Queensland Fishing Monthly - May 2014 by Fishing Monthly

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May 2014, Vol. 28 No. 7

Contents SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Tweed Heads 12 Southern Gold Coast 14 Gold Coast Canals 16 Gold Coast 18 Jumpinpin 20 Southern Bay 22 Brisbane 24 Brisbane Offshore 26 Northern Bay 28 Southern Pumicestone 30 Caloundra 32 Noosa 34 Teewah Beach 37 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay 36 Rainbow Beach 36 Fraser Coast 38 Bundaberg 40 Gladstone 41 Stanage Bay 41 Rockhampton 42 Yeppoon 44 Mackay 46 TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Bowen 48 Ayr 50 Townsville 52 Lucinda 54 Hinchinbrook 55 Cairns 56 Port Douglas 58 Cooktown 60 Weipa 60 Karumba 61 The Cape 61

From the Editor’s Desk... May already? You’ve got to be kidding! But no the year is slipping past us all and the boat show season is upon us again. I’m really looking forward to May as I have a bit of long service leave coming and that literally means fishing. Hopefully I’ll get to scare a mulloway, a king threadfin salmon, maybe a tuna and if all goes well I’ll see if I can get into a mackerel or wahoo. But what I really want this year is a cobia so big that most seasoned anglers just avoid them. I’ve heard stories for a few years of really big cobia that just take forever to land on any tackle. Everyone I have spoken to says, “You’ll only do it once!” That’s great, I do only want to do it once, but that’s the point I want to do it once! Oh yeah, it has to be on a plastic as well and that means having a boat and crew who

are willing to be bored for a little while, while I bust a kidney trying to get a cobe into the boat. Complicating that requirement is the need for the seas to be kind. By kind, I mean it has to be less than a metre or else there is no chance I will even get to the hot spot with my soft stomach and all. But fishy obstacles are meant to be overcome and if all the stars align it is going to be on. As usual I will also take a week to fish the mighty Murray River. I can’t get over my fascination with the river red gums, the cold mornings, the camp fire chats with mates, the cockies and corellas, and the amazing environment you get to cast lures in. No phones helps a lot too. FISHERIES REVIEW The Fisheries Review is gathering speed and momentum and I suggest everyone take the time to keep up to date with what’s

going on. I can almost predict that the consultation period or time for comment will be pretty small as there’ll be an election to be won around the same time this review should be finalised. It’ll be interesting either way and something we all need to be talking to our representatives about. The terms of reference have been released (see http:// goo.gl/GduQDh) and you can get on the mailing list to keep updated from the page link. I suggest you do it and make sure you have your say. NETTING While I am not against professional fishers, I am concerned by the allowance for them to net bait in yellow zones. It seems strange to me, but I will admit I don’t know the full story from either side. But netting estuaries and juvenile fish habitat just seems to be wrong, regardless of how good the by-catch systems are. I am not looking for a

fight because I really don’t know enough to make it a fair fight, however I am more than happy to get some perspective from both sides and see if I can make up my mind independently. I’ll admit it will be hard as I am all for protection of juvenile fish habitat – after all isn’t that why we protect sea grass beds and mangrove stands? This rethink on netting all came about from a Fisheries discovery of a net that had killed heaps of fish. Was it abandoned? Was it set by rec anglers? Was it set by pro anglers? Who knows, but the death toll was ridiculous. If that’s what a net does, then netting a yellow zone would seem an indefensible activity given our newfound environmental awareness. Feel free to educate me from both sides. Until the July issue, enjoy your time on the water and catch that dream.

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ING TRADE

Pinning down a mulloway BRISBANE

David McKenzie

South East Queenslanders are spoilt for choice when it comes to productive mulloway locations. These fish can be caught at or near all of the river mouths along the coast, and are a genuine year-round option at Jumpinpin. So with some ideas on what to look for, and a little know-how you could well be landing the fish of a lifetime. The plethora of winding channels and hidden sand banks that is the Jumpinpin area, lies inside the channel that separates North and South Stradbroke Islands. The area has a range of options for the keen fisho, with shallow weed beds, creek mouths, drop-offs, deep channels, mangrove edges and sand flats aplenty. If you’re after the mighty mulloway though, you’ll want to focus your efforts on the many deep channels, creek mouths and drop-offs the ‘Pin has to offer. Reading everything I could about mulloway as a kid growing up in Adelaide, the basic info burnt into my brain was that you needed to be the first up, last to bed, fish through awful weather, and always line up your trips with certain moon periods and, most importantly, tide changes. Sure, all of these may work at certain times for certain people, but for me, the equation is far simpler. Mulloway tend to school up in areas of high tidal flow, nearby to decent structure to help break the flow and

Mulloway tend to school up in areas of high tidal flow.

If you’re after a silver dream in the Pin, concentrate on the deeper ledges and drop-offs where bait and structure are thick. allow shelter during the highest flow periods. In the Jumpinpin area, structure is mostly fallen or uprooted trees, and coffee rock ledges. During times of high rainfall, trees that have fallen from the banks move with the flood water and eventually settle somewhere throughout the ’Pin area. If you can find these snags in channels 8m or deeper with decent current flow, chances are mulloway aren’t far away. Add some baitfish to the equation and it’s likely you’re on the money. Bear in mind after each flood, snags can move so I find favourite mulloway spots are not always the same from year to year. There’s a load of areas like this at the

‘Pin, so sound around and see what you can find. Once you’ve found your key areas to try, you’ll then need to decide between bait and lures. The majority of my larger fish have come on live baits, but as any lure fisher will tell you, there’s something special about tricking a quality fish like the mulloway on an artificial lure. USING LURES In the areas mentioned, during high current flow periods you will need some decent weight in the lure to reach the fish, which usually sit tight on the bottom during the main run of the tide. Generally I will fish jerk minnow style plastics like the Atomic 6” Jerk Minnow in

ghost pearl on a 1oz Atomic jighead with 7/0 hook. Each to their own on brands, but whatever you choose, make sure you’re buying quality. The jigheads I use are built on Gamakatsu hooks, which will withstand the pressure that the mulloway can exert. Buying cheaper gear will leave you disappointed at the end of the day with stories of the

action. For this reason, they will get to the bottom quickly, and once there, you will need to do small subtle flicks of your rod tip to get some action into the lure. Remember your lure will be moving along the bottom with the current; you just need to flick the lure up off the bottom regularly so that it doesn’t get stuck as you drift along.

Jumpinpin offers a genuine year-round option for mulloway. ones that got away. My theory is that money spent on gear is only minimal when compared to fuel, rego, boat etc, so don’t skimp on the one bit of gear that gets you, and keeps you, connected to that fish. Jerk minnow style lures have very little inherent

One of the big keys to successful mulloway fishing with lures is drifting! So often we see guys anchored in huge current, with their baits and lures a kilometre behind the boat, with no chance of being on the bottom. If you drift, you can keep your line vertical, avoiding a huge

A fluorocarbon leader of around 2030lb and a braid main line of around 20lb will be plenty for drifting mulloway. 10

MAY 2014

I find the circle tends to hold the bait well, but be sure not to strike when you get a hit. Whenever you use circle hooks, allow the fish to hook themselves and let the rod load up completely before you start to fight the fish. Circle hooks are great for catch and release, as the hook up position is nearly always in the corner of the mouth, leaving the fish healthy to swim off again. The technique for bait fishing is similar to that of lure fishing, in that drifting will allow you to keep your

line vertical, ensuring you are always keeping your bait in the strike zone. Lift your rod tip regularly to avoid snagging the bottom. Bait fishing allows for heavier line to work, and you will see my gear is far heavier when live baiting. The reason for this is threefold. Firstly, if it works and I can still get the bites, then why not give myself a better chance of landing the fish. Secondly, the fish caught on livies tend to be of a larger size. Finally, sharks are a huge problem at the ‘Pin,

so I like to get the fish to the boat as quickly as possible so that they can be released healthily. I hate hearing stories of getting sharked 10 times in a morning. I’d much rather leave the area if sharks are a problem than decimate the mulloway stocks for no good reason. The above techniques can be deadly on mulloway at the ‘Pin, so please fish responsibly and take only what you need. We are truly blessed to have such a great fishery so close to major cities.

The hook closest to the sinker will be an 8/0 Gamakatsu Octopus circle hook, and the trailing hook is a standard 7/0 Gamakatsu Octopus. belly of line that will just catch the current and pull your lure away from where it needs to be. An electric motor will help you position the boat over the lure, but isn’t essential. A fluorocarbon leader of around 20-30lb and a braid main line of around 20lb will be plenty for this style of fishing. Fish too heavily and your line will catch too much current making your life hard. Unfortunately, the ‘Pin has a lot of sharks, and extended fights can end in your mulloway being eaten, so you need to push your gear to the max to try and get the fish to the surface.

Quality gear will help, but so will luck! BAIT UP When fishing with bait, I will always use fresh bait. This almost always means collecting live baits in the morning before trying to find the mulloway. I have found mulloway are not overly concerned about which live baits I use, provided I get them into the right zone with the right rig. So far I’ve caught good numbers of mulloway on yakkas, slimy mackerel, mullet, pike, silver biddies, herring, squid, tailor and whiting. Generally I look for baits on the larger side, usually

around 25cm or above, and fish them on a twin hook rig. My main line is 80lb Unitika Jigging Braid, connected to an 80lb fluorocarbon leader. On this leader I thread a size 6 ball sinker, which can run directly down to my first hook. The hook closest to the sinker will be an 8/0 Gamakatsu Octopus circle hook, and the trailing hook is a standard 7/0 Gamakatsu Octopus. The circle will be hooked up through the top lip or across the nose of the bait, and the trailing hook somewhere down the back of the fish, preferably close to the tail, with the hook point well exposed.

The author chasing a fish of a lifetime at the Pin.

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Doing fishy things by halves THE TWEED

David Solano

May is the month you just start to notice a few subtle changes on the river. The sun doesn’t rise so early, there is a slight nip in the air, and if you’re an early starter you’ll often find you have the river all to yourself. The summer species are still around it’s just getting a little harder to find them. Mangrove jack and mulloway are being caught at the usual haunts such as under and around the Tumbulgum Bridge, and around the Condong Bridge has been fishing great as well. One mate of mine caught a bull shark, a mulloway and on his

last cast a GT there. He was out during the week so I didn’t get an invite! Behind Condong sugar mill during the night will keep you on your toes as a lot of action goes down at that spot, particularly when the mill is working as it pumps cold water from the river to cool the plant down. The water goes right through the factory then comes out boiling hot at what looks like a big spa complete with mist and steam. I’ve got a story about this place – it was around 4am, just before sun up. I was on my yak alone and I paddled up to the spa, stood up on the yak and started casting straight into the bubbles. It was too dark for the workers above me

A legal bream caught in the Tweed River not far from home.

to see my yak or me as I’d turned my headlight off to be more stealthy. Using a 3” Gulp Shrimp in the banana prawn colour, I dropped it into the soup then started jigging. On my third cast I got nailed. I pulled the fish away from the snag, got it right near the yak, then bang! There was a big splash and a whack on the yak and I ended up with half a schoolie as a big bull shark smashed it. I was scratching my head wondering what just happened but it didn’t take long to find out; as it got lighter the boys working up in the mill noticed me. Two of them were waving and yelling, telling me to sit down as I was in the middle of a school of feeding sharks! Oops. I sat down, held up my half fish and said, “Yeah, tell me about it!” They had a good laugh and I quickly paddled back to my car with my half fish. Funny old place the Tweed… that stretch of the river is most famous for its sharks and water skiing, two things you wouldn’t think would go together in the same area. Still, I haven’t heard of anyone being attacked by a bully as I reckon the roar of the motors would scare them away. I don’t fish there in a yak anymore though,

only from a boat. Whenever I try to bring this story up my girl throws a tea-towel over her head and mimics the old RACQ ad: “Charter boat, what charter boat?” I think she’s pointing out that it would be a dumb thing to do again. BREAM As I’ve mentioned before I hunt bream with lures and with the cooler weather will come the bigger bream. In the summer I chase them on the surface but as it gets cooler I find shallow divers and deep divers work well. I also bring the plastics out, and my go-to softies are Z-Man Curly Tail GrubZ and Berkley Gulp Shrimps in the 2.5cm size. Great places to try for a horse bream are all the walls around the Blue Hole (it’s right where you either go to Mur-bah or out to sea). I align myself next to the wall and cast, letting the lure run down the rock face to the sand. You can catch fish in all kinds of ways at this spot. Sometimes they will take it on the drop, while at other times you may need to just let the lure sit on the sand, moving it a little, and they’ll take it just like you’re bait fishing with a real prawn. THE MONTH AHEAD Now for a quick overview

It was a great fish (Condong Sugar Mill in the background). of the fishing in our area. Bream, tailor, mulloway and yellowtail kingfish have all been caught in the Seaway. The tailor have been coming off Fingal Beach and the causeway along with the odd Australian salmon. Flathead are everywhere but finding the bigger fish amongst the smaller ones isn’t always easy. Your best bet is to try the shallows near the Golf Club opposite Fingal. Remember in NSW you need a fishing licence, which

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Last chance for big speedsters STH GOLD COAST

Ben Job

May will see out the last of our warm currents and most of our migratory pelagic fish will start to disperse towards the end of the month. You will still find a few wahoo and the odd Spaniard kicking about during May. There are several ways to catch these speedsters but trolling high speed minnows such as Laser Pro 190’s in the 2m bib would have to be a favourite. Anywhere along the 30-50m line south of the Gold Coast Seaway these fish will be patrolling and areas like the Nine Mile, Gravel Patch and Fidos Reef you may find a few a bit more concentrated. Mixed in you may find a few yellow fin and the odd marlin. When trolling these areas, especially the Nine Mile, keep your eyes peeled for any small tuna schools. The wahoo will be following these schools like magnets and if you’re feeling a bit adventurous, trolling these baby tuna around on 2 x 10/0 hooks and a bit of 135lb wire can entice even the most timid fish to bite. This month there will be a few nice snapper around though there still may be a bit of left over current, if you

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can put up with that I think you may find good numbers will be around, particularly on the 24 and 26 fathom reefs. There’s plenty of ways to catch snapper on the close reefs and soft plastics is one the best. I find that you have to suit your jighead to the conditions and obviously the depth in which you may are fishing. In shallower areas you may also use different retrieves. For example when I’m fishing in depths shallower than 30 metres I will try to keep my lure in regular contact with the bottom, but in the deep I find that most bites will come as the lure descends. So in deeper environments I’ll use a fairly light jighead, at times as light as 1/4oz, where as in shallower waters I’m using 5/8oz and heavier. There are numerous tails to use, but I’m a big fan of McCarthy in the 7”, but Gulps, Guzzler and Squidgy soft plastics all work just fine. There will be a few tasty reefies such as pearl perch, parrot fish, rosy job fish and many more on offer but you may have to travel a little bit further afield the 36’s and 42’s northeast of the tweed bar is a good place to start float lining baits and the humble paternoster rig are probably the best way to catch deep

reefies. I’ve also had good success with soft plastics that “glow in the dark”, this seems to attract their attention on days when the fish may be a bit shut down. You can use a variety of baits using these methods, but I think pillies are always hard to beat. Squid and flesh baits are at times very good and remember using fresh bait is very important. INSHORE The school mulloway will be around in numbers this month and should be ever increasing in size as the season goes on. Any deep holes or entrances will hold mulloway and can be caught using a variety of methods. Live bait is always popular and I think for schoolies, herring is always a good option. As you start to chase bigger mulloway, baits like mullet, tailor and pike are a bit more suitable. Match your hook size to your bait. For herring I would use a single 5/0 and pin the herring through the nose as it will tend to live a bit longer. However, for bigger baits such as mullet, tailor or pike I tend to use two hooks and somewhere around a 6/0 will usually do the trick. The tailor will also be around in numbers in May and the first push of clean water on a run in tide is the best time to catch them.

You may find that they are schooled up during the day but usually at night they will be in bigger numbers. By setting out a berley trail on the edge of a sand bank somewhere near the mouth particularly around Crab Island in the Southport Broadwater, on an early evening run in tide and fish lightly weighted pilchards on ganged hooks would be the best method, but you may also find spinning with metal lures back into your berley trail a pretty successful way to catch a few. The winter run of bream should be around in force; these fish are becoming a very popular target species by recreational and keen tournament angers. By casting small hard bodied minnows, such as Ecogear SX40, VX35 and VX40 around pontoons and rock walls will always produce a few nice fish. But a lightly weighted soft plastic hopped slowly and subtly along the bottom can at times produce fish if they are a bit more timid. A few school sized flathead should start to show up and at this time of year you will probably have your best success further up the rivers. The fish will generally be of a smaller class so try to down scale the size of the

Bigger wahoo and the odd massive Spaniard will be the target for offshore trollers in May. lures that you use. Anything around 3 inches is fine but I would probably stay away from anything larger. FRESHWATER The expanded Hinze Dam should be producing good numbers and the size should be improving as we roll into winter. Early morning, fish the points and edges with poppers, spinner baits and weedless

paddle tailed soft plastics like Ecogear Grass Minnows. These lures have an excellent body roll and, when rigged weedless can be fished right in the tightest locations and when the fish are shut down this can be a real winner. Later in the day use Grass Minnows on a 1/4oz jighead and lipless crankbaits around bait schools and in the old river beds.

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Bait making the big bags painted sweetlip in the past years around bridge pylons on cooked prawns. These fish go hard and in good numbers at times. If you’re taking the kids fishing, make sure you take some bread as the bream love bread and kids will have a ball catching them! The surface bite is still pretty hot. Best time is definitely very early at around 5-7am or 4-6pm on high tide with little wind. This is when you have the maximum chance of landing a decent bream, mangrove jack, tailor or a good trevally! Don’t be afraid to fish deep into canals as I’ve caught decent

GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn

Now is the time when the pelagics, tailor and trevally, are on the bite feeding on the surface and loving live bait. These fish will start to move throughout our canals, mainly around the mouths, where there is more flow and plenty of food! There are also heaps of jacks, flathead, bream, mud crabs and even ludrick on the bite this month. May is a good month for almost every angler, whether using bait or lure. I’ve caught some decent

Only a baby GT, but we will see lots more coming through the canals feeding on the bait during May.

A u s t ral i a ’ s Mo s t

fish while trolling, such as tailor and land-based flathead. My mate caught a big land-based flathead around Hollywell on lures a while ago. It was around 80cm caught very deep into a canal where you would have no intention of finding a big lizard! The big breeder was released. I’ve heard reports lately there have been some monster giant trevally throughout Runaway Bay and Biggera Waters canals taking surface lures. Best lures for these fish include any Lucky Craft G-Splash, Strada Dancer 70mm and Strada Choas or anything that has a good action. Bream love a surface popper and the Z-Man GrubZ. At times, fish will fight over the plastic, this is a lot of fun! Over the next month, we will see thicker schools of tailor in the Broadwater and heading into the canals for a feed. Bream will become more common and anglers should be catching more. Mud crabs may not be as common for the next couple of months, although you will still get them in the pot. Prawns will be thicker in Jacobs Well area, and

Tast y

A quality mangrove jack. With amazing colours, this jack was taken out of the kayak on a surface lure. Good fun at 6am! if you’ve got a prawn net, you’ll be getting them in the kilos! Fingers crossed the winds/weather won’t be as bad as they have been in the past couple of months, due to bad weather up north. My favourite lure for tailor is the 3” Z-Man MinnowZ in opening night. Bait wise, definitely pilchards and white pilchards. Paradise Point is a decent spot to try if you want a tailor! Jacks and

bream are very common throughout Nerang River, surface lures is the go for bream at the moment and Z-Man 4” DieZel MinnowZ in pearl doing the damage on jacks. Casting as close as you can to the jetties, with lots of patience and persistence should see some great results. Coomera, Runaway Bay, Jacobs Well and Paradise Point are just some of the decent spots to go for a

jack as I’ve heard a fair few reports of decent fish pulled from that area! If you’re a bait fisher, try live mullet at night around bridges! Overall, best times to fish are very early morning with nice and high tide and hardly no wind. Surface lures are best in this situation, although bait is another good option! This month we should see the fish more active and more confident to feed!

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The gold mack attack GOLD COAST

David Green

This season has been very good for Spanish and spotted mackerel. The close reefs off Southport, the blocks just north of the Seaway and Mermaid and Palm Beach Reef have all produced a bumper crop of mackerel. This month should see the run continue with some bigger 15-20kg Spaniards starting to increase in numbers on the 24 fathom line. It pays to have a number of tactics at your disposal when mackerel fishing. Some days the fish have been in the surface layers and trolling minnows and skirted lures have been effective. There are big schools of small mackerel tuna around at the moment and the mackerel stalk these schools and tend to swim just under them. If trolling lures isn’t working try spinning metal

lures such as Spanyid Snipers. Let the lure sink to the bottom, give six fast cranks, pause, and then wind fast. Most of the hits come just after the pause. Most of the mackerel are between 5-10kg and hit metal lures with gusto. I’ve found I get a lot more bites if I don’t use wire, but I do get a few bite-offs. I’ve found that by using triple split rings on the back of the lure and a single hook, such as a Decoy I get solid hook ups and reduce bite-offs by having the hook a bit further back on the lure. If spinning isn’t working and the fish are visible on the sounder trolling deep baits off a downrigger is often successful. Live baiting is another good option. Slow trolled small live tuna often account for the bigger fish. May is a good month to target wahoo. The best spot in the region is the Tweed Nine Mile Reef located south east of the Tweed Bar. Trolling fast lures such as Hex

Heads can be very effective. If small tuna are around a slowly trolled live tuna is perhaps the most deadly method you can use, and accounts for plenty of really big wahoo over 25kg most seasons, although sharks can be a problem. Wahoo are also found on the 24 and 36 fathom line off Southport and often turn up while targeting Spanish mackerel. The current should slow down a bit this month, and the inshore billfish action drops off a bit. If the big schools of slimies are still on Deep Trag and Spot X it is worth trying for a black marlin and as the water cools a little a few striped marlin start to show up. Out wider May is an excellent month to chase blue marlin on the 100 fathom line. This year quite a few decent blue marlin have turned up in as close as 80m, and anywhere on the drop-off to the continental shelf is worth trying if there are birds and bait in the vicinity. Bottom fishing should improve this month as the water cools and the current slows. The 50 fathom line should start to produce a few nice pearl perch, which will be a welcome break after eating so many mackerel! There should also be a few snapper, teraglin, kings and amberjacks. The northeast 50 Fathom Reef is worth a look this month. The inshore run of snapper doesn’t usually start

A flathead on a Lively Lure Micro Mullet. This picture will be repeated hundreds of times over the coming months. until June but there will still be a few nice fish on the 36 fathom line. Close inshore it is worth chasing mulloway at night on live bait. BROADWATER AND RIVERS The westerly winds should start to blow this month and this triggers a change in season and winter spawning species such as bream, luderick, mulloway and mullet start to migrate towards the river mouths. It is a good month to live bait or jig plastics around the Seaway and Jumpinpin entrances chasing mulloway and flathead.

There have been quite consistent catches of flathead in the Seaway for the past month and these should increase in number as the water cools down a bit. Mangrove jack quieten down a bit in May. It has been an excellent jack season and as the water cools quite a few bigger fish start to show on the north wall of the Seaway. These are best targeted with small live baits fished around the edges of the rock walls. Bust offs are very common at this time of year. This method also produces trevally, tailor and mulloway and is a fun way to fish. Small mullet, herrings, yakkas and slimies

GOLD COAST

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are the gun baits to use. Casting blades, soft plastics and vibes will produce reasonable members of flathead on the flats between Crab Island north to the Bedrooms. This whole area has cleaned up a lot since recent rains and should fish well. This area also fishes well for whiting on both baits and surface lures. I’ve recently done well on small stick baits, such as the Bassday Sugarpen and the Luckycraft Sammy. Some of these whiting have been over 35cm with my PB on a lure going 41cm. Coombabah Creek is a good spot to chase both whiting and flathead at this time of year. May is a reasonable month for mud and sand crabs but the numbers drop off towards the end of the month. The weed beds in the Broadwater are worth a look and the sand crabs generally outnumber the muddies. Mackerel heads and frames make great crab bait so don’t throw them away. The banana prawn run in the southern end of Moreton Bay will slow down this month but the squid should increase in numbers as the westerlies start to blow and the water clears. Overall, May is a great month to fish the Gold Coast with a good mix of winter and summer species. The weather is generally kind and from the offshore grounds to the shallow estuary flats there are some excellent fishing options available on most days.

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Make the day this May JUMPINPIN

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The cooler weather this month should bring on the bigger bream and the westerly winds will flatten out the Pin and make fishing conditions spot on. This is definitely one of my favourite times of the year to fish. Bream fishers will be gearing up for another

cracking season with the larger fish starting to feed up in preparation for their breeding season. This means they will be actively looking for a food source, which will make them easier to find and catch. Using berley will also help your cause as it will start the smaller fish feeding and that will attract larger fish to the area. Best baits to try are prawns, yabbies, white bait and mullet gut. Flesh baits like bonito and mullet fillets

are great baits as they stay on the hook longer and give you more of a chance to catch the fish. Using small hardbodied lures or twitching small soft plastics/vibes are great ways to target bream around the Pin as there is an abundance of structure you can target where they like to congregate. Jetties, rock walls, pylons or any mangrove/ snag will hold bream. The pick of the spots to try this month will be from the

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There have been plenty of mulloway about. But unlike this monster, they have mainly been between 60-70cm, which means they are undersized and need to be put back. which means they are undersized and need to be put back. They need to be over 75cm and have a bag limit of two. Live baits are working the best as usual but large banana prawns, pilchards, mullet fillets or bonito fillets working as well. Try around the deep water off Swan Bay, Kalinga Bank, Short Island, Giants Grave and in the Logan near Marks or Pitts Rocks. Whiting anglers should benefit from the rain we’ve had recently that has flushed much-needed nutrients into the river system. They will be foraging along the bottom in search of a feed facing into the tide so be sure to berley up and lure them to the back of the boat. They will also take vibes, poppers and other small lures, and using a slower retrieval should yield better results. Try the sand flats near Alberton Sands, the top of Tabby Tabby, Fishermans

on plastics casting and retrieving them by twitching them along the bottom as to imitate an injured baitfish or drifting using a lifting action straight up and down to look like a rising baitfish.

Flathead will usually hit the bait when it is on the way down so be sure to give it a good lift upwards. If bait fishing is your go, live mullet and herring are the best followed by prawns, pillies and whitebait. You’ll find good lizards at the first of the run-out tide from Kalinga Bank to the Bar, the Stockyards, west of Short Island, Cobby Passage and the mouth of the Logan. There are still a heap of muddies and sandies around even though the season should be winding down. The rains seemed to have fired them up so hopefully we can expect the season to go all winter long. The Logan River mouth, the Powerlines, Tiger Mullet Channel and down towards the Pimpama River are still good spots to try. Don’t forget the King Of The Pin fishing comp is on again this month starting Fri 30 May to Sun 1 June. Entry fee is only $30 adults/$10 juniors (15 and under) with a major prize of $2,000 cash for the heaviest random species. Tickets are available here at Gem Bait & tackle. Weigh in is at the Gem Hotel Sun 1 June and there will be food/ entertainment and you could even win yourself a boat package worth over $6,000 or a houseboat holiday worth over $2,000. • Thanks for all your reports and fish weighed in. Drop us a line at Gem Bait and Tackle if you’d like to order bait or get some up to date info on what’s biting on 07 3287 3868 or email gembait@tpg.com.au.

Whiting anglers have benefited from the rain we’ve had recently, which has flushed muchneeded nutrients into the river system.

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Mackerel vs tuna SOUTHERN BAY

Troy Wegner twegner@tpg.com.au

What a long summer we have had this year! It started earlier than normal and has finished later than expected. We have had days over 30ºC consistently, even as late as mid-April, and

this has been reflected in the fishing. Normally at this time of year we see the start of the winter snapper run, but at the time of writing this hasn’t started just yet. I put this down to the hot weather we’ve been having, which has been keeping water temperatures slightly higher than normal for this time of year.

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This doesn’t mean that there aren’t any snapper in the bay; they are there all year round. It just means that they have not yet started schooling up to begin their winter breeding cycle. When it comes to snapper fishing, over the last month the northern islands have been a bit inconsistent. If you’re after a feed I would look around Macleay and Coochie, because at this time of the year the fish tend to move down to those southern islands. It happens every year where the northern islands go quiet for a month or so but the bottom islands really fire, and with some great quality snapper too. PELAGICS There are positives to the water/air temperatures staying above average for this time of year and that is that we have an extended pelagic season. It is normal for the longtails to hang around for all of April and a little bit of May but the surprise for me has been the big numbers of spotted

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they slice through them. They do this because it is easier to aim for a mass of fish and not just a couple of fish. Mackerel, unlike tuna, are always aggressive when feeding. However, because of their body shape they slice through the surface rather than explode through the surface like a tuna. That’s what’s happening above the water, but that’s only the half of it! When you are looking for pelagic

to get the baitfish. When they are over a school of mackerel, they dive down to the surface of the water then only stick their beaks into the water before flying to a safe height. They apparently know that mackerel teeth are razor sharp. A feeding mack could easily bite off a webbed foot, a wing or even a whole bird. I hope this insight into the differences between mackerel and tuna helps

This is a prime example of a tuna exploding on a bait school. species like mackerel and tuna, the easiest way to spot fish is to look for birds. When birds fly over a tuna school they dive into the water

you when targeting these speedsters, both of which are great fun and very tasty. Now get out there and put it into practice!

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mackerel that have still been around. Both the longtails and the spotties have been feeding on football field sized schools of whitebait and small pilchards. Spotties are an awesome fish to chase on light gear. When tuna and mackerel are feeding in the same areas and you are targeting one or the other, it is important to be able to tell the difference between their feeding styles. That way, you’ll be able to separate the schools of tuna and the schools of spotties. When looking at a school of tuna they can feed two ways. The first is when they are in a feeding frenzy. You will see them hitting the surface really aggressively, and it almost looks as though a little bomb is going off. They tend to feed this way when they are feeding in a pack, and they all use each other to herd the bait up and then go in for the kill. The second way in which they feed is when they ‘porpoise’. They do this when there are only a couple of fish in an area, or when there are plenty of them but they’re all spread out and not feeding in packs. If you are looking at a school of mackerel you will see that they to school the bait up nice and tight before

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By now anglers will be noticing the chill in the air and the change in prevalent species throughout Moreton Bay and the estuaries. Warm water species are waning in prevalence and the more classic cooler weather species, such as bream, tailor, longtails, mulloway, squid, snapper and the like are gradually becoming more common captures. I must admit that I hate cold weather but the special fishing that comes about during this period is something to look forward to. TAILOR As the waters cool, tailor numbers will increase dramatically in both the estuaries and along the

surf gutters. Over the last few seasons the numbers of quality tailor have been good, especially for anglers fishing the larger rivers and estuarine systems. The Brisbane River for example has produced several 60cm+ tailor in recent seasons and the number of 45cm+ fish has been staggering at times with over 30 landed in a session while casting lures or soaking baits in prominent areas, especially at night. I have regularly caught them while targeting mulloway, king threadfin salmon and the like around the lighted areas at night. They will readily engulf minnow lures, plastics (predominately paddle-tail shads and prawn profiles), vibration baits, stickbaits, poppers, flies and just about anything else that vaguely resembles a food source.

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If there is a bait source in the vicinity then chances are that there will be a few tailor knocking around also. The quality of those caught has been very respectable and anglers have occasionally encountered a few trophy tailor better than 4kg. Recently there was a 9.9kg tailor caught down at Hastings Point by an angler trolling for mackerel just offshore, which goes to show that fish of this calibre do exist, although extremely rare. And yes I have seen the photo of this fish and it looked every bit of that weight (not another of these 3kg fish that are held forward at arm’s length to make them look three times their actual size). Surf fishers suffered a little bit in the tailor stakes after the 2011 deluge but every season since the numbers and quality of specimens encountered along the surf beaches have been improving at a rate. The 2014 season is looking very good for the surf fishers with good amounts of bait and quality water along many of the beaches. Apart from the beaches of Bribie, South Stradbroke, Moreton and North Stradbroke, anglers are also encountering a few tailor throughout the bay with schools commonly found

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Numbers of pan size snapper will increase steadily as the waters cool. Rob Dean caught this pair recently on Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ. on the western side of Mud Island, around the Sand Hills, Rainbow Channel, Rous Channel, inside the South Passage Bar and around the fringes of the bay islands. Casting surface walkers, stickbaits and shallow diving minnow lures around the shallows of Peel, Mud, Green and numerous others will often reward you with some quality catches. Bream fishers working these zones are often surprised to hook a quality tailor however those fishing lighter leaders will often get bitten off. MULLOWAY Although these have shown up on occasion right throughout the summer months, especially in Moreton Bay, mulloway numbers should improve during the next few months. If the quality and quantity of fish that were around early summer is anything to go by, we are in for a great winter of fishing. Plenty of mulloway eclipsing the minimum legal size of 75cm were encountered with some boats accounting for over 20 in a session while fishing plastics, vibes or micro jigs around the artificial reefs and grounds surrounding these. There was numerous metreplus specimens amongst these, which are a quality capture anywhere. The Harry Atkinson and Peel Artificial were two of the better spots for anglers targeting mulloway however areas around Macleay, Russell and Mud islands also produced some quality specimens. The Brisbane River, Logan River and many other systems were also reliable producers of mulloway and anglers got amongst them on a selection of lures as well as live baits of prawns, herring, mullet, pike and squid. As winter approaches, numbers of mulloway will improve however there should be enough around during May to make the effort worthwhile.

SQUID Increased numbers of these tasty cephalopods will be on offer throughout May although the best of these is yet to come as the waters cool and clear due to the westerly winds. Walking the banks at areas such as Manly, Wellington Point, Scarborough, the canal estates and many other areas will allow you to locate and catch a few squid. Many anglers use highpowered LED head-lights and torches to locate squid feeding close to the surface along the rock wall and around the jetties and other areas where baitfish and prawns are found. The bait sources that can be found in these areas will attract several species of squid. On occasion they can be dead easy to tempt and at other times they will refuse multiple egi and retrieve styles. Still nights and big high tides often produce some of the best conditions however I have also had some great sessions around the turn of the tide. The weed beds, shallow reefs and rock banks around the bay islands also offer awesome location where numbers of big squid can be found. While these larger specimens are more fun to catch and look a lot more impressive in photos, it is the smaller ones, which are sweeter and more tender to eat. If you want to know a little more about catching a few squid then check out my techniques article in this issue for a few hints. Squid fishing can be as simple or as technical as you want to make it however the rewards of a tasty feed of salt and pepper calamari are all I need to get me out on a cold night. LONGTAILS April, May and June are all great months for longtails although this year there has been decent numbers available within Moreton Bay since early March. These fish have been numerous and

of a good size with plenty of specimens in the 10-15kg category as well as several larger specimens. The historically proven technique of casting chromed slugs and slices will still work however anglers are also obtaining positive results on stickbaits, poppers (especially pencil popper styles), plastics, flies, blades and numerous other offerings. Often if your first offering is refused you are best to keep trying different lure styles until you get their interest. At times this can be difficult because they are hard to approach and don’t stay up for long when they do sound. If there are a few of you fishing then it often pays to use different lure types as this can short track your learning curve on the day. I will start using a chromed offering, generally a Maria Mucho Lucir, and if this doesn’t produce I will try a stick bait plastic, generally a Z-Man StreakZ in the bubblegum colour, then a Maria Loaded 140mm sinking stickbait and then possibly a Cotton Cordell pencil popper. Maria Bullchops and Yozuri Adagios are other awesome offerings that have been tempting a lot of longtails recently. If I haven’t ripped the last few strands of my hair out by then I will progressively try different offerings and techniques until I either get a result or drive the boat over the school in sheer frustration and go looking for a more cooperative school. Fly fishing is usually a winner but you will need to get a little closer to your quarry and are a little limited in windy situations. Bay baits, surf candies, epoxy minnows, polar fibre minnows, cotton candies and a host of others can either be stripped back at breakneck speed or just allowed to sink slowly until they are slurped up. If you love to target longtail tuna on fly or just

want to learn a bit more about it from knowledgeable and experienced anglers then get along to the Bribie Island Sport Fishing Club’s Longtail Tuna Fly Fishing Challenge on the weekend of May 24-25. Call Peter Griffiths on 07 3265 2926 or Rob Dean on 0405 250 539 for more information. I have fished this many times and thoroughly recommend it for fly fishers novice and advanced as it is always a fun weekend fishing amongst likeminded anglers. At the time of writing anglers targeting longtails have been plagued by sharks, which have been eating most hooked fish and resulting in several lure losses. Let’s hope the cooler water conditions will decrease their numbers and aggressiveness. BREAM Cooler conditions and water temperatures will increase the numbers of bream throughout the creeks and estuaries. The shallows around the bay islands are often productive for anglers employing good technique with small poppers, stickbaits, wakebaits, plastics and blades. These shallow reef and rubble margins can hold some pretty respectable specimens and the generally visible strikes increase the experience.

In the estuaries, creeks and rivers the action can also be good however, the best is yet to come over the coming months. Many keen bream anglers will fish around the full moons, which is often when the larger specimens head into these systems on their spawning run. Quality fresh baits such as prawns, worms, yabbies, gar strips, raw chicken fillet, squid and the like are prime offerings however don’t overlook the old school baits such as pillie cubes, mullet gut, fowl gut and dough bait as these can also be highly successful on these larger than average, silver-sided specimens. Bream are a great species for the junior or novice anglers as they are generally not that fussy, will attack the bait repeatedly and give a short and spirited account of themselves. Oh, and they are pretty tasty too. SNAPPER As I have said in previous issues, Moreton Bay has consistently been producing quality snapper over the last few months, even though they have a reputation of being a winter species. The deeper waters such as the artificial reefs and wrecks seem to be providing the better specimens however the bay islands have also been producing a

Longtail numbers have been excellent in recent months with plenty of quality fish like this specimen taken by Tom Gray on a Maria Bullchop. few stonkers with thumping snapper over 90cm being caught by knowledgeable, or just plain lucky, anglers. These fish have been taken on both baits and lures with many of the better ones taken at night, dawn, dusk or during periods when boat traffic is at a minimum. Large baits such as whole pilchards, gar, pike, mullet or fillet baits are ideal for targeting those larger specimens but you may need to wait out the hours between bites and tangle with the odd shark or large cod between

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knobby bites. Fish your baits lightly weighted with a paternoster rig or preferably a running ball sinker rig. Cast up current and allow your bait to drift back down with the current until it settles. A bait that sits naturally in the water and doesn’t spin in the current will always receive the most bites. The same can be said when fishing smaller baits targeting the average 35-60cm specimens and other species such as sweetlip and tuskfish, like natural looking baits will always get more action. Many anglers have

switched to lures these days as they enjoy fishing in this manner and often get better quality snapper than they ever did when fishing baits. This is a more active, thinking form of fishing and will still account for those trophy class fish. Plastics, especially jerk shad styles, are the most popular however more anglers are thinking outside the box and are fishing with vibration baits, blades, minnow lures, flies and even surface lures. Using your sounder to pinpoint bait conglomerations and sound out larger fish

species can definitely short track your route to success. Although it is a more thinking form of fishing, it is also more rewarding, especially when that jolt transmits up the line and you are locked and loaded onto a big snapper. You will also have a great chance of encountering mulloway, sweetlip, kingfish and a host of other species, depending on where you are fishing in the bay. During May you will find snapper in all the usual places such as the bay island shallows, the artificial reefs, wrecks and submerged ledges. It is a great time to do a few night trips as the dreaded cold weather is not yet upon us so you can probably leave the beanie, thermos and several layers of clothing at home for the time being. CONCLUSION Well this is my hot tips for the cold weather fishing during May. There are some tasty treats and awesome sportfishing targets to concentrate your efforts on. There is nothing like being out on the water as the sun sneaks over the horizon, even better if you have to put down your coffee to attend to a screaming drag. This is a great month for some varied action in very pleasant temperatures so get out and get amongst the action. May the fish be with you.

