneath the surface of the water, they were free to go about their business.

With that in mind, the big takeaway for me from our mapping session on the Fitzroy was just how much territory we have with almost no visibility to what is going on. Having spent hundreds of thousands of dollars developing the capability to see under the water, I think our most urgent task is to do exactly that, especially in the inland rivers and streams where the risks from water management are greatest.

I have set the company the task of mapping out all of inland Australia within five years. That seems an impossible goal as it stands, but without it many more areas like the Fitzroy will be lost and decisions will be made with little regard to their future impacts on ecosystems.

It’s our job at Infofish not just to dream up how to do it, but to make it happen.

We have already started, and in the next couple of months we will find the best way to build and share the datasets with the fishing community and different levels of government. I don’t want this to just be a hunt for fishing spots with nothing done with the data.

We will also be asking the fishing community to help out – if we all work together, not only is the project achievable, politicians will take note.

Ignoring climate change is not an option; the fishing community loses out if we do that. If we work together, we can uncover what lies beneath the surface of our rivers – and hopefully this time round we can start to build a water policy that doesn’t leave us with an ecological mess to clean up.

MARCH 2020

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Trades, Services, Charter BOAT MODIFICATION & REPAIRS

BAIT & TACKLE Allfly Outfitters – 0428 615 885 Alvey - www.alvey.com.au Bait Tackle Store - www.baittacklestore.com Barambah Lures - www.barambahlures.com Bayside Bait & Tackle – 07 3820 9757 C & Horsey Lures - 07 3275 1881 Chilton Tackle Co - http://www.chiltontackleco.com.au/ Coomera Bait & Tackle - www.coomerahouseboats.com.au Crab’n Gear - www.crabngear.com.au Fisho’s Tackle World - www.fishostackleworld.com.au Gem Bait & Tackle - 07 3287 3868 Halco - www.halcotackle.com Hillies Lures – www.hilliesspinnersandlures.com Hot Bite Fishing – 0427335343 JML - www.jmlaa.com Lazer Lures – www.lazerlures.com.au Nomad Design Tackle – www.nomaddesigntackle.com Tackle Club - www.tackleclub.com.au Southern Cross Lures – 0428 667 550 Sportys Fishing - www.sportyswarehouse.com.au Wilson Fishing - www.wilsonfishing.com

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS FG Wizz – www.fgwizz.com.au

Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636 CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808 Iconic Boats Brisbane 0475 311 447 Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088 Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064

MARINE MECHANICS T&S Marine (07) 5546 2599 Whitewater Marine (07) 5532 4402

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Caloundra Marine (07) 5491 1944 Capalaba Boat Centre 04011 728 379 Coorparoo Marine (07) 3397 4141 Cunningham Marine Centre (07) 3284 8805 Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Northside Marine (07) 3265 8029 Stones Corner Marine (07) 3397 9766

NORTH QUEENSLAND

Fish Taxidermist www.fishtaxidermy.net.au or 0428 544 841

FISHING GUIDES CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

MARINE TRIMMERS SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Islander Retreat, South Stradbroke Island 0420 967 557

allows braid tension adjustment

CHECK IT OUT ONLINE www.fgwizz.com.au BOAT HIRE // HOUSE

Great family and fishing boats!

• 600km2 of sheltered waterways on the Gold Coast Broadwater.

• Fantastic Fishing • Tackle Shop • Bait and Ice

NO LICENCE REQUIRED

+ 07 5502 6200 + www.coomerahouseboats.com.au

NEW

TINNIE HIRE AVAILABLE

Lake Monduran Houseboat – www.lakem.com.au Moreton Bay Holidays Afloat - www.moretonbayholidaysafloat.com

BOAT MODIFICATION & REPAIRS

FIBREGLASS Repairs

FISH TAXIDERMY

Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

MODIFIED DESIGN

CALL FOR A DEAL

North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911

Ideal for braids and leaders large and small.

ORDERS

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

GOLD COAST

Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

GET THE ULTIMATE FG KNOT TOOL

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS

Brisbane South and Gold Coas t

• Modifications • Detailing • Repairs JOE BONNICI

0410 480 203

Salt-Away www.salt-away.com.au ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402 Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883

FRASER ISLAND Apurla Island Retreat 0437 739 121

MINN REPAIRS & SERVICING

Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177

• All electric motor brands • Australia wide freight • Quick turn around • Authorised Minn Kota/Watersnake repairer

Fraser Island Beach Houses 1800 626 230

Minn Repairs & Servicing Call Troy 0412 605 080 – W: minnrepairs.com minnrepairsservicing E: minnrepairs@gmail.com

Eurong Beach Resort 1800 111 808 Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364 Yidney Rocks (07) 4127 9167

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Baffle Creek Holiday House 0419 624 833

Bottlecreek Farm Accommodation ENQUIRIES : STACEY AT REMAX ON [04 3887 7403] OR STACEY@REMAX.COM.AU

MARINE MECHANICS // MOBILE WYNUMM MANLY-BAYSIDE

$150p/n

Sleeps 10 people

Wondall Rd Marine (07) 3396 5633

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. $320 + GST for 6 months Email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

1.3km River Frontage Boat Ramp

Excellent fishing and crabbing Huge games room cres 150 a Enjoy ourself! y all to

• Pool table • Ping Pong

All this for only...

only $150p/n

COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel 4069 5222

MACKAY BEL AIR MOTEL, MACKAY - PLENTY OF ROOM FOR BOATS AND TRAILERS.............PH: 07 4957 3658

MARINE TRAILERS Oceanic Boat Trailers (07) 5597 0577 Sea-Link Special Trailers (07) 3881 3568 Spitfire Trailers (07) 0400 866 323T Tinnie Tosser (07) 5498 7339

FRESHWATER Lake Boondooma Caravan Park (07) 4168 9694 Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872 Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746 Yallakool Park and Kiosk on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

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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MARCH 2020

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory CHARTER BOATS

NORTHERN NSW

N O W AVA IL A B L E

Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0428 828 835

GOLD COAST

Reel Time Fishing Charters Yamba 0428 231 962

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034 Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929 Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412 Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469 Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428 RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366 Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330 True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622

ALL YOUR FISHING MONTHLY GEAR

Wooli Fishing Charter (02) 6649 7100

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726

From

T-Shirts

MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201

$

Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727

22 85

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

REEL TIME FISHING CHARTERS

BRISBANE Big Cat Charters and Tom Cat Charters 0433 430 248 Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576 John Gooding Outlaw Charters 0418 738 750 Moreton Island Fishing Charters 0413 128 056

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. $320 + GST for 6 months Email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

• 6am to 2pm $150pp • 3 boats – holds up to 30+ people • All fishing gear and bait is supplied • No fishing licence req.

