Queensland Fishing Monthly - September 2015

FLATHEAD CLASSIC FEATURE• 2015 AFTA WINNERS

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Berry baiting carp • Making sense of fishing light • 2015 Gold Coast Flathead Classic •

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Black Magic 50lb Tough Trace and a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook were used by Ben Geldard to catch this tusk fish off Fraser Island.

Black Magic 10lb Fluorocarbon tippet was used by Evie Dickfos to take this 62cm dusky flathead in the Mary River.

Anthony Cox landed this impressive 6-7kg snapper using Black Magic 15lb Tough Fluorocarbon leader while fishing off Peel Island, Moreton Bay.

Brad Shillitoe landed this 70lb mulloway on a Black Magic KL 7/0 hook while fishing from Yalata, SA.

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YOUR PHOTO COULD APPEAR IN OUR ADS! If we use your photo in our advertising you will receive a FREE BLACK MAGIC CAP AND STICKER! Include your name, address, fish weight, where you caught it and which Black Magic or Wasabi products were used. Send a high resolution image to: photos@blackmagic.co.nz

Black Magic 60lb Tough Trace was used by Adam Epifanis to catch this 18kg spanish mackerel. Adam was fishing from Steep Point, WA.

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September 2015, Vol. 27 No. 11

Contents 10

NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Iluka 24 SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Tweed Heads 26 Southern Gold Coast 28 Gold Coast Canals 30 Gold Coast 32 Jumpinpin 34 Southern Bay 36 Brisbane 38 Brisbane Offshore 40 Northern Bay 41 Caloundra 44 Noosa 46 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Rainbow Beach 51 Hervey Bay 51 Fraser Coast 52 Lake Monduran 52 Gladstone 53 Yeppoon 54 Bundaberg 54 Rockhampton 55 Mackay 56 Stanage Bay 57 TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

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From the Editor’s Desk...

Well, we’re another month closer to the establishment of the three Net Free areas in Queensland. With November 1 being the deadline, the commercial arguments seem to be getting more desperate.

Thanks to all of the readers who have let the Fisheries Minister know that their decision to back up their election promise with action is the right one.

Looking at Infofish’s barramundi recruitment figures from 2015, it seems that the Fitzroy net-free zone will get a healthy boost – in just a few years, these yearling barra will make it to legal size.

The 2015 recruitment was the best on recent record.

Couple this with a few years of barra not escaping from impoundment factories like Awoonga and Monduran and the ingredients are there for generation-best barra fishing in the central and southern parts of the state.

8,500 stickers in support of the Net Free areas were on the cover of the last magazine – so under half of the readers got one, but readers who did – display them with pride. Your local may be next!

AFTER AFTA The Fishing Monthly team has a very productive time at the 2015 AFTA (Australian Fishing Trades Association) Trade Show on the Gold Coast. With a strong on-ground presence we were able to give you mountains of same-day coverage of new products that will be released for the balance of the 2015 year.

As this show is trade-only – which means that the general public can’t attend – we are well aware that the only way you’ll get a heads up on the latest and greatest gear is if we do it for you.

As well as coverage on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel and the www. tacklejunkie.fish blog (make

sure you sign up to this at the website), there’s a stack of the best products we found contained in these pages – including a section for the Best of Show awards.

The Best of Show are the products that the retailers have voted at being the best NEW products in their respective categories. At the show, the gear is displayed on a big stand that would seriously be a tackle junkie’s Aladdin’s Cave. We’re pretty accustomed to mountains of cool stuff, but all of the Fishing Monthly staff were seen slinking off to check it out.

Me included.

We’re firmly committed to pushing for a public day at the show. We know you all want to come and have a look.

We thought we had it across the line this year, but it was postponed for 2015. Fingers crossed for 2016 or 17.

FLATHEAD CLASSIC There’s a pretty big feature inside about the upcoming

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Flathead Classic. This event is super-popular in the South East and we thought that a how-to might be good for those anglers who have always wanted to give it a try but needed a little push.

There’ll be a Fishing Monthly team there.

And they’ll be offering all competitors the super Subscription deal where you get to take home a 13 Fishing rod when you sign-up for a two year deal. Keep an eye out for them – both on the water and off.

TIDE COLLABORATION SHIRT Lastly, FM has partnered with the guys at Tide Apparel to offer a Tide/Fishing Monthly shirt. It’s been a couple of years since we’ve done a FM shirt, so keen readers who will love to get into one should keep an eye on the Tide website for launch dates. You order these straight with Tide.

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Scott Whitfield with a fantastic flathead taken in a SEQ estuary.

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Gold Coast Flathead Classic

2015 Flathead Classic GOLD COAST

Danny Sands

Move over Gold Coast Marathon and the Super V8s. The biggest annual event happens in spring on the Gold Coast – The Flathead Classic.

This year is the 22nd year the Flathead Classic has run and it has become one of the biggest catch and release fishing tournaments in the country. It is so popular that anglers make their annual pilgrimage far and wide from Australia and even overseas to fish this iconic tournament.

The Gold Coast Sport Fishing club ran a survey after the 2014 Flathead Classic, and the economic value to the Gold Coast community was estimated around $500,000 for a four-day event. This is not bad for a humble flathead. It’s a great ‘bang for your bucks’ tournament and Gold Coast Sports Fishing Club committee do a wonderful job in keeping the entry cost to a minimum.

The Flathead Classic attracts a diverse range in fishing teams. Some are pro anglers, some fish as a family and some are just good mates getting together for a good time fishing. A real feature of this tournament is the increasing number of juniors getting involved in the sport.

Being the school holidays it is a great time to get out and have a fish as a family.

This is my 19th consecutive Flathead Classic and for all 19 years it has been a family affair as Team Sands.

I started off in the early days fishing with just my brother George, but the last couple of years I’ve fished with my uncle Kevin who is 73 years old, and still travels all the way from Tasmania, and my son Cooper.

George and I started 19 years ago by trolling up and down Coombabah Creek.

We did pretty well but we were way off the top 20 placegetters. Those 3 days of fishing the Classic and going back

every night and catching up with fellow anglers sharing stories, this tournament reeled me in hook, line and sinker.

I was pretty lucky in two ways; I was born in Runaway Bay and fished for flathead from an early age and, secondly I worked in a printing business and worked three days on and four days off. On my days off I would troll and cast plastics

up and down the Broadwater from the seaway all the way up to Russell Island. I kept a diary of all I learnt, such as what colour lure I used, what tide, where I caught them, what size they were and what lure I used to catch them on.

THREE FLATHEAD PER HOUR The teams that do well put in the hours in the lead up

This 93cm flathead was caught on the ever popular pink Micro Mullet.

2014 random draw winner Richard Fry testing his awesome looking Bluefin boat package worth $30,000.

Flathead fishing is for all ages. Jamiee Horner shows us a cracking flathead.

DETAILS When Sign on.......................... 30 September to 3 October Briefing and dinner.................... 4pm, 30 September Fishing and dinner.................................. 1-2 October Fishing, dinner and presentation............... 3 October Where Southport Amateur Fishing Club, GR Thompson Park, Broadwater Parklands Southport (adjacent to Howard’s Landing Tackle Shop) Accommodation Rays Resort and Thornton Towers are offering a discount on mention of the Flathead Classic for competitors.

A half cut PVC pipe makes easy work on flathead when taking a photo.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

to the Classic. Some teams work on three legal flathead per boat, per hour. With 26.5 hours of fishing time that’s roughly 80 legal flathead for the tournament. So it’s best you get out there and work out a game plan and keep a diary. This might be handy if you get stuck and need something to fall back on if you get a mental blank where to fish next.

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION The boundary area for the Flathead Classic is from the Nerang River, in the south, all the way to Russell Island in the north.

Between these boundaries the environment and habitat changes dramatically from south to north. The environment that the flathead are in can determine

ENTRY INCLUDES • Meals from professional catering service (extra meals available, please enquire) • Commemorative 21st Anniversary Event Shirt for every competitor • Team Bag containing lots of lures and other goodies courtesy of our sponsors • Tournament Handbook for every competitor • Opportunity to share in $250,000+ worth of prizes

the size of the fish you are catching.

Flathead are an ambush predator with lighting fast speed. Those that are caught on hard sandy bottoms are usually small and lack in numbers. They like areas that have soft bottoms, like mud, silty bottom, soft sandy patches in between sea grass and coffee rock.

There is no big secret that you can catch any size flathead from rats to 90cm+ fish from the seaway and Jumpinpin Bar. Fishing the last two hours of the run-out and the first hour of the run-in is the most productive, as the flathead are concentrated due to them being pushed from their lies on high tide.

Our biggest flathead in the Classic has come from

Fun times on the water during the Flathead Classic.

Gold Coast Flathead Classic PRIZES Whether you’re a first-timer or a pro angler everyone has the chance of getting into the major draw. The major prizes in the Flathead Classic are allocated on a lucky draw for both juniors and seniors. Last year’s winners walked away with a Bluefin boat fully kitted out worth $30,000 for the senior and $3000 for the junior.

When fishing the flats I still like to use small plastics anywhere from 2-4” in size with a 1/4oz jighead. Another great lure on the flats are lipless crankbaits. It’s a pretty simple technique, the secret to using these lures is in the retrieve. The best retrieve is a fast wind with long sweeps, or cast it out as far as you can, let it hit bottom and crank it back at a medium pace, with a few twitches along the way, just like using a plastic.

FISH LIGHT Downsizing definitely seems to get more bites; it gives better lure running depth and a faster sink rate. The lighter the main line and leader you use, the more bites you will get.

Over the years, the technology in fishing lines for braid and fluorocarbon leaders have improved a lot, which has given me the confidence

tough, especially on a run-out tide. Fishing places that are out of the main run of water flow can be dirt-free. Places like Tipplers Passage and the mouth of south and north arms of the Coomera River are great places to fish.

Flathead respond well to trolled hardbody lures in these conditions. Lures like Micro Mullets and Zerek Tango Shads work extremely well in bright colours like pink and bright green.

MIX IT UP If you are trolling hardbody lures or casting soft plastics or lipless crankbaits always try to mix it up. When casting plastic lures we never have the same lure on or shape or style. I like to use jerk shads in bright colours like pink or chartreuse worked on a erratic retrieve. Another person has

a paddle-tail on and the third person usually has a plastic that has scent on it.

We like to work an area that we know holds fish until we can crack a pattern, then we change our profile of lure to that shape and retrieve. We never leave biting fish until we know that we have covered all bases, including trolling the same area with hardbody lures.

BOATING NEEDS Fishing for almost three days in the wind and the glare of the water then backing it up every night at the tournament venue can take its toll on your body. Make sure you cover up every day with long pants and a long sleeve shirt, a wide brim hat, a Buff, a pair of sunglasses and lots of sunscreen every two hours.

Make sure you have a little esky on board with heaps of

Flathead often sit up in shallow water amongst weed, coffee rock and mangrove roots, and by targeting these areas, you can increase your flathead catches.

2014 Junior random draw winner sitting in his new Bluefin Scallywag Tinnie. mangrove-lined banks at high tide and the numerous drains that run from banks and mangrove systems at low tide. Flathead are like barramundi, last to leave and first into a drain.

Drains provide a very easy meal for a flathead.

These flathead are usually dark brown to almost black in colour but more important they Pannikin Island

are all good point scorers.

Fishing the flats for flathead is still the mainstay of catching flathead at high tide. A good pair of polarized sunglasses are a must so you can concentrate casts on weed beds, deep gullies and, one of my favourite spots, prop marks that have been dredged out from boats that have hit weed patches at low tide.

water and food. I like to carry a couple of bags of lollies to keep the sugar levels up and wash it down with a couple of cans of coke. A half cut storm water PVC pipe may take a lot of room on a boat but it is worth it as a flathead have less time out of the water and can be released in good condition. Always carry two pairs of braid scissors, pliers, lip grips and two nets, just in case you lose one overboard like me a couple of years ago.

Flathead are a people’s fish and the Flathead Classic is a people’s tournament for all to have a great time. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on gear and anyone could walk away with a $30,000 Bluefin boat package.

Hopefully these tips will help you catch a few and I will see you at the Flathead Classic.

Wind

Russell Island North Stradbroke Island

Long Island Logan River

Weedy bottom

No fishing above this line Short Island

Woongoolba

Tipplers Passage Jacobs Well

Woogoompah Island

Pimpama

South Stradbroke Island

Coomera River Hope Island

Coomera

Paradise Point

Helensvale

Biggera Waters

Pacific Pines

Southport No fishing beyond M1 Highway Bridge Surfers Paradise

Highland Park

Flathead Classic Fish Zone

Nerang River Broadbeach

Not to scale

to fish really light. I like to use 4lb mainline and 8-10lb leader when fishing on the flats and drains. Because I fish small plastics, a lot of flathead tend to swallow the lures so I need a good abrasion -resistant leader.

I have found FC Rockfish leader by Yamatoya and Vanish by Berkley are really good and have caught heaps of flathead over 80cm.

WEATHER Usually around the Flathead Classic, we cop a lot of wind.

The southerly wind is the kindest wind we could have as it keeps the water relatively clean throughout the Broadwater, and with clean water comes good fishing.

The northwesterly winds combined with large tides and boat traffic can turn the Broadwater from crystal clean water into lifeless brown water making flathead fishing very

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www.livelyluresonline.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

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FLATHEAD LURE SELECTION Many lures have proven their worth or fallen by the wayside during the Flathead Classic. So we asked some of the top tackle makers, which lure would they recommend to take on the Gold Coast flatties! Here are some old favorites and some new options that could help you to succeed in this year’s Classic.

SOFT PLASTICS 1 ZEREK LIVE FLASH MINNOW WRIGGLY The Live Flash Minnow Wriggly is not simply an addition to the range, it brings an entirely new appeal to a lure shape that is already extremely popular.

The Wriggly is a small paddle-tail that really is a ‘looks can be deceiving’ tail. The paddle is tiny, yet the effect it has on this lure’s action is immense. On the fall the Wriggly swims to the bottom with a real kick of the last third of the lure. On a slow retrieve, the tail beat imparts a fish attracting action that is hard to beat. Of course the Wriggly can still be worked like a traditional jerkbait and can also be rigged weedless or with a jighead.

The Wriggly are available in 4 sizes (70mm, 90mm, 110mm and 130mm) and 8 colours and features the same indestructible body the original Live Flash Minnow is constructed from. It also has the impressive belly foil that enhances the colour of the plastic and gives the Wriggly a more ‘alive’ appearance in the water.

Not simply an addition to the range of Live Flash Minnow lures, the Live Flash Minnow Wriggly is an entirely new concept that allows a completely new look at this amazing range of lures. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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TT LURES HEADLOCKZ HD JIGHEADS

Built on brutally strong, chemically sharpened black nickel Mustad hooks, HeadlockZ HD jigheads combine the perfect balance of needle point penetration and hook strength required when targeting flathead.

They feature a unique locking grub keeper, designed to lock the soft plastic in place on the jighead, so that you can cast hard, work the plastic aggressively and, even after a rattle, there’s a good chance that your plastic is still in place, swimming and fishing for you.

HeadlockZ are available in a comprehensive range of weights and hook sizes to cover all Flathead Classic scenarios, from finesse fishing the flats to deepwater plastics fishing. When it comes to the crunch and you need to set the hook on that big lizard, make sure you’ve tied on Australia’s most trusted jighead. Bring it on!

Sizes: 1/20oz #4 – 3oz #8/0 www.ttlures.com.au

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TT LURES SNAKELOCKZ JIGHEADS

The AFTA Award winning TT Lures SnakelockZ jighead 12

SEPTEMBER 2015

is the perfect jighead for two techniques that have seen teams finish in the Top 10 on multiple occasions.

When the tide gets high, the fish spread out across the weed flats and the bite gets tough, here the SnakelockZ allow you to effectively fish weedy areas without the weed continually fouling your soft plastic. The other technique involves targeting flathead around structure in deeper water and the SnakelockZ will ensure that you don’t donate your entire jighead box to the snags on the first morning of the Classic.

This weedless jighead features a heavy duty, black nickel, chemically sharpened Mustad hook, ‘ChinlockZ’ system to secure your plastic in place and a freeswinging front weight that allows your plastic to produce maximum action. The head weight and hook sizes are interchangeable, thanks to the 75lb test, stainless steel through wire.

Sizes: 1/12oz #2/0 – 3/8oz #8/0 www.ttlures.com.au

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Z-MAN 3” MINNOWZ

One of the most popular flathead plastics in Australia and a lure that has produced a ‘Longest Flathead’ in the Classic previously, the Z-Man 3” MinnowZ is the perfect bite size baitfish for flathead of all sizes. Being constructed from ElaZtech means the MinnowZ is 10X Tough, often producing over 50 flathead per lure. But more importantly, it has a super-soft and flexible realistic feel that keeps fish biting and the material is buoyant for a lifelike, ‘tail up’ feeding action when at rest on the bottom.

With 27 colours in the range there’s something for everyone, but a hot tip for the Classic would be to grab a couple of light natural colours for when the water is clean on the run-in tide (opening night and pearl blue glimmer), a couple of darker silhouette colours for the dirty water of the run-out tide (gold rush and red shad) and if the flathead still aren’t chewing then a fluoro will normally get the bite (electric chicken and glow chartreuse). Killer tail action and the benefits of ElaZtech, tie one on! www.z-man.com.au

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Z-MAN 4” STREAKZ CURLY TAILZ

Constructed from Z-Man’s ElaZtech material, the 4” StreakZ Curly TailZ is dynamite in the hands of even beginner anglers and deadly in the hands of the experienced flathead fisho. This is due to its long curly tail that produces loads of action on the lift, drop and due to the buoyancy of the ElaZtech it even gets eaten while resting tail up on the bottom, with its tail moving seductively in the current.

It is again effective on flathead of all sizes and has produced the goods on larger fish, including Mick Horn’s 91cm beast that took out ‘Longest Flathead on a Soft Plastic’ during a Flathead Classic, inhaling a 4” StreakZ Curly TailZ in natural colour.

This plastic features a belly slot, and a good tip is to squirt a little extra Pro-Cure Super Gel into the slot if the

bite is tough. Minnow body, long lively curl tail and a proven Classic performer that you can trust to produce the bites! www.z-man.com.au

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BERKLEY NEMESIS

Combine the fish catching profile of a minnow and the enticing tail action of a grub and you get the Berkley Nemesis. Designed in Australia, the Nemesis shape is available in both Gulp and PowerBait formulas. It is available in 4” and 6.5” and newly released 3” size. With such a huge range of sizes and colours anglers can match the hatch in any situation.

Why do flathead love the Nemesis? The tail action of this shape has to be seen to be believed. On the drop or on the wind, the Nemesis tail swims at the slowest of speeds delivering continuous lifelike action. Rip it and the slim profile of the tail flattens out, allowing the Nemesis to be used at any speed depending on what mood the lizards are in on the day.

As with any Berkley soft plastic, the scent and flavour technology is second to none. Gulp’s scent dispersion allows 400 times more scent dispersion than plastic, while PowerBait flavour means fish bite and won’t let go. www.berkley-fishing.com.au

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DRAGON MAGGOT

The popular Dragon Maggot is back in stock with some exciting new colours throughout the range.

The Dragon Maggot 2”, 2.5”, 3” and 4” were introduced early in 2014 by JML Anglers Alliance (JML Trading) and soon became the secret weapon in all keen anglers’ tackle boxes. The new wave of Dragon Maggot is available in 12 great colours in 2”, 8 colours in 2.5”, 9 colours in 3”, and 4 colours in 4”.

Dragon Maggot unique fin-tail comes alive once it hits the water. It dances with any small lift of the rod tip. Being so easy to use it is prefect for first time soft plastic users through to the proven tournament anglers.

The Dragon Maggot rigged on heavy jigheads can be devastating when targeting bottom dwellers using high speed lift and drop action. Many strikes occur on the drop so a tight line is recommended. Equally successful is retrieving the lure quite slowly, along the bottom. Sand and silt particles will attract attention and repeated attacks, often quite delicate are the result so it’s recommended to watch the rod tip at all times. Whichever way you fish it, the Dragon Maggot will increase your bag!

It retails for approximately $9.95 2” (20pcs), $9.95 2.5” (15pcs), $7.95 3” (8pcs) and $9.95 4” (8pcs) . www.jml.net.au

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WESTIN HYPOTEEZ 5”

Hypnotise them with HypoTeez. Named after the Latin name of the smelt (Hypomesus olidus), this lovingly-hand painted little critter looks so like a real smelt its mother couldn’t tell them apart.

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Cast it out and it starts swimming as soon as it hits the water. It then fixes its quarry with its realistic fishy eyes and outstanding swimming action, flathead are going to be helpless to resist.

Its key features are optimised flexibility, realistic eyes, lifelike-lure, tapered body with tail-joint, belly foil on selected colours, easy action paddle-tail and handpainted detailed colours. www.jml.net.au

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SAMAKI VIBELICIOUS THUMPER TAIL

If you’re looking for a secret weapon at this year’s Flathead Classic, then you can’t go past the Samaki Vibelicious Thumper Tail – except of course it’s not really secret, just ask the winning team from last year! The forktail vibe was a key ingredient in their winning tackle bag.

The Samaki Vibelicious Thumper Tail is designed to lift and thump on the drop, putting your lure in the strike-zone for longer. This proven flathead catcher is made from super stretch material, premium Japanese wire, super sharp hooks and provides a lifelike shimmer action. This is all complemented by lifelike colours and a realistic fish eye.

It comes in various sizes starting from 70mm/11g, 100mm/20g, and 125mm/30g. www.samaki.com.au

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ATOMIC PRONG

What plastic range wouldn’t need a prawn imitation and the Atomic Plazos Prong is a unique shape designed right here in Australia. Available in a variety of sizes suitable for offshore down to estuary fishing, the lure can be cast and allowed to sink slowly while the soft plastic tendrils will wave enticingly in the current, attracting all manner of fish.

They can be rigged unweighted or on a heavy jighead making them a versatile presentation in any depth of water.

Flathead love them and they can be fished super slow or twitched like a fleeing prawn. They are available in a range of lifelike colours and size 2, 3 and 4”, so they will be suitable for flathead up to XOS size. They are one of the most versatile plastic lures on the market. www.atomiclures.com.au

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STORM SX-SOFT VIB

The Storm SX-Soft Vib is soft on the outside and tough as steel on the inside, making it ideal for targeting big estuary flathead.

The popularity of soft vibes has been increasing due to the lure’s versatility, giving you the ability to target fish in a range of different environments, whether it is a deep river mouth or set of shallow sand flats. A slow lift of the rod tip brings the SX-Soft Vib to life, causing it to swim with a silent and tight vibrating action that flutters slowly on the drop.

When descending through the water column, a sharp and aggressive reaction bite will follow, giving you a

split second to set the VMC treble hooks and begin the anxious fight.

After you have landed your prized flathead, the non-memory 135lb through wire construction ensures that the lures holds its original shape and is ready straight away for the next cast.

Available now in a 70mm and 90mm size that weighs 18g and 28g respectively. www.rapala.com.au

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SQUIDGY WHIP BAITS

Squidgy is a name that started the soft plastic fishing craze in Australia, and it continues to be one of the favourite brands. These lures have been proven flathead slayers for many years, and one of the newest models, the Whip Bait, is no different.

These innovative soft plastics are a combination of a Flick Bait and Squidgy Fish/Shads. Whip Baits can be worked forcefully with lots of rod movement to make them dart about, or more subtly via a steady retrieve through the water column – depending on the species, their mood at the time, and environmental conditions. These features make Whip Baits a must-have for any flathead angler.

Available in six colours — pilly, bloodworm, killer tomato, black and gold, white lightning and drop bear – whip Baits come in six sizes from 60mm to 200mm, making them perfect for estuary work for chasing those big girls down deep as well as in the shallows. www.squidgies.com.au

HARDBODY 13

AUSTACKLE’S BONEHEAD

The number one flathead assassin! Bonehead boasts a history of top ten finishes in the Classic, including backto-back wins in the two-person team category. Cast, or famously trolled at around 2 knots, Bonehead is a proven performer on the flats. Austackle is a long term FHC sponsor, so if you’ve fished in the Classic before, you’ve probably found one in your show bag!

For best results, troll with the current in under 2m of water at idle speed. As long as you’re bumping the bottom frequently, you’re in the zone! Fish with light line (6-8lb braid and leader) on a lightweight rod to get the best action. If you’re hunting a monster, use a 15cm tippet of 10-15lb fluorocarbon at the end of your leader.

This will provide some extra abrasion-resistance without dampening the action of the lure. Work those flats!

When all else fails, you know you’ll get them on the Bonehead. The floating crankbait is 60mm long and weighs 5g. www.austackle.com

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ECOODA JERKBAIT

The Ecooda Jerkbait has an ultra realistic swimming action, rolling on the retrieve whilst giving off a vibration

through the water. It can be cast and retrieved or slow trolled.

Its magnetic long casting system allows a greater distance cast as the magnetic weights shoot to the end of the lure.

With a diving depth of 3ft this lure is suspending and available in two sizes, 65mm/7g and 85mm/10g. www.ecooda.com.au

15

DAIWA TD VIBRATION WOOFER

The dogs of war have been unleashed with the return of the famous TD Vibration Woofer. Back and better than ever, the new Woofer has received the full Type R treatment to make it more dynamic and performance driven than ever before.

Featuring a lower centre of gravity, super-tuned body and improved balance, the TD Vibration Woofer Type R casts with perfect balance for maximum casting performance, and swims with Pro Tuned precision for optimum lure vibration, both on the drop and when cranked.

A weapon of mass destruction on a range of Australian freshwater native species, the new Woofer will be equally as lethal in the salt, especially on big flathead.

Tuned to perfection and featuring Daiwa’s innovative SaqSas hook technology the Woofer is back and ready to attack. www.daiwafishing.com.au

16

HALCO LASER PRO 45

The Laser Pro 45 is a slow sinking minnow that can be cast long distances for its size. When it sinks, it has a slow rolling vibration from side to side that is often very enticing to many species including flathead.

Featuring very sharp, Mustad black nickel trebles the lure is suitable for fishing a drop-off where larger fish tend to congregate, and with its sinking action the lure receives plenty of attention from predatory species.

A slow rolling retrieve after the sink gets the small offering working really nicely.

The Laser Pro 45 is available in one size, 47mm/6g. www.halcotackle.com

17

THE WARLOCK RANGE

The Warlock range of lures have developed over the past 2-3 years to largely suit those targeting flathead. The shape and sonic amplifying features of the lure have always been a favourite for those either casting or trolling for big lizards.

And now with some new colours and some new sizes added to the range, these lures have become the go-to lure when chasing flathead in the Queensland estuary systems Warlock are some of the most unique hard baits currently available on the market. The key feature of the Warlock series profile is the signature S.A.P.™ or SonicAmplifying-Panels that are moulded into the underside of the lure’s flanks. These scalloped panels reflect ultra-strong SEPTEMBER 2015

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Gold Coast Flathead Classic 20

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micro-vibrations that create an irresistible sonic footprint that is unlike any other hard bait on today’s market. This series swims with a tight, rolling action and unsurpassed cycle rate, sending out a strong signal that triggers an instant strike instinct in any nearby predators.

Quite simply, the Warlock is unlike any hard bait you’ve ever used before - the fish just won’t know what’s hit them when you unleash the Warlock series on your local waterway. www.jmgillies.com.au

18

AUSTACKLE’S SHRIMP JIG

Austackle’s Shrimp Jig is pre-rigged and ready to go with twin assist hooks buried in the skirt. Shrimp Jig offers a deadly representation of one of the most frequently eaten baits – a tasty prawn!

Free moving, mobile assist hooks make it much harder for that big flat fish to throw a hook when it inevitably starts shaking its head.

Rigging options are endless, however, you’ll do well just tying to the head and dropping it to the bottom where big lizards lurk. Use a slow lift and drop technique, making sure it hits the bottom between lifts, or whip it fast imitating a frantic prawn.

With 3 sizes/weights to choose from, you’ve got every depth and current speed covered. The small sizes are suited to skinny gutters and lagoons at thebottom of the tide, and in the deeper holes as the tide slows. The heavier models can be fished throughout the tide and are perfect for the depths of the Seaway and Jumpinpin bar.

Spot hopping between structures like navigation beacons is another good option, as is bouncing jigs around the mouths of the canals. All are likely haunts for ambush predators like flathead.

And don’t be surprised if you land some mulloway by-catch, amongst other things. After all, what fish doesn’t eat a prawn?

There are six colours including glow and UV in sizes 16g/49mm, 33g/58mm and 74g/78mm. www.austackle.com

19

STRIKE PRO ASTRO VIBE 45

Metal blades are a great way of covering water and are very successful on many estuary species. The new Strike Pro Astro Vibe combines the best of both worlds: a metal blade and a rattling vibe.

The Astro Vibe incorporates a polycarbonate belly with small inbuit-rattles. It also allows for a transparent finish to be achieved in a metal blade and the belly section is UV for added attraction.

The Astro Vibe is superb when fishing deeper water or casting on shallow flats where it can cover vast distances due to its weight.

The Astro Vibes are fitted with either quality Owner or Decoy trebles so you have the confidence in landing that trophy fish. It is 4.5cm long and weighs 9.6g. www.jurofishing.com 14

SEPTEMBER 2015

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BERKLEY POWERBLADE

This blade was designed in Australia by Matt Fraser and rigorously field tested by the Berkley Pro Team.

Precision engineered to trigger more strikes, the PowerBlade emits a high frequency, fish attracting vibration with minimal rod action.

On the drop, the PowerBlade glides naturally through the water column enticing fish to follow it down and strike. The 44 and 49mm PowerBlades are designed for species such as flathead. Weighting in at 8 and 11g respectively, the 44 and 49mm PowerBlades are well suited to working the depths of an estuary system where the flathead lay in ambush. Available in proven flathead colours, such as chartreuse and hot pink, the PowerBlade is a must for any flathead fisho’s tackle box.

Built on super tough, laser cut 0.9mm stainless steel frames, the PowerBlade can withstand the toughest abuse. Colour range includes proven tournament winning colours, all with lifelike 3D eyes and fish attracting UV accents. Armed with Owner trebles (ST36BC) and rings for ultimate penetration and grip. www.berkley-fishing.com.au

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YOZURI 3DS SHAD MR

The Yo-Zuri 3DS Shad Mid-runner is a suspending shad style bait with an extremely tight wobbling action. It is most effective when stop-and-go or slow retrieved, and this bait has proven very effective across a wide range of species.

The slender features and high arched back of the 3DS Shad, along with the available Internal 3D Prism Finish, etched laser lines and fine underbelly scaling, make for an irresistible bait presentation.

With its ability to dive to 1.8m, its natural baitfish profile and colour range and matching action makes it an ideal shallow to mid water flathead lure. It’s 65mm in length. www.yo-zuri.com

22

ZEREK TANGO SHAD

The Zerek Tango Shad now comes in floating and suspending models and will only be available in a 50mm version. Fifteen new colours in the suspending version and ten new colours in the floating version combine natural and attractor patterns, including UV colours that make these brilliant lures even more appealing.

The 50mm Floating Tango Shad has been a raging success on a host of estuary and freshwater species.

From flathead to bream, trout to redfin, this floating lure is responsible for some amazing captures.

Floating slowly in salt water, this version can be cast and retrieved or trolled with equal effect in estuaries, rivers and lakes. Especially deadly in shallow water, the 50mm Floating Tango Shad is a very valuable tool for

anglers targeting timid fish.

The 50mm Suspending Tango Shad is built for those who like to sit lures in the faces of cagey flathead.

The 50mm Suspending Tango Shad combines a brilliant body profile with an action that screams to fish ‘Eat Me!’ Suspending horizontally in saltwater, this version of the popular Tango Shad can be cranked down to about 1m before being paused and allowed to sit neutrally in the water. Pause the Tango Shad in front of snags, let it sit in amongst the weeds or simply slow roll this lure across the flats before pausing it in front of following fish.

The technique options opened up by this brilliant lure will allow tournament and social anglers to catch more fish – and that’s what it’s all about. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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LIVELY LURES MICRO MULLET

The Lively Lures Micro Mullet was designed to work hard at slow speeds with a high cadence (frequency of the wobble). The frequency of the wobble is a huge attractant to flathead.

A key feature of the Micro Mullet is that they are designed to dive down and run along the bottom flicking up sand and mud just like a small whiting does when feeding. With a bib designed to dig, a trolled Micro Mullet will appear to pause for a small moment on the bottom before flicking away quickly leaving a cloud of sand or mud in its wake.

Micro Mullets can be fished in water as shallow as 2ft all the way down to 10ft.

Another feature of the Micro Mullet is that they have great weed clearing abilities and a lot of this is to do with the high cadence and bib design. Being able to clear the weed off your lure with a simple flick of the rod means you’ll spend more time with your lure in the water, resulting in higher catch rates.

Available in twelve colours there is a pattern for every water condition. www.livelyluresonline.com.au

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STORM GOMOKU POPPER

The Storm Gomoku Popper is micro in size yet it packs a serious amount of top water action.

Targeting flathead in super shallow water on surface lures is proving to be another highly successful technique during the warmer months.

Camouflaged under a blanket of sand in only a foot of water, flathead are highly opportunistic feeders that will break out of stealth mode and aggressively snap at fleeing prey.

The splashing action of the Gomoku Popper from above is proving to be dynamite on flathead as it imitates a flickering poddy mullet or prawn.

Available now in a 40mm model that weighs 3g. www.rapala.com.au

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Berry baiting carp BRISBANE

Liam Fitzpatrick liamsfx@hotmail.com

Who would have thought that as a child getting covered in purple stains while devouring mulberries would lead to once again being covered in purple stains as an adult using them as bait for carp.

I don’t eat as many these days but living in the Albert and Logan catchment area provides an abundance of mulberries and the introduced carp gorge themselves on them for a few months of the year. In this article I will tell you how to use them to good effect targeting the big noxious carp that plague these waterways.

A QUICK RUN DOWN For those who need to get up to speed, Australia has a massive problem with pest fish and at the pointy end of the list is European carp. The problem with carp is their destructive bottomfeeding habits, which stir up sediments and destroy native fish habitat. Erosion

The mulberry and the tell-tale stains they leave behind.

Top: Carp can be quite a pretty fish, sometimes it’s a shame that they need to be dispatched.

Above: Blaise hooked up on a berry-muncher.

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of banks and bankside vegetation can muddy the water forcing natives out and with excess sediment, natural spawning sites over rubble runs can silt-up and disappear altogether.

Carp also compete for food with our natives and have the upper hand thanks to their omnivorous diet and their ability to take advantage of fruiting trees along our waterways.

The spread of carp has now consumed most of South Eastern Australia and unfortunately it is impossible to eradicate them completely, even with the countless efforts by government bodies and concerned members of the community.

This is where anglers like myself step in and use these wary targets to hone angling skills and help tip the balance back in the native’s favour. The time the mulberries are in fruit every tree along the creeks and rivers have a constant school of carp underneath them inhaling every berry that drops into the water and with some stealth and the correct technique, they can be targeted quite easily.

TECHNIQUE AND TIPS Firstly you need to do some recon and find a

stretch of water that has mulberry trees growing along the banks, this

isn’t that hard. Secondly, you need to gather some mulberries and, again, this

Watching kids catch fish is a great thing, especially when they’re hard-fighting fish like carp.

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isn’t that hard, especially when you have nimble son that likes to climb trees or be boosted up to the berries just out of reach.

Failing this, the ripe berries on the ground will suffice although they can be harder to keep on a hook

bury one point through the stem and the other in the flesh, as this helps keep the berry attached when casting.

It’s a simple rig but there are still a few tricks worth noting.

Some berries float, which isn’t

The author’s son Blaise enjoyed the hunt and the battle but not the dispatching. due to their soft nature.

Premium bait berries are the ones transitioning from the red colouration to the ripe dark purple colour that are famous for their handstaining ability.

Baits aside, the set-up is quite simple as all you need is a light combo such as bream or bass gear. In tech terms, a 7ft spin rod matched up with 1000-2500 threadline reel spooled with 4-10lb braided line and a 6-10lb fluorocarbon leader will do the job perfectly.

On the flip side, a kid’s combo filled with light monofilament can still match it with the best berry tossers getting round.

I have tried a number of hooks, but have found a small un-weighted treble works the best.

The benefit of the trebles is obviously the multiple hook points as two points can be placed in the berry with one left exposed.

When baiting up try and

the optimal bait when presenting to mudding fish that have their nose down sucking up silt and searching for food or fish cruising on the bottom doing the same thing. This can be countered-acted with a gentle squeeze of the mulberry before casting.

So you have your rig and you have your bait, now finding fish to present a berry to is also quite easy and is done by simply walking the bank with a bit of stealth from an elevated position, polarising the water for signs of movement. This is also best done on the opposite bank to the sun to prevent casting shadows on the water.

Most carp you encounter are usually on an endless search for food, so don’t rush, just keep an eye on them as they tend to do laps around their pool.

This is your chance to get into a position to make a

cast as the carp turns away, you have less chance of spooking it. When it turns to come back, you’ll be ready.

A well-placed mulberry gets a look in every time and the secret is to land the bait a couple of feet in front of the carp in the direction it is swimming. During the mulberry season, carp are accustom to falling berries and as long as you don’t splash one down on their head. You can see the noticeable change of mood as the carp makes a v-line for the slowly sinking bait.

Next you see the yellow rubbery lips suck in the berry and after a split second, quickly set the hook! They are quick to reject the bait once they feel line or the hook.

Now it’s just a matter of playing the carp out and with none of the dirty fighting tactics of our natives, it’s just a matter of applying pressure when necessary to keep the fish from un-wittingly swimming around any snags.

THE FINAL BLOW The introduced European carp is noxious and must be destroyed and removed from the waterway by law. It is unlawful to possess carp alive or dead or use them as bait and penalties apply.

The other issue I have found is the moral dilemma when it comes to dispatching and disposing and perfectly good fish.

If you spend enough time chasing your quarry and a part of you becomes attached to it and if you can’t bring yourself to humanly euthanize the carp after the fight, then I suggest leaving carp well alone. If you’re prepared to quickly euthanize the carp, then a solid percussion stunning technique works best and it is suggested that burying pest fish after this process would be the way to go.

These big old carp are quite a challenge in clear shallow water and take some stealth and patience to catch consistently.

SEPTEMBER 2015

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Technique

Serving smoking hot tuna BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Smoking, one of the oldest ways of cooking, flavouring and preserving meats and fish, combines the effects of salting, drying, heating and smoking. While meats and fish can be cold smoked to preserve them, this process can take several weeks and requires generous salting and a substantial smokehouse to complete the task, especially with larger volumes of product. Hot smoking is easier, and is the most common method used.

It can be completed with a minimum of equipment and ingredients, and it doesn’t take long.

WHY SMOKE When you burn wood (pyrolysis) and break down its combustible carbonbased components, it releases hydrocarbons into the air: smoke. Smoke has antibacterial and antioxidant properties, which is why it helps to preserve meat and fish, but nowadays smokers are used mainly for flavour.

Another advantage of smoking is that it can lock in both flavour and moisture, thereby improving meats and fish, which can often be fairly dry when cooked with conventional methods. A prime example of this is tuna.

When cooked all the way through with conventional methods, such as frying or baking, tuna becomes very dry and almost unpalatable.

It is best eaten raw (sashimi style) or partially cooked and consumed immediately once it is taken from the heat – or smoked.

Whilst almost any fish can be smoked, some of the best ones include the more oily species, such as mackerel, mullet, tailor, tuna, bonito, trout, herring and salmon.

CHIP OFF THE BLOCK During the smoking process, wood is burned slowly to create both heat and smoke. Any wood can be used for this but it’s imperative that you don’t use treated timber, or any wood that has come into contact with chemicals or pesticides of any sort. This could poison you.

While there are plenty of great smoking wood mixes available from places such as tackle stores, Bunnings and some BBQ and camping outlets, there are no issues with sourcing your own clean, dry product from non-poisonous timbers. Some of the more popular timbers for smoking include hickory, mesquite, gum, bloodwood, apple, cherry, alder, oak and beech. Sometimes old oak wine or port barrels are used for a different flavour.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

These popular timbers are generally used as chips (small chunks), however finer shavings will give a much more intense smoke flavour as they will burn faster and more intensely, creating more smoke.

Small blocks of wood are sometimes used when you want to smoke something for a longer time at a lower heat.

Many people soak their wood chips in wine, port, masala or other liquids which permeate the wood and impart a greater depth of flavour to the smoked product.

How long you smoke your fish will depend on the heat generated by the burners, the size and amount of wood being used and also the density of the flesh being smoked. I like to use chips of wood rather than shavings, and I initially move the burners away from the base of the smoker (probably between 10-15cm) once the chips have started smoking up.

Be sure to check on the fish regularly to ensure you are not overcooking it, which will make it too dry. If it’s cooking too fast, move the heat further from the base of the smoker or decrease the flame size by adjusting the air vents on the burner, to slow down the cooking process.

There are so many variables to take into consideration during the smoking process, however a lower heat and longer smoking time will generally produce a better end product.

Just check your burners and product regularly and regulate where necessary to avoid too much heat. Burners have a habit of flaring up after a while because the metho used in them burns more efficiently as it gets hotter or when it receives more oxygen, so keep an eye on them.

BRINING Brining is done before you smoke the fish to remove excess blood and moisture. There are a lot of brine mixtures and recipes available and these generally include salt, water and brown sugar with the possible addition of soy sauce, wine, garlic, teriyaki sauce, port or other ingredients. Although I generally make my brine to taste without measuring the ingredients, I have included a basic recipe here for you to follow to get started. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little.

Sometimes when smoking chicken I simply use a mix of soy sauce and brown sugar to immerse it in for an hour or so before smoking.

This is also good for tailor or mackerel. For fish such as tuna however, I generally stick to a classic brine recipe because tuna flesh has a lot of moisture and blood to draw out before smoking.

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1

You can smoke both freshly caught tuna as well as previously frozen fish, however you are best to wrap the chunks in absorbent paper towel overnight to draw some of the blood out. Also cut off any of the bloodline, as it tastes like dead buffalo butt when smoked. Cut your tuna chunks across the grain into slices of between 15mm to 25mm thick. I prefer thicker chunks because they’re likely to dry out. Ensure all slices are very similar thickness otherwise they will smoke unevenly.