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The run of mackerel has been the best for years and during April the mackerel were still at it smashing baits and lures with sometimes reckless abandon. However by mid-April they had started to slow down and better fishing was had on the better moon phases. Those lucky enough

to get out on the rising moon were finding first class fishing for mackerel from Point Lookout and around the Coffee Rocks. The run of fish on the Gold Coast has also continued with heaps of mackerel in the 5-7kg bracket. In late April a few of the larger mackerel started turning up and these are serious fish, often getting around the 20kg mark. They are tough to find, but when they find

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you and your lures, it’s action stations. As May progresses there will be more of these larger fish hunting a feed and when you add in the XOS wahoo that are around at this time of year, then fishing outside the South Passage Bar can be a very good idea. While offshore, if you are tempted to target a mahi mahi, drop by any of the FADs and throw an unweighted pillie or a small metal lure and hang on. These little mahi mahi are great fun and there are plenty of them. They’re a bit on the small size but they are also one of the fastest growing fish in the

Some really good snapper are available in close if you put in the time and effort in May.

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oceans, so by May they should be prime targets as you head offshore to chase mackerel, wahoo and the building numbers of snapper. Speaking of snapper, they are building up in numbers very nicely and as the water cools this build up will continue. Fishing in deep water around Deep Tempest and out to around 90m will see plenty of small snapper caught on the bottom as the currents slow.

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There are some really good fish being caught as well and the numbers of larger fish will only increase as time passes. If you wanted to get a sneaky snapper in, try fishing for big knobbies around Shallow Tempest with float lines baits of pillies. At this time of

year there are a few 6kg+ models getting around Shallow Tempest that are well worth the effort. It will take you a bit of time to find and tempt them, but the rewards are well worth investing some time into. If amberjack and kings are your flavour then there are quite a few taking jigs

and baits on the wrecks in 115m of water. The average size is quite manageable at around 4-6kg, however there is always the chance of bigger fish up to 30kg coming along so don’t go too light. We recently landed half an amberjack that I estimated to be

around 25kg so the sharks are still a bit of problem when the fights drag on. But the real excitement in May is the opportunity to tempt more snapper and also the chance to get a serious mackerel or wahoo, so if the weather is in your favour get out there and get amongst some great fishing. One word of caution though is to take extra care on the South Passage Bar. The bar is changing constantly so what you experienced last trip out is not necessarily what will present itself this

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Cold gathers momentum NOTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@optusnet.com.au

When the NRL season is in full swing, the kids’ sports are occupying your beloved weekends and you’re finding yourself wearing ugg boots more and more, you know the cooler weather is gathering momentum. The good news is it looks like it’s going to a good winter on the fishing front.

Good reports have been coming from all corners of the northern bay with the Pumicestone Passage on fire with squire and mulloway to good bream and flathead coming out of the Peninsula and the lower reaches of the Pine River. The summer this year was recorded as one of the driest we have had for 28 years; not only had the land been affected due to the parched surrounds but the sea conditions remained stable due to no rains flushing out

our waterways. But this all changed at the end of March with a good week of rains on the back of our annual prawn run. All of a sudden anglers were reaping the rewards of nature’s generosity. SQUIRE Known for their winter presence in the northern bay, we have been blessed to be catching good sized squire/snapper all through the summer which hopefully will carry over to the cooler months.

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Mick Lee with a great autumn snapper. In the Pumicestone, anglers have been getting good squire at the bridge during the night and early hours with some good catches coming from ‘The Ripples’ outside of the canals at Pacific Harbour. Baits like squid strips and pilchard halves have been a favourite of bait anglers, while soft plastics like 3.75” Atomic Plazo Jerk Minnows, 4” ZMan DieZel MinnowZ and 3” Atomic Prongs have been working to great effect in the deeper waters. Redcliffe Peninsula has been the snapper stalwart for the last 12 months with boaties and kayakers getting amongst the regular action each weekend. Prime spots have been North Reef, Queens Beach, Shields St, Garnet Rock and Otter Rock with the early hours being the popular amongst our piscatorial community. Again, lightly weighted soft plastics have been working best with bait fishers also getting their fair share of action. FLATHEAD Flathead numbers were a little sluggish earlier in the year but have gained momentum as water temperatures have started to decrease, making conditions ideal for this ambush feeder. Creek run-offs and river bends seem to be the best areas to pick up a few flatties, with great reports coming out of the Pumicestone Passage. Mission Point, the mouth of Glass Mountain Creek, Sandstone Point and Turners Creek Rd on

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Emily Thompson helping her dad get amongst the Pine River prawns.

the making tide have also been successful for lizards, especially targeting tide lines and drop-offs where flatties have been sitting patiently. Lightly weighted mullet strips and live herring have been the locals’ choice of baits with the lure junkies selecting minnowstyle plastics in 3-4” lengths to keep the flatties entertained. Using a 1/121/8oz weighted jighead will ensure your plastics remain close to the bottom, with a twitch-twitch-pause retrieve doing the most damage. Successful plastics

Shiner 45, Pontoon 21 Crack Jack 48, OSP Dunk 48SP, Ecogear CX40HS and the new Cranka Crabs have been the destructive top order of the breaming team. Light leaders (3lb-4lb) have also been popular with some anglers due to good water clarity. Alternatively you can opt to stick with a slightly heavier leader due to larger bycatch like tailor, estuary cod and squire kicking around. Cooks Rocks has been the pick of the areas in the north with a surface bite still happening in the cooler months. For the southern

A surface bite was kind to Mick Thompson. include ZMan 4” Curly Tail StreakZ, Keitech 3” Easy Shiner and Castaic Jerky J 3” Swimmers. BREAM After a brilliant autumn of bream fishing due to a great prawn run this year through Nudgee Beach, the Pine and Caboolture Rivers, numbers of good bream have continued over the last month leading perfectly into their winter spawn. I know it’s maybe a little early to talk about their spawn but good bream have been cruising around of late, with some anglers even getting great specimens on larger baits when targeting bigger species like mulloway and snapper. Let’s just hope they have found their home in the northern bay! Hardbody lures have yet again topped the charts with anglers using both floating and suspending lures to great effect. The Atomic

anglers, the mouth of the Pine River, Drury Point, Osbourne Point, North Reef and Shields St Reef have all been producing good fish, especially in the dusk and dawn hours. Yes, the early angler catches the fish! TAILOR A few good tailor have been roaming the northern bay of late with both estuary and inshore anglers getting amongst these speedsters. Lightly weighted baits and plastics have been the producers with a few lure fanatics holding their breaths when hooking up on one with their $20+ lures. Donnybrook and Ningi Flats, Tiger Rocks, inside North Reef, Redcliffe Jetty and southern end outside of the Scotts Point green zone have been some of the hotspots of late, with anglers even upgrading leader size to avoid disappointment. Happy fishing!

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Big chill: better results as the mercury falls STH PUMICESTONE

Jason Wallis

As the mercury falls the quality of the fish will rise. It might make early morning starts more difficult but they’re definitely necessary; the early bird gets the worm. We should start to see the early tailor in May as they start to make their migration north to breed. These early travellers are

not normally big fish but the bigger guys won’t be far behind. Finding a few small tailor is an exciting time around here as they soon get big and come in numbers. You will need to target these fish at dawn or dusk only. It’s very rare that you will angle these guys with any success at any other time. They can be great fun for the whole family, taking all offerings when in feed mode. I personally like to take them off the surface

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as you get to actually see them eat your lure. Poppers are great but I prefer the standard metal slug like a Halco Twisty, Bumpa-Bar, flasher or a spoon for a number of reasons. Firstly, they are as cheap as chips and it doesn’t hurt the pocket when you lose a couple (which will happen), and secondly they work a treat as the tailor love them. Thirdly, you can work the whole water column with them, from surface to the bottom. These fish are well known for busting the surface and two seconds later be on the very bottom, so working the whole water column will result in better results. Another benefit of these lures is that you can flick them great distances if need be. The fish move around a lot so flicking great distances can keep you in contact with the school. Metal lures are also robust so they don’t wear out, lose paint or break. The only thing you may need to do is replace the treble from time to time. I also like the fact that they run only one hook. This means fewer hooks to get out of the fish or your landing net, which results

A 30lb estuary cod taken by the author out of the Passage as a bycatch while targeting mulloway. in less down time, less work and more time with your lure in the water. Finally, these lures take very little skill to operate, making them great for the while family. Remember your bag limit is 20 per person and a size limit of 35cm and a bag limit of 30 per person if caught on Fraser Island. The squire should be starting to show up in numbers under the Bribie Bridge. These fish will tend to be a little on the small side as well because it’s only early in the season. We have

seen a few fish being hooked all through summer but in no great numbers. However, this should turn around as the water cools off. Fresh bait is the better option here and lots of berley. Be prepared to tangle with a lot of bycatch as well. The bridge holds large estuary cod, mulloway, sharks, rays and most of the time it’s the bycatch that gets the heart pumping. Plastics are a good, clean fun option that will work great in the right hands at the right time. This time can be after dark or near dark when boat traffic

is at a minimum. Bream and whiting are being targeted with success in numbers from one end of the passage to the other. The jetty at Bongaree is a popular spot at the moment with bream and squire with Elimbah Creek being an exceptional spot for whiting. The inside of the Caloundra bar has been the go-to spot for the lizards on soft plastics or drifted pillies. There are a lot of turtles, dugongs and dolphins cruising around the Passage at present so take it easy and enjoy.

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MAY 2014

Early signs are good on the Sunshine Coast CALOUNDRA

Brad McKendrick fishingcaloundra@yahoo.com.au

After a weather torn summer season the early outlook for winter is promising. Good schools of winter species like snapper and mulloway have been spotted gathering around the shallow wrecks and reef areas so let’s hope this is a sign of things to come. The transition period can sometimes last for a couple

of months from summer to winter species but anglers have enjoyed some cracker catches of snapper and pearl perch in the area around Wide Caloundra and the Barwon Banks. Murphys Reef is one of the better target spots and the secret to catching more fish is to find the bait balls and work your jigs or soft plastics through them. The temptation is to drop right on top of the fish but it is always best to go down at least another 10m and bring it back through the

Andrew got amongst the Spaniards around the Barwon Banks.

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school. This will catch the eye of a feeding fish and they will take it. Sometimes if you don’t get hit, down you go again and go through the same routine. Once the bait ball moves you have to move with it or find another lot of bait. Ideally you want to set yourself up on the same direction the bait ball is running, although that is not always possible. This is where an electric motor always comes in handy. Shallow areas will be the spots to target around the new moon phase and fishing in the early mornings or on a changing tide in the evening will reward you well. The Gneerings and the Caloundra 7 and 12 Mile reefs are cracker spots for big snapper between 4-6kg and they love the tide changes to begin the feeding process. Brays Rock and Currimundi Reef will be worth a look right through to the end of winter, and the good thing about these areas is that it’s only a few minutes out from Caloundra. Pilchards, squid and both live yakkas and

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slimies will always account for better fish and the old adage that ‘the bigger the bait the bigger the fish’, will hold true this month. I get a lot of emails asking about the noise factor and I can tell you that keeping the noise to a minimum will help with bigger fish. Dropping a knife or Boga grips on the deck of any boat can spook fish easily as does having the CD playing roaring or walking around the deck all the time. Limit you movement and concentrate on the rod tips and you will see better results. I wonder how many times you have reeled in a rod and found that the bait has been picked off and you felt and saw nothing! The deeper waters of Wide Caloundra and the Barwon Banks will be worth fishing on the moon phases this month. The deeper waters of 90m will hold some fantastic fish, including pelagics, so be sure you rig up accordingly. Kingfish are still on the bite around the Pinnacles and Three Sisters along with amberjack that are within the schools of pearl perch at the moment. So the reefs will still be a great option when the weather allows it. The estuaries, like the Pumicestone Passage, have become quiet but anglers need only to wait until the run of bigger bream hit the passage. The whiting are in smaller schools but once you get them close to your area make sure you keep the berley up so they stay around. Some days it is difficult to find them so when you do, don’t let them get away easily. Bells Creek is worth fishing along with southern areas around Coochin Creek and the weed beds that run down beyond Bells. Tailor are in the system and it’s not unusual to see chopper tailor smashing bait schools around

the traps. A surface popper or small 15g chrome slug are ideal to cast at these schools. Military Jetty still has bream and happy moments with an occasional trevally being caught. The trevally will taper off this month as the weather slowly cools everything down. Smaller school mulloway have been seen around Pelican Waters bridge area and they will be working the channel for months to come. Live bait is always the best for big mulloway or a hook full of worms. The 7-8” soft plastics like Z-Mans will take some work but if you have the patience you will succeed. Fishing into the very late evenings or in conjunction with the tide changes; up to 3am in the mornings are the better times to catch them. Things have to be quiet because mulloway spook very easily. Berley is

again the key to successful fishing for these brutes. Overall April is a busy time on the Sunshine Coast with the Easter School Holidays falling during the month so numbers swell so there are plenty of keen anglers out to get a feed of fresh fish. Currimundi Lake will have lots of kids swimming in it and plenty of anglers will be catching whiting and small flathead in the deeper channels that run through the lake area. The beach areas will have anglers trying their luck for tailor and bream in the surf and areas like the Noosa North Shore will be crowded with holidaymakers provided the weather is good. Overall a great time to be fishing whether it be offshore, in the estuaries or around the canals systems. So don’t miss out this month on the Sunshine Coast.

Sam and his dad Rob had a great day fishing for mackerel off Caloundra recently.

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Sunshine Reef shines bright NOOSA

Peter Wells

The various reef systems off Noosa’s sheltered coastline have been fishing extremely well over the past weeks and, as the weather gets colder, expect some magic fishing! Sunshine Reef is just one of those reefs. It is one of those reefs that is a blessing being so close to the mainland, it gives the angler with a smaller vessel a chance to go out and have a crack at a diverse range of fish. When the water is warmer it attracts a great population of mackerel and tuna. In the cooler weather expect to catch pearl perch, snapper, cod and sweetlip. The great thing about this time of the year is that you get the choice of

both. So if you are heading to Sunshine Reef make sure you have quite a diverse range of lures, soft plastics and bottom bouncing rigs. If you do have a bigger vessel, then why not try a trip out to Barwon Banks or The Hards. Both these reefs are about 50km offshore and the water is a lot deeper averaging between 50-60m. A trip out to these reefs can be very rewarding with pearl perch, red emperor, amberjack, job fish and snapper just to name a few inhabiting these reefs. While mackerel are not normally a cool water fish, they seem to be sticking around later and later every year. Trips out to these reefs have to be well planned and that does not mean making sure you have enough bait and lures. Check

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the weather, wind, tide and swell. Make sure the boat has plenty of fuel, oil and battery power and of course safety gear. Check your PFDs flares and EPIRB are all in date and in working order. These reefs are great fishing grounds but it is a long way home if something goes wrong. On the beachfront, it is great time to be out and about. Calm conditions at this time of year have drawn a lot of people to the beach and as a result, there have been some good catches. Dart, whiting, good bream and of course big winter tailor have been the most notable captures. Noosa’s North Shore all the way up to Double Island is the pick of the places to be. For big tailor the low light periods, early morning and evening, are the best times. Large pillies, mullet and gar are perfect baits. This is the time to get out your favourite beach rod spooled up with 20lb line and 30-40lb fluorocarbon leader. Cast to the back of the gutter and roll the bait back into the white water; this is the area where the tailor love to feed. There has been a suggestion that you only use mono line on the surf reel, but more and more anglers

are moving towards braided lines. They say it gives them better feel for that finicky bite of the mulloway. For those of you that do not have a 4WD don’t despair, as the southern beaches fish equally well. In fact, some of the larger mulloway and tailor come from Perigan to Maroochy North Shore. In the river, trevally and tailor are extremely thick around the Wood’s bays, as well as the back of Noosa Sound. Along with the trevally, school mulloway, flathead and bream have been joining in the feeding frenzies and it pays to keep your lure close to the bottom to maximise your chance of catching some of these fish. Soft plastics, like the Gladiator Prawn, have been the most effective method so far. And if you’re unsure about which plastic to choose when chasing these fish, be sure to drop by one of the Davo’s stores for all the local info! Up river has been equally good with large flathead as one of the main targets. A great way to nab a nice flathead is to head upriver on low tide find yourself a nice bank with just a few inches of water covering it, lift the motor to shallow water drive and nudge

Competing in last year’s Noosa River to Reef Family Fishing Classic, Luke Becroft won the snapper section and snagged third place in the coral trout section. up onto the bank. Using bright coloured soft plastic like the Gastronomic Shad-tails or the Squidgies Whip baits cast all the way around the boat. Make sure you keep your soft plastic on the bottom, you are sure to drag it past the nose of a nice flathead as they lie in wait to ambush a passing bait fish. I have seen some cracker fish caught this way in less than a foot of water. The Noosa River to Reef Family Fishing Classic is coming up and, with only a few week to go, be sure to register asap either at www.fishingnoosa.com.au or drop by Davo’s Noosa or Marcoola stores and fill out a entry form. Make sure you get your entries in by the 23 May to take advantage of the

cheaper entry fees. One of the great things about this competition is it is geared towards families with some great prizes for kids, such as rod and reel combos and kayaks, as well as the major prizes of two boat packages for the adult entrants. See you at the River to Reef and tight lines and bent spines! • For all the best advice, the gear you need and where the fish are biting, call into Davo’s Tackle World Noosa or our store down at Marcoola, Davo’s Bait and Tackle Northshore. Also check out the latest catches, fishing reports and bar crossing info at www. fishingnoosa.com.au and remember tight lines and bent spines!

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MAY 2014

Tip top and terrific RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

The weather has been a little bit up and down, which is par for the course at this time of the year, however the fishing continues to be terrific. OFFSHORE We are still not getting out as much as we would like

to, but have managed a few trips offshore and the pelagics and bottom dwellers are all still biting really well. There are a lot of Spanish mackerel and mahi mahi getting caught off Rainbow Beach. We have been picking up a few spotted mackerel, but they continue to be a bit patchy. On the reefs we have been getting some ripper

Wayne, Dave and Jamie with a cracking catch of scarlet perch from in close.

catches. Some beautiful red emperor, coral trout and coronation trout have been some of the fancier ones we have been putting in the box. Some big catches of parrot, Moses perch and bucket loads of hussar have been coming from out on the wider grounds and we have been picking up some lovely scarlet sea perch, snapper and estuary cod on the close reefs. GREAT SANDY STRAITS The die-hards that chase the mangrove jack and barramundi have done really well. Catches of these two species have to be getting better and better every year and I have to wonder if the increase in seasonal temperatures is the cause. I even know of a couple of barramundi that were caught right next to the boat ramp here in Rainbow Beach. There have been a lot of diver whiting caught around Big Mick beacon and Teebar Creek. These little fellas are not only pretty good to eat, but they make excellent live bait for

I was the lucky one this day. It’s the biggest coronation trout I have seen. What a beauty catching golden trevally off Inskip Point. ON THE BEACH On the days I haven’t been able to venture offshore, I have partaken in my fair share of beach fishing and have done very well on the summer whiting in the shallow gutters and drains along the beach towards Inskip Point. I have been

using live yabbies and beach worms with a lot of success. I think the live yabbies may have a slight advantage over the beach worms at the moment as they seem to be producing the larger fish. May heralds the start of our prime fishing months where we should see an increase in snapper and pearl

perch catches. In the past we have seen some of the best red emperor catches of the year throughout the month. Bring on the cooler weather. • To enjoy a day on the water with Keely Rose Fishing Charters phone Ed Falconer on (07) 5486 3150 or 0407 146 151 or visit w w w. k e e l y r o s e f i s h i n g charters.com.au.

Welcoming wet for anglers HERVEY BAY

Scott Bradley marlin81@aapt.net.au

The recent rain was a welcome reprieve from what has been one of the longest, hottest and driest summers on record. Given the unseasonal dry weather over our wet season the fishing, prawning and crabbing has been superb. IN THE BAY The creeks and estuaries are full of bait with prawns, herring and mullet making up the bulk of it. Chopper tailor, small mackerel and wolf herring have been working the herring

schools attracting larger predators to feed on them. With all this action, mulloway, trumpeter, jack, bream and shovel-nosed shark have been all over live/fresh baits and lures. The local reefs including the Arty, Moon, Bagimba and McKenzies ledges have fished well for blackall, juvenile snapper, parrot and there have been heaps of small to medium cod climbing all over live bait and plastics. The ever present sharks are still a problem at most spots taxing quality fish and making live baiting a waste of time some days. On a recent trip to the Rooneys 6 mile, every live

bait was taken within a few minutes and smashed up after a brief fight. By switching to squid baits and 50lb braid with a solid drag we managed to extract a few fish with a mixture of scarlets, trumpeter, blackall and sweetlip bagged. ON THE FLATS With all the bait around, flathead are gorging themselves on prawns and baitfish making them a prime target for flicking plastics and hardbodies. Golden trevally are stalking the shallows and are a prime sight cast option. Shovel-nosed shark can be seen prowling in ankle deep water exposing half their back and fins to get

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Prawns have been a popular target for Fraser Coast anglers.

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Beach perfection for anglers FRASER COAST

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

Over 80km of open ocean beaches, and not a net in sight! Could this be a reason why Fraser Island boasts some of the best tailor and light gear beach fishing in the country? Certainly one very significant reason along with other factors that might make Fraser’s beach fishing out on its own. Now this is not a boast that we want to guard jealously. In fact we would love to see our beautiful neighbouring beaches given the same opportunities

that we have been fortunate enough to have received. It was the declaration of the Great Sandy Marine Park that effectively closed most of the island’s ocean beach to net fishing. I understand that there are some loopholes that can be activated but I am yet to see any netting in the declared yellow zone. Commercial netting is permitted in the blue zones at the southern end of the island, also north of Ngkala Rocks to Sandy Cape, Rooney Point and south along the western side of the island to Moon Point. We should remember, however, that the beaches and headlands between Indian Head and Waddy Point are

closed to all fishing during August and September. Also the small beaches and headlands at Middle Rocks are zoned green and closed to fishing throughout the year. I am not suggesting that the absence of commercial netting stands on its own here. Rather there are influences that we might not completely understand, that contribute to the great fishing that we enjoy in the area. These might include the abundant nutrient supply contributed by streams flowing into Sands Straits, or the distribution of offshore coffee rock ledges. Of course beach fishing at Fraser Island has always been outstanding, but so too have been the beaches south of Double Island Point. With fishing demands, particularly in the recreational

it would have to be the most photographed mass of rusting steel. For reasons that I do not fully understand, it has had a magnetic effect on anglers since it came ashore. Fishing from the structure of the Maheno is totally banned today, and for very good reasons that don’t require elaborating. In earlier years when it was relatively safe, it was the most popular venue right along the beach. Depending on the beach, weather and current conditions, deep holes would be gouged out at both bow and stern and along the seaward decks. Today holes continue to develop, particularly around the stern, but not to the same extent as they did when the ship was much larger. One of my challenges on the island

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these days is to attempt to extract fish from the tangled rusting remains when a hole develops at the stern. An amazing array of species has been taken here including snapper, rock blackfish, sweep, even juvenile potato cod. Of course this hole can only be fished from the beach. Apart from the limited fishing opportunities around the structure itself, gutters close to the wreck often fish particularly well. Of course these and other beach structures are continually on the move but it is usual to find a distinct well formed gutter just to the north, while to the south, a long gutter usually

The longtails have been running hard in the last month and this should continue with fish like this in May. extends down towards the mouth of Eli Creek. During the last two tailor seasons, this gutter supported up to a 100 anglers, all enjoying the action. The last few months haven’t seen too much angling activity thanks to the seemingly never ending south easterlies. In the few spells of light conditions it has been easy to find whiting in the low water gutters with bream and tarwhine around the coffee rocks and in the deeper gutters. This month should see much the same with a lot more big dart in calmer conditions. This should also be a good time to fish the northern faces of Indian Head and Waddy Point for bream, tarwhine and reef fish. On the western beaches, conditions should be excellent particularly in southeasterly conditions. The Moon Point track from Happy Valley is open again but it continues to be quite difficult particularly close to the western beach. Much the same could be said for the Woralie track but much of the beach is difficult due to exposed coffee rocks. Just a reminder that the inside beach is open only as far north a Towoi Creek, so preventing access to Wathumba Creek from the south. In Hervey Bay, it has been a matter of waiting for the calm spells between

the successive northerlies and south easterlies. The shallow reefs have been fishing particularly well, as have been the deeper ledges. The Artificial Reef has been disappointing but that should change soon with the arrival of spawning snapper this month. With water temperatures dropping, grass sweetlip and blue parrot will be a little harder to find but there should still be plenty of blackall. This month should also see bream starting to congregate in spawning areas around the northern and southern ends of the bay islands, and at River Heads. Last year’s bream season almost didn’t happen, probably due to succession of floodwaters coming out of the Mary River. With no floods so far this year, a normal bream season just might eventuate. In Platypus Bay, northern blues (longtails) have been running amuck, filling the bellies with the small baitfish often known as rainfish or eyes. Ben Lineburg, testing out some new equipment and working lightly weighted 5” pearl Z-Man jerk ShadZ, enjoyed a frantic session on the longtails off Rooney Point. Good numbers of tuna have also been finding their way south into the inner bay with mostly longtails working the current lines between Woody and Little Woody Islands.

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Flush out the fresh BUNDABERG

Jason Medcalf topwater@bigpond.com

May is a great month with calm weather, clear skies and cooling nights – it’s one of my favourites. The weather really has turned it on lately with some muchneeded rain finally coming down the coast. Most of our rivers and creeks received a good flush and this has moved the prawns, crabs and fish around. Most of our estuaries were fishing very well before the flush of fresh and as there really hasn’t been too much follow up as yet, they won’t

take long to return to good fishing. May is really the start of the change of seasons and as the days get shorter and the nights get cooler we should see a few changes in our target species. This time of year we will still have some mangrove jack, barramundi and king threadfin salmon biting but just not as much as the last few months. Grunter seem to have really been on the chew, along with salmon and barra. If you’re looking to get on the water during May to chase the warmer water species, I would pick those hot days as the little spikes in the water temp gets the fish

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fired up. In May the nights will cool down lowering the water temp and this has a big effect on the different species of bait. There will be a bit of a change with more temperate species making their way up the coast as the water cools. The smaller estuaries tend to cool down first as there isn’t as much deep water to hold the water temp. As the tides push up over the mud flats on the cool nights the water cools then drops back into the creek. As this is usually the start of the calmer weather the smaller boats tend to get their chance to mess with a few larger fish around the mouths of our rivers and along the inshore reefs. In the Burnett there has been mackerel, tuna and some big trevally hunting the schools of baitfish moving up and down the coast. These speedsters are great fun but aren’t high on the list of great fish to eat. If you’re up for a feed of reef dwelling fish then get hold of the GPS marks book that has a few of our local spots in it, you can get them from tackle shops. When you get this book there are a number of spots that are very popular

Grunter have been thick lately and these tasty, hard fighting fish are a great target. Photo courtesy of Nicole Penfold. but this doesn’t mean that there are no fish on them. I watch some boats get to a spot by watching their GPS and dropping their anchor. This works some of the time, especially if the spot is the only one in that area, but if there is rubble or weed bottom around the best fish may not be right there. The best thing to do is have a sound around as time spent looking for better shows of fish can result in a much better catch. In smaller boats I also like to drift as the better

quality fish tend to roam around weedy or rocky bottoms. By moving around and drifting you have a better chance of finding the more quality fish. I also like to fish pretty light on these more pressured areas as most big boats seem to fish big heavy outfits with 60-80lb line and big hooks and sinkers. This is great if you are fishing less pressured areas with lots of big fish on them, but us smaller boaters have to fish a bit smarter on the closer reefs. I like to fish 20-30lb braid and use a 40-50lb

leader with just enough weight to get the bait to the bottom, rather than drop massive leads down that don’t let the bait waft around to entice the bigger fish. I also prefer to use nice fresh bait, even small live bait collected around the river mouths prior to getting out to the spot. They are fantastic dead baits as well. Make sure to put in a bit of effort in May and get out on the water where there will be less crowds, glorious days and hopefully some nice feeds of fish.

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Gladstone is on the bite for quality specimens GLADSTONE

Craige Floyd

The fishing in the Gladstone region has been quite productive all round with quality fish being caught in the rivers and out to the reefs. RIVERS There have been numerous reports of blue and king threadfin salmon being caught in the Calliope River and South Trees Inlet on live baits such as mullet and herring. If live bait is unavailable, try a strip of mullet flesh. Another

alternative is to give lures a go, and I recommend the Tilsan Barra in gold and also soft vibes like Transams and Threadybusters. Target the tidal creeks that drain into the river on the run-out tide as all the bait that goes up the creek on the run-in tide must come back out on the ebb. Trolling for the schooled-up fish in the deeper stretches has also been effective using 2-3m deep diving lures. Numbers of salmon will start to increase as we progress into the cooler months. Big 1m+ barra have been landed all over the place, with

prime targeted areas being the lower Calliope River and mid reaches of the Boyne. Live baits at night are the most popular method, followed by luring at dawn and dusk. The barra will start to slow down as winter approaches, so get into them before they become too sluggish. Recently on social media a guy decided to show off his 124cm barra that was caught out of the Calliope. The fish had been gutted when the picture was taken and the poster was met with a wall of abuse and advised to remove his pic ASAP. These 1m+ barra are valuable

breeders and should be treated with care, especially when it comes to handling them and supporting their weight. And of course, it’s important to be aware of size limits (min 58cm and max 120cm). Right now it’s worth throwing some crab pots in. There are plenty of reports coming in, including one report of 18 crabs in just a couple of hours. Crabby areas have ranged from the Narrows down to Turkey Beach. Flathead have been caught at the mouth of Wild Cattle and South Trees Inlet (Boyne Island). Some have been reported to be quite large.

May for reef and muddies STANAGE BAY

Von Ireland

This month we have had a bit of nice rain for a few good days of reef fishing and good quality muddies. Not too many new boats came into Stanage so once again the islands and reef were spared. However, Long Island, especially the western side, was hit hard for the monster muddies and

threadfin. The few visitors that had persistence, patience, and passion were rewarded with an awesome happy holiday. Between Quail Island and Long Island was a very popular spot for the barra, grunter, golden snapper and mangrove jack. It makes you wonder if the rumour that jack and golden snapper are not the best of mates is actually true? The road is rough but passable, just slow down and take in the views.

The Stanage barra have been working well in our estuary, Thirsty Sound, which connects to Broad Sound. The muddies are still potting nicely on the salt flats and deeper creeks with rocks. The rain we have had, 120mm, has filled the tanks, greened the grass and stirred the critters. Make sure you use quality crab pots, ropes and floats and fresh bait. Off the island, locals have bagged the limits with red

emperor, sweeties, nannygai and mackerel off the northern and central islands. It won’t be long now for anglers to start fishing on the southern islands. • If you need any extra info on accommodation or bait and tackle, fuel, alcohol, ice, and boat hire, give Von a call at Stanage Bay Marine & Accommodation 07 4937 3145 and I will do my best to help you with your queries.

Nippers are the best bait to snag a few, or you can try the Lively Lures Mad or Micro Mullet. Flatties love ‘em! REEFS AND WRECKS When there has been a break in the weather there have been plenty of boats heading out the front to the wrecks and reefs. Rock Cod Shoals have produced grassy sweetlip, coral trout and mackerel. Just be aware that the sharks have

been taking their share, so it pays to use heavier gear to get the fish up quickly. Bindaree Wreck has produced cobia and Spanish mackerel on Halco Twisties, and the Nautilus has been delivering golden trevally and squire. Until next month, hopefully the weather will stay fine and we’ll all get out to wet a line.

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Run-off barra bags ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

Late summer rain has created a mass of run-off barramundi around Rocky. The influx of freshwater in the lagoons and the river has created a massive amount of bait and barra movement. These fish are easily targeted in the right areas and will fall victim to lures mimicking the natural bait source.

The recent rain has created a massive run-off in the freshwater areas and has produced some great fishing after the event. People have been catching some very large barramundi and tarpon in lagoons and creeks on the flood plains but more commonly around the 600mm mark. The influx of water has created a mass of food from all the small aquatic life and bugs coming off the floodplain making the lagoons and creeks full of healthy baitfish.

Through this past month places like the Yeppen Lagoon and Wool Wash Lagoon have been fishing well with fish responding mainly to surface lures, such as poppers and stickbaits, and even unweighted plastics. It is expected in the next month or so when the fish are a little less active and likely to surface feed the shallow divers and lightly weighted plastics will pick them up pretty well. The river has been going well but mainly smaller

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Yann taking on the local barra with great success on his green herring plastic. barra are being pulled in the Rockhampton vicinity with many people having luck off the rocks between the two bridges on low, and all the pontoons along the river. Many of the land-based anglers have been choosing to run live perch for their barra, which works very well while there is fresh flowing from the barrage. On the lure side of things there have been many barra taken on lures while trolling in the 6-8’ range of water and using vibrant colours, such as yellow and chartreuse. The diving sizes that have been working are between 2-5’. Generally the lures are placed

20-30m behind the boat and trolled at around 2 knots. In the next few months once the river calms down and the freshwater influx subsides the river will be fishing well with normal tactics around the rocks and drop-offs. The fresh will revert back to finding the shadows and overhangs instead of the pressure points and back eddies. A word to all boating during the heavy influx of fresh, take care boating in the river while the fresh is running heavy – there is the potential for logs and other foreign objects to be under the surface. There have been a few stories already

of people damaging props and other parts of their boats from logs and other objects coming down in the river. The muddies are set to fire up in all the areas of the river with great success on mullet and catfish. The best bait presentation doing this is to tie the fish in the pot with wire then make incisions along the fish’s body just to let the scent disperse easier. Any old steak past its use by date in the fridge is also a great easy to get crab pot bait. Look for muddy areas around mangroves to place the pots in or, if you’re landbased, place the pots around the creek mouths.

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A dry start led to the bay clearing up and the once regular schools of lesser mackerels were moving in on cue. Then the big rain event last month stirred things up and pushed them wide again. The late rain events haven’t been all bad as some of the favoured species benefit greatly from the additional feed getting washed out into the bay and just beyond. Grunter, largemouth nannygai, black jew and cod have all moved into the bay at various locations feeding on the flood bounty of prawns and other tasty critters. The next rain event halfway through April will dictate the fishing over the next month or two. The rain probably affects us in this area more than many other places due to The Fitzroy River having the largest catchment area of any east coast system. System recovery depends on not only local falls but those in a large part of the state. I always concentrate on weather when selecting species to target or areas to fish because of the above reasons. Spots like Quartz Rock, The Barge and Findlays inside Keppel Bay have fired with some of the best grunter around in recent times. There once used to be regular seasons but the past few years it seems that any time the tides and weather conditions allow there are plenty of fish for those who take the opportunity. I have tried and tried with plastics for grunter with only limited success. My favourite was a no brand hardihead look-alike, which I can’t find in any shop or the net. Lately I have been trying the Z-Man 4” SwimmerZ and results are starting to show. In saying that, fresh bait is still miles ahead on most days. Squid, prawns, pillies and butterflied herrings are top of the list although fresh flesh strips definitely work well. Liza Jane, Greasy Alley, The Pinnacles, The Rama and nearly all the closer wrecks have been the go for nannygai. One of my mates just bought a new drop down camera’s with a depth of 60m specifically for fishing wrecks. Last trip out and the cameras maiden voyage he hardly put a line in the water because of all the activity on the screen. His biggest joy was realising his spots do hold fish in decent numbers, he now has to work out when the best times are to fish them. The local wrecks he has covered so far were all thick with nannies. The common feature was that none of them would touch any of the livies or baits he dropped until they were ready. They tried berley and cubed pillies, live baits

Thommo with a decent little barra caught in the middle of Rocky. and fresh frozen slabs and prawns for very little interest while the current slowed at the bottom of the tide. The nannies came up to the baits and the camera and just swam past as though there was nothing there. As soon as there was movement in the water the fish turned on like a switch grabbing the previously ignored baits. The other lesson learned was that sounders see a different view to the camera. By comparing the two you get a much better idea of what the sounder pictures are actually showing, the results are quite surprising. Black jew are a species that thrives in the cooler months. We have a fair number of spots within reach of the tinny brigade from the north and south end of our coastal range. Ironpot

are the better deep spots. Squid, pilchards, mackerel, bonito and ribbonfish slabs are fantastic black jew baits as a rule. A snapper type rig with HD 6/0 plus sized hooks is what most fishers use. In the more snaggy areas I use a number 10 ball straight above the hook on a 50kg leader. Barramundi are still producing regularly even as the temperatures drop a bit. The warmer days are the best option and fishing the town reaches from the start of the run-in seems to be the better time. Live bony bream and spotty perch have been doing most of the damage as far as baits go while Transams and Threadybusters are scoring the most fish in the lure department. At present the deeper holes around the rocks and bridges are the pick locations in town

Brendan Reed caught this grunter just out from Coorooman Creek. and Double Heads are two great black jew spots, which have the distinct advantage over any of our other spots of being under 1km from the harbour. Corio Heads, Rita Mada, Findlays, Quartz, The Pinnacles, Cape Manifold, Double Rocks and Cape Capricorn are among the best of the rest. Four days before the full moon to four days after the moon is the go for jew in shallow water, although you can get black jew in the deeper spots on any night outing. The Pinnacles, Cape Capricorn and Double Rocks

while further down stream the shallow oyster rocks are holding some fine fish. Whiting are going strong in both Coorooman Creek and Corio Bay, and the sandbanks and yabby beds around the mouth of both are whiting city as winter approaches. As expected, yabbies usually work best with beachworms and prawns as good back-up options. The schools move about following the leading edge of the tide. When walking the banks you keep just ahead of the tide and don’t cast out too far as they will be right at your feet.