• Pickup from Yamba Marina or Iluka ferry wharf

Phone Cases From

Phone Dave today: www.fishingyamba.com.au 0428 231 962

$

29 45

Mugs

From

OPEN 7 DAYS

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$

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MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

YAMBA’S LARGEST TACKLE STORE Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956

• Chandlery • Boat Sales • Ice & Gas • Bait & Tackle • Trailers Sales & Parts • Charter Bookings Ph: 6646 1994 or 0428 231 962 Email: dave@gaden.com.au

Hervey Bay Fishing Charters (07) 4125 3958

Now Agents For

SUNSHINE COAST Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814

Clocks $

42 7 0

Carry Bags

Incredible Charters 1300 655 818 Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151

HERVEY BAY

From

Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402

Fully Guided Lure & Fly Fishing •

• Custom Sportsfishing Vessels • Quality Fishing Gear Supplied

Throw Pillows

Smithy’s Fishing Charters Sunshine Coast 0407 574 868 Sunshine Coast Fishing Charters (07) 5500 0671 Top Catch Charters Sunshine Coast 0429 013 012

Jump onto our website and place your order today!

20 3 3

BORN AND BRED LOCAL GUIDE

Rainbow Beach Fishing Charters 0439 775 070

Get your very own Fishing Monthly shirt, carry bag, stubby cooler, or neck scarf...

$

From

$

25 4 2

and lots more...

www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND (Cont.)

Bundaberg Fishing Charters 0429 017 217

MANY DESIGNS TO CHOOSE FROM ON A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS ALL MADE TO ORDER

Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686 Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234 Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911 Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Action Charters Mackay 0417 452 346 Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027 Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044 Eclipse FNQ Weipa Charters 0488 058 668 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324 Fish’s Fly & Sportsfishing Weipa (07) 4069 9957

wp.fishingmonthly.com.au

Fishing Charters Townsville 0403 386 722 JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382 Roko Island Fishing Charters 0488 074 593

fishingmonthly.redbubble.com

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au MARCH 2020

85

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS COLOURFUL CATCHES

BUTTERFLYFISH DAMSELFISH BLUE BANDED GOBY PARROTFISH SURGEONFISH MANDARINFISH CORAL TROUT BLUE GROPER MAORI WRASSE

FAIRY BASSLET DISCUSFISH BLUE TANG CORONATION TROUT MAHI MAHI FLAME SNAPPER HARLEQUIN FISH VENUS TUSKFISH

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

QLD MARCH 2020

Phone (day):

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

Complete the Find the Word and go in the draw to win a Fishing Monthly Prize Pack containing a limited edition neck scarf and a Fishing Monthly environmentally-friendly tote bag.

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Bruce Harkness, who was last month’s winner of the Find-aWord Competition!

Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winners for January are M Stokes of Windsor, W Ford of Stanthorpe, R Kelly of Childers, G Ho of Carina Heights, and K Wendt of Degilbo, who won an Remington Ultimate Series RX5 Head Shaver valued at $150.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

of Blackbutt, A Sclippa of Mourilyan, A Hall of Lucinda, J Boneham of Eight Mile Plains, M Gillett of Boonah, P & M Kelliher of Kirwan, D Buxton of Kippa Ring, J Higgins of Caboolture, A Hewlett of Mothar Mountain, W Robinson of Raceview, I Mackellar of Maryborough, M Boyle of Slacks Creek, B Fisher of Roma, K Cook of Bli Bli, C Hendry of Imbil, B Devine of Pialaba, A Stoffels

of Yarrabilba, G Stephan of Aratula, C Robinson of Edmonton, L Pirlo of Modanville, E Brady of Kallangur, G Sprott of Glenlee, R Kunde of Beerwah, H Gruenfeld of Redwood, J Goody of Mt Berryman, Z Steinhardt of Tivoli, P Brooks of Hoxton Park, T Ferrari of Deception Bay, G Watter of Ripley.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks.

– QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

GUESS THE FISH?

FIND THE ZMAN LOGO

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MARCH 2020

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Threadfin Salmon

The Find the ZMan Logo prize winners for January were: J Bugno of Bardon, T Grice of Caboolture, C Rowe of Loganholme, G Mason of Kalkie, J Bowyer of Blackall, S Dawson of Gympie, A Robertson of Emu Park, G Anderson of Emu Park, K Martin of Dalby, D McClurg of Boondall, D Stewart of Hermit Park, A Needham

Answer:

boats & kayaks

Core CSR444 with Suzuki 50hp 4-stroke In the skipper’sAnglapro seat - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

Q

R

RA

CON

AN THE

88 You’re my only hope Troy Brown delves into the kayak fishing opportunities on the Gold Coast’s Hope Island!

CO

DE FOR EX

T

Inside story...

Sea Jay Aluminium Boats has been family owned and operated for over 30 years, and the name has become renowned for strength, quality workmanship and customization with the angler in mind.

90 Rod holders on yaks Justin Willmer explains a few options for when you decide to mount rod holders to your kayak.

Whether you’re fishing in fresh or salt, inshore or offshore, Sea Jay will provide you with a model to suit your boating and fishing needs.

92 All hands on deck!

Boat decks are very popular for anglers these days, and Wayne Kampe discusses the finer details.

Made for...

Sea Jay specialises in boats for sports anglers, offering a stable fishing FMG platform Steve Morgan and plenty of storage. s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

This month...

Sometimes it seems overwhelming to make the step from your first boat to a bigger, more comfortable boat that expands your range, safety and fishing options.

There are literally dozens of options in this class of aluminium boat in Australia. Considering that a really basic tinny will cost you around $10,000, the guys at North Coast Boating Centre in Coffs Harbour have set up this Anglapro Core 444CSR for on-water testing. And it’s come in, as tested and drive away, from under $20,000.

So what do you get for double your money?

calm days. We took it for SPECIFICATIONS a spin off Coffs Harbour Length................. 4.5m on a calm day with a few Beam................. 2.11m lumps left over from some wind elsewhere. You can Depth .................. 1.1m watch it in action in the Bottom ................ 3mm video versionMorgan of this boattakes a look at this Steve Sides ................... 3mm test on the Fishing Monthly ..... 4by persons Magazines YouTube great estuary rig, Capacity powered the channel (or by scanning the Hull.weight reliable Suzuki 50hp 4-stroke!

QR code on this page on (basic) ................ 250kg your smartphone).

Although there was no fuel metering equipment back, it took a little effort fitted on the boat, we did to get this boat up on the get a feel for it in a cruise plane, but once you add up along the coast. At wide an electric motor and some open throttle (WOT) we hit of your gear, it will level a top speed of just over out nicely.

I would also add a 50km/h at 6,000rpm. The optimum cruising speed couple of seat bases a little was between 4,000 and further forward. These can 5,000rpm, and we infer help you balance the load, the seats well over 50km of range and they also hold MARCH 2020 when you’re anchored up from the remote tank.

These boats need a little and drowning some baits.

For more information weight up front to balance the ride and help the rig out about the Core CSR444 and

96 Anglapro Core CSR444 with Suzuki 50hp

Editor Steve Morgan takes the Sea Jay 473 Territory with Yamaha F60hp onto Somerset Dam. Check it out on page 94!

Main: Open tinnies with smooth sides are increasingly popular on the water. The Anglapro Core CSR444 paired with the Suzuki 50hp tiller is a great rig for under $20,000. It’s at home on open water on calm days, and it can sneak up a shallow estuary with ease.

Ch

87

Summer rains bring hope to island yak fishing BRISBANE

Troy Brown

Having ended last year on a tough note, with high water temperatures, poor rainfalls and a lack of nutrients affecting our estuaries, a suggestion of normality has finally returned, bringing summer rain and a desperately needed flush of our waterways.