Take the wood chips out of the fluid and drain. Coat the bottom of the smoker with the wood chips, with a little more concentration over the area where the burners will sit underneath. Place your rack inside the smoker. I like to use a rack that sits up high in the smoker as this keeps the fish away from the heat, allowing it to smoke slower.

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Light your burners and place them under the smoker to start the smoker heating and the chips eventually burning, which will create the smoke we want. The burners will only produce a small flame initially until they heat up. Once an orange flame is produced, turn the dial to close the air vents on the burners and decrease the flame.

2

To prepare the brine I generally use roughly 1/2 cup of cooking salt, 3/4 cup of brown sugar and eight cups of room temperature water for a large amount of fish (a couple of kilograms). However you can adjust the quantity of each depending on how much brine you’ll need for the amount of product you have to soak. Additionally, I add around four or so tablespoons of soy sauce to my brine, but this is not essential. Mix it all together, ensuring that all the salt is dissolved. Place all the tuna chunks into the brine and stir around a bit, then leave it to sit for at least 45 minutes.

7

Remove the tuna from the brine and allow it to drain on a rack, or wipe it with some absorbent paper towel.Sometimes I coat some of the tuna with additional brown sugar. This gives a different (yet not sweet) taste to the tuna.

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3

While the tuna is brining, put some smoker chips into a bowl and cover with water or wine. This will ensure that they do not burn too quickly. You will need just enough chips to lightly cover the bottom of your smoker. These need to soak for 20-30 minutes.

Once you have the wood chips burning nicely and a good amount of smoke inside the smoker, place all the tuna chunks on the wire rack.

Avoid having them touching so the smoke can encompass them evenly. Ensure you do not have too much heat present. It’s best if the tuna cooks and smokes slowly. Move the burners further from the base of the smoker or stunt the flame by starving it of oxygen to decrease the heat if necessary.

As it smokes and cooks, the tuna will change colour to a brownish-grey. I like to check the tuna regularly to ensure it is not overcooking, and often turn it over when I think it is around half done.

9

4

Next get your smoker ready. Fill the burners with some methylated spirits. The burners will often have some gauze and cloth compound in the bottom.

Fill the burners until the metho just covers these. I line the inside base of the smoker with alfoil to make clean up easier. Spray the rack or racks with a little olive or vegetable oil to avoid the fish sticking to it.

If you think it may be ready, break a piece to see how well it is cooked. When the tuna chunks are cooked most of the way through, with just a small tinge of pink remaining in the middle, remove the entire rack from the heat. You can eat your tuna immediately, or allow it to cool and eat it later. It’s a great addition to pasta, salads and sandwiches, and divine when served with cottage cheese or cream cheese on crackers while having a few coldies. I sometimes cryovac a portion and freeze it for future needs when doing a large batch.

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Getting back to basics: Tying the cat’s paw BRISBANE

Kim Bain

The cat’s paw is ideal for connecting a swivel (or a snap swivel) to a double (aka doubled mainline).

The cat’s paw knot (aka offshore swivel knot) is a longstanding, and still commonly used, connection within the heavy tackle game fishing scene where long and\or heavy leaders are used. I’ve used it in an assortment of monofilament, co-polymer and fluorocarbon lines as

1

well as, braided, fused and other super-lines.

A cute ‘nicety’ of the cat’s paw is that it is a tag free knot; this means that it can’t come undone, …never ever!

Unless it breaks, of course!

As far as knot-strength goes; testing of the cat’s paw knot when tied in ‘super-lines’ has showed average breaking strengths from 80% upwards.

Some testing agencies have achieved close to 100% in nylon type lines.

As its alternative moniker suggests, the offshore swivel knot’s traditional use in game fishing circles is as a knot to

Thread the double through the eye of the swivel.

2

connect doubled lines to either a snap-swivel or swivel.

Like many knots used to connect double lines to a swivel or snap-swivel connection, if one of the double’s strands breaks, the cat’s paw knot will still hold fast with the remaining single strand.

The knot does require a bit of attention to ensure that both strands of the double are kept to the same length (otherwise the knot will pull on one side when you are tightening it up and your knot may deform).

This can be a little tricky with long doubles; the best solution being to put the rod and reel

into a rod holder and to wind some of the double onto the reel and then use the reel’s drag to maintain tension on the double. Keep the strands at equal length while the first loop is formed (step two). Once the knot is loosely formed (step three), apply steady pressure so that the loops begin to tighten, continue to ensure that both legs are equal and all twists are removed.

The other handy hint is to snug the knot by firstly lubricating it (with saliva), then using your thumb and forefinger (including your fingernails) to push the knot’s

coils towards the swivel’s ring. Once the knot is fully seated against the swivel ring, you still need to snug it tighter or it will remain too loose and may deform under full tension such as when fighting a fish. To tighten the cat’s paw connection even further, clip the snap swivel onto a fixed point such as a harness clamp on a lever drag game reel while you pull on the double with one hand to keep tension and simultaneously snug the lubricated knot up to the ‘ring’. A system that has a swivel instead of a snap swivel, will often use a clip

3

Fold the loop end of the double back over the double.

Rotate the swivel through the loop. Do this between 3-10 times depending on your line. The line’s diameter and stiffness play a big part in how well you can snug the knot; and this then influences the best number of turns.

that clips onto their swivel; thus their swivel is held while the knot is being bedded down. An alternative is a pin or nail (hammered) or a hook (screwed) into a solid fixture, the eye (aka ring) of the swivel can then be placed over the nail\pin\hook.

A final consideration is that the cat’s paw can only be tied in an intact double loop; if the loop has been cut (such as when retying a new swivel) then you will need to use a knot other than a cat’s paw.

Hence you need to know how to tie not only the cat’s paw but also an alternative.

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Lubricate and then snug the knot.

3-10 times

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Sharp hooks are critical NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

There’s an old saying in fishing circles that the two most important keys to consistent angling success are a strong knot and a sharp hook. This month, Starlo gets to the point — literally — and examines the all-important subject of hook sharpness.

In my opinion — and it’s an opinion based on more than four decades of on-water experience — the use of hooks with extra sharp points is one of the easiest and most effective ways to instantly boost your catch rate, regardless of where you wet a line or what species you target.

Certainly, there are a few styles of fishing where having a wickedly sharp hook point might not be so critical to success. The most obvious of these are specific bait fishing scenarios where the fish is allowed to completely swallow a baited hook before the angler strikes. In those instances, there’s a reasonable chance that your hook will find its mark and establish a hold, even if it’s not razor sharp.

There’s even one specialised fishing style I can think of where excessive point sharpness might actually prove to be counterproductive.

This unusual situation occurs when using a so-called ‘circle hook’ or ‘tuna circle’. These unusually-shaped hooks with their extremely re-curved points are designed to catch around the jaw bone or jaw hinge as they exit the fish’s mouth. They’re best used by simply allowing the line

to draw tight gradually as the fish moves away, rather than striking to set the hook.

If the point of a circle hook is too sharp (or if it’s offset from the plane of the hook shank and bend), it may catch lightly inside the fish’s mouth or throat and fail to slide into the correct position and lock around the jaw bone, as

intended. However, in every other form of angling I can think of, sharp hooks offer significant advantages.

Nowhere is the importance of hook sharpness more critical than in lure and fly fishing, where a fish will often nip, snap, slash or grab at a moving artificial bait, offering the angler a single, split-second

A fine file or sharpening stone is perfect for touching-up dulled hook points.

Here the author is re-sharpening the hooks on a spinnerbait after they lost their sticky edge due to repeated contact with submerged rocks.

Top: Jo Starling with a small golden perch that was only very lightly pinned, thanks to the use of ‘sticky sharp’ hooks on her lure. Above: Treble hooks on lures need wickedly sharp hook points in order to regularly find their mark… Check your hooks often!

chance of obtaining a solid connection. The difference between a missed strike and a solid hook-up when lure or fly fishing typically comes down to the sharpness of your hook points, and this is an area far too often disregarded or under-rated, especially by novice anglers.

Keen, experienced lure fishers regularly talk about the desirability of having ‘sticky sharp’ hooks. When they use this term, they’re referring to the propensity that really keen hook points have of literally ‘sticking’ to any surface they happen to touch, be it your finger, an item of clothing… or a fish’s lip. Sticky sharp hooks can make a huge difference to your day-to-day lure and fly fishing results.

In the bad old days, new hooks were rarely sticky sharp straight out of the pack and committed anglers were forced to spend time touching them up with fine files or sharpening stones. In this modern era of improved metallurgy and ‘chemically sharpened’ hooks (which have

been etched in an acid bath to remove the imperfections left by the mechanical sharpening process), most quality hooks are keen enough to use when brand new, without any touching up. However, these very fine points are also highly susceptible to damage and deterioration from corrosion or contact with hard surfaces such as rocks, boat hulls and

fish teeth.

Get into the habit of regularly checking your hook points by touching them lightly against the ball of your thumb or dragging them across a fingernail. Really sharp hooks will instantly bite in. If they don’t, change them out or sharpen them… Trust me, you’ll catch a lot more fish if you follow this advice!

Quality lures like this Ecogear ZX typically carry very sharp hooks, greatly enhancing their ability to pin lightly-biting fish.

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Score some snapper before the season ends! on spinners with better quality 4-5kg green backs on poppers. With plenty of bait around and good conditions hopefully the run of good fish will continue. My favourite pick for poppers to get in to those quality fish are the River2Sea 130 Bubble Pop as well as the Get Bent

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The inshore fishing has still been good for a few snapper in the same old haunts like Woody Head, Black Rock, Angourie and Shellys and further a field down around Wooli and Minnie Waters in that 30m mark seams to be the magic spots for them at the moment.

On the bait side of things pillies and bottle squid seem to be doing the bulk of the damage. On lures, flick baits have been accounting for quite a few quality fish getting up in

On the mulloway front, there have been some nice shoolies still around the headlands and walls, and the best results have come from soft plastics. We have found the best combo for this kind of work to be a rod in the 8-9ft rated at 8-10kg with a 4000-6000 sized reel running 20-30lb line and

larger hardbodies again on of my favourite lures, the locally made Jewie Jewel

by Croaker Lures, which have been accounting for some good size fish.

Definitely upsize the gear if you’re throwing around these bigger hardbodies.

And who can’t help but get excited for the

Brock Partrige with a nice wall caught bream. There’s been some stonking bream around recently. the 5-7kg models.

Out wide there are still some nice kingfish and

Steve Patti with a nice Jewie Jewel caught mulloway.

table fish like pearlies and pig fish down deep.

In the river bream are still around in the bottom end and the usual plastics and blades down deep have been working well. For the bait brigade some good bream baits are mullet flesh and any of the gut baits like chook and mullet gut.

There’s still some nice blackfish around as well.

Along the walls in the lower reaches have been producing the goods.

Off the stones there have been some very nice tailor in the 2-3kg class

The quality of snapper currently running around is up there at the moment, with specimens like this common.

Pencil Popper. Both have accounted for plenty of quality fish for me.

40-50lb leader. There have been some better quality model mulloway on the

season has opened on our favourite little Aussie battlers, the bass!

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Tweed River fires up this spring plenty of mullet in the river for them to harass and they are being caught pretty much everywhere, with the biggest ones being around one metre caught near the Maritime Museum. The bream are still spawning with some absolute crackers being landed off both walls. The incoming tide is firing at the moment, and as I mentioned last month the bream are loving the chicken and don’t bother

THE TWEED

David Solano

We finally got our first serious cold spell for winter on the Tweed a week or so back, with the temperature the coldest it’s been in ages, and the river is in the best shape that I have seen for quite some time.

School mulloway are starting to show up with

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Top: A kayak is great way to access skinny water bream. Above: The author with another solid Tweed River bream. with a conventional bait rig as a jighead works just fine.

The river’s holding a lot of small flathead with some truly monster fish being landed around the Tweed Hospital on big 6” Z-Man SwimmerZ soft plastics. The odd kingfish are also being caught in the mouth of the

02

river with the sand pumping jetty the top spot to try.

Again there’s a lot of little tailor in the river, while the

greenbacks are being landed off the beach around Fingal.

When you drive to Fingal keep your eye out for a little stream that flows into the Tweed, it’s worth stopping for a squiz as there’s big barracuda in there smashing bait fish that are trying to get to the river. Very exciting

stuff I reckon.

Outside has been fishing great. How would I know? I always have a chat to the locals on their way in and the other day I was totally blown away by the quality of pearl perch one crew had and one cod had an eye bigger than my fist. Well done boys.

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12-year-old Ethan caught this yellowbelly while staying at the Lake Moogerah Caravan Park.

Fishing Fill-its

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Customers can come into the revamped showroom in The Goodtime Building at The Gabba and get educated, inspired and equipped for their water sport passion whether it is with a paddle or a wave, these 2 well known brands will get you enjoying summers all year long.

In the 60s, in Woosleys Surf board workshop, Ross Cook and Brian Austen started their journey, following their love of working with composite materials and created a friendship that was to last decades, resulting in the opportunity that has been created today.

The first canoe Ross made was in the 50s when he was 11. In his teenage years canoes were sold out of his home in Inala until the late 60s. Knowledge of workmanship was

Rosco Canoes to find new premises at Kedron, which was home for 5 years.

For over 45 years Rosco Canoes have played a major part on getting people out on the water, including being the preferred supplier for many school camps across QLD, Scouts and Girl Guides, which means that every kids who has been canoeing probably would have paddled a Rosco!

gathered over the years building surfboards while canoes were still being made in spare time. In 1970, Rosco Canoes was established by Ross Cook, manufacturing his own designs of fibreglass canoe and kayaks.

Over the next few years, Ross soon had the need to expand into a factory showroom on Brisbane’s Northside in Stafford. By the late 70s Rosco Canoes moved into the well-known premises at Windsor, which was to become the home of Rosco for over 35 years.

Modern road works drove

The Rosco range now boasts a huge 10 canoe models and 14 kayak models, all designed and manufactured in Brisbane.

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09/06/2015 08:19

Gearing up for Classic catches GOLD COAST

Danny Sands

Spring is finally here after a brisk winter.

September is a better month to target big amberjack, kingfish and samsonfish off the Gold Coast. Jigging and live baiting on the pinnacles out on the 50-fathom line and the deep reefs off the

Tweed are a great place to start looking for these hard-pulling deep thugs.

When the first of the current starts to kick in it seems to fire up the quality snapper and pearl perch on the 36, 42 and 50 fathom lines. Float lining accounts for nearly all the bigger snapper these days.

Carefully weighted flesh bait like pilchards, tuna, slimies and yakkas are the

go. If the current is running hard, use a paternoster rig with two droppers. I prefer either a gang of two 5/0s or a single 6/0 circle hook on my droppers, with a lumo bead just above the hook.

The current on the 24-fathom line off the coast has been pretty much non-existent, making fishing a bit tough on some days. Anchoring up and float lining pillies in a

Tommy Ryan caught this cracking mulloway on a live yakka just five minutes from the Seaway.

berley trail on a tide change early in the morning has been the key for lots of pan-size snapper. So far this season the cobia and mulloway have been in fantastic numbers on the 18 and 20 fathom line off Southport. Anchoring and berleying while fishing live baits like tailor at various depths is the best way to reliably catch a cobia.

Berley will often bring schools of cobia and it’s not uncommon to have a double or triple hook-up after a period of inactivity.

Cobia are one of the most stubborn fighting fish you will ever hook.

Mulloway have also been in good numbers on the local reefs. Fishing live baits like tailor, pike and yakkas are your best bet.

Fishing on dusk and into the night has accounted for the most jew but day time jew require a different touch, as jew love to hide in the caves, crevasses and swim around rock pinnacles during the day. To get a bite you virtually have to drop your baits on their heads.

Another popular technique is to use your electric motor and sit on top of them and

September is all about flathead in the estuaries as the Flathead Classic approaches.

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drop soft plastic, soft and hard vibes and micro jigs.

INSIDE This month the main target species is flathead, as anglers prepare for the upcoming Flathead Classic held from 30 September to 3 October. Already there are a lot of boats out there practicing for the big event. So far this season

we’ve experienced the best flathead bite that I have seen in years; on my last four flathead trips I caught over 150 flathead, and most of them were taken in shallow water using soft plastics like Berkley Gulps in 4” chartreuse minnow and the 4” Swimming Mullet in green prawn.

Trolling hardbody lures like

Pig lures, Micro Mullets and Zerek Tango Shads is also a very effective option if the plastics aren’t catching much.

Big female flathead are due to head to the deep river mouths for their annual spawning run. Tea bagging big plastics along rock ledges, coffee rock and fallen timber are the best places to look for flathead. Try using the 5” McCarthy in the paddle tail and the 6” grub. These are effective lures in the deep.

There should be plenty of mulloway, trevally, bream and even a few mangrove jacks starting to show as it starts to get warmer. As the sea mullet run starts to thin out, I find that mulloway tend to bite better on soft plastics in September using big 7” Berkley Gulp Jerk Shads in pearl white and pink shine are one of the better plastics to use for these fish.

The first bit of warm weather really fires up the mangrove jacks in our estuaries. Slow rolling 4” Z-Man DiezelZ in pearl is a good option, as they’ve been dynamite lately. I still like to glue my plastic onto my jighead, as this will stop a jack pulling your plastic over the point of your hook.

That’s my round-up for this month. I wish all competitors the best and tight lines during the Gold Coast Sport Fishing Flathead Classic.

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Impending doom for bait in canals GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn

With the warmer weather beginning to roll in, we are starting to see some great signs of solid fish.

Plenty of big bait schools are scattered in the canals, mainly around the mouths.

Look for signs of life up on

retaining walls, where GT will push bait up and feed.

Lately most of my fish have been coming from jetties and pylons in quite fast-flowing water. Stick to the back of the jetty where the calmer water is, as a lot of fish will sit there waiting for anything to swim or float by. A Z-Man 2” CrustaceanZ rigged on a light Hidden

Weight System jighead is a nice lure to cast halfway up the jetty, or even to the end, and let it sink past the whole jetty. By the time it’s back to you it should be near the bottom. Bream, trevally and jacks will be the three main species caught using this technique.

Jacobs Well is one system that has been fishing

A cheeky little school-sized trevally caught on a plastic sitting in the calmer water on the back of the jetty. This is a great technique!

quite well, with Coomera, Nerang, Tallebudgera being a bit hit and miss. Flathead, bream, whiting and snapper are in good numbers, taking most natural lures and fresh bait. On social media I have been seeing more and more jacks caught in our local estuaries, and they’re worth a shot with the weather warming up.

Jumpinpin and the Seaway are firing, with bait absolutely everywhere and very thick. A mate of mine went out recently and caught tailor after tailor, with birds working and fish pushing the bait to the surface… That’s something we would all like!

The tailor in the Seaway are sticking around the North Wall, mainly at the very end where the white water is, although fish will be found all throughout the seaway.

Plenty of mulloway have been caught in the past weeks, found in deep holes in the Broadwater, Jumpinpin and the Seaway. Sounding up holes and fish will definitely help. Large plastics including paddle-tails, curl-tails and jerk shads will do a great job. Live-bating will also see some good mulloway landed.

Night fishing for these predators is definitely worth

Andy Sparnon sight-fished this solid winter time GT hunting along one of the Gold Coast canals! a go, just remember to keep your lures and or baits on the bottom, and you’ll be in with a great chance!

Remember to fish the canal walls, jetties and entrances slow and really work them if they are looking good. Large flathead, bream, jacks and trevally will all sit along these walls.

Minnow-like hardbodies that represent a mullet or baitfish, unweighted live bait and

also all sorts of plastics are worth a shot.

In conclusion, September isn’t only the first month of spring, but it is also one of my favourite months, offering some crazy fishing. The warmer water is starting to excite me, as I love fishing for mangrove jack, and the other canal action should pick up too! Get out there, fish hard and good luck to all this month!

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Tricks of the transition season are working GOLD COAST

David Green

September is the month when things start to warm up and we have an overlap of winter and summer species.

OFFSHORE GROUNDS This month should see some good snapper fishing on the 36-fathom line and plenty of pearl perch, kingies and amberjack out further on the 50-fathom reef. It is a month of transition and a

lot of the winter species start to taper off a bit as conditions warm up.

On the wide grounds beyond the continental shelf the water is generally around 21.5-22°C. This can make billfish a bit hard to find but if the sauries

A nice mulloway from one of the close reefs off Southport.

are around there are often quite a few yellowfin tuna as well as striped marlin.

It can be a bit hit and miss.

In general the yellowfin are around the 1000m line, a few miles wider than the usual blue marlin grounds.

Most boats troll skirted lures in these areas but a deep running minnow like a Halco Laser Pro 190 is another good option for yellowfin tuna.

There have also been quite an unseasonal run of mahimahi through winter with quite a few monsters around 20kg turning up as by-catch for the marlin fleet.

In closer to shore it has been an excellent season for snapper and mulloway on the close reefs. This should continue this month although the action generally tapers off towards October. I like to go out at around 3pm, catch my live bait and anchor up before sunset on a suitable close reef.

Once anchored, I turn off the sounder and start berleying with chopped tuna and pilchards. A trickle of current is ideal.

I set couple of livies close to the bottom (live

Roxsean Edwards with a nice flathead at 72cm on a trolled lure.

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slimies and pike are great) and then fish a lightly weighted strip bait on 10kg mono so it drifts down with the berley.

Sometimes we catch a few big-eyed pilchards while catching our live baits and these make superb snapper and mulloway baits.

On my last trip I thought I had an absolute monster snapper on but it ended up being a 113cm mulloway, which is not all that unusual in the spot I fish. Most of the action takes place after sunset and generally tapers off around 7.30pm.

There should be a few cobia on the close reefs and wrecks this month. Big live baits, large soft plastics and plenty of berley are a key combination to catching a big cobia. They are a magnificent eating fish and can be cooked in a wide variety of ways. The cobia migration seems to take place at the same time the whales are on the move.

The tailor season this year has been a bit hit and miss but it is worth spinning metal lures at the back of the surf around the artificial reef at Narrow Neck or near the back of the surf gutters at Jumpinpin. There should also be a few bonito and

Australian salmon turn up in September as well.

There have also been big schools of small mackerel tuna around the Seaway and a stack of bait. These should still be around throughout September.

RIVERS AND BROADWATER So far this year has been the best flathead season in years. At the time of writing we are up to 332 in 14 trips. There have been stacks of 45-55cm fish throughout the entire estuary. In September the spawning females start to congregate in the deeper water around the Seaway and Jumpinpin and fish over the 80cm mark become increasingly common. Deep jigging at this time of year produces big flathead on the run in tide in quite good numbers as well as some nice mulloway, tailor and trevally.

September can be plagued by a lot of mid water weed and strong northwesterly winds. This can make flathead fishing difficult as the water gets quite cloudy and brown.

After a while you soon learn that when the water has that horrible look, it isn’t worth fishing even in the most reliable spots. It’s

all about chasing the good quality water in September.

The Gold Coast Sportfishing Club Flathead Classic begins at the end of the month and there will be plenty of boats out chasing the lizards as they practice before the event.

In general, I like to troll

the run-in tide on the flats, find a patch of flathead and then begin casting. It pays to mix up your approach.

In a single session I try hard bodies, blades, soft vibes, rattlers, soft plastics and I also experiment with colour. The new Pygmy Swirl coloured Micro

Mullet by Al Dolan has been a deadly lure this season for our boat.

As the water warms up the mangrove jacks start to get active again.

Casting shad-tails around floating pontoons is the most popular method, but they also respond well to

This mangrove jack was caught by Mark Frendin on a plastic.

cast hardbodied lures at this time of year. Both the Coomera and Nerang systems should produce a few nice jacks this month.

The run-out tide generally produces the most bites.

In the Seaway, there should be tailor, bream, flathead and mulloway around this month with a few tailor around the wash at the end of the north wall. By this stage most of the bream have completed spawning and are starting to move up river, as are the mullet.

There should also be some good luderick fishing this month on the rock walls on both cabbage and green weed. Drifting live baits through the seaway is a good method to target mulloway but the average size drops this month after the mullet run is over.

There should also be a few giant trevally up to about 75cm in the Seaway.

Overall, September is a month of transition between summer and winter species on the Gold Coast. The main effort this month is generally spent chasing flathead, and this season so far has been excellent. As things warm up this month the fishing should improve a bit and there are still a wide range of options.

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The ‘Pin is flathead paradise JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

September is the best time of year to focus your attention on catching flathead at Jumpinpin. The Pin is one of the best flathead spots along the coast and during this

breeding season it will get even better.

Females will usually have 4-5 males hanging around them at any time so if you manage to catch one then it’s likely there will be more around in the same area. Using soft plastics and trolling hardbodied lures around the edges of weed beds and drop-offs should get you a

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lizard or two.

Big flatties love a live bait too and mullet, gar, herring and pike all work really well so if you aren’t into using lures then livies are definitely the go. Other baits for lizards to try are pillies, white bait, banana prawns and yabbies and try to present the bait as naturally as possible, as you won’t usually pick up fish if the bait is spinning or hanging awkwardly off your hook.

The pick spots to try for big flatties this month are the deep water of the bottom of Swan Bay where they can be caught over a metre, the top of Crusoe Island, near Tipplers Island,

the bottom of Kangaroo Island, the Stockyards, the mouth of Cobby Passage, Fishermans Channel and around the flats near the Powerlines.

Bream are a staple throughout the ‘Pin and will always be available right throughout the year. You will notice the quality of fish drop off a bit and the larger fish will be harder to catch as their season comes to an end. There will still be plenty on offer though this month and you’ll find prawns, squid, yabbies, worms and pilchard chunks are the best baits for quality bream.

Try all the usual hot

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spots like the Short Bank, the Pig Styes, Fishermans Channel, the Powerlines and

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Whiting should start up in better numbers this month as the water temperature increases.

They have been really active over the cooler part of the year so the whiting fishing is only going to get better. Try beachworms, bloodworms and yabbies around Tipplers Island, the Never Fail islands, off Couran Cove, the Gold Bank, the mouth of Cobby Passage and Alberton Sands in the Logan River.

We are still waiting for tailor to turn up at the ‘Pin. There have been good reports of them down south along Main Beach and Narrowneck, which usually means that their next stop will be Jumpinpin, but as yet they have not

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it’s done with a huge bream.

started to fire.

When they do the best spot for the bigger greenbacks will be the surf off South Straddie in the gutters and at the northeast tip where the waves have made a deep channel and the water is like a washing machine. They will come through the Bar and schools can be seen by birds working the schools of baitfish that they are both chasing. Mimic the size of the baitfish with a metal slug or plastic and you can have one of the best fishing sessions ever.

Fish to 2kg can be caught in as far as the Powerlines, so wherever you are fishing it always pays to stick a pilly out the back just in case.

Mulloway have been taking plastics and livies in the deep water off Swan Bay. The trick is to get your bait down there as the current runs very hard through that area, so try to time being there when the tide turns and the current is at its slowest. Other spots to try are Cobby Passage, Flatrock, the Stockyards, Marks and Pitts Rocks in the Logan.

Crabs should start to fire up again with the increase in water temperature so don’t forget your pots. I have heard the best results are coming from the deeper holes of the channels instead of up close in the mangroves.

• 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.

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Trophy and fun-sized targets SOUTHERN BAY

Nabeel Issa

The last of the cold weather is approaching and it’s starting to really warm up around Brissy! Spring in Moreton Bay has long been my favourite time of

fishing that follows suit.

Spring means mulloway for me, so fingers-crossed they start showing up in the big schools that usually come through.

Over the last month the fishing has been consistent throughout the bay, with many reports of pan-sized

towards summer we will start to see a few big Moreton Bay snaps. Squid and bream are still in great numbers and have been an easy target for anglers fishing the shallows.

SNAPPER Undeniably one of the most prized fish of Moreton Bay, we all love catching

Expect to see plenty of these guys in the coming months.

When the average size is like this, they are awesome! the year. The weather is great, with crisp mornings that warm up quickly and

snapper rolling through. The big fish have been quiet, but I’m guessing as we head

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snapper! I have found the most consistent way to catch these fish is to fish around the shallows of the Southern Bay islands. It’s common knowledge but still an effective way of catching them. The most important part here though is making sure you fish the early mornings or late afternoons. I’ve had numerous sessions where as soon as the sun was up the fish turned off the bite.

These fish can also get spooked very easily by noise, so it pays to keep boat noise to a minimum as you approach your spot or, even better, drift with an electric motor. Generally you won’t catch monster snapper here, but there are plenty about and it’s usually easy to catch enough for a feed. Light line, lightly weighed lures or bait is also key to getting you more

bites, just be prepared to lose a couple that make their way back into the reef!

MULLOWAY As mentioned, this is definitely coming into the best time of the year to target mulloway. If you haven’t caught many before, now is your chance! The deeper reefs in the Southern Bay, around Harry Atkinson Artificial or the Peel Island Artificial reef are a good starting place, and the mulloway will often school up in large numbers in these areas.

I find that the most important part to catching these fish is making use of your depth sounder. The artificial reefs in Moreton Bay are large, and the fish can be anywhere around them. I like to spend a little time sounding around looking for the schools, as opposed to waiting for them to find me. Some days it can take an hour, sometimes a minute, but it can make the difference between a fish-less trip or a great one.

When it comes to lure selection, mulloway aren’t all that fussy, but I like to use a 1/2oz TT jighead rigged with a 4” Z-Man Curly TailZ.

Nick Whyte with a great sized Moreton Bay snapper. At this size they can be a real handful on light gear, and a lot of fun.

This has produced a lot of mulloway for me over the past few years and seems to be the first one I tie on.

FUN-SIZED The bream and squid are still very viable targets in the shallows during the day, and can help put fish in the boat when the deeper reefs go quiet. Try the shallow reef/ weedy areas around Goat and Peel islands with a rising tide.

With the water starting warm up, small surface lures are

The result of a shallow water snapper session. This fish took a liking to a Z-Man StreakZ in the baby bass colour.

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a great option for the bream and can make for some very visual and exciting fishing.

I am really looking forward to the next couple of months fishing in Moreton Bay, and hopefully the weather plays nice and we can get out there! If you have a picture or a story you would like to share, send it through to me at nabs12@ gmail.com and I’ll do my best to get it in next month’s magazine for you.

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Spring into September species BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With the average overall temperatures beginning to rise throughout September, anglers will begin to notice a changing of the guard in relation to the prominent species on offer. As the cool weather species taper off, warmer water species will become more prominent throughout the Southern Queensland waters during spring. As such we should experience a good blend of piscatorial possibilities over the next few weeks.

Let’s look at a few of your angling options.

SCHOOLS OUT Apart from an increase in boat traffic during September, as young and old anglers get out onto the water to try their luck during the school holidays, there should also be an increase in the availability of school mackerel. These ravenous predators should be noticeable throughout various areas of Moreton Bay where they can be targeted using a variety of methods.

Although not commonly found in ravenous schools harassing baitfish on the

surface during September, school mackerel can be found a little deeper in the various channels throughout the area and also sometimes patrolling up on top the banks on the higher stages of the tide.

One of the key areas which can fire at this time of the year is the Rous Channel. Here anglers (including the commercial sector) troll spoons and other lures behind paravanes. The paravanes drag the lures down deeper in the water column than they would normally track. This is often between 4m and 8m where the mackerel are commonly found at this time of the year in this channel.

There are numerous paravanes and trolling boards which can get the job done, however the Yamashita trolling board (usually No. 6 or No. 7) appears to be the choice of the pros. I have used numerous ones over the years and found that most will do the job admirably. The lure of choice is commonly a Halco Barra Drone No.3, however Luhr Jensen Ripple Spoons, Macka Spoons, Flashas, Toby Spoons, shallow diving minnow lures and a host of other offerings can

be used. Troll speeds can vary depending on the lure being used and whether you are going with or against the current, although generally you will troll at 4-6 knots with paravanes. I sometimes use my downrigger to get lures down deep or troll deep diving minnow lures for targeting Rous Channel schoolies.

Drifting through the Rous Channel with pilchards rigged on a set of ganged hooks is another great way to catch a few mackerel.

I prefer this method as it allows me to fish with much lighter line than I could when using a paravane (due to the drag the paravane creates). Generally you won’t need any sinker when drifting, but may require some weight if fishing from anchor. You need to present the pilchard mid-water or deeper most of the time with it drifting naturally, not spinning in the current.

Therefore it is best to rig the pilchard with the hooks placed centrally along the back with the points exiting into the gut cavity. The front (leading) hook should be centrally through the top of the head, roughly half way between the eye socket and the nose. Generally the best

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action will occur an hour or so each side of the tide change but this can vary depending on the moon phase. Pilchards can also be fished in this manner at other areas including prominent beacons and ledges where mackerel often lurk.

Another way you can score a few mackerel at this time of the year is by trolling deep diving minnow lures up on top of the prominent flats such as Middle Bank and the Tangalooma Banks.

I generally opt for lures less than 12cm in length that will dive between 3m and 5m. The Yozuri Hardcore 90SP is one of my more often used lures, however Rapala X-Rap XRMAG15, Rapala Max-Rap Minnow and numerous others also work well. These lures are generally trolled as fast as you can. If they start to blow out of the water, slow down a fraction until they are tracking right. I often flatline them by using rubber bands on a short length of line at the transom to get the angle of the main line lower to the water. This will allow you a faster troll speed with minnow lures and gives a momentary amount of slack on the strike which permits the mackerel to turn easily, increasing the hook-up rate.

I usually work the banks areas from around half tide to almost the full. School mackerel have a minimum size limit of 50cm and a bag limit of 20 fish in possession (includes fish already in the freezer at home). Learn to identify both spotted and

Squid are a great species to target for anglers of all ages. Jordon recently nailed this one in the Rous Channel on an egi.

Bay. Already there have been a few quality specimens taken and we can only hope that these bluewater beasts again grace our waters in number.

Whilst cobia will accept a broad array of lures in certain situations, live baits are a more reliable way to get connected. Cobia will eat most offerings and I generally favour any bait caught on site. This can include (legal sized if applicable) school mackerel, snapper, sweetlip, bonito, tailor, sand crabs, squid and a host of others.

Large baits produce large cobia, and with specimens to

the beacon after you hook up and work the fish hard, as the cobia will generally pull against you and go away from the beacon. This can greatly increase your chance of landing larger fish.

I generally fish baits close to the bottom with twin snelled circle hooks on a 100lb mono leader and 30lb plus main line. Good areas to try can include the beacons in the northern bay, the Curtain Artificial, the Bulwer Ledge, Western Rocks (Kianga Channel) area and the Cowan Ledge, just to name a few. Various reefy areas in the Pearl

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SEPTEMBER 2015

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The Brisbane River fished well over winter. Luke lured this quality bream from its waters recently. school mackerel accurately as each have different bag and size limits. You may encounter the odd spotty during September.

COBIA Although there hasn’t been a good run of cobia since 2010, this year may see a change in the numbers caught throughout Moreton

over 40kg caught every year (and plenty more lost) the rewards are there for those anglers with persistence and right approach.

Cobia are a dogged and often dirty fighter which will head for the nearest structure.

When fishing around the bay beacons, it often pays to motor straight towards

Channel, the Caloundra Four Mile and the beacons in the NW group are additional locations to try.

SNAPPER It has been one of the better seasons for snapper that I can remember, with plenty of anglers managing creditable captures on a regular basis during winter.

The number of 45-55cm fish was great to see and is hopefully the result of increased size limits and decreased bag limits, which include only one fish over 70cm to be taken.

Anglers fishing the usual haunts of Moreton Bay including the bay island margins, the artificial reefs, numerous wrecks and prominent ledges are all likely to be rewarded with some quality captures. An array of soft plastics, blades, hard and soft vibration baits and other offerings are all likely to produce the goods.

Stealth is the key to securing the better quality fish in these shallow environs, and the anglers who take the time to circle wide of their fishing area as they reposition for another drift, use electric motors in the shallows and fish isolated pieces of ground away from the hordes of anglers are most likely to reap the rewards of the bay’s bluespotted beasts.

Quality fresh baits are also an advantage, and live offerings of banana prawns, pike, yakkas and slimy mackerel will additionally heighten your chances.

Although snapper are available in numbers right throughout the year within the bay, the cooler months generally offer a greater number of quality species, so now’s the time to get amongst them before the waters warm.

MANGROVE JACK

As the water temperatures begin to heat up, mangrove jacks will increase their aggressiveness within the creeks, rivers and estuaries. Although the best is yet to come in relation to jack numbers, anglers fishing

throughout September often experience some of the better quality specimens. Often these larger jacks have just ventured in from the offshore reefs and are hungry and aggressive.

The periods around dawn and dusk offer some of the best opportunities to target jacks, however these fish can be caught at almost any time with many anglers fishing throughout the night when boat traffic is at a minimum. Lure fishing is one of the most exciting and rewarding ways to get a few jacks, however they also respond well to live baits.

These are generally fished close to structure such as fallen mangrove trees, bridge pylons, rock bars, jetties, pontoons, rock walls and the like. I will talk a little more about some of the better lures and baits for mangrove jacks next month.

SQUID Although waters are starting to warm, September is still a great month to get amongst a few squid.

The shallows around the bay islands offer great opportunities for anglers casting egi (squid jigs). These are extremely easy to cast and retrieve on most light tackle.

Generally squid aren’t too fussy so they are a great target for junior anglers, often giving kids the added excitement of seeing the squid take the jig in these clear shallows. Even those anglers probing around the bay foreshore and the canals will be able to score a few.

Squid numbers will taper off a bit during September so get out and secure some succulent cephalopods while you can.

FLATHEAD As mentioned last month, flathead numbers

are at a premium during this time of the year. The larger females move inshore to breed, closely followed by hordes of smaller males, all intent on getting the business done.

Knowledgeable anglers fishing the estuaries can often get more than 20 quality flathead per session

As the tide begins to fall, flathead move to the edges of the flats and banks to take up ambush positions and await the baitfish, prawns, crabs and other morsels which are forced from the flats with the falling tide. The best specimens tend to take up the best ambush positions,

also offer great opportunities.

There are numerous creek and river systems that filter into Moreton Bay and all these will hold decent numbers of flathead year round. The Jumpinpin and Pumicestone Passage systems offer a multitude of opportunities for flattie

Quality snapper will still be around during September but their numbers will taper off as water temperatures rise. at this time of the year. Most of these anglers use lures of some kind as they allow you to cover and probe a good area of water. This is important as flathead hunt by ambush, only repositioning at certain times of the tide to take up a new ambush position.

Most lures which travel close to the bottom will work well on flathead. These can include jighead-rigged soft plastics, diving minnow lures, vibration baits and several others.

The top of the tide is the best time to be up on the flats casting to any weed beds, gutters and tidal indentations.

which will generally be at the lowest point or the mouth of a recess or gutter where the most water exits the flat.

Trolling deeper diving minnow lures along the edges of the bank systems as the tide falls is an easy way to locate a few flatties.

Once you find one, there is a good chance that there are several more in the immediate vicinity as a large female flathead will often be surrounded by numerous slightly smaller males at this time of the year.

Additionally, the mouths of small gutters and creeks leading out of the expanse of the mangrove system will

flickers with numerous creeks, channels, flats areas, weed beds and other areas which are flathead magnets.

BRISBANE RIVER During the cooler months there have been a lot of quality captures in the Brisbane River with mulloway, threadfin and snapper being the prime targets. Additionally there have been estuary cod, bream, flathead and several other species taken. Areas such as Claras Rocks, the Oil Pipeline, the Sunken Wall, the retaining wall at the mouth and the zones adjacent the jetties are prime places to try.

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Many anglers use lures such as vibration baits, plastics and even micro jigs to probe these areas. Live baits also work a treat and can provide some awesome yet relaxed fishing that can be experienced by the whole family. Locating live bait can be fairly easy, and those with the skill of using a cast net can score at the sewerage chute, Boggy Creek, the shallows of Boat Passage and numerous other locations. Anchoring at any of the aforementioned locations or anywhere along the river where the bank plummets into the main riverbed is a worthy ploy. I generally prefer the last few hours of the rising tide but have scored good results at numerous other times.

CONCLUSION I’m glad to see the last of winter and I’m looking forward to a long, hot spring and summer.

September offers anglers great opportunity to get out on the water while it’s still pleasant, and the sun doesn’t have too much bite. Getting the family fishing during the school holidays is awesome and provides an experience they will remember long after their favourite video game is no longer in production. Additionally, lifelong angling careers all started from just one trip so get the juniors out into the great outdoors with a rod in hand.

September has a lot on offer for anglers of all skill levels, and it’s a great time to be out in Moreton Bay or fossicking along the creeks and rivers which filter into it.

Spring into some September species over the next few weeks – the whole family will love the experience.

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39

It’s snapper time!

Cooler current lines pushed in off Moreton Island in late June and along with some north/ south current running at couple of knots, the switch flicked and on came the snapper.

A lot of inexperienced offshore anglers get easily put off and fear too much current, but when chasing snapper, you have got to use it to your advantage, as the old saying goes, “No run, no fun!”

OFFSHORE

John Gooding

Good quality squire have really turned it on for us this past month and we’re having no problem getting our bag limit for the boat in only a few hours.

As I mentioned in my previous report, the size has also been pleasing with most fish I the 1.5-2kg bracket, but mixed in have been some nice 3-4kg specimens.

A nice snapper caught floatlining in heavy current.

You will have the odd day where it gets tough when you have wind against current and you have to up your sinker size, but on most occasions, with the use of a good sea anchor, you can keep your sinker size to a minimum and get a nice drift along the reef. The difference between bottom bashing and floating is that when bashing, you want to go straight to the bottom with as little angle from the boat as possible. When you’re float lining, you want to have a nice angle away from the boat. I can’t stress enough how important it is to not go too heavy with the sinker, but to also keep the line running off the reel, and you should eventually get down to where the fish are sitting.

I can’t remember the last time we used anything bigger than an 5 ball sinker on ‘Outlaw’ and that’s fishing predominantly in 70-90m of water.