In the boat we usually drift until we find them. You can keep the whiting around with a very fine berley thrown out in very small amounts regularly. Ross Creek is again producing fish of surprising quality. The whiting schools have been running the incoming tides in front of the local Council chambers. There are a few flathead and bream also using the surge over the front bank to score a feed. Other spots to look for whiting are Long Beach at Keppel Sands where they move the entire length of the beach with the tides particularly around the little gutter mouths and the mangroves at the end. Five Rocks and Three Rivers have among the biggest whiting in the area most of the time. The best part of fishing up here, apart from the magic of being here, is the availability of big beach worms. Plenty of times we head up to Nine Mile for a fish and end up with a bag of worms over the low tide. Last but not least are the beaches around The Keppels, because they all hold big whiting. Some families take small handlines, a couple of packs of salted beach worms and spend the day walking the beaches nailing a top feed of whiting. Fitzroy River has come on the boil with king salmon immediately after the last rains. They have been running the dirty current lines where the saltwater is pushing up through the fresh run-off on the incoming tides. Lots of guys are using soft prawn imitations in the smaller sizes, representing the large amount of prawn fry in all the local systems. Any of the high banks heading downstream with access from the roads can do the job for the land-based anglers. Balaclava Island and Connors Creek are choice spots for the serious fishers in the past few weeks. Blue salmon, bream and trevally are all worth a crack this month.

Marvellous Mackay May MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

May, you beauty! Most of the humidity is behind us for a few months and we can get down to some serious season change fishing. I reckon May is one of the top times for Mackay fishing as it is still hot enough to have the summer species on the go but without the

intense humidity, and the nights are starting to cool off a bit, and the winter dominant species are starting to move. Cooler nights and days get locals thinking of taking a ‘sickie’ when the weather is calm, to go try for an early in season snapper or two. Many think that the bumpies don’t show up until June but they have been known to be on the go as early as April, so if the weather is good,

give them a bash. We are really lucky around here as the snapper grounds can be easily reached in a 4m tinnie on a good day, which is the type of weather to chase them. Calm seas with little wind and smaller tides are the conditions to look for and the tinnie brigade will be out in force. It’s not hard to find snapper country on a good day as the simple formula is to ‘look for the boats’ as they

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Troy Taylor spotted this barra on his sounder in Constant Creek’s King Hole. A Threadybuster jigged just off the bottom resulted in a smashing strike and after a spirited fight Troy boated the fish. will be a great guide. Check out areas around Flat and Round Top islands and down around Hay Point and offshore from Sarina, especially where there is a bit of rubble bottom, and the chances are good of picking up a snapper or three. Flesh baits, squid, pillies and big prawns are all good snapper baits. Soft plastics like large curly tails and grubs are also worth tossing as well as some of

pelagic scene has shown great promise, with an early season run of small macks and tuna. There have been some serious northern blues or longtails out between Round Top and Hay Point so keep your eyes peeled in this area for any sign of surface activity and birds working bait. The macks and tuna will also be found lower in the water column and the usual story with small macks is to feel

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The first fish of any species is always exciting and Sammie Mercer really enjoyed landing this beaut threadie on a 20g Threadybuster worked along a gently sloping bank. the new generation vibes, but if there are any small mackerel around they won’t last too long particularly with mono leaders. Still that’s the price that has to be paid when jigging snapper on plastics. So far this year the

a slight tug on the line, wind up and find your soft plastic neatly snipped off! This early in the season watch for the legal size of small macks and be careful as there always seems to be a juvenile Spaniard mixed in with the others.

Queenies are the big news on the go at the moment and big is the operative word with fish well over 1m being caught in the river, and around the close islands. Damn impressive fish those 1m+ queenies and boy are they fun to catch. There has been a good run of quality queenies in the river near the road bridges and the rocks just up from the Ron Camm Bridge up to the hospital reaches. Poppers are the most exciting way to chase queenies but plenty have been falling for vibes like Transams and Threadybusters. But throwing a $30 vibe around the rocks is a good way to make you poor and the tackle shop man rich, as they have a habit of hanging up on the rocks fitted as they are with two sets of trebles. Plenty of goldens are also starting to show up close inshore with the larger ones coming from the deeper water on heavy jigs fitted with plastics or the old traditional metal jigs that can be worked fairly slowly and kept in the right depth zone. A quality sounder is invaluable for this type of fishing and if you get a split screen with a GPS then you can easily back track over feeding fish. Magic! Smaller size goldens will work right in along the beaches and around sand spits on the islands where they hunt small crabs, yabbies etc. I have caught them around the islands off Seaforth by casting small lures right up into small rock and sandy beach areas at the top of the tide; I think the new wave of plastic prawns will be really useful here as they are so realistic. Plenty of snodger size bream, flathead, cod, giant herring and the odd barra

will also be encountered in these spots. A bit of a smorgasbord but great fun. In the creeks the barra are there for the taking, but as the weather cools off they become a bit more lethargic and harder to catch. But plan well, persist with recommended quality lures, and persevere in known spots and you will succeed. Try the V near the mouth of the river and around the rocks nearby

With the cooler weather and water temps, keep an eye out for barra right up on top of sand banks at high tide and often they will be in less than 200mm of water. Sometimes with keen eyes and quality sunnies the barra can be seen almost lying on their sides in the shallows. Mind you in this situation they are very spooky and a super quiet approach is

fishers with reasonably good casting skills (better than mine that’s for sure) using a floating line, long leader and small deceivers and clousers. The usual estuary/creek species are still plentiful during May, with jacks, cod, flatties, grunter and bream all expected to star in anglers’ catches. The run of great grunter has continued with fish well

Tackleworld Mackay’s Chris Rippon picked up this northern bluefin tuna on a small clouser just out from Mackay Harbour. Sure is a great way to break in a new fly fishing outfit. for a close handy barra spot that is only minutes from the River Street boat ramp and the City heart.

needed. Light gear, fine leaders and small lures are the go and these conditions are tailor-made for fly

over 60cm regularly being caught and fish of this size can certainly put on a scorching run or two, often

busting off light gear with their power runs. Best of all there are few fish better on the plate than a fresh grunter cooked either just in butter or with some fresh ginger and garlic. Food fit for a king! Salmon both blues and king threadies are still about in good numbers and can be caught in almost all our estuary and creek systems. For the landbased angler, a long trudge from Shoal Point along the beach to the mouth of Reliance Creek puts you in some great salmon country and tinnie anglers will pick them up all over the district. Mackay is often thought of as a boat angler’s spot, but there are plenty of places for the non-boater to catch fish. For example the rock walls in the river are all accessible as is the channel and big sand spit at the mouth of the river. Beaches like McEwans, Far Beach, Blacks Beach, Eimeo and Bucasia all hold good fish with often small macks coming almost into the small shore break chasing small bait. Goldens and oyster crackers are also caught on these beaches. If you are visiting and don’t have a small boat, then talk to the staff at the local tackle shops and they

will point you in the right direction. Remember there is no good drum like good local drum, but as a caution there are also some very substantial crocs that call our waters home. As the weather cools, the hot barra bite in our dams will also start to slow down. Because it is relatively shallow, Kinchant is probably the best bet for a dam barra in the cooler times, with Teemburra a close second. Eungella during the cooler months is way colder than the other 2 and much harder to find and catch barra in.

Where Eungella does shine is the quality of the sooty fishery that MAFSA has developed there. Best of all the mega sooties will keep on hammering lures and baits all winter long and if they grew to a metre long they would be almost unstoppable. What a great under rated sportfish they are. So there you have it, Mackay coming into the cooler weather is a great place to live or visit. The fish are there and ready to tussle with anglers, so come and join us in paradise. See you at the ramp.

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It’s transition time BOWEN

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

If there is one month of the year that could be called ‘transitional’ then it would have to be May. Moving between warm waters to cold is what May is all about and it’s how the angler adapts to this change, which will determine results. This is especially the case up the creeks when targeting species, such as barra and jacks. The cooler weather generally scares off a lot of anglers from hitting the creeks through May, however it is important to remember that the prolonged ‘cold’ has not yet kicked in. This inconsistency of cold weather means water temps don’t plummet into ‘lock jaw’ territory and in fact can be used as an advantage. I find the barra and jacks

actually come on the bite quite well, especially just after a couple of cold days when the fish have been reluctant to feed. Often a sneaky southwester will appear through May, which will bring in a few days of cooler weather that will shut the fish down. However, because we aren’t in a real winter pattern just yet, these wintry winds are soon replaced by a warmer easterly winds either from the south or preferably north. This change in pattern is all that is needed to get the fish feeding hard, especially if they have had a couple of days off in lock jaw mode. The barra in particular respond really well to this and some of my best barra sessions have come through May, especially after these very conditions. The jacks also respond the same as barra to these inconsistent conditions and both fish respond well to

the same type of technique, which also needs to be adjusted to suit conditions. For these cooler months, it’s hard to go past suspending lures for jacks and barra. Over the summer and autumn months, the fish don’t need a lot of persuading because they are actively feeding and on the bite. However, if the cool weather becomes more consistent the fish will need more convincing and the best way to do this is to use a lure which will float and suspend in the strike zone for a longer period of time. For this type of work I love a strong tipped baitcast rod that allows for some solid ripping of the lure, which means it gets into the zone quickly and with plenty of depth. If your rod tip is to light you may not get that lure down deep enough on the initial rip near the snags. In terms of lures I fish predominately Lucky

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Suspending lures like the Lucky Crafty Pointer will be perfect for fishing the cooler conditions of May. Craft Pointers as they have such a slow suspension rate and can sit in the strike zone for lengthy periods of time. Barra and jacks won’t be the only target in May and with the change in temps also comes the dominance of the flathead. For some reason I really struggle to target big flathead over the warmer months, however come the start of the cool weather and I begin smacking everywhere. Whether it’s because the other fish become a little bit more finicky or they tend to congregate more during these months I’m not quite sure but they do come out and feed well. Soft plastic shads like the Berkley Powerbait Split Belly are my go-to lure when chasing flathead. I prefer to match this plastic to a jighead that will allow it to swim just off the bottom at a slow speed with a few pauses here and there. I typically start with a 4” model and if I snare a few smaller 55-60cm fish I will go up to 6” as the bigger trophy flatties are usually not

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be on everyone’s lips through May will be the arrival of the mackerel. The cool weather usually heralds the run of big grey mackerel Bowen is famous for. These fish are usually around that 6-8kg size and provide plenty of sport for anglers. The last couple of years saw the big numbers of greys return to Bowen, however just like the bad old days the pros gave them a hiding just like they did in the 70s and 80s that saw the population severely decline to the point where they never came back. It’s funny how they say history never repeats

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that far behind. I find upsizing plastics does work for enticing larger flathead however I have caught some rippers on pretty small plastics as well. The crabs will also be on the run through May and you can forget the old saying that you don’t catch crabs in months without an ‘R’ in Bowen. In fact the cooler weather, especially the cold snaps really fire them up and May is probably the best month to crab in Bowen. All systems will fire and it’s best to work the bigger tides for the best results. One good way to see if they are running is

Flathead really do become the dominant species in the creeks when the colder weather sets in. to check the local fish and chip stores and when you see cooked muddies going out for less than $10 each than you know there are a few around. The offshore scene is usually hampered by pretty strong winds through May, which makes fishing wide a problem. The cooler weather seems to stifle the bite as well with fish like golden snapper even more difficult to persuade. Large and small mouth nannygai tend to bite a little better during the day through May and most anglers will be targeting these fish around the shoals east of Holbourne Island. The one species that will

itself but it was a shame to see the population finally find its feet to be met with the exact same fate. I guess we will never learn. Next month will bring more consistent cooler weather and water temps will begin to bottom out. The jacks and barra will be a lot harder to find but will still be around for those keen enough to fish for them. Most will be turning their attention to the big Spanish macks that will be running around the Bay. The wind should also begin to abate as well, which means flat blue seas and plenty of opportunity to run wide. Bring it on!

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Shrug off the summer slump AYR

Steve Farmer

Burdekin fishing came out of a summer slump with a bang recently. The estuaries, inshore bluewater and the reef waters are all fishing exceptionally well. After an extended period of fairly quiet fishing, estuaries across the delta suddenly came to life, producing good catches of quality barra, mangrove jack, school grunter and cod. Flathead have also been numerous and hungry and a few of the cleaner creeks are fishing well for speedsters, such as trevally and queenfish. Steve McAuliffe lured Plantation Creek recently for a mixed bag of barra, flathead and cod. He also kept his bag limit of mangrove jack and released quite a few more. Steve said the creek was quiet thanks to the light rain which kept many anglers at home. He also said the creek was full of krill which may have been what fired up the fish. A couple of welcomed TOH144 weather windows also Fishing meant the Ocean Creek boat ramp was buzzing with excited

anglers heading for the inshore shoals and the Great Barrier Reef. Those fishing the shoals were rewarded with both bottom fish and pelagics. Spanish mackerel were about in good numbers and not at all fussy about what they scoffed. Trolled minnows, cast surface lures and drifted baits all did the trick. A number of boats bagged out on the Spaniards, describing their day on the water as ‘amazing’. Actually the Spaniards have arrived earlier than usual this year, hopefully signalling a top season to come. Other pelagics providing some line-sizzling fun included barracuda, trevally, cobia and tuna with most fish released. Some boats kept a tuna or two for bottom bait and were duly rewarded with top table tucker species such as coral trout, nannygai and red emperor. Skippers who pressed on to the reef proper also enjoyed exceptional bottom fishing, with quality species such as red emperor, red jew, red throat and coral trout filling ice boxes in no time. In fact quite a few boats came World 1 home half earlypage whenAd.pdf they had their quota of prime fish flesh. The memorable fishing

was topped off with near perfect weather and glassed-out seas. Freshwater fishing across the district also fired up recently after a week or so of good rain. After a non-existent wet season the flush in the lagoons and streams got the barra moving, making them easy targets around culverts or anywhere the floodwaters (and fish) were concentrated in their rush for the sea. The bottom end of Lilliesmere Lagoon produced some good catches (including a number of metreplus fish) until the water levels dropped almost as quickly as they had risen. This lagoon was electrofished a few years back and found to hold almost no barramundi, despite an extensive restocking program. This indicates that the fish landed recently were probably moving through from other lagoons on their way to the estuaries. MERRY MAY May is pretty much the start of our famous winter weather and should see plenty of visiting, as well as local, anglers out enjoying the conditions and the fishing. 12/12/13 AM Spanish 9:52 mackerel will continue to be the buzz word amongst inshore fishers with

the Alva Shoals and the rocky waters around Cape Upstart and Camp Island being the hotspots in the Burdekin. A drive to Bowen will open up even more Spaniard country with Abbot Point and the Mackerel Patches being wellknown mackerel grounds to the north of town. The Spaniards’ preferred tucker will vary from day to day, but there’s no doubt that either a trolled minnow lure or a pillie drifted out under a float are great ways to prospect for a hungry mackerel. In the estuaries you can probably kiss the barra goodbye – depending on temperatures. Switching to live bait and especially live prawns is often the best way to hook a barra during the chilly months. Mangrove jack catches should also be tapering off as the temperatures drop. Whiting and flathead will be the two standout species for Burdekin estuary anglers during May. Numbers should be good throughout winter and into spring. Target these species on the sand flats and channels around the mouths of creeks and along our beaches. For flathead, concentrating your efforts along drop-offs can be rewarding.

Flathead numbers should be good throughout May and beyond. Flathead respond well to a variety of baits, including small whole mullet, slabs, prawns and yabbies. Try allowing your bait to drift along with the current or even casting and slowly retrieving it like a lure. Small whole mullet, herring or even pilchards can be deadly when fished like this.

If it’s whiting you want then you can’t go past fresh yabbies pumped from the area that you plan to fish. A small long shank hook, a ball sinker and maybe a swivel and a short trace is as complicated as it needs to be when chasing whiting. Keeping the bait moving also works for this tasty species.

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Fickle feeding phenomenon TOWNSVILLE

Karim DeRidder

The days shorten and the mornings become crisp with a hint of chill in the air. It’s time to set the alarms and mix in early morning land-based sessions between powerwalks up Castle Hill or strolls along the Strand. This time of the year brings about a southeasterly trade-wind change, which in turn allows inshore areas to become gin clear. The jelly prawns became evident through mid March and April, causing feeding behaviours

A mangrove jack enticed to bite while feeding on jelly prawn.

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from fickle species such as barramundi, king salmon, mangrove jack and golden trevally, just to name a few. May is the time to tune in on this phenomenon. The large morning tides see local beaches and headlands such as the rock pool, casino break wall, Toolakea and Balgal beaches carrying the pink tinge of jelly prawn, and subsequently causing fish to feast like never before. Techniques must be refined and a thoughtful approach used. For those clear waters, scale down presentations to small, lightly weighted plastics and hand-tied bucktail jigs coupled with light quality fluorocarbon leaders, such as Sunline FC Rock in 10-20lb. Another approach is to cast something bright, loud or totally different

Rigged and un-rigged weedless plastics doing the damage. particularly handy when fishing large flooding tides in small creek mouths where rolling barramundi, jacks and king salmon gorge on jelly prawn. This results in colour changes and was demonstrated in a recent session comprising of multiple jacks and barramundi.

cards. Reports have been quite steady over the last month although the recent rainfall from Cyclone Ita has shaken things up. A versatile technique that has been gaining the most success is presenting small plastics tight to structure via a weedless rig. A relative new product to our region, although

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resistant presentation, but still allowing maximum movement through the plastics and ridiculously good hook up rates via his swing-jig design. By correctly pairing the weight, hook size and plastic, fish that are notorious for holding tight in structure have a better chance of extraction during heavy-handed close quarter battles when using Hypo Headz. Darrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handy work has developed a cultlike following. With cooler conditions building, it will be worth heading out to Maggie and Shark shoals as school size mackerel will be showing up in good numbers. Trolling fresh rigged baits such as gar on wog heads and wolfies on chin rigs should see good numbers of these fish boated. Ensure you are aware of the three fish bag limit per person on Spanish mackerel, this will bring more than enough fresh fish home via their high yield. When actively trolling keep your eyes open for bottom anomalies such as ledges, humps and wonky holes. These grounds also hold trophy size red emperor, largemouth nannygai and monster cod. If you feel like adding some colour to the esky, feed these fish large oily flesh baits, you will generally be guaranteed to see serious drag screaming action on board!

Top: Craig Griffiths with a fingermark extracted from cover. Bottom: Craig Griffiths with a solid creek grunter.

Samir Weddell has been fishing from a very young age! He lives and breathes fishing and for his 7th birthday he wants to go out deep sea fishing with dad. He has caught lots of different species, including this mangrove jack from Caloundra.

MAY 2014

Cool water, red hot drags LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

The end of summer has seen a change in the air and, more importantly, in the water. Last month I started getting bitten off regularly on some of my closer inshore rubble

is great news as it looks like the cooler months (pelagic time!) could be a cracker. I have all fingers crossed as Lucinda is pelagic heaven with its secluded rocky bays, tropical islands and numerous wrecks and shoals as well as the reef only a short boat ride away. Let us see what fish will be bending rods this May.

the bulk of the rain is over and done with. The channel had a few flushes during the wet season which meant the barra were able to breed, and the prawns and crabs got flushed down in better numbers. It would have been better to get even more rains and flooding but in the tropics you never know what will eventuate.

Queenies will be gathering in packs. Cast if you dare. patches, and there were mackerel shows all over the sounder screen amongst the massive bait balls. All this

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL Although there is still a chance of the odd shower,

Barra have started to be caught more regularly, which is probably due to the weather settling down. It has

been a tough few months chasing barra on lures, and live baiting has been the best option for those looking to get amongst better numbers. Finding plenty of good live bait has been difficult on some occasions and I recommend heading out an hour or two before low tide and throw that cast net like a mad man (or woman). You really want a live bait tank full of mullet, herring and gar, and you should take the time to change the water and keep them alive and healthy. Find a creek mouth, rock bar, snag or hole and deploy plenty of baits. Then sit back and relax while waiting for the tide to start pushing in. The barra should follow the tide and swim straight by you. It can be like clockwork as you watch each rod go off as the fish swim by them! It is also quite amusing to watch the faces of friends or family when you predict which rod will go off first. May also is a great month to start spending more hours trolling the deeper sections of creeks or the channel itself looking for big blobs and arches holding down near the bottom. Use big lures that will swim close to the

Light gear, plastics and wrecks promise good times. bottom (just touching every now and again) as it will put you in the zone to get smashed by barra, jacks and fingermark (golden snapper), all of which love slow trolled lures. For those anglers who are into lobbing lures and plastics around, you will be treated to a smorgasbord of aggressive fish in May. As

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MAY 2014

the water becomes clearer and cooler, fish such as mini GTs will take residence in the snags and drains and provide plenty of excitement as they smash anything and streak off with super speed. I guess it can be a little disappointing for anglers hoping for a barra or jack, but the trevs certainly break Continued page 55

Right royal flush HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

Some good late rains this wet season have really put a spark into the fishery, with some really nice barra being caught at the moment. I don’t think I have seen so many logs pouring out From page 54

the boredom. On light gear they are insane fun. JETTY, ISLANDS AND THE REEF Dropping water temps mean ‘bloop... bloop... SMASH!’ as queenies whack poppers. Sometimes they’ll scream off 50m then jump and throw the popper, and as you wind it back it will get hammered again. The Jetty should start going off and it really is a fishing fun park when the pelagics start sharpening their teeth, lining up your offerings and leaving your tackle box looking bare. It is also a good time to float out a pilchard in hopes of an early Spanish mackerel. Wrecks and shoals will offer the best sportfishing opportunities for those

the northern end of the channel. The Herbert river has had three good flushes this year, which should put us well in front of last year’s poor rainfall. So overall a reasonable wet season, and hopefully our good year’s fishing will continue. I’m hoping that we will see a return of the big threadfin salmon soon as they

have had an unusual absence since August last year. Threadies don’t really like periods of high salinity and will move away to find more suitable waters elsewhere until our waters thin out again. When the threadfin are in you should look in deep holes when the tidal run slows towards the bottom of the tide. When the tide is running

who enjoy that type of fishing. Gulps such as 5” and 7” Jerkshads, Nemesis and Squid Vicious rigged on 3/4oz to 1oz jigheads are good options. When fishing Gulps it is important to remember they should be fished slowly, as they are essentially a bait that you gently put action into. Gulps will get eaten by anything that swims. ZMan 5” JerkshadZ have also proven to be very effective and have the added bonus of being able to be fished harder and jigged and ripped through the water column. They are also tough as nails, and even on toothy critters it is possible to go entire sessions with the same plastic. The reef fishing will as usual be going off, especially

after rough weather, with all species coming to the party. Trout in particular will be biting their heads off and they will be about in good numbers and size in the shallower waters. Fishing for them using plastics is very rewarding and can see some great action. There is also plenty of bycatch in the form of red-throat emperor and stripies, as well as passing mackerel and cobia that are willing to smash your plastic. Lightly weighted Gulps are hard to beat on the reef due to the amount of scent they release. Once again, having a floater out while fishing the reef will pay off with mackerel. Bring on those cooler currents as it means drag will tear and arms will be stretched!

W L E N DE O M

While visiting Hinchinbrook with his family, Mick Taylor scored this 117cm fish. another method is to live bait shallow dirty water lines with big greenback herring as preferred bait. The threadfin salmon are an amazing fish and are above barra when it comes to many recreational anglers’ bucket lists. I have noticed a huge influx of Queensland school mackerel this year and they are very early. Actually, their presence has worn a little thin with me because they tend to bite off quite a lot of lures while jigging inshore spots for fingermark. They are a

popular bread-and-butter species for northern anglers but I find them very dry to eat. I have been told by those in the know that they are perfect for smoking though, so I will have to try that one day. In amongst the schoolies there have been a lot of small Spaniards around 60cm which is under the limit of 75cm, so make sure you can tell the difference between the two species. Further offshore around the reefs there are many reports of giant schools of

Spaniards, all around the 80cm mark, so it looks like an early and good season ahead. They are migratory, however, so the schools off here at present could end up anywhere up north. They will then make their way south again towards the end of winter as much larger fish getting ready to spawn in October. During May we should see some good Spaniard fishing and this will only get better as the winter Continued page 57

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MAY 2014

Due for a magic May CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

For the past two years May has been pretty much a blow out, with strong winds and extensive rain. We are due for a good one, so hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hoping. When the weather cooperates, fishing can be sensational, with a mix of summer and winter species on offer. As the temperatures drop the summer species will slow down and winter fish will become the norm. Recently, poor weather has been matched with poor fishing, however when the sun has shone so has the fishing. Barramundi and mangrove jack have been the main estuary players, with coral trout and big-mouth nannygai (saddletail snapper) the pick of the reef action and mackerel showing up spasmodically. While the water temperatures hold up, barramundi fishing will continue to produce, with the fish generally more cooperative down deep. Those in the know have been nailing trophy barra in Trinity Inlet and that should continue until the first cold snap. Cold snaps slow the barra down initially

MAY 2014

but they will come back on the bite after the initial shock, so keep them on your radar. Mangrove jack are still on the chew in the heavy country but will become less aggressive as the water temperature drops. Shifting to dead bait that is first and foremost fresh and also has a strong scent will continue to entice these red devils. Strip baits of mullet, sardines, mud herring, local squid and cuttlefish will all do the trick at various times, along with the good old half a pilchard. The humble bream will start to take over proceedings in the rougher country but remember they are very line sensitive. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re targeting mangrove jack and fingermark, 30lb braid and 30lb leader is a great combo but you need to move down to single figure breaking strains if you are serious about bream fishing. Fishing a heavier rig in the real rough country and a light outfit slightly away from the heavy snags will give you a better than even chance on both species. Expect to get bricked by the odd monster on the light line all the same, as jacks and fingermark are equally as partial to light line as bream are. This approach will also

see you in the money for a few grunter that will still be around. The ever-present estuary cod will be on the chew and will take just about anything. They always make a quality addition to the table, even if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a bit slimy and messy to handle. Trevally species will start to make their presence felt, especially around the estuary and inlet mouths. Juvenile giant trevally will be the most likely visitor, with the odd golden trevally making an appearance. Look for surface action and birds working to give away their location. If there are no signs of life, give the drop-offs, current lines and pressure points a work over with small poppers, slices and live baits, just to be sure. If salinity levels are high then larger queenfish will start to move into the systems, especially near the top of the bigger tides. A patch of cool, clear weather will see the school mackerel start to appear around the inlet leads and inshore grounds, so keep your eyes and ears tuned for any sign of them. They will mostly be down deep and are an absolute sucker for live sardines and mud herring drifted down in the current. Fish with no sinker or as light a sinker as you can, to get the bait to slowly sink to the

Those in the know, like Justin Thaggard, have been nailing excellent barra in Cairns Inlet by locating them on their sounder and then coaxing them to bite. bottom. Once it is resting on the bottom, retrieve slowly and cast again. A whole pilchard, dead sardine, mud herring or small mullet is also good back-up option if livies are hard to come by. Mud crabs are well worth a look this month, especially on the lead-up to the full moon and whenever there is a bit of fresh in the systems. Muddies should be nice and full at this

time of year. When and if the winds abate, the reef fishing in May can be sensational, with trophy big-mouth nannygai and red emperor in the deep water and coral trout up shallow. The big challenge is the persistent high pressure systems that march across the Great Australian Bight with monotonous regularity at this time of year. The gaps between the highs

are what Cairns reef anglers sweat on. With most anglers restricted to weekend fishing, getting the calm periods and weekends aligning can be a real exercise in frustration. Adding spice to this reef trophy trio will be a smattering of reef mangrove jack, smallmouth nannygai (crimson snapper), spangled emperor, cod of all sorts and sizes and Continued page 57

From page 55

approaches. We can expect some good sessions on the fingermark (golden snapper) as well. Fingermark were once thought to bite mostly in the warmer periods of the year, but in the last decade or so we have been catching far more during winter through a vast change in techniques and tackle. We still have a few vacancies for fingermark trips in July and August if you want to learn more about them. Northern bluefin or longtail tuna should be in plague proportions during May. At the time of writing

I have just heard of some lads having a successful day’s flyfishing and there were heaps of fish around apparently. Northern blue on fly is great fun and the northern end of Hinchinbrook is the place to be. With what’s shaping up to be a good year pelagic-wise I would not be surprised to see early black marlin. With early bait schools at Cape Bowling Green, prospects are looking good. I have a very busy month ahead with the barra charters so I’m looking forward to one of our best months

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Kobe beat his PB yet again with another barra of 113cm. BOAT TRAILERS From page 56

some thumper trevally. It is not uncommon to strike a patch of reef red bream in May and these brutes really know how to test your tackle. The really big ones aren’t that great to eat, so look at releasing these breeders if you can. Getting sharked is a never ending possibility in May and a sharkfree trip is a talking point amongst experienced reefies. Spanish mackerel will continue to increase in number

as the waters cool, so always have a floater out the back, except in Yellow Zones, where fishers are restricted to one line per angler. The more serious Spaniard chasers will be trolling spreads of hardbodied lures, both deep diving and shallow, skipping gar and swimming mullet. Another deadly approach for big Spaniards is to super slow troll live baits. Having one live bait shallow and another on a downrigger is an

of the year. Speaking of barra, you should check out our new website and join the fishing community for tips, e-courses, competitions, videos and more to come. Visit www. ryanmoodyfishing.com to find out more. If you would like to come up for a fish call us on 0418 538 170 or at www. hookedonhinchinbrook. com. Charters are booking out so get in early to get the best tides. You can also check out our new website: www ryanmoodyfishing.com.

absolute winning combination. Most of the Spanish mackerel will be in the 6-10kg range, with the odd trophy 20kg plus model lurking around. Pelagic chasers will also find plenty of action out on the Continental Shelf, with mac tuna, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, cobia, scaly mackerel and Spaniards harassing the bait schools. May can produce magic fishing and weather when all the planets align, so here’s hoping.

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A new chapter begins PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer

As we approach the tail end of the wet season the crossover period into the dry part of the year is about to transform. This year in the tropics we’ve had what you would call a healthy wet season with consistent rainfall for a couple of months. This is the foundation for good fishing ahead, not just later this year but next year as well. All our major rivers, creeks and estuaries have had a good flush out and have distributed an abundance of fresh food and new life along the coastline. This past month or so has seen some phenomenal jelly prawn hatches along our beaches, which in turn created an absolute fish feeding frenzy. It was a real spectacle to witness as thousands upon thousands of fish gorged themselves on this coastal caviar. Barra, tarpon, queenfish, blue salmon, flathead, dart, trevally and permit all were part of this incredible part of the food chain. Flyfishers cashed in on the

action better than anyone else, followed by anglers using small poppers and soft plastics. There has also been a healthy supply of mature prawns along the beaches and flats which has also been a beacon for attracting the predatory fish. Also consistently throughout April our rivers and creeks performed admirably for barra, with plenty of juveniles about in the upper reaches and with some monster fish up to 1.2m being caught closer to the entrances. There was an abundance of mangrove jack amongst the snags and the golden snapper (fingermark) were prowling the deeper sections. With plenty of bait around, our coastal islands, wrecks and headlands fished very well for a variety of trevally while our inshore patches and wonky holes had some bright moments on the largemouth nannygai (saddletail snapper) and gold-spot cod. A few Spanish mackerel have also recently turned up right along these coastal features and there is a lot of good value to be had targeting these areas.

On the Great Barrier Reef we saw an improvement in the fishing, with more consistent catches on coral trout, large-mouth nannygai and emperor species. Also at times the Spanish mackerel turned up in solid numbers when there was good run in the tide, and the average size was around the 8-10kg range. Scaly mackerel were also in tow and there were days when reels turned on a consistent basis. There was also some great GT fishing to be done casting poppers on the pressure points of reefs where the bait was accumulating. The outgoing tides produced the best results with stonker fish caught up to 36kg. THE MONTH AHEAD Looking ahead, May is an exciting time – especially on the reef. With a change in currents running back to the north the cooler water ignites our reef species into overdrive, and if you can be part of this first drive the fishing can be manic. All the red species fire up and the reef mangrove jack is one fish which can really turn it up on the change of the season.

Crew member Jake Collete of Saltaire Charters showing us a glimpse of what to expect in the coming month in the tropics. You’d also expect catches of pelagics like mackerel and cobia to become more frequent as well. Inshore there’s probably a few more weeks where the barra will feed before taking a back seat when the cooler nights kick in. In saying this, trevally and queenfish action will pick up considerably and compensate for the fall in barra activity. Fingermark will remain relatively

consistent and the jacks won’t back off too much either. Along our beaches and flats May is also a great time to target blue salmon and grunter on those incoming tides, and along certain sections of the coastline the bigger and hard running snubnosed dart or permit will be feeding. The beaches and river mouth flats of the Daintree River are not bad places to tangle with these

superb sportfish. Flathead, trevally, queenfish and dart will also be present along our glorious stretches of beaches so there’s quite a bit on offer in the region. We will see some of those picture postcard days this coming month, and with comfortable land temperatures and stunning blue water there’s going to be happy days in the tropics and the fishing will be just fine.

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Trouble turns to opportunity havoc for the local sardine and hardihead populations around the Endeavour Wharf. The key here is hi-speed spinning with small slugs like Raiders or Knight jigs or for the more relaxed fishermen, an unweighted sardine rigged on a 200mm length of 30lb Mason single strand. As more people turn up during the cooler months, the mackerel can become a tad flighty, so dropping the wire for a piece of 55lb pink Schneider will see your hook up ratio increase, however you will loose the odd fish to bit offs. The coming month usually sees most trailer boats avoid the reef fishing as the trade winds are well and truly hammering in by now. You may jag

COOKTOWN

Nick Stock

Cooktown was peppered with a late season Cyclone and Ita was one of the bigger cyclones to hit the eastern cape since Yasi. Making landfall as a Cat 4, Ita put a stop to fishing leading up to and immediately after the big blow. The better land based barra spots like Starkey NP and Lakefield will have zero or limited access for a few weeks. With that in mind there are plenty of options in the local waterways to keep fishos from all levels of experience busy. The queenies, trevally and mackerel will be well on their way to create

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the odd morning where you can shoot out to the Mud Wreck and catch a few small 450mm saddletailed sea perch and the odd mackerel or two and whip home in under 10 minutes if the winds come up. Other than that the next few months are time to get out the spin gear and chase a few of the ever-reliable river fish like jacks, trevally, golden snapper, grunter and the ever present pikey bream. These big black bream are usually spawning over the next few months so only take what you need if you want a feed. They are not exceptional chewing and are a far better sports fishing option on 6lb

braid and a 50mm soft plastic. The pikey bream, pound for pound, will pull a jack backwards in their fighting ability and I find it surprising that no locals target them. A 450mm pikey bream is a mean adversary on 6lb and they are the type of fish that many top sponsored anglers fishing the ABT would dream about! Until next month stay safe on the water and make sure you check track conditions and waterway conditions after Ita. • Be sure to check out the range of handmade timber barra lures I make. Check us out and hit the like button on Facebook by searching Twin River Lures.

Pikey bream are a much tougher adversary than most realise and are well worth targeting for some sporting fun when the winds are blowing out offshore fishing.

Sensational – the only word! WEIPA

Josh Lyons thesportfisher@gmail.com

Sensational is the best word to sum up the start of the charter fishing season here in Weipa. April saw the first full month of our ‘die hard’ fly-in clients fishing the area for everything and anything that would bend a rod. The river fishing for barra was the first to turn it on with good numbers and good quality fish taken throughout April. Fishing small creek mouths and the shallower snag banks has been the secret for the best lure fishing with the small gutters and muddy colour changes the best option on the bottom of the larger spring tides. Morning sessions of 50 or more barra have been the norm, while an afternoon spent soaking a live bait for the bigger fish the best way to roll out a day in one of Weipa’s massive estuaries. While barra have been the main target, most other species have also been on the chew. Consistent catches of King salmon have made for some real variety, while in the clearer creeks the golden snapper have been ravenous. I usually have a spare rod rigged for each person with a soft vibe or small plastic when lure casting so that when I see a good snag or some fish on the sounder a quick drop deeper into the water column can be made. Lately golden snapper, with the odd jack, have been the first onto the softies, however this technique also turns up some nice salmon, barra and the often unstoppable Queensland groper. Offshore and along the coastline has been consistent without being crazy. Large bait schools in the relatively

Offshore in May the meatballs (concentrated balls of bait) will arrive with their attendant hordes of fish! shallow water of Albatross Bay have caught the attention of some pelagics with good numbers of grey mackerel a welcome sight. Trolling 3m and 4m Halco Scorpions around and through the bait is the best technique and has also turned up some ripping Spaniards amongst the greys. The headlands north

all that is needed to fire up these great sportfish and it does pay to have a small popper or metal slice rigged on light gear and ready to go when returning to or leaving the harbour. I expect this type of action to continue into May, both in the rivers and offshore. Longtail tuna

Live baiting in the afternoons has been the best way to get a really good barra lately. and south of Weipa have been holding some great queenfish, while the large river mouths have plenty of school sized queenfish. Some form of tidal movement is

should start to make their presence felt out in the Gulf and as the clear currents push in we should start to see some of the bait balls that Weipa is renowned for arrive

en masse. These truly are one of the best sights for a fisher and I have seen the keenest of angler just sit and watch the mayhem as all manner of fish and sharks tear into the hapless baitfish. Low frigate birds usually give away the location of these balls. As the water clears the beaches and flats will begin to fire for those into their fly fishing, a walk along a Gulf of Carpentaria beach with a fly or light spin rod in hand is awesome and the marine life along the shoreline has to be seen to be believed. Accurate casting and a good set of sunnies is a must while anchoring your boat properly is also important particularly on a run out tide. Time can really get away from you doing this sought of fishing, so taking time to anchor your boat out will save you many long hours waiting for the tide to come back in to refloat your boat. May is one of the best all round fishing months on the calendar so gear up and get out there.

Late wet brings big rewards KARUMBA

Alan Gurney awes0me@bigpond.net.au

The water temperature is now cooling and this will bring on the grunter and Spanish mackerel. Our late wet has seen plenty of good fish caught recently with Haden Bell bringing his son up to catch his fill. Brodie Bell caught some awesome barramundi up to 1.22m and left with a huge smile. I am pretty sure his dad caught some but young Brodie took out the trip with his massive

captures. Not only that, but he let them all go so he could do it again soon. Grunter will start to make their way up the river to breed. The easy way to find them is to leave the boat ramp a bit later and follow the crowd up river to the spot. Fresh bait is always good with live prawns the best to get the job done. I always use a running sinker rig with mono leader and a 5/0 hook to catch the big ones, and usually get the odd king salmon as well. Travelling out the front when the wind allows will

give you an opportunity to catch a Spanish mackerel with better chances towards the end of May as the water continues to cool. The place to be is on the northwest side of the sand island as the tide runs out. Please spread out and you can all share the spoils. Another option is to troll out a bit further with spoons; just remember that they have soft mouths so be patient and do not increase the drag pressure once you start the fight. Never give a slack line or it will all be over. Heading out to the

rubble patches will be a good place to start looking for tuna feeding. These fish are great to catch and they will test your gear so make sure you come prepared. The way to catch them is to get upwind of where they feed on the surface and cast metal slugs out past them. Let the slug sink for about 10 seconds then wind fast back through the school of fish. Please remember that when passing other boats going in the opposite direction you need to pass on the starboard side or right side like driving

Brodie Bell caught an awesome barramundi up to 1.22m. cars in America. It is not the same as driving cars in Australia so be careful. If someone is not doing the right thing then best

option is to stop and get their number and pass it on to the Fisheries department as there will be an accident if it is not done right.