Due to the difficult conditions over an extended period, my focus has been on locating areas accessible for all kayakers, as many will not have hulls suitable for chasing fish in open waters.

The plethora of waterways around the entrance to Hope Island became my focus, as the potential was obvious despite poor conditions taking the shine from this Gold Coast gem.

bait in this system was much smaller.

While working the edges of the many rock walls and pontoons, I had a very gentle inhalation of my lure from a fish. which I first thought may have been a snag or a misplaced shopping trolley.

However, when it started to progressively tow my kayak against the tide, I realised it was a very large fish. Over the course of the next three trips, I lost eight lures to this beast. Each time, the scenario was the same and the location was within a few metres of the initial strike.

There were no aggressive strikes and line-peeling runs, simply a solid bump followed by an inexorable feeling of my lure being progressively towed back to the fish’s home. Upgrading my gear did nothing to slow this behemoth, with 40lb

Match the hatch and you’ll greatly increase your chances of catching the mighty jack. This fish took a 4” ZMan SwimmerZ, but smaller lures are often required. use monster plastics then effectively negated any chance I had of landing another, but my final hook-up was entirely unintentional.

After conceding defeat

HOPE ISLAND Don’t be tempted to fish restricted areas such as the Hope Island or Sanctuary Cove marinas. With an abundance of rock walls, pontoons and other structure outside these spots, why would you risk it? Photo courtesy of Maritime Safety Queensland.

My favourite launch point is the boat ramp at Boykambil Esplanade South, as it places you at the Junction, a meeting point of the Coomera River, Coombabah Creek and Hope Island Canal. With options to explore every point of the compass, you can either let the tide decide, push out on a pre-determined path or simply fish the junction, as this is a crossroads for fish moving through the system.

If you are trailering your kayak, I would recommend you launch from the nearby Jabiru Island ramp, as the limited parking on Boykambil Esplanade can fill up quickly.

At Hope Island, I was mostly focused on chasing mangrove jack, often forgetting about the bread and butter opportunities available. I was also almost obsessively chasing larger models, throwing big lures in the misguided hope that it would tempt larger fish.

While this can be true, the 88

MARCH 2020

leader withstanding the slow march away from my kayak before finally being ensnared in a rocky canyon that sawed through my line.

While this was not the jack I was chasing, the thought of landing this monster provided a significant distraction from the red dogs. My latest effort was on lighter line and with a smaller Keitech Grub and for the first time, I managed to pull the fish away from its abode. While bristling with excitement that I may finally see my nemesis, the fish started to show its first signs of noticing it was hooked.

Moments later, it was lost again. I suspect it is a huge cod or groper, but whatever the species, it has my respect and it will never again take my lures. The fish won each battle convincingly and I am happy to leave it in peace.

So, what about those mangrove jack? I actually caught a reasonable specimen on my first visit, using a far more intelligent 4” ZMan SwimmerZ. My desire to

with the monster fish that had taunted me for the past few visits, I decided I would change tactics for one cast before calling it a day. Pulling my trusty 1-2kg bream rod from its holder, I tied an

prawn settled in right on the edge of the pontoon, drifted in the current for a moment and then slowly descended.

As it neared the rear of the pontoon, I waited for a hungry bream to emerge and leap on the unrealistic looking prawn imitation. Instead, a large mangrove jack shot from below the pontoon, hit the bream prawn roughly 20cm from the surface and broke my line on the pontoon support. The jack I had been chasing with stupidly large lures had just demolished my bream prawn! I had to laugh at the cruel irony.

In the brief interludes where my giant mangrove jack obsession faded, I did find some time to target bream, flathead and trevally.

When the water is clear, the junction is a drawcard for angry trevally, especially when the prawns are running through the area. If you see a bust-off near the ramp, do not consider going anywhere else, as once the trevally are in that section they seem to stay around for at least a couple of hours. Surface lures are a great choice, but as I had been casting the enormous 150mm gold Bombers in my misguided quest for an enormous jack, I used a simple

Tightly casting to the rock walls and letting your lure work into the drop-off will excite a reaction from a territorial mangrove jack. unweighted bream prawn onto 6lb leader and headed for the nearest pontoon.

Running short on time before I needed to leave, I had one cast for glory. My aim was perfect; the bream

rip and pause technique with that lure to effectively target aggressive trevally.

Bream can be found around the pontoons, rock walls, and bridges but are most aggressive near the shallow

edges at night. Flathead have been tough to find, but are slowly starting to return to the system. Each time it rains you can expect some disruption, but long term these flows of fresh water will benefit future catches. Numbers of all species are down on previous years, but hopefully over coming months we will start to see a resurgence as the cycle returns to a normal pattern.

Unlike my antics with mangrove jack, keep a watchful eye on bait moving through the water, as this is the most important detail to ensure success. Carefully look at the water quality before deciding on the shade of your lure. While I am sure colour to some degree affects whether a fish will strike (flathead love pink), it matters more if your lure is dark or light.

In dirty water or at night, a dark colour will project more of a shadow while moving above a predatory bottomhugging fish. If you are working the lure deeper in the water column so it is heading directly into the strike zone, a lighter and brighter finish will be more visible when it

some important limitations.

The nearby Hope Island and Sanctuary Cove marinas are off-limits. Anglers may espouse the Canals Act of 1958 but the Sanctuary Cove Act and the Integrated Resort Development Act that emerged after effectively make these marinas private property.

The waters contained within the private harbours of Hope Island are controlled by the resort’s body corporate.

The Department of State Development stated: “Hope Island restrict access to private waterways from the general public unless they possess an invite from a resident or occupant of Hope Island Resort. Anyone in breach of the by-laws may be removed by the harbour master, a security officer, or a member of the police force.”

There are many excellent places to fish around Hope Island, so do not enter areas marked as private unless you have permission. If you come across private canals elsewhere, either check the legality of entry or stay clear.

Please act responsibly and respect residents’ privacy and security. In any canal estate,

The Jabiru Island ramp offers a generous amount of parking and well maintained facilities. Photo courtesy of Adrian Shapcott. gets close to your target. If the water is clear, natural/neutral colours seem to work best.

The action of the lure and how you work it is even more important, but colours and patterns can sometimes make enough difference to entice a strike. The motor oil and greasy prawn colours seem to work consistently regardless of visibility.

When fishing in poor light or cloudy water, the addition of scents will definitely improve strike rates on soft plastics and can also be used sparingly on hardbodied lures, but keep in mind they are most effective with slow retrieves. If fishing surface lures for species like bream, give the lure plenty of time to pause when it is passing the strike zone, as that lull in movement is usually what will trigger a bream to attack.

You can drift any direction from the junction to find fish, with rock walls, pontoons, deep drop-offs, undercut banks and flats within a short distance of the ramp.

However, please be aware of

if you cannot cast accurately enough to avoid hitting a boat or leaving a hook in the carpet of a pontoon, you have no place fishing there. If a resident is sitting nearby and enjoying a peaceful moment near the water, move away. If you are politely asked to leave, move a couple of pontoons away and keep fishing. Arguing with residents will achieve nothing, whereas a polite nod will foster a more comfortable relationship with the locals.