One thing I also changed in the past few years is that I’ve switched from ball to bean-shaped sinkers. The bean sinker caused less drag through the water, so again, you can

Happy anglers with their bag of quality snapper fish that touch lighter.

As I’ve stated many times before, braid is a ‘no-no’ for floating for snapper for many reasons, which I won’t go into again, but that doesn’t mean I’m anti-braid. I have a full rack of braided rods on ‘Outlaw’, but for floatlining, mono wins, hands down. We stick to 30lb and diameters under 5mm, and there’s plenty quality lines on the market that fall into that category.

By using the lighter line you also don’t have to worry about straightening hooks, so I’ve also changed away from the heavier gauge hooks, which are harder to set in a fish, and also harder to keep sharp. I’ve switched to a lighter gauge, chemically sharpened tailor-style hook, and our hook up rate has gone through the roof.

Anyway, it’s all about snapper east of the South Passage Bar over the next

few months, so now is the time to get our there and bag a feed, and if you want to fine-tune your floatlining, come for a chart on Outlaw!

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

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ADAM

Waiting for the wind to change the options NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

It’s certainly great to see the back of yet another annual winter with many anglers, including myself, loving any bit of warm weather we can get.

Waiting out the last of the August westerlies should start to see the customary warmer southeast winds pushing up to the northern bay bringing with it warmer currents, increased baitfish presence and a rise in water temperatures, pointing all towards better fishing in all corners.

Last month proved to be a slow month on the fishing front with the lack of rains at the beginning of the month keeping waters clean and clear, making fishing a test in the near perfect boating conditions. But this time proved to be fruitful for the estuarine-minded as predators had made the most of the cleaner waters to venture upstream in search of food… great for us!

So this leads me into the report for this month with our chief estuaries and creeks in the upper bay leading the points ladder for better catches of late.

SANDGATE AND SHORNCLIFFE With warmer conditions, this area has been hot and cold with bream and flathead being the main catches during the commencement of spring.

Receding tides have been kind to both land-based and small craft anglers in Cabbage Tree Creek this month with many choosing to anchor up in the deeper holes throughout the system.

Fresh baits like mullet, chicken and cooked prawns have been working well with smaller soft plastics working

well up against the majority of the structure that lines the creek.

Berkley 2” Gulp Shrimps, Cranka Crabs and Z-Man 2” GrubZ have been the pick of the artificials.

The start of the run-out has been the pick of the times with night anglers also beeping rewarded for their valour.

PINE RIVER This place just gets better with age. The upper reaches have been where the action is with the many deeper holes spread throughout the system coming into there own by holding good bait schools.

Flathead numbers have been steady over the past few weeks in these holes, especially those upstream of the Bruce Highway Bridge.

The 3-4” plastics have shown class for the flathead with many anglers encountering juvenile mulloway and threadfin salmon along the way in these areas.

On the top of the tide

the place to be is the mouth near the two bridges. Good bream are being pulled with baits at the start of the run-out as predators wait for bait to filter out into Bramble Bay. This has been the same for The Wells further north as they have been on fire in the run-out tide.

Land-based anglers have been lining up to get prime positions under the Ted Smout Bridge to get a shot at any fish moving out from Hays Inlet out into the Clontarf Foreshore.

REDCLIFFE PENINSULA The peninsula has been hit and miss of late with anglers often scratching there heads after venturing out to their usual fruitful spot and returning empty-handed or disappointed. I can’t answer all your questions on why this happens but can only offer my observations of ultra clear waters and the prevalence of weed growth throughout the region. This

Rob Romans with a nice Peninsula bream. These guys have been getting around and those using bait have had the best success. should start to clear this month thankfully, restoring some rocky appearance back to the

Brad Lindsay with a northern bay lizard taken on a soft plastic.

many bommies.

But this hasn’t been the case for all anglers with reports of legal juvenile snapper still being landed outside of North Reef, especially during the early hours of the day.

Locals have also reported nice bream and flathead being caught through Newport Waterways, especially on fresh baits of mullet strips and chicken breast soaked in curry powder… go figure!

PUMICESTONE PASSAGE Good-sized bream have been reported through the Pacific Harbour canals with grub style soft plastics and hardbody lures working well.

Daiwa Presso Rolling Cranks, IMA Imatetra Mono cranks and Cranka Crabs have been the popular hardbodies with the new Berkley Gulp 3” Nemesis, Z-Man GrubZ and Baitbreath Chibys holding there own on the soft plastic front. Lightly-weighted seems

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to be the best approach of late with waters remaining clear due to lack of rain.

The mouth of Glasshouse Creek and Poverty Creek have been also good for bream with run-out spots like Gallaghers Gutter and Ningi Creek having good flathead numbers during the warmer days.

Sand whiting catches on the southern beaches have been slowly increasing with bloodworms still proving to be unbeatable.

MONTHLY TIP Good polarised sunglasses seem to be an expensive purchase with many models flooding our fishing market at this present moment. In this case you really get what you pay for so be sure to do your homework before purchasing ‘just any old pair’.

Good eyewear is essential on the water as not only helps see underwater structure but provided protection from the harmful rays of the sun.

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Early burl for a pearl pearl perch. Pearl perch are certainly around in numbers but there are a lot of smaller ones grabbing baits before the good size specimens get a chance, and if you’re fishing in 60-90m of water that can become a real annoyance.

With both these prize species in abundance at the moment, it’s well worth a trip out to the known spots.

The best baits are large king prawns, fresh squid or the

CALOUNDRA

Brad McKendrick fishingcaloundra@yahoo.com.au

The Sunshine Coast is the spot to fish with a large range of winter species being taken across the many reef systems we have at our doorstep. Winter brings snapper, and there’s not one angler who doesn’t have a crack at them when they get the chance.

Another pan-sized snapper. Fresh bait is always best for snapper.

Along with the highly sought-after snapper is that chicken of the sea, the

humble pilchard for both species. Fresh bait always out-fishes old, stinky bait so

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ESTUARIES The estuaries have seen a few of the bigger winter bream enter the Pumicestone Passage and throughout the Maroochy River system. The Cod Hole and the Bli Bli bridge have whiting, bream and a few smaller ‘soapy jew’ (small mulloway). Chambers Island is the spot for a few flathead and whiting on the tide changes. The canals around Kawana have an abundance of smaller bream, which are great sport on the lighter gear, and the odd trevally will hit those lures. Small Wrigglers or hardbodied lures will do the trick.

The Pumicestone Passage has bream around the Boardwalk and flathead within the area of Happy Valley. Big bream have been caught in the Blue Hole in the late evening if you want to risk the cooler nights.

Yabbies, prawns and fish flesh are the best baits.

You can catch herring with a cast net around the pontoons and jetties, and a few smaller mullet are hanging around and make great bait for tailor and mulloway. The Pelican Water Bridge is a good spot to target the bigger mulloway deep into the night, and live poddies are cracker baits if you have them, or the bigger herring. In the early mornings

Tuskfish are still around all the local reefs. or late afternoons tailor can be targeted when they smash around in the bait schools. A small 10g slug or plastic will account for these.

So the estuaries are worth a look over the coming weeks as the bream work around the areas and feed amongst the many schools of bait. Work in around the Pelican Waters Canal system and cast under the pontoons for best results.

Working a light lure down the rock edges is another top way to entice the bream.

Winter is also a great time to bring on the tailor and mulloway around our many beaches on the Sunshine Coast.

From Noosa North Shore

all the way down to Bribie Island there are plenty of opportunities for beach anglers to get amongst the fish. Bread and butter varieties like bream, flathead, dart and whiting are always in the holes and gutters and can be taken all day and night. Very early mornings or late tidal changes are the way to target mulloway. Tailor arrive in huge schools and give you a lot of fun while they are biting. The best baits include pilchards, pipis, worms and fish flesh.

So it’s a great month to go fishing across the Sunshine Coast. Book a holiday, get up here and enjoy everything we have to offer.

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Damo landed this impressive pearl peach from Wide Caloundra.

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make an effort to get some livies or fresh squid.

Other species that are on the chew include morwong, red-throat emperor, iodine bream, tuskfish and, on the pelagic side, kingfish, mulloway, amberjack and some thumper sharks.

If you are heading out to the reefs, get that berley trail going as soon as you’re anchored up. You don’t have to start with lots and lots of berley, just a steady stream of one to two pieces of old bait at a time, or if you use chook pellets then a small handful every couple of minutes is fine. Berley is the key to nailing some quality fish you do it correctly. Always think about saving your leftover bait and, if the wife can tolerate it, mince it up and bag it for next time.

Fishing in close around the Gneerings Shoal and the Outer Gneerings is best very early in the morning or in the evenings. If you can get a corresponding tide then all the better, as this will enhance the fishing. If you are like me and like to fish the deeper areas, tides are helpful but not essential. Pelagics usually smash baits or livies all day long.

I recommend an evening trip to Sunshine Reef, Caloundra 12 Mile or out to Murphies for a quick feed. You can still pick up the reef species previously mentioned in any of those areas. Remember that 90% of anglers use line that is way too heavy for local area fishing. I understand that you don’t want to miss that fish of a lifetime, but you will honestly catch more fish with lighter line. Around those reef systems I would use 30lb braid as a maximum and if necessary I would go up to a 40lb fluorocarbon leader.

Generally I am fishing up to 40m of water with 20lb braid and 40lb leader and I use a medium style flexible rod so that I can feel all the bites. On a normal trip in these depths I out-fish he other guys by 3:1,

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The best of both worlds NOOSA

Peter Wells

It’s this time of the year when things really start to change. We really have the best of both worlds with the start of the pelagics offshore, the mangrove jack come out of hiding in the rivers and, of course, this is prime time for tailor and mulloway off the beach.

Starting with the Noosa River, the mouth has been

really firing with quality bream, tailor, trevally, school mulloway and ludrick. Flesh baits like mullet and bonito strips have been one of the best performers with soft plastics like the Z-Man StreakZ Curly-tailZ in the 4” a real favourite. Slugs are also claiming some quality fish.

Down towards the sand bags on the Dog Beach, quality whiting have taken a liking to fresh bloodworms.

Smaller poppers and surface walkers have also

claimed their fair share of fish, the Skinny Dogs from River2Sea have been going off with the whiting with the 65mm a perfect size.

Woods Bays has again been the home of some quality trevally. Anglers have been enticing them with surface poppers in the low light periods and soft plastics through the day.

The Gympie Terrace stretch of the Noosa River and the Black Banks section of the Maroochy has fished well with families enjoying

Local angler Jordan Zerk won the $50 Davo’s Fish of the Week prize with this thumper red emperor from Double Island Point.

Bella Gardner-Dyer caught this elbow-slapping 520g whiting while fishing from the beach at Culgoa Point.

whiting, bream and the odd flathead.

In the ski runs in both rivers, flathead have been plentiful with the run-out tide the best time to plan your attack. Soft plastics in reds and pinks have been very productive.

Mangrove jack will start to feed in the upper reaches of the rivers, and surface lures like the Lucky Craft Sammy are excellent. Just cast in close to the timber that lines the upper reaches

of the Noosa and Maroochy rivers first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon and you should see a result. In the brighter part of the day, diving lures like the Eco gear CX60 are perfect for dragging over rock bars and the deeper sections of the rivers.

The Offshore fishing will be equally amazing, as the water warms we will see the influx of smaller spotted mackerel with the larger Spanish mackerel

soon to follow, just look for that bird activity as these speedsters of the sea smash the bait balls from underneath. The northern most reefs will be the first to see the pelagics, as the warmer currents move south so will the fish and if last year is anything to go by we are in for a great season. Fast trolled lures are a great way to cover a lot of ground when things are a little quiet, work those drop-off and edges, as this

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Those that didn’t have a 4x4 were also in the hunt with the gutter just in front the North Shore Caravan Park holding good fish.

To the south, the Maroochy North Shore has been the place for some quality mulloway. This time of the year is one of the best for big mulloway and with the warmer water and good tides we should see some outstanding fish.

One of our best fish last

year was taken around this time at 1.5m and over 25kg.

This outstanding fish was a real challenge in the surf.

The key to mulloway is big baits like quality squid or fresh mullet, and try not to strike on the first bite, but instead let the fish run.

Many a quality mulloway is lost in the enthusiasm of anglers striking too soon.

Mulloway love to pick at baits, or roll it round in their mouths before they

swallow. Strike too soon and you will simply pull the hook from the fish’s mouth.

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

Anthony Ordish caught this 43cm many-lined sweetlip and 40cm tailor off the rocks at the Noosa National Park headland. is where these fish like to congregate and feed on smaller bait schools.

There has been some real advances in deep trolling lures over the last few years and most are now able to travel at up to 10 knots. The Samaki Pacemakers are one of the standouts and the colour range is tremendous.

Sunshine Reef is still producing some great coral trout, remember to fish your lure or soft plastic hard to the bottom and you will be rewarded. Also at Sunshine, the sweetlip are on the chew as well as good tuskies and snapper.

The deeper reefs like Chardons and North reef have also come up with the goods, with larger snapper, pearl perch, sweetlip, cobia, and mulloway.

The charter operators have been taking advantage of the great weather and doing the run up to Double Island with outstanding results. Snapper, Venus tuskfish, pearl perch, mac tuna, Moses perch and lots of amberjack have all been on the menu. Down south, Murphys has produced some cracker snapper as well as some stonker gold-spot cod.

The closer reefs like Coolum, Arkwright and Handcock sholes have also been great for pan-sized snapper, sweetlip and tuskies.

On the beach, the Noosa North Shore has been inundated with anglers and their 4x4s heading up the beach in search of those elusive tailor. Anglers were not disappointed with some good catches reported, along with the tailor there were some nice bream, flathead, whiting and bigger dart. Most anglers are bait fishing with pillies, mullet strips, and salted bonito.

Will Vig caught this decent sized 38cm bream at Moreton Island.

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A great time for luderick BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

September is a great month to catch some of those hard fighting, finicky biting (but great fun to catch) luderick.

Few fish will repay a sloppy tackle set up with such indifference as a luderick, but if things are done right they aren’t hard to catch at all. And, because a float is used, there’s an element of sight fishing as well. In this article I’ll go through the usual float-and-fine-line system of taking luderick to make it easy for first timers to understand how the system works.

FIRST: FIND THEM! Luderick tend to inhabit areas where oceanic rocks are pounded by wave action and where marine growth such as fine stranded green weed and cabbage weed grow in abundance (cabbage weed is also green, and is often

called sea lettuce). Luderick are always on the lookout for small sections of this marine growth torn loose by wave action, and they snap up these small morsels as they drift.

These fish often move in close with a wave, then move back as it retreats. In all, they’re often very difficult places to fish safely!

While they are abundant around oceanic rock areas during late winter and early spring, they also form dense schools in estuaries and along river rock walls and other sunken features in order to spawn. That’s when we can take them safely.

Estuaries like Jumpinpin, parts of the Bribie Passage, rivers such as the Tweed, Brunswick, Richmond and the Clarence in NSW, as well as the rock walls of the Gold Coast Seaway have recognized luderick habitats.

The boardwalk areas of Caloundra and the Tweed River also offer good numbers of fish set on spawning. Sometimes it seems

Top: Feeding line as the float drifts away keeps the bait at the correct depth to entice a fish. Note the sheer bank. Above: This line stopper was made from a section of onion bag. The small bead designed to contact the stopper and halt the float’s movement.

there’s an almost equal number of anglers set on catching them.

Look for any area where deeper water (say, 2m+) runs along a sheer bank, such as a rock wall or mangrove-fringed mud bank, or against cover such as jetty pylons. These are the kinds of places luderick like to frequent.

TACKLE Tackle involves using a soft tipped rod at least 3m long. This will ensure there’s a quick take up of slack line to set the hook, and will minimise pulled hooks. Luderick have very soft mouths so too solid a rod will see hooks pulling free during a spirited fight.

Most times quality 5kg mono or braid will form the main line, which is set up with a long stemmed but slim float to suspend the bait and indicate bites. The float isn’t fixed in position; it’s free to slide up and down. More on this shortly!

The main line, down past the free running float, is connected to a 1m long, 3kg

hook trace of best quality fine line via a small swivel. When it comes to hooks, a no. 8 Mustad Needle Sneck is ideal.

To weight the float correctly so that only the stem shows above water, you can slide some small sinkers onto the main line above the swivel, while perhaps another small sinker plus a number of split shots are gently clamped onto the lighter hook trace.

If the float is extra buoyant it’s easy to glue some sheet lead on its stem to avoid having too much hardware on the line, which is prone to tangling.

You’ll need to experiment to get this weighting system just

The author with a Jumpinpin luderick. right. Remember that too much float stem above water will allow the shy luderick to feel the float’s buoyancy as a slight resistance. If that happens, the fish will simply nip a bit off the bait and then leave it.

Most importantly, the float must drift at a selected depth not far off the bottom and exactly at the current speed.

This will make the bait of green weed or cabbage growth look as though it’s drifting naturally in the current.

All this might sound simple enough, but it’s not always easy to achieve. Free running centrepin reels are ideal for this style of fishing but most anglers these days use threadline tackle with the bail arm at casting position.

This allows the line to trickle off under control, at exactly current speed to avoid slack line, as the float wafts along in the current. When the ‘down’ occurs you flick the bail over and lift the rod to remove all slack and set the hook.

PLUMBING THE DEPTHS With a bait often drifting anywhere from 2.5-3.5m from the surface, it makes sense that the float must run freely on the line yet stop at a predetermined depth to ensure that the hook on its trace doesn’t go straight to the bottom and stop drifting.

You can achieve this by tying a piece of dental floss or similar material onto the main line above the float and set at the pre-determined depth to fish.

This floss, or similar material, is referred to as a stopper. If the stopper was formed large enough the float’s top runner would certainly stop, right there, with the bait suspended right down under it. However, because float

runners vary in size and a big fat stopper knot can move (and then change the desired fishing depth) if it jams in the rod’s tip runner, it’s best to put a very small bead on the line above the float so it will slide along as the float pushes it upwards until (a) the bead contacts the

Top: Layering in sand has kept some weed in reasonable condition. A gentle rinse in seawater should return it to usable status. Above: Note the appearance of the weed, which has been rinsed after removal from its layered bed of sand. stopper and (b) the bead then stops the float’s movement. It’s a simple but effective method if setting correct fishing depth.

When you lower the rig into the water, the hook trace with its weight on it will

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quickly pull line through the runners of the float until the bead contacts the small bit of floss. Setting things up on the water usually involves drifting a little deeper each time by moving the floss stopper back towards the reel until you touch the bottom. Come

back just a little and you have the ideal setup for a fish to confidently take a drifting bait.

This system makes it easy to control the depth being fished by moving the floss according to requirements.

With a tide ebbing, gradually move the line stopper down towards the hook. On a rising

tide it’s the opposite.

The easiest way of setting up this rig is to put everything

together then tie on the slip of floss around 2-2.5m from the hook and drop the whole

Top Left: Forming a weed bait is easy when it’s gently rolled first to shape it. Top Right: This selection of weed and cabbage has been kept in a damp rag for about a week and should be OK when rinsed in seawater.

Above: A small sliver of green weed brought this fish undone.

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rig in the water to ensure the line slides down freely and the weights on the lower trace are set up to keep only the float’s stem showing.

When fishing, remember that luderick usually only bite when there’s some run in the tide. As the current slows, so does their feeding activity.

BAIT TRICKS When it comes to bait, luderick are very fussy. Fresh green weed or fresh cabbage are impossible to beat, although they’re often hard to come by. It’s also a bit hard to keep a hard-won supply in good condition. Putting it in the freezer will cause such a pong you will only do it once. Besides, it goes very soft when thawed.

The refrigerator is not so bad, but by the end of a couple of days you won’t want to open that door either. Both weed and cabbage will keep for a short while – maybe up to one week – when wrapped loosely in a rag dampened with sea water, then again wrapped in newspaper to keep air away and placed in a cool spot away from sunlight and breeze.

Another method I employ is to layer the weed or cabbage in a quite shallow container full of sand with a layer of bait, a layer of sand, each in turn. Putting a tight lid on the container seems to keep the stuff fairly good for a couple of weeks. When removed from

the sand and washed gently in seawater, the weed or cabbage will rejuvenate fairly well.

Putting on just the right amount of bait is important.

A small section of cabbage can be folded several times until about the size of a 5 cent piece, then you push the hook through it again and again to secure it.

When using green weed, roll a small section of it on something like the palm of your hand or the leg of your fishing pants to form a small sliver around 10cm long and about as thick as a match.

Double it around to form a U shape over the line at the top of the hook, and gently plait the alternate sides down the hook shank to form a tail around 3cm long under the bend. This tail helps the fish suck it straight in, and then down goes the float!

When you get a bite, wait around two seconds and set the hook. Don’t attempt to rush the fish in or the hook will tear loose and the panicking fish will spook its mates and the whole school will move to a safer area. Game over!

BERLEY Luderick respond very well to berley. To make berley, finely chop some weed or cabbage into tiny particles then mix it with damp sand.

You want small amounts of chopped weed or cabbage and plenty of sand.

When fishing from a boat you should have at least a couple of buckets of this sort of berley on hand. The idea is to make a small ‘bomb’ of berley in a cut-off kitchen detergent bottle, and drop it straight under the boat every few minutes or after each fish is caught.

CULINARY HINTS A landing net is vital for these soft-mouthed fish, and once you’ve netted a fish you should immediately dispatch and bleed it before putting it into an ice slurry. That’s unless you’re going to keep it alive in a well or keeper net, in which case you should perform the same steps as soon as the fishing session is over. If you don’t bleed the fish and put it in a slurry, the eating quality is much reduced.

These vegetarian fish can have a strong weed flavour if neglected.

When filleting you should immediately cut off any black gut lining. You’ll probably want to skin it too, because if you leave the skin on it can sometimes make the fillet curl in the pan and make cooking more difficult.

I like to use Tandaco Coating Mix for Lightly Seasoned Fish when I cook luderick. It’s great for these striped battlers because its mild flavour doesn’t overpower the slightly nutty flavour of fresh luderick.

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Finally, a good run of weather allowed for quite a few trips, and we’ve been getting into some good reef fish.

OFFSHORE We have had some brilliant catches offshore with another really good run of snapper coming through, including some big snapper to 10kg.

Floating small yellow tail scad or yakkas on a 5 ball sinker has worked the best in plucking out the bigger fish. Soft plastics are also working well.

Pearl perch have also been one of our main catches with some very good sessions in close and out wide.

It has been easy to bring home a nice esky full of tuskies, Moses perch, mauri cod and hussar.

There have also been lots of amberjack around with soft plastics and knife jigs working a treat.

GREAT SANDY STRAITS Winter whiting have been thick and this has made it

Steve with a thumper of a snapper taken float-lining. easy to bag-out in a morning session. The deeper water, around Big Mick Beacon has been a good spot.

Squid are still plentiful around Carlo Point and Tin Can Bay and so long as the water remains as clear as it has been, they will continue to be.

September in past years has always been pretty reliable.

HERVEY BAY

Scott Bradley marlin81@bigpond.com

Spring is upon us once again and with it comes the promise of warmer weather and summer species to chase again.

Not that our winter was hard to endure in glorious Hervey Bay, as we really only had a few cold snaps.

IN THE BAY The full moon at the start of August coincided with a total glass out for several days and gave anglers a chance to get out wide and chase a few snapper. Their efforts were rewarded with many boats

The Southern Gutters and 25-fathom hole were the big producers and always held a good variety of reef fish, including coral bream, spanglies, blackall, tuskies, hussar and Moses perch.

Boats willing to go further have enjoyed good catches of big red emporer and coral trout amongst the usual suspects when fishing the Northern Gutters.

BRING ON THE PELAGICS The water temperature was 21°C at the start of August at Rooneys so it won’t be long before it nudges over 23°C, which is considered to be optimal for black marlin and most pelagic species.

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mad bite after the spawn.

Red emperor and pearl perch can also fire up this month and it usually offers up some settled weather as well.

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Usually a snapper spawn occurs mid to late in the month and they can go into a crazy,

A lumpy 38cm bream caught by the author before the pros moved in. bagging out quickly on snapper giving them plenty of time to chase other species for a mixed bag of quality table fish.

The word on the game fishing scene is that once again there are plenty of little blacks being caught, so it’s shaping up to be another

mind blowing season for blacks in the bay.

September is one of the best months for targeting sailfish across the 13-mile crossing and when you find them they often in schools of 10-20 fish, promising chaotic action for game fishers.

Expect to see more bust ups on the surface in Platypus Bay from longtails, mac tuna and mackerel as the water warms over the next few months.

ON THE FLATS Leading into winter, I was averaging 6 bream all in the 28-34cm range and a couple of flathead per trip on the good tides and then everything went dead. There wasn’t even the usual 20 turtles popping their heads out or flathead being spooked as you walk through the shallows.

I’ve been fishing the area for nearly 10 years and have never seen the place so barren. The mystery was solved after talking to a fellow who walks his dog every day and had seen the pros netting the guts out of the area for the past month.

Why they are still allowed to work so close to the mainland, I’ll never know!

And the quicker we solve the problem the better it will be for everyone. Let’s hope they give the place a rest and allow it to recover before netting it again!

SEPTEMBER 2015

51

Goodbye winter, hello Monduran barramundi LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

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couple of months. September is without a doubt one of the best months to target Mondy barra, the reason being that typical trade winds from the north bring stable weather patterns and constant wind from the one direction.

These warm northerlies also boost the water temperature up by a few degrees, igniting the barra into feeding mode.

WHERE TO FIND FEEDING BARRA Depending on wind direction, you will find barra schooled up in windward bays and on wind affected points and banks. For example, if the wind is blowing from the north you would fish areas in

Bird Bay, Cow Bay and points and bays in the south arm of ‘B’, which is Tararan Creek.

If the wind is blowing from a southerly direction you would want to fish areas like Jacks Bay, Insane Bay, Heart Bay and Two Mile Creek, just to name a few.

Another great way to find other likely spots is to purchase yourself a detailed Lake Monduran map. The next step is to visit an online weather website to look at the forth coming week of predicted wind directions.

I like to use the BOM and Seabreeze sites for this info.

Then by using the north/south compass on the map, apply

your predicted wind directions to give you a handful of likely fishing spots.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

with pauses, or just simple slow rolling.

The new 5”Zerek Flat Shad soft plastic had made an impact on the barra scene last season and will most definitely be a ‘must have lure’ here again at Mondy this season. These weedless plastics are great for casting at thick structured areas, as they have been designed to hop and bounce from one tree limb to another without getting snagged up.

• For further info you can visit my Facebook page Lake Monduran Guidelines fishing charters, or alternatively contact any of our helpful staff on 4157 3881.

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

In my last article I was able to write down some of my thoughts relating to driving along Fraser Island’s beaches and inland tracks. These included the importance of using genuine high-clearance 4WD vehicles.

The ink was barely dry when the news came in of yet another drowned medium sized AWD after attempting to cross one of the creeks flowing through the eastern beach. Fortunately, there were no reports of injury but informed opinion had it that the vehicle would have been a write-off. Apart from the financial loss, the owner had to come up with a hefty recovery fee and passengers needed to endure plenty of expense and inconvenience in returning to their homes.

I don’t want to prolong this but I just want to make final plea and it is this: don’t bring a low clearance 2WD or AWD to Fraser Island.

The annual tailor season has been in full swing since the first cold westerlies made their appearance in mid July. Early season fish were not huge but there were plenty of them. This month we should see them widely distributed and of generally better quality. Although there are times when they can be taken throughout the day, best catches are expected very early in the morning and again in the late afternoons, when the shadows of the hills meet the water.

Thanks to usually favourable weather and the anticipated tailor season, September is always a busy month for the island. This is particularly so in the latter part of the month during the spring school holidays. This is when the tent cities spring up

Check out this 17kg mulloway taken by Keith Stevenson north of Poyungan Rocks. along the best camping zones, mostly north of Cathedral Beach. Fortunately some of the best tailor gutters form close to the popular sites. This is also a great time for the children and other light gear enthusiasts to get into some action as dart and, to a lesser extent, whiting are usually plentiful in the shallower sections of the gutters. Most of the tailor anglers will be using the traditional surf rods and Alveys and baiting with WA pilchards. For dart and whiting, both pipis and worms are ideal.

Just a reminder that the beaches and headlands from 400m south of Indian Head to 400m north of Waddy Point are closed for the entire month and will reopen on

30 September at noon. The closure applies to all fish species, not just tailor.

During the last month, there have been some good mulloway taken from a number of locations along the eastern beach. One of the better fish, reaching 17kg, was taken by mulloway specialist, Keith Stevenson, out of a narrow gutter between Poyungan Rocks and Poyungan Valley.

Regular readers might recall my reports about the numbers of juvenile mulloway taken in recent seasons. A few years ago, an angler might have landed a dozen fish in one session, yet not score one that could be taken home. At least during the last couple of seasons the chances of scoring a legal fish have improved.

When connecting with a 70cm mulloway, the angler needs to devote a deal of time playing the fish and bringing it to beach, just to find that it is well under the legal limit of 75cm, yet probably weighing as much as 3.5kg. As carefully as possible the angler needs to remove the hook, cradle the fish back to the sea and swim it through the shallows into open water. They then returns to their fishing, hoping that the fish he has just landed will survive.

Sadly, many don’t, and are found washed up along the beach. In the hope of scoring a legal fish, the angler might go through the procedure a numbers of times and then leave the beach fishless I don’t have a problem with the bag limit of two fish, but the unrealistic minimum size of 75cm has been responsible for the unnecessary waste of fish we regularly see on the island, and indeed, probably elsewhere along our south coast. With a more realistic minimum length, anglers would be able to take one or two very acceptable fish without potentially destroying fish in the process of scoring a legal fish.

The legal length of mulloway in NSW is now 70cm, a huge increase.

Having fished in northern NSW prior to the increase, and seen the sizes of mulloway on filleting tables, I can well imagine that this wouldn’t have gone down too well south of the border.

In our in-depth tour of Fraser Island’s eastern beaches, we made it as far north as Happy Valley. It is timely that our next stretch of coast takes us through the popular camping areas mentioned earlier. About 6km north of Happy Valley, we reach Eli Creek, one of the island’s top tourist spots.

To page 53

Stacks of bait and predators tuskfish in their hordes, along with a few school mackerel cruising around. Shooting over to the Nautilus there hasn’t been too much action, but you’ll find plenty of tealeaf trevally.

In the harbour and Calliope River there have been good numbers of blue salmon caught, with the standout lure lately being the Samaki vibe. Giant trevally have shown up in the Calliope as well, with some large specimens surprising some lucky fishos.

In the upper Calliope, bream are being targeted with soft plastics. One of the plastics doing the

most damage is the Z-Man Bloodworm StreakZ on a 1/8oz jighead.

Over the past couple of weeks I have been hitting the upper Boyne in my kayak. I got word there were schools of juvenile giant trevally, so I loaded up my light tackle and set off. As soon as I reached the upper limits I could see masses of herring with trevally charging into them.

When GT get into a frenzy it doesn’t matter what lure you throw at them – they’ll be straight on it. I was using an Atomic K9 Bulldog, and it made for some exciting fishing when there were three or four trevors chasing the

one stickbait. The average sized fish was around 50cm.

With so many herring schooling, it’s a given that other predators are lurking nearby. The by-catch in these situations includes queenfish, flathead and barramundi.

There were plenty barra sighted cruising about, sunning themselves, ranging from around 30cm up to well over 1m.

With so many barra around and temperatures starting to rise, hopefully these fish will be triggered to start feeding. We’re all hoping for a good couple months targeting these Aussie icons before the season closes.

From page 52 landing areas. These are well On the way we might need regulated and vehicles are to negotiate the coffee rock required to obey flagmen structures of McLaughlans when aircraft are likely to be and Chard rocks. Currently landing or taking off. due to the build up of sand, The beach from Eli Creek this should not be a problem. to Maheno is often very soft Some good gutters often except at low tide. North of develop along this stretch Maheno, the beach settles into of beach. After cautiously a pattern of typical open beach crossing Eli, just 3km takes with lots of large and small us to the wreck of Maheno. gutters, ideal features for Speed limits of 40km/h targeting most species. About apply in the vicinity of 2km north of Maheno, the Happy Valley, Eli Creek and Woralie track leaves the beach Maheno. You also need to to take vehicles to Lake Allom STA15856HP-FM_Layout 1 20/10/14 Page 1beach. be aware of marked aircraft and to1:52 the PM western

Soon after passing the muchphotographed Pinnacles, there is a road leading up to Cathedral Beach Resort where there is a shop and excellent private camping. Beyond here we pass some of the best camping areas mentioned earlier, before reaching the Dundubara National Parks camping area.

In Hervey Bay, the bream season is winding down but there are still a lot of well roed fish about. The better catches have been coming in from the river, particularly downstream

from Beaver Rock. Pikey bream should now be coming into breeding condition and will be well worth chasing during the next couple of months. There is still plenty of diver whiting about but it will soon be time to concentrate the larger sand whiting.

There have been some encouraging snapper catches around Rooney Point, further south off Wathumba Creek, along Moon Ledge and at the Rufus Artificial. Local experts are predicting that the best is yet to come.

GLADSTONE

Craige Floyd

The weather over the past month has been up and down. We had quite a few windy weeks but we did get a bit of respite in between, and on those days all the local boat ramps were full to the brim with trailers.

There have been plenty of red emperor caught out wide past Heron Island, and at Masthead Island red throat emperor and spangled emperor have been on the chew.

Closer to shore at 12 Mile you find will reasonable sized

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Barry Johnson caught this 79cm snapper at an undisclosed location close to Gladstone.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

53

More baitfish, more mackerel YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

This year is the kind of year that the bay fishers have been wanting for a while.

The lack of regular rain has let Keppel Bay clean up so much that we are getting the regular coastal bait fishes coming through in big thick schools.

Ribbonfish (wolf herring) are flooding into spots like Quartz, Ritamada, Ironpot, Rosslyn Bay Harbour and Statue Bay. They are starting to head into Corio Bay where they will probably hang around for a while. We usually use chromies like Flashas to which we’ve added extra-wide gape trebles. This helps with more consistent hook-ups. Ribbonies are great at throwing hooks, often doing an aerial display that barra would be proud of. Lately one of the locals has been taking his wife bait hunting, and she will only use her favourite pink bream and flatty lure. It’s working so well that they now have a bundle of spares in the boat.

Wolfies, bonito and doggie mackerel can’t resist them.

We are also getting a big run of northern pilchards.

These guys like the cleaner, saltier water and the bigger schools have bypassed the area since the heavy rains from 2008 until this year.

Keep an eye on the wind direction and the schools of blue salmon because these two factors can push them up into the smaller coastal estuaries. The bait schools move into the shelter of the creeks on the rising tides.

Once in there with the salmon guarding the entrance, the baitfish can get trapped at low tide in the tidal pools.

When this happens, the locals simply take a bucket and esky down to the mouth of Ross Creek and score enough really good bait to

last a season.

Blue salmon, as expected, are on the boil wherever the baits are. The blues will take pillies, greenback herring and of course northern pillies.

Flashas and chrome wobbler style lures also work well on salmon.

MACKEREL One of the by products of all the bait should be a better than normal lesser mackerel season. Doggies (schoolies), greys and spotted mackerel tend to follow these bait schools and pause in each of

Spanish mackerel are still providing plenty of action around the main islands and should remain in some numbers for most the year.

Flat, Perforated and Manifold are among our best spots at almost any time. Over the moon and the bigger tides we do get some travellers along with the resident fish in around The Keppels and Liza Jane. It’s easy to spot the difference between the two as the residents are usually fat, greasy and green, ready to travel, while the fish that

Mark Thompson with a Rocky City winter barra. the patches that the baits pass on the way. Spotted mackerel are slowly moving along the coast and in to the local area.

The islands at the southern end of the bay usually show first, and as September wears on the spotties will work north and give the rest of us a shot. Spotties around here can be caught in both clear and not so clean water, and this makes them available when other mackerels have headed out wider to clearer pastures. Places like Quartz Rock out from Keppel Sands, Cave and Wedge isles just off Emu Park hold spotties for much longer than the other mackerel spots.

Doggies have made some shows at the close spots whenever the conditions have been quiet. The bigger fish have been found at Outer, Barren and Man and Wife.

They should be around for a while yet.

have just arrived are sleek and silver.

Mackerel of all types prefer a strong run eddying and creating a current line off the corners of islands or reefs. If you prefer to anchor, try to anchor on the line and pull your lures across the movement from the still water. Chromies and slugs work very well with a reasonably quick retrieve.

Add a couple of jigs and mackies should follow.

COBIA Cobia (black kings) have been around in ones or twos but from now on they’ll arrive in even bigger numbers right around our inshore and offshore waters. They can be in almost plague proportions taking troll baits, floating pillies or baits meant for more highly prized reefies.

Cobia will go for virtually any mackerel style lure or jig.

When they are slow or shy

they come up and inspect the bait, and if there is something wrong with it they will move on. This is the time to float down an unweighted pilly, a live scad or slimy mackerel.

It can be one of those rare occasions where the cobia only have eyes for the more natural presentations.

The bigger reefies including red emperor, largemouth nannygai (saddletail snapper), coral trout, tuskfish, red-throat emperor, grassy sweetlip and hussar are all on the chew for the bottom fishers, and we will cover some of them next month.

ESTUARIES The estuaries have begun to fire up again after a slight pause during the couple of cold snaps recently.

Many of the species are in transition and we are getting quantities of winter and summer specials.

One standout in recent weeks has been mangrove jack. They have been turning up in catches from guys chasing big bream with small live baits. Mullet, herring, hardiheads and prawns are the prime livies. These guys

Angela Cullen with a Spanish mackerel caught out from Yeppoon. are hard to find in this part of Queensland for some reason, but we do have a couple of serious spots in one or two of the local systems where they tend to hang around.

The most common spot is The Causeway Lake in surprisingly shallow water.

Once you work out the country they like, look for similar features in other areas and you’ll find more of them.

These same principles apply for all types of fish, from barramundi to whiting and everything in between.

September is the peak time for flathead up here.

Recent months have been very good, but this month

Brendan Reed with a little creek flathead caught on a small minnow lure.

the flatties will be a bit more serious in their aggregation.

Corio Bay and Coorooman Creek have big tidal movement of clean water that draws the schools of poddy mullet, hardiheads and greenback herring in large quantities. These are the staple diet of our local flathead and they are where the bait is.

Yabby beds are another spot where flatties like to hang out. They love yabbies and the whiting, small bream, cod and so on that are all there for a feed too.

Flathead are smart fish that use the lay of the creeks to bring the food to them. When you look for flathead spots, look for small eddies and structures out of the main flow or spots that baits have to navigate through or around. Flatties definitely bite better when there is movement in the water. Some of my better spots have the flathead moving onto the banks at one end with the rising tide and moving off the other end with the dropping tide. Lures that suit the depth are the go, and virtually any colour does the job but some days the fish prefer a particular colour or may only take a plastic.

Whiting and bream are going well in many of the estuaries and local beaches.

Grunter and king salmon are pick of the fish up the river until the barra fishing picks up a bit more as the weather warms.

Brand new season shines bright BUNDABERG

Jason Medcalf topwater@bigpond.com

Bring on the warmer weather, I just love this time of year. September really is the start of a new fishing

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SEPTEMBER 2015

season with our estuaries starting to fire up with the spring run of flathead and the odd mangrove jack.

The Burnett River has been very consistent over the last few months with early mornings and late afternoons being the pick for the better quality fish. The flathead have really turned up with trolling small deep diving lures around the many shallow sandy areas of the river producing plenty of smaller fish. The better quality fish have been taking large live baits fished on the drop-offs and ledges in the river.

Spring is flathead spawning time so if you

come across one flathead while trolling you can bet there are plenty more in the area, as they will be looking for ladies to make little flathead. There is a size limit on dusky flathead with a minimum of 40cm and a maximum of 75cm and a possession limit of 5.

Just to clarify, a possession limit means you cannot have any more than that number in your possession, which includes what you have at home. For instance, if you catch 5 in the morning, take them home, fillet and freeze them, you cannot go back out and take another 5 home.

This small black marlin was caught on a light spin tackle.

As I mentioned, there will of course be a few mangrove jack starting to grab some of those live baits fishing in deeper holes as the water warms up. The Burnett has

produced some big jacks over the past couple of years so if you’re getting busted off regularly you can bet there are a few big red brutes in the area.

September estuary madness ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

The fishing over the last month has been insane, from great offshore activity to absolutely brilliant inshore estuary and river fishing. Thankfully, the last month has seen great weather and that should stay the same through September.

personally have not fished them yet with all the great estuary and headland action going on, but many people coming into the store have some great photos of large tarpon on poppers, and even some fun sized barra on shallow divers and wake baits. The wake baits are particularly good in the late afternoon as they wiggle across or just under the surface with a constant roll.

The idea of using surface

Left: The resident eagle decided it wanted my mackerel more than I did! Right: There are hundreds of wolfies around at the moment, this one would have made a great Spanish troll bait. of late, with many reports of these fish being caught.

Through this past month, places like the Fitzroy River and Corio Bay have seen a large number of salmon move in, from king threadfin in the creeks to the blues out the front on the flats and beach gutters.

Whiting have been found

just along the drop off line around the estuaries coming off the flats, fresh yabbies and worms will see you bag out on these in no time.

Flathead have been an easy to take fish this year with a massive hype on soft plastic vibes and almost all manufacturers getting their hands in the pot. There are

now sizes for any species from bream through to coral trout. There are quite a few good 80mm vibes, which have worked well for flathead around the region.

FITZROY The Nerimbera area of Fitzy has produced some great threadfin recently, many of which are being

This cod fell victim to the deadly Ecogear SX40 fished off a headland.

Some key places would be Nerimbera area for the threadies, any coastal headland for land-based mackerel fishing and finally in the coming month, the Wollwash area for tarpon and barra!

LAGOONS The freshwater lagoons and creeks around the region are beginning to fire up. I

lures at this time of year is to stir up the surface and fire up the barra and tarpon sitting just below.