Ita brings awesome fishing to the east coast CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly aggott88@gmail.com

Transitioning from April to May we hope the all the pain and hardship endured by those around Cooktown, Hopevale and other areas affected by Cylone Ita will be compensated with great fishing in the months to come. The rains following this cyclone will inject life into the rivers and estuaries of the southern Cape, making everything from the mud crabbing to prawn cast-netting to barra fishing just that much more productive. Last year in much of the Gulf Country there was very little wet season and the resulting lack of mud crabs just about put the pros out of business in some places. Barely a crab could be caught. So

out of the huge cyclones that periodically drift into Cape York’s east coast. A

the year after a cyclone usually see drastically fewer fish than before. The

I love fishing this month for the variety of species on offer and the clarity of

Trout will swim away from their reef edge or rise from a bommie to smash soft plastics. Category 5 storm can do enormous damage to the delicate ecosystems on the Great Barrier Reef. It is clear to anyone diving or snorkelling in reef areas damaged by these big super storms. Absolute carnage of the huge coral bommies, plate corals tipped over, stag-horn corals snapped like the twigs of trees

stretch of outer reef east of Princess Charlotte Bay extending south to Mackay has received quite a few batterings in the last 10 years. Even though this is part of a natural cycle of reef damage and recovery, it can have an immediate impact on the affected areas. The reef will regenerate, but it takes time.

both estuary and offshore conditions. Rivers are often at their cleanest this time of year, with freshwater beginning to subside and saltwater intruding further into the upstream reaches of the larger Western Cape rivers. Fishing some of the large snag piles and junctions will be a feature of barramundi fishing in May. Fishing the upstream junction between fresh and salt is another sure bet this time of year. At times there will be a colour change where two major systems come

together on an outgoing tide. Try anchoring wide of this junction and working firstly shallow diving lures and if unsuccessful , deeper divers and soft plastics. At times it will take numerous casts to slightly different spots before a strike is registered. Concentrate your efforts in proven spots and try

and remember individual snags, junctions and rock bars where you have had success previously. Take note of productive times and tidal influences in your success as these patterns will now begin to take shape right up until Christmas time or the next wet season rears its head.

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Look for fusilier schools huddling on a good looking reef edge. there needs to be a big turn around and a massive recruitment of juveniles to get things back on track. We are heading back into an El Ninio cycle, which is typified by lower and less predictable rain cycles. But with warming seas, experts are predicting fewer but potentially more intense cyclones over coming years. There are victims

damaged from the same storm. I have seen boulder corals which have rolled like a bowling ball down a reef slope, crushing everything in it’s path. Fish such as coral trout, which usually remain close to the reefs they were spawned on, are particularly susceptible to this type of habitat loss. Professional fisherman working the east coast

Conditions should by now have settled and May will be a the month enjoyed by boating enthusiasts and fisherman alike. Up in the tropical far north, the sting of summer heat will be a distant memory and cool weather patters will begin to emerge. The next 6 months will become quite predictable on Cape York Peninsula with rainfall all but disappearing and the fishing generally beginning to fire up.

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Electric Motors

Electric motors: A must have? Electric outboard motors are an option for boat propulsion and in fact, when it comes to lure fishing these days, they are seen as a must have accessory. Most electric outboard motors have 0.5 to 4kW direct current (DC) electric motors, operated at 12-60 volts DC. The advantages of electric boat propulsion systems are the low maintenance costs, the limited noise and emissionfree operation. The disadvantage is the limited



range due to the weight and size of the batteries. Lead-acid batteries have high weight (38 watt hours/ kilogram) and limited capacity when quickly discharged (60% at 1 hour). Newer battery technologies like lithium systems (e.g. LiFePO4 or Lithium polymer) offer up to seven times the performance of a lead-acid battery but they are expensive. These days electric outboards offer anglers a plethora of options to enhance their fishing. Sounders that attach to the

112lb Minn Kota ST i-Pilot

Minn Kota has gone bigger with the new 112lb, 36 volt i-Pilot with 60” Shaft. As i-Pilot has become a must have product to spot lock over fish, bigger boats have wanted to join in the fun and Minn Kota has come to the party with the biggest Bow Mount Electric Motor available. Supplied with i-Pilot Wireless GPS Trolling System, i-Pilot frees you up to focus on fishing. It uses GPS technology to remember paths and fishing spots, activate cruise control, and give you command of speed, steering and Advanced AutoPilot. Fully Encapsulated Electronics means permanently protected electrical components. Digital Maximizer delivers up to five times more running time on a single battery charge. The indestructible composite shaft flexes on impact, will not break, kink or corrode and is guaranteed for life. Other features include the Weedless Wedge 2, Sacrificial Anode and the optional foot pedal to provide options that are unparalleled. Price: $3986 www.bla.com.au

Saltwater Transom Minn Kotas

The 2014 Minn Kota saltwater transom line up consists of 4 motors with 3 of these featuring the power efficient Maximizer that gives up to 5 times longer run times. Rebuilt with an intuitive, easy to use design, the Riptide Transom mount motors deliver up to 55lb of power. Riptide motors are impervious to saltwater’s 62

MAY 2014

electric, sounders that link in to the electric, brackets that mount all sorts of accessories and more are all available these days. If you’ve never used an electric outboard, then you just have to try it out as soon as you possibly can. If you’re a convert, then you’ll understand just how brilliant these outboards are and how many more fish they allow you to catch on any given day. WHY YOU MUST HAVE ONE Electric outboards have quickly become the

norm on fishing boats. Any angler who fishes with lures would be lost without their electric outboard and it was exactly for these anglers that electric outboards were first designed. From a lure fisher’s point of view the advantages an electric outboard offers include such things as silent, or near silent running that allows you to get close to fish and structure without spooking them with outboard noise. The ability to minutely control your position on a target is perhaps the

corrosive effects, thanks to premium-grade marine alloys and aluminium upper arms. With a push to test battery meter, the battery-extending power of Digital Maximizer (on selected models) and unmatched corrosion protection, Riptide Transom means fish are out of places to hide.

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New Watersnake Venom Transom

The Watersnake Venom SXW electric motors provide saltwater anglers with a range of tillersteer, transom-mount motors. The range comprises five motors. The 34lb and 54lb in the 26” design are perfect for canoes, tenders, inflatable boats and small tinnies. The 34lb/30”, 44lb/36” and 54lb/42” are suited to boats ranging from small tenders and tinnies up to dedicated estuary and inshore sportfishing boats. The 34lb motors have a two-blade propeller. The 44lb and 54lb motors run a three-blade propeller. All the motors run on 12V power and operate with five forward and three reverse speeds. The head design incorporates a thicker, ergonomic grip for the tiller handle. The design also includes a digital voltage meter display. The grips on the alloy transom mount have also been upgraded, making it even easier to attach and secure the motor. The shafts on all Venom SXW motors are an extra-tough composite constructed for use in saltwater marine environments. The tiller handles are telescopic for versatility, comfort and control. Price: from $279 www.watersnake.com.au

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Electric Motors

112 POUNDS OF GRUNT Minn Kota® i-Pilot™ motors are already known for dominating the fishing scene. So why build a new i-Pilot™ with 112 pounds of thrust? So that bigger boats can take advantage of the i-Pilot’s GPS Spot-Lock function. Forget anchoring offshore, let Minn Kota® hold your boat in position or steer your favourite troll run while you catch fish. The new 112lb 36V ST i-Pilot™ is the only 112lb motor on the market and with a huge 60” shaft it changes the way larger trailer boats fish offshore. It’s the standard that the other guys keep chasing. Meanwhile, we’ll keep taking you Anywhere. Anytime.

and use a shallow setting for your electric motor and slip over incredibly shallow water. The most modern of electric outboards these days can hold you in the one position, much like an anchor. This feature is sensational when you really want to hone in on an area of fishy activity. If you’re fishing for flathead, bream or mulloway in an esturay down south, chasing barra, jacks and fingermark up north, or plying your trade on bass, barra, cod and goldens in a lake, holding position while you work a school of fish or structure is invaluable. These same modern electrics can return you to a productive location after you hook a fish and drift

away from the location. Bream tournament anglers first cottoned onto this feature when chasing their quarry over rock bars in Tasmania. Tournament anglers were hooking good fish, drifting away with the current to fight and land the fish, then, by a simple button press, returned to the productive location and continued to catch more bream. To say an electric outboard is amongst the most important tools for a tournament angler is certainly not an understatement. With these few examples, hopefully you too have seen the light and have a better understanding of the role electric outboards play in modern fishing scenarios.

From the smallest unit for a single person canoe, all the way up to 36V megaunits that strap on to the back of boats and provide up to 15hp of equivalent power, there is an electric outboard to suit your needs and a range of accessories to make any day on the water a better day. Get into your local boat dealership, spend some time on the net and discover just what is available out there in electric land. Oh yeah, once you commit to the electric outboard of your dreams, make sure it is coupled with suitable cabling and the best batteries you can afford as both of these accessories will allow your electric outboard to perform to its optimum in the harsh Australian fishing environment. - FMG

NOW WE’RE REALLY THROWING OUR WEIGHT AROUND. RIPTIDE 112lb SALTWATER TERROVA i-PILOT™

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MAY 2014

01_14_QFM_MK112_May

most appreciated feature of modern day electric outboards. If you want to approach a snag quietly and get into exactly the right position before you cast, then you must have an electric outboard. Other features that make electric outboards a fantastic accessory to your boat include the ability to retrieve snagged terminal tackle quickly and efficiently - again quietly and with minimal disturbance to the fish. Electric outboards are also fantastic when you need to traverse really shallow water. Instead of running your main motor on a high trim setting and pumping sand, mud and grit through your water cooling system, you can trim the main motor out of the way

THE RECREATIONAL ANGLER’S LINK We have certainly had some rough weather offshore and in the bay this month. Luckily in Queensland we are blessed with some of the best estuary fishing in the world. It’s a shame we can’t get the politicians to see the value and potential return to our economy by investing in it.

RECREATIONAL FISHING RESEARCH PRIORITIES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Recently I sent out a call asking for people to provide me with their priorities as to where they believe research dollars should be invested. There are several fairly active email networks throughout the state and what I found most surprising was that each of them had a couple of common elements: Firstly, capturing the social and economic value of recreational fishing to local communities and the state as a whole. Secondly, the best triple bottom line value usage of inshore fisheries focusing on 3-4 major rec species e.g. whiting, bream, grunter, tailor, barramundi, king threadfin salmon and flathead. Several fish species, which occur close inshore are of primary importance to recreational fishing; these are the

so-called ‘bread and butter’ fish that anglers like to catch as they are excellent food fish. The overall true value of these important species is largely unknown, although there is some information but it is fragmented, and it needs consolidation and further research. We also need to develop a reliable method for measuring localised depletions (netting impacts, high population density impacts). The wording may have varied slightly between networks and regions but the sentiment was the same. Recreational fishers have been doing what they love since settlement and want their sport and recreation recognised for the value it provides to families and communities and protected for the generations to follow.

MORETON MIXED AMATEUR FISHING CLUB ASSISTS UQ RESEARCHERS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

On a recent club trip the members of Moreton Mixed Amateur Fishing Club assisted Dr Darryl Whitehead, Manager Histology Unit, University of Queensland in obtaining samples of stingrays and catfish at Jumpinpin. These samples will be important for the research that Dr Whitehead is doing on the sensory systems of several fish species.

This cooperative effort was arranged by Dr Barry Pollock, Sunfish Scientific Officer, who is also the Club Captain of MMAFC. Barry said that Dr Whitehead had assisted greatly in doing the biopsy preparations of flathead roes, a current Sunfish research project into flathead spawning aggregations in Queensland.

VALE BILL TURNER ••••••••••••••••••• In March we lost a stalwart of recreational fishing – Bill Turner. Bill spent most of his life confined to a wheel-chair so he understood the issues and difficulties with fishing access. His convincing lobbying style and sound advice to the Council on how to cater for the needs of wheelies resulted in the Redcliffe Peninsula now having excellent access for shore-based anglers whether they are disabled or not. Bill also lobbied for the replacement of the ageing Redcliffe and Woody Point jetties and was the driving force behind construction of the fishing platform on the Ted Smout Bridge. He strongly supported the Bramble Bay Conservation Park Yellow Zone, which now has better recreational fishing since

commercial netting for bream, whiting and flathead is no longer allowed there. He was a strong supporter of Sunfish serving as Media Officer, and Chairman for Sunfish (North Moreton Branch) for many years. Bill then went on to serve as Chairman of Sunfish Queensland for 3 years and returned to Chair Sunfish North Moreton and more recently the new Moreton Branch. For 24 years Bill has lobbied for an artificial reef at Scarborough. Small boat owners would prefer to fish a local artificial reef rather than risk a long trip across the bay in search of good snapper fishing. If the Scarborough artificial reef does come to pass, our Sunfish Moreton Branch will endeavour to have the reef named in his memory. His talent for catching whiting was well renowned. Bill will be missed.

Bill Turner was a legend amongst the ranks at Sunfish and will be sorely missed.

QUEENSLAND STATE GREEN ZONES ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Queensland government last month announced a period of discussion for consideration of allowing recreational fishing with one hook from the shore along the edge of a green zone at Woody Point at Redcliffe. This announcement was welcomed by the recreational sector. This particular

green zone was listed as an example of an inshore rocky reef and rocky shores. Neither of these categories will be impacted by shorebased recreational fishers with one hook. In addition there is an opportunity for a similar discussion around other state green zones that meet certain conditions:

CRITERIA • State managed green zones only (Not GBRMPA) • Green zones adjacent to a shoreline • Good public access • Recreational fishing would have minimal impact to the environment Let me know of any that you would like us to propose for consideration.

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW INTO COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHING ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Dr Darryl Whitehead, University of Queensland shows Joy Rogers, Life Member, Moreton Mixed Amateur Fishing Club, and other members some of the fish that they had caught for his research.

www.sunfishqld.com.au

MAY 2014

At the time of writing this article this review has only just been announced. In coming weeks I expect we will get further details. I am sure that there will be much discussion around the pros and cons of this review, however I think we need to have an open mind

and place our expectations clearly on the table with our local members. Instead of revisiting past disappointments, we need a clear view of what we expect as outcomes. These positive messages need to be pursued together and very

Email: judylynne@sunfishqld.com.au

clearly to all our elected Members of Parliament. A wave of positive expectations may produce better outcomes for the recreational sector.

May mulloway a must In stark contrast to the early months of the year, with autumn now well and truly upon us, the pelagics off Ballina have become a lot more specific in their feeding habits and very wary when it comes to clumsy angling attempts. A prime example of this is the ever present mahi mahi found on the local FAD at the 32 Fathom Reef. At the start of January these fish would eat anything you threw in their direction, I reckon some days you could have even caught them on a bare hook they were that voracious! However as the months flew by these fish have become more and more wary and harder to hook, on the plus side they have been growing in size too with the average fish now around the 80cm mark with only the occasional 50cm midget. For our boat this success has involved scaling down our tackle and predominantly using smaller hooks and lighter trace. Our standard rig now consists of two meters of 20lb fluorocarbon down to a 3/0 circle hooks on a 6-8kg snapper outfit. Nothing beats a fresh struggling live bait and if we can’t get live slimy mackerel, which have been few and far between this year, then a small yellowtail does the job nicely. While some people may be worried about how light our trace is we haven’t lost a fish yet and often we seem to be getting hook-ups when other boaties are staring at us with puzzled looks on their face. I even saw one checking us out with binoculars the other day! In saying that I’m sure that one of the big kingfish that often call these FADs home will teach us a

baits around structure and reef edges. And by live baits I am not talking about yellowtail, which are so prevalent on the inshore reefs off Black Head and Flat Rock, rather I am referring to bonito, tailor and small mackerel tuna that you need if you want to get a big Spanish mackerel. Pike are also an option if you are prepared to put in the time to anchor up and fish on the bottom with a small long shanked hooks and pilchard strips. This can be quite time consuming and our favourite method simply involves trolling small minnows or casting metal slugs around the schools of yellowtail until a bonito is hooked. This bonito

There are still plenty of these bruisers around. This one was pulled on a Manns 10+. is then quickly attached to a live bait rig consisting of a 5/0 through the nose and a 3/0 stinger treble with about 20cm of wire between the hooks, no wire in front of the 5/0. This is the ultimate stealth mackerel rig and commonly a good fish is hooked within 15-20 minutes. The hardest part about this technique is catching the live baits. Don’t be afraid to use big live baits as a mackerel will happily eat a 5kg tuna if it can get its jaws around it. For this reason we always have several live bait rigs in a variety of sizes rigged and ready to go. As the season progresses the mackerel only

Jack Van Delft with a better than average Richmond River mulloway. lesson sooner or later. As well as the mahi mahi, the mackerel have simply stopped taking trolled lures, even without wire. Our normal tactic of trolling various sized Laser Pros, skirts and bibless minnows has been totally replaced with slow trolling or drifting live

almost guarantee a screaming run and with the average size around 12-15kg they provide a lot of sashimi and barbeque quite nicely as well. Similarly to the mackerel, these speedsters hang around to late June and only get bigger as the season progresses. In between chasing mackerel I managed to spend a lovely Sunday in Mobbs Bay with my partner catching some tasty whiting on pink nippers. Now strangely enough not a single one of those whiting went home with me and into a frying pan, the reason for this is that we were competing in the 2014 Pirtek Fishing Challenge, which is a strictly catch and

get bigger and with a bit of luck they will stay around until about June. If you’re getting frustrated with the mackerel there are plenty of longtail tuna around at the moment as well. A live yellowtail or garfish floated out behind the boat on the inshore reefs will

release event. While we didn’t win any prizes we did manage to account for about a dozen whiting around legal length with several of these fish being submitted in the hope of winning the mystery prize. I don’t ever need an excuse to go fishing but the fact that all the money raised goes towards prostate cancer research was an extra incentive for me. I since have spotted several other anglers wearing their Pirtek Fishing Challenge cap that everyone received upon entry and from all accounts the competition was a huge success with more than 8500 anglers participating Australia-wide. I would have loved to see mangrove jack as a target species as I have been catching some thumpers around the rock walls lately, I guess there is always next year! This coming month should start to see the westerly winds blow, which for me signals the start of the mulloway season. Traditionally, Anzac Day is seen as the start of the mullet run and it’s these tasty little mulloway lollies that bring the big fish off the inshore reefs and towards the rocks, beaches and estuaries. While I plan on writing a comprehensive piece on catching big mulloway next month, for now I’d just like to highlight several important points that will improve your odds. Firstly, if you find bait you will find mulloway. Ideally you want either mullet

Patrick Sloan with an average mackerel from Black Head Reef. or tailor; plenty of mullet schools can be seen moving along the beaches and through the estuaries in the coming months during the day. If you can find a seaward running gutter or a deep estuary hole with a high tide after dark you will increase your odds substantially. Secondly, one live bait is worth 10 dead baits. Take the time to catch live baits before you start fishing. This can be mullet caught on bread in the estuary or tailor from the beach prior to the sun setting. Mullet can be kept alive for a long time in a 60L drum with an aerator and, while not as hardy, taking a blow up baby pool down to the beach allows you to keep half a dozen tailor alive with water changes. Lastly, keep your rig and gear simple. For live baiting I prefer a 10kg Alvey outfit off the beach and a heavier 15kg outfit when fishing the less forgiving rocks and breakwalls. A running sinker down to a decent rolling swivel and 50cm of 60lb trace to a 8/0 Octopus style hook completes the outfit. My advice to anyone starting fishing for mulloway is to catch at least a dozen fish on live baits before you start using lures because it’s a much more effective technique. While it may seem the case, I’m not totally fixated

on catching mulloway over the coming months. This time of year known as the ‘travelling season’ is also a great time of year to target other species that move down to the estuaries and along the coast beaches to spawn. This includes tailor from the rocks and beaches (did I mention they are great mulloway bait?), big thumping bream and the often under-valued luderick.

Those westerly winds often inspire me to forage up some red rock crabs and go hunting the many groper that live around the rocks of Skennars Head. These beautiful fish pull like freight trains and they are more common than most anglers think. I don’t mind keeping the odd smaller red female for a feed either. Until next time, tight lines!

EVANS HEAD

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Focussing on snapper ILUKA

Ben Pilch bjpcdh@gmail.com

As we start to see the weather cooling off the inshore boat fishing should start to fire up, with a chance at anything from snapper to tuna being possible. However, this is generally when we start to focus on snapper on the Clarence coast. Early starts see you in with a better than average chance of picking up a good feed of snapper. We are truly spoiled with the electronics that we have at our disposal these days, so make shore you take full advantage of them. Good electronics can make your day so much more productive on the water. Instead of just guessing, you can be sure there are fish on the reef before even dropping a line in the water. It certainly

and Woody Head to the north of the mouth of the mighty Clarence River. There is also a lot of productive ground to the south as well – anywhere from Angourie to Red Cliff should hold a lot of good shallow water snapper country. When I say shallow water I am talking about 15-30m, which is a good range to be hunting around in. Good baits to use are a bit of squid or a pillie. The best gear to use depends on a few variables, i.e. the size of fish around or being targeted, terrain being fished, the size of baits being used and, last but not least, the bite you are fishing. Hook-wise, a 2/0 up to a 6/0 will do the job, and on the leader front anything from 15-40lb is the go. A mix and match of these should have you covered, depending on where you are fishing. On the land-based game

chance of tangling with sizeable fish. This year has been the best start for tailor in a long time, with fish from 2-3kg all the way up to trophysized 8kg greenback models. Lures off the rocks have been accounting for more than their fair share of these stud tailor, with poppers and spinners both being good producers. Big greenback tailor are on the hunt for big meals, and will easily swallow a 6-8” lure in one mouthful, no trouble at all. For that reason you may want to use a small amount of plastic-coated wire about 6-8” long. It can be the difference between getting a trophy greenback or losing another lure (along with some rod rage). I have left the best for last. Of late I have had the chance to fish with local lure maker Steve Patti of Croaker Lures and watched him combine two of my favourite

The quality of snapper around in the shallows at this time of year can be very good.

Local lure maker Steve Patti with a stud Clarence River mulloway off the top on a custom surface lure. saves time wasted on pieces of reef that aren’t holding fish. A couple of good places to start your search for a few snapper are up at Black Rock

side of things, this is the last of the real hot months to catch a longtail tuna or a Spanish mackerel. Going by past seasons, this month will also give you the best

kinds of fishing: mulloway fishing and surface fishing. That’s right – surface fishing for jew! And I have to say the takes are insane! The size isn’t lacking either.

Brendan Whitaker caught this great barramundi from the Kolan River near Bundaberg. The fish was caught using a surface frog presentation.

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What’s new fishing Powered by

FISHWRECK APPAREL

Fishwreck has launched some awesome new fishing apparel and much more. Fishwreck creator, owner and fishing tragic Paul Shaw, along with artist Nick Laferriere, are now able to bring you fishing shirts and clothing, boat decals and boat and kayak wraps. All of the boat decals and fishing shirts are Australian species and depicted in Nick’s own style in exceptionally detailed pencil art. The species are barramundi, snapper, Australian bass, Murray cod and mangrove jack. The long-sleeve polo shirts are 100% Australian, and have a UPF 50 sun protection rating. The very cool, lightweight Sports Mesh polyester fabric is moisture wicking. The fabric also has a soft feel for maximum comfort. To view the full range of apparel and decals check out the new Fishwreck website. Price: varies www.fishwreck.com.au

GORILLA METALS NEW COLOUR

Australian company Gorilla has been making quality metals for years now, with models from 15g all the way up to 120g. These lures are specially weighted for long casting, and swim well at a variety of speeds and retrieves. Gorillas have a unique design, making them perfect as a dual-purpose metal slug. Not only can they be cast and retrieved, they have also proven deadly as a ‘bay jigging’ lure when retrofitted with Gamakatsu G Stinger assist hooks and vertically jigged. Their unique flutter action makes them irresistible to all popular table species. Up until now they have been available in a variety of chrome variations but now Gorilla has added a glow in the dark colour to the range. They’re perfect for kings, tuna, mackerel, tailor and more. Price: from RRP $7.95 www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

SAMURAI KESTREL

Samurai has launched the all new Kestrel range. These bluewater rods are built to the high standards anglers have come to expect from Samurai. High quality Fuji components were at the core of the build, but it was the carefully crafted and balanced blanks which set the market alight with their strength and light weight. The Kestrel range features responsive graphite blanks suitable for everything from snapper to mackerel. Advanced material and cutting-edge building techniques have delivered light, super strong bluewater-specific rod designs. Features include Fuji reel seats with Honeysoft finish giving that soft feel, and Titanium SiC (silicon carbide) K Series guides, so every guide in this series contains the latest Fuji Anti-Tangle technology. Combine this with the titanium frame and the SiC ring, and you have rods that are impressively light and responsive. Using Mitsubishi Pyrofil cloth and new material technology in resins, the cloth modulus has been selected specifically for each blank. It is machine rolled under enormous pressure to produce an even blank diameter throughout the rod’s length. There are six models, ranging from the KE302-70 6-12lb up to the KE602-70 25-40lb 7’ spin stick. Price: from RRP $449 www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

GOOD ENOUGH FOR BEAR

The Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife should be one of the first items you throw in your kit bag before embarking on your next adventure. The Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife has a razor sharp, high carbon stainless steel 12cm blade capable of cutting wood for kindling, aiding the construction of a shelter, and almost any other outdoor task you can think of. It measures 25cm and weighs 300g, but don’t let its featherweight status fool you, Bear’s Ultimate Survival Knife will never let you down. Available with either a serrated or fine edge, the Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife’s drop point blade is housed in a nylon and hard rubber military-grade sheath. It includes a fire starter, a diamond knife sharpener and a survival guide. Price: RRP $99.95 www.gerbergear.com

DAIICHI CIRCLE HOOKS

Daiichi hooks are made in Japan from the finest quality carbon steel, and two of Daiichi’s latest releases are the Nemesis Circle HD and the Matsu Circle. The Nemesis is 4X strong heavy-duty gauge hook and has a straight eye and offset bend to increase hook-up rates. It’s ideal for all pelagics and large reefies, and comes in 12/0 and 10/0 sizes. Matsu Circle hooks are fantastic for presenting baits down a berley trail. They are extremely strong but lightweight to allow natural presentations. The Matsu Circle comes in a black nickel finish, is ultra sharp and has a straight eye with an offset beak. It is available in 6/0, 5/0, 4/0, 3/0, 2/0 and 1/0 sizes and comes in pre-packs and value packs. These hooks feature Daiichi’s chemically sharpened finish so they’re razor sharp from the pack. And like all good circle hooks, they increase hook-up rates of mouth hooked fish rather than gut hooked fish. Price: from $4.99 for Matsu and from $8.99 for the Nemesis www.jurofishing.com

VAN STAAL SPIN REELS

The Van Staal VM275 is completely overbuilt for incredible strength. The body, rotor, spool, arm lever, handle knob and dust cap, plus the drag knob, are all aluminium, fully machined then bead blasted and anodised. The body is sealed and the machined spool has the Van Staal patented sealed water-tight drag. The spool lip features a special coating to reduce friction, increasing casting distance. The stainless steel shaft diameter is massive, as is the size of the hardened stainless steel main gear and pinion gear. The VM275 has five stainless steel ball bearings plus one infinite anti-reverse bearing. The gear ratio is 4.4:1 and the line capacity is 400yd of 80lb braid. The drag system runs five carbon fibre washers that produce up to 45lb of pulling power. The Van Staal VM series is ideal for fighting kingfish, GTs, samsonfish, amberjack and dogtooth tuna. Price: RRP $599 vanstaal.com.au

Please send contributions to: The Editor, Fishing Monthly Group PO BOX 3172 LOGANHOLME, QLD. 4129

What’s new fishing Powered by

7 7

10 11

The high-performance WFT Electra range of 12V electric reels offer a Japanese-made motor and loads of functions. There are two models: the Electra 1200PRHP (1440m of 80lb braid); and the Electra Speed Jig 700PR (360m of 80lb braid). The star drag system produces up to 30kg in the 1200PRHP and 13kg in the 700PR. The 1200PRHP weighs 1680g and retrieves up to 160m per minute; the 700PR weighs 680g and retrieves up to 180m per minute. Features include two premium-quality Japanese NSK SS ball bearings; high quality brass and stainless steel gearing; one-piece alloy frame; machined alloy spool and aluminium handle. The display is easy to see at night and in full daylight, and functions include line winding speed control; precision drag settings; pre-set gunwale stop position; max setting for high-speed retrieve; water surface pre-set; quick motor release; swimming range settings; position memory function; bottom mode; and correction mode for line length data changes. You can run your WFT on 12V DC power, batteries or a WFT Electra personal power pack. Go to the Jarvis Walker website to view videos on how to fish with electric reels, including spooling, functions of the WFT reels, how to set up your deepwater rig, and rod choice. Price: from approx. $550 www.jarviswalker.com.au

AQUATIC BOOT

The new Stainless Steel Cap Aquatic Work Boot (#672380586-93) from Home Grown Brands Australia is the only steel cap aquatic work boot on the market. This quality footwear is designed to keep you comfortable and safe in any conditions. They’re ideal for cold, wet and slippery conditions, making them the perfect work boots. Designed with a 5mm neoprene upper, steel capped toe, hardened rubber sole and salt waterproof YKK zipper, these boots will protect you and your feet while remaining comfortable and durable. They’re also easy to get on and off, and will give you years of comfort and reliability. Price: RRP $79.95 www.landandsea.com.au

WFT ELECTRA REELS

OKUMA SIGNATURE

The Okuma Signature is an extremely versatile reel that has been designed specifically for Australian anglers and the species they love to target. A lightweight graphite frame and rotor, along with the carbon fibre handle arm (size 30 and 40 only) with a Soft Touch EVA knob maximises the angler’s comfort and control whilst fishing for extended periods of time. This is complemented further by eye-catching black and gold graphics. Internally, the Signature Reel series features 7+1 stainless steel ball bearings, multi-disc Japanese oiled felt drag washers and precision cut machine brass pinion gears. This combination of high quality components enables the reel to perform effortlessly in both saltwater and freshwater environments. As with all Okuma reels, the Signature comes complete with a Lifetime Guarantee for peace of mind. Price: from RRP $129.95 www.okuma.com.au

THUNDER BARRA DEEP

ULTIMATE FISHING

STELLA FI

For two years barramundi across Australia have been getting hooked on the Thunder Barra, yet unfortunately some deeper snag-dwellers have been missing out. The team at Storm strongly believe that all barra, shallow or deep, should have access to this tasty lure, so they have developed the Storm Thunder Barra Deep. Designed by a Northern Territory inspired Japanese angler, the new Barra Deep has been constructed with all the necessary attributes that make a grand barra lure. These include great casting, high buoyancy (with reverse on pause), extreme rattle, strong VMC hooks, tough construction and 14 Australia-exclusive colour schemes. Additionally this new 11cm Thunder Barra Deep makes an impressive trolling lure, reaching depths of up to 15ft (4.5m) and tracking true at speeds greater than 10 knots. Price: RRP $14.95 www.rapala.com.au

We’ve all seen that crazy Kiwi Matt Watson leaping out of the helicopter onto the marlin, but what’s not as well known is that he’s has a very good TV series as well. Some of you may have seen Series One of his Ultimate Fishing show on the community broadcasters but Ten, Seven and Nine have been slow on the uptake. So that his fans can continue to enjoy his show, Watson is putting a hand-picked selection of full episodes up on his YouTube channel in high definition. He has already uploaded 14 episodes and there’ll be one a week going up for the foreseeable future. If you like your fishing to cover everything from grass roots angling with the kids through to high octane sportfishing, check it out by searching ‘Ultimate Fishing’ in YouTube. Price: Free www.youtube.com/user/TheFishingShow

The Stella FI series reels are perfect for light line applications in both fresh and salt water. Micromodule Gear Technology delivers a new level of smoothness and reduced vibration for easier winding and better contact with the lure. This is brought about by superior gear design and alignment, yet with the same strength and durability we’ve come to expect from Stellas. S-Direct Gear means more precise gear component alignment, and Coreprotect involves a sealed bail arm line roller, rotor and roller clutch, so the Stella FIs can be fished in a variety of environments without being affected by sand, dirt or water. G Free Body means the reel’s centre of gravity has been moved closer to the rod for less winding fatigue. Each Stella has 13 SA-RB bearings and an all-new design anti-reverse bearing, which generates less friction and lighter handle rotation. There’s also a titanium bail arm, a larger, ergonomically shaped drag knob for adjusting the new Coil Wave Spring Drag, a longer spool shape for greater casting distance, and a re-designed line clip. Price: too new www.shimanofish.com.au

Please send contributions to: The Editor, Fishing Monthly Group PO BOX 3172 LOGANHOLME, QLD. 4129

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VORTEX SPINNERBAITS

The TT Lures Vortex is a small-framed spinnerbait that is extremely popular with anglers chasing Australian bass, golden perch, saratoga and sooty grunter. Previously available in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4oz, Tackle Tactics has now added a 1/8oz model to the range. The 1/8oz Vortex is ideal for prospecting the small water, fishing the edge bite and working weed beds, along with searching fallen timber due to the Vortex’s snag resistance. Vortex spinnerbaits are constructed from quality materials, including a Mustad Ultrapoint chemically sharpened hook, ball bearing swivel, silicone skirt and 24K plated blades. They come fitted with a stinger hook which is locked in place with Bait Buttons to minimise short striking. The Vortex is available in 12 colours, including favourites red nightmare, white bony, purple glimmer, gold olive scale and baby bass. Price: SRP $15.95 www.ttlures.com.au

PRECISION PAK 13

Exclusive to Wilson Fishing, the Precision Pak range of outdoor gear has been created for those who like to live rough and rugged. The new range of dry bags and backpacks are perfect for anglers, with watertight features that make them dunk proof to keep your valuables safe and dry. The new Dry Slingback is fully watertight, has a large capacity for ample storage and an adjustable padded shoulder strap. It is made from 420D TPU material, which is waterproof, abrasion resistant and flexible. All seams are welded to provide a waterproof seal, and the zipper is waterproof as well. The Dry Slingback is perfect for keeping your belongings dry in unpredictable weather and adventure situations. It features all the pockets and compartments you’d expect from a backpack, with the reliability of watertight dry bag. There are two compartments with interior pocket for ample storage; a removable heatsealed mobile phone holder and a velcro attachment inside. The dimensions are 40.6 x 26.6 x 15.25cm. Price: RRP $85 www.wilsonfishing.com

CUTTING EDGE COLOURS

In March of this year, Pure Fishing acquired Cutting Edge Lures by Rob Gaden. These hardbodied lures are designed for all predator species, catering to both tropical and freshwater needs. Now Cutting Edge has released six new colours across several different models: grey ghost, purple ghost, blue ghost, rodeo clown, black and gold, and red gold. Cutting Edge is headquartered in Coffs Harbour, Australia, and prides itself on innovation and new product development. Pure Fishing is a leading global provider of fishing tackle, lures, rods and reels with a portfolio of brands that includes Abu Garcia, Berkley, Fenwick, Penn, Pflueger, SevenStrand, Shakespeare, SpiderWire and Stren. Price: Varies www.cuttingedgelures.com.au

FISHPOND NOMAD NETS

Fishpond USA expanded its product line to include a range of high-quality landing nets. The Nomad Nets are made from a composite of carbon fibre and fibreglass making them extremely strong, lightweight and durable; in addition to being waterproof, weatherproof and buoyant. The Nomad Hand Net is 26” long with a 13”W x 18”L head dimension. This shorthandled style with a cord and clip will suit attachment to the back of a fly vest. The Nomad Mid-Length Net has the same head dimension as the Hand Net but is 37” long for greater reach. The clear, soft rubber mesh bag has proven to be far less damaging to fish through not absorbing their protective slime. Replacement bags will also be available. The nets are finished in rubberized paint which provides excellent wet grip. Price: Hand Net - $219, Mid Net - $269 www.mayflytackle.com.au

DAIWA CALDIA 14

The Daiwa Caldia is now lighter, stronger, and more feature-packed than ever before. Its Zaion frame, made form a high-density resin and carbon material, resists corrosion and exceeds the strength of traditional reel body materials such as magnesium and alloy. Daiwa’s Digigear II technology achieves perfect gear meshing and ultra smooth performance, and Silent Oscillation enhances the reel’s whisper quiet and silky smooth operation. Real Stopper technology eliminates rearward backplay handle movement. Ultimate protection is provided via Daiwa’s Mag Seal, which contains a magnetized oil that seals out dust, water and salt for increased performance and lifespan. Other features include CRBB (shielded for extra protection), a reshaped and lightened Air Rotor, Ultimate Tournament Drag, ABS II, Air Ball and Twist Buster II technologies. The line roller bearing has also been upgraded with improved bearings and greater structural strength. Smoother line roller rotation, increased strength and reduced line twist all feature in the new Caldia. Price: Too new www.daiwafishing.com.au

SALTIST HYPER

Replacing the incredibly popular Monster Mesh range, the new Saltist Hyper range incorporates 16 models ranging from 5’3” power spin sticks to longer and lighter overhead options, and 9’6”spin and overhead mega rods. Using Daiwa’s HVF carbon, the blanks are stripped of unwanted weight yet loaded with power. Glatech construction features in many of the models and incorporates uni-directional fibreglass sandwiched between 90º inner and outer layers of graphite. The result is an incredibly resilient blank, with backbone and lifting power. Daiwa’s Bias Wrap construction eliminates unwanted rod twist and distortion when under heavy load. Other features include rock solid Fuji reel seats for an immovable fusion between rod and reel; Fuji O Concept guides; and ultra tough and comfortable EVA grips. The Hyper range will be be rolled out over the coming months. Price: Too new www.daiwafishing.com.au

Please send contributions to: The Editor, Fishing Monthly Group PO BOX 3172 LOGANHOLME, QLD. 4129

What’s new fishing Powered by

NEW ORCA SIZES

The release of Shimano’s Orca stickbaits last year created quite a splash, and the line-up has now been expanded further with the release of smaller 140mm and 145mm models. The 140 is a sinker with an interesting free-fall shimmy, while the 145 is a floater. Both cast extremely well and have that deadly, up-and-under sideways ducking motion through the water that drives pelagics wild — from greenback tailor in the washes, giant trevally over coral bommies, to yellowfin tuna hammering flighty baitfish well offshore. The 140 and 145 are equipped with through-wire construction, custom pelagicstrength rings and trebles, and six highly reflective and hard-wearing colour schemes. Some patterns replicate popular baitfish species, while others are quite radical in style. The important thing is though, that they all get bit. Price: RRP from $29.95 for the 140 and 145. www.shimanofish.com.au