Policing aside, Hope Island offers a diverse range of fishing opportunities for kayakers. It would be difficult to find another launch location that allows rapid access to such a varied fishing landscape. Fishing in the area has certainly not been at its peak recently, but there are few areas in the South East that can truly claim they have been experiencing a fishing bonanza. With some assistance from the climate, this area will again reach the peak of its potential and provide the excitement we have only glimpsed in recent months.

GOLD COAST SALES

Advertorial

Victorian boat manufacturer Whittley Marine has been producing innovative fibreglass boats since the late 1950s. From the beginning, their boats were recognised for being well built and with exceptional attention to detail put into every vessel. The Whittley brand quickly gained a huge following amongst leisure craft and recreational users, which continues today.

The SL and CR models have always been a firm favourite within the Queensland market. The introduction of the Whittley value-orientated CW range in recent years has further increased the number of people enjoying the experience that a Whittley boat offers.

COOMERA SHOWROOM The new Coomera showroom is at Building F 8 & 9, 1 Boatworks Drive, Coomera and is part of The Boat Works complex.

While visiting the showroom I caught up with Alan Whittley and he explained that choosing the location and determining what they wanted to achieve was a four month long project and, once it was decided they would go ahead, it took two weeks to set up the showroom. “Our goal was to create one of the most professionally presented new boat sales facilities in Queensland” said Alan.

The end result is the largest display of Whittley fibreglass boats in Queensland, with 8-12 NEW boats on show at any one time. The showroom certainly has that WOW factor!

Laurie Jackson is the Gold Coast yard sales manager and has many years of experience with the Whittley range of boats. He has owned a number of models over the years and was an active member of the Melbourne Whittley Cruising Club. He explained that although the

Laurie Jackson is excited about the new Whittley showroom at the Gold Coast. It is great to have everything Whittley all in one place. showroom had only been open for a few weeks, the initial response has been fantastic, with new customers already hitting the water with new Whittley’s being sold.

The beauty of the location is that if people want to organise an on-water test, there is an onsite boat ramp, so getting on the water is as simple as making an appointment and turning up! It is really the heart of the Australian boating industry and it is exciting to come and see a working boat yard all around us.

EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE Alan also explained that the beauty of the Boat Works complex is that

Whittley Boats sets path to grow in Queensland market

everything you need is in the one place. Unique customisation and service support is available from the surrounding businesses. Factor in that any purchase is being made through a Whittley factory owned dealership.

With all packages supplied turn key from the factory in Melbourne, so you can buy with confidence from the Whittley Family the actual builders of the boats.

GO AND CHECK IT OUT Over the last eight years Fishing Monthly has had quite a bit to do with Whittley Marine. We have tested a vast majority of the models and you can check those tests out at www.wp.fishingmonthly.com.au or via the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel. This includes one of the latest Yamaha Outboard powered Sea Legend models. Watch this space as we will also be testing SL20 and SL25 outboard models in the very near future!

You can contact Laurie at the Coomera showroom on 0409 830 078 or drop in and see him Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm (Saturdays 8am until 2pm). Full Yamaha Finance and insurance options are available onsite and if you want to make a day of it, there are restaurants and a café within the complex. You can check out the range, contemplate your decision and buy a boat without going too far.

If you want to learn more about the range it is also well worth checking out the Whittley website www.whittleymarinegroup.com.au.

Whittley offers a unique build a boat features on its web-site, which enables potential customers to build their boat online and personalise your own package, check it out today! – Peter Jung

Where to find us

BUILDING F 8 & 9, 1 BOATWORKS DRIVE, COOMERA, QLD, 4209

Main: The showroom is within The Boat Works complex at Coomera. Left: One of the newest offerings from Whittley is the Yamaha powered SL 20 ST, available from $72,500.

Middle: Whittley’s new SL 25 HT powered by twin Yamaha F 150’s is on display, the perfect boat for Queensland. Right: There is also a wide range of Whittley’s legally trailerable CR models on display as well. Can you see yourself cruising and enjoying your local waterway in one of these? The author can!

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Placing rod holders in the yak BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

When purchasing and fitting out a kayak for fishing, an important consideration is the rod holders and rod storage.

Many kayaks come fitted with some form of rod holders, from basic flush mount rod holders to more comprehensive horizontal rod storage. Let’s take a look at rod holder options, their applications and some of the pros and cons.

WHY ROD HOLDERS? Rod holders can have many different purposes, such as storage and transport, lure or bait trolling, and static bait fishing. You may require rod holders to protect and secure your rods when punching out into the surf, navigating rapids or for keeping multiple rods secure and at the ready when fishing a tournament situation or socially. They may be mounted to extend

the other end is formed into a flat plate that sits flush against the deck, generally sealed with Sikaflex or

the bottom of the pipe. It is also worth noting that flush mount rod holders are available with the pipe

and mounting any type of rod holder, it is important to ensure the rod holder is in a position that is practical

A track mounted adjustable rod holder allows for easy repositioning. being lifted from rear flush mount rod holders in the process of paddling and lost overboard. The latter could be overcome by attaching a rod leash to your rods, especially when left stowed

and lift the reels away from the water, especially when fishing the salt. You can now get simple extender inserts that slide into the flush mount rod holder and extend the height of the tube,

Multiple rod holder options allow you to have several rods rigged and ready. similar and fixed with rivets. The butt of the rod is simply slid into the holder to secure it in place.

When purchasing and

running vertically and also with the pipe angled from the mounting plate. You will need to decide if you want the rods sticking straight up

and functional. I will generally use cloth tape to mark where the rod holder will be placed or to hold an adjustable rod holder in place temporarily while I take the kayak for a paddle and fish. You will soon realise if you are unable to reach the rod holder once seated on the water, if the rod holder is going to be in the way when paddling or anchoring, or any other reason why you may need to adjust the position of the holder prior to mounting it.

Flush mount rod holders are inexpensive, included in

A selection of adjustable rod holders. in the rod holders. However, I use the rear flush mount rod holders for stowing my landing net instead, with an accessory float attached to ensure it is not lost if dislodged with the paddle.

plus are quick to remove for easy kayak transport and storage. Quality extenders feature attachment points to anchor the extender to the kayak, along with attachment points for rod

Carrying a selection of rigged rods allows you to be ready for different scenarios, as Jason Milne aka ‘Paddle Guy’ can attest with this solid queenfish. your rods horizontally from the sides of the kayak when trolling or for keeping your reel away from the water and the rod secure when waiting for a bite while bait fishing.

TYPES OF ROD HOLDERS Flush mount The most basic form of rod holders is the flush mount rod holders that come fitted in many fishing kayaks. Your kayak may include two flush mount rod holders behind the seat, with some also offering two additional rod holders in front of the paddler, one on each side of the cockpit area. Flush mount rod holders generally consist of a section of plastic pipe that is sealed at one end to ensure water cannot enter the hull of your kayak, while 90

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fitting your own flush mount rod holders, it is important to ensure that they are sealed at the end of the pipe, as flush mount rod holders available for boats often have an opening to allow water to drain out of

in the air, or if you would like them angled back out of the way when casting or out from the sides when trolling. You will also need to make note of the internal space that is available.

Before drilling holes

Rod holder extenders come in the form of pipe extensions for flush mounts or extenders for adjustable rod holders.