ESTUARIES The common winter season estuarine species are all in amongst the mangroves and flats of all the creeks and inlets, particularly the Corio Bay. The grunter have really started to come out

BAFFLE CREEK I had a good chat to Roger from Baffle Creek Caravan Park the other day and he said the flathead are everywhere at the moment and he expects them to keep firing for the next month or so. He did mention there is a fair bit of weed in the creek that hampers trolling and soft plastic hopping for them. The weed should clear as the tides get bigger and this should make fishing for them much more enjoyable and productive.

The upper reaches off the Baffle are still clear and cool and nearly unnavigable by boat as the river has silted up after the big floods a couple of years ago. The upper reaches will be worth a look in the kayaks this month as the weed isn’t right up there and there is a chance of an early season jack session.

OFFSHORE Bundaberg has had unprecedented great weekend weather over the last couple of months and hopefully we will enjoy more of the same in

On ultra light gear, flathead amongst the rocks are great fun.

September. There have been mixed bags of all reef species like trout, sweetlip, hussar and snapper all hitting the decks in great numbers and sizes.

The pelagic species have been around but in smaller numbers, but once found their quality is pretty good.

I fished the 5 Degree with a couple of mates last month and managed two very lucky captures; one was a very large Spanish mackerel that ate a yakka as I jigged it up off the bottom. I was using 12lb Spiderwire on a small

The author with Tim McCrea showing off a nice Spanish mackerel.

3000 size reel with 20lb fluorocarbon leader, which is not really mackerel fishing gear. We worked well as a team and despite nearly being spooled twice, we managed to put the fish in the boat – it was a great effort from the boys. After realising what a momentous occasion that was, putting such a large fish in the boat on such light gear, we resumed dropping Halco Twisties to the bottom and kept jigging.

It wasn’t long before once again my rod was under pressure, this time a small black marlin had eaten my lure. After a very aerial fight that I thought would end quickly but didn’t, the small black came boat side and was quickly lifted in for a photo and released.

I have been fishing off Bundaberg for over 20 years and although I have hooked a few marlin this was my first Bundaberg marlin to the boat, this is why fishing is so addictive you just never know when that special fish will come along.

taken on live baits at night, with lures being easily viable during the day. Areas to target these fish at the moment would be the coffee rock areas in amongst the flats. One of the best live baits in the area at the

moment is the adequate supply of poddy mullet, and these can be targeted with either a cast net of fish trap.

A single 6/0 circle hook pinned through the shoulders of the bait will be easily capable of capturing any of the inquisitive salmon.

OTHER INSHORE REGIONS The coastal headlands have been great in recent times with amazing water clarity and weather conditions. It has become a haven for both land-based fishers and fish. It has finally given me a chance to test out my 9ft micro jigging rod to great success, capturing mackerel, wolf herring and other species, predominately from Double Head. Other anglers have had success on queenfish and bonito off similar headlands. As always, the Halco Twisty slugs have proven to be a sure winner with the Spanyid Maniac coming a close second! Letting the lure sink for 10-15 seconds and then medium pace retrieving them through the water columns seems to be the most successful technique.

If you have any fishing photos of the Rockhampton or Gladstone region, feel free to send them through with a brief description of where you caught the fish and how you caught them to clay94_fishing@ live.com.au.

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Warmer days and northerlies MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

You beauty, spring is here! After the last little cold spell in August when temps got down to 4°C overnight, we are looking forward to warmer days with northerly winds kicking in and pushing the baitfish right inshore.

This change triggers a bonanza for small boat anglers as the bait schools bring plenty of predators.

Sometimes they’re even within reach of shore-based anglers, who will soon have access to the reopened southern breakwall at the Harbour. The break wall is scheduled to open on 23 August, which will mean that anglers can again look forward to hooking Spaniards and

Trish Rowlands with a solid snapper caught at Prudhoe Island east of Mackay.

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smaller mackerel, tuna and queenfish off the rocks.

However, hooking them is one thing, and landing them is quite another matter. Often when the fish are ‘on’ there are plenty of lines in the water and the rocks themselves take a toll on lines and cause many break-offs.

The traditional rigs for the break wall are pilchards on ganged hooks, and live herring under a float, either of which will score plenty of fish. Many anglers also take the opportunity to cast metals or large minnows, and they score plenty of fish too. When choosing lures, opt for plenty of flash to attract the attention

of predators and make sure the hooks are up to the job. Cast as far as you can, then do a steady pulsing retrieve and stay focused, as often the hits come just off the rocks.

Lures I recommend include any good Aussie minnows that get down to around 2-3m. Brands such as Reidy’s, Halcos and similar will not let you down. Imported lures usually need upgrading, but the Rapala XXX Rap cast with the large single hooks is one you can use out of the box with confidence.

On the metal front, try the likes of Bumpa-Bars, Raiders, and GN lures.

For a bit of extra fun, try using large poppers, particularly if there is plenty of surface activity.

Both cup-faced and pencil style poppers work well on all these predators, and the smashing surface strikes are pretty awesome.

For the small boat angler, all the above lures and baits will work equally well, and the boat opens up plenty of close-in water like Slade Rock, Slade Island, Danger Reef and Flat and Round top islands.

All these spots fish well but the bait schools are usually fairly mobile so it may take a while to find fish. Keep an eye on the sounder at all times because the bait will often ball up well below the surface, and where there is bait there will always be something trying to eat it.

Snapper are still about although the numbers seem to be a bit down on previous years, but they

Cameron Christian worked a silver Killalure along the trainer wall in the background and scored this neat queenfish. are worth targeting up until about the end of the month.

Those regular spots around the Hay Point area are still producing some nice fish, and there have also been some nice grunter turning up among the snapper.

There have been really good numbers of Spanish mackerel out around the islands but we can expect them to move closer inshore with the bait schools and northerly winds. The big trailer boats have been scoring well around Wigton and Prudhoe islands while those in the Goldsmiths group to the north have also been producing. Trolled ribbonfish or gar have been the most successful rigs.

RIVER AND ESTUARY The warmer weather will see barra back on the target list, and there will be

plenty of activity on those hot, humid days with light winds from the north. I expect all the systems will gradually fire up, and by end of September the barra will be going off. Contacts tell me there have been a lot of small barra around during the cooler months and many of these will now be legal size or better, so start chasing them around gully mouths, small drains off the flats and bankside snags. Remember the barra will sit on what looks like a small twig as well as the more substantial snags.

My choice is to lure or fly fish from around half tide out to half in, and that will usually see enough water at all our creek ramps to launch without difficulty.

Neap tides are preferred as they allow you to move

24-26 Grandview Drive Mackay | 4963 4500 56

SEPTEMBER 2015

Emma Rippon with her first ever fish on fly – a feisty little Pioneer River tarpon that made the drag sing and her face smile. around the creek even at low water, but remember the old saying “no run, no fun”. Spots worth a look include the northern creeks like Constant, Victor and Murray and the smaller streams around them.

To the south, reliable systems are Bakers, Sandy, Alligator, and Rocky Dam creeks, and all of these are readily accessible from public boat ramps.

Flies like Deceivers, Whistlers, Pink Things, Clousers and prawn flies will all work on barra, both in the creeks and the dams. For dam barra use plenty of flashy gold/silver

flies that shimmer on the drop. Saltwater flies are generally a bit less flashy and more subtle.

Lures include a multitude of plastics – paddle tails, curly tails, prawns, grubs and so on – and I suggest talking to the local tackle shops to get the good oil on what’s working.

Hardbodies like Reidy’s, RMG, Halco, Rapala, Tropic Angler and Lucky Strikes are some that you can rely on. Slow trolling lures with an electric motor is a good way to cover ground in either the dams or the creeks, and once you’ve located a fish you

should hammer that spot.

The barra, particularly in the sizes up to around 75cm, tend to hang about in small schools.

The Pioneer River continues to fish well, with plenty of queenfish, bream, cod and small trevally mooching around. Barra will start to show up in the catches around the Ron Camm highway bridges, and down to the ‘V’ near the mouth. Work the rocky areas near the bridges but be prepared to lose some gear as there are plenty of snags. I expect some king threadfin salmon to show up in the upper reaches around the hospital, and the fishing platform near there is a good spot to get onto some large queenfish.

For the bread and butter anglers there will be plenty of whiting, bream and flathead around in all our creeks and rivers. Off the beaches, anglers can expect dart and small trevally to feature in their catches. As a rule of thumb, fish the beaches on the run-up to high tide when the fish can venture right into the shallows.

It’s an advantage to have a small boat in our area, but there are plenty of spots within reach of the walking angler too. As always, our piece of paradise offers plenty of fishing options, see you at the ramp.

Shallow reefs on fire STANAGE BAY

Von Ireland

The weather is great and I hope everyone but me is out on the reef and islands fishing.

The road has had showers on it making it slippery in places, and from the army turnoff to Hollins Bay has some huge potholes and corrugation,

so drive to the prevailing conditions.

The muddies have slowed down and will be in the deeper channels and near rocks, so make sure you use fresh bait and good pots for the best results.

Out on the islands and reefs, anglers have been catching a wide variety of reef and pelagic species, making for some good feeds and great fun out on the water.

• If you want up to date info on what’s been happening at Stanage, either call into Von at the tackle shop in the boat yard, call (07) 4937 3145 or email stanagebaymarine@ bigpond.com.

• Remember the latest fishing reports are on www. fishingmonthly.com.au and for queries on Stanage Bay fishing, call me on (07) 4937 3145.

Pelagics have been hot on the hit list for sport anglers visiting Stanage.

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Deeper fish finder is the first of its kind, portable, wireless sonar, compatible with 7000+ iOS and Android devices, specially designed to find the location of fish, depth, water temperature, bottom contour and more.

Enhance your fishing experience with the detailed view of the bottom terrain and fishholding habitat using innovative Deeper Smart Imaging technology. High accuracy sonar shots reveal most of the fish species with crystal clarity, allowing you to target your prey with confidence. This sonar is powerful enough to perfectly function in depths from 0.5m to ~40m below in both salt and fresh waters.

With castable Deeper and its mounting solutions you can explore the lake, river or sea from every angle. You can scan places other fish finders cannot reach, and Deeper’s temperature sensors also provide accurate fluctuations of the water temperature.

The smartphone app lets you adjust all sonar functions, add info and pics to a fishing log, and more. www.rapala.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

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In designing the new Stradic FK, Shimano has made a great reel even better.

The first big feature is the Hagane Body. This metal frame delivers high rigidity, so there’s no flexing when under load and no loss of cranking power either. This is complemented by the Hagane Gear system — not cut gear teeth, but 3D design cold forging for increased resilience and longer durability.

The new Stradics have an additional SA-RB bearing and they’re all high 6:1 to 6.2:1 gear ratios, so cast lures will really motor on the retrieve.

Aero Wrap II, the AR-C spool, One Piece Bail and G-Free Body make these reels a delight for repetitive casters to use, with better balance in the hand. The presence of Coreprotect on the roller clutch, the drag, the body and the line roller make the Stradic FK stand up to the harsh Aussie saltwater environment.

Price: from approx. $270 www.shimanofish.com.au

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FINS have released a revolutionary new braided superline: 40G. The unique composite structure of the 40G makes people think it’s mono the first time they touch it, and this durable braid has the smallest diameter-to-strength ratio ever offered.

To construct the line, FINS starts with a core of Spectra fibre and then over-braids this tightly with eight ends of smaller yarns. Pro-staffers report at least twice the wear compared to standard braids, and when 40G is close to wearing out you have an advance warning as the over-braid will show damage before the core. The colour will last as long as the line does, due to the colour being applied to the core fibres.

FINS 40G is scheduled to hit tackle stores in early October. This line is expected to cost about 20% more than others in the stable, due to the slower processing required to produce it, but from all accounts the benefits are worth it. www.jmgillies.com.au

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 TwinPower / Ocea Offshore combo

Ocea Offshore Series rods are incredibly versatile, covering the gamut of bluewater fishing pursuits from jigging to casting stickbaits, switch-baiting for marlin, to inshore snapper fun on soft plastics and bait. What’s more, there’s been a significant weight saving – up to 20% – so Ocea Offshores are even more comfortable to use over the duration of a long fight.

The Twin Power SW features a Hagane body and Hagane gears, and an increased number of bearings and heavy drag capabilities have made the Twin Power spin reels must-haves for the elite saltwater angler.

The AFTA award-winning combo is made up of the TwinPower 4000 SWBXG (12kg260m mono capacity, 0.31mm-170m diameter capacity, 6.2:1 gear ratio, 95cm retrieve per crank, 10+1 bearings, 11kg drag power, 355g weight) and the Ocea Offshore Jig PE3 (5’3”, 1-piece, 30lb line weight, 100g lure weight, TC4 Toray graphite blank, Fuji/full length EVA butt assembly and Fuji K Alconite guides). www.shimanofish.com.au

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Using Shimano’s exclusive Hi-Power X construction graphite blanks, Zodias casting rods deliver incredible distance and accuracy. The lightweight blanks are complemented by custom shaped EVA grips, Fuji alconite guides — with a Fuji SIC tip to reduce heat buildup at a key point — and a Ci4+ reel seat for an additional weight saving.

Hi-Power X blanks have an acute sensitivity, which crisply transmit every tap from a snag, weed, or a cautious short-striking fish, especially when used in conjunction with reels spooled with zero stretch braid.

There are four light to medium spin rods of 6’, 8’ and 7’ lengths, the latter in two piece, and a pair of 6’6” baitcasters to choose from.

So whether you're chasing black bream in the Gippsland Lakes or barramundi in a muddy tropical creek, you’ll be impressed with the performance characteristics of the new Zodias series. www.shimanofish.com.au

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Squidgies has answered the calls of the angler with the release of their new larger sized prawn plastic, the Squidgy Pro Prawn.

Measuring in at around 115mm and available in two versions, paddle-tail and curltail, the new XOS prawn imitation are tailor made for large species such as barramundi, threadfin salmon, mulloway and snapper, and are destined to become a hit around the country.

Hyper realistic with striking eyes and protruding antennae the new Pro Prawn is available in six different colours, and with a price tag that is in reach of all anglers. Just about everything with fins eats a prawn and we're sure just about anything big with fins will eat the new Pro Prawn.

Price: under $10 www.squidgies.com.au G

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Angler requests have again inspired the latest addition to the TT Lures stable, the SnakelockZ jighead.

Combining the ‘chin lock’ system from their ChinlockZ hooks, with the free-swinging front weight concept of their Snake Head jigheads, the team at TT have enabled anglers to secure their plastic in place with the ‘chin lock’ while offering maximum action and the weight required to get the soft plastic deep in structure with minimal chance of snagging.

In the process of developing the SnakelockZ jigheads it was decided to use a stainless steel, through wire loop, with a locking system that enables anglers to twist and unclip the hook from the head. This gives anglers the freedom to swap hook sizes and weights as required, or attach a different hook to the head to suit a particular soft plastic or technique.

SnakelockZ are built tough on chemically sharpened Mustad, heavy duty worm hooks to handle hard hitting and strong fighting Aussie species and are available in 2/0H-6/0H and 8/0H, with 3 per pack (2 per pack 8/0) and weights ranging from 1/12oz – 3/8oz.

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The original Cranka Crab has been on the market for two years, and it’s been a big success on the bream tournament scene. Now, in response to angler demand, creator Steve Steer has released a larger version for anglers targeting the likes of permit, jew and snapper.

The bigger Cranka Crab still has those lifelike floating claws, which mimic the defensive behaviour of a threatened crab, but instead of trebles on the claws it has a bigger single through the body of the crab. There’s a locked split ring at the rear, and if you remove that you can dismantle the lure and switch its parts around to match the local crabs in the area you’re fishing. This customisation could include swapping out the lure’s soft legs, using different coloured claws or even different sized claws – and of course you can change the weight to suit the conditions.

Price: from RRP $18.95 www.crankalures.com

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 TTLures SnakeLockz Jigheads

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The Rapala X-Rap Diving Magnum 40 great addition to the Diving magnum family.

It is the deepest diving minnow that Rapala produces, and is one of the deepest available in Australia.

When you know the fish are down deeper, the Magnum 40 gives you that extra extension required to get your lure down to where the fish can notice it – the goal being to bring the fish up to not only your Magnum but also to other lures in your spread.

With this latest addition, Rapala X-Rap Magnums now come in six sizes: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40. Each has lifelike scale detail and a massive diving lip to get the lure down deep, unassisted. Magnums run perfect right out of the box, and can be run up to 13 knots. Well known as an Australian favourite when it comes to bluewater trolling, these lures are available in specialised Australian bait imitations – lure patterns that are found nowhere else in the world. Exclusive colours include petrolero, red sardine and UV patterns. www.rapala.com.au

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 Rapala X-Rap Magnum 40 BEST HARD LURE

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Shimano have delivered anglers the ultimate backpack with the new feature packed Shimano Backpack.

Comfortable and functional, the Shimano Backpack leaves your hands free, which is especially useful when carrying rods and reels, or just tackling difficult terrain on the way to that next fishing spot.

This well-made and comfortable-to-wear fishing-friendly backpack holds a heap of fishing gear and comes with its own tackle boxes (4 trays in total) as well, making it essential item for all keen anglers on the go. At 25L in capacity and featuring classic Shimano styling, design and build quality, this new award winning Shimano Backpack sets a new standard in tackle storage and portability. www.shimanofish.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

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RIO’s new LightLine is an award-winning (Best Fly Fishing Line – AFTA 2015, Best New Freshwater Fly Line – IFTD 2015) fly line that has been designed to load slower, more traditional action fly rods such as bamboo, glass and the more classic flexing graphite rods.

Built to precisely match the industry line standards, this line will not overload such rods – even at longer range. The weight distribution and short front taper ensures the line loads at close range, making it ideal for fishing on smaller creeks and streams, while the softer, supple coating ensures the line remains relaxed and easy to handle in the majority of conditions. The line will be available in WF and DT profiles, from #2 to #6. www.jmgillies.com.au

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Some guys look like they’re wearing their kids’ sunglasses – even when they try on the biggest pair in the store! Spotters has solved this problem with their new Freak model, engineered for Aussie blokes with Hulk-proportioned melons.

It has a massive 150mm girth from screw to screw and the expansion flexibility to accommodate any man-sized think tank. It also has a chunky frame front to balance out the lens surface area, and added sculpted temples.

A great match for the Freak frame is the Nexus Mirror lens. This iridescent blue/green mirror overlays a high definition emerald green polarised crown glass lens. The lenses use real metallic particles to reflect bright light and heat away from your eyes. To stop the mirror being scratched off, it’s sandwiched between layers of crown glass.

The high definition green base tint is soothing to your eyes, allowing for increased depth perception and improved colour awareness without altering your colour vision.

Price: SRP $289.50 www.spotters.com.au 60

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For the angler looking for a reel that is as adventurous and dependable as they are, look no further than the NEW Atoll Reel Series from Temple Fork Outfitters.

Precision machined from cold-forged 6061-T6 billet aluminium and hard anodized to a clear satin finish, Atoll reels are as tough as they are handsome. The revolutionary and unique “hubless” design of the Atoll moves the stacked delrin/stainless steel drag system away from the centre mass of the reel. What does this all mean? More efficient stopping power and greater heat dissipation, as the drag contact area is spread out over a larger surface area.

The Atoll is available in four sizes, ATL I (7-8 weight), ATL II (9-10 weight), ATL III (11-12 weight) and ATL IV (13-14 weight). All models feature easy left-hand/right-hand conversion and TFO’s legendary Lifetime Warranty.

Price: RRP $639 www.ejtodd.com.au

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Just like you wouldn’t pull out your driver when you need your 7 iron, the Sage Mod is optimized for the distances and scenarios most often encountered by the trout angler.

Thoughtfully crafted with contemporary line designs, fly patterns, and angling styles in mind, the Mod is a modern interpretation of a moderate action specific for trout fisheries. Designed between the deep loading Circa and fast action One, the Mod excels at measured distances to the short game, delivering delicate presentations with pin-point accuracy. Designed and handcrafted on Bainbridge Island, USA, the Mod features all the lightweight, strength, responsiveness, and accuracy benefits of Sage’s proprietary Konnetic Technology.

The Mod blank is jade coloured and has yellow-green thread wraps with black trim wraps. Fuji ceramic stripper guides and hard-chromed snake guides and tip- top complete the blank. The Mod singled-hand fly rods are available in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 weights in 9ft lengths, and the Spey models come in a 6 and 7 weight in 13ft lengths. www.jmgillies.com.au

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The award-winning CapHat is a one-size-fits-all attachment that goes on top of your favourite cap or hat to provide ultimate sun protection. To put it on, you just slip it over the crown of your cap or hat, tighten the CapHat’s toggle and you’re away. For an evaporative cooling effect in hot conditions, just dip it in water prior to use. If there’s a lot of wind or blinding glare, close the Velcro tabs at the front to cover everything but your eyes.

Made from UPF 45 material, CapHats have been independently tested and rated as excellent sun protection, and recently got a seal of approval from the Melanoma International foundation.

The current model CapHat is just $14.95, and there’s a new model coming out called Extreme that will be $19.95. Check them out on the CapHat website or like them on Facebook.

Price: RRP $14.95 www.caphat.com.au

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With a 20% thicker drive gear, the new TwinPower SW delivers a new level of durability, allowing anglers to fight powerful fish with confidence.

Large precision cut gears with increased bearing support provide greater power transmission efficiency. Increased power combined with Hagane body results in maximum pressure on the fish. The Hagane metal body’s high impact resistance allows it to withstand sudden impact while minimizing flexing.

The shape and thickness of the aluminium rotor creates high rigidity for more fish fighting power. The increased mass of the aluminium rotor generates more inertia, resulting in easier fishing of heavy jigs and high resistance lures.

This new reel also has the most stable, tough and durable drag system Shimano has ever offered in Twin Power SW. Its superior water resistance, repelling both low pressure and high pressure water, holds up against the toughest conditions.

The award-winning TwinPower 14000 SWBXG has a 6.2:1 gear ratio, 134cm retrieve per crank, 10+1 bearings, 25kg drag and weighs 650g. www.shimanofish.com.au

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Viva Fishing Tackle Australia took out the Best Game Lure award at the 2015 AFTA Show with their Richter Lures Oscar with reflective wings.

This lure was the end result of Viva’s collaboration with Luke Ryan from Richter, based in Perth. With Luke’s input, Viva designed the bright UV Skirt and Wing combinations that wowed industry members at the Show. These reflective wings are now an optional addition to most of the Richter Lure range. The existing Richter range includes high quality pushers, plugs, skirts and terminal tackle. Richter also has its own pre-made rig inserts made out of top quality stainless hooks and wire. These rigs cover the entire range, from single 14/0 for giant cavitators right down to single 7/0 to suit the Tornado range. Richter lures have accounted for their fair share of record gamefish and it’s not hard to see why when you watch their action in the water. www.vivafishing.com.au

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Wilson Fishing’s legendary Live Fibre rod series has won an AFTA award for the second year running.This year it’s the Live Fibre Venom Game rods that have taken out the prize.

Live Fibre Venom Game rods don’t have a standard metal grip. New Venom technology enables the use of a Kevlar graphite system, which delivers both strength and light weight. This difference in weight is noticeable when compared to other game rods; the Venom Game rods are actually up to 750g lighter than Telaxiums. And as you’d expect, quality components are a feature, including Winthrop roller guides.

To see this and other recent releases from one of the best known and trusted names in rod building, head to your favourite tackle store.

Price: $1400-1500 www.wilsonfishing.com

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 Live Fibre Venom

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The feature-packed GoPro Hero4 Session is 50% smaller and 40% lighter than other Hero 4 cameras, making it the most wearable and mountable GoPro ever. Compatible with current GoPro mounts and featuring a new low-profile frame, and ball joint buckle, Hero4 Session provides ultimate mounting flexibility in any situation.

The Session captures 1080p30 ultra-wide video and 8MP time-lapse photos at 0.5 second intervals right out of the box. You can also access most of the modes of other Hero4 cameras using the GoPro App or Smart Remote. You can also use the app or remote to easily adjust settings like video resolution, frame rate, field of view and more.

Hero4 Session’s rugged and waterproof design, to a depth of 33’ (10m), eliminates the need for a separate housing. Easy one-button control provides unprecedented camera control; a single press of the shutter button powers the camera on and begins capturing video or time lapse photos automatically. A second press of the shutter button stops recording and powers off the camera.

SuperView, Auto Low Light, Protune for video, HiLight Tag, dual mic system, built-in battery, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GoPro Studio, complete this award winning camera’s list of features. www.vsport.com.au IN

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RinseKit is a portable, pressurised shower that’s like having a garden hose wherever you go.

With no pumping, and no batteries, RinseKit fills in 20 seconds and uses the pressure from the tap when filled to deliver pressurised spray for up to four minutes. The only product of its kind, RinseKit’s patented design features the eon pressure system that holds up to 8L of water, with a spray nozzle that offers seven different settings from jet stream to shower.

RinseKit can also be filled with hot or cold water straight from the tap. It comes packed with awesome features, including, compact design with a 8L pressure chamber, built-in ruler to measure fish, folding handle for one-handed carrying, and easy-to-remove lid to stand on for changing at the beach. www.vsport.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

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What’s New FISHING

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SAMAKI BOOM BAITS

It can be a hassle trying to get your soft plastic sitting just right on the hook, and now there’s an easier way to do it. New from Samaki is a range of plastics called Boom Baits, which have a unique rigging system. The Booms feature marker dots along their backs to make it easy to line up specific sizes of worm hooks or jigheads.

Designer Josh Lowry said these baits also have a great action.

“I’ve used a special stretchy material in the Boom Baits, so they don’t just swim well but are durable,” he explained. “And of course the unique rigging system lets you match, say, a 2/0 or 3/0 with the marker dots, so these baits swim perfectly every time.”

There are 10 models, starting with little smelt for trout and bream, up to larger paddle tails and shads for barra and reef fish. All have UV inhibitors and impregnated scent, and they’ll go on sale in November.

Price: RRP $9.95 www.samaki.com.au

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COSTA SUNGLASSES

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

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ZEREK FISH TRAP

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The Zerek Fish Trap is a unique soft lipless crankbait with a curl tail. Available in 65, 95 and 110mm sizes, the Fish Trap’s tail undulates at the slightest of movement, giving off visual and acoustic cues to the fish. Even when the lure is sitting on the bottom, the slightest current will make the tail wriggle.

Built from virtually indestructible TPE plastic, the Fish Trap can take on the toughest of fish with the use of extra strong split rings and Mustad 4X Saltism trebles. A through wire connecting all tow points is moulded into the lead weight.

Working with a strong vibration, the Fish Trap can be cast and retrieved in any depth or trolled for a unique presentation that shallow rock bar and weed bed fish love.

There are 15 colours in the range, with UV accents and highlights, and some ultra-realistic colours designed for Australian species.

Price: SRP $19.95 www.wilsonfishing.com

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DAIWA SALTIGA AIRPORTABLE

At this year’s AFTA Show we saw a number of award-winning Costa polarised sunglasses on display.

The first was the durable Rooster, featuring a black frame and anti-glare green mirror lens – perfect for inshore conditions.

The rugged Cortez features flexible rubber called Hydrolite, whose special properties mean the more you sweat the more it clings to your face. Its dark lens allows only 10% light transmission, making it the go-to model for bright, high-glare situations.

The Mag Bay is a more urban style with an extra-large fit. The display model had a copper base poly lens, which is lightweight and repels water and oil.

Propriety Costa lens technology enhances optical acuity, making reds redder, blues bluer and greens greener. The plastic lenses are lightweight, impact- and scratch-resistant, and the glass lenses have the greatest clarity and are scratch resistant. All Costas are built by hand and have a lifetime warranty.

Price: from SRP $299 (poly) to $370 (glass) www.blackpete.com.au

Daiwa has introduced the latest Saltiga rod series, Airportable, providing anglers with a range of multi-piece, high quality offshore sportfishing rods.

Daiwa’s low resin, high strength, reduced weight, high density carbon creates a rod that is lightweight yet powerful and capable of punching well above its weight. X45 wrapping technology eliminates twist to improve sensitivity, increase strength and allow the blank to perform at its optimum capability. V Joint technology ensures that these multi-piece blanks match the performance of one-piece blanks in flex, power and responsiveness.

Fuji Super Ocean Silicone carbide guides provide extra strength, abrasion resistance and help to eliminate line wrap, and metallic blue accented custom alloy reel seats create an immovable fusion between rod and reel.

There are eight models, ranging from the C77MHS spin (3-piece, 231cm, mediumheavy action, 20-60g cast weight, PE 1.5-4 line rating) through to the J66XHB overhead (2-piece, 198cm, X-heavy, 80-200g, PE 2-5). www.daiwafishing.com.au

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BIG FISH ANGEL BAITS

The latest release from Insanity Tackle, the brainchild of Wayne ‘Mr Freshwater’ Dubois, is the Big Fish series of Angel Baits – the natural progression from the original Angel Baits.

Angel Baits can be used the same way and in the same places you would a spinnerbait, as they ride hook-up and can be worked over and through timber. Their spinning device and blades attract fish with a natural pulse and flash but, unlike other spinnerbaits, don’t scare them. Angel Baits are a great choice on highly pressured waters.

These lures have been built on the thickest wire on the market compared with spinnerbaits, so the lure won’t let you down no matter how big the fish is. Wayne has added 5” curl tail and paddle tail plastics (also available separately) making the lure 8” in total. They have natural ribbed silver blades and four skirt colours to mix and match with plastic colours. For more info check out Insanity Tackle on Facebook.

Price: RRP $15 waynedubois@westnet.com.au

SEPTEMBER 2015

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KING OF THE BEACH

The new collector’s edition 6500C8 is the most space age Alvey you’ve ever seen.

Launched at the 2015 AFTA Tackle Trade Show, the 6500C8 combines the traditional Alvey stainless steel back with super strong fishtail reinforcement for ultimate stability and strength when under load. Replacing the traditional Alvey composite constructed spool is a cold billeted marine grade aluminium CNC machined spool. It has a carbon fibre single 2” (50mm) clutch washer which generates 7.5kg of drag. There’s a rapid retrieve handle system, with both the handles and drag wheel genuine stainless steel alloy coated. For ultimate cranking power there’s a power knob on the top of the handle, and there’s also a rapid-retrieve knob for bringing in bait or for high speed luring.

As well as looking amazing, this limited edition reel has all of the durability and longevity that anglers have come to expect from Alvey.

Price: approx. $900 www.alvey.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au 62

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What’s New FISHING

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

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AUSSIE-MADE NINJA LURES

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KERSHAW CAMP 18

Ninja Lures are handmade in Australia with quality components at an affordable price, and cover all freshwater needs from redfin and bass all the way up to the mighty Murray cod.

Ninja also has a range of soft plastics and jigheads made from quality saltwater grade materials, with a realistic feel to keep the fish coming back for more.

Ninja spinnerbaits are durable and designed to stay connected with more fish.

All models come in a big variety of colours, with custom orders welcome. Hand moulded lead heads range in weight from 1/8oz up to 1oz, and each head has a hardy powder coat finish. Multiple blade combinations are available in all sizes, and stinger hooks come standard in basic models.

If divers are more your style, check out the hand-carved timber Ninja Assassin. It has an enticing, wide swaying action, and at 80mm long it’s ideal for bass, yellowbelly, Murray cod and more. www.facebook.com/ninjalures

From slashing a path through the bush to making kindling, the Camp 18 is the ultimate heavy-duty outdoor and survival tool. And for those of us who like a bit of extra badassery, it can also double as a pirate cutlass.

This full-tang 18” knife is made of carbon tool steel for toughness and wear resistance.

Cut, slash, hack, split, scrape – just about any task you ask of it, the Camp 18 can handle. A basic black powdercoat protects the steel and makes maintenance easier.

You’ll like the secure, contoured grip of the Camp 18, too. The handle has a built-in hand guard and is drilled in both front and rear so you can attach a lanyard at either the front or the back (or both) for carrying versatility. Like the other knives in Kershaw’s Camp series, the Camp 18 comes with its own moulded sheath with study nylon straps. The next time you’re out roughing it in the bush, or stealing booty from a hapless merchant vessel, make sure you bring the Camp 18. Check out the website for other Kershaw outdoor essentials.

Price: RRP $180 www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

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YO-ZURI 3DB CRAYFISH

The Yo-Zuri 3DB Crayfish is a slow sinking lure that’s designed to land in a level position. Its jointed tail moves as the bait is fished as a jig, or slow swimming action, just above the bottom. The tail hitting the bottom causes the gravel to stir up, attracting fish looking for yabbies or redclaw.

This lure has a weedless rig setup, with a piece of wire wrapping around a W hook, allowing you to fish dense structure for cod or yellas. You can throw the Crayfish up over a log, work it over the top and drop it down, attracting the attention of fish hiding beneath.

Other features include a patented Internal 3D Prism Finish, Wave Motion Technology, and a realistic prism egg sac with UV properties. The Crayfish weighs 23g and comes in six colours, including redclaw and yabby imitations. There are also brighter colours that have accounted for snapper.

Price: RRP $20 www.tacspo.com.au

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

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NEW FROM TIDE APPAREL

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13 FISHING MUSE GOLD

Tide Apparel has released some cool stuff for spring, including a new sun shirt with Tide and Fishing Monthly logos on the front and back. Like all Tide gear it’s made from top quality materials to provide the most comfortable fit possible, and its flattering cut allows you to look your best both on and off the water.

Also new on the scene are the Anchor Jigging Gloves. They’re nice and flexible, and the palms are thin, durable and provide a good grip.

Tide’s new black shorts are made from basketball-style material so they’re super comfortable whether you’re on the water or relaxing at home, and designer Nick promises they’re the most comfortable shorts you’ll ever wear.

These and other new releases will be rolled out soon. To check out the existing range, including winter gear, drop by your favourite tackle shop or visit Tide’s online store.

Price: $24.99 (gloves), $79.99 (sun shirt) www.tideapparel.com.au

The 13 Fishing brand has just released a new range in Australia called Muse Gold.

With slightly softer tapers and a slower action, these light spin rods are perfect for luring for bream and bass.

Designed with the most demanding anglers in mind, the 13 Fishing Muse Gold Spinning Rods excel at a variety of applications. Highmodulus 36-ton Mitsubishi graphite blanks feature Zonal Action Technology (ZAT), which divides the blank into three distinct zones – lower, mid and tip – for increased sensitivity, hook-setting power and forgiveness. Other features include lightweight yet sturdy Kigan’s 3D ZH guides with Zirconia inserts, ergonomic reel seat, winding check and trim pieces, and high-grade cork and EVA handles for a comfortable, nonslip grip.

There are nine rods in the range, all spin, ranging from 2-6lb through to 6-12lb. They’re perfect for the tournament bream and bass guys, or for anyone who likes light tackle finesse fishing.

Price: RRP $299 www.13fishing.com.au

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YAMASHITA TAIKABURA

Yamashita, distributed by EJ Todd, have released a new snapper jig called Taikabura.

“It’s easy to use – you just drop the jig to the bottom and slow roll it,” said Bryan Todd from EJ Todd. “It’s a line through system so the lure has a natural presentation as it falls, which results in more hits on the drop.

You can change weights quickly, and the weight breaks away on hook-up, so the fish can’t easily shake the hook out.”

These jigs come in weights from 60g up to 120g, allowing you to target snapper in deep water. Alternatively, in shallower water (say, 10m or so) you can hop the jig like you would with a soft plastic.

The Taikabura comes packaged as a set, or you can buy the heads or skirts separately so you can interchange them and find what works best on the day.

Price: RRP $18-$20 www.ejtodd.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

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What’s New FISHING TESTED:

Lightning Stix Surf Rod

I have always enjoyed beach fishing at night, especially targeting mulloway.

The best time to fish for them is on the darkest nights on or around the new moon phase. However, when you have two or three rods baited up in the water and sitting in rod holders up and down the beach it’s not that easy to see when you get an enquiry or a hook-up, so until now I’ve always used glow sticks.

On a recent trip to Fraser Island I had the opportunity to try one of the new Lightning Stix rods from Juro. This rod eliminates the need for glow sticks because it has a builtin LED that illuminates the tip section of the rod. Turning it on and off is as easy as inserting a small, single alkaline battery that is housed in the base of the tip section. It’s easily accessible via a screw cap.

Will ‘Bream King’ Lee and I fished the Kingfisher Bay jetty after dark on the first night we arrived at the resort.

With the Lightning Stix we had no problems seeing the tip dancing with every bite; I was amazed at how much light the LED put out. We used a live herring for bait, and the rod was well suited for this but it would also be at home throwing metal slugs or working soft plastics.

The rod is made from using a specially designed carbon and fibreglass blank. It loads up well, has plenty of grunt where you need it and casts a long away.

The rod we tested was the 13’9” Surf,

TESTED:

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which was a bit cumbersome to use on the jetty. However, the Lighting Stix Surf rods do come in 10’ and 12’ versions, which would be more suited to the jetty fishing we did.

This 3-piece rod is easy to transport, and hopefully Juro will bring out a lighter 1-3kg model for chasing whiting up the river in the boat.

All in all, I rate this rod range as well worth a look for anglers who enjoy fishing at night. To find out more check out www. jurofishing.com. - Michael Fox

Rod Runner

Tackle shops are full of accessories that claim to make your fishing experience easier.

Some of these accessories are genuinely useful, while others aren’t much more than a gimmick. On a recent trip to Fraser Island I had the opportunity to try out the brand new Rod Runner portable rod transporting system, and it definitely made my life easier.

The first thing I noticed about this rod storage system was how light it was, which made me sceptical of how sturdy it would be. I tested it on both the sand of Seventy Five Mile Beach and on the timber planks of the Kingfisher Bay Jetty loaded up with three short spinning rods, a 12’ spinning rod and a 10’6” rod matched to an Alvey reel. Fully loaded, the Rod Runner was very stable, and it seemed like the more weight it was loaded with, the sturdier it became.

I always like to have my rods rigged and ready to go the night before a fishing trip, and in the past I’ve found it difficult to carry multiple rigged rods when setting off on a land-based mission. They always seem to get entangled in one another. However, with the shock cord strap that secures rods in the Rod Runner, this was no longer a problem. It was great to start fishing with five rods all ready to go with different lures and rigs.

With plenty of tourists and kids running about on the Kingfisher Bay jetty I found the

Rod Runner was also a handy place to put my expensive rods and reels out of harm’s way while removing the fish from a hook, baiting up or tying on a new lure.

It was also great to have somewhere to put our spinning rods and reels and keep them away from the sand while fishing off Seventy Five Mile Beach.

You wouldn’t take your golf clubs around 18 holes without a golf bag and I now wouldn’t go landbased fishing without my Rod Runner. For more info call (07) 3889 3033, visit www.brismarine.com. au or drop into Brisbane Marine in Clontarf, Qld. - Will Lee

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

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE TESTED:

Mustad Dry Duffle Bag

One thing that’s the same with all fishing trips is the need to keep valuable items dry. I had been searching for a quality storage bag for quite some time, and really wanted something waterproof – or at least very waterresistant – and robust enough to deal with the rough and tumble of fishing trips. I also wanted enough practical storage space to hold some tackle, a camera, lunch and wet weather gear, but I didn’t want the bag to be too big.

Otherwise I knew I’d be tempted to cram lots of non-essentials in it and end up with a bulky, heavy pack to lug around.

I then came across the Mustad Duffle Bag, and decided to take it on a work trip to Fraser Island. Between fishing the Kingfisher Bay jetty and chasing tailor on the island’s beaches, I wanted to carry only one bag (plus a few rods). I wanted the bag to hold all the essentials I mentioned above, plus an ale or two.

The bag spent a week bouncing around in the ute and being lugged from pillar to post, and I was happy with how it stood up

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to this punishment. The zippers are large and sealed to stop water getting through, and there’s a

waterproof side pocket for essentials like keys, wallet and bottle opener so you don’t have to rifle through the main bag. The zipped mesh side pocket, which is ideal to put wet clothes, sandy shoes and empties in, so you don’t have to put them inside the bag. Having a meshed pocket that’s zipped is gold, as other bags’ mesh pockets don’t usually have zips so the contents can fall out.

The Mustad MB006 50L duffle bag (RRP $79.95) is made of waterproof PVC and measures 24” x 11” x 12”. It certainly did what I needed it to do. If I were to say anything bad, it would be that it’s all white and marks easily, but I consider each mark as a mark of pride!

Mustad has a number of other sizes and configurations in their dry bag range, and you can get more info at www.mustad. no or ask for them at your nearest retailer.

- Michael Fox

Spooltek Lures

We get plenty of baits come across the desk for review, so you can excuse me for being a little sceptical when a box of Spooltek lures graced the PO Box recently. Like most innovations, the theory was sound: the bait includes a retractable trace that deploys on the strike, eliminating bite-offs and reducing the leverage that a jumping fish has on the lure embedded in its mouth. This also makes a biteleader redundant.

In practice, though, there’s often a disconnect between theory and reality. So I grabbed a handful of 4” models and headed down the local to see if I could get them eaten and to test my theory that I wouldn’t get a hook-up. Logic was telling me that the bait would be spit out between the hook disconnecting from the bait and the trace hitting the extent of its reach.

But I was wrong.

The way the Spooltek baits work is that there’s a robust minispool inside the head that you need to manually wind the trace up on to. When it’s fully retracted, the hook eye slips firmly into a notch in the hard head. Behind that point, a slip-in plastic booted tail paddles away and gives the bait action.

My first outing resulted in three bites

and three hook-ups. I landed two fish and another fell off during the fight. This was neither better nor worse than my average.

I’d lose that many on hard baits with a couple of trebles.

With threadfin up to 92cm hitting the deck, I was pretty happy with the robustness of the little spool.

Dead-lifting a 70cm+ fish was no problem, and the bigger fish played up like a footy player on Mad Monday.

I was impressed.

There’s plenty more testing to do, but over a month of leaving the baits unwashed and full of saltwater, they still fished, retracted and deployed just fine.

To find your nearest retailer, email Spooltek’s local distributor at sales@innovativefishingsolutions.com.

- Steve Morgan

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

IS YOUR EPIRB DUE TO BE REPL ACED?

Prepare for the extreme with GME, because your life could depend on it

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gme.net.au

M355G

Digital EPIRBs have been around for quite some time now, and many are about to reach their expiration date.