SAMAKI VIBELICIOUS

The all-new Vibelicious from Samaki perfectly mimics the tight shimmy of a baitfish, luring in a wide range of finned predators. Samaki Vibelicious is constructed of 10X strong super stretch material, new VMC 4X strong Spark Point hooks and

premium Japanese wire – not to mention it’s available in 12 fish-catching colours and two unique sizes (a 100mm/20g model and a 125mm/30g model). This new lure is designed for speed, action and ultimate attraction. Whether you’re fishing inshore reefs for the likes of snapper and trout, coastal estuaries for trevally and mulloway, freshwater impoundments for barra and sooties or the northern run-off for barra and jacks, the Vibelicious will be the stealthiest lure in your tackle box. For more detailed information, including stockist locations, visit the Samaki website or Like them on Facebook. Price: SRP is $19.95 www.samaki.com.au

TRAVELMATE 60

TravelMate, the reliable fridge/freezer for the outback has had an upgrade. A great companion for your boating, 4WD and camping adventures, the TravelMate range of fridge/freezers are built around fully insulated cabinets that ensure the coldest drinks even on the hottest of days. TravelMate is the perfect fridge freezer to match any budget and the list of features make it well worth considering. Designed to be tough and robust, the unique full surround static evaporator coil works in the harshest conditions. The superior quality insulated cabinet also allows for extremely low power consumption (as little as 1.65A/h) and the TravelMate range has 3 sizes. A 2 year national warranty provides peace of mind to go along with the sharp, new cosmetics. Price: 60L $699 www.evakool.com.au

TESTED: The Anything Bin Baedal2u is the importer of a new and exciting product, the Anything Bin. The name says it all. These bins are made from food safe, high impact plastic. The lid has a seal installed which makes this product water tight and air tight. When I first looked at this new product straight away I could see the numerous uses this would have for

anglers and travelling campers. The Anything Bins will initially be available in 4 sizes and 3 colours (red, yellow and orange) but Baedal2u are working on larger sizes and these will be available in the not too distant future. These bins are tough. We had one of

our staff members stand on the top of the small model. He weighs 140kg and under such stress there was no risk of cracking or warping in the bin. The uses for these impressive bins are endless. Some that come to mind include safety gear storage, keeping lunch fresh and away from ice and fish and also for salting bait and general bait storage. You can also use

them for dry storage of clothes be it for the boatie right through to the kayak die hards. You can also keep your first aid kits neat and organised as well as dry. Again being air tight and waterproof this makes them perfect for the onboard tool kit, so rusty and seized tools could be a

thing of the past. Most keen anglers use soft plastics that require a liquid to keep them fresh and in good order. These tubs, especially the smaller size, are ideal for this application. When I take home a feed of fish I like to clean them down with saltwater rather than fresh water so these bins will be a perfect container to transport sea water home without spilling in your car. But I am sure there are 1,000s more ideas and uses for them. The bins all come standard with a heavy duty handle on the lid for easy of transport. They stack well and will fit better than any round container will in most applications. The Anything Bins are available from most good tackle and camping stores, so grab a hand full of these bins and keep your gear dry and fresh. They start in price at $9.95

and move up to $18.95 for the larger models. Trade enquires are welcome to Baedal2u Pty Ltd by phoning (07) 3287 3385 or emailing baedal2u@ gmail.com. – Greg Livingstone

Please send contributions to: The Editor, Fishing Monthly Group PO BOX 3172 LOGANHOLME, QLD. 4129

Stacer’s new stars of 2014 FMG

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

Stacer is a name well known amongst boaters across Australia for their no nonsense approach to making boats. Nothing has changed in this regard and it was with much excitement that the 2014 range of Stacers was released to the media on a windy and sunny day in South East Queensland. I was lucky enough to get an invite to the day and I have to say that there is a lot of good in the new range from Stacer. Unlike some media releases of new ranges, Stacer has taken some very large steps to improve their range. They have not simply changed a model name or altered how they measure the craft, they have literally listened to dealer and customer feedback and solved issues in a very fine manner. But not only has Stacer delivered better boats with better features, they have managed to deliver these

Starting off with the side plates, Stacer has reduced the number of pressings to make a sleeker looking craft that is very appealing to the eye, especially with the range of new logos and wraps on offer to customers. They have also included a pre-fitted universal sounder transducer as many of their customers wanted to upgrade the sounder to a unit more to their liking. This is a big plus as most boat buyers these days are fitting top end sounder/ GPS units. Across the different ranges there are a number of new internal layouts including dashboards, side consoles, seating, storage and more. Instead of simply adding onto existing mouldings, in some models Stacer has reinvented the entire moulding and made the dash far more user friendly. Features like more room for larger sounders and gauges, appropriately placed drink holders and glove boxes and even extensions to the entire mould to include side extensions that fit the look

have better balance when fighting fish in a bit of chop. While many would think this is not a big feature, from an angling point of view, it’s sensational. Better balance means better fish fighting ability and that is important. There was also some modifications to the sides in the bay-style boats. Instead of having sides that tapered away toward the stern, Stacer has maintained the height to the transom giving the boats a feel of greater safety. The reality is there is little difference, but the boats do look more

adding to the impressive wakes created by the many super yachts cruising around at 20 knots, there was plenty of opportunity to test the hulls in swells and wakes. I’ve got a dodgy ‘old-man’s’ back at the best of times and even when I was crashing through heavy wakes in the 429 Seaway (which is a forward control boat), never did I feel that horrible jarring of the back usually associated with tinnies. Yes we drove the boats to the conditions and yes I could have made all sorts of nasty impacts if I

The little Proline Angler will find a home on many waterways. I can see inland anglers loving this package. them as well. The trailers, which are built specifically to transport their boats are now price-competitive

trailer and that’s got to be good. Of the new boats we played around with, there was one boat that stood apart for me, the 519 Assault Pro. This is a real tournament beast. Fitted out with a 135 HO Evinrude, it fair scooted across the water. With its sleek red colours, trial black carpet and range of accessories, it looked the boat for my style of fishing. I am right now organising a full test of this boat and I am really looking forward to spending a few hours in it as the time I spent in it on the media day was just a sampler of what is

Top: The custom-made Stacer trailers are an unexpected joy. Made specifically for their boats, these trailers will get your valuable asset to and from the water in style. Above Left: The neat looking 519 Assault Pro. I can’t wait to test this little puppy. Above Right: The 429 Seaway was a fun rig to drive around and many bay and estuary anglers will find this model to their liking. improvements with much better value. Ordinarily you would expect that improvement comes at a cost, but this time it hasn’t. All the 2014 models have been improved, but not one of them comes at a higher cost. That is simply brilliant for the end purchaser! We had the chance to look over 8 new boats from the tournament-style 519 Assault Pro through to the wonderful little 429 Seaway. The list of boats we were introduced to included the 519 Assault Pro, 429 Seaway, 489 Seaway, 449 Bay Master, 449 Proline Angler, 539 Easy Rider, 619 Easy Rider and the 509 Sea Runner. Each craft had its own upgrades and alterations, so let’s look at a few that I found to be well worth the exercise. 72

MAY 2014

of the craft and ‘finish off’ the internals. Other alterations I liked included the improvements to the toehold spaces in the open water, bay-style models. Essentially what Stacer has done is make these spaces larger and extended them right to the transom so that anglers will

complete with the change. Of course the Stacer Evo hull is used throughout and on our play day I had a chance to experience it from the smallest 429 Seaway right up to the 619 Easy Rider and I have to say the boats ride very well. With 8 boats zooming around the Broadwater,

The new internals are appealing and functional. This is the internal look of the 539 Easy Rider, a bow rider that has more application than just fun.

wanted too, however that’s just being silly and driving a boat to the conditions as best as you can gives you the best feel for what they offer the end user, and the Stacers offer plenty. And one last thing Stacer has altered. They’ve taken a long, hard look at their trailers and improved

with a feature’s list that allows these trailers to compete with any others on the market. If you’re looking at getting into a Stacer, then take the time to check out a BMT package. I really liked their aluminium trailers, even the small boats had the option of an aluminium

The 489 Seaway looks good these days and with enough space left to mount your favourite electronics, the design also makes great sense.

hopefully to come. Stay tuned on that! With the media day concluded, we headed back to the boat ramp and I headed home with the thought that Stacer is moving in the right direction. The changes made are angler and boat user friendly. They have improved the entire look of the craft and best of all, Stacer has improved the value for money in all their range. What more could you want? If you’re interested in the new models, log onto the Stacer website or see your nearest Stacer dealer. The new models will be rolling out in May and June, so if a boat show is happening in your town, make sure you pop into your Stacer dealer’s stand and check out the new models. There is something for all boaters in there.

NO DEALER SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR

3YRS OR 300HRS

ONLY WITH EVINRUDE • No scheduled dealer servicing for

• Fewer parts. Fewer problems.

the first 3 years or 300 hours.**

• No break-in period. Go flat-out from

• No oil changes. Ever.

the box.

• Easy starts: First time, every time.

• Superior low-end power & torque.

• 3-stars from the toughest emission

• Exceptional power-to-weight, so you're on

standard in the world^ - the California

plane faster.

Air Resources Board.

• Greater fuel-efficiency at high & low speeds

• First to receive the EPA's Clean Air

from computer-based engine management.

Technology Excellence Award. • Up to 50% quieter than older technology engines.

Toowoomba

Mackay

Waterskiers Warehouse

Ocean Marine Supplies

91-93 Neil Street Toowoomba

27 Connors Road Paget

07 4637 9511

www.waterskierswarehouse.com.au

07 4952 2436

www.oceanmarine.com.au

rod@waterskierswarehouse.com.auSydney ocean.marine@bigpond.com Lismore North Coffs Harbour

Nowra

Lismore Outboard Brisbane Sales & Service

Huett Marine Centre

Coffs Harbour Marine

Dave Hill Marine

59 Union St, Lismore, 2480

Wynnum 02 6621 Marine 2657

1131 Pacific Hwy, Cowan, 2082

311B Pacific Hwy

1 Berry Street, Nowra, 2540

www.lismoreoutboards.com.au 31 Fox Street lismoreoutboards@bigpond.com Wynnum

Coffs Harbour Sth, 2450 Slades Paradise Marine White Water Marine 02 9456 1444 02 4423 6137 www.huettmarine.com.au 02 6652 4722 davehillmarine@onestream.com.au 16 Paradise Parade 10 Hinde Street info@huettmarine.com.au

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Sydney South

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Gold Coast

Ashmore

07 5532 4402

Gold Coast

07 5577 1011

whitewatermarine.com.au

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Bundaberg

sladesmarine@bigpond.com

Sydney West

Tully

Cannonvale Marine

Hunts Outboard

Cannonvale

13 Watkins Street 02 6342 2590 Tully

Bay Boat Sales

62 Princes Highway, Blakehurst, 10 Morgan 2221 Street

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© 2013 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Terms and conditions apply, excludes commercial purchases. * 'Spring Cashback Promotion' offer valid on MY11, MY13 MY13 & MY14 Evinrude E-TECE-TEC engines 40HP40 and newlynewly purchased and and registered from participating authorized dealers. full terms and conditions please contact local participating dealership. BRP January 31styour 2014. Cashback will beEvinrude in the form of a Prepaid MY12, & MY14 evinrude engines HPabove, and above purchased registered from participating authorized dealersFor between December 1st 2013 and Visa Card. the ** For normal recreational use. # Extended warranty covers MY11, MY12, MY13 features, & MY14 Evinrude E-TEC engineswithout 40HP and above, obligation. newly purchased and registered from participating dealers between October reserves right at any time to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, models or equipment incurring Products are distributed in Australia authorized and New Zealand by BRP Australia st st 1 and December 31 2013. ^ 25hp-250hp consumer models. For full terms and conditions please contact your local participating Evinrude dealership. BRP reserves the right at any time to discontinue or change specifications, prices, PTY Ltd.features, Card Issued byorHeritage Bank Limited ABN 32 087 652 Products 024 AFSLare240984. designs, models equipment without incurring obligation. distributed in Australia and New Zealand by BRP Australia PTy Ltd. Card Issued by Heritage Bank Limited ABN 32 087 652 024 AFSL 240984. Visa Card Terms and Conditions apply.

Have a crack in the cold TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

Shorter days and the colder months ahead certainly shouldn’t deter anglers from getting out and having a crack this month. Because I love to fish, I find it easy to put in a whole day of fishing during the daylight at this time of year and you can enjoy both the morning and afternoon session. For fish that bite better in a short window of time, this means you’ll have a lure or bait in the

water when they are most responsive. Soon the water temperature around most locations will start to drop considerably. This has fish starting to think it’s time to relocate to a more comfortable location. It’s transition time. Fish that were biting in the deep water last month might migrate to shallower areas where they can lap up the warmth of the sun during the day and stay more relaxed. The other thing, which can change is the fish’s response to different lures. Reaction style lures that worked great through the warmer months

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWNS: TOOWOOMBA, CROWS NEST Like last month, there are still quite a few scattered bass holding in the deep water out from the picnic area in Bass Bay. Boats are finding it is easiest to troll these fish up on deep diving lures. Blitz Bagas, Golden Childs and 50mm Poltergeist Crazy Deeps have been pulling quite a few fish. A popular trolling run is up the red buoy line

bass to 45cm. Take note of the bottom undulation as you travel this run as there are two distinct drop-offs. Even though the fish are suspended and holding nowhere near the bottom, they usually hold somewhere above these changes in bottom depth. In previous years, the fish have stayed out in the deep water right into winter months. They should therefore provide us with some fun for some time to come. A good sized school of fish has started to respond

Blake Ehrlich nailed a string of Cressbrook bass in his Uncle Kerry’s boat trolling around Bass Bay. towards the big yellow markers out in the middle of the dam. Scouting around in the fishing area to the west of the buoy line should also produce quality

better to lures on the sunken point opposite the rock wall up Cressbrook Creek. The point extends out from the toilet and runs threequarters of the way to the

may need to be replaced with a more subtle and slower presentation to suit the mood of fish with a slowing metabolism. Keep these things in mind. Changes don’t often happen quickly and will take time so anglers who are lucky enough to wet a line often in the same area will be able to read these movements and keep catching good numbers of fish. For the rest of us, hopefully my predictions for the month to come will be close to the money and see a few fish hitting the deck of our boats. Until next month, buckled rods from the Colonel! rock wall. It then drops off into the main creek channel. Trolling the creek channel and deeper water around the point can produce a few bass but it is the schooling fish that hang around the end of the point which draw most attention. These bass still exhibit the painful reaction of shutting down once a few boats turn up or a few of their mates are caught. The only answer I have for this is to sit wide of the school. If you have fished them in the past, don’t even use the sounder to see if they are there. Rely on your GPS, deliver 60m casts and try to explore the area with your lures. Once you get a bite or tap on the lure, keep hammering the area. In the past, I have made the mistake of sitting in the deep water to attack these fish. Instead, try sitting inside them on top of the point as this way you are more likely to pick up any stragglers sitting along the point and if the bass do move to your boat, which they often do, you can still use the bottom as a gauge to judge your lure’s depth. Blade baits around 1/4oz and 1/2oz rigged plastics are ideal for this approach. Try slow rolling both lure types. I have a mate who has done quite well in the past, rolling

            

MAY 2014

14 31

Weipa

Toowoomba

BRISBANE 27

23 Impoundment Dams 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

blades so slowly they just drag the bottom and don’t even vibrate. Bait fishers will be able to whack the fish with live shrimp if they are able to find the schools. To avoid arguments, I wouldn’t suggest sitting on top of where a lure caster is already fishing because they go to such lengths to be stealthy and hold way off of the fish. If the boats move away from these spots, you can have a crack. The points to the west of the boat ramp, which extend into the main basin are all worth a shot. Redclaw crayfish are still being caught in opera house traps, which are left in overnight. During the day, the crayfish just don’t want to play the game. Size is down a little but there are

Gold Coast

24 25 Cairns 1

19 20

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

Rockhampton

Emerald

Gladstone

29 7

Bundaberg 9 11

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

good enough numbers for a reasonable feed of these freshwater delicacies. The entry fee at the boom gate has been removed but the 8 knot speed limit is still in place. Hours for boating and day use of the recreation area will shorten this month until the end of August and are 7am to 6pm. For all your supplies and expert advice, call in at Fish’n’Bits in Alderley Street, Toowoomba, or give them a ring on (07) 4636 6850. The boys at the store all compete in bass tournaments and really know their stuff. SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Golden perch numbers have dropped right off but there are still quite a few

DAM LEVEL Report DAMS NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR Atkinson 84 75 70 64 70 Awoonga 94 92 91 87 99 Bjelke-Petersen 89 81 78 72 68 Boondooma 88 85 84 80 78 Borumba 95 90 84 77 100 Burdekin Falls 75 64 63 100 101 Callide 73 69 68 64 66 Cania 98 95 94 90 92 Clarendon 88 82 80 74 78 Clarrie Hall 61 97 61 94 91 Cooby 95 94 93 92 85 Coolmunda 67 59 55 47 51 Copeton 65 50 37 33 33 Cressbrook 95 94 94 93 98 Dyer/Bill Gunn 78 87 80 73 78 Eungella 95 94 100 100 100 Fairbairn 61 55 54 54 53 Glenlyon n/a n/a 43 39 38 Hinze 93 92 90 88 95

Gympie

Maryborough

Roma

BRISBANE

bass to be caught for lure casters willing to put in the hard yards. Areas like Pelican Point, Eagles Nest and Bay 13 are all worth a look. Sound around in 6-12m of water across the flats in the middle and keep a close eye on the sounder. The bass have been moving quite a bit so it is often necessary to allow an hour or two to find the best numbers. The morning session has been pretty quiet though, so you’ll have plenty of time to locate the fish as they school up and tend to bite better around the middle of the day. Spinnerbaits continue to be one of the best presentations in the deep water. For those who have not deep water spinnerbaited before, let’s

For fortnightly updates Julius 80 62 62 85 80  Kinchant 72 62 69 93 99 Koombooloomba 17 15 28 60 70  Leslie 69 52 48 40 38  Macdonald 83 68 60 54 104  Maroon 95 93 90 88 96  Monduran/Fred Haigh 91 87 86 81 87  Moogerah 92 88 85 82 92  North Pine/Samsonvale 81 78 76 74 78  Peter Faust/Proserpine 90 86 88 89 89 Pindari 60 33 20 16 17  Somerset 99 97 96 95 100  Storm King n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a  Teemburra 92 93 93 98 101  Tinaroo 62 56 58 67 77 Toonumbar 96 95 92 89 100  Wivenhoe 94 91 90 87 91  Wuruma 95 92 89 84 83

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 15/4/14

go through a few pointers. The deep water calls for a heavy spinnerbait of at least 5/8oz. Some anglers choose to go even heavier and run 3/4oz models. The important thing to keep in mind is to use a compact model. Bassman and Smak are two Aussie spinnerbait makers that produce lures of the right size to get the job done. Cast it out, let your spinnerbait sink all the way to the bottom and your line should go slack as it touches down. Give the lure a bit of a rip once you’ve taken up all the slack to ensure the blades are moving and then wind just fast enough to have the blades ticking around. Once you’ve pulled it up through the fish with 10-20 winds, drop it back to the bottom and repeat. The whole process works well when there is a good amount of wind blowing. The wind pushes the boat along and you fish the lure back into the direction it is coming from. In this manner, you will have to do a lot fewer casts.

On still days, you can troll spinnerbaits in the same fashion. Use the winds and drop back approach to keep contact with the bottom. My last tip is to use a finer line than you would when fishing to the bank. I like to use spin outfits spooled with 4-8lb braided line and topped off with a 12-14lb leader. The fine line creates less resistance through the water and keeps the lure down nice and deep where it needs to be. Soft plastics rigged on heavier heads of at least 1/2oz should also snare their share of bass. It will pay to fish both in the coming month as the cooler temperatures may actually see the plastics starting to outperform the spinnerbaits. Try plastics like the Powerbait 7cm Ripple Shad or Keitech Fats or 3”. MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWN: BOONAH The bass have been firing up around midmorning in the deeper water. Sound the point in the main basin out from the ramp closest to the

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSET TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA The northern arm of Cooby really fired up again last month. There were reported catches of up to 80 golden perch in a day. The best action has been on a combination of live shrimp and saltwater yabbies. The fish are also pouncing on lures hopped off the bottom. Ice jigs, small blades and soft plastics have all scored well. On some days they don’t mind the rattle of a lipless crankbait. Dark coloured Jackalls have been one of the best. Will this action last? There should still be plenty of fish about next month but the number taken on lures may start to taper off. The live shrimp and saltwater yabbies fished on the bottom in water over 7m are likely to be the best option. Rather than just trying your luck in a random spot, have a sound around and look for fish. The better spots have been on top of the hump in the middle of the northern arm. Here the fish are in good numbers but the quality can be poor. There are a few other humps throughout the northern arm and if you can sit on top of one of these you should be in for a good run of fish. The spot lock feature on Minn Kota electric motors makes it so easy to try a spot for a few minutes before moving off to another. If you own one of these Ipilot electrics you’ll find you won’t need

to touch your anchor, which could scare off the fish when deployed, ever again. Cooby is an electric motor only dam and is well suited to kayaks and canoes. The concrete boat ramp is on a shallow angle when the dam is full and can be slippery in places but a big electric powered boat can still be launched with care. Outboard motors can be left on the boat but must not be used. Live shrimp and saltwater yabbies can be purchased from Highfields Bait and Tackle on the New England Highway in Highfields. Call in and see Doug and check out the great range of kayaks and accessories he has on display. COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD Coolmunda’s golden perch population has already started to get tough to catch on lures. Trolling is the first technique to steady up once the water starts to cool off and casting will be the next. Lure casters will still be able to tempt fish on lipless crankbaits worked close to the bottom with a very slow retrieve. These lures should be fished around the drop off to the old creek and around any gullies leading into it. The best place to do this is up in the timbered arm. Murray cod are still a possibility and despite all the other great cod lures out there, heaps seem to be caught on the small lipless crankbaits. Bait fishing on the drop-off to the old creek bed anywhere between the boat

wall, the point closest to the other ramp at the start of the timber and any of the humps inside the timbered area in search of fish. Quality sounders really do pay off when it comes to locating schooled bass in Moogerah and other lakes. Once these fish are found, try rolling soft plastics, spinnerbaits and blade baits through them. There have been some quality bass well over 40cm caught in the past month. Moogerah doesn’t seem to receive as much fishing pressure as some of the other SE Queensland lakes and therefore the fish respond well to lures once they are found. In the morning, there have been quite a few bass taken when fishing spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits to the lake’s shallower edges. The numbers of bass taken here and the window in which to catch them should start to extend over the coming months. An electric motor is the only way to go. Drive along the chosen bank, casting lures in to the edge to explore the water. You

can slow down the boat and pepper areas more thoroughly once some fish are found. MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, BEAUDESERT The water in Maroon is very clear, making the bass a little more shy than normal during the middle of the day. A stealthy approach is the key to getting more bites. I’d forget about rattling lures and

ramp and into the timber can be very rewarding. Two of the better areas are to the left of the boat ramp and out from the rock wall just before the spillway. Use your sounder to find the drop off and try to anchor up on it. An i-Pilot electric can make the job of anchoring accurately easier than using an actual anchor. The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only around 1km away from the lake. The park is just off the Cunningham Highway but far enough away from the noise of trucks to get a good night’s sleep. It offers camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter and a camp kitchen. To take advantage of this and the great fishing opportunities in the lake and the river below, give the park a call on (07) 4652 4171. LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK The lure fishing action should be slowing down in Leslie based on previous years results but it just seems to have picked up again. Last month there was an increase in the number of golden perch caught in the main basin. Mask Vibes hopped off the bottom in 6m of water did a good job of enticing goldens and the odd cod. It seems while trolling hardbodies may slow down, the ability to keep lures in touch with the bottom, keeps the bites coming. Up past the Black Boys, the same results have taken place only the lures used were blades and spinnerbaits. Bait fishing should start to dominate over the lures as soon as the

water cools down. For now be prepared to try a bit of both. While the fish are still hammering the lures make the most of it.

go for silent offerings. When the water is so clear the fish have no trouble finding prey with only their eyes and don’t need any unnecessary deterrents like rattles to put them off. Light leaders may also increase the bite ratio. Spinnerbaits fished around the weed edge will get a few bites but the best lures will be silent suspending jerkbaits or silent lipless crankbaits. In clear water, I like clear bodied

lures that don’t standout as much and just add to the whole subtle approach. The topwater bite has been great in the mornings and afternoons. The bay to the left of the main boat ramp has fished well. Other areas where the water is shaded and the wind isn’t blowing should also produce some good surface action. Try lures like the Cultiva Zip’n Ziggy, Halco Roosta Popper 60 and Bent Minnow.

Golden perch will steady up on trolled lures. Casting lures and hopping them along the bottom is a better option when they start to slow down. For any tips and gear for fishing Leslie Dam or the Warwick area, call in and see the guys at Warwick Outdoor and Sports in

Palmerin Street Warwick. The store stocks a great range of freshwater gear, which is well suited to catching our Australian natives.

The South Burnett Experience www.southburnett.qld.gov.au

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WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY While in some lakes the bass move shallow in the cooler months, in Boondooma they tend to head to deeper waters. This month, you can still expect to catch a few fish casting spinnerbaits and blades to the edges but the best results will come from the deeper water in the main basin. Look for fish in 7-10m of water in the middle reaches of the lake’s main basin. Focus around The Junction, the start of the Stuart arm and Pelican Point. Trolling will be little hit and miss and taper right off by the end of the month. Casting is by far the best option to nail higher numbers of fish. If you love your trolling, you can still get into the action by towing 1/2oz blades and soft plastics. Use an electric motor at a slow walking pace or 2.5km/h if you have a GPS. This should have your lures working at around 7-10m deep when they are trailing 50m behind the boat. Lure casters will have success when hopping and rolling blade baits, rolling soft plastics and jigging ice jigs. The bass should hold in large schools so it is just a matter of putting in the time to find them. For your camping and accommodation, give the Lake Boondooma Caravan and Recreation Park a call on (07)

4168 9694. You can book your cabin, bunkhouse, caravan site and powered or unpowered campsite. Boondooma is one of the few places where camping is available right beside the water and you can literally step from the camp straight into the boat.

BJELKE-PETERSEN CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI Bjelke has been on fire for the last six months with heaps of small bass and whopper golden perch chewing on lures. Things are about to steady up so if you want in on the action this is the month to do it before the cooler water makes things tougher.

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MAY 2014

You can see Matthew at Kingaroy or Dylan in Dalby and the boys will have you all geared up and ready for action in no time. ISIS BALANCING STORAGE CLOSEST TOWN: BUNDABERG The bass fishing at the Isis is still top notch. Weed beds haven’t returned to their former state but there

A 3” paddle tail plastic like this Powerbait Ripple Shad is ideal for catching bass.

GREAT FO R A D AY EV E N B E T T E R W H E N Y O U S TAY

Bait fishers will still be rewarded with plenty of fish but lure casters will find it harder to tempt their quarry. This month there should still be quite a few fish around the edges of the lake. Try rolling smaller spinnerbaits like the Smak Mini-Coop. Hopping blades off the edge and back into around

7m of water can also put fish in the boat. If the action is slow in these areas, head further up the dam and try around the submerged island and the flats leading up to the timber. By winter, a lot of the fish will have moved closer to the timber so keep this in mind and follow their movements. When fish are found on the sounder, the best way to get them to bite will be jigging ice jigs and working blade baits through them. Trolling will slow down but you can still expect a few fish. For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into your local Bass to Barra store.

is still plenty of healthy weed holding the bigger fish. Spinnerbaiting to these weed edges is a good way to draw out the quality bass waiting to ambush some prey. The bass will respond to other presentations as well. I like to toss soft plastics, 1/4oz blades and beetle spins when I fish this dam. All are capable of sinking down the weed edge and closely following the contour. Fishing weed can be tricky if you have never done it before. There are a couple of alternatives. If you head to the timber, there are quite a few bass holding in the deeper areas. Cast spinnerbaits over these fish and allow them

CAPRICORNIA REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE The reports from Lake Awoonga have been scarce. Big numbers of people are still fishing the freshwater above and below Pikes Crossing below the dam wall. The barra are pressured but they still continue to put smiles on people’s faces. Smaller soft plastics around 100mm and hardbodies of the same size are ideal. The barra range from 60-80cm and are being caught in reasonable numbers. The fishing pressure should taper off

this month as people tend to think the barra stop biting the second summer is over. There should still be another month or two before the action steadies right up. Because the fish are pressured, use stealth in your approach. I fish from a plastic boat, a 4.1m Polycraft or its smaller sister the 3m Tuff Tender. These boats are so much quieter than a tinny and therefore the fish don’t hear the hull slapping noise or bangs from moving around inside the boat. The same can be said about fishing from a kayak. If you are keen to try

to sink to the bottom before slowly winding them back. There isn’t much weed in the timber so it is an easier area to fish. The bass are usually willing to play in the mornings and afternoons and even all day long on an overcast day. In the middle of the lake, where the three arms meet, there have been plenty of schooling fish. These bass have been stubborn at times, refusing to bite. When they are on the chew, they are some of the easiest fish to catch. Casting blade baits over the schools and hopping them back is probably the most successful technique. You can also play with other techniques like hopping lipless crankbaits, jigging ice jigs and rolling soft plastics. If you are able to locate these fish and target them with live shrimp you’ll have a ball. The guys at Salty’s Tackleworld Bundaberg have all the gear you’ll need to fish Isis and of course all the other great spots in the area. There are several guys working in the store who regularly fish the dam and love to catch bass. Call in and see them to find out what is working best and ask them for their secret spots. MONDURAN CLOSEST TOWN: GIN GIN The fishing in Monduran is still a bit tough. There are some smaller barra being caught by those who put in plenty of work. Most anglers are taking the easier option and fishing the Kolan River below the dam. The Kolan had a good fresh around a month ago but the barra stayed and very few took the ride over the last weir wall and into the salt water. This is great news as in the fresh, they are safe from the netters and provide anglers with plenty of fun. There are a couple of spots boats can

be launched with 4WD but most of the river is home to kayaks and car toppers. There is around 40km of water to explore between the saltwater and the dam wall and I have heard of fish coming out of most of the holes over the last month. Soft plastics have started to take more fish. Hardbody lures fished around the snags had dominated catches so it is good to see the barra falling for a mix of lures. Even in the dirty water, which should already be starting to clear, the barra have been finding lures without a problem. Snag bashing seems to be the way to get the bites in the upper part of the river while in the lower part there is more weed and lilies to hold the fish. The tackle store in Gin Gin, Foxies, stocks a range of effective barra lures. The store will mail order and you can check it out online at www. barratackle.com.au. Be sure to call in and get directions to some of the best barra fishing in the area or pick up one of the detailed maps. Accommodation can be booked through Lake Monduran Kiosk and Tackle Shop. They look after all the cabins, houses, powered and unpowered camp sites, as well as house boats and boat hire. You can also make bookings for Guide Lines fishing charters through the kiosk, on (07) 4157 3881. Jamie Bein runs Lake Monduran Barra Charters and fishes that dam more than anyone I know. His regular visits ensure he has a good understanding of what’s going on. Contact Jamie on his mobile, 0407 434 446, or through his website w w w. l a k e m o n d u r a n barracharters.com .

to tackle some fish in the dam or the river, give Lyn and Mark from Awoonga Gateway a call on (07) 4975 0033. At Awoonga

Gateway you’ll find clean, modern cabins and your hosts will be full of useful advice to help you try to land that barra of a lifetime.

The side image on this Humminbird 1198 clearly shows the shadows of barra. Time to fish hard.

WHITSUNDAY REGION PROSERPINE CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSERPINE, AIRLIE BEACH Over the last month, the barra have been spread out making them hard to catch in good numbers. They should be starting to bunch up more in the timbered areas so hopefully there will be a flurry of fish before the weather turns cold in a couple of months’ time. Fishing 3-5m diving hardbodies like RMG Scorpions and Barra Baits around the creek channels which run through the timber is a good way to hook the big beasts of Prossy. These barramundi

average over 1m long so be prepared for a battle once they are hooked. Usually the fish fight fairly shallow and it is just a matter of chasing them through the tree tops and free spooling the line if they wrap you up. If you are going to all the trouble of having a crack at these fish, it worthwhile upgrading your trebles to the Owner ST66. Barra are known for straightening hooks on hardbodies so you may as well use the toughest and sharpest there is. In the mornings and afternoons or at night around the full moon, it is worth rolling some hardbodies out from the

tea tree points inside the timber. A lot of these points are shallow so there is no need to use a deep diving lure. Try a Halco Hamma or Rapala X Rap. If you want to have a crack at nailing one on the surface, try a Cultiva Tango Dancer or a Rapala Skitterpop. If you are in the area call in and see the boys in town at Proserpine Bait and Tackle. Lindsay Dobe has spent years running charters on the lake and has a good idea where the barra will be and how best to catch them. If you are interested in a charter make sure you get in early with your booking. Lindsay can be reached through the store on (07) 4945 4641.

There are still a few big barra left in the Boyne River. The netters left their mark in the saltwater reaches but there are still fish there for the catching.

JUNIOR

Lure fishing finesse: saltwater SUNSHINE COAST

Lane Hoffmann lane_h_96@hotmail.com

Finesse is a word we hear a lot throughout the fishing industry. It is a technique that any lure angler can use in most fishing situations to increase their catch rate when the fishing is a bit slower. Whether fishing for bream in the canals or snapper on the shallow reefs, a lot of anglers will find that fishing with a finesse approach will produce the goods. To fish this technique, you need to down your line/ leader size, using smaller lures, and using a slower presentation. To define in simpler terms, it basically means fishing light and subtle. In most situations, I will use the lightest gear that the fishing conditions allow. It’s fishing on that edge where you will get a lot more hits and takes from fish, but it turn may get busted off on a slightly more regular basis. SALTWATER In saltwater estuaries and on the onshore shallow reefs, lures are used a lot! Many people will use gear that is

just too heavy for the fishing situation, whether it would be line/leader size or lure and jighead size. My favourite form is fishing the shallow reefs for snapper, sweetlip or whatever other reefies there may be on offer. I predominately use bream gear as I find it makes fishing so much more of a challenge, and it’s great fun! Fishing light produces more hits, rather than busts you off easily. If fish keep getting the upper hand then I’ll upgrade my gear size, just slightly to keep getting those hits and to turn their heads when they try and run for home! However you don’t have to downsize everything. Just as an example, if you’re using a regular snapper set up, I’d use a strong 10-20lb rod, 16lb mainline, 16lb fluorocarbon leader, and a larger plastic rigged on a 1/2oz jighead in 20m of water. If the fishing seems slow, try downsizing to a slightly smaller jighead. I have caught many good fish using 1/8oz jigheads on 3” Berkley Gulp Minnows in about 15m of water. This is finesse fishing with your plastic sinking all the way down a lot more naturally, triggering more hits! My general estuary gear for

chasing species in clearer and open water, such as trevally, mulloway, tailor, flathead and jacks, is using 8lb main line and 8-10lb leader. The jighead size will normally depend on the current. If fishing a slack tide or a place where there isn’t much current, keep the jighead weight ranging from 1/16oz to 1/8oz. Where there is a bit more current, use slightly heavier jigheads to keep your lure connected to the bottom after the drop. I have found the fishing can be slow when in stronger current. Not too long back I was fishing the rocks at the Noosa River mouth when there was a lot of tidal flow. I put on a tiny 60mm Squidgy Wriggler rigged on a 1/20oz jighead, and let the current take it parallel to the rocks. Not too long after putting it in the water it was intercepted by a big tailor that eventually chewed me off at the boat! The finesse presentation would’ve imitated a helpless prawn or shrimp in the current and the fish could not resist! Bream fishing is another story. It’s finesse fishing at its best! I love fishing for bream in the canals amongst the jetties and pontoons, especially when they are all

fired up and will take most appropriate lures chucked at them. But at times these fish can be very finicky! If they are, using very light main lines and double-rod length leaders of 3-4lb is definitely a good starting point. Small plastics, such as the Ecogear Grass Minnows in okiami colour and Z-Man 2” Grubz, and small profile silent divers of natural colours are the go. Fishing these with the ultimate finesse approach using a very subtle and slow retrieve will most definitely trigger more bream bites. In general, fishing the lightest gear that the fishing situation allows will make all the difference between you getting no hits at all to getting fish in the boat. Yes, sometimes the fish will get the upper hand when fishing with the more finesse approach, but that’s what makes fishing such a great challenge! • If you’re in the Noosa area, drop into Hooked On Angling and Outdoors in Tewantin as the friendly team will give you great advice on what gear and lures to use in the area!

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MAY 2014

The lure of 3D printing BRISBANE

David Mayes

Before I start I would like you to clear any preconceptions or negative experiences you associate with technology. For some, the word alone feels too new age, hi-tech and nerdy. In this article I hope to shine some light on an exciting new possibility which combines technology and fishing. Forget about the last time your computer crashed or contracted some sort of Trojan virus thingy from Nigeria. This will change the way you think of technology and how this process alone could revolutionise fishing. I’ll do my best to limit the use of Shelden Cooper terminology, however trying to keep it brief and informative has been a challenge in itself, so try to hang in there. It is 3D printing and the concept is printing fishing lures. It is set to transcend the evolution of lure prototyping. I know it probably sounds crazy and the idea is even more

obscure. Just like it suggests, it is the printing of a fishing lure. It is not ink to paper two dimensional. I’m talking about watching your lure come to life, real to touch and solid threedimensional. WHY Why might you buy such a machine when you can just walk in and buy a lure? Well, I’m not here to sell you one nor convince you, it is simply the concept that makes it appealing and groundbreaking. This process of lure making allows you to walk away and return to find your lure 95% done. For prototypes you can simply tie on and swim test. For the fully finished article; gluing in the internal wiring and bib placement as well as airbrushing is still required. To clarify, this is more for the visionary lure developer looking to push the boundaries and express his or her creativity. This process enables each lure to be replicated with precise accuracy. It does this by completely eliminating shape flaws and inconstancies from one lure to the next.

For the purist’s, there is no substitute for a wood carved lure and I would have to agree on most occasions. I am a firm believer that the material density is one of the most contributing factors and not the buoyancy or weight. If the lure is the right balance, the cadence created by the lure passing through the water will create the desired action. This will entice a feeding strike or reaction strike which is triggered by vibrations that stimulate the lateral line on the fish. For example, a feeding strike may see the lure hook the fish inside or around the mouth. A triggered strike might be a bump or slap on the lure and hook the fish on the cheek or head. They might not be hungry however killer instinct will overwhelm the fish into hitting the lure. Barramundi are a great example in that they can be annoyed at times into hitting a lure. So how does this relate to 3D printing? Well the process allows you to control the density of the lure. You can even create moulds from this technique if you want to try different materials or even soft plastics.