An icebox or crate allows you to stow gear as well as attach rod holders and accessories.

the price of many kayaks and readily available.

However, they do take up internal space to house the pipe of the flush mount rod holder as well as the large hole that must be cut into the kayak to accept the pipe.

I avoid storing rods in flush mount rod holders, as I believe that the reels are too close to the water and I have witnessed two rod combos

Your marine or kayak dealer will be able to supply both flush mount rod holders and the appropriate rivets for mounting them in your kayak.

Flush mount rod holder extender As kayak fishing has grown rapidly in popularity in recent years, anglers have realised the need to extend the flush mount rod holder

leashes. As the saying goes, leash it or lose it!

Adjustable rod holders With the growth of kayak fishing, it has also become more common for kayaks to come fitted with adjustable rod holders.

Back in the mid-1990s when I fitted out my first kayak for fishing, I attached a primitive anchor running rig, a sounder with a shoot

through hull transducer, and an adjustable rod holder for storing and transporting my rod away from the saltwater, along with trolling lures and fishing baits. I basically took three of the key components from my boat fishing and transferred them to the kayak.

Quality adjustable rod holders are now readily available from brands such as RAM, Scotty and Railblaza, who all step

or adjustable rod holders to it. This allows vertical storage of rods, plus the space in the crate can store a water container, tackle, wet weather gear and other accessories.

MOUNTING TIPS When planning the fit out of your kayak with rod holders, you will need to consider how many rods you wish to carry, whether you will be storing and transporting

Forward mounted rod holders can be useful as they provide a clear sightline for bites and paddling clearance when trolling.

This yak has rods in the front rod holders and landing nets in the back. above the budget models with corrosion resistance, more horizontal and vertical adjustability, locking mechanisms to keep the rod secure, and sturdy mount release systems that allow the rod holder to be installed and removed quickly and easily from the attached mount as required.

Running one mounting system across your watercraft allows you to interchange rod holders and other accessories between vessels. I have opted to run the Railblaza system as it is light, affordable, durable and it has a variety of StarPort mounts to suit a variety of mounting positions and applications that mount on a track system, which is then in turn mounted on the kayak. They also offer a comprehensive

them horizontally or vertically, and if the rod holders will be used for trolling lures, holding

to reinforce the mount.

LAYOUT OPTIONS The best rod holder selection and layout depends on what best suits your needs. Over the years I have seen a myriad of different rod holder options and mounting ideas, many of which served a specific function for the user.

Vertical storage may be perfect for those fishing open water, while those fishing smaller creeks with

Longer tube style rod holders keep reels clear of the saltwater. popular layouts include the basic two flush mount rod holders behind the angler and two in front, however I would suggest investigating rod holder extenders in

own solution for securing four rigged rods behind my seat with two Railblaza StarPort mounts and a TracPort Dash 500 attached to house four adjustable rod

Depending on your kayak, rail mounting can be a good option.

Reels mounted high and tethered for heading offshore. range of accessories, like rod holders, safety flags and lighting, camera booms, storage, platforms and sounder mounts that use the universal mount system.

Crate systems Another popular option for storing and mounting rod holders is a crate system like the Hobie H-Crate. Many kayak anglers will simply secure a milk crate in the rear well of their kayak and mount a few basic side mounts

paddling or pedalling, rod butt clearance, etc. prior to mounting.

• It is much easier to drill or cut than it is to patch. Measure twice, cut or drill once!

• Use quality rod holders, mounts and mounting hardware with marine grade stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers. They will pay for themselves in no time.

• Where accessing

an available mounting point or centre hatch, and this can be very effective when fishing with one rod. From here, anglers may opt for an adjustable rod holder on each side of the kayak in front of them, allowing two rods to be stowed, used for bait fishing or trolling, with the option of trolling from either side of the kayak or both simultaneously.

For storage solutions, anglers often use sections of PVC pipe to protect tips and elastic strap holders for securing the lower section of the rod when stowing horizontally and milk crates with rod holders for rear vertical storage. I created my

rods while bait fishing or other applications. These considerations will assist you in deciding the number of rod holders, the style of rod holders and where on the kayak the rod holders will need to be mounted.

• As mentioned earlier, mark with tape where you are thinking of mounting your rod holder or alternatively tape the mount on so that you can test the proposed position for accessibility and reach, clearance when

inside the hull of the kayak is difficult, due to lack of hatches and access ports, the only option may be stainless steel screws to mount your rod holder. In this case, use Sikaflex or similar to assist the screws in fixing the rod holder or mount to the kayak. The ideal option is to mount your rod holders where you have internal access, allowing you to use bolts, washers and either two nuts or a nut with a nylon washer for a secure fixing.

• For heavier trolling applications, you have the option with Railblaza mounts to cut a larger hole and mount the base section of the StarPort inside the kayak and the top section on the outside, sandwiching more kayak between the mount. Alternatively, I have mounted through backing plates made of rotomoulded polyethylene or stainless steel placed inside the kayak

overhanging vegetation may require horizontal rod storage with some sort of protection for the rod tips. Explore what options are out there and don’t be afraid to invent, design and create your own solution if you can’t find what you’re looking for. Kayak fishing has a history of innovation.

Some of the most

Track mounting rod holders are becoming more popular as they’re easy to adjust and fit. this instance, especially if fishing the salt. Many anglers opt for a single adjustable rod holder in front of them, mounted to

A side mount increases the available mounting possibilities.

holders securely. It’s not the cheapest option to store four rods vertically and isn’t one that I have seen before, but it has served me well, stood up to plenty of use and allowed me to easily access four pre-rigged rods.

The fact that I can have different presentations rigged for different situations or multiple similar presentations rigged in case of a snag or bust off has definitely increased my catch rate.

Spend some time thinking about your needs so you can plan and fit out the best rod holder solution for your fishing. It will make your sessions simpler, safer, more productive and more enjoyable.

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All hands on deck!

BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Back when I first started boating, a deck was not even considered. Boats were open, dinghy-style craft or half cabin jobs,

from. Many a fish has been dragged flapping into the forward seating of a bow rider rig!

STANDARD FEATURES If a boat is going to soon grace the back of the car, it’s important to assess whether or not a deck will be one of the major considerations

prior to purchase. A deck can be very useful because of its elevation from floor height, which can assist anglers with more ready assessment of nearby features plus provide a stable place to fish from.

For fly anglers, there’s also the benefit of unobstructed floor area for ease of

This well set up front deck features six different compartments – note the divided catchwell.

Exposed checkplate is a feature of some plate alloy craft and while it certainly looks the part, it can get very hot in mid-summer. so the boats of today are a huge step forward in watercraft evolution.

Today, a deck is generally regarded as an important part of virtually every larger craft although we might easily find one on a smaller, under 5m rig as well, given the way that manufacturers are packing in desirable features into smaller and smaller boats nowadays.

A deck is pretty much any flat area that is added on to the front or rear of the main floor of a boat either as a place to work from, a mounting place for a seat or simply part of the overall framework of the craft. The term ‘deck’ can also apply to the bow rider area in these styles of boats, as that forward section certainly makes a handy place to fish

That’s a mighty neat deck but your toes might take a beating on the prominent hinges.

The Nitro’s front deck would easily fish two anglers in comfort.