So next time you’re out on your boat, double check the expiration date of your EPIRB. If it has expired, or is approaching expiration, contact your local Authorised GME Dealer and discuss options for replacement, including updating to the latest GPS equipped model from GME. With a GPS equipped EPIRB, you will be located faster, and rescue authorities will be able to reach you sooner. It could save your life.

Facts about finesse: Making sense of going light SUNSHINE COAST

Mitchell Fredericks

Light tackle has become popular over the last few years as the quality of the big brand products has gotten better in every possible way, further boosting anglers’ chances of landing trophy fish on super light gear. These advancements have led to many anglers swapping the big 8000 sized reels loaded with 50lb braid and a 24kg glass rod to a 2500-4000 sized reel loaded with 10-15lb braid and a 6-10kg rod. The excitement and adrenalin

that rushes through your body when you hook a good fish and it takes its first screaming run is always a great experience.

The feeling is even better once it’s in the net!

ROD AND REEL Most anglers fishing the local estuary systems today would rather use a lighter rod and reel combination then a heavy rod and reel combination.

This is because using a lighter outfit means less strain your arm and wrist, and gives you a big advantage to throw those lighter lures for bread and butter species.

Before you can use the

term ‘finesse’ you need to get yourself a nice light rod and reel combo from your favourite tackle shop. You want to look for a rod with a nice tip action and taper throughout the rod, and a weight rating of 1-3kg or 2-4kg. There are thousands of rods to choose from, but a few of my favourites are the Shimano 3Zero, Catana and Samurai Inflict series; the Nitro range and the Nordic Stage Areal Pro series. All these rods are made for quality and are reasonably priced well.

You need the right sized reel to match and balance your rod perfectly, and the most popular sizes are

The author’s dad with a respectable light tackle mangrove jack.

1000 and 2500. Reels are like rods in that there’s a huge range to choose from.

My preference is for the Shimano range, specifically the Sustain, Biomaster, Rarenium, Stella and Stradic, which cover a range of price points. All of these reels will match the above rods perfectly,

maximum lure action and less hurt on the fish, which will have you landing more fish and not pulling or straightening hooks.

When it comes to choosing braid, quality is important; you want it to have a thin diameter for its strength. I like to run 4lb, 6lb and 8lb braid on my

tackle anglers, because when the leader has it the water it becomes almost 100% invisible to fish. This means more bends in the rod and more fish being landed. Also fluorocarbon is a lot thinner than the traditional monofilament and allows more stretch meaning less chance at

Tailor are great fun on light gear.

Trevally are true fighters when hooked on the lighter gear.

Chasing mulloway on light tackle makes for a great fight.

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and have you fishing all day without sore arms or wrist strain.

LINE AND LEADER Buying a finesse outfit means fishing super light and super thin diameter braids. When using finesse outfits, the lighter and thinner the braid the further you can cast and the more sensitivity you’ll have.

These braids also create less resistance through the water, which will give you

finesse outfits, and a few of my favourites are Sunline Super 5, Toray Radius and Powerpro. They’re all good quality and well priced.

Leader selection is also very important, because finesse fishing involves fishing the lightest leader possible for the area being fished and the species being targeted.

Fluorocarbon has become a big advantage for many finesse and even heavy

pulling hooks and at times can be a stronger material fishing different structures.

Light tackle fishing sees me using only 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and10lb leaders depending on the fish I’m targeting and the area I’m fishing.

When choosing leader you want it to be near invisible, durable, thin, supple and abrasion-resistant and tie nice knots. Working at Davo’s Tackle World Noosa I see and use many

70mm WhipBaits and Gladiator Prawns, although there tons of other plastics that are effective as well.

And although soft plastics do work a treat, it’s also worthwhile to have some good hardbodies on hand, such as the Ecogear SX60, Ecogear SX40, Atomic Easy Shiners and C’ultiva Savoy Shads.

When it comes to choosing colours, the

basic consideration is the water quality at the time (natural colours in clear water and brighter colours in dirty water). Where possible, most of the time I like to fish with natural coloured soft plastics and hardbodies.

So there you have it – the lowdown on finesse fishing. The term ‘finesse’ has grown over the years, and if you have any

questions feel free to drop into Davo’s TackleWorld Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait and Tackle and have a chat to me or one of the other staff. We’re always happy to help.

I hope this article has inspired you to try this addictive form of fishing, and I also hope to see you start using lighter gear!

As always, tight lines and bent spines.

Chris Cleaver with a great bream on finesse tackle. leaders, but my favourites are Nitlon DFC Leader, Shimano Ocea Leader and FC Rock Leader. Using a good quality leader means you can have trust in your knots and have trust in your leader not snapping.

LURES Lure selection is another important factor when it comes to successful finesse fishing. The old saying

is “big plastics mean big fish” but that’s not always true, especially when you’re using extremely fine diameter lines and light rod and reel combos. Pelagic species like trevally, tailor and queenfish, as well as more general species like flathead, bream, mangrove jack and whiting, don’t always feed on big bait.

Small bait like whitebait,

prawns and froggies may be the only bait available in that particular estuary for some time, and the predators need to feed.

For this reason, using a small soft plastic or small hardbody can give you great advantages.

Lately a couple of my favourite plastics to use when fishing the estuaries are Squidgy

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Queenfish on light gear are awesome when they show off their aerobatics.

The Strength to Guarantee Your Confidence FC ROCK

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100m: 2lb to 20lb, 70m: 25lb to 30lb, 50m: 40lb to 50lb Made in Japan

High quality polyethylene braid with just the right amount of stiffness and resilience. Designed with super high sensitivity and strength to feel the bite and fight with power. Manufactured with an exclusive specialised dyeing technology for even more vivid color presentation and significantly improved fade resistance.

Colour coded line (every 10m of blue-pink-orange-green-red rotation) for exact line out measurements applicable to a wide range of fishing situations. Ideal for jigging or other deep water applications.

Available in 300m, 600m, 900m 1200m PE:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 Made in Japan

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8 strand braid with circular cross section prevents flattening of the line when wound on the reel. High strength polyethylene braid for complete confidence Super sensitive, super low stretch design to capture the most delicate bites.

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Bright orange colour for outstanding visibility.

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67

Migration mayhem in the Whitsunday Islands WHITSUNDAYS

Luke Griffiths

Slow and steady: a phrase that best describes the fishing over the past month and the relaxed vibe of the Whitsundays. The weather is improving and moving into that regular pattern that indicates we have a good chance for better weather in the coming months.

While we have still had our fair share of blustery days over the last month, we have had some ripper calm days, and they are on the increase. Speaking of increase, the number of whales and on water traffic have increased dramatically with the annual migration of the humpbacks up the coast, along with the annual migration of yachties, up for the local race carnivals.

Always keep an eye out for

A Spanish mackerel that couldn’t help itself to a trolled hardbody.

Deckhand Tom struggling to hold this mighty red emperor.

these huge mammals when motoring around as they can pop up out of nowhere and cause some serious damage to your boat and yourself.

As with the yachts, always give way to a yacht under sail if you’re in a motorpowered vessel.

We have seen some fairly slow fishing over the past month, really working hard for those prize fish. The Spanish mackerel have been

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SEPTEMBER 2015

few and far between, even though we are marking big numbers. Persistence pays off though, and we have seen some good-sized Spanish to 25kg coming over the side with the average fish around 10-15kg. These fish have been more prevalent out wider at the reefs, rather than in around the islands, although always have a look in closer before venturing offshore as on the days they have been biting inshore we have seen them in large numbers.

Mentioning the reef, on the good days we have travelled out there, and generally speaking, it has been pretty slow. Red-throat emperor have been around in large numbers on the reef edges, which is a good thing. Good numbers of red emperor have been showing up on the patches around the reefs, which make for a great fight and a tasty meal.

Fresh is best for these red rippers. And to our delight we have been finding a lot of squid hanging around of late, which has resulted in us getting our jig on and targeting a few of the ink throwers. Not only for a delicious meal for us, but also for anything big and red. But be sure to watch out for their nasty beak, as it can inflict a serious bite!

Using a snelled rig on a paternoster is a very good way of presenting the fresh squid and results in a good hook up rate. Red emperor aren’t the only big red fish which love fresh squid, Large mouth nannygai and Coral trout are also partial to a juicy cephalopod.

Coral trout are still about in numbers, and the ones we are getting are of good size. Remember to release the large ones as they may contain ciguatera poison.

Nannygai have been a little quiet also, but some good numbers are still about when worked for. It will be worth a look for these red fish over the next month, as you can expect to more of them in your travels.

During our travels

out wider, some schools of bluefin and yellowfin tuna have been spotted in amongst the mac tuna and airborne whales. Running some well set skirts will land you a feed of bluefin and yellowfin, as well as some mac tuna which, makes for a very good bottom fishing bait.

Expect to see more turning up over the next month as we venture further into spring, which is, of course, our prime billfish season. Can’t wait!

Although there are a fair few billies showing up with good reports of catches and sightings. So don’t

be afraid to put the gear out in hope for the sought after marlin or sailfish. If caught, remember to look after this fish and return it back into the water ASAP for a revival, before sending it back to the depths.

That’s it from us this month, good luck out on the water and remember to keep a look out for those aforementioned annual migrators up the coast. Until next month, stay safe.

• If you’re interested in a game, sport or reef fishing charters around the Whitsundays, give Luke a call on 0429 724 822 or email info@ renegadecharters.com.au.

Top: That’s one solid bar cheek coral trout deceived by a freshly caught squid. Middle: Fresh is best! Skipper Luke holding a fresh caught squid, destined for a big red fish! Above: Kye holding a fine example of a large mouth nannygai.

Jack fishing hotting up AYR

Steve Farmer

We’ve had the worst winter on record for strong, persistent winds, so what little action there has been was been restricted to the estuaries. The majority of creeks seem to be producing a scattering of most of the species you would expect at this time of the year, but none are turning on spectacular catches. Flathead, bream, whiting, school grunter and salmon make up most of the estuary success stories.

Morrisseys Creek and the Haughton River seem to be producing better bream fishing than the southern estuaries.

The rocky headlands on the western side of Cape Upstart and the creeks in Upstart Bay often produce bream at this time of year, but the catch reports have been few and far between. The howling southeasterlies have probably limited fishing in these areas too.

For flathead it’s hard to beat Phillips Camp and the sandbar at the mouth of Ocean Creek. Both spots can usually be relied upon for a little lizard action, although the size of fish can vary from week to week.

Grey nomads staying at the Alva Beach Tourist Park said the flathead fishing had been good a few weeks earlier, but had tapered off to almost nothing on the full moon.

One theory is that the flathead feed on the large night tides of the full moon at this time of year and aren’t hungry during the day.

Many Burdekin anglers are keenly awaiting the arrival of good grunter in inshore and estuarine waters. The good news is that a few around the 60cm mark have been taken in Bowling Green Bay recently.

Experienced grunter hunters reckon numbers and sizes

should improve over the next couple of months.

SEPTEMBER FORECAST The start of spring usually signals an increase in mangrove jack and barra catches in Burdekin estuaries, thanks to the rising temperatures.

If it’s still a little cool and you’re lure fishing, work at getting your lure as close as possible to where you reckon the fish are holed up, so they don’t have to move far to hammer it. Use a slow retrieve if you’re flicking, and choose a lure with a strong but slow action.

Mangrove jack numbers should increase throughout September.

The Burdekin freshwater should fish well for sooty grunter, as long as you can find a spot without too much weed.

Bait fishers can try live baits of small mullet or prawns fished on a running sinker rig on the bottom, on a paternoster rig a metre or so above the bottom, or closer to the surface under a float. The best position will depend on the country you are fishing.

Experiment a little until you get the results you want.

Bream and flathead should continue to fish well throughout September and sizes may even improve.

When targeting bream look for snag-studded backwaters close to the main tidal flow of the creek. Rocky areas are also popular bream haunts, but in the Burdekin only Rocky Ponds Creek and Cape Upstart can provide this feature.

Both spots can fish well for bream at times. Fishing light will probably get you more enquiries, but bream are tough fighters and I wouldn’t be going lighter than 4kg breaking strain, especially if you’re fishing rough country.

With the rising temperatures the freshwater reaches of the Burdekin River should fire up over the next few months, but weed might be a problem. A small to non-existent wet season and no flooding combined with a steady release of water from the dam and weirs has seen weed flourishing in many areas. Surface and weedlessrigged lures might be the best way to tackle these conditions.

The other option is to search

out rapids where the weeds are less likely to take hold.

Rapids are also a good spot to target sooty grunter.

These hard-hitting little fish are fun to catch and are often far more prolific and hungry than early-season barra. A light spin outfit and a box of small lures is all you’ll need to tangle with them.

If you aren’t into luring, try drifting a bait of prawn, worms or red meat down the rapids and into the pool below.

Sooties will wait at the head of the pool just below the rapids for tucker being washed down.

As far as table qualities go sooties vary widely. I’ve eaten some that were quite passable while others were inedible because of a weedy taste.

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69

How are ya gar-ing TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

After the initial onset of the cold snap, the fish have become more active again. While the freshwater scene went through a bit of a slow period, it seems the barra have kicked into gear once more. I haven’t had a serious crack at them this year in comparison to last season, but they are still there and if you find a piece of water that has a small patch not choked by weed the results could make the effort worthwhile.

The beetle spin arms are really gaining a following now in the freshwater fisheries, and I have included a pic of the biggest fish I was able to land last year in the freshwater reaches of one of our rivers. This particular barra went 131cm and took a 6” paddle tail plastic rigged on a 3/8 head with 8/0 hook attached to a Bassman beetle spin arm and worked just under the surface. The force they hit these things is with is brutal, and it does seem to be much more aggressive than the strike on traditional lures. You’ll have to excuse the quality of the pic as it was taken on a phone.

In the salty creeks and rivers, action has fluctuated a bit with the barometer, but as the wave of high pressure systems stabilises and becomes more predictable so should the fishing. A warm, still spring day after a brisk morning is a great time to enjoy the waterways. Water temps have been as low as 18.7°C, and while it does

affect the activity levels of northern estuary species, they still have to eat. It seems that if you can coincide a low tide change late in the afternoon, you’ll find the water temperature can be several degrees higher than that of the morning.

Right now it’s jack time, and in contrast to last month the size of the jacks has definitely increased, usually with several per session going over 40cm to a competent lure caster. Getting the bite comes down to a matter of inches, and if your lure hasn’t landed right on the money it will mostly be ignored. Lures that are getting lots of action are the Halco Hamma 85mm, the 4” Atomic Prong and the Keitech’s Crazy Flappers, with both soft baits being best rigged on the EWG Gamakatsu weedless hook in the 1/4oz weight. All of these lures have strong actions for their type on a straight retrieve, and if you can cast them past a piece of structure and straight wind them back, you can fool a fish into striking before they’ve had a chance to become wary or cautious.

I’ve never been a real big chaser of grunter but I’ve been listening to some of our local experts on the subject of baits.

Apart from the traditional squid, the one bait type that was continuously mentioned by those in the know was gar fillets. I decided to provide some pre-packaged fillets here at Awka Pro Tackle, and wow – what a response! It seems there were a whole lot of people waiting for someone to provide these little morsels.

It may be worth trying gar fillet no matter where you are,

because as well as being top grunter fodder, they regularly account for big bream and flathead inshore, and many reef species.

WIDE BLUE YONDER The mackerel have finally become a little more consistent, with some stonker specimens falling to wellrigged wolf herring and gar, with fish up to 30kg being taken on these trolled baits.

Downrigging is a very effective technique for these baits, chin weights are often all that’s needed to get the bite.

Obviously the monster macks aren’t table fare, and there’s a very high risk category for ciguatera, but man – what a sportfish! The sharks are a problem with these bigger fish as the longer fights give the toothy buggers a chance to home in on and annihilate a tiring fish, so you need heavy gear to get them to the boat as quickly as possible.

Cobia are still around in reasonable numbers, and several can be caught from the one location. Recently we took out some lucky anglers on Kanahoee for a day on the briny, and with the wind pushing 25 knots we were glad to be on the deck of this 50’ luxury vessel. Skippered

by Hayden Bell of Big Fish Adventures, the combination of a well-seasoned skipper with more runs on the board than a world class cricketer, and a purpose-built, fishcatching machine such as Kanahoee, we headed offshore on a day that would usually be a wipe-out. Trolling a mix of divers, pushers and baits, the action started slow with a few Spanish mackerel bites in the big seas, but heated up as the

This big bucket mouth hit the Bassman Beetle spin arm as the leader knot came to the rod tip and just about dislocated the author’s shoulder on the take. Holding the rod tip high and starting the retrieve as soon as it hits the water is key to drawing big fish out of the weed. tide changed and eventually we raised two and landed one small marlin to start the tally.

I’m the first to admit to not really being into the billfish thing (if they lived in snags I’d chase ‘em). Still, I do understand the obsession that overwhelms anglers, and billfish are without a doubt some of the most incredible fish you could ever hope to see, let alone hook. Luckily for Townsville anglers with billies in their sights, we have quite a large number of these amazing fish on our doorstep, and small trailer boats regularly catch marlin and sails not too far from the shoreline.

The great thing about the local Townsville area is that if you get tired of trolling a lure or bait around, it’s just a matter of keeping an eye on that sounder and to break the monotony, wind in the trolling outfits and drop a jig,

plastic or bait to the bottom to get dragged up the gunnel by any number of species that go very well on a dinner plate.

TESTING OUTCAST JIGS The new Halco Outcast Jigs are proving to be well worth having on hand, and on our day offshore the 80g white model pulled the majority of fish until it went missing to a shark that ate one of the big fish these things seem to attract. It had been the only Outcast Jig in the appropriate weight for the depth and conditions of that day, and the action took a bit of a downturn once it disappeared. I wasn’t sorry it was gone because every time Ross Waraker had dropped it to the bottom, something ate it – while I was next to him getting bugger all.

It made me look really bad.

It’s no big secret that deep water jigging can be hard work, but Roscoe’s jigging action was much

more civilised than the frantic pump and wind goings on from my side of the boat for lesser results.

It won’t take long at all for these jigs to make a serious impact, and reignite the jigging fraternity, which is a very relevant deep water technique that was starting to be viewed more as hard work. In weights down to 40g, I’ll be interested to see how the fingermark and trout specialists find them on the shallower reef and shoals.

WEATHER WINDOWS At present all eyes are fixed on the BOM site for any potential windows to head offshore, and it’s not hard to tell when there’s one coming up because the bait sales suddenly increase! I can’t really give any advice other than to keep an eye on the forecast and take a mixed bag of tricks to make the most of those opportunities.

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Fishing Fill-its

Upcoming Stones Corner Marine Boat Show On September 5-6, for the first time ever, Stones Corner Marine will hold their in-house Boat Show.

They will be unveiling a new model from Sea Jay, which is very hush-hush.

So be sure to come and check it out.

They will also have a wide range of Sea Jays on show from car toppers, small estuary boats to larger side and centre consoles for the avid angler wanting to get offshore and target the big ones. If you want a standalone outboard then they will also be able to direct you to which Yamaha Outboard will best suit your boat.

They will be showcasing a large range of Bar Crusher Boats, starting with their latest model, the 490. This boat comes in the original cuddy model as well as the walkaround centre console and both will be on show over the weekend.

In the cuddy range they will also have the 615C and the 670C. If you are looking for a cuddy cab boat that will fit under your garage, the Bar Crusher is the boat for you.

If storage height isn’t an issue then they have the hardtop models, which they

will have the 615HT, 670HT and the 730HT here for you to check out. Lastly, they have the 615WR; if you are a hardcore offshore or bay fisher then this is the boat for you. Plenty of open space and maximum fish ability.

Having an in-house Boat Show allows the team

Stones Corner Marine’s in-house Boat Show will be showcasing a large range of Bar Crusher Boats, starting with their latest model, the 490, in the original cuddy model as well as the walkaround centre console.

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the correct unit for your boating application.

Come down to the yard and check out their full range of boats, motors and electronics. They are only 10 minutes from the Brisbane CBD and will have a sausage sizzle for the family to enjoy.

– Stones Corner Marine

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Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

The weather gods finally shined upon Cairns’ anglers early last month, with a run of picture-postcard weather.

The tourists responded accordingly and it was near impossible to find an empty bed in any of the tourist accommodation in town.

The fishing lit up with the weather and locals are hoping it will hold into spring.

September is considered one of the premier fishing months of the year in the north. The constant southeasterlies finally give way to the northerlies, the seas are more consistently calm and the fishing goes into overdrive, with a cross section of both winter and summer species on offer.

Mackerel fishing has been sensational at times, with some reef anglers spending more time attending to their mackerel floaters than fishing the bottom. The odd big cobia has also really tested the mackerel rigs. Reef fishing has seen plenty of quality coral trout, largemouth nannygai and red emperor boated, while the estuaries have mainly yielded jacks,

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Sportfishos, like Jordy Wedrat, will find plenty of light action working the tuna schools. onto bommies in the 20-30m range but are readily taken in even shallower water.

Anglers who like a bit of sport with their reef fishing can have a ball working isolated bommies up on top of reefs or the reef edge itself, casting soft plastics, minnows or small whole fish, like pilchards, hardiheads and

Estuary anglers will be impatiently waiting for the water to warm up and fire the barra, like this 107cm beauty caught by Dominic Macri on a recent trip to Pormpuraaw. grunter, bream and trevally.

Reef fishing will be top of many anglers’ wish list this month and traditionally September provides an abundance of opportunities, matched by an abundance of fish. Coral trout, largemouth nannygai and red emperor will be the prime targets but there will be plenty of variety in the catch as well, with reef mangrove jack, cobia, tea-leaf trevally, gold spot trevally, Moses perch, spangled emperor and all manner of cod lining up to take your bait.

Coral trout will be starting to roe up, ready to spawn when the first spike in water temperature coincides with a new moon, most likely during the first of two coral reef fins fish closures, from 10-14 October. As the water warms the trout will move

 Operating out of

mullet. A quality rod and reel, spooled with 50lb braid, will see you well prepared for the sudden death battles that will ensue. A great approach is to use a pilchard on ganged hooks or a hardihead threaded down the middle on a single hook, with little to no weight.

Flick the bait on top of or down along the side of an isolated bommie, let it sink close to the bottom, then slowly retrieve it back to the boat. The same approach works a treat with soft plastics but it can get a bit heavy on the pocket if the bommie monsters win too many battles.

This is a particularly productive approach if the winds kicks up during the day and you want to continue fishing in relative comfort.

Motor up onto the back

(northwestern side) of a reef and position the boat up wind of a bommie. Start casting and retrieving as you drift back towards the bommie. Make sure there is enough depth to safely drift over the bommie.

The wind will increase your casting distance and drifting towards the bommie will make it easier for the bait to sink. Make sure you are keeping the line straight, without retrieving the bait, as it sinks. If you let a bow form in the line a bommie monster will swallow your bait and be back in its hole before you even know you had a bite. Coral trout and spangled emperor are absolute suckers for this approach.

The 40m+ water will be the area to pursue red fish, with no shortage of trophy sized largemouth nannygai and red emperor on offer.

As always, night fishing is the best time to go in search of reds. Look for isolated bommies, gutters and dropoffs, holding bait. In really light winds, drift fishing the deep rubble country can be a very productive approach.

There is often an absolute flurry of activity around the turn of the tide, so be ready to take advantage of the bite time when it arrives.

Last year many of the charter boats had to leave the fish biting after hitting the mother lode and there were plenty of small boat owners hitting their bag limits on reds. Make sure you know your bag limits or have a copy of the regulations on board, to check. A great source of information is the free tide charts that local tackle stores hand out when you purchase gear.

Mackerel will still be around in numbers, so always have a floating/ drifting pilchard or live bait out the back when reef fishing. The odd spotty,

doggie and Spaniard will still be roaming around the inshore reefs, wrecks and islands, for those looking for a bit of light sportfishing.

The serious sportfishos will be working themselves into a lather anticipating the upcoming heavy tackle season, with hopefully a stack of small marlin tags to their name already this season. The big mamas will be starting to appear along the Continental Shelf, with September usually the start of the season, depending on the year. There will also be wahoo, mahimahi, Spanish mackerel, yellowfin tuna and northern bluefin tuna working the edges of the outer reefs.

Estuary anglers will be impatiently waiting for the water to warm up and fire the barra and mangrove jack into greater activity. Large barra will be starting to move towards the river mouths and onto the headlands in preparation for the wet season spawning but most of the early season action will be with smaller barra well upstream. Any patch of warm still weather will be the prime time to chase this prized sportfish. In the upper reaches of streams work the edges of the weed beds and guinea grass, with Jr Prawnstars or soft plastic prawns and minnows, fished weedless. On the headlands work the bottom with regular Prawnstars, soft plastic minnows or deep divers. The secret is to get down into the gutters between the rock bars where the barra are sitting in ambush.

September is a great month to be on the water, as we transition from winter to summer species. The weather is usually just right – not too hot and not too cold, so get out there and enjoy it before the summer scorchers arrive.

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

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traffic to and from the service centre where the store now operates. This gives us the opportunity to provide the good products and service we are known

MACKAY

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There is nothing worse than seeing a tackle store in a great location close its doors to the public; but there is also nothing better than seeing a new tackle store open! And

REEF MARINE

www.whitsundaymarine.com.au

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

Tackle Land Carseldine

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

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

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

Tackle Land Bait and Sea Carseldine have a massive range or lures. it’s even better when the team running the new store are experienced with a great source of knowledge and advise to boot.

Mark and Kaz Templeton the owners and operators of the already

for to a new market,” said Mark.

The Tackle Land Bait and Sea store opened its doors mid-July and has seen a steady flow of new customers using the ideally located shop to stock up on

worms, earth worms and yabbies readily available for the keen bait fishers,” said Mark.

Due to the location and service to travelling patrons, Tackle Land Bait and Sea has long opening

TULLY

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

CAIRNS

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

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

Left: Live bloodworms are a major drawcard to the Tackle Land Carseldine store. Right: The Carseldine Caltex on Gympie Road is a popular place to stop for travelling anglers for their tackle supplies. successful Tackle Land Sandgate (Winners of the AFTA Best Small Tackle Store 2013) have recently taken the opportunity to open a second store at the old Tackle Shop Carseldine location on Gympie Road.

“The location is great and takes advantage of

bait and tackle on the way to the coast or the nearby and popular Pine River and Moreton Bay fishery.

“Good old fashion customer service is what we are all about, but it also helps that we stock all the well known popular brands available on the market. We

hours 7 days a week.

Monday to Friday it’s open from 5.30am-6pm, Saturday open from 4am-6pm and Sunday 4am-4pm. For more information feel free to call the team on (07) 3862 9015 or you can check out their website on www.tackleland.com.au.

SEPTEMBER 2015

75

Golden snapper still biting well HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody info@ryanmoodyfishing.com

The past month still had patches of that unsettled weather which had plagued the north coast all winter.

We had only a couple of reasonable periods which allowed offshore anglers to get out wider and get into some good fishing.

The closer reefs have had mixed results but the wider reefs have been fishing well, with plenty of trout coming from the shallows. There were a few reports of red emperor from those anglers braving the cold nights out wide, but there has been a lack of large-mouth nannygai reports this year. Maybe the few smaller weather windows just haven’t allowed enough angling time to find the nannies.

Spaniards had a pretty good start to the winter but the numbers have slowed up inshore in recent weeks.

Most fish inshore have been quality fish over 15kg. In the shipping lane there have been a few reports of smaller Spaniards harassing the light tackle marlin anglers, and no wonder with the amount of

baitfish out there. I was out there filming for our wonky hole course recently and saw some impressive schools of yakkas and herring. The area came alive and the sounder showed some good sized predators hanging off the bait schools but unfortunately I didn’t take any of our game fishing gear with us, missing

water over the next couple of months until the water warms; most will move out to the headlands again after that.

Soft vibes and live herring are usually the best techniques when targeting them.

During September the pelagics could fire up again as it’s still a good month for them, but right now it’s

Spotted mackerel have fished well to the north off Kurrimine and Mission beaches. out on a great opportunity to have a crack at a few marlin. I definitely won’t forget to take it next time I’m out there.

With the barra being very sketchy through

this year. Most have been around 45-55cm, but some 60-70cm specimens were in amongst them, making for some great sessions. You’re better off looking in deeper

anyone’s guess as to what the Spaniards and billfish will do.

The upcoming tournaments should be a good indicator.

Fingers-crossed we’ll get some great September

The Stoddart boys had a great day with some nice golden snapper coming aboard. weather and a reward for anglers who had to put up with some very ordinary conditions this winter.

Grunter are one of the most popular fish targeted by visiting anglers, and we could well see the large oceanic grunter start to show around mid-month. An indicator that they are around is when you start catching catfish and small sharks. They all seem to arrive together.

Fingermark will continue to bite well and the barra should make an appearance with the water slowly warming. By the end of September, providing we don’t have any late cold snaps, barra anglers should see a return to some good sessions in the shallows.

Lure fishers should look to the drains when the water is

falling out. Most gutters will each have a particular time that they will fire, depending on the size of the gutter and where it drains in relation to other current collisions.

• If you struggle to catch barra consistently, maybe you aren’t sure exactly where and when to fish, or perhaps you get them one day but not the next and aren’t sure why.

I can help. Our online barra fishing masterclass ‘Barra Basics’ kicks off again on the 1 September. Our students have been kicking goals, with two students catching 13 over a metre since they started the course. Six other students have joined the metre club, and the most barra in one session was 32 by another student. The biggest barra has been 131cm. To check it out go to www.barrabasics.com.

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76

August, the most attention has been focused on golden snapper (fingermark) for many anglers. I did only a handful of charters in August as we went on holidays, but when we did go out we saw some good-sized fingermark. They finally arrived in good numbers after being over a month late

SEPTEMBER 2015

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Fishing gets even better PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer

When winter hits, the fishing tends to drop off the face of the Earth – in most places – but in the tropics fishing excels, as demonstrated in the last couple of months out on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Far North provides a magnificent fishery that constantly amazes me with the availability, colour and variety of species ready to be caught all year round.

This year we’ve seen a mild winter, and now with the spring period upon us we can look forward to even better fishing. The next couple of months have been described as the best time of year for fishing with all frontiers firing – from the coastal rivers extending to as far as the edge of the continental shelf.

The outer reef has provided beautifully for those venturing offshore.

Coral and bar cheek trout have featured heavily for the best part of two months now with numbers and sizes achieving exceptional proportions. The biggest

frames range between 5-6kg. These fish fight hard, play dirty and can be tough to land among the reef. Taking on a fish like this is like fighting an angry bull terrier!

Large mouth nannygai burst onto the scene at the beginning of winter and have remained consistent throughout. Recently the nannygai bite has receded, however they will continue to provide a staple catch.

This year Spanish mackerel fishing has once again been of high quality with consistent numbers of these speedster fish being caught on the float and by trolling methods. Trevally species have been ever present. The gold spot trevally in particular, has become a regular on the scene weighing in up to a hefty 8kg. Add in reef mangrove jack, cobia, Moses perch, red emperor, spangled emperor, and long nose emperor to the equation and it’s easy to see that reef fishing has offered and continues to offer a smorgasbord to many a lucky angler. With more settled conditions expected ahead the next month or so should be an

exciting period.

Our inshore coastal reefs, patches, and wrecks have also provided handsomely in recent times, particularly for pelagic species. Mackerel species such as Spanish, school, spotted and grey mackerel have been found populating these sections in healthy numbers. To catch these fish anglers have successfully used a selection of techniques including trolling lures, casting poppers and metals slices as well as jigging soft plastics. There’s also been huge numbers of trevally species in tow including bludger, tea-leaf, and big eye varieties.

These species have also been successfully targeted using similar techniques.

Inshore nurseries have also produced fantastically for nannygai with captures up to 7kg.

As the days have gradually become hotter our local estuaries, creeks, and rivers have been warming to the occasion.

On nice sunny days you can expect mangrove jack and golden snapper to increase in numbers and activity along with the more

Spanish mackerel have had another great year and have been caught on inshore wrecks and reefs and also in prolific numbers on the outer reef. prized barramundi bobbing up to play. Bream and grunter have relished the cooler water temperatures and have accordingly had a fantastic run in the last couple of months.

Queenfish have been up and about in reasonable numbers and quality sizes during the cooler months and should go up a gear in the coming days. Look

for them especially in the bigger river systems.

Mid-sized giant trevally have been a common catch in all systems and will also excel as the mercury rises.

Looking ahead we’ll start to see some bigger black marlin on the edges of the shelf – a good time to start towing around some skirted lures on the perimeters of the very outer

reefs. Naturally once they do arrive in more numbers a lot of operators will convert to towing baits but in the meantime you can get ahead of the game by solely using lures.

As you can see we are coming into some prime time fishing with all and sundry on the move in what I believe is the best fishery in the world.

SEPTEMBER 2015

77

Shake off the winter slumber CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

September is a unique month in Cape York – perfect temperatures with cool mornings and just a whisper of breeze. The barra fishing can really begin to fire after the fish shake off their winter slumber.

Neap tides this time of year can see fish spread out throughout the creeks and rivers of the Cape, giving increased opportunities to anglers willing to break from the traditional mould of throwing lures at snags all day long.

Fishing plastics, vibes and shallow divers out wide of the bank is an interesting technique that most anglers simply speed by, leaving some very fishy spots in their wake.

Look for pockets of water anywhere up to 50m out from the bank where the main river systems empty water. Large drains or shallow bays that intersect these draining river systems form almost invisible junctions that hold fish.

Grunter, barramundi, queenfish, blue salmon, black jew and others will patrol the

Moses pulls up another spangled emperor from 20m of water. edges of these current lines, using invisible structure formed by the wavering

tide to find holding patterns.

Troll wide of the bank along depth lines, contour lines, and

reef edges.

September seems to be a month where a steady procession of fish must be earned. Expect fish this time of year to be finding their favourite dry season hangout.

The next three months tend to be pretty steady and stable in the far north. Lovely mornings with the odd magic-mirror day where every ripple from every fish can be seen from every direction.

The offshore brigade will have their engines well and truly primed for September.

Planning to fish this patch or that shoal or those rocks or the wreck or whatever structure might be holding fish. Billfish will be coaxed from many the deck of an experienced game boat this time of year. Cairns, Lizard Island, and the Ribbon Reefs will begin to hot up with billfish action.

Those in the Gulf who love getting out to rubble ground and reef patches to chase nannygai, golden snapper and all manner of reef dwellers will use early mornings to fish productively up until about 11am. By this time, the breeze may have kicked in and the bite has begun to slow. There will always be a chance of a mid

Flying over a far northern reef lagoon in September. to late afternoon hot bite but by this stage conditions may be less than ideal.

Soft plastics, metal slices and jigs can be used as successful cast and retrieve methods to entice fish out over shallow Gulf of Carpentaria reefs. Look for areas where a little bit of current is moving against structure to begin casting. Taking drifts past likely areas before returning to anchor in the more likely spots is productive.

Look for clouds of baitfish near the surface and pick off fish hanging wide of those. Grey mackerel, Spanish mackerel, giant trevally, queenfish, cobia, giant herring and a host of other tropical brutes might be close by.

Trolling medium and deep diving lures can be a

rod-bending extravaganza if you are getting lures within the bottom 3ft of water. Trolling 12ft, 15ft, 20ft divers in all sorts of shapes and sizes over shallow reef about 30ft behind the boat. Often you will feel the lures bump over structure before being walloped by fish sitting in a depression.

Those fishing over deeper shoals off the East Coast will be using neap tides to get offerings deep enough to entice fish. There is something magical about bait wafting down over a patch of reef, glaring eyes affixed from below.

• For information on remote charter operations for tailored fishing adventures, please email Tim on wildrivercompany @gmail.com

Great catches highlights a sensational season KARUMBA

Alan Gurney awes0me@bigpond.net.au

We have had some awesome fishing up here when the wind drops out, with some great catches of golden snapper and Spanish mackerel.

The rubble patches out the front have been the place to be for snapper.

The drop-off on the north west side of the sand island is where you can catch Spanish mackerel. The only downside was people not giving each other space.

Please remember that when someone hooks a Spanish

mackerel, they need room to work the fish back to the boat. Give people the same room you need and we will not have any more problems.

This time of year is barramundi time as the water heats up and the fish start moving to the mouth of the systems to breed.

They will be active at sunrise and sunset so set up to take advantage of these times. I am always amazed to see people heading back at 2pm for their happy hour sessions, as if they waited for an hour the fishing may surprise them. I love to troll lures but live bait can do the job. Place the live

bait at the mouths of creeks and drains as the tide goes out for the best results and in deep holes as the tide comes in.

We have seen some good mud crabs lately and they will continue to move as the water warms.

Please use fresh bait and fish frames will do the job nicely. You can get them by hanging around the filleting tables when people come back from fishing in the early afternoon. Place your pots in enough water so that they do not come out of the water at low tide for the best result.

You can find crabs in all the systems, around the mouth will be a good place to start. Please keep

away from pro crabbers pots as they work hard for their crabs and do not touch yours. Always move your pots and if you find a good section of river then target with your pots rather than trying a lot of different spots.

One lane at the town boat ramp will now be for pro fishers only, but this will still leave three for recreational anglers.

There is a 15 minute time limit for tying up to the pontoons except for the inside of the pontoon coming off the lodge where you can tie up for as long as you like. Signs will be placed to confirm this so please read them or you may get fined.

A cracking barra caught on a Carpentaria Barra Charter with Groover.

78

SEPTEMBER 2015

Summer species move upstream fish. We were both throwing around Z-Man 4’’ StreakZ Curly TailZ rigged on the new SnakelockZ system from TT lures. These took out best terminal tackle in the AFTA. They are a real game changer in the field, allowing you to quickly change weights with the ChinlockZ hooks making it the ultimate snag less presentation!

Jungle perch are such an amazing species, they are hard-fighting and a real challenge to catch and the terrain you find them in is breath taking, I love them!

It really is a magical part of the country up here in the tropical north, there is always plenty of angling opportunities available for the keen fishos. Do your research and find those places that are untouched

FRESHWATER

Angus James

It’s hard to believe September is here already!

Soon enough the weather will start to warm up and the fishing will begin to really fire, especially the sweet water jacks and barra!

Throwing surface lures will be a sure way to get the adrenalin pumping. Find the bigger landlocked holes and you will have endless amounts of rod bending action. When using topwater lures a good way to go about things is to keep the presentation moving with a nice consistent pattern.

In some cases the fish will slowly follow it, waiting for the perfect time to attack.

Moving it systematically will allow the fish to predict its movement, therefore smashing it as it moves or on the pause. Other times, as long as it lands in the strike zone they will hit it on the drop, especially in the smaller holes were its a competition to get to the food.

The sooty grunter have been providing some insane sessions lately. Such a tough native species that really test your land-based angling skills. They can be found in the jungle waters fighting for your offering from the same snag as the jungle perch or targeted further inland in the many systems to choose from in the north.

I love using spinnerbaits when sooty fishing, and attaching a soft plastic to the stinger gives you the ultimate presentation. The flash and tail movement works like a dinner bell, bringing them out from the snags to have a

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Top: The author’s father had a great time fishing in small pools for chunky jungle perch like this one. Above: It can’t be stressed enough how beautiful this part of the world is. were on our way to one of my favourite systems to hunt down a few jungle perch! Dad enjoys hunting, gold prospecting and fishing, so I knew he would love everything about this style of fishing.

and you will have some of the best land-based sessions imaginable!

Google maps is a great way to come up with a game plan. It’s all about getting out there and exploring

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Left: The author with a quality JP from a Far North Queensland stream.

Right: Sweetwater jacks will be coming on this month as the water warms up.

Recently my father flew up from South Australia for a visit. Soon after I met him at the Townsville airport we

It took about 30 minutes and dad was on to a solid JP! We had a great day catching plenty of quality

the amazing country and catching a few fish in the process! Remember to stay safe out there everyone.

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79

Time to go hunt a grunt CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

Javelin fish or barred grunter would have to be one of the most underrated fish swimming in our waters. For many a year the grunter has swum under the recreational fishing radar, with many anglers writing them off as a ‘bait fishing only’ species. The reality however is a different story as grunter are very much a viable target species on artificial baits, especially soft plastics.

Over the cooler months when tropical estuarine waters become clear and the barra and jacks become a little less cooperative, hunting a grunter can become an exciting prospect. Not only do they pose a significant challenge to lure fishers, they fight harder than a barra for their size, and taste even better on the plate.

Like many anglers, my first experience chasing grunter was on bait. Every year I would traverse the track to the western side of Cape York with my Dad and chase these fish in guttered shell grit covered mouths of creeks on squid, catching them one after the other. Unlike barra and jacks, these fish had no bag limits for many years, but thankfully they had been disregarded as a commercialtake species due to their lack of fillet return so numbers remained consistently high.

Since those days, the limit on barred grunter has been set at 10 fish per person however, they are still targeted heavily by bait fishing anglers right up and down the coast, with spots like Karumba and Lucinda being true hot spots.

From these bait fishing experiences though, there has

been much to learn about this humble fish and it wasn’t until I began stalking the shell grit flats and mud banks inside and outside the mouths of creeks with soft plastics did I realise that they were far from a bait-only species.

When first trying to locate where is best to fish for grunter, start around the inside and outside mouths of creeks, especially where there is plenty of sand and

shell grit and deep channels gutters or holes. Barred grunter are schooling fish and I have seen them in schools of over a 100 fish. These schools will move in a tight pack, which is great news for anglers as if you find a school, you can really get into a red-hot session.

Fish of similar size will school together so finding the larger fish is the key, however schools of smaller

This soft plastic snared grunter was taken from the mouth of a sandy shell grit covered drain on an outgoing tide. fish around the 30cm mark are much more common. To find these larger schooling fish you need to find the deeper holes or shell grit laden channels inside and outside the mouths of creeks, especially on a running tide. I prefer to fish the first run-in around these spots as the low water tends to concentrate them more into these holes or gutters. Like schooling barra or salmon, schools of grunter will show up really well on a sounder so sounding them up is certainly a viable option.

In Northern Cape systems I have had much more success chasing these fish several

as golden trevally, barred grunter move along the bottom mooching the floor for worms, crustaceans, prawns and small fish, turning over the grit as they go. This is why these fish love to hang around and feed on shell grit style bottom compared to straight sand.