Here are two printed prototypes. One still has the support structures attached. The other has them removed and will require light sanding. 3D SOFTWARE Designing your own lure, envisioning it before being produced is possible through the 3D modelling software. This process is remarkably accurate and it can eliminate the time spent shaving off flakes of wood or even skin sometimes. This creativity is one of the main advantages with 3D printing, as it provides a different creative field. There are a number of available software programs that are used for developing a mathematical representation of the surface of any three dimensional object, also called 3D modelling. Autodesk produce a number of quality high end programs that are used on a commercial scale. I use a program called Autodesk 3Ds Max. Autodesk also have Maya and 123D. I have also used AutoCAD and Cinema 4D that all do

basic skills and techniques you might need to spend a few hours up skilling in one of the many available 3D modelling programs. If I can teach it to year 10 students then I’m sure anyone could give it a go. Furthermore, the great wonder we call YouTube can help solve most problems and enables you to become a self-taught expert if you are prepared to give it a crack. Software has become so advanced you can scan images and video footage before modelling an exact clone of the desired subject. Known as 3D scan software, it can replicate a very accurate model with very little work on your part. This could be another real possibility, however unless you have a basic understanding of some techniques, manipulating this model may be challenging. I

new 3D Scan software is worth checking out, just do a search through Google. HOW IT WORKS 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a digital model. It is achieved using an additive process, where successive layers of filament material are laid down layer by layer. The filament comes out hot and builds upon the previous layer similar to a hot glue gun or chefs piping bag used for layering cream or icing. Slowly but surely each layer is built up by a fraction of a millimetre at a time.. This technology is used for both prototyping and distributed manufacturing with applications across architecture, engineering, construction (AEC),

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The finished article after airbrushing and finishing, ready for combat! virtually the same thing. The printing side of this process is easy; the more challenging part is modelling your creation. Unless you have some of the

suggest you have a look at this amazing scanning software on YouTube. Type in 3-Sweep: Extracting Editable Objects from a Single Photo. Some of the

industrial design, automotive, aerospace and military. Only recently there have been reports of 3D printers printing with stainless steel. Other dental

and medical industries such as biotech (human tissue replacement) are also taking advantage of its many abilities. Yes they are even printing out body parts. LURE MAKING The lure will not be ready to cast straight away. It is merely a modelled plastic shell. You will still need to lightly touch up any rough edges with sand paper before painting and finishing. Also, I would not rely on the strength of the resin filament for the bibs to stand up to quality fish. Having witnessed barramundi do obscure things to all kinds of lures I would trust they would treat these no differently.

THE NEXT STEP Another great concept is printing out casting moulds for setting your hardbaits. This could be another article in itself and would enable lure developers to create a hard or soft plastic lure on a solid platform to enable resin or foam to be poured into. Similar to lead sinker creation, separating the two cast sides will in theory leave the set lure for you to finish. I have already tried this method and I believe it to be more successful than any other. If you find the right resin or foam you can achieve outstanding results. You may need to play around

with buoyancy levels, so be prepared to tinker around. Microballoons are a must if using a resin with high density. There is a great new casting foam from Alumilite called Alumifoam - strong, durable and dries fast. MACHINES AND COST So, you want to look into it or you are seriously thinking about buying one. For such an investment you would need to take into consideration its purpose for you or your business. If you are not prepared to learn the software or cannot find someone to design models for you, don’t bother. It will gather dust quicker than Bernard Tomic’s Australian Open exit. However, if you

are interested in exploring alternative design avenues maybe this could be for you. The machines I’m familiar with are the Cube from Cubify and the Replicator and Replicator 2 from Makerbot. Both are made in America and seem to all have good reviews. I use two Cube printers and have had no problems at this stage. They are simple and easy to use, simply save your file to a usb(storage device) and insert into the printer and be mesmerized. So what price are we talking about? You can pick up 3D printers for anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000. I’m sure you could do better on ebay or similar

but be careful. Filament costs approximately $50 a spool. The number of jobs you will get will depend on your machine and job size. For example, it is possible to create approximately 30 shad

WHAT NOW? I would like to leave you with this thought. How many lures could you make while you are out fishing? That’s right, while you are out doing something else. While the 3D printer

Originally interchanged for a quick swim test it grabbed the attention of an eager barramundi from right under the boat.

Left: The software enables you to create an exact profile of any baitfish. Above the baitfish image you can see the rendered 3D model. Right: Here you can see the printer head laying down the first support layers of green filament.

style lures from one spool of filament. The filament is available in a range of different colours which can be intriguing, however if you are airbrushing over the top of the lure this is not a concern. You can purchase illuminate glow in the dark filament which makes for some interesting ideas.

is doing the hard work, you can be away painting your other lures, modelling other designs on the computer or even swim testing your prototypes in field! How good is that? You don’t even need to be there! Working smarter and not harder has never made so much sense.

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Last chance to snag yourself a river bass BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Shortening days, cooling nights… it’s a sure sign that the season is changing. With those changes in temperature and hours of daylight bass are becoming more and more targeted as a fly rod species. The end is looming, however, as the tidal river and stream season closes on June 1 for a couple of months until August 31, allowing time for these fish to spawn. In Southeast Queensland we are very fortunate to have so many areas to fish for bass. Impoundments are legendary with the likes of lakes Wivenhoe, Somerset and Moogerah being well stocked and much appreciated by bass anglers looking for those larger,

foot or by small watercraft such as a kayak, or perhaps even a full sized boat in some instances. LINE CHOICE Once the fish are found it comes down to choice of tackle for the job, which is the thrust of this article. Bass are strong fish. Make no mistake about this claim. Yes, there are lakes with little tackers in them but a lot of stream fish are larger, stronger and can give a very good account of themselves. For this reason I suggest the use of a 6wt rod for all-round bass fishing whether it’s a stream being fished or a lake. Choice of fly line comes down to just the two: floating and intermediate sink rate. Both have their place in the flowing water fishery. The floating line is good at first light or on dusk, and the intermediate

tiniest movement, a floating fly such as a Dahlberg Diver or a large Muddler Minnow will seldom be refused. Poppers are also good but, as when using other floating flies, you must be very gentle in tweaking them. Excessive movement seems to put fish off. Nothing that a bass sees floating in its environment is going to move quickly or very urgently. Even grasshoppers tend to sit tight, perhaps hoping they won’t be noticed. In essence, it’s a casual, gentle movement that’s going to attract a fish. USING THE INTERMEDIATE LINE When daylight spills onto the water, it is the shadows which are the most likely places to find a bass on the job. This is when the floating line should be swapped out for an intermediate sink rate line.

Poppers like the yellow one shown are very handy at first light but must be worked very gently. The author’s rough and ready Vampire is another wet fly that works on stream bass. fish won’t be far from the surface while on other days they will be quite deep, and only your experience on the water will determine whether you fail or succeed at such times. Wet flies that work are various Bunny or Leech patterns and the ubiquitous Vampire. The Vampire takes

bass anywhere, not just in impoundments where it came to fame. No matter what sort of wet fly is in use the idea is to make it look appealing in its action. You cast it out, let it sink slowly and then start the retrieve. The interesting thing is that the floods of the last couple of years have seen

a lot of really good quality bass move into rivers and side creeks downstream from our impoundments, and the good news is that the fish are still there in may instances. All you need to do is to find them and enjoy the sport before the closed season at the end of the month.

The author took this stonker of a bass from the Kolan River. top quality fish whose images grace these pages each winter. But bass are by no means confined to the impoundments; virtually every upper river system from the NSW border through to Bundaberg is blessed with bass. The upper Brisbane, Logan, Albert, and Caboolture rivers, just to name a few, all have stocks of wild bass for the Brisbanebased fly rodder to enjoy. Further north the fish are not hard to find in rivers linked to stocked impoundments which take in watercourses such as the Mary, Kolan and the like. Researching likely streams is the key to success, especially time spent in working out whether the chosen spot is negotiable by 80

MAY 2014

line is more suited to fishing when the day has become brighter, with the sun well on the water. BASS HABITS An understanding of bass habits tells us that these fish are likely to work a bank or patch of shoreline when it’s just light enough for you and I to see, searching for any food items that have fallen into the water. As such the fish are fair game for a fully floating fly, or one sitting just within the surface film. Hence the floating line. Set up with a 3m leader of 3-4kg tippet, the floater keeps the fly in the zone, against lily pads or weed beds (pay particular attention to holes or channels in the latter). If cast gently into a likely area and allowed to sit for around 20 seconds before given the

A quick exchange of spools or reels will see the slow sink rate line in action. The preferred method is to keep some small distance away from a section of shaded cover or other likely area that looks ‘fishy’ and cast a baitfish, beetle or other small food imitation virtually against the selected cover. Give it a few seconds to sink, then draw it back slowly in small stops and starts. The take will be quite decisive. Bass are like that. They don’t muck about; they just hit hard and try to head back to cover. The key to success with slow sink tackle is to methodically work over every likely area, bit by bit, until a pattern starts to emerge with successive bites. On some days the

Ellie Staunton-Smith and two of her cousins had a great day fishing on a popular Sunshine Coast estuary. These whiting were the result of using fresh yabbies.

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MAY 2014

Rosco Duo Scamper FMG

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

In an earlier issue we had the pleasure to showcase the Rosco Solo Scamper and in this issue we’ll take a closer look at the Rosco Duo Scamper, a two-person version of the Solo. So what’s different about the two-person Duo Scamper when compared to the Solo Scamper? Honestly, not a whole lot apart from the fact it’s designed for two people. With that in mind, let’s take a quick refresher on what the Scamper models offer anglers. Designed for angling,

found in many canoes, the Tumblehome design. This design gives a slight belly to the sides of the craft that aids in stability and buoyancy. It works really well and with two aboard the Duo it’s good to have a little extra security. The Duo has a payload of 180kg. On our test day we probably overloaded it but the craft still performed really well and there was an easy 6” of freeboard while being used. One of the slight differences between the Solo and the reviewed Duo was the stern buoyancy cavity. In the Duo this is a little larger. Specifically designed this way, the Duo’s floatation allows

want to do that, grab a proper whitewater kayak or a Rosco Chief, a 15’ canoe manufactured of Royalex, a material designed for whitewater use. Damage will occur from sharp rocks hit with force so avoid these situations. But the good news is that they can be repaired fairly easily and cheaply. Just remember that this is a canoe, not a rock hopper. On the water The big test is how this craft performs on the water and after a big trip catching bass and catties on lures I really found myself enjoying my time in the Duo Scamper. Fishing (sorry, I meant testing) the craft with Greg

The Duo Scamper, much like the Solo, is set up as a basic unit that you can just jump in and paddle around. This one has the front sail mount attached already. the Scampers are built from fibreglass and are extremely light, weighing around 20kg. With two people carrying the Duo you can literally load it with all your gear and easily carry it down to the water’s edge. We loaded the Duo up with two people’s fishing gear, paddles, seats and some drinks and food for our test and transporting this lightweight canoe was a breeze. The Scampers are stable and make great use of a design feature not

a single user to use the Duo without having that Shallow Hal feel to the canoe – you know the picture where the nose of the canoe is out of the water! The extra floatation also allows an electric outboard and battery to be used just as comfortably. I find it’s these little design alterations that make you understand that someone who knows their stuff has designed this craft. Like all the Scampers, the Duo is a minimalist rig. The base rig comes with a

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hull and two seats – that’s it. The rest is literally up to your imagination and I can imagine plenty. The Scamper’s build is a straight composite lay up, which is all fibreglass. Other options include Kevlar or carbon at an increased cost. Using this material provides the ability to form very fine lines, literally down to a knife-sharp entry if desired and the Scamper makes good use of this material. Some of the advantages of fibreglass include that it is extremely lightweight (the Solo Scamper comes in at 20kg), it has a high strength-to-weight ratio, it can be formed to very fine design lines and it has a moderate cost. All these factors are displayed very well in the Scamper. And being that the Scamper is fibreglass, what about damage and repair? Damage, of course, is a problem and these craft are not designed for going down classed rapids. If you

A double header in the Duo. Seriously though, what is a canoe test without actually testing its fishing ability? Livingstone meant that the 180kg payload was tested. Neither of us are mere saplings however the Duo handled the load easily. On first stepping into the Duo you could feel the inherent stability of the canoe and even with Greg fussing around in the back trying to look pretty for the camera, never did I feel in imminent danger of going for a swim. We had a paddle of about 2km to our fishing (sorry, testing) location and this gave us a chance to paddle this craft from the bow seat, from the stern seat and from both ends at the same time. The best directional paddling (we were using traditional canoe paddles) came from the stern seat and the bow seat provided good power or pace. With two paddling we could keep up easily with the electric powered Solo with the bow paddler providing power and the stern paddler providing some power but responsible for direction. As much as I’d like to say Greg had us going in circles and crashing through snags and

trees, he didn’t and said it was a really easy unit to direct. We did have one incident though and this involved both of us fishing and not concentrating. As

we drifted toward the bank, Greg grabbed the paddle to push us off the tree that was looming and as he turned around an interesting little snake was right on our Continued page 84

Top: The fish-eye lens taking a pic of a very fishy character. The Duo easily took Greg and I with its payload of 180kg. Bottom: The sail set up n the front of the Duo Scamper can provide easy distance coverage in lakes and slow flowing rivers.

Greg Livingstone found time to land a bass or two from the back of the Duo while we were testing the craft. From page 82

hip pockets, just looking at us as if to say “What the hell are you doing here?” With some quick reorganisation of the canoe’s weight distribution, a few frenzied paddle strokes and

WIN

a bit of luck we slipped past the snake without tipping ourselves out, which seemed a minor miracle. Fishing wise the Duo Scamper was brilliant. The front angler needed to be a little aware of the rear angler

when casting forwards (sorry Greg, I know you loved that hat!), but apart from that two anglers fishing in this craft was great fun. It made landing and releasing fish so much easier as the non-catching angler did all the work. And dry! I can’t remember being so dry in a canoe/kayak for some time. The canoe paddle is a much drier way to paddle these craft around and at day’s end that is a blessing. The change of clothes and towel I bought with me were untouched and that’s great. Love it. The Duo Scamper is built just like its Solo Scamper brother – simple and easy to use. I love the thought of grabbing a mate, a couple of paddles, some lures and a rod each and just getting on with fishing. Like the Solo you can have an electric set up if you want and there is also a great sail option if you want to minimise your paddle workload. You can also add on some neat little rod holders that are so simple you’ll kick yourself for not thinking about it, and you can add on drop anchors, paddle holders and more. The open plan allows for unrivalled customisation and I really like that. The only thing I would advise is to choose

your partner carefully. Overloading any boat, let alone a canoe is not the smartest thing to do so just take into account the 180kg payload. Other than that, a brilliant canoe that allows you to spend some quality time with a mate or one of the kids in a safe, stable and simple way. To find out more about the Duo Scamper log onto www.roscocanoes.com.au or drop into the Rosco Canoes and Kayaks display rooms at 295 Gympie Rd in Kedron. You could also give them a call on (07) 3359 9330 for more information. DIMENSIONS Length:..............4.02m Width:................. 88cm Weight:................ 20kg Payload:............. 180kg Passengers:...... 2 adult Accessories: ............. Motor bracket ......................... Sail kit ................ Rod holders Warranty:......... 5 years Price:..................$1179

Just as simple to load onto a roof rack as the Solo, the Duo comes in at 20kg also. Now that’s portable.

While the Duo is a two-person canoe, one person can operate the craft very easily and take a heap of gear, if that’s your want.

A POWER-POLE MICRO ANCHOR FROM

COMPETITION Fishing Monthly Magazines in partnership with Power-Pole and Hobie Cat® Australasia have created a competition where you can win one of these fantastic Micro Anchors for your kayak or tinnie. It’s easy to win, just collect the three “code words” from the Power-Pole Micro Anchor ads in the May, June and July Issues of the magazine. Enter the code words on this entry form and send it in for your chance to be in the draw. First correct entry drawn wins the prize. Entries close July 31, 2014. Winners published September issue. May code word: June code word: July code word: Name: Address: Phone [Day]: Email:

State:

P/C:

Send your entries to Micro Anchor Competition P O Box 3172 Loganholme, Qld, 4129

If you miss an issue of the magazine you can find previous issues archived digitally for free at www.issuu.com 84

MAY 2014

All the kit needed for setting up the sail accessory. Simple to operate and easy to install, this accessory is something well worth looking into if you’re planning on some long distance travel over open water in the Duo Scamper.

Time to hook right in! NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.me

Fish hooks are arguably the most important items of tackle we use, yet their selection is often overlooked or placed well down the list when gearing up. A little common hook sense goes a long way toward improving your catch rates. In its purest form, fishing is a simple business. All you really need is a length of line

items is truly essential. Ancient fishers had no choice but to keep their rigs simple. Centuries ago, lines were fashioned by plaiting vines, plant fibres or animal hairs. At the end of these lines, ancient anglers lashed a piece of bone, a splinter of fire-hardened wood or a shard of stone. This device, called a gorge, was intended to jam inside the mouth of any fish silly enough to bite and hold on. In many cases, bait was unnecessary, especially if the gorge was jiggled about

This silver trevally fell for a pilchard rigged on a pair of snelled or ‘snooded’ suicide or octopus pattern hooks. with a hook at the end. Sure, a to imitate a kicking critter bit of bait helps, as does having (obviously, fish were pretty a reel to store your line on, and dumb in those days!). a rod to cast and control the Anglers of old worked rig, STA13434Dealer1-2_STA11838NewCamp but none of these fancier out that pieces of shell made 18/07/12

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER FOR MORE INFORMATION.

GOLD COAST

WHITE WATER MARINE 10 Hinde St, ASHMORE Ph 07·5532 4402

www.whitewatermarine.com.au

BRISBANE

NORTHSIDE MARINE

2294 Sandgate Rd BOONDALL 4034 Ph 07 3265 8000 Fax 07·3265 8099 sales@northsidemarine.com.au

BRISBANE

WYNNUM MARINE

31 Fox St WYNNUM, 4179 Ph 07 3396 9777 info@wynnummarine.com.au

BUNDABERG

ADRIANS MARINE CENTRE

8 Ritchie St, BUNDABERG 4670 Ph 07 4153 1819 Fax 07·4153 1819 adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com

the most successful gorges and also acted as rudimentary lures, thanks to their shiny colours. Eventually, your smarter-than-average primitive fisher realised that a curved or bent piece of broken shell was more likely to catch in the mouth of a fish. Thus the fish hook was born! Interestingly, the Olde English name for this fancy bent or curved gorge was angle, hence the name of our sport today: angling. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since our Neanderthal whiz kid fashioned his first crude, curved lure from a shiny sliver of shell and out-fished everyone else in the village. With the coming of the various metal ages, making strong, sharp angles or hooks became easier and, for centuries now, metal has been the accepted material for making fish hooks. Modern hooks range from tiny bits of metal intended to catch tiddlers up to giant contraptions that appear capable of stopping an ocean liner. Every size of hooks has a corresponding number that refers to the width of the gap or gape of the hook (the distance across the bend from point to shank) rather than the overall dimensions of the hook. 10:37 AM Page 1

A drummer taken from the ocean rocks on a heavy gauge No. 1 hook. The most confusing part of the sizing system is the fact that the smallest hooks have the biggest numbers. For example, a No. 24 hook is a little bigger than the head of a pin, whereas a No. 12 hook is larger, and is just about perfect for catching yellowtail, mullet and garfish, while a No. 2 hook is significantly larger again and is excellent for targeting bream or various freshwater perch. The seemingly backwards sizing system, with the hook gape increasing as the number describing it decreases, continues until we hit the No. 1 hook, which is a useful, all-purpose size for catching flathead, drummer and trevally in saltwater, or bass and

STACER’S EVO ADVANCE HULL. A DIVINE RIDE.

yellowbelly in freshwater. Hooks larger than No. 1 are described by an ascending series of numbers followed by a slash and a zero. For example, the next size up from a No. 1 is a 1/0, then comes the 2/0, next the 3/0 and so on. The biggest hooks — used for catching sharks, marlin and giant tuna — are in the 18/0 to 20/0 range. As a matter of interest, Australians pronounce the larger hook sizes as one-oh, two-oh, three-oh and so on, whereas in America, the same sizes are called one-ought, two-ought and three-ought. The vast majority of fishing situations encountered by Australian anglers are

adequately covered by hooks in the range of sizes from 12 to 10/0. Hooks smaller than No. 12 are mainly used by trout fly fishers making imitations of tiny insects, whereas sizes larger than 10/0 are the sole province of heavy tackle game fishers. As the variation in size between each hook number is small, you can easily skip sizes when putting together a basic collection of hooks. The following sizes cover the vast majority of popular Australian angling situations: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 1, 2/0, 4/0, 6/0 and 8/0. If you only intend to fish in freshwater or estuaries, bays and harbours, you can also probably skip those 6/0s and 8/0s.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER FOR MORE INFORMATION.

HERVEY BAY BUCCANEERS

19 Islander Rd PIALBA Ph 07 4124 6988 enquiries@buccaneers.com.au

MACKAY

SHANE MORRISON M ARINE

18 Evans Ave North MACKAY Ph 07 4951 1991 Fax 07·4944 0991

SUNSHINE COAST

NORTH COAST BOATING

264 nicklin way WARANA WAY 4575 Ph 07 5493 9376 Fax 07·5437 6144 mail@northcoastboating.com.au

GLADSTONE

CURTIS COAST MARINE

40 Chapple St GLADSTONE Ph 07 4972 0135 Fax 07·4972 0136

MAY 2014

2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge breaks all records

Barramundi 1st place winner was David Hamilton with a cracking 123.8cm fish. Wednesday 2 April 2014, thousands of Australians travelled to some of the country’s best fishing spots to participate in the 2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge – Australia’s biggest one-day fishing competition. More than 8,500 participated in the 2014 catch-and-release fishing

event that was held on Sunday 23 March. It was the largest competition that PIRTEK has hosted since the competition began in 2009. All registered anglers were on the hunt for 21 target species which were spread across the country for a chance to win a total of 126 prizes. This year’s Challenge offered a total of $155,000 in

cash and prizes. Registered participants had to measure their catches across the competition brag mat and send in photographs to be in the running to win in the different categories, including longest fish, the ‘mystery length’ and special prizes for junior anglers. Michael Guest, Event Director of the PIRTEK Fishing Challenge, said there were impressive catches in this year’s competition. “Our staff and troop of volunteers were overwhelmed with the number of people who participated in this year’s competition, especially considering some states and territories had to battle some challenging weather conditions. We are thrilled that more and more people are getting behind the competition to have some fun with family and friends, plus helping to raise money for Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia,” said Mr Guest. “We want to send our sincere thanks to PIRTEK and all our corporate partners for supporting such a successful event – Evinrude, Berkely, Lowrance, Stacer, BCF and Companion Leisure. Without a doubt, we will get started to

make the competition bigger and better in 2015.” Stephen Dutton, Pirtek Fluid Systems Chief Executive Officer, also got into the spirit of the challenge and joined anglers over the competition weekend. “I was overwhelmed with the support the Challenge received this year. I spent the day with friends fishing and celebrating what is now a calendar event in the Australian fishing scene. It’s amazing to see so many anglers getting behind the challenge and doing their part to support Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia,” said Mr Dutton. Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, Chief Executive Officer of Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, said the Fishing Challenge has once again successfully managed to bring the organisation’s prostate cancer message to thousands of Australians. “PCFA is very pleased that the 2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge was a huge success and attracted so many anglers of all ages. Prostate cancer may be a men’s disease but its disastrous effect is far reaching. We are truly

ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is a broadbased community organisation and the peak national body for prostate cancer in Australia. PCFA are dedicated to reducing the impact of prostate cancer on Australian men, their partners, families and the wider community. PCFA does this by: • Promoting and funding world leading, innovative research into prostate cancer • Implementing awareness campaigns and education programs for the Australian Community, health professionals and Government • Supporting men and their families affected by prostate cancer through evidence-based information and resources, support groups and Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses PCFA receives limited government funding for specific projects and relies on the generosity of individuals, the community and important partnerships with corporate Australia, to carry out its essential work. For further information about prostate cancer or PCFA, visit www.pcfa.org.au or free call 1800 22 00 99 grateful to the PIRTEK team for their continued support and encouraging men, women and entire communities to talk about prostate cancer,” said Associate Professor Lowe. The winners from the 2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge were announced on Saturday 29 March. Visit www.pirtekfishingchallenge.

com.au to check out photos from the competition weekend and to view the full winner’s list. All proceeds from the 2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge will go directly to Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia to further support research and awareness programs.

2014 TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

DATE

DETAILS

CONTACT

MAY

May 3-4

ABBT Basstasstic Bass Qualifying Rd 3 BP Dam

Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

May 11

Bluefin Boats BASS Electric Series (Major) Hinze Dam

ABT 07 3387 0888

May 30-1 Jun

King of the Pin Gem Hotel, Alberton

Don Vogel 0411 958 076

JUNE

Jun 6-9

Wilson Moreton Bay Offshore Family Fishing Challenge Moreton Bay

Matt Savas 0415 149 350

Jun 7-8

Cabarita Greenback Tailor Competition Cabarita

Vicky Hansen 0400 159 370

Jun 8

Bluefin Boats BASS Electric Series Maroon Dam

ABT 07 3387 0888

Jun 21-22

2014 Daiwa-Hobie Kayak Bream R10 Redcliffe

Hobie Fishing www.hobiefishing.com.au

Jun 21-22

ABBT Basstasstic Bass Qualifying Rd 4 Boondooma Dam

Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

JULY

Jul 5-6

Toray BASS Pro Series Lake Boondooma

ABT 07 3387 0888

Jul 13

Bluefin Boats BASS Electric Series Wivenhoe Dam

ABT 07 3387 0888

July 19-20

2014 Daiwa-Hobie Kayak Bream R10 Gold Coast

Hobie Fishing www.hobiefishing.com.au

July 19-20

ABBT X-Factor Australian Teams Rd 2 Cania Dam

Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

Jul 26-27

ABT BREAM Series Clarence River

ABT 07 3387 0888

For listings please email sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au 86

MAY 2014

RESULTS - QUEENSLAND CTD Flathead 1st...........................86.0cm...........Craige Floyd...............Boyne Island............ QLD 2nd..........................83.5cm...........Adrian Potter..............Kingaroy.................. QLD 3rd...........................80.8cm...........Paul Box.....................Bargara.................... QLD Jr 1st.......................68.3cm...........Jacob Box..................Bargara.................... QLD Jr 2nd......................64.0cm...........Kale Fullarton.............Rainbow Beach....... QLD Mystery Length......63.3cm...........Gary Cooper..............Cooloola Cove......... QLD RESULTS - MURRY-DARLING BASIN European Carp 1st...........................82.3cm...........John Browning...........Barooga.................. NSW 2nd..........................79.2cm...........Nathan Power.............Cumborah.............. NSW 3rd...........................77.9cm...........Steven Mitchell...........Narromine............... NSW Jr 1st.......................69.1cm...........Julian Milkovits...........Hughes.................... ACT Jr 2nd......................68.3cm...........Max Bourke................Dubbo..................... NSW Mystery Length......58.5cm...........Mark Hyde..................Mudgee.................. NSW Trent Kiehne from Battery Hill won for his 47cm bream. RESULTS - QUEENSLAND Barramundi 1st...........................123.8cm.........David Hamilton...........Rockhampton.......... QLD 2nd..........................122.8cm.........Stan Emmerson.........Mount Sheridan....... QLD 3rd...........................115.5cm.........Gavin Miles................Bushland Beach...... QLD Jr 1st.......................68.7cm...........Dannii Creagh............Benaraby................. QLD Jr 2nd......................67.0cm...........Max Fien....................Boyne Island............ QLD Mystery Length......79.5cm...........Troy Mendham...........Golden Beach......... QLD Bream 1st...........................47.0cm...........Trent Kiehne...............Battery Hill............... QLD 2nd..........................44.8cm...........Jason Gordon-Smith Pottsville................. NSW 3rd...........................41.7cm...........Mark Miles..................Upper Coomera....... QLD Jr 1st.......................36.2cm...........Lucas Pirona..............Lawrence................ NSW Jr 2nd......................35.8cm...........Bryce Francis.............Cooroy..................... QLD Mystery Length......34.3cm...........Curtis Chappell..........Morningside............ QLD

Golden Perch 1st...........................63.6cm...........Darrell Hughes...........Inverell.................... NSW 2nd..........................63.2cm...........Craig Chapman..........Narrabri.................. NSW 3rd...........................62.3cm...........Kathleen Ellis..............Glen Innes.............. NSW Jr 1st.......................60.5cm...........Ashton Jones.............Uralla...................... NSW Jr 2nd......................58.5cm...........Brook Jones...............Uralla...................... NSW Mystery Length......49.1cm...........Barry Fletcher.............Girgarre.....................VIC Redfin 1st...........................47.2cm...........Brandan Doust...........Glen Innes.............. NSW 2nd..........................46.7cm...........Ricky Wetherall...........Glen Innes.............. NSW 3rd...........................46.0cm...........Jordan Naylor.............Orange.................... NSW Jr 1st.......................40.4cm...........Matthew Oates...........Clifton Grove.......... NSW Jr 2nd......................40.2cm...........Ryley Davison............The Lagoon............ NSW Mystery Length......31.2cm...........Corey Schulz..............Shepparton...............VIC

Where is it? In front of Cabarita Beach SLSC &

The Cabarita Beach Hotel at Cabarita Beach

20kms South of NSW/QLD Border.

SATURDAY 8TH JUNE 9am - 6pm 9am - 6pm

Note: Current fishing licence is compulsory. 12noon - 6pm Sign on. (fishing is not to be commenced until signed on).

June 7th - 8th 2014

QUEENS BIRTHDAY LONG WEEKEND (A project of the Lions Club of Cabarita Beach-Pottsville Beach) 1ST PRIZE LARGEST TAILOR $1500 CASH PLUS $500 IN GOODS MAJOR ENTRY PRIZE DRAW BOAT/MOTOR/TRAILER VALUED $7000 ENTRY ADULTS $40 CHILDREN UNDER 16 - $20 FAMILY ENTRY $100 (2 ADULTS & 2 CHILDREN UNDER 16)

Entry Ticket Sales Fishing licences sold at competition only.

PRIZES TO THE VALUE OF

$30,000

J FOWLER Building Services

To Register go to: www.greenback.org.au Contact Vicky 0400 159 370 POST GREENBACK TAILOR FISHING COMPETITION PO BOX 18 BOGANGAR N S W 2488

SUNDAY 9TH JUNE 7.30am - 10am Weigh-in.

(fish not accepted after 10am sharp).

6am - 10am

Free competitors breakfast. Food & drinks available all day.

•

Seafood/meat raffles.

•

Lions Community Market run by Caba Creative.

•

Lucky Entry Draws.

•

Competition prize presentations.

•

Charity fish auction.

•

Major raffle prize and boat draw.

TERTAINMENT LOTS OF FUN & EN MILY FOR THE WHOLE FA EFTPOS Available at the Beach Hotel MAY 2014

O SERIES BASS PR Adrian Melchior has begun his 2014 Toray BASS Pro season with a bang, taking out the season opening Toray

Melchior tops field at season opener BASS Pro Qualifier at Lake Glenbawn, NSW. Melchior (6/6, 7.38kg) was a picture of consistency on day one producing two identical limits of 2.25kg. Come day two Melchior would not be

denied, as he produced the tournament’s largest limit of 2.88kg to secure victory by 330g from his nearest competitor. Melchior started each session in the main basin area, “I knew the basin held a lot of small fish and I wanted to ensure I would catch my bag early; we all need a confidence boost to encourage us to go hunting for the bigger fish”. During the prefish Melchior had identified a key location at the back of the dam below the 8 knot zone. The location was a drop-off next to a tree in 48ft of water. Mechior explains the location. “The area was flats adjacent to the small bay in the old creek bed. In the pre fish I had found good size fish located on a drop-off. On the sounder I could see that there Fat Grub in avocado

were a lot of active fish in the mid water column pushing bait to the surface. At times I even saw the bait on the surface beside the boat.” The majority of bass caught fell to the Atomic 2” Fat Grub in avocado glitter and avocado colour. Melchior

altered the lure by cutting the tail wrist down so that on the retrieve the tail would wriggle at any speed. He also used liberal amounts of MegaStrike garlic scent on all lures. The lures were rigged on 1/8oz or 1/4oz Atomic Seeker jigheads with a 1/0 HW hook. Melchior explains the technique and tackle used, “Each session required the retrieve speed of the lure to be adjusted and changed depending on what they seemed to be biting at or appeared to be chasing on the sounder. The technique was a vertical retrieve with the occasional small cast out and 45º retrieve back to the boat. The key to feeling the subtle bites/strikes was the rod I used, the Majorcraft Crostage 1-5lb with a very light tip. This was my preferred rod

Cut down tail

over the weekend. This rod slowly loads up without the fish feeling the weight of the rod behind the hooks.” Initially Melchior employed 6lb Unitika braid with a 4lb leader, but after losing a number of fish upgraded to an 8lb leader.

Adrian Melchior won the BASS Pro Qualifier at Lake Glenbawn with a total bag of 6/6, 7.38kg. Fat Grub in avocado glitter Atomic Seeker head, 1/0 hook

From that point on no fish were lost. Melchior acknowledges the role his sounders played in his victory, “I run a Lowrance HDS 9 and HDS 12 and know that this amazing technology is one of the keys to my consistent results.”

Cut down tail

Finally, “I would like to thank my loyal sponsors Ballina Marineland, Frogleys Offshore, Lowrance, Bassman Spinnerbaits and Honda Marine who have supported me for a number of years. I couldn’t pursue my passion without their support.”

Fontaine all the way CE 2ND PLA

ABT, PO Box 7196, LOGANHOLME, QLD 4129 Alternatively you can download an entry form from www.abt.org.au At any time you can call ABT on (07) 3387 0888 for help with your entry during business hours. 88

MAY 2014

Karen Fontaine (6/6, 7.05kg) stepped up from the non-boating category, and promptly showed her class, finishing in second place. This event was Fontaine’s second attempt at boating in an ABT event and, with an impressive pedigree as a non-boater, she impeccably made the transition to the next level. Fontaine had the opportunity to prefish and with a few helpful pointers worked out a plan of attack for the tournament. “With a few good pointers from Dave Lane I headed off for my first prefish of the year. I dialled into the fish pretty quickly. It was a reasonably tough bite but the fish were consistent and solid. It was windy during the prefish, but the bite improved as the weather deteriorated. It was the perfect prefish for my first full year as a boater. “My strategy for the tournament was to use my

Karen Fontaine has made the transition from non-boater to boater with impressive results. She gained second place.

Lowrance Sounders to target groups of 2-6 fish. If my sounder filled up with bass I would electric away from them. The bigger schools could mesmerise you, following you up and down for very long periods of time without striking. The preferred depth was 43-55ft where the bite was more aggressive and patience, as always, was the key.” In session one, Fontaine made her way to a bay in front of the 8 knots sign called the Shallows. This location held a lot of small school fish punctuated with good size bass. Luckily no other boats were in the area and Fontaine took advantage of the solitude. “The fish were a bit slow to get going due to a blanket of fog holding over the area. I was fishing with Travis Dowling and it was his first ABT. I told him of my plan for the day and gave him a quick rundown on the type of bite it was. He was a quick learner, within 15 minutes he put the first bass in the boat. It was a super way to start the day. Then the Continued OVER

fog started to lift and the bass were ready to play. The bite was the same as practice and I soon had my bag and couple of upgrades. “It was a traditional deep bite. Drop the lure all the way to the bottom and super slow roll, no striking, and the fish would load up the rod at mid water or 15ft from the top.” Fontaine fished strongly to finish session one in a competitive 11th place. Heading out for session two a change of tact was employed. “I decided to try another bay around the trees behind Pelican Point. We got action and a bass out of there very early in the session. In reality I had no intention of going back to the Shallows. I was going to save this location for Sunday morning but the wind really started to blow, similar to the prefish, and the temptation was too great. It was the best decision I would make over the weekend. The windier it got the better

it fished! “After 15 minutes I caught the biggest bass of my afternoon followed by a couple more upgrades. I wanted to rest the area for Sunday so I moved down near the Narrows to chill out and throw a Bassman Spinnerbait around. In the end I weighed 2.56kg, and had achieved a big goal of catching a full limit each session.” Fontaine made the following point regarding the bite in session two. “The fish were peeling off and going back to the bottom at about 10-15ft so I would just roll up to 20ft and drop down again. If you were lucky enough to get action and miss on 1 or 2 drops in a row you had to make a decision and on the third roll you had to pull it away from him, burn it, flick your wrist or just pause. Just basically do something to make him react. If that

didn’t work, electric motor well away and find fresh fish. When the wind got right up in the last couple of hours of the session it went back to a more traditional bite.” Full of excitement and weary from little rest, Fontaine led out the field on Sunday in first position. The bite was super aggressive with most fish loading in the first or second turn of the handle. And Fontaine took immediate advantage, boating her first bass within 10 minutes and filling her limit by 7.15am. Taking a minute to enjoy the moment Fontaine reflected on what she had done and still needed to do, “I sat down for 10 minutes and just enjoyed the moment…I had a full limit. Managing 4 upgrades and needing a fish better than 40cm I left the bay and spent 2 hours hunting, but unfortunately couldn’t find that elusive bass. Once

back at the foreshore it was the most suspenseful, exciting weigh in I had ever experienced. I was delighted to be standing at the bump tubs amongst so many good anglers. “It was great fun being on the stage with Adrian waiting for Simon to hit the magic button on the scales. I was thrilled for Adrian after watching him just miss out the year before and I was more than happy with my result.” Fontaine’s key lure was a Gulp Grub rigged on a 1/4oz Bassman jighead in watermelon colour. “This presentation complemented the Grub perfectly. These Bassman jigheads have the eyes and a touch of orange under the chin that the Glenbawn bass love. I used a stinger the whole time for those tail grabbers and a bit of extra security on the bigger bass,” said Fontaine. Fontaine’s outfit

Macey breaks the pattern -BOATER 1ST NON

Duane Macey (6/6, 5.92kg) took out the non-boater title at Lake Glenbawn. Macey had the opportunity to prefish, but found the going tough heading into the event. “I pre-fished on Friday with Dean Silvester, we went to a lot of spots throughout the dam. We were looking at spots that Dean had marked on the GPS over the last 12 months. We were looking in about 50ft of water and didn’t seem to be a lot of fish there. We moved to 80ft and found more active fish. I didn’t land a fish on the Friday at all, so my confidence was down”. As things would happen, Macey drew Silvester as his day one boater at the briefing so knew what was ahead of him. “We started the morning at Pelican Point in 80ft of water. I got one fish there on a Gulp Grub

Duane Macey (6/6, 5.92kg) took out the non-boater title at Lake Glenbawn.

with a 1/4oz Impact Tackle jighead in smoked yellow core colour. The second fish followed on a Gulp Grub rigged on a black 1/4oz Impact Tackle jig head.” Macey then moved across the dam to a line of trees, where fish were located in 50ft of water. Initially the fish were aggressive with many being lost and no bass being boated. A change of plan ensued, “We got smoked a lot and couldn’t land a fish. We moved away from the trees about 10ft and sat the Gulps on the bottom. With a few taps on the back of the rod and a very slow wind up I found the fish reacted better. I also removed any stinger hooks, which seemed to also help.” When session two began Macey returned to the line of trees, and was rewarded with four fish in the first 30 minutes of the session. Black coloured Gulps proved to be the key lure for the session. In the final session Macey was paired with Dave Young. Macey explains how the session unfolded. “Dave and me went straight to the back of the dam where we were fishing

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Adrian MELCHIOR Karen FONTAINE Peter PHELPS Mark LENNOX David LANE Dean SILVESTER Steven RICHARDS Paul GILLESPIE Craig SIMMONS Dane RADOSEVIC

6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 5/6 5/6 6/6

Weight (kg) 7.38 7.05 6.67 6.34 6.33 6.24 5.99 5.83 5.63 5.57

For full result listings, see www.bream.com.au

consisted of a 6ft UltraLight Spin Stick built by David Williamson on a BarraBass blank teamed with a Shimano Stradic 1000 spin reel spooled with 8lb Varivas braid and 6lb Yamatoyo Rock Fish leader. On her equipment. “The rod is shorter so you can have your rod tip closer to the waterline and finesse the bite, but they have plenty of backbone to muscle the biggest of bass. BarraBass now produce this rod and it’s aptly named the Glenbawn Special. “A big thanks to all the other anglers for giving me plenty of room to fish. Thanks also to Bassman Spinnerbaits,

BASS PR O SERIE S

Manning River Marine and Gregg Flett, who for many years has been generous enough to let me join him on pre fish and share his knowledge. My result is a culmination of what I have learnt from all the boaters I have been fortunate enough to fish with over my years fishing ABT events. Special thanks to the ABT organisers and all the ABT Sponsors that make these events possible.”