Note the recessed hatch cover latches and hookless carpet.

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casting – a huge bonus.

Under deck compartments can provide storage space, catchwells, live bait wells, perhaps an auxiliary or other battery compartment and even engine related accessories such as fuel or other filters. It’s also quite common to find an under deck compartment set up with tackle trays for easy

access of those working in the immediate area.

Heights vary; a deck can be set up at a level lower than the gunwales, level with them or even stand above to provide extra storage room beneath it. In a purely sportfishing craft, it’s usual for the main deck area to be up front with a lesser area to be aft of the main cockpit seating area, in order to pack in as much fishing area as possible.

FRONT DECK Typically, a front deck provides somewhere to cast or play a fish from and also houses the aforementioned storage areas set up to the best advantage for the anglers aboard. In some cases, there’s a handy seat spigot in the bow area to allow flexible seating.

If you’re considering buying a boat, it’s a good idea to assess how much of the craft is taken up with the front deck and how it’s going to influence things elsewhere. Too large a deck might encroach on other sections of the craft and it’s wise to consider if the deck will suit the majority of the fishing and other boating plans on the horizon. One

thing’s for certain, what you see is what you get and it might be very difficult to change things down the track. If it’s possible, a comparison of deck layouts noted in different makes of boats can help you decide.

DECK SURFACE Decks can be covered or simply left unadorned as part of the finished product. It’s normal for most fibreglass craft to have some form of non-skid surface, which provides excellent underfoot grip but might be hard to get really clean after extended fishing time. Cleaning it after a week away of fishing with grime quietly building up and without a chance to use a hose or a pressure washer can be difficult.

With aluminium craft, a large expanse of shiny alloy tread plate might look impressive, but it is going to be hard on bare feet and will truly test the worth of your sunglasses in really hot, sunny weather. For some reason, different boat makers persist in leaving their plate alloy decks in the open for the sun to cook so it’s not surprising some owners opt to cover exposed alloy with products such as

The front deck of the Grady White features a massive catchwell plus a prominent above floor height anchor locker to facilitate fishing up front.

Seadeck or similar insulating material, as it’s not hard to apply and will be great to walk on. Likewise, some fibreglass owners might throw a bit of Seadeck or carpet down up front over the non-skid surface to facilitate cleaning up later.

Hatch access covers up front will all have hinges on them and you should assess whether they are out of line with the floor height or are set up to be level with

or sloppy conditions, as the fly line will quickly slip over the side if allowed to sit on the deck between casts.

Without a stripping basket, fishing in such a craft can be very difficult indeed.

KEEPING WATER OUT Check how freely the hatch covers open, hinge back and whether the seals are snug enough to deny water entry when closed. Most glass rigs seem to take care of water with neatly moulded

and found to be wet and soggy, there’s no option but to open up the covers and let the cleaning up begin.

It doesn’t sound like much fun (and trust me, it’s not!) but the alternative of leaving things as they are has a much higher ‘yuck’ factor.

If you’re intending to purchase a used rig, looking within the under deck hatch compartments will reveal a lot about water ingress and how well things have

Neatly fitted carpeted hatches, seen here, can sometimes allow a bit of water ingress. If you’re fishing in wet conditions, it will pay to have a look under them once back at base. be handy for casting when a few anglers are aboard.

On the other hand, a deck the full width of the craft is standard for dedicated sports boats (the so called ‘bass’ boats) and other well-powered planing

to ensure total ease of draining and to be certain no smelly bits are left there after fishing.

COVERINGS It’s par for the course to see front and rear decks with a carpet covering. It’s

a lure or bait rig’s ultra sharp hook to touch it without digging in from the vibration of the craft.

Don’t be afraid of carpeted decks. Yes, a spill on carpet at home can be a real worry but on boats the

Nitro’s dedicated sportfishing rig boasts a very large deck section aft of the cockpit seating with a livewell under the carpet. the rest of the deck when closed. Kicking your pinky toe on a protruding hinge is agonising; plus if you’re a fly angler and the line keeps catching on them, it’s a

channels but alloy rigs with flush contact hatches don’t do so well and few things are more annoying than having a session fishing out in the rain and coming home to

been maintained. Stains, mould and furry stuff are all indicative of some possible neglect, so buyers beware.

AFT DECK While a deck in front

Like most sportcraft, the Nitro’s paired compartments within the aft deck are set up with batteries and a bilge pump. craft.

Hatch covered compartments are normally featured and while some compartments are dedicated to engine related items – batteries, filters and the like – a live bait well in this area is fairly common as well.

In such cases, it’s good to have livewells plumbed

always worth considering the type of carpet.

Carpet is a lot easier under foot than fibreglass or alloy and it’s even better if the carpet is one of the ‘hookless’ varieties which, when a rigged rod is placed on the deck while moving to a new location, allow

marine carpet coverings are really easy to maintain in the grand scheme of things and can stand up to some sugar soap or hard carpet cleaner after fishing.

So, before you invest, consider the features you need from a deck for your kind of fishing.

Who said a rear deck wouldn’t be useful! The author displays his capture while his son Scott stands on the rear deck of the tinny to play a fish. constant curse. Another vital issue just for fly anglers will be deck height. A recessed deck can contain the fly line admirably while a deck that finishes level with the gunwales is a pain in windy

find just about everything under the deck slopping about in water. Most anglers won’t begrudge their craft some TLC after fishing but when all under deck compartments are inspected

of the engine is usually standard fare on dedicated sportcraft, it’s normal to have a pair of small decks each side of the engine on punts and the like because these smaller decks can still

The well-recessed deck in this image features a seat spigot.

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Sea Jay 473 Territory with Yamaha F60 4-stroke - SC

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launch and retrieve the rig by himself on the decidedly shallow ramp at The Spit.

Height-wise, it’ll fit into a standard garage.

This rig is a blank canvas for someone who wants to fit out a great little fishing boat that’ll be comfortable anywhere from a freshwater

CO

DE FOR EX

T FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

I love dealing with local manufacturers. Fishing Monthly is located between Brisbane and the Gold Coast in South East Queensland and we are surrounded by local boat makers – possibly more than anywhere else in the country.

Sea Jay boats are designed and built in Bundaberg, a few hours north of Brisbane, but their National Sales Manager Garry Fitzgerald is located in the South East. The cool thing is that he’s always giving us a sneak peek of all the new models coming out.

We snuck this new 473 Territory up to Somerset Dam on a weekday to keep it on the down low, but SPECIFICATIONS Length............... 4.73m Beam................. 2.24m Depth ................ 1.14m Capacity ..... 5 persons Sides ................... 3mm Bottom ................ 3mm Hull.weight ....... 400kg Max.hp ........ 75 (116kg) Fuel ....................... 80L I’ve subsequently seen it in the yard of Stones Corner Marine. It’s the smaller sibling of the larger 493 Territory that was launched at the Brisbane Boat Show late last year. That boat was such a hit the smaller model went into R&D immediately.

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You can see this boat in action in the video boat test (by scanning the QR code on your mobile phone at the top of this article) or by searching on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube page.

For more information on Sea Jay boats, visit www.

PERFORMANCE

Main: The 473 Territory is a great looking boat and definitely suits a buyer who wants their first ‘serious’ fishing boat that can be customised for most inshore situations.