This style of bottom structure tends to hold more food – find the shell grit and you will find the grunter.

When chasing these fish on the flats, the top of the tide either incoming or outgoing is best as this is when the fish are either moving up on the flats to feed or moving off

This grunter was snared off the flats in the background using a very slowly rolled soft plastic.

Top: One of the authors better creek snared grunter taken on a 5 inch paddle tail soft plastic off the flats. Middle: Take note of the position of the eyes and design of the mouth of the grunter. This fish is well and truly a bottom feeder. Above: Black jew like this one are a real sign that you have found a viable offshore grunter spot.

80

SEPTEMBER 2015

hundred metres outside the mouths of creeks where the cleaner water and shell grit structure tends to be more prevalent.

Barred grunter are also very much a flats fish and you only have to take a look at the way their mouths are designed to see they have a downward facing set of lips that are designed to scour the bottom. Unlike fish that hoover up their food, such

them as the water recedes. I prefer the incoming as this is when they seem to be the hungriest. Over the flats you tend to find the larger single fish compared to the big schools of medium sized fish and this is where many of the trophy fish are scored.

Drains are also a great spot to target grunter, especially if they are more of the sandy variety as opposed to mud. A well flooding sandy

drain is a very likely spot for a school of grunter to be hanging about, particularly if it is flowing onto a shell grit bottom. Barred grunter can also be snared snag bashing but these are more accidental captures and are far from targeting.

Whether you are chasing them over the flats or around the mouths of creeks you must be fishing soft plastics on the bottom if you are going to have success. As mentioned before, these fish have a very downward facing mouth and eyes that are very much focused on the bottom.

Running or rolling soft plastics just off the bottom is a very successful technique and this is where getting your jighead weight right is absolutely essential.

Bouncing or hopping soft plastics along the bottom is also a sound technique, however I have found these fish tend to be easily spooked if you create too much bottom commotion.

They really do love a subtle approach and if you can get the presentation right they will move out of their way to hunt and devour a lure just as savagely as a jack.

When it comes to lure options for working the flats it’s hard to go past 3-4” style paddle-tails and it’s hard to go past soft plastics like the Z-Man Diesel minnow when chasing these fish. I have snared them on a number of other paddle-tail and grub style lures, which I attribute more to the bottom hugging slow roll action than the actual plastic.

When fishing the deeper holes, smaller vibe style lures are also very good to use especially the ones that can be swum as well as hopped along the bottom.

Grunter don’t mess about on the take and hammer a lure just as hard as a jack and can really pull some string.

Not only do they hit hard they are dogged fighters and don’t give up until they are at the

Top: Grunter can be snared from the snags just like a barra or jack. Above: Typical sized grunter taken from several hundred metres off the mouth of a creek fishing some deeper shell grit covered gutters.

boat. They are a true sportfish and are a real challenge on light tackle. Like barra, barred grunter have some pretty serious gill rakers and extremely sharp gills. It is really important to take extreme care when handling these fish as they can tear you open or easily punch a hole in you from their many anal and dorsal spines. While it is important to go stealthy and light as possible on the leader to get the bite, you need to use a leader, which will be up to the task and I prefer to use Sunline FC Rock Bream Special fluorocarbon in 8lb as it has a really low memory, insane transparency in the water but most importantly has outstanding abrasionresistance. Not only can it handle the fish’s defences but also the sandy abrasive grit bottom that grunter love to bury you in the bottom.

Like many estuarine species, barred grunter will make their way offshore when they get to a certain size, hence why some of the larger fish are snared outsides the mouths of creeks. In fact, I have caught grunter in rubble patches 40km offshore from Bowen amongst the likes of saddle-tail snapper in over a 100ft of water. These fish are usually over the 60cm mark and are thick across the shoulders and fight like hell. They are suckers for soft

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plastics, particularly those worked very subtlety on the bottom. If you are chasing them offshore then once again look for rubble shell grit style patches in deep water. One excellent indicator of a good offshore grunter ground is the presence of black jew as these fish tend to hang together.

Grunters are a terrific sport and table fish and are a top fish to target whether it is across the flats, in the holes or gutters out the mouths of creeks or out in the deep blue.

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BUCCANEERS

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REDLINE MOTOSPORTS

www.redlinemotosports.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

81

Get fresh this spring TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

Last month was a busy month for me.

Unfortunately, I was busy doing other things, not fishing. I have been working like a crazy man making tail spinners trying and get enough stock to fill a few stores and be able to have the majority of September off for fishing.

The reason I want some free time is to take advantage of what is going to be on offer. September sees a few changes but probably the most exciting is the bass schooling and feeding. Impoundment bass never manage to go through with the whole breeding thing. They do however feel the urge and this sees them schooling up in big schools.

Locate these schooling fish and there is a good chance they will be in the mood to eat lures.

The colder winter months sees bass and other species a bit lethargic. As soon as the water starts to warm, the fish spring to life and are keener than ever to chase down and crunch a lure. Subtle presentations like soft plastics will probably turn their heads early in the month but by the end of the month or moving into October, they

will be keen on chasing reaction baits and faster, flashy offerings.

I have always had a sweet spot for bass. Over the last couple of years, I have spent more time chasing other species of fish. When September and October rolls around though, it’s back into the bass boat to search and catch those big thumpers.

Due to females filling with roe, the weight of a big 50cm+ bass changes. A summer 2kg model can be a 3kg model during spring. If 3kg+ bass are on the menu, I’m there. Good numbers of bass should be available so if you are not able to locate the bigger fish on the sounder, it may be a case of filtering through a school of smaller fish until the one you are after turns up.

If heaps of big bass don’t make your casting arm all twitchy, there are plenty of other fish to chase this month.

Barra numbers should pick up at the first hint of the water temperature warming up. Golden perch generally go nuts later in the month and just about all the other freshwater species will be firing up.

Don’t forget the Murray cod, which have chewed well all winter, are now protected by the closed season that runs until 1 December in both QLD and NSW. Check out the rules and regulations

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWNS: TOOWOOMBA, CROWS NEST Schooling bass numbers increased last month. This is a good indication the bass will form into larger schools for the spring bite. Spots like the point near the camp ground, Toilet Point up Bull Creek and Opposite the Eagles Nest rock wall are all worth a look. Try sounding around in 7-11m of water keeping a close eye on the fish finder screen. Apart from heading to where other

boats are, there is no other way to locate the schools and make the most of the action.

For information on quality sounders, go in and see the guys at Tackleworld Toowoomba. They can give you the right advice and ensure you are able to go out and locate fish of your own.

Cressbrook bass schools are finicky and best fished early in the morning or late in the afternoon when other boats are off the water. Getting to them first will ensure you get the bites you are after.

     

82

16

14 31

regarding the cod closed season on your respective state’s website. By law, cod can still be targeted in some lakes. Wild bass in the tidal streams have just come out of their closed season and as of 1 September can be targeted again. These closed seasons are in place to protect our fish and give them the chance to breed up making more fish for the future. Respect them and we will all have more fish to chase in the years to come.

This month, there are no reports from the barra lakes but you can expect things to start picking up.

Awoonga was quiet over the winter period with next to no boats fishing so the fish are well rested. Lenthalls is still closed. Monduran has been tough even in the lead up to winter but this could be the season it fires again. Further north around Mackay, Teemburra, Kinchant and Proserpine are all set to fire up. Being warmer further north, they all start producing the numbers earlier than the southern lakes. If you are feeling the barra itch, that’s where I’d be heading.

Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel!

HOT BITE FISHING Hot Bite Lures no longer sells direct to the public. Jets and Willy Willy tail spinners will be available through selected tackle stores over the next few months.

Already stores like Somerset Bait and Tackle (Kilcoy), Fish’n Bits (Toowoomba), Highfields Bait and Tackle (Highfields) and Warwick Outdoor and Sports

(Warwick) carry them with plenty more stores likely to have them by the time you are reading this.

For more information on Hot Bite Fishing and where

Unlike other dams, the fish schools are dense and there are not many other fish in the nearby area. This means you have no choice but to sit with them and keep hammering the same spot. The constant presence of boats doesn’t go unnoticed by the fish and the longer you sit on the spot, the tougher they get to catch.

Soft plastics will get plenty of hits but if the fish are fired up, try hopping blades and tail spinner through them.

Soft vibes with a bigger profile that imitate a bony bream can fool the bigger fish.

There is no longer an

entry fee at the boom gate but the 8 knot speed limit is still in place. Don’t forget the hours for boating have now been extended and are 6am to 8pm from the 1 September.

Tackleworld in Toowoomba is a great place to stop and grab your supplies for a trip to Cressy or any of the other dams and rivers. You can check out their latest fishing reports on the Tackleworld Toowoomba Facebook page or online at their website.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Last month, the bass

were still pretty tough to catch. Andrew from Somerset Fishing Tackle had some reports filtering through of bass being taken around the Queen Street area on the flats. The better action was around the middle of the day and fish were falling for ice jigs and the 16g Jets tail spinner.

Bass numbers have picked up with more fish showing on the sounder around Pelican Point, Bay 13 and Queen Street. These fish numbers can increase at a rapid rate and then the action will begin. Soft

DAMS APR MAY JUN JUL AUG Atkinson 26 26 31 29 26 Awoonga 98 98 95 96 94 Bjelke-Petersen 48 48 50 50 48 Boondooma 70 70 69 67 65 Borumba 101 101 100 100 99 Burdekin Falls 88 88 75 70 66 Callide 92 92 88 86 84 Cania 101 101 100 99 98 Clarendon 32 32 36 35 33 Clarrie Hall 100 100 100 100 100 Cooby 68 68 71 70 69 Coolmunda 60 60 62 61 60 Copeton 18 18 18 18 19 Cressbrook 88 88 90 89 88 Dyer/Bill Gunn 83 83 86 80 73 Eungella 90 90 80 87 88 Fairbairn 55 55 51 50 48 Glenlyon 28 28 30 30 30 Hinze 101 101 100 99 98

SEPTEMBER 2015

13

15

Weipa

17

28

34

18

Toowoomba

BRISBANE 27

21

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

Gold Coast

22

24 25 Cairns 1

26

19 20

33

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

5

32

Rockhampton

Emerald 29

Gladstone

30

7

8

10

Bundaberg 9 11

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

DAM LEVEL Report       

Gympie

12

Maryborough

Roma

BRISBANE

you can get your hands on the lures, check out the Hot Bite Facebook page or email me at fishability1@ bigpond.com plastics rolled along the bottom are one of the best ways to get the bites. 3” Shad tails like the Squidgy 65mm Fish and Powerbait Ripple Shad 7.5cm rigged on 1/2oz jigheads are ideal.

Cast these over the school, sink them to the bottom and roll them slowly across the lake floor. The bigger bass seem to prefer a very slow retrieve where the lure is close to the bottom. If you speed it up, you may catch more fish but the smaller ones will get more excited by this style of presentation.

To page 83

For fortnightly updates Julius 96 96 89 87 85  Kinchant 77 77 67 79 84 Koombooloomba 35 30 31 45 41  Leslie 27 27 24 22 22  Macdonald 102 102 102 100 98  Maroon 100 100 100 99 99  Monduran/Fred Haigh 100 100 98 98 97  Moogerah 97 97 97 98 98  North Pine/Samsonval 84 84 87 85 83  Peter Faust/Proserpine 83 83 78 77 76 Pindari 25 25 26 26 31  Somerset 100 100 101 100 100  Storm King n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a  Teemburra 92 92 86 86 86  Tinaroo 92 92 87 87 83 Toonumbar 101 101 101 101 101  Wivenhoe 99 99 99 98 97  Wuruma 99 99 98 98 97

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 20/08/15

From page 32

As the fish fire up more, reaction style lures will out-fish the plastics. Blade baits, soft vibes and tail spinners will be dynamite on

picked up last month.

The timbered area north of Kirkleigh was producing goldens around the edges and along the old creek drop-off.

The edges fished well with

golden perch and catfish up in the timber and the main basin should be the place to explore with lures.

Bass will usually be holding in around 10m of water. Soft plastics were best last month but make sure you have some vibes, small blades and tail spinners when you venture out onto the lake.

Early starts to ensure you are one of the first to the fish can be rewarded with heaps of hook-ups with bass taking lures on almost every cast.

The action can get a lot harder as the fish are pressured.

After that, they will bite in windows or select areas where they have received less fishing pressure.

to chase the lures a little more, so experiment with a mix of suspending jerkbaits, soft plastics, blades, lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Mix it up as it will be a transition time for these fish and they can prefer one style of lure over another. I like to work 1/4oz rigged plastics attached to a beetle spin frame.

This hybrid style lure caters nicely to the mood of a bass in transition time.

Bait fishers have been scoring bass when using live shrimps all over the dam. Golden perch numbers will pick up this month so if you have healthy, flicking live shrimp, you can expect a mixed bag.

This is what we love to catch in spring. The author sets his sights on 3kg+ bass. Jason Medcalf showed him up by nailing this 3.64kg beast on a tail spinner last year at Somerset. Bring on the big fish bite! somewhere near the rock wall. Big bony bream can make finding the bass a little tricky as they litter the sounder all over the dam. Try sounding around and fishing in 5-8m of water.

Hopped blades, tail spinners and soft plastics

Cressbrook bass will fire up on lures this month.

That doesn’t mean you can’t catch them on bait. They absolutely love live shrimp. these fish by the end of the month. Try all the schools looking for the bigger fish if that is what you are chasing. Other spots worth investigating will be The Spit point and the flats to the north of Kirkleigh before the timber.

I run a Humminbird 1198 sounder on my boat and find these units are ideal for predicting the size of the fish you are fishing to. Bigger fish put out a stronger return and I have my sounder set up to show them as a solid yellow arch when they are big; the more yellow in the arch, the bigger the fish. So far I’ve got it down to guessing fish in about 500g increments. As you can imagine, this makes you pretty excited when you see fish over 2kg or even 3kg on the sounder.

Golden perch numbers

lipless crankbaits while in the deeper parts trolling hardbodies fooled plenty of fish. The golden perch fishing should only get better as it warms up. There have been some whoppers mixed in with the average sized models.

For the latest reports or best tackle to pull the Somerset fish, call in to Somerset Fishing Tackle. This is a new store at 5/43 Mary Street, Kilcoy.

It’s only a short drive away from Kirkleigh if you need to restock the tackle box.

MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: ARATULA, BOONAH Moogerah bass were chewing right through winter.

The action slowed a little just before spring but you can expect this to pick up now the days are warming.

Live shrimp will score you some bass and the occasional

DARLING DOWNS GRANITE BELT REGION COOBY CLOSET TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA Golden perch are likely to be hard targets this month.

Cooby Dam always seems to kick off a little later than the other lakes. Out in the deeper parts (12-15m deep), live shrimp and saltwater yabbies have accounted for a few goldens. Jigging small blades can also tempt quite a few fish.

Trolling and casting spinnerbaits and lipless

crankbaits isn’t likely to pick up for another month or two.

The dam hours are now 6am until 8pm. Cooby is an electric motor only dam and is well suited to kayaks and canoes. The concrete boat ramp is on a shallow angle when the dam is full and can be slippery in places but a big electric powered boat can still be launched with care. Outboard motors can be left on the boat but must not be used. Tackle, lures and saltwater yabbies can be purchased from Highfields

Bass have been occasionally taking lures in the timber at Lake Somerset. This fish was mixed in with a stack of yellowbelly caught around the mouth of Sandy Creek.

There are competitions on this month and the extra pressure can slow the fish down. Try a mid-week session if you want to stay away from all the boats.

MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, RATHDOWNEY Bass were chewing around the weed edges on suspending jerkbaits. Lures like the O.S.P. Dunk, Jackall Squirrel and Cultiva Rippin’ minnow cast close to the weed edge and worked into pockets or down the face of the outside edge were smashed by quite a few fish.

The warmer water should see these fish willing Bait and Tackle on the New England Highway in Highfields. Call in and see Doug and check out the great range of fishing gear, kayaks and accessories he has on display.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK Golden perch continued to bite right through winter.

Bait fishers had most success with fish coming from The Black Boys, Ski Club and near the dam wall in the main basin.

Live shrimp and saltwater yabbies were the best baits.

To page 84

DYER CLOSEST TOWN: LAIDLEY Lake Dyer bass and golden perch numbers will increase this month. Finding the school of bass will be the trickiest part. It is most likely these fish will turn up

will be good options in the deeper water. In the shallower sections try throwing lipless crankbaits as well. Trolling diving hardbody lures that run close to the bottom can be a good way to locate actively feeding fish.

GREAT FOR A DAY EVEN BETTER W HEN YO U STAY

• Great fishing, bass, yellowbelly, cod, saratoga, garfish…

• Windsurfing, boating, beach volleyball, playground, BBQ’s.

• Level tent sites, showers, toilets, hot and cold water.

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

Two Dams

H Bo

on

One Destination H

m Da doo n e s m a Da m H Bjelke Peter

The BEST place in SEQ to catch

Australian Bass and Yellowbelly www.lakeboondooma.com.au wwww.yallakoolpark.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

83

From page 83

Surprisingly, lure fishers were still catching quite a few as well. Hopped blades and mask vibes and trolled deep divers produced fish in the same areas.

September should fire up the fish even more and we will start to see a switch where the numbers taken on lures will be higher than those taken on bait.

Hopping blades and soft vibes around the rocky structure or submerged trees will see the most action. Running a side imaging sounder is a great way to locate these features in the dam which otherwise has a barren bottom. If you can find these underwater fish attractors in close proximity to the old creek bed drop-off, you are almost guaranteed success.

Golden perch go crazy for lures hopped in these areas but occasionally a big old Murray cod will scoff one

down and test out your light tackle.

For the latest information and hottest fishing reports, call into the local tackle store, Warwick Outdoor and Sports at 115 Palmerin Street Warwick.

I was amazed at this shop when I visited for the first time last month. They only have a small space to display but a sliding wall of lures ensures there is plenty to choose from. For what I previously consider an out of the way shop, it is definitely worth the drive. A huge range of quality lures at a very competitive price would get just about every freshwater angler drooling.

COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD Golden perch action was pretty slow last month but anglers weren’t complaining. The Murray cod were on fire. Big fish to over 50lb were regular

runoff, the place is usually on fire around November when luring is so good you wouldn’t be bothered with baiting a hook.

The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only around 1km away from the lake. The park is just off the Cunningham Highway but far enough away from the noise of trucks to get a good night’s sleep.

It offers camping sites, cabins, caravan facilities, tennis courts, a swimming pool, BBQ shelter and a camp kitchen. The park now has an extra two new wheelchair friendly cabins to add to their older ones.

Camping is also available near the boat ramp with toilets and hot showers to make your stay more comfortable. To take advantage of this and the great fishing opportunities in the lake and the river below, give the park a call on (07) 4652 4171.

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captures. My brother Kerry from Kezza Lures reported 9 good cod falling to guys using his lures in the last fortnight. As I type up this report I make mistakes hurrying to finish as I’m hooking up the boat to give it a go as soon as I’m finished!

The best way to hook these fish has been to troll with the electric motor at a slow pace through the trees. Run the lures short so they aren’t plowing up the mud too much and you’ll be in with a shot. The cod don’t bite all the time but when they fire up, guys have been landing several in a session.

Golden perch numbers will pick up this month and bait fishers will be rewarded more than lure flickers.

Luring the fish successfully can take a little time and the action will slowly improve as the water warms up. Depending on rain

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BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, GYMPIE The big schools that have been hard to entice should be well and truly on fire by now. Bass schooling in the main basin and at the start of the trees will be hunting down plastics, blades, tail spinners and ice jigs. If it looks good and moves, they are likely to eat it.

Shrimp are everywhere in the dam and a few pots left in overnight will ensure you have plenty of bait. Live shrimp will work well on the active bass. You can try one of the many points in the main basin, around the yellow buoys or up in the timbered arms.

MACDONALD CLOSEST TOWNS: COOROY, NOOSA Lake MacDonald was early to fire up. The bass started to school in a few locations while others were still being caught around the weed edges.

This is typical around this time when the fish are transitioning around a change in season.

The first right hand arm that runs up to the cemetery has been one of the more productive spots. Jerkbaits and soft plastics were getting the bite last month but try some faster, flashier presentations now the water is warming. Spinnerbaits, blades and topwater should work well around the weed edges. Keep an eye on the sounder at all times for schooling fish. If you spot a school, move off of them

Leslie Dam will be the place to head for golden perch. They chewed bait and lures all winter so the action should only improve. This fish fell for a lure jigged on top of structure. force inside the Botanical Gardens bay but they could be anywhere in the nearby area. Look around noticeable drop-offs, concentrating on water that is 5-8m in depth. The bubble trail can also hold its share of fish and is a common hangout for golden perch as well as bass. When you find these fish try hopping a small blade. Last year at this time, I had an awesome session on blades scoring a fish each cast on a 44mm Berkley Powerblade until I reached double figures.

For all the inside information on chasing bass in the area call in to

BAROON POCKET CLOSEST TOWNS: MALENY, LANDSBOROUGH Baroon will fire up but you will need to locate the schools to put the numbers in the boat.

The tighter schools at this time can make scoring fish outside these schooling zones a lot tougher. A sounder to pinpoint their location will guarantee an awesome session.

Baroon bass come in all sizes from undersized to older fish close to 50cm in length.

The lake is electric motor only so make sure

AUSTRALIA WIDE

Paddle-tail shads like the Powerbait Ripple Shads are ideal for tempting big bass in spring.

CAR & BOAT WRAPS

AND ALL YOUR SIGNAGE NEEDS 0413 113 828 84

SEPTEMBER 2015

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quickly and cast back over the area with a soft plastic or hop a small blade across the bottom.

The basin of the lake will attract some bigger schools this month. Last year, the bass showed up in

see Dane Radosevic who now works a few days each week at Davos Tackle in Noosa. Dane is currently ranked number one on the Australian bass circuit so he’s the man to answer your questions.

you’re all charged up and have plenty of power to explore the place for the better schools. The bass are likely to be found in around 7-10m of water.

Pay attention to points and drop-offs.

WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY Boondooma would have to be one of my favourite lakes to fish at this time of year. The bass fire up and the schooled bass fishing

the water and sit by the fire while enjoying the view. You could also stay in more style and comfort by booking into one of the cabins overlooking the dam.

The kiosk at the main office does hot food and other

perch are set to fire up this month. The fish have been fairly deep over the winter months but schools are likely to form in around 5-7m of water.

Look for these fish around Bass Point and the middle reaches of the lake. The edges will also be worth a flick. Casting blade baits,

Schooling bass must be found on the sounder before the fun begins. The Humminbird units are great for picking the size of the fish before you catch them.

With only a little yellow in the returns, these fish look like 35cm bass to me. can be insane. Lure casting and jigging is the best way to catch fish at this time of year. Trolling will pick up fish but once you get a bite, turn around and work the same area thoroughly. A GPS or marker buoy is the way to go for working the fish when they are holding tight in schools.

Casters will need to use their sounder to locate schooling fish. Try areas around the lake’s middle reaches. The points and shallower tapering banks are the most likely haunts.

Schooling fish will be found in 6-10m of water and at this depth can be targeted with a range of offerings.

When the bite is slow, stick with Smak Ice Jigs or 3/8 and 1/2oz jighead rigged plastics. Usually the fish will fire up throughout the day at this time of year.

When this is the case, try tossing everything in your box at them. I like to keep several rods rigged with different offerings to mix it up. You can also fish a small lure clip on some of your rods to make changing quick and easy. Lures worth giving a run are the mask vibes, blade baits and tail spinners. At times the fish will take a straight retrieve but more often than not, hopping the lure across the bottom will trigger a better response.

Boondooma is a great place to camp right near

basic items. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms call Corey and Niki on (07) 4168 9694.

small profile spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits will get the strikes. Most of the fish are fairly small but I’m

end of their breeding cycle.

Spring really does get our freshwater fish moving.

The golden perch will also fire up and take lures a lot more often. It would be uncommon not to catch a mixed bag of fish when chasing just one species.

For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into your local Bass 2 Barra store. 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. Bass 2 Barra stores stock an awesome range of gear suited to chasing our freshwater fish and the boys have all the knowledge to guide you on how to use it.

The Yallakool kiosk is all set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to have the right lure or lose one. Be sure to call in and check it out. Give them a call for accommodation and camping bookings on (07) 4168 4746.

LENTHALLS CLOSEST TOWNS; MARYBOROUGH, HERVEY BAY Lenthalls Dam has been closed to fishing and camping while work is undertaken and the area is a designated construction site. The closure started on 28 April and is expected to be in place for 5 months.

For further information visit: www.widebaywater. qld.gov.au The fish will be ready to chew after such a big

A U S T R A L I A

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• 19’1” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 200 hp Mercury Optimax • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 698cxi HD Si or Lowrance HDS 7 GEN2)

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Some monster golden perch have been taken in the timber trolling deep divers around the old creek bed. This thumper scoffed a trolled Blitz Baga within sight of the boat ramp up near Villeneuve.

BJELKE CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI Bass and golden

predicting quite a few better specimens around 40cm to be on the lookout for a feed due to them being at the

rest so keep an eye out for a confirmed reopening date.

With a bit of luck, it may be reopened late this month.

• 18’1” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 115 hp Mercury 4 stroke • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 698cxi HD Si or Lowrance HDS 7 GEN2)

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A U S T R A L I A

Phone: 0410 173 060 basscataustralia@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 2015

85

Terrific Mitsubishi Triton BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The good old Mitsubishi Triton has been around for over 30 years, and this sometimes mundane utility has seen a lot of changes in this time. Notably, when the ‘new’ model came out in 2006 things suddenly became a lot more refined and businesslike in the Triton’s world.

A lot of tradies and people looking for a weekday work vehicle/Sunday Funday car suddenly took notice of what the Triton offered: a reasonable ride, lots of load capacity and interior room plus a diesel engine which was adequate but not overbearing in the power stakes, and yet with some economy.

Although never a class leader among some very stiff competition, the reliable Triton has gained a reputation for dependability and value for money as a fully functional 4WD that can both work hard and play hard.

star ANCAP rating.

This revamped Triton now edges out some of its formerly more sophisticated competition, thanks to its lower initial cost and enhanced appearance, much improved levels of refinement, ride and handling, the upgraded diesel engine’s increased torque (430Nm vs 350 Nm in the previous auto) and increased fuel economy.

With enhanced external lines and an improved interior finish, the new Triton looks as modern as tomorrow.

And let’s not overlook towing and load capacity either, as the new Triton dual cab (as reviewed) has a tow rating of 3100kg (braked trailer) for both auto and manual variants, which sits alongside a high gross combination mass rating of 5885kg. This means that the driver can have the entire 3100kg behind the vehicle, which is mighty handy.

Towing capacity with an unbraked trailer is 750kg.

SIMPLIFIED MODEL RANGE Mitsubishi’s fifth

A new, smarter looking, dash gives the 2016 Triton a big lift in dash design and layout.

REVAMPED Over 80% of the latest Triton is new, even though it might not appear so at first glance. There’s new styling, new engine, new suspension, new steering, new transmission and new cabin proportions, plus a five-

generation Triton has same model names as the Outlander and Pajero, so now we have the entry level GLX, mid-level GLS, and the top-of-the-range Exceed, which I was very pleased to review. All three models offer a tilt and telescopic steering

wheel, cruise control, handsfree Bluetooth with voice command and wheel controls, twin LCD trip meter and multi-information monitor.

The GLS – arguably the best value for money – comes with a rear view camera, auto folding mirrors, dual zone auto climate, display audio with big colour screen, and six speaker audio plus leather trim on the wheel and gear selector. The Exceed adds leather trim, paddle shifters, powered driver’s seat, smart key and one touch start, 7” touch screen with digital radio, 3D sat/nav mapping and SD card input.

UPGRADED INTERIOR Seated at the wheel of the 2016 Triton you immediately notice the vastly improved interior, with door trims far more car-like and a much sleeker and more integrated centre dash set-up. All the dials are smart looking and easy to read, and brushed metal inserts and soft feel surfaces highlighted the dash appearance across all models.

The ample ground clearance gives the Triton excellent offroad capabilities, and the enhanced suspension means passengers are insulated from unexpected bumps on the road. comfortable seat angle, thanks to the Triton’s exterior body modifications allowing some beneficial changes inside. The length of the Triton’s rear tub is now 1520 mm.

THE DRIVE Under the bonnet there’s a 2.4L MIVEC common rail turbo diesel engine mated to a 5-speed auto transmission.

Rated to produce 25% more

4WD on the fly is merely the touch of a console button these days.

Front seating comes with an enhanced shape, thicker padding, better support, and tends to both hold and support front passengers with ease in the rough stuff.

The rear seating has also been improved, with more room all round and a more

power at 1500rpm than the previous engine, 133kW of power and 430Nm of torque are the figures. With a dual range (with locking centre diff) drive system plus double wishbone/ coil spring suspension up front and an upgraded rear leaf set up at the rear, the Triton is

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soaked up bumps brilliantly while the powerful diesel just kept ticking away quietly.

Steering at 3.8 turns lock to lock was great for those tight spots, and it’s definitely something parents would appreciate with school runs or supermarket parking.

Fuel consumption figures show the benefit of the new engine/transmission package.

With the smooth diesel ticking over at 2000rpm at 100km/h, I achieved figures of 10.4L per 100km on a country run with the Trek hooked up. The fuel tank size is 75L. SUMMING UP Mitsubishi have always built strong workhorse-style Tritons but the 2016 offering provides the kind off comfort and refinement, plus easy power and road manners, that could only be dreamed of a few years ago. Yet off-road capability is as good as, if not better, than anything else in its sector. Brake assist, stability and traction control are just a few of the safety features offered. And with some very significant cost savings over competitors such as the Ranger and new Navara, the Triton is a must-drive for new ute buyers. The warranty is five years or 100,000km, whichever comes first, and capped price servicing extends for four years or 60,000km.

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very capable off road, and extremely pleasant to drive on road as well.

Nippy, powerful, free revving: these are not terms usually associated with diesel engines but they’re entirely at home with today’s Triton. This new engine has a cam chain, so replacing a timing belt at 100,000km won’t hurt your hip pocket. The new 5-speed Aisin auto transmission (borrowed from the Pajero) proved to be super smooth, reducing engine revs significantly to enhance fuel consumption, and manual override via paddles or console selector also offered easy driver input.

Engine and road noise were reduced to the levels you’d expect of an upmarket SUV, not a dedicated 4WD. In fact, even when we were cruising at M1 speeds about the only intrusive noise was a slight whistle from the external wing mirrors.

In both city and country driving, the Triton’s very responsive throttle and a sensation of far more torque on tap from lower revs was evident. On a country run with the Trek trailer on the tow bar, all it took to overtake slower vehicles was a tap on the accelerator. When towing on rough bush tracks it was easy to select 4WD with the push of a button on the console, and when easing over bad ruts and washouts the suspension

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Lake Moogerah Caravan Park BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Fringed by the Scenic Rim mountain range, and with Lake Moogerah’s clean waters extending north, south and west from the camp grounds, you have to ask yourself what’s not to like about this camping and caravan park. There’s plenty of level camping areas, ample shade for those warm spring days, friendly and helpful staff, with well set up facilities all round to complement a camping area that’s as pretty as a picture.

Lake Moogerah Caravan Park is conveniently located within a short driving distance of much of the main South East Queensland population centres. It’s only 8km east from the Cunningham Highway at Aratula, with signs pointing the way to the lake. Also, it’s only a short 20km drive from the town of Boonah, where there’s a prominent

At the turnoff to the Lake Moogerah Caravan Park from the adjacent main road there’s a longish entrance road with the lake and some well-shaded camping areas on the right.

There are signs with directions for opening the camp’s boom gate if you arrive a bit early.

Robyn, Ben and Megan will arrange all bookings at the camp office, which carries a range of small goods, ice, gas refills, and other items such as fishing tackle. Boat and kayak hire can also be arranged there, along with stocked impoundment permits (a SIP is required to fish Moogerah).

CAMP BY THE WATER One of the most striking features of the expansive camping area is the amount of well-grassed and very level ground on which to set up a temporary home away from home, including plenty of areas right by the water. This means you can leave your boat in the water overnight, making it very handy for a crack at the fish at daylight. There are also plenty of fireplaces on hand

with some close to the shore.

The caravan park’s amenity blocks feature very clean and well-kept showers and toilets, as well as adjacent laundry facilities. The nearby camp kitchen has electric BBQs and a children’s playground, so while Mum and Dad cook up a feed the young ones can be kept busy enjoying themselves close by.

There’s also a cabin for hire with great views of Lake Moogerah. It’s air conditioned, and large enough to sleep six people comfortably. With a fully-equipped kitchen, TV and DVD player and a well set up outdoor area with private gas BBQ and campfire, there’s something for everyone.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS While enjoying a stay at Lake Moogerah Caravan Park there’s also some interesting access to nearby National Parks, and attractions include bush walking, rock climbing, or simply taking in the scenery. Also, visiting the local towns to take in some of the charm of rural

the Darling Downs and coastal areas.

FISHING PROSPECTS Most people go to Lake Moogerah Caravan Park to camp and enjoy the fabulous bass fishing in the lake, so let’s take a look at what’s on offer.

This lake has always been a great producer of quality bass simply because of the huge biomass of bony bream that call the lake home. Fish up to 50cm are reasonably common these days, and bass of this calibre are very good on light tackle, certain to pull a bit of drag and cause some excitement during the first part of a fight.

It’s fair comment that this dam, like many others, went through a very lean time a few years back when water levels became disastrously low. However, significant rain events have changed this in spectacular style. These days the water level is very close to the top, with plenty of great areas to fish. The schools of bass (prevalent in spring) seem to move from one area

There are some very good bass in Lake Moogerah.

This one was taken by Denise Kampe. feeding on a school of bait, the bony bream often get forced to the surface where pelicans and cormorants give them a hard time, so the birds are a great pointer to fish activity.

CATCHING THEM Moogerah bass are usually very cooperative in that they can respond to flies, blades, tail spinners, spinnerbaits and vibes quite readily. Or bait such as shrimps or yabbies, of course. Finding what the bass want on the day is always part of the fun, and the smart bass angler wanting to enjoy some fun with the fly rod should concentrate on using patterns that imitate bony bream – Deceivers, Clousers and the like – fished on a deep sinking

fly line. Let it sink right down, then strip the fly back in short movements.

Lure anglers could start with an ice jig, blade or tail spinner. If your offering is ignored, try one of the various vibes, either soft or hardbodied. A few enticing hops and skips during a slow retrieve may well entice a fish to have a snap at it.

So these are some of the attractions of Lake Moogerah Caravan Park. Relaxing and just taking it easy is also something a lot of people enjoy. The Park is on Muller Park Road, Moogerah and you can contact the office on (07) 5463 0141 or at moogerahinfo@bigpond.com.

“Tinnie Tosser” A handy camping area near the southern ramp can make it very easy to leave the boat in the water overnight. sign on the southern outskirts of town pointing the way to Moogerah Dam. Boonah is well equipped to cater for travellers because there’s a supermarket, service station, and plenty of other retail outlets. Kalbar is also a very handy local town with plenty of retailers catering for busy travellers, while at nearby Aratula there’s also a baker and coffee shop, grocer and service stations.

so campers can enjoy a warm campfire at night. It’s advisable to bring your own wood.

This well maintained and easy to enjoy camping area has both powered and unpowered sites (there are many more unpowered than powered sites) as well as two boat ramps with plenty of parking next to them. There are fish cleaning tables near both ramps, and picnic tables dotted around the grounds

Caravan owners aren’t forgotten, as there are powered sites with concrete pads near the northern amenity block. living and local produce are all part of the fun. Spicers Gap (accessed via the Moogerah/Aratula Road) and the popular Governor’s Chair lookout are also a big drawcard for 4WD owners as there’s some spectacular scenery throughout Fassifern Valley just a short walk from the Spicers Gap carpark.

Spicers Gap was the original road forged in the 1850s for carrying goods between

to another on whatever whim drives them. One day the fish will be on the job in the main basin of the dam, the next they’ll be working bait in the timber to the south, which fortunately is fairly open and easy to fish.

The bait schools are always the key to success, and finding a school of bony bream on your sounder is the first step towards getting a bass on your line. When the bass are

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www.moogerah.com | 07 5463 0141 SEPTEMBER 2015

87

Begin with the end in mind BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

There’s a best-selling book titled The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and one of the habits outlined in this book is the title of this month’s article, ‘begin with the end in mind’.

several occasions recently while discussing and planning fishing trips with other kayak anglers. On one occasion, after asking where the guys launch, they responded with “at the boat ramp”, the look on their faces making me feel as if my question was ridiculous.

After some discussion though it appeared that

produced fish, meaning more time in productive waters and it also allowed us to explore some new water on the way.

The more kayak anglers I speak to (many of them new to kayak fishing) the more common it seems that kayak anglers are launching from ramps and just floating around flicking

The author was happy with this handful of bream from a weed and rubble patch.

A nice little flathead in the net from the mouth of a drain.

This is a great habit to embrace in terms of general life, but especially so if you are an angler and even more so a kayak angler.

What’s the plan, where am I heading, what’s the weather forecast, how long will I be gone for and what species will I be targeting?

For starters, questions like this will assist you in selecting the fishing gear, safety gear, accessories, clothing, food and drinks, etc. that you take with you on your journey, ensuring that you enjoy the end result in terms of safety, comfort and the productivity of the session.

The value of this habit has been reinforced on 88

SEPTEMBER 2015

they had always launched at the ramp, paddled half a kilometre before making their first cast and then caught most of their fish in a canal system about 2km from the launch point. Yes, this was the closest ramp, but we don’t need a ramp to launch our craft and that’s a great advantage.

After a quick scan of the area on Google Maps, a plan was made to launch from a park on the other side of the canal estate, an area that also turned out to hold some flats that produced plenty of flathead. By launching at this alternate location it was a shorter paddle to the canals that consistently

lures or baits in the hope that they bump into a fish or two. Speak to experienced and successful kayak anglers though and you find a couple of common themes running through the discussion.

One has been catching plenty of trevally around moored boats on soft plastics, another catching school mulloway around the bridges on hardbodies and a third angler has been catching loads of bream fishing blades where a long rock wall meets the rubbly bottom of the river.

These guys have a plan and their plan tends to be based around a target species, tide, selection of lures and number one in the equation, structure.

There’s another old saying and that is that ‘structure is king’.

Structure offers shelter, marine growth and breaks in the current that attract bait and in turn predators.

When beginning with the end in mind, that end often revolves around the structure that I am targeting.

By effectively targeting structure you increase your chances of catching more and better quality fish.

Let’s have a look at a few types of structure that have become my favourites over the last 20 years of fishing from a kayak.

CANALS If you’re lucky enough to have canals close to home, get the yak in there! Canals offer shelter from the wind, a myriad of manmade structures and commonly hold bait and fish. When fishing canals it’s all about getting your lure as close as possible to structure, with some of the most productive structure including stormwater drains, the ends of private boat ramps, moored boats and pontoons. Throw in some shady pockets and there’s sure to be a predator in there waiting to ambush bait.

Rock walls hold marine growth and bait that in turn attracts predators.

When fishing canals a great place to start is with 2-3” soft plastics, rigged on 1/20-1/8oz jigheads so that they sink slowly and naturally around structure.

A good tip is to watch your line as the lure sinks and strike if the line speeds up or stops suddenly. A series of small hops and pauses should soon see you hooked up. Species you may encounter include bream, trevally and flathead, with many surprises turning up, such as tailor, mulloway, mangrove jack and estuary perch, depending on where you are in the country.

Again, don’t rely on a boat ramp being nearby, jump on Google Maps and look for parks and public land within the canal system that is suitable for launching.

BRIDGES Bridges are a great place to target bream, mulloway, trevally and a stack of other

species. Take some time to check out the bridges in your local area as they are common fishing spots for land-based anglers who clear tracks down to the water, often making them suitable launch spots for kayak anglers at certain times of the tide. How’s that, a launch point right beside the structure! Safety first though, you may need to carry a rope so that you can lower your kayak down and also retrieve it on steeper inclines.

When it comes to bridges, I carry a selection of plastics from 2-5” and jighead weights from 1/8-1/2oz to cover a variety of depths and currents.

When the current is running harder, position the kayak so that you can cast up current, past the pylons and retrieve the lure back close to the pylons and through the eddies created by the current that hold bait and predatory species. When

As the tide covers these rock bars they’ll definitely be worth a cast.

Forget the ramp... let’s launch right beside the structure and fish it! the current slackens off, position the kayak parallel to the bridge so that you can throw long casts and retrieve your lure back past as many pylons as possible. Vertically fishing blades beside the pylons is also extremely effective.

Try short hops of just a few inches, on or near the bottom.

MANGROVES Over the years there’s not too many river and estuary species that I haven’t been connected to while casting lures along mangrove edges.

Commonly it’s bream, flathead, grunter, trevally, tailor and cod, but I have also found myself connected to threadfin,

queenfish, mangrove jack and snapper.

I have recently had great success casting plastics hard in against the mangroves and twitching them out quickly for the first couple of metres, before allowing them to drop to the bottom just past those annoying, snaggy mangrove roots and then hopping them

A flathead caught patrolling a mangrove edge, just beyond the snaggy root spikes.

Bream love structure, so get your lure right in there. back along the bottom to the kayak.

When targeting mangroves I stick with plastics around 2-3” and jighead weights around 1/8-1/4oz. Keep an eye out for features in the mangroves, such as points, open or shady pockets and especially drains, as these all break up the consistent mangrove line and commonly create shade, current lines and different structure that holds bait and attracts predators.

OTHER STRUCTURE That’s just three common structure types that I target from the kayak and it’s often more important that you are targeting structure, rather than what type of structure you are targeting. Large sections of our waterways are just muddy or sandy wastelands that hold few fish or only occasionally produce as fish travel through the area. Find the structure and you will often find the bait and the fish. Other structure to plan an assault on would include moored boats, oyster racks, rock walls and broken weed and rubble patches.

Next time you are travelling to the boat ramp keep an eye out for alternative launch points

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and possible target structure.

Boat ramps are often situated on esplanades that run for several kilometres and these are characterised by development, higher populations and increased fishing pressure.