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle Rod: Majorcraft Crostage 1-5lb Line: 6lb Unitika braid Leader: 4lb/8lb leader

Winning Edge Melchior highlights the functionality of his Lowrance HDS 9 and HDS 12 sounders as his winning edge. “I have come to believe that the real difference in a deep water bite is the quality of the electronics you’re using up front and trusting that what you see is going to produce results in the net.”

Big Bass Simon Marchant caught the Big Bass for the event, securing the 1.45kg bass in session two. The $500 bass fell to a black 3” Gulp and came from 60ft of water at the back of the dam in the 8 knot zone.

OSP Photo Prize James Reid secured the inaugural OSP photo prize by catching and photographing a 37.5cm bass. The bass came in the final session, falling to an OSP high pitcher spinnerbait. Reid secured a prize pack of lures courtesy of OSP and Imakatsu.

in 50-60ft of water. I was using the same technique as Saturday. I never got a bite until two hours after we got there, but then managed to land three fish in the next hour. Black coloured Gulps were my key lure all weekend.” M a c e y ’s outfit consisted of a 4-8lb Hurricane Bass Rod by Black Hole NS with a 1000 size Pflueger Patriarch reel

spooled with 8lb Berkley Nanofil line and 6lb Black Magic leader. Macey dissects his tackle choices, “The Impact Tackle jighead colours I used were black, smoke yellow core, eel green and baby bass. To these I added Gulp Grubs in black, camo and pumpkinseed colour. I also used 2.5” Z-Man GrubZ in watermelon red colour.”

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS Payout $3,650 $1,750 $1,150 $1,000 $800 $800 $700 $700 $400 $400

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Duane MACEY Ben SCOTMAN Ryan JONES Ben LOCKWOOD David WILLIAMSON Mitchell CONE Liam FITZPATRICK Mike CONNOLLY Tom DEER Allan PRICE

6/6 6/6 5/6 6/6 6/6 4/6 5/6 4/6 4/6 4/6

5.92 5.78 5.42 4.91 4.90 4.53 4.50 4.23 4.04 3.83

Payout Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack

For full result listings, see www.bream.com.au MAY 2014

Wilson’s Family Fishing Challenge on again It’s on again, the Wilson Moreton Bay and Offshore Family Fishing Challenge. The Redland Bay Amateur Fishing Club will be celebrating 23 years of hosting this great event with L.Wilson & Co. having the naming rights for several years straight. Sponsors, such as Events in Tents who supply the marquee, tables, chairs, all the yummy food and kids rides, and Wilson, ensure this event can happen. The Wilson Moreton Bay and Offshore Family Fishing Challenge is recognised as a premier event in the Redlands and attracts many sponsors and contributors from across SEQ. There is plenty of entertainment for the kids with rides and music, glow in the dark products and face painting. Adults can relax and talk about the one that got away in the Challenge Bar, check out some great fishing gear stalls and enjoy some fantastic food and musical entertainment. The major prize is supplied by Stones Corner Marine, so make sure to visit the guys at Stones Corner Marine for all your boating needs. A new sponsor of the

Wilson Moreton Bay and Offshore Family Fishing Challenge is Bonza Graphics who is providing us with a total boat wrap and brag mats. Early entry this year will reward the first 150 people who enter will receive a FREE gift bag of significant value. This bag is a Wilson Sure Catch fish bag containing a Bonza Graphics brag mat, stickers and loads of other bag fillers This year promises to be bigger and better than ever and we have fingers crossed that the weather Gods smile on us. We will be introducing some new categories this year. Firstly the tagged fish will be replaced by three new categories from which there will be guaranteed winners. There is the Secret Weight. This will be a nominated fish for seniors and juniors. A Catch and Release Flathead is also on offer,

which will be for the largest flathead caught. This will require a photo taken of the fish on a brag mat with your entry tag in view. The third new category is a Grand Slam. This will entail offshore and inshore sections. Offshore will be an accumulation of weight for snapper, pearl perch, sweetlip and cobia. Inshore will be whiting, bream, snapper and mulloway. There will be prizes for just about everything and everyone...

King pin of the

30th May to the 1st June 2014

This year there will be not one but TWO major random draw prizes at the conclusion of the competition. A boat package worth over $6000 by Stefan Boating World and a week’s holiday on the Shangri-Lah from Coomera Houseboats.

OVER $45,000 PRIZES!

• Tagged fish again this year • Sundowners beneficiary is the Beenleigh Special School • Over $45,000 worth of prizes and giveaways throughout the day • Weigh in at the Gem Hotel Alberton commencing at 11.00am and finishing at 1pm on Sunday 1 June • VMR will be there doing a sausage sizzle. Beverages are available all day by the hotel

• 10 meat tray raffles and a couple of major raffle prizes being donated by Bethania Bunnings • Cost $30 Adults, $10 children (15 & under) • Tickets in shops early April and can be bought at, Gem Bait & Tackle, Gem Hotel, Tackle World Corpooroo, Water Tower Bait & Tackle, Rudi Maas Marina, Jacobs Well Bait and Tackle, Cabbage Tree General Store, Charltons Bait and Tackle, Southport Fishing and Dive Centre, Beenleigh Bowls Club.

Species: bream, flathead, whiting, tailor, mulloway. All fish to be weighed gilled and gutted.

Contact Don 0411 958 076 90

MAY 2014

The fishing categories will include junior, ladies and senior daily prizes and you don’t even need to fish to be in the chance for a win. With 5 daily junior and 10 daily senior calls for the lucky hat to be in the draw for the major prizes which are drawn on the final day. Everyone with a lucky hat walks away with a prize. Plus there are daily draws for juniors and seniors, the magazine draw and many raffles up for grabs. The Wilson Moreton Bay and Offshore Family Fishing Challenge has stacks

and stacks of prizes kindly supplied by our valued sponsors. Some of the sponsors on board already are Wilson, Events in Tents, Bonza Graphics, Stones Corner Marine, Mossops Bait & Tackle Shop, Redlands City Council, Stefan, Bayside Fishin Gear, Hayes Pots & Products, Toll, Bush ‘N’ Beach Fishing Magazine, Battery World, Auto Parts Victoria Point Redlands Marine, Bayside Suzuki Marine, REA Solar, Precision Labout Hire, Bayside Boat Licensing, TMC Outboards, Alvey Reels Australia, Queensland Trailer Spares, Arctic Ice Works, AW Images, Bayside Plasterboard, Keltic Concreting, BCF, Continuity Accounting, Water Tower Bait & Tackle, P & A Bricklaying, Secure

Steel, Inkjet Toner Refills, Redland City Glass & Aluminium, Freezetec, Kennards Hire Cleveland, Suburban Locksmiths, Mitre 10 Redland Bay, Fishing Monthly, Sea Mist Day Spa, Go with the Glow, ZOL Home Decor, Pool Leak Services, Comsure Insurance, Discount Drug Stores Redland Bay, Greenscene Landscapes, Statewide Survey Group, L & S Carpentry & Constructions, Redland Bay Auto Paint & Panel, Fraser View Holiday Letting, Redland Bay Quality Meats, CAL Plumbing, Scurry Plumbing and Stradbroke Island Holidays. A special thanks to Sean from Moreton Bay Charters for all of his hard work behind the scenes. Come and net yourself a prize and have a really good time at the Redland Bay Amateur Fishing Club at 245-249 The Esplanade Redland Bay on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend (6, 7, 8 and 9 June 2014). Flyers and entry forms available for download at www.rbafc.org.au or contact Megan on 0410 665 933 or email savasrbafc@ gmail.com. Hope to see you there. – Matt Savas

Cooking

Salt and pepper squid tentacles

BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

This is an easy version of salt and pepper squid. INGREDIENTS 200g squid heads and tentacles 1 cup cornflour 1/4tsp freshly ground salt 1tsp freshly ground black pepper Oil for frying (vegetable or peanut)

Fry the tentacle ‘clusters’ for a couple of minutes only, before removing the squid from the pan or wok.

In a glass bowl, combine the cornflour, salt and pepper. Then pop the squid into the cornflour mixture.

Drain the squid well on paper towel.

Using your fork, or fingers, tumble to thoroughly coat the squid in the seasoned flour.

Heat the oil in a heavy based frypan or wok. Shake each piece slightly to remove any excess flour, then place the coated squid into the hot oil, a piece at a time.

Quick and easy salt and pepper squid tentacles.

n o e b o t t Wan f o r e v o C the ? y l h t n o M Fishing

INSER T YOUR FACE HERE!

Do you love your monthly issue of Fishing Monthly? Do you think it’s about time you were on the cover of it? Well, we think that too and are offering readers the chance to do just that. The June, July and August issues of Queensland, NSW and Victoria/Tasmania FMs will all feature readers’ pics on the front covers. And there’s no reason why it can’t be you... Entry is simple. Email us your cover-worthy pic. Remember, though, that it needs to be the right composition and resolution to work. After that, it just needs to get through the Grumpy Old Men committee (of Steve Booth and Steve Morgan) and then BOOM, you’re the latest cover model.

Be creative - we like images that aren’t just ‘person holding fish’. • • • • • •

Other parameters of which you need to take note: Portrait format (turn camera on its side). Leave enough room for a magazine masthead at the top of the image. Shoot in the highest resolution your camera can take. Use fill-in flash to help remove any shadows under caps or biminis. Live fish look way better than dead ones. Any fish must be legally captured (within season/size limits).

Head not too high in the shot to allow for Masthead Portrait format showing focus area

And then email your image to: frontcovercomp@fishingmonthly.com.au with a description of the what/when/where/how of the capture. Be sure to include your details, too, because we’ll post out a framed copy of the winning covers to the entrant.

THAT will be going straight to the Pool Room, we bet.

For full terms and conditions, please refer to www.fishingmonthly.com.au/frontcovercomp MAY 2014

Leopard Tree Lodge’s Bush Camp FMG

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

Leopard Tree Lodge, found at the top end of Somerset Dam about 5km from Kilcoy, is a farm retreat that offers visitors a range of accommodation options, access to Somerset and offers a chance to get away. We recently stayed at the Bush Camp area at Leopard Tree Lodge and if you’re new to camping or you just like that little bit of ‘extra’ when you’re camping, then this is one place well worth investigating. The Bush Camp is close to the shores of Lake Somerset and the property has around 900m of actual lake frontage. Surrounded by trees, this secluded camp area is fenced to provide a place to relax and unwind and get away from the stresses of everyday life. The beauty of the Leopard Tree Lodge Bush Camp really is that it is all there for you.

All we had to bring was our food and drinking water and everything else was there. The Bush Camp has its own bush kitchen, gas BBQ, fire pit and camp oven cookware, cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery, solar lighting, two hot showers and a composting toilet. And that’s before you step inside the on-site permanent tents. The tents themselves are brilliant. Heavy canvas that protects you from the elements,

with plenty of windows that allow you to open up the tents to allow breezes to blow through and cool down the tents on a hot day. Inside each of the four tents are two single beds that have all bedding supplied and the beds are sensational. I’ve got a dodgy back and often accommodation beds are pretty ordinary, this is not the case here with both mattress and pillows suiting me down to a T. But what really sets this

The results of a camp oven cook up – roast pork, roast lamb and a stack of roast vegies. Dinner anyone?

from the front gate to Kirkleigh and it couldn’t be easier. If you have a small boat or a kayak/ canoe, you can simply follow the farm tracks to the lake’s edge and access the water from there. Somerset is most famous for its Australian bass, however other species like golden perch, tilapia, redclaw and the

Close enough but far enough apart, the tents look over the camp fire and camp kitchen and sitting back on the deck in the afternoon is sensational.

The kids getting into it in the camp kitchen. This is a great place for a couple of families to get away from the rat race.

knew not to walk around the front of the toilet. The showers are sensational after a day of fishing, swimming, kayaking and entertaining the kids and the plentiful hot water made the two showers well used amenities by our crew. All in all, the Leopard Tree Lodge Bush Camp is sensational and is well worth family groups or groups of fishing mates checking out if Somerset is on your hit list. GETTING THERE From Brisbane, the easiest way to access Leopard Tree Lodge is to drive north to the Kilcoy turn off on the Bruce

There are two stand alone tents and one double tent set-up in the Bush Camp. Top Left: The camp fire is set apart from the camp kitchen and provides an ideal place to put on a camp roast in the camp ovens. Top Right: The tents are set up for two in single beds that are comfortable and provide a degree of ‘pamper’ that sets Leopard Tree Lodge apart. Right: With easy access via the farm tracks, kayaks and canoes are deployed, kids are set free and fun times are had.

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

Well here is the answer!!

Features include: Single person operation, electric and manual models, custom made to suit vehicle and boat, built for off-road conditions, aluminium and stainless steel construction. For further information contact Bowline on

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MAY 2014

place apart is your hosts. Both Boyd and Desley are sensational people who simply want to ensure you have the best time you can. If you want to relax and get away from it, they’ll give you the space to do that. If you want to become part of the farm you can drop into the animal feeding at 5pm and collect chicken eggs, feed the animals, get introduced to the horses and play around with the farm dogs. The kids just love this and our bunch of kids went nuts! If you’re into fishing, then the Bush Camp is absolutely ideal. I can see three boats of two anglers booking out the Bush Camp and heading down to Kirkleigh to launch and retrieve. It’s only 10 minutes

occasional cod are all available in the productive waters of the lake. On our trip we fished from the bank and crossed paths with plenty of tilapia and spangled perch and we even rustled up a few redclaw for dinner. If you just want to relax and look after yourself, the Bush Camp is the place to be. We had a first class camp oven cooker with us and with the fire pit set, Gary went about providing us a spectacular roast meal out of the camp ovens. It’s not an easy feat feeding our lot, but Gary managed to produce roast pork, lamb and vegies that simply melted in your mouth. The one thing you do need to be aware of though is that there is no power at the Bush Camp. If you’re a boating

angler who uses their electric and the batteries will need charging, take a generator with you. I took my Korr Camp Light kit to give us extra light in the camp kitchen and this was great as the sun went down and the adults sat around the fire pit and wound down after a day of running around chasing the kids. For those who need that little extra bit of comfort, the hot showers and composting toilet are fantastic. As silly as it sounds, we all pretty much left the toilet door open when in use as it faced away from the camp and the view looking over the paddocks and dam (yep, filled with yabbies!) was great. We simply yelled out ‘toilet in use’ and everyone

Redclaw are abundant in Somerset and setting the pots from the bank at Leopard Tree Lodge can get you some rippers like this!

Highway. Proceed 50km and pass through the Kilcoy township. Just 2km north of Kilcoy, turn left on the Esk-Kilcoy Road. Watch for the Leopard Tree Lodge sign at 1.5km and Desley or Boyd will meet you at the gate and escort you to the Bush Camp. If you’re travelling from Ipswich, you can make your way to Somerset Dam via Fernvale and then follow the Esk-Kilcoy Rd past The Spit and Kirkleigh to Leopard Tree Lodge. STAY AWHILE This is a place where one night is definitely not enough. If I had my choice a 2-3 night stay would be sensational as you could really unwind and get into some great fishing. The facilities are first rate, your hosts are sensational and the experiences you can have at Leopard Tree Lodge will last a lifetime. For more information, log onto www.leopardtreelodge. com or give them a call on (07) 5422 0700. The farm also has the amazing ‘Lodge’ that is a 100 year old farm house that has been fully restored and features a full gourmet kitchen, 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in fully air conditioned comfort. It’s another option in an amazing place to stay if glamping is not your thing.

Hyundai iX35 revised for 2014 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Regarded as one of the best selling SUVs in our country, the iX35 is one of Hyundai’s more popular offerings. Introduced nearly three years ago, this compact yet roomy SUV quickly gained a steady following from buyers who liked the styling, the high driving position and the overall roominess that goes hand in glove with a medium sized SUV. WORTHWHILE CHANGES The initial model sold well, with just a few grumbles from owners about the suspension which was on the harder side of firm. The good news is that the Series II iX35 is going to ride noticeably better thanks to retuned suspension. Exterior changes involve new projector-style headlights, new wheels and the inclusion of roof rails. Under the bonnet there are engine changes, with upgrades offering more power without much detriment to economy. On the interior of the iX35, changed upholstery on base models is offered while more upmarket models are kitted with metal highlights to break up the otherwise uninteresting dash layout. There’s also a larger touch screen and reversing camera on high-end models. Overall, though, the Hyundai’s cabin layout is still very good and ideal for even longer journeys by four adults (or three youngsters plus Mum and Dad) thanks to ample head and leg room, and comfortable seats that you actually sit in rather than on. And with plenty of storage areas it’s easy to relax after shedding a few odds and ends.

Bluetooth phone and audio are standard, and the audio system with its touch screen had six speakers plus steering wheel controls. USB auto input with iPod compatibility is standard, as is an aux input jack. And let’s not forget the all-important SUV road stance, where the higher seating and ground clearance give you a ‘commanding’ driving experience. There’s also

is standard and the buyer has the choice of manual or auto in base grades or all auto for those more wellappointed models. Ride comfort is the big thing to note. With changes to suspension settings, the resulting improvement sees far less body roll, and quicker settling after impact with bad surfaces. It’s been reported that Hyundai trialled over a dozen different suspension settings, both front and

that every iX35 variant has six air bags, along with EBD, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, Down Hill Brake Control and Hill Start Assist. Parking beepers are standard across the range as well. Whether on the highway or in traffic, the ix35 was a very smooth and easy car to drive. The six-speed auto unit linked smoothly with the wheel-activated cruise control and maintained the selected speed with great accuracy. (Which doesn’t always happen, just quietly.) ON THE ROAD At speed on the highway the petrol cruised very smoothly, with always plenty of power in reserve for overtaking or maintaining easy going up a range. Dropping a gear on a steep

New headlights, different wheels and roof bars: Hyundai has added small styling touches to make a good thing even better. hill does see a little engine buzz intruding but it’s usually only momentarily until you select the next gear. What was apparent was some tyre and wind noise but doubtlessly the next model released will see that situation changed. The ride was as sharp

Top: There’s no walnut trim in the dash but it’s well laid out, easily monitored and quite functional. Above: There’s 465L of load space here, even more with one or both of the rear seats down. the bonus of wide opening doors, which allow easy entry and exit for those of us who aren’t quite as young as we used to be. RIDE COMFORT The iX35 still remains a brilliantly practical vehicle in many respects. Power operation for most functions

Frontal styling of this year’s iX35 is slightly changed but still very easy on the eye.

rear, prior to arriving at the current version. It’s still somewhat firm but definitely an improvement. Steering has also been improved with less turns lock to lock than previously and far more response to boot. Again, full marks to Hyundai. ENGINE CHOICES Engine choices are a three way proposition. The four-cylinder 2.0L (122 kW and 197 Nm) and 2.4L (136kW and 240Nm) petrol units both now have direct fuel injection while the brilliant 2.0L diesel (135 kW and 392 Nm of torque) remains still the best engine by far given its tremendous strength. Note that only the base 2.0 petrol can be purchased with a manual gearbox. Reviewed was the base Active four-cylinder petrol, a 2WD with auto transmission. Base model it might have been but it still came with a lot of features, including the highest 5-star ANCAP crash rating. Note

Top: Seats that you actually sit in rather than on are a welcome feature of the iX35. Above: Rear seat passengers enjoy ample leg and head room in the iX35, plus ease of entry through quite wide doors.

as a pin with even quite hard cornering seeing the Hyundai staying right on line. Fuel consumption was 8.7L per 100km, a little above Hyundai’s claimed 8.4L per 100km. One thing I did notice was some shortcomings with rear visibility, being somewhat obscured by the rear quarter glass windows which made over-shoulder glances when changing lines somewhat difficult – ditto reversing into a tight area. Unfortunately, a rear view camera is not standard on the base model. The iX35’s cargo area is generous at 465L standard, and with the option of lowering one of the rear seats which have a 60:40 split, the excellent load space only gets better. For those who want to tow a small boat, the iX35 is rated for a 750kg unbraked trailer, or a 1500kg braked trailer. SUMMING UP When it comes to the new iX35, I believe there is a lot to like about this car. It’s obvious that Hyundai is endeavouring to keeping apace of rivals in this very tight segment of the SUV market, and sales results will speak for themselves. The Active 2WD auto would come home for around the $26,990 mark plus on-road costs. Note that a five-year unlimited warranty was pioneered by Hyundai and continues today. Capped price service is also offered.

GLIND CAPE YORKER 2 MODELS HIGH AND LOW FLOW Portable Pressurised Water System Perfect for showers, camp kitchens, water transfers, cleaning your fish, your boat and your kids! Just add water and power!

NEW

www.glind.com.au

Compatible with other Glind products.

MAY 2014

Marine Queensland changes The Marine Queensland membership ushered in a new leadership team at the 2014 Annual General Meeting held on Friday night at the Brisbane Tinnie and Tackle Show. The new leadership team elected by the meeting includes a new President, Vice President and three Committee members. Outgoing President Greg Nickerson said, “We have had a strategy in place for a few years whereby we were fostering the development of our next generation of industry leaders for the Association. “It is a very positive sign for that the members have nominated a talented

and enthusiastic new leadership team supporting the industry to its next stage of development and growth” said Nickerson. Incoming President, Matthew Hodson said, “I’m honoured to be given the opportunity in leading a dedicated Board where there is so much enthusiasm and energy about the industry’s future. “It will be a big job to fill Greg’s and his predecessors shoes but it is also reassuring knowing that he and others will always be available to advise and support the new team as we focus on the future. “There are a number of very important issues on the industry agenda

that we intend to progress as much as possible. Our mantra is ‘more people boating, more often’ and we need to make sure that all obstacles to achieving this goal are minimised or removed” said Hodson. “There is much research to indicate that notwithstanding our wonderful Queensland lifestyle with abundant marine recreation experiences, there are many in the community who are not connecting with it, as Queenslander’s once did. “With increasing levels physical inactivity, obesity and mental health issues, we can see something is not it perhaps should be. “As industry leaders we know the benefits of

THE NEW BOARD COMPRISES President:................................................Matthew Hodson, Managing Director, John Crawford Marine; Vice President:.........................................Nathan Nichols, Managing Director, Cruise Craft Boats; Treasurer:.................................................Darryl Greentree, Managing Director, Allstate Boat Licencing Committee:.............................................. Andrew Fielding..................................Anchorline Yacht Brokers Ross Geurts........................................Managing Director, Brisbane Seadoo and Can Am; Steve Mahaffey...................................Director, Australian Reliance Insurance Brokers; Paul Phelan.........................................Managing Director, Telwater Mark Suttle..........................................Honda MPE David Wood.........................................BLA Immediate Past President:......................Greg Nickerson, Managing Director, Northside Marine.

marine recreation, but we know that more needs to be done to communicate the benefits of participating in marine recreation to the community,” said Hodson. “Our priority will be to ramp up promotion of the health and wellbeing benefits of marine recreation to Governments and the community,” said Hodson.

“Consistent with the theme of ‘engagement’, we will also seek to further engage with those businesses that are not currently members of the Association. We will be seeking to provide a broad range of value service offerings, which deliver real benefits to our diverse range of members. A prime example is Boats on Sale, which aims to enable any member business to put their skills or products before potential customers through a dynamic industry owned and operated web marketplace. Consumers see great value in our ‘Buy with Confidence’ message that membership of our industry association brings,” said Hodson. “This linked to our industry TV channel – On the water TV – on YouTube that is growing rapidly, providing great research options and actively promotes the wonderful lifestyle options available through marine recreation” said Hodson.

54th Brisbane Boat Show

of expert talks and demonstrations and of course - lots of boats! Mark your calendar and keep an eye out as more attractions are confirmed!

Mackay Boat Show returns in 2014 Mark your calendar – the fourth Mackay Boat Show will be held at Mackay Marina on the 21-22 June 2014. The FREE weekendlong event will feature everything from sailing boats, offshore fishing boats, tinnies, fibreglass boats and PWCs to marine electronics and accessories. Visitors to this year’s Festival can expect to see boat displays both on and off the water with new release products from some of the biggest names in the marine industry. Adding to this year’s event will be heaps of

FREE kids entertainment at the Kids Marine. The Kids Marine Zone is designed to educate and inspire tomorrow’s anglers with plenty of hands on activities to keep the kids busy. Mackay Marina is the

place to be for this FREE family event. The 2014 Mackay Marine Festival is proudly brought to you by Marine Queensland, Mackay Marina (Port Binnli) and Events and Tourism Queensland.

This year the Brisbane Boat Show will celebrate 54 years of showcasing the best of Queensland’s Marine Industry! Marine Queensland is excited to be returning to the newly redeveloped Brisbane Showgrounds (RNA Showgrounds) for the 2014 Brisbane Boat Show. From the 12-15 of September 2014 the Brisbane Boat Show will be the perfect place to search, compare and choose from hundreds of boats, marine accessories and services. Attractions already confirmed for this year’s show include FREE Kids Fishing Clinics, Cooking Demonstrations, plenty

DETAILS What:........ When:....... Where:...... Web:.........

54th Brisbane Boat Show 12-15 September 2014 Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane www.brisbaneboatshow.com.au.

Office: National Retailers Association Building, 6 Overend St, East Brisbane QLD 4169 Post: PO Box 7061, East Brisbane, QLD, 4163 I Tel: 07 3240 0170 I Fax: 07 3891 5293 I Email: info@marineqld.com.au | www.marineqld.com.au 94

MAY 2014

Why not Wivenhoe? BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

It’s hard to say if this is a secret camping destination or not. Everyone seems to know of Wivenhoe Dam thanks to the mega press discussions during the flood of two years ago, but not everyone is aware that there are first-class camping facilities available on the shoreline at Captain Logan inlet, on the eastern side of the highway between Esk and Fernvale. At the Inlet there are two camping areas, Captain Logan and

Lumley Hill. Both offer first class facilities, having been developed years ago by government body SEQ Water. Looking at Captain Logan camping area first, the turnoff from the Fernvale / Esk Toogoolawah Road is signed as Hay Road. If you travel down Hay Road for about 5km, being careful not to bump into a kangaroo en route, you’ll see Logan Inlet Road ahead. From this turn off it’s a very short distance to either camping area (still watch out for roos!) The Captain Logan camping area is on a prominent point on Lake

Wivenhoe with a pleasing northerly aspect. Camp sites (57 in all) are offered on each side of the point, with large, clean, and well finished amenities offered for campers, day visitors and boaters having a crack at some of the Lake’s finny denizens. The office is on the left as you enter, and it provides firewood and ice but not much else. The staff there can arrange a camp site for visitors, but I’m advised it is best to book well in advance given the limited number of camp sites available. Do note that things can be pretty busy of a weekend, but not

The entrance to the Wivenhoe camping area is hard to miss.

Left: Boaters can freely enjoy the ramp at Captain Logan Inlet now that restrictions on the Lake have been lifted. Right: There’s room for both caravans and camper trailers at Captain Logan Inlet.

Well set out shelter sheds are set up for campers and day visitors.

Lake Wivenhoe has many placid arms for even small boats to enjoy. so much during the week. At holiday time (Easter in particular ) this is one busy hub of camping activity. Logan Inlet is a pretty modest sort of camping area but it’s quite comfortable just the same. Camp sites are clearly set out, numbered and measure approximately 7m x 10m, which is room enough for a tent or camper trailer but not to get the car onto the site as well. Several sites can take caravans up to 6m in length, and a few sites along the shore are advertised as having deep enough water for a boat to remain nearby. Do note that there are no powered sites at Captain Logan Inlet. If you need to charge a boat motor battery, for example, it will be necessary to use the power point at the back of the camp office and a long lead. One of the main attractions at this camping area is the well-formed boat ramp on the western side of the main point. There’s a fish cleaning table, toilets and shelter shed handy and in all, it’s a neat place to visit. LUMLEY HILL Lumley Hill, just across the inlet and to the east of Captain Logan Inlet offers 105 camp sites, several of them with power. Again, the camping area is on a fairly well tree covered point with sites clearly set out for users. The good news is that there are powered sites available with some suited to caravans, and others best for camper trailers. There are also a few drive-on sites with concrete pads for caravans and the like. Both camping areas offer fire pits, shelter sheds, and some of the cleanest amenities I’ve ever seen. Plus, on weekends there is a very popular and well patronised hotdog stall set up near the entrance to the Captain Logan Inlet office. Note that entry is restricted to both camping areas prior to 6:00am and after 6:00pm at night. Pets are not permitted. Local infrastructure is confined to the towns of Fernvale (with its award

winning bakery, yum!) and Esk, which are within a half hour’s drive or so from either camping area. Both towns offer virtually everything a visitor could want or need, from health professionals to supermarkets. FISHING AND BOATING Lake Wivenhoe has undergone a renaissance of sorts, with lifting of boating

thousands. While they may be annoying for serious anglers, catfish are great for training youngsters on the art of playing a fish. They bite readily on anything from worms to flies, they pull like little tractors and provide a no-waiting-time form of sport. With cooler weather coming on we can expect the catties to retreat somewhat

Camping right on the water at Captain Logan Inlet is a great option at Lake Wivenhoe. restrictions from paddlepowered and sail to 3-star emission powercraft – i.e. 4-stroke and direct injection outboards. A strict speed limit of 6 knots is enforced. The fish species in the lake are catfish (both forktailed and eel-tailed), bass,

and the more desirable natives start to show in catches. You’ll need a boating permit and a stocked impoundment permit to boat and fish on the dam. Camping permits for the Dam can be obtained on the ‘net at seqlakesideescapes@

Camping cannot get much better than this: fishing on the doorstep. silver perch and golden perch. All of the more desirable native species are stocked by the thousands but during the summer months the catties also seem to be there in the

gmail.com or by telephone on (07) 5426 4729. Booking in advance is highly advisable as this camping area has become mighty popular in recent years. MAY 2014

Tech Tricks

Setting up for cephalopods BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

A species that has been hotly targeted in recent years, especially by landbased anglers, squid are a tasty treat that can be dead easy to catch one day and nearly impossible the next. There is no denying that squid and other cephalopod species can be hard to catch at times, especially in hard fished waters. With the cooler months upon us you’ll notice a healthy increase in squid numbers, so let’s explore the tackle required and the techniques that will give you the best chance of a calamari feast. There are a few different ways to catch squid from landbased or boating perspectives. Squid are commonly tempted with an egi (a slowly sinking prawn-profiled lure with rows of barbs at the rear) or a squid skewer (a metal rod with a series of barbs at the rear which is pushed through a bait). Both of these can be very successful when used correctly in a host of locations. Speaking of locations, where would you look to catch a few squid? Basically, cephalopods (a class of molluscs that includes squid and cuttlefish) love clean, clear water, especially around areas with structure such as weed beds, reefs, rubble grounds, rock walls and other manmade structures that provide cover and ambush spots. In open water areas, check out the weed banks, shallows around the islands and foreshores and also within any canal developments or at the mouths of major river systems. Squid can be taken from exceptionally shallow or very deep water. There are roughly 300 species of cephalopods worldwide, however in my neck of the woods (Southern Queensland), we mainly catch tigers, bottles, arrows and a few others. Some species in other parts of the world can reach gargantuan proportions, with many mariner tales over

Egi come in numerous sizes, coatings, base finishes, sink rates and colours. A good selection can sometime make the difference between enticing a strike or receiving constant refusals. the years of gigantic squid grabbing ships and trying to pull them beneath the water. While many anglers try to catch the largest squid they can (although perhaps not ship-grabbing size), I find the smaller ones to be much better eating, although you do need to catch a few more for a decent feed. EGI EXCELLENCE Once only called ‘squid jigs’ in Australia, the Japanese term ‘egi’ (meaning wooden lure) has quickly caught on. These prawn-profiled jigs have small feather pectoral additions and several rows of razor sharp barbs at the rear. They can have various coatings and each egi angler has different theories as to their usage. Slick plastic outers are designed so the squid’s grabbing tentacles (often called candles) easily slide along the jig and onto the jags on the initial strike. Various cloth coatings, on the other hand, are theorised to make the jig feel more like a real prawn or fish. It is believed that the squid will hold onto the jig longer with the grabbing tentacles and will quickly pull the jig in to obtain a more secure

Skewers can be baited and suspended below a near neutral buoyancy float when fishing from the shore or drifting in a boat. 96

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purchase with its shorter holding tentacles as it readies to eat the prey. This is the best time to strike, setting the barbs securely into the cluster of tentacles. This will usually guarantee you landing the squid, because the barbs rarely ever come out when the squid is hooked like this. Yamashita, a major manufacturer of quality egi, have come up with a coating called Tactywarm. When exposed to UVA and UVB light it becomes 1-1.5ºC warmer than the surrounding water, and this slight heat difference is similar to that of a prawn or baitfish. Egi are generally worked with a series of abrupt hops (depending on water depth) or even a slow wind with the occasional pause. When you get a squid strike, pause momentarily, allowing the squid to pull the jig back to the main body, which will provide the most secure hook-up. Then lift the rod positively to set the barbs. From here you just need to wind slowly to secure your prize. Do not pump the rod as this will produce momentary slack line and give the squid the opportunity to eject the jig from its tentacles, as the egi’s spikes don’t have barbs. Egi can vary greatly in size from 1.2 to 10.0, but the average angler would rarely use one larger than 4.0. Each of these sizes can come in various sink rates and a plethora of colours and base effects. Quality egi (generally Japanese brands) have sharper and finer barbs, better coatings, more realistic eyes, controlled sink rates and much better actions in the water compared to the cheaper offerings. You should expect to pay at least $15 for a quality egi, with some costing in excess of $30. It is much better to have a few

quality egi than a whole box of cheap ones. Remember that squid of all species can be very shy, and several egi changes may be required before you get a take, or another flat refusal, so having a few different ones will be a bonus. In the hard worked areas such as Manly foreshore, Wellington Point, Victoria Point and Scarborough the squid seem to get harder to tempt as the winter months roll on, due to the pressure and huge number of squid jigs that they see. In shallow coastal foreshore zones, harbours, canals and numerous other areas, many anglers use high powered spotlights and head torches to locate the squid before they even cast a jig. I must admit to doing this regularly myself and while it can be extremely effective, you will also spook a lot of squid before you have a chance to cast at them. Blind casting, i.e. working over areas that you think may hold squid without actually seeing them first, is becoming a less used technique in these zones. I think that’s a mistake. With a spotlight you only see those

The prize for a few hours’ effort – some tasty squid. well worth investigating. In these very shallow zones you are best to use a slow sinking egi with either a slow wind or a series of small hops. SKEWERED SQUID Skewers (sometimes called ‘jags’) are a metal rod with a several rows of upward facing barbs on one end. This rod is generally pierced lengthways through a whole fish (pilchard, slimy mackerel and suchlike) and then suspended a metre or more beneath a float. They can even be cast out and slowly retrieved. In fast flowing water and

Spiral snaps and similar clips make rapid jig changes easy. This is important when the squid are refusing your egi and you need to change it. squid close to the water’s surface, not those deeper down lurking around the rock walls and weed beds in ambush mode. Blind casting can be extremely effective in a host of areas, especially those spots with suitable cover, baitfish congregations or a prominent current that is likely to bring food sources (and squid) into the area. Like many other species, I find squid easier to tempt in areas with current as they will usually pounce aggressively on a well presented egi in their vicinity. Out into the more open bay areas, the squidding can also be very good with some key spots regularly holding squid. The shallow reef and rubble areas around the bay islands (Peel, Mud, Bird, Goat, Green, King and so on) and the weed beds along Moreton and Stradbroke are

when cast and retrieve fishing I like to put the tail closest to the barbs and in calmer waters the other way around. Using a near neutral buoyancy float guarantees the squid can pull the it under the water easily when it grabs the bait. When you see the float disappear, lift the rod firmly to set the barbs and then slowly wind to retrieve your prize. In the deeper zones, or when drift fishing in the channels and around the bay islands, baited skewers can be used to tempt cephalopods of all kinds. It is an easy and very relaxed way of securing a few squid from either a boating or land-based perspective. SPECIALIST SQUIDDING As previously mentioned, squid can be dead easy to tempt at times, yet extremely fussy on other occasions. It is when the going is tough that

the little things, especially in terms of tackle, technique and rigging, can make a big difference. Braided line is commonly used for squidding but light fluorocarbon, direct to the jig, can be used also. Many of the braids designed specifically for squidding are colours that have low visibility to squid or in camouflaged colours. Light fluorocarbon leaders are low visibility and are highly recommended, especially in the shallows. For rapid jig changes, especially when you are getting refusals and need to present a new offering quickly, spiral snaps and similar fastenings make the task a breeze. Specialised egi rods are generally7’6” to 9’6” long and have tips designed for efficient casting of a designated range of jig weights. Their tapers are designed to absorb the lunges of a hooked cephalopod to avoid tearing out the barbs. This is aided by the use of reels with precision drag settings (similar to the finesse reels used for tournament bream fishing) which allow fine and accurate drag settings. However, you can still throw a few jigs around on your average bream or light plastics rod and achieve good results. CONCLUSION Squidding is a challenging and exciting way to secure a tasty feed of squid and cuttlefish or just have a bit of fun. It can be done at a host of locations from either a boat or the shore which makes it accessible to most anglers. I regularly squid fish from the shore at night during the cooler months and you would be surprised at some of the places where you can catch a few squid in the canals, harbours and along rocks wall. As the inshore waters cool with the onset of winter and clear up due to the effects of westerly winds, the squid fishing will improve dramatically. Get yourself a few quality egi or a skewer and get in on the action. You might find that you enjoy it so much that you will be buying some more specialised tackle before long.