Above: The test model was fitted with Yamaha’s F60hp 4-stroke, which yielded over 3km/L economy at cruising speeds.

Like most Sea Jay hulls, this one performs well with power less than the maximum allowed. Sea Jay calls the hull design used for the Territory the Adrenalin Next Gen hull.

It’s their old Adrenalin hull with the full transom of a Samurai hull added. For me, that full transom (rather than a cut out with a low point where water can splash in) gives you serious peace of mind when you decide to take out this boat and catch your first mackerel or marlin.

“We had a lot of feedback from dealers and customers that smaller versions of this boat would be in demand so we got moving on the designs straight away,” said Garry, “and I reckon the team got it right with this boat.”

Indeed, after a morning’s boating and fishing on Somerset, I can really see

how Aussie anglers can fall in love with these locally made rigs. The hull is beamy (2.24m) for its 4.73m length and the three of us on board for the day had no problems at all with stability and had plenty of room to fish and film. The spacious front casting deck also has a mile of storage underneath and this space now includes an underfloor anchor locker that gives you unimpeded casting access right up to the bow.

The test boat was fitted with an F60hp Yamaha 4-stroke outboard. At 15hp under the maximum allowed, it could definitely do with some extra ponies on the back. At wide open, it hit a modest 45km/h at 5,600rpm at 2.3km/L. Drop it back to 4,500rpm and the economy tops 3km/L at 36km/h.

Supplied on a single

axle trailer, this rig is easily towable by basically anything with a tow bar.

Fitzy was able to easily

RPM....... Speed.(km/h)....... Economy.(km/L) 700 ............................ 5 ............................ 5.6 1000 .......................... 7 ............................. 7.2 2000.........................11 ............................ 3.4 3000.........................15 ............................ 2.1 4000........................ 31 ............................ 3.0 4500 ........................ 36 ............................ 3.1 5000........................ 40 ............................ 2.6 5600 ........................ 45 ............................ 2.3 lake to Moreton Bay. Add your own combination of electric motor and electronics to customise it to the types of fishing you like and enjoy!

seajayboats.com.au and check out Sea Jay Boats on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest products and boat show appearances.

With the 60hp, the 473 Territory is definitely no rocket ship, maxing out at 45km/h.

Top: It’s good to have a test boat fitted with the electronics you’d put on yourself. The Minn Kota adds a fair bit of weight to the bow and makes the boat behave a little differently out on the water.

Above: You’ll be able to mount as big a sounder as you like on top of the dash. There’s also a compartment for your wallet, keys and mobile phone.

Top: The 473 Territory has a full transom with neat rigging and a fold down step.

Above: Like all boats with a raised casting platform, you’ll find plenty of storage underneath.

The Yamaha F60hp definitely matches the styling of this rig.

The front casting deck is high and beamy. Moving the anchor well to under the deck gives unprecedented access to the bow of the boat.

It would be a challenge to fill this room with all of your camping and fishing gear. There’s plenty of open space on the deck.

Top Left: The inbuilt transom gives you covered space for batteries and other storage.

Top Right: Concealed under the foredeck, the repositioned anchor well is definitely big enough to keep your anchor stowed while travelling.

Bottom Left: There’s a livewell in the port transom, which pumps in and has a gravity overflow onto the duckboard.

Bottom Right: The Territory is light enough to tote on a single axle trailer.

Left and Right: Sea Jay typically keeps their consoles and seating simple. Additional seat bases can be added to help you get weight distribution right for the best ride possible.

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Anglapro Core CSR444 with Suzuki 50hp 4-stroke - SC

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Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Sometimes it seems overwhelming to make the step from your first boat to a bigger, more comfortable boat that expands your range, safety and fishing options.

There are literally dozens of options in this class of aluminium boat in Australia. Considering that a really basic tinny will cost you around $10,000, the guys at North Coast Boating Centre in Coffs Harbour have set up this Anglapro Core 444CSR for on-water testing. And it’s come in, as tested and drive away, from under $20,000.

So what do you get for double your money?

Basically, you get a painted, carpeted, more stable and capable boat with boarding steps, storage and the potential to trick it up into a real fishing machine.

Let’s look at the details.

The 4.5m hull has a 2.11m beam, which makes this rig very wide for its length. It means that you’ll find stability to be no problems compared with a 3.7m v-nosed tinny.

PERFORMANCE RPM.... SPEED.km/h 1000 ....................... 3 2000 ....................... 5 3000 ....................... 8 4000 ..................... 24 5000 ..................... 36 6000 ..................... 52 96

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Main: Open tinnies with smooth sides are increasingly popular on the water. The Anglapro Core CSR444 paired with the Suzuki 50hp tiller is a great rig for under $20,000. It’s at home on open water on calm days, and it can sneak up a shallow estuary with ease.

Above: Headed out from Coffs Harbour, the Anglapro was noticeably light in the bow. This can easily happen on a boat test where there’s no electric motor, batteries or fishing tackle onboard.

The Core 444CSR has 3mm bottom sheet and 3mm side sheets with plenty of internal ribs to support the smooth plate gunwales.

Traditionally, strength used to be added with clinkered sides, but more and more aluminium boats feature the smooth sided finish nowadays.

Before painting, this rig has the floor frames welded in, an optional bow-mounted electric motor bracket and the rear boarding step and rails attached, as well as a couple of internal side pockets.

After being sprayed (this one was

white), the carpeted floors are fitted.

Finally, the team from NCBC drop it on a single axle, Australian-made trailer (which you can pull around with virtually any car on the road today) and bolt on the 50hp tiller steer Suzuki outboard, which is fuelled by the remote fuel tank that’s kept out of sight under the rear hatch.

Registered and out the door, that’s $20,000. You’ll need to add your own fish finders and electric motor.

From a fishing point of view, this is an inshore boat that you can take outside on

calm days. We took it for a spin off Coffs Harbour on a calm day with a few lumps left over from some wind elsewhere. You can watch it in action in the video version of this boat test on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel (or by scanning the QR code on this page on your smartphone).

Although there was no fuel metering equipment fitted on the boat, we did get a feel for it in a cruise up along the coast. At wide open throttle (WOT) we hit a top speed of just over 50km/h at 6,000rpm. The optimum cruising speed was between 4,000 and 5,000rpm, and we infer well over 50km of range from the remote tank.

These boats need a little weight up front to balance the ride and help the rig out of the hole. With all of the weight (battery, fuel, motor and two people) down the

SPECIFICATIONS Length................. 4.5m Beam................. 2.11m Depth .................. 1.1m Bottom ................ 3mm Sides ................... 3mm Capacity ..... 4 persons Hull.weight (basic) ................ 250kg back, it took a little effort to get this boat up on the plane, but once you add an electric motor and some of your gear, it will level out nicely.

I would also add a couple of seat bases a little further forward. These can help you balance the load, and they also hold the seats when you’re anchored up and drowning some baits.

For more information about the Core CSR444 and to check out the rest of the Anglapro range of boats, go to www.anglapro.com.au.

At rest, the Core is stable and roomy. There’s plenty of room for you and a couple of mates to wet a line.

Using a Suzuki with a 20” shaft, there’s a fair difference between the top of the transom and the outboard mounts. Inflow is caught and channeled away by a channeled engine well.