Try driving to each end of these esplanades to explore the launch point options and available structure as these

areas will often be less pressured and it will save you the extra paddle from the ramp.

Whatever your adventure, take some time to begin with the end in mind and you should find your adventures to be safer, more comfortable and more productive.

See you on the water.

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2015 Bluefin Lake Maroon Fishing Classic The Bluefin Lake Maroon Fishing Classic is scheduled for 13-15 November 2015. Now in its third year, the competition is shaping to be bigger and better than ever.

Bluefin Boats is once again the major sponsor with two random draw prize boats to be given away. The senior prize boat is the 4.15 Tournament

Drifter, powered by a 40hp Mercury 4-stroke outboard, and it’s loaded on a Dunbier trailer.

An awesome prize, without a doubt!

The junior lucky draw boat is the 3m Bluefin Catfish powered by a Minn Kota Riptide electric motor.

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and random giveaways, ensuring plenty of winners over the course of the weekend.

The sponsors also realise that the juniors are the future of recreational angling and they are well and truly looked after.

During the competition weekend, there are guest presentations from expert anglers, live music and kids’ movies.

There is also a catering service, which makes it that much easier for the angler to focus on fishing and relaxation.

The competition is catch, photo and release and prizes are awarded on the length of the fish. All fishing styles, including bait, are permitted and so

Lake Maroon Fishing Classic is always a great day out for everyone.

BLUEFIN LAKE MAROON FISHING CLASSIC RECORDS SENIOR Overall Champion Senior Angler..................................... Mitchell Freiburg............................................ 197.7cm Longest bass................................................................... Steven Dickens.............................................. 47cm Longest yellowbelly......................................................... Jamie Brooker............................................... 53cm Longest silver perch........................................................ Stephen Croxford.......................................... 51.5cm Longest spangled perch.................................................. Anthony Johns............................................... 24.3cm Longest eel-tailed catfish................................................ Scott Hamlet.................................................. 56cm JUNIOR Overall Champion Junior Angler..................................... Jacob Stevens............................................... 147.2cm Longest bass................................................................... Angus Munn.................................................. 43.0cm Longest yellowbelly......................................................... Jamie Finlay................................................... 46.1cm Longest silver perch........................................................ Samuel Cali.................................................... 37.0cm Longest spangled perch.................................................. Tom Stoddart................................................. 25.1cm Longest eel-tailed catfish................................................ Will Hudson................................................... 54.0cm

The Bluefin Lake Maroon Fishing Classic is a great event to get the kids involved in.

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Registrations are through the Sports Tuition website.

There is an early bird registration price of $30 Senior and $15 Junior, which also places participants in a random prize draw.

There is also merchandise options and any purchase will place participants into a prize pool.

So get all the kids involved, get your mates involved. The Bluefin Fishing Classic is not to be missed. – Bluefin Classic

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Kendall Soo wins the Gold Coast comp The Queensland saying “Beautiful one day, perfect the next” held true for Round 10 of the Hobie Kayak Bream Series in what was an exceptional weekend’s kayak fishing!

Almost the entire field of 27 anglers returned to the Daiwa event site with full bags of 4 bream on both days and total of 196 bream were brought back to the scales with a combined weight of 91.07kg.

DAY 1 Competitors took off from the Power-Pole starting line in near perfect conditions with a light breeze and good cloud cover on the first day of competition. Spreading out across the arena, many anglers worked the canals in Sovereign Island, while others went further afield as far as Sea World near the Nerang River and even a few bagged-out directly in front of the launch site under Ephraim Island Bridge.

HOG’S BREATH CAFÉ BOSS HOG BIG BREAM

Mark Young with two of the fish from his 8/8, 4.72kg bag.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888.

Pro, Austackle, TT Lures, Yamatoyo, Ecogear, PowerPole, Mortgage Corp , Hog’s Breath Cafe and ABT. Thanks also to Mal Gray

Daiwa

and Hooper from Sunstate Hobie for providing Hobie dealer support.

RESULTS

Warren Cossell held on to his Hog’s Breath Café, Boss Hog Big Bream from day 1 and walks away with $100 for his efforts. He landed the 820g bag kicker on a Berkley Crabby, in chocolate sparkle, fished on a 1/60oz hidden weight jighead. “I was just flicking it up against the pontoons, letting it slowly sink down and the bream were taking it as it got to the bottom.

Kendall Soo dominated on the Gold Coast to claim the event win.

Hobie K BREAM ayak Presente Series d by

The bream were on the bite early with many anglers getting their bag of 4 bream by 11am and then spent the rest of the day working the numbers and upgrading. At the end of day one, 23 anglers returned to the Hobie Event Trailer with full bags of 4 bream.

It was Kendal Soo, from Brisbane, who was the TT Lures Leader of the day with 4 bream weighing 2.54kg, only a slight lead over nearest competitor, fellow Queenslander, Michael Maas with 4 for 2.23kg.

Only 500g separated the top 5 going into day two of the competition when a tight field of anglers would battle it out for one of two qualifying spots in the Hobie Kayak Bream Series Australian Championship to be held in Lake Macquarie later this year.

DAY 2 The quality conditions continued into day two and we saw another great day on the Gold Coast with 25 anglers bring full bags to the scales for weigh-in. At the end of the weigh-in it was Kendall Soo from Brisbane, Queensland who took the top prize of Round 10 and qualified for the Australian Championships.

Kendal caught 8 bream over the two days weighing a total of 4.79kg and received $810 plus a Daiwa sponsor prize pack for his efforts.

Kendall fishes the Gold Coast often and had a good idea of his plan of attack going into the competition.

“I knew coming into the tournament that they’d been pulling good bags out of Sovereign in the last few comps and that there’s always big fish in there too. I fished it all day!

“Coming in to day two with a 500g lead I Central Coast of New South Wales took second place with 8 bream for 4.72kg closing the day one gap, giving Kendall a run for his money and securing himself a place in the Australian Championships.

Fishing the Gold Coast for the first time, Mark had no real

plan of attack coming in to the comp but got some advice off a mate that paid off!

“Bryce Beechy, who’s a local here, gave me a bit of advice and told me I’d find the bigger fish out in the running water on the east side of Sovereign Island. I fished the canals of Sovereign Island early and got a small bag and then headed around the back where Bryce mentioned and Rhino-Rack, Strike

Place Angler

Fish

Weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8

4.79kg 4.72kg 4.34kg 4.22kg 4.18kg 4.16kg 4.09kg 4.06kg 3.97kg 3.74kg

Kendall Soo Mark Young Tyson Hayes Michael Maas Bryce Beechey James Howarth Luke Rogan Stephen Maas Warren Cossell Jusin Desmarchelier

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle

Lure: Ecogear SX40s green colour similar to a mullet and Cranka Crabs in brown Rod: Custom Rod by jDez Customs Reel: Daiwa Luvias 2506 Line: 5lb fluorocarbon straight through

Winning Ways

“Just consistently working the canals. I just went up and down it for the whole two days.”

Over $55,000 in total prizes

NOV 13-15, 2015 Drifter Tournament

Catfish

TWO LUCKY DRAW BOATS TO GIVE AWAY! • Lucky draws • Early entry prizes • Catch, photo and release

• All fishing styles permitted • All fishing craft permitted

Lake Maroon is approximately 90 minutes from Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The competition will be based at Camp Lake Fire, which has direct boat launching access. Early Entry – Senior: $30; Junior: $15 (Junior must be under 14 years on November 14, 2015).

Registrations through www.sportstuition.com.au

SEPTEMBER 2015

91

McNamara twitches to win TER 1ST BOA Muswellbrook’s Alan McNamara (6/6, 7.54kg) claimed his maiden BASS Pro boater win and punched his ticket for the end of the season Grand Final with victory in the OSP Lake Glenbawn BASS Pro, 4-5 July.

Fishing steep rock walls near the 8knot speed zone in the upper reaches of Lake Glenbawn McNamara’s winning approach involved casting his offering tight to the wall then letting it sink down the rocky slope while imparting a series of shakes and twitches.

“The bigger fish were feeding tight to the rock so it was important to keep the lure close to the wall”, explained McNamara.

McNamara’s lure of choice was a 1 1/2” Slider Sea Grub, a small bite size offering that the bass ate with gusto. As is often the case with moved and paused soft plastic retrieves the bites came just after the lure was shaken and twitched. While the technique produced the big bites it didn’t produce a lot of fish with McNamara only catching three fish in the first session.

“I wasn’t worried about not catching many fish, I was just hunting for quality, and I was quietly confident that the spot I was fishing would produce quality,”

Alan McNamara nailed the big fish at Glenbawn to claim his maiden BASS Pro boater victory. explained McNamara.

Delivering the heaviest bag (2.87kg- Duffrods Big Bag) for the tournament to the scales in session one, McNamara hit the water for session two far from

bit,” explained McNamara.

With one fish from his rock walls in the first hour McNamara soon moved, hitting a series of

1 1/2” Slider Sea Grub muscadine colour, rigged on a 1/6th Nitro Dam Deep jighead, and with the tail of the plastic dipped in Spike It. brimming with confidence about what session two would bring.

“Glenbawn hadn’t really been fishing well in the afternoon for a while so I knew there was a good chance that it would be a grind and that I may have to move around a

other locations, including standing timber and weedy points. His mobile and openminded approach paid off with Al catching three fish for the session. Weighing in a 2.42kg limit, and equal second heaviest bag for the session, McNamara retained

The shake and twitch retrieve

Shake

STORM

Shake

VENTAFISH® Shake

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888.

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his number one spot, to once again lead the field out on the final morning.

“I was confident that I’d get fish, but wasn’t confidence that the big fish would still be there,” explained McNamara.

My 8am McNamara had his two fish in the well, once again falling to his shaken and twitched soft plastics fished down the rock wall. While getting the lure tight and fishing it close to the rocks was crucial to getting the bites it was a fine line between getting it close enough and getting it too close.

“You really needed to pay attention to what you were doing, if you let the lure sink too much and gave it too long of a pause you’d hang up on the rocks,” explained McNamara.

McNamara’s careful and steady approach paid off delivering him a 2.25kg limit for the session, and in the end delivering him a comfortable wire-to-wire victory over 2015’s man on fire Warren Carter.

Post victory McNamara accredited much of his win to his soft plastic.

McNamara explains, “While a Slider is nothing new, the 1 1/2” Sea Grub I was using is smaller than what we usually use, and was perfect for the finesse winter bite that we get this time of the year.

Its colour was also something different. It was one of the older, paler muscadine colours, rather than the darker stronger coloured muscadine colour that’s more commonly available today. I think using the more transparent version made a big difference,” explained McNamara.

Fishing his first event of the 2015 Toray BASS Pro season McNamara has now booked himself a spot in the Grand Final, slater for 24-25 October at Lake Glenbawn. With a victory at this venue already under his belt for 2015 McNamara will definitely be one to watch in October.

Carter carts for second place CE 2ND PLA

Victoria’s Warren Carter continued his hot bass form for 2015 with the 48 year-old tournament veteran finishing 2nd to add to his 1st and 3rd from the first two rounds of the year. Fishing the upper reaches of the lake, Carter focused his attention on the weeded points and bays to catch his fish.

Keying in on the areas with the thickest weed as the prime spots to fish Carter would position in boat in 10-20’ of water before casting to the weed edge and working the lure back to the boat.

“The sounder on the bow of my boat wasn’t work, so I had no eyes below showing me fish that may have been sitting out from the weed edge so I just focused on the

weed edge and the fish that were holding in it and close to it,” explained Carter.

Fishing a mixture of 2” and 3” Keitech Easy Shiners rigged on 1/4”oz TT jigheads Carter’s technique involved worked the lure out from the weed edge with a combination of small hops and shakes followed by a slow roll. The fish were active early in session one with Carter filling his limit in 40 minutes, followed by eight upgrades for the session. Session two proved more frugal with Carter fishless for the first two hours of the session.

“It wasn’t until around 4pm that I finally caught my bag. I got four bites in total and lost a big fish at the boat. It was certainly a lot tougher,” explained Carter.

Weighing in 2.47kg for the session Carter found himself sitting in 2nd place, and with a hot morning bite hopefully ready to greet him

on the final day, another BASS Pro podium finish was on the cards. Picking up where he left off on Saturday morning Carter found the fish on the edge and eager to eat again and by 7.15am he had his limit. Two upgrades were to follow and another dropped fish at the net rounded out his session. Weighing in a 2.29kg limit for the session Carter’s bag while heavier than McNamara’s wasn’t enough to rein him in.

Carter’s tournament tackle included an Edge Rods FWR 702 rod, 2500 spin reel, 6lb Varivas PE,

McNamara knew his location wouldn’t produce quantity, but it would produce quality. Fishing for size over numbers definitely paid off.

Winning Tackle

Warren Carter continued his hot form for the year, securing another top two finish.

Cool misty conditions greeted anglers for the Saturday morning take off.

Owen McPaul finished strongly on the final day to claim the non-boater win.

and 2” and 3” Keitech Easy Shiner soft plastics in ayu, silver/flash, gold/flash, and lime/chartreuse colours.

Carter added Pro Cure scent in nightcrawler flavour to his plastics, and cut down his 3” Easy Shiners. The 2” Easy Shiners he fished un-shortened.

With a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd to his name from the first three rounds of the 2015 Toray BASS Pro Series Carter will be hard to beat for the PowerPole BASS Pro Angler of the Year crown.

Winning Ways

-BOATER 1ST NON

wall McPaul would present his lure close to the rock, let it sink to bottom, then begin a slow roll retrieve.

“I found the best retrieve to be a slow roll, and when I got I bite I didn’t strike I just kept winding until the rod loaded up,” explained McPaul.

SP

WINNING NOTES

Owen goes soft for win Taree’s Owen McPaul broke through for his maiden BASS Pro win at Glenbawn with the TT tournament angler coming from behind in the final session to leap frog session one and two leader Peter Morgan to secure the win.

Fishing with Mitchell Cone on day one McPaul fished the upper reaches of the lake and used a jighead rigged soft plastic fished parallel along rock walls to catch his fish. With the boat sitting in 40’ of water and a cast distance out from the

BASS PR O Presente SERIES d by O

The approach paid off with McPaul catching his limit in the first three casts of the first session. Session two saw Cone and McPaul change location, moving to deep timber in 40’ of water. Using a similar retrieve, a sink followed by a slow roll, McPaul picked up his first fish in the first hour, and then late in the session he caught his second, followed by two upgrades. Weighing in 2.14kg for the session McPaul sat in 2nd place, only 460g behind leader Peter Morgan.

Fishing with Tom Slater on day two McPaul fished the middle reaches of the lake, targeting timber and sloping banks in 27-40’ of water to catch his fish.

McPaul’s technique once again involved sinking his plastic to the bottom and slow rolling it back to the boat. Picking up where he left off from Saturday morning McPaul filled his limit in 15 minutes.

“Tom had us right on the fish, and they were eating the plastic quite aggressively,” explained McPaul.

McPaul reached double digits with the number of fish he caught, including four upgrades for the session, while the kicker fish in his

bag secured the Austackle Big Bass for the tournament.

Weighing in a 2.86kg limit for the session Owen turned a 460g deficit into a 940g winning margin to secure the event win, and in the process book a spot in the 2015 BASS Pro Grand Final.

The next stop of the series sees the Toray BASS Pro tour head north to Queensland Bjelke Petersen Dam for the 4th and final qualifying round of the series. For more information on the 2015 Toray BASS Pro Series visit www. abt.org.au.

Rod: 2-5kg Millerod Control Freak Bass Reel: 1000 Shimano Sustain Line: 3lb Power Pro Bite Motion Leader: 6lb Ocea Lure: 1 1/2” Slider Sea Grub (muscadine colour), rigged on a 1/oz Nitro Dam Deep jighead, and with the tail of the plastic dipped in Spike It.

Austackle Big Bass

Owen McPaul valued added his non-boater winning prizes claiming the $500 Austackle Big Bass prize with his 1.54kg bag caught early on the final morning on a Keitech Easy Shiner soft plastic.

TOP 10 BOATERS Place

Angler

Fish

Weight

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Alan MCNAMARA Warren CARTER Stephen KANOWSKI Peter PHELPS Anthony THORPE Craig SIMMONS Mitchell CONE Paul GILLESPIE Robert BALDOCK Kristoffer HICKSON

6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6

7.54 7.30 7.03 6.90 6.80 6.75 6.69 6.62 6.27 6.21

$2,300 $1,350 $950 $850 $650 $450

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS Place

Angler

Fish

Weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Owen MCPAUL 6/6 7.14 Peter MORGAN 6/6 6.20 Rebecca FAZIO 6/6 5.40 Tony NEAL 6/6 5.28 Brett HYDE 6/6 5.11 Tim OAKLEY 5/6 4.90 Adam SHARPE 4/6 4.41 Rodney THORPE 5/6 4.26 Jamie JOHNSON 4/6 3.74 Paul DUNLOP 4/6 3.69 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Payout Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

SEPTEMBER 2015

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Maas attacks for Wivenhoe win What a tough final round of the Hobie B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Kayak Series! With only one fish weighed in, it shows how difficult Wivenhoe can be when your fishing location is limited.

Lake Wivenhoe is a massive amount of water, with incredible views, flats, deep ledges and a countless amount of banks and structure. The bass located

in Wivenhoe can be massive and aggressive through the year, but it seems this time Wivenhoe won the battle.

Even though the fishing was tough, the eventual winner definitely had a pattern worked out as he landed two bass and dropped another good one at the yak and he caught many catfish and golden perch along the way. Stephen Maas is an angler in form; in the

Queensland Hobie Kayak events alone Stephen has had an incredible run with a 3rd place at Lake MacDonald, a 2nd at the Mary River Round and a win here at Lake Wivenhoe.

Asking about why he’s been fishing so well, he mentioned, “I think the biggest thing is that I haven’t done a lot of bass fishing, so I’ve had no expectations and therefore no pressure to do

well. I’ve done the bream comps for the past 8 years or so and the principles of fishing are the same”.

These latest results give us an insight in how confidence and momentum work in this sport, once an angler has break through performances they seem to continue the streak for an extended period in their career.

Stephen used a 13 Fishing

Stephen Maas claimed another Hobie event win with victory at Wivenhoe.

Cool conditions greeted anglers at Lake Wivenhoe.

Enter online at

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SEPTEMBER 2015

Australia Omen Black matched with a Daiwa Lexar reel spooled with 4lb Berkley Fireline and 4lb Sunline FC Rock leader to present the plastic to the depths near schools of mixed species not far from the start line.

Stephen honed his sounder skills on this occasion and it really paid off. As he was travelling to his first location he kept an eye on his electronics and noticed a bait ball with some big arches mixed in between it. This is a tell

tale sign of some sort of feeding going on and, he stopped and dropped his Hooked On Plastic 2 1/2” paddle-tail in nightmare colour to the bottom where it got wacked. His plastic was perfectly matched with a TT Lures 1/6oz jighead that held the bass tight all the way through the fight.

Stephen wanted to thank his major sponsors Cranka Lures and Hooked on Plastics for their on-going support through the season.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2015

DATE DETAILS

CONTACT

SEPTEMBER

Sep 5-6

ABBT Basstasstic Bass Fishing Qualifier Borumba

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

Sep 19-20

2015 Bowen Family Fishing Classic Bowen

Russ 0428 776 653 Sharon 0438 701 076 bowenfamilyfishingclassic@yahoo.com.au

Sep 26-27

‘Win a Tinny’ Family Fishing Comp Tara

James Smith James.Smith563@gmail.com

Sep 30-3 Oct

Great Northern Brewing Co. 2015 Flathead Classic Gold Coast

GCSFC www.goldcoastsportfishingclub.com.au

OCTOBER

Oct 16-17

WTF Women That Fish Barra Classic Fitzroy River, Rockhampton

Shara 0429923243 Bel 0407674198

Oct 17-18

ABBT Basstasstic Bass Fishing Qualifier Wuruma Dam

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

Oct 23-25

Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic Black Rock Park, Lake Moondarra, Mount Isa

lakemoodarrafishingclassic.com.au

Oct 24-25

BASS Grand Final Lake Glenbawn

ABT abt.org.au

Oct 29

Cardwell Barra Bonanza Cardwell

Cardwell Sportfishing Club cardwellbarrabonanza.com

Oct 31

Daiwa-Hobie Kayak Bass Australian Championship Hinze Dam

Hobiecat Australasia www.hobiefishing.com.au

Oct 31-Nov1

ABBT X-Factor Australian Teams Series Borumba Dam

Russel Nowlands www.barrabasstasstic.com

CANCELLED

For listings please email jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au

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CONNECT WITH US: SEPTEMBER 2015

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News

Mulloway Marathon predicting the future The Humminbird/BLA Mulloway Marathon is a six-week fishing event held in Brisbane during August and September. Fishers will be competing against one another to record as many mulloway as possible in 6 weeks.

One of the key reasons the Mulloway Marathon was founded was to collect information that can be used as a guide on where Mulloway are headed into the future.

Infofish Australia made some predictions based on the 2013/14 season for the 2014/15 season and recently completed a comparison with predictions.

PREDICTION 1 – DECREASE IN THE PROPORTION OF YEAR 2/3 FISH As the graph indicates, this came to pass. There may be a couple of reasons for this. First, that prediction was based on what we know of spawning success past few years and so that was what we expected. Second, the greater abundance of legal fish may well have encouraged fishers to target a larger size class.

PREDICTION 2 – INCREASING PROPORTION OF LEGAL FISH Again, this came true.

This is what we expected as the fish from good spawning around 2010/11 grow up.

PREDICTION 3 – INCREASING PROPORTION OF >1M FISH Again this one came true. The 1m fish are most likely 7-9 years old and that is consistent with fish spawned around 20072009. These fish are likely the progeny of the fish that survived through the long dry of the mid-2000s and as such have good genes. We hope a few of them survive to bring through the next generation.

The other big prediction was around fishing pressure.

The commercial catch is steadily rising as more fish are available and while we don’t have recreational harvest data, the reports we have point to more people taking them home for a feed. While we can’t draw conclusions, the evidence is there to say fishing pressure is up.

What does the prediction look like this year? In order to make that prediction we need some early season data and that’s where the Marathon comes in. A prediction will be published once the Marathon is complete.

Thanks to Humminbird/ BLA for making this event possible. The mulloway will thank you guys!

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SEPTEMBER 2015

ECHO SOUNDERS TELLING THE BRISBANE THREADFIN STORY Once upon a time, landmarks and paper driven echo sounders and at times guesswork went into finding that magic spot. Echo Sounders and GPS devices solved that problem some time ago and now there are modern problems we think echo sounders can help solve.

It doesn’t take a genius to know fishers don’t catch 100% of fish they come across. That’s probably just as well. However, if you want to know how many fish there are, the ones that are missed matter. Net fishers, for example, are more successful than line fishers at targeting many species. This tells us there are many more fish out there we don’t see.

What if there was a way to catch more fish without using a line or net?

larger species that means species like mulloway and king threadfin could really benefit.

We recently received a set of screen captures and while some work is needed to get the interpretation right, they reveal hundreds of king threadfin in the Brisbane River that have gone unrecorded in Suntag assessments. That is a large chunk of the story that we missed.

Echo sounders have been used for stock assessments before, even as far back as the 1980s. It’s not been used however by recreational anglers in this way so we are breaking new ground. If we can get a method right, this can be a low-cost tool usable in many parts of the world.

If you have a screen capture that shows either king threadfin or mulloway anywhere in the state you can send them to screencap@ info-fish.net.

This mulloway from Peter Kaye is between 5-9 years old (most likely around 7) and weights around 7kg.

Dennis Pearce with a Samsonvale special bass.

This is where echo sounders come in. The latest models from Humminbird come very close to being able to stick a camera under the water. They are picking up increasingly fine details such as body shape and more.

Fishers love those details.

What we know from examining dozens of screen captures is we are missing a potential gold rush of information on fish.

Echo sounders could provide a non-invasive, non-destructive method of determining how many fish are in an area at any given time. While at this point it is probably only usable for

TELL ME ABOUT MY MULLOWAY This mulloway season has been off to a good start with legal fish being common catches. Did you know though that mulloway take 5 years or more to get to legal size? This is a pretty important piece of information to know and as a part of the Humminbird/BLA Mulloway Marathon, Infofish Australia have provided a tool to provide more information on the mulloway you catch.

Most people think of legal size in terms of opportunity to spawn, so for bream, for example, at 25cm fish will have had at least one opportunity to participate

in spawning. Bream are relatively prolific in spawning and there may be more than one spawning per year.

Mulloway follow similar breeding patterns to barramundi, where spawning success is driven by environmental factors. When the stars line up and conditions are right they can be very prolific where as when they don’t spawning may at best add only a small number of fish to stocks.

The main reason there are plenty of mulloway around right now is conditions have been pretty good for spawning since 2008. Prior to with a long dry in the mid 2000s,

things were nowhere near as good. Knowing what part of the cycle you are in is pretty important.

Mulloway, unlike bream may not have had a chance to spawn even if they are at the legal length. That is why there are tighter controls on mulloway in terms of size and bag limits. They are a species that is susceptible to fishing pressure.

That is why we came up with a tool that allows you know a lot more about the mulloway you catch. The tool calculates age, weight and the relative occurrence of that size class in the catch that we have on record.

As we receive feedback on additional information that will be useful we will include it. Already we have included a lot more data for South Australia based on feedback and requests.

What we hope is that with better information fishers will make more informed decisions on which fish to keep and in general be more aware of the fish caught.

The tool would not be possible without the support of Humminbird/BLA or the efforts of researchers across Australia.

The tool is available online http://mullowaymarathon. com.au/age-weightcalculator/.

INSIGHT GENESIS 1000 Every now and again there is a fishing science event that comes with some mind-blowing fishing goals attached. The Insight Genesis 1000 is one such event and Lake Samsonvale is the perfect place to do it.

Lake Samsonvale is broken up into two main areas, a smaller offshoot that is managed by the Pine Rivers Fish Management Association and a larger basin inhabited

by the local sailing club. The Lake is pretty heavily stocked so there are a lot of bass in the basin that will have never seen a lure.

This is the setting for an ambitious target to tag 1000 bass in two days. This has never been achieved before and in terms of equivalent events the only comparison is the Rocky Barra Bounty.

In 2011 there were over 1200 barramundi tagged but that is in a much bigger area and three times the boats that will be used.

So with many tales of glory to be told on the day, what is all this for?

First and foremost, is the “to see what is there” element.

The main basin hasn’t been surveyed for some time and there has been a heap of stocking going on so it will be good to know what the effect has been.

Next there is analysis of the stocking success and looking at things such as size classes. This kind of event could be useful to help assess where stocking is up to in an impoundment and we will be distributing the results far and wide even internationally.

Lastly, we are there to do some really cool stuff. This is a lead up event to mapping the impoundment where we hope to generate 3D maps of the key areas fished. When you combine that with the fishing data it’s a high detail picture of what is happening underwater and may give insights into how and why.

In order to achieve this, Infofish Australia will be road testing a product called Reefmaster. Reefmaster is able to read sonar logs and render them on a map. This is not unique but with its ability to output a wide array of formats, Reefmaster looks like a great product to tell the story.

News This event is crammed full of about as much science as we can muster. We have to thank Lowrance and Insight Genesis for supporting this event, without them this would not be possible. The fishers are already licking

time. To some degree they are useful in predicting where are the most likely places to catch fish. They are also good predictors of where the most effort is put in. What we have never been able to examine is why the patterns we see

for bass. There are fishbowls and rivers.

Fishbowls as the term implies are generally smaller impoundments that the bass tend to move around in rather like fish in fishbowl. Their movement tends to appear

Bass distribution in Lake Moogerah.

Bass distribution in Lake Samsonvale. their lips at the prospect of a fantastic weekend.

HOW INSIGHT GENESIS IS CHANGING THE BASS MAP Suntag has been developing bass maps of many of the impoundments for some

look the way they do. Insight Genesis community maps have filled in a number of key gaps and now the fishing trends we see are starting to make sense.

It turns out there are two main types of impoundments

random, but most likely is following bait or searching for bait.

Lake Moogerah is a great example of a fishbowl impoundment. Fish in these impoundments tend to be spread about and can be

found in numbers in all parts of the impoundment. There are some specific hotspots though and these seem to be in areas where there is old deep riverbed where is a bit of structure and the water is cooler.

River impoundments tend to see fish using less of the impoundment. In River impoundments, which are usually longer and follow the path of an old river fish tend to stick to the pre-existing riverbed. That doesn’t mean

the fish don’t head out to the edges to feed but the bulk of the population will be moving along the riverbed at any given time.

Lake Somerset is a perfect example of a river impoundment, as is Wivenhoe.

In the case of Somerset, the bulk of the fish are caught where the old riverbed is clearest defined. Movement patterns of fish over 20 years of tagging show that almost all of the fish recaptured are found along the riverbed. Only

a tiny portion of recaptured fish has been caught outside that area.

This is where the Insight Genesis and all the community mapping effort have changed the game. We needed to see under the water in order to understand what the catch data was telling us.

As a side note, Lake Lenthall could qualify as a third type of bass impoundment but we don’t have enough data to assess it. Lenthall would be a great study of its own.

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Cooking

Easy oyster shucking BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

I have childhood memories of my Dad and I harvesting oysters off

a friend’s oyster lease.

I loved them back then and the love affair continues to this day.

Oysters are a healthy food, rich in vitamins and high in omega-3

oils, calcium, iron, zinc and copper.

The oysters in the following article were kindly supplied by City Oysters, Phone (07) 3277 0270.

1

Useful equipment for shucking oysters. Including a scrubbing brush (for removing any mud or grit from the oyster’s shell), oyster shucker (specialised knife for opening the oyster shells), gloves and a tea towel (to protect your hands from the shells and the shucking knife).

2

Scrub the mud and grit off the oyster shells using protective gloves to avoid any cuts from the shells.

3

Recipes

OYSTERS IN THE SHELL

The quantities in each of the following recipes\ concepts will each be sufficient for four oysters ‘in the shell’.

Oysters with Smoked Salmon and Capers Arrange four oysters, in their shells, on a platter of rock salt. Placing the shells on a bed of rock salt will keep the shells upright when serving. Place a half teaspoon of capers in a bowl of water for a few minutes to allow them to plump up slightly.

After a couple of minutes, remove the capers from the water and drain.

To the oysters in the shell, spoon a small amount of either crème fraiche or sour cream onto each oyster.

Finish with a small swirl of

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Insert the blade, with moderate force and wiggling it if necessary, at the hinge between the two valves. The shucker is then inserted into the shell at the hinged end and given a twist to break the hinge. Twist the blade until there is a slight pop. Slide the blade upward to break the muscle that holds the hinge closed.

SEPTEMBER 2015

very finely sliced bacon rasher (rind removed).

A grind of black pepper over the top, and then pop the loaded oysters under the grill for about three minutes or until the bacon is sizzling.

Oysters with Thai Flavours Arrange four oysters in their shells on a platter of rock salt. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, a dash of Squid brand fish sauce, a tiny amount (to suit your taste buds) of deseeded and finely chopped red chilli and a tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves.

Stir to combine and then spoon a little of this Thai sauce over each of the oysters.

Hold the oyster shell in the palm of your hand in a folded tea towel. Have the hinged end of the oyster shell nearest to you. Hold the shucking knife in your other hand and place the point of the shucker at the hinged point of the oyster shell.

5 4

smoked salmon and a scatter of capers on top.

Oysters Au Naturale Arrange four oysters in the shell on a platter of rock salt. Oysters natural are eaten with very little in the way of additional flavours. Perhaps just a spritz of either fresh lime or lemon juice can be added to the oyster. From your preferred citrus fruit, you could also add just a small dab of fluid-filled flesh.

Oysters Kilpatrick The oysters in the following recipe are grilled before serving so please preheat your grill to a medium heat. Arrange four oysters in their shells on a heatproof platter of rock salt.

Sprinkle each oyster lightly with Worcestershire sauce.

Then top each oyster with

Twisting the shell open, run the shucker around the edge and cut the oyster muscle to open the shell.

6

The oyster ‘meat’ is flipped over and presented in the shell.

A silver lining in every lorry load of dog dung The decision to sell the boat was not an easy one to make, but there’s a silver lining in every lorry load of dog dung that life wants to dump on my head periodically.

As is usual with finding good things in the hill of droppings that is life on this earth, it’s a matter of wallowing around in the aforementioned dog dung until you find that tiny glint of silver lining hidden away in the far corner of the lorry load, underneath a crusted layer of something you’d rather not identify. Look! There it is! The silver lining! Quick! Oh no, bugger it’s gone…

But let’s stop that analogy right there. I’m feeling nauseous. The silver lining is, and those who have sold a boat will know this; that you obviously need to get the boat into sale mode for it to be sold.

And getting the boat into sale mode means repairing all those little things that have broken, smashed or worn out since you last tried to sell the boat.

Take my boat for example.

Those electrical wires that drive me mental when they drape underneath the centre console can be tightened and tucked away. That navigation light that only works when I hit it with the handle of the

wooden screwdriver on the left side underneath the mounting bracket. That could be replaced.

The water line that runs into the live bait tank could be replaced so it doesn’t send a thin line of water across my back when I turn hard right at half throttle on Thursday mornings before 5:15am. And I could tighten up that battery terminal so the motor starts first time when I turn the key. Might not do the chances of selling a great deal of good if the motor fails to turn over when old mate wants to check the telltail.

It’s not only repairs that can improve the chance of a sale. New additions to the boat can lead to not only a better chance of selling, but an overall increase in sale price above the cost of the new kit. Take for example the electronics on a boat. A schmicko sounder and GPS can’t cover up the obvious problems that make your boat unwanted and unloved, and can’t turn a dudd boat into a must-have, but it can make the difference between old mate choosing your boat over the last one he looked at, with the sounder that has a paper chart instead of a screen.

And while no one really cares about a good stereo on a fishing boat, it can be nice to sit and listen to the Cows

win the grand final through stereo speakers that are louder and less annoying than the mosquitoes flying into your ears.

So before I sell my boat, I need to spend some coin adding some new electronics and features that will improve

the possibility of a sale on my boat. Also, I need to pay someone vaguely competent to fix those little problems that annoy me, rather than try for the twentieth time to fix them with gaffer tape, possumpiss and sikaflex. Except maybe that battery terminal that

sometimes stops the motor from turning over when I turn the key. I could just leave that as it is.

I don’t think it’s morally right to conceal all the things that are wrong with your boat to a potential buyer. If that means a buyer doesn’t fully

appreciate all the marvellous upgrades on my boat, and I have to keep using those marvellous upgrades myself while I’m waiting for the boat to sell, well my conscience says that’s a sacrifice I need to make. How’s that for a silver lining.

SEPTEMBER 2015

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THE RECREATIONAL ANGLER’S LINK OPEN LETTER TO PARLIAMENT: YOUR VOTE CAN COUNT •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• This is an open letter to all current sitting members of Queensland’s parliament.

At the last Queensland state election the current government made a policy commitment to Net Free Areas in areas of high recreational and environmental value.

They committed to Cairns, Mackay and Keppel Bay and to then commence discussions in Moreton Bay. This decision was based on sound economic and environmental indicators and solid support from local communities, recreational fishing and tourism sectors.

The recreational fishing sector and local communities who cast their votes with this policy clearly stated expect this election promise to be fulfilled.

Now, it would be preposterous to think that recreational fishing policies are significant enough to be a major vote winner in the same class as health, roads or education. But with the changing patterns of how people vote; local important

netting is an activity that should not be in areas that are also high population areas for turtles, dolphins or dugongs.

JUSTIFICATION Queensland has 6973km of coastline, the current 3 proposals are only looking at 270km.

Input has been received from across the State taking into account: • High population densities • High fishing tourism destinations • Populations of turtle, dolphins and dugongs • Commercial effort in identified areas by both number of participants and economic value • Relevant market value to buy out commercial effort in these identified areas.

In 2003 the National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey (funded by the Natural Heritage Trust) identified the importance of recreational fishing to regional economies. The survey stated 33% of Queensland households had at least one

State governments (in particular the NT) have been prudent to recognise the recreational fishing contribution to local economies.

In Darwin, for example it is claimed each recreationally caught barramundi is currently worth $3,500 to Darwin’s economy.

VALUE OF COMMERCIAL FISHING TO COMMUNITIES Some of the key issues identified in 2 separate independent surveys of local retail outlets were: Consistency of local product availability was at the best limited to 50% of outlets and common local fish such as fresh whole whiting, bream, flathead and snapper were only stocked by 20% or less of outlets. The statement that commercial operators supply the public has limited validity as local product availability was low – only 50% of surveyed outlets stocked one or more local fish species. In most cases the cost was well above non local product –

Queensland coastal communities will begin to thrive on a combination of high value recreationally significant net free areas and some modern, environmentally sound and sustainable commercial fishing businesses.

This endorsement will allow them to fish right along the Queensland East Coast. The Queensland east coast has 6973km of coastline and the three areas currently under investigation are approximately 270km. This is less than 4% of the coastline.

This is a unique opportunity for recreational fishing tourism and all the allied industries. The Qld rec fishing sector generates expenditure well in excess of

gear, bait, boat, clothing, dive gear, fees, fishing gear, travel, and other costs. The average expenditure per Qld angler in 2000 was $407 annually. The total expenditure in 2000 by all Qld resident rec fishers was estimated as $320 million.

The present Qld rec fishing survey being done

by DAF estimates in excess of 600,000 rec fishers in Qld. The best estimate of expenditure per angler in 2014 is given on an Australian

What would you prefer to see on your local beach? issues like recreational fishing have greater significance.

RATIONALE It is now an acceptance of fact that the economic and social benefits of recreational fishing can equal or exceed the economic value to the community of commercial net fishing in high population areas at considerably less expense to the environment.

There is also an acknowledgement that commercial fishing in one form or another (including aquaculture) is a valid method for providing quality seafood to the non-fishing community.

The Sunfish preferred option would be for that to be provided by line caught or aquaculture and provided to a domestic market only.

Historically, areas that are fished by both recreational and commercial fishers at high density become confrontational or unfriendly at best. Recently it has become scientifically supported that commercial entanglement

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member who had fished in the last twelve months. The survey stated further that 60% of the catch was sourced from estuaries.

Estimates of the direct

prime fish was very expensive – whiting fillets $45, snapper fillets $39, scallops $59, flathead fillets $38, mud crabs $50 – making them almost a luxury buy. The bottom line

$600 million annually.

The best independent economic study was done in 2000, and is reported in the national recreational fishing survey by Henry and

YOUR VOTE COUNTS ELECTORATE WINNING REC FISHERS

MARGIN PER DAFF SURVEY Brisbane Central................................... 1750.................................................. 4032 Ferny Grove............................................466.................................................. 3800 Mount Cootha......................................1370.................................................. 5780 Pumicestone.........................................1292.................................................. 6878 Springwood............................................983...................................................6178 • 89 Queensland electorates, there are only 4 that don’t have a boundary within 100km of the coastline.

• 63 Queensland electorates in the 2015 election had margins less than the number of recreational fishers according to Fisheries Queensland latest recreational fishing survey data. cost or expenditure for recreational fishers targeting barramundi suggest a value of approximately $51 per recreational fish as opposed to $19 per commercial fish (assuming a weight of 3kg).

is that very little of the fish gill netted finds its way onto local tables.

To commercially net in the Qld Inshore Net Fishery a licensed commercial fisherman requires an N1 endorsement.

www.sunfishqld.com.au

Lyle. The survey estimated the numbers of recreational fishers in each State/Territory, and what these fishers spent annually. The fishing expenditure covered included accommodation, camping

Government website as about $1,000 annually. This covers the same items as covered in the 2000 national survey.

So a reasonable estimate of current expenditure by the Qld rec fishing sector is $600 million annually – almost double the 2000 estimate. This expenditure includes a GST component, and none of the expenditure is tax deductible for anglers or subsidized. There is also a non-resident/tourist component that is currently unknown but certainly extremely significant.

IN ADDITION FROM MINISTER BYRNE There are some wild accusations out there, but the reality is that between 2012 and 2014 the average annual catch from the net-free zones proposed for Cairns, Mackay and the Capricorn Coast/ Fitzroy River was 7.5% of the 4,325 tonnes total east coast net catch in Queensland.

Logbook returns suggest that only 60 licence holders spent at least one day net

fishing in the proposed zones between 2012 and 2015 out of 412 net licence holders eligible to fish there.

There is no proposal to exclude commercial trawling, crabbing or line fishing from the zones. So while we expect that some commercial fishers will be affected, the impact on commercial fishing, and the availability of locally caught fish and seafood, will be limited.

In Mackay, the average take of all species in the proposed zone is a mere 0.64% of the total east coast catch.

On that basis there will not be a shortage of fish at the local shops.

Community meetings were held along the coast in areas of interest for the three identified Net Free Areas in Keppel, Mackay and Cairns. As was to be expected it has been met with scaremongering from the commercial sector. Sadly, most in the community would be unaware that many of the commercial fishers featuring so prominently in the media will not be impacted at all by the declaration of the Net Free Areas. In addition, much of the controversial media opposing the Net Free Areas has also been misleading and or false.

IN SUMMARY Queensland coastal communities will begin to thrive on a combination of high value recreationally significant net free areas and some modern, environmentally sound and sustainable commercial fishing businesses.

Any watering down or backflip on this election policy will be as the result of undue political interference and not based on any sound economic or environmental considerations.

Email: judylynne@sunfishqld.com.au

Mercury MerCruiser’s 6.2L V-8 sterndrives Mercury engineers have again shown the boating world how it’s done – creating two new engines which deliver truly impressive power and torque while delivering a remarkably quiet and smooth ride.

MerCruiser ’s new 6.2L V-8 300hp and 350hp

“Like the purpose-built 4.5-litre V-6 sterndrives we introduced a year ago, we’re extremely proud of the remarkable reliability and ease of maintenance delivered by the 6.2. This is a terrific engine platform that will improve boating everywhere.”

The engine’s high displacement ensures it produces an outstanding power-to-weight ratio, which means boats get onto a plane more quickly, stay on plane at lower speeds and handle rough seas better.

The 6.2L V-8 also

Axius Joystick Piloting.

“This new V-8 platform is another outstanding example of a Mercury product designed from the ground up with technologies, design features and materials that deliver unmatched value to our

A number of technical advances in the 6.2L V-8 combine to create the most enjoyable boating experience on the water.

An air-intake resonator suppresses harsh sound frequencies across the engine operation range making it dramatically

contributes to the engine’s long-term durability, corrosion-resistance and easy maintenance.

SIMPLIFYING MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE Ease of maintenance on the MerCruiser 6.2L includes a maintenance-free

The new 6.2L sterndrives from MerCruiser. These machines are set to be smooth, easy to maintain and built or power! sterndrives are purposebuilt specifically for marine use, which is why Mercury has been able to create a perfect blend of power, reliability, superior corrosion-resistance and a quiet, pleasurable ride.

“With the introduction of our new 6.2-litre V-8 sterndrive engines, Mercury continues to build on its success of designing and manufacturing propulsion systems that deliver the most intuitive, powerful, worry-free, smooth and quiet boating experience,” said John Pfeifer, President of Mercury Marine.

Engineered with new innovative features and state-ofthe-art technology, the MerCruiser 6.2L sterndrive platform was designed, and is manufactured, at Mercury Marine’s world headquarters in Wisconsin.

POWER, ACCELERATION AND PERFORMANCE With the MerCruiser 6.2L, a long runner scrolled intake manifold optimises airflow for higher torque, which translates into greater acceleration and improved boat performance.

offers Adaptive Speed Control (ASC), which automatically maintains a set rpm point regardless of load or changing conditions such as tight turns, lower speeds on plane and tow-sport activities. This gives increased throttle response and a ‘sportier’ feel for the driver, who no longer has to make continual throttle adjustments.

For the ultimate in docking experience and manoeuvrability, the new engines with Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS) can be partnered with

marine customers,” said David Foulkes, Chief Technology Officer for Brunswick Corporation and Vice President of Mercury Product Development, Engineering and Racing.

SMOOTH AND QUIET QR CODE

QFM Steve Morgan talking to Justin d’Offay from Mercury about the new 6.2L sterndrives.

Scan the QR code to listen to the full interview with Justin d’Offay from Mercury.

quieter, while an all-new aft-facing throttle body directs noise away from the cockpit so conversations are easier. Also, the larger, optimised engine mounts isolate undesirable engine vibrations and sounds, making the ride quieter and smoother than ever.

UNCOMPROMISING DURABILITY AND CORROSIONRESISTANCE The 6.2L V-8 comes with the ultimate anti-corrosion protection system. Durable cast-iron componentry has been used wherever the engine encounters raw water.

Elsewhere in the engine, composites and marine alloys provide lightweight efficiency. A convenient and easy freshwater flush system

valve train for the life of the engine and a maintenance centre near the top-front section of the engine, ensuring that touchpoints are easily identifiable and accessible. The result is a reliable engine that is more affordable to service.

The 6.2L is available with optional freshwater cooling and the SeaCore drive corrosion protection treatment, which provides extra corrosion protection only when needed, such as saltwater environments.

Freshwater cooling uses a heat exchanger and coolant fluid to maintain engine temperature. The coolant travels through the entire engine and the exhaust manifolds, and prevents internal corrosion of the cooling passages.

The SeaCore protection treatment is a hardanodizing process that alters the surface layer of the aluminium drive casting to prevent saltwater penetration that leads to corrosion.

WARRANTY Because Mercury designed and makes these engines, Mercury backs them with two years of Mercury Limited Warranty.

The 6.2L also enjoys a three-year anti-corrosion warranty. – Mercury SEPTEMBER 2015

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Surtees Gamefisher 610 and 130 Yamaha 4-stroke BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

With a New Zealand heritage, a standard of alloy craftsmanship and overall finish guaranteed to turn heads on both sides of the Tasman, the Surtees brand has become so thoroughly established that these boats require little introduction. Suffice to say that this 6.1m craft with a beam of 2.26m and its ultra strong construction (there are 6 fully welded stringers under the floor) is as solid as a brick. The 5mm thick deep vee hulls are water ballasted for ultimate stability both at rest and under way (a flap can be closed to retain water when necessary), and it’s reassuring to note the 610 Gamefisher’s below-floor section includes paired safety buoyancy chambers.

With that sort of introduction, it likely comes as no surprise that the Gamefisher 610, amply powered by the F130XA Yamaha 4-stroke, put a lot of runs on the board during a test drive in Moreton Bay recently. Provided

by Northside Marine and launching easily from it’s Redco/Surtees special trailer at Cabbage Tree Point, the craft hummed gently out

quite suited for an overnight stay for a couple of folk, to perhaps enjoy time out of the weather, or for anglers with lots of valuable gear to store it when travelling. A quite large central foredeck hatch permits anchor well access up front, where a solid bow rail facilitates ease of access to or from the craft when necessary. A marine toilet within the cuddy is an option.

The Gamefisher’s helm setup was ideal, with all the visibility in the world through the tinted toughened glass windscreen whether

seated or standing. Side windows provided plenty of fresh air for those hot summer days — they are not that far off again — and thanks to the height of the hardtop with it’s extendable shade section, there was a distinct feeling of roominess while driving. Hand holds up front for skipper and mate, along with foot rests, were also standard.

Dash layout was simple but effective with Yamaha gauges, a large switch panel, power outlet and marine radio all set out on a neat fascia area. For ease of

The Surtees at work on a wash: even going very hard produced no impact that could be called uncomfortable.

A dedicated Redco multi-roller trailer was an important part of the Gamefisher package.

sounder installation, Surtees have thoughtfully provided a large padded and raised section on the flat full-width section aft of the windscreen, ideal for setting up even the largest of sounders. These great Gamefishers offer several seating options and the ones chosen for skipper and first mate within the reviewed craft saw fabulous fully-swivelling wraparound bucket seats mounted atop alloy storage boxes.

USER-FRIENDLY COCKPIT AREA As a specialised fishing craft, the 610 Gamefisher certainly offered a lot to please the angler, and something that catches the eye is that there are no sharp edges around the helm or aft in the cockpit work area.

The sealed tread plate cockpit floor (draining into a sump with 2000gph bilge pump) offered sure footing with the ease of clean-up at

Above Left: Dual use sees the hatch covering the battery shelf also available as a seat if necessary.

Above Right: Bunks with storage under them offer room to stretch out, escape the elements, or simply take care of valuable tackle. Below Left: There’s handy kit — a sliding rod holder on the side pocket. Below Right: An angler’s cockpit.

Note the non-skid floor, wide rubber mat-equipped decks, large floor pockets, bait station and plumbed live well. through the leads while I took stock of what was on offer.

And, I might add, I found plenty to please me. Finish, fitout, fishability all caught the eye and imagination.

LAYOUT SUITS FAMILY OR DEDICATED ANGLER In the usual cuddy cab style, the Gamefisher 610 has a cabin featuring quite plush bunks set up with useful storage under them, plus full length overhead shelving as well. Head height within the lined cuddy was generous and I noted that the door-equipped cabin was 102

SEPTEMBER 2015

day’s end. Three metre-long side pockets adorned each cockpit side, while 30cmwide gunwale tops were equipped with rubber material for utmost comfort, as was the flat upper section of the full height transom.

Four rod holders per side on gunwales complimented the 11 rod holders elsewhere.

Of interest was the sliding rod holder rack set up on the starboard side pocket, this item being an extra many owners would favour as it allowed 4 rods to be carried upright while under way.

A large fish bin was set up under the cockpit floor, a plumbed clear view live well within the port transom corner (you step over this to enter from astern), where a tread plate platform, ladder, plus a rail were standard.

The transom featured a rod holder-equipped bait station with off-floor shelf permitting access to paired batteries via a rubber coated drop-down shelf that could be used as a short term rear seat. In all, a cockpit work area obviously designed by an angler for an angler to use.

RIDE AND HANDLING Good as these features were, it was the ride

and handling of the 610 Gamefisher’s 19° hull powered by the 1.8l 4 cylinder Yamaha 4 stroke that really showed the potential of this craft as a family all-rounder or a boat for the dedicated offshore angler.

The Gamefisher’s 5mm thick alloy hull, at 550kg, qualifies for an engine rating of up to

steering taking all effort from sharp turns.

The Surtees offered a ride that was everything you’d expect from a boat designed for New Zealand’s tough sea conditions. Unfortunately, the test runs were carried out on calm water, but as we were also working in conjunction with one of Northside’s big

the hull’s entry took care of water deflection, and it would need to be pretty bad conditions to see any water coming into the Surtees other than rain.

The thing that really appealed about the 610 Gamefisher is the variation in hull weight offered. Savvy boaters understand that

Harmonious design in action. The sleek lines of the Surtees are complemented by the way in which the hull’s spray chines took care of displaced water.

150hp. Accordingly, the 130 Yamaha (lightest in class, incidentally) was neatly mid range power, but certainly not lacking in sheer grunt. With 2 aboard it jumped onto the plane in a few boat lengths at a speed of 9kts at 2600rpm, while 3000rpm saw a speed of 12.5kts recorded, 4000rpm 18kts, and 5000rpm recording 26.7kts. As the engine was quite new it was spared further tasks, but there’s little doubt that when fully broken in speeds around 32kts would be par for the course.

Driving was a lot of fun; the fingertip control via hydraulic

Stabicrafts, we used each boat in turn to set up a wash to assess ride quality. Neither craft threw much of a wash I’ll admit, but we solved that little problem by going very hard at the wash we generated. These boats don’t break, so why not?

The Surtees simply offered one of the best rides I’ve experienced in a 6m alloy hull. No bump, no bash, just a sensation of controlled impact — and certainly nothing you’d call uncomfortable — as we hit each wash. Dedicated spray deflecting chines just aft of

weight can be a great asset to ride quality, and the ability of the Surtees to add or shed weight via the hull’s floodable tunnel was very handy.

Interestingly, with 2 aboard (rating is for up to 6 people) the big Surtees rode perhaps even smoother with a little extra water ballast aboard.

It’s a neat system. At rest, with the control flap open, the tunnel floods rapidly to settle the craft down on its outer chine to offer the sort of stability that’s somewhat unexpected from a 19° deep V hull. Tender? No way. Raftlike is how I saw it.

Top: Powering out of a turn, the 610 Gamefisher struts her stuff. Above: A close up shot of the Surtees hull’s spray chines in action.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION Hull:........................................................... 5mm alloy Length:.............................................................6.10m Beam:...............................................................2.26m Weight:.............................................................550kg Deadrise:............................................................. 19° Fuel:...................................................................150L Engine rating:.......................................... 100-150hp Engine fitted:........................130hp Yamaha 4 stroke Persons:..................................................................6 Towing:........................... Family six sedan or wagon

FISHABILITY AND SUMMING UP In terms of fishability, the 610 Gamefisher is virtually a complete package. The roomy cockpit is made for serious fishing work. There are rod holders overhead, along the inside, and on the bait station. Catch and bait storage is well taken care of and the craft’s brilliant ride plus a fuel capacity of 150l would see a lot of cruising range on tap.

Stability’s there in spades and with a near metre cockpit gunwale height, both family and offshore anglers would have ample confidence aboard. Last but not least is the high quality finish throughout. Welds are easily noted, but very smooth, all joinery is first class and the combination of Nyalic finish plus classy paint offer a good degree of bling to what’s already an eye-catching design.

In all, the 610 Gamefisher/130 Yamaha combination presents as a lot of boat that should last for years. On a dedicated Redco Sportsman trailer with Surtees Quick Hitch facility, the 610 Gamefisher package with all extras aboard would come home for $74,648.

Northside Marine can be contacted on phone at (07) 3265 8000, or check out their website at www. northsidemarine.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.

HOW TOUGH ARE WE?

Check out what we do!

84e

https://vimeo.com/user6750990/review/134365375/775c1b3

Free Call: 1800 336 603 Fax: 07 4155 2088

Top: A neat combination: the Gamefisher’s seats on storage boxes offer just that bit extra for a lucky owner. Above: Helm and dash features are easily seen here, including the cabin’s zip-up door.

89 Childers Rd, Bundaberg QLD 4670

For more boats visit:

www.polycraft.com.au

Your Polycraft Dealers: CAIRNS - Aussie Marine Phone: 07 4033 8800 MACKAY - Redline Motosports Phone: 07 4963 4500 SUNSHINE COAST - Port O’ Call Boating Phone: 07 5493 2255 BUNDABERG - Adrians Marine Centre Phone: 07 4153 1819 TWEED HEADS - Coastal Powerboats Phone: 07 5523 0072

SEPTEMBER 2015

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Sea Adex Armour 45 is combat ready for action GOLD COAST

Mark Ward barra09@live.com.au

Breaking into the boating market is a Brisbane-based company called Sea Adex.

With so many fishing boats on the market, owners Adam Mortimer and Rex Willis knew that if Sea Adex was to be competitive they had to bring something new to the table. This is exactly what they have done.

At first glance, the Amour 45 has the look of a ringed hull that has become synonymous with the New Zealand built Stabicraft. The appropriately named Armour 45 is a plate hull made from 4mm 5083 alloy on the bottom sheets as well as the sides, bulkheads and the deck. Full-length wields lock the entire build

weekend,” he said. “I sea trialled it in 30 knots, and it got so full of water it literally couldn’t hold any more – and it didn’t sink.

“The next step was to show my designs to a naval architect, and together we created the range you see today.”

Sea Adex has actually been around for five years, filling custom orders for their boats, but the owners had been too busy with other projects to make very many. Now the pair have decided to turn all their attention on the range, creating and displaying a complete series of demos for clients to inspect and try out.

Unlike some of their competitors, all Armour models have a constant 23° deadrise, 4mm bottom and sides, and self-draining decks.

They can go into basic survey straight away, with no design

The Armour 45 is a solid, tough as nails fishing vessel.

Left: There’s very easy access to the deck wash and cutting board. Middle: Plenty of rod storage is a feature that will appeal to all the keen anglers. Right: The walkaround design allows for excellent fish-fighting ability. together, making it a solid, tough as nails, safe fishing vessel. The test boat is the smallest in the Armour range at just 4.5m, and I can’t think of another hull under the 5m mark built to such stringent specifications.

THE SEA ADEX STORY Adam’s motivation to create his own boat range came from his determination to fish no matter what the weather.

“When I was younger I spent a lot of time in Brisbane and Mackay in different kinds of boats, and I got sick of waiting for the weather to turn,” he explained. “It meant that sometimes I headed out in bad weather when I really shouldn’t have; one occasion resulted in the boat filling up with water and all of us in lifejackets!”

Years later saw Adam older and wiser, but he still wanted a boat that would deliver ultimate safety in poor conditions.

“Around six years ago I built a 4m prototype in a 104

SEPTEMBER 2015

modifications needed, and everything but the hull shape is fully customisable. These boats are also kid-friendly, with high sides and a minimum of hard protruding interior surfaces.

Adam and Rex pride themselves on the fact that they’re both the owners and builders, working with customers directly to build each person’s perfect boat.

Customisation options include: different configurations with kill tanks, live bait tanks and full tanks; dash layout; side door access; single/dual/triple motor options; and even the placement of hand rails.

“We actually get customers out to climb on the boat and see where their hands naturally go,” Adam explained. “The customers also tell us where they want rod holders, the style and location of bait boards, whether they want pedestal or box seats, rear lounge, edge coming and so on. One customer recently requested solar panels, and electric winch and 300L of fuel. It’s

The Sea Adex’s massive reverse chine has a similar stabilising effect to outriggers on a canoe.

not so much what we can do for you, it’s what we can’t do.

“At the end of the day, you’re not just buying a boat, you’re buying your boat.

We’re always happy to offer suggestions if you’re unsure of what would suit you best.

Alternatively, if you know exactly what you want, that’s great too.”

That’s the lowdown on Sea Adex – now let’s take a closer look at the Armour 45.

THE HULL Offshore anglers understand that having a nice deep deadrise allows them to cut through the chop while cushioning the landing when gliding over swell. Unfortunately, this can compromise the stability at rest. This issue has been addressed in the Sea Adex by the massive reverse chine that gives it that ‘ringed hull’ look. This has a similar effect to outriggers on a canoe, allowing anglers to play a fish in without having to worry about falling overboard.

While the stability was very impressive, the constant 23° deadrise in the hull gave the Armour 45 an amazing ride quality. I can honestly say it would rival a glass boat of a similar size. With an overall length of 4.7m, this boat is well suited to inshore reefs and bay fishing, which it handles with ease.

It’s also nice to know that when you’re out and it blows up, the Armour 45 can get you home safely. The shape of the hull allows Sea Adex to pump in enough foam during the build to give level floatation, and commercial operators can have the Armour built to survey. What this all means is that even if the Amour gets swamped and is full of water, the hull will remain upright and on the surface.

The vast majority of boats made these days have a variable deadrise, meaning that the entry point at the bow has a sharper angle than the transom.

This is a very popular design feature that allows the hull to cut through swell and chop.

The only negative that variable deadrises have is that the sharp entry point can act like a keel.

As waves or current hits the bow, it can cause the hull to dart off to the side. Having a constant deadrise means that the 4.5 Armour doesn’t have the same problem and best of all, it achieves this while still having one of the best rides in its class. After more than 20 years of reviewing boats, I’m rarely surprised by the ride of a hull but overall, the Armour 45 was very impressive.

LAYOUT Being a full custom build, the Armour can be configured as a side console, cuddy cab or a centre console. The centre console that we tested would be ideal for families and anglers wanting to get out on the bay or chase mackerel on the reefs.

Adam and Rex are both family men who love their fishing, and this has been incorporated into the design of the Sea Adex boats. The high gunwales are ideal for fishing with the kids and a swim board with transom ladder as well as plenty of seating on board makes it ideal for day trips as well as weekends away.

The console has to be small enough to allow for room to get around the deck, but it was also able to house good-sized electronics with storage below that also includes built in tackle trays. The seating, steering wheel and control box were all well positioned and very comfortable to operate from the helm. The key start was squeezed up against the control box which was a small error in design, but that’s the only fault I could find with it. The seating is also mounted on a pair of eskies so every opportunity to improve the storage and the function of the Sea Adex has been considered.

The bow has a casting deck that can be converted into a tournament-style configuration, with plenty of room for live wells under the deck. The transom also has plenty of storage as well as a live bait tank that is also massive. If you prefer camping and family weekends away, there is enough underfloor storage for tents and swags as well as the standard safety equipment. The many options available include 60L of freshwater and an on-board shower, and underfloor fuel or external tanks.

PERFORMANCE As already mentioned, the hull design allows for very simple operation, excellent tracking and very smooth ride quality. The setup of the outboard was perfect on the test boat. Tight corners could be accelerated out of without any hint of the prop slipping, and the small hull could be

Top Left: A bait board with storage is invaluable on an offshore vessel. Right: Nifty storage solutions are available in the casting deck.

Above Left: The 23˚ deadrise gives stability in tough weather.

The 4.5 Armour delivers one of the best rides in its class.

SPECIFICATIONS

in contact with Sea Adex on 0435 453 455, 0414 821 448 or via their website at www. seaadex.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.

Length................................................................4.5m LOA..................................................................4.85m Beam..................................................................2.1m Length on trailer...............................................6.1m Height on trailer................................................3.2m Construction..............4mm sheet sides and bottom Hull weight......................................................720kg Deadrise.............................................................. 23° Fuel....................................................................100L Engine........................................................ 75-100hp Towing................................................. 4 cylinder car Max persons...........................................................4

THE FUTURE IS HERE

Left: To make the best use of the available space, the seating is mounted on a pair of eskies. Right: The console houses good-sized electronics with storage below that also includes built-in tackle trays. spun around in tight spots with ease.

Pushing the Armour was a 100hp Mercury Four Stroke that gave a top speed of 56km/h and an economical cruise speed of 36km/h at just 4000 revs. I couldn’t say that the hull was launched onto the plane as it was more of a gentle progression, but this is due to the deep V design keeping a lot of the hull in the water and not having that big, flat surface to get the hull planing. That’s not to say that the Armour was reluctant to plane, and with two big blokes on board it still performed very well.

The Sea Adex Armour 45 starts at $36,500 ($46,000 as tested), and it’s backed by a three-year warranty. The other Armour sizes are 5.5 (a hardtop version will be released later this month) and 6.5 version, and Sea Adex also produces a series of V-nose punts called the RMP series, which will be reviewed later this year. They also make custom alloy trailers, including full 4WD trailers.

Interested parties can get

• Waterproof Construction • Maintenance Free • Equivalent to 3hp • Detachable Battery

Detachable Battery

Ultra-long Operating Time Spirit 1.0 uses 1017Wh lithium battery, which guarantees long endurance Speed (km/h)

Run time (hrs)

Range (km)

Slow Speed

3.5

17

59.5

Half Throttle

5.2

5.11

27

Full Throttle

9

1

9

* This data based on 3-metre inflatable boat.

Top: The Armour 45 really is a ready-looking offshore battler. Above: The hull is purpose built for offshore conditions, despite being relatively small.

For more information call (02) 9532 0002 Email: info@islandinflatables.com.au

www.epropulsion.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

105

Stessco 490 bow rider with Suzuki 70hp 4-stroke BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Stessco have been turning out excellent alloy fishing craft for years. I actually owned one for quite a while, and that no-frills but very functional little boat brought me a lot of enjoyment.

These days Stessco are turning out some far from basic craft, and the 490 Bow Rider is a great example of the sort of attention to detail and easy performance that Stessco pride themselves on.

Presented by Motorsport Marine of Burpengary, the 490 Bow Rider impressed me as the sort of craft that could fulfil a number of roles. It’s ideal for family boating, and for the more serious family angling team the bow rider section up front offers a second fishing area, with ample storage underneath. In many respects bow riders are all-rounders, and the 490 Stessco is an excellent example of the genre.

storage was also available under these seat bases.

In tere s tin g ly, a companionway door divided the forward area from the remainder of the craft. I liked this concept as it meant that when underway (and with this door closed) all slipstream was diverted away from aft occupants thanks to the craft’s three piece windscreen with its centre opening section and strong hand rails.

Paired modules for skipper and mate neatly combined alloy craftsmanship and fibreglass moulding in fine form. Because the modules were entirely open in their lower sections, full leg room ahead of seating was available. The first mate was treated to a storage area with drink holders just aft of the windscreen, with an open glove box area lower. Side storage was also on hand via the craft’s port side pocket.

The skipper’s module had a neatly formed, moulded dash section set

The 490 Bow Rider, so easy on the eye, goes as good as it looks. to either face forward underway or simply slide the back rest section towards the windscreen to look astern when necessary. The long side

pockets of the 490 Bow Rider allowed both skipper and mate to keep items within easy reach.

Additional seating was provided aft, to starboard,

where a padded box doubled as either a lounge seat (with backrest) or as a storage area for catch or gear. The hinged box lid could be tilted forward

TECHNICAL INFORMATION Length..............................................................5.29m Beam................................................................2.25m Hull construction..................................... 3mm alloy Deadrise hull....................................................... 18° Weight of hull..................................................480kg Fuel......................................................................80L Engine ratings............................................. 60-80hp Engine fitted................................Suzuki 70 4-stroke Persons..........................................................max. 5 Towing............... Family six sedan or big four wagon LAYOUT Aft of the rig’s large anchor well and bow sprit, the bow rider seating caters for up to three people to enjoy the ride with breeze in their faces. The entire bow rider area was cushion equipped, with the central cushion and its hard in-fill base easily removed and dropped down onto the floor to provide leg room for passengers. A handy amount of under-seat 106

SEPTEMBER 2015

up with gauges to monitor the Suzuki 70hp plus a bank of switches. The steering wheel is lower but handy to the driver, with controls for the engine side mounted.

There’s room to mount quite a large sounder, and in all it was a convenient and sensible set-up.

Forward seating was quite plush. Paired deluxe seats on pedestals sported two-way backrests which allowed skipper and mate

Top Left: The option of closing the door between modules is handy to deflect slipstream away from rear passengers. Top Right: The 70 Suzuki 4-stroke was an excellent power choice for the 490 Bow Rider. Above: The Bow Rider’s plush seating offered alternatives of forward or rearwards back support via the movable back rest.

for access to the Stessco’s fuel filter and other items.

Again, quite satisfactory seating with its dual purpose capability a bonus.

Other features in the

cockpit area included a carpeted floor, wide neatlyformed decks featuring one rod holder per side, grab rails and a full height transom with boarding gate and associated ladder to port. The boarding platforms were formed onto the engine pod’s outer extremity each side of the Suzuki, with boarding rails extending over the transom to make it easy to climb aboard.

70HP SUZUKI The 70hp Suzuki fourstroke was a very capable power source for the 490 Stessco Bow Rider. Engines are 60-80hp with the 1.5L four-cylinder 70hp Suzuki being mid-range power.

With three people aboard, the boat turned up some very respectable speeds without much fuss or engine input so far as noise was concerned. The rig planed

The Bow Rider’s central infill is easily removed to provide ample leg room for front passengers. at 3000rpm at 15.5km/h; 4000rpm was 35.7km/h; and 5000rpm (the engine was new) recording 45.8km/h.

Test runs were carried out in slight chop within the Bribie Passage. It was quite busy at the time so it was easy to find some wash to jump to assess ride quality.

The ride, to my enjoyment,

and jumping wash, the craft’s interior remained quite dry. It would only be when quartering waves with wind pushing them along that some spray would come aboard, as expected from open boats of this style.An exterior side height of 1.18m would also assist in sea keeping

complement the section aft.

Ride and handling excel all round, and an interior side depth of around 85cm sees plenty of freeboard for people wanting to stand and fish, or for families taking youngsters out. The addition of something to keep a few liveys in would see the package complete.

The main aft features of the 490 Bow Rider include a padded seat box to store your catch or equipment, as required. was entirely smooth and quite predictable for a craft of such modest dimensions.

True, the hull weight of 480kg greatly assisted ride quality, but hull shape also undoubtedly had a large input into the ride. We felt little impact as we drove briskly over some decent wash from passing craft.

Stessco have obviously put some R&D into the hull with its 18° vee form.

Very large strakes and outer reversed chine are featured, and the resulting ride quality is very pleasing. In this style of boat passengers might well be sitting right over the hull’s entry section, but if the test run is any indication there won’t be any nasty surprises for passengers up front.

DRY RIDE When powering along

and the dryness of ride for occupants.

I found the hull to be very stable when I was moving about taking photos, and that gets full marks from me. Handling was also a strong point of the rig, and it was great fun to throw the bow rider into sharp turns to experience a bit of G force, then watch how rapidly it recovered to a level attitude.

SUMMING UP Although not primarily designed as a fishing craft, the Stessco 490 Bow Rider with its 70hp Suzuki 4-stroke would please a lot of anglers looking for a boat that can double as a family unit and capable fishing rig, depending on the day’s requirements.

With the bow rider section opened up for business there’s fishing area there to

The finish of the Stessco was very good with welds neatly finished, high quality upholstery (there’s a lot of padding in this boat), and excellent overall presentation. The Bow Rider looks good and goes just as well in my view. Supplied on a Stessco dedicated trailer, this baot would come home for a modest $29,990.

Motorsport Marine can be contacted on (07) 3888 0555 or on the net at www. motorsportmarine.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.

Top: The drink holder and glove box arrangement are there for the front passenger’s convenience. Middle: Because side pockets run right to the front of the boat, the skipper and mate can slip a few of their personal items into them with ease.

Above: The Stessco’s wide under-hull pressings are easily noted in this transom image.

QUALITY BOAT COVERS FOR OVER • Canopies & Side Curtains • Full Boat Campers • Front Clears • Storm Covers • Bimini Tops • Motor Covers • All Over Covers • Insurance Work • Repairs and recovers • Upholstery Work 7 Rowland Street SLACKS CREEK Brisbane 4127 PH 07

30 YEARS

We pride ourselves on the quality of our workmanship

info@boatcovers.com.au

3208 9511 FAX 07 3208 9305 www.boatcovers.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

107

FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION I SEE RED!

BASS BREAM BULLSEYE COD CORAL EMPEROR FIREFISH GOBY GROPER

GURNARD MOKI MORWONG MULLET PERCH RAINBOW FISH REDFIN ROCK COD SCORPION COD

SNAPPER SQUIRREL STINGER THROAT TRIGGERFISH TROUT VELVETFISH

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win a Fishing Monthly selected prize pack.

SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

QLD SEPTEMBER 2015

Phone (day):

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winner for July was L Andrews of Gordonvale, who won a new Wilson Magnum combo valued at $325.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND THE BERKLEY LOGO WINNER BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The Find the Berkley logo prize winners for July were: G Crossley of Wilsonton, S Olsson of Kallangur, R Ronlund of Gin Gin, R Robertson of The Channon, G Illman of Mt Gambier, N Kempthorne of Ripley, F Heiniger of Woombye, N Land of Mount Louisa, C Daniel of Brightview, I Johnson of Gumdale, T Hubner of Taunton, R Waters of Temora, L Pirlo of Modanville, B Schmidt of Dalby, C Couper of Chinchilla, B Mackey of Parkwood, C Scott of Currumbin Waters, M Chadwick of Gladstone, A Svaikauskas of Alligator Creek, J Bowyer of Blackall, I Boneham of Eight Mile Plains, R Elworthy of Point Vernon, R Ramsay of Taylors Beach, J Bugno of Bardon, H Finney of Dingo, A Dougan of Bucasia, G Leverton of Ingham, R Brown of Edmonton, A Kittel of Logan Village, P Cauchi of Bundaberg, G McGrath of Avoca, C Hendry of Imbil, D Hall of Glenwood, T Sauer of Banyo, L Betts of Kendall, B Newton of Trinity Beach, R Schefe of Point Vernon, A Jorgensen of Kippa Ring, S Grainger of Barcaldine, B Hardwick of Kewarra Beach.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

FIND-A-WORD WINNER GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

Congratulations to Ron Maynard of Nundah, who was last month’s winner of the Find-aWord Competition!

Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

check out!

3 108

• DECEMBER SEPTEMBER 20152010

• New products • Videos • Indepth Reviews

Trades, Services, Charter Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory BOAT LICENCING

BAIT & TACKLE

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Call Glen Forte on 0411 255 743 Get Some Experience on YOUR Side

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MARINE TRAILERS Oceanic Boat Trailers (07) 5597 0577 Seatrail Trailers www.seatrailqld.com.au

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Bundall Marine Centre – Servicing all makes and models. MOBILE SERVICE AVAILABLE (07) 5504 7446

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Lake Monduran House Boat www.lakemonduranhouseboathire.com.au

Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Cunningham Marine Centre (07) 3284 8805

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• Sounders • GPS • Electric Motors • Marine Radios and accessories • Stereos • Televisions • Radar Units • Autopilots Unit 4/1440 New Cleveland Road Capalaba www.trymax.com.au PHONE: 07 3245 3633

BOAT MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS

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This section in QLD Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching.

Trades, Services, Charter SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

Advertise here - $90 + GST for 6 months Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

07 5529 2292 20 Wrights Place Labrador Qld 4215 website www.brumbsmarine.com.au email brumbsmarine@bigpond.com Aluminium fabrication • Steel fabrication • Boat repairs Boat modifications • Aluminium sales

CUSTOM MARINE WELDING & ELECTRICAL

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS Specialty Fishing www.specialtyfishing.com.au

MAKE YOUR OWN

Soft Plastics & Spinnerbaits HUGE RANGE OF LURE MAKING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE!

Phone 3807 7846

Mob 0427 142 201 Fax 3807 2468

www.custommarinewelding.com.au

Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587

ROD & REEL REPAIRS NORTH QUEENSLAND JT Reel Repairs, Mackay 0427 552 485 or (07) 4955 2485

D&H REEL REPAIRS ce Reel Performan

e parts needs repairs and spar For all your reel

Marine and Auto Electricial n All types of Welding n Stainless Steel n Aluminium n Mild Steel n Boats Repaired n Fuel & Water Tanks n Canopies n Bow and Stern Rails n Custom Vehicle Tool Boxes

Behind GEM Service Station, Alberton 4207

Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

She Left Camera Sunglasses www.hdvcs.com.au

n

Shed 1 281 Jacobs Well Road

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

PH

(02) 6258 7515

0400 587 515

MOB www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

U-Make-Em Sort Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

Servicin Phone/Fax: 07 3372 2740 or major b g all call Duncan on 0439 717 839 rands Email: dhreelrepairs@bigpond.com Drag upgrades available • Rod repairs • Mail orders welcome www.reelrepairs.com.au 110 Sherbrooke Rd, Willawong Qld 4110

J-Roc Tackle www.jroctackle.com.au Southeast Custom Rod Building and Repairs 0438 055 877

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Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883 ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402 Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088

Hemingways at Tin Can Bay (07) 3219 9376

BOAT TRANSPORT AUSTRALIA WIDE FROM A TINNY TO 50 FEET WEEKLY SERVICE BRISBANE TO CAIRNS

DJ Freight Marine Transport 0418 793 357 0427 341 076 contact@djfreight.com.au MARINE TRIMMERS

Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064

BRISBANE

Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636

MOBILE MARINE CANOPIES

CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808 Iconic Boats Brisbane 0475 311 447

BOAT PAINTING BRISBANE Brisbane Boat Painting 0433 356 620

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND

Canopies Bimini tops Cockpit covers Front and side clears Full boat covers Upholstery Pontoon carpet ... and more!

OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Martin Costello 0434 615 936 www.mobilemarinecanopies.com

FRASER ISLAND

Fraser Island Fishing Units INDIAN HEAD

For bookings or enquiries contact: Cliff Andreassen 07 5449 9346 or 0428 712 283 A FISHO’S DREAM

bearfish@bigpond.com Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364 Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177 Apurla Island Retreat 0437 739 121 Fraser Island Beach Houses 1800 626 230 Yidney Rocks (07) 4127 9167 Eurong Beach Resort 1800 111 808

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

GOLD COAST

Advance Marine Upholstery GOLD COAST BOAT COVERS & CANOPIES • Biminis • Canopies • Storm Covers • Camper Covers

Bribie Island Real Estate (07) 3408 1006

• Boat Carpet • Pontoon Carpet • Jetty Fenders • Clears

ALL WORK IS GUARANTEED Call Simon 0412 763282 E: info@advanceupholstery.com.au

www.advanceupholstery.com.au

ge Bay?

t Stana Looking to stay a

Fully setup fishing accommodation

Call Von 07 4937 3145 Stanage Bay Marine and Accommodation w w w. s t a n a g e b ay. co m

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Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412

Eclipse FNQ Weipa Charters 0488 058 668 Fish’s Fly & Sportsfishing Weipa (07) 4069 9957 Action Charters Mackay 0417 452 346 Fishing Charters Townsville 0403 386 722

Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428

COOKTOWN

Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0411 605 090

River of Gold Motel Plenty of room for boats and trailers PH: 4069 5222

Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469

BURDEKIN

Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330 Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929

HINCHINBROOK

Gone Fishing Charters Gold Coast (07) 5529 7833

Cardwell Beachfront Motel - www.cardwellbeachmotel.net (07) 4066 8776 or info.cbmotel@bigpond.com FRESHWATER Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

Advertise here - $195 + GST for 6 months Email: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576

Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872

Tom Cat Charters (07) 3820 8794

CHARTER BOATS

JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324 Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044 Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027

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SUNSHINE COAST Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Smithy’s Fishing Charters Sunshine Coast 0407 574 868 Top Catch Charters Sunshine Coast 0429 013 012

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Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814 Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402

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Sunshine Coast Fishing Charters (07) 5500 0671

Suncoast Barra Fishing Park www.suncoastbarrafishing.com

Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170

Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

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TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

Incredible Charters 1300 655 818

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Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

HERVEY BAY

FISH TAXIDERMY

Fully Guided Lure & Fly Fishing •

NORTHERN NSW

BORN AND BRED LOCAL GUIDE

• 5.5m Custom sportsfishing Vessel • 4.4m Estuary Sportsfishing Vessel • Quality Fishing Gear Supplied

Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0428 828 835

Fish Taxiderist www.fishtaxidery.net.au or 0428 544 841

FISHING ON TV

Reel Time Fishing Charters 0428 231 962

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HALF AND FULL DAY TOURS • Hobie kayak and fishing gear supplied www.kayakfishingtours.com.au Phone for bookings

0439 714 345

True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622 BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034

www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

IDEAL GIFT!

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Bite Me Fishing Charters Yeppoon 0419 029 397 Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726 MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201 Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727 Bundaberg Fishing Charters 0429 017 217 Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686 Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 MV James Cook (1770) (07) 4974 9422 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234

My Charter Boat Tweed Heads 0407 347 446

Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911

RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366

Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

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What’s New BOATING

1

HUMMINBIRD HELIX 7

With the launch of the Helix 5 earlier this year the Helix 7 is sure to impress the boaties out there! Humminbird is known for its super clear imaging and the Helix 7 is the perfect 7” platform to showcase these technologies, in the ‘all in one’ transducer!

The Helix 7 is easy to use, dependable under any circumstances Australian waters can dish out and unbelievably clear, bright and fast – not to mention built in the USA, so you can be sure this piece of machinery is built to last.

Experience jaw-dropping 480x800 resolution and 1500nit brightness, delivering a clear and precise picture of fish and fish-holding structure. The ultra-wide 16:9 ratio gives you ample room to view two screens side-by-side, making fishing and navigating easier. The builtin quick-release gimbal mount makes angle adjustments and removal easy.

No matter your target, no matter the conditions. Game on! – BLA

2

WATERSNAKE SHADOW MKII

Watersnake has released its Shadow MkII Bow Mount foot-controlled electric motors. The four new models have the same DNA as the top-selling predecessors in the Shadow range but with new design features.

The most noticeable is the small and sleek head design that also incorporates a digital voltage meter, so you can monitor your battery’s condition throughout the day.

The other big change is the new variablespeed wired foot control unit, which has a water-resistant design and precision functions for responsive control over the direction and speed of your boat. It comes with a five-metre cable for flexible locating options. Other features include a composite shaft that is unbreakable under normal conditions, a corrosion-resistant bracket, a weedless propeller design, plus a stainless steel prop shaft and large cradle for ultimate safety in transit.

All have large turning boxes for more control in steering, fully encapsulated circuit boards, sacrificial zinc anodes and anticorrosive treatments; ready for harsh saltwater environments. – Jarvis Walker

3

MERCRUISER’S NEW 6.2L STERNDRIVES

Mercury engineers have again shown the boating world how it’s done – creating two new engines which deliver truly impressive power and torque while providing a remarkably quiet and smooth ride.

MerCruiser’s new 6.2L V-8 300hp and 350hp sterndrives are purpose-built specifically for marine use, which is why Mercury has been able to create a perfect blend of power, reliability, superior corrosion-resistance and a quiet, pleasurable ride.

“With the introduction of our new 6.2-litre V-8 sterndrive engines, Mercury continues to build on its success of designing and manufacturing propulsion systems that deliver the most intuitive, powerful, worry-free, smooth and quiet boating experience,” said John Pfeifer, President of Mercury Marine.

“Like the purpose-built 4.5L V-6 sterndrives we introduced a year ago, we’re extremely proud of the remarkable reliability and ease of maintenance delivered by the 6.2. This is a terrific engine platform that will improve boating everywhere.” – Mercury

4

OPTIMAX DIESEL – READY FOR DUTY

Mercury has released a second ‘stealth’ outboard – a unique OptiMax Diesel, which has been developed exclusively for the U.S. Department of Defense.

This spark-ignited, direct fuel injected twostroke has been designed to run on ultra-lowsulphur diesel, which is readily available around the globe.

Following a ship crash, resulting in an explosive petrol fire, Mercury created the new 3.0 litre, V-6 OptiMax Diesel. Generating 175 horsepower at the propshaft, the new engine shares 95% of its components with the petrol version.

The OptiMax Diesel boasts an advanced 3.0L powerhead, which has been customised with a unique cylinder head designed specifically for combustion of diesel fuel. This is matched with high-performance cylinder liners for maximum horsepower and optimal running quality. To ensure maximum practicality, OptiMax Diesel outboards are available in both right-hand and left-hand rotation. – Mercury

5

Lowrance has announced the release of a game-changing, sonar-imaging system – Lowrance StructureScan 3D. Lowrance StructureScan 3D allows anglers to easily see fish, underwater structure and bottom contours in a stunning threedimensional display on their HDS Gen3 fishfinder/chartplotter.

StructureScan 3D imaging quickly scans underwater terrain and fish-holding structure to create high-resolution, 180-degree super-wide, three-dimensional views – in depths to 300ft and as far as 600ft port and starboard.

Yielding captivating images with unprecedented detail, StructureScan 3D gives anglers a better understanding of where fish and structure are located in relation to their boat.

StructureScan 3D sonar provides multiple viewing options including boosted DownScan Imaging, even more detailed StructureScan HD and the new revolutionary three-dimensional views. Using virtual point-of-view angles or ScanTrack pan-tilt-rotate control, anglers can combine custom HD and 3D views to increase situational awareness and search fishing areas as never before. – Navico

6

112

2

STRUCTURESCAN 3D

3 4 5

NIFPRO NIFTY BOAT

When it comes to convenience and versatility, the Nifty Boat from NifPro has some significant advantages over a kayak.

For starters, this 30kg inflatable boat fits easily into a bag to be stowed in your car boot – even if your car is as small as a Holden Barina – or you can stow it on a larger boat for use as a tender. The Nifty provides comfortable seating positions for two people, and you can put on a 3.5hp motor to take you to places you can’t always take a kayak. It’s narrow so you’ll get good speeds, and it has a flat bottom to get you up those small estuaries. If you put a 55lb electric with a good battery on your Nifty you’ll get some good hours out of it.

The base paddle power option for this boat is RRP $1799. Optioned up with an outboard or electric should cost no more than $4000. Available colours include camo, yellow, red, blue and orange. For more information visit www. compactfishing.com.au. - CF

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au SEPTEMBER 2015

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6500

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5500

5000

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4000

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3000

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PREVIOUS 1.7L (L) MODEL

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5000

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4000

3500

3000

2500

2000

PREVIOUS 1.7L (L) MODEL

Torque (Nm)

115HP FOURSTROKE TORQUE COMPARISON Torque (Nm)

90HP FOURSTROKE TORQUE COMPARISON