HAWK FISHING • FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION

UK Fish Species

BARBEL

DOVER SOLE

SEA BREAM

BLEAK

LING

SKATE

Name

BLONDE RAY PLAICE

SMOOTH HOUND

BRILL

POLLACK

SOLENETTE

BULLHUSS

PORBEAGLE

SPURDOG

CHUB

RAYS BREAM

TENCH

COALFISH

RED BREAM

TURBOT

DAB

ROKER

UNDULATE RAY

DACE

RUDD

ZANDER

Address

P/Code Phone (day):

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win a Hawk Fishing cap, Hawk Fishing line, Hawk HB Lure, assorted Panther Martin lures and 3 packets of Youvella chemically sharpened hooks. SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Hawk Tournament Competition

PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129 QLD MAY 2014

FINS SCALES & TAILS by A. Both

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winner for March was J Everitt of Charleville, who won a High Definition Blue Mirror Lens from Tonic Eyewear. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE BLACK MAGIC C-POINT WINNERS BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The Find the Black Magic C-Point Hook prize winners for March were D Clarke of Taroomball, R Smith of Chinchilla, L Jensen of Glenwood, S White of Nanango, R Pitt of Gatton, B Botting of Nanango, P Carrington of Deception Bay, P Moody of Kingston, R Quill of Tin Can Bay, A Murphy of Deception Bay, J Waters of Alderley, A Coles of Malanda, G Challenor of Maroochydore, J Coop of Bundaberg West, T Bell of Sheldon, W Adamson of Tallegalla, C Ramage of Davistown , A Jarvis of Thornlands, K Frankel of Pottsville, L Peters of Raceview, W Glynn of Upper Coomera, L Finney of Goomeri, G Poor of Taromeo, B Culey of Bundaberg, E & V Jackson of Long Flat, J Wilson of Nanango, B Fisher of Roma, J Willmann of Windaroo, G Fisher of South Mackay, J Paul of Inverell, M Baker of Gorokan, A Lay of Blackwater, R Brown of Edmonton, J Goody of Mt Berryman, R Freeman of Wellington Point, R Wardrop of Glamorgan Vale, M Bateman of Innes Park, G Englart of Blackriver, P McGuane of Veteran, D Culshaw of Banyo, D Champkin of Ningi, J Wogandt of Urangan, L Etter of Richlands, B Cowell of Burpengary, K Martin of Dalby, D & T Davidson of Guyra, M Goodwin of Cardwell, I Wogandt of River Heads, R Wright of Urangan, D Wilson of Jambin, who each won a packet of Black Magic C-Point Hooks valued at $5.95! Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE C-POINT MARCH LOCATIONS G & N by Michael Hardy

The answers to Find the Black Magic C-Point Hook for March were: 11, 16, 30, 38, 44, 46, 52, 62, 67, 68, 82, 89, 96, 112, 116. – QFM

FIND-A-WORD WINNER Congratulations to Greg Poor of Taromeo, who was last month’s winner of the Hawk Tournament Finda-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive Hawk Tournament Tested Bayer Perlon IGFA line, assorted Panther Martin lures, Youvella hooks and a keyring. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM 3

• DECEMBER 2010

MAY 2014

Outrigger rigging: using multiple release clips PART II BRISBANE

Kim Bain

In our first instalment on outriggers last month, we covered the reasoning behind why you might use outriggers on your boat (one outrigger on each side of the boat). Also we covered the basics of rigging them ‘one-up’ with a single pin-type release clip on each rigger. In this edition we will look at rigging each outrigger with multiple release clips so that you can troll two or even three lines per outrigger. As a variation, we will also cover rigging outriggers with alternative release clips (e.g. both ‘peg’ and ‘pin’ styles of release clips). If you want to run more than one line from each rigger you can either run two clips on the one rigger halyard or you

Above Left: Outriggers in the stowed position showing the two individual lanyards running up to different height eyelets on the rigger poles. Running them to different height eyelets keeps the two halyards separate and creates angles that also keep the clips far enough apart that they are unlikely to tangle each other. (Note that these are the aluminium type outrigger poles that are supported by wire stays.) Above Middle: A close-up of one of the rigger poles showing the two separate halyards. Above Right: This image provides a good view of an outrigger tip running two clips on independent halyards (however the attempt to run one flag using both clips is probably a fail!) It demonstrates that you don’t normally want to run both clips so close together, but it’s a good image of the tip end of a double halyard set-up.

A glass type eyelet at one end and a jam cleat at the other. can run two halyards with their own releases. In my opinion, having two release clips on the same halyard makes it hard to fine tune the placement of each of your fishing lines. Also, the pressure of two lines connected to the same halyard sometimes compounds the problem of what I call ‘halyard creep’. Halyard creep is the pressure on the rigger halyard that pulls it in ever so slightly and causes the clips to creep down, which reduces the tension in the fishing lines which can then allow tangles. The heavier bait or lure, i.e. the one creating the most drag, will take some tension off the other release clip. This then allows the other clip to twist or flip and tangle. To avoid this, most crews 98

MAY 2014

Another double pulley inline option, this time in close up.

A Rupp Release Clip incorporated into a double line system. Some anglers and crews prefer this style of clip for heavier line classes.

A triple attachment system (most crews find running two release clips to be more than enough). The third attachment may be used for a teaser or tag line or simply somewhere to tie off a flag/pendant.

running multiple clips will run each clip off a separate individual halyard in order to troll two or more baits off each outrigger. Running each clip off an individual halyard also permits precise positioning adjustments for each release clip and therefore for each fishing line that is being trolled via a clip. As covered last month, the basic rigging set-up has a monoline type halyard that threads through a series of eyelets attached along the rigger pole, and the base end consists of a glass ring on shock cord. When running two halyards, the longer one runs to the highest eyelet on the rigger (just like a single halyard rig) and the shorter one terminates at one of the eyes in

the outrigger between halfway and two thirds up the pole. At the base\boat end of the multiple halyard set-up you have a couple of options, mainly glass rings or pulleys. The photos accompanying this article will tell the story. There pros and cons of using pulleys over glass rings. Although glass rings can shatter, they do offer enough

friction between halyard and ring that the halyard is usually held in place. Unlocked pulleys allow halyard creep (the release clip vibrates down) unless you use Hal Locks or clip the two sides of each halyard together to stop them moving. You can use a flat line clip, like a giant clothes peg, to keep the halyard from creeping. Hal Locks are

a roller pulley system with the ability to lock the line\ halyard in place with the flip of a switch. Now let’s look at the photos. In future editions we will cover tag lines for trolling lures and also centre riggers. In the meantime, here’s some basic info. A tag line runs back

behind the outrigger pole tip, roughly the length of the pole to reduce angle and minimise the length of line from rod tip to lure. The main line from the rod tip attaches to the tag line end with an elastic band and the band breaks when a fish grabs the lure. It’s fairly simple and very effective. The problem with running a tag line from each outrigger

is that they are hard to reach, and this is where line weights or tag line slides come into play. A slide is a metal barrel with a hole though the centre. Tag line slides come in chromed brass or stainless steel and are about 50-60mm long and around 25mm in diameter. They go over the outrigger line that runs from the boat to the pole tip and the tag line. When

a lure is run out, the pull on the tag line drags the slide out to the end of the pole so the line stays out there where it should be. When a fish grabs the lure and breaks the elastic band connecting the tag line to the main line, the weight of the slide brings the tag line back down to within reach. More on this next month. Stay tuned!

Above Left: In single or multiple riggings the shock cord (aka bungee cord) is run to either a pad eye or a jam cleat. Above Middle Left: A triple side-by-side system. Above Middle Right: This is one way to run two base terminations. This is a version of the double shock cord system for the boat’s base end termination. Above Right: This is the in-line double pulley system for the boat end termination. The outrigger release in this photo is the flat peg type, used with heavy tackle slow trolling when you don’t want the fishing line to be movable through a rigger pin. Some crews run different pins/pegs on separate halyards, others swap the required release clip into the set-up using quick clips or snap swivels.

MAY 2014

Grady-White Fisherman 180 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Grady-White fibreglass boats have a long standing reputation as being well made and great performing fishing boats. These US-made craft have been renowned for seaworthiness, a quality

patented Sea V hull, which featured a variable deadrise from stem to stern and quite large reversed outer chines all linked to a pronounced flare in the bow, plus a lift in the gunwale sheer line from the console forward. RIDE AND HANDLING The rig reviewed was loaned to Game and Leisure boats of Runaway Bay. Walking aboard her on a

very windy March morning I suspected I might be going to get a little wet, given the chop and white horses all over the Broadwater. That was my first mistake. I also thought there would be some walloping or pounding, too, given the roughhouse water conditions as far as the eye could see. Wrong again! I was more than

The large forward lift in the Fisherman’s sheer line sees it punching well above its weight in the sea keeping stakes. finish and top-shelf ride since 1968. Built from the keel upwards as high-end fishing boats, they can also double as great family craft. Comfort and features sit side by side in the Grady-White, with the 180 Fisherman Centre Console being an ideal sized boat for bay, estuary and offshore fishing. The reviewed craft was set up by the owner for regular offshore fishing excursions, particularly for billfish, hence the outriggers and massive bait station aft. At 5.44m long, 2.26m wide and with a hull weight of 975kg this is one very solid boat, reflected in a specified engine rating of 150hp. The test boat had Grady-White’s

The 150 Suzuki was a great choice for the Grady-White’s solidly constructed hull.

Cushioning is provided for the front casting deck when it doubles as a seat. 100

MAY 2014

pleasantly surprised to find the Grady-White a very dry boat in the rough conditions. Even running across chop with wind behind it to a more sheltered area for some speed runs caused only tiny amounts of spray to find their way above the gunwales, which was most unusual. 150 SUZUKI Powered easily by the 150 Suzuki 4-stroke, and with three people enjoying the ride, the Grady-White acquitted itself very well. She planed at 14.8km/h at 2,600rpm, then cruised at 3,000rpm recording 28.9km/h. 4,000rpm saw 42.7km/h while a burst to 5,000rpm gave her a speed of 57.6km/h. WOT of 5,400rpm recorded 66.4km/h. One thing that really impressed me during those speed runs was the willingness of the Suzuki 150 plus the total ride quality of the Fisherman. Belting over wind-blown chop out wide or wash from other craft saw the hull taking it so gently in its stride that, while I’m a great supporter of our local boat manufacturers, I had to concede that for out and out ride quality this boat was hard to beat. No banging,

Horizontal rod racks offered additional protection for game rod tips by fitting them within the hull liner of the Fisherman 180. no thumping, no vibration of any kind, that was the GradyWhite story. Yet ride quality was only part of it. The Grady-White Sea Vee hull not only slipped water well away to the side underway, it exhibited considerable stability by leaning only moderately under sharp turns. Moreover, for a hull with a deadrise of 20º it sat remarkably level at rest, even with a couple of us moving about. These were great attributes for offshore work in my view. LAYOUT The test boat was set up from stem to stern to please anglers. Up front, just aft of the locking anchor well, was a 95L capacity fish box, easily able to hold even big mackerel or tuna. The fish box was complete with a drain and ram to keep it open while in use. The area was

also equipped with press studs to secure a bow cushion as a concession to more family-orientated boaters. Stepping down from the casting deck onto the aggressively non-skid main floor I could see that the console, with its big access door to port, was an important hub within the craft. It offered considerable dry storage space within it and came equipped with grab rails and a stout windscreen. A two-person seat was attached to the front of it and lifting the seat revealed the craft’s plumbed live well under the squab. A fibreglass hard top supported by a massive stainless steel frame provided some shade for skipper and first mate when seated at their bench seat with its reversible back rest.

Making the best use of space, a plumbed live bait well was fitted under the console’s seat.

User friendly helm The helm instrumentation and switches occupied, along with forward controls for the Suzuki 150, most of the face of the console although a lower shelf was located just above the foot rest for skipper and mate. A compass dressed up the flat section of the console just aft of the windscreen. The next, vertical, level down was occupied by a neat fascia set up with a bank of rocker switches plus a Garmin GMI 10 gauge to monitor the Suzuki’s function. Adjacent was a Garmin GPS Map 5012 to chart and plot routes and, most importantly, to locate fish. Next level down saw the craft’s 3-spoke stainless steel wheel, radio mike, engine forward controls, paired cup holders and a grab handle. Grady-White boats always seem to have handles or hand holds exactly where needed: in the bow, along the sides, all around the console…. they’re all well placed. Back to the console layout: below the wheel was the ignition key plus marine radio.

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................5.44m Beam..........................................2.26m Length on trailer........................7.10m Height to windscreen top........2.60m Hull weight.................................975kg Deadrise.....................................20 degrees Fuel.............................................270L Engine rating.............................150hp Engine fitted..............................150 Suzuki 4-stroke Max. persons.............................five Towing........................................6-cylinder ute, ....................................................wagon or 4x4

Pleasing stern features include the two seats aft plus the washdown shower. The bait station was installed by the owner. In all, it was very tidy set up with a high degree of user friendliness all round. As earlier mentioned, access to the console was via a door to port and I noticed a very useful amount of dry storage area within the console. It would be ideal for additional

tackle, bags of clothing, a tucker box or similar items. Well set up cockpit Below the Fisherman 180’s wide rod holder equipped gunwales were horizontal rod racks, each capable of storing a couple of game rods with their tips protected within recesses

in the hull liner. Side pockets were of considerable length and large enough to handle gaffs and tag poles with ease. Looking aft within the craft’s self-draining cockpit with its 560 mm high interior sides, 800 high exterior sides, it’s easy enough to imagine three anglers working here, maybe four if they are on the ball. Paired aft seats sat astride the engine well (with storage under them) and it was pleasing to note the fresh water wash-down hose in the port quarter. A ladder was also set up aft of the transom to help with boarding after a swim or a dive. Also next to the engine well was a very impressive bait station. Sporting a high

Accessed via a door to port, the console had considerable dry storage space.

Console features are easily noted in this image, especially the wheel being set up to port. FISHING FILL-ITS

Buy local for the best seafood Queenslanders are being urged to check the source of seafood they buy in order to get the best product and support local Queensland businesses. Fisheries Queensland director Mark Doohan said Queensland has a well-deserved reputation for supplying top quality, fresh seafood. “With some of the most sustainable fisheries in the world, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to seafood selection,” Mr Doohan said. “We have diverse aquaculture farms and 1500 licensed commercial fishing boats that work year round to deliver seafood straight to our doors, rain or shine. “At this time of the year we have the iconic

favourites of prawns, scallops, crabs and reef fish, with the market currently reporting good supplies. “To ensure you are getting Queensland product, ask your local fishmonger or supermarket where the product is from. “You can also buy direct from your local commercial fishers at your local seafood co-op, where the fisher often sells product fresh off their trawler.” Mr Doohan said it was also important to be on the lookout for illegal sales of seafood. “When buying seafood, check the source to ensure it’s from licensed fishers— do not buy fish from an unknown source or a friend who is selling fish caught on their recreational fishing trip,” he said.

“The unauthorised sale of fish has the potential to undermine the viability of commercial fishing, impacting on the competitiveness of legitimate seafood processors and marketers. “This is not only bad for business for commercial fishers, but also has implications for the buyer and consumer.” “My tip for the best family feast is to ask for Queensland seafood, to support your local industry and also enjoy top quality product.” For more information on Queensland fisheries, visit www. fisheries.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23. Follow Fisheries Queensland on Facebook and Twitter (@FisheriesQld). – DAFF

That large outer reversed chine certainly plays a big part in this craft’s excellent handling ability. degree of functionality, the stainless steel unit came with a cutting board, knife holder, drink holders, four rod holders plus a waste bucket below. This was an option installed by the owner, and I was told it was very easy to remove if you wanted to spend a day marlin trolling. FISHABILITY This boat is built for fishing. Serious fishing. With its high sides, the hull’s big lift in the forward sheer line mated to plenty of above water flare, this is a craft of extraordinary seaworthiness

given its modest size of 5.44m. And it would be a brilliant boat for family fishing in estuaries or bays as well. In summing up, the GradyWhite Fisherman 180 Centre Console is one of the better rigs of its size I’ve had the pleasure of water testing. The high-end features and finish, plus performance and overall sea keeping capability put it at the pointy end of the pile. Imports have a reputation for being expensive but our dollar is helping the buyer these days. The base price is $69,830, including the alloy trailer, for

a basic craft currently in stock at Game and Leisure Boats of Runaway Bay (optional extras such as hard top, electronics and bait station not included). The contact phone number for GLB is (07) 5577 5811. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications. MAY 2014

101

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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Yamaha releases new 115 and 175 4-strokes BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Yamaha has released two new versions of the 115 and the 175 4-strokes engines. The 115 is the new F115B and the 175 the new F175A.

F115B is an entirely new engine. Lighter, stronger, more powerful; let’s look at some of the features. The new F115B is 15kg lighter than the original. It remains a fourcylinder engine but now has 1832cc against the F115A’s 1741cc. In line with latest technological

The F115B in action on the 530 Cruise Craft Explorer’s transom.

The totally new F115B, on a Sea Jay 5.1 Striker. Slim, strong and ready to perform. F115B IS BETTER Looking at the F115B, it’s interesting to see that Yamaha have not simply upgraded their existing 115, which has naturally undergone a few modifications since its initial release in 1999. The truth of the matter is that the

advances there’s increased compression and an increased full throttle operating range. Dual overhead camshafts are also featured, as are four valves per cylinder and multi point Electronic Fuel Injection. Along with a knock sensor (unusual in an

engine of such modest horse power), the new engine systems are designed to provide smoother operation and greater efficiency throughout the entire rev range. There’s also a new cowling design with an air intake drain within the induction system to prevent water from contaminating intake air. The new F115B also boasts best in-class charging power increasing from 24A (F115A) to 35 amps at wide open throttle. Yet even at 1,000rpm there’s sufficient output to keep the engine battery charged. One feature sure to be welcomed is a water separating fuel filter. Should water be present in fuel a ‘Water in Fuel ‘ warning will be activated. Another useful addition is a single ram power trim and tilt system with tilt angle adjustment to prevent over tilt damage. Another breakthrough is the optional Yamaha Command Link that gives provision for the F115B to be linked, via Yamaha’s own digital network system, to a wide range of instruments via a multi function tachometer. There’s also a valuable security system that is available within Command Link. ON THE WATER Time on the water also proved the power and efficiency of the new F115B. I was fortunate enough to take the helm of a Cruise Craft 530 Explorer powered by the new Yamaha. For the record this is not a lightweight hull chosen by Yamaha to be an impressive test bed. No sir. The 530 Explorer’s hull weighs 1094kg and has a maximum engine rating of 140hp. Was it underpowered? Certainly not. With two aboard the craft fairly jumped onto the plane in around three

The entirely new F175A proved very quiet and yet highly responsive. Note the slim line profile allowing dual engine fitment an easy matter. boat’s lengths at 3000rpm, then settled back to travel at 15.8km/h. 4000rpm proved a very quiet and smooth cruising speed with 38.9km/h recorded. Fuel consumption at those revs was a very creditable 37.2L per hour that saw 2.26km travelled per litre. 5,000rpm saw a speed of 52.5km/h. I saw the F115B as an impressively quiet and high performing engine with a pleasing degree of throttle response through the entire rev range. THE F175A The ‘A’ classification by Yamaha denotes the 175 as a totally new engine, designed to fill a niche in Yamaha’s product range between 150 and 200hp outboards. The new F175A is based on Yamaha’s award winning and recently released 2.8L F200 platform that sees the F175A sharing the same displacement as the powerful F200. The F175A is a DOHC EFI 16 valve engine (four

per cylinder) weighing only 219kg. It features a wet sump lubrication system same as the F115B and has a class leading 50 Amp high output alternator and multi point Electronic Fuel Injection for ultimate engine response and smoothness of running. There’s also Yamaha’s patented Shift Dampening System for smoothest gear changes, a tilt limiting switch on the engine trim, plus latest generation slim line styling for ease of fitting dual engines. A variable trolling switch is standard when Command Link gauges are fitted. Engine oil coolers are standard for optimum engine performance and longevity. It’s pleasing to note that the fuel system is protected by an early warning system to prevent water or other contaminants from entering the fuel system. An audible warning sounds if fuel contamination is detected.

Options for the F175A include 6Y8 LAN/Command Link gauges, a Digital Network System for engine management, and Yamaha’s YCOP immobiliser system that prevents theft. ON THE WATER Test runs for the F175A were undertaken in a Cruisecraft Explorer 625, a solid Deep Vee hull with a weight of 1370kg. With three aboard the craft cruised creditably at 4,000rpm at 42.8km/h. Engine noise was pleasingly quiet with normal speech par for the course. The power of the F175A was impressive. The craft jumped onto the plane in less than four or five boat lengths and from plane to WOT the 175 provided rapid acceleration when the throttle lever was pushed forward. Both new engines run on regular unleaded fuel and come with 4 years recreational use warranty and have a 3 star Ultra Low Emission rating.

A boat owner by any other name is just as poor BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

Sometimes the only thing worse than not having a boat is actually having a boat. I’ve realised this over the past two days as the search for a suitable vessel has wound up, and I have made the call finally. A new second hand beast will shortly reside in the garage. But I’ve realised that the buying is the easy part. It’s the owning that’s the real trick. I really thought I was going well too. I’d had a look at several boats to the north and to the south. They were

all pretty good, but not quite what I was after. I wanted that one I could take to Turkey, also fish in the Sandy Strait, and maybe take out onto the reef as well. That’s a pretty specific boat, and after the last one didn’t quite measure up, I felt like chucking it in. But Stuffer stood by me, and said buying a boat was like buying a house; when you found the right one you would feel it. I didn’t let on to him, but my trouble is that every boat feels like the right one, and I have to be very careful that I don’t settle for what’s in front of me. Like that little cuddy cab I checked out last week. Chucking a cast net form the back of that would be about

as easy as something that’s not very easy at all. And the old tinny that I looked over a week ago was over powered with a 90 four-stroke, but that motor has covered more sea miles than Flipper. Except that Flipper lived in a pool. Or did he. Or she. Or was that Skippy. Anyway, I managed to resist buying that one too. Made me feel very accomplished, and grown up. The Manta Ray was good too, with a T-Top that would let me come home dry, but the motor in this one was far too small. Like a V8 on a whipper snipper. After all that careful work then, of course comes the killer. The 1970s glass boat. Old mate is a salesman from

way back. Tells me doesn’t really want to sell. Talks about everything but the boat. Chats about this that and the other. Then I walk out of his house and realise I’ve just bought his boat. That list I had carried around with me for two months didn’t even make it out of my shirt pocket. I didn’t know whether it had a live tank, a stainless prop, or how many hours the motor had done. I wasn’t sure whether the sounder worked. Later on I remembered the fuel gauge didn’t work, and that the trailer was unregistered. I had to call him back to ask how we were going to get the boat and trailer out from

where it was built in onto the canal on the other side of his house. Still working on that but I was happy to hear it had a spare wheel and a light board. But here I am, wondering what else I missed. Are there two tyres on the trailer? Does it have any anchors? Does it slide off the trailer? Are there any life jackets? All those questions that I chased so hard on previous boats gone like a trouser cough out a Monaro window. And I remember why it is that I get so stressed when I own a boat. Shortly after that, I remember not having a boat, and how that stresses me too. I think about not having to rely on Manboobs, or Skipper,

or Stuffer if I want to take another unsuccessful trip out after some jack, or snapper, or cod. And I remember the really important issues that make life worth living. Like the freedom of the water. The spectacle of nature seen by so few; whales, dolphins, turtles, sea eagles, stingrays and all those things that make up a day on the water. And I remember that most important of all reasons to buy this particular boat. With it’s streamlined hull, and good motor, there’s a better than even chance this boat will go faster than Skipper’s flat arsed punt. And that my friend, is all that really matters, so I’m happy again. MAY 2014

105

ProCraft 6.2 Walk Around BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

ProCraft are fast gaining recognition within boating circles in South East Queensland. The well turned out fibreglass hulls are produced by a renowned southern Queensland manufacturer of many years standing, then transported to Coastal Powerboats of Burleigh on the Gold Coast where they are fully fitted out and equipped with motors. The end product shows the result of using top-shelf products. All stainless work is US sourced to ensure longevity, the best upholstery is used and emphasis is on quality throughout rather than just saving dollars. The ProCraft range also offers great value for money, as will be seen later. LAYOUT The reviewed 6.2 Walk Around was presented on a Dunbier trailer and was finished in a gleaming white gel coat with contrasting dark blue stripe just below the decks. Powered by a 150 Suzuki 4-stroke, this

boat was a treat to drive and a pleasure to be aboard. In many respects it had great potential as either a familyoriented day or weekend cruiser, or as a dedicated rig for a group of keen anglers to run offshore in search of a feed of fish. Up front the impressive metal work started with a strong ladder to allow easy entry or exit at a beach or dock. A sturdy bow roller and associated anchor hatch were

holds offered by the hard top’s superstructure, and it’s easy to reach the bow area. However, most people would likely attend ground tackle via the cuddy cab’s hatch which was wide enough to make things easy. The attractively styled cuddy cabin came equipped with elliptical windows and was set up with very comfortable deeply padded V berths with storage space under them which, at their

SPECIFICATIONS Length................................................................... 7m Length on trailer.................................................... 8m Height on trailer..................................................... 3m Beam.................................................................. 2.5m Hull deadrise......................................... 22.5 degrees Hull weight........................................................ 750kg Fuel..................................................................... 150L Engines...................................................... 130-175hp Max persons............................................................. 7 Towing.................................... Family 6 wagon or 4x4 easily reached via the flat area up front of the cuddy, or by opening the cabin hatch which was just aft of the anchor well. The ProCraft’s wide walkaround area on the outer section of the cuddy cab is very user friendly thanks to the ample hand

With a top shelf finish, eye-catching lines and excellent sea manners the Procraft 620 Walk Around is a boat many anglers would be proud to own. bunk infill to enhance the sleeping area would also have appeal to buyers.

way back to the framework linked to the moulded hard top. Clearly, both skipper

terms the layout was very user friendly, with plenty of comfort all round.

rear, came with bulkhead foot rests for skipper and mate. The cabin featured full-length and quite wide overhead shelving, and with its open access was very well ventilated, light and airy. Floor depth was excellent while the twin options of having a Porta Potti up front as well as a

Top: Taking pride of place on the ProCraft’s dash was a Lowrance HDS9 sounder. Bottom: The ProCraft’s side pockets were capable of swallowing up a lot of fishing equipment.

Top: All-round visibility is assured at the helm of the 620 Walkaround. Comfortable bunks plus a removable floor over the footwell were featured within the craft’s airy cabin. Bottom Left: The ProCraft’s walkaround area was wide, deep and thoughtfully drained. Bottom Right: The day’s requirements will dictate the use the large forward under floor compartment is put to. 106

MAY 2014

A sleek moulded fascia extended full width across the front of the cuddy cab and then extended aft to become part of the internal side area of the craft. Up front it was joined by the craft’s windscreen and side windows, the latter extending almost all the

and mate would be well protected from the elements in this area. However, I also liked the option of opening one or both of the sliding windows aft of the windscreen and opening the zip-equipped clears above the dash area if the day was a hot one. In general

Dash and helm area The side moulding/ fascia section came equipped with a grab handle and locking glove box for the front passenger, while a larger area extending down in front of the skipper formed a convenient dash area for instruments and

gauges. Uppermost were paired Garmin gauges (GMI 20s) to monitor every function of the Suzuki 150, and immediately below was a 12” Raymarine sounder plotter unit. The ignition key was lower and set to port of the steering wheel, with a set of switches to starboard. Forward controls for the engine were handy by the skipper’s arm, on the side. Completing the round-up of major features for the skipper was the marine radio and sound system set up at the front of the hard top, easily reached yet entirely out of the weather. The hard top also sported six rod holders at its rearmost section. At the helm area, skipper and mate were pampered by deeply upholstered wraparound bucket seats on pedestals. These were very comfortable, and I noted full visibility from both skipper’s and mate’s seats. Cockpit Cockpit features were suited to both family boaters and keen anglers. A non-skid floor was standard, with any water draining into a sump aft for removal via a bilge pump. Up front, between the seats, was a decent sized under floor storage box ideal for either extra kit or the catch of the day.

The cockpit proper was quite large, had an interior side depth of 83cm and came with 3m long side pockets. It also featured a comfy, backrest-equipped, four person aft seat which could be lifted up out of the way to provide extra work room when fishing was a priority. Gunwale grab handles, two rod holders per side plus drink holders were all in the right places. A bait tank to starboard plus a locking boarding gate next to a stainless ladder were also transom features. 150 SUZUKI At 7m overall length with a 2.5m beam, the ProCraft 6.2 Walkaround was a solid craft, as noted by its 750kg dry hull weight. Power options were from 130-175 horsepower, and the 150 Suzuki on the test boat had not the slightest problem powering the rig yet offering handy cost savings over maximum power. The hull planed easily at 14.8km/h at 2500 rpm; 3000rpm returned 20.5km/h, 4000rpm saw 37.3km/h while 5000 rpm recorded 62.4km/h. Speeds were recorded with two persons aboard. The 2.8L 4-cylinder 150 Suzuki 4-stroke was virtually soundless at idle and only when pushing up around the 4500 to 5000rpm mark

did it make its presence felt with some deep growling. I found the engine responsive, willing to perform virtually at all revs and a great match for the ProCraft hull. EASY RIDER Ride and handling were excellent. In modest chop within the Gold Coast Seaway the deep V glass hull moved freely and without any bangs or wallops, which was much as I expected. Handling was fingertip easy thanks to hydraulic steering, and despite the considerable size of the rig even a newbie to boating would be comfortable behind the wheel. The ProCraft was quite stable and even with two of us on one side it wasn’t inclined to lean, thanks to a hull configuration which featured large reversed outer chines plus a flat central planing plank. As a fishing craft I’d see the ProCraft’s attributes earning it full marks as a useful offshore rig, yet the big seven person hull would be equally suited to bay and estuary work as well. SUMMING UP The ProCraft 6.2 Walk Around was keenly priced by Coastal Powerboats (07 5568 0904). With a 140hp Suzuki fitted the hard top is offered with Dunbier

The Suzuki 150 was a good power match for the solid ProCraft hull.

A well built Dunbier trailer made it easy to launch and retrieve the ProCraft.

Transom and rear cockpit features are easily noted in this shot.

tandem trailer plus safety gear and registrations for around $55,990. mark. The rig as reviewed complete with deluxe Raymarine unit, 150hp upgrade, stereo system and bow ladder would come

home for $72,265. Further information is available at www.procraftboats.com.au. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of

individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

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DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME MAY 2014

107

What’s new boating

50 years of Honda 4-Strokes

Honda is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the very first Honda 4-stroke outboard engine, the GB30. This modest 4hp engine represented the noble ambitions of Honda’s founder, Soichiro Honda, to manufacture only 4-stroke engines for the benefit of the environment and generations to come. Now, with a range that stretches from the BF2.3 to the mighty BF250 – including the new BF80 and BF100 – Honda Marine continues to be a leader in 4-stroke outboard engine technology. “Honda has to make environmentallyfriendly products; therefore we must build fourstroke outboards,” Mr Honda said in 1964. “I don’t care if everyone is making 2-stroke outboards, Honda must make 4-stroke outboards.” Honda’s exclusive technologies include BLAST (Boosted Low Speed Torque, delivering rapid acceleration) and VTEC (more top end power). To keep up-to-date on the 50th Anniversary celebrations, including a competition later in the year, visit marine.honda.com.au/50_Years, search #HondaMarine50Years on Twitter, or look them up on Facebook. - Honda

Mercury 4-Stroke event

Mercury Marine is holding a massive 4-Stroke event to help mark the company’s 75th Anniversary. From March 14, 2014, you can save up to $1,075 on Mercury 4-Strokes from 2.5-115hp. The bigger the engine, the more you can save. You can also take advantage of exclusive Mercury Finance and Mercury Insurance packages available at very competitive rates. Mercury 4-Strokes are known for their instant starts, reliability, durability and smooth, quiet performance in virtually any conditions. These engines deliver superior performance because they have been designed and built to do just that. For example, the marine electronic fuel injection (EFI) which Mercury pioneered and patented has now been integrated into their 4-Stroke range to provide a previously unheard of level of reliability. Mercury 4-Strokes also have more stainless steel, hard anodizing and an exclusive multistep paint process, and have the industry’s one-and-only 3-Year Corrosion Warranty for outboards. To find your nearest participating dealer visit mercurymarine.com.au. - MM

Quintrex 420 Hornet Trophy

The 420 Hornet Trophy is new to Quintrex’s Hornet range and it’s set to be a favourite among anglers. With new smooth look, 3mm bottom and side sheets sides the 420 is 300mm deeper than the original 400 Hornet Trophy. Built with the Eclipse V-Flared Hull, it cuts through chop and offers a stable fishing platform no matter where you are. Features include rod holders, anchor well, casting platform with a rear live bait tank, tackle storage and a fishfinder. Optional extras include a bimini and envelope, bow mount thruster plate, stereo and speakers and a rod storage pocket. The 420 Hornet Trophy is available as an Instant Boating Package including a boat, BRP Evinrude outboard and Quintrex trailer complete with a three-year limited factory warranty. For more info visit www. quintrex.com.au. - Telwater 108

MAY 2014

New Sarca Excel

The Super Sarca anchor (Sand and Reef Combination Anchor), is the most popular anchor design in the trailerboat industry, and is classified as having Super High Holding Power (SHHP). The Sarca Excel, which is hugely versatile in wind and tide changes, can hook into many types of sea beds, and holds fast in storms. Unlike concave designs that compress and then clog, the Excel’s convex shape displaces the substrate, allowing deeper setting in many substrate types. Then, when retrieved, it leaves the mud behind. Released in stainless and aluminium alloy designs, the Excel has been refined yet again. The body and pulling shank are constructed from steel but the anchor toe is now constructed from 316 stainless steel. This cutting toe won’t rust because the galvanizing has worn off, and it gives the Excel an advanced, durable cutting edge over all competitors. The toe can be further sharpened to cut through heavy weed. For more info visit www.anchorright. com.au - AR

Tohatsu MFS40A and MFS50A

Australian Tohatsu distributor Lakeside Marine has taken delivery of the much anticipated MFS40A EFI and MFS50A EFI Lightweight ECO Sporty 40hp and 50hp 4-strokes. Featuring a completely new engine design, they weigh just 97kg. EFI with tuned intake manifold delivers optimum fuel economy and smooth, responsive performance. A variable idling system allows the trolling speed to be adjusted in four levels from 650rpm to 950rpm via touch key control. There’s also a high output alternator 21A and a built-in freshwater flush system. The MSFS40A and MFS50A are available with either the Tohatsu multifunction tiller handle or standard forward control which comes with polished bezel tachometer and trim gauge. Both versions come standard with a prop and 25L fuel tank. Visit www.tohatsu.com.au to find out more. - LM

New Yamaha 4-Stroke

Yamaha has released two new 4-strokes, the F175A and F115B. The F115B will replace the existing F115A, a motor already considered to be class leading. The F115B is not only powerful and compact, but is also the lightest outboard in the four-stroke class. It provides increased cubic capacity, which now measures 1.8L. The DOHC 4-cylinder design now has larger intake and exhaust valves. The compression ratio has been increased, and so has the full-throttle RPM range. A knock sensor allows the engine to operate reliably at peak output. The F175A fills the gap between the powerful F150A and the hugely popular four-cylinder F200. The F175A has the same displacement and 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC design as the F200. It offers the utmost in weight saving innovation and packs in plenty of performance. It’s highly responsive, with a sophisticated valve train, and is mechanically controlled. For more info visit www.yamaha-motor. com.au. - YMA

Q U E E N S L A N D ’ S H O T T E S T N E W B R A N D I N B O AT I N G - Y O U R C H O I C E !

TILLER 4.2M BUDGET BUSTER - 30HP Suzuki Outboard - Full Floor - Side Pockets - Casting Deck - Bimini - Trailer

A nice easy to handle package for a small family or you and your mate to go fishing.

+ MORE...

FULL PACKAGE WITH SUZUKI 4 STROKE ONLY

FULL PACKAGE FROM

7,990

38,990

CENTRE CONSOLE - Sizes available 4.3m, 4.7m and 5.0m - AUSSIE BUILT TOUGH

Absolutely bloody awesome on the water. A boat that anything goes. FULL PACKAGE WITH SUZUKI 4 STROKE ONLY

FULL PACKAGE FROM

12,120

49,990

SIDE CONSOLE - Sizes available 4.3m, 4.7m and 5.0m - AUSSIE BUILT TOUGH

For the family or a couple trying to get away, just great allround fun. FULL PACKAGE WITH SUZUKI 4 STROKE ONLY

FULL PACKAGE FROM

12,345

55,990

RUNABOUT - Sizes available 4.7m and 5.0m - AWESOME AUSSIE ALLROUNDER

Anyone for an offshore fish! That’s what you will be asking your mates with this awesome riding rig. FULL PACKAGE WITH SUZUKI 4 STROKE ONLY

FULL PACKAGE FROM

19,950

55,990

CUDDY CABIN - 500 Cuddy Cabin - A great all Rounder - AT A RED HOT PRICE

FULL PACKAGE ONLY

29,990

2 Junction Rd, BURLEIGH 4223 07 5568 0904

info@coastalpowerboats.com.au

www.coastalpowerboats.com.au

Engel Spotters are exactly what you need when you’re out fishing! - Paul Worsteling

They’re not just for guys, the whole family can wear Spotters and stay cool! - Cristy Worsteling

If you want to stay cool, you need to be seen in Spotters. Thanks to Engel they can be yours. - Ernie Dingo

FREE ENGEL SPOTTERS PACK! VALUED AT ALMOST $350!

GET YOUR FREE ENGEL SPOTTERS PACK THIS WINTER! There’s never been a better time to get yourself a new Engel fridge-freezer. During May, June and July 2014, when you buy any fridge-freezer from the Engel MT series, you get a free Engel Spotters Pack!* Valued at almost $350, the pack contains an Engel backpack plus your very own pair of Engel branded Spotters Fury sunglasses and a Spotters cap! *While stocks last. Engel reserves the right to substitute products with those of similar value if the need arises. All promotional items must be redeemed at time and place of purchase and are only available with purchases from participating Engel retailers within Australia.

For stockists call 1300 302 653 or visit www.engelaustralia.com.au

Celebrating

75 YEARS

OF MARINE INNOVATION

OFFER ENDS 31 MAY 2014 visit mercurymarine.com.au for details

*Terms & conditions apply.**To approved purchasers. Terms & conditions apply. Participating dealers only.