The step and grab rail is standard on this Core model.

The electric motor mount is optional but a necessity on a boat of this size.

The cranking battery sits inside this rear, starboard side hatch.

There are a couple of rear seat mounts, however a port mount a little further forward would allow for a variety of configurations.

Check out this for a mountain of deck space. The semi-raised front deck is a great compromise for a boat that may spend equal times in calm and open waters.

Like all boats with casting decks, the Anglapro gains plenty of underfloor storage space.

The Core comes with a built in anchor well, allowing anchoring as well as electric motor options.

You’ll see plenty of ribs in the smooth sided design.

There are two long side pockets that will hold all of your gear that needs to be readily accessed.

The Core runs a remote, 25L fuel tank. It’s tucked neatly away under the starboard rear hatch.

The step up onto the front deck isn’t too high and gives you the height you need to see into the water.

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WHAT’S NEW BOATING PURSUIT DC 235

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The Pursuit DC 235 is packed full of comfortable seating and storage with classic styling throughout.

The value and affordability of the DC 235 is delivered through a fully appointed boat with popular options. Notable standards include plush cushions, porcelain marine head, cockpit bolsters and an array of fishing features. A single Yamaha F250 delivers consistent performance for every activity, from fishing to board sports.

All Pursuit boats have proven hulls, refined lamination techniques, vacuum-infused stringer grids, and verified installations. These boats are designed and manufactured in the USA. The premium gelcoat is backed by a 5-year hull blister warranty, and there’s also a 5-year hull and deck structural warranty with a 2-year component warranty, all of which are transferable to subsequent owners.

The hull bottoms are reinforced with a resin-infused, fibreglass structural grid system, and the lined roto-moulded polyethylene fuel tanks for maximum fuel capacity are designed to eliminate condensation and the effects of ethanol in the fuel.

Base price: SRP $134,000 (engines not included) cobaltaustralia.com.au

LOWRANCE HOOK REVEAL

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The new Lowrance HOOK Reveal (available in 9”, 7” and 5”) delivers powerful performance with proven fish-finding tools.

Anglers will have an easier time seeing fish with FishReveal, which combines on one screen the target separation of Lowrance CHIRP sonar and the high-resolution images of fish-holding structure from DownScan Imaging.

Genesis Live lets you create custom 0.5ft contour maps of your local waters in real time on the HOOK Reveal screen. Genesis Live maps can also be created and saved on HOOK Reveal non-mapping GPS plotters by placing a blank microSD card into the card slot.

A simple interface and HOOK exclusive Autotuning sonar make HOOK Reveal easy to use. Autotuning sonar delivers the best sonar image every time by automatically adjusting settings as fishing conditions change, making it easy to pinpoint humps, drop-offs and so on.

You can choose your preferred combination of display size, sonar type and navigation, from TripleShot (High CHIRP, SideScan and DownScan Imaging) or SplitShot (High CHIRP and DownScan Imaging) transducers and mapping chartplotters or non-mapping GPS plotters.

Price: from SRP $529 www.lowrance.com

BIRD STAIN REMOVER

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Droppings from birds ruin the looks of any boat and can’t be removed with just soap and water. However, just spray on Star brite Spider and Bird Stain Remover and they will begin to break down instantly.

The non-abrasive, non-toxic formula won’t harm fibreglass or painted surfaces, and won’t remove waxes or polish. The droppings simply dissolve without hard scrubbing.

The formula is all-natural, contains no bleach and is safe for use around kids and pets. It is safe for all marine surfaces and fabrics.

To use, spray it directly on droppings, saturating them. Allow it to penetrate the droppings for 30-45 seconds before gently scrubbing with a boat brush. Rinse well with fresh water. Stubborn or sun-baked droppings may require a second application. www.starbrite.com 98

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SUZUKI 3+3 YEAR WARRANTY

PRODUCT GUIDE

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Suzuki Marine has announced an upgrade to their 3+2 year warranty to 3+3 year warranty on all outboards (DF2.5hpDF350hp) purchased from 1 January 2020 for recreational use.

This upgrade provides customers with further support, security and peace of mind, and endorses the superior build quality and reliability of Suzuki outboards in the Australian marine environment.

This means that from 1 January 2020, any 4-stroke outboard from 2.5hp to 350hp purchased by a recreational operator in Australia can be covered for up to six years in total. The first three years is covered by Suzuki Motor Corporation warranty and the additional extended warranty of three years is covered by Suzuki Marine Australia.

To maintain the new warranty period, owners must have and continue to have all periodic servicing (within the servicing guidelines and timeframes) and all maintenance carried out by an authorised Suzuki Marine dealership. www.suzukimarine.com.au

SOUTHERN FORMULA 19

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The new Southern Formula range is set to be one of the best bluewater fishing boats produced in Australia, and the new Southern Formula 19 model has all the critical features that fishers have been asking for.

Built tough for offshore conditions, standard features include a hinged dive door, full-length bunks, dual live bait tanks, long range fuel tank 280L, underfloor storage, heavy-duty deck hardware, 4x cabin storage shelves, full foamfilled hull and ECM stringer system.

The Southern Formula 19 is 6.4m long with a towable beam of 2.4m. Horsepower is 175250hp, the weight (boat only) is approx. 1100kg, the fuel capacity is 280L. It has a variable 21° deadrise for a soft, stable, economical and performing hull, and takes a maximum of five people.

Southern Formula boats are built in Australia, and the design and manufacturing team consist of qualified boat builders and a full-time naval architect. These boats have been designed to produce superior performance, with better ride quality, better stability, more efficient hull, dryer ride with overall features and benefits internally. www.southernformula.com.au

QUINTREX TOP ENDER PRO

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A good thing just got even better with the release of the new Quintrex Top Ender Pro, which is available in 430, 450, 481, 500, 520 and 540 models.

The Top Ender Pro features the current Blade Hull with a new and improved Flared Bow. The stretch-formed aluminium side sheets have more curve that run further down the boat’s length to deflect more spray away from passengers.

The range introduced the 430 Top Ender Pro, a smaller and more versatile boat with the same pod transom as the other models.

The side-console configuration maximizes fishing space, and there’s heaps of underfloor storage for tackle, iceboxes and fish. In the front casting platform, you can chose to have the standard storage or a livewell.

Standard features include a marine VHF radio, rear ladder, four rod holders, three seats and a 5-year warranty. Options include a burley bucket, cutting board, twin battery system for electric motors, lockable rod storage and upgraded seats. www.quintrex.com.au

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

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MARCH 2020

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REASONS TO CHOOSE MERCURY

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SAVE $1500 3.99% UP TO *

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^Terms & conditions apply. Savings are based on RRP. Offer available on selected new consumer FourStroke outboards from 75-115hp purchased from participating Mercury dealers from 20th January 2020 to 23rd March 2020. *The comparison rate is based on a secured loan of $30,000 for a term of 5 years.

WARNING: The comparison rate only applies to the example given. Different amounts and terms will result in a different comparison rate. Finance is provided by Mercury Finance Pty Ltd ABN 28 156 248 092. Australian Credit Licence Number 421347.

Visit mercurymarine.com.au to find your nearest participating dealer or to request a quote.